Archive: June 30, 2022

How to prevent Separation anxiety in Dogs

We have a tendency to treat our pets like babies, and sometimes that creates separation anxiety in dogs.

Humans have a desire to nurture anything small, cute or helpless.

When a newborn human baby cries, the right thing to do is go to her and offer comfort, food, warmth or whatever she needs, right?

It makes sense that we also want to carry our pets around, keep them near us at all times and go to them when they cry.

We shower them with affection whenever they display signs of neediness. This is a way for us to express love and feel loved back.

But loving a puppy or dog in this way can actually do some harm. It often (not always) results in an anxious, overly dependent, needy and annoying dog.

Puppies and dogs are not babies. They are animals, and they have a right to be treated as animals.

How to prevent separation anxiety in dogs

This post has been expanded into an ebook filled with tips on how to stop a dog’s separation anxiety. order it here for $4.

What is dog separation anxiety?

Dogs with separation anxiety have not been conditioned to being left alone and therefore go into a frantic state of mind when separated from their owners (even when their owners are simply out of sight).

What is NOT dog separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety in dogs is overly diagnosed.

All dogs need a reasonable amount of time to adjust to a new home. most dogs will cry in their kennels for a bit for the first couple of nights or weeks, but then they settle in just fine once they adjust to the new routine.

Some dogs are said to have “separation anxiety” when really they just need:

trening
rules & training
a routine
time to adjust

A dog that is given little or no exercise, no mental stimulation (training or puzzle toys) and no time with a “pack” is going to be bored out of his mind.

Of course he’s going to bark, destroy property or rip apart his kennel when left alone. He has nothing else to do!

How do I know if my dog has separation anxiety?

In a past post, I outlined the symptoms of dog separation anxiety and the steps on how to help a dog with separation anxiety. Please check it out HERE.

In this post, I want to focus on preventing separation anxiety.

How do I prevent dog separation anxiety?

1. Do not carry your puppy everywhere.

A lot of small dogs develop separation anxiety because they are carried around all the time. They are literally treated like babies.

They never have to think for themselves. They are not encouraged to explore or be independent. They never learn proper socialization skills because their owners pick them up when the dogs are faced with anything new.

Some of these dogs become insecure, fearful and anxious without their owners in sight. Others become overly possessive of their owners and bite anyone who comes close. This can be prevented by treating the dog like a dog.

2. teach your puppy to “stay” for long periods of time.

All dogs should be able to lie down and stay for at least a half-hour, especially when there are no distractions such as when you are watching TV or checking email.

This helps drain some mental energy, builds confidence and self-control.

Teach your dog to stay on her “place” or “bed” while you leave the room.

If your dog doesn’t have the most reliable down-stay quite yet, keep working on it.

Start with just 2 seconds while you’re right next to your dog. then try 5 seconds and over time you can increase to 10 seconds, 15, 30. eventually you can take one step away and she should remain staying. then two steps.

It helps if you can give your dog a special chew toy like a Kong toy or a puzzle toy while she stays on her bed.

2. Do not pick your puppy up if she cries or jumps on you.

This is the kind of behavior you do not want to reward.

Unless she is truly in danger, completely ignore your dog when she cries or jumps on you for attention. Do not look at her. Do not scold her. get up and leave the room if you have to. Your attention is a reward, and she only gets it when she is being calm and quiet and respectful.

By the way, I’m not saying it’s wrong to pick up and cuddle your dog! but if you are worried she is becoming too dependent on you or if she’s showing signs of separation anxiety, setting these boundaries will help her gain confidence in the long term.

*Enjoying this article? get realistic dog training tips emailed once a week. Klikk her

3. Reward your dog with attention when she is calm and quiet.

A reward can be something as simple as eye contact, a pat on the head or a treat. but this is also a good time to pick your dog up!In the meantime, work on other ways to create temporary separation:

4. Purposely separate yourself from your puppy.

You and your dog will naturally want to be together, but you can’t be together all the time. It’s important to help puppies learn to feel comfortable being separated from you. Make sure you are creating these scenarios, even when you are home.

Some ideas to try for short periods:

Tether your dog to a chair or table and walk away.

Return only when she is quiet. This could take a few minutes. Heck, it could take an hour! If your puppy won’t stop crying, just wait her out and return when she has been quiet for even 3 seconds.

If she starts celebrating and barking as you approach, turn around and ignore her again until she is quiet. having your attention is the greatest reward for your dog.

Kennel your dog when you are home.

This could be for 10 minutes or an hour. It’s the same concept as above.

Only return when your dog is quiet. Kenneling your dog when you are home will also help her feel more comfortable in her kennel because she won’t associate it with you leaving the house.

Make sure to stock the kennel full of goodies like Kongs filled with frozen peanut butter and treats.

Shut doors behind you.

If you have a pup who follow you into the bathroom, then close the door in her face and make her wait for you. This is an easy way to create temporary separation. If she scratches at the door or cries, do not open the door. opening the door is too much of a reward.

Create boundaries.

Don’t let your puppy crawl into your lap unless she sits quietly first. Don’t let her sleep in your bed until she is a confident and well-trained dog. Puppies do not belong on the bed.

6. stick to the same routine before you leave your dog home alone.

Sticking to a routine when you leave will really help your dog feel secure. before you head to work, maybe you go for a 30-minute walk with your dog, then shower, then eat breakfast, then put her in her kennel and then do your makeup.

Dogs really depend on a routine to help them feel secure.

7. ignore your dog 20 minutes before you leave and 10 minutes after you return.

Making an event out of coming or going confirms that being apart was bad.

Being apart is not bad, it’s normal.

So, completely ignore your dog before you leave the house (just for 10 minutes or so). Don’t talk to her. Don’t make eye contact. Don’t even look at her. Drawn-out goodbyes will only make her feel anxious. She will pick up on your feelings of guilt.

When you return, do the same. Do not look at her or acknowledge her at all (this is hard!). If she is barking in her kennel, that gives you even more reason to ignore her.

If you don’t kennel your dog and she greets you by jumping and crying, walk into another room like she doesn’t exist.

Return when she is relaxed. If you know she can’t relax, then simply have a Kong toy filled with peanut butter you can drop on the floor as you walk in the door and into another room, ignoring her.

Return in 5 or 10 minutes. This is the perfect time to take her for a walk.

8. Leave your puppy with a friend.

If you have an understanding friend who loves dogs, sometimes it helps if you can leave your dog with a friend for an hour here and there. This helps the dog associate positive experiences with people other than you.

If you are the primary caretaker of your dog, it can also be helpful to have other family members step up and take over some of the important roles like feeding the dog, training sessions, play or walks.

This is especially important if your dog seems overly attached to you vs. other family members or roommates.

Tip: Dogs usually love whoever takes them for walks!

9. Leave your puppy at a dog daycare occasionally.

I’m not saying you have to take your dog to dog daycare every day or every week, but it’s good for dogs to get out and stretch their boundaries every now and then without their owners hovering.

It’s good for the owners, too! It’s so hard for me to leave Ace somewhere overnight, but I know it’s good for me! I’m probably the one with separation anxiety.

10. Make sure all of your dog’s needs are being met.

Dogs that are not given any physical, mental or emotional challenges on a daily basis will likely be very anxious, hyperactive and “crazy” dogs.

Be fair to your dog and provide her with the daily exercise and training she needs. spend time with her. stretch her boundaries. and never assume that small dogs or “lazy” breeds do not need exercise. De gjør.

I fostered a Pomeranian mix named Elli who came to us with severe separation issues.

HoW hjalp jeg Elli?

Jeg tok henne sykling hver dag for å bli kvitt hennes opphentede energi. Hun var omtrent 9 kilo, og hun ville løpe 2 mil ved siden av sykkelen min uten problemer! Hun elsket det!

For mer informasjon, se innlegget mitt om vanlige kilder for hundeangst og hva jeg skal gjøre!

Hvilke ekstra tips har du for å forhindre separasjonsangst hos hunder?

Separasjonsangst er veldig tidkrevende for å korrigere. Det er stressende for eieren, hunden og alle andre familiemedlemmer og kjæledyr – og naboer!

*Koser du deg med denne artikkelen? Få realistiske tips om hundetrening e -post en gang i uken. Klikk her

Lindsay Stordahl er grunnleggeren av den Mutt. Hun skriver om hundetrening, hundeøvelse og fôring av et sunt rå kosthold.

Is it Cruel to Dock a Puppy’s Tail?

Is it cruel to dock a puppy’s tail?

No, it’s not cruel, but it is unnecessary for most dogs.

Docking a puppy’s tail indicates to remove a portion of the tail, normally when the pup is only a few days old.

Breeds such as cocker spaniels and Rottweilers generally have their tails docked in the United States. (Tail docking is illegal in some countries.)

I bring this topic up because we have a Weimaraner puppy. His tail was docked when he was just a few days old.

His tail meets the American Kennel Club’s breed conventional for the Weimaraner:

“Tail: Docked. At maturity it must measure around 6 inches with a tendency to be light rather than heavy and must be carried in a manner expressing confidence and sound temperament. A non-docked tail shall be penalized.”

I knew our breeder would be docking our puppy’s tail (she does it herself). If that were a problem for me, I would’ve gotten a puppy someplace else.

Why are some dogs’ tails docked in the United States?

You’re going to get a different answer depending on who you ask and what breed you’re referring to.

I’m no breed expert, but here are some straightforward reasons for docking a dog’s tail:

To meet the AKC’s breed conventional (see the Weim example above)
To help a working pet dog do her job or to stop injury on the job. For example, a Weimaraner’s thin, whiplike tail could be split open while working in heavy brush.
Americans like the look of a docked tail on some breeds because that’s what we’re used to seeing (cocker spaniels, Rottweilers, etc.)

If you’re an expert on a certain breed, I’d appreciate it if you could share why your breed generally has a docked tail.

Every breed is different. Here are a few examples:

Tail docking for vizslas as working dogs

The vizsla is a reddish-colored hunting pet dog bred for pointing and retrieving. The breed has a lot of similarities to a Weimaraner.

According to breeder Florence Duggan, the vizsla’s tail is generally docked in the united states for safety reasons.

“A long tail could easily get broken while running through thick underbrush and in a heavily wooded area,” she said. “The same reasoning is used for the removal of dew claws.”

Now, injuring the tail in the field might sound silly if you never take your pet dog hunting. Until you’ve seen a severe tail injury like I have, I think it’s hard to understand this can be a real worry for some breeds. a lot more on that below.

Tail docking for Parson Russell terriers

Annette Gilliam is a breeder of Parson Russell terriers, another breed with a generally docked tail in the united states due to its history as a working dog. Her dogs are not pictured, but you can view her web site here.

She said historically the Parson Russell terrier was developed to go on fox hunts in England.

The “terrier-man” would carry the terrier in a bag while riding horseback running with the fox hound, she said. When the fox would go into a hole in the ground to hide, the terrier-man would take the terrier out and it would run into the hole after the fox to make it come out.

She said if the fox and the terrier did not come out of the hole, the terrier-man would dig and pull the terrier out by the tail. This is why they wanted the tail to be as long as a man’s hand.

Today, it’s illegal to use dogs for fox hunting in England, and Gilliam said she doesn’t know any individual who goes fox hunting in the U.S.

“It is not physically needed to dock tails now anywhere,” she said. “Some people like the look so they still do it.”

How is tail docking usually done?

Gilliam said she docks the Parson Russell terrier pups herself when they are between 3 and 5 days old, although she often leaves tails undocked depending on who is getting the puppies.

“You clamp a hemostat where you want to dock, wait 1 to 2 minutes for circulation to cease, then cut with sharp scissors below the hemostat,” she said. “They never bleed.”

Is this uncomfortable for the puppies? Jeg spurte.

“Some puppies yelp when the hemostat is first applied, but then they stop,” she said. “Some don’t notice. They don’t feel the cut because the nerves are numbed by the hemostat.”

This isn’t the only way it’s done.Our puppy’s breeder sends me pictures of the pups every day, and by day 3 the little person had a band securely bound around the idea of his tail.

I have to say this was a bit traumatizing for me at first. but a few days later, the idea appeared to have already fallen off (or maybe it was cut off), seemingly no big deal.

She sends me videos of the puppies snuggling with mommy nearly daily, and they always appear peaceful, fat and happy.

Tail docking through a veterinarianDuggan said some vizsla breeders also dock the tails themselves but a lot of use the services of a vet and have tails docked and dew claws removed at the same time.

I asked her if vets usually use anesthesia for the tail docking procedure.

“Some vets do use a local anesthetic,” she said. “But lots of feel that if it is done at 3 days of age the pain is minimal and there is no need for anesthesia. The risks of being anesthetized outweigh the minimal pain.”

Gilliam also knows of breeders who like to go through a veterinarian and some who like to do it themselves.

“I think that people who don’t breed much are a lot more likely to go to a vet or have an experienced breeder pal do it for them,” she said.

In her case, she said she had a pal and mentor who would come and do the tail docking until she learned the technique herself.

The time I witnessed a tail injury

One of the reasons frequently cited for tail docking is to stop injury in the field for hunting dogs. I think this is a legit concern, depending on the kind of work you plan to make with your dog.

I’ve never witnessed a pet dog being injured in the field (I don’t hunt), but years ago I worked at a boarding kennel and one of the dogs there – a yellow lab with a whip of a tail – would hit her tail on the chain link sides of her pen until it bled.

We tried to secure her by hanging blankets, but one afternoon I walked by her pen and observed blood anywhere and as I got closer I saw she had split the tail so that the top 3 inches was dangling, split ideal through the bone.

Imagine if you were to chop down a tree, striking it through the middle and for a split second it hangs before dividing in two.

The top 3 inches of her tail was dangling, bone exposed.

I took her to the vet of course, trying to hold her tail at the base in the lobby to keep her still.

The vet took one look at the pup and right away said the tail would have to be amputated; that was the first time I heard the term “happy tail.”

I’ve heard it lots of times since.

My own pet dog Ace hits his tail on the walls by the front door and about every two years or so blood splatters everywhere. It’s never a big deal and never requires veterinary attention, but he does tend to injure his tail.

Maybe it’s a lab thing. Funny, Labs are not a breed with traditionally docked tails.

My opinion on tail docking

I’m not trying to justify tail docking one way or the other. I think it’s a matter of individual opinion and checking out your lifestyle with your own special dog.

Most of the time, tail docking is purely cosmetic (and silly). but like I said, our puppy’s tail is already docked, and I really could care less. If it were up to me, he’d have a long tail but I respect our breeder’s wishes.

To each her own.

Update: I do want to mention one final point. one of my regular readers Sean pointed out in the comments below that dogs use their tails to communicate!

Their tails are so crucial for expressing probably even a lot more than we realize, especially when they’re greeting one another. I agree with him this is an crucial aspect to consider and a strong reason lots of pet dog lovers oppose tail docking.

OK, now I’d love to hear your thoughts …

Hva tror du? Is it cruel to dock a puppy’s tail? Or is it still important?

Let me know!

Relaterte innlegg:

Do rescues spay/neuter puppies too young?

Should I have my cat declawed?

Is spaying and neutering the ideal choice for my dog?

What you need to know about ear cropping – (from PuppyLeaks.com)

Hundens første tur til havet

hundens første tur til havet

Familien min og jeg flyttet 2000 mil over hele landet forrige uke fra Fargo, N.D., til Solana Beach, California. Hvordan reise i tre hele dager med en hjørnetann og to katter (i en liten bil) må være et kommende innlegg.

Foreløpig er her noen bilder av Mutt essens første gang på stranden. Han er selvfølgelig en ekte vannkan og elsker å dykke hodet først inn i enhver vannkilde – den røde elven, Lake Superior, et kiddy basseng eller Stillehavet.

Mens mange av dere kjenner meg som løper, svømmer mine sterkere idretter og rugby. Jeg spilte for Minnesota U-23 Rugby-teamet på college, og jeg var en konkurrerende svømmer på videregående.

Da jeg adopterte ess, ønsket jeg spesifikt en hund som elsket vannet som meg, og ung gutt fikk jeg en! Han og jeg har hatt mange vanneventyr i Midtvesten, og vi kan ikke vente med å legge nye eventyr på listen vår.

God gutt, ess. Takk for at du er en så god reisekompis, eventyrsøker og venn.

Er hunden din en “vannhund”?

(Jeg synes drittvesken på bildene er en god touch.)

Forbereder hunden din til en baby – Spørsmål og svar med Maggie Marton fra Oh My Canine Blog

Jeg har vært så takknemlig for bloggerne som har delt forslagene og erfaringene sine for å forberede hundene sine til babyer.

I dag deler Maggie Marton, bloggeren bak Oh My Dog!, Familiens opplevelse med babyen deres, Violet, som ble med i familien i fjor.

For alle meldingene mine i denne serien, klikk her.

Forbereder hunden din til en baby

Violet og Cooper

Den mutt: Da du tenkte på hundene dine med fiolett, var det spesielle treningsområder du ønsket å fokusere på?

Maggie Marton: Cooper er ikke den mest selvsikre mannen rundt, så jeg ville være sikker på at han følte seg komfortabel rundt alle babyens ting – rockerne, svingen og alt som gjorde støy.

Vi adopterte datteren vår, men mens vi skulle gjennom adopsjonspreparasjonen, begynte vi å sette opp noen få baby ting her og der for å få ham vant til severdigheter og lukter. Totalt sett var det ganske enkelt et spørsmål om at han ble vant til utstyret før hun kom.

(Se at Mutts innlegg: nye severdigheter, lyder og lukter.)

TM: Da du forberedte hundene dine til fiolett, var det noe som overrasket deg eller noen oppførsel eller reaksjoner du ikke forventet av hundene dine?

Maggie: Vi hadde faktisk ikke tid til å forberede Coop for hennes ankomst! Vi adopterte Violet, og vi fikk oppfordringen om at fødselen hennes var i arbeid … og fire timer senere holdt vi den fantastiske babyjenta vår!

Når hun kom, var det imidlertid det som overrasket meg mest – spesielt med tanke på hans manglende selvtillit – hvordan han med en gang tok til henne.

Jeg vet at vi er heldige med dette, men det var øyeblikkelig for ham. Han ble født for å være Violets “Big Brother.”

TM: Hvilke ting gjorde du som var mest verdifulle for hundene dine?

Maggie: Den mest verdifulle tingen, og det jeg forteller absolutt alle, er å holde rutinen deres nøyaktig den samme.

Da Violet ble født, avtok vår eldre hund, Emmett,. Han døde kort tid etterpå, men for ham og for høyenergi-Cooper sørget vi for at de ble matet med det samme som alltid, gikk det samme som alltid, koset og lekte med, og-viktigst for Cooper-tukket i seng med seng med seng med oss som alltid.

(Se at Mutts innlegg: Hvordan få hjørnetannen min vant til en ny rutine.)

Maggie, Violet og Cooper

Vi ønsket ikke at verken hjørnetann skulle føle seg fordrevet, selv om det antydet å be en venn eller familiemedlem om å sitte med babyen slik at vi kunne gå dem rundt blokka.

TM: Hva er dine beste forslag til kjæledyrforeldre som forventer et menneskelig tillegg?

Maggie: Ikke forvent mye mer av hjørnetannen din enn det som er fornuftig eller at de er i stand til. Din hjørnetann vet ikke iboende hvordan du skal oppføre seg rundt en baby. Jobben din som forelder til både kjæledyret og mennesket er å holde dem både trygge, sunne og lykkelige.

Hvordan det ser ut vil være annerledes for hver familie. Noen hunder, som coop, tar til rollen best borte. Andre må kanskje ha forskjellige grenser satt opp (som babyporter, en matte osv.) For å holde begge babes trygge.

Og det sier praktisk talt seg selv, uansett hvor god hunden din er, la aldri valpen din være i fred, uten tilsyn med babyen din. Noensinne. For hvilken som helst grunn. Selv om det innebærer å holde spedbarnet ditt mens du tisser.

Det er hjerteskjærende når ulykker skjer fordi hjørnetann alltid betaler prisen, så metode hver interaksjon med en overflod av forsiktighet.

TM: Er det noe annet du vil legge til?

Maggie: Ikke bekymre deg for å bjeffe! Babyer har hørt det gjennom hele tiden i livmoren, og til og med i vårt tilfelle fra dag én er litt bjeffende bare absorberes i bakgrunnen.

Nå, 9 måneder gammel, kan hun holde seg i søvn, lur som en liten engel, selv om dørklokken ringer og coop går bonkers bare fordi hun er så vant til det. Det samme gjelder å kjøre vakuum, blender osv. Det er som å kondisjonere hundene dine!

Takk, Maggie!

Du kan lese mye mer om Maggie og hennes flokk på åh hunden min!

Spesielt sjekk ut:

2018 Pet Blogger Challenge Post

Violets introduksjon

Balansere arbeid med foreldrer og mennesker

Julia Thomson opprettholder bloggen hjem på 129 dekar hvor hun skriver om sine eventyr fra Country Living og DIY -renovering. Hun og ektefellen bor på en 129 mål stor gård i Ontario, Canada. Følg Julia på Twitter her og Instagram her.

Hvilket dyrehjem eller redningsgruppe er din favoritt?

Du kan vinne en donasjon på $ 500 for den gruppen

Merk: Dette er et sponset innlegg. Les mye mer for å lære hvordan du kan vinne $ 500 for ditt favoritt dyrehjem.

Jeg nominerte nylig min favoritt redningsgruppe for Canine Nations “Best Friend’s Friend” -konkurranse.

Nominasjoner blir akseptert nå gjennom slutten av 2014, og avstemningen begynner i januar.

Gruppen med flest stemmer i slutten av februar vil vinne en donasjon på 500 dollar. Og det er andre- og tredjeplasspremier også. Lett nok, ikke sant?

Dognation.net er et nettsted for hundeinformasjon vedlikeholdt av Canine Lover Rodney Blow, og jeg har inngått et samarbeid med ham for å promotere konkurransen hans og noen av dine favoritt redninger og tilfluktsrom.

Hvis du nominerer et ly eller redning, gi meg beskjed, så vil jeg inneholde gruppen din og hva som gjør det tydelig her på thatmutt.com.

“Jeg tror virkelig på hva mange tilfluktsrom og redninger gjør, og innser også at de mye mer penger de kan få inn, de mye flere hunder og andre dyr de kan hjelpe,” sa Rodney.

Så han ber deg om å nominere favorittgruppene dine. Du kan gjøre det her.

Mer om “Beste vennens venn” -konkurranse

Jeg nominerte en gruppe som heter California Labradors, Retrievers & More, og prosessen var veldig enkel. Det tok omtrent 2 minutter.

Nominasjonsskjemaet ber om navnet på ly eller redning, gruppens nettsted, din e -postadresse og ditt første og etternavn. Du vil motta en e -post for å bekrefte nominasjonen din.

Sjulet eller redningen må ha et nettsted og skal være en ideell organisasjon på 501 (c) (3).

Premiene

Avstemningen vil finne sted i januar og februar på dognation.net.

Premiene inkluderer:

Første plass: $ 500 donasjon

Andreplass: $ 300 donasjon

Tredjeplass: $ 100 donasjon

Donasjonene vil bli gitt i navnet til personen som nominerte gruppen, ifølge Canine Nation.

Så hvilken gruppe vil du nominere?

Når du har nominert din favoritt redning eller ly, kan du legge igjen en kommentar for å gi meg beskjed eller skyte meg en e -post på lindsay@thatmutt.com. Jeg vil inneholde gruppen og arbeidet det gjør her på Thatmutt.com.

Jeg nominerte laboratorier og mye mer av San Diego på grunn av arbeidet det gjør for å redde laboratorier og andre hunder fra krisesentre med høyt drap i Sør-California. It also has a sensible adoption process (not too picky), which is essential for getting dogs into good homes.

The canine imagined at the top of this post is a lab mix named Tyler, up for adoption with Labs & More.

Hvilken gruppe vil du nominere?

My feline is fat

My feline Beamer has a food obsession, as well as that’s putting it lightly. He will eat everything.

I’ve discovered “the real-life Garfield” with his head in the butter container (that he opened). He has stolen frozen steaks off our counter, as well as we have to keep kid locks on our food cupboard. All garbage containers should stay behind closed doors or else!

We can’t store any type of fruits or vegetables on the counters like typical people. Beamer (he’s the cream-colored cat) has eaten entire avocados, tomatoes, raw potatoes as well as apples.

We utilized to try leaving things out, thinking, He won’t truly eat a banana, will he? now we understand the response is always, always yes. And if you fail to remember to put your plate away while you head out of the room, just presume your sandwich will be gone.

Beamer even ate an entire cob of corn, including the cob. Ace got blamed for that a person (“There’s no way a feline …”) up until Beamer puked up the cob a few hours later.

Obviously Beamer has a few issues.

Cat health

Beamer has always been on a restricted diet, however this week we chose to truly fracture down on not leaving filthy dishes in the sink or any type of crumbs on the counters at all. Every scrap truly does add up over the program of the day, as well as count on me, this feline is always on kitchen area duty. He even licks the floor. since of it, he’s a great pound overweight, which is a great deal when you’re 14 pounds.

I’ve discovered that home cats in general are extremely likely to be overweight. For one thing, cats are lazy – my two sleep a great 16 to 18 hours a day. Second, feline owners don’t need their cats to do anything active.

Sure, an indoor feline is likely to online longer since he’s less likely to get impounded or run over, however we are actually killing our indoor cats by enabling them to ended up being obese.

Exercise is just as essential for cats as it is for people as well as dogs. Cats are less expensive as well as simpler to obtain, care for as well as get rid of than dogs, so it’s likewise simpler to fail to remember about their health. We invest less money, time as well as emotions into our cats than we do our dogs, as well as that’s a shame.

I like my cats, as well as I want them to be around for a long time. Their health and wellness is extremely essential to me. below are some suggestions to assist your indoor feline lose weight as well as online a much more active lifestyle.

How to assist my feline lose weight

1. Interact with your feline every day.

Play with your cat! get him to chase a laser tip or string. motivate him to play fetch of stalking games. I get my cats to chase me by copying the method they act with each other. I peek around a corner as well as then rapidly dart away. quite soon they begin to slip up on me, as well as when I run they are prepared to chase! Seriously, we play this game every day.

2. Take your feline on “walks.”

Buy a harness as well as leash as well as let your feline check out the lawn with you. I dislike retractable leashes, however they work truly well for cats. just make sure your feline uses a collar with ID labels since cats are truly great at slipping out of their harnesses.

3. Make your feline work for his food.

Dogs are expected to work for their food, as well as cats ought to as well! In the wild, a feline would have to search for his food. I like to make my cats browse for their food by putting their meals in a different location each time. in some cases I hide pieces of kibble in different areas so they have to climb over or under different challenges to get it. At the extremely least, you ought to play with your feline before you feed him so he gets some exercise.

4. set up challenge programs for your cat.

Cats like to climb, walk across platforms as well as crawl into hiding places. You can purchase feline “jungle gyms” as well as crazy scratching messages with several levels, or you can make your own “cat fort” out of boxes. I typically just organize a few boxes in a corner as well as then walk away, totally ignoring my cats. They are much more thinking about something if they believe it’s not for them. ?

5. Rotate which toys your feline has gain access to to.

Just like youngsters as well as dogs, cats get tired with their toys practically instantly. instead of leaving lots of toys out whatsoever times, I draw out one or two toys each time for my cats. This keeps them interested. Of course, crumbled up pieces of paper, bottle caps as well as candy bar wrappers are their preferred toys.

6. Wrestle with your cat.

Encouraging dogs as well as cats to play fight with people can be a poor concept since it benefits aggression. That being said, I “wrestle” with my canine as well as my cats all the time since it’s exactly how dogs as well as cats naturally play. My cats “fight” one one more every day, however they likewise delight in “attacking” me. One method to instruct them nOT å klø eller bite for vanskelig er å oppgi “ouch!” I tillegg til å øyeblikkelig avslutte spillet hvis de blir like røffe.

7. Få en katt til.

Jeg ber deg ikke om å ende opp med å bli den vanvittige feline kvinnen i tillegg til å omfavne fem eller seks katter, men to katter er et flott konsept siden de vil underholde hverandre. Min yngre feline speider (The Grey Tabby) er ekstremt aktiv for en kattete samt initierer spill med Beamer hver dag. Han forstår nøyaktig hvordan han kan irritere Beamer bare tilstrekkelig til å få ham til å løpe rundt i hjemmet for et flott spill med tag.

8. Gi felinen litt kattemynte.

Hvis katt ikke ser ut til å tenke på leker, er det mest sannsynlig siden du ikke er ekstremt morsom. Feline Nip er en flott metode for å få ham mye mer interessert.

9. Ikke la kattens mat ligge ute.

De fleste fôrer kattene sine fullstendig, noe som innebærer en enorm skål med mat er alltid tilgjengelig. Dette er den viktigste grunnen til at så mange katter er overvektige. Eiere er like late å legge en bestemt mengde mat i kattens bolle når eller to ganger om dagen.

Å måle kattens mat er den enkleste metoden for å forstå nøyaktig nøyaktig hvor mye mat han får. Hvis kattet ditt er overvektig, kan du kutte ned mengden mat han får. Kattene mine spiser hver mindre enn en halv kopp mat per dag. Hvis du ikke er sikker på nøyaktig hvor mye mat din kattedyr trenger, så spør veterinæren din.

10. Kjøp en naturlig kattemat av høy kvalitet.

Se etter naturlig kattemat med ekte protein. Kattene mine spiser en naturlig kattemat kalt Felidae, så vel som de liker den. Unngå mat som inkluderer dyreprodukter siden biprodukter er noen form for et annet dyr enn kjøtt, ifølge Association of American Feed Management-tjenestemenn. For mye mer informasjon om å velge en kjæledyrmat av høy kvalitet, inspiser ut publiseringen min på hundematingredienser.

Har du en overvektig katt? Hva gjør du for å hjelpe kattet ditt å gå ned i vekt?

Tips for Adopting a canine When You have young youngsters

My very first canine was when I was about 10 years old. Our household embraced a puppy. He dealt with us for about a year before my parents provided him as much as be rehomed.

The truth of life with a rambunctious puppy as well as four young kids was as well much, I guess.

The experience of losing my canine was extremely painful—and still is 30 years later. It totally influenced my connection with subsequent animals in my life.

When we embraced Baxter five years ago, I was extremely thoughtful as well as careful. I was making a permanently commitment, so I wished to discover the best canine for us.

For households with kids who are wanting to embrace a dog, believed as well as care are even much more important. youngsters as well as dogs are incredible, fantastic as well as challenging.

If you’re believing of adopting a canine when you have kids, it is essential to reflect, prepare as well as plan to make sure everyone—kids, parents as well as dog—live happily ever after.

How dogs benefit children—adopting a dog

Animals bring numerous benefits to children.

For our 1-year-old Ellie, her connection is primarily about the delight as well as enrichment she gets from sharing her life with her pets. She gasps with pleasure when she very first sees Baxter in the morning or areas our barncat Ralph outside.

Utdanning. The experience of living with dogs is likewise extremely academic for children, as they see exactly how dogs discover as well as behave. training is an apparent example of a discovering chance for both kids as well as dogs, however there are numerous more.

Where to begin when you’re believing of getting a dog

Anyone who is thinking about adopting a canine ought to be thoughtful, whether you have youngsters or not.

However, kids bring some additional considerations as well as make it particularly essential to believe things through.

Age is the very first consideration. Puppies can grow with your household as well as typically change extremely well to being around kids as well as the dynamics of your family. However, puppies include specific training as well as developmental challenges.

An older canine may have some training as well as much more steady energy levels than a puppy. however some dogs who have not been subjected to kids may requirement time to change to living with youngsters 24/7. See my post: Why I didn’t want a puppy.

Characteristics of the dog

Think about the qualities of a canine that would work finest for your family. whatever from size to coat to health and wellness considerations. This process may lead you to a specific breed, however be available to mixes or mutts. Sites like Petfinder enable you to personalize your browse based on a number of qualities, to ensure that you can discover dogs fit to your family.

Energy of the dog

For me, energy level is the most essential consideration if you’re adopting a canine when you have kids. many youngsters are quite energetic, so you may be drawn to an energetic dog who will play with them. however frolicking in the backyard may not be sufficient of a release for specific dogs.

You have to be prepared to satisfy your dog’s energy needs, whether it’s a easy walk in the community or going for long runs, attending agility classes or other activities. research study breeds to figure out what dogs may be an energy match for your family. See our post: How to tire out a hyper dog.

Depending on the age of your children, all of the concerns above ought to be responded to with a household discussion. You’re adding a canine to your family, so the decision of what type of a canine will in shape finest ought to be made jointly.

Surprising your youngsters with a dog

I do not suggest unexpected your youngsters with a dog. The preparation as well as consideration is truly essential to assist make sure all of the household members are on the exact same page. You can still link a canine to a special event like a birthday or Christmas, however be open about your plans as well as include your youngsters in the process.

See our post: Dogs as Christmas presents.

Stepping stone to a dog

If you don’t feel totally prepared for a dog, think about one more type of pet as a stepping stone. A rabbit, hamster, lizard, fish or other little animals can introduce kids to pet ownership with somewhat less commitment.

The companionship from these animals can be extremely meaningful, however the amount of care they requirement may be somewhat less than a dog. kids will discover the significance of feeding, cleaning as well as playing with the animal.

Watching your kids interact with their pet can enlighten you to exactly how they may behave with a dog. You can see if there are any type of shortcomings that you can address, or perhaps your youngsters surprise you as well as you feel prepared for a canine sooner than you expected.

How to select the best canine to embrace for your children

Once you have an concept of what type of canine as well as qualities will work finest for your family, begin your search. go to your regional shelter, discover a breeder, link with a rescue group, look online. There are numerous accountable methods to embrace a dog.

Be prepared to spend a long time on your search. It’s simple to autumn in like with every canine you meet—puppy canine eyes work—but keep in mind your priorities as well as make sure the canine aligns with your family.

Questions to ask before you embrace a dog

The finest resource to get to understand a canine is the dog’s caregiver. Ask your breeder, foster household or shelter personnel great deals of concerns about the dog.

Try to comprehend his needs, what he many likes to do, any type of circumstances that have made him uneasy, exactly how he likes to spend his time, what particular care he needs.

Be up front about your household dynamics as well as what you’re searching for in a dog. Ask great deals of concerns as well as share great deals of info about yourself as well as your kids.

Shelter staff, rescue volunteers as well as breeders all share the goal of discovering happy, loving houses for their dogs. They want to make sure you are a in shape for the dog, just like you want to make sure the canine is a in shape for you as well as your children.

When you go to satisfy a potential dog, bring your kids. view exactly how they interact with the canine as well as exactly how he communicates with them. try to do a few different activities or go to some different environments with the dog. Take him for a short walk on leash. play with him outside on the grass. See exactly how he reacts to different situations.

Prepare the home – adopting a canine when you have kids

As you begin your browse for a dog, you ought to likewise begin to set up your house for our new household member.

The very first step is the simplest. Talk about the dog.

This conversation will look different depending upon the age of your children. This is an chance to develop enjoyment in the household as well as likewise prepare everybody for the obligation of a dog.

Talk about the interest the canine will requirement as well as exactly how you’re going to satisfy his needs. talk about exactly how each of you are going to take care of the dog, what a few of the home guidelines will be, as well as plan a few of the fun activities you’re going to do together.

Doggie chore chart

A doggie chore chart may be useful to set out who is going to walk, feed, groom or train the dog. A chart can assist to diffuse squabbles over whose turn it is to play with the dog. Or, in situation the novelty uses off, whose turn it is to take it out to the bathroom.

Figure out where the canine is going to sleep, eat as well as go to the bathroom. purchase some fundamental equipment, like a crate or bed, bowls as well as leash. I suggest holding off purchasing food up until you really embrace your dog. Feeding your canine a food he is utilized to can assist to avoid an upset tummy as well as simplicity his shift to your home.

If your youngsters requirement reminders to pick up toys or keep their spaces tidy, this is the time to practice. Toys, cords, socks, or various other things can quickly ended up being hazards for a dog–especially if you’re adopting a puppy who may chew. work with your youngsters to establish great dog-friendly habits.

The other fundamentals you requirement to kind out in advancement are a vet, trainer, and, depending upon your needs, groomer or canine walker.

Bring your new canine home

Finally, all of your preparation has paid off. You’ve discovered the best canine for your family. The home is ready. The youngsters are ready. Du er klar. It’s time to bring your canine home.

This is a extremely interesting time for your family. continue the conversations you’ve been having with your youngsters to remind them that the canine might quickly be overwhelmed by all of the interest as well as modifications he’s about to go through. remind them to be gentle as well as calm as well as talk about the plan for the very first hours or days that the canine joins your family.

Our publish about exactly how to assist your canine change to a new house hSå mange fantastiske forslag til dag en så vel som de aller første ukene med din nye hund, enten du vedtar en redning eller en valp eller en eldre hund.

Min foretrukne veiledning er å ta hunden din for en tur før du kommer i kjøretøyet for å bringe ham hjem. Barbara skriver, det er “en høflig metode for å introdusere meg selv i stedet for å bare sette ham i kjøretøyet mitt best, så vel som å kjøre av med ham.”

Sakte hjelpe den nye hunden til å justere

Ta det treg, så vel som å gi hunden din store avtaler om tid til å forandre seg på hvert trinn i overgangen hans.

Dette publiserer fra Lindsay om å bringe hus En Foster Canine inneholder noen mye mer gode forslag om å bringe et hundhus, så vel som nøyaktig hvordan han skal sørge for at han har litt fredelig tid til å dekomprimere.

Et annet nyttig forslag er å holde den nye hunden i et bånd i begynnelsen, selv inne i huset. Dette gir deg mye mer å håndtere hvis du trenger å omdirigere hunden – spesielt viktig rundt små barn – eller raskt kjøre ham utenfor hvis han trenger en toalettpause.

Når han først kommer hjem, se hunden din. Ikke la barna dine være alene med hunden. Skjerm nøyaktig hvordan han reagerer på sin nye atmosfære, så vel som forskjellige husstandsmedlemmer. Se barna dine også så vel som sørg for at de samhandler høflig.

Husk vårt tidligere poeng om nøyaktig hvor mye barn vil oppdage fra hunden sin? Du kan bruke hver mentor sjanse som kommer sammen. Når du får forstått din hund, så vel som hans kroppsspråk, hjelper barna barna til å forstå hva deres hund kan si.

Ditt foreløpige fokus burde være på å etablere en sterk rutine for alle husstandsmedlemmene, så vel som menneske. Begynn trening Trening Din hund Best Away, så vel som å inkludere dine unge så mye som mulig.

Lykkelig alle sine dager

De fleste foreldre hører bekymringen i det minste når i deres liv. “Mamma? Pappa? Kan vi få en hund? ”

Hvis svaret ditt er “ja” eller selv om svaret ditt er “kanskje” disse forslagene for å vedta en hund når du har unge, kan det være nyttig.

Bindingen mellom et barn samt hunde er ekstremt spesiell. Dyr kan gi så mye oppfyllelse til våre liv, uansett hvor gammel vi er.

Mens jeg startet denne korte artikkelen med en historie om en adopsjon som ikke trente, var tiden jeg hadde med min aller første hund, utrolig innflytelsesrik. Jeg bringer det fremdeles med meg, så vel som det påvirker nøyaktig hvordan jeg bryr meg om Baxter, Ralph, så vel som akkurat hvordan jeg tror på fremtidige dyr som ender, så vel som kyllinger som vil ideelt sett en dag bli med i gården vår.

Jeg håper at denne korte artikkelen hjelper andre husholdninger til å produsere sunne, kjærlige, langvarige forbindelser med hunder.

Hvordan har ungdommene dine hatt glede av å ha en hund i deres liv?

Julia Preston er en bloggforfatter hjemme på 129 hektar der hun komponererer om hennes eventyr i landet, så vel som DIY renovering. Hun så vel som hennes husstand online på en 129 hektar i Ontario, Canada.

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