Pet Information

Crufts – The Worlds Greatest Dog Show?

Crufts calls itself The Worlds Greatest Dog Show, so what should you expect if you’ve never been before? Well on the 9 th – 12 th March 2006 it’s the 103 rd Crufts Dog Show, so they must be doing something right!

In 2005, Birmingham, England’s 2 nd City saw 21,000 dogs and 120,000 visitors to Crufts across four days and 2006 is set to see similar success.

Crufts truly is an international affair with visitors and show dogs from all around the world. But its not just 4 days of pampered show dogs on display at Crufts.

There is the competition, pace and noise of agility and flyball. There are displays from the best of the UK’s police dogs and customs dogs, apprehending criminals and sniffing out contraband and weapons.

There are dogs who herd ducks and terriers who race in addition to the beautiful art of Heelwork to music and obedience trials.

Crufts also brings Discover Dogs to Birmingham, an opportunity to meet expert owners and breed representatives and the chance to get up close to hundreds of dog breeds from around the world. There are all shapes and sizes of dogs and dogs for every type of home. For anyone looking for a new dog, this is a perfect opportunity to consider all of the different breeds available. And for anyone who loves dogs, adults and children alike, this is a chance to play with and cuddle the dogs at the exhibition!

Add to all of this the stands, selling everything from dog food to dog clothes, pictures and ornaments to shampoos and brushes.

Crufts really is something that every dog lover should visit at least once; but I suspect that if you do see it once, you’ll go back again and again!!

So you have just verified with your veternarian that your animal is indeed overweight. It is time to confess and take some responsibility. That is really the first step. We are far more responsible for our pets’ weight issues than we may believe.

Take a quick peak at this fat checklist and take note of the statements that

apply to you and your animal.

1:Your dog or cat is an indoor animal which eats, sleeps and snacks virtually all day long.

2:You take your dog or puppy out on ultra-fast walks for potty and rush him or her right back into the house. You rarely take him or her around the block for decent exercise.

3: You indulge your dog by giving him/her treats whenever those wanting eyes look your way, without cever onsidering the ingredients or the number of calories.

4:You feed your pet too much, refilling the dish after it is emptied, never thinking about the amount that you are actually feeding.

5:You have a multi cat household and some cats end up eating more than the others.

6:You live in a small apartment that does not have much room for your cat or dog to run about.

7:You feed your cats and dogs food just because, whether or not they are really hungry.

8:You never play with your cat and she has no other kittens or cats in the household to play with

9: You lavish your pet with lots and lots of treats out of pure guilt to compensate for all those long hours at work

It should be noted that Monitoring your fat cat’s food consumption can be particularly difficult in multi-cat households where only 1 of the household cats is fat.

He or she probably got that way initially by consuming the other cats’ food as well as his/her own. Perhaps the easiest solution is to simply feed set meals in different rooms and remove any uninjested food after the cats have lost interest in their meal. Alright, say that you have tried this and your cats just will not seem to cooperate. This is normal.

Cats, more than some animals, are really creatures of habit. It may take 2 or even 3 tries, carrying your cat and the food into the new eating room. No matter what room it is, make it comfortable for them, even if it is the bathroom. Put down a place mat, close the toilet seat, put on a light and maybe even place down a towel for your cat.

When people think of the term “house breaking” they usually think of training a dog or cat where to properly relieve themselves. There is how a technique available to train a bird proper pooping manners. Even though bird poop has no odor, it still makes living with a bird so much easier if they have some sort of training. Life is easier without lots of bird poop on your shoulder.

The main principle behind this technique is that birds need to relieve themselves every 15 to 20 minutes. Right after your take your bird out of its cage, put it in its play pen and wait for it to eliminate. While waiting, say a command word or phrase of your choice like “go poopie”. Repeat this word until your bird does go; this will help it learn to associate the command with eliminating. If your bird does not go within 2 to 3 minutes, take the bird off the playpen for a few minutes and then place it back on until it goes. When the bird does go, its reward is being with you. Don’t let it off for extended periods until after it’s relieved itself. It’s important to return the bird to the playpen every 15 to 20 minutes and repeat the command word until it eliminates. Once it’s trained, you can say the command and your bird will poop before it leaves the cage. This is also helpful at others homes. You can command your bird every 30 to 45 minutes to go over the sink or trash, saving carpet, clothes and headaches.

Dogs are creatures of habit; and once they develop a habit, breaking it can be a long, frustrating process. Your dog needs guidance and encouragement from you to develop a toilet habit you can live with. Animal behaviorists have learned a lot about dogs over the last couple of decades, and there are many tips available that will make housebreaking your dog or puppy a less frustrating task.

When you consider some of the things your dog or puppy is willing to roll in, or put in their mouth, it’s a bit hard to believe they’re picky and specific about their toilet areas. Dogs will go to great lengths to avoid soiling near where they eat and/or sleep. That means any accidents an un-housebroken dog has will be far from its food dish and bed. To a dog, however, “far” can mean about 6-10 feet. This leaves lots of “fair game” space in your home, unless you guide the dog to suitable spots.

Whether your dog is a puppy, or an adult dog new to your home, the process is the same:

- Every few hours, take the dog outside to a place you designate as a “bathroom” area.

- 30 minutes after the dog or puppy eats, do the same.

- Stay in this bathroom area, and praise the dog lavishly when they relieve themselves.

- If the dog doesn’t use the bathroom when you’ve taken them outside to the appropriate spot, try again 15 minutes later. Continue doing this until they’ve actually used the bathroom spot.

- When the dog is inside, watch closely for any signs of needing to “go”. A dog will circle and sniff areas when they’re about to relieve themselves.

How quickly your dog becomes housebroken depends partly on their personality, but mostly on your diligence in taking them outside at the right time. If your puppy is less than four months old, you should plan on getting up during the night to take it outside. Puppies over four months of age can usually “hold it” through the night, but if your dog cries to be let out, it is best to get up and let them tend to the urge. It is vital that you give your dog every chance to succeed during this time. Positive reinforcement of the proper behavior is the fastest way to teach your dog anything.

Accidents happen, and when they do, your response will affect how quickly your dog learns to “go” outside. If you catch your dog in mid-squat, clap your hands or call their name loudly to distract them. Once you have their attention, quietly and calmly take them outside. Be sure to praise your dog or puppy well when they finish relieving themselves outside properly.

If you find a wet spot or droppings on the floor when your dog is not around, simply clean it up. If your dog approaches to investigate what you are doing, ignore them. Don’t talk to or pet the dog at this moment, because it could be interpreted as praise. Above all else, avoid yelling or physically punishing the dog, because they won’t make the connection between their mess, and your anger.

Additional information and resources related to this article can be found at: http://www.mypetanimals.com/articles/200506/housebreaking-your-dog/

According to the Travel Industry Association of America 19% of all pet owners take their pets with them when they are traveling, up 3% since 2002. The majority of these trips are by car with 6% by air. An amazing 29% of dog owners and their dogs are staying in dog friendly hotels.

And hotels are taking notice by offering unprecedented services such as special dog packages, concierges that cater to your dog, and pet massages. And dogs, my Berry and Wanda included, are lapping up these new dog amenities.

Many hotels and motels are realizing that accepting dogs is usually not a problem. In fact many are noticing that those traveling with their dogs tend to be much more considerate guests.

While motels such as Motel 6, Red Roof Inns, and La Quinta Inns have long been dog friendly upscale hotels like Starwood Resorts, Four Seasons, and the Ritz-Carlton are jumping on the bandwagon. (you can read about our experience with the Four Seasons here). Each of these hotels offer Pet VIP programs that cater to their canine guests with special pet menus, dog beds, special welcome “doggie bags” and even concierge services during your dog’s stay.

The leader in the high-end hotel market is the Loews Hotel Chain. The “Loews Loves Pets” program has been around since 2000. Loews has even introduced learning vacations for dogs and their owners. Activities include surfing camp, guided hikes with a personal trainer, and even a “Hound of Music” trip where dogs can howl on their own CD.

So when planning your next vacation, bring your dog along. Your dog is part of the family, and I know from experience that you can really have a fantastic vacation with your dog(s).

If you are thinking about hitting the road with your dog be sure to check out my book, How To Travel With Your Dog which can be found at http://www.spoilyourdog.com. You’ll learn everything you need to know about traveling with your dog from my years of experience of traveling with my dogs.

Have you ever been bitten by a dreaded flea it’s not very nice, itchy big red lump and very irritating. So in saying that magnify that irritating feeling by say 50 little biting fleas and just think how that must feel to your dog it must drive them nuts. If your wondering how I came up with the figure 50 I just picked the number out of the air. I’m sure your dog doesn’t have that many fleas.

When your dog picks up fleas usually from his surrounding it doesn’t take long before your house becomes infested with eggs and larvae. Once the dogs surroundings are infested it is a lot more difficult to eliminate the problem.

So to avoid dreaded fleas taking over your home and biting everything in sight here are a couple of good reasons why we should apply a prevention is better then cure attitude.

1. Fleas cause itching and distress to you and your dog.

2. The skin can become inflamed and infected when the dog scratches.

3. Flea bites can trigger an allergic reaction in some dogs.

4. Large infestations of fleas can suck so much blood that the dog can become anaemic (low in red blood cells)

5. Fleas can transmit tapeworms, when grooming themselves they swallow a flea and then become infested.

6. And the most irritating thing about fleas is they bite people causing redness and itchiness.

So how do you tell if your dog has fleas? Well… apart from your dog scratching his skin off. Theirs another test we do called the Wet Paper Test firstly comb your dogs coat vigorously then tap the comb so the debris from the comb goes onto a wet piece of white paper then just leave it for a few minutes if flea dirt is present you will see black particles surrounded by a rusty red pigment.

This red pigment is your dogs blood which has been swallowed by the flea. Occasionally you find some dogs that lick themselves so much that you won’t see any of the above signs, even if they have fleas.

So if your friend is always itchy it’s a pretty good indication that your old mates got fleas. One of the main areas where infestations begin is usually where the dog sleeps so a good idea is to invest in a flea free bed so the eggs and larvae can’t nest. Also using a recommended flea treatment on a regular basis will reduce flea problems.

Every once in a while, a discussion of the role of animals in our lives makes the news as some difficult decision must be made. The interesting thing about this is that our relationship with animals, though different in different times and places through history, has been established since Bible times.

Several years ago, legislation was introduced to make illegal the use of horses for human consumption. It passed, but the depth of feeling on both sides of the debate was striking. The idea of using companion animals for food is so counterintuitive that I felt compelled to do some research, for although instinct would tell us that this is wrong, the facts to support such a position strengthen our arguments.

For the purposes of this article, and with my apologies to lovers of rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, pot-bellied pigs, cockatiels, tarantulas, and every other type of pet, I am going to focus on the three most popular pets—cats, dogs, and horses.

A brief history of the domestication of cats

Some experts think the cat was first tamed by 3500 B.C. The ancient Egyptians were the first people to keep cats as pets; they also worshipped cats as gods. The goddess Bastet, daughter of the sun god Ra, had a cat’s head. The Egyptians loved and worshipped her, and so loved cats. Deceased cats were mummified and given the same kind of burial as human family members.

The ancient Romans, in the conquest of Egypt, brought cats home to Europe. After a period of disfavor during the superstitious Middle Ages, cats were restored to hero status. When rats from Asia brought the Black Plague to Europe, people who had kept cats fared better; their cats, according to the nature of cats, killed the rats. Soon cats became protected by law.

In Victorian times, cats were a favorite subject of artists and writers, and were considered part of a happy home.

Studies have shown that petting a cat lowers a person’s blood pressure, and that elderly people who are enabled to keep their pets live longer. The healing power of cats is being used to advantage in increasingly popular programs in which pets are taken to visit people in nursing homes.