Guides
Plain, practical guides to the everyday jobs of living with a dog or cat, from measuring for a harness to lifting hair out of the carpet. For anything about your pet's health, ask your veterinarian.
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How-to
How to Clean a Lick Mat Properly, Including the Grooves
A lick mat is a textured surface designed to hold food, which is exactly what makes it hard to clean. This covers rinsing before it sets, the soak that does most of the work, when the dishwasher is fine, and what frozen toppings leave behind in the pattern.
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How-to
How to Clean a Dog Car Seat Cover Without Ruining the Coating
Hammocks, bench covers and cargo liners all fail the same way: a hot wash destroys the coating that made them waterproof. This covers the hair removal that has to come first, what the care label is really telling you, and how to restore water repellency when it stops beading.
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How-to
How to Measure a Pet for a Carrier So It Actually Fits
Carrier sizing catches people out because the weight limit and the internal dimensions are separate constraints and a pet can fail either. This covers the three measurements that matter, the height mistake almost everyone makes, and how to test the fit before a journey.
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How-to
Harness Under or Over a Dog Coat? How to Layer Them Properly
Two pieces of gear on one dog is a mechanical problem nobody explains when you buy either of them. This covers when the harness goes underneath, when it goes on top, what a leash opening is for, and how to stop a coat twisting halfway down the street.
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How-to
How to Use a Dog Enrichment Tube: Tug, Treats and Snuffling in One
Multi-mode enrichment toys get abandoned because the first attempt is too hard. This walks through the first session, how to load one so a dog succeeds, how to raise the difficulty over weeks, and what to do with a dog who gives up quickly.
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How-to
How to Set Up a Cat Corner in a Small Home
A cat does not need a whole room, but they do need four things in one place: somewhere to hide, somewhere high, somewhere to scratch and somewhere warm. This guide builds that corner in a small home.
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How-to
How to Use a Long Line for Recall Training
A long line gives a dog real freedom while you keep a way to stop things going wrong. This guide covers choosing a length, why it goes on a harness, how to handle it without burning your hands, and how recall training actually progresses.
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How-to
How to Bathe a Long-Haired Dog Without Making Mats Worse
Long coats are won or lost in the drying. This guide covers brushing out before water, getting shampoo down to the skin, rinsing until it squeaks, and the brush-and-dry technique that stops mats forming.
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How-to
How to Use a Cat Grooming Bag Safely
A grooming bag is a restraint, which makes using it properly a safety question rather than a convenience one. This guide covers choosing a size, introducing it over days, running a session, and the signs that mean stop.
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How-to
How to Wash Dog Coats, Sweaters and Pajamas
Dog clothing has washing problems of its own: knitwear shrinks, fleece mats, velcro destroys everything it touches and heat ruins water-resistant coatings. This guide covers each material and how often washing is actually needed.
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How-to
How to Measure a Dog for Clothes: Neck, Chest and Back Length
Dog clothing sizes are not standard between brands, which is why guessing produces returns. This guide covers the three measurements that matter, how to take them accurately, and how to handle dogs whose shape breaks the chart.
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How-to
The Weekly At-Home Health Check for Cats
Cats hide problems, which makes a short weekly check more valuable for them than for dogs. This guide covers what to look at, how to do it with a cat who objects, and what the litter box is telling you.
