February 2024

Aint Love
Grand?

This month’s issue is supported in part by SF Animal Medical Center and dog lovers like you.

Welcome to Bay Woof, February 2024

Ain’t Love Grand?

With people, love can be so complicated. Thankfully, with dogs, it’s easy as pie.

How do you show your love for your dog? Do you make them homemade treats? Keep their vaccines current? Lovingly train them with positive reinforcement, avoiding aversive tools and techniques? Do you sing them ballads or do they sing to you? Do you howl at the moon or cut a rug together?

This month Bay Woof presents an overflowing, heart-shaped box of goodies from Sara Scott, Dan Perdios, Dr. Julie Smith, Amy Luwis, Ren Volpe, S. Emerson Moffat, Mikaila Garfinkel, RU Steinberg, Judy Shevelev, and Maria Goodavage.

However you show your love for your pup, this issue is a valentine for you both. Thank you for reading and for loving that dog of yours.

With big red hearts and many woofs,
M Rocket
Publisher, Bay Woof

About the cover: M Rocket; AdobeStock

This Month’s Bones to Chew

February Feature Stories

Featured

Sara Scott

Speak From the Heart: Discovering Your Dog's Love Language

Sara Scott

Can we draw parallels to author Gary Chapman’s five famous “love languages?” Might physical touch, quality time, or gift giving unlock our pups’ emotional preferences?

Sara Scott

Judy Shevelev

Beyond Love: Building Bonds With Your Dog

Judy Shevelev

That’s a big part of why we have dogs in the first place: they accept us unconditionally and offer a never-ending supply of love whenever we’re ready to receive it.

Judy Shevelev

Columns from the February Pack

Nose for News

S. Emerson Moffat

Dog Aging Project Needs Help, Oldest Dog Title Questioned, Meet the Smallest Big Loser, and More!

S. Emerson Moffat

The Dog Aging Project uses data from thousands of furry participants to help identify scientific factors that seem to keep some dogs healthy well into their senior years. Now they need your help!

S. Emerson Moffat

Ask Dr. Dog

Dr. Julie Smith

Is My Dog Overweight? How to Help Your Pup Trim Down for Health and Happiness

Dr. Julie Smith

Do you ever wonder if your furry friend is getting too chubby?

Dr. Julie Smith

Shelter Zone

Maria Goodavage

Read All About It! FAAS Launches New Pet-Friendly Guide for Alameda

Maria Goodavage

Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter’s CEO John Lipp had a spark of an idea last year - a little guide listing some pet-friendly places so people could spend more time with their pets.

Maria Goodavage

Commission Tails

Mikaila Garfinkel

Showing Love to SF’s Local Wildlife

Mikaila Garfinkel

With love in the air, February is also a time to reflect on the importance of compassion and of opening our hearts to others, including our furry, feathery, and scaly friends around us.

Mikaila Garfinkel

The Monthly Woof

Dan Perdios

Love Is Just the Start: How a Rescued Dog Became a Rescuer

Dan Perdios

I had never rescued a dog before, though friends of mine had and they seemed very happy with their new furry adoptees.

Dan Perdios

Good Dog!

Ren Volpe

The Off-Duty Hack: Taming Front Door Chaos

Ren Volpe

You're not alone if your dog struggles with overarousal or fear whenever someone knocks or the doorbell rings. This is especially true for pandemic puppies who missed out on learning that new people coming into the house isn't a big deal.

Ren Volpe

Mr. Smarty Pants Knows