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shelters

Making Every Month Dog Training Month

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January may have just ended, but the opportunity to train your dog is good all year round.

The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), in 2010, established January as Train Your Dog Month. They picked January because of the large number of pets that were adopted over the winter and holiday months. You can read more about them by clicking here.

Many dogs wind up in shelters due to behavior problems. Concentrating on various methods of training that can be fun for both you and your companion, ADPT provides a variety of resources. Check out all of the options they suggest at https://apdt.com/category/safety-pet-owners/.

Training is something Floofins & Co. feels strongly about. We train our staff before sending them out to work with your floofins. We know lots of our clients share training habits they want our walkers to encourage while on walks, like sitting at intersections and loose leash walking skills.

In addition, many facilities are finding safe ways to continue to provide training classes and activities for your dog. That could include day care services, agility or obedience classes, or individual in-person or virtual training options.

Whatever options you decide to pursue, remember to stay consistent and make it fun. The end result will benefit you and your floofin for many years to come.

Adopt A Cat Month

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June isn’t just the month of summer. It also serves as Adopt a Cat Month.

One of the primary goals of the month is to home cats and kittens. And that certainly is something of a concern during these pandemic times. Shelters in most areas are seeing fewer people in person, forcing most adoptions into virtual events. In addition, they are struggling with funding and and covering supplies.

Since June coincides with the height of kitten season, a time when the largest number of cats give birth to litters, there is often an influx of felines into the shelters. This year, American Humane will celebrate their 45th annual June focus on adoption by hosting “adopt-a-pandemic-pet” month.

For folks interested in donations, you can head over to the ASPCA Adopt A Cat webpage or you can donate to American Humane’s Feed The Hungry campaign which delivers food to shelters all over the country. Or, as we like to encourage, donate to your local shelter where you can have an immediate and close to home impact.

You don’t have to simply donate, ASPCA has a fundraising page where you can build up donations on your own or by creating a team.

If you opt to bring a new cat into your life this month, don’t forget to utilize the great resources that American Humane offers on their website. You can find reference materials on topics such as

  • Adoption Checklists
  • Cat to Cat Introductions
  • Dog to Cat Introductions
  • Cat Collars
  • Scratching
  • Litter box usage

And if you are in the Chicagoland area and considering adopting a cat, please don’t get discouraged. I recently put in several applications for virtual adoptions over the last couple months. I never heard a word. Until late this week, I received an email from a facility I have adopted from in the past. They had received over 10,000 applications to adopt since the pandemic hit. While that is great for the animals, it just means that adopting a cat this month, or later, may require a little patience. 

National Pet Parents Day

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When April 26th rolls around this year, the traditional methods for celebrating National Pet Parents Day might not be readily available. With many communities sheltering-in-place as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to make its way across the country, getting out and participating in the pet community may not be possible. 

Many shelters and rescues have been reporting that they are empty, which is great. That means you may not be able to go and provide your time to a shelter or foster a pet.

So, if you currently don’t have a pet in your life but are considering one, don’t give up. Rescues and shelters still need supplies. Monetary donations are always helpful, if you have the resources. Also, volume surges and wanes, so you may find that your fostering services will be needed later on.
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Adopt a Senior Pet Month

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November is a month that I can really get behind on the pet event calendar. This month marks not only my favorite food holiday, Thanksgiving, but also the kick off of Adopt A Senior Pet Month. 

I often tell people that one of my favorite types of dogs are old ones. The golden years: full of naps on the rug in the sun; ambles about the neighborhood; and treats and tummy rubs. Yet, the cuddly cuteness of new kittens or puppies often overtakes us. How could it not?

But as you consider adding to your Floofins Family, don’t forget that some of the last animals to be adopted from shelters are the seniors. Sure, the little ones are squirmy and wiggly and beyond cute. But the soul in the eyes of a dog that has reached an age of wisdom comes with some great benefits.

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National Pet Preparedness Month

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June kicks off the official start to summer. And with summer weather comes the threat of weather-related emergencies that could impact you, your family, and your floofins. 

No one likes the idea of planning for an emergency situation, but various groups have quick and easy checklists, videos, and articles available to make creating your personal plan simple and complete. 

No one can forget the images from Hurricane Katrina when people had to either make a decision to leave a cherished pet behind or remain with them and potentially perish. Things have changed in that many more shelters will allow people to bring their pets in the event of a natural disaster and evacuation. But, that doesn’t mean that every shelter and every situation will accommodate you and your floofins.

In addition to making an emergency plan for your family, ready.gov recommends that you also include your pet in that plan. Other factors they recommend you consider for your pet when making plans for a natural or man-made disaster scenario include: emergency kits; evacuation plans; shelter information; and identification. 

Consider using the resources available at ready.gov/pet-toolkit or view their YouTube video to be ready for any emergencies that might occur. And be sure to have all of your information, including emergency contacts, up-to-date in your profile for your Floofins & Co. account.