Ask a Pets Blogger: Good Neighbor

I recently moved into a new condo in the same neighborhood, and my new neighbor is not a fan of big dogs. Of course I have two big dogs! My new neighbor has always been very outspoken about how dangerous large dogs are (he owns a small dog). I’m not sure how to keep the peace here, and I don’t want this guy hassling me. You may have a difficult task on your hands — trying to convert a person who doesn’t like big dogs. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to keep the peace between you and your neighbor … Continue reading →

Most Popular Pet Names of 2008

Around the end of the year (or the start of a new year), it’s not unusual to see lists appear. Popular names for boys and girls are always a favorite… but did you see the lists of popular names for pets? The ten most popular names for dogs and cats were collected by VPI — Veterinary Pet Insurance. The company insures more than four hundred thousand pets around the United States, and scoured their database to find the most popular names for pets in the past year. (Since they only looked at their clients, the lists might be a bit … Continue reading →

Dogs and Cats Living Together: The First Meeting

The big move is this weekend, so we all thought it would be a good idea to bring my dogs over a few times to meet my roommates’ cats. First things first: we got a fancy pet gate with a human-sized door and a kitty-sized door and installed it in the hallway. My roommates M. and S. have been encouraging the cats to think of the master bedroom as their “safe space” — their food, water, beds, and toys are all there. So hopefully the cats will know to run there if they’re spooked. Once the gate was up and … Continue reading →

I’ll Never Own a Puppy

I get all mushy over puppies — in person, on television, on the internet, or in books and magazines. I can’t help it! They’re just so tiny and sweet and cuddly and cute. But I’ll probably never own one. My reason why is relatively simple. There are just too many adult dogs (and cats) in shelters in need of forever homes! Puppies seem to have an easier time of getting adopted. They attract attention quickly and easily; with a puppy you get a fresh start, a dog you can train to your own standards. Baby animals in general are pretty … Continue reading →

Ask a Pets Blogger: Crate Time

We recently adopted a ten month old terrier mix from the shelter. My wife and I both work, and the pup spends eight to ten hours in his crate. He’s very good about going into his crate when it’s time to go to work, but more often than not we come home to a crate full of accidents! The shelter said he was housebroken… but maybe he isn’t. Is ten hours too long to leave him alone? Congratulations on the new addition to your family, and thanks for getting him from a shelter. There are lots of awesome dogs (and … Continue reading →

A Cat Convert Success Story

At the beginning of this year I shared a stray dog story that had a happy ending after my friends Christian and Christy ended up keeping the little pup that showed up on their lawn one morning. Today I’m happy to share a similar story about a cat. Mr. Rocky Finds a Home Earlier this month I wrote about unfaithful pets and a cat named Rocky a.k.a. Butters a.k.a. Mr. Kitty a.k.a. Pain in the A– who had adopted my friend Kim. Kim’s dog Rusty wasn’t entirely happy about this pesky cat being persistent about getting her and her mom’s … Continue reading →

Using the ASPCA’s Personality Matcher to Adopt a Pet

The other day I was cruising around the ASPCA’s website looking for information about pet adoption when I stumbled across their Meet Your Match (MYM) Canine-ality, Puppy-ality, and Feline-ality assessment tool. “What the heck is that?” you might be asking. (I did when I first read about it.) It’s a great question. (And I’m not just saying that because I asked it too.) The Meet Your Match Program It might be the face, the eyes, or even the shiny coat that first attracts you to a certain dog or cat, but as any animal lover knows, pets have personalities too. … Continue reading →

Finally! A Feel Good Story about a Stray

Strays seem to be a hot topic with me lately. First Winky crossed my path. Then my friends in Arizona called me for advice about how to help a stray who collapsed in their yard. Then I keep seeing the elusive stray roaming our neighborhood. Even though I believed Winky was Budly in Beagle’s clothing and I wanted desperately to keep her, I couldn’t. I keep trying to earn that elusive stray dog’s trust, but I have a feeling that’s going to be an ongoing process. But, finally, I do have a story about a stray with a happy ending. … Continue reading →

How Do You Earn a Roaming Stray Dog’s Trust?

Friday I wrote about the elusive stray dog roaming our neighborhood that I’ve seen every now and then for the past few weeks. I told Wayne about how she had ventured up to our front porch on Friday, but how she took off the second I tried to open the door. He’d never seen her –until Saturday morning. He offered to take me out for breakfast and that’s an offer I never refuse. As we headed out of our subdivision, Wayne asked, “Is that your dog?” I looked and saw Ms. Thing (other than being skittish, I haven’t spent enough … Continue reading →

Finding a Stray: Should You Put Their Picture on Found Flyers?

Yesterday my friend Christy in Arizona called asking for advice about a stray puppy she had found. Turns out the poor little guy literally collapsed in front of their house. One Rough Pup Apparently the pup’s had a rough go of it. Christy said he looked like he’d either been in a fight, was beaten up (by something other than a dog), or both. Before he collapsed he’d thrown up rice and beans. She also said he was skinny as all get out and might have been on the lamb for a while. So she walks outside first thing this … Continue reading →