Staff Newspaper Column
Critter Corner
Helping a Cat Through a Move
Dear Critter Corner: I’m in the process of moving and will have movers coming in the next few weeks to pack and move my home and belongings. I’m nervous about having my cat around while the movers are here, but I don’t know where else she can go. Any suggestions? If...
Preparing Your Home for Rescue Cats
Dear Critter Corner: I recently met an 11-month-old bonded pair of cats that I fell in love with and have committed to adopt from a local rescue. The rescue staff mentioned that they are on the shy side and will require some patience before they come out of their...
Helping Your Dog with Visits to the Vet
Dear Critter Corner: We just returned from our pup's annual vet visit, which didn’t go so well. What can we do to make next year's visit more comfortable for all parties involved? Many pups have a difficult time with the processes that take place in the vet’s office....
Minimizing Shedding and Preventing Hairballs in Cats
Dear Critter Corner: My cat has been shedding a lot on the carpet and furniture and coughing up hairballs. Any remedies for this? As the summer months approach, our kitties will start to shed some of their winter coats to prepare for the warmer months. As they...
Her Cat Is an Escape Artist
Dear Critter Corner: My cat has been an escape artist all of his life, and might I add a very determined door dasher since he was a kitten! He is an indoor cat but does really like being outside to sunbathe. He will wait by the door and zoom past me as soon as I open...
Teaching Your Dog Tricks
Dear Critter Corner: Can you give us a few ideas for some fun, easy tricks that we can work on with our pup and that our kids can help with? Teaching tricks is always a nice break from your training and a great way to get the kids involved in the training as well....
Tips to Teach a Dog to “Come” When Called
Dear Critter Corner: I am struggling with teaching my dog to come to me reliably when called. Can you give me some tips to help with this? Many owners struggle with this issue. We tend to muddy the cue ‘come’ by repeating it too much and without a follow-through when...
Enrichment Activities for Cats
Dear Critter Corner: My one-year-old cat is super smart and needs to be kept busy throughout the day, or else he sometimes gets into places/things that he’s not supposed to. Luckily, I do work from home and am able to spend quite a bit of time tiring him out during...
How to Stop Your Dog from Barking During Training Classes
Dear Critter Corner: We just started training class with our new pup, and he sat and barked for the whole class. The instructor gave us some tips, but I am curious how you would approach the constant barking in class. This is something that happens in many training...
Supporting a Cat Through Construction Noise
Dear Critter Corner: Loud noises make my cat very nervous and there is going to be construction outside of my home for the next three months. I’m worried she’s going to be stressed out. How can I prepare my cat for this? Changes in the home environment and nearby...