Health & Lifestyle
Experts agree – Crate Training is good for your dog. But how can you make it even better? Pet Dreams Cratewear can help!
• Comfort: There are many reasons why dogs might not enjoy a bare metal dog cage. When dogs lay down in their crates, they are leaning up against harsh wire bars, which can be very irritating. Cratewear‘s quilted bumpers provide the comfort they need while also protecting their coats, wagging tails, noses and teeth from the metal. Cratewear‘s reversible and machine washable crate pads add comfort he’ll appreciate.
• Security: wire crates leave your dog exposed on all sides. Crate covers provide den like security. Many dogs have a natural “Den Instinct” and will love being inside their covered crate.
• Location: separating your dog from the rest of the family can add stress to your dog. Dogs are social animals, so the ideal location for his crate is a room full of activity. Your dog will enjoy his crate area while still being part of the family. At night, the bedroom is an ideal place for a crate so your dog will feel the security of being close to you.
• Time: confining him in his crate for excessive periods of time will be a negative experience for your dog. After housebreaking your dog, we recommend removing the door from the crate so he can enjoy his den any time he chooses. You may find that Cratewear makes your dog’s crate his favorite location!
The Friday Scoop
One of our favorite sites, CuteOverload, has
some precious pics of two species getting along great!
… if only they had one of these
instead of that icky bed!
Training Tips
If you’ve got a cat that chews, here are 7 simple
steps to addressing the problem!
- Check to see if there is a reason why your cat chews:
- Sometimes cats chew because of a vitamin deficiency. Feed a good quality cat food or check with your vet for supplements.
- Check with your vet for any other possible problems, such as fleas or an unhealed wound. This is especially important if your cat is gnawing at itself all the time.
- Check your cat’s dental health. If the cat is growing new teeth or has a toothache or aching gums, it may chew to relieve the pain. Have the cat treated accordingly by your vet.
- Stop the chewing. Feed a supplement if needed and follow any instructions a vet has given you. Otherwise, if your cat is given a clean bill of health, it may be necessary to find other ways to deter the chewing. You could try:
- Bitter apple spray – this is one of the best deterrents that is made for dogs/cats. Most dogs/cats will not chew on something sprayed with it.
- Cayenne pepper and water solution. Spray this onto the object being chewed and the cat will leave it alone because it is hot.
- Orange oil. Make a solution of 1 part orange oil, 3 parts water and spray this on the object.
- Other disliked flavors. You know your own cat; choose flavors that your cat finds distasteful and coat the object with these.
- Cover what the cat is chewing on (phone or computer cords). You can buy cord protecters (like a long tube).
- Move the object. Another great way to stop the chewing is to remove the object altogether for a time. Return it when the cat appears more settled. If the cat takes to chewing something else as a substitute, use a different deterrent such as the repellent odor.
- Distract your cat. Place cat-friendly plants in pots or in the garden to distract your cat to something more pleasurable. Plants to choose include lemongrass, catnip, catmint etc. Hopefully, the cat will take to chewing on these instead of the object if it takes a liking to the plant. Make sure to introduce the cat to the plant!
- Find an alternative chewing buddy. Substitute the object with something else, such as an old bath towel or mat, a scratching board, toys, yarn etc. Something it can either sink its teeth and claws into that will amuse it endlessly.
Did You Know???
Cats LOVE our Classic SleepEzz!
Health & Lifestyle
Natural Flea Repellents
Flea and tick season is nipping at the heals of summer-time. Is you your dog suffering from fleas and ticks? Does he continually bite and gnaw himself to itch the flea bites? Before heading out to the pet store for a chemical flea treatment, try these natural options for flea and tick prevention.
Chemical based flea and tick preventatives are a concern for the environment, and the safety of your pet.
If you notice your pet acting dizzy, lethargic or nauseated after applying any commercial brand flea & tick preventative, discontinue use of the product, quickly wash it off the animal if possible and see your veterinarian immediately. Be sure to take the product packaging to the veterinarian’s office so they can see what products(s) may be poisoning or causing allergic reactions in your pet.
When preventing fleas, you need to think of flea prevention not only for the pet, but also for the areas where he lives, including your yard.
Repelling fleas & ticks in your yard
Cedar is a natural repellent for fleas and ticks. When landscaping your yard, try using cedar based mulch. If you dog is in a kennel style enclosure, try making a perimeter of mulch around his enclosure as a barrier for the fleas.
Pet Dreams Fact:
Our Traditional Gusset Bed (which fits crates) allows you access to the inner stuffing through a small zipper in the inner pillow. You can add cedar chips to the bed to help repel fleas!!
Cratewear!
When Annette Grignard became the proud parent of 2 Shih Tzu puppies, Bijoux and Beau, she reluctantly purchased two crates on the advice of the breeder. She then saw firsthand how quick and effective crates were for housetraining. After training she desperately wanted to put away the unattractive cages, but saw how much Bijoux enjoyed it and didn’t have the heart to take it away. The problem was that Bijoux’s crate didn’t exactly fit in with the living room décor and it certainly didn’t look comfortable.Believing that there’s a solution to every problem, Annette searched for a decorative crate cover and comfortable crate bedding. Finally, after three years, she designed the first three-piece set herself. She first made a bumper for protection and comfort after repeatedly seeing her dog sleeping up against the metal bars of the crate. She then added a comfortable mattress and a stylish cover. To her surprise, Beau, who had no interest in her crate for the past three years, was the first one in! The two dogs then competed for the crate daily! Inadvertently, Annette had created a comfortable den that the dogs were attracted to instinctively.
Friends who visited had no idea that they were looking at a dog cage; they only saw a decorated end table. After several requests for her specially made crate bedding, Pet Dreams was created and Cratewear was made available to everyone!
The Official Pet Dreams Blog 
