Congratulations You're a Dog/Cat Owner
- Doing activities with your dog establishes communication and a bond.
- Your dog will get to interact with other dogs and learn valuable social skills.
- Keeping your dog in the backyard all day doesn't give them the exercise they need.
- Being confined to a yard will make your dog bored and create bad behaviors.
- poinsettias and holly
- ivy and mistletoe
- pine and balsam
- juniper and cedar, and
- Hibiscus.
- raised a few inches above the ground
- large enough for your dog to walk in, but small enough to stay warm
- insulated — wheat hay is great for insulation and bedding
- faces away from the wind, and the doorway is covered with fabric, and
- NOT made of plastic. Plastic doghouses usually aren't warm enough.
- Rope toys can cause problems if your pet pulls the strings out of them.
- Dog toys made out of thin rubber can break apart and get ingested.
- Toys with glued-on decorations can come off and become choking hazards.
- Cat toys with tinsel-like strings are dangerous and can cause intestinal problems.
- Be wary of toys stuffed with cotton. If your pet swallows the cotton, it can block their intestines.
- Feather toys can come apart easily, and the feather shaft could get lodged in your cat's throat.
- Keep small objects — like yarn, floss, rubber bands, and bells — away from your pet.
- Look out for sharp objects or edges on toys for birds.
- Your pet will stray and look for a mate. Your dog may even jump a fence and get lost.
- Your pet could get serious health problems, including cancer and other diseases.
- An unneutered male cat will spray all over the house. They do this to mark their territory.
- Female cats that have not been spayed may leave stains on furniture or carpets. During their heat cycles, female cats and dogs will bleed.
- You'll have to fight off other animals looking for mates.
- A female pet’s chance of getting mammary tumors increases greatly if she's not spayed.
- If your pet gets pregnant, you'll have to care for 12-15 puppies or kittens. This means spending money on vet bills and finding homes for them.
- Even just one litter can add up to hundreds, even thousands, of puppies or kittens! If you know someone who is looking to adopt a pet, send them to the shelter instead.
- Neutering a male cat or dog won't make them less macho. They will live longer lives and will be less likely to get testicular cancer. They will also be easier to handle because they won't try to claim dominance over your family.
- your dog has a green or yellow discharge coming from the nose
- is acting tired or not eating, or is having trouble breathing.
- lethargy and loss of appetite
- severe dehydration
- diarrhea, which may be bloody, and
- vomiting.
- The first form starts out looking like a bug bite. You may notice hives or swelling around the face. This can happen in a few minutes or hours after the vaccination. This is an emergency and you should bring your pet back to the vet right away.
- The second form is serious and usually happens within 15 minutes of the vaccination. The animal will become lethargic and may vomit. Eventually, they will collapse. You may notice pale gums and a slow, faint heartbeat. This requires emergency treatment and you must go to the nearest vet RIGHT AWAY.
PET BEHAVIOR TIPS
You love your pet and want what's best for them. Here are some behavior tips from the American Humane Association.
OBEDIENCE TRAINING
Through obedience training, puppies learn basic commands and manners, like not jumping on people and walking on a leash.
Training is a great way to teach dogs to come when they’re called. As dogs get older, they’re tempted to run off and explore. Also, if you want to improve your dog’s agility and help it learn new tricks, consider advanced training classes.
SEPARATION ANXIETY
Dogs aren't solitary animals — they don't like being left home alone. Some dogs will develop separation anxiety and show bad behaviors, like not letting you leave or barking all day while you're gone.
If your dog is showing signs of separation anxiety, you can retrain them. Here are some tips:
- Don't punish your dog. Punishment only works at the moment the bad behavior occurs. If you punish your dog for something they did earlier in the day, they won't understand.
- Your dog recognizes your routine when you're about to leave, and each step gives them more anxiety. Get them used to your routine. For example, pick up your keys and walk to the door, but don't leave. Do it several times until your dog calms down.
- At first, only leave your home for several minutes at a time, and then slowly increase how long you stay outside. When you get back, greet your dog briefly without going overboard.
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT DOGS
Teaching your children how to behave around dogs helps prevent accidents. Here are some great general rules to teach your kids:
- Don't tease dogs. Don't shout at a dog or put your hands through a fence or window to touch a dog.
- Don't grab toys or sticks from dogs. Dogs are possessive and may bite if you try to take their toy.
- Never try to break up a dogfight.
- Know an angry dog's body language. Barking, growling, and showing teeth are warning signs. Raised fur, a stiff tail, and ears laid flat are also signs of aggression.
- If a dog shows anger, slowly walk away sideways. Never stare at a dog in the eyes or run away.
- If a dog attacks you, curl up in a ball and cover your face.
- Tell an adult right away if you were bitten. Try to describe what the dog looked like.
INCLUDE YOUR PET IN YOUR FIRE SAFETY PLAN
You probably have a fire safety plan for your human family, but don’t forget about your pets! Remember where your pets usually hide and sleep so you can find them in an emergency.
EMERGENCY TIPS
- If there's an emergency, try to put your pet on a leash or in a carrier. That way you can control their behavior if they’re scared.
- Keep some of your pet's food in your family's emergency kit. You should also keep a copy of your pet’s health records in the kit in case you need to board them at a kennel.
- Make sure your pet's collars and tags are up to date. They're a lifeline if you get separated in an emergency.
- Take your pet to the vet as soon as you can after a fire. Smoke inhalation and burns on foot pads are common — but serious — injuries.
PUNISHMENT DOESN’T REALLY WORK
Animals associate punishment with whatever they’re doing at the moment. For punishment to work, you have to catch your pet right as they’re doing the bad behavior. That's hard to do, which is why punishment is ineffective and sometimes harmful.
Try changing the environment instead of your pet's behavior. Move things out of reach or make them hard to get into. If your cat is scratching furniture, change the texture by putting something smooth or sticky over it. You can keep pets from chewing on cords or plants by coating the surface with a bitter, pet-safe liquid.
All animals would rather do something pleasant than unpleasant. Instead of trying to stop bad behaviors, teach your pet good ones so you can reward him.
YOUR DOG'S DEN
Your dog needs a den to feel at home. If you don't give them one, they'll make one wherever they feel cozy. Crate training is based on your dog's desire to be in a comfortable, secure place.