The leash comes out, and the dog reacts immediately. There is excitement, anticipation, a burst of energy that suggests something significant is about to happen. To the human, the meaning is clear: it is time for a walk. But once outside, the pace changes. The dog slows, stops, sniffs. A few steps forward are followed by a pause. What appeared ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Babygirl, a young dachshund and chihuahua mix with long, golden hair, became homeless during the pandemic. So did her owner, and he searched far and wide for a shelter that would take the two of them.

Yet many programs in San Diego County only accepted humans.

“That was my deal breaker,” said Benjamin Noss, Babygirl’s 51-...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Babygirl, a young dachshund and chihuahua mix with long, golden hair, became homeless during the pandemic. So did her owner, and he searched far and wide for a shelter that would take the two of them.

Yet many programs in San Diego County only accepted humans.

“That was my deal breaker,” said Benjamin Noss, Babygirl’s 51-...Read more

In most homes, there is a place that doesn’t appear on any floor plan.

It is not the couch, though it may be on it. Not the bed, though it may overlap. It is smaller, more specific — a square of sunlight that arrives midafternoon, a worn patch of rug near a doorway, the exact cushion that dips just enough. And in households with pets, that ...Read more

A niche pet-fashion publication with a playful name has found itself in the middle of a serious legal dispute, as Condé Nast, publisher of the iconic fashion magazine Vogue, has filed suit against a small independent outlet called “Dogue.”

At the center of the case is a familiar question in intellectual property law: when does homage or ...Read more

It usually starts small. A nudge at the same time each morning. A stare that lingers just a little too long near the treat cabinet. A quiet refusal to go outside in the rain. These moments feel incidental at first — quirks, habits, personality — but over time they form a pattern. And before long, the pattern becomes routine.

What many pet ...Read more

Big dogs and little dogs share the same designation — “man’s best friend” — but anyone who has lived with both knows they operate on entirely different wavelengths.

The divide isn’t just about size. It’s about expectations, behavior, physical presence and the way humans respond to them. A 10-pound dog and a 70-pound dog may both ...Read more

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — In neighborhoods where suburban calm meets a touch of the wild, a familiar figure slips between worlds: the indoor/outdoor cat. One moment it is curled in a sunbeam, the next it is padding across a fence line, alert to every rustle of leaves and distant call of a hawk. For many cat owners, this dual life offers a compelling...Read more

CHICAGO — At a quiet street intersection in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, the imposing figure of a pine tree is only outweighed by the massive collection of sticks and twigs carefully placed on its branches. It’s a huge communal nest for monk or Quaker parakeets, who have called the structure home for the last 25 years or so.

...Read more

Female dogs prefer the competent person when opening a food container, researchers say.

“Dogs are highly sensitive to human behavior, and they evaluate us using both their direct experiences and from a third-party perspective,” researchers at Kyoto University wrote. “Dogs pay attention to various aspects of our actions and make judgments ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Purple and green tutus, boas and sparkles sprinkled the atrium of the Hart Building on Wednesday for what has become one of the most popular events on Capitol Hill: a bipartisan costume dog “pawrade.”

While this year’s celebrated Mardi Gras, the event is typically Halloween-themed — but last fall’s was canceled due to ...Read more

By the time a dog trots down a city sidewalk wearing a carefully chosen harness, seasonal sweater or custom bandana, few people stop to think how dramatically the role of dogs has changed. Once valued primarily for work—herding livestock, guarding homes or assisting hunters—today’s dogs increasingly function as companions whose appearance ...Read more

It is one of the least glamorous parts of pet ownership, but keeping an animal’s nails properly trimmed is an essential part of routine care. Long nails can cause discomfort, alter the way an animal walks and even lead to joint problems over time. For many pet owners, however, the simple task of trimming nails can feel intimidating.

...Read more

NORFOLK, Va. — For generations, the standard image of walking a pet involved a leash clipped to a collar. But in recent years, harnesses have quietly become one of the most popular pieces of pet gear on the market. From energetic dogs to adventurous housecats, more animals are heading outdoors wearing harnesses designed to make walking safer ...Read more