A lady and her kitties strolling in the surf. Really!
Author Archive for Sarah
The Humane Society of the U.S. has great advice on how to keep your pets safe July 4th.
The days after the Fourth of July are the busiest for shelters as they’re flooded with animals who ran away because of fireworks. I’ve noticed a rash of lost posters appears every year in the week following the holiday. For every lost poster, there is a person who never thought it would happen to them. Don’t let it be you and your pet.
Remember to plan for your pets when you’re making your own plans for the 4th of July.
- make sure they have i.d.—tags & a microchip
- don’t take your dog to fireworks displays
- keep cats inside
- keep dogs inside, a dog that has never jumped a fence or tunneled under one can do it in a panic
- if you know your pet is terrified of fireworks, consult your vet ahead of time about herbal anti-anxiety remedies or medication
- consider trying a pheromone dispenser or an Anxiety Wrap
- if your fireworks go off at an unexpected time and your dog panics, get her into an enclosed space whether it’s your house or your car (don’t leave her in an unairconditioned car!)
If your pet panics and runs away, this very thorough article has excellent advice, including putting out items scented strongly with your smells and your pet’s like your dirty clothes and your pets bedding or your cat’s litterbox. Post on Pets911.com. And watch out for scams.
If you live with a dog or if you have kids, don’t miss this superb article on how to have smooth, happy interactions between children and dogs. It’s packed with great advice on how to read your dog and how to teach children the right ways to pet a dog. I’m excited, because it’s not often I come across such a well written, cogent article on dog behavior. You’ll notice there’s no archaic talk about dominance to be found in the article. Yea Linda Lombardi!!
Some highlights:
- if a child asks to pet your dog, don’t force your dog to be still, either by picking them up or holding their leash tightly. Instead, let your dog approach the child if they want to be petted. And if the dog doesn’t want to be petted, let her be.
- teach children to pet dogs under their chins or along the sides of their necks or their sides. Most dogs do not like to be petted on the tops of their heads.
- I love this gem on how to explain to children how not to approach dogs—“How would you like some strange person to run up to you, squeal, grab your face and give you a big kiss? They get that, they understand that when you put it in those terms,” says Robinson.
- and finally, if you need to say no to children petting your dog, it’s ok.
Definitely read the whole article. It’s worth it!
Something about these dogs sproinging on trampolines makes me smile. Looks like fun!
Don’t miss this video—this time of a boxer having fun jumping. (It couldn’t be embedded.)
Check out these great instructions for a beefy cat scratching post/cat tree. It’s a no-frills, utilitarian design, but it looks easy to build and that it will last forever. You can make it fancier by painting the shelf supports and by the color carpet you use to cover the shelves. And if you don’t cover the center post in sisal, you could paint it too.
You will need a drill, a saw, and a good staple gun (I recommend an electric one to make sure you get the staples sunk deep.) And be sure to stagger the shelves and make them large enough that your cat can actually climb the tree.
Don’t miss these previous posts on a DIY cat tree and a DIY scratching post.
