Pet Wellness Advocate
Do You Use Baby Talk with Your Dog? Do you think your dog likes hearing baby talk from you? Do you enjoy having that special communication style? Are you as surprised as I am by French researchers telling us we’re wasting our time on doggy baby talk?! I read a fun article on Gizmodo recently... Read more »
Is a Dog Being Allergic to Chicken Really a “Thing”? Is it truly possible that a dog can be “allergic” to chicken? This seems to be a popular belief as the cause for a dog to have itchy skin, hot spots, or waxy, infected ears. From chicken?! Really?! I mean have you ever heard of... Read more »
I Rediscovered Amazon Smile and You Should Too! I really cannot believe that I had forgotten all about the minor miracle that is Amazon Smile: if you shop on Amazon (is there anyone who does not?) you can have a life-saving, life-changing impact on any animal welfare group simply by shopping online! I had signed... Read more »
What to Do with The Scary News Your Dog Has Lung Cancer? There’s no worse word your vet can say to you than “cancer.” Your blood runs cold, you get shivers up your spine, your mind goes blank and you want to run, scream, cry, or a combination of all those things. But hang on.... Read more »
Does Your Dog Need a Gluten-Free Diet? (Do You?) Issues with human nutrition and digestion are not parallel to the dog’s digestive system or immune system, yet people seem to want to apply beliefs or facts about human diet trends (which are often fads!) to their pets. For example, the current attention being given to... Read more »
Keeping Pets Cool Without Heating Up Your Energy Bill What is your pet’s “carbon paw print?” Are you hurting your pocketbook and the environment by running air conditioning for your dog or cat more than you really need to? Are there alternative ways to keep your pets cool without leaving the air conditioner running all... Read more »
Cat Activity Puzzle: Bored Kitty? Give Her a High-Paying Job! If your cat is stuck in the life-saving, indoors-only lifestyle you can bet she is bored to distraction. This is true even if she is lucky enough to have a fully enclosed outdoor “catio” --- because even that has its limitations on offering something for... Read more »
Snap, Crackle, Crunch Cheap treats your dog will love I always thought that rice cakes were about as appealing as Styrofoam discs. Turns out, dogs love them! I buy the plain unsalted (or even lightly salted) rice cakes and then break them up into little pieces to use as rewards and treats. I mix and... Read more »
Forbidden Foods for Dogs --- Or Not? LinkAKC recently asked me to do an online Q & A interview --- but they weren’t really able to fully use my answers. So I thought I’d give you the unredacted version! 1. Is it OK to give your dog beer occasionally?I’ve had a dog or two in... Read more »
Mix It Up: Canned and Dry Cat Food Together I received an email from Susan, a listener to my radio show CAT CHAT® who asked the following question: I've read over and over (and I see on your site you feel the same) that wet food is far superior to dry food and that dry... Read more »