{"id":361,"date":"2019-05-31T18:33:11","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T18:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=361"},"modified":"2019-07-19T16:17:03","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T16:17:03","slug":"june-2019-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/june-2019-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"June 2019 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dog Parks and What You Need to Know Before You Go<\/a>
\nHow to Choose the Right Cat Litter for Your Furry Feline<\/a>
\nHow to Socialize Your Cat<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Dog Parks and What You Need to Know Before You Go<\/strong>
\nParks are a great place for people and dogs to have fun. Then there are dog parks \u2013 a place just for dogs to romp and get together with other canines. What should you know before you bring your furry friend?<\/p>\n

Most important is that dog parks have rules that should be followed so that pets and pet parents can enjoy them. The rules are there \u201cto ensure good manners and help promote safety,\u201d according to the article, \u201cPlay It Safe and Be Polite: Dog Park Rules You Should Never Break\u201d at Vetstreet.com. \u201cFor this reason, it\u2019s important to know the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of the dog park and to follow them every time you and your pooch visit the park.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the do\u2019s include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tEnsure your dog is vaccinated and protected against parasites.
\n\u2022\tKeep your dog leashed until he\u2019s in the off-leash section.
\n\u2022\tRemove his leash before joining other dogs in play.
\n\u2022\tHave your dog enter the dog park calmly.
\n\u2022\tKeep small dogs and large dogs separate.
\n\u2022\tPick up your dog\u2019s poop.<\/p>\n

Some don\u2019ts include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tLeave young children, babies, and toddlers at home.
\n\u2022\tDo not get distracted or leave your dog unattended.
\n\u2022\tLeave very hyper dogs at home.
\n\u2022\tPrevent your dog from mounting other dogs.
\n\u2022\tDo not get in the middle of a dog fight.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cDog Park Etiquette: 7 Rules for a Well-Behaved Pet\u201d at WebMD.com, keep home dogs who are not spayed or neutered. Also, keep puppies at home. They are more difficult to control. \u201cPeople find them cute, but older dogs often think they\u2019re a pain,\u201d the article said. \u201cPlus, those who haven\u2019t yet had all their shots can be exposed to diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you stick to the dog park rules, chances are you and your pooch can have a good time.<\/p>\n

<\/a>How to Choose the Right Cat Litter for Your Furry Feline<\/strong>
\nCat litter is an important part of a cat\u2019s life. But are all litters created equal, and how do you know if you are choosing the right one? From clay littler to scooping\/clumping litter, there are many types from which to choose.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cPreventing litter box problems\u201d at HumaneSociety.org, \u201cMost cats prefer fine-grained litters, presumably because they have a softer feel.\u201d But there are newer and scoopable litters that clump and have finer grains. Plus, they have less odor. <\/p>\n

When you find a litter that your cat likes, the article suggests staying with it. \u201cSwitching litters constantly could result in your cat not using the litter box,\u201d the HumaneSociety article said.<\/p>\n

Cats who were previously outdoors 24\/7 prefer dirt and could get into house plants. You can keep them out of plants with rocks placed on the soil. You also can mix soil into their litter. \u201cA cat who rejects all types of commercial litters may be quite happy with sand,\u201d the article said.<\/p>\n

There are some things to consider when choosing a litter, according to the article, \u201cHow to Choose a Cat Litter Box and Kitty Litter,\u201d at PetCareRx. These include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tChoose unscented, absorbent, and dust-free litter. Dust can cause respiratory issues.
\n\u2022\tStay away from scented litters that mask odors. The scent is often a huge turnoff for cats who may choose to do their business somewhere else in the home. \u201cTo keep your litter box smelling fresh without scented litter, simply clean it more often,\u201d the PetCareRx article said.
\n\u2022\tClumping or non-clumping? Clumping is easier to remove waste but it comes down to preference in the end.<\/p>\n

When you find the right combination of litter and box that works for your cat, stick with it and everyone should be happy.<\/p>\n

<\/a>How to Socialize Your Cat<\/strong>
\nThere are classes to help socialize your dog, but what about your cat? Socializing felines is just as important.<\/p>\n

Building trust in cats and getting them used to other people and other animals at home is necessary. \u201cA cat who is not socialized can be timid, distrustful, scared or aggressive,\u201d according to the article, \u201cHow to Socialize Your Cat\u201d at Catster.com.<\/p>\n

With socialized cats, things will be better all around. Your cat most likely will be more \u201cloving, trusting, affectionate and well-behaved,\u201d the article said. Socialization is also essential when there are small children at home to help prevent being bitten or scratched.<\/p>\n

Socializing your cat is not as difficult or as time-consuming as you may think. Some tips include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tHave your cat adjust to being handled and held in your arms. Start slowly if she is fearful.
\n\u2022\tPet and stroke her slowly.
\n\u2022\tProvide treats after a \u201ctouching\u201d session, according to Catster.
\n\u2022\tAdd sessions including handling of feet and toes.
\n\u2022\tSpeak calmly in a soothing voice.
\n\u2022\tPlay with your cat by scheduling times each day and use her favorite toy.
\n\u2022\tNever reinforce bad behaviors.
\n\u2022\tEnsure your cat trusts you before introducing her to strangers, and do not force interaction.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cHow to Socialize Your Cat\u201d at ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, the following tips can help when socializing your cat:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tEnsure she is up-to-date on vaccinations before interacting with other animals.
\n\u2022\tCats do great when socialized in pairs, so think about adopting two!
\n\u2022\tBring toys that are rod-style \u201cthat allow for some distance between your kitty and you,\u201d the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance article said.
\n\u2022\tWork on socialization in small areas, such as a bathroom.
\n\u2022\tTake it slow and be patient.<\/p>\n

Before you know it your cat will be the social \u201cbutterfly\u201d at home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dog Parks and What You Need to Know Before You Go How to Choose the Right Cat Litter for Your Furry Feline How to Socialize Your Cat Dog Parks and What You Need to Know Before You Go Parks are a great place for people and dogs to have fun. Then there are dog parks… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":368,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361\/revisions\/368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}