You show your love for your dog in so many great ways. You dish up healthy food. You take your dog for daily walks.  You book regular veterinary exams. You may also see the value of taking a pet CPR and first aid course.

For all of that, I say, take a well-deserved play bow!

But when was the last time you smelled your dog’s breath?  Or peeked inside the ears and took a whiff?

One of the most popular options to occupy a dog’s time (and mind) while home alone is to offer him a Kong or another dog chew toy slathered with peanut butter.  Pet Safety Dog Kona loves, loves, loves this tasty treat.

However, in this age of Keto diets – and with the rise of people diagnosed with diabetes, more popular foods and products are being offered in sugar-free forms. Specifically, these foods contain xylitol.

Wildfires can strike without warning. You may only have minutes to round up your pets and safely escape the blazing flames and heat.

But you and your pets can also be in danger if fires are a few miles away. In my Pet First Aid 4U classes I teach, I alert my students of the hidden danger: inhaling smoke-filled air. Yep, poor air quality from wildfires can be as hard on pets as on pet.

Unfortunately, our dogs do not live in protective bubbles. They can get injured or sick and need our help pronto.

That’s why as a master certified pet first aid/CPR instructor and founder of Pet First Aid 4U, I realize that we don’t always have a pet first aid kit or near a veterinary clinic when our dog – or a client’s dog – gets injured.  This motivated me to create my Muttgyver™ program.

Call this a case of hiss and swell. What should you do – and what should you NEVER do – if your dog or cat gets bit by a snake?

As a master certified pet first aid/CPR instructor, I provide pet professionals and pet parents with veterinarian-approved tips and tactics for a variety of dangerous situations facing our pets – and that includes encounters with snakes.

Some cats win ribbons for their pedigree markings at acclaimed cat shows. Some felines light up TikTok with their silly antics in bathroom sinks.

And then there is my confident, can-do orange tabby named Casey.  What’s his superpower?  He is arguably the busiest pet safety cat on the planet. That’s because he teams up with me to deliver lifesaving, practical pet first aid skills to pet professionals and pet parents all over the world.

You want to learn pet first aid/CPR, but I’m here and you are there.  Guess what? Miles don’t matter. I can train you in real time in our veterinarian-approved Pet First Aid 4U class anywhere on the planet.

As a master certified pet first aid/CPR instructor and founder of Pet First Aid 4U, I am on a mission to teach you wherever you live. Right now, only about two percent of people with pets have completed pet first aid/CPR training.  We need to boost those numbers!  And a great way to do that is by offering convenience to you.

My live, interactive via ZOOM pet first aid/CPR classes allow you to watch, learn and perform pet first aid skills without leaving your comfy home.

Are you a night owl? Do you learn best solo and not in a classroom? Do you love your pet and want to know what to do – and what NOT to do – in a pet emergency when minutes count?

Your time has finally arrived. Now you get to pick when you want to learn the latest in pet first aid/CPR any time of the day or night and anywhere in the world.  And, yep, you can even learn in your pajamas!

Our cherished dogs and cats do not live in protective bubbles. Accidents and illnesses can happen at any time. Do you know what to do in a pet emergency when minutes count?

How do you stop an arterial bleed? How do you help a choking dog or cat? Do you know how to perform CPR on a dog or a cat? What is the safest way to restrain an injured — and angry — cat?

I’m here to help you. As the founder of Pet First Aid 4U, I teach pet parents and pet professionals in pet first aid and CPR in a fun, practical way. I team up with Pet Safety Dog Kona and Pet Safety Cat Casey. Currently, I offer in-person classes and via interactive ZOOM classes attended by people all over the world. Now, I am offering you a third option: self-guided courses.

Face the feline facts. Cats can be fussy, fascinating, frustrating, funny, and even a bit freaky. It is easy to be puzzled or perplexed as to why cats do what they do. However, do not expect them to apologize or grovel. Cats leave those actions to gotta-please dogs. That’s why I wrote the original The Cat Behavior Answer Book way back in 2007. Much has happened in the cat world since then. That was the motivation behind my writing the 2nd edition and adding nearly 80 percent new content which was just released by my publisher, Storey Books. In fact, a major feline revolution is underway that cannot be ignored – nor should it. More cats live in households than dogs. More people are willing to admit to being “cat daddies” or “cat moms.” It’s cool to love and live with cats.

If only our dogs could get by on their cute looks. But if they don’t learn good doggy manners and have consistent training, some dogs grow up to be more challenging than cute. More fearful than fun. More bossy than benign. That’s why I wrote the original The Dog Behavior Answer Book way back in 2006. But I realized so much has changed in the dog world since then. That was the motivation behind me writing the 2nd edition of this book that contains nearly 80 percent new content and is being released this month.

In celebration, Pet King Brands, the makers of ZYMOX® and Oratene® Brushless Oral Care encouraged me to share some excerpts of my book in this blog post on the five common dog behavior issues.

Welcome to the dog days of summer. Are you in search of a destination where your dog can make a splash – literally?

Whether the body of water is an ocean, lake, pool – or even a tub — the health benefits are immense for dogs coping with arthritis, post-surgical recovery, limb problems, or extra pounds. If you have a high-energy dog, swimming is a safer exercise option than walks, runs, or hikes when the heat is on. Quite simply, water therapy is a good aerobic exercise, particularly since the water provides resistance. Water also offers a natural buoyancy, far kinder on dogs than long walks on concrete sidewalks or arduous hikes on rocky terrain. In water, canine joints are not jarred or jolted as they are on land.

What do dinosaurs, mastodons, fleas and ticks share in common? All roamed the earth millions of years ago. Of the four, only fleas and ticks have managed to elude extinction and continue to harass and irritate dogs and cats all over the globe. These blood-sucking nuisances definitely possess a strong knack for survival. Today’s fleas and ticks continue to be quite prolific. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. After feeding on your pet’s blood, a female tick can lay as more than 1,500 eggs.

Yikes.

I love having a spacious, fenced backyard for my dogs, Emma and Kona, to romp and play. On occasion, I place my indoor cats, Casey, Rusty and Mikey in a large, zippered popup enclosure and supervise as they get a safe opportunity to see, smell and hear nature. Looking around, the confines of the backyard can feel safe and inviting, but be aware that backyards can harbor unexpected health dangers to our pets.

Doggy farts and kitty vomit. Just like us, dogs and cats can develop tummy woes that trigger flatulence, stomach pain and diarrhea. Some pets even hunch over and vomit. There are all kinds of health issues we have to think about when we have pets, including their mental well-being, oral health, ear, and skin health, and issues like these relating to their gastrointestinal health.

Welcome to spring time in Texas! Seasonal allergies may find you sneezing and reaching for the tissue box. But allergic reactions to trees, plants and grass in your dog may cause him to lick, scratch and nibble on his itchy skin and paws.

For years, your dog or cat has dutifully had good bathroom habits. Suddenly, he starts urinating outside the litter box, on the living room rug or sigh, maybe even on your bed pillow. You may be puzzled, frustrated or a tad peeved. From your pet’s perspective, that yellow pool is no accident. It is a key clue that your pet may be dealing with a medical or behavior issue that merits your attention and possible treatment by your veterinarian.

Beckoning mud puddles. Threatened skunks. Tempting duck poo. Itchy flea infestation. These are just four reasons your dog needs a proper bath without delay. But dogs of all hair coats also benefit from an occasional “just-because” bath from you. It’s a great bonding opportunity and conditions your dog to welcome being handed. Let me share these tips to make bath time welcoming for the both of you:

You may love wiggling a wand toy for your ready-to-pounce cat or engage your dog in a friendly game of fetch in the back yard. Both activities help bolster the bond between you and your pets. Another one of the best ways to show love for your pet is to be down in his mouth – literally. Keeping tabs on your pet’s dental health can stave off many future problems and make any doggy kiss more fresh smelling and welcoming.

Many pets need steady doses of confidence throughout their lives to not have fear or anxiety and to maintain a can-do, happy attitude. However, like us, our pets have been emotionally impacted by the social restrictions triggered by this never-ending pandemic. For most of 2020 and 2021 we did not have anyone come inside our home. It took a toll on my pets’ confidence.