Sac Paws - Pet Connection

In the last year, it seems like I've been doing nothing but raising puppies. First came Ned, a Shetland sheepdog who's bright but a little on the shy side. Then Riley, an outgoing, bouncy retriever puppy I'm raising for friends.

How do you help more cats with less money? Contrary to decades of conventional practice, some in the shelter community are arguing that for municipal shelters the answer is to leave free-roaming cats alone, and to ask communities' nonprofit shelters to do the same.

Sometimes when I talk to a pet owner about her cat's stress, I can almost hear what she's thinking.

If someone else pays the adoption fee when you adopt a pet, does it change how much you "value" the animal as a member of your family? How you answer that question may reveal how you feel about many of the changes now underway in the shelter and rescue community.

Rivers have always been a part of my life. I grew up in Sacramento, a city that began at the spot where two mighty rivers meet. Such placement has always been a risky business, and the levees that hold the waters in place don't seem strong enough many a year.

Our dog will sometimes come into the bedroom and startle at the sight of herself in our mirrored closet doors. Sometimes she'll even bark. Other times she takes no notice of her reflection at all. Does she recognize that it's her? Or think it's another dog?

At this time of year, our windows open up to sweet scents of spring – and the headache-inducing annoyance of the neighborhood nuisance barker.

In the past, I've been less nervous about air travel than I have been about my cats' veterinary appointments.

There's nothing harder for a young puppy to learn than being alone.

In recent years we've seen a shift in attitude when it comes to adopting an adult dog.

I wish you would warn people about tennis balls. Yes, dogs love them, but they're not meant for dogs. I don't think they're safe, and I won't let my dogs have them. Can you spread the word?

When I adopted a second adult cat a few months ago, I knew I was at risk for having one cat or the other – or both – avoiding the litter box.

As the veterinarian on "Good Morning America," I'm always hearing about and looking at pictures of other people's pets. I truly enjoy hearing about the love people share with their companion animals.

We have two cats, and I need some suggestions on how to get them to leave the houseplants alone.

Is there anything for which a dog can't use its nose to figure out?

Our dog has been skunked twice in the last month. We've tried the tomato-juice recipe (and even added tomato sauce for extra "oomph"), but the smell remained. Any suggestions?

We've been adopted by a cat, and he's earned his way from "stray we fed" to "our outside cat" to "sometimes inside" to "sleeps anywhere he wants in the house." He's usually affectionate and loves to purr, but now and then he just gets wound up and claws and bites us when we're petting him, just out of the blue. He never breaks skin with his teeth, but sometimes he hurts with his claws. It seems to be a game with him, but we need it to stop. Advice?

While I've fostered homeless pets transitioning to new families for more than 30 years, only in the last decade have I been raising puppies for other people. I'm good at it, my house is set up for it (no carpets, easy-clean surfaces), and most of all, I love it!

Cats seem so mysterious, but sometimes their mysteries aren't so hard to figure out.

Even though my pets, from dogs to goats to horses, generally get along with others not of their kind, I believe most animals like having a companion of their own species.

Years ago when I started training dogs, I couldn't have imagined doing so without a slip-lead collar, commonly known as a "choke" collar.

Disaster preparedness is so easy to let slide. We get all worked up after something like Hurricane Sandy and decide it's time to "do something." We read up, we make plans, we stock up, we move on. And then, we forget.

I've read that prescription pain medications are deadly for my dog. Can you suggest an alternative?

Let me get this out of the way up front: Yes, I do brush my pets' teeth.

Every year, I go to as many veterinary conferences as I can. I have always loved to learn and I need to stay on the cutting edge for my work in the media.

My cat got into a fight again and now he has an infection. I just can't afford another trip to the vet. What can I do at home?

If you're trying to save money – and really, who isn't? – it's important to understand a couple of key concepts when it comes to budgeting for pet care:

Regular, gentle exercise is key to health and happiness for senior dogs.

It's a New Year tradition around my home, one that has outlived three generations of pets but still works to help ensure the safety of the animals I live with now: I call the pets over and check their necks.

Inside every cat is a lion. Or a tiger. Or a lynx. Or, really, all of these great hunters. And in your cat's mind, it's a wild predator, too.