Archive for March, 2010
Spring Break and Water Safety for Your Dog.
Spring break is not just for college kids to enjoy anymore. More and more people are taking advantage of the school break to take family vacations and enjoy a little fun in the sun. Vacations on the beach are fun for the whole family, even the dog, from swimming and boating, to snorkeling and fishing to just relaxing on the beach.
If you are planning a little beach break with your family, don’t forget the life jackets. I am sure you have already thought about taking them for your children, but what about your dog? A dog life jacket is just as important for your dog’s safety as a life jacket is for your children. Even with a life jacket, children and dogs should never be left unattended when playing in or around water.
Dog Toys-A Warning For All Dog Owners
A child’s stuffed animal is not a dog toy. My dogs love plush dog toys and have been known to shred them on occasion. I have been guilty of giving my dogs plush toys that were made for children. If I see a cute stuffed animal at a yard sale or the Dollar Store, I will splurge and get one for my dogs. Never again. After reading a story about the death of a dog that ate a child’s teddy bear, I have gone through my house and gathered up all the plush toys made for children and thrown them out.
The dog was taken to the vet and surgery was performed to remove what was thought to be a blockage in the intestinal tract. What she found instead, was a jelly like mess inside the dog. The intestines were nothing but black dead tissue from the stomach to the colon. Nothing could be done to save the dog.
Not having seen this before, the vet was curious enough to call the manufacturer to find out what the jelly like substance was that killed the dog. She found that the stuffing was made of chemicals for a flame retardant and mite control. It was designed to turn into a gel and is highly toxic.
I don’t know if all stuffed toys made for children are made from the same chemicals but I certainly do not want to take the chance with my dogs.
Dog Crate Pads-Choosing The Right One For Your Dog
A dog crate is a great training tool. It helps house break puppies and it will prevent destructive behavior when you are not home to keep an eye on him. In addition to being a training aid, it will become your dog’s sanctuary, providing a safe place to go for rest and relaxation.
With that in mind, making the time your dog spends in his crate as comfortable and pleasant as possible is important. Dog crate pads are made for this purpose. Here are some things to look for when searching for the right dog crate pad for your dog.
- A thick plush pad for comfort
- It should be washable
- A nonskid waterproof backing will prevent bunching
- A dark color will help mask dirt and hair
- Measure for the proper size. Crate pads sizes are generally available in sizes to fit standard size crates.
- For added comfort, a crate pad with notched corners that overlap will provide a cozy bumper.
Putting your dog in his crate is not always a punishment so don’t make it a prison cell. Add a nice crate pad for comfort and toss a treat and your dog’s favorite toy in the crate when you do have to lock him up.
What Your Cat Should Know
You never know when you might have to take your house cat out of the house. It could be an evacuation for a natural disaster, a house fire, a gas leak or just a trip to the vet and it will be much easier if you prepare in advance.
Teaching your cat to wear a cat harness and walk on a leash and/or teaching him to go in a crate can save a lot of time and maybe even save your cat’s life if disaster strikes.
In our previous post we discussed how to train a cat to go into a crate. Today we will talk a little about the cat harness and leash training. Training a cat to walk on a leash will be a lot more challenging than teaching a dog. It will take more time and a lot of patience, but it can be done if you have the patience.
Teaching your cat to wear a harness and walk on a leash must be done with positive reinforcement only. If you reprimand your cat in any way, you will do nothing more than instill fear in him and he will disappear every time he sees the cat harness.
When you bring home the new cat harness, show it to your cat. Leave it out for a day or two where your cat has access to it. Every time he goes near it praise him. The next step is putting it on your cat. Put it on him and praise and pet him all the time he has it on. just leave it on for a couple of minutes. repeat this process a couple of times a day for a day or two, each time leaving it on a bit longer.
The next step will be clipping the leash to the harness. Let your cat drag the leash for a few minutes. When the cat is used to the leash, pick it up and walk a few feet with your cat. Repeat this process a few times a day, praising and rewarding your cat with treats.
Once he seems to have adjusted to the cat harness and leash you are ready to take him outside. Make the first few trips outside short and stay close to the door. You can gradually extend the length of your walks as your cat gets used to it.
Two Things Your Cat Should Know
There are two things that every house cat should know. Now you may be thinking your cat is way too independent or arrogant to learn anything. Granted, it takes a lot more patience than it does to teach a dog something new, but cats are indeed teachable.
So what are the two things your cat should learn to do? One is to wear a cat harness and learn to walk on a leash. The other is to go into a crate on command. Whether it is a planned trip, a natural disaster, a house fire, a gas leak or just a scheduled trip to the vet, sooner or later your cat is going to have to leave the house. The voice of experience says it is easier to get your cat into a cat harness or a crate when you need to, if you take some time to teach your cat in advance.
Teaching your cat to go in a crate will be easier than teaching your cat to wear a cat harness. Set a crate out for your cat with the door opened. You might want to throw a towel or some kind of cushion in the crate first. Put your cat’s favorite toy and a treat in it. When your cat goes in the crate, praise him. Do this a few times a day for a couple of days. Never praise him or give him treats when he comes out though. After the first couple of days, when your cat is used to the crate, close the door on it after he goes in. Praise him, give him another treat and leave him in there for a few minutes at a time before letting him out. Extend the time you leave him in the crate every day.
In our next post we will go over the dos and don’ts of teaching your cat to wear a cat harness and leash.
A Dog Life Jacket Even For Cold Weather
It happened again. A lady took her dogs to a local park to let them run. One of the dogs saw some ducks on the lagoon and took off after them. Our area has been blessed with unseasonably warm weather the last couple of weeks and the ice on the lagoon was starting to melt. The dog got half way across and fell through the ice. The owner immediately went in after the dog. She was able to get the dog to the closest dry land. Unfortunately the land happened to be the island in the middle of the lagoon. Once they were both out of the water, neither one wanted to go back in and a rescue unit had to take a boat out and bring them back to solid ground.
No matter what season it is, a dog life jacket is a safety precaution that should be considered any time you and your dog are near large bodies of water. It only takes a second for even the best behaved dog to become distracted and take off after something. With the added buoyancy that a dog life jacket provides, this dog may have been able to save himself without the owner going in after him. Without the life jacket, if she wanted to save her dog, the owner had no choice but to go into the icy water after him.
Could a dog life jacket save your dog’s life? Safety should always be a concern for the responsible pet owner.
Reflective Dog Collars-Finding Your Dog At Night
A lady that walks her dog off leash in the park at night asked about reflective dog collars. She said that the collar she has only reflected light if they were in a lit area or near traffic. She was disappointed with the collar because she could not see her dog in unlit areas.
I would like to address a couple of concerns here. Most states have a leash law for public parks. With that in mind, should you really have your dog off the leash at all. The second concern is, what if your dog takes off after a rabbit or some other animal. How are you going to find him or prevent him from running into the street during the chase? And lastly, if your dog is running loose in the park and you can’t see him, does this mean you don’t clean up after him? That is really not very thoughtful of others that visit the park.
If you have found a place to walk your dog off leash where none of that is a concern, reflective dog collars are available that can aid you in this situation. With minimal exposure to the light, these reflective dog collars will glow in the dark, allowing you to see your dog in the dark.
The Leather Dog Collar-Fashionable and Practical
Although some opt for a dog harness as their favorite full time dog accessory, dog collars are favored by the majority of pet owners as the most popular and essential accessory in their dog’s word robe, and in many cases, the only accessory. It offers a place to attach your dog license, ID and rabies tags, all of which are required in most states. A collar also allows the owner to attach a leash to it for the convenience of a safe and controlled walk.
Even though they cost a little more than collars made from other materials, leather dog collars are the number one choice of most pet owners for their durability, safety, fashion and high quality.
The size and breed of dog should always be taken into consideration when choosing a leather collar. As with any dog collar, it must be sized appropriately. Keep in mind, it is not practical or wise to get a wide collar for a small dog nor a narrow collar for a large dog.
The two most common styles of leather collars are the traditional flat leather collar or the rolled leather collar. Either one can be used on most dogs however, long haired dogs will experience less matting around the collar area with a rolled leather collar.
A leather dog collar will add a touch of class to any dog.
Inappropriate Dog Toys
I was just surfing the web and came across a forum where someone had submitted a question. She said she had two small dogs and one was a puppy. They both liked to play with any socks that were laying around. Her question was, “How do you make dog toys out of socks?” Several people responded with different ideas for her.
In my own personal opinion, the best answer would be: Do not make dog toys out of household items you do not want your dog to chew on. Making dog toys out of socks or old shoes will give your puppy the idea that all socks and shoes are fair game. Puppies will not distinguish the difference between your good shoes and socks and the shoes and/or socks they have been given to play with. Should you choose to go this route, and your dog happens to find a good pair of shoes to chew up, roll up a newspaper and swat yourself on the head three times for letting your dog have access to them.
The best dog toys are dog toys. There are tough rubber dog toys that are much better for your puppy to chew on than socks or shoes. When you catch your puppy chewing on something inappropriate, take the item away from him and give him one of his own toys as a diversion.
Walking Your Cat In A Cat Harness
Cats are known to be a little more independent than their household counterpart, the dog. They are not always quite as accepting of things as a dog would be. One example of this is the adjustment to wearing a leash and being walked around.
It can be very risky to allow a house cat to roam free outside. Traffic and predators are safety risks for any cat, whether they live in an urban setting or a rural setting.
Although it might take a little longer to acclimate a cat to being walked around on a leash, it can be very rewarding for both the cat and the owner. It allows you and your cat to enjoy the great outdoors together in a safe, controlled manner.
When walking a cat, here are a few things to keep in mind. A cat collar should be used for ID tags and as fashion accessories only. Cats have an incredible ability to wiggle out of just about anything, including collars. Do not try to hook a leash to a cat collar to walk your cat.
Invest in a good cat harness and leash. A properly fitted cat harness will be comfortable for the cat and will help prevent escape. Once you get a cat harness, show it to your cat and then leave it out where he can see it and even play with it if he wants to. Take your time with each of these steps. You know your cat better than anyone else. Do not progress to the next step until your cat is comfortable with the step you are working on. After a day or two, put the harness on your cat. Leave it on for short periods of time until he is used to it. Once he is used to the harness, attach the leash to it and let him drag that around for short periods of time. When it seems he has adjusted to the harness and the leash, pick up the leash and walk around inside your house a few times.
Now that he has adjusted to all of that, it is time to take him outside. Keep your first few outdoor adventures short and close to the door. As your cat adjusts to walking, you can venture further away.