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Do You Know What Your Pet Dreams About?

Terra Booth — Mon, 15 May 2023 23:33:11 +0000

Do dogs or cats dream? Absolutely!! But do you know what they dream about??? There’s that moment where they are soundly sleeping, then you notice a paw twitch…or a strange sound they are making…My Benny has had moments where it actually looks like he’s in some epic chase with the squirrels who always dart up a tree at seemingly the very last moment! It might not be as noticeable with cats…They are masters at hiding emotion…But you can bet there are dreams of mice kebobs going through their heads as well!

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Whiskers cozied up by the fire for a few zzz’s

About Dog and Cat Sleep

Dogs and cats sleep a LOT as any pet owner can attest to! Most cats and dogs sleep on average 12 to 16 hours a day with cats generally sleeping more than dogs. Although I can tell you my Bernese Mountain dogs give my cats a run for the money when it comes to sleep time…You can read more on Bernese Mountain dogs HERE!

But dogs and cats sleep so much for entirely different reasons! With cats, it is largely due to their genetic history of being predators. It takes a lot of energy for those intense bursts to catch that pesky little mouse! Whereas for dogs it can be attributed to rest after play or a walk, or could be out of just plain boredom! It’s also about sorting out all the fun things that happened during the day!

Fawkes the Bernedoodle having a big nap!

REM Sleep – Where the Dream Magic Happens

The first stage in sleep in both humans and our pets is slow wave sleep, or SWS. The dog’s mind is relaxed but they are still ready to jump up at the slightest provocation as their muscles are not yet fully relaxed. And cats may appear to be asleep but they are generally just dozing and also ready to snap in to action!

The next stage of sleep is where that dream magic happens! The rapid eye movement stage, or REM, is where deeper sleep occurs. According to VCA Animal Hospital this happens for your dog after about 20 minutes of sleep. You may notice their eyes moving (hence the name) as their minds are active and your pup may also be making some sort of a noise, chuffing or barking and their legs may be twitching! And this is when you know your dog is immersed in dreamland! I love watching when my dogs are dreaming although by the time I get the camera out they are already done…

However, cats are a bit different from dogs. They don’t tend to enter a deep sleep for as long, perhaps only a matter of minutes! So this could be a reason why you don’t tend to catch your cat mid-dream as often as you do your dog!

Mr. Dior the Sphynx enjoying a warm cuddle and nap

So…What Are These Dog and Cat Dreams About?

It should come as no surprise that your dog or cat dreams about experiences they have had! I’m sure Benson dreams of chasing squirrels…or rolling on the beach…Where Miss Gracie could be dreaming of doing her favorite self-appointed job of being a foot warmer and getting her ears scratched! I would also like to think dogs dream of their owners and all the love and cuddles they get from their humans!

The cats? Besides world domination, they could be dreaming of a nice cuddle (on their terms that is) with their owner. Or maybe about chasing mice or squirrels (ambitious but my Ragdoll stalks squirrels all day long in the summer…although he’s never been brave enough to actually close the deal). Or they could even be dreaming of playing with a great catnip toy!

How is that even comfortable?

Do Cats and Dogs Have Nightmares?

If cats and dogs can dream, then it is fair to say that they can have nightmares as well. You might notice more intense movements, growling or whining or even a potential yelp. You can help your pet have happier dreams by making sure that they have great experiences during their day and avoid unpleasant experiences. No one knows your pet better than you do so be sure to be aware of their likes and dislikes.

Should You Wake Up A Pet During a Dream or Nightmare?

In one word: No. You should try not to wake up your pet if they are deep asleep and mid-dream! Although I know that I don’t have much of an inclination to wake up my pets if they are dreaming because I find it simply adorable to watch.

However, it can be much more tempting to wake up your pet if it looks like they are in distress and immersed in a nightmare. Waking them up can startle them though and put you at risk of injury if your pet wakes with an overreaction (like a bite or a nip).

If you do need to wake up a sleeping pet be sure to do it slowly and calmly.

Purrrrfect place for a nap!

Sweet Dreams!

So I think it’s fair to say that dogs and cats experience dreams much as we do! So be sure to give your pet plenty of cuddles and love and positive experiences to send them off to dreamland happy!

If you like what you are reading be sure to stick around check out more of our posts!

Sweet dreams Minnow!

The post Do You Know What Your Pet Dreams About? first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

Preparing For Disasters When You Own Pets

Terra Booth — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 22:36:00 +0000

As well as being National Dog Responsible Ownership month, September is also National Disaster Preparation month. Do you know what to do with your pets if there is a disaster in your area? Or what to do with them if there is an evacuation? We only have to think back to situations involving fires, floods and hurricanes to see the number of pets that ended up separated from their families, distressed or abandoned.

Nap time!

Identification

I think this is an important first step to prepare for a disaster or emergency. Without proper identification if something happens and you get separated from your pet it could end up being extremely difficult to get them back! All of my pets have microchips with up to date information on it. I also have personalized collars with their names and my phone number on it.

So if you have your pets microchipped you should ensure that you have updated that information. It’s not necessarily something many people think to do if you move or change your phone number! Having a GPS collar for your dogs can also help track them if they do manage to escape.

Pinto! Aka Pinto bean

I keep my dog collars by the front door since I don’t keep them on while we are at home. I am in a constant battle to keep collars on the cats though! And I get the breakaway ones so they can’t get hurt or hung up when they are out and about. But inevitably I seem to need to order a new one about every week…

A Place To Stay

If something happened and you had to leave your home do you know where you would go? I have two LARGE dogs and three cats, so it’s not a simple solution to find someone willing to take all that on! But I do have places that I can go and bring my entire crew with me. It will be a pretty packed car ride! I really should think about getting a bigger one…

Grace being her usual regal self

Hotels may also not accommodate animals so have a list handy of hotels that are pet friendly. And look into the little details since I know a lot of hotels have weight/size restrictions for dogs! The last thing you would want is to arrive somewhere to be told you can’t bring your pets in leaving you scrambling to find a new place.

DON’T leave your pets at home if you are told to evacuate. You don’t know how long you will be away and it’s not safe to leave pets behind at all. And don’t wait until the last minute to leave. You may need to separate your animals or consider boarding them either at a vet or elsewhere for a period of time. I saw videos of dogs being boarded during the fires in BC this summer. Check out the BC SPCAs article on it HERE to see what happened there.

Toshi and Tyler!

Buddy System

In the case of an evacuation while you are not at home, have a plan in place to have a friend or neighbor pick up your pets. If an evacuation is immediate you may not have time to return home to collect them yourself. This could lead to dire conditions for your pet. Left inside without food and water and a potential disaster looming.

Make sure your buddy knows how to get into your house, where to find collars, leashes, food, litter boxes, crates etc. And most importantly some of your pet’s favorite hiding places! My cats are MASTERS of hiding but I know their usual spots! It may involve tossing a mattress or two off a bed as anyone who read about Whiskers and his vet avoidance tactics can attest! You can read that one HERE.

Don’t mind us Mom, just hanging out!

You can also use your buddy in case of power outages in extreme heat or cold, or just to help out if you get stuck and can’t get back home to care for your pet.

An Emergency Inside The Home

Something like a fire inside your home also needs to be considered. Do you know how to get your animals out of the house quickly and safely? This one really bothers me because I’m not sure what I would do with my big dogs if we couldn’t get out through the main floor. Getting them to the ground from the upstairs level would be physically impossible for me. Unless I can teach them to use a rope ladder…I’d like to see a training video on that!

I have a window cling on my front door that lists all the animals I have in my house and their names. This gives me a little peace of mind in case something happens when I am not at home and lets responders know who’s all in there. My Dad lost one of his Golden Retrievers in a house fire a while back, so I want to do all I can to keep my critters safe.

The fluffy cloud known as Whiskers gracefully lounging on the table

Emergency Kits

An emergency kit is important to have on hand! It can include a pet first aid kit, any medications and of course food and water supplies. Keep this in an easily accessible place and make sure that you keep the food and water fresh. A good rule of thumb is to have up to a week’s supply available but as we saw with the fires out west this year that still wasn’t enough.

Your buddy should also know where to find this in case you need their help! I think a week of food and water for my furry crew would about fill the trunk of my car…But I always have a lot of food on hand and a large camping water jug that I can use!

You going to throw a rock for me or what?!?

Staying Home

For some people, they may choose to ride out a disaster in their home. Have an area of your home designated as a “safe” room and move emergency supplies there as soon as you hear of a disaster. Round everyone up early and have them secured with crates or leashes so that they can’t escape.

The big man Benson himself!

It can be just as scary for your pet to ride out a disaster. By making sure that you have a plan in place you can have some peace of mind. Disasters can and will happen, and we should do the best we can to keep our pets as safe as we can!

Do you have any other tips on being prepared for a disaster? Be sure to leave us a comment below!

The post Preparing For Disasters When You Own Pets first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

Find The Perfect Gift For Pet Dad’s!

Terra Booth — Wed, 19 May 2021 13:34:12 +0000

Father’s Day, birthdays, and holidays all give us an opportunity to spoil our pet Dad’s! And you can find the perfect idea to spoil your pet Dad right here!

The DogFather T-Shirt

The DogFather t-shirt from Amazon is sure to be a hit with any movie loving Dad! I know because my daughter gifted me with a t-shirt with an image of a Bernese Mountain dog on it for my birthday this year, and I wear it all the time!

Coffee Mugs for Dad

I LOVE getting and gifting cute coffee mugs! As a result, I have amassed quite the collection, and every pet parent loves getting these! And my Mom can attest to this…as she has been gifted MANY such mugs over the years and she cherishes each one! Although sometimes she refuses to drink out of them because she is afraid the design might wear with washing or that she might break them…

Picture Frame

Every pet owner loves getting a favorite picture of their pet in a frame! And what I LOVE about this one is that it has a paw imprint kit that comes with it!! So it makes for a great keepsake and becomes a cherished memory after we send our pets to the rainbow bridge. Although with the size of my two bears I’d have to make sure that the frame was big enough for their big mitts!

Dog Selfie Fleece Throw

How fun is this? A happy looking dog never fails to make me smile! And I am forever curled up under a throw and this one has a great vibe to it!

Best Dog Dad Ever Stainless Steel Travel Mug

For the Dad on the go! So whether it’s just for a walk, a drive or to the office travel mugs are a must! And I love mine, but I have this knack for losing them…or the lids…so a travel mug seems to always be on my list!

Novelty Socks

I don’t like to wear socks. Period. So it is only on the coldest days in winter that I will begrudgingly put some on…BUT they can’t be regular socks, they have to be fun! And Colorful! So if you have a dog Dad with an affinity for novelty socks, then these are for you!

Embroidered Baseball Cap

What better way for your Dad to let the world know he’s a proud dog parent than with this embroidered baseball cap!! A Dad can never have too many ball caps I’ve found!! Even I have three or four around the house…

You can also give your pet Dad thoughtful gifts as simple as volunteering to take the dog for a walk…giving the dog a bath…There are countless ways to show your Dad you care this year! So get out there, have fun, and have a Happy Father’s Day!!!

The post Find The Perfect Gift For Pet Dad’s! first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

Free Things to Do For Your Pet Mom For Mother’s Day!

Terra Booth — Sat, 08 May 2021 21:35:05 +0000

I know I am a bit behind the ball on this one being relatively new to the blogging world, but it just came to me that there are free things that you can do for your Pet Mom on Mother’s Day! Even if you do not have children, a pet is family and Pet Mom’s deserve to have a special day too!!!

Give Mom A Break!

Volunteer to take the dogs out for their morning walk and let her sleep in! This is HUGE to me since around 6am every morning, weekends and weekdays, it NEVER fails that Benson starts his snuffling and rousing. If I don’t get up immediately he will crawl in bed with me and put his giant head right on my face until I do! I get up, give them their morning vitamins, fresh food and water for the whole crew (since the cats are usually screaming for food at this point as well!). Then the dogs go out. Then they come back in. And then they go back to sleep and I am WIDE AWAKE.

Clean Up!

The next thing you can do for the Pet Mom in your life is clean up the yard! Grab a handful of plastic bags and pick up any little bombs that might be out in the yard. Give it a good sweep, tidy up, water the plants. I have been dropping not so subtle hints all day to my daughter about this one!

Bath Time

Giving the dogs a bath is another idea that is great! With the size of my beasts, it is a little unfeasible for my eleven year old daughter but a clean and good smelling dog is a wonderful thing to behold! You can add to this with a nice brush after, ears cleaned, you get the idea. And then put a great big bow on the dog for presentation!!

Homemade Coupon Book

You could make a cute little book of coupons to redeem for dog walks in the future! This way, your Pet Mom can cash them in whenever she needs a break or unable to do it! Being a single mom with my dogs means I rarely get a break from them. I love them to pieces but I am never without them! Sometimes it is just nice to get a chance to decompress a bit.

Make Some Dog Treats!

How about making some homemade dog treats and giving them as a gift? Dog treats usually only have a few ingredients that are in most pantries! I have silicone molds, but if you don’t the dogs don’t really care what they look like anyways…Pop them into a glass or jar, throw a ribbon around it if you have any handy and voila! Find some simple recipes on Puppyleaks here!

New Tricks

This one takes a little bit of time, but for next year you could teach your dog or puppy a new trick to show off to your Pet Mom! I was really surprised one day that my daughter had taught my puppy to shake both paws and then presented it to me! It was a really special moment and she was really proud of what she had done! You could even train your dog to present a homemade card, how cute would that be??

Take Charge

Even something as simple as volunteering to let the dogs in and out for the entire day can give a Pet Mom a much needed break! We are STILL working on that whole dog door thing, so I am still getting up and down constantly. Why they can’t go in and out together will forever baffle me!

Get Creative

If you are artsy you could make a drawing or painting of your pet with a cute little poem or caption on it showing how much the relationship between your pet and Pet Mom is! I adore when my daughter does things like this for me, and it ends up being a special keepsake that I will cherish for the rest of my life!

Create a skit or dance with your pet to present to your Pet Mom!! These are always really cute and usually very thoughtful and a great way for your kids to get involved! And I find that kids are always really creative with these kinds of things and they end up being great for the whole family!

These were just a few ideas that I brainstormed after the idea came to me, but I am sure there are more out there! Our Mom’s do so much for us for our entire lives, and this includes all the Pet Mom’s out there! And all it takes is a little creativity to show her how much she means to you!

Do you have any other ideas on free things to do for the Pet Mom in your life? If you do please comment below! Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful and amazing Mom’s out there!!!

The post Free Things to Do For Your Pet Mom For Mother’s Day! first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.