Staff Newspaper Column
Critter Corner
Preparing furry baby for a human baby
Are you or a fellow pet owner expecting a baby? You’ll want to prepare your furry “baby” for the big changes ahead. If your companion animal is not used to children, you want them to get comfortable with them prior to bringing your baby home. Positive experiences with...
Helping puppy adjust to change
Dear Miss Behavin’: My six month old puppy and I just moved into a new house where we have roommates and even a new doggie roommate. Rosie is misbehaving more than usual lately and is pestering our roommate’s dog, Captain. How do I help Rosie with the transition?...
A safer Halloween for your dog
Dear Miss Behavin’: With Halloween around the corner, is there anything I should be concerned with as far as keeping my dog safe? That is a great question! For many dogs this can be a scary time because of everyone dressing up in costume. If this is your dog’s first...
Suggestions for a good starter pet
Dear Miss Behavin’: We’re looking to adopt a pet! We aren’t sure what kind, and the kids are open to anything from a turtle to a dog. Our home is small, we’ll be first-time pet owners, and we’re often out of the house at least 8-10 hours a day. What’s a good starter...
Working through potty training issues
Dear Miss Behavin’: I adopted a dog, Lolly, last week and the shelter told me she was potty trained. She did fine for a few days but now is having accidents daily. What’s the deal? There are lots of possible explanations for Lolly’s recent accidents, so let’s start at...
What eye contact means in dogs
Dear Miss Behavin’: My last dog, Harry, used to gaze lovingly into my eyes all the time. It made me feel like we had such a good bond! My new dog, Hildy, rarely makes eye contact. Often when I call her name, she lifts her head but looks to the side. A friend said...
Making a visit to the vet fun
Dear Miss Behavin’: Bringing our last dog to the vet was a serious ordeal. He hated going and always seemed to know when we were headed there instead of the park-not to mention the dramatics he put on once we arrived! We just got an eight week old puppy and we’d...
Important information about adopting a Husky
Dear Miss Behavin’: I’m looking to adopt my first dog. I see a lot of huskies in the shelter and they’re so pretty! What do I need to know about this breed before I take the plunge? Congratulations on your decision to adopt! You’re correct that many shelters see a...
Teaching dog to come when called
Dear Miss Behavin’: What is the best way to get my dog to come to me when I call him? That is a great question! There are several things we can do to set our dogs up for a successful recall. Here are a few suggestions that work to get everyone off on the right foot....
Crate training your dog
Dear Miss Behavin’: We just got a new dog and have been hearing a lot of talk about crate training. It’s not something we did with previous dogs, but it seems like it’s all the rage now. Should we be doing this with our dog? There are many reasons that crate training...
