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Dogs Life at Home

When You Must Rehome Your Dog: What to Do

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes What would you do if you had to give up the dog you purchased from a breeder? Hint Number One: Forget leaving the dog at a shelter or asking a veterinarian to euthanize him. Hint Number Two: Contact the breeder first. We talked to some conscientious breeders about loving ways owners can find a new […]

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Dogs Life at Home New Pets Shelters & Fostering

Adopting a Dog from a Foreign Country? Here’s What to Know

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Reading Time: 5 minutes In August of 2018, I adopted a rescued Sheltie puppy from Korea. He was so thin the rescue group thought he was only 3 or 4 months old, but my veterinarian determined that he was older because he had his adult teeth. I have learned so much since I adopted my dog, and I’d like […]

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Dogs Life at Home New Pets Shelters & Fostering

Illinois Passes Kennel Fire Safety Bill

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Reading Time: 3 minutes After 31 dogs died in a kennel fire at Bully Life Animal Services in in suburban West Chicago, Illinois, I thought to myself, ‘This can’t ever happen again.’ The facility had fire alarms, but as smart as dogs are, they can’t phone the fire department. The kennel trainer/caretaker had left to run an errand. The […]

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Dogs Life at Home

What Can DNA Kits Reveal About Your Dog?

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Canine DNA tests can be a fun and interesting tool for learning more about your favorite pooch but they’re not useful for making medical diagnoses or decisions about treatment. Here’s what to know about them. Ancestry DNA kits have become a popular way for people to fill gaps in their ancestral background and possibly learn […]

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Activities & Enrichment Cats Dogs Life at Home Other Travel & Safety

Design Safe and Welcoming Outdoor Spaces for Pets and People

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Reading Time: 3 minutes The best outdoor spaces are designed with the same care as indoor spaces. As extensions of living areas, yards and gardens should be safe and enjoyable for all family members, including pets. Here’s how to create outdoor spaces that everyone can love. Outdoor Access Dogs usually have access to outdoor areas. What about cats? Experts […]

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Cats Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home Other

Boom, Bang, and Other Noises That Freak Out Pets

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Kristen Levine was on a quest to help her dog, Chilly, during fireworks season and thunderstorms. “The sound of fireworks would send him into a state of panic, and he would leave claw marks on my closet door and pull my dresses right off of the hangers to make himself a pile of clothes to […]

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Activities & Enrichment Dogs Training & Grooming Travel & Safety

How to Have a Happy Canine Coworker

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Taking your dog to the office tomorrow? Some people are lucky enough to work for companies with dog-friendly office environments where well-behaved furry friends are welcome companions and coworkers. For everyone else, Take Your Dog to Work Day is an appreciated and highly anticipated opportunity to share workspace with canine companions. Whether your dog has […]

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Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home

How Your Dog’s Fear Affects Your Own Emotions

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Reading Time: 3 minutes It had been a long day, working with cases back to back of dogs displaying significant fear. One client was angry. Two were in tears. And one couple bickered constantly about the severity of the dog’s problem. As a professional dog trainer, I help dogs overcome fear. But it’s not just the dogs dealing with […]

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Cats Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home Veterinary Care

How to Cope When You Hear the “C” Word

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Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s a sad fact that roughly six million dogs and a similar number of cats are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, according to the Animal Cancer Foundation. No animal lover wants to hear the dreaded “C” word, but many of us have or will. Colorado resident Britton Slagle knows the pain […]

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Activities & Enrichment Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home New Pets Training & Grooming

Puppy Socialization: Does it mean what you think it means?

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anxious puppy

Reading Time: 3 minutes What is the most critical period of your puppy’s life? It’s not her first snowfall, the day you met, or the first time she sits when you ask her to. It’s the time between roughly 3 and 14 weeks known as the “socialization period.” Pet owners often ask what’s so important about this time. They […]