Pet Resource Center
Getting help for your pet
Regardless of your dog or cat's behavior, we offer several free options to help!
Our team of behavior specialists provides enrichment, daily training, and when necessary, additional behavior support to pets in our shelters so that they become the best possible candidates for adoption.
Other resources
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- Never leave your pet in a parked car. Even cracked windows won't protect your pet from overheating or suffering from heat stroke during hot summer days.
- Exercise your dog in the early morning or evening hours, instead of during the middle of the day when it's hottest.
- If your...
When puppies play with each other, they use their mouths. Therefore, puppies usually want to bite or "mouth" hands during play or when being petted. This behavior is rarely aggressive and, therefore, not intended to cause harm. Because puppies are highly motivated to exhibit this type of behavior, attempts to...
Rats make great pets because they're intelligent, sociable, and affectionate. They're also quiet, clean, and fairly easy to care for. There are hundreds of different breeds of rats, but "domestic" or pet rats have been bred for many years and therefore, have different characteristics than wild rats.
Home Sweet Home
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It's often important to manage situations while you're working towards a final solution. In dog ownership, this means setting up your home and life in a way that prevents or discourages your...
Many adult dogs adopted from animal shelters were housetrained by their previous homes. While at the shelter, however, they may not have gotten enough opportunities to eliminate outside, and consequently, they may have soiled their kennel areas. This tends to weaken their housetraining habits. Additionally, scents and odors from other...
As a trainer, I often get the question, "How do I get my horse to do this?" or the statement, "My horse won't do that." Many times, as I'm offering advice about what I would do in a given situation, people tell me, "I tried that, and it didn't work."...
Your new dog has a history of guarding food or other resources in the home. This means he (or she) may have frozen up, growled or even bitten!
There is no guarantee that your dog will never guard again, but there are ways you can reduce the chances of it...
Pets bring a joy to your family that is unmeasurable. They are known to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and provide companionship. Selecting the right pet for your family is easy to do when you first consider the following…
What type of pet is best?
There are many different types...Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit behavior problems when they're left alone. Typically, they'll have a dramatic anxiety response within a short time (20-45 minutes) after their owners leave them. The most common of these behaviors are:
- Digging, chewing, and scratching at door or windows in an attempt to escape...
by Brent Winston, equine trainer As we are being teased with warmer weather, many of us are anxious to get out and enjoy our horses with some trail-ride therapy. Maybe we haven't had time to ride during the winter because it's too dark by the time we get home or...
Cats tend to have surface and location preferences for where, and on what, they like to eliminate. Most cats prefer a loose, sandy substance, which is why they will use a litter box. It's only when their preferences include the laundry basket, the bed, or the Persian rug, that normal...
Have you recently had your pet spayed or neutered at one of our mobile clinics? Download the post-surgery instructions here.
by Brent Winston, trainer, Harmony Equine Center As I have been out riding this summer, I have noticed that a lot of people struggle with some of the same issues I used to struggle with. One of those issues is standing tied. It's not uncommon for horses to pull back...
Most cats have a specific preference about where they want to eliminate. By following the suggestions outlined in this handout, you'll be able to start off on the right foot with your new cat.
Location
Most people are inclined to place the litterbox in an out-of-the-way spot in order to...What stresses your pet? A trip to the veterinarian? Overnight guests? Thunder and firecrackers? Leaving him alone? Clipping his toenails? Stress and anxiety often cause behavior problems in our pets. Stressed-out cats may have litter-box problems or begin fighting with other pets. Anxious dogs may be destructive, escape, urine mark,...