Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Whenever someone asks Lindsey Rud what she does for a living, she answers, “Veterinary technician.” But most people have no idea what she means. “I would say about 90 percent of the time they’re confused,” she says. “So I always say, ‘I’m kind of like a nurse for dogs and cats.’” Rud is a Certified […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Cats can be notorious for hiding illness from their owners, but if your cat is affected with asthma (also known as feline allergic bronchitis), their coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing will soon become apparent. This inflammatory disease of the lungs is thought to arise from an increased sensitivity to inhaled allergens such as dust, pollen, […]
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you’re a fan of Animal Planet, National Geographic, or other cable and or streaming networks, you’ve probably seen one of the many animal training programs these stations broadcast. Methods used by the featured trainers range from positive reinforcement, such as using food and treats to strengthen a behavior, to aversive techniques such as positive […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Most cats prefer to be homebodies, but not Pet Safety Cat Casey. As my feline teaching partner for veterinarian-approved pet first aid/CPR classes all over the country, this orange tabby has logged oodles of miles in the car and in the air. His latest adventure found him flying with me nonstop from Dallas to Washington, […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes When Animal Control picked up a little stray Poodle that I’d later adopt, she was a mess. Among a host of health issues, Peach was missing 18 teeth and needed another seven extractions. So we’re protective of her remaining teeth, which my husband and I affectionately call “chompers.” But the other day, I gave her […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Dogs and cats get a lot of attention in our homes and from the manufacturers of pet products. There are many pampered pooches and spoiled kittens. But what about our small furry and scaly friends? They have the same need for a safe, Fear Free Happy Home. When planning a low-stress Fear Free space for […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Just like people, dogs want to feel safe and happy. The emotionally protective practices employed through Fear Free help to keep animals calm and comfortable throughout care and prevent them from feeling a need to escalate to a bite. But as much as we plan and try to protect our precious pooches, the truth is […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes My husband and I adopted our Lab mix, Rio, from an underfunded shelter in New Mexico in 2010. It was our first time visiting the facility, and the housing conditions depressed us: a few litters of puppies were crammed into chain-link cages, and adult dogs were kept alone in each small enclosure. It didn’t seem […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes When I was a young woman, people who lived on our street moved away. But about a week after they drove off in a moving truck, neighbors discovered they’d left behind their pregnant cat – who promptly gave birth to a litter of kittens. It made me furious that someone would abandon a cat so […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Kristen Levine was on a quest to help her dog, Chilly, during fireworks season and thunderstorms. “The sound of fireworks would send him into a state of panic, and he would leave claw marks on my closet door and pull my dresses right off of the hangers to make himself a pile of clothes to […]