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.
Did you like this article? Click an icon below to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and more!
Cats love to climb, jump, leap, and perch high up! There are some amazing examples of houses that people have transformed into supreme cat habitats, but even just a few simple ideas can turn your normal apartment or home into an adventure zone to keep your indoor cat happy and entertained. Depending on the layout of your home, wall shelves, either freestanding or attached to walls, are one great way to do this. Cats also like different pathways to move around a room and across a space. If you have multiple cats, these cat highways become even more important, because traffic jams (even just one cat sitting in a doorway) can cause kitty road rage! The first thing you’ll want to do is look around your living space through the eyes of a cat. Then, watch your cat as they move through the space. Do they always go behind that arm chair, and jump up on the couch to walk along the back of it, then jump down? You can expand your kitty highways with scenic stop offs, sometimes by just clearing a shelf and rearranging your existing furniture. Cats need prefer a pathway or stopping point that is at least 7″ wide by 14″ long. Obviously, the bigger your cat, the bigger the space they will need! If you can clear that gap off of your current bookshelf, and move it next to the back of the couch, and put a cat-friendly mat in that space, point it out to your cat and see if they’ll explore their new lookout!
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.
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 
I’ve been lucky enough to work at pet-friendly jobs for many years, where “take your dog to work day” was an everyday occurrence. When I started, it was a rarity, but now more and more smart companies are realizing the benefits of encouraging their employees to bring dogs to work as they realize all the benefits having a furry friend in your cubical can bring, like higher employee retention, lower stress, and making the work place a lot more fun! But not all companies have the right environment for every-day dog coworker. That’s where Take Your Dog To Work Day comes in!
As you know, we’ll do just about anything to promote pet adoption! Check out this latest 
“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!]
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!)
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 
“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.