Adoptable Dog of the Week - Nona

Angela Vuckovic
by Angela Vuckovic
Published:  October 20th, 2022

Sweet, goofy, and charming as they come, this little gal is looking to settle down with a furever family! Our Adoptable Dog of the Week is Nona, a 3 years old mixed-breed dog from Madison, Wisconsin. She is spayed, up to date on her vaccinations, microchipped, and dewormed. Nona gets along with other dogs and doesn’t seem to mind cats or little kids.


Nona’s Tale


This adorable pooch weighs only 16 pounds, but she has a lot of spirit! At first, when she was rescued, she was a bit shy, but now, her personality shines – she is friendly. affectionate, silly, and playful. Nona loves getting pets and head rubs, but she also enjoys playing with all sorts of toys, especially those she can chase after. She’d love to have someone to take her on hikes where she could explore the great outdoors, but she’d be content with having a fenced-in backyard where she could continue with one of her favorite activities – chipmunk stake-outs.


Nona was fostered with dogs of all shapes and sizes and has done great with all of them, so she wouldn't mind being adopted into a family that already has a dog. She was also OK with the cat she’d been around – as in didn’t show interest in her – so she could get along with a feline that doesn’t acknowledge her or wants to play. Children are also fine with Nona, as she liked any kid she had a chance to meet – as long as they are respectful and gentle with a dog.


She is crate trained and her house training is going great, so you won’t have your hands full with Nona. If she sounds like the perfect dog for your family, contact Paddy's Paws rescue to learn more about her and the adoption process.

WOW
Angela Vuckovic
Angela Vuckovic

A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.

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A typically easy-going cat named Sam surprised his owners by learning how to turn on the bathroom sink, causing some major damage to the house. Alana Matson, asked for some pet destruction stories on TikTok while recalling how her cat, Sam, flooded her house. Like many other felines, Sam discovered how to use the bathroom sink to drink water. Sam’s newfound skill led to utter chaos when he left the water flowing one night, flooding the upstairs bathroom.To make matters worse, Matson was heavily pregnant at the time, and about to give birth to twins. “Sam is normally a really low-key cat. He is an indoor cat, so typically, he’s just lounging or tucked under a blanket somewhere. He generally only makes his presence known when the terror of his food bowl being empty sets in, or he is looking for a pet,” Matson told the PEOPLE.Matson and her husband assumed their kids, 10 and 12 at the time, were to blame for the first few times the sink was left running. The couple thought one of their kids was getting up at night and leaving the water running, but the children denied it. It wasn’t until they caught Sam in the act that they realized it had been him all along.The family tried several things to discourage Sam from turning on the sink, including putting a rubber band around the handle. Unfortunately, nothing could stop Sam from turning on the sink to drink water and flooding the bathroom one night.“Little did I know that after I went to sleep that night, Sam the cat would venture into the bathroom and turn on the faucet and then sit on the drain to close it in the bottom of the sink, causing the Wet Bandits to come into my house and flood the bathroom into the kitchen,” said Matson in a video.The morning of the cat-astrophe, Matson's husband woke up first, only to discover a flooded upstairs bathroom. He cleaned the mess and went downstairs, thinking the problem had been solved. But as soon as he entered the kitchen he discovered water damage on the ceiling and water dripping on the kitchen floor. Although her husband thought he could fix the damage with some paint and towels, the ceiling started to buckle and Matson knew there wasn’t anything they could do to save it.“I immediately knew we had to notify our insurance company and figure out what to do. They are the ones who had a service crew to our house within hours to begin demolition and the dreaded industrial fans,” said Matson.While the crew worked on repairing the damages, Matson went to the hospital and delivered her twin daughters. “When I left, the kitchen floor and ceiling and the bathroom floor had been torn out and three massive dryers were running nonstop. Due to the pandemic, I was only in the hospital for 36 hours, so the house was in the same state when we arrived home.”Meanwhile, Sam was completely unaware that he was responsible for the chaos and even had the nerve to be annoyed by the presence of construction workers and dryers. Eventually, the family had to replace the sink, because Sam couldn’t be stopped. “We tried keeping the doors closed at night, but inevitably, it would be left open from time to time, and Sam would immediately go in and turn the water on. We realized it was more proactive to replace the vessel sink with a traditional model with an overflow valve.” Most TikTok users are happy that the family didn’t get rid of the cat instead of the sink. And although Sam has access to a cat fountain, he still prefers to drink water straight from the tap. Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

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Have you ever wondered if your new kitten’s fiery ginger coat is a warning sign that you are bringing home a sassy whirlwind? Does your black cat’s sleek coat give off the vibes of a mysterious loner?There are many theories regarding the possible connection between a cat’s coat color and their personality traits. However, this leaves many cat lovers curious whether it’s all folklore or a connection exists.Let’s look at the science (or lack thereof) behind the relationship between a cat’s appearance and their personality. Plus, we’ll share the most common traits associated with each fur color and pattern so you can see if it describes your cat.What Determines the Color of a Cat Before discussing the connection between fur color and personality, let’s examine what actually causes different cats to have different coat colors and patterns.Like your hair or eye color, the appearance of your cat’s fur is a reflection of their genetics. This includes the color of the fur, how bright or diluted those colors appear, and any patterns their coat displays (like tabby stripes or calico patches).What is the Rarest Color for a Cat? The Most Popular? As with any genetic trait, some fur coats and patterns are more common than others. The rarest color is a solid-white coat. Less than 5% of the cat population is estimated to be completely white and void of any color (no additional marks or patterns). On the other end of the spectrum, the tabby is the most common cat coat pattern. While most people associate tabbies with vertical stripes along their body, the pattern can also present as splotches, circles, spots, or any combination of these markings.

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A lot of emphasis gets put on treats that help keep your dog’s teeth clean, but it is also an important consideration for your cat.

Are Collagen Chews Good for Dogs?

Are you searching for a tasty treat to keep your pup occupied? Have you heard the warnings made by experts about the potential dangers of rawhide chews and are struggling to find a healthy alternative for your dog? A newer type of dog chew is gaining popularity in the pet world, beloved both by pets and their parents alike. Let’s discuss the benefits of collagen chews and why this would be a great option for your dog. What Are Collagen Chews? Before we get into the benefits, we’ll start with the basics. What exactly is a collagen chew? Like rawhide, a collagen chew is a dried animal product. However, it is made from the inner layer of a cow's skin instead of the hide. This may seem like a minor difference, but it makes the product much easier to digest, making it safer for pet parents concerned about the risk of obstructions associated with rawhide. Collagen chew products are available in various forms, including flat chews, sticks, traditional bone shapes, and rings. Each variation of the chew ranges in size, thickness, and, therefore, chew difficulty level. Do Vets Recommend Collagen Sticks? Yes! Many veterinarians recommend collagen chews as a healthy alternative to rawhide. This healthy and natural chew option offers many health benefits, including joint issues and dry skin. Most collagen chews are made from all-natural ingredients and are free from fillers, artificial colors, and artificial flavors, making them a healthy replacement for your dog’s favorite rawhide bones.Is Collagen Better Than Rawhide? While both collagen chews and rawhides are long-lasting chew options, collagen chews address many of the health concerns related to rawhide. If your dog loves rawhide chews, this is a great alternative. Like rawhides, collagen chews are long-lasting. However, if your dog swallows a portion of the chew, its digestibility makes it less likely that you will find yourself at an emergency vet paying for surgery to remove an obstruction.

What Are Appeasement Behaviors in Dogs?

There has been much discussion on social media recently about the importance of understanding your dog’s body language and recognizing a problem situation before it happens. For example, acknowledging when a dog is becoming frustrated and upset, leading to a potential bite.But what you may not know is that your dog uses many far more subtle behaviors to communicate that they are feeling anxious or uncomfortable.Understanding these cues is crucial for protecting your dog’s safety and well-being and building a solid bond. After all, we all want our dogs to know we are here to protect them from any dangers they face!Let’s examine these subtle behaviors, known as dog appeasement behaviors, in-depth. We will discuss the signals to watch out for, what your dog is trying to communicate, and the best response in these situations.What Are Dog Appeasement Behaviors?As mentioned, dog appeasement behaviors are subtle actions your dog takes to signal that they are feeling stressed, anxious, or uncomfortable. Many of these behaviors serve two purposes: communicating their feelings to those around them and acting as a self-soothing activity to try to calm themselves.Appeasement behaviors are an attempt to acknowledge a threat that they are encountering and signal that they have no desire for confrontation.Picture yourself out for a walk in your favorite local park with your dog when you come across another dog. If that dog demonstrates a dominant or aggressive posture, they may be non-verbally questioning your dog’s intentions in that space. To avoid conflict, your dog may use appeasement signals to tell this dog that they are just passing through and aren’t trying to start any trouble.From here, the situation can go one of two ways – either both dogs go their separate ways with a clear understanding that no conflict is needed, or (if the problem isn’t addressed) it continues to escalate into something potentially dangerous for all involved.As dog parents, we are responsible for learning what to look out for, understanding our dog’s attempt to communicate with us, and responding quickly to keep our best friends safe.Common Dog Appeasement Signals and BehaviorsThe first step in keeping our dogs safe is to learn how to understand their non-verbal communication.While it would be FAR easier if our dogs could speak with us in clear English (I'm not denying this), they use many different methods to “talk to” us. They rely on body language to tell us what they are thinking and feeling—using their ears, tails, body posture, eye contact, and other physical signals.Here are some of the more common appeasement signals to watch out for:Avoiding Eye ContactOne of the more widely recognized ways of communicating that you are challenging someone is to look them directly in the eyes. Therefore, it makes sense that a dog trying to avoid conflict would avoid eye contact entirely. Your dog may avert their gaze to the ground or appear to be looking around, their eyes moving to everything but the perceived risk.

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