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We invite you to participate in this educational section by emailing
your stories, articles and ideas to
MyThoughts@la-spca.org. All of us have something to howl about.
Let's speak!
Are you
encouraging separation anxiety in your dog?
Several days ago, Bentley was surrendered to the shelter. Bentley is
a beautiful, 9-month-old, German Shorthair Pointer. His coat is
glossy, his teeth bright white, and his nerves shot. Bentley suffers
from separation anxiety, a condition that sends him into a panic
when “his people” go somewhere without him. Even sharing a home with
two Jack Russell terriers didn’t ease Bentley’s anxiety. He
constantly paced when separated from his people, barked excessively
and, in frustration, started fighting with the little ones when they
were left alone.
Training a
dog to welcome a new baby isn’t labour intensive
When the baby you’ve had for years gets a sniff of the new baby
you’re bringing home for the first time, it’s only natural for a
tinge of jealousy to set in.
Throwing the Dog Out With the Bathwater:
How Babies and Pets CAN Live Together With the Help of Parents Who
Love Them
Assumptions Made: Lessons Learned
I was reading a friend’s animal rescue blog the other day and was
reminded of how easy it is to make assumptions as we walk through
this life loving animals. We see so much cruelty and neglect that
when we see an animal in distress it is as if we are conditioned to
think the worst. But that is not always the case.
No dog is an island; they're social animals
It's surprising to me that some folks hold to the belief that dogs
belong strictly outdoors. Granted, that often was a way of life
during past generations, but there's been a cultural shift or
progression. We've gained a better understanding of what makes our
pets well-balanced and healthy, both physically and mentally.
Dogs, cats and the meaning of life
Do you ever wonder what your four-legged friends are thinking and
why they do what they do? If I came upon a genie in a bottle, one of
my wishes would be to ask my pets three questions.
Bidding farewell to a well-loved pet
I've introduced you to my own pets from time to time to share
stories about them and to illustrate a point that I hope you find
helpful in your own personal pet journeys.
Feline aggression has several causes
Some friends recently commented how much they disliked my 18-year
old cat, CoCo, who is now deceased, because when they tried to pet him he
would charge, hiss, slap their shoes with his paws, and make a general
fool of himself. It took two years before CoCo would allow my husband to
pet him longer than 20 seconds.
Answer
to the difficult euthanasia question
Every now and then I receive a letter asking why the LA/SPCA is
still euthanizing animals and when are we going “no-kill.” Many
people are afraid to ask the question, so I thought I’d share the
substance of my response with you. |
