Is it Separation Anxiety or Boredom?

Most destructive behavior is usually caused by boredom but it could also be a result of separation anxiety. Dogs and cats can both have behavioral problems due to boredom and they can both also be affected by separation anxiety. However separation anxiety is far more common in dogs than in cats. Dogs are pack animals and they love their people and think of their humans as members of the pack.

Bored dogs will get into the trash, destroy furniture, and get into cabinets or food to entertain themselves while you are gone. Dogs with separation anxiety can range from lazing around miserably while you are gone and acting like they haven't seen you in a year when you come home to chewing through wire crates, jumping through windows, eating drywall, and destroying doors in an attempt to get out and find you.

If your dog is bored that means that he needs more physical and mental stimulation. This means more walks, more time to run and play, and spending some time on basic obedience training. You should also leave some dog safe bones (Nylabone) and food game toys (Kong with some peanut butter and kibble works great). These things will also help dogs with separation anxiety but you will need to do some other things to help them get over their anxiety as well.

Start with one minute.
Give your dog a treat and then leave the room closing the door behind you. Come back in one minute and gradually increase the time until your dog can handle being left alone for an hour in another part of the house. The treat is important - the dog will associate you leaving with the yummy treat which will make your leaving seem like a good thing.

Now that your dog is comfortable being left alone in another part of the house it's time to take it up a notch. Step out of the house for a minute. Step out for just a few minutes and come back. After about a dozen or so of those your dog should be pretty comfortable with you coming and going.

Don't make a big fuss about leaving the house just give the treat, calmly say goodbye, and leave. Don't make a big deal out of coming home either you need to show your dog that it's ok when you come and go.

Make your dog more comfortable.
Leave a light on at night and turn on the TV when you are gone. This way your dog isn't constantly listening for your return and they can hear some familiar sounds.

Be Wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!

Preventing Bloat

Bloat and Torsion are potentially fatal conditions that can affect both dogs and cats. Bloat is a condition that occurs when an animal's stomach gets overfilled with food, water, or air. Bloat usually leads to torsion, which is the twisting of the stomach. The only way to correct the problem is with surgery and time is crucial. The signs of bloat include drooling, a bloated (enlarged) abdomen, non-productive vomiting (dry heaves), pacing, and shock. The signs of bloat usually occur within a few hours after eating a meal or after too much water is consumed at once. An animal with bloat and/or torsion must receive emergency treatment for shock and surgery to reposition the stomach. Nothing can kill an otherwise healthy animal as quickly as bloat.

To prevent bloat, watch and regulate your pet's food and water intake. Make sure that after exercise or after coming in from the heat, that your pet doesn't drink too fast. If your pet likes to eat too fast you can use food distributing games. These will both entertain your pet and ensure that they eat slower.

Be Wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!

Jumping Dog?

So your dog is super excited to see you and he just needs to jump up on you or your company. It's rude and sometimes those dog nails hurt! Fortunately, there are ways to correct this behavior. Here's what you can do to get him off and put him in the habit of sitting down to greet people.

First off, whenever he jumps on you turn around with your back to him. Never start petting a dog that has his feet on you. This will only encourage him to jump up. He wants to see you, so he will come around in front of you again. This is when you should put your dog into a sit, and start petting him. If he jumps up again, start over. You have to show your dog that jumping up does not get your attention. He needs to know that sitting for you as a greet is what pays, so when he is sitting, it is time to pour on the love, or even give him a tasty treat. Your timing is important, so once his butt is on the floor - reward.

You’re going to tell any company that you have the same thing. But realize that it's really hard for dog lovers to resist playing with dogs that clearly want to play with them. So the trick is to keep a clicker and a bag of treats by the front door.  When they first come in, tell them to turn their back toward the dog if he jumps up, and to use the sit command.  You can hand them the treats and the clicker, so they can reward the dog when the moment is right.  The important lesson here is to stop rewarding a misbehaving dog by petting him while he is jumping up.

Remember that training has to be fun, so keep your training sessions short - about 5 minutes long. 

Be Wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:


Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!

Does Your Dog Get Rawhide Chew Toys?

If your dog has any kind of dietary issues, allergies, or diarrhea issues, then he really shouldn't be given rawhide chews. Most dogs can digest them, but if your dog has any issues, he'll be better off without them. These rawhide chew toys can also have bacteria that can make your dog sick.

The biggest problem with rawhides is that they are a choking hazard. If your dog bites off a large piece and it gets stuck, he could choke.  Even if he doesn't choke on it, the rawhide could get stuck in his intestines and then he needs surgery.

Rawhides are not a dog safe toy - pitch 'em. It's not worth the risk to your beloved dog. Give him a nice nylabone. You can scuff it up and smear a little peanut butter or some other yummy stuff on it to help get him started.  If he seems bored, or really wants to chew, you can make him work for his food with a kong or some other feeding toy.

Be Wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!

Happy Caturday!

Every Saturday the internet gets taken over by cats.  Saturday is the most popular day for people to post pictures of their cats to the internet. So why not us?  Bewaggle celebrates Caturday!

Abyssinian Cat By John Morton

Today we are going to start with the Abyssinian. There is a lot of controversy concerning the origin of the Abyssinian. The breed was developed in England. The first Abyssinian to come to England was from Ethiopia formerly known as Abyssinia. However, this breed most likely originated in Egypt.

These cats are energetic, playful, and love to be around people, however, they are not lap cats. They love to know what you are up to. They like to be helpers and are said to be very loyal and very intelligent.

Energetic cats need to get plenty of exercise or they can develop behavioral problems. You can use feather toys, balls, lazer pointers (avoid shining the light in their eyes), or even take your cat for a walk.

I would now like to direct you to catsinsinks.com  - my fellow cat lovers - enjoy :)

Be Wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!

What to do for Your Pets in Case of a Hurricane

Hurricane season is June 1st - November 30th!

You should stock up on gallons of water, keep your gas tank full, and have an evacuation plan. The best thing to do is to take your pets with you. So you will need to keep your pets' needs in mind. Make sure you have their food, bowls, medications, grooming tools, and some of their toys (help with the stress). You should prepare a pet travel bag (today) that should include travel bowls, a couple toys, a bag of food, grooming tools, and anything else you think you might need. Medications can be stored with your medications or in the travel bag. Keep everything you will need organized so that you don't forget anything important and so that you aren't stumbling around trying to find stuff. If you can't take your pets with you then find someone that can take care of them. If you think you have no choice but to leave them at home contact the ASPCA or a local shelter/rescue group - they might be able help you figure something out and they will give you some good advice.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit courtesy of ready.gov and FEMA

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

Be Wise... Bewaggle!


About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!

Summer is Coming - Be Wise... Beware

Summer is coming and all pet owners need to prepare and become aware of the dangers that summertime brings. The summer heat can be fatal to our beloved pets and hurricane season officially starts June 1st. Here are some things to watch out for to keep your pets safe this summer.

Leaving Pets Outside

Your pets should never be left outside unattended especially not when it gets hot out there. If you have to leave your dog outside on his own for an hour or more you need to make sure that he is safe. Make sure your dog is secure in your yard. Please don't use a chain - it will get very hot in the summer sun. Your dog's skin is sensitive too ya know. Your dog must have access to shade or a doghouse or some other form of shelter. You will also need to leave plenty of fresh clean water.

The Same Rules Apply to Your Cats 

To be honest all pet cats should be indoor cats for many reasons  - including their safety. You can let them out if they can be safely contained in your yard or if you have a catwalk or catio. In the summer you need to make sure that they can still get to shade and water or come inside.

A Note About Car Safety

We have a chart here showing what the temperature is outside and what it would then be in your car. Here in Florida the best parking is not the spots closest to the door - it's the ones that have shade. Shade makes a difference but even in the shade it still gets incredibly hot in the car. If you have to leave try to park in the shade and roll the windows down and make it quick.Even when you park in the shade and roll the windows down it is still going to be really hot. It's still hot outside and your car is still baking in that heat. You can leave for a few minutes but half an hour is too long. Rule of thumb: if you think it might take you close to 15 minutes take your dog home first. Life happens and things take longer than we anticipate too often. Too many dogs die in hot cars every year and this is easily prevented. Bottom line you can't leave a living thing alone in your car for a long period of time unless you leave the a/c on.

Keep an eye out for the next post in the next few days. It will be about what to do for your pets in case of a hurricane.

Be Wise... Bewaggle!


About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!