Holidaying with Pets

Publication: Bangalore Mirror;Date: Mar 25, 2014;Section: City;Page: 4

Summer holidays are round the corner. And loads of vacation plans in the anvil. Have you considered taking your furry friend along? A vacation with your pet is always a lot more fun. Dogs really know how to switch on the ‘party meter’. And nowadays, there are many places that open their doors to pets. But first, you need to prep. The foremost consideration should be how are you going to get your pet to the holiday destination — by air, rail or road? It is best to avoid flying your pet — can be dangerous; train is a better option if you book an AC coupe, but you will have to be at the station hours in advance to ensure no one puts a spanner in the works. On the other hand a road trip by car can be hassle free, flexible, safe and easy on your dog. 

    Some dogs are prone to car sickness. So it would be a good idea to introduce your dog to the car well before the vacation. Start with really small steps: Get in the car; get out. Get in, turn the engine on, get out. Get in, turn engine on, drive five feet forward and backwards, get out. 

If progress feels small, don’t despair. You can take a drive around the block. Drive up to the department store and back. And soon, you are ready for that road trip. 

    Next, get your dog’s health check-up done. Get your vet to help you put together a need-based, terrain/destination-based first-aid kit for your dog. Don’t forget basics in your kit like NS solution, tweezers etc. 

WHAT TO PACK

    Extra blankets — you don’t want the hotel linen to be covered in dog paw prints or fur. 

    Dog bed — some places allow dogs in the open dining areas. Put out dog bed or just a bed sheet beside your table. It helps your dog relax beside you while you have your noses buried in a board game or in an animated vacation conversation 

    Dry food — dog-friendly resorts will often oblige and give food to dogs. But it might not meet your standard, or your dog might have special diet needs, so it is best to carry some dry food. 

    Doggy-shoulder bag — should contain the first-aid kit, a small water bowl, water bottle, some wet wipes and super absorbent micro-fibre towels available in pet shops. If you deicide to go trekking or exploring, take this bag with you. 

    Change of harness and leash — comes in handy when the dog decides to roll/jump into muck and gets all wet. 

    Poop scoop — Don’t let other guests cringe at the sight of your dog pooping. After all, they are on vacation too. 

    Don’t forget to call the resort/home stay and let them know you are bringing dogs. If there are other guests there with dogs, you may want to reconsider this venue and look for a different one. And lastly, set an appointment with a grooming salon as soon as you return to get all the muck off your dog, before you bring them all into the house. 

    Be a responsible traveller, not leaving behind signs of your pets having been there, so that the resort keeps their doors open to the rest of us who want to vacation with our pets. Have a good summer vacation! The writer is a 

Thinking of being a pet parent? Be prepared!

Publication: Bangalore Mirror; Date: Mar 11, 2014; Section: City; Page:4

When adding a new dog to your family, a big part of the plan has to be to give space and time to the dog. While some dogs may take it all in their stride, others might take time. If your new dog is stressed, it will show through a host of symptoms— indigestion, lack of appetite and/or enthusiasm. Don't be surprised if your new dog is having trouble trusting you. When Tigger, our second dog, entered our lives, she refused to enter the house for two days, not even to sleep at night. Today she cuddles on my lap. All they need of you is understanding and patience.

Your plan for the first few days may vary based on the age of the dog and his little quirks. A puppy may need to be fed four times a day. A dog or pup with no toilet training may need 24x7 supervision for a week or so. The dog may need to be taught to be home alone, starting with a few minutes at a time. Accordingly you will need to plan to have someone at home at all times. In our case, we saved our annual leave, so we could take turns to be with our new dog.

Apart from all the time planning, there is the budget planning. Visit a good pet store to get an idea of how

much different pet products cost. Factor in pet food, toys, treats, shampoos, conditioners, towels and other grooming products. Buy few products like age-appropriate foods, few toys of different textures and sizes, a good absorbent towel, a couple of chews and treats, at least two non-slip bowls for water and food, and a good coat-friendly brush. Don't forget to pick up poop bags. Responsible pet-parents clean up after their pets.

Find a vet closest to your home (you might have to meet a couple of vets to find one that you are comfortable with), and while you are at it, also find out the consultation cost. Talk to the vet about the dog you are getting and ask about the kind of care he/she will need. Put your vet’s number on speed dial. You might want a behaviourist, family coach, trainer, dog walker and/or a groomer too. Factor all that into your budget as well.

Back home, plan your boundaries. Keep them simple and clear. Where can the dog go. What's not OK? Where does the dog sleep, eat, poop, pee etc. Is sofa, bed, kitchen off limits or not.... These are all questions to which there are no right or wrong answers. It depends on your household. But it's important that there is consensus and consistency.

When we got our first dog Nishi home, it was turbulent to say the least. We had given up our vacation, worked odd hours, killed our social lives, had constant fights about rules and so on.But the love she brought into my life is indescribable. That's why I call it pet parenting and not pet ownership.

Bite Inhibition

This article was published in Bangalore Mirror; Date: Mar 4, 2014; Section: City; Page: 4;

What's the big deal about opposable thumbs? Try not using them for an hour and you'll know. So how do our canine companions manage without them? They use their mouth; they have tremendous control too over how they use it. If they want to, they can pick up a piece of fresh paneer without crumbling it. So why do they bite?

When kids play with each other there’s a lot of hitting, scratching and wrestling. And sometimes when the rough play gets out of hand and one kid starts crying — play stops. The kid who hit too hard slowly learns about ‘boundaries’. It is the same with pups; they teach each other when a bite is too painful. Unfortunately we separate puppies from their litter before they have had the opportunity to learn these valuable lessons. So, a dog not meaning to cause any harm, can still bite just because he never learned when to stop. He has not developed bite inhibition.

Can we teach our dogs what he would have learnt from his mommy and siblings? Absolutely! That's the beauty of our relationship with this species. They are receptive to our inputs on the rules of engagement. But it's incumbent on us to draw the boundaries early, clearly and consistently.

Where you draw the boundary is clearly up to you. Some may tolerate a little nibbling. Some may like rough play. Others may be totally averse to any teeth contact. Define your boundary the day you get your dog. Remember that the boundary you set for your tiny pup will be the same your massive grown dog will abide by. Once your boundary is defined, enforcing is easy. When your dog bites too hard, stop play! None of the, “Oh, he's so little and cute. That does not hurt," attitude here. Every bite is an opportunity to teach manners and every opportunity lost makes unlearning harder.

To give some dramatic effect to the end-of-play message, you could let out a high pitched yelp when the dog’s teeth makes contact with your skin. This draws the attention of the dog to his own action. Subsequently, walking away builds the cause and effect relationship — between biting and end-of-play.

One thing to keep in mind is that dogs chew when they are teething or under stress. It's a stress buster. So after a 30 second time out, it's a good idea to give the dog something exciting to chew on. Like frozen carrots, raw chicken feet, raw bones, unsalted dried fish, raw hide chews that are commercially available or just a coconut with husk. But do not resume play and do not reward immediately with something to chew on. That way, chewing on your extremities is not misconstrued to be a way of asking for chew toys.

As long as everyone in your household are on board with these boundaries and enforcement starts with the first little nibble, you should see the habit disappear in about three weeks. So here's to a toothless week.