8 Positive Dog Training Tips That Work

By Linda Cole

The best teachers are those who first figure out what motivates a child, and then help them learn by communicating clearly. Training your dog is basically the same. If you know your dog and understand his point of view, it's easier to teach him when you’re both on the same page. The following positive dog training tips can help you be more successful.

Positive Feedback

Reward positive behavior and ignore non-aggressive negative behavior. Dogs are quick to learn what works and what doesn't, and when it comes to getting attention, even negative feedback is acceptable, from a dog's point of view. Yelling at your barking dog might stop him for the moment, but it doesn't change his behavior. If you don't want him jumping up on you, don't reward him with attention – ignore him. Teach him what's acceptable with positive attention, and reinforce his behavior with CANIDAE TidNips™ treats and lots of praise. Dogs learn what you teach them, good and bad.

Positive Reinforcement

Remember the high school teacher who gave you positive reinforcement and helped you work through problem areas until you understood? Staying calm, patient and consistent is the respectful way to teach kids and dogs. Yelling and losing your temper isn't cool and tells your dog you need to work on leadership skills. No one, including dogs, likes to be yelled at.

Association 

You have less than 2 seconds for your dog to learn to associate an action with a behavior. When training, treat/praise your dog as soon as he completes a command so he learns to connect his action with your command. With a “sit” command, treat/praise the second his butt hits the floor. Dogs live in the now and you can't punish him for what he did hours or even minutes ago. If you catch him in the act, however, you have a chance to change his behavior with positive reinforcement.

Is It OK to Love One Pet More?

By Julia Williams

Parents of human children rarely admit to others that they have a favorite. In my opinion, it’s probably not because they don’t feel a deeper bond with one of their kids. Every human being is a unique individual. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, to feel different things for different people.

One might say there are as many “shades of love” as there are stars in the night sky. So it’s a perfectly natural, human thing to have a favorite child, but most parents won’t admit it because the backlash can be brutal. Recently, one dad blogger received the internet equivalent of being burned at the stake after he confessed to having a favorite child. Society says we’re not supposed to play favorites with our kids. And that goes for our pets, too.

The reality is that some kids and pets are closer to our hearts than others. We may not understand why, but we know it’s true. It is what it is. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t create feelings of guilt. We think we should be able to love them all exactly the same, and we feel bad because we don’t. We can’t change what we feel, though, no matter how much we might want to.

I admit that I feel guilty for having stronger feelings for one of my cats than the other two. I positively adore Mickey and Rocky and would be a hot mess if anything happened to either one of them, but my spirit would be shattered if I lost my sweet Annabelle. I don’t know how (or even if) I could ever get over that loss, because this little cat has touched my heart in a way that I didn’t even know was possible, until one day … there it was. Annabelle is my heart cat. There will never be a cat that I love as much or more than Annabelle. As sure as I know my own name, I know this to be true.

A Dog's Bucket List

By Keikei Cole, canine guest blogger

It's rough being a dog. We have to guard the home, keep the mailman and deliverymen on their toes, herd cats and pick up garbage. We wash windows, dig holes in the garden, exercise our hoomans, and try to keep them under control at all times. It's a hard job, but we do the best we can. On our down time, my furry siblings and I like to work on our bucket lists. Oh yes, we have lots of things we want to do, too! Here is my bucket list.

1. Visit the factory where they make all of those yummy CANIDAE TidNips™ and Snap-Bits™ dog treats. I'd like be the chief “taste inspector” to make sure each package is up to the company's strict standard of quality and freshness.

2. Learn how to herd sheep. The word around the water bowl is that sheep are easier to manage than a bunch of cats. When I learn how to do that intimidating “Border Collie stare,” felines will have new respect for me!

3. Be the lead dog on a sled dog team with no particular place to go.

4. Go on a real scavenger hunt and roll in everything I find. It would be fun to set up a hunt in some exotic location to experience the local flavors I can't find in my area.

5. Take my human on a cross country trip to find all of the dog friendly motels and wide open spaces where I can run as far as I want. Within reason, anyway – I wouldn't want to lose my human or my ride home.

6. Have a heart-to-heart talk with the mailman and delivery guy, to explain that when I bark, snarl or chase them, it's not personal, I'm just doing my job.

What Brings Your Pet Joy?

By Julia Williams

One of the things I find most interesting about human beings is our uniqueness. We each have a distinct set of things we like, and things we don’t like. No matter how many humans you compared side by side, you’d never find two whose preferences matched. It’s the same with our pets. While some people think animals are a less complicated species than humans, in terms of their preferences each pet is unlike any other. However, without the ability to speak our language, pets generally have a harder time making those preferences known. They have to rely on body language and their own “animal speak” to get their point across. They also need an owner who is tuned in and takes the time to discover what floats their boat.

Understanding what brings your pet joy and then doing what you can to provide that for them is a wonderful way to deepen your bond. We humans appreciate it when others make a point of knowing what we love and what we don’t, so why should it be any different for our pets? It’s really not, but because of the language barrier we typically don’t learn all of our pet’s likes and dislikes as quickly as we do with humans. It can take many months, sometimes even years, of observation and trial-and-error to figure out what makes them tick. The reward – a beautiful, close-knit relationship – is well worth it, though.

Discovering what your pet loves is important, but what is also crucial is making sure that others know these things, too. When I wrote Have You Made Arrangements for Your Pet, I neglected to mention this, but I should have. It’s an essential arrangement for every family with pets but especially those who are single. I was reminded of this while reading Gwen Cooper’s novel, Love Saves the Day. The cat protagonist lived with a single woman who passed away. Even though the cat’s new family was the woman’s daughter, she was thrust into a home where they knew nothing about what she loved and what she didn’t. Many pets are surrendered to shelters without this critical information as well.

Change is hard enough for any pet. Imagine suddenly being in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers, unable to tell them that the food they offered wasn’t appealing to your palate, or that you wanted a lighter touch of the brush when they groomed you, or that what you really wanted someone to do, more than anything, was scratch your belly. It would be frustrating, to say the least. A pet’s quality of life would surely be diminished if they weren’t being provided with what they love most.

Why Does My Cat Play Rough?

By Langley Cornwell

Our cat is a great hunter as well as an affectionate family man. As an avid animal lover, it’s hard to appreciate it when he proudly presents a wounded or dead “gift” to me and then waits expectantly for my approval. I do my best, and also make sure that he has a loud ringing bell on his collar – just to level the playing field.

Many times when we are lounging on the sofa and our sweet cat is resting on my lap, I’ll mindlessly start stroking between his ears. Sometimes he purrs so loudly and contently that I can’t hear the television. We are both enjoying relaxation time. Then, without warning he’ll suddenly swat at me or quickly twist and nip at my hand. I always know he doesn’t mean to hurt me but I’m still perplexed by his actions. I mean, if we are both completely kicked back, why would he want to change the mood so abruptly?

Apparently there is a direct correlation between high prey instincts and rough play. Cats that have a very high play-prey instinct can get excited quickly and will sometimes gently attack your hands, fingers, feet, legs, etc.

Kittens and adolescent cats often engage in energetic, rough play; feline play consists of mock aggression which helps young cats hone their physical coordination and their social skills. Cats have a good time stalking, chasing, scratching, pouncing and biting one another.

As I suspected, when cats with a high play-prey instinct get overexcited during petting time and start to nibble at your fingers and hands, the cat is not being aggressive. In fact, some people refer to these nibbles and nips as love bites.

How to Teach Your Cat to Come on Command

By Linda Cole

Because cats are perceived as independent or aloof, many people don't try to teach their cat to come when called. I'm sure from the cat's point of view, she justifies her refusal to come on command with “Does the Queen come to your beckoned call? I don't think so! Now, where's my supper?” However, teaching your cat to come on command is easier than you think, and doesn't require an electric can opener. Think about it this way: if the can opener can train your cat to come, then you should be able to as well!

Like most cat owners, I've experienced the frustration of searching for a wayward cat hiding somewhere in the house. As far as the cat is concerned, if she isn't hungry, there's absolutely no reason to leave a perfectly good hiding place just because someone is calling her name. However, it's just as important to teach a cat to come as it is for dogs. Emergencies can happen in the blink of an eye. Knowing your cat will come when you call her makes life easier and safer when you don't have to hunt for her in or around the home. Not only can it save your cat’s life, it's nice knowing she'll come running just because you called her.

Cats are quite capable of learning commands, but teaching a feline can be frustrating and it can take some time. So stay calm, committed, patient and consistent. The first thing you need to do is decide what word you’ll use when you call your cat. The next thing is to stock up on your cat’s absolute favorite treat – the one she just can't resist. For my cats, that’s FELIDAE TidNips™ treats. Whatever you use as a reward, it has to be something she enjoys eating more than anything else – the one treat that gets her attention no matter what she’s doing. That's your cat’s motivation to learn.

Call your cat's name followed by the word you picked as your “come” command. Make sure everyone in the home uses the same command each time and rewards your cat with the preferred treat. Begin training in the room you usually feed your cat. If it's in the kitchen and she comes running when you use the electric can opener, run it to get her attention or shake her treat bag, if that's a sound she responds to.

How to Make Your Cat Feel Special

Jet feels special!!

By Langley Cornwell

Our cat, Jet, got sick recently. This four-year-old guy is an iron-clad warrior; we’ve never seen him truly sick. Yes, we’ve rushed him to the veterinarian many times for what turned out to simply be hairballs, but this was different. We found him in a corner, hunched in a ball and foaming at the mouth. We scooped him up and rushed to the vet where they ran every test possible but couldn’t identify the cause.

Because he was heaving and miserable, the vet gave him a dose of fluids and anti-nausea medicine and then sent him home with us. Seeing our robust, fun-loving kitty uncomfortable broke our hearts. He already gets plenty of attention from me, my husband and our dog. He gets rub downs from us and full facials from the dog (she loves to lick his face and he encourages it). He enjoys laying on us when we watch TV and he sleeps with us in the bed. He has a special cat window perch in the front of the house. We talk to him and play with him a lot. In other words, he’s spoiled rotten. But, not knowing what else to do for him while he was sick, we wanted to make him feel extra special. Here are a few things we did:

Built a nest. When we got home from the vet, he hid under the bed. I know other cats that spend a lot of time under beds but this was the first time he had ever done that and it made me feel bad. So I got a large cardboard box with high sides (typical cat, he loves boxes), put a feather pillow in the bottom and put a wadded up soft blanket over the pillow. I put the box up on a chair in the quietest room in our house and waited. Within the hour Jet made his way out from under the bed and into his new nest. He loved it.  

Kept the cat warm. I prefer our home to be somewhat cool but knew our cat would be more comfortable in a warmer environment, so we set the house temperature to 74 to 75 degrees F during the day. There was no way I could sleep in an overly warm house, though, so I had to figure out what to do about the evenings. I researched those heated cat mats but decided against it and instead put a hot water bottle underneath the wadded up blanket in his cardboard box/nest in the evenings. He seemed to love it and rested comfortably.

Introducing Your Pet and Your New Partner

By Linda Cole

When couples get to the point where it's time to meet the parents, it can be a bit stressful if you don't know how the folks will receive your new partner. That can be a piece of cake compared to the first meeting between your significant other and your pet!

Even with a dog or cat, that first impression is important and makes a big difference to both your pet and partner. From a pet's point of view, there are polite and respectful greetings and rude ones. A pet can easily get freaked out if someone invades their space without asking for permission first. We don't appreciate someone we just met moving too fast, and pets share that view. Take it slow so your pet and partner can start off on the right foot from the beginning.

Scent is one way dogs and cats explore and understand their world. Before you were serious about your partner, you were bringing their scent into your home. When you are getting ready for the first meeting between your dog and new mate, begin by introducing their smell into your home. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to bring home a T-shirt or small towel with their scent on it. Have your pet sniff the fabric and leave it lying around where they can find it. Reward your pet with their favorite CANIDAE treat and give praise. You want your pet to have an enjoyable association with the other person's smell, and when he finally meets your boyfriend/girlfriend, he will recognize their scent in a positive way.

When your partner greets your dog for the first time, it's best if you can do it somewhere outside the home. Meet at a quiet park, in the front yard of your home, or on a favorite hiking trail. Have your partner stand sideways and let your dog walk up and smell them. Don't give him direct eye contact, don't talk to him, and don't force a meeting. Allow him space to approach the person when he's ready. Stay relaxed and calm.

How to Train a Cat to Do Tricks

By Julia Williams

“Train a cat? Ha ha! Very funny. That’s a joke, right?” No, it isn’t. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to train a cat to do tricks. You really can teach your cat to sit, shake, give you a high five, fetch on command and any other trick you want. But (and this is a BIG but)… it won’t be easy. Then again, if it was too easy the thrill of victory wouldn’t be half as sweet!

If you want to teach your cat to do tricks, you need a wealth of four things: patience, determination, time and cat treats. Anyone who is familiar with the independent nature of cats knows why training them requires lots of the first three things. Unlike our canine friends, cats really have no innate desire to please anyone except themselves. As for the cat treats, there’s simply no greater motivator for felines than food. Praise? Cats have no use for praise, and although most do enjoy a good brushing or petting, it’s just not enough to inspire them to do your bidding.

So before you begin to train a cat, it’s wise to stock up on some tasty cat treats. You really can’t go wrong with FELIDAE TidNips™. These soft cat treats are made with real chicken meat and supplemented with Vitamin E, an antioxidant, and Omega-3 fatty acids for a healthy skin and coat. More importantly, they are delicious! (No, I haven’t eaten any myself, but the reaction I get from my three cats at treat time is all I need to know).

If you let your cat “free feed” dry food, consider switching to two feedings a day and remove the 24-hour kibble buffet. Then you can try training your cat to do tricks before their scheduled meal time, which makes the food reward even more motivational.

Another important aspect of cat training is that you have to coax them to do what you want, such as “sit” or “shake.” When they do, say the command loudly and clearly, and immediately give them their food reward. You can also praise them lavishly and pet them, although as I said before, this is not nearly as effective as the cat treat.

If you don’t succeed after a few days (and you probably won’t), don’t get discouraged. Remember the old adage, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Simply keep trying. Trust me…training a cat to do tricks can be done!

Why Do Cats Make Purrfect Pets?

By Rocky Williams

As a cat, I can’t think of anyone more qualified to extol the virtues of my kind. I do, after all, have firsthand knowledge of all the things that make me (and every kitty in the world!) the greatest pet anyone could ever want. Granted, some felines persist in making sure that old stereotype of the independent cat remains alive and well, which tarnishes their own “Purrfect Pet” medal just a bit. Even so, I still believe we win paws down when compared to other, shall we say, less purrfect pets. No need to get specific, I think you all know who I mean…woof!

Size Does Matter

One thing that makes us cats awesome pets is that we are small, which means that even if you live in a teeny tiny apartment, we’ll adapt. We don’t need a yard – we can get all the exercise we need just by shredding your couch! Throw in an ottoman and some catnip toys, and we’ll worship you for life. No wait, that’s what that “other” pet does. Cats worship only one … themselves.

Our small size also means we don’t need to eat mountains of food, which is easy on your budget and your back. You can even spring for the really good stuff – that would be FELIDAE cat food and TidNips treats, naturally– and you won’t keel over from sticker shock at the pet food store.

We’re Low Maintenance

Cats are lean, mean self cleaning machines. We take our bathing duties seriously, so don’t even think about taking over for us unless you want your arms to look like they just went through the wood chipper. Training a cat consists of showing us where you want us to sleep, so we’ll know to avoid that spot at all costs. Hey, leave your sweater on the bed and you’ll always be able to find us when you come home!

The Healing Power of Purr Therapy

The Warden says nothing gets her body back into balance quicker than a contented cat on her lap, purring away. Opinion aside, there have been actual research studies done which have shown that the health benefits of owning a purring pet are real and substantial. Supplement the purr with a little biscuit making (sans claws), and you’ll be healthier and happier than you ever could’ve imagined!

Tips for Walking a Shy or Fearful Dog

By Langley Cornwell

Most of us have met or at least seen a shy, fearful dog at some point. Maybe a neighbor has one, perhaps you’ve seen one in a shelter, or you may be like me and share your life with one. You’ll know a dog is shy and fearful because he will look at you out of the corner of his eyes, never making full eye contact. He may act as if he wants to greet you, but stooping down to say hello elicits raised hackles and growls or barks. If he does allow you to get close enough to pat him, even if you take it slowly he will likely flinch and step out of range.

When we rescued our dog, she was painfully shy. She wouldn’t even stand up on 4 legs; she did the belly crawl with her head hung low. Still, she reached in and grabbed my heart. There were other, equally needy pups that needed a home at that time; well-mannered dogs that seemed happy even in the face of horrific conditions. I would have taken them all if possible but I had to pick one. I knew the little white dog that tried to be invisible would take a lot of work but I couldn’t imagine going home without her. And so the work began.

Our dog came to live with us when she was approximately 10-months old. Dog experts seem to agree that nervousness and fearfulness develops as young dogs mature, and that the problem often stems from improper socialization during their prime puppyhood socialization window.

Puppy Socialization Window

The American Kennel Club (AKC) website outlines critical periods in a puppy’s development, which they call “socialization windows.” Almost all of a puppy’s personality is shaped during his first year of life, and the first 12 weeks are the most important. The AKC website cites the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) when reporting that sociability outweighs fear in a puppy’s early stage, making this “the primary window of opportunity for puppies to adapt to new people, animals, and experiences.” It is during this time that a puppy first learns to enjoy the company of people, to act properly around other dogs, and to experience a range of circumstances and situations without fear.

Pets and the Fourth of July

By Julia Williams

The 4th of July is such a fun holiday for humans, but it's one of the most stressful days of the year for our dogs and cats. The loud noises and flashes of light from fireworks can be really frightening for them. According to Petfinder, more pets go missing on the 4th of July than any other day of the year.

Here are just a few tips to help keep your pet safe as you and your family celebrate the holiday.

* Don't take your dog to the fireworks display. They're noisy, crowded and can create anxiety and aggression in even the most normally easygoing canine.  

* Keep pets on their normal diet to avoid any stomach upsets. I know it's hard to resist the adorable begging face of a dog drooling over your barbecue fare, but do it for their sake. If you want to give them a treat, some CANIDAE TidNips are a healthy choice that won't spoil their dinner. Give your dog his treats with a loving pat on the head, and he may even forget all about that hot dog! Well, maybe not, but you won't have to deal with the after effects of a sick dog. 

* Make sure your pets stay indoors in a secure location, such as a spare bedroom. For pets that are extremely frightened of fireworks noise, playing some soothing music at a low volume might help to calm them.

* Keep windows and doors closed to prevent your pet from running away if they become frightened by the fireworks  

How to Give Your Cat a Pill

By Langley Cornwell

My neighbor has a cat with asthma. She travels for work, and when she’s gone I cat-sit for her. The cat is generally easy to care for but recently she needed oral meds and I had to give her a pill every day. We have a cat but fortunately our little guy has never had to take a pill so I had absolutely no experience in this area. I consulted a few cat-loving friends and got loads of good advice.

One friend used to give her cat a daily thyroid pill. She was able to hide the pill inside a tiny bit of something the cat liked, such as cream cheese, butter, turkey, or a bite of FELIDAE wet cat food. She would cover the pill with the ‘good stuff’ and roll it into a bite-sized ball. The cat looked forward to this and would gulp the whole thing down. My friend doesn’t know if her cat knew the pill was in there or not. Maybe she knew but just didn't care because the ‘treat’ was so good. Whatever the case, this method worked well and she never had the stress of worrying about how to get her cat to take a pill. This probably works best with very small pills. The asthma pills for my neighbor’s cat were a bit large but it was worth a try.

No luck. It didn’t matter what I wrapped the pill in, that cat would devour the delicious outer coating and spit out the whole pill. My neighbor laughed at me via text; she had warned me that the ‘hide the pill’ method was going to be unsuccessful but I needed to prove it to myself because the alternative seemed so difficult.

If you’ve ever had to give a cat a pill, you already know how hard it is. Maybe I’m wrong here but I think even the most seasoned cat-people would rather not have to do it the manual way. In fact, Animal Planet says cats enjoy taking a pill as well as they enjoy taking a bubble bath – and I honestly think giving my neighbor’s cat a bath would have been easier.

Here’s a combination of what the experts at Animal Planet recommend and what worked for me:

Have the pill within arm’s reach before you even think about starting the process. Some people recommend lubricating the pill with butter to make it easier to swallow.

Confine your cat to one room; preferably a room the cat is familiar with. Equip the room with the pill and a blanket or large towel. Check to see if the pill can be taken with food. If so, have a high-value treat like FELIDAE TidNips on hand.

How to Pick the Right Dog Trainer

By Linda Cole

Dogs need to be educated so they understand what you expect from them. If they misbehave, it's not because they are bad; it’s because they don’t know what you want. It's not difficult to train a dog, but it does require time and a commitment. If you have no idea how to train your dog, that's where a qualified dog trainer can help. With all of the trainers advertising for your dollars, how do you pick one, what can you expect from a trainer, and what kind of questions should you ask?

When hiring anyone to interact with your dog, whether they're a dog trainer, animal behaviorist or even your vet, you need to feel comfortable with them. If at any time you don't like how a trainer is handling your dog, don't like their training techniques or special collars they use, or feel they're being abusive, you have the right to stop them. How your dog is handled should always be your decision, not theirs.

What can you expect?

A dog trainer's job isn't to actually train your dog. They teach you how to train your dog. It has to be done by the owner and no one else can do that job for you. A good trainer helps you learn how to communicate with your dog, teaches you the basics and assists you in your dog's training. It's then up to you to work with your dog at home every day. A good trainer shouldn't give you a guarantee of success because if you don't follow through with their advice and instructions, your dog will have trouble learning. However, they should make sure you're satisfied with the service they provided. You have to be committed to your dog's training for him to learn.

How to Stop Dogs from Stealing Toys

By Linda Cole

Dogs are naturally curious about what another canine has. If one dog has something, it must be good and may be worthy of swiping. You may not have a problem at home with your dog stealing toys, but if you're at the dog park, stealing another dog's ball or toy may not be a good idea. You can stop your dog from stealing toys by teaching your dog four basic commands.

A dog doesn't know it's not nice to steal toys or that things he picks up in his mouth could be harmful to him. Basic commands help us control our dog's behavior more quickly so we can stop him before there's a problem. Start with plenty of CANIDAE TidNips treats, have patience and a commitment, and always keep it fun.

Drop it: When your dog gives up what he has in his mouth, he gets something better in return. Begin where there are no distractions. Attach a leash to his collar and let it drag on the ground. Give him a favorite toy and let him play with it for a few minutes, then show him a treat and give him the command to “drop it.” Say it only once. Your dog should obey any command as soon as you give it. If he drops the toy, give him the treat and praise. Offer him the toy and say, “take it,” wait a few minutes, then give the “drop it” command. Treat immediately when he drops the toy. If he tries to wander away with the toy, step on the leash and offer him the treat. There's nothing wrong with trying to out-wait him if necessary. He'll get the idea as long as you stay calm and patient.

New Year’s Resolutions for Cats

Rocky

By Rocky Williams, Feline Guest Blogger

Lately I have been hearing my hoomin, aka the Warden, talk a lot about something called resolutions. From what I gather, these are things that people resolve to change or improve about themselves in the New Year. Now, being a cat I generally think I am purrfect as is, and need not change a thing. However, just for fun I decided to make some resolutions of my own. Who knows, it might even inspire other cats who feel they need to improve upon purrfection!

According to just about everybody you could ask, the most popular New Year’s Resolution is some version of the “eat right, exercise more” mandate. But that one is just not necessary for me because I already eat great, thanks to the Warden. If there’s one thing she knows well, it’s how to tell which cat food is the good kind, and if she’s sold on FELIDAE that’s all I need to know. However, I suppose I could use a little more exercise to keep my handsome mancat body in tippy top shape. But just a little, mind you. I don’t want to become so muscular that every ladycat in town is meowing at my door for a date. I don’t have the stamina for that!

Speaking of food though, there are umpteen resolutions I could attempt. Such as, I resolve not to wolf down my own portions at lightning speed in order to “help” Mickey and Annabelle finish theirs. This will inevitably free up a lot of the Warden’s time, since she has to stand guard until those two painstakingly slow eaters empty their bowls. Talk about torture!

I could also resolve not to steal food from the Warden’s plate when she’s trying to eat it herself. Generally speaking, the paw is faster than the hand, which gives new meaning to the term “grab-and-go.” I always come away with something, but it’s not always something I want to eat. Case in point: the “mustard incident.” In a kind of slow-motion horror movie, the Warden watched as I mulled over what to do with a paw covered in mustard, until I finally decided to just put it down on the couch. That will teach her to eat in the living room!

I could resolve not to eat the Warden’s bread in the middle of the night, but it’s not really necessary since she started using the microwave oven as a bread drawer. Foiled again, at least until I figure out how to open that thing! I could resolve not to dig in the garbage, but this one is also not necessary since the Warden installed baby-proof latches on the cabinet door where the can is kept. Oh, I know! I will resolve not to scare the Warden by trying to get the cabinet door open, which makes a nice loud bang-bang-bang noise in the middle of the night.

Ways to Save on Pet Food and Treats

By Julia Williams

Finding ways to save money is on a lot of people’s minds nowadays. Tough economic times call for figuring out how to stretch the budget. We all need to eat though, and so do our pets. With that in mind, here are a few ways to save on dog food, cat food, pet treats and even horse feed!

Coupons

Until recently, I wasn’t much of a couponer because it didn’t seem worth the trouble. TLC’s Extreme Couponing show sparked my desire to begin using coupons, and once I saw how much I could actually save, couponing has become a way of life. Some people think you can only buy junk with coupons, but it’s not true. You can find coupons for just about anything – including healthy pet food.

Many pet food companies have coupons for dog food, cat food and pet treats on their website and/or their Facebook page. CANIDAE Natural Pet Food Company has several different high value coupons on their website that anyone can request. You can save up to $4 off FELIDAE pureELEMENTS or pureSEA dry cat food, and up to $5 off CANIDAE pureSKY or pureLAND dry dog food.

The CANIDAE website also has coupons for TidNips™ treats for both dogs and cats. These coupons are even better because they are BOGO (in couponing lingo, that means buy one get one). So, you buy one package of Tidnips treats (which my cats ecstatically endorse) and you get one free! If you happen to have a horse, CANIDAE even has a BOGO coupon for its line of horse feed called EQUIDAE. In a couponer’s world, free is the magic word. Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t get something good for free, because it’s simply not true!

How to Choose a Healthy Pet Treat

By Julia Williams

When I give my kitties their nightly snack of TidNips treats, I feel like the best Cat Mom in the world. It’s not because they love these treats (well, of course they do!) or that they all prance around the kitchen doing the feline version of Dancing with the Stars (it’s quite the lavish production!). It’s not because their exuberant meows and purrs let me know they think these things are the best invention since catnip. It’s because I know I’m giving them a treat that not only tastes good to them and makes them unabashedly happy, but they’re healthy for them too. June Cleaver would approve of TidNips, I’m sure of it!

As we all know, our pets –though most are highly intelligent creatures capable of doing amazing things – can’t as yet read nutrition labels. I wouldn’t put it past them to learn how to do that one day, but right now their only criteria for food and treats is that they taste good. Smart humans that we are, we know there are lots of things that taste good but aren’t necessarily good for us. Sure, sometimes we eat them anyway simply because we like the taste. And while I suppose you could do that with pet treats too, there is no reason to – because good, healthy treats exist, and your pet will love them just as much as any treat that has icky ingredients they shouldn’t be eating.

If a responsible pet owner goes to the trouble of feeding a high quality food because they want their four-legged friend to be in good health, why wouldn’t their standards be just as high for their pet’s treats? One reason is that while many pet owners will take the time to carefully research a particular brand of pet food before deciding to buy it, they don’t always do the same thing for treats. Pet treats are sometimes viewed as the potato chip or candy equivalent, i.e. a “treat” so it doesn’t have to be healthy. Personally, I view treats as an important part of a healthy diet, and I wouldn’t buy my cats “junk” treats even if they meowed for them by name.

The Best Books about Dogs

By Suzanne Alicie

Those of us who love animals and dogs in particular often enjoy reading about them as well. When you think of great books about dogs you may picture children’s books such as Clifford the Big Red Dog or The Incredible Journey, but there are many books about dogs that are wonderful reads for adults.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog/101Stories about Life, Love and Lessons is an amazingly heartwarming book with essays that will make you laugh and cry, and make you realize just how many things we can learn from our canine family members.

Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog is a heartwarming story about the author and his dog Merle, and how they came together despite Merle’s freethinking ways. This book is a great look into the relationships between humans and dogs.

The Art of Racing in the Rain explores all the things that humans do from a dog’s point of view. It’s much more than a story about a dog though. The Art of Racing in the Rain tells of a race car driver and his dog, but goes on to detail the family that follows and the companionship that a dog named Enzo offers to them all.

The Cat Commandments

By Rocky Williams (Feline Guest Blogger)

I'm told you hoomins have something called the Ten Commandments. Now, I like the sound of that because I have things I want to command my hoomin, aka the Warden, to do. And I should think that all felines might want to adopt these cat commandments too, for they are the word of one who clearly knows how to manipulate his hoomin, and is known throughout the land as King of the castle. Which is exactly as it should be, of course. But being a crafty cat, naturally I have more than ten commandments.

Here are my 18 Cat Commandments:

You shall not put any other cat before me, nor any dog, horse, hamster, gerbil, rabbit, chicken, or other creature that inhabits your world.

You shall honor all things Feline as divine.

You shall not call me Boo Boo, Bubba, Bugaboo, Chi Chi, Fatty, Floppy, Fluffy, Moo Moo, Noodle, Pookie, Snookums or any other any silly name that makes people laugh when they hear it. I am a dignified cat, and I shall not respond to any name that is beneath me.

You shall not ration my Tidnips Treats, for my desire to nom these tasty things knows no bounds, and my appetite for them is insatiable. 

You shall not baptize me in water for any reason whatsoever!