.: Pet Dogs

In Part One, we talked about how to plan a move and  prepare for a move without stressing your dog and causing undesirable behaviors. Now, let’s look at the move itself and the settling-in period immediately after … Read More

So, you’re getting ready to move, and you’re a dog owner. Since dogs are relatively adaptable creatures in general, it’d be easy not to think about the effect of your move on your dog until you’ve … Read More

Among the most common goals of active, involved dog owners is to certify their dog as a therapy dog and do therapy work with elderly people, children, veterans, or people with disabilities. Therapy dogs can help people … Read More

Dear Petlvr, I hope you can help: We just brought home a 7 week old puppy – malti-poo/pom mix. Tiny, less than one pound. We have a mini-doxie age 12 who is fine with her. However, … Read More

Putting a collar on your dog seems like a fairly standard safety measure. Most pet parents don’t give it a second thought. But is it really that simple? As with most subjects related to pet care, … Read More

If you are housebreaking a puppy or dog, you’ve heard the age-old advice: “When he has an accident, just rub his nose in it!” Somehow that old chestnut has survived several revolutions in dog training, even … Read More

As the weather gets warmer, you may find that your dog can’t exercise enough during the day to keep him or her calm without becoming overheated. The cooler nights and evenings are a better time for … Read More

I know I’m not the only person who jokes,  “My dog would fetch until his legs fell off, if I kept throwing that ball!” It’s usually  worth a chuckle, especially if Augustin and a tennis ball are … Read More

This afternoon I witnessed a confrontation between a concerned passer-by and a driver who left her small dog in her Toyota Prius as she entered a fast casual restaurant and placed a to-go order. The other patron … Read More

Do you have extra love to give to a pet who is truly in need? If you’re an experienced pet parent looking for a new family member and want to know you’ve made a big difference to … Read More

More and more colleges are beginning to allow pets in select dormitories. Stressed-out students may benefit from the blood pressure reducing benefits of stroking a pet or watching fish in a tank. In addition, some students … Read More

What’s the best gift for your intact female dog or cat this Mother’s Day? How about an appointment to be spayed? We’ve discussed spaying and neutering here before, but it’s an important subject that deserves to … Read More

Train dogs and interact with the people who love them long enough, and you’ll find that certain truths about dog training are almost always accurate. Professional trainers and serious hobbyists are fond of standing around swapping … Read More

When I recommend premium food to dog owners, they often ask, “Is it really worth the price?” Or, “How could it possibly be that much better than the grocery store brands?” The answer is: Yes, absolutely. … Read More

One of the most saddening and frustrating issues for any dog owner to deal with is that of incontinence in an aging dog.  After years of successful housetrained behavior, older dogs often seem to regress to … Read More

Have coyotes moved into your neighborhood recently? Many urban and suburban residents are seeing coyotes enter their neighborhoods due to habitat destruction, habituation to human contact, and the easy availability of prey. Now, it might be … Read More

With the current recession showing no signs of letting up, shelters are stuffed to the gills with pets whose owners simply could no longer afford to care for them. The Chicago Tribune reported this week that, “When … Read More

Remember when we discussed how difficult flying with rats safely can be? I’ve also mentioned the potential hazards of shipping dogs and cats by plane. In fact, I personally will not ever fly with my dog … Read More

As Earth Week ends, tree-planting events and free seed offers die down, CFL bulbs return to regular price, and most people go right back to the lifestyle they’re accustomed to during the other 51 weeks of … Read More

Pugs, English Bulldogs, Shar Peis, and most of the Molusser (Mastiff) breeds have one big thing in common: Wrinkles! Many new owners of these dogs make the mistake of falling in love with the adorable wrinkly … Read More

Many pet lovers have been involved in an argument with a significant other regarding pets either brought into the relationship/marriage by one party, or acquired as a couple. Just like children, pets require you to expend time, money, … Read More

Snacking out of the catbox is perhaps the most disgusting habit a dog can have, in my opinion– and that’s a pretty competitive category. Unfortunately, at least a substantial minority, and probably a vast majority of … Read More

Once upon a time, including pets in a wedding would have been a massive social blunder frowned upon by the majority of guests. Now, many pet lovers can’t imagine marrying without their pets present. It makes … Read More

Do pets grieve when they lose an owner or a companion? In short: Yes. There are various scientific studies, some contradictory, on the subject of animals’ responses to loss, but my experience as the owner of … Read More

Yesterday we introduced you to Bo Obama, the Portuguese Water Dog now owned by Barack Obama and his family. Today, just in case Barack, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha read Petlvr: The Blog, I’ve got five helpful hints … Read More

It’s official: President Barack Obama and his family have been given a 6-month-old Portuguese Water Dog puppy by Senator Edward M. Kennedy. The dog, who will be named “Bo Diddley,” was purchased from a Texas kennel and … Read More

Are you pinching pennies as the recession drags on? If so, don’t skimp on essentials like vet care and premium food, which save you money in the long run. However, you can save money in other, … Read More

Most people know that Halloween can be a dangerous holiday for pets,  but what about Easter? Just as much chocolate is given out on Easter as Halloween, but some families are so eager to celebrate that … Read More

It’s not easy to look at a litter of puppies, kittens, rats, or any other animal and pick just one baby to take home. Should you really choose just one? Wouldn’t those two littermates be happier together? … Read More

If you  have a high-energy dog, getting involved in a canine sport is a smart decision. But which one will best suit your dog? One can easily spend a lot of time and money taking lessons … Read More

No, I’m not asking in a roundabout way whether or not you own a bird. Twitter is a microblogging website that allows users to send short messages of 140 characters or less. You can “follow” other users … Read More

So you want to start a garden, but you’re worried that all your efforts will go to waste when your dog traipses through, digging up your plants and snacking on the manure used as fertilizer, then … Read More

Nothing ruins a pet-friendly vacation like car sickness. One moment you’re anticipating a game of fetch on the beach, and the next you’re cleaning a puddle of pre-digested kibble out of the car. For pets with … Read More