Here are helpful pet tips you may not know

Today I want to offer a couple things I have learned from working at a pet store over the years. You might have heard some of these already, but I hope you find interest in at least one.

There are always things I find out at work that I never realized before. Below, you will find tips on cats, dogs and even rabbits. I hope you enjoy!

  • If your dog is losing its hair, itching a lot or shedding, it might not be fleas or ticks but can be an allergic reaction to the food you are feeding your pet.

Try switching its food to a holistic kind (Blue Buffalo, Whole Earth, Merrick, Solid Gold to name a few good ones). If you’re already feeding your dog or cat healthier food, try a grain-free version or a version with a different type of protein.

  • Don’t shampoo your dog more than once a week.

Shampooing too often will take the natural oils out of the skin and hair and leave your dog dry and itchy.

  • If your dog or cat suffers from anxiety, nervousness or separation anxiety, there are solutions such as tablets, calming vests and pheromones that you can purchase.
  • Can’t afford to groom your dog or cat regularly? Or do you find hair everywhere because they are shedding? Try a Furminator brush; although they are expensive ($44) they are the best thing to combat shedding.
  • Is your cat not going to the bathroom in the litter box?

There are products, such as Cat Attract, that can be sprinkled over the litter to entice the cat to that area.

  • When you get a new puppy, don’t coddle it at night when it whines. Leave it in its crate.

If you take it out of the crate and cuddle it in bed with you, the dog will learn that if it cries, it will be picked up and brought to the bedroom.

  • Is your senior dog not gaining weight or losing weight?

Try feeding him puppy food. It has a higher amount of calories and will usually do the trick for weight gain.

  • Did you know a harness on your dog actually promotes pulling?
  • If your dog barks, and you don’t like the idea of a barking collar, there are collars that you can purchase that will spray them in the face or vibrate instead.
  • Don’t feed your rabbit too many carrots as they are high in sugar.
  • Feeding your dog or cat too much moist food can promote tarter buildup.

Make sure to include dry food as the main component of its diet and only use moist food as a treat.

  • Keep your dog cool by filling a water bottle with water and freezing it. This offers mental stimulation as well as a way to keep cool on a hot day.
  • If your pet is not so keen on his dry food, try splashing low sodium chicken broth or gravy on top.
  • If your dog is too small or too old to chew dry food you can soften it up by pouring warm water on top.
  • If you can’t afford to buy shampoo for your dog, you can use Dawn soap!
  • Sometimes your dog or cat doesn’t like to eat a lot, and that’s okay if they’re healthy.

If you are concerned they are not getting all the vitamins they need, there are gels, which you can put on your finger, that offer all the vitamin and minerals your animal needs in just one lick!

  • When buying a crate for your dog, it is best to get one big enough for them to turn around, but not big enough for them to pick one corner of the crate and go potty.
  • Just in case you weren’t aware, rabbits can be potty trained.

All you need is bedding, hay and a litter box. You combine the hay and bedding into the tray, and you’re good to go!

  • If you have a new puppy, make sure to not bring it into stores, parks or a public place until it has all of its shots. This eliminates the possibility of it contracting an illness.

There have been many puppies that contract Parvo because their owners let it walk on the ground at a pet store or at a dog park. If a dog is infected and your dog walks towards anything it left behind, it is that easy for them to catch it. I cannot stress enough to not take your new fur baby out anywhere until it gets all three set of shots.

  • Lastly, when your puppy does get all its shots, make sure you socialize it.

Bring it to dog parks, dog beaches,  homes that have dogs and so on in order to allow the dog’s own personality to blossom.




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