The Dog Blog

On this US Memorial Day, we honor those souls who served and sacrificed during time in the US armed forces. The bravery of anyone willing to put his or her life on the line while fighting to protect democratic ideals is incalculable.  Among those who deserve an honor are the many dogs who served in the military. Working with human handlers, these thousands of dogs often provided protection and aid in treacherous conditions. Dogs have provided battlefield assistance since ancient times, fighting enemies or offering encampment protection. They fought alongside American soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. General Washington knew of their...

Rescue dogs have a special place in our heart, here at Really Good Pets. While we love all dogs, today we are celebrating those who were rescued from tough beginnings. Rescue dogs are finally having the moment they deserve. For so long, dogs in shelters had a bad rap. People would assume there had been something insurmountably deficient in these dogs for them to have ended up in doggie-jail. But the truth is, many of these dogs were just fine. Many times the owners were one emergency away from lacking the resources available to pay for dog food. Or they had...

Spring is the time of rebirth and renewal, and for so many of us, we are more than ready. The season began with stay-at-home/shelter-in-place/quarantine rules. Some of us are still there. If we are lucky enough to have a yard, however, then we can spend some quality time outdoors. Since the start of May, a few stores have opened up so we can purchase the gardening materials needed. Finally we can plant our flowers, spread the mulch, and pull weeds to our heart's content. But whether we've hired someone or we are doing the work ourselves, we have to be careful:...

Last week, the last Saturday of April marked World Veterinary Day. On this day we honor those workers who have devoted their lives to the health, care, and welfare of animals.   Vets endure a lot. While some dogs love the vet, most pups find the clinics to be pretty scary places. They get poked and prodded by strangers. They have to stand on a not-very-stable-feeling scale. And the smells are just plain weird. But the vets and their techs are always ready with their treats. My vet always has cookies and  cheese whiz at the ready to pacify a...

You have probably heard it. If you haven't, open your doors at 8pm. If you didn't know better, you might think that all of your neighbors had turned feral at this time.  The howling lasts only a few minutes, but while it lasts, it can be glorious. The initial reason for the human howling was to honor those working on the front lines of the corona virus. It is often time for a shift change, and it is a way to let these know how much those of us who aren't out there appreciate them. It began with cheers and music, and...