Classy and Opinionated Lifestyle Mom Blog
A move can be an exciting time for your family — but not so much for your pets. Pets are sensitive to change and stressful situations, leaving them fearful. To keep you and your pets’ stress levels at bay, here are a few tips to …
If you are considering a bird as your new pet, it is understandable that you may be considering a parrot. Parrots are great choices for pet birds as they can become beloved family members and are always popular through their amazing ability to imitate human …
Dogs can be wonderful pets and companions, but without proper training, certain behaviors can become problematic over time. Enrolling your dog in obedience training and socialization classes is beneficial, but there are many techniques you can use on your own to prevent unwanted chewing, control dog’s barking, and discourage begging at the dinner table. Here are some of the most common dog behavior problems and ways you can help correct them.
1. Jumping
It’s common for dogs to get overexcited and jump on people during an initial greeting. If your dog jumps up on you, turn away and don’t give it any attention until it calms down and has its front paws on the ground. You can also train your dog to “sit” or “wait” when guests arrive or when meeting people on a walk. A baby gate or leash is another option to prevent jumping on guests. Don’t remove the gate or leash until your pup has calmed down.
2. Digging
If you catch your dog digging in your yard, give a clear “no” while in the act. Then, distract your dog with a toy or another activity. Dogs often dig in the same spot over and over. Some ways to prevent this is to add a barrier to that area, such as a small fence, rocks buried under the digging area, or a scent that is unpleasant to dogs, such as vinegar, cayenne, or citrus.
3. Barking
To discourage unwanted barking from your dog, divert its attention and give it something else to do instead. For example, if your dog is barking at the door when a guest arrives, train it to “go to your bed.” This will keep it occupied and calmer while waiting. Anti-bark collars or ultrasonic training devices are other options to help control dog’s barking.
4. Chewing
Dogs love to chew on things, and it’s actually a necessary and normal behavior, especially when they are teething. The best way to prevent your dog from ruining your possessions is simply to keep them out of reach. Then, make sure your dog has access to chew toys that are appropriate for its age and size (avoid old socks and shoes). You can also teach your dog to “leave it.”
5. Begging
The most effective way to prevent begging is to never give your dog food from the table in the first place. Giving dogs table scraps, even just once, will teach them to beg. One good option is to have a designated area where your dog is trained to stay during dinner time. When you’re done eating, reward your dog with praise and attention for waiting calmly.
For effective dog training, reliable equipment like a resilient, tough dog leash can make all the difference. This kind of leash ensures the pet owner maintains safe and secure control during training sessions, especially when addressing issues such as over-excitement or aggression. The right leash can act as a corrective tool to discourage dogs from undesired behavior patterns like pulling or lunging. Having such robust training equipment supports not only the safety of your pet but also enhances the efficiency of your training endeavors.???????
With any dog training, consistency and repetition are key. If you make an exception here or there and do not keep a regular schedule for training, you may end up reinforcing bad behaviors rather than good ones. Try to be as consistent as possible with your training, and over time your dog will learn to listen and to trust you.
There is a lot to think about before you become a pet owner, such as whether you can afford to care for them or if your lifestyle is suitable to accommodate one. As a parent, the idea of bringing a pet home might seem unappealing, …
While all horses have the ability to jump and, in entry-level settings, can compete well, if you’re looking to advance in your show jumping, having the proper horse breed can make a big difference. Some horses have better form and ability when it comes to …
Owning a pet can bring a lot of joy into a household. Unfortunately, pets can bring plenty of shed animal hair and muddy paw prints into the house as well!
That’s why any pet owner needs to keep on top of their carpet care if they want their carpets to stay in the best possible condition. Here are some top tips for keeping your carpet fresh.
Vacuum Regularly
This one is a must! Get up as much animal hair as you can, as regularly as you can. Make sure that you clear out the filters of the vacuum often as animal hair is great at clogging it up. It will also help to keep on top of any dirt, sand, or dust that can be brought in by cats or dogs after they’ve been outside.
Purchasing a vacuum that specializes in getting up animal fur is can be really helpful if you own a cat or dog. These will be specially designed to pick up animal hairs without clogging, though proper maintenance will be required to keep it working at its best.
Don’t Feed Your Pets On Carpet
It’s best to feed your pets where any spilled food or water can be easily mopped or wiped away. Anywhere that has lino or wood flooring could be suitable.
If you don’t have anywhere else to feed your animals then put a guard down to prevent any spills from getting to your carpet. And if a spill does occur treat it immediately to make sure that there is minimal staining and odor.
Get Your Carpet Professionally Cleaned
Sometimes there’s simply no avoiding it – you need to break out the big guns and have your carpet professionally cleaned. Perhaps the dog tracked in mud before you could wrangle him into the bath or the cat brought his latest hairball up on your prized rug. It is a good idea to get your carpet professionally cleaned at least twice a year if you own pets to keep your carpet at its best.
A professional will be able to remove the smell and stains that can naturally occur when sharing your home with a four-legged friend. Carpet cleaning professionals like Middleton MA Carpet Cleaning Services will make your carpet like new again and can provide specialized services like Oriental rug cleaning which can be invaluable to pet owners.
Groom Your Pet
This can be a real lifesaver for your carpets. Get your pets professionally groomed when you can to reduce the amount of shedding that will go on in the house.
You can also incorporate this into your usual pet care routine by brushing your animals regularly. This will gather any loose hair on the brush and prevent it from going directly onto the carpet.
If your pet is long-haired then this is doubly important. A good routine of grooming at home and professionally can do wonders for your carpet both in terms of hair shedding and odors.
Invest In A Good Odor Remover
All pet owners have likely experienced the odd “accident” with their pets. When this happens you need to make sure you clean up thoroughly and this can be especially difficult with carpet.
Make sure you have a supply of baking soda on hand, which is great for absorbing unpleasant smells – and it won’t break the bank! After you’ve cleaned up the mess and given the area a thorough clean you can simply sprinkle a little onto your carpet. Allow some time for it to absorb the smell and then vacuum up it back up.
This trick can be a lifesaver for when you are between professional cleans, though it is important to get a professional clean as soon as you can after an accident as smells can linger that only a deep clean will reach.
We spent a lot of time outdoors and enjoy taking our cat Romeo along with us. At first he wasn’t fond of getting into a pet stroller and riding around in it. We had to work with him over the course of 2 weeks before …
On December 21st, 2019 we received one of the best Christmas gifts ever! Our daughter took us to a local cat rescue group to introduce us to our new kitty Romeo. At the time he had just turned 3 months old. We instantly fell in-love …