Continued from part one…

Sorry, No Vacancy

This time around, we decided to find a no-kill shelter for the kittens instead of raising them ourselves. Because we could only find four people to take five of the six kittens from the first litter, we figured that a shelter would be more successful finding these kittens good homes. But we had no clue that, due to factors like the mortgage and housing crisis, all of the no-kill shelters and rescues were completely overcrowded and not accepting new animals.

While I was busy calling and emailing different organizations to place the kittens, “momma cat” was moving them. A week later, thanks to a good neighbor, we found them – under her house. I spent an entire day in the sweltering August heat in a crawl space, under a house with a flashlight. I eventually found four 5-week-old babies, which we did take in. I was expecting to find six or more.

A Tragic Discovery

About two weeks after the under-the-house rescue, a neighbor knocked at our door to tell us that she had found the missing kittens. I went into complete shock when I saw them. (more…)

I live in a busy suburban neighborhood located minutes outside of Baltimore City. Between people ignoring the stray cat population in the area and all of the un-spayed/un-neutered “house cats” that are allowed to roam the streets, my neighborhood has become home to an overwhelming amount of feral cats.

If you live in an area overrun with stray or feral cats like I do, there are countless reasons why you should act to help them, one of which, Marley, is sitting next to me right now.

Hey, That’s Not a Rake!

In April of this year, I went to my shed for a rake to begin the process of cleaning my yard in preparation for summer. Instead of a rake (although I’m sure it was in there), I found six beautiful 4-week-old kittens; two of which had horrible eye infections. (more…)

Every owner of a mixed breed dog has wondered “What is he?” Well, now you can get an answer. There are several DNA tests available to identify what breeds make up your fabulous pooch. Most involve a painless cheek swab or blood sample and voila…two weeks later you will know if the reason Fido herds you around the house is because he is part Border Collie or the reason he swims until the brink of exhaustion is due to his Labrador Retriever DNA.

Besides the fun of knowing where some of your dog’s traits come from, pet owners can use these results to better understand their dog’s behavior and to screen for diseases that affect certain dog breeds. For more information on specific DNA tests, visit these sites:
www.dog-dna.com
www.biopetvetlab.com
www.wisdompanel.com

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Meet Ziggy, this week’s adorable winner! This puppy had a rough start — taken from his mother at just three weeks old, he couldn’t even chew dog food at first and didn’t really know how to socialize with other dogs. However, over the following few months, he persevered and turned into a little ball of energy. His new mommy adopted him at four months old, having faith in little Ziggy, even though she was told that he was very hyper and not smart enough to train.

And boy was she right to believe in this pup! A recent obedience school graduate, the now 10-month-old Ziggy has been making his mom proud ever since. He gives lots of cuddles, loves to play with his squeaky toys, and will try just about anything to get a tasty treat. In fact, he has been known to attempt to trade his toys for a handout, once trying to secure a green bean by offering up his favorite toy, as if to say, “I will give you this awesome toy for just one tiny little bean.”

Ziggy will soon be receiving some treats of his own, with his Halo goodie bag on its way. This cute little pooch sure does deserve it!

Think your pet should be next week’s winner? Just head over to the Halo Pets MySpace Page and send us a picture of your favorite furry friend!

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How long your puppy can “hold it” is directly related to his age in months. A puppy can resist going to the bathroom for no longer than his age in months plus one. For example, a 4-month-old puppy can “hold it” about 4-5 hours, while a 6-month-old puppy can hold it 6-7 hours. Any more than that and your puppy will likely have an accident.

You will have to plan on getting up in the middle of the night to walk your new puppy and ensure your puppy is not left home alone for too long during the daytime. There are four main “rules” you must strictly follow in order to have success with house-training your puppy. (more…)

August 30

North Hollywood, CA: Animal Night at Kulak’s Woodshed

St. Louis, MO: Stray Rescue Chip-a-Thon

Garland, TX: Dog-A-Poolooza Dog Swim Day

August 30-31

Harlem, GA: Feathered Friends Forever Open House

Carson City, NV: Agility Ability Labor Day Weekend Agility Trial

Arlington, TX: TICA 2008 Championship Cat Show

Delaplane, VA: Endless Summer Party (Dog-friendly)

August 31

Augusta, ME: Pugusta Pug Club Meeting

Philadelphia, PA: Dog Wash Fundraiser and Adoption Event

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Listen to today’s podcast to find out how simple diet changes can help prevent bladder stones in your cat or dog. Download Preventing Cat and Dog Bladder Stones.

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This wonderful girl hasn’t had it easy, as she nearly lost her life when her former owner was forced to give her up. The local pound had a policy of destroying breeds that were deemed aggressive, and unfortunately, Mulan’s breed would have fallen into this category.

The Sanctuary rescued her though, and she couldn’t be a sweeter girl! They call Mulan the peacemaker-dog, and she is said to be very protective of the doves and rabbits that she lives with. She even wants to go outside to be with her birds when there’s bad weather. We’re proud to present Mulan as our Pet of the Week and hope she enjoys her Halo goodie bag!

Think your pet should be next week’s winner? Just head over the Halo Pets MySpace Page and send us a picture of your favorite kitty or pup.

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Agility is a sport for any dog and any dog owner. It is a team sport in which the handler (owner) directs their dog, off-leash, through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Both the owner and dog must work together in order to complete the course.

Any dog can be trained for agility (including my three-legged dog Serena), but training takes time and hard work. There are many people who take training classes and who have no interest in competing. Agility, even if you never want to compete, helps to form a stronger bond between you and your dog. If you have a high-energy dog, then agility is definitely for you. Agility teaches your dog how to focus and harness his energy in a productive manner. You will have a better well-behaved dog if you take agility classes. (more…)

Click here for more information on proper ear cleaning in pets.

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