pet

نویسنده: Ali Bina

  • How To Prevent And Stop Household Dogs From Fighting

    How To Prevent And Stop Household Dogs From Fighting


    This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

    Your two dogs seemed to get along so well. But now all of a sudden they seem to hate each other.

    Max attacks Bailey periodically. And your household is very stressful now.

    Yellow Lab, Golden, and Black Lab fighting in the grass.

    This is not totally uncommon. In fact, a few days ago I got an email addressing this very issue:

    We got our puppy potty trained, crate trained, obedience trained, but now he’s attacking and fighting with my older dog. I never thought this would be an issue. I thought my dog’s would be best pals, but now I’m looking for tips on how to stop dogs from fighting. What should I do?

    —C.C.

    It’s important to discover why the fights are occurring so that you can attempt to fix the problem.

    In this article, I’ll discuss why dogs may fight as well as how to prevent it. Also, I’ll deal with what to do if a fight occurs.

    It’s important to prevent fights from occurring, if possible.

    Why Household Dogs May Fight

    There are many reasons why dogs in the same household fight. Even dogs who have been together for a while may start to fight.

    When a new dog joins the family, there’s always a period of adjustment. Sometimes fights break out for various reasons.

    As the stress increases in a dog’s life, fights are more likely to occur.

    The following are some of the likely reasons dogs in the same household may fight.

    To Maintain the Hierarchy

    In the wild, there’s a separate hierarchy for male and female dogs. In our homes too, there’s a greater likelihood of fighting between dogs of the same sex. 

    There’s also a greater likelihood of non-neutered dogs fighting each other.

    1. Guarding Their Owner

    Dogs may guard many resources. Resources include things that are valuable to the dog.

    Of course, we’re a very valuable resource to our dogs. We give them attention, feed them, walk them, play with them, train them, take them out to socialize them and give them great treats and chews.

    So some dogs guard their owners and the space around them.

    When Fido in the same household gets too close to the owner, Max may attack. And Fido may fight back. 

    Both dogs–and the owner–may be injured in such a skirmish.

    2. Guarding Other Resources

    Some dogs guard other valuable resources against other dogs. Of course, food, treats, bones, and toys are seen as important to many dogs.

    There’s also a threshold distance beyond which a dog won’t attack. However, if another dog gets too close, the dog with the bone will attack.

    The distance at which a dog will attack varies by the dog.

    3. Change in a Resident Dog’s Health or Age

    Some dogs may sense that another dog in the household has become ill. And the healthier dog sometimes will attack the sick dog.

    Another scenario is when a dog matures and challenges the older dog.

    4. Changes in the Household or Routine

    Any change in members of the family, such as when one leaves for college, can cause stress in a dog’s life. 

    Even changes in routines, such as when someone gets a new job, can be very stressful for a dog.

    Some dogs find such changes very difficult and can’t adjust. As their stress level increases, so will their propensity to fight.

    5. Changes in the Canine Social Group

    When a dog leaves the home or a new dog joins, there’s a period of adjustment.

    A more confident dog may have passed away and a new hierarchy is established between the remaining dogs. Or a new dog may challenge the established hierarchy.

    6. Redirection When Dogs Become Overstimulated

    Sometimes a dog will become too aroused by an event and attack whatever is nearby–including another resident dog.

    Even though the stimulus is unrelated to the other dog, an attack can occur.

    This can also happen when the owner or a visitor arrives or departs or even when the mailman delivers mail.

    7. Underlying Anxiety

    Some dogs with a stress or anxiety disorder may attack another dog when their stress crosses a threshold.

    This can, for example, happen when a dog is noise-sensitive. Even though he may be alright with regular household noises, if a new noise–like that from a delivery truck–occurs, he may become overstimulated.

    And he may attack a nearby dog.

    Some dogs have separation anxiety and, because they are overly stressed when an owner departs, may attack another dog.

    8. Improper Socialization

    A dog who was improperly socialized may be more likely to attack another dog. He might not properly read another’s body language.

    For example, the other dog may be enticing him to play. But the unsocialized dog reads it as an attempt to fight.

    9. Play May Escalate 

    Sometimes dogs may be playing appropriately. Then, the play escalates. One dog becomes too rough. A fight may break out.

    10. Enclosed Spaces

    When reactive or overly-stimulated dogs are in enclosed spaces, like during a car ride, dogs may fight.

    11. Social Aggression

    In social aggression, neither dog will defer to the other. This is not dominance and isn’t dependent on the dog’s age or breed.

    12. Reaction to a Shock Collar

    A dog who’s shocked with a shock collar is a stressed dog. Whether the owner is shocking the dog or the dog is shocked on an invisible fence, he may fight with a nearby dog.

    Not only is the dog stressed but he may also associate the pain with the nearby dog.

    My husband was walking our rescued Lhasa apso Linkin when a pug attacked. Luckily, the dogs were separated quickly.

    It turned out that the pug’s owner shocked the dog with an electric collar whenever a dog passed his home. He didn’t want the pug to leave his property.

    Of course, there are better ways to keep your dog safe. And the fallout from the shock collar was obvious. The poor pug was very defensive against passing dogs.

    13. Medical Reasons

    Sometimes a dog may be in pain and, if the other dog gets too close or bumps into him, the dog in pain may attack.

    There are many other reasons, such as a change in a dog’s thyroid levels, that can account for the way he behaves.

    Warning Signs of a Fight

    Read each dog’s body language. Of course, you have to look at the whole picture as no one sign necessarily indicates that a dog may fight. Separate them before things escalate to a fight.

    Some of the body language that a dog shows prior to fighting:

    • Growling
    • Baring teeth
    • Ears raised high
    • Raised hackles
    • Stiffened body
    • Staring
    • Mounting

    The weaker dog may show signs of submission like tucked tail or flattened ears.

    How To Prevent Fights

    There are some measures you can take to help prevent fights. It’s better to prevent them than to have to stop them after they occur.

    People and dogs can become injured when there’s a fight. Also, a dog will remember that he’s been attacked. It may be very difficult–if not impossible–for them to get along afterward.

    I’ve had as many as seven dogs at the same time (a Belgian Tervuren shepherd, a shih tzu, a golden retriever, two Shih tzus, and two Lhasa apsos). Three of them (the golden and Lhasas) were rescue dogs.

    It was quite a group with various natural instincts.

    I always managed their environment and introduced a new member very carefully in order to avoid fights.

    All play and interactions were observed. And if I saw that things started to get too rough, I would redirect the dogs to something else, like coming to me.

    I don’t believe that dogs should “work it out.” There’s too much at stake. They may become severely injured. 

    A person attempting to break up a fight can too. And the dogs may never be able to live together again.

    Depending on why they are fighting, there are various measures you can take.

    Manage the Dogs’ Environment

    If resources are an issue, you should do the following. Feed them separately. Give them high-value things like bones separately. Keep things that they’ll guard out of reach.

    PRO-TRAINER TIP: In any case, when the situation cannot be managed successfully, it’s important to get professional behavioral help. Make sure to hire a behavior specialist who uses positive reinforcement and who has successfully managed such issues in the past.

    I recommend getting professional help when a dog is guarding a person. It’s too dangerous to potentially have a fight between a dog with people nearby.

    Also, don’t let dogs take bones or other desired objects from each other if there’s a chance they’ll guard them.  They should have them separately as long as they don’t guard them against you.

    Limit Rough Play

    It’s great if your dogs play properly together. But don’t let things escalate to the point where a fight might occur.

    Don’t let one dog mount another or get too rough pinning another. Even chase games can escalate when one dog reaches the other. And the chased dog may fight.

    Train your dogs to come to you no matter what. A reliable recall is crucial. So, if you see things escalate, you can interrupt the play and praise and reward each dog with a small treat for coming to you.

    Let the dogs settle down before allowing them to play again.

    Redirect to something else to do if they’ve played long enough and are getting tired. A dog who is too tired will be more stressed and, therefore, more likely to fight.

    Right now, I have a golden retriever, two shelties, an Aussie mix, and a Lhasa apso who all play together at various times.

    They have different play styles and energy levels. I make sure I’m present and watch them playing.

    If they’re getting too revved up or start to get rough, I call them over and praise and reward them. If I think they’ve played long enough, we stop and I redirect them to something else to do, such as a puzzle toy. Luckily, this group doesn’t guard objects.

    Give Each Dog His Own Space

    It’s important that each dog who has had disagreements has his own space. Usually, this is important for any dog so that conflicts don’t arise.

    So give them individual crates and beds.

    Encourage Calm Behavior

    Calmly praise and reward calm behavior. At first, work with each dog individually. Work without distractions, then add them as the dog is able to handle them. 

    Then, once each dog understands what’s expected, you can work with them together.

    I believe in teaching a “settle” command, in which the dog learns to settle and be calm on cue.

    It also helps if you can send them each to a place individually, such as two beds on opposite sides of the room.

    Choose Dogs of Opposite Sex

    This is just a tip some people recommend. As a general rule, male and female dogs are more likely to get along than two dogs of the same sex will.

    Of course, there are many variables such as the dog’s genetics and socialization that play a role in whether he’ll get along with another canine.

    And, if you want more than two dogs, this isn’t possible.

    Allow the Dogs To Have Some Down Time

    It’s important for dogs to not always be “on.” They need rest and some time alone.

    Giving them such time will help them not be stressed and will help prevent separation anxiety.

    (If they already have separation anxiety, it’s important to deal with that issue separately.)

    Obedience Training

    It’s important for dogs to be trained. A trained dog has more confidence and understands what’s expected of him.

    It can also help stave off any potential fights. You can call your dog to you. You can have him do a sit or down stay. Or any other behavior that helps him settle down.

    Exercise

    Exercise is important for all dogs. But it can also help to avoid fights between dogs.

    A dog who’s too excited can go over threshold. Then, even if he doesn’t start a fight another dog may.

    My Aussie mix puppy Millie is a very high-drive dog. So, before she plays with my four-year-old Lhasa apso Ralphie, I make sure she’s had a sufficient amount of physical exercise.

    Otherwise, she’d be too much for him. But, once she’s played ball for a while, she’s not too rough for Ralphie and he enjoys playing with her.

    So it’s important to give your dogs an appropriate amount of exercise for their age and breed.

    Mental exercise is as important to help tire out your pup. You can teach your dog tricks or give them puzzle toys.

    Walk Dogs Separately

    Sometimes dogs fight when they’re walking together. They may be very excited and stressed by the sights and sounds around them. Some dogs redirect aggression at each other.

    In those cars, either walk them separately or have two people walk them at a safe distance apart.

    Of course, you can hire a professional behavior specialist to work with the issue.

    Don’t Leave the Dogs Alone Together

    If your dogs have already fought, do not leave them alone together, as they may fight.

    Even if they’ve never fought, if a dog is a recent addition, you won’t know how they’ll get along. So, better safe than sorry.

    Use Counter-Conditioning and Desensitization

    You want to change the opinion of the dogs towards each other. They should see each other and think that great things happen when the other appears. 

    That is, they get a great treat like a flow of pieces of chicken, when the other appears. 

    You can be in place with one dog on a leash. I recommend putting each dog in a well-fitted harness for this exercise because a tight collar can convey that something’s wrong.

    Then, a helper appears with the other dog at a distance at which neither is reactive. 

    Pro-Trainer Tip: Use only very high-value treats for these exercises. Small pieces of chicken, hot dogs, Crazy Dog Training Treats, or cheese are great for this, as most dogs find them highly desirable. Use these treats only for these behavior management exercises.

    When the dogs notice each other, they get a constant flow of the treat.. Then the dog with the helper goes out of sight and the treats stop.

    Alternatively, the first dog can go out of sight and the dog with the helper remains.

    Do this training exercise for a very short time, such as 20 seconds a time. Do three repetitions in each session.

    If either dog goes over threshold and becomes reactive, end the session. Next time, do a shorter session or at a greater distance from each other. 

    Make sure that the dogs have received a sufficient amount of exercise before doing these behavior exercises.

    Over time, you can decrease the distance between them if the behavior modification is successful.

    Engage in Enjoyable Activities Together

    It’s important that the dogs have positive opinions of each other. So have them engage in safe, enjoyable activities together.

    If they enjoy walks, have a helper to walk one of the dogs. Walk them parallel to each other but at a distance where neither is reactive.

    Block the Outside View or Sound

    If your dogs tend to fight when looking out the window, block the view. Some dogs go over threshold when they see something outside the window.

    Some get overstimulated when they hear outside noises. So play a television or radio or white noise machine.

    Be Calm in the Dogs’ Presence

    Dogs read our body language and scent. I know it’s difficult when you have two or more dogs who may fight, but, as much as possible, be calm. 

    And don’t use a high-pitched voice that may overstimulate the dogs.

    Use Holistic Aids To Help Lessen Stress

    There are many such devices you can use to help the dogs be calmer. There’s a product called Adaptil which comes in a plug-in or spray. The chemical in it is supposed to mimic the dog’s mother and can have a calming effect on dogs.

    There’s also the Rescue Remedy in the Bach Flower Essences that can be put in a dog’s water or on something you give him to eat or on his tongue. This also may help de-stress a dog.

    There’s even a CD called Through a Dog’s Ear that has calming music that’s been studied to help relax dogs.

    Check with your vet before giving any internal products.

    Veterinary Check-Up

    In any case, in which household dogs don’t get along, I recommend that they have a veterinary check-up to determine whether there’s any physical problem. 

    In addition to a check-up, your vet may want to run tests such as a full thyroid panel or bloodwork.

    How To Break Up a Fight

    If there’s any chance you’ll be injured, try to get help. I realize that in some situations this may not be possible. So have certain devices ready in case this may occur.

    But be advised that no method is guaranteed to work. It really depends on the dogs involved.

    And any method may backfire and the dogs may become more aggressive and even redirect aggression on the person attempting to break up the fight.

    This is why I really recommend first cutting off any possible fights before they begin.

    Use a Bucket of Water or a Hose

    If the dogs start to fight, dousing them with water may break it up.

    Use Something To Separate Them

    Get anything handy like a trash can lid, a chair, or a broom to separate them if possible.

    Make a Loud Noise

    Sometimes making a loud noise will distract them and cause the dogs to separate.

    You can bang pans together, ring the doorbell, blow a whistle, use an air horn, or slam a door.

    Throw a Blanket Over Them

    Sometimes this can cause them to separate. Some dogs will stop fighting if they can’t see the other dog.

    Use a Spray Made For the Purpose

    There are citronella sprays such as Direct Stop or Spray Shield that can help break up some dog fights. Or if you have pepper spray, that may work.

    Separate Them If You Have Two People

    This is a last resort, as the dogs and people involved are likely to be injured. I highly recommend the other methods and would not personally use this, though some trainers recommend it.

    This is called the wheelbarrow method. Each person grabs one of the two dogs by his rear legs and lifts them up and apart.

    Be aware that the dogs may turn on the people, with horrible consequences.

    LAST RESORT: Rehome a Dog

    If you’ve tried everything but your dogs still can’t get along, you may want to consider rehoming one.

    I know that this is a horrible thought. The dogs are our family.

    But if you are unable to manage the situation and the dogs fight, each dog lives a very stressful life. They may also become severely physically injured.

    I rarely recommend this, as the situation can often be managed. But, in some cases, rehoming may be the kindest thing for everyone involved.

    What Should You Do After a Fight?

    Calmly remove the dogs to separate safe places. 

    If they know obedience commands, tell them to go to their crate or bed. Or have one in a sit or down stay while you lead the other to another location.

    Check for Injuries and take the dogs to the vet if they’ve been injured. Note that some injuries may be internal and not visible.

    What NOT To Do: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME

    The relationship between our dogs can be very complex at times. We need to learn what their interactions and body language mean so that we can manage their interactions.

    It’s best to separate dogs before they go over threshold and fight. 

    There are some things that should not be used because of the risk of injury. Also, many of them don’t work and can make the situation worse.

    Don’t Suppress a Growl

    Even when you see one of your dogs growling at another, it’s best to redirect them away from each other.

    Call one over to you. Send them to their individual crates or beds. Do whatever you can do to calmly separate them.

    If you suppress a growl or other sign of aggression, it won’t change the dog’s mindset. Instead, it will teach him not to express a warning before he attacks.

    Don’t Try To Pull Them Apart

    Generally, doing so can cause grave injury to the dogs and the person attempting to separate them.

    As stated above, some people recommend using the wheelbarrow method and have two people, each pulling one dog apart by their rear legs.

    Some people even attempt to pull the dogs apart by their tails.

    But this can cause injury to the dogs if they continue to fight or they may turn around and redirect their aggression on the people attempting to separate them.

    Don’t Reach in and Attempt To Separate The Dogs

    Even though we may instinctively want to do so, it can result in serious injuries.

    Also, of course, no one should put his face near dogs fighting as can occur when attempting to separate them.

    Don’t Use A High-Pitched, Excited Voice

    Using a high-pitched voice or scream will probably over-stimulate a dog, leading to or escalating a fight.

    Don’t Let the Dogs “Work It Out”

    Years ago, people used to believe in letting dogs fight to work it out between them.

    This is dangerous for both dogs and for nearby people. 

    Also, the dogs may never get along after such a fight.

    Final Thoughts

    It’s better to prevent fights than to intervene when one occurs.

    Read each dog’s body language and calmly separate them before things escalate.

    Obedience training and behavioral work are important in maintaining a peaceful household.

    If a fight has occurred, attempt to break it up safely, such as by dousing the dogs with water or making noise.

    I recommend hiring a behavioral expert to work this very serious issue through.

    Have you dealt with your dog’s fighting?

    If so, what did you do?

    Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.

    Save To Pinterest

    Golden, and Black Lab fighting on the grass

    UPDATE: This post was originally published on June 26th, 2021. We periodically update blog posts with new experiences and information to keep them as relevant as possible.

    Top Picks For Our Puppies

    1. BEST DOG CHEW
      We Like: Beef Collagen Sticks – All of our pups love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Collagen Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors.
    2. BEST PUPPY TOY
      We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs – Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home.
    3. BEST DOG TREATS
      We Like: Crazy Dog Train-Me Treats – We use these as our high-value treats for our guide dog puppies.
    4. BEST FRESH DOG FOOD
      We Like: The Farmer’s Dog – A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer’s Dog.

    Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist.



    Source link

  • Homeward Pet | Valentine Love

    Homeward Pet | Valentine Love


    Valentine Love

    Black cat and blonde dog. Text: valentine Love

    It’s a good old-fashioned Love-Fest
    for the animals in our care!

    Black cat and blonde dog. Text: valentine Love
    For a donation of just $25, you can send an old fashioned paper valentine to the shelter dog or cat you love! Valentines will be displayed in the shelter with photos of the animals receiving them through the month of February.

    The paper valentines have been lovingly made by Homeward Pet Volunteers.

    If the pet that you sponsor finds a home, we will offer the adopter the option to take that animal’s Valentine Love photo and cards when they go home.

    If you gift a shelter pet with a valentine, you are welcome to come in at the end of February to take a valentine home with you. Simply contact to have one set aside.


    Homeward Pet values the support of our donors and respects the discretion and complexity of decisions regarding charitable giving. Our commitment is to provide donors with the options that best meet their charitable giving needs and abilities, as well as advance the mission of the shelter. In accordance with the standards established by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Homeward Pet Adoption Center adheres strictly to the Donor Bill of Rights to guide our conduct.

    We will not trade, share, or sell a donor’s personal information with anyone else nor send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations. This policy applies to all information received by Homeward Pet Adoption Center, both online and offline, and to any electronic, written, or verbal communications.

    Learn more about your rights as a supporter.



    Source link

  • APPA Survey Reveals Growth in Pet Industry

    APPA Survey Reveals Growth in Pet Industry


    APPA 2025 State of the Industry Report Cover Image Courtesy of APPA

    U.S. pet ownership regains momentum, with 94 million households having at least one pet and
    Gen Z is driving a remarkable shift in multi-pet ownership

    The American Pet Products Association (APPA) announced at Global Pet Expo that the total U.S. pet industry expenditures reached $152 billion in 2024, showing continued growth and resiliency. The expenditures were released alongside the association’s 2025 State of the Industry Report during Global Pet Expo, the pet industry’s premier event.

    The 2025 State of the Industry Report provides comprehensive analysis and visuals of industry expenditures, ownership trends, consumer habits, sentiment and behaviors with comparative data across each generation.

    Pete Scott, APPA President and CEO

    “The pet industry continues to demonstrate resilience, even amid economic uncertainty. What’s encouraging is that pet ownership itself is expanding, with 94 million U.S. households now owning at least one pet, up from 82 million in 2023. These figures reaffirm that pet care remains a top priority for Americans, reflecting the deep and lasting bond between people and their pets, especially with the Millennials and Gen Zs who are more likely to have multiple pets than their Boomer and Gen X counterparts,” said Pete Scott, APPA President.

    Key findings from the report include:

    1. The pet industry shows continued growth and resiliency, with the total U.S. pet industry expenditures reaching $152 billion in 2024. $157 billion in sales is projected for 2025. Seventy-seven percent of U.S. pet owners say the current economy has not affected their pet ownership.

    2. Pet ownership regains momentum. Ninety-four (94) million U.S. households own at least one pet, compared to eight-two (82) million in 2023. Overall, pet ownership has increased for both dogs and cats, with 51% of U.S. households (68 million) owning a dog and 37% of U.S. households (49 million) owning a cat.

    3. Amid rising egg costs, backyard chicken ownership is rebounding.
    Eleven (11) million U.S. households own backyard chickens (a 28% increase from 2023).

    4. Gen Z shows significant growth in pet ownership and is the generation most likely to own multiple pets.
    In 2024, Gen Z comprised 20% (18.8 million) of U.S. households that owned a pet, a 43.5% increase from 2023. Gen Z also contributed to significant growth in dog and cat ownership, making up 20% of both dog and cat owners, an 18% and 25% increase from 2023, respectively. Seventy percent of Gen Z pet owners have two or more pets.

    5. Millennial and Gen Z men are obtaining more pets.
    Fifty-eight percent of Gen Z and 63% of Millennial dog owners are men, a 15.2% and 18.6% increase from 2023, respectively.
    Surprisingly, the most significant growth in cat ownership was among Gen Z and Millennial men, with 38% of Gen Z and 46% of Millennial cat owners being men, a 17.8% and 23.9% increase from 2023, respectively.

    6. Pet owners are concerned about affordability and access to pet services and veterinary care.
    Thirty-seven percent of U.S. pet owners are concerned about access to veterinary care, with 60% citing affordability and 32% saying ease of getting an appointment as their top concerns. Twenty-two percent of U.S. pet owners are concerned about access to pet care services, with 38% citing affordability and 31% saying ease of getting an appointment as their top concerns.

    7. Pets are redefining the hybrid work model.Fourteen percent of people report that their workplace allows pets, a 17% increase from 2023.
    Most human resources professionals and senior leaders believe pets benefit the workplace. Eighty percent agree that a pet-friendly workplace helps recruit and retain the best talent, while 75% think it helps drive return-to-office efforts.

    8. Calming products are an essential component of pet care, especially among Gen Z and Millennials.
    Seventy-eight percent of Gen Z dog owners and 71% of Gen Z cat owners use calming products.
    Seventy-two percent of Millennial dog owners and 66% of Millennial cat owners use calming products.

    9. Pet owners shop across online and in-store, making a strong omnichannel presence essential to pet retailers.
    Fifty-one percent of buyers typically shop for pet products online.
    Forty-seven percent of buyers shop for pet products in-store.

    Ingrid Chu, APPA VP, Insights and Research

    Added Ingrid Chu, APPA’s vice president of Insights and Research: “Gen Z is driving a remarkable shift in pet ownership, with a 43.5% increase in pet-owning households from 2023 to 2024. This generation is also leading in multi-pet ownership. What’s particularly exciting is how they discover and engage with pet products; social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram play a crucial role in their purchasing decisions. As pet brands look to the future, leveraging visual and digital-first strategies will be key to capturing the attention of this rapidly growing demographic.”

    The American Pet Products Association is a membership organization serving the pet industry through services and programs designed to help its members prosper. Since 1988, APPA has published the APPA National Pet Owners Survey, the premier resource of its kind, providing in-depth data on consumer behavior. APPA’s research and insights monitor consumer habits, identify short- and long-term trends and discover new opportunities in pet ownership, pet product and service consumption published across four quarterly reports,   including State of the Industry, Dog & Cat, Fish & Reptiles and Horse, Birds & Small Animals.

    Source: APPA News Release



    Source link

  • I Found Ultrasound in My (Dog’s) Home

    I Found Ultrasound in My (Dog’s) Home


    A scientific diagram on a black background with time on the x axis and frequency on the y axis. The frequency range extends to 70,000 Hz. Colors indicate the amplitude of the sound, described further in the caption.
    Four speeds, from slow to fast, of an Andis rotary tool for nail grinding

    People in the dog community are worried that sounds we can’t hear might be bothering our dogs. But we can’t check for ultrasound with consumer equipment, even smartphones, because consumer microphones don’t detect sound above 20,000 cycles per second (20,000 Hz). They have no reason to, since we can’t hear in that range. But dogs can. They hear up to 45,000 Hz or higher.

    My Search for Ultrasound

    In 2023, I bought an ultrasound microphone and learned how to interface it with my equipment. In January 2024, I published a post with instructions on how to check your home and environment for ultrasound that your dogs might be able to hear. I found that many ordinary noises had an ultrasound component—things like clickers, keyboard strokes, motors, even barking dogs. But I was looking for duration or intermittent ultrasound that might be generated by electronic devices and didn’t have a component audible to humans.

    I didn’t find any for a while, but I kept searching. You can see my list of items that didn’t emit detectable ultrasound below.

    I recently checked the sound environment again, and found some constant, low-level, electronics-generated ultrasound in dogs’ hearing range that was not accompanied with anything in the human hearing range.

    Three power adapters at the end of cords. Two are much bigger than standard wall plugs
    The culprits: three adapters that put out ultrasound, but no sound audible to humans

    I found what people have been worried about: sound that dogs can hear but we can’t. But the sound was very quiet; it would likely be inaudible unless a dog was very close.

    This ultrasonic noise was emanating from ordinary AC/DC adapters. I have at least 20 of these in my house. I found three that put out a high-frequency noise that was outside of humans’ hearing range. These were the adapters for:

    • A floor lamp with a 24 V DC power supply. It put out a group of frequencies peaking around 21,000, 31,000, and 43,000 Hz.
    • A decorative “Moon” lamp with a 12 V DC power supply. It put out a group of frequencies peaking around 23,000, 28,000, and 33,000 Hz. This adapter even put out a little sound when the lamp was off, but more when it was on.
    • A Fi GPS collar charger that output 5 V DC. The USB adapter put out a band of frequencies peaking around 22,000, 30,000, and 45,000 Hz.

    Note that it was the adapters, not the lights or the charger putting out the sound. I spent a lot of time pointing my microphone at the wrong ends of things!

    The following image shows the ultrasound put out by the adapter of the floor lamp. The x axis is time and the y axis is frequency. You can see blue and green bands in the 20–70 kHz range that correspond to the peaks I listed above during the periods the lamp is on. Also note that there is no change in the sound output lower than 20 kHz when the lamp is on. That means that we humans can’t hear the adapter. (The thin vertical lines were created by the click of the remote for turning the lamp on and off.) For more information on reading this kind of diagram, see the page of examples that accompanies this post.

    A scientific diagram on a black background with time on the x axis and frequency on the y axis. The frequency range extends to 70,000 Hz. The diagram shows time periods where a lamp is on, then off, then on again. The findings are described in the text above the image.

    I found one more item that had a constant, quiet, high-frequency sound in the human hearing range plus sounds in the ultrasound range. These sounds were coming from a battery charger for a Dremel tool (8220). It put out an audible tone at 6,000 Hz, and harmonics (mathematically related higher tones) at 12,000, 18,000, and 24,000 Hz. The charger itself (the part where you insert the battery, in this case not the wall plug) has a built-in AC/DC adapter.

    AC/DC Adapters

    AC/DC adapters function as power supplies for devices that use direct current and lower voltage than what our wall outlets provide. They are the things that often annoy us by taking up more than one space on a power strip. They are often referred to as wall warts because of their bulk. That makes them easy to locate in your home. Two of my culprits were wall warts, and one had a profile almost as small as a normal AC plug.

    What Do They Sound Like and How Audible Are They to Dogs?

    Here are recordings of the sounds, digitally altered to make them audible to humans. There is some unavoidable distortion, but you can get the general idea. To create these sounds, I did the following:

    1. I recorded the sound in WAV format using my Dodotronic 192 kHz ultrasound mic attached to my iPhone 12 Mini using the free Ultrasonic Analyzer app.
    2. I imported the audio file into the free sound software Audacity on my Mac.
    3. I applied a high-pass filter to isolate the ultrasound.
    4. I amplified the signal. The sound was so quiet that I needed to amplify it to be able to see on the screen where the device was on and where it was off so I could edit. See this image.
    5. I changed the pitch to bring it down to human hearing range.
    6. Sometimes I amplified again.
    7. I exported the file as an MP3. The limitations of MP3s don’t affect the sound quality needed for these recordings.

    Floor Lamp

    “Moon” Lamp

    Fi Collar Charger Plug

    A table lamp on a wooden that looks like the moon. The lamp stand is a circular wooden disk.
    The moon lamp’s power adapter puts out extremely quiet ultrasound even when the lamp is off

    All the original sounds have ultrasound components in dogs’ hearing range, between 20,000 and 45,000 Hz. But the adapted versions are amplified in the above recordings; in all cases, the original sounds were much, much quieter.

    For those of us who are concerned about them possibly bothering dogs, there is a blessing. Ultrasound waves are tiny. For instance, the wave that corresponds to the frequency of 25,000 Hz is 14 millimeters, or a little more than half an inch long. For comparison, a 60 Hz wave such as we could hear in a thunderstorm is 5.7 meters or almost 19 feet long. The tiny ultrasound waves don’t travel far over distances because they are reflected and absorbed so easily. It’s a good bet that even dogs don’t hear sounds such as the ones I presented above unless they are close to the source. The sounds are not blasting through whole rooms.

    The two lamps are within about 2 meters of where Lewis sleeps on my bed. While recording, I moved the ultrasound mic from the lamp’s power adapter toward where Lewis sleeps. The mic stopped being able to pick up the sound at about 1 meter. You can see the attenuation of the sound as I moved the mic in this image.

    Items I Tested with Null Results

    Various scholarly and lay articles include lists of household devices that may put out ultrasound. I chose the following devices from those sources, tested, and detected no ultrasound. Other brands or models of these items might yield different results. Note that some of these items have been reported to scare dogs (Grigg et al., 2021). But noises do not have to have an ultrasound component to do so, and we don’t know if the ultrasound component contributed to the fear response.

    • new and old lights: fluorescent, incandescent, LED including ring lights, night lights (which include adapters)
    • screens: desktop computer, tablets, laptops, flat-screen TV
    • motion-sensitive wildlife camera (Meek et al., 2014)
    • laptop fan
    • computer power adapters (I was sure I’d find a culprit here, but no. The Apple devices were all silent.)
    • power strips
    • USB wall plugs (these are also AC/DC adapters). The only noisy one was the Fi collar plug.
    • smart plugs (two brands)
    • refrigerator, microwave, oven
    • smoke alarms on standby (not beeping)
    • remote controls (except for occasionally the click of a key)
    • ultrasonic humidifier
    • space heater
    • various fans

    A Special Note about Smart Plugs

    Two smart plugs sitting on a marble-top counter

    Because of a viral social media post from November 2023, many people are concerned about the possibility of so-called “smart plugs” putting out ultrasound. While it is possible, neither of the two I tested put out any. I deliberately chose cheap ones, because they are less likely to have strong quality control. An engineer pointed out to me that standard QC includes making sure electronics don’t put out noises such as coil whine or capacitor squeal in the human hearing range. But there is far less concern about the ultrasound range, for the same usual reason. We can’t hear it.

    Note that smart plugs are not AC adapters. You might plug an adapter into one, though. Many smart plugs note 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz on the back. Don’t worry; these numbers refer to compatible Wi-Fi types and are not audible sound frequencies to humans or dogs.

    Items That Produce Sound That Includes Ultrasound

    These are not the stealth items that people are worried about, but I was fascinated to find so many noisy items that included ultrasonic frequencies. I created a page of ultrasound examples that includes images of the output of some of these loud items.

    A woman using a rotary hammer drill, drilling straight down into a brick step. The drill is large, with two handles.
    I had on a mask and a face guard, but ear protection would have been a good idea when using a rotary hammer drill as well!
    • computer keyboard strokes
    • clicker
    • ultrasonic squeaker toy
    • regular squeaker toy (you can see an image of the ultrasound components of noise from the preceding four items here)
    • barks and whines of a small dog (Sibiryakova et al., 2021)
    • clicks of various switches (like on remotes to fans or lamps)
    • smoke alarms doing a test beep
    • computer mouse clicks
    • hands clapping
    • jingling keys
    • hand-held hair dryer
    • jingling dog tags
    • upright vacuum
    • small rotary tools (e.g. Dremel)
    • Makita screwdriver and drill
    • Makita rotary hammer drill

    For some of these items, the ultrasound component was among the loudest of the frequency bands. Because dogs’ hearing is more sensitive in the upper frequencies than ours, if a dog were close to such an item, they would likely hear a louder sound than we do. Most apps that measure volume, such as SPL meters for smartphones, don’t include the ultrasound range.

    People frequently ask me about using ear-muff type ear protection for dogs who are fearful of thunder or fireworks. I always explain that such gear can’t protect against the huge sound waves generated by those low-frequency sounds. But these ear protectors can usually prevent the transmission of smaller sound waves very well. If your dog has been conditioned to wear ear gear, it would be a kindness to have them wear it as much as possible for grooming. The hair dryer and rotary tools I checked were loud in the ultrasound range, on top of being loud in high frequencies humans and dogs can both hear. Clippers may also put out ultrasound, but I didn’t have any to test.

    “Ultrasound” Is an Arbitrary Definition

    It’s crucial to understand that sound doesn’t magically change when the frequency goes over 20,000 Hz. That boundary of 20,000 Hz for ultrasound is derived from “sound that is too high for humans to hear.” It’s a handy distinction, but it’s based on biology, not physics. It’s anthropocentric. Ultrasound is just sound with a higher frequency. I always make the point in my sound webinars that we shouldn’t assume that a sound is aversive to dogs if it is in the ultrasound range, even though there are some oddball online articles that claim this is so. Keep in mind that dogs’ hearing evolved to function in that range. Many small animals that are prey to canids vocalize in that range. It’s no coincidence that domestic cats can hear in that range and even higher, too.

    Anything happening above 20,000 Hz is a mystery to us. But it’s not to dogs; it’s just part of their world. It is quite possible that a constant noise in the ultrasound range could bother some dogs. It’s also likely that many dogs habituate to it, just as many dogs (and many humans) stop noticing other ongoing stimuli. For instance, the furnace is on in my house as I write this. There is the sound of the fan blowing air through the ductwork and perhaps the sound of the furnace itself coming through the registers. But I don’t “hear” these long duration sounds unless I turn my attention to them. Likewise, most of us who live in cities don’t notice the common 60-Hz hum of transformers. But people who live in rural areas may notice it when they come to town. And some people are immediately bothered by some ongoing sounds or never habituate.

    I have an example in another post of dogs hanging around during a very obnoxious ongoing sound, even deliberately basking in the sun close to the sound source. This example “proves” nothing about how all dogs respond to sounds. However, it provides evidence that we may not be able to predict their response.

    Limitations of My Testing

    In the interest of transparency, I have created a separate page that delineates aspects of my home setup that affect the precision and accuracy of my data, in this and other posts that present results. I do not have controlled laboratory conditions. But I include in the list how the limitations were mitigated and why I can be confident in the results I have presented here.

    Conclusion

    Two major takeaways:

    • The “stealth” sounds I found are likely inaudible unless a dog approaches close. Here is a photo of sound-reactive Lewis standing right next to the adapter for the floor lamp while he determines whether I have “webinar or Zoom treats” in a drawer.
    • The ultrasound generated by motors can be loud. Properly conditioned hearing protection would be beneficial for dogs undergoing grooming procedures where a hair dryer or rotary tool is used.

    Others have found more stealth ultrasound than I have, as described in this dramatically-titled CNET article. However, the author doesn’t discuss the rapid attenuation over distance of ultrasound, nor do they give us a good sense of how loud the sounds are.

    I will keep performing periodic sweeps for ultrasound culprits in my area and report any findings.

    Supplemental Materials

    There are two pages with information relevant to this post:

    Copyright 2025 Eileen Anderson

    References

    Grigg, E. K., Chou, J., Parker, E., Gatesy-Davis, A., Clarkson, S. T., & Hart, L. A. (2021). Stress-related behaviors in companion dogs exposed to common household noises, and owners’ interpretations of their dogs’ behaviors. Frontiers in veterinary science, 8, 760845.

    Meek, P. D., Ballard, G. A., Fleming, P. J., Schaefer, M., Williams, W., & Falzon, G. (2014). Camera traps can be heard and seen by animals. PloS one, 9(10), e110832.

    Sibiryakova, O. V., Volodin, I. A., & Volodina, E. V. (2021). Polyphony of domestic dog whines and vocal cues to body size. Current Zoology, 67(2), 165-176.



    Source link

  • Review of Pet Shell’s Report: Your Dog Will Hear Fireworks and Thunder Inside

    Review of Pet Shell’s Report: Your Dog Will Hear Fireworks and Thunder Inside


    If your dog is afraid of noises, please take that seriously. Sound reactivity can be debilitating, and the clinical, medical condition of sound phobia can be devastating. Neither is commonly “solved” by purchasing a product. Evidence supports the use of counterconditioning, relaxation training, and behavioral medications (Riemer, 2020).

    The Pet Shell Pet House

    I do not own a Pet Shell. I am reviewing the claims of their marketing materials compared to the acoustic report they published.

    A new product for dogs and cats, the “Pet Shell,” has hit the market. It is a Kickstarter project and promoted as a noise-reducing pet house that “reduces sounds by more than 50%,” which is a problematic statement. The marketing materials further imply that the interior of the Pet Shell is “silent,” with multiple statements such as, “The unbeatable combination of darkness and silence (emphasis theirs) creates a calming space for your pet, similar to a den.” The silence claim is also problematic, and untrue per their own test results.

    The noises they feature in a promotional video are a thunderclap, a siren, a jackhammer, a vacuum, traffic, a beeping alarm clock, and fireworks. Similarly, the sounds listed on the “Understanding Dogs’ Sensitivity” section of their Kickstarter site are thunderstorms, fireworks and gunshots, loud vehicles, sirens and alarms, construction and industrial noises, and household noises. Note how many of these include low-frequency sounds.

    This product is being aggressively marketed as a solution for dogs who fear thunder and fireworks. However, Pet Shell’s own published acoustical testing report, impeccably performed at the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, reveals that the low frequencies of thunder and fireworks are where the Pet Shell is least effective at preventing the transmission of sound.

    This is in keeping with the findings of basic physics and acoustics.

    The Acoustic Testing and Report

    The acoustic testing of the Pet shell was performed by a physicist with excellent credentials. The report is exemplary, with methods explained well and with sufficient detail and transparency that someone with the right equipment could replicate the testing. I am glad that Pet Shell engaged an expert who knows testing procedures and the applicable standards to do this work.

    The results are well supported in the report itself, and they are in keeping with general knowledge about sound entering enclosures. I will assume the accuracy of the report findings through this blog post.

    The Problematic Marketing Claims

    The marketing materials contain many statements and claims that are refuted by Pet Shell’s own test results. Here are the highlights.

    1. Problematic Claim: The Pet Shell reduces sounds by more than 50%. The average sound reduction across the frequency bands over a range of 1–20,000 Hz was found to be 13 decibels. Since a 10-decibel reduction correlates with a decrease of the perceived sound by half (for humans), this “more than 50%” reduction can be defended. However, that average gives an incomplete picture of what is happening inside the Pet Shell. The effectiveness of sound reduction by passive means (barriers, absorption) depends on frequency. It is much easier to prevent the transmission of high-frequency sound. If you check the breakdown by frequency on the sound testing report, you see that the low frequencies from 100 to 250 Hz show much less reduction in the Pet Shell. The attenuation is 2.6 dB at 100 Hz, 4.2 dB at 125 Hz, 6.6 dB at 160 Hz, 5.3 dB at 200 Hz, and 3.4 dB at 250 Hz. These frequencies correlate with the frequencies of thunder and large fireworks, and they are being reduced much less than the average.

      Please view the report to see this dramatic decline in effectiveness at low frequencies depicted graphically on page 4.

      This poor performance is not at all surprising; it’s common to all barrier-based solutions. You can see a similar lowered effectiveness in the sound spectrum report for Rex Specs Ear Pro, ear protection for dogs. Passive sound barriers are not effective at preventing the transmission of low frequencies; the waves are too massive.

      The Pet Shell can claim a 13-decibel reduction overall because the sound attenuation is much more effective at higher frequencies. But think what that means. An animal in the interior of the Pet Shell is in a soundscape with a predominance of low frequencies.

    2. Extremely Problematic Claim: “Silence.” The repeated references to silence can’t be defended. On page 4 of the report, they list the actual sound reduction of the Pet Shell in the presence of the noise source. The test noise clocks in at 94.2 dB(A) outside the Pet Shell and 81.0 dB(A) inside the Pet Shell. (See technical addendum for notes about dB(A).) Some examples of noises in that decibel range are a gas-powered lawnmower, a busy freeway at 50 feet, a loud overhead pager (intercom), an electric lawn edger, and the noise inside an airplane. Eighty-five dB is the boundary in U.S. workplaces where exposure over time must be monitored and controlled. Referring to the noise reduction inside the Pet Shell as achieving “silence” is preposterous.
    3. Problematic Claim: “…minimizing intense sounds – especially high-pitched ones that trigger stress…” This statement correctly identifies that the Pet Shell is more effective at decreasing higher-frequency sounds than lower-frequency sounds, as is true of any passive sound barrier. But why are they focusing on “high-pitched sounds that trigger stress” when most of the sounds they list on their sites and include in their promotional video are low frequency? Fireworks and thunder are featured over and over. Of the sounds I listed from their materials above, only the siren, the alarm clock, and some household noises stand out as higher frequency. And while there are plenty of dogs who fear high-frequency sounds (I had one), a recent study showed that thunder was the most common fear (Grigg et al., 2021, p. 4).
    4. Problematic Claim: The usual buzzwords for such products like “calming, safe, silent, secure,” and implications of relaxation and decreasing anxiety. I’m sure some animals enjoy the privacy, the ability to hide in a cozy place, and the moderate sound reduction at higher frequencies. But dogs inside the Pet Shell will still hear the fireworks and thunderstorms perfectly well.
    Text: During testing with loud (94 dB) white noise, the sound level was 81.0 dB inside the Pet Shell. Some examples of noises in that decibel range are a busy freeway from 50 feet away, a loud overhead pager (intercom), an electric lawn edger, a gas-powered lawnmower, and the noise inside an airplane.

    Images Depicting Fireworks and Thunder Sounds by Frequency

    The following images show that the weakest performance of the Pet Shell (per their report) correlates with the loudest frequencies of fireworks and thunder.

    I analyzed sound recordings of fireworks and thunder in the software Audacity, and the images below show the sound spectrum, in other words, how loud the sound is at different frequencies. In the images, the horizontal (x) axis is frequency, and the vertical (y) axis is decibels. The higher something is on the y axis, the louder it is. I marked with a black rectangle the frequency area where the Pet Shell is least effective per the numbers in their report: the range from100 to 250 Hz. It correlates with the loudest frequencies of both the fireworks and thunder.

    Fireworks
    Thunder

    The red line in each image shows the peak, the area of maximum amplitude (roughly, volume). In both cases, it is within the area where the Pet Shell performs the worst.

    See my technical addendum at the bottom if you are curious why the decibels on the y axis are negative.

    I purchased the sample sounds of fireworks and thunderclaps from Pond5.com. You can listen to lower-quality previews (turn down your volume first!) of the sounds I used here (fireworks) and here (thunder). I chose recordings by ear that had plenty of low frequencies. Here are sources for information about the typical low frequencies of fireworks (Tanaka et al., 2016) and thunder (Holmes et al., 1971).

    Can a Little Reduction Help My Dog?

    Are you thinking, “Well, even a tiny bit of reduction in the sound of thunder is probably worth it”? If so, ask yourself whether your dog reacts only to the loudest thunderclaps. When they hear thunder that doesn’t shake the house, are they fine? In that case, maybe a little reduction could help (although they’ll still feel the house shake inside the Pet Shell). Or have they generalized to fearing most or all thunder noise? In that case, a small reduction in decibels is immaterial. Dogs often get sensitized to sounds that scare them. When this happens, the sound can scare them at lower intensities than it did originally. In these cases, a small reduction in the sound intensity would not make a difference.

    A small, black and rust hound mix showing the body language of extreme fear: Tucked tail, roached back, ears back, front paw lifted, distress in her face
    A “before” photo of clinically sound phobic Zani, who didn’t need a hiding place from sounds for her last five years because we consulted a veterinary behaviorist

    Conclusion

    The Pet Shell is expensive and doesn’t cure sound fear. It doesn’t block low-frequency sound. It’s not silent inside. Providing a hiding place is a kindness, but don’t we want more than that for our dogs—to address the fear itself?

    The harm of the Pet Shell comes from the marketing claims, including that it can protect dogs significantly from thunder and fireworks. Their own report says that it can’t. People may purchase this product instead of pursuing evidence-based approaches to help their pet’s sound sensitivity.

    I had an exchange with a representative of Pet Shell on social media after I made a brief critique. They were polite and open to suggestions. I asked them to put a notice on their website about how serious the fear of sounds can be in dogs, and to encourage people to seek professional help for their dogs for this problem.

    References

    • Grigg, E. K., Chou, J., Parker, E., Gatesy-Davis, A., Clarkson, S. T., & Hart, L. A. (2021). Stress-related behaviors in companion dogs exposed to common household noises, and owners’ interpretations of their dogs’ behaviors. Frontiers in veterinary science, 8, 760845.
    • Holmes, C. R., Brook, M., Krehbiel, P., & McCrory, R. (1971). On the power spectrum and mechanism of thunder. Journal of Geophysical Research, 76(9), 2106-2115.
    • Riemer, S. (2020). Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 37, 61-70.
    • Tanaka, T., Inaba, R., & Aoyama, A. (2016). Noise and low-frequency sound levels due to aerial fireworks and prediction of the occupational exposure of pyrotechnicians to noise. Journal of occupational health, 58(6), 593-601.

    Copyright 2025 Eileen Anderson

    Photos

    Photo of dog with chin on the floor courtesy of user PicsbyFran on Pixabay. I cropped it. All other photos copyright Eileen Anderson 2025.

    Technical Addendum: Those Negative Decibels and dB(A)

    The decibels are negative in my images because they are being measured inside a computer and not the real world. Decibels need a reference point, and there are lots of different ones used. The maximum decibels that the computer can record (so-called “full-scale”) is set at a reference point of zero. So the closer the negative number is to zero, and the higher it is physically on the image, the louder the sound is at that frequency.

    The designation dB(A) in the Pet Shell report refers to a decibel scale that is weighted, taking into account the characteristics of human hearing. This can introduce error, but it’s unavoidable at this time. We don’t have a scale weighted for dogs (which is acknowledged in the report).



    Source link

  • New Product Awards from Global Pet Expo 2025

    New Product Awards from Global Pet Expo 2025


    36 New Pet Products Recognized at the Event’s 15th Annual New Products Showcase “Best in Show” Awards

    The American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) announced the winners of the 15th annual New Products Showcase “Best in Show” Awards at Global Pet Expo, revealing the top pet products hitting the market in 2025. Best in Show, Second and Third Place honors were awarded across 12 product categories, including Aquatic, Bird, Cat, Dog Food/Treats, Dog Products, Farm and Feed, Modern Pet, Natural Pet, Pet Tech Innovation, Reptile, Small Animal and Sustainable Pet.

    “The innovation showcased at this year’s Global Pet Expo reflects the dynamic growth and resilience of the pet industry,” said APPA President and CEO Pete Scott. “With pet ownership reaching 94 million U.S. households and continuing to expand, it’s clear that pet care remains a top priority for consumers. These award-winning products highlight the creativity and commitment of brands that are not only meeting the evolving needs of pet owners but also strengthening the deep bond between people and their pets.”

    The New Products Showcase displays the latest pet products debuting in the market each year. The “Best in Show” Awards recognizes the year’s top new products, selected based on the voting results of domestic and international buyers, media and influencers attending Global Pet Expo. Winners were announced during the pet industry’s premier event on the Spotlight Stage. Out of nearly 1,000 submissions received this year, the following products won award recognition:

    Aquatic

    • Best in Show: Mazuri® Koi Pond Nuggets by Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition
    • 2nd Place: Green Killing Machine 3 Watt Filter by Dog H20 Cat H20
    • 3rd Place: Dreamscapes Aquascape Kit by CaribSea Inc

    Bird

    • Best in Show: Beaktivity Bird Toy Bases by Beaktivity Bird Toys That Make Sense
    • 2nd Place: FeatherSnap Smart Hummingbird Feeder by Aperture Pet & Life
    • 3rd Place: CéDé by Laroy Group Inc.

    Cat

    • Best in Show: Always Full Pet Water Bowl 7’’ Small Pet by Always Full Pet Water Bowl
    • 2nd Place: Mo Betta Fish by Yeowww Catnip
    • 3rd Place: Annamaet Feline Lean by Annamaet Petfoods Inc.

    Dog Food/Treats

    • Best in Show: Farmland Traditions by Hillside Farms
    • 2nd Place: Paws N Chews Probiotics by Vifi Korea Co, Ltd DBA Good Health Pet Inc.
    • 3rd Place: Terrific Tummies by Bimini Pet Health

    Dog Products

    • Best in Show: Anal Glad Support by PupGrade
    • 2nd Place: Jibys by Jibys Dog Crew
    • 3rd Place: NOPEE Indoor Permanent Dog Marking Prevention by NOPEE Dog Pee Prevention

    Farm & Feed

    • Best in Show: Booster Berries Chicken Supplement by Lafeber-EmerAid
    • 2nd Place: Horse Amour Bit Wipes by English Riding Supply LLC
    • 3rd Place: Caledon Farms Horse Treats and Toppers by Crumps Naturals/Caledon Farms

    Modern Pet

    • Best in Show: Raw Ready Enzymatic Toothpaste – Bacon Cheese by Paw Ready
    • 2nd Place: Double Sided Tie & Snap Dog Bandanas by Dog Bandana Co.
    • 3rd Place: Clink Clicker by Clink Design Inc.

    Natural Pet

    • Best in Show: The Spa Collection by Project Sudz
    • 2nd Place: Vital Defense by Adored Beast Apothecary
    • 3rd Place: Manuka Vet by Manuka Vet New Zealand

    Pet Tech Innovation

    • Best in Show: SwiftPaws Chase by SwiftPaws
    • 2nd Place: ChocoLéash by Maison FurRéal
    • 3rd Place: Pet Hair Dissolver by Seedshub USA Inc

    Reptile

    • Best in Show: Creatures Roly-Poly Kit by Zoo Med
    • 2nd Place: Exo Terra Heat Mats by Hagen Group
    • 3rd Place: Jumping Spider Kit by Zoo Med

    Small Animal

    • Best in Show: HomeoPet Small Animal Nose Relief by HomeoPet LLC
    • 2nd Place: Teewy Veggie Salad Patch by Chongqing Pet Union Biological Technology Co., Ltd.
    • 3rd Place: Mazuri® Ferret Diet by Mazuri Exotic Animal Nutrition

    Sustainable Pet

    • Best in Show: Montana Beef Stick by West Paw
    • 2nd Place: Beaktivity Bird Toy Refill Kits by Beaktivity Bird Toys That Make Sense
    • 3rd Place: Baja Naturals Kelp Dog Treats by Baja Naturals

    “We are thrilled to recognize this year’s winners of the New Products Showcase Awards at Global Pet Expo,” added Celeste Powers, president of PIDA. “Each year, we continue to be amazed by the level of innovation and creativity displayed in the pet industry, and 2025 is no exception. These products not only reflect the latest trends but also highlight the industry’s ongoing commitment to improving the lives of pets and their owners. Congratulations to this year’s winners for setting new standards in excellence and shaping the future of pet care.”

    For more information about Global Pet Expo and the New Products Showcase Awards, visit GlobalPetExpo.org.

    Source: Global Pet Expo News Release



    Source link

  • Homeward Pet | Introduction to Susan Trabucchi, Interim Executive Director

    Homeward Pet | Introduction to Susan Trabucchi, Interim Executive Director


    Introduction to Susan Trabucchi, Interim Executive Director

    Posted on: March 28th, 2025 @ 3:56 pm, By
    Kim Leary

    Photo of Susan Trabucchi

    A Note from Susan Trabucchi, Interim Executive Director

    Since I arrived in late January, I have received a warm welcome from members of the board, staff, volunteers, donors, community leaders, and countless others who care deeply about Homeward Pet. As a long-time lover of animals, whose household has been dominated by several remarkable dogs, I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me to help guide the organization through a critical moment of leadership transition.

    This kind of transition can feel a bit disorienting, so let me assure you that first and foremost, I am here to ensure that our core programs and operations continue to run smoothly. I am also here to help us take a collective step back – a metaphorical deep breath – to consider our strengths, identify opportunities for improvement and growth, and prepare the organization to recruit its next leader and launch an exciting new chapter.

    Now in our 35th year, we have made a remarkable difference in the lives of so many animals – and the humans who get to care for them. Every day that I am here, I learn more and more about the distinct and critical services Homeward Pet provides, not just to our local community but also to the larger region.

    As I dive deeper into our organization and work, it’s also clear that we have struggled for several years now to meet our annual budget – despite a lean operation. Where we can continue to find efficiencies and savings, we will do so. What we really need, however, is to increase revenue from individual donors, foundations, corporations, collaborations and partnerships. If you have supported us in the past, thank you. If you can continue to support us, thank you in advance. And if you have friends, family, colleagues, and others who might be interested in our work, please let us know how we can help make an introduction!

    I look forward to meeting you in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, if you have thoughts, suggestions, or ideas as we chart a path forward, please do not hesitate to reach out to me by email or call the shelter and ask for me.

    Thank you again for all that you do for Homeward Pet.

    With gratitude,

    Signature of Susan Trabucchi

    Susan Trabucchi
    Interim Executive Director
    Homeward Pet Adoption Center

     

    P.S. For a glimpse of some of the fantastic work that our staff and volunteers continue to do, please take a look at our most recent Cuddle Chronicle, quarterly newsletter.



    Source link

  • How To Potty Train A Puppy

    How To Potty Train A Puppy


    This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

    Picking up your puppy is probably the most exciting part about puppy raising, but as soon as all the cuteness has worn off (actually some of the cuteness will wear off the first time he piddles in the house or perhaps a little poopie accident on the car ride home…YUCK!) one of the first things you will think about is how to potty train a puppy.

    When we first started raising guide dog puppies over ten years ago we received a guide dog puppy manual on how to raise and train a puppy.

    How to Potty Train a Puppy - Ywllo Lab puppy going pee outside on the concrete

    As guide dog puppy raisers, we follow all the rules and puppy training guidelines outlined in our puppy manual and when it comes to potty training our puppy we simply turn to page 42 in our manual and follow the instructions on how to potty train a puppy.

    So today we’re going to discuss how we go about…you guessed it…potty training a puppy!

    QUICK TIP: You likely don’t have access to a Guide Dog Puppy Manual. Luckily we’ve read many books on puppy training and one of our favorites, Puppies for Dummies is an easy read that will give you a solid foundation for raising and training your puppy.

    How To Potty Train A Puppy

    QUICK ACCESS: If you’re having puppy training problems then you should join our Puppy Training Tips email list and get instant access to our New Puppy Owner Checklist PDF. To get started CLICK HERE.

    Here are some of the basics we’ve learned over the years on how to potty train a puppy.

    Potty training is obviously one of the first things you’ll want to teach your puppy. If done properly, potty training is not difficult. The key is to be consistent.

    Never allow YOUR puppy to be unattended or out of YOUR sight. If you are unable to do this remember to use confinement as a means of prevention.

    QUICK TIP: We highly recommend crate training your puppy as a primary means of confinement. We’ve been using the Midwest Life Stages Double Door Crate w/ Divider since we brought home our first puppy, Linus over 15 years ago.

    Keep your puppy on a schedule. Feed him at regular times and always give him a chance to relieve himself right after being fed. (we feed our puppies Wellness Core Puppy Formula)

    Golden Retriever puppy down on carpet nose level.
    Reggie A Golden Retriever Guide Dog Puppy In Training

    Using a designated area in your yard, let your pup have plenty of time (fifteen minutes) to relieve itself.

    Encourage the puppy to go by using words such as “Get Busy”. This is the command used at Guide Dogs of America. We use the same command with all of our puppies in training.

    When the puppy has done his business, praise him lavishly. A good rule of thumb to follow is to give your puppy a chance to relieve himself at a minimum of these times…

    When Should I Take My Puppy Out To Potty

    This is uber important. Anticipating when your puppy will potty should be something you know like the back of your hand.

    Always take your puppy out to his potty spot:

    1. First thing in the morning.
    2. After each meal.
    3. After a nap.
    4. After playtime.
    5. Right before you and your pup retire for the night.

    Remember your puppy should always relieve on a leash. It is important to train the puppies to relieve on leash on a variety of surfaces (grass, gravel, cement, etc…)”

    House training our puppy, Charlie. - Pooping outside
    House training our puppy, Charlie

    Many of these potty training tips are from our guide dog puppy manual and don’t need to be followed to a “T” if you’re training your puppy as a family pet.

    One thing I wish I would have known sooner is to train my puppies to relieve on different surfaces.

    My rescue pup, Linus learned to pee and poop on the grass and was potty trained in less than two weeks. However, when he was nine months old we took him camping and he would not go potty on the dirt.

    There was no grass and we were worried that we’d have to drive into town (about an hour away) to find grass for him to pee on.

    After holding his pee for over 24 hours he finally relieved in the dirt and pee’d for about 2 minutes straight (think Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own).

    The moral of the story?  It’s important to train your pup to pee on a variety of surfaces.

    All of our guide dog puppies have learned to pee and poop on cement, grass, gravel, rocks, wood chips, dirt, and any other place you might imagine.

    Potty Training Tips For Your Puppy

    One of the great things about being a guide dog puppy raiser is the incredible network of knowledgeable puppy raisers and guide dog trainers we have at our disposal.

    Some of the members in our Orange County Group have been guide dog puppy raisers for 20+ years and have raised a dozen or more puppies!

    Yellow Lab puppy resting on tile floor.
    As soon is Derby was up from his nap it was time for a potty break.

    I guess we’re relative neophytes as Dublin is only our third puppy in training and this is only our fifth year as guide dog puppy raisers.

    UPDATE: as of today we are entering year 18 as puppy raisers and we’ve raised 17 puppies for multiple service dog organizations.

    As guide dog puppy raisers we are required to enroll our puppies in a minimum of one puppy kindergarten and one basic dog obedience class.

    One of the first questions we are asked at puppy kindergarten is how are you doing with potty training your puppy?

    Even our most experienced puppy raisers will still sometimes have questions on how to potty train a puppy.

    QUICK RECOMMENDATION: We recently started training our puppies to alert us when they have to go potty by using a potty-training doorbell called the Smart Bell. It requires a little bit of training, but it’s a good alternative to your dog scratching up the backdoor.

    Here are some of the puppy training tips and hints I’ve learned over the years when working on potty training with my own puppies:

    1. Keep an eye on your puppy

    We learned pretty fast that it’s important to keep a constant eye on your puppy. Use puppy gates (same as baby gates), tie-downs, and leashes to make sure you can always see your puppy.

    If you see him start to sniff around, circle, whimper, or squat then quickly scoop him up and take him out to his designated potty place in the yard.

    Give him a ton of praise when he potty’s in his spot. It’s important to keep your puppy under constant supervision not only for potty training purposes but to keep him out of trouble in general.

    We’ve found many a chewed-up shoe, cell phone, or remote control because we didn’t keep a close eye on our puppies. This can be both costly and dangerous for your puppy.

    2. Keep a puppy potty schedule

    Yellow Lab puppy taking a potty break
    Derby taking a “break”

    If you keep a puppy potty schedule you’ll notice your pup can be fairly predictable with his potty times.

    We just use a sheet of paper and write it down every time our puppy goes pee or poop (you’ll start to notice trends in your puppy’s potty schedule). Here are a few potty times that should automatically be on your schedule.

    • Your puppy will always need to go potty shortly before and after eating or drinking water. We feed our pups twice a day (our young puppies eat three times a day) at specific times which helps control the times they go poop.
    • As soon as your puppy wakes up. Puppies almost always go potty right after waking up.
    • As Linus’s dog trainer used to say: “Play makes pee!” It seems as though every 10 minutes or so your puppy will pee when playing.

    3. Be Consistent

    stay free from variation. Stay consistent so your puppy knows what you want him to do. Be consistent by taking him out the same door to the same potty spot.

    Be consistent with your puppy’s potty schedule.

    Be consistent with your puppy’s feeding schedule.

    Be consistent and make sure everyone in your household abides by the same puppy potty training rules. If you do not stay consistent then it will take longer to potty train your puppy.

    4. Be Persistent

    continue firmly with your potty training your puppy in spite of any difficulty. At times it may seem like your puppy just does not get it, but don’t waver and be persistent.

    It took our Aussie mix, Linus less than 2 weeks before he was potty trained. It took about 6 months to fully trust Stetson with his potty training. Stay persistent!

    5. Be Patient

    How to potty train a puppy - puppy peeing on the grass
    How to potty train a puppy – House training our most recent puppy, Charlie

    defined as the ability to suppress annoyance…puppies are adorable, but they will also test your patience.

    Try to remain calm and don’t get upset with your puppy. It takes time to potty train a puppy.

    Be patient and you will be rewarded. If you feel yourself losing your patience step away for a while and let your puppy have some alone time in his crate with his favorite KONG or chew toy.

    6. Praise Your Puppy

    The most important thing when we raise our guide dog puppies is to give your pup tons of praise every time they do something right.

    Don’t forget to give your puppy a ton of praise every time he goes potty in his designated potty area. This will help reinforce the behavior with your puppy.

    7. Crate Training Puppies

    we crate-train all of our guide dog puppies in training. (if you’re looking for a crate we recommend the Midwest Life Stages Double Door Crate w/ Divider).

    Many people feel like crate training is like imprisoning your puppy. However, crate-trained puppies enjoy the safety and security they feel when in their crate as they will find it much like their den had they lived in the wild.

    In fact, many of our puppies in training have grown so accustomed to their crates that they will often go to their crates and sleep any time they are tired.

    Crate training is great for potty training as it’s your puppy’s natural instinct not to potty where he sleeps. For more information on crate training check out our page on crate training puppies. For starters here are a few basics on crate training:

    • Place the crate in your bedroom where the puppy can still see and hear what is going on.
    • Put a blanket or towels in the crate for bedding. A pup will rarely soil the crate, however, if he does, try removing the bedding.
    • A crate should not be too big, but large enough for the puppy to stand, stretch and turn around.
    • When placing the puppy in the crate, use the word “kennel” or “kennel up”.
    • If he should happen to fall asleep somewhere else, pick him up, place him inside, and quietly shut the door.
    • Don’t use the crate for punishment.
    • Take your puppy outside to potty before putting him in the crate.
    • Take your puppy outside to potty as soon as you take him out of the crate.

    Puppy In Training TV Episode 2 reviewed several puppy training basics including a short clip on taking your puppy to his potty spot (approximately 2:15 in the clip below).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E36B7pp-Htw

    Check out our other Puppy In Training TV episodes.  If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode please let us know by sending us an email through our contact form.

    Do Not Rub Your Puppy’s Nose In His Accidents!

    We need to reiterate…Do not Rub Your Puppy’s Nose In His Accidents! Do not hit your puppy after an accident! Do not punish your puppy if you find an accident!

    Never punish your puppy after the fact. Your puppy will think you are punishing him for whatever is happening at the time of the correction.

    Your puppy will not make the connection that this is an area that he previously soiled and that is why you are punishing.

    Full Disclosure: When I was in college (Holy Crap! Over 25 years ago!) my roommate had a dog and instructed me to…rub his puppy’s nose in his accidents to teach him not to potty in the house.

    Guess what, his puppy never connected the dots and continued to have accidents in the house every day the 1+ year I lived with this poor little puppy.

    Puppy Clean Up

    Puppy Charlie taking a pee pee brake.
    Puppy Charlie taking a pee pee brake.

    If your puppy pees or poops on the floor or carpet make sure you clean it up immediately (I’m sure I didn’t have to say that).

    Your puppy’s nose is thousands of times stronger than your nose.

    If your puppy smells the pee or poop on the floor then he will return to this spot to pee again.

    We like to use an enzyme-based odor remover to remove all the stains and odors. We created our own formula: Puppy In Training Stain & Odor Eliminator.

    Our spray will go deep into surfaces to digest and eliminate organic stains and odors caused by urine, vomit, feces, and other stinky sources

    Remember, your puppy’s nose is thousands of times more powerful than yours. If he smells a trace of urine, he’ll feel compelled to potty in that spot again, so make sure you find a good stain and odor remover.

    One final note: If your designated potty spot is in a public area (or even at home) make sure you bring potty bags (we like these mighty paw poop bags made from recycled materials) or a pooper scooper to clean up your mess.

    One of our biggest pet peeves is the person who does not pick up after their puppy.

    It’s bad for the environment and for some reason, the bottom of my shoe seems to always find the dog poop that was left behind.

    I hope this little guide helps you with your puppy potty training basics.

    Quick Recap

    If there are 3 things I’d like you to remember when potty training your puppy:

    1. Puppy Management – Keep an eye on your puppy 100% of the time and when you can’t let your puppy have some quiet time in his crate (Midwest Wire Crates are our favorite for crate training puppies). – the fewer accidents your puppy has in the house the sooner he will be potty trained.
    2. Clean Messes – Any time your puppy does have an accident clean thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner like Puppy In Training Stain & Odor Eliminator.
    3. Puppy Potty Schedule – Get out a piece of paper and start writing down when your puppy sleeps, eats, drinks, plays, and goes pee/poop. Keep your puppy on a schedule and you’ll start to notice a pattern.

    That’s a wrap!

    What questions do you have about potty training a puppy?

    Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

    How to Potty Train a Puppy - yellow Lab puppy going potty outside.
    How To Potty Train A Puppy – Golden Retriever Puppy, Charlie

    UPDATE: This post was originally published on July 11th, 2011. We periodically update blog posts with new experiences and information to keep them as relevant as possible.

    Top Picks For Our Puppies

    1. BEST DOG CHEW
      We Like: Beef Collagen Sticks – All of our pups love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Collagen Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors.
    2. BEST PUPPY TOY
      We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs – Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home.
    3. BEST DOG TREATS
      We Like: Crazy Dog Train-Me Treats – We use these as our high-value treats for our guide dog puppies.
    4. BEST FRESH DOG FOOD
      We Like: The Farmer’s Dog – A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer’s Dog.

    Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist.



    Source link

  • Owning A Domestic Cat 101: Cat Behaviors, Grooming And Traveling


    Once again, our feline friends are protagonists in this blog. Our first entry for this series was Owning A Domestic Cat 101: Selecting A New Cat Or Kitten. Where we talked about different breeds of domestic cats, some of them more exotic than others.

     

    Now we are going to talk about the behaviors most cats share, the basics of grooming, and traveling with your feline companion. If you’ve read all the entries of this series, then you have a really good deal of information to face the challenge of owning a domestic cat, and proves you are truly committed to be the cat owner you want to become.

     

    There are behaviors that many cats share, but you might not know the logic behind them. Below are many of these characteristics as well as explanations as to why your cat may perform them so you can better understand what your cat is trying to tell you.

     

     

    Understanding Your Cat’s Body Language

    The easiest way to determine how your cat is feeling at the moment is by looking at their body language; and there are two specific parts of their body that will give you a lot of information, these are their ears and their tail.

     

    A cat’s ears can say a lot about what they are feeling or trying to express to others, different ear positions mean different things. When the ears are forward and relaxed, then your cat is happy and listening to the sounds around them. When their ears are erect, the cat is paying attention to something; they are alert to the happening around them.

     

    Flattened ears can relay fear or the cat being anxious. When ears are completely flat, it means they are fearful and aggressive, plus the cat is probably hissing and has their eyes narrowed. When ears are turned back, your cat is either annoyed or aggravated, this is a warning to whoever has caused their mood.

     

    A cat’s tail can also say a lot about their mood and what they are doing. A straight up tail means you have a content cat; a straight and quivering tail shows your cat is happy. When the tail is horizontally behind, this means that the cat is relaxed, confident, and alert. If the tail is straight with a hook at the end, your cat is being friendly, but is not quite sure of the situation, person, or other animal.

     

    A swishing tail can mean your cat is being playful or that they are annoyed. But when your cat’s tail is straight and fluffy, it means your cat is feeling fear and is threatened.

     

     

    Is My Cat Talking To Me?

    Short answer, yes. Cat’s meow is their way of communicating with us; in fact meowing is something that cats only do to get attention from humans. They can meow for many reasons: to say hi, to ask us for something, and to tell us that something is not ok. A common meow can mean they want to say hello to you or just want their dinner and such. 

     

    There are other sounds that cats make that have other purposes like when a female is in heat and looking for a male, they kind of make like a howling sound. Or when a female is calling her kittens or a cat is being lovey with their owners, they will emit a rolling sound, like a chirr.

     

    When a cat is hissing, this is a warning sign that your cat is not happy and they are getting ready to attack; also if your cat is growling, they want to be left alone. Now, if your cat is purring, it means they are happy and feel safe.

    Are you still figuring out your life with your new cat? There are several tips you need to know in order to be a successful cat owner, so take a look at this: Owning A Domestic Cat 101: Important Tips, And What Supplies To Get

     

     

    Other Notable Cat Behaviors

    Kneading is a common behavior seen in domestic cats, in which they push in and out with its front paws, alternating between left and right. It’s a form of feline flattery when a Cat kneads you; is like they were saying they love you. In adulthood, a cat supposedly will knead when they’re feeling happy or content because it associates the motion with the comforts of nursing and their mother.

     

    Cats are very curious. You have probably heard the saying that involves curiosity killing the cat. This is why they climb and explore everything that they can. This is an instinctive behavior that can often get your cat into a lot of trouble. This is why you need to make sure that your house is cat proofed so that your cat doesn’t harm themselves while exploring.

     

    When a cat is clawing a scratching post or your furniture, they are not doing it for no reason; they are actually getting the exercise that they need. When they claw, they are able to stretch their muscles. They can also be doing it to mark their territory as well.

     

    Even though many of these behaviors may seem odd, your cat does have an actual reason for performing many of them. The best you can do is to try to understand them to some degree and make sure that your cat is kept safe.

     

     

    The Basics Of Grooming

    Grooming is also a big part of having a cat. Just as you get a shower every day, do your hair, and whatever else your grooming entails, your cat needs to be groomed as well. Although you don’t need to bathe your cat on a daily basis, there are other things that need to be taken care of regularly.

     

    You really don’t have to bathe your cat too often, especially if they are an indoor pet, but there will come the time that fluffy needs to get a bath. Giving your cat a bath is more of a two people’s job so you might need to ask someone to give you a hand. A good tip is to put something like a rug or towel in the tub that the cat can cling onto since there is a good chance the cat is going to freak out when it hits the water.

     

    Make sure that you check the temperature of the water before you decide to dunk them; you need to make it a hot bath so they will be comfortable. Using shampoo specifically made for cats, start at the head and work your way down the body. You need to wash the head, ears and neck, don’t skip any spots when washing, but don’t get soap in your cat’s eyes. After your cat is washed and dried, keep them out of drafts until they are fully dry.

    Now that you are learning about cat grooming, you might be interested in their diet. There’s a lot of good you can do for your cat’s health by taking good care of their diet. Start by taking a peak at this: Owning A Domestic Cat 101: Cat Food And The Health Of Your Feline

     

     

    Making Your Cat Look Pretty

    If you start grooming your cat from an early age, they will love for you to take out the brush or comb and start grooming them. It’s important to brush your cat when you notice they are beginning to shed their hair, this is for your benefit and your cat’s. You cat will love having that extra hair removed, there will be less hairballs, and your furniture won’t have hair all over it. If you find the coat knotted when you are brushing, use your fingers to untangle the knot and not the brush or comb.

     

    You also need to make sure that your cat’s nails are trimmed; you can choose to do this yourself or have a grooming service do it for you. If you decide to take the task on yourself, you need to get clippers that are especially designed for cats. You also need to be careful not to cut into the quick of the nail or you will end up injuring your cat, this is why many prefer to have a groomer take care of this chore. After the coat and the nails are taken care of, you need to make sure that your cat’s ears are clean.

     

    Cleaning the ears should be done on a monthly basis. Do not use a cotton tip to clean your cat’s ears! This process should only be done with a cotton ball and some mineral oil or alcohol, do not go any further into the ear than you can see to avoid causing your cat injury. The last step in the grooming of your cat involved their dental care. Many cats suffer from plaque buildup and it can become quite a serious health problem. In order to avoid this you need to try cleaning your cat’s teeth.

     

    Of course this might not be fully appreciated by your feline friend, but you need to wipe the cat’s teeth with a baking soda and water mixture. The only other way to ensure that your cat’s teeth get the attention that they need is to have your veterinarian look at their teeth and possibly perform a dental cleaning on them as well.

     

     

    Traveling With Your Feline Companion

    Some cats enjoy traveling where others do not; it really depends on your cat’s personality. Traveling can either be an easy or difficult task when you have your cat in tow. There are different ways that you can travel and there are also different things that you need to consider with each mode of transportation.

     

    Traveling by plane can be quite tricky if your cat hates flying. You might have the option of having them on the plane with you or having to send them below into an air conditioned cargo area especially designed for pet travel. Some airlines allow you to take your cat along in a carrier that can fit below the seat in front of you. You need to specifically ask the airline if this is an option or not, plus you need to consider if your cat will fit into such a carrier.

     

    If this practice is not allowed you will need to have your cat in a carrier and check them into the cargo area. If you plan on traveling with your cat you need to make your reservation far in advance and inform the airline that you will be traveling with a cat. You also have to make sure that your carrier fits the criteria of the airline. You might even be able to have your cat sedated for the flight time frame by your veterinarian to make travel a little easier.

     

    If your cat likes to go on car trips with you, then traveling a long distance by car is going to be a piece of cake. On the other hand if they detest it, it might not be the most enjoyable trip. Either way, you need to make sure that your cat is ready to travel with you. First, you definitely need a cat carrier when you are driving to help keep your cat safe and so you won’t become distracted while you drive.

     

    You also need to make sure your cat has their collar on with their identification tag on it. If your cat doesn’t like the car, you might want to try getting them used to it in advance by taking your cat out for short trips around the block or down the street. Before you leave on your trip, you need to make sure to pack your cat’s bag as well as your own.

     

    You need to make sure that you have their bowls, food, medication, litter box, litter, cat bed, cat toys, and some sort of scratching post so they don’t tear up the room wherever you are going. If your cat absolutely freaks out when you put them in the car, you might need to come up with another plan for your cat while you are away

     

     

    Not Bringing Your Cat On The Trip

    If you have the cat that freaks out whenever you try to travel by plane or by car, you will probably have to come up with a different plan. You can choose to leave your cat with friends, at home, or in a boarding place. Whatever you choose will probably depend largely on your cat and their attitudes and ability to adapt. A boarding place will allow you to leave your cat in a place where they will be taken care of.

     

    Unfortunately not all pet boarding facilities are a great place to leave your pet, so you will have to do a lot of careful research before just dropping off your cat. A friend or family member might take in your cat so they can take care of all your cat’s needs while you are gone. You can also choose to leave your cat at home if you will only be gone a short time, or have a cat sitter stay at your home with your cat.

     

    Don’t ask just anyone, make sure they can be trusted, and make sure to leave them with a list of things such as what food to feed them, when to feed them, when to clean the litter box, and any emergency numbers as well. For some, this might end up being the best option for their cat.

    We hope this entry turns out to be useful for you. Please feel encouraged to say hello – we’ll be happy to help with any questions you might have, and if you’d like to comment on our site, products or service, we’d love to hear from you!



    Source link

  • How To Make Your Dog Smarter, Tips For Raising Smart Puppies


    Dogs are already very smart. They can recognize words when we talk and understand our emotions. This is why they are (with no doubt) our best friends.

    Some dog’ breeds are smarter than others on average, like the Border Collie which has always been considered a very good choice for TV and movies. Stars like Murray from Mad About You, Fly from Babe, or Bandit from the Little House on the Prairie, have become iconic companions on screen.

    Other breeds like Poodles, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers, are also among the smartest dog breeds, and are also very popular pets. But even when your dog’s breed is not on the list of the smartest dog breeds, there is not a really big gap between dog breeds’ intelligence. You should understand that a key factor on your dog’s brain development is the way you raise them.

    What Is Dog Intelligence?

    There is no real way to say “this dog is smarter than the other” because there are several elements that work together to make a dog the way they are. Some dogs are very good at using their instincts, others are very quick learners and ace amazingly on obedience, and some dogs just have fantastic and unique abilities.

    Some dogs can learn up to 165 words, including signals, while other “smarter” dogs can learn up to 250. Other dogs have a clear advantage with a superior sense of smell or hearing. There are certain parameters we can use to determine if our dog is truly exceptional on something, but their behavior will always be unique.

    Living with humans so long has definitely affected dogs’ development during these years of companionship. We are still trying to figure out how dogs’ minds work, and there is still a lot that needs to be understood about our best friends. But it takes only a very good dog owner to look at their pet in the eyes and realize they are capable of many complex emotions like gratitude, shame, complicity, and even love. Some of us don’t ever stop getting surprised by something our dog does at any given moment. When an animal is capable of understanding you are sad, and they try to comfort you by laying in your lap, that is an incredibly intelligent animal in my opinion.

    A happy dog is more willing to learn faster, this is why we recommend a positive approach when trying to train them, this is certainly the best way there is: Time for puppy preschool: Get the basics for positive dog training. Learn the importance of dog training, how to make your dog come and sit, what are the basic commands, and more.

    What Is Intelligent Behavior In Dogs?

    The cognitive behavior of dogs will determine the process by which they acquire knowledge, store memories, retrieve and process information. When a dog is exposed to a new situation, individual or scenario, they use all their cognitive skills to analyze, combine and compare the information that comes to them.

    Dogs display many different behaviors that are associated with intelligence, such as read and react appropriately to humans’ commands and body language. Even the chimpanzees that are so close to us humans in the primate family tree can’t understand our pointing gestures; meanwhile dogs without any kind of training respond quickly and accurately to us pointing at things.

    Dogs are also capable of learning through both simple reinforcement and by watching humans or other dogs do things. This means, a dog can learn new things by just looking at us or some of their canine friends, or by us teaching them tricks using rewards when they do something we like.

    If all of this is debatable as “intelligent behaviour” there is one type of intelligence that dogs continually demonstrate to be amazing at: emotional intelligence. You don’t need to be a scientist to verify this, your dog is capable of even feeling jealousy! Dogs are very good at identifying our emotions, even when they don’t learn the words we use the most, they can read our voices and define if we are angry, happy or sad.

    Reward and obedience training is often seen as the most modern method of training a dog, but reward training is probably much older than other methods of dog training. Here in Time For Puppy Preschool Part 3: Reward & Obedience Training we take a deeper look on how reward training your dog works, how to make it worth and the use of positive reinforcement to effectively achieve obedience. Proper obedience training opens up important lines of communication between handler and dog. The basis of any obedience training program is to gain the cooperation and respect of the animal. It is always much easier to train proper obedience behaviors the first time than it is to go back and retrain a problem dog later on. That does not of course mean that retraining is impossible, it simply means that it is more difficult.

    Brain Food For Dogs?

    Just like humans, the way a dog eats affects their brain function and development. A good nutrition will help a dog become the best version of themselves.

    The most critical part of puppy brain development is during the first week after they’re born. Then, their development decelerates slowly until they reach adulthood. Polyunsaturated fat in fish is one of the best components to add to a puppy’s diet during their development; it is shown that it increases their learning ability, retinal function, and cognitive development.

    You should be aware that it is vital for your pup to receive a balanced nutrition during the first year of their life. This will allow their brain cells to mature properly, and their brains will grow as they should.

    Some fresh salmon, sweet potatoes and peas are a premium meal full of nutrients to boost your pup’s cognitive power. Maize, coconut oil, carrots and pumpkins are also very good elements to add to your dog’s diet during the growth phase.

    Don’t forget when you think of your dog’s diet you must take care of their general health and not only on brain development. Remember there are worms and parasites that can severely affect the health of your dog. You might want to read our entry specially dedicated to this topic: Protecting Your Dog’s Health And The Best Way To Deal With Worms. There are natural ways to deworm your dog and to boost their immune system. The best way to achieve both is by giving your dog the right blend specially designed for these purposes.

    Best Tips To Raise A Smart Dog

    You must build a very good relationship with your puppy so they will feel comfortable and willing to “play” with you during your training sessions. If they see these sessions as a way to spend time with you and have fun, they will do their best to please you.

    Your dog also needs to be properly socialized with other humans and dogs, this will allow them to rapidly understand the world and the rules by which humans and dogs work. Puppies learn a very big deal from their mother and littermates. Some basic things like how hard to bite might look too simple; but they won’t have a better chance to learn this than those first months of life.

    Training your dog as soon as possible is always the best bet. Like we explained in depth on Time For Puppy Preschool Part 2: Training Your New Puppy, dog obedience is a challenge we must ace as soon in the pup’s life as possible. The involvement of different elements, and understanding your puppy’s pace and learning process will determine how effective your efforts are going to be.

    Never stop challenging your dog’s ability to solve problems and use their brain. If you let your dog live an easy life without having to do much to get the things they like or want, they will stop using their cognitives abilities and just expect you to give them everything. That’s why dog trainers use food rewards to encourage certain behaviors. Working for rewards is not only good for their brains, but it also means a lot of fun for the canine partner. Who doesn’t feel proud of their dog when they perform a trick perfectly? It’s because that was a joined effort between you and your pet that strengthened the bond between the two of you.

    But food rewards are not the only way to positively communicate with your dog when they do something good. Praise and love are also a terrific way to show your dog how much you like it when they do (or avoid to do) something in particular.

    Another important way to encourage your dog to be smarter is by giving them a purpose. By giving your dog a job you are telling them they are important and valuable. You can train your dog to collect things when you go out to a specific location, you can train them to protect your home, you can train them to shephard or to perform a variety of tricks for exhibitions. You can even give your dog the task to be a fateful companion for someone who needs therapy of some kind.

    Your Older Dog’s Brain

    Even if your dog is already old, there are ways to stimulate them mentally. Introducing them to new activities and toys, is a good way to keep them active and encourage interaction. Going to new places is also a good way to keep their minds sharp, meeting new people and dogs will also help.

    Have you heard “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? Well that is not true at all. It’s very easy to teach a young pup new tricks, but that doesn’t mean you can’t teach a new trick to your old dog just because a saying became popular. In fact, it has its perks that an old dog who already trusts you will remember a new trick olver the long term and become less distracted during the process than a young puppy that can easily get overstimulated.

    Antioxidant supplements are a very good suggestion to avoid conditions like Alzheimer in senior dogs. These supplements will also slow down the deterioration of the key features of the dog’s brain activity when they reach a certain age. Vitamin C and E will do a great job on fighting oxidative damage and keeping optimal health.

    We can’t stress it enough on how important it is for your dog to receive the best nutrition. We must take good care of our beloved buddies, so we must be aware of how to feed them in the best way possible. This is why we have an entire entry specially created for this topic: Dog food for puppies: Why is it so important to get the best food for dogs. The way our dogs eat affects them in many ways, finding the best diet for dogs is a challenge for every dog owner, dedication which is the best food for puppies is up to you.

    The Bottom Line

    Everyone can argue about which dog is smarter than the other based on their own parameters; but dog intelligence is complex and it depends on many factors. Even when you acquire the “most intelligent” breed with the best pedigree, that won’t guarantee that a mixed race dog won’t beat yours at dancing salsa.

    All dogs are good at some things while being really slow for others. Just like some people are great with numbers but have poor memory. Everyone is different and even if your dog’s breed is listed among the “not so sharp” breeds, that doesn’t mean you can prove your dog has something that others don’t.

    Remember love and food are the best ways to encourage your dog to do anything.

    Please feel encouraged to say hello – we’ll be happy to help with any questions you might have, and if you’d like to comment on our site, products or service, we’d love to hear from



    Source link