Dogs

It turns out there’s little good evidence that pets benefit our physical or mental health

Although studies are still mixed and products are often inconsistent, many scientists have hope that cannabidiol can help furry patients with arthritis, allergies and anxiety

The eyebrows of the African wild dog have scientists wondering whether other canine species besides domestic dogs can make the irresistible “puppy-dog eyes” expression

One in four Labrador retrievers carries a gene that tricks their brain into thinking they’re starving

Pets can’t report their dreams, but scientists have some evidence about what is happening when Sparky and Mittens sleep

Humans may be the only animals that weep, but other species appear to tear up for different reasons

Signs reminding pet owners to “curb" their dog and scoop their pet’s poop have been joined in some places by posted warnings that pet waste can spread disease

Is your dog’s tail-wagging a side effect of domestication, or did humans select for it?

Traits such as face shape, size and sex help predict a dog breed’s life span

Jen Golbeck, “dog mom” to a group of golden retrievers called the Golden Ratio on social media, talks about the science of the bond between humans and their dogs and all the ways that the canines benefit people

Dogs are good for you, science says. 

In 2023 we learned that cats really are choosing to ignore humans and that—despite dogs getting all the glory when it comes to retrieving prowess—cats want to play fetch, too