Sadly, too many of these high-energy pets end up in shelters, abandoned through no fault of their own, because the owners weren’t aware of this simple issue: high energy in pets, just like in kids, must be managed/burned off first in order for the pet to be able to focus, listen to you, and behave. Without this simple management tool, you fail your pet and put his life in jeopardy if you end up surrendering him to a shelter. Shelters typically classify high-energy pets as unadoptable and end up euthanizing them. So listen up – the fix is simple and immediate and makes everyone’s life better!

It’s so simple and easy to manage your pet’s high energy, if you understand the difference between “suppressing” your pet’s high energy and “burning it off.” Consider this — have you traveled on a really long flight, and well into the flight you find yourself getting antsy? Your legs begin to twitch, your feet tap, you constantly shift position in your seat? That’s built-up energy, an actual physical thing, not a made-up saying. Can you convince yourself to ignore the twitching and just sit still? Of course not. Built-up energy needs to be managed, not ignored or suppressed. You have to get up and move around, shake it off, literally burn it off, before you can go back to your seat and sit quietly, comfortably, and focused.

Look at young kids – without regular exercise and physical activity, they get antsy, wiggly, and what happens then? Well, if the parents just order them to “sit still” or “be quiet,” they can’t. The kids begin to act out and get into trouble. It’s not because they want to get into trouble; it’s because they are being controlled by pent-up, unmanaged energy. It’s actually not their fault. It’s the parents’ job to help manage/diffuse their kids’ pent-up energy. And, generally, drugs are not the answer. It’s a simple biological issue — just get them active and burn off the energy. Likewise, for pets, it’s the owners’ job to manage the pets’ level of energy to keep the pet in a better state of behavior, focus, and comfort.

The body’s energy cannot be just ignored; the body continues producing more and more energy, and the energy keeps piling up inside, energy on top of energy. The ONLY way to eliminate all this increasing energy is to physically work it off. It’s the same with animals; except animals can’t rationalize that, so it’s all on the owners to take charge of this issue.

Regular small bursts of exercise is the answer. One or two or more times a day, 20-30 minute bursts of activity are all that’s needed to diffuse excess built-up energy. With the excess high energy burned away, you and your pet can both relax and de-stress better. Your pet becomes more focused and trainable, and you become more at ease and patient.

Another benefit of managing your pet’s energy is that, once the built-up energy is diffused, your pet will be able to focus better on you and actually hear you and absorb training. You’ll have an infinitely better behaved pet if you make exercise a regular part of your routine. And not just a leisurely stroll down the driveway or a quick pottie break in the back yard, but an actual 20-30 minutes of vibrant activity – a run around the block, fetch with his favorite kong toy, swimming in the pool, etc.

Or, if weather prevents you from getting outside, you can still play inside – tag up and down the halls, wrestling on the bed, tug of war with a rope toy, climbing up and down the stairs, etc. Get creative – whatever gets his heart rate up and circulation going for 20-30 minutes will help burn off the energy. One, two, even three or more times a day depending on your pet’s energy level. No big marathon runs or workouts needed. You’ll find these daily little bursts of activity are lifesavers – you and your pet will both be so much happier and relaxed. Burning off energy also burns off tension, stress, and anxiety. Everyone wins!

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Take Control Of Your Pet’s High Energy appeared first on BareFootPets.

It’s about Johnny, my neighbors’ beautiful young German Shepherd.  When the neighbors moved in next door to me several years ago, they brought along their two dogs — Alabaster, a petite, pretty, white Pittie, and Johnny, a magnificent young German Shepherd.  I was happy to meet the young couple and befriend their pets.  But the couple weren’t as excited to get to know their neighbors, which of course is their choice, obviously, but disappointing nonetheless.  Our properties are divided by concrete block privacy walls, so once Johnny and Alabaster were ushered into their new backyard, I was never able to interact with them again …

… Until Johnny began jumping the wall into my back yard.  The first time he came over was quite the surprise.  I happened to walk past my patio door and glance out to see this big guy standing there staring back in at me.  I marveled at his size — large, muscular, a real specimen dog.  Johnny, however, was not trained, even basics like walking on a lead.  He was a good-natured boy, but had lots of nervous energy, making him unable to focus or respond to commands.  It only took a minute or two to recognize that his owners were not invested in managing his behavior.

His owners were away that first time, so I kept Johnny with me in my yard till they returned home a few hours later.  We had fun.  Turns out Johnny loves water — loves it!  The more I sprayed the garden hose for him to chase, the more he loved it.  I loved his child-like joy!  And the more he ran and chased the water spray, the more relaxed he became.  I could see his nerves and anxieties melt away as he played and burned off all his built-up toxic energy.  It was a great time, and I could tell he was relieved.

Our New Normal.

And so began the next three years living next to Johnny.  He jumped the fence on a frequent basis.  I was always finding him in my yard running around.  I adored Johnny but, even tho he was welcome at my home, I couldn’t allow him to keep coming over unannounced.  My own pets were outside with me every day enjoying our yard, and I had no idea if Johnny could be trusted with them.  My dog Bandit is only 11 pounds, and my two cats are quite small as well, especially compared to a 150-pound hyper-active German Shepherd.  I couldn’t put them at risk by allowing Johnny free run of my property.  Johnny might have been friendly and non-threatening, but his size and nervous energy alone could hurt them.  We never knew when he would come over the fence — we just knew that he was always pacing on his side of the fence, and that he would surprise us at any moment.

Johnny’s back yard is higher than mine because we live on the foothills of a mountain range.  So he was never able to jump back over the fence to go home on his own.  And he would freak out — running, crying, pacing, barking, tearing up my grass, my window screens, etc.  I was never angry at Johnny for his anxieties and poor behavior, because it was never his fault.  I knew he was a good dog, who just needed some attention and training.  So I tried to take advantage of the times he was in my yard, and help him burn off pent-up energy so he could learn some commands.  He liked that.  But then the owners would come get him and he’d go back to being ignored and misbehaved.  It was a sad and unfortunate cycle.

Sad Intentions.

It became apparent that Johnny’s time living next door to me was coming to an end.  The neighbors were growing frustrated at having to come get him from my yard so often, and they commented on occasion that they needed to find him a new home.  They listed the typical reasons that people give:  he’s badly behaved, he’s too much work, we have a new baby, etc.  I could tell they were looking for a quick and easy way to unload him, so I began reaching out to people I knew to see if we could get him re-homed safely.  Before I got any takers, tho, the big escape happened.

The Big Escape.

One day last month, I got a notice on NextDoor.com about two dogs wandering a nearby neighborhood.  I pulled up the photo and saw that it was Alabaster and Johnny.  I quickly texted my neighbors that their dogs were loose and the finder had already taken the dogs to the county shelter.  I knew the danger they were in there, and my heart was racing.  The neighbors eventually texted back saying they would go retrieve them.  I texted them again and gave them the two kennel numbers to help quickly identify the dogs and get them safely out.  They texted back saying they were on their way to the shelter.

Later that evening, another post came through on NextDoor.com about Johnny and Alabaster.  It said Alabaster had been picked up by the owners, but Johnny was still at the shelter.  I was shocked to realize the owners had recovered Alabaster but had deliberately left Johnny behind at the shelter.  My heart sank.

Heartbroken But Hopeful.

Posts on NextDoor.com were swirling about trying to get Johnny out of the shelter to safety.  I called everyone I could think of.  Folks were even visiting Johnny at the shelter to be sure he was doing okay and posting status reports on any possible adoptions.  Three days later, the posts stopped.  No more updates on Johnny.  The shelter folks would not let us know if Johnny had been adopted or if they had killed him.

It’s been a few months now, and I still think of Johnny every day.  I fight the urge to judge his owners and be angry with them.  But it’s hard.  Johnny deserved so much better than he got from them.  My heart will always hurt for Johnny knowing he got cheated … and it wasn’t his fault.  I can only pray our networking helped and that he was adopted and is now in the care of loving, diligent folks who prioritize his wellbeing and happiness.  Miracles do happen.

If you don’t have the time or attitude to invest in training a dog, . . .

                                                              . . .   please don’t get a dog.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post And Another Good Dog Is Ruined. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Every year, July 4th begs the discussion about pets and fireworks. It is common knowledge that animals are frightened by fireworks and, as a direct result of that fear, too often find themselves in harm’s way. Animals will jump fences, dig under gates, bolt out doors, pull away from their leash as owners walk them, even jump out of owners’ arms and run away.

They run out of fear with no idea where they are running to or what they are running from.  All they know is they need to get away from the frightening noises. They simply are reacting physically to sensory overload on their eyes and ears. And sadly, too often they end up at the county pound or subject to a multitude of other sad outcomes that could have been avoided by some very simple preparation. 4th of July does NOT have to be a threat to our pets. This post addresses both sides of the pets and fireworks issue, and offers a caring common ground for everyone. 

Suggestions For Pet Owners.

To help protect your pet from panic and dangerous reaction, you need to eliminate traumatic input to some of his senses–mainly eyes and ears. Try these simple but very helpful tricks. First, and super easy, remove the visual overload. Keep your pet in the house where he cannot see the fireworks in the sky or out on the streets. Close shades and doors. That’s it. You just took the most important step to protect him from running away, and eliminated the element of fear from his eyes.

Second, remove the sensory overload from his ears. Turn on music or a movie. Just your everyday, normal volume, and your usual go-to music or movies. Not blasting loud, either. You’re not trying to overpower the fireworks noise completely, and you don’t want to trade one loud problem for another. Normal volume music or tv will be enough to distract him from the scary loud noises outside, and it will begin to soothe your pet. If you prefer, turn on a fan, or run the laundry instead. You have now removed the element of fear from your pet’s ears. With considerably less sensory impact, your pet can now begin to calm down.

Third, and most importantly, keep yourself calm and act totally normal. To be clear, don’t just pretend to be calm–you need to actually BE calm. Pets know the difference. Deep, slow breathing will help you maintain your normal heartbeat and pulse. Your soothing energy will transfer to your pet as long as you’re not faking it. Also, don’t coddle your pet any more than usual. Over-comforting your pet actually tells him that he was right to be afraid. It may not make sense to you, but that’s how animals think. To be successful here, you need to think like your pet. Keep yourself relaxed and calm, and act totally normal, like it’s just another day.

Don’t go overboard talking high-pitched baby talk and “there theres” to him, and holding him tight, rocking back and forth. These moves on your part actually create more hysteria on his part, because you are confirming his fears, not reducing them. Go about your housework, laundry, meal prep, etc. Let him follow you around the house or hide, whichever he chooses. Even in hiding, he’ll feel your normal, calm energy and eventually tiptoe out of hiding. Give him a scratch or pat on the head as you usually do, or toss a toy with him, but keep it normal, don’t overdo the sympathy and attention.

The most important thing is for you to act normal. Your pet takes his cue from you, and acting normal will send your pet the message that he is safe and sound as always, and everything is indeed okay.

Suggestions For Revelers.

July 4th is an exciting day to look forward to. For the best outcome for everyone, be mindful of your neighbors and their pets. One easy and very considerate thing you can do is reach out to your neighbors BEFORE you start shooting off fireworks, just to give them a heads-up. That way they can prepare for it ahead of time instead of being surprised after the fireworks have already begun. This will help your neighbors best manage their pets’ fears, and keep everyone, including the pets, safe and at peace with each other, while you are now free to enjoy your celebration.

If possible, choose a place for your fireworks away from the neighborhood that doesn’t intrude too closely on your neighbors.  Do you have a neighborhood park or field nearby?  Maybe a school playground or empty parking lot?  If not, consider asking a friend or relative if you can shoot off your fireworks show at their home?  Of course, that assumes that your friend or relative doesn’t have neighbors with pets as well. The idea is to use your imagination and be willing to accommodate others around you for this brief period of time so you can celebrate freely and they don’t suffer any negative or dangerous impact.

Lastly, try not to draw your fireworks playtime on night after night. The ongoing stress puts pets at even greater risk for harm over an extended period of time. But, if you must, remember to give your neighbors a friendly and thoughtful heads-up. Simple courtesies we can give each other go a long way to build good will among us and our pets too.

Happy 4th Of July For All Of Us!

Enjoy Your Holiday, Everyone! God Bless America, And God Bless Us All, Including Our Beloved Pets!

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Both Sides Of The Fireworks. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Okay, on now to our match-making discussion.

How Do I Find The Ideal Match In A New Pet?

You’re thinking about getting a new pet and want to make sure you choose the right one. What are the most important things to look for? You’re tempted to buy from a breeder, but then you think about how many rescue pets at the shelter are just begging you to give them a chance and tugging at your heart. How do you decide?  There’s a lot more to consider than just how cute it is or how young it is, its pedigree, or even how desperate a shelter pet may be.  Before you can match yourself with the right pet, you need to answer some important questions – about yourself.

First, Check Your Budget.

Can I afford it?  There are financial costs that come with being a good pet parent. Food, dog tags, grooming, bedding, toys, training, veterinary exams, sometimes medications or surgeries if it has a health issue, cleaning supplies, petsitting if you need to be away and can’t include him, …  Go over your budget and be very sure you have discretionary funds enough to care for a new pet without cutting corners or neglecting its care.

Also, don’t forget this – some pets cost more to care for than others. For example, your food bill for a large dog is going to be a whole lot more than for a small dog. And grooming costs for a high-maintenance pet are much higher than for a lower maintenance pet. And if you want to provide them a good diet instead of bottom-shelf brands, be sure you figure that into your budget as well. You can be an excellent pet parent on a modest budget, but you still need to factor in those costs.

Be very honest with yourself — if you want a pet but can’t afford vet bills when they get sick, or annual vaccinations, or good food, do you believe that you’ll be giving that pet a good life?  If you have crunched the numbers and are confident that you have room in your life and bank account to give a pet a good life, whether modest or lavish, then let’s go find your ideal match!   🙂

So Many Breeds ~ How Do I Choose?

Most people don’t consider how certain breeds of cats and dogs will fit into their family and home. They see a darling little Maltese or Shih Tzu in the window and just can’t resist taking her home and dressing her up and cuddling with her and showing her off.  Or a gorgeous German Shepherd that might make a great watch dog for your home. Resist the “impulse adoption” until you know more about the pet. It’s important first to study up on different breeds and find out what it takes to care for them – and care for them well.

If you take that little Shih Tzu home on a whim, are you prepared to groom her appropriately every single day for the rest of her life? Because once a week or once a month and certainly once a year is NOT enough.  And give her lubricating eye drops every single day to protect the health of her eyes, even if she hates it and fights you?

Different Breeds Need Different Parenting.

Are you willing to spend time every day with your new Border Collie teaching him and training him in agility courses, etc.?  And to spend time exercising him every day to burn off pent-up energy? Because Border Collies are incredibly smart and active, and become bored quickly. If you’re not on top of his daily training and exercise, he can become neurotic and develop bad habits because of it. You don’t ignore a pet anymore than you would ignore a child, no matter how tired or “not in the mood” you may be. If you’re not up for making their every-day care a priority, then a high-maintenance breed is not a good match for you.

Same thing with Persian and Himalayan cats.  They are crazy gorgeous animals, and most people are captured by their beauty.  But they come with a lot of responsibility. Grooming and health care is a conscientious, EVERY-DAY commitment. If you’re the kind of person who may tolerate that in the very beginning but then start to resent the time it takes, then you absolutely should NOT get a high-maintenance dog or cat. Because think what will happen to that pet if you decide you don’t want to be bothered anymore?  You’ll take it to the shelter.  And there’s a really really good chance your pet may die there if it doesn’t find a new family willing to take on the commitment that you gave up on.

Don’t misunderstand me. The commitment of time and energy and money into your pet IS WORTH EVERY PENNY AND EVERY MOMENT, and pet parents love their pets deeply and don’t begrudge them their care.  But sometimes people don’t look far enough down the road to know if they’re making the right decision and to make sure their personality is suited for the long-term commitment.

How Active Is Your Family?

Is your family a bunch of go-getters, hiking every weekend, bike riding, swimming, road trips here and there, playing at the beach? Then a Border Collie or Jack Russell would be ideal for you, or a Boxer, or Beagle, or Golden Retriever. But definitely not an English bulldog, for example, who isn’t built to keep up with such high-energy activities, and whose inherent breathing challenges would put him at risk if pushed too hard. Your English Bulldog, or a Yellow Lab, would be perfect for a couch potato-type person; someone who watches a lot of TV, or works at home on the computer all day, or likes to read out on the patio on a sunny, breezy day, and prefers more leisurely daily walks around the neighborhood, or some light playtime tossing a chew toy.

You want to match your dog’s personality to your personality as best you can for the ideal relationship. Do you like to get down on the floor and wrestle with your dog, or just snuggle up with him on the couch? If you’re a low-key person, then a high-energy dog is going to get really bored really quick at your house, and now you’ve got a problem. And where will Fido end up if things don’t work out?  Yep, the shelter. Make sense? Plan for success.  Get familiar with the many different breeds by learning online – one great resource is the American Kennel Club website: www.akc.com. Its profiles include confirmation information – how the dog should be perfectly built – but you can skip over that and go right to the section about personalities, behavior, health issues, etc. Do your homework BEFORE going shopping for the pet so that you won’t be “talked into” adopting one that may not work out.

Will A New Pet Get Along With The Pets We Already Have?

If you already have other pets in your home, be sure that adding a new pet won’t ruin their quality of life and peace of mind.  Your first commitment to the pets already in your home should take priority and not be compromised. Making adjustments to accommodate a new pet is one thing, and that’s acceptable. But putting their welfare at risk is not. See my post at https://www.barefootpets.com/howmany/.

We Want To Rescue A Shelter Pet.

First thing I would say is God Bless You!  And also — how flexible can you be? Pets are usually turned into shelters because of bad habits. Their previous owner didn’t house train them, or litterbox train them, or train them not to jump up on people. Or maybe the dog is a barker, or maybe the cat won’t come out of hiding. If you’re flexible and willing to work with such issues, then probably you will have great success rescuing a shelter pet and giving him a better life. Or, if you have a picture in your head of the perfect pet and don’t feel that you can settle for anything less, or don’t feel equipped to re-train a pet with bad habits, then consider putting the new pet in professional training.

Certainly not all shelter pets have bad habits. Some are there because their owners left town and didn’t take them along. You could be getting a great dog or cat in that case. Go for it!  But let me tell you this — it can be a crap shoot whether you rescue from the shelter or buy from a breeder, so be prepared for that possibility regardless where you get your new pet.  And also know this – even if you get a pet that doesn’t totally behave or whose personality isn’t the best match with yours, you can still co-exist wonderfully, if you determine to make it happen.

The Most Important Ingredient.

Whatever you decide, resolve to give that new pet all the love you have in your heart.  With every bowl of food and treat you give her, and every stroke of the brush, care for her tenderly and diligently, and spend quality time with her every day. Remember – pets aren’t knick knacks that you just stick out in the yard or in a crate in the laundry room and forget about. They’re members of your family – always treat them as such.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post MatchMaking – Choosing The Right Pet. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Socialize your dog from day one — this is very important, not only for his mental health, but also for the overall health and strength of your family as a whole. To exile your dog to the back yard, or to a crate locked away in another room when company comes to visit, or to never take your dog with you when you go out is to rob him of the joy of belonging. It also creates a neurotic personality with bad habits you’re not going to like. He’s part of the family — let’s learn how to treat him like it. 

Socializing Is Easy, And It’s Not Too Late To Start.

Even if your dog is already anti-social. Example: When the doorbell rings, have your dog walk to the door WITH you. Don’t shoo him back or into another room — this tells him the new person must be bringing trouble and that will put Fido on alert. If you’re concerned he may bolt out the door or jump up on the visitor, then put him on a short lead and keep him close at your side. Don’t cinch up on the lead, keep it relaxed. A tight lead tells your dog you’re nervous — you don’t want that. But still have him answer the door with you. Let him greet your visitor.

If you think he may nip, then ask the visitor not to pet him until after he’s sniffed them and is comfortable with their presence. If he’s over-excited and pushes his way ahead of you to the door, use your body to block him. Even tho he’s answering the door with you, he needs to remember that you’re the boss and you go first. SUGGESTION: Keep this gentle leader handy for answering the door. It will allow you to manage Fido easily and effectively without the chaos of him pulling and dragging you and acting out. Click on the ad to view and purchase.

If your dog is mistrustful of new people, then ask your visitor not to “get in his face.” In dog language, that’s a threat or challenge, and you’ve just invited trouble. Put Fido on a short lead. Tell the new person to ignore him – don’t kneel down to him, don’t look at him, don’t talk to him. Act like Fido’s not even there. Chat with your visitor and keep their focus on you, keeping Fido at your side on a relaxed lead. Always remember — your body language tells Fido what he needs to know — is this person okay or not okay? Staying relaxed and ignoring Fido tells him there’s no threat and gives him a neutral space to size up the new person. Once he’s finished sniffing and “okay’d” the new person, he’ll generally sit or turn away. That’s the new person’s sign that they can now greet him by extending the back of their hand for him to sniff and then pet him.

Socializing By Shopping Is A Safety Activity?

I live on the foothills of a mountain outside of Phoenix. We have all kinds of wildlife; mountain lions, coyotes, hawks, owls, vultures, bobcat, rattlesnakes, … We see them every day in the neighborhood searching for food. So taking my dogs outside for a leisurely walk, or letting my cat out to lounge on the back patio can be really dangerous and ill-advised. Instead, I take my dogs with me to Lowes, or Home Depot, etc., any pet-friendly shopping place, and we walk the aisles. Even if I have nothing to buy. It’s a safe environment for my dogs and me, temperature-controlled to boot, and it’s a great way to socialize. It gives your dog all kinds of new scents to enjoy – remember, a dog’s strongest sense is his sniffer.

People don’t always expect to see pets in Lowes or Home Depot, so when they come around the corner into our aisle, they happily come pet my dogs and give them love and chat with us awhile. It’s a very relaxed, positive interaction, and my dogs totally soak up the attention! You’re effectively teaching your dog that interacting with people is a good thing. Perfect way to socialize.

Going to Petsmart or PetCo or any other pet store is super ideal, too, because your dog gets to interact with other dogs as you walk the aisles. Remember, dogs are hard-wired to mix and mingle. It’s in their DNA. All dogs are required to be on leads when they visit pet stores, so that’s an added safety feature. And, on top of the socializing, your little guy gets to do some shopping of his own and enjoy all the fabulous smells of a pet store. Talk about a great day!  🙂

By the way, if your dog is a puller and you kind of dread taking him out in public because of that, consider either of the following gentle leaders. They’ll turn your life around – believe it. You’ll be happily taking Fido out all the time and even getting compliments from people about how well behaved he is. Seriously. Click on either of these to view and purchase and get started on your happy outings together.

Dog Park – The Ultimate Socialization.

And let’s not forget about dog parks. What an awesome day for a dog, to be able to run and play and socialize with other dogs, burn off energy, and make new friends. Be very sure your dog is current on vaccinations AND bordatella. Bordatella will help protect him against respiratory ailments that other dogs in the park may be carrying.  NOTE: don’t forget your poop bags! Here’s a proven favorite – click to view and purchase.

If your dog is a little older and can’t keep up or wears out quickly, consider a backpack or stroller for him so he can still be included in your outing in a safe and comfortable way.  For my senior dogs, I have this fabulous little Pet Gear stroller. It’s been a lifesaver for sure. I can actually fit 4 tiny dogs (under 8lbs), 3 small dogs (under 12lbs), or 1 medium dog (under 20lbs).  See us here on one of our lovely walks?  Tell me those little ones don’t look happy! There’s a great little storage bin underneath where you can store the dogs’ food and water dishes, pee pads, leads, treats, blankets, or whatever you might be shopping for! This stroller is the BEST! And the dogs can go ALL day in this stroller or backpack very comfortably. So plan your picnic, or shopping, or whatever, and don’t worry about cutting your day short because of a worn-out pooch. 🙂

You’ll also need a collapsible water dish to take along. Never leave home without the water dish! 

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Socialize Your Dog. appeared first on BareFootPets.

This post talks to pet parents and rescuers alike. One of the toughest questions for a pet parent or pet rescuer to answer for herself is “How Many Is Too Many? Where do I draw the line?”  It’s a moral and emotional question that weighs heavy on the hearts of everyone who works hard to save the lives of homeless pets, always acutely aware that these precious little souls have no other hope than us. It’s never easy to answer, and more often than not, the answer is discovered through trial and error. The line usually must be crossed at least once, maybe more, and consequences suffered, before the line even reveals itself.

It becomes evident then how some rescuers end up on the 10:00 news labeled as hoarders and didn’t see it coming. A dedicated, well-meaning heart that couldn’t shut the door on a single life in need. After all, how do you tell one homeless pet to come in and live, and to the next pet in line, there’s no room for you here, knowing it probably will lose its life because you drew the line. This is a typical day in the life of a pet rescuer — tough business, even on a good day.

** Must-Haves For The Multi-Pet Home ** 

So, if you’re a pet rescuer, a foster, or just an individual pet parent wanting to grow your pet family, it’s critical that you achieve balance to avoid getting in over your head and compromising not only your existing pets, but your own wellbeing. The questions below are designed to help you focus on the big picture, and to use your heart and mind together to make the right decision for your home. As you answer each question, be painfully honest, as difficult as it may be. We’ll discuss each bullet point in detail below.

*** Am I experienced and capable enough to handle multiple pet relationships in my home?
*** Do I have enough square footage per pet so that I’m not over-crowding them?
*** Can I afford food, supplies, grooming, petsitting, and veterinary bills for another pet?
*** Will adding another pet compromise the comfort and wellbeing of my existing pets?
*** Will I be able to give equal time to a new pet without cheating my existing pets?
*** Will adding another pet upset the behavioral dynamic of my existing pet family?
*** Have I considered the ages of all the pets involved and the level of care they’ll need,
as well as my own age and how long will I be able to care properly for them?

** Houseful of Pets and Want to Keep It Smelling Ultra Beautiful? **
Here’s Your Answer!

The Number One Question.

I believe the number one question to ask yourself when considering adding another pet to your family is this — will it compromise the pets already in my home? If the answer is yes, then it’s not wise to add a new pet yet. Remember that your first responsibility is to the pets already depending on you.

Example: you really want a puppy, and you have an older dog in the home already. No problem, you figure, because you’ve got plenty of room, and you can afford it. You figure a puppy will brighten things up and be fun. So a new puppy joins the household. But — turns out the older dog can’t keep up with the puppy and gets frustrated or cranky; or maybe the puppy plays too rough and hurts the oldster; or maybe you just find yourself spending more time with the puppy because he’s more fun than the older dog. You become frustrated because you don’t know how to handle the contentious dynamic between the two dogs.

Next thing you know, you’re trying to find a new home for the older dog because he “can’t get along” with the puppy (as if it’s his fault). You just compromised your older dog’s wellbeing and broke a promise to care for him forever. The older dog is not to blame that things aren’t working out — it’s your fault for creating the wrong environment. It’s always on you as the pet parent to make it work well. But it’s the older dog who will suffer in this scenario because of your faulty decision, because now he’s headed to a cold, scary shelter that he may never get out of, and losing the home and family he loves and trusts.

So always look down the road and use as much restraint as possible to see the big picture and make the right decision for the pets already in the house, to whom you’ve already made a commitment. Don’t put them at risk by making the wrong decision, no matter how well-intentioned it may seem at the time. Until you can answer no to the number one question above, the other questions don’t matter yet.

It’s Not Just The Number Of Pets To Consider.

There are numerous variables to consider when determining what type of pet home you will become. Alterations often need to be made to ensure that your home and yard and lifestyle will properly accommodate a specific number of pets. Let’s say you’re a big dog person. Carefully consider the space each large dog needs to be comfortable. But also consider their ages and medical needs, and how active they are. If they’re mostly young and healthy, and you have the indoor and outdoor space available, then drawing your line at, say, five dogs might seem reasonable. If, however, you have big dogs who are older and need a higher level of care, which means higher veterinary costs, more time needed to care for them and comfort them, then you should draw your line at a much smaller number.Also consider the breed you’re interested in — a border collie is infinitely more active than a bulldog and will for most of its life need activities to keep him focused and happy.  Labs tend to become couch potatoes as they mature, while Boxers will always remain childlike and playful. Be sure to match the breed to your other pets’ personalities, and also to your family’s personality. Mismatched pets all too often end up in shelters through no fault of their own.

Another scenario – you want to really get involved in rescue and make a big difference by rescuing as many as possible, but you have a small home. Then consider smaller dogs, or cats. Obviously, most homes can accommodate more small dogs than big dogs. But also consider this: with each pet you rescue, be very mindful of the costs that each pet brings with him. Veterinary, food, grooming, training, petsitting costs — can you afford it?

Okay, I’ve Decided To Get Another Pet. What Else Must I Consider?

Now that you’ve got a picture in mind of what type of pet you want, you need to start looking at personalities. That is a huge deciding factor in how successful you will be at pet parenting. If your home is filled with pets who can’t get along, who bully others, who pick fights, or are afraid and never come out of hiding, and you’re not experienced to managed those relationships, then you’re not doing those pets any favors by taking them in. Rescue isn’t just about saving animals’ lives, it’s about giving them quality of life.

Pet parenting is very similar to child parenting. It’s on you to create and maintain a stable, harmonious environment in the home. If it’s not working in harmony, that’s on you to fix. There are many many resources to help you through tough moments that may (will) come. Your first response to conflict among your pets should never be to send a pet away, like sadly so many people do.

For every pet you bring into your home, you must consider how it will change all of the existing pet relationships. Consider it a trickle-down effect. If the presence of a new pet upsets an existing pet, the existing pet may take out his frustration on another existing pet, who may run and hide, and ultimately get picked on by the rest of the pets as well. Remember, dogs are pack animals. If one acts out, they all very well may do the same. If you are confident in your capabilities to handle such changes in stride, then adopt away!  🙂

If you’re new to pet parenting, then limit yourself for awhile to maybe just two so that you can grow into a competent pet handler. You could be a dog walker or petsitter for other folks in the meantime, to gain invaluable experience and still be contributing to pet welfare while you learn. Then, when you feel more ready, take on more pets as your level of experience increases.

Rescue Away!

The world needs all the pet lovers, rescuers, and pet parents it can get, Lord knows it does. And God Bless You for stepping up to get involved and help. Just be sure to prepare yourself properly ahead of time to be as successful as possible. Ask yourself the tough questions, be honest about your experience and capabilities, and how many pets you can honestly accommodate at one time.  And always feel welcome to “Contact Me” with any questions you have. If I don’t have a ready answer for you, I can find it.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

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