SOCIALIZING YOUR PETS.

Socialising Your Pet petshopnigeria 11 July 2011 Hits: 30

All pets benefit from ongoing socialisation to ensure they remain friendly and successful companions. Pets that are well socialised from birth are less likely to develop behaviour problems such as aggression towards people and other animals.
What is Socialisation?

Socialisation is the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group and behave in a manner accepted by the group. Socialisation influences the behaviour and actions of young and adult individuals. Socialising your pet involves exposing them to all those things they will regularly encounter as adults, such as people and other animals, in a fun and positive way to ensure they don’t fear these things. Socialising pets also means teaching them to interact acceptably with people and, in some cases, to interact nicely with other members of their own, or different, species.

Why is Socialisation Important?

Socialisation is important because it shapes the personality, temperament and behaviour your pet will develop as an adult. Puppy classes and kitten kinder are a relatively new concept and are designed for puppies and kittens aged 8 to 12 weeks. These classes take advantage of the developmental period is known as the Critical Period for Socialisation which occurs between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. It is during this time that puppies and kittens benefit most from exploring new places, having new experiences and accepting new situations.

Socialisation is Only Important for Young Pets, Right?

Wrong! There is a common misconception that socialisation is only important for young pets and, while it is true that socialisation for young pets is very important, it is critical that socialisation continues throughout your pet’s life. Many pet owners stop socialising their pet when the pet becomes an adult and this is a mistake. Without continued exposure to other people, animals, places and different situations, some pets may become antisocial. This often leads to behaviour problems including aggression towards people and other animals.

How Often Should I Socialise My Pet?

You should socialise your pet as often as possible. Taking your pet out and about is a great way to socialise them if they enjoy outings. Having guests give your pet treats when they are visiting helps pets to enjoy meeting new people. Remember that socialising your pet is an ongoing process and begins at birth. Providing ongoing and positive socialisation throughout your pet’s life not only helps to reduce the occurrence of behaviour problems but enriches your pet’s life too.

CARING FOR SMALL ANIMALS THROUGH WINTER.

 It is vital to consider how to keep small pets safe and comfortable throughout the different seasons. In this issue we will look at caring for small animals, such as guinea pigs and rabbits that are kept outside throughout the cold weather.

 

Tips on winter care

There are several things to consider during the cold weather, but in particular that outdoor caged pets need daily attention morning and evening. Whilst it is good for children to learn to take responsibility for the daily care of their pets, parents or carers do need to ensure that this is done properly. Remember, small pets can suffer in cold weather or even freeze to death.

 

Location of outdoor hutch

You may be able to move the hutch to a place that is well sheltered from the wind and rain. Ideally it would be near to the house, so that you can easily keep an eye on the occupants and attend to them without getting wet and cold yourself!

The wired part of the hutch needs to be covered with a weatherproof drape each night, and removed each morning to allow them to see out.

Never move the living quarters into a garage or outbuilding that houses vehicles as the fumes could kill small animals.

 

Bedding

Even through the winter months it is important to keep hutches and cages scrupulously clean, with plenty of warm, dry bedding. It is best to use dust-extracted hay and bagged bedding to reduce problems from dust and parasites.

A fresh layer of bedding should be put in the hutch each day, together with a really generous amount of hay for them to chew and to burrow into.

Daily care

It is vital to attend to small pets each and every day to:

 

Check for signs of ill health.

 

Give fresh food and a new supply of their dried food, and a generous supply of hay, plus fresh water.

 

Remove and replace any soiled bedding.

 

Offer companionship, especially to animals that live alone.

Indoor cage

 

If you want to bring your animals indoors during the cold weather, here are a few things to consider:

Ensure that the small animals remain safe from other pets or the unwanted attention of small children.

Rabbits and guinea pigs have sensitive hearing so they need to be kept somewhere quiet.

As with outdoor hutches, they will need a private place in their cage, somewhere to hide in, such as a pet-safe play-tube or wooden tunnel.

Your pets will still need daily exercise, which can be supervised ‘floor time’, but you must protect them from other pets and small children, and ensure that there are no gaps to get into such as behind a fridge or cooker, and no exposed wires to chew – as they are likely to do both!

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR DOGS...

Are you planning on buying a Christmas gift for your dog? Here are some wonderful gift ideas that can help you decide what to buy.

Christmas is coming, and it is time to start buying gifts for your loved ones. For some individuals, the family dog is one of those loved ones that should have a present under the tree. You may be planning on buying a gift for your dog, or another dog that has made an impact on your life. These wonderful gift ideas can help you decide what to get for your special canine friend.
Treats

Every dog likes to eat treats. They make good rewards if your dog does a trick, or if he is just being good. If you choose treats as a gift, you may not want to put them under your tree until Christmas. If you do, your dog may smell the treats, and make a mess of all your presents. Some wonderful treat ideas are:
    * Dog muffins
    * Dog cookies
    * Jerky treats
    * Bacon strips
    * Dog biscuits
    * Dental treats
    * Chewy treats
    * Pepperoni strips
    * Chicken strips
    * Kong treats

Lasting Treats

    * Rawhide sticks and bones
    * Ham bones
    * Pig ears
    * Rib bones
    * Stuffed bones

Dog Accessories

Your dog may need some new accessories. If some of your dogs belongings are worn or chewed, you may want to think about replacing them. Some great accessory ideas are:

    * Collar
    * Leash
    * Tags
    * Clothes
    * Hat
    * Scarf
    * Bandana
    * Boots

Toys

Toys keep your dog occupied and help him get exercise. There are many different varieties of dog toys on the market today, so finding the right one shouldn't be an issue. Some good dog toy ideas are:
    * Kong
    * Tennis balls
    * Balls that are hard to chew
    * Ball launcher
    * Rope bone
    * Flying disc
    * Squeaky toy
    * Tug and toss toy
    * Stuffed animal
    * Rubber bone
    * Laser light
    * Christmas themed toy

Bedtime Gifts

If you set up a sleeping area for your dog it might prevent him from snuggling up to you. Some items for you to consider for your dogs sleep area are:

    * Bed
    * Blanket
    * Pillow

Grooming Supplies

No one likes a smelly dog, and when his nails are long, it can be painful to you and your company. Some gifts you can but to help your dog look and smell better are:

    * Shampoo
    * Nail Clippers
    * Brush
    * Towel
    * Drying mitts
    * Hair clipping kit
    * Bathing brush
    * Flea comb
    * Tooth brush
    * Toothpaste

Choosing the right gift for your canine friend isn't very hard. When it comes to treats and toys, most dogs aren't very picky. If you need to replace items your dog already has, this is a good time to do it. Most of these items can be purchased at your local department and pet store. Your special canine friend will enjoy the gift you have chosen.

HOW TO KEEP ANIMALS SAFE DURING FLOOD..

When it comes to weather disasters, it often seems that animals have better instincts than humans. Domesticated pets and farm animals, however, seem to have lost many of the instinctual urges they were born with. As an animal owner it is up to you to protect pets during flash flooding.

Instructions
Things You'll Need:
    * Emergency evacuation plan
    * Cages and carriers
    * High ground

     Fence a pasture area on high ground for outdoor farm animals. Cows and horses are just a few of the farm animals that can be caught off guard by flash floods. Building a safe pasture for them before water rises will give you peace of mind for their survival.
  Buy a crate or cage for every small animal or cat and dog in the home. Keep them all in an easy to access area of the home for any quick evacuation needs.

      Prepare an emergency food supply for all animals. Pack at least three days worth of dry food for all of the animals in your care. For pasture animals, place hay bundles and feed holders on higher ground near the safe pasture.
Find an evacuation center that allows pets, or a flood safe boarding facility to keep the pets for several days if necessary.
      Putting a Flash Flood Plan to Use
     At the first issue of a flash flood warning or signs of quickly rising water, herd all farm animals to the chosen safe pasture and lock all gates.
  
  Cage or crate all small animals and indoor pets, and make arrangements to board for possibly several days.   Take the small animals to a safe boarding facility on high ground, or to a friend or relatives if no other shelter is available. Deliver the pets as soon as the flash flood warning is issued, waiting may cut off roads and limit the escape route.
  
  Leave all animals on high ground or boarding until water has completely receded and threat of flooding has passed. Wait a few days longer if possible to eliminate the possibility of infections due to exposure to dirty water. This will also allow the ground to dry out more to sustain the weight of cattle or horses.

Read more: How to Keep Animals Safe During Flash Flooding http://www.ehow.com

RAISING FAMILIES AND PETS TOGETHER...

 Do kids and pets mix? Most people take this question to mean whether or not kids are old enough to care for pets responsibly and handle them safely, or whether the pets can be trusted not to bite or scratch the children. Others, however, have noticed that the question nuzzles an age-old principle that could groom benefits for both families and the pets who live with them: Animals and people seem to be made for each other — and removing pets from the family mix may in fact be snipping children's normally empathetic heartstrings.

Historical ties between animals and humans living together as a unit are clear. "The fact that wolves stopped stalking us and we took them into our caves proved to be a miraculous leap of faith that changed our world forever," writes Meg Daley Olmert in her new book, Made for Each Other. Olmert draws on behavioral psychology, neuroscience and anthropology to examine how the human-animal bond developed in the first place, and then questions what might happen when those ties are unnaturally severed. The results look something like what psychiatrist Aaron Katcher calls "the fallout from this sudden interspecies divorce every day in children who are too wild to participate in polite society."