Dog Training & Care Archives

10 Tips for Moving With Pets to a New Home: Getting Pets Used to a New Place

by Amy Shojai | Sep 3, 2025

Moving With Pets to a New Home: Getting Pets Used to a New Place

Moving with pets raises human stress levels and your cats and dogs are no different. While many dogs enjoy adventure and visiting unknown places (and smells!), cats bond closely with their home territory. Any change can put their tail in a twist when moving disrupts routine. An unfamiliar location, smells, and sounds raise levels of fear, anxiety, or stress (FAS).

With proper care, though, you can reduce or even eliminate the angst. Here are tips for moving with cats and dogs and helping them quickly acclimate to their new home.

Dog Lover’s Guide & Cat Lover’s Guide to Edu-tainment: Must Know Resources List

by Amy Shojai | Aug 27, 2025

Many years ago (in dog years, I should be dead!) I began this journey to guide pet parents by writing about dogs and cats. Basically, I created dog lover guides and cat lover guides to help folks make informed decisions about their fur kids’ health, care, fun, and partnership. Here are some of my favorite resources.

Don’t Go! Dog Separation Anxiety & What to Do

by Amy Shojai | Aug 25, 2025

WIth back to school this month, you may wonder how to deal with dog separation anxiety. Whether the adults change work schedules, kids have less time to play with Fido, or college and classes means routine goes out the window, dog separation behaviors cause stress for everyone. Will canine separation anxiety become a problem for your dog? After summer vacation with the kiddos, dogs left behind at home can mope and feel awful…and so can cats. Any kind of absence might result in canine separation anxiety. Here’s what you need to know.

Why Does My Dog Paw My Arm

by Amy Shojai | Aug 21, 2025

I’ve recently had a couple of requests for some insight into a very common dog behavior–one my own Shadow-Pup indulges (see picture above). That is, why does my dog paw my arm? Here are two requests…and then we’ll get into the reasons behind the behavior.

Sick Pets Won’t Eat? What to Do About Anorexia

by Amy Shojai | Aug 18, 2025

Ever wonder why cats won’t eat, or why your dog snubs the bowl? All pets lose their appetite once in a while. It’s normal if pets won’t eat for a meal or two.

Matchmaking Tips for Cats & Dogs & Introducing Pets

by Amy Shojai | Aug 12, 2025

Do you know how to introduce dogs to cats? Or how to choose the right pet for your existing pet home? This past week’s behavior consults included a family with two cats wanting to introduce a young German Shepherd to their life. The couple has had lots of dog and cat experience but wanted specific tips to smooth the transition and keep their kitties happy and safe.

Pet Microchips? Why You Should Check the Chip

by Amy Shojai | Aug 11, 2025

It’s Check Your Pet Microchip Day on August 15! If you ever wondered how does a dog microchip or cat microchip work for pets, read on! Your cats and dogs are microchipped, right? When he was (ahem) neutered, Shadow-Pup got his microchip. Both Bravo-Dawg and Karma-Kat already had microchips so that if the worst happens, we’d be reunited. I don’t even what to think about losing my pets.

It goes beyond checking for the chip, too. Keep your pet info updated. When I added Shadow to my pet account, I also adjusted for Karma’s weight (he’s shed some poundage, good kitty!). I changed Bravo’s picture once he became a tripawd dawg and then, sadly, let them know he’d passed away.

And of course, I also have tags on my pets, to give ’em every reason to be found. Here’s everything you need to know about microchipping pets.

Tapeworm Trouble? Video for How to Deal with Parasite Problems

by Amy Shojai | Aug 6, 2025

Dogs can contract tapeworm from ingesting fleas during self grooming, or eating a dead animal. Here’s what you need to know to protect your cats and dogs from tapeworms.

Dog Ticks: All About Ehrlichiosis

by Amy Shojai | Aug 4, 2025

This disease has been reported worldwide wherever these ticks are found. Most cases in the United States occur in dogs living in the Texas Gulf coast regions and other southern states. All dogs are susceptible, but those with greater exposure to ticks. Outdoor dogs, working dogs and hunting dogs are at highest risk. Here’s what you need to know.

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Counting Thanksgiving Blessings, the Pet Writer Way in 2025

Time for my annual Count My Blessings post. The past year has meant change, change, and more change, and that’s good and also challenging. But some things never change…I’m thankful to you—yes, those who read this blog, the cat book lovers, and the dog book lovers, and folks who have “adopted” my thriller series. And those who offered awesome applause and support any of the other venues mentioned…

How to Create A Cat Safe Christmas Tree

Cat safe Christmas tree? Is there any other kind? I post this blog every year and — with Shadow-Pup & Trinity-Kitten now in the house, I’ve decided to forgo the Christmas tree this year. Sometimes you have to choose your battles. Here’s how to do it, though–and I may give in and give it a try after all!

Amy Shojai’s Thriller TRICK OR TREAT RELEASED!

“Love, loyalty, and a supremely smart service dog make TRICK OR TREAT a definite treat for thriller readers. Come for the wonderful Shadow and be drawn in by a can’t-miss plot that plays all the tricks.” – Clea Simon, author of The Cat’s Eye Charm, a Witch Cats of Cambridge cozy mystery

Here are the links to get your latest September & Shadow adventure!

7 Tips How to Prepare Cats, Dogs, and People for Holiday Visits

How to Prepare Cats, Dogs, and People for Holiday Visits

Holiday celebrations include visiting family and friends. It also means keeping pets safe during the holidays. Since we consider cats and dogs part of the family, pet holiday visits require special preparations. Changes to routine can increase fear, anxiety, and stress in everyone, and especially our pets. Hitting the road also raises stress levels, so unless your pets adore car travel, prepare with advice in this article. Here are some tips for reducing the angst once you arrive, so that everyone enjoys family pet holiday visits.

10 People Foods for Cats

My Seren-Kitty never met a meal she didn’t like—including my own. Once she even tasted the hot mustard dip from my plate. Have you ever seen a cat LEVITATE?! Kitty foaming at the mouth is no laughing matter except the little squirt came back for seconds!

In her last year, I created a monster because at age 21, I figured Seren should get to eat ANYTHING she wanted. And then Karma-Kat thought HE should do the same. Yikes! (BAD Amy…)

The first week we had Karma, he conducted a snatch-and-grab, swiped a kabob from my husband’s plate, and took off with it. (10-second rule…hubby chased him down and “rescued” the kabob.) These days, Karma-Kat and Shadow-Pup still get the occasional healthy treat from the table.

The key, of course, is the word “healthy.”

10 People Food Treats Dogs Can Eat

Oh, those puppy dog eyes begging for people food…It doesn’t have to be a holiday for us to want to give treats to our dogs. We love to indulge ourselves—and them—with safe people food and holiday dog treats…

Doc & Phoebe’s Feeder: The NoBowl Feeding Solution for Cats

Here’s an option for feeding your cats in a more species-appropriate way. And…it helps keep your cat’s brain working for GOOD rather than EVIL…ha ha ha ha!

Hearing Aid for Deaf Dogs?

Have you ever met a deaf dog, or had a beloved older canine lose his hearing? How did you manage? The article on deaf puppies and dogs has a number of tips for managing the issue. But have you ever thought about a hearing aid? Here’s what you need to know.

How to Live with Deaf Dogs

Perhaps you adopted a deaf dog, or only recently discovered your canine friend can’t hear as well as expected. Dogs get along quite well even with a deficit in hearing. So as long as you make accommodations for your pet, the love keeps on going and tails continue to wag.

Why Is My Dog Ignoring Me? Selective hearing in dogs

Dogs often appear to have selective hearing, just as humans do. Put yourself in your dog’s paws, and it makes sense that they ignore human chatter. Most of the “mouth noise” that people spout doesn’t matter to dogs, and to get King’s attention, it must trump whatever else has his attention. …

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