Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: < 1 minutes The Fourth of July should be fun for the whole family, your pets included. Fireworks, parades, large numbers of strangers, and other out-of-the-ordinary experiences can be stressful and scary to your pet. Follow the tips in this handout to celebrate the Fourth of July and keep it Fear Free for your pets.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Since enrichment is a cornerstone of the Fear Free Shelter Program, it’s always exciting to hear of creative ways shelters work to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) while providing for the physical and emotional wellbeing of animals in their care. The Hotel for Homeless Dogs is a shelter founded on the notion that reducing […]
Reading Time: < 1 minutes The celebration of the old year winding down and the new year beginning can be rowdy and raucous. That’s fun for people but can cause fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. But you can still enjoy a swinging New Year’s Eve while keeping furry family members calm and happy. Follow the tips in this handout […]
Reading Time: < 1 minutes When dogs scratch, it’s disturbing to them and to us. It’s noisy, and it’s clear that something is wrong. An irritating itch can be caused by allergies, parasites, or infections. Our handout offers tips on recognizing causes of itching and ways to help bring it under control.
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s an immense privilege to have loved my Lab mix, Rio, for over 12 years. My husband and I adopted him from an animal shelter when he was just a few months old, and we’ve enjoyed each life stage – curious puppy, athletic adult, and now, sweet senior. But it’s concerning to watch the dog […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes My 80-pound Labrador, Logan, was quivering in excitement to meet his new little brother. “Little” was not an exaggeration. My new Papillon puppy, Finian, weighed a scant 1.2 pounds. Was the size difference between the two a big deal? Yes! Planning ahead, I had prepared everything for a safe, positive introduction. I sat on the […]
Reading Time: 6 minutes It’s been said that you are what you eat. But perhaps when applied to dogs, it’s more accurate to say, “You are how you eat.” The way dogs are fed, starting in the formative time of puppyhood, has monumental effects on their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing and has power to change their internal state […]
Reading Time: < 1 minutes You take your dog or cat to the vet or groomer, and when they come back, your other pets growl or hiss at them, as if they’ve suddenly become the enemy. That’s because your pet smells different, maybe even scary, thanks to the scents they bring back from the clinic or salon, where they’ve been […]
Reading Time: < 1 minutes It’s spooky season! And while that might be fun for you, your pet doesn’t always feel the same way about ghostly decorations or sinister costumes, let alone kids knocking at the door demanding candy. Our handout offers tips on keeping your pet’s scare levels low and ways to help them enjoy the festivities, either in […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes As a baseball fan and dog nut, I was delighted a few years ago when the Colorado Rockies announced tickets were on sale for a dog-friendly event called Bark at the Park. Rockies fans could bring their socialized, vaccinated dogs to Coors Field to watch an actual MLB game. I bought tickets, submitted my dogs’ […]