5 Proven Ways to Show Your Dog You're The Boss
You Have to Be The Alpha Dog
1. You Enter Through The Front Door First
2. You Eat First, Then Your Dog
3. Do Not Walk Next to Your Dog
4. You decide when your dog receives attention.
5. Do Not Allow Your Dog To Sleep In Your Bed.
Why You Should Take Care of Your Pet's Teeth
We've compiled a list of some of the most significant reasons why you should take care of your pet's teeth:
Oral hygiene can aid in the elimination of foul breath.
Dental illness can have serious consequences.
Regular dental examinations might help you save money.
Avoid unpleasant circumstances.
Keep serious diseases at bay.
There will be no teeth falling out.
Weight loss might be caused by dental problems.
Your pet may develop a proclivity for jaw fractures.
Extractions are avoided with regular dental care.
Poor oral health has an impact on the entire body.
Feeding and Caring for Orphaned Kittens
How to Feed and Care for Orphaned Kittens
Here are some pointers to assist you in raising orphaned kittens:
1. Build a nest.
2. Feed the kittens using an eyedropper or a syringe.
3. Give the kittens KMR or cat formula that you made yourself.
4. Feed your kittens three times a day on a regular basis.
5. Use a warm, damp towel to groom your kittens and assist them in emptying their bladders and intestines.
6. When they are four weeks old, provide a litter pan.
7. Begin providing solid food to the kittens when they are around six weeks old.
8. Be prepared to be startled and surprised.
WHEN DO KITTENS USE THE LITTER BOX? training cat
WHEN DO KITTENS USE THE LITTER BOX?
When Should You Begin Training?
Litter Training
Habits of Kittens
Other Cats
Organize the Box
Location of the Box
There will be no penalties.
Consider These Factors for Your Kitten
Keep in mind that...
Conclusion
10 Solutions To Stop Your Dog from Whining at Night
Solutions To Stop Your Dog from Whining
There are a number of reasons your dog could be whining at night, however they all have one thing in common, they result in you having a broken night's sleep. To help you deal with this behaviour problem and sleep through the night, we've listed 10 solutions below that could bring peace to your house after the lights go out.
1. Work out Why Your Dog is Whining
If you can work out what lies behind your dog's whining you stand a better chance of choosing the right approach and being successful in stopping the problem. The three most common causes of dog whining is anxiety, discomfort or attention seeking, so watch your dog closely to see what clues they give you. Notice how you react when they start whining and how they react to you, as it should give you all the information you need to decide on your approach to the problem and start taking action.
2. Make Basic Checks Before You go to Bed
We sometimes overlook the most obvious reasons, so make sure your dog isn't whining because they are hungry, thirst or need to urinate at night. Get into the habit of always letting your dog out last thing at night, as beyond the puppy stage they should be able to go through the night. If they need to urinate frequently, check with your vet as they could have a urine infection. If you do need to let them out at night, do it with as little attention paid to your dog as possible, as if you play with them or pet them they could start to wake you up at night for the attention.
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3. Check That Your Dog Isn't Cold
Some dogs start whining at night because they are cold, so if they sleep in a kennel outside, make sure it is out of the wind and that you provide lots of warm bedding and if they sleep in the house, check that their bed is not in a draught. Some dog owners use bean bags that can be warmed up to keep their dog warm, cosy and asleep all night and I have heard of others who even use heated blankets. However, if you are going to use this method, always make sure your dog does not get too hot and that they are unable to chew any wires attached to the blanket.
4. Deal with Dog Separation Anxiety Issues
A lot of dog whining is driven by separation anxiety in dogs, so if your dog sleeps separately from you and starts being vocal the moment you leave them alone, anxiety could well be the reason. Another clue that this might be the cause is that they respond in this way whenever you leave them, day or night. You will need to use desensitization training to help get rid of separation anxiety and a lot of patience, as they can take a while to respond positively. Another way to help with this problem is to learn how to show your dog that you are the decision maker or pack leader, which can be very reassuring for an anxious dog.
5. Make Sure Your Dog is Tired
If your dog gets restless at night, struggles to settle down and then starts whining at you, try exercising them an hour before bedtime to use up some of their excess energy. Many dogs will instantly flop down on their bed to sleep after a long walk, but if walking after dark doesn't appeal to you, try an energetic game of tag or fetch in the garden or house.
6. Soothe Your Dog with Sounds
A ticking clock placed in the dog's bedding can help keep a dog calm as the ticking mimics the regular heartbeat of another dog. This can be very useful with dogs that don't like to be left alone and especially with puppies that could be missing their Mum or brothers and sisters. Just beware that your dog cannot reach the clock and use it as a chew toy.
7. Soothe Your Dog with Smells
If you think your dog is whining at night because they wake up and want you, put something that smells of you in with their bedding, like an old jumper or T-Shirt. This may provide just enough comfort to keep your dog sleeping until morning.
8. Make Sure Your Dog is Pain Free
Pain or discomfort of some kind could be causing your dog to wake and start whining, for instance a dog may not notice joint pain until they lie down at night. If you think that could be the case with your dog, have them checked over by your vet as soon as possible.
9. Get Your Dog a Crate
A crate can feel like a den to a dog, so if you think your dog is feeling a bit insecure left alone downstairs at night, a crate could give them the extra security they need. When you introduce them to a crate, make it a nice place to be with bedding and toys and treats. Gradually build up the time they spend in their crate during the day until you feel like they will be all right to be left overnight.
10. Ignore Your Dog's Noise
If your dog's nighttime noise is all about getting your attention, the fastest way to stop it is to ignore it completely. That means not responding in any way to their whining, don't speak to them, touch them, or even catch their eye. It's not always the easiest way to break this pattern of behaviour, as you can feel really guilty for a few days, but if your dog is healty, has been fed, watered, exercised and let out to toilet before bedtime, you know they are fine, so invest in a pair of ear plugs and stick with it. It shouldn't be too long before they work out that their whining is not getting them the attention they were looking for and they should stop.
What Do You Train Your Kitten For?
Train Your Kitten For
You are enjoying have your new kitten called Angel in your household and are wondering what you train your kitten for. Take a look at these four points.
1. To Use the Litter Box
You need to give Angel clear, consistent guidelines so you have set a litter box up in the porch and another one in the spare room. It is suggested for one cat to have two litter boxes. Cats are shy when it comes to toileting. These places are quiet areas away from the rest of the household.
You can use good absorbable litter ( hopefully Angel will like it ) and plan to replace it every 2 or 3 days rather than 1 time per week. The cleaner the litter box the more likely it is to be used. And it is important for cats to toilet regularly to avoid health issues like urinary tract disease, which is very common and debilitating. To help with this you should always keep unlimited supplies of water for Angel, maybe a couple of bowls around the house. The idea is to encourage Angel to drink more and pee more to avoid health problems.
If Angel suddenly displays some bad behaviours like missing or avoiding the litter box or toileting on your favourite chair then we will have to go through the checklist.
- 1. did you move the litter box?
- 2. is there any more traffic, eg guests to stay?
- 3. did you renovate the room?
- 4. did you change the box or the type of litter?
- 5. could it be a health related issue like urinary tract infection or kidney disease where they associate the pain with the litter box and stop using it? This will need to be checked.
Training your kitten to use the litter box should be as stress free as possible. Hopefully Angel will adjust well to this.
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2. To Display Acceptable Behaviours
Cats claw, scratch, bite and chew for many reasons. If they are doing these things to food items or their cat toys then that is great. But sometimes they do it on other things like your new couch or electrical cord which not only destroys your property but is potentially dangerous or you. Do not tolerate rough play. If they are allowed to play aggressively with the wrong things then young cats will turn out to be an older, stronger, aggressive cat. You can stop playing with your cat if they start biting or scratching.
If Angel scratches then you should offer some scratching alternatives to you, like a scratching mat or scratching post. These are mush more acceptable!!
Angel is young and will be exploring her world, like human babies do, by mouthing and chewing on things. So we will give Angel substitutes and reward her for chewing and scratching on the right item.
Over vocalisation can be another issue to deal with. Some cats rarely meow and some never seem to shut up. This constant crying and need for reassurance may be the one that is the most difficult to figure out. If Angel needs help here you may call in the professionals.
3. To Address Problems Like:
a. Marking territory with urine or poo:
While this is fine outside it becomes a problem inside.
b. Grooming Problems:
Some cats groom themselves excessively to the point of losing fur and creating
bald patches.
c. Sickness problems:
If Angel displays any of these behaviours then she will need help.
Hopefully she will be content and groom like the very relaxed cat in the picture.
4. To Do Tricks
You are going to have fun training Angel to do all sorts of tricks including commands like:
to come, sit, beg, sit, stay, jumping up, twirling, climbing a ladder, wave, kiss and more.
Training your kitten to use the litter box, behave well, do various tricks, plus identifying problems which need fixing will take time but are ideas on what you can do to train your kitten.
There certainly is a lot you can do to train your kitten. Hopefully you can help guide her in the right direction so that she will settle in well and you and your family can enjoy your fury friend for many years.
Eight Foods Your Cat Should Never, Ever Eat
Your Cat Should Never, Ever Eat
Most of us know that there are some human foods our pets shouldn't eat. Keeping our cats away from alcohol, for example, is a no-brainer. But did you know that onion powder can cause anemia in cats and dogs? Because of their different metabolisms, many common foods that are safe for human consumption are not safe for your cat. Reactions can range from upset stomachs to severe illness or death.
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To help keep your kitty safe you need to know which foods to avoid. The following list spotlights eight common foods your cat should never eat:
Baby Food
It's hard to imagine that a food that's safe enough for a baby's tender tummy would hurt our fur-kids. But what makes baby food so dangerous for cats is that it might contain onion powder (see below) which could lead to anemia. Also, baby food doesn't meet your cat's nutritional needs, and could result in malnutrition if she eats too much of it.
Chocolate
Most people know that chocolate is bad for dogs, but many of us don't realize that it's harmful for cats as well. Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical compound that humans can eat safely. But cats and dogs metabolize theobromine more slowly; as a result, even small amounts of the compound can lead to theobromine poisoning, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, excitability, panting, abnormal heart rate, tremors, seizures - and even death. Theobromine poisoning is treatable if caught early enough. But to be safe, keep chocolate away from your kitty.
Coffee and Tea
Caffeine is toxic to both cats and dogs, and there's no antidote. According to ProVet Healthcare, it only takes about 8 teaspoons of coffee to potentially fatally poison a cat that weighs 3 kilograms (that's about 6.6 lbs). Signs of caffeine poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, panting, hyperactivity, restlessness, muscle tremors, increased or decreased heart rate, irregular heart rhythm, increased body temperature. But most scary of all: caffeine poisoning can lead to seizures, coma and death.
Grapes and Raisins
Scientists aren't sure exactly just what substance is in grapes and raisins that make them so toxic for our pets, but according to the ASPCA Poison Control Center, dogs who've eaten large amounts of grapes and raisins have suffered renal (kidney) failure. Although it's unclear what effect grapes have on cats, to be on the safe side the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center "advises not giving grapes or raisins to any pets in any amount."
Onions and Garlic
Raw, powdered and uncooked onions and garlic are especially harmful to cats because they damage red blood cells, which could cause anemia. Not only does anemia make your kitty pale and lethargic, it can be a life threatening illness.
Spinach
The jury's still out on whether or not spinach is bad for cats, but scientists do know that spinach leaves contain a small amount of calcium oxalates (a chemical compound that makes needle-shaped crystals), which is a major component in kidney stones. If your cat eats enough spinach, it could lead to crystals in her urine. Cats with a history of urinary problems such as infections, crystaluria and kidney disease, should definitely avoid eating spinach.
Unripe Tomato
Everyone knows that tomatoes are good for humans. But did you know that they can be toxic to cats? Tomatoes are a member of the deadly nightshade plant family and contain a poisonous alkaloid called, solanine. Solanine is toxic to humans too. But you have to eat it in large amounts for it to hurt you. That's why you shouldn't eat green potatoes - a potato that has gone green has higher levels of solanine inside it. And it can make you sick, causing a bevy of symptoms that range from nausea, diarrhea and vomiting to hallucinations, paralysis and in the worst cases, death. Unlike humans, however, only a small amount of solanine can hurt your cat. According to FelineFuture.com, "traces of Solanin, like those found in just a 100g of cherry tomatoes, can be fatal!"
Yeast Dough
Raw or uncooked yeast dough should never be fed to your cat. What makes it so dangerous? Yeast (the single-celled fungi that causes bread to rise) isn't toxic per se, but if your cat eats the raw dough, it might continue to rise inside your kitty's stomach. And you can imagine what that could lead to: painful bloating, gas, and in the worst-case-scenario, possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
Remember, the information in this article is for informative purposes only. If you suspect your cat has eaten something that is harmful, or needs medical attention, contact your veterinarian immediately! For more information about other harmful foods or toxins found in your home, check out these great references: ASPCA Animal Control Archives and PetEducation.com.
Why Do Dogs Howl?
Dog Behavior - Why Do Dogs Howl?
Do you want to know the secret for getting your dog to stop howling excessively? Keep reading to discover my top 3 tips to achieve this by gaining an understanding of your dog's behavior.
There are several reasons why your dog howls. Let's find out what they are and what you need to understand in order to eliminate the problem. Usually howling is a sign of loneliness, boredom, separation anxiety, howling in response to other dogs, howling at triggers like sirens, or just making their presence known to other dogs in the area. Understanding your dog's behavior can be a daunting task. So in this segment I hope to shed some light on why dogs howl.
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So why do dogs howl?
It is an instinctive behavior for dogs to howl, although some dogs have stronger or weaker drives and instincts than others. Dogs, like people, are simply different from one another. Some dogs howl at a trigger like a siren while others do not. Some dogs may feel a need to communicate with the source of the sirens, answering the ancient call of wolves, believing it is actually a pack of dogs communicating from afar.
If your dog is howling excessively, it may indicate that he is bored out of his wits and needs play, love, and attention. A dog should not be deprived of human touch or deprived of a means to entertain himself. If your dog is trying to get your attention by howling, it means there is something lacking in his environment, be it food, water, toys, or companionship.
Everyone enjoys the howl of a wolf now and again, but if your dog is howling excessively, there is something you can do. Simply apply my top three tips.
Tip number one
Spend more time with your dog, even if it is just sitting and watching television. Dogs love companionship and interacting with their owners. Provide your dog with toys and chews to occupy his time while he is enjoying your company. Pay attention to your dog more frequently. Your dog will be too preoccupied with you, and as a result, will howl less often.
Tip number 2
Exercise your dog. Take him for walks so his horizon is expanded and his mind stimulated. The exercise and mental stimulation will make for a restful evening, and night, for both of you.
Tip number 3
Enrich your dog's life with play. Do not just hand him toys and walk away. Get involved in his life and do things your dog likes to do also.
My tips are for healthy dogs who exhibit their natural instinct to howl as wolves do. If your dog has a behavioral disorder, then your dog needs more than tips for normal dog behavior. Your dog needs the help of professionals. Separation anxiety is an example. This kind of howling is usually accompanied by at least one other symptom of separation anxiety such as pacing, destruction, elimination, depression, or other signs of distress.
Now let's recap.
After thousands and thousands of years dogs still cannot shake wild instincts ingrained in them. The key to raising a well adjusted dog is finding balance between the wolf and the pet in your dog. Understand your dog's right to behave like a real dog and make sure his wild side is properly fulfilled by providing an alternative outlet to accommodate his canine instincts and instinctual behaviors.
Hope you enjoyed this segment on Dog Behavior, specifically on the topic of why dogs howl, and hope you walked away with something of value. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to my channel on YouTube, Dog Behavior Videos. Thank you so much for reading. I look forward to seeing you inside my next article. Please like, share, comment, and subscribe. Until next time. Bye Bye.
By understanding canines and their behavior, you will be able to connect with them on a new level and gain their trust. Series 4 focuses on providing pet owners with answers to why dogs howl. It is an instinctive canine behavior that is rarely understood.