Tag: First Batch

How Can I Stop My Dogs From Fighting?

You can stop your dogs from fighting by eliminating the stressors that lead to the aggressions, by better managing the dogs’ environment, or by getting professional help from a qualified animal behaviorist. Whether or not you know what starts squabbles between your dogs, it’s important to find a way to stop them. Even if no serious injuries have occurred (yet), fighting between dogs can leave one or both dogs feeling stressed and afraid. The good news is the behavior can usually be brought under control—but in the meantime, avoid injury to your pets by closely monitoring them and keeping them physically separated while you work on a safe re-introduction protocol with the help of a professional dog trainer.

Steps to Preventing Fights Between Your Dogs 

Sometimes, two dogs just don’t like each other, but sometimes there is a more concrete reason for dogs fighting such as:

  • Maintaining a hierarchy
  • Redirected aggression
  • Friendly play escalates
  • Protecting food or other possessions 

If you can pinpoint the cause, you can remove the stimulus. For example, some dogs are food aggressive. In this case, you can simply feed the dogs in separate rooms.

While you’ll find all kinds of advice about how to stop fighting, the best course of action is to involve a professional right from the start. This will give you the best chance of success, and you won’t have to wade through the information online to separate the good from the bad.

An animal trainer or behaviorist with a proven track record of success in fixing dog aggression will give you solid advice and work with you to develop a plan that will help you protect your dogs and enjoy peace of mind. 

How Do I Stop My Dog From Eating Poop?

You can stop a dog from eating poop by finding the reason your pup is doing this – it could be a medical or environmental issue. The good news is that this behavior can be curbed in most dogs. Whether through treating the feces in a way that makes it unappealing or identifying and correcting the medical problem or environmental trigger, it is possible to find a solution to this disgusting habit.

Why Dogs Eat Poop 

To humans, the idea of eating feces is disgusting, but dogs are much less picky about what goes in their mouths. Your purebred pooch or adorable mutt’s ancestors were scavengers that were willing to eat just about anything to survive—including feces. Some dogs eat only their own poop while others eat the poop of others dogs. The former, while gross, isn’t dangerous. The latter, however, can pose a health risk to your dog if parasites or bacteria are present in the feces.

Reasons dogs eat feces include: 

Medical Issues

  • Parasites
  • Insufficient Diets
  • Diabetes
  • Cushing’s
  • Certain Drugs 

Environmental Issues

  • Isolation
  • Anxiety
  • Confinement 

Whatever the cause, you just want to the behavior to stop. Some of things you can try include:

  • Visit a vet to rule out medical issues.
  • Supplement your dog’s diet with appropriate vitamins.
  • Work on training, especially commands like “leave it!”
  • Clean up after your dog immediately.
  • Apply products that make the feces taste bad to dogs. (Options are available that can be added to the food or directly to the feces.) 

Note that in puppies this behavior is quite common and will usually correct itself as the dog grows. If it continues into adulthood, you’ll need to intervene.

If your dog eats poop, don’t panic and think it’s time to rehome your pet. This is an issue that, when properly addressed, can be corrected. 

How Do I Surrender My Labrador Retriever?

 A common question from pet owners who have decided they cannot keep their pet is, “how do I surrender my Labrador Retriever?” The exact process of surrendering your dog to a local shelter will vary by location, but generally it will involve meeting with an intake officer, paying a fee, and giving up all rights to your pet. From there, shelters will try to find homes for the dogs in their care, but this isn’t always possible.

What Happens to my Labrador Retriever if I Surrender Him to a Shelter?

When you find a shelter that will accept your Labrador retriever, they may ask you to pay a surrender fee. The fee is typically between $50 to $150. An intake coordinator will ask about your dog’s history and your reasons for surrendering him. In some cases, they will offer assistance to help you work through the issues that led to your decision to give up your dog. If you decide to move forward, they’ll take custody of your dog and have you sign him over to the organization.

Unfortunately, once you surrender your dog, you no longer have a say in his fate. Your Labrador retriever’s outcome depends on several factors such as age, health, temperament, space in the shelter, and the shelter policies. Most shelters want to find homes for all their dogs—and they work hard towards that end—but the sad reality is that it’s just not always possible.

The more people who surrender their pets to the shelters, the more overtaxed they become, and even the very best shelters can only do so much with the space and resources they have.

Is There Another Option?

If the idea of surrendering your pet to a shelter doesn’t sit well with you, there is another way: rehoming your dog yourself. This gives you control over where your dog ends up rather than surrendering that ability to a shelter. It also means you’ll be able handpick the adopters and find the very best fit for your pet.

If you love this idea but aren’t sure where to start, take a look at Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com. You’ll get advice that walks you through the process of rehoming your pet, find tools to help you find the perfect adopters, and more.

You’ll even find tips on overcoming the most common issues that cause people to give up their pets. If you find you still have to give him up, surrender your pet into the arms of a loving new family instead of an uncertain future. You’ll feel better knowing you did the very best for your dog.  

What is the Best Way to Rehome a Maltese?

The best way to rehome a Maltese is with someone you’ve vetted and that you know will love her and take great care of her. This might be with someone you know or someone you find online. The important thing is that you’re sure she’ll be in a wonderful new home when you can no longer keep her.

Although you never thought you’d ever have to give up your Maltese, things in life can change quickly. You may find that you’re no longer able to care for her financially, or that you’ve had an injury that makes it impossible to provide her with the care she needs. Perhaps you have to move to a new location where pets aren’t allowed. Regardless of the reason, she needs a new home. Let’s look at some of the options you have available.

Rehoming with a Relative or Friend

Of course, one of the fastest, simplest, and best ways to rehome your Maltese is with someone you already know. Maybe you have someone in your life who has been thinking about getting a dog. If you believe they’ll be a good fit for your dog, let them know that you have to give her up. This can bring you some peace of mind, and you could even get updates on how she’s doing in her new home. If you do give her up to someone you know, just make sure that you don’t visit right away, so she can get used to her new family.

Using Rehome

When searching for an online pet adoption site, be sure to consider Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com. Rehome is a peer-to-peer platform that allows you to create a detailed bio and profile for your dog complete with photos and videos. When you are ready to start vetting adopters, you will be able to publish your dog’s profile directly onto Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of potential adopters to see.

Remember that it’s essential that you’re honest whenever you’re imparting information about your dog. You want to be sure that the potential adopters know all of the good things about her, as well as some of her not-so-good habits. Maybe she barks a lot when she doesn’t get enough attention, for example. Honesty helps to ensure that she’ll go to the perfect new home.

Those who view the profile and who want to adopt your dog can submit applications. You’ll then review the applications and find the best owner for your dog. This platform is free for owners to use, and the adopters will only pay a small rehoming fee. It’ll be about the same as adopting through a rescue or shelter. 

Could You Use a Shelter or Rescue?

If you can’t find a home for your dog using the above methods, there are still some choices available. You could surrender your dog to a shelter or a rescue. These facilities aren’t truly rehoming your dog, though. Instead, your dog will await adoption, but there’s no guarantee someone will come along and bring her home. Rescues will keep your dog indefinitely, but shelters can only hold dogs for a limited time. They may have to euthanize to make more room. Shelters do their best to ensure dogs get adopted, but it doesn’t always happen there, either.

Does Petco Take Cats?

Petco cannot accept cats. You may see adoptable cats in some Petco locations, but these cats are available through a shelter or rescue that is in partnership with the Petco Foundation. Don’t worry though – if you have a cat that you are unable to keep, there are options for you.

Where Can I Take A Cat I Can’t Keep?  

If you have found a lost cat, please remember to check with your local shelter, use these tips to reunite a lost pet with their owner, and upload the cat to Finding Rover.  

If you are looking for a new home for a cat, you don’t have to take him anywhere. You can find them a new home online. Jump onto your computer and head to Rehome, a peer-to-peer program that allows you to post your pet on Adopt-a-Pet.com for possible adopters to view. Rehome was created in collaboration with the Petco Foundation to help pet owners just like you find great new families for their pets. The process of posting your cat is easy and free.

How Do I Post My Cat On Rehome?  

Head here to start your cat’s profile. You’ll fill out some basic information about your cat in order to create your account. 

From there, you will be asked more detailed questions about your pet’s health and behavior history, like if your cat is good with other animals, has up to date shots, and if he needs an experienced adopter. You’ll also have the opportunity to upload photos and videos of your cat. Photos should be clear and bright so that it’s easy to see what your cat looks like. Profiles with videos tend to get more views, so feel free to upload a video of your cat in their natural habitat to give potential adopters an idea of their personality. Finally, you’ll write a description of your cat that gives details about the cat’s personality, favorite activities, daily routine, and more.

Once you complete these easy steps, you cat will be ready to post. Millions of potential adopters will be able to view your cat’s profile, giving you the best chance of finding a great new family for your cat.

How Do I Choose A New Home For My Cat? 

Soon after your cat is published on Adopt-a-Pet.com, you will start receiving applications for adoption. If you aren’t sure who the best match for your cat might be, we are here to help. Our Rehome team will give you tips on how to filter through applications, including red flags to look out for.

Once you’ve narrowed down the applicants, you can set up an in-person meeting with your cat’s potential new owners (we have tips for setting up a safe, in-person meeting as well.) From here, you will choose the family you think is best for your cat and finalize the process.

Rehome will help you finalize a contract and transfer all vet documents to your cat’s new family. You can then rest assured your cat is ready to settle into his new home. 

How Do I Give up My Golden Retriever?

You have several different methods you could use to give up your golden retriever. You may want to help rehome her, and find a new home for your dog on your own, or you may need to surrender her to a shelter. Below, we’ll look at the various methods you can use when you have to give up your golden retriever.

Giving Your Dog to Someone You Know

This is the best option if you’re fortunate enough to know someone who is looking to adopt a dog. They might already know your sweet retriever and want to bring her into their home. This could be a friend of yours, a coworker, or a family member, for example. One of the biggest benefits of giving your dog to someone in your life already is that you’ll know they’re a good option. You’ll know that they have space for her, a good home and that they can take care of her financially.

Using Online Sites to Give Up Your Golden Retriever

If you don’t know anyone who can take your dog, there’s still the option of rehoming using the Internet. Just make sure that you don’t use the typical classified ad sites like Craigslist. You never know who is looking at pets on those sites, and they may not have the best intentions for your dog.

Consider using Rehome. This is a peer-to-peer platform from Adopt-a-Pet.com that will make it easy to connect with people looking to adopt. It’s easy to use and it’s a safe option to find the right new owners. You can create a profile for your golden retriever that mentions all of the wonderful things about her, as well as any issues she might have. It’s important to be transparent about any problems, such as health issues, so the new owners understand whether she’s the right dog for them.

Surrendering Your Golden Retriever

There’s also the option of surrendering your dog, which can be done to a shelter or a rescue. When you surrender your dog, you’re giving legal rights for her to the facility. Keep in mind that you can’t just show up with her. You’ll have to get in touch with them first. They’ll want to know her age, temperament, and whether she has any health issues, among other things.

They might also want to know why you have to give her up. The facility might have some resources that could help you keep her. For example, if you aren’t able to spend time with her during the day because of work, they could put you in touch with a dog daycare facility. The shelters and rescues want what’s best for your dog, and that often means staying with you if possible.

If you can’t keep your dog, you can set up an appointment with them. They’ll let you know what paperwork you may need to bring, as well as the surrender fee. This fee can vary but will often be somewhere between $50 and $150.

How Do I Rehome My Rottweiler?

If you need to rehome your rottweiler, you’ll find several methods you can use to find your dog a great new home. Below, you’ll learn ways that you can rehome your rottweiler, so you can be sure she finds a perfect new place to call home. Rehoming will take a bit of work on your part, but you’ll be happy with the results. It helps to ensure that she has a safe and happy life, and that’s what every pet owner wants.

Finding Someone You Know to Adopt

Naturally, one of the first thoughts that’s likely to spring to mind is letting someone you already know adopt her. It’s a good option since you already know whether they’ll be a good fit for your dog or not. You’ll know whether they can afford to take care of her properly and whether they’ll provide her with the exercise she needs.

Using Online Pet Adoption Sites

There are great adoption sites like Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com that will help you find a wonderful new home for your rottweiler. This site lets you create a detailed profile for your dog, which will include all of the important information about her, and publishes her bio directly onto Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of potential adopters to see. The profile helps pet searchers find your dog and determine if she’s right for their family. You’ll also enjoy that the site is free for owners to use, and you can review the adoption applications to choose your dog’s new home.

Types of Sites to Avoid

While there are some good sites for pet adoption, there are some sites you should avoid. The want ad sites like Craigslist, for example, might be easy to use, but you have no way of discerning who sees those posts and who trying to get your dog. Sometimes, people don’t have any intention of adopting a dog until they see one on these sites. They aren’t prepared to own a dog. You want someone who is actively looking to adopt a dog like yours.

Why Rehoming Fees are Needed

Rehoming fees are used to help keep your dog safe. You’ll always want to charge a rehoming fee or go through a site like Rehome that charges the adopters. The fees for sites like Rehome will go back into helping get more animals adopted. Fees also mean that it’s less likely someone with bad intentions will try to get your dog. There are terrible people out there who look for free dogs to sell to labs and to use as training animals for fighting dogs. The rehoming fees help to cut down on this risk.

Are Shelters and Rescues the Same as Rehoming?

While it’s possible to surrender your dog to a rescue or a shelter, it’s not truly the same as rehoming. When you surrender your dog, you give up your legal rights to her, and you’ll have no say over who adopts her, or if she gets adopted at all. While these facilities do their best to take care of the dogs and find new homes for them, it’s not always possible.

Most owners will at least want to try rehoming first, as they’ll have more control over where their rottweiler goes.

How Do You Stop a Big Dog from Attacking a Little Dog?

You can stop a big dog from attacking a little dog by being aware of your surroundings and having a plan of how you’ll handle a dangerous situation. Having a plan could save your pet’s life.

Tips For Preventing A Dog Attack 

You love dogs. We get it. The thing is that not all dogs are friendly—and when it comes to loose dogs you don’t know, you should exercise caution. Yes, the large, off-leash dog lumbering towards you could just want to smother you with slobbery kisses, but you don’t know if that’s the case. Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself in a situation where you need to figure out how to stop a big dog from attacking a little dog, but here are some things to keep in mind if you do:

Be Aware

Some people use the time walking their dogs to catch up on emails and post on Facebook. Instead, you should be focused on your surroundings. The more awareness you have of a potential problem, the more time you’ll have to prepare yourself to react—or better yet avoid the situation entirely. Put the phone in your pocket and keep your eyes on what’s going on around you. 

Know What Aggression Looks Like

Understanding the signs of aggression is another important part of awareness. Unfortunately, there is no one sure sign that you or your little dog are about to be attacked. That’s why you need to interpret any sign of aggression as a precursor to an attack even though many times when dogs exhibit such signs no attack occurs. Look for: 

  • The dog’s body becoming very rigid
  • Guttural barking or growling
  • Showing teeth or snarling
  • Raised tail
  • Flat or pricked up ears
  • Intense staring
  • Circling 

Don’t Approach A Strange Dog

People who love dogs want to help anytime they see a dog who may be lost or injured. It’s wonderful to be compassionate, but the time to approach a stray or lost dog is not when you’re walking your small dog. Instead, call animal control and keep walking. 

The Things You Carry

Whether you live in an area where stray and off-leash dogs are common or not, it’s always a good idea to have a plan as to what you’ll do if you encounter one. This includes possibly carrying items you could use to protect yourself. You could carry an air horn that would alarm the attacking dog, a large automatic umbrella that could push away the attacking dog, or purchase dog repellant spray online.  

Situational awareness and a contingency plan for how you’ll deal with a dangerous situation can help stop a big dog from attacking your little dog and help you feel more confident should you be approached by an aggressive dog. 

How Do I Surrender My Jack Russell Terrier?

To surrender your Jack Russell Terrier, you’ll take him to an animal shelter or a rescue. This is different from rehoming, and you should understand the differences before making a decision on which path to take.

When you rehome your Jack Russell Terrier, you’ll find him a new owner who will adopt him directly from you. Surrendering means that you’ll make an appointment with a shelter or a rescue and then bring your dog to them. Once you fill out the paperwork, they’ll then take your dog, and you’ll no longer have rights to him.

If he goes to a rescue, he’ll be kept at the facility until someone adopts him. However, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be adopted. Shelters also try to find people to adopt your dog, but again, there’s no guarantee. Many shelters can only keep dogs for a certain period before they have to make room for incoming pets. This means that they could be transferred to another facility or euthanized. 

Contact the Facility

If you’re going to surrender your dog to a shelter or a rescue, you’ll need to get in touch with them first, since most do not allow you to simply drop off your dog. Check out their website and then call them to get more information about their facility, their policies, and what they need you to do before bringing in your Jack Russell Terrier. Ask them any questions that you might have about what happens to your dog once you surrender them. Most facilities have similar rules, but different locations may have different policies in place.

Do You Need to Surrender Your Dog?

When you contact the shelter or the rescue to surrender your dog, they’ll likely ask you more about why you have to give up your dog. In some cases, they may have some ideas or resources that you can use to help you keep your dog. For example, if your Jack Russell Terrier has some behavior issues, they might have the names of trainers. If you don’t have enough time during the day to spend with your dog, they may have information about local daycare or pet sitters you could use.

In some cases, you might find that there are options to keep your dog. Of course, we know that this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, there are things beyond your control that require you to give up your dog, no matter how much you love and care for him.

What About Rehoming?

Rather than surrendering your dog to a shelter, you might want to consider the benefits of rehoming. When you rehome, you take the time to find a good home for your dog, so you know he’ll be safe and loved.

To make this easier, consider using Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com. The peer-to-peer pet adoption service lets you create a profile for your dog, and then places it directly on Adopt-a-Pet.com for people looking to adopt a dog like yours to see. The platform is free for owners to use, while adopters will only have to pay a small adoption fee. Rehome allows owners the final say in who gets to adopt their dog, and the site is full of tips on how to choose the right adopter, which ensures you with more peace of mind.

How Can I Tell If a Stray Cat is Pregnant?

You can tell a stray cat is pregnant by recognizing the most obvious physical indicators – a swollen belly and darkened nipples. A telltale sign in behavior is that pregnant cats start nesting towards the end of their pregnancies in an effort to find a safe, quiet place to give birth. If possible, the best way to verify if a stray cat is pregnant is to take her to a veterinarian because some cats do exhibit signs of false pregnancy.

Physical Changes During Cat Pregnancy

Cats have very quick pregnancies (only nine weeks!), so physical changes in cats are visible very quickly. Fifteen to eighteen days into pregnancy, a cat’s nipples become more pronounced, enlarged and darker pink in color. This is called “pinking up.”

About half way through her pregnancy, the mother’s belly appears more rounded and hangs lower when she stands. If you can get close enough to the cat, you might also be able to see the kittens moving inside her belly and possibly even feel them moving.

Behavioral Changes

Just like humans, some pregnant cats experience vomiting (or morning sickness). However, you might not observe this behavior in a stray cat if she isn’t around all the time. Another behavioral change is increased appetite. If you are feeding a stray cat who is pregnant, you may notice her coming around more often, eating more frequently, or eating larger quantities of food.

As she nears the end of her pregnancy, a mother cat may exhibit nesting behaviors. This usually occurs during the last two weeks before the kittens are born. The mother is looking for a quiet, safe place to give birth and care for her newborn kittens, so you may notice her hiding out and laying low. A stray cat may recognize that you and your house represent safety, so she may stay close to your home more often than usual.

Taking in a Pregnant Stray Cat

Some people may choose to bring in a stray cat that is pregnant. When you bring a stray cat into your home, you’ll want to isolate her from other pets as well as provide for her immediate needs like food, water and warmth. If possible, take the mother to a veterinarian for a wellness check and to verify her pregnancy. The vet can also check for a microchip and provide helpful guidance for the kittens’ delivery. When the kittens are old enough, they can also receive their recommended vaccinations and get spayed or neutered and you can begin looking for new homes for them.

You’ve done a wonderful thing by opening your home to a pregnant stray cat! If you only plan to temporarily take care of the mother and her kittens, you might consider helping them find safe and happy homes once they are healthy and independent. Creating a Rehome profile can be a great way to find your momma cat and her babies a loving forever family. Check out these great tips for how to find a permanent home for your stray cats.