Adopting? How to Choose the Right Furry Family Member for Your Family
The ASPCA estimates there are approximately 6.5 million pets in shelters across the country. Many of these animals are great pets, but their families gave them up for a variety of reasons, including death or illness of a caregiver.
Because there are so many worthy animals waiting for their furever homes, it makes sense to adopt.
5 Exercises for Sedentary Cats
If you laugh at the idea of getting your couch potato kitty into an exercise routine, consider this: an overweight kitty is at risk for serious health issues. In fact, excess weight increases your kitty’s propensity toward diabetes, joint disease, and even urinary tract problems.
Canine Sports: Dock Diving is Making a Big Splash
Does your dog love the water? Does he or she have a special toy they will do anything to retrieve? Do they have a strong play drive? If so, then the canine sport of dock diving or dock jumping may be for you.
Any breed, including mixes, and any size of dog can compete as long as they are six months old, healthy, and the love water! Dogs compete for distance, leaping for height and swimming for speed.
What Goes in Your Pet First Aid Kit?
You don’t have to be a Scout to know that being prepared for an emergency is a smart idea. After all, you probably have bandages, topical ointments, and other items for human first aid needs. Why not prepare something similar for your pets?
How to Recognize a Pet Emergency
Some emergencies are obvious, such as if your dog or cat has stopped breathing or is bleeding profusely. In those cases, of course, you’ll call the emergency vet.
How to Give Your Dog a Pill
If you’re like most pet parents, you have struggled to give your dog a pill at some point. With a little advice and patience, you will be a pro in no time.
Some medications are flavored, which means that you can just throw it down in the food bowl and most dogs will gobble it up - no problem. However, there are a lot of medications that aren’t flavored. Some even have a bitter taste and need to be disguised with something yummy to help your dog swallow it.
Tips for Fun (and Safety) at the Dog Park
Now that the long winter is finally over, the dog parks are coming alive with the sounds of frolicking pups. For many dogs, these off-leash parks are an important part of sociability, not to mention exercise.
Why Cat DeClawing is Not a Good Idea
You've probably watched your cat stretch his paws wide, extend those claws, and yes, even sharpen them on your door frame or furniture. It’s instinctual.
If this is an ongoing issue, and your cat has chosen your furniture as the scratching post of choice, you might wonder if cat declawing is a good idea.