Our Blog
Success Story: Ollie
This story tracks the story of an abandoned and gravely injured puppy who landed in the Ann Arbor Animal Hospital ER and his transformation through treatment to his current life as a happy dog with a new home and lots of people who love him.
Belle, the therapy dog
Jessica Gutierrez is a young woman who was born with mental and physical disabilities. Despite her limitations, Jessica considers herself an “Ambassador” to help people understand the role assistant animals play in the lives of people like her.
Is Your Dog Counter Surfing?
Our own “Miss Harmony for Dogs,” Julia Levitt, recently wrote an article for AnnArbor.com about the dangers of counter-surfing. While it sometimes can be kind of funny, it can also have tragic results. Julia makes an important point—if your dog is counter-surfing, perhaps it “needs another job”—dogs who don’t have their energy channeled into activities…
Choosing the right training tools for dogs
Miss Harmony sees a lot of equipment used on dogs to instill good behavior, but no matter what collar or leash she sees used, the results are the same: dogs that are out of control. Leashes and collars are tools, not substitutes for proper training.
Do You Have a Therapy Dog?
We came across this great post by Ann Arbor’s Geri Markel, entitled “Therapy Dogs, A Positive Distraction.” In the piece, she writes about how therapy animals reduce stress, provide emotional support, and interact with patients, bringing a smile to their faces, as well as benefiting the atmosphere of care facilities. According to Therapy Dogs International, there…
Help to establish good litter box behavior
There are more than 93 million owned cats in the United States, with a third of all American households having at least one feline. Inappropriate elimination (going potty where they shouldn’t) is the #1 behavioral problem in cats, but it can be prevented.
A Happy Dog is one that is Challenged
Do you take your dog to classes specific to their breed? Finding a person who has sheep for the herding breeds and agility for high energy dogs ? Both of these activities channel the breeds natural instincts for herding. These activities also keep the dog focused and attentive to their handler.
Separation Anxiety… look again!
Dogs bark for lots of different reasons, and shouting at the dog to “Shut up!” isn’t usually the most effective solution. But modifying a basic routine can lead to big changes.
Pet Insurance Made Simple
More pet owners are researching pet health insurance to help offset the potential veterinary bills if their pet becomes ill or gets injured. With pet insurance the pet owners can provide the best medical care for their pets without finances getting in the way.
Success Stories: Maddie the Poodle
Maddie is a 6-year-old toy poodle owned by Robert & Linda V…When Maddie was about 3, they started noticing some behavior changes. She became more withdrawn from the family. They attributed this to the status change from being the only pet, but became increasingly concerned as Maddie began to exhibit other changes: pink skin under her white coat, persistent scratching and tail biting, and spending more and more time alone rather than with Robert and Linda.