Introducing Puppy to your Cat

Puppy may not be your first pet. He may be another in the growing brood that is your pet family. Because of this you’ll want to introduce puppy to your other pets with care. Dogs are social animals. Most puppies love being a part of a group. In their natural habitat, puppies in a group must establish their place. Your puppy will try to determine his place within your family and amongst the other pets in the house and remember this is normal, even instinctual. When you introduce your puppy to the cat,... [Read more]

Tips to Stop Puppy from Chewing

Puppies love to chew – on anything.  Chewing can cost you thousands of dollars in damaged furniture and household goods.  Follow a few simple tips to keep puppy’s teeth free of your valuables. Puppies are so lovable.  People are entertained when puppy chews on a sock as if it were a snake in the brush.  He wags his tail at it, pounces, and then chews until it lies in tatters on the floor.  Puppy suddenly becomes less lovable when it is your Italian leather couch he is munching on.  A lot... [Read more]

Rise in Family Pets Entering Animal Shelters

I read a troubling article in my local newspaper siting statistics about the rise in animal shelter populations as a result of the economic downturn.  Both of my cats , Bingo & Chloe, are shelter kitties that we rescued, and they have been wonderful companions. We love them dearly. So I have a soft spot in my heart for the plight of animal shelters and their inhabitants. The article indicates that our local Humane Society shelter (Indiana) is at full capacity, seeing a 59% increase in surrendered... [Read more]

Does Your Dog Make the Grade? – Six Basic Dog Obedience Commands You Should Know?

As your kids load up their back-packs and head off to school, you might take a minute to see if your dog makes the grade when it comes to these basic obedience commands. As an avid 4-H member in my youth, I was active in dog obedience training for my dogs (a 55 lb mutt and Cocker Spaniel). I had great fun spending time with my dogs and after the training, they were even more delightful to be around. Personally I highly recommend obedience training, especially for large dogs. Here are some of the basic... [Read more]

Tips to Help Your Dog Get Along with Other Pets

Let’s assume you have a Bichon Friz at home and have decided to adopt another one as a companion.  Here are some tips to help your dog get along with other pets. Before we get into the whys and wherefores, it is important to remember that any new member of the pet family will encounter a rigorous and sometimes jealous stance when a new pet arrives.  If you think about it, some children who are presented with a newborn baby tend to become upset because they have to compete for attention for the... [Read more]