Author: Katya

Don’t you just love hearing happy adoption stories?!  Well, check out this sweet video about finding true love on Adopt-a-Pet.com!  Jessica Wedemeyer didn’t know what package he’d come in, but she knew she was ready to find her soulmate. She was hoping for someone easy going, kind, and nonjudgemental. That’s when she met Tyson, and boy, is he more than she ever dreamed of! This darling Dachshund mix is seven years old and was sadly left behind at an animal shelter. But Jessica came to the rescue, proving that all pets of every size, shape, and age deserve to have a happily ever after!  Thank you to Jessica for adopting lovely Tyson, and thanks to everyone who helps encourage others to find their own match at a local shelter.

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We’ve all seen it before. We drive by that house every day on our way to work, or maybe it’s a home in our own neighborhood. Unfortunately there are still many people who keep their dogs solely outside. Dogs who are outdoors all the time are often extremely lonely and bored. Their lack of mental (and often physical) stimulation often results in bad habits such as digging, chewing or incessant barking. Worse case scenario, the lack of socialization can cause outdoor only dogs to become aggressive with other animals or people.

Dogs are pack animals and are meant to be with their pack, their people, their family. Even still, people have many reasons for keeping their dogs outside, but all of those explanations do have solutions. If you see a backyard-banished dog and are able to educate the owner, let them know there are ways to bring Fido into the home. Coming inside or having both indoor and outdoor access is such a better life for a dog, but it’s the people who really gain the most. Unconditional love, companionship, a silly furry face to make you smile as you walk in the door.

If you’re looking to adopt a puppy or dog and plan on keeping him outside, please reconsider. Pets who live among their pack and are truly integrated in the home are the happiest, healthiest, and most well-balanced. The bonding that occurs inside the home makes it all worthwhile! For more information on why keeping a dog outdoors only is not a good idea, click here.

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There is no shortage of terrific pet-related videos on YouTube these days, but this is absolutely one of our favorites!  Check out Internet star Jesse, the spunky, smart, adorable Jack Russell Terrier, as he promotes pet adoption and shares some love for shelter pets! Jesse knows that animal shelters and rescue groups work tirelessly to find happy homes for as many pets as possible. He and his guardians made this video to spread the message far and wide, encouraging more people to adopt their next pet! Jesse even reminds viewers that sharing flyers can help save lives. It all helps make a difference! We know that this video will inspire more people to get involved with helping homeless pets, and we’re so thankful to Jesse and his family for championing the cause.

Do you create YouTube videos of your own? Please consider including Adopt-a-Pet.com as an Annotation or in the descriptive field below the video, encouraging your viewers to adopt. Did you like this article? Click an icon below to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and more!

No one likes to think of disaster striking or the need to plan ahead for emergencies, but when it comes to taking care of your animals in these unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, it’s all about planning. It’s vital that we plan ahead of time to make sure that should this scary time come, we are ready to ensure the well being of our family members — both the two-legged and the four-legged. Sadly, often history has shown that natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and fires have left many pets abandoned, lost or harmed.

Having a ready-to-go emergency kit can be extremely helpful. Make sure to include your pet’s food, water, supplies, leashes, any needed medication, and always make sure your animals are microchipped as well as wearing a collar and tag just to be extra careful with their identification! If you don’t know how to make your pet’s emergency bag, consider purchasing one already designed for disaster preparedness such as the Save Your Pet Pack. This line of bags, some created for people to wear and others for pets to wear, comes with emergency supplies included. They were designed to free your hands so that you can grab your pet and run out the door during a time of urgency.

Knowing your pet’s hiding places so that you can always find them should you need to evacuate fast is also an important tip. In short, please remember: our pets count on us. When emergency strikes, it’s best to be ready so that you can lead them to safety with you. For more information on emergency preparedness, click here!

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Using a crate (small safe place) to have your dog remain while you are gone should only be done to protect your dog, or for a dog who gets very nervous when left alone.  Confinement to a crate should NEVER be used as punishment.  A nervous dog should love being in their safe small place.  This is very different than simply confining your dog to a small space for your own convenience.  Where appropriate, a crate can be a useful tool if used for short periods of time and with great compassion,  Woof University is our new series of pet-related training tips, and this week we’re looking at how to introduce your new adopted dog to the crate. Providing a safe, fun, and positive introduction between your rescued pooch and the crate can make all the difference in being able to use this tool. Crates are great for potty training, puppy training, or if you need to separate dogs from one another if you’re not quite sure yet how they will interact without your supervision. It’s important to remember that size wise, your dog should be able to stand up and turn around as well as lie down comfortably in the crate. Also, please do not keep your dog in a crate for more than 3 hours a day.

Above all remember the golden rule with crates: they are not a place of punishment! They’re a comfy den for your pup and should be surrounded with positive associations when you’re trying to make them like it!  Never force or push your dog in as he might then learn to be afraid or stressed about the crate. It make take a little time and patience on your part, but you can certainly train your dog to feel peaceful and happy in his very own crate. It’s like his own condo! Click here to watch a video with more crate training tips.

You can also post your pet-related questions on Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Facebook or Twitter page with the hashtag #AskKatya. Once a week, we’ll be picking a question to answer with video – so feel free to ask us your questions!  Did you like this article? Click an icon below to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and more!

 

There are so many valuable things I learn from animals every day.  Some lessons are more expected, some more subtle.  But everything they teach me has no doubt made me a better person.  Recently I was reflecting on a shelter dog who my husband and I were fostering in our home years ago when I was just beginning my studies as a dog trainer.  Milton was a very stubborn pup, especially on walks, and he could be quite reactive when he didn’t get his way.  And I’ll admit it: I grew impatient with him.  I was on the verge of reacting, too, frustrated that I couldn’t figure out how to quickly and effectively train him to walk well on a leash.

One day after a particularly challenging walk where Milton pulled hard at times, protested the walk and stopped dead in his tracks at other times, lunged after other dogs, and yet insisted we meet every cat, I had had enough.  “NO,” I yelled at Milton.  He looked up at me with his big brown, apologetic eyes and I felt immediately guilty for my outburst.  Not because I had hurt his feelings – I knew it didn’t exactly work that way for dogs, although they are sentient beings who do understand our energy.  I felt guilt because I failed to insert a moment before my scream where I would choose to do what would is best for Milton.

I was traumatized that I had shouted at him, and I obsessed about it, to the annoyance of my husband.  I was ashamed that I had lost my patience and was unable to keep my cool.  As a student dog trainer, I knew that anxiety and frenetic energy would only make the matter worse.  I found myself sitting next to his dog bed desperately trying to apologize to him!   He just looked at me with those same beautiful eyes.  Nothing could shake my disappointment for yelling at him.  I hung my head embarrassed that I had succumbed to an inefficient way of dealing with his leash behavior, especially when I knew better than that!  So who’s behavior were we looking at here?

The next morning when we leashed up for our walk Milton came bounding to me excited.  He had already forgiven me. It hit me like a ton of bricks: these incredible pets whom we share our lives with teach us a whole lot about actions speaking louder than words.  They do not understand what we say, how much we apologize.  It’s what we do that counts to them.  And those actions add up.  We cannot rationalize them away. And because of this very fact animals make us better, more mindful, closer to being the people we want to be.  Milton came into my life to be the first who would fully teach me this lesson, although sometimes, to my own dismay, I have to learn it again.  Being an imperfect human, I try to use my words when it is my behavior that my pets learn to love me by.  Imagine if we all lived this way – unable to justify, unable to intellectualize, our respect and love for one another based solely on our actions.

I thank my pets so much for teaching me this lesson, and I thank Milton, who did finally learn to walk well on leash! These wonderful animals – because they require me to be present and thoughtful I’m just a littler closer to being as good as they are.

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The loss of a beloved pet can be an incredibly hard thing to deal with.  Feelings of denial, anger, guilt, and most of all sadness are very natural and normal after the passing of a cherished furry friend.  We feel for you and understand your pain.  It is important to be honest about your emotions and express them to those you can talk to. These friends and confidants can can assist you in best coping with the depression and bereavement you likely feel. Websites and support groups are out there to help you with just this very situation.

Whether it was many or only a few years, the time you spent with your pet made him or her a consistent part of your life, a companion, a family member. The devastation in your heart will pass, but it is helpful to truly recognize the loss of this significant relationship, and to allow yourself to feel deeply so that you can move through the process. Embrace your grief – scream, cry, run, punch a pillow, do whatever you need to do. Many people find it helpful to create a tribute in memory of their pet. Creating a tribute is a wonderful way to reminisce about the good times and share them, as well as honor what your pet means to you.

Whether it be writing a story or poem, or perhaps sitting down to pour your heart out to your lost friend in the form of a letter, paying homage can help you heal. Other creative outlets such as making a photo album or putting together a video are ways you can celebrate their life. For example, this touching tribute to NightCrawler the black kitty helped his owner deal with the unbearable grief of losing him. Nightcrawler was adopted from a local Humane Society as a kitten, and unable to get past the paralyzing heartache when Nightcrawler passed away, his dad created this video as a way to comfort himself and others in mourning. He knew that there were thousands of other pet owners out there going through the same thing, and he wanted to find a way to both honor Nightcrawler as well as comfort others in grief.

It hurts so much to lose your best friend; we all wish our pets could live as long as we do so that we can continue to share a life with them. But when you are ready, when the time is right, please consider adopting your next furry family member. It is a wonderful way to honor the passing of a loved one by saving another life. We at Adopt-a-Pet.com will be here when the time comes to help you find your match. We are so sorry for your loss. We like to think that they are always with us somehow, watching over with love.

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Romantic, affectionate, deep.  He takes your breath away.  Of course we’re talking about Don Juan!  We don’t know how this lovable feline has not gotten adopted yet, but PeoplePets.com wants to help change that by featuring him as this month’s adoptable pet!  Plus, June is Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat month so please spread the word to help more homeless kitties.  Don Juan a 10 month-old Russian Blue cat who can be shy at first…but don’t let that fool you!  He is actually a big lover and in a few days time will warm up to be the most affection cuddle buddy ever.  Don Juan is soooo good looking!  But he’s also a funny, playful fella who loves other kitties and all people.  He’s got these gorgeous gray markings which he will proudly show off to you as he lays in your lap!  Don Juan enjoys playing with water bowls and toys, too, but most of all he wants a forever family to share his heart with.  You can find out more about Don Juan on his Adopt-a-Pet.com profile page here!

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As you know, we’ll do just about anything to promote pet adoption!  Check out this latest adorable video about finding your match on Adopt-a-Pet.com.  Emily Kaplan wasn’t sure if she’d ever find her meant-to-be and then there he was: handsome, affectionate, and interested in moving in with her.  No, we’re not talking about her husband, we’re talking about Baxter, her adopted Beagle-Jack Russell mix!  Emily says his unconditional love and simple ways keep her more grounded and happier overall.  That’s just something we love about pets – they keep us present, they keep us laughing, and they keep us company.  Help us encourage others to adopt and find their true love in a shelter pet!

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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!