Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 4 minutes From the minute she was whelped and I tied a red ribbon around her neck, I knew this puppy would be my keeper. In a litter of seven black Labrador retrievers, she racked up the “firsts” in my first breeding. Miss Red was the first to respond to my presence, the first to crawl into […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes One of the biggest upsets for many pet-loving families is getting a diagnosis of cancer in their beloved dog or cat. Luckily, many advances in veterinary medicine allow pets to live longer, high-quality lives despite this diagnosis. The prognosis will vary dramatically with the type of cancer, but many pets can gain years of good […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes My grandfather and his dog, Trimmer, a Redbone Coonhound, went about their daily routine of feeding the cows. When they didn’t come home at their normal time, my uncle and a neighbor went to look for them. They found my grandfather slumped against an old oak tree where he had collapsed from a fatal heart […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Congratulations! Your hard work has paid off, and Kitty no longer fears the carrier and handles the car ride with almost no signs of fear, anxiety or stress. Kitty purrs and cheek-bonks the veterinary technicians and barely notices the doctor’s exam through all the petting and tasty treats. But as soon as you get home, […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes When the phone rings, does your cat come running? At our house, we still have a land line with a long cord, in addition to our cell phones. My Karma-Kat tries to bite through the phone cord whenever I’m in a conversation. Some cat lovers report that their kitties become aggressive around the telephone. Thankfully, most […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Each day that I took Chipper out for a walk, I launched into high-attentive mode. My husky-golden retriever mix who lived to be 14 was quite friendly to all people and even all cats. And she was extremely loyal to and tolerant of dogs in her pack of pals, but when it came to encountering […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes You’ve brought home your new car, loaded it with the things you normally carry, and you’re ready to go for a drive with your dog riding shotgun (safely secured, of course). But when you invite him to jump in, he puts on the brakes. Your faithful canine companion knew your old car. This car is […]
Reading Time: < 1 minutes In 2018 I am resolving to get more sleep. Studies show that, for a human, eight hours of sleep nightly is optimal. Less than that, and you have problems with your health, concentration, mood and weight. Getting more sleep is easier said than done, though, if you live with a cat. A cat’s sleep cycle […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Bird and butterfly watching – and even people watching — is more than an engaging pastime for cats. It gives them the mental and physical stimulation they need on a daily basis. Letting cats go outdoors on their own isn’t usually a safe option for them, but there’s an alternative for feline nature lovers: a […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes For dogs, jumping up is a normal behavior. They often licks other’s faces in greeting. Since most dogs can’t easily reach us, they leap to offer their version of a polite canine “howdy” and solicit attention. Many folks think jumping up is cute, at least when the pet is a pup. That attraction wanes when […]