When your dog is going to meet another dog at the dog park, the way you facilitate this is really important. Should you have one on the lead? Both? Neither? My advice, in most cases, is that they are both off-lead. Introductions can be stressful, especially if you’re not sure how your dog will react […]
There’s nothing more beautiful and lucky than to be able to love your dog for the longest possible time by having them exist into their senior years. Normal ageing would dictate that these guys are slowing down a bit, getting a few more greys, have reduced sight and hearing and that they are at risk […]
What a dog’s dry nose really means, is a question commonly posed to Vets. It’s often thought the nose denotes a pet’s health status, and that a dry, warm nose signifies they’re sick, or that a cool, moist nose says they are well. The reality is that a dog with a warm, dry nose can […]
Many dogs and cats eat grass. There’s a lot of speculation as to why, but actually little evidence. Popular theories include that they have a dietary deficiency (ie. fibre), that they are sick or nauseous and so they choose to eat grass to make themselves vomit, that they are bored, and that it’s normal and […]
We do know that dogs experience a type of sleep phase known as ‘rapid eye movement’ sleep (REM), and that REM is also a stage of humans sleep, which is associated with dreaming. Human and dog brains are also not dissimilar in structure, and extrapolating from what we know of humans REM sleep, this may […]
What is hip dysplasia (HD)? HD is an abnormal (dysplastic) hip joint. Normally the femur (leg bone) articulates nicely within the pelvis, in dogs with HD the bones are abnormally formed and there is a lot of laxity and movement in their hip joint leading to abnormal stresses on the surrounding cartilage and bone and […]
The eating of poop (their own, other dogs, or other species) is a behaviour that is more frequently seen in young dogs and it’s usually something that they grow out of. The problem for poop eating enthusiasts is that they will be exposed to all sorts of nasties- most notably intestinal worms, bacteria and others […]
We’ve talked about why dogs lick themselves but what about when they are licking you?! Whilst licking is a completely normal behaviour and an important form of communication, it can be a sign of an issue when it’s done excessively. Firstly, licking you (or the floor or the couch etc!) can indicate a gastrointestinal problem […]
Dogs that are licking their paws are itchy. An itchy paw is most commonly due to allergies, most notably atopy, and less commonly food allergies. Atopy is an allergic reaction to one or more allergens in the environment such as pollen, grass, mould, dust mites and more which results in inflamed, itchy skin. Food allergies […]