A New Normal

Top questions from our Pet community

• What should I do if I notice unusual behaviour in my pet now that my routine has changed?

  We highly recommend to consult with a Greencross Vet to assess your pet and they may refer you to a veterinary behaviourst in your area To find your local Greencross Vet, click here.

  You may also want to try the WebVet option, where a vet can asses your pets symptoms over the phone, to learn more click here

• What is the best way to accustom a new puppy to the house now that our family are back to work/school?

  Crate or confinement training is an incredible tool to teach your puppy that being alone is okay or even fun. When taught properly you puppy learns that the crate or the confined area is a "safe spot" and "good things happen there

• How can I help transition my indoor cat to being comfortable being alone all day, now I am going back to work?

  A change of routine could be stressful for some cats. Look for the common signs of anxiety, such as abnormal urination habits, excessive grooming, excessive vocalisation, change in eating and drinking habits and sometimes aggression. Feliway is a very good product to help reduce stress during transition. It is a calming pheromone specifically designed for cats. Enrichment feeding will also be very helpful, to keep your cat busy as well as an outlet to preform normal behaviour when no one is home. Ditch the food bowls, become creative on how to offer food to your kitten. There are many toys and food puzzles that are designed for this purpose. My favourites are the Kong Wobbler, Catnosphere, AiKiou Stimulo and scattering dry food around the house.

• What products do you recommend using when I start leaving my pet at home alone?

  Adaptil collar would be beneficial, it is a calming pheromone for dogs. Keep offering enrichment toys like the Kong you have. Have a few different ones and rotate them daily to keep them interesting. Zylkene could also be helpful, it's a supplement with proven results, you can speak to your local Greencross Vet about it

• Now that I am taking my dogs for more walks, I have noticed my dog is pulling on the lead, what should I do?

  Firstly, get a good tool. The Gentle Leader walking harness is a good beginner tool. Some people like to use the Halti, which will require a little bit more training to help your dog get used to it.

• My cat is diabetic, I am concerned his diabetes may get out of control when he is suddenly alone, any suggestions on how to manage this change while I am not at home?

  Not all animals are going to have a problem when we go back to work. Getting some of their own space back may not be too traumatic. Look into over-the-counter products to help ease them into it. Get used to a new routine by taking short trips out before heading back to work. Pheromones are fabulous for these cases to transition them out. Diabetes in dogs and cats is something we manage with routine.

• Any tips for how to feed or leave treats for my dog now that we are not home as often?

  Enrichment feeding will also be very helpful, to keep your dog busy when no one is home. Ditch the food bowls, become creative on how to offer food to your dog. There are many toys and food puzzles that are designed for this purpose. My favourites are the Kong Wobbler, Kong Tiltz, snuffle mats, Buster Activity mat, and scattering dry food on the lawn.

• My dog has always been quite attached to me, he is a rescue and has had a lot of anxiety in the past which we have worked on. Now since isolation rules are lifting. My dog has been barking non-stop when people come over and getting overly excited. How can I help him calm down so i can have a social life again?

  Knowing what triggers your dog's anxiety is good start. We need to avoid those triggers and start working on calming techniques. Believe it or not, dogs can learn to calm down on cue if you put some work into it. Is it possible to reduce visitors until your dog is able to calm down on cue? I suggest you implement crate or confinement training as well, so your dog learns that the crate or the confined area is a "safe spot". When there are visitors, your dog stays in the crate/confined area. until everyone is settled down then you let your dog out to come and greet. Find a dog trainer to help you because these training techniques involve reading your dog's emotions and rewarding the calm behaviours at the right time. You can find a trainer equipped with these skills on IMDT website

• I have a male toy poodle who can get very snappy with my other toy poodle dogs when they are playing? Do you have any suggestions?

  We need to look at what the triggers are and reasons for the behaviour of that particular dog. Sometimes they snap because they're playing, but sometimes it's a tool for dogs to communicate its emotional state at that time. Without knowing the details I'd suggest to always supervise your dog's when they're together, when you noticed one of them is getting too excited then to separate them and allow them to calm down. It's always important to have your dogs assessed by a Vet. I also recommend you see a dog trainer to help teach your dog alternative behaviour

• I have a new Puppy and was wondering if the Puppy Schools have started yet?

  Yes, we are pleased to re-commence our Petbarn Puppy School and Greencross Vets classes however please note that due to social distancing requirements we have limited class sizes. Only one member of the family may attend with each puppy until social distancing laws are further relaxed.

• Are your grooming salons still open?

  Yes, our grooming salons remain open and there are no changes to salon operating hours. To make a grooming appointment, click here.