Stories by Julie Hecht

Dog cloning hasn't turned out so great for dogs. Here's why

Do cats look to their owners for how to respond to new things

When faced with ambiguity, dogs look to their owners for how to respond.

#IAmAScienceDiplomat, launched today, showcases the benefits of international science partnerships.

Probably not. But the noise isn’t the whole problem.

How to get your dog in canine science studies.

Join an online, dog citizen science project today!

Starting tomorrow, join a three-day conference, June 19-21, on why dogs do what they do (and why we do what we do around them). Join live in Phoenix, AZ or watch the free, International live stream.

Could dog bite prevention be as simple as adopting a new mindset?

Are some dogs safe while others are not? A recent study finds this common belief is not spot on.

I've noticed a trend. Not everyone wants someone else's interpretation of the latest canine science study. "I want to see the study's methods myself, how the research was done, and who the subjects were before drawing any conclusions," I see time and again on Facebook.

What really prompts the dog's "guilty" look?

Research finds that sustained eye contact between a dog and its owner causes oxytocin to spike in both—but not so in wolves. What it means remains to be seen

Nostrils. Your dog has them. Two of them actually. And you don't give them any attention, do you? Sure, you might take your dog to the vet when you see gunk coming out of them, but on any given ho-hum day, you're not giving your dog's nostrils a second thought.

“So many places to hide a dead body.” That's what my mom remembers thinking on her first drive cross country during honeymoon number one.

There are many reasons to seek help from a dog trainer, and Cat Warren confronted almost all of them when a new puppy came barreling into her life.

Even from a block away, I could tell the dog was having a Best Day Ever moment. The dog walked with the bounce of newly melted snow, birds chirp-chirping, and a warm breeze pouring new smells from the street’s nooks and crannies.

They have good reason

Why is snow a Very Big Deal for some dogs?

"We would love to tell you that every dog can flourish in every home, but the truth is that, no matter what you do, sometimes a dog and family are not a good fit." ~ Patricia McConnell and Karen London, Love Has No Age Limit: Welcoming an Adopted Dog into Your Home My first dog [...]

My inbox has changed in the last few years. I still receive work, friend, and family emails, but I increasingly receive dog product and promotional emails, which I've learned to delete as quickly as possible.

A dog rolling over during play is a playful combat tactic, not submission

Do you use play signals when playing with dogs? (Hint: You should.)

It's time to stop buying dog toys