.. By Jelena

As you may know, I feed my dog a raw diet, and advocate whole prey model raw feeding for anyone who’s willing and able to make the switch to this more complex and natural method of feeding pets. … Read More

With the current financial crisis, if you’re not cutting back on expenses already, it’s likely that you will be soon. Pet parents are feeling the crunch even more than those without pets. It can be hard … Read More

I write a lot about pets and animal behavior, but I read about these subjects even more. As a result, I’ve developed a fairly substantial collection of books about pets. I’d like to share with you … Read More

Male rats and female rats have many similarities, but also several distinct differences. It’s best to keep only one gender at a time, or to keep a mixed sex colony with all rats of one or … Read More

If you intend to compete in performance or conformation events, or simply wish to have a well-behaved dog and understand its behavior, choosing a great trainer is one of the most important things you can do … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag … When we got our 2nd Papillon dog, Sophie .. it was mid September as a puppy (she was born late July). We then had the coldest winter and earliest snowfall that year … Read More

Sometimes dogs refuse food. Failing to eat can be indicative of as little as a mild upset tummy, or of conditions as serious as bloat or organ failure. So, how do you tell the difference? When … Read More

Dear Petlvr Mailbag … Is declawing a cat a good idea? I have people giving both sides, and although I think it is sad, what are the alternatives to torn up furniture? Signed, gtcathey from Ima … Read More

Welcome to PetLvr Reviews, a new series here at PetLvr – The Blog, where we take a time-out to look at some interesting and (not-so-interesting) pet related products. If you would like your product reviewed by … Read More

No matter how much you love your pet, chances are, you hate shedding. Unless you own a non-shedding breed like a Standard Poodle, there’s also a good chance shedding is a fact of life. However, sometimes … Read More

Dear Petlvr Mailbag … I’ve got two questions… Why does my cat insist on tearing up every piece of paper lying around on the floor? He’s 3, far from being a kitty. Also he is chunky. … Read More

Every pet owner should maintain a good working relationship with a veterinarian. Owners of multiple types of pets, particularly exotic or unusual pets, may need several veterinarians. However, sometimes the decision to take a pet, particularly … Read More

I have a raw-fed dog. We’ll talk more seriously about the choice to go raw and how to do so without sacrificing optimum nutrition later, as well as about the home-cooked alternative, but for now I’d … Read More

Once a dog has learned to sit, come, fetch, and stay, and perhaps do a few tricks, many pawrents stop training new behaviors. It’s easy to stop with the basics, but ongoing training yields many rewards. Dogs … Read More

Dear Petlvr Mailbag … I have 2 rescue poodles, both males.  Buddy is a 3-year-old Standard and Troy is a 3-year-old Toy.  Buddy wants to play with little Troy.  It’s the 65 lbs. vs. the 8 … Read More

Because my other job is with a social networking site, the term “Power User” has crept into my vocabulary. A Power User is an individual who doesn’t just use a particular website or application, but uses … Read More

  Rats are naturally very tidy animals, generally needing baths only once or twice a year unless a medical condition or an owner’s allergies necessitate more frequent bathing. Some male rats require more frequent baths due to … Read More

Every pet looks its best with a healthy, shiny coat. Whether it’s the family cat or a show-ring star, pets deserve proper skin and coat care. Healthy skin and coat can also indicate overall health and … Read More

Dear Petlvr Mailbag … Polybore’s cat is terrible at catching mice. It catches them in the garden then brings them into the house and lets them go, alive. I want the cat to catch and kill … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag … Okay, a 1-2 year old male feral/stray/whatever cat moved into my back yard. Got attacked by, I think, a raccoon, as the possums left and I have a few kits, one mom, … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag .. My dog lifts his leg to pee, then poops instead. This may seem like a silly question, but it causes poop to stick to the hair on his hind legs. Yuck! –Grossed … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag .. I have two cats. The boy is tall and strong, and the other (female) is a runt. She’s 4 years old but looks like a kitten, she is so tiny. Anyway, my … Read More

Last spring, my Off-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) gelding, Ember, began colicking repeatedly. He would begin lying down and nipping at his sides just before feeding time, as often as two or three times per week. The episodes … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag … What can a renter do when owning a dog to prevent the landlord from having any liability with regards to the dog’s behavior? Essentially, the law states that a landlord can be … Read More

“Should I get one rat, or two?” That’s a question I hear asked very often, and, unlike most pet questions, it’s got an easy answer. Get two! Or, better yet, three, or as many rats as … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag, We moved a couple years ago, and the cat went from being an outside/inside cat to wholly an inside cat. He seems really really bored though, looking for ways to help him transition … Read More

Dear  PetLvr Mailbag, One of my dogs compulsively licks. He’s always licking at my hands, face, ear, arms, legs, anything he can. Whenever I pet him, he just tries to lick my hand. How the hell … Read More

Earlier this week, I talked about two traits of an ethical pet shop. But, of course, the full picture could never fit in a single post; so, today, we’ll look at one more very important feature of an ethical … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag, I have a pit lab mix that loves too much. She is about 55 lbs and strong as an ox. She has been trained to not jump on me when I come home … Read More

Everyone needs to visit a pet store sometimes, whether it’s for pet supplies, training, grooming, or even advice. However, pet owners concerned about the ethical problems associated with many pet shops often wonder if their dollars … Read More

Dear PetLvr Mailbag, My 4 month old kitten totally dominates my 8 year old Australian Shepherd. The kitten, Freckles, is 4 months old. She’ll walk up to the dog, Luke, and he’ll freeze in panic. She’ll … Read More

Have you ever been on vacation, feeling homesick, and wanted, more than anything, to see your pet? Royce  Hong, CEO of the electronics company IPEVO, has. While traveling, Royce found himself missing his bulldog, Roy. That’s when inspiration struck. Royce designed … Read More

As anyone who’s ever had a fearful adult dog can attest, eliminating an established fear is tricky, whether it’s a common one like thunderstorm phobia or something more unusual, like a friend of a friend’s dog … Read More