Charlie Bear here. Guess what my Mom Peep got? A free t-shirt from HSUS Humane Society of the United States. And she got it just for making a donation!
Look closely. It has cats on it. Made her sad, actually, and had her missing Diamond and Red. Anyway, the purpose of my post today is to share with you what HSUS says and to offer my snarky little comments along with them. Ready?
7 STEPS TO A HAPPIER PET
#1 Make sure your pet wears an identification tag to enable him to be returned to you if lost. I wear my little dangly tags on my collar whenever we go out. Mom insists.
#2 To prevent animal behavioral problems, make sure you enroll your new puppy or dog in behavioral training classes, and visit www.petsforlife.org. I had training before I came to live here and by golly, I think it was a saving grace for me. If you read my book or my early blog posts, then you know I was a brat for a while, even with training!
#3 Animal behavioral problems can be health related. Make sure your pet has a complete medical exam by a veterinarian at least once a year. I know–if you’re a dog reading this, you don’t like those exams, especially the thermometer part. But they are necessary. I do mine, do you?
#4 Prepare for disasters. Make sure you have a plan for your pet in the event of a hurricane, tornado, fire or flood. We’d have to add earthquake to that list cause here in CA that’s what happens the most.
#5 Plan for your pet’s future in case something happens to you and visit www.humanesociety.org/petsinwills for more information. Mom and Dad Peep put a few paragraphs in their wills or something to be sure I go to a home with family peeps, or friends who love me. Do you know where you would go?
#6 Learn how to avoid dog bites, and how to prevent your dog from biting, by going to www.NoDogBites.org. Wow, this one hits home. I bit Mom Peep on the finger, even drawing blood, when I first came here. It was her fault…she tried to take something away from me. Okay, it was really my fault, and I’ve changed my ways. Have you ever done something like that (without meaning to)?
#7 Have a heart, be smart, and make sure your pet is spayed or neutered. Before I was adopted I was neutered and it’s a good thing, too, because adopting rescue and shelter dogs helps control the pet population.
So those are the 7 Steps to a Happier Pet from the Humane Society of the United States. Big dog Rex would agree–these are important things to know. Do you think so?
Wiggles & Woofs to you,
Charlie Bear
P.S. Can I ask a favor of you? Mom Peep is going for 30 reviews on Amazon.com for the CHARLIE BEAR book. If you’ve read it, will you write one? She, and me, would be ever so thankful. Woofs! http://amzn.to/SOctjc
You are so right, Charlie Bear, I did not get to be trained any for no such thing as trainers here in our small town, but my mom peeps will not put up with a whole lot except she can not stop my naughty barking.
Woofs to you.
Beaugie..
Beaugie,
Oh, no. The dreaded barking. My Mom does the “shhuuussshhhh” sound to me when I bark and she tries to make it sound like a hissing snake. I guess that is supposed to catch us off our guard and make us stop. Then she tells me “good boy” when I stop and rewards me with something (letting me out or a treat). I still bark, but not as much now. Try it!
Wiggles and woofs to you,
Charlie Bear
Good stuff, Charlie Bear….as always!
Woofs to you and Clyde, Julie!
Such great advice, Charlie and B.J., especially training from an early age and checking health when pets have behavioral issues. Sad when pets lose homes because no one took a little time to socialize them, or find out a trained pet wasn’t being ‘bad’ he was ill. Keep up the good work!
Hillari,
You are so doggone right! Some dogs that seem “bad” are just not given the time and attention needed to become great family pets. I’m one of the family now, but it took my peeps a long time to work with me and I’m so happy they did.
Wiggles to you,
Charlie Bear