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Archive for 'pet stairs'

The Top Uses for Pet Stairs

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 at 5:14 am  
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Have you purchased a set of pet stairs for your dog, or are you considering doing so? You should know that you can get much more out of your steps than simply a means to help your dog safely access your furniture. We’re going to talk about just a few of the things we use our pet stairs for on a daily basis.

Have you ever heard of portable dog steps? Today’s modern designs of portable pet steps give new meaning to the term convenience! One type of portable pet step is made from a highly resilient type of foam. Some brands can actually support up to 300 pounds of weight! That’s enough to hold any dog! These steps are a perfect way to help your dog on and off high porches or in and out of tall cars. Other popular portable dog steps are made with either metal or plastic and usually can adjust in height to accommodate vehicles and other surfaces.

Aside from portable pet steps, there are many uses for your standard indoor steps, too! If you have a shorter breed of dog, try pushing the steps up against one of your windows. This is a great way for your dog to satisfy his nosiness at what’s going on outside. Find out the maximum weight limit on your steps. If they will hold you, you can use them for all sorts of chores around the house! I’m fairly short, so I’ve received tons of use out of my dog’s steps, including getting stuff on and off the top of the refrigerator, changing light bulbs, and giving my daughter a boost to the sink. If your pet stairs have a storage area, make good use of it! You can store pet toys and treats or any number of odds and ends! Don’t be afraid to get the most out of your steps!

For durable cat and dog steps, visit the Help Your Pets website.

Building a Relationship With Your Dog

Friday, April 2nd, 2010 at 10:01 am  
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Whether you are concerned about developing a strong bond with your new puppy or if you want to repair your relationship with an old furry friend, it is important that you get started straight away. Starting a relationship from scratch with a puppy is generally an easier task than mending or tweeking an existing relationship with your dog, but there are still a few basic ideas that you should keep in mind. Read on to learn a few tips you can use to establish and maintain a strong bond with your pooch.

The first thing you need to understand is that all dogs want to be a part of a pack. It’s a natural way of life for them in the wild and it still holds very constant today—only the pack is your family (or you and the dog if you’re a duo).  Dogs want to feel as though they serve a place in the pack, which means hanging out with the family and being included in everyday activities. However, it is very important that your dog understands his position in the pack. If you do not assert your authority as the “leader of the pack,” your dog is likely to assume the role, which can result in very hard-to-handle behaviour. When your dog is clear on the hierarchy of the family, he will respect you, which is a huge part of forming a solid foundation in your relationship. I know this all sounds primitive and even a little cheesy, but it’s very much true!

As I mentioned before, it’s important that you include your dog in everyday activities. Trust is probably the single most important factor in having a good relationship with your dog, so try to make sure that your actions don’t imply any untrustworthiness on your part. Routines are a good way of showing your dog that you’re dependable, as long as you stick to them. Little things like taking your dog out to potty and feeding him around the same time everyday are ways that will help your dog to naturally trust in you. Imagine if you relied upon someone for your food/water and bathroom privileges; if you aren’t given these necessities on a regular and dependable basis, you would never grow to trust your supporter.

Try to take up an activity that you and your dog can do together every day or a few times a week. Brushing your dog’s fur every night or taking him for one-on-one walks will help him feel appreciated and valued. Bath time and exercising can also be good bond-building routines. Keep your dog involved with your life every day through chores and other activities. Training is an excellent way to get your dog involved. If your dog is already housebroken, buy a set of dog stairs and train your dog to use them. Let him know that he is a cherished member of the family and you will see what a blessing the companionship of a dog can be!

For more great tips about raising pets, or to purchase a set of pet stairs, visit Help Your Pets here.

Choosing the Right Dog

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 at 10:49 am  
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Dogs have a certain way of brightening up a family. Not only do they help us feel a little safer at night, but they make terrific companions. Deciding whether a dog is right for you (or your family) is the first thing to consider before you commit to bringing a dog home. This article contains a few tips for not only determining what kind of dog would be best for your family, but also ways in which you can help your family and its new addition get comfortable with each other.

You have probably already asked yourself this question, but I’m tossing it in here just in case: Do you have what it takes to care for a living, breathing, thinking, feeling creature? Caring for a dog means fulfilling both its physical and emotional needs. If you don’t have any spare time or are away from home a lot, you might want to consider another pet. I recommend a fish. If you believe you’ve got what it takes to raise a dog, then you need to ask yourself what characteristics you want in your future pet. All dogs are different, of course, but I’m talking about things like: patience with children, trainability, size, level of activity, etc.

Your goal at this point should be to choose a breed of dog whose lifestyle will mesh nicely with your own. If you don’t lead a very active life, you might do better with a dog who can maintain good health with a short walk every day. On the opposite end of the table, you don’t want a dog who can’t keep up with you, either. Both you and your dog will be much happier if you can live similar lifestyles in contentment. The best way to find your ideal breed of dog is to do lots and lots of research. There are plenty of online resources you can access by doing a simple Google search. Try searching things like: best dog breed for children or small dog breeds. You will feel much more at ease bringing a dog into your home if you know roughly what kind of temperament you can expect from the breed.

After you’ve decided on the dog that you want, arrange a meeting with the dog’s owner or breeder so that everyone in your family can meet the new addition. Let the dog sniff everyone thoroughly so he can remember their scent later on. When you finally bring your dog home, he should be able to recall the scent of each family member quite easily, which will work to reduce his stress and help him settle. One thing I personally did to help my pup settle was to purchase a baby blanket (just the plain cloth kind) and gave it to the breeder a few weeks before we were due to bring our puppy home. We asked the breeder to place the blanket in our dog’s bed (which was shared by the litter and the mother) so the blanket would collect familiar scents on it. When we picked our puppy up, we also brought the blanket with us and put it in our dog’s bed.  If your future dog isn’t a puppy, see if he has any toys or a blanket of his own that can come with him. Familiar scents and objects are always a good idea.

The more time you spend with your dog, the quicker you will begin to form a bond, which is very important! Try spending special play time with your dog or go for walks together. Training is an excellent way to let your dog know that you’re the boss, which gains his respect and obedience. You can get pet steps and teach our dog to walk up and down them. It’s a great source of indoor exercise and proves a health benefit when used to get onto furniture, as opposed to jumping. As long as you put thought and effort into choosing a dog you feel will fit your lifestyle the best, you can look forward to having many wonderful experiences with your pet!

If you’d like to read more about caring for dogs or purchasing dog stairs, visit HelpYourPets.com.

Get Your Cat to Use the Litter Box

Sunday, March 28th, 2010 at 3:06 am  
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If you’ve ever owned both a cat and a dog, you are probably aware that the ease of training a cat differs a great deal from training a dog. If you want to train your cat to use the litter box or a scratching post, then you have a fairly good chance of succeeding. Training a cat to use a human toilet or to sit simply are not very realistic goals to have, so it’s best to understand your cat’s limitations and stick within them.

It’s important that you understand the difference between a cat’s psychological attitude and a dog’s. Dogs are happy if they do something that pleases their owner. They are family-oriented and love to be included. Cat’s are quite the opposite in that they usually won’t do anything that doesn’t bring them personal satisfaction. They usually pick one “master” and aren’t too concerned whether they please anyone but themselves. You have to learn to play this attitude to benefit your training.

When training your cat to use the litter box, you have to make it an experience that he enjoys, or he won’t be keen on doing it again. First, go to great lengths to show him that the litter box is where he should go. You can do this by leaving traces of his soiled litter in there so he will associate it as a place he has used before. It is still important to clean the litter box regularly, but a few bits of soiled litter are okay until he gets the hang of using his box. Keep an eye on your cat and praise him when he uses the litter box. Cats usually respond better to physical praise rather than verbal, but a sweet “good boy!” and a nice stroke down his back will help to show him that there “something in it for him” when he uses the litter box.

Some pet stairs have hollow areas meant to store your litter box. This helps to keep your little box smell contained as well as to give your cat a quiet place to do his business. If your cat is comfortable in the space his litter box is placed, he will be more likely to use it.

You may be struggling with a cat that is too liberal with scratching your sofa or carpet. Scratching is normal behaviour for a cat, as it helps keep their claws in shape and gives them a bit of exercise. It can also be a form of marking their territory. To encourage your cat to stop this, you’ll need to invest in a scratching post. There are many different types to choose from, and your cat will likely have his personal preference. If he doesn’t take well to the first scratching post you buy, try rubbing it with catnip. This is an herb that entices cats into a playful state where he is more likely to use the scratching post. You might even attach a toy to the post to help him get rid of excess energy. Placing the post in the room that your cat frequents most is another way to encourage him to use it.

For more great tips on raising your cat or to purchase pet stairs with litter box storage, visit Help Your Pets.

Are Pet Steps Right For Your Dog?

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 at 2:07 am  
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While your pet may seem to be in overall good health, there could be underlying issues developing that you are not aware of. These issues may actually stem from the abuse your pet’s muscles and joints suffer on a daily basis.

Many pet owners allow their dog to jump onto and off of furniture such as beds, couches, chairs, etc. These heights may seem insignificant to us, however for a dog, they can incur grave damage over time or immediately through a fall from one of these surfaces.

Dogs of all sizes and breeds are at risk from joint injury such as the early development of arthritis or hip dysplasia. Small dog breeds are at a particular risk due to the natural fragility of their bones. Many small dogs such as Chihuahuas and Pomeranians have been known to suffer broken legs from jumping or falling from furniture. Large dogs already have a risk for arthritis as they grow older, but encouraging them to jump to and from heights everyday will inevitably jump-start this condition.

While you could prohibit your pet from getting onto the furniture, this is a drastic measure. It’s natural for a dog to want to be near his owner, and if you don’t mind having him on the furniture, it’s best not to change his routine. The best way to preserve your dog’s health is to obtain a set of pet stairs that will allow him to safety navigate onto and off of furniture.

Carpeted pet steps are very popular as they not only provide cushioning for impact, but they also offer a non-slip surface. Most pet stairs can be categorized into three sizes: small, medium, and large. There are two things that you must consider when purchasing pet steps. The first is the height of the object you want your dog to get onto. For instance, if your primary use for the steps will be to allow your dog to get onto the couch, you will need to make sure that the set of stairs you purchase is tall enough to reach your couch. The second item to consider is the size of your dog. You can follow the guide below to determine what size of steps would be appropriate for your pet.

Small dogs = steps no wider than 12 inches

Medium dogs = 14 inch-wide steps

Large dogs = steps at least 16 inches wide

For more information about choosing and purchasing a set of pet steps, please visit Help Your Pets – Here.

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