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Dog shampoo for sensitive skin

May 8, 2024 | Dogs, General

If you don’t feel comfortable washing your dog with a shampoo whose list of ingredients you can’t even pronounce, here’s a great recipe for a homemade dog shampoo. All the ingredients are easy to get hold of, or you may have them at home anyway. The quantity is sufficient for a medium-sized dog, e.g. a Labrador.

 

Ingredients for dog shampoo:

  • 100 g rolled oats
  • 100 g baking powder
  • 400 ml cups of warm water
  • 1 teaspoon mild washing-up liquid from the health food shop
  • 5 drops of lavender or peppermint oil

Firstly, blend the oats in a food processor until they have the consistency of flour. Add the remaining ingredients and finish mixing.

Massage the shampoo into your dog’s wet coat for a few minutes before rinsing it out. The baking soda absorbs the dog’s odours, while the oat flakes soothe and cleanse the skin.

You will be amazed at how great your dog smells and how soft his coat has become.

After a soothing wash, the Golden Retriever puppy can relax on the cosy leather cushion

Why is my cat unclean?

Why is my cat unclean?

by | Mar 11, 2024 | ,

Is your cat messy and no longer using the litter tray? This behaviour can have various causes and in this article we give you useful tips. The first port of call should definitely be the vet, …

Rhodesian Ridgeback

May 8, 2024 | Dogs, General

The ridge on the spine is clearly visible here

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a medium-sized, very dignified and intelligent dog that immediately commands respect with its calm appearance. It originates from southern Africa and shows no signs of shyness or aggression. He has a well-balanced, strong and muscular build and is agile and active. It is still used to hunt game in many parts of the world, its original purpose being to track down large game, mainly lions, and keep them at bay until the hunters came along.

His reserves of strength and stamina are still correspondingly great today. It is a true running dog and therefore unsuitable for people who are not sporty or have limited time. He needs at least two hours of exercise a day, more would be better. He is an excellent tracking and rescue dog, and dog sports are also a great pleasure for him.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback lacks neither courage nor bravery. He is considered to be particularly vigilant and would risk his life for his owner. It is also said to have a sixth sense for danger. At the same time, it is a very calm, cuddly, affectionate dog in the home and is therefore highly valued as a family member.

Dog beginners are quickly overwhelmed with this breed. It is a clever, sensitive but also very headstrong dog. It must be trained consistently and lovingly at the same time. The dog’s innate mistrust and tendency towards dominance can become a problem for its environment if the owner does not have the necessary professionalism. With professional training, he will prove to be a good-natured and relaxed companion in whose presence no unwanted aggression is to be feared, but one can always feel safe.

Its ridge is the breed’s distinguishing feature. It is created by the hair growing in the opposite direction to that on the rest of the body. It should start directly behind the shoulders and extend to the hips. The coat is short, dense, smooth and shiny, ranging in color from light to red wheat. Grooming is quite unproblematic with regular brushing.

Unfortunately, the breed was also fashionable and mass breeding has left its mark.
Therefore, only buy puppies from a VDH breeder.

 

Facts about the Rhodesian Ridgeback

  • Height of male dog: 63 – 69 cm, approx. 36 kg
  • Height female: 61 – 66 cm, approx. 32 kg
  • Life expectancy: approx. 15 years
  • Urge for movement
  • Educational effort
  • Maintenance effort
  • Time required
Why is my cat unclean?

Why is my cat unclean?

by | Mar 11, 2024 | ,

Is your cat messy and no longer using the litter tray? This behaviour can have various causes and in this article we give you useful tips. The first port of call should definitely be the vet, …

Beauceron dog breed

May 8, 2024 | Dogs, General

The Beauceron is a very original, powerful, robust and muscular dog, but without any sluggishness. It impresses with its stamina and incorruptibility. His nature is never angry, fearful or even shy. It is described in specialist literature as an excellent family dog. He prefers to be in the middle of the family or his pack and accompanies you wherever you go. Despite its size, the Beauceron is a sensitive and delicate dog. It is cautious and reserved with small children, older or anxious people. As a rule, people unknown to him are not harassed or even greeted stormily. However, if friendly contact is sought and he has met someone, he will greet them warmly. Kennels are absolutely unsuitable for the Beauceron breed.

Hunderasse Beauceron - Hundekissen - pet.interiors
The Beauceron is still a healthy, extremely robust breed with an average life expectancy of around 12 years.

Color strokes:

bicolored black-red – Bas rouge
tricolor black-red-grey – Harleqiun

Height

male: 65-70 cm
female: 61-68 cm

 

Why is my cat unclean?

Why is my cat unclean?

by | Mar 11, 2024 | ,

Is your cat messy and no longer using the litter tray? This behaviour can have various causes and in this article we give you useful tips. The first port of call should definitely be the vet, …

Why is my cat unclean?

Mar 11, 2024 | Cats, General

Is your cat messy and no longer using the litter tray? This behaviour can have various causes and in this article we will give you some useful tips. The first thing to do is to take your cat to the vet to rule out possible illness-related causes (cystitis, blockage of the urinary tract, etc.).

It is a myth that cats react uncleanly out of protest.

If your velvet paw refuses to go to the litter tray, there may be various reasons for its behaviour. A puddle on the floor or a major mishap on the carpet is annoying. It’s a myth that cats will mess out of protest. They use their urine to mark their territory in nature and in this way make it known that they are in heat. No cat pees or does its big business just for fun or even in protest within the living space. Please never scold your cat too quickly. There are reasons why your cat is behaving like this. Scolding can trigger additional stress in the cat, which in turn can lead to increased uncleanliness.

 

Possible reasons why the cat is behaving uncleanly:

 

  • Health problems
    Firstly, the vet must rule out possible illness-related causes. A bladder infection or blockage of the urinary tract can lead to unclean behaviour and must be treated as soon as possible.
  • Territory marking
    One reason for the uncleanliness may be that your cat is marking its territory.
    Normally cats only mark their territory in the wild. If other animals enter their territory (home), your cat will see the need to defend its territory. It is not uncommon for strange cats to enter unnoticed through the cat flap and dispute your cat’s living space.
  • Stress
    Cats are creatures of habit and hate any kind of change. Stress can be triggered by moving house, renovations, new furniture or a new flatmate (human or animal). Loud noises such as construction noise or loud music can also be a stress factor. Spend a lot of time with your tiger, give it attention and lots of cuddles to help it relax. More on this soon in Recognising and avoiding stress in cats.
White litter tray in the bathroom - Design - pet.interiors

A quiet place for the litter tray is important.

Cat toilet

There are several reasons why the litter tray can lead to uncleanliness.

  • Lack of cleanliness can be one reason why the cat reacts uncleanly. To prevent the litter tray from smelling unpleasant, it should be cleaned daily. Your velvet paw’s nose will also be pleased with a weekly deep clean.
  • The wrong cat litter is being used. The choice of cat litter is huge and the pet market offers a wide range of varieties. I will take up this topic in one of my next posts.
  • The litter tray is too small. The cat has grown or become older and now has too little space to move around in. Some cats don’t like closed toilets. Offer it an additional open toilet (bowl).
  • It is too restless on the toilet. Your cat loves to be left alone when you defecate. Children playing, other pets, a spinning washing machine, draughts or frightening objects, such as a hoover, can disturb the toilet and make the cat react uncleanly.
  • The cat has to share the toilet with others. In principle, there should be one more toilet in the household than there are cats. Cats are very reluctant to share their toilet with other animals.
  • The location of the toilet is unsuitable. If the toilet is next to the food, the cat will be reluctant to use the toilet. Draughts, loud noises or frightening objects also make cats reluctant to defecate in the toilet.

Here you will find tips for the right litter tray.

If the cat is healthy and all disturbing factors have been eliminated, the cat’s uncleanliness should be a thing of the past.

 

White litter tray in the bathroom - Design - pet.interiors

Once all disruptive factors have been removed, the cat will use the toilet again.

A very warm welcome

A very warm welcome

by | Feb 17, 2024 | , , , ,

Felt cat caves with latex cushionsI am delighted that you have found our blog here. In future, everything here will revolve around dogs, cats and the people that go with them. We will be discussing all topics relating to our 4-legged friends. I'm looking forward to...

What is the best cat litter?

Mar 11, 2024 | Cats, General

The choice of cat litter is huge. Mineral cat litter, silica litter, litter made from plant fibres, fine or coarse-grained, with or without fragrance, recyclable and the list goes on. The best cat litter is always the one that is accepted by your cat without reservation. The most expensive cat litter is useless if the cat becomes unclean and no longer uses the litter tray.

It’s not easy to make the right choice, so I’ve put together a short overview of all the important facts here. Thank goodness our Gisela is quite uncomplicated. First of all, we gave her a mineral cat litter, which worked immediately. It clumps very well and the litter very rarely needs to be changed completely. We made sure that it was unscented. Perfume additives can be perceived as pleasant by us human noses, but whether the cat sees it that way is questionable.

Poopoopeedo | Design-Cat-Toilet | pet.interiors

Poopoopeedo is a large, practical and beautiful litter tray.

The mineral cat litter is very popular as a classic clumping litter. The litter is available in different grain sizes, different compositions and with or without fragrances. The urine is well bound (liquid and odour) and the clumps can be easily removed from the litter tray. The mineral litter is very economical and lasts a long time, as only the clumps need to be removed from the toilet. It is therefore also quite inexpensive to buy. Anyone who has to do the shopping on foot or by bike will find the heavy weight of the litter a major disadvantage. It is also not the most environmentally friendly option. Mineral litter is not biodegradable and its clay components are extracted in open-cast mines. Pouring the litter into the toilet also creates a lot of dust, which can be harmful to health.

Compared to mineral cat litter, silica litter is much lighter. This is an advantage when buying, as the light crumbs tend to stick to the cat’s paws and spread around the home, which is a disadvantage.
Unpleasant odours bind quite well without the addition of fragrances. Another advantage is that the silicate litter creates less dust when the toilet is filled.
Unfortunately, the silicate litter does not clump, but the litter absorbs the cat’s urine, the heavier pellets settle at the bottom of the toilet and remain there until the entire litter is replaced. The silicate litter is also noisy when buried. If you are a light sleeper, this can be a problem at night in small flats. Another disadvantage is the higher price.

There are many different versions, from wood or plant fibres to corn kernels and paper litter. The advantages are all pretty much the same. They clump well, making the litter tray easy to clean. Even without fragrances, they absorb odours well, are light in weight and do not create dust. They are made from renewable raw materials and can be disposed of in the organic waste bin. Here too, the disadvantage is that the lighter weight means that the litter will be spread around the home by the cat’s paws. In addition, litter made from recycled paper may contain glue or printing ink and chemical additives.

How can I avoid cat litter crumbling?

Whether and how much cat litter is scrapped out of the toilet can have many causes:

  • Check the fill level in the litter tray. Too little litter can be the cause, as can too much litter.
  • A litter tray mat can catch a lot of litter.
  • If the cat has diarrhoea or a bladder infection, this can lead to excessive scratching when going to the toilet.
  • A large litter tray with a bonnet keeps the litter inside
  • The cat litter is too light, perhaps a change of litter will help

However, please do not experiment too much and too hectically one after the other. Cats are creatures of habit and need time to get used to new things.

You can find more information on choosing the right litter tray here.

Tips if your cat reacts uncleanly.
A very warm welcome

A very warm welcome

by | Feb 17, 2024 | , , , ,

Felt cat caves with latex cushionsI am delighted that you have found our blog here. In future, everything here will revolve around dogs, cats and the people that go with them. We will be discussing all topics relating to our 4-legged friends. I'm looking forward to...

What does the cat’s hump mean?

Mar 11, 2024 | Cats, General

Pet cat hump - Design - pet.interiors

The cat hump is used to stretch extensively after a nap.

Cats communicate in their very own way and the cat hump is part of their body language. What is our cat trying to tell us? To be able to interpret the cat hump correctly, it is important to pay attention to the cat’s overall posture. Are their ears and hair erect or laid back? Is the cat moving or is it standing stock-still? We have observed the cat’s hump together with the rest of its body language and here are our findings.

 

This nap was good for you
After a relaxing nap, the cat likes to stretch and hunch over. The legs are stretched thoroughly and a long stretch brings them back to reality from the realm of dreams.

 

Leave me alone
If the cat is afraid or feels threatened, it reacts immediately with its cat hump and uses this as a magnifying trick. The enemy should immediately recognise that it has an opponent ready to fight. If the hair is raised and properly fluffed up, the ears laid back, the claws extended and the legs stretched out, the cat’s hump is a single threatening gesture. If it then runs sideways to make itself look even bigger, there is only one correct reaction to its behaviour: To leave the cat alone at all costs. If the cat encounters a dog in this way, it is smarter to confront the dog than to trigger the dog’s hunting instinct by fleeing.

 

I am ready to mate
Cats that are ready to mate combine the cat hump with a steeply raised tail and a wiggling rump. They release small amounts of scent to mark their territory. The young male cat supplements this behaviour with howling to signal his willingness to mate to the female cats in the vicinity.

 

I have pain
A cat’s hump can also have health reasons. If you notice a continuous hump in your cat or tomcat for several days, there may be health reasons for this. Perhaps your tiger has been injured in a fight, has an inflammation or a deformation of the spine, as is also the case in humans. If you notice any of these signs, please consult a vet straight away.

 

Play with me
Does your kitten do a few funny jumps combined with running sideways and a cat hump? If there are no threatening gestures such as extending its claws, raising its hair and hissing, it is an invitation to play.

 

More cuddles please
Does your cat hump you when you stroke it?
Then it wants more attention and enjoys being cuddled. It strokes your legs with its hump, purrs and nudges your hand to signal that it wants more and is happy.

 

There are many variants of the cat hump and only one of them is really a threat. The different types are easy to interpret and, with a little practice, easy to decipher.

A very warm welcome

A very warm welcome

by | Feb 17, 2024 | , , , ,

Felt cat caves with latex cushionsI am delighted that you have found our blog here. In future, everything here will revolve around dogs, cats and the people that go with them. We will be discussing all topics relating to our 4-legged friends. I'm looking forward to...