Making your home fun for your cat

If your cat spends all day, every day indoors, it could be at risk of “bored cat syndrome”. As cat people, you need to make sure that your home is full of fun things for our cats to do all day. Keeping your cat active will also prevent boredom and obesity.

Here are some fun things to add to your home to entertain a cat all day:
• Tall cat trees with shelves
• Carpeted shelving
• Runways around the rooms
• Window perches
• Hanging toys for your cat to try and catch
• Treat balls
• Hide a couple of healthy treats around the house (always find them when you get back to avoid rotten treats around the house)

Is the Barking Driving You Crazy?

All dogs have a voice whether it is barking, howling or yapping and some breeds speak more often than others. It’s important to choose the dog that’s right for your situation. As with any bad behavior, excessive barking can be managed, if controlled early.

Dog breeds that bark a lot
• Beagle
• Yorkshire Terrier
• Cairn Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier
• Chihuahua

If your pet is sitting quietly, you can always reward them with pets and treats. If your pet is barking you can teach them the “quiet” command. If the barking continues even with training, ignore them until they quiet down.

Cat Bad Habits

Examples of unwanted cat behavior:
• scratching,
• biting,
• climbing on benches,
• playing at night,
• talking

Cats need scratching posts to help renew their sharp claws. To prevent your cat from scratching at the carpet or furniture, keep tall, carpeted scratching posts near its favorite resting spots. Give positive reinforcement through praises and treats when your cat uses the scratching post. Place plastic covering over the areas you don’t want them to scratch. Eventually your cat will learn where the right places are to scratch.

Play biting is a bad habit that can continue onto adulthood if not fixed. As kittens learn what is right and wrong behavior, it is always a good idea to wear long-sleeve clothing to prevent yourself being scratched or bitten. Use pole-like toys and avoid your hands being used as toys. When your kitten plays well, praise it and give it treats. When your kitten plays roughly, stop playing and walk away. It’s always important to play gently and avoid any rough play like wrestling from the start.

As in the wild, cats tend to climb to the highest spots so that they can see everything that is going on. So, it is natural behavior for your cat to want to climb onto the kitchen benches and cupboards. This is not a good idea for cats – cats can transfer dirt and bugs onto the kitchen area, it is difficult to reach the cat if you need to, and you cannot observe its behavior at tall heights. To prevent your cats from climbing, provide it with tall, indoor scratching poles and cat trees and place catnip, treats or toys to encourage it to climb.

Cats, being nocturnal animals, are naturally more active at night. If cats don’t get enough exercise and play during the day, they can disturb you at night when everyone is asleep. So, remember to give your cat plenty of exercise of at least 20 minutes a day and playtime before bedtime, to prevent it from waking you at night.

Some cats are very talkative. Breeds such as Siamese and Burmese cats are very vocal. Cat cries can mean that they are lonely, hungry, anxious, or bored. If your cat talks a lot after you have been away for a while, it usually means that it has been lonely. Try giving your cat plenty of toys and climbing posts for it to play with during the day. It is best not to give praise or treats following excessive vocalization as this can encourage talkative behavior. Wait until your cat is relaxed and calm and then give them attention or food.

Dog Bad Habits

Examples of unwanted dog behavior:
• playing biting,
• chewing,
• barking,
• tail chasing,
• licking,
• jumping up,
• digging.

Chewing can occur for a number of reasons – teething, boredom, or anxiety. Most dogs have all their adult teeth by 2 years of age. Teething should definitely stop by this age. If teething is a problem, give your pet ice cubes to help alleviate any discomfort that they may be experiencing. Bored dogs can also show bad habits such as chewing, barking, or digging. These pets need more exercise and toys to help entertain them throughout the day. If no one is home during the day, dogs that are left alone may benefit from a dog walker to help alleviate any boredom they may experience during the day. Anxious dogs can chew everything and anything when left alone. If a pet is to be left for long periods of time it is important that they are left with chew-proof toys. Exercise and training can help reduce anxiety. Making sure that you do not make a big fuss about leaving and returning will also help your pet to remain calm.

Inter-dog Aggression and Owner-Directed Aggression

If your dog shows aggression towards other dogs when walked, you may want to make note of the following tips to prevent problems:
- Avoid high-density dog areas
- Avoid hours that are popular for dog walking
- If you see a dog up ahead, create space between you and them
- Use head collars to help control your pet
- Use a short non-retractable leash



Owner-directed Aggression

This form of aggression is highly dangerous to you and your family and should be taken very seriously. If this occurs, schedule an appointment with a qualified veterinary behavioralist to help get this under control sooner or later.

Basic tips for handling this dog include avoiding these pets when sleeping, eating, toileting or nursing.

How to Prevent Birds from Biting When Being Handled

Just like our cats and dogs, birds should not be punished for bad behavior such as biting. Punishment can lead to increased aggression, fear, apathy, and avoidance behaviors. It’s important to see through the eyes of the bird and determine whether it bites out of fear, aggression or avoidance.

Tips to handling a bird that bites
• Use a wooden perch and teach your bird “up” and “off”.
• Reward the bird with tiny treats
• Once the bird is comfortable on the perch, use this as a means to move your bird.
• Eventually, train your bird “up” and “off” on your still hand.

A bird can just as easily learn that certain behaviors will be followed by a positive reinforcement.

Car Sickness

Motion sickness does occur in dogs and usually occurs very shortly into a car ride. Dogs typically start drooling and then vomit. It’s important to get your dog used to car rides from a young age. Letting them sit in a car for a few minutes a day will help them to be calm and associate the car with a good experience. Once your pet is comfortable with the car, you can then gradually introduce short car rides.

If your pet is older and does not seem to be acclimatizing to the car, you can always talk to your veterinarian about motion sickness medication.

Important Tips for Kids and their Pets

Pets are an important part of life for over 60% of the US population and children can benefit immensely from the bond they form with their pets. Unfortunately, serious dog bites, cat scratches, and other pet-related diseases still occur in children predominantly 4-9 years of age.

Pets' Playground - Playing Safe In a Dog-and-Cat World, published by the American Animal Hospital Association, is an essential resource to help keep kids safe while benefiting from the human animal bond. The book can be viewed here.

Pets' Playground teaches children about:
· Pet behavior and feelings
· Pet toys and playtime
· Healthy meals and treats for pets
· Good pet care and responsibility
· Creepy crawlies that pets and kids need to avoid
· Household safety and poisonous plants
· Visits to the vet
· And more!

More fun pet games at Kids and Pet Safety

Drooling

Dogs can drool for many reasons:
• Nervousness
• Excitement
• In anticipation of food
• Breed-related

To save your carpet, furniture and clothing from drool, try to wipe your pets mouth regularly, use chew toys to help them swallow more to soak up any excessive saliva.

If you pet has started to drool suddenly, seek medical attention as it may be a sign of nausea, anxiety, or painful teeth.

My Dog Keeps Pulling on its Leash

It’s not unusual for the excited dog to pull on its leash when walked. Unfortunately, this can put a lot of pressure on their neck. Gentle Leaders are a great solution for preventing pulling. The Gentle Leader attaches to the collar and wraps around the muzzle.

Taking your pet to obedience class can also help your dog learn to walk calmly.

My Dog is Attracted to Smelly Things

Unfortunately, like their wild counterparts, dogs are attracted to smelly things like dead animals, manure, droppings, and garbage. It’s not fully known why they do it, but there are some tips to help prevent it from happening:
• Keep your pet fenced in your yard
• Pick up droppings in the yard
• Secure trash so they cannot gain access even when it is knocked over
• Keep your pet on a leash when walking
• Train your pet to come and stay so that you can avoid them rolling in smelly things

Why do my dog’s teeth chatter?

Teeth chattering is not all that uncommon and it is often an indication of excitement or nervousness. If your pet has been doing it all their life, it’s probably just an old habit. If your dog suddenly starts to do this, you should have its teeth checked by the veterinarian. Dog’s can start chattering if their have dental disease like swollen or bleeding gums, broken teeth, oral masses.

Steps to Appropriate Play with your Dog

1. Provide plenty of exercise
2. Provide mental stimulation with puzzle toys such as the KONG
3. Interactive games such as fetch
4. Teach basic commands
5. Ignore bad behavior
6. Promote socialization with other dogs

How to Stop Bad Play Behavior

1. Ignore your pet if it is showing bad behavior towards you i.e. barking, jumping up
2. Distract your pet with the right toys if it is chewing on the wrong toy
3. Speak up with a ‘No’ if your pet is doing something wrong
4. Keep your pet on a leash to help maintain focus
5. Use head halters for better control
6. Consider muzzles in extreme cases to prevent biting injuries
7. Give time-out as a last resort if your pet won’t stop the bad behavior

Avoid punishment!

And, always seek professional advice from your local veterinarian.

Normal Puppy Play Behavior

Normal puppy play consists of chasing, pouncing, and barking. But, it is important to understand early signs of aggression so that it can be addressed.

Normal puppy play
Play bow (lower its head and raise its back end)
Tail wagging
Dart back and forth
High-pitched barks
Play growls
Play-attack on command

Aggressive Behavior
Deep-tone growl
Fixed gaze
Stiff posture
Spontaneous attack

If your puppy is showing early signs of aggression, seek professional advice from your veterinarian on how to handle it, sooner than later.

Latest research on the bond between baby and dog

Babies may very well know what your dog is trying to say. A recent study done at Brigham Young University looked into infants less than 6 months of age and their reaction to angry and friendly barks. Based on the research that emotions are one of the first things babies pick up on in their social world, they put this to the test.

Study participants were all from households that lived with dogs. Babies were shown a friendly or angry picture of a dog and were observed to see how they would react when the angry or friendly bark was played.

Researchers noted that babies spent most of their time staring at the photo that matched the bark.

Ever thought your pet looked guilty for doing something wrong?

Before you tell your pet off for doing something wrong or looking guilty, read on. Dogs are very good at picking up human emotions. When you’re sad, happy, or fearful, dogs can pick up on it. A recent study done at Barnard College in New York looked into how owners interpreted their dogs’ expressions. Owners were told that their dog has stolen a treat (when they hadn’t) and were asked to react how they would normally. Owners that reprimanded their pet thought they were seeing a look of guilt from their pet, when in fact their pet was expressing unhappiness from the owner’s disappointment. It was concluded that the effect of scolding was more pronounced when dogs were obedient, not disobedient.

Preventing Dog Bites

Nearly 1 million Americans require medical attention annually following dog bite inuries.

Most of these injuries occur in children aged between 5-9 years and a significantly higher incidence in boys than girls.






It is important to teach children basic safety and dog behaviour so they can avoid being bitten.
• Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.
• Do not run from a dog and scream.
• Remain still if approached by an unfamiliar dog.
• If knocked over by a dog, be still and quiet.
• Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
• Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.
• Avoid staring into the eyes of a dog.
• Do not disturb a dog who is sleeping, eating, or nursing puppies.
• Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
• If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.

Further statistics at CDC

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety is a behavioral condition that occurs when dogs are separated from their owner. Dogs can demonstrate destructive behavior such as chewing furniture, barking, escaping from the home, digging through doors, urinating or defecating in the home when left alone.

It is estimated that 17% or 10.7 million dogs in the US suffer from Separation Anxiety.

How to prevent separation anxiety:
• From a young age teach your pet to be comfortable with alone time
• Leave your pet something to play with such as toys or other play mates
• Leave the music or radio on at home
• Avoid over-enthusiastic hellos and goodbyes
• Reward your pet when they are behaving calm

If your pet is showing signs of separation anxiety, contact your local veterinarian for specific tips for your pet. In worst case scenarios, medication may be prescribed to accompany behaviour modification techniques.

Why Does Dog Urine Stain the Lawn?

As with humans, animals have high levels of nitrogen in their urine. This high nitrogen can burn and kill grass.

The safest way to minimise urine stain is to:
Provide a gravel area and train your dog to toilet there; or
Pouring water over the urine immediately after your dog has gone. This will dilute the nitrogen effects.

Holistic additives that are fed to pets to reduce the urine staining can be detrimental to some pets, causing crystals or stones to build up in the bladder.