notes from the bureau

practical guides for dog parents, schedules, checklists and zero fluff

All Health Walks Travel Puppies Grooming Training Play Apps
Illustration of a puppy surrounded by new-puppy gear
PuppiesAug 19, 2026

New Puppy Checklist: What You Need Before Day One

The fifteen things that matter, what can wait, and the paperwork everyone forgets.

Illustration of a shih tzu doing a play bow
TrainingAug 19, 2026

Dog Body Language: What Your Dog Is Actually Telling You

Tail heights, calming signals, whale eye, and why the guilty look isn't guilt.

Illustration of a shih tzu with a food bowl and measuring cup
HealthAug 19, 2026

How Much Should I Feed My Dog? Portions by Weight

Why the bag's chart overfeeds, treat math, and the rib check that beats every calculator.

Illustration of a shih tzu waiting by the door
TrainingAug 19, 2026

Dog Separation Anxiety: Signs and a Plan That Works

Anxiety or boredom? The diagnosis table, and the graded-departure plan.

Illustration of a puppy meeting a corgi and a beagle
PuppiesAug 19, 2026

How to Socialize a Puppy (Weeks 8–14 Are Everything)

The critical window, the experience checklist, and doing it safely before full vaccination.

Illustration of a grey-muzzled shih tzu on a cushion
HealthAug 19, 2026

Senior Dog Care: What Changes After Age Seven

The checkup cadence, home adjustments that help, and the "just old age" signs that are treatable.

Illustration of a shih tzu with a toothbrush
GroomingAug 19, 2026

How to Brush Your Dog's Teeth (and Make It Stick)

The two-week ramp-up, the right toothpaste, and what dental chews actually do.

Illustration of a paw with nail clippers and treats
GroomingAug 19, 2026

How to Trim Dog Nails Without the Drama

The click test, finding the quick on black nails, and the desensitization ladder.

Illustration of a shih tzu playing indoors while it rains
PlayAug 19, 2026

Rainy Day Dog Activities: Burning Energy Indoors

Scent games, DIY puzzles, and the 15-minute rule that replaces a walk.

Illustration of a shih tzu sniffing a scent trail
WalksAug 19, 2026

Why Do Dogs Sniff So Much on Walks? Let Them

The lamppost is their group chat. What a sniffari does, and how much to allow.

Illustration of a shih tzu sleeping curled in a donut
BehaviorAug 19, 2026

Dog Sleeping Positions: What Each One Means

The donut, the superman, the belly-up starfish, decoded, plus normal sleep by age.

Illustration of a brave puppy at a vet check-up
PuppiesAug 19, 2026

Puppy's First Vet Visit: What to Expect and Bring

What happens, the questions worth asking, and making the clinic a happy place for life.

Illustration of a shih tzu studying safe and unsafe foods
HealthAug 19, 2026

What Can Dogs Not Eat? Toxic Foods Ranked by Danger

Xylitol, grapes, chocolate, onions, what's a vet-now emergency and what's merely a bad idea.

Illustration of a proud puppy next to a grass patch with a clock and calendar
PuppiesAug 19, 2026

Puppy Potty Training: A Schedule That Actually Works

How long they can really hold it by age, the five moments that matter, and a week-one plan to copy.

Illustration of a shih tzu on a sunny walk with a water bowl and thermometer
WalksAug 19, 2026

Walking Your Dog in Hot Weather: Temperature Limits

The 7-second pavement test, real temperature limits, and the heatstroke signs to know cold.

Illustration of a shih tzu in a bubble bath with a rubber duck
GroomingAug 19, 2026

How Often Should I Bathe My Dog? By Coat Type

From weekly to quarterly, the honest schedule for every coat, and the signs you're overdoing it.

Illustration of a shih tzu puppy at the vet with a vaccine calendar
HealthAug 18, 2026

Puppy Vaccination Schedule: Every Shot by Week (2026 Chart)

DHPP, rabies, bordetella, what your puppy needs, when they need it, and which boosters actually repeat every year.

Illustration of a shih tzu walking on a leash in the park
WalksAug 18, 2026

How Long Should I Walk My Dog? By Breed, Age and Weather

The honest answer is "it depends", here's the actual math for your dog's breed group, age and the temperature outside.

Illustration of a shih tzu with a folder of health records
HealthAug 18, 2026

Dog Health Records: What to Track and Why It Matters

The seven things every dog's file should contain, and why a photo of a vaccine card in your camera roll isn't a system.

Illustration of a shih tzu with a suitcase and passport
TravelAug 18, 2026

Traveling With Your Dog: The Documents You Actually Need

Health certificates, microchip rules, airline paperwork and the real "pet passport", country by country, minus the panic.

Illustration of a puppy with a first birthday cake
PuppiesAug 18, 2026

Your Puppy's First Year: Milestones Month by Month

Teething, fear periods, adult coat, the first zoomies, what happens when, and which moments deserve a page of their own.

Dog training journal
TrainingAug 18, 2026

Dog Training Journal: What to Log and the Best App for It

We compared the pet diary apps people actually use, including our own, on memory-keeping, health tracking and price.

Illustration of a shih tzu looking at a journal app on a phone
AppsAug 18, 2026

Best Dog Journal Apps in 2026 (Honest Roundup)

We compared the pet diary apps people actually use, including our own, on memory-keeping, health tracking and price.