Reddit mentions: The best dog doors, gates & ramps

The breed really doesn't matter much as all.. except a Flemish Giant would need a significantly larger space due to size, and longer hair breeds (such as angora especially) will require more grooming/brushing. Other than that the breed does matter much, as bunnies are quite intelligent and have their own individual personalities which you will discover as time goes and as you built a bond with the bunny. The energy level and their comfort level with being cuddles (but clean note all bunnies hate being held and are never lap animals) depends on their personality 100% and the effort you invent into that relationship.

It's wonderful that you want a bunny, but I would honestly recommend doing more research before you deiced to get one. Bunnies are exotic animals and require a lot of special and strict care, they are as much responsibility if not more as a dog - space-wise, money-wise, time-wise, care-wise! The bunny would be your responsibility for 10 to 14 years... you need to be sure before you commit.

I am by no means saying no as so many bunnies need a home and if you can give them a safe loving family, I'd hate for you to think you cannot! I just encourage you to consider the things below and take your time to look through the links and resources. :) Be sure you really dig into all the info and resources I am sharing below.

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1. Bunnies don't like to be picked up or held at all as prey animals! They are not cuddly lap animals, though they will come to you for pets once they trust you but it will take time and effort to build trust. Bunnies are very fragile and picking them incorrectly of chasing them will result in serious injury.
   
2. Bunnies are smart and like toys and space to explore. You need a LARGE space for your bunny! An XXL dog crate might work, but best to use an xpen. My guide linked below has advice and examples of how to set up their enclose. Also keep in mind that every day you have to let the bunny run outside the enclosure for at least a couple hours - it is not optional!
   
3. Adopt of even try fostering to see if it is working for you!
   
   1. If you are looking for a bunny pet, a good option might be to go to a local bunny rescue or shelter and look/ask volunteers what caring for them actually entails and what they need. Also, at a rescue you can meet the animals too and volunteers will know their personalities well an can advise which one might work best for your situation, might warm up the easiest, chew the least, do well alone or as pair, be easier to care for by a first-time owner, do well with children. You could also attend their clinics to learn proper bunny care and even foster a bunny to make the transition to bunny parenthood easier and still have some support from the rescue stuff. Plus an adopted bun will likely already be neutered/spayed and litter trained, as well as socialized at least a bit. Pet stores so often mis-sex the bunnies and sell them already pregnant…
      
4. You will need an exotic pets vet (not just a cat and dog vet) which you should locate in advance. Bunny illnesses are nearly always emergencies - so if you bunny is ill and you have homework on an exam - you skip the exam and skip the homework and go to the vet ASAP and then stay up all night to take care of your baby.
   
5. They have very strict diets and very delicate GI systems.
   
6. Bunnies must be fixed - spayed/neutered. Having them fixed is critical for long term health - this can be between $200 and $500 per bunny. Adopted bunnies will be fixed often already.
   
7. Bunnies need social interaction and you attentions every day! You will have to clean their litter every day. You cannot leave them alone even for one weekend for a trip - you must board them or have a sitter.
   
   1. Alone they get lonely and depressed
      
   2. GI stasis is immediate emergency
      
      Let me offer some resources to help you prepare and know what you are getting into:
      
      As a prospective new bunny parent take a look at the little guide on care I assembled below https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Z_IvDuy5Fr-VOKwBVBSmZih0m1ATCIquIMhYyFl4aIw - it is a it long but quite thorough. I really tried to include all the info a new bunny parent might want into this guide... It will really help you prepare.
      
      https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/a7laec/what_should_someone_whos_never_had_a_bunny_andor/ - great thread on "what to know before you get a rabbit"
      
      Watch the videos below for some common misconceptions about owning a bunny as a pet and their needs:
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLxP8gls0RI - What to Consider before Buying a Rabbit
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6IlJTgsQrU - TOP 10 MISTAKES RABBIT OWNERS MAKE
      
      My thoughts below:
      
      Try to assess if a bunny is the right pet for you at this point in your life... They are not independent and need you for care and social interaction. If you cannot provide that for at least a few hours every single day I would not get a bunny! So many people think guinea pigs and bunnies are great starter or kid animals because they are small and cute/furry... But they don't realize that that is not at all the case their size is partly the culprit for how delicate they are and how much care they need, and deceiving as to how much space they need to be happy and healthy, as well as to long they live... Then when people get busy, or bored because the animal is not what they expected, or the vet bills get to high, or they move, lose/change jobs etc... they simply say "well it's just a bunny/guinea pig" and stop caring for it, or abandon it outside to a certain horrible death... I see it all the time and those sweet creatures just look so sad and hopeless that it is painful to watch. I am happy you are doing your homework and realize it's not "just" a pet and not a big hamster.
      
      Think about whether you will have the time, finances and space to dedicate to the proper care of your bunny! They are small but they need quite a bit of safe space to run around in (at least 4 by 2 ft enclosure and at least two hours outside of it every day), they do better in pairs, need lots of attention from you and need you EVERY DAY (say for those weekend trips, unlike a cat or a bird, you could never leave the bunny alone, must find a good sitter or take with you, and they are very stressed with travel), their diet is also pretty important and will require some effort to ensure you have it right. Vet trips could get expensive as well as bunnies are fragile animals so be sure you have the means if needed. Also, while bunnies do make great pets if given proper and knowledgeable care and love, they are not like cats and dogs and don't show affection or play in the same way. They are prey animals and thus can be quite timid... they are not lap animals who will sit on your lap or next to you and purr, they won't cuddle or like to be picked up or help, they won't sleep with you or on top of you most likely... You will have to work hard to gain their trust and it will be on their terms and on their level (literally getting down on the floor and letting them get used to you).
      
      The pros are that bunnies are quite smart and inquisitive, and they do make wonderful and interesting pets when loved and cared for properly. They can be litter trained and with proper (but essential) bunny proofing can be totally free roam in your house. They live 10 to 14 years so you will have lots of time to spend with your friend.
      
      It would be great if you can give a bunny a loving forever home, but I would definitely recommend doing some research on how to care for them before you bring one home to avoid being overwhelmed.
      
      https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/9mpv3z/what_should_i_ask_the_shelter/ - read this to know what to ask the shelter staff when you adopt

For me the biggest things I learned were how much attention they need (a lot) and how much time I would spend cleaning (a lot!).

Overall:

1. Their personalities are pretty set. You can definitely tame a shy or skittish rat to be tame and affectionate, but it will always be quicker and easier to tame a rat that is just naturally confident and brave. I don't think that getting them at a young age or even breeder vs "feeder rat" really makes that much of a difference - I had a rat that I got at 6 weeks old who was very timid, and he never got to the cuddly point that my other boy did, who was 3 months old when I got him. It's just his personality to be more on the go and not want to sit and cuddle. So for a new owner I would say go out of your way to pick the rat that comes up to you curiously, or seems generally more outgoing. It will make things a lot easier!
   
2. It can take 2 weeks to a month to get them tame to the point of enjoying being held, coming when they're called, easy to pick up and carry around, etc. I worked with mine once or twice a day in the play pen for about 2 weeks before they let me pick up and hold them quietly, and then it took a couple more weeks to really tame down.
   
3. If you never take them out of the cage, and/or if you never try to hold and pet them, they will never enjoy coming out and being held/petted! You have to get them out into a playpen, feed lots and lots of treats (think 12 tiny treats per session) and actually hold them a little at a time, many times in a session, even if it seems like they hate it. They will get used to it!
   
4. They need a LOT of attention. I think rats are an awesome pet for someone who has about an hour to two hours of free time per day, every day, no matter what! They will be "OK" for an evening if you go out or something, but they really come to expect attention at certain times and know your routine, and will really guilt you if you don't get them out to play!
   
5. Same idea, there is a lot of cleaning involved, and it takes time. I would say about 30 minutes of cleaning every other day (like changing out fleece or any sleeping blankets they've peed on, and changing out litter boxes), and then about an hour of a full cleaning once a week (water/vinegar and hot soapy water for anything plastic, changing bedding or fleece, washing cloth). It doesn't seem to matter fleece vs bedding - it's just a lot. That is on top of the hour or so you should spend playing with them. Rats themselves are clean BUT they really make a mess of their cage, haha.
   
6. It costs a lot. I know there are ways of saving money but I just end up spending a lot on them with things like their playpen, different toys, bedding, etc. The cage alone will be $100, then there might be vet bills.
   
7. They will really, really love you! The more time you spend with them, the more they bond with you. Even if your rats are on the go types that don't sit and cuddle, they still really show affection in their own way and truly love you like you're another rat. It's way more than hamsters or mice. Owning rats is as much work and also reward as a dog or cat.
   
   If you have the time and energy for them, they are really fabulous, sweet, and hilarious pets. I would say go visit someone who has them, and see what it's like (and also make sure you're not allergic!).

Here is part of our setup. It is somewhat messy right now as I haven't vaccuumed it in a week or so.

For the floor, we have some cheap tarps and rugs. The buns are pretty good about using their litterboxes but it is always better to be safe than sorry if there is an accident.

We got our pens on Amazon... And wow, looking right now they are on super sale for only $10! As of 12/12, 10:20 AM EST. Plus $15 shipping but still, that is a good deal. I think we spent about $50 per pen. Anyway, I recommend either the 24" or 36" pens because you would be surprised how high some buns can jump. If you have a an athletic bun, I would go with the higher pen.

Stanley (brown bunny) is allowed to free roam so his pen door is open. He still likes his pen a lot though and spends about 75% of his time in there despite the fact he has free reign. Bessie has a larger pen space because she doesn't get to free roam (yet) but still loves to run and binky. We also made her a 3-story cardboard castle which she LOVES. She climbs to the top and then slides down the ramp.

They each have a cheap cloth pet hut as well to sleep in if they want. Stanley loves his and sleeps in it all the time. Bessie doesn't really use hers. They do like to chew on them though so I recommed a cheap one that you don't care much about in case it gets destroyed.

Stanley has a rabbit hutch in his enclosure as well from when we lived in an apartment. He still had a small enclosure too but we wanted to give him something else to do and he loved sleeping on the upper floor so he could see us when we were in the living room. We got that hutch a year and a half ago and it has held up pretty well.

For their food and water bowls, we just got generic pet bowls. I recommend ones that will be hard to flip over in case you have a messy bunny (ie. heavy ceramic ones or non-flippable lipped ones). The water dispensers we got at Walmart for a few bucks and are 1/2 gallon (I think?). We change them every few days and the buns like having a ton of fresh water.

As for hay and food, I usually leave the hay bag on top of Stan's hutch for easy access and give them some hay throughout the day. It is open in the picture because I just gave them some; usually it is closed. We also have a stand with all bun-related things (food, treats, extra hay, toys, etc.) which is just an old bookstand. It is two stories so we can keep the food and treats out of reach of Stanley when he roams.

And we have the bun cam (as set up by my fiance) so we can see the bunnies when we aren't home.

When I vacuum, I just put them in the bathroom and shut the door so there isn't as much noise. They don't seem to mind it too much.

Sorry for the length... Tried to be as thorough as possible. Let me know if you have any questions!

Sure! Keep in mind it could be a flook still but LETS STAY POSITIVE RIGHT? :D

- We bought these bells from Amazon. They just hang on our doorknob. Some people prefer the nicer looking ones or something that won't scratch the walls -- but our apartment is pretty simple as it is so we don't mind :)

- For a little context, we live on the third floor of an apartment. Our 15-week golden seems to be afraid of the word "outside" but will gladly romp around once he's there. So we knew we wanted to try bell training to give a more formal process around the act. He's pretty small for a retriever still, so we've been carrying him downstairs to avoid accidents in the public places of the building.

- Regarding potty on command: we've been saying the word "bivouac" whenever Monti potties for a while now. Why did we choose "bivouac"? I actually don't know...my boyfriend picked it out lol. But after we got Monti, we quickly learned "Monti" was too close to "potty" for his little puppy ears and we didn't want him to think his name meant "okay go pee." He would perk up and look at us when we said "potty" so we knew that wasn't going to work. Basically the process was whenever we went outside and he squats we say (or more like excitedly shout) "BIVOUAC! Good boy, Monti! Bivouac" and then give him a treat. We stopped giving treats a few weeks ago but we still say bivouac whenever he potties. It helps when he's distracted or in a new place. He knows the word "bivouac" means that he has an agenda to complete outside.

- SO to introduce him to the bell, what I started doing was stopping by the door and letting him hit it with his paw or nose before we went outside. When it made a jingle, I said "OUTSIDE!" and gave him a normal dog treat before exiting the apartment and going outside.

- Once he was comfortable with the new noise-making machine in the apartment (because he WAS definitely scared at first), I upped the ante. If it was time for a scheduled potty break, I would grab half a slice of turkey. I'd get his attention with it and then walk over to the door (I already have my shoes on and our "outside bag" over my shoulder...ready to go!) I put a piece of the turkey on top of the lowest bell (he's too short for the other two right now) and let him eat it off the bells, jingling it. I reward him with praise and say "outside" so he [hopefully] keeps associating bells = outside = potty. After that, I have him sit and give him another bite of the turkey while I put his leash on. Then lure him in the hallway and toward the stair well. He gets the turkey at the stairs...where I then pick him up and carry him the rest of the way. My goal is to get him to hold it little by little until we can make it all the way downstairs and outside without accidents!

​

So today, I had let him out after he ate and drank -- he pottied and we walked around/played for a while. We came back upstairs for maybe 5 minutes and he rings the bell again. I KNOW he likely doesn't have to potty, but he rang -- so I have to listen. I leash him up (no turkey rewards, just praise because I want to get him OUT as fast as possible) and carry him downstairs and outside. We're walking around where he usually potties and nothing is happening -- which is fine. I'm expecting him to abuse the system at first, and I planned to give him 5 minutes without moving from our potty spot. I say "bivouac" and....HE PEES!!!!!!! Not only did he ring his bell to go outside but he PEED with our command word. I'm so proud of him :D

​

Sorry this is so long! Hopefully it's a little helpful. and PS Pibble is an adorable name.

I think the playpen you have linked will do the job. I, and other foster parents I know like this one . It has solid walls so kitties can not climb it and tall enough that kitties cannot jump over it. Make sure they have PLENTY of toys, but don’t keep any in there that they could get tangled up in or hurt themselves. I don’t like to keep the string toys in there with them. A litter box, access to a water bowl, I like to stick stuffed animals in there as well. Kittens this age, especially in a litter, are pretty good at entertaining themselves. Play time should still happen to burn out some energy. This is my favorite age! Good luck and enjoy the kittens! Also, if you’re on Facebook and are looking for more resources, join the page “Orphan Kitten Bottle Feeders and Fosters.” It’s full of very knowledgeable foster parents. Feel free to message me with any other detailed questions.

Edit: I realized you said you did already buy the playpen, which I think will work perfectly fine at this age. Same setup, pretty much. Just make sure they have some things to do, a place to go potty, and a water bowl.

We got a lab puppy not too long ago and ran into a lot of the same issues you're facing now. I'm not a dog expert by any means, but this is what we've found to be useful from experience and reading online.

1). When we first got our puppy, it was important for her to learn what she considers "home". Depending on how big your house is, you may want to partition off part of it for the puppy to get accustomed to. We got a large puppy fence (something like this https://www.amazon.com/Playpen-Crate-Kennel-Exercise-BestPet/dp/B00IX6S8YI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1479335753&sr=8-4&keywords=puppy+fence+indoor) and a crate for her, as well as puppy pads for her to pee and poop on. The crate and a bed is what she considers home. And the fenced in area around her crate is her play space. The puppy pads were placed furthest from her crate/bed. Dogs naturally like to keep their home and play area clean, and she quickly realized to relieve herself on the pads since it was furthest from her bed. Otherwise, your pup might start peeing and pooping in random corners of your house.

We slowly expanded her play area and moved her pads further away for her to become familiar with the rest of our house one step at a time. If the initial area was too big, she considered the living room (where her bed was set up) her home, and started peeing and pooping in the kitchen.

2). Like ananomalie said, do not let your pup bite you. He will start teething soon and it can be itchy/painful for him so he wants something to bite on to sooth his teeth. If you let him form a habit of biting you (even playfully), it will start to be annoying fast. Get some toys for him, and every time he starts to bite you, act like it hurts by saying OUCH really loudly in a high pitch, and give your pup a toy to chew on instead. This will teach him it hurts you, and toys are for biting instead. It will save you a lot of grief later to get these habits in check early.

3). Our pup actually never went up stairs because we didn't let her. We had her fence closed off at night and she slept in her crate, so this wasn't much of an issue. You can try blocking off the stairs with a baby gate or pet gate, or just block it with some boxes or any barrier you have around the house.

4). Our pup was actually pretty independent. We slept downstairs with her for the first 2-3 nights. Sometimes she'd yelp a little if she couldn't see us, and we just dropped a leg down off the couch. She was ok as long as she could curl up next to our leg. But in retrospect, it wasn't very necessary. We went back to sleeping upstairs after just a few nights.

5). There are a lot of do's and don'ts and guidebooks for new dog owners online. Spend a weekend looking through them, and you'll see a lot of patterns emerge in people's advice. My own personal advice is:

A). Try to keep a strict schedule. Dogs have great internal clocks, and try to keep your schedule the same from day to day. When to sleep, when to wake up, when to play, when to eat, etc. This will help set expectations clear.

B) Train them out of bad habits early. The biting, the crying, the need for attention. Crate training is useful for training them out of crying for attention. You can look it up online. Look up how to potty train them outdoors once they get all their vaccines.

C) It is important for them to socialize, especially at a young age. Since your pup is young, you can see if friends or neighbors have pets (must have all their vaccines), and you can have a puppy playdate with them. Have friends over, introduce them to your pup, give him treats. It's good for him to learn to trust other animals, pets, and people.

D) Find a good vet and get him on a vaccination schedule. Depending on your area (if you are in a more rural area or metropolitan area with greater chances of wildlife or diseases, I would not walk him until all his vaccines are done (~4months). If you live in a higher-income suburban area, this is less of a problem. However, most vets do not recommend letting them walk around outside until they've got all their shots. I'd say the main risks are drinking dirty ground water, eating random stuff, sniffing other dog and wildlife poop are the main risks.

Hope that helps! And as always, there are a wealth of resources online. Good luck!

I have a Golden Retriever puppy, Summit (8 months old tomorrow, he came home at 8 weeks old) and an indoor-only cat, Sprocket (1 year old). The big thing is to be patient and monitor all interactions.

Our cat is very tolerant and go-with-the-flow. He has never hissed or clawed at the dog. Thee was one time the dog did get too rough with him, and the cat meowed loudly for help, but never fought back (which in a way, makes things harder for our situation). Our dog is extremely playful and although he doesn't mean to harm that cat and just wants to play, he doesn't understand that the cat is too little, is not a dog, and cannot be a wrestling buddy.

Tips

• Start by sequestering them in separate parts of the house/apartment. Let them get used to each other's smells. Since we live in a small apartment, we couldn't exactly close them completely out of certain rooms, but if you can, this can be a good step.
  
• Invest in an exercise pen for the dog. Let them sniff each other through the pen. This allows them to see and smell each other without physically interacting with each other. (It's also extremely useful for keeping the dog and your home safe when you can't 100% of your attention to the dog).
  
• Until you begin to trust the dog, make sure she is leashed for all interactions. We still only let them interact when Summit is leashed because he still doesn't understand that he's bigger than the cat and could potentially hurt him. Reward both animals for reacting calm around each other. Initially, reward the dog of nicely investigating the cat as well. Be ready to separate them if one of the animals gets overexcited, or if the interaction is becoming dangerous for one of the pets.
  
• Create a safe space for your cat. Shelves and high-up places for her to go to escape the dog. Maybe even invest in a baby gate similar to this one so that the cat can access a room that the dog can't (note that the dog will have to grow a bit before the size of the door will prevent her from entering the room).
  
  Additional Tips for living with a puppy and a cat
  
  
• Contain the cat's supplies. Find a way to cover the litter box or place it in a room that the dog can't get to. Move the food to a place where the dog can't get it as well (we put Sprocket's food bowls on some shelves that the dog can't reach).
  
• Many Golden puppies will eat anything that can fit in their mouths. This can cause fatal bowel obstructions. Put away all small cat toys and keep them in a place where the dog can't get it. Also, if your cat enjoys toys, invest in some larger ones that the dog cannot easily swallow such as the [Kong Kickeroo](https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Moppy-Kickeroo-Catnip-Colors/dp/B0037PNC1O/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1488061069&sr=1-7&keywords=kong+kickeroo+cat+toy0, https://www.amazon.com/Bergan-Turbo-Scratcher-Cat-Toy/dp/B000IYSAIW/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1488061298&sr=1-4&keywords=cat+ball+track+toy, and the ball-track type toys.
  

Bringing a new puppy home to your cats is a lot easier than one might think!

We recently "fostered" a puppy for 3-4 days. Our three cats (aged 2-3 yrs) have NEVER been in contact with a dog. Ever.

We read a lot of stuff, and the best way to go about this is...

Gates. Invest in gates. We bought 3 of these which worked wonders. Obviously depending on the size of the puppy, he/she might be able to fit through the cat door at first. But our cats were more than comfortable jumping over them to escape from the puppy.

The most important thing is to give your cats space. They need 1-2 "safe" rooms. They need a place to escape from the puppy after their few minutes of contact with the new puppy. This is so important, because your home IS your cats home. It's where they feel safe!

Also, I don't know how your cats feel about squeaky toys... but our cats HATE the noise. Try to ease the puppy onto squeaky toys (if you want). The more squeaking the puppy does with the toys, the more the cats might become frightened of the puppy. Squeaky toys are so fun for dogs because the squeaker imitates an animal (they squeak it, it's like them 'squeaking' a small animal of sorts... hence they LOVE them). If the cats hear the noise and see the puppy shaking it around, they might become more stressed out.

Edit: Forgot some other important things...

Keep your cat's nails trimmed as well. There is guaranteed to be a LOT of swiping. The puppy will realize what's going on, and will want to play with the cat. So just be cautious!

Also, do NOT hold a cat and walk them towards the dog. Do not in ANY way force them to go near the dog. If one of the cats gets scared and comes towards you to be picked up, pick them up and walk them to one of the gated off rooms. (I don't know if other cats do this or not... but my cats are literally like dogs) You need to let your cats be the curious kitties that they are. No matter how long it takes, the kitties will learn to love and care for the puppy. Just remember... Some dogs remain "puppies" for over 2 years (personality-wise). So... prepare yourself!

Good luck, if you have any questions - feel free to ask!!

Edit #2: If you can deal with a puppy (~6 months or younger), I personally think it's the way to go. Even if you're looking to get a BIG (70+ lb) dog, they start out at about 20lbs at ~12 weeks. The smaller the dog is when you bring him/her home, the more relaxed your cats will be. If you bring home a HUGE dog (no matter how sweet), I think your cats might be more frightened. In my personal opinion it's best to get a puppy that the cats can get used to while they're relatively still small in size. Oh, and the puppy will get used to the cats. Puppies will generally NOT care. But when you're adopting, be sure that the foster parents/rescue lets you know how they are with kitties. Generally most puppies are fine with cats though!

Sorry for rambling... I keep thinking of more things!

Congrats!! If you've never had a puppy before, my #1 recommendation is to get a trainer who will come to your house and work with you. They are more for you than for the dog. We did that and while it was really expensive, it was a blessing!

One thing our trainer told us is to let the puppy have access to only a little bit of the house at a time. A crate helps with that, but we didn't want it to feel like punishment and we wanted to be able to let him play around just as a dog in a controlled area. So we bought this playpen and zip tied it to the crate. You can also get linoleum to put underneath the playpen area, but make sure it's all one sheet (otherwise he'll chew on the ends). That also helps clean up potty mistakes!

Speaking of potty, we got a little bell to put on the door. We made him nudge it with his nose or paw (basically picked him up) every time we went out. Then when we finally let him explore more, he knew how to let us know he had to go. Of course, he also used it just as an excuse to go outside, so there's that.

You mentioned you're good to go on crates--did you get one that is life stages and lets you adjust how much room is available? Not a huge deal if not, but if you did, make sure you use it. They don't need a whole lot of room in the crate because they'll just pee on one end and sleep on the other.

For grooming, you don't really need a lot for a puppy (at least in our experience, and our older dog grew up to be a HUGE fluffball). You're more likely to hurt him and turn him off. For our grown up guys, we use a pin brush, a rake brush, a de-matting comb, grooming scissors, and dremmel. We also do your normal ear cleaning solution (we get ours from the vet, so I don't remember the brand offhand, it's the same thing as online) and shampoo. This is what we used when they were puppies. Another essential is puppy wipes for pesky danglers and muddy paws.

For a puppy, though, I really wouldn't use all that stuff. We used a little kong brush to get him used to a brush on his fur, but we didn't even use that until his fur was a little longer (but still too short to use the other brushes). The big thing with grooming a puppy is getting him used to you touching him EVERYWHERE. Stick your fingers in his ears and mouth, rub all over his paws, make him lay down on his back in your lap, etc. Definitely start on nails asap--even if you don't actually trim them, just holding the dremmel up to their nails and getting them used to it helps A LOT. Also the ear cleaner is an essential for golden puppies. Our trainer and vet both told us to drop it in their ears, let them shake their heads, then use q-tips in all the nooks and crannies.

Other essential products are LOTS of toys. You'll figure out real quick what your guy likes. Our first dog was more of a casual chewer, so fabric toys worked, but our second dog LOVES to eat fabric so we had to go with hard toys only. I highly recommend toys by West Paw! As you know, golden puppies will chew on LITERALLY EVERYTHING so you need a backup distractor toy at all times to replace the flavor of the minute. Keep in mind that if you give up trying to stop them chewing on something (say, for example, your computer chair), they will think it's ok to chew on that for the rest of their life. :(

We also got a slow-feeder bowl because our guys gobble down their food like it will disappear if they don't. And if your guy is really annoying with the water bowl (i.e., repeatedly knocking it over), don't worry too much--he'll grow out of it. I recommend keeping a towel under it until he learns all he wants to know about water!

Have fun with your little guy!!!! I'll add anything else I can think of later but feel free to ask if there's anything else you're curious about!

It does get better and you get better at managing it.

I found two reactive boys. One is still afraid of people but he will now warm up to them if they ignore him and he can "sneak" up and sniff them. He is safe and very sweet, though he'll still bark at first. The other also has neurological issues and will never be safe with anyone outside of his small core group of friends.

They've taught me so much about dogs. The first lesson was to go slow. I didn't realize I was pushing them beyond their comfort zone. I thought because they made one step they were ready for the second. Everything had to be done at their own speed, their own timeline.

I know where every quiet park is within 20 minutes of my house.

I take my dogs to the vet's office every few weeks to be weighed so they are comfortable there.

I had to learn how to manage my expectations. They were never going to be cured. One boy is safe with people but still looks to bolt out of every open door. The other boy will never get that far. I had to accept that I wasn't going to end up with two normal dogs.

I learned that to keep them safe from the world I had to keep the world safe from them. I moved to a house from a condo. I put up a 6' privacy fence. I don't walk them around the neighborhood. I made the yard as escape proof as possible. I have at least a gate and a door between them and outside. If one fails there is an emergency backup.

Everyone who enters my house is given the rules. They are not allowed to go look at the dogs. They know that every door they walk through needs to be closed behind them. They know what to do to protect themselves if there is failure and they are charged by my crazy boy. I used to be embarrassed that he was that way, I didn't want anyone to think less of him. Then I realized he didn't care what anyone thought of him, neither should I.

X-pens are your friend. They allow me to confine my dogs or separate spaces.

https://www.amazon.com/BestPet-Playpen-Exercise-24-Inch-30-Inch/dp/B0036WQFQM

I've learned to think out creative solutions. To think ahead, to not over train.

Since I've turned my house into a safe, no stress zone for my boys they are happy and relaxed. We hardly have to deal with reactions. I never forget it's lurking there, but it doesn't rule my life.

I really like this one because it has a gate for getting in and out- great for getting in to play with your puppy, but not awkwardly stepping over while trying not to step on a puppy.

One thing my partner and I do for helping with the zommies when our puppy gets them is play what we call the Rufus game. We stand a distance apart from each other and take turns calling him over to us. He runs back and forth between the two of us getting pets and sometimes treats when he comes. It's a great way to use up excess energy fast & it keeps him from running where it's not safe. He just keeps a path back and forth between the two of us. We've also found it's really helpful for recall- coming when called is a game, not a chore.


Also, though- even if there are bigger dogs in the neighborhood, you should still take her out, just be a good protector. Always keep her on a 4-6ft nylon leash, walk on the other side of the street, take lots of high value treats, be prepared to scoop her up if she's in danger, maybe get a vest that says "in training" so that other people don't approach with their dogs. I don't know the full situation, but you definitely want to make sure she's well socialized to at least see big dogs and not be afraid. Also consider a 20+ft lead to use exclusively in large, open field areas. This gives her room to run and play, but keeps her safe because she's still on lead.

When I first got my dog I found a pen to be much better than a crate. It was roomier, and more multifunctional – you can use it to block off part of a room, contain the dog, or undo the hinges in the corner to use them as barriers for a doorway or hallway. The one I have is similar to this one. It’s very sturdy, but I did end up using a loop of rope under my couch leg to make sure that my dog jumping on it didn’t allow it to slide around (I have hardwood floors.)

I found that the pen helped a lot with his anxiety, a friend of mine thinks it’s because the dog feels ‘responsible’ for the whole of the house when you’re gone, but only the pen when he’s penned. My dog quickly became very comfortable with the pen, I put his bed and food/water inside, and he now goes into it to relax and will also go inside on command if I walk to the door and call him.

Personally, I think that separation anxiety is something that gets better but is really hard to get rid of completely, much like anxiety in humans. Even though my dog has gotten much better over the past year, he still has episodes some times where he eats things that he knows he’s not supposed to.

I also think that traditional approaches to dealing with separation anxiety are kind of BS. For example giving a treat, going away for a short time and coming back to take the treat. People say the idea is to have the dog associate you coming back isn't always a good thing, but people who come home and yell/hit their dog accomplish this as well and everyone agrees that's not an effective approach. (I know people will argue it’s about negative rewards vs positive punishment, but the dog isn’t losing a reward for their own action so I think it still doesn’t make much sense.) In doing this, I feel you’re just conditioning your dog to want you to come back and give more treats – since you only give the treats when you leave.

What I did instead was give my dog his food before leaving. He’s not very food driven anyway, so his food isn’t something he gets excited about at all – I honestly think he views eating as more of a chore, unless it’s raw meats. I also always make sure I clearly tell my dog that I’m leaving, that way he understands that I’m not trying to sneak away (abandon him) or that I’ve mysteriously disappeared (been harmed or eaten.)

Another point is that if the dog is pooping only when you’re not around, it might be because of your negative reactions to their pooping. If you’ve punished them or otherwise reacted to seeing the dog using the house as their toilet, they may think that they’re not supposed to go in front of you – regardless of inside or outside. Try asking your roommate to walk them instead and seeing if the dog reacts the same way?

Smaller dogs need to go more often, it’s digestion isn’t a linear process so if the dog didn’t go now but does three hours later, it’s quite possible the dog simply didn’t feel the need to relieve themselves earlier if your dog is really small. You could try using a puppy pad in a container inside the pen, and then moving the pad to outside the pen, and ultimately moving the pad to outside your house. The idea here being for the dog to associate going to the bathroom with the pad’s container, which will eventually be outside and then removed.

The last thing I want to mention is that potty training and anxiety work both are things that regularly take months, sometimes upwards of a year. If you’re stressing over it now and need it to end now then it might be best to find another way for the dog to be cared for.

Toys:


Jalousie 12 Pack Dog Squeaky Toys... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSG684C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

UEETEK Squeaky Dog Toys for Small... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZJBH52?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Sport Balls Asst, 2-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ENGOP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_c8tyDbBXQWQ6M


Marshall Ferret Fun-N-Games Blanket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OE5H54?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Kaytee FerreTrail Flex-E... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ASBEK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Bed Bug Play Center https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MIU5HI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Krackle Sack,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ARPSI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Octo-Play https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EFV9YM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Pet Turtle Tunnel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VVY49M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_BLdeGqpB9Nl5j

KONG - Plush, Low Stuffing Squeak... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IVGBFY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

EocuSun Kids Ball Pit Large Pop... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KUHQZG0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Click N' Play Pack of 200... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYLU3GG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share x3

D.Y. TOY Weazel Ball - The Weasel Rolls with Ball https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PKFJKG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7.tyDb0YSNMVT

Bonka Bird Toys 1745 Chandelier... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015RSD7JA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

ZippyPaws Burrow Squeaky Hide and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007X7FJAO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

ZippyPaws - Zippy Burrow Interactive Squeaky Hide and Seek Plush Dog Toy - Unicorns in Rainbow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N8GCB7V/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pjuyDbWY6CFSW

JW Pet Good Cuz Rubber Dog Toy (2... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0113J85JO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

3Pack Molar Clean Teeth Rubber Toy, Bagvhandbagro Clean Teeth Rubber Pacifier Chew Toy, Bell Chewing Playing Training Toys, for Pet Puppy Dog Cat (Color Random) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XJNGWMK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_okuyDbTBM8HB2

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Squeaking-Dog-Toy-Hamburger-or-Hot-Dog-Assorted/54273866

https://www.chewy.com/zippypaws-zippy-burrow-crayon-box/dp/206190?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=ZippyPaws&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwIPrBRCJARIsAFlVT8_JjfKpnKxdVtL4DtsY7-ld2qS-_7r6PVUG1k0afX9p0jvSthjMAbkaAknVEALw_wcB

just disclaimer some of these toys should only be played with under your supervision so use your best judgement. Check any rubber or stuffed/fabric toys daily for wear and if you see it starting to come apart throw it away as any loose pieces can be swallowed and cause a blockage. My ferrets aren’t chewers they just like to have toys to stash so I’m not as worried but everyone’s ferrets are different so be careful. Also you could make a dig box with rice (never instant) or dried pasta which is a lot of fun for them. They love tunnels, they love to dig, and they love to steal and stash small objects so the toys meet that criteria they’ll be happy lol

Con:

• bites hurt.
  
  
• they can take a while to warm up to you.
  
  
• they can have a wide variety of personalities and you're not quite sue what their personality is until they are comfortable with you.
  
  
• they can be bratty and spray you with urine for telling them playtime is over and they need to go back to their cage.
  
  
• you can't take them for walks.
  
  Pro:
  
  
• they are super soft.
  
  
• when they grace you with their affection, it is all worth it.
  
  
• watching them play happily is very peaceful and relaxing.
  
  
• dust bath time is so cute.
  
  I've had Poppy for 3 years now, she's always been the adventurous type who prefers people as things to jump on as opposed to beings who want to shower her with affection. It's taken until about this year for her to actually want pets and to ask for them. She can be a bratty little munchkin, but after 3 years, we've mostly worked out how to deal with it. I think the real joy of the relationship with the chinchilla blossoms after about 3 years (I think that's about how long it took with my first chin, Lilly). After that point, they get a lot more comfortable with you and are more willing to put up with snuggles and being held and will actually seek them out.
  
  As a chinchilla owner, the best supply purchase I made was a playpen. I put the front of her cage at the opening in the pen and then she has access back to her cage during playtime. This makes her a lot happier and relaxed during playtime and also keeps me from worrying about what she could be chewing or getting into.

"All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my brothers." Lol I don't know why I thought of Sophia when I read this post, but that movie quote was my first thought 😂.

You've taken the cat to the vet to presumably rule out uti, kidney stones, etc that would cause your cat to pee, and I'm assuming he is spraying and not urinating.

The first thing to remember is that cat spraying is a normal behavior. Humans have been moderately successful at suppressing this so we can have indoor kitties, but sometimes the instinct is strong. Particularly in your boy's situation as a formerly outdoor kitty amongst other pets who had reason to avidly mark all of his territory. It is very difficult to get cats to stop spraying once they have started. Your cat will not instantly understand that he is now sole king of all the land he beholds in your house, and that he has no need to mark territory. You didn't mention whether you tried changing to a different litter brand.

I'm not sure how many homes this poor baby has gone to in his life, but he needs stability and to feel welcomed. You say he's only doing it when you're home. Can you keep him in the room with you when you're relaxing, and close the bedroom/ bathroom doors? Maybe get him a big playpen so he feels comfortable in a smaller space? I have this playpen I turned into a kitty fort that my brats love to play in. All of my cats started their introduction to my home in this playpen, and I give them more space slowly rather than throwing the whole house at them to explore at once. There's enough space in there for a bed and a litter box with plenty of room to play. You can line it with pee pads and save yourself clean up time.

Congratulations!

The linked cage is a good size for a pair of rats but some rat can be voracious chewers and this style of plastic base can potentially be a casualty.

In general, I'd spend as little money as possible at pet stores. Most of the stuff is over priced. The things I like from pet supply sources include food, water bottles (at least two), lava ledges, bendy rope perches, space pods, and bedding/litter. Online sources often have better prices than in the store. Everything else can be DIY'd or purchased from cheaper sources.

I would recommend taking advantage of the deep base of the Kaytee cage and use a loose substrate like aspen, kiln-dried pine, paper pellet, carefresh, etc. bedding on the floor of the cage instead of fleece. That type of deep base doesn't work as well for fleece.

Hides/huts can easily be found/made cheaply. Cardboard boxes from the recycle bin are perfect. Wood absorbs urine and will start to smell terrible in a short amount of time. Cardboard boxes can just be chucked when they get gross. Small plastic baskets or organizer bins from the hardware store or dollar store make for excellent huts/hides and cost a fraction of what pet stores charge.

You'll want several hammocks. They get stinky and need to be washed very frequently. I wash my boys hammocks at least twice a week. They also get chewed up. I wouldn't recommend spending any money on store bought hammocks. They're easy to DIY from scraps of fleece from the remnant bin of your local fabric store or literally from any scrap of fabric from old clothes or whatever. I keep several sets of hammocks and they need to be replaced often when they get destroyed.

Nesting materials are totally free. Pieces of newspaper, paper bags, paper napkins, kleenex, or paper towels will entertain your rats for hours.

None of my rats have ever had much interest in traditional toys or hanging chew toy things. I wouldn't worry about spending too much money on this category of things.

A playpen or play area is an important consideration before getting rats. While rats need to spend time running around outside of their cage every day, they can potentially be quite destructive so you'll need to consider ways of protecting your furniture/property while still giving them time to run around. AboutPetRats has a good page on ratproofing a room. A secure playpen is another option.

I have a setup very similar to what you are describing for Scooter. He may not be too old (13 yrs) but he is FIV+ so I could lose him at any time. I have a small table set in front of the windows in my BR. I put a queen comforter folded in 8ths (read: nice and fluffy) on top of it. When it is cold out, I put this under the top layer. Since he is tripawd (missing left rear leg), I do have kitty stairs next to the table so he can get up and down on his own.

As for the sterile room, I say open the room to him. He may not even like it but if he does and he spends his final days happily basking in the sun and watching the birds on a warm comfy blanket, knowing that you were able to do that for him will be the best feeling ever. If you want to make his last weeks, months, years the best possible, make him priority. They were always here for us when we needed them so as they age we need to be there for them. As for the dogs? Get one of those pet gates with a cat access door.

He has un-learned that it's nice to be clean. He needs to re-turn it, so you need to change your set up.

I always tell people to buy the tall Iris pet pen.Then get a mesh potty pad or fake grass pet potty - personal preference here, you just have to get something where they can't get to and shred the pad.

Put the crate in the back of the pen - start without bedding - and then put the potty thing right in front of it. Now we've created two clear zones - a comfy sleeping zone and a pee zone. By sleeping and peeing on both surfaces, their stupid little brain eventually is like "I can pee somewhere other than where I sleep. Huh. It's kind of nice not to sleep in my pee." They sometimes start to sleep on the potty thing, but don't worry about it, it's still part of the process. Eventually, when they seem to have the idea, try introducing a little bit of bedding back in and BE CRAZY ABOUT WASHING IT. If there is a drop of pee on the bed you can backslide. So wash wash wash so it stays clean and fresh (towels or sheets are a good/cheap way to start). Over time, you can introduce good bedding.

Remember, IGs have bladders the size of acorns, so they have to pee all the time, basically. A lot of people have success with the pen set up forever, and others can take them out enough to phase back into crates.

But right now, you need to give them the opportunity to re-learn how nice it is to be clean.

A side note, buying a dog from a good breeder who potty trains them - or at least you are 100% sure they're not raised to pee where they sleep - goes a long, long, long way in this.

I work full time and also have a 4 month old Havanese. Something I found useful was setting up an exercise pen, which has plenty of room for play, potty (using puppy pads), and sleep. It also has a water bowl as well.
I also hired a dog walker through Rover, which I found to be the best, since I do 30 minute checkins, the focus is less on a long walk and more on play/human interaction.
Overall, routine has helped too. Chewy sleeps through the majority of the day, but expects playtime at night. And so I spend my whole evening playing with him and taking him on walks.
I also got an Adapdil Diffuser which emits a calming hormone that helps him stay calm, since that nervous energy can get destructive.
Puzzle toys are also helpful - anything that can distract him or keep him occupied.
So far, so good! When I come home, his ex pen is still tidy, and his disposition is positive. I would be happy to get more in detail if you need! Good luck!

They do like to spend as much time as possible out their cage, but you can also provide toys and enrichment in their cage to keep them stimulated. Your idea of bowls with bedding is a good one - most rats love to dig. They enjoy actual soil even more. You can fill planters with sterile soil and bury treats or seeds or cat grass (not catnip!). You can fill containers with shredded paper or pom poms and bury treats in that too. Simple dog or rabbit toys are good for rats, and you can keep them entertained with treats wrapped up in paper or inside toilet roll tubes. These can all be used in a play pen or in their cage.

For the actual play pen, you could try this one. It folds up for storage or travel and I've found it very compact and user-friendly when I travel with my rats. The bathroom or bathtub is also a good idea, but remember to put down towels/blankets and things for them to hide under - otherwise you're going to have them pooping and peeing from fright.

Going to be a bit long, bare with me.

Do not directly introduce the dog & cat at first. Keep them completely separated from each other. This will involve a bit of revolving animals, but in the long run it’ll be worth it. Crate the pup away from the cat and let the cat roam, sniff, etc. Hopefully the cat will “scent” some objects. After, say, an hour, crate cat away from dog. Let the dog sniff around. Do this process for 1 full week. During week 2 continue week 1 but add: rub your hands all over the cat’s face (where scent glands are) then immediately rub “scented” hands on dog’s face. This will force the dog to deal with the scent continuously. Do that for a week. Week 3 is week 2 plus “drive byes”. Dog on leash walks by crated cat until dog doesn’t show intense interest. After that you should be good. However it’s always best to have a safe space for the cat to go that the dog can’t. There are pet gates that don’t require any drilling that work wonders.

I hope that all makes sense. If you have other questions just ask.

Source: dog trainer for 10 years, own 2 pits, 1 Rottie, and 2 cats.

You're going to want to crate-train your dog while you're out. It's the safest thing--Iggies are very intelligent and curious, daring and adventurous. While these are awesome qualities, you wouldn't want to come home to a chewed power cord, your dog trapped under something that fell on him after climbing on it, or a broken leg because your dog climbed high and jumped down. I'm still amazed at how tiny Morty's little leg bones are.... He's never had any issue, but the breed is notorious for delicate legs, especially during the puppy years.

Iggies are super sensitive--way more than most other breeds. More than just about any other dog, they will only respond to positive reinforcement--which can be a challenge as a first-time dog owner. Additionally, they are highly social and do not like being alone. When we got Morty I was running a Startup from home, I've been speaking with some folks about picking up another full-time job and not looking forward to the transition.

We have a chihuahua and some cats and Morty's bonded with each of them. He can spend hours in his crate with our chihuahua, they just snuggle up and sleep--but he really dislikes being crated by himself. So depending on the hours you work, the alone-time might be a challenge and could lead to nervousness or other bad behavior.

Small apartment shouldn't be too big of a deal as long as you're walking your dog and providing open space for running like a dog park. IGs are crazy fast when they run. They like cozy spaces and sleeping with/on/under their people.

This is close to the IG potty bible: https://www.midwestigrescue.com/ig-training-help/house-training-your-ig/

The Belly Bands from Sitehound Specialties really helped with Morty's potty training: http://www.voloig.com/SIGHTHOUND_SPECIALTIES.html

You may also want to consider getting a doorbell for your dog to signal that it's time to go out, these work really well: https://www.amazon.com/Doorbells-Premium-Quality-Training-Adjustable/dp/B01KG9WMWI/ref=zg_bs_2975348011_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JV2REFVJZW8EPTEWES53

One thing you may want to consider depending on how well you know your neighbors is paying a retiree to sit your dog a few days a week. The dog would love the company and a senior would make a little money having a part-time lapdog.

Good luck with your new Iggie!

If you can get two kittens (are there others in the litter?) instead of one thats ideal, they will socialize one another and are less desctctive/annoying since they play together.

For a kitten this young, a pen or crate is an absolute must. The kitten would be a danger to itself & your belongings if left to roam unsupervised for hours. There's also no gaurentee it will find the litter box in a large house. You don't want to start developing bad habits right off the bat. A pen like the one I linked below is great, and cheap. I use it for all of my foster kittens. That way they are safe & contained and it helps with litter box training. Also make sure you are purchasing a short/small litter box because a kitten of five weeks old has stubby little legs and probably can't climb into an adult sized box.

If you put her in the bathroom make sure it's warm and has plenty of bedding & toys. I love giving my fosters little hideaway beds. Make sure you are feeding her 3-4x per day (as much as she will eat), kitten food only. I would check out Kittenlady.org for lots of additional information about neonatal care. As others have mentioned, a kitten of five weeks old is very young, some kittens are not yet weaned from the bottle at that age, bottle babies often have special needs as well.

https://smile.amazon.com/ESK-Collection-ESK48-Blue-Exercise-Kennel/dp/B00SFA8KBS/ref=sr_1_11?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1541690581&sr=1-11&keywords=dog+pen

Our house isn't rat-proofable in any practical way, so we set up a playpen for them to play in and change it up every day so they don't get bored.
After a lot of looking around I chose this type of setup. I used the zip ties that came with the set (and at first when they were little reinforced the panels with gorilla tape in case they wanted to try to squeeze between them) and we fold the whole thing up and store it in the box when we are done with free play time.

We have a small litter pan that we keep in the pen when they are out playing. Most of the time they don't need it, but they have used it. We also have an 8x8in metal baking pan that we fill about halfway with water for them to drink or just play in. Sometimes I toss in peas or blueberries for them to go after. Often they just like knocking each other into the water if they are sitting on the edge. :)

Mine don't seem to be cable chewers but two of the three put holes in fabric in seconds. When they aren't in the playpen I will take one out at a time and plunk down with them on the couch. I just have to watch carefully they don't get down inside it or chew it.

Read a lot before you get rats. There is a lot to learn, but they aren't difficult once you understand what you are getting into. This reddit has a lot of helpful info and I found a lot of good resources online as well.