So what is a plant enthusiast to do? First and foremost I always consider the safety and health of my pets. Before I decide to bring home a new plant, I check the ASPA’s list of poisonous plants.  The list may seem daunting at first, but there are still a lot of plants that you can bring into your home or garden that are safe for pets.  Another thing to consider is that some plants are only mildly toxic to pets, while others can be highly toxic.

Secondly I do a mental check of where the plant will reside in my home or garden, and determine if those areas are accessible to my pets. There are few places inside my house that my cats can’t reach, but they do exist, and that is where my most prized plants reside. I also have a lot of hanging baskets that the cats can’t reach.  I’ve unofficially classified my dogs as ‘diggers’ and because I know their behavior around potted plants usually leads to a muddy disaster in my house, I avoid placing plants in dog territory at dog level. A lot of keeping the peace between pets and plants requires proactive planning.

My third approach helps with my cats grazing on houseplants in their reach. I have given them their own miniature ‘kitty garden’ so to speak. There are several herbs and grasses that cats are attracted to, and you can use this to your benefit. Plant a small herb garden with cat grasses and other cat-safe herbs and place it within easy reach of your cats, although it is best to make sure the seedlings are mature and rooted enough to handle chewing and grazing or the garden won’t survive long-term.  Catnip can also be used, but in my experience cats won’t leave this plant alone, and it doesn’t survive the feline torment for very long.

If kitty (or puppy) still chews on the leaves of your houseplants you can take make them less appealing by applying a bad-tasting substance to the leaves, such as bitter apple or Tabasco sauce. It may take a little while to determine which deterrent is most effective for your particular pets. Make sure to reapply periodically until your pet ‘gets the hint’.

You can also deter other bad habits your pets might have with your houseplants, such as digging or tipping over the pots. Use a heavy ceramic pot with a wide base, as they are much less likely to tip over. For digging, you can fashion a ‘cover’ for the top of the plants by using a clear plastic drip tray, cutting a hole in the middle large enough for your plant to come through the top, but not too large that the soil is overly exposed. Add a few small air holes in the drip pan so that the soil has adequate airflow to dry out in-between waterings. Another solution is to cover the top layer of soil with large decorative river rocks, which can be more appealing than a plastic covering. Some cats are discouraged by placing tin foil over the pot as well.

If you’d prefer that your pets don’t approach your plants at all, consider using a deterrent like a training mat. They have small discomfort points that are unpleasant to walk across. Some mats carry a small static charge that also discourage going near the mat.

A common problem with outdoor gardens is male dogs marking trees and plants, leading to the eventual death of your outdoor plants. Try to train your dogs to go to the bathroom in a certain area of your yard. A tool to help with this is a Pee Post. Place the stake in your yard, away from your prized plants, and encourage your pets to go to the bathroom near it. The pheromones on the Pee Post also encourage your dog to mark that area.

The pet lover who also craves a lush indoor or outdoor garden has a little bit of extra work to do, but can absolutely be successful in their endeavors. You may have to try a combination of the methods described in this post, but with a little extra planning and preparation you can help your pets and plants to live in harmony.

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Pets and Plants Living In Harmony

Homemade Delights

Chances are, you know your dog’s appetite better than anyone. If you know what he likes, then making your own pup-cicles will be fun and easy. Start with a clean container that you can fit into your freezer. You can use anything from ice cube trays to plastic jugs, rubber toys (kongs work great) or even buckets depending what kind of dog or how many dogs your preparing treats for – muffin tins and popsicle forms also work great.

Next formulate your mixture. There are lots of possibilities when creating frozen treats for your pet. It can be as simple as filling some ice cube trays with natural or low sodium chicken or beef broth or stuffing a kong toy with peanut butter and oatmeal. Or you can get more creative with the mix. Add some kibble, training treats or even some cooked lean meat to the broth before popping the cubes into the freezer for a special surprise. It doesn’t have to be entirely meaty either. Most dogs have a taste for fruits and veggies, too. Add sliced, chopped or pureed bananas, apples, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot parsley or pineapple and see what he thinks! You can even go full fruit or veggie if your dog likes it that way. Non-fat plain yogurt, lactose-free milk or cottage cheese can replace the broth to create creamy treats.  Depending on the size of the treats you create, your dog will be loving you in a matter of a few short hours. Insert a bully stick or other stick-like chew when the treats are half frozen as a tasty and tantalizing holder if you like, but all frozen treats should be served outside to save you the melting mess inside.

Cash and Carry

If creativity and food prep isn’t your thing, have no fear. Plain ice cubes or crushed ice can be a refreshing addition to the water bowl, free and effortless.  If you allow your dog to chew bones, frozen marrow bones can be a long-lasting distraction under a shady tree.  Just be sure to watch your pet if you gve them a bone to enjoy and discard it when the marrow is all licked out.  And of course companies, like Frosty Paws, are now creating doggie “ice cream” that’s ready to serve in portioned cups. You can often find these or similar products in many pet stores and even in some grocer’s freezers.

Next time you sip a shake or smoothie, be sure to have a frosty treat ready for your four pawed friend, too, you may be surprise how much they appreciate it!

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Cool Treats for Hot Dogs – Tasty and Creative Frozen Snacks to Beat Summer Heat

Not Just for the Bird

I thought maybe it would be worth a try to offer the unwanted bird toys to my rats and guinea pig. Toys my rodents have all enjoyed include anything composed of a combination of blocks, balls, rope, rawhide, coconut fiber, shredded paper, corn husk, and/or sticks. Now, my rodents no longer go for the basic rodent toys such as wood blocks and toilet paper tubes. They now have a taste for the finer things.  My rats, Rizzo and Shadow in particular enjoy puzzle style toys that have a series of holes or compartments for hiding a smudge of peanut butter or cheese whiz. Right now they have a Nut Maze that they have yet to extract the nut from. It drives them crazy! Anything they can tear up and make nests out of is very well loved, too.

Butters, my guinea pig is the probably pickiest of my pets when it comes to toys, but he enjoys things with bells and larger bird toys that he can hide under and scratch himself against. He also likes loose balls that he can push around the cage with his nose. I give the guinea pig toys with thick plastic that can take a long time to chew up and wear out, but be weary of these as you don’t want animals to swallow a lot of plastic. I always take these toys out if they get worn or have jagged edges on them. Butters isn’t a very prolific chewer, so I trust these toys for him. He mostly likes to take toys on top of his nose and fling them over his head!

Piñatas (marketed for birds) are a small animal’s best friend. You can give mini piñatas to your smaller rodent pals and medium to large sized ones to guys like guinea pigs and rabbits. These come with holes in the back where you can store yummy nuts, treats, or just bedding fluff to yank out. I once gave a small cat shaped piñata to my 2 previous rats, Caesar and Piper, and in less than a day, it had no head! Bearing a bit of a grudge perhaps?

Pre-constructed bird’s nests are also great for burrowing rodents such as hamsters, mice, and gerbils. They come woven together with natural wood and straw fibers so they are safe, fun to tear apart, and they provide shelter before they get mangled. They usually are so tightly woven that they take a little longer to completely destroy, so this will save you money on new toys.

Maintenance

As with any type pf toy, you’ll have to remove old, worn, or destroyed toys to avoid injury to your pet. Toys that clip onto the wire of the cage are good choices because your pet cannot soil them as easily. If a toy becomes dirty and is made of porous material such as coconut fiber, wood, or straw, it is best to throw it out as washing will just ruin it and will not kill germs anyway. Plastic toys are easier to clean using soap and water, but remember these will need to be replaced in time, too.

Sharing My Acquired Knowledge

Having discovered the benefits of bird toys, I find myself taking customers straight to the bird aisle when they are looking for furniture for their small pets. Having at least one hanging bird toy for your pet will alleviate boredom, provide chewing stimulation, and add hours of fun to your pets’ day. Even if some pets are picky and may not like a new toy right away, don’t give up. Save it and try putting it in the cage again another day, maybe with a hint of fruit juice or a bit of peanut butter smeared on it. Tantalizing smell and taste can make anything irresistable! I rotate my bird toys between the rats, the guinea pig, and the bird to see who likes what and for how long. Several of my bird toys have lasted through many rotations before finally being thrown out. Doing this has saved me a a lot of money and frustration, and has given my pets plenty of mental and physical stimulation. And I will admit, it is fun toy shopping for my fuzzy and feathery kids!

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Bird Toys – Not Just for the Birds!

If you have a destructive pet, the first thing you have to do is find the root of the behavior. Does he have separation anxiety? Is he under-stimulated? Or maybe there was a recent change in routine or environment? All of these can be common triggers of destructive dog behavior. Your ‘treatment’ of the bad behavior will depend on the cause, and you may require some professional help if you are dealing with dangerous or extreme destruction in your home.

1. Exercise. A common cause of destructive chewing and digging can be cured with a simple walk. If you dog isn’t getting adequate exercise during the day, boredom can manifest itself through shredded cushions, carpets, or other destructive behaviors. Try to get your dog out at least 30 minutes a day, if not twice a day, depending on the breed and energy level of your dog.

2. Mental Stimulation. Even if you are exercising your dog’s body, you also need to stimulate his brain to reduce boredom. Try daily training sessions, but keep them short; maybe 5 minutes at a time, 2 or 3 times per day. Practice old tricks and try out some new ones, too.

3. Stimulation, stimulation, stimulation. Starting to see a pattern here? If a dog is under-stimulated, mentally or physically, the results could be disastrous. Try using puzzle toys or a treat-stuffed Kong while you are away to challenge your dog.

4. Provide proper toys and bones. If chewing is your problem, be sure that you have plenty of tough dog toys and bones as an alternative to your furniture.

5. Calm them naturally. You can specially designed music to calm your canine while you are away. I have found Through a Dog’s Ear to be especially effective.

6. Supplements. There are some homeopathic remedies on the market to help curb anxiety. They use natural herbs and supplements that have calming effects.

7. Pheromones. Start using a product that employs the use of appeasing pheromones, like Comfort Zone. Spray it or use the plug-in diffuser to release a calming chemical in the air that replicates a nursing mother’s pheromones which naturally calms your canine friend.

8. Change your behavior. Believe it or not, your actions just before you leave or when you return may be root of the anxiety. Through a dog’s eyes, when you make a big fuss over leaving the house in the morning with hugs and kisses and lots of goodbyes he can sense your anxiety about leaving him and cause additional anxiety for your dog. When you leave the house, don’t make it a big deal, just give a treat and calmly walk out the door.

9. Crate Training. When a dog is properly crate trained, the crate becomes a place of security and comfort. It’s a safe place to and can keep him out of potentially dangerous destructive behaviors. Make sure you aren’t using the crate as a tool for punishment.

10. Doggie Day Care. There are many facilities that offer a doggie day care services. Your dog can play with other dogs, receive training, and be stimulated all day outside of your house when you can’t be home to supervise.

If you have any other tried and true techniques or tips for curbing destructive dog behavior be sure to share them in the comments section.

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Ten Tips to Discourage Destructive Behavior in Dogs

Hays and Grasses

Pellets used to be the main (if not the only) food offered to guinea pigs and rabbits. Studies have shown however, that feeding only pellets can affect the health of the animal. Rabbits and guinea pigs are grazing animals that spend a lot of their day eating. So why aren’t they all round as watermelons? The grasses and shrubs that these animals feed on in the wild are very low in nutrition, so they must eat a lot of them to obtain the amount of nutrients needed each day. Since this grazing behavior is instinctive, our furry friends from the pet store continue to eat all day long just like their wild cousins, except captive animals are eating nutrient-concentrated pellets that can cause obesity if consumed in large amounts. This is why the main diet of any guinea pig or rabbit should be hay, primarily Timothy Hay, which is closest to what they would be feeding on in the wild. Large handfuls of hay every day will help keep your pet in grazing mode which will aid in alleviating boredom, wearing down teeth, and keeping the weight off. You can also occasionally offer Brome, Orchard Grass, Meadow Mix, and Alfalfa to mix things up. Fresh grasses from the yard are also OK (in small amounts) as long as the grass is collected from an area free of pesticides, runoff and pet waste. Be sure the picked grasses do not contain wild mushrooms or berries, and rinse it thoroughly before giving to your pets.

Pellets

Pellets are still important to your guinea pig or rabbit’s diet because they offer the nutrients needed for proper digestion and overall health. A small bowl of pellets offered every day is fine, about 1/3 cup every day per pound of body weight depending on breed and life stage of your pet. This is subject to change depending on how fast your animal’s metabolism is. Talk to your vet if you are unsure how much your pet.

Remember to feed your rabbits rabbit pellets and your guinea pigs guinea pig pellets. Although these pellets appear similar, rabbit and guinea pig specific diets are different and should be offered to the animal they are produced for only. I recommend Zupreme Nature’s Promise or Kaytee Fort-Diet brands.

Veggies and Fruits

Fresh veggies and fruits are a great treat – and they offer additional nutrition. For guinea pigs in particular, they can help fill the need for added Vitamin C. Here is a short list of approved veggies and fruits for your small pets:

Spinach

Kale

Parsley

Dandelion Leaves

Collard Greens

Romaine Lettuce

Bell Peppers (never hot peppers!)

Broccoli

Carrot

Celery

Grape Tomatoes

Apple (remove seeds and core)

Pear

Grapes (seedless)

Banana

Corn

This is a small list, but there are many other foods your rabbit or guinea pig will be willing to try. Even though Bugs Bunny prefers carrots, dark green leafy veggies should be offered more so than other veggies because they are closer to your animals natural diet. Fruits should only be offered infrequently and in small amounts because they are high in sugar (which is why our pets love to over eat them). Always wash all fresh foods thoroughly and remove any old foods that weren’t eaten within an hour. Experiment with different veggies and fruit and you will find out what your pet prefers quickly.

Treats

Finally we get to treats. Processed small animal treats are available in every shape, form, and color, but be sparing with these as the main ingredient in many of them is sugar and artificial preservatives. Treats like Yogurt Drops are a favorite among many small animals, but you should only give your rabbit or guinea pig two to three pieces of these a week if at all. Fresh veggies, hay, and pellets are the best things to feed your pets. Think of the human food pyramid. All of the sugar and fat is in the tiniest block. This is where processed treats should be in your small pet’s diet!

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Balanced Diet – Feeding Guinea Pigs and Rabbits

Bitter Apple Spray – I used Bitter Apple Spray to deter the dogs from chewing on my furniture and the corners of my walls. It worked the way it was supposed to; they didn’t chew where I sprayed the furniture. Unfortunately they decided to chew elsewhere, where I didn’t spray Bitter Apple. If you are having a specific problem, say with chewing on table legs, I would recommend this product. If your problem is more severe, like mine was, you may want to buy it by the case!

Chamomile infused treats- There are several varieties of these calming treats on the market now. I noticed a difference in the boys about an hour after I gave them their treats. They’d calm down quickly after guests arrived, they would be calmer (and less destructive) during the day. Unfortunately the treats seemed to have less of an effect after daily use for a few weeks. I would save these for special occasions, such as when you are having guests over or know a stressful event is on the horizon.

Kongs - I started out using empty marrow bones as makeshift Kongs. I finally bought a couple of the real things and believe it or not, they seemed to make a world of difference. The food is harder to get out which keeps them occupied longer and they seem to really enjoy chewing on the rubber texture. To this day each dog gets his Kong with a special treat inside when I leave for work. They even seem to look forward to me leaving so that they can have it!

Homeopathic Anxiety Drops – I read some good reviews about these homeopathic drops helping other pet parent’s curb destructive behaviors and separation anxiety. So far the effects have all been positive.

Relaxation CDs for Dogs – Classical music specifically designed for dogs that calms them and reduces anxiety. It seems to work because it plays a limited number of musical notes in a minute which slows the dog’s heart rate and helps them relax. It also seems to work on humans! One of our local animal shelters uses this music to calm the dogs in the shelter at night. I highly recommend this music. It has been very effective in calming Gatsby’s anxiety while we are away.

It’s been a long road through puppyhood and what I suspect to be a mild case of separation anxiety. It’s a lot of work, but what wouldn’t we do for our fur-kids? I’m still hopeful that they will calm down even more as they enter adulthood, and that I won’t have to rely on so many commercial products in the future, but in the meantime they’ve been a lifesaver!

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The Adventures of the Sometimes-Not-So-Great Gatsby – Part 3 –Product Testing

After I had Gatsby neutered, I expected him to calm down like Barret did after his surgery. However, his destructive habits just got worse!  I started coming home to holes in walls (yes, holes in my drywall) and table legs almost broken in half (how does a dog his size DO that?). I knew there was something causing him to act out, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. I called in a professional, ASAP.

A certified trainer came to my house and inspected the damage, reviewed my routine and visited with the dogs. What she said was very surprising. I was (for the most part) doing everything I was supposed to, with the exception of crating the dogs. She understood we wanted to exhaust our other options before attempting confinement. She proposed a few new things to do and asked me to check back with her.

The first suggestion was that I adjust my walking schedule. She asked that I walk the dogs right after we got up in the morning, with the thought that they would have time to expend some energy and calm down before I left the house to work for the day. It made sense; the dogs were always wild with stimulation after their walks. She also suggested that I cut out the lunchtime walks, since I didn’t have time to let them settle before I had to head back to work. They were both old enough at that point to “hold it” until my husband got home.  She recommended we purchase a Comfort Zone plug-in, (which uses natural, calming dog pheromones to reduce anxiety) to help transition them into the new changes.

The second piece of advice she gave me was to train them more often throughout the day, especially in the mornings. She suggested we teach them to do “puppy push-ups” and new tricks to stimulate the brain and tire them out mentally before being left alone.

Her final suggestion from the consultation was some dietary changes. She advised we cut out most grains, corn, and soy from their diet and introduce some raw foods. She reasoned that canines process soy and grains differently than people, and they can react like kids on a sugar high!

The next day I started implementing the changes in routine. The first days looked promising, the destruction level decreased, I was ready to celebrate! Too bad the positive changes started to wear away and he was back to the same old destruction in a few short weeks…

Next time I’ll tell you what other products I tried and share with you my opinion on their effectiveness, as well as what seems to be working for us now.

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The Adventures of the Sometimes-Not-So-Great Gatsby – Part 2 – The Trainer

All in all, rats need large wire enclosures with plenty of levels or lofts for climbing. You may want to look at cages designed for ferrets. Cages designed for hamsters and other small rodents will not be adequate for the much larger and stronger rat. The ideal cage for two adult rats will be at least 2ft L x 1ft W x 3ft H, but this is the minimum and bigger is always better. Make sure the cage bars are less than one inch apart so that small rats can’t get out. If their head fits through, their body will too! Also keep in mind that the size of the cage depends on the number of rats you plan to keep. They are very active animals and will utilize all the space you are willing to provide.

Do not use aquariums designed for fish and reptiles as rat cages. Tanks are cumbersome, difficult to disinfect properly, do not allow good air flow, and do not have climbing space.

To keep their active minds occupied, you will need toys, sleeping hammocks, hide outs, and chew blocks. Change the variety of toys and chews frequently to prevent boredom. A great place to find distractions for rats is the bird toy section of the pet store! Wooden bird toys hanging from the cage bars are very intriguing to curious rats. You may decide to provide a running wheel for them, but make sure you choose a wheel large enough for your pet, but without taking up too much room in the enclosure. Some young rats will grow out of using a wheel as they get older, so a wheel is optional. Furnish the cage with a heavy food dish and a water bottle that holds at least 16 ounces.
Bedding is an issue a lot of small animal owners tend to bicker about. In general rats do well on a number of beddings, but some are prone to developing skin allergies or respiratory problems from wood based beddings like cedar, pine, and aspen. For this reason, I like to keep my rats on CareFresh or Boxo. These beddings are made from recycled paper materials and are soft, odorless, low dust options. Change the bedding in your rat cage one to two times a week or more depending on how many rats you are keeping. Rats are not especially stinky, but smells will develop if you do not keep the cage clean. Remember, the health of your animals depends on how well you take care of them, and rats will get sick if forced to live in a dirty cage.
The staple diet of your pet rats should consist of laboratory style rodent blocks such as Forti-Diet Rat & Mouse Diet, which is made up of compressed cubes specially formulated for all rodents. I do not like to give rats seed mixes as a main diet or they will develop something I call “Marshmallow Syndrome.” If you have kids and you’ve ever given them a cereal that has marshmallows in it like Lucky Charms, you’ve probably seen them pick out all of the marshmallows before touching the healthy part of the cereal. Well, rats will do the same thing! Seed mixes often contain sunflower seeds, which are like candy to rodents, so they will eat those first and not touch the rest. Seeds also cause obesity if offered as a staple. Occasional handfuls of seeds mixed in with their blocks are okay as long as it is not done too often. If you want to offer your rats variety, give them grain based cereal, dry pasta, fresh veggies, or Yogurt Drops as an occasional treat. Don’t give huge handfuls. Look at the size of your rat’s head, and give him something half that size. Giving a single grape to a rat is like giving an entire cantaloupe to a human! Don’t super-size your rat’s treats!

In the end, when you are taking care of your pet rats it is important to use common sense. Always think like a rat before you make any changes to your pet’s diet or environment, and keep in mind that your rats are not built to survive in the streets like wild rats. They need a balanced diet, the companionship of other rats, a warm home, stimulating activities and toys, and loving people to take care of them. Wild rats may be plentiful, but their average lifespan is 6 months whereas our pet rats can live 2 to 4 years. With this in mind, you can make sure that your rat is healthy and happy for as long as he lives.

An interesting article recently appeared about keeping rats as pets, read it here.

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Rats as Pets – Looking Past Stereotypes and Misconceptions – Part 2

When I was in college, my now-husband and I took in some feral kittens. Kitten ownership was a challenge, never having owned kittens before I did not know how to prepare myself or my home for such chaos! We got through it with minor bumps along the way. Fast forward four years. A few months after we bought our first home, we wanted a dog (we finally had a yard!)

Barret, our first “fur-kid” of the canine kind, pretty much fell into our lap. He was a great puppy, quirks and all. We even named him after a character in one of the best video games of all time! Barret (or Bear) is an unusual mix of Cocker Spaniel and Miniature Pincher, but looks like a mini Black Lab. He is outgoing yet shy; friendly yet a little territorial. He loves a good car ride. His short attention span makes training a bit more difficult, but all the more rewarding when we have finally learned a new trick.

About 6 months later we decided he needed a brother or sister. This time it took a few months of searching for the “perfect” dog, but after several applications with local rescues Gatsby was approved to come home with us. That’s when life in our house got interesting. Much like the character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, Gatsby is mysterious, contradictory, and a little misguided. He’s a German Shepherd mix adopted from Homeward Bound Animal Rescue. Gatsby loves to cuddle with us whenever he can. He’s also a destructive pup, and has tested my patience many times over the last year. One look at that face and a big bear hug from him has me wondering why I was even mad at him in the first place.

When we decided to bring home a second puppy, the thought was “how much more work can just one more be?” The answer? You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

Gatsby presented a challenge from day one. He is incredibly destructive. He chewed on everything – table legs, carpets, walls - but only when we weren’t home. Barret had rarely, if ever, chewed on anything inappropriate. My husband and I aren’t big proponents of crating, so we opted to gate the dogs in a room where we figured they could do the least amount of damage. I consulted books, websites, TV shows, even a professional trainer to find a way to curb the destruction of our new house! Each solution worked for little while, and we would breathe a sigh of relief thinking the destructive phase had passed, then a few weeks or months later we’d come home to a hole in the wall or torn up carpet and bedding.  He has the sweetest demeanor; he apparently just doesn’t like to be home alone. Even with his destructive tendencies I still wouldn’t trade him for the world. He like our other pets has become a vital part of my life and well-being. They bring me joy each and every day, even if they do get into mischief once in awhile. From time to time I still find myself asking “How much more work could just one more dog be?” 

I’m sure I’m not the only pet lover dealing with the issues Gatsby presents.  I’m hoping that if I share my experiences with a “problem child” that I can help someone else out there who may be a little frustrated with destructive anxiety too. Next time, I’ll tell you more about Gatsby’s handiwork and some of the so-called solutions I’ve tried to correct the behavior.

Thanks,

Heather

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Escapades of the Sometimes Not-So-Great Gatsby – An Introduction