Best Pet Supplies

Although each cat or kitten has their own preference for play, there is one thing common among all of them–they love a chase and they are natural born predators.  A cat toy that will peak their interest is a toy that will seem to move on it’s own such as plush toys that move around or jump around when a string is pulled within them or a battery operated toy that moves on its own when turned on.  Cats and kittens just naturally love any toy that moves or jumps on its own and they willl play with that toy for a long time trying to catch it or to “kill” it.  Even if they do “catch” that prey, they will most likely let it go for a minute to see if it will move again.  When the toy does move again, the chase is on again!  These kinds of toys are perfect for stocking stuffers during the holidays or anytime and are a must for indoor cats!  First Rate Pets has all kinds of toys for your cat or kitten at very reasonable prices and who can’t appreciate that during these hard times!  And if you have someone in your life who loves cats and kittens, they will appreciate your thoughtfullness at buying their best friend a fun and unique toy!

Ferretts are domesticated animals, cousins of the weasels, skunks and otters. (Other relatives are minks, ermines, badgers, black-footed ferrets, polecats and fishers). They are NOT rodents. It is believed that ferrets were first domesticated by the Egyptians some several thousand years ago. Their behavior and personality is somewhere between cats and dogs (although they are much smaller in size). Some are cuddly and others are more independent. They vary a lot, just like other pets. Average size for a male is around 45cm in length and weigh between 1.2-2.3kg compared to 35cm in length and 500gms-1.2kg for females. FERRETS WILL NOT SURVIVE IN THE WILD. They are likely to die from dehydration or starvation within a few days.  Ferrets are extremely playful with both humans and other ferrets; inquisitive; remarkably determined; able to be trained to use kitty litter; very social; sleep for great lengths of time. Most love to go places with you on a harness and can be kept in a decent sized cage.  There are so many different things you can buy for your ferret to make life with a ferret so much more enjoyable and rewarding.  Harnesses are best for ferrets and you can even get  high fashion for them just by shopping at First Rate Pets.

FIRST RATE PETS WISHES EVERYONE AND THEIR PETS  A SPOOKY AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!

My friend Stacey adopted a rescue dog, the cutest little English bulldog you’ve ever seen, a few months ago. The poor thing had been found on the side of I-315 in a half rotted cardboard box. It just breaks my heart to think about. Anyway, her new four-legged friend, whom she named Sandy, is quite adorable, yet stubborn. Because Sandy was about 2 years old when she found him, he had unfortunately grown up with a few bad habits of his own.

Sandy was a shoe chewer and he loved to go dashing off into the woods whenever she’d take him to the dog park. A little frustrated and concerned for Sandy’s safety, Stacey was desperate for a way to tech her pooch how to respect her commands. She turned to her friend Molly, who owned three dogs of her own, and she lent Stacey one of her retractable dog leashes. She told Stacey it was the best way to teach her dog to respect your authority.

The dog owner can do much to help a dog’s haircoat achieve its full potential and to keep it in good condition: feed a good quality nutritionally complete and balanced dog food; keep the dog free of internal and external parasites and maintain a regular grooming schedule with the appropriate pet grooming equipment.

Grooming your dog not only helps him/her look their best at all times, but also helps keep them clean and healthy.

Grooming sessions are an excellent time to assess your dog’s health. Learn what is normal for your dog, what characteristics distinguish him. Changes in appearance or behavior may be signs of illness. If a dog displays constant problems such as itching, sudden loss of hair, inflamed areas, any signs of tenderness or lumps under the skin, a veterinarian should be consulted.

A dog who is accustomed to grooming will be more at ease when he is examined or treated by a veterinarian.

The kind of grooming routine you establish for your dog will depend on how much time the dog spends outside, weather conditions and whether the dog is a longhaired or shorthaired breed.

Shorthaired breeds should be groomed two to three times a week. Longhaired breeds require daily grooming. Many terrier breeds require periodic plucking to remove dead hairs and to give them a trim appearance with careful brushing and combing between pluckings.

If your dog’s haircoat requires complicated grooming, you may want to have it done professionally. However, trips to the groomer’s are not adequate to maintain a healthy, handsome haircoat. Your dog still needs to be brushed and combed regularly between professional grooming sessions.

Playing “fetch” games provides some good exercise for your puppy. It also provides a good way to get those toys back so you don’t end up getting all the exercise. In the beginning, roll the fetch toy away from the puppy and let him get it. When he picks it up, say, “Fetch!” so he begins to associate the command with the action. Then praise him with an excited voice.As he gets older, throw the toy a little farther. When he brings it back, give lots of praise and let your puppy play with the toy for a few minutes so he gains some benefit from his effort of retrieving it. If he doesn’t bring it back, use a long lead attached to his collar. Gently reel your puppy in with the toy and praise him for coming back. Touch him, but avoid his head so he doesn’t think you’re going to immediately take the toy from him. Some puppies enjoy the chase of the toy and retrieving it and want you to throw it back immediately. Others want the toy with less chasing and retrieving.Once he’s had a minute or so to play with the toy, puppy may drop it on his own. If he does, say ‘Drop’ to reinforce the behavior. If he doesn’t drop it on his own, get a light grip on the toy and give the command to drop. Praise him when he lets go of it and throw it again.

Prevent puppy from chewing and destroying your house and belongings by providing proper training and chew toys. Afterall, chewing and playtime are part of normal puppy growth and development.

DO

-Provide several of a variety of toys for your puppy. -Teach your puppy to play with these toys.-Praise puppy every time you see him chewing or playing with his toys on his own.-Teach your puppy to get a toy to greet you. Each time your pup runs up to greet you or anyone else, encourage him to find and get a toy. All humans, especially the owners should always be greeted by a dog with toy in mouth.-Any area that the pup has access to must be kept clear and clean. Put out of puppy’s reach anything you don’t want him to chew or destroy, such as trash, shoes, hazards, etc. Your dog does not know what is valuable or dangerous and what is not.-If you find your puppy with your best shoe in mouth, distract him away from it and replace the shoe with one of his toys. Praise him for chewing his toy. Do not reprimand him for chewing your shoe. Reprimand yourself for leaving it out where he could find it.-Booby traps items and articles to show your puppy that these things are no fun to chew, in fact, they are an annoyance even to touch.

Deciding to adopt or purchase a puppy for the very first time is a joyous experience that comes hand in hand with a lot of hard work. Although cute and cuddly, puppies are just like human babies in that they require constant care and attention. Prepare yourself for the yipping and whining as a wet nose pokes you in the middle of the night. And don’t forget about the fact that a puppy needs to be walked every hour as he learns to control his bladder.

When you do take your pup for a walk, you’ll want to make sure that you have purchased one of the many available dog leads. Also like children, puppies don’t know not to run out in the street or simply not to run off at all. By keeping your dog under your control he will begin to understand that you are his master. Pretty soon you’ll have him trained to pick up his leash in his mouth and sit by the door when he wants to go for a walk. Imagine that!