Myth busters

Photo Credit: This Year's Love (CC) Treats, chew toys, rawhide bones: what should we really be concerned about? By Dr. Angela Gaeto, DVM, of the Helen Woodward Animal Center community in San Diego County. Treats There are many types of treats that are safe and good for pets. The most important thing to remember about treats, whether they come in the form of human food or specific dog made treats: they should not make up more than ten percent of the calories in the diet. Read more.

Put these hiking havens on your radar

happy white long haired chihuahua on leash in on grassy trail

Photo by Anna.

Regional park districts in the Bay Area and beyond offer myriad venues for hiking with your dog. Check out the possibilities and put paws to path this fall! Read more.

John muir’s legacy in Contra Costa County

Photo by John Muir Land Trust.

Axel hiking Acalanes Ridge. Photo Credit: Karen Booth, JMLT staff Be grateful for the folks behind the John Muir Land Trust—and consider donating to the Saving Contra Costa campaign if you can. This 25-year-old organization devoted to outdoor recreation and preservation of open space manages 11 properties comprising more than 2,000 acres of classic East Bay hills, ranches, streams and shoreline saved from development and offering multi-use trails for hiking, cycling, horses and dogs. If Daisy stays close and has a reliable recall, she’s welcome to accompany you off-leash as you take in an intoxicating dose of fresh air. Some JMLT properties are diminutive (Acalanes Ridge above Lafayette, for example, comprises just 23 acres), while the Franklin Canyon-Fernandez Ranch complex in the Martinez-Hercules areas sprawls over 1,185 acres of permanently protected open space. Read more.

Hunting fun in Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach dog. Photo: Matty Sides (CC) If every dog had a surfboard, they’d all be hanging 20 in the Surf City Surf Dog contest set this year for Sept. 25-27 on Huntington Beach’s famous Dog Beach, where four-legged family members are allowed to run free all day, every day, chasing balls, sticks and each other into the surf. Read more.

Senior dogs with a lot of living to do

They may be getting up in years, but senior dogs still want to have fun. Getting out and about with their beloved folks is a big part of keeping them happy and healthy. Just ask Shelley, who will celebrate her 16th birthday on May 1. She's one of the resident dogs at the Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary, and takes her responsibilities as office supervisor quite seriously. From the time she arrived at age 14, Shelley’s hind legs were a bit wobbly, but it didn’t slow her down. Then, a few months ago, her hind-end weakness reached a point where she couldn't stand up. Shelley became depressed. Luckily, a kind benefactor got her a set of custom wheels, which quickly restored her zest for life and access to the outside world. Read more.