As dog owners ourselves, we understand that the day to day expenses can add up and the cost of pet insurance is one that may appear unnecessary at first. Much like our health insurance, however, pet insurance is there when the moment comes that you need to fall back on the financial support an insurance plan can offer. And if you don’t have the plan already in place, you will likely find yourself in a tight spot…

Every year seems to be more ominous when it comes to the threat of disease-ridden ticks and fleas, especially where my family and I live. While we have a beautiful scenic view of the Blue Ridge mountains from our home with deer often in our backyard, our yard backs up to tall grasses and woods that attract ticks and other pests. Our dog, Tiny, loves to roam our surroundings, but he’s brought unwelcome pests into our home…

Has your dog been diagnosed with cataracts? If so, are you worried about the cumbersome cost of canine cataract surgery? It can be expensive, for sure. And if left untreated, this progressive condition can lead to total blindness, so it’s a necessity for your pup’s quality of life. But just how much does dog cataract surgery cost? And how can you reduce your financial burden for unexpected illnesses like this? Here, we’ll give you the info you need to know about dog cataract surgery, the associated costs and how you may proactively reduce your financial risk…

Do you ever think about how hot the pavement is when you take your dog for a walk? Honestly, I never did either until I researched this article. It’s important to add this into your routine before going for a walk, or your dog could burn her paws and be in immense pain. We’ll help you learn how to protect dog paws and how you can test the temperature of the pavement yourself to ensure your dog’s safety…

When most of us get in our cars, the routine is non-negotiable. Children are buckled in safety seats or, if older, in seat belts. All the adults buckle up. When that’s all done, only then do we start the car and begin our journeys, knowing that we’ve taken an important step toward the safety of ourselves and our passengers. Unfortunately, those same safety considerations often don’t extend to our canine travelers…

Does your dog like to explore the vehicle while you’re driving down the road? Your pup probably starts out in the back seat, then meanders up front with you (making sure to whack you in the face with her tail), then wanders to the back and continues this pattern until you reach your destination. This can be dangerous for your dog, you and other drivers on the road because you could get distracted by your dog. We know your dog doesn’t mean any harm, they’re just so excited to be on the road with you. We recommend some type of restraint for a dog when traveling in a vehicle. You can choose one of the barriers in this article or take a look at other types of restraints like seatbelts. As long as you’re keeping your dog out of your line of sight on the road, that’s all that matters for safety purposes…

My sister has an 110-pound Labrador retriever who can’t jump. Whenever they hop in the car, he puts his front paws on the vehicle and waits for someone to lift his back legs in. He’s done this his whole life — he simply refuses to jump. However, once they reach their destination, he is capable of jumping down out of the vehicle. Overall it’s pretty harmless, but when my sister was seven months pregnant and trying to take the dog to the vet on her own, it could’ve ended pretty badly. I think her husband would’ve been more comfortable if she had a dog ramp for the SUV…

There are certain foods that you should not feed your dog under any occasion. While individual cases will vary based on breed, weight, and other factors — in general this list of foods dogs can’t eat applies to all dogs and should be carefully followed to avoid accidents. Take note and print out our helpful infographic to keep on-hand in your kitchen so you know what food dogs can’t eat…

Fido just leaped for a frisbee and now he’s limping. What’s wrong with him? Do I need to take him to the vet? How much will it cost? This is why pet insurance is so extremely important. In a time of panic, you should be worrying about the health of your dog, not the number in your bank account. We rate the biggest names in the pet insurance industry based on our own research and provide you with a summary of what each company offers as well as pros and cons for each…

When my husband and I adopted our dog Sally in 2017 we were extremely curious about her dog breed makeup. We suspected she was hound of some sort but were uncertain of what type or anything else beyond that. So, we decided to take a dog DNA test to learn more. We completed a Wisdom Panel test for her and in less than two weeks, we had the results. What we discovered in the results was completely surprising to us…

If you’re anything like me, you probably use the terms service dog, therapy dog and emotional support dog interchangeably. To be honest, until researching this article, I didn’t know there was a difference. However, these three types of dogs are used in completely different situations. To help clarify, we’ve written this article to explain where you may see a certain type and when someone may need one…

Our latest Top Dog interview is with Baby Howard the Bulldog. He was found at 6 weeks old wandering the streets of NYC and was turned into a shelter. He was so grateful when he was adopted. Now he devotes his time to spreading awareness for other homeless pets as a Rescue Ambassador and therapy dog. Along the way, he’s made his way into the spotlight by modeling for Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger ads and acting for HGTV’s Posh Pets, E’s Ice Loves Coco, and more. Learn more about this accomplished bulldog in our exclusive interview…

Pet insurance industry growth can likely be attributed to the increasing cost of veterinary care as well as the increased number of pet insurance companies. Also, premiums remain super affordable with most plans. We review the major players in pet insurance every quarter and thought it’d be fun and helpful for our readers to see some commonalities throughout the industry. Below are some pet insurance trends that fascinated us that we’d like to share with you…

If you haven’t heard, a canine flu outbreak is spreading across the nation leaving plenty of pups feeling down in the dumps. But what is all the bark about, what are the symptoms and can you catch it from your dog? Learn more about this contagious outbreak…

When we adopted our dog Sally we were so curious about her family history, breed makeup and any potential health concerns. Not knowing her entire history or even what breed(s) she is was a bit of a concern for us because it would make vet forms a bit more challenging to fill out plus we wouldn’t know what types of illnesses to watch out for. When Michelle (the founder of Canine Journal) asked if I’d like to do a DNA test for Sally I got very excited and immediately said yes…

As dog owners, we’ve all been there. You got delayed at the office or running errands, and your dog couldn’t hold it any longer. Of course, he picked the perfect place on the carpet to pee. Or even worse, your pet has chosen a regular spot to relieve himself in your home because you haven’t been able to completely eliminate the smell. Never fear! We’ll give you some expert tips on how to get dog pee smell out of carpet for good…