Pawderosa Pet Care Blog

According to an online survey conducted by Career Builder, which reached more than 2,300 workers, pets have a greater impact on our lives than many of us may have previously thought. We've all heard the euphemism that says a pet's personality reflects that of its owner, but it turns out that pets might also reflect their owners' careers.   READ MORE

There are three basic requirements for bringing your dog to a pet-friendly restaurant: your dog needs to be socialized, non-aggressive, and responsive to basic commands (sit, stay, come, leave it). If, on the other hand, your dog is apt to pull on his leash, sniff the waiter's pants, beg for food at the table or bark in a public setting, please don't bring your furry friend along for dinner, out of respect for the dinner staff and restaurant goers. But if you feel confident your dog is well-behaved, non-aggressive and up for the potentially noisy restaurant environment, then by all means, bring him along (after you call and confirm that the restaurant allows animals of course). There can be nothing sweeter than spending an afternoon at a coffee shop with your pup or an evening on the town for dinner. It's a great bonding activity, and a fun way to meet fellow dog-owners!   READ MORE

Ever feel like your dog is acting out of jealousy? Well, according to this study, he probably is. The researchers note: "When people give their attention to a stranger dog – albeit a stuffed, animated one, in the case of this study – their pets don't like it."  READ MORE

In previous entries, we've written about the importance of socializing your puppy early in their puppyhood, in order to get them acquainted with the outside world and comfortable with how to act in a variety of situations. Socializing your puppy not only grows their confidence and awareness, but also their trust in you as the leader providing instructions. Just like our parents raised us with manners, boundaries and conversation skills, puppies also need to be taught social cues and the various rituals of life. The ideal time to start socializing your puppy is between 3 weeks and 14 weeks. This is the "golden window" of time for your puppy to absorb new information easily and make a smooth transition into their new life alongside you.   READ MORE

Losing a pet is one of life's hardest experiences, but there is great comfort in knowing that your four-legged friend lived the highest quality of life they could. Our friends at Oakland's Holistic Veterinary Care and Rehabilitation Center are in the process of creating a wonderful resource website and education center as part of The Pet Passion Project to support pet owners and their animals through each phase of their life, including planning for their passing.   READ MORE

Nearly 400 million years ago, a huge shift in the history of life occurred. Creatures crawled out of the sea and transitioned to living on land. Those creatures most likely are our very distant ancestors, according to Charles Darwin's Evolutionary Theory. Now scientists are beginning to collect clues about what that transition might have looked like and how it occurred, thanks to a very unique African fish, the Polypterus senegalus (also known as Bichirs). This particular fish can not only breathe air outside of water through a pair of lungs, but uses its pectoral fins to walk!   READ MORE

Do you and your dog gaze into each other's eyes on a regular basis? It might sound like a strange question at first, but according to a Japanese study published a few years ago, dog owners "whose dogs gazes at them for two minutes or longer showed higher levels of oxytocin than owners whose dogs gazed for less time."   READ MORE

By Phil Falkell  
Pawderosa Pet Co-Owner & Professional Dog Handler

Over the years I've had many people comment on how cooperative my canine groups are out on the trail, so I thought I would explain what goes into creating a group of well-behaved dogs. It all starts with the handler. First and foremost, establishing a routine for the dogs helps them to anticipate what is expected of them.  Below are some of the additional areas of focus that are key definers of a dog handler's success, tips and tricks I've honed over the last 15 years of working in the field.
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If you already have a mixed pet household or are about to have one, then this post is for you. Cats and dogs have long been the common pet housemates of American families' homes, but it isn't always a smooth friendship, at least not right off the bat. Although cats and dogs sometimes need a little time to get to know each other, they usually do end up adapting quite well, or at the very least, learn to tolerate each other. In fact their dynamics can be quite humorous – just look at this series of memes about the cat-dog relationship. But it isn't very funny if your pets really dislike each other, so let's go over what to expect if you're planning an introduction between your cat and a new dog or vice versa.   READ MORE

Something very special happened on July 29^th – the world's first surviving set of panda triplets were born in China! According to Guangzhou's Chimelong Safari Park, the mortality rate of baby pandas is very high, and for this reason, the birth of the triplets is a true miracle. The lucky mama panda is named "Juxiao," meaning "chrysanthemum smile."   READ MORE