ArcaMax

Dear Cathy,

My six-year-old Aussie Doodle gets so excited she urinates when a female guest visits and shows her some attention. When she is ignored, she jumps on that person. How can I stop this behavior?

— Elaine, Westbury, New York

Dear Elaine,

The first behavior – urinating when a guest pays attention to your dog – is known as ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Gilbert, the 4-year-old golden retriever trained by state Rep. Melissa Hortman to be a service dog, was too friendly for a working dog’s life. So, he became the family pet, much to Hortman’s delight.

“A lot of dogs just want to be around people — all people” — a wonderful trait that Gilbert shared, but a less-...Read more

When choosing a dog for a household with young children, temperament, energy level, and trainability are key factors. For families with kids under 10, the ideal canine companion is patient, friendly, and adaptable to a bustling environment. While every dog has its own personality, certain breeds are particularly well-suited for young families ...Read more

When choosing a dog for a household with young children, temperament, energy level, and trainability are key factors. For families with kids under 10, the ideal canine companion is patient, friendly, and adaptable to a bustling environment. While every dog has its own personality, certain breeds are particularly well-suited for young families ...Read more

For millions of people around the world, cats are more than just pets — they are companions, emotional support systems, and even unofficial therapists. Though cats are often seen as aloof or independent, research increasingly shows that owning a cat can have measurable benefits for both mental and physical health.

One of the most widely ...Read more

Cats are often praised for their elegance and independence, but pet owners know they come with a few less glamorous realities. One of the most common and messy of these is the hairball. While the sight and sound of a cat hacking up a hairball may be unpleasant, the issue is natural and usually harmless. Still, understanding what hairballs are, ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Our adorable and lovable great-grandson Labradoodle, Franklin, has a rather unusual behavior. This past weekend, our daughter and son-in-law brought Franklin along for a fundraising walk around our local fairgrounds.

At one point, he suddenly flopped down on the pavement – head and paws down. At first, I thought he was just tired...Read more

When a dog suddenly scoots its rear end across the floor, many pet owners respond with laughter, confusion, or mild horror—especially if it’s happening on a freshly cleaned carpet. The behavior, commonly referred to as “boot scooting,” may look comical, but it often signals that something is bothering the dog’s backside. While an ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I have a friend with a two-year-old miniature schnauzer he’s had since puppyhood. He installed a camera in his room to check on the dog while he’s away, but no matter how briefly he leaves – even just to run to the store – the dog starts crying and won’t stop until he returns.

As a result, he takes the dog everywhere, ...Read more

DEDHAM, Mass. — A medical doctor testified in the Karen Read murder trial that she believes wounds to John O’Keefe’s arm were “inflicted by a dog.”

“There are multiple groupings of wounds,” Dr. Marie Russell said as she used a laser pointer to indicate on a photograph of O’Keefe’s arm each wound grouping: to the upper arm, to ...Read more

Nine thousand years ago, humans began domesticating cats. Nine hundred years ago, before the advent of intentional cat breeding, a genetic mutation gave rise to the first orange cat. Days ago, Stanford Medicine researchers revealed exactly which gene created the fuzzy fodders for Garfield, Puss In Boots and Toulouse from "The Aristocats," to ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

We currently do not have pets, as we’ve been traveling, but many of our friends and neighbors do, especially small dogs. While walking, we often stop to pet them. Many smell strongly of air freshener, and the scent even rubs off on our hands.

We can’t imagine what it must be like for them, given their heightened sense of smell....Read more

DENVER — Josh McGirk was skeptical about animal communicators.

The south Denver resident loved his four-legged family members and was at his wits’ end after adopting a new cat, Amelie, who his two other cats were terrorizing.

He heard mixed reviews about people who claimed to be able to communicate with pets, but Amelie’s separation ...Read more