Giving Pets as Gifts
Should you or shouldn’t you? One of the hallmark scenes of Christmas is an adorable little puppy jumping out of a brightly wrapped box under the Christmas tree, sending a pajama-clad child into paroxysms of joy. Yet despite the warm veneer, this scene makes many animal lovers go cold. Animal welfare organizations are, for the most part, adamant that animals should...
Can Dogs Eat Mangoes? I Need To Know For Sure
Can Dogs Eat Mangoes And What Are Mangoes? Mangoes are a healthy, nutritious and delicious fruit with a high nutritional value. Mangoes have been grown in Southeast Asia and India for over 4,000 years. Although supermarkets tend to sell only one variety there are hundreds, each with its own shape, size, taste and color. Mango (Mangifera indica) is sometimes called the...
Can Dogs Eat Grapes? This Is What Vets Recommend
Can Dogs Eat Grapes? What You Need To Know Most dogs will eat anything you give them whether it's good for them or not. Some people are like this too. To some extent this accounts for the fact that more than two thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. Anyway I digress. The simple truth is that our best buddies...
6 Facts About How Dogs Think
Scientist Marc Bekoff challenges these 6 common misconceptions about dogs Humans have had a love affair with dogs extending over thousands of years, and our passion continues to blossom. More households than not include a companion dog, and nearly everywhere you go, dogs will be there too. Dogs have never enjoyed so much attention from the media, either, and books...
Managing your dog’s weight and how to keep it under control
For many of us pooch lovers, managing our dog’s weight is a constant battle with the scales. But that struggle can go both ways. Heavily food-motivated pups can quickly pile on the podge, while fussy eaters can sometimes be leaner than they should be. But as dog obesity rises, it’s important we get our pooch’s weight under control to...
10 Ways to Make Your Dog Happier and More Content
We can help our dogs thrive in human environments by letting them be dogs. During the research for our book Unleashing Your Dog, ethologist Marc Bekoff and I asked a bunch of people who love their dogs what they consider their essential ethical obligation toward their canine companion—what it means, to them, to be a responsible dog guardian and their give their...
Do Dogs Go To Heaven?
Would You Want To Go To Heaven If There Were No Dogs There? .ugb-eb36a50 .ugb-blockquote__quote{width:70px !important;height:70px !important}.ugb-eb36a50.ugb-blockquote{margin-top:1px !important;margin-bottom:-49px !important;padding-top:0px !important;padding-bottom:0px !important}“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” Does this expression of undying love sound familiar? It was coined by the American movie star Will Rogers. As a dog lover I...
Dogs Need Together Time and Alone Time, Just Like Us
It's important to realize that even the most social dogs need time on their own When a dog says, "I've had enough of you," there's no reason to take it personally or to feel snubbed It's important to realize that even the most social dogs who love us dearly and who cherish "together time" also need time on their own. We need to recognize...
Is It Wrong to Make Your Dog Jealous?
Dog-cheating is not a laughing matter. Come home smelling like another dog and you may just wind up in the dog house. Your own pooch may know you’ve been two-timing and may show you in no uncertain terms that she doesn’t approve. My dog Bella, for instance, will stop short in the middle of an excited greeting ritual, sniff the...
Do Dogs Hold Grudges?
They're definitely not unconditional "love muffins." "Yesterday, at my local dog park, I said that my dog, Tommy, holds grudges, but other people told me I'm wrong, that it's all about me and my reading into the situations, rather than about Tommy, and that dogs don't hold grudges." This email from Peter made me think about the general question, "Do dogs hold grudges?" There's no shortage...
Dogs And Chocolate: What You Need To Know
Chocolate contains an ingredient that can be poisonous to dogs. So while your dog might like the look of those chocolate biscuits, resist the urge to share. Can dogs eat chocolate? The short answer is ‘no’. Chocolate contains a natural chemical called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. The effects of theobromine include: Increased heart rateStress on kidneysStress on nervous system Eating an excessive...
How Dogs Hear and Speak With the World Around Them
More than 18 different muscles control dogs' ear flaps for nuanced movements. To learn the most we can about the behavior of our canine companions and what we can do to give them the best lives possible, we need to pay careful attention to how they use their different senses and what they're capable of doing. In previous essays I focused on their senses of smell, taste, touch,...