First, I want to give you an update on how Rosy is doing since I wrote the blog, #106 telling you about her diagnosis of cancer.  Then, I have heard that it is not uncommon for dogs to lose their hearing as they age.  This got me thinking - this could happen with Rosy and I wondered what it would mean for taking care of her.  So, I looked up a website I had heard about recently, called Deaf Dogs Rock as well as their social media pages.   There is gobs of handy tips and things to know if you have a deaf dog or one that is losing its hearing. Having never known much about this, and being impressed by this great website resource, I asked the founder and president of Deaf Dogs Rock, Christina Lee to tell her story on the show. What it is like to have a deaf dog and what are some important things to know about deaf dogs.     Can male cats still spray if they have been neutered? Yes they can. Maybe you’ve noticed a new pungent smell in your house or perhaps even seen your cat spraying on your furniture or backing up to your walls with their tail sticking up and depositing a small amount of urine on the wall. How can this happen, you might be thinking? My vet told me that once they are neutered that is not supposed to happen. Though telling the story of my cat Willie who took to spraying in all the corners of my new house even though he had been neutered years before, I’ll explain a number of the reasons why cats may begin to spray and what you can do to stop it.  It’s time for us to select the two people to win three months of free pet food that was part of celebrating our reaching our 100 episode. Thank you for everyone who left a comment on our website or Facebook page during the promotion period. We’ll be putting your names in the hat and randomly selecting two people to win either the free dog or cat food. We’ll be getting in contact with you if your name is pulled. Good luck.   Additional Resources for the Show. Deaf Dogs Rock Website.Deaf Dogs Rock on Facebook.Deaf Dogs Rock on Instagram.Here are links to the resources Christina Lee mentioned during our conversation.A video with American Sign Language Interpreter – Alisha McGrawField of Dreams Dog TrainingDog Trainer specializing in deaf dogs - Terrie Hayward

First, why are the animals we share our lives with called pets?  Where did that word come from? The word first entered the English language in Scotland and Northern England around 1500 and pet meant a spoiled child or a favorite. Ah, that’s probably where the expression teacher’s pet comes from. Hear how it evolved to mean beloved animal companions.   Are you considering daycare for your dog?  Wondering how to find one that your dog will love and also relieve your mind that you’ve left it in safe hands for the day? Or maybe you want to know what is the big deal about it is and why to spend the money at all on daycare when your dog seems fine staying at home.  My guest is Neil Gill, the CEO and president of Dogtopia, the leading provider of dog daycare in North America and he will answer these questions and give you an insider’s view into the world of doggie daycare.   This week’s creature feature is rather macabre and creepy. But it’s fitting as Halloween is just past, and it could also be an Easter story as well. Here is a story about a dog, I’m calling, Never Say Die. Another mention of a cat being “resurrected” caught my eye.  October just ended and you have a few more days as a new month starts, to win our promotion and receive 3 months of free pet food. Just leave a comment about one of our 100th episodes on either the show page at www.raisingyourpaws.com or on our Facebook page. We’ll randomly select 2 winners from the comments.  Make sure you get your comments in before November 15, 2021.  Good luck.  Our new producer is Talk North. The largest sports, outdoor, and lifestyle podcast network in the upper Midwest. Check them out at Talknorth.com. You’ll find this podcast there as well. Additional Resources for the show.  Source for story about where word pet comes from:  “Pet Nation” by Mark L. Cushing.  Dogtopia’s website. Press Release about the Partnership between NutriSource Pet Foods and Dogtopia.  The reading program Neil Gill talked about in the show. Sit, Stay, Read.  The autism organization Neil Gill talked about in the show: Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center. Source for the stories about pets that cheated death: “Amazing But True Dog Tales” by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo, complied by Muriel MacFarlane and “Pet Nation” by Mark L. Cushing.

Have you tried to take photos of your cat in low light? If so, you’ll know that most often the pictures show their eyes as being just bright shining yellow circles.  Why is this? I’ll explain the special physical feature felines have that cause this and why they have it.  We know that we feel stress and that it can affect our health. Dog and cats also experience physical and emotional stress that can result in health issues, but it can also reveal itself as behavior problems. In this episode, I’m replaying a part of an interview from my Wild about Pets Radio show with Dr. Paul McCutcheon, the author of the book, The New Holistic Way for Dogs and Cats. The Stress-Health connection, written with Susan Weinstein. We talk about some of the kinds of stress that can affect pets and how to monitor and remedy it.  In the last episode, I promised I’d tell you what is considered to be the best game ever to play with your dog.  This game develops a strong bond with your canine, teaches them manners, allows them to safely express their wolf instincts, and has you maintaining leadership and its lots of fun for your dog. All great games have rules - to play them properly, and this one does too. You may already play this game with your dog but knowing why the game is so beneficial and what the official rules are will be interesting to you. In this episode, I’ll list the 7 short rules you’ll want to know and the ones to teach your dog.   We’re still celebrating reaching 100 episodes by giving away 3 months of free pet food to 2 lucky winners through the month of October, 2021. For your chance to win, please leave a comment about one of the 100th shows, on the episode pages on the website, raisingyourpaws.com or on our Raising Your Paws Facebook page.  We’ll randomly select 2 winners from the comments.Our new podcast producer is Talk North. The largest sports, outdoor and lifestyle podcast network in the upper Midwest. Check them out at Talknorth.com. Additional Resources for the show:RaisingYourPaws.comDr. Paul McCutcheon’s clinic: East York Animal Clinic & Holistic Centre.Amazon link to order The New Holistic Way for Dogs and Cats: The Stress-Health Connection by Paul McCutcheon, DVM and Susan Weinstein. Source for the story about the best game ever: Tug of War. 30 Days To A Well –Mannered Dog. The Loved Dog™ Method by Tamar Geller.

In this week’s creature feature stories, hear about two dogs who volunteered for the postal service and loved their work.  Do you wonder how you can stop your cat from doing certain things like biting or wrecking your furniture with their constant scratching? Pam Johnson-Bennett, a certified cat behavior consultant is one of the foremost experts on cat behavior and she has answers today about why cats do what they do and how to solve some of the most common behavior problems.  Does your dog know how to heel when out walking with you? I never taught my dog Rosy to do this but I’ve wondered should I teach the command?  And does the dog need to heel the whole time?  In this episode, I’ll tell you where this command originated and talk about the importance of a dog walking nicely beside you on a loose leash but that making a dog heel for the whole walk is not in the best interest of your dog’s mental and physical well-being and happiness.  In the next episode, I’ll tell you what is considered to be the best game ever for dogs. We’re still celebrating reaching 100 episodes by giving away 3 months of free pet food to 2 lucky winners through the month of October. For your chance to win, please leave a comment about one of the 100th shows, on Raising Your Paws website or Facebook page.  We’ll randomly select 2 winners from the comments. Check out our new producer’s website at Talk North.com. They are the largest sports, outdoor and, lifestyle podcast network in the upper Midwest.  Additional Resources for the show.RaisingYourPaws.comSource for the creature feature stories – “Amazing but True Dog Tales” by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo.  Pam Johnson-Bennett’s website: Cat Behavior Associates.To order “Think like a Cat” and Pam’s other books about cat behavior. Source for the story about dog’s heeling – “30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog” by Tamar Geller.

Cats learn to fear their carriers if the only time they see it appear is when it is taken out of the closet, they are shoved inside it, taken away from their home, dragged out of the case, plopped on a slippery cold, metal surface and some strange person starts poking and prodding them. Of course, they come to associate the sight of the crate with the unpleasant experience of going to the vet.  You are going to do the opposite and train your new kitten right from the very start to associate the carrier with fun, positive experiences.   And it’s not too late to get your older cat to accept one as well. In this episode, I’ll explain the steps to take so that transporting the cat is easier for you and the feline when you do have to go to the vet.   Why keep feeding your dog’s meals from the same old food bowls, when there are so many other ways to do this that make your dog happy and mentally stimulated. In my conversation with Ben Rimbey, head dog trainer with Lucky Mutt Dog Training and for the “Fairly Odd Dogs” (Disc Dog performers) on social media, he explains that you can train your dogs and strengthen your bond with them at the same time by “Ditching the Bowl.” Then, learn a fun game for your dog that that builds confidence and makes eating more engaging called “Cardboard Castles”. There’s a cool new app to know about. Do you like to keep track of how many steps you walk? Or have you ever walked to raise money for a charity or cause?  If you have a dog, I know you’re out there walking together and there is an app, I just found out about that combines all these things.  It’s called WoofTrax. It keeps track of how long you and your dog are walking and makes money at the same time to support your favorite animal organizations.  I’ll explain how it works to make walking your dog so rewarding and how you’ll still want to use it, even if you don’t have a dog.We’re still celebrating reaching 100 episodes by giving away 3 months of free pet food to 2 lucky winners through the month of October 2021. Get your chance to win, by leaving a comment about one of the 100th shows, on the episode pages on the website, raisingyourpaws.com. Or tell us what you think of the podcast on our Raising Your Paws Facebook page.  We’ll randomly select 2 winners from the comments.If you like sports, or outdoor life podcasts, be sure to check out our new producer’s other podcasts, at www.talknorth.com. They are the largest sports, outdoor, and lifestyle podcast network in the upper Midwest.  Additional Resources for the Show. Resource for the story about cat carriers – “Complete Kitten Care” by Amy Shojai.Lucky Mutt Dog Training Website. Fairly Odd Dogs (Disc Dog performers) on FacebookFairly Odd Dogs on Instagram. About the App: www.WoofTrax.com

Did you know that over 200 dogs helped alongside the emergency personnel at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and the Land Fill where debris was taken?  These dogs worked tirelessly to search the wreckage, bringing closure to families who had lost loved ones and offering comfort to the workers at the sites. In commemoration of the anniversary of 9-11 this is a replay of a conversation I had with Nona Kilgore Bauer, author of Dog Heroes of September, 11th.  A Tribute to America’s Search and Rescue Dogs. Ms. Kilgore Bauer tells stories of the individual dogs and how they were able to do the remarkable and dangerous work they did. See illustrating photos at www.raisingyourpaws.com.  Additional Resources for the Episode.Order the book- Dog Heroes of September 11th. Nona Kilgore Bauer’s other books on Amazon.National Disaster Search Dog Foundation.

Prevent Kittens from Biting Hands & At Home Sports to Keep Dogs Physically fit.  Do you have a new kitten at home? Or are thinking about getting one? I want to offer you a kitten care tip about playing with your new kitty. From your kitten’s perspective, you are now mom whether you are male or female. As a surrogate mother it is your job to teach your cat not to bite human skin. In this episode, I’ll explain the very first thing to do (and not to do) in order to guide your kitten in the right direction for successful and painless interactions with people. Do you wonder if there are some easy sports or activities you could do with your dog to give them more exercise and keep them fit other than walking?  My guest Ben Rimbey, head trainer for Lucky Mutt Dog Training in Minnesota and the “Fairly Odd Dogs” on social media shares how you and your dog can play some sports together. He’ll explain a few of the unusual skills you can train, such as calmness and focus that creates a better bond between the two of you, and also makes teaching your dog how to play Frisbee and/or use dog exercise equipment fun and effective.Dogs eat the strangest things don’t they?  In this week’s “Creature Feature” listen to 3 stories of dogs with very unusual appetites. It’s a wonder the things they ingested didn’t result in killing them.    News! NutriSource Pet Foods and the Raising Your Paws Podcast have teamed up with the Talk North Podcast Network, the largest sports, outdoor and lifestyle podcast network in the Upper Midwest. They produce over 20 different podcasts with some of the top hosts, experts and influencers in these respective industries. We are very excited to be partnering with Talk North.It’s our 100th episode! We want to celebrate. We’re going to give away 3 months of NutriSource Pet food (equivalent to 3 large bags of food) to two winners. To be considered for this award, please leave a comment about the 100th podcast episode, on either the website, www.raisingyourpaws.com or on our facebook page and show us a favorite photo of your pet with their name and we’ll randomly select from the comments. Good luck!       Additional Resources for the Show.  Source for the story about cat play – Complete Kitten Care by Amy Shojai. Lucky Mutt Dog Training website.Fairly Odd Dogs on InstagramThe resources Ben Rimbey spoke about:Absolute Dogs  for more training games. Susan Garrett’s Website.Where to buy discs for dogs – Hero Disc U.S.A. Up Dog ChallengeDog exercise equipment: Toto fit LLC.  Or Fit Paws U.S.A.   The fit bone is the one Ben Rimbey recommended as a start. NutriSource Element Series – A high Percentage Meat dog food.  Source for Creature Feature stories - Exploding Pigs and Other Bizarre Animal Stories by Ian Simmons.

Sometimes, someone has got to step in between others to avoid a fight. It may be your dog that does this. I’ll explain this dog signal called “splitting” and reveal how you can use this behavior yourself to calm your dog.Plus, just as Superman would lose his powers when exposed to Kryptonite, there are certain things women and some men, do around their dogs that can act like kryptonite and strip their powers away. Camilla Gray-Nelson, dog trainer and author, of Lipstick and the Leash: Dog Training a Woman’s way, is back for part two of her interview and explains what women, unknowingly do that results in their dogs not listening to them. Once aware of what to avoid, women will again be empowered resulting in better behavior from their dogs.  Then, learning to identify your dog’s warning bark, and how to effectively respond to it, will increase the chances that your dog will quiet down rather than bark even more. Resources for this episode. Camilla Gray-Nelson’s website.Camilla’s blog: Dog Talk Diva.How to order Lipstick and the Leash: Dog Training a Woman’s way.For the full show notes of this episode, see www.raisingyourpaws.com. Please let us know what you think of the podcast. Rate and review it on iTunes.

In this “Best Of” Replay show, we’ll start by talking about barking. Different sounding barks communicate different emotions and needs. If you’re trying to reduce your dog’s barking recognizing what your dog is telling you is the first step. I’ll explain the sound that means your dog is feeling excited.Then, why do some women have a harder time getting their dogs to obey them compared to men? Listen as Camilla Gray-Nelson, author of Lipstick and the Leash: Dog Training a Woman’s Way, explains the answer and tells women how to get control back. Next, if your cat is peeing outside its box, it might not like the brand of kitty litter you are buying. I’ll tell you the signs that indicate this may be the issue. Resources for this episode.  Source for story about barking: “Barking: The Sound of a Language,” by Turid Rugass.Camilla Gray-Nelson’s websites:Dairy Dell Doggy Dude Ranch and Training Center. Blog: Dog Talk Diva. Order the book, “Lipstick and The Leash: Dog Training a Women’s Way” by Camilla Gray-Nelson. Find the full-show notes with live links at www.raisingyourpaws.com. Please support this podcast by subscribing and telling your friends. To subscribe on iTunes so you never miss an episode, here is the link.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-your-paws-your-resource-for-dog-cat-pet-parents/id1313060210.

Do you like it or hate it when your dog wants to jump up on you when they greet you? Why do dogs want to jump up on people anyway? There are two reasons I’ll tell you about. If you want to stop the behavior teach your dog the way you would prefer them to greet you. When we take our pets to the vet because they are sick or injured we are feeling fear and love and anguished hope that they will be okay, plus worry and possible stress about the costs it will take to return them quickly to health.   That’s a lot of emotion we bring to the examining table. What about your vet? Do they also experience the stress you are feeling?   The answer is yes.  And it can take a fatal toll on these doctors who do so much to help your pets. My guest, Sandy Weaver, is the author of the book, Happy Vet, Happy Pet: Caring for Your Pet’s caregiver and the Program director of the Center for Workplace Happiness, whose mission is to reduce the suicide rate in the vet community. She will tell you three easy things you can do to help and care for your vet that can make a profound difference for their lives.About this episode’s creature feature, It’ June and it’s been very hot where I live, so when I came across a story about what happened to a young girl during a  blizzard, and the dog who came to her rescue, just reading about winter and snow cooled me down. It’s also an inspiring tale. Hope you enjoy this story. Resources for the show.Source for the story about dogs jumping up- “Decoding Your Dog” by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.Center for Workplace Happiness website.How to order “Happy Vet, Happy Pet, Caring for your Pet’s Caregiver” by Sandy Weaver.“Not One More Vet” website.Source for the “Snow Job” creature feature - Amazing But True Dog Tales by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo, compiled by Muriel MacFarlane.

Who is the most famous dog in the world?  It may surprise you to know, he isn’t even real yet he says words that we, human beings would often like to say.  In today’s creature feature I’ll share some fun facts about this character that most children know and love, and many adults still fondly remember.  Continuing my conversation with dog aggression expert, Michael Shikashio, CDBC, (aggressivedog.com) we talk about what to do if you are out walking your dog and suddenly one or more dogs becomes aggressive and start attacking your dog – how to ward off the dogs, and stay safe yourself. We also cover why other dogs may join in when only one originally attacked.Does your cat seem to have a preoccupation with open doors – making mad dashes to go through them?  It can be hard to catch the cat if it gets outside or they can run off, become lost and never return. Door dashing can be a real problem for many people. In this episode, I explain some ways to make the door unpleasant so the feline will want to stay away from it.    See the companion blogs for the podcast episodes at www.raisingyourpaws.com.  Additional Resources Source for the story about Snoopy – “Dog’s Best Friend” by Simon Garfield.Michael Shikashio’s website: Aggressivedog.com.Listen to Michael’s podcast - The Bitey End of The Dog.Source for the Story about door dashing cats - “ComPETability: Solving Behavior Problems in your MULTI-CAT Household. By Amy Shojai.

Do you wonder exactly why cats get hairballs and if there is anything you can do to reduce the amount that form in your cat’s stomach and then get thrown up exactly when and where you most don’t want them? I’ll explain how hairballs are a good thing for your feline, what to do to lessen their existence and the symptoms to watch for that might indicate an excessively large hairball may be causing health problems.There have been two different types of highly upsetting dog biting incidents recently in my town, one involving a child that got bit after asking if she could pet the dog, the other where two dogs broke loose and attacked two separate dogs being walked by their owners. The circumstances of these incidents, convince me we need to keep talking about what we can do to prevent traumatic bites and attacks.  About preventing children from getting bit when wanting to pet a dog, there are two things that we must be mindful of that greatly affect the outcome. In this episode, my guest, Michael Shikashio, a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant, the founder of the Aggression in Dogs Master course and host of the podcast, “The Bitey End of the Dog” explains those two critical things. If you are of a certain age, then you’ll remember when Fido was the quintessential name given for any generic dog. Some real dogs actually had this name, President Abraham Lincoln named his dog Fido, but the most famous was an Italian dog that came to public attention in 1943 because of his demonstration of unwavering loyalty to his dead master. Fido was written about in many Italian and international magazines and newspapers, appeared in newsreels throughout Italy, and was bestowed several honors, including a public statue erected in his honor. Today’s creature feature is his story.  Additional Resources for the Show. Michael Shikashio’s website: Aggressive dog.com.Listen to the podcast, The Bitey End of the Dog. Source for the Story about the Italian dog, Fido – The book, The Dog’s Best Friend by Simon Garfield, plus varied news stories found on the internet.

Are you frustrated by the yellow and brown spots on your lawn that occur when your dog pees in the grass?  Wondering why it happens and what can you do about it? The reason those spots appear is that dog urine is rich in nitrogen and it’s the high concentrations of this plus associated salts in the urine that kills or essentially “burns” the grass the urine soaks into.  You may have heard that to stop your dog from killing the grass when they pee, that you can feed your dog a dietary supplement and this will change the urine.  This however, can cause health problems for your canine, so the safter solution has to do with lawn care. I’ll explain a number of things you can do to try to eliminate all those dead spots and a few tips regarding your dog as well.  From a previous interview on my past Wild About Pets Radio Show, comes this conversation with Dr. Debra Horwitz, a veterinary behaviorist, and co-editor of the book, Decoding Your Cat, about why they do some of the things they do. You’ll hear the unique perspectives about cats that will explain why they need to scratch things, what those sudden bites could be about and how to better meet their needs so they don’t have to wake you up every morning at dawn. Finally, for this week’s creature feature, I’ll tell you a story about a cat that just may make you believe that they do have 9 lives. Additional Resources for the Show. Books edited by Dr. Debra Horwitz:Decoding Your Dog: Explaining Common Dog Behaviors and How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones by American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Debra F. Horwitz DVM, et alDecoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones by American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Debra F. Horwitz DVM, et al. How to find a Veterinary Behaviorist near you: American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.Source for the story about the cat who lived – Exploding Pigs and Other Bizarre Animal Stories by Ian Simmons.

Does your cat start yowling or meowing excessively in the early mornings or late at night? This can be very annoying, I know. Why do cats make this loud, piercing sound and what can be done to stop it? I’ll explain a number of reasons why cats may start excessive vocalization and what to do, during this episode and then in more detail on the companion blog. I have heard that it is important that your dog respect you. I know Rosy, my part Shetland sheepdog/German shepherd mix loves me, and mostly listens to me, but respects me? I don’t know. What does it mean for a dog to respect a person and what does it look like?  My guest, Dan Abdelnoor, founder of The Online Dog Trainer, author, speaker, dog trainer and behavior specialist, knows what respect means from a dog’s point of view and how you can start earning it from your canine. You can see the video of our conversation on the website, www.raisingyourpaws.com on the episode page for no. 93. Then this week’s Creature Feature is about a dog that figured out exactly what to do that saved his person life. Additional Resources for the Show. Source for the story about cat’s yowling: The Cat Whisperer by Mieshelle Nagelschnieder and Why Does My Cat Do That? By Catherine Davidson.Doggy Dan’s website: The Online Dog Trainer.com.Kindle Version of the book “What the Dogs Taught Me About Being A Parent” by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan’s Facebook page. Source for the creature Feature: Amazing But True Dog Tales, by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo, Compiled by Muriel MacFarlane.

Does one of your cats bully other cats in the house hold? When human bullies torment other people, it seems like the reasons for doing so, is that they take delight in picking on others. Bullying cat’s behavior may look the same –torturing and attacking others, but the reasons are very different and specific to being a feline. I’ll explain a few of most common reasons a cat may turn into a bully. Then, continuing the conversation with animal communicator, Tim Link, author of “Talking with Dogs and Cats: Joining the Conversation to Improve Behavior and Bond with Your Animals, he shares the three steps he uses to “talk” more deeply with dogs and cats. Keeping an open mind, you can learn how to do this as well, to increase the bond with your pet. Plus, you’ll hear the story about the dog who was eating socks, and paper clips and how Tim helped him to stop plus how he solves the number one behavior issue people call him about regarding cats and dogs. Has your sweet, quiet, cuddly, obedient puppy who used to respond to everything you asked, changed overnight into a disobedient, counter surfing, stealing, beast, who runs away from you, ignores you and seems to have forgotten all its training? There’s a very normal, inevitable reason for this that’s part of your dog’s developmental stages. I’ll reveal what this is, and offer some tips to help you deal with the behavior changes. For some other possible behavior changes to expect from an adolescent dog, see the blog for this episode 92 at www.raisingyourpaws.com. If you have any in-depth questions or want to share your stories about anything you hear on the show today, please write me at susan@raisingyourpaws.com or leave me a comment at the end of the blog article for this episode number 92. Additional Resources for the Episode.Source for the story about cats who bully – “Cat Wise” by Pam Johnson-Bennett and “How to Speak Cat,” by Aline Alexander Newman & Gary Weitzman, D.V.M. Get in touch with Tim Link through his website.Order Tim’s books. http://www.wagging-tales.com/mybooks.html Sources for the story about when your puppy becomes an adolescent: “Why Does My Dog Do That?” By Sophie Collins and “The Other End of the Leash” by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.

Can cats experience separation anxiety as we start leaving them alone more as we return to working outside the home? Yes, they can. I’ll explain how they may exhibit anxiety and what you can do to distract them after you’ve left or prevent them from becoming unnerved in the first place.  To find a good dog trainer, what should you be looking for regarding their credentials and what are the first big questions to ask them. Louie Torres, the CEO and founder of Unleashed Consulting, a company that helps dog trainers grow their business, found himself in the position of desperately needing a dog trainer and his journey led to the saving of his relationship with his girlfriend, a changed dog and a complete refocusing of his business working with dog trainers. You’ll enjoy this second part of the conversation with Mr. Torres.Does your cat have a silly or annoying habit to wake you up in the morning? Hear about a cat who knew exactly who to focus his attention on and how to get the person to let him out, in this week’s creature feature. Additional Resources for the Show. Source for the story about cat separation anxiety – ComPETability: Solving Behavior Problems in your Multi-CAT Household by Amy Shojai.Unleased Marketing – Louie Torres’s website.  Source for the creature feature – Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin.

The difference in effectively training large versus small dogs, has more to do with your technique and what is required from you, rather than their abilities. The mechanics of training large and small dogs stay the same, but there are subtle differences in how you train, that can get in the way of success or guarantee it. In this episode, I’ll offer three training tips for small breeds having to do with the position of your body, the size of their tummies and the additional time and patience that may be required from you to teach them some simple behaviors. Do you have a dog that’s behavior is so bad that it is causing havoc in the home or damaging relationships with other people in your life? Maybe you tried training the pooch yourself, but it seems like it is useless. Should you call in some outside help and get a dog trainer but don’t know what to look for, or how to find a good one?  This is the exact problem my guest, Louie Torres, experienced. He is the CEO and founder of Unleashed Consulting, a company that helps dog trainers grow their businesses, and he’ll tell you his story about a badly behaved Chihuahua, not being able to find a trainer that would work with the dog, and the journey that finally led to him identifying and working with the perfect trainer that changed the dog’s behavior, Louie’s life, and even his business! In this week’s Creature Feature, you’ll hear a story that I can really relate to. About a man who had a problem with an outside plumbing pipe that resulted in his house being flooded. This happened to me recently, but the causes were very different. Mine was a block in the pipe that I had no control over, his was a choice he made - in order to save the life of seven puppies. About the creature features, the animal stories I’ve been telling you, I’d love to get your feedback about them - if you like this feature and would like me to continue them.  Please write me a comment on the episode or blog pages on the website, raisingyourpaws.com.  Or you can write me at susan@raisingyourpaws.com. For taking the time to leave a comment, I’ll randomly select a number of people and send a coupon for a free bag of NutriSource pet food. Additional Resources for the show. Louie Torres’s Unleashed Consulting Website.

In this week’s creature feature hear about how a man’s grocery shopping trip cost him a whole lot more – thanks to his dogs.Do you find it almost impossible to get medicine in your pets at times? As you struggle and fight to get pills or drops in them, do you find yourself thinking, “there has got to be an easier way”? Well, there is.  And it has to do with changing the form of the medicine. My guest is Dr. Alan Chan, a pharmacist with the Golden Gate Veterinary Compounding Pharmacy in Novato, California, and he’s going to tell you about how through the technique of compounding drugs, you can eliminate the stress, scratching, screaming that you go through and at the same time provide a better experience for the animals as well. Are you thinking about if you want to get a small breed dog rather than a large one?  Many people ask are small dogs better?  The answer comes down to what size dog is best for you.  A good way to figure this out is to know some of the broad differences between the small and large breeds and match a dog with your activity level, physical, financial and/or time limitations you may have, rather than how they look. In this episode, I’ll explain 5 important aspects about small dogs for you to consider. Additional Resources for The Show.Source for the creature feature story – “Exploding Pigs and Other Bizarre Animal Stories” by Ian Simmons. Golden Gate Veterinary Compounding Pharmacy Website. For more differences between small and large dogs see the companion blog (89) at www.raisingyourpaws.com.

For this week’s Creature Feature, you’ll hear two stories, about a dog and a cat that unknowingly caused a “bit” of panic that resulted in the police being called. Then, hear stories from my guest, Dr. Kwane Stewart, known as the “Street Vet” about his experiences treating pets of the homeless in Los Angeles, California. For the last 9 years, Dr. Stewart has spent time walking the neighborhoods looking for people living on the streets that have pets that might need some veterinary care.  He’s called the Street Vet because dressed in scrubs, with his medical bag in hand, he stops and offers a smile, and then, if the owner accepts, a professional veterinary exam. Right then, right there. For free. You can also SEE the video of our conversation on both the raisingyourpaws.com website episode #88, page and our Facebook page.Next, an etiquette guideline for us humans with dogs to get along well with other humans with dogs.  If you are walking or playing with your unleashed dog in a public place other than a legitimate, sanctioned dog park, and you see an unfamiliar leashed dog in the distance, it’s best to leash your dog right away. I’ve got a story about this very situation with Rosy and another dog, that explains how practicing leash etiquette, we can all keep our dogs safe from harm. Additional Resources for the show. Source for the creature feature stories – “Exploding Pigs and Other Bizarre Animal Stories” by Ian Simmons. Dr. Kwane Stewart’s Facebook page.Dr. Kwane Stewart’s You tube channel.  Project Street Vet website.

Today’s creature feature is about a diamond in the ruff.  Hear a story about a dog named Duque, a mutt that was worth 15,000 dollars, at least while the diamond ring he had swallowed, was inside of his stomach. Are you allergic to cats? Or you may not be, but one of your family members is? Wish you could have a cat or already do and suffer the consequences of your allergic reactions? Cat allergies can seem like a really hopeless problem.  My guest today, Diane Morgan is the author of “The Sneeze-Free Cat Owner: Allergy Management & Breed Selection for the Allergic Cat Lover” and her suggestions for how to treat your allergy, and changes you can make in the home will give you hope and help you realize there is much more you can do to lessen or eliminate symptoms than you might have known about. Cats and cat allergies can co-exist. Have you ever wondered where the term “kitty corner” comes from? It describes something that is diagonal to or from us, but why do we say this? What does it have to do with cats? Absolutely nothing, actually. Curious?  I’ll explain in this episode. If you’re enjoying this podcast please let your friends and family know. They can subscribe for free on all popular apps by visiting www.raisingyourpaws.com. Additional Resources for the show. Source for the story about the diamond in the ruff – “Amazing but True Dog Tales” by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo, compiled by Muriel MacFarlane. How to order “The Sneeze-Free Cat Owner: Allergy management & Breed Selection for the Allergic Cat Lover” by Diane Morgan.To see photos of “hypoallergenic” cats, spoken about in segment 2, visit the blog page for this episode #87 at www.raisingyourpaws .  Source for the story about the term, kitty corner – “A Fine Kettle of Fish: And 150 Other Animal Expressions” by Michael Macrone.