Dog Training & Care Archives

Dog Vomiting: How to Treat Puppy Vomiting At Home

by Amy Shojai | Mar 18, 2026

A vomiting dog or puppy vomiting can be very dangerous for your pet, and while we don’t like to talk about it, pet vomit is a fact of life. Dogs tend to vomit more readily than almost all other animals. (The cats just started snickering . . . ) When we brought a new puppy into our house, we became even more alert to the issue.

Water Binging Vomit

Bravo-Dawg used to vomit due to high-energy play immediately after eating–or gulping down buckets of water. We learned to keep him calm for at least a half-hour after meals, and to interrupt his water-binging antics.

With tiny puppies, it’s even more important for them to get a health evaluation more quickly since they can get even sicker quicker than the bigger or adult dogs. Puppy vomiting is even more serious when accompanied by diarrhea. It’s important to understand why dogs vomit, and whether or not to treat puppy vomiting at home.

Saint Patrick’s Day: 8 Irish Dogs & A Cat from Ireland

by Amy Shojai | Mar 17, 2026

Begob and bejabbers, are ye Irish? My family hails from both Ireland and Scotland, and while Karma-Kat, Trinity-Kitten and Shadow-Pup can’t claim the same, it’s fun to share St Patrick’s Day pets breeds that have a distinctive Irish heritage. After all, St Patrick’s Day offers the perfect time to brag some blarney and lift a pint of greet beverage! Far more Irish dog breeds fill the list. But at least one cat breed arose from Ireland.

Also, beware of some festive decor and treats that may prove toxic to your pets. Shamrocks (both the green and purple lucky four-leaf clover type plants), can cause drooling, head-shaking and upset tummies in small amounts. Eating a bunch could cause kidney damage. And it should go without saying that beer or alcohol in any form (even green beer) is a no-no!

Read on to learn more about these Irish pets.

How to Choose the Best Herbal Medicine for Pets: What’s Safe, What’s Dangerous for Dogs and Cats

by Amy Shojai | Mar 16, 2026

In today’s world of cutting-edge medicine, we consider herbs for pets and herbal medicine to be old-fashioned. But holistic veterinarians continue to use herbs for pets because many of these plants are the foundation of modern drugs and medications, but don’t cause the same side effects.

Chinese herbal medicine has regained popularity for both human and pet care treatments. I learned a lot about them while researching my book NEW CHOICES IN NATURAL HEALING FOR DOGS AND CATS. And when the vet diagnosed Bravo-Dawg with hemangiosarcoma, I learned about I’m-Yunity, a Chinese herbal medicine treatment shown helpful in veterinary studies of the herb. Here are some things you need to know about using herbs with pets.

How to Stop Howls & What Do Dog Howls Mean

by Amy Shojai | Mar 11, 2026

We typically think of howls to be a wolf trait, and it’s true that these wild cousins use howls in a haunting, effective manner. In my neck of the woods, wannabe wolves (aka coyotes) serenade the evening moon, and house dogs sing along with their wild cousins. Despite popular memes to the contrary, dogs are not wolves—or coyotes—so exactly what’s up with all the arrrroooooo-ing? Why do dogs howl?

How to Train My Puppy to Potty On Grass?

by Amy Shojai | Mar 10, 2026

DEAR ASK AMY…Why won’t my dog go on grass?

Here’s my answer…including another YouTube video with tips.

How To Keep Dogs Off My Lawn?

by Amy Shojai | Mar 9, 2026

Here’s my most popular Ask Amy YouTube video… what have I missed? How do you handle such things?

Dog Ticks & Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

by Amy Shojai | Mar 6, 2026

With better weather coming as spring approaches, dogs tend to spend more time outside. With outdoor fun comes exposure to (YUCK!) ticks! Here’s what you need to know about Rocky Mountain spotted fever…

Expert Witness in Dog Bite Case

by Amy Shojai | Mar 3, 2026

I’ve always described myself as a pet owner advocate, one who figuratively speaks for dogs and cats and translates for their owners. But I never realized that I’d serve as a spokesperson in the more literal sense.

In August 2010, a local defense attorney contacted me about a dog bite case that happened many months earlier. At first, he simply wanted my opinion about dog behavior. Ultimately, the court appointed me as an expert witness…

Easter Dangers for Pets: Toxic Lilies, Chocolate, and Bunnies

by Amy Shojai | Feb 26, 2026

It occurred to me a roundup blog post made the most sense to put important information about Easter dangers for pets in one, easy-to-find location. I’m sure most dog and cat lovers know the basics. But this way, if y’all need to share information with new pet adopters, you’ll have one link. What do you think?

This includes all the must knows about Easter lilies pet danger, Easter candy dangers like chocolate poisoning, and even concerns about Easter bunnies. Read on!

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Recent Posts

Cat Ringworm: The Naked Truth & What to Do

Many years ago, I had my first run-in with ringworm when my German shepherd (age 12 at the time) developed ball patches. A dozen years later, my second personal experience happened when I adopted a stray kitten I named Seren. She had couple of crusty bald spots on her forehead. That’s actually pretty typical. Cat ringworm has nothing to do with normal shedding. Ringworm most commonly affects elderly or young pets. Learn what you need to know about ringworm in pets.

First Aid Guide to Dogs Swallowed Objects

Swallowed objects kill pets every day. Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be around the corner, think about potential hazards to avoid. Eating foreign objects often causes only minor problems in dogs and cats. In the best cases, the swallowed cat toy or sock (yes, Bravo did that more than once!) gets vomited up or passes in the stool. However, it’s important to recognize swallowed objects’ symptoms, and how you can save your pet.

How to Stop Dog Attacks and Prevent Dog Fights

Do you know how to stop dog attacks and prevent dog fights? The tragedy of dog fights result in multiple victims–the injured as well as the aggressor. My heart breaks for all involved. In the past year, two of my Facebook friends have tragically suffered dog attacks. This post offers tips for preventing dog fights and how to stop dog attacks. That prevents dog bite injuries to you and your pets, and also protects owners from liability….

How & Why Cats Groom: Cat Neatness Freaks

Does your cat groom nonstop? We cherish the cat’s fastidious nature but did you ever wonder why cats groom? Neatnik behavior goes beyond looking good. Did you know in this hot weather, cats also groom to stay cool and prevent heatstroke?

How and why cats groom impacts physical, emotional, and social health. My Karma-Kat even tries to groom his best friend, Bravo-Dawg. The instinct starts during kittenhood and lasts a lifetime. Of course, some cats get dingy when cats don’t groom, and there are reasons for that as well.

Grooming is a barometer of kitty health. Cats that feel bad often stop grooming, or lick and pull fur out due to stress or pain. Consider an unthrifty appearance or “barbering” themselves bald a kitty cry for vet care. Cats often need help in the grooming department—especially longhair beauties. Here are 5 common reasons why cats groom.

Skunked! 3 Home Remedies to De-Skunk Your Dog

Karma-Kat loves watching the bunnies that play out on the back patio so I wasn’t concerned when he began chattering with excitement—until I noticed THIS bunny had a long fluffy black and white tail. Yes, a skunk has set up housekeeping next to our house. Hoo boy. And dogs seem to love getting skunked. So far, Shadow-Pup hasn’t been nailed…but for some dogs, it happens time after time after time… so here’s how to de-stink your skunked dog.

DON’T Hug Your Dog on National Hug Your Dog Day! Here’s Why

Several years ago when I wrote for the puppies.about.com site (now TheSprucePets) I took issue with a promotion advertised by a big-name pet food company that encouraged people to post pictures of themselves hugging dogs. Hoo-boy…Oh dear heaven, by the comments I received you’d think that I said cute babies are evil, apple pie is poison and advocated BEATING YOUR DOG! Part of that has to do with folks reading only the title and ignoring the content of the message. Oh well. That drives home the importance of titles, I suppose.

The promo really struck a chord with pet lovers. After all, who doesn’t love a hug? Hugs mean love, hugs mean happy happy happy, hugs are tail-wagging expressions of the joy we share with dogs. Right? RIGHT?!

Uh, no. And glory be, the promotion lives on, declaring September 11 as “Hug Your Hound Day.” Before you tar-and-feather me, read on to learn WHY hugging your dog can put you, and your dog, in danger…

First Aid for Top Pet Poisons

Dogs are prone to poisoning because, like human infants, they put everything in their mouths. Cats are more discriminating about what they eat, but contact poison can affect any pet if they walk through something toxic or it spills on fur and ingested during grooming.

Symptoms vary depending on the poison, amount of exposure, and the individual animal. You may see anything from drunken staggers and collapse, to salivation, seizures, or hyperactivity.

Here’s what you need to know about these common pet poisonings!

199 Poisonous Plants & What to Do

In March, we celebrate Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month but prevention never ends. Here in Texas, many folks spend this time of year preparing for spring gardens. I just spent several hours preparing a flower bed and seeding with wildflowers. And we continue to update our rose garden after we had to dig out old roses (many infected with rose rosetta disease, arg!), and continue to plant new ones. My jonquils, and other bulb plants now poke shy heads above the mulch, ready for a burst of color.

Shadow-Pup helped! And Karma-Kat will enjoy any cut flowers I bring in later. That’s why I’m so careful about exactly what we plant, and the kinds brought inside for our own and pet enjoyment. I had some lovely patio container plants last fall and wanted to bring them inside for the winter. Unfortunately, I couldn’t risk plants toxic to pets.

9 Reasons Cats Snub the Box & What To Do

Cat litter box problems pose the number one reason cats lose their homes and end up in animal shelters. That’s also the top reason an adopted kitten or cat gets returned. How sad! It’s important to keep in mind ways to prevent litter box problems from the moment you bring home the new kitten…

Tech can enable cross-species experiences, new research suggests

Faithful readers know I focus on care and behavior issues for companion animals and write extensively about enrichment for dogs and cats. So when this press release from a prestigious university covering beneficial animal behavior research with lemurs hit my virtual inbox, I just had to share. The University of Glasgow provided the pictures as well.

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