Search Results for: blog why do dogs lick

Why Pets Do Weird Things: Licking

Why do our pets lick us? We think we know some of the reasons: affection, we have something tasty on our skin. But there are additional reasons why they might lick us. Let’s look at them. One of the first things a mother dog does for her puppies is to lick them: it helps stimulate their senses. Doing so means comfort for dogs, so when they lick you they might be trying to pass those feelings onto you. It’s basically social bonding. Licking can also symbolize submission. In the wild subordinate dogs lick their alphas, so if a dog is … Continue reading →

Dog Bite Claims Cost Insurers Millions

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What happens when a dog bites a person? First, the person goes to see a doctor or heads for the emergency room. Next, the person files a claim against the dog owner’s homeowners insurance policy. Dog bite claims are costing insurance companies hundreds of millions of dollars every year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that around 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites each year. About half of them are children. Every year, around 16 people die from dog bites. It can be a very serious situation. A person who has been bitten by a dog … Continue reading →

Couple Loses Homeowners Insurance Because of Dogs

A couple in New York has lost their homeowners insurance policy because the insurance company thinks that the couple’s dogs are too much of a liability. The dogs are German Shepherds that are search and rescue dogs. It is unknown why the insurer considers service dogs to be a liability. Years ago, a couple in New York got approved for a homeowners insurance policy from an insurance company called New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance. The insurer was aware that the couple owned five dogs, all of which were German Shepherds, at the time the couple was approved for homeowners … Continue reading →

Service Dogs Can Help Children Avoid Allergens

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It can be really frightening for parents of children who have severe, life threatening, allergies to send their child to school, the park, or even the grocery store. Its impossible to know, without a doubt, that the environment will be free from the allergens that your child reacts to. Fortunately, specially trained guide dogs can help sniff out allergens, before your child has a bad allergic reaction. In general, people tend to understand why a person who is blind, or visually impaired, would benefit from having a guide dog. Most people realize that, in many ways, the dog is acting … Continue reading →

California Has the Most Insurance Claims for Dog Bites

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Is your dog a good dog? Not every dog owner has good control over their pet. There are certain situations that can trigger even the best dog’s instinct to bite someone. When this happens, people tend to file a dog bite claim to the homeowners insurance of the dog owner. State Farm has done a study that reveals the top ten states that have the most dog bite claims. Many dogs are sweet, loving, people pleasing creatures. This is why so many people choose to include a dog into their family. Ideally, each dog owner will train their dogs well, … Continue reading →

School Won’t Allow Seizure Alert Dog

Service animals are supposed to get free passes to go anywhere normal pets cannot. According to animal website Paw Nation, that almost wasn’t the case for Alaya the German Shepherd. Alaya isn’t your typical seeing eye dog; in fact, she’s not a seeing eye dog at all. Instead, she comes from Seizure Alert Dogs for Life, a group that trains dogs to recognize the signs of an oncoming seizure and alert the humans present to the imminent attack. She’s able to use her extraordinary talent to help Andrew Stevens. Andrew just wants to be a normal 12-year-old. Most of the … Continue reading →

Why You Shouldn’t Let Your Kids Sleep with Fido

My daughter didn’t get a dog for Christmas. Oh no she di-int! And it wasn’t because of the exorbitant cost of raising a pup. Okay, maybe money was a factor. A huge factor. But now I have another reason why I am glad my oldest isn’t cuddling with a pooch. According to a new report, sleeping with Fido or Fifi may increase your risk of contracting dangerous infections. In addition to an exposure to fleas, worms, ticks, and other parasites, the CDC just released a new study that found pet owners, who share their beds with their dogs or cats, … Continue reading →

Who’s the Dumb One? You or Your Dog?

I have a friend who’s convinced her dog’s the dumbest dog in the world. She tells the dog that regularly and shakes her head in dismay over “dumb” things he does. I ask her all the time for examples of his dumbness because I have yet to see him do anything dumb. She never really gives specifics, though. She just kind of skirts my questions and reaffirms that he’s dumb. I guess she expects I should just take her word for it. Now don’t get me wrong. I happen to like this friend very much, which is why she’ll remain … Continue reading →

Catalog Gifts for Dogs and the People Who Love Them: What on Earth and Wireless

Much to Wayne’s chagrin, it’s that time of year when our mailbox comes under assault by relentless rounds of catalogs. I have to admit I do buy my fair share of things from them. But what I love most is curling up on the couch and perusing all the different wares. I never know what I might find! This year I’ve come across some neat things I’ve never seen before, as well as some favorites from years past. I thought I’d make a list of them to help me keep track of what I might want to gift to who … Continue reading →

Why You Should Take a Dog with You When You Die

Recently Wayne was goofing around with our DVR again and decided to put it to use recording old Twilight Zone shows. Before he leaves for work most mornings, we sit in front of the TV and eat breakfast together. Sometimes we watch the news, but since that’s been too depressing lately we’ve been relying on whatever DVR recordings are in the queue for our morning entertainment. That’s how we came to find ourselves watching one of the Twilight Zone reruns Monday morning. No Dogs Allowed in Heaven It was called “The Hunt.” It’s about an old man and his dog … Continue reading →