Pet shows are exciting for any dedicated pet owner. It is a time when you can show off all of the skills you have been teaching your dog. Let the world see how amazing they are, how gorgeous they look and what they are truly capable of. But, it can be daunting for the animal. So, what steps can you take to ensure your dog is ready for its first show?

Firstly, leading up to the show, you should take some time to finalise their training. Ensure they have all the tricks you want them to showcase perfected. This can help to prevent any embarrassment. You should also practice these tricks in front of other dogs to see how your pet copes with distractions from an audience.

In the days leading up to the show, you want to give your dog a full doggie makeover. Send them to the best groomers in your area to ensure they are looking their best. This will help them to wow the judges and feel ready for what they are about to face.

On our blog we have spoken a lot about the smaller animals that you can keep as pets, but what about the much larger options? For instance, horses! So, the question is, will a horse make a good pet!

Unlike other animals, a pet horse will not be able to live with you unless you have a substantial amount of land and a stable for the horse to live in. This is why it is not as common for people to have horses as pets as the land is just not available. But, some people will still have horses as pets, as it is possible for them to live in other farm stables, but this does come with extra costs and responsibilities for you.

Like other animals, horses need to be cleaned, fed and walked to be kept happy. You will need to visit your horse at least weekly, if not daily to feed them, give them water, clean out they’re stable and take them for a ride. This is the main amount of care that you will need to give them. Sometimes, stables will offer to do these for you for an extra cost, but it should be your responsibility to do this yourself.

With horses, they will also need to see a horse vet every so often. They can incure injuries and health problems, especially when they are not being cared for daily.

So, yes horses do make a good pet, they are very loving animals and are completely different to any others that we have looked at before. But you will need to care for them, and they do take a lot of responsibility to look after when not placed on your own land.

We all love a treat, some of us even enjoy baking our own treats. But what about spoiling our dogs with a specially made treat? Sometimes pet shop treats can be disappointing, so why not make your own! Here are some things you can consider as a treat for your family loved dog!

Please note – all of these should be given to your dog in consideration as may cause obesity and other health problems.

Doggie Cake
One food item that you can make for your dog is a dog-friendly cake! These are the perfect little treat for a dog on their birthday or any other special occasion. You should complete lots of research to ensure you are making a cake with all ingredients that are safe for dogs! One of the best ways to decorate this cake is using peanut butter and dog biscuits.

Chicken
We all know that dogs love chicken, with most of their dry and wet dog food being chicken flavoured. Well, as a small treat you can give them bitesize pieces of actual chicken to enjoy.

Cheese
Another food item that you can give to dogs is cheese. This should be given in consideration as can cause health problems. But dogs love cheese, it will be a great way to encourage them to do more tricks and learn new skills.

Fresh Fruit
Finally, fresh fruit is a great choice for a treat for dogs. Some fruits should not be eaten by dogs as they can be poisonous, for example, grapes. But other fruits like apples are an amazing healthy treat for dogs to enjoy.

So, take some time and make your dog some other treats. Don’t always go for the store brought treats. Even some foods around your home will be perfect to treat your dog with.

You will always hear and read a lot about how Guinea Pigs are the best pet for children. But what they fail to mention are the reasons why this is the case. So today, we are going to share with you why Guinea Pigs are a good pet for young children.

Firstly Guinea Pigs are extremely timid. They do not make a lot of noise so and highly unlikely to scare young children. They love to have cuddles, this means they can help to build the children’s confidence up.

Guinea Pigs do not require that much care, meaning young children can be responsible for caring for them. This includes feeding them daily, given them fresh water and bedding. As well as participating in the weekly clean out and wash of their cages.

Children will love these small little animals, that is just truly the perfect pet for any budding animal lover.

Guinea pigs are a very popular small pet. With them being the perfect pet for young children due to how affectionate and cuddly they are. But, like with every pet, we all want to give our guinea pigs yummy treats. So, what are some of the best treats to give to guinea pigs?

What To Remember
When purchasing treats for any animal it is important to remember that a treat is something that they do not normally eat. So while weeds and plants for the garden may seem like a treat, if this is part of their diet you may want to consider some other goodies for them.

Another aspect you need to remember is the size of your guinea pig. While you can give larger animals large quantities of treats, guinea pigs only need a small amount for their tummies to keep them happy.

What Are Some Of The Best Treats For Guinea Pigs?
Now, we are going to share with you a shortlist of some of the best treats that you can give to your guinea pigs.

Vegetable Treats
Vegetables are one of the best options of treats for guinea pigs. They can offer them some amazing benefits for their health and well being. Some of the best vegetables to give as treats to guinea pigs include:
– Beetroot
– Carrot
– Pepper
– Tomato
– Kale

Fruit Treats
While fruit treats do offer some amazing health benefits, in large quantities they can cause some issues. It is important that you only give these into consideration as a small treat. Some of the best fruits that you can offer your guinea pigs as a treat include:
– Grapes
– Apple
– Pear

When giving guinea pig treats it is important to consider the amount that you are giving them. You do not want to overfeed and over face them. Small amounts of treats every so often are fine, as it keeps the treats feeling to them as a treat.

Pets are at the heart of our homes, some of us may even want to give them their own gifts this Christmas. In this article, we are going to share with you some Christmas gift ideas for your pets this year.

When purchasing a gift for your pet you should always consider something they need. For example, you could purchase them a new bed. Possibly even splash the cash a little bit more so they have the extra comfort.

You should also consider something they love. All pets love a good treat. Therefore a good idea is to purchase them a selection of treats. This can help with their training too.

Another consideration to have when choosing gifts for your pets is something they will enjoy. The most popular choice being a new toy, for example, something that squeaks or something to put treats in. You could, however, purchase them a new food bowl which makes eating meals fun.

If you have a dog that is strong and difficult to handle on a simple leash, you may want to consider trying a harness instead.

A harness will not only benefit your dog but it will help you too. When a string dog pulls too much on a simple leash that attaches to their neck collar can cause unnecessary strain on their neck, and can be hard for you to hold and handle.

A good harness should fit comfortably around your dog, fitting around and under each front leg, and around their abdomen. Using a harness provides you with more control and provides more comfort to your excited pooch when out for their daily walks.

You can get advice on the right harness for your dog by heading to your dog’s vets or at your local pet store where you can try them on you dog and see what works best for them.

As a dog owner, you will have realised how quickly your pet become part of the family. They have their own personality and particular behaviour traits. If you start to notice some obvious changes to their behaviour, it could be more serious than you think.

When dogs become unwell, they are unable to communicate how they feel, so as their owner it is hard to determine the severity of it. Some behaviour changes to look out for are increased lethargy, poor appetite and even aggressiveness.

You should always seek advice from your vets in regards to any behavioural changes and let the vet determine what is the cause. Leaving a serious illness untreated can lead to death. It is always better to get your dog’s health checked out, even if it turns out to be nothing serious.

On top of monitoring your dog’s behaviour, remember to stay on top of their yearly vaccinations and annual health check to keep them in top health.

If you have decided a rabbit is the right addition to your family, making sure you have a home for them is very important. We have outlined the basics of setting up a rabbit hutch at home:

A disposable base- While hutches are normally made from wood, you need to add an additional based that can be taken out and thrown away. This makes it easy to clean and keeps the hutch smelling more pleasant. A good base is newspaper, it will help absorb any urine and excrement from the rabbit and it can be removed and discarded easily.

Flooring- Rabbits love wood shavings in their home as it provides them with comfort around their cage.

Bedding area- Always create a distinct bedding area for your rabbit, this can be made from paper fibres or pelleted wheat fibres. Your rabbit may move the bedding around to make it just the way they like it.

Food and water- An essential! Keeping the water fresh daily and making sure the bottle is never empty. The food bowl and water bottle shouldn’t be kept in any difficult to reach places for your rabbit.

The Jack Russell aka Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog with a big dog’s attitude. A typical Jack Russell is affectionate, outgoing, energetic and friendly. However, this small dog has its own set of behavioural problems, the following is a compilation of the behavioural traits (good and bad) of a Jack Russell.

1. Feisty with other dogs- A terrier enjoys living solo with little need for sociability and is ideal for single dog homes.

2. Intelligence- Terriers are renowned for their intelligence, they are fast learners and highly trainable.

3. Restlessness- Jack Russell’s are hyperactive dogs; this might be due lack of exercise. To address this challenge you might consider scheduling for some playful activity with your dog.

5. Who is the boss?- Russell’s can be small but do not let their size deceive you; most of them seek to establish a dominant role over their owners. As the owner, establish a dominant role earlier on in the relationship.

As a Jack Russell owner, it is important to train your dog from a very early stage; this will make you an owner of a happy playful dog.