ArcaMax

The leash comes out, and the dog reacts immediately. There is excitement, anticipation, a burst of energy that suggests something significant is about to happen. To the human, the meaning is clear: it is time for a walk. But once outside, the pace changes. The dog slows, stops, sniffs. A few steps forward are followed by a pause. What appeared ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Babygirl, a young dachshund and chihuahua mix with long, golden hair, became homeless during the pandemic. So did her owner, and he searched far and wide for a shelter that would take the two of them.

Yet many programs in San Diego County only accepted humans.

“That was my deal breaker,” said Benjamin Noss, Babygirl’s 51-...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Babygirl, a young dachshund and chihuahua mix with long, golden hair, became homeless during the pandemic. So did her owner, and he searched far and wide for a shelter that would take the two of them.

Yet many programs in San Diego County only accepted humans.

“That was my deal breaker,” said Benjamin Noss, Babygirl’s 51-...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Our sweet Golden Retriever growls if anyone comes near her when she has a bone. She has never bitten, but it makes us nervous, especially when our grandchildren visit. Should we take the bones away altogether, or is there a way to fix this?

– Patricia, Chicago, Illinois

Dear Patricia,

What you’re describing is called resource...Read more

In most homes, there is a place that doesn’t appear on any floor plan.

It is not the couch, though it may be on it. Not the bed, though it may overlap. It is smaller, more specific — a square of sunlight that arrives midafternoon, a worn patch of rug near a doorway, the exact cushion that dips just enough. And in households with pets, that ...Read more

A niche pet-fashion publication with a playful name has found itself in the middle of a serious legal dispute, as Condé Nast, publisher of the iconic fashion magazine Vogue, has filed suit against a small independent outlet called “Dogue.”

At the center of the case is a familiar question in intellectual property law: when does homage or ...Read more

It usually starts small. A nudge at the same time each morning. A stare that lingers just a little too long near the treat cabinet. A quiet refusal to go outside in the rain. These moments feel incidental at first — quirks, habits, personality — but over time they form a pattern. And before long, the pattern becomes routine.

What many pet ...Read more

Big dogs and little dogs share the same designation — “man’s best friend” — but anyone who has lived with both knows they operate on entirely different wavelengths.

The divide isn’t just about size. It’s about expectations, behavior, physical presence and the way humans respond to them. A 10-pound dog and a 70-pound dog may both ...Read more

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — In neighborhoods where suburban calm meets a touch of the wild, a familiar figure slips between worlds: the indoor/outdoor cat. One moment it is curled in a sunbeam, the next it is padding across a fence line, alert to every rustle of leaves and distant call of a hawk. For many cat owners, this dual life offers a compelling...Read more

Dear Cathy,

We got our two tabby cat sisters when they were three months old. They’ve always been very close – snuggling, sleeping and grooming each other. Two weeks ago, they were sitting together in our basement window around 11 p.m. when my son heard them hissing and slapping at the glass. There must have been a cat or raccoon outside ...Read more

CHICAGO — At a quiet street intersection in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, the imposing figure of a pine tree is only outweighed by the massive collection of sticks and twigs carefully placed on its branches. It’s a huge communal nest for monk or Quaker parakeets, who have called the structure home for the last 25 years or so.

...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I saw your column in the Albany Democrat Herald and have a question. In March of last year, we adopted two-year-old male brothers from a foster home. Five weeks later, we adopted a three-year-old female from the same foster home. We were told they used to snuggle together, but honestly, we feel there were things we weren’t told �...Read more