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Featured Products ...Dog Beds – How to Choose the Right One
One of your first purchases when buying a dog should be a bed for it to sleep in. It may seem a cute idea to have your four-legged friend join you on your bed, but it will become tiresome, and once the habit is formed it is hard to break.
A much better approach is to provide a suitable bed for your dog from day one.
What's In A Bed?
Dog beds come in all shapes and sizes, just like dogs. They also come in a number of different designs, some of which are more resilient and suitable for long-term use than others.
Here are the top five things to consider when buying a bed for your dog.
1. Where's Rover Going to Sleep?
The first thing to decide is whether your dog will sleep inside or outdoors – it may not be a consideration in colder climates, but in warm countries it is perfectly practicable for a dog to sleep outside on a terrace or in the garden.
Most beds are designed for indoor use, and we'll concentrate on those from now on.
2. Can It Be Washed?
Make sure you buy a bed that is completely machine-washable. Even if your dog is well-trained and regularly-washed, over time the bed will begin to smell and will need washing. You won't want to have to do this yourself with a scrubbing brush…
3. Not All Padding Is Equal
Fleas like nothing more than to make their home in a well-used dog bed. Help prevent this by ensuring that your dog bed's padding is good quality thick foam. Cedar shavings are another possible alternative.
4. Will He Fit?
Dogs like to stretch out and curl up just like humans do in bed. Make sure your new bed is going to be big enough for your dog to be comfortable in it, or it will never get used, and you'll be shopping for another one!
5. Any Special Requirements?
If your dog has any special needs or problem behaviours, you might want to remember these when choosing a bed. Examples include:
• Orthopaedic beds
• Waterproof beds/sheets
• Thermal/heated beds (like electric blankets)
• Chew-resistant beds
Don't choose a wicker basket for a dog with a tendency to chew, for example – they will rapidly destroy it.
Other possibilities include travel/car beds for regular travellers and fashionable designer beds for the pooch about town.
It's a Personal Thing - Once you've found the right bed, you'll need to find the right place to put it. It may well be in a corner of your bedroom, or perhaps in the kitchen or living room – somewhere where your dog will feel safe and comfortable.
Once your dog gets used to his bed and its location, he should stop disturbing you at night and might well sleep better, giving you a chance to do the same!
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Dog Beds.
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Dog Grooming Basics
While dog grooming tends to conjure up images of long-haired pooches at dog shows, the reality is that all dogs need some basic grooming to stay happy and healthy. How much grooming your dog will need will depend on its breed – long-haired and moulting varieties tend to need more care than short-haired dogs.
Basic grooming falls into four categories:
• Brushing/Combing;
• Washing;
• Toenail clipping;
• Coat trimming/removal (moulting & long-haired dogs).
Start grooming your dog while it's still a puppy, and you will be able to teach it good habits that will make life easier for both of you. Dogs should be trained to stand or lie still for grooming when they are puppies, and should gradually grow used to being handled whilst remaining still – including legs, ears and having their teeth and gums looked at.
Coat Care – Brushing and Combing
The level of day-to-day grooming that your dog will require depends heavily on its breed. Is it long or short-haired, and does it moult? There are a few basic requirements that apply to all dogs, though:
• The coat should be kept free of tangles and matts
• Regular brushing, combing or rubbing down with a grooming mitt
Longer-haired dogs may need occasional trims – around their eyes, paws and ears, and some species require periodic shearing, which usually needs specialist help.
Bath Time
Bathing your dog will not be required very often – indeed, washing too often will result in the natural oils that keep a dog's skin and coat healthy being washed away, leaving your dog with dry and itchy skin that he will scratch and irritate.
When it is time for a wash, you should groom first, to ensure that there are no matts or tangles in your dog's coat – these can cause discomfort when they get wet, and are harder to subsequently remove.
Once you are ready, get your dog to stand still in the tub, and fill it with warm or tepid water (not hot or cold!). Wet your dog all over, thoroughly, and then soap it using an appropriate dog shampoo before rinsing thoroughly. Make sure all traces of the shampoo are washed out (just as with human hair).
Once all the soap has been washed out, rub your dog down with a towel and brush its coat once more to ensure it dries tangle-free.
Finishing Touches
From time to time, dogs will need their toe nails clipping. This should be done using a special dog nail clipper, and needs to be done with care. Make sure you don't cut into the quick when trimming nails – for dogs with dark-coloured nails (where the quick is not visible) consult a vet for advice.
Dog grooming may seem like a lot of work, but the secret is to use it to bond with your dog. This mirrors the behaviour of wolves in the wild, which groom each other, and will ensure that your dog benefits from and enjoys its grooming sessions.
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Grooming products
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Dog Toys – A Beginner's Guide
Dogs are naturally playful and inquisitive and can get bored easily, especially when they are young or left on their own for too long (while you're at work, for example).
A good selection of toys is essential to keep your dog happy, stop him chewing on the wrong things and to help him exercise when the two of you are out for a walk. In this article, we will look at the main types of dog toy and how you might use them.
Dog toys are made of a variety of materials, most commonly rubber, vinyl, fabric, rope and leather.
Chews, Squeaks and Hidden Treats!
Dog toys come in all shapes and sizes, and different dogs will have different preferences when it comes to toys – just like children! Here's an overview of the main types of toys for dogs – items like these can be bought from most pet stores.
Chew Toys
Dog's naturally like to chew, and it's your job to make sure their energies are directed away from your furniture and onto their chew toys. There are a wide variety of chew toys available for dogs, covering a range of sizes and "strengths" – some dogs are much more aggressive chewers than others, and require stronger and more resilient chew toys to avoid the need for constant replacement.
Hidden Treats
Dogs can easily get lonely and bored when left on their own for any length of time, and this can lead to negative and destructive behaviours. One of the best ways to avoid this is by leaving your dog with a toy containing some treats. Persistent playing will gradually cause the toy to yield a small, tasty treat and keep your dog from becoming distracted and bored.
Soft Toys & Squeakers
Dogs can often enjoy playing and sleeping with soft toys and these can be bought in a variety of sizes from pet stores. If buying regular soft toys for your dog, ensure that you wash them (if second-hand) and remove any small or loose parts, such as eyes and buttons, before letting your dog have them.
Some soft toys contain a "squeaker" – a device that will emit a load squeak when the toy is pressed in a certain way. Not all dogs like these, but some can become quite attached to them! You'll have to see which category your dog falls into. Make sure that if the toy comes apart, you take it away from your dog to avoid any risk of them choking on the squeaker itself, which won't be that large.
Throwing Toys
The other major category of toys is those intended for exercising with – soft frisbees, balls and sticks are all good ways of ensuring your dog gets a thorough workout without you having to spend the whole time running around!
Remember, all dogs are different, and you'll need to experiment a little to find out what your dog likes best.
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Dog Toys
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
The Essential Guide to Having a New Pet
Having a new pet in your home is a big step, and the scale of the changes required is all too often underestimated by would-be pet owners. We've put this guide to the essentials of pet ownership to help new pet owners plan for the big moving-in day and avoid any unpleasant surprises.By far the most common pets are cats and dogs, and this article will focus on these animals, but similar considerations apply to most animals, especially if they are four-legged and will live indoors.
Can You Fit Them In?
Many people have very busy lives, and often spend relatively little time at home during the week. If you are thinking about a pet, you need to consider:
· Do you have the time to look after them?
· Can you afford it financially?
· Do you have the necessary space?
The larger the animal, the more space they need to live and sleep in, and dogs need a lot of attention if they are to grow up to be happy and well-behaved. Cats are less demanding but the costs of even routine vets bills (inoculations, etc) can be significant, so consider whether pet insurance might help with budgeting.
Keeping Fit
Dogs need regular exercise - at least twice a day. This requires them being taken out for a walk, and perhaps a run or a game of fetch with a stick or ball. Different breeds require different levels of exercise, but some dogs take quite a lot of tiring out before they are happy!
Where Will They -----?
Domestic animals tend to be just as territorial as their wild counterparts, and their human owners. Just like us, they need regular places to eat, sleep and go to the toilet, and successful house training is dependent upon establishing suitable locations for these functions as soon as they enter the home, and then maintaining them. A dog should have a regular toilet area in the garden, and cats should have a permanently located litter tray indoors – somewhere quiet and private. A large dog will also need a fairly large bed to sleep in, and cannot happily be left in extremely small rooms for long periods when its owner is out.
Be Prepared
Once you have found your new companion, you need to get everything ready at home before they arrive. This can include:
· Preparing sleeping, eating and toilet areas
· Moving ornaments, cables and furniture that might be dangerous or vulnerable to damage
· Buying suitable food
· Finding a vet to register your new pet with
Once you are ready, plan your pet's first day in its new home – it's ideal to bring it to your home in the morning to enable you to spend the whole day playing and exploring with them in the home.
With luck, this will mean that they will be tired and sleep well on their first night!
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Dog Carriers
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Kitten Care – The First Six Months
Cats can make extremely rewarding companions and are usually much more self-sufficient than dogs, but in the early stages of their life, a little care and nurturing is required to get them off to a good start.
The First Two Months
For the first 6-8 weeks of a kitten's life, kittens should be with their mother, if possible. Looking after kittens who have been abandoned this early on in their lives requires a lot of extra care and effort and you should seek specialist advice from a vet or cat rescue centre if you aren't already familiar with what's required.
During this time, a kitten's mother should teach it to use a litter tray and introduce it to solid food, leaving the kitten ready to fend for itself, with a little help from you.
Moving In
Before your new kitten moves into your home, there are a few basic things you need to buy and get ready:
• Litter tray & litter
• Food and water bowls
• Cat food
• Scratching post
• Bed
• A few cat toys
• A cat carrier (for trips in the car)
Try to buy food that is as close as possible to that which your kitten has been being fed with, and make sure you choose a quiet, private place for the litter tray.
Once you have these things ready, you are ready for your new family member.
Feeding Your Kitten
Kittens have big eyes but small stomachs, and for the first six months it is best to feed them moderately-sized meals 3-5 times a day. After this, you can move to larger meals twice a day.
The Litter Tray
Hopefully, your kitten will have been trained to use a litter tray by its mother in the early weeks of its life, so it will be relatively easy for you to confirm the habit. However, the separation of the kitten from its mother and the unfamiliar surroundings of your home might mean some reinforcement is necessary.
A good idea is to place your kitten on its litter tray first thing in the morning and after each meal. That way, it should soon develop the correct associations and should start to seek out the litter tray whenever it needs to.
Grooming Your Kitten
Cats spend several hours a day grooming themselves, and often do not require much extra help from their human families. However, it can be a good idea to spend a little time grooming your kitten and getting it used to being handled in this way – it can make visits to the vet's easier too!
For long-haired cats, an occasional combing will help keep your cat's coat tidy, and give you an opportunity to check for fleas or any other problems.
Final Thoughts
Caring for kittens is relatively easy and very rewarding. A well cared-for kitten will grow into a loyal and well-behaved cat whose company you will enjoy for many years to come.
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Cat products
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Pet Health – A Beginner's Guide
Most pets enjoy relatively trouble-free and healthy lives, but nevertheless one in two pets will need veterinary care each year, an event which can be both upsetting and expensive for the pet's owners.
Get the Basics Right
Your pet's chances of a long and healthy life can be drastically improved by following these guidelines, which apply to most four-legged pets, especially cats, dogs and rabbits.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are essential to protect against some of the more dangerous diseases your pet might suffer from, including Kennel Cough and Distemper in dogs and cat flu and feline leukaemia in cats.
Kittens and puppies are usually started on a course of vaccinations at about eight weeks of age, and should be prevented from going out or mingling with other animals until the course is complete.
You Are What You Eat
A healthy diet is essential for any animal and domestic cats and dogs are no exception. A balanced diet of good quality pet food is essential – don't feed them on human leftovers, as these will not contain the balance of nutrients required by a cat or dog, and in some cases can prove toxic to them.
Ensure that your pet has its own feeding bowls, and that these are kept clean and separate from yours. Wash your hands after handling and feeding your pet.
Exercise
Regular exercise is essential, especially for dogs, which are not suited to a sedentary indoor life. Different breeds have different exercise requirements, but make sure you understand how much exercise your dog needs to stay healthy.
Cats are generally able to take care of their own exercise requirements, but they do benefit from access to the outdoors if possible.
Prevention is Better Than Cure
Dogs and cats are prone to get fleas and worms, and while these problems need not cause excessive concern, it is best to avoid them – if only to keep your house free of fleas. In addition, younger animals can be made ill by worms, although older animals often display no symptoms.
Regular preventative treatments are available for both worms (both tapeworms and roundworms) and fleas. Regular use of these treatments should keep your pet free of parasites.
Pet Insurance
Although it may sound a little extreme, it is worth considering taking out insurance for your pet. If your pet should become ill and require an operation, medicines or extended veterinary care, the bills can be surprisingly high and insurance will take care of these costs.
Pet insurance can also help if your pet goes missing, providing the funds to offer a reward to the finder.
Staying Healthy
A healthy pet will be much happier and tend to exhibit more balanced behaviour, so it is well worth following basic preventative measures to ensure your pet stays healthy. In the long run, this will cost you less and give you and your pet a much happier life together.
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Pet Health Products
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Pet Clothing
Pet clothing is rapidly growing in popularity, with a growing number of pet stores and specialist suppliers offering ranges of pet clothing. It's fair to say that although some clothing can be found for cats, the vast majority of the pet clothing market addresses the sartorial requirements of pet dogs, perhaps because they are more amenable to being dressed up!
Why Would My Dog Need Clothes?
While it's true that much of the pet clothing on sale is aimed at the fashion-conscious pet owner, there are situations where your dog may really benefit from a warm coat, especially when they get older.
After a long winter walk, older dogs will be tired and their body temperature may begin to drop slightly as they cool down – if they are going to have to remain outside for any length of time, it can be a good idea to have a coat or sweater to hand to prevent your dog catching a chill.
Another scenario where clothing can be useful is when your dog is recovering from an invasive operation or has some kind of persistent itch – a coat will stop them being able to scratch and reopen the wound or aggravate the itching area.
In The Family Way
If you have a bitch that has not been neutered, there can be a real risk of unwanted pregnancies when she is on heat. It's possible to get the canine equivalent of a chastity belt, in the form of a pair of knickers, to prevent this. While it may be awkward to put on, it will be nowhere near as awkward as having to look after or find homes for lots of puppies!
Sporting Fashion
A big part of the market for pet clothing is solely aimed at those looking for fashion accessories for their dogs. Sports-style clothing is popular, as are dog-shaped versions of popular clothing lines for young people. Hooded tops, colourful knits, faux leather jackets, trendy vests and t-shirts – all of these and much more are available to give your dog a unique appearance!
Other offerings include dog boots and shoes, dog pyjamas and even waterproof trouser suits that will keep your dog completely dry in the rain.
Fancy Dress
If you have a special day planned and you want to ensure your dog doesn't feel left out, what about a fancy dress costume? Wedding gowns, bridesmaid outfits, tuxedos, seasonal costumes and more are all available to ensure that your dog feels part of the action and looks it too!
Where Do I Go For Pet Clothing?
If you've been thinking about getting some clothes for your dog, but have not been sure where to look or whether it's a good idea, hesitate no longer! There are lots of retailers to choose from, whether you want to purchase online or in the flesh. Start looking now, and give your dog a treat!
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Pet Clothing
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Beginners' Guide to Puppy Care
If you have a puppy, you'll know just how much care they require. If you don't have one, you may not fully appreciate the challenges of looking after a puppy – just like a human baby, they require careful nurturing, lots of affection and a certain amount of discipline if they are to grow up happy, healthy and well-balanced.
In this article we've compiled some advice on caring for your puppy in the early months of its life – from about 6-8 weeks through to around 6 months, when puppies start to enter adolescence. During this time, a puppy does a huge amount of growing-up, and habits instilled during this period will remain for the rest of their life.
Feeding Your Puppy
Puppies grow extremely fast, and consequently have fairly high calorie requirements. At first, they should be fed regularly three times a day. Once they are around twelve weeks old, consider reducing your puppy's meals to two per day.
At mealtimes, leave the food dish in its position for about fifteen minutes, then take it away – whether your puppy has finished eating or not. Allowing dogs to eat whenever they want ("free feeding") prevents them from ever becoming truly hungry at mealtimes, and can lead to them overeating or becoming overly fussy eaters.
Training Your Puppy
Puppies learn a lot of their lifelong habits during the first few months of their lives. It's particularly important to instil good toilet habits in your puppy from a young age – start training once your puppy is around five or six weeks old.
Toilet Troubles
Over the first year of their lives, puppies gradually learn to control their bladder, and should develop reliable and consistent toilet habits. However, this won't happen without your help.
Understanding that puppies will naturally avoid soiling their own sleeping areas is important – try to leave your puppy in such an area overnight and for short periods during the day to encourage it to learn bladder control.
Decide where you would like your puppy to go to the toilet, and take them there at every opportunity – in the morning, whenever they eat or get overexcited, when you go to bed, and no less frequently than once per hour during the day. Stay with them, and if they go, praise and pet them.
Don't punish your puppy for going in the wrong place, and don't let them see you clean up – this can encourage them to go again in the same place! Ensure when cleaning up that no odours are left to attract your puppy back to the wrong spot again.
Praise, Not Punish
There is a lot more to know about caring for a puppy, but feeding and house training are perhaps the most important areas to concentrate on early on in a dog's life.
Remember to reward and praise successes in a clear and consistent way – this will encourage good be
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Dog Products.
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Travelling With Pets
Travelling with pets can be tremendously rewarding but can also be a stressful and overly-bureaucratic experience for both pet owners and pets. If you are considering travelling with your pet, either domestically or internationally, you need to make sure you research all the relevant rules and regulations before you arrange your trip.
It is also wise to consider whether it is really fair to your pet to take them with you – after all, days spent travelling might be more stressful and tiring for an aging animal than a quiet few days in a kennel or cattery.
Road Travel (Domestic)
Travelling by car within your own country is certainly the easiest way to travel with a pet, but still has its own challenges and difficulties, not least when you reach your destination. Here are a few things to consider before transporting your pet by car:
• Is your pet accustomed to car travel?
• Is your destination pet-friendly?
• Do you have the right pet accessories for travelling?
Before you set off on a long trip, get your pet used to travelling by car by taking him for regular short trips. Consider how he is to be transported – if on the back seat, do you need to buy a harness to prevent him moving around too much? This is a good idea if you aren't sure you can trust your pet to stay calm.
A thick travel blanket is also a good idea to protect your seats, along with a couple of your pet's favourite toys. It can be a good idea to keep your cat or dog in a travel crate while it is being transported. This contains any mess they might make, and will hopefully provide them with a familiar environment that will help to keep them calm.
Remember to stop every two-three hours to allow your pet to go to the toilet and drink some water, and don't forget to take a pooper scooper and some bags with you.
International Travel
Taking your pet overseas can be a complicated and slow process – historically, it was often necessary for animals arriving in a country to spend up to six months in quarantine, meaning that unless the move was permanent, animals never left their home countries.
Today, things are a little different, as many countries have agreements in place to allow fairly free movement of pets between them without any quarantine requirements. However, there will be other requirements – these form a generic minimum:
• Proof of the animal's identity and ownership
• Proof of the animal's vaccination status for various diseases
Rules vary from one country to another – research them carefully if you are thinking about taking your animal abroad, and remember you will have to repeat the process on your return – there are no exclusions for homebound animals.
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Dog Products.
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
Pet Supplies – Where to Start?
Whether you have one budgie or a house full of cats and dogs, you will need a regular source of supplies for your pet. Food, bedding, litter, clothes, beds, cages – the list is nearly endless.
What Will I Need?
Pet supply requirements obviously vary considerably between different types of animals, and some animals will have more specialist requirements than others. In this article we will concentrate on the kind of supplies that cats and dogs typically need, as these animals are by far the most popular choices as pets.
A Boy's Got To Eat!
Whatever the sex of your pet, they should have a reliable appetite and you will need a reliable supply of good quality pet food. Buying poor quality food or feeding animals on human leftovers tends to be a false economy, as these foods are not as well-balanced nutritionally as good quality branded foods, leaving your pet more vulnerable to some health problems. You will also need dedicated food and water bowls for each pet to ensure they all get the right portions.
It's Playtime!
Whether it's for training, relaxation, learning or to prevent them becoming bored, cats and dogs like to have something to play with, and you will probably end up with a selection of different toys for your pet.
Choices include toys to catch, toys to chew on and toys to cuddle up with at night. For dogs that are going to be left alone, novelty toys containing hidden treats can help prevent them getting bored and restless. A good pet supplier should have a range of different toys for you to choose from.
Groomed For Success
Most animals require some level of grooming, and dogs and cats are no exception. Exactly what is required will vary from one breed to another, but you will probably need some kind of brush, comb or grooming mitt, and for dogs you may need things like shampoo, toe nail clippers and hair trimmers.
Pet Furniture
We all like a cosy bed to spend the night in, and domestic animals are no exception. Dogs and cats appreciate the comfort and familiarity of their own dedicated bed, and you should plan on each of your pets having a bed of their own.
Where to Get It All
There are three main choices of supplier for the typical pet owner:
• Your local pet shop
• Online pet supply retailers
• Pet Superstores
If you have a good pet shop locally, then stick with it. The staff should be a good source of friendly advice. Otherwise, online retailers of pet supplies can offer great value and a huge choice, with convenient home delivery. Pet superstores can also offer a wide choice, although they aren't always very convenient to get to.
The best way to find out what suits you is to try them all – so happy shopping!
Take this opportunity to view our wide range of Pet Supplies
(This article is copyright to www.petsupply-store.com)
