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Activities & Enrichment Dogs Life at Home

Does Your Dog Need Canine Friends?

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Ask yourself: Do you like all people all of the time? Probably not – and that’s perfectly acceptable. And the same applies to your dog. “For 95 to 98 percent of dogs, the simple answer is yes, they like having doggy buddies,” says Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, professor emeritus at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at […]

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Cats Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home Training & Grooming

Good Touch, Bad Touch

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes When I was in college, several members of the football team lived in my dorm. I’m five feet tall, and whenever I walked down their hallway, one of those huge guys would pick me up, give me a big hug, and tell me how cute and tiny I was. I know they didn’t intend to […]

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Activities & Enrichment Cats Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home

Massage Away Pet Stress

Article

Reading Time: 2 minutes If you’ve ever had a massage, you know how relaxing it can be. There’s something about the touch of a massage therapist that can make stress melt away. Turns out the soothing aspects of massage are not just for humans. Your pet can get relief from stress through massage too. According to the American Massage […]

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Activities & Enrichment Dogs Life at Home Travel & Safety

Retractable Leashes Pose Risks To People, Pets

Article

Reading Time: 2 minutes The retractable leash, also referred to as a flexi lead, can allow dogs to be up to 26 feet ahead of their owners during walks. Proponents say it gives these dogs “freedom” to explore their surroundings. However, many veterinarians, dog trainers, pet sitters and dog walkers say the extendable leads unleash far too many dangers […]

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Activities & Enrichment Cats Dogs Life at Home New Pets Other Shelters & Fostering

A Shelter Shares Enrichment Tips For Pets At Home

Article

Reading Time: 4 minutes Recently I volunteered with my husband and two nieces at a special place: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. It’s the largest no-kill animal refuge in the United States, spanning nearly 3,700 acres of red rock canyon near Kanab, Utah. Hundreds of employees care for roughly 1,600 dogs, cats, horses, pigs, bunnies, parrots, and “wild friends.” Most […]

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Activities & Enrichment Cats Life at Home New Pets

Emotional Rescue: How Play Meets Needs Of Young Cats

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes When you waggle a feather for your kitten, toss her a catnip mouse, or encourage her to chase a wand type toy, you’re doing a lot more than having fun with her. Play is exercise, stress reduction, and motor skill training all in one. For kittens, play is also an important part of social bonding, […]

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Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home

Hemp Products for Pets? What Dog Owners Should Know About CBD Oil

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Recently, Oklahoma approved “medical marijuana” for people. I live in neighboring Texas, and the news has prompted debate not only over the purported benefits for humans, but also for our pets. Besides the potential for physical benefits, it’s thought that these products may help anxious and fearful pets during veterinary visits or other scary, angst-producing […]

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Cats Life at Home Travel & Safety

Cat Up A Tree? How To Get Him Safely Down

Article

Reading Time: 2 minutes Increasingly people are keeping cats indoors only. More than 65 percent of the feline population never goes outside, according to the American Pet Products Association. But that still leaves millions of cats who go outdoors, and cats being cats, some will climb trees in search of the highest vantage point in the neighborhood, to escape […]

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Activities & Enrichment Dogs Fears & Anxieties Life at Home New Pets Training & Grooming

Puppy Proofing Reduces Stress For Pets, People

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes Last fall, my husband and I lost our 11-year-old German Shepherd Magical-Dawg in September, and Seren-Kitty in December just shy of her 22nd birthday. The sadness ambushed our emotions for weeks and months. It also haunted Karma-Kat, and he slept with Magic’s collar for a week between bouts of crying, increased clawing, and other attention-seeking […]

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Activities & Enrichment Cats Dogs Life at Home Veterinary Care

Pet Losing A Limb? How To Help Him Get Back On His Feet

Article

Reading Time: 3 minutes When my late Greyhound, Savanna, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, her oncologist advised amputation of her rear leg and chemotherapy. My husband and I were anxious about how our 10-and-a-half-year-old dog would respond to losing a leg, but we decided to give surgery a chance to save her life. It was the right choice. Savanna had […]