You've been turned off kibble, and you're wary about the pitfalls of homemade dog food that's not complete and balanced. There are pre-made fresh food options of course, but is there a homemade human-grade alternative? Something that makes a raw (or lightly cooked) diet for dogs  simple and foolproof? The answer is yes, and we explain the approach.

Big pet food companies claim the high ground in  animal nutrition – but is kibble really all it’s cracked up to be? We break down the manufacturing process to find that maybe kibble is just today's 'dog cake'.

The human obesity epidemic is well-known, but the spread of the canine epidemic may be more of a surprise. A fear of ‘fat shaming’ and ‘optimism bias’ may stand in the way of fixing it.

I know from painful, personal experience, that anxious behaviour is easy to miss. And I also know now, that it can have a long-term impact on dogs’ health – and get worse as they get older. Here I wrap up how to live with an anxious dog: how to recognise anxiety, why it happens, and how to deal with it.

You might think that as your dog gets older, it’s inevitable that they start to do a few odd things. But there’s actually a difference between normal ageing and pathological ageing – and it can start much earlier than we previously thought.

When your dog follows you from room to room, do you think it’s because they love you? Sadly, it’s more likely a sign of anxiety than it is unconditional love.

Holistic vet Dr Kathy Cornack explains that this shadowing behaviour, and a host of other often unrecognised signals – everything from yawning to jumping up and down with excitement, could mean your pet is anxious.

Chances are your dog or cat is a rescue. And if they are, there are a few things to bear in mind as you settle them in. Once you do, a little enrichment may be on the cards. Here are a few ideas.

If you ask your vet for advice about what to feed your cat, the answer is likely to be kibble. Say you want to feed raw – and you could have an argument on your hands. The Pet Girl helps us bust a few myths about what cats should eat. (And live longer.) 

Cat food: check. Kitty litter: check. Scratching post: check. But what are you doing about biological fulfillment? The Pet Girl shines the light on helping a cat be…a cat.

A fondness for grooming or something more serious? We talk about anxious behaviour in cats far less than we do in dogs…but a high proportion of cats, do get anxious. Are your cat’s anxiety signals too subtle to recognise?