News on TailWise Dogs

Welcome to TailWise Dogs: What's Here Now and What's Next

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What’s new

TailWise Dogs is now live, with guides on dog health, breeds, training and fun facts.
Every guide links its sources, so you can check what we say.
This News section is where we will post updates: new guides, research notes and changes to the site.

What you can read today

Health and training guides. Five foundational guides cover dog health, inherited diseases in popular breeds, nutrition, exercise and mental stimulation and reward-based training.
Breed profiles. Eleven breed profiles give size, temperament and care notes drawn from American Kennel Club information, from the German Shepherd to the Siberian Husky.
Fun facts. Six fun-fact articles separate the true stories about popular breeds from the myths.
Games. A practical guide to DIY enrichment games for dogs that need more than a walk.

How we handle sources

We cite veterinary guidelines and peer-reviewed research where we can, and we say plainly when sources disagree or when a figure is approximate. When we could not find a reliable number, such as a lifespan or a weight range, we left it out instead of guessing. You can read our approach in the editorial policy.

Dog Aging Project Expands With About $29 Million in NIH Funding

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

The National Institute on Aging is funding the next five-year phase of the Dog Aging Project, with approximately $29 million in total and a first-year award of $6.1 million, according to Texas A&M University (announced October 27, 2026) [1].
The project says nearly 55,000 companion dogs are enrolled [1].
Tufts University is the primary award recipient and Texas A&M holds a subaward. The project is co-directed by Dr. Kate Creevy of Texas A&M and Dr. Daniel Promislow of Tufts [1].

What the next phase will study

Following dogs for longer, with a focus on cognitive and physical decline [1].
Collecting drinking-water samples, using tags that absorb airborne chemicals, and putting activity trackers on a subset of dogs [1].
Expanding research on nutrition, and on how genes and environment interact [1].
Studying exceptionally long-lived dogs, identified statistically by longevity for their size [1].

Why it matters

Studies like this follow dogs for years in ordinary homes, which lets researchers look for real-world factors linked to healthy aging. Results will come slowly, and we will report them as they are published. See also our report on the project’s June metabolite study.

Eight Discoveries Named for the 2026 Canine Health Discovery of the Year

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

The AKC Canine Health Foundation announced eight semifinalists for its 2026 Canine Health Discovery of the Year award on October 21, 2026 [1].
Three finalists are due to be announced in November, and the winner will be revealed at the foundation’s gala on December 10, 2026 [1].

The eight discoveries

Dog dementia guidelines: standard guidelines for diagnosing and monitoring canine cognitive dysfunction (Dr. Natasha Olby, NC State, and an international working group) [1]. See our report.
Tick-borne disease: genomics of Anaplasma platys (Dr. Sree Rajeev, University of Tennessee) [1].
Chagas disease: the first randomized field trial of a therapeutic vaccine for Chagas disease in dogs (Dr. Eric Dumonteil and Dr. Claudia Herrera, Tulane University) [1].
Leptospirosis: research supporting annual vaccination for all dogs (Dr. Jane Sykes, UC Davis, and colleagues) [1]. See our report.
Genetic variants across 43 breeds: an international team including researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Aarhus University, the NIH and the University of Helsinki [1].
Glycogen storage disease in Basset Hounds: linked to the RBCK1 gene (Dr. Kari Ekenstedt, University of Missouri, with colleagues at Purdue and Cornell) [1].
Stomach cancer risk in Belgian breeds (Dr. Jacquelyn Evans, Cornell) [1].
Fecal microbiota transplants for chronic gut disease (Dr. Carla Vecchiato, University of Bologna, and Dr. Jan Suchodolski, Texas A&M) [1].

Why it matters

Funded research like this is what eventually changes veterinary practice and breeding decisions. We’ll report the finalists and the winner when they are announced.

Fromm Recalls Two Canned Dog Foods Over Possible Metal Contamination

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

On August 21, 2026, Fromm announced a recall of two canned wet dog foods over possible metal contamination [1].
About 4,000 cases of Fromm Turkey Pâté Wet (12.02-ounce cans) and about 2,000 cases of Fromm Diner Classics Milo’s Meatloaf Pâté Wet (12.5-ounce cans) are covered [1].
Both products carry a best-by date of March 20, 2029, and were sold in the United States and Canada [1].
The report said no illnesses were immediately reported [1].

What owners should do

Check any Fromm canned food you have against the product names, can sizes and best-by date above. Owners were told to stop feeding the affected cans and return them to the retailer [1]. If your dog has eaten from an affected can and seems unwell, for example vomiting, drooling or reluctance to eat, call your vet.

Dog Aging Project: Blood Metabolite Patterns Linked to Lifespan, As in Humans

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

Researchers from the Dog Aging Project, led from Texas A&M University, reported that patterns of metabolites in dogs’ blood were associated with dying sooner or later [1].
The study appeared in the Journals of Gerontology and was announced on June 8, 2026 [1].
The team compared their results with five large published studies of mortality in people that used similar methods, and found similar patterns in each [1].

What it means

Metabolites are small molecules produced as the body uses food and energy. The finding suggests that dogs and humans share some biological signals of aging, which could help researchers use dogs to understand aging in both species. The researchers noted that these biomarkers do not show causation [1].

Study: 2021 Los Angeles Dog Leptospirosis Outbreak Tied to Vaccine Gaps

Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

A UC Davis study, reported in May 2026, examined a leptospirosis outbreak in Los Angeles County in 2021 that sickened more than 200 dogs [1, 2].
The researchers concluded that gaps in vaccination and in infection control, including crowded boarding settings, contributed to the outbreak [1, 2].
The researchers said major veterinary organizations now recommend annual leptospirosis vaccination for all dogs, and that the infection is expected to become more common with climate change [2].

Why it matters

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can seriously affect dogs, and it can spread to people. Whether the vaccine is advised for your dog depends on local risk and lifestyle, and the recommendation varies by organization: the WSAVA guidelines, for example, treat it as a core vaccine where it is common. Our dog health guide explains core and non-core vaccines.

Raaw Energy Frozen Dog Food Recall Expanded Over Listeria

Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

The recall of Raaw Energy dog food was expanded in May 2026, following an FDA advisory issued in January 2026 [1].
State agriculture departments in Connecticut and New Jersey tested eight samples after a dog illness was reported in Connecticut, and the FDA said all eight were positive for pathogenic bacteria. The organism was identified as Listeria monocytogenes [1].
The FDA said it received additional reports of illness in animals after its January advisory [1].
The company said it would stop all dog food production effective May 21, 2026 [1].

Which products

The expanded recall covers all Raaw Energy dog food products made between July 17, 2025 and December 23, 2025, plus one additional batch [1]. The food was sold in 2-pound or 5-pound clear plastic tubes with metal clips, in cardboard boxes, in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia [1]. Owners were told to discard the product or contact the company for a refund [1].

French Bulldog Stays No. 1 in the AKC's 2025 Popularity Rankings

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

The French Bulldog was the most popular breed in the American Kennel Club’s rankings for 2025, the fourth year in a row it has held No. 1 [1].
The top ten, in order: French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd Dog, Dachshund, Poodle, Beagle, Rottweiler, German Shorthaired Pointer and Bulldog [1].
The Dachshund rose from sixth to fifth, pushing the Poodle out of the top five. The German Shorthaired Pointer moved up to ninth and the Bulldog fell to tenth [1].

Other movements

The Wirehaired Vizsla made the biggest climb, rising 29 places to 130th, and the Cane Corso moved from 14th to 11th [1]. The AKC counted 202 breeds in the 2025 rankings [1].

Bruin the Clumber Spaniel Wins Best in Show at Crufts 2026

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

Bruin, a four-year-old Clumber Spaniel from Somerset, won Best in Show at Crufts on the final day of the show, March 8, 2026 [1, 2].
Crufts ran from March 5 to 8 at the NEC in Birmingham, and Bruin had earlier won the Gundog group [1, 2].
He was handled by Lee Cox [2].

Why it’s interesting

News reports described it as the first Clumber Spaniel Best in Show win at Crufts since 1991, though we saw that claim in only one source, so treat it as reported rather than confirmed [2].

Penny the Doberman Pinscher Wins Best in Show at the 150th Westminster

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

A Doberman Pinscher named Penny won Best in Show at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 3, 2026 [1, 2].
Her show name is GCHP CH Connquest Best Of Both Worlds [2].
The Reserve Best in Show went to Cota, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, who had won the Sporting Group [1].

Why it’s interesting

Westminster is one of the best-known dog shows in the United States, and the 2026 edition was its 150th. Best in Show is judged against each breed’s written standard, so a win says a dog is an excellent example of its breed’s ideal. It says nothing about whether that breed suits your household.

New Expert Guidelines Aim to Standardize Diagnosis of Dog Dementia

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

An international working group led by Dr. Natasha Olby of North Carolina State University published guidelines for diagnosing and monitoring canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS), often called dog dementia. They appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association on December 24, 2025 [1, 2, 3].
The aim is to give veterinarians and researchers a shared definition and practical criteria [1, 3].

What the guidelines include

The condition is defined as a chronic, progressive, age-associated neurodegenerative syndrome with cognitive and behavioral changes, comparable in some ways to Alzheimer’s disease in people [1].
A flowchart helps veterinarians reach a diagnosis with two levels of certainty, and severity is graded on three levels from mild to debilitating impairment [1].
Caregiver questionnaires, including the Canine Dementia Scale (CADES) and the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating (CCDR) scale, are recommended as screening tools [1].
Blood biomarkers and cognitive testing batteries are listed as priorities for future work [1].

What owners can do

Changes such as disorientation, altered sleep, loss of house-training or new anxiety can have many causes, including pain and other illness, so a vet visit comes first. Our guide to dog health explains why senior dogs benefit from more frequent checkups, and our enrichment games suit older dogs when adapted.

AKC Recognizes Three New Breeds for 2026

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What happened

Three breeds became eligible to compete in American Kennel Club conformation and other events on January 1, 2026: the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka, the Basset Fauve de Bretagne and the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier [1].
The AKC says its registry now includes 205 breeds [1, 2].

The three breeds

Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka: a dark, curly-coated toy breed from Russia [1].
Basset Fauve de Bretagne: a hound with royal heritage [1].
Teddy Roosevelt Terrier: a terrier named in honor of the U.S. president [1].

How a breed gets recognized

The AKC describes the process as requiring an established national breed club and an active following among owners and breeders in the United States, typically moving through its Foundation Stock Service before full recognition [1]. The three breeds will debut in the AKC’s popularity rankings for 2026 [2].