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I'm at a point in life where I'm considering adopting a dog. I've always wanted a dog and things may be coalescing to a point where it might be a good time to do so in the near-ish future. But I don't really know where to start with considerations of breed, age, where to find one, etc. [more inside]
posted by Lutoslawski at 4:09 AM - 13 answers

We lost our very-much-loved dog this past winter, and are finally getting a new puppy next week! (sorry no pictures yet). Our last dog went blind fairly young and stopped wanting to play with toys shortly after that, so we're completely out of touch with what amazing new toys / tech / inventions are now out there for maximum canine joy. Besides a fillable Kong or two, what are the latest must-haves? [more inside]
posted by Mchelly at 7:26 AM - 16 answers

My cat Lev is a fiend when it comes to collars. It's not even that he seems to mind wearing them; he just goes out and then comes back without them. When he's out on Cat Business I think he spends a lot of time crawling between branches and skulking in thorn bushes; he can lose collars within days. I need to find a collar that strikes the right balance between being too easy to release (meaning I have to buy new collars and tags every couple of weeks) and too hard to release (meaning he could get trapped and not be able to extricate himself). I don't know how to make sure I've got such a collar. Note: I am in the UK, meaning that it's usual for cats to roam outdoors, and also that I prefer UK vendors. [more inside]
posted by Acheman at 3:25 AM - 14 answers

We’re going to be staying in Oak Bluffs at a cottage and will have our dog with us. I’d like to take him to the beach a few times and I understand that on some beaches you can let your dog off leash at certain times, although I’m having trouble pinning down which beaches are good for this. [more inside]
posted by fso at 11:31 AM - 2 answers

Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised, but healthcare in the pet world is as difficult to navigate as in the human world. Can someone point me to a brand/plan/course of action that would roughly fit my needs? Details and pictures of my cats inside. [more inside]
posted by coolname at 6:12 PM - 10 answers

What happens after a pet is put to sleep? [more inside]
posted by Ruki at 12:19 PM - 34 answers

Cat hair. Too much. In the air. Are any of you are actually using an air purifier or filter and does it help noticeably on household cat HAIR? Are you dumping out boatloads of hair when you clean its filter? I don't have central air so filtering there won't work. [more inside]
posted by bluesky78987 at 6:30 PM - 7 answers

Can anyone identify this bug, and tell me how to stop their invasion? [more inside]
posted by neilbert at 5:28 PM - 5 answers

Would having a cat living in a granny suite in the basement of a large house be likely to create issues for a cat-allergic person living on the main floor of the house? [more inside]
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 7:28 AM - 10 answers

I'm a cat sitter. What are some cool tricks I can (try to…) teach "my" cats that will make their regular humans go wow? [more inside]
posted by Vesihiisi at 5:51 AM - 21 answers

Should I take my dog with me on vacation or leave him home with my wife? [more inside]
posted by ljs30 at 1:14 PM - 9 answers

Do you have any advice for a dog breed that could be used partially as a hiking companion, and partially as a security dog in the woods? [more inside]
posted by KingJames at 1:58 PM - 28 answers

My partner and I are in the process of adopting this sweet girl . We've been talking about names as we don't love her existing name, but we're a bit stuck. Naming parameters inside! [more inside]
posted by Neely O'Hara at 7:04 AM - 36 answers

My dog absolutely must be put in a kennel inside an enclosing room when guests are over. He is good if I am in the same room, but as soon as I try to leave, he starts crying. I don't know how to fix this, because he is usually treats/praise motivated. [more inside]
posted by corb at 8:12 AM - 15 answers

My boyfriend and I would like to adopt a cat, but... we don’t know how. [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar at 9:13 PM - 21 answers

Tomorrow we're adopting a 5 year old pug. My wife and I both grew up with dogs, but haven't owned any pets in the last 20 years, so don't really know the basics of dog ownership. I have many questions. [more inside]
posted by snarfois at 4:19 PM - 13 answers

I'm getting a puppy. I've owned dogs before but only who were already adults. What are some good resources to make sure I've got this puppy thing down. Will be an only dog and has already been chosen (mixed breed). [more inside]
posted by Aranquis at 12:30 PM - 6 answers

I have a cat. He has a dog. We want to introduce the dog to the cat. I have no idea how to go about this. [more inside]
posted by Medieval Maven at 11:17 AM - 13 answers

I will be dog sitting a dog I had formerly puppy raised as a service dog. I currently have a dog that was going to be a service dog for the organization but has instead been deemed a fine specimen and will be a breeder dog instead. Tomorrow, service dog and my breeder dog will be meeting to see how they get along and to determine if dog sitting the service dog is in the cards. [more inside]
posted by Sassyfras at 10:12 AM - 3 answers

We are moving soon and I need tips for helping our 2 large adult dogs adjust. I'm also pondering some new opportunities for training that a new house gives us. [more inside]
posted by raspberrE at 9:05 AM - 0 answers