Dog Psychology Archives - Page 3 of 19

A woman walks her dog as part of her exercise routine

All About Dogs

Your Dog Can Be The Secret To Weight Loss

There are thousands of exercise programs and an equal number of theories, books, and videos all claiming to have found the secret to weight loss. But there are very few, if any, exercise programs designed to help you and your dog stay fit together. We went searching for the secret to owner/dog fitness and called on two experts who know something about dogs and exercise. The first is Jillian Michaels, the health and wellness expert, bestselling author, advocate, and television personality. The second is Cesar Millan, the star of Cesar 911 whose fulfillment formula of “exercise, discipline, and affection” has

October 22, 2019 No Comments

All About Dogs

8 Winter Myths Dispelled

Recently, we sat down with veterinarian Dr. Henry Cerny to discuss some of the common myths about dogs and cold winter weather. Here are the misconceptions and the facts you need to know as temperatures drop. Myth 1: Salt doesn’t hurt dog’s paws Lots of fans say their dogs’ paws get burned by the salt used to melt snow on the ground. They suggest putting Vaseline on paws so the cushions don’t get burned by the salt on the road, or the cold of the snow. What do you think? Dr. Cerny: There are a variety of products used to melt

October 21, 2019 No Comments

Dog Psychology

How To Figure Out A Dog’s Energy Level

The second of Cesar’s Five Natural Dog Laws is this: “Energy Is Everything.” It’s how dogs — and all animals — communicate with each other and how they read our intentions and respond to us. If you have dogs, you probably already know intuitively what their general energy level is; whether your dog is a hyper pup that needs to play all the time, or more of a couch potato that’s happy with a slow walk and then a nap. But how can you tell whether a new dog’s energy would be right? When people ask Cesar what breed of

October 12, 2019 No Comments

All About Dogs

Why Are Dogs’ Noses Wet?

If you own a dog, you are most likely familiar with the feeling of a wet, cold nose nuzzling you as your pup greets you each time you walk in the door. You may also be familiar with the feeling of a moist nose from a stranger’s dog as it sniffs your hand. Although the sensation of a wet nose may feel normal to any dog lover, have you ever asked yourself the question, “Why are dogs’ noses wet?” The question of why a dog snout is wet may seem simple, but it has some interesting answers. Dogs’ noses are

September 24, 2019 No Comments

Dog Care

How To Exercise Your Dog Indoors

Note: Before trying any of these exercise techniques, confirm with your vet that your dog is healthy enough. Also note that some breeds, for example those with short legs, may not be well-suited for activites that involve going up and down steps or obstacles. Dogs need their daily exercise, and even things like it being too cold or hot outside or the days getting shorter shouldn’t get in the way. One of the most important parts of Cesar’s teachings is that you need to walk your dog every day, several times a day no matter what the weather is like.

September 12, 2019 No Comments

Dog Care

The Look Of Love: How Humans And Dogs Bond

There’s a reason that human mothers bond with their newborn children so quickly. This is because the process of pregnancy and birth releases various hormones, particularly oxytocin. Ocytocin When oxytocin works on various parts of the body, it is responsible for causing contractions during labor, as well as allowing the mother to lactate and feed her child. But when it goes to work in the brain, something else happens — it fosters bonding between humans and, in the case of a mother, facilitates maternal instincts. Oxytocin is common in many mammals and plays the same roles. However, scientists have so

September 11, 2019 No Comments

Cesar Millan

Letting It Be

When a dog is misbehaving, what’s the one common element, no matter what the problem is? Think about the misbehaviors: jumping on people, pulling on the walk, barking too much, peeing in the house, chewing things up, being aggressive, being fearful… They all sound like a lot of different issues, don’t they? How Are Different Behaviors Related After all, the same thing can’t possibly make one dog aggressive and the other fearful. A dog won’t bark for the same reason that it pulls on the walk. Right? Yes, and no. The behaviors are very different, but they are all signs

September 8, 2019 No Comments

Dog Psychology

Natural Dog Law 2: To Dogs, Energy Is Everything

Because humans are intellectual beings, we communicate mostly with words. This makes it easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that dogs also communicate with spoken language. While it may seem like our dogs understand specific words and associate them with specific actions, they’re mostly responding to the intent that we have associated with the word. If you tell your dog to sit without intention behind it, your dog won’t sit. Conversely, you can approach your dog with the intent to get her to sit and say the word ‘toaster’ or ‘lamp’ ‘ or nothing at all

September 4, 2019 No Comments

A newborn baby is introduced to the family dog

10 Principles for Achieving Balance

How To Get Your Dog Ready For The Baby

Congratulations! You’re expecting a new human addition to the family, and it’s likely you’re preparing by setting up the nursery, shopping for diapers and other necessities, and taking a class in newborn care. But don’t overlook one important step: getting your dog ready for this life change. Here’s the good news: it’s likely your dog is already aware something is up. Changes in the mom-to-be’s scent and body have clued him into the impending arrival. And even if you’re becoming parents by adopting or expecting through a surrogate, there are still things going on as you prepare — your excitement

September 1, 2019 No Comments

All About Dogs

Inside Your Dog’s Mind: What They Feel For You

It’s something we dog lovers have likely pondered any number of times when our pet looks at us with those wise, wide eyes: “I wonder what he’s thinking…” Two recent studies are moving us closer than ever to a definitive answer. In a UK study, two researchers at Goldsmiths College in London, Deborah Custance and Jennifer Mayer, set out to determine if dogs are capable of empathy — an ability to truly understand emotion. “I had talked to so many people who have dogs who say, ‘it’s like my dog is trying to comfort me,’” says Custance. Though she admits

August 28, 2019 No Comments