Dog Care

The most effective way to prevent odor is to clean up urine as soon as possible but there are still options for set-in stains and smells. Credit: Liudmila Chernetska | Getty Images Your dog pees on the rug, you clean it up, and the stain remains. Worse, your dog keeps urinating in the same place,

Fleas are wingless blood-sucking insects that are dark brown in color and about 1 to 2 millimeters long. Although they cannot fly, they are capable of jumping on and off their host. Fleas excrete a powdery form of the blood they ingest called frass, also known as flea dirt. Frass is used to feed flea

Universal dog microchip scanners can be used to identify any dog with a microchip and get that dog back to the owner. Credit: Ali Cobanoglu | Getty Images YES, microchipping your dog is 100% worth it! This quick, easy, inexpensive process gives your dog permanent identification that will stay with her for life no matter

Caption: Massage therapy is one of the treatments often offered by canine rehabilitation therapists. Credit: Georgiy Datsenko | Getty Images The term “physical therapist” is reserved for practitioners who treat human patients, but canine rehabilitation therapists (that’s the correct term) provide the same assistance for dogs. As dog physical therapy becomes more widely available, some

Running a fan for your dog can go a long way toward keeping him cool as the weather warms up and, along with water, can help get your dog’s body temperature down. Credit: Petra Richli | Getty Images The two keys to relieving your dog’s fever are hydration and cooling his body temperature. Encourage your

Consider that your dog’s reluctance to walk on a winter sidewalk has more to do with ice melt that may have been applied than the temperature itself. Credit: Brittany Denny | Getty Images There is no hard-and-fast rule for how cold is too cold for dogs, but it is important to understand when it is

Having the right toys on hand is a big help when it comes to keeping a teething puppy away from all the things he shouldn’t be chewing on. Credit: InnaVlasova | Getty Images Teething can be a trying time for puppies and their owners. As puppy teeth fall out to make way for adult teeth,

Make sure you dry the dog’s ear well, using clean cotton balls or cotton gauze to wipe away dirt and earwax that’s been loosened by the cleaning solution. Photo by Irina Kashaeva, Getty Images Some dogs’ ears stay clean without any attention or effort from us, but other dogs’ ears are prone to developing a

Dramamine may help dogs who do not enjoy car rides, if the dog is suffering from motion sickness. Credit: Westend61 | Getty Images Dramamine, a brand name for the drug dimenhydrinate, is an antihistamine that is used off-label in many dogs for vestibular problems, including carsickness and senior dog vestibular disease. With its antihistamine properties,

With practice, your dog will learn to accept having his teeth brushed and your rewards are helping prevent dental decay and fresh dog breath. Credit: LittleCityLifestylePhotography | Getty Images If your dog’s breath makes you feel like you’re going to pass out every time your pup exhales, it’s time for an intervention. You can freshen

Most dogs will happily sign up for toothbrushing, when the toothpaste you use is homemade and full of delicious ingredients. (However, you actually need two hands to do a good job. Use one to lift your dog’s lips so you can see where you are scrubbing.) Photo by Oscar Wong, Getty Images What’s the best

Not all dirty or infected ears are due to ear mites. If your dog is shaking his head or scratching at his ears, see your veterinarian. It’s important to treat medical conditions quickly and appropriately. Photo by Zonica, Getty Images Are itchy, stinky ears interfering with your dog’s daily dose of fun? A quick internet

Dogs naturally ingest water when swimming, which can lead to dangerous sodium levels in the dog’s blood. Credit: Maisie Patterson | Getty Images Swimming dogs can experience “water intoxication,” or hyponatremia, making it wise to monitor the dog’s time in the water. It’s all too easy, especially with small dogs and dogs retrieving toys from

Even professional groomers can accidentally cut a nail too close, and most have styptic powder ready to use. Credit: PixelsEffect | Getty Images If you cut your dog’s nail too close to the quick, it will bleed. For a dog’s bleeding nail, a dab of styptic powder will get the bleeding to stop. If styptic

For smaller dogs, especially, it’s easier to groom your dog when he’s on a higher surface, however, be sure that it’s a non-slip surface or place a non-slip mat under him. Some shower mats work well for this. Credit: Marianne Purdie | Getty Images Dog grooming at home is not difficult, but you do need

Introduce your dog gradually to using a treadmill. The best choice is a treadmill made for dogs, like this one, but smaller dogs can often use human treadmills. Credit: eAlisa | Getty Images Working on a dog treadmill can be great exercise for your dog when a long walk just isn’t possible, such as during

Even large hawks (such as this red-tailed hawk) would have a difficult time carrying away any but the tiniest dogs, those less than two pounds. If you walk in open areas where even larger raptors (such as golden or bald eagles) are common, it would be wise to keep small dogs close to you and

Gorgeous! This young girl is using beautifully crisp body language to cue her puppy, and is ready with a treat in her other hand as a reward. Teaching your children to use clear, consistent cues and quickly marking and rewarding the resulting behavior will help your dog learn the expected behaviors very quickly. Photo by