Halloween is right around the corner, and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be just as fun for your pets as it is for you! While you’re preparing costumes, decorations, and goodies for this October, consider making one of these super spooky DIY toys for your pet too. Don’t forget to always supervise your pet when playing with these handmade items! Ghost Ball The majority of dogs and a select handful of cats are eager to play a game of fetch with their owner. Here’s a toy that you can use for either! You Will Need: A durable tennis ball …

Dogs aren’t just pets anymore, they assist us with a number of things from detecting cancer to helping comfort those with PTSD. Petland has a long history of supporting therapy canines and supports Canine Companions for Independence and Heartland Canines for Veterans. Perhaps you believe your pup has what it takes to shoulder such a job, and you may be right! Here’s a few tips to help you get started. What Does a Therapy Dog Do? There are actually three different classifications of therapy canines. They include… Therapeutic Visitation Dogs: These animals are used in facilities where the residents are …

Training puppies is an easy endeavor but training an old dog is really hard. Or so you’ve heard. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”  Wrong on both counts. First off, training any dog, regardless of age, is relatively easy if you use the two most important tools: treats and patience. Declining health might mean your senior dog can’t perform certain tasks, but within his physical limitations, older dogs can learn new things. Puppies may train faster, but older dogs outperform the pups in logic and reasoning tasks. Like humans, they learn from life experiences. They are also able …

This year has been one of unique challenges due to COVID-19, forcing us to stay at home. But the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has already had 9 named storms, “the most ever recorded since the satellite era began in 1966,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  The fire season in California is expected to be worse than ever this year, and there have already been 672 tornadoes so far.  Chances are, you have a preparedness plan for your family, but did you include your pets in that plan? If not, today is not too soon to prepare in …

Dogs love the outdoors. They notice everything, not only with their eyes but with their whole bodies. Watch Fido, and you’ll see him sniff, move his ears, cock his head, wag his tail, raise his hackles, paw at things, maybe even dig. And if he finds something really, really stinky, watch out! Chances are, he’ll want to roll in it. One of the best vacays with your dog is hiking. He probably likes that more than any other activity because he gets to explore sights, sounds, and smells he doesn’t usually get to enjoy. Your dog lives with his whole …

Does your fur baby love catnip? Well, here’s why! Cat owners respond with laughter when they see their cat’s reaction to catnip, an herb in the mint family. Their normally lazy feline rubs her nose and cheeks in the catnip, rolls around on the ground, leaps around like a kitten, and then in roughly 10 minutes falls asleep. Most cats enjoying catnip also vocalize more than usual, but not all cats are equally respondent. Some people question the ethics of giving what appears to have the effect of a recreational drug in human use to an animal. But is it …

How to keep your pet’s paws perfect. Summer is hot, and when that sun is still beating down on the asphalt, rocks, and cement, it can really do a number on your pet’s toe beans, regardless of size. Most dogs show signs of distress when they walk on pavement that is too hot. How hot is too hot? The general rule is “if it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for his paws.” It’s hard to believe that when your temperature reaches 77 the pavement can be 125, but it is true. Pavement that hot can literally burn …

The what, why, and how. Make sure your pet is safe! When I was small, we moved from one neighborhood to another pretty far away. During the move, our Boston Terrier, Chippy, got lost. We searched high and low for her until finally she was found in the trunk with some of the things we were moving! If Chippy had been lost in the new neighborhood, chances are highly unlikely that we would have gotten her back. Today, your pet is much more likely to be returned to you if it has a microchip implanted. (Yes, I get the irony …

As pet owners, we’re constantly being lectured by our vets about the importance of setting yearly vaccination appointments. So what’s the big deal, anyway? Well, over 5,000 dogs are infected with rabies each year in the U.S.; that’s just one of the dozens of contagious diseases that your pet could come in contact with throughout their life. Vaccines are just as necessary for our dog’s longevity as they are for us, and since it’s Vaccination Awareness Month, we’ll tell you why! Why Should You Vaccinate? You already know that rabies is highly infectious, but were you aware that the disease …

If you own a pet, eventually you will have to bathe him. Dogs can be challenging to bathe, but cats can be near impossible. But all of them like to roll in stinky substances, hide in dirty places, or occasionally get a condition (fleas, maybe?) that requires putting them in water and soaping them thoroughly before rinsing them clean and toweling them dry. But the question remains, “How do I do that?” Well, the answer is the same, whether you’re bathing a dog or a cat. I’ll give you some tips that will help you make bath time as pleasant …