animals Archives - 3 Kids and Us

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 the loss of a pet can affect your children

December 29, 2016 by admin

As a pet owner, you’ll know how quickly animals become treasured members of the family; whether you’ve got a cat, dog, bird, or fish, there’s a good chance that you’re incredibly attached to that pet and dread the day something happens to them. Imagine, then, that you’re a child attempting to come to terms with such a loss. Your family’s pets are likely to be the very first confidants, best friends, and co-conspirators that your child ever has, and the animal’s passing is likely to be their very first experience of death and grief. Would you know what to say, or how to prepare your child for the emotions that they’re likely to face?

Preparing for loss

First and foremost, you need to know that there’s nothing wrong with discussing death with your children, particularly if your pet is getting old or has been ill. Your child is developing and maturing every day, as is their ability to understand complex emotions and circumstances. Be sure to be the one to guide your child through the events that will follow. It can be tempting to allow a teacher, family member, or siblings to have such talks with them, but the environment of comfort and trust must be established from the beginning. Find a quiet moment when your child is showing an interest in engaging you in conversation and discuss the fact that your pet cannot be with you forever, and that there will come a time when the family has to say goodbye. Speak honestly and encourage your child to ask questions; they will find such openness a huge help once your pet has passed.

Experiencing a sudden loss

Sometimes the loss of a pet, and our ability to prepare our children, is taken out of our control; accidents and sudden illnesses can and do strike, and it’s important to know how to handle such a loss – particularly when it comes to explaining events to a child. At times like this, your child will be hit by grief they don’t understand, and it may be very difficult at first to explain what has happened and why. Be prepared for questions, for accusations of blame, or feelings of guilt, and a period when nothing you can say will make it all better, before your child is able to talk to you about what they’re feeling. The chances are your family will be in shock; encourage each member of your family to share memories, stories, and pictures that will dull the blow you’ve been dealt.

Saying goodbye to a beloved pet

You may be worried that asking your child to say goodbye to a beloved pet will cause distress, but that final declaration of love, and recognition of loss, will be absolutely vital for their healing. Allowing your child to play an active role in saying goodbye will not only allow them to understand what has happened, but also create a healthy attitude towards future losses that they will no doubt encounter. A funeral or pet cremation service is a lovely way to provide closure for your child, as well as enabling your family to come together to celebrate the life of your pet and remember the memories that you’ve made together. Ask your child to write a letter, sing a song, or paint a picture of their pet for a memorial, and consult them when it comes to choosing an area in which to scatter ashes or bury your pet; not only will your child feel a part of the service, but they will also be able to associate their feelings with what’s happening far better than if they’re protected to the point of being left in the dark. Finally, don’t be tempted to underestimate your child, or their capacity to understand what’s going on. Using simple language, including words such as “dead”, “death”, and “dying”, will be far less confusing than euphemisms such as “sleeping”, and will allow your child to come to terms with their loss in a less trivial way.

Choosing a new pet

When is the right time to choose a new pet? While it can be tempting to rush out and rehome a new animal so that a sudden loss is felt less harshly, it’s essential to remember that grief is an important part of growing up; you won’t want your child to be sad, but taking away their right to say goodbye, and their ability to process their emotions and understand what’s happened, will cause more harm than good. It’s completely healthy for your child to explore the way they’re feeling in such a way, and while a new pet can aid the healing process, you must wait until everyone, including your child, is ready to welcome a new family member.

While it’s always a good idea to encourage your child to focus on other things, including hobbies, heading out and about together, and quality family time, it’s also wise to listen; don’t be tempted to dissuade your child from talking about their pet and the emotions they’re experiencing as this may discourage them from expressing themselves later in life. Above all, be guided by your child, and talk about grief and the healing process at a time and pace that suits them. Your child may need time before they’re ready to discuss what’s happened, or they may have questions right away; there is no right or wrong way to handle the loss of a pet, as long as your child’s interests are taken into consideration.