Harnessed service animals working in public should not be petted because it could distract from their focus on their partner. However, while a dog is in training with Carolina Canines and identified as such, we welcome petting and attention from people in public for socialization and training purposes.

Lots of people buy a puppy and find that they feel sorry for him or her while they are away during business hours. We end up selling a second puppy to about 50% of our customers within the first year. Dogs love company, and it is not too hard to train a second puppy or even get two at the same time and train them together. It is less stressful on them when they have another pet to keep them company.

The dog is called Vince and is the most obedient animal I have ever owned, he sometimes goes walking with the guests as he does not need a lead and comes when called. The last time he went with guests they got lost and it was Vince who showed them the way home (maybe should have called him Lassie).

A SD should be trained to make intelligent decisions. If the dog is waiting for you, while you are otherwise engaged, then it makes sense for him to rest until you need him again. Of course, the dog shouldn't sprawl-out blocking a passageway, and he should stand immediately as soon as he sees that you are ready to move on.

with any aerosol, it should not be directly inhaled or ingested. This is an EPA registered product so please follow the directions on the back or call Chemtrec at 1-800-424-9300 for immediate assistance for any emergency.

Some people think that feeding "people food" to pets will give them diarrhea and turn them into beggars at dinnertime. Depending on what you feed them and where, loose stools and begging can be avoided. Here are some simple guidelines to follow. First, when we say it’s o.k. to feed “people food”, we are not talking about potato chips, chocolate cake, and onion rings – these thing are sure to give your pet a tummy ache.

Guide dogs work very hard to guide their users where they need to go. Any distraction can result in the dog losing its concentration and potentially putting the person being guided in an unsafe situation. Even when a guide dog is at rest, you should never pet it without the owner’s permission.

We pride ourselves in that no one yet has ever complained that their pet has gotten sick while in our care. Unfortunately, when a pet is at a kennel they are in a more confined area. They are exposed to a higher population. Dogs can transmit a bevy of diseases. We require all pets to be vaccinated for rabies and distemper combo (DA2PV). Dogs are required to be vaccinated for bordetella.

Show quality dogs must be as flawless as possible. The AKC maintains information about its standards online at http://www.akc.org. We breed for pets only. We also do not line breed or inbreed, which you will find a lot in a show dog's pedigree. Some say that a show dog will have a longer nose and longer legs. We like the short babydoll face and square body of the poodles we breed. Also, show dogs tend to be as close to 10 inches as possible, while some pet quality poodles are much shorter.

A family pet may relate equally to all members of a family and typically does not have a working role in the family. A Service Dog has a specific role to play with one member of the family. Interactions between the dog and other family members should be limited to the adult handler of the dog. Service Dogs must also undergoing continual re-enforcement of their skills training and a high level of obedience training must be maintained and enforced by the handler at all times.

Some, but not all, service dogs wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain whether an animal is a service dog, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service dog required because of a disability.

You can call Kristin at the WOOF office (415.435.0227) and she will be happy to discuss your pet care needs. Kristin will set up a complimentary meeting between you and one of our professional pet sitters or dog walkers. This meeting will help familiarize the sitter with your pets and home and give you an opportunity to go over the pet's routine and special dietary and exercise needs.

No, it would be inappropriate to do so. Please feed/water your SD before or after going to the restaurant. Feeding one's service dog in a restaurant is bad manners. If you feel comfortable doing so, approach the handler in a friendly way, and express your concern about how the other patrons might view this activity. But, be prepared for the possibility that you may be rebuffed.

They can contact a local veterinarian participating in the HomeAgain system, who can implant the microchip, provide the collar tag at time of implantation, as well as an enrollment form for the HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service.

It is okay to change flavors or products. However, remember to introduce a new product gradually over a 7-10 day period. Sudden changes in a pet's diet can cause intestinal upsets. Also, constant changes can create a finicky eater.

Yes, it's never too late to begin and never early enough to start. I personally began feeding my own cat when he was 15? and he only got remarkably healthier and stronger. He loved the food as well and immediately took to it. This was a cat who ate commercial pet food all his life until I began making his food.

Illness with the H5N1 avian flu has been reported among domestic and exotic cats in Asia, which is unusual. Since the H5N1 avian flu virus has not been identified in Arizona or the United States, dogs and cats which may capture wild birds are not at risk for this disease.

In addition to dog and cat food, one brand of dry ferret food is recalled: Ultra-Blend Advanced Nutrition (Net Wt. 20 lbs, UPC 26851 00413, Code C7072), manufactured by Chenango Valley Pet Food.

There is no evidence that bird flu is a risk to dogs. Recently, there have been reports of a canine influenza virus in the U.S. but this is a different flu virus that affects only dogs. There is evidence from the Asian outbreak that the bird flu virus might affect cats fed raw poultry, but there is currently no cause for concern because the virus is not present in the U.S.

Yes, it probably is. The only disease that dogs and humans can pass back and forth through saliva is beta strep throat, which is relatively rare. You may want to take your pup to the veterinarian if strep throat has been passed among the members of your family, though. And if your son has a weakened immune system, you may want to be careful about exposing him to the normal bacteria that's present in the saliva of healthy dogs.

Answer: Yes, it probably is. The only disease that dogs and humans can pass back and forth through saliva is beta strep throat, which is relatively rare. You may want to take your pup to the veterinarian if strep throat has been passed among the members of your family, though. And if your son has a weakened immune system, you may want to be careful about exposing him to the normal bacteria that's present in the saliva of healthy dogs.

We do not recommend giving your dog bones from your grocer or butcher. These bones can easily splinter or be swallowed causing a serious problem for your pet. Only give bones made specifically for dogs to chew and always supervise your pet while chewing.

Absolutely! In our latest release - Golden Light - we've dedicated a chapter to treating warm-blooded animals with light. They have a meridian (energy) system as well.

Depends on the establishment where you are having your Eureka Springs wedding. Please inquiry BEFORE your wedding, and make appropriate arrangements.

In contrast to leader dogs for the blind, service dogs are specially trained to help people with severe ambulatory and other physical disabilities. They may be trained to perform over 100 different tasks such as opening and closing doors, retrieving dropped objects, pulling wheelchairs, turning lights on or off, and obtaining food from the refrigerator.

Report the dog bite to Toronto Animal Services during our normal business hours by calling 416-338-PAWS (7297). How quickly an officer can respond to a call depends upon two factors: how many officers are available to respond, and the priority calls that need to be serviced first (e.g., sick or injured animal). Calls involving an immediate danger or injury to an animal or person are of higher priority than the pick up of a dead animal.

Learning to observe what is normal and and what is not in animals that can't talk takes time and patience. The purpose of this FAQ is to serve as a basic guideline to know when to consult your vet to see if an examination is in order. Late summer is the time to be on alert for various "invaders" from the plant world. As grasses and weeds dry out and seeds begin to scatter, this can mean trouble for pets (and annoyances for people).

Yes, but only after prior approval from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) in Wellington. Quarantine and vaccination requirements exist and are strictly adhered to.

Petting is a distraction to the dog when it is working; therefore, it is important to always ask the blind person's permission before touching a guide dog.