Petstages May Caption Contest!

Create a caption for this adorable image!  Post your caption with this image on our Facebook page.  The caption with the most Facebook Likes and Shares combined will win three (3) FREE Petstages dog or cat toys of their choice! Contest ends 5/31/2012 at 11:59pm (CST). Winner announced 6/1/2012.

Click the image below for the full size.

Photo credit: Dan Parvulescu

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

Have you ever heard of the saying “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks”? Well, my 8-year old German Shepherd, Shadow, refuses to believe it. He and I have always found practicing tricks and commands to be a great bonding activity. Not only does it keep him challenged, it’s a great way for us to teach him proper “house manners” and spend some great quality time together.  We’ve learned several basic commands at obedience school when Shadow was a puppy – like sit, down, stay, paw. However, throughout the years, he’s picked up some pretty valuable commands.

Not only does he know “paw”, if I command “other paw”, he’ll drop the one and give me the other! This is pretty convenient while cleaning his paws on those rainy, muddy days!

Shadow, having the perfect name to describe his personality, loves to follow us around. And that includes getting in bed with us at night. Imagine sharing a bed with a 115-pound dog – pretty much squeezing in another person! Two great commands are “up” and “off”. He knows when he can jump up, and when it’s time to get off the bed.

One of my favorites is “timeout”.  This is definitely Shadow’s least favorite. This came about when trying to teach him some table manners at a young age. While eating dinner, occasionally I would have to get up to get more water, napkins, etc. When I turned around, there he was, trying to take the chicken or bread from my plate. Immediately, I would say in a firm voice “No. Timeout,” then take him to the bathroom and close the door for about 5 minutes. Being pack animals, dogs do not like to be away from the social scene (aka dinner table). So this trick proved to be quite effective. I would use this command repeatedly when I caught him in the act. Every now and then, when he does something unacceptable, I would say “timeout” and he would just walk him himself into the bathroom and sit there with his tongue hanging out “smiling”. He looks pretty cute doing so, and his punishment would only last about 2 minutes of timeout.

“Drop it” is a great command and can be a life saver. We started using this command during interactive play, like catch or tug. This way, Shadow knew that sharing was part of the game. I never started with this command during his alone play, in case he gets territorial with his toy. When he retrieves the ball, I would praise him for doing a great job and at the same time, put my hand on the ball and ask him to drop it. And when he did drop the ball/toy, I would give him a small treat. So how was this command a “life saver”?  Shadow got into the garbage and got a hold of some chicken bones. Luckily, I caught him in time, commanded him to “drop it”, and was able to prevent him from choking.  Close call!

Now for some fun tricks: I know many dog owners that do not like kisses from their dog. But not me. I love getting kisses, or should I say “slobber”, from Shadow! So, I’ve taught him to kiss on demand!

His newest and latest trick which he learned at 8 years old…falling down and playing dead! I tried this when he was a puppy, but just couldn’t get it to stick! So after seeing a fun youtoube video of another dog doing this trick, I thought I’d give it another shot, no pun intended! I first started by getting him on the “down” position. Then I’d make the “pshewwww” sound while pointing my finger gun at him. I would then make him lay down on his side. Doing this repeatedly for about 3 days, he got it down perfectly! During our daily bonding session, we would end it with this trick. So we would do – sit, move back, down, paw, other paw, leave it, turn around and pshewww!

Having accomplished this, I was so surprised that at 8 years old, he still has a few tricks up his sleeve!

Senior Cats: Behavioral Changes and Needs

By Sarah Brown, PhD.

Even as a kitten, my first cat, Tigger, was a half-wild ‘out and about’ cat with little time for people.  Except perhaps a brief interaction with me when it suited him, or if he was hungry.  He was truly wild at heart.  Clever too – I was cooking in my kitchen one day and as I turned away for a moment he was on the work top, lamb chop in mouth and out of the cat flap before I even knew he was there!

Tigger at 17 years

By the time he reached nineteen, my lovely old Tigger had only three legs, four teeth and was diabetic with twice daily shots of insulin.   Old age brings many physical changes for a cat, but alongside this come behavioral changes that affect the way we interact and care for our much loved elderly companions.

“Your cat is so much more friendly than he used to be” people would say.  It was true – as time went on, Tigs would welcome and even ask for a cuddle on a lap, and tolerate petting and stroking from the children that would have earned them a hasty right hook in earlier years.

Memory, ability to learn, awareness, and sight and hearing perception can all deteriorate as a cat ages.  Described as Feline Cognitive Dysfunction (CDS), this deterioration can cause disturbances in sleeping patterns, disorientation or reduced activity accompanied by increased irritability and aggression in some cases.  At about sixteen years, my old Tigger started calling at night, wandering about, and meowing mournfully downstairs.  This night-time vocalization (and increased vocalization in general) is another common behavioral symptom in elderly cats.

So, how can we help our old cats feel more comfortable in their changing bodies?  Firstly make sure you get your cat’s health checked out with the vet more often than perhaps you used to when they were young.  It is all too easy to blame behavior changes on ‘old age’ when they may be masking a medical problem and your vet can advise you if your cat needs treatment.  Then you can focus on making your cat’s home environment the envy of all their neighbors!

Probably the favorite occupation for the elderly cat is sleeping.  Sources of heat are commonly chosen as resting places since older cats find it harder to regulate their body temperatures.   Soft places are also preferred – cushioning their older, more bony frames. Try and provide a variety of warm, soft and quiet resting places where your cat can spend plenty of time.   Make sure these places are easily reached as arthritis and stiff joints can make jumping harder.

Getting older doesn’t always mean a cat doesn’t want to play any more.  In many cases the urge is still there but it just needs a little encouragement from the owner.  Gentle play will provide exercise and stimulation for the cat and will also ensure you spend some quality time with your cat.

Grooming can also become an issue for many older cats – stiffness can make it awkward for them to do a thorough job even if they still try.  Grooming your elderly cat with soft combs or brushes will help keep her feel comfortable while giving her some of that extra attention she craves.

Most of all though – enjoy the calmness and tranquility that only comes from many happy years of cat-human companionship.

We Made it Out of the Office!

“After struggling to get out of our packaging, we finally made it out and around the office!”, said Miss Mouse.  “It felt so great not being tied down.”

“We have been exploring throughout the week, and even spent some time with the office dog, Miss Texas”, said Mr. Gator.

Miss Mouse then chimed in, “Mr. Gator made some calls to friends on the East Coast who we are hoping to visit sometime soon. I just sat by silently listening to him as he tied up the line.”

“All of a sudden, Miss Texas decided to play with me – the little cat toy that I am! It turned out she was actually quite gentle, and respected my space! As frightening as it was, from now on I will do my best to stay away from the dogs!  Maybe it was the catnip…”

“Once Miss Mouse and Texas were done playing, we went exploring around the office building.  It’s been raining and wet lately, so we are hoping to spend some time in the sun soon. I really am a fan of sunny beaches…I hear there are some in Illinois!” exclaimed Mr. Gator as he browsed online for a new swimsuit.  “I like the orange ones,” he mentioned, “they really seem to make my colors pop.”

Chase the Sheltie

Our family found Chase when he was just 2 months old.  As soon as we saw him, we knew we had to bring him home. Chase is 3 ½ now, and he will be 4 on October 1^st …we are already planning his party!

Chase loves playing fetch and tug of war.  No matter how much and how long he plays, he never tires out.  His favorite Petstages toy is the Healthy Hoops.

What’s funny is that Chase thinks he is one of the kids in the neighborhood and he finds himself playing with them as much as he can. There are even times when some of the kids come to the house to ask if they can play with Chase.

Chase is a certified therapy dog and a member (he has his own i.d. card!) of Therapy Dogs International. He visits hospitals, nursing homes and elementary schools where he sits quietly and lets children read out loud to him.

We find ourselves talking about Chase all the time – our lives really revolve around him.  But, at the end of the day, Chase is really a Momma’s boy.  That’s okay with the rest of the family because she really takes care of him the most – his sister is away at college, and his Dad travels for work.

Between all of us, we have over 4,000 pictures of Chase!

A Guide to your Cat’s Playing Needs

Coming up in this next week, Petstages will be focusing on the cat Playing category!

While domesticated cats often find themselves confined to the indoors, they still retain the natural instinct to stalk and pounce.  Curious by nature, they welcome any opportunity to bat, play or chase and love to interact with you when you are available!  Activities such as chase, hunt and pounce address your cat’s natural need for playful interaction, providing indoor exercise to help keep kitty fit.  Petstages has thoughtfully developed Playing Toys to meet the natural hunting behavior of cats of all ages!

guide to your cat’s playing needs:
Your Kitten	…IS playful and eager to “hunt”, yet can easily become timid if frightened or startled	…NEEDS opportunities to chase objects and activities to help her bond with you
Your Adult Cat	…IS curious and playful at heart, with a strong instinct to stalk, hunt and chase	…NEEDS energetic activities that encourage chase, pounce and catch in order to stay active and satisfy her natural hunting instincts
Your Senior Cat	…IS less easily prompted to chase and desiring interactive play when you are available	…NEEDS to be prompted more frequently to be active, but appreciates your efforts to interact

Solution to your cat’s playing needs:

Twice Mice

Cheese Chase

Whirly Gig

Catnip Wrestle and Romp

Meet the Petstages Mascots!

“Welcome to our blog post!  We are so ready to begin sharing our adventures with you! This is Miss Mouse, and on the other side is Mr. Gator.  It sure is a pleasure to meet you all!”

Miss Mouse, the Mightiest of them all!

Mr. Gator

“Oh, how very nice it is to meet our Petstages friends!”, says Miss Mouse. “I’m Miss Mouse, and I love to have fun! I like to run, energize, cuddle, play, and see new places. I especially love cats!  We can’t wait to update you with all of our journeys we are embarking on! Being on this wall of toys is just not as fun as the world outside!”.

“I love to travel near and far,” says Mr. Gator, “and enjoy spending time with my friends, jumping, squeaking, running, squeaking, cuddling, squeaking, being bitten, yet still SQUEAKING!  You will be thrilled to hear of the dog stories and explorations that I have!”

“Well, it’s time to get out of this packaging and onto our voyages…Check back with us soon to find out where we’ve been!”

-Miss Mouse and Mr. Gator

Bailey the Scottish Dog

This is my dog, Bailey, she is a Scottish Dog (West Highland White Terrier) with an Irish name.

This month she will be celebrating her eleventh birthday!

Have you seen the movie Marley & Me? I feel like that is my life right now. I look back on the time we brought Bailey home. My husband and I were celebrating our 2^nd wedding anniversary and Bailey was our gift to each other. We actually brought her home on our anniversary.

Two homes, two children (the human kind), and many years later…here we are. We’ve had our ups and downs, and guess who has been there the whole time. Greeting us when we come home, snuggling up on the couch, and still getting us up on our feet for a good walk around the block.

As she has aged her interest in playing has weaned. She will opt for a good nap vs. a squeaky toy. However, I try to keep her stimulated and engaged. It keeps her looking young. People still ask me if she is a puppy when we are out, they are shocked when I tell them she is almost eleven!

She is motivated by food, so a little turkey meat tucked inside a toy will always get her going and keeps her mind working as she is challenged to find it in a toy. She is still up for a game of tug. She likes floppy plush toys with squeakers, I’ll pull on one end and she will pull on the other. It is a good way for us to bond.

She also loves to watch TV. I know, it sounds silly. She particularly enjoys barking at animals, or people dressed up in animal costumes. You would be surprised how many of these there are…particularly on the sports channels! We tried to watch the movie Seabiscuit about three times, before we finally gave up.

She is so much fun and a very important part of our family. I know that her time with us is now coming to a close, but that makes me take pause and appreciate her even more right now. Having a pet in your life is a true blessing with many rewards. I am so thankful for these years with Bailey in my life!

Variety is the Spice of Life

By Sarah Brown, PhD.

Cats love to play – from the very earliest development of play in kitten-hood, many cats will continue to chase and bat toys well into old age.  Even the sleepiest cat can usually be enticed to waft a lazy paw in the direction of a dangled piece of wool or string.

The problem is how to keep them playing.  Many of us are familiar with the sight of several cat toys strewn over the floor with our cat tiptoeing carefully through them, totally ignoring their many varied and carefully designed entertaining qualities.

Research has shown that cats soon become habituated to toys during a play session,[i] but that by simply changing the sensory characteristics of the toy, they will be stimulated to play all over again.   The secret is to have several different types of toys, and rotate their use – put them away out of sight when the cat has finished playing with them.   When you get them out again next play-time (one by one though, not all at once!), the toys will become amazingly interesting and fun all over again!

Make sure you use lots of different types of toys – some the cat can make move by themselves, noisy ones, smelly ones, ones to wrestle with etc. – all providing different types of sensory stimulation!

Try and interact with your cat when she plays – perhaps invest in some fishing rod-style toys so you are playing together.  One important tip that many owners forget when playing with their cat in this way is to sometimes let the cat “catch” the prey.  Ten minutes of chasing a feather on a string is no fun for a cat if she never gets to pounce on it and finish the hunting sequence!

Most of all enjoy play times with your cat – it is the best way to reinforce your bond with her, is a great outlet for all that pent up energy (hers, not yours!) and will make her far more happy and fulfilled.

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[i] Hall, S.L., Bradshaw J.W.S. & Robinson I.H.  Object play in adult domestic cats: the roles of habituation and disinhibition.  Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2002; 79: 263-71

Wrapping up a month of the new Durable Sticks

Wow…what an exciting month we’ve had with the launch of new Durable Sticks! We’ve sure tried to create some buzz around this new idea we are so passionate about.  After all, it took years of research and testing, until we were able to develop a safer “stick”!  Using a non-toxic compound of several different polymers (or, Petstages Potion, as we like to call it), it is designed for a long lasting chew and to break down over time.

We’ll be sure to keep you updated as soon as Durable Sticks start appearing in your local pet store, (they should start appearing late this spring) but we’ve already heard from a number of you about how much you like the sticks.  We can’t wait to share those with you here:

“More appealing than other toys!” – Mark and his dog, Mako (Portuguese Water Dog, 3 years old)

“The durability held up well. Great for dogs that love to chew.” – Lia and her dogs, Max and Rascal (Beagle/Terrier Mix, 2 years old)

“Extremely appealing and extremely durable.” – Jane and her dog, Baxter (Yorkie/Bichon Mix, 2 years old)

“I love this stick, it smells like wood but does not splinter and seems a much safer alternative to wood.” – Shay and her dogs, Charlie (Border Collie Mix, 11 years old) and Daisy (Jack Russell Terrier, 4 years old)

“Capone carries his stick around the house and also shows it to anyone who comes to our door. His toy box is filled with toys, but he chooses his stick to play with.” – Terri and her dog Capone (Rottweiler, 5 years old)

“Miss Texas loves the Durable Stick! It’s the first and last toy she plays with each day! We have the large and medium size and she plays with them both! She usually spends all morning playing with them and then takes a nap with them close by!“ – Kaja and her dog, Miss Texas (Ole English Bulldog, 2 years old)

We’ll be in touch with you more as soon as the Durable Sticks hit the stores.  Until then, watch our Durable Sticks video to gear up!

Durable Sticks from Petstages!