Monthly Archives: March 2012

The Benefits of Playing Games with Your Cat & Dog

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No matter the time, no matter the weather, no matter what, I’m ready to play.  As a young pup, I’m always up for a game of fetch, find the treat or even obstacle courses!  To me, anything and everything can be turned into a game.  That’s part of being a
puppy (and part of being a dog Mom or Dad).  And not only can playing be fun for more, but it’s a great way to get exercise and a learning opportunity for both pet and human.

Playing with your pet is a great way to get exercise.  For the more active dog like me, a good game of fetch or agility/obstacle training is a great way to get some energy out!  For an active kitten, playing on their hunting instincts and playing chase the mouse, string, etc is always a fun and active time!  And many times, not only does your dog and cat get a great bought of exercise, but the human does too!  And guess what?  It’s fun!
I have a great time and so does Mommy & Daddy!

If that wasn’t a good enough reason to play with your pet, games can help you bond and learn with your pet.  Playing a game with your dog, like going through an obstacle course, can reinforce your training commands with your pet.  Many times Daddy will set up cones and boxes in the back yard that I have to step onto, go around, or jump over.  He’ll lead me  through the course and tell me what to do.  It’s lots of fun and helps me understand what the words he says means. Also, it helps Daddy understand me better.  As he plays, he notices when I get distracted, if I am having difficulty with a command, and whether I am treat, toy or praise motivated (all three work great for me!) There’s a lot you to learn about your pets personality, and playing games with them is a great way to do this. Plus, the more active time you spend with your pet, the better they trust and
understand you as well. This creates a strong bond between animal and human.

It’s easy to play games with your pet: just use your imagination and go with what your pet enjoys.  Whether it’s hiding treats around the house and letting your pet go on a
“treat treasure hunt” (watch Caroline plays the treat treasure hunt game) or playing “pounce on the toy” with your cat, games are an enjoyable and valuable experience for you and your pet.  So take some time this  weekend to incorporate more playtime in yours and your pets life.

What games do you play with your pet?

Do Dogs Dream? What the Evidence Says.

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I sleep in the same room as my Yorkie brother & sister Kai and Sidney.  I usually sleep very soundly but last night I woke up to Kai whining.  At first I didn’t know what was going on.  I stood up and watched Kai.  His eyes were closed, he would let out a
whimper every now and then, and then his legs started moving a little bit.  I got concerned until I realized Kai was having a dream!  He must have been having
a good one too because he got really noisy!

For a while, people didn’t know if doggies had dreams.  And honestly, they still don’t know 100% for sure because we can’t tell them if we dream.  But scientists have done some studies and evidence shows that we do dream!  Most people don’t know this, but
pups have very similar brain structures and brain waves than humans.  And when we sleep, we follow the same sleep cycles as humans.  So our brain structures are created for us to dream!

Scientists say typically dreams occur about 20 minutes after we fall asleep, in what is called the REM cycle of sleep (same as people!)  Our breathing becomes shallow and
irregular.  Our eyes move and our muscles twitch, and we may whine, whimper or even bark, move our limbs and wag our tails.  We dream about 10 to 12 percent of the time we are in the REM cycle.

Myra the Beagle asleep and dreaming

So what do we dream about?  Well, our daily activities!  When you see our eyes moving, we are looking at the images in our dream.  It may be a squirrel, a ball, or a
treat.  And when we make noise or move our legs, we are taking action in our dreams.
One of my favorite dreams is playing ball with my Daddy in the yard!  I bet Kai was dreaming about getting a special treat!  He loves treats!

I hope everyone (humans and pets) has a great night and sweet dreams!

What does your dog do when he/she dreams?

Yorkshire Terriers: Cute and Sassy Dogs

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It's Sidney's Turn to Write!

Hi guys and gals!  My older but much smaller sister has decided she would like to give a go at this writing, so I’m letting her have the pen today. Introducing Sidney, the Yorkshire Terrier!

Hi world!  I’m Sidney and I’m a Yorkie!  I’m a sweet little girl with a lot of spunk, as like most Yorkies.  Did you know even though Yorkie’s are called Terriers we are members of the AKC’s Toy Group?  I guess they had to make a hard choice because we’re tiny like the Toy pups but we have a lot of characteristics of Terriers, but they decided our size would win for classification.

But don’t let our size fool you – me and my Yorkie brother Kai are brave, determined, curious and energetic.  If you enter the house, you will hear us first and we will come running to check you out.  Luckily we are both sweeties so we are usually running to give you lots of kisses!  And we are not intimidated by others larger than us at all.  We will play with our younger big sister Maizee all day long!

Since we are so cute, many people want to adopt Yorkies.  But if you choose to do so,
there are a few things you need to know before going through with the process.  For one, Yorkies require a lot of grooming.  Our Daddy takes us to the groomers once or twice a month to get our hair cut.  Our hair doesn’t shed like Maizee’s, it just grows and grows like human hair does, so hair cuts are necessary.  And we need to be brushed often.  You will need to pay special attention to the hair around our face so it doesn’t get matted.  Mommy always puts pretty bows in my hair.  Since Kai is a boy and doesn’t like bows, he gets his hair around his face trimmed regularly.  All our hair cuts can get expensive but Mommy & Daddy say we are worth it, and I agree!

And just because we are small doesn’t mean we are quiet and timid.  We are the exact opposite.  We love to be vocal and will investigate anything.  We love to be active and need lots of exercise, at least 15 minutes of walking or running twice a day to keep us healthy and get some energy out. Younger Yorkies may need more exercise to get their energy out!  And we are intelligent but stubborn – so you need to be patient and consistent with our training in order for us to learn.  My brother and I love the reward
technique for training and we love to be stimulated so learning new tricks and
commands is a lot of fun for us.  And while Kai and I get along great with our brothers and sisters, not all Yorkies adjust well to other animals in the house. It’s best to introduce us as puppies to other members of the family so we get used to having other pets in the home.

Thank you all for letting me write a little bit about Yorkies!  We are tiny, lovable and brave pups who make great companions for the right person. This was fun!  I’ll have to
convince Maizee to let me do this again sometime!

Sugar Free Foods are Bad for Your Dog

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Dogs love their own treats - and they are healthy for them too!

A lot of humans are trying to watch their weight, and that has led to the creation of lot of sugar free foods for people.  They make sugarless candies, gums, cookies and all other sorts of foods humans and doggies love to eat!  One common sugar substitute is Xylitol.  It is just as sweet as sugar, but has much less calories, so it is used in a lot of low calorie and sugar free products humans like to eat.  There is a debate as to whether Xylitol is healthy for people, and I’m staying out of that one.  But I can tell you for certain Xylitol is very bad for your pet!

If your pup ingests a product with Xylitol, they can show symptoms of toxicity as early as 30 minutes after eating the food or as long as 12 hours after eating.  Xylitol causes
low blood sugar in dogs because it mimics an insulin-like response but there is no sugar for the insulin to bond with. This low blood sugar level is called hypoglycemia, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.  This is not good for doggies and can cause vomiting, depression, weakness and clumsiness.  Eating Xylitol also causes an increase in doggy liver enzymes, which can cause liver damage.  If a dog consumes large amounts of Xylitol, they may experience life-threatening liver failure.

If you think your dog has consumed a product with Xylitol, it’s best to contact your vet, the emergency vet or call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 as soon as possible to get treatment.

And remember, if you eat these products make sure you do not give them to your pet as a treat.  We are just fine with healthy dog biscuits as a treat!

The Benefits of Pet Sitting

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Pet Sitters will exercise, feed and care for your pet while you are away, giving you and your pet a sense of comfort and security.

I don’t know if you guys know this or not, but my Mommy and Daddy love the water!  They love being on the beach, on a boat, or just about anything that has to do with the
water.  That’s why they love going on trips to beaches.  But taking 5 dogs, 1 cat and 2 birds to the beach with them is not an easy thing to do.  In fact, I don’t think it’s really
possible!!  So what do they do to make sure we are taken care of while they go to the beach?  They hire a pet sitter!

I have to say, I love my Mommy & Daddy so much, but I love my pet sitter too!  Our pet sitter walks us, plays with us, gives us food and treats, and makes sure we feel loved.  She’s really a nice lady and takes great care of all the pets in this house, including the noisy parrots!

Another great thing is that I get to stay home while Mommy & Daddy are away.  I think I told you guys before that I was at the Humane Society for a while.  And while the people there were really nice and took great care of me, I definitely prefer living in this great house instead of the kennels at the Humane Society.  Being in a kennel after living in a house would make me anxious and upset.  I like being able to play in my yard, sleep in my bed, and eat my food.  I can’t do that in a kennel.  I’m definitely more comfortable and happy at home!

Plus in a kennel I live on a completely different schedule than I’m used to – I eat at  different times and get walked at different times, which really does upset dogs.  We love
routines and changes in our routines really upset us.  Sometimes kennels have the same food that we get fed at home, but sometimes they don’t.  Dogs and cats have very sensitive tummies and changes in their diets can cause stomach discomfort, vomiting and diarrhea.  So keeping our diet and exercise schedules the same are important, and a pet sitter can provide that.

I’m also more calm when Mommy & Daddy come home than if I stayed in a kennel and  they like that!  I still love on them a lot when they come home because I did miss them
so much!  But I’m not as “overwhelming”, as Mommy puts it, when I’m at home versus the kennel.  That’s because being at home provides me a sense of safety and comfort.  And that’s why I think pet sitters are great!

 

Maizee is Seeing Yellow Part 2: Pets Can Have Allergies Too!

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Dog pollen allergies can cause similar symptoms than human pollen allergies.

As follow up to my post yesterday, yes, dogs and cats can have allergic reactions to all the yucky yellow pollen in the air and on the ground right now.  Pet’s allergies are
caused the same way human allergies are caused. The immune system notices a foreign substance (mold, pollen, food, etc.) in the body and attacks it, creating symptoms much like human allergy symptoms.

A dog or cat may cough, sneeze, and have itchy, watery eyes, just like people.  We do have other symptoms of allergies that you don’t see in humans.  Does your pup or kitty have increased itching and scratching, especially at the base of their tail or ears?  Do you notice your dog or cat cleaning and chewing their paws a lot?  These may be
signs of seasonal allergies.  Only our vets can properly diagnosis us, so if you think your pet may have allergies, make an appointment with your vet.

During the vet visit, your pet will be given a physical examination and the vet may even take skin and blood tests to determine if allergies are the cause of the bothersome symptoms.  Skin tests are the most accurate way to diagnosis allergies, which I hear isn’t fun for pets, but it needs to be done to help us feel better.

If tests show your pet is allergic to pollen, then you would do for him what you do for yourself. Keeping your pet clean is priority number one.  There’s no way to avoid getting pollen on him when he goes outside right now, so you need to make sure to limit pollen
exposure and clean him up thoroughly before he goes inside and starts cleaning himself!  The vet may prescribe your pet some medication to help ease allergy symptoms as well, whether in pill or injection form.

And remember, allergies are seasonal.  The pollen will go away and your pet will start feeling better and get more time outside to play and run!

Does your pet have seasonal allergies?  If so, what are their signs, symptoms and treatments?

Maizee is Seeing Yellow: Pollen and Pets

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Maizee's pal Caroline is brushed to keep the pollen out of the house.

I’m sure you’ve all noticed that outside everything is covered with this yellow dust!  It’s
called pollen and apparently it comes when all the plants and trees start blooming in the Spring.  Pollen makes everything slippery for me, but it makes my Mommy sneeze and  have itchy eyes.  She does not like it one bit and tries to stay inside as much as possible to avoid the pollen.  But when me and my doggie brothers and sisters go outside, there’s no way to avoid us getting covered in pollen.  And guess what?  We bring that pollen inside in our fur.  Mommy does not like that either!

So she came up with a clever solution.  And I’ll be honest, we don’t like it at all, but I guess it’s ok since it makes her feel better. We get wiped off with doggy wet wipes after every visit outside.  This means our faces, our fur, our paws, everything!  We get brushed more often too – at least once a day Daddy brushes us outside to get any pollen out of our fur.  I don’t like the wipes because they feel and smell funny, but I love to be brushed.  Brushing is relaxing to me and my brothers and sisters.  We get baths more regularly now too, especially after a very high pollen day.

Our run of the house is a bit more limited as well now.  We can no longer go into Mommy & Daddy’s bedroom.  Mommy said since she sleeps in there, it needs to be pollen-free.  And they are doing their best to keep the pollen off of all the pups, but you never know if any pollen sneaks in on our coats.  So she makes double sure her bedroom is clean by keeping the door closed and us dogs out.

It may take a little time to wipe down, brush and bathe your dog more often, but if you suffer from pollen allergies – it’s definitely worth it!  And did you know dogs and cats can
have pollen allergies as well?  Stay tuned for more information on that!

What do you do to keep your dog free of pollen?

Spring Cleaning with Maizee: Cleaning Products and Pets

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When the weather changes, humans get the urge to clean.  Let’s just add this to one of the many things about humans I don’t understand.  But it’s true.  Since it’s gotten warmer, my Mommy & Daddy have been busy cleaning out closets and drawers and making sure everything is clean and pretty.

I do have some fun when Mommy & Daddy clean.  I always try to chase the dusters and the vacuum cleaner.  My older yet smaller siblings Abby and JoJo don’t like the vacuum cleaner though.  They bark and run away from it.  But I just chase it!  I don’t like the cleaners they use though because they smell funny and make me sneeze!  But Mommy says not to worry, she made sure to read the label instructions and made sure the products are safe for puppies and will make the house sparkling clean!

Then there are times when they are going to disinfect something that I get to go outside and play.  This is because it is unsafe for me and my brothers and sisters to be
around the cleaners.  If the disinfectant contains any bleach (no matter how small the amount), all puppies and kitties must leave the room when they are being used.  If exposed to them, we could have bad tummy problems and drooling.  If there is a high enough bleach content or we ingest enough of the disinfectant, we could even develop severe burns in our mouths.  So when using bleach, make sure you keep us out of the area, and rinse and dry anything the bleach came in contact with thoroughly before we are allowed back in the area.

When doing your spring cleaning, make sure you read the entire label thoroughly to see how to care for your pets when using the product.  If you have any questions, you
can always review the information on the ASPCA’s Pet Poison Control Website.

I’ll talk to you soon!

Tips for Helping Your Dog Adjust to Daylight Savings Time

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I’m a puppy.  I love routines.  I am a creature of habit.  I like going out in the morning at 8am to do my business in the yard.  I like eating breakfast at 8:30am.  But twice a year my routine gets rocked.  Apparently this is called Daylight Savings Time.  I don’t like it.  I don’t think my Mommy & Daddy like it either.  I’ve protested it many times, but for some reason they always just go along with the time change.

Dogs and cats are what’s called crepuscular animals, meaning we are naturally awake and active during dusk hours and dawn hours.  Humans are more active during the daylight hours, from dawn to dusk. Since us pets living with our humans, we do adjust to the human schedule of being more active during the day.  So we can adjust routines, we just don’t like it and will let you know!  Most of the time it’s by pacing or staring, and sometimes I even go lick my dish or scratch at the door.  I don’t understand that the
time has changed; all I know is that my tummy is growling and I usually get fed when my tummy growls.  The cat is the worst.  Now I like Tory, but he paces and meows like crazy when his food schedule is changed.  This is because a cat’s predatory instinct of
focus and anticipation in hunting for food kicks in; while this instinct in pups is diluted much more when we live at home and get fed regularly.

But my Mommy & Daddy came up with a plan of attack this year to help us pups and cat get through the horror of time change.  We normally get fed at 8:30 am and 8:30
pm.  When the time changed, my Daddy fed us at 7:45 am and 7:45 pm, so we felt like it was 15 minutes late instead of an hour late.  I hear tomorrow he’s going to
wait until 8am and 8pm to feed us.  He’ll do that for a few days and then he’ll move it back another 15 minutes until we’re back at our 8:30am and 8:30pm time schedule.
They do this with our walks and outside time too.  This helps us adjust much easier to the time change, and I think it may help Mommy & Daddy too.

How have you helped your pet adjust to daylight savings time?

Keeping Maizee Safe Part 2: Tips on Pet Poison Proofing Your Yard

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Hi everyone!  I hopeyou have puppy proofed the inside of your home, because now it’s time to tackle one of my favorite places in the whole world: my yard!  Yards are great places for puppies like me to run and play.  But they are also places where we can get into trouble.  Even if you think you have the best, safest yard in the world, I would double check.  A lot of very popular items are not good for your pup!

A lot of people have trouble with pests invading their yard and maybe even going inside their house. Things like snakes, ants, bees, rodents, flies, slugs, snails or toads really bother humans.  Me, I like them; it gives me something to examine and chase!  But humans really don’t like them and will set up traps and special liquids and sprays to get rid of these bugs and vermin.  But these traps and sprays are just harmful to the pests, they are harmful to your dog!  Make sure to read the instructions thoroughly when using the products to keep you and your pet safe.  Some of these products are very harmful to dogs and we should not be in areas where it is applied.  Others are more pet friendly
and we just need to stay away for a certain time period.  But no matter what, we should never be out in the yard with you while you are using these pest control products.  Bottom line, do yourresearch to keep  us safe!

And speaking of pests, mosquitoes is high on most people’s list in the warmer months as a top nuisance!  Dogs don’t like mosquitoes either because they carry bad germs for
doggies, like the ones that can cause heart worms.  But don’t worry, if we are on heartworm preventative medication a little mosquito bite won’t hurt us.  Humans like to use citronella candles to keep away pesky mosquitoes – but citronella candles are hazardous to puppies.  If you have one, make sure you keep it out of our reach when and when not in use.

And even just everyday things in your yard can cause us harm.  A lot of plants can be poisonous or cause digestive distress in puppies if consumed.  Fertilizers and cocoa mulch are also hazardous to your dog’s health.  So before you do any landscaping, make sure you do some research on the ASPCA’s Pet Poison Prevention webpage.  They have an extensive list of plants that are harmful to cats and dogs, so you know what not to get at the local nursery.

Remember, puppies love our yards and should get to play around in them daily.  But it’s also important to keep us safe.  For any items you are unsure of, keep them out of your pups reach.  That way we can have fun and stay healthy in the yard.