Your dog is an important part of your family. You want to make sure your pet is safe and happy by your side, whether you’re going for a walk or snuggling on the sofa together.

Unfortunately, even the best-trained pets can sometimes escape. Keeping your dog on a leash or in a fenced yard is one of the most important things you can do to protect your furry friend, but even that isn’t foolproof. Here are a few extra steps you can take to ensure your dog stays where he belongs.

How to...

Dogs are driven to be part of a pack. In the wild, that pack is of the four-legged, furry variety. But domesticated pets often find themselves serving as part of a human pack, with you, your children, your spouse, or whoever else lives in your home filling all those roles.

If you’re adopting a pet, you’re adding that animal to your pack, whether that pack is composed of people, pets, or a combination of both. Simply bringing the pet into your home can make things tougher for both...

June is Foster-a-Pet month, a month the Petco Foundation sets aside to encourage people to temporarily house a homeless dog. The Petco Foundation estimates that if only 2 percent of U.S. households fostered one pet a year, unnecessary euthanasia in shelters could be eliminated.

One of the biggest barriers to this, though, is uncertainty over what’s involved. There are a few misconceptions about dog fostering that can keep you from missing out on a great experience. Here are some of the...

Cancer is a serious health risk for older dogs, with about half of all dogs over the age of 10 predicted to develop cancer. If you have a senior dog in your life, you may read that statistic and immediately worry. But don’t. Recognizing the risk means you can do something to help out your furry friend.

As with humans, early detection is key to helping your dog survive cancer. There are a few things you can do, as a pet parent, to keep an eye out for cancer risk and head straight to the...

Mr. Rogers said that in times of trouble, his mother would have him look to the helpers. If something good has come from our strange days, it’s how many people have responded to the call and offered to foster a dog from a shelter.

Thankfully many of these open-minded fostering pet parents are transitioning to permanent pet parents. And adopting a dog has become the new norm when it comes to dog ownership. It’s almost becoming politically incorrect to buy a dog.

Don’t get me...

I am often found enjoying country life on my farm. Sprawling with different species of animals behind a post and rail fence, there is plenty of open space and ample room for everyone to get along untethered with safe boundaries.  

However, lately I have been called upon by several of my city clients to help them navigate their concrete jungle, New York City.

Leash Be With You!

As I specialize in modifying aggressive behavior, many of these clients who call have dogs with some level...

When the weather cooperates, a trip to the park is a great way for your dog to get some exercise and burn off all that excess energy. But the weather doesn’t always cooperate. When it’s rainy or chilly outside, your dog may still crave that exercise—not to mention some fun bonding time with his humans.

The good news is, there are plenty of games you can play indoors that will keep your dog engaged while also helping him get a little exercise and mental stimulation. Mental...

Few things can be as scary or emotionally unsettling as a missing dog. Not only does it put your pet at risk of harm, but you’ll likely fear that you won’t be able to find him again. If your dog gets out repeatedly, you may find neighbors start to complain and local animal control could even get involved.

But keeping a dog on your property can be a challenge, especially if you have a new puppy. Young puppies should never be outside without your close supervision. For older puppies...

Now that the weather is getting nicer and we're spending more time outside, the possibility of our dogs having a run-in with a skunk has raised to 'its definitely going to happen' percent. Dogs are naturally curious animals, and skunks live just about anywhere -- in the country, and the city -- and at least one dog in your life will get sprayed. Consider it a right of passage (for you...not them).

So what should you do if (or when) it happens? 

Whatever you do, don't spray your...

Your dog probably spends more time outdoors than you do. When he goes outside, he’s also walking around in the grass, and his body is closer to the ground than yours is.

That means your dog is likely more at risk than you are to have ticks attach themselves. If ticks are in your yard, they hang out on tall grass and shrubs, becoming dislodged as your dog brushes against them. Some ticks carry something called Lyme Disease, a bacterial illness that causes issues in organs and joints....