Bringing a new dog into the mix with a home that already has birds, rabbits, or guinea pigs can be quite a challenge. Dogs’ natural hunting instincts tend to take over when confronted with these animals, putting the smaller animals in severe danger if care isn’t taken to properly prepare the dog for the meeting. Despite the challenge, it can be done, and with training and patience everyone in the household can eventually learn to get along.
Start Slowly
The trick is to start slowly. A dog in the wild is a natural predator and as such rabbits, birds, and guinea pigs will all be considered food at first sight. Even small placid dogs such as Cavoodles can have a hunter hidden inside – with the poor little guinea pig seriously outmatched no matter the breed – so care needs to be taken with every type of dog. As you gradually introduce the dog to the other pets start very slowly, giving them brief periods of contact over a couple of weeks so they learn to be comfortable with each other. At no stage should you rush these encounters as this may become life threatening to the smaller animals.
Most animals are territorial so find an area of the house which both animals will consider neutral. Birds will be most comfortable away from the room their cage is kept, or a room which they normally don’t spend any time in. A bathroom, or little used spare room may be good choices as these are areas of the house most animals spend very little time in.
Keep your dog restrained
To start, the dog should remain leashed and the birds, guinea pigs, and rabbits should remain safely in their cage. Keep the leash on until you see that the animals are becoming comfortable with one another. Before you start the introductions make sure you have plenty of treats for all parties. Birds and dogs, in particular, are easy to bribe with food so make sure to reward any good behaviour with a tasty treat.
As you notice your dog becoming comfortable with the other animals it’s time to start allowing the dog off the leash. If the dog starts to misbehave and becomes aggressive reattach the leash until they settle down again. After a while you may become comfortable enough with your dog’s behaviour to take the other animals out of their cages for a little closer contact.
New Friends
There will come a time when you will feel it safe to allow your dogs and other pets to mingle with each other but it’s important to closely supervise them at all times when they are together. Accidents happen and dogs can succumb to their instincts at any time despite their best intentions. To play it safe simply keep the smaller animals in their cages whenever the dog is around.
Some dogs will dig to store a bone. If this is the case, then just stop giving him bones. Try a chew toy instead such as a rawhide bone, or pig’s ear. Most dogs are quite particular about where they dig holes and will dig in the same areas almost every time. If this is your dog, try blowing up a few balloons and burying them in areas he likes to dig. Once he’s confronted with the loud pop of a balloon exploding he may develop a negative association with the digging and stop.
One of the most important first steps in caring for a new puppy is in starting a deworming treatment program. Unfortunately, most puppies are born with worms which they contract from their mother; either through the uterus before birth, or through the mother’s milk. For this reason the best policy is to start a puppy deworming program as soon as a pup reaches 2 weeks of age. Worming should be a continuing part of a puppy’s overall health care, with the puppy being treated at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks. Once the puppy reaches maturity a tri-monthly all-wormer should be regularly administered for the rest of the dog’s life.
The most common type of worm found in puppies is the roundworm. While there are over 15,000 varieties of roundworm only 3 of those are a problem for dogs. Most puppies are born with roundworm as they are passed on from the mother. Other common areas for puppies to pick up roundworms are from faecal matter and litter boxes, which means it is important to keep the yard and litter box clean.
Other worm infestations your puppy may come into contact with are hookworm, tapeworm, whipworm, and heartworm – with hookworm being one of the most dangerous intestinal parasites. If a dog has suffered from tapeworm in the past, it must be regularly wormed as a dog infested with tapeworms may shed over a whopping 100,000 eggs per day!
Each chip is programmed with an identifying number unique to that animal. This number is then recorded in a database against your contact details. Should your pet become lost and subsequently found by the council or turned in to animal welfare a quick scan – using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology – will reveal how they can get in contact with you so you can be reunited with your pet. For this reason it’s vital that you keep these details up to date. Chips do not wear out or expire and remain with the dog throughout its lifespan.
Microchipping your pet provides a great deal of peace of mind and could prevent immeasurable heartache if your dog is somehow separated from the family home and becomes lost. If your pet is not yet microchipped then make an appointment either with your vet or an approved microchipping service and get it done as soon as possible. After all, you could be saving your dog’s life.
You can tell if your puppy’s nails are too long by checking them while the puppy is standing still. Nails which are just clear of the ground are the perfect length. If the nails make an audible noise on the tile or linoleum while the dog is walking then it’s time for a trim. Vets are able to do nail trimming for you but it’s certainly possible – and cheaper – to trim them yourself. Tiny puppies can have their nails trimmed with human nail clippers while the older animals will need purpose-made trimmers with a guillotine or scissor style action.
At first, puppies are going to resist having their paws handled. To get them accustomed to the sensation make sure you regularly touch their feet during play. Start by touching each paw in succession. Once the puppy lets you handle the paws without pulling away give them a treat for their good behaviour. When your puppy is comfortable with you doing this move to the next stage by gently touching a clipper to the nail. When the puppy shows tolerance give them a reward. If the puppy shows signs of getting fussy stop and try again later as you want to impress a good memory rather than a negative association.
With clear nails it’s quite easy to see where the quick starts but opaque or dark nails will need extra care. Cut only the hook at the end of the nail as this will cause the quick to draw a little way back up the nail. With subsequent trimming you will eventually be able to trim the nails to the correct length.
The Pet Loo also makes it possible to take your dog to the office should you need to at a moment’s notice. Not only is the Pet Loo convenient, the latest design also makes it a breeze to clean up, with a unique draining system to contain the smell and allow easy no-splash disposal into the toilet.
It’s strong too, as it’s been rated to hold up to 300kg so you will have no problem with the bigger pets. There are various sizes to suit different sized pets, with the smaller models obviously coming in at a cheaper price.
