Ask Brewski: What's the Best Bowl for a Puppy?
My puppy chewed up his plastic food bowl, so I have to get a new one. What kind should I look for?
—Danny
Oh, these youngsters! Veterinarians say that stainless-steel food bowls are healthier for pets than plastic bowls, especially in the summer. Plastic bowls tend to get tiny scratches, where bacteria can hide. Stainless steel is easier to clean, too—and practically indestructible!
Sometimes when I’m playing with my kitty, she seems to be really enjoying it, but then all of a sudden she starts attacking me! What should I do?
-Brendan
I’ve had a few run-ins with touchy felines myself over the years! Your kitty may just get tired of being petted and is trying to tell you in the fastest way she knows. To prevent an attack, try petting just her head; don’t pet her tummy or the rest of her body. See how long you can pet her head before she gets irritated, and then stay below that time period. (This way, you won’t give her a chance to practice her “bad” behavior.) To build up her tolerance, try rewarding her with treats each time she lets you pet her a little longer than before. Or here’s another way to make friends with your kitty: Instead of petting her all the time, pick up a feather wand or another one of her favorite toys and play with her – cats love to chase things! To learn more, go to: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/ask-the-expert/ask-the-expert-dog-and-cat-behavior/
My white cat loves to sun herself. Can she get sunburned?
-Alicia
Yes! Too much sun can irritate your kitty’s skin; her ear tips and cheeks may turn red and tender. Dogs who have short fur and fair skin also tend to get sunburned on their noses and bellies. To prevent sunburn, apply waterproof sunscreen or sunblock to these delicate areas; ask your veterinarian to recommend a brand that’s safe for your pet’s skin (and one that won’t harm her if she licks it off). Or, better yet, stay inside and invent some new games to play on sunny days!
My 4-month-old puppy chews and bites everything! Will she grow out of it?
–Linda
Get bonus content not published in the magazine in our premier e-mail newsletter.
Definitely want to get a stainless steel bowl. Easy to clean, drool, spit, partially digested food and dog hair easily wash out, no sticking to the surface. If necessary can always use a brillo pad or similar without causing any problem.
If like one of my aussie pups your dog tends to put their foot in the bowl and so knock it over you can get the stainless kind with the rubber gasket around the bottom. I’ve never had either of the two dogs tip that kind over.
My vet had me get ‘bully sticks’. They are dehydrated bull horns. They smell something awful but the dogs think that’s great.
Luckily they don’t leave any smell behind such as bad breath.
They can be gotten in various sizes from small little sticks about 3″ long to great hugh one’s a foot long and thick as the dogs leg.
I was concerned that when chewed into small pieces they might get stuck in their gut but my vet tells me not so. However, if I see them with smaller pieces I take them away just as a cautionary point.
The older dog has been chewing on these for many years without problem. The younger not so long just because he has fewer years under his belt.
The local Pet store has them but they are sold individually and are expensive. I found several online stores where you can get a whole bag of them at considerably less price including shipping.
bw