Amy Shojai's Blog, page 16

DON’T Hug Your Dog on National Hug Your Dog Day! Here’s Why

DON’T Hug Your Dog on National Hug Your Dog Day! Here’s Why

Several years ago when I wrote for the puppies.about.com site (now TheSprucePets) I took issue with a promotion advertised by a big-name pet food company that encouraged people to post pictures of themselves hugging dogs. Hoo-boy...Oh dear heaven, by the comments I received you'd think that I said cute babies are evil, apple pie is poison and advocated BEATING YOUR DOG! Part of that has to do with folks reading only the title and ignoring the content of the message. Oh well. That drives home the importance of titles, I suppose.

The promo really struck a chord with pet lovers. After all, who doesn't love a hug? Hugs mean love, hugs mean happy happy happy, hugs are tail-wagging expressions of the joy we share with dogs. Right? RIGHT?!

Uh, no. And glory be, the promotion lives on, declaring September 11 as "Hug Your Hound Day." Before you tar-and-feather me, read on to learn WHY hugging your dog can put you, and your dog, in danger...

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Heart-to-Heart About Dog Heartworms & Mosquitoes

Heart-to-Heart About Dog Heartworms & Mosquitoes

You know dogs are highly susceptible to heartworms and now's the time to get serious about protection. April is Heartworm Awareness Month, so get all the details here to protect your dogs.

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Heart-to-Heart About Cat Heartworms

Heart-to-Heart About Cat Heartworms

Cats get heartworms? Yes, they do! April is Heartworm Awareness Month, so get all the details here to protect your cats.

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Prevent Pet Fleas, Heartworm, & Tapeworm Parasites Year Round

Prevent Pet Fleas, Heartworm, & Tapeworm Parasites Year Round

When it comes to pet parasites, I just want to unleash the FLYING MONKEYS...except they're liable to be plagued by fleas, too. Even flying monkeys deserve to be pest free, but there are still many pet parents who may not have all the facts about canine intestinal and external parasites and how to kick the bugs out. Fleas also impact skin conditions and can prompt dog allergies. So...how much do YOU know? Learn more here!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Is Your Puppy Chewing? Here’s 8 Tips How To Stop Dog Chewing

Is Your Puppy Chewing? Here’s 8 Tips How To Stop Dog Chewing

Chewing is normal behavior for dogs—and for some cats. You can't stop dog chewing, and shouldn't try. Puppies and kittens test their world the same way human infants do. Everything goes into the mouth. Teething youngsters chew objects to relieve the discomfort, but adult dogs rarely outgrow the habit the way (we hope!) people do.

I last wrote about canine chewing when Bravo came to live with us as a new pup. He chewed everything within reach (Oh, my poor coffee table!), including chew toys. We still have Magic-markers on the baseboard and plaster from our last beloved dog. Now we have to re-do flooring in the laundry room, courtesy of Bravo-Dawg.

These days, we THINK we have a handle on Shadow-Pup. We have to really watch him, though, because Shadow likes to chew sticks--yikes!--and has already got one piece caught across the roof of his mouth. When you have a baby-dawg, or even adult canines, it can be a constant struggle to monitor them for safe chewing.

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Top 10 Puppy Proofing Tips to Save Dog Lives

Top 10 Puppy Proofing Tips to Save Dog Lives

When you have a puppy, every day is puppy day, with puppy proofing a requirement. Whether you plan to adopt a puppy, or already live with a cute puppy-kid, it's important to know the top puppy proofing tips to save dog lives. Loving a puppy goes beyond teaching them where and when to potty. When  Shadow-Pup showed up at our house, we revisited all the must-know puppy issues!

If you know someone with a new furry wonder, I hope you'll consider "gifting" them with all the info they need with a copy of my book COMPLETE PUPPY CARE.

WHAT IS PUPPY PROOFING?

Puppy proofing is the canine version of human baby-proofing when a new bundle of joy arrives. It's vital you know how to puppy proof your home and yard. Puppies explore their world with nose pokes, paw pounces, and chewing everything within reach throughout their development stages...

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Please Fence Me In: Creating Good Neighbors & Keeping Dogs Safe

Please Fence Me In: Creating Good Neighbors & Keeping Dogs Safe

Do you have a dog fence? Magical-Dawg used to take off after "critters" every so often, racing around the 13-acre spread (or beyond). We eventually trained him to stay with us, even when off-leash. It would have devastated me if Magic disappeared. He was microchipped, but folks would need to catch him first.

Bravo was a very different dog. He was so good off-leash during most morning rambles and didn't want to go too far away from us. He'd chase and play with his "big-ball" in the field, and baptize every tree and grass tussock. And once he lost his leg, he couldn't get out the back fenced area even if he'd wanted to.

 Shadow-Pup, though, takes after Magical-Dawg. He's so small, not even the fenced back area keeps him contained. He also likes to dig, so we needed to address possible escapes. Refer to this post for more help with digging dogs. Until recently, we had to keep him on a leash anytime we went outside, and that's no fun for him--or for us. A fence is a dog's best friend!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Amy Shojai Appearances: Come & Say Howdy!

Amy Shojai Appearances: Come & Say Howdy!

My calendar this Spring continues to fill, with all kinds of fun writer-icity and creative endeavors. I hadn't updated y'all for a while, and wanted to also share that the blog posts may slow down a bit (because...busy).

Read on to learn about book club appearances, book signings, and speaking engagements you may want to attend!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

Cat Litter Box Problems? 9 Reasons Cats Snub the Box & What To Do

Cat Litter Box Problems? 9 Reasons Cats Snub the Box & What To Do

Cat litter box problems pose the number one reason cats lose their homes and end up in animal shelters. That's also the top reason an adopted kitten or cat gets returned. How sad! It's important to keep in mind ways to prevent litter box problems from the moment you bring home the new kitten.

People want cats to stop peeing on the carpet, pooping outside the litter box, and spraying urine -- especially peeing on your bed! But there is no single reason for hit-or-miss potty problems, and therefore, no single "cure" for bad behavior, but you can find out what to do with these common reasons cats snub the box. Note: I added one, in honor of Shadow-Pup!

Folks generally assume that any litter box issue is due to a behavior problem, but you CANNOT separate health from behavior. The two go together like ... like... laps and cats, or kittens and toys. Here are a few of the many reasons cats snub the litter box and develop litter box problems.

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing

How to Stop MEOWING! 6 Ways to Silence Loud Mouth Cats

How to Stop MEOWING! 6 Ways to Silence Loud Mouth Cats

Is a new cat in your future? Each spring and fall, kitten season may bless you with a new feline friend. But can you predict talkative cats? You wonder, why does my cat meow so much? Heck, cat meowing may be one way cats show love. My Siamese wannabe Seren lived to be 21 years old, and she talked constantly. We relished her kitty conversations, but some cats over-indulge, and pet parents want to stop cat meowing.

Karma-Kat rarely talks unless we address him and doesn't randomly meow. Mostly, Karma comments center around FOOD and TREATS. He also meows at Shadow--thank goodness the noise doesn't scare him! Yes, he understands the words, and his "meow" is typically a "yes, please" answer to our questions. Oh, and Karma "announces" when he uses the (ahem) facilities. Trinity-Kitten meows LOUDLY anytime food enters the picture. What about your cats?

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Practical Solutions for Pets Problems & Publishing