All Blog Posts (41)

More often than not, it’s the pet parent who needs training, not the pet.

I inadvertently taught my lab to jump on guests by saying“down, down!” and then giving him a treat when he stopped jumping. In his mind, “jump, down, treat” has been forever linked as the pattern that…

Do you have a plan for your pets in case you are faced with a disaster?  FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)offers tips for dealing with a disaster as a pet parent.  If you have faced a disaster that involved your pets,…

Are dogs and cats part of your holiday shopping list? Our furry fmaily members (and those who love them!) may have just about everything they need, so consider donating to your favorite pet charity in their name. Donate through PetsUSA to help pets without parents. 100% of proceeds will go to pets looking for parents this holiday…

What happened to the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's property in 2007? Forty seven out of 51 were rescued and rehabilitated, many of them living with families and a couple even becoming therapy dogs.

The $1 million fine paid by Vick funded their care and rehab. Some remain frightened and scared, but are being cared for at a pet sanctuary. Most have forgiven, if not forgotten, Michael…

Please help spread the word about the Association for Americans who Recognize Pets are Family (AARPF!) www.PetsUSA.org The first group to get 100 new people to sign up will win $100!!…

Dogs are being trained as lifeguards in Italy and have already been credited with saving lifes. Working with their human partners, these "lifedogs" wear a harness or tow a buoy that victims can grab, or a raft they can sit on to be towed back to shore, and unlike their human counterparts, they can easily jump from helicopters and speeding boats to reach swimmers in trouble. Read more and check out the…

In a survey, 94% described their relationship with their dog as "close" but only 87% described their relationship with their mother as "close".

Do you recognize pets as part of your family? Do you feel close to your pet? Join the AARPF (Association of Americans who Recognize Pets are Family)…

Is it ok to give table scraps to pets? There are as many answers to this question as there are food groups. For instance, I give my dogs carrots sometimes instead of treats. But others say absolutely no “people food.”…

I didn't know it until my dog was in extreme pain, but she had all the classic symptoms of arthritis for months...withdrawn, less social (hiding under the bed) and even losing weight (the last one wan't alarming because she needed to shed a pound or two.) It wasn't until she was in extreme pain and was diagnosed by the vet with arthritis (at only 6 human years old) that I realized I missed the important signals. Now we are looking for effective treatments to get her back to her old self.…

The Postal Service started selling pet postage - "Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet" stamps. Their motto: "Because Shelter Pets Deserve a First-Class Meal."

The 44-cent stamps feature photos of five cats and five dogs who were all adopted from shelters and proceeds go to homeless pets. Buy them from your local post office or…