When a dog fight suddenly and surprisingly breaks out, it can be an incredibly frightening experience for humans and dogs alike. The sounds made, the teeth bared, the sheer speed by which dog fights usually happen – it’s all very unsettling. Although we don’t like to think about it, it’s important to remember that dog fights can occur anywhere: at the dog park, during a play date in your own yard, even during walks. So it’s advised to be prepared, and to know what works best and doesn’t work best when it comes to breaking up a dog fight. The most important things to remember are to stay calm and not put your hands in the middle of the fight!
Different people have different opinions about what to do to actually break up a fight, but all agree that you should never stick your hands in a dog fight, even if you are trying to break it up. Also, do not pull at your dog’s collar because it’s best to steer clear of the mouth area. Most dog bites occur because a person is trying to break up a dog fight, and the dog will turn around and redirect onto the hand. Please avoid this trap. There are other ways to get separate dogs such as getting a broom or piece of cardboard to stick in the middle of the fight. This great article by BentleyBarkz.com has some very helpful tips about what you should do and what you should never do when it comes to breaking up a canine quarrel.
Dogs fight for some reason or another, so it is almost never for “no reason” that the fight happens. Often it’s hard to pinpoint what the trigger may have been, but common culprits are battles over food, bones, toys, or prey instincts that kick in when a dog an off-leash dog attacks an on-leash dog. There are some pooches who also just don’t like other canines, and it’s best to know that about your dog so you can stay away from other pups, keeping your own dog and others safe. It can also be very helpful to learn to your dog’s communication signals, and those of other dogs. Dog fights usually happen after a series of signals and warnings that too often we guardians miss. Is one of the dogs growling or baring teeth? Are hackles up? Are tails low and in between the legs? For a list of canine signals and postures to become familiar with, click here!
Last but not least, if you find that your pup is getting into regular scuffles, please consider seeking the help of a certified, professional, positive-reinforcement-based dog trainer nearby who can help you asses and manage the behavior.
One of our wonderful Facebook fans wrote in to ask the following question: “What is the best way to handle ‘resource guarding’? My puppy recently bit my husband while he was trying to retrieve part of a dead bird from her mouth. She has never been deprived of food or mistreated in any way but seems to be very protective of strange things she picks up outside ie, branches, leaves, feathers, and in this case part of a dead bird. Please help so we can train her properly.”
My family has historically owned Great Danes, there are sepia-toned photographs of my mother as a child dwarfed by the gentle giants that were her best friends. My sister currently owns a Great Dane rescued from a neighbor who could not care for such a large puppy. Giant dogs do have giant needs! (You can find Great Dane puppies and adult Great Danes for adoption 
N2 is quite the cat! He’s black and smooth. He’s charming. He’s a rescued kitty! And he’s also a rap star! Check out the catchy “
Chinchillas (affectionately known in Chinchilla circles by their nickname “Chin” or “Chins”) look like a cross between a rabbit and perhaps a mouse, but they are actually more closely related to guinea pigs than to rabbits. They are a popular pet because of their quirky and unique personailities, their super plush fur – fur that is so dense that even parasites like fleas cannot live in it – and of course how incredibly cute they are! Our friends over at 
shelter dogs begin to exhibit signs of kennel stress such as barking, jumping, or being highly reactive. In many cases the longer they’re caged, the worse it gets. This can turn off adopters who often assume that’s how the dog will behave outside of the kennel and may not realize it’s usually pent up energy from being at the shelter. All of this can prolong a dog’s stay and thus a vicious cycle is born. But there are ways to improve kennel behavior and hopefully increase adoptions as a result! If you are a shelter staff member, volunteer, rescuer, or dog trainer who can spend some time helping bring out the best in kenneled dogs, it can make all the difference in speeding up the adoption process and getting more pets into happy homes! Try the following steps to help socialize some kenneled canines. If possible, revisit these pooches a few times a week and do this drill so that you can help them practice good behavior regularly.
On Sunday, July 8, 2012, 
We received another #AskKatya question on our Facebook wall! Kari wrote in to seek help with her dog’s tendency to lunge and bark at other dogs while on walks and on leash, even though he gets along great with dogs off leash. 
Does your dog ever make you laugh – on purpose? Does he know he’s being funny? An even stranger question – does your dog find things funny? There are countless stories of dog antics and behavior that are funny, but most of those you’d have to say are unintentional. Humorous behavior may be repeated because of the positive reaction received. In this case, you can’t say the dog has a sense of humor, but is acting on positive reinforcement. But dogs may be a little smarter than that. Just as some people enjoy making others laugh, it would seem, so do some dogs. Author Stanley Coren tells of his Cairn Terrier, 
Another reason to adopt a pet for your family! On top of teaching your kids compassion and providing a home for a deserving friend, we’ve got another pro-pet-adoption point! A recent