Christina McCarthy and her husband had a good feeling about the house. It was priced right and located in a quiet Westminster, Colo. neighborhood. When the young couple ventured into the backyard, they realized they’d found the home of their dreams.

Why do animals yawn? Why do cats eat grass? Why do they purr? And why on earth does my pet eat poop? Benjamin Hart, DVM, PhD, DACVB, and distinguished professor emeritus at the University of California – Davis, addressed some of the more inexplicable behaviors of companion animals in his talk at the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) conference this year: “Why do they do that? Purring, yawning, flipping out on catnip, and eating poop.”

Whether or not you walk your dog off leash, you may meet dogs that aren’t leashed. What should you do if your dog doesn’t play well with others or meets an off-leash dog?

Animal hoarders can be overwhelmed caregivers, rescuers or sociopaths. Go inside their minds and learn what to do if you suspect hoarding.

Just how long Barbara Onderdonk had been hoarding Shetland sheepdogs is unknown. What is known is that she stored dogs like throwaway clothing in her garage in Buncombe County, N.C., and that ultimately, it was someone from her local animal hospital who turned her in.

Imagine making your living training some of the world’s most stubborn and unruly dogs. Peering over your shoulder each week are millions of viewers in 40 countries wondering if you or the misbehaving pup will win the battle of wits. Victoria Stilwell, star of Animal Planet’s popular television series, “It’s Me or the Dog,” says the challenge isn’t as difficult as it may seem.

You have finally mustered the nerve to carry out the task you’ve been dreading all week. Nail clippers in hand, you hunt for Fido throughout the house. “I got him. He’s over here,” shouts your spouse. The two of you conspire to hold the struggling Cocker Spaniel down to give him a toenail trim, but after just seconds, you both give up.

Benjamin Hart, DVM, PhD, who has studied animal behavior for almost 50 years, says that one of the questions he hears most frequently from pet owners is: “Why does my dog eat grass?”