Thinking About an Aquarium? First decide on Fresh or Salt

If you’re thinking of buying an aquarium, you must first decide between a freshwater tank and fish or salt water tank and fish.

For beginners, freshwater is often the way to go as it is less costly to start and maintain, the fish are generally hardier and there is less work involved in maintenance. The allure of salt water aquariums, however, is the much larger variety of far more colorful and interesting fish and marine life. If you have the time, money and spaces to dedicate to the salt water tank, it can be a very impressive display.

Here is a great guide to help you with advice on selecting and starting a tropical fish aquarium and caring for your tropical fish: 

Katy’s Tropical Fish - A Complete Guide  

We’ve also included some selections for you to consider:

Aquariums

Originally posted 2009-02-01 21:00:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Introducing Puppy to your Cat

Puppy may not be your first pet. He may be another in the growing brood that is your pet family. Because of this you’ll want to introduce puppy to your other pets with care.

Dogs are social animals. Most puppies love being a part of a group. In their natural habitat, puppies in a group must establish their place. Your puppy will try to determine his place within your family and amongst the other pets in the house and remember this is normal, even instinctual.

When you introduce your puppy to the cat, don’t leave them alone. Supervision is necessary until they get to know each other. If puppy is smaller than the cat, he could get trounced when your back is turned and vice versa.

During the first meeting, let your cat take the lead. Since cat was in the house first, he gets to examine puppy. Be on the lookout for any aggression on the part of either animal. If the meeting goes sour, take puppy away and try again at another time.

Cats are territorial animals by nature. They may be nice enough to puppy, but there are going to be places in the house where they want to be left alone. Not respecting their privacy could cause tension between puppy and cat. The cat may even get miffed at you.

Teach puppy that certain places are off limits. Think of a command that you can use to keep puppy away from those places. You will use it often at first until puppy learns cat’s “unwritten rules”.

Puppy may start out by chasing the cat around the house. This is a normal behavior for a dog and may even make you laugh. When the chuckle is over, however, put an end to the chase and encourage puppy not to do it again.

On the other hand, the cat may catch puppy minding his business one day and get him back. If cat is chasing puppy, don’t scold your cat either. Territorial disputes are normal also, but since they will both be in living under one roof now, this can’t continue either.

Cats and dogs that live together should eventually come to an understanding. As long as their private areas are respected by each other there should be no problems of any consequence. But, the relationship may not turn to love right away. Don’t get frustrated with your pets. This, too, takes time.

Puppy needs to be introduced to the other pets living in the house. If one of the pets is a cat, take the introductions slowly. They may not warm to each other at first, but keep at it, eventually they will learn to live together in harmony.

Originally posted 2008-12-08 21:32:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Learning Tricks is Not Just for Dogs – Your Cat can Learn Tricks too!

You may not be able to teach your cat to brush his own teeth, but cats can learn tricks just like dogs ~ they learn and respond in different ways. It has been shown that cats respond better to working for food than for positive reinforcement like many dog trainings methods.

SET THE FOUNDATION

To lessen the likelihood of upsetting your cat’s diet have moist or dry cat food as a treat on hand. Like dogs, cats also respond to praise, so when your cat performs a task you have asked of her, be sure to not only reward her with a food treat, but also with verbal praise. You will likely have more success if you work with one command at a time. As with any training effort, with humans or pets, your training effort will be more successful with consistency.  Be sure to let your cat learn at his own pace. But when you see an even slight glimmer that your cat understands the behavior you are trying to teach, reward her enthusiastically.  Here are commands for you to try:

COME

This command is best taught at mealtime. Use your cat’s name as you tap her food bowl and use the command “come.” When she comes to you, praise her and then give her the food.

SHAKE HANDS

Sit your cat in front of you and touch her paw and say, “shake. In the beginning you may need to gently lift her paw as you say “shake.” As soon as she reacts and lifts her paw, shake it and giver her verbal praise along with a treat. Consistency is key and repeating the command the same way each time. Our cat Bingo has mastered this command after my daughter worked with him using these training methods.

WAVE

Cats naturally swipe at a piece of food, which helps to teach this command. Hold a treat in your hand and place it in front of the cat’s nose but just out of reach of her front paws. Then, awaken your cat’s natural instincts, by moving the food back and forth with your hand in a waving motion while telling your cat to “wave.” As your cat is reaching for the food with her paw, it will appear that she is waving. Once her reaching motion resembles a waving behavior, praise her and give a treat.

SIT-UP

Gently place your cat into a sitting position. Hold a treat over her head and say “sit-up.” Do not give her the reward if she stands or grabs at the treat, just repeat the command and wait for her to try. When she accomplishes the desired behavior, give her the treat immediately and repeat the command several times.

In no time you’ll have the best trained cat on the block.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Originally posted 2009-02-25 18:54:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Hot Pet Trends

Popular Pet Trends

 When it comes to pets, there are always new and interesting items to see and buy for them. Every year there are new and improved items that come out for your pets. Some of these items stand the test of time and become a standard item that all of pets need to have. Then there are pet trends that go away as fast as they show up on the scene.  Here some popular pet trends that  I found to be interesting and fun.

 Pet Clothes/Apparel

 These days it is just as important for your pet to be as well dressed as you are. Many places sell matching outfits for you and your pet. Do not just think this clothing trend is only for dogs. You can purchase outfits for your cat, guinea pig and even a nice blanket for your horse. It is important to get your pet used to wearing clothes in small doses before you try to get him to wear the outfit all day.

Natural Pet Food

Natural pet food has really taken off over the last year. There have been many recalls on pet food from various stores. Natural pet food does not have the fillers that many of the recalled pet foods did. They are naturally processed food that is better for your pet.

 Dog Walkers

Any dog owner knows that it is important to make sure that their dog gets plenty of exercise. One way that your dog can get exercise is to go out for a daily walk. The problem is that most dog owners do not have time in their day to walk there dog. That is where the popular pet trend of dog walkers comes in. A dog walker is someone that you pay to come and take your dog for a walk. This is a great service for those busy people who want to make sure that their dogs get the attention and exercise that they need.

 Dog Bakeries

One of the things that most dogs live for are their treats. Dog treats have come along way over the years from the small box of hard treats. A popular pet trend today is to go to a dog bakery for your dog’s treats. A dog bakery usually uses many human quality food products to create healthy treats for your dog. The bakeries will also make special cakes for your dog’s birthday.

Everyday there are new popular pet trends showing up to get your attention. Many of these trends are worth taking a look at. Right now, a lot of the popular pet trends are centering on going green with your animals. This ranges from natural food to the bakeries that make treats for your animals. Some of the trends center on fashion. There are even magazines that focus on the newest fashions for your pets. Explore these and the many other fun pet trends that come down the line for fun and excitement for both you and your pet.

Home-Made Pet Food

Originally posted 2009-02-01 21:16:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Feline Leukemia Symptoms

I lost my beautiful black and white long hair cat, Fluffy, to feline leukemia (FeLV) when I was in college. I spent hundreds of dollars on her treatment and it was a very emotional and traumatic experience to watch her die of this disease.  Feline Leukemia is responsible for more deaths among cats than any other infectious disease. There are vaccinations for FeLV, but they are not 100-percent effective, so it is important to know the signs of infection. Back when Fluffy died of FeLV there were not yet vaccinations for this desease. Fortunately today many cat’s lives are saved as a result of receiving a FeLV vaccination when they are kittens.

 Here are some of the symptoms you should be aware of: 

• Decreased appetite
• Decreased stamina
• Depression
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Excessive drinking and urination
• Infertility, jaundice (a yellowing of the skin, whites of the eyes, mucous membranes, and body fluids) – (this is one of the symptoms Fluffy had)
• Low-grade fever

 Contact your veterinarian right away if you suspect infections, especially if you have more than one cat.

Originally posted 2009-02-01 21:24:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

How Dog Pets Cure Senior’s Ailments!

Dog pets have for countless eons been heralded: “man’s best friend!” They’re always at the front door to greet their favorite working man or woman when they return from a tedious day’s labor.

They patiently endure hours of solitude in an empty house ever listening for the sounds of their special person’s return. And lo and behold, when that individual arrives, they lavish him, or her, with a welcome rivaling the adoration bestowed upon imperial rulers of ancient Rome.

When the world throws trash, or misery of any kind at us, they stand beside us, ready to faithfully confront whatever the forthcoming peril may be.

We award them with special, personal names. We lovingly call them Prince, Sheba, Fido or any number of appellations. We create complete personalities and natural attitudes around the names we give them.

It usually doesn’t matter what the dog breeds are. We don’t care if they are a small dog that we can carry in a purse, coat pocket or in our arms.

They might even be a large dog that requires education with dog etiquette, and how to conduct itself on a leash.

Medical researchers tell us that the reality they’re dogs actually blurs in our minds.

As time passes, and we interact with them everyday, we attribute to them personalities befitting humans. They become virtual people in our thinking. Mentally we begin to view them as human companions and not animals.

Before you throw up your hands and scream whoa…listen to this little known fact. Science tells us this can be a very therapeutic arrangement. Seniors particularly can benefit immensely in an ongoing partnership with a dog pet.

Let’s think about it for a moment and try to figure out why we put up with a dog pet in the first place.

They plaster hair over all the furniture, and particularly on your favorite dark suit or dress that you wear only on special occasions.

It seems they always want to go outside at extremely inappropriate times. For example, at ten o’clock on a rainy Friday night, Prince scratches at the door to announce he wants, and needs, to go outside.

Why would you want to share your life with a dog pet and put up with its diverse, and sometimes irritating habits?

The answer is simple…we need them in our personal worlds to make our lives more bearable.

Are you a senior parent whose house is now empty of young voices and juvenile excitement? Have your kids moved on to their own universes and no longer intrude on yours as much as you would like them to?

Do you crawl out of bed each morning and wonder how you will fill the hours until the end of the new day? Do you welcome the air conditioning unit turning on and off because it breaks the endless silence of an empty house?

Scientists have reasearched the subject. They have documented the very real symbiotic partnership that develops between humans and their dog pets.

Let’s take them one by one!

1.Research has proved that pet and owner share a mutual need for each other and both profit from the arrangement.

2.A person’s mental and physical health demonstrate a marked improvement once a dog pet comes to live in the household.

3.Seniors’ loneliness dissolves and they exhibit increasing vigor and contentment in a developing owner dog pet relationship.

4.Research reveals that people feel needed by the pet and are forced to develop a schedule for providing for the animal’s welfare.

5.The ownership reliance requirement on the human increased the pet owner’s need to become more enthused and aware of their own personal welfare.

In the final analysis of the report, researchers noted the conclusion that the human owners felt more needed and valuable as individuals because of the dependency of the dog pet.

The report brought out that the senior owners particularly developed an enthusiastic desire to face each day. The dog pet had a fixed schedule for its needs and the owner found it a necessary routine to be followed each day.

If you’re a dog pet owner, sometimes you may feel that they’re just too much trouble, and take up too much of your time.

When that happens, just give Butch an extra doggy treat for supper, and an added ear scratch.

Why? Because it’s very good for your mental and physical health. And if you’re a senior, it just may go a long way in curing your ailments!

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Raymond Angus is a widely published author of articles and books. He writes about how seniors and “baby boomers” prosper in today’s world. To read more by him visit :> http://www.theseniorslife.com

Originally posted 2008-12-03 21:22:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The History of Dogs

Canine history is a history of the friendship between us and our pet dog (Canis lupus familiaris). That friendship stems from us needing help with our herding, hunting and safety.

In times of famine it would also have been beneficial for the dogs diet and possible survival.

Early man also used him to supplement his own diet and even may have raised him for ‘camp meat’. Sometimes as a matter of necessity and other times as a delicacy. In some current societies it is still a practice.

It is also fair to conjecture man brought his new subject into the cave as a source of warmth on cold nights and this may very well have led to ‘companionship’ being added to the list of ‘pluses’ garnered from the relationship.

Scientists have argued for many years about the evolution and history of the domestic dog. Most now agree that our four legged pet is a direct descendant of the Grey Wolf.
DNA research conducted by Dr. Robert K. Wayne, canid biologist and molecular geneticist of UCLA indicates that dogs are closer to the Grey Wolf (Canis Lupus) than previously suspected.

In fact, due in large part to Dr. Robert K. Wayne’s genetic research, the authors of the “Mammal Species of the World”
the internationally accepted reference source on mammal species, reclassified the dog in 1993 from Canis Familiaris to Canis Lupus No one knows for sure when this all started.

Canine history has been studied using mitochondrial DNA.
This research tells us that wolves and dogs went different directions about 100,000 years ago. It is not clear if man had a hand in this or not.

What research also tells us is that our total canine population of today is descended from three females in the China area some 15,000 years ago.

Existing science does not give us the luxury today of determining which leg of the research is correct or if they will someday merge. Archeological History does not go back that far.

Research at this point does not tell us what happened to Canis Lupus Familiaris between the parting from the wolves 100,000 years ago and the parentage established from the three bitches 85,000 years later.

There’s a burial site in Germany called Bonn-Oberkassel which has joint human and dog burials dated to 14,000 years ago. China registers the earliest domestication between 7000-5800 BC.

Danger Cave in Utah exhibits the oldest cases of dog burial in the United States at about 11,000 years. When science brings us more on the subject we will bring it to you.

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See interesting fiction by Rus Morgan on Kindle. Visit http://www.minischnauzeresx2.com . Order your free copy of our periodic newsletter for info on dogs and doggy bargains. Add warmth to your day, put a smile on your face by ordering your free copy (normally $14.95) of ‘Truthful Teddy’ — the tender short story of the friendship between an ugly three foot rag doll and a tan Teddy Bear. See you there or email us at minischnauzersx2@bellsouth.net

Originally posted 2009-02-16 19:00:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Tips for Traveling with Pets

Nothing is quite as fun as packing up and going on a trip. A change of scenery is something that is important to recharge your battery from time to time. This is true for your pets as well. Pets love to travel and expose new places just like you do.  So consider taking your pet with you. There are a few things that you need to do to make the trip with your pets as comfortable for them as they do with you.

 

Tip One

 

Make sure that you take items that your pet is fond of with you on the trip. There are times when being ripped away from everything that a pet knows can be traumatic for them. If your pet has a favorite toy or blanket that they like to have with them, pack it up and take it along with you on the trip. You can also bring their food and water dishes from home to use when you arrive at your destination.

 

Tip Two

 

Keep small plastic baggies of food and treats with you as you travel with your pet. The main supply of their food for vacation can be kept in the main luggage. Even if you do not think that your pet will need to eat while traveling because it will be a short amount of time before you reach your destination, you still need to have some food on hand in case something happens and your are detained longer on the road then planned. Keep these baggies of food in a couple of different bags that are being carried on the trip. This will help you from misplacing the pet food when you really need it.

 

Tip Three

 

Keep a clean water supply with you as you travel with your pet. You can keep a couple of bottles of water with you just for this. There are pop up bowls that you can use as a drink container for your pet when you are on the road.

 

Tip Four

 

One of the most important things to do when you are traveling with a pet is to make sure they have identification on them. The identification should clearly state their name, your name, and address. This will be a lifesaver if you should become separated from your pet.

 

Traveling with a pet can be a fun and rewarding experience. Once you have taken one trip with your pet, you are going to want to take him on every trip that you want to go on. Your pet will love exploring all of the new places that these many trips will take him. By following the tips above you can make sure that your trip with your pet can be fun and free of any aggravations that may arise.

Originally posted 2009-02-01 17:05:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Importance of Spaying & Neutering Your Dog

What is the importance of spaying and neutering your dog?  According to the Humane Society, approximately three millions dogs or more are euthanized each year.  Remanded to shelters because they have been abandoned or because their owners can no longer care for them, the over-population of dogs in animal shelters has reached major proportions. 

While the aforementioned statistic is hard to imagine, it is nonetheless true.  This is why animal advocates constantly remind the general population to have their dogs spayed or neutered.  There are other reasons why this method is recommended.

Dogs have an innate desire to breed.  It’s just a fact.  More importantly, however, it’s been proven that spaying and neutering can prevent cancer.  In addition, neutered male dogs will less likely want to run away or engage in rough-housing with other male dogs.  Male dogs are inherently territorial.  If he isn’t neutered, then he will use his dominance over other dogs particularly when a female is involved. 

Spaying and neutering your dog does not mean they will become lazy, gain weight, or have a personality change.  All the procedure does is to prevent your dog from seeking out other dogs to mate with.  According to the Humane Society, “…. in six short years, one female dog and her offspring can give birth to hundreds of puppies.”

Imagine if you will that there are millions of pet owners.  Now imagine if each pet were not spayed or neutered and the offspring were thrown in garbage bags, left by unscrupulous owners to fend for themselves, or bred in puppy mills to make a quick buck.  There have been countless incidents which bear out these facts.

Unless you are a breeder, there is no reason not to have your dog spayed or neutered.  The result would reduce the number of homeless dogs lying in wait for someone to adopt them, reduce the number of dogs roaming the streets for scraps, and reduce the likelihood that dogs will attack pets.

Owning a dog comes with a responsibility to ensure the pet is happy, safe, and lives in a welcoming and caring environment.  Conversely, a dog that is put to sleep due to over-population could have been someone’s life-long companion.  This is why adoption is preferred.

Although puppies are the first to be adopted in shelters, it is often the case that adult dogs can only be kept for a certain amount of time due to the over-population of dogs in this country.  Thus, they face a grim future.

In an effort to reduce the number of dogs, a spaying and neutering program has begun in some cities and has resulted in a 30%-60% decline in euthanasia.

Originally posted 2009-02-01 13:49:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Pet Health Insurance Explained

With rising pet health care costs, and a struggling economy, many pet owners are reluctant to seek proper health services for their beloved cats and dogs. They are having enough trouble providing health care for the people in the family, and so Fido or Fluffy’s care may be put off. One way to manage these costs is by carrying affordable pet care health insurance plans. The plans are usually available for dogs and cats, but some plans cover other animals.

I think that some pet owners are not signing up for these plans because they really do not understand how they work, or they do not know if their vets will accept them.

Most pet insurance plans work like indemnity health insurance plans for humans. In other words, the pet owner will pay the bill and then fill out a claim form to get covered expenses back from the insurance company. The claim forms are usually included in the enrollment packet. More claim forms can be requested over the phone, and these days, some companies provide a downloadable from that can be printed from a website.

The advantage of these types of plans is that they can be used almost anywhere. A pet owner can choose their own vets, specialists, or pet hospitals. Some US plans will even pay for services in Canada and Mexico, so they are very flexible.

They can also be customized. Pet owners can pick and choose services according to their needs and benefits. Services like pet dental care or prescription benefits usually can be covered with optional benefits. This ability to make a custom pet health insurance plan allows the pet owners to control their monthly payment, and also to have the type of coverage that works well for them.

Many vets really do want their clients to take out pet health care insurance on their dog or cat. They believe that people with covered pets will be more likely to accept the services that the vet tells them they need because they know that the out of pocket costs will be lower. Some vets may actually promote one particular plan or another, and even agree to handle the paperwork and billing.

If you think that pet health plans would help you get proper care for you own beloved Fido or Fluffy, it is easy to shop around on the internet. Many websites will allow you to compare various options, quote prices, and even apply online.

 

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Visit us for pet health insurance reviews. It is easy to compare and quote pet insurance online.

Originally posted 2008-12-03 20:08:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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