Devoted to your dog's lasting health and happiness

Summer makes dog ownership feel a little easier. The days are longer. The walks feel less rushed. The yard gets more use. The dog who spent winter staring out the window suddenly has more smells, more movement, and more reasons to be interested in the world again. But warm weather also changes the walk. A normal afternoon route can become too much. A quick errand with the dog in the car can become dangerous. A sidewalk that looks harmless can be hard on paws. And a dog who wa

Little signals that are easy to miss Most dog owners know the obvious signs of stress. A dog hides under the table during a thunderstorm. A dog barks like crazy when someone comes to the door. A dog shakes at the vet. Those signs are hard to miss. But dogs usually start communicating long before things get that dramatic. Their early stress signals can be small, fast, and easy to explain away. A tongue flick. A yawn. A turn of the head. A little pacing. A sudden shake-off even

It is normal for dogs to lick their paws once in a while. They clean themselves. They come in from the yard with dirt on their feet. They settle down and fuss over a paw for a moment, then move on. What is not normal is frequent, intense licking that keeps happening day after day, especially when the paws start to look red, irritated, or sore. According to AKC, occasional paw licking can be ordinary grooming, but persistent licking usually points to an underlying problem. Her

Spring is finally here. The days are longer, the air feels better, and most dogs are more than ready to spend more time outside. For dog owners, that is one of the best parts of the season. But spring also brings a few hazards that are easy to miss. Warmer weather means more bugs, more pollen, more yard work, and more chances for dogs to get into something they should not. A little awareness now can save you a lot of trouble later. Here are seven spring risks worth watching.