It absolutely can. So in the 70s and 80s, we were noticing an increase in dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs that typically was a result of a lack of taurine in their diet, and we've actually seen a resurgence of that disease in the past 10 to 20 years as grain-free diets have become more popular. A lot of the grain-free diets don't add in that taurine. It's an amino acid that is very common in grains, and if we're using a grain-free diet, we're not getting those grains. We need to replenish that taurine somehow.

Cardiomyopathy is a blanket term for a problem in the muscle of the heart, so cardiomyopathy is a problem in the heart muscle, and that can arise from a number of causes.

A heart murmur is really just a sound. It's an abnormal sound between the first and second, the lub-dub of the heart. Typically, it sounds like rushing water, various volumes, so we'll describe it as a grade one to six, grade one being very quiet, grade six being fairly loud.

Most commonly, we see two forms of heart enlargement, one due to a leaky valve, the mitral valve, typically, that we call hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The other is dilated cardiomyopathy, which we typically recognize as dietary in origin.

Spaying or neutering can sometimes help with specific behavioral issues, but it's not a cure-all. Additional measures, like specific training or medication, are usually required to fully resolve the problem.

Socialization is paramount. Your dog should ideally meet 100 people and 100 dogs by the time they're 16 weeks old. If you adopt an older dog, you'll have more work to do, but starting as soon as possible and exposing them to different situations, people, and dogs is the best approach.

I would recommend seeking professional help as soon as you notice any issues. The sooner we address problems like aggression, mounting, inappropriate urination, defecation, or destructive behavior, the less likely they are to become lifelong problems.

Usually, behavioral problems do not resolve themselves. If there's an underlying behavioral issue, it typically needs to be addressed, whether it's fear, anxiety, or a medical condition.

In our experience, we do see more behavioral issues with certain breeds such as German Shepherds, Australian Shepherds, and Australian Blue Heeler-type dogs. These dogs often develop behavioral issues due to fear or boredom, and without proper training and activities early on, they may develop behavioral problems.

It's crucial to intervene early on because this is the time when we can effectively teach the dog new behaviors and help them cope better. Once this window of opportunity closes, it becomes much more challenging to modify their behavior.