Fear Free Happy Homes
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: < 1 minutes Download this infographic that’s packed with tips on how to make your Halloween Fear Free for both you and your pet.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Fear and stress play important roles in the ability to function, for humans and dogs. Fear, for instance, helps to protect from danger. Stress aids in reacting to and learning from threats and improves memory. Too much fear, stress and anxiety isn’t healthy, though. Excess stress and anxiety affect the immune system, negatively influencing both […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Communication is key to any relationship, and conflicts arise when we misunderstand a message. We can usually decipher a person’s emotional disposition by expression and body language, but cats are mysterious and wear a poker face so their emotions aren’t as easily read. Most humans aren’t adept at reading a cat’s normal behavior when dealing […]
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: 2 minutes Are you helping or hurting your pet by providing comfort? You may have heard that comforting a pet when he’s frightened is the wrong thing to do because it “reinforces” that he’s right to be fearful. I’m here to share the good news with you that this concept isn’t correct. Here’s what to know about […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sound-sensitive dogs benefit from training that conditions a calmer response to perceived noises outside their natural comfort zone. Here’s how to get started. Prep your pooch with positive exposure to sounds. Exposure for exposure’s sake can backfire and increase fear in the future, especially if the dog is forced to face the scary sound scenario […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Cats are more adaptable than you might think, and quite a few of them will tolerate a few minutes in a fun collar or costume for you to post on Facebook or Instagram.
Reading Time: 3 minutes For many pets, there is no escaping Halloween. Each year, people dole out more than $370 million in pet costumes so that their four-leggers can join them in celebrating this bewitching holiday, according to the National Retail Federation. This begs the question: do dogs and cats view donning costumes as a welcoming treat or a […]
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 […]