PetWave.com was an online resource for pet care. PetWave has been described as the “first pet care website to combine a comprehensive pet health library based on today’s veterinary care standards with a full-featured suite of community and pet health management tools” (Source).
At some point in 2019, the website quietly stopped publishing. The copyright date on the footer still said 2017, suggesting that it had been dormant for a couple of years before that (Source).
We took the time to find out what happened to the site. As a memorial to the site, we also identified the 10 most influential articles it published.
A Brief History of PetWave.com
Petwave.com was founded by two pet lovers: Brad Olsen and Nick Solaro in 2007. Olsen and Solaro explained their motivations: “As pet owners, we know first-hand how difficult and frustrating it can be when pets need help and owners need answers” (Source).
When the website was launched in 2008, visitors to the site could access a variety of resources. Given the name “PetWave”, it’s not surprising that they placed on video on how to teach your dog to wave front and center.
The website also had information on dog disorders, and the latest headlines like Dog lovers find natural ways to keep their furry friends healthy. Added to these were a basic care and nutrition section and a behavior center.
The 10 Most Influential Articles Published On PetWave.com
Below are the 10 most influential articles published on PetWave.com. We measured an article’s influence based on the number of websites that linked to each article. The number of independent site editors who choose to link to a story is a good indication of the staying power it has.
Why are Foxtail Grasses Dangerous to Dogs?
According to this article, while foxtail grasses look harmless, at “certain times of the year, they can pose a serious danger to dogs.” Why? The danger lies in the grass’ barbed seed, which can cause severe allergic reactions to pets. This risk is also acknowledged by the pet-health website WebMD.com.
Dog Lice Infestation
If there is one thing that almost every dog lover will agree with, in this article, it is this sentence: “Lice are annoying insects.” The piece provides information about lice, what they are, how they affect the dog, and why an owner has to be worried about them. It also looks at how an infestation can be diagnosed.
The American Kennel Club has some more information on how dog owners can avoid lice.
Preparing for the Birth of Puppies
“Many hours of planning and preparation are necessary to successfully whelp [deliver] a litter of puppies,” notes this article. It then goes on to provide information about how to prepare the whelping box. The whelping box is the cubicle where the puppies will be born, and where they will remain for the first six to eight weeks after birth.
German Shorthaired Pointer – History and Health
One of the things you will learn from this piece is that “American sportsmen enthusiastically welcomed the German Shorthaired Pointer to [their] country starting in the early 1900s, and it remains popular today.” The article also provides information about the breed’s average life expectancy (between 12 and 14 years) and the health concerns owners should look out for.
Dog Health Information
PetWave.com describes the health care information page as “an increasingly comprehensive list and accompanying information about the many health and behavioral conditions that can occur in companion dogs.” The site promised that this library, with dog diseases listed in alphabetical order, was “understandable, reliable information about both common and uncommon canine health disorders, including information about clinical signs/symptoms, diagnosis, current treatment options, and prognosis.”
How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears
Did you know that it is a good idea to clean your dog’s ears on a weekly or bi-weekly basis? This is the advice contained in this piece. According to the article, this is especially useful if you live in a warm or humid environment as a dog’s ears can easily trap moisture and dirt.
Check out some more tips, provided by the pet food company Hill’s, on how to clean your dog’s ears here.
Selecting Dogs to Breed
Based on the information in this article, choosing the right breed of dog requires much information—the history of male and female dogs, their breed types, and possible medical concerns.
Small Dogs
This article provides a “comprehensive list of most popular small dogs” in alphabetical order. This list contains information about each small breed’s physical description, health issues linked to the breed, historical details, and information about how easy it is to train the breed, and other related information.
Causes and Prevention of Roundworms in Dogs
Based on this article, roundworms are the most common infections found in pet dogs. The piece includes information about the causes and prevention, signs and symptoms, tests, diagnoses, and treatments of this health problem.
Check out some more information about how you can deal with roundworms here.
Norwich Terrier Dog Breed
Based on this piece, the “Norwich remains more sociable and agreeable than many terrier breeds, although it retains its feistiness and “full of itself” attitude.” The article provides necessary information about the breed, including its size, grooming requirements, and exercise needs.
Continue reading the Norwich Terrier piece, and you will soon know that “by the 1880s, owning a small ratting terrier was fashionable among students attending Cambridge University [in the United Kingdom], and the Norwich Terrier became their unofficial school mascot” (Source).
In the End, What Happened to PetWave.com?
It looks like PetWave.com was last updated in 2017. In a quest to find out what happened to the site, we visited its social media pages. We discovered that its Twitter handle @PetWave was last updated on September 14, 2017. This is the rough timeframe for when the site likely went dormant.
PetWave.com was available on the Internet until around May 2019 when it started to display “HTTP Error 503,” indicating that the service is not available.
