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Cats Dogs Fears & Anxieties

6 Ways to Calm Your Pet’s Thunder Fears

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Summer is almost upon us! For most, warmer weather represents a joyous time to be outdoors enjoying nature with friends and family.  For some pet owners, however, it signifies the start of thunderstorm season, with resulting anxiety for furry family members. Insights from Fear Free certified professional trainers can help you lessen your pet’s fear, […]

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Dogs Training & Grooming

Headed to the Groomer? You’ve Got Homework

Article

Reading Time: 5 minutes I get about three similar calls a week. Sometimes, callers are a bit coy. “My groomer said my dog was … er, um … well, we could use some help training him to behave.” Other times, they’re up front, “My groomer gave me your number. She said my dog tried to bite her when she […]

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Cats Dogs Training & Grooming Travel & Safety

Help Pets Adapt to Hearing Loss

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Growing up, we had the cutest little black-and-white Shih Tzu named Caterpillar. He was good-natured and playful, pulling toilet paper from the roll until it unraveled and climbing on top of our board games so he could become the center of attention. As he aged, Caterpillar gradually began to lose his hearing. It was difficult […]

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Veterinary Care

Fear Free Adds to New Practice Success

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Lake City Animal Health & Wellness Center in Warsaw, Indiana, opened their new clinic in 2018 after transitioning from a small building to a large practice where they could separate the dogs from the cats because they were looking into become certified as a cat-friendly practice. However, when they began looking, they discovered the Fear […]

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Dogs Training & Grooming

There’s No Place Like…Place

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes The doorbell rang. “Rosie, Place!” I called out. Four pounds of Yorkshire Terrier energy bolted across the home office, dashed into my open bedroom door, then pivoted around to face me. Her little nubby tail wagged furiously. “Yes!” I marked, tossing a treat into the bedroom. Rosie ran to inhale it, then dashed back to […]

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Dogs Travel & Safety Veterinary Care

One Health Clinic: Revolutionizing Health Care for Unhoused Humans and Their Pets

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Relationships are at the heart of Fear Free, including the ones that are sometimes overlooked by society. “Imagine being an unhoused pet parent living in the shadows of society with a life preserver cleverly disguised as a dog or cat. You might be sick. Your pet might be sick. Or both of you,” says Fear […]

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Dogs Training & Grooming

Shorter Nails, Less Stress. How to Use a Scratchboard

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes My first dog as an adult was a Shetland Sheepdog named Sundance. I was determined to do everything right with Sundance, without the dependable net of my parents, who had done all the work with our dogs when I was growing up. I was going to love her, train her, and take care of her. […]

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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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Dogs Shelters & Fostering

Hotel for Homeless Dogs Reshapes Traditional Shelter Models

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Since enrichment is a cornerstone of the Fear Free Shelter Program, it’s always exciting to hear of creative ways shelters work to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) while providing for the physical and emotional wellbeing of animals in their care. The Hotel for Homeless Dogs is a shelter founded on the notion that reducing […]

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Dogs New Pets

Size Matters! How to Safely Introduce Big and Little Dogs

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes My 80-pound Labrador, Logan, was quivering in excitement to meet his new little brother. “Little” was not an exaggeration. My new Papillon puppy, Finian, weighed a scant 1.2 pounds. Was the size difference between the two a big deal? Yes! Planning ahead, I had prepared everything for a safe, positive introduction. I sat on the […]