Moving to a Nearby Location

If you’re just jumping to a new house within the same town or one that is nearby, you can rest a bit easier. Cats can be moved in this fashion easier because you won’t be traveling far and your cat won’t have enough time to wind itself up into complete distraction. However, if your cat is sensitive and hates traveling, then you should be ready to soothe your cat throughout the trip and have gentle food and water at the end of the trip since the usual foods can cause stomach problems. If possible, move your cat first and have someone stay with him while he explores the empty house and gets his scent on everything; if not, move your cat last and let it settle in one room with the door closed while all of the moving is happening. Always make sure to take time out to spend with Sir Anthony. Reassure him, pet it, let him sniff everything, and don’t pester him to eat or play. If nothing else, your cat might be upset with you for a while and want to sulk before forgiving you! Princes don’t like to be unsettled and they’ll let you know if they’re made uncomfortable in the slightest fashion.

Moving a Distance

If you’re going farther away, then you have a new set of problems on your hand, but they can be remedied. Always make sure your cat is in a carrier for the duration of the trip and that Anthony is in the front seat if possible so that he can be petted and has a hand to sniff every so often. Keep cats and children apart as the shrill voices and yelling will upset your pet even more. Drive carefully and as smoothly as possible; too much bumping and jostling will upset your cat. Remember, he’s already annoyed with you and feeling out of sorts. Best not to make things worse, which will only lengthen the time he’s angry at you. Finally, don’t worry about feeding him until you stop and even then, your cat may not want to eat much. This is normal and your cat will go back to eating when you’re in the new destination.

Once you’re in the new home, give your cat his own room and leave him with a buddy in there while the rest of the moving is going on. Don’t let your cat wander while the movers are doing their thing or he might get stepped on or even escape. Cats can take a few weeks to get acclimated to a new place, so don’t be surprised if you have an invisible cat on your hands for a while.

Cats and Hotels

This is a tricky one. If you’re moving a great distance, you’ll have to figure out what to do when it comes time to sleep. Some motels and hotels are cat friendly, some are with limits and some are flat out opposed to the idea. Try your very best to get a motel that is cat friendly; explain your situation and tell them that you’ll clean up any messes your cat makes. It’s likely that your cat will crawl in a corner and glare at you all night, but make sure to cover your bases. Offer food and put out a small litter box for your cat in a place that will be easy to clean (or with bags underneath it) and make sure your cat won’t attack the furniture.

If at all possible, plan out your moving trip with the motels planned in advance so you know which ones are pet friendly and which ones aren’t. This will cut down on a great deal of stress when it comes to travel day.

Cats may be sensitive to their environment, but they are also adaptable animals and when a move is carefully managed, they’ll settle into their homes like they never had one before it. Be understanding, caring, and patient, and your cat will come around to the new home before you know it.

And then you discover that you are pregnant. You are again filled with joy and love. You slowly get bigger and anticipate the arrival of the new baby. You move furniture and buy baby items, you paint the nursery and decorate it perfectly, and finally you go to the hospital and bring home your brand new baby. You are so excited and can’t wait to enjoy every day with this new little bundle.

“Um…..what is that? It’s so little…and smells REALLY funny!” Max is a little confused. He has never been around children before and does not really know what to think. You have to introduce him to your new baby with confidence and soothing words. Max is loving and affectionate, but his whole world consists of his mother and his father. You. Suddenly there is a new person in his life that is nothing like the two people that he is used to. It is your job as a good puppy parent to make sure he understands that this new baby is a brand new, but vital, part of the family circle.

“Mom! I wanna play!!! Put that down and come play with me!!! We haven’t played in SO long!” Max is used to being the center of attention in your home. Bringing a new baby home will change all of that for him and it is something he will have to get used to. Because you are his parent and you love him, you want him to be well adjusted and to love the baby as much as he loves you. The last thing you want him to feel is neglected. Make sure that you spend time with him whenever you can. Include him in your time with your new baby when it is possible. If you are sitting on the floor dangling toys over your child’s head, make sure that your furry child knows he can come and lay beside you and get some attention, too.

“NEW TOYS!!!! WHOO HOO! I wanna chew em, I wanna chew em, I wanna chew em!!!” Puppies love to play and chew. Whether Max is playing with his own toys or he has gotten hold of the cord to your brand new digital camera, he will toss it and throw it and gnaw on it until it has become just a few tiny little pieces of material. While you are used to disciplining him over playing with your belongings, your first instinct may be to overreact if you catch him playing with one of the new baby’s toys. Max is your child and feels that the things in the house are his, so it is logical he will want to play with these new toys. You need to be a fair and reasonable puppy parent in this instance. Try to keep the baby’s items up where Max can’t reach them. Because these kinds of things always end up on the floor, no matter how hard to try to keep them up, simply admonish Max and let him know that those things are not his. Repetition and consistency are the key to showing Max what he can and cannot play with.

Your new child is a very important member of your family, but so is the furry one you already have. In order to ensure that every single member of your family, whether two or four legged, knows how essential they are, you have to take the time to show them. Make sure Max knows that he has not been replaced…his family has simply grown.

Your drill should include clear instructions that even your 5-year old can understand, as well as a list of important numbers that are at the eye-level of your youngest, with photos beside the name if he or she can’t read.

At minimum this phone list should include:
• Your Vet’s
• Your neighbor’s
• Mom and Dad’s mobile and work

Below are some tips of what do if these common situations occur:

Your Dog Is Stung
A small population of dogs and cats is allergic to bee stings. It’s approximately the same percentage of humans for whom a bee sting can be deadly.

If you notice redness and that’s all, the immune system will eventually work the histamine out of his or her system. If you notice redness accompanied by swelling, check with your Vet and administer 2-3 CCs of children’s Tylenol.

If you notice excess swelling and labored breathing, call your Vet immediately. Your dog or cat may be having an anaphylactic reaction. This is as rare in dogs as it in humans and is extremely life threatening and means requires medical attention.

The problem with anaphylaxis is that you don’t know your pet or human for that matter, suffers this until it happens. Immediately take your dog or cat to the nearest animal hospital. The tricky thing about anaphylaxis is that the first time is serious; the second or third time is often deadly. It’s important to follow your Vet’s sound medical advice on what to do in the event of a future bee sting.

Your Dog Is Bitten By A Rattle Snake
Unlike a bee sting, the venom in a rattler is deadly to everyone. Carry your pet, do not allow him or her to walk as this allows the venom to spread more rapidly. Time is of the essence, as such, you have little time to spare to get him or her to the Vet.

Your Dog Is Hit By A Car
Car accidents are tricky because your dog or cat may get up and walk and appear to be fine. However, he or she may have internal bleeding and could be dead within hours of the impact. Your Vet is where your dog needs to be in this instance, especially if your animal is non-responsive.

Death By Chocolate
There should never be an instance where your dog eats chocolate by mistake. You may be lucky the first time and all that happens is that your dog has a seizure. However, chocolate, even in small doses can kill your dog. Never leave chocolate lying around. This means, no chocolate bars, no ice cream, cocoa powder, nothing. The first time you see this seizure is memorable and will stay with you for a very long time and will serve as a deterrent to ensure that your pet never eats chocolate again.

Doctor Jan Bellows.

Everyone knows that dogs are intelligent animals. It is one of the primary reasons that human beings choose dogs over a variety of other animals. Rabbits, for example, will never have the cognitive abilities as dogs, and so fewer people are going to choose them as pets.

But what is dog intelligence really? The animal behavior community does not yet have a good answer for this question, because people have differing opinions of what constitutes true “intelligence.”

Possible Examples of Dog Intelligence
• Trainability
Perhaps the most common concept of “Dog intelligence” is how easy the dog is to train. “Smarter” dogs in this case would be dogs that can learn a number of tricks quickly and easily. This makes a lot of sense. A dog that struggles to learn a trick may not have the intelligence necessary to learn the trick easily. Some dogs have the ability to learn a trick in as little as 2 or 3 tries. Other dogs can have weeks of training and still struggle with it.
• General Learning
The problem with trainability as the sole indicator of intelligence is that it assumes that smart dogs learn tricks. But some dogs that may not pick up tricks very easily may pick up on other things. For example, a dog may learn how to judge smells. The dog may also be able to pick up on smaller behaviors, such as if you have a tendency for your nose to twitch right before you are about to let out a loud sneeze, your dog may already have associated your nose twitching with intelligence. There is no way to know how much your dog has truly learned.
• Problem Solving
Your dog’s ability to learn is not the only way to judge your dog’s intelligence. Another aspect of intelligence is your dog’s ability to solve problems. If you put a treat underneath a bowl, does your dog know to flip the bowl to get the treat? Or does your dog believe that the treat has suddenly disappeared? What about if a ball is stuck under a chair – does your dog keep trying to bite it to no avail, or are they willing to use their paws to get it unstuck? The ability to problem solve is not present in all dogs, with some breeds showing far stronger abilities than others. These should clearly be considered in dog intelligence.

What is Correct?

It will never be possible to judge your dog’s general learning ability. Chances are, however, that a dog that is able to be easily trained has strong general learning skills, as the two are related even if they are not identical. In addition, trainability should not be considered the sole measure of intelligence because some dogs are naturally independent. Shiba Inus are known to be fairly intelligent dogs (by most standards) but are notoriously unwilling to be ordered around. As a result, using a dog’s ability to be trained as the indicator of intelligence is not going to be entirely accurate. If you’re looking for dogs for sale, keep this in mind!

True dog intelligence is likely a combination of your dog’s ability to be trained with your dog’s problem solving skills, with the latter holding slightly more weight. Problem solving is an ability that many dogs do not possess, and if your dog can also be trained easily, it is safe to assume that your dog is quite intelligent. If your dog is not easily trained and does not seem to possess very strong problem solving skills, chances are high that although your dog is likely smart by your own standards, compared to other dogs it is most likely they fall short.

There are several different types of dog beds available. Depending on how much you want to pamper your pet, you have a lot of choices in the types of beds you can supply for your pet.

Types of Dog Beds
1. Basic Mat
The most common type of dog bed is the basic mat. Rectangular in shape, these mats are not the most comfortable beds in the world, and they rarely hold up well to chewing, but they are a better option that sleeping on the floor and can be warmer for your pet’s skin.
2. Plush Dog Beds
One of the simplest, yet most comfortable type of dog bed available is the plush dog bed. These beds are usually round in shape and loaded with soft, gentle material that your dog will love. These are easily the softest types of dog beds available, but though they are generally fairly simple in design they can cost as much as $200.
3. Donut Dog Beds
Another type of dog bed is the donut dog bed. Donut dog beds are, as the name implies, made with more of a donut shape. They are also filled with soft material that is perfect for your dog’s skin and comfort, but they are designed with enclosures that provide the dog with a specific place to curl up and sleep rather than having it sprawl out all over the bed.
4. Orthopedic Dog Beds
Orthopedic dog beds resemble the basic dog mat in shape, but they are designed in a way that is far more comfortable to dogs that have serious joint or bone health issues. In many ways they closely resemble a “Memory Foam Mattress” in that they are thick and designed to gentle sink without putting the dog in an uncomfortable position.
5. Fancy Shaped Dog Beds
There are a variety of dog beds available that are designed to with fancy shapes that resemble human furniture. Many of these beds are designed like couches, while some are designed more like chairs or love seats. Your dog probably does not care that its bed is that well designed, but it is fun to have these types of beds in the house and they are surprisingly priced around the same as some of the plush beds.
6. Raised Dog Beds
Another type of dog bed is a “Raised Bed.” These beds are designed to look like bunk beds, except without a bottom bunk and often with easy to use stairs leading to the top. Dogs are known to be more comfortable in high places, and raised dog beds also keep dirt and hair off the carpet. They may not be comfortable for all dogs, however.
7. Heating/Cooling Beds
The last type of dog beds are beds with their own heating/cooling features. These beds are designed like flat beds/orthopedic beds, but contain little machines that cool or heat the dog (depending on the type of bed). They are useful for climates that have harsh winter and summer weather conditions.
Overall, dog beds come in all shapes and sizes. Your dog will be pleased with even the simplest of dog mats, but splurging on a nice dog bed may be more comfortable for your pet and more fun to have in your home.

Chewing itself is not necessarily a problem. It is WHAT your dog chews that causes the greatest amount of concern. Dogs will chew whatever feels good to chew, and unfortunately the things they love to chew are:
• Shoes and Clothes
• Wood (Table Legs, Chair Legs)
• Carpet

All of these things represent prime things to chew, and if your dog needs stimulation, chances are it will seek these out and damage items around your home in its quest to be stimulated. When you want your dog to stop chewing, there are several things you can do.

Training Your Dog Out of Chewing
• Exercise
The most effective way to reduce chewing behavior is to give your dog plenty of exercise. Remember, dogs chew because it gives them significant mental stimulation. The primary cause of chewing is boredom and a lack of brain use. Outdoor exercise solves this problem. Your dog is surrounded by sensory stimulation, with sights, sounds and smells all around them. In addition, your dog is getting a lot of exercise, and exercise calms both the mind and body, so that your dog is both mentally and physically relaxed.
• Ropes
An additional method is to provide your dog with something it CAN chew, such as chew ropes. Dogs only need something to chew – they do not often care what they are chewing. Chew ropes are perfect for chewing. They are great for teeth and they are designed to be ripped apart. To make sure your dog chews the rope, any time you catch your pet chewing your shoes or furniture, say “No,” take the item away, and give them the rope to chew instead. Your dog will quickly get the message.
• Store Bought Bitter Taste Products
Another method you can use is to purchase products that are flavored with a taste that your dog will hate. These products have you spray the item you want your dog to stop chewing with its terrible bitter taste, and as soon as the dog puts its mouth on the item, it will taste a terrible flavor that will cause it to stop. These products are useful for when your dog is chewing a specific item, but are less useful for long term changes in behavior.

Employ All Methods for the Greatest Effects
If you truly want your dog to stop chewing, use all three of the methods listed above. The products can help your dog learn to stop chewing specific items and the ropes will provide your dog with something it is welcome to chew.

Still, the most important thing you can do for your pet is to provide it with plenty of exercise. Dogs need a lot of outdoor exercise. Running around in the backyard is not enough. They need to experience more of the outdoors to calm their mind and their body. The more you exercise your dog, the more is mind and body will be stimulated, and the less your dog’s instinctive chewing behavior will kick in.

Combining all of these training methods is your best bet for reducing your dog’s unwanted chewing behaviors.

• Make sure it is a name that you will stick with – Changing your dog’s name can lead to a great deal of confusion and frustration that will make it hard for your dog to understand commands, and make it difficult for your dog to recognize that the word you are saying is meant to be a way to call your dog.

• If the dog already has a name, keep it – If you get a pet that has had a previous owner, keep your pet’s original name. The dog likely knows (or has an idea of) its name, and trying to change its name all over again is once again going to lead to more confusion, which will make it especially difficult to help your dog feel comfortable in its new home.

• Don’t give your dog a long name – You want to have only one name for your dog. A long name may appear fun and cute in the beginning, but chances are you are going to want to shorten your dog’s name in the long run and give your dog a nickname to save time, and that nickname is going to cause further name confusion. If you like a nickname, name your dog the nickname. There is no reason to give your dog a name that it is not going to use.

• Choose a name you like to say – It sounds silly, but your dog will pick up on the emotion you have behind speaking the name, so you want to be fond of the name throughout your dog’s life. If you name your dog after an ex-partner, chances are you are not going to say the name with the love and affection necessary to properly train the dog.

• Your dog’s name should be two syllables – Research has shown that two syllable dog names are the best for your dog’s learning. Names like “Spike” – one syllable names – sound more like commands than names. Notice that all commands are designed with a single syllable (“Sit,” “Stay,” “Down,”). That is because single syllables resemble barking – the way that dogs give commands in the wild. Your dog’s name is not a command, therefore a two syllable name is far more effective for dog training.

Teaching Your Dog its Name

Many dogs do not actually know their names. Instead, they respond to inflections in their owner’s voice that occur when the owner says their dog’s name. However, dogs do have the ability to learn their names, provided they are taught correctly by their owners.
To teach your dog it’s name, the first thing you want to do is say the dog’s name and giving the dog a treat over and over and over again. This will get your dog responding to you calling its name. Then, every time you train your dog, use its name before the command. For example “Fido, Sit!” instead of simply “Sit!”
Over time your dog will learn that “Fido” is its name, and designed to call your dog’s attention, while the following word is the command, if any. A dog that understands its name has an easier time learning tricks, will respond to commands more easily, and will do a better job listening to guests and strangers. As long as you choose a multi-syllable (preferably 2) name that you enjoy saying and will never change, your dog will learn its name in no time.

Basic Command Learning Tips

1. Mix Up a New Trick With an Old Trick

As soon as it appears that your dog understands its new trick, mixing it up with another command that your dog already knows is a good way to help your dog recognize the differences between the two tricks. For example, say you have taught your dog to turn in a circle using the “Turn” command, and you are trying to teach your dog to bow on command using the “Bow” command.

As soon as it appears that your dog is learning “Bow,” try saying “Turn” and then only after your dog turns, say “Bow” again. This will help your dog understand that Bow is a command that you expect your dog to answer in any situation, and it will help associate the behavior with the command more easily. If you do not do this, then your dog may bow often, but not necessarily due to the verbal command you are giving it.

1. Try the Tricks Outside and/or With Distractions

Dogs can learn indoors very easily. There are no distractions, you are the person they want to pay attention to anyway, and they have all of the freedom in the world to think. But when there are distractions, or when they are outside, they do not have that same focus, and it is more difficult to get them to do a trick. However, if you take them outside and teach them the trick outside as well, or add a bunch of distractions in a room and continue to reinforce the trick, your dog will learn to focus in those situations as well.

1. Vary the Ratio For Longer Lasting Tricks

Once your dog has learned the trick, take the clicker away and start varying how often you give them the reward for doing the trick. Dogs that are rewarded at random times are more likely to continue to do the trick for longer, even without a reward. Ideally, you want your dog to continue to do the trick for months or years, but if your dog expects a treat every time, then if your dog stops receiving a treat it will stop doing the trick. If you dog never knows when a treat is coming, it will continue to perform the behavior for longer.

Reinforcing Your Tricks to Help Your Dog Learn

Each of these tips is designed to help make your trick training more effective. They should work well with the clicker training that you already use, because they are helpful for getting your dog to truly recognize the command and focus on the behavior you are hoping to achieve. If you are able to combine these tips with effective clicker training, chances are you will be able to easily get your dog to not only learn these tricks, but keep performing them for longer periods of time in almost all situations.

Those that understand dog training recognize that positive reinforcement is not only the most pleasurable form of dog training, but easily the most effective. Rewarding your dog for its good behaviors has time and again proven itself to be the only truly effective method for training dogs.

On the flip side, positive punishment (striking your dog for poor behaviors) is completely ineffective. Dogs that are hit or otherwise punished rarely understand what the desired behavior should be, so the end result is a dog that is now both confused and abused.

However, though positive punishment may be completely ineffective, “negative punishment” has its uses when it comes to obedience training your pet. It does not have the same results as positive reinforcement, but it is a good way to make sure your dog stays well behaved, and it is neither cruel nor painful to your pet.

What is Negative Punishment?

Negative punishment is when you take away something your dog likes in order to punish your pet. An example with children would be taking away your child’s dessert because they did not finish their vegetables. Dogs recognize when good things have been taken away from them, and they start to recognize the behaviors that they need to exhibit to continue to enjoy their activities.

Tips for Using Negative Punishment

Negative punishment is a useful tool for training your dog, but in order to work effectively it must be used correctly. Here are several tips for how to utilize negative punishment effectively in order to get the behaviors you desire.

• Negative punishment is how you teach what “no” means. Before you perform the negative punishment action, say “no” firmly so that your dog recognizes that when it hears that command, whatever it is doing is an unwanted behavior and the object is likely to be taken away from it.
• Negative punishment is most effective when an alternative behavior is immediately presented. For example, if your dog is chewing on your chair, it is likely enjoying itself. Move your dog away from the chair (negative punishment) and immediately provide it with something it CAN chew, such as a toy rope. Your dog will learn that chewing on the rope is a good replacement behavior.
• You also want to try to combine negative punishment with positive reinforcement whenever possible. If your dog is on its leash and about to go for an enjoyable walk, and then it starts performing an unwanted behavior like barking loudly, you simply take the leash off and walk away (removing the good thing – going outside – from your dog). However, as soon as your dog sis silent again, then you can put the leash back on and take your dog for the walk, rewarding it for its better behavior.

Negative punishment is not the most effective training method alone, but dogs understand it quite a bit – especially with regard to obedience and reducing unwanted behaviors. Dogs will learn to understand the “no” command and what behaviors they can replace it with in order to enjoy themselves in an uninterrupted manner. While it still should be paired with positive reinforcement whenever possible, negative punishment is still a good way to get your dog to understand what is and is not okay in your household.

In addition, taking items away from your dog that it is enjoying continues to help your dog recognize that it is the subordinate in the pack, and at any point you can take away the good things in its life, helping establish yourself as pack leader.