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Ask Einstein
 Have you ever wondered how to care for a guinea pig? Or maybe why a hamster squeaks? Or do you just want to find out how many animals we care for at the Wisconsin Humane Society each year? Einstein has the answers!
Einstein, the intelligent Golden Retriever mix, is our resident canine genius. He is happy to answer all your questions about companion animals or general questions you have about the Wisconsin Humane Society. No question is too big or small. Einstein will do his best to answer them all!
Do you have a question for Einstein?
Click here to ask Einstein your question! Please be sure to include your first name and name of your city. Check back often to see if your question has been posted below!
Read what other people have asked Einstein:
Hi Einstein.
Are you friends with guinea pigs? Are you a Shetland Sheepdog? Are you also up for adoption? Me and my parents like you.
P.S. Could you put this message up on your web site?
~ Cassie from Milwaukee
Hello Cassie,
I do have a few guinea pig pals, but we can’t really play around because I’m so much bigger than them. Usually I just admire them from a distance, which is OK with me because guinea pigs are pretty cool little critters. A guinea pig’s best friend is another guinea pig, so if you ever adopt one, consider adopting a friend for him or her so they can enjoy hanging out together!
Actually, I am a Golden Retriever mix. Shetland Sheepdogs have a long coat that kind of looks like mine, so I can see where you would think that.
I already have a loving home so I’m not up for adoption, but there are plenty of animals here at the Wisconsin Humane Society who are looking for a home just like yours! Please check back often to see all of the adoptable animals and find out what kids like you can do to help!
Your pal,
Einstein
Hi Einstein,
My dog is always getting off my bed when I get on it, even when I go really slow. Why?
~Mary from Bay View
Hello Mary!
Well, it’s hard to say exactly why your dog would give up a cozy, warm spot on the bed. Most dogs I know don’t give up those comfy spots that easily! But, here are some theories:
- He thinks of your getting on the bed as “reclaiming space” that belongs to you. When he gets off the bed, he’s politely giving you back your space as an act of goodwill and submission.
- When you get on the bed, even if you move slowly, the bed may move and cause him to feel unstable. Thus, he jumps off the bed to head for more stable ground.
- He could be hot! Beds are pretty warm places. Dogs, unlike humans, don’t sweat! We release body heat through panting and through the pads of our feet. All that extra body heat could make him head for a cooler space to avoid overheating.
- The bed’s not big enough for the both of you! Have you considered upgrading to a King?!
To avoid having to tiptoe into your bed (or making your trusted companion move around a lot), you may consider getting him his own comfy bed and placing it on the floor next to yours. That way, he will have a sleeping space that is just “his” without confusion. I hope that helps!
Sweet Dreams,
Einstein
Hi Einstein,
We need help choosing a dog for our family. We live in a house with a medium backyard. My mom works and isn’t home 7 hours a day. The kids in our house are 3, 6 and 9 years old. We think we want a little or a medium dog. We would like to play with our dog and give her lots of love and attention. We have never had a dog before. We see all the dogs on your web site now are pretty big or not for children. Do you ever have small dogs? Thank you!
~ TJ and Judy from Wauwatosa
Hello TJ and Judy,
Thanks for your email! The Wisconsin Humane Society has many cute canines of all shapes, sizes and ages!
There are lots of issues to consider. Puppies need extra training, attention, time and patience (to get past the potty training, mouthing and jumping stages). You may want to consider an adult dog (over the age of 1 year) with a calm temperament and past history of living with kids. There are plenty of small and medium-sized adult dogs who come into our shelter just waiting for a home like yours. Come on in for a visit to see who’s here! You can also keep checking our web site because it updates every 30 minutes.
Your whole family can come in and work with one of our adoption counselors to help find a dog who best fits your lifestyle. Just remember, when meeting a dog for the first time, let us come and sniff you first. Then we can be pals!
We dogs LOVE lots of care and attention, so I am glad to hear you are ready to give that to your new family member! Good luck and let me know who you bring home!
Einstein
Einstein,
I heard that all white cats who have blue eyes are deaf. Is that true?
~Vicky from Racine
Well, not exactly. All things about our physical appearance – eye color, coat color, hair length – are determined by things in our bodies called genes. These genes form certain combinations that make us look how we do. Some scientists say that certain combinations of genes are more likely to result in deafness in a cat – and some of these same combinations are seen more in cats with white coats and blue eyes. So, just because a cat is white with blue eyes doesn’t always mean she’s deaf. In fact, cats can hear much better than humans and can even move each ear independently. Pretty neat, huh?
Woosh…my head is spinning from all the science talk. Anyone want to play fetch?
Einstein
Dear Einstein,
Hi, I love your site and the Wisconsin Humane Society! There is a guinea pig who needs a home and I'm trying to get my mom to see that I am responsible! Is it hard to take care of a guinea pig? What is important for a guinea pig? If I do get one, what should I be aware of?
~ Maddie from Milwaukee
Dear Maddie,
Thanks for your question! I am glad to hear you have such enthusiasm for the Wisconsin Humane Society! I sure think it's a great place, too.
Guinea pigs do make wonderful companions. They are affectionate and gentle, but there is also a good bit of work involved in taking care of one! These little guys have a lot of requirements, like a roomy cage, special diet and daily cleanup of their cages. Just like other companion animals, guinea pigs need food, water, shelter, space and exercise to keep them happy and healthy. Guinea pigs try their best to keep themselves clean, so be prepared to help them out by scrubbing their cage, putting new bedding in, and cleaning their water bottles out every day!
Something you should know is that they can also be a little bit shy and it may take them a while to enjoy being handled and touched. This is why guinea pigs like children who can be patient and gentle with them. They require careful handling, too, since they can be easily stressed. If you come to adopt a guinea pig from the Wisconsin Humane Society, our adoption counselors will give you instructions and tips on how to handle and care for your new pal.
The first steps to becoming a responsible guinea pig guardian are educating yourself about how to care for them and setting aside enough time each day to provide love and care. By taking these steps, you are well on your way, Maddie!
Your buddy,
Einstein
Dear Einstein,
How many animals did you adopt out last year?
~Mary from Milwaukee
Hi Mary!
We are proud to say that in 2006, we found more than 8,500 animals new homes! That is a pretty incredible number, don’t you think?! Our staff works really hard to save animals. With continued support from the community and people like you who care about animals, we hope all animals get a second chance.
Sincerely,
Einstein
Einstein,
How often should I brush my cat?
~Joey from West Allis
Hello Joey!
Well, it really depends on the type of cat. Just like dogs, cats come in a variety of different breeds and each has a different type of coat and coat length. In general, long-haired cats, like Persians and Himalayans, will require grooming more often to keep their coats from becoming tangled or matted (a mat is hair that becomes twisted and knotted, and if left untreated, can cause big problems for a cat). If your cat has longer hair, she would enjoy grooming every day! Short-haired and medium-haired cats still need to be brushed two or three times per week. Brushing and grooming your cat is a great way to spend some quality time bonding, so do it as often as you can!
Thanks for your question, Joey. Keep them coming!
Einstein
Dear Einstein,
I want to be a veterinarian. What do they do all day?
~Katie from Bayside
Dear Katie,
I am glad to hear you would like to become a veterinarian! I think it is a great career. Vets have very important jobs and play a big role in caring for all the animals here at the shelter. We have three full-time vets here who work hard to keep all the animals feeling their best! A typical day for a vet includes doing physical exams on dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and all the other companion animals at the shelter. This includes looking at their eyes, ears, mouths and entire body to make sure everything is healthy and working. Veterinarians give animals their vaccinations (shots), decide which medicines to give an animal who is sick, and they even perform surgeries! Veterinarians are also very caring people, especially the ones here at the Wisconsin Humane Society! I like them a lot because they take great care of all the animals here. So, Katie, study hard in school and become a veterinarian so you can help animals, too!
Your pal,
Einstein
Einstein,
Are dogs colorblind?
~John from New Berlin
Hi John! That is a great question! We dogs have limited color vision, which means we can’t see the whole range of colors that people can (think of a rainbow - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). People can see all of these colors, while dogs see mostly in shades of grey, yellow and blue. However, we dogs have great night vision and can see in much lower lights than people can. We can also detect motion really well, which is why we’re so great at catching frisbees and tennis balls!
Einstein
Click here to ask Einstein your question! Please be sure to include your first name and name of your city.
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