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Marty Becker
Articles & Books From Marty Becker
Article / Updated 05-24-2023
If a natural disaster strikes, you should have an emergency kit and a plan for your pets. You're also wise to consider what would happen to your pets if you were in an accident or became ill suddenly and landed in a hospital with no time to prepare. ©Corners / Adobe StockMake sure your pet wears an ID tag with current contact information.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-06-2021
Keeping your dog healthy and happy involves having the right supplies, toys, and medicine on hand, knowing when to take your dog to the vet, and practicing preventive care.Photo: Alvan Nee / UnsplashThings to Buy Before Bringing Your Puppy HomeIf you plan to get a new puppy (or just did), be sure to have the following essential items either before, or shortly after, you bring your puppy into its new home.
Article / Updated 09-02-2019
Remember the saying: "You never get a second chance to make a first impression"? The idea works with dogs, too. No matter how happy you are to bring him home, no matter how much you want to make up for the shabby way he was treated before you got him, start him off right from the beginning. Decide what the house rules are and stick to them, for the first couple of months, at least.
Article / Updated 04-26-2016
Euthanasia, the technical term for putting a dog to sleep, is one of the hardest decisions you will ever make, and it doesn't get any easier, no matter how many times over the years you face it. Your veterinarian can offer you advice and your friends can offer you support, but no one can make the decision for you.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
For most people, the choice of whether to choose a male dog or a female dog comes down to personal preference. You should consider some differences, however, because even spaying and neutering doesn’t make males and females the same.
If you do not plan to spay or neuter your pet the differences are more distinct.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Rabies is caused by a viral infection of the nervous system. Most cases of rabies in the United States occur in wild animals. Because dogs share territory with wild animals, they're at risk of being bitten by a rabid wild animal. (Normally timid animals can become aggressive if rabid.) Most cases of rabies in dogs can be traced to skunks, foxes, raccoons, and bats, but any rabid mammal can transmit the disease.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
There aren't many food items that some dog lover hasn't popped a pill into to try to get their dog to eat it. Peanut butter and hot dogs have always been popular, but cheese (including canned cheese), liverwurst, and cottage cheese all work well, too. Who knows, maybe your dog will even eat a pill-stuffed olive?
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
When people use the generic term worms in describing puppy parasites, they are usually talking about roundworms, or ascarids. That's because hardly a single puppy avoids being born infested with the pest. But puppies can also be plagued by other intestinal parasites such as hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and single-cell parasites such as coccidia and giardia.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Boarding kennels take some heat over kennel cough, an upper-respiratory infection that's as contagious as sniffles in a daycare center. In fact, some kennel operators even find the name a little pejorative, insisting that the ailment be called by its proper name, canine infectious tracheobronchitis, or even bordetella, after its most common causative agent.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Excessive barking is one problem that often puts dogs on the road to the shelter. What's more, it also puts them at risk from the people in your neighborhood: The poisoning of a nuisance barker is all too common. Even if your neighbors aren't the kind to take things into their own hands, a barking dog can run you afoul of the law, and not dealing with the situation marks you as an irresponsible and inconsiderate dog owner.