Pet Information

Unless you have been living in space for the past decades, you should know that it is not difficult to find artificial coloring, artificial flavorings, and sweeteners ingredients listed in most of the package food that we human beings eat today.

If you happen to take a good look at your dog food label, it should not come as a surprise to you that these artificial ingredients could be found there too. These ingredients are certainly not good for our dogs, if not they in fact cause more harm, because dogs have shorter digestive systems, designed to digest natural meats and fats. According to many researchers, the best diet for dogs is in fact a raw diet with as much organic dog food.

On the other hand, no matter how beneficial the raw or organic diet might be for your dogs, it is also much difficult for dog owners to prepare them as most people have a busier schedule nowadays. There are still many commercially prepared dog foods that would be suitable for your dog.

If you are one of those that can afford the spare time to prepare and feed your dog, I would recommend that you do more research on managing your dog’s diet and not feed him what you feel like feeding. Because dogs cannot talk and don’t know what food are healthy for them, it’s entirely the responsibility of the dog owners to maintain their dog’s health.

Before you rush into changing your dog’s diet, do understand that it is up to the individual dog owner to decide what’s best for their dog. Expensive food does not always equate to better or healthier food. Take for example, exotic ingredients, such as buffalo, might reduce the possibility of food allergy reactions, but they are also potentially less subject to the inspection regulations that go with more ordinary ingredients such as beef, lamb, or even salmon.

Do know that your dog is not a strict meat eater. Their ancestors do consume vegetable matter found in the stomach of their preys. The most important part before you went on to change your dog’s diet is to consult a canine dietitian, whenever possible. It is because your veterinarian might be valuable in terms of managing your dog’s health and physical needs, he might lack the knowledge when it comes to managing and changing your dog’s diet totally.

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, BARF, is a type of diet that focuses on raw meat and bones feeding to provide the necessary nutrition needed by a dog. Also known as Bones And Raw Food diet, and the Born Again Raw Food diet, BARF diet is picking up and getting more popular lately.

The argument for a BARF diet is that it follows closely to the diet of the ancestor dogs as they ate raw food too. Studies also show that cooking food would reduce the nutritional value, breaks down valuable proteins and sometimes even cause certain food like, bones, to be detrimental to the dog’s health.

This view point has a great deal of truth because it is well known and documented that certain vitamins are reduced or degraded by heat, some more cooked bones would also splinter when chewed.

Nevertheless, there are also many reasons to go against the BARF diet. The main reason being that it is a fact that current domestic dogs live longer than before and there is good grounds to believe that they must be eating right or rather better than they used to.

Secondly, a cooked diet is safer to feed in term of bacterial content as the heat from cooking kills most of the bacteria that might survive in the meat. Dogs have also been eating cooked food throughout their long relationship with humans. There is no concrete evidence to proof which type of diet is better at the moment, and both side have their own set of supporters. The decision whether to raw feed your dog depends largely on you. The factors to consider include the willingness to spent time and determine what type of food is biologically appropriate to your dog, to handle the food appropriately, and to incur the extra expense if you decide to raw feed. On the other hand, a cooked diet or a commercial prepared diet is less expensive to feed. There are also commercial raw diets available in the market. These foods are safer to handle if they have been irradiated to kill bacteria. These diets may differ a little from BARF diets, however they are still largely consist of ground meat and bone fragments or bone meal. In addition, they may also contain vegetable matter where a typical BARF diet may lack.

Last but not least, no matter what diet you decide to feed your dog, it is always advisable to seek advice from your veterinary. He should be in the best position to advise you accordingly depending on the condition of your dog and your current lifestyle.

Descended from the English Bulldog, the American Bulldog was nearly extinct after World War II. Thanks to the efforts of John D. Summerville, this breed has returned from the edge of extinction and flourished in America. This working dog has been described as fiercely loyal, an excellent hunter, and wonderful family pet. In fact, some American Bulldogs are known for their extraordinary acts of bravery and courage when defending their masters.

There are two types of American Bulldog: Classic (also known as Johnson or Bully) and Standard (also known as Scott or Performance); however, many of today’s American Bulldogs tend to be a combination of both. Standards tend to be shorter and stockier, causing them to sometimes be mistaken for their cousin the Pit Bull, but otherwise Classic and Standard American Bulldogs look similar to one another. American Bulldogs are primarily white though some may have patches of brindle or red. Their coats are short and wiry, feeling bristly and rough to the touch. American Bulldogs require relatively little maintenance thanks to this short coat, and only need the occasional bath and regular brushing with a stiff bristle brush. Their strong jaws give their heads a boxy and strong-looking appearance.

Male American Bulldogs will reach an average height of 22 to 27 inches and average weight of 75 to 125 pounds. Females will reach average heights of 20 to 25 inches and weights of 60 to 100 pounds. American Bulldogs will live, on average, 16 years. English Bulldogs were bred as working dogs that helped herd cattle and the American Bulldog retains some of these characteristics, particularly the strong jaw and equally strong personality. Though American Bulldogs are known as fierce protectors of their properties and masters (making them excellent guard and watch dogs), they are very gentle and good with both children and other family pets.

However, an American Bulldog is sometimes unaware of its own strength and for this reason, children should always be closely supervised when playing with this breed. In general, American Bulldogs can be difficult to train, as they are stubborn, but once consistently trained, will obey. American Bulldogs are suited for apartment life, as they tend to be relatively inactive indoors. However, they should be exercised at least once a day. Some American Bulldogs are prone to hip displaysia, but otherwise, are a healthy breed of dog.

There is a website that has great information on American Bulldogs and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2006

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

You’ve just acquired a beagle, and can’t wait to bring him home to show the children.

Once home, the children begin playing with him and running around the house. Suddenly you hear a scream. The beagle has bitten one of your children.

Once the panic is over and you’ve determined your child is okay; it is time to sit down and determine why this beagle, whose breed poses no threat to children, would bite your child. Let’s discuss how to stop the dog from biting again.

As mentioned earlier, certain breed of dogs are wonderful pets for children; beagles are no exception. However, there are times when erratic behavior can pose a threat to your children. Determine if this particular incident was a one time occurrence, especially if the beagle was retrieved from an animal shelter. Contact them and ask if similar biting incidences have occurred. If not, the reason behind it needs further exploration.

It is common knowledge that dogs usually bite for a reason. To stop the dog from biting may require you to question the children and find out what was going on when the incident occurred. Perhaps in their enthusiasm in having a new pet, one of children pulled on the dog’s tail, or unintentionally scared the dog. There could be a number of reasons. It is up to you to find the real answer.

Conversely, if the beagle you just brought home is a puppy, and took a nip out of one of your children, it is incumbent upon you to begin training to stop the dog from biting. As with other unwanted behaviors in dogs, it is important to establish dominance over the dog.

You, as the owner, must become the pack leader. You need to be the alpha dog. This is critical when any new dog enters a home and immediately tries to dominate it. Once your role is clearly established, your dog will understand the boundaries you have set and abide by them.

To stop the dog from biting takes time, effort, and patience. You must be consistent in your commands, and reward the dog for good behavior as well. In addition, you need to educate your children on the proper way to handle, play, and interact with their new pet. Once everyone knows the rules of engagement, you will all be able to enjoy every aspect of owning this wonderful breed of dog.

It had been years since I last visited my boyhood chum Ricky. He used to be a teammate of mine on the school baseball team, but he was obviously the better athlete since he was also on the school football team and basketball team. But I actually haven’t seen him practicing much the last few months and when I visited him at home, I discovered why. To my great surprise, Ricky was enamored with his pet parrots.

He had about a dozen of them in one big cage in all colors, shapes and sizes. It was like an explosion in a paint factory. Ricky even had names for all of them and had started buying all the books he could find about parrots. I started reading these books and was absolutely fascinated about what I discovered.

There are actually two groups of parrot families — the cacatuidae or cockatoos and the Psittacidae or true parrots. It turns out that there are exactly 353 species of birds that can fall under these two categories. The common characteristics they share include a curve shaped beak with the upper mandible having limited mobility and an erect stance. Did you know that all parrots have four toes on each foot, two at the front and two at the back?

Wherever it’s warm, you’re likely going to find a parrot there. These include such places like India, Southeast Asia and West Africa. There was also one parrot breed that could be found only in the United States but it is now extinct, the Carolina Parakeet. According to studies, the most number of parrot species can be found in Australasia, South America and Central America.

Among the types of parrots that are usually kept as pets are the conures, macaws, Amazons, cockatoos, African Greys, lovebirds, Cockatiels, Budgerigars and parakeets, mainly because they are richly colored and boast of many different color combinations. People sometimes clip the wings of their pet parrots to keep them earth-bound. Others prefer to keep their parrots flighted. There are parrots that can live up to 80 years, including cockatoos, Amazon parrots, African Grey Parrots and the larger macaws, have very long life-spans of up to 80 years.

You’ve probably had a day or two when you felt like your dog just wasn’t paying any attention to you at all, right? You talked, you yelled, you shouted, maybe you jumped up and down and waved your arms, but she just wasn’t interested in anything you had to say to her in any tone of voice. You’re not alone.

Your dog isn’t human.

Unless you believe in pet psychics, there’s really no way for you to read your pooch’s mind and figure out exactly what she’s thinking. The good news is that, like many dog owners, the problems you’re having can probably be traced to one simple thing: you’re trying to communicate with your dog from a human standpoint, and your dog isn’t a human. Sure, you know that, but lots of humans try to relate with their dogs in the ways that they think are rational as humans. The problem is that dogs are driven in every act and every moment by very strong instincts. Deciphering those instincts and leveraging them to build a productive relationship is like finding the keys to the city.

Your dog doesn’t speak English.

Take the word “no,” for example. Does your dog speak English? Not understand English. Does she speak it? What’s meaningful to her is your tone of voice, not the word itself. Now let’s think about that – we’re taking up excess time trying to teach our dog a word she’ll never speak and that probably doesn’t mean much to her anyway. Sure, it’s meaningful to us, but that’s only one side of the equation. What about something that’s meaningful to both human and dog?

You know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means.

If you think that mutually meaningful language doesn’t exist, you’re not thinking creatively enough. What does it say to you when a dog growls at you? Anything from “get away from my food” to “back off, dude,” right? Yet in every case, a dog’s growl typically means that she is not happy with whatever you’ve done. And you’ve seen dogs react to other dogs’ growls, right? So you know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means. Where’s the disconnect? Growl at your dog!

No, seriously. The next time your pooch starts stepping outside her bounds or doing something you don’t like, growl at her. A nice, strong, guttural growl that would put the alpha wolf in a pack to shame. While you’re growling, look directly into her eyes. You’re almost guaranteed that she’ll back off. It might be best to try it in your home environment to start with – I don’t want to be held responsible for you getting funny looks in the street!

Instincts save time and communicate effectively.

See that? You worked with her instinct and the information hardwired into her brain, and the result was instantaneous. Why spend tons of time trying to work against that instinct and end up frustrated, angry, and still miscommunications? This approach works in everything from basic discipline to full-on obedience training. You just need to figure out how to apply it in each of those situations.

Just like human beings, animals have emotions and feelings too. They need the assurance that their masters love and care for them. In return, pets often reciprocate their love by demonstrating various forms of affection to their owners. These may include making soft purring sounds, licking and even body contacts like rubbing their heads or furs against them.

Pet care is an important responsibility of pet ownership. Pet care requires a lot of patience and is also a way of showing the animals that they are important to us. Pet care will include feeding our pets carefully and ensure that they are groomed properly to maintain a good health.

There are educational videos on pet care, that is, how to maintain the wellness and health of pets. These include various demonstrations on how to care for the different types of pets and what are the attentions required.

For four-legged pets such as dogs and cats, good pet care will include giving them regular baths, checking their paws and ears, trimming their nails as well as fixing regular health checks with a professional veterinarian.

Sanitation plays an important role to the health of the pets and their owners. Bathe your pets regularly and ensure that they are clean at all times. Buy a set of dishes especially for the pets and keep them separately from those used by human beings. After every use, wash the pets’ dishes thoroughly with soap and water, then give them a final rinse them with boiling water.

It is common for pets, especially dogs, to have fleas. Their bites are irritating and annoying; and make the pets feel uncomfortable if the scratching developed into skin rashes. Fleas are also the cause of other more dangerous and serious skin problems such as allergies or dermatitis. As such, good pet care will include conducting regular checks on the animals and getting rid of the fleas.

Dental care is another essential part of pet care. Most canine pets need to maintain a proper dental healthcare routine. A professional pet shop owner will be able to demonstrate the correct way to brush the animals’ teeth. This will prevent gum diseases or other health conditions related to poor oral hygiene.

Products such as detergents, cleaners, fertilizers and pesticides, must be kept well out of the way in the house. These contain chemicals that may be lethal or poisonous to animals and should not be within their reach. This is another way to exercise proper pet care.

Every pet owner, especially those first time owners, should be prepared for the big responsibility of having and owning a pet, as pet care takes more than just skills and experience. Value the existence of nature’s creations and ensure that the animals are given the best pet care. Lastly, always choose the best pet products and supplies so that your pet will have the best nutrition and pet care available.

Training dogs has become such a lucrative business in a number of countries. Most dog owners don’t have the time to train their dogs and so they actually send of their dogs to obedience school. While children and dogs are sent off to separate schools, the parent and/or the dog owner go off to work or to his/her daily tasks. In some cases, the dogs are actually more like children to these pet lovers!

Dog Training

If you are one of these pet lovers, who are willing to invest in training dogs then it will be easy for you to understand the increasing need for dog schools. Apart from dog schools, there are actually dog trainers that may be scheduled to go to your place to train your dog. Either way, you are still required to learn the actual commands that are being taught to your dog.

Of course, you won’t have to follow the command you just have to know what they are, what they’re for, and what to expect from your dog. It really is a two way training, and you can’t expect the dog to understand you if you don’t know the said commands taught to it in obedience school.

Your Own Dog School

Meanwhile, if it is you who are considering putting up your own training school for dogs, then understanding the need for one may actually be a good first step in establishing your business venture. Realizing the need for such a business, after all, is the main objective of offering such a service. It is important however, to actually have a concrete plan of putting up your own dog school if you actually intend to do so.

Being a dog-lover is a must.

Being a dog lover will be most essential in this case. You will be spending so much time training dogs, and you have to love it if you are to do it on a regular basis. On the other hand, you don’t necessarily have to be the one to train the dogs. This doesn’t mean however that you can excuse yourself from knowing what the essentials of dog training. After all, if you are to be owner of the said dog training school, then you will definitely have to know how things are being done in your facility. This is the best way to market yourself and your business.

Observe Professionals

Lastly, starting out on your own may be tough especially if you are clueless with the task at hand. If so, it is advisable that you are able to watch the professionals do their dog training. You might as well enroll yourself in training sessions to equip yourself with the proper knowledge and skills needed to set up your dog school. Moreover, keeping contacts with dog training professionals may actually be your ticket to job referrals. In fact, you may actually strike a deal with them regarding job opportunities, like a certain percentage of the fee goes to them if you are referred, or vice versa. This way, you can effortlessly ease you way through putting up your own dog training school!

When facing the choice between adding either a feline or a canine friend to our household, many of us take into the equation the amount of time we need to spend with our new friends. Of course, we all know that a dog needs to be walked several times a day, and that some dogs do not deal well with being left on their own for the amount of time we spend at work. Cats tend to be more independent.

Some people think that cats merely tolerate our presence and so long as we feed them, they are happy. However, whilst food, of course, tends to be met with great enthusiasm, it takes a bit more than that to guarantee feline contentment.

Cats need to be intellectually stimulated. They do need us to spend time with them, not only to receive the occasional petting or being curled up on our laps, but quality playtime. To just buy the occasional catnip mouse and leave it on the floor for their convenience is not enough.

If you have a kitten in your house, you will no doubt notice their naturally playful behaviour. Playing strengthens a cat’s muscles, keeps them fit and helps control their weight. There are reports that playing helps to develop a kitten’s brain, with regards to their hunting and social behaviour.

Older cats, too, need the stimulation that play offers, and when shopping for toys it is recommended to look for those that offer visual, auditory and tactual stimulation. Also important is to check that the toy is safe – not all of them are. Some have sharp edges, some have small parts that can be swallowed. It is best to go for those toys that cannot be swallowed and are made of non-toxic materials. And, especially with any new toy, supervise your cat’s playtime.

Apart from playtime, please keep in mind that the myth that cats do not get attached to their humans is indeed just that – a myth. Many felines will develop a special bond with their human house mate, and they will notice your absence. Remember how insulted a cat can be when you dare to stay away overnight! And how, when you come home from work, you will often be greeted by a highly enthusiastic cat, his/her tail high in the air to say hello. Some cats will even position themselves to keep an eye out for your return, waiting for you.

Spend some special time with your cat each day, even if for half an hour. It doesn’t just benefit your furry friend, it also benefits you. Playing with a cat is relaxing, good fun and can help you wind down after a hectic day.

If your lifestyle involves, for example, regular business trips away from home, for days at a time, please assure there is someone around to look after your cat, and not just to put some food in a bowl. If you have to be away almost all the time, though, a cat might not be the best pet for you. You will be missed, and if you have to have a pet but can’t really fit them into your busy lifestyle, it might be worth looking for those who need less attention and affection.

You have researched dog breeds and know what kind of dog you want. Now, how do you go about finding your dog?

Please do not buy your dog in a pet store. This is asking for trouble, both with health problems and psychological problems. Pet stores are notorious for getting their puppies from puppy mills, which just churn out puppies with no regard to their health or psychological well-being.

I would suggest these as the best three ways to find a dog:

1) Get your dog from a reputable breeder. If you want a purebred dog, this is a good option. A good breeder is concerned about the dogs they breed, and will make sure the dog is a good match for you. They will do their best to make sure the puppy is healthy and well-adjusted. They will give you advice on how to raise and take care of your dog.

How do you find a good breeder? One way is to check around in your community for recommendations. Ask vets or other dog professionals for their recommendations. You can also check a dog breeder directory on the internet. You can usually select the breed you are looking for and your geographic location, and you will get a list of breeders in your area. Just type “dog breeder directory” into your search engine to find one.

2) Get your dog from a dog rescue organization. These groups find homes for unwanted or abandoned dogs of a particular breed. There is usually an organization for each breed. The American Kennel Club has a list of dog rescue groups on its website.

3) Adopt your dog from a shelter. This is a good option if you don’t care about having a purebred dog. Shelters have a wide variety of dogs available. I got my dog at a Humane Society shelter. They do a good job of talking with you to find out what kind of dog would be best suited to your needs.

It is very rewarding to adopt a dog from a shelter and give it a good home. Also, I like adopting a shelter dog because you can adopt a dog who is already past the housebreaking stage, if you want to. If you don’t find the dog you want there right away, they can keep an eye out for you, or you can keep returning until you “fall in love” with one of the dogs.