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If you've owned your dog for awhile, you undoubtedly have developed a special bond. One reason your dog naturally bonds with you is because dogs are pack animals. Dogs are generally happier as part of a pack whether it's human or canine, but most dogs seem to welcome a canine companion. So the question is: Should you adopt a second dog?
Dr. Stephanie Borns-Weil, the veterinarian who heads the well-regarded Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic, believes that "dogs in general are happier with other dogs. It's hard on social creatures not to live with their co-species members." Still, getting a second dog should not be a hasty decision. “A dog might enjoy another dog initially,” she says. "But the two dogs may not display their full range of behaviors in that situation, and they have to make a quick decision based on initial impressions. We’re layering our own best judgment over that to create what is essentially an arranged marriage that may or may not work to best advantage.”
The Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine has some excellent, authoritative suggestions for how to add a second dog to your household in an informative article, "Would Your Dog be Happier with a Second Dog?" Read it here: https://www.tuftsyourdog.com/dogownership/would-your-dog-be-happier-with-a-second-dog/
Image by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay
Guest Post by Keith J. Myers
Did you know that dogs, like humans, have endocannabinoid receptors in every tissue type and cell in their body? This means that like humans, they are also receptive to every healing benefit that Cannabis has to offer….benefits that regulate joint pain, anxiety, depression, seizures, stress, and many more.
CBD can be a great natural remedy to control your dog’s range of symptoms. CBD’s are routinely used to treat dogs who suffer from appetite loss and separation anxiety. They have also been found effective in treating cancer.
But among the CBD products that are in the market today, how can you be sure that the dog-specific CBD products you choose are beneficial to your dog? How would you know the exact amount to give them?
We’ll discuss the 3 tips you should look into when buying CBD for dogs. You can also check our site, The Hempire, for further details.
But first off, let’s discuss what CBD is.
What is CBD?
CBD is a short term for the word Cannabidiol. CBD is one of the many chemicals that can be extracted from its main plant, the Cannabis Sativa plant or Hemp plant.
CBD is non-psychoactive. That means, unlike the effects of marijuana, CBD does not alter your mind and does not bring harm to the individual who is taking it.
CBD-based products are as of the moment prohibited in several markets, however, some countries are allowing them to be a prescription drug with strict rules and regulation to be followed.
A lot of different forms of products with CBD are now being marketed. The usual oil that was made can now be found in the form of edibles, such as biscuits, brownies, and any finger food that is pleasing to the palate.
For dogs, CBD dog treats are now bombarding the market and are being aggressively sold, as this is a great innovation that benefits the pet owners, giving them an easier way of making their pet take medicine.
Benefits of CBD Dog Treats
The first benefit of CBD dog treats is that your pet dog will love them!
Another benefit is that CBD dog treats may come in different ranges of sizes and doses to choose from to fit your dog's needs. Usually, products like these are labeled on their package indicating how much dosage is in the product.
The only thing that you should be wary of is what effects the treats might have on your dog. Choose products that are legitimate rather than from sources selling bogus products.
Keep in mind that it is your dog's health that is in line here. So choose wisely in selecting the right product for your dog.
3 Tips Before Buying CBD
It may sound obvious but basically, this is where people get scammed easily. Usually, people who have bad motives advertise their products as products that have CBD on it but in truth, they don’t.
In buying CBD products that are made specially for dogs, make sure that the laboratory that created the product offers a lab report that verifies that their product has the actual presence of CBD. Without proof, you may get products that are of low-quality that are made from hemp seed and may give your dog poor results -- or worse, give your pet side effects that may harm its health.
Although CBD is less dangerous to dogs, it is still advised to follow proper dosing as failure to do so can result in drowsiness. Some known worse cases can give dogs nausea or even vomiting.
As a standard, when using CBD tincture, it is recommended that for every 10 pounds of your dog's weight, use one drop of CBD oil. For example, if your dog weighs 40 pounds, use 4 drops of oil. When giving your dog the CBD treatment, always administer the oil directly under the tongue.
Keep track of the dog’s behavior and health for about a week. Check if there is any improvement in his condition and see if it does more harm than good. It is highly advised to check with a veterinarian before doing self-medication in your pet in order to prevent harmful results.
It is best to work with your veterinarian. Veterinarians have knowledge of CBD and they are the experts in terms of treating pets for physical or mental conditions.
If you have more information or experiences treating your dog with CBD, feel free to let us know. Visit our website, The Hempire, and share your thoughts.
Keith J. Myers is the Founder & Editor in Chief of the Hempire. He has overseen and directed the editorial growth and skill of this website since 2012. Before creating the Hempire, Keith was a writer and editor who covered topics in CBD, health, science, and wellness.
Image by R+R Medicinals from Pixabay
From David Stroud, Executive Director, Cashiers Highlands Humane Society:
Our no-kill shelter remains open to the public but in consideration of the guidelines issued by national, state and local authorities, for (what we hope is a brief and yet) the foreseeable future, visits to our shelter will be by appointment only. This will allow us to serve you under the safest possible conditions. For adoptions, donations, and other community outreach programs (see below), we respectfully ask that appointments be made Tuesday-Saturday between 10am-4pm. Please call us at (828)743-5752 to make an appointment.
As we have done for more than 4,000 pets in the past 6 years, CHHS will continue to provide low-cost spay/neuter for your pets for just $30. If that is a hardship, we will fix your pets for free. That's right. For free.
If you are facing financial hardship and cannot afford to buy pet food, as long as donations continue (please see below) we can provide some food for your pet free of charge. We ask that your pet be spayed/neutered, and if not, we can fix your pet for free. After all, if feeding one animal is a hardship, think of how much it will cost to feed a litter of puppies or kittens!
There are only 350 Certified Rabies Vaccinators (CRV's) in the state of North Carolina. We have 2 CRV's on staff. Only veterinarians and CRV's can give your pet a rabies vaccination and certificate required by North Carolina law. We always provide rabies vaccinations for just $10. But for now and until we get past this crisis, we will vaccinate your pet to protect against rabies for free. Yes, free.
There is no way to sugarcoat this. We need adoptions, we need fosters, and we urgently need donations. Please help if you can.
I realize these are uncertain times, but if you have been thinking of bringing a canine or feline companion into your home, what better way to self-quarantine and social distance than with a shelter pet? Please consider opening your heart and home for the unconditional love of a CHHS shelter pet.
If you love animals but are unable to take on the permanent commitment of lifetime adoption, then foster parenting is the perfect alternative! By temporarily fostering a CHHS shelter pet, you are actually helping us save two lives - the foster pet you are caring for, and the open space that creates in our shelter for us to save another animal in our community. CHHS provides any and all necessary medications, food, arrangements for veterinarian visits and a 24-hour hotline number for emergencies.
The cost to care for the homeless animals in our community has skyrocketed. If you can, please consider a donation to help CHHS care for this increased influx of pets with either a financial gift or a donation of food and supplies.
For more information about any of the above, visit https://chhumanesociety.org/
Asheville Humane Society is bursting at the seams with adoptable canines, so we've added dogs to our $5 Felines (AND FIDOS!) Adoption Promotion, running through August 1!
Currently, our adoption process is by appointment only. Please follow these steps to schedule your visit:
Step 1: View adoptable animals on the Asheville Humane website: www.ashevillehumane.org
Step 2: Please email Asheville Humane at customerservice@
Step 3: Receive a response within 72 hours. Our adoption counselors are working hard to make matches and will be in touch to answer your questions, and to schedule an appointment. Please be aware that we have limited appointment slots available, and will do our best to schedule your meet-and-greet as soon as possible!
Although the love of a pet is priceless, all of the following are still included when you adopt! Each adoption fee includes spay/neuter, all up-to-date vaccines, behavioral training when appropriate, microchip and free 1-year registration, a free starter bag of food, and a free wellness visit with a participating veterinarian.
To see available animals, visit www.ashevillehumane.org. The Adoption Center is located at 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville (off Brevard and Pond Roads, near the WNC Farmers Market).
Image: Stuart Miles
This information is provided as a public service from the ASPCA.
Dogs communicate with one another and with us using their own elegant, non-verbal language. These seven tips focus on seven important aspects of a dog’s body: eyes, ears, mouth, tail, sweat and overall body posture/movement. Staff and volunteers can use this information to interpret what an animal is feeling.
When looking at dog's eyes, pay attention to the white part of the eye (the sclera), and consider the focus and intensity of the dog's gaze. When a dog is feeling tense, his eyes may appear rounder than normal, or they may show a lot of white around the outside (sometimes known as a "whale eye".)
Dilated pupils can also be a sign of fear or arousal—these can make the eyes look "glassy," indicating that a dog is feeling threatened, stressed or frightened.
A relaxed dog will often squint, so that his eyes become almond-shaped with no white showing at all.
A relaxed dog will likely have his mouth open and may be panting, with no facial or mouth tension. The corners of his mouth may be turned upward slightly.
A fearful or tense dog will generally keep his mouth closed, and may pull his lips back at the corners (also known as a "long lip".) He may also be panting rapidly. A panting dog who suddenly closes his mouth in response to something in the environment may also be indicating increased stress. Drooling when no food is present can also be a sign of extreme fear or stress.
A dog displaying a physical warning may wrinkle the top of his muzzle, often next pulling his lips up vertically to display his front teeth. This is called an "offensive pucker." The muzzle is wrinkled and the corner of the mouth is short and forms a C-shape. This warning often comes with a tense forehead, hard eyes. The dog may also growl—all very clear warnings to anyone approaching.
Some dogs display a "submissive grin" or "smile". This is also a gesture where a dog shows his front teeth, but a smiling dog is doing just that. He usually shows a lowered head, wagging tail, flattened ears, a soft body posture, and soft, squinty eyes along with those teeth. Teeth don't always mean aggression—it is important to consider the whole body and the context to understand what a dog is saying.
Yawning and lip licking may be an early sign of stress, particularly when accompanied by a tight mouth and often a whining sound.
Dogs have a wide variety of ear types. Although it may be easier for us to see ear position in dogs with erect ears, even floppy-eared dogs like Basset hounds can move the base of their ears forward and back to show different emotions—just look at the direction of the base of the ear. When a dog is relaxed, his ears may be slightly back or out to the sides. As a dog becomes more aroused, the ears will move forward, pointing toward a subject of interest. When their ears are most forward their foreheads often wrinkle.
When observing a dog's tail, there are two things to consider: the position of the base of the tail, and how the tail is moving.
A relaxed dog holds his tail in a neutral position, extending out from the spine, or maybe below spine level. As the dog becomes more excited or aroused, his tail usually rises above spine level.
The tail movement may be a loose wag from side to side or sweeping circular motion. As the dog becomes more excited or aroused, his tail usually rises above spine level. He may also move his tail side to side in short, rapid movements as he becomes more excited.
A fearful dog will tuck his tail between his rear legs. The tail may also be held rigid against the belly, or wag stiffly.
Much like your own “goosebumps,” the hair can raise along a dog’s back when he is upset or aroused. This is also known as piloerection or “raised hackles” and can occur across the shoulders, down the spine, and above the tail. Hackles don’t always mean aggression is imminent, but they are an indicator that the dog is excited or upset about something.
A frightened or stressed dog may also shed more than usual.
Dogs pant to cool themselves, but panting can also be a sign of stress, particularly rapid panting accompanied by a tight mouth with stress wrinkles around it.
Dogs also have the ability to sweat through their paws. You may notice a dog leaving wet footprints on the floor if he is particularly upset.
When initiating play, dogs often start with a play bow and generally follow up with exaggerated facial and body movements. A playful dog's body movement will be loose and wiggly, with lots of movement and brief pauses during play.
A dog who seems stiff, moves slowly, or who keeps moving away may not be interested in social interaction with this playful dog.
Looking away, sniffing, scratching, lying down, or other avoidance behaviors may also indicate that the play session is over.
A fearful dog may lean away, lean back, tremble, crouch, lower his body or head, or roll onto his side or back. Often, his eyes will often be fully open with large pupils, his forehead will be wrinkled, and his tail will be lowered or tucked.
An extremely fearful dog may freeze completely or frantically try to escape, and he may urinate or defecate when approached.
A dog displaying aggressive body language will look large, standing with his head raised above his shoulders. His body will be tense, with weight either centered or over all four feet or leaning slightly forward onto the front legs.
A dog displaying aggressive behavior may also have a wrinkled muzzle, a short lip, and a hard eye.
Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash