Search Results for: blog when your dog stops barking

When a Dog Goes Blind

My next door neighbor’s dog, Simba, has had a rough road lately. First he was diagnosed with diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome, then shortly after that (not even a week later) he went blind. How They Knew Simba Was Blind When I was little, our family dog Mike went blind. I don’t remember exactly when it happened or how we knew. I’m fairly sure my dad was the first to notice it. I got to thinking about that because I asked my neighbors how they figured out Simba was blind. It’s not like he can just shout all of a sudden, … Continue reading →

Senility On The Rise In Dogs and Cats

Humans aren’t the only ones who have to worry about senility. Dogs and cats can suffer from cognitive dysfunction syndrome, also known as senility or dementia in humans. As dogs — and cats — live longer, owners are starting to see more issues that never used to be a problem. Why? Because the pets used to never live that long! Cats and small dogs are living to see twenty; medium and large dogs are reaching their teens. This is all thanks to improved nutrition, better veterinary care, and home environments. Recent research shows that nearly a third of dogs ages … Continue reading →

Decoding Different Barks

Researchers at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary are using computers to help decode and translate different dog barks. The study began with recording the barks from fourteen different Hungarian sheepdogs. Barking was recorded in six different situations: When a stranger approached the house when the owner was away and the dog was home alone. When a trainer encouraged the dog to bite on protective gear and bark aggressively (think of police dog training). When an owner was preparing to take the dog for a walk. When an owner was holding a ball in front of the dog. When an owner … Continue reading →

When Was the Last Time You Rode a Greyhound?

Okay, I’ll go first. It was 1990. I was in college traveling to my aunt and uncle’s for Thanksgiving and the ride that would have taken 2 hours by car took almost 5 hours by bus. But, that wasn’t the worst part. The most horrific part of the trip had nothing to do with the ride itself; rather it was the 30 minute wait at the bug infested Greyhound bus terminal that made me turn to my school’s ride board for subsequent out-of-town trips. Yup, I ditched the dog after that trip. And really it wasn’t just the bugs, the … Continue reading →

Amazing Wake Up Calls

I was taking a nap yesterday afternoon — hadn’t slept well Saturday night — under just about perfect conditions. There was a light breeze coming in through the open window and the blinds were closed enough to keep the sun out of my eyes. And then my dog Lally stepped on my head. The one drawback of liking to sleep with the windows open and feel a breeze on my face is that my bed is directly under the windows. Lally’s favorite place to look out when there’s a weird noise out front is from my bed. (Her second favorite … Continue reading →