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Newt's Story

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Newt's story I thought I still had so much time. So much time left to cuddle, spoil, and love my hedgehog. I did not expect him to pass at the age of one. The truth is hedgehogs are prone to genetic problems, because of the cross breeding of a Four Toed, and African hedgehog to create the African Pygmy (domestic hog). It is the responsibility of the owner to make sure they are buying from certified breeders in order to eradicate diseases like wobbly hedgehog syndrome, heart disease, and cancer. My hedgehog, Newt, was my savior. People make jokes about emotional support animals that aren’t dogs, but in a way he was mine. I suffer from IBS which means I have to keep my stress levels as low as possible. Cuddling with him, and seeing his sweet face always made any stomach pain slowly disappear. The truth is he was from a backyard breeder. I had done all the research on what care was required, but none on how to find one. I went to petfinder.com and found this little guy being advertise...
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Bonding With Your Hedgehog

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 Bonding With Your Hedgehog Everyone who owns a hedgehog probably knows how badly it sucks having to wait, and wait for your hedgehog to learn your smell. Not only do they have to learn your smell though, but they have to learn to trust your smell. It is so hard to have a hedgehog, and not yet be able to hold it, because you want to show it just how much you love it. Remember that no matter what, showing the animal respect and patience is a way that you can show that love to them. 1. Don't use food: now this may have some mixed opinions, but it is what I honestly believe from my experience owning a hedgie. Yes you should feed your hedgehog, but do not feed it from your hand. Most hedgehogs will not bite as a defense mechanism, but they will for food. I still never hand feed newt, because I worry that my hands will then smell like food, or he will associate my hands with food. Hedgehog bites hurt a lot more than people realize. This being said I only fed him in his bowl or with twe...
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Getting Your Dog to Choose You

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 Getting Your Dog to Choose You It is so easy for a person to pick a dog, and say, "that is the dog tat I want" but how do you get your dog to want you just as much back? It can suck when you realize your dog may prefer another human in the house more than you. I'm here to help you in this process so you can feel just as wanted by your dog! 1. Find one that compliments your personality: I see jokes all the time of dogs looking like their owners, or even acting like their owners. To be honest it really is true. If you are an active person who loves to go for walks and hikes, then get a breed that is high energy and enjoys those things. If you are someone who likes to chill and relax then get a breed that's more laid back. Don't think every lap dog is low energy, and every big dog is high energy though. It varies more by breed than it does by size, plus their personality has to be considered. Dogs are going to want to be with the person who spends time doing what t...
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Fall Photoshoots With Your Hedgehog

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 Fall photoshoots with your hedgehog Fall is here, and many people love the season, including myself.  Newts Fall photos have been getting a lot of hits so I wanted to share some of my ideas/ tips for taking the perfect fall themed photos! There are tons of festivities to go around for everyone, including your pet hedgehog! 1. Sweaters: Not all hedgies like to wear clothes, so don't force them to do what they don't want, but here is a cute way you can dress your hedgehog up for some cute fall flicks. Socks! It is so easy to do really. You can use a pair you already have, or hit up the dollar store for a cheap pair. All you have to do it cut off the toes, and two holes for their legs, and voila! you have a mini hedgehog sized sweater! Be careful though. Loose threads can snag onto your hedgehogs feet and cause problems, I also do not recommend putting them in their cage with it on. It should be on only when supervised to make sure your hedgie doesn't get stressed out, or a ...
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Training your dog to clean its toys

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  Teaching your dog to clean his or her toys   Fisher is a very smart dog, so he tends to pick up new tricks and training very quickly. It is important to remember that dogs can get bored of training, some breeds are harder to train, and you can only work for short periods of time each day. Training to clean up toys particularly takes a lot of steps, and a lot of patience. You will need: various toys, a bin, training treats, and a clicker . All of these items will be used in the process.   1.       Teach “take it”: This is the first step in teaching the cleaning up process. I did this by starting off by just handing toys and saying take it. I eventually began placing them on the ground, and having him take them from the ground. From there I began to slowly move them further and further away. I used the clicker for positive reinforcement. In order for the dog to learn it is positive you click and give a treat. Eventually they will know the...
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So You Want to Get a Hedgehog, Here's What You'll Need

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                              So You Want to Get a Hedgehog, Here's What You'll Need By: Kylee Bush      Hedgehogs can make really great pets. One thing to understand though is even though they're cute, they do not always like to be handled. They have a lot of specific care requirements that need to be taken into consideration. With any pet it is important to do the research required, and owning a hedgehog is no different. The spikes are for real, and they require a lot of patience. Once they bond with you though, the feeling is amazing.     1. A cage: hedgehogs need a cage and it needs to be fairly large. It should be at least 575 square inches. This is of flat space. Hedgehogs are ground animals and don't do much climbing in the wild, so they need to be able to have a flat area to explore. If the cage is too small the pet may become aggressive with you, due to stress. This is true with...
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My Experience With Dog Anxiety

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My Experience With Dog Anxiety By: Kylee Bush      If you weren't here for my introduction post, this is Alfie. Alfie is a Yorkie Poo, and is currently 8 years old. When I was 12 years old my mom surprised me with him. He came to us in a really sad condition. His hair was overgrown, he was covered in matts, his tears covered his eyes, and he was terrified of people. We had no idea what he had been through just that he preferred being around dogs more than humans. We had a yellow lab at the time who easily became his best friend and defender. Alfie would run into his kennel and cuddle with him, would only go outside with him, and wouldn't eat without his big brother. It was a natural bonding between them, and it made me so sad that he couldn't trust me. I made it my goal to get him to come to me. I would spend hours in front of the cage trying to lure him out with treats and toys, I fed him so he'd associate me with food, I'd go outside with him and his brother, I tr...
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