As a rule of thumb, a dog should not be allowed to stay inside the crate longer than 1 hour for every month of age, up to 9-10 hours (maximum).Thus an adult dog can stay inside a crate while the owner is working on an 8-hour shift.

It is best for a dog to get at least an hour of physical activity before and after spending time inside the crate. If you don’t have enough time to meet your dog’s fitness needs, you can hire a dog walker to walk your dog at mid-day.  

Make sure your pet is used to spending time inside the crate before trying to leave him for a longer time. A dog that is not used to being in a crate can panic if left alone inside the crate. Some inflict serious damage to the crate and even to themselves, in their effort to get out of the confined space.

Click here to know mor ... Read more »

Training regimens for dogs should be geared towards showing the animal what is the desired behavior, rather than being told not to engage in the behavior. While your dog understands when you say “no”, he will be at a loss about what you really want him to do. 

In addition to positive reinforcement, consistency is also very important in dog training regimens. All the members of the household should be actively involved in your pet’s training to avoid misunderstanding. There should be consistency in the use of commands; this can only be achieved if everyone agrees ahead of time what commands to use for particular situations. Desired results can easily be achieved when everyone in the household recognizes the line that separates acceptable and non-acceptable behaviors.

If you are having problems with your pet’s behavior, talk with a North Phoenix, AZ vet. ... Read more »

Some foods eaten by humans contain certain components that cats are unable to efficiently metabolize, thus making these foods unsafe for cats.

Chocolate

Like dogs, cats can suffer from toxicity as a result of eating chocolate, which contains theobromine. Both species are unable to metabolize theobromine, thus consuming even a small amount may lead to disastrous implications.

Grapes and Raisins

Consumption of grapes and raisins are thought to cause kidney failure in cats, although there is no sufficient evidence to support this claim.

Milk

Kittens can drink milk because their body can synthesize lactase, an enzyme that can efficiently digest lactose in milk. However, as they grow older, ... Read more »