The human to kitty cat connection can be quite caustic on occasion.  Unlike their canine counterparts, cats, while cute, are known to be quite hostile to humans they haven’t bonded with. Unfortunately, bonding with an angry kitty isn’t exactly an easy endeavor. It takes patience, perception, and more than a few cat treats. In an effort to curb chaotic human/feline relations, today we’ll talk about the steps necessary to courting a particularly cautious cat. To begin with, it’s important to note that not all cats are going to bond with everyone. Bonding with a cat is a delicate process, complicated by the fact that many of them are just downright finicky. However, with a little bit of can do attitude, and a lot of effort anything is possible. Unless your cat's feral. If that’s the case, you’re up a creek. But for today’s purposes let’s assume that you didn’t kidnap a bobcat from the forest, and start with some simple methods to bond with a cat. Some cats will walk right into your house like they own the place, others will be terribly frightened. You’ll need to isolate the latter in a small room so as to keep them from being overwhelmed. Fill this room with cat toys and treats. Don’t approach the cat, but patiently let it approach you. This may take a while, but it’s all part of caring for cats. If you’ve got a kitten on your hands then it’s important to expose it to as many people as possible and always arrange these circumstances to indicate a positive experience around human beings. Cats are very impressionable and inquisitive in their first month and a half of life. So if you manage to create some happy early memories of play time with people, it will likely create a lasting impression. Cat bonding can be elucidated with both petting and play. However, not all cats are created equal and many will far prefer one to the other. Figure out what your cat’s preferences are and shower them in their choice of affections. If a cat isn’t a fan of close physical contact, try the trusty laser pointer, or a toy with a long string. Eventually, your cat will become comfortable enough to approach you for physical contact. Another important facet of socializing a cat is the feeding. Cats associate their owners with provisions, and it’s probably the most important part of the relationship. Always establish specific feeding times, and never leave food out for the cat all day. If you do, your prominent role in the cat’s daily routine is severely marginalized. Finally it’s important to pay attention to the signals the cat is sending. Tail twitching? Are its pupils dilated? Best to give the kitty some space. Keep these tips in mind and you should no trouble socializing a cat. Just stay patient, and you’ll have a caring kitty companion in no time!

Pets are the most adorable little pains available to contemporary pet owners. They have this nasty trick; they get you to love them so that you won’t immediately kill them for scratching your furniture, eating your shoes, or ruining the carpet. Luckily for you (and them too for that matter,) there are some simple steps you can take to pet proof your home against many of the minor or major offenses that dogs or cats might commit. Tile/hardwood floors- If you have carpet and a puppy, you’re going to have a bad time. It’s just a rotten combination. This is probably the most expensive pet proofing alteration you can make, but it’s worth it based on avoiding the “ick” factor alone. Cleaning up feces is no picnic either way, but if you have to decide between scooping it up between individual carpet fibers or a flat surface, it’s a no brainer. Doggy doors/kitty doors- This is a good way to enrich your pet’s life while simultaneously making yours easier. Once housetrained, a dog or cat can use these pet portals to easily reach the outdoors and do their business. So you won’t get those random false alarms when the family dog just wants to sporadically sniff random stuff. If you’re in a neighborhood with coyotes or other large predators this probably isn’t the best idea and you should always beware of other intrusive varmints that might come calling. Dog Ramps- For the short stubby dog or the garden variety elderly pet, a tall set of stairs can be an even taller order. Or if you’re the type that likes to snuggle up on the bed with your Yorkie, you’d better either have a ramp or a mattress on the ground. Assuming you’ve moved past collegiate life, the latter makes more sense. Simple to make and inexpensive if you don’t feel like it. Ramps are a pet’s best friend. Scratching posts-Scratching posts are a necessity for any cat owner. Cats have an insatiable need to rend, rip, and tear apart tall structures as a way of marking territory. Don’t fall victim to a territorially protective pussycat. Place some catnip saturated scratching posts wherever you can. Check out this earlier post on the blog for more detailed information. Repellant sprays- If scratching posts are unsuccessful, or you have a rambunctious dog to contend with, you might consider purchasing a repellant spray. An odorless aerosol that carries a bitter taste pets would prefer to avoid. It should keep them from munching on anything too expensive. Trash cans with lids- Finally, if you’ve got an exposed trash can anywhere in the house, and you’re fond of throwing away leftovers, fragrant trash, or used feminine products then it would be highly advisable to get a can with a pop up lid. If it’s stinky, chances are your dog wants it in its mouth and all over your floor. Do the right thing and prevent your unpresentables from being on public display. That’s all for now. Check back for more helpful pet tips!    

Man’s best friend is often a lovable dolt. Dogs are as cute as they are dumb, but they do show occasional flashes of brilliance. There are numerous parodies of dogs being able to speak and what they might say, but the stark reality is that they have a very limited concept of language. People think symbolically, dogs think in a rather concrete sort of way. This begs the question: how do dog’s think and learn? As it turns out there are two different ways that dogs learn. One is through social interaction. Dogs will watch people and each other to pick up body language, actions, hunting techniques, all sorts of nuanced little actions. The other way, is much ­better documented and will be the main focus of this article: Behavioral Conditioning. Behavioral Conditioning was theorized, discovered, and popularized through the work of Ivan Pavlov. Any grade schooler has heard of Pavlov’s dogs, and his famous experiment that conditioned them to salivate at the sound of a bell. But Pavlov’s experiments went a lot deeper than that. He proved that there are several effective methods of teaching a dog, and all of them are still popular today. First there’s Operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is defined as training dogs through the use of rewards. That means using positive reinforcement, the process by which a trainer would give the dog something it likes when it performs the desired behavior, and negative punishment, where the trainer would take away something it likes. This is the preferred method for most family dogs, as it’s not stressful for the dog, and it’s fairly easy to get them to respond to a positive stimulus.  The positive stimulus could be anything the dog likes, usually food, affection, or a toy.  Next there is Aversive conditioning. This is like operant conditioning’s mean cousin. Aversive conditioning means using positive punishment. Positive punishment is a pit paradoxically named, but it means to give the dog something it doesn’t want, usually pain or a threat. This pain could be a smack on the muzzle, a bop with a newspaper, or Cesar Milan’s famous pinch on the neck. You can also use shock collars, or a loud unpleasant sound. All of these negative stimuli or positive punishments will usually quickly cause unwanted dog behavior to cease. Once the bad attitude has stopped the aversive trainer will commence negative reinforcement, which is simply the removal of the positive punishment. It’s important to note that frequency of rewards an punishments are the pivotal factor in dog training. If you are rewarding or punishing your dog too often then the law of diminishing returns will inevitably take effect. Too many positive reinforcements acclimate the dog to always receiving rewards. That means you’ll have a spoiled dog, which is almost as bad as a spoiled teenager.  Too many positive punishments will result in a stressed or aggressive dog, and then you’ll really have your hands full. Keep these basic dog learning principles in mind whenever you’re training your dog, and you should have a pretty easy time of it, and as always keep checking back at the Petbucket blog to learn more about your favorite furry pals!

“Love thy neighbor as you love yourself”.  I would like to start with one of the Ten Commandments since pets are in many ways just like human beings.  They are our beloved neighbors, loyal companions, and inevitably fallible fur-balls.  That’s why it is so heartbreaking that many of our four-legged neighbors are left to fend for themselves with no proper food or shelter.  That’s why pet fostering is a very important subject. First of all pet fostering is the process of providing temporary homes for pets, just until a more suitabl home can be found. Helping homeless pets with behavioral issues, socialization or recovering from an illness not only makes them more adoptable, it also opens up spots in the shelter for other animals. But no matter how great it feels to help save the lives of these animals, it’s also easy to get attached to the pets you take in. When fostering a pet, the biggest emotional pitfall is getting too attached to your temporary pets. Try to keep in mind that you and your temporary pet have a working relationship. Don’t think of the dog or cat as a family member, but more as a collaborator. But attachment issues don’t stop at your emotions. Pets are very likely to become attached as well, almost inevitably so. While showing affection is important, dogs and cats are predisposed to becoming spoiled rather quickly. Animals that get attached to foster parents have a difficult time adjusting to their new homes. Focusing on treating a foster pet like a student or a colleague will keep both of your emotions on a short leash. Your foster assignment can last days, weeks, or months but no matter how long they stay, when it’s over, you’ve got to be ready. You’ve helped to prepare this pet for its forever home and now it’s time to do what’s best for the animal. Depending on the situation, you may even be responsible for meeting with prospective adoptive families. If you start thinking that they aren’t good enough for the pet, it might be a sign that you’ve grown too attached. Throughout your foster assignment, try to stay focused on the goal of getting the pet ready for its new forever home, so you’re always thinking positively of the day you’ll part ways. Don’t draw it out with a big teary scene, as that can be stressful for the animal. And if you find yourself overly depressed about the loss of your temporary friend, you can always volunteer to have another pet temporarily housed and loved. It’s also a good idea to exchange contact information with the family that adopts. This way you can be sure that your canine coworker is well provided for. If you aren’t involved in fostering pets but you would like to be, then try visiting the Pet Foster Network’s website: http://www.petfoster.org/ There you can volunteer your home and your time for a very worthwhile cause. One that can benefit you and furry little neighbor.

We all want to have some furry and lovable pets at home. But the question is: are we ready to have one?  It’s not exactly a walk in the park, (at least not all the time). Because having a pet entails so much responsibility and commitment, first time pet owners may find it a little difficult and eventually end up getting stressed out. Which is no good for them or their prospective pets.   Pets are living creatures with deep feelings and poignant emotions. We need to keep that in mind and endeavor to maintain a good relationship with them.  Too often, pet owners resort to punishment for minor infractions. Punishment is a poor tool for shaping a pet’s behavior in most situations. Physical punishment and harsh scolding are likely to bruise your relationship and can often lead to more serious problems down the line, such as aggression or anxiety.  Never swat, spank, thump shake or yell at your puppy or kitten.  Avoid doing anything that makes your pet act frightened or reluctant to approach you. We need to train dogs and cats to have good behavior. Teaching them tricks is a positive way to gain respect. Building a sense of trust is key to letting your pet know you’re there to take care of it.  Teaching them tricks should start at the very beginning. The day you bring it home needs to be the first day of obedience school. Praise and appreciate the good behavior with food or affection. If the pet gets positive reinforcement for their actions, they begin to associate the actions with the rewards. Even if the rewards are something as simple as petting and praise, the investment in positive reinforcement will pay big dividends in the long run. They will learn to repeat their appreciated actions to get the same positive reinforcement from you. This also helps develop a sense of communication.  Establish a different tone or hand gesture for positive and negative reinforcement in order to help your pet differentiate whether its actions were good or bad. Spend quality time with your dog by taking it on long daily walks, going to the park, or throwing a ball. The standard puppy stuff isn’t that complicated. Part of why we love them is that they’re so easy to please.  Set up a routine with your dog that he or she can look forward to, that way it’ll know and be comfortable with whatever comes next. And always remember that simple petting helps your dog to feel comfortable and strengthens the bond between the two of you. It also serves as one-on-one attention upon which dogs thrive. At the end of the day, whether or not we’re ready to have a pet at home is a big decision requiring a lot of serious thought.  We need to be prepared for the ups and the downs, but most importantly we need to show that we love them, and that means going the extra mile to put in the time.  

So you’ve spent all week wearing your dog out. You’ve been to the park, on long walks, and capped it all off with a muddy trip to a lake.  You two have been on the go and keeping active, which is all well and good, but now it’s time to get cleaned up. That’s right the dreaded day on every doggy’s schedule. It’s… Bath Day! Dun Dun Dunnnnn! A puppy bath can be nightmare for many canines, but a little preparation and a positive mindset can go a long way in preventing unwanted stress. Bathing your dog doesn’t have to be a big pain if you use a no-nonsense approach. Here are a few pointers to get you started in the right direction: Don’t wash your dog too often! So how often should you bathe your dog? It depends on the breed; you’ll need to look up the specific information. Some dogs such as Shiba Inu’s have a waterproof coat that has natural oils which can be stripped if the dog is bathed too frequently. Choose a good shampoo! Those natural oils I was just talking about? They’re actually on every dog in varying amounts. So when a shampoo that isn’t specifically suited to animal fur is used, it will strip your pup’s skin in a second. Look for dog shampoos labeled: “Formulated for veterinary use.” Give your dog plenty of exercise beforehand! You have a choice. Bathe a tired dog or a fresh and frisky one. Which seems like it might be easier? It’s best to let your dogs expend a lot of energy before bathing. That way they won’t be as vigorous in their resistance. Make it fun! Try using bubbles. It doesn’t always work, but if your dog can have fun in a lake it’s not like they associate all water with a bad time. So if you bring some bubbles into the mix, you might just convince the canine that bath time is actually fun.  Stay positive! Remember that dogs feed off of your emotions. If you think this is going to be fun, and choose to see it as a bonding experience with your dog then chances are they’ll follow suit. You’re the pack leader, so make your pup fall in line. These are just some basic tips that should allow you and your dog to have a very positive experience at bath time. A lot of dogs hate being cleaned. After all, they worked hard to acquire all of those bad smells. Which, by the way, they think are pretty awesome.  So you’ll have to expect that there is some resistance, but if you follow these simple steps and come at the chore with a "can do" attitude, then you shouldn’t have much trouble bathing your dog. And if all else fails you can always try a mobile grooming service.  Make sure to keep informed with more informative articles and advice from your friends here at Petbucket!

We’ll jump right in where we left off in our last post: with the interview process. After you’ve narrowed the field of applicants and checked your potential professional pet sitter’s credentials with a phone screening, reference check, and possibly a background check,  it’s time to go to the final stage. You’ll be interviewing your pet sitter in person. This is the most exciting part of the process because you get to finally meet the caretaker your dog or cat will most closely associate with outside of your own sweet self. So here are a few things to look for in the face to face: Insurance- this is a big one. You want to make sure that your pet sitter is a pro. To do that you’ve got to find out if he or she is insured against negligence and accidents. If they aren’t then they’ll be opening themselves up to potential trouble, and if they aren’t careful enough to protect themselves, then it doesn’t give you much confidence in their determination to care for your pet, does it? What sort of related services come with the pet sitting? Will she be able to groom, walk, train, and play with the dog or cat? Or is this an exclusive “feed and let out” sort of situation? You want to get the absolute maximum amount of service for your dollar here. What sort of training or experience do they have? This could probably be taken care of in the phone screening process, but you want to reinforce what you know about the sitter. So be sure to ask again, and be aware that plenty of personal life experience with dogs and cats can translate pretty well in these situations. We take it seriously, but it’s not rocket science. Look for a written contract. Whenever dealing with a service professional in your home it’s nice to have terms written out on paper that can easily be referred back to. Find out what emergency procedures the sitter will take. Say your pet gets  injured? What steps will you’re the sitter take to insure they will be taken care of? Better to find out ahead of time just in case. These are some basic tips to gear your mind toward the important stuff. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and you should definitely come up with your own questions according to your own priorities. Once you’ve chosen your professional pet sitter the difficult part is over! You can head back to the coal mine with the peace of mind that your cat or dog is well attended while you’re away. Not only that, but they’ll be better behaved, have more exercise, and be much better tempered from the human contact that you’ve provided for them in your absence. Pat yourself on the back, and scratch them behind the ears because you two make an awesome team! Stay tuned for more pet tips from your friends here at Petbucket, and have a happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

Sometimes keeping a steady job can be difficult. Especially if you have a pet at home who’s attention starved and lonely. Those ten hour shifts won’t work themselves and if you happen to be living the bachelor(ette) lifestyle it can be an easy thing to let your animal companions fall into neglect. Pets feed on human attention at almost the same rate they feed on their kibbles and bits, but you’ve got to work, so what’s to be done? Well, luckily for you there is a whole section of professionals dedicated to helping your provide your pet with the care that they deserve. Professional pet sitters are common, affordable, and flexible enough to mesh with almost any schedule.  However, seeing as you care so much for your dog or cat that you feel the need to provide for them while you’re away, it’s probably pretty important to you to make sure that you’re hiring someone with credentials, character, and enough experience to get the job done right. So how do you pick the perfect pet professional? There are a few important steps to take whenever letting anyone have access to your home and beloved dog or cat. First off you need to determine exactly what you’re going to require. Does your pet need more than one daily visit? How long do they need to spend with your pet? Are there other services you’ll require, like getting the mail, watering the plants, etc.? All these factors and more will affect the price of your pet sitter. Just make certain you have track of all the variables involved. Next you need to go through the screening, interviewing, and hiring processes. Those of you with managerial experience will find this to be a familiar task. First, you need to find a reliable set of sitters from which to peruse. Used to be you’d have to consult your Yellow pages. That’s technically still an option if you’re feeling old school, but with the world wide web network to browse, paper and ink might be more of a time waster than anything else.  Care.com or Craigslist are good places to start. The aforementioned yellow pages do have a website as well. There’s also a couple of national pet sitter hotlines: Pet Sitters International (336-983-9222) or National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (856-439-0324). You’ll also need to get through an interview process. Don’t just stick with your first inquiry. Build a list of potential pet sitters, and screen them all by phone. They’ll give you a list of references which you should look into individually to confirm that they aren’t just scammers or unqualified. If you’re feeling extra cautious you can pay to have a background check performed as well. Although that’s pushing the line of paranoia, still you can’t be too careful when it comes to home security. There’s plenty more to cover on such a complex subject , So this post will have to be concluded tomorrow.  Stay tuned for more advice on picking professional pet sitters!                        

Brushing your pet’s fur isn’t just a maintenance issue, it’s  a necessity! Brushing helps keep pets clean, eliminates excess shedding, and serves as a wonderful bonding experience for you and your favorite family pet. No matter how much fuzz your pet produces, a little brushing can go a long way. Dogs are not exactly what you would call cleanly animals. Therefore, it becomes necessary to engage in some regularly grooming. For short haired doggies such as Doberman pinchers, greyhounds, or Chihuahuas  this isn’t such an imperative. However, if you’ve ever owned or know someone who’s owned a Siberian huskie, border collie, or a Lhasa Apso then you’ll also understand the apocalyptically fuzzy nightmare that awaits you if you miss even a single scheduled session of brushing. So there are a few things you need to consider before smoothing out those rampant tufts and tangles in your beloved mutt. First among these considerations is the question of which brush to bust out? If you’ve got a pooch with a long, flowing, smooth coat that looks like it could be a candidate for a L’Oreal commercial you’ll need a wire pin brush or something with some softer bristles, depending on your preference.  Softer and shorter coats do better with closely set soft or medium grade bristles.  A tramp like coat that’s all matted and scruffy is going to require short firm bristles that are again spaced closely together. If that doesn’t keep your pup covered then you might need to seek out some professional grooming advice. In fact, that’s probably a good idea either way. Ask your local veterinarian or groomer what sort of brush they would recommend before breaking the bank on the super specialty brush you read about in Dog Fancy magazine. Next you need to think about how to brush your dog. It’s not a complicated process, but there are some idiosyncrasies and intricacies that bear mentioning. For example: where to start, whether to go with or against the grain, and how long to continue. Start at the dog’s head and be extra careful here, because your pup’s skull is the most sensitive part. And you may need to avoid the frisky mutt’s bite as they might think that brushing is a new game, if they aren’t used to the idea. Start at the head and work your way down the body until you get to the legs and tail. Then do those individually in any order you choose. Going against the grain is usually reserved for those shorter finer coats that won’t pull so strongly against the dog’s skin. However double coated dogs require both: with the grain for the top layer, and against to get those hard to reach bottom hairs. As for how long you need to keep this up, that’s entirely up to how clean you need your dog to be. Some mutts can be brushed for hours and still have plenty of fur in reserve so use your best judgment and get to work!

Does your dog suffer from a bad case of puppy breath? Perhaps you’re at your wit’s end with trying to figure out an unintrusive, simple, and effective method of ridding your best furry friend of the dead fish fragrance that always seems to be wafting over its tongue? Well, never fear pet lover. There are a few simple and super easy preventative measures that almost anyone can take to improve the overall quality of your dog’s breath as well as its dental health in general! It starts with the basics. Dogs love to chew, and nature has provided them with some little known benefit whenever they go about this behavior to which they are so inclined. Chewing rawhide or raw bones can greatly decrease the occurrence of bad dog breath. The reason being, that chewing on this surface acts as a sort of makeshift toothbrush, cleaning up all the plaques build-up as they chomp away. If these are too small, and your dog tends to eat them whole, you will have to purchase the larger mutton type bones that are too big to swallow. If your dog just isn’t interested in chewing, or you just prefer the more personal touch then brushing your dog’s teeth is always an option. If you do this, make sure to focus most of your efforts on the top row of teeth. That area is the most prone to tartar build-up. Another very simple solution is the water additive: Biotene. This is a dental hygiene product that has multiple uses. Veterinarians most often use it as an additive which inhibits plaque growth as well as the bacterial growth responsible for bad dog breath, whenever it’s added to a dog’s daily water supply. It’s non-toxic and completely safe for your dog to ingest daily. It’s an effective and easy method for daily teeth cleanings without relying on brushing. Though to really keep your dog’s teeth in top condition, a healthy diet is always the best dental protection. Refer back to this older blog post: /blog/57838/dog-nutrition-puts-you-in-an-awkward-position.html to help you decide which dog food best suits your pup. Or perhaps consider your own homemade recipe, which is often the best method to keep track of exactly what kind of nutrition is going into your dog’s diet. Finally, veterinarians are always the ones that are most qualified to make dental determinations on your pet’s health. You should schedule regular visits to ensure overall health, and make certain to inquire about any dog dental problems you might have encountered between visits. Bad dog breath is enough to deal with, but it can often be a symptom of a bigger problem, so be sure to consult your vet regularly. It’s also important to note that these visits need to become more frequent as your dog ages, as plaque and bacterial infections build up quicker in older dogs with weaker immune systems. If you try all that and the breath still stinks, you might need to feed them a steady diet of Altoids!