Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 2 minutes If your dog is fearful of storms with thunder, lightning, hail, or high winds, you’re not alone. There are no statistics on the numbers of pets with storm phobia–or to give the fear its scientific name, astraphobia–but it’s likely that the prevalence of this type of noise sensitivity in dogs is 20 percent or higher, […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes I just got a new kitten, and she jumps all over the kitchen countertops and the dinner table. This is dangerous for her and annoying for me, so she has to learn some boundaries. Friends keep telling me to squirt her with a water bottle, but I know that doesn’t work. Why does everyone else […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Not long ago, a woman contacted me about her dog. He was an accomplished trash can raider and recently had surgery to remove several foreign objects from his intestinal tract. “I guess it’s time for him to be trained,” she said. This idea that training is something that happens to the dog is not unusual. […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes A good friend of mine is afraid of spiders. She’s not so afraid that she’s going to burn her house down if one is inside, but as she says, perhaps she’ll just scorch the house a bit. Her fear is not incapacitating, but it is overwhelming enough that she must do something about the spider […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Moving from San Diego to Dallas a few years ago, I bravely left my being-single comfort zone and joined an online dating service. My biggest concern wasn’t if I would find the person of my dreams, but rather, how dating would emotionally impact my dogs, Kona and Cleo, and my cat, Casey. Seriously. And, I’m […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Years ago, after living in the suburbs for a few years, I moved back to the city with my Golden Retriever, Oliver. Ollie was my demo dog, a working stiff who went along with me on my training jobs. I always left time between appointments for him to swim or run, and together we knew […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Puppies learn to toddle away from their bed (usually the pile of siblings) to relieve themselves almost as soon as they have control over their bowels and bladder. It’s this instinct to not soil the nest that allows us to teach puppies and adult dogs not to relieve themselves in our nest–our home. Sometimes, though, […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many cat parents struggle with this common problem. Old suggestions like spraying cats with water don’t work and aren’t kind. To make matters worse, these punishment-based techniques make cats scared, anxious, and stressed. So, how do we get our cats to stay off the counter? First, let’s look at why they are up there in […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Does your dog shiver and shake when it’s time visit the veterinarian, or even just go on a car ride? Does she destroy the house when left alone? Does bring brushed or bathed send her into a panic? Is she terrified of thunderstorms, fireworks, and other loud noises? If the answer to any of those […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Do you dread trimming your cat’s claws? Does kitty feel the same way as you do? It doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some techniques to help both of you get through the process without a meltdown and turn it into an enjoyable bonding time. Cat Claws 101 Your cat’s claws are similar […]