Monthly Archives: June 2014

Dog’s Feet in the Summer – Could the hot pavement be painful?

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Have you walked barefoot on a hot pavement. Painful, isn’t it. With the current summer warnings about not leaving dogs in hot cars, I got to thinking a bit more about my dogs’ feet. I know that dogs sweat through … Continue reading →

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Separation – Does your dog pine or panic when left alone?

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Are you sure? Not all distressed dogs cry, chew things or toilet. Dogs suffering the worst separation distress don’t always make a noise or cause damage. Why not video him/her and find out? Channel 4 did a great documentary. If … Continue reading →

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Eating Grass – Why does my dog do that?

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Why do dogs eat grass? Is it to aid digestion or for some other reason? ‘Dogs do not have the means to digest grass, as they lack the enzymes needed to break down the fibres. Thus, there is little nutritional … Continue reading →

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Eye Contact – A dog is staring at you with hard eyes. Do you ‘back down’?

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Theo Stewart

If a dog stares at you, do you square up to him and stare back? Staring can be seen as a threat – challenging. For this reason many unsure dogs can find direct eye contact uncomfortable, and people with any … Continue reading →

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What is music to a dog’s ears?

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Here is my dog Pip loving the sound of his own voice. Dr. Deborah Wells in 2002 undertook a research programme to determine the influence of five types of auditory stimulation on dogs: human conversation, classical music, heavy metal music, … Continue reading →

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Can background noise make our dogs ill too?

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Jerome Burne has written an article ‘Is the Noise of Modern Life Making you ill’? Noise pollution is linked to Increased waist size and diabetes. It affects schoolchildren’s academic performance. They can also become more annoyed. Increased blood pressure. Disturbed sleep … Continue reading →

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Sniffing – Let’s take our dogs for a Smell Walk

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Theo Stewart

I have just read a great blog by Julie Hecht about making the very best of our dogs’ incredible sense of smell. ‘To get inside your dog’s world, you need to pick his brain—and his nose. Dogs have much more … Continue reading →

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Compulsive Licking of floor and walls

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Theo Stewart

I always used to think that obsessive licking or fly-catching was purely due to stress. Recent research has shown in some cases it could be due to a gastrointestinal disorder. We should avoid focusing on behavioral causes only and take … Continue reading →

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When is a Pit Bull not a Pit Bull?

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Theo Stewart

What we may call a Staffordshire Bull Terrier here in the UK, they may well call a Pit Bull in the US. It’s fascinating to read how different Pit Bull identifications are in this USA and UK survey (thank you … Continue reading →

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Tummy Tickle – Is the dog really asking for a belly rub?

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Theo Stewart

Many dogs really enjoy having their tummies scratched. However, if your dog routinely offers his/her belly when approached, it could also have a very different meaning altogether and you may end up being bitten. How well do you read ‘dog’? … Continue reading →

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