Audrey Pavia

Dog Journalist

Audrey Pavia is an award-winning freelance writer and author of 7 books about dogs, including "The Labrador Retriever Handbook" (Barrons) and "Having Fun With Your Dog" (ASPCA Kids). She is a former managing editor of "Dog Fancy" magazine, former interim editor of "Dog World" and former senior editor of the "AKC Gazette." A professional member of the Dog Writers Association of America and an affiliate member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Audrey has written hundreds of articles for a variety of dog publications and websites, including "Dog Fancy," "Dog World," "Dogs USA," "Fido Friendly," "Pet Connection," "Your Dog," and "Puppies USA."

Audrey has competed in AKC agility and coursing ability events and trained her dog Nigel (now at the Rainbow Bridge) for his Canine Good Citizen award and Therapy Dogs International certification. She currently lives in Norco, California, with her rescue dog, Candy, 4 cats, 2 horses, a rabbit, and 6 chickens.

Visit Audrey's website.

Articles by this Author

Training

Animals Helping People

Pet owners have always known that being around their animal companions helps them feel happy and relaxed. But pets can do more than just help put us at ease--they can provide a level of therapy that can't be found anywhere else. Learn about how people use pet therapy to make a difference.

Pet Care

DNA Testing Your Dog

Do your pets dream? While we can't know for sure what they dream about, dogs and cats certainly appear to go through the motions of paws paddling, whiskers twitching, and even whimpering or hissing in their sleep. We speculate that our pets re-live experiences during dreams that made an impact on them while awake.

Training

Do Underground Fences Work?

If you have a dog, you need a way to contain him. But what if you don't want to spend a lot of money putting up a fence? Or what if you have too much property to make a fence practical? What if you just don't want a fence in your yard to spoil your view? The answer might just be an underground fence.

Pet Care •

Health

Happy Meals: Choosing the Right Food for Your Pet

Pet Care

The Perks of Being a Cat Lady

It's the subject of jokes, t-shirts and even knickknacks, but does it really mean to be a cat lady?

Health

Doga: Doing Yoga With Your Dog

Yoga has been a popular activity in the U.S. for decades. This strength training pursuit provides a variety of health benefits including better sleep, greater energy, good muscle tone, improved circulation and lower blood pressure. As if all that wasn't reward enough for doing yoga, some instructors have found a way to make it even more wonderful. They are teaching a practice called doga--yoga with dogs.

Play

Toys Your Dog Can’t Destroy in Seconds

Some dogs are gentle with their toys, delicately carrying them around in their mouths and even sleeping with them. Other dogs are the complete opposite. The minute they get their mouths on a toy, the destruction begins. Their goal: demolish the object as quickly as possible. They rip out the squeaker, tear out the stuffing, and shred the material to pieces. Playing with toys is a vital way your dog can expend excess energy, work out his aggressions, and just have fun. But if you have one of these toy destroyers, how do you keep him occupied without going broke?

Pet Care •

Health

The Basics on Pet Vaccines

Over the past few years, vaccination protocols have changed within the veterinary community, for both dogs and cats. While vets used to recommend yearly vaccinations for a number of diseases, many are now reducing the frequency that vaccines are given.

Health

Should You Break a Dog out of a Hot Car?

It's happened to many of us: You're out on a hot summer's day and you see a dog alone, locked in a car. The dog might be barking in distress, panting heavily, or worse yet, unresponsive. What do you do? 10 years ago, your options would have been pretty limited. You could try to find the owner, but other than that, you had little legal recourse. These days, in many states, you have the law on your side. Learn about saving dogs locked in cars and you may save a life this summer.

Play

These 7 Hotels & Restaurants Have Gone to the Dogs

Looking for a dog-friendly meal out or a hotel stay where you can actually bring your pup? Look no further than these 7 popular dog-friendly restaurants and hotels across the U.S.

Domesticating the Dog: The History of Man’s Best Friend

If you love dogs, you're like many of us who feel like we can't live without them. That's not surprising, considering dogs have been companions to humans for the past 30,000 years.

Training

Why Do Dogs Bark at Night?

Walk through any neighborhood at night and you'll hear it: the sound of barking dogs. It seems that night barking is just a part of life. But what causes dogs to sound off so much at night? Why does your dog bark when the sun goes down, even to the point of keeping you and your neighbors awake?

Pet Care

Being a Good Dog Dad

This time of year makes us think about fatherhood. We consider our fathers and how well they raised us, or we think about what kind of fathers we were or are to our kids. This Father's Day, we have something else to consider: what kind of "father" are we to our dogs? After all, being a father isn't just about the physical act of siring someone. It's mostly about providing love, care and guidance--something good "dog dads" give to their pets.

Pet Care

How to Take the Perfect Pet Pictures

Thanks to smart phones and social media, pets get their pictures taken more today than any other time in human history. While it's easy to take a casual snapshot of your cat or dog to post online, these tips can help you get a better shot that your friends will really notice!

Health

Is Your Pet Door Secure?

Pet doors are one of the greatest inventions of all time for pet owners. No more worries about accidents or rushing home to let pets out. The downside of pet doors can be worries about security. If your dog can get in and out of a pet door, then can't a burglar do that too?

Training

How Much Is Too Much Barking?

You come home from work and find a note on your door from your next-door neighbor about your dog's barking. How do you know if your neighbor is just being too sensitive? Isn't barking normal for a dog?

Training •

Pet Care

Making a Guide Dog

It's easy to be impressed when watching a guide dog at work. The dog's ability to concentrate on his job, ignore distractions, and provide both safety and comfort to his sight-impaired handler is amazing. The correct breeding, selecting, and training of a guide dog is an art in and of itself.

Pet Care •

Health

5 Fall Hazards for Dogs to Avoid

Play

Trends in the Dog World

This is an exciting time to be a dog lover. In the 1960s, dogs were still considered mostly outdoor guard dogs. Over the years, dogs have slowly worked their ways into the hearts and homes of their owners and are now considered important members of the family. Read about some trends in the dog world that have started to reflect this modern view.

Pet Care •

Health

Creating a Memorial for Your Pet

It's something no pet owner wants to think about--the day when our beloved companion leaves us behind. When it does, it's best to be prepared. Having a sense of how you will memorialize your pet can make the grieving process just a little bit easier when the time comes to say goodbye. Besides thinking ahead on how you want to handle your pet's remains--burial on your property or at a pet cemetery, or cremation--it's a good idea to think about what you will do to honor your pet's memory. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate your pet after he's gone.

Training

Animals Helping People

Pet Care

DNA Testing Your Dog

Training

Do Underground Fences Work?

Pet Care •

Health