Here’s how you can get the most out of your holiday time in the United States this year. 　　 　　Use National Holidays to Your Advantage　　To enjoy the longest possible stretches of free time, try adding your vacation or personal time off days to national holidays to create longer weekend breaks. 　　For example, if you have ten days of vacation and are able to select the dates listed below, you can maximize your holidays over the course of 2025. 　　The 10 Best Days to Take Off　　1、January 2: Add to New Year’s Day (January 1) to create a 2-day break before the weekend. 　　2、January 17 or 21: Add to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 20) for a 4-day weekend. 　　3、February 14 or 18: Add to President’s Day (February 17) to create a 4-day weekend. 　　4、May 23 or 27: Add to Memorial Day (May 26) for a 4-day weekend. 　　5、July 3 or 7: Add to Independence Day (July 4) to create a 4-day weekend. 　　6、August 29 or September 2: Add to Labor Day (September 1) for a 4-day weekend. 　　7、October 10 or 14: Add to Columbus Day (October 13) to create a 4-day weekend. 　　8、November 10 or 12:Add to Veterans Day (November...

Cooper playing outside (iWitness user: cuscina) Is your cat grooming half her hair off or your dog licking his paws raw? It may well be your pet is experiencing allergies, one of the most common health problems for pets. Just like people, animals have allergic reactions because their immune system--the system that protects the body from foreign and potentially infectious substances--overreacts to some material. Almost anything--pollen, dust, an ingredient in pet food, a household chemical, an insect bite--can set off...

Seventy-eight million dogs reside in more than 46 million U.S. households, according to the American Pet Products Association and an increasing number of these furry companions accompany their families on road trips, day trips and even local errands. However bringing your pet along for the ride can mean added distractions for the driver and added dangers for all passengers, including pets. A recent survey conducted by AAA and Kurgo, a leading manufacturer of pet travel products, asked dog owners how...

If you're the average dog lover, you think your pooch could out-pose even those silky Weimaraners in the picture books. But if you're the average amateur dog photographer, your photos never match the athleticism, humor, or outrageous cuteness of the real thing. We asked pet photographer Mark Rogers, who immortalized our office dogs, for his best tricks for taking high-quality dog pictures -- without getting into stuff like f-stops and shutter speed. Here are our favorites: Time it well. If...

(Thinkstock | David De Lossy) When you're at home, Rover is everything you ever wished for in a dog. He's obedient and respectful. But when you're at work, his evil twin emerges.Each day you come home, you tally up the destruction ... today he chewed the remote control into a gnarled piece of plastic, and there's a bite out of your slippers. And the list just keeps getting longer and longer. Why is your normally happy and obedient dog pulling...

(Dean Golja) Emergencies can occur anytime and being prepared just in case, is the best thing you can do for your pet. Having a first-aid kit ready will help to reduce anxiety in the case of an emergency happening. Keep the kit readily available and periodically check to make sure all the items are up to date and present. A small plastic toolbox or fishing tackle box works well to hold all the necessary equipment. Make sure all of your...

so sweet (iwitness user: igot2havemore) Ticks are irritating arthropods that prey on our pets. Their goal in life is to find a warm-blooded creature so that they can feed. Veterinarians and pet owners have been battling these tiny parasites for decades and the war continues. Ticks are members of the Acarina order and are not insects. Ticks and mites are in a class all by themselves. In the transmission of disease, mosquitoes and ticks are the primary concern, with ticks...

(Artwork in this slideshow provided by Leif Parsons) Five professional animal lovers reveal actions and attitudes you can borrow from your furry and feathered friends. Celebrate EverythingEach time I walk into my apartment—even if I've been gone for less than a minute—my three dogs leap on me, kiss me, lick me, wag and bark, and show me their chew toys. I find it inspiring: Life throws a lot of junk in your direction, so you might as well get your...

(Jupiterimages) It’s spring time, and many of us are getting out into our yards to do a bit of gardening. We try to plan around our pets, and get plants that are non-toxic, and even pleasing for our animals to be around. We also try to use pet safe products in our gardens to keep our pets healthy. One area we sometimes fall short in is mulch. Can your mulch make your pet sick? Most types of mulch are safe...

(Comstock) The flea is a small, brown, wingless insect that uses specialized mouth parts to pierce the skin and siphon blood. For millions of pets and people, it is a remorseless enemy. When a flea bites your animal, it injects a small amount of saliva into the skin to prevent blood coagulation. Some animals may have fleas without showing discomfort, but an unfortunate number of pets become sensitized to this saliva. In highly allergic animals, the bite of a single...

(Polka Dot) There are many dangers in pet homes that well-meaning owners don’t recognize. Below are 15 of the most common problems. Be aware of them and prevent problems in your pet. 1.Unsecured medications - Pets are innately curious and may be interested in human medications or inhalers. These can be very dangerous. Make sure you keep all medications out of the reach of pets and off tables that can be knocked over. This includes pet medications! Do not leave...

(Thinkstock) For pets, summer’s long days bring an even longer list of dangers, from sizzling asphalt to dog-park bullies to pesticides to drowning. Happily, many perils can be avoided with planning, says Dr. Tony Johnson, an emergency-care specialist at Purdue University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Cats, he says, “sometimes have more common sense than dogs” but are prone to high-rise syndrome—falling from apartment windows—and find poisonous ethylene glycol from car-cooling systems irresistible. So do dogs. Both species need fresh drinking water,...