Many dogs can live an average of ten to fifteen years, but as they get older their health and general care needs will change, and so it is important that you do some research into how to care for older dogs, so that you can give them the best life possible as they move into their golden years.

Weight Control
As dogs get older they do become less active, and so you will need to review their diet and exercise in order to prevent weight gain. Obesity in older dogs is common and it impacts negatively on their overall health, so this is an important area to tackle and you may need to speak to your vet about how to set up an appropriate calorie controlled diet for your older dog, and whether there are any additional vitamin or mineral supplements that may benefit them. It is also important that you make sure older dogs gets plenty of fresh air and exercise, and remember they may not be as full of energy as they once where and have achy joints, so gentle walks and swimming will be much better for them, rather than making them run for balls or jump over obstacle courses.

Mobility Aids
Older dogs can suffer from arthritis and other joint conditions, so they may need a bit of extra help getting into the car or climbing high steps. You can mobility ramps for vehicles and steep steps, which will make it easier for older dogs to get around and will also mean you don’t have to try and lift them.

Beds
Older dogs can benefit from special heated beds in the winter, which are very low cost to run and can help to ease aching joints and keep them nice and cosy. In the summer you can also get beds that cool your dogs down, which is important in hot climates as older dogs are more at risk from heat stroke. Orthopaedic mattresses can also be a good idea for dogs suffering from painful arthritis and it is important to place beds in a nice quiet spot out of the drafts, so your older dog can get some uninterrupted rest.

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Cats are intelligent creatures, and many react quite well to simple training exercises such as toilet training and feeding schedules. However cats are in no way like dogs, and will simply not understand complex training demands, and respond very badly to punishments and scolding which just confuses and frightens them, and will actually encourage bad behaviour by stressing them. Therefore although you can train your cat to follow a few simple house rules, you will just have to accept you may never get them to understand the counter tops are out of bounds or the couch must not be scratched, and so punishing them for these misbehaviours is pointless and cruel.

Adverse Conditioning
Adverse conditioning works well with cats, by making certain actions such as getting up on the kitchen counters undesirable for them. This works best when they are still young cats, and you can create adverse conditions by covering the counter top with aluminium foil or double sided sticky tape, which is unpleasant for them to walk on so that eventually they will not even think about getting on the counter. You could also buy a spray mist dispenser and give them a little squirt of water if you catch them on the counter, and this also works if you catch them scratching the furniture. You will need to persist a little while with this, but eventually they will associate the misbehaviour with unpleasant conditions and stop doing it.

Provide Alternatives
Cats need to scratch in order to keep their claws healthy, and by providing them with their own scratching post you can help to encourage them away from using the furniture to sharpen their claws on. You can buy scratching posts in pet stores, or you can make your own by wrapping some rough hemp rope around a small piece of board and gluing it in place, which you can then hang up either in the home or out on the porch so that you cat can easily use it. It is also important that you have a least two litter trays in the house, especially if you have more than one cat as they often like to have their very own place to go to the toilet, and don’t like sharing, so by only having one litter tray you are actually encouraging one of your cats to go to the toilet on the floor or furniture somewhere else around the house.

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It is important you think very carefully about the right type of dog to suit your home and lifestyle before you choose a puppy, as rearing a young dog can be a time consuming and difficult process, and it can also cost a lot of money in vets bills if you select a puppy that is in poor health.

There are a number of key factors to look out for when choosing a puppy:

• Avoid puppies that are skinny or have potbellies, as this is an indication that they have intestinal parasites, and other signs of ill health include yellowed teeth, runny eyes/nose and a cough.  If you are worried about a puppy’s health ask for if you can get them checked over by a vet on a conditional purchase basis.
• Puppies must be at least eight weeks old, and should have already had their first vaccination before they leave their mother

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