The car hasn’t even left the driveway, and your dog’s chin is already wet. A few minutes later, strings of saliva are hanging from his mouth. He’s licking his lips, swallowing more than usual, and shifting around in the seat.…
Panting is first and foremost a cooling system. Dogs rely heavily on rapid breathing and evaporation from the respiratory tract to shed excess heat, so panting after exercise or on a warm day usually needs no emotional explanation.…
It’s breakfast time, and the bowl goes down the same way it always does. But this morning, the dog who has never once left food behind sniffs it, looks up at you, and walks away.…
One stressed dog may pace from room to room. Another pants even though the house is cool. A third begins drooling, turns their face away, or goes unexpectedly quiet.…
Your dog comes in from the rain, shakes his head twice, and carries on. Later, someone briefly handles his ears, he pulls away, gives one quick shake, and walks off.…
Leash in hand, you open the back door, and your dog stops two feet short of the frame. Her ears swivel toward the fence line before she’ll even look at the yard.…
Your dog cruises happily around the block every morning, tail up, nose working overtime. Then you take her to a new trail and she plants her feet at the trailhead like the ground itself is suspicious.…
Your dog is asleep beside you on the couch, stretched out and completely relaxed. You reach over and place a hand gently on his back. He jumps. His head whips around, his body tightens, and for a second he looks genuinely alarmed.…
A person walks toward your dog on the sidewalk. Nothing dramatic happens: no shouting, grabbing, or sudden noise. Even so, your dog slows down, shifts closer to you, and watches.…
You’ve spent most of the day in bed with a fever, which is already unusual enough to get your dog’s attention. He’s abandoned his normal spot by the window and settled beside you instead.…