Of course, your pet needs to be looked after if you are planning to take a vacation, meaning that you can't just get up and leave on a whim. Like other animal lovers, your priority is that your pet is kept in a safe, comfortable and clean environment while you are away, meaning you can relax while on your trip. Although the Internet has made the process of finding pet care more comfortable, keep the following in mind if planning a trip.
Book your pet care several months ahead of time in the same way as you plan when booking a cruise, flights or a hotel room. To give yourself the most options and potentially get the best value, plan as far ahead as possible, especially during the busier summer months. Keep in mind that the summer is jam-packed for pet sitters, boarding facilities and other animal hospitality related services.
Pet-friendly holiday destinations have increased not only in the UK but overseas too in recent years. Today, there aren't that many restrictions on where you can travel to with your pet, although it's important to remember that your pet will need to be vaccinated for rabies at least three weeks before you leave, and your cat or dog will need to have their pet passport.
It's easy to find accommodation that accepts dogs or cats, but locating the perfect one takes a little more research and planning. To avoid surprises when you arrive at the destination and check-in, you may want to consider the following. The accommodation should be suitable for your pet's size and breed, as well as provide an appropriate place to sleep and enough space for your pet to be comfortable. How and when your pet is fed is another primary concern, as well as what the arrangements will be for your pet if you are away from the room or resort, or participating in other activities.
Your dog or cat can become ill while on holiday just as you can, and you should verify whether you have adequate health insurance for your pet, especially if traveling overseas. It probably pays you to do some research and talk to your vet about such potential issues as preventing parasites, protecting against mosquitoes, and repelling sand flies and ticks. There may be diseases or pests unique to that destination that you need to be aware of.
As a pet lover you naturally want your pet to be as safe and comfortable as possible while traveling, and although pet deaths while in the care of an airline are rare, they can and do happen. It's a lot easier to make any adjustments to help make your pet more comfortable if you know the arrangements ahead of time; for example, if your cat is traveling by ferry, you probably don't want a large crate of dogs next to him in the pet space.
Your dog or cat can experience psychological trauma or unwanted stress if they are in an environment in which they don't feel safe or comfortable, especially if they are left there for a fortnight while you are on holiday. One way to prevent these problems is to arrange a trial weekend with your pet sitter or boarding kennel; it gives you a good idea of whether you have found the ideal solution while you are away or need to keep looking. Careful planning can mean your pet enjoys your holiday almost as much as you do.
Las Vegas Dog Resort
6810 W. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 560-7387
Bringing home a new pet for the first time can be very exciting; however, it does present some challenges in getting the new pet adapted to your home. You will need to spend a lot of time training your pet and have a lot of patience during this transition. Here are some tips for training your puppy at home.
You should choose your dog's name wisely. For training, it helps to determine a short name that ends with a sharp consonant (i.e., such as Jack or Bud) so that the dog's name will always come through clearly when you call it. A strong name will make the dog more responsive when you call it or issue commands. It also helps if you choose a name that is associated with pleasant and fun things, rather than something negative.
Before your new puppy comes home, decide ahead of time what it can and cannot do in your home. For example, will it be allowed on the bed or the furniture? Are there parts of the house that will be off limits? By setting the rules early on, you can avoid confusion for the puppy as it tries to adjust to the new surroundings.
From the outset, you should give your puppy it's own, private space that it can sleep in. This space should ideally not be used by another pet or by anyone else in the family. This could be a corner of a room or even a den in your home. It should be large enough to set up a crate in, which will be an essential tool for the puppy's house-training. Your pet will benefit from having short periods where they can be alone in the comfort and safety of its private space. You should also reward the puppy if it stays quiet and relaxed.
Help your pet to relax when it comes home by giving it a warm water bottle and placing a ticking clock near the area where it sleeps. These things imitate the heat and heartbeat of its siblings in the litter and will help to soothe the puppy in its new environment. Look for as many ways as possible to make him comfortable in his new home, as this will make the training period easier.
Reward your puppy's good behavior by using positive reinforcement. Use small toys, treats, loving gestures and lots of praise to let him know when he does something right. However, you should never reward bad behavior, as this will only confuse the puppy.
Puppies tend to live in the moment, which means that after you've taught it something, it is likely to have forgotten two minutes later. You need to use constant repetition to reinforce what the puppy has learned. For example, if he does something terrible, re-train him on the right way to behave right away so that he can make the association between the bad behavior and the correct behavior.
If your puppy has a habit of biting, don't scold him. Instead, pretend that you're in pain after he bites you. He will be surprised at your reaction and will likely stop immediately. If that doesn't work, give him plenty of chew toys to use instead.
Finally, you should always end the training sessions on a positive note by praising him for doing a good job. Your puppy has likely worked hard to please you, so encourage him by giving him lots of praise and a treat to motivate him for the next training session.
Las Vegas Dog Resort
6810 W. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 560-7387
Due to their ages, different pets have different nutritional needs. Thus, always inspect your pet's food. For instance, if you have an obese dog, purchasing foods that account for weight management could help him to shed a few pounds. Talk to your vet about changing your pet's diet, if necessary. Also, pay attention to food portions.
Although most owners like feeding table scrap treat to their pets, this is not a good practice. Purchase healthy treats for your dog. Also, purchase a cutesy little treat jar and fill it up with plenty of those healthy treats. Make sure that your pet's treats are healthy ones.
There are so many new pet activities that you and your pet can enjoy together. For instance, have you considered hiking with your pet, or even taking up paddle boarding? Also, research pet-friendly activities that take place within your community. Remember, the goal is to pick something that you can stick with and enjoy on a regular basis. Not only will you bond with your pet, but it will also provide you with plenty of healthy exercises.
Your pet would probably love a couple of new toys. Try to get ones that help stimulate the brain and get him moving. For instance, purchase a new fetch toy for your pet. It has been proven that stimulating the brain can help to slow down the aging process in pets. Consider the Trixie Chess Game Toy or even the Whisker City Catnip Cyclone Toy.
Learning new tricks is just as enjoyable as getting new toys. It can also be very stimulating and satisfying. PetSmart has a tricking training program that can help your dog learn new tricks. He can learn skills such as rolling over, crawling, taking a bow or even giving a high five.
PetSmart also has a way for you and your dog to get involved in the community. Their Dog Therapy Training trains your dog on how to give emotional support in locations such as community centers, schools, and hospitals.
Get out there and be sociable during the New Year! Schedule a play date with your friend and his pet. A day in the park would probably do you some good. Consider registering your pet for Doggie Day Camp. It allows both you and your pet to make new friends. However, make sure that your pet is sociable before signing him up for social play dates. If he is willing to play nicely with other dogs and listens to all of your commands, then he is probably ready to get out into the social world.
It is suggested that your pet goes to a professional groomer at least every four to six weeks. Between visits, make sure you use a pet appropriate toothbrush and toothpaste to keep his teeth clean and healthy. Also, don't forget to purchase a high-quality rubber brush to brush his coat so that it is invigorated and free of shedding hair. Also, don't forget the cotton balls and ear cleaners for his ears.
Your pet's vaccinations should always be kept up to date. Unfortunately, a lot of infectious diseases are running rampant throughout the United States this year. These include things such as Lyme disease and Canine Influenza. Keep in mind that prevention of such diseases costs less than treating them.
Make sure your pet is protected from parasites such as intestinal worms, ticks, and fleas. PetSmart has plenty of online pharmacy products that can help with this situation. Not only are they safe, but they are also beneficial. But remember, there isn't just one product that can provide pet parasite protection.
Speak with your vet to find out which parasites are common in your area. Ask for recommended products and their dosages. For instance, cat owners might want to consider products such as the Seresto Collar and Advantage. Dog owners might like using products such as Nexgard and Interceptor Plus.
Las Vegas Dog Resort
6810 W. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 560-7387
There is little doubt that the giant bunny which was found lifeless earlier this week in the trans-Atlantic United Airlines cargo area, was probably not the first to experience this tragedy.
The good news is that there are guidelines provided by federal agencies to help assist in keeping the animals involved as safe as possible.
Take a look now at some positive suggestions for pet owners in how best to keep pets safe when they are flying:
You should be aware that even though it is mandated by the Department of Agriculture just which animals may be transported on airline flights, the individual carrier involved may have different rules in place on their agenda.
With some breed restrictions, American Airlines only permits dogs and cats on their flights. United Airlines permits domesticated dogs, cats, household birds and rabbits to travel in the cabin, as long as they are accompanied.
Animals flying in the cargo area of the planes is not permitted by several carriers including Southwest Airlines and JetBlue. However, JetBlue does permit small dogs and cats who weigh less than 20 pounds, with their carrier weight included, to travel in the cabin with their owners at the cost of $100 one-way fee per pet. That same policy is also permitted by Southwest, at the expense of $95 one way.
Because they guide people with disabilities and are not considered pets, service animals are supposed to be exempt from these restrictions.
Depending on which airline will be involved and just how the animal is going to be transported, prices will vary.
On American Airlines, for pets brought into the cabin, there will be a charge of $125. For those pets that are checked, the prices can range up to $200 per kennel.
A range of prices are charged on United Airlines, and these will depend on the animal's size, where they are placed on board and where they are headed. This range may go anywhere from $200 to $2000.
On Delta Airlines, the rates involved are going to range somewhere between $75 and $200.
When the subject turns to service animals, be aware that they will fly for free!
Even though it is mostly considered to be safe to travel with animals, the U.S. Department of Transportation has provided information for the year 2016 reporting that 26 animals died and 22 were injured in the course of their flights. Of course, those numbers are indeed sad, but on the other side is the more optimistic point that these numbers translate to one death per every 10,000 animals that were transported that year.
Of all 17 airlines which were included in the report, the highest injury rate of all was attributed to United Airlines with nine deaths and fourteen injuries suffered by their over 100,000 animals transported in 2016!
In the report, some of the injuries are detailed. It tells us that the majority of these were in fact self-inflicted. In the case of the deaths, the majority of these were due in fact to natural causes. The report also states how so many of the incidents involved were truly minor ones. An example of this pointed out involved a boxer by the name of Phoebe, on April 5, 2016. Phoebe was said to have cut her paw, after escaping from her crate. She was then taken and returned at the point of origin to her owner before being shipped on United. The report goes on to state that "no veterinary care was in fact requested or required" and that there were no further corrective actions taken. With these pet-related incidents, this is most often the case.
United Airlines did have the highest death rate in the year 2015 and the second highest in the year 2016. For every 10,000 animals, the rate decreased to 2.11 from 2.37 the previous year.
Hawaiian Airlines registered three deaths for the 7,518 animals that it transported in 2016, making it the one with the highest incident rate of all the airlines. One of those deaths was attributed to heatstroke, while the other two were listed as "unknown." According to the reports, no corrective actions were taken.
The policies of the USDA dictate that animals unaccompanied may be shipped as cargo and those accompanied may be brought as baggage on flights.
One positive suggestion offered by the Department of Transportation(DOT) is to have the owners spend the time needed to get their pets accustomed to and feeling comfortable in their kennels before embarking on the flight.
Another good suggestion is to make certain that for at least six hours before the flight, no solid food is consumed by the pets.
Finally, before giving the pets any sedatives, owners should always consult with a vet first!
Las Vegas Dog Resort
6810 W. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 560-7387
It can be a difficult feat to travel with a dog; however, with a bit of training, you will master this activity in no time.
Almost anyone must have a ton of resilience to fend off a woman who has wanted something for seven long years. That is why I tip my hat to my significant other, who, for seven years has managed to resist my constant pleas for a puppy.
He put up an intense fight but eventually caved in a little over a year ago, and now we have welcomed our springer spaniel, Arlo, into the family.
You could say this has taken a bit of adjusting to our lifestyle. Or maybe it would be a bit more honest to say it made a complete lifestyle overhaul. For anyone wondering why this is the case, it is merely the fact that Arlo is always with us, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Did I forget to mention that he's always there? People claim having a dog prepares you for having kids one day, and some even go as far as to say children are less challenging to care for than dogs. Yes, they also say that to my face.
Regardless of our individual opinions on that subject, if you are like me, you may not know what to do about Rover when planning a vacation, mainly if you must spend a significant amount of time in the car. Of course, you probably cannot picture a family outing without him. I did mention that once you have a dog, he is there 24/7, right? So, since he is your baby, it would be difficult to enjoy a holiday of which he was not apart.
Over the last year, we have worked out a few things to make sure we can have a holiday that is both pet-friendly and stress-free. Similar to what they say about children, it is all about compromise and planning.
You should do a trial run before you head out on vacation. It may sound a bit over the top, but I can honestly say that the only reason our road trip was successful was that Arlo loved the car. In fact, provided he is not in the car for extended periods, and the interior temperature is comfortable, he would not only be happy to curl up for an extensive road trip, but he would also gladly stay in the car after we arrived. Taking the ferry is quite an experience: I do not recommend reserving a kennel, as the dog will be going deaf and sucking up fumes in a rapid manner that way. Instead, choose the car option. It does not cost anything, and Rover will be much more comfortable.
In times past, you could merely go wherever your senses took you, but those carefree days are over once you have a dog. The first thing you will learn is that not everyone loves him as much as you do. In fact, most establishments do not allow pets. Others use the term "pet-friendly," but it is important to ensure you know what that means. In my experience, many places say they are pet-friendly, but what they mean is you must pay an additional fee merely to have your pet stay in the car. Other establishments calling themselves pet-friendly mean you can bring your pet for an additional 50% of your bill, and then he must be confined to a crate. A word to the wise: true pet-friendly establishments do not charge extra for your dog. However, you should contact any hotel or lodge in advance to ensure you know their exact definition of "pet-friendly" before you arrive.
Las Vegas Dog Resort
6810 W. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 560-7387
Open 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Daily for Drop off & Pickup
Open 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Daily for Phone Calls
Checkout Times
Boarding: 11:00 AM Daycare: 6:30 PM
