Subscriber Archive
Check with FDA Mistakes happen. Multiple dog food brands have been found to contain excessive levels of the essential nutrient vitamin D. Some have 70 times the correct amount. Don’t panic. So far only a handful of dogs have gotten seriously ill. No cat foods have been suspected. The FDA web page, where the recalled canine diets are listed, has a really long URL so I’ve posted it on my website. Go to drjeffnichol.com and click on the FAQ page for the link. If you come to find that you’ve been feeding one of these diets I would urge you to change to a different brand ASAP. Don’t let your pupster finish the bag. Toss it out and start fresh. These aren’t all substandard dog food brands. Hill’s Pet Nutrition makes some of my favorite diets. None of their dry dog food has been affected but these folks are serious…
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They’re good listeners too Why do dogs follow commands like sit and stay if they don’t understand English? When we speak are they processing the words we’re saying or the tone we’re using? The answer to these questions from a middle schooler with a science project is that pet dogs can learn to recognize our words, how we say them, and a whole lot more. Dogs are our best friends and snuggle bunnies but they are not little people in furry suits. They are members of a different species who don’t miss anything. They respond to our words, our tone of voice, our movements – even subtle shifts in our posture that we might not notice. They take it all in. Of course we speak human. Dogs don’t understand everything. In fact they misinterpret some of our histrionics because their brains are programmed to speak and understand dog. Despite the…
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They’re good listeners too Why do dogs follow commands like sit and stay if they don’t understand English? When we speak are dogs processing the words we are saying, or the tone we are using? Our dogs don’t miss anything, even though they don’t understand everything.
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Cat pee on the floor, cat pee on the bed, cat pee on the door – could make you lose your head. The most common feline behavior problem often has simple solutions.
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Cats are so sweet and cuddly. But they can damage you with their sharp teeth and claws. Don’t get angry – get cat smart.
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The doorbell rings and your dog attacks the door. Then it’s WWE action as you struggle to get the door open without a takedown of your unsuspecting visitor. Or maybe you have a dog who watches from a distance, with her ears back and her tail low, as you invite your guest inside. All seems well while everybody is sitting but then they stand and head for the door and it’s game on. Small dogs in particular can become instant ankle biters. Beyond dangerous, reactive behaviors like these are emotionally draining. You too can get hurt just by trying to control the mayhem. Having friends over just isn’t fun the way it was before you adopted you-know-who. Dogs are certainly territorial creatures. They’re supposed to alert their leaders of an approaching alien. But growling, lunging, and snapping are not acceptable. An appropriate canine response looks more like the bouncer who…
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Fufu’s sharp teeth and nails had scratched and scraped his people enough times that they were reluctant to handle the little guy. It was painful for them. They needed the step-by-step of getting their wild child under control but first we had to set him up for success. Treatment of behavior disorders can be a mixed bag. With the tough cases the best science sometimes brings only moderate improvement. Young Fufu’s jumping, mouthing, and nipping was a serious problem but he had a shot at making a real turnaround; he was still a kid and his people were committed. Melissa and Jeremy grasped the concept of bringing out the best in their young hellion. There are sayings we all hear from well-meaning people, you know, folks who are quick to share their version of canine behavior wisdom. A few of these sayings are actually spot-on. Here’s one of my faves,…
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You’ve done your best but somebody in your house ate a poinsettia or a chocolate Santa. And what about New Year’s Eve fireworks? Share with your friends. Together we’ll survive the New Year.
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Fufu, the assertive and overconfident baby dog, arrived woefully unprepared for life in his new home. He was just 7 weeks old when he confused his new pet parents, Melissa and Jeremy, with 4 legged fuzzy playmates. He started nipping and rough-housing and treating them like his buds on day one. Showing a lack of proper respect for his leaders was a serious mistake on his part but, gee, he just didn’t know any better. A bit more home-schooling in the fine art of social graces with humans would have made a difference. In an ideal world Fufu would have stayed with his mother and littermates until he was 12-14 weeks old. But, like too many canine toddlers, this little guy’s early social education ended too soon. This was not a fatal mistake but with misinformed pet parents he might have been punished instead of getting the coaching he needed…
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