Best Pet Supplies

Do you love to cook and try new recipes or do you know someone who does?  Are you or someone you know concerned about what treats are given to your dog or cat?  If you answered yes to both of these questions have I found the greatest gift!  What could be more practical and safe than to make your own treats  for your beloved friend?  Most pet treats are full of fillers and by-products that your pet defintely does not need!  Not only are they unhealthy, but they can cause all kinds of health issues for your pet.  When you make homemade treats, you know exactly what goes into them and you can feel good about giving them to your pets.  Check out these great pet treat recipe books and they even come with FREE treat cutters to make it even more simple!

It always seemed to me that dog coats, boots, and sweaters were always made for small dogs.  Well, I have two big dogs that I always take hunting with me and I know after they’ve been out in the wintery weather for awhile  they get cold and don’t perform as well as they could.  They lose interest and try to seek out a warm place.  They also get a build up of ice and snow in their paws which I know isn’t good for them.  That’s when I started looking for boots and coats made for bigger dogs because I realized I would be helping my dogs stay warm and focused in cold weather and their paws would be protected.  I found some excellent durable coats and warm boots for them at great prices and I even found some that are camo which match my coat!   If you are concerned about them being visible and not mistaken for game, there are coats that feature reflective strips, too!  Oh, and they also have coats, boots, and sweaters for small and medium dogs that you and your dog will just love!  Be sure to browse through their entire collection of  fall and winter apparel for all size dogs–you’ll be glad you did (and so will your dog).

Pet owners often wonder if buying their dog toys is a necessity or just an extravagance.  Actually, buying your dog toys mimics activites that they would be doing if they were wild.  Let me explain in a little bit more detail.  I believe there are three distinct categories that most dog toys fit in:  chewing,  activity,  and comfort toys. 

• Dogs are just natural chewers!  Puppies like to chew to ease tension and to help soothe their gums during teething.  This instinct to chew continues on into adulthood to help keep their jaws strong and to relieve boredom.
• Although activity levels vary greatly between breed and age of the dog, activity toys such as retrieval toys and tug of war toys are very beneficial in keeping your dog healthy and active and also strengthens the bond between dog and owner.
• All adult dogs and puppies love having a toy they can call their own.  Giving them their own toy can help reduce destructive behavior when they are left alone.  Toys can also be a comfort to your dog in stressful situations just like a doll or toy comforts a child.

As you can see, buying your dog toys is very beneficial in many ways!  And if you have more than one dog, your should consider getting each dog his or her very own toy.

There are a large variety of dog toys from plush to rubber to fit the need of any dog large or small, young or old.

Just like dogs, cats shed hair, and worse than shedding, long haired cats are prone to having mats form on their fur.  Mats can pull against the skin, not only causing pain, but also causing potential infection.  Unlike dogs, cats are often not fond of being brushed, thus it’s important to start brushing your cat when it’s a young kitten.  If you start brushing your cat at an early age, they will either enjoy, or won’t mind being brushed when they are a more mature feline. 

There are a couple options for brushing your cat.  In general, owners are fortunate that cats groom themselves, and thus their fur is often smooth.  However, mats can still form regardless.  If your cat happens to have mats, it’s best to start brushing them with a rake brush, and even use scissors to remove existing mats.  Once your cat is mat free, a cat comb applied to their fur once a week should keep mats from forming. 

Everyone at First Rate Pets would like to wish everyone and their friends and family a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving! 

We also would like to invite you to browse our ever growing pages of pet supplies We have many wonderful items that will make great Christmas gifts for your beloved four legged friend or a two legged friend that has a four legged friend!

The other day we covered why it’s important to check and clean your dog’s or cat’s ears.  Today, I’m going to give some tipes on how to clean your pet’s ears.

First off, I definitely do not recommend using cotton swabs or Q-tips as they are usually called.  It makes it too easy to go too deep into a pet’s ears and possibly causing damage to the ear drum.  Cotton balls are the best to use as long as you don’t push them too deep into the ear canal as this can actually push the ear wax and debris further into the ear.

Pull your pet’s ear back and place approximately 5-8 drops of ear cleaner into the ear.  Massage the base of the ear to loosen ear wax and debris.  You should hear a “squishing” sound which means you’ve gotten the cleaner down where it needs to be.  Your pet will want to shake his head.  This is definitely okay because it helps in removing all that foreign stuff.  Using a cotton ball, you can remove excess cleaner from the outer part of the ear canal so it won’t go everywhere when your pet shakes his or her head!  After you are finished cleaning the ear canal, there are powders that you can also use to keep the ear dry which will keep ear mites out and will also prevent any bacterial infection that can be a problem in your pet’s ears if they remain dampened.

Cleaning your pet’s ears should be done at least once a month.  There are a lot of good products to clean your pet’s ears including liquid cleaners, ear powders, and even pre moistened cloths.  They all work well and it really depends on your personal choice of which is easiest for you and your pet!  You can find everything you need to keep your pets ears clean at First Rate Pets and they are very affordable!  Check out all of their grooming supplies and you’ll find keeping your pet clean, happy, and healthy is easier than you thought!

Checking and cleaning your dog’s or cat’s ears is very important to their overall health.  Prevention of ear wax buildup and mites in their ears can mean the difference between a very happy healthy pet or expensive trips to the vet.

When checking your dog or cat’s ears, make sure they are calm and in a quiet environment.  Most pets don’t like their ears messed with.  Look for wax buildup, any kind of discharge, and a brownish substance which may indicate your pet has ear mites.

There are several good products that can be used safely on your pet’s ears whether you have a cat or dog (or both).  Powders are great for keeping your pet’s ears dry which will inhibite the growth of bacteria and will keep mites out of the ear.  Liquid cleaners will remove excess ear wax and dirt.  Combined they will help you keep your pet’s ears clean and healthy.  You can find a large selection of ear care products at First Rate Pets that will help you maintain the health of your pet.

Be sure to check out our blog Friday as I will publish a more in depth article on how to clean your dog or cats ears using the helpful ear products available.

Thanksgiving is only a couple of weeks away and soon your house will be full of tempting wonderful smells of pies baking, turkey roasting and lots of other aromas that tempt not only you, but your pet, too!  People usually give in to that sad puppy face or the persistant cat but it can be dangerous for your pet if you give them certain foods.  Giving them a bite or two of cooked turkey won’t hurt them, but please don’t give them turkey bones or raw turkey.  They are very bad for them.  Stuffing with sage and/or onion  is also very bad for pets as it can cause stomache upset and affect their central nervous system and cats are especially sensitive to alot of the ingredients in stuffing.  In order to keep your pets happy and safe this Thanksgiving, why not spoil your dogs with rawhide treats made especially with them in mind or kitty treats that you can make quickly and easily!  You can find recipes and great dog treats at First Rate Pets and keep your peace of mind in knowing you aren’t putting your pets at risk this Thanksgiving and you and your guests can give them a “guilt-free treat” that they will love!

While short haired dogs will only require a quick brush now and then, long haired dogs require regular attention when it comes to grooming.  Dogs not groomed regularly can develop serious skin problems, particularly due to matting of their fur.  Mats can pull against the skin causing irritation, and also cause infections if left alone for some time.  To prevent matting, you will need to groom your dog about twice a month.  Using a dog grooming kit is advised, as this will give you all the necessary tools to prevent matting and remove existing mats. 

To remove mats, you should first cut out the mat with scissors, and then gently loosen the fur with a rake or brush to prevent further matting.