Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 4 minutes While the world practices social distancing and self-quarantine, pet owners are spending more time with their pets. The extra cuddle time with animal family members can be beneficial for humans’ physical and emotional health1,2. Spending so much time together also gives pet parents an opportunity to notice when something might be wrong with their dog […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes When do you spay or neuter a dog or cat? For years, you’ve probably heard that the best age for this reproductive surgery is six months, but times change. Veterinarians and pet owners are taking a closer look at when it should occur. And the answer isn’t what you might think. For kittens, the answer […]
Reading Time: 5 minutes Having us shelter in place at our homes is a dream come true for dogs. What happens, though, when people head back to the office? This is a unique experience so there’s no data to suggest how pets will respond, but I suggest we’ll see a significant uptick in separation distress among the following populations […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Medicinal hemp products have not been subject to rigorous FDA oversight, but many pet product companies tout multiple health benefits for pets. In addition to potential health claims, the anxiety-reducing potential makes it an attractive “natural” option for pet parents with fearful pets. Rob Silver, DVM, a holistic veterinarian and founder of http://nurseyourpet.com, and veterinary pain […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Approximately one in five adults worldwide suffer from cat allergies. They must limit their interactions with felines, take anti-allergy medications, and in worst-case scenarios, relinquish beloved cats. A breakthrough cat food called Pro Plan LiveClear, now available on pet food shelves nationwide, may transform how people manage their cat allergies, allowing them to keep their […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes With more than a million cases of COVID-19 diagnosed worldwide, and the number rising, most people are still grappling with the changes and restrictions of life during a global pandemic. News that dogs, cats, and ferrets may be susceptible to the virus only increases the fear, anxiety, and stress pet parents are feeling. What are […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes We know that senior people partnered with pets benefit from the companionship and numerous health benefits. Walking the dog and playing with the cat offer exercise opportunities and lower blood pressure, for example. I like to call it the “Pet Effect.” Sadly, many seniors have difficulty feeding themselves, let alone their animal companions. Even if […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes In a previous post I talked about how cats’ very different senses mean they do not experience the world the same way we do. That is certainly true for a cat’s superior sense of hearing. Cats can hear a mouse squeaking underground or a cockroach scurrying inside the wall. Their amazing ears enable them to […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Got bored kids, dogs, and cats at home because of the quarantine? To the rescue are two new books by Fear Free contributor Arden Moore, herself a Fear Free certified professional. She has written “A Kid’s Guide To Cats” and “A Kid’s Guide To Dogs” (Storey Publishing, ebook, $9.99, paperback, $14.95). Both are filled with […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Losing beloved cats, whether death is sudden or gradual, is a big deal. Even though I’ve been through at least 15 of these passings, my human mind can’t wrap my head around my companion’s absence. How can a being who means so much be gone? How can that bond be suddenly severed? How can we […]