PawPrintPets

Making You & Your Dog Happier


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Thinking of getting a pup?

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House of Fraser’s tweet which does NOT give us the right idea of what owning a dog is like nor should be either. Saddening really.

If you are still tempted, before you read on, can I suggest you think again. Getting a puppy during lockdown is likely to lead to big changes when we are finally free from restrictions. You will be back into a routine – working, school, social time… if you don’t think this affects you, think again.

Puppies are expensive

Puppies are very expensive. At the moment they cost three times what they did before the pandemic. There is reduced supply of quality litters, meaning that you’ll most likely fund a puppy farm or opportunistic amateur. It’s the equivalent of buying an old banger car from a layby without any chance to test drive, that costs three times as much but you pay it just because you are in a rush and the kids are moaning.

A new puppy needs planning, care and attention. From finding a puppy training class, to pet insurance, when and how to toilet train… the non-stop whirlwind of a new puppy starts even before you bring your puppy home. 

Puppies need huge amounts of care

Finding a good breeder is crucial, as is checking for health problems, and finding a decent insurer. See the puppy with its mother – no excuses. It is otherwise likely to be stolen or shipped from a puppy farm. Register with a Vet and be ready for regular health checks, vaccinations, and preventive treatments – worming, fleas, ticks and other disease all needs to be looked out for.

Puppies are hard work, so time is a huge cost too. Can you guarantee you will be around for at least the next three years making sure your dog is not left alone for more than a few hours a day? I don’t mean several times a day. No more than 3-4 hours per day absolute maximum and not every day either.

Surely you’d like to be the owner that says ‘We knew what to expect’ than the ones that say ‘We can’t look after him/her properly’ as you hand them over on Gumtree.

Pups need training, groomers, dog walkers and day care

Think about who will look after the puppy, and make sure you have contacted a groomer, a registered, qualified puppy trainer (positive reward-based methods), dog walker and dog day care too. If you can’t afford them – don’t get a puppy.

Aim to get a puppy at around 8-9 weeks of age (no earlier, no later – it can cause big issues). A rescue dog is often a better choice. Centres are filled with dogs who, through no fault of their own, need somewhere to live. I am sure their original owners all decided a puppy was right for them at some point. Life has a way of catching up with us and rescue centre dogs need decent homes. Do contact our local ones – you could get a wonderful dog that’s absolutely right for you.

Need the very best advice on how to care for your dog? Why not get Karen’s book ‘Being a dog’ which helps you see the world from your dog’s point of view!

Lockdown pets and the new normal

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What’s happening for our pets during lockdown? How are they coping?

In my book ‘Being a Dog’, I tried to help us all learn how the world appears from the dog’s point of view. It was the same in my book ‘Purrfect Guide to thinking like a Cat’, but of course, for our cat friends instead. Why is it important to get inside their thought processes?

Try saying ‘It’s just a dog’ to anyone who has one in their home these days? Not everyone is lucky enough to own a pet, but dog or cat, they are one of the family. As we know, families are very different in the way that they do things day to day. This means that our pets learn all of our little ways, without even trying hard.

What happens then, when there is a lockdown and things seem to be turned on their heads for most of us? Is it silly to think that the pets might care too?

Of course, they aren’t reading the news or looking at the government statistics, depressing though they are. However, we are affected by all these things. Staying at home, feeling worried, missing our normal routines and being put under huge pressure too. It’s all incredibly different, so it would be naive to imagine that our dogs and cats haven’t noticed.

Does it matter? Well, possibly not. Dogs and cats are hugely adaptable. They cope with all kinds of comings and goings in human life, so why not this? I do think that now we have mostly been forced to slow down our pace, they probably quite like the continuity. Those that are left alone most of the day are probably loving having us around. 

If you are feeling bored, imagine what your dog goes through for the hours and hours you’re at work? 

If you are feeling a bit ‘hemmed in’, perhaps your cat could be considered a little more? Let them have their own space. They need it.

Of course, it isn’t all rainbows. It might be that you are experiencing more problems with your pet because you aren’t leaving them alone as much, especially if you’re seeking extra cuddles or the kids are letting off steam. The good news is that there is still help available if you need it, so feel free to contact me or any properly qualified (ABTC-registered, Clinical Animal Behaviourist) colleagues. We are still running online puppy classes, and they are still filled with well-behaved dogs and puppies wanting to learn. It isn’t a poorer or lesser method, no matter what you hear. Our online class clients are doing exceptionally well, and I think they deserve congratulations because their ‘lockdown pups’ are going to cope with all the changes that will come with our future new normal.

Here are the two of my books I mentioned, click the images for more info.