Service dogs are heroes!
Check out this awesome service dog saving its owner!!
Labor day!
Alright guys! Its a holiday weekend, and everyone is over at your house eating fabulous snacks and delicious BBQ. And where are your pets in all of this chaos? They are begging! They are definitely under the table, and chances are they are getting some table scraps from your well meaning family and friends.
How to avoid this? I would recommend leaving your pet in your bedroom or the garage, where they don’t have the opportunity to get all of these extra treats. This may sound mean, but its better to have your pet healthy than happy in this case. Otherwise at the end of your night, your dog is going to be so full he won’t know what to do with himself- and all of the food your serving your guests is much too fatty and inappropriate for your pet as it is.
Hopefully this will help you have a healthy and happy holiday weekend with your family, friends, and your pets!
Tired of yellow spots in your lawn?
This is one of those problems every dog owner could do without. What I found to be the one thing that worked for me was dousing the area with a fair amount of water as soon as your pet has urinated. This will reduce the amount of excess nitrogen in that immediate area, which will reduce the yellow spots on your lawn. Putting two tablespoons of tomato juice into your pets food twice daily should also reduce the nitrogen imbalance in their urine.
Five tips for getting a new pet!
1.) Research: While you are considering adding a pet to your family, do a little research! You can find plenty of info online, so that you can make an educated decision and know that you are getting a pet that will fit into your lifestyle.
2.) Your Living Situation: Make sure you know what breed would best suit your personal lifestyle. Consider your living situation: do you rent, is there enough yard available, is it a big enough place for a large breed or would you be better off with a small breed to ensure that your pet is comfortable and happy..these are extremely important questions that MUST be answered before you bring your new pet home.
3.) Your Other Pets: Are you forgetting anyone?! Often, people get so excited about a new pet to play with that they forget to consider their other pets. You need to think about if your pet can even handle a new addition, let alone if it is a different type of animal. Most animals are pretty touchy at first no matter what you do, but you really need to ensure that you aren’t making your other pet miserable, and that you are protecting both pets safety.
4.) Be Prepared: Make absolutely sure that you are ready for your new pet! Have the food ready, treats ready, toys, litter etc. The last thing you want is an uncomfortable and very confused pet (they of course will need time to adapt, but you really want to make sure that they have what they need). Also, have a vet picked out, have the appointment already made for your new pet to make sure they are healthy, have had their immunizations or at least have an appointment to do so.
5.) Check out your adoption options! I am all about rescuing pets, especially with the foreclosure pets issue that is hitting our community. You can always get a pet from a breeder, a friend, but I will always recommend getting a pet from the pound, SPCA, or the many rescues that are available to you. You will no doubt gather a lot of info regarding your pet from a rescue, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you rescued your pet!
You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Come on, we don’t still believe that old line, right?! Thats right there along with “we walked uphill both ways in a snowstorm without shoes!” Of course, you can’t change your dogs personality, but at any age you can teach your pet how to react to certain situations that may seem threatening to them, and you can also teach your pet to adapt to a new routine. Ruby, my new adult pet, had a totally different routine with her old owner, compared to her new routine with me. Since I don’t really know what the key words for her to go potty were, or if her owner had her do any tricks before she got a treat, I just had to start anew. And guess what, she’s adapting! I have already gotten her used to sitting for a treat, and she already goes potty in a designated area in our back yard. Since she has never been in our backyard, I would say its pretty awesome that in less than a week she knows exactly where to go, and sits patiently to receive a treat after doing so (to reinforce that positive behavior that we are learning!) If your pet displays a problematic behavior that you just feel will never be fixed, think again! All you need is patience, and a trainer to teach you how to interact with your pet in such a way to illicit this new behavior you are seeking.