Thursday, January 13, 2022

How Tech Makes Pets’ and Furparents’ Lives Safer

Having a pet at home can be a big responsibility, but it also has its advantages. Pets can sense when we’re feeling down and comfort us, alert us of intruders, or, as a previous post on an Orange County family discusses, even save our lives.

Having said that, however, pet owners understand that safety and health is a two-way street. There are plenty of advanced devices we can use to keep both us and our pets safe, and we’ve listed out a few of those below.

Artificial Intelligence Toys

Anxious pets can end up causing destruction the moment they are left alone. As important as daily life and work are, we have to take into account that our pets don’t know when are we going to come back. Many overly playful pets can end up hurting themselves if no one’s around to watch them.

One way to keep your pets distracted and away from destructive urges is by using automated pet toys. For example, Felik is a smart pet toy that uses a laser to play with your dog or cat while you are away. The impressive thing about it is that it uses a camera and A.I. to identify multiple pets, as well as prevent your pets from stepping into unwanted areas, like broken glass or hazardous materials.

Smart Dog Kennels

It can be pretty stressful for an owner to go for a walk with their dog, only to discover pets aren’t allowed inside a particular business. In most cases, people just leave their dog leashed to a pole or fire hydrant while they do their errands, with both owner and pet worried the whole time.

Smart kennels like DogSpot are a safe and temporary solution for temporary housing for your pets in an emergency. These kennels come with both air conditioning and heating settings, keep your pets safe, and provide owners with a live camera to monitor their behavior.

Remote Controlled Pet Feeders

Treats are a great motivator, and modern feeders with cameras are one way pet owners can keep track of their pets when they’re out of the house. But what happens when feeders offer a treat but the pet is nowhere to be found?

CHZENG’s automatic pet feeder remote controlled system allows you to remotely drive the wheeled device around the house, so you can keep an eye on your furry companion. It also comes with a speaker, allowing you to call them to the feeder if food isn’t temptation enough.

Wearable Safety Devices

Animals aren’t always helpless creatures, and pets can help guide their humans too. Many people living with disabilities, for example, have service or support animals that act offer both support and companionship.

Service animals can work in partnership with other automated devices to help keep both owner and pet healthy and safe. SymptomFind’s guide to safety alert devices mentions wearable devices that can alert both family members and emergency services with the press of a button. There are also pet-appropriate alternatives that can alert first responders of pets and keep both owner and pet safe during medical emergencies.

Pets and their owners have a unique, irreplaceable bond that can’t be replicated. Thankfully, modern technology has opened up new avenues for pets and their owners to have longer, healthier, and happier lives together. If you want to stay safe and connected with your pet, automation and smart home tech is the key to doing it.

The post How Tech Makes Pets’ and Furparents’ Lives Safer appeared first on Smart Home Pets.



source https://www.smarthome-pets.com/blog/how-tech-makes-pets-and-furparents-lives-safer/

Monday, January 3, 2022

7 Things You Need to Know Before Adopting Husky Poodle Mix

Husky-poodle, Poodle-husky, Huskypoo, Huskydoodle, or Siberpoo. Regardless of what you call them if you’re looking for a highly energetic, extremely intelligent dog, then a Husky Poodle mix may be exactly the dog you’re looking for. This is a hybrid mix that mixes a Poodle’s intelligence with the loyal but independent nature of a Siberian Husky.

While these dogs can be terrific best friends, they also can be demanding when they want something, so owners beware! These dogs will bring you the best of the Poodle and the Husky along with a few other relatively desirable traits thrown in for good measure.

This is not a common or well-known hybrid breed, but it certainly can be a challenging one. So, if you find intelligence, abundant energy, and a good challenge appealing, a Husky Poodle certainly merits your consideration. Here are seven things you should know before adopting.

Husky

General Overview of a Husky Poodle Mix

  • Breed: Hybrid of Siberian Husky with a Poodle
  • Weight: 45 to 60 lbs.
  • Height: 13 to 22 inches
  • Personality: Active, audacious, smart, stubborn, and a bit temperamental
  • Fur: Hypoallergenic, single or double coat, shed

This hybrid breed matches a working dog, the Siberian Husky, with a non-sporting companion breed, the Poodle. It was originally bred to offer a Hypoallergenic breed alternative to allergy sufferers, ideally with the Husky’s personality and a Poodle’s fur coat, although there are no guarantees. When dealing with this hybrid, it’s a roll of the genetic dice.

1. The Husky-Poodle Appearance

When considering appearance, it truly can be like playing the lottery. You may have a puppy that looks like a poodle but with Husky coloring or vice-versa. The tail can be straight or feature the Husky curl and eye color may turn out brown, black, or icy blue. 

Both males and females will fall into the 13 to 22-inch range in size and the form of legs will depend on the luck of the draw. They can be muscular if large dogs, or delicate and stumpy if smaller. Larger examples that surpass 18 inches will likely be heavier in weight.

These dogs can come in a solid coat color or a mixture of two or three colors typically gray, black, or brown. Fur coats can feature a double coat and look thick and shaggy, or a single long coat that can be shaped and groomed.

2. Personality

A Husky-Poodle mix screams “Pay attention to me”, and you can’t ignore them, or they’ll reward you by chewing anything within reach and being generally destructive. You’ll need to play a lot as boredom can have unhappy consequences. Both poodles and huskies tend to be loud, and the characteristic Husky howl may end up in the genetic package.

While your Husky-Poodle may love you, they won’t necessarily warm up to strangers and tend to be suspicious. As high-energy dogs, they are great for families, although with young children, care should be taken.

3. Exercise Needs

Running, tumbling, and lots of outdoor play are optimal for this mix. You will need to dedicate at least an hour or more, and they should be walked daily.

4. Grooming Needs

Grooming needs will be determined by the kind of coat your dog inherits. Should your pup develop a double coat, plan on brushing every day and prepare yourself for shedding. A trip to the groomer every four to six months will keep them looking their best. Nails will wear down naturally, but should they curl, a clip is in order.

5. Dietary Needs

Dietary needs will initially depend on their size and as they mature on their activity level and age. They will need to be fed approximately a cup of kibble twice a day. If your dog is quite large, a third cup may be on the menu. Food intolerances can be common with this hybrid, but your veterinarian will be able to assist you.

6. Potential Health Problems

Food allergies and sensibilities that cause itching and sneezing, vomiting, and diarrhea are not uncommon. Both Poodles and Huskies are susceptible to hip dysplasia that can lead to lameness with age.

7. Training

Patience is the key to success when educating a Husky Poodle mix. They learn quickly due to their exceptional intelligence, but on days when they don’t feel like training, try games to conquer any attention deficit. You can also brush up on your knowledge with Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution which comes highly recommended. 

A Final Thought

These are demanding dogs that will require all of your energy, and most of your time. They crave attention and need stimulation. If you’re up to the challenge, you couldn’t ask for a better partner in crime.

The post 7 Things You Need to Know Before Adopting Husky Poodle Mix appeared first on Smart Home Pets.



source https://www.smarthome-pets.com/blog/7-things-you-need-to-know-before-adopting-husky-poodle-mix/

3 Tips for Caring for a Pet in Your Golden Years

Pets are great companions for people of all ages, but senior citizens who live alone may benefit the most from having a pet. Unfortun...