Why get ears cropped

Just stick with things you know are safe. Get Fido started on his new agenda right away. It's also important to be consistent with your house rules. Don't let your canine companion onto the couch the first night if you don't want him up there all the time. Also, avoid punishing your furry friend for mishaps. Focus on rewarding good behavior. Love Fido may need some time to adjust, especially if he was at the shelter for a while. He may sleep a lot at first, as he recuperates from the stress and trauma of being in a shelter.

That's fine! Treats, toys, playtime, and love will all help get that tail going. Don't try to force attention on your new canine buddy. Offer great care, and give him the time he needs to relax. This varies somewhat from dog to dog, but could take several months. Please contact us, your local Washington DC pet hospital, for all your new pet's veterinary care needs! Autumn is just about here! As the stores fill with pumpkin-flavored everything, many people are pulling out scarves and hoodies, and planning some seasonal activities.

Don't forget about your furry friend! A local Washington DC vet lists some things for pet owners to put on their agendas for the next few months.

Bedding Once it starts getting cold and dark, your canine buddy will probably spend quite a good amount of time snoozing. Make sure he has a clean, comfy bed to snuggle up in!

Veterinary Care You might think that fleas and ticks become less of an issue in fall, but that actually isn't the case. Keep up with your pup's parasite control!

Vaccinations are also important, as your furry companion could have a run-in with a wild animal that's looking for a spot to hibernate. Clothing Does your canine companion need to wear a jacket when it's cold out? Make sure that Fido's winter wardrobe is clean and in good condition, and still fits him well. Shedding Autumn tends to be one of the peak shedding times.

If your pooch is a heavy shedder, it's probably a good idea to brush him daily. Nail trims and dental care are also important. You may want to start using paw wax on Fido, in preparation of all the snow, ice, and chemical de-icers he'll soon be walking on. Walks Those crisp autumn days are perfect dog-walking weather. Carve out some time for taking your canine companion on long, relaxing strolls.

Bring along a mug of coffee and perhaps a good friend, and enjoy the beautiful foliage! Treats Who says Fido can't get in on some of those delicious seasonal treats? You definitely don't want to share any Halloween candy with your furry best friend: chocolates, raisins, xylitol, and many other things found in those sweet treats are toxic to dogs. However, you can make him something special. Combine pureed pumpkin with natural peanut butter, an egg, some whole-wheat flour, and a bit of olive oil.

Mix to a batter-like consistency, then form balls or squares. About 30 minutes at should do it, though you may need to adjust a bit. Enjoy a few of these with your four-legged buddy on a chilly fall afternoon!

Does your dog need to come in for an exam? Contact us, your local Washington DC animal hospital, anytime! September is Happy Cat Month! Of course, given the chance, our feline pals would no doubt insist that every month is Happy Cat Month, and they wouldn't be wrong.

Cats do deserve to be content and comfy! Fortunately, it isn't very hard to please these little furballs. A Washington DC vet lists a few of Fluffy's favorite things in this article. Catnip It probably isn't much of a surprise to find catnip at the top of this list.

Interestingly, Fluffy isn't the only animal that likes to partake in substances that give them a feeling of euphoria. Dolphins, for instance, have been observed passing pufferfish around. Apparently, the nerve-toxins these toxic fish secrete cause them to go into trances. Beds Cats are definitely very, very tired. Your furry little friend will spend as much as 20 hours a day snoozing!

Unsurprisingly, beds are pretty high on the list of Fluffy's favorite things. Sunbeams Kitties are not technically cold-blooded. However, Fluffy may have missed that memo, as she loves to lounge about in warm, sunny spots. Boxes Fluffy's love of boxes is definitely one of her cuter quirks. As it turns out, all cats share this same curious obsession.

Even lions and tigers can't resist boxes! Some scientists theorize that kitties like boxes because they feel safer in enclosed places. However, that theory goes out the window when you see pictures of cats stuffing themselves into boxes that are clearly way too small. Sheet-Changing Time This is another one of Fluffy's adorable, but somewhat purrplexing traits. Your feline buddy will be more than happy to lend a helping paw with changing your sheets on laundry day.

She may not actually be very helpful, but that's beside the point. Spider Plants We recommend keeping kitties inside, for safety reasons. However, Fluffy can both enjoy and benefit from sniffing at and nibbling on non-toxic plants. Spider plants, for some reason, are irresistible to our feline friends. We are always happy to help!

Cats are very curious and unique little furballs. Fluffy is a ferocious hunter, a sleeping connoisseur, and a bit of a sun worshipper.

However, there's much more to our feline friends than a love of luxury. In fact, kitties have some important life lessons to teach us! A Washington DC vet lists some of the most important ones below. Get Plenty Of Sleep If there was one golden rule for kitties to follow, this would be it.

Fluffy can spend as much as 20 hours a day sleeping, snoozing, napping, and dozing. We don't recommend sleeping quite that much, but it is important to make sure you're well-rested. Eat Good Food Fluffy is known for being quite fussy about her meals. You can put it up, take it down and store it away quickly, making it perfect for smaller gardens. It is made using a galvanised spring steel frame that pops up and down in seconds, without tools.

It also features a mesh pocket and is made from durable double-wall polyester. This fold-out dog paddling pool is great for medium to large dogs who need to cool down on a hot day. It is quick and easy to pop-up and comes with built-in drainage holes. Great for traveling and staycations, it's made using durable PVC material which prevents punctures. This foldable dog paddling pool comes in multiple sizes so you can choose the right one to match your pet.

The side walls are made using fortified plastic and medium density fibreboard, preventing water spillage and punctures and meaning there's no need for inflation. It comes in its own bag with handles making it transportable and ideal for travel. This dog paddling pool from Wayfair is advertised as being suitable as a grooming area , too, and can be used both indoors and outdoors.

When being used as a paddling pool, it has a drainage hole. It is foldable and easy to carry. They often argue that floppy, natural ears should be chopped off because they're prone to infection. But that's not true. In fact, research shows that ear shape has little effect on the risk of a dog getting an infection.

At least 80 percent of dogs never contract one at all. The ones who do get the most infections are poodles and spaniels, breeds whose ears typically aren't cropped anyway. Puppies usually endure ear cropping as young as 6 to 12 weeks old. Once the ears have been cut with scissors, the pups then wear tape and bandages around them for several weeks. Another is that dogs bred in the UK are being deliberately taken overseas for the procedure.

We know there will be some cropped rescue dogs being given a new home in the UK, or families who own cropped dogs relocating here. But these are small numbers, and our concern is that these excuses are being used as a veil by unscrupulous sellers. A lot of the cases we see in practice are very young puppies — so they are either being moved illegally the legal import age is 15 weeks or buyers and vets are being lied to. And for what? A tough looking dog with little regard for the pain and suffering it causes them.

The government needs to work with vets and animal welfare charities to find an effective way to stop this abhorrent practice. There are calls for a ban on the importation of dogs with cropped ears. This is a clear call to action, but we need to make sure the structures are in place to enforce it and we need to think about the impact on legitimate movements, such as families relocating. We need to educate ourselves and each other.

We have to stop normalising this mutilation.