Health
Why Your Dog is Gagging But Not Throwing Up: A Practical Look at the Causes
That Awful Sound in the Middle of the Night It’s a sound that can jolt you out of the deepest sleep. A horrible, hacking, gagging noise from the dog’s bed that has you fumbling for the light switch, heart pounding. You expect to find a puddle of sick to clean up, but instead, your dog […]
Why Does My Dog Have Eye Boogers? A Complete Guide to Causes, Types, and Safe Cleaning
What Are Dog Eye Boogers, Anyway? (And Are They Normal?) The other morning, I nearly tripped over Buster, my food-obsessed Lab, who was performing his usual door-stop impression by the kettle. I glanced down and saw it: a proper, Grade-A bit of crusty gunk in the corner of his eye. For a split second, the […]
Why Is My Dog’s Teeth Chattering? A Plain-English Guide
That Odd Clacking Sound: Unpacking Why Your Dog’s Teeth are Chattering It’s a funny old sound, isn’t it? That rapid-fire clack-clack-clack of your dog’s jaw going like the clappers. I first heard it from Fern, my live-wire Spaniel, after a particularly bracing yomp up Mam Tor. She was soaked, happy, and her jaw was going […]
Why Is My Dog Being Sick After Drinking Water? A Practical Guide
Right Then, Let’s Talk About Puddles on the Kitchen Floor The other day, we got back from a proper yomp up Mam Tor. Fern, my whirlwind of a Spaniel, made a beeline for the water bowl and drank like she was trying to empty a reservoir. Thirty seconds later… whoosh. A perfect, crystal-clear puddle appeared […]
Why Your Dog Is Ignoring Their Food But Begging for Treats: A Complete Guide
The Great Dinner Snub: A Worrying Silence The silence was the first clue. Usually, at 5 PM on the dot, I’m navigating an obstacle course made of a frantic Labrador, a tap-dancing Spaniel, and a cat who’s decided my leg is a convenient climbing frame. Dinner time is a big deal in our house. But […]
Why Is My Dog Drinking So Much Water? A Practical Owner’s Guide
The Case of the Constantly Empty Water Bowl The other week, I was sat at my desk, tapping away, when I was disturbed by a familiar sound: the frantic lapping of water, followed by a theatrical, slobbery sigh. It was Buster, my food-obsessed Labrador, draining his water bowl for what felt like the fifth time […]
Why Is My Dog Breathing Fast? A Practical Guide for Worried Owners
Decoding Your Dog’s Rapid Breathing: A No-Nonsense Guide The other day, I was watching Fern, my ever-so-slightly bonkers Spaniel, absolutely spark out on her bed after a long yomp across the moors. Her little chest was rising and falling at a rate of knots, and for a split second, that familiar knot of worry tightened […]
Why Is My Older Dog Drinking So Much Water? A Guide to Causes and Next Steps
A Full Water Bowl: When Does ‘Thirsty’ Become ‘Worrisome’? The other morning, I was filling the kettle when I noticed the dog’s water bowl was bone dry. Again. Now, my food-obsessed Lab, Buster, could probably win a gold medal in competitive drinking, but this felt different. It was the third time I’d filled it since […]
A Dog Owner’s Guide to Head Shaking: 8 Common Causes & When to See the Vet
That Unmistakable Sound: Sorting a Happy Shake from a Worried Wobble The other day, I was watching Fern, my live-wire Spaniel, absolutely launch herself out of a stream up on the moors. She stood on the bank, a whirlwind of spray and flapping ears, and gave that magnificent, full-body shake that sends water flying for […]
How to Cut Black Dog Nails Without Stress: A Step-by-Step Guide
The Dreaded Click-Clack: A Nail-Trimming Tale The other week, I was enjoying a quiet cuppa when I heard it. The tell-tale ‘click, clack, click’ of long nails on the kitchen floor. It was Fern, my whirlwind of a Spaniel, whose nails seem to grow if you so much as look at them. I retrieved the […]