Blog

Most cat owners have been there: You bring a new cat home, and she hides and won’t come out. What does it mean and what should you do? That’s what a reader asked. Here’s what my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, and I told her. Q: We’re fostering a cat, and she beelined for the bedroom […]

Our dog Quixote is terrifed of thunderstorms — and it’s  fear that’s very common in dogs. When a reader asked me for help for her dog, I recruited my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, to share some tips. Q: It’s thunderstorm season, and my 3-year-old Australian shepherd has become so afraid of the noise that he […]

It’s hard to believe this day is finally here: Teresa and I are in Baton Rouge this morning picking up Lazaruff to drive him to northern Idaho in search of a forever home. Lazaruff was supposed to become our dog — but I’m getting ahead of the story. First, Laz was supposed to be dead. […]

Cats can’t say, “Hey, I’m good. You can stop petting me now.” So they often let their teeth do the talking. But there are other reasons cats might bite. Here’s what I told a reader who wanted to know about her kitten’s biting behavior. Q: My 10-month-old cat bites me. Will he outgrow this? A: […]

It’s hard to believe this day is here, but it is: Happy Paws magazine from Fear Free Happy Homes is on newsstands across the country! I championed this magazine for the same reason I founded Fear Free, because I don’t believe animals should have to live with fear, anxiety, and stress. Thanks to advancements in […]