Now, when you shop online at your favorite stores, a donation is made to Adopt-a-Pet.com to help shelter pets get adopted. All you need to do to participate is download the Adopt-a-Pet.com Browser Button or shop through our special shopping portal. There is no extra cost to you and you get to feel good that you’re helping homeless animals every time you make a purchase.
Watch the easy, step-by-step video and get more info on the button here.
Living in an apartment or condo doesn’t mean you have to wait to adopt a pet. Cats, dogs, and other pets can thrive in smaller settings — it just takes some extra preparation and care, especially in the case of dogs. Here are some pet safety tips for small-space dwellers keen on adopting a pet:
#1 Cabinets and shelves are easy access.
If you’re away for an extended period of time, your pet may do some exploring. Keep cabinets and shelves firmly closed. Cats are especially good at climbing and using their paws to open things, so store anything dangerous behind a childproof cabinet. Also install childproof locks (about $460) in cabinets near the floor — or train your dogs to stay away from them.
#2 Your houseplants could be dangerous.
If you have plants around your apartment or house, be aware that some are poisonous to cats and dogs. Some examples include:
If you have hazardous plants in your home, place them out of your pet’s reach. Or, better yet, donate them to a petless, green-thumbed friend.
#3 Balconies are a major hazard.
Apartment and condo balconies weren’t designed with animals in mind; it’s easy for a cat or small dog to fall through. Keep a close eye on your pets at all times when out on the balcony. Or, keep them off the balcony altogether. You can also install plastic garden fencing or clear acrylic sheets around the balcony, though you should check with your landlord to make sure it’s okay first.
#4 Safety features aren’t just for kids.
Depending on the layout of your space, there may be additional hazards for your pets. A fall down the stairs, for example, may result in a broken bone. Use a safety gate to keep them from falling. Other safety features to consider include:
#5 Exercising is a must.
Because of the limited space in apartments and condos, your animals can’t exercise as much as they could if they had a yard. While cats can make the most of any space and should be indoor-only animals, dogs need a bit more help. Schedule time into your day to exercise them. They could need anywhere from 20 minutes to more than an hour every day to get their energy out. This doesn’t include playtime with toys. Think about a minimum of two walks per day, even for small breed dogs.
#6 House train your pet!
House training is an absolute necessity when living in an apartment or condo, especially if you’re on an upper floor. House training a cat can be relatively simple, as long as they take to the litter box. Dogs are a bit harder, although training works well when you use a crate. There will be accidents along the way, but once they get it down, you and your pet will enjoy a solid routine. Then you can spend more time playing and less time cleaning up soiled carpets (here are some tips on cleaning those up too).
Written contribution by Andrea Davis, Home Advisor.
One of my foster dogs, Iggy, came to me as a super shy young dog. At the shelter, he cowered in the back of the kennel. He was scared of the water hoses used to clean the kennels, running water, people in uniform (like the kennel staff who sprayed the kennels down to clean them), loud noises, and a lot of other things — so essentially, my ideal project dog to foster! I love fostering shy dogs and helping them blossom into happy adoptable dogs. Each shy foster dog is like a puzzle that takes time, patience, training, and of course love. I’m always learning something new from my foster dogs, like when Iggy suddenly became terrified of something unexpected…
…getting his walking harness put on! I’d been fostering him for a few weeks and his confidence was growing every day. Then one day, something happened. I wasn’t even aware of it until I went to put his harness on him for a walk — his activity in the world aside from squirrel chasing — and he cowered in fear and submissive urinated all over both of us! We both seemed pretty surprised! I cleaned us both up and then went carefully again to put the harness over his head (no problem) but when I went to buckle it around his chest, he trembled and peed again, poor little guy. The next day, the same thing. So instead I slipped a martingale collar on him and clipped a leash to that and we went for our walk, no problem. But the harness had become SCARY! I must have accidentally snagged some of his fur when I buckled it without realizing. Since he can pull super hard when he sees a squirrel, a harness is a safer choice for him.
I needed to re-condition him to not think the harness clipping on was scary.
(Disclaimer: I am not a neuroscientist, so this is my layperson’s understanding of the learning and memory process!) Dogs and other mammals encode experiences as memories in their brains. A memorable event, like pain, causes neurons to fire more frequently. They make a “path” that will be followed again in the future. So in Iggy’s harness fear case, the harness being attached made a path of “That hurt that’s scary!” So the next time that event started to happen, his brain said, “this is going to hurt!” an he urinated in fear.
What I needed to do is make a new path. One way to do that with a food-motivated dog is overwrite the fear response with an equally or more memorable thing and action — like awesome treats for a different action!
For Iggy, since he was super good at the sit command, I tried that first. I put the harness over his head, and instead of reaching to snap it, before he had a chance to pee, I quickly stood up and gave him my hand & verbal signals for “sit.” He looked a little confused but he sat – and then I gave him a huge handful of awesome treats! He was like, “WHOA! What just happened?!?!? That was awesome!!” I then slid the harness off and did it one more time, then again slid it off and put the collar on instead and we went for our walk.
I don’t really know how many times it would take Iggy to “re-write” the bad memory, so I gave it eight times: just before our two walks a day with two oh-my-dog-tons-of-treats rewards each time. On day three I then started just pulling the buckle around his belly, not fastening it, and then doing the sit-treat. The first time I did that he moved and the one side of the buckle hit the other side of the buckle and he tail tucked (a precurser to scared peeing) but quickly recovered when I stood up. Did that for more two days and then tried to oh-so-casually clasp the buckle. He actually sat in anticipation of the sit/treats which made it easier and as soon as the buckle clicked, he got a HUGE handful of treats and off we went on our walk!
So now Iggy sees the harness and he sits! I reward him sometimes (slot-machine style) and he’s happily replaced SCARY with SIT for his harness behavior.
We LOVE a good adoption story, especially when Adopt-a-Pet.com helps to make that bond happen! Today, we hear from Ana who found her little Pru (formerly Sprinkles) with the help of our service. Ana writes:
“My husband and I recently got married in March and moved out to Santa Monica, CA for his job. I made one request upon the move to California – to get a puppy. The deal was made and as soon as I found a dog friendly apartment in Santa Monica, I went on Adopt-a-Pet.com where I found Sprinkles’ profile. I fell in love with her immediately and called the contact number. Tina from Little Pampered Paws Rescue answered the phone. Tina relayed the unfortunate news that someone else had claimed her. I was disappointed but continued searching. I couldn’t get Sprinkles out of my head, but luckily I got phone call two days later with great news! I picked up the phone and it was Tina calling to tell me that the other family decided they weren’t ready for a puppy and that she was all ours if we wanted her – I replied “Of course we do!” We met her that same day. As soon as I held her, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind if we would take her home – she was perfect. She came home with us that same day and we named her Pru after the Prudential Tower where my husband and I first met. Pru now lives with my husband and I in Santa Monica two blocks away from the beach and it’s true what they say: a dog makes a house a home. We are so elated that we found Pru and grateful that we were able to rescue her.”
We’d love to hear your Happy Beginnings story too! Send your pet adoption story to info@cms.adoptapet.com with a photo or two, and tell us how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped you with your adoption. Thank you for adopting a pet and saving a life!
Have you guys seen the commercial on TV for HomeAdvisor? You know, the one with the doorbell at the end that drives your doggies crazy?
It seems our friends at HomeAdvisor are #InTheDogHouse after disturbing the peace for some VIPs (Very Important Pooches) like yours. But, they want to take the bite out of the bark by raising money for shelter pets and Adopt-a-Pet.com. Join the campaign and HomeAdvisor will donate $1 on your behalf. They’ll even double the donation if you also share a pic of your pet in social media with the #InTheDogHouse hashtag!
Go now and help us receive the maximum donation of $15,000!
Finding a pet using Adopt-a-Pet.com seems like magic, but the real magic is our technology that unites good people with great pets! Check out Adopt-a-Pet.com’s latest video, where we show off some magic tricks and surprise some pet lovers by introducing them to their new best friend.
Want to create a little magic of your own? You can make a donation, feature adoptable pets in social media, add Adopt-a-Pet.com to your own website, and share this video with your friends and family and encourage them to do the same.
For more info, visit Adopt-a-Pet.com/Magic!
LOS ANGELES – JULY 20, 2015 – Between six million and eight million homeless pets enter shelters every year. That’s why Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, the original real estate startup founded in 1906, is teaming up with Adopt-a-Pet.com to organize the Homes for Dogs National Pet Adoption Weekend.
This nationwide event builds on the success of the “Homes for Dogs Project,” a national campaign hosted by Coldwell Banker and Adopt-a-Pet.com that aims to find homes for 20,000 adoptable dogs in 2015. On August 1-2, Coldwell Banker offices in communities across the United States, along with shelters and rescue groups in the Adopt-a-Pet.com network, will join forces for one of the largest adoption events of the year.
“It’s shocking to think of how many homeless dogs enter shelters each year,” said Sean Blankenship, chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “So many of us at Coldwell Banker are dog lovers — that’s why we launched this program. Between our 86,000 affiliated sales associates and the 15,000 Adopt-a-Pet.com shelters, we’re hoping that we can truly make a difference through a major adoption event.”
Coldwell Banker Real Estate launched the “Homes for Dogs Project” in February 2015 with the brand’s national television commercial, “Home’s Best Friend,” which aired on the 87th Academy Awards. The ad spot featured half a dozen real rescue dogs, such as Max, who was adopted in 2014 after being spotted on Adopt-a-Pet.com.
“We were thrilled when Coldwell Banker Real Estate came to us about this campaign,” said Abbie Moore, executive director of Adopt-a-Pet.com. “Together, we know we can make an impact on communities across the country.”
To find a list of pet adoption events, please visit http://www.adoptapet.com/homesfordogs.
About Adopt-a-Pet.com
Adopt-a-Pet.com is North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website. We help over 15,000 animal shelters, humane societies, SPCAs, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their purebred and mixed breed pets for free to millions of adopters each month. Sponsored by the pet lovers at Purina, Bayer AnimalHealth LLC, and the Petco Foundation we help homeless dogs, cats, and even rabbits and other animals go from alone to adopted. But we don’t stop there. Adopt-a-Pet.com also provides valuable information on the human/companion animal relationship to help keep pets healthy and successfully living in their loving homes. Visit our facebook page and blog for supportive content and articles, and our YouTube channel for entertaining and informative pet training videos, all produced by our staff of experts in animal training and behavior, as well as human psychology.
About Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC
Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier provider of full-service residential and commercial real estate brokerage services. Coldwell Banker Real Estate is the oldest national real estate brand and franchisor in the United States, and today has a network of approximately 3,000 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 43 countries and territories with more than 86,000 independent sales professionals affiliated with the network. The Coldwell Banker brand is known for creating innovative consumer services as recently seen by being the first national real estate brand with an iPad app, the first to augment its website www.coldwellbanker.com for smart phones, the first to create a iPhone application with international listings, the first to offer sellers to tell their stories on property listings through Homeowners Notes and the first to fully harness the power of video in real estate listings, news and information through its Coldwell Banker On LocationSM YouTube channel. Coldwell Banker Real Estate has also harnessed the power of technology and data bringing the two together for affiliated sales associates with the brand’s exclusive CBx iPad application, which details traits and characteristics of a home’s potential buyers. The brand also utilizes Zap to manage leads and help buyers and sellers customize their experience. The Coldwell Banker System is a leader in niche markets such as resort, new homes and luxury properties through its Coldwell Banker Previews International® marketing program delivering exceptional experiences for all consumers served.
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Dogs love to play outside. Even cats and small furry pets can safely enjoy the outdoors supervised in a pet- and predator-proof enclosure. For those of us who like to keep our backyards green and lush, having pets means having gardens that can accommodate our furry friends while still looking beautiful. Here are some gardening tips and tricks to help you create a pet-friendly yard:
Plants to Include
There are a few plants that dogs, cats, rabbits, and other pets may like to eat and that are safe in small quantities, such as wheatgrass and other grasses. If you have cats, try planting some catnip in their outdoor enclosure. As most cat owners know, many cats go wild for catnip and get very playful around it. Cats may also enjoy catmint. Local gardeners might have more suggestions, depending on what thrives in your climate.
Plants & Toxins to Prohibit
The ASPCA has a list of toxic plants that could seriously harm your dogs and cats. In addition to poisonous plants such as hellebore, this list includes thorny, spiky plants — such as roses — that could physically injure your animals.
There are also types of mushrooms and weeds that contain harmful toxins and seeds. If you find any wild mushrooms or weeds in your garden, remove them immediately. You should always remove weeds from your garden, so they don’t spread, but some seeds can be seriously toxic if inhaled by your dog or cat. Also keep your animals away from the compost pile, and don’t use fertilizers or pesticides.
Other Pet-Friendly Garden Elements
There are many other pieces you can add to your garden to make it friendly to your furry friends. ImproveNet offers a lot of good ideas — like patrol platforms and patrol paths. Depending on how much time and effort you want to put into your pet-friendly garden, you can add:
● Soft mulch: Tree bark or cedar chips are good for the paws and won’t cling to pet fur. Avoid toxic cocoa mulch and mulches treated with chemicals.
● Running area: A pathway is a good place for pets to exercise without trampling the rest of the garden.
● Freshwater fountain: A small pool or fountain offers fresh drinking water all the time.
● Sandbox: This is a good place for diggers.
● Fencing: A 3-foot fence is good for keeping very small dogs in – most dogs require a 5-or 6-foot fence. Adding a screen allows them to see out without feeling trapped. For cats, you can build them a fully-enclosed catio, or in areas without hawks or coyotes, a 6-foot or taller using material (like smooth vinyl fencing) they and predators can’t climb. The cost to install a fence is between $1,400 and $3,600.
● Toilet area: Create a corner for your dogs to relieve themselves. It could be made of flagstone, pea gravel or cedar chips. You’ll have to train them to use it, but it cuts down on mess in your garden. You might use sand for cats.
● Shaded area for shelter: Create a deck or patio area — or a house of their very own — where they can rest while supervising you work in your beautiful pet-friendly garden.
Written contribution by Andrea Davis, Home Advisor.
If you’re looking to add a furry family member to your pack, you don’t want to miss the Homes For Dogs National Adoption Weekend, brought to you by Adopt-a-Pet.com and Coldwell Banker Real Estate! All across the country, awesome dogs will be waiting to meet you and find loving adopters to take them home to start their new lives – and it is all happening this Saturday, August 1st and Sunday, August 2nd.
To find a location near you, visit www.adoptapet.com/homesfordogs. Mark your calendars and don’t miss the adoption event of the year!
Recall, or coming when called, is an incredibly useful skill for all dogs to have. While it’s often used to keep your pup safe when exploring off-leash, you can also use it when your dog is playing with other dogs to keep the play relaxed and fun! As you can imagine, being able to have your dog come back under any circumstance (which we can teach you!) has many applications.
Start off in an enclosed space like a patio or garage, with your dog on leash. Also, make sure that there are few, if any, distractions. It’s hard to learn when there’s lot of other stuff going on. We want your dog focused on working together with you!
As you’ll see in our video “Coming When Called”, it is important to make being near you awesome. This means rewarding your pup every time she checks in, whether called or not. Use an upbeat, cheerful tone when you call your dog and run backward in an exciting way. Using a low-pitched voice or leaning towards your dog discourages her from coming to you.
Your “Coming When Called” sequence should look like this: call your dog’s name, wait for her to look up, say your recall word (“come”) and then run backwards away from your dog. As your dog catches up to you, click and deliver a tasty treat.
Like the old saying goes, practice makes perfect! So practice often, even on walks when your dog is just a step ahead of you, and you’ll have a great recall in no time!
Contributed by Wagfield Academy, the online dog training school. For more info on Wagfield Academy, please visit https://www.wagfield.com.
