News:

Depending on where you live, coyotes may be a part of your community. The other day I went for a dog walk with a friend of mine and she told me that she had heard of some recent coyote attacks that happened on a favorite trail. One of the dogs was actually taken by the coyote while the dog was on lead.

February marks mating season in a coyotes world. April marks when the pups are born.

With this being said, between now and June, statistically speaking, the majority of attacks on dogs by coyotes occur during period. This is not to say that you should let your guard down the remaining months. If you know that coyotes have a den or frequent certain areas, you may just want to find another path to walk on.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, Feb 16th- March 1st's photo topic is:

Best in 'Cuddling'.
Please submit your photos to Daniela at daniela@bradpattison.com. Within your e-mail, please include your name, phone number, dog's name, age and location.
Our team members will pick the winner for each week and post the picture in the gallery. At the end of the year, we will leave it up to you, the viewers to cast your vote on which 'Best In' photo wins. Hustle Up™ prize gear will be given to the top three voted.

Viewer Question of the Week:

Q: I have a border collie/shepherd cross named Onyx. We haven't had her spayed yet for she has an inverted vulva and the vet has recommend for us to wait, for it might correct itself. She will be 2 in August. The weirdest thing happened this weekend. I had a bag of teddy bears on the floor of room. She has taken every bear out of the bag, put it on my bed and when I walk her she is constantly crying. When we come back from the walk, she runs right back to my bed.
What can I do about this? Please help me.

Leeann

A: I have occasionally come across this degree of nurturing behavior. Your dog has very strong mothering tendencies and this may be because of the situation regarding her vulva.  I would like to know more about the the time periods of her going into heat and see if there is a direct correlation with her cycle and this mothering behavior. When you take her for a walk, see if she accepts you taking one or two of the stuffed toys. Also, this does beg the question that she might be highly sensitive to hearding other objects other than the stuffies. This information would be helpful to understand the specific breed behavior. If her behavior is focused only on the stuffies, then it looks like your dog has a great desire to be a mom.

Video of the Week:

Cheers,

Brad