Reviewer
Justin Shmalberg, DVM, CVA, ACVN, ACVSMR
Board-certified veterinary nutritionist and rehabilitation specialist; Chi University faculty, University of Florida Small Animal Hospital Integrative Medicine; Chi University faculty · Gainesville, Florida
University of Florida integrative medicine service chief focused on nutrition, supplements, integrative medicine, oncology nutrition, rehabilitation, and acupuncture research.
Areas of focus
- integrative canine nutrition
- food therapy
- veterinary acupuncture
- canine sports medicine and rehabilitation
- supplement literacy
129 guides by Justin
- A Café Visit on a Rainy Weekend: A Calm, Joint-Friendly Plan
- A Café Visit With a Dog That Tires Quickly
- Are DIY Sock and T-Shirt Toys Safe for Dogs?
- Are Dog Meetup Groups Worth It? A Vet's Field Test
- Best Toys for High-Energy Adolescent Dogs
- Choosing a Raincoat for a Dog That Hates the Wet
- Dog Toy Types Explained: A Complete Overview
- How to Check a Dog With a Small Toy Box for Wear
- My Dog Loves Fetch — What Sport Should We Try Next
- What to Bring for Coastal Path Walking With a Dog
- Why Does My Dog Pull the Stuffing Out of Plush Toys?
- A Car Ride and a Short Stroll on a Rainy Weekend
- A Garden Treasure Hunt With a Dog That Tires Quickly
- A Short Village Walk on a Rainy Weekend
- A Slow Sniff Walk on a Rainy Weekend That Still Counts as Exercise
- A Training Games Session With a Dog That Tires Quickly
- Bubble Chasing and Other Simple Yard Games That Tire Dogs Out
- Do Dogs Actually Need Toys, or Is Playtime Enough
- Fitting a Basket Muzzle: Step by Step
- Fitting a Car Crate in an Estate Boot: Step by Step
- Fitting a Martingale Collar: Step by Step
- How to Exercise Your Dog When You're Short on Time
- How to Find a Dog Sports Club Near You
- How to Find Out If a Trail Is Dog-Friendly
- How to Protect Your Dog's Paws on Rocky Trails
- How to Start Canicross With a Dog
- How to Start Winter Hillwalking With a Dog
- How to Supervise Play With a Ball Launcher
- How to Supervise Play With a Squeaky Plush Toy
- How to Supervise Play With a Tennis Ball
- How to Supervise Play With an Antler or Horn Chew
- How to Tell If Your Dog Is Actually Having Fun
- Is It Safe for Dogs to Swim in a River Current?
- Safety Checks Before a Day at a Busy Show
- Toys for Multi-Dog Households That Share Nicely
- What to Check Before Buying a Collar for a Dog With a Thick Neck
- What to Do if a Dog Refuses to Get Out of the Car on a Day Out
- What to Do if a Dog Refuses to Give a Toy Back
- What to Look for When Buying Your First Dog Toy
- When to Replace a Car Boot Liner
- A Quiet Woodland Loop on a Rainy Weekend
- Crate Toys That Are Safe to Leave Overnight
- How Much Exercise a Senior Dog With Stiff Joints Needs
- How Much Room a Dog Should Have in a Crate
- How to Build a DIY Backyard Agility Course That Trains Control First
- How to Exercise a Very Overweight Dog That Can't Walk Far
- How to Supervise Play With a Hard Nylon Chew
- Retrieving Toys for Natural Fetchers: What Actually Holds Up
- What to Do if a Dog Swallows Squeakers
- Why Your Dog Destroys Every Toy in Minutes
- A Weekly Exercise Plan Around Short Winter Daylight
- Automatic Feeder: What to Look For
- Choosing the Right Puzzle Toy Difficulty Level for Your Dog
- Enrichment for a Dog That Cannot Walk Today
- Gentle Exercise for a Dog With a Bad Back
- How to Build Up Exercise for an Adult Working Breed
- How to Start Coastal Path Walking With a Dog
- Is a Frozen Stuffed Toy Safe to Leave With a Dog Alone?
- What to Do if a Dog Limps the Next Morning After Exercise
- What to Do if a Dog Sleeps All Afternoon After Exercise
- How to Read a Dog Food Label for Protein Quality
- What Preservatives Really Means on a Dog Food Label
- What to Do When a Dog Vomits Yellow Bile in the Morning
- How to Transition a Dog to a Higher-Protein Formula
- What Is Treibball? The Urban Herding Game for City Dogs
- Why Your Dog's Appetite Shifts With the Seasons
- Feeding Multiple Dogs Without Mealtime Chaos
- How Long Can Wet Dog Food Be Left Out Before It's Unsafe?
- When Should a Dog Switch to Senior Food? A Vet Nutritionist's Decision Framework
- How to Stop Your Dog From Drinking Salt Water at the Beach
- How to Use a Flirt Pole for High-Drive Dogs
- Is Tug-of-War Good or Bad for Dogs?
- Rainy-Day Activities When You Can't Go Outside
- Can Dogs Eat Blueberries? A Vet Nutritionist's Guide to Portions and Timing
- Can Dogs Eat Turkey? The Safe-Serving Checklist Before You Share the Bird
- Paw Balm vs. Boots for Salted Sidewalks: Which Actually Protects Your Dog?
- Chew Toys vs. Edible Chews: What's the Difference
- Front-Clip Harness vs Head Halter for a Puller
- GPS Collar vs GPS Tag for Dogs: Which One Actually Finds Your Dog
- Padded vs Lightweight Dog Harness for Daily Walks
- Rope Toys vs. Plush Toys for Chewers: How to Actually Choose
- Snuffle Mat vs Lick Mat: Which Does Your Dog Need?
- Squeaky vs. Silent Toys: Which Suits Your Dog
- Store-Bought vs. Homemade Enrichment Toys: Which One Actually Earns Its Keep?
- Tennis Balls vs. Rubber Balls for Fetch: Which One Should You Actually Throw?
- Dog Park vs Structured Exercise: Which One Actually Meets Your Dog's Needs
- Mental Exercise vs Physical Exercise for Dogs: Which One Is Your Dog Actually Missing?
- Ocean vs Lake vs Pool: Where Should Your Dog Swim?
- Rubber vs. Nylon Chew Toys: Which Is Safer
- Walking vs Running: Which Is Better for Your Dog
- Interactive Toys vs. Chew Toys: When to Use Each
- Off-Leash Play vs On-Leash Walks: Which Actually Exercises Your Dog Better
- Reflective Vest vs. Light-Up Collar for Visibility on Night Walks
- Stainless vs Ceramic vs Plastic Dog Bowls: How to Actually Choose
- Small-Dog vs Large-Dog Areas: Which Should You Use
- Swimming vs Walking for an Arthritic Dog: Which One Actually Helps?
- Dog Treadmill vs. Outdoor Walking: What Actually Moves the Needle
- Front-Clip vs Back-Clip Dog Harness: Which One Actually Fixes Your Problem
- How to Find Dog-Friendly Patios and Breweries (Without Guessing at the Door)
- When Do Puppies Stop Teething and Need Different Toys?
- Are Mushrooms Safe for Dogs? A Vet Nutritionist's Honest Answer
- Are Raisins Toxic to Dogs? Yes — The Mechanism and the Real Risk Window
- Backyard Sprinkler and Splash Games for Hot Days
- Can Dogs Eat Bananas? A Vet Nutritionist's Honest Take on Portions and Risk
- Can Dogs Eat Bread? The Fork Between a Crust and a Ball of Dough
- Can Dogs Eat Carrots? A Vet Nutritionist's Take on Portion, Prep, and Risk
- Can Dogs Eat Eggs? A Vet Nutritionist's Take on Raw, Cooked, and How Much
- Can Dogs Eat Ham? What the Sodium and Fat Actually Do
- Can Dogs Eat Watermelon? A Vet's Checklist for Safe Servings
- How Far Can a Dog Hike in One Day? A Vet's Guide to the Real Limits
- How to Clean and Disinfect Dog Toys
- Low-Fat Feeding for Dogs Prone to Pancreatitis: What the Evidence Actually Supports
- What a Double-Ended Leash Is For
- Can Dogs Eat Avocado Safely? What the Flesh, Pit, and Peel Actually Do
- How to Measure Your Dog's Neck for a Collar
- In-Cabin Carrier Size Limits Explained
- How to Fit and Introduce a Head Halter to Your Dog
- Teething Toys That Soothe a Puppy's Sore Gums
- Choosing a Harness for a Deep-Chested Breed
- Is It Safe to Leave a Collar On All the Time?
- How to Exercise a Dog Indoors With Toys During Bad Weather
- Quiet Toys for a Dog on Post-Surgery Crate Rest
- Reflective Dog Harnesses for Night Walks: What Actually Makes Your Dog Visible
- Are All Dogs Natural Swimmers? What to Check Before the Water
- Mental and Physical Enrichment When Your Dog Can't Exercise (Vet-Guided)
- Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potato? Prep, Portions, and What the Research Actually Says
- Exercise Ideas for Toy and Small Breeds: A Vet's Mechanism-First Guide
- GPS Tracker for a Dog That Runs Off: What Actually Works
- How to Change Food for a Senior Dog Without Wrecking Her Gut