The Science Dog

Courses, Webinars, & Quizzes with The Science Dog Courses Revised for 2024 – Basics of Canine Nutrition. Updated video lectures, readings, and inclusive webinars! Our Most Popular Multiple Course Program Let’s Not Forget Our Other Best Friend – A Certificate Nutrition Course about Cats Tell Us What You Know About Nutrition! (Take a Look at Our Free Quizzes and Webinars) Yes, please send me…

Which Works Better for Dogs? This winter, my training partner Amanda and I decided to teach our dogs “toy identification”. We lead a small weekly training class at my training center and one of the behaviors that the class expressed interest in was training their dogs to retrieve toys by name. Amanda and I selected an approach to teaching this behavior that is commonly referred to as Errorless…

About Chocolate and Dogs In recent weeks, there has been a popular meme circulating on social media that states: “Chocolate is toxic to dogs. It doesn’t just poison them once but is repeatedly reabsorbed into their body and poisons them many times. This is why it is so dangerous” A Science Dog reader brought the meme to my attention and asked me about its veracity. In response, I posted a…

(It Depends on Who You Ask) Feeding dogs using food-delivery devices has become increasingly popular. Some owners use these gadgets as a supplement or occasional treat for their dogs, while others use them to provide all of their dogs’ meals. The general intent of providing food in this way, as opposed to a bowl, is as some type of enrichment – usually to stimulate both mental and physical…

And Then the Dog Said…LOL! New Webinar presented by Dr. Shelly Volsche Can you hear that? Are you listening? The Science Dog’s newest webinar examines the basics of animal bioacoustics, with a focus on the domestic dog. Dr. Volsche, who teaches canine behavior and training at the University of WI at River Falls, reviews past and recent research regarding play signals and the sounds that our…

Like many trainers and dog owners, Mike and I teach our pups early in life that quiet time and short periods of separation are associated with the offering of a special chew. This toy appears at the start of quiet time and is taken away once the separation is over (for specific details about this approach, see my book “Dog Smart“). Years ago at a training seminar, Jean Donaldson referred to these…

A Dog’s Friend Providing a Good Life I think it is safe to say that most of us strive to provide our dogs with a good life. Typically, we think of this as a life that includes love, companionship, security, proper nutrition and health care, and opportunities for exercise, play, and relaxation. An additional (and I would argue basic) goal is to reduce and manage stressors and different sources…

Current Research & Remaining Questions A New Science Dog Courses Webinar Presented by Dr. Stephanie Clark Board Certified Companion Animal Nutritionist Join us for an eye-opening webinar that delves into canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and its possible connection to diet. In the wake of the FDA’s alert in 2018, this talk cuts through the hype and hysteria and offers a balanced exploration…

I have been writing about research studies of the nutritional value, safety, preservation and possible benefits of feeding a raw diet for more than 5 years. This research, conducted by multiple academic groups, has led to improved understanding of raw foods, to the development of safer and more nutritious products, and has increased our appreciation of how different degrees of food processing can…

Inattentional Blindness Inattentional blindness (IB) is a cognitive phenomenon that occurs when we experience a reduction in attention to extraneous stimuli (even novel ones) when we are tasked with focusing our attention on something else. In extreme cases, the novel stimulus will not even be perceived. A classic experiment that demonstrates IB was conducted by research psychologists…

Description: In The Science Dog’s latest myth-busting book, Linda Case takes on canine nutrition and feeding practices. It seems that almost everyone has an opinion about how our dogs should be fed and what diet is healthiest for them. In this timely book, Linda Case takes a look at the evidence and what answers science can provide regarding how to best feed our dogs. The book’s five sections…

About Cat Nutrition? TAKE THE NEW SCIENCE DOG QUIZ! NEW!! Cat-Centered Offerings from The Science Dog Courses! Feeding Felines: An Evidence-Based Feline Nutrition Course A Science Dog CORE course that focuses on our other best friend, the domestic cat. Learn why cats cannot be treated or fed as if they are “small dogs’! Students who complete the course receive a personalized Science Dog…

The Joy of a Well-Thrown Ball It is summertime and pool season is in full swing at our house. This means daily swimming and retrieving for our dogs. They love nothing better than an afternoon at the pool with friends and lots (and lots) of toy-throwing into the water. (Our dogs seem to view human friends who come to the pool as bodies with throwing arms attached). COOPER APPRECIATING A…

And, Should You Measure it in Your Dog? About Those Omegas First, a bit of background. The term “omega” refers to a way in which dietary fatty acids are classified. Two important classes are the omega-6 fatty acids and the omega-3 fatty acids. Both types are important in a dog’s diet, but dog foods (like human foods) tend to contain an over-abundance of omega-6 fatty acids. This occurs because…

What Treat is Your Favorite? Most of us pay close attention to the types and flavors of treats that our dogs enjoy. This is of interest because many trainers and owners use food treats as a primary positive reinforcer and often rank treats from those that appear to be relished (high value) to those that are classified as acceptable but not particularly yummy (low value). The way that we have…

A new (free) Science Dog Courses Webinar!

(The Fallout) Free Science Dog Webinar Learn how the term “Complete and Balanced Nutrition” first found its way onto pet food labels, what it (actually) signifies, and what it does not……. (and how to avoid confusion between the two). Join us for this complimentary offering! Learn More! Take a Look at this Popular Science Dog Courses Webinar! The Scoop on Poop An evidence-based webinar…