From the Sun: Deck the halls (but not with holly)

From the November 21st edition of the Woodford Sun: 

Deck the halls (but not with holly), and other tips for pet-safe holiday decor
By Beth Oleson, Education Coordinator

 

Romy (adoptable) knows what's up

Ahh, the holidays – a time of year for tons of food, decorations, gifts, and good company…and, if you have pets, a time for obsessively protecting your food, decorations, and gifts (and sometimes your company, if you have pets like mine) from furry interference.  Defending your winter wonderland from your pets is just as important for them as it is for the holiday ambiance, though; here are some common holiday hazards and how to avoid them.  

If you’re a “deck the halls” kind of a person, go right ahead and get your deck on – just leave the holly outside.  Poinsettias tend to get a bad rap as a holiday favorite that’s dangerous to pets, but they’re actually not a danger to pets or people; a pet that eats poinsettia leaves in bulk will get an upset stomach, but won’t be at risk for more serious complications.  The same can’t be said for those boughs of holly or sprigs of mistletoe, which can cause serious cardiovascular and nervous system impairment if nibbled by a pet.  If you just can’t have holidays without mistletoe and holly, hit up a craft store and buy the artificial kind instead of the real thing.

In a season of much gift-wrapping and tree-decorating, ribbon and tinsel are in abundance.  These things are downright irresistible for many pets, and unfortunately they’re also downright dangerous.  When swallowed, long strings can become entangled in the twists and turns of a pet’s intestines and cause a range of problems, from a perforated bowel to an intestinal blockage.  If you have pets, avoid tinsel altogether, and don’t add ribbons to your gifts until the very last minute.  In the event that even your best laid plans go astray, and you see your pet with ribbon sticking out of its mouth or out of its…well, out of the other end, do NOT under any circumstances pull on the ribbon.  You do not know how much ribbon is already inside your pet and tugging from one end or the other can effectively scissor your pet’s intestines.  Get to the vet and let the professionals work it out.  

Nothing sets a magical holiday mood like natural candle light, and nothing ruins the magical holiday mood like accidentally setting your pet or your house on fire.  If candles are a big part of your holiday tradition, keep them well out of reach and don’t ever leave them unattended; this is good advice for handling candles in general, but especially important when you have inquisitive, flammable animals who might rub against them, jump over them, swat them, sniff them a little too closely, or knock them down.  Two safer alternatives are candle warmers (if you love scented candles) and LED candles (if you love the way candles look).  

Got holiday questions?  We’ve got holiday answers, so jingle our bell!  You can reach us at 859.873.5491 or manager@woodfordhumane.org.  If you want to give a pet-friendly holiday a try and all you're missing is a pet, well, 'tis the season to adopt a new best friend!  We have hundreds of dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, bunnies, and guinea pigs looking for a home to call their own this holiday season.

From the Sun: Cleaning up after your pet

From the August 8th edition of the Woodford Sun: 

Cleaning up after your pet
By Beth Oleson, Education Coordinator

One of the first things you learn as a pet owner is that accidents happen.  Puppies, kittens, dogs, cats…nobody’s perfect (although some are a little closer than others).  Eventually, you just have to reach that state of zen where you can take a deep breath, remind yourself that things are just things, clean up, and move on.  After all, who could stay mad at those cute faces? 

Cleaning up after a pet can be trickier than it seems, though, and it’s all because of those sensitive noses.  Pet use urine to mark territory, and their noses are fine-tuned urine-detecting machines – much more so than ours are.  That means that, if urine has been somewhere – in the litter box, or on a potty pad, or on the carpet – your pet knows it, and it’s a big deal.  It’s usually a big enough deal that your pet, or other pets in the house, will want to “go” there again and again, which is fine if it’s in the litter box or on a potty pad…but less fine if it’s on your carpet, bed, or furniture.  

Busting the chain reaction of accidents requires you to stop thinking about what you can smell, and start thinking about what your pets can smell.  This is why cleaners that mask odors and add perfumes don’t typically succeed when it comes to pet stains; you might think your carpet smells like flowers, but your pet thinks your carpet smells like flowers…and pee.  And that’s an invitation.  What you need instead is a cleaner that gets rid of urine by physically breaking it down instead of covering it up.  Look for an enzyme- or enzyme-and bacteria-based cleaner like Nature’s Miracle or Unique Pet Odor and Stain Remover; the enzymes break the urine molecules down and the bacteria clean up what’s left over, effectively removing the urine – and the urine smell – from your home.  Another great thing about products like these is that they’re safe; you’re not putting harsh, toxic chemicals into your home where they could harm your pet.

Finding a great, effective pet stain cleaner isn’t the solution to all potty problems.  For that, you have to go to the source: a strict house training routine and a vet visit to make sure there’s not a physical problem – like a urinary tract infection or diabetes - causing trouble for your pet.  But it sure helps keep things on track when your pet is in the “accidents” stage.  If you can help your pet learn by removing those smelly distractions, you might do something much more important than save your carpet; you might save your pet from winding up homeless down the road.  Every year, dozens of pets are surrendered when their person’s patience for pee runs out; how many of those might have been prevented with the right tools and techniques to correct the problem?  Our goal, first and foremost, is always to keep a pet in a good home if it has one, and we hope this info can help that happen.

From the Sun: Training a Pet? Think positive

From the August 1st edition of the Woodford Sun:

Training a pet?   Think positive
By Beth Oleson, Education Coordinator

When I was a kid, my parents gave me a few bucks a week as long as I did my chores.  I am not a natural chore-doer, so that little incentive made a big difference; in fact, I wish someone would offer me the same deal now.  My house would probably be neater.  In this respect, training a dog is a lot like training a child: a little bribery goes a long way.  That’s why positive reinforcement training is the most effective method around.  

Positive reinforcement is, in a nutshell, a method focused on rewarding good behavior instead of simply punishing bad.  Don’t get us wrong, it’s important to correct and discourage bad behavior as soon as you see it.  But think about when you were a kid; sometimes, getting in trouble didn’t mean you learned your lesson…you just learned how not to get caught the next time.  The other half of the battle is making good behavior rewarding, and when you’re trying to train a dog, the best rewards you can offer are praise and food (again, dogs are not entirely unlike children).  

That brings us to the first step of positive reinforcement training: find out what your dog loves to eat and keep the treat bag ready.  You don’t want to overload your pet with junk food, so the ideal training treat will be something that’s very appealing (AKA stinky), but very small.  The small size will also leave your dog wanting more, which works in your favor.  Be sure to always couple your food reward with praise, too; a “Good boy!” will go a long way, especially down the road when you’re not giving treats every single time.

Use short, simple commands when training – sit, down, come, off, leave it, etc. – and give your dog a reward immediately when he does the right thing.  If you wait more than a few seconds, he may not make the connection between what you’re saying, what he’s doing, and the treat in his tummy.  The same goes for correcting bad behavior, by the way; if you don’t do it immediately, he won’t know what he’s being punished for, just that he’s in trouble.  

When you’re first teaching a new command, reward your dog every time he does it right.  It’s not necessary to keep that up forever, but you want to make sure that your dog really knows the command and will respond reliably before you start tapering off the treats; otherwise you’ll end up with a frustrated pooch and a command that won’t stick.  Positive reinforcement can and should be used anywhere, anytime – not just when you’re having a training session.  Make your dog sit before you go out for a walk, or before a meal, or during playtime, for example, to send the message that commands matter no matter what else is going on.  

Got training questions?  We’re here to help!  Drop us a line at 859.873.5491 or manager@woodfordhumane.org.  If you're really stuck, we're happy to recommend some great local trainers!