Behavior & Training

You’re probably familiar with service dogs for people with challenges like vision-impairment, diabetes and PTSD, but have you heard of a migraine alert dog? Believe it or not, dogs can be trained to alert humans who are about to have a migraine. But first, they have to be trained to identify the signs that you are about to have a migraine, so they know when to raise alarm.

Just like humans, it’s easier to teach your dog good habits if you start from a young age. But what about if you adopt an older dog or realize you want to establish new habits in your adult dog? Are you doomed to simply accept their behavior as is?

Potty training your dog requires patience, time and determination — no matter what kind of dog you have. But some dog breeds are notoriously harder to potty train than others.

The answer might just be instinct. In most cases there is no clear reason why dogs eat grass, but it has been found to be an incredibly common behavior that is generally seen as normal, especially among our more youthful companions. However, veterinarians and researchers are still learning what else may be behind this plant-eating behavior, and there appear to be a handful of possible reasons why grass-grazing is more than just natural.

Dental care for dogs is crucial to their health but is often neglected. Dental treats for dogs offer a tastier and easier alternative. Our guide walks you through why dental care is so important for dogs, how treats can play a part in dental hygiene, the types of dental treats available, what to buy and what to avoid based on evidence.

Have questions about dog treats? How they're made, what's best for training, and what to avoid? Our guide walks you through everything you need to know about dog treats.

An animal’s brain has an intricate network of connections to all parts of the body. Scientists have discovered that part of this network originates from the gut. Bacteria can send signals to the brain, which could have implications for mental health -- including aggression and depression -- and might lead to better treatments in the future.

Some dog parents are reluctant to put their dog in a crate. Typically, this hesitation results from a belief that crates are the equivalent of prisons for dogs. In truth, a crate is a critical component of a dog’s life, not only making her life (and yours) much easier, but allowing your dog to rely on her instincts to claim a comfortable spot to call her own.

Dogs have approximately 300 million receptors in their noses; in contrast, humans only have six million. The section of the dog’s brain that works in tandem with these receptors analyzes the scents dogs encounter.

Although some research shows that dogs may have a rudimentary concept of morality, they generally do not go out of their way to do “bad” things on purpose. Since dogs have relatively limited ways to communicate with their human family, engaging in bad things is typically a sign that they need something from their pet parent.