Lifestyle

A dash of dish soap. A little warm water. Slosh it around, dry it off and repeat once every… however many months? If that’s your typical routine for cleaning your dog’s food and water bowls, you’re likely in the majority.

While TV and movies may make it appear like fetch comes as part of a canine’s standard operating system, the truth is, most dogs take some education before they’re playing the game the way it was meant to be played. But fear not. With some time and patience, most dogs can learn to play fetch, and in time, learn to love it.

The history of dogs is rife with twists and turns, from what they ate to their interactions with humans. And while some of the finer points of domestication date so far back into unrecorded history that researchers are relegated to educated guesswork, the history of breeds is well written, documented and oftentimes even photographed.

We know dogs as sweet, sometimes oaf-like and all-times loveable creatures born to teach us the value of slowing down, doing nothing and sleeping for as much as 14 hours per day. But it wasn’t always like this. That bloodhound? That beagle? Even that pomeranian? Hundreds and thousands of years ago, all were bred with a purpose. And that purpose wasn’t necessarily curling up at the balls of your feet, dozing off until it’s walk time.

For dog parents (especially new dog parents) trying to reward good behavior and discourage bad behavior, distinguishing between play and aggression can be one of the toughest tasks of all. And the abstract lines of questioning you may hear from well intended friends, relatives and even trainers doesn’t always help.

For as long as we’ve had dogs, we’ve had dog food. Relations weren’t always sunshine and gumdrops between us and our best friends. Trot your way back in history 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, and you’ll find yourself in a tooth-and-claw battle for food, for raiment and for territory between our great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents and their great-great-great-great-great-great grandwolves.

If you’re here reading this, seeking out information for first time puppy owners, you’re probably a good first time puppy owner. There’s an endless trove of puppy care out there — some of it worth heeding, some of it worth chucking. But in our book, anyone seeking out what’s best for their puppy is, in all likelihood, a great pet parent.

Alongside potty training, crate training is often a necessary order of business in order to accustom your puppy to periodic alone time. Whether it’s work or play, pet parents have their reasons for leaving the house, and our 8-step guide to crate training can help puppies develop a sense of independence for those times you simply can’t supervise.

Filling your home with houseplants is a great way to purify the air, add natural beauty, and create a more zen living space. But there’s nothing less zen than finding your dog with a toxic plant leaf in his mouth. If you have a curious canine companion, here are some dog-safe houseplants that will beautify your home without endangering your pup.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that some 6 to 8 million animals wind up in shelters and rescue centers each year on average, but less than half of them will be adopted. The exception to the rule was 2020, when pet adoptions rose by 15% during the coronavirus pandemic.