August 16, 2022

Dog enrichment activities: Healthy brains and happy dogs

Exercise and enrichment activities can help you protect your dog against the effects of brain aging.

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This Month in Dog Health: November 2022

This month’s recap includes snapshots about research into alternative forms of treatment for aging dogs: supplements and cannabis. We also learned about the dog-human bond, both from rescue dog statistics and and a test of dog love between their humans and food.

Ancestry & DNA: decipher the biology behind your dog’s family tree

Each participant in the X-Thousand Dogs Study will receive a report with information about their dog’s ancestry. In this post, Loyal’s Dr. John Lindo, who specializes in ancient DNA and canine evolution, explains how our understanding of the relationships between species has changed over time and what a DNA test can—and cannot—reveal about your dog’s ancestors.

This month in dog health: October 2022

Scientists have revealed insights into your dog’s super-powerful nose. They’ve also uncovered new potential solutions for skin issues, revealed information about hearing loss in aging dogs, and offered an in-depth review into how your habits and activity can affect your dog’s weight.

This Month in Dog Health: September 2022

Dive into highlights from the animal health and veterinary space this month. Nutritious insect protein, the link between cancer and pollution, and happy tears are just a few of the month’s most interesting discoveries.

Obesity and epigenetics

One of the most important health problems in veterinary medicine today is the epidemic of obesity in our pets.

Introducing X-Thousand Dogs

The largest study of its kind, aimed at better understanding how dogs age—and how we might help them live longer, healthier lives

Healthspan: the healthy prime of life

Lifespan is the amount of time lived. Healthspan is the time lived with vigor and good health. Which do you think is more important?

Should you zoom call your dog?

There are now lots of devices that let us call our dogs and say “Hi!” when we aren’t at home. But are these really for our dogs, or just for us?

Yes, dogs really can read facial expressions

Sometimes our dogs seem to read us like an open book! How do they know just how we are feeling? It turns out, our faces are a clear window into our emotions for our canine friends.

Talking to your dog?

Dogs are exceptionally good at understanding humans; better than any animal outside our own species. But when we talk to them, we give a lot of information besides just words.

Dogs are great models for aging biology

Dogs age a lot like humans, though sadly much faster. Helping us to better understand our own aging is just one of the many gifts our canine best friends give us.

Is aging inevitable?

Like death and taxes, aging has long been seen as unavoidable. Science is now showing us that this may not be true.

Can your dog catch your yawn?

Humans are not the only animals to yawn. Fish, birds and mammals all yawn too. And, of course, so do our favorite animals here at Loyal!

Why do dogs age?

There are many theories about how aging works. Lat’s take a brief look at two: Wear & Tear and the Rate of Living.

Aging and evolution

If evolution means survival of the fittest, shouldn’t animals evolve to stay healthy and live forever? Unfortunately, the evolutionary race goes to the most fertile, not the most enduring.