Article by Haine Elfenbine | Found on Pet MD
No one with a cat would ever doubt that their cat remembers who feeds them, when they get fed and where the food is served. They know exactly who to wake when the clock strikes one minute past breakfast time and will escort said half-awake human to the pantry where the kibble is kept. As it turns out, this behavior makes them pretty smart, according to scientists. Read more
Article by Mychelle Blake, MSW, CDBC | Found on PetHealthNetwork
It’s not unusual for a dog to “protect” his territory, and for many, it’s an inherent trait. Some breeds seem more prone to this behavior— in my experience— including dogs bred for guarding like mastiffs and some herding and terrier breeds. Unfortunately, many dogs take this behavior to an extreme level, which can lead to serious issues. A dog that feels he must aggress and bite strangers coming into the yard or into the house has the potential to cause harm to people, leading to uncomfortable guests, lawsuits, or worse. Fortunately, by understanding what drives your dog to this behavior, you can correct it. Read more
Article by Maura McAndrew | Found on Pet MD
Cats are something of an enigma—intelligent, sometimes inscrutable animals whose sensitivity and perceptiveness make them fascinating and lovable pets. But as most cat owners can tell you, cats are also creatures of habit and comfort. They can become stressed or scared by a range of things, from a trip to the vet to a new person in the house.
To tell if your cat is experiencing stress, closely observe his body language, advises Dilara Goksel Parry, a certified cat behavior consultant with the San Francisco-based company Feline Minds. “As prey animals, cats are masters of disguise,” she says. “People need to be able to take in all the information the cat is giving them with their expressions and body language—the tension in the body, the size of the pupils, the movement and direction of the ears, vocalizations, and so on.” Read more
Article Found on ScienceDaily
Declaw surgery (onychectomy) is illegal in many countries but is still a surprisingly common practice in some. It is performed electively to stop cats from damaging furniture, or as a means of avoiding scratches. Previous research has focused on short-term issues following surgery, such as lameness, chewing of toes and infection, but the long-term health effects of this procedure have not to date been investigated. Read more
Article by Dr. Marty Becker DVM | Article Found on VetStreet
You want to know the first two thoughts of a new puppy owner?
I got a new puppy!
Now what do I do?
Article Found on PetMD
Fear is the instinctual feeling of apprehension resulting from a situation, person, or object presenting an external threat — whether real or perceived. The response of the autonomic nervous system prepares the body for the freeze, fight, or flight syndrome. It is considered to be a normal behavior, essential for adaptation and survival; its context determines whether the fear response is normal, or abnormal and inappropriate. Most abnormal reactions are learned and can be unlearned with gradual exposure. Read more
Article by Dr. Mary Becker DVM | Found on VetStreet
You have puppy or kitten fever, but you live with a senior pet. Should you get a new animal? We often have the idea that a younger pet will revitalize an older one, but is that really true?
Article Featured on DogHealth.com
Dogs are wonderful companions, and one of the things that is so endearing about them is how excited they get when greeting us and other people. However, we’ve all experienced a dog that can’t contain his exuberance, jumping on us and those who come to visit. This behavior can be annoying and may even cause us injury.
Dogs love to jump on people because they know they’ll get some sort of attention for it. They learn this behavior as puppies. Puppies are adorable, so naughty conduct is often seen as cute. Puppies are also small, so we’re not usually hurt when they jump on us. Thus, jumping behavior is often overlooked and even rewarded by our reactions to it. This can result in an adult dog that jumps on people.
There are several ways to both prevent and correct jumping behavior. It can be prevented when your dog is a puppy through consistent guidance. It can also be corrected as an adult through redirection and obedience training. Read more
By Nicole Pajer | Article Featured on Cesars Way
More companies are starting to allow employees to take their dogs to work with them. Having your dog in your workplace has been shown to boost morale, increase productivity, and keep workers motivated. In addition, it provides employees with a reason to step away from their desks and get outside for a workday break.
As more companies are allowing dogs in the workplace, it’s important to know the proper dog etiquette and dog rules. I touched base with several dog-friendly companies (including ours) to learn the do’s and don’ts of bringing your dog to work:
By
Do you use “baby talk” to fuss over your dog? If your pup is still young, then the childish chatter may help, but older dogs don’t care about that high-pitched cooing, a new study finds.
To determine how dogs react to human speech, researchers in the new study first recorded 30 women reading from a script while looking at a dog’s photograph.
When reading such phrases as “Hello, cutie!” and “Who’s a good boy?” with the photos, the women spoke in the distinctive sing-song tones of baby talk. But when reading the script to humans, the women’s voices were more neutral in tone. The age of the dog in the photo did not alter the participants’ use of the dog-directed speech, though the women did take on an even higher pitch when looking at puppy photos, the researchers said. Read more
