Anyone who has arthritis in their joints can tell you that it is a debilitating condition that definitely cramps your lifestyle. The same thing goes for our furry friends, joint health in dogs is very important.

With so many different foods on the market, how do you choose a food that works well for your cat? There are many well-formulated cat foods to choose from today, so here are some guidelines to follow.

We all like to get that perfect photo of our four-legged best friend, but sometimes it can be a challenge. Ellie Stivers, a feature photographer for Petcurean, has put together her top five tips on how to take a good pet photo.

When you sustain a minor injury like a cut or scrape, you probably find your first aid kit and pull out the antibiotic ointment and bandages. Dealing with small injuries is no big deal. But what do you do when your dog is injured? Knowing the basics about dog first aid could save your pet’s life one day.

Cats are the neat freaks of the animal kingdom. They spend hours each day grooming themselves, making sure that every hair is in its proper place. What many cat owners appreciate about their pets is the fact that they eliminate discretely in a box that can be hidden away – out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, it is fairly common for cats to develop elimination problems. In fact, as many as 10% of cats will start eliminating outside the litter box on occasion or, in some cases, stop using it at all.

I got my first dog over thirty years ago . We always had dogs when I was growing up, but this was the first purebred of my very own after I moved out of my parent’s house. She was a golden retriever from a well-respected breeder and proved to be an education for me.

There are 22 amino acids, the basic building blocks of protein. Animals can manufacture many of them in their liver, but some must be obtained in the diet—these are called ‘essential.’ In humans and dogs, taurine is not ‘essential’, since it can be synthesized within the body. But for cats, it’s a different story.

Summer is here! It’s hot and the best way to cool off is to go for a swim. Even better if your furry buddy can join you in a cooling dip as well. Most dogs like the water. Some prefer to stay in the shallows with their feet on the ground while others dive in with gusto. But, a few are not enamoured with the idea of getting wet at all and need encouragement.

It might seem like a natural thing for cats to savour canned food. Usually it means more meat and flavour for them and being obligate carnivores, you would think offering your kitty a canned food would be a no-brainer. But that isn’t always the case. Cats are very texture and flavour sensitive, and if they were never exposed to the variety of textures and flavours available in wet food, it might be more difficult than you think to break them of their dry food habits.

The concept revolves around changing your pet’s diet regularly. It’s all about variety. We humans don’t like to eat the same thing every day, and many pet parents believe their pets don’t care to either. Variety can be offered by feeding different recipes, or even offering different types of food like dry, canned or freeze-dried. Food rotation can occur on a monthly or weekly basis.

Understanding your dog’s precursors to his or her “fight or flight” reaction, is crucial to building a trusting relationship between you two. As simple as this sounds, if you don’t understand these “precursors,” often dogs will appoint themselves with the task of assigning behavioural actions they deem best. Ultimately, they want to be assured that you know what is best for them and will keep them safe.

We all know that a healthy pet means fewer vet bills and the easiest way to promote well-being in your dog is through a nutritious diet, but is that the only component necessary? What about exercise, playtime, proper shelter, etc? All of these contribute to the well-being of your dog too. So, is he happy? How would you know if he/she is? And for those who don’t have a dog, yes, dogs have emotions too!