Join us May 3 for 16th annual Strut Your Mutt

Get ready, dog lovers — Strut Your Mutt is right around the corner! Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 3, 2025, with festivities kicking off at 9:30 a.m. at Pine Street Arena, Potsdam. …

Friday, April 25

Happy paw-lidays! How to keep it festive with furry family members

(BPT) - With the holiday season fast approaching, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos.If you're worried about how you and your pet can enjoy the festivities safely, you're not alone. A recent …

Monday, November 3

Wellness Beyond the Bowl: Exploring a holistic approach to happy, healthy pets

(Family Features) When you think about your pet's wellness, it's easy to focus solely on the food you're placing in their bowl. However, true wellness encompasses a much broader spectrum, inclusive of nutrition, preventative care, oral health, exercise, mental stimulation and more.

Monday, October 13

6 ways cats are good for your mental health

(BPT) - The U.S. is facing a mental health crisis, with 1 in 5 adults (about 59 million people) experiencing daily mental health challenges, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. …

Friday, October 10

5 Tips to Help Anxious Dogs Find Their Calm

(Family Features) Just like humans, pets experience anxiety due to various triggers such as loud noises, changes in their environment or separation from their owners.

Monday, August 11

These 10 states have the healthiest dogs

Ollie reports Michigan, Florida, and Arizona have the healthiest dogs in the U.S., based on health screenings for digestion, weight, and dental care.

Dr. Lindsay Cassibry for Ollie

Thursday, July 31

Dogs are helping people regulate stress even more than expected, research shows

A new study finds that dogs’ mitigation of human stress is more biologically complex than scientists previously understood.

Kevin Morris, University of Denver and Jaci Gandenberger, University of Denver, The Conversation

Monday, July 21

BBQ masters bring grill skills to dog treats in new competition

(BPT) - Summer grilling season is here, and barbecue enthusiasts everywhere are firing up their grills. Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or just starting your barbecue journey, there's never been …

Wednesday, July 16

Can animals make art?

Without being able to get into the heads of animals, it’s hard to say for sure. But instances of pig painters, whale crooners and bird sculptors certainly make it seem plausible.

Shawn Simpson, University of Pittsburgh, The Conversation

Thursday, March 20

Just having a pet doesn’t help mental health – but pet-owners with secure relationships with their pets are less depressed

Do you have a secure or anxious attachment with your pet?

Brian N. Chin, Trinity College, The Conversation

Monday, March 3

When dogs bark, are they using words to communicate?

Does your dog bark a lot? Or is he one of those quiet pooches who barks only when things get really exciting? Most dogs bark at least a little. Dog barks are not words. Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you …

Clive Wynne, Arizona State University, The Conversation

Monday, September 23, 2024

Little seed, big problem – keep an eye out for foxtail seed pods that can harm your pet this summer

Across much of the United States, spring is in full force. With warmer weather, people are taking their furry family members out on longer walks and spending more time outside. Alongside blooming flowers and trees, your pet might run into a small, unassuming grass seed pod known as a foxtail. …

Erik Olstad, University of California, Davis, The Conversation

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Could sharing a bedroom with your pets be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep?

Sleeping with your dog in the same room could be negatively affecting your sleep quality, according to my team’s recently published research in Scientific Reports. …

Brian N. Chin, Trinity College, The Conversation

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Training an animal? An ethicist explains how and why your dog − but not your frog − can be punished

People talk to their pets every day: offering praise when they’re good, reassurance when they’re confused and affection when they’re cuddling. We also speak to animals when they misbehave. “Why did you do that?” someone might ask their dog. …

Jon Garthoff, University of Tennessee, The Conversation

Friday, February 2, 2024

Dog care below freezing − how to keep your pet warm and safe from cold weather, road salt and more this winter

In much of the country, when winter rolls around, previously hospitable conditions can quickly turn chilly and dangerous for people and pups alike. …

Erik Christian Olstad, University of California, Davis, The Conversation

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Cats first finagled their way into human hearts and homes thousands of years ago – here's how

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go on safari in southern Africa. One of the greatest thrills was going out at night looking for …

Jonathan Losos, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, The Conversation

Friday, December 22, 2023

Mutton, an Indigenous woolly dog, died in 1859 − new analysis confirms precolonial lineage of this extinct breed, once kept for their wool

Indigenous Coast Salish women wove woolly dogs' fur into blankets. Artist's reconstruction by Karen Carr Dogs have been in the Americas for more than 10,000 years. They were already domesticated when …

Audrey T. Lin, Smithsonian Institution; Chris Stantis, University of Utah, and Logan Kistler, Smithsonian Institution, The Conversation

Thursday, December 14, 2023