For many individuals with a mental or emotional disability, an emotional support animal (ESA) can be life-changing. Emotional support animals can provide affection, comfort, and companionship for individuals who suffer from illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. To legally acquire and own an emotional support dog, handlers only need to obtain one…
The American Kennel Club recognizes 190 dog breeds, but there are only 42 recognized cat breeds in the United States, according to the Cat Fanciers’ Association. And while dogs come in all shapes and sizes, cats are, essentially, cats. The reason for this disparity? Over thousands of years, dogs have been selectively bred to produce…
The black-tailed prairie dogs at the Saint Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri, have no problem with public displays of affection. In fact, the larger the crowd gathered around their enclosure, the less inhibited they get — kissing, cuddling, and touching like love-crazy teenagers. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis documenting the behavior of…
You may think your pup is just so doggone cute when he tilts his head to one side, hanging on your every word. But is he listening intently, or is it something else? Animal behavior experts say that dogs are good at responding to body language and vocal cues, and that it’s possible that they…
Dogs howl for a number of reasons, ranging from biological behavior to medical conditions. Howling isn’t a common form of communication among domestic dogs, but it is used regularly by wild canid species such as wolves. When dogs do howl, common reasons for it include seeking attention, responding to high pitch noises such as sirens…
Few dog owners can resist it when their beloved pet gives them “puppy dog eyes,” but they have only themselves to blame. According to recent research, dogs developed the muscles that let them raise their inner eyebrows and show those droopy, sorrowful-looking expressions only after they split with their wolf ancestors and started getting comfy…
It sounds like something from a Stephen King novel, but it’s a well-documented phenomenon. Dogs walking with their owners along a road in Dumbarton, Scotland are suddenly struck by the desire to jump from Overtoun Bridge into the gorge below. This bizarre canine trend has been happening since the 1950s, old-timers say. More than 300…
Imposing dogs like pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans often get a bad rap, Sometimes these breeds get caught up in discussions about proposed legislation to restrict ownership, such as when a community is looking to protect its citizens from certain breeds. Certainly, there are wayward dogs, and owners who can’t or don’t control them. However,…
To decide if it’s time for a hunt, packs of endangered African wild dogs in Botswana get together for a high-energy ritual known as a rally. The dogs excitedly wag their tails, touch heads, and race around. Then, to the surprise of researchers, they seem to take a vote, using sneezes to decide if the…
Dogs are famous for long, frequent naps, but when sudden episodes of severe sleepiness occur, usually accompanied by some kind of excitement or stimulation, the naps may not be normal. They may exist as a condition called dog narcolepsy. This ailment is usually genetically-linked, and certain dogs are pre-disposed to the condition, like labradors, poodles, dachshunds…