We get stressed during the holiday season for various reasons: a.) there's not enough time to get everything done that we need to get done b.) family or c.) family. Maybe that's just me. But, our pets experience stress during the holidays too, just for a whole different set of reasons. Here's a few things that maybe you hadn't thought of and if you think about it ahead of time, it will save you and your pet a lot of anxiety.
Everyone I know with children says that kids make the holidays. Everything's new and exciting and it rubs off on the adults. That's great, but a gaggle of screaming kids running back and forth because they're hopped up on cookies and candy, can make the pets a little anxious. Strangers in the house, or even just a large number of people regardless of whether your pets have met them before, can be stressful. If there's an area of the house or if your dog has a crate that they feel safe in, use it. Leave a TV or radio on for them. Homeopet makes a great line of herbal remedies that might be useful in these situations.
Supervision is important if your pet is out and about. Multiple people coming in and out of the house can cause issues if your dog or cat is a runner. The trash can also be a huge temptation for a lot of animals so make sure that's out of reach. I can speak for myself in that even though you've asked people not to give your pets table scraps, they still do it. Why not? They don't have to deal with my dogs brauling over crumbs, or when they vomit, or even better, have diarrhea in the corner. There are a number of foods that are bad for animals starting with the biggie, chocolate. Chocolate ingestion can be fatal. It takes different amounts of different kinds of chocolate, so just avoid it all together. Raw dough, walnuts, onions/garlic, bones, fatty foods, alcohol and foods made with xylitol are a few other things to never give to animals. If your pet ingests any of these things call your local ER facility to see if they need to be seen. (MedVet @ 846-5800 or OSU @ 292-3551) Not a great way to spend a holiday, so just avoid giving human food to the pets all together.
I have dogs that require a fair amount of physical and mental activity or they let me know they're bored. If I know there's going to be something going on that could potentially freak them out, I'll make sure they've had plenty of exercise that day. Dog parks are popping up around Columbus and some daycares offer holiday drop off and pick up.
Animals are creatures of habit. Try to keep everything as routine as possible. With so much to do on and around the holidays, don't forget to spend quality time with your pets. It's important for them and it'll relax you too.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
I just like this quote...
"Never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way" -- Martin Luther King Jr.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Right Toy for the Right Pet
So, we've extended our Toy Sale through the month of November which we're really excited about! I'm a big advocate of using interactive toys to combat boredom (ie. misbehaving) in pets. A lot of times, when pets misbehave, it is because they are bored or frustrated. They need mental stimuli as well as physical.
Some breeds of dog are more high strung than others. Anyone who's ever spent 5 minutes with a Weimeraner or a Jack Russell can attest to that. Boredom can manifest itself in a number of ways--chewing, barking, digging, etc.. If you have a puppy or a dog that's never been taught what is appropriate to chew on and what's not, it can be really frustrating. Recently, we adopted a 9 year old Beagle who had been an outside dog her whole life. She found that coming inside wasn't as exciting as being in a yard with dogs walking by and people and cars to bark at. So, she found other things to entertain herself while we were at work--she chewed up a number of books and DVD's before we realized that we needed to start pretty much from the beginning, and puppy-proof the house.
Dogs need things to do. They hear people outside. They see other dogs walk by. Birds and squirrels taunt them from just beyond their grasp, outside the window. To some dogs, this isn't a big deal. They don't move from that comfy spot on the ouch. But to others, it's frustrating and an invitation to destroy.
Premier makes a great line of interactive toys that dispense food in a variety of ways, some more challenging than others. The "Tug a Jug" will keep most dogs entertained and is definitely the most popular toy at Lots to Wag About. The "Squirrel Dude" is similar to a Kong but has prongs to make it a little more difficult to get the treats out and therefore takes longer for them to become bored with. "Buster Cubes" dispense food as they roll around and can be used to slow down fast eaters too. Most dogs, once the food is gone, so is their attention. If you do find your dog chewing on something that is inappropriate, remove that object with firm "No" and give them something they can chew on. Don't give them toys that look like other things they can't have like the stuffed toy that is the same texture as the couch or the toy that looks like a shoe--whose idea was that?!? They can't tell the difference between that and your $100 gym shoes!
Digging often stems from boredom as well. It is very important for dogs to get good exercise on a daily basis. Standing outside in the yard is not exercise. Most dogs need 30-60 minutes of hard exercise everyday. Daycare or dog parks are a good way to tire out social dogs. If your dog doesn't play well with others, toss a ball around or take up jogging. Providing your dog with an appropriate digging area is an option. A sandbox with toys hidden in it can be useful, but please cover it so it doesn't turn into a litterbox for stray kitties.
In cats, most often times you'll see clawing or inappropriate urination. Cats claw for a number of reasons--to remove the outer layer of the nail, to mark territory and for exercise. But, it may not be acceptable on your couch or speakers. Some cats like to claw vertically, some horizontally. Find out what your cat prefers, get a scratching post and sprinkle some catnip on it. Hanging toys toys like the "Cat Dancer", a treat ball like play n' Squeak's "Ball of the Wild" or a motion-activated "Rainbow Light Ball" will help keep kitty busy. There's also a really good website called the Indoor Cat Initiative with some great tips. www.vet.ohio-state.edu/indoorcat.htm
If your cat is urinating out of the box, please see your Veterinarian. There are many reasons why cats do this--litter preference, intimidation from another cat, inconvenient placement or not enough boxes. But, a urinary tract infection or crystals in the urine can be a reason as well. So please talk to your Vet. before assuming it's behavioral.
Having dealt with dealt with Separation Anxiety in one dog and Simone, the 9 year old puppy, I most definitely have an appreciation for interactive toys and of course toys that are just plain fun. I love helping friends and customers find the right toy for their pets. All of the toys in the shop are 20% off through November, so now's a good time to find the right toy for yours.
Some breeds of dog are more high strung than others. Anyone who's ever spent 5 minutes with a Weimeraner or a Jack Russell can attest to that. Boredom can manifest itself in a number of ways--chewing, barking, digging, etc.. If you have a puppy or a dog that's never been taught what is appropriate to chew on and what's not, it can be really frustrating. Recently, we adopted a 9 year old Beagle who had been an outside dog her whole life. She found that coming inside wasn't as exciting as being in a yard with dogs walking by and people and cars to bark at. So, she found other things to entertain herself while we were at work--she chewed up a number of books and DVD's before we realized that we needed to start pretty much from the beginning, and puppy-proof the house.
Dogs need things to do. They hear people outside. They see other dogs walk by. Birds and squirrels taunt them from just beyond their grasp, outside the window. To some dogs, this isn't a big deal. They don't move from that comfy spot on the ouch. But to others, it's frustrating and an invitation to destroy.
Premier makes a great line of interactive toys that dispense food in a variety of ways, some more challenging than others. The "Tug a Jug" will keep most dogs entertained and is definitely the most popular toy at Lots to Wag About. The "Squirrel Dude" is similar to a Kong but has prongs to make it a little more difficult to get the treats out and therefore takes longer for them to become bored with. "Buster Cubes" dispense food as they roll around and can be used to slow down fast eaters too. Most dogs, once the food is gone, so is their attention. If you do find your dog chewing on something that is inappropriate, remove that object with firm "No" and give them something they can chew on. Don't give them toys that look like other things they can't have like the stuffed toy that is the same texture as the couch or the toy that looks like a shoe--whose idea was that?!? They can't tell the difference between that and your $100 gym shoes!
Digging often stems from boredom as well. It is very important for dogs to get good exercise on a daily basis. Standing outside in the yard is not exercise. Most dogs need 30-60 minutes of hard exercise everyday. Daycare or dog parks are a good way to tire out social dogs. If your dog doesn't play well with others, toss a ball around or take up jogging. Providing your dog with an appropriate digging area is an option. A sandbox with toys hidden in it can be useful, but please cover it so it doesn't turn into a litterbox for stray kitties.
In cats, most often times you'll see clawing or inappropriate urination. Cats claw for a number of reasons--to remove the outer layer of the nail, to mark territory and for exercise. But, it may not be acceptable on your couch or speakers. Some cats like to claw vertically, some horizontally. Find out what your cat prefers, get a scratching post and sprinkle some catnip on it. Hanging toys toys like the "Cat Dancer", a treat ball like play n' Squeak's "Ball of the Wild" or a motion-activated "Rainbow Light Ball" will help keep kitty busy. There's also a really good website called the Indoor Cat Initiative with some great tips. www.vet.ohio-state.edu/indoorcat.htm
If your cat is urinating out of the box, please see your Veterinarian. There are many reasons why cats do this--litter preference, intimidation from another cat, inconvenient placement or not enough boxes. But, a urinary tract infection or crystals in the urine can be a reason as well. So please talk to your Vet. before assuming it's behavioral.
Having dealt with dealt with Separation Anxiety in one dog and Simone, the 9 year old puppy, I most definitely have an appreciation for interactive toys and of course toys that are just plain fun. I love helping friends and customers find the right toy for their pets. All of the toys in the shop are 20% off through November, so now's a good time to find the right toy for yours.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
