They’re there for us year after year, through our best times and through our worst. Aptly named, man’s best friend, our dog is always at our side. However, many pet owners struggle with the realization that their four-legged pal is growing older. After all, they are family, and while all good things must unfortunately come to an end, that doesn’t mean that you and your dog can’t enjoy their golden years to the fullest. Just as in humans, there are many factors that contribute to a pet’s overall health and longevity. Among them are the obvious ones: nutrition, exercise, regular...

It is probably safe to assume that we’ve all had this experience at one point or another – you go to the supermarket for a simple grocery item and find yourself confronted with an entire aisle of options! Decisions, decisions. With the recent spike in interest in the health food scene, people are finally beginning to question not only the integrity of their own diets, but that of their furry, four-legged friends as well. For a long time, dog food brands have contained unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients such as pea starch, tapioca, cornmeal, by-products and more, and while this...

It’s been a recurring theme in movies and has tantalized the human imagination for many years; what would it be like if our dogs could speak? We love to imagine what sort of amusing, insightful, possibly even incriminating things they’d say if we spoke the same language.  Although we can’t speak to each other in the traditional sense, we have cultivated an exclusive understanding of one another. Tone and body language are the primary tools we use to communicate with man’s best friend.  Just as we learn to read theirs nuances, your dog learns to read yours. Tone is generally...

Is your pet feeling chilly this winter? As a responsible pet owner, it’s up to you to ensure that your pets are kept healthy and safe throughout the winter months. This doesn’t mean your pet can’t venture out into the cold for some exercise and fresh air, but it does mean that you will need to take some precautionary measures to keep Fluffy happy, healthy and warm. Follow these 5 tips to help winterize your beloved pet during the coldest months of the year.   OUTDOOR PLAYTIME Playing outside is a favorite pastime for many pets and the exercise they get...

Many people believe that our pets should only eat the treats that are specially packaged for them. Like buying a sweet treat for a child, they are ok and not a big deal if they are eaten in moderation since many mass market prepackaged snacks are usually devoid of any nutritional value. While it is important to maintain a diet of healthy dog food, just as we encourage our loved ones to eat their vegetables rather than empty calorie treats, we can foster a love of fruits and vegetables in our pets. When those loving eyes gaze up at you...

Do you suffer from cynophobia, the pathological fear of dogs? Has anyone ever tried to tell you that if you just remained calm and not let him see you're afraid everything would be ok? Of course, that's easier said than done, especially when your heart is pounding and sweat is trickling down the back of your neck because you are standing within lunging range of either a Rottweiler or a tiny terrier.   When dogs look at a trembling, panicky human, what do you think they see, if anything? Do they sense your terror, and if so, does it influence...