How do I Introduce My New Pet to My Other Pets?

If there is one thing all pet parents universally agree to, it is the rush of feel-happy hormones rushing your veins with a new addition of paws in your family. While adding more furry members to your family may not be on your mind, you can’t deny the urge to get another pet home. And no one understands this better than us! 

The joys and nuances of bringing a new furry baby home, spending time together to learn about their personality and preferences, training them to perform the cutest tricks that will get your Instagram inbox filled to the brim is what any pet parent wants

Data says that about 60-70% of households in the U.S. have a pet. And if you are someone who wants to experience that thrill again and again, by all means, go ahead!

But if there is one thing that you need to keep in mind before bringing a new pet home, it is that your resident furry members might not share in the joy that you do. Hence the introduction between your new pet and your resident pets needs to be well planned and structured deliberately. It will ensure that all pets in the house are introduced safely to the other, allowing for the development of long-term and stable relationships. 

Whether you are introducing your new dog, cat, or rabbit to your resident pets, read on to discover the safest way to create excellent first impressions! 

Introducing Your New Cat to Your Resident Dog

Before you decide to bring a new cat into your home, ensure that you have conducted significant research and have asked your rescue and shelter facility how comfortable your cat is with dogs.

Enquire whether it has any prior experience with canines. Parallelly begin obedience training with your dog at least a good week or two before the cat is brought into the house, using clicker training or food. You can purchase an hour of professional dog walking to help regulate excess energies before the first meet.

Introducing Your New Dog to Your Resident Cat 

Once again, keep your dog on a fixed leash and well within your control. Keep the first meeting of your dog and cat short and brief, just for a few minutes. You can even employ a cat sitter to take care of your beloved feline while you make arrangements for a safe space. Then go on to separate the animals and place them in different areas of the house. It will allow both of them to relax and take time recognizing the scent of the other animal across the house. 

Repeat these brief introductions regularly over a couple of days and ensure that you are present at all times. Before an actual face-to-face interaction happens, trim your dog’s and cat’s nails and wait a day or two until the rough edges smoothen up. 

Introducing Your Rabbit to Your Resident Dog or Cat 

Rabbits are certainly an unconventional addition to your family of furry beings. If you are introducing your rabbit to your resident cat, the first step is to ensure that a safe and stress-free environment has been created for the introduction. You can take additional steps by ensuring both animals are rested and well-fed before the interaction. Choose a safe and neutral zone for the meeting such as a living room or your backyard. Keep the rabbit safe and secure in its hutch and your dog within your control on a fixed leash.

The first step is to take the rabbit out of its pen and place it in a sturdy cage before bringing it to the cat. The bunny needs to be safe and protected from any sudden movements that the cat may make. You can even try familiarizing the scents of the animals with the use of a clean towel or cloth. Monitor the behaviors closely and remember – stress can have a negative influence on your rabbit’s health. 

When introducing a rabbit to your resident dog, remember that rabbits fall in the prey category for dogs. Try not to bring a rabbit home if you have a species like Golden Retriever or Labrador as your resident dog, given that these are hunting animals with a penchant for smaller creatures like rabbits.

Introduce them slowly to one other but keep the meeting brief. And remember to monitor both animal’s behaviors when in the presence of each other. You can even consider roping in an additional family 

Remember to be patient – animals will require time and training before they adapt to each other slowly. Your pets (new and old) will also be looking to you for guidance during the introduction. Don’t worry too much and allow the relationship to develop at its own pace – you’ve got this! 

Looking After a Pet’s Mental Health: Is It So Simple?

Pets Mental Health

Pets keep loneliness at bay for millions of people, just the simple act of playtime can make a big difference to both us and our pet! And while we are more than aware of how a pet can help us with our well-being, we must remember to return the favour. Supporting your pet’s mental health is essential. The pandemic has made us a lot more anxious, but what about our pets? Our pets’ behaviour might change in tense situations. But what can we do to make sure that, if we notice our pets having any signs of poor well-being, that we support them? 

Stimulating Their Senses

Providing mental stimulation is crucial. If you are currently stuck at home, you can hide treats and toys around the space to provide that all-important exercise and mental stimulation. But when life returns to normality, give them the benefits of a variety of scenery. Taking them to explore new scenery is as important to your pet’s mental health as it is to you. With the variety of rated pet transport services around, it has never been easier to give your pet the stimulation they need. 

Exercising With Different Techniques 

Ensuring that they remain agile is essential. Building up their agility will teach them something new and stimulate them. If your pet needs to stay indoors, you must remember that their exercise should not suffer. You can also incorporate new toys on a heavy rotation. A variety of interactive toys can keep your pet interested and stimulated. There is a lot to consider. And when you start to stimulate their senses, you give them that all-important distraction. 

Access to Light

Fresh air is important, as well as light and exposure to a variety of senses. Giving them exposure to different smells and sounds provides simulation. You have to remember at this point if your pet’s behaviour changes or they get frustrated, you may need to change your approach. If you are not taking your dog out much at the moment, you need to remember that the variety of noises and smells may frustrate them at not being able to go outside. 

Observing and Acting

A physically and mentally stimulated pet will be happier and healthier. Observing changes in their behaviour gives you the opportunity to spot if their mental well-being is being impacted. You should always contact a vet if you are concerned, but the solution might be closer to home. You could give them more treats if you feel you’ve been cutting back recently. There are also other ways to stimulate them, such as the soothing sounds on My Dog’s Favourite Podcast available on Spotify. It is an audio treat for your dog that could help to calm their anxieties. 

Stimulation is crucial, but we have to remember when we are trying to look after our pets and mental health that we are more observant. They could be taking their cue from us, in which case, it’s essential to focus on creating a healthier environment for everyone. We can look after our pet’s mental health. In many ways, it is simple.

Christmas For Pets

Christmas For Pets - Scamps & Champs

As Christmas approaches, it’s lovely to involve our pets in the festivities. This article mentions a few things to be aware of to keep our fur babies safe…

Real Christmas trees.

Whilst these look lovely and give an authentic Christmas smell, the needles can get stuck in paws or throats. Ensure you regularly sweep up any pine needles and consider closing the room so your pet isn’t left unattended with the tree.

Dangling tree decorations

These can be irresistible to pets – cats enjoy trying to bat them off the tree. However it’s no fun if the decoration falls, breaks and injures your pet. Also, chocolate is harmful to our pets so put these high out of reach.

Antifreeze

Strange inclusion in the Christmas list you may think, however antifreeze contains chemicals which can be harmful to pets so try not to spill any and always keep bottles out of pets reach.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…..

Whilst this sounds lovely, we need to be careful if we have log burners etc. Ensure pets are not able to get too close to investigate, burnt paws are very painful!

(Hopefully!) A busy house

Christmas is (usually) the time to gather with family and friends and whist we are enjoying the merriment, we may forget that this can be an anxious time for our pets with unfamiliar people and noises in the house. Perhaps plan in advance if you are having guests, make a safe space for your pet to escape and enjoy some alone time.

Fireworks….

Many people choose to let off a few fireworks over the Christmas and New Year period. This will fill some pet owners with dread if your pet doesn’t cope well, it might only just feel like we’ve gotten past bonfire night and here they are again. Try and prepare in advance, leave on some soothing background music, prepare a small ‘den’ your pet can hide in if they feel scared. There are also plug in diffusers available which may help with your pets anxiety.

Christmas plants

A lot of the plants we choose a Christmas can be toxic to our pets. This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy them in our home, just perhaps keep these up high out of reach of inquisitive paws.

Christmas lights

Ensure cables from Christmas lights are covered with cable guard or placed out of reach otherwise cats, rabbits and dogs may try and have a little chew!

Presents

If you know (or suspect) a present contains food, leave these in a place your pet cant reach rather than under the tree. You wouldn’t want these disappearing and potentially causing harm to your furry loved ones.

Keep up your pets regular exercise and feeding routines.

This will avoid adding any stress to your pets if other things are slightly different over the festive period. Long walks will also help to tire your dogs out so they won’t become bored or destructive.

Scamps & Champs Derby can help with this if you don’t have time for long walks during your festivities, just get in touch to see how we can help.

Wedding Chaperone Service

If you can’t imagine your big day without your furry friend by your side then Scamps and Champs Dartford have the answer for you!

Our dogs become a member of the family and at Scamps and Champs Dartford we believe you shouldn’t have to leave them behind on your wedding day, which is why we offer a pet chaperone service.

Our pet chaperone service is completely tailored to both your needs and the needs of your dog. We will sit down with you and put together a bespoke plan together that fits perfectly around your wedding day. Whether you want your dog to just be a part of the wedding photos, walk down the aisle with you or maybe even be the ring bearer, we can work with you to make it happen. You just need to let us know what your dream day would involve, and we will do our best to ensure your dog can be a part of it.

No one wants the added stress of worrying whether their dog is being well looked after on their wedding day, but with our pet chaperone service you can feel reassured that your dog is being given the love and attention they deserve. This will leave you free to enjoy your special day.

After pick up by our pet chaperone we can offer various services from ensuring your dog is walked, taking your dog to be groomed to make sure they look their best for the wedding photos and ensuring they are fed and looked after, which can include an overnight stay in a loving home. We will try and keep your dog’s routine as normal as possible for them to avoid any unnecessary stress and help your special day be equally enjoyable for them.

If your special member of the family is not a dog, then don’t worry as our pet chaperone service covers all animals and we will do our best to ensure that no matter how big or small your pet is we can involve them in your wedding day. We love all animals here at Scamps and Champs Dartford and know that your wedding day would not be the same without your pet.

So, if you are in and around the Dartford area and would love your pet to be a part of your special day then please do get in touch.

Animals in the Workplace – Increases Productivity and Reduces Stress

It is not uncommon for businesses to allow pets into their offices these days, with many companies actually including the perk within their job advertisements to attract potential new employees.

Large companies like Google openly accept pets in the work place, where they are even welcome at business meetings. It is also common for a large number of Dutch companies to allow animals into the work environment too. A decade ago it was virtually unheard of to allow pets into the workplace, so why has this change of heart occurred and what benefits does having animals in the office have for us?

A wide set of studies have proven that when a dog is in the office that human cortisol levels are reduced, demonstrating a reduced level of stress. In addition, tests show that when physically stroking a dog humans have an increased level of the hormone oxytocin, making us feel more relaxed and happy.    

Some people believe pets can be a positive addition in many other ways too! Pets are said to be good for team morale and can boost energy levels on a tough or busy work day. Furthermore, pets can provide a fantastic ‘ice-breaker’ if you are finding it difficult to talk to one of your fellow colleagues.

Animals are universally loved and can therefore provide a mutually beneficial topic of interest. When you have your pet present at work with you, you may find people you have never even spoken to before stop by and want to say hello to your furry-friend, providing you with the perfect opportunity to get to know new people too.

Having your canine companion with you at work can make you feel more at ease and confident, therefore combining that with the improvement in communications once you have your pet with you, clinching ‘that deal’ will be a lot easier!

OK, so dogs are the obvious choice for a puptastic office pal, but don’t be deceived! Lots of people are now taking their feline friends into work now too. After all, cats absolutely love company and lots of attention too! Having a furry cat sitting purring on your lap can be really soothing and relaxing for both of you. Meaning you are productive and focussed in the workplace with your kitty by your side. Puurrrrfect!

So are any other animals acceptable in the work place? Well a hamster might not quite have the same effect as a cat or dog in terms of ‘cuddle-ability’ but if you are looking for a low-maintenance office companion, then a hamster could be the answer for you! Fish have well-known relaxing qualities and could produce a colourful and quiet, soothing addition to the office!

So with so many companies desperate to take on animal lovers – what are you and your pawsome pals waiting for?

Check out Scamps and Champs full range of pet care services, also contact us with any questions or to make an enquiry.

Top Five – Valentine’s Safety Tips for Pets

We all know how much you love your pets! Many of us even admit to loving and spending time with our beloved pets more than humans! Therefore, at Scamps and Champs we want to make sure Valentines Day is a special occasion to remember, for all of the right reasons! Ensuring you can snuggle up with the lady or man in your life for the Pawfect Valentines Day!

Pets make the best Valentine’s date as you don’t need to buy them chocolates, they have no use for flowers, and in fact these gifts can be extremely dangerous for them. All they need is your unconditional love and affection. If you can’t keep your paws off each other – we want to make sure that you spend the day together safely. Here are our top five Valentine’s Day safety tops for you and your pets.

1.    Toxic Chocolate – Ensure it’s for your Mouth only

It is well known that chocolate is extremely toxic for dogs, however it is one of the most common gifts on Valentine’s Day and therefore means that there’s lots of chocolaty temptation around for their tongues! Make sure any chocolates are kept up high and out of reach even the fruity flavours. Also make sure that you don’t leave wrappers lying around as they may still have chocolate on them and in addition the foil or plastic can be harmful if consumed. If chocolate is consumed by dogs they can become extremely ill and in severe cases it can be fatal. If your dog consumes chocolate then

2.    Skip the Love Hearts

Sugar free sweets, sweetener and gum contains the toxic ingredient xylitol. If ingested xylitol can cause; vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures and in severe cases liver failure. Therefore, skip the sweets this Valentine’s Day as love hearts, are far from loving for your purr-fect pets!

3.    Restart the Heart

We know you love your pets with all of your heart, therefore jeopardising their safety is just not worth the risk. If your pets consume, chocolate, sweeteners or sweets, this can devastatingly cause them to go into cardiac arrest. Stay smart by learning how to perform CPR on your pets effectively, so that in the event of emergency you can save the life of your pet.

4.    Rose-Worthy

Believe it or not your beautiful Valentine’s Day floral arrangements can be harmful to your pets, the aroma produced by flowers can be an enticing scent for your pet. If they manage to nibble your beautiful bouquet the results can be disastrous, even just small amounts of toxic flowers can cause; vomiting and upset stomachs. Be additionally cautious if your floral arrangements contain lilies as these can be fatal if consumed by cats.

5.    Animals are NOT Gifts

You may think that a cute puppy or kitten would make the most romantic gift of them all! However, it won’t be puppy love if you and your partner separate, or you move into a new home together which does not allow pets and your perfect pet ends up at the animal shelter. Bringing a living animal into your home needs careful consideration and is a life-long commitment that should not be taken lightly. Animals are not a choice that can be picked up and then thrown away, in accordance with your life style. Don’t buy an animal as a gift, take time to think about this life-altering commitment and talk it through with your partner thoroughly. Perhaps plan a date to visit an animal shelter or breeder together instead, once Valentine’s Day is over and spend Valentine’s Day together on a date talking things over.

We hope you have the most purr-fect Valentine’s Day with your pets, remember to stay safe and most of all give your animals the love and affection they deserve on this special day of the year.

Going away to celebrate Valentine’s Day and need your pets to be cared for? Take a look at Scamps and Champs pet care services.