Sweater or No Sweater??

I myself have about 10 different coats/sweaters for my dog Valentino, but I know some people tease me about this, and don’t see a need- saying, well he already has a coat on, his fur!

If Valentino was a breed of dog that was acclimated to cold weather, like Huskys and Malamutes are, I would certainly not put a coat on him.  It’s not that I simply enjoy putting clothes on my dog, I certainly feel the opposite actually- its one more step, that I don’t want to do, but I do. WHY?  Because Valentino has a thin body type, and very short fur, with some of his skin even exposed.  Also a big sign is that his whole body shakes when it is cold outside.

So a good general rule of thumb is, if you have:

(1) Small dog;

(2) Elderly dog or chronically ill (such as arthritis);

(3) Breed with thin body type, especially those with short fur;

Then I would purchase a coat or sweater for your pup!

These 3 types of dogs have more difficulty generating and retaining enough body heat on their own.  Also, if you are keeping your heat down in your house/apartment during the day, you might think of keeping a sweater on your pup inside as well.

Even if your dog doesn’t need a coat, it certainly won’t hurt him!  I also put a light rain coat on my dog when its raining even if its not cold, so there is less clean up when I get home!  And when its snowing, its also good to invest in a pair of booties for your pup to protect their sensitive paw pads from the salt and chemicals used for de-icing.

Final rule of thumb – get a coat that compliments your dog’s coat and coloring 😉

Get Rid of Pet Hair in Your Home!

No matter how much you clean or vacuum, there is always more hair!!  Especially in the holiday season, you want to keep the hair to a minimum because you don’t want it ending up in your Thanksgiving dinner!

With 3 pets, pet hair is always a challenge, but keep these tips in mind, and you will be stressing less about hair being on all your clothes and in your casserole!

1- Brush your pet on a daily basis.  This will reduce the amount of hair you find around your home!  I like the furminator.

2- Make sure you pets get plenty of exercise, because healthy bodies promote healthy coats!

3- Feed your pet a good quality pet food- it will keep their coat healthy and soft and reduce shedding.

4- Don’t let your pet eat fat.  Overweight pets have difficulty cleaning and grooming themselves.

5- Keep your pets out of your closets!

Tip for Tuesday 12/11/12: Can Holidays Be Stressful for Your Pet?

Yes!

With all your holiday preparations, like shopping, wrapping, decorating, planning  preparing meals, getting the house ready, or maybe preparing for a trip, you might be a little bit stressed out….and guess who can pick up on that?? Your furry friend! Not only can he pick up on it, but he can also get stressed out himself because of it.

Any change in your pet’s routine can cause stress.  And when your pet is stressed, he may misbehave, he could hurt himself, like biting or scratching excessively, he could start barking (or crying, or meowing, or chirping…) more, or make messes while you are gone.  There is a number of things your pet can do when he is stressed out.

All of the above behaviors is your pet’s way of telling you he is stressed out and something needs to be done about it!  So in preparation for the holidays, don’t forget to also prepare your pets!

Here are some tips for keeping your pets chill during the holiday rush…

1.  Keep your pet’s exercise and feeding routine the same throughout the holidays.  If you need an extra helping hand exercising or just hanging out with your pet, give us a call, we would be happy to help!  If you are going away, make sure your pet sitter has the times of your pets feedings, walks, etc.

2.  If you are busy with preparations or throwing a party, put your pet in a quiet room with plenty of water and possibly toys.

3.  If you have guests over, work on your dog’s greeting manners, to save him the stress of being constantly corrected.  Give your pet plenty of attention and exercise before your guests arrive.

Last but not least, stop and take a breath…….

Pets pick up on our cues, so if you relax, they will!

Happy Holidays! 🙂

Holiday Time & Pets

Holidays can be dangerous to your pets.  In regards to Christmas trees, pine tree water can be poisonous to your pets.  Use an enclosed tree stand or cover open tree stand bases.  Secure your tree to the wall with strong wire or twine.  Also, decorating with glass ornaments, tinsel, ornament hooks or electrical wiring all pose significant danger to your pets by ingestion or contact.  Be sure to unplug lights and decorations your pet has access to when you are not home!  Do not put presents that have food items in them under the tree.  Holiday plants that are poisonous to pets include the berries of the mistletoe, holly, hibiscus, Christmas roses and poinsettias, so do not buy those, and if someone brings you a plant as a gift, maybe you can keep it outside or on a shelf where your pets can’t get to it!

For New Years celebrations, make sure your pet is safe too.  If you are going to host a party, secure your pet in a quiet area away from boisterous activities.  Noisemakers and fireworks can greatly distress pets and cause them to panic and try to run away (so don’t leave them outside unattended).  Inform guests to not give any food or scraps to your pet, and also warn them about where they should leave their plates and drinks.  Table food, especially large amounts, or if your pet isn’t use to people food, can cause havoc on your pet’s digestive tract.  Also, party decorations and novelties can also become dangerous to your pet if eaten.

HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY, HEALTHY HOLIDAY!