4 Things a California Shelter Learned When They Started Day Trips for Dogs
Field trips for dogs are great for boosting their adoptions and engaging with your community (research shows that dogs taken on a field trip are five times more likely to be adopted!), but those aren’t the only benefits. Shelters and rescue organizations are seeing advantages for volunteers and staff as well! When Sarah Aguilar became Director of Santa Barbara County Animal Services, starting a field trip program for their dogs was high on her to-do list. The program started small, scheduling just three field trips per week. They...
Why Touch Therapy is Good for Dogs and Cats
As dog and cat parents, we constantly seek ways to ensure our furry companions feel safe, relaxed, and healthy. One effective method for achieving this is through touch therapy techniques, such as TTouch and Reiki. These gentle practices not only promote relaxation but also help reduce anxiety and enhance overall well-being. By incorporating touch therapy into your dog or cat’s care routine, you can create a deeper bond with them while supporting their emotional and physical health. Understanding TTouch TTouch, or Tellington TTouch, is...
5 Clever Tips for Caring for Your Aging Dog
Our furry friends age much faster than we do, and before we know it, our once-bouncy puppies become slower, grayer, and a bit creakier. But just because your dog is getting on in years doesn’t mean they can’t still enjoy a great quality of life. There’s no magic solution for older dogs, but with a few adjustments and some extra TLC, you can help your senior canine companion stay happy, healthy, and comfortable well into their golden years. By implementing these tips, you’re creating your own personal Longevity Formula...
Get more pets home (or back home) this fall
Whether you want to help find more pets homes or get lost pets back home this fall – Maddie’s Online Instructor-led Courses has something for you! And #ThanksToMaddie, they’re all free. Harnessing People Power to get Lost Pets Back Home is back for the first time in two years and is instructed by Jenifer Reed, Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Program Implementation Trainer. Attendees can expect to leave with data-backed solutions and tools for implementing lost pet reunification programs like short-term foster...
Scoop the Poop, Friends
Aug 26, 2024 Picking up dog poo isn’t anyone’s favorite activity (not that we’ve come across anyway), but it is a necessary must. And we’re trusting that everyone in Austin, and beyond, understands that this is a dirty job that can’t be ignored. Leaving dog waste sitting around is actually damaging to our environment. It is not the same as cow manure, as many may think. It doesn’t offer healthy growth to the grass and in fact, can be pretty damaging. Beyond damaging the grass, letting dog poop sit means...
Top Reasons to Try Mixed Feeding for Your Dog or Cat
Mixed feeding for dogs and cats has many benefits, including adding more nutrients and moisture to their diet. Let’s find out the easy way to get started! When it comes to feeding your dog or cat, it’s easy to find food that works and stick with it for weeks, months, or even years. But imagine how bland life would be if you had to eat the same food, flavor, and texture all the time. Dogs and cats can become bored with their food too, but mixed feeding (combining a dry food with a wet topper) is an easy method that breaks up the...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Online Instructor-Led Courses registration, $500,000 in grants awarded and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. Registration for Online Instructor-Led Courses ends on Friday!Looking to implement a new program, learn more about a specific subject and create positive change for pets and people in your community? Be sure to save the date for Maddie’s Fund® Online Instructor-Led Courses! The fall 2024 application window closes on Friday, August 30, 2024 at 5PM ET. View the Offerings $500,000 in grants awarded to 107 animal organizations for reducing barriersTwenty-three...
$500,000 in grants awarded to 107 animal organizations for reducing barriers
Twenty-three national animal welfare organizations came together for the 2024 Open Arms Challenge. The goal of the Challenge was to encourage animal shelters, rescue organizations and organizations working to keep people and pets together to pilot new approaches that increase inclusivity for new adopters and volunteers and provide a welcoming environment for all community members. In total, 107 organizations received a total of $500,000 in grant prizes. For the month of April 2024, 243 participating organizations across the United...
A Guide to Wireless Dog Fences
Learn what GPS wireless dog fences are, who they’re best suited for, whether they meet your needs, and what features to look for in a system. A physical fence isn’t always a practical solution to contain your dog. A great alternative is a GPS fence. You can set up virtual perimeters to suit any property layout, offering unparalleled flexibility. By training your dog to recognize and respond to specific alert tones, you can effectively teach them to understand and respect these invisible boundaries without physical barriers....
How to Support Your Senior Dog with Ashwagandha
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. We call BS (Bad Science) on that! There are ways to help your aging dog go energetically (and pain- and fog-free) into their senior years, with plenty of new – or at the very least revived – tricks to boot. Starting with all-natural, all-healing, 100% safe ashwagandha. Senior dogs, like senior people, face a unique set of health challenges. These include things like reduced mobility, aching joints, cognitive decline, and decreased energy levels, to name but a few. But it does...
