Plus 009:

The Pet Dad Experience

See

Pet Selfies!

So many good moments, we can’t get enough. Calling all pet dads!

See more

Hear

Like Father, Like Son ❤️

Training expert, Michael Chill, explores “Dad Energy.” It’s a thing.

Hear more

Smell

Smells Like…. Dad.

This is why your dog and cat lie on top of your favorite sweater.

Smell more

Taste

Frozen Summer Party Poppers

Serve outside on a sunny day and prepare for absolutely zero dignity while eating.

Taste more

Touch

Dad’s Hug. Best Hug.

Energy doesn’t have to be loud to be effective. Pets notice everything.

Touch more

6th Sense

Happy Birthday, Gemini!

Gemini energy is curious, intelligent, expressive, and deeply social, right?

Sense more

Your Q&A

Ask Dr. Kevin Anything!

Your questions answered, including… yes… DAD JOKES.

Ask more

There is something deeply special about the bond between a pet dad and his pet.

It lives in routines. Early morning walks. The sound of keys at the door. A hand resting gently on a dog’s head. A cat following from room to room without explanation.

It is loyalty meeting loyalty.

There is a steadiness to many dads that pets seem to understand instinctively. The protector. The teacher. The steady one. The ridiculously playful one. The gentle nurturer. The quiet safe place. The one who somehow always shows up and knows what to say.

And then there’s the hug.

A hug from your dad has a particular feeling to it. Like no matter what just happened out there in the world, for one moment, everything is okay.

Pets feel that too.

This month, we celebrate the pet dads. The playful ones. The patient ones. The soft-hearted ones. The fiercely devoted ones.
The “I said we’re not getting a dog” dads currently sharing half their pillow with the dog.

You know who you are.

And yes, we brought dad jokes.

Hear

The PAWDCAST:

Like Father, Like Son

009 PAWDCAST - Pet Dads & Park Tips - (run time: 24 mins)


Last month, Dr. Kevin co-hosted with his mom.
So naturally, this month, Dr. Kevin’s pop enters the chat.

Watching Dr. Kevin and his dad together is honestly something special. Both in navy scrubs (really!). Both caregivers. Both calm, kind, and deeply devoted to helping others. Like father, like son.

Together, they talk about:

  • adventures of saving a lizard
  • how caring for others becomes a way of life
  • what it’s like to be friends who happen to be father/son
  • how Dr. Kevin’s dad’s favorite child has four legs

Michael ChillWe also welcome back our favorite trainer, Michael Chill, for a genuinely fascinating conversation about energy.
Not “woo woo” energy.
Real energy.

The kind pets absolutely pick up on.

Michael shares how your emotional state influences:

  • training
  • trust
  • confidence
  • play
  • and how safe your pet feels around you

We also dive into:

  • healthy roughhousing
  • playground etiquette
  • when play builds confidence
  • and when it becomes overstimulation

Bonus Gift:
Download Michael Chill’s PUPPY BOOK here.

Thanks, Chill!
Ready, set, listen.

 

 

Have a story or sound bite to share?
Submit it here & we may feature it next month!

Submit Your Pet Sound Bite

See

Your Pet Selfies

 📸  Calling All Pet Dads!

There’s something incredibly heartwarming about seeing a pet dad completely melted by his dog or cat.

We absolutely LOVE seeing all pet selfies. Send us your favorite pet dad selfies with your pet family. We’ll feature them in July! 

Click on each image to view full size

Submit your pet selfie to be featured next month!

Submit Your Pet Selfie

Smell

Smells Like... Dad

Dogs and cats experience scent in ways humans can barely comprehend.

A dog’s sense of smell is estimated to be tens of thousands of times more sensitive than ours, thanks to up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses. Cats have an extraordinary sense of smell too, and use it constantly to gather information about safety, territory, familiarity, and trust.

Which means: Your pet knows exactly what you smell like.

Not “kind of.”
Exactly.

Your shoes. Your sweatshirt. Your pillow. Your side of the bed.
To them, your scent is more than recognition. It’s reassurance.
[HINT: This is one reason pets often sleep on clothing or wait near the door before you come home. Familiar scent creates calm and connection. “Oooohhhhhh” we hear you saying!]

And yes… many pets absolutely have a “that smells like Dad” response. Usually followed by immediate tail wagging. Or dramatic emotional collapse onto your chest.

Science of smell is beautiful, isn’t it?

Dog noseDog nose

Taste

Frozen Party Poppers

Cold. Creamy. Slightly ridiculous.
Basically summer on a spoon.

These frozen treats are made with just a few simple pet-friendly ingredients and are perfect for hot afternoons, backyard hangs, or dramatically licking while staring at your human.

Click here to download your Palms & Paws + recipe and enjoy watching your pet family gobble this one up.

Frozen Summer Party Poppers (for Cats & Dogs)
 Ingredients:

Ingredients:
1 cup plain organic Greek yogurt
2 tbsp organic peanut butter (xylitol-free)
1 tbsp organic pumpkin puree

Party Popper:
a few fresh organic blueberries

Instructions:

  1. Ask your human to grab a mixing bowl.
  2. Mix yogurt, peanut butter, and pumpkin puree until smooth and creamy.
  3. Spoon mixture into a loaf tin, silicone molds, mini paper cups, or ice cube trays.
  4. Freeze for 4–6 hours until firm.
  5. Before serving, allow treats to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes for a softer, scoopable texture.
  6. Scoop into a small bowl of your choosing and top with one blueberry for dramatic presentation.

Serve outside on a sunny day and prepare for absolutely zero dignity while eating. Portion size will vary depending on the size of your dog or cat. Check out our article on proper weights for dogs and cats.

Always consult your primary care veterinarian if your pet has food sensitivities or allergies.

Touch

A Dad's Hug

There’s a certain kind of energy that makes pets feel safe.
Calm. Steady. Present.

Michael Chill talks about this beautifully in this month’s Pawdcast.

Pets respond less to what we say and more to how we are. Energy doesn’t have to be loud to be effective. Or traditionally “strong.” Some of the safest people in the world are gentle, patient, emotionally present humans who simply know how to listen.

Some humans enter a room with frantic energy. Fast movements. Loud voices. Distracted attention. Pets notice immediately.

Others bring groundedness. Slower breathing. Calm presence. Gentle confidence. Pets notice that too.

This month, try this simple ritual:
Before greeting your pet, pause.
Take one full breath. With intention. Inhale. Exhale.
Relax your shoulders.
Then approach.

Notice what changes.
Does your dog soften?
Does your cat stay longer?
Does the interaction feel calmer?

What do you observe by this very simple, yet powerful exercise? You may explore how the interaction varies on the circumstances around you. Time of day, noises around you, other things on your mind (is it dinner time?). Each encounter is unique, unlike any other. This moment, this breath, is a new moment to share with your pet.

Connection often begins before touch even happens.

And when your pet leans into you, rests against you, or quietly stays close, it becomes something more than affection.

6th Sense

Pet-o-Scope

Happy Birthday!
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Gemini energy is curious, intelligent, expressive, and deeply social. These pets tend to keep life interesting.

Gemini Dogs
Gemini dogs are mentally busy and emotionally observant. They thrive on interaction, stimulation, and variety. One walk around the same block is rarely enough for them. They want new scents, new experiences, new people, and ideally a running commentary while it’s happening. These dogs often bond strongly through communication and play. The key to supporting them is engagement. Training, games, conversation, and novelty help them feel connected and fulfilled.

Gemini Cats
Gemini cats are clever, animated, and endlessly curious about what everyone else is doing. They are often the cats opening cabinets, appearing unexpectedly in conversations, or supervising activities they were not invited to. They thrive in environments with stimulation and movement, but also appreciate the freedom to disappear and recharge when they’ve had enough. Respect their intelligence. They notice more than you think.

Download your Gemini Pet-o-Scope card and add it to your growing collection.

(It’s fun to color in!)

 

AKA
(Ask Dr. Kevin Anything)

Ask Dr. Kevin!
Ask Your Q

 

Thank you for submitting your questions! Dr. Kevin, our head Palms & Paws veterinarian, is here to answer them – big and small – from both humans & pets.

Q: My dog is getting older (and so am I)… How does one ever begin to prepare for this next phase? Any advice for us?

Dr. Kevin: First of all, thank you for your courage. This post is dedicated to every pet dad (and mom) caring for a senior pet. Caring for a senior pet requires patience, awareness, flexibility, and a tremendous amount of heart. It can also become one of the most meaningful chapters you’ll ever share together.

And to every pet dad helping an older dog up the stairs, carrying medications in peanut butter, or slowing down to match an aging pace… we see you, Dad.

We recently wrote an entire article about this because it matters so much to us:
👉 Read: Caring for Senior Dogs and Cats

Q: “It’s impossible to brush my cat’s teeth. Any suggestions?”

Dr. Kevin: You are not alone. Check out Oxyfresh’s generous offer here for a GREAT solution. We highly recommend their water additive. Let us know if you try it out.

Some cats tolerate tooth brushing beautifully. Others react like you’ve committed a personal betrayal. We recently wrote about this very topic.
👉 Read: Dental Hygiene for Dogs & Cats: Part One

Q: “Got a good dad joke for us?”

Dr. Kevin: I’ve got three for ya….

“Why did the cat sit on the computer?”
To keep an eye on the mouse.

… and…

“What kind of dog loves taking bubble baths?”
A shampoo-dle.

… and…

“What is the best time to take your pet to see their vet for dental cleaning?”
2:30 (Say it out loud, slowly… until you laugh. Let us know if you still don’t get it…).

Commence eye rolls. You’re welcome.

5% Paws it Forward

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A great dad can look a thousand different ways. But you feel him. In the steadiness. The patience. The playfulness. The way he shows up. The way he protects what he loves.

Pets understand that kind of love instinctively. And honestly? So do we. Happy Father’s Day to every pet dad out there.

We love you, too, Dad.
The entire Palms & Paws Pawsse

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❤️ Next month, we celebrate SUMMERRRRR ❤️
(Hot days. Cool water spots. Longer days filled with play.)

Sit, stay, and sniff around.

 

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