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written by Michael McKibben on July 28th, 2011 | 
 Summer, the warm and sunny season we wait for all year is finally here! Your dog or cat is probably spending a lot more time enjoying the outdoors as well. However, nothing can be more disturbing than finding an engorged tick attached to your beloved pet, or a flea hopping through the air! Summer is the prime of flea and tick season but it’s never to late to think about prevention.
Fleas especially love warm humid areas and are most Continue reading »
written by Kim Smith on July 27th, 2011 |
 This past week I was invited to attend a special demonstration by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation. I have to say, these dogs are incredible. There are so many things I didn’t know about how these dogs are acquired, trained and maintain their focus. The demonstration showed how solid the dogs are in their basic training, how they teach them to find a hidden person, how they work with them to teach them how to master more difficult terrain and the absolute joy these dogs seem to have when they’re “working”.
I hope you enjoy some of the many photos I took and the 15 things that I learned:
- National Search Dog Foundation dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues nationwide. Often the dogs that are chosen are ones that have been turned in because they keep escaping from their yards. It shows they already are using their brain for how to get around barriers – important for a dog searching through rubble. One such dog was Huck who, even after he got into their program continued to amaze them. Once he got into training, the trainers started to think they were going crazy because he would end up in kennels other than the ones that they placed him in. They soon learned that Huck could open gates, undo latches and climb fences. He wouldn’t necessarily go anywhere, just head out to visit other dogs in other kennels and often even put himself back in his own kennel when he was done.
- It takes a year of Continue reading »
written by Kenna Hurd on July 20th, 2011 |
Congratulations! You’re the proud owner of a beautiful new aquarium (or considering getting one). You’re excited to start your journey as a fish hobbyist but if the tank is still sitting in the box let us help you get your freshwater tank up and running.
Step 1:
Choosing the best location for your tank – look for an inner wall away from any direct heating/cooling lighting source such as window. A stable floor is important with a good stand as your tank can weigh over 8 pounds per gallon of water.
Step 2:
Wipe down the Continue reading »
written by Kenna Hurd on July 13th, 2011 |
 There is something very soothing about having a fish in your place of work or study – it helps quiet the mind and refresh the soul.
Petey, my beloved Betta, was a good fish. He was always there for me when I needed him. He would receive my first hello every morning and greet me every night when I got home. He was a faithful companion for half of my college career and got me through many late night study sessions.
Petey was on my mind ever since I started working at the PETCO National Support Center – I just knew that another desktop companion was in my near future. In March, I attended the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, FL and while I was shooting an array of product videos I spotted it Continue reading »
written by Kim Smith on July 13th, 2011 |
 Recently, a coworker mentioned that they were considering spaying their 6 month old puppy but were complaining that they didn’t have the 3 months to keep her calm during recovery. Three months – really?!? I’m certain my jaw hit the floor as I looked at her to see if she was kidding me. She wasn’t. And she even went on to say that they were about to go on vacation and she really needed the $1000 for the vacation instead. Surely I was being punked! I wonder how many people aren’t spaying or neutering their pets because their perception is that it is that invasive to their lives?!?
I quickly set about gently updating my friend. I have fostered over 30 puppies, not to mention countless other tiny beings. To that end, I feel like I have a pretty good perspective on Continue reading »
written by Michael McKibben on July 7th, 2011 |
PETCO and Royal Canin are teaming up to help feed cats in need with the Give One Get One campaign.
I’m a dog guy. When I was younger, a dog was a member of our family at several different times. My friends had dogs, and if our extended family owned a pet, it was also, a dog. The suburban environment of my childhood, with single-family homes and large yards, lent itself well to dog ownership. After graduating from college, I happily continued the legacy and became the pet parent of my wonderful black lab Cyber.
Cats, on the other hand Continue reading »
written by Michael McKibben on July 5th, 2011 |
 Happy to be on my commute home, I was cruising down the freeway with the radio jammin’ when the car in front of me, realizing traffic had come to a complete stop, suddenly locks up his brakes in a cloud of tire smoke forcing me to do the same. Held in tightly by my seatbelt with the brakes fully applied my car came to a dramatic stop just a few feet from his bumper. My immediate reaction was to check and make sure my dog Cyber, who was buckled in the back seat, was ok. Cyber was fine and barely fazed but it could have been far, far worse.
As pet parents we strive to provide the best for our pets, treating them as our children, and yet I’m shocked at Continue reading »
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