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This week’s Pet Tale comes from a comment by KT:
As a dog owner I have read and watched many programs on dog training. I enjoyed reading Cesar’s second book, Be The Pack Leader, earlier this year. The only thing is that we don’t all have access to someone like Cesar. Fortunately, we do have an amazing facility north of Atlanta that can train ANY dog!

For those of you who need to train your dog you might want to check out the Georgia Dog Gym. My husband and I have done both group and private lessons with our dog. Our experience there has been amazing! A benefit of using them is that they guarantee their work for the life of your pet! So anytime we want we can take our dog back for a refresher course if need be with no charge.

What should you look for in a dog trainer? For questions about your dog’s behavior, submit a question to our Pet Expert today.

Take a look a the previous Pet Dish entry on Mr. Millan’s visit.

P.S. Oh no! Mars Petcare US recalls some dry pet foods, including Pedigree

This week’s Pet Tale comes from a comment on ajcpets.com by JM:

When I lived in suburbia, my cat would go hunt rabbits in the neighbors yard, then leave a half-eaten carcass on our front steps. Not a pleasant scene, but he was being a cat.

Share your pet’s most annoying habit.

MORE PET NEWS:

• Bark in the Park is around the corner! Don’t forget to register today; the deadline is Aug. 31. Then send us photos of your day at the park.

• Sneaky Cats: Check out more photos of Atlanta’s sneaky cats in action. Then send your photo today!

• Baby whale thinks yacht is his mom. Video

• Adopt Tina, this spunky 3-year-old Cairn terrier needs a forever home. Check out photos of Tina’s friends who also need a forever home. Cute pets also are available for adoption at Clayton County’s Animal Shelter. Don’t forget to check the Animal Control location near you.

This week’s Pet Tale comes from a comment posted on ajcpets.com by Amy:

When my husband and I got married and moved in together, my cat Charlie, who acted fine around my husband all the time we were dating, suddenly started acting out (opening and closing cabinet doors at all hours of the night and howling like I have never heard).

Obviously I took him to the vet to see if there was anything I could do. My cat apparently now felt threatened by my husband’s 24/7 presence and started this alpha male competition thing. Basically Charlie had a nervous breakdown.

The vet put him on some kitty Prozac and suggested he stay at my parents house for a couple of days to get some R&R. Well, Charlie seemed so happy once he was there, even off the medication a couple of days later, that he has been there ever since. I cried over it and believe me, if my parents couldn’t have him around, he’d still be at our house howling away.

I would never give up a kitty for any reason, but in this case I still see him almost daily and he is soooooo happy and gets more attention since my parent’s house is busy all the time and my brothers are always there. I am pretty sure I made the right decision letting him stay over there and he’ll always have a home.

Share your story about pets and mates getting along.

And don’t miss ajcpets.com readers’ photos of pets in the wedding. (Gallery)

MORE PET NEWS:

• Cocktail hour goes to the dogs. (Story)

• Everyone needs a smile. Check out the latest Smiling Pets photos.

• Nominate your favorite dog-friendly restaurant for the Big A List.

• Check out Delinda. This cute cat is our Atlanta Humane Society Pet of the Week and needs a forever home. Meet some of Delinda’s friends who also need a forever home. Or check out the cute pets available for adoption at Clayton County’s Animal Shelter. Also, consider adopting from an Animal Control location near you.

Photo by iStockphoto.com

Share life lessons you learned from your pet. When we asked how pets help you through tough times, Champ’s Mom offered this pearl of pet wisdom: My two Pugs are there for me daily when I need to be cheered up. If I have had a bad day at work, all it takes is for one of them to come sit in my lap and look up at me to put it all into perspective and help me realize that whatever is troubling me doesn’t really matter that much. They are my angels and are absolutely the best therapy to whatever has me feeling down.

More about pets:

• Don’t miss photos of cool products from the Luxury Pet Pavilion, a pet expo that kicked off in Atlanta last weekend.

• Atlanta says good-bye to Skip Caray, the voice of the Braves. But did you know he also was a pet lover? Read Sandy Eckstein’s touching tribute.

• Pet of the Week: Check Playdough, the featured Atlanta Humane Society pet in need of a forever home.

• Consider adopting from an Animal Control location near you.

• Protect your pet. Common household products bring hidden dangers.

This week’s Pet Tale comes from AJC reporter Jamie Gumbrecht:
My grandparents are de facto pet sitters. Their house in Michigan has a rotating cast of animals owned by their children, grandchildren, neighbors, siblings and friends. It happens so often that a handwritten sign on their fridge advertises the Audrey Avenue pet-sitting service, with a list of satisfied customers like Patches, Pepper, Amber, Wembley and Link.

They graciously and happily cared for my two cats, Emmett and Megatron, when I interned at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution five years ago, then repeated the babysitting gig for six months when I studied abroad in Cuba, and worked for The Dallas Morning News in 2004.

Last Thanksgiving, I called on them again: I was going to Iraq for a month and a half. Could they take care of my little boys? Grandma and grandpa didn’t seem too excited about the assignment, but thrilled to pitch in. Time with the grand-kitties!

I came back safely and moved to Atlanta. Trips to Michigan were delayed, canceled, altered. Moving the cats to my new home became more and more complicated. Eventually, my mom (their daughter) called me out.

“So, Grandma and Grandpa really love your cats,” she said.

“Yeah, I know.”

“No,” she said. “They really love your cats. And, you know, they have fun with them. And they aren’t traveling much right now.”

“Yeah, I oooooohhhh!”

My cats won’t be moving here any time in the near future. They could, but why wrench them away from a loving home? I will always sign with a pet-friendly landlord. I will always hold space for them.

Grandma encourages them to meow into the phone sometimes. They’re happily spoiled by 24/7 attention, and Grandpa’s willingness to let Emmett, a flat-faced Persian, drink from the kitchen faucet.

I fill the void with a foster cat from Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends — my own little beastie to love, adore and give back. He’s orange, and his name is Buddy (left). He’s a little chubby, but has lots of personality. He’ll be adopted some time, and I’ll miss him. And I’ll line up for another.

Have you ever had to relinquish your pet to a family member, an ex or a friend? How did you handle it?

• For more from Jamie, check out the Newcomer Blog.

• Cat lovers, it’s time to share your photos. Send pictures in the following categories: Cute kittens, cats in costume, Pampered cats, Sneaky cats in action and Fat cats!

• Check out Lefty, our Atlanta Humane Society Pet of the Week. He needs a forever home.

• Adopt a pet from the Animal Control location near you!

Recently we asked Labrador owners to share all the reasons they love the breed. Fred offered this admission about his dog’s sneaky night moves, and his own penchant for doggie baby talk:

It’s confession time. The dog actually sleeps in the bed w/me at night. She waits till I am snoozing and then when I awake she is curled up beside me at the top of the bed. So I guess she is kinda of a lap dog.This dog weighs over 80lbs also. It’s funny how devoted you get to a pet. If someone ever heard the way I baby talk that dog, they would think I’m nut’s. I have special little nick names for her. She’s solid black…for example, little choo- choo, black dog, etc..you get the picture.

What does your pet get away with when you’re not looking?

Also, check out Junior, a dog who may be getting away with a lot more after rescuing his family from a house fire. (Video)

Consider helping a pet that’s less fortunate. Several local food banks offer pet food for those who are affected by the foreclosure crisis. Read about ways that you can help.

Photo by Grace Jackson / Special

Can your pet handle July 4th festivities? Many pets don’t like fireworks, thunderstorms and other loud noises. For those animals, the Fourth of July isn’t a day to celebrate, it’s a day to dread. But the Humane Society of the United States has some tips on how to help get your noise-fearing pet through the holiday weekend:

Leave your pet at home: Fireworks displays can be disorienting and frightening to pets, even those used to going places with their people.

Create a home sanctuary: Leave your pet in an area of your home where he or she is safe, comfortable and sheltered from any outside noise and lights. An inside room with no windows or doors to access the outside, where the pet normally spends time and is comfortable, may be best.

Pet-proof your home: When scared, some animals can become destructive, so be sure to remove anything that can become damaged or might harm your pet if chewed.

Never leave pets outside and unattended: Even in a fenced in yard, panic can lead a pet to escape and get lost, or become injured while trying to seek refuge.

Make sure that your pet is always wearing identification. In the unfortunate event that your pet gets lost, an updated identification tag greatly increases your chances of being reunited, even if your pet is already microchipped.

Offer a buddy: Consider having someone remain home with your pet while your family enjoys outdoor activities.

Click here for more 4th of July advice from our ajcpets.com experts.

Have any tips for keeping pets calm during the Fourth of July weekend? Share them today, then come back and let us know how your pet handled all the excitement.

Is there a good way to introduce ‘only pets’ to new animals? Kelly, an ajcpets.com reader submitted an interesting question to our Cat Behavior Expert.

I have a “only child” cat — my fiance has a dog. The two have never met - and I’m very nervous about how they’re going to react when we move in together. My cat is very anti-social. She basically hates all other animals - and will act aggressively towards them. Moving also stresses her out — a LOT.

ajcpets.com expert Ingrid Johnson offered her suggestions, now it’s your turn. Share your story of merging pet families. Do you have any tips for introducing pets to new animals?