Older dogs are like older people - it’s sometimes difficult to get to the bathroom in time. However, incontinence in older dogs can be a sign of an underlying medical issue or disease.

Dogs wiggle into our hearts at all ages. The joy of watching a puppy discover the world is truly exciting, but there’s a lot to be said for adopting older dogs too. With older dogs, we get a good sense of who they are, their personality and maturity. We get to skip the house training and extra hours of being a baby dog pet parent and skip directly to the joy of having a grown companion and protector. For the most part, we know what and who we’re getting in an adult dog.

Having a new puppy is a lot like having a new baby - you know you’re not going to get much sleep until they learn to sleep through the night. Teaching a puppy how to self-soothe, along with what bedtime really means, can go a long way in ensuring you both get the sleep you need. So how do you teach your puppy good sleeping habits? Make sure they:

If your puppy is peeing in their crate, even if you’re giving them frequent outdoor potty breaks, rest assured you’re not alone in your frustration. Other pet owners have the same problem. By understanding your puppy’s needs, adjusting your expectations, and making a few changes to your routine and theirs, you can stop the peeing and successfully potty train your puppy.

Although puppies don’t speak our language, they do have common behaviors and body language that they use to get our attention. They can and will let us know what they want from us if we pay attention and learn to interpret their behavior, cries, and actions.

The directions on your dog’s potty training pads may be simple and effective, yet some dogs require a little more attention to training on a pad. Making sure you master some of the basics from the very beginning, and knowing which longer term mistakes to avoid, will help you and your four legged friend head down a more successful path to potty or pad training. 

The Philosophy Behind Pads and Paper

The whole idea behind using either a dog pee pad or a layer of newspapers is to train your puppy to potty in a designated area that is also protected by some sort of disposable pad—either newsprint or a puppy pee pad. Puppies will relieve themselves in the same spot whether there is protection there are or not, simply because the urine odor remains. The pad or paper is just for the owner’s convenience and ease. That said, which is better for both the dog and the owner?

There’s a lot to be said for what a dog can do for the quality of a person’s life after age 50. Study after study has shown that dog ownership increases survival rates after heart attacks, lowers incidents of depression and suicide, increases physical activity, and promotes more social interaction with other people of all ages. Dog ownership can lower cholesterol and triglycerides, decrease blood pressure, reduce stress, and help build self-esteem, increase mental alertness, and lift the spirits of people with Alzheimer's disease. More importantly, seniors tend to take better care of themselves when they own and care for a pet.

Traveling is always more fun when you can bring a friend, spouse, or even better, your dog, along to share the experience. Small dog breeds make particularly good travel companions. They can fit under a plane seat as well as in the smallest of cars or RVs. They can be trained to potty indoors and most don’t shed enough for anyone to notice. They’re less likely to be intimidating to strangers and can be held or easily crated or contained if need be. How you travel, however, can cause problems for some small dog breeds so will you need to take this factor in to consideration when choosing a small dog as a travel companion.

Heartworms are worms that live the final stages of their lives inside the hearts of host animals. Their hosts are usually dogs, though cats and ferrets can also get heartworms. If left untreated, heartworm infestation is fatal, but the good news is that a simple monthly treatment starting at 6-8 weeks of age can protect your dog from getting heartworms and ultimately, save your best friend’s life.