Tuesday is also Skeptics Day, and Thursday is Saxophone Day, the birth anniversary of inventor Adolphe Sax. Friday is World Community Day, which affirms a national commitment to peace and justice within the United States. Here are some helpful tips for pet owners. You can keep dogs from barking excessively by giving them plenty of exercise and chewing toys. Also, block sources of visual stimulation, such as by closing curtains so your pet can't see the mailman approaching or neighborhood children playing.
Dogs chew because they are bored or nervous.
If you must leave a dog alone for a long time, be sure to leave some special dog toys around. Here's a tip for those of you with cats. Avoid using covered cat litter boxes. Covers prevent litter from scattering, but they also trap odors inside, so cats may not use the box. Finally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most pet turtles, snakes, and lizards carry Salmonella bacteria that don't make the animals sick but that can cause infections in humans.