Guides
Plain, practical guides to the everyday jobs of living with a dog or cat, from measuring for a harness to lifting hair out of the carpet. For anything about your pet's health, ask your veterinarian.
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Guide
Bringing Home a Rescue Dog: Decompression and the First Weeks
Just adopted a dog who hides, skips meals or paces at night? Learn what decompression means and how long it can take, how to set up a quiet retreat and a predictable day, which stress signs to watch and when to call a trainer or veterinarian.
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Guide
Puppy Teething Timeline: Ages, Signs and Safe Things to Chew
Baby teeth arrive by about 6 weeks, start falling out at around 12 to 16 weeks and give way to 42 adult teeth by about six months. Here is what each stage looks like at home, what is safe to chew, what to keep away and how to spot a baby tooth that won’t let go.
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Guide
Puppy Enrichment Ideas: Sniffing, Licking, Chewing and Brain Games
Short, puppy-sized jobs for the nose, mouth and brain: which food puzzles suit a young puppy, sniffing games for small spaces, chewing and carrying, new surfaces to explore, a setup for work hours and a sample day built around naps.
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Guide
National Parks With a Dog: Where Dogs Can Go, Rules and What to Bring
Most national parks welcome leashed dogs on roads, in campgrounds and at picnic areas, but not on most trails. See how the rules differ across 11 parks, what the B.A.R.K. Ranger principles mean in practice, why your dog never waits in the car and what to pack.
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Guide
Does My Dog Have a Double Coat? How to Tell and Why It Matters
A short coat can still be double, and a long one can be single. Learn the part-and-look test, the clues that mislead, examples from Labradors to Maltese, where doodles and mixes fit, and why the answer changes brushing, shedding and drying.
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Guide
How to Reduce Cat Shedding: A Brushing Plan and What’s Normal
You can't stop a healthy cat from shedding, but you can brush out more of the loose hair before it lands on the sofa. Why indoor cats shed all year, how to tell shedding from overgrooming, a brushing plan by coat and the right tool for each.
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Guide
How to Get a Cat to Drink More Water, and When to Call the Vet
How to get more water into a cat who barely drinks: the bowls and spots cats prefer, fountains and faucets, wetter meals and a lick mat, extra bowls for multi-cat homes, how much water a cat needs, and the drinking changes that need a veterinarian.
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Guide
How Much Playtime Does a Dog Need? By Age, Energy and Health
There's no fixed number of minutes. See how play needs change from puppy to senior and with energy and health, the signs of too little or too much play, and how to fit short games into a busy day.
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Guide
How Long Should You Walk a Senior Dog? Pace, Routes and Signs to Stop
Older dogs usually do best on shorter, slower walks spread through the day. Here's how to find your dog's comfortable length, pick easier routes and a harness, adjust for heat, ice and dark evenings, and spot the signs that mean head home or call your veterinarian.
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Guide
How Long Should You Walk Your Dog? By Age, Size and Energy
Most healthy adult dogs do well with about 30 minutes of walking a day in total, split over two walks, and high-energy breeds need a lot more. See how age, energy, size and health change the answer, the five-minutes-per-month guide for puppies, signs a walk is too long or too short, and how to build up safely.
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Guide
How Long Should a Dog’s Nails Be? Signs and How Often to Trim
A healthy nail sits just clear of the floor when your dog stands. Here's how to check, the signs nails are overdue, how often to trim by lifestyle and age, and how to bring long nails back without cutting into the quick.
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Guide
How Hot Is Too Hot to Walk a Dog? Pavement, Timing and Warning Signs
The AKC says the ground may be too hot to walk a dog at 85°F or above when the pavement hasn’t cooled. Learn the ten-second hand test, which dogs struggle first, how to plan cooler walks, and the overheating signs that mean it’s time to stop.
