3 tips for how to have a happy dog are explored in this fun post. Getting a new dog is something to be celebrated. You’re giving a beautiful animal a roof over its head and a warm home but you’re also doing something for the family by adding a brand new member to the fray. Of course, bringing up a happy dog isn’t all about throwing toys and watching your pet gleefully bring them back to you with a smile on its face. Being playful, attentive, and loving are all important aspects of keeping your dog happy, and there’s no doubt about that, but you also have to think about the practical and boring ways in which you can make that happen. You need to walk, feed, and train your brand new pet, especially if you adopted them as a practically newborn puppy. Here are some tips on bringing up a happy dog in a happy household. Get them used to the household. Getting a new dog isn’t just a daunting experience for the owner but for the dog itself. You need to be prepared for the fact that they’re probably going to be very nervous in their new environment with people that they’re still getting used to. You’re going to need to train them to get used to their new surroundings and to ensure they treat the place like home. It’s all about drawing lines and boundaries in your household. Maybe your dog isn’t a newborn puppy and they’ve had some training before, but every home is different and they’re still going to be confused by their new surroundings. You need to get all the boring things out of the way first. Potty train your dog from day one, or you’ll be cleaning rugs, carpets, couches, and your bedsheets very often. You also need to train your dog to sit and obey other commands for practical reasons too; after long and muddy walks, you’ll want your dog to sit patiently outside whilst your hose them down. There’s nothing worse than a muddy dog running through the house and creating several hours worth of cleaning for you to do. The most important aspect of this training process, however, is that you need to give your puppy or dog treats as a reward for their hard work. You can click for more info if you want to see some options for high quality dog treats. The point is that there needs to be positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior from your dog. Keep them safe. Think about safety from day one. Your dog wants to explore the world, but dogs don’t always have the best sense of direction, despite their otherwise exemplary instincts. You should really think about putting an identification tag in his collar or even a microchip to help locate them. Either way, have a backup plan in case he or she gets lost because dogs are prone to go wandering and only realize how far away they are from home once it’s too late. Exercise.
The best way to go out and have fun with your dog is to exercise. Not only will you be looking after your own health but the health of your dog. You’ll be hitting two birds with one stone by showing love and attention to your dog through a fun activity and getting them out of the house to keep active, healthy, and happy. It’s so important for dogs to not only get out there and stretch their legs but to have a fun interaction with humans or even other dogs if you head to the park.
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A 5 Step Guide For Nervous Dogs At The Vet. How To Reduce Their Stress And Make The Visit Easier For You Both! For some dog owners, a visit to the vet is no big deal. They jump in the car, following your lead, and everything goes smoothly from there. For others… taking your dog to the vet can feel like an uphill battle. Some owners even report their dog seems to sense when there’s a vet visit in their schedule, and will begin to act fearful and concerned right from the moment they wake up. Given that vet visits can be fraught and concerning at the best of times, it’s incredibly difficult to see your canine friend showing signs of stress at the idea as well. If you have a nervous dog who seems to dread vet visits with a passion, then you need a simple guide to show you how to manage their fear - which as it just so happens, is what you can now read right here. Don’t Mention The V-Word Animals - and particularly dogs - pay attention to the language we use. If for years, your dog is hearing the word “vet” and then goes through a difficult experience, then they will begin to recognize it. Use synonyms or just a simple “the V-word” if you’re talking about an upcoming appointment within earshot of your dog. Do Take Care Of Medical Needs At Home (Wherever Possible) It can be daunting to think of taking care of your dog’s medical needs for yourself, to the point you’re tempted to take them to the vet for the most basic of things. It just feels safer to entrust things to a vet sometimes. However, it’s far better for your dog if you limit your use of the vet; do your own research on canine nutrition, read up on dog tick prevention, always use worm and flea treatments. These small at-home tasks can help prevent a future visit if you do them regularly. Don’t Act Differently Dogs aren’t clairvoyant; they can’t pick up on a designated vet visit day thanks to psychic abilities. They can, however, pick up changes in you. If you’re worried or - as we are all guilty of on the days of vet visits - extra nice to your pooch, they might begin to wonder what’s in store for them. Just act as normally as possible, sticking to the same routine as you would under any other circumstances. Do Practice Calming Techniques When you’re finally on the way to the vet, try and keep the car journey as calm and simple as you possibly can. Talk to your dog to keep them calm, focusing on using the right tone of voice so as not to alarm them. It’s also worth considering using calming treatments like Reiki or flower essences in the lead up to their visit, so they already approach the big day in a calm state of mind. Don’t Let Your Anxiety Show Dogs pick up on our emotions. If you’re worried about your dog, that’s going to worry them, and then you worry about that… and the vicious circle relentlessly perpetuates itself. For your dog’s benefit, it’s far better to put a brave face on any concerns you have and just act like your usual self. It’ll make the trip far easier - for both of you! Calming the inner beast through human hands-on-healing The Gazette August 15, 2014 Got a dog that won’t stop barking? Or maybe a nervous, jumpy cat?
For $60 an hour, reiki master Jade will try to take away your pet’s worries. “Reiki can benefit animals by helping them feel more calm, relaxed and centered,” Jade says Reiki is a Japanese technique developed in the 1920s, although some reiki practitioners say it was created in ancient Tibet and rediscovered in the 20th century. The reiki master channels energy in the air around them, transferring it to a pet or person by placing their hands on the subject. The energy is believed to help heal the pet or person’s emotional problems and clear them of any energy blockages. “The same way it helps people, for pets it can be used for anything from helping a senior pet with illness or injury to calming a hyper puppy to helping a depressed pet cope with the loss of their companion, as is the case with bonded pets who lose their friend,” Jade says. © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette Is your hyper pet exhausting you? Read on to learn how Pet Reiki can benefit your pet and you! There is a hilarious scene from Dr Doolittle with Eddie Murphy, in which a hyper dog is desperate to have Eddie’s character throw a ball. The dog is seen jumping up and down begging for the ball to be thrown and when it finally is thrown, the dog erupts with joy screaming “I love you!” over and over again as it races back with the ball in its mouth, eager to have the ball thrown again, and again and again….you get the idea. In a movie it’s funny, but in real life that is exhausting, especially when an animal is like that most of the time. If this example reminds you of your beloved pet and you would like to help your pet, consider Pet Reiki to encourage calmness. Why are some animals so hyper in the first place? Some are by nature high strung with lots of energy, others are feeling stress and anxiety brought on by changes in circumstances such as a move or being left alone all day, while others may need extra attention and they are not getting it. So what is Pet Reiki you may ask, and how is it going to help my hyper pet? First let me explain what Reiki is. Reiki is Japanese energy healing that uses the energy that is around us to facilitate healing. The basis of the principal behind Reiki is to take the energy that we physically create in our body and the energy that is all around and using special techniques, the Practitioner or Reiki Master channels that energy to the client. If all of this sounds ridiculous to you, I have a small test for you. Hold your hands, palms facing each other about 1-2 inches apart. Now slowly bring your hands together but do not let them touch each other. Now slowly pull your hands back to their starting position. Repeat this process several times until you begin to feel a heaviness or resistance between your hands. Do you feel it? That is the energy that your own body produces. That is some of the energy that is channeled. Animals are able to tune into subtle energy shifts, and are therefore very receptive to Reiki energy. Do your pets know when there is going to be a storm before you do? That is because they can feel the energy shift. Many times within a few minutes of the healing session with a pet, the changes can be seen right away. For example: I had one client who had a very unhappy, hyperactive rabbit. Within a few minutes of beginning treatment from a distance as the rabbit could not be still, he came to me, laid down in front of me and completely relaxed. His owner was shocked and told me that he never did that; in fact he would only ever do anything like that when he was in his cage at the end of the day. Why did the rabbit do that? The simple answer is that he knew that he needed it. For some time after, this particular rabbit became calmer and more co-operative according to his owner. I do not want to give the impression that Reiki is a quick fix though. With people or animals there also needs to be changes made in lifestyle, environment and behaviour that embrace the change that Reiki facilities. By this I mean, just as people need a healthy diet, exercise and a comfortable, safe, loving and supportive place to rest at the end of the day, so do our pets. Without such an environment, any treatment whether it is for humans or pets, will have only short term effects. So if you would like a calmer pet without resorting to chemical treatments or restrictive methods, consider trying Pet Reiki. Mind, Body and Spiritual health applies to our pets too. Continue reading to learn how you can help your pet find their own inner peace. They can dig up you lawn, eat your flowers, tear apart your new leather shoes, scratch a beloved piece of furniture, drop your precious china on the floor, and generally make messes and more work for you, but you love them anyway. Who is this creature? It’s none other than the family pet. Whether they have fur or feathers, scales or spikes, for many of us, our pets become part of our family. We tolerate their occasional disasters or early morning wake up calls because we receive a rare and precious gift back, the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.
Okay so it may be hard to tell if your pet fish or exotic lizard really loves you, but they do trust you to take care of them and they depend on you. An Ipsos Reid poll shows that 83% of Canadians consider their pet to be a family member with 4 in 10 believing that pets can be a good substitute for human companionship. So your pet is seen as a member of your family. You make sure it has all its basic needs met, now what? What about your pets Spiritual well being? Don’t worry, I am not going to say that should meditate with your cat or try to find your dogs inner puppy! For some people who want to try and do that, I say more power to you! What I want to offer you is something to try, that is a little more tangible and easier to do. I find that it is especially helpful for pets that can be held and touched comfortably. I have only used this technique on furry friends, but if you want to try it on your lizard or fish or other type of pet, please use appropriate cautions, and a gentle touch as always. I have found that a combination of Reiki and EFT has been beneficial for my pet. My pet is a super hyper, very talkative (when I say “talking” what I mean is meowing…a LOT!), 6 year old Tuxedo cat named Treun. I don’t think she has really ever stopped talking since the day she was born except when she sleeps! I have used Reiki, which is a form of Japanese energy healing, on my cat for years with great success to the tune, that she is calmer and seems happier afterwards. With any animal, knowing their temperament is important before you start any sort of energy work or healing modality. I know that my cat will let me do pretty much anything I want to her, but please dear reader, if you have a volatile pet, or are trying to help someone else’s pet, please proceed with caution or call upon an experienced professional such as myself. EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique is a form of acupressure, which is used to help with many emotional and physical issues. On pets, it can be used to help them to become calmer in general, and help them with anxiety, which is common in pets and often exhibited as separation anxiety when the owner leaves the home. It can also be used to ease physical pains such as arthritis in elderly pets. When working with animals, generally it is better to gently massage the required points instead of tapping as that could lead to irritation and/or pain. A recent example of how EFT and Reiki benefited my cat was that one particular day my cat Treun would not stop talking (again read this as meowing incessantly to the point where I could feel a migraine forming in my brain!), and followed me for every step I took, so much that I was tripping over her. I scooped her up and performed gentle EFT and then Reiki on her. She instantly became limp and relaxed and began to purr. After I was finished, and we could both think straight, she was much calmer for the rest of the day. The entire session with her lasted about 30 minutes as I incorporated both healing modalities on her, but because animals don’t like to stay in one spot it could take longer depending on your pet and how restless they are. Most animals will respond positively to both Reiki and EFT as they can sense that you are not there to harm them, and only want the best for them. |