Thoughts from the Wild

March 21, 2019

So much fluffing and buffing goes on behind the scenes at dog shows. And all for what? A few minutes in the spotlight in front of the judges? Perhaps. A six-figure cash prize? Not likely, since competitions like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show generally award trophies rather than cash. As it turns out, many …

March 14, 2019

Housecats are homebodies. It’s in their name, after all. Even if you’re parent to a cat that will venture out of doors, a trip in a motor vehicle can take a team of wranglers just to get ol’ Felix into his travel carrier. And if he gets a whiff that the final destination is the …

March 7, 2019

People aren’t the only ones who need to worry about a mid-life spare tire. Dogs can develop a middle-age spread, too. But it’s not just a matter of letting the collar out a few notches or buying a roomier dog bed – a recent study of chubby middle-aged dogs shows that trimming those extra pounds …

February 28, 2019

While this blog has covered lots of different canine careers, from cadaver tracking to cancer detection, what about the people who make a career out of working with dogs? Specifically, have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a dog groomer? If you think making pets look their best is your idea of the …

February 21, 2019

Pets, like all of us, eventually reach a time when the body deteriorates and there’s no going back. For some pets, a terminal diagnosis such as cancer or kidney disease happens at the end of a long and active life. Other pets, unfairly, receive this kind of diagnosis when they’re still relatively young. In the …

February 14, 2019

You want to do right by your pet. But pet food can be so complicated. What do the ingredients actually do? Does your cat need different nutrients than your dog? If you take vitamins, does that mean your pet should, too? The best way to get a foothold is to start learning some of the …

February 7, 2019

Ever wonder what your pet does all day while you’re at work? Does your dog make a beeline for the forbidden couch? Is your cat licking your toothbrush that’s propped in the glass by the sink? Or do they stare out the window all day, patiently waiting for you to pull into the driveway? Inquiring …

January 31, 2019

A new gene therapy, designed to teach the body to produce more pain-relieving compounds, could eventually help arthritic dogs and people rely less on pharmaceuticals. Developed by Dr. Linda Watkins, a neuroscience professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, the therapy now has FDA approval for testing in dogs and people. So far, studies …

January 24, 2019

Hunting dogs, it seems, like nothing better than tracking down game such as a pheasant, retrieving it with a soft mouth and obediently laying it at the feet of their owners. But hunting and fetching are two different activities! Other dogs love to fetch — almost as much as they adore the ensuing game of …

January 17, 2019

More than 75 percent of pet owners surf the internet for pet health answers before they make a veterinary appointment. Not a surprise, given that 80 percent of people search the web for information on their own health, according to a recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. It’s understandable. Who wouldn’t …