Author Archives

BE SPECIAL: ADOPT A DOG WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

by Nomi Berger Their bodies may be imperfect, but their spirit remains intact. So it is said about the special needs dog. Although caring for one can be challenging, more and more people are opening their hearts and their homes and adopting them. For this reason, more and more dogs who might otherwise be euthanized are being given a new “leash” on life. Experts

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Tick Alert: Pet Owners Beware

by Nomi Berger With the arrival of summer comes the arrival of an annoying and possibly fatal pest: the tick. What was once considered a nuisance found only in the wooded countryside has been persistently and increasingly invading cities both large and small. Now ticks can be as close as your neighbourhood park or your neighbour’s backyard. What, precisely, is a tick? A tick

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Helping your dog cope with thunder and fireworks

by Nomi Berger The arrival of hot weather and national holidays isn’t always a reason for celebration, especially for noise-phobic dogs. For them, hot weather means thunderstorms, and national holidays, like Canada Day, mean fireworks. And that can mean reactions from panting to panic attacks. It may also mean trembling, drooling or whining; pacing or barking; urinating or vomiting. If you own this type

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Being Cautious is Cool This Summer

by Nomi Berger Picture yourself on a sweltering summer day wearing a long winter coat. Are you hot yet? Itchy? Thirsty? Looking for shade? Now picture your dogs on that same summer day. And you’ll have some idea of how THEY feel. Protecting them from the hot sun, air and ground is essential to keeping them safe outside. All it requires is common sense

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Allergy Alert! Itch that time again.

by Nomi Berger Has your dog suddenly started scratching herself or biting certain areas of her body? Chewing on her feet? Rubbing her face back and forth across the carpet? If so, she may be suffering from seasonal allergies. These reactions to an obvious, but invisible, itch is her body’s way of responding to molecules called “allergens.” The major culprits: trees, grasses, pollens, molds

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