PET TIPS:
=> Give your pets positive reinforcement - so they will want to do what makes you happy with them
=> Brush your dog's teeth at least twice a week - use a toothpaste for dogs - there are harmful ingredients for dogs in human
toothpaste - put some toothpaste on the brush and let the dog lick it off to get used to it
=> Take your pets to the vet for regular check-ups, and keep their shots up to date
=> Make sure your dog/cat is legally licensed and registered in your county and/or city. Get an ID tag, and put in a
microchip ID if you can afford it - many shelters and stores will do this for you at no charge when you get your
dog from the facility. Have current rabies tags on as well. Keep all this on a collar on the animal. If your dog gets lost, people
can refer to the tags and find a way to get hold of you. This happened recently to us - the puppy ran off several times, being
unfamiliar to the new house and area, but the times we didn't know he had gone, the people who found him and called the old
animal control number and the rabies tag was the way they found us. We hadn't had a chance to get new tags or ID for him yet, but
be assured he's up to date now!
=> Keep your birds away from the kitchen - some odors can litterally kill them. When cooking with
Teflon, for instance, the fumes from the pan can be deadly to birds.
=> For a quick food for your dog, in case you run out of food - boil some rice and add some meat and fruits or
veggies - see what's in your fridge. Don't use corn, but broccoli is good, beans, blueberries, etc. Don't
give onion, garlic, grapes, macadamia nuts, or raisins to your dog. These, along with
chocolate, can cause harmful effects to your dog, even so bad as to kill him. Stay away from lots of fat as well -
it can cause severe inflammation.
=> Have a puppy? They love to be wild, play hard, chew and all. We found a
great "toy" for our puppy and he can spend an hour at a time with it - and it's
cheap! Get a 3 liter soda bottle and empty it, then screw the cap back on -
it rolls in a wind or with any push. The puppy loves to try to pounce it or catch
it, but he can't catch it until his mouth gets much bigger than the bottle. He can't grasp his teeth
on pretty much any part of the bottle - the air inside won't let it collapse.
He just jumps it, rolls over it, bats it (and it goes rolling away or flipping
up), chases it and barks at it. What a great pastime! Be sure to remove all
of the labeling before letting him play - so he won't try to eat it or choke. When it
does get a break, throw it away (recycle it) so he doesn't figure out how to chew it apart
or eat it - keep an eye on him while he plays with it.
=> Find a dog food that does not contain corn or cornmeal (corn gluten appears to be ok) - that is a major
ingredient in most dry dog foods - but corn is not useful in a dog's diet, and
not really digested - just eliminated as waste. Why spend money buying food
that is not food to a dog? Why buy food that makes you have to scoop more poop?
=> Make sure to punish your pet at the same time he misbehaves - he doesn't
process old information. If she pees on the floor - you need to catch her as
she does it and say "no" at the same time you put her outside - then when she finishes
peeing outside, say "good." Don't find the pee later and stick the pet's face in
it and say "no" - it is already forgotten about and the poor pet doesn't
understand you.
=> Make sure to be consistent with your pets. Use the same command and preferably the
same tone of voice when talking to them. Make the commands simple, like
"out" or "back" or "room" to go to a certain area. Use the same word each time,
and encourage others to do so. They will soon understand what you mean, and
will do it willingly, to please you. Dogs are especially receptive to tones and words.
=> If you want less stools to clean up from your dog(s), then you should
feed your pet a premium type of dog food or cat food. The cheap ones just pass through
and have a lot of matter that cannot be digested - you are actually
paying more for the waste product than if you pay more for pet food that is
more digestible. Your dog and/or cat will be healthier and happier, too.
Our finicky eater dog will eat nothing else, and her health came back to
normal. We thought she had a digestive defect but once she started on
her super premium all natural food, she gained weight and began to eat normally.
=> If your dog is sick or older, and having accidents, not in control of
his/her bowels and/or bladder, or is having a "period" with messy
bleeding, you might benefit from doggy diapers. They aren't
necessarily easy to find, or economically priced, so you can make
your own. Get some of the products for elderly or bladder-problem
people from the local department store, or even diapers for babies –
see which size seems more compatible for your dog. We got the
small adult sized ones for my 65 pound dog. Then just cut a tail
hole in the "diaper" and tape it on. Less household mess – but more
daily cleansing needed for the dog.
=> Make sure to keep identification on your pets, in case they ever get away. Take them on walks
in your neighborhood so they will recognize it - in case they get away, they will know how to
get back.
=> NEVER leave your pets locked up in the car while you go somewhere - it takes only minutes for
the temperature to climb to deadly levels. If you must, make sure to crack open at least two
windows for air circulation, park in the shade, make sure there is water for your pet - and be gone for ONLY
a couple of minutes. (I know the intent may be good to be gone for a couple of minutes, but
sometimes it ends up being longer - at least the pet has a chance of being ok if there is
moving air and water.) The same goes for children - NEVER leave anyone - person or pet -
in a closed up car.
=> If you have a fussy eater in your pet, try different types of nutritious pet
foods (don't give leftovers as you will spoil the pet and it might refuse to
try pet food), and feed it small amounts frequently during the day, with
personal attention, encouraging the pet to eat. You might flavor it a little
more with broth to help.
=> Use POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT on your pet - praise and give treats when the pet
does the right thing. Don't scold, and don't scold often. It is more effective.
If the pet knows more love from you, and wants the praise and affection, he/she
will be more hurt when scolded, and it will not want to hear that tone of
your voice. You won't even need to "spank" the pet - your voice will be plenty
sufficient.
=> Your dog's teeth need to be brushed, so you should brush them yourself (yes,
there are dog toothbrushes and toothpaste which isn't harmful), have your
vet do an occasional cleaning, or give the dog lots of hard chew toys and
rope, plus chew hooves or other hard treats to chew on. The rope and hard
treats work through the teeth, grinding off plaque with the hard bits that
are abrasive, and the rope can work like floss if played hard with. Dogs can
have teeth problems just as we do, especially if you give them leftovers from
dinner - there is sugar in the foods we eat.
=> If you keep your dogs in a backyard and work away from home - consider putting a lock on the
gate. Curious kids and malicious people are known to open gates to either check out
your dog or to purposely let the dog out. This happened to my dog below and
he was hit by a car, ran to hide, was chased by the humane society someone had called
in, and was both severly injured and traumatized. The cost was huge to care for
him. After that we put locks on the gate and it's been a huge relief.
=> To easily teach your dog to catch things from the air, or to want to
catch a ball or frisbee in flight, start with having him try to catch popped
popcorn (perhaps flavor it if he's not a popcorn fan) - it floats slower and
gives him time to figure out how to catch it. Do not feed him much, though,
since corn is not good for a dog's diet.
=> During this holiday season, refrain from giving chocolate to your dogs and
pets. It can be quite toxic, if the dog has enough of it. In any case, it's
not healthy, it's bad for teeth, and it encourages a love of sweets.
=>Pet Tips Continued Here.
