Emotional stress in dogs
A close-up look at emotional stress in dogs — and how our own stress contributes to theirs. None of us is a stranger to stress. It affects many levels of our lives, and it also affects our dogs. Generally, the human and animal body is influenced by three types of stress: chemical (pesticides, medications, vaccinations, by-products of normal metabolism), physical (injuries, exercise), and emotional (thoughts, perceptions, experiences). This first of this two-part article will focus on the emotional aspect of stress, and how our own...
Want a silent night at your animal shelter this season? Try holiday fostering!
This post originally ran in December 2018, but we think it’s as relevant as ever. This year is the perfect time to bring back, start or expand your holiday fostering offerings. Organizations across the country are getting dogs out of the shelter and into homes for the holidays through foster care. Holiday foster initiatives are usually short, from overnight to several days. Inviting the public to participate and keeping the commitment short makes it easy for community members join in (and many fosters opt to keep them for...
Wild Bird Flies Into House And Cuddles Up With The Dog
When lawyer Viktoriya Belostotskaya pulled out her phone to record her dog, Yunona, standing up his hind legs at the window sill, she thought she’d capture a video of her adorable pup looking out the window. However, as she filmed, something unexpected happened. In from the window, a pigeon flew and landed right beside her large Labrador! The pigeon stood there for a moment, and Yunona seemed unphased by the new guest in their Belgorod, Russia, home. Photo: YouTube/Caters Clips Photo: YouTube/Caters Clips 33-year-old Belosotskaya...
Dogs Rescued From Abuse Were Never Suppose To See Each Other Again
Two brother dogs had a rough start to life. They were neglected, left tied to a giant log with no water and little food. When Rachael with SideWalk Specials was called to asses the situation, the poor dogs appeared to be visicous and aggressive. They were growling and snapping when Rachel approached, but after she offered them a little food, they realized she wasn’t there to hurt them. Photo: Facebook/The Dodo Photo: Facebook/The Dodo Both dogs devoured the food and their demeanors quickly changed from aggressive to docile. Rachael was...
Old Dog Left Tied To A Wall Gets A Taste Of Freedom
It’s always sad when animals are neglected and ignored. Sometimes people get them with the intention of setting them up for a sad life, but sometimes people get animals with the intention of caring for them. As the years pass, they get put on the back burner and forgotten about. Regardless of why an animal is being neglected, it’s a heartbreaking situation. Some animals live out their whole lives without ever knowing love, but some animals are rescued from their awful situations before it’s too late. That was the case with a...
Rescuers Find “Piles Of Cats” And Owner Living In Condemned House
In a case of severe neglect, dozens of cats were rescued from a condemned house in Indiana after being found living in “deplorable” conditions. Officials in Muncie, Indiana were alerted to a possible case of animal neglect and called in the Humane Society of the United States for assistance. According to The Humane Society, their Animal Rescue and Response team assisted the Muncie Police Department in investigating the potential neglect and discovered an absolutely horrific scene. Photo: PixabayDimitris Vetsikas/ “Piles of...
Can You Spot The Cat Hiding Among The Stuffed Animals?
Cats are clever and they have a way of disappearing when they want to. Recently, I was visiting a friend who had two cats. All of the sudden, the house seemed to be quiet – too quiet. We realized the cats were not in their usual hangout spots and began to panic. After searching the entire two-story house three separate times, we went outside to search the yard and under the cars thinking they might’ve escaped somehow. Much to our relief, they were both later discovered hiding ever so quietly in a barely open closet under some...
Dog Hops On Every Window Sill In Made Up Game
I remember going on walks with my mom when I was younger, and my siblings and I would always make up games to play as we went along. After all, doing nothing but walking seemed rather boring at the time. Just like small children sometimes get bored, it seems dogs also experience boredom and sometimes they find creative ways to entertain themselves. Take, for example, this dog in Moscow, Russia. Photo: Pexels/Helena Lopes While out for a walk with an elderly man, the dog seemed to make up a game of sorts. As they walked along the sidewalk near...
Lonely Woman Asks For A Sign, Then Sees 2 Senior Dogs On The News In Need Of Home
When Jeanette’s beloved dog passed away, she was absolutely devastated. The house was much quieter now, which made her feel even more lonely. She cried every single day and asked God for a sign. That’s when she walked into her kitchen and saw a pair of senior dogs on the news who needed a home. Photo: YouTube/ASPCA Without hesitation, she called up the shelter and immediately drove from New Jersey to New York City to meet them. It was love at first sight, and as soon as Jeanette saw Ruby and Chicky, she knew she had to adopt them....
Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Pets Safe During the Holidays
With the holidays in full swing, it’s fun to celebrate with our furry family members too. Here’s a few ways to keep your pets safe while having fun with them during the Thanksgiving holiday! 1. Treat your pets to a safe snack and avoid the bad ones. Make sure your furry friends aren’t able to get to unattended plates or overflowing trash cans during your holiday celebrations. With all the chaos of the holidays, it’s a lot easier for pets to try to snag their own human dinner off the counter. That...
Handmade Artisan Gifts For Under $30
Christmas is one of our favorite times of the year, but it isn’t easy or cheap, especially when you consider the pressure and cost of finding a unique holiday present for everyone on your list. But handmade artisan gifts from The Greater Good Store alleviates this seasonal stress with meaningful fair-trade gifts that are also easy on your wallet! In addition to treating your loved ones with gifts they won’t find in larger stores, these fair-trade presents support your cause of choice and help an artisan provide for his or her...
One-Of-A-Kind Gifts For The Animal Lovers On Your List
‘Tis the season of giving, so we have compiled a list of handcrafted goods that give back in more than one way. We have chosen a few of our favorite animal-themed gifts made by artisans from around the world. There is something for “crazy cat ladies”, bird lovers, and those wild at heart. Just be warned, you will probably want a few items for yourself. Photo: Pixabay/Bob_Dmyt Aside from getting an original gift, your purchase at The GreaterGood Store will also fund people, pets, or the planet (you choose) and support the...
Researchers Identify Deafness Gene
Jackie Brown Pet expert Jackie Brown has spent 20 years following her passion for animals as a writer and editor in the pet publishing industry. She is contributing writer for National Geographic’s Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness: The Veterinarian’s Approach to At-Home Animal Care (April 2019) and author of the book It’s Raining Cats and Dogs: Making Sense of Animal Phrases (Lumina Press, 2006). Jackie is a regular contributor to pet and veterinary industry media and is the former editor of numerous pet...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: ‘Tis the season for research, free volunteer program assessments and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. The Open Arms Challenge starts today! Today kicks off our Open Arms Challenge, where hundreds of organizations across the country will create more accessible and inclusive practices at their organization. For the next six weeks, participants will pilot new approaches that open doors to new adopters and volunteers and welcome your entire community. Registration is closed but you can follow #OpenArmsChallenge and check out our resources to get inspired! Learn...
Anxious Shelter Dog Who Nobody Wanted Ends Up Finding His Soulmate
Shelters can be scary environments and extremely difficult for animals to get adjusted to. Some never do get used to it and grow depressed in their kennel, which in turn, can make it even harder for them to get adopted. Sherman was one of those dogs who was having a hard time adjusting to life in a shelter. He was very anxious and so nervous that he completely stopped eating. Shelter staff knew they had to figure out a way to help him, despite no one wanting to adopt him. Photo: YouTube/Best Friends Animal Society That’s when they...
Locals Save 29 Horses From Floodwaters In Canada
Recently, British Columbia experienced some biblical downpours which led to flooding across the Canadian province. As a result, Merritt was one of the towns that was hit by the floodwaters, which were both fast-moving and freezing cold. Since the town has a lot of farmland, some of its residents, Jerry McCauley and Connie Joe, were caught in a nightmare situation: Their 29 horses were trapped within one of the hayfields by the floodwaters. It was an overnight occurrence, and when they went out in the morning to check, they were shocked and...
Man Helps The Stray Dog Who Bit Him
Living as a stray on the streets can do things to a dog. While dogs are by nature quite sweet and loving, sometimes the roughness of the streets ends up affecting a dog, turning them into unfriendly strays who avoid human interaction out of fear. Regardless of how trauma affects dogs, there are people out there who want to help rescue them no matter what. The world can definitely use more people like that. One of these incredibly kind people is Jorge Jaime, who is known to help rescue all sorts of animals such as cats, birds, and livestock....
Giant Mastiff Falls In Love With Tiny Chihuahua And Now They’re BFFs
Nothing says adorable quite like two animals who become best friends. It’s sweet, it’s wholesome, and it’s a wonderful reminder of how kind and emotionally intelligent animals can be. We often don’t give them enough credit. While all animals are capable of starting friendships with others, there is no denying that dogs are probably the most likely animal out there to have a best friend. Photo: Pixabay/Spamez For Huey, life wouldn’t be the same without his bestie, Bella. But at first, this friendship took a little...
Excited Does Does A Wiggle Dance Every Time She Sees Her Owner
If you’re a dog owner, it is almost impossible to have a bad day. No matter what happens in the outside world, nothing beats coming home to a dog that has missed you all day. They are genuinely happy to see you, and they can’t contain their joy at seeing you walk through the door. With such love and adoration, you can’t help but feel better about life. Just watching your dog have its moment of happiness is enough to make you forget about all that was troubling you before you walked through the door. Photo: Pixabay/Pexels...
Dog With Crooked Smile Seeks Forever Home After Being Returned To Shelter
Zeke has spent nearly his entire life in a shelter and is still looking for a home to call his own. The boxer-shepherd mix was taken by The Noah Center in Stanwood, WA when he was just a puppy. Now, at one year and 4 months old, the pup has spent over a year in the shelter and still hasn’t found a family of his own. Sadly, Zeke and The Noah Shelter were given false hope when a family chose him to adopt in October. After just a few weeks in their home, Zeke was returned to the shelter because the family said they couldn’t actually...
