Are you confused about which foods may be harmful for dogs? Knowing what is safe and unsafe for a pet to eat can be a complicated topic as while one dog may eat grapes and be fine, another may fall seriously ill and even die. My own dogs often eat avocados that fall
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What is Boredom? Science has only recently began to look at boredom and understand what makes people bored. A 2012 review of boredom research entitled The Definition, Assessment, and Mitigation of State Boredom Within Educational Settings: A Comprehensive Review (Vogel-Walcutt, J.J., Fiorella, L., Carper, T. et al.) suggested that boredom is a combination of
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Is your dog afraid of thunder and lightning? I have heard and seen people advising pet guardians to ignore their dogs when they are frightened. They are warned that paying attention to the dog will make them worse and lead to the dog being more fearful in future. This is nonsensical. As long as you
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I have just had the pleasure of two gorgeous girls enjoying a mini DogSmith Vacation with me. The following is a conversation I had with the eldest girl on their last day of stay, after a short training session: DogSmith: “All finished.” Beagle: “What do you mean all finished? I think you have
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There are many new things happening around the house during the holiday season, visitors coming and going, new scents from holiday decorations, yummy edibles around the house and road trips to grandma. As pet parents, getting ready for the holiday season, you need to be aware of potential hazards the holidays may present to
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Teaching Your Dog to Like Praise Praise must be rewarding to your dog in order for you to use it as part of an effective training program. To understand what type of praise is valued by your dog experiment with the following: What tone of voice does your dog like? High pitch? Low
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By Niki Tudge Many pet owners are unaware of the significant affect heartworms can have on their pet’s health. Heartworms are solely transmitted by mosquitoes which leave animals in the south, and especially Florida, at risk year round. After biting an infected dog, the mosquito injects circulating microfilaria (the worm larvae) into another animal where
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Written by Niki Tudge Dear Veterinarian, There are numerous professional organizations that offer membership and credentials in the field of animal training and behavior. Few, however, hold their members to a strict code of conduct which involves the application of their trade through scientific protocols and the objective to cause no harm. Unfortunately, the
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