Treat Toys Provide Enrichment and Mental Exercise for your Pet
Like it or not, winter's here and we'll be spending more time indoors with our pets. Older pets and those with injuries or disease are usually more homebound than their more physically-abled pals. Whether due to weather, injury, disease, or age, pets that need to stay indoors can benefit greatly from enrichment activities and mental stimulation. Enrichment activities are tasks that improve a pet's quality of life and activities in which...
He Can Barely Walk but Can't Be Stopped - Moozie's Story
Moozie (AKA “Asher”) was 4 years old when he was diagnosed with a debilitating neurological condition; he wasn't expected to survive much more than a year. Now, nearly 6 years later, Moozie shows no signs of stopping (the video at the end of this article proves his determination). Moozie is nearly blind, needs tons of help to walk, can't feed himself or drink on his own. But here he is chewing on a big yellow ball,...
Nose Work & Target Training - Useful and Fun For All Dogs
Last week, we saw a Facebook post that really caught our attention - a Corgi named Daisy competing in K9 Nose Work. What jumped out was that this Corgi had degenerative myelopathy (DM) and was in a wheelchair, and her mom wheeled her around in a wagon, going from station to station to compete. In their last competition a few weeks ago, this dynamic duo came in 9th overall! This is Daisy, in...
NOT ONE MORE VET - calling attention to the high suicide rates in the veterinary community
"We depend on veterinarians to heal our animals and hold our hand when our pet is suffering. But when the diagnosis isn't good, some of us tend to take our anger and frustration out on them. Vets don’t go to vet school (4 years undergrad and at least 4 year grad school) to become rich. They do it because they have a passion for taking care of animals. But there’s a crisis. We’re...
THINK BEFORE YOU THROW
Repetitive ball throwing: facts and alternatives Not sure what might be bad about repetitive ball throwing? Read and learn some more appropriate ways of exercising and bonding with your dog. “A tired dog is a good dog” - perhaps, but we are really happy that more and more dog owners are becoming aware of a potentially bad outcome from repetitively playing toss & fetch with a ball. Not only can...
The Therapeutic Value of Horses
Who benefits from equine-facilitated psychotherapy? Most of us who own horses talk about their “therapeutic” value. Being in the barn grooming, feeding, and otherwise caring for our horses reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and improves overall health. Yet, it is the companionship with our equine partners that is the foundation of our growth in relationship to these animals. Being with our horses is “therapy.” The power of this relationship has...