PetSafe Pet Author
Audrey Pavia
Audrey Pavia is an award-winning freelance writer and author of 7 books about dogs, including "The Labrador Retriever Handbook" (Barrons) and “Having Fun With Your Dog” (ASPCA Kids). She is a former managing editor of "Dog Fancy" magazine, former interim editor of “Dog World” and former senior editor of the "AKC Gazette." A professional member of the Dog Writers Association of America and an affiliate member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Audrey has written hundreds of articles for a variety of dog publications and websites, including “Dog Fancy,” “Dog World,” “Dogs USA,” “Fido Friendly,” “Pet Connection,” “Your Dog,” and “Puppies USA.”
Audrey has competed in AKC agility and coursing ability events and trained her dog Nigel (now at the Rainbow Bridge) for his Canine Good Citizen award and Therapy Dogs International certification. She currently lives in Norco, California, with her rescue dog, Candy, 4 cats, 2 horses, a rabbit, and 6 chickens.
Articles by This Author
Walk through any neighborhood at night and you'll hear it: the sound of barking dogs. It seems that night barking is just a part of life. But what causes dogs to sound off so much at night? Why does your dog bark when the sun goes down, even to the point of keeping you and your neighbors awake?
Imagine being abandoned by your family, or lost in a strange place. You're scared, hungry and confused. If you're lucky, a kind stranger sees your plight and rescues you, taking you to a...
Our pets count on us for some important things: a soft bed to sleep in, shelter from the elements, and plenty of love. But there's another vital necessity every dog and cat needs to be happy...
Autumn is a beautiful time of year. The air is crisp and the leaves are turning an array of stunning colors. Blankets of red, yellow and orange leaves are everywhere. While fall is a great...
Most dogs live a life of leisure, hanging around the house waiting for their humans to come home from work, playing in the backyard and accompanying the family on outings. But a select group...
Do your pets dream? While we can't know for sure what they dream about, dogs and cats certainly appear to go through the motions of paws paddling, whiskers twitching, and even whimpering or hissing in their sleep. We speculate that our pets re-live experiences during dreams that made an impact on them while awake.
This time of year makes us think about fatherhood. We consider our fathers and how well they raised us, or we think about what kind of fathers we were or are to our kids. This Father's Day, we have something else to consider: what kind of "father" are we to our dogs? After all, being a father isn't just about the physical act of siring someone. It's mostly about providing love, care and guidance--something good "dog dads" give to their pets.
It's the subject of jokes, t-shirts and even knickknacks, but does it really mean to be a cat lady?
Dogs may be man's best friend, but cats are the most popular pet in the U.S. Just over 79 million cats live in American households, compared to nearly 70 million dogs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Unfortunately, the number of cats in animal shelters is also high. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 3.2 million cats enter animal shelters each year. Sadly, 860,000 of these cats are euthanized each year.
People who love cats adore their sweet purr, cuddly fur and adoring natures. But sometimes, cats can show a darker side. Under certain conditions, just about any cat can become aggressive.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 7.6 millions pets find themselves in animal shelters each year. Because of this staggering number of pets needing homes, animal lovers are being encouraged to adopt pets from shelters. But don't shelter animals come with a host of disadvantages? Not so! Here are five common myths about shelter pets and the truth behind them.
Pet doors are one of the greatest inventions of all time for pet owners. No more worries about accidents or rushing home to let pets out. The downside of pet doors can be worries about security. If your dog can get in and out of a pet door, then can't a burglar do that too?
Yoga has been a popular activity in the U.S. for decades. This strength training pursuit provides a variety of health benefits including better sleep, greater energy, good muscle tone, improved circulation and lower blood pressure. As if all that wasn't reward enough for doing yoga, some instructors have found a way to make it even more wonderful. They are teaching a practice called doga--yoga with dogs.
If you love dogs, you're like many of us who feel like we can't live without them. That's not surprising, considering dogs have been companions to humans for the past 30,000 years.
This is an exciting time to be a dog lover. In the 1960s, dogs were still considered mostly outdoor guard dogs. Over the years, dogs have slowly worked their ways into the hearts and homes of their owners and are now considered important members of the family. Read about some trends in the dog world that have started to reflect this modern view.
It's easy to be impressed when watching a guide dog at work. The dog's ability to concentrate on his job, ignore distractions, and provide both safety and comfort to his sight-impaired handler is amazing. The correct breeding, selecting, and training of a guide dog is an art in and of itself.
It's happened to many of us: You're out on a hot summer's day and you see a dog alone, locked in a car. The dog might be barking in distress, panting heavily, or worse yet, unresponsive. What do you do? 10 years ago, your options would have been pretty limited. You could try to find the owner, but other than that, you had little legal recourse. These days, in many states, you have the law on your side. Learn about saving dogs locked in cars and you may save a life this summer.
Summer is the most popular time for traveling, whether it's to visit family, go camping on the beach or spend a weekend in the city. Whatever your destination, there's a good chance you can take your pet with you. In order to make sure both you and your pet have a good time on your trip, preparation is key.
It's something no pet owner wants to think about--the day when our beloved companion leaves us behind. When it does, it's best to be prepared. Having a sense of how you will memorialize your pet can make the grieving process just a little bit easier when the time comes to say goodbye. Besides thinking ahead on how you want to handle your pet's remains--burial on your property or at a pet cemetery, or cremation--it's a good idea to think about what you will do to honor your pet's memory. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate your pet after he's gone.
Thanks to smart phones and social media, pets get their pictures taken more today than any other time in human history. While it's easy to take a casual snapshot of your cat or dog to post online, these tips can help you get a better shot that your friends will really notice!
If you have a dog, you need a way to contain him. But what if you don't want to spend a lot of money putting up a fence? Or what if you have too much property to make a fence practical? What if you just don't want a fence in your yard to spoil your view? The answer might just be an underground fence.
Pet owners have always known that being around their animal companions helps them feel happy and relaxed. But pets can do more than just help put us at ease--they can provide a level of therapy that can't be found anywhere else. Learn about how people use pet therapy to make a difference.
Looking for a dog-friendly meal out or a hotel stay where you can actually bring your pup? Look no further than these 7 popular dog-friendly restaurants and hotels across the U.S.
Some dogs are gentle with their toys, delicately carrying them around in their mouths and even sleeping with them. Other dogs are the complete opposite. The minute they get their mouths on a toy, the destruction begins. Their goal: demolish the object as quickly as possible. They rip out the squeaker, tear out the stuffing, and shred the material to pieces. Playing with toys is a vital way your dog can expend excess energy, work out his aggressions, and just have fun. But if you have one of these toy destroyers, how do you keep him occupied without going broke?
You come home from work and find a note on your door from your next-door neighbor about your dog's barking. How do you know if your neighbor is just being too sensitive? Isn't barking normal for a dog?
Over the past few years, vaccination protocols have changed within the veterinary community, for both dogs and cats. While vets used to recommend yearly vaccinations for a number of diseases, many are now reducing the frequency that vaccines are given.
It's hard to find a dog owner who doesn't wonder what breeds lurk in his dog's background. I decided to take the plunge and see what they had to say about my dog Candy.
"A good dog is a tired dog." Whoever first spoke those words hit the nail on the head. When it comes to having a well-behaved dog, exercise is crucial.
What is it about the feline that makes hairballs a part of life? The answer lies in your cat's behavior.
