The main reason people are slow to adopt is the issue of housebreaking. While it can be challenging, if you follow a few simple guidelines, it's not as hard as you might imagine.
A new puppy is a bit more difficult than a new kitten to train, but do not lose hope, it can be done with a minimum of hair pulling and gnashing of teeth (yours, not the puppy's). Not being a dog person, I had to do some research. After consulting with Doggie Divas and Poodle Pundits - I gathered the most sage advice available.
All doggy lovers recommend using a crate with all dogs. While to us, it looks like a cage, to puppy, it's their bedroom ... a safe place and your most valuable tool while housebreaking.
Think about how your puppy's system works - it's very similar to yours. Any time you or your puppy eat or drink anything, it kick starts the digestive system, causing anything already in the system to continue on its way. If you give puppy a chew toy, within 20 to 30 minutes, puppy is going to need a tinkle break. When puppy has his dinner, he's going to need a potty break.
What do you do if puppy doesn't go? That's when the crate comes into play. Once a dog knows what you expect of him, he spends his life trying to please you. All you have to do is teach him the routine and you will have a housebroken puppy in no time. If puppy doesn't go when you take him out after his chew time or meal, put him in his crate for about 15 minutes, then take him back out. If he still doesn't go, return him to his crate and wait another 15 minutes. Once he accomplishes his business, he's free to rejoin the family - his ultimate goal. Make it part of your routine that he goes out first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, as well.
It won't be long until your puppy is housebroken and you will have jumped the biggest hurdle of introducing your new puppy into the family. Just be patient with your little one. Puppies are goofy, clumsy and silly - but their reason for being is to bring joy to you and your family.
If you have any questions or comments, check out my blog softyspeaks.blogspot.com.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Pet Talk #3
Have you found your new pet?
When you bring your adopted pet home, it's important to establish a routine as quickly as possible. Just as with our children, our pets need to know what is expected of them and what their boundaries are. Puppy can't tell time, and although Kitty can, she'll never let you know - they will quickly realize that once we get home at night there is a routine, just as there is each morning. Our job is to teach our pets what is expected of them during these times.
One thing new pet parents forget is to include is play time. Puppy and kitty love to follow us from room to room, or help us rake leaves; but beyond that, we need to schedule focused play time that includes activities that engage their natural instincts.
It goes without saying that retreivers want to play fetch, but what if your dog doesn't like to fetch? A dear friend of mine has a retreiver that doesn't like to fetch. When you throw the toy or stick, she looks at you, looks at the stick, then back at you as if to say, "If you wanted it, you shouldn't have thrown it away."
Some dogs like to search and rescue, so hide and seek is the game for them. You start by teaching the puppy a name for all of his toys. Then for play time, hide the toys throughout the house and challenge him to find them.
However there is one game I don't recommend - tug of war, where you take one end of a rope or toy, puppy gets a hold of the other and tries to take it away from you. I'm afraid this game teaches a puppy to tug when perhaps it shouldn't and could cause an accident or problem. Talk to your friends and see what games they play with their puppies.
Cats are a bit simpler. My youngest cat, Suki, loves to play fetch - though I warn you, cat fetch and dog fetch are a bit different. Suki finds her toy, but it must take a detour before returning. Sometimes it's a dunk in the bathtub, and other times it's a victory lap around the house before she sits it next to me for the next round.
The best play time toy for cats are the wand toys - you just need to determine if your cat prefers to catch birds in flight or a mouse skittering across the floor.
Also, make sure your pet has their own toy box. Fill puppy's with chews, squeakers, and balls. For kitty, fill hers with feathers, balls, sparkly things, and catnip scented toys. Not all cats respond to catnip, but if your kitty does - you are in for hours of fun watching Kitty get silly. I keep organic catnip around, and when I come across a sock that has been abandoned by its mate, I fill the toe with catnip and tie it off for an instant favorite toy we call silly sock. As a matter of fact, when I meet a new friend or neighbor that has a cat, I take a silly sock to Kitty for our first introduction. Trust me, I make a friend for life!
Now, the difficult part of this equation is the amount of time. I can't just say "play for 10 minutes." It really depends on the pet and how physical their chosen game is. They will usually let you know when they are done by flopping in the middle of the floor or wandering off. Just make sure they burn off some energy and engage their natural instincts.
When our pets mature and "settle" down some, we tend to let play time slide - but it's more important later in life to keep them engaged. Just as with our children, a bored pet will engage in mischief. You can keep your pet happy and well adjusted just by playing a game each day. Too bad it isn't that simple with people! My idol, cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy (Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell") works with troubled cats, and in 90 % of the cases, he finds the kitties in question have no play time at all (and far too often, no toys).
Jackson's recommendation is "play, food, bed." Of course, adapt puppy's schedule to "play, food, potty, bed." This also helps with puppies that are still experiencing separation anxiety, they will be worn out and ready for bed and sleep better after a rousing game with new friends.
Adopting a new pet is not always easy but it is something that will repay us over the years with lots of love, happiness and warmth. A new pet also teaches our children to be more nurturing and responsible.
Next week we'll tackle the problem of housebreaking. If you have any questions or for additional information, please check out my blog www.softyspeaks.blogspot.com.
When you bring your adopted pet home, it's important to establish a routine as quickly as possible. Just as with our children, our pets need to know what is expected of them and what their boundaries are. Puppy can't tell time, and although Kitty can, she'll never let you know - they will quickly realize that once we get home at night there is a routine, just as there is each morning. Our job is to teach our pets what is expected of them during these times.
One thing new pet parents forget is to include is play time. Puppy and kitty love to follow us from room to room, or help us rake leaves; but beyond that, we need to schedule focused play time that includes activities that engage their natural instincts.
It goes without saying that retreivers want to play fetch, but what if your dog doesn't like to fetch? A dear friend of mine has a retreiver that doesn't like to fetch. When you throw the toy or stick, she looks at you, looks at the stick, then back at you as if to say, "If you wanted it, you shouldn't have thrown it away."
Some dogs like to search and rescue, so hide and seek is the game for them. You start by teaching the puppy a name for all of his toys. Then for play time, hide the toys throughout the house and challenge him to find them.
However there is one game I don't recommend - tug of war, where you take one end of a rope or toy, puppy gets a hold of the other and tries to take it away from you. I'm afraid this game teaches a puppy to tug when perhaps it shouldn't and could cause an accident or problem. Talk to your friends and see what games they play with their puppies.
Cats are a bit simpler. My youngest cat, Suki, loves to play fetch - though I warn you, cat fetch and dog fetch are a bit different. Suki finds her toy, but it must take a detour before returning. Sometimes it's a dunk in the bathtub, and other times it's a victory lap around the house before she sits it next to me for the next round.
The best play time toy for cats are the wand toys - you just need to determine if your cat prefers to catch birds in flight or a mouse skittering across the floor.
Also, make sure your pet has their own toy box. Fill puppy's with chews, squeakers, and balls. For kitty, fill hers with feathers, balls, sparkly things, and catnip scented toys. Not all cats respond to catnip, but if your kitty does - you are in for hours of fun watching Kitty get silly. I keep organic catnip around, and when I come across a sock that has been abandoned by its mate, I fill the toe with catnip and tie it off for an instant favorite toy we call silly sock. As a matter of fact, when I meet a new friend or neighbor that has a cat, I take a silly sock to Kitty for our first introduction. Trust me, I make a friend for life!
Now, the difficult part of this equation is the amount of time. I can't just say "play for 10 minutes." It really depends on the pet and how physical their chosen game is. They will usually let you know when they are done by flopping in the middle of the floor or wandering off. Just make sure they burn off some energy and engage their natural instincts.
When our pets mature and "settle" down some, we tend to let play time slide - but it's more important later in life to keep them engaged. Just as with our children, a bored pet will engage in mischief. You can keep your pet happy and well adjusted just by playing a game each day. Too bad it isn't that simple with people! My idol, cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy (Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell") works with troubled cats, and in 90 % of the cases, he finds the kitties in question have no play time at all (and far too often, no toys).
Jackson's recommendation is "play, food, bed." Of course, adapt puppy's schedule to "play, food, potty, bed." This also helps with puppies that are still experiencing separation anxiety, they will be worn out and ready for bed and sleep better after a rousing game with new friends.
Adopting a new pet is not always easy but it is something that will repay us over the years with lots of love, happiness and warmth. A new pet also teaches our children to be more nurturing and responsible.
Next week we'll tackle the problem of housebreaking. If you have any questions or for additional information, please check out my blog www.softyspeaks.blogspot.com.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Pet talk #2
Is it time for your family to adopt?
Overburdened shelters are hosting adoption fairs each weekend, with dozens of bright eyed pups and kittens begging to become your newest family member. If your family is considering a new pet, may I offer some suggestions?
First, consider the family schedule ... carefully. Summer is a great time to adopt. With the kids out of school, they can help acclimate the pet to their new surroundings - especially if you choose a puppy, housebreaking can be very time consuming with some breeds.
But what about after the school year starts back? Is your family on the go most afternoons with soccer, ballet, or piano lessons? If so, perhaps a cat would be better suited for your family.
Second, and along the same lines - what is the activity level of your family? Are you the outdoors types, with a lot of camping, or hiking? If so, then a dog would fit right in. Perhaps your family is more of the home body type - more comfortable at home curled up with a good book. I can tell you from experience, kittens curl real well with books!
Last, and certainly not least ... make adoption day a family affair. Spend a lot of time with the hopefuls. See if one naturally gravitates to your family, but don't discount the shy ones. Ask questions. Does the shelter know what breed or mixture of breeds the pup is? Although they won't be able to guarantee how much the pup will grow, there are ways to guestimate. Thankfully, future size is not an issue with cats.
But, I leave you with this warning ... don't settle. If you don't find the right match the first time, plan another outing soon. The only thing worse than going home empty handed is going home with a pet that is not going to fit in with the family.
Adopting a pet will be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. Both of my cats, whom I lovingly refer to as my girls, are rescues. But, the real question is ... exactly who rescued whom?
Overburdened shelters are hosting adoption fairs each weekend, with dozens of bright eyed pups and kittens begging to become your newest family member. If your family is considering a new pet, may I offer some suggestions?
First, consider the family schedule ... carefully. Summer is a great time to adopt. With the kids out of school, they can help acclimate the pet to their new surroundings - especially if you choose a puppy, housebreaking can be very time consuming with some breeds.
But what about after the school year starts back? Is your family on the go most afternoons with soccer, ballet, or piano lessons? If so, perhaps a cat would be better suited for your family.
Second, and along the same lines - what is the activity level of your family? Are you the outdoors types, with a lot of camping, or hiking? If so, then a dog would fit right in. Perhaps your family is more of the home body type - more comfortable at home curled up with a good book. I can tell you from experience, kittens curl real well with books!
Last, and certainly not least ... make adoption day a family affair. Spend a lot of time with the hopefuls. See if one naturally gravitates to your family, but don't discount the shy ones. Ask questions. Does the shelter know what breed or mixture of breeds the pup is? Although they won't be able to guarantee how much the pup will grow, there are ways to guestimate. Thankfully, future size is not an issue with cats.
But, I leave you with this warning ... don't settle. If you don't find the right match the first time, plan another outing soon. The only thing worse than going home empty handed is going home with a pet that is not going to fit in with the family.
Adopting a pet will be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. Both of my cats, whom I lovingly refer to as my girls, are rescues. But, the real question is ... exactly who rescued whom?
Monday, July 7, 2014
Pet Talk #1
In the great cat vs. dog debate, there is no question on which side I land. Anyone that knows me, knows I love all creatures, even snakes and some spiders. And though I have a special fondness for dogs - I just prefer to be owned by a cat.
Cats are easier. You can put down food for them to eat when they want, they deliver their poop neatly in a box, and they very rarely require much attention. In other words, most of the time is fun time.
Dogs, on the other hand are incredibly needy. They want constant attention, you have to walk them in rain, sleet, or snow; they fill your yard with steaming piles of pooh ... and can't be trusted with more than one meal at a time - or your favorite pair of shoes.
But, I make this promise to you - in my coming columns, I will devote equal time to feline and canine ... and any other pets that may need help or understanding. Pets are an important part of our lives, and I'm a firm believer that all children need pets as they grow. A family pet teaches a child responsibility, dedication, and that most ellusive of all life concepts ... unconditional love.
If you have any pet questions or comments, please check out my blog for more information: softyspeaks.blogspot.com.
Cats are easier. You can put down food for them to eat when they want, they deliver their poop neatly in a box, and they very rarely require much attention. In other words, most of the time is fun time.
Dogs, on the other hand are incredibly needy. They want constant attention, you have to walk them in rain, sleet, or snow; they fill your yard with steaming piles of pooh ... and can't be trusted with more than one meal at a time - or your favorite pair of shoes.
But, I make this promise to you - in my coming columns, I will devote equal time to feline and canine ... and any other pets that may need help or understanding. Pets are an important part of our lives, and I'm a firm believer that all children need pets as they grow. A family pet teaches a child responsibility, dedication, and that most ellusive of all life concepts ... unconditional love.
If you have any pet questions or comments, please check out my blog for more information: softyspeaks.blogspot.com.
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