Furry Paws

14/06/2023

10/01/2023

WHY IS MY PUPPY CRYING WHEN LEFT ALONE AT NIGHT?

A young puppy who has just been adopted has just been separated from his mother and litter and yearns to feel safe and close to his humans as he habituates to his new home. He is scared and worried so be cognizant of this immense change in his life.

To leave his family and come to a new environment must be one of the most stressful things a puppy can experience and the early days in his new home can either set him up for success or failure for the rest of his life. He may cry at night if he is left in a crate, an outside kennel, the bathroom, in his dog in your bedroom or another room as he feels alone, isolated and abandoned. Infant pups are wired to cry and alert their mothers for survival when they stray to far from her. In hearing these cries (distress cries), their mother will come and find them - this is hard wired in her as well and switches on when she gives birth (Jaak Panksepp). Once the pup smells her scent, feels the warmth of her skin and the gentle tongue licking his face, he will feel safe and stop crying. Hence he learns that crying brings safety, security and love. So when he comes to his forever home, he cries for comfort as this has been reinforced by his family of origin. This also happens to some pups when older and are left alone...separation anxiety. The primitive brain kicks in and they panic so they howl and cry. Some panic so much that they try to chew their way out of the home to find you or be with you or eliminate in sheer fear and terror of the perceived abandonment...it's a survival thing that's genetically programmed into them. This is the PANIC System as described by Panksepp.

If your pup is crying when alone at night, he is communicating to you that he feels lost, alone and needs comfort. He is begging you to save him from loneliness. At this stage of emotional development, he may feel that his life is in danger even, and hence cry and howl VERY LOUD and pitifully.

Studies have shown that babies and animals become more pessimistic, lack confidence and lack trust as adults when left to cry for long hours without being comforted. This is perhaps a form of punishment for babies, for all species perhaps.

When a pup is just adopted, he is much like a human baby who needs to be close to his mother. As he developes emotionally/physically and starts to trust his new family and environment, he will become braver and may be more comfortable sleeping away from you. As soon as my puppy hit adolescence, he cared very little for sleeping with me and insisted on being in his own bed...oh the separation anxiety from my side! It was me that was crying for him to get back on the bed 😥

If you definitely don't want your pup to sleep in your bed, maybe try letting him fall asleep near you, then transfer him to his bed with a warm bean bag covered in your used t-shirt or any other worn clothing article. The warmth of the bag and smell of your clothes will bring him comfort if he awakens.

Be kind to your pup and don't force him to fall sleep alone while crying. He could have emotional effects on him in the long run which lead to other behaviour issues...

Note - the same can apply to any pet adopted at any age. It will depend on that particular pet, their personality, back ground, experiences, etc. What that pet my need can be unique to that pet. This is a generic post so it may not apply to all pups. Each pet is different and hence the plan is different.

06/07/2022

Here's why we love Belgian Malinois

21/12/2021

22/11/2021

Pets, it turns out, also have last wishes before they die, but only known by veterinarians who put old and sick animals to sleep. Twitter user Jesse Dietrich asked a vet what was the most difficult part of his job. The specialist answered without hesitation that it was the hardest for him to see how old or sick animals look for their owners with the eyes of their owners before going to sleep. The fact is that 90 % of owners don't want to be in a room with a dying animal. People leave so they don't see their pet leave. But they don't realize that it's in these last moments of life that their pet really needs them. And Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic in South Africa has posted on their page for all people with pets. Veterinarians ask the owners to be close to the animals until the very end. ′′ It's inevitable that they die before you. Don't forget that you were the center of their life. Maybe they were just a part of you. But they are also your family. No matter how hard it is, don't leave them. Dont let them die in a room with a stranger in a place they dont like. Vets are very painful to watch this. On how pets cannot find their owner in the last minutes of their life. They dont understand why he left them. After all, they needed his consolation. Veterinarians do everything possible to ensure that animals are not so scared. But they are completely strangers to them. Don't be a coward who thinks it's too painful for you. Think about the pet. Endure this pain for the sake of your pets. Be with them until the end ".

17/10/2021

12/10/2021

Check out our ! Our Top Raw Tips for feeding bones, safely, to your doggos.😁 When starting to feed your dogs bones, keep these top tips in mind and you won’t go wrong:
🐾 Never cook the bones, always feed them raw, and meaty.
🐾 Always keep an eye on your dogs while they are enjoying their bones.
🐾 Your dog's size - For small dogs, start them on chicken necks, for medium dogs, chicken feet, and for larger dogs, shoulder blade bones.

You can get these delicious bones and so much more on our online shop - visit us today https://doggychef.co.za/raw-meaty-bones-for-cats-and-dogs/

12/10/2021

😂

12/10/2021

Fireworks 2021.. some helpful tips 🐾💚

Diwali – 3rd of November / New year’s eve’ – 31st December

Preparation a few days beforehand

1. Create a safe area for your dog to go to when feeling nervous. It’s best to take note of where she usually goes and to work with that. It might be under a desk in the study or to the laundry room.
2. Stuff a chew-toy using your dog’s favourite ingredients eg: chicken bits mixed with liver spread and freeze it. Give this yummy chew to your dog in this area daily for a few days before the actual event, as well as on the day. Also leave odd treats in the area for your dog to find randomly to further enhance positive connotations with her dart-spot.
3. A natural, over the counter relaxant or a schedule medicine (for severe stress) is worth chatting to your vet about.
4. Have your pets micro-chipped as a precaution.

On the day

1. If your dog walks well on-leash then take her for an energy-spending walk in the afternoon, or play a game in the garden, to help with relaxation and tiredness.
2. Place your dog’s favorite bed in their safe area with a prepared chew in it. Place a bowl of water nearby.
3. Turn on your TV or music at a normal volume to drown out a bit of the sound. Close windows, draw curtains.
4. Don’t restrain your dog as she might become even more stressed, and don’t lock her in an enclosed area. She might panic and hurt herself.
5. Most dogs want to run and hide which is why a spot should be available, but if your dog becomes active or paces then try to engage her in a game if possible.
6. Keep puppies happily distracted indoors with games.

10/10/2021

10/07/2021

Antarctic polar vortex approaching South Africa. Below freezing temperatures expected this upcoming week. Please bring your fur babies inside. They will literally freeze to death in this weather if left outside.