Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Winter Hazards for Your Dogs
First of all, let me begin by saying this is being written from the perspective of a Canadian. So winter is definitely a snowy time of the year. But just because there is snow doesn't mean there is a lack of things to do. For most people, there are just as many activities to do in the winter time as there are in the summer. Considering, in some places, winter is about half the year we've had to get creative.
By Samantha Reid7 years ago in Petlife
I Didn't Rescue Him, He Rescued Me
I recently moved to Missouri, I left my entire life behind me back in Illinois and decided to start new. Goku, a golden lab, was put on Facebook from a family going through a divorce. Neither of them wanted him anymore and they were going to put him down if he did not find a home. Thoughts crossed my mind, what could this dog have done to be treated that way? Is he a big attitude of a dog? No dog deserves to be put down at such a young age. He was a year and a half and healthier than ever. The next thing I knew I had a new pet. He was a little skiddish and constantly put into a cage. I moved into an apartment and he finally became comfortable with me to show his true self. He grew fonder of me as did I with him. He became my cuddle buddy and took up more than half of my queen size bed. He has no sense of a personal bubble as he thinks he needs to be in your face at all times.
By Meghan Swanson7 years ago in Petlife
Why I Needed a Training Collar
We got Jax, a lab mix, from a family who had too many dogs to be able to care for him properly. He would become our first pet we have had in a few years, since our last dog passed away. He instantly became a part of the family and I worked with him daily on commands. He knew the "come" command, but as a puppy, it was only when he wanted to know it. I had been researching training collars online, then the day came that I KNEW I had to get one. My daughters were crossing the road to get on the bus and he ran after them. I had to chase after him and was yelling like a mad lady, which probably was a hilarious sight to the people watching in their vehicles that were stopped for the bus. I came right in to the computer and ordered this training collar. I ordered it because of the good price, the three different modes, it was weather-resistant, and had a 1000 foot range. I was like a kid waiting for Christmas morning and then it finally came. It was easy to set up and I put it on him. I was instantly impressed. He learned very quickly what it meant when it beeped or vibrated.
By Somer Michalski-Jones7 years ago in Petlife
Food Do(n'ts)
There is a lot of speculation on what is OK for our babies and what isn't. Everyone feels they know their baby and to an extent it is true. But more often than not we feed them things that we didn't know were really bad for them. A lot of times, despite what we think we know, we are under-educated. We go off what we know and what we have learned and what we grew up seeing. I was the same way, I have had animals all my life. Cats, Dogs, Rabbits, Snakes, Fish, Turtles, even a hermit crab. I always wanted to grow up to be a veterinarian, have a farm, and lots of land to rescue animals. My dream didn't work out that way, they hardly ever do. But I did become a Vet Assistant, and I learned that a lot of what I THOUGHT I knew wasn't even half of it and a lot of it was wrong.
By Bunny Donham7 years ago in Petlife
Pets and Babies
Pets are strange sometimes. To many people, pets are their children. Some people dress them up. Some people carry them around with them wherever they go. Some people have endless photoshoots with their pets commemorating their lives. And some people go to extremes that I can't even bring to mind at the moment.
By Samantha Reid7 years ago in Petlife
Nemo
When I was young, my first cat Onyx had passed away. A year or so later, my mom came home with this wonderful orange cat. She said his previous family refused to keep him and that if she didn't take him, he was going to be put on the street. So, she had brought him home to see how he would do with all of the other animals that we had. He adjusted well. He stayed in my room for the first week and would rarely come out from under my bed. He loved me. He was my cat.
By Caitlynn Irving7 years ago in Petlife
Why You Should — and Shouldn't — Volunteer With Wildlife
I started volunteering with animals nearly a decade ago, when I became a member of “zoo team” at the San Antonio Zoo. Since then, I’ve volunteered with sharks, baboons, bears, pumas, and more in South Africa and Bolivia. When people hear about my amazing experiences volunteering with wildlife, they often say that they’re jealous and wish they could do that too. I’m always careful with how I respond to those comments because, while volunteering with wildlife has made for some of the best experiences of my life, I don’t think it’s for everybody. Some people definitely go into it with the wrong intentions or misconceptions about what the experience will be like. That being said, here are some reasons, off the top of my head, why you SHOULDN’T volunteer with wildlife:
By Elizabeth Brandon7 years ago in Petlife
A Pet Owner's Journey (Pt. 7)
When you have a rescue dog you never really know how they are going to react to children, regardless of what age the child is. This has always been a worry with Roxy. Considering how defensive she can be with other dogs, and sometimes with people, it has always been a concern about her demeanour around children.
By Samantha Reid7 years ago in Petlife
Best Natural Dog Treats for a Healthy Dog
Most people today will be able to acknowledge how bad a lot of food additives are for a person's health. This is because studies have shown that many of the ingredients being jammed into junk food tend to cause cancer, increase the risk of diabetes, and otherwise harm you.
By Mackenzie Z. Kennedy7 years ago in Petlife