Connecting Pets, People, and Community While Saving Lives
Learn why your cat blinks so slowly or why your dog chases his tail.
Are dog noses emotion detectors? We know that dogs have a formidable sense of smell. It’s estimated that an average dog has 600 million smell receptors (compared to only 12 million in you). But can a dog smell things other than food, toys, and each other? Recent studies say yes. They can smell stress, depression, sadness, and grief.
So. Many. Kittens! We are staying here at Second Chance, and our world is overrun with kittens. Sure, they’re cute. They’ve got those sweet little faces and fuzzy little paws. But they’re also exhausting!
We’re the more mature residents here, and we’d love to have someone visit us and take us home! Let us introduce ourselves.
How many cats is too many cats? We’ve all seen situations where someone clearly has taken in too many. But what is that number? Where does the scale tip from several beloved cats to being overwhelmed?
Every dog does things that are cringe-worthy. Humping, licking those places, sniffing crotches, gagging (causing the mad dash to get outside), and yes… scooting our butts across the carpet or grass. Whether we choose to scoot in the middle of your dinner party or while you’re enjoying a cup of coffee- it’s something you probably wish would stop.
Humans have several socially acceptable ways of greeting each other… a smile, a handshake, a hug. You definitely would not be invited back if you did what many dogs do as part of social interactions. Yes, we’re talking about humping.
Walking peacefully along a path with your best friend; you are enjoying the fresh air, your dog is sniffing the grass and greeting other dogs. This is what every human hopes for when you venture out for a walk. Sometimes, it doesn’t quite work out. Walking a dog can be one of life’s greatest joys, but it also can be stressful, anxiety-inducing, and downright infuriating if your dog is not well trained on a leash.
Spring is here and you know what that means…yep, time to adopt a new cat into your family! Knowing that the transition from newcomer to treasured family member can take a bit of time, I’m here to help you read the signals your cat is giving to make the transition more smooth.
It seems like the world has stereotyped behaviors for cats and dogs. When a dog is aloof or independent, they might be called “cat-like”. Whereas a cat who fetches toys will be labeled “like a dog.” When it comes to cat and dog behavior, it can get tough to differentiate myth from reality.
This purpose of this 3-part mini-series on animal communication (see Second Chance’s website below for prior columns) has not been to convince readers to hire an animal communicator, but just to understand and consider the concept of it. It is simply another way to connect with your pet. No pressure. For some it makes sense and works, for others it doesn’t. This is a true story of when it did work…
Last week Second Chance homeless kitty, Teenie, introduced the growing field of animal communication to Pet Column readers. She discussed how it works, which is challenging for the human brain to comprehend as you all tend to be linear thinkers. This week I am moving the conversation to how animal communication is applied; I think you will like this next part...
Connecting Pets, People, and Community While Saving Lives
