Dog Guides · Karen Nguyen Reports
We do the research so you don't have to.
The loudest debates in dog care — raw food, e-collars, spay timing, adopt vs shop, annual boosters — read down to the same problem: too much volume, not enough evidence. Karen Nguyen reads the studies, summarizes the camps, and tells you where the science actually lands.
Karen Nguyen
Senior research correspondent · About our writers
More from the desk
4 more guides
Balanced vs Force-Free Dog Training: An Honest Look at Both Sides
E-collars and prong collars vs purely positive reinforcement — the debate gets ugly fast online. Here's what the behavioral research, the AVSAB position, and practitioners on both sides actually say.
18 min read
Annual Vaccines vs Titer Testing: How Often Does Your Dog Actually Need Boosters?
Annual boosters, triennial, or titer-driven? What the AAHA 2022 guidelines actually say, what duration-of-immunity research shows, and how to think about non-core vaccines for your dog.
17 min read
Raw Food vs Kibble: What the Canine Nutrition Research Actually Shows
Raw feeders cite ancestry; kibble brands cite balanced nutrition; vets cite bacterial risk. We read the trials, the FDA stance, and WSAVA guidelines — here's where the evidence lands.
19 min read
When to Spay or Neuter Your Dog — and Whether You Should at All
Newer research links early spay/neuter to higher cancer and joint-disease risk, especially in large breeds. Here's what the cohort studies show, the alternatives, and how to time the decision.
20 min read
Editorial standards
Every claim is cited. Every camp is heard.
Karen's articles cite peer-reviewed sources at the bottom of every section. We represent both sides of contested debates fairly before saying where the evidence actually sits. Where the science is mixed, we say so. Where the popular consensus isn't supported, we say that too.