NewYears.

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images Whether you're ringing in the New Year with a new puppy or starting 2011 with an older pooch, we know you want to make this year the best ever. And to help you out, Victoria Stilwell, host of the Animal Planet show "It's Me or the Dog," has provided 10 terrific tips to ensure a truly happy 2011. 1. Keep training your dog. People think that once their dog is trained, there is no need to carry on. But your dog never stops learning, and training should be reinforced throughout your dog's life. 2. Think dog. Take time to think how your dog perceives the world and use this knowledge to make training easier. For example, a human's dominant sense is vision, ...

Flickr/ggunson Everyone gains a little weight over the holidays, and your pets are no exception. With all those extra table scraps flying around, you can bet your faithful companion has gained a little girth. Pets may not care about how they look when they pass by a mirror, but controlling a pet's weight is a crucial part of maintaining their health. Paw Nation chatted with Dr. Donna Spector, a board-certified veterinary Internal Medicine specialist from VCA Animal Hospital, to make sure you and your pet start off the New Year (and new decade!) right. "It is estimated that 50 percent of U.S. pets are overweight or obese," Spector tells Paw Nation. "Obesity can be life threatening and ...