My dog always loved taking a walk, anytime, anywhere except when it was raining! As soon as he felt the slightest amount of rain, he would tug on his dog leash and pull me back toward the house. This of course drove me nuts! I had to get to work and my dog would not pee or poop! It was a real ordeal. I would do everything to try and coax him. I even would  take his dog biscuts outside and try to give him one. No such luck. He kept tugging me back toward the house. The neighbors probably thought I had a screw loose when they heard me saying  “come on poop, daddy’s gotta go to work!” I said this over and over again but no poop, no pee, no luck.

One day, on a saturday,  when I took my dog to the park, it began to rain and he began to tug. We saw another dog playing frisbee with his owner and having a great time in the rain. I thought that if I associated the rain with something fun like playing, he would eventually get used to going out in the rain.  I took a ball to the park and had him chase it when it was raining.  He eventually didn’t mind the rain much and my nightmare came to an end!

You feed your dog once or twice a day but you cannot limit his water supply. Make sure that his bowl is full with clean, fresh water at all times.  You must remember that dogs are constantly losing water from  urinating and panting. I may be a bit much with my animals but I always give my cats bottled water.  I believe that I wouldn’t want my pets to drink water that I wouldn’t drink myself. Dogs can easily become dehydrated if they don’t have enough water in their bodies. Make sure that you keep that dog water bowl full at all times and clean the water bowl frequently. If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors,  keep a bowl full of fresh water outside with him. Dogs, unlike cats can drink a bowl of water quickly so make sure that you check his water supply frequently. If you go out and leave your dog, it is a good idea to fill  several bowls of fresh water for your friend.

Your cat rubs, sprays and scratches to leave its mark.  They also will rub up against the furniture or people in the house. This is called “bunting.” This is his way of saying that “this is my place.” Your cat bunts to spread his scent around. There are glands under your cats rump, tail, neck and shoulders. They are also in his cheeks and paws.  Your cat scratches to mark the spot with the scent from his paws. Some cats spray urine to mark out their space. To clean it up, don’t use ammonia products but rather pet odor removal products that contain enzimatics.

I was at the office one day and one of my co workers brought in a small bag. She sat the bag on my desk and it began to move. At first I thought that I was seeing things but then looked inside, I saw the cutest, smallest little Chihuahua I had ever seen. My co- worker asked if I wanted the dog.  After thinking it over for about two seconds, I accepted. I began my journey home with my new friend. We had to take the A train than the bus to New Jersey.  I got my little friend home without incident. At first I kept him in a vacant room but when he continued crying, I slowly gave him run of the house. I was a little nervous about leaving him on his own the first day when I had to go to work but I thought that he had to get used to his new surroundings. Besides, I would be home and take him to the park for a long walk and some exercise. Little did I know what I was in for. As soon as I arrived home that night and opened the door, I knew there was trouble. I saw toilet paper at my doorstep. The bathroom is upstairs. I then realized that my little friend wanted to help me out a bit buy getting the toilet paper ready for me! I then walked in the living room and thought that the apartment had been ransacked! Feathers were methodically extracted from every pillow in the house and scattered around the room. They were even in the kitchen. All of the magazines were chewed up, every item on my shelf had been removed, broken and scattered all over the floor. I was very upset but thought that this would eventually stop. It did but it was not after six months, lots of money and a continuous supply of aspirins to control my headaches!  The nightmare was far from over. One night as I was sitting in my recliner watching one of my favorite TV shows, I smelled something. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. It drove me crazy! I looked everywhere. AAAH! there is was. My dog decided to fertilize my plant with a little poop! As I looked around, I realize that he had fertilized all of the plants!!! A little poop in each plant. Now how did he do that?? He was a little super dog!

What was all of this. It is called separation anxiety. My dog did not want me to leave him. He does this out of boredom and usually within 20 minutes after you’ve gone. All of the rawhide bones in the world won’t cure this problem. So what could you do? Here are some tips.

1. Don’t make a fuss when you leave. Do so quietly.

2.  Get your dog used to little things you do before you leave like getting your coat, your keys etc. Do this when you’re home and don’t actually leave.

3. Give your dog more exercise in the morning before you leave for work. Take him for longer walks and make him run around a bit.

4. Leave toys around so he won’t get bored.

5. You may want to consider crating him.

My dog eventually got over this and was fine but it took lots of patience and advice from my vet.

Always keep your dog on a leash when walking him  in a park or where there are lots of people. This prevents him from chasing other dogs, jumping on people or running out in the street. I have a story of a person who owned a large dog and never kept him on a leash. I owned a small dog at the time  and always walked him in the park around the corner. I always kept my dog on a leash and close to me at all times.  Unfortunately, not all people are considerate of others.  There was this man who owned a pit bull I believe. The dog was never on a leash. One day while I was walking my dog, the pit bull charged after me and my little dog. He almost knocked me down and had my little dog in it’s mouth. I screamed and kicked him. He finally dropped my dog and ran away. My poor little dog was shaken but all right except for bite marks around his neck. I immediately took him to the vet where they took care of his wounds. This incident stayed with me a long time. I will never forget the image of my little dog in that nasty pit bulls mouth! My dog could have been killed. It could have been a small child!  I was determined to catch this man and report him. One day, I went to the park (without my dog) and saw the man again with the dog off the leash. I ran toward him and when he saw me coming towards him, he took his dog and went home. I followed him and saw where he lived. I reported him to the police. Apparently, he had been warned before but continued to break the law and endanger pets and children playing in the park. His dog was eventually taken from him and given a new home. It always amazes me how inconsiderate some people could be. If your dog does not like being on a leash and continually pulls you along with him, you may want to consider using a retractable dog leash. It gives your dog more freedom but still enables you to have a hold on him and control where he’s going.

Just got a new kitten? One of the first things that you want to teach him is how to use his litter box. Most cats need a little coaxing when it comes to using the litter box.  The first step is to place the litter box in a small area that can be closed off easily. A bathroom or laundry room are good areas to keep the litter box. Since your kitten is so small, he should not have the run of the house at first. If he does, it is very likely that he will find his own “bathroom.” Place your cat in the area where the litter box is just for a few days. Make sure that there are no towels on the floor. You want your cat to use the litter box not the towels. After a few days, your cat will be using the litter box regularly. Make sure that you clean it everyday. Cats are very clean animals and do not like a messy litter box.

Changing the litter box can be a bit of a chore. Now they have the self cleaning litter box on the market. This could make cleanup easier since. The litter box’s infrared sensor detects waste deposits and rakes them away about 10 minutes after your cat departs the litter box. It frees you of the chore of scooping everyday.

Good luck with your new kitten!

Firework and firecrackers can frighten your pets. The reaction of your pet could be even more alarming to you, the owner. It is not uncommon for a frightened dog to jump through a screen door or break something in the house.  If you are outside with your dog during a fireworks display, make sure that you have the dog leash on your dog. Many times a dog will panic by the noise and run out in the street. Some have even gotten hit by cars.

Purdue University veterinarian Lorriane Corriveau says there are ways to avoid reactions from pets  that can cause injury to themselves or others.

1)Never leave pets alone outdoors, even if they are in a fenced yard. Dogs, especially, may escape and become lost or injure themselves by chewing or choking on their dog leashes. Keep small pets sheltered indoors

2) If possible, put your pet in a room or basement where the noise will not be that loud.

3) Turn on the radio or TV for distraction.

4) Don’t take your pet to a fireworks display.

5) If they must be outside, keep your pet in their pet carrier or on their dog leash.

6) Keep ID tags on your dog in the event that he gets loose.

7) Keep you dog away from children especially if they are waving sparklers.

Have a wonderful and fun 4th!

A researcher at Eastern Kentucky University did a study to see what people thought of pets in the workplace.  She surveyed businesses that allowed dogs and cats in the office.   She found that people who work with their pets believe that their pets help reduce stress and improve their mental health. Even people who didn’t bring their own pets were extremely positive about having pets in the workplace. They said that it made for a happier and more positive day. Of course kudos to those businesses that allow pets. They are a special breed in themselves and I believe that it says a lot about the company. So bring along a couple of rawhide bones and have a great day at work with your pet!

It’s hurricane season and make sure that you remember your pets when making disaster emergency plans!  If you have to evacuate because a hurricane threatens the area in which you live, don’t forget about your cat of dog. Keep his pet carrier in a convenient place in case you have to get out fast.  The instincts of your pet cannot be counted on to survive a disaster.  Pack at least one weeks supply of pet food and always remember your pets leash. Make sure that you have the proper ID tags clearly visible on your pet.  If you must go to a hotel or shelter, ask if it’s OK to bring your pet.  It is very important that you don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate. Rescue officials may not let you take your pet. Keep up to date on all of the weather conditions and evacuate sooner rather than later. If you have no choice but to leave your pet home, make sure that he has a  current ID and a secure collar. Take a picture of your pet with you just in case he gets lost. I cannot emphasize it enough that your pets are a part of your family. Plan ahead and make sure they are included in your disaster plans.