October marks a significant month for pet owners all over the world. Why? Because it’s Pet Wellness Month of course!
Our fur kids do not just deserve the best, they need it. We, humans, are able to communicate and express our emotions and well-being; when we’re sick. However, our pets can’t tell us when they’re under the weather. That’s why our goal as pet owners is to prioritize their well-being and it’s on us to ensure they stay healthy all year round — not just in October.
Here’s a simple checklist of things to look out for to ensure your pet is the picture of health!
Exercise, exercise, exercise!
Like humans, the key to living a long and healthy life is exercise. All dogs should, at the minimum, go for a walk or two every day, keeping in mind the limits for puppies. Get your cats active by playing with them in short but frequent sessions.
You may also supplement with a jog, hike, swim, and even canine conditioning if your pup is ready for it. Keeping active will help develop muscles that support their joints!
Keep them occupied
It doesn’t take long for your pets to get bored, and boredom leads to different problems. Play with them, even if it’s just five minutes. Fight the boredom by giving them activities to partake in — and one healthy way is through toys.
Pets benefit from mentally stimulating activities, like chew-toys and puzzle toys with hidden treats. So, hide their toys and let them go on a treasure hunt.
Dogs love tug of war. It is a great display of their predatory nature and it provides mental and physical exercise for them. Cats on the other hand get bored very easily. Hence, you need to understand your feline’s needs. You can get them a scratching post to help them ‘blow off some steam’ or release their excitement. Be sure to find the right one!
Keep an eye on your pet’s weight
Just like us, pets can face a number of health issues if they become too heavy. Obesity among pets has been on the rise with pet owners oblivious to the health threats that it poses to them.
Here’s how you can keep your pet’s weight in a healthy range:
Feed them a diet with wholesome ingredients that meets the requirements of their size, breed, and age
Schedule appointments to the vet regularly for check-up
Give them treats sparingly
Plenty of exercise
Schedule regular health appointments
Our pets age faster than we do, meaning changes in their health can occur quickly. Scheduling wellness check-ups often is the best way to keep them free from illnesses.
With a trip to the vet, you can seek medical advice regarding your pet’s health. This would often lead to certain changes in their routine, be it exercise or diet, which can prevent potential health problems.
Additionally, a trip to the vet can also increase your pet’s chance of survival as early detection can lead to early treatment. Veterinarians would recommend a trip at least once a year.
Don’t forget about dental health
Often overlooked, dental health is just as important for pets as it is for humans. Periodontal disease can occur when plaque build-up on your pets’ teeth leads to infection in the gums and bone loss. This infection can cause pain, tooth loss, and internal organ damage if left untreated.
Luckily, there are ways to prevent it. Regular dental exams can help veterinarians detect and treat dental issues before they become irreversible. At-home dental care consists of daily brushing. You can also complement brushing with a special diet, water additives or sealants.
Prioritizing their health
There are many ways to show our pets that we care. By taking steps to promote their physical and mental health all year long, we can help keep them happy and healthy throughout their lives.
Pet Wellness Month may be celebrated in October, but always remember that it’s a lifelong commitment that should be promoted all year long!
Have you ever come across a mother-daughter pawdel duo? Uncommon, but not a rare sight. Let me introduce you to Scarlett and Penne!
The AUSSventures begins
Scarlett is a two and a half years old Red Merle Mini American Shepherd, also known as Mini Aussie. Penne, a Red Tri Mini American Shepherd, is her four-month-old daughter.
Their story began in May when Scarlett gave birth to a litter of eight puppies*; four boys and four girls. The entire litter of puppies was named after Pasta noodles — voted via Instagram polls — with Penne being the second pup to enter the world!
*Check out their Instagram Stories to watch Scarlett’s entire pregnancy journey.
The litter has since gone their separate ways, renamed, and taken into different families. However, the puppies would appear on their social media now and then for a mini-reunion, staying connected forever!
Zeus (left) spending time with his mom, Scarlett (right)
Thrill-seeking Aussies
Miniature Shepherds are active and athletic, and our two Aussies are no exception! Scarlett is the master of tricks — knowing 10 — Penne, on the other hand, is still a work in progress. But one day she will know just as many as her mom!
Their parents love making reels of all the crazy things they do, especially documenting all the AUSSventures they partake in on Instagram and TikTok. They can be frequently spotted taking boat rides, swimming, hiking, and playing tug of war with each other — what an adventure!
Scarlett becomes a #PawjourrPetCreator
It’s a dog life
Our favorite Aussies appeared in many campaigns this year, which allows their hooman to put their skills to the test.
Since joining Pawjourr as a pet creator, Scarlett has been a part of two campaigns. As Scarlett tends to get anxious easily, it only makes sense that our creators worked with Finn and Tailspring. Scarlett has benefited a lot from Finn supplements and Tailspring goat milk toppers, these calming aids have helped Scarlett in more than one way; these calming aids do not just soothe Scarlett, they also serve as nutritious treats!
Daughter Penne was featured in her first campaign this past August – yay! Unlike her mom Scarlett, Penne isn’t suitable for all the campaigns available. However, Aroma Paws pet shampoo is perfect for young pups like her. This is because their coats are softer and more delicate, which requires more care.
Scarlett and Penne hoping to join their hoomans in Italy
Versatile creators
The brands that Scarlett and Penne have worked with this year all share one thing in common: pet wellness and health.
Our creators do not just share the action-packed adventures they take on. They also use their experience and exposure to good use, showcasing brands that aim to improve the lives of pets.
As doggos of different ages, Scarlett and Penne would require different products that meet their different needs. This would come in handy as it allows our creators to showcase a variety of products to target a wide range of audiences — the perfect fit if you’re looking for creators that are versatile.
Want to connect with creators like Scarlett and Penne? Reach out via hello@pawjourr.com now!
Having a reactive or anxious attitude can be challenging, especially when a dog’s behavioral issues are a result of previous abuse. However, reactivity, nervousness, and issues like anxiety can be dealt with. While the thought can seem daunting, the services of an experienced dog walker or sitter can be helpful.
Of course, if you have to work long hours or you need to leave town for a day or two, these kinds of services can also be essential. Here’s how you can prepare your nervous dog to spend time with a sitter or dog walker.
Four ways to prepare an anxious dog for the sitter
While sending your anxious dog to a dog walker can seem like a bad idea, the truth is that an experienced dog walker who specializes in nervous or reactive dogs can improve their socialization skills and help deal with these issues. Of course, if your dog has aggression issues, you will need to seek help for this first. Assuming the main concerns are nervousness and reactivity, however, an experienced dog walker or sitter can help.
Taking these four preparatory steps can make their job a lot easier:
Be upfront with the sitter or dog walker
When you first contact a potential sitter or dog walker, you should ask whether they feel comfortable and capable of dealing with your dog. This is true whether your dog is reactive or has underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes. Some dog sitters specialize in providing one-to-one care for nervous animals and other difficult-to-handle dogs.
Arrange a supervised meeting
One of the most common triggers for nervous or reactive dogs is a feeling of being overwhelmed or frightened. New people, new places, new dogs, and busy environments can all cause flare-ups. By introducing your dog to the dog walker or sitter in a supervised environment where they feel safe and comforted by your presence, they will be more open to getting to know new people. If they gel well, you can proceed with planning.
Provide all necessary information
When you find a dog walker or sitter who you feel is a good fit for your fur baby, you should provide them with all of the information that they will need to take care of your dog. This includes information on any medications they may need, allergies or health concerns that could cause issues, and emergency contact details for you, your vet, and a trusted third party. If you are leaving your dog with them for more than a day, you should also give them your insurance details in case of injury or illness.
Schedule a practice run
Finally, let the dog walker or sitter take your dog for a shorter period of time as a kind of practice run. This will give you both peace of mind. It will also give the sitter a final chance to assess your dog and let you know if they need anything in particular to care for it.
These simple steps will help you to prepare your dog to be cared for by someone else. Once you know which kind of pet care service is right for your dog, you can take the necessary steps to ensure the transition is smooth for both your pet and their caregiver.
Amanda and her one-year-old Golden Retriever pup, Lilly, are roaring for adventures as they spend most of their time in the Atlantic Ocean.
If Moana was a four-legged canine, she would be Lilly! When owner Amanda says the word “swimming”, electrified Lilly can be seen waiting by the door to jump straight in the car, ready to chase some ocean waves.
Golden Retrievers are said to be active by nature and playful by heart. At the beach, Lilly proves them right by frolicking around, making pit holes, getting all wet and muddy. Lilly can always be seen chasing after anything: seagulls, crows, pelicans — you name it!
@lillygirlthegolden soaking up the SoCal sun
A company of two
Amanda, with her flair for creative writing and video editing, loves to share their water adventures with their followers — originally an Instagram exclusive, they have since expanded to platforms like TikTok and their new blog, ‘The Golden Life of Lilly’!
By sharing their oceanic escapades online, it allows Amanda to showcase her skills in writing, composing and editing. From high-quality photos to product reviews, Amanda got it covered!
She immersed herself in the online community in hopes to inspire others, and also learn from creators like herself. This exposure introduced Amanda to a lot of fur-ever friends where she picked up numerous tips and tricks on pet ownership and content creation.
@lillygirlthegolden looking playful with her tennis ball
Always putting Lilly first
As a hooman working for Beach Patrol, Amanda and her pup would spend the entire day at the beach — a win for Lilly! But the long hours could take a toll on Lilly, causing Amanda to be more aware of her fur kid’s well-being.
With that, Amanda is always on the hunt for the best products that seeks to improve Lilly’s health through community recommendations or even branded collaborations.
@lillygirlthegolden loving Oxyfresh’s water additive dental care
For instance, our golden duo has recently partnered with Oxyfresh, to showcase their Premium Pet Dental Water Additive on Instagram. Brands like Oxyfresh, who strives to improve the lives of pets, are exactly what Amanda looks out for!
Experts of their craft
Our golden duo incorporates products they love into their everyday lives and most of their content features brings a fresh ocean breeze to the niche community of pet-product reviews!
@lillygirlthegolden winding down at the beach
Their potential is endless! Our California girls can certainly spice up your campaign with the right amount of sand and waves.
Whether your objective is to raise brand awareness or creating curated content, their ability to feature authentic and engaging content can provide numerous opportunities to give your brand the edge you seek.
Ready to work with creators like Amanda and Lilly? Reach out to us at hello@pawjourr.com today!
Holding the title for the most friendly dog breed, Golden Retrievers are as wholesome as they come. The breed is synonymous with being happy and easygoing and will want nothing more than for you to be happy. Such an embodiment of sunshine and rainbows is an absolutely accurate way to describe Lola, the durian-loving doggo to pawmon Daphne.
Lola is a good-natured cinnamon roll, friendly to humans and doggos alike. Despite being in doggy daycare since she was 14 weeks old, the Golden Retriever is rather unaware of her own size when playing with dogs and people alike.
A smile worth protecting
Lola and Daphne
Lola’s golden rays had been shining for as long as Daphne could remember. “By chance, Lola was one of two remaining puppies in her litter of nine,” she said. “We picked Lola because she was the more playful of the pair and approached us. It was an easy choice after that.” The litter would still meet from time to time, thanks to Daphne and the other pawrents exchanging contacts and keeping in touch with each other. Because of that, Lola’s bond with her pack is even stronger than most — the litter even gathered to celebrate their first birthday!
Energetic and playful
As one would expect, Lola is incredibly high-spirited and active; possessing energy rivalling a dynamo. “She will play and completely forget that you can (and might) tip over if a 30kg doggo gets too excited and jumps at you!” Daphne mentioned that Lola is obsessed with tennis balls and swimming, so the pawfamily would go for regular swims (Sentosa Beach is where her heart lies). “Lola is also just happy being at any big field,” Daphne said. “There, she can run freely and chase after her tennis balls.”
Lola having the time of her life at Sentosa
Past experiences, present worries
“From past experiences, pet insurance is something that I know we should have.” Daphne’s previous Golden Retriever had passed due to Advanced Nasal Cancer. The harrowing experience had left the pawmom worried the same might happen to Lola.
Among dog breeds, Golden Retrievers, unfortunately, have the highest rate of cancer — slightly less than double the rate of cancer in all dogs. The estimate for that is one in three, according to the Golden Retriever Club.
Daphne believes that pet insurance is mandatory for all pet owners to have peace of mind. After all, insurance exists to protect us from unforeseen circumstances. She recounted an incident when Lola was 15 months old, whereby the doggo accidentally swallowed an antler chew that she had been playing with. “We brought her to the vet for an X-ray and they performed an endoscopy on her to fish out the chew bone,” she said. “Thankfully, the majority of the cost of surgery was covered by insurance, so did not have to pay as much in the end!”
*Bonus Question*
Say Lola could speak hooman for 7 days. What would you say to her for that week?
“We would tell her to stop snatching someone else’s toys at the dog pool or beach. It’s embarrassing! We would remind her of her size and to give others their personal space. Most importantly, we want Lola to know that she brings lots of joy to everyone around her and we love her so very much.
We always hope to be able to bring her along for a long holiday trip. Probably Canada during Autumn/Winter so she can experience a different and cooler climate because we think she’s gonna love the weather. It will be an adventure too, having her tag along on our travels and explore a whole new world for herself.”
I’m sure many pet owners understand the importance of keeping their pet’s nails at an appropriate length, but struggle when it comes to trimming their pet’s nails (myself included). We’ve tried trimming my dog, Tovsha’s nails using clippers but she struggles so much that it makes it difficult. We were able to grind her nails using a grinder with a lot of bribing with peanut butter, but it’s still a stressful time for both her and us. Going to the groomer or the vet was also not an option because Tovsha gets anxious in both places. So, I finally decided to teach her to file her own nails.
How does she file her nails?
Now, you might be thinking, “How can she file her own nails?” Enter the scratchboard! I read that sandpaper can be used to file a dog’s nails, so I decided to make Tovsha a scratchboard. But how does the scratchboard work? Basically, the scratchboard acts as a large nail file. When Tovsha scratches on the board, her nails get filed down by the sandpaper.
How to make a scratchboard?
The scratchboard was really easy to make. I used:
1 piece of sandpaper (80 grit)
An old chopping board
Masking tape
Just tape down the two sides of the sandpaper onto the chopping board and the scratchboard is all ready.
Figure 1: Tovsha and her scratchboard
How did I teach my dog to use the scratchboard?
Now that the scratchboard is ready, the next step would be teaching your dog how to use it. I’ll be sharing a few methods I used to teach my dog to use her scratchboard.
Method 1 – Teach the command ‘scratch’
Tovsha has a mat that she loves to scratch at, so I encouraged her to scratch on it by placing treats under it. When she started to scratch, I praised her and said ‘scratch’. Once she got the idea, I presented the scratchboard and got her to ‘scratch’. She offered one or two scratches but was not that motivated to continue. While this method didn’t really work for Tovsha, this method might work for you if your dog is innately motivated to scratch.
Method 2 – Using a spoon
Tovsha is not a scratch-motivated dog but she is a super food-motivated dog. So, I decided to incorporate food to increase her motivation to scratch. I placed a treat on the scratchboard and covered it using a small spoon. In trying to get to the treat, she would naturally begin to scratch at the scratchboard. This method was good at helping her get used to the feeling of the scratchboard. However, I noticed that sometimes she would scratch only at the spoon, and not directly on the scratchboard. Furthermore, as I had to hold onto the spoon, she would inevitably scratch my fingers and they were starting to hurt from her intense scratching!
Figure 2: Hiding treat under the spoon
Method 3 – Hiding food
The third method I used was hiding the food completely under the scratchboard. Because I only taped two sides of the sandpaper down, I could lift the other two sides to hide food between the chopping board and the sandpaper.
Figure 3: Hiding food under sandpaper
I would lift two sides (indicated with the orange arrow) and hide the food under the sandpaper. This method worked very well for us. Instead of just offering one or two scratches, Tovsha would scratch vigorously at the board, making it more effective in filing down her nails. After a few seconds, I would lift one side of the sandpaper to reveal the hidden treat.
Does a scratchboard really work?
Well, you might be wondering if this method really works and the answer is… Yes! Below are some photographs of Tovsha’s nails before and after using the scratchboard. Of course, they are not super short but you can see some differences after just two sessions of scratchboarding.
(Left) Left paw; (Middle) Right Paw; (Right) Right Paw while standing
However, as you can also see from the photos, the scratchboard mainly files down the two nails in the middle and the nails are the sides do not get as much contact with the scratchboard. In order to overcome this, you can try tilting the board towards the left or right so the nails at the side will be in contact with the board.
Some points to note
If your dog is an avid scratcher, be sure to limit the time you allow him to scratch. It is still possible for your dog to ‘quick’ himself if he scratches too much.
Check your dog’s paws and paw pads during each session to ensure that he is not hurting himself as the paw pads may contact the sandpaper during scratching.
Like humans, dogs also have handedness. Tovsha tends to use her right paw to scratch more, which means her right nails get filed down more than her left. To get her to scratch with her left paw as well, I started to only reward her when she uses her left paw to scratch.
Conclusion
To end off, I would like to add that while this method is an alternative to nail trimming with clippers/grinders, do continue to condition your pets to traditional nail trimming. Scratchboarding can be used together with conditioning to ensure that your dog’s nails remain an appropriate length while waiting for her to get comfortable with clippers/grinders (this is what I have been doing).
Author’s note: I hope that this article has helped in giving you some ideas for nail maintenance if you are struggling with nail trims. If you have any questions, you can dm me @tovsha.thedog or put them down in the comments. Do know that you’re not in this alone!
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Tween Girl Blowing Bubbles with Labradoodle Puppy in Backyard
This article was written in collaboration with Redfin.
1. Pet-safe plants
Be responsible for the plants in your backyard. Some plants and fauna may be potentially harmful to animals, so ensure that your backyard is dog-safe before allowing your furkid to roam around.
List of pet-safe plants
Bird’s Nest Fern
Rosemary
Hawthornia
Thyme
Camellia
Dill
Polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
Snapdragons
Daisy
Cornflower
Remember to always keep an eye on what your dog interacts with when they are outside.
2. Dog-friendly landscaping
Keep your dog safe by ensuring there are no potentially dangerous obstacles in your landscaping. The easiest way to do so is to use materials such as concrete, brick, flagstone, pea-gravel, mulch (NOT cocoa mulch) and pavers.
Young woman playing with giant schnauzer in the backyard. The owner training his dog pet in summer day.
You can further increase your backyard’s accessibility with dog-friendly ramps, designated potty areas, secure fencing and a fun, water feature.
Either way, have fun! Be creative and find ways to adapt these amenities into your landscaping.
3. Keep your yard moist
On some occasions, dogs cool off by digging holes in their yard. As such, it is important that you create damp cool areas for your dog to rest in when they are feeling hot and tired. Creating your own digging hole might help to reduce dirt stains in your dog’s fur, especially if your yard consists of heavy soils (e.g clay).
You can create your very own digging hole as such:
Locate, or dig out a shallow pit the size of your dog.
Cover the bottom of your pit with a concrete layer. Poke holes to ensure drainage.
Line your pit with a layer of sand (preference is up to you!).
Dampen your pit with water. Make sure it is not soaked.
4. Use pet-friendly soil
Upkeeping the soil in your backyard will no doubt lead to using pesticides and herbicides, as well as fertilisers to keep the soil rich and healthy. Sunday offers a smart lawn plan that uses non-toxic base materials for their soil, such as soy protein, seaweed, and molasses. On top of being the safest option for your pawpals, Sunday’s lawn plans also keep your backyard self-sustainable and minimise the use of toxic chemicals.
Your dog is a member of the family. And just like any family member, your dog deserves a space of its own to run around, relax in the shade, or dig a hole. If you own a home with a backyard, renovating the space is the perfect solution to provide a space your dog won’t want to leave.
To help you get started, Redfin reached out to dog experts from across North America, from Baltimore, MD to Penticton, BC, including us, to give you our best tips on how to create a dog-friendly backyard. From installing a porthole bubble in your fence to building a portable ramp to your porch, check out 11 Tips to Create a Dog-Friendly Yard, Straight From the Pros.
This article was written in conjunction with Renee, owner of Kohby and Kohko. All content produced are to their credit.
Hello! I’m Renee, currently a full-time student who’s working part-time as a creative content writer. My family adopted Kohby in October 2019, about half a year before we adopted Kohko.
During that time, I was still working full time and as Covid-19 cases were on the rise in SG, my boss allowed us to work from home. One fine day, my dad exclaimed: “I want to adopt another cat” and of course, I wasted no time, got onto Cat Welfare Society (CWS)’ website to look at cats to adopt to look for a companion for Kohby.
I found Kohko’s listing (attached a photo of the screenshot I still keep where she was named Nadia by her fosterer) and got into contact with her fosterer. Her fosterer brought her over to our house and Kohko immediately started wandering around without fear. Seeing Kohko settle comfortably in the house, the fosterer immediately decided to let Kohko stay as she only wanted to bring her over to gauge her comfort levels with us.
Meeting Kohby
Working from home provided us with the perfect conditions to integrate both our cats together.
Initially, we weren’t sure how Kohby would react to having a companion as we got him since he was a kitten and he has never really interacted with other cats.
Though we kept Kohko isolated in a room on her first day, Kohby could smell/sense her and was really mad and upset. We could see him throwing tantrums and refusing to go for his daily walk (which is his favourite activity).
Hence, we decided to go to the pet shop to get a cage so that I could slowly introduce them to each other. As I was WFH, I could monitor their interactions and see if there’s a need to separate them. By the second day, Kohby seemed to have calmed down and was really curious, constantly staying outside the room Kohko was in. We put Kohko into the cage and let Kohby in to smell her for a while and both of them seemed to be okay around one another. By the third day, I allowed Kohko to start roaming outside of the room. They were still under supervision to ensure they don’t get into fights. They seemed to get along well almost immediately without much conflict (something I’m really thankful about).
WFH definitely allowed me to watch over them and eased the stress of introducing them to each other. I am relieved Kohby accepted Kohko quickly so Kohko no longer needed to stay alone in a room for long periods of time. Of course, the temperaments of both cats contributed to the success as well. I would not say that there are completely no conflicts though as Kohby is really mischievous and enjoys following Kohko around the house and disturbing her at times and sometimes it gets really rough so we have to step in.
That being said, they do truly enjoy each other’s company, having zoomies every morning and night. At times, when Kohko is unable to find Kohby around the house, she would go from room to room, meowing non-stop till she finds him, which is a very cute thing to witness.
Managing pets during Circuit-Breaker (CB)
To be honest, I don’t find it a challenge to manage both my pets and work from home. They are not too demanding, Kohko usually goes off for her extremely long naps after breakfast with occasional demands for attention.
Kohby does seek more attention, often bringing us his toys to play fetch with him. He’s a really smart boy though. As we work at our dining area, he would bring it there each time so it won’t distract us too much.
Besides that, they’re pretty independent, going about their day on their own. I clean up after them during my free time and as there are 2 litter pans and they are not too fussy with them, often sharing them, I don’t need to clean them often too.
I actually enjoy WFH as being around my cats provides me with lots of joy. During work or after meetings, I can just go up to them for hugs which they unwillingly give (with occasional cameos during my meetings as well).
Perks of having a pet during CB
Having a pet certainly helped to ease my pandemic blues.
The first circuit breaker where we were highly encouraged not to go out happened about a month after we adopted Kohko and I felt a little down, due to the restlessness of just staying at home and constantly working.
They definitely are an outlet for me to relieve stress, just looking at them provides me joy.
The pandemic also gave me more time to look after Kohkby and Kohko.
Besides the basics of needing to feed and clean them, I started to research more about food for cats and realised that the food I was feeding them was not the best. I started to try different sorts of food through trial and error and especially since Kohby is extremely picky (he does not enjoy wet food at all), I had to find ways to provide him with sufficient nutrients (since he is an active boy).
This may sound weird but I felt very happy to shop for their food and to feed them. It made me feel like a responsible meowmy as I watched them grow up healthily as well.
They definitely made staying at home feel a lot better.
Have you ever thought about owning 10 cats, all of which are of different breeds, in the house?
Some common questions we always get include: Will they quarrel among themselves? How does it affect the house odour?
These are the most challenging part for pet owners who are new and inexperienced in handling house animals. Most cat owners in Singapore adopt 2 to 3 cats per house which are already considered difficult to manage. Many find it hard to juggle time for themselves as well as the cats.
The full Twinkle Babies family — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby
For us, we never thought of owning such a big cat family. Rather, it all started when our very first cat encountered a terrible accident and died. For that, we could not forgive ourselves. At a first glance, owning a cat might appear all cute and cuddly. However, from our experience as the Twinkle Furmilies, we have grown to understand that there is more to it than just taking care of a cuddly little furry. The most challenging part as a cat owner is that we cannot control them like how we want to control a hooman. They are just unpredictable.
Sofe, Sofena and Sofea Lavender — as pictured on Instagram@loudtwinklebaby
Managing their Behaviours
As cat parents, we would likely understand the characteristics of our own cats in terms of their food, behaviour and affections towards others. They would fight and could possibly tear the house mercilessly down through their combined paw force. I can recall countless broken vases, destroyed sofas and incessant scratches on the wall which really tested our patience. We had to face that every single day and it eventually became a routine that we had to deal with.
Sofea Lavender plays with the dustbin — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby
During the day, it is rare to see them active as they usually sleep in their comfortable areas and never wake up till the sunset. Once they do, they will start their ferocious engines and run around the house as though they are Olympic competitors. During the night, they will begin to hunt, and that is when you will see countless cockroaches and lizards who have lost their heads, tails and even half their bodies. Honestly, that is how we saved our money from buying insecticide spray. Due to the cats’ activity, our house has the best pest control service. Definitely an advantage to having cats in the house!
However, having cats at home also requires a lot of responsibility. We need to put aside a lot of things such as their expenses for needs such as food, hospital bills and as well catering to their environment. Among the Twinkle Babies, Mutiara (Persian) is the pickiest, prompting us to call her ‘The Selfish Queen”.
Mutiara — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby
She is adorable yet requires a lot of high maintenance due to her behaviour (not her breed!). We spend about $40+ for her dry food alone. This is excluding expenses for her treats and wet food. Plus, Mutiara never shares. If she has to, she will not eat for several days after.
Elysya — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby
Moreover, we also need to prepare medical bills for Elysya(DSH) the “Sensitive Skin Queen”. All of her shampoos are prescribed specially by the vet which can cost us upwards of $300+. This can include prescribed lotions, sensitive powders etc.
Facing Exhaustion
Photo Credit: Instagram @loudtwinklebaby
Raising 10 cats could be very exhausting.
Especially so if we happen to be rushing to finish work and the Twinkle Babies decided to be busy in their litter box one-by-one. It could take up to15-20 minutes before the last kitty finishes their business so we might find ourselves waiting in front of the litter box just to clean up their mess and clean them up.
“Cat Jealousy”
It may sound ridiculous but cats do have strong feelings especially if they are aware of a newcomer around them. Feelings of being ignored and insecurity can be shown. They might express this by biting, or sometimes even ignore you. Some might not even eat for several days. Our advice is to not worry! No matter how much they sulk amongst themselves, their only weakness is food especially treats.
Photo Credit: Instagram @loudtwinklebaby
Having said that– They might quarrel, growl at each other non-stop, but in nature, they actually have this soft instinct of loving each other. Some might think that animals have no sense especially in terms of looking out for one another and we totally disagree! Despite all the hard times endured when we are trying to get them to bond for the first time whenever one of them is in trouble, the others will automatically try to help and save them.
Photo Credit: Instagram @loudtwinklebaby
It truly touches our hearts to see that they care for each other no matter the breed differences. Despite the common belief that different breeds are not suitable to be together, we think it simply means that takes a lot of time and patience to bond them together.
In conclusion, we faced many hard times but never once did we think that they are a burden to us. For us, they are our family and even though it might take up a lot of our energy and finances, they are also the one who brightens up our day.
With working from home restrictions slowly easing, pets raised during the pandemic may grow to develop separation anxiety once their owner is out of their line of sight.
In order to help pawrents whose dogs may suffer from separation anxiety, Team #TWA has reached out to QiuLi, AKA @taroandtoastie, to learn more about what it entails.
Read on to learn about QiuLi’s experience with crate training, and how Taro’s separation anxiety has since improved.
Experience with Crate Training
Hello! Tell us more about your relationship with Taro.
Hello! Taro is my first dog and I’m mainly the one feeding, training and playing with him that’s why he is very attached to me.
Credits: QiuLi and Taro
Being a first-time dog owner, I didn’t know much about dog training. At 3 months old, Taro was a little terror. He showcased slight aggression when handling, a tendency for resource guarding and kept chewing on things he’s not allowed to.
It definitely wasn’t what I thought having a dog would be like. But since working with him on setting structure and boundaries, our relationship definitely grew stronger and he is able to understand what is most expected of him.
What is separation anxiety and how does it affect your daily life with Taro?
I think Separation Anxiety in dogs is characterised by their inability to cope when left alone.
They would get stressed and start to whine, bark, howl, pace around. They just can’t seem to lie down and settle. If left to roam freely, they might even display destructive behaviours or have indoor accidents despite being potty trained.
As I work from home most of the time, Taro had always been by my side and follows me wherever I go into the house. He is only able to nap during the day if I am nearby or within his line of sight. Thus it became quite stressful, especially on days that I am heading out because he would whine the moment I accessed my closet.
If he’s allowed to free roam, he will obsessively follow me everywhere and start pacing around because he’s either excited that we’re heading out or panicking that I’m leaving him at home. I used to arrange for someone at home to accompany him but he refused to engage with family members either. He would just wait for me to come back and that’s when I realized I needed to do something to boost his independence and to have a healthier state of mind.
Bring us through a day of training with Taro.
Taro was crate trained since the day we brought him home. He is able to sleep overnight and nap during the day in the crate in the day but once he is awake he whines and barks to be let out. Other than that, he spends most of his time free-roaming throughout the house.
When I started working on his Separation Anxiety, I moved his crate out into the living room so he could learn to sleep overnight alone. The first night, he barked and howled throughout and would not settle down to sleep. After a week or so, he could sleep overnight without any whining. We also stopped engaging with him at home, refrained from giving him too much affection (though I still do sneak in some affection time haha) or playing excessively with him.
Credits: QiuLi and Taro
Hence, whenever he’s at home, he’s either in the crate or hanging out on the cot. We stopped letting him free roam the house as well. I would bring him down for potty and walks twice a day and I use his meals to do training for some mental stimulation. When we go outside, I would use his toys to engage with him. This taught him to focus better despite having distractions.
On days when my family members are not at home, I will also take the opportunity to leave him alone in the crate while I sit outside the house and observe him through the camera. He usually naps for the first hour but once awake he begins to whine before going back to sleep. After 2-3 hours, I will go back in and he will begin to whine for my attention. Despite this, I will continue to ignore him for at least 1-2 hours depending on how fast he calms down. This helps to teach him that leaving and coming home is not a big deal.
How long has it been since you started crate training and have you noticed any improvements?
Credits: QiuLi and Taro
It has been about 3 months since we started this new routine and his Separation Anxiety has significantly reduced. He used to whine when he saw me gathering clothes, or when he hears me preparing my bag to head out. He even whines when I am just visiting the toilet. After training, I can head to the toilet without getting him anxious. Though he still does whine a little when he sees me preparing to head out, it is a lot lesser compared to last time and he stops when I step out of the house.
Advice for Beginners
Do take note that QiuLi is not a professional trainer. Hence, interested pawrents are advised to consult a professional if they encounter behavioural issues.
How can I introduce crate training to my dogs?
If you have a puppy, that would be the best and easiest time to crate train them. Older dogs that require crate training might need a longer time to adapt. You’d need a lot more patience to endure the transition period where they’ll be whinier.
The ultimate aim is to let them know that the crate is a safe haven that does not harm them. This would help them fully relax in the crate. I always use food and toys to help them associate the crate with positivity so that they would enter it of their own free will.
You can start by feeding meals outside, yet near to the crate. Afterwards, slowly progress to placing some food inside the crate so that they would willingly step inside it. For puppies that nap frequently, invite them to nap inside the crate for short periods of time throughout the day. If they’re awake and starts to bark, do not attend to them immediately and only let them out when they’ve quieted down.
It is also important to choose the correct crate size. Small crates might be uncomfortable for them. Big crates may result in potty accidents inside. The length of the crate should be just ample for them to walk one round and height should still provide some allowance while they’re standing.
When it comes to crating overnight, most puppies tend to whine in the middle of the night as it’s a new environment and they’re separated from their family. I took this chance to potty train Taro. When he begins to whine in the middle of the night, I wait for him to quieten down before bringing him out to his designated potty area. I then put him back to the crate straight after.
Credits: QiuLi and Taro
While doing this, you want to make sure there are no fun distractions as we do not want them to think that whining can get them out of the crate for some cuddle/baby (affections) instead.
Sometimes after he has gone to potty and he still continues to whine in the crate, I would bring him out to potty again so he knows that whining only provides potty visits. There are times we went to and fro from crate to potty at least 3 times (and all 3 times he did go) before he settled.
Another method that worked incredibly well for us (after you know he definitely cleared his bowels), was to sit in front of the crate door and leave the door open. The moment he attempts to step out, shut the door to prevent him from doing so. I would repeat this until he gives up trying to come out and would eventually settle. After around 1 week, Taro was able to sleep in the crate without waking up in the middle of the night.
What should pet owners take note of when pursuing Crate Training?
When it comes to any aspect of dog training, I think consistency is very important.
Do the same thing every day, set up a routine, and make it into a habit and they’ll adapt/learn quicker. I know some people cannot bear to ignore their whines when they’re crated and hence give up. Yet, I assure you crate training definitely has more pros than cons. We just need to persevere during the initial stage and be consistent and you’ll be able to reap the results after.
PROS
It provides your pet with a place to relax and sleep, hence reducing their sense of heightened alert whenever a passerby walks outside the house.
It keeps them out of trouble and from practising bad behaviours, your house and items do not get destroyed and there are no potty accidents.
Preventing separation anxiety as they learn to settle on their own. Remember to not only crate them when you are leaving the house as they might then associate the crate as being left alone. Crate them during the day for short periods of time even when you’re home so it becomes a normal routine.
A big thank you to @taroandtoastie for sharing her experience with crate training! For pet owners whose cats suffer from separation anxiety, we urge you to readSherlyn and Leo’s experiences.
If there are other styles of training that you think is important for pet owners to know, let us know in the comments below!
