Dogs aren’t wired to instinctively love their crates. Kelly Conaboy shares advice from experts about helping them adjust and why some never will. Source: The Washington Post, March 20, 2024. Link. “<Crate> benefits are contingent on the crate being introduced correctly, and whether the dog truly feels calm and comfortable when inside.” - Kate Anderson, DVM, … [Read more...]
Search Results for: crate
Crates can be a retreat for dogs if used properly
Crates are terrific tools to help manage dogs. Jennifer Messer talks about using them as training tools and for dog comfort. Her article will help pet owners understand how to use a crate with their pet. Consider it for social media posts, e-newsletters and as a resource for new pet owners. Source: Modern Dog, November 2018. Link. If a dog is properly introduced to a … [Read more...]
Crate reasoning
Nancy Kerns shares her experiences with dogs and crates during last year’s California Camp Fire. She further underscores the importance of crate training for all dogs. If for no other reason, teach your dog to be comfortable in a crate for emergencies. Source: Whole Dog Journal, January 2019. Link. . . . the dogs who obviously had experience in crates were far less … [Read more...]
When, how and why to use a crate for dogs
Embrace the crate. It can be the best thing for a relationship with a dog, writes Laura Vorreyer. She reminds us that proper crating is not cruel and to avoid using the crate as punishment. This information is valuable to any dog owner. Source: Modern Dog. Link. The crate should be big enough for your dog to turn around in but NOT big enough for them to think the back … [Read more...]
Soft-sided dog crates: best and worst of 2017
Animal health pros are frequently asked for their opinions on products. Stephanie Colman discusses soft crates and compares different crates sold today. This article would be valuable as a social media post, in a new pet information packet or as website content. Source: Whole Dog Journal, October 2017. Coleman looks for supreme ease of use, both in terms of how quickly I … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 31, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 24, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the August 24th AHD Bulletin – Quotes that epitomize Myers-Briggs types. Link. Customer experience thoughts for Link. The inside-out approach to customer centricity. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
Effective ways to treat pet behavior problems
Regardless of a pet’s age, the holidays have potential for behavior issues. Many of them can be avoided with consistent human behavior and proactive training. We’ve curated seven behavior articles from professional and lay sources that can be used to refresh knowledge of and approaches to behavior issues. The sudden onset of a new behavior or worsening of a previously … [Read more...]
Taking your cat to the vet: Cat Talk video series
Several veterinarians are featured in this educational video from Cat Friendly Homes. It shares worthwhile tips for crating and traveling with cats. Videos like this are welcomed by pet owners, most of whom need continual best practices reinforcement. Consider these videos for newsletters and social media posts. Source: Cat Friendly Homes. Link. Cat Friendly Homes is powered … [Read more...]
Defining how long is too long for a dog to be alone
Maybe we’ve been asking the wrong question all along, writes Nancy Tucker, CPDT-KA. Rather than trying to figure out how to best stretch the amount of time we can leave our dogs alone, we should be trying to help our dogs get more out of every day. 10 to 12 hours is too long for a dog to be alone in a single stretch.” - Nancy Tucker, CPDT-KA Source: Whole Dog Journal, January … [Read more...]
The dos and don’ts of moving with pets
Nancy LaFever reminds us that moving is especially disturbing for our pets, because they don’t understand what’s going on. She offers steps to make the move safe and less stressful for owners’ animal companions. Source: Sparefoot Blog. Link. Here is a sample of the tips offered: Plan ahead for boarding Designate a pet room Utilize crates and carriers … [Read more...]
Feedyard sector featured in March 23 New York Times
Antibiotic resistance in cattle is the focus of, “Hamburger Central, Antibiotics for Cattle That Aren’t Sick,” an article posted online by the New York Times and in print with the headline, “Drugs Go to Healthy Cattle. Should Consumers Worry?” on March 23. The article features three officers of Cactus Feeders, Dr. Martin J. Blaser, a scientist at a Manhattan, New York, Veterans … [Read more...]
Tips for separation anxiety in dogs (includes video)
Treating separation anxiety in dogs can vary depending on the level of nervousness a dog feels. Every case is different, says Kimberly Alt. Some dogs will respond well to the strategies shared here, while others will require more persistence. Source: Canine Journal, November 17, 2017. Alt discusses counter-conditioning for mild separation anxiety. She reminds us that … [Read more...]
Opinion – Weaning age variations in pig production
The quotes below are from two excellent articles demonstrating options in pig production. Data aside, economics frequently override what’s best for piglets and sows. Part of this stems from how the swine industry has been vertically integrated and where revenue is created in the process. In beef production, calves that do not survive or are sick are often charged back on the … [Read more...]
Prevent holiday hazards from harming family pets (photo essay)
As Halloween night turned to dawn, Christmas appeared in stores the world over. It is a reminder to prepare for our homes for guests and prepare to keep our pets safe. The AVMA offered the following tips to keep pets safe in 2013. They still resonate today. Source: DVM 360, December 18, 2013. For some pets, house guests can be scary. Pets shy or excitable around new people … [Read more...]
Pig’s personalities may play role in welfare
Professor Kristina Horback is an animal-cognition expert with the Department of Animal Science at the University of California-Davis. She is building on her pioneering research that examines the role personality plays in the welfare and sustainable production of farm animals, like cattle, sheep and swine. Her work is driven by new legislative and marketplace demands to raise … [Read more...]
Get off the soap box
Soapboxing, is a term stemming from an era when a person would literally stand on a soapbox crate as a stage and scream to the world that he or she knew the right way — the only way — to do anything. Soapboxers tend to be utterly convinced that his or her view is the only view — and vocalizes it. They can destroy the rapport of an otherwise well-aligned group. Here are some … [Read more...]
Teaching puppies to sleep
Katherine Eldridge offers tips for helping a puppy to settle in and sleep through the night. She says getting a new puppy is just like having a baby in the house. They are cute and fun to cuddle and play with, but also poop a lot and throw occasional tantrums. Everyone has heard horror stories about owners kept awake all night by an unhappy baby. Luckily getting a puppy to … [Read more...]
Canine carrier crash testing
The Center for Pet Safety (CPS) tested crates and small-dog carriers. Some have been sold as crash-tested, even though you can see from CPS’s videos that the products clearly could not have PASSED any crash test. Source: Whole Dog Journal, July 27, 2017. Only one crate for large dogs survived the crash tests intact, and only a few carriers for small dogs kept the small-dog … [Read more...]
Pet travel accessories for keeping Fido safe on the road
My dogs had always been greater than 50 pounds until recently, so travel with them involved crates in the back of my pickup secured with tie-downs. However, an 11-pound Morkie now runs our household, hates crates and loves to go on rides. This story comes from a subscriber who thought veterinary hospital personnel and animal health pros who travel with pets would want to know … [Read more...]