Unless you’ve done it before, it’s impossible to understand just how much a new puppy will change your life. This past January, my family fell in love with Olive, a nine-week-old lab mix rescued by Pets & Pals Animal Shelter in Lathrop, CA. Her mother is a purebred Labrador Retriever. All we know about her father is that he’s big and he jumped a high fence. Judging by her size at nine weeks old, the vet estimated that Olive might grow to 80 or even 100 pounds. We hadn’t planned on getting a big dog, but we couldn’t resist that brown-orange bundle with paws the size of pie plates. Read more

If you’re planning to travel and stay with family or friends during the holidays, it’s important to take proactive steps to safeguard your home in your absence. Consider the following tips: Read more

Owning a dog or cat can certainly be rewarding, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. One of the biggest responsibilities is caring for your pet’s health, which includes both their physical and emotional well-being. To learn more about this, we’ve asked five Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to weigh in with tips for keeping your pet happy and healthy. Read more

In the previous installment of our two-part series, Dr. David Horne of Companion Animal Hospital in Santa Cruz talked about the basics of puppy care. In part two, we’ll hear from Dr. Donna Baird, associate veterinarian at Companion Animal Hospital, about the basics of caring for a new kitten.

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Whether celebrating a long-term relationship or discovering a new romance, Valentine’s Day is a time to show appreciation for the loves of our lives. Yet, while the spirit of the holiday emphasizes love between people, there are some of us whose primary object of affection isn’t a person at all, but a dog or cat. After all, what’s a purer source of unconditional love (not to mention cuddling fulfillment) than a beloved pet?

In honor of the love we receive from our furry friends, we’re posting a two-part series on how to care for a new puppy or kitten. Here, in part one, Dr. David Horne of Companion Animal Hospital in Santa Cruz gives an informative summary of the basics of puppy care. Read more