Howl-O-Ween Dos and Don'ts

Here's hoping that you and your dog have a happy fun - and importantly - a safe Halloween. With a little preparation this should not be a problem.

Make sure to keep your Halloween decorations just out of reach. Cats especially love electrical cords. Pets are curious, anything that is shiny, crinkly twinkling is attention getting. Motion decorations can be hard to resist - but can also be scary for some dogs. I know that Kanji will definitely bark at any moving figures - it scars him (which I guess is the intention of those type of decorations.

Keep Halloween candy away from pets. Especially chocolate which is toxic to dogs and cats. Gum and candy with xylitol, an artificial sweetener, is known to be deadly. To be safe make sure you have treats for the pets around.

Candles in pumpkins can lead curious cats into dangerous situations - so maybe these are not such a good idea to have around. Teenagers can be especially cruel to animals during this time - acting out as pranksters or doing their devilish things. Don't leave your pet outside unsupervised (which is a good thing to do all year round), - better not to take any chances.

Every time the door bell rings Kanji goes ballistic - he is assuming someone is coming to visit him and he gets so excited. On Halloween you usually have a constantly ringing doorbell and a parade of strange costumed individuals. This can be overwhelming for some dogs and you may want to consider putting them in a room far away from the mayhem which might be happening. Give them a chew bone or a toy to try and distract them. If they get too stressed consider things like Happy Traveler or Rescue Remedy - natural remedies to relieve stress - we carry both at Cause to Paws.

If you are trick or treating with your dog (with or without a costume!) make sure they wear their collars and ID tags.

Have a Happy (and safe) Howl-O-Ween.

Shocking news: Electrical and phone cords are ticking time bombs

"Until you add a cat to your life you won't have realized how many cords there are in the average house. From curtain cords to lamps, computers, kitchen appliances, telephones, hair dryers or irons, they're everywhere. While cats all like to play with cords, kittens are especially vulnerable because they play with things by putting them in their mouth. If a kitten chews an electrical cord she can get burned or cause a house fire. If she gets tangled up in window blind cords she can get trapped and strangle. Make sure to always keep all types of household cords out of the reach of your little kitties."

by Tracie Hotchner, author of The Cat Bible

At Cause to Paws we often have customers come in and tell us how their cats are eating their computer wires - not realizing that cats like to chew. We have sold them little rubber bones, cat coils and even 3" bully sticks to help with their chewing needs. There are also lots of dangling teaser type cat toys which can take the place of the cords. Cats need to have play and interaction time, so it is important to have things available for them to play with, alone or with you. Our cat section is quite extensive to try and cover all these needs. We are constantly looking for new things to keep the cat busy - so they will avoid the household items.

Fling-Ama-String™…if cats had money, they'd buy one! Fling-Ama-String™ hangs on any standard door knob. It is battery-operated. One side of a long string is sewn to a flat elastic "conveyer belt' which is constantly rotating. The string flings in and out for kitty’s non-stop amusement. The toy has 2 speeds to satisfy the frisky or faint feline. Batteries not included.

Pull tips: Is your dog a puller?

Pull tips: Is your dog a puller?
by The canine experts at Dogster.com

"If your dog is a puller, don't let him pull you! As he attempts to pull you, don't let your arm extend all the way out, which is enabling him to pull. Keep your elbow bent and tucked in, and when he starts to pull, don't let the elbow straighten and pull back. If this is done enough times, it should help... it may not eliminate the pulling, but the dog will not pull as hard."

We work with a number of trainers and most of them highly recommend Premiers Easy Walk Harness for dogs that pull - from the Petite to Xlarge and every size in between. Lots of great feedback and I have seen it work miracles. It sort of looks like a martingale for the chest - as the dog pulls, you correct by pulling back which causes the harness to close and allows you to "steer" the dog - easily turning them left or right - getting them back on track in terms of walking beside you.

Another thing I like about them is even if your dog finds a way to chew the harness the company will replace it for the cost of shipping - (rumour has it it is usually because we, as owners, leave the harness in some tempting location and the dog sees it as a chew toy!). I have become quite the expert at fitting dogs. I have learned that there are some dog shapes that are not conducive to the harness so coming in for a fitting can be helpful.

And for even better news - the company now offers the harnesses made from recycled materials, in very green packaging. Every little bit helps the earth out.

If you need help in training - we can help out with some names in addition to the harnesses.

I'm Back and So is Kanji and Summer

Had a great week off in Michigan with good friends. Had my dog fix by going to a parade in Northport, MI - dubbed the Kentucky Dogby. Lots of dogs with little saddles and "jockeys" on their backs and others with roses around their necks. For a small town in northern Michigan they put on quite a shindig - their local celebrity turned out to march as well - Mario Batali - a great chef - wonder if he cooks for his dog(s)?

It was obvious when I went to pick up Kanji he was ready to come home and rest. He ran right to the car and wanted to get in (made me feel good!). I know he had a great time while he was at "summer camp" but I think he was exhausted from all the activity - he is not use to that much fun - 24/7 .

It is a scorcher out there today - Summer has decided to arrive in August - so make sure you continue to keep your pets hydrated and cool. It's a real hot one today. Make sure you keep your dog cool - Forget about leaving the dog in the car and cracking the window - check out http://www.mydogiscool.com/ for lots of great information.

Off on Vacation - Leaving Kanji Behind

I am off for a much needed vacation but I am depressed that I have to leave Kanji behind. The good news is he is staying with friends - whom he loves very much. He is basically going to summer camp. It's great to have a trusted friend with a great location (3 acres all surrounded by water). Kanji is free to run around with their Chocolate Lab - Woody basically 24/7.

Not everyone can be this lucky. If you need to leave your pet behind there are various options available - Kennels, Vets, Pet Sitters (in your home or theirs), Pet Hotels, etc. Whatever you do it is important to make sure you get references and check the places out. We have a lot of people coming into the store offering services - we tell them unless we have experience with them or know of customers that use them we can not really recommend them. We do have a list of "trusted" sitters, walkers, and places we feel comfortable recommending.

Whatever you do make sure you provide your pet with some comforts of home - their toys, bed, blankets, food, treats - and things with your scent on them. And when you come back make sure you bring them a special treat or toy so they know you were thinking about them while you were gone.

Feel free to come in and talk about your needs - we would love to help you out.

Squirt Bottles may be the answer

Squirt control: A bottle of water can break up a dog fight
by B.L. Ochman, Blogger, Pawfun.com


Always carry a bottle of water to the dog park or run. You can often break up a fight by squirting the two dogs. They'll stop long enough for you to pull your dog out of harm's way. It also works when dogs get nuts while playing and need a quick time out to keep the play from escalating.

Just came across this tip from Dogster - I was at a meeting of liaisons from the Green Dog Program in Brookline (an off leash program sponsored by the town) last night and a lot of the conversation had to do with aggressive dog behavior and what to do to help control the dogs. One person suggested Mace and the whole group erupted in rage with the consensus being to use a water bottle to squirt the dog - the shock factor does the job. Then today I found this tip and thought it was a good one to share with everyone. Hopefully you don't run into a lot of aggressive dogs - but just in case. If you have an aggressive dog this may just be the answer for you.

Hot weather tips from The Animal Rescue League

In addition to making sure you keep your dog well hydrated in warm/hot weather here are some additional tips I found on the Animal Rescue League site - check it out and keep your pets safe!

• Never leave your dog in the car even with the windows cracked. Although it may seem cool outside, the temperature inside your car can easily rise as high as 150 degrees in a matter of minutes. If you’re planning to run a few errands, it’s best to leave the pets at home.
• Make a point of keeping your pet on a leash to ensure that they don’t get lost and/or ingest anything that could make them sick.
• If your pet has light skin or hair, apply sunscreen to the animal’s ears and nose and allow them to rest in a shady spot regularly.
• Hot weather may encourage pets to drink from puddles, so be sure that your driveway and yard are free of any potential toxins. After a heavy rain, fertilizer, weed killer and other common lawn chemicals can contaminate puddles, and antifreeze poses specific hazards due to its sweet taste. Even small doses of these chemicals can be fatal. Puddles can also contain deadly bacteria called leptospirosis.
• Check your pet for insect stings and bites. Typically the affected area will be swollen, but take note of any other symptoms and monitor them. If the animal seems especially uncomfortable or if the swelling is excessive, consult your veterinarian to ensure that your pet isn’t having an allergic reaction.