Sound desensitization for dogs: how to do it, step by step
Recordings played so quietly your dog barely notices, paired with food, and raised slowly over weeks. How sound desensitization works, step by step, and where it...
The Barkwoo Journal
Good reads for calmer dogs.
Calm-dog guides, training tips, and what the research says about music for anxious dogs.
Grooming anxiety: helping your dog through the brush, the bath and the nail trim
For many dogs, the nail trim and the dryer are the hard parts of grooming. How to practice handling at home, and what to ask your...
Barking at the doorbell: Halloween, deliveries and holiday guests
The doorbell means someone is at your dog's door. How to tell which kind of barking it is, a routine to practice before Halloween, and a...
Why do dogs howl? Sirens, music, singing, and when it's a sign of distress
Howling is how wolves keep in touch over long distances. What that means for your dog, why some dogs howl along to sirens and music, and...
Calm vet visits: before, during and after
Most dogs find the vet stressful. What helps before you go, in the waiting room and on the table, and how to wind down afterwards.
Fireworks and dogs: a prep plan to start weeks before New Year's Eve
The prep that helps a dog through fireworks takes weeks, not an evening. What the research says works, where music fits, and a seven-step checklist.
Do calming collars work? Pheromone, herbal and music compared
Calming collars promise a lot. We graded pheromone, herbal and music options on the published research, including our own category, and said where each falls short.
Holiday travel with an anxious dog: the car, the in-laws, the drive home
Holiday drives are hard on a dog who dreads the car. How to tell fear from car sickness, a practice plan to start weeks ahead, safe...
Do dogs like music? What the studies show
No study can ask a dog what it likes. Researchers can measure resting, barking and heart rate instead. What six studies found, including the limits.
How long can a dog be left alone?
There's no single safe number, but there is guidance. What welfare charities advise, what a study of dogs filmed home alone found, and a routine for...
Separation anxiety toys: what helps, and what toys can't fix
Chews, food puzzles, lick mats and calm sound: what the research says about each, how to leave them safely, and the signs that a toy won't...
Should you leave music or the TV on for your dog?
TV, talk radio, an audiobook or music: what the studies found when dogs were left with each, and why a calm, predictable soundtrack is the safer...
Thunderstorms and dogs: what helps and what doesn't
Storms are harder than fireworks: you can't schedule them, and they bring rain, wind and pressure changes too. What the research says helps, what doesn't, and...
