Pet Health

Throughout my 30 years of life, I’ve cared for a lot of dogs. I guess you can say my parents started me young!  As a little kid, they let me help out and care for our Great Dane and Yorkshire Terrier. Then, as a pre-teen and through my teen years, I had a very active role in raising our six poodles. We became so obsessed with the breed that we actually joined our local chapter of the Poodle Club of America and worked closely with reputable breeders, groomers, trainers, show handlers, and product line developers. We learned a lot. So, by the time I entered adulthood and created my own canine-filled family, I thought:  “I’ve got it all figured out!”  But, nope, that wasn’t the case! As people, we’re always faced with new experiences, learning from them, and growing. Now that my Chihuahua, Diego, is 7 and my toy Poodle, Gigi, is almost 6, I think back to the puppy stage and wish I did some things differently. Some of the items on this list are more important than others, b...

How the popular media mystique of wolf-dogs results in overcrowded shelters Shelters and rescue groups have seen dramatic increases in the number of homeless Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes and other wolfy-looking dogs coming through their doors. Inspired in part by a popular television series, people buy one of these fluffy puppies on impulse (often online) and find themselves in way over their heads. Here, we look at how media popularity has affected these dogs and provide a primer on what Huskies—the breed that’s been most dramatically affected—are and are not. Originally, people living in the far north bred dogs to, among other things, pull heavily loaded sleds long distances across some of the world’s coldest landscapes. Today, these northern-breed dogs—Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Samoyeds, Akitas and other Spitz-type dogs—spend most of their time as companions in a world where pulling a sled for a living is pretty much never required. Tags:  humane s...

Those toes are too much! And the kitten they come with makes a complete package of heart-melting ultra-cuteness!! Meet Stella. Besides being cute, she’s one of the toughest little gray tabby tigers you’ll ever see. Today, she’s a healthy polydactyl kitten with an extra toe on both of her front paws and two additional toes on her each of back feet. But Stella’s beginning came rough and her first two weeks of life kept foster mom Caroline Grace on her toes. @carolinegrace111/ Instagram Rough Foothold on Life Stella was born from an emergency C-section as her mom was quite ill. Sadly, she was the only kitten from her litter of six to survive. Complicating matters further, her mother couldn’t nurse her only surviving kitten, leaving Stella as a newborn without her feline family. @carolinegrace111/ Instagram But thanks to Saving One Life and Caroline, Stella wasn’t alone. She would certainly need all the help she could get as a singleton newborn kitten. Caroline shared , “This ...

The Earth needs more souls to protect her and one cat is proving you don’t have to be human to do your part in saving our home! Living in Berlin, Germany, Louis Wildlife calls a cabin on a river home, and there, he helps his family thrive in a sustainable way. He may be a cat, but this Maine Coon environmental activist does much to spread awareness about sustainability. And on top of his willingness to put his paws in the dirt and work, he’s a “Purrlosopher”. On a quiet paddle down the river to look at the leaves, Louis mused on autumn’s beauty, calling up George Eliot’s thoughts, “Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love—that makes life and nature harmonize.” Louis Wildlife’s soul runs deep and it can be seen in his beautifully wild eyes… @louiswildlife/ Instagram Living the Natural Life When not dreaming of deep thoughts, Louis is busy helping his humans live an eco-friendly life where preserving and honoring nature are key elements. Louiswildli...

Greetings my pawsome human minions and cat cohorts. Forrest the cat, back again, with more info that might shed light on why your cat does odd things! And today’s topic is one that often leaves humans scratching their heads and not because of fleas. I’m a curious sort of guy. It comes naturally and I’ve used the trait to my advantage. I am the wisest set of whiskers on the block and most everyone knows me around here. Which is good because my curiosity does get me into some ‘trouble’ as mom calls it. As I’ve said before, you call it cat crimes, we call it a lifestyle. @hamandchees/ Instagram A Lick of Adventure For example, the other day I wandered through the back garden into the neighbor’s yard. The humans were bringing in groceries and the door was open, so I slipped into visit the feline friend who lives there. When mom discovered me over there thanks to my collar tracker, she was in a tizzy, but that’s beside the point. The visit with my feline friend is the meat of our t...

My dog is great at bringing me the TV remote control. Any time I can’t find it, he will go on a hunt and gently bring it to me! Here's how to teach your dog to bring something to you... on command. Continue reading How To Teach Your Dog To Bring You Anything (…Like The TV Remote Control) at First Time Dog Owner Guide. from First Time Dog Owner Guide https://ift.tt/3cJL048

It would be no surprise to learn felines funded a recent study by animal nutritionist specialists  with the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada, as the conclusion comes out in their favor. Cat parents have often pondered why their kitties act as though they’re starving when the level of the food in their bowl dips below an acceptable place. If more research proves similar conclusions, this study might just solve the mystery behind cat food bowl theatrics! Get ready, this idea runs contrary to what we’ve always been told when it comes to keeping cat tummies full and happy. Full kitties are happy kitties. More All at Once Might Be the Way For the study, the university nutritional specialists selected a sampling of eight indoor cats. Each of these cats was first fed on a once-a-day feeding schedule for twenty-one days. Their schedules were then altered to a routine of feedings four times a day for another 3-week period. One would think this would please the cats to e...

Ladies, we aren’t crazy for loving our cats. If anything, we live fuller and happier lives thanks to our relationships with our felines. Beyond anything science has proven, our hearts tell us loving cats, as well as being loved by a cat, makes us more stable and more caring individuals. And there ain’t nothing crazy about that! New York photographer BriAnne Wills has set out to dispel the ‘crazy cat lady’ stereotype with her project featuring women and their cats. Not only do we see adorable pictures of cat ladies with their kitties, but we also learn what makes them confident cat ladies. Some of the women tell stories of rescuing a cat only to have the cat rescue them in return. These stories we know well, as they are reflections of our own tales. And thanks to Girls and Their Cats , we confident cat ladies have another way to bond with each other over our love of felines! @girlsandtheircats/ Instagram “The Crazy Cat Lady Stereotype is a Myth” With her photo project and book, ...

When it comes to big sneezes, cats are some of the most dramatic sneezers you’ll ever offer a gesundheit . And if you happen to have a camera handy at that purrfect moment to catch a kitty sneeze, you’ll wind up with some of the funniest photos worthy to save on your camera roll. But some of those captures make a cat look as though he’s up to no good, a devious little grin perched on his kitty lips… So, it inspired us to play a little game we like to call ‘Devious Feline Grin or Dramatic Cat Sneeze’. Ready to play? Devious Feline Grin or Dramatic Cat Sneeze Grin or Sneeze? @ariel.caracat/ Instagram Answer: Sneeze! The crisp air makes Ariel go, “ACHOO!” Grin or Sneeze? The Great Went Pet Photography/ Facebook Answer: Sneeze! In fact, this masterpiece of nasal tickles is entitled “Portrait of a Sneezing Cat”. Sneeze or Grin? @teacup63/ Instagram Answer: Grin! A dreamsicle kitty advises, “Smile, and the world smirks back.” Sneeze or Grin? The Cat Doctor/ Facebook An...