TailsInc.com

Living in a high-rise can present some unique challenges when it comes to potty training your puppy. My boyfriend and I live on the 40th floor of our building, and when we brought our dog Reggie home last August, I was not prepared for how above-ground-level living would affect the potty training process.

The problem is that potty training a dog requires lots of quick responses—the second you notice your furry little one popping a squat you should be scooping her up and bringing her directly outside. This immediate action loses some of its effectiveness when “directly outside” requires an elevator ride down 40 stories.

Thanks to a combination of her own smarts and our preparedness, Reggie ended up being a cinch to potty train. We got her when she was only two months old, and to date she’s had only about five accidents in the apartment (she’s 11 months old now).

The key to potty training in this scenario is planning ahead. You have to rely less on instant responses and more on routine. Read on for some tips on how to deal with this tricky (and potentially very messy) situation:

Read the rest of this entry →

Did you know that 75 million Americans think pets in the workplace make people happier? We couldn’t agree more!

After the jump, check out this really cool infographic our friends at MBAprograms.com just sent us over!

Read the rest of this entry →

Back in October, we published an article titled “Breed Specific Legislation Punishes the Innocent, Not the Guilty” where we explained why Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is not an effective means for regulating dogs’ behavior in communities. Despite the mounting evidence that BSL is misguided, and the vocal disapproval from animal rights groups and veterinarians, some state and local governments continue to pass breed-discriminating laws.

The most recent state to pass such a law is Maryland. A few weeks ago the state’s highest court ruled that Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes are inherently dangerous. They held that, “When an attack involves Pit Bulls, it is no longer necessary to prove that the particular Pit Bull or Pit Bulls are dangerous.”

Typically, a dog is allowed “one free bite” before its guardian can be held liable for their pet’s aggressiveness. The theory behind this is that nobody can know if a dog is aggressive until it has acted out. Once a person has the knowledge that their pet is a potential danger to others—so, after that first bite—his legal responsibilities change.

Read the rest of this entry →

We all like to think our puppy’s the smartest, but did you know that you can actually test your dog’s I.Q.?

Like any I.Q. test, the one for dogs is not entirely conclusive—some dogs excel in certain areas and stumble a bit in others. Nor does a high I.Q. mean your puppy is off to MENSA, or that you should feel any differently towards him if he tests low. I.Q. testing for dogs is simply one of many ways to learn more about your pup and his abilities.

The best time to test your dog’s I.Q. is around the 1-year-old mark. By this time, cognitive development should be complete. Remember that as far as analysis of the results goes, it’s more telling to compare within your dog’s own breed—different breeds have different strengths and weaknesses that should be accounted for.

Also keep in mind that factors other than intelligence—such as confidence, previous experience, stubbornness, and activity level—can play in to how your puppy does. Under-stimulated puppies will not perform as well.

So, ready to try it out?

Read the rest of this entry →

It’s no secret that it’s important to spay and neuter our animals. Pet overpopulation is a real problem, and one that can’t be taken care of without everyone having the knowledge necessary to take decisive action.

After the jump, check out a great and informative infographic reminding us why spaying and neutering is so important (thanks to Sara from The Cat Pee Diaries for sending this to us):

Read the rest of this entry →

Meet DogAt, a new app for the iPhone and iPad that locates dog-friendly L.A. restaurants, stores, parks, and events.

“There are so many places you can go in L.A. where you don’t have to leave your dog at home,” says founder Christina Rusboldt. “I wanted to create a user friendly way for people to find cool spots that are dog friendly, and DogAt is cluing you in on all of them.”

Reasons we love it:

1. DogAt gives back! A portion of all proceeds goes to Much Love Animal Rescue and other organizations in need.
2. DogAt also includes a list of dog adoptions in the area to encourage people to rescue dogs and keep them off the streets and out of the pounds!
3. The search function is quick and easy, and lets pet parents locate 800+ restaurants, and 100+ stores and parks that welcome canines of all shapes and sizes.
4. The app also features a Calendar Events section for all upcoming events in the Los Angeles area. You can even use the DogAt to invite your friends and family for a play date!
5. All location listings—including information on upcoming pet charity events, rescues, and adoptions, are updated weekly.

Created by a pet lover, for pet lovers, DogAt is one of the coolest apps out there. And it is available now for all iPhones and iPads in the iTunes store for $1.99.

Feeling lucky?

Read the rest of this entry →

In The Adventures of Tintin, a young boy and his faithful dog Snowy go on a journey to uncover the secrets of a sunken ship that may hold a vast fortune. This dynamic, feelgood tale is great fun for the whole family!

If you didn’t get a chance to see it in theaters, no worries: it is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Check it out, you’ll love it!

In my comic novella, SHOW DOG SINGS THE BLUES, a pampered Australian Shepherd named Talisman is mistaken for a cowdog and must work on a ranch for the day. As she faces all kinds of dangerous situations, she finds strength in remembering advice she had received from her mother:

I remembered something my mother had told us girls before we were taken from her. She gave a pep talk on the subject of confidence and one of the things she said was, I want you to be tough bitches. You can’t ever let others see your paws sweat, or you’ll be flat on your back with your bellies exposed, having to grin submissively, and that’s just not our family’s style. Make me proud, girls.

And so Talisman makes her mother proud.

However, I am sure that what animals remember most later in life is the tender love their mothers gave them. It is this foundation of love that most certainly provides them the strength to deal with all the challenges thrown their way. Please enjoy this photo essay on the tenderness of mothers:

This is Rain and her daughter Sky. (Photo by Ashley Robak)

This is Poppy and her ewe lamb Flower. (Photo by Karen Jones)

Read the rest of this entry →

The Internet has done amazing things for the world of pet adoptions. But it has also opened up a new avenue for animal exploitation and abuse. Many large-scale puppy mills use the Internet to sell wholesale animals—thereby avoiding the regulations set out in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) of 1966.

According to the USDA website: the AWA requires that minimum standards of care and treatment be provided for certain animals bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially, or exhibited to the public.

Currently, the Act stipulates that animal retail establishments are exempt from inspections. The law was written at a time when people were actually seeing firsthand where their pet was coming from (and therefore the condition of the establishment and the animals was readily apparent). The Internet created a shield behind which large-scale breeders could hide.

Fortunately, the USDA has recently proposed regulatory changes to the 1966 Act.  Per the Associated Press, “the change would subject dog owners who breed more than four females and sell the puppies electronically, by mail or over the phone to the same oversight faced by wholesale dealers.”

Read the rest of this entry →

When I was in elementary school, I won a goldfish at my cousins’ school fair. I named him Pumkin (not a typo) and he lived for 3 years (which in goldfish years is infinity).

Today is the 13-year-anniversary of his death…don’t ask why I remember the exact date. I was devastated when I came into my room and saw Pumkin floating lifelessly at the top of his bowl. To this day I still think of him (who, come to think of it, was just as likely a “her”) fondly.

According to Petfinder: after cats and dogs, fish are the next most popular household pet in the U.S. with a population of about 24 million. I’m not sure how many of those people own goldfish, but I imagine it’s quite a lot.

Which leads to the all-important question—why?

Read the rest of this entry →