Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 3 minutes With the fall season, the family dog may suddenly be reduced from full-time companionship with his favorite person or people to being home alone for at least part of the day. Our family went through this with my kids’ personal dogs both for regular school and then when they went off to college. This may […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes The most asked question when it comes to bringing home a new puppy or dog is how to housetrain. In all honesty, most housetraining accidents are more human error than dog error. Someone wasn’t watching the dog. Someone didn’t take the dog out after she woke up from a nap. Someone didn’t take the dog […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes If your dog has land to ramble, there’s a good chance he’ll encounter a skunk. City dogs aren’t immune, since wildlife often ignores property boundaries to have babies under your front porch. It’s understandable when clueless dogs get skunked during a close encounter of the stinky kind. But why do they repeat the dirty deed […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes You’ve just brought your new dog or puppy home. It’s been a big day and it’s time to give everyone a break. After all, there’s dinner to prepare for the humans, laundry to do, errands to run, and your favorite TV show comes on at 8, but don’t forget about that new dog. A dog […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes For many cat owners, redwood would be a good choice when selecting living room furniture. While we all bemoan that rip-rip sound of claws on fabric just as we’re dozing off at night, we can’t change the fact that nature intended cats to have claws. The act of scratching serves a number of purposes for […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Roll over is a classic trick that is always a crowd pleaser! This is a more challenging trick, especially for dogs with narrow bodies. Your dog will have to utilize his core muscles to complete the move. That’s good exercise for him. Because of poor coordination on my part, I don’t usually use a clicker […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes A frenzied flight to a hiding place is a common feline response to the unearthing of a carrier for an imminent trip to the veterinarian. If it weren’t so sad and serious for the cat, we humans might view cat carrier follies as humorous. But the reality is far from entertaining when it comes to […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Who’s a good boy or girl? Your pet, we hope, when visiting your friends or family. Whether you’re bringing Reggie or Ravenna to a friend’s home for a couple of hours or to a relative’s home for a week-long stay, your pet’s behavior will determine whether his presence is considered delightful or destructive. Here are […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Despite reputations for being aloof, many cats like to ham it up by performing tricks before an audience. I know firsthand as Casey, my orange tabby, feels right at home in the spotlight. That spotlight can be before students in my pet first aid classes where he happily volunteers to be toweled, have his pulse […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Shake is a fun and easy trick to teach your dog. It also has some practical benefits beyond looking cute when she offers a paw to someone she’s met. For one, it accustoms her to having her paws touched, which can come in handy at the veterinarian or groomer. Start with your dog in a […]