Dogs Or Cats?

Are you a dog person or a cat person?

Clear The Air came across Dr. Mercola’s article about the differences between dogs and cats and we would like to share it with our readers:

• Dogs can be trained quickly, some in a matter of minutes, to obey basic commands like ‘come’ and ‘sit.’
• Most cats are difficult if not impossible to train to respond to directives.
• Cats can be house-trained in an instant as long as they have access to a litter box. There’s really no training to it, in fact. It’s instinct.
• Most dogs take considerably longer to housebreak, and some just never get all the way there. Unlike with Fluffy, housebreaking a pup is usually a hands-on, time intensive project.
• Dogs are social beings. They want to be with their pack, wherever their pack may be.
• Cats are solitary by comparison and their primary attachment (when forced to choose) is to their territory rather than other two or four-legged animals.
• Dogs have 42 teeth.
• Cats have 30.
• Cats can jump and climb, giving them more options when they need to hunt for food, or when they feel threatened.
• Dogs are earthbound, so they need their pack to hunt effectively. And when a threat triggers their fight-or-flight response, they are more likely to react with aggression because their ability to flee from a predator is limited.
• Dogs are scavenging carnivores, which means although they are primarily meat-eaters, if necessary they can survive on plant material alone (remember, surviving is different than thriving).
• Cats are obligate or strict carnivores. Kitties cannot sustain life without eating meat in some form.
• Dogs in the wild catch their prey by running it down. They are long distance runners, not sprinters.
• Cats creep up on their prey and catch it by surprise. They are sprinters, not distance runners.
• Cats cannot be fasted and should not be dieted down too quickly. Kitties don’t efficiently burn fat reserves as an energy source. Instead, without food, their bodies break down non-fatty tissues for energy. This can lead to a life-threatening liver condition called hepatic lipidosis.
• Dogs are much better at using their fat reserves and can tolerate a lack of food for much longer than cats.
• Cats have retractable claws that stay sharp because they are protected inside the toes.
• Dogs claws are always extended and become blunt from constant contact with the ground when they walk.
• A dog’s memory is only about five minutes long.
• Kitties can remember up to 16 hours.

Read entire article about dog and cat differences from Dr. Mercola here.

Dogs In Hot Cars

Urgent Alert – A Note From The ASPCA on leaving pets in your car.

From the ASPCA – Please do not leave your pets in the car! Cars can heat up incredibly fast and are an extremely dangerous place for your pets!

As summer heats up, it’s tempting to bring your pet with you on car rides around town. Sadly, many people believe that cracking a window is enough to keep their dogs cool in the car while they make a quick pit stop—but they couldn’t be more wrong. When it’s 80 degrees outside, your car will be a staggering 114 degrees in less than 30 minutes.

Worse still, dog can’t cool themselves down as easily as people, and once they overheat, they can suffer extensive organ damage or die. That’s why leaving an animal alone in a car is more than just a bad idea, it’s a form of animal cruelty. And since the ASPCA can’t be everywhere at all times, we need YOU to be our eyes and ears on the ground.

To help save animals from dying in hot cars, take the following actions:

• Immediately call animal control or 911 if you see an animal trapped in a hot car. Local law officials have the ability to enter the vehicle and rescue the pet.
• Do not leave until help has arrived.
• Notify the managers of nearby businesses so they can make an urgent announcement.
• Sign our Hot Car Pledge to help save lives this summer and all year long.

We are working hard to spread awareness about the dangers of hot cars, but all too often, the difference between life and death comes down to the actions of individuals like you. We hope you will join our cause by keeping an eye out for dogs in distress, and by making a donation today. Together, we can prevent more tragedies and make this summer our safest season yet.

Read entire article about Dogs In Hot Cars from the ASPCA.

How To Potty Train Your Puppy

Puppies are cute but potty training can be tough! Check out our helpful puppy potty training tips below.

Teaching your puppy how to potty train? Clear the Air works great for eliminating odors from your dog’s accidents in the house. Plus, it is non-toxic and completely safe even if ingested.

Check out some helpful potty training tips for your dog:

• Restrict your dog’s access to the house. Making his environment smaller makes him less apt to have an accident. This same process can also be used for crate training.
• Keep your dog with you, or keep an eye on him. Dogs usually like to sneak off to have accidents, if you can’t see him, he might be getting into something he shouldn’t be.
• Go outside with him when teaching your dog to potty train. If you don’t see him urinating and defecating outside he might just be playing and not taking care of business. Plus going out with him teaches you about his routine.
• Quietly praise your dog for going potty outside. Don’t reprimand him for making a mistake, just distract him and get him outside as soon as you can.
• If you have a dog that likes one particular area specifically, you can put his food near that area and he will not urinate or defecate where he eats. But be careful, this sometimes doesn’t address the problem and the dog finds a new spot.
• Utilize a crate, or a baby gate, or an exercise pen when you are not home. If you are diligent about keeping your dog with you when you are home, but he pees or poops as soon as you leave it is defeating your hard work. Crates are a wonderful tool for potty training.
• Do not use puppy pads or indoor aids when potty training if you want your dog to potty outside. Encouraging potty indoor sometimes, but then wanting them to go outside is confusing. Choose one or the other and stick with it.
• Be consistent and use lots of praise while controlling his environment and soon your dog will be happily going potty outside. Do you have potty training tips you’d like to share? Please comment on our blog.

How To Avoid A Missing Dog

There are many reason a dog may get lost. Find out how to keep your pet safely at home.

Clear The Air would like to share some helpful tips from Cesar Milan about preventing your dog from getting lost. Please keep these tips in mind so your dog enjoys a safe and happy life with you!

• The eyes have it – The easiest and surest way to keep your dog safe is to be able to see where he is at all times. And notice we say “see” and not “know.” You may think you know your dog is playing in your fenced-in backyard, but if you don’t have an eye on him, he could have run out of a gate that was left open, dug a hole under the fence to freedom, or be stolen by a criminal. Likewise if you’re walking your dog, don’t tie her up to the parking meter outside your favorite store or coffee shop while you run errands. Your dog could slip her collar, chew through her leash, or be stolen. Better to have the caffeine headache now than the headache and heartache of a missing pet later.
• Get a new leash on life – Whenever possible, keep your dog on a good leash when out in the world. Even if you’re just letting your dog follow at your heels as you go to the mailbox, a stray squirrel or rabbit in the corner of your dog’s eye could cause him to bolt into traffic or down the street, and you are probably not going to catch him. It could easily result in your dog getting lost, the further he runs, or worse, injured or killed in traffic.
• A dog by a different collar – A good collar that fits well is your best line of defense for two reasons: it keeps your dog from slipping out of it and getting loose; and it provides an easy way to ID your dog and makes your contact information available so you can get her back. It seems like fancy dog boutiques are popping up on every block so finding a good collar should be easy. But be mindful that the collar needs to be functional before fashionable. Your dog’s collar can literally save its life and it’s far more important that it stay securely on your dog and provide your contact info than alert the world in rhinestones that your dog has “Bieber fever.” Additionally, regularly check the fit of the dog collar as it is likely to stretch out over time or crack or fray depending on the material it’s made of, making it less secure. It may need to be tightened or replaced.
• Microchipping—not just for computers – Microchipping involves implanting a tiny rice-grain-sized chip under your dog’s skin. It’s painless and can help your dog be identified with a scanner. Even if your dog loses his collar (or in the case of dognapping, has it removed), the microchip allows your dog to be positively identified as yours. This shouldn’t be regarded as a substitute for the collar and ID however. The microchip is a worst-case scenario for identifying your dog. It’s a lot easier for Good Samaritans to call the phone number that’s right there on the dog’s collar than to find a shelter or vet that can scan the microchip (if the Good Samaritan even thinks to do that). However, the microchip gives you a fighting chance your dog might be identified without a collar and provides excellent legal recourse should a dispute arise over who owns the lost dog.

Read more tips from Cesar Milan here.

Summer Heat Safety Tips For Your Pets

We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry companions, but the ASPCA warns being overeager in hot weather can spell danger.

Take these simple precautions, provided by ASPCA experts, to help prevent your pet from overheating. And if you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.

• Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.
• Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees.
• Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. Parked cars can heat up extremely rapidly even with the windows open!
• Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool-not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats.
• Feel free to trim longer hair on your dog, but never shave your dog: The layers of dogs’ coats protect them from overheating and sunburn. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat.
• When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close the ground, your pooch’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

What Others Are Saying About Clear The Air’s Odor Eliminators

Did you know we offer a 100% guarantee that our product will eliminate any odor?

Clear The Air produces amazing results when it comes to eliminating odors. See what others say about our products:

Our cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes and has since contracted a bladder infection. To our complete annoyance, this caused him to not use the litter box and instead was using the carpeting. I bought this before the problem got completely out of hand and it worked like a charm. The directions say to let it sit overnight before vacuuming but of course I couldn’t wait that long and it still worked. Will be getting more of this product for future needs. ~Norah

It magically absorbs pet odors from my carpets, even in high heat and humidity. It’s great for between shampooings. Just sprinkle, let it sit overnight and vacuum. ~Jayne

I have tried 4 or 5 different products trying to get the old urine smells our of our carpet from my black lab’s potty training accidents. Nothing had worked. I thought I’d try this product, and since there was a money back guarantee, I figured I didn’t have anything to lose. I followed the instructions, sprinkled it on the carpet right before we went to bed, and then vacuumed it up the next morning, and just like that, the smell was gone! Finally my house smells fresh and clean again! 5 Paws up for Clear the Air! ~Ace’s Mom

I have a house full of pets and someone is always leaving me a “surprise” Ive tried everything and nothing has worked or even come close to working except this! It TOOK the smell out of the carpet, not cover it up with perfumes. Ive even used it on my furniture just to freshen it up. And it really does work on wood floors too! I love this stuff!

Dog Urine Odor Removal – How Is It Done?

Does your dog have accidents in the house?

Dog urine odor is one of the strongest and toughest odors to get rid of. Most products on the market are wet and must come into contact with the urine to remove the odor.

This means if you have urine that has soaked into the carpet you must pull up the carpet and pad and soak the carpet, pad and floorboards. What a mess!

With Clear The Air Cat & Dog Urine Odor Eliminator just sprinkle the granules on top of the carpet leave on overnight and vacuum in the morning and the odor is completely eliminated. Works well on all surfaces pulling the odors out of tile and concrete. If your dog or cat has an accident, don’t worry…Clear The Air can eliminate the odor!

New Car Or Home Smell Like Cigarettes?

Cigarette odor is powerful but Clear The Air can eliminate the odors!

Sometimes a home is difficult to sell because the previous owner smoked in it or the car you just bought has a faint cigarette odor to it.

Clear The Air eliminates cigarette smoke in even some of the toughest of situations. Cigarette and cigar smoke odor can linger in upholstery, walls, floors and more. Instead of paying thousands to have a home re-carpeted or a car reupholstered, user Clear The Air Odor Eliminating Bags.

The great thing about using our product to eliminate cigarette and cigar odor is that is doesn’t have to actually come in contact with the odor producer. It is also non-toxic, biodegradable and safe around children and pets.

Want to find out how to use Clear The Air’s odor eliminators to eliminate cigarette odor? Follow these steps:

• Hang 1-2 Earth Care Odor Eliminator Bags in each room that smells like cigarette smoke. One bag will cover 50-100 square feet. Odor will be eliminated in 24 hours.
• A Bag will last 1-2 months, if room is heavily permeated with smoke odor the bag may need to be changed more often at first.
• If odors are particularly strong or room has been smoked in for years sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture granules on carpets and furniture. Leave down 24 hours and vacuum. Odors will be completely eliminated.
• One canister of Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture covers 100 square feet; one bucket covers 900 square feet.
• Granules can also be placed in ashtrays and cigarette butt receptacles.

Of course, if you have any questions on removing cigarette smoke odor, please do not hesitate to call our helpful Customer Service Agent, Pat, at (800) 611-1611 or (760) 941-5302 or via email: pmolina@cleartheair.com

Shy Shelly Looking For Love At The San Diego Humane Society

Shy Shelly is Looking for Love!

Check out the latest hidden gem at the San Diego Humane Society. Shelly is looking for her forever home and is just a year old! Here is what the San Diego Humane Society has to say about her:

1-year old Shelly is a very special girl. A Chihuahua mix with just about the sweetest face you’ve ever seen, this little lady was transferred to us from one of our partner shelters in the area.

From the beginning, she was clearly terrified of people, and even more so, of the leash. And while she still likes to take her time approaching new people and situations, she has made tremendous progress and formed trusting relationships with her caregivers who have been simply thrilled to see the positive changes in her behavior.

Once she knows you and develops a close & trusting relationship with you, Shelly has such an abundance of love she wants to share. She’ll start by offering you a little wiggle dance accompanying her wagging tail. Next she might perform some “zoomies” (run around super-fast and happy)! Then, she’ll politely request a good ol’ petting sesh, and be ever so happy to soak up all of the attention you can give her. Now, it might take just a little time to get there, but the payoff with this sweet girl will most definitely be worth it.

Shelly’s adoption fee of $95 includes her spay, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, and a certificate for a free veterinary exam! This very special hidden gem of ours is located behind the scenes at our Gaines campus. If you are interested in meeting her or getting more information, please contact Customer Service at (619) 299-7012.

Potty Training Tips For Your Dog

Need help potty training your puppy?

Clear The Air knows all about potty training. We had to go through it with our youngest dog, “Z”!

If you experience any accidents in the house, make sure to use Clear The Air Pet Odor Eliminator. Click on the link to learn how to eliminate accidents from your puppy.

Here are some helpful potty training tips:

• Restrict your dog’s access to the house. Making his environment smaller makes him less apt to have an accident. This same process can also be used for crate training.
• Keep your dog with you, or keep an eye on him. Dogs usually like to sneak off to have accidents, if you can’t see him, he might be getting into something he shouldn’t be.
• Go outside with him when teaching your dog to potty train. If you don’t see him urinating and defecating outside he might just be playing and not taking care of business. Plus going out with him teaches you about his routine.
• Quietly praise your dog for going potty outside. Don’t reprimand him for making a mistake, just distract him and get him outside as soon as you can.
• If you have a dog that likes one particular area specifically, you can put his food near that area and he will not urinate or defecate where he eats. But be careful, this sometimes doesn’t address the problem and the dog finds a new spot.
• Utilize a crate, or a baby gate, or an exercise pen when you are not home. If you are diligent about keeping your dog with you when you are home, but he pees or poops as soon as you leave it is defeating your hard work. Crates are a wonderful tool for potty training.
• Do not use puppy pads or indoor aids when potty training if you want your dog to potty outside. Encouraging potty indoor sometimes, but then wanting them to go outside is confusing. Choose one or the other and stick with it.