Blog

Trimming Nails and Handling Cracked Pads: Taking Care of Your Dogs Paws Chicago weather can be rough on your dog’s feet. During the summer, any walks on the pavement during those 90-degree days are going to be at best uncomfortable, and at worst, your dog’s paw pads could suffer burns. When winter hits, you have to worry about frostbitten paws and the potential of painful burns caused by the salt scattered on nearly every outdoor surface. Tender paws will put a real damper on playtime and your dog’s overall wellbeing. Learn about some of the common paw issues and how...

The Science Behind Why Our Dogs Love Us So Darn Much If you have a dog, then you know that feeling when you look down at your fur baby and you just can’t even fathom how something could love you so unconditionally. As it turns out, you’re right about that love, and there’s science to back it up. Dogs and humans have been linked together for thousands of years, so much so, that there is research to prove that our two species have adapted together. Although dogs are almost genetically identical to wolves, there are important differences. Scientists have found...

Do's and Don'ts of Hiking the Trails with Your Dog When someone tells you to take a hike...do you jump at the chance? If you enjoy hitting the hiking trails whenever you can and would love the company of your canine sidekick, there are a few things you might need to think about before heading out. Of course, the first thing is: can your dog handle the rigors of a hike? If Barkley has spent the last several months on the couch, he's likely not ready to leap into action on the trail. Ease him into it. Take him for...

Bark To School I was running some errands over the weekend and felt a bit nostalgic when I walked past the school supply section. The colorful pens, notebooks, and folders reminded me of my days of back-to-school shopping. Now that kids are returning to their classrooms or to their home-schooled itineraries, it made me think – would you rather be homeschooled or attend a private/public school? Would you answer the same for your fur-baby? I interviewed people in the Chicagoland area to explore the reasons why people self-train (“homeschool”) their dogs or enroll them in puppy classes.   Self-Training Flexible...

The Value of Vaccinations We love our pets for so many reasons. They provide unconditional love, companionship, and stress release. They entertain us, cheer us up, and can be the perfect exercise pals. All these and more are reasons to vaccinate your furry friends. Vaccinations improve your pet’s overall quality of life and protect them from contagious and deadly diseases.   What are Vaccines? Vaccines promote protective immune responses in pets. They have two major benefits: Vaccinations are life-saving products (usually injections) that help prepare dogs, cats, and others to fight viruses and infections Vaccines can lessen the severity of...