On a percentage basis, more dogs than people suffer from heart disease. According to Novartis Animal Health, a Switzerland-based healthcare company, 25 percent of dogs over the age of seven have the most extreme form of heart disease — heart failure. By contrast, the National Institutes of Health estimates that only 6.4 percent of men […]
The DNA tests cannot reveal every bit of information about your dog, since genetic data isn’t available for every breed and mix, but even if you don’t receive a fully positive identification, at least some breeds can be eliminated. Are Dog DNA Tests Accurate? Dog DNA tests are able to identify the majority of known […]
A few years ago, veterinarian Sophia Yin took her Australian cattle dog, Zoe, to a horse ranch and let the dog sleep in the stables overnight. In the middle of the night, Dr. Yin was startled by a strange, loud howling sound. “It sounded like the loneliest dog in the world,” recalls Dr. Yin, DVM, […]
The same thing has happened to Pit Bulls over the years, since they have an established “tough and cool” image. She says, “Sadly, many people do little research into breed characteristics and don’t understand and commit to the responsibilities of lifetime ownership of a puppy or dog.” The Good and Bad of Chihuahuas Every good […]
“The vast majority of toy dogs are shaky and are always cold,” says Dr. Nelson. “They’re worked up all day long over basically nothing.” As with fidgety people, the constant movement of toy dogs means they are burning energy all day long. They also have small stomachs that cannot hold big portions, so they need […]
Carl Greenhous’ English bull terrier, Toby, had a strange obsession with dental floss. With every chance he got, the canine rummaged through the bathroom trash bin and picked out only the used strands of floss. “He would usually poop it out, but sometimes it wouldn’t pass all the way through,” recalls Greenhous. New research is […]
According to a recent study in the journal Behavioural Processes, it’s possible to predict the strength of a dog, as well as its speed, just by looking at the dog’s head. The reason for this is that physical performance is constrained by trade-offs between structure and physiological features. Project leader William Helton, who is a […]
One famous cairn terrier was Toto from The Wizard of Oz. In that classic movie, it seemed like Toto was being chased more than he chased. In reality, cairn terriers are infamous for going after cars, bikes and anything else that catches the dog’s eyes. If you do a Google search for “cairn terrier” and […]
“Small dog syndrome” refers to tiny dogs with a big attitude. In humans, a comparable phenomenon is called the “Napoleon complex.” That’s a phrase used to describe an inferiority complex held by people who are short in stature. Napoleon stood about 5 feet 6 inches, but what would today be considered a short stature obviously […]
The best workout partners never complain, bring unfailing energy to your exercise sessions and stick by your side rather than racing ahead or trailing behind. If it sounds like it would be tough to find someone to fit that description, it’s time to consider a four-legged workout partner. “For the most part, any dog can […]
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