Got An Anxious Pup? Here Are Some Tips For You

There is nothing as upsetting as seeing either your children or your dog is stressed out. When you don’t know how to help the situation can get worse pretty quickly. Firstly it is essential to recognize when your dog is anxious, opposed to having something wrong that needs the vet's attention.

 

Photo by Burst from Pexels

Classic signs of anxiety in a dog are:

• Tucking their tail in
• Pacing and panting heavily
• Not looking directly into your eyes
• Trembling and shaking
• They may go off their food too
• They may begin to eliminate in the home
• Occasionally this may be displayed aggression
• Sometimes they also become destructive

How To Help A Dog With Anxiety

Much like humans, dogs respond great when they feel they are being taken care of. Here are a few things that you can do to help your best buddy relax in times of stress.

Toys - You can pick up some hard wearing dog chew toys to give them something - rather than your shoes or skirting board. Dogs have a lot of energy and one of the ways that you can help them channel that fundamental need for safety, stimulation and energy placement is with toys. They can go back to that toy whenever they need to, think of it like a ‘blankie’.

Supplements - There are many people who just don’t want to dose their dog with medicines from the vet. If that sounds like you, then you might like to look into evening primrose oils and CBD oils. Both of which have a good reputation for helping dogs, you can check out more recommended reading and see what might work for you both.

Be calm - Dogs are very in tune with their owners. They respond to both positive and negative emotions, likewise for stress and calm. If you take a few deep breaths and be as calm as possible, they will begin to feed on your demeanor. It sounds very simple, but think about how often we as humans display stress by seeing our pets stressed. Talk to them in a steady tone, calm and a lot of reassurance.

Hug it out - Just like when you are upset, a big hug from someone you love releases all sorts of stress-reducing hormones, the same goes for your furry friend. Grab a big blanket, and get cozy with your dog. Combine it with a soothing voice. Once you see any of the signs for anxiety try and use the same blanket over and over. This will train them to associate the blanket with a calm time. They might even begin to take the blanket to you when they (or you) need it.

Walk - Dogs usually have a lot of energy to expel, so get your trainers n and go for a walk. Not only is it good for you, but it’s great for them too. Walking, or running will let them burn off tension in the form of movement. Even playing with a ball in the garden is likely to have great results. 

Learn to read your dog's body language, but if you are unsure, or think they may be in pain head to your vets for a chat and some peace of mind.

Author Amber Higgins Book Interview with NF Reads

Interview with NF Reads 

Hi everyone,

I was asked to do an interview about my books from a really cool site that has interesting inspiring stories, interviews from book authors and other great reading!

I talk about what inspired me to build this blog site and write the Family Disaster Dogs books.

Check it out at this link

The interview is published at Interview with Amber Higgins

5 Secrets to Saving Big When Ordering Pet Supplies Online

5 Secrets to Saving Big When Ordering Pet Supplies Online

Photo A. Higgins

If you are like most pet parents, you enjoy scoring a great discount every now and then. Pet expenses are always on the rise and your goal as a pet parent should be to buy quality products and supplies without paying more than you should.



While wholesale places like Costco offer great discounts on pet products, they often fail to match the prices offered online. However, finding the best prices on pet supply stores takes a bit of effort. There are a few tricks you can employ to get the best discounts consistently. Few of these tips are going to be pretty obvious, but you would be surprised how many pet parents actually forget to utilize them. Before we reveal our tips, remember our one and only rule.

#1 Rule: Never Trust a Shady Online Pet Store

Without further ado, the following are 5 secret tips to save big when ordering pet supplies online.

When Possible Buy Generic Pet Medications

Did the vet prescribe an expensive pet medication? Stop the urge to shop at the vet’s office, where you are least likely to get a proper discount. Instead, ask the vet to write down the generic name of the medication. Generic meds are usually significantly cheaper than their branded counterparts and they are identical in efficacy and quality. However, when you order pet meds online, it’s important to buy it from a reputed store (remember our #1 rule). A lot of unethical stores sell counterfeit pet medications and generic drugs are even easier to fake than branded ones.

Become a Member

If you shop at one particular store, then it makes complete sense to become a member. Online pet stores reward members by giving them assured discounts on both pet supplies and medications. The cost of the membership fee is usually recovered in the first few months if you buy all your pet products from one store.

Buy Pet Food in Bulk

Pet food is one of the few supplies you know you are going to need. As long as you have the space to store them safely, it makes sense to buy dog and cat food in bulk. Here’s an example to help you understand how much are likely to save. We compared the same pet food product of different pack sizes after all the discounts. The 15lb pack costed us $2.15 per pound. When we bought the bigger 28lb bag we paid $1.89 per pound. Simply put, you can buy the same exact pet food for a cheaper price per pound if you buy in bulk. This is barring the fact that most online pet stores give you additional discount coupons for buying more at a time.

Keep Multiple Tabs Open to Quickly Compare Prices

Okay, this one’s super obvious, but something that most shoppers simply forget to do. Before you do this, however, remember our #1 rule. Don’t trust a shady online pet store offering massive discounts. Keep multiple tabs open of sites you know and trust and compare the prices after adding items to the cart and applying coupons. This is the final price and that’s what matters at the end of the day.

Hunt For Coupons

Hunting for coupons at independent coupon sites is a great way to score additional discounts. You can even check the coupons section on the online pet store website.

Healthy Pets, Happy Owners

Your best friend is loyal, loving and always has your back, so it makes sense that you want to take the very best care of him that you can. Naturally, you give him all the best quality food he needs and exercise him regularly, not to mention all the cuddles he gets but when it comes to his medical needs, what can you do to keep him in tip-top condition?

Like finding a doctor, sometimes finding the right vet can require a little research and patience. There are vets who definitely prefer one type of animal over another and when you’re spending out good money on treatments you want a professional who knows your dog’s needs inside and out.

Here’s what you can do to make sure you’re getting the best healthcare for your best furry friend:

Take A Trip

When you book your first appointment with the vet make sure you take a good look at the facilities. 

How clean and well kept is the waiting area? Are there any obvious hazards or signs that it’s not well cared for or cleaned regularly?

Make sure you get a sense if the reception staff are well organised and seem on top of signing in new patients.

When you talk to the vet about your dog, do they seem interested and friendly? Look for a rapport that you can build on and monitor how friendly and genuine they are with you pet. It might seem inconsequential, but do they talk to your dog in friendly terms and actively seek to reassure them or just get on with the job at hand?

Go with your gut feeling and if you don’t feel comfortable with the vet, ask to change or seek out a new practice.

Image courtesy of Pexels

Insurance

Unless you want to take the risk, you’ll probably want to insure your pet so make sure the practice you register your pet at accepts your insurance provider.

If you don’t have dog insurance then shop around for the best deals and find out how much it’s going to cost to protect your pet. The older the dog, the steeper the premiums are likely to be so it’s worth covering them as puppies with a lifetime plan. As your dog ages and trips to the vet become more frequent, you’ll be glad you opted to keep up your monthly premiums.

Your best friend is so much more than just a pet, they’re who you come home to after a long day at work and who you can rely on to always be there to cheer you up or make you laugh with their antics. 

Pay them back for their unswerving loyalty with healthcare tailored just for them. A friendly vet who makes the process of a visit that much easier and a practice that takes care of its guests properly.

Take out insurance that helps ease the financial burden of vet bills and enjoy the immense privilege and fun of being a dog owner.