Get your pet ready for Autumn!

Autumn - Get your pets Autumn Ready!

The seasons are changing and long hot sunny days, where your main issue was keeping your pets cool enough, are now almost a distant memory!  Thoughts turn towards those perfect cool crisp walks through fallen leaves or days spent snuggling on the sofa watching the weather pour down outside the window.  This all sounds like perfection for most pet owners, however with the change in the seasons come darker nights, colder temperatures, and many other challenges that can affect your pet at this time of year.  Below we have tried to compile some advice and top tips for helping you guide your furry friend through this period so you can make the most of those idyllic moments with them.

Fighting the fleas

As the temperature drops outside, the temperature tends to rise indoors with the central heating on more of the time.  This makes an even more inviting environment for ticks & fleas and allows them to flourish if left unchecked.  Ticks are most active during the late spring and early summer, and the Autumn as the temperature is not too warm or too cold.  Make sure you use flea and tick control and check your pets coats as often as possible for the first sign of an infestation. If a tick is found make sure to use the correct tick removal kit. Check out our range of flea and tick control equipment and treatments for dog and cats.

Beware of the anti-freeze

A staple of cold early mornings before work is often anti-freeze on the car.  Despite this being potentially extremely dangerous if ingested by your pets it can often be particularly tasty and palatable to cats, so make sure it is kept well out of the way from your furry friends both when in use and when it is being stored away for later.

Not satisfied with dodging the dangers of anti-freeze, cats will often take shelter under cars (sometimes even climb up into the engine!) where is it still warm and cosy from the engine having been run earlier.  Always check underneath your car before you set off, you may know where your cat is, but it doesn't mean your neighbor does!  Honking your horn is a sure fire way to wake up any sleeping cats before you start the engine.

Grab coats for everyone before heading out.

Those perfect crisp morning walks always mean we reach for our coat first.  Don't forget your dog too!  Some dogs will not need or want to wear a coat.  However it may be worth investing in a coat for those extra wet or cold days, particularly for breeds with little to no fur, puppies and elderly dogs.  Check out our range of coats to get your dog winter walk ready.

With shorter days also come more walks in the dark.  It is important to keep your dogs safe and visible.  Why not take a look at our Danish Design Hi-Viz reflective Coat.

Upgrade their housing

If your rabbit or guinea pig lives outside, you need to ensure they are well protected from the wind, rain, and cold.  You should consider moving them inside a garage or shed for winter if possible. That may though of course not be an option so it is important to upgrade thier living wuaters by adding extra bedding or hay and ensure their home is water proof by using a waterproof sheet (but of course do not cover it fully so fresh air can circulate.  Our range of Small Animal Bedding creates a warm, soft nest for rabbits, gueinea pigs, gerbils, mice and hamsters. Many are made from 100% 100% natural fibres that can’t be spun.

Keep Checking the Scales

As the nights draw in and weather gets colder it can become more and more difficult to exercise your pet as regularly as you should.  If this is the case, make sure you adjust their food intake accordingly to avoid them gaining too much weight and match their exercise levels.  Particularly with dogs you can try to provide alternative mental stimulation as well by using some of our Enrichment Dog Toys.  Items like the K9 Connectables, Kongs, & Treat Puzzles will be a fantastic addition to your dogs daily enrichment and ensure they are mentally just as tired as they are after a long days walk.

Sweet dreams

And finally, autumn brings the purr-fect excuse to snuggle up, and our pets love getting cosy as much as we do! We ahve a wide range of cosy Cat and Dog beds.  Our Danish Design Kumfy Cradle Radiator Cat Bed and our Rosewood 40 Winks Ranges are 2 of our more popular beds amongst our wide range to ensure your best fury friends are just as cosy and warm as you are.

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Why not share your autumnal tips and cute seasonal pet pictures by tagging us on our facebook page @chestnutmill.