Simple Changes can Improve a Senior Pet's Quality of Life   When I started writing about pets for a living almost three decades ago, I had one middle-aged dog and one young one. When I sat down to write this article, my final "Pet Connection," I again have one middle-aged dog and one young one (as well as three cats, one horse, two goats, two ducks and 23 chickens, but who's counting?). In the years between that first column and this one, I've held many... Read More

Protecting Your Pet from Grass Seeds and Awns   There are many different kinds of grasses, as well as other plants, that have seeds or awns (bristle-like fibers) that are a particular shape that allows them to stick to various surfaces. Foxtail (hafura in maltese), spear-grasses, buzzard grasses, and feather grasses that not only stick, but can actually invade into the tissue of an animal's body. How do grass seeds cause problems? These seeds may either... Read More

The consensus among animal behavior professionals is that the major cause of dog bites to humans is related to failure of owners and dog bite victims to recognize when dogs are fearful and know how to approach and greet dogs appropriately. But what exactly is the correct approach and why do so many people fail to do it?   One issue is that we humans have an instant gut reaction to the cuteness of some dogs. It’s the same reaction we had as a child when we saw a cute... Read More