The next coaching call in my WRITE SCHTUFF series on PUBLISHING PRINT BOOKS launches Thursday November 8 at 11:00 a.m. (CST). If you can't attend LIVE, please still register so you can get the replay to watch at your leisure. WRITE SCHTUFF: PUBLISHING PRINT BOOKS Get...
What a fun post to share today, all about friendship, collaboration, mentoring and writer coaching. I'm moved and honored to be named a Germinder + Associates POWER OF PINK Honoree. I've known Lea-Ann Germinder for *mumble-mumble* years and learned so much from...
Hey there Sweet Peeps! I'm excited about the CWA book signing and writers conference events this weekend in Houston, Texas. Please come on out an d say HOWDY! Here's the deets. CWA WRITERS CONFERENCE The CWA Writers Conference is an annual event for beginning to...
STARZ, the Musical We've been shouting to the world how thrilled we are with the premier our show STARZ musical. Even reviewers loved the Starz show -- see what Mark Beardsley had to say in the Herald Democrat here. This is the 4th musical theatre production by Shojai...
I'm very fortunate to work at a job I love. In fact, I frequently am asked about offering publishing classes and writing advice -- who, me??? Maybe a book: I could call it WRITING LIKE CATS & DOGS! ha! Many of y'all have heard me say that I've had to "reinvent"...
STARZ MUSICAL AUDITIONS is almost here! My co-writer Frank Steele and I have worked very hard for nearly two years writing this show. Born out of a love for theater and performers, we're delighted to premier the show April 19, 20, 21 at the Rialto Theater in Denison,...
STARZ THE MUSICAL! I'm thrilled to announce my newest project, Starz The Musical. Some of y'all know that in my so-called spare time, I'm a performer (actor/singer/musician). As a playwright, I partner with the talented writer/performer Frank Steele to create musical...
As Hurricane Harvey barrels down upon the Gulf coast, our prayers are with those in the path of the storm. Please tell me you're disaster ready, both you and your pets! Read more about disaster preparation in this post. ARE YOU DISASTER READY FOR A HURRICANE?...
Many of my readers know about my passion for plays and theater and music. So when the opportunity came to be involved in a rock opera, I had to audition for the chance to sing in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice masterpiece, Jesus Christ Superstar. JESUS CHRIST...
Several years ago when I wrote for the puppies.about.com site (now TheSprucePets) I took issue with a promotion advertised by a big-name pet food company that encouraged people to post pictures of themselves hugging dogs. Hoo-boy…Oh dear heaven, by the comments I received you’d think that I said cute babies are evil, apple pie is poison and advocated BEATING YOUR DOG! Part of that has to do with folks reading only the title and ignoring the content of the message. Oh well. That drives home the importance of titles, I suppose.
The promo really struck a chord with pet lovers. After all, who doesn’t love a hug? Hugs mean love, hugs mean happy happy happy, hugs are tail-wagging expressions of the joy we share with dogs. Right? RIGHT?!
Uh, no. And glory be, the promotion lives on, declaring September 11 as “Hug Your Hound Day.” Before you tar-and-feather me, read on to learn WHY hugging your dog can put you, and your dog, in danger…
Dogs are prone to poisoning because, like human infants, they put everything in their mouths. Cats are more discriminating about what they eat, but contact poison can affect any pet if they walk through something toxic or it spills on fur and ingested during grooming.
Symptoms vary depending on the poison, amount of exposure, and the individual animal. You may see anything from drunken staggers and collapse, to salivation, seizures, or hyperactivity.
Here’s what you need to know about these common pet poisonings!
In March, we celebrate Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month but prevention never ends. Here in Texas, many folks spend this time of year preparing for spring gardens. I just spent several hours preparing a flower bed and seeding with wildflowers. And we continue to update our rose garden after we had to dig out old roses (many infected with rose rosetta disease, arg!), and continue to plant new ones. My jonquils, and other bulb plants now poke shy heads above the mulch, ready for a burst of color.
Shadow-Pup helped! And Karma-Kat will enjoy any cut flowers I bring in later. That’s why I’m so careful about exactly what we plant, and the kinds brought inside for our own and pet enjoyment. I had some lovely patio container plants last fall and wanted to bring them inside for the winter. Unfortunately, I couldn’t risk plants toxic to pets.
Cat litter box problems pose the number one reason cats lose their homes and end up in animal shelters. That’s also the top reason an adopted kitten or cat gets returned. How sad! It’s important to keep in mind ways to prevent litter box problems from the moment you bring home the new kitten…
Faithful readers know I focus on care and behavior issues for companion animals and write extensively about enrichment for dogs and cats. So when this press release from a prestigious university covering beneficial animal behavior research with lemurs hit my virtual inbox, I just had to share. The University of Glasgow provided the pictures as well.
SQUEEE! It’s puppy & kitten season, and just in time for YOUR big adoption gotcha-day celebration, many stores will have crate, kennels, carriers, and accessories on sale. There are many kinds of crates and carriers, from soft sided to hard plastic to wire, and in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Read on for some crate training tips for both dogs AND for cats.
Is a new cat in your future? Each spring and fall, kitten season may bless you with a new feline friend. But can you predict talkative cats? You wonder, why does my cat meow so much? Heck, cat meowing may be one way cats show love. My Siamese wannabe Seren lived to be 21 years old, and she talked constantly. We relished her kitty conversations, but some cats over-indulge, and pet parents want to stop cat meowing.
Karma-Kat rarely talks unless we address him and doesn’t randomly meow. Mostly, Karma comments center around FOOD and TREATS. He also meows at Shadow–thank goodness the noise doesn’t scare him! Yes, he understands the words, and his “meow” is typically a “yes, please” answer to our questions. Oh, and Karma “announces” when he uses the (ahem) facilities. Trinity-Kitten meows LOUDLY anytime food enters the picture. What about your cats?
Watch this video for tips understanding why dogs lean against us and grab/hug us.
Why would you want to keep cats away? Well, if you have indoor felines and strays keep trespassing, that can put your pets’ tails in a twist. Other times, the stray or feral cats abuse your hospitality, poop in your garden, or stalk the birdbath and terrorize the birds. If you have plants that prove dangerous to cats, visiting felines could be poisoned. What’s a responsible cat person to do?
How do you shoo unwanted cats out of your back yard? Maybe you have a dog that likes to dig, too. With spring weather fast approaching, lots of folks now find that community cats, strays or even feral felines have decided to make themselves at home in unwanted places. Here are my 9 tips to keep cats away.
Everyone who shares a home (and heart) with a dog at some point must deal with dog poop problems. Learning what’s normal, to yellow colored stool, or learning how serious blood in dog’s stool may be helps get your dog help. While it may not be the most appealing topic, learning about your dog’s “creativity” offers important insight into his health.
Not only his food, but also your dog’s environment and emotional state, affects how his body works. Fear, anxiety, and stress can change a dog’s behavior, but also can disrupt digestion and cause enteritis. That in turn affects his poop.
Recognizing healthy elimination helps pet owners alert to abnormal eliminations. That way, when necessary, you can get your dog prompt medical help to diagnose and treat problems before they become worse.
Amy Shojai CACB is an award winning author. You can find all her publications and book her to speak via her website.
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