For years, animal welfare organizations wagged a finger at the idea of giving pets as gifts. They warned that most of these puppies and kittens would be surrendered to shelters and left homeless because of impulsive gift-giving whims. But recent research shows otherwise. In a survey of people who received pet gifts, 86 percent of …
The Matthews family knows a thing or two about pet nutrition. When your family motto is “Work hard, play hard,” and part of that work and a lot of that play involves multiple litters of goldendoodles at a time, you need to make sure that everyone — especially those on four legs — is happy …
No one wants to think about saying goodbye to a dog or cat who’s been your friend for years. What’s even harder to imagine is if you go before your pet does. But anything can happen, and we’re all one mishap away from potentially leaving our pet waiting at home for us to return. Since …
Every dog owner knows the look: wide brown eyes rimmed with a bit of white, eyebrows slightly raised. It’s the look that says, “Can you share that little morsel of cheese with me?” Or “Can I please come snuggle on the couch with you?” And no matter how many times you’ve vowed not to let …
Pets, like all of us, eventually reach a time when the body deteriorates and there’s no going back. For some pets, a terminal diagnosis such as cancer or kidney disease happens at the end of a long and active life. Other pets, unfairly, receive this kind of diagnosis when they’re still relatively young. In the …
Curb appeal and proximity to good schools used to top the list for house hunters. But things have changed as a newer generation takes control of the housing market. For many millennials who are first-time home buyers, the must-have priorities now include fenced-in yards, built-in cat-climbing trees and close proximity to dog parks. Millennials and …
A pet’s ability to adapt to hardship can be remarkable. A blind cat, for example, can learn to navigate the house (just don’t plan on moving the furniture often). Many deaf dogs can be taught to respond to hand signals. Even the loss of a limb won’t stop most pets from chasing a laser pointer …
Sir Walter Scott was not only a prolific poet and novelist, he was also “perhaps the most devoted dog lover that ever was,” according to a New York Times article published in 1898. In paintings, he is almost always portrayed with a dog. And his deerhound, Maida, is immortalized in the monument of Scott in …
Is it possible to have too much fun in the sun? For dogs, the answer is yes. In fact, it may not take long for a dog’s body temperature to reach dangerous levels, leading to heatstroke. What Is heatstroke? It’s a potentially life-threatening condition in which the core body temperature rises to around 105 °F …
Anyone who’s ever roamed the pet food aisles knows how overwhelming it can be. You could easily spend more time examining pet food labels than choosing your own food. Is there a way to cut to the chase and find a complete and balanced diet for your pet? A diet for all life stages could …
