Congratulations!

It is so exciting to bring your new furball home with you, but it can also be overwhelming. What supplies do you need? What food should you buy? When do you need to bring them to the vet? Find the answers to these questions and so many more here.

It is so exciting to bring your new fido home with you, but it can also be overwhelming. What supplies do you need? What food should you buy? When do you need to bring them to the vet? Find the answers to these questions and so many more here.

Some animals may be fast friends, while others may be wary of each other. Help them get off on the right foot by ensuring successful first impressions. Read more about each type of introduction and how to address common problems between pets with the links below:

Dog-to-Dog Introductions

Cat-to-Cat Introductions

Dog-to-Cat Introductions

Aggression Between Cats

Dog Chasing Cat

The key to building strong bonds between pets and animals is teaching mutual respect for one another. This will take time and supervision from adults, but this effort will be well-rewarded!

Dog to Children Introductions

Dog to Baby Introductions

Cat to Baby Introductions

Pets can be expensive to care for, but there are ways to avoid unnecessary costs with preemptive care. Learn what upfront costs are worthwhile to avoid expensive care later in your pet’s life here.

CSHS microchips all animals while they are in our care. After adopting your new family member, it is very important to register and update the contact information for their microchip. Learn how to do so here.

It’s important to understand that most dogs will bark to varying degrees - it’s how they vocally communicate. However, sometimes barking can become excessive and be a sign of distress. Identify why your dog is barking and how to treat the problem here.

Chewing is a normal behavior for puppies and dogs and can be beneficial to relieve the pain of incoming teeth and maintain dental and jaw health. It can also offer an outlet for boredom, anxiety, or frustration. That being said, it is important to establish “approved” chewing behaviors while discouraging destructive chewing. Learn how to help teach your dog the difference here.

A crate can offer your dog its own dedicated safe space. Crating your dog can also help when tackling other training like potty-training or discouraging destructive behaviors. Find out how to positively introduce your dog to a crate here.

The key to house training a dog or puppy is patience and knowing that each day gets you one step closer to the goal! Read some tips to get your started here.

Separation anxiety is distressing for both the dog and their people. It can lead to destructive behaviors, injury, and escape attempts. Think your dog may suffer from separation anxiety? Read more about the symptoms and tips to ease anxiety here.

Mouthing and nipping is normal behavior for puppies, but this behavior becomes less cute as they age. Learn how to help teach your fido mouthing boundaries with the following links:

Adult mouthing

Puppy mouthing

Cats can develop litter box issues for various reasons. It is important to identify the cause quickly before it becomes a chronic problem. You can also try to preemptively avoid the problem before it happens. Learn more about litter box problems here.

Marking may at first seem like a litter box problem, but it is actually more of a communication problem. Marking is less common in altered males but can still happen in multi-cat households or during changes in their environment. Learn how to avoid and treat the problem here.

Cats scratch while playing, stretching, marking territory, or to buff frayed and broken claws. Rather than discouraging all scratching, you will have better luck encouraging “approved” scratching behaviors. Learn how to do so here.

Even sweet and loving cats can lash out on occasion. Often this is done because they are trying to communicate their boundaries. Learn how to teach them to communicate less painfully here.

Learning how to keep your new pet healthy can be overwhelming. We hope our quick tip guide will help you get started.

Something often overlooked when bringing home a new pet is assessing your home for innocent things that could actually harm your new friend. Become familiar with poisonous plants and household products to better protect your pets.

We know how hard it is to deny those big puppy dog eyes at the dinner table. The occasional human food won’t generally harm your pet BUT before giving them extra snacks, be sure to learn what foods are harmful to our furry friends.

No matter how well you love and care for your pet, accidents can happen. Prepared for the unexpected by becoming familiar with when and how to seek emergency care for your pet here.

If you adopted your pet from CSHS, they have received all age-appropriate recommended vaccinations. It is important to keep your pet updated on their vaccinations to protect their health. Learn more about vaccinations here.

Both dogs and cats are susceptible to the two most common pet parasites; fleas and ticks. Learn how to identify, treat, and prevent fleas and ticks here.

Here in Minnesota, we are no strangers to cold temps and know how to protect ourselves from the dangers of winter. However, our pets rely on us to protect them from these dangers. Learn how to care for your pet in the winter here.