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Birds Other

Birding Beats Anxiety, Brings Peace, in a Chaotic World

Article

Reading Time: 5 minutes I’ve always found nature to be healing and restorative. On the first day of my journey to becoming a birder, I had headed to the woods, early, in search of peace from the anxiety that haunted me. As I stepped out of my car I was hit with a wall of harmonious chatters, various bird […]

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Dogs Life at Home Other

Study Finds Dogs Judge Human Competence

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes For 13 years, my dog Rio has loved catching treats I toss him. That food-motivated Lab mix excels at watching a piece of kibble fly through the air toward his face and snatching it with his mouth mid-flight. Occasionally my throw is off, and the treat will hit the top of his head or land […]

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Cats Dogs Fears & Anxieties Other Veterinary Care

Fear Free Injection Training for Your Diabetic Pet

Article

Reading Time: 5 minutes When you’re the pet parent of a diabetic pet, the last thing you want is to have them associate their insulin injections with something scary. Some diabetic pets will need insulin every 12 hours for the rest of their lives, and if they don’t get their injections regularly because they’re hiding or trying to bite, […]

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Activities & Enrichment Equines Other

Best Way to House Horses? It’s Not What You Think

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Go to a boarding stable with a variety of housing options for horses and you’ll see that box stalls are the most expensive choice. Many horse owners think a 12×12 walled enclosure is the best way to keep their equine companions, putting box stalls in high demand. They believe box stalls are the best home […]

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Equines Other

Breathe Easy: Recognizing and Treating Equine Asthma

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Horses with asthma have trouble breathing, just like their human counterparts. This is caused by inflammation and narrowing in the horse’s lower airway and is usually triggered by an allergic reaction to dust or mold found in hay and bedding. Since wild horses rarely come into contact with these elements, this condition is considered a […]

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Activities & Enrichment Equines Other

Scent Games for Horses Are Fun and Useful

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Your horse forcefully nudges your jacket pocket. What does he want? Oh, right, you put a handful of peppermint candies in it last night when you were leaving the restaurant. Sniffing them out is a pretty good feat for that long muzzle. While the vision and hearing of horses has been studied thoroughly, the equine […]

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Birds Other Travel & Safety

Teaching Birds to Travel Stress-Free

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Like many pets, birds aren’t always fans of visiting the veterinarian. Part of that is likely because they aren’t used to riding in a car. Most avian companions rarely travel outside of the home. This means travel may have the potential to be challenging. Training your bird in advance for transportation can give you peace […]

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Birds Cats Dogs Equines Fears & Anxieties Other Uncategorized

Lives Regained at Pet-Friendly Domestic Violence Shelter

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes When people don’t leave situations of domestic violence, it’s often because they fear for the welfare of their pets. Only 10 percent of shelters for victims of domestic violence have facilities that can accept pets as well as people, so women stay rather than risk harm coming to their pets. A 2021 report from the […]

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Equines Fears & Anxieties Other Training & Grooming

Tricks and Treats Help Horses Gain Courage

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes When a horse becomes part of your life, it is important to help him learn to deal with changes and unusual interactions without fear.

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Birds Other Training & Grooming

Scale Training Parrots Can Save Their Lives

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes What simple behavior could save your parrot’s life? Scale training! Sounds silly but getting and recording regular weights on your parrot can be a life saver. One of the things we know about parrots is that they have a tendency to mask signs of illness. The theory behind this is that in the wild, a […]