A Modern Approach On How To Let Kids Pet Your Dog…Or Not

If you live with a dog or if you have kids, don’t miss this superb article on how to have smooth, happy interactions between children and dogs. It’s packed with great advice on how to read your dog and how to teach children the right ways to pet a dog. I’m excited, because it’s not often I come across such a well written, cogent article on dog behavior. You’ll notice there’s no archaic talk about dominance to be found in the article. Yea Linda Lombardi!!

Some highlights:

  • if a child asks to pet your dog, don’t force your dog to be still, either by picking them up or holding their leash tightly. Instead, let your dog approach the child if they want to be petted. And if the dog doesn’t want to be petted, let her be.
  • teach children to pet dogs under their chins or along the sides of their necks or their sides. Most dogs do not like to be petted on the tops of their heads.
  • I love this gem on how to explain to children how not to approach dogs—“How would you like some strange person to run up to you, squeal, grab your face and give you a big kiss? They get that, they understand that when you put it in those terms,” says Robinson.
  • and finally, if you need to say no to children petting your dog, it’s ok.

Definitely read the whole article. It’s worth it!

DIY: Monster Cat Tree

Check out these great instructions for a beefy cat scratching post/cat tree. It’s a no-frills, utilitarian design, but it looks easy to build and that it will last forever. You can make it fancier by painting the shelf supports and by the color carpet you use to cover the shelves. And if you don’t cover the center post in sisal, you could paint it too.

You will need a drill, a saw, and a good staple gun (I recommend an electric one to make sure you get the staples sunk deep.) And be sure to stagger the shelves and make them large enough that your cat can actually climb the tree.

Don’t miss these previous posts on a DIY cat tree and a DIY scratching post.

U.S. Marshalls Raid PETCO Warehouse

Rat droppings

Feds seized undisclosed pet food products at an Illinois PETCO warehouse at the request of the FDA because they were stored in unsanitary conditions. In April, the FDA found “widespread and active rodent and bird infestation”. Apparently PETCO didn’t take these findings too seriously since a second inspection in May found “continuing and widespread infestation”—including “live and dead rodents and birds on or around the food containers, some of which had been gnawed and defiled by excrement”.

This one warehouse supplies 16 states:

  • Alabama
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Wisconsin

Although no illnesses have been reported yet, the FDA warns that people who have handled PETCO products in these states should thoroughly wash their hands in hot, soapy water. Surfaces and food bowl that came in contact with PETCO products should also be washed. Products packaged in can and glass containers should also be thoroughly washed.

If your pet has become sick from eating PETCO food, you need to file a complaint with your local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator. I would assume that this also applies if people have become sick as a result of handling these products.

At this time, PETCO has nothing on its website about the raid.