The Omlet Blog Archives: May 2018

Crate Training Tips

Why Crate Train?

It’s very common for people to assume that crate training is cruel and that dogs don’t like small spaces, but it has been shown that dogs love a calm, safe place that they can rest in and call their own. A dog crate offers a place to train as well as a place to sleep at night. It offers security from loud noises like fireworks and thunder, and a place to snooze after a long and tiring walk.
Crate training is an important process in your dog’s life, and is really helpful with toilet training your dog, so you’ll want to make the experience enjoyable for both you and your pet. The key thing is to make sure that your friend is happy and comfortable in their crate. There are a number of things that you can do to reinforce the idea that this is a nice, safe space for your dog to be in.

 

Here’s 7 reasons why crate training is important for a new puppy:

Security:
Appeals to a dog’s instinctual desire for a den-like structure.
Self-confidence
Sets a puppy up for success by reducing wee and poop accidents.
Self-reliance
Prepares a pup for handling alone time.
Privacy
Serves as a time-out device for pups and owners needing breaks.

 

Behavioural Health 
Discourages and reduces separation anxiety in many cases.
Practicality 
Gets pups used to confinement that may be required at the vet’s, the groomer’s and during car trips.
Transport Device 
Contains a pup if he is injured and his mobility must be limited.

Make crate training an enjoyable experience

  • Create a positive association with the crate using food and treats. Start feeding your dog near to the crate, and perhaps even put treats in the bedding. This way the idea of food, which is positive, will be associated with the crate.
  • Use a blanket. Covering the top of the cage will give it a more solid, den-like appearance, and may make some dogs more comfortable with using it.
  • Crate train slowly. You need to be patient with your pet, as this can be a bit of a difficult concept for them to grasp. If you rush training, it’s unlikely to stick, and this can create frustration for the pair of you.

The Fido Studio is perfect when crate training and it so much more than just an indoor dog crate. It’s the perfect compliment to your home and fulfills your dog’s natural instinct to have a den that they can call their own.

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This entry was posted in Dogs on May 17th, 2018 by helenkennedy


Guide to keeping Chickens!

Thinking about keeping chickens?

Read our handy guide first that has been provided by Sarah from Sussex Garden Poultry ….

 

 

What advice would you give for someone looking to keep Chickens? 

The most important thing is going to be the coop, choose something that will be safe for the hens, that will last, that’s easy to clean. Spend well, spend once. Buy your hens from a reputable source, it’s easy to be fobbed off with cockerels or older hens if you don’t know what to look for. Buying ‘point of lay’ means they may not be laying yet, but within a few weeks you’ll get eggs, there is no way of ageing a hen, you don’t want to buy something that’s 3 years old.

Which type of Chickens would you suggest to get as a first time Chicken owner?

 

If you’ve never kept hens before I always suggest you choose a fairly calm type of hybrid. The Red Rangers, Blacktails, Light Sussex & speckled hens. These girls will lay you lots of eggs with the minimum of fuss. Bantams are also a good choice if you have a small garden.

 

What type of Coop would you recommend?

 

Always buy the biggest coop you can afford & have space for, hen keeping is addictive, you start with 3 & end up saying, ‘oh I like that colour, that breed, that shape……..’

 

How many Chickens would you suggest getting initially?

 

First think about your coop size, I always recommend starting with 3, the classic & the Go easily take 3 hens, should you have the misfortune to loose a bird you need to add a minimum of 2 hens, these coops have the space for 4 hens max. With the Cube you can take more hens, but remember when you want to add to your flock it’s best to double your numbers, so 4 or 5 in a cube allows you to add again in a couple of years time to keep a year round supply of eggs from new layers.

 

Should you always keep more than one Chicken?

 

Chickens like to be in flocks, no one wants to be lonely, why would a chicken?

 

To read even more about keeping Chickens read the Omlet Chicken Guide here

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This entry was posted in Chickens on May 17th, 2018 by helenkennedy