Oh, howling dog! Is it a full moon or what? Oh, why is it that dogs howl? They howl at impending thunderstorms which is what our dog is doing right this very second. His behavior is edging me ever closer to insanity. Why can’t he just pretend the angels are bowling? I just can’t take the ”ahroo, ahroo, ahroo” anymore. What does that mean anyway, “ahroo, ahroo?” He howls in the middle of the night when the coyotes are out and howling at the moon. Is he trying to say,” Please come and take me away from these crazy humans. They feed me this slop that they call do... [continue reading]

Separation anxiety in dogs is a common behavior that may manifest itself in different degrees of severity. If you have ever seen a child react by crying and fussing when their parent leaves, it is very similar for the canine member of your family to have these same anxieties and fears, when a member of their family is going out the door, leaving them behind. Dogs attach to family members the same way they would attach to a family of dogs. They are social and pack creatures and are most secure when they have their family around them. They develop trust in their human family and may get anxious ... [continue reading]

A cry sounded in the dark… awakening me from my troubled sleep. With cracked eyelids I checked the clock… 3 am!!! What in the world was she thinking? Then the sound came again, a small whimper, followed by the piercing cry. Even though I was trying the cry-it-out approach, my heart wasn’t letting me. To hear the tearful cries was much too difficult. I stumbled to the little bed and took the warm body into my arms. She immediately tucked her soft head into the crook of my arm and fell fast asleep. What was I to do? I sat down and held her in my arms the rest of the night. I woke ... [continue reading]

Question: Six months ago I adopted a two year old dog. He is a well-mannered animal except for the anxiety he suffers when we leave him alone. He doesn’t destroy things or go to the bathroom in the house or even bark, but he shakes excessively whenever he knows we’re going to leave the house and he cries. Upon returning, he is naturally, excited, but won’t leave our side. Even when we return home, he is still shaking for at least an hour. He becomes so upset that he won’t eat. In fact, the only time he is calm enough to eat is in the middle of the night, when he k... [continue reading]

For Anxiety and/or Nervousness try Lavender. Rub 1-2 drops between hands and apply to muzzle, between toes, on top of feet to smell when nose is down, and on edge of ears. One to two drops of essential oil is all that is necessary on animals as they respond much more quickly to the essential oils than do humans. Vegetable oil can be added to extend essential oils over larger areas and to heavily dilute the essential oil for use on smaller animals. This Daily Aromatherapy Tip is brought to you by http://AromaThyme.com ... [continue reading]

Environment in kennels is far removed from what a pet dog experiences at home. Some aspects like absence of the dog owner, different feeding and exercise timings are totally new for the dog. Add to this the unfamiliar noises and smells, temperature difference, change in diet and lack of exercise and what results is a dog who is vulnerable to stress, abnormal behavior and anxiety. If you have to kennel your dog for some reason, make sure that you plan in advance. Take time off to check up some essentials before deciding on the kennel where you are going to leave your dog. This will go a long wa... [continue reading]

Traveling long distances can get stressful even for humans. As a pet owner, you might have faced issues with your dog while traveling. Sometimes getting the dog to get inside the car for a ride can be particularly challenging. If you have been taking your dog in the car only to visit the vet, he is likely to be averse to a car irrespective of whether you are planning to go to a playground, a holiday or the vet. This does not mean that you cannot travel with your dog. Just as dogs have to be trained to live within the house, they need to be trained to travel in a car. Since car rides may stress... [continue reading]

Dog is man’s best friend. We have heard this proverb numerous times and it is almost universally agreed that it is true. There are innumerable stories that support this truth. But it is also true that dogs must be trained for house life. There are many aspects of house training that you need to go through before you can rest assured that your dog is fully trained. Dogs need to be house trained. They need to understand what behavior is desirable and what is not. Pet owners also need to ensure that their dogs do not suffer. For example, separation anxiety in dogs can lead to a situation where ... [continue reading]

Dogs cannot speak our language and we can never be sure whether their barking is a warning, a complaint or an expression of some discomfort. But there is one thing that we do know and that is that the barking is supposed to mean something. A dog may bark for various reasons. And in many cases the barking is due to a previous situation or experience that he may have had. Research has unequivocally established that the dog’s brain does respond to stimuli and this was proven long time ago with Pavlov’s experiment. Experiments reveal that there is imagery in the dog’s brain that induces spec... [continue reading]

Adapted from Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell (Findhorn, 2002). Article courtesy of http://www.care2.com/ Here is an ideal blend of essential oils to calm dogs in stressful situations: dogs with separation anxiety; training or show nerves; hyperactivity; fear of people, places, or things. Just hold this blend to their noses. Calm Canine Essential Oil Blend * ½ oz. base oil (for example, sweet almond or hazelnut) * 3 drops Valerian essential oil * 2 drops Vetiver essential oil * 4 drops Petigrain essential oil * 3 drops Sweet Marjoram essential oil * 2 drops Sweet O... [continue reading]