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295 results for “dog eating off ground”
Why Is My Dog So Sleepy in Summer?
Many dogs seem lazier and sleep far more once summer arrives. In most cases this is a normal response to heat—dogs cool themselves mainly by panting and through their paw pads, so they naturally slow down to avoid overheating. However, persistent lethargy paired with panting, a rising temperature, or appetite loss can signal heatstroke or illness. Keep your dog cool, hydrated, and walk them during cooler hours to stay safe.
Why Dogs Drink Less in Cold Weather (and Why It Matters)
As temperatures drop, many dogs drink far less, but winter dehydration is no minor issue — it can concentrate urine, form mineral crystals, and lead to urinary tract infections, stones, or even blockages. Low water also slows digestion and causes constipation, strains the kidneys, and thickens the blood, burdening the heart. A healthy adult dog needs 40–60 ml of water per kg daily, and no less than 30 ml/kg in winter. To encourage drinking, offer warm water (28–40°C), add a splash of something tasty like broth, place bowls around the home, use a flowing fountain, and boost activity on sunny days so your dog drinks after exercise.
How to Stop Your Dog From Eating Poop
The old saying that a dog can never be trained out of eating stool is unfair - coprophagia can be corrected with patience. The first move is to remove the opportunity: clean up after every bowel movement and keep the dog on a leash and in sight on walks so it cannot snatch another dog's waste. If you catch the behavior, interrupt and correct it calmly without physical punishment, and use gentle training to redirect it. You can also make stool less appealing by adding a taste it dislikes, then letting the dog investigate. Finally, rule out hunger: feed regular, balanced meals so the dog is never driven to eat stool by an empty stomach.
Will Changing Dog Food Hurt the Gut?
Why switch? Nutrition balance - eating one food forever risks deficiency; safety - some feeds use questionable 4D sources, unneeded flavor additives and heavy preservatives linked to chronic disease; and appetite - same taste daily breeds boredom (imagine burgers forever). Does switching hurt? A single-food gut makes narrow enzymes, so a sudden swap causes soft stool or diarrhea. The 7-day method fixes it: raise the new-food ratio daily until day seven is all new, avoiding digestive stress. Switch about every three months, or anytime if no reaction; mixing two foods for broader nutrition is fine. Picky eating comes not from switching but from rewarding refused food with tastier food - the dog learns refusal pays off.
How to Stop a Dog From Eating Its Own Poop
Eating its own stool is a common dog behavior, usually harmless but sometimes a sign of a problem. Causes range from missing nutrients and youth or pregnancy, to lack of training, boredom, or illness such as pancreatitis. To correct it: feed a complete diet with added trace minerals and vitamins, clean up stools promptly, interrupt with a firm 'leave it' and reward stopping, and as a last resort make the stool unpalatable with a safe deterrent. If the habit persists despite these steps, consult a veterinarian to rule out a medical cause. Patience and consistency are what break the cycle.
Why Dogs Have Bad Breath and Tartar
Bad breath usually traces to tartar: poor eating habits and no dental care let plaque calcify into tartar. Scraping it at home with a dental scaler is not advised - few owners can control the dog through the whole process, and mistakes harm the gums. Better to have the vet scale once, then prevent daily with mouthwash, brushing or diet. Untreated tartar worsens breath and causes stomatitis, ulcers and red gums that block eating, and plaque harms the heart and kidneys. Prevent with daily (or every-other-day) brushing using dog toothbrush and paste, finger-wrap if the dog resists, and chewing toys; severe cases may need prescription food.
How to Train Your Dog to Catch Objects Mid-Air
Teaching a dog to snatch a treat out of the air is a fun, bonding trick that builds focus and coordination. The method is gradual: a spoken cue, a slow lob close to the head, and slowly smaller, faster, higher throws until the hind legs leave the ground. Most dogs grasp the basics in a single session with the right pacing.
Ringworm in Cats and Dogs: Symptoms and Treatment
Ringworm, or dermatophytosis, is one of the most common skin diseases in pets, caused mainly by Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. It matters for public health because most strains are zoonotic, survive for three to four years in dry conditions, and resist ordinary disinfectants. Infection spreads by contact or contaminated objects, peaking in warm, humid weather. Signs are round patches of hair loss, redness, and scaling, usually without itch. Treatment uses topical and, for widespread cases, oral antifungals, plus environmental cleaning. This guide covers the cause, signs, and care.
What to Do When Your Cat or Dog Has Chronic Constipation, Diarrhea, or Indigestion
About 60 to 80 percent of a cat or dog's immune system resides in the digestive tract, and a healthy gut is the body's first line of defense against pathogens and toxins. When the intestinal flora falls out of balance, pets frequently develop constipation, diarrhea, and poor digestion and become far more prone to illness. Diet, stress, medications, and a naturally smaller microbiome all influence gut health. Probiotics can help restore balance, but most beneficial bacteria are destroyed by stomach acid or by heat during food processing. This guide explains why gut balance matters, what disrupts it, and how to choose a heat- and acid-resistant, high-activity probiotic that actually survives to reach the intestines where it is needed.
Symptoms and Treatment of Gastroenteritis in Dogs
Gastroenteritis is the general name for acute or chronic inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining. Because dogs and cats are meat eaters, the causes are many, from bacteria, viruses, and parasites to drugs and bad food, so diagnosis must be precise. Most cases show on-and-off vomiting and diarrhea, with foam or yellow bile in the vomit. A vet should treat it early, with care centered on fasting, fluids, nutrition, and stopping the vomiting and diarrhea.