Important Tips For Traveling with Pets

Road trip! With summer here, our humans will be traveling more.  American Lifestyle Magazine gives these great trips that you should show your people before they take you on a vacation.

Planning for a trip can be a daunting experience, and traveling with your pet can seem like a lot more work, especially if you have never done it before. Before you hit the road, though, make sure you reference the handy road trip tips below.

Carry On
Be sure the carrier fits the pet. Your pet should be able to stand up and turn. The carrier should have a solid, leakproof floor, covered with a towel in case of accidents.

Get Attached
Before you place your pet in a carrier, attach a collar, leash, and harness. You don’t want to risk losing him during a struggle to attach these items at your destination.

Moving Easier with Kitty

Zillow.com shares a very informative post How to Move Easier with your Cat:

Cats aren’t exactly what you’d call fans of change.  If it were up to them, they’d take no part in it. But you can’t just leave them behind on your next big move, which is why you should put together a cat move kit that will provide maximum comfort and minimize stress. Here’s a checklist of essential items to bring along when moving by car with your favorite feline.

Cat carrier
A cat carrier is a critical component of any feline move kit. If you don’t already have one, make this your top priority. Not only will a cat carrier make Kitty feel safe and secure, but it will also prevent her from darting into danger’s path every time you pull over and open the car door. Make sure your carrier is big enough to allow your cat to stand up and lay down comfortably.

Drive Safe with Us!

I found this great article on the RE/MAX Housing Blog:

The drive to your new home can be the ultimate road trip for you and your pet. They probably won’t argue about your choice of music and they also won’t ask "are we there yet?" a million times (at least not in so many words). Still, the open road can present a wide range of dangers to our four-legged friends. Here are some tips to help keep them safe during your travels.

1. Vet check.
Take your pet for a checkup to be sure he or she is healthy enough to travel. If you’re crossing state lines, get an official health certificate to prove they are up to date on all vaccinations. Finally, pick up an extra supply of your pet’s meds, just in case you misplace them among everything else that’s stuffed in the car or U-Haul.

2. Check their ID.
Can you still read the engraving on your pet’s tag? Be sure the information is up-to-date and legible. Double check the information registered with your pet's microchip.

Dog Moving Checklist

Moving with your dog?  Here's a great checklist to help make things run smoother, provided by Zillow:

Moving can be traumatic for your dog. Imagine being whisked away from your home and set down in a totally new environment without warning. If you throw moving to another state by car into the mix, you’ve got a whole new bag of concerns to deal with. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered for just about any eventuality on the road. Refer to this checklist when compiling your ultimate dog move kit and make the move as pain-free as possible for your four-legged family member.

Dog crate
Anytime you take your pooch on the road with you, you have to be concerned with his safety. If you don’t already have a crate big enough for your dog to stand up and lie down in comfortably, get one before you hit the road. This will keep him safely contained and prevent him from getting into mischief.

Holiday Leftovers for your Pets?

Ugh...the Thanksgiving holiday is over and I'm recovering... Your parents might have tons of leftover food around the house. Well here's a post from PetMD.com called Holiday Leftovers for your Pets? that may be helpful.

It's that time of the year again. Holiday feasts are around the corner, and that means plenty of food and eating.

Once you've had your fill of turkey, the honey-glazed ham that just teases you with its glistening exterior, and all your extended family has returned home, what are you to do with all the leftovers?

It may be tempting to just make a plate for your dog or cat and let them eat and eat to their heart's content. You may even think you are giving them the treat of a lifetime. But there are many "human food" items that are unhealthy, and even dangerous for your pet.

Here are some essential diet no-nos for the holiday season:
1. Avoid items that you know will upset your pet's stomach. Not every pet's gastrointestinal system is capable of taking on all foods and digesting or absorbing them properly. If you know your pet has had digestive sensitivities in the past, you should avoid new foods, especially in large portions, or combined with other new foods. Your holiday can be easily ruined by a carpet full of the resulting "reaction."

Homemade Dog Treats for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving KONG for Your Dog

Thanksgiving Veggie Smuggle Dog Dinner

Pumpkin Pie Recipe for Dogs!

Cooking For Your Dog: Turkey and Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Get ready for a daily video of yummy Thanksgiving recipes that we pets can eat!  It all starts with this delicious recipe for turkey and sweet potatoes.  YUM!

4 Easy Tips for a Painless Dinner

Before you take a bite of any yummy holiday food, here's 4 quick tips to share with your guardian for a safe Thanksgiving dinner, thanks to Petful.com!

1. Suddenly switching from dry kibble to a dish full of human food can cause havoc on your pet’s digestive system. If your dog or cat isn’t used to this type of food, take it easy, and just lay down a slice of turkey and some veggies.
2. Go plain-jane. Dogs and cats can’t handle butter and cream and other seasonings like salt and pepper. So set aside some plain mashed potatoes, carrots and other vegetables for the pets to eat. Save the stuffing for yourself; it’s mostly bread, salt and fat — nothing good there for your pets. Green bean casserole? Not good for pets. Onions can be toxic, and dairy can be a cause of diarrhea. Sweet potato casserole? Nope. Getting the picture? The message is clear: Go plain, and break it down to its basic parts, meaning plain green beans instead of a souped-up green bean casserole.
3. Turkey is actually really good for your dog or cat! So feel free to share a piece of lean turkey. But two things, and they’re important: (1) Peel the skin off the turkey and toss it in the trash. It’s difficult for dogs and cats to digest, plus it’s loaded with fat. (2) No bones for your pets!
4. Begging is a behavioral no-no. C’mon, no one likes to eat dinner with a dog staring up, drips of saliva rolling from his lips, as a muffled whining ensues. Yes, you can say “no” to that sad furry face. Better yet, feed your dog, then crate him while you enjoy dinner with your guests. Keep in mind that a big holiday dinner, and the buzz of activity that accompanies it, is not a normal routine for your pet. Your dog can come out again after dinner’s over. At the very least, instruct your guests that they are not to feed your pet scraps from the table. That goes for cats too.

Thanksgiving Pet Safety

Here's more info that I found about Thanksgiving food and our safety!

Stay tuned for more Thanksgiving food safety tips next week!

Creating a Safe Thanksgiving Dinner for Your Pets

Thanksgiving is coming!  The food always smells so good, that I just love to sit and watch Mama until MAYBE she throws a scrap my way. But some of the food isn't good for us.  So I found this blog post from Petful.com that has more information.

It's not surprising that pet owners want to include their pets in the festivities. Learn how to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for dogs and cats. Thanksgiving is a fine time to reflect on those things that enrich our lives. For me, at least, pets are always near the top of my thank-you list. Pets give us so much and ask for so little in return!

And so it’s not surprising that pet owners feel inclined to include their pets in the holiday festivities. Preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for dogs and cats, it turns out, isn’t an outrageous idea.

Thanksgiving Outfit Ideas & How to make Pumpkin Pie Dog Treat

Turkey Delight Recipe (Homemade Dog Food)

Halloween Costume Safety Tips for Dogs

Don't know what to be for Halloween?  Banfield Pet Hospital provides some costume safety tips you should keep in mind when picking your outfit this year!

We’re approaching that time of year when our little ghosts and goblins will be out parading in the night. If you decide to take your dog with you while “trick or treating” with the kids this year, there are some basic safety issues to consider.

If you want to dress your dog up, keep it simple. Your dog doesn’t necessarily have to be put in a full costume. Think about a bandanna or decorative collar. These may be just the right touch. If your dog can tolerate wearing a full costume and actually likes it, pick one that fits comfortably. If it is too tight, it could cut off circulation, restrict movement, obstruct breathing or cause sore spots. If the costume is too loose, your dog can trip or become tangled. Accessories such as strings, capes, belts, etc., can get caught on objects in your house. Your dog could also ingest parts of the costume, i.e. loose fabric or buttons, and choke. If your dog swallows the part, this could cause a blockage or irritation in the gastrointestinal tract.

When you’re outside going door to door- and it will most likely be dark - make sure the costume is reflective so that your dog can be easily seen by drivers. Reflective tape can be bought at the store, cut into strips and then applied to the costume.

If the costume is too heavy, your dog could overheat and/or become exhausted. If your dog is excessively panting or lagging behind, this should be a clue for you to remove the costume.

10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pets

Halloween is coming, and I'm so excited to spend it with my friends, like I did the other day with friends Rocky and Cash!  Here are some safety tips provided by PetMd.com that should be helpful to keep us safe!

Halloween can be a festive and fun time for children and families. But for pets? Let's face it, it can be a downright nightmare. Forgo the stress and dangers this year by following these 10 easy tips.

1. Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets.
All forms of chocolate -- especially baking or dark chocolate -- can be dangerous, even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures. And while xylitol toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it's better to be safe than sorry.

2. Don't leave pets out in the yard on Halloween.
Surprisingly, vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night. Inexcusable? Yes! But preventable nonetheless.

6 Steps to Teaching Your Dog to Fetch

Photo by Marisa Ryan

Did you know you can teach an old dog new tricks?  I found this great article of how to teach fetch to your dog!

Teaching your dog how to fetch seems like it should be one of those things that’s so simple it requires no real thought or effort. After all, dogs love both playing and pleasing their humans, and fetch involves both of these things — you should just be able to do it, right?

Short answer: nope.

While there are some dogs that just seem to intrinsically understand the game and will automatically chase and retrieve whatever object you use the first time you try, most do not. Either they sit and stare at you, wondering why you would choose to throw away a perfectly good toy, or they chase after the object but don’t “catch” it, or bring it back.

So what can you do to help your pup learn the game like a pro? Here are six tried and true tips.

How to Help a Dog Cope With a Cone

Photo by Marisa Ryan

The dreaded "Cone of Shame"!  None of us wants to wear it, but I guess if we must, we must... I found this post that lists ways your human can make it easier on us.

The first time Scruffy is forced to wear his Elizabethan collar (a.k.a. "E-collar" or the "cone"), he may lift his miserable eyes up to sky wondering what on earth he did to deserve such treatment. You may never see him wear it proudly, but if you'll take the right steps you can make wearing the "cone of shame" much more bearable.

Put Yourself in His Paws
When it comes to your dog's perspective on the Elizabethan collar, there's literally more than meets the eye. You can't blame him; suddenly deprived from peripheral visibility, he'll likely end up crashing into furniture and doorways or even getting stuck in a corner. Suddenly, the mere act of moving, eating or drinking becomes a difficult chore, and that can be quite distressing. Fortunately, with time, most dogs improve their navigational skills as they get accustomed to the feel.

8 Common Puppy Behaviors Explained

Vetstreet gives us 8 Common Puppy Behaviors Explained:

It’s pretty obvious what a puppy with a wagging tail, wiggling body and licking tongue is saying when he comes to greet you — but not all puppy language is so easy to decipher. If he’s making low “grrrr” sounds when you’re playing tug, is he becoming aggressive? If he rolls onto his back, is he scared? It all depends on the context in which he’s doing these behaviors and the other signals his body language is putting out.

Common Signs, and What They Mean

The play-bow. When a dog pounces so that his front legs are flush with the floor, his rear end is still up in the air and he looks at you expectantly, it’s an invitation to play!

Making a “grrrr” sound. Growling can, of course, be a sign of aggression or the reaction of a dog who feels threatened and is trying to protect himself or someone else. But when a puppy is playing and makes this low throaty sound, it can also mean he’s having fun, particularly when playing competitive games, such as tugging or wrestling. Unfortunately, many owners misinterpret it as a growl and even punish their puppy in the belief they must put a stop to this aggressive threat.