This is probably the world’s smartest dog. At least we think so. Copper’s mom, Tia, is a speech language pathologist and she works with kids who have augmentative and alternative communication devices. She’s applied her experience to helping her fur kid communicate. She was inspired by another woman who is a speech language pathologist and…
If you’ve ever taken your dog to a dog park or to an off-leash walk you’ve probably seen two dogs get into a fight at some point or other. It can be a terrifying sight. Many pet parents panic and don’t know what to do. Oftentimes, people will do exactly what they shouldn’t do and…
There’s a reason you get emotional when watching those dog reunion videos. Dogs do shed tears of joy. That’s according to a study out of Azabu University in Japan which measured tear volume of 22 dogs under different circumstances. The researchers said that the studied dogs shed “significantly” more tears of joy after getting back…
Livestock guardian dogs have been used for thousands of years by farmers and ranchers to protect sheep, goats, poultry and other animals. And with more and more guardian dogs being introduced as an environmentally-friendly way to protect livestock against predators, you may encounter them if you are hiking or biking through the farmland or ranch…
Why do dogs smell each other’s butts? It turns out the reasons are more complex that you would think. This dog behavior is one of the animal kingdom’s more interesting forms of chemical communication. Not only that, but they have a secondary olfactory system called the Vomeronasal or Jacobson’s Organ that has its own fascinating…
Service dogs carry out numerous helpful tasks every day for millions of people around the globe. Korey is one such dog. He’s a diabetic service dog trained to alert his human when her blood sugar levels are off. Recently, his human filmed a few TikTok videos to reveal how the pair practise his alert skills…
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), sometimes referred to as CDRM (Chronic Degenerative RadiculoMylopathy), is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease characterized by a general lack of coordination of muscle movements in the pelvic limbs. Dogs affected slowly lose control and function of their hind limbs. Dogs diagnosed with DM have axonal (a part of a nerve cell, or neuron)…
Hypertonicity or Episodic Falling, also known as Hyperkinesis, Falling Cavaliers, Collapsing Cavalier Syndrome, Scotty Cramp or Paroxysmal Hypertonicity Disorder, is characterized by episodic, paroxysmal attacks during which affected animals fall, exhibit muscle rigidity and may be acutely and dramatically incapacitated. Dogs do not lose consciousness and are clinically normal between attacks. Episodes appear to be…
The saying goes a tired dog is a happy dog and with increased need for social distancing and staying home during the coronovirus pandemic, it’s even more important to keep your dog mentally stimulated to make up for any lack of exercise they may have to endure. The good news is there are plenty of…
Training dogs to wait before they eat is one of the best things you can do to keep a peaceful and orderly home with your dog. It gives them consistency and helps prevent food aggression and food guarding behavior. It’s especially useful when you have more than one dog as it teaches them patience. In…
When a loved one passes, we all grieve, including our beloved pets. For one pet parent, this was especially true after she observed what her dog and cat did after one of her other dogs passed away. From the DogHeirs.com archives comes this touching story of a family’s friendship and loss. “I had to put…
Dogs may protect children from childhood anxiety, according to recent research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A study by researchers from Bassett Medical Center in New York wanted to see if dogs helped children maintain healthy weights and benefited their mental health. The study looked at 643 children aged 4 to…