Lifestyle

Is a collar or a harness better for your dog? It mostly depends on the dog! But the quality of the gear, its design and fit, and how you introduce and use it, will influence how well it suits your dog.

Whole Dog Journal is reader-supported. If you purchase through links on our site we may earn a commission. Whole Dog Journal does not accept...

You don't need to spend a lot of money on dog training supplies to be prepared to train your dog effectively. For most dogs, a well-fitted harness, comfortable flat-buckle collar, sturdy leash, and some tasty treats are all you will need to teach your dog to love training time! When dogs love their training, they learn behaviors quickly, and the best training never over-complicates things. Save your cash and time on fancy high-tech dog training gear and stick with Whole Dog Journal's 5 positive dog training gear essentials!

People who work successfully with dogs either have good instincts about how to interact with them, or they learn quickly. There is a real art to using body language to help a dog feel at ease with your presence. The most competent professionals make training look almost effortless, because all the messages they convey to their canine pupils are calm, clear, and consistent and that means both the cues and rewards they use consciously, and the posture and movements they use without thinking.

When your dog’s bed needs a bath, here’s how to remove dirt, stains, and doggy odors.

If your dog is not rock-solid with strangers or crowds, leave him home – or provide him with a separate, safe space. A little bit of management goes a long way in avoiding bites, fights, and a turkey stolen from the buffet table.

When my 14-year-old dog Harper was in her last months of life, I bought a white sofa. She no longer had the ability to jump on the sofa and wasn’t interested in using her steps. And when she was gone, it was our plan to be dogless for a couple of years while we traveled. So why not get a white sofa?

Hands-free dog walking belts are worn around the waist to provide a place to attach a dog’s leash so it doesn’t have to be hand-held. Some of these dog walking belts are as simple as a nylon strap with a single buckle fastener, one piece of adjustment hardware, and a lone D-ring where the wearer can use a carabineer or clip to attach the dog’s leash. Others offer padding, pockets, and multiple attachment points for dog leashes, and accessories

For 20 years, Whole Dog Journal has upheld its reputation as a leader in dog companionship and care information. We take our mission statement seriously, and we've gained a lot of respect for that over the years, bringing us more and more new readers every month! However, now we'd like to share with our readers both new and old three aspects of the dog guardianship world you will NOT find in Whole Dog Journal.

There are millions of homes where cats and dogs live together in perfect harmony – mine included. How does that happen? Careful introductions of...

Why the so-called “3-3-3 decompression rule” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – and how to best help your shelter or rescue dog adjust to her new home.

I was recently made aware that the term “where can I surrender my dog for free” is searched online thousands of times every month....