Month: June 2012

“Dear Adopt-a-Pet.com, Over a year ago with the help of Adopt-a-Pet.com we were able to find a 9-month-old lab mix to come and stay with us. We run a spiritual center and on weekends there are people of all ages showing up. He has become the official greeter and people look forward to seeing him. There are several people who had a fear of dogs but he has taught them to love dogs. 
We have a large family of critters: a horse, a goat, chickens, ducks, turkeys, cats, parrots etc. Most of them are rescues or raised here and our buddy think they are his to take care of. He can walk right up to any of the birds or cats and go nose to nose to them without scaring them.
 I cannot thank of a thing we would change in him. We know he was supposed to be here and that happened through Adopt-a-Pet.com and Bardstown rescue. Thank you! Here are some pictures of Firedog doing what he is good at. This photo is him with a baby turkey sitting on his foot. I have pictures of them playing all over him and he just laid there. [Read on for more photos of Firedog!]

This is Firedog:

This is him with Baby Ducks.  When they first got here he only left them to eat, drink or go outside for about 4 days.  He slept by them and did not want people touching them.

This is with one of his buddies watering the rabbits

Everyone loves a friendly game of tug of war

Catching a nap with his best friend George.  You will notice George is laying on his back feet.

Here he is with his adopted Brother Sky who comes to visit often as possible.

So there are a few pictures of Firedog and his normal days.

Thanks,
Bo and Cheryl

As you may have heard our resident behaviorist, Katya, has been taking pet-related questions from you all!  Recently, Celia, one of our awesome animal-loving fans posted her question and asked for a little guidance.  Celia wrote: “We rescued two small dogs who had lived their whole lives in a hoarder house with 18 other dogs.  They’re very shy but doing pretty well.  However, one is very hostile toward visitors, barks and growls and even bit our dog sitter once. ”  Well, we just had to reply to help Celia!  We’re so grateful to her and her family for adopting these two guys who desperately needed a loving home.  (Pictured to the left are Celia, her husband, and their cute rescued pups Milo and Mack!)

Below is the advice Katya suggested for Celia.  If there are any of you out there with dogs who don’t seem to like strangers coming over, we hope it helps, too!

For starters, invite your friends and neighbors to stop over for some practice.  Scheduling their visits, you can hand visitors a high-value treat immediately at the door.  Your  pals should walk into your home, crouch down to offer your dog a treat from their hands, all the while looking away so that their eyes are not looking directly at your pooch.  Eye contact can be very threatening to pups, especially from new people; releasing eye contact often encourages them to approach, which is essential to begin associating a stranger’s visit with something good.  Try keeping a bag of treats by the front door (high up so the dogs don’t get them!) for training purposes.

As wonderful as it is to get your friends and family involved in your dog training, it is also important that those participating follow the protocol designed to help your dog.  So no one should go over to your pup during drills as that could make him or her feel more insecure and afraid.  Dogs with anxiety, fear, or uncertainty to new people should be given the time and space to approach on their own time.  The act of feeling safe enough to get closer is part of the learning!  By inching over to get the treat from a new person’s hand, your dog will at the same time be smelling the visitor’s scent, associating this new person with goodies!  Any reactions such as barking or growling is just a way for dogs to communicate that they’re feeling uncomfortable or afraid.  No need to punish that behavior, and by simply ignoring it, it will not be reinforced and should subside.  It is best not to punish natural and instinctual canine behavior.  When your pup stops barking or growling, that’s the teachable moment!   That’s a good time for you to gently praise him or her so that the quiet, calmer behavior is reinforced.

Overall, be patient with your dogs!  It may take time for a pooch to learn to feel confident around new people.  Sometimes your dog might not want to participate in the training, and that’s okay, too.  Gradual and slow is best when it comes to all things canine.  If you continue to work at it and communicate with your dogs, they’ll surely come around.  Last but not least, remember that our dogs often take clues from us without our knowing it, too!  Remain calm when people come over so that your pooch can sense your comfort rather than feeling the need to protect and defend.  Dogs are pack animals after all – if someone else is giving them the message of safety, they often relax to that leader.  The more positive experiences you can create for your dog around visitors, the less afraid they’ll be with new people over time.

Celia has reported that her dogs are getting better every day!  We hope this feedback helps others who share this issue.  However,  please note that enlisting the help of a professional, certified dog trainer in your area to do a personal visit is always recommended.  Seeing the actual dog behavior is often most effective when it comes to working with and managing behavioral problems.

Do you have a pet-related question for us?  By posting your question with the hashtag #AskKatya on our Facebook wall or via Twitter, we will choose one question a week to respond to with video!  Did  you like this article?  Click an icon below to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and more!

Why do cats and kittens love hiding, sleeping and playing in cuddly caves? We asked all our foster cats and kittens, and they asked us right back (we think), “For many of the same reasons your young humans like hiding out and playing in tents and forts – they’re fun!” Fun factor aside, cats do like to feel safe and snuggly especially when they are sleeping. Have you ever seen a pile of kittens or a row of adult cats lined up across the floor to catch the warm rays of a sun beam, or snoozing on the top of your old-fashioned-style TV or computer monitor? Cats like to be warm! Their average normal body  temperature is 101.5 °F and they are domestic cats are descended from a desert dwelling feline – say that five times fast!  (This is also why most cats are not good at drinking enough water to stay healthy, and need to “eat” their water in daily feedings of canned food.)  These desert wild cats lived in… yes, caves! Most archeologists believe domestic cats came from Egypt, so maybe their tomb heritage also plays a role. So the next time your highly-domesticated house cat curls up inside of a fuzzy cave bed, or plays hide and go seek with you under the sheets as you make your bed, you’ll know you are getting a glimpse into their evolutionary background!

This blog article was partically inspired by Moderncat’s super cool  Roundup of Affordable Cozy Cat Caves, All Under $40 – image below.

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“Help!  My dog can’t ride in the car without getting sick!”  Does this sound like something you would say? Many animals suffer from motion sickness which can turn a fun and exciting car ride into a messy and unpleasant experience for all.  Whether due to an imbalance in their inner ear, feeling stressed, or a negative association with motion, if your pup continues to throw up or display signs of motion sickness you may want to consultant your veterinarian.  Medication is often possible to help your pooch tolerate the drive better.  Furthermore, a certified dog trainer or behaviorist can help desensitize your dog to the car and provide some training tips designed to prevent an upset tummy.

No one dog breed is more or less prone to motion sickness, and it can develop at any age.  So the next time you hit the road, make sure to pay attention to your canine pal and look for the signs.  Treatment is available and your pup will surely enjoy traveling with you the better he feels along the way.  For more on motion sickness, what it may come from, and what to do about it, click here!

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Time for another, new segment of Dog Park News, segment 2!  Our intrepid reporter Katya brings you the latest (hilarious) news right from the dog park.  If you like Saturday Night Live sketches, you’ll love Dog Park News!  A giant poop discovered?  A Beagle who runs fast?  And as always, a perfect day to check out your local pet adoption event!  Kinda makes you wish our news could be as simple as our dogs’ news, huh?

At Adopt-a-Pet.com, we’ll try anything to promote pet adoption!  We’re hoping these quirky Dog Park News segments will make people laugh, and keep them thinking about adopting their next pet.  Keep your eyes out for more Dog Park News to come!

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