Tag Archives: pet behavior

Fun and Free Activities for People and Pets

I’ve heard it said (and said it myself): a bored pet can be a destructive pet. Many animals are happiest when they have a job, be it herding sheep or performing tricks. But if your pet isn’t “employed” you can still keep him or her entertained. The best part is that it doesn’t have to cost a penny. Here are some fun, free activities for you and your pets! Grooming. Many pets like being brushed — it’s just a matter of finding the right brush and the right spot. My dog Moose, for example, is happy with any brush on … Continue reading →

Spring Fever: Moose’s Version

My shepherd mix Moose is handling the change of seasons very differently from my boxer mix Lally. Lally welcomed spring with an allergy attack of massive proportions. She’s been to the vet three times, taken steroids, antihistamines, and antibiotics (plus three different kinds of skin cream) to clear things up and is FINALLY getting back to normal. For Moose, spring has been more of an emotional change. Moose isn’t the most active dog out there. My roommates and I sometimes call him “Speed Bumpy” because he’s often found sprawled and snoring. He is a dog of comfort. But the warmer … Continue reading →

Skin and Coat Care for Senior Pets

Did you know that the skin is the heaviest organ in your pet’s body? It can account for an average sixteen percent of your pet’s total weight! What does the skin do? Prevents water loss Allows us to perceive touch Allows swelling after injuries Protects against impact and friction injuries Protects against damaging UV rays Helps regulate body temperature Acts as the first line of defense against germs, bacteria, parasites, and other disease-causing organisms. Skin and coat care is important for pets of all ages — but especially for the senior pet. Taking care of your aging pet’s skin and … Continue reading →

Pets Can Have Senior Moments, Too!

Senior pets — generally, that means pets over the age of seven, but it varies depending on species, breed, and size — can suffer from a lot of the same problems senior humans do. That includes the dreaded, embarrassing, or frustrating “senior moment”. What’s a senior moment? It’s a cute name for a somewhat disturbing problem. Your brain just won’t feed you the information you need — even though you KNOW you know it. Some senior moments are innocent; others are indicators of a more serious memory issue in action. For pets, a senior moment may lead to a lost … Continue reading →

Pets Behaving Badly: Food

What’s the most outrageous thing your pet has done? That’s the question I posed to one of my online pet communities. The responses I’ve gotten have been too funny to not share! A lot of the stories dealt with food snatching — those treats that our four-legged friends just can’t resist! Marci from Michigan talked about her dog Bishop’s crazy cravings: My significant other and I have a very large African Cichlid aquarium in our bedroom. Well, one night after we went to bed, Bishop grabbed a large brand new can of fishy flakes off the dresser. He ate the … Continue reading →

Dogs and Cats Living Together: Not What We Expected

Before my dogs met my roommates’ cats, we had lots of talks about how we thought it would go. We discussed the best ways to introduce them, what to do if things went wrong, and our dreams of animal harmony. I thought Lally, my boxer/shar-pei mix, would be the problem child. When we’re out walking, she can be quite a cat chaser. If she saw cats inside the apartment, I figured she’d be trying to run them down. (I’m not sure what she’d do with a cat if she ever caught one, but that doesn’t stop her from trying.) My … Continue reading →

Four Pets, Four Reactions to Stress

Moving is stressful for humans AND pets. It’s been interesting to watch how the animals react as my roommates and I go through the moving process. I have two dogs: Moose (a shepherd mix) and Lally (a boxer mix). They have two cats: Kachiko (a snowshoe Siamese) and Shiro (a big grey fellow). Each of the animals has reacted differently to the disruption in the routine. Shiro has earned his nickname: “chicken boo”. The move has sent him into hiding — he spent his first day in the new apartment squished into the corner of the closet. Slowly he’s come … Continue reading →

Do Aquarium Pets Beg?

This past Monday was the tournament for my Monday night volleyball league. Like I did during the tourney for my Thursday night league, I sat around talking to my teammates. And, like what happened then with that conversation leading to blog material (see “Wives Judging Wives”), Monday night’s conversation also provided blog material. (This time for the Pets Blog, though, instead of the Marriage Blog.) It all started once I told two girls on my team, Jennifer and Susan, what exactly it is I do during the day. Susan’s an ardent animal lover. She’s very involved with rescuing dogs. At … Continue reading →

Let the Fireworks Begin!

Posted on by

Last night around nine o’clock, somebody started in with the fireworks. I live across the street from the local high school and middle school, and there’s lots of open space available between the sports fields and parking lots. Through the open window, I could hear the crackle of the fireworks, followed by a whole lot of hooting and hollering. Right around the same time I was hearing the beginnings of Fourth of July celebrations, a friend posted on her blog about her dog’s reaction to fireworks. Not fear — as is a common reaction to fireworks and other loud noises … Continue reading →

Pets and Home Renovations

We’ve had a lot of guests at the cats-only boarding facility lately who are in need of a safe, quiet haven while their homes are under construction. But you don’t have to remove your pets from the house while workers are there — as long as you’re careful. Make a safe room for pets. If you can, keep one room free of the chaos of construction. You can keep your pets safely in the safe room with food, fresh water, and some kind of distractions — a special toy, soft music, and tasty treats. If your pets are unsettled by … Continue reading →