Senior Pet Care

Some dog parents are reluctant to put their dog in a crate. Typically, this hesitation results from a belief that crates are the equivalent of prisons for dogs. In truth, a crate is a critical component of a dog’s life, not only making her life (and yours) much easier, but allowing your dog to rely on her instincts to claim a comfortable spot to call her own.

Dogs have approximately 300 million receptors in their noses; in contrast, humans only have six million. The section of the dog’s brain that works in tandem with these receptors analyzes the scents dogs encounter.

Although some research shows that dogs may have a rudimentary concept of morality, they generally do not go out of their way to do “bad” things on purpose. Since dogs have relatively limited ways to communicate with their human family, engaging in bad things is typically a sign that they need something from their pet parent.

Many people hear the word “alpha” and immediately think of harsh or dominating tactics to get a dog to behave or submit. This is definitely not the goal you want to keep in mind when working with your dog and becoming the alpha in their life.

A daily routine helps to give your dog a baseline for what to expect in her daily life, as well as to establish you in her eyes as her fair and gentle pack leader. Over time, following a consistent daily routine allows your dog to trust you and respect you.

Dogs have been known to exhibit a certain behavior that causes deep concern and disgust in their parents: eating feces, known as coprophagia. If a dog is so smart, why would he eat something most people find deeply repulsive? And more importantly, how do pet parents stop it?

Why are some dogs so weird about their food? More often than not, the answer lies in a behavior called resource guarding.

Dog Breath. Even among those without pets, those words are easily recognizable as a reference to that foul, stinky smell that seems to emanate from the mouths of our dogs.  Even among pet parents, the stink that our canines breathe on us seems to be normal, just a part of the package.

Exercising a dog means more than just a daily walk, especially for working breeds, but also for dogs who prefer to be couch potatoes. When it comes to exercising dogs, the breed and size will have an impact on their willingness to engage in rigorous activity.

Every dog has different nutritional needs, and senior dogs are no exception. Once your beloved pup reaches his golden years, it can be even tougher to understand his shifting dietary requirements. This can often leave pet parents with a lot of questions: Is "senior dog food" necessary?