Guides
Plain, practical guides to the everyday jobs of living with a dog or cat, from measuring for a harness to lifting hair out of the carpet. For anything about your pet's health, ask your veterinarian.
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Buying guide
Made in USA Dog Products: Collars, Harnesses, Coats, Bowls and Wipes
Six dog items we stock carry a Made in USA claim from their maker or listing: two Lupine Pet walking pieces, a DCNY coat for small dogs, a SodaPup slow feeder and lick mat, and Mr. Peanut’s wipes. Learn what the label should mean, what it leaves out and how to check a claim yourself.
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Checklist
How to Keep Pets Warm During a Power Outage: A Winter Storm Plan
A winter storm plan for dogs and cats when the heat goes off: what to have ready, how to set up one warm room, bedding and coats that work without power, carbon monoxide and candle safety, short potty trips, and the signs it’s time to take your pets somewhere with heat.
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Comparison
Kitten or Adult Cat: Which Should You Adopt for Your Home?
Kittenhood lasts months; the cat lasts years. Compare a kitten with confident and shy adult cats on time, temperament and settling in, see which suits children, dogs, other cats and long workdays, and know what to ask the shelter or breeder before you choose.
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Checklist
How to Keep a House Clean With a Dog: A Daily to Seasonal Checklist
A cleaning schedule for a home shared with a dog, sorted by how often each job needs doing: the door routine for wet paws and coats, daily bowls and sweeps, weekly brushing, beds and rugs, monthly gear and car jobs, seasonal mud and shedding, and the shortcuts to skip.
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How-to
How to Keep a Dog Calm and Safe During Fireworks
A fireworks plan for the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve: ID and harness checks, an early walk and dinner, a quiet den, a licking job, how to comfort a scared dog, practice for next year, cats, and when to call your veterinarian.
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How-to
How to Keep a Dog Busy While Working From Home: A Workday Plan
A workday plan for dogs whose people work from home: exercise before the first call, a bed beside the desk, a settle cue, quiet lick-mat jobs for meetings, short breaks, a calm fix for demand barking and practice at time apart.
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How-to
How to Keep a Cat Calm With House Guests: A Retreat Room Plan
Guests bring noise, new smells and doors that keep opening. Here is a host’s plan for your cat: a retreat room set up a week ahead, play and a meal before the doorbell, what to tell visitors, overnight stays, suitcases and visiting dogs, and the stress signs that need a veterinarian.
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How-to
How to Keep a Dog Cool Without AC in a Heat Wave
Without air conditioning, a heat wave comes down to one well-chosen room: shaded windows, moving air, water in several places, frozen food for the hottest hours and a damp towel underneath. Here's how to set it up, when it stops being enough and which heat-stress signs need a vet.
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How-to
How to Keep a Dog Cool in the Car, and Why a Parked Car Is Never Safe
A summer drive with a dog starts with one rule: never leave them in a parked car, even briefly. Then pre-cool the car, shade the rear windows, get cold air to the back seat, plan shaded water stops and know the overheating signs that mean pulling over and calling a vet.
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How-to
How to Keep a Cat Cool in Summer: Cool Spots, Water and Heat Signs
A hot-day plan for indoor cats: why panting is a red flag, heatstroke first aid, blinds and safe airflow, extra water, a cool floor or gel mat, brushing instead of shaving, play at the cool ends of the day, and leaving your cat home in the heat.
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Comparison
Indoor vs Outdoor Cats: Risks, Benefits and the Middle Ground
Indoor-only, supervised, daytime or free outdoor access? Compare all four on safety, disease, wellbeing, weight and wildlife, see which cats suit each, and learn how to move an outdoor cat indoors gradually.
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How-to
How to Introduce a New Cat to Your Cat: A Step-by-Step Plan
A staged plan for adding a cat to a home that already has one, from a transition room and scent swaps to sightings and short supervised meetings, with how long each stage takes, the body language to watch and what to do if it goes wrong.
