Gifts You Still Have to Find for the Furry Members

He’s making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who’s naughty and nice…

Santa Paws is coming to town.

Most of the gifts are purchased and wrapped and under the tree, right? Well, maybe not, and maybe some of the gifts you still have to find are for the furry members of the household. You’ve put some catnip or a bone in a stocking before, but maybe this year you’re looking for something different. 

Bestproducts.com has a slideshow of ideas. 

The Howliday Box : a gift box with a variety of gifts for that hard-to-shop-for dog.

Facial Massage Roller for Cats : more ways for cats to prove they’re in charge of what you do for them.

Apollo Peak MosCATo wine: for those nights cuddling in front of a crackling fire (don’t forget to pick up some human wine for yourself).

The Honest Kitchen Bone Broth: for those dogs who like a gourmet touch to their food.

And if you are that horse-lover who always really wanted a unicorn, you can get your horse its very own unicorn costume!

One thing to be aware of is that if you wrap up a great food treat and help the dog open it, it is entirely possible that from that day forward, the dog will think that every present is for her and will want to help you unwrap it.
And if you have cats, there’s nothing they’ll like better than the boxes the presents come in. 

It’s time to bring them home

You’ve been anticipating the big day. You’ve spent time preparing for it. Getting the right bed, toys, and maybe some soft blankets. Letting your current household residents know it’s happening. It’s time to bring them home.

No, it’s not a new baby.

It’s a new cat or dog.

The problem is, you need to introduce the new pet and the pet you already have, and that can be tricky. Sometimes, pets will take to each other easily, but often, they will understandably be scared, wary and even jealous of each other. It can be a little trickier introducing dogs and cats to each other too, especially if they’ve never seen the other type of animal before.

You’ll want to make sure to consider both animals’ personalities, and plan accordingly. You don’t want them disliking and fighting with each other (though sometimes it will be expected). If you have an aggressive dog, you may want to skip the idea of getting a cat, but an easygoing, friendly dog might welcome a new kitten.

Perhaps introduce your dog or cat to a friend’s dog or cat first, to see how they react, before deciding what new pet to bring into your own home. Once you bring the new animal home, rotate who has freedom in the house; one day the cat, the next day, the dog. This way they can learn to share the home with each other and have some time to explore on their own too. You’ll also want to keep them separated when no humans are home to keep an eye on them.

If you have any questions or problems, you may want to consider consulting a veterinarian or an animal behavioral specialist, because you don’t want stressed out animals. The goal is finding a way to have a happy home.

Something in Common with You & Your Dog

Human beings often make time to work out at a gym or go for a run. Some love it and some do it grudgingly. Most people know that some kind of exercise is important for our bodies, whether or not they follow through with it. As with many of the topics we’ve written about, this is another similarity between humans and our pets.

Throughout history, many dogs have been bred to be working dogs, such as hunting, herding, or protecting. As this is less common but we still have certain breeds of dogs that will need more exercise than others (though all need some).

You might think that if you have a big backyard, your dog is all set. This isn’t the case. Just because someone has a home gym or buys the next exciting exercise equipment from an infomercial doesn’t mean they use it, right?

In order for your dog to get the exercise he or she needs, he or she will need an exercise buddy! Yes, just like some people have accountability partners to go to the gym, your dog needs you or a family member to encourage and assist them with their exercise.

Some ideas of exercise to do with your dog:

•          Go for a walk or a run—and let the dog lead the adventure.
•          Play that old standby, fetch.
•          Have a doggy play date so they can play together.

If you lack the time to be able to exercise your dog yourself, you can always bring them to us for Adventure Playcare or Group Daycare, where we have fun activities, healthy snacks, and even a pool for exercise.