Imagine you’re walking down the street in a foreign country-like, maybe Texas or Louisiana- and suddenly people start shouting wildly at you. Like a scene out of Hitchcock, you see a crowd of distorting mouths but can’t understand the words coming out. Only the increasingly frantic arm flailing tells you a climax is about to…

To some people, the death of a pet or even the decision to euthanize seems just another complication of day-to-day life. To others, the loss of an animal companion can lead to overwhelming grief. Says Betty Carmack, author of Grieving the Death of a Pet, “People often say they grieved more for their animal’s death…

My Australian Cattledog, Zoe, was pretty cute, but when it came to brain power, she was no match for her little blue neighbor —a common scrub jay. This three inch tall feathered sneak has her number. Every day, he would lie in wait and then steal bits of her coveted meal right from under her…

Question: Our 5-year-old Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier presents as a furry, lovable and inviting dog while he sits waiting outside the cafe for me to finish my morning latte. Trouble is, he’s taken to growling and barking at some well-meaning types, especially those who come on too enthusiastically. It’s like they invade his space. This behavior…

Being a pet columnist or a blogger is sort of like teaching 5th grade. Just when you think you’ve seen and heard it all, someone asks a question like this: “Dear Dr. Yin: Do you think it is possible that a great deal of behavioral problems in dogs may be due to constipation?” My academically…

Traditionally, dog classes focus on basic exercises like training dogs to sit, lie down, stand, come, and heel on command. While these may be important tasks for dogs to learn, dog training can and should include a more global approach. For instance, the dog may know how to sit or to walk next to their…