The Healthy Way To Stretch Your Dog:  A Physical Therapy Approach, is a valuable addition to the field of canine health care.  Whether you have a pet or an elite canine athlete, this book provides important information that can help your dog.

Using current research, along with photos and diagrams to illustrate the text, authors Sasha and Ashley Foster show how muscles should be stretched following warm up and exertion.  They discuss how to stretch your dog so you can prevent injuries and maintain joint integrity.  The book looks at the different needs of dogs, depending on their breed, size, age, health condition, and whether they are actively involved in canine sports.  Stretching routines are presented for...

I’ve been blessed with a lot of dogs over the years who lived a long time.  My last older dog, Taylor, lived to be a little over 13.  Taylor was very active and happy right up until just a couple of months before he died, when he started losing some weight and getting weaker.  Actually, he started losing interest in his kibble a year or two before then and I became concerned about him so I started cooking for him.  I really think that cooking for him added the last couple of years to his life.  He remained interested in his food and ate plenty every day, so he kept his weight up.  Otherwise, I think I might have lost him sooner.

When Taylor was about 10 years old I started asking the vet about his...

Does your dog pull on the leash when you take him for a walk?  I think most dogs do unless they learn a better way to walk with you.  I have large dogs and I know that I have been pulled like a wishbone a few times.  Fortunately, it’s not too hard to train your dog to walk calmly by your side.

It is always easiest to train a puppy, but you can train any dog, of any age to walk politely on a leash. You will need a collar that fits correctly, such as a flat buckle collar.  Nylon is fine.  You should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and your dog’s neck, so make sure that it is not too tight or too loose.  You will also need a good leash.  A six-foot leash that matches the ...