Coming Up: Dog Adoption Event at Chapel Hill PetSmart

Interested in adding a new member to the family? Chapel Hill PetSmart will help you at an adoption event Feb. 23.

Falls Police Blotter: Man Suspected of Petting Self at PetSmart

The following was culled from Cuyahoga Falls police reports dated July 12. It does not indicate a conviction.

On Thursday evening, a woman received quite a surprise when she caught a glimpse of a man masturbating in the PetSmart parking lot. By the time Cuyahoga Falls police arrived, the one-man petting zoo had driven off. Luckily, the woman got his license plate number. Detectives are investigating. Underwear thief On Thursday morning, a Discount Drug Mart security guard saw a thief shovel several items in his backpack and attempt to walk out of the store. The man was stopped at the door and several items were recovered, including: undershirts, boxer briefs, socks and several grocery items. The underwear crook was cited for theft by Cuyahoga Falls police and removed from the store. Late night munchies A man was caught stealing a bag of Cheetos, a…

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Dead Puppy Thrown From Car in PetSmart Parking Lot

Witnesses say two people driving a tan car discarded the dog in the pet store parking lot. Police are investigating.

On Tuesday at 3:11 p.m., police received a report that someone threw a dead three-month-old Labrador from a car window in the PetSmart parking lot. Officers found the puppy minutes later in the bushes near the pet store, said Falls police Lt. Dale Gramley. According to witnesses, two people in a tan Honda or Acura discarded the dog. Police have a lead and are investigating the animal cruelty incident.

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The Local Leash

Canine Good Citizen Certification: Reward Your Good Dog!

Learn how to certify your dog as a well-mannered and obedient good citizen, or adopt a dog who already is!

In last week's column about the volunteer brigade of dogs and their owners at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I wrote about how dogs in the patrol had to pass the AKC's Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) test. I thought I'd look further into this program for residents interested in certifying their proper pooches. Why Utilize the Canine Good Citizen Program? A CGC dog is a well-mannered dog. Dogs who pass the CGC evaluation are obedient in the home and well-socialized in public. They also have a good foundation for other activities, such as agility, tracking, or performance. Most importantly, dog owners who train their dog for the CGC test have a wonderful bond with their dog that will transfer from the home to the dog park to the vet's office…

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Business Briefs

Petsmart Gives Grant to Summit County Animal Control

Money will be used at Animal Control facility.

PetSmart Charities this month wrote a check to Summit County's Aminal Control Facility for $2,280. The money will be used to buy a high-capacity washer and dryer for the building for homeless dogs and cats.  The charity creates and supports programs that save the lives of homeless pets, raise awareness of companion animal-welfare issues, and promote healthy relationships between people and pets. According to the company, which has a pet store in Fairlawn and Cuyahoga Falls, PetSmart's non-profit arm has provided $134 million in grants and programs benefiting animal welfare organizations.

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The Local Leash

Pet Proofing the Home: The Joys of Chewing on Cords and Eating Tissue Paper

Puppies, kittens, dogs and cats find a lot of joy in the silliest and most dangerous things. Living with pets means making adjustments to the home to keep them safe.

Some dogs are just big puppies that never grew up. I once heard someone say that having a dog is like having a perpetual two year old in the house. They can and will get into anything. You learn quickly after living with dogs or cats that you can't leave your drinks on tables that are parallel to wagging tails, or leave your dinner on the TV tray just for a second while you leave to get a drink. Pet proofing the home is a task that never ends. I'll never forget the second week with my first cat, Charlie. I set down a big box of full-sized donuts on the coffee table and went to get some milk. When I returned, Charlie was taking a donut bigger than his own head out of the box with his mouth. But that's one of the joys of living with pets - …

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Leigh Peterson

1:14 pm on Monday, August 15, 2011

I remember last year when a teeth cleaning product for dogs was recalled because it contained Xylitol!!! Very dangerous stuff, just like chocolate.   more ›

The Local Leash

Helping Pets Feel Happy & Comfortable at Home

Our pets crave routine. Any swing in that routine and sometimes it's up to us to help them feel safe and happy again in their own home.

In general, our pets feel most comfortable at home, especially when we are with them. But some pooches and purr boxes are more sensitive than others, and any shift in their daily routine can cause stress, fear, and unpredictable behavior. Such stress can cause a whole host of other issues, including: Every pet is different. During thunderstorms, my childhood dog would run and hide. If you tried to go to him to comfort him, he would just run to another room to hide and be alone. Perhaps he felt like every crack of thunder was striking down his pride. My current dog, however, runs straight to my lap and the first flash of lightning. As long as I hold him, he'll fall asleep during the storm. But if no one comfort him, he cries, shakes and …

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The Local Leash

DIY Animal Communication

There are many ways to communicate with our pets, whether we contact a professional, attend a class, or use tools.

Due to scheduling conflicts, my third feature on a local animal communicator has been postponed to next week. So, I wanted to write a bonus column on tools we all can use to communicate with our pets. Animal communication for "everyday people" might not be as clear as a telephone call to a friend, but it can be more than the pretend conversations we have with them in those secret, sometimes embarrassing voices we reserve for our pets (I do it and I know you do it, too). We all live busy lives, and when our pets are healthy and don't seem to need us, it's easy to take them for granted as a fixture of our home. But taking one small step toward honoring them as individuals with souls and feelings can do a lot for our bond with them. Taking a …

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The Local Leash

Local Pet Whisperers Help Us Understand Our Pets

Whether you believe that some humans can talk to animals or not, sometimes an objective voice can help you better understand your pets and the relationship you share.

As someone who is intrigued by, but not reliant upon, the spiritual realm of psychics, astrology, and mediums, I recently went out in search of local animal communicators. Today's column is the first in a series of three features profiling local animal lovers who claim they can talk with your pets and understand what they are feeling. I've learned a lot in speaking with these women, and I even feel I've become a better pet parent from the experience. My first interview was with Barb Borkowski. Barb is an empathetic woman with a background in nursing, massage therapy and reiki who first felt the ability to communicate with animals at the age of two. When laying near her own family's dogs, she felt their pain and discomfort in her own body. …

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The Local Leash

Five Money-Saving Tips for Local Pet Owners

After realizing she spends thousands of dollars annually on her pets, your Local Leash columnist lists five ways to save money and still support a furry family.

Until now, I've resisted doing the math on how much my pets actually cost me monthly. For the sake of this column, dear readers, here it is: One dog, two cats, two seniors, two cases of arthritis, one case of feline asthma, one case of feline hyperesthesia and one case of feline herpes of the eye = $382 per month. That number is very sobering. It adds up to over $4,500 a year and it only includes food, medicine and vitamin supplements. It doesn't account for vet visits, like the $300 we spent on the dog's teeth cleaning, heartworm test and suspicious lump removals last month (they were benign, thankfully), or the $35 I just spent on the new, softer bed for the arthritic cat. It also doesn't include the very large, bulk purchase of super-…

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