Whilst very disagreeable to us, many dogs and cats will eat their own (or others) poop. So why do they do it? Well popular belief is that it indicates there’s something lacking in the diet, but there’s actually no scientific data at all to back that up, and from my own experience very healthy dogs […]
All dog lovers surely have experience with brown patches of grass over the lawn in their dog’s favourite pee spots, but do you know why it happens? Well, the answer is Nitrogen. Nitrogen that is excreted by the kidney into the pee, burns grass. The more protein eaten, the more nitrogen excreted. The more your […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
From the boisterous puppy that doesn’t realise their play can be painful, to the dog that saves this behaviour only for guests, here’s some tips to protect those ankles! AVOID WHAT YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO DO! In the short term, the behaviour needs to be avoided, so that it is not continually reinforced. Sometimes […]
Jumping up to say hello is a normal behaviour for many dogs. By teaching them an alternate way of saying hello and staying on all fours you are not only protecting the less robust family members and guests (and their clothing!), you are ensuring your pooch is less isolated from the family and getting more […]