Common Problems

Slower on the stairs, sleeping more, a cough at night: what each change in an older small dog usually means, and what helps at home and at the vet.

96% of Shih Tzu eyes had a finding in a 2024 study of 500 dogs. What each problem looks like at home, the daily check, and when to see a vet the same day.

Film it first: distress and boredom look alike but need opposite fixes. The slow-absence plan, what makes it worse, and when medication helps.

Why small puppies take longer, how long they can really wait, the times that matter, pads done properly, accidents, and when it is a vet problem.

Why puppy biting gets worse, the calm routine that stops it, advice that backfires, teething timing, and the baby teeth small breeds can keep.

Signs of fear that are easy to miss, a three-week plan, what to do on the night, what pressure wraps and old sedatives really do, and when to see a vet.

Mostly fine for people, mildly worse for sleep, and something the dog adjusts for itself: what the studies found about sharing a bed with a dog.

Scooting is a symptom, not a habit. Anal glands, worms, itchy skin or a coat that has trapped something: how to tell which, and when it needs a vet.

No breed is safe for everyone with a dog allergy. What the allergen studies measured, why hair is the wrong thing to count, and what lowers exposure.

A weekly thirty-second check, a six-step clean for dirty ears, what to do about ear hair, and the signs that mean an infection rather than dirt.