Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 5 minutes Being a show dog is the canine equivalent of entering beauty contests. There are many levels to work through. Getting to Westminster (which has been postponed this year due to the pandemic), the National Dog Show, or one of the other large benched shows is like being in the finals for Miss America! The road […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes A gray tuxedo cat named Roger is jumping through hoops to spread cheer during the pandemic. The Scottsdale, Arizona-based therapy cat normally enjoys hands-on attention from hospice patients of Hospice of the Valley, kids at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, students at Arizona State University, and visitors to the Scottsdale Public Library. Of course, the coronavirus pandemic […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes I’d just taken my senior Poodle, Peach, outside to potty. Instead of doing her business, she stood blinking at me, shivering a bit in the cold despite her little sweater. I kept the sliding door open in case she changed her mind, and sat down to eat lunch. Peach squatted next to my chair and […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes So you’re thinking of adding a kitten to your menagerie. The little voice in your head tells you it will make your family complete. Or an orphan shows up on your doorstep with saucer eyes and a fluffy coat, begging for a handout. Introducing the newbie to your existing crew requires patience and caution. Keep […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Most dogs love snow, the exceptions being some small dogs and dogs without much haircoat. That said, throw a jacket and some booties on them and even dogs such as German Shorthaired Pointers love to skijor and sled. Here are some ideas for winter fun with your dog. Backyard Play The best snow for dogs […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s an all-too-common sight (particularly in large urban areas) to see dogs outside businesses with their leashes tied around bike racks or no-parking signs while their people are inside buying a doughnut or picking up their dry cleaning or even grocery shopping. People who tote their dog to the store and then tie the dog […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Tricks are perfect for puppies. They’ll help your puppy learn to pay attention to words, and to you; they’ll demonstrate the joys of cracking a joke and making people laugh; they can reinforce training; make for a better partnership; instill confidence in a new puppy; and give you, the human partner, a chance to show […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Road traffic accidents happen. Whether it’s a minor fender bender or something more serious, if your pet is in the vehicle, you will have to assist them and keep them calm until other help arrives. Ensuring pets are restrained will help to minimize injuries and possibly reduce the severity of the situation. Here’s what you […]
Reading Time: 5 minutes Clicker training techniques allow us to communicate with our animals using positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement (which you may sometimes see abbreviated as +R) is one of the quadrants of learning. It involves adding something desirable to the interaction to increase the likelihood that an animal will repeat a behavior. To enhance its benefits, positive reinforcement […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes You may or may not remember the hit song Tony Orlando sang way back in 1970 called “Knock Three Times.” He was clearly singing about cats who find their way under car hoods. Before starting your engine in the morning, knock three times on the car hood. When it’s very cold outside, cats find warmth […]