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If you’re bringing a new pet into your home, and you already have pets, the thought of that initial introduction can be a little stressful.  You just never know how they might react to one another.  Whether you’re adding a newly adopted furry member to your family or moving in with a new roommate, family member or spouse who has pets, combining households can be a tricky transition.  Sure, you might see it as them gaining a new brother or sister, but they might see it as a stranger stepping on their territory.

Whatever has brought you to this new introduction, here are some tips that will help make the transition easier on everyone: 

As pet owners, we want the absolute best for our furry little family members.  But, have you ever really taken the time to ask yourself just how and what you can do to be the best pet owner you can be?  Well, we have, and we’ve put together a list of suggestions to help you be the best that you can be while bringing happiness and good health to your pets’ lives.  Here’s what you can do:

If you’re dealing with canine anxiety, it can be a bit overwhelming for both your dog and you to get through a day.  Like us, dogs have anxieties and fears.  Their anxieties may not be or work the same as our own, but they still cause a great deal of stress and physical reactions just the same.

Canine anxiety affects all breeds of dogs and can lead to very serious behavioral problems if left untreated.  Fortunately, there are steps that we, as pet owners, can take to help our beloved pets learn to live and better cope with their anxiety.  Let’s take a look at some of the common symptoms, treatment options and potential prevention techniques that you can use to work with your pet:

Signs of Anxiety

• Your dog keeps attempting to escape, either passively or actively
• Your dog has excess energy that has the potential to or sometimes does turn to aggression
• Your dog barks or howls beyond what is ordinary
• Your dog is often found to be shaking, hiding, tucking their tail, etc.
• Your dog has a habit of licking or biting at his or herself

What Causes Anxiety?

• Sickness or pain can make your dog more prone to fear and anxiety
• Changes in the central nervous system due to aging or disease
• Past experiences that were negative or caused fear and anxiety
• A lack of socialization in the first few months of life
• Having multiple owners or having been abandoned or neglected

How to Help Your Dog with Anxiety

• Practice separation – If your dog has separation anxiety, let him or her adjust to small periods of you being away. Then, as they start to adjust, increase the time you’re away.
• Occupy your dog – Give your dog something to do while you’re away. Try filling a toy with treats, or give them a chew toy that won’t be unsafe if destroyed.
• Stay calm – Your dog responds to the cues that you give them. Don’t make leaving or coming home a big deal.  Be calm and speak in a normal tone of voice.
• Prioritize exercise – Your dog will be less likely to exhibit anxious behaviors if he or she gets regular exercise. Take them for a walk before you leave the house to reduce anxiety.
• Consider doggy daycare – If your dog likes socializing, consider taking him or her to doggie daycare. This way, they will be having fun and using up excess energy while you’re away.
• Ask about medications – Your dog’s anxiety could be due to a hormonal or thyroid imbalance, which may require medication. Ask your veterinarian about this and about anti-anxiety medications.

Don’t let your dog’s anxiety take control of your (or their) life.  Talk to your veterinarian to identify the type of anxiety your dog may be suffering from and the possible causes and triggers.  With the right treatment strategy, you can help your dog overcome his or her anxiety and prevent dangerous and destructive behaviors from becoming a daily occurrence.  If you think your dog is suffering from anxiety, talk to your veterinarian today to come up with a plan of action that best suits your dog and your lifestyle.

Featured photo credit: moshehar via Pixabay, cc

Valentine’s Day can be a lot of fun for humans, but it can also be anything but fun for your pets if certain precautions aren’t taken during celebrations.  In fact, on this love-filled holiday, animal poison control and emergency vets see a huge rise in pet health emergencies both on Valentine’s Day and in the week leading up to Valentine’s Day.  Veterinarians say this is because people simply don’t realize that a lot of the treats and holiday gifts that are given can be very harmful to pets.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy the bountiful treats of Valentine’s Day.  You can still give and enjoy chocolates, home baked goods and other fun gifts.  It just means that you need to be a little extra cautious about what you bring into the house around your pets.  That means keeping toxic foods and other items away from your dogs and cats on Valentine’s Day.  And, if you’re unsure of what other precautions you should take, here are some tips to help you have a safe and pet-friendly Valentine’s Day:

Your dog’s health is the key to a long and happy life, so it’s important to truly understand how your pet’s body works.  You see, your dog’s body, just like yours, is full of complex moving parts.  That’s why, as a pet owner, it’s incredibly beneficial to know how they function, what problems can happen and how you can help to improve and maintain their health.

In order to react quickly and take care of your dog’s ailments in a timely manner, you must be able to spot the signs that something is wrong with your little furry buddy and how you can safely care for the situation.   So, let’s keep it simple, and take a look at some of the most common problems and treatments for your dog’s body:

Pet owners will agree that our furry, feathered and even scaled friends are nothing short of family.  As members of our family, their well-being is of great concern.  But, even with all of that love, you might not have considered everything that can injure your pets inside your home.

That’s why we’ve put together a safety guide so you can make improvements to pet proof and safeguard your furry family members.  Let’s break it down room by room:

Training your dog can be quite the undertaking.  While incredibly beneficial to both you and your pet, training does take a lot of patience.  But, there is one reliable key to success, and that is through positive reinforcement.

Your pet will be much more willing to obey and motivated to learn if you reward them with their favorite treat each time they complete the command given.  But, be careful not to spoil them or expect too much of them.  This, really, is the key to correct and successful training.  Let’s take a look at some tips and tricks to help you train your pup: 

While many of us wish that we could take our pets with us everywhere we go, sometimes it’s just not possible.  That’s when we have to turn to others for help in watching our beloved pets.  Hiring an experienced pet sitter (be it a friend, neighbor, or professional) to stay at your home can help make time away from home a little less stressful for everyone and put both you and your pet’s mind at ease.  But, to make certain that everything goes smoothly, there are a few things that you should do before you hit the road.

If you have to leave your furry friends behind, we’ve put together a complete pet sitter checklist to make sure that both your pet and sitter stay happy and healthy while you’re away: 

It’s a brand-new year and that means it’s time for some brand-new adventures!  But this year, make sure you share some of those adventures with your beloved K9 companions.  After all, there’s just no love quite like the love between a dog and his or her human.  So, we want to celebrate this bond by sharing our bucket list challenge with you for you to do with your favorite four-legged family members.

Here are 28 fun activities and adventures for you and your pup to explore together in 2018: 

Festive excitement and cheer are in the air.  The anticipation is building, and loads of holiday activities, meals and decorations are being prepped.  It’s truly a most wonderful time of the year!  But, if you’re a pet owner, you should also be considerate of how all of this fest is going to affect your furry companion, as things like holiday plants, lights and other changes around your house can impact their safety.

So, how can a pet owner safely prepare for the holidays?  Here are 10 easy tips that you can implement into your holiday routine to ensure that absolutely everyone stays safe and full of cheer: