Are Dogs Wolves? The conversation has been going on for years about whether dogs are basically governed by the qualities of their distant ancestors, the wolf. There have been lively debates about whether the chihuahua under someone’s arm retains any of the instincts, abilities and natural tendencies of the wolf in his genetic background. Dog… Read more »
Do You Want Your Public Radio Station to carry DOG TALK® (and Kitties, Too)? We had some wonderful news this week: DOG TALK® has joined the programming on Saturday mornings at 10 AM on a lovely new public radio station in upstate New York: WCSQ-LP 105.9 FM, known on air as “Radio Cobleskill.” They are… Read more »
Did You Need Yet Another Reason Not to Buy a Puppy from a Pet Store? Pet Store Puppies Represent a Chain of Suffering By now I hope we’re all clear on the immorality of purchasing puppies from pet stores. All the puppies in any pet store have been procured through a series of transactions, beginning… Read more »
The Scoop On Grain-Free Dog Food “Grain-free” is often a distorted concept in pet food, even though some dog owners believe that pet food identified this way is of special value. “Grain-free” pet foods were developed and marketed in response to what people were seeking, perhaps as part of a human dietary trend to avoid… Read more »
Is Whisker Fatigue in Cats Really a ‘Thing?’ This article in the New York Times about kitties having “whisker fatigue” during eating may sound a bit new-agey, but does a wonderful job of acknowledge the sensitivity of a cat’s whiskers — and the insult to our cats when we ask them to eat out of… Read more »
Horsing Around With Your Dog! One of the topics on this week’s Dog Talk® was a lively conversation I had with Marc Bekoff, the dog expert and educator, who has written too many impressive animal-oriented books to list! Marc is a fun and modest gentleman — despite his PhD and many accomplishments — and he likes… Read more »
Forever Curious Shares Service Dog Information An interesting non-profit, Forever Curious.org, reached out to me after hearing some of the radio shows I’ve done about various types of service dogs, in particular service dog organizations that provide dogs for children with autism, diabetes and other special needs. Forever Curious is an unusual non-profit, a self-proclaimed… Read more »
Dryer Sheets Keep Away Nasty Flying Insects! Summer bug problems? I nearly forgot about this low-tech simple solution really works to keep away the nasty little biting, flying insects that swarm around me and my dogs when we go on summer walks in the middle of summer. My girls Maisie and Wanda — who run… Read more »
Do You Use Baby Talk with Your Dog? Do you think your dog likes hearing baby talk from you? Do you enjoy having that special communication style? Are you as surprised as I am by French researchers telling us we’re wasting our time on doggy baby talk?! I read a fun article on Gizmodo recently… Read more »
Is a Dog Being Allergic to Chicken Really a “Thing”? Is it truly possible that a dog can be “allergic” to chicken? This seems to be a popular belief as the cause for a dog to have itchy skin, hot spots, or waxy, infected ears. From chicken?! Really?! I mean have you ever heard of… Read more »