Dog Pheromone Diffusers and Collars - Helping To Calm Your Dog

In mammals, all lactating females release substances called pheromones, within three to five days after giving birth. The purpose of which is to reassure their newborns. The mother creates pheromones that give their puppies a feeling of well-being and reassurance. Research has shown that the reassuring properties persist, even into adulthood. The diffusers contain an artificial version of this pheromone, which has been developed by vets known as appeasing pheromones. It works by the pheromones being picked up and detected by an animal's sense of smell producing certain responses. It helps to control or prevent fear related reactions in puppies and adult dogs. It is a natural, convenient and unique solution to canine stress. The various dog pheromone products on the market all claim to help comfort and reassure puppies and adult dogs in difficult situations, and prevent or reduce stress-related behaviour. These include destructiveness, vocalisation and house soiling brought on by nervousness or anxiousness.

So when is it appropriate to use pheromone diffusers?

Bringing a new puppy or adult dog home. Puppies between one to four months are at their most sensitive and of course are coming home to a whole new life and family. Being separated from their mother and siblings will be very stressful for them. An adult dog will benefit from a pheromone diffuser too. If you are rehoming a rescue dog then this will aid them in relaxing into their new life.

Travelling. The pheromone dog collar can really help with motion sickness as well as giving reassurance to the dog if the journey is a long one. Also take it with you in spray form so that you can use it in the car. It can be sprayed directly on to their bedding, inside dog baskets, indoor kennels, or in the car. However never spray directly on a dog or near a dogs face. It is not a scent that humans can detect or be affected by so is safe to use.

Vets. For a dog, going to the dreaded vets is no different to you having a dentist appointment. Putting the collar on them the day before and during the visit to the vet is ideal this should help calm them down. Alternatively put the diffuser on the day before and during the previous evening to help soothe your dog before their trip to the vets.

Older dogs As your dog gets older and their agility and health is not what it was using a pheromone product may bring them reassurance. They may suffer from arthritis or other physical ailments that stress them out so why not give them a bit of extra comfort whilst they are dealing with pain.

Fireworks. A definite must on Bonfire Night and New Years Eve. The noise for a dog is extremely frightening. They have no idea where the noise is coming from and why it's happening. It's strongly advised to use a plug in the month before and during the firework season. Most diffusers last for about 30 days. You could also combine the diffuser with a C.D for dogs - Fireworks & Noises Desensitisation.

Separation anxiety. You may find this can help your pet when you're going on holiday or if they are going into kennels. I know of a dog that was extremely stressed when the child of the household went to a two week camp in the summer school break. The dog responded very well to the diffuser and they continued to use it whenever the dog was parted from his favourite member of the family.

Pheromone diffusers are species-specific, as it is a chemical version of what the lactating mother produces. So the dog version won't effect your cat and vice-versa.

Pet Shop Promenade - Cat Toy, Dog Toy, Dog Collar, Cat basket -

Pet Shop Promenade - Cat Toy, Dog Toy, Dog Collar, Cat basket -

Can Fleas Survive On Your Pet In Winter?

As a pet owner, I thought I knew pretty much everything when it came to cats and dogs.Having flea problems in the summer was something I was used to dealing with. Flea treatment prevention in the spring and extra grooming in the summer months helped to keep the little blood suckers off my beloved pets. However, I didn't anticipate a flea breakout in the winter. This particular winter in my London home was freezing with a long spell of snow ahead, so naturally the central heating was on full blast! I had never had a flea infestation in the colder months so I was a bit confused as to how they had survived and what they were living on? I found out they usually they lie dormant in winter but with the central heating on these little pests came back to life with a vengeance. To combat fleas during the winter season, it is vital to treat both the pet and their environment, because fleas live a large part of their life cycle off of the pet and in the environment (house, bed, garden etc). Fleas need warm and humid temperatures to survive. The inside of your house provides a warm environment to allow fleas to live all year round regardless of seasons. I didn't have carpet, floorboards only, so I thought that apart from my pets bedding etc I had cleaned everything at the end of that summer and all would be fine. WRONG!

Your first step is getting down and dirty with the vacuum cleaner. Carpet and floorboards are a great place for the eggs and larvae to hide as they can easily survive in the cracks and crevices. Then, when you or your pet walks by, they latch on. Have you ever noticed when you have a flea infestation, that you have bite marks around your ankles more than anywhere else. That's because of the flea problem in your floor corners and cracks. Fleas will bite you once and then fall off as they can't live on humans, but will happily feed off your pet forever.

Those little sneaky places your pet likes to hide in, under the bed, a cosy corner, in a secret cupboard are all breeding places for fleas. Not only do you have to hoover and treat the floor in your home you have to hoover and treat your mattress and bedding. Fleas are known to come to the surface when they feel the vibrations from a vacuum cleaner, then straight after, you hit them with the flea household spray treatment. Keep your pets out of the rooms as you individually treat them and close the door for as long as you can. House flea spray is not to be used anywhere near an animal, spot on treatments for them will do the trick. Hoovering will also collect the eggs, so you'll be starting to break the cycle. Regardless of whether you allow your pet on your bed or not it is advisable to spray both sides of the mattress as soon as it has been hovered. Throw away all of your pets toys, beds and play stands. Harsh, I know but they'll soon be just as attached to the new toys you buy them as they were to the old flea ridden ones. Make no mistake, fleas and flea eggs are made of hard stuff. They will survive and survive, so be ruthless.

Breaking the flea cycle will only happen if you treat your pets on the same day that you treat the home. 80 - 90% of fleas and eggs are not on your pet but lying dormant in your carpet, furniture and bedding. Eggs become larvae, larvae become pupae so the more of the pupae you vacuum up the better. The pupae stage is them developing into adult fleas and the cocoon surrounding the developing flea is water tight and immune to insecticides. So vacuum up as much as you possibly can before spraying. Be vicious about it, they will multiply and come back again and again. When you start spraying make sure you get into all the tiny cracks and gaps as well as all of your furniture, curtains and rugs. Also get rid of the hoover bag when you have finished. Yes the little pests will happily survive in the warm vacuum sack.

Now even in winter I thoroughly groom my pets and keep flea treatments to hand at all times. After I had vigorously tackled my home and pets I had only one further very mild problem, which has since never returned. The key is to break the cycle and the only way is to treat your house and pets at the same time, thoroughly!