Human Focus

Do your homework before you go and you'll enjoy nothing but happy trails with your dog. If you spend your time in the company of dogs, you're probably used to walking – long walks, short walks, walks for potty stops, walks for exercise, walks to relieve boredom, and walks for walking's sake. So, what's the difference between walking and hiking? In practical application, not much. But in attitude, everything!

A lost dog’s chances of finding his way back to his concerned owner are vastly improved if he’s wearing a collar and identification. People may try harder to catch a stray dog who is wearing a collar and tags; they may feel he’s less likely to be abandoned and more likely to be lost. A collar gives a samaritan something to reach for. And, obviously, the identification makes it ridiculously easy for the owner to be immediately notified and summoned to reclaim his errant friend.

the harder she will be to rehome. Dogs who are very old

Looking to plan an event that could raise a substantial amount of money to help animals in need? A large, elaborate event is not something to take on as a first-time fundraiser. Big fundraising events require event-planning experience, a lot of support from the community and from volunteers, and often take a year or more to plan and execute. But if you have that experience and are thinking big, think creative as well. The more fun you make your event, the more people will want to be involved or attend, and the more money you take in to help the animals.

Those of us who struggle with allergies of any type can thank our immune system for its tendency to over-react to certain perfectly harmless things in the environment. In the case of an allergic reaction to dogs, the body is reacting to harmless proteins in the dog's urine, saliva, or dander.

The dog's nose is an amazing organ, with abilities and features far superior to our own in many ways. First are the physical adaptations of the nose itself. The inside of the dog's nose is lined with many folds of tissue (called the olfactory epithelium), which in turn contain hundreds of millions of olfactory receptors, specialized cells responsible for detecting odors. Because of the increased surface area caused by these folds, the dog's nose contains a ridiculously high number of receptor cells when compared to the human nose; on average, the dog has about 220 million, while our noses harbor a paltry 5 million. This difference contributes to the dog's ability to detect almost impossibly minute concentrations of compounds, by some estimates in concentrations as low as parts per trillion.

Visitors to the island of Capri, a gorgeous Italian summer destination for the wealthy, are accustomed to movie star sightings, priceless views of the sparkling sea, over-the-top yachts – and stepping in dog poo? According to recent news reports, Capri’s mayor, Ciro Lembo, says it costs the tiny island in the Gulf of Naples around 5 million euros a year to keep the island clean. “Do you really think we will let the reputation of the island, whose beauty is coveted by the world, be compromised by bodily needs left in the streets by inattentive or arrogant dog owners?” Lembo said in an interview with Adnkronos, an Italian press agency.

A healthy home is a happy home. We can all agree on that. How can you make your home healthier for you and your animal companions? We can tell you 20 ways, right off the top of our heads. We’ll divide our suggestions into four areas: Cleanliness, Diet, Environment, and Lifestyle.

page 24, for contact information for the makers of these products, including this one, the K9 Bike Jogger (formerly known as WalkyDog).

Anyone who has ever been bitten (or owned a dog who has been bitten) by a dog, or owned a dog who bit someone (human or canine) – or even just had a good look into a dog’s mouth! – understands that dogs have the potential to harm others. The vast majority of dogs are not dangerous. But, because of the minority who are, there are hundreds of laws, varying state by state and community by community, that attempt to define what dangerous dogs are, and address the consequences of a “dangerous dog” designation to the dogs’ owners and the dogs themselves.

Training Your Diabetic Alert Dog is a clear, easy-to-read resource for anyone training a dog to alert to changes in blood glucose levels. It offers some general information, such as what it is like to live with a service dog, advice on choosing the right dog, and how to find a qualified trainer. The majority of the book, however, gives step-by-step training protocols with just the right amount of information. It was hard to put the book down; I found it very compelling. I wanted to know: How do you train for alerts? How does a dog learn to recognize the scent? What does the dog need to learn to be able to do night alerts or car alerts?

It’s understandable that dog owners would be interested in using music to facilitate calmness. And there is evidence that some music does indeed help dogs relax.