By: Karen Acton, Vice President, Resident Care, Sunrise Senior Living As people enter their retirement years, it’s important for them to maintain the special bonds they’ve shared with dogs. This is especially important to help make the transition easier for those moving into an assisted living community. The companionship of a dog encourages residents to stay physically active, promotes socialization ...

This is the fifth and final installment in a series documenting Ollie’s portrait process. Nearly 14 years after I first contemplated commissioning a portrait of my first fur baby Ollie and now it’s finally complete. To be clear, the actual portrait process took less than two weeks. It just took me that long to place the order. Todd Belcher, of ...

This is the fourth installment in a series documenting Ollie’s portrait process. Ollie’s portrait is nearly complete! I’m still in awe of the intricate details captured by the artist, Todd Belcher, of Jimmydog Design Group. It is true that an artist can really capture the soul of your pet. Normally, the artist would not be giving me a play-by-play update ...

Canine companionship enriches life in many ways. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pets can help keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check, as well as increase an owner’s physical activity level and sociability. And don’t forget the unconditional love, too. For all they do for you, make their health and happiness a priority with help ...

This is the third installment in a series documenting Ollie’s portrait process. Ollie’s portrait is really starting to take shape now as the artist, Todd Belcher, adds more color and detail. At the top you can see the original photo and to the right is the progress after a few days. It’s fascinating to watch it come together. Getting Ollie’s ...

This is the second installment in a series documenting Ollie’s portrait process. I did it. I finally pulled the trigger and commissioned a portrait of my oldest dog, Ollie. I am so excited to see the process each week and am even more excited to get the final product. As I documented, I selected artist Todd Belcher to paint Ollie’s ...

All of the sudden you walk into the door and there is emptiness, you see no pet there to greet you curling around your legs, wagging his tail, attempting to please you, The one who sits at your feet or curls up on your lap with no judgment at all.As a Psychologist, I said to a friend “listening and sharing ...

I’ve seen the work of so many pet portrait artists and each time I say to myself, “That’s so cool. I should get portraits done of our dogs.” I’ve been saying that for at least as long as I’ve had my dogs and my oldest, Ollie, is going on 14. Why is getting a portrait done something we talk about ...

The folks at DogVacay offer up a few tips to make the process of finding reliable pet care a little bit easier: 1. Interview your potential pet-sitter, and have your pet interview them too. Not only should the pet-sitter meet your expectations upon your meet and greet but they should also get the stamp of approval from Fido. The sitter’s ...

ASPCA features inside look at dog fighting in America with Google+ Hangout, virtual museum, interactive quiz, and new digital short “Life on a Chain” As part of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month in April, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) designates April 8 National Dog Fighting Awareness Day (www.aspca.org/dogfighting) to raise awareness of ...