Rachael Ray

Dear Pet Lovers: My family really wants to get a puppy and I am actually contemplating getting two puppies at the same time so they will have a playmate. Siblings sound like a good idea - what do you think? Am I crazy? Thanks- Mary Dear Mary: Two puppies at the same time can be a good idea but remember - it is twice the work! Picture bringing home twin babies who are instantly mobile, don’t wear diapers, and chew. What about sibling dogs? You would think it would be a good idea but actually experts recommend against it. Why? There is a likelihood that the dogs will bond more strongly to each other than you, the owner, which can mean trouble when it comes [...]...

Look at that handsome devil - doesn’t he look wise? He was our dear, sweet, more-intelligent-than-many- humans-in-my-life cat to whom our family had to say goodbye a few weeks ago at the age of 18. We thought he would live forever but in the blink of an eye, he was gone. My husband and I were never ”cat people.” My then-boyfriend, now-husband, feigned cat allergies when we were in our early twenties living in Seattle on a whim - but when our apartment wouldn’t allow dogs, I wore him down into adopting a kitten. His friend at work from a town outside the city had taken in a pregnant stray and he had some kittens to give away. We got in the car one rainy Saturday morning [...]...

Dear Pet Lovers: My dog Lucy was sprayed by a skunk and she absolutely stinks. What do you recommend to remedy this situation? I remember hearing something about a tomato juice bath? Lucy’s Mom Dear LM: Hurry up as time is of the essence and you need to act fast when your dog is sprayed by a skunk. Before you do anything you should inspect your dog for any cuts and take a look at her eyes to see if they are red and watery, which could mean she was sprayed by in the eyes and should get to the vet. Your dog won’t be blinded but it is very painful. Tomato juice is a time-honored way of covering the smell up, but it doesn’t [...]...

It’s been so hot in the Northeast, it reminded me that dog owners should be aware of their dog’s exposure to the sun and heat, just as you would pay attention to a child’s. Dogs can get sunburned.  If you have a short haired dog or one that has a pink nose, they are especially prone to sunburn so do not leave them out in the sun too long!  Keep dogs in shady areas and always apply sunscreen.  Did you know they made sunscreen for dogs?  They do, and you can find these products and other pet care products such as insect repellent easily on Amazon.com. If your dog does get burned, you can see it, just as you would on a [...]...

My yellow lab tore his ACL five years ago and needed to have surgery. An old football injury? Skiing accident? No, it was because he had been slipping on our hardwood and Pergo floors and his leg finally couldn’t take it. He had the surgery and now, seven years later, he knows enough to walk delicately on the floors, but I still feel sorry for the old guy, as sometimes his legs will start to get away from him. I was talking to some friends recently who shared some clever ideas for saving your dog from slick floors: Non-skid baby/toddler socks! Someone told me they put the kids socks with rubber on the bottom that give small children traction on their dog [...]...

  It is so hot that my poor dog spends most of his day lying around, panting, in his fur coat. His biggest expense of energy is rolling his girth over, after which he lets out a loud sigh. As the temperature is creeping into the mid-90’s and beyond this week, I am starting to seriously worry about him a bit in my non-air conditioned very old hot house. I finally shut him in my bedroom which has a stand alone air conditioner and he perked up a bit (see above “after” photo) - here is his “before” photo:      However, he hates to be alone so I had to let him out and now he is back to panting. I talked to [...]...

Dear Pet Lovers: My 12-year old son is dying to get a dog but my husband is allergic - I have researched supposed “hypoallergenic breeds” but he is resistant to even these dogs. It is heartbreaking, as my boy is a true dog lover. Do you have any suggestions on how he can get his dog fix? Thanks - Sad Sandy Dear SS: Just because a person is allergic to one type of dog doesn’t mean they are allergic to all breeds. If your husband is open to getting a dog, some good breeds for people with allergies to check out are: Bedlington Terrier, Basenji, Bichon Frise, Chinese Crested, Labradoodle/Goldendoodle, Irish Water Spaniel, Italian Greyhound, Kerry Blue Terrier, Maltese, Mexican Hairless, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog, [...]...

My neighbor called me one day last week to ask if I wanted to go to the park down the street for a puppy party. A puppy party? A woman around the corner was having a doggie get together in honor of her dog’s first birthday and all the neighborhood dogs were invited. Her kids hand wrote invitations and delivered them to neighborhood dog owners. At the party itself, there were “games” for the dogs (i.e., balls and frisbees being thrown), popsicles for the kids and doggie goodie bags for the canine party guests with a bag of mini treats, a kong toy, and one big doggie treat, complete with a “chocolate” dip (not real of course) and a bow. [...]...

The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in California was this past weekend; meet this year’s champion: Yoda, a 14-year old half Chinese Crested and Chihuahua. Yoda’s unique look - hairless ears, frizzy fur, cloudy eye and an oversized, protruding tongue - made him the judge’s overall winner. He (and his owner Terry Schumacher) took home the top prize of $1,000 and a series of “pet perks” at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in California. Congratulations Yoda - proof that sometimes really ugly can actually be really adorable.   ...