Opinion: Nothing is more frustrating to a dedicated breeder-exhibitor than hearing that a wonderful owner with unlimited potential in the sport has purchased a dog from a commercial kennel. After all, your breed parent club works hard to update its website and offer a cornucopia of relevant information. You attend dog shows regularly, breed […]

  Socializing puppies has traditionally been considered the responsibility of the new owner. We instruct new owners to take the puppy to classes and make sure they are exposed to a variety of people and situations. But recent research shows that encouraging a stable temperament can start even before puppies are born. Breeders can do […]

A phone call from a puppy buyer delivered news to Darlene Stewart that no breeder wants to receive. Their beloved family pet had been ill. The Beagle male was having recurring urinary tract infections that did not respond to antibiotics. Stewart’s thoughts immediately went to the dog’s grandmother that she had lost to bladder cancer, […]

  We call them man’s best friend, but how well do dogs really “get” us? We may never know entirely what goes on inside their fuzzy heads, but as researchers continue to study canine cognition, we’re learning more and more about the intuitiveness and emotional maturity of our four-legged friends. In the last several years […]

When your dog is gazing up at you with endearing eyes, it’s tempting to share the scraps you have on your plate, especially when it comes to leftover barbecue. We’ve all heard the phrase “give a dog a bone,” but the literal action might not be as harmless as we think. Most people consider dogs […]

  Does your dog have a lot to say about all the extra activity of a busy summer? Is his barking making it hard to enjoy the season? Kids and their friends are out of school, traipsing in and out of the house; more people are walking outside with their dogs, enjoying the weather. You […]

Lisa Mallory's Doberman, Kelly, does an exterior search for birch and anise oil.   We've all heard about the incredible power of a dog's nose. Search and rescue dogs locate victims trapped under feet of rubble; K-9s track down fleeing suspects; and detection dogs alert to the presence of explosives, drugs, or other materials. But […]

Does your dog already know “High Five”? Then go further and teach her to play Patty Cake with you! Get on your dog’s level and have your dog sit in front of you. Put your right hand in front of her left paw and wait until she gives you High 5 with her left paw. […]

  Your new puppy has been home for two days, and you are already wondering how you are going to keep her from tearing the house down. Shouldn’t she know better? First, remember that this is a baby dog, no different than a human toddler. Don’t expect your puppy to understand that she should not […]

We all love our dogs. In fact, some of us probably love all dogs. The bond between human and canine can be so close that it might seem we can read each other’s thoughts and feelings. While this is true to some extent, the fact is that dogs are not people; they don’t behave, react, […]