Take a Hiking Adventure Like a Pro
The state of the world over the past few years has coaxed more and more people into doing outdoor activities. The fresh air of a trail is a safe place where both humans and dogs can exercise and find some inner peace amongst nature’s beauty. We found three cool people who make a living having adventures with their four-legged friends. THE BLOGGER: Jen Sotolongo Owner of the blog Long Haul Trekkers: Outdoor Adventures with Dogs, Jen Sotolongo’s focus is to share how-to’s for getting outdoors with your dog, adventure trips and...
After Attending Zoom Classes With Her Owner, Clever Cat Joins Graduating Class In Austin, Texas
Millions of students graduate from U.S. colleges each year. Down in Austin, Texas, this year’s graduating class also included one curious cat. According to Fox 7 Austin, the 1.5-year-old cat donned a miniature graduation robe and cap to “graduate” alongside her owner, Francesca Bourdier, from the University of Texas at Austin. Photo: YouTube/Fox 7 Austin According to Bourdier, Suki faithfully attended each one of her lectures, which were largely conducted online over Zoom. Suki was such a good student that she never missed a...
Family Learns Newly Adopted Cat Has Potentially Fatal Disease, But They Stick with Him
This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog! On October 1, we found ourselves in a local animal shelter to help look for a friend’s lost cat. As we were leaving, we couldn’t help but notice two adorable 3-month-old kittens that were brothers. The shelter was running a “pumpkin spice” promotion for the month of October, where you could adopt an orange, black, or “spiced” colored kitten for $5. We...
What Colors Can Dogs See?
What colors can dogs see? Although dogs don’t get to enjoy the entire rainbow of colors like humans do, they can see certain colors like yellow and blue, plus shades of gray. So if you were you ever told that dogs can see only in black and white, this isn’t actually true. The colors that humans and dogs see is determined by nerve cells in their eyes called cones. Humans have three cones that discern combinations of red, green and blue. Dogs have only two cones that identify shades of blue and yellow. This two colored, or...
Dug Up at Dogster: June 2022 Dog Events and Dog Holidays
School’s out for summer, and that means more quality time outside with your pup. Even if you don’t have any vacation time to spare, you’re in luck: This month’s dog holidays include Take Your Dog to Work Day and Take Your Pet to Work Week. Check out the rest of the June dog holidays and events in your area. We hope to see you there!Don’t see your dog event on the list? Email us at dogstermag@belvoir.com and we will include your dog event. Monthly June 2022 Holidays Pet preparedness month Foster a pet month Social...
Top basic supplements for dogs and cats
The market is awash in pet supplements, so if you’re having a hard time figuring out what your dog or cat really needs, it’s not surprising. Here’s an overview of the top basic supplements every dog or cat should have. The foundation of any health care program for dogs and cats, regardless of age and breed, is a healthy diet, well-chosen and appropriate supplements, minimal vaccines and medications, and veterinary check-ups. Regular testing can help diagnose disease in its early stages, and allow for any tweaking of diet and...
Dog Loves His Buddy So Much and He Thinks He’s a Horse
Beau the dog and Knokke the horse are inseparable best buds. They won’t last a day without each other — both are sweet to one another. The black Labrador just follows the horse to spend their day with occasional scratches on the belly and kisses. Taylor Heller is the dog parent of Beau, and she lovingly shared the story of how a horse and a black lab bond every day. “From the very beginning, he wanted to be with Knokke, and he wanted to lick his nose. And he wanted to sniff him,” Taylor shared. Beau has been very...
Therapy Dogs Arrive To Comfort Grieving Community After Texas Elementary School Shooting
On Tuesday, May 24, a mass shooting took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which killed 19 children and two teachers. The residents of the small city are consumed by grief. People are saying prayers, holding vigils, and petting therapy dogs brought in to help during this difficult time. Therapy dogs from several organizations arrived to provide much-needed support. They are visiting schools, hospitals, churches, and anywhere else they are needed. Dogs don’t ask questions but instead are there to listen without judgement....
Dogs Running in Their Sleep Might Not Be Caused by Dreams
Dogs look adorable no matter what they do. Even something as simple as sleeping can melt your heart and make you gush over them. Sometimes they would make little gestures during their sleep as if they were dreaming. According to scientists, dogs can dream like humans. A dog’s brain functions similarly to a human’s brain while asleep, and the brain exhibits the same manner and brain wave movements that cause them to dream. Photo: Pixnio/Bicanski Dogs also experience the same sleep stages as humans. They go through SWS or slow-wave...
Staffordshire Terrier Steps In To Mother Tiny Kittens
Dogs are so sweet and kind, not just towards their humans but towards other animals as well. Growing up, I remember watching our family dog always taking in baby birds that fell out of their nests. It was her annual spring/summer ritual and she seemed to really enjoy caring for the fallen baby birds until they were able to return to their nests. Of course, my dog isn’t the only dog to ever care for a little baby animal that wasn’t their own. In fact, we’ve seen so many videos across the internet that show dogs caring for...
Abandoned Feral Kitten Was ‘A Lot to Handle,’ But is Socialized By Family Cat
This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog! One June, my husband went out of town on a trip. Having the house to myself, I decided to take a few days off to catch up around the house. The next morning, I went out back and discovered a cat with a tiny grey tabby kitten sheltering in the partially screened in porch. I gave her food and water over the next few days and otherwise stayed out of her way. She was very protective and...
Shelter Pet Social Fundraising Guide
Jun 01, 2022 Thank you for joining us to save shelter pets this summer! By creating a fundraising page in partnership with Austin Pets Alive!, you will help to save the lives of vulnerable animals. Engaging with your friends, family, and social networks through sharing a Classy and/or Facebook fundraiser is a great way to connect people with a mission you care about, tell them about your shelter pet, why you adopted from, volunteer for, donate to, or support APA!, and why they should help us to save more animal lives. Best of all, it’s...
Dog Hiccups: What Causes Them and How to Stop Them
What are dog hiccups? Dog hiccups happen in the same way that human hiccups do. Little irritations cause small diaphragm spasms, which cause slight movements in the opening between the vocal cords — the glottis. When the glottis closes abruptly, it makes a quick “hic” sound. Hiccups typically happen during inhalation but can happen during exhalation. Why does my dog get hiccups? Scientists don’t know exactly what causes hiccups. Fetal hiccups have been documented and were thought to be a way for fetuses to test out...
Sea Turtles Could Go Extinct By The End Of The Century
Our world’s turtles and tortoises may not survive much longer. Of the 360 known turtle and tortoise species, 187 are classified as threatened by the IUCN Red List criteria. Of these, 127 are endangered or critically endangered, and could go extinct by the end of the century, Mongabay reports. Sea turtles could disappear even earlier. There are currently seven remaining species of sea turtles in our oceans, six of which are classified as threatened or endangered due to human actions and lifestyles. There are currently seven remaining...
Pennsylvania Police Looking For Person Who Dumped Malnourished Dog At Abandoned Home
A severely malnourished dog was discovered at an abandoned property near Pittsburgh. A resident in the area saw a dark-colored sedan pull into a driveway of an abandoned house and let the dog out of the car. The person then proceeded to throw a ball out the window, which the dog chased after, and then drove away. They immediately contacted the local police. Crescent Township Police Department received the call and headed to the unoccupied property. They found the sweet dog who was clearly in need of food, water, and love. They brought her...
Treat First-Time Foster Caregivers Like Trial Adopters & Other Lessons from the Pandemic
Listen to our interview with Dr. Lisa Gunter, the Maddie’s Fund Research Fellow at Arizona State University, about her new research into dog fostering during the pandemic, and how shelters can apply her findings to expand their foster programs and save more lives. The audio from this piece was transcribed using an automated transcription service. Please excuse any typos or incorrect patterns of speech. HASS: Hi, I’m Arin Greenwood, a writer with HASS. I’m so pleased to be speaking with Dr. Lisa Gunter, the Maddie’s...
New Research Shows That The Parrot Species’ Long Lifespan Is Due To Them Having Big Brains
The animals have one-upped us again when it comes to unlocking the secrets of long life. Just like how the Yellow-Bellied Marmots are able to slow down their aging, Parrots are also able to live a surprisingly long life. PHOTO: Unsplash/Juan Camilo Guarin P Researchers find out that the secret of a parrot’s long life may be connected to their large brains. An article published by the Royal Society says that species-specific patterns of longevity are linked with allometry and life-history variables. In general, larger species tend to...
Golden Retrievers Head To Uvalde To Provide Comfort To Those Affected By School Shooting
Eight Golden Retrievers headed to Uvalde, Texas, a day after gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School, to provide support and comfort to those affected by this senseless tragedy. The trained dogs are with the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Ministries, who travel across the country, providing comfort to those impacted by disasters. The dogs traveled from all over Texas just 24 hours after the shooting, and are there to help those who are not quite ready to process what happened or answer questions. “We listen if they talk,”...
Irish Setter
Quick Facts Weight: 55 – 75 pounds (24.95 – 34.02 kg) Height: 24 – 28 inches (60.96 – 71.12 cm) The Look of an Irish Setter Irish Setters have balanced, elegant, medium-sized frames (sometimes larger) covered in silky red coats that grow long on the ears, tails and chests. Their handsome, lean heads have long muzzles, almond-shaped eyes, dark noses and long, thin ears. They have elegant necks that slope down to deep chests and level backs. Their long, tapered tails are usually carried horizontally. All four legs are...
Watch As A Senior Rescue Dog Finally Gets A Soft Bed
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes and, as you can imagine, there are also plenty that are either young or old. The unfortunate thing for many older dogs, however, is the fact that they may have a rough time getting adopted when they end up in the pound. In addition, some dogs have lived their entire life without a loving family. This isn’t to say that they are not part of a family, but not every family is going to show the love that a dog deserves. That was the case with Belle. Photo: YouTube/The Dodo Belle is a tiny little Chihuahua...
