Frequently Asked Questions

A: A new bill is close to changing lives for many Philadelphia dogs and cats. It will soon be illegal to leave animals outside in extreme weather, and disobedient owners will face fines. Dogs have less ability to handle heat and cold than humans do, but many dog owners still believe it's okay to leave their pooch outside in scorching heat or freezing cold. The bill is intended to give legal protection, but also to raise awareness amongst pet owners. When the bill passes it will be illegal to leave a pet outside in temperatures exceeding 85 F, in temperatures below 32 F, or in sleet, snow or wind that can threaten the safety and health of an animal. It is still allowed to take animals outside for brief walks and exercise, but dogs cannot be left in doghouses. Many believe a dog house offers protection from the element, but in cold days, the inside of a dog house might be even colder than the surrounding world, and in hot days, the dog house can serve as an oven. A dog door can be an elegant solution to the problem of being away long hours at work, allowing the pet to go in and out as required. Many worry about drafts and snow entering the house in winter, and losing air conditioning in summer, but modern pet doors such as the PlexiDor dog doors and cat door insulate very well.

A: Many believe that all dogs can swim, but it's not entirely true. While dogs will do the paddle when they find themselves in water, some breeds are physically unable to keep themselves afloat. The Landseer is a great swimmer Breeds with heavy, large chests and short muzzles are often very bad swimmers. Best case scenario they can wear a life-vest and splash around in shallow water under careful supervision. Worst case scenario, some breeds can't even do that. Bulldogs cannot swim, no matter how much they try to paddle. Trying to make them swim is cruel; they will drown. Some breeds are created for swimming. The Labrador Retriever even has webbed feet. That doesn't mean that every Labrador loves water. Going back to the Bulldog, many rescues and breeders require home checks to ensure ponds and pools are fenced off. If you have a Bulldog and open water, it is a good idea to install an emergency monitor that will alert if something breaks the water surface.

A: When a cat zips around the house in what appears to be total darkness to us, he or she probably sees pretty well. They can't see in complete dark, but they see well with only a sixth of the light humans need. This night vision ability comes from their hunting habits; cats normally move about in the twilight of dusk and dawn, and sneaking up on prey requires the ability to see. Cats have muscles around their iris that can pull it to a slit in bright light, and open very wide in low light conditions. They always maximize their use of any light available. They also have a reflective membrane called the tapetum lucid that takes available light and reflects it. This is also why a cats eyes can seem to glow in the dark.

A: Dogs might be man's best friend, and they are treated more and more like people. Despite all our similarities there are also some interesting differences. 1. Teeth: Unless some have fallen out, an adult dog has 42 teeth. A puppy has 28. An adult human has 32 teeth, and a child has 20. 2. Ears: Dogs can hear sounds 250 yards away. Most humans can hear sounds around 25 yards away. 3. Eyes: Dogs have a smaller range of clear focus than humans, but a significantly wider peripheral vision. Dogs have a visual range of 250 degrees, and humans only 180 degrees. 4. Breathing: Most adults breathe 8 to 16 times per minute. Most dogs breathe between 10 and 30 times per minute. 5. Heart: A human's heart generally beats 70 to 80 times per minute. A dog's heart beats between 70 and 120 times per minute.

A: The Pekingese is a very old breed, traditionally associated with Chinese emperors. Here are seven fun facts about the breed. 1. Visually, the little Pekingese with its soft coat and short nose doesn't resemble a wolf. They are still one of the breeds closest to wolves genetically. 2. The breed has been traced back two thousand years, to the Han dynasty. 3. Today's China doesn't have lions, but the Pekingese, the Lhasa Apso, and the Tibetan Mastiff were all bred to resemble stylized Chinese lion images. The Pekingese is also called the lion dog. 4. Emperor Lingdi of Han ruled from 168 to 189. He loved his dogs so much he made his favorite Pekingese a member of the nobel cast, making it outrank most  people in the country. 5. During the Tang Dynasty, years 618 to 907, no one outside the Imperial Palace was allowed to breed or own a Pekingese. This was a good period of time for the little dogs; if an ordinary person met one of the dogs they had to bow and show respect. 6. The Pekingese are sometimes called "The Sleeve Dog." This stems from being bred down in size so their owners could carry them in their sleeves. Allegedly a Pekingese in the Emperor's sleeve was his last line of defense should enemies get into the palace. 7. It sometimes pays off to be small. Three dogs escaped the Titanic: one Pekingese and two Pomeranians.

A: Love dogs? Here are some fun and little known facts about our furry friends. 1. It is impossible to put an exact figure on the number of dogs in the world; many are strays, and large parts of the world do not require pet registration. Estimates point to well over 500 million. 2. Of registered dogs around the world, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular. The Labradors' friendly disposition, merry temperament, and patience with other pets as well as children make them great pets. Many also work as guide dogs and police dogs. 3. Most people know dogs have an excellent sense of smell. But how good is it? An average dog can differentiate odors in concentrations nearly 100 million times lower than a human can. 4. A dog's whiskers are important instruments helping the dog navigate the world, and they should never be cut off. The whiskers can sense tiny changes in airflow, and help the dog determine if something is close to its face. 5. Experts disagree on how long humans and dogs have been together, but it might be as long as 30,000 years.

A: Cats should not eat dog food. Dogs can eat cat food just fine, but cats should not eat dog food. Cats and dogs are more different than meets the eye, and they have vastly different nutritional needs. Dogs have developed side by side with humans to a point where they can eat most of the things we eat and digest. They are considered omnivores, which means that they are able to digest carbohydrates, and they can survive on plant based foods. That doesn't mean that dogs prefer meat to vegetables and other plants, or that a diet based completely on plants would be nutritionally adequate, but they can survive on it. A cat cannot. Cats are carnivores. That means that they cannot live unless they eat meat in some form. One major difference between dog food and cat food is the percentage of meat. Other differences between cats and dogs include the ability to handle vitamins and amino acids. Dogs, for instance, have the ability to break down organic pigments from plants called carotenoids and convert them into active Vitamin A. Cats can't do that. Cats have to get Vitamin A already converted by some other animal. That is, they have to eat the meat from some animal who already converted the carotenoids to active Vitamin A. This is one of the reasons most carnivores don't eat other carnivores; they need to eat animals who live off plants in order to survive. Arginine is another big difference between cats and dogs; it is a building block for proteins and cats have to get it with every meal. Dogs produce an enzyme that helps them produce Arginine, and they only need to get a little with their food. Taurine is an amino acid distributed through the heart, retina, and other organs. Dogs produce their own, but cats must eat it, and it is not present in any plants. There are more examples of substances cats must get through their food, such as niacin and arachidonic acid.

A: An emotional support dog helps individuals by providing comfort and support. Many fill a need by providing affection, companionship, emotional comfort, and support. They can have special training, but that is not strictly necessary.  Many confuse emotional support dogs with psychiatric service dogs, but it's not the same thing. The emotional support dog does not require special training, but the psychiatric service dogs are trained to provide specific services. They for instance do room searches or turn on lights for a person with PTSD, provide counterbalance, block persons experiencing a dissociative episode from walking into danger, and so on. Emotional support dogs provide their handlers with relief from isolation, daily structure, an increased sense of self-esteem and purpose, motivation, and many other important things. These dogs are not covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but they are covered under the Fair Housing Act and Air Carrier Access Act.  

A: Cats have excellent night vision, and can see well at one-sixth of the light level required for humans. They also have excellent hearing  and can hear higher-pitched sounds than both dogs and humans. The cat's hearing is amongst the best of the mammals. In addition to these great senses, cats have an acute sense of smell. It might not be as good as a blood-hound, but it's still twice as good as a human's. When cats meet they don't usually greet each other nose to nose, because that puts both participants in a vulnerable position. Cats who know each other well and have been apart for a while feel safe enough to do this, and through the nose contact they gather information about how the other cat is, where they have been, and what they have been doing. Most human societies find it polite to meet another's gaze. Cats do the opposite; they blink and narrow their eyes when they accidentally make eye contact. To make friends with an unfamiliar cat, try to blink and look away when you catch his eyes.

A: Have you ever noticed that if you put food on a big plate it looks so little, and by the time the plate is full, the portion is enough for dinner as well as lunch the next day? The same principle is true for dog bowls.  A big bowl makes a correct size portion look tiny, and it's easy to put on too much. In 2013, the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine made an experiment with 54 dogs and their owners. Four combinations were tested: Small bowl with a small scoop Small bowl with a large scoop Large bowl with a small scoop Large bowl with a large scoop Just as one might guess, the servings in the small bowl with the small scoop were significantly smaller than all other combinations. Does it matter? Yes. Obesity is a health problem on the rise for pets as well as people, and keeping track of portions is especially important for pets eating dry food. Kibble is generally high in calories, and just a few extra pieces each day can make a small pet gain weight quickly. Good ideas are to use a graded measuring cup, and to use the large bowl for water. Many pet owners have a small water bowl and a huge food bowl, but pets need much more water than they do food.