Training

Top 5 Ways To Bond With Your New Dog

Dogs are one of the best friends you will ever have, but that doesn’t mean your relationship doesn’t take work. Building a bond with a dog can actually be quite challenging, especially if your best friend has a past life that wasn’t very nice. Here are 5 ways you can strengthen your bond with your dog – whether you just adopted him or you have owned him for 8 years.

#5. *Pay attention to their body language

Learn about canine behavior and read up on body language specifically. This will help you understand what your dog likes, dislikes and what scares them. This will allow you to prevent problems before they start, and to remove your dog from situations that scare them or make them uncomfortable. Once they learn that you will keep them safe, the trust between you will grow. Also, this will allow you to prevent bad behavior before it happens, meaning less frustration and less punishment, both of which can hurt the bond with your dog.

#4. *Playing with them

Have fun, let loose and let them be a dog. Toss a ball around the yard or play tug of war. Learn their favorite games, buy some of their favorite types of toys, and just play. Not only will it help strengthen your bond, but it will also relax and allow you to truly enjoy what it means to have a dog in your life. It’s not all hard work and frustration after all!

#3. *Remain calm

Yes, owning a dog – especially a puppy – comes with frustrations and anxiousness. And sometimes it’s not even about your dog, but life in general. But yelling, screaming and throwing a temper tantrum will frighten most dogs, even if that anger isn’t directed at them personally. And if it is, then it’s even more damaging. Do your best to always speak to your dog in a calm voice, even when they just ate your favorite shoes. Yelling doesn’t do anything to fix the problem, it only causes lasting damage to the relationship you have with your dog.

#2. *Have Quiet Time Together

This may sound strange, but when was the last time you really just sat with your dog and focused on him? Petting him in his favorite spots, telling him your secrets? No TV, no smartphone – just you and him? Trust us, your dog notices and appreciates a little “you and him” time.

#1. *Training

Yes, a well-bonded dog will be easier to train, but it goes the other way as well. Training your dog will help you bond with them. Not only is a trained dog allowed more personal freedom, but they mere act of training them – in a positive fashion – will bring you closer together.

By Will Douglas Leave a Comment

7 Ways Your Dog Shows Affection

How can you tell if a dog is showing affection to you? Dogs may not explain how they love their owners by words, but their actions speak it louder than words. It is not surprising to know that dogs are warm creatures, as well. They are, in nature, a very loving and loyal friend that we can always depend on. So, it is very much possible to receive care from doggies.

It may be unfair to our pets not to feel how much we value their affection to us. They deserve to get a reward, so pay attention to what your pets are doing. With that, I cannot wait to share with you the seven ways your dog shows affection without being aware of it. So, here it goes!

Seven Ways Dogs Tell Its Affection

Consider the actions below in finding whether your dog is showing love and care or just being playful. Those two things are different that only fur parents know.

I assure you will understand your pet more at the end of this post. Come and check it all out!

1. Jumping

My dog always jumps whenever I get home. At first, I thought it was just a bad habit developed by my pooch. It did not pass in my mind that he is showing its care, especially when I am away from home the whole day. Jumping must be a sign of excitement; it can never express through words. It wanted to get closer to look at your eyes until it starts a welcoming lick on your face

2. Licking

This sign might sometimes be grossed depending on the situation. Who cares? If you are a dog lover, the licking habit of dogs is not a nasty thing. Most dog owners allow their pets to lick on their face no matter what. It is also a sign of giving authority to their owners as it lowers down their social status. The more dogs lick on you, the more it likes you. They may become so wild in licking in which reminds us to be more careful.

3. Yawning

Study shows contagious yawning between persons can happen between human and animals too. This sign is proper while having a tiring day with a dog. Whenever the dog owner yawns, there is a high chance of the dog copying its owner. When he did, it is a good sign your dog cares about you.

4. Tail wagging

Tail wagging has different meanings. It could be a friendly gesture or not, but most of the time, it is more on the prior. Observe. If the dog wags its tail to the right of its body, it is a good sign your pet loves you. These are called the happy wags or a full-body wag. Tail wagging is different depending on the person ahead of the dog. It becomes stronger when in front of its owner because of the excitement the dog feels. There will be an awkward tail wag when the dog sees new faces.

5. Eye Contact

Dogs look at you with love, like a mother looking at her newborn child. Eye contact releases the so-called hormone oxytocin, which has to tell about a high degree of attachment. There is a difference between affectionate and threatening eye contact. Be aware of it. Do not dare to have an eye-contact with unfamiliar dogs, for it might trigger them to bite you. Hold eye contact with your pet over time.

6. Sleeping beside the fur parent

Make sure that your dog is well-groomed, so whenever he wanted to sleep beside you, it will not be alarming. Dogs love to cuddle with their fur parent even while sleeping. This gesture is so sweet and caring because, until the last hours of the day, it never leaves your side. Dogs do sleep with their owners because they consider humans as family. What loving creature dogs are.

7. Leaning

Leaning is a form of a full hug from dogs. That is so adorable! Dogs may lean on your legs while you sit on a couch. Perhaps the doggy feels anxious and feels safe whenever he/she leans on you. It thinks of its owner’s ability to take care of him/her in a particular scenario. Moreover, the dog still stays on your side even when it feels scared. The pet is showing affection as well as wants to feel the warmth. It is a two-way process.

THE FINAL THOUGHTS

Dogs are not as vocal as compared to people, but they illustrate love in so many ways. Those seven ways of our dogs in showing affection must be noticed from time to time. Do not ignore each sign to avoid hurting your pet’s feelings. They always wanted to make you feel loved when you feel so unloved. Dogs can give you the care you have ever been searching for.

There are countless good things about dogs I want to speak out. If you’re going to talk more about a pup, leave a comment below. I am more than willing to tell extra and beyond how dogs show affection. Thank you for sending the queries and wait for a quick response.

By Will Douglas Leave a Comment

15 Things Your Cat Hates About You

If your cat could only speak it would put you straight on the many things you do wrong every day. Basically, you are so annoying, it thinks. You refer to it as fickle but really that’s an adjective better suited to you. Your cat thinks providing for its needs is a straightforward task. It doesn’t ask for much so it just can’t understand how you can get it so wrong.

If you feel your relationship with your cat is fraught with tension, here are 15 things it would like to say to you.

1. You Need To Give Me Fresh Water Every Day

I know you think I don’t drink from my water dish. Well, neither would you if you looked closely at it. Half the time it has a crusty scum line, a dead fly rotting at the bottom, and dust and fur floating on the surface. You really ought to wash it every day and then fill it with fresh water. I mean, you use a clean cup or glass every time you have a drink don’t you! So, please give a clean bowl of water every morning.

2. Wash My Food Bowls

I don’t like eating my dinner from a plate that hasn’t been washed either. It’s a breeding ground for bacteria. If I finish my dry food, could you please clean the bowl before you refill it as otherwise I end up eating my own fur that’s fallen into it. And if you just keep topping it up, the stuff at the bottom gets soggy and stale, not to mention germy.

3. You Are So Noisy!

My ears are super-sensitive. They can hear very quiet sounds and also really high-pitched ones. When you yell, it hurts my ears. Loud music and TV upsets me too so I’d appreciate it if you could lower the volume before we both end up completely deaf. And that monster you drag around the house to eat dirt from the floors really freaks me out of so could you warn me in advance before it starts makes that blood-curdling noise? In fact, I’d be happier if you could just be a lot quieter in general, especially when I’m asleep.

4. You’re a Slacker With Some Chores

I don’t mind a bit of mess, in fact, I love to sleep on the clutter that you leave on the table. And I wouldn’t care if you never vacuumed up again as I’ve told you I hate that vacuum-monster-thing.

I do have one gripe though and that’s about my toilet. I notice you like to play with yours on a regular basis with that funny grooming brush on a stick and that you flush it clean after every use. Ideally, I’d like my litter box to be cleaned after every use but I know that’s a tall order. If you could remove any waste from it every day and then empty it right out, wash it and put new litter in every couple of days that would be fantastic. When you don’t do this the thing just stinks and gets overrun with very nasty and dangerous bacteria. I’m thinking of your health here as well as mine. If it gets really bad, I might just be tempted to eliminate outside of it, and I expect you would then wonder why and get the hump with me.

5. You’re a Sleep Spoiler!

If I wake you up when you’re sound asleep, you don’t like it. Do you want to know one of the reasons why I do this? It’s because you don’t have any qualms about waking me up when I’m napping. I need 15 to 20 hours of sleep every day in case I ever need to hunt my own food. Without my sleep quota, I won’t have the energy to zoom around the house in the small hours or wake you up.

If you must wake me up could you be gentle about it so as not to shock me? However, I can’t promise that I’ll extend this courtesy to you in the middle of the night as I’ve found being gentle doesn’t seem to stir you, whereas jumping on your head or full bladder works every time.

6. You Just Won’t Leave Me Alone

Sometimes I love your attention but occasionally I just want to be left alone. I try to let you know but you usually ignore the warnings. I’m fine with you rubbing my cheeks and under my chin, as then you end up smelling just like me. I can even tolerate a kiss on the top of my head. I might even enjoy a stroke along my back, but don’t rub me up the wrong way! But, I would rather you kept your tickling finger way from tummy and paw pads. When I’ve had enough attention I will start to wag my tail and then you’ll know to stop. If you don’t I may issue a light non-skin piercing bite. If you don’t take heed, I’ll bite harder and a claw or two may get involved.

Also, if I want to sit on your lap I know the way up there. You don’t have to grab me when I’m going about my business and plonk me there – just saying.

7. Don’t Ridicule Me!

I do not want to wear clothes, OK! You only put them on me so you can post embarrassing pictures on social media for your friends to laugh at. I might tolerate a hat but nothing else please. Why would you want to make me look silly? If you want to dress something up, buy a doll.

8. You Let People Annoy Me

I like children but they can be a bit clumsy and annoying. I wish you would supervise them around me. They pick me up all wrong under my armpits and it hurts when my legs dangle. They chase me about, squealing and grabbing at my tail. I try to get away but they often corner me leaving me no option but to protect myself with my teeth and claws. I don’t want to hurt anyone so please control the situation and teach kids how to be kind and considerate around me.

9. You Go Off Galivanting All Day Long

I hate it when you swan off and leave me alone all day. I don’t know if you go hunting or something else but I get bored and anxious when you’re not around. I sleep some of the time but would appreciate more things to do when I am awake. A climbing tree and a selection of toys would be nice. I’m happier when the doors to several rooms are left open so I can wander about and look out of different windows.

When you do come home give me some attention instead of ignoring me and sitting down in front of the TV. I would like someone to play with for a while to make up for being so alone all day.

10. You Like Strange Smells

You do smell strange sometimes. You pick me up for a cuddle and then I have to spend ages washing to try to remove whatever it is you rub all over your hands, neck, and wrists. Could you not pick me up when you’re wearing it.

You spray horrible smells around my litter box to mask the smell of it. If you cleaned it out better you wouldn’t need to do that. You set light to odd-smelling waxy stuff in the evenings – they are a hazard to my fur by the way, especially if I jump up and don’t realize one is there. The smell of my fur scorching will make you wish you hadn’t lit that thing. You also plug things into the wall which give off a pungent odor. Basically, what I’m saying is I hate those artificial smells. They play havoc with my nostrils and make me feel unsettled.

11. You Don’t Play With Me Enough

I would like you to play with me for a decent amount of time. Wiggling a bit of string with a toy mouse on it unenthusiastically for a couple of minutes just doesn’t cut it. I can’t be bothered because I know you can’t. Use your imagination a bit, please. I like it when you make something act like my prey. Give me something to stalk and pounce on . Act like you are enjoying the game and try to make it last for about 15 minutes each time or until I decide I’ve had enough. If you stop when I’m still excited I feel confused. And twice a day would be good. Mix it up a bit, change the toys, maybe buy a laser, and spoil me with a bit of catnip from time to time.

12. You Serve Up Some Dreadful Food

I know you think I’m fussy but some of the food you serve me stinks! If you could take note of which brands and flavors I actually eat every morsel of and serve those all the time, that would be great. It really annoys me when you serve me something I left the day before. Why don’t you remember I didn’t eat it. Write it down! It’s not hard. Don’t start calling me fussy and telling your friends that I am a picky eater. I’ve heard you say I eat something one day and then turn my nose up at it the next. How could you make such false accusations?

13. You Never Stick To a Routine

Just when I get used to your schedule, you change it and then I don’t know where I am. When you decide to have a lie in my breakfast is served up late. Sometimes you don’t get home when you should, and then dinner’s late too. This really makes me fret. I’m not sure where you’ve been but sometimes when you do rock up, you can’t walk in a straight line and then go straight to bed! When you go on holiday and send strangers in to feed me my nose is really put out of joint.

You see, I thrive on routine so I’d like it if you could try to abide by one as much as possible.

14. What Do You Do In The Bathroom?

You must realize that I am intrigued about what goes on behind that door when you close it. You are in there forever and then you emerge looking bedraggled as if you got caught in a rainstorm. It would be much more convenient for me if you would leave the door open so I can keep abreast of what you’re doing – and then I wouldn’t have to meow myself hoarse on the other side of the door from you.

15. Your Fussing Over My Appearance is Irritating

It’s my coat and I would rather keep it in order myself. You should keep away with that comb thingy that tugs at my knots. I like looking a little tussled so why can’t you allow me to?

If my eyes look a little icky in the corners, I’ll clean them in my own time. I really don’t appreciate you hooking stuff out with your fingernails and then looking all disgusted at it.

Conclusion

Take note of the above. It’s quite easy to avoid these common mistakes that make your cat unhappy. Your cat will love you more and the two of you will develop a loving friendship that will last for years.

By Will Douglas Leave a Comment

11 Signs Your Cat Might Actually Be Your “Baby”

There comes a time in many feline-lover’s lives when their cat becomes more than a pet, not “just” a cat, and most certainly part of the family. When your kitty nuzzles your neck or gazes up at you with those big, curious eyes, you can’t help but melt. Here are 11 signs that you love your kitty like she’s your baby.

1. It all starts with her first toy.

It becomes her favorite, and she looks so cute while snuggling her number one stuffie…

2. And because she’s so adorable when she’s playing, you keep getting her more toys until her collection starts to look like this:

Soon you realize she’s got more toys than most kids! And yet she gets so much more use out of them–or at least you’d like to believe. So you get another idea…

3. You start to let the cat use the kids’ playthings!

And before long, Felix prefers human toys over catnip. Let’s just say he’s advanced.

4. He loves warm, cozy spaces so much, you begin to tuck him in at night…

Because your little green-eyed baby loves to cuddle! Kitties deserve to be comfy, too. Right?? Right.

5. And when he jumps in your bed, he’s so cuddly that you don’t shoo him away…you tuck him in, instead. (He’ll just keep jumping back in there anyway!)

You kicked him out the first couple of times (maybe when he clawed your feet under the covers), but then you realized that both of you were being deprived of a warm, fluffy snuggle session.

6. Since she loves blankets and beds so much, you get this wild, crazy idea: maybe she’d like to cat nap in her very own crib…

I mean, it works for babies, right?

7. And since she has her own crib, she’s got to have her very own set of PJ’s.

You can’t go wrong with a Christmas onesie. Look how happy she is!

8. Then there are those times when you take your meower on long strolls, and a carriage is by far the best way to travel.

It keeps her comfy, contained, and in a space that’s perfectly nap-able.

9. And on the subject of travel…you get your feline a carseat for all your road trips together.

Safety first! Plus, you pack extra diapers for those long journeys that don’t allow time for rest stops.

10. It’s really no wonder that you gaze at your kitty as if she’s your kid…

She’s sweet, adorable, and she doesn’t talk back!

11. Because your cat completes your family, and you can’t imagine life without her–EVER!

High-fives to that!

By Will Douglas Leave a Comment

5 Ways You’re Crushing Your Dog’s Spirit Without Even Knowing

We all love our dogs and want to do what’s best for them, which also means keeping them as happy as possible! But what if we’re doing something that’s unknowingly making them unhappy or crushing their spirit? It’s likely you’re not, but just in case you’re unsure or want to help someone who might be stressing their dog, be sure to check out this list below.

#1 – Not Exercising Your Dog

This is perhaps one of the biggest problems in dog ownership. It’s understandable if someone doesn’t want to be active and healthy, or has a disability that prevents them from getting on the move,. But preventing your dog from getting adequate exercise is detrimental to both their physical and mental health. Dogs need to get outside. And that doesn’t mean just going out into the yard. Taking your dog for a walk or playing ball at the park is an excellent way to make sure your pooch has the right amount of exercise he needs, and it will only help strengthen your bond. After all, your dog wants to be with you, not out in the yard alone!

#2 – Taking Your Dog’s Food & Toys Away

This kind of behavior comes about by people wanting to show their dogs that they’re the alpha. Resource guarding, when a dog becomes aggressive to protect a resource such as food or toys, often happens when owners don’t establish clear boundaries with their dogs. To prevent this, people think that they need to be able to constantly take food away in the middle of a meal. They need to alpha roll their dogs as a punishment to ascertain their alpha status. Unfortunately, it’s often a highly misguided attempt at dog training.

All dogs that have been raised or given clear boundaries will willingly share their food or toys with their owners. They’ll have no problem with it being taken away. If you take your dog’s food away and give it back during every meal, all your dog really sees you as is a big bully. You’re always there to take away what he wants. Your dog doesn’t understand why you’re doing this, and can actually become aggressive from the stress of knowing their meals will always be taken from them. The old rule of staying away from a dog if he’s eating should be more widely accepted, because it’s true. How would you like it if someone took your dinner away for a few minutes just because they could?

#3 – Putting Your Dog In A Crate For Punishment

Crates are an excellent training tool. But the idea of crate training is to make your crate a fun and safe place for your dog to relax, However, so many parents insist on using it as a time-out place for dogs. This only leads to animosity towards the crate. So when you need to use it for something else, you’re going to have a hard time getting your dog inside. You’ll also just increase his stress when he’s confined.

Dogs don’t understand time-out punishments, because they don’t speak our language and aren’t built to generalize the way humans to. Using time-outs won’t be seen as a correction to your dog for his bad behavior. He probably won’t even understand that he did something you didn’t like. Training happens in the moment of the event. Dogs aren’t children that will sit and think about their actions as the day goes on. So if you’re going to use a crate, make sure that it’s a fun and lovely place for your dog to rest!

#4 – Constantly Yelling At Your Dog

Imagine if the only training you got at a new job was your boss constantly yelling at you for your mistakes. You’d probably really hate going to work! The same goes for your dog.

When your dog gets yelled at all the time, he’s likely to be a very stressed out pooch. This is because he knows you’re upset and doesn’t understand why. You haven’t taught him any manners or what behaviors are desirable. The constant emotional turmoil is felt by your dog, and you’re likely to damage your relationship.

Another point to consider is how seriously your dog will take you when there is a very real problem. Think of it as the boy who cried wolf. If you’re always yelling for your pup to come here when he’s running around the backyard, but you’ve never actually taught him to come to you, what do you think will happen when he runs out into traffic? He hears you yelling, but that’s nothing new because you’re always yelling at him. You can imagine how the story goes. Yelling at your dog constantly doesn’t do anything to help him. It really only serves as a way to stress him out or get him lost or injured.

#5 – Leaving Your Dog Alone For Extended Periods Of Time

Dogs are social animals and need to spend time with their families. That could be an entire household or just you. When they don’t get the socialization they need, they become sad, stressed, and even destructive. It’s important that you’re able to fit in the proper amount of exercise and playtime with your pup. Even if you’ve got a busy schedule. If you’re gone for long periods of time during the day, make sure to find a suitable dog walker or doggy daycare that can keep your pup happy. Dogs that are left alone for extended periods of time on a constant basis are likely to be unhappy and unhealthy. So make sure that you’re able to provide the love and care your pooch needs!

Learn From Your Mistakes

Some people might say that if you do any of these, you shouldn’t have a dog. However, just like our wonderful pups, we need to be trained, as well. While most of these seem like common sense, remember we’re all coming from the same place. The place of dog lovers. So if you need to make some adjustments, now’s the time. Not only will it improve your relationship with your pup, it will also make life more enjoyable for you both.