Hey everyone!
Hope you’re all doing well! You might remember that we recently invited you to submit your questions for a Q&A session with our third pet expert of The Season of Pet Happiness, Kendall Schulz.
We’re thrilled to finally share some of the expert answers, featuring questions from both our forum members and Instagram followers! Just a quick note — while we know there are plenty more great questions, Kendall won’t be able to respond to any follow-ups on this thread. But don’t worry, we think you’ll love her insights!
If you don’t see your question answered here, stay tuned! It might still be included in a future post. 
Now, let’s dive into the questions from our wonderful Forum community!
Question: 1 I recently did some pet sitting for a very active dog. He loved fetching the ball, but during walks, he would refuse to move at a certain point and would bite if I tried to pick him up. I was scared at the park during our walk because he stopped and refused to walk. I was worried about how to get him back in the car. He would walk a few steps with a treat, and then stop again. Luckily, I was able to coax him back to the car. Do you have any tips for dealing with this behavior?
Question: 2 I’m pet sitting a one-year-old Ragdoll cat for a family member while they’re on vacation. The cat doesn’t seem very interested in eating his food, which consists of raw beef with some added ingredients. He’s playful but doesn’t have much of an appetite. Do you have any advice on how to handle this situation?
Kendall
Hi ffaroog!
For your first question, I would consult a professional dog trainer. Every dog is different and someone who is able to get paws on experience will provide you with a far better solution than I.
For your second question, there’s a good chance the cat just misses their person. Sometimes cats respond in odd ways when they’re in mental or emotional distress. If the behaviour persists when the family member returns from vacation, they should see a veterinarian.
Hi Kendall, we have a 3 yr old longhaired Dax has had to have bladder stones removed twice. The vet has her on the Hill Science C/D prescription food which she hates. What are my options for other food for her?
Kendall
Hello Ramblingromines!
This is going to be a disappointing answer, but talk to your vet. Every dog is different and has different needs, you and your dog’s vet are likely the foremost experts on what they need.
Hi Kendall,
Three years ago I adopted my little rescue dog as an 8 year old - one of the reasons we chose him was because he was ‘older’ and we knew we wouldn’t have the puppy phase, as well as knowing that he’d probably be overlooked when comparing him to the other, younger dogs at the shelter.
I am the biggest advocate for people adopting older dogs, to give them the best retirement as they really don’t deserve to be in a kennel in a shelter.
What would your advice be to those who want to adopt, but perhaps never considered a dog that’s already an adult?
Thank you!
Kendall
Hello Stanleysmum!
We love adopting out adult rescue dogs! They’re so incredibly deserving of a forever home and give their families so much love and joy. One of peoples’ biggest reservations about adult rescues is that they come with a lot of behavioural issues. In my experience, this is hardly the case.
Most of the adult rescue dogs we see are perfectly lovable creatures who bring so much happiness to their forever families. It sounds a little odd, but our adopters of adult dogs report feeling a sense of gratitude coming from their pets that they don’t usually get with puppies.
Also, adult dogs are often easier for people than their puppy counterparts. Puppies are babies, they’re new to the world and curious about their surroundings. This can often result in chewed shoes and mangled pillows – which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Conversely, most adult dogs have years of wisdom under their belt. They know how to behave on walks, many are even potty trained, and they’re far less likely to chew your things. For many people, this ease is right up their alley making adult dogs precisely what they’re looking for.
Hope this helps!
Kendall, We adopted our 3 year old Rough Collie from the shelter about 1.5 years ago. She was very shy and scared at first, but with training help and the company of 2 best friend dogs she is slowly relaxing. What training advice do you have for helping her to get over her shyness with humans - also, she is not treat motivated. Thanks! Frances
Kendall
Hi Frances!
The ticket in situations like this is exposure, exposure, exposure. The caveat is you want it to be good, positive exposure.
Earlier this year we had a dog who was incredibly shy and wary of pretty much everyone. However, he loved playtime in the yard with our other longer term resident dogs. So our in-house dog trainers would take him on walks around the entire Center introducing him to every human that worked here – it took a lot of resilience and patience on the part of the trainer! But when he finished, he would get yard time with his canine buddies.
After a few repetitions of this exercise, he began to associate his meet and greets with playtime and opened up more to people. He ended up finding his forever home a few months later and is now thriving!
So, be sure to bring your rough collie around as many people as you can and reward it with playtime with her canine companions!
Hi Kendall,
It seems like there are a lot of shy, timid cats available for adoption in the shelters, with many hiding in high places or under blankets or crouched at the back of their cages. How do you make sure that these cats get noticed by potential adopters?
Thanks
Kendall
Hello Landbiscuit!
Reserved cats can be a bit of a challenge to get into their forever homes but it’s not impossible! The first thing a shelter can do is put the introverted feline’s cat condo in a more visible location in their cattery. While you don’t necessarily want to put them front and center – that can be unhealthy for the cat’s mental well-being as well as give off a negative perception of all the shelter’s kitties – you do want to put them in a well lit spot in a highly trafficked area of the cattery.
Next, a lot of more reserved felines have a favourite animal care technician. We have our social media team get lots of photos and videos of the cats interacting with their people. This shows potential adopters how the kitty is likely to act once they get comfortable in their new home. We also communicate with possible adopters that these cats might take a little more time, love, and care to integrate into the family. While this may seem counterintuitive, it helps ensure the kitty is going to the right home.
Finally, you’ll need patience. Even with implementing the previous two steps, it’s going to take some time for a shy cat to find their person. We don’t want to rush a reserved cat into a home that might not be a good fit for it. That would make their shyness even worse. Just be sure to give it the best care you can until the right adopter comes through your doors.
Hello Kendall!
Pets up for adoption can have a very different background. I have been so fortunate as to be second home for pets - directly from previous owners. That gave an opportunity to know more about the pet and the pets upbringing and circumstances.
Adopting from adoption centres doesn’t give this opportunity in many cases.
Do you have any advice for what one should think of before adopting pets from an unknown background? I think especially on first-time pet owners and families with small children - concerns and/ or advice on that?
Another question as a petsitter at THS. Some petsits are for cats/ dogs that have a background as strays. I see from some of the profiles and forum stories that this can affect the pet -whether it be not being trained from young regarding socialising, defence (cats biting, for instance), food (fast eating, defence) or flight/leash. Do you have some general reflections that is us useful to be aware of adopting or caring for pets with a stray-background? Maybe in particular for
good questions to ask a host to find common ground and a good match?
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to focus on adopted pets!
Kendall
Hi Garfield!
Adopting pets from unknown backgrounds can indeed present unique challenges, especially for first-time pet owners and families with small children. Here’s a structured approach to consider before making the leap:
First, you’ll want to gather information. Start by collecting as much information as possible about the pet’s history and health. While shelters may not always have a full background, ask for any available details. This might include past medical records or behavioural assessments. Understanding the pet’s history can help set realistic expectations and prepare for any potential challenges.
Next, you’ll want to be ready for an adjustment period when bringing a new pet into your home. Pets with unknown backgrounds may need time to adapt to their new environment. This is particularly important for families with small children. Educate the children on how to interact gently and respectfully with the pet to help ease the transition.
Most importantly, you’ll want to create a safe and comfortable space for your future furry friend. This space should be quiet and free of sudden disturbances. Having a safe zone helps the pet acclimate more comfortably and reduces stress.
Be prepared for potential behavioural quirks, especially if the pet has a stray background. They may need additional training in areas like leash walking or socialisation. Positive reinforcement methods work best to encourage desired behaviours and build trust.
Remember, patience and preparation are key. By taking these steps, you can create a positive environment for both the pet and your family, and increase the likelihood of a successful adoption.
Hi Kendall!
I’ve always said I’ll adopt one day but I can’t see myself buying a place instead of renting any time soon.
I don’t know if its the same in the US as the UK, but this is often seen as an ‘unstable’ living situation by shelters. Do you have any tips for mitigating that perception when it comes to applying to rescue a pet?
Thanks! I don’t want to have to resort to ‘shopping’ instead of adopting but sometimes it feels like it’ll be the only option. 
Kendall
Hello Mimbles!
As a renter myself and a mom to two dogs, I know exactly what sort of difficulty you face and quite frankly it’s unjustified. Renters can be absolutely fantastic pet parents and 95% of the time, there’s nothing “unstable” about their living situation. 36% of the population in both the US and UK rent their homes. Thus, only adopting out to homeowners eliminates over a third of the population, many of whom would provide an amazing environment for an orphan pet in need.
The biggest challenge potential pet parents who rent their homes face, is their landlord not allowing pets in the home. We get around this by reaching out to the landlord ourselves during the pet application process. If they approve, and the rest of their application checks out, then our pet applicant becomes a new pet parent!
That’s what I’d recommend for your situation. If you’re experiencing pushback because you rent, have the shelter call your landlord who I’m sure will verify that you’d make a wonderful pet parent.
Hi Kendall, we’ve wanted a dog for a very long time and are hoping to adopt one in the next year.
What would your advice be to help make sure we have everything ready for when they come home with us to make it as easy as possible for the dog on their first few days?
Kendall
Hello Chacha!
Best of luck in your search for your new canine companion! Your family is about to embark (see what I did there?) on an incredibly fun and rewarding chapter of your lives! Here are a couple steps you can take to prepare your home for your new fido friend.
Make sure all cords and wires are located where your future dog can’t reach them! Be sure your trash cans have lids on them, or place them in cupboards your dog can’t get to. Keep your shoes in the closet, or other unreachable location, and your children’s toys in their toybox. Finally, make sure there’s nothing on your tables that your dog can reach. Dogs are curious creatures and often explore with their mouths, we want to make sure they can’t get to expensive and dangerous things!
The day you bring your dog home, you’ll want to keep a low-key, relaxed demeanour around them. They’re coming from an incredibly stressful situation, you want to make sure your home is a place of relaxation and comfort to them. Don’t freak out if your new pal doesn’t eat on their first day in your home, this is totally normal. It’ll take a little while for them to get acclimated to your home and patience is key!
Hopefully this helps you, be sure to let us know if you have further questions!
As always, we wanted to share the questions and answers from our Instagram Followers!
I’d love to adopt a dog, where do I start?!
First, you’ll want to puppy proof your home. Even if you’re getting an adult dog, making sure your home is ready for a new canine companion is so important for their integration and well being. Then, find your local animal shelter! Every shelter operates a little bit differently so your closest one can offer you more tailored guidance to bringing home a new furry friend.
What’s the strangest animal you’ve rehomed?
This is of course a very special case; but we rehomed two alpacas from our education department.
What is the most rewarding thing about adopting a pet?
Besides all of the smiles any pet can bring, adopting an orphan pet brings the added satisfaction that you’re saving a life. Worldwide, roughly 3 million animals are euthanized in shelters, of those 80% are healthy or have very treatable illnesses. When you adopt an animal you are giving them a second chance to live their best life with a loving family and helping shelters help animals and people.
A HUGE thanks to Kendall for answering our questions.
Jenny