The word "microbiome" is all the rage among dog researchers and dog folks these days. In most instances when you hear this term, it refers to a dog's gut microbiome. However, another important microbiome system in the dog's body is the skin. Similar to the gut, the skin's bacterial makeup is comprised of multiple species, … Continue reading Diet and Your Dog’s Skin Microbiome
Teasing is Bad.
(Science Says So). My dogs are retrieving maniacs; always have been. This is not surprising seeing that we live with Goldens and Tollers. Throw something (literally anything) and they will happily race after it, pick it up, and bring it back to you. We LOVE this about our dogs and they adore playing this game. … Continue reading Teasing is Bad.
FDA Guidelines? Who Knew?
I have been in the pet food industry, in some capacity, for my entire working life. Today, I learned about a set of FDA Guidelines that are written to help to keep our dogs (and us) safe. Until recently, I had no idea that these even existed. Apparently, I am not alone. A recent study, … Continue reading FDA Guidelines? Who Knew?
If you don’t eat yer meat, you can’t have any pudding!
This week's blog is an excerpt from "Dog Smart: Evidence-based Training with The Science Dog." Even those who are not Pink Floyd fans understand this principle. “You cannot have dessert until you first eat your vegetables” This common admonition means that you can only have the thing that you really want if you first complete … Continue reading If you don’t eat yer meat, you can’t have any pudding!
What Do You Know about Canine Nutrition?
TAKE THE QUIZ! Nutrition Courses and Webinars for Dog People Basics of Canine Nutrition Puppies to Seniors Dog Food Smarts Master's Class Certificate Program Other Popular Courses and Webinars: Nutrition Controversies in the Dog World Feeding Puppies for Health and Longevity Dogs are Carnivores, Right? Understanding Canine Body Signals Human Grade: Meaningful Distinction or Marketing … Continue reading What Do You Know about Canine Nutrition?
Enrichment Activities
(Are Not All Created Equal) Enrichment is a popular term these days in the dog training and dog care world. And for good reason. At its most basic, environmental enrichment refers to a variety of techniques and interventions that are intended to enhance the physical and emotional well being of animals who live under human … Continue reading Enrichment Activities
Did Lassie Love Her Job?
One of the many ways that the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) is unique is in how many different roles that dogs have in human society. Most who read this blog share their lives with dogs who are well cared for and who are deeply loved. However, around the world, some dogs lack homes altogether and … Continue reading Did Lassie Love Her Job?
The (Dis)connection between Grain-Free Foods and DCM
Almost 4 years ago, in July of 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a public alert stating that they had reports of an apparent increase in the national incidence of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. At the time, it was speculated (without evidence) that the perceived increase in cases was related to the consumption … Continue reading The (Dis)connection between Grain-Free Foods and DCM
The Eeyore Effect
Measuring the Emotional Toll of Aversive Training Methods The tension between dog trainers who use primarily reward-based methods (positive reinforcement) and those who rely more on aversive methods (positive punishment/negative reinforcement) is not new. Many trainers (myself included) believe that not only are reward-based methods more humane than methods that rely heavily upon aversives, but … Continue reading The Eeyore Effect
Feeding Smart with The Science Dog
New Book Announcement! "Feeding Smart with The Science Dog" by Linda P Case Description: In The Science Dog’s latest myth-busting book, Linda Case takes on canine nutrition and feeding practices. It seems that almost everyone has an opinion about how our dogs should be fed and what diet is healthiest for them. In this timely … Continue reading Feeding Smart with The Science Dog
Farting French Bulldogs
Yeah. Apparently it's a thing. FLATULENT FREDDIE It is even enough of a thing that a group of scientists from Sao Paulo State University in Brazil decided to study it. More precisely, they studied a few dietary components that might contribute to unpleasant smells produced by members of this adorable (but sometimes stinky) breed. Is … Continue reading Farting French Bulldogs
Evidence-Based Nutrition with The Science Dog Courses
Nutrition Courses and Webinars for Dog Folks (and their Dogs) Basics of Canine Nutrition Puppies to Seniors Dog Food Smarts Master's Class Certificate Program Other Popular Courses and Webinars: Nutrition Controversies in the Dog World Feeding Puppies for Health and Longevity Dogs are Carnivores, Right? Understanding Canine Body Signals Human Grade: Meaningful Distinction or Marketing … Continue reading Evidence-Based Nutrition with The Science Dog Courses
More Human-Grade Research… and a Rant
Dog foods that are produced with human-grade ingredients have increased in number and popularity in recent years. In addition to containing food ingredients that are classified and handled differently than typical pet food ingredients, these products are usually less highly processed when compared with extruded kibble (see "Human Grade Dog Foods: Some Science" for details). … Continue reading More Human-Grade Research… and a Rant
Wait. Should I like that?
A number of studies have shown that dogs possess the ability to learn new behaviors and even problem solve by observing the actions of other dogs or humans. Several forms of social (aka observational) learning are defined by researchers. Discussions regarding dogs' proficiency, the types of tasks that can be learned, and the relative cognitive … Continue reading Wait. Should I like that?
Give Up the Gullet
I have written about this health issue before; in fact, more than five years ago in the essay "Got Gullet?. Sadly, here we are again, looking at beef gullets and thyroid glands. A Bit of Review The thyroid gland is a small organ found on each side of an animal’s trachea. When a cow is … Continue reading Give Up the Gullet
The Science Dog 