Tag: dogs

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About Our Premises Flea Spray

Some key facts to know:

Fleas can cause serious health problems from dogs including itching, lesions, allergies, infections and parasite-born diseases.
Oakwood offers a flea solution for the dog and for ongoing environmental control. Here are some key steps you can take to keep fleas under control on your pet and within your home:

Flea infestations of pets and homes are common.
95% of the flea population is in a form of eggs, larvae or pupae stages, which are not visible to the human eye.
95% of flea’s life is spent off the pet and in the environment.

Elimination of existing flea’s on pets.
Ongoing flea control and continued elimination of fleas on the pet.
Prevention of subsequent re-infestation by treating the environment.

How to use:

Clear the environment of pets and persons.

Wear elbow-length PVC gloves and spray 25mL per m2. 500mL of spray will cover 20m2.
Apply the SPRAY directly onto objects or premises to be treated, holding the container at 20cm from the surface to be sprayed: kennels, pet bedding, chairs, carpet, under the furniture.

PRECAUTIONS: Remove or cover fish tanks before use. DO NOT spray directly on humans, pets, plants, exposed food, food preparation areas or food utensils.
DO NOT spray near naked flames, pilot lights or cigarettes.

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Ten Tips to Keep Pets Cool This Summer

TIP# 1 – Fresh water daily- Always have fresh water available for your pets. Make sure you use heavy bowls so they can’t be knocked over easy. Consider having two bowls in case one is emptied and ensure they’re in the shade – you don’t like to drink hot water and neither will your pet. ​

TIP# 2 – Shade – Make sure your pet has access to a cool, shady space at all times of the day. Tip: The sun moves throughout the day, so an area that’s shady in the morning might not be shady in the afternoon.

TIP# 3 – Washing and grooming – By washing and grooming your pet thoroughly will help strip out any excess fur to keep them cooler.

TIP# 4 – Summer itches – With seeding grasses, warm temperatures and high UV, skin irritations are far more likely to occur during summer.Make sure you keep hair around ears and paws short to minimize the rick of seeds sticking and burrowing into the skin. Inspect your dog after walking and remove any seeds.Fleas are much more prevalent in the hot months. Wash your pet with a medicated shampoo such as our Oakwood Medicated Flea Shampoo to help sooth-irritated skin and treat fleas. Consult your veterinarian if fleas and itchy problems persist.

TIP# 5 – Sunburn – Dogs and cats can be susceptible to sunburn during the hotter months. This is more likely with animals that have white fur and pink skin on their noses and ears. To prevent sunburn, keep dogs and cats indoors away from harsh sunlight. You can also try applying sunscreen to sensitive pink noses and ear tips.

TIP # 6 – Never leave your dog in a car – Cars can become extremely hot very quickly in summer. Even with the windows down the temperature can rapidly rise to deadly levels within minutes.  Likewise don’t lock your dog in a small or poorly ventilated space such as a garden shed.

TIP# 7 – Walk early or late – Dogs can suffer from heat stroke when exercised during extreme heat. Walk at the coolest times of the day in the early morning and late evening. Keep in mind pavements and roads can become extremely hot and can burn the pads on your dog’s paws. Also, never tie your dog up in the sun, even when you’re just making a quick dash into a shop.

TIP# 8 – Paralysis ticks – in the Southern areas of Australia they are found during the warmer months of the year.  If you live in or are travelling to an area where ticks may be present, here are some tips to help. Check pet fur on a regular basis especially around head, ears and under collars. If you remove a tick after your dog has started showing some signs, you should seek veterinary attention. Tick collars can provide protection for up to 3 months. Ensure you oral chew treatment is up to date and there are spot on treatments that both repel and kill ticks when applied every 14days.

TIP# 9 – Swimming pools – Many dogs love to swim and it’s a great way to cool down with your pet, but pools can also be a hazard for pets. Most dogs are able to swim, but not all dogs can find their way out of a pool and can drown. Puppies exhaust themselves very quickly. Don’t leave a dog or puppy unsupervised near water.

TIP# 10 –Scary summer storms – Thunderstorms can be a terrifying experience for both dogs and cats. Ideally your pet should be indoors with human company during thunderstorms.  Close curtains and blinds; turn on lights and the stereo or radio for background noise.  If you pet has to remain outside ensure the yard is secure and your pet is identifiable.

Your pet relies on your for care and protection. With a little thought and planning you can ensure their comfort and wellbeing throughout the hot Australian summer.

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4 Fun Ways to Keep Your Dog Active Indoors

Games

Most dogs love games and ‘Find the Toy’ will quickly become a favourite. Ask your dog to sit and stay (you might need someone to hold them initially). Make it easy for your dog at first, by allowing them to watch where you ‘hide’ a favourite toy, so they can easily retrieve it when you enthusiastically ask them to “find the toy!”  Repeat these steps until your dog clearly understands the command. You can then gradually make the game more challenging by hiding the toy in different locations around your house.  Remember to start with the toy being partly visible so it’s easy to find and, as your dog becomes more confident, hide the toy in more difficult places, such as behind doors and under cushions.  A squeaky toy will help stimulate your dog’s interest and be sure to make the game exciting by encouraging them to run back to you with the toy when they’ve found it. Alternatively you can play ‘hide and seek’ with your dog by hiding yourself and encouraging the dog to find you.

Trick training

It’s fun having a dog that can do tricks and it can surprisingly easy to achieve. Always use hand signals and rewards and only attempt to teach only one trick at a time. Start off with something simple like ‘shake’ or ‘roll over’.

Toys

Dogs love all sorts of toys, particularly squeaky toys and chew toys. Interactive toys are designed to keep dogs entertained by dispensing food when moved in a particular way. Other simple toys can be filled with a small amount of food or peanut butter, or something the dog considers a tasty treat.  Most dogs are happy to spend hours trying to get every last bit of food out of the toy.  Make sure all toys are safe, especially if your dog is playing with them unsupervised.

Training

Get your dog focused with some indoor training.  Not only will this stimulate your dog and keep them occupied, it will improve the dog’s response to your commands.  Start off with the basic ‘sit’, ‘drop’ and ‘stay’.  Then progress to ‘heeling’ your dog around the house, using food rewards and commands to guide them to walk exactly beside your left leg. Make some tight right hand turns so the dog has to move around quickly to stay alongside you.  Then try some tight left hand turns where the dog will be almost stationary as you move around them. Keep training sessions short and sweet and you’ll be surprised how quickly your dog will respond.

Wintery weather is no excuse to let your dog become inactive. With a little creativity you’ll find that you can still give your dog the daily exercise they need, and it will be fun and rewarding for both of you.

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Teaching Your Puppy To Enjoy Grooming

As well as being touched, your puppy must learn to enjoy being brushed.  Adult dogs will need to be brushed regularly–it cleans the coat, removes loose hair and stimulates the oil glands of the skin for a shiny and glossy coat.

Brushing allows you to become familiar with all the parts of your dog’s body and you’ll notice early on anything unusual that may require veterinary attention. Your pup will see brushing as just another form of petting and it is important to make this experience enjoyable.

Use a soft bristle brush or similar and gently massage your puppy by brushing in the direction of hair growth. Brushing against the hair pattern may be uncomfortable for your puppy. Begin to brush at the head, and work towards the tail and down the legs.

Make sure you reward your puppy with treats for a job well done and to associate your grooming sessions with pleasant outcomes.

Puppy handling check list

Pick 3 or 4 of these  each day and work on for 1 – 2 minutes until your puppy is mature. Work through the list and then start again. Remember, to give lots of yummy treats for good behaviour – this is the key.

Check list 

  • Touch your puppy’s tail
  • Touch your puppies ears
  • Touch the top of your puppy’s feet
  • Touch around your puppy’s lips
  • Gently hold your puppy’s muzzle
  • Gentle grab your puppy’s collar
  • Lift your puppy’s tail up
  • Lift your puppy’s lips up to look at their teeth
  • Run soft brush from head to tail
  • Run a brush over belly
  • Pick up your puppy’s feet
  • Brush around feet
  • Touch your puppy’s nails
  • Run a brush over your puppy’s back
  • Get your puppy to lay on his side
  • Look in your puppy’s ears

Just a few minutes a day of time focused on touching your puppy all over can make a huge difference to the behaviour of your dog as an adult. I promise you it will be time very well spent and will reward you with a dog that is comfortable being patted and groomed as an adult.

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Washing Your Puppy For The First Time

Once your puppy is happy going into the bath, then run the water near them while rewarding with treats. Do lots of these sessions and gradually work up to wetting and bathing your pup. The time you spend doing this extra bit of training will save you time for the rest of your dog’s life, as they’ll learn to enjoy bath time.

Here are some tips to help you make puppy bath time a pleasant experience for you and your puppy.

  1. Use a mild shampoo especially formulated for delicate puppy skin and coat. Not all pet shampoos are suitable for young dogs so make sure you select the right product.
  2. It’s a good idea to have everything ready from shampoo to towels to avoid leaving your puppy unattended in the bathtub.
  3. Put a rubber mat in the bottom of your tub. Your dog will feel more secure if he/she isn’t slipping all over the place.
  4. If possible, have a helper assist you. Ask your helper to gently restrain the puppy so as he doesn’t fall or run away, while constantly rewarding them with treats for calm behaviour.   Your helper can distract the puppy, while you get the job done as quickly as possible.
  5. Ideally, use a hand held nozzle with warm water running gently. Massage the shampoo into your puppy’s coat with slow circular motions.
  6. Add toys to the bath to make it fun to get wet. You can use your puppy’s favourite toy that he/she is only allowed to play with when in the tub.
  7. After shampooing, rinse well to avoid shampoo build up, which can leave coats dull and flaky.
  8. Towel- dry your puppy afterwards to avoid getting cold and your floors soaking wet. Then let your puppy shake any excess water off. Hair dryers may be too hot for delicate puppy skin but can be used on a very low setting if required.
  9. Praise, praise, praise your puppy throughout the bath for a job well done.
  10. Play a game at the end of the drying off process- this is a fun way to end the bath time routine and will help keep your puppy warm.

We hope our tips help you with your first bath time!

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Online Puppy & Adolescent Dog Training

“The Pet Lovers Puppy Club is great for those who can’t find the time to get to puppy classes or who live in a remote area, but we think it will also be of real benefit as a follow up to puppy classes for owners of adolescent dogs as this is the time when problem behaviours such as separation anxiety, jumping up, chewing and digging can start to emerge,” said Dr Katrina.

Research has shown that consistent training throughout the early and adolescent years improves a dog’s sociability and can reduce problem behaviours. This increases the likelihood of the dog engaging in shared activities with their owner and decreases the risk of the dog being surrendered.

“The program has all the benefits of a class, including weekly socialisation tasks and one-on one advice, but is available anywhere you have internet access,” said Dr Katrina. 

“Being able to access this information online means that puppy owners now have the chance to find a solution to their training problems in real time. And that’s something that has never been available before.”

The course, which runs for four weeks, provides pet owners with the necessary skills to give their puppy the best start in life and raise a social, well-behaved adult dog. It is for puppies of all ages and skill levels and covers the basics as well as fun things to do with your puppy such as trick training.

“It’s a very important resource for pet owners, given that most people invest more time, money and effort into their puppy than in any other period of their dog’s life,” said Kelly Gill.

The unique course offers members video tips, fact sheets and the opportunity to take part in live chats with Dr Katrina. It also provides:

  • Live support, through online chats and forums
  • Trouble shooting information around common problems such as toilet training, chewing, digging and barking 
  • A forum to meet other Puppy Clubbers, swap stories, share puppy photos and take part in competitions and giveaways.

Dr Katrina says that ensuring that owners are educated and puppies are trained also helps reduce the number of dogs surrendered due to behavioural issues. 10% of all Puppy Club subscriptions will be donated to Animal Welfare groups.

Dr Katrina Warren has 20 years’ experience as a loved and trusted media vet, best known for her roles on Harry’s Practice, Talk to the Animals, Beverly Hills Vet and Housecat Housecall. She became a household name for promoting responsible pet ownership and animal welfare.

Kelly Gill is one of Australia’s top dog trainers with over 21 years’ experience as a veterinary nurse, dog trainer and puppy class instructor. Kelly has also worked with dogs and cats for the film and television industry and her dogs hold over 250 obedience and agility titles.

Oakwood is a proud sponsor of the puppy club and we hope that you enjoy your training with Katrina and Kelly! 

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Loosing Your Mind Over Loose Hair?

Regularly brush your pet – Cats and dogs (and rabbits and guinea pigs and rats), long haired or short, will all shed their fur, so it is important to help the process and regularly brush them. The more loose hair you get rid of outside, the less you deal with inside.

Try Oakwood’s Pet Loose Hair Remover to remove your pet’s hair with the rubber brush side. Use the fabric side to get those tricky hairs stuck to furniture, clothing and your carpet. You can order it directly here

Use a damp rubber glove – just gentle go over the area with a slightly damp rubber glove and the pet hair sticks to the glove like glue. It is one of the fastest and easiest ways to remove unwanted pet hair from your furniture.