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 & Anxiety - Scamps & Champs

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.

Contact us to find out more at info@scampsandchamps.co.uk or call us today on 0333 200 5827

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

Christmas Pet Recipes & Treats

Christmas Pet Recipes & Treats - Scamps & Champs

Its Christmas season again, and as usual, it’s a season of laughter and cheers for family and friends. But it does not need to end with your human friends. Your pets need not be left out of the fun.  It’s a season of care and love, so why leave them out of the love, excitement and good food.   In the spirit of Xmas, we will be describing a few recipes that would make your pets enjoy the thrills of Xmas. Read on.

Applesauce and Oatmeal Base Recipe for Cut-out Cookies

It will take you approximately 30 minutes to prepare this treat that yields a tray of cookies.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole wheatflour (you can substitute with regular flour for a whiter dough)
  • 2 cups rolled oat flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
  • 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoonful of vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º.You then combine all the ingredients in a food processor or stand mixer and add flour until the dough is no longer sticky and is ready to roll out. If you want a dough that is coloured differently, divide it into separate bowls, and add natural food colouring.

You should keep the dough covered to prevent drying between batches, but you can rehydrate it with a little coconut oil when necessary. 

Spinach Xmas Dog Treat Recipe

The downside of this recipe is a shorter shelf life because of the spinach, so your best bet is to keep it refrigerated if they stay longer than 3 days. It will take you approximately 40 minutes to prepare a tray full of this treat. 

Ingredients

  • 1 package frozen spinach thawed, drained, and excess water squeezed out
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour (you can substitute with any flour your dog enjoys)
  • 2 cups rolled oat flour
  • 6 capsules chlorophyll
  • 2 tablespoon of dried parsley
  • 1 cup applesauce
  • A few drops of peppermint extract
  • 2 eggs
  • You could use dried cranberries for decoration if you want.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º then defrosts a package of frozen spinach in the microwave. You then drain the spinach as much as you can, after which you press it into a colander, squeeze with your hands, or press into a tea towel. This is very important as it prevents your cookies from getting too soggy.

The next step is to place the dried spinach in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until spinach is thoroughly pureed.

You then add the flours, chlorophyll, and parsley, after which you pulse them to combine well.

Pulse the applesauce, peppermint, and eggs after adding. Keep pounding until the dough forms.

After that, move the dough to a board, add flour, and work it until it is ready for cookie cutting.

If you are into decorations, you might want to add cranberries to cut the cookies. You will have to keep the dough covered to prevent drying out between batches, but you can rehydrate the dough with a little coconut oil.

Gingerbread Cookies for Dogs

It should take you approximately 40 minutes to prepare this treat. The best part is that any type of flour works, so you need not be particular about the flour to use.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ cup oat flour (made from rolled oats)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of ground clove
  • Pinch of allspice
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 3/4 cup applesauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • Try carob chips for gingerbread eyes and buttons if you like.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º, then combine the flours, baking powder, and spices in a bowl and mix. You then add the molasses and applesauce and mix to combine. After that, you add the egg, vanilla, and coconut oil and mix to combine while adding more flour when necessary.

The next step is to roll out gingerbread dough and cut into gingerbread men.

Bake at 350º until they start to get golden around the edges if you want the cookie soft, or a little longer if you want it the cookie to be crunchy.

Takeaway

We hope you and your pets enjoy these Chistmas pet recipes.