Tips to Quiet a Barking Dog

Growing up, we had a dog named Benji. He liked to bark and bark and bark, especially when left home alone. So, what can you do if this is a problem for you?

• Give your dog lots of exercise. She'll be more interested in resting than barking when she's tired.
  
• Give your dogs bones or a toy to bite. This can be very helpful in keeping your dog occupied so he doesn't bark so much when you're leaving him home alone.
• Give the dog the gift of your scent. Rub your dog's favorite toy in your hands so, she can be comforted by your presence when you're not home.
• Make a distracting noise. If your dog likes to bark at certain noises, try making distracting noises like a radio or vacuum cleaner during those times.
• Pay attention to what your dog is trying to tell you. Sometimes, Fido may have a message he wants to get across. In this case, once you respond to him appropriately, he will quiet down.
• Reprimand your dog. Tell her to be quiet firmly.
• Reward your dog. If he quiets down after being reprimanded, pet him, praise him, even give him some treats.
• Get your dog wet. So, you're at your witts end. You've tried a lot of stuff, you've reprimanded your dog and she's still barking. It may be time to get out the spray bottle and squirt her.

How to Ask Customers How They Found You In Paypal

I came across this very useful post by sassybellewares in the etsy forums, and thought I'd share it here.

Within PayPal, you can set up the payment page that buyers see during checkout so that a question is included asking buyers how they found you. You can then offer 5 responses to choose from (eg etsy search, google, facebook or twitter, word of mouth, other).

That information could be extremely valuable in helping you promote your shop more effectively!

Here are the instructions sassybellewares provided:
1) Login to your PayPal account
2) Under "my account" click "profile"
3) Under "selling preferences" click "custom payment pages", then click "options" and go to "merchant service options"
4) Check "add a customer service survey" and fill in the blanks*
5) Make sure you click "SAVE" before you exit

* I used "How did you find SassyBelleWares" for my question. I thought using my shop name rather than just "us" or "me" might help them remember my shop better for next time.

. . . . . .

SEEING THE RESULTS:
1) Login to Paypal.com
2) You should be on your account page by default, if not click on the "my account" tab
3) Find a recent sale transaction and click on the blue underlined details link.
4) Scroll down and find where it says "payment type:" Right underneath that, it will show your paypal survey question "how did you find..." and the customer's response if the customer filled it out.

That's it! This is so cool and it's a such a great business tool. I was surprised to learn one of my customers found me on facebook considering I only post there on occasion and don't have that many fans.

Introducing a new cat

Introducing a new cat can take a little patience. Your existing cats may see the cute new bundle of joy as a threat to their status as king or queen of the house.

Here's some tips that can really help:

• Be sure to have any new pet examined by a vet before bringing them into your house. Especially have them checked for FIV and Feline Leukemia, which can be passed to your other cats.
• Give your new cat their own room where they can be away from all other animals. This is a good room to put the new cat's toys, bed, litter box, food and scratching post in.
• It is likely that the cats will hiss at each other even if there is a closed door between them
• Rub a towel on each cat and let the other(s) smell that cat on the towel
• Change places for the cats a few times. Let the new cat have the run of the house while the existing cat(s) are checking out the new cat's room.
• Wait a day or two, then open the door a little bit and let the cat's sniff each other.
• When you feel it's time, let the cat's play together under your supervisou. Some hissing and growling is nothing to be concerned about. However, it they start getting very physically aggressive, it's time for you to intervene.
• Reward the cats with praise and treats if they're being good.
• If things aren't going well, separate the cats.
• Make sure to separate the cats when no one is home until you're confident they've learned to tolerate or befriend each other.
• Try to give all cats equal love and attention, so they don't get jealous.
• Make sure they have their own litter boxes and food supply.

This can take a while anywhere from a few hours to months. Don't get discouraged. It took Grace and Korina quite a while to adjust to each other. Now they run after each other playing and wresting. Korina has even learned to copy Grace.

How to keep your cat from biting

First of all, know that you are not alone. My cat, Grace, took up biting as a hobby, but it has gotten better.

Here's some tips that can help curb your cat's biting:

• Don't give them attention when they bite. Especially if it's biting during play. Cats can use biting to get attention or because they think you make fun prey to play with. Walking away or putting them in a separate room can give them the idea that biting you is not fun. If your cat gets in wild moods where they are extremely bitey, a time out either in their crate or a separate room can really help. I've seen my cat become amazingly sweet after 10, 15, 20 minutes alone in my bedroom.
• Spray them with water. Most cat's don't like being sprayed with a water bottle and this can be a deterrant when they try to bite. However, if your cat is in a mood where they keep trying to bite you even as you keep spraying them with water, it's time for a time out for kitty.
• Give them play time where they can act out their aggression on toys instead of you. It is a natural instinct for cats to hunt. They need a little time to be able to act that out in positive ways. It doesn't have to be an expensive toy. Paper bags, milk rings, a piece of string while you're holding it and supervising all work great. Some cats love to chase after the light cast by a flashlight. 
• Put Bitter Apple Spray on your hands or feet. My cat used to love to bite my toes as a kitten. It was very annoying. So I bought some bitter apple spray at Farm N Fleet to spray on my feet so she wouldn't like biting my toes anymore. I also sprayed some bitter apple spray on electrical cords just in case. This bitter apple spray I found was marketed for dogs - to keep them from biting at their skin and fur, but it can work for cats too.
• Discourage letting your cat play with your hands. It seems obvious, but I admit I've done this. It's fun for both the cat and me to try to catch my fingers, but it can be a really bad habit to get into. 
• Say NO when they bite and move away from the cat.
• If they don't let go quickly when they bite, touch their nose with your finger. Cat's don't like it, and it can make them want to let go.
• Watch their signals. If their tail starts whipping when you're petting them, it's a sign they're getting annoyed or are irritable and they may need to be left alone for a while.
• Investigate the cause of the biting. Is there a new addition to the family? Has their status as king or queen been disrupted? Are they scared? In heat? Bored? Defending their young? Are they just playing? Are they overstimulated? Are they teething?
• Be patient. It takes time. Please don't give up on your pet because of a bad habit. With time and patience, these bad habits can get better. I was almost ready to give my cat away when I first got her, and she has grown into a wonderful cat.

If you have any additional advice or suggestions, please feel free to comment.