Dr. Dolittler

10 ways to prevent dog bites

Your question is a timely one; National Dog Bite Prevention Week begins Sunday. And children are the most frequent dog-bite victims. Here are 10 safety measures behaviorists recommend:

Teach children to respect animals' boundaries

Like many people, I have always loved animals. That sentiment didn't prevent me from getting bitten in the face by a dog when I was about 4 years old.

Dog-training expert has been to Japan, prison, as part of job

For more than 30 years, Ken McCort has been considered an elite animal trainer - the trainer of last resort. He's the man people turn to when other trainers have thrown in the towel and given up on an animal with problem behaviors.

Red skin spots an indication that dog has serious disease

Kali has developed reddish purple spots all over her body. The 2-year-old Maltese appears fine in other respects, according to the lap dog's owner.

Dr. Dolittler

8 weeks not too young for puppy class

The qualified answer is to start puppy classes immediately. The most important window for puppy socialization is during the first three months of life. At this age, pups should be exposed to as many new people, places, animals, experiences and environments as possible.

Dr. Dolittler

Tubby tabby has gland problems

Dogs do get all the attention when it comes to these nasty glands, and that’s because they account for more than 90 percent of the patients who present with this disease. Luckily, the physiology and pathology are similar in both species.

Pinecrest

Pinecrest family’s Boston Terrier missing; dognapping suspected

A cryptic message left on the family’s voicemail has them suspecting that Champ was dognapped for breeding purposes.

Personal Safety

Experts: Don’t attempt to save swept-away pets

Watching as a beloved dog is swept out to sea is heart-wrenching. Doing nothing seems unthinkable.

Animal Island

Mites a mighty big problem for ball python

Years ago, I tried all the home remedies with very limited success. Then a drug came out called Ivermectin. When properly applied by a vet to any reptile, it eliminates the mites. The animal must be kept in a very clean environment afterward. Q. Our 8-month-old fox terrier goes crazy when guests come into our home. She jumps all over them and tries to lick them. We just cannot calm her down. We have to pry her off the guests and then put her in her training crate. She does not listen to us and ignores the squirt bottle that we use to try to distract her.