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Activities & Enrichment Dogs Life at Home

Backyard Bliss: How to Make Outdoor Time Safe, Enriching, and Fear Free for Your Dog

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Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s something magical about summer with your dog. From sun-drenched play sessions and long walks to lazy afternoons lounging in the yard. But your outdoor space can be so much more than just a place to potty or sunbathe. With a few simple shifts, it can become a haven of enrichment, joy, and connection for […]

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Activities & Enrichment Cats Fears & Anxieties Life at Home New Pets

 From Bored to Balanced: How Cat Enrichment and Catios Can Reduce Feline Fear and Stress

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Reading Time: 5 minutes What Is Cat Enrichment and Why It Matters Imagine living in the same room every day with nothing new to explore, no puzzles to solve, no games to play, and no fresh air or sunshine to enjoy. It wouldn’t take long before boredom set in—and for our cats, that boredom can quickly spiral into stress, […]

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Cats Dogs Travel & Safety

Pet Emergency Preparedness: 10 Most Essential Items for Traveling with Your Pet

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Reading Time: 2 minutes Pet Emergency Preparedness: 10 Most Essential Items for Traveling with Your Pet Whether it’s a natural disaster, an unexpected event, or just the unpredictability of life, having an emergency kit for your furry friend can be a lifesaver. Here are 10 essential items to include in your pet’s emergency kit: 1. Food and Water: Store […]

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Shelters & Fostering

Photographer’s Innovative Idea to Help Shelter Pets Goes Viral

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Reading Time: 4 minutes Florida photographer Adam Goldberg knows that a picture not only “paints a thousand words” – a good photo can help a shelter pet get adopted. Since 2016, the professional photographer has volunteered his services once a month at the nonprofit Humane Society of Tampa Bay. He spends time photographing dogs, cats, rabbits, and “pocket pets” […]

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Cats Dogs Training & Grooming Travel & Safety

Help Pets Adapt to Hearing Loss

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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

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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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Cats Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home Travel & Safety

Minimizing Fear, Anxiety & Stress for Your Vision-Impaired Pet

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Reading Time: 5 minutes While I hate exercising in general, walking our Poodle mix Dorie around our neighborhood is a pleasure because I love seeing all of her senses engaged. She’s sniffing the air, sniffing the ground, holding her cottony tail high, and like the Terminator, constantly scanning for enemies. Squirrels and grackles both incite Dorie’s wrath, but by […]

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Birds New Pets

Thinking of Getting Backyard Chickens? Don’t Wing It

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Reading Time: 3 minutes Recognizing the emotional and physical needs of chickens reduces stress for them and you.

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Cats Dogs Holidays

New Year’s Eve Is a Blast, But Not for Pets: How to Keep Them Safe

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Reading Time: < 1 minutes The celebration of the old year winding down and the new year beginning can be rowdy and raucous. That’s fun for people but can cause fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. But you can still enjoy a swinging New Year’s Eve while keeping furry family members calm and happy. Follow the tips in this handout […]

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Dogs New Pets

Size Matters! How to Safely Introduce Big and Little Dogs

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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 […]