It’s a good question – do our dogs dream? Many owners, without ever having to do any research, will tell you that yes, dogs do dream. After all, what else would cause our furry friends to sometimes “talk”, growl, move their legs, and quiver in their sleep?
It seems that scientists agree – dogs do most likely dream. In fact, evidence shows that many types of animals, many of them with brains simpler than that of dogs, experience dreams as well. Brain wave studies done on rats have shown that they not only dream, but that they seem to be dreaming about things they did while awake that day, much like what happens to humans.
By analyzing dog’s electrical brain sequences while they sleep, scientists have what they believe is proof that dog’s do dream. Dogs, like humans, most likely only dream while they are in the deep stage of REM sleep. Signs that your dog is in a REM sleep stage and may be dreaming include irregular breathing, muscle twitches, eye movement, and sometimes “talking” (barking, growling, etc) or movement of the legs or paws that can make it appear as if the dog is trying to walk, run, or preform some other physical activity. Oddly enough, scientists report that their evidence suggests that small dogs seem to dream more often than large dogs, and that puppies dream more than adult dogs.
So what do dogs dream about? Much like humans, scientists believe that dogs probably dream about things that happen in their everyday lives, things such as eating, going for walks, family members, chasing that cat that lives next door, or playing. What do you think your dog(s) dream about?
We’ve, unfortunately, been dealing with content scrapers stealing our articles. You shouldn’t be seeing this article on any site other than pawprintpetblog.com! If you’re reading this article on any other site, we’d love for you to take the time to contact us and let us know and, if you have the time, stop by and visit us on our official site! Thanks you.
So you’ve adopted a new puppy and you’d like to get an idea of how big he/she will grow up to be.
Is there any way to tell, or at least to guess, how big your little furball will be as an adult dog?
Is it okay to buy your dog small-sized supplies, such as beds, or should you save some money and opt for the large size now?
Are there any health issues associated with your pooch’s future size that you should start researching now?
Knowing how large your dog will become can be very useful for many reasons. Of course, we love our dogs no matter what size they are, but if you’d like a way to estimate how big your puppy will grow to be, then you’re in the right place!
Easy Calculations:
Determine how old your dog is in weeks, and weigh your puppy.
Now here’s where the actual math comes in. The formula is (Growth) = Current weight in pounds / Age in weeks. Adult Weight = (Growth) X 52
For example, say you have a 12-week-old Chihuahua mix who currently weighs six pounds. You’d first determine his growth. So current weight divided by age in weeks. 6/12 = 0.5. Then you take that growth number, in this case, 0.5, and plug it into the next equation. So in this example, the dog’s adult weight is equal to 0.5 X 52, which is 26. So the Chihuahua mix in this example has an estimated adult weight of around 26 lbs.
Pretty simple, right? Keep in mind, though, that this is just a rough estimate. There are many factors that go into determining a dog’s growth and size, including things like sex, breed, and health. This calculation assumes that a puppy will continue to grow at a consistently average rate until they reach adulthood.
Kitsune when he was a puppy!
But that may not be entirely accurate due to the fact that many puppies, rather than growing continuously, will have a period of fast growth followed by a period of slower growth until they reach their full adult weight.
Different-sized dogs also reach their adult size at different ages, and even after they obtain their adult size, it’s normal for them to continue to gain some weight as they fill out more.
Since these calculations are just estimates and can be inaccurate, it can be helpful to look at more than one when trying to determine your dog’s future size. Here is an example of another set of equations used to estimate a puppy’s adult size.
If you have a toy or small breed dog, use this equation: (Adult weight in lbs.) = weight in lbs. at six weeks old X 4.
If you have a medium or large-sized dog, use this equation: (Adult weight in lbs.) = weight in lbs. at 14 weeks X 2.5.
If you are unsure whether your dog will be a small, medium, or large adult, you can do both of these calculations for your dog to get a weight range.
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important to love our dogs, no matter how large or small they grow up to be. But if you’d like a rough estimate of your dog’s adult size, these simple calculations should help.
We’ve, unfortunately, been dealing with content scrapers stealing our articles. You shouldn’t be seeing this article on any site other than pawprintpetblog.com! If you’re reading this article on any other site, we’d love for you to take the time to contact us and let us know and, if you have the time, stop by and visit us on our official site! Thanks you.
My Alaskan Klee Kai, Fenrir, despite being almost 10 years old now loves toys. When it comes to food he’s always been super picky, and he has very low food motivation – but toys!? Oh boy. There’s almost nothing Fen finds more rewarding than a good ball. He holds a special place in his heart for what my partner and I have come to refer to as ‘loud toys’. If a toy somehow moves, jumps, or wiggles, Fen is in! In the past, dog toys with motors have meant that the toy is pretty loud, hence why we call them loud toys. If I’m being honest, they can get kind of annoying for us humans. But Fen loves them, so we’ve always just dealt with the sound.
When a company called Cheerble asked if Fen and I wanted to try out their Wicked Ball Air, I took one look and knew it was something Fen would love!
Although new to me, Cheerble was founded in 2016. We tried out their Wicked Ball Air. They sell other products too, including an array of interactive dog toys, cat toys, and pet supplies. When Cheerble first contacted me, I felt especially drawn to how innovative and unique their products looked! I’ve shared my life with dogs for over 15 years (Yeah, I feel old) and have been a pet blogger for almost as long. So, as you can imagine, I’ve seen a lot of dog toys. These days, it takes a lot for me to feel like a dog toy seems unique. So kudos to Cheerble on that!
Wicked Ball Air
Cheerble’s Wicked Ball Air is the moving, bouncing, rolling wonder ball for dogs! After charging it, the Wicked Ball Air has 3 interactive modes (normal, passive, and gentle). Choose the perfect setting based on your pet’s individual play style. The normal setting causes the ball to jump and move around the room, and is recommended for active dogs. The passive setting means the ball basically doesn’t move until it’s moved or tapped. In the gentle setting, the ball moves and shakes slowly, which is great for dogs who may be intimidated by a ball that moves on its own.
The Wicked Ball Air is made with a pet safe, bite-resistant E-TPU outer shell. It’s light, and eco-friendly, which I really appreciate. The outer shell is non-toxic and designed to be soft so it’s gentle on dog’s teeth. Cheerble even sells replacement shells for your Wicked Ball Air, so the fun never has to end! Cheerble recommends the Wicked Ball Air as best for medium-large breeds, or any dog over 35lbs. But I have to be honest, my Fenrir isn’t that big and he loves his Wicked Ball Air too!
The Wicked Ball Air is USB chargeable, and comes with a cable to charge it. Each charge should last between 1 to 3.5 hours, and recharging to full only takes around 50 minutes.
Time To Play!
I know I know, I can say lots of good things about a dog toy, but the real test always comes down to one thing – will my dog like it?
Fenrir gives the Wicked Ball Air two paws up! The ball is lightweight, just 130 grams, which made it easy for Fen to pick up and play with even though he’s smaller than the recommended dog size. I really appreciate that the Wicked Ball Air is soft and safe for dog’s teeth, and the soft material seemed like it made the ball easier for Fen to grip. He was excited to play with the Wicked Ball Air even before I charged it up! Afterwards, when he saw it moving and bouncing around, he was really interested!
Luckily he didn’t have to wait long to play! Cheerble says the ball charges fully in 50 minutes. I’ll be honest, I didn’t time it when I charged our ball for the first time, but I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly it charged. The ball even has colored indicator lights so you can easily see when it’s done charging. Indicator lights also light up different colors to let you know what setting (normal, passive, and gentle) the ball is on. We tried all three modes. Fen happily played with the ball no matter what setting I used, but, for the most part, we kept it on normal during our play sessions.
Easy To Operate
Once you figure out the color scheme and how to control the ball it’s super easy to use! An instruction manual is included. I had to look at it once to learn how to turn the ball on and off, and to figure out what each color setting meant, but after looking at it once I was good to go. I will mention that our Wicked Ball Air had kind of a strong scent when I first opened it, but I left the ball out of the box for a short time and the smell completely went away.
Clean Up Is A Breeze!
I love, love, love how easy this toy is to clean! As you can see from the video above, we played with our Wicked Ball Air outside. It’s ‘mud season’ currently and our ball got pretty dirty out in the yard. The two sides of the ball unscrew, and you can fully remove the motor inside. I washed the two sides of the shell in the sink then just made sure I allowed them to dry fully before putting the ball back together again.
The Wicked Ball Air seems pretty durable, but I love that Cheerble has the option to purchase replacement shells. The ball itself, with the motor, is kind of on the expensive side but the replacement shells are reasonably priced. It really makes you feel like you can get your moneys worth, because with the replacement shells (if needed) you can really extend the life of your ball.
Silence Is Bliss
Oh! And I almost forgot the best part! The Wicked Ball Air is quiet! It’s the first interactive pet toy with a motor like this that I’ve tried that hasn’t been obnoxiously loud. The motor itself is almost silent. While the ball wiggles and rolls around, it doesn’t do so violently. It’s not constantly hitting against the floor or random items in the house loudly. I appreciate this so much, because it means I can let Fenrir play with his ball while I’m working without having to listen to it constantly crash against the floor and random pieces of furniture. Also, I feel like the gentle nature of the ball’s movement contributes to making it safer for dog’s teeth.
Amazon is also currently holding a spring promotion that lasts until March 31st, so if you’re interested in checking out the Wicked Ball Air (or other Cheerble products) there’s never been a better time! Readers who take advantage of the spring sale will get an extra 20% off, on top of the 5% discount!
Giveaway Time!
The awesome people over at Cheerble sent us two Wicked Ball Airs to try out. Since I’m convinced Fenrir will only ever need one, we’re hosting a giveaway for the other. Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
Valid for US residents only. A winner will randomly be selected and notified via email on April 10th. The winner will have 48hrs to reply to our email. If no email reply is received the prize will be forfeit and we’ll randomly select a new winner.
We’ve, unfortunately, been dealing with content scrapers stealing our articles. You shouldn’t be seeing this article on any site other than pawprintpetblog.com! If you’re reading this article on any other site, we’d love for you to take the time to contact us and let us know and, if you have the time, stop by and visit us on our official site! Thanks you.
It’s been a while since we have posted any product reviews! After having dogs, and blogging about them, for so many years I, as you can probably imagine, amassed quite the horde of dog products. I’ve been very selective about what products I select to review here because, for one, I only like sharing products that are high quality, worth your money, and are things that I feel safe/comfortable using myself. If a product isn’t something that I’d happily use with my own dog, then I’m not going to promote it to you! In addition to all that, the fact of the matter is that I’ve gotten to a point where I kind of feel like I’ve “been there done that” when it comes to a lot of the dog products on the market. I have so much dog stuff already, I don’t need more stuff taking up space in my house. So, if I’m going to agree to review something, it has to be something that really piques my interest!
All that being said, today’s post is a product review! And, if you can’t already tell, it’s for a product I’ve really been enjoying. The awesome people over at Petcube recently reached out to see if my dog Fenrir and I wanted to try out one of their smart pet cameras. This was a product I was excited to try out because, although I don’t leave Fen home alone often, I worry about him when I do! Having a way to check in on him when I’m away from home elevates so much anxiety.
The Cam 360 smart pet camera by Petcube is an innovative pet ‘spy’ camera that allows you to keep an eye on your furry friend when you can’t be home with them. It comes with an app that allows you to livestream 1080p full HD video with a crisp, wide angle view. The camera features 360* pan and tilt rotation that allows you to see your pet no matter where in the room they roam. The camera features night vision that means low, or even no, light conditions are not a problem. Use the 8x digital zoom to really focus in on your pet’s mischief. You can even use the 2-way audio feature to listen in on, or talk to, your pet!
The Cam 360 features a privacy mode with physical camera shut-off, which I appreciated, especially since we decided to set our camera up in our bedroom. I don’t currently have this feature, but with a low monthly subscription you can also set up smart alerts, store captured videos in the cloud, receive daily video diary highlights, and have 24/7 chat access with certified veterinarians.
First Impressions
My first impression of the Petcube Cam 360 was that this thing is tiny! I love its sleek design. I’ve tried pet cameras in the past that were pretty bulky and didn’t look nearly as nice set up in a room as the Cam 360 does.
Besides the camera itself, our Cam 360 came with mounting hardware in case you want to mount your camera on the wall, a USB cable, plug adaptor, instruction manual, and some stickers.
Getting Started: The Petcube App
Who needs an instruction manual, though!? Not me! It was super easy to access and download the Petcube app (I use an Android phone), and once you register and log in on the app it walks you through everything you need to do to get started with your camera. It basically entailed getting my Cam 360 set up on my home Wi-Fi then linking my camera with my profile. It was easy-peasy and took me maybe a total of 5 minutes – including the time it took for me to try to remember my Wi-Fi password!
The app itself is intuitive and easy to use. It allows you to create pet profiles for multiple pets, and add multiple devices (including more cameras, pet trackers, and water fountains).
Time To Try The Camera!
After a brief setup it was time to test our Cam 360! I set ours up in our bedroom because that’s typically the room Fen hangs out in when he’s not by my side. I could tell that Fenrir could hear the Cam 360 moving when I panned the camera because every time I moved the camera he would stare at it. So cute!
Even without purchasing the monthly subscription, the Petcube app allows you to view the livestream and manually record videos and take photos. I was happy with how crisp and clear the livestream feed looked, even at night with no lights turned on in the room!
Here’s where I have to admit that I really don’t have great internet. I noticed, at times, that the camera feed would seem to lag and freeze up a bit. However, I suspect that this could be due to my unstable internet connection and not the camera itself. We live in a pretty remote area and have to use satellite internet. It works pretty well for most basic things, but can cause issues sometimes.
Final Thoughts
The Petcube Cam 360 is a product I’ll for sure continue to use. Internet issues aside, I love having a way to keep an eye on Fenrir when I’m away from home. Thankfully the brief lag, likely caused by my slow internet connection, doesn’t strongly interfere with the camera’s functionality. I can still get a great view of the adorable Mr.Fenrir!
I love that the Cam 360 is small and modern looking. It doesn’t look bad set up in our bedroom, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space. Despite its small size, this camera really packs a punch. I can pan the camera left to right, as well as up and down, to get a full view of the room its in. This is awesome for pets, but would make the Cam 360 great as a basic security camera as well. I’ve been happy using the Petcube free app, but if you’re looking for even more features, such as smart alerts, I feel like the Petcube Care subscription package is pretty reasonably priced. I work from home, so I don’t actually leave Fenrir home alone very often. If he was home alone more often, I’d probably subscribe to Petcube Care.
Testing out the Cam 360 is our first time trying out a Petcube product but I don’t think it will be our last! I love our Cam 360 so far. I mean let’s face it, having to leave our beloved furry family members home alone sucks. Although I don’t do it often, I hate leaving Fenrir home alone and worry about him while I’m away. The Petcube Cam 360 allows me to check in on Fen from anywhere, and how can you put a price on that kind of peace of mind?
We’ve, unfortunately, been dealing with content scrapers stealing our articles. You shouldn’t be seeing this article on any site other than pawprintpetblog.com! If you’re reading this article on any other site, we’d love for you to take the time to contact us and let us know and, if you have the time, stop by and visit us on our official site! Thanks you.
What love is purer than the love we share with our pets? They love us unconditionally, no matter what we look like, our pasts, or how much money we make. They are our workout partners, snuggle buddies, therapists, and best friends. Although it’s important to express to our loved ones, pets included, that we care for them on a daily bases, why not do something special for your furry Valentine this Valentine’s Day? Also, remember while you’re celebrating with your loved ones, that some of the most common Valentine’s Day gifts and decorations can be dangerous to our pets.
Here are some tips to help you keep Valentine’s Day fun and safe for your furry friends!
Keep chocolate and sweets away from pets: Most pet owners already know that chocolate can be dangerous to some types of pets. However, even non-chocolate candies and sweets should be kept away from animals. Treats sweetened with Xylitol can cause dangerous hypoglycemia in our pets. Candy that doesn’t contain Xylitol or chocolate may not be toxic to our pets, but they commonly cause issues such as upset stomachs and digestion problems. So keep human treats away from your pets, you don’t want them to have to spend their Valentine’s Day with an upset tummy!
Flower safety: Flowers are a beautiful gift, but make sure that that bouquet from your secret admirer doesn’t put your pet in danger. Some species of flowers, such as lilies and morning glories, can be dangerous or even fatal to certain types of pets. Do research to determine what types of plants are unsafe for the particular type of pet(s) you own. When giving flowers as a gift, be careful not to send dangerous types of plants to pet owners. If you receive roses, don’t allow your pets to step on or chew the stem of the flowers. The thorns can cause injuries to your unsuspecting pets. De-thorn roses if you are afraid your pet might get to them. If in doubt, keep plants and flowers away from pets. Put the flowers up out of their reach and make sure that if the plants drop leaves or petals that they don’t fall onto the floor where your pet(s) could get to them.
No alcohol for Fido: Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets. Even a small amount of alcohol can be dangerous, and sometimes fatal, to pets.
Decoration safety: Be extra careful with decorations, especially things like candles and present wrapping supplies. A playful pet could easily knock over an unattended candle, and things like ribbons and wrapping paper may look like a fun toy, but can be dangerous is swallowed.
Don’t give pets for gifts: A fuzzy puppy or kitten may look adorable with a red ribbon around it’s neck on Valentine’s Day, but for many reasons pets should never be given as gifts. Instead consider other options such as stuffed animals, chocolate, or pet supplies for a potential future pet owner.
Be smart when picking pet presents: Most pets would love a new treat or toy on Valentine’s Day. Be smart about what you choose for your furry friends. Some commercial pet treats are unhealthy, or contain potentially dangerous ingredients. Toys should be sturdy and able to stand up to your pet. If your pet needs some new supplies, such as a new collar, etc., than things like that can make good gifts. On a budget? Why not try making your pet some homemade treats? And keep in mind that…
The best give you can give your pet is your time: Pets don’t need expensive gifts to know that their owners love them. Just spending some extra time with your pet can be the greatest gift of all. Consider taking your dog on an extra long walk, or playing ball for a few extra minutes. Snuggle up with your pet and watch tv together, or spend some extra time grooming them. Think of what your pet likes to do with you most, and spend some extra time with them doing it on Valentine’s Day. There’s nothing most pets love more than spending time with their loved ones, and the time spent together will be fun for you too!
We’ve, unfortunately, been dealing with content scrapers stealing our articles. You shouldn’t be seeing this article on any site other than pawprintpetblog.com! If you’re reading this article on any other site, we’d love for you to take the time to contact us and let us know and, if you have the time, stop by and visit us on our official site! Thanks you.
Small dogs are cute- really cute! Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea (pardon the pun), but there are lots of reasons why someone might prefer small dogs over larger ones. They don’t take up as much space in small houses or apartments. They don’t eat as much as large dogs so it’s usually cheaper to feed them. They oftentimes have longer life spans than larger dogs and many toy-breed dogs have wonderful personalities. And they are absolutely adorable. Did I mention that already?
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to own a small dog. But how small is too small? Where do you draw the line between wanting a small dog that is a healthy, happy companion and wanting a dog that is as small as possible? Does size really matter so much that you would risk your dog’s health just so you can have the tiniest dog on the block? This is exactly what some owners are doing, whether knowingly or not.
The smallest breeds of dogs, many of which are generally under 10 lbs, fall into the category of toy breeds. The smallest breed of dog, as many already know, is the Chihuahua. A healthy, breed-standard chihuahua generally weighs somewhere between 2 and 6 lbs. The pug, generally weighing between 14 and 20 lbs, is probably the largest of the toy breeds. Even a 20 lb dog is pretty small. A 2 lb chihuahua is downright minuscule. Some dwarf rabbits grow to be larger than 2 lbs!
So as you can see, there are options out there for people who want tiny dogs. So why then, are some “breeders” out there advertising for what they call “teacup” puppies?
The fact of the matter is that there really is no such thing as a “teacup” puppy. There are no “teacup” breeds; the term “teacup” is not recognized by the AKC or any other form of dog association. The word “teacup,” when used to describe the size of a puppy, usually means that the puppy is smaller than average. That might not seem like such a bad thing, but think of the size of a typical chihuahua puppy—tiny! Now think of how tiny that puppy would be if it were half its normal size.
Risks Involved in Breeding “Teacup” Puppies
Whatever happened to calling the smallest, usually weakest, puppies of the litter runts? By many breeders, teacup puppies are produced by breeding what basically amounts to runt dogs together. Now if all that caused were extra small dogs, that’d be one thing. But there are many risks involved with breeding very small dogs, to both the mother dog and the puppies. The mother dogs, being very tiny themselves, commonly have difficulties carrying and delivering puppies.
Health Problems in “Teacup” Dogs
Common health issues in so-called teacup puppies include things like liver shunts, hypoglycemia, heart problems, open soft spots on the skull, collapsing trachea, seizures, respiratory problems, digestive problems, blindness, and the list goes on. Many of these issues are life-threatening and very expensive to treat.
Teacup puppies, because they are so small and frail, are also prone to breaking bones even while performing normal activities (such as jumping, playing, or running) that would present little to no danger to a normal puppy.
Not all teacup puppies are produced by breeding very small adult dogs. Unethical breeders will sometimes lie about a puppy’s age in order to make it appear that the puppy will be small as an adult.
Always Research Reputable Breeders – Or Rescue!
If you’re thinking about adding a small dog to your family, please do the responsible thing and thoroughly research potential breeders or adopt a dog from a shelter. Do not fall for the teacup scam! The little puppies may be adorable, but they often come with health problems that can cut their lives short and/or cost their owners thousands in vet bills.
There is no such thing as a teacup puppy. The term is most often used by unethical breeders as a marketing ploy to stick a high price tag on what is more often than not a very unhealthy puppy. There are plenty of perfectly healthy small-breed dogs that need loving homes and can be obtained without using your hard-earned cash to support unethical breeders.
We’ve, unfortunately, been dealing with content scrapers stealing our articles. You shouldn’t be seeing this article on any site other than pawprintpetblog.com! If you’re reading this article on any other site, we’d love for you to take the time to contact us and let us know and, if you have the time, stop by and visit us on our official site! Thanks you.
have shown that they not only dream, but that they seem to be dreaming about things they did while awake that day, much like what happens to humans.
Although new to me, Cheerble was founded in 2016. We tried out their 
Fenrir gives 
I love, love, love how easy this toy is to clean! As you can see from the video above, we played with our Wicked Ball Air outside. It’s ‘mud season’ currently and our ball got pretty dirty out in the yard. The two sides of the ball unscrew, and you can fully remove the motor inside. I washed the two sides of the shell in the sink then just made sure I allowed them to dry fully before putting the ball back together again.
The awesome people over at Cheerble sent us two Wicked Ball Airs to try out. Since I’m convinced Fenrir will only ever need one, we’re hosting a giveaway for the other. Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
The 
Who needs an instruction manual, though!? Not me! It was super easy to access and download the Petcube app (I use an Android phone), and once you register and log in on the app it walks you through everything you need to do to get started with your camera. It basically entailed getting my Cam 360 set up on my home Wi-Fi then linking my camera with my profile. It was easy-peasy and took me maybe a total of 5 minutes – including the time it took for me to try to remember my Wi-Fi password!
