Most puppies just have to learn where the food dish is, how to signal when it's time to go for a walk and maybe learn to fetch and a few tricks. But J.C. isn't just any puppy. He's a puppy in training and he has the identification badge and blue coat to prove it. The smooth-coat collie is spending up to 20 months with Carolyn Hersh of Hudson for general obedience training before specialized instruction to become a guide dog for a blind person. ...more

February 14, 2009

My 19-year-old part-Siamese cat meows excessively for no reason. She stands at the door meowing. If I put her outside, in a minute she's at the door again meowing to come back in the house. The vet examined her and found nothing wrong. Spraying her with water doesn't seem to help. She's also been vomiting more often. What do you make of this? - P.P., Batavia, NY ...more

May 25, 2008