Island Trees Veterinary Hospital

How to Deal With Pet Behavioral Problems

Dogs, as many pet owners know, can be very unpredictable animals.  They can begin to misbehave without any obvious reason, resulting in the destruction of furniture, aggressive tendencies, or other inappropriate behaviors.  If your dog has recently started acting out, read through the following tips for help. For more help preventing and controlling his or her problem behaviors, contact your local animal hospital. 

Identify the trigger. 

• Although the cause of your pet’s bad behavior may not appear to be obvious, there is almost always a trigger that leads to his misbehaving.  Have you recently changed your routine dramatically?  Are you away from home for long periods, or is the dog not getting enough stimulation?  Evaluate your situation for things the dog may be lacking and be sure that you are providing everything he needs, from a nutritious diet to regular exercise and social interaction. 

Focus on routine. 

• If the cause of your pet’s behavior is not immediately obvious to you, focus on following a strict routine.  Consistency, supervision, and structure are extremely helpful in the training and maintenance of good behavior.  Without structure and discipline, your pet may not be aware of what is proper and what is not.

Get more exercise. 

• Oftentimes, pets act out because they are not getting enough stimulation and exercise.  Make a conscious effort to fit physical activity into your and your pet’s daily routine—it will keep you both happier and healthier.

Ask your veterinarian. 

• If your efforts to control your dog’s behavior are unsuccessful, or if bad behavior leads to health issues, consider asking your veterinarian for advice.

If your pet is misbehaving, consult the experts at Island Trees Veterinary Hospital by calling (888) 485-8953.  Island Trees is an animal hospital dedicated to providing Hicksville and the surrounding communities with the highest possible quality of veterinary care.  Contact us today to learn more about our experienced staff and veterinarians near Levittown.

Learning How to Crate Train? Check These Guides for Help!

Are you looking to crate train your new puppy? Or want to make sure that you protect your pet from harsh winter dangers? We've written a few articles to help you at both of those things. If you would like to learn more, check out our list of resources below. If you still have questions or need a Hicksville animal hospital call Island Trees Veterinary Clinic at (888) 485-8953:

• PetMD has an extensive article about antifreeze poisoning and what the symptoms look like.

• The New York Times reported on a pet food recall back in 2007 that took place after a number of cats suffered from renal failure; at least initially, many believed that the pet food had been tainted with antifreeze.

• The Humane Society has some great advice about crate training, including how to crate train older dogs.

• For information about house training an older dog, which is often involves crate training, check out this article from The Sacramento Bee.

• Dogs aren’t the only animals that are crate trained: Read this article about the crate training process for an elephant in Tucson, Arizona.  The same principles apply—just on a larger scale.

Crate Training 101 for Puppies

Crate training your puppy is an important step in his development, but it’s definitely one that needs to be handled with care. Our veterinarian has put together some tips to keep in mind while crate training your dog:

The Crate Is Not a Punishment

• Putting your dog in his crate is not the equivalent of putting a child in a corner for a timeout: A dog’s crate should be his den, not something that he associates with being in trouble.  To avoid these connotations, never put your puppy in the crate when he’s misbehaving and don’t only put him in the crate when you’re out of the room or out of the house.  If he begins to associate being in the crate with being alone, then he will definitely view it as a punishment, whether it’s meant to be or not.

Learn the Nuances of Crying

• If you increase the amount of time your dog spends in his crate and he begins crying, then you’ll know that he’s not ready to spend so much time confined just yet.  However, that doesn’t mean that you should let him out the second you hear a whimper.  Wait until he’s self-soothed and then go get him.  It’s hard to listen to your dog when he’s upset, especially when it’s because you’ve rushed him along too quickly, but if you immediately go to comfort him, then he’ll learn to use whining as a way to get what he wants.  Definitely not a habit you want to encourage!

Understand the Value of Treats

• The best way to get your puppy to associate the crate with comfort and happiness is to teach him to use it through the judicious application of treats.  When you first introduce him to the crate, you should do so by gradually placing treats closer to the door of the crate until your puppy winds up happily eating in the middle of his new den.  Do not shut the door behind him, though!  Build up good associations with the crate by continuing to leave toys and treats inside.

If you’ve just gotten a new puppy, then you’ll be looking for a great new animal hospital.  Fortunately for residents of Levittown and Bethpage, there’s Island Trees Veterinary Hospital.  Island Trees Veterinary Hospital is an excellent animal hospital that’s staffed by caring veterinarians who have a special expertise with dogs.  Your puppy will be in good hands with us.  For more information, call (888) 485-8953 today.

How to Crate Train a Puppy

Crate training a puppy isn’t difficult, provided you know a little bit about the process. In this video, the speaker discusses various methods of crate training a dog and offers some great advice. For example, instead of buying progressively larger crates as your puppy grows, the speaker advises that you buy a full-sized cage and then block off the extra space. This will save on cost and keep your puppy from breaking his housetraining by relieving himself at one end of the crate and then sleeping at the other.

If you’ve just gotten a new dog or puppy, then you should make sure to bring him to the vet for a full checkup. Island Trees Veterinary Clinic is an excellent nearby animal clinic that is staffed by highly qualified veterinarians, near Hicksville and Levittown.  For more information, call us at (888) 485-8953 today.

Tips for Keeping Your Pets Safe and Healthy in the Winter

Winter can be a difficult season for pets, especially if they spend any time outdoors (as most dogs certainly do).  In order to keep your pets safe during the winter, follow these tips:

Always Knock on the Hood of Your Car

• Even if your cat is strictly an indoor kitty, many other cats are not and may be looking for refuge from the cold weather.  The engine of your car has the dual benefits of being both out of the cold and the wind and also retaining residual heat from the last time you drove.  To avoid potential tragedy, make sure to firmly knock on the hood of your car before leaving your driveway.  This will warn any feline guests to vacate the premises.

Keep Your Car in Good Condition

• During the winter, many cars leak antifreeze onto the driveway or into the garage—the latter of which even indoor pets may have access to.  Unfortunately, antifreeze has a flavor that both dogs and cats find pleasant, but it is very deadly to both species.  To prevent a potential health crisis, make sure to have your car serviced regularly, to routinely inspect your car for leaks, and to clean leaks up if you do notice one. 

Check Your Pet’s Paws

• You can solve a lot of winter weather problems for cats simply by keeping them indoors, but dogs need to be walked and so cannot avoid the dangers of the outdoors.  One thing you can do to mitigate the risks of being outdoors is to clean your dog’s feet whenever you return from a walk; do not let him lick them.  Unfortunately, many of the materials used to melt ice on sidewalks are caustic or even toxic to animals, so you should not let your pet ingest them while grooming.  Wash your dog’s feet, and make sure to use pet-friendly ice removers on your own sidewalks and stoops.

If your pet does run into trouble this winter, don’t worry: Island Trees Veterinary Clinic can help.  Island Trees Veterinary Clinic is an excellent animal hospital with great veterinarians.  For more information about our animal hospital near Levittown and Hicksville clinic, call (888) 485-8953 today.