Caring For Your Pet Naturally and Holistically
Jun 30 2009
Puppy Training All Nipping Should Be Eradicated By The Age Of 15 Weeks
Your puppy should not be displaying a biting or nipping problem once he reaches the age of 15 weeks or more. By that time you should have already administered proper training techniques and specific commands to get your puppy to stop his mouthing behavior. However, if this is still a problem or if you have adopted a puppy that’s a little older than 15 weeks and is new in the home, then the following tips can help you get your puppy to stop biting your hands and nipping at your fingers:
1. The first item on your checklist should be to immediately cease playing all puppy games that include roughhousing. I realize that part of the fun of having a new puppy is playing games like tug-of-war and wrestling, but unfortunately, if you’re faced with an animal that is still not over his mouthing period, you must sacrifice these types of activities. By playing these games, you are giving him the notion that he is allowed to roughhouse with you at any time he wants. And dogs to do this mostly through nipping and biting.
Jun 27 2009
Although the symptoms are almost similar canine colds are not the same as the common cold in humans. Your dog may develop a cough, runny eyes, sneezing and there may even be a yellowish green discharge from the dog nose.
However, these are mostly the symptoms of a viral or bacterial infection that mimic symptoms of common cold. In most cases these symptoms disappear on their own over time. But it needs to be known that certain infections can progress into serious ailments if not attended to.
Canine colds fall under the category of dog respiratory problems and may occur due to the following common infections.
1. Parainfulenza virus is the most common infection that produces symptoms of common cold in dogs. There is no effective vaccination available to protect canines against this virus and the condition is likely to run its course no matter what. At the most your veterinarian will try to evaluate the illness and prescribe medication to prevent secondary infections.
Jun 27 2009
Dog Behavior Dogs Are Like Children, They Need Leadership & Guidance
Dogs having a natural instinct towards being “pack” animals. Just like their ancestors in which they came from, the wolf, dogs think in terms of partnerships and teamwork when it comes to certain activities. Similar to the way a sports team will work together in order to accomplish the combined goal of winning, your dog looks towards you and the rest of the family as his “team” and counts on you all to help him survive, learn the rules of the house, and condition his behavior.
And like a winning team, there are certain characteristics that must be adhered to and provided by all members of the family, including your dog. Such examples of winning characteristics are disciplined structure, operation among everyone in your dog, and most important, respect between your dog’s “pack”. Without these items, there would be chaos and very little way in which your dog can recognize who is in charge and leading his team.
Jun 26 2009
Aggression What is Territorial Aggression & Why Does It Make A Dog So Angry?
All dogs have one form of aggression or another and to some degree, it is perfectly natural. However, since our pets are domesticated then there is a certain level of calmness that we should expect from them. The most common aggression behavioral problem that dogs display is called “territorial aggression”. To sum up the definition of territorial aggression, it simply describes a dog that goes absolutely crazy whenever a stranger approaches their home.
What encourages a dog to display such aggressiveness?
As we stated earlier, it is natural for your dog to want to defend his home and make it known that the area is his territory. However, the following scenarios may cause your dog’s aggression over his territory to escalate:
1. Aggression is reinforced in a dog whenever, for example, a delivery person approaches the house and then after dropping off a package he leaves the territory. Your dog actually thinks that he drove the stranger away and this in itself creates more aggression.
Jun 25 2009
Canine or feline parasites are a potential source of danger for pets and humans alike. A single female Toxocara canis, commonly known as roundworms, can shed up to a hundred thousand eggs in a single day. Humans, especially children, are exposed to these eggs when they are excreted in stools or vomit. On entering the skin they can cause visceral larva migrans leading to red, intense itching eruptions in humans. Ocular larva migrans can even lead to blindness.
Worms in dogs and cats are a common phenomon with most of the transmission of the contagion taking place through the fecal or nursing route. Intestinal parasites do not spread through contact but the eggs that are excreted in the stool are capable of infesting other pets and humans.
Roundworms and tapeworms are two of the four most common intestinal parasites that are visible with the naked eye. A close observation of the stool of the animal is enough to determine whether it is infested with parasites or not.
Roundworms change color from white(when fresh) to tan (later). They assume different sizes and shapes during their lifecycle and the whole worm can be seen externally in the cat’s stool. Tiny larvae of roundworms can transmit to tissues in kittens while they are in the mother’s uterus or through the mother’s milk while they are nursing.
Jun 24 2009
Two weeks ago something absolutely terrible happened to my neighbor’s dog. The dog’s name was Emma and she died from heat exhaustion as her owner kept her waiting while he went inside the mall to run some errands.
Don’t let this happen to your pet. I know you have heard this advice before but it’s worth repeating a thousand times over: Never leave your dog stuffed in a parked vehicle with the windows rolled up, especially when it is hot.
Even if the car is parked in the shade with a slight crack open for air, the temperature inside a car on a warm summer afternoon can reach unbearable levels. Some dogs have went into heat exhaustion on days where the temperature was less than 80 degrees. But the inside of the car, left in the sun, can hit temperatures of up to 105 degrees or higher, and in less than half an hour.
And if you happen to see someone else’s dog locked in a car during a hot day, especially if the animal is under obvious distress, call the police immediately. You can also contact your local humane society. Do not worry about what the owner might say. It’s the life of that dog that counts!
Jun 24 2009
Dog Travel Keeping Your Dog Safe When Traveling By Airplane
When you have to fly your dog by plane in order to travel to a new destination, the last thing most of us want is to stuff him in a box while he sits in the cargo area during the entire flight. Unfortunately, if you have no other choice but to use the airlines for your travel needs, your dog will have be placed in a crate for the flight.
Your job here is to make sure your dog or puppy is as comfortable as he possibly can be. Below are a few tips to help you prepare him for the flight:
1. You are going to have to invest in a USDA approved kennel that is designed for travel and should be custom fit to the size of your dog. Be sure that the kennel unit is stable and provides enough room for your dog or puppy to stand up in, as well as offers the ability for him to turn around if he needs to.
Jun 23 2009
Autoimmune diseases in dogs follow an almost similar pattern as in humans. Just as autoimmune diseases in humans are suspected to be related to a genetic predisposition, certain breeds of dogs are more vulnerable than others.
The immune system is the body’s internal and natural self-healing system of reciprocation that comes into action as soon it recognizes an intrusion of foreign bodies. We call a disease as immune mediated when some underlying cause has caused the immune system to stop recognizing foreign substances. The immune system stops creating antibodies for combating the invasion and produces an autoantibody that starts destroying normal cells. Such a disease may be restricted to a single organ or region or the whole animal.
Autoimmune diseases have far reaching consequences depending upon the extent to which they have affected the body of the dog. The pathological signs of multiple autoimmune diseases are normally seen in the same animal since the animal becomes more vulnerable to infections due to a weakened immune system. For example, symptoms of liver disease in dogs as well as feline liver disease are common once the immune system’s automatic responses are restricted.
Jun 23 2009
Barking Problems How To Handle A Puppy That Barks For Attention
For any new dog owner, handling all of the loud barking of a new puppy can be quite an unnerving experience. Most new dog owners are not prepared for the intense amount of barking and yelping that young puppies start doing the minute they arrive in their new home. Although it is totally natural, some puppies do not give their owners the luxury of quieting down, especially at night.
One of the biggest phases that a puppy will go through is the fear of being alone. And I’m not talking about being alone in the sense of you leaving the house. Some puppies will go absolutely nuts even when you only leave the room for a split second. They just can’t bear to be alone because they are used to having their mommy or littermates around non-stop.
When faced with this situation, what you do? If you run to your puppy to sooth and caress him every time he cries, then you are only feeding the behavior and creating a spoiled dog. On the other hand, if you ignore him and let him bark his brains out, the rest of the family (especially your spouse) will become very annoyed with you for letting the barking go on.
Jun 20 2009
What is flatulence and what causes it?
Having a pet with flatulence problems can be very embarrassing – not to mention inconvenient, irritating and rather frustrating. But when you think about it, your pet is not having such a great time either.
Flatulence is generally caused by a build-up of gas in the stomach or intestines, which is often a result of undigested fermenting food. Some animals are simply unable to digest certain types of food while others have particular food sensitivities.
Often animals simply gulp air with their food, which then emerges as intestinal gas. Whatever the cause, the animal usually feels very uncomfortable. Flatulence is often accompanied by bloating, abdominal pain, belching and wind.
What is Flatulence Preventer?
PetAlive Flatulence Preventer combines selected herbal and homeopathic ingredients to effectively relieve the symptoms of flatulence, gas, bloating and abdominal cramps.
It may be safely and effectively used for fast relief from flatulence in pets, as well as being of great benefit in the long term treatment and prevention of digestive problems.
Use PetAlive Flatulence Preventer To: