Tips & Advice Archives - Page 4 of 7

How To Litter Train Your Cat or Kitten

Fluffy fur, hypnotizing eyes, and cute meows make our favourite feline creatures – cats – so adorable. However, things can get a bit messy if they refuse to use the litter tray and do their business around the house. For most cats, using a litter tray is a natural habit, that they learn as kittens, particularly after they pass the three-week point. Still, some kittens need a little encouragement and manual stimulation to get the hang of it. In contrast, adult cats may have an aversion to using the litter tray, especially if they associate the tray with a negative experience. Whatever the case, if you are finding it difficult to litter train your cat, these steps will help.

Choose the Right Litter tray

The first step to litter train your cat is to get the right support tools such as a litter tray and cat litter. Use a litter with very fine sand (think recreating nature) and avoid using clay litter as your cat may consume it, and have digestive problems. It is also advisable to use an unscented litter because ones with a heavy scent may discourage cats from usage. More importantly, select a tray that your cat can easily get in and out of. Sometimes, adult cats can stop using the tray because of an achy body, so consider using a low-sided tray for older cats, and for kittens who may not be big enough to climb into a bigger tray. Also, be consistent in what litter you use, as changing the litter could cause your cat to stop using the litter tray temporarily.

Plan Where To Place the Litter tray

The litter tray location and availability can be a crucial element in encouraging your cat to use the tray. So, remember not to hide the trays. Do not place them in cupboards and corners as cats do not like to feel cornered or trapped during toilet time. Some owners like to put the litter tray in the bathroom. Also, provide some light -ambient or night light -so they can see and find their trays. Avoid setting up a litter tray where many things can distract them from their primary focus, such as rugs, carpets, or beddings. Spreading out the trays throughout your home and at least on every floor can also go a long way to stimulate litter tray usage as it will make it easy for your cat to access the trays. Always place the tray a good distance away from their food and water bowls.

Give your cat a Tour of their new toilet.

After you have effectively set up the litter trays, the next step is to introduce your cats to them. Show your cat the locations of each litter tray, let your cat sniff them and then gently place your cat in the tray. They may immediately start pawing at the litter or even using the litter tray. But, If they don’t, run your fingers through the clean litter to illustrate the pawing action. If at initial introduction, your cat refuses to use any of the trays, try placing it in one of the trays each time they eat, drink, or wake up from a nap, until they begin using it on their own.

Keep it Squeaky Clean.

Scoop your cat’s litter tray after every elimination. After scooping, add some clean litter to maintain a litter depth of 2 to 3 inches to give your kitty ample room to dig. Cleaning is essential during training to prevent your cat from developing an aversion to its litter tray. If your cat starts using the litter tray consistently, you can scoop daily instead of each time it uses the tray and periodically empties all of the litter in each tray, clean the boxes, and fill them with clean litter.

Conclusion

Reinforcing good habits during training is also a tested and trusted method to encourage your cat to use litter trays say experts. For instance, when your kitten uses the litter tray appropriately, reward them with their favorite treat to create a positive association with the activity. And if your kitten makes a mistake, do not scold or raise your voice, but calmly clean up the mess with an enzymatic cleaner and do not react in any other way.

Scamps & Champs offer cat visits when you have a long day or as an alternative to a cattery. We feed the cats, clean litter trays, give fresh water and lots of fuss and attention.

Pets & Anxiety

Separation Anxiety In Dogs - Scamps & Champs

by Victoria Brierley

Dogs are very much susceptible to some of the emotional struggles that humans can have. Anxiety is very much one of these struggles.

There are a few types of anxieties that a dog can suffer from. Separation anxiety is the most common form and can occur with examples such as when the dog owner leaves the house, leading to the dog feeling stressed. Other common anxieties consist of noise phobia, which triggers dogs to be stressed by loud noises, as well as social anxiety which causes a dog to feel uncomfortable in social situations.

Food for thought

Pets suffering from separation anxiety may tend to display unwanted behaviours which can include:

Excessive vocalisation
Excessive panting
Destructive behaviour such as chewing and tearing objects in their surroundings
Urination/defecating in the home

There may be a number of reasons why some dogs feel this way but not all of these behaviours are a direct result of separation anxiety, so owners need to determine if these behaviours only occur when the pet is left alone.

Food = Fun

Mental stimulation is a very useful and effective method of helping to manage pets suffering from anxiety.

Interactive feeding is an excellent way to keep their mind at rest and their mouths occupied when pets find themselves on their own.

Puzzle feeders and treat balls are a great way to help keep pets stimulated. These toys should only be given when the owner is not present, this way the pet can learn to associate the experience of receiving this ‘special toy’ and being alone, much more positively.

Here at Scamps & Champs, our Grain Free, Superfood and Treat recipes can all be used in conjunction with puzzle feeders, kongs, truffle mats and treat balls. Our 80% fish treats are small and ideal to hide in truffle mats and puzzle feeders.

Scamps & Champs - Pet Food — https://scampsandchampspetfood.com/

Always make sure to take into account any additional treats from the portion of your pets normal daily ration to prevent overfeeding.

Exercise and Training

There is strong evidence that clinical signs of anxiety can often be a result of failure to provide a pet with sufficient regular daily exercise. Exercising your pet before you are due to leave them alone provides them with the opportunity to go to the toilet and tire them out so they’re much more inclined to relax. You can also hire a pet sitter/dog walker to provide pop in visits or dog walks to break up your dogs day.

Find your local branch here:- https://scampsandchamps.co.uk/branches/

anxious dogs pet treats separation anxiety

A Few Tips On Raising Your Puppy

It’s a fact that during the lockdown period 1000’s of new puppies were welcomed into homes up and down the country. So here at Cardiff Scamps and Champs we’ve put together a few tips to help get your pup off to a flying start.

Vets

As you will no doubt be aware, there have been restrictions on vets during the pandemic, meaning that by law they have only been able to deal with emergencies. However, things are slowly returning to normal and hopefully they will be back to doing all the ordinary things as well as the emergency stuff. If you have not already done so, it is imperative that you get your puppy registered, health checked and all vaccines sorted. Give your vet a ring today and get them booked in. Your vet will give you good advice on worming, de-fleeing and lots of other issues.

Food

Puppies have specific nutritional needs in order to fuel good growth and development, and this means they require a good balanced diet. Puppies generally come in a great variety of sizes from the teeny tiny to the “looks full grown” variety, so be sure to thoroughly check all the ingredients on the various ranges of puppy foods on the market, and make sure your pup is eating a food designed for their body size and shape and the body size and shape they will quickly grow into – if in doubt, your vet may be able to give you some information.

Toys & teething

If you have been on the receiving end, you will realise your puppy has needle-sharp little teeth, but these will soon be replaced by adult teeth that can shred your best shoes or furniture in seconds. When teething, pups will chew just about anything so it may just save you a small fortune if you think ahead and get them some well made chew toys or appropriate chewing treats. Now will also be a good time to think of their oral hygiene, as tooth decay and gum disease can cause serious health issues, especially if your pup has heart problems, and may leave you with a hefty vet bill. So talk to your vet about getting a suitable toothpaste and brush and get your little one used to a daily brushing routine.

Socialisation

Everyone panics about getting their puppy socialised but unless your pup has had all of its full range of vaccinations, it will need to be kept separate from other dogs to prevent serious diseases from being picked up. Once vaccinations are completed, start getting your pup out to meet others, whether at a puppy party or just meeting other peoples pups – always be aware that your pup is still a baby and though they jump and bounce about in a cute way, this may not always be appreciated by other dogs, so make sure your pups meetings are always safe. Dogs are pack animals and they will love making friends, but they may not yet have learned the variety of signs, signals and social behaviour necessary, so never let them to run up to other dogs, and always be able to get them out of harms way if necessary.

Training

There is no time like the present to start with the “not on the couch” and “bedtime” commands, and then progress slowly to more complicated stuff like “sit”, “stay” and the recall routine. Take your time, remember that all pups will learn at different rates just like we do. Always be kind and gentle and always reward your pup when it completes the desired behaviour. You could join a puppy training class as this will also aid with your pup’s socialisation skills. When your pup has learned the good behaviour and acquired new skills, keep that going, because they’ll soon be teenagers and will behave like it – and that’s a whole other experience!

Separation

If your puppy arrived during lockdown they’ll think that you being at home all day is how the world is. So, you going back to work will not only disrupt their regular routine but could create separation anxiety. If you’re in work all day and are not lucky enough to have a job where you can nip back home, then give serious consideration to getting someone in to break the day up for your pup. It will allow them to get a much needed drink and something to eat and continue with their toilet routine. It will also provide a chance to stretch their little legs with a short walk or some good quality playtime. It is imperative that you do not leave your pup alone for long hours, as this will lead to unavoidable soiling and cause serious issues with ongoing training leading to stress and potential behavioural problems that may take a long time to settle.

Here at Scamps and Champs Cardiff, we know the importance of raising and training your puppy to become a happy and well balanced adult.

We offer specialised puppy packages, puppy visits and puppy day care to help you return to work with confidence in the knowledge that your pup is being cared for, and receiving ongoing training and enrichment in a safe environment.

We are Fully Insured, Police Cleared and Licensed. We are also open 7 days per week – 10% discounts and other benefits available as a welcome to our services.

SCAMPS AND CHAMPS ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE NOW OFFERING A FULL RANGE OF ORGANIC AND SPECIALISED DRY AND SEMI MOIST FOODS FOR PUPS/KITTENS THROUGH TO ADULTS – please enquire at: Tel: 0333 200 5827 Email : cardiff@scampsandchamps.co.uk

puppies Puppy Visits

How Does Your Dog See The World?

By 28 days of life your pup has a working visual system. It’s eyes are adapted to operate in a similar fashion to that of humans but because of the positioning of their eyes, which, depending upon the breed, can be set at a 20 degree angle; they have a much greater field of vision.

Whilst due to their large pupils, they can often detect movement behind them which can be a great survival advantage, so whilst a human field of vision only stretches to 180 degrees, a dog’s field of vision will stretch to an amazing 240 degrees. This field of vision also overlaps at the front providing a greater depth of vision when the dog looks straight ahead. This Binocular vision helps when the dog is jumping and catching. Dogs with shorter muzzles will have greater binocular vision.

However, whilst humans can see reasonably well at around 75ft away, a dog will struggle from around 20ft away, so if you are standing still across the the field don’t expect your dog to recognise you immediately from this distance. He will be able to pick you up however, once you start moving as due to having a larger amount of rods in the retina, dogs see moving objects much more than they see standing objects at a distance.

This motion sensitivity is a critical aspect of canine vision and this needs to be taken into account when training your dog – particularly if you want him/her to perform certain actions from a distance based on a silent cue. Your dog also has an astounding sense of smell and will be able to “scent” you from a long way away.

The dogs eye retina is made up of rods an cones, the cones handle the vision by day and colour, whereas the rods deal with nighttime vision.

Dogs can see colour, but only have dichromatic vision as opposed to humans trichromatic vision. This lack of a third colour receptor means they don’t have the ability to distinguish red and green in a similar way to a red/green colour blind human, so a red ball on green grass may be very difficult for your dog to see..

Dogs have adapted to see in much lower light as their ancestors often

hunted at dawn and dusk giving them a much superior and precise

ability to see in various shades of grey than humans.

SO HOW DOES A DOG COPE IF IT IS BORN BLIND OR GOES BLIND ?

If a dog is born blind or loses its sight , its not as devastating as you may think. This is because the dog has other senses that will help it to navigate, such as its amazing sense of smell that can actually deliver a multi dimensional picture to the dogs brain. These dogs can and do survive and still make wonderful pets.

Your Dog is simply amazing !!

When You’ve Got To Go, You’ve Got To Go – Toilet Training For Your Pup

Unless you are very lucky, it is unlikely that your pup is fully toilet trained when you first get him/her home, so setting up a good regime from the outset will pay dividends.

If you have another dog at home to show your pup the ropes, then toilet training will happen much quicker as the new pup will soon find the area that has been established by the other dog and will quickly follow the toilet signposts.

If you don’t have another doggie at home to help out then the aim will be; not so much as to forbid the use of one area but to encourage the use of another more appropriate area. Here are a few tips that may help.

DO THIS:

Firstly, decide on an area where you want your pup to toilet Set up a regime where you take your pup out to this chosen place; First thing In The Morning, After Feeding, After Naps, In between Meals and Last Thing At Night – always use this area so that they can recognise their own scent.

Make sure that you keep to regular feeding times to get your pup into a routine As soon as your pup has eaten it will need to toilet shortly afterwards, so carry it outside and get it to sit in the “chosen” area

– don’t worry if your pup doesn’t “get it” right away. It’s ok if your pup plays about at first, it will soon do it’s duty so be patient.

The moment your pup starts to go, start praising by making lots of “Good Dog/ Good Baby” type comments in an excited and slightly high tone, this is the signal that tells your pup he/she is doing the right thing.

Reinforce these desired actions each time because your pup may occasionally forget – it’s an exciting world with lots to learn!

Limit your pups access to just one or two areas where you can keep an eye on them Crate your pup when you can’t give them supervision – they are less likely to toilet in an area where they sleep or feed.

Ensure you take your pup out regularly

Stay consistent

If your pup has an “accident” indoors always use a specialised cleaning product to clean the area thoroughly as any lingering smell may draw your pup back time and again.

DON’T DO THIS:

Never rub your pup’s nose in any mess – it’s unlikely that your pup will connect the crime with the punishment and instead your pup will become frightened – this will then lead to serious toilet training problems.

Never Ever shout at or punish your pup if it has had an accident. If you discover a mess it is too late to rectify the situation so say nothing – it may make you feel better to get the frustration out of your system but it will only serve to confuse and frighten the pup and set up problems with toilet training.

Don’t wait for your pup to signal that he/she needs the toilet, most pups don’t learn to signal in this way until they learn to “hold” – much like you when you went from nappies to potty to using the big toilet.

Don’t put papers down in the hope that your pup will use these instead of your floors – this will only send the message to your pup that its ok to do it on the papers, and may make it impossible to break the association.

Don’t leave your pup for hours on end and then blame it if it makes a mess.

Don’t use bleach to clean up after your pup – it’s always best to use specialised cleaning products available at your local pet store.

ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR PUP IS A BABY – HANDLE WITH CARE AND LOVE, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR ANYTHING LESS!!

Don’t forget, Scamps & Champs can help with puppy visits to assist with toilet training when you go back to work. We come in, let the pup into the garden, feed the pup, clean up any accidents, refresh water and have some play/training/cuddle time before we leave. Contact your local branch for details.

Puppy Visits toilet training

How do you prepare your dog for when you go back to work after lockdown?

Once the coronavirus lockdown ends you may no longer work from, home resulting in a new routine for your dogs. This new routine may mean leaving your dog for longer periods of time than they are used to. Dogs are naturally very sociable animals and some may find being left alone very hard and you may notice a change in their behaviour. Some dogs may develop separation anxiety. What is separation anxiety and how can it be prevented?

What is separation anxiety?

Your dog may become distressed when you are preparing to leave home, or after you have left. He may start pacing, trembling, whining, drooling or panting. He may bark far more than usual or start howling. He may start digging at carpets or chewing furniture, such as table legs, or show other signs of destructive behaviour such as raiding the rubbish bin, or may have toileting accidents in the house. This may be in response to boredom, being left alone, or from being separated from one particular person.

This behaviour can be upsetting, so how can you prepare your dog for your return to work?

Although dogs should not be left on their own for too long the earlier actions are taken the better by spending some time away from your dog during the day, even whilst in the same house. This is particularly important for dogs that have been bought or adopted during lockdown, especially puppies, as they may have had no experience of being separated from their owner. Dogs who have been in rescue or have been rehomed several times can sometimes struggle with being left, especially in the first few weeks of being rehomed. This is probably due to a variety of factors, including the stresses experienced while in kennels and learning to adapt to a new home.

Start by leaving you dog alone for just a few seconds and then move onto minutes and a couple of hours. Take your time if your dog shows any sign of distress. If being left alone is too much for your dog you could start by being in the same room but avoiding eye contact and then move on to being the other side of a stair gate, being in another room and then finally out of sight and earshot. Give plenty of praise and rewards such as treats and toys. Being relaxed during this process will help not make a big deal out of it and the aim is that your dog feels relaxed and comfortable when left on their own for some part of the day. Being left at home should be fun!

As well as building on controlled periods of time alone giving your dog something to do will help reduce their anxiety when they are left alone and help them develop positive associations with being alone. Using food and enrichment toys such as Kong’s, appropriate chew toys, lick mats and slow feeders to keep him occupied. Provide your dog’s usual meal or healthy fillers such as cooked chicken, vegetables or peanut butter.

How to prevent possible triggers from causing anxiety?

You can desensitise your dog to any signs that you are leaving the house. Try opening and closing doors without leaving, picking up and putting down car keys throughout the day, picking up and moving shoes and bags or putting on a coat and walking around with it before removing it.

Do not use punishment as this will not work and will cause more harm

Any punishment given on returning home won’t help stop the problem. Dogs associate punishment with what they are doing at that moment in time and so a dog will not link the telling off with their actions before their owner came home, even if they are taken over to ‘the scene of the crime’. It is not that they cannot remember what happened; they just won’t be able to make a connection between the punishment and something they did hours ago.

If punished your dog will not only be feeling anxious about being left, but will also be worried about you returning, which can make any symptoms much, much worse.

Scamps and Champs provide puppy visits and a dog walking service whilst following the latest government and DEFRA advice. Get in touch to discuss your individual needs.

dog visits dog walking Puppy Visits

Should You Look Into Your Dog’s Eyes

Dogs rely on a lot of non verbal communication with each other and us for a number of reasons. Eye contact is used by dogs as an important form of communicating authority and hierarchy in the pack. Though dogs rarely stare openly into each others eyes because confrontation is something that most dogs wish to avoid at all costs, as direct contact can signify both rudeness and a challenge to authority.

A dominate dog will stare down an inferior dog in order to assert its authority and position in the pack, whereas the submissive dog will look away and expose its neck in order to avoid conflict and to show subservience.

However, dogs may watch the eyes of their human owners or stare at us in order to assess the signals that we give. They may also be seeking attention or hoping to receive something good. A few other reasons that dogs look at us are:

our ability to provide food

clues about our emotional state

assessing our intentions

information about what is happening in their world

It is believed that the dog’s unique ability to look into our eyes and hold our gaze was one of the first steps in domestication, and since dogs have been domesticated for at least 10,000 years (and some scientists believe much longer, up to 100,000) this ability has been selected and carried down the generations of dogs.

It is felt that dogs and people bond through eye contact . … but now, scientists have found actual proof that the connections between humans and their dogs have the same biochemical basis as the mother-child bond, and it’s strengthened by the same thing: a loving gaze.

In fact, research in Budapest using eye-tracking technology shows that dogs are as sensitive to their owner’s looks as small children are with their parents. They recommend that owners increase their eye contact with their puppies so that they can build a better relationship, and getting the dog to maintain eye contact is now an important part of training.

However, looking into a dog’s eyes is not the same as staring and most dogs can tell the difference between the two. Staring can be a threat in dogs and in some other species. When someone stares at a dog, maintaining eye contact when he or she has no right to do so, it can make an already nervous dog hostile or scared.

If you encounter an unfamiliar dog try to avoid looking directly into his/her eyes and instead look at ears or feet. Because dogs have an excellent knowledge of body language, the dog will be watching you to understand your intent, though you may not realise it.

Dogs are great companions and want to be loved. Since dogs know that what we think will influence our behavior to them, they are looking at us because they want to know how we feel.

Look into my eyes and tell me differently.

Dogs

How Does Your Dog Smell ??

With Amazing Accuracy Actually..

A dogs sense of smell is probably more important than any other sense (except touch) and is one of the predominant senses for a dog, as a pup it used its scenting ability to locate its mother.

Although your dogs brain is much smaller than that of a human, its sense of smell is estimated to be a hundred thousand times better.

As it develops your dog will literally learn to smell its world and the passing of time. It can see the future by catching scent on the air so knows what is to come and by smelling the ground can tell what has passed.

With 220 million receptors in the dogs nose, scent is a very powerful influence.

This immense sense not only provides memories that last a lifetime, but will inform and forewarn the dog affecting its behaviour and physiology.

The average dog can detect and identify smells that are so dilute that even scientific instruments struggle to pick them up.

Your dog also has mobile nostrils that allow him to determine the direction of the scent even if its a long way off giving him/her the ability to scent prey. He can even pick up different scents in each nostril.

Dogs pick up on peemail when out and about and this provides them with much information as to the age, health and sexuality of those who have passed through before, they are also able to discern where a female is in her sexual cycle.

Dogs can also smell adrenaline and pheromones both in humans and other dogs.

Isn’t that just amazing – so now you know why your dog loves to smell anything and everything.

Some Rеаѕоnѕ Whу Rescue Dogs Are The Bеѕt

Yоu May Sаvе A Lіfе

Some rescue dоgѕ currently hоuѕеd іn dog homes are оftеn faced wіth an unfortunate futurе. If thеу don’t fіnd a hоmе, thеу might get ѕhuttlеd to аnоthеr, less humane ѕhеltеr or wоrѕе. Bу аdорtіng a dоg, уоu’rе ensuring hе оr ѕhе ѕtаndѕ a сhаnсе at enjoying thеіr lіfе tо thе fullеѕt.

They May Hаvе Had Sоmе Basic Training/Socialisation

A dog that was оnсе part of a fаmіlу оr has ѕреnt time аrоund dogs home volunteers/foster carers hаѕ probably bееn tаught ѕоmе bаѕіс training such as walking on a lead. If they have been with a family, they will have had a start on toilet training.

Thеу Will Have Been Vet Checked

Dogs who hаvе been through thе rescue system need tо bе uр tо date оn thеіr vaccinations and will likely аlrеаdу bееn ѕрауеd оr neutered. It doesn’t mean your dоg will nеvеr have any іѕѕuеѕ, but they will have been given a health check by a vet.

They Arе Sometimes More Mature

Older dogs who have аlrеаdу expended their puppy еnеrgу аrе muсh less likely tо tеаr into furnіturе оr рut wеаr on саrреtѕ. By аdорtіng a mature аnіmаl, you are giving them a second chance.

Yоu Cаn Skip the Puppy Phase

A ѕlіghtlу more mаturе dog that іѕn’t bursting with еnеrgу is оnе thаt’ѕ more lіkеlу tо еnjоу lаzу days outside оr in front of thе tеlеvіѕіоn—whісh іѕ a hugе рluѕ іf уоu’rе ѕоmеоnе whо dоеѕn’t аlwауѕ hаvе the tіmе, оr thе energy, tо keep uр with a рuрру’ѕ activity lеvеl.

Uѕе Thе Rеѕоurсеѕ Of Thе Dogs Home/Rescue

Dogs, unfоrtunаtеlу, dоn’t соmе with instruction mаnuаlѕ. But the nеxt bеѕt thing іѕ thе dogs home from which уоu аdорtеd your dog. Thе еmрlоуееѕ and vоluntееrѕ can bе a grеаt оngоіng ѕоurсе of іnfоrmаtіоn аnd rеѕоurсеѕ fоr your реt.

Find A Better Mаtсh

Sоmе dog оwnеrѕ mау rесоgnіzе thе rіght реt for thеm аѕ soon аѕ thеу’vе laid еуеѕ on іt, but іt’ѕ еѕѕеntіаl to mаkе sure оwnеrѕ аnd dogs аrе рrореrlу mаtсhеd. The right раіrіng іѕ mоrе lіkеlу when adopting a реt rаthеr than buуіng оnе аѕ the dogs home/rescue will соnѕіdеr needs ѕuсh as tеmреrаmеnt, home еnvіrоnmеnt, and mоrе.

Rеduсеd Соѕtѕ

Adopting a dоg uѕuаllу іnvоlvеѕ a fее, but this fее іѕ tурісаllу lоwеr thаn thе cost оf buying a dоg frоm a brееdеr. Dogs homes аlѕо соvеr оthеr costs thаt may be extra elsewhere. Thеѕе соvеrеd соѕtѕ саn іnсludе ѕрауіng оr nеutеrіng, vассіnаtіоnѕ, mісrосhірріng, аnd еvеn some training еxреnѕеѕ.

Sеnd A Positive Mеѕѕаgе

Thеrе are рlеntу of reasons tо brіng a реt іntо your lіfе, but whаtеvеr thе reason, you саn ѕеnd a роѕіtіvе mеѕѕаgе bу аdорtіng a rescue dоg. By dоіng ѕо, you саn hеlр еduсаtе оthеrѕ about thе benefits оf аdорtіng rescue реtѕ.

Yоu Arе Helping The Canine Pорulаtіоn In Gеnеrаl

Rеѕсuе dоgѕ may have had a very unhappy start in life, nо оnе wаntѕ to ѕее a dоg аbuѕеd оr a dog аbаndоnеd but it hарреnѕ tо thеѕе рооr creatures rеgulаrlу through no fаult оf their own.

Adopt A Dog Of Any Аgе

Puрріеѕ mау bе аdоrаblе, but thеrе аrе benefits to аdорtіng аn older dоg. Whеn looking fоr a rescue dоg, роtеntіаl аdорtееѕ hаvе the сhоісе of mоrе thаn juѕt younger pets. Sеnіоr оr older dоgѕ, usually соnѕіdеrеd ѕеvеn years оr оldеr, are some оf thе mоѕt dіffісult tо рlасе.

Rесеіvе Additional Hеаlth Bеnеfіtѕ

Studies have ѕhоwn thаt owning аnу pet hаѕ a myriad оf health benefits. Thеѕе саn іnсludе dесrеаѕеd blood pressure аnd cholesterol and trіglусеrіdе levels. A реt can also reduce fееlіngѕ оf lоnеlіnеѕѕ, increase орроrtunіtіеѕ fоr exercise аnd tіmе outside, and fасіlіtаtе ѕосіаlіzаtіоn.

Spaying Оr Nеutеrіng Іѕ Dоnе For You

Getting уоur реt spayed оr neutered іѕ costly, but іt hаѕ ѕеvеrаl аdvаntаgеѕ. It саn іmрrоvе thе аnіmаl’ѕ hеаlth аnd bеhаvіоr аnd wіll help соntrоl thе реt population. Most dogs homes require that аdорtеd реtѕ bе spayed оr nеutеrеd, аnd thе dogs home will often рrоvіdе thіѕ ѕеrvісе fоr frее.

Older Dogs Gіvе Аѕ Muсh Lоvе As Puppies

Puppies mау bе еnеrgеtіс аnd seem full оf еndlеѕѕ lоvе, but аn older dоg саn be just аѕ lоvаblе. Thеѕе dоgѕ may be the most dіffісult tо рlасе, but thеу соmе with mаnу аdvаntаgеѕ. Thеіr emotional mаturіtу is аn advantage, and even thоugh they have a раѕt, thеу саn bоnd juѕt аѕ wеll аѕ рuрріеѕ.

Summary

Adopting a rescue dog is one of the most amazing things that you can do. You are giving a dog a second chance at life and the rewards are endless. To watch a rescue dog grow in confidence and become more and more affectionate is just the best.

We adopted two of our dogs from Many Tears Rescue in South Wales. They rescue a lot of puppy farm dogs. A lot of these dogs have never known love, warmth, comfort or affection. It does take a lot of time and patience but to watch them develop and realise that nobody will ever hurt them again is priceless.

adopt a dog rescue dogs rescue dogs are the best

Our Favourite Toys To Keep Your Dogs Entertained During Quarantine

We often hear that owning a dog is like having an eternal toddler at your beck and call. Why, you ask? Because they’re obsessed with fun, games and entertainment. A pooch never tires of the stuff you buy to amuse it.

We’ve done some sniffing around, and come up with a list of top canine toys to fill the void:

Benebone Flavoured Chews

USA brand Benebone is a big name for quirky chew toys, and they’ve amassed a range of gourmet flavours that include peanut butter, bacon and rotisserie chicken. The lip-smacking treat has been designed to resemble a wishbone, so pups and adult dogs can gnaw on it easily. Any pets heavier than 70lb, though, are off the cards for Benebone toys.

KONG Rubber Ball Extreme

Round objects seem to be the absolute, heavenly peak of a pooch’s sense of play. The KONG Rubber Ball Extreme has a ridiculous bounce capability, whilst remaining 100% puncture resistant. Your furry pal can knock it about at their whim, chasing it through the backyard, living room or kitchen. ‘Small’ measurements are 2.5” high, whilst the ‘Medium/Large’ option adds another half an inch, catering for variously sized breeds.

KONG Classic Dog Toy

We’re back in KONG’s playground, as they prove once more why they’re a solid brand for pet-centric games. Basically, the Classic version of their accessory is shaped like a triple-layered dollop of cream, built from red rubber. When dropped on the ground, it’ll boing unpredictably from one spot to the next – that’s what the unusual design is for! Dogs can’t fail to be delighted by this, making the KONG Classic a highlight on our list.

OurPets IQ Treat Ball

For a short stay on their own through the day, the OurPets IQ Treat Ball is a perfect, tongue-frothing blend of smarts and physical pleasure. A dog can only gain access to the biscuits within if they roll the toy in a certain way; steadily, they’ll drop out, ready to be snaffled up. Owners can raise the difficulty when they think it’s become too by-the-numbers. Overall, an ideal choice for the brainy hound.

Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel

Now this is a special case of paw-tastic pastimes… The Hide-A-Squirrel Toy emits a squeak when dogs wrap their mouth around the belly, lending comfort and stimulation in periods of stress. There are several of these plush squirrels to buy at once; what’s more, they live in a furry tree trunk, requiring a dog to hunt them through the storage holes. The Ginormous Hide, as its’ known, features five woodland critters to pile on top of each other.

Snuffle Mats

These can be bought or made yourself. They are mats in which you hide treats or kibble for your dog to find which keeps them stimulated.

Together, these are excellent distractions to keep your pup entertained during these long days at home.