Category: Good Pawrenting

Is that really guilt you see in your pooch?

Healthy Dog Club

Live with a dog, and you most likely met the “guilty look”. You come home. The plants are knocked over, and soil is tracked all over the floor. The dog is abnormally still and averts its gaze as it thumps its tail slowly. But does the dog feel responsible for  the mess and sorry about having  disobeyed your rules? That is hard to say. Research to date, including  an open-access study published last year, suggests that the answer is no. Moreover, the findings reveals that scolding or punishing dogs will…

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The Thyroid Epidemic in Dogs you may want to know about

Healthy Dog Club

Healthy Dog Club interviews Dr Jean Dodds,  a world renown vaccine research scientist about hypothyroidism in dogs, a growing epidemic often misunderstood among owners. She is also founder of Hemopet, a nonprofit animal blood bank in Southern California and has a new book out,  “The Canine Thyroid Epidemic: Answers You Need for Your Dog” written with Diana R. Laverdure (Dogwise Publishing, $19.95). Dr Dodds talks about: The hypothyroid epidemic in dogs Causes of hypothyroidism (nutrition, genetics, vaccinations etc.) The role thyroid plays in dog’s health and function Importance in addressing this condition,  treatment…

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What questions to ask your new pet sitter

Healthy Dog Club

Interviewing potential sitters to care for your pup can be daunting. With many sitters available, finding the perfect person for your furry loved one is tough! Fortunately, there are some key questions you can ask potential candidates to ensure you hire the ideal sitter. 1. How long have you been pet sitting? A higher level of experience, especially if your dog has behavioral or medical concerns, means your sitter has probably worked with pups similar to yours and can handle their specific needs. 2. Will you be comfortable caring for…

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Healthy Dog Club

Dear Fellow Pawrent, You want the best for your dog – especially when it comes to his food. You read labels and try to choose the brand and formula that will nourish your furry friend. That’s why you’ll be as shocked as I was, to discover that dozens of today’s top-selling brands – names you thought you could trust, like Beneful, Pedigree, Purina and more – may not contain the wholesome, healthy ingredients you want for your dog. Take Beneful. The package makes it look like manna from heaven with…

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What you need to know about depression in pets

Healthy Dog Club

Many veterinarians and experts agree that depression can occur in animals, although there’s little to no scientific evidence to indicate this. But despite the lack of scientific evidence, pet owners know firsthand that their animals have unique personalities and that they do get bored, depressed, lonely, and even grief-stricken. Let’s talk about how to recognize depression in pets and how to manage it. Cats and Stress-Related Depression People tend to think cats are aloof and independent, but they do experience stress when their owners don’t spend enough time with them…

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Dogs, why do we have them?

Healthy Dog Club

On my 11th birthday, our family got a puppy. I was so chocked-I had wanted a dog for as long I could remember-and so overwhelmed with happiness that I burst into tears. For the next 15 years, Walter, a black toy poodle, charmed everyone he met. And when he passed, all of us who known him mourned, as would for any loved one. Did you know that half of American households have a pet? That is, an animal kept primarily for companionship. And despite the fact that these housemates may…

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Your pet can make you sick

Healthy Dog Club

Dr. Bruno Chomel, report co-author and professor of zoonoses at University of California School of Veterinary Medicine at Davis You might want to think twice before snuggling in bed at night with Fido or Fluffy. According to a report published in the February issue of the public health journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, seemingly healthy pets can carry parasites, bacteria or viruses that cause mild to life-threatening illness in people. Of the 250 zoonotic diseases — infections transmitted between animals and people — more than 100 are derived from domestic pets,…

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Great exercises for you and your pup

Healthy Dog Club

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Garcia, DVM Sure, dog is man’s best friend — but our furry companions are more like us than you may realize. Case in point: To maximize dog health, it’s critical for Fido to get regular exercise. Keeping your pet healthy has a lot to do with good nutrition, but just like people, dogs are becoming more and more sedentary these days. Consider this: You can help promote good dog health by getting your pet up and moving. Doggy Exercises For Your Pet — and You Follow…

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