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A chihuahua with a brown and white patterned coat stares intently out a window.

Managing Risk Management

With an illness spreading it may be smart to keep our dogs home, avoiding contact with other dogs, whether in dog daycare, boarding facilities, groomers, vet hospitals, or on walks or at the dog park – but is it really best for our dogs?

My Thanks Are for Shelter Workers

Shelter workers are some of the hardest working people who deal with dogs, and we are thankful for all their hard work.
Dog vaccinated by veterinarian

Be Cautious About New Drugs

In the November issue of WDJ, we published an article by a valued veterinary contributor regarding Librela, a new treatment for canine (and feline) osteoarthritis. This provoked much discussion between those that had good results, and those whose dogs suffered adverse side effects.
Two adorable dogs relaxing on the furniture while guests at the author's house.

Our Dogs Without Us

We think our dogs need or constant and very personal attention. However, they often carry on in contentment while they wait for us to return.
German shepherd dog with aggressive expression.

No Comment: High Profile Dog Biting Incidents Bring Baseless Speculation

High profile incidents of dog aggression and biting often lead to speculation as to what caused the incident. However, as those speculating are unfamiliar with the dog, its handling, and its health this often leads to baseless blame.

Discontinued? Nooooo! 

Things started devolving a few days ago, when I was busy watching my almost-2-year-old dog Boone chase a herding ball around my two-acre property....
Itching is the number one symptom of allergies in dogs. If your dog has seasonal allergies, think ahead and take action before she starts destroying her skin in a vain effort to relieve the itch! Photo by photo-vista.de, Getty Images

Fall Allergies – and Planning Ahead 

My dog Otto (now resting in peace) used to get a flare-up of allergies every spring. His body knew before any human in our...
Chase was an absolutely adorable, whip-smart, and deeply troubled dog when I met him. Fortunately, he found a home with a couple who had the time and money to invest in a good trainer and a great veterinarian, who prescribed the behavior-modifying medication that helped Chase become a happy and much-loved dog. Photo by Nancy Kerns

When Your Dog Is On The Same Meds as You

Somehow I know only peripherally posted this meme on social media post recently: “Raise your hand if you and your dog take the same anxiety...
It looked like Junior had superballs stuck on the back of his hocks. In horses, we’d call this “capped hocks,” but I have never seen it in dogs, much less a puppy.

Foster Dogs Are Like a Box of Chocolates

Early in July I mentioned a litter of puppies I was fostering for my local shelter, and mentioned one pup I was particularly worried...
Boone now associates our older grandson with unpredictable adventures – and he’s there for it!

Appreciating Our Dogs

I was looking through my Google photo storage, trying to find a picture to go with an article about a veterinary topic for WDJ....
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Boone’s DNA test results is the fact that he doesn’t look anything like any of the breeds detected by any of the companies. Most people think he’s some sort of Doodle!

Comparing Results from Mixed-Breed DNA Tests

I recently received the results of my dog Boone’s mixed-breed DNA test from Darwin’s Ark, a nonprofit scientific research organization (which I previously wrote...
Woody is super patient with kids and all small creatures. When his space is invaded, he deploys his long tongue, which usually gets kids to back off an inch or two. I don’t worry about these two being together out of my sight.

Turn Your Back for Just a SECOND

The difficulty and importance of supervising kids and dogs. We’ve had lots of articles in WDJ about kids and dogs: choosing when to get a...

Latest Blog

Parallels between Force-Free Training and Gentle Parenting

Both gentle parenting and force-free training emphasize empathy for the living being you're responsible for, and patience with their behavior as their core tenet.