A few weeks ago, I blogged about how I was going to be brave and take Frankie with me to New York if the invitation that a friend had extended a few months earlier to stay in her place worked out. It didn’t. Frankie and the Co-op Board There were the expensive rugs that my…
Dog Assisted-Therapy: It’s Child’s Play!
Pets don’t judge us. And play is an important way for children to communicate. Those two concepts help explain why Dr. Rise Van Fleet’s Pet Play Therapy program has proved so effective. A licensed psychologist and registered play therapist supervisor, Van Fleet is also an approved evaluator with the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizens…
Shock Your Pet at Home!
The other day I got a press release from a company that shall remain nameless, one with a product that purports to “bring freedom to pet owners and pets alike” The premise The first paragraph read: When you come home to find Rover has mistaken the trash cans in the back yard for a snack…
Pet Adoption Videos That Don’t Make Me Want to Kill Myself, #10
This video, one in the generally awesome series by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, doesn’t make me want to kill myself, but it makes me a bit sad. Is this couple only staying together for the sake of the cat? And who will get custody when they decide to call it quits? Here’s what…
Pet Escape! How to Prevent Runaways & Raise the Odds of Return
Pets can give the term “escape” on vacation a whole new meaning. According to the California Veterinary Medical Association, 1 in 3 pets goes missing during its lifetime. Without proper ID, 90% never return home. Travel is prime time for pets to go on the lam because unfamiliar circumstances make even the calmest pets skittish.…
“America’s Veterinarian” Shares Pet Care Tips
Dr. Marty Becker is a media star who has sold 8 million books and often appears on Good Morning America and the Dr. Oz Show. This naturally made me dubious about the claim on the cover of his new book, Your Dog: The Owner’s Manual, that he has “hundreds of secrets, surprises and solutions for…
Spay & Neuter with a Smile, #7
Today I’m excited to present two special entries in my ongoing series of upbeat videos with a spay and neuter message, both featuring video star Dexter of Dexter’s Ruff Life. Earlier this year, Dexter and Steve of Gangs of New Yorkie duked it out on this blog in the Great Yorkie Bark-Off. Although they were…
5 Tips from a Vet for Safe, Healthy Pet Travel
Traveling with your pet? Nothing can ruin a trip like having to deal with accidents or unanticipated health issues. I asked Laci Schaible, DVM, to suggest five key thing travelers can do to prepare for situations they might encounter and to head off problems. Here are her answers: 1. Buckle up for safety The classic…
Less Words Wednesday: Travelin’ Jack Brings News
I heard about some big news affecting pets in New Mexico, so today I’m turning my blog over to Travelin’ Jack, the state’s Dog Governor, New Mexico’s pre-eminent Pet Travel Guru, dog about town, and…well, I’ll let him tell you. Heeere’s Jack! *** As New Mexico’s roving bulldog reporter, I’m always sniffing out news in…
Dog Food a Restaurant Critic Can Love
You’ve heard the mantra: Don’t feed your dog table scraps. It’s been drummed into our heads so incessantly — gee, I wonder if the commercial dog food industry could have anything to do with that? — that I often come across people who apologize for feeding their dogs perfectly healthy food just because it doesn’t…