Everyone is familiar with the popular stereotype of an elderly “cat lady” who has far too many pets. However, many don’t realize that animal hoarding is a serious psychological condition with no known treatment or cure, which affects thousands of families and millions of animals nationwide, every year. Little is known or understood about the dynamics of animal hoarding or the motivations behind it. What is animal hoarding? Animal hoarding is defined as “the over accumulation of and often obsession with domestic pets.” Common traits of animal hoarding include, taking in pets that one is physically or monetarily unable to care […]
Happier Times
Many pet owners struggle with the thought of leaving their pets in a boarding facility when vacation time rolls around. If you fall into this category, consider having a pet sitter come to your home. This is a great solution for you and your pet, but there are some things to know and consider before having a pet sitter come into your home. There are many benefits of having a professional pet sitter come to your home. You don’t have the inconvenience or stress of having to transport your pet to and from the boarding facility. Your pet gets to […]
We love our pets and we want the best for them. We take them to the vet, we watch what they eat, and we exercise them, but what about vitamins and supplements? The short answer to whether we should provide our pets with additional supplements is, “that depends.” According to the FDA (http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/Products/AnimalFoodFeeds/PetFood/UCM2006475), most pets receive an appropriate amount of vitamins and supplements in commercially produced pet food that is species specific. However, many pets can benefit from additional vitamins and supplements, particularly if they are senior animals, have a chronic disease, are health compromised, are a working animal (rescue, […]
Given the rising costs of veterinary care, more owners are purchasing health insurance policies for their pets than ever before. Buying health insurance for your pet is a lot like buying health insurance for yourself; there are many companies offering different plans. There are many things to consider when purchasing an insurance policy for your pet. First, what exactly does the plan cover? Some plans will only cover expenses incurred in case of an accident, but most will cover illness as well as accidents. A few will also cover well-pet care such as exams, vaccines, and spaying and neutering. Be […]
Walking and hiking with your pet can be a great form of exercise and socialization for you and your dog. Many people decide to get a dog so they will have a walking or hiking buddy; it can be a great incentive for getting out and enjoying some fresh air. It can also be a great socialization tool for both you and your dog. Your dog gets used to meeting new people and other dogs and you will most likely make some new acquaintances yourself. Dogs are great icebreakers! Often people are more likely to approach someone who has a […]
More and more communities are providing dog parks, where dog owners can take their pets to run off-leash. There are more than 600 designated off-leash areas in the US. Most provide fenced areas, but some are open and designated as off-leash areas. Most coastal cities and recreational areas have at least one dog beach. A typical dog park has a double-gated entrance and exit to prevent dogs that are already in the park from escaping when a new dog is entering the park. There may be separate areas for large and small dogs. There should be water available, plenty of […]
By some estimates, there are about 165 million dogs and cats in American households today compared to about 61 million dogs and cats 30 years ago. Coupled with this fact is the reality that the entire American family, children and adults, now have more demands on their time than ever before. This leaves less time to walk the family dog. This is where a relatively new industry, “professional dog walking” has developed to fill this demand. This article discusses key points about professional dog walkers and offers information on what to look for when choosing a professional dog walker. One […]
Basic obedience training is a very important part of being a responsible pet owner. Every year, many pets end up in shelters because their owners didn’t take the time to teach them basic obedience and house manners. By spending a few minutes a day, you can turn your dog into a well-behaved companion. This article will give some simple tips on teaching your pet the most important obedience commands and basic house manners. First, I’d like to clear up a misconception many people have about crate training. Contrary to what some people believe, training a dog to use a crate […]
When most people think of exercising with their pet, they automatically think of walking and/or running. While these are great activities to do with your pet on a daily basis, there are other fun activities that you can share with your pet that can provide not only physical exercise, but mental exercise as well. Agility Dog agility is a popular competitive sport in which you direct your dog to run through an obstacle course. One dog at a time runs the course and the dog with the fastest time and fewest penalties wins. Many communities have agility clubs where you […]
We love our pets and many of us love spoiling our pets with treats and human food. It’s good to give our pets treats sometimes, it can help clean their teeth and depending on the treats, it can provide extra nutrients. But, it’s never good to give our pets human food or to feed our pets too many treats too often. This article will clear up some common misconceptions about our pets and their weight and offer some suggestions on what to do if you are living with an overweight pet. Some scientists estimate that between 25 and 40% of […]