In today's issue:

-Meet our adoptable dog of the day

-Enjoy a laugh with our dog meme of the day

-Get great information in our featured article

-Take our action of the week

-Check out our family photo of the day

Join our Facebook group - Post Your Pooch!

Are you paying too much for your car insurance?

Insurance rates have climbed, and if you haven't compared recently, there's a good chance you're overpaying. Insurify lets you see real quotes from top carriers in minutes, so you know exactly where you stand. Just enter your car make and ZIP code to instantly pull up rates side by side. No phone calls, no agents, no fees — just a fast, clear look at what's available in your area. Drivers are finding rates starting as low as $39/month. The only way to know is to look.

See Rates on Insurify

Why Your Dog’s Eyes Glow in Photos

Have you ever taken a late-night flash photo of your dog, only to find that instead of their usual sweet, soulful expression, you’ve captured a tiny glowing alien? One second you're trying to snap a picture of them cozying up on the couch, and the next, their eyes are reflecting bright green, yellow, or blue back at the camera lens.

There's a reason our pups look like ghostly little figures in our flash photography. (Don't worry, it's not paranormal.)

The Secret Behind the Glow: The Tapetum Lucidum

The secret behind those luminous eyes comes down to a special layer of tissue located right behind your dog’s retina called the tapetum lucidum (Latin for "shining layer").

Think of the tapetum lucidum as a built-in mirror. When light enters your dog's eye, it passes through the retina so their brain can process the image. Any light that doesn't get absorbed initially hits this mirror-like layer and bounces right back through the retina a second time.

This double exposure gives their eyes another opportunity to register light, dramatically improving their ability to see in the dark.

Fun Fact: While humans rely heavily on daylight vision and lack a tapetum lucidum, dogs inherited this trait from their wild ancestors, who needed an extra edge while hunting during dusk and dawn!

Why Is the Glow So Bright in Photos?

When you take a photo with a flash in low light, your dog's pupils are fully dilated to let in as much ambient light as possible. The camera flash travels into their eye, strikes the reflective tapetum lucidum, and reflects straight back into the camera lens faster than their pupils can constrict.

Because the light bounces off that reflective layer inside the eye, you get a bright, dramatic shine—similar to road signs reflecting your car's headlights at night.

A Rainbow of Eye Shine

Have you ever noticed that different dogs glow in different colors? The exact hue depends on the unique makeup of your dog’s eyes!

• Green or Yellow: The most common reflection, typically found in breeds with dark fur and dark eyes.
• Blue or Violet: Frequently seen in younger puppies or dogs with lighter coat colors.
• Red or Pink: Some dogs—especially blue-eyed breeds like Siberian Huskies or dogs with albino/merle traits—lack a tapetum lucidum entirely or have less pigmentation. In these pups, the light reflects off the blood vessels in the back of the eye, giving them a "red-eye" effect similar to humans!

Tips for Capturing Their Sweet Eyes Without the Flash

While the "laser-eye" look makes for a funny photo memory, you probably prefer capturing your dog’s natural eyes. Here are a few quick tips for photo night:

1. Turn Off the Flash: Use ambient room lighting or position your pup near a lamp or window.
2. Angle the Shot: Try shooting slightly from the side rather than head-on so the light doesn't bounce straight back into the lens.
3. Use Night Mode: Most modern smartphone cameras have impressive low-light settings that brighten photos naturally without needing a harsh pop of flash.

Dog Food and Supplement Recalls

Here are the recent recalls and advisories:

• FI - Pet Supplements: Potential Salmonella Contamination
• Northwest Naturals - Chicken Recipe: Potential Salmonella and/or Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination
• Fromm - Wet Canned Dog Food: Potential Metal Contamination
• Oma's Pride - Canine Food: Contaminated with Salmonella

Want to help find lost pets?

Download our RoverAlert app to receive notifications of missing pets in your area.

We want to feature your pup!

We want to share your pup with our pack. Email us your favorite doggy pic or video with your pup’s name, and we'll try to feature it as a family photo in one of our upcoming newsletters or on our Facebook page.