Pet Care Guides

Dog, Cat, and Other Pet Information

Menu
  • Enzyme Cleaner For Pet Urine
  • Dog Care
  • Cat Care
  • Choosing a Dog
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Training
  • Blog

Which is the best steam mop for your home?

By petcare
|
August 2, 2018
| No Comments
| Blog

Just got a Hoover Steam Mop. I have concrete floors and asthma, so I think this is a good solution for me?

What Is The Best Steam Mop?

If you not have free time https://top-trading-app.in/football-betting-sites to read long reviews While the rest of the entries show certain strengths, the steam mop unit that leaves the most impact is the Hoover Steam Mop TwinTank Steam Cleaner WH20200. It comes with more than 10 accessories that allow you to customize the unit depending on the areas that you want to clean. These tools can be stored in the steam canister, so it also becomes handy to get these when you need to use the steam mop again. It allows you to deal with tough areas, with its hose and extension wand. This is also preferred because of the length of its power cord, which gives way for extra mobility while you are using the appliance.

steam-mop-for-home-use

Best Steam Mop For Home Use

Steam mop, an electric device is used to clean and sanitize hard and sealed floor using water and no other chemicals or cleaners. Distilled or demineralized water should be used in order to protect this device.

While cleaning, water is filled up in small reservoir and when either handle of mop is pumped or button of steam is pressed water is heated up to boiling. Due to this steam is generated that flows out through removable cloth of floor cleaning pad. The floor dries up soon due to the formation of steam.

Though there are certain exceptions related to heavy models or dual functions, use of steam mop is much simpler in comparison to regular bucket and mop for cleaning floor as it requires less of work. For the proper cleaning top-trading-app.in/football-betting-sites of the floor it is necessary to keep changing the pads of mop when required.

Sanitizing of your floor would help you to be away from germs and bacteria, it depends upon the steaming capabilities of mop if it is designed in such a manner that it provides enough steam vents and generate sufficient amount of steam for doing a proper job. Thus, steam mops differ from one another depending upon the affectivity of fabric of mop head, its ability to hold and pick up the dirt, performance and handling, thereby giving smear free and clean floor.

Do consider the notes of manufacturer regarding cleaning of floor using steam mop. Steam mop can be used on different hard and sealed surface floors till it is not unused.

The rate of steam mop varies due to different temperatures, designs, and accessories.

There are so many reasons why you ought to invest in a good steam mop. For one, it is versatile. There are certain brands that include accessories that allow you to clean not only the floor, but also the grout, countertops and other hard to reach areas. This electronic appliance can be used to clean hardwoods, laminate, linoleum, ceramic tile, just to name a few.

Another advantage of this appliance over the classic method of cleaning is the faster drying time. This can become too much of a problem, especially when you have kids at home who would not comply www.top-trading-app.in/football-betting-sites with your request to stay put while the floor is still wet. This is easy to use as well. You don’t have to worry about reading a lengthy instruction in order to find out how to get it going. You simply need to fill its reservoir with water, turn on the device and wait until the steam is produced. With a steam mop, you do not have to scrub, but instead you glide the appliance on the floor to get the dirt out.

Top 4 Steam Mops For Your Home

A great proof that this system of cleaning is getting quite popular is the surge of various brands and models of steam mops that are now available in the market. When deciding which one to buy, you have to look into the products’ features, the accessories that are included in the package, the appliances’ measurements, the pros and the cons of each product and the price. After weighing all these considerations, this list was created to help you in deciding which one to get. Here are the top four steam mops that you can choose from. This trimmed options allow you to choose from the products that are highly recommended by many people who have tried using these and those who swore never to get their hands on a traditional mop and bucket with the advent of these advanced appliances.

#1. Hoover Steam Mop TwinTank Steam Cleaner WH20200

This steam mop helps in getting rid of 99.99% of harmful bacteria, with the aid of the Hoover Steam Plus Cleaning Solution. The tandem is tough on cleaning your home, but is gentle and safe to use around children and pets. The cleaning solution does not contain any toxic ingredients and it is completely biodegradable.

You can use the steam alone for every day use, but in order to deal with tougher stains and other types of mess, you will need use little amount of the cleaning solution. This can be used not only on the floor, but on other hard to reach areas up to the walls and ceiling.

It has a TwinTank system, which separates the tanks of pure water to the cleaning solution. The latter will not mix with the water until you have chosen to mix the two.

Pros:

  • It is quite easy to follow the directions on how this steam mop is used. Once you have filled its tank with the required amount of water and added the disinfecting solution to the other tank, the unit can be turned on. It will take about five minutes, as indicated by a green light, before the unit is able to produce steam. You simply need to put the necessary attachments, depending on which part of the house are you going to clean, and you are ready to start the chore.
  • The unit is easy to move about. When the tank is filled with water, its total weight is around 15 pounds.
    The power cord is around 30 feet long, so you won’t have any hassles in reaching areas that are far from your power source.

Cons:

While the unit works well on hard surfaces, it takes longer for the water to dry up when used in fabrics. The main reason for this is the amount of water that it spits out when in use. If ever you decide to use this on your carpet and other upholsteries, you have to follow the steaming process with extraction with the use of a vacuum to make sure that the area will dry really well.

#2. Shark Premium SC630 Portable Steam Pocket

This portable steam pocket multi-surface cleaning system works best by delivering a sufficient amount of steam with the use of the right temperature in order to provide deep cleaning of your floor. It comes along with tools that are uniquely conceptualized, plus the specialized fabrics, to make the process of cleaning easier and more efficient. Its power cord is 20 feet long, which is already enough to let you clean farther areas. The unit comes with specialized cleaning pockets, which serve various purposes, with the same goal and that is to make cleaning fast, safe and effective.

Make sure that you check all its attachments before you buy the unit to make sure that this is really best suited for your home. It may be able to clean the basin, but this won’t work in all shapes. You can still try though by using the other attachments and by placing the unit at various angles until you have discovered the perfect way to clean all areas of your home.

Pros:

  • It comes with attachments that will enable you to clean even a small bathroom, including the mirror, sink, toilet bowl and shower.
  • The process of cleaning using the unit is easy. You won’t smell like chemicals after you are done and you are going to be impressed with what you have done.

Cons:

  • Its long cord can get out of the way at times, especially when you are using the unit in cleaning the baseboards.
    The attachments that the unit comes with may not be able to work well on round areas.
  • The tank has to be refilled with water a lot of times during the cleaning process. This part of the task can really be tiring.
  • It also eats up lots of time to change the attachments, depending on the areas that you ought to clean.
  • You have to be very cautious when fixing the attachments while the product is in use. You can get your hands burned if you are careless in the process. You must also be very alert about how you handle the unit when tilting it on various angles in order to reach difficult areas, to make sure that you don’t suffer from any burns.

#3. Bissell Flip It Bare Floor Cleaner

It makes cleaning easier and efficient and easier in two ways. One, it works as a vacuum cleaner, which can pick up dirt and dust and when the heat is on, it serves as a warm wet mop that can take charge on any sticky residue. It is lightweight and compact, which makes it stress-free to store when not in use. It is slender, so you won’t have a hard time gliding it through even in small spaces.

To start cleaning, it is recommended to first use the vacuum function of the unit. Then, turn it around and turn on its built-in heater to begin using its warmth in deep cleaning the surfaces of your home. It has separate tanks for clean and dirty water, so as you clean your house, you are assured that you are working with the use of clean water. Once done, the floor will easily dry up.

This appliance comes with a soft brush, which can be used in grouts and crevices and a Gentle Clean pad that is ideal for use on laminated surfaces and hardwood. (More Bissell Steam Mop Review)

Pros:

  • Many people commend its effectiveness specifically on hardwood floors. This will leave the surface shiny and without any haze.
  • It is quite easy to maneuver, which makes it perfect for areas with lots of obstacles, such as the toilet and shower room.
  • The heat that it produces is enough to deal with any messes that are hard to get rid of.

Cons:

  • The cord is stiff, so it can get in the way when you are too absorbed in cleaning.
  • Its two water cups are rather small, so you would need to fill up the other and dump the other one, many times during the process.
  • It has a squeegee design, which makes it hard for the cleaning pad to keep still. It can also get tiring to press the release button of the cleaning solution every time you need to use such.

#4. Haan FS20 Plus Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer

The unit is easy to set up. This can be used in less than three minutes of preparation. It promises to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and germs on the surfaces of your home. Its tank can be filled with water that will last for 20 minutes while the steam is in use. This is quite a breeze for those who have used similar units wherein the tanks have to be filled with water every now and then, which makes the cleaning process harder. It is lightweight, which makes it ideal for easy maneuvering and it comes to a carpet glide and two microfiber pads.

The product looks stylish and sleek and works well in cleaning cabinets, hard to reach areas and in deep cleaning the floor, including gaps and corners. It does not utilize any kinds of chemicals in the process. This promotes a clean and healthy way of cleaning your home.

Pros:

  • With its sleek design, the unit can easily glide through the narrow area of the toilet and the wall.
  • No chemicals are used in the process, so this is safe to use around children and pets.
  • The floor pad that it comes with is easy to attach and detach. It can also be washed after use and it dries out easily.
  • The unit has a low profile, so you can efficiently reach under the table and other areas, which cannot be easily reached by similar appliances.

Cons:

  • The cord is not that long, so you have to plug it on different areas in order to finish the cleaning process of all areas of your home.
  • When using the floor pad in steam cleaning, it has a hard time reaching its end, since it’s a bit bigger than the cleaner’s head. You may need to manually clean some corners and boards if you want these areas to be perfectly clean.

How to Find the Best Steam Mop

Are you ready to shop? Here’s a brief guide on how you go about the process of looking for the best-suited steam mop.

1. You have to set a believable expectation. You cannot expect the unit to turn your awfully dirty house into a squeaky clean home. There are certain dirt, stains and other objects that will require you to manually clean the parts or do the process over and over again before you can totally get rid of these elements.

2. The heat from the steam are really able to kill germs and bacteria as advertised by many of the units’ brands. There are models that can produce steam that is hotter than 200° F.

3. Make sure that you first check with the manufacturer of your flooring if it is safe to be exposed to this kind of cleaning tool. It can leave water residues, especially on gaps, which may cause damage on certain finishings, so it is best if you will first ask about the matter from the right expert.

4. It is best that you stack up cleaning pads that will be used for your chosen unit. Although these pads can be machine washed, you would not dare wash it along with your clothes and other linens. It also does not look pleasing to hand wash the material after it has already accumulated dirt and grime.

5. You have to check all the features of the products, which include the following:

Control of the unit’s steam. Choose the model that allows you to set the amount of steam that is required in the process. With this feature, it is only understandable that certain parts of the unit will get hot or might even cause burns, so go for the types that are designed in ways that you won’t easily get into contact with the parts that can get hot while you are using such.

The capacity of the water tank or tanks. It is better if you will get the models that will allow you to use the steam feature without running out of water fast. There are certain models that can be used continuously for up to 45 minutes without the need to refill the tank with water, but there are also units that have to be refilled with water after 10 minutes or even less.

Lights as indicators. The unit of the steam mop has to have specific indicators when it is turned on, when the steam is ready to be used and when the tanks need to be refilled with water. This way, you will get alerted even while you are engrossed in the cleaning process.

The on and off control. It may be risky and hard if the unit that you are using does not have this feature. You would need to pull out the plug when you are done, which can be risky, especially because your hands might get wet with the refilling and manual handling of certain dirt as you clean various parts of your home. It is safer if the unit can be turned on and off with a flick of a switch.

Easy maneuvering. This is something that is quite essential in searching for a good steam mop. You have to find the one that can easily deal with the dirt on tight spaces. Choose the models that are easy to glide and has a swiveling head.

Length of the power cord. This will come in handy, especially when you have a big house and you don’t want to restart the unit every now and then whenever you are changing the area of your home that you are dealing with. The power cord has to be lengthy, but this must also be pliable and not stiff. If it is too stiff, it might get in the way of cleaning and it might also become a problem when you are storing the unit.

Posted in Blog Leave a comment

3 Best Vacuum For Car Detailing: Reviews of the Top Handheld, Cordless & Corded Cleaners

By petcare
|
August 2, 2018
| No Comments
| Blog

Best deep vacuum cleaner for my car? so here’s the deal i have a shopvac which works perfectly but it will not get rid of the stains so i want a deep vacuum cleaner but i dont know alot about vacuums and i want something that works.

The interiors of cars and other vehicles present their own special set of challenges for vacuum cleaners. The small nooks and crannies between the seats and consoles provide a haven for dust, dirt and debris to collect—often just out of reach of a traditional vacuum cleaner.

Car vacuums are especially designed to navigate these tights spots with ease, sparing you the uncomfortable acts of contortion that other models require to reach this spaces. Usually a car vacuum with feature a long, thin nose or a flexible hose attachment for this task.

cordless-car-vacuums

Top 3 Cordless Vacuum Cleaners for Cars Reviews

Of course, most parking spots are far from the reach of electrical outlets— so they must also address the issue of a power source. The most popular solution is to go cordless, powering it with a rechargeable battery. Other models use a special 12V adapter in lieu of a traditional plug, which draws power from the car battery through the vehicle outlet.

If you’re looking for one that came help keep your car spotless and dust-free, there are a few great options to choose from. We evaluated some of the best models on the market today, evaluating each for performance, function design and accessories/attachments.

We also took a deeper look at all the strengths and weaknesses of our top pick, in order to help you find the model that works best for you and your vehicle.

Car Vacuum Reviews

Best Cordless Car Vacuum Under 50: Black & Decker PAV1200W

Our favorite corded model is the Black & Decker PAV1200W, a 12-volt handheld with a long, thin nose that pivots to reach tight spots all around the interior of your car.

The handheld PAV1200W comes with an array of attachments designed especially for car interiors. First, there’s an extendable crevice tool on the end of the pivot nose for that extra little bit of reach. Black & Decker also includes a separate upholstery tool attachment, as well as hose tool for even more range.

All the attachments can be neatly stored in the included bag, alongside the machine itself. The PAV1200W folds in half and includes a cord wrap for compact and tangle-free storage. The cord itself is 16 feet long, allowing you clean every corner of your vehicle with ease while plugged into your 12V adapter.

This auto-vac is bagless, instead collecting dust and debris in an easy-to-empty canister inside the machine. One the dust canister is full, the lid flips up with the press of a button and the canister can be emptied into the trash.

Black & Decker uses a multi-stage filter system, as well as cyclonic technology that keeps the filter clean for a longer period of time. One neat feature of the PAV1200W is the “filter refresh knob” — a dial on the side that brushes dust of the surface of the filter when twisted. This allows you to clean longer without cleaning or changing the filter.

When it’s finally time to deep-clean the filter, it can be easily removed and washed with water (either by hand or in the dishwasher). Black & Decker protects the PAV1200W with a 2-year warranty.

Pros:

  • The Black & Decker PAV1200W is a great tool for commuters, truckers and road-trippers. Unlike our other two picks, this isn’t limited by a short battery life, and doesn’t require an electrical outlet to recharge. It’s a good choice for drivers who spend long periods of time on the road and lack regular access to the grid.
  • Between the pivoting nose and the attachments included alongside the PAV1200W, there’s no part of your vehicle that will escape the reach of this machine. The pivoting nose allows users to navigate easily into the narrow spaces and awkward angles throughout the car interior.
  • Both the extendable crevice tool and flexible hose attachment add even more range from the outlet. Meanwhile, the upholstery tool can be used to dislodge embedded dust and fine debris from the carpet and seats.
  • The PAV1200W is a fairly low-maintenance machine—both the filter refresh knob and cyclonic technology keep the filter clean for longer than other handheld models. Not only does this help it to maintain its suction over time, but it also prolongs the life of the PAV1200W.
  • Finally, the included storage bag allows users to wrap up this machine nice and neat. The PAV1200W folds in a half and the cord can be wrapped around the body of the machine. There’s holders for each of the attachments, making for a compact package that can be stored neatly under the seat or in the trunk of your vehicle.

Cons:

  • Corded models aren’t limited by the short battery life of cordless models, but (somewhat counterintuitively) they usually have weaker suction than modern cordless models. The reduced suction of corded models is caused by the relatively low voltage of the car outlet—less voltage means less suction power.
  • Thus, the PAV1200W is good for surface cleaning, but lacks the necessary suction power to truly deep-clean your interior.

Conclusion:

Convenience is the greatest strength of the Black & Decker PAV1200W—the pivoting nose, included attachments and long cord allow users to vacuum the entire interior of their vehicles with comfort and ease. The corded design allows for longer, uninterrupted vacuum sessions without the need to recharge, making this a great vacuum for extended trips on the road.

It’s not the most powerful vacuum, but the majority of reviewers on Amazon found the suction perfectly adequate for their needs. With its useful attachments, no-stress maintenance, and an impressive reach, the PAV1200W is a highly useful tool for any vehicle owner to keep on hand. Black & Decker PAV1200W is best vacuum cleaner with budget under 100.

Best Handle Vacuum For Car: Black & Decker BDH2000P MAX Pivot

The cordless handle vacuum cleaner Black & Decker BDH2000P MAX Pivot has a very similar design to our top corded pick, with a narrow, flat pivoting nose with a built-in extendable crevice tool.

The Max Pivot has a few key distinguishing features, however, that make it well worth consideration (besides the obvious absence of a power cord). Though it’s not marketed as a car vacuum, the MAX Pivot’s lightweight design and pivoting nose make it perfect for cleaning out vehicle interiors.

This cordless vacuum is powered by a 20V lithium ion battery, which gives it substantial suction power that doesn’t fade as the battery loses charge. The 20V of power provides a surprising amount of suction power, allowing users to deep clean seats and carpet. For even more cleaning power, the MAX Pivot also includes an on-board upholstery brush that snaps into place on the nose of the vacuum.

At full charge, the battery of this vacuum can run for about a continuous 10-15 minutes. The MAX Pivot is recharged via the included standing charging dock, which doubles as a low profile storage spot. It takes 2-3 hours to reach full charge.

The Pivot also features a 3-stage filtration system, including cyclonic technology that spins fine dust away from the filter. Similar to the PAV1200W, the MAX Pivot features a “filter flicker” that dislodges some of the dust from the filter for improved suction.

Pros:

  • Like our first pick, the MAX Pivot features a thin pivoting nose that makes it perfect for cleaning the tight spaces in car interiors. This also includes the extendable crevice tool for improved reach.
  • The MAX Pivot packs substantially more power than the PAV1200W, however, due to its lithium ion battery. Reviewers loved the suction behind the MAX Pivot—many found themselves surprised so much pulling power could be generated by the lightweight, compact vacuum.
  • The lithium ion battery also provides the MAX Pivot with fade-free suction. Older handheld vacuum are usually powered by nickel cadmium batteries, which tend to lose suction as their charge dwindles. But newer lithium battery in the Pivot keeps the suction at a constant strength until the battery is completely drained. Lithium batteries can also hold more charge than their NiCd counterparts.
  • The cyclonic action in this vacuum also helps keep the suction going strong, pulling finer dust particles away from the filter. The filter flicker can also be used to “refresh” the filter, loosening some of the embedded dust to improve the suction.

Cons:

  • Compared to the PAV1200W, the MAX Pivot’s biggest downside is its limited battery life. The cordless design requires users to be economical with power, turning the vacuum on and off to conserve battery charge.
  • It also doesn’t include the hose tool attachment that accompanies the PAV1200W, which limits the reach of the MAX Pivot.

Conclusion:

The Black & Decker MAX Pivot is an impressively powerful handheld vacuum that does a great job get pet hair on car interiors. Similar to the PAV1200, the long thin nose of the MAX Pivot reaches spots other vacuums can’t within the tight confines of your vehicle.

The lithium ion battery provides a longer lifespan and consistent suction power that’s impressive for a handheld vacuum. With tons of cleaning power, great performance and a vehicle-friendly design, the MAX Pivot is easily one of the best handheld vacuums for cleaning your car interior on the market.

Top Quality Pick Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaner For Car: Dyson V6 Trigger

n the vacuuming world, Dyson has built a reputation for creating some of the highest performing models around. Dyson produces futuristic, sleek-looking vacuums that consistently earn the praise of consumers and expert reviewers alike.

Of course, Dyson vacuums have also earned a reputation for their high price tags. If you’re looking for the best of the best from your next car vacuum, however, we recommend the Dyson V6 Trigger.

The V6 Trigger is the cordless, handheld model from Dyson’s popular V6 line—so called because of the powerful V6 motors under the hood of these vacuums. Though more compact in size, the Trigger packs the same power and performance that has made the other V6 models so popular.

The lightweight V6 Trigger weighs about 3 pounds. Like other V6 vacuums, it features a trigger control to turn the vacuum on. This helps preserve the battery life, as the vacuum will only run while the trigger is engaged. The Trigger also has a “power mode” for boosting the vacuum’s suction.

Like the MAX Pivot, the V6 Trigger runs on lithium ion battery, which provides the vacuum with fade-free suction for the duration of the battery life. The fully charged battery provides about 20 minutes of runtime, or 6 minutes in power mode, and it takes about 3 and a half hours to recharge.

Also similar to our other cordless pick, the V6 Trigger features cyclonic action to spin the fine dust away from the filter, keeping the suction running strong for a longer period of time. The filter itself is washable, and will never need replacing.

To empty out the vacuum, the dust canister features a one touch quick button release that ensures you don’t have to get your hands dirty. The V6 Trigger come with a crevice tool and combination attachment tool, which is an upholstery brush with a retractable crevice tool. The Trigger has a two year warranty.

Pros:

  • The Dyson V6 Trigger features the most powerful suction of any handheld vacuum on the market—despite its lightweight and powerful build. Most users found that the unboosted normal mode was sufficient for tackling most messes, but the enhanced power mode setting is a particularly useful feature for tackling more stubborn messes.
  • The suction generated by the V6 Trigger’s powerful motor is perfect for pulling dust from deep within the upholstery, aided by the useful brush on the combination tool attachment. The crevice helps you reach those tough spots. The Trigger does an equally superb job on debris particles both large and small, usually requiring only a single pass over to clean an area.
  • It’s also a very easy vacuum to use—the lightweight body of the Trigger allows you to vacuum for extended periods of time without leaving you with sore arms. The body of the vacuum feels balanced in the hand, with more of the weight distributed toward the grip.
  • Meanwhile, the trigger control on this vacuum allows you to conserve battery life, and requires minimal finger strength to hold down. One touch hygienic bin emptying is a nice feature as well, allowing for a quick and clean disposal of dust and debris.
  • Like the MAX Pivot, the lithium ion in this battery gives it fade-free suction. The Trigger also has the longest battery life of any handheld cordless vacuum that we’ve found, allowing for a thorough vacuuming session in your vehicle with charge leftover.

Cons:

  • Of course, the biggest downside of the Dyson V6 Trigger is the price tag, which is many times the cost of our other two picks. Many shoppers may be hesitant to spend Dyson’s asking price on a handheld vacuum.
  • Some reviewers found the dust container on the Trigger to be a bit small for their liking. You may want to keep a trash bag or bin on hand when vacuuming your car, so you won’t have to be interrupted by frequent trips to empty the canister.

Conclusion:

If you have the budget for this vacuum, the Dyson V6 Trigger is well-worth the extra cost. With excellent design and the best cleaning performance on the market, this cordless handheld vacuum may actually make you look forward to cleaning out your car.

Dyson packs the V6 Trigger with lots of useful features that seem made for car vacuuming, including a boosted power mode for tougher messes. With an impressive battery life and fade-free power, the V6 is truly the top performer among handheld vacuums.

Guide How to Properly Vacuum Your Car Like A Pro?

Which is the Best Car Vacuum for You?

Corded vacuums like the Black & Decker PAV1200W provide virtually unlimited run times, allowing you to thoroughly clean the entire breadth of your vehicle interior. This particular model from Black & Decker provides the perfect tools to reach every inch of your car, including a pivoting nose, hose attachment, extra long power cord, and a built-in crevice tool.

The Black & Decker MAX Pivot features a similar design in cord-free form, with the added benefit of stronger suction. Powered by a lithium ion battery, the MAX Pivots offers a powerful, fade-free cleaning power and comes at a reasonable cost.

If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum for cleaning your vehicle, we recommend the Dyson V6 Trigger. The V6 Trigger features a powerful V6 motor that provides the best suction of any handheld cordless vacuum on the market. Lightweight, well-designed and powerful, the Trigger offers outstanding cleaning power and ease-of-use.

Posted in Blog Leave a comment

How to keep your house from smelling like dog?

By petcare
|
July 13, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

I bathe my very furry dog once a week and I am just afraid that my home will start smelling like dog soon. We just got him 2 weeks ago, so I haven’t noticed anything yet, but I would like to keep it that way. I walked in my house the other day, and was hit with dog smell. Does anyone recommend any shampoos or cologne brands for dogs? I am ready to rip out all my rugs and put vinyl down. Any good tips on keeping your home from smelling like a dog?

how to keep your house from smelling like dog

Consumer how to keep your house from smelling like dog include comments such as:

The most important thing is to potty train the animals, which I assume is already done. Second the animals should be bathed on a semi-regular basis. At least enough so that the animals doesn’t smell. If the animals still smells it is probably because of glands they has in their anal area. If you are really close to your dogs you can do it yourself, but the easier choice is to have them bathed at the the vet or another place where they can be washed, whenever this becomes a problem, but be sure to ask them to do it. Otherwise they may forget. febreeze wouldn’t hurt either.

You should always dry their feet of it is wet outside, and wash the feet if it is really muddy outside.

Firstly, you’re bathing your dog too much. If you brush him daily, especially outside, that will mitigate any dog smell. You really shouldn’t bathe a dog more than once a month, if that. We only bathe ours if they’re particularly muddy or stinky. Secondly, as long as you clean and vacuum your house regularly you will not have a problem. I have 9 dogs and while I am a Febreze advocate, I also advise just keeping a window or two open so air can circulate. My house does not smell like dogs at all.

Giving your dog the best diet possible will keep him from smelling. I gotta admit, your comment about the smegma made me throw up a little in my mouth. you should be cleaning that with a warm, wet towel- or it WILL smell.

when you sweep your floors, sprinkle down a little baby powder first. it will help to lift hair and dirt, and will make your floor smell a lot better between washings. if he’s urinating on his paws, you can teach him to stand up in the bathroom at the sink to have his feet washed when you bring him in.

I don’t recommend any particular shampoo, because i have APBT and Bandogges, so the only time they get bathed is when they play in something nasty, or get really muddy, and then it’s an emergency, so i usually use my Dr. Bronner’s Almond oil soap (that i use on myself). it’s safe and natural, and works pretty well ( just follow the instructions all over the bottle: “Dilute, dilute, dilute!!”) the rest of the time i just brush them down and wipe them with a damp towel to remove dust and extra fur.

I have 4 boxers and very rarely does it stink of dog the key

1 – i have laminate flooring and tiles mop twice daily with an odour neutraliser like zoflora

2 – have windows open every day for at least an hour

3 – plug in febreeze and/spray febreeze

4 – Washing beds regularly

But the truth is if you have carpet its very hard to stop the smell as hairs mould into the carpet and regulat carpet cleans are needed. Any accidents need tobe thoroughly cleaned straight away and maybe a full clean once your puppy is potty trained i always find simple warm water and soap a good way if my dogs ever go upstairs on the carpet!!!

 

The “dog smell” is because you have dogs. You’re going to have the smell regardless. I’ve found that heavily scented candles placed near ‘dog spots’ [the bed, the door, your room, crates, etc] work to cover it up. I also light a candle every two hours to make sure that we don’t have the dog smell lingering.

Bathe your dogs regularly, use cleaner on the spots that they have accidents, wash bedding and blankets every week [both hygenic and a good way to eliminate smells].

I steam clean once a week along with daily vacuuming. When I vacuum I sprinkle down some baking soda half an hour in advance and it helps to get rid of any doggy smells in the carpets.

My guys also have scented collars that they wear when we expect company over. We soak their “company collars” [nylon, water proof] in a deodorizing agent [febreeze, liquid candle, etc] for a few minutes and put them on before people come over. It makes them, and anything they walk around, smell good.

Its a lot to go through, but its worth it. I ask my non-dog owning friends every once in a while if they can tell we have a dog and the answer is usually no.

11 Tips How to Manage Pet Odors

1. Keep Your Home Clean. Let’s start with the obvious — cleaning your home on a regular basis is a must if you want to get rid of unwanted pet odors. Vacuuming, dusting, mopping, and washing fabrics are a few of the most important tasks that you must frequently complete if you’re going to have any hope of competing with Eau de Fido.

2. Keep Your Pet Clean, Too. Another must is to frequently clean and groom your pet — from baths to brushing, keeping your furry friend fresh will go a long way in keeping your home smelling likewise. Even little things like nail clipping and tooth brushing (if your pet will allow it) can have a big impact. If you have a particularly difficult candidate, a grooming service may be the way to go.

3. And Don’t Forget to Clean Your Pet’s Stuff. Not only does your pet need to be kept in tip top shape, all of its accessories need to be maintained as well. Clean your animal’s bedding, toys, dishes, cage, and litter box on a weekly basis.

4. Be Smart About the Litter Box. Cat litter is a biggie, so here are a few tips where the box is concerned:

It may sound crazy, but if you have the space it’s recommended that you have at least one litter box per cat.
Litter box selection is key — be sure that you choose a little box that is large enough that your cat doesn’t accidentally go outside of the box, and preferably choose one with a cover and filter to help contain any odors.
Find the right litter for you and your pet(s) — try a few different brands until you find one that works best at keeping the smell under control.

Mix baking soda into your cat’s litter as an added defense against odor.

Scoop the litter box at least once daily, but the more frequently the better. If this isn’t possible, consider one that automatically does the work for you (you just have to remember to empty it at least once a day.)

Location, location, location — make sure you place the litter box in the most removed and/or contained spot in the house, whether that be the basement, bathroom, or even a closet.

5. Air Out Your House. Even in the colder months, opening windows and doors once a week for even ten minutes can make a huge difference in your home’s air quality.

6. De-Odorize Floors. Sprinkle baking soda on carpets a few hours before vacuuming them to help absorb any trapped odors, or better yet, replace wall-to-wall carpeting with a harder surface like wood, laminate, or tile.

7. If You Can’t Beat It, Cover It Up. Use air neutralizers and masking scents like cleverly placed dryer sheets, carpet fresheners, scented candles, plug-in air fresheners, and sprays.

8. Change Your Filters. Install a HEPA air filtration system and replace any filters in your home on a regular basis. Additionally, be sure that the air ducts are periodically cleaned.

9. Take Care of Your Furniture. Don’t allow pets on your furniture, or, if you must, choose your furniture wisely — leather is more pet friendly than fabric, metal is more durable and easier to clean than wood. If your pet has a favorite place to repose, a well-placed throw is much easier to clean than a sofa cushion.

10. Choose Rugs Wisely. Pick rugs that are low pile, easy to clean (like the indoor-outdoor variety), or easy to replace like FLOR tiles.

11. Seal It Up. If all else fails, try sealing your floors and walls. Even priming and painting can go a long way as well. If you’ve done all of this and still have a strong pet odor lingering in your home, it may be time to call the professionals.

12. Vacuum, vacuum, and then vacuum some more. After dealing with your hardwoods, linoleum, and tile floors, it is time to turn your attention to your carpets.

Your carpets hold an incredible amount of hair, dust and dander, so you’ll want to vacuum every square inch of carpet in your home, including any area rugs (ideally, you’ll want to be using short pile, dog-friendly rugs that that are easy to vacuum).Once you’re done with the carpets, vacuum all of your furniture (be sure to get all of the cracks and crevices) and curtains with the appropriate attachments.

While just about any vacuum will help collect some of the smelly things hiding in your carpet, you may want to consider purchasing a vacuum specifically designed for homes with pets. We reviewed some of the best ones a while back, so be sure to check out our recommendations for best pet handheld vacuums if you are in the market for a new model.

Always empty the canister (if present) after vacuuming your home and be sure to change or clean out the air filters frequently to keep it operating at peak efficiency.

Guide remove pet pee smell from carpet infographic

removing-pet-pee-from-carpet

We got a new puppy a week ago. We’ve been pretty good about getting her outside to potty, but she has had a couple of “accidents” I can already smell that the house is getting that “dog owner” smell. We also have two inside cats, but I know what to do to handle their stink, lol. What do I do to keep the house smelling presentable?

Consumer how to keep your house from smelling like cats include comments such as:

My cat has this habit of marking the carpet where he’s thrown up. And when I use an enzymatic cleaner (I have mainly tried Nature’s Miracle and a vinegar mixture) he goes right back to that spot and pees there to cover the cleaner smell. He hates it! I’ve found that if I catch the vomit spot before he really gets to it and scrub the carpet with just some water and maybe a little bit of soap, he usually leaves it alone. Otherwise, all bets are off. The only way to keep him from going back to a spot he’s marked is to lay down either a rug to cover it or some sheets of aluminum foil over the spot. And trust me, having patches of aluminum foil scattered around the apartment is obviously less than idea. But nothing else seems to work. I seriously have dreams of having my own place someday where I can install some nice heavy duty laminate floor or something. Anything but carpet.

The very best odor remover for kittie & dog odors is something our vet turned us onto, called KOE. It’s a concentrate that you mix with water, and then mop with or spot treat carpet/laundry. (It smells like a *really* strong Pinesol when wet, so have a window open while you’re cleaning. The smell goes away, along with the pet smell, after it’s dry.) I’ve used it on hardwood and tile, and yucky dog bed laundry and it works way better than even the enzyme cleaners. It’s the only thing that’s made living with a FLUTD cat possible. We buy it on Amazon; I’ve never seen it in any local stores. Our vet said it was something they bought through a medical distributor, so I think that’s why it’s not widely known.

My solution for my cat’s litter box in our tiny apartment: jumbo disposable litter box (natures miracle) + silica crystal litter (dr elseys “long hair”, despite my cat having the sleekest of short fur) + a plastic roof/cover. Once a month the entire box and litter is tossed and the roof washed with vinegar. There is literally no smell whatsoever, even to my incredibly sensitive-nosed mother. The one downside is the litter still gets scattered and the pieces are pretty sharp. I’ve also used and liked everclean multi-cat clumping, but since the litter box is in the bathroom the clay turned to cement on the floor. It has a light fresh scent that is, in my opinion, much better than the smell if clay, and way better than the disgusting fake floral smell of most scented litters.

 

Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

How to remove dog hair from clothes in washing machine?

By petcare
|
July 12, 2018
| 1 Comment
| Dog Care

Is there any way to do this in the washer or in the dryer? Dog hair gets on my dogs’ blankets when they lay on them and on their towels from baths. Not to mention my shirts from holding and cuddling them. Any tips/tricks on a way to get it off while the laundry was in the washing machine or dryer would be appreciated. I am looking for a way that I don’t have to remove it individually from each item of clothing. How can I get dog hair off the clothes I am washing/drying? Thanks.

remove dog hair from clothes in washing machine

“The problem with cats and dogs is that they shed.” Shedding is a common complaint of people who prefer homes free of pet hair to the joys of having a pet. But do we have to choose?

To a point, yes. If you don’t want any pet hair in your home, don’t get a pet. However, we can reduce the problem of pet hair on furniture and clothing with these approaches:

  •  Reduce the amount of pet hair that your cats and dogs shed
  • Choose fabrics that attract less pet hair
  • Remove pet hair from clothing and furniture
  • Accept some pet hair as a part of life

Reduce the amount of pet hair that your cats and dogs shed

Look for causes of pet hair loss. Pet hair loss is normal. Animals shed seasonally, and indoors animals may shed more because their systems can’t detect seasonal changes as well. Moreover, unexpected temperature swings may cause pet hair to shed and regrow more often.

However, some animals may have hair loss for reasons beyond seasonal changes. If your pet is shedding excessively, try changing his diet. If he’s under stress, try to alleviate his stress. Take him to your veterinarian to be checked for any medical causes of hair loss.

Brush your pet regularly. Daily brushing removes loose hair before it gets on you and throughout your home. Brushing also helps keep your pet’s coat healthier.Bathe your dog. Bathing your dog also reduces loose hair.

Choose fabrics that attract less pet hair

For your furniture and wear-at-home clothing, consider fabrics that pet hair doesn’t stick to as well. Denim, for example, doesn’t attract pet hair as much as to some other fabrics. Pet hair is less likely to stick to some garments that have been washed a lot than to newer garments. Polyester, rayon, and nylon also attract less hair than some fabrics do.

Fabric furniture collects pet hair. Pet hair does not stick to leather furniture, however, and any pet hair that the animal sheds while on leather furniture can be easily brushed off. Suede furniture is also easier to remove pet hair from than fabric furniture is.

Protect your clothing and furniture

You want to spend quality time with your pets, but you don’t need your pets to spend quality time with your clothing. Keep your closet door closed, and be sure to put clothes away when you aren’t wearing them.

If you allow your pets on furniture, put a towel on their favorite place to sleep. Encourage them to use that spot and that spot only. You can remove the towel when you have company.

For cars, a pet car robe covers the back seat of the car, protects it from pet hair, adds comfort for your dog, and is easy to put on and take off.

A variety of techniques make pet hair removal easier

Pet hair removal from clothing during laundry

If your dryer has a lint trap, it will catch a lot of pet hair while your clothing is in the dryer. To increase its effectiveness, use a fabric softener sheet in the dryer. Better yet, use liquid fabric softener during the wash cycle as well. But avoid using scented versions of both — the combined scent may be too strong.
To increase its effectiveness, empty the lint trap after every load.

Pet hair removal around the home

Lint brushes and lint rollers can be used to remove pet hair. So can masking or packing tape wrapped around your hand or rolled into a ball with the sticky side out. Rub it along the fabric grain.

Rubber gloves (particular those with ridges) and damp sponges also pick up pet hair fairly well.

Vacuum regularly, daily if necessary. Rub fabric furniture with a used fabric softener sheet before vacuuming to loosen the pet hair.

Accept some pet hair as a part of life

While we can do a lot to reduce the amount of pet hair that spreads through our homes, we can’t eliminate it completely. We can accept it as a small trade-off for the love and companionship that our pets give us.

How do you remove dog hair from blankets?

Step 1: Remove lint and hair from your blanket with a lint brush or roller. You can also use Velcro curlers or a rubber glove by brushy them across the blanket in short strokes. Hang the blanket over your shower curtain rod and lint roll both sides of the blanket.

Step 2: Wash the blanket in the washing machine following the care instructions. Add liquid fabric softener and 1 cup of vinegar to the wash load. Do not wash blankets with lint-producing items like towels or sweaters.

Step 3:  Empty the lint trap for your dryer before you dry your blanket.

Step 4: Put your blanket in the dry on low heat. Use a dryer sheet and a dryer ball to attract lint and lift it away from the blanket.

Step 5: Hang the blanket over the shower curtain rod when it is dry. Use a lint brush or roller to remove any hair that is left on the blanket.

How do I reduce cat hair in my home?

Get Out the Brush

Your best defense against the onslaught of feline hair is daily — or at least several-times-weekly — brushing. Most cats enjoy a good session with the brush, but if yours doesn’t, start off by letting her sniff and investigate the brush, then give just one or two gentle strokes before putting the brush away. Build up the brushing sessions slowly until your cat tolerates a thorough grooming. Slicker brushes or shedding combs dig down deep to remove loose hair. Brushing your cat also reduces the amount of hair she swallows while grooming, thus cutting down on unpleasant vomiting of hairballs.

Feed Quality Food

Diet plays a role in the health of your cat’s coat. Feeding low-quality food with a high content of grains and carbohydrates, instead of the hearty helping of the protein and fat cats need, can lead to excessive shedding, dandruff or other skin and fur conditions. Look for a balanced cat food that has a protein source as the first ingredient, not wheat or corn. Both canned and dry cat food are healthy choices, but canned food offers extra moisture, something many cats don’t get enough of on their own.

Vacuum Regularly

When you own a cat or dog, the vacuum cleaner is your friend. Plan on vacuuming at least once per week, more often if you have multiple cats, a family member suffers with allergies or you just can’t stand to have hair on your carpets and furniture. Look for a vacuum that specifies it does a good job on pet hair, and includes accessories for cleaning upholstery and draperies. Though bagless vacuums are convenient, cat hair can eventually clog up the filters and motor, reducing suction. Clean your vacuum’s filters and rollers frequently to keep it working smoothly.

When to See the Vet

Sometimes excessive shedding indicates a medical condition that needs treatment from your veterinarian. If Fluffy has bald patches, scratches herself frequently, has reddened skin or sores, or just generally appears unwell, it’s time for a visit to the vet. Health problems that affect the coat include allergies, thyroid or other hormonal imbalances, pregnancy, stress and infections. Your vet will examine your pet and recommend treatment for any diagnosed disorders. If your pet has allergies, your vet may prescribe special food formulated for sensitive cats.
How do you get pet hair out of laundry?

Try using one of the green Scotch-Brite scrub sponges and lightly brush across the item that needs to be de-haired. This method might even work better if you wet the sponge and wring out as much water as possible.

Do you remember old velcro curlers? The larger the curler’s barrel, the easier it is to brush the surface of the fabric. You can still find them at most drugstores.

Use a yellow rubber household glove – the kind you use to wash dishes. Put the glove on and get it wet. Shake off the excess water and run your gloved hand along the clothing surface.

While it is not very economical, you can try tumbling the clothes in the dryer for 15-20 minutes. The lint trap will catch a lot of the hair, but you’ll usually need to use one of the other listed methods to be completely pet hair free.

Tips Get Rid of Pet Hair for Good!

First it’s floors

To some degree, every pet owner has to make peace with the fact that there will simply be some pet hair. Likewise, you’ve probably already accepted that you have regular vacuuming to do to get rid of it. But here are some ways to reduce your labor on the floors.

Hard floor surfaces

Instead of a vacuum, switch to an electrostatic dust mop for hard floors, at least for a first pass. Vacuum exhausts can send hair flying around back onto surfaces, defeating the whole purpose of vacuuming. Even the action of a broom can send hair flying. Instead, something like a Swiffer will actually catch the hair in its place. You can even switch out the disposable wipes with a microfiber cloth, which also has that essential electrostatic charge. (I like this option since you can reuse the cloth several times, and it gets laundered instead of tossed.) find Best Cordless Vacuum For Pet Hair.

Carpeted floors and area rugs

Before vacuuming, dust baking soda over the carpets (no surprise coming from me, right?). This helps loosen the hair and also deodorizes at the same time (double win!).

You can also use a dry rubber squeegee or rubber broom to lift up any pet hair from carpets. It might freak you out slightly and cause slight rage at your vacuum (why is it missing so much?!), but man, does it ever work. Just “rake” an area with the tool in short, fast strokes and you’ll see hair peeling up off the carpet.

If your carpet corners and edges are darkened, it means you’ve got a hefty hair build-up you need to deal with. Put on a rubber glove, wet the pointer finger, then drag it across the area where the carpet meets the baseboard. (Insert shame face here.)

Finally, if you’ve got the budget for it, get a robot vacuum. This machine doesn’t complain, it just vacuums all day and all night, on your command, managing pet hair so you don’t have to. Plus, it totally amuses the pets!

Next furniture

You may have noticed that I’m going against my usual rule to clean a room from the top down—I don’t recommend touching your furniture until you’ve vacuumed or Swiffered/swept the floors first, or else hair will just fly around and re-settle, and you’ll be caught in a never-ending battle of you vs. rogue pet hair (I’ve been there—guess who wins?). For pet owners, my rule is to sandwich the cleaning of the rest of the room between two solid floor-vacuuming sessions (annoying, I know, but it really works)!

Furniture finishes such as wood, glass, laminate, etc.

To deal with pet hair on non-upholstered furniture, like wood, laminate, or glass, consider using a microfiber cloth lightly spritzed with just water. The electrostatic charge of microfiber will attract the hair, and the water helps make it slightly sticky. That’s really all you need to do—but be mindful of how full of hair the cloth gets, and be prepared to change it often, so that you don’t re-deposit hair all over the place.

Upholstered furniture

For hair on upholstery, you can of course use a vacuum or a lint roller, but you can also try this hack: Dampen a clean sponge, rubber glove, or rubber squeegee, then rub the item along the upholstery and watch the hair come up. You can also pick up a specialty product for this, like a Lilly Brush.

Blankets and pet beds

If your pet has a favorite hot spot on your furniture, place a washable blanket right on it, to prevent it from becoming fur-niture. We have blankets all over our sofa and ottoman, and when guests come over, we get rid of them. They really do help manage the hair.

Speaking of blankets, if you have a pet bed, wash it frequently to prevent odors. Just follow the instructions on the care label.

HVAC and ducts

Pet owners, get your air ducts cleaned as regularly as you can swing. Hair and dander settle there and can get re-circulated, meaning more hair to clean for you. Same goes for your furnace filter: change it frequently to help rid the house of accumulated pet hair and dander.

Laundry time

Of all the pet hair questions we get asked, this one has to be the biggest area of concern. Many of you still see pet hair on freshly cleaned clothes (happens to me too). Here’s the best trick I’ve learned to do away with pet hair on clean clothes: Loosen the pet hair up before washing, before the agitation of the machines actually weaves the hair more deeply into our duds, and we’ll have a good chance of getting rid of it.

Start by placing clothing in the dryer for 10 minutes on a heat-free, tumble-only cycle. This will help loosen the hair. Remember to empty your dryer vent. Smart, right?!

Now, shake each garment out before placing in the washing machine to rid it of any extra hair, and wash as you normally would. You can even add in ½ cup of white vinegar, which will help the fabric fibers relax, and of course, loosen any extra hair.

Once the wash is done, shake each garment out again before placing into the dryer. Dry using a regular tumbling cycle. Dryer sheets can help reduce static cling, which helps break the bond between remaining hair and clothing. You can also use dryer balls—I use as many as I can find per load!

Finally, pet grooming

Remember, every hair you can manage to remove from your pet is one less hair you have to clean up.

Brushing

We have a Furminator and a few other similar brushes. Malee really, truly loves it and asks to be groomed often. Paislee on the other hand, feels it’s torture! So, we go easy on her. But oh boy, does that Furminator get rid of hair. Malee sheds less whenever I use it. The same tool is available for dogs, and the same concept applies. I highly recommend it.

When brushing, if you have a dog or outdoor cat and the weather permits, do it outside so that the hair can fly around out there and not inside your house. If you have to do it indoors, lay your pet on a towel while brushing to catch more hair.

Bathing

Yes, cats bathe themselves, but giving them a bath every now and then rids them of excess dander. Just be prepared for some cartoon-level resistance. Monthly bathing is best for dogs. Here’s a neat dog groomer’s secret I came across: if you want to get all the shedding undercoat out, start by brushing the dog, then shampoo twice and use conditioner. Rinse really well each time to get rid of clumps of hair. Finish off by drying the dog (be sure to cover his or her ears, and do not use the dryer on any sensitive parts!). Brush well after completely dry and then—wait for it—repeat the entire process! I know how it sounds. But if you do it twice, you’ll get rid of so much extra hair! If the thought of this overwhelms you, take your dog to a professional groomer and have them perform a special shedding treatment twice a year (which is basically what this is). This is especially helpful to do during shedding season (spring and fall).

Pet vacuum cleaner

Dyson makes an animal hair attachment called the Groom Tool. Essentially, you can vacuum your pet, if they’ll let you. (Mine sure won’t!)

I hope these tips enlighten you and give you hope for a pet hair-free home (at least, a much more pet hair-free home). It does take a few changes to your cleaning routine, but you will notice a big reduction in the volume of pet hair around the house. When in doubt? You can always grab your trusty lint roller.

Best cordless vacuum cleaner to get rid of pet hair

There are a few great models that effectively tackle pet hair on hardwood floors, and the best pick for you is a matter of your personal preferences and your budget. you can find best vacuum cleaner for pet hair under $100.

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced upright, check out the Hoover WindTunnel MAX. Hoover’s Windtunnel technology has won over many fans for its boosted performance on pet hair and other debris, and this particular model earns some of the best marks in consumer tests for hardwood floors and pet hair.

Our favorite canister model is the Kenmore Elite 21814 Intuition, a bagged canister vacuum that produces huge amounts of suction. It’s an especially good fit for homes with a mixture of carpets and hardwood, and comes with a host of useful and effective attachments.

Those on a shoestring budget should check out the BISSELL PowerEdge, our favorite wallet-friendly pet hair vacuum for hardwood floors. The PowerEdge offers a lot for its low price—its V-shaped head does a great job picking up debris both large and small, and the slim, lightweight body reaches tight corners often neglected by larger vacuums.

What are the most effective ways you rid your laundry of pet hair? Any special products you use?

Posted in Dog Care 1 Comment

Washing and Grooming Dogs – Keeping Dogs Clean

By petcare
|
July 1, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

Washing and Grooming Dogs – Keeping Dogs Clean.

To keep a dog clean requires washing or brushing, or both. The less washing the better, and unless the dog is a white one and looks dirty or smells a little doggy, stick to the brush as long as possible. There are many dog brushes, just as we have a variety of dogs’ coats. Collies, setters, and those with a good quality of coat will do well enough with the better sort of dandy-brush, such as is used in the stable. The fibres are long enough and coarse enough to penetrate to the skin and clean that well. Then for a top polish the bristle-glove or the brush with the flexible leather and strap-back will answer admirably, polishing the coat and thoroughly separating it, so that it shows to the best advantage. The finer and shorter the coat, the finer the brush that may be used, until it comes to the long-coated toys such as those of the Pomeranians, spaniels, or Yorkshires. For Pomeranians a special brush is made, with good length of bristles and not all the same length; for Yorkshires, a fine bristle and a rounded front. As to the Yorkshire terriers such as we see at shows they are quite unsuitable for the house, as they have to be kept in the most artificial manner so as to grow and preserve the coat as we see it on exhibition specimens. The toy spaniels are different, however, their coats being of moderate length, of more substance, and not so liable to break when being brushed. In all long-coated dogs be par- ticular to comb or brush the coat thoroughly at the back of the ears, and also about the hind-quarters, for it will otherwise become matted.

When it is deemed necessary to wash a dog, use the best quality of soap, whether special dog-soap or toilet-soap. The strong common soaps take the polish from the coat, and it will take a day or so to come on again. Use plenty of water, regulating its warmth according to the breed of dog and its ability to stand cold water. If the dog is not averse to the bath, begin at the head and lather well, being as quick as possible in the operation and doing it thoroughly. If you are using a carbolic soap or any flea-killer of strong quality, follow immediately with a plain soap lather and wash out. Have ready another bath or sufficient water to refill the one being used, and let this be colder than the first with more than the chill off, and for strong dogs in the summer-time let it be cold water. It is preferable to put the dog in the empty tub or bath, and let an attendant pour on the clean water from a jug or water-pot while you rinse out the coat with both hands so as to remove every particle of the soap. On large and hardy dogs you can use the lawn water-pipe. This cooler bath not only cleans out the soap, but to a great extent prevents colds.

As it takes considerable time to soap large dogs with a cake of soap and get a good lather, it will be found more convenient to shave the soap and dissolve it in warm water, using this either by laving it on with the hand as needed or pouring it along the back and rubbing the lather down the sides. Some dogs object to being washed, but no matter how fractious they may be, a little patience and firmness never fails to quiet them. In such cases wash the body first, and when they are quieted do the head. Let them know that they must submit, and they will. The toys are more likely to be the worst, but as they know the ashamed tone of voice very well, hold the little rascals down by their forelegs and talk to them seriously. If on letting go one of the legs a toy dog does not struggle, tell him what a nice little dog he is, and he is very certain to behave himself. If he does not, then repeat the process till he does.

Now comes the hardest part of the process, the drying. Here again weather and the variety of the dog create differences. A good, hardy ter- rier in the summer-time is a very different thing from a toy in the winter. Having thoroughly rinsed all soap from the coat, empty the bath, and placing the dog in it or some place where the drip from the coat will not damage anything, squeeze as much of the water out as you can, running the hands the way of the coat and down the legs, squeezing the foot. After that take a sponge and go over the coat in a similar manner. If the dog is not long-coated so as to get snarled, the sponge may be rubbed up and down in the coat and will be found to absorb much of the water. The next proc- ess is rubbing with a towel, and this should continue till the coat is well dried, more particularly in cold weather, and in the case of delicate dogs, or of those which cannot be liberated for a smart run in the warm sunshine on account of their being prepared for show. This point will be treated later. You cannot err in drying the dog well, so do it thoroughly and in the case of toys use dry, warm towels, thereafter applying a warm brush and the hands till no trace of dampness remains in the coat. In the country in sum- mer time, when one has a good lawn on which to let a dog run, the sun and breeze will assist materially in the drying process, though one must use judgment, for some dogs are almost too delicate for this exposure unless the weather is exceedingly favourable.

There is no question that strong soap will take the polish off a dog’s coat, but it is perhaps not altogether that. If a person takes a very warm bath, or washes his face in hot water, there is a very decided subsequent feel- ing of dryness about the skin, which is not the case when cold or tepid water is used. The hot water of itself takes away the natural tone of the skin, and it must have a similar effect upon the hair of the dog, hence the advisa- bility of using as cool water as the conditions will permit.

Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

Care of Dog Puppies

By petcare
|
June 30, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

The mother dog should have all the freedom possi ble before giving birth to her puppies. She should also have an extra amount of food. It is far better to let her have freedom and choose her own place to cradle her young ; or if this is impossible, a comfortable, well-drained kennel, quiet, retired from people and dogs should be provided for her. The puppies are carried by the mother nine weeks, and are born blind. Their eyes open in eight to ten days. The mother should be left alone in their earliest care.

Care of Dog Puppies

While she is nursing her litter she should be given plenty of easily digested food, which should be salted, and have in it plenty of oily matter. She should not be allowed to bring up too large a litter, never more than eight, and fewer according to her size. If the puppies are thin, one or more should be taken away.

As soon as the puppies are old enough to take food from us, they should be fed four times a day, and milk should be a large part the food. If vegetables or m\ish are given with it, there should be twice as much of milk. As it is desirable that puppies should eat all that is possible, tjiey may be fed more than they can eat, but the remains must be cleaned up each time. A dry dog biscuit should be given the puppy to gnaw when he is about eight weeks old, so that the teeth may be strengthened and kept clean, but he should never oe given a hard bone. Phosphated lime or bone-dust should be scattered over the puppy’s food from time to time to help in forming his bones. Puppies should never be lifted by the neck as we lift a kitten, but should be lifted by placing both hands beneath the body.

If puppies are afflicted with fleas they should be washed carefully and dried in a warm atmosphere, and their kennels disinfected. Many recommend Dec/ter’s cream of parasites, which may be used with safety with excellent results in freeing dogs from fleas; or they may be washed with Spratt’s or Jeyes’ soaps, and izal used afterwards.

Puppies are likely to be troubled with lice which do not affect the old dog. If a mixture of lard and flowers of sulphur be rubbed over the puppy, espec ially at the roots of the tail, and around the backs of the ears, this pest may be conquered. When apply ing the paste rub against the hair. The paste may be applied twice, leaving one day between. The day after the last application the little victim should be washed with soap and water and dried carefully, in a place free from cold and drafts. This remedy rarely needs to be used a second time.

Puppies are likely to be troubled with worms after weaning. The signs are, inflated abdomen, weakness as shown by sitting or lying instead of running about, and becoming so thin that the ribs show. A vermifuge once or twice repeated is important. Get a good vermifuge, like ”Sure-shot,” or Spratt’s worm capsules for puppies, and follow directions.

Each puppy individually must be taught cleanly habits, beginning as soon as it is old enough to run about freely. At this time the puppy requires con stant care, and only by unwearying attention can it be properly trained. It should be put out of doors every half hour for the first three days after it has been brought into the house. Each time, as it comes back, it should be patted and praised. If it urinates on the floor, rub its nose in the puddle and put it out of doors, but do not whip it, since a nervous dog will thus be cowed and be all the harder to train. After the three days, watch carefully and if it begins to seem uneasy and to sniff around the floor, take it up and put it out immediately. If the puppy is to live entirely in the house, a sand tray should be pro vided, which should be placed in a closed box, and the puppy should be put into this box instead of out of doors. The sand in the tray needs to be changed every day. Two weeks of careful training usually serves to teach most dogs cleanly habits. Care must be taken never to keep the dog waiting if it seems uneasy, and it should be borne in mind that an ill-trained dog owes his failings to the fault of the trainer.

Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

Dog Care Maxims – Rules that you should follow to take good care of your dog.

By petcare
|
June 29, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

Dog Care Maxims – Rules that you should follow to take good care of your dog.

  • Never give a dog hot food.
  • Never allow a dog to eat out of a dish used by people for eating or washing; the dog has parasites dangerous to us.
  • Never let a dog lick your face.
  • Do not force a dog into water for sticks if he does not wish to go, for it may injure him.
  • If the dog leaves part of his food untouched, he is being fed too much .
  • If a dog bites you, disinfect the wound with a strong solution of carbolic acid and consult a doctor.
  • If you do not wish your dog to be “smelly”, wash him as often as needful, and wet him to the skin.
  • If you have to punish your dog, do it when he is caught in the offense, for dogs cannot remember long.
  • Never strike a dog over the head, ears, or abdomen.
  • The dog should always have access to fresh, clean water.
Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

Quick Basset Hound Dog Information

By petcare
|
June 28, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Breeds

Characteristics of the Basset Hound

Quick Basset Hound Dog Information

Height & Weight (male dog): 30-38 cm & 59-65 lbs.

Height & Weight (female dog): 28-36 cm & 45-60 lbs

Temperament: These dogs are peaceful and gentle, and make devoted friends. They make great family dogs, and are friendly with children. They have a mild nature, and can perform tricks. Housebreaking these dogs is not always easy and will require time and patience.

Energy levels: Relatively active. They are more active outdoors than inside, but they will be able to live indoors without a problem.

Exercise: They need plenty of exercise and if you take it outside, this dog will run around for hours.

Grooming: They shed constantly, but you only need to groom them when the need arises. Toenails will need to be trimmed regularly, and you will need to clean behind the ears regularly as well because of the large drooping size of them.

Bred as: Hound Dogs (as the name suggests!) they are used for hunting purposes as well.

Posted in Dog Breeds Leave a comment

Quick Alaskan Dog Information

By petcare
|
June 27, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Breeds

Characteristics of the Alaskan Malamute

Quick Alaskan Dog Information

Height & Weight (male dog): 61-66 cm & 80-95 lbs.

Height & Weight (female dog): 56-61 cm & 70-85 lbs.

Temperament: Affectionate and playful, loyal, sociable and intelligent. They are not suitable as guard dogs as they are very friendly. They also need and love a lot of attention. Until they become very mature, these dogs can be resemble rambunctious puppies, and they make great companions.

Energy levels: Fairly active, with high energy levels. These are not suitable apartment dogs.

Exercise: Needs much exercise and is best pleased when running around. They should not be exercised excessively however as they are more suited for cooler climes.

Grooming: Sheds quite a lot, and needs to be groomed at least twice a week.

Bred as: Working Dogs, they love to pull sleds

Posted in Dog Breeds Leave a comment

Dog Food and Feeding Your Dog

By petcare
|
June 26, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

Dog Food and Feeding Your Dog

There is no better or more suitable food for the house-dog than table scraps, the meat being cut fine enough to prevent its being specially picked out and the rest left. Mix this with bread and mashed vegetables, moistened with gravy or soup. Dogs are much better out of the dining-room, except in the case of a thoroughly trained one that will not beg for food. Puppies should always be excluded and food taken to them preferably out of doors, or to some certain place always used for this purpose, so that the dog will learn that this and this only is its feeding-place. Have a dish of clean water there also, and if you wish to oblige your many advisers, you can put a piece of sulphur in the dish, or if you have not that handy, a stone will do as well, for neither is soluble in water. Sulphur is good for the dog, but it needs to be administered in another way. Take equal parts of sulphur and mag- nesia, mix thoroughly and put in the evening meal for a week as much as will cover a dime, and then discontinue. This will cool your dog off in the summer time. For anything smaller than a fox-terrier reduce the quantity one-half. Sulphur is also good for outward application for cuts, wounds or sores; our almost universal remedy for these being crude petroleum and sulphur mixed to the consistency of thick cream. Stick-sulphur, however,, is of no more use than a stone.

How Often to Feed Your Dog

How often to feed a dog depends upon age and weather. As we feed children oftener than we do ourselves, and we eat more in winter than in summer, so, too, in the case of a puppy of two months old, feed it at least five times a day the last meal late in the evening, and the first as early as possible in the morning. In another month or so drop off the late meal, extending the time between the day meals. At the age of five months three meals a day should suffice, and in another month or so, if it is warm weather, a morning and night meal will be ample. Here again we must be governed by considerations of the breed and the individual. Some breeds you want as large as possible, while others should be of moderate size, and still others are better when as small as possible. To make a big man, it is of no use to stint the boy until he is eighteen years of age and then stuff him. His best growing age is past then, and so it is with a St. Bernard or any dog whose growth we wish to be as large as possible collie, setter, great Dane, and others in the same category. Keep a dog of this kind grow- ing continuously from the time he leaves his dam till he is a year old, espe- cially so in the case of the larger breeds, as they are slow to attain full height^ whereas collies, setters, and the like have pretty well reached their growth at ten months, after which they mature. Terriers and such as can be made too large by over-feeding should be brought to three or two meals a day sooner than large dogs. Toys it is better to feed with non-stimulating food than to limit the meals too much. Use cereals with a smaller quantity of meat, or rice and fish, the idea being not to grow a dog devoid of shape, as will be the case if it never has a full meal. For these small breeds the toy-dog biscuits are very useful when fed plain or with a little soup or gravy, there being meat enough in them for ordinary use.

The exercise of a little judgment in this regard is the best advice that can be given. One should always remember that he is injuring his dog more by getting him fat than by cutting out the meat in his dish, and having him smell and leave his food. He will eat when he is hungry. Some will get along on almost nothing. We once had an Irish terrier that we took to Southport show, in England, where she was given equal first in the variety class, the judges being two well-known gentlemen. One of them, either the late Mr. Lort or the late John Douglas, said: “You would have won sir, if your terrier had not been so fat.” We said that it was impossible to keep her down and that she had but one biscuit a day. “Show it to her, show it don’t let her eat it!” On the other hand, with some dogs one might almost shovel the food into them and then they would never be more than passably fat, for, like ourselves, it is not the heaviest eater that is the stoutest person at the table.

Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

Quick Alaskan Husky Dog Information

By petcare
|
June 26, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Breeds

Quick Alaskan Husky Dog Information

Height & Weight (male dog): 58-65 cm & 46-50 lbs.

Height & Weight (female dog): 56-61 cm; & 38-42 lbs.

Temperament: These dogs are sociable, and playful, as well as being mischievous, intelligent and trainable. They can also be difficult to housebreak, and prefer to have company. They should ideally have another companion to keep company with.

They should be kept in cold climates, or if in hot temperatures, in the cold of a shade or air conditioning. Not suitable as guard dogs as they are very friendly.

Energy levels: Very active

Exercise: They need a fair amount of exercise to keep them happy and healthy, but be certain that this is not done in the excessive heat.

Grooming: Doesn’t shed much, mainly there only during the two shedding seasons. In these seasons their coats need to be brushed with a steel comb to get all the shedding fur out.

Bred as: Working Dogs

Posted in Dog Breeds Leave a comment

Buying Dog Alone

By petcare
|
June 25, 2018
| No Comments
| Choosing a Dog

Is your dog going to be left alone for most of the day?

Buying Dog Alone

Another thing that you need to look into in all seriousness is whether or not your dog is going to be left alone for a large portion of the day.

Most of us need to work and this is fine as long as we take this into account when we’re getting our dog.

No one can stay in the house twenty-four hours a day, and we most definitely can’t always take our dogs with us everywhere that we’re going.

This means that there will be times when the dog is left alone to fend for itself. You have the option of putting the dog outside during that time or leaving him inside.

If you leave your dog inside the house however, and he isn’t trained, or he’s still a very young puppy, or for some reason you become very late, you might find that when you get home that things are not quite as neat and tidy as when you left.

In the case of the young puppy it is mainly due to the destructive tendencies that young of all species have. That curious nature coupled with an absentee owner can lead to many an item being “explored”. No stone will be left unturned in their quest to slake to their curiosity.

You will also find that very young puppies also have separation anxiety. They have after all just been weaned from their mother, their siblings, and their very familiar surroundings, and dumped willy-nilly into a stranger’s house.

And to add insult to injury they have now to all intents and purposes, been abandoned. It is therefore only natural that these destructive tendencies will come to the fore.

The same applies to an untrained dog. If they are as yet not secure with your affections you will find that your house has been ransacked.

With an older dog you will find that these tendencies wane as time goes by and they become more secure in your affections. When faced with a long overdue and absentee owner however, you might find that even these dogs are displaying signs of tantrums.

What’s really important here though, is for you to know how much time your dog will be left at home alone on a daily basis. Something along the lines of whether it’s going to be for about 1-2 hours, or maybe about 3-4 hours.

Sometimes you might find that you need to leave your dog alone for about half a day or even more daily, if you need to go in to work and there is no one else to look after the dog.

There is no problem with all of that as long as you are candid about the length of time that you dog will need to be alone.

Not all dogs can handle being alone for any length of time, and if this is your case, then it truly is better all around for you to find a dog who won’t mind the separation.

Most of the times a watchdog will be better able to handle the supposed defection, but then again, not everyone wants a watchdog.

So take into account the number of hours that you will need to leave your dog alone for a day, and add that rough number to the rest of your answers on the checklist.

Your checklist should be coming along quite nicely by now, and you should begin to have at least a rudimentary idea of what you need in a dog.

I would however, suggest that you continue through with the entire checklist as ultimately your decision on choosing a dog will only become easier.

Posted in Choosing a Dog Leave a comment

How much space do you have for your dog?

By petcare
|
June 25, 2018
| No Comments
| Choosing a Dog

Most people think that if they have a large back garden that they are completely qualified to have a dog regardless of anything else. This is not then case.

How much space do you have for your dog?

A large yard is not, in and of itself, enough to satisfy your dog’s needs. It also doesn’t mean that you will be able to have a large dog.

As you can see from the previous questions on the checklist there is more to having a dog than meet’s the eye, and a large yard space alone is not going to cut it.

It helps to have a large yard, and it can make your life easier to have a large yard, but don’t for one minute think that all your dog worries are over because you have one. (They could just be beginning!)

What does matter here is not how large your backyard is, but more along the lines of what the activity level of your dog is, and whether he prefers indoor activities or outdoor activities.

If the dog you get prefers to spend most of his time indoors, then the large backyard that you have won’t mean anything to him. If on the other hand you get a dog who prefers to be outdoors all the time, your yard, whether large of small will be eminently suitable for him.

It’s not only yard space that you have to look at here, however. You will also need to see what type of space you have all around in what your dog will consider to be his habitat.

If you have a reasonably roomy house to go along with that large yard you have, then you can be assured that most dogs will be able to find solace somewhere in your home.

If on the other hand you live in a one room apartment on the twenty-sixth floor with only a small terrace for it use as an “outside”, then you might encounter a problem if you get a highly energetic dog that likes frolicking outside.

To counter this, is why you need to be very specific about the type of house of apartment that you live in.

And although it doesn’t need to be said, I will say it. If you live in an apartment where pets are not welcome, then either move somewhere that welcomes pets, or don’t get a dog!

The number of people who believe they can keep secret the fact that they have a pet is astonishing.

What’s even more astonishing is the number of people who are surprised and angry when they find that their landlord has taken action against them, and maybe even turned the dog over to animal services.

Don’t let this happen. This will only cause trauma to your dog and unnecessary hassle for you.

There’s no problem with finding a dog to suit your housing needs, and you can be assured that there will be dogs that adapt nicely to small spaces, just don’t be fooled into thinking that these will all be small dogs.

Here, the size of the dog doesn’t matter as much as the energy level of the dog matters.

If the dog is active and energetic, no matter what the size you will find that keeping it indoors no matter the size of the house or apartment, will be difficult. If you have a small apartment you might find that there are some large dogs that are suitable for this.

You will need to couple this with your preference for the size and activity level of your dog, along with other factors to find the dog breed that suits you.

Posted in Choosing a Dog Leave a comment

Different Dog Breeds

By petcare
|
June 25, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Breeds

Although different species of wild dogs or wolves may have been responsible for some breeds of dogs, like those used by the Eskimo, and although Egyp tian pictures made more than five thousand years ago show that even then various breeds had been developed, yet most of our common breeds have been developed in Europe and England within a few centuries. It is interesting to note that pictures painted by great artists showing dogs in hunting scenes, have helped much in revealing the history of different varieties.

Different Dog Breeds

Since dogs were tamed first to become the compan ions and protectors of man, so the different breeds have been developed to meet the needs or fancies of man. For instance, the bulldog was originally a large dog used for general purposes, but the need for a dog by butchers and others to subdue wild and fierce bulls developed a dog with strong jaw and grit to match. At first the bull was led by the ear, and naturally a large rather tall dog was needed for that ; later, the bull was led by the nose and a smaller, short-legged dog was needed for that, and thus the bulldog as we know him was evolved.

In ancient times there were many robbers that preyed upon people who lived in isolated houses, and strong, fierce watch dogs were almost a neces sity; these were called “bandogs”, and from them was developed the mastiff. The great Dane came from a race of dogs prized by the Greeks and Romans in hunting fierce wild game, like the wild boar. The greyhound gained his slender body and long legs because man needed a swift dog to help him catch, for food, swift animals like rabbits and deer. Later the foxhound was developed to hunt foxes for sport; and the long-bodied short-legged dachs hund was evolved to go into the burrows of badgers and rabbits and thus capture these creatures. The great St. Bernard came into being by aiding the monks of Switzerland in keeping to the safe roads in deep snows, thus enabling travelers to reach the hospices in safety. The Newfoundland probably developed itself as a water dog since in that country it had to eat fish or starve and therefore learned to catch fish for itself. It thus gained its webbed feet.

The spaniel was first used to start game birds for falcons both on land and water, as records five hun dred years ago show ; and the setter was also early developed as a dog that would sit down as soon as it located game, but pointers were probably developed independently. The spaniel, as its name indicates came originally from Spain. It was first used to spring feathered game for the hawk ; while the sitting spaniel or “setter” was used to start birds to be caught in a net; and the pointer was used to point game which the hunter shot with the cross-bow, all before gunpowder was invented.

From ancient times almost every country had its sheep dogs, for one of the earliest needs for a dog was to aid nomadic man in guarding his flocks of cattle, sheep and goats. In the British Isles there have been developed three kinds of sheep dcgs r the smooth coated, the bobtailed, and the collie. The collie was developed in the Highlands of Scot land, but f om what ancestors we do not know; he is famed for his loyalty and sagacity in caring for sheep, but he was scarcely known outside of Scotland before 1860. Now he is a favorite in every civilized country, and is highly appreciated for his intelligence and beauty. Every one inter ested in collies should read “Bob, Son of Battle,” for this book gives a true picture of the skill cf these wonderful dogs in their native Highlands.

The terriers seem to have originated in England and are of hound origin, probably a mixture of fox hound or wolfhound and deerhound. They were probably mongrels of small size in that they were used to hunt badgers, foxes and rabbits in their burrows. They thus won their name, terrier, from the Latin terra, meaning earth. Although such dogs may have existed in England for several centuries, the many breeds of terriers known today have been developed mostly within the last century.

The toy dogs were especially developed as pets, and have no use whatever. The Pomeranian or spitz is descended from a large dog, and was developed in Southern Europe. The poodle has a spaniel origin, and the fashion of clipping his hair is at least three hundred years old, as is shown by pictures. The Maltese toy dog is descended from poodles. The pug is from China, and of very ancient lineage. The Pekinese and Japanese spaniels are also of a very ancient breed, and probably have common ancestors.

Posted in Dog Breeds Leave a comment

The Dog in the House

By petcare
|
June 24, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

The Dog in the House

Of any beast none is more faithful found, Nor yields more pastime in house, plain, or woods, Nor helps his master’s person, or his goods, With greater care than doth the dog or hound. MOLLE.

In selecting a dog for the house there is ample scope for choice according to the conditions under which the animal can be kept. The first consideration for an owner is as to what accommodation he can give his dog, for there is a vast difference between a city flat or home, and a countryhouse, where unlimited liberty can be given the pet of the household. For a city dog give preference to something of moderate size, even the smaller toy dogs, though setters or pointers do very well, if fancy runs in that direction. Anything large, such as a St. Bernard, mastiff, great Dane, or the heavily coated dogs, had better be left out of the question, unless fancy is imperative for one of those breeds. Terriers are good for the house, provided moderation in feeding is exercised, for they are apt to eat too much, and a fat-laden terrier is an eyesore to any person who likes to see a dog as he should be in the way of condition.

Heavily Coated Dogs

Heavily coated dogs are better avoided for the reason that the process of the annual shedding of coat is a prolonged one, and it is impossible to prevent the falling coat from attaching itself to carpets, rugs, or anything upon which the dog lies. Still another reason is, that during this long process of shedding and then awaiting the coming of the full coat the dog does not look his best, and a house-dog should, like its owner, be fit to be seen by company at all seasonable hours.

Dog Care of House Dogs

Having decided upon the dog that is most satisfactory to please individual fancy and the accommodations of the home, the next question is, what to do for the animal when it arrives. If the dog is to be the property of any member of the family in particular, it is well to allow that one to attend solely to the unpacking or receiving the newcomer. Dogs are, as a rule, prone to look upon such a person as a special master, and attach themselves accordingly, though of course, there are exceptions, and puppies and young dogs call for more individual subsequent attention than do grown dogs who have had experience in recognising and obeying a master. Give water at once, more especially if the dog has come from a distance, or the weather is warm. Feeding is a secondary consideration, and may with advantage be preceded by a short run on the chain, followed by a light meal on the return to the house

Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

Water Work Dog Training

By petcare
|
June 24, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Training

Retrievers are not much good to the average Gun unless they are willing, and able, to swim; and, although most of these dogs are keen to go in water and can swim instinctively, we may occasionally find a puppy which is loath to enter water—or it may be willing to try to swim, but quite unable to do so.

Water Work Dog Training

Some young retrievers are put off their natural inclination to go into water through a sudden unexpected immersion on a very cold day, and it is therefore advisable always to endeavour to introduce a puppy to water under congenial conditions. Choose a warm day for the initiation, and encourage the pupil to go in by persuasion —do not under any circumstances, throw a young dog into water to make it swim, or the animal may become averse to ever going into the water again—and the example of another dog should be most useful.

Sometimes a puppy seems to lack the natural instinct to swim, and will stay in one spot thrashing water with the front legs until it begins gradually to sink. When such is the case the deficiency can usually be remedied if the puppy is persuaded to go into a pond having a hard bottom which shelves gradually from shallow water to a depth sufficient to float the dog; thus, when the pupil wades in slowly, it will continue to attempt to feel for the bottom to walk on, although out of its depth, and thus discover that by making (more or less) the ordinary walking movements, it can not only keep afloat, but actually move along in the water—in due course the correct swimming movements will develop.

Having accustomed your pupil to go in the water and swim, you must teach it to retrieve an object from the water (particularly when the latter is fast running) and to cross a river to fetch a bird which has fallen well out on the far side,

To begin with, the dummy should be thrown into a river when the puppy is watching, and the pupil should be sent to retrieve after a very short pause; If you intend to run your retriever In field trials, don’t allow the puppy to put down the “carry”, whilst It shakes Itself, when it has climbed out of the river on to the bank; but directly the dog reaches the bank, run away and call it to follow you—your retriever may lose marks at a field trial If it drops a bird on the bank and does not deliver at once right up to hand.

You will usually find no difficulty in teaching a puppy to retrieve from the actual water, but when you try to train your pupil to cross a river and fetch an object from the land beyond; you may have to take more trouble with the lessons.

To begin with, it is advisable to allow the dog to see as many moorhens as possible and to make your pupil understand that these birds are to be considered In the same category as fowls; for if you allow a retriever to hunt and take an interest in moorhens you may find that the dog will always prefer to hunt these birds (they have a strong scent, and are attractive to hunt as they prefer running to flying) rather than seek for other game—thus you may find that, when a retriever has been sent across a river to fetch a pheasant which has fallen on ground beyond, the dog may swim the river as directed, but then proceed to hunt the reeds and cover on the far bank in pursuit of moorhens.

A retriever which will work to an occasional signal is most useful in all field work, but where water work is concerned it is essential that a dog should always be taught to answer to signal direction—given by means of a whistle or arm waving. Thus, when a bird has fallen (say) fifty yards out on a field beyond a river, the retriever which can be directed to go over and out to the fall, is far more useful than a dog which cannot be made to realize that the river itself and the banks thereof are not the only centre of attraction. Similarly, when a wounded duck has dived and can be seen under the far bank by the handler, it is most annoying if his retriever will not respond to a signal which will guide the dog (unable from its low position in the water to see the bird) to the right place.

To train a dog to go out over a river and beyond, it is a good plan, to begin with, to hide several freshly-killed birds, so that the pupil is almost certain to find one of them—for, if the puppy should fail to find on the first two or three occasions on which it swims the river and goes out properly beyond, it may be disheartened, and difficult to get away from the far bank in the future—to begin with, the birds should only be placed about ten yards beyond the river, but eifery day the distance may be increased until the dog has to go out about fifty yards beyond to find a bird. Of course it will be necessary, when placing birds for training the pupil in this way, to select a part of the river near a bridge, to enable the handler to cross and hide the birds; but the dog should not be sent across, or the birds placed, near the bridge—in case the pupil chooses to return that way!

Posted in Dog Training Leave a comment

House Breaking Your Puppy Dog

By petcare
|
June 23, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

House Breaking Puppy Dog

Cleanliness in the house is the great essential in the house-dog, and it is very natural for a purchaser to insist upon its being guaranteed. Some people will do so readily, but others will not give a guaranty with a dog, and for a very good reason. They say, and with truth, that to a person ignorant of dogs the assurance that the dog is house-broken will cause it to be imposed upon to its possible serious injury, and the cleaner the dog the greater the likelihood of its being imposed on. Such a seller will say: “I will not guarantee this dog as house-broken, but I will tell you that he has been in my house for some time and has not misbehaved. He is always given a good run the last thing at night and liberated the first thing in the morning; and during the day he is allowed to go out whenever he seems desirous of so doing.” A dog will conform to almost any habit desired, but the responsibility of respecting the requirements of the dog falls as much on you as on the dog.

House Breaking your Puppy

No puppy is house-broken, for that is a matter of education, and hence a young puppy is better kept out of the house and permitted only to come in occasionally and never before he has had a good run, if he has been sleeping. Once in the house, he must be watched and put out the moment there is any indication that it is advisable or necessary, and kept out till it is safe to admit him. Of course the puppy is sure sooner or later to misbehave, and then without the least delay he must be shown what he has done, scolded, and put out-of-doors. Any further mishaps must be punished by switching; but never punish unless you can at once associate the punishment with the reason for it, otherwise he does not know what it is for. Sooner or later the puppy will learn to let you know that he wishes to go out, and whenever he makes a move to the door let him out. He soon learns that he can get out if he wishes.

There are those who will train dogs for up-to-date flat use and accustom the puppy to use a box. Where a dog has once made use of a place, he is prone to return. Accordingly the puppy, on being brought home or taken from his travelling-box, should be put into a shallow box with sawdust on the bottom of it, and kept there till he may be allowed to run about. , If the box is then left as it is and he can get into it unaided, he will likely tumble into it in his wanderings, and the smell of the sawdust will induce him to make use of the place again, and thus the habit is acquired.

Sleeping Areas and Baskets for your Dog

Very elaborate sleeping-baskets are furnished for house-dogs, with mats, rugs, or dainty cushions. These are well enough for the tiny drawingroom pet, but are out of place for a terrier or anything larger. For such a dog we recommend a plain box. It may be made of hard wood or of any wood painted and varnished if desired, but not upholstered. Have it of a size to enable the dog to lie comfortably, and on the bottom put a layer of paper newspaper, plain wrapping-paper or, if one is fastidious, a piece of fancy paper. Tar-paper may be used in the summer-time if the smell is less objectionable than fleas. A dog will lie as comfortably on a piece of paper as on a feather cushion, and a new bed costs nothing, while a dash of boiling water around the box will kill any vermin.

Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

How to cleaning and brushing your cat

By petcare
|
June 23, 2018
| No Comments
| Cat Care

In cleaning the cat never use a comb; it breaks the hairs and renders the coat rough. Brush the coat well with a soft brush, or with a mitten which is known as a bath-mitten. The coat of the cat can be improved very materially by washing j but this is difficult unless the animal is very tame, and even then can only be well done by its absolute owner or an attendant of whom it is fond. To wash a cat, make a soft soap-sud, comparatively thick ; apply commencing at the hind quarters and tail, and gradually rub in until the ears are reached. After the soap-suds have been thoroughly rubbed in, dip the animal, hind feet first, into a tub of tepid water, when it can be gently patted over with the hand, and then dipped into another tub of tepid water, to rinse it off.

How to cleaning and brushing your cat

The animal should then be wrapped up in a soft bath-towel and the excess of water pressed out ; and it should then be put into a basket of clean oat straw and kept in a warm place, where it will finish the drying and cleaning for itself by rolling in the straw and by licking itself, after which it can be brushed with a soft brush. For a simpler form of dressing to make the coat shiny, the animal can be sponged over with a very little perfectly fresh olive or cocoanut oil, or with a little perfectly fresh cream, which is then wiped off with a sponge slightly damped, or with a towel, and the animal put into the basket of oat straw to clean itself.

Posted in Cat Care Leave a comment

Buying a Dog? Do you have children or a baby?

By petcare
|
June 22, 2018
| No Comments
| Choosing a Dog

Do you have children? This is an important question, not for the sake of finding out whether your kids are the ones who want the dog, but because in some instances, kids and dogs just don’t mix.

Buying a Dog? Do you have children or a baby?

This is especially true in the cases where you have children who are around toddler age. They won’t understand why it’s not a good thing to pull the dog’s fur, tail, ears and sundry other parts.

They will also find it difficult to understand why you went and got a plaything for them which they can’t really play with and which they can’t bash or throw about as they would their other toys.

Your toddlers are still growing up and still learning, and if they are at the terrible two’s stage where every other word that comes out of their angelic mouths is “NO!”, then you can be sure that they won’t listen to you when you tell them not to pull on the dog’s tail etc.

The only time they will understand that “No”, means “No” in the case of messing around with the dog, is when they get bitten.

And in these cases it is almost always the dog that comes off worse, because when all is said and done, the dog is after all just an animal, and the child is, well your child.

You have a choice to make in the case where you have very young children.

You can either put off getting a dog until your children are much older, or you can keep the dog outdoors for most of the time and send it to a good training school, or you can get an older dog that has been trained and is used to dealing with children.

All of these approaches work well for you if you have young children and want a dog as well, but please do remember that the dog also has its limits.

Even the friendliest dog will find that his patience is pushed to the limit when he is being constantly harassed by an unrepentant toddler who doesn’t know any better.

Having got that out of the way, I can now tell you truthfully, that although I love dogs I do not believe in mixing young kids and dogs, no matter what the age, size or temperament of the dog.

It does pain me to say it, but a dog is just a dog in the end, not a human. And if a human can commit violent acts of crime thinkingly and unthinkingly, who’s to say that a dog can’t do the same.

Most dogs are highly intelligent beings and since we have no way of interpreting anything other than their most basic needs, we have no way of knowing the true nature of the dog.

We can make good guesses, but in the end, that’s really all they are, guesses. There is no way for us to know that our saint-like dog won’t suddenly turn on us, or our children, one day and bite the hand that feeds it.

This is why it’s always a good idea to never leave young children unsupervised with dogs around.

No one will know who did what, first, but in the end it won’t matter, the damage will already have been done in more ways than you can imagine.

This is also why I ask in the beginning whether you have young children or babies around. Babies are even more at risk than toddlers are because of their relative inability to defend themselves.

I don’t mean to put you off getting a dog, but these are things that you must take into consideration when looking at getting a dog as a pet.

It is just negligence to ignore these questions, however unpalatable the answers might be, and you are doing not only yourself an injustice but also your children, as well as the dog.

There’s also one other thing that you will want to take into account when looking at getting a dog with young children around to contend with as well. And this comes in the form of discipline.

If you get a puppy, then like as not, your toddler will have hours of fun with him. And you can rest easy in the knowledge that all is right in your world.

Except of course for the small fact that both your toddler and the puppy are of a like mindset. Both are highly curious, and both are probably prone to get into much mischief. (This will probably mean that where there is one, you will be able to find the other!)

You need to be aware of this penchant for getting into trouble that most young the world over have in abundance, as well as the fact that you will have to discipline and bring up not only your child but the dog as well at the same time.

You will have to do this for both, and it will probably try your patience sorely at times, but you must be ready to do this. And you must be ready to deal with this separately as well.

It’s really no use punishing and disciplining the dog for something your child has done and vice versa. You will need to consider whether or not you can handle double the task of bringing up both your child and dog together at the same time.

However, if after going through this, you decide that a dog is alright to have, you will want to find a dog that is known to be good with children. There are dog breeds that are used as type of “nanny” dogs and these can be depended upon to a very large extent to be good with children.

When you are looking for a dog however, you will need to specify to whomever you’re going to for a dog, that you have small children. They will then be better able to help you find the dog type that is suitable for you.

Posted in Choosing a Dog Leave a comment

Treatment of Dogs

By petcare
|
June 22, 2018
| No Comments
| Dog Care

Many mistaken notions prevail about the proper way to treat a dog. The world is growing in wisdom and humanity, and the old saying that ” the more you beat them the better they be,” is no longer believed to be true of the dog any more than it is of the woman who was included in the doggerel.

The best authorities agree that a dog should never be whipped, or struck a blow more se vere than a slap with the hand, and even that not over the ears, mouth, or abdomen, where a slight blow may do great damage. A dog is an intelligent being, and as sensitive to tones of voice, to reproof and praiseTreatment of Dogs, as a child. The voice alone is all that is needed to control him, and to bruise his body to reach his mind is as brutal and unnecessary with the one as it is now acknowledged by the wisest educators to be with the other. Moreover, it is very I’m portant that if a dog is to be punished in any way it should be immediately after the offence, so that he will perfectly understand what it is for. He is very quick to appreciate injustice, caprice, or cruelty, and he con ducts himself accordingly. If he is properly punished for an understood fault he is peni tent, and begs, in his way, to be forgiven ; if too severely or without understanding, he resents it.

One who holds the lives of others in his hands must not forget that liberty is the breath of life to beast as well as to man, and every one, whether in city or country, should daily have as much of it as is consistent with the rights of others. To keep one of these restless fellow-creatures chained up day after day is terrible cruelty, and one cannot be sur prised that the unfortunate captive grows cross and savage under the treatment. If he is a watch-dog only, and it is not safe to have him at liberty, it would be more humane to muzzle him, and let him have the run of the place, or a yard of good size.

To make an animal of the canine race agree able as a house companion in the city necessitates bathing at least twice a month. Great care is required in the case of one of the smaller and more delicate sorts to avoid cold, such as wrapping at once in flannel, or rub bing and brushing till every hair is dry.

The training of a dog for the companionship of people is a subject worthy of a book. As a rule, the home pet gets very little training, and, like the child of a thoughtless mother, runs over everybody, and makes himself a nuisance to all persons except his doting mis tress. It is so easy in the beginning to teach a dog to behave himself, and be a pleasure instead of a pest, that it is surprising how fre quently this simple duty is neglected, and the pet allowed to rule the house, and make every body in it uncomfortable.

Posted in Dog Care Leave a comment

Posts navigation

1 2 Next

Recent Posts

  • Which is the best steam mop for your home?
  • 3 Best Vacuum For Car Detailing: Reviews of the Top Handheld, Cordless & Corded Cleaners
  • How to keep your house from smelling like dog?
  • How to remove dog hair from clothes in washing machine?
  • Washing and Grooming Dogs – Keeping Dogs Clean

Categories

  • Blog
  • Cat Care
  • Choosing a Dog
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Care
  • Dog Training

Pet Care Guides 2019 | All Rights Reserved.

TRANSLATE with x
English
ArabicHebrewPolish
BulgarianHindiPortuguese
CatalanHmong DawRomanian
Chinese SimplifiedHungarianRussian
Chinese TraditionalIndonesianSlovak
CzechItalianSlovenian
DanishJapaneseSpanish
DutchKlingonSwedish
EnglishKoreanThai
EstonianLatvianTurkish
FinnishLithuanianUkrainian
FrenchMalayUrdu
GermanMalteseVietnamese
GreekNorwegianWelsh
Haitian CreolePersian
TRANSLATE with
COPY THE URL BELOW
Back
EMBED THE SNIPPET BELOW IN YOUR SITE
Enable collaborative features and customize widget: Bing Webmaster Portal
Back