A Service Dog and Emotional Support Animal Blog

Choose the Right Veterinarian for Your Dog

Choosing the right veterinarian to care for your service dog or emotional support animal can be challenging. It's important to make sure they get the very best care available and enjoy the best possible quality of life. If you have a choice of animal hospitals (also called surgeries, clinics, and practices, depending on where you're from), it requires a little care to decide which to use.

There are many factors to consider. It’s important to find a veterinarian who connects well with your service dog or emotional support animal. You'll also want to evaluate who provides quality services and facilities at a cost you can afford (and in a location you can get to easily). In addition, you'll need someone you feel comfortable with and who shares your views about animal-care. [...]

Introducing a New Dog to the Resident Cat

So, you’re bringing your sweet, new dog home to the den and you’ve already read up on how to welcome him into the pack with ease and grace in Part 1 of this series. But what if your unique pack includes a member of the feline variety? Introducing your new ESA to an established cat is another thing altogether and can be fraught with tremendous challenges if the two of them aren't disposed to be friendly with each other. In ancient times, cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.

Ideally, you want your special pack to be tight-knit and well-bonded, for the obvious fact that it’s simply a better way to live. Luckily, there are certain strategies you may employ to help your beloved cat and your new service dog/emotional support dog (or just dog) adjust to each other, leading to a happy family all around. [...]

How to Welcome Your New Dog to the Family

There's usually much anticipation and excitement when you're about to introduce a new furry friend home and into the family: Cuddles to look forward to, playful silliness to indulge in, and perhaps, a good excuse to take more walks to the park. Just watching canine behavior, which is so different from our own, yet still so relatable, can provide hours of entertainment. For many, the absolute best part about bringing a service dog (in training) or emotional support dog into the home, however, is the easy companionship they provide. It's like getting a new friend, or maybe something even more far-reaching: when you welcome a dog into the home, it can be nothing short of welcoming a new family member. [...]