Coastal Paws Rescue

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Quick Dog Check

Every Day
Is your dog's water bowl filled?
Have you fed your dog?
Have you taken your dog out for a walk?
Have you spent time playing with your dog?
Can your dog get outside if it needs to?

Regularly
Have you brushed your dog's coat?
Have you checked for fleas?
Have you asked someone to check that your dog's teeth are clean?
Have you made sure its claws aren't too long?
Have you wormed your dog lately?

Every Year
Has your dog been for a check-up at the vets?
Has your dog had its booster injections?
Have you got someone to look after your dog if you are away?
Do you make sure that your dog is kept in on firecracker night?

Dogs don't like being on their own and need exercise and attention every day.

Food and Water    Dogs eat a variety of things but a good balance of food can be bought ready prepared. The type and amount of food depends on the dog's age, size and health. Make sure:

your dog always has a supply of fresh water

you only feed your dog at regular meal times, giving it extra tit-bits might make it fat

you don't give your dog chocolate or foods that contain caffeine, alcohol or sugar

Exercise    Dogs need to be taken for walks every day. It's a good idea to microchip your dog so that it can be identified if it gets lost. You need to make sure that you:

keep your dog under control while you are out

clear up after your dog especially in towns, cities and residential areas

stop when your dog is tired, especially in hot weather

give your dog safe toys to play with (no sharp edges, splinters or small parts that could be swallowed)

Training   It can be hard work to train a dog, but it's worth spending time teaching your dog a few basic things. You can train your dog at home or go to local classes where it can meet other dogs. Try to:

toilet train your dog when it's young and let it out if it asks

reward your dog when it's good

get your dog used to its name and reward it if it comes when you call

train your dog to recognise some basic commands

Cleaning  Dogs need a helping hand when it comes to grooming. Brushing your dog's coat will:

keep it looking healthy

help you notice if your dog has fleas or ticks

reduce the amount of dog hairs left around the house

Health  Your dog should have a yearly check-up with the vet. The vet may need to:

give your dog booster injections

give worming tablets (to protect against worms)

clip its claws if they are too long

examine its mouth, ears and teeth

Hot Weather  Make sure that your dog:

isn't left in the car, even with the window open

can get into the shade

can get to drinking water

isn't over-exercised

Firecracker Night  The noisy fireworks night may scare your dog. Make sure you:

keep your dog indoors at night

don't leave your dog in the house on its own

let your dog find somewhere to hide if it's frightened 

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Quick Cat Check

 Every Day
Is your cat's water bowl filled?
Have you fed your cat?
Can your cat get in and out of the house when it needs to?
Is the litter tray clean?

Regularly
Have you brushed your cat's fur?
Have you checked for fleas?
Have you looked at its claws and teeth?
Have you wormed your cat lately?

Every Year
Has your cat been for a check-up at the vets?
Has your cat had its booster injections?
Have you got someone to look after your cat when you're on holiday?
Do you make sure your cat is kept in on firecracker night?

Cats are sociable animals and make great pets. Most cats spend a lot of time dozing, so need a quiet place where they can rest. Cats also like to spend time outside, so it's not a good idea to keep a cat if you live somewhere it can't get out and about.

Food and Water  Cats can be choosy about what and when they eat.

The amount cats eat depends on their size, age and how much they exercise.

Most people buy ready prepared food to make sure they have a balanced diet.

Make sure your cat can always get to water doesn't eat food that contains caffeine, alcohol or sugar

Exercise  It's nice for your cat to go in and out as it likes, and having a cat flap makes life easier.

It's a good idea to:

check there aren't dangerous roads nearby

keep a cat that's new to the area indoors for a couple of weeks

microchip your cat in case it gets lost

Training  It's important to house train your cat so it doesn't make a mess indoors.

Be patient and calm when training and try to:

train your cat to go to the toilet in a litter tray or outside when it is young

play gently with your cat when it's young so that it gets used to being handled

encourage your cat to use a scratching post instead of the furniture

Handling  Make sure that you don't pick an adult cat up by the scruff of its neck.

To pick a cat up:

put one hand under its chest

put the other hand around the back of its legs

Cleaning  A healthy cat will groom itself regularly, but brushing your cat will:

keep its coat looking healthy

help you notice if it has fleas

help reduce hairballs (hair that cats swallow when grooming)

Health  It's a good idea to make sure your cat has a yearly check-up with a vet. The vet will be able to:

advise you about neutering (unless you have a female cat and want kittens)

give annual booster injections

give worming tablets (to protect against worms)

examine its mouth and teeth

Firecrackers Night  Many animals are scared by fireworks and may run away from home.

Make sure:

your cat is kept indoors on firecracker night

it has somewhere cosy to hide if it gets frightened