Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 4 minutes The photo on social media shows a box of young kittens. The text says, “Kittens abandoned. Fosters needed.” You look up the rescue group and find they are local to you. Fingers poised over the keyboard, you ask yourself, should I foster? Having fostered kittens for a number of years, I’ve faced this scenario more […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes A cat, when startled by the sound of a backfiring car, dashes toward a hiding spot, running as fast as she can. A small dog, backed into a corner, snarls, showing his teeth and his willingness to protect himself. A kitten, hearing a vacuum cleaner for the first time, freezes in place. A cat or […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Creating a Fear Free environment for your cat at the veterinary clinic, groomer’s salon, or even at home begins with finding the right motivator (or two or three). Where one cat might cooperate with many indignities if she can have some chicken baby food, another will ignore the noise of a groomer’s salon if she […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Television shows and movies portray every dog and owner relationship as a wonderful, empathic, instantaneous one. A dog in the shelter takes one look at a person searching for a dog, they lock eyes, look deeply into each other’s soul, and immediately have a lifelong bond. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Just like relationships with people, […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes When training dogs, size does make a difference. Small dogs are dogs, just as Golden Retrievers and Great Danes are, and they respond to training just as their larger cousins do. However, just the fact that toy breed dogs, small spaniels and terriers, and other little dogs are diminutive in comparison means your training techniques […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s a saying often repeated by dog trainers to their students, “The leash transmits all of your emotions straight to your dog.” Whether you are worried, afraid, nervous, or confident, your dog will feel that. There’s much more to this, of course, because your dog or cat knows you so well they can sense and […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Walking one’s dog is extolled as a wonderful social opportunity; it’s fun to spend time with your canine best friend while talking to other dog owners. Plus, you can get some exercise, smell the flowers, and appreciate the sunset. While this is often true, the enjoyment will quickly evaporate if your dog suffers from leash […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Regularly walking a dog is one of the joys of dog ownership. You and your dog get outside, chat with neighbors, and get a bit of exercise. When your dog pulls on the leash, that enjoyment rapidly disappears. Why Do Dogs Pull On The Leash? Dogs pull on the leash because we’re slower than they […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many an owner of a newly adopted kitten has become concerned when the new family member is found hiding under the sofa rather than coming out to play. This is especially true if the kitten seemed bold, social, and playful at the shelter, foster’s home, or the home where she was born. The Causes of […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes You’ve had a long day and all you want to do is slide in between the sheets. As you do so, however, you feel a cold wet spot. Ugh! Your dog has urinated on your bed. Why Does This Happen? Many theories have been offered as to why some dogs urinate on their owners’ beds. […]