We love old dogs. They’re calm, trained, loyal, and wise. Although they sometimes need a bit more care for age-related ailments, they are worth it. The physical challenges of age are easier for many families to understand and manage than the mental changes in their elderly dog.

It’s heartbreaking when your beloved old dog goes outside one day and doesn’t know how to return to the house. She stands in the yard until someone brings her back. She starts having accidents. She doesn’t recognize people she’s known forever. She forgets things she was taught as a puppy. It’s puzzling when she paces and barks at nonexistent threats.

Creepy, crawly, blood-sucking, little jerks. Yep, we all hate ticks. Have you come back from a hike or a walk around the block to find a tick on your dog? Or your cat wanders around the yard and comes back with a tick? Ick.

You’re sweating, I’m panting, the cats are sleeping in the shade. We all have ways to cope with the hot summer temperatures.

People sweat, which helps cool your skin. A dog's main way to cool down is panting. Moisture evaporates from our tongues, noses, and the lining of their lungs as we pant. As this air circulates, it helps cool us off. Cats conserve energy, seek out cool surfaces (sleeping on a tile floor), and groom (saliva evaporates off their fur, cooling them down).