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Dogs Veterinary Care

Doggie Orthodontics: Fixing Canine Canines

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes An adopted Chihuahua-Pomeranian puppy named Brandy quickly settled into her new forever home, but her owner noticed she was having difficulty chewing her food. A closer look revealed that Brandy’s teeth were so crooked that they were cutting into her gums every time she tried to chew her food. We all know how much dogs […]

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Cats

Is That Cat Naked?

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Hairless cats may sound like the perfect solution for allergic cat lovers, but while they are often thought to be hypoallergenic, they’re not. Allergies aren’t to fur but most often to cat dander (dead skin cells) or saliva after a cat bathes himself. But if their minimalist style appeals to you, spend time with a […]

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Cats Travel & Safety

Can Your Cat Safely Chase, Kill, or Eat Insects?

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Insects, from your cat’s point of view, are a great opportunity for a lively chase and hunt. Crawling insects can keep a cat entranced for hours, or minutes, if the cat decides to pounce and eat. If the bug has wings – even better. I’ve seen my cats gleefully leap, catch, and swallow countless flies. […]

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Life at Home

Gone-Away Blues: Help Pets Adjust to Family Absences

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes No one sent an email to pets explaining, “Everything is about to change; there’s a pandemic and your people with be home 24/7.” Some pets took a while to adjust to their new normal, while dogs who may have been walked more often and cats who could sit in laps more often relished this new […]

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Dogs Travel & Safety

Every Which Way but Loose: 7 Reasons to Keep Your Dog on Leash

Article

Reading Time: 2 minutes A worrisome trend that began during the pandemic is that more people are walking dogs off leash, even in crowded urban areas.  There are lots of concerns regarding this craze, but safety is number one. Here are seven reasons to keep dogs on a leash: Safety First: It’s true that dogs can learn to navigate […]

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Cats Training & Grooming

Cats Need to Scratch. Here’s How to Help Them Do It Right

Article

Reading Time: < 1 minutes Scratching is a normal, natural behavior that has important benefits for cats.

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Cats Training & Grooming

From Hiss to Kiss: Helping Feral Kittens Blossom

Article

Reading Time: 5 minutes Tara, the farm manager, discovered them on the edge of the herb farm’s property, under the porch of the shuttered farm store. After feeding the two hungry and scared kittens for a week, Tara was able to grab them. They hissed, scratched, and bit her, but she got them into a carrier and brought them […]

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Activities & Enrichment Dogs Travel & Safety

5 Signs You Need to Leave the Dog Park

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Bring up the subject of dog parks to a group of dog trainers and watch their heads explode. You’ll get a slew of opinions, most unfavorable. While I confess I have occasionally rolled my eyes at the topic, I don’t hate dog parks. They can be a good place for some dogs to run off […]

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Cats Veterinary Care

Your Cat’s a Star! How Taking Video at Home Can Help Diagnose a Common Ailment

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re like me, sharing your home with a cat is an enriching, rewarding experience. My cat is a 5-year-old Calico named Trinity. She earned her name because she came to me as an 8-week-old stray with a badly injured right rear leg that had to be amputated. I decided to adopt her and help […]

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Birds Training & Grooming

Living With Birds: Building Trust Through Training

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes After a few days of quiet adjustment, your bird is ready to become a part of your life. Your first interactions with your new bird are extremely important, because they set the tone for the kind of relationship you’ll have for life. You need to assure your new bird that you’re a wonderful, kind, and […]