Thursday, June 18, 2015
Tips for Training your Dog
Everyone loves a well-behaved dog but how can you train your
new furry friend to stop jumping on your mother every time she visits? Gear for Pets has a list of top 10
training tips that you may want to try before Mom visits again! According to the ASPCA,
in order to train a dog effectively you have to control the consequences of the
dog’s behavior. Kind of like kids! If you reward good behavior, most dogs are
inclined to repeat it. You just need to
be careful not to inadvertently reward poor behavior. Learning how to train your dog can be fun for
both you and your pet and because dogs are usually very eager to please, they
tend to respond quickly to good communication and training.
1. Communicate
with your dog clearly and consistently; rewarding
good behavior each time gives
your dog a consistent message. When a
friend comes to visit and your dog sits instead of jumping, give him a treat, it may take a few times, but eventually he’ll remember.
2. Remove the reward for poor behavior. If your dog nips at your hand while you are
rubbing his belly, pull your hand away and stop rubbing. If you consistently do
this each time the pooch nips, your dog will be aware that her behavior caused
you to stop rubbing her belly.
4. Keep training sessions short, dogs have a short
attention span. Although it takes time to properly train a pet, keep each
session short.
5. Remember English is a second language when it
comes to dogs. Keep your commands short,
and your canine companion will have a better time understanding what you mean.
6. Reward your dog
with things she’ll find rewarding. Pay her by using a reward that is really
worth working for, like a small piece of meat, or a chance to run without a leash at
the dog park.
7. Be smart – don’t give your dog a command that you
haven’t taught him to understand.
8. Be prepared- always have a leash handy in case
it’s needed.
9. Smile at your dog – let him know that he’s your
friend and favorite companion. Pets are
sensitive to our body language, so use yours to show your dog how much you love
him.
10. Have fun!
Training your dog can be rewarding and fun for both of you.
Now go ahead and invite Mom over for dinner, she’ll marvel
at your well-behaved dog.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Cat Grooming – to Bathe or Not to Bathe
To bathe or not to bathe – that is the question especially
when it
Cats are usually immaculately clean animals that spend many of
their waking hours bathing and cleaning themselves. But believe it or not this
is not an innate behavior but rather a learning one. Kittens learn how to bathe and clean
themselves at an early age, usually at about 4 weeks old. The mama cat introduces her babies to the
art as soon as they are born. By licking
them clean she also stimulates
them to release urine and feces, rouses them to suckle,
Occasionally
though, your cat may find themselves in need of a bath, maybe they wandered
into something toxic or sticky and they are not able to clean their fur
effectively. This is when you’ll need
to step in, but tread with care. The ASPCA recommends that you clip your cats’ claws before attempting a
bath and Gear for Pets wholeheartedly agrees! Remove the cat collar, and thoroughly wet your
pet with lukewarm water. Taking care around the pet’s face, lather up
with a shampoo especially formulated for cats.
Rinse completely and dry your pet with a fluffy towel. Once the bathing ritual is
Bathing
your pet can help you screen your cat for any problems that may be developing
on the skin, plus it is a way to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.
Friday, June 5, 2015
Why should you use prevention against flea and ticks for your dogs?
Gear for Pets
believes in happy and healthy pets.
Fleas can nestle down into your dog’s fur and cause them
to itch and scratch. Ticks attach to puppies skin and suck their blood which
can cause infections and diseases. Both fleas and ticks can result in health
problems for your pet.
Types of Flea and Tick Prevention:
Perform “Tick
Checks” by brushing your dog daily and then combing through
their hair with your fingers to feel for any ticks.
Topical
Ointments or Serums can be squeezed between the dog’s shoulder
blades once a month to protect against fleas and ticks.
Collars are
a newer trend to flea and tick prevention. They last for several months and
make taking care of your pet easy!
Chewable
Tablets can also be used for fleas in combination with heartworm
prevention. You would still need something else to protect your dog against
ticks though.
Note: Other prevention treatments such as powders may be
available but may not work as well as the ones listed above.
Bathing your dog is also important to its health and for
flea and tick prevention. Be careful to not bathe them to much or you may
damage the oils in their skin.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Did You Know May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month?
Gear for Pets is in love with all animals especially those we are
Pet cancer
is the number one killer of dogs and cats, so to help keep our furry friends
alive Pet Cancer Awareness put together a list of early warning signs to watch for:
Swollen
Lymph Nodes
An Enlarging
or Changing Node
Abdominal
Distension
Chronic
Weight Loss
Chronic
Vomiting or Diarrhea
Unexplained
Bleeding
Cough
Lameness
Straining to
Urinate
Oral Odors
(caused by oral tumors)
These are
some of the signs to watch for and if found arrange an appointment with your
local veterinarian to have your pet checked out.
Want to help
support Pet Cancer Awareness Month, join Blue Buffalo in the fight with Petco as they raise money this may and
donate at any store or online so they can help over four pet cancer
organizations for research and funds to help our pets have a fighting chance
against cancer!
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