Books don’t always sell in direct relationship to how much their authors love them. Sometimes that’s for reasons outside of our control (such as the pet care book that came out just before Sept. 11, 2001), but there’s often no reason for it at all.
Two of our books, “bowWOW!: Curiously Compelling Facts, True Tales, and Trivia Even Your Dog Won’t Know” and its feline companion, “meowWOW!” (both from HCI, $14.95, 224 pages), remain our little, almost-forgotten favorites: bright, fun and interesting, with illustrations by Molly Pearce so wonderful that we have them framed in our offices. We loved researching and writing these two books. Some fun facts we found:
• Dogs have been taxed for centuries, but the idea of a tag to signify that a dog was “licensed” seems to date to the late 19th century, when Cincinnati started issuing tags on an annual basis, and other cities and states soon followed suit. Although wooden tags for soldiers were used in the U.S. Civil War to help identify the injured and the dead, it wasn’t until World War I that American soldiers got metal tags as standard issue. The resemblance between the tags of soldiers and of dogs (along with a good dollop of droll military humor) soon had the men calling them “dog tags” – a term that sticks to this day.
• The cat has one up on the lion: Cats purr, but lions cannot. (On the flip side: Lions roar, which cats can’t.) No big cat can get his motor running the way our household kitties can, purring constantly as effortlessly as breathing, both in and out. Tigers can rumble a tiger-sized purr-like sound, but on the exhale only.
• All dogs have pink tongues, with two notable exceptions: the Chow Chow and the Chinese Shar-Pei, both breeds with tongues variously described as “purple,” “black” or “blue-black.” Black spots on tongues are common in many dogs, and are not necessarily an indication that there’s a Chow Chow or Shar-Pei in the gene pool, however.
• Most cats have five toes on their front paws, but only four of them hit the ground. The fifth toe is found on the inside of the front paw. This “dewclaw” is the feline equivalent of our thumb, and it’s used for grasping prey and climbing trees. Any number of toes over the norm (usually an extra one or two, but occasionally as many as three or four) makes a cat polydactyl, which means “many fingers.” Polydactylism is a dominant genetic trait, which means just one polydactyl parent is enough to make a litter of polydactyl kittens.
• Helen Keller, the blind and deaf woman whose triumph over her disabilities made her an international sensation, was the first American to own an Akita dog.
• Cats can hear nearly three times more frequencies than humans can. For you technical types, a cat’s hearing stops at 80 kilohertz, a dog’s at 45 kHz, and a human’s at a pathetic 20 kHz. Because cats can rotate their ears and focus each ear independently, they also can hear well from all directions. A cat can rotate its outer ear to locate a sound – such as the sound of a mouse’s footsteps trying to sneak by – 10 times faster than a dog.
• The phrase “Beware of dog” is so old that its Latin equivalent – cave canem – has been found on signs in Roman ruins. The word “watchdog” isn’t quite as old, but it has been around a long, long time. The first mention of it? By Shakespeare, in “The Tempest.”
• Cats’ heads come in three basic shapes: round, such as on the fluffy Persians; triangular, such as on the sleek, show-bred Siamese and other so-called “Oriental” breeds; and rec-tangular, such as on the burly Maine Coon. Most random-bred cats tend more toward the triangular head, albeit a less extreme version than on the show-quality Siamese.
• One final one, just for summer: The “dog days” of summer have nothing to do with dogs and everything to do with the brightest star in the night sky: Sirius, the constellation also known as the “dog star” that’s highly visible during some of the hottest weeks of the year.
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Hidden Gem from San Diego Humane Society
Posted on August 31st, 2012As a huge supporter of the San Diego Humane Society and finding animals a forever home, Clear the Air would like to share a Hidden Gem in need of a home.
Cindercol is Simply Irresistible!
Cindercol is a beautiful, 2-year old female feline, whose personality size is only exceeded by the size of her heart. This pretty kitty is sure to keep you endlessly entertained with her playfulness and enthusiasm for life, and her sweet sassiness is a bit contagious. One can’t help but imagine the letters of Cindercol’s name lighting up some margue on Broadway, such is the charisma and vibrance of this cat’s personality! And boy-oh-boy, does this kitty love attention! Whether it’s a well-earned chin scratch, some rousing playtime with a toy, or engaging in a leisurely conversation about your day, Cindercol is happy as long as she’s with you!
During our Pick Your Purrfect Price promotion YOU can determine Cindercol’s fee, which includes her spay, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, a certificate for a free veterinary exam, and a license if residing in Oceanside or Vista!
For more information about this lovable gem of a kitty, or if you’d like to meet her, please contact Customer Service at (619) 299-7012 or stop by our Gaines Campus.
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How To Get Rid Of Carpet Odor
Posted on August 24th, 2012Eliminate Carpet and Furniture Odors.
Unfortunately, once in a while our beloved pets have accidents in the house. It is especially common when we just get a new puppy or the kitty is in his or her older years.
Fortunately, Clear the Air will completely remove any odor, GUARANTEED.
We would like to share with you some tips on removing urine and feces odor from your carpets and furniture.
Absorb pet urine and feces odors from carpet, furniture and leather without chemical or fragrances.
This unique form of Earth Care Products Mineral can be sprinkled on carpet and furniture as needed to eliminate odors. Odors will be completely eliminated. Clear the Air does not have to come into contact with the odor producer; it will pull the odors from the entire area. It works well for old soaked-in urine odors. Clear The Air draws in odors like a powerful magnet. The odors are absorbed, and neutralized without any fragrances.
Even if you have moved into a home where the previous owner had an animal which frequented the carpet, you can still completely eliminate the odor. Clear the air does not cover up odors; it literally pulls the odors from carpets and furniture leaving the air fresh and clean.
Clear The Air is made from an all natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth. It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten.
DIRECTIONS TO ELIMINATE PET ODORS
- Remove feces and excess urine.
- Sprinkle on carpet, rugs, tile, linoleum or hardwood floors.
- Leave on overnight, then sweep or vacuum. Clear The Air pulls odor from carpet, padding and sub-floor.
- Sprinkle directly on furniture. Leave overnight, then vacuum or shake off. Will not harm upholstery or leather.
- Sprinkle on pet bedding or clothes. Leave over night, then shake off.
Typically one application will eliminate all odors; occasionally a second application is necessary. The 14 oz canister covers up to 100 square feet while the 21 oz canister covers up to 150 square feet.
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Dog and Cats and Their Facts
Posted on July 17th, 2012Fun facts about dogs, cats – and stars
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Your Puppy and House Training
Posted on April 12th, 2012Get Your Puppy House Trained!
If you just got a puppy, it is now time to learn how to potty train him. If you have accidents, you do not want your puppy to go back to that spot to urinate again. Use Clear the Air’s Carpet and Furniture Odor Eliminator to completely eliminate the odors.
We found this article from ASPCA’s website and thought there was a lot of valuable information on potty-training your puppy.
Puppies need to be house trained in order to understand that it’s not okay to eliminate in your house. House training is a simple process, but one that must be carried out positively (without punishment that scares the puppy) and consistently, following two main guidelines: 1) prevent indoor accidents through confinement and close supervision, and 2) take the puppy outside on a frequent and regular schedule and reward him for eliminating where you want him to go. House soiling can occur in any location in the home but sometimes pet parents will notice that their puppy soils more in certain locations, such as infrequently used rooms or on a specific kind of surface. Very young pups (under 12 weeks old) don’t have complete bladder control and might not be able to hold it very long. Older puppies who have had accidents might not have been house trained completely.
Why Puppies You Thought Were Housetrained Might Have Accidents
Too Young to Be Fully House Trained – Some puppies, especially those under 12 weeks of age, haven’t developed bladder or bowel control yet.
Incomplete House Training – Many puppies simply haven’t learned where to eliminate—or they haven’t learned a way to tell their people when they need to go out. Some puppies house soil only under specific conditions. For example, your puppy may soil when he’s home alone for long periods of time, first thing in the morning, sometime during the night, only when you’re not watching or only in infrequently used rooms. Other puppies may urinate or defecate whenever they feel the need to go.
Breakdown in House Training – Sometimes puppies who seem to be house trained at one point regress and start soiling in the house again.
Other Reasons Your Puppy Might House Soil
Urine Marking – If your puppy is over three months of age and urinates small amounts on vertical surfaces, he may be urine marking. Young dogs engaging in this behavior often raise their hind legs when urinating.
Separation Anxiety – If your puppy only soils when he’s left alone in your home, even for short periods of time, he may have separation anxiety. If this is the case, you may notice that he appears nervous or upset right before you leave him by himself or after you’ve left (if you can observe him while he’s alone).
Submissive/Excitement Urination – Your puppy may have a submissive/excitement urination problem if he only urinates during greetings, play, physical contact, scolding or punishment. If this is the case, you may notice your puppy displaying submissive postures during interactions. He may cringe or cower, roll over on his belly, tuck or lower his tail, duck his head, avert his eyes, flatten his ears or all of the above.
Medical Causes for House Soiling – It’s always a good idea to visit your puppy’s veterinarian to rule out medical causes for house soiling. Some common medical reasons for inappropriate urination and defecation follow.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) – Puppies with urinary tract infections usually urinate frequently and in small amounts. They may also lick their genital areas more than usual.
Gastrointestinal Upset – If your puppy was house trained but now defecates loose stools or diarrhea in your house, he may have gastrointestinal upset for some reason.
Change in Diet – If you’ve recently changed the amount or type of food you give your puppy, he may develop a house soiling problem. Often, after a diet change, a puppy will defecate loose stools or diarrhea. He may also need to eliminate more frequently or on a different schedule than before the diet change.
Miscellaneous Medical Causes – Other medical causes include abnormalities of the genitalia that cause incontinence (loss of bladder control), various diseases that cause frequent elimination and medications that cause frequent elimination.
How to House Train Your Puppy
House training is accomplished by rewarding your puppy for eliminating where you want him to go (outside) AND by preventing him from urinating or defecating in unacceptable places (inside the house). You should keep crating and confinement to a minimum, but some amount of restriction is usually necessary for your puppy to learn to “hold it.”
How Long It Will Take
Some puppies learn where and where not to eliminate at a very young age, while others take longer to understand. Most puppies can be reasonably house trained by four to six months of age. However, some puppies are not 100% reliable until they are eight to twelve months of age. Some puppies seem to catch on early but then regress. This is normal. Keep in mind that it may take a while for your puppy to develop bowel and bladder control. He may be mentally capable of learning to eliminate outdoors instead of inside, but he may not yet be physically capable of controlling his body.
How Often Your Puppy Needs to Go Out
All puppies are different, but a puppy can usually only hold his waste for the same number of hours as his age in months. (In other words, a four-month-old pup should not be left alone for more than four consecutive hours without an opportunity to go outside.) He can last longer at night, however, since he’s inactive (just like we can). By the time your pup is about four months old, he should be able to make it through the night without going outside.
House Training Steps
- Keep your puppy on a consistent daily feeding schedule and remove food between meals.
- Take the puppy outside on a consistent schedule. Puppies should be taken out every hour, as well as shortly after meals, play and naps. All puppies should go out first thing in the morning, last thing at night and before being confined or left alone.
- In between these outings, know where your puppy is at all times. You need to watch for early signs that he needs to eliminate so that you can anticipate and prevent accidents from happening. These signs include pacing, whining, circling, sniffing or leaving the room. If you see any of these, take your puppy outside as quickly as possible. Not all puppies learn to let their caretakers know that they need to go outside by barking or scratching at the door. Some will pace a bit and then just eliminate inside. So watch your puppy carefully.
- If you can’t watch your puppy, he must be confined to a crate or a small room with the door closed or blocked with a baby gate. Alternatively, you can tether him to you by a leash that does not give him much leeway around you (about a six-foot leash). Gradually, over days or weeks, give your puppy more freedom, starting with freedom a small area, like the kitchen, and gradually increasing it to larger areas, or multiple rooms, in your home. If he eliminates outside, give him some free time in the house (about 15 to 20 minutes to start), and then put him back in his crate or small room. If all goes well, gradually increase the amount of time he can spend out of confinement.
- Accompany your puppy outside and reward him whenever he eliminates outdoors with praise, treats, play or a walk. It’s best to take your puppy to the same place each time because the smells often prompt puppies to eliminate. Some puppies will eliminate early on in a walk. Others need to move about and play for a bit first.
- If you catch your puppy in the act of eliminating inside, clap sharply twice, just enough to startle but not scare him. (If your puppy seems upset or scared by your clapping, clap a little softer the next time you catch him in the act.) When startled, the puppy should stop in mid-stream. Immediately run with him outside, encouraging him to come with you the whole way. (If necessary, take your puppy gently by the collar to run him outside.) Allow your pup to finish eliminating outside, and then reward him with happy praise and a small treat. If he has nothing to eliminate when he gets outside, don’t worry. Just try to be more watchful of him in the house in the future. If your puppy has an accident but you don’t catch him in the act and only find the accident afterward, do nothing to your pup. He cannot connect any punishment with something he did hours or even minutes ago.
What NOT to Do
- Do not rub your puppy’s nose in his waste.
- Do not scold your dog for eliminating indoors. Instead, if you catch him in the act, make a noise to startle him and stop him from urinating or defecating. Then immediately show your dog where you want him to go by running with him outside, waiting until he goes, and then praising and rewarding him.
- Do not physically punish your puppy for accidents (hitting with newspaper, spanking, etc.). Realize that if your puppy has accidents in the house, you failed to adequately supervise him, you did not take him outside frequently enough, or you ignored or were unaware of his signals that he needed to go outside.
- Do not confine your puppy to a small area for hours each day, without doing anything else to correct the problem.
- Do not crate your puppy if he’s soiling in the crate.
- If your puppy enjoys being outside, don’t bring him inside right after he eliminates or he may learn to “hold it” so that he can stay outside longer.
For any accidents your puppy makes in the house, make sure to clean the area and sprinkle Clear the Air’s Carpet and Furniture Odor Eliminator over the soiled area. Let sit for 24-48 hours and vacuum it up. The odor should be completely eliminated and your pet will no longer associate that area with eliminating.
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Day #5: How To Avoid Jealous Pets
Posted on February 6th, 2012Day #5 of Helpful Tips For You And Your Pet
Check out our Helpful Tips For You and Your Pet. Today we are talking about Jealousy with new and resident pets. We have previously touched on bringing new pets home and the steps you take to introduce them to new pets. Now we will be discussing dealing with jealous pets and the best way to go about making sure everyone is happy!
Day #5: How To Avoid Jealous Pets
You have brought a new addition to your family, a cute little fluffy puppy. However, your older dog isn’t so sure he is OK with this new “friend” and decides he doesn’t want to have anything to do with you, your family and the new pet. What should you do?
-Continue to give large amounts of attention to your first pet(s). While it is easy to get caught up in the cuteness of your new addition, your current pets will feel put out and naturally will become jealous. Make sure you spend a lot of time reassuring them they are still very special to you and still a part of the family.
-Don’t force the new and existing pet together. As we discussed previously last week, you need to give your new and old pets their time to get used to each other. Make sure you allow them to gain confidence to decide when they’d like to face their new housemates.
-Separate your pets when feeding. Use separate food and water bowls and keep them separated while eating, feeding them both at the same time.
-Lastly, make sure to always keep an eye on them until you are fully confident they will get along. Remember this takes time and being patient is important. When you leave the house, keep dogs in separate rooms so they cannot interact without your supervision.
Check back for more helpful pet tips to come!
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Day #4 of Helpful Tips For You And Your Pet
Posted on February 3rd, 2012Day #4 of Helpful Tips For You And Your Pet
Yesterday we discussed the steps you should take when bringing home a new pet. If you have existing pets already, there are some additional steps to be taken to make sure everyone gets along together when they meet.
Day #4: Introducing New Pets To Existing Pets
Your pets’ personalities will determine whether or not the new pet will get along with the older one. When a new pet is brought home, sometimes the older pet views him/her as a threat and this is only natural. Expect a few scuffles at first to let them determine who is the boss and determine their place in the pack. Of course you will want to supervise these initial meetings but do not interrupt them if there is no danger of injury.
-Keep your pets separated until you are absolutely sure they will get along. Only allow them to interact with your supervision. Depending on their reactions to each other, it may take hours, days, weeks or even months for your pets to finally adjust to each other.
-Keep the introductions indoors and controlled. Especially if you are introducing a dog and cat, make sure the dog is on a leash to avoid chasing or cornering the cat. This could be incredibly terrifying for the cat and you will prolong your process of eventually being able to tolerate each other.
-Like above, keep cat and dog introductions controlled. However you do not want to hold a cat in your arms when introducing him/her to a new pet. A frightened and nervous cat is likely to scratch you and cause more stressful commotion.
-Make sure you allow your pet to familiarize itself with his/her new home. Allow him to explore and sniff out different areas of your home.
-Always provide separate water and feeding bowls. This allows your pet to calmly eat and drink without feeling the need to fight for their food. Also, make sure cats have separate litter boxes as well.
-Dogs and cats are able to live in harmony with caged animals but precautions must be taken when initially introducing them. Cats are agile and placing a cage high up on a shelf doesn’t guaranteed your caged pet will stay safe.
-Pets need to meet each other on their own time. Don’t force them together, they will adjust at their own pace.
Check back for more helpful pet tips to come!