We have all experienced it; you come home and you cannot find your pet anywhere.  It is a gut-wrenching feeling.  So we immediately search the neighborhood...we post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; we call our neighbors and friends to help us look for them.  Sometimes we find them and sometimes we don't.   WHY DO WE LOSE OUR PETS?  Well, the reasons are many!  Such as the backyard gate isn't closed; hole in a fence; they dig a hole to get out, they run out the front door, and so many more!!  It's endless.  It happens. So the REAL question is: WHY CAN'T WE FIND THEM?  Now here is the key, so ..read more

Walking your dog is about so much more than just “potty breaks.” Walking your dog provides mental stimulation, physical exercise, chances for socialization, and opportunities for behavioral training. Moreover, it gets both of you out and about while helping to grow the bond you have with your dog. Walking Provides Exercise and Mental Stimulation Walking your dog regularly provides a basic foundation for physical and mental health. Like a child, your dog wants to know the world. If he or she is confined to the house for too long, your dog will get bored, and boredom can lead to destructive beh ..read more

Preparing Your Home and Your Pet for the Pet SitterEnsure that there will be enough food, treats, kitty litter, etc. for the time you will be away. Let your pet sitter know where your dog’s leash is kept. If you have a carrier for your pet, let your pet sitter know where it is kept. If your pet is on medication, notify your pet sitter ahead of time. Leave detailed instructions on its use, even if you tell your pet sitter verbally how it’s administered. Put ID tags on each of your pets. If your pet has a chip, be sure it is registered. If you move, be sure to update this information. Provide o ..read more

Ask a family member or friend to assist with training. Your assistant must be someone your dog likes and wants to greet. Your dog should never be forced to greet someone who scares them. Give your dog the "sit" command. (This exercise assumes your dog already knows how to "sit.") The greeter approaches you and your dog. If your dog stands up, the greeter immediately turns and walks away. Ask your dog to "sit," and have the greeter approach again. Keep repeating until your dog remains seated as the greeter approaches. If your dog does remain seated, the greeter can give your dog a treat as a ..read more

This dog-eat-dog world got you feeling anxious? If so, your canine companion probably feels the same way, new research shows. A Swedish research team measured levels of the stress hormone cortisol in hair samples taken from dogs and their owners. "We found that the levels of long-term cortisol in the dog and its owner were synchronized, such that owners with high cortisol levels have dogs with high cortisol levels, while owners with low cortisol levels have dogs with low levels," researcher Ann-Sofie Sundman, of Linkoping University's department of physics, chemistry and biology, said in a uni ..read more

Louisiana currently has no law making it a crime to leave an animal in a hot car, nor does it have a law allowing members of the public to break into a car to save an animal. This doesn't mean that pet owners in Louisiana can get away with animal cruelty and neglect scot-free, however. Louisiana’s animal cruelty statute, among other things, prohibits carrying an animal in a vehicle in a cruel or inhumane way,[56] and “Mistreats any living animal by any act or omission whereby unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain, suffering or death is caused to or permitted upon the animal.”[57] A first ..read more

While it may be hard to imagine why anyone would steal a pet from its caretakers, it happens all too frequently. According to Last Chance for Animals, an estimated 2 million pets are stolen in the United States each year. Fortunately, there are some precautions you can take each day to minimize the risk of pet theft. 1. Never leave pets unattended in public. As a pet sitter or pet owner, it is your responsibility to make sure you stay with pets at all times when you are out in public, whether you are at a dog park or the grocery store. Leaving a pet alone even for a few moments can put them at ..read more

New Year’s Eve is a fun celebration for you, but loud music, laughter and fireworks can be stressful for your pets. Help your cats and dogs stay safe and relaxed during the holiday parties by following some of our tips listed below. 1. Keep your pets inside! Many pets find fireworks, crowds of people and the loud sounds of partying overwhelming leaving them anxious and frightened. Noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to sensitive ears. Consider keeping your pets safe and secure at home in an escape-proof room as midnight approaches. Make sure your pet has plenty of water in ..read more

​The thyroid is a small but important gland in the neck. A cat’s thyroid or dog’s thyroid consists of two segments, one on each side of the windpipe. This gland produces the hormone thyroxine, along with several other important thyroid hormones. In a healthy pet, these hormones automatically work together to coordinate your pet’s energy levels, growth, body temperature and heart rate. Cat thyroid problems and thyroid problems in dogs occur when the hormone levels become too high or low. According to Dr. Rachel Barrack, DVM, CVA, CVCH and founder of Animal Acupuncture in New York City, signs ..read more

Bad behavior: the big picture Happy New Year! Did a new dog join the family this holiday season? Are you aiming to start a brand-new year with fine habits and manageable goals? Is this the time to tackle your dog's problem behaviors, the ones that have had you perplexed? A solid foundation in positive training gets you off to great start, either with that new puppy or with your older dog. But training has to be more than just a foundation, especially if there are any undesirable canine behaviors on the scene. Consider the whole picture when it comes to behavior problems, and review the most c ..read more