Pets

New Dog Owner Guide: How to Choose the Right Anti Bark Collar

Every dog barks, no matter how trained and well-behaved it is. After all, it’s in their nature. However, there are dogs that bark excessively, which can be unbearable for you and for anyone living near you. In fact, nuisance barking is probably the number one problem dog owners are faced with. If you’re one of those owners, and you’ve tried everything but nothing works, your last resort is probably a bark collar for your barking dog.

Never choose an anti-bark collar as a first choice for correcting excessive barking, but rather do it as the last resort, since as abovementioned, barking is natural for dogs. Dogs may bark as a response to feeling anxiety or fear, which is completely normal and shouldn’t be forbidden.

If you decide to use a tool that will give your dog a negative stimulus when they behave undesirably, you should always inform yourself as much as you can, and learn how to use them responsibly to protect your dog from psychological trauma and to avoid punishing them for natural and normal behaviour, especially if it’s your first time owning a dog. In fact, anti bark collars shouldn’t be used as a punishment, but rather as a deterrent to negative behaviour.

Source: barkva.org

Types of Barking Collars

There are different types of dog anti-barking collars, and just like with all the other dog accessories you need to buy for your dog, such as dog leads, dog bed, bowls, food, toys, etc., you need to do some research to find the right anti-bark collar for your doggy as well. Of course, you can choose the one that seems best for you, but you should also learn about what might work better for your dog’s breed.

Since it’s normal for a dog to bark, regardless of which type of anti-barking collar you choose, you shouldn’t use it all the time or for an excessively long time. The idea is not to make your dog stop barking entirely, and you shouldn’t even want to silence your doggy. The goal is to teach them to stop barking at certain defined times, like while they are alone at home, for instance. Because your four-legged best friend should be allowed to bark since it’s its natural way of communicating.

Citronella Spray Collar

If your dog keeps on barking excessively, and training doesn’t work, citronella spray for dogs is the most humane anti-barking collar you can buy. These anti-barking collars for dogs work by spraying citronella when the dog barks, irritating their nose mildly. Citronella is an essential oil extracted from the lemongrass plant. People use essential oils for their relaxing properties, and sometimes even for their healing powers. Citronella is also used as a bug repellent, and it’s used in number pet products. However, while citronella is quite pleasant for us humans, for dogs and other animals it smells bad.

When the anti-bark spray collar detects your dog’s barking it squirts a mist of the liquid near their head. This will distract your dog by making them slightly irritated or annoyed, which will make them stop barking. So, over time, your puppy will learn that if they bark they get sprayed. This should make them stop barking excessively.

Although citronella dog collars are gentler than other collars, the essential oil isn’t completely safe for the dog. In large quantities, it can be toxic to animals and it can cause irritation to the intestines or to the lungs. Furthermore, don’t forget to read the instructions carefully, because there are different citronella dog collars. For example, some will spray as soon as you put them on, which means you’ll have to turn them off before placing them on your doggy.

Source: ozpack.com.au

Ultrasonic Collar

As the name suggests, ultrasonic collars use sounds to stop your dog from barking. Dogs have incredible hearing, and while you wouldn’t be able to hear it, the sound emitting from the collar when your dog barks will be irritable for your dog. However, these sounds aren’t harmful to your doggy.

Like the previous type, ultrasonic collars are considered to be a more humane way of correcting a barking problem than vibrating or electric shock collars. So, when your dog starts barking, the collar should detect the sound and emit a sound that should irritate your dog enough to distract them and make them stop barking.

Source: topdogtips.com

Vibrating Collar

While it’s more humane than a shock collar, an anti-barking vibrating collar is still less gentle than ultrasonic or citronella dog collars. Like the others, they can be an effective tool for teaching your dog not to bark excessively in some situations, like when they are alone at home.

Some people use vibration collars to get their dog’s attention. However, it’s really important that you don’t use the collar for both training them to stop barking and for getting their attention, because this will confuse your dog, and you won’t be able to correct the unwanted behaviour.

An anti-barking vibrating collar comes with different intensities and they can work automatically by detecting the barking and vibrating, or you can press a button on a remote control to make it vibrate yourself when you think it’s necessary.

Electric Shock Collar

Many people avoid electric shock collars and go for a citronella spray for dogs or another type of collar instead because they are a more humane anti-barking device. However, even though electric shock sounds scary, and it is a more irritating stimulus than the other options, the shock administered by the collar is safe and isn’t going to do any physical harm. Like vibrating collars, shock collars come with different intensities.

Furthermore, most of them will beep or vibrate before the shock as a warning when the dog starts barking, which is why many dog owners are reporting that their dog’s behaviour improves very fast, and after a few shocks they learn to stop as soon as they feel the vibration or hear the beep.

A Simple Guide for Choosing ID Tags for Cats

Cats make wonderful pets and provide a lifetime of love and affection. Besides dogs, they are one of the most intelligent kinds of house pets. Most people treat cats like family, allowing them to sleep on the furniture, buying them delicious cat food, playing with them and even air travelling with their pets. All family members have a birth certificate, social security number and other forms of ID, so why leave out your feline best friend?

All you need to do is find a comfortable collar and choose a cat name tag that goes with it. If you were forced to wear a piece of jewellery around your neck, you might want it to be stylish, comfortable and functional. From the wide range of available ID tags for cats, choosing the right one for your best friend can be confusing. If you’re one of those people who aren’t 100% sure if cats need tags, first you need to understand the benefits of this practical and stylish accessory.

Do Cats Need Name Tag?

If you love using the famous excuse that your cat is an inside cat and doesn’t need a cat tag, you might be amazed to find out that only 2% of lost cats and only 15-20% of lost dogs are ever returned to their guardians. Cat parents know that they are only a few things scarier than realising that their cat is missing. Your indoor cat might slip out of the house when a guest arrives, or your curious outdoor cat might get stuck in someone’s garage. Since your best friends can’t talk, wearing a cat tag is their easiest form of communication if they are found away from home.

Buying a cat ID tag is like buying insurance – you do so praying that you won’t ever need it. But besides its safety benefits, it can also be a stylish accessory that looks good on all those photos for the ‘Gram.

Choose a Stylish Accessory

By choosing the right tag, you can watch your furry friend getting compliments wherever you go. Cat tags are available in a plethora of shapes, sizes and colours, from simple to sparkling.

If you are looking for an accessory that can make your cat stand out, you can choose from a wide range of ultra-modern ID tags for cats surrendered by small crystals making the tag shiny and elegant. The front side of the tag can feature a crown, a heart or a little paw, while the back is reserved for the personal details. Designs like this are created for glamorous cats that enjoy a lot of attention.

Heart-shaped cat collar tags might be an ideal solution for cat parents that want simplicity and precision. You can choose a colour that matches the collar, or you can contrast. From simple silver, gold or black, to bold red, shades of blue and green, the colour palette is endless. A charm daisy cat tag can make your cat looks even cuter. Bow shaped tags are also a trend option.

Make sure to choose a tag that is not too heavy nor too small for your four-legged friend. It should always be proportional to your pet’s size and weight, allowing them to move easily.

Consider the Material

Since a cat identity tag is not something that you buy every day and your cat is going to wear it all the time, you need to choose a material that is both durable and lightweight. Plastic cat tags are lightweight, but a lot of cat owners avoid them since they are easily chewed. Anodised aluminium tags are the lightest and most durable option available on the market. It’s resistant to UV light, salt spray and harsh conditions, corrosion and abrasion-resistant, which makes this material ideal for both indoor and outdoor cats.

What Should I Put on My Cat’s ID Tag?

When deciding what details to engrave on your cat’s ID tag, make sure you include useful information that can bring your fluffy friend home. Although we love seeing cats name engraved on the tags, it might not be a smart idea to put it on the tag. By doing so, you are risking your cat to get stollen, especially if she answers to her name.

One of the most useful bits of information to help reunite you with your furry friend if they were to get lost or go missing is your phone number. You can engrave two numbers if you want to make sure that whatever numbers you include are easily reached.

Including your address is also important as it can help reunite you with your furry friend. If you have an outdoor cat, it might help your neighbours identify her, so they know she has a home nearby. Or if your indoor cat manages to get outside, including your address could be the fastest way to get her back to you.

People with friendly outdoor cats who like to visit the neighbours often engrave “don’t feed me” to make sure they don’t get extra dinner. Indoor cat owners often decide to put “indoor cat” on the cat ID tag, so whoever finds her knows that she’s lost. Whatever information you choose, make sure there’s enough space on the tag so it is easily readable.

Pet Guide: Keep Your Dog Comfortable & Cool with a Raised Bed

There are many types of dog beds to choose from, and your furry friend might already have one. But many regular dog beds, even the really cushy-looking ones, don’t really protect your dog’s joints. His elbows, hips and shoulders can suffer from the pressure of laying on an unsupportive and uncomfortable surface. If comfort, support, hygiene and durability are important for your own bed, then you probably should look for the same qualities for your pet’s bed too.

Cat Deterrents: Simple Solution to Keeping Cats Out of Your Garden

Some people may find cats adorable, others infuriating. Some may love them wandering in their gardens, others may be against it. Even if you don’t own one, some neighbourhood kitties
or homeless strays could end up digging holes in your backyard. Hence, if you’re someone who takes lawn care seriously or maybe are a passionate gardener, cats (especially stray ones) could become your worst nightmare. But how can I keep them out of my garden?, you may ask. The answer is a cat deterrent, be it a some sort of homemade quick fix or an electronic cat deterrent device. They’re not only effective but will safely keep cats out of your garden, and won’t hurt them or your pets, if you have any.

Source: purelypetsinsurance.co.uk

Sound Barriers

One of the most effective and safest ways of preventing unwanted visits is by using sound. They’re effective at deterring not only cats but other small animals as well by delivering high-pitched ultrasonic sounds and LED flashlights. These ultrasonic cat deterrents produce unpleasant noises only cats can hear (and animals in general), because they operate on high frequency that is inaudible to humans yet unbearable for cats. They are specifically designed for outdoor use, hence are weatherproof and resistant to different environmental elements. (in other words, resistant to wind and rain).

They’re easy to set up too. All you have to do is install one with a removable peg at desired location or can be fixed to a wall. Most are operated by three AA batteries and come with a one year warranty. The coverage area is usually up to 70 m² and some models of cat deterrents are designed to operate on 3 different modes. This means the time interval of the ultrasonic sound emission can be set on 3 different positions:

emits a 20 seconds ultrasonic sound in every 50 seconds
emits a 20 seconds ultrasonic sound in every 2 minutes
emits a 20 seconds ultrasonic sound in every 5 minutes.
There are hand-held models as well with a built-in torch light which can be operated by just two buttons.

Source: rspb.org.uk

Odour barriers

Cats are very sensitive to smell and they dislike anything that has a strong scent. Hence try planting aromatic herbs and flowers, such as: lavender, peppermint, geranium, pennyroyal, Coleus canina (also known as the Scaredy-cat), etc.
Citrus fruit peels may work as well. You can just scatter grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime peels all over the surface of your garden. In addition, coffee grounds and pipe tobacco are also known to be good cat repellers, since they have a very strong smell.

Physical barriers

Cats love soft and dry ground, so using shredded leaves, bark or wood chip mulch to cover your lawn is the perfect way to discourage them from pussyfooting around your property. Moreover, mulch keeps your soil moist and we all know these feline animals hate getting wet. And for extra piece of mind, also use sharp-edged pine cones or eggshells.

Another thing cats hate almost as much as getting wet is the feeling of the chicken wire on their paws. By laying chicken wire on top of garden beds or covering specific spots that tend to be common targets, you’ll no longer have to deal with shallow holes all over your yard. You could also use an electric wire fence, but this is a bit extreme. And with such a wide range of different options, choose a more humane one to keep uninvited guests away.

Source: 3benefitsof.com

Water barriers

It’s a fact that most, if not all, cats have aversion to water. So the next time you catch these unwanted guests roaming in your garden, use water guns or spray bottles to spray them with H2O. It won’t hurt them, and is in a sense a very effective disciplinary technique of letting them know they’re not welcomed. However spying on them all day every day hoping to catch them in action is not a solution to your problem. But an automated motion activated water sprinkler is. It is designed to detect unwanted animals as they approach and spray them with water.

Since cats are headstrong and usually don’t obey, not every deterrent is 100 percent effective. You may need to combine two or more of the above to solve your problem. However, whichever option you choose make sure it’s an animal-friendly one and will not put cats’ or other animals’ lives in danger.
If you can’t afford to buy a deterrent and you’re looking for a cheaper option, there’re also many effective homemade recipes for deterring cats  from your garden.

Your Simple Guide to Choosing the Right Puppy Exercise Pen

You love your dog very much and there is no doubt about that. But, there are times when you want him to be a bit quiet and play on his own so you can get some of your important stuff done. Many people use crates for this purpose and that’s okay, but what I have found my furry pal to like best is a playpen.

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A Simple Guide to Stop Dog Barking Devices – Their Features & Different Types

They say dogs are a man’s best friend and I couldn’t agree more. They are loyal and protective and once they see you as a friend, they will always be by your side. But sometimes, it is precisely this protective quality (which most of the time is expressed through barking) is what annoys us or our neighbours. Dogs like to bark – that’s the way they communicate with each other and how they express emotion. And although we may love them to bits, controlling their barking can save you tons of headaches. Today on the market, you can find an array of anti-barking devices that can discourage your dog from barking. Anti barking devices are designed to detect when your dog is barking and to discourage him from doing so. Depending on the type, different devices achieve that through different methods. Read More →

A Simple Guide to Training Your Bird

Some of us like furry friends, others prefer them feathered. If you’re in the latter group, you enjoy listening to the beautiful melodies your bird treats you with, and in the case of parrots and macaws you have fun hearing them imitate words and teach them words yourself.

However, if you want to have an even better relationship and allow them to enjoy some outdoor air every once in a while without the fear they’d fly away and get lost then you should start thinking about harness training and the first step to go about it is by acquiring the adequate harness for birds based on your bird’s size. Read More →

Air Travel with Pets Made Simple: The Trend Behind Pet Moving Services

Now that Australia got its fame for being the country of pets, as stated by the RSPCA that more than 60% of Australians own pets, it’s not surprising pet travel has become popular too. Nation-wide that is. With air travel getting as frequent as road travel (if not even more), it’s more than common to fly with pets. However, regardless of whether you have experience with it, or not, it can be a hassle.

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A Simple Guide for a Fun and Safe Swim Adventure With Your Dog

Now that it’s summer, water fun is the only refreshment I can think of as of late, so I intend to go on as many swimming adventures as possible. Besides, swimming happens to be beneficial for the overall well-being.

When you have a dog of course that means going on adventures together. Unlike cats (well, most cats at least!), dogs love water generally, and swimming is a great weightless exercise for them since all of the muscles and joints are included in it without the stress.

Fun as it might be, however, there are some things you have to have in mind prior to heading to the outdoors. Read More →