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Have you ever walked past a dog with a yellow ribbon tied around its collar and wondered what it meant?

The Yellow Dog Project is a movement to identify dogs that may be nervous about being approached. It’s a way to signal to other people that they should keep their kids, hands, and dogs away from the marked dog unless they ask the dog’s owner for permission to approach. From their website:

“Yellow Dogs are dogs who need space – they are not necessarily aggressive dogs but more often are dogs who have issues of fear; pain from recent surgery; are a rescue or shelter dog who has not yet had sufficient training or mastered obedience; are in training for work or service; are in service; or other reasons specific to the dog.”

Dogs who may have been recently rescued or who have fear issues need exercise, too, and they should be able to go on leashed walks without fear of being approached by unleashed dogs or overenthusiastic children. Dogs like this are one reason leash laws are so important. Just because your dog is friendly doesn’t mean that all dogs are, so it’s in everybody’s best interest to keep your dog on a leash unless you’re in a designated off-leash area.

More importantly, the Yellow Dog Project aims to give new owners, especially of rescue dogs, the confidence to train their dogs out in the real world without as much fear about what will happen if their dog is approached by a strange dog or person. Tying a yellow ribbon on your dog’s collar is not an excuse to avoid training your dog; rather it’s a tool to help give you better space for training your dog.

So what should you do if you spot a dog wearing a yellow ribbon? Give them a wide berth and make sure your kids and dogs do, also.

The only way something like this works is if plenty of people are educated about the project. If you think the Yellow Dog Project is a great idea, please help spread the word by talking about it across your favorite social media platform. Let’s give dogs the space they need to be happy, safe members of the community!

(H/T: The Yellow Dog Project, USA Today)

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Has your dog been acting different recently? Have your or your dog been through some big life event? Just like humans, dogs can suffer from depression and anxiety. How can you tell whether your fur child is suffering from depression or something else? If your dog’s behavior change can’t be attributed to any life changes, it may be related to a health issue and they should be checked out by a vet to rule out a medical reason for their behavioral change.

Examples of events that can trigger depression include:

-Loss of an owner

-Loss of a companion

-Grief experienced by their human

-Less attention than usual from their person

-Moving to a new house

-Introducing a new pet or human to the family

-Traumatic incident (like an injury)

-Major change in usual daily routine

Symptoms of depression

-Lower energy

-Becoming withdrawn

-Less interest in things they used to enjoy

-Change in eating habits

-Change in sleep habits

Luckily, there are lots of thing you can do to help.

-Give your dog more attention, especially when he’s acting less sad than usual. Giving him attention while he’s acting depressed makes it OK in his mind to feel depressed.

-Keep your dog active with walks and his favorite playtime activity.

-If your dog is suffering from the loss of a companion, consider adding a new friend to your family – but only if you’re truly ready for that responsibility.

-If your dog is social, take him to the dog park or doggie day care to romp with other dogs.

-If nothing else helps, a trip to the vet may be in order. If there is no medical reason for his behavior change and the above tips don’t help, there are medications that can help your dog out of his depression.

Incidentally, if you think you might be suffering from depression yourself, here is some helpful information from the National Institute of Mental Health about depression. If you’re at a critical juncture, please contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Whether it’s you or your dog suffering, there is help available!

(H/T: PetCareRX)

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This guy proposed to two different girls on the same day, and it’s so much sweeter than it sounds!

Ryan Balfour decided it was time to pop the question to his girlfriend, Darion Getzinger. The two met 8 years ago in high school, and according to Darion, it was love at first sight, “…a scraggly haired kid with hockey track pants and a plaid backpack walked into my math class and I said to myself ‘that’s the boy I’m going to marry.’” They grew up, moved in together, and added to their family by adopting their pup, Maia.

For his proposal, Ryan took Maia and Darion for a walk in the mountains, then dropped to his knee and asked Darion to marry him! Once he had his yes, he kneeled a second time, for a second pretty girl.

Ryan didn’t forget Maia – the other special lady in his life! He proposed to her to make them even more of a family, and gave her a pink rhinestone collar! What a gentleman!

Ryan told ABCNews, “She’s been a part of our family. It felt wrong to not include her in the proposal somehow. I knew I wanted her there for the photos, for sure. It made sense to have something for her as well.”

Darion and Ryan have their date set for next Autumn at Darion’s father’s ranch, where there will be plenty of room for the dog-of-honor to run around!

H/T: ABCNews
Featured Photo: Darion Getzinger/Facebook

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I get it, I get it…

You probably don’t care WHY dogs jump up as much as you just want the behavior fixed.

But, I can fix it for you!

All it takes is a little time and consistency.

However, sometimes understanding a behavior will actually help you to stop it.

I think it is also imperative to understand your dog, because it better ensures that you don’t become as quickly and overly frustrated.

Jumping up is a natural behavior for dogs.

Dogs jump all over each other.

This is often how they initiate play.

They learn from a young age to jump on us when they are excited or want to be picked up.

Most of us pick up our puppies and put them close to our faces; many of us kiss them.

So when a dog is excited, it seems a natural response to hurl his big enthusiastic body at you, to express his elation.

It makes sense that in order to keep your dog from jumping up on you and family and friends, you will need to teach him that jumping is always unacceptable.

Be Consistent

You can’t expect your dog or puppy to learn that jumping is “wrong” if you allow it sometimes.

Plus, being inconsistent is unfair.

Make a pact as a family that no one will allow this behavior.

Teach an Incompatible Behavior and Greeting

Your dog can’t sit and jump on you at the same time.

Now, don’t get me wrong… he can go very quickly from a “sit” to jumping up, but, of course, he has to break the behavior/command in order to accomplish it.

He also can’t “lie down” and jump, and it is more difficult to spring up from a down command.

This is why I always taught my potential Service Dogs to “down” when greeting new people.

Even rewarding your dog for keeping all four feet on the floor is helpful!

Keep It From Happening to Guests

Whereas a dog jumping up won’t hurt most people, a jumping dog can seriously injure a geriatric individual or toddler.

I make a point of ensuring that my dogs never get the opportunity to jump on guests.

Jumping is a bad habit.

It is a bad habit that you don’t want your dog to start!

Put your dog on leash.

I am always amazed that people think they can have control over this behavior, and how their dog greets people, when their dog is off leash.

Inevitably, the dog pounces guests and then the owner is off yelling and screaming and trying to reprimand as the dog swoops in for multiple pouncings.

Unfortunately, this is fun for your dog.

So, I don’t want my dogs to figure out that this game exists.

Instead, I want them to understand that I am in control and will give them commands and keep them from jumping.

When they are calm and contained they can be petted by the guest, provided they maintain their obedience and good behavior.

I suggest you invite some friends or family over with the intention of teaching your dog!

After many visits, your dog will simply settle in and know how to act because you have given him the tools he needs to know what you want and what your expectations for him are.

Your dog isn’t a person, he doesn’t know what you want and what your expectations of him are, until you teach him what you want him to do!

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We love our pets like family, so for those who believe in an afterlife – whether it be Heaven, or a peaceful paradise beyond the Rainbow Bridge – we hope that after they pass, we’ll one day see them again. That’s why pet parents were happy to line up to participate in the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land‘s annual “Blessing of the Pets” ceremony.

 

The annual event, held at the friary in Washington, D.C., takes place just before the celebration of Saint Francis Assisi, patron saint of animals and nature.

 

“People love their animals,” Priest Jim Gardiner told WTOP. “Look how affectionate [the pets] are, how forgiving they are.”

 

The event even attracted Aviana Symon and her pet rabbit, who participated in the ceremony for the third time.

 

“I think that it’ll maybe help her health in the future,” Symon said in the news story. “I know Luna’s a big part of my life…She’s definitely a de-stressor for me. I know that rabbits aren’t the most common type of animals, but especially after a hard day at work, it’s nice to come home just to pet her super soft fur. She has fur like velvet. To that end, she’s really part of the family.”

 

Whether your family includes a dog, cat, or anything else, you can probably relate to this loving sentiment!

 

Would you take your pet to be blessed? Tell us in the comments below!

(h/t: WTOP )

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With the endless stream of dog food recalls we’ve witnessed over the years, it comes as no surprise that consumers are just not trusting pet food companies as they used to. Contaminated food and poisonous ingredients are some of the top concerns.

Adding another layer to the problem, some important ingredients claimed in the ingredients list of your pup’s food are very likely to be completely innacurate.

Which particular nutrient is this? Omega-3 fatty acids. 

A majority of dog food brand labels claim to have Omega-3 DHA and EPA in their formula. Pet food companies market this nutrient due to it being absolutely essential for dogs’ health. Specifically, Omega-3s help support the immune system, brain health, joint health, and skin and coat health.

Even more important is that dogs’ bodies are incapable of producing Omega-3’s on their own. Therefore, they must obtain it via their daily diet.

Introducing the Behemoth Creating (Destroying) Dog Food

To comprehend why dog food companies would lie to us, let’s take a look at the way kibble is produced.

Behold, the extremely creepy device below. This thing is called an “extruder” and is used in the manufacturing of dry dog food. How is it done? The “food” mixture is forced through the machine at extremely high temperatures. The steam cooks the mixture and then “extrudes” it through a small hole, by which it is formed into the well-known kibble shapes we see in dry dog food bags.

Source: Youtube

The problem here is that Omega-3’s are highly susceptible to heat, and break down easily, becoming useless during a high heat manufacturing method such as through the extruder.

It’s a wonder how any nutrients survive this process, let alone fragile omega-3 fatty acids, right?

This is apart from any notion that pet food companies are lying to us about the ingredients lists. They are being dishonest about what is biologically available to your dog in the kibble after the harsh manufacturing process.

The Next Challenge: Spoiling

Yet, if the omega-3 fatty acids were to miraculously survive the intensity of high-heat extrusion, their next obstacle comes from the risk of spoiling. Remember we said they were fragile? Once omega-3 fatty acids come into contact with light and oxygen, they have a tendency to quickly become rancid.

From the very moment that we rip apart that bag of dog food kibble, letting air and light in, the expiration of the product’s omega-3 nutrients has already begun. Keeping your food in an airtight container will help, however it is just impossible to prevent the fatty acids from coming into contact with these elements and spoing.

 

If Omega-3s Aren’t Bio-Available in Dry Dog Food, Where Can They Get It?

Many health conscious pet parents have resorted to supplementing their dog’s supply of omega-3s, due to the difficulty in obtaining enough omega-3 fatty acids from their food supply.

However, this then begs the question, if omega-3s cannot survive dog food manufacturing, what is the potency of an omega-3 supplement?

Unfortunately, there is no good answer as they vary greatly from one product to the next. Many omega-3 soft supplements are also made through a heat-based extrusion process, rendering the potency next to none.

Here are some helpful tips for selecting a quality omega-3 supplement for your pup(s):

#1 – Go with cold-press manufacturing: If you go with an omega-3 soft chew, choose one that boasts a cold-press extrusion process. This will not damage the ingredients with heat during processing. The whole thing is done at low temperatures, preserving the bioavailability of the omega-3s. This kind of manufacturing is expensive, so not nearly as many companies use it as a result, but its absolutely vital for the product’s efficacy.

#2 – Choose low-mercury fish sources: In recent years, consumers have become increasingly aware of pollutants such as mercury in the world’s fish supply. We’d highly recommend choosing supplements with omega-3s sourced from smaller fish species (like anchovies and krill) which are lower on the food chain. Because of their position in the chain, and their shorter lives, they tend to have significantly less heavy metals stored in their bodies as compared to larger fish.

#3 – Be Wary of Spoiling: If you use supplements in liquid form, be careful the product does not become rancid. Liquid supplements in plastic bottles are particularly prone to spoiling, so we recommend choosing glass bottles instead. If you do choose a liquid form, buy small bottles instead of large ones to reduce the chance of you having to throw out the bottle due to spoiling and wasting money.

The Bottom Line

Simply: Do not let yourself be fooled by packaging that states all your dog’s nutritional needs will be met by a bag of processed dog food. Talk to your vet, and determine if omega-3 supplements are right for your dog.

If Omega-3 supplementation makes sense for your dog, we’d encourage you to try our Pure Antarctic Krill Sticks. These sticks have way more bio-available omega-3s than fish oil supplements and blow kibble completely out of the water.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional. 

Featured Image Credit: Lisa Yarost

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