Pets Archives - 3 Kids and Us

Moving House With Your Cat The Stress-Free Way

July 24, 2020 by admin

Most cats develop strong bonds with their environment so house moves can stress them out. If cats could choose, they would prefer to stay put at where they are comfortably settled in. Making the transition as stress-free as possible for your pet cat can have immense benefits, including reducing the risk of anxiety-based house soiling, excessive meowing and crying, hiding, escape attempts and aggression.

While a move is a big change for your feline companion, it is possible to reduce the stress your pet feels. This is a list of things you can do for your cat before the long drive and throughout the move.

Get your cat to get used to traveling in the car – The easiest way to do this is to start going on drives — begin with short trips around the neighbourhood then go a little longer leading up to the move. Ensure that your cat is riding how he will be during the move: either in a harness, carrier or crate.

Introducing the carrier – To get your beloved cat familiar with his carrier, put it somewhere he likes to hang out and open the door. Place a few treats inside to lure him in. After he has ventured into the cage several times for treats, start feeding him in there, slowly moving the food bowl from the door entrance to deeper inside.

On moving day – ensure that your cat is safe and placed in an empty room that will not be disturbed. If this precaution is not taken, your cat would be in danger by getting into open boxes or in the way of movers. It also prevents them from hiding and not being located when the time has come for them to be moved. Also, place their toys, food, water, and bedding in their temporary room for comfort.

At the new home – Upon arrival, confine your feline to just one room until unpacking is completed and the movers have left. Place a sign on the door to ensure that no one lets him escape. Put his bedding, litter tray, food and water in with him to give him some familiarity.

If you are moving interstate and overseas, it’s important to check quarantine regulations long before the trip is planned. The cat may need to spend some time in quarantine or proof of vaccinations may be required.

Cat Transport Services

If you cannot transport your beloved cat to or from a location yourself, this is where cat transportation services can offer their services. However, finding the best cat transport service is not always easy, with a lot of time needing to be spent researching services and requesting quotes individually.

You can book a Shiply cat transportation service and quotes will be sent to you via email. It’s hassle-free and no phone calls are required. All it takes is to fill out a simple online form and the quotes will be emailed to you. There are numerous cat transportation services on Shiply’s platform who are ready to bid on your job, often at up to 75% less than typical rates.

May these tips help your move go smoothly and safely for both you and your beloved pet cat.

Dog Travel: 10 Tips for Traveling With Your Pup

May 3, 2018 by admin

You’re super excited to bring your dog with you on vacation. But, pets can be a handful on vacation. Follow these dog travel tips to make sure things go well.

Dogs have been humankind’s best friend for tens of thousands of years.

Whether you’re like Brazilians who tend to favor small dogs or you can relate more to the Saudi’s who prefer larger breeds, we can all agree dogs are great.

But many people seem to think that if they have a dog, they won’t be able to travel. Fortunately, that’s not actually true; dog travel is very possible.

You just need to know what you’re doing. After all, if you can travel successfully with small children, it can’t be that difficult to travel with a pooch.

To help you out, here are ten tips for traveling with your beloved pup.

1. Do A Test Drive First

Before you engage in any type of dog travel, do a test drive first. You may find out that your dog gets carsick.

Maybe your dog has a fear of driving or barks incessantly.

This is not something you want to find out the hard way. Make sure you are fully aware of how your dog will react in new situations before you travel.

If your dog can’t handle surprises, meeting new people or other animals, or is fearful, keep your dog at home.

2. Crate Your Dog When Traveling

It’s much safer for you and your dog when you crate them. Dog travel is hard enough without worrying if your dog will go flying if you stop your car too fast.

Also, you don’t have to worry that the dog will somehow open the car door or get out through the window. And you can rest easy that your dog won’t try to start playing with you as you’re trying to focus on driving.

There are several types of dog crates to choose from. Which one is best depends on your needs and the breed of dog you have.

3. Create A Traveling Kit

Many people keep a travel kit containing toiletries in their suitcase for when they travel. You can do the same for dog travel as well.

In the kit, you should keep any travel papers your dog might need. You’ll also need their food, bowl, leash, a waste scoop, plenty of plastic bags, and grooming supplies.

Consider having your pet microchipped for identification purposes. Make sure they are always wearing a collar with a tag that has your home address imprinted on it.

Go one step further for safety and create a temporary tag that has your cell phone number and any other relevant contact information.

4. Take Them For A Walk Before And After Any Dog Travel

Most parents are savvy enough to ask their kids if they’ve gone to the bathroom before embarking upon any traveling. Even if it’s just to the grocery store.

Do the same when you embark on any dog travel vacations. Make sure your dog goes for a walk before you travel.

Make sure you plan out plenty of time to take them for a walk, not just so that they get exercise right before a long trip, but so that they urinate and poop outside rather than in their crate.

During periods of long travel, try to walk your dog as often as possible so they can use the “bathroom” and stretch their legs as often as possible.

When you arrive, don’t forget to take your pet on a nice, long walk.

5. Talk To Your Vet About Medications

Any medications your dog needs should go into their dog travel kit. But make sure you speak with your vet about your dog traveling first.

If your dog gets nervous or reacts negatively, you may want to consider giving them a small sedative before they travel.

And your vet should be aware that your dog travels. He or she may have a new set of instructions regarding the canine’s healthcare while the dog is traveling.

6. Call Ahead To Learn The Rules

Different businesses have different policies regarding pets. Call ahead to make sure you don’t encounter any unexpected and unpleasant problems.

Check to make sure your hotel is pet-friendly. Ask them what their policies are regarding your breed.

Call ahead to the airlines to see what their rules are. Often, you need a note from your vet explaining that your dog has already had its shots.

Even if you plan on visiting family, call ahead to make sure it’s okay to bring your own pet.

Sometimes, family members might have allergies or another pet who won’t take kindly to a stranger in their midst.

7. Ways To Keep Them Calm

It’s important to keep your dog calm while traveling.

Make sure they get plenty of exercises to help keep them calm. Talk to them in a soothing voice if they start to get nervous.

You can also stroke them if they seem too excited.

Try rubbing lavender oil on your palms to give them some aromatherapy or giving your dog a massage.

8. Let Them Explore New Places

One way to make dog travel easier is to let your dog explore their new surroundings.

Dogs are naturally curious, and they need to inspect their surroundings. Let them roam around and sniff away.

Be vigilant that there’s nothing around your dog can choke or accidentally ingest. Keep an eye on your dog at all times.

9. Bring Their Food Along

Dog travel is hard enough without trying to find out if a local store has their favorite food.

Plan ahead by bringing their food along. Try looking into freeze-dried food.

If you want to know why freeze-dried dog food is better – click here.

10. Don’t Forget Their Favorite Toys

Don’t forget to bring along their favorite toys and a blanket.

Toys are great for two reasons. One, they provide a great deal of comfort for your dog while they are far from home.

Two, dog toys are a great way to keep your dog entertained while in a new and strange environment.

Follow Our Travels

We love traveling around the world with our family. We also love sharing the tips we’ve learned along the way to our readers.

From how to cope with a divorce to learning how to handle being a new mum, we’ve touched on nearly every subject family’s deal with.

Keep coming back to read our blog for travel tips and follow us on our adventures.

How to Take Care of Your New Puppy

February 9, 2018 by admin

Have you recently become a proud owner of a puppy? Congratulations! You made a wonderful decision. Your life will change for the better because you now have a true life companion. Puppies bring a lot of joy to your world but you also need to do your part. You need to learn a few things so that you know how to take good care of your new best friend. So, let’s jump right in!

Get your home ready

Safety is of utmost importance! Before you bring home your beloved puppy, we advise you to make sure that your home is as safe as possible. Just like toddlers, puppies like to explore and check everything out in the house. That’s why you need to protect your belongings from being destroyed by an adventurous puppy. Many call this act of preparation ‘puppy-proofing’. It is similar to toddler-proofing, but there are some differences. Place electrical cords, potential toxins and breakable items out of your puppy’s reach. Do know that ‘child-safe’ latches don’t work on curious and determined puppies. Secure lower cabinets and drawers with locks or metal hardware. It needs to be chew-proof. Invest in pet gates in order to keep your puppy away from certain rooms in your home. We believe that keeping your puppy away from the kitchen and the trash can is a good idea. Your puppy will be safe and you’ll have your peace.

Puppy essentials

Your little pooch will need various items from the very beginning. Some of these items are essential while others are quite helpful. The most important items include a leash, a collar with identification, food and water bowls and chew toys. A comfortable dog bed is recommended and a crate or kennel. Some of these items last for ages but as your puppy grows older, they will need to be replaced. Collars are adjustable but only up to a certain point. When it comes to chew toys, don’t be stingy, since it’s better for your puppy to chew those toys than your furniture. It would also be a great idea to get some chewables from NexGard for dogs, which prevent flea infestations and deter ticks. Considering that your puppy will be quite active and brimming with energy, walks and runs at the park will be common. Of course, your puppy will play on the grass and that gives ticks a chance to strike. So take every necessary measure to prevent infestations. Last but not least, brace yourself for the expenses associated with dog ownership. You’ll want to create a budget and stick to it. Have some extra cash in your budget for unexpected costs too. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

The puppy’s health

Since you’ll want to take good care of your puppy’s health, you have to find a good veterinarian. Within a few days of bringing your new puppy home, you need to take him to your vet for a general checkup. Make the trip to the vet’s office a good experience for your puppy. You don’t want your pooch to be scared of vet, since you’ll be paying quite a lot of visits during the first six months. Firstly, a puppy vaccine is obligatory. If you believe that your puppy should be spayed or neutered, make sure that you do that during that six-month period, too. A vet can identify any potential health issue early on, so establish a good communication with them. Another good idea would be to purchase pet health insurance. In some cases, pet health insurance covers up to 80% of your dog’s health care costs. That way you’ll keep your puppy’s expenses down.

Good food

Just like you choose only the best food for yourself, the same should apply for your puppy. Especially when you consider the fact that your puppy’s diet makes all the difference in his future health and well-being. Firstly, do your research before deciding on which dog food to buy. Consult your vet and fellow dog owners. You can always switch to another food if the food you initially bought does not fit your puppy the best. Fortunately, nowadays the choices seem endless. Some proud owners opt for premium foods while many other go for natural diets. Popularity-wise, homemade and raw diets are on the rise. Take into account the quality of the ingredients, the inclusion of proper nutrients and the taste while you are looking for puppy food. Choose a food appropriate for growth! The food needs to be healthy but your puppy also needs to enjoy eating it.

Follow our guide and you will be ready for the challenge. Just like you take good care of yourself, you need to do the same for your beloved pet. After all, you won’t find a better friend.

4 Easy & Affordable DIY Dog Toy Ideas

July 25, 2017 by admin

If you have an active dog at home, you know that they can get bored just like the rest of us! Thankfully, with these clever dog toy DIYs from the folks at Rover.com, you’ll have the ideas you need to keep your dog entertained any day of the week. Keep them handy for your dog’s next rainy day indoors, long family road trip, or anytime you’d like to cut down on your toy budget and try the homemade route instead.

Boredom-Busting Braid

For this one, you can use just about any material you have around the house, like an old t-shirt, jeans, or kitchen towel. Cut your material into three long strips, knot off one end, then braid the strands together and tie off the other end. You can even soak the braid in chicken stock and pop it in the freezer to create an even tastier (and tougher) chewing session. Have 2+ dogs? Tie a few braids together to create a tug toy everyone can enjoy.

Sock It to Me

If your dog goes crazy for crinkly sounds, they’ll love this one—and it’s a great way to use a lonesome sock that’s lost its pair. Throw some kibble into an empty plastic water bottle, then put the water bottle inside the sock, tie a knot at the top and watch the crunchy enjoyment commence. Be sure to watch your dog carefully with this one, and switch out the toy before the sock or plastic bottle get too destroyed and leads to small plastic parts or sharp edges.

Muffin Tin Puzzler

This puzzle challenges your dog to work around obstacles and get rewarded. Place a muffin tin upside down on the floor. Sprinkle treats between the muffin cups, then watch as your dog works from every angle to get to the treats. For a twist, flip the tin over and place treats in a few of the muffin cups. Cover up some or all of the cups with tennis balls or toys, and then let your dog engage in an entertaining game of treat hide-and-seek.

Tennis Treat Ball

All you need for this one is a tennis ball, a sharp knife and some of your dog’s favorite treats—the smellier and crunchier, the better! Cut a slit in the rubber of the ball, slip a few treats inside and hand it over to your dog and watch them go to work!

How to Keep Your Puppy Happy on a Long Road Trip

May 8, 2017 by admin

Source

Spring is here and summer is close by, and that can mean only one thing: you have wanderlust! On stunningly bright blue days with fluffy white clouds dotting the skyline, who wouldn’t want to jump in the car and head to the nearest beach or hiking trail for a weekend vacation?

It’s only natural to want to get out and go when the weather is a perfect storm of cool breezes, blue sky and aromatic blooming flowers. But, as a responsible puppy parent, taking off whenever you feel like it just isn’t feasible. If you want to go anywhere for a few nights’ stay that’ll require bunking in the car, you’ll need to make sure your number one doggo is good to go.

Here are a few ways to keep your pup happy on extended family road trips.

Secure your pup. In many states, allowing your dog to roam freely in the backseat of a moving vehicle is illegal. Not only is this maneuver illegal, but if you were to be involved in an auto accident, your dog could sustain a serious injury. To keep your pup safe and feelin’ chill in the backseat, USA Today suggests investing in a dog seat-belt. A dog seat-belt is a type of harness that straps the pooch safely in the backseat while still giving them room to breathe, stretch out and relax.

To make sure your mutt is extra comfy, pack up one of his dog beds and lay it out on the seat. The familiar smells and textures of the bed will distract him from the moving vehicle anxiety some dogs suffer from and should hopefully help him to fall comfortably asleep.

Stop for potty breaks. Is anything ever more uncomfortable than when you need to use a restroom and there are none in sight? If you’ve mapped out the pit stops along the way of your weekend excursion (if not, you should!), make sure you’ve done the same for your four-legged traveling companion. Dogs need a potty break every 4-10 hours. And to keep from sitting too long and forming blood clots, you both should get out of the car and stretch your legs every two hours.

Should your dog in her excitement manage to get away from you, you’ll want to make sure she’s wearing something highly identifiable so she is easily found. A colorful personalized embroidered dog collar will make her easier to spot and will help fellow travelers know that she’s the pooch being sought after.

Keep the music down low. As much as you may want to turn your road trip playlist on at full blast, doing so could damage your pup’s sensitive ears. Instead, keep the volume turned down low and only have the music playing at the front of your car.

Pack goodies. Like children on long car rides, dogs can get bored and irritable. To keep your dog entertained while you look for the exit you need to take to get to your campsite, pack a few of their favorite toys, preferably toys that require a lot of chewing. The more focused they are on their toy, the less they’re crying out to be let in the front seat beside you.

Monitor the air flow. Make sure that the backseat isn’t too hot or too cold. To remain feeling well and fresh, your pupper will need her airflow to feel natural and relaxing. You may be tempted to roll the windows down so she can stick her head out and let her ears flap in the wind, but you must refrain from doing this. Jaymi Heimbuch of Mother Nature Network writes that this is dangerous as another motorist could come into contact with your pup’s head on the highway. And if your pup is unrestrained, they could jump or fall out of your moving vehicle, causing a fatal injury.

If you follow the canine ride safety tips above, you and your pupper will be in for a fun road trip together!