How to Find Perfect Home for You and Your Pet

 How to Find the Perfect Home for You and Your Pet?

Before you look for a new home, it's important to consider a few factors. Indoor/outdoor pets need wide hallways and separate rooms. Consider the flooring, too. While wood floors are growing in popularity, they can also be scratched and damaged, so the carpet is a better option. If you can't decide between carpet and hardwood floors, consider the size and durability of the carpet before you make a final decision.

Possibilities of rehoming your pet

While rehoming a pet can be emotionally and financially devastating, it is far better than giving it up to a shelter, where it may be euthanized. The benefits of rehoming your pet are obvious, and proactive strategies will increase your chances of success. You can find easily pet friendly apartments Phoenix by searching on internet. Listed below are a few tips to retain your pet and keep it from euthanasia. If you've found yourself in the same situation, take heart!

Before rehoming your pet, check its vaccinations, health history, and temperament. If it isn't current, it is likely to be at risk of contracting a disease or becoming ineffective in caring for you. Also, check your pet's hygiene. If you see it hasn't been properly groomed, it may be time to seek rehoming. Your pet's behavior may have changed, too. If you're considering rehoming a pet due to a medical condition, don't wait any longer.

Size of dog breeds

There are a few things to consider when choosing the size of dog breeds for your home. Consider how big you can keep the dog, whether you plan to take him on long walks or to the dog park. If you plan to live in an apartment, consider whether you'll have enough space for a large dog. The breed's size will determine the amount of space needed for exercise, play, and poop.

Medium dogs are a great choice if you have space to exercise and play with them. They can be as large as 75 pounds or smaller. You'll need plenty of space for their wagging tails and to keep them from damaging furniture or household objects. Medium-sized dogs can be as large as a lap dog, depending on their size. If you're looking for a smaller dog, consider a toy breed.

Size of cat breeds

If you have kids and are interested in bringing a new pet into the family, consider the type of cat you want. Some breeds are gentle with children while others are more independent. 

Large cats are often categorized as those over 15 pounds. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Some large cats weigh as little as 12 pounds, while rare specimens can weigh up to 30 pounds. Regardless of size, you should make sure your new pet has enough enrichment to keep them happy and healthy. Cats need plenty of climbing places, perches near windows, interactive playtime, and scratching areas.

Location of a dog park or green space

There are many benefits of living near a dog park or green space, and it may be important for you to look for one when looking for a new home. Green space is beneficial for humans, but dogs require it as well. Not only will a dog park keep your pet active and fit, it will also reduce anxiety and help to stimulate your pet's mind. Currently, one out of three dogs in the United States is overweight, which is associated with more than 20 ailments and an increased cost of pet healthcare.

A dog park is a great place to socialize your pet, but it also requires a lot of planning and dedication. It should be at least one acre, with a four to a six-foot chain-link fence. It should be double-gated to make access for wheelchair-users easier, and it should have a designated waste-removal station. There should also be enough trash cans and bags to accommodate all the dogs.

Size of home

The size of the home for you and your pet depends on the breed of your pets, the type of lifestyle you currently lead, and the geographical climate. Larger animals require more space and more energy, while smaller pets can adapt to a smaller space. Whether you choose to downsize or not is entirely up to you, but keep in mind that you should take your pets' needs into account when choosing the size of your new home.

Mantrailing for Fun, Sport and Working Dogs from Family Disaster Dogs

Coming Soon...a new book that shows everyone how Mantrailing is a great activity to do with all breeds of dogs!

What is Mantrailing? 

Mantrailing is using a dog's natural hunting ability to find one person in a crowd.

Mantrailing is a bloodhound specialty that all breeds of dogs can do too!

Mantrailing dogs smell what we cannot see!

In my Family Disaster Dogs book I tell people how any breed of dog can find its family and friends who go missing. As a Mantrailing dog trainer for many years I use this type of training in my book and in person for family disaster dogs of all breeds. 

More recently, dog trainers, dog clubs and pet owners everywhere are starting to find out that this is a great activity not only for Search and Rescue dogs but for all dogs to learn as a fun play day outside or as a sporting event.

As I noticed Mantrailing becoming popular outside of K9SAR and after talking with a few trainers and SAR dog handlers/trainers, we realized there is a need for a book and step by step lessons to help show everyone how to do Mantrailing with all breeds. 

So I have been busy the last couple of months putting the knowledge I gained from 15 years of training and working with Mantrailing dogs and teaching others into a book with pictures and step by step instructions to help start dogs and owners/handlers on this amazing journey into the world of  finding hidden and missing persons with a dog. 

I'm writing the book in more or less three section, the first part covers a little history and what makes a mantrailing dog team. The second section gets everyone started in a very short time finding people with your dogs and pet dog owners who want to use this type of dog training as a fun game and outdoor activity will learn all they need in this second section. From there, you can go on to the next section to dig deeper and advance training for sport and competing in events or become a working search and rescue dog team. 

I will be posting more information soon. 

Be sure to follow Family Disaster Dogs on social media or sign up for the newsletters at the pop-up by refreshing this page. 

On Twitter you can find us under URDogCanRescueU 

Facebook there is a group and a page connected to each other and here is one link 

https://www.facebook.com/familydisasterdogs/

My author page on Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberHiggins/

The Nose Knows! That's my bloodhound Daisy (RIP)

Below is me working my current dog partner Washee on a trail to find a hidden person. 

We are mantrailing 

Here's some of the dogs featured in the new book

Mark and Bella training to Mantrail

Here's Super Kludde 

who has so many titles from sport and working dog events to list 

He actually paints on canvas with a paint brush held in his mouth 

He's learning Mantrailing, as one of the first dogs to compete in 

Mantrailing as a sport in the USA

Here's a team from RRI-Scotland learning Mantrailing

Family Dog can Find Missing Loved Ones-watch video to learn how easy

Here is a video of my family dog, "Washee" learning to look for a family member. 

The wind is blowing very hard making the scent trail blow around also.

Training note: Sand surfaces hold scent differently than dirt or grass surfaces. By watching and reading the dog on each different surface, the handler learns with the dog what to expect on those surfaces. Every surface type should be worked in training to gradually and eventually learn how scent behaves in each type of surface and environment.

Keep in Mind

Our family dogs can find lost or missing friends and family they know. Our dogs do this every day when they want attention, food or to go outside, they find us. So why not ask them to find mom, or whoever is missing from the pack?

I can show you how,...just ask or read my books or visit the Family Disaster Dogs site.

You can look us up on Facebook and Twitter, too!

Facebook Family Disaster Dogs

Twitter URDogCanRescueU

Washee

I Did It! I Found Her!

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Could A Shiba Inu Be The Perfect Dog Breed For You?

The Shiba Inu is a breed of dog that originally came from Japan, and is becoming a lot more popular. They’re a good medium sized breed and they’re very intelligent as well. They’re an adaptable dog and they get on well in both urban and rural environments, which is why they are the most common dog in Japan and they’re becoming more popular around the world.

They tend to be good natured and friendly, which makes them the ideal companion, and they come in a range of different colors as well. If you are looking for a new dog, these are just some of the reasons why a Shiba Inu might be the perfect breed for you.

Pixabay CCO License

Loyalty 

When you are choosing a dog, you want one that will be a loyal member of the family. Shiba Inus are an incredibly loyal breed of dog and you will find that they take to family life very easily. When they are a small puppy, they are very affectionate dogs, but as they get older, they will take on the role of protector a bit more. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t want to play with you as well.

 

High Emotional IQ 

When people say that Shiba Inus are very intelligent, they don’t mean that they’re good at learning tricks. In fact, if you want a dog that will do lots of tricks for you then you should go for a different breed because they’re not that great at it. But they do have a very high emotional IQ. That means that they are very good at reading people and understanding when there is something wrong. 

This makes them ideal emotional support animals because they know if you are upset and they will comfort you. However, if you want to form a good relationship with your dog, it’s important that you respect their intelligence when you are training them and you do not try to use aggressive training methods because they will quickly become angry. 

Good Overall Health 


Certain breeds of dog, like King Charles Spaniels or Pugs are prone to a lot of health issues and as they get older, it is likely that you will spend a lot of time at the vets with them. When you are a dog owner, it’s important that you manage the health of your dog properly, and that can be tough with certain breeds. You also have to consider the financial aspect because vet bills can be very expensive and if your dog needs treatments on a regular basis, it’s tough to manage the cost. But you won’t have that problem with a Shiba Inu because they have very good overall health. They are very active dogs and they have a good build, and aside from a few potential eye issues and a slight risk of hip dyspepsia, they do not have any serious health problems.


The only potential issue is weight gain because they are very active. If you don’t exercise them enough, they will quickly put weight on. But as long as you get the right dog food for Shiba Inu and you take them on regular walks, they should be fine. If you do not have the time to walk them regularly enough, you should go for a different breed that does not need as much exercise.

Cleanliness 

Any dog owner will tell you that owning a dog is going to be messy. Most dogs like to get outside and roll around in the dirt, and they won’t bother cleaning themselves off before they start running around the house when you get home from your walk either. It’s just part of owning a dog and you just get used to it. But if you really hate the idea of a dog that makes a big mess in your home, you should consider a Shiba Inu. They’re often described as being part cat because, unlike most dogs, they love to keep themselves clean. 

When you take them out for a walk, they will avoid all of the muddy puddles instead of jumping in them, and they can often be found grooming themselves. That means that you don’t need to give them a bath quite so often as you would with other breeds. They’re also a low-odor dog so if you don’t like the dog smell that develops in your home over time, they’re ideal. They are also good for people with allergies because, although you will never find a completely hypoallergenic dog, a Shiba Inu comes pretty close.

If you are looking for a new dog and you are trying to decide on a breed, you should definitely consider a Shiba Inu.

Scent Articles for Dog to Find Missing Family Members

Prepare to find loved ones with your dog ahead of time 

by gathering scent articles.

Blue Boy Homer
by A.Higgins

One of the easiest ways to find a lost person is to give a dog the person's scent and watch him find the scent. 

The dog is only looking for the smell and not for the actual person. 

The dog dose not necessarily associate the scent with the person unless the person is somebody they know with that scent. 

To a dog, a scent is a scent.

Therefore, the fastest and surest way to teach or ask a dog to find a person is to use the person's scent to show them who we seek and no two people smell alike. Everybody smells different and we smell different at various times during the day or if we are sick.

To teach your dog to search for a lost or missing family member or friend you have to prepare first by gathering a "scent article".  Click to Read more about Scent and how a dog follows its nose.

It is wise to gather one sock from each person you love or do not want to lose before you start training your family pet and to store these as instructed below for later use in training sessions or if a loved one is lost.

Also you can collect a item from each family pet as well, a old collar or brush would do. Store this item as outlined below use it as a scent article for a dog to find the missing pet

  For now and for training;

       Place one dirty sock from each family member in a one freezer bag each sock. Do Not Mix or touch the sock to anything, only the bag, use a hanger or stick to pick it up.

Warning:

DO NOT touch the sock yourself, have the person drop the sock from their foot to a new brown paper bag (lunch bag size) or a plastic freezer bag ( zip lock natural non chemical bag is best).

You will learn more about scent article collection at a scene in other articles.

This is the most important part of using a search dog. 

Do Not Contaminate that sock.

Reminder, Do Not Put 2 socks from different people together, each sock gets its own bag.

Store sock in the freezer until a few minutes before use.

This is called the "Scent Article"

The “scent article” tells your dog who they are looking for.

Handle with Care.

Keep one for each family member for use if a disaster ever strikes.

Amber and Bo getting ready to train to find a Lost Person.

Bo was 5 months old at the time of this picture in 2001. 

He later went to volunteer in California and then Georgia with his half sister Sambo. 

Side note: 

As a parent I use to remind my teenagers if they stayed out to late or ran away from home, the dogs could find them...smile and ya know,,,it worked too,,, wink to other parents, mine are all grown now.

Get all the lessons in the Family Disaster Dogs Books

Click the book cover below for a Free Copy and preview

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