Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Holidays are family time, whether you celebrate Christmas, Yuletide, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, or any other special celebration. Since dogs are part of the family, we want to include them. But along with the pleasures of holiday decorations and visiting guests come mounting stresses for humans as well as pets. Here are some ways, gathered […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes We recognize that veterinarians make positive differences in the lives of our cats and dogs. But veterinary practices couldn’t function as efficiently or effectively without the expertise of compassionate veterinary technicians. To recognize their contributions, the third week of October each year celebrates National Veterinary Technician Week. In another life, I worked as a vet […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Recently, Oklahoma approved “medical marijuana” for people. I live in neighboring Texas, and the news has prompted debate not only over the purported benefits for humans, but also for our pets. Besides the potential for physical benefits, it’s thought that these products may help anxious and fearful pets during veterinary visits or other scary, angst-producing […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Last fall, my husband and I lost our 11-year-old German Shepherd Magical-Dawg in September, and Seren-Kitty in December just shy of her 22nd birthday. The sadness ambushed our emotions for weeks and months. It also haunted Karma-Kat, and he slept with Magic’s collar for a week between bouts of crying, increased clawing, and other attention-seeking […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Be Kind to Animals Week is a wonderful time to figuratively walk a mile in your dog’s paws. While it’s a given that dog lovers treat canine companions with compassion every day of the year, during this special celebration, taking stock of what your dog wants out of life can offer insight to keep his […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Whether you share your pillow with a kitty or care for feral, stray, or community cats, Be Kind to Animals Week is a great time to consider what that means for cats. We love our cats all year long, but sometimes we lose sight of what cats actually want out of life. Channel your “inner […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes You’ve noticed your dog hates hats. As in people wearing them. What’s going on? Has he become a fashion critic? We take for granted our dogs’ incredibly acute senses of smell and hearing. But dogs also rely on vision to navigate their world. Depending on their breed, age, and the circumstances around the headgear, dogs […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes You’ve had the most wonderful vacation ever, and you can’t wait to get home to the fur kids. But your cat’s vacation angst makes her want nothing to do with you. She even *gasp* pees and poops outside the box to get back at you. It’s obvious Kitty is mad because you abandoned her. Or […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Does your dog whine, wiggle, and wet whenever you come home? That could be excitement related or even fear related to your homecomings. Of course, you don’t want your dog to be scared, but the wet floor ratchets up your stress levels, too. What does it mean, and what’s a caring pet parent to do? […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Congratulations! Your hard work has paid off, and Kitty no longer fears the carrier and handles the car ride with almost no signs of fear, anxiety or stress. Kitty purrs and cheek-bonks the veterinary technicians and barely notices the doctor’s exam through all the petting and tasty treats. But as soon as you get home, […]