Grooming a Cat

Many cat owners don’t realise the importance of grooming a cat. Cats are clean creatures and they do spend a lot of time grooming themselves, but that doesn’t mean a little help every now and again isn’t necessary. The length of hair will determine how regularly a cat needs grooming, with short haired coats needing far less attention than coats of long, thick hair. Very long flowing coats could use a groom every other day to prevent hair from matting or getting too tangled.

As part of the grooming session, comb gently from front to back making sure you talk to your cat as you do it to keep them calm. It can be tempting to cut out a matted section of hair but this is dangerous as if the cat were to move suddenly you could cut the cat’s skin. Eye care is particularly important too and a flannel or face cloth dipped in tepid water should be gently wiped over each eye. This should be repeated until both eyes are clear.

If you are brave (!) you can try and bath your cat. A good quality cat shampoo is necessary and ideally a degreaser. Use the shower spray to wet the cat and then apply the degreaser. Rinse thoroughly and do the same with the cat shampoo. Be careful to avoid the eyes and ears. Conditioner can also be used on the cat if you have some available although it is not essential. Rub your cat with a clean, soft towel to dry him off and give the coat a brush or comb whilst they are drying too.

During the grooming session, it is a good idea to carry out other important cat care tasks such as checking the condition of the coat and skin, giving your cat a flea treatment and maybe even a cat worming pill too. Getting everything done in one go is a great way to make sure all the important jobs are taken care of regularly.

Have any of you got any tips for cat grooming? Send in your comments below.

Dog Whistles

In the past dog whistles were really only used by hunters who, when on a shoot or hunt would use them in order to control their dogs from a distance. A shout would have scared the wild animal away which is why a high pitched whistle was used instead. Now however a dog whistle is common amongst all dog owners as they provide an excellent way for training your dog in various commands.

Different blows on the whistle can signal different commands for the dog to learn. Generally speaking (and the signal most commonly used for this) one long blow on the whistle signifies for the dog to come. This is definitely the best place to get started if you are wanting to begin training your dog with a whistle.

A dog whistle has a high pitched frequency which makes it extremely loud for a dog, but relatively quiet for a pair of human ears. That is why it is ideal for training dogs. The most important advice for when training your dog with a whistle is to use positive reinforcement at all times. Rather than scolding when your dog does something wrong, praise him when he gets it right! No matter how frustrating it is for you, scolding your dog will only make him afraid of you and less likely he will do it right the next time. Even if your dog doesn’t come to you when you blow on the whistle and takes an hour to reappear, no matter how red in the face you are - show only praise upon his return, otherwise the training will never progress.

If any of our readers have any tips or ideas on how to train a dog successfully with a whistle, send in your comments below. We welcome all comments and suggestions so don’t be shy!

Puppy Training

Training your puppy from as young as possible is the best way to ensure a happy and obedient dog. It really is never too early to start training and socialising your dog and should be done as soon as he is brought into your home. Your training, guidance and leadership in the early stages will directly shape its character, temperament and behaviour for the rest of his life. It is not something that should be taken lightly.

The best way to train a puppy is through a variety of dog training games and positive reinforcement, so you don’t scold when they do something wrong, you praise when they do it right. This ensures you are instantly setting your puppy on the right path and it is much easier to do this than correct bad behaviour down the line.

Dog training games and sessions shouldn’t be longer than about 5 minutes at the very early stages. This can be increased to perhaps 10, but no longer than this should be attempted at any one time. Your dog is likely to get bored or lose attention in longer dog training games which will have a detrimental effect and slow progress.

Begin with very easy commands like “sit” and “come”. Once you see success with these types of dog training games, you can begin to build on them with further commands. Each command that is mastered with increase the confidence of both you and the dog making continued training a little easier.

Repetition is the key to dog training games success. Practice the same commands over and over again. If you are training your puppy to come to you, make the distances longer and longer over the course of weeks and months. Start indoors and gradually build up to doing it in the garden and then the park.

Avoid all harsh corrections, aggression or shouting but instead focus on respect and praise. Your puppy will respond much better to this kind of training as harsh training and punishment will likely cause him to be afraid of you.

If you follow this advice, you should find implementing dog training games and exercises an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Have any of you got any further tips for training a dog or puppy?

How to become the Alpha Dog ?

It is very important that your dog sees you, the owner, as the alpha dog, the leader of the pack. The dog will step into the role if he feels there is no one else to fill it, and that will result in disobedience and bad behaviour. The whole family represents the dog’s pack, and the dog must feel that he is at the bottom of it. Far from being cruel or mean, the dog will be much happier for it.

The best ways to exert your authority over the dog are by sticking to a few simple rules. First and foremost, your dog must always eat after the rest of the family. If he is given his dog pet food at the same time or before, he will believe he is more important than the rest of you. No scraps should ever be thrown for the table either. Human food can be dangerous for a dog if consumed and this behaviour causes begging too. Only healthy dog food should be provided.

Secondly, never allow your dog to exit the house or car in front of you. Again, this demonstrates he is more important in the pack. Always make him wait for you to give him the signal that he can leave.

Never allow the dog to pull on the dog collar and lead when out walking or making any of the decisions such as when to stop, where to turn and when to go. You must be in charge from start to finish on the walk to make your position clear. Some training may be required to get your dog to “heel” by your side when wearing his dog collar and lead.

Finally, the dog needs to feel like he is a guest in your home and is lucky to be there. This is created by making some items of furniture off limits such as the bed and the sofa. Another good trick is to sometimes make your dog give up his place for you. It may seem mean to kick the dog off a chair and take it yourself, but it is better for everyone in the long run.

These are the best and easiest ways to display your position as leader of the pack. If these rules are stuck to rigidly and coupled with brief periods of training each day (simple commands such as “stay”, “come” etc) then the dog will happily remain at the bottom of the pack, where he wants to be.

Have any of you got any tips on being the alpha dog at home? Send in your comments below.

First Aid for Pets

It is a good idea to consider putting a first aid box together for your pet in case your cat or dog is involved in an accident. Quick thinking and acting could make all the difference in the aftermath of an accident. Just a few pet medications are needed which can be purchased from an online pet store.

The first aid kit must be kept in a moisture proof box or container and should include a list of emergency numbers such as your veterinarian and the local animal hospital. It must be kept in a very easy to find place that can be easily retrievable.

The kit should contain the following pet medications and items:

• Gauze
• Surgical Tape
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Emergency Ice Pack
• Gloves
• Blanket
• Pillow Case
• Saline Wash
• Thermometer
• Torch
• Anti-Histamine
• Bandages & Wound Dressing

It is sensible to run a few dress rehearsals with your pet. For example you could practice applying a bandage or picking him up and placing him safely in the back of the car. Make sure you know where the emergency hospital is too as being prepared in this way will ensure you keep a cool head in an emergency situation. If your pet is being uncooperative and doesn’t want to have his or her leg wrapped in a bandage then you could practice on a stuffed toy.

Generally it is best to take your pet to the hospital or the local vet as soon as possible if they have been involved in an accident. Even if you cannot detect any outward signs of injury, that doesn’t mean there is no injury. Leaving it could make the problem worse.

If there are obvious signs of injury, then approach your pet with caution. When dogs and cats are injured and frightened they often become aggressive as they feel defenseless. Approach in a crouched position and without maintaining eye contact. Talk in a soft and soothing voice at all times. Use the pillow case or blanket in the emergency kit to pick the animal up and place in the car for transportation to hospital.

If the animal is being too aggressive, phone for help straight away. Either the vet, a pet pharmacy or even the local animal shelter will be able to help.