Pet Information

The Rottweiler is a powerful dog breed but devoted to its family. Descended from the Italian Mastiffs, this is a very old breed that was used as a herding dog during the middle ages. During the 1800s, these dogs were almost extinct but made a comeback in the early 20th century. These dogs are often used as a guard dogs, herding dogs or for tracking.

Part of the American Kennel Club working group, the Rottweiler was admitted to the AKC stud book in 1931. This breed weighs between 85 and 1 30 pounds and stands 22 - 27 inches tall.

This breed has a large body with a massive head and powerful jaws. Despite this, the dark eyes and face havean expression of loyalty and good will. Triangular ears are carried forward in the face is accented by a wide black nose. Typically, the tale is docked and rear dew claws removed. The Rottweiler has a very short thick coat and comes in black with brown markings on the legs, paws, muzzle and cheeks.

Despite its foreboding appearance, the Rottweiler is a very calm dog that is easy to train and devoted to his family. This is a reliable dog that will protect those he loves. But because the dog is so powerful, it is important that you give him firm training so that he does not become aggressive. With proper handling these are loyal and loving companions. The dog actually has a pretty mellow temperament but can also be a good guard dog and is very smart doing well in tracking competitions, obedience lessons and schutzhund.

The Rottweiler dog breed can be prone to hip dysplasia as well as ACL damage and often snores. He can have a tendency to overeat and you need to be careful not to overfeed him. They can also suffer from a condition called entropion which is the narrowing of the slit between his eyelids.

Believe it or not, these big dogs can live in apartments as long as they get plenty of exercise. However, It’s best that they have someplace to run and play even if It is a romp in the park. You must walk them daily.

The Rottweiler is one of the easiest dogs to groom and they do not shed much at all. They merely need to be bathed when necessary and brushed with a firm bristle brush.

Many pet owners dread these words, “Give your cat one of these pills twice a day.” Any pet owner knows the frustration of forcing a pill down the throat of a cat who does not feel well and who is not a willing participant. Before you don your protective armour to medicate your cat, try these easy tricks to get your kitty to take medicine.

Pet owners can agree that giving a cat medicine is not their favourite job in the world. Many times, you end up with bite marks or bleeding from little claws. There are some easy ways to medicate your cat that will help you administer the medication. Giving your cat medicine properly can also help reduce stress in your cat.

If you are giving your cat a pill, there are a few tricks to remember. Following these simple and easy tips will help make medicine time for you and your cat a breeze.

Oral Pills and Drops: The first thing to do is to follow your vet’s instructions. Most oral medications should be given with food or water. Make sure that your kitty has access to both of these immediately following. The next thing to remember is that a cat that is not stressed will be easier to medicate. Try to give your cat his or her medicine when he or she is relaxed. Do not make medicine time a chasing game. If your cat knows what is coming, he or she is likely to run or hide. Comfort your kitty by giving loving pats and by sitting in a quiet room. If you have to do it alone, cradle your cat under one arm and take the other hand and gently press the sides of your cat’s mouth with your thumb and forefinger. Make sure your cat’s head is tilted up slightly. Drop the pill into the back of the mouth and promptly shut your cat’s mouth. You must remember to hold your cat’s mouth closed until the pill is swallowed. Be very careful not to block your cat’s nose when doing this. Sometimes a cat will throw pills up after being medicated. If you find a soggy pill on the floor, it will be necessary to give your cat another pill.

Oral drops are often much easier to give your cat than pills. If your cat requires antibiotics request that your cat is prescribed the drops instead of the pill form. Most cats like the flavour of drops. Vitamins and antibiotics can both be given in liquid form. When you are giving your cat liquid medication, it is very important to use the dropper given with the prescription. This ensures that the proper dosage is given. You will need to give your cat the medicine in much the same way as the pills. Hold your cat under one arm and open the mouth with one finger on each side of the mouth. As soon as you put the drops in, close the mouth and hold shut until the cat swallows.

Some pills can be given inside of food such as canned food or hidden inside a piece of meat. It is not recommended to give cats their medication in their water because if they do not drink all of the water, then they are not getting the proper dosage. Also, pills can make the water taste strange to the cat and could lead to dehydration. Another tip is to crush a pill into smaller pieces and mix with meat flavoured baby food or tuna. Most cats will eat this and not even notice they are getting medicine.

Injections: If you cat requires daily injections of medication at home, such as insulin, it is very important to follow a schedule. Cats with diabetes usually need two injections twelve hours a part. When giving your cat insulin, remember to not shake the vial. Roll the vial in your hands very gently to mix. When you are ready to give your cat the injection, place your cat on a comfortable surface and have your cat lie down. Gently pull the skin up at the back of the neck. This is the perfect place for injections because cats usually are not bothered by the shot. Insulin needles are very thin so you will not need to push the syringe in very far. After giving your cat injections a few times, it will become easier on you and your cat.

It is not enough for dogs to have a full stomach after every meal. Besides a non-sedentary lifestyle, pets need proper nutrition in order to be healthy, happy and their coats soft and glossy. The cost of dog food and its brand is only important if dogs can read or pay for his meal. The easiest and best way to find out which food is best for man’s best friend is to observe how their response is to the chow they take in.

The following are tips that one should remember in feeding dog any kibbles, nibbles or whatever kinds of treat.

• Chocolate is lethal to dogs.

Specifically the dark chocolate kind. The major components methylxanthine alkaloids and theobromine in a regular chocolate is digested & excreted by humans in as little as 3 hours but the same compounds when ingested by dogs stays inside them for 18 hours. This has been proven to be fatal. Symptoms of chocolate dog poisoning include vomiting, excessive urination, hyperactivity, diarrhea, followed by seizure, coma, and death.

• Read the label.

Dogs should have a diet rich in meat. When purchasing canned foods, look for chicken, turkey meat, pork meals or other animal by products as these keep the dog’s coat smooth and healthy. Dogs prefer foods which contain high vegetable protein levels because these are easily digestible and are a great source of energy.

• Don’t give a dog a bone!

Contrary to the popular nursery song, feeding bones to dogs is not a good idea. Small soft bones gnawed and eaten by dogs feel like splinters inside their throat causing them to choke. Remember, dogs have short digestive tracts. They also have no saliva amylase, an enzyme that is used to pre-digest starch.

• Dog food supplements are unnecessary…

..only if one is sure that their dog receives a regular intake of complete and balanced food nutrients. Good sources of carbohydrates include rice, corn, oatmeal, wheat. However, a highly specialized nutrition is only necessary if dogs do not get enough physical activity or are currently undergoing a stressful routine change.

• Raw fish and eggs are a no-no.

Consistent consumption of raw eggs make a dog’s skin breakout. In canine terms - since eggs diminish the biotin available in their body – dermatitis and hair loss are its usual effects. Raw fish meanwhile results in thiamine-deficiency in a dog. Its effects usually are loss of appetite, abnormal posture, weakness and in some cases death.

Goldfish are a temperate breed that can be found in cool streams, lakes, and ponds throughout Asia and part of Eastern Europe. However, the ones you will buy for your tank have been bred in captivity.

Once you’ve decided that the Goldfish is the right one for you, you will need to find the right kind of goldfish. Take your time and find out more, rather than just rush out and buy the first goldfish you find in the first pet store you

come by. Decide on how many you want to buy. If you really want just a single Goldfish, please do a re-think on the issue because it can get lonely and boring for a lone ranger in a tank! Once you’ve though it out, here are some of the things you must keep in mind:

Choose the right pet shop

Ask people you know who are committed fish keepers for reputed goldfish dealers. These are the people who care and would have professional knowledge of breeding and nurturing goldfish. See if they give a proper fish guarantee. When you enter the shop, look around at all the tanks.

Make sure that the tanks are not overcrowded with fish. See if all kinds of fish are thrown together in one tank or care is taken to separate the various species. Look out for dead floating fish. The dead fish could have spread an infection to the other fish.

Question the Goldfish Dealer

If the dealer claims that the goldfish are imported, then find out which country they are from and when they arrived. Ask him or her is the correct quarantine procedures have been adopted before putting up the goldfish for sale. If they were bred, find out when they were bred and how the fish have been kept till now as in what kind of medications if any has been used and for how long. Find out if the dealer has used salt in the water.

Observe how the fish swims

This is a good gauge to identify healthy fish. A fish should be active, swimming with ease and style and poking around curiously at nooks and corners. Choose a goldfish that looks active and doesn’t wobble or tilt to one side or just rest at the bottom. Tap the tank and see how the goldfish reacts.

A fish that is slow in its reaction might be a sick one. Make sure that it’s not opening its mouth too much for air, as it might be an indication of problems with the gills.

Check out the fins

Make sure that the dorsal fin is straight and stands up. The backs of the goldfish should be smooth, without unsightly bumps. Also check that all the fins are healthy, even and are not rotted away or damaged. In all, a Goldfish should have a dorsal fin (unless it is a goldfish without a dorsal fin), pectoral fins that extend out on sides, two anal fins or one right in the middle.

Beware a goldfish with just one anal fin that’s placed kind of off to one side. It could mean that the other anal fin is growing inwards and that could be fatal to the goldfish.

Inspect the looks

Make sure that you give the goldfish you are choosing a thorough look over. See that the fish has a nice symmetrical shape and make sure they don’t have large heads compared to their body. It would do good to feel the fish to check if the skin is too slimy or too dry but at least ensure that the skin is free of spots and odd bumps and that the gills are red.

There should be no redness in the anal region and definitely nothing sticking out or leaking out. The outside of the mouth should be free from redness and white strings and the eyes free from white flecks.

Bag em right

Where you’re buying goldfish, you will have to put them in the ubiquitous plastic bag, but do so with care. Make sure that the dealer leaves enough space on top for the oxygen and the right amount of water. The right amount of the water is that which covers the fish.

Do not allow the dealer to add any medicine or drops or anything else. Don’t make the bag too tight and avoid a big bag that might lead to too many folds in which the fish could get trapped and hurt. The bag should be tied till it is adequately taut.

Hey even I’m willing to learn new things if there’s a broiled lobster in it for me.

When I’m hungry that is.

If I’m not hungry, or if I’m so distracted that a lobster won’t tempt me, then I’ll blow you off to continue doing what I want, not what you want.

That’s pretty much how your dog sees the issue when you train with food. If he’s hungry at the moment, and if there’s nothing more compelling going on, food can be a great way to reinforce behaviors you teach your dog. On the other hand, if Fido isn’t food motivated, or if he’s got something “better” to do, he won’t be interested.

Nonetheless, training with food has its benefits when used as a motivator and a reward. For those dogs who just aren’t normally interested in treats, you can substitute play with a toy if that motivates them.

The first thing you have to know about using food in training is how NOT to use it. The primary rule is not to use it to stop an unwanted behavior. Instead, use it to create a new behavior you want to teach.

With those rules in mind, you won’t teach your dog to stop growling at other dogs by using food. But you may be able to teach him to sit more quickly if there’s something tasty in it for him.

Before I tell how you to deliver food treats when training, let me tell you WHY you should not use food to try and stop an unwanted behavior. The answer is because you can accidentally reinforce the very behavior you’re trying to stop.

For example, let’s say Fido growls at other dogs on his walks. If you tell him to stop growling, and distract him with a treat, what has he really learned?

Here’s what YOU’RE thinking…he stopped growling so I rewarded him for that with a cookie. He won’t growl again.

Here’s what FIDO is thinking…this is cool, I growl, then mom pops me a cookie. Let’s see if this works…let’s growl more!

Think of food as a directional reward. How, when and where you deliver it all determine whether the treat teaches your dog what you intended, or something else altogether. For example, you tell Fido to sit, and you hold a treat six inches over his head, while pushing down on his butt.

Sound about right? Wrong! By holding that treat six inches over his head, you’re really teaching Fido to sit then immediately break that position in favor of jumping up to get the cookie.

Instead, start Fido standing on a closely held leash. Show him you have a cookie, by holding it at nose level—only an inch from his sniffer– while he’s standing up. Direct his attention, and nose, slightly higher by raising the cookie only enough so that he must tend toward a sit to view it. While he’s focusing upward only a couple of inches over his nose, use your other hand to push his butt down, while your cookie hand keeps the treat only a couple of inches from his nose as it moves.

As soon as he is sitting, deliver the treat to him just slightly above nose level, and slightly toward his rear. This means that to collect the treat, Fido must actually lean back into the sit more to reach it.

Mission accomplished! Food hasn’t been just randomly delivered to your dog, leaving him wondering why he got it. Instead, the food has clearly communicated how he can get this treat even faster next time, by sitting when you ask.

Anyone getting hungry?

All domestic cats develop behavioral problems as their predecessors. They encounter both physical and behavioral changes. Cats are creatures of habit. They do what they need to do as their ancestors did from climbing to hunting to marking their territory. What is amusing to a cat can be an enigma for us. Some behavioral problems may be perfectly natural for a cat. Prevention is easier than cure; there are simple remedies. As a previous feline owner I have experienced most of these behavioral problems. My favorite defense was my infamous water pistol.

Cats will climb as this is one of their instincts. As a cat owner utilize implied corrections such as making a loud noise or use a water pistol. Cats will soon associate this activity with consequences. Satisfy your cats desire to climb by providing a location for this natural activity. Some cats explore certain locations out of curiosity.

Cats claw our personal items to mark their territory and to leave their original scent. Provide your cat with a scratching post to prevent damage to your furniture. Always reward them with treats as a reward for utilizing their post instead of your favorite chair or couch. Another simple remedy is to massage catnip on the post to encourage further use of it. To discourage your cat from returning to an already defaced area you can cover the area with two way tape or plastic.

Cats will stalk and can ambush your ankles from a concealed place. This can be painful! Unfortunately this is a natural predatory activity. Direct your cats need by providing proper toys that will stimulate stalking and capturing their prey. If this is unsuccessful either revert to the water pistol or throw a toy.

I recall my cats had a habit of digging in my plant pots. Attempt to keep your cat away from your plants or cover the soil with marbles or gravel. Cats hate to dig in gravel or marbles. Cats also find satisfaction with chewing on items as the actual house plant. Some house plants are poisonous and can be potentially fatal such as Lily of the Valley, Mistletoe, any flower bulb, Ivy, Rhododendron….just to name a few.

If you want to prevent a cats natural instinct to explore you must implement options. Jumping on counters or tables can be hindered by applying two sided tape or revert back to the water pistol. Offer your pet a diversion.

Outdoors offer multiple interests to a curious feline. When you open a door a cat can dash before you realize what happened. A male that is not neutered will bolt to satisfy his mating needs or they can just exit to satisfy their curiosity with all those distractions. Give them food or a toy. Distract them as you depart. With a male not neutered there is only one option….take him to the vet and get him fixed.

If your attempts at resolving your cats behavioral problems are unsuccessful, consult your vet. Maintain regular checkups to ensure there is not an underlying medical problem associated with their specific behavior. Make your vet your friend as they can refer you to a qualified cat trainer as needed. For clawing and climbing your other option is to have your feline declawed by your vet. Give the title good cat to your cat and enjoy those humerous, mischevious moments.

For more information on pet care visit us at CherishMyPet

Lets make our dogs happy today with a variety of dog treats in our grocery store. Did you ever notice that there is a larger variety of dog treats than just a plain old bone? The pet’s aisle in the stores has a large selection of treats for our dogs now a day.

The treats that they have out for dogs today have all different type of flavors and names. They seem to be getting more like human food than for dogs. You know what I don’t think that the dogs are complaining any about the different types of treats are out there.

They now get the choice of chicken, beef, vegetable, and cheese flavor in doggie bones. Oh yes lets not forget the bacon and pepperoni stick flavors. Then there is the good old large rawhide bone that almost always takes a dog quite a while to chew the whole way through.

To be honest I don’t think that the puppies mind one bit about the different flavors or variety’s that they come in. A lot of them will do many different types of activities to just receive one treat, such as sitting up or rolling over and even just give those puppy eyes to have you give in to them.

Did you ever figure on standing in the pet’s isle for a while trying to figure out just what brand of treat your dog will eat? You end up standing there trying to figure out if they would want a large rawhide bone, small chewy bone, or sticks.

Some people will spend and outrageous amount of money so that their dog will only get the best treat to eat. But if you look closely at the treats there is not much of a difference in what is in them from the most expensive to the cheapest brand of treats. Yet some people will only get the treats by what is on the front of the box instead of paying attention to what is really in the box of treats for their dogs.

Really, does your pet care what is in the box all they really want is to be loved by their owner and given lots of attention?

There are a few different problems that are seen commonly in puppies who are six months of age or younger. These problems include submissive urination, urination when getting overly excited, and problems with nipping and chewing. If your Pit Bull terrier pup is having problems in any of these areas, don’t worry. I’m about to reveal exactly how to correct it.

If your Pit Bull puppy tends to squat and urinate when you approach him, this is a problem with submissive urination. This behavior shouldn’t be confused with a potty training problem, it is associated with insecurity if you punish your puppy or use negative reinforcements it will more than likely worsen the behavior. Submissive urination occurs when a dog is scared and feels intimidated when being approached by an individual.

To solve the problem of submissive urination, calmly approach your puppy. Try not to tower over him, crouch down so that you’re not as intimidating. If your puppy begins to urinate, try offering him a treat next time. The way to correct submissive urination is to get his focus away from whatever is causing his reaction.

If your puppy has difficulty controlling his bladder when getting excited, it is known as excitement urination. Again, never punish your puppy in this situation as it will only cause problems to get worse.

The fix for this problem is easy. Ignore it. Excitement urination usually disappears as a puppy matures and his bladder control strengthens.

Puppy chewing can be extremely annoying, especially if your Pit Bull is destroying things of high value to you (I’ve lost my fair share of eyeglasses for example). Puppies use chewing and biting as a way to ease teething pain. To solve this problem, give your puppy lots of toys to chew on instead. Kong toys are popular, as are stuffed squeakers.

If you’re having problems in these areas with your new Pit Bull puppy, have patience and take the time to work with your new buddy. He’ll get through these tough times with a little love and understanding.

Imagine a fish tank that has nothing but fish in it! Boring, to say the least! To make your aquarium attractive, you need to accessorize it. There are all sorts of ornaments on offer in the market today. First, you need to take into account the size of your tank and the kind of effect you wish to create. Of course, the most important consideration would be the type of fish you wish to breed in your tank. The ornamentation of a tank is more for people than for the fish. In fact, certain species don’t like gewgaws. The extras seem to get in their way. Oscars don’t like greenery, let alone trimmings! On the other hand, some fish would be lost without some place to ‘get away’. Others need some place to call ‘home’, while a few need something to play around, surprising as that may seem. If you have both small and large fish in your tank, the smaller ones would appreciate something to protect them from being preyed upon.Select what best suits your requirements from the local pet store or an exclusive fish store. On display, you will find traditional accessories like ships and castles. You could choose seaweed and other branched greenery or imitations of these in various materials. You could pick up shimmery stones of varied hue or pretty baubles to embellish your fish tank. Besides these, there are any number of new fangled accessories to suit every pocket.Some people are fascinated with amphibians. If you are one of these who keep pet amphibians in your aquarium, the requirement is different. These creatures love waterfalls that terminate in a pool they can luxuriate in. Waterfalls come in all shapes and sizes. You can best replicate their natural habitat by providing for a virtual ‘forest’ of water plants in their tank.When you choose ornaments for you aquarium, keep in mind what the fish you would like to raise are partial to. Get some literature and read up on their preferences. Certain fish are more sensitive and even a few accessories may traumatize them. Goldfish make excellent pets as they don’t need much care and they don’t seem to mind what’s in the tank with them. Therefore, you can go wild and do what appeals to you. Small fish don’t seem to mind either. So it’s entirely up to you on how you ‘do up’ the tank for small fish.If you make your aquarium especially attractive, it could become a conversation piece. Use accessories that simulate their natural habitat. That will certainly keep the fish happy! You, your children and your friends can spend hours enjoying the antics of the fish. This occupation is known to be therapeutic, to boot. So be imaginative in decorating your tank. Create your own ornaments or stick with the conventional. The outcome should give you and the fish pleasure.

Five dog training mistakes to avoid

Mistake #1: Not being consistent.

Consistent training is a must if you expect to ever have a reliably trained dog. Repetition is the key. Without a doubt the number one question I have gotten from people training their dogs themselves is, how do you get them to listen to you? After a bit of investigating on my part I find out that they are simply trying to teach to much.

Solution: Break your training sessions down into 5-10-15 minute segments. Two or three times per day. This will help you and your dog progress faster.

Mistake #2: Being impatient.

Let’s face it. Dog training is something that does not happen over night. It takes time, repetition and most of all, patience. You can’t expect your dog to learn how to sit, stay, down, get a cola out of your fridge, and all that in 10 minutes. It’s simply asking to much. Yet, everyday I see people get so frustrated they almost resort to brutal behavior with their dogs. Simply cause they didn’t sit the first they were ever asked to sit.

Solution: Take it slow. Don’t expect to much of your dog. Set them up to succeed and not to fail. Always end on a positive not. Make sure you are upbeat and happy. Be calm. If you find yourself getting frustrated. Do one more repetition, let the dog succeed. Then quit training until you have calmed down. Come back to it later.

Mistake #3: Not working with the dog

What I mean by this is…approaching training like, “You better listen, or else!” That mind set is self-defeating and honestly, if you think about it, would you be able to learn something new in that environment? I highly doubt it. The days of pain = avoidence = obedience are basically out. Working with your dog and being proactive to possible problems is in.

Solution: Let your dog learn. Forcing the behaviour, while they might do it, does not instill a positive process in them. In other words, yes, they might down if they learned it through dominance. But letting them learn that downing when you ask results in a positive, good feeling, will prove to give you a more reliable down.

Mistake #4: Not having an open mind.

When I speak with people who are having problems training their dogs. I always investigate further to boil down the problem. More times than not, someone has either (A) went to a training class and is using their methods or (B) bought a book, surfed the web, or some other method of gathering information on how to best train their dog. In their pursuit for the best method they lose focus. In short, there isn’t one single method of dog training that works all the time every time.

Solution: Be open minded. Use different techniques. Always keep you and your dogs health in the forefront of your mind. Pick techniques you are comfortable with and aid in developing a bond between you and your canine. Remember, training should be fun. It’s your job to make it interesting for your canine pal too.

Mistake #5: Making training a chore.

Tedious, mundane, boring, hard, frustrating, irate, and other words have been spoken by dog owners about their dog training efforts. Making dog training a chore or a job is a sure way of killing any hopes you will ever have a reliably trained dog.

Solution: Make it fun. Change it up. Use your mind. Be creative. Don’t stick to one type of training. Don’t put yourself in a mundane area. We’re not training obedience champs here. Just basic manners. Find interesting ways to reward your dog. Teach new tricks often and incorporate basic obedience into that. For example, teach your dog to get your something like a paper or magazine. Watch those paper cuts! (kidding). Bottom line, make it fun and interesting and both you and your and dog will make more progress.