That Pet Blog That Pet Place Pet Blog

Recently I came across an interesting article about teaching dogs sign language. I was intrigued by the concept, and I decided to give it a shot with my own dogs. I purchased a book written by the creator of K9Sign.  I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, if I want to successfully teach my dogs to sign, but one of the first things that I’ve got to work on is my understanding of how dogs learn. Read More »

Wolves inspire many emotions in people. Some see them as supernaturally evil forces or destructive predators, others see them as an ultimate symbol of freedom and nature. They are majestic, complex creatures with a long history and a permanent place folklore.

Thousands of years ago, man started to form relationships with these animals. Their ancestors gave rise to the many breeds of dogs we know and love today.  Today, some people choose to bring wolves into their homes and into close contact with human society, crossing them with domestic dogs to create hybrids or even keeping purebred wolves as pets. Though the thought may be appealing to some, bringing an animal with wild bloodlines home to the family may not be the best idea. Read More »

Toys.  Does anything else fill a dog’s eyes with such excitement? The anticipation, the hours of playing, tugging, fetching, and squeaking than ensue is an essential part of a dog’s livelihood. Without toys, there’d be many more shredded pillows, gnawed-on furniture, and generally stressed out dogs. Toys may seem like a luxury item, but dogs need toys to help relieve stress, boredom, and encourage instinctual behavior.  However, buyer beware: not all toys are created equal.

Choosing toys for your dog can be a fun, rewarding experience for many owners. There are a few things that every pet owner should keep in mind when in the midst of the toy aisle surrounded by furry plush, squeaks and grunts, bright colors and fun. Read More »

Celebrating pet birthdays have been becoming increasingly more popular over the last few years. They can range from private family celebrations to full out doggie pool parties.  Gatsby’s 2^nd Birthday is just a few days away. His first year was a rough one and that’s when my husband and I decided to start celebrating our furkid’s birthdays.

Since last May, we’ve had 3 birthday parties for the dogs. We haven’t done anything too over the top, just a trip to the dog park, a dog-friendly birthday cake (with candles and singing, of course), and a present or two to share.

I’d like to share a recipe for the cake I am making for Gatsby this year:

PB & Honey Pup-Cakes

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup honey
1 egg

Directions:

Mix together flour and baking soda. Add remaining & mix well. Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool and decorate with melted carob, shredded carrots & banana slices.

Maybe our little girl, Sara, will have a puppy pool party later this summer, it sounds like a blast! How will you be celebrating your pet’s birthday this year? Feel free to sound off in the comments section!

In my last blog, I gave you a list of items you should have in your pet’s first aid kit. This time I would like to go over how to handle some of the more common health emergencies associated with dogs and cats. As always, please call a veterinarian for serious or life threatening situations. When in doubt, they are your best bet for providing proper care to a sick or injured pet. Always remember that animals in pain may bite out of fear, so approach injured and sick pets with caution and NEVER touch wild or unfamiliar animals without assistance from qualified wildlife handlers. Read More »

Emergencies can happen at any time, and it is important to be prepared if they do. Lots of stores, including That Fish Place, sell ready-made first aid kits for dogs and cats, but I’ve composed a list of materials you will need in case of medical emergencies. Remember to store all of the listed items in a waterproof plastic container and keep it in a readily accessible place. Read More »

Like the rest of the world I’ve been glued to the TV and newsfeeds watching and reading about the devastation caused by the earthquakes and resulting tsunami. The loss of life is staggering, but in tragedies like this I always wonder about the welfare of the animals that are also affected. What happens to the animals whose owners are missing, dead, or injured? Is anyone there to look out for them?

Organizations that provide food, supplies and shelter to aid our fellow human beings start campaigns to gather donations for the cause immediately. Mainstream organizations receive a lot of media attention and donations from the public. The organizations that provide care to our four-legged friends in need are less well-known, but they do exist, and you can help too! I’ve listed just a few of the organizations that are dedicated to helping the furry victims, as well as the furry aid workers, now in Japan.

Ark Bark – This amazing Japanese rescue group is gearing up for the arrival of homeless and displaced pets. They’re hard at work building additional shelters for the large amounts of pets already arriving. You can donate to the cause on their website, just add “for earthquake animals” in the notes.

World Vets– World Vets provides veterinary aid all around the world. They are currently coordinating with other rescue organizations to provide care to Japan’s many lost or injured pets. Donations to the organization are tax deductible.

AKC’s Companion Animal Recovery Canine Support & Relief Fund – Started in the wake of 9/11, this 501C 3 charitable organization’s mission is to fund canine search and rescue teams deployed throughout the world, wherever tragedy strikes. You can donate to their cause through the link above. Remember to note that it is on behalf of Japan.

The Annenberg Foundation – The Dog Bless You project harnessed the power of the Facebook community to donate $100,000 to Japan animal relief efforts. Check out their page here.

Military service members across the country are deployed on active duty missions every day. Many of these people have pets that need a caring, safe and loving homes and families to care for them while their owners are deployed around the world. Some may not be able to find someone to care for their pets while they are away, leaving them with the agonizing and painful decision to relinquish their beloved pets and pet ownership rights to an animal shelter or rescue group. They may never to see their pets again or know if they found a new good home. Read More »

A specially-trained Labrador Retriever named Marine has made medical history by exhibiting an amazing degree of accuracy in detecting bowel cancer.  It is hoped that further studies will lead to new advances in cancer detection and treatment.

A Near-Perfect Performance

Marine was able to detect the presence of bowel cancer by sniffing either the breath or stool samples of 48 people that had previously been diagnosed with the disease.  The dog’s accuracy was rated at 95% for breath samples and 98% for stool samples, and was not affected by potentially confusing factors such as smoking or the presence of other gastro-intestinal problems.  Read More »

Researchers at South Carolina’s Wofford College have announced that a Border Collie has been trained to identify over 1,000 objects.  Surprisingly, the clever dog, “Chaser”, can also differentiate between objects and actions involving them – grasping, in essence, the concept of nouns and verbs!

Surpassing Her “Trainers”

Summarized in a recent Behavioral Processes article, the Border Collie experiments are expected to shed light on just what it is that dogs understand when we speak to them.  The researchers (or ethologists, as animal behavior specialists are known) pointed out that they stopped introducing new objects at 1,022 due to time constraints – Chaser seemed willing and able to learn more.  In fact, her ability to remember all the objects seemed to exceed that of her human trainers! Read More »