Does a dog understand what we say, or does it merely react to our tone of voice? I talk to my dogs quite a lot. Faddy and Oscar do not need to speak Estonian to understand us, but it would be unfair to suggest that words mean nothing to them....
I once asked Irene whether two dogs were better than one. Her answer came without hesitation: of course! I understand that perfectly. Once you are used to two dogs, a home with only one can suddenly feel quiet. At New Year 2024, Faddy decided to stay with Fenton after the...
When your dog greets you at the door and their tail thumps against the furniture, you probably aren't thinking about the complex work being done by the last part of their spine. We think of happiness, perhaps of canine body language. Yet the tail plays a role in communication, movement...
“But that's how it's always been done.” I hear that sentence again and again in conversations about dogs. Sometimes it introduces harmless advice, while at other times it can genuinely affect how someone treats an animal. Old beliefs are not necessarily malicious. The trouble is that they develop a life...
Have you ever wondered why one animal or dog breed feels instantly right to you, while another doesn't appeal to you at all? I've lived with dogs, cats and even a rat since childhood. I've always loved animals, but the older I get, the clearer it becomes that I'm a...
When a dog sleeps for much of the day, it is easy to assume everything is fine. At other times, you look at a chewed sofa corner and conclude the dog must have been bored. Both assumptions may be too quick. Dogs need rest and peace just as they need...
Ten practical foundations for raising a puppy: safe socialisation, housetraining, chewing, recall, gentle handling and trust.
Dogs have a habit of licking people. Some aim for the face, others for a hand or leg, and some would happily keep at it all day. To me, licking has always felt like one of a dog's ways of saying, “you are my person.” As I have got older,...
We talk to our dogs every day. Some of us more, some less, but it is easy to assume that we communicate brilliantly. I read Dr Karen Shaw Becker's discussion of ten habits that can confuse dogs or undermine their wellbeing. Dogs do not speak our language. They learn largely...
Can dogs become depressed? Behaviour changes, grief, medical causes, integrative herbs with documented amounts, and diffuser guidance.
