Pet Bucket Blog

It's an early learned behaviour of children to give hugs to parents, siblings, friends and even their favourite toys as a way to show love and affection. As such, we equally search for ways to show our four-legged friends how much we love them, but seemingly hugging should not be one of them. The truth is, dogs do not appreciate your warm hugs...but why?   Within the dog world, there is an abundance of behaviours shared between canine parties, including face smelling, rump smelling, tail wagging, licking, but importantly, there is never hugging. Dogs have particular methods of greeting, none of which involve having a foreleg over the shoulder of each other. In actuality, the closest approximation dogs have to hugs as we know it actually means something other than friendship. Dogs standing over each other relates to some form of social status and competition for resources, so hugs are considered a form of power manipulation and control.   Despite hugs being associated with play and not necessarily something aggressive, a hug can be regarded by dog behaviourists as a very assertive, controlling behaviour. It follows suit that many owners and people are most commonly bitten in relation to the benign interactions such as petting, hugging or bending over the dog.   Dogs may manifest their dislike about being hugged in various ways, including subtle uneasiness by licking its lips or turning its head away. Some signs may be quite evident such as growling or seeking to escape. It is an innate response triggered by the dog's self defense system, where they automatically become alarmed and enter into their ''fight or flight mode'', forcing them to react aggressively by giving a warning growl or a straightforward bite because of the restraining nature of a hug.   The reason behind the inherent dislike of human hugging by our dogs lies in the idea that humans and primates appreciate ventral to ventral or chest to chest contact, sub-consciously associated with feelings of pleasure gained through nursing. Dogs do not have this sort of positive association so therefore do not by nature appreciate this form of contact. We wrap our arms around another's shoulders as a sign of affection but in the dog world, a leg over the shoulder is a sign of dominance or assertiveness. Therefore, when we try to hug a new or unknown dog, it is understandable that they may misinterpret that gesture as threatening and will either run away, submit, or return the challenge. Have you noticed this reaction in your dog? Feature image credit

If it has been weeks since you last got a good night’s sleep because of your feline friends, it may be time to investigate why they keep waking you up in the middle of the night. Some reasons include illness, boredom, habit, the need for gratification, or even the lighting of a room. Some medical conditions inhibit a good night’s sleep for both you and your cat. Even mild ailments can lead to feline restlessness. Some of the more common culprits for sudden onsets of midnight visits are arthritis, hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure, all of which can be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian. Begin with a visit to your vet if your cat is repeatedly exhibiting unusual behavior at night as the road to recovery will mean you’ll both be sleeping soundly again. If your cat is alone for most of the day, they can become restless, leaving them energized to play all night. Seek ways to amuse them while you’re out with toys, window perches and innovative feeding methods, such as foraging toys. Interactive play with their human family is also important, whether it be with a laser toy, dangling a wand while you watch TV, or toss a ball around before you leave for work. Keep toys fresh by rotating them and utilize new toys to keep their interest. It is also advised to tire them out for the day with a longer playtime in the evening, at least an hour before lights out.  Be wary of learned behaviours with regimented feeding patterns just after you wake. These may lead your feline to preemptively wake you for their water or morning meal, invoking the feeding process. If you have you responded to their wake-up calls by giving a cuddle or freshening their water, these can form into learned behaviours and habits which must be stopped with selective attention and ignoring them at the right time.   It is well known that cats see better in the dark due to having more light-sensitive receptors in their eyes. With that, small amounts of light may be quite disruptive. If you leave a nightlight on, sleep with the TV on, or have streetlights shining into your room, that may be just the right light for fun and mischief on the part of your cat. Minimize light in the sleeping area or try room-darkening blinds to discourage activity in your feline. Feature Image Credit

Many dogs learn to get our undivided attention through stereotypical behaviours such as excessive barking, jumping up and pawing, biting the lead, stealing items, tail-chasing, and even aggression. Inappropriate attention-seeking behaviour is a common assessment referred to dog behaviourists, whereby owners unintentionally have given in to their dog's behaviour reinforcing it even more so. As such, these dog behavior problems can become even more difficult to deal with and to extinguish. There are many reasons why attention seeking behaviors start, including lack of physical activities, boredom and nervousness. Some helpful tips about how to handle attention seeking need behavior from your dog are: Understand the behaviours. The hardest part in stopping these attention seeking habits is to be aware of them in the first place. Once you are more aware of your dog’s behaviour, ask yourself, ‘Is my dog trying to get my attention on their terms or mine?’. At times misdiagnosed, hyperactive dogs are just sensitive to sudden environmental changes – overreacting to the presence of a strange person or animal, and apparently unable to adjust to the new stimulus. Recognise your reward system. Dogs learn behaviours, and this learning only takes place when the behaviour is reinforced in some way. It’s helpful if you can recognise the ways in which you reward out-of-control attention-seeking behaviours, especially those which you don’t know you’re reinforcing. Have your dog complete basic training. Generally speaking, dogs should learn and practise the basic obedience exercises, especially the 'sit', 'down', and 'stay' commands. Your dog should especially perform the ‘sit’ command before getting anything they want, whether it’s attention, petting, food or play to help teach them calm emotional restraint around people. By increasing the structure in their environment, those pesky behaviors should start to dwindle. Practice both voice and lead control. Dogs that jump, leap and run out of reach should be kept on a lead during behviour management in anticipation of ensuing problems. In regards to your voice, quiet confidence will effectively get your message across. Most times, ignoring needy behaviours and a lack of acknowledgement can stop unwanted behaviour.  Stimulate your dog to counteract their boredom. Dogs that seek your attention at times lack adequate physical and mental stimulation. Increase their exercise and make it really robust exercise! Attention should be given in little doses and often throughout the day. It advised that all contact with the dog must be initiated and ended by you. Reward your dog fittingly. Dogs learn quickly to behave if 'good' behaviour is rewarded and 'bad' behaviour is ignored. If the problem behaviour still persists or leads to aggression, ask your vet for assistance or for referral to a dog behavioural specialist. With understanding, consistency and patience, you can soon teach your dog to overcome their needy behaviours and to be less dependent on you. Feature Image Credit  

Dog owners should be vigilant over hot weather and its effects on their pets. As dogs can’t release heat by sweating the way humans do, high heat and humidity can raise canine body temperatures to dangerous levels leading to health complications. Heat stress left unmanaged can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Whether it be a sweltering day or a long walk, cooling jackets can be a defensive tool to keep your dog cool. Heat stress and its degenerative states can take a serious toll on a dog’s health, with heat-related problems being amongst the most common summer canine ailments. The symptoms of heat stress include profuse panting, salivation, an anxious expression, staring without seeing, failing to respond to commands, skin that is warm and dry, fever, rapid pulse, fatigue or exhaustion, muscular weakness, and physical collapse. Any dog can suffer from heat stress, but dogs who are most susceptible include the very young and old, particularly any dog with a history of heat stress, are overweight and physically inactive or breeds with flat faces or short noses. Caring and conscientious owners plan ahead and seek to keep their dogs safe in the heat, including utilizing cooling jackets and vests as a solution to helping hot dogs stay cool. Made from different materials and operating on different cooling principles, cooling jackets and vests are dog garments designed to keep dogs from overheating. Jackets that use water as a cooling mechanism were designed to emulate human sweating and heat control. These jackets are dipped in water and then placed on the dog where, as the water evaporates, excess body heat is equally dissipated – much like human sweating. The fabric that cooling jackets are made from is exceptionally good at absorbing and retaining water so it releases the moisture slowly while still efficiently cooling the dog. Other types of cooling jackets for dogs was originally designed for or are used by military, search and rescue, police, and working dogs. These vests have two pouches on each side that run the length of the dog's body, holding special gel-filled cooling packs to keep the dog’s body temperature down. The outer layer reflects incoming infrared radiation while the inner layer prevents the dog’s body heat from reflecting back to the dog. How successful cooling jackets are vary for smaller or larger dogs, dogs of different breeds, engaged in different activities, or in other climates. Feature Image Credit  

Cats are territorial animals who can find moving house a very stressful experience more so than their owners. To help, there are a few measures cat owners can take to reduce stress and ensure a smooth transition between homes as well as promoting postive associations with a new environment. Before even introducing your feline to its new environment, make sure the new house is cat-proof. Secure electrical cords, plug up nooks and crannies where a cat could get stuck, make sure that all windows have secure screens and remove any poisonous houseplants or pest-control poison traps that have been inadvertently left anywhere in the house. Once the environment is safe, you can begin to focus on introducing your cat. Upon arriving home, set up a small room that will serve as the cat’s initial territory. Any small room works well, such as a bathroom, small bedroom or large walk-in closet. Where ever you choose, make sure it remains relatively quiet. Keep the cat in their carrier while you are setting up the room, allowing them to adjust to the sounds and smells of the new environment. Be sure to put everything the cat needs inside this room including the litter box, food, water, toys, scratching post, bed, and other needs. Place some cat treats around the room to encourage your cat to explore once the initial shock begins to wear off. It is advised that you keep your cat in this initial room for the first few days of being in the new house, allowing them to gradually get used to the sights, sounds and smells of their new home without feeling overwhelmed. Once this period of adjustment is complete you are able to let the cat decide whether they want to explore or to remain inside the carrier. Many times a cat will remain inside the carrier for hours. Patience is one of the ultimate tools necessary for introducing cats to new environments. Spend time with your cat in their room, at first doing low-key activities like reading or watching TV. When they begin to explore and leave the safety of their carrier, offer your cat attention, treats and playtime. Give the cat time to adjust to their new territory. It is advised for you to come back to the room to visit often, but let the cat set the pace of the visits. Don’t force your attention on the cat as they will seek you out when they feel their need for comfort and reassurance. When the flurry of unpacking is over, gradually give your cat access to the rest of the house, one room at a time. Once the cat has established a sense of relaxation within the room, open the door and let them explore the rest of the house at their own pace much like before. Cats usually begin investigating at night, making short explorations interspersed with rapid retreats to their safe haven. It is rare for a cat to explore a new territory without hesitation. Your cat can easily adapt to a new environment but only at their own speed. Some cats can take hours or days, others will take weeks or months. The length of time needed to establish new territory will depend on the cat’s temperament, past experiences and other pets already present in the new home. Be patient and supportive with their adjustment period and your cat will be roaming the new house in no time. Feature Image Credit  

Once considered eccentric and strange, traveling with pets during the holidays has now become increasingly popular. That being said, transporting family, let alone those of the animal variety can be stressful so here is a few tips we have picked up along the way: Before embarking on any trip, consult your veterinarian for advice on the types of vaccination shots required for the country or areas you are travelling to. Whilst visiting your veterinarian, make sure to get an up to date copy of your pet’s vaccination history as this will be required when organizing travel and checking your pet in with many airlines. Airlines strongly disapprove of using pet tranquilizers in-flight because of the life-threatening dangers to a sedated animal at high altitude. So if need be, discuss stress-relief options with your vet and if medication really is necessary, you must have the vet’s paperwork to show airline personnel. Make sure that any dogs and cats you seek to travel with are at least eight weeks old and have been weaned for at least five days before they can travel so as to lessen any shock. Pets are easily stressed, especially when they notice the slightest change in their environment let alone a long road trip. It’s important to create an atmosphere that smells familiar to them, so include some of their toys and blankets in their travel container. Similarly, another great idea is to also leave an old t-shirt of yours in the container with them to reassure that you’re close by for support and safety. Feature Image credit

Kittens are full of energy and love exploring their new home and getting into all sorts of mischief. But play time is not just for fun, it can also be quite beneficial to your kitten's health. It is a great way to exercise your growing bundle of fur while also teaching it how to play without scratching or biting. Toys Toys on strings with feathers and fluffy bits and pieces will bring out your kittens instinct to stalk, capture and pounce. These games are not only LOADS of fun for your kitten but it's also a great laugh watching the little ones pounce around. Kittens also love playing catch or kitty soccer where you pass a ball to them and they kick it around. It's a very cute game that not only gets you involved but also has them running around the house. You may also consider some catnip toys since catnip famously causes different, positive reactions in cats (but some cats may not feel any effect at all.) Wrestling At as young as three weeks old your kitty will start to wrestle and romp around with his or her littermates. These fun little wrestling sessions are vital for your kitten to learn how to interact with other cats. If they get bitten too hard they'll remember not to bite too hard too. Walking Believe it or not, if you train your kitten from a very young age to walk on a leash, it is completely possible to take your kitten on daily walks. You will first need to get him or her used to wearing a collar and then add a leash. Some cats prefer a harness to a collar and it is also much easier to control your cat on a harness. Once you have them adjusted to wearing these, walk them around the house for a few minutes, increasing the walking time a little each day. Then take your cat outdoors, perhaps to your backyard and slowly start increasing the area in which you take them. Remember to be patient, as this could take months. Play dates The best games for your kitten to play will require other kittens! It's as simple as chasing one another through the house, hiding, stalking and generally interacting with one another. If you do not have any playmates in your house, consider play dates with friends that have cats. It's great fun and will also enrich your cats social skills. Feature Image Credit

A leash is a vital tool in the training, safety and exercise of your dog. The vast amount of collars and leashes available can be overwhelming without understanding and guidance. Responsibility, control and safety are all key attributes of any correct leash for your dog no matter what quality it is. The best leash in the world won’t matter if your dog is untrained or the owner unprepared; it is not meant to be a substitute for the relationship formed through positive reinforcement training sessions.  A simple leash and collar suits content, well-trained dogs who are both easy going and obedient. These leashes can be made from a number of materials, each with their own attributes. Nylon is the most common material as it is cheap, strong and colourful. However it can easily hurt the owners hand with leash-burn if your pooch tugs at it fast and hard with a lunge. These types of leashes are ideal for indoor use as they are lightweight and less salient to the dog, allowing an easy transition from on-leash to off-leash behaviour. They are suitable for any weather including rain, snow and wet climates. Chain leashes have long been an option for leash-chewers but are not recommended as they easily may harm both dog and owner with their heavy and cumbersome nature. Leather leashes are quite popular with both their strength and gentleness on the hands, becoming even more comfortable over time. Retractable leashes allow your dog the room and freedom to explore their environment but with such freedom, the dog may end up controlling the pace. Again, these leashes are not recommended for untrained dogs. Ultimately choose a comfortable leash that works for both you and your dog. Keep in mind that the context and environment in which you are utilizing the leash will effect the appropriateness of your selection. For example, walking in crowded places or the vet’s office would suit a better controlling leash such as a short leather one against a retractable leash for park walks and exploration. Feature Image Credit  

It is no secret that cats love a nap. In fact it might feel like your kitty loves napping more than almost anything else. You may spot him or her sleeping on the couch, on the window-sill or even on your bed, which is exactly why a nice and cosy bed is a must for your pet. Here is a short guide on picking a new bed for your cat. Cup beds These are particularly appealing to cats as they are often made of soft plush fabric that will not only feel super comfy but will also retain any body heat. Their circular design is also ideal as your cat will be able to curl up comfortably and feel like it is being cuddled by the bed giving it security. They come in plenty of sizes, designs and some are even hooded which are particularly handy during winter. Pads These comfy flat beds make for ideal beds that you can move to different places around the house and you can even take them when travelling with your kitty. Some might be just a flat faux fur fabric while others are stuffed with foam or are made of sheepskin. The great thing about these lightweight cat beds is that they are machine washable which means if they get stinky you can get rid of any nasty smells ASAP.  Heated beds If you have an older cat, or one that suffers from arthritic pains this is the perfect bed for you. They come in a variety of designs and sizes to suit your needs. The headed pads or units are fitted inside a soft plush covering. They are safe for your cat as the covering prevents any direct contact with your cats skin. These beds are pre-set to maintain their temperature making it ideal for colder climates. Cat trees This double-whammy bed is perfect for a cat that loves being on top of the world and has a habit of tearing up your furniture in its spare time. Multilevel cat trees also give your cat a place to play as well as sleep. Most of these will have a box or small enclosed cave for your cat to hide in and fall asleep. The small cosy space is perfect for your cat as you may have noticed, the smaller the nook or cranny he or she has found, the more they'll love it. These beds also mean that any malting fur won't be deposited on your furniture. Feature Image Credit

Some dogs pull, jump and pounce to get their owners to take them on a walk-however, your pooch may not be as excited about walkies. While a break from walks may seem like a great idea, it could be a sign that your dog is ill. So first, let's try and work out why your dog may be disinterested in walks. It is important to eliminate any medical conditions so see your veterinarian and discuss this with them. They may suggest doing some blood tests, urine and stool samples or x-rays, just to see if there is anything a little out of whack with your dog's insides.  If your vet clears your dog of any medical ailments that are preventing them from enjoying his or her daily walk, it could a sign of a behavioural problem. Your four-legged friend may just be bored of the monotonous daily walk just as you might be. Fix this by adding some interest by jogging, running or even visiting a dog park half way through your route to entice your dog. Chances are that he or she will notice the change and it will encourage the likelihood of them wanting to go on a walk. You may also try taking different routes, going hiking, swimming or even bringing another dog to liven things up. If it's not lack of variation that has your dog disinterested, you may need to consult with a behaviourist. Some dogs may have experienced something traumatic on a walk and this could be what is stopping them from going on another. Animal behaviourists can help both you and your dog to move past this type of experience so that you are both able to enjoy your walks again. Remember you too will need to move past any negative experiences and focus on the now so that you are not giving off any fearful or negative energy that your dog might pick up on. If you think that the experience may occur again then take a different route so that you feel more confident and relaxed. Enjoying walks is very important as it allows your dog to exercise and release any excess energy- so don't give up. It is something to work on but with patience and diligence you can enjoy walkies again. Feature Image Credit