News

In the November edition of NZ Dog World, I report on the 4 Paws Marathon's 2nd year, undertaken during Covid-19 Alert Level 2.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have revealed a link between a raw diet for pregnant mothers and puppies and a decreased risk of atopic dermatitis (itchy, scratchy dogs). Really interesting stuff since many of the dogs I see who are itchy are subsequently fed an an-allergenic dog food that is also highly processed. Could we reverse the trend by feeding raw?

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have found that a raw meat diet early in life (and during their mother's pregnancy) reduces the risk of having an itchy/scratchy (atopic) dog.

I've had to say goodbye to Eddie, a star of my Facebook page, regular massage customer with terribly bad luck, and all-around Good Boy.

Researchers studying the evolution of dogs have concluded that the diversity observed between dogs in different parts of the world today originated when all humans were still hunters and gatherers.

My quote of the month is from journalist Franklin P Jones...

Old Dog is a documentary about Paul Sorenson, a NZ sheep dog trainer who broke with tradition and treated his dogs with kindness. This documentary is available on the Doc Play platform.

Well Groomed is a documentary film made in 2019 which follows several groomers as they compete in the USA in the field of creative dog grooming. It's hard for me to approve the use of dyes and nail polishes - all which expose these poodles to unnecessary chemicals - in the name of art.

In the Spring edition of Pet Life NZ, I discuss the diagnosis of a cranial cruciate ligament injury and the treatment options available. It's important to match your dog's activity level and your expectations of quality of life when choosing treatment.

In this post, I share research from the University of Finland which covered the first group of laboratory Beagles that were re-homed in that country. In my opinion, the researchers under-state the importance of caring for the animals. For example, the first recommendation is "We recommend that all institutions and research facilities seriously consider the possibility of rehoming dogs. Based on our findings, this process could be feasible even for older or shy dogs." (Seriously consider????)