Why do dogs shed, and how can I improve my dog's skin and coat?

A dog's skin and coat are its largest organs, accounting for ten to fifteen percent of its body weight. Shedding is your four-legged companion's way of removing old and damaged strands and ensuring new, healthy strands take their place.

Insects didn’t cross my mind as sustainable dog food until I stumbled upon a fascinating article about Kunga Cake while researching my last post, “Help! My Dog Swallowed a Wasp, Now What?"

According to Brenna Shea of the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, inhabitants of Africa’s Great Lakes region are frequent bug consumers. Midges (Lake Flies) are problematic for the area. Their numbers have increased due to human pollution killing their natural adversaries. The clouds of Lake Flies are so thick that people have smothered in them.

Bug Catching is a sport at my house. Spend time with my pups, and you will see. If a fly swoops by at a low altitude, it's fair game. It's not about dinner but the chase.

Last week, as I took down the metal decor from the pergola, I stirred up a family of wasps. Corralling and moving the dogs indoors from the patio proved more challenging than usual. Maze and Malibu chased the wasps, trying to gobble them up.

Do you have large dogs and an addiction to plants? The colorful allure and myriad textures are as compelling to me as they are to my four-legged friends. The endless stream of plants is Santa's sack to them. They're sniffing around, ready to ditch one plant for another (ooh, that one smells new) as the novelty of one plant wears off like they're last year's toys.

Through good times and bad, and lately, through illnesses that I can’t seem to shake, my cat, Kid, keeps me company when few others want to. He’s Velcro, attaching himself to me no matter the situation and following me around the house and in the yard. He’s indoors before dark without my asking, tailing me to the bedroom for a good snooze fest. I swear my cat gets me. I’m sure many of you feel this way.

Dogs roll on their backs for numerous reasons. One of the most obvious is to scratch an irritation. They don’t have fingers or speak English, so they rely on body language to communicate their feelings.

Starting a butterfly garden with dogs might seem like a wild idea. Malibu and Maze would be it if a doggy version of Hansel and Gretel existed. When my two rambunctious pups are not busy tearing up the house and roughhousing with each other, they're wreaking havoc in the yard. They love finding plants, rocks, and even lawn ornaments to chew on, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Read on to see how I make my dream of owning a butterfly garden a reality.

Mom was the name the shelter gave her, not Mimi. The good people at CARA’s house, Companion Animal Rescue Alliance, posted Mom’s story near the window where she lay. Her marble eyes closed as she rested her head on her paws while I read about the long months she’d been with the shelter and then PetSmart. Mom watched her kittens leave the store after they were adopted. She watched her babies go with customers.

My sister’s Border Collie, Oscar, loves to play fetch with her teenage boys. He’ll bring me his squeaky toy, a plastic pig, to throw. He’ll fetch, exhibiting ordinary dog behavior, but then do something bizarre like leap up at the instant pot to get a whiff of the steam.

There’s no love more genuine than a 60-pound dog that lives to crawl in your lap. Maze was love at first sight. I remember when she first stayed at my house overnight. I was hesitant to take on another dog, especially a Bully.

Unsafe plants are easily overlooked. Masses of baby gem boxwoods, papery pink azaleas, and the leathery-looking leaves of crimson begonias beckon from the outdoor shelving, part of the garden center’s preview. All of them commonly used in landscaping are toxic to our four-legged friends.

What treats do I give to my dogs? That feels like a loaded question when I think about it. Are the Milk Bones safe? I’ve never checked the list of ingredients on the box for preservatives. I don’t know what words to look for. I know that preservatives are used to extend the shelf life of products, but are all preservatives bad?

The dogs lose it before I can unlock the door. The four of them are boundless with energy. Malibu, the puppy, flies at me like the lid blown off an instant pot. Everyone converged, sniffing at my pants leg as if to say, “Heck yeah, mom is home,” and “Wow! The scent on your clothes is intoxicating. Let me lick your face.”

Malibu, our puppy, has an energy level through the roof. She hops on Maze and us if we don’t distract or give her something to do. By separating her from Maze, the situation was alleviated. Maze’s stress was reduced. I decided to spend one-on-one time with each dog.

It’s four dogs and three cats leading the way. It’s laughter and getting used to what isn’t easy for me. It’s because I love animal reels and cat memes. It’s exposure-based therapy, and the universe is laughing at me. It’s how I express my gratitude for what I do have.

While my dogs aren’t on the list of giant breeds, two of the four are enough to knock down a building. Maze, our bully, gnaws on the baseboards if allowed to roam freely without supervision. Malibu terrorizes our cat, Mimi. When the dogs roughhouse, get out of the way, or get run over.