Finding the Right Dog Without Inadvertently Supporting the Puppy Mill Industry

It can be hard to figure out if you're choosing a puppy or older dog from a reputable organization. Here's how to make sure.

October 2018 - You have your heart set on a certain breed — and you want it to be a puppy — so you go on the Internet to track down the dog of your dreams. And you find her — she’s absolutely adorable, just seven weeks old, available (but you better act fast), and, better still, comes from an organization that has the words “Humane Society” in its name. In other words, the dog you want is even a rescue animal; you’re getting exactly what you desire and saving a life in the bargain. The only hitch is that she lives 1,000 miles south and has to be shipped north. No sweat. The rescuing organization will transport the dog for you; you can pick her up near your home from a group where the dog will be dropped off. Is it a good idea?

When a Little Dog Attacks a Big Dog

Little dogs, just like big ones, can wreak dangerous havoc.

In response to our lead article on big dog-little dog attacks in the August issue, which stated that “it is never your fault if a larger dog attacks your littler one,” Janette Hankins of Maynardville, Tennessee, wrote, “I very seldom comment but feel that I must jump in. One day we were walking our two Great Danes. Both were on leash.

The Gastrointestinal Symptoms Are Probably Not a Food Allergy

An allergy, yes, but not to food.

While people who suffer from allergies frequently get runny noses, watery eyes, sneezing, and congestion, dogs with allergies often itch. And that itchiness is sometimes accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea.

Shedding Concerns

Some dogs are big shedders, and sometimes they shed even more than usual. No owner relishes constantly sweeping up a home full of dog hair “tumbleweed,” but many are also worried it’s a sign of ill health when the shedding ramps up out of nowhere; they raise the issue with us frequently. Is it the sign of a problem?