INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Man’s best friend? Petting a dog and gazing into their eyes releases oxytocin (i.e the “love hormone”) not only for you, but for them as well.
Possum poo aside, pets (especially Queenie) are a joy but can be troublesome when you’re trying to keep your clothes, shoes or pyjamas nice. This week some experts offer tips on protection and repair.
Implement good management
Although it may seem obvious, keeping dogs or cats out of certain spaces and remembering to carefully put shoes and bags out of reach in closed cupboards is the most straightforward way to prevent your things from being damaged or soiled by a pet.
The designer Christian Kimber owns a small beagle cross poodle called Ralph. To prevent Ralph’s hair from getting on his clothes he keeps him out of certain rooms of the house and off any furniture he, or his wife, Ren, might sit on. Kimber says: “We Scotchguard the rug and the couch too, which prevents dirt from sticking, particularly if his paws are damp for any reason.”Many dogs have a condition nicknamed “Frito Feet,” in which their feet smell little bit like corn chips. As Matt Soniak wrote in a Big Question on this site, this has to do with the kind of bacteria found on a pup’s feet, and “could be due to yeast or Proteus bacteria. Both are known for their sweet, corn tortilla–like smell. Or it could be Pseudomonas bacteria, which smell a little fruitier—but pretty close to popcorn to most noses.”
Removing pet hair
A straightforward solution to pet hair sticking to your clothes is to change into patting-friendly outfits as soon as you walk in the door. Kimber says, “when we know we’re spending a lot of time with him, we avoid dark colours” as Ralph is blonde, “ditto delicate fabrics like linen, silk or fine knits his nails might pull”.Here’s looking at you. Dogs have three eyelids, an upper lid, a lower lid and the third lid, called a nictitating membrane or “haw,” which helps keep the eye moist and protected.
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Of course, this isn’t always practical and loose fur sticking to you is pretty inevitable. Kimber says, “the best way to minimise the fuzz … is to brush your pet regularly”, something it’s best to do outside.
Once the fur has already shed, Kimber suggests using a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner, “and all the attachments” to tackle any furniture that may transfer hair to your clothes. For garments he recommends a lint brush over sticky rollers (which can leave traces of stickiness on clothes), and says he always has one in the car, since “you can’t really avoid a fur bomb at close quarters”.
Make a Tug Toy From Old Clothes. Does your dog love to play tug? Got some extra t-shirts lying around? Make your own toy by braiding one of your old t-shirts into a tug toy rather than throwing them out.
Your dog needs his own cozy spot as well, preferably a crate, a comfy bed that’s his alone and a selection of appropriate toys.
It is also important to remove any fur from clothing before putting it in the washing machine, as washing isn’t that effective at removing hair from clothes.
Destructive pet behaviour
Dionna Newton, the founder of Animal Behaviour Australia, says when pets are chewing shoes, scratching things or peeing where they shouldn’t, “there’s a motivation behind why the animal feels the need to do that”.If your new puppy has chewed on your favourite shoes, this can be because of a lack of mental stimulation. She says younger dogs get bored and “need more varied stimulation than we think” so it’s important to keep them entertained with games or walks.
Make Your Own DIY Pill Pockets with Peanut Butter, Milk & Flour. One of the most useful life hacks for dog owners is finding a way to get your dog to swallow pills. If you’re having a hard time getting your dog to swallow pills you can make your own DIY pill pockets.
If you have a cat that is urinating where they shouldn’t, the reasons can be more complicated. Sometimes, they can smell clothes that have been outside, and it is a territorial response. For particularly anxious cats, it may be because there is a new cat in the neighbourhood, or something in the house has changed, like the placement of furniture. Sometimes, it’s just because urinating releases feelgood chemicals.
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It’s not so black and white. It’s a myth that dogs only see in black and white. In fact, it’s believed that dogs see primarily in blue, greenish-yellow, yellow and various shades of gray.
Newton says it’s worth getting a professional behavioural assessment to work out why the cat is behaving this way, and then solutions can be put in place.
Cleaning up accidents
Lush says to get rid of the smell of cat urine, you have to be sure you get rid of all of it, which can be tricky because cats spray when they pee. She recommends using an ultraviolet light to see exactly where pee might have landed, then marking all splashes with chalk.To get the pee out of clothes, she suggests using white vinegar. Start by pouring the vinegar into a jug and stretching the affected garment over a large bowl, then pour the vinegar through the fabric, empty the bowl back into the jug and repeat until you feel satisfied the urine is gone. Then put the garment through a regular wash.
An inexpensive and easy summer treat for dogs: Cut up apples in chicken broth and freeze in an ice cube tray.
It is best to wash clothes using an enzyme-based detergent, as enzymes work to break down organic material so any residual odours should be eliminated. There are several laundry detergents on the market that deal specifically with pet urine, including a few laundry boosters that can be used as pre-treatment or in addition to regular detergent. Older urine stains will be harder to remove, so be sure to put clothes straight in the wash.
Repairing chewed shoes
The good news is, shoes and bags that have been attacked by a pet can usually be repaired. According to Jenny Velakoulis, the owner of Evans Leather Repair in Melbourne’s Royal Arcade, it’s pretty rare for them to see something so ravaged by an animal it has passed the point of no return.Fixing a gnawed shoe or handbag requires a combination of taking the “bit that’s been chewed and mangled and building it up again”, as well as replacing soles, heels or straps that have been partially eaten. Velakoulis recommends having rubber soles added to all your shoes, because they make it much harder for a dog’s teeth to do damage.INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: One of the fringe benefits of taking on the responsibility of pet ownership is that animals can be an instant icebreaker, whether they’re with you or you’re just using them as a topic of conversation.
Have an extra kitchen drawer? Use it as a dog food holder.
There are also several products available, such as bitter sprays, that are designed to prevent your pet from chewing things.