We’ve been getting a daily puppy-fix at The Happy Beast! Spring and summer are popular times to get puppies and we LOVE meeting your new furry family members. Here are eight smart and useful buys for you and your new puppy.
1. Inexpensive (but Still Cute!) Leash & Collar
Most likely, your new puppy will either quickly outgrow his first collar or chew through his first leash. That’s why I always recommend starting out with a basic, inexpensive option. I especially love these neoprene collars from Sublime!
2. Kong Classics and PetSafe Squirrel Dudes
I call these stuffable, rubber toys “puppy babysitters.” Fill with peanut butter or canned food and freeze. Keep a couple in your freezer and pull one out when you need a break.
3. Rope Toys
Ideal for teething puppies. Ropes are inexpensive and help soothe the gums when those sharp puppy teeth start falling out.
4. A Snuggly Bed
I got a Midwest Bed for my dog when she was a puppy and four years later, it’s still her favorite place to sleep. Perfect fit for a kennel, easy to travel with and it holds up well to frequent washings.
5. Training Treats
Reward good behavior with lots of praise and tasty rewards! Variety keeps your new pupppy interested. Try Tricky Trainers, RealMeat Treats and Waggers’ My Little Wolf.
6. Sheepskin Toys
Tuck one of these in your pup’s kennel and she’ll feel like she’s sleeping with a littermate. As she gets older, the toy will stand up to sharp puppy teeth and rough puppy play.
7. Tendons, Cheeks and Ears
Stock up on natural chews! We prefer chew things that are made of edible materials as opposed to plastic or rubber chew toys. (It can be hard for a puppy to distinguish which plastic things are ok to chew on and which ones are not…like a tv remote.)
8. Fizzion Pet Stain & Odor Remover
We’ve tried all of the pet stain and odor removers, and this one is our absolute favorite! Totally safe to use around animals and humans and the toughest at cleaning up after potty training accidents. I’ve even used it to get a red wine stain out. (From an especially enthusiastic tail-wag!)
9. Bonus! Looking for a new puppy friend?
Be sure to check out our local shelters and rescue groups! Petfinder.com is an awesome resource if you’re looking for a certain breed, mix, age or just want to browse cute puppy faces.
Our Favorite Dog Hiking Gear
Why Do Cats Scratch?
Why do cats scratch? I’m going to be straight up with you, your cat’s scratching is an instinctual behavior which means there is little to no hope of getting your cat to completely stop scratching. However, you can absolutely get your cat to stop scratching less desirable objects such as your couch, curtains, and carpet.
The first thing to understand is that cats scratch to mark their territory. The act of scratching allows the cat to leave both a visible sign and scent on the area through scent glands located on the paws. Scratching is also a simple pleasure that cats enjoy. When we take the time and have the patience to understand this is part of their nature, we can then take a deep breath, forgive them for all those destroyed items, and move forward towards a solution. Cat behaviorist and author, Pam Johnson-Bennett, also has a number of great articles on her website with all sorts of additional information on enabling healthy cat scratching behaviors.
Here at The Happy Beast, some of our favorite solutions include:
Eight Things Your New Puppy Needs
We’ve been getting a daily puppy-fix at The Happy Beast! Spring and summer are popular times to get puppies and we LOVE meeting your new furry family members. Here are eight smart and useful buys for you and your new puppy.
1. Inexpensive (but Still Cute!) Leash & Collar
Most likely, your new puppy will either quickly outgrow his first collar or chew through his first leash. That’s why I always recommend starting out with a basic, inexpensive option. I especially love these neoprene collars from Sublime!
2. Kong Classics and PetSafe Squirrel Dudes
I call these stuffable, rubber toys “puppy babysitters.” Fill with peanut butter or canned food and freeze. Keep a couple in your freezer and pull one out when you need a break.
3. Rope Toys
Ideal for teething puppies. Ropes are inexpensive and help soothe the gums when those sharp puppy teeth start falling out.
4. A Snuggly Bed
I got a Midwest Bed for my dog when she was a puppy and four years later, it’s still her favorite place to sleep. Perfect fit for a kennel, easy to travel with and it holds up well to frequent washings.
5. Training Treats
Reward good behavior with lots of praise and tasty rewards! Variety keeps your new pupppy interested. Try Tricky Trainers, RealMeat Treats and Waggers’ My Little Wolf.
6. Sheepskin Toys
Tuck one of these in your pup’s kennel and she’ll feel like she’s sleeping with a littermate. As she gets older, the toy will stand up to sharp puppy teeth and rough puppy play.
7. Tendons, Cheeks and Ears
Stock up on natural chews! We prefer chew things that are made of edible materials as opposed to plastic or rubber chew toys. (It can be hard for a puppy to distinguish which plastic things are ok to chew on and which ones are not…like a tv remote.)
8. Fizzion Pet Stain & Odor Remover
We’ve tried all of the pet stain and odor removers, and this one is our absolute favorite! Totally safe to use around animals and humans and the toughest at cleaning up after potty training accidents. I’ve even used it to get a red wine stain out. (From an especially enthusiastic tail-wag!)
9. Bonus! Looking for a new puppy friend?
Be sure to check out our local shelters and rescue groups! Petfinder.com is an awesome resource if you’re looking for a certain breed, mix, age or just want to browse cute puppy faces.
Catnip. Why does it make cats so wild?
What makes cats so wild about catnip? The plant contains a chemical called nepetalactone which enters the body through the olfactory system (the system responsible for our sense of smell.) When your cat sniffs catnip, the nepetalactone stimulates sensory neurons in the brain and causes a euphoric “high.” The sensation usually lasts about ten minutes with wild chasing, playing and hyperactivity and ends with your cat falling into an hour-long catnap. (Check out the awesome infographic below from Catnipsum.com)
Catnip affects ~80% of cats and has no effect on young kittens. It’s safe for cats and humans to consume. (But it just makes the humans sleepy, like chamomile tea.)
Catnip comes in many feel-good forms, but these are The Happy Beast’s cats very favorites. Try a couple and see which makes your cat the craziest. Watching your cat go nuts is part of the fun!
1. Live Catnip Plants
The BEST catnip is fresh! Our live plants are locally grown and can be left in the plastic pot or transferred into the ground where they will grow into your cat’s very own, private catnip jungle. Most cats enjoy chewing on the plant, but you can also harvest and dry the leaves.
2. LoveNips Wild Birds and Mice
Hand-sewn, locally made, and packed with local, organic catnip, these bright, wool birds with feather tails are a favorite among The Happy Beast kitties!
3. Yeowww! Bananas and Cigars
Filled with 100% organic catnip and the perfect size for tossing, batting and attacking!
4. Kong Catnip Spray
Make any toy a catnip toy with a spritz of Kong’s Catnip Spray. The oil is steam-distilled making it the most concentrated and potent form of the herb. The spray is convenient and leaves almost no mess.
5. PawBreakers
A ping pong-sized, solid ball of all-natural catnip. Cats go crazy chasing a Pawbreaker around their house! The balls last a long time (but may get trapped under the fridge or behind a couch!)
An awesome infographic from Catnipsum.com
Strategies & Tips for Overweight Dogs
Losing weight can be challenging for overweight dogs, but the health benefits are well worth it. At a healthy weight, your dog will be more resistant to disease, feel better, and live longer. No one get’s excited about cutting calories, (especially when you’re a hungry dog) but we have a few tricks to make dieting simple, effective and a little fun.
Set a Goal and Start Counting Calories
Determine both your dog’s current weight and his ideal weight. Talk to your vet about what your dog’s weight should be or bring your dog into The Happy Beast and we can make a suggestion. The easiest way to determine the calories in your animal’s current and ideal diet is…. to let us do it for you! Once you have a target weight, we can factor in age, breed, and activity level to help determine how many calories your dog needs. As a general guideline, look at the feeding suggestion on your dog’s food to find your dog’s IDEAL weight and feed 75% of that amount. For example. If your dog’s goal weight is 30 lbs and the label of his dog food recommends 1 cup of food, feed him only ¾ cup.
Treats are OK!
Cutting out treats is a foolproof way to reduce calories, but it’s definitely not necessary for success. In fact, a couple of treats during the day may help your dog feel more satisfied. Just make sure to factor treats into your dog’s daily calorie “budget.” Look for treats with the calories printed on the label. Fruitables’ Crunchy Treats and Boulder Dog Food Co.’s Bison Cubes have just 8 calories per treat. Decide how many treats you want to give your dog each day, and subtract the calorie-equivalent from his normal meals.
Chewing on bones and tendons also provides important dental care. If chewing is part of your dog’s routine, choose lower-calorie options and feed your dog less on days he gets a treat. Marrow bones and bully sticks have enough calories to replace a whole meal for a medium size dog. A tendon or cow cheek would replace fewer calories.
When I’m Bored… I Eat
Make dinnertime a game! Dogs have a natural instinct to forage for their food. Instead of feeding your dog out of a bowl, make him work for it! Fill a puzzle toy like the PetSafe’s Magic Mushroom with a serving of kibble and let him knock it around until the food falls out. If you’re feeding canned or raw food, stuff it into a Kong or spread it out on a large, flat plate. All of these will force your dog to slow down meal time and enjoy smaller bites (instead of gulping down everything at once) leaving him more satisfied. Feeding this way also provides mental stimulation and reduces boredom.
Add Fresher Foods
Besides their basic nutritional benefits, fresher foods help your dog feel more satiated. Kibble is typically very calorie-dense so it doesn’t take up much space in the stomach and can leave your dog feeling hungry. Because of their high moisture content, dehydrated, canned, and raw foods can help your dog feel full. Replace some or all of your dog’s kibble with a fresher food. Try Steve’s, Primal and SmallBatch frozen raw, Grandma Lucy’s, Sojo’s or The Honest Kitchen dehydrated.
Get moving!
Exercise doesn’t need to be a lofty goal. Thirty minutes a day is a good starting point, especially if your dog isn’t very active. Divide that time up into a few ten-minute walks or five-minute games of fetch.
Ready to start your dog on a healthy weight program? Stop by The Happy Beast and we’ll lay out an easy-to-follow plan for you and your dog!