All About Cats
June 30, 2009
All About Cats
by: Vremde Kattan
Cats are the members of the Felidae family of canivorous
mammals. Lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, African wild cat are
the members of the cat family. Their closest relatives are
civets, hyenas and mongooses. However, what we generally
recognize as cat is the domestic or the house cat.
The association between cats and humans dates back to
between 7000 to 4000 years ago. From being dragged into
satanic ritual beliefs, Halloween and unlucky black cat
tags to being cute, caring and loyal companions, cats have
seen it all. Cats have also been associated with bad omens,
death and witchcraft. On the other hand there have been
cultures like Vikings who worshipped the Goddess Freya, the
goddess of fertility, who was closely associated to cats.
Cat appears in the Vietnamese and Chinese Zodiac systems.
They are highly respected in Islam since it is believed that
Prophet Mohammed approved domestication of cat. Feeding a
cat is regarded as a great deed in Islam. Ancient Egyptians
hailed cats as embodiment of their Goddess Bast. In many of
Fear Of Spiders (Arachnophobia)
June 29, 2009
Fear Of Spiders (Arachnophobia)
by: Steve Hill
Arachnophobia can be triggered by the mere thought of a spider or even by a picture of one, in some cases. Many people who fear spiders feel panic entering a situation where spiders may be present. Symptoms include excessive sweating, rapid breathing, a quickened heartbeat, nausea and dizziness.
Some arachnophbics will, on entering a room, search it for a spider. If they find one they will monitor its progress very thoroughly. Others will do all in their power to distract themselves to avoid seeing the spider.
There are historical and cultural reasons for arachnophobia. In the Dark Ages spiders were commonly considered to be a source of contamination of food and water. They were believed to be the cause of the Bubonic Plague (though in reality rat-fleas were in fact the true culprits). This misplaced fear has been passed down since the 10th Century.
Often the fear is caused by a frightening incident in earlier life. Sometimes people have the misconception that such a startling event has to be a memorable ordeal. Yet many don’t even recall the events that led to their phobia. The mind can create a phobia based on a split second of panic.
Teach Your Pup To Swim For Fun And Exercise
June 28, 2009
Teach Your Pup To Swim For Fun And Exercise
by: Pat Nolan
Introduction to the Water
Whether your pup is headed to the duck blind or you just want to teach him to swim for fun and exercise the techniques are the same.
Dogs are land mammals and are not born knowing how to swim. Occasionally a young dog will wade right in and go, but most need a gentle introduction and some encouragement to swim.
When the weather and water are warm, I start my pups on the water as soon as I bring them home from the breeder. The introductory lessons are the same for pups and grown dogs.
The main point to remember when introducing a pup to the water is don’t push or rush him. Give the pup a reason to want to swim — to retrieve, to follow you, or to chase another dog, and then allow him to choose to swim.
Once the pup knows he can swim, be sure to supply sufficient practice so he can learn to swim well. Much later in training you can work on force fetch and obedience to commands on the water.
Puppy Training, a Positive Introduction to basic Obedience exercises
June 28, 2009
Puppy Training, a Positive Introduction to basic Obedience exercises
by: Pat Nolan
Learning How to Learn
Pups are learning all the time and there is no reason to wait for them “to grow up” before you begin training. You can start your pup’s first lessons at seven weeks. Doing some early training will turn on circuits in his brain that will make all later training easier.
The goal for this puppy work is not that the pup learns the individual exercises, nor is it reliability of obedience to command. Rather, the goal is to have fun with your pup, jumpstart the learning process and to establish early on that good things happen when he is with you, and that good things come from work.
Don’t fret if you don’t teach all the commands—doing any puppy work is better than none. While you are engaged in puppy training you are building a relationship with him. He learns to enjoy working with you as he learns about you.
How to Choose the Right Puppy for You
June 27, 2009
How to Choose the Right Puppy for You
by: Gary Nave
AWWWWWwho can resist the innocence of a small puppy? Puppies can provide so much joy and companionship in a person’s life. As they say, dogs are man’s best friend. Doing some research before getting your puppy could save you a lot of aggravation and unnecessary frustration. If you plan properly, you will be very happy with your choice.
Some of the questions that might be important to you could be: are you planning to breed the puppy, are you planning to show the puppy, will this breed of puppy be good with children (if there are children or will be children in the house), what purpose would you have for the puppy, whether it be for hunting, guarding the house, or simply a house dog, these are all questions that you need to think about.
Visiting some pet stores to see if they have the breed available would be a start. Checking online for particular breeders would be another option. Checking your local SPCA would really be a help not only for the puppy, but also for the facility.
It Takes a Village to Raise a Puppy
June 26, 2009
It Takes a Village to Raise a Puppy
by: Hope Saidel
It’s a look everybody’s witnessed - the frazzled face of a new parent who hasn’t slept through the night, hasn’t eaten a decent, sit-down meal, hasn’t enjoyed a long, hot shower in days. It’s one of the most stressful and joyous times of life - there’s a new puppy in the house!
No one expects parents of human babies to “go it alone” while rearing their children. Advice, both welcome and unasked-for, is readily available from a wealth of sources: their own parents, professionals, friends, neighbors, teachers and passers-by. But all too often people are handed a new puppy and waved a fond farewell, without enough information to get through the night.
First-time dog owners can get frustrated and quickly disappointed. Puppies are supposed to be fun, but this adorable bundle of fluff won’t eat, won’t sleep, nips everybody, won’t be housebroken and chews everything except for its toys! What’s a new dog-owner to do?
Feeding the Older Dog
June 25, 2009
Feeding the Older Dog
by: Leoanrd Mutch
Dog Food for the Older Dog
What changes do you need to make to your dog feeding regime as your dog gets older?
The changes you make to your dog feeding regime, and when you make them will vary depending on the age of your dog, and the breed of your dog.
It is considered that the larger and giant breeds of dog age earlier than the smaller and toy breeds of dog.
Your objective in managing the nutrition of the older dog is to enhance his quality of life, delay further ageing changes, and to extend his life whilst maintaining his optimal weight.
You are also trying to slow down the onset of disease and improve immune function.
Older dogs will generally be less active than younger dogs so as a rule will require a less energy dense dog food, unless of course the dog’s appetite is reduced for some reason.
Continuing to feed a dog the same amount of food with less exercise will inevitably result in obesity, a problem all too common in many dogs today.
The Fearless and Friendly Boxer Dog
June 24, 2009
The Fearless and Friendly Boxer Dog
by: Mike Mathews
It is hard to imagine that a dog breed descended from the mastiff-type dogs of war and one whose progenitors were used for bull and bear baiting, is now one of the most popular family-oriented breeds in the world.
The popular Boxer dog is a playful clown that continues to display youthful exuberance from its puppy stage to its senior years. Boxers are a courageous, good-natured, friendly, energetic, loyal, fun-loving, and family-oriented dog breed. Boxers love children and will suffer all sorts of child inflicted indignities with stoicism. However toddlers and young children should be carefully supervised with excited adolescent and young Boxers who can accidentally knock them over. The boxer is a large and strong dog that must be socialized thoroughly and obedience trained while a puppy and that training must be continued through adolescence to control its exuberance. The Boxer can be overly protective of the children in the family when roughhousing with friends and must be thoroughly socialized and trained to minimize any aggressive tendencies. The breed is naturally suspicious of strangers and usually makes a good watchdog. The Boxer is fairly intelligent and eager to please and can be trained to higher levels for obedience competitions and even for agility competitions. Additional information on activities for dogs can be found in my article: Fun Dog Activities. Unfortunately the Boxer has a stubborn streak that will show up from time to time. He will suddenly refuse to entertain commands that he has been obeying for years and look at you with an inquisitive or even a mischievous expression. However the endless hours of fun and entertainment provided by the Boxer, more than compensate for the stubborn streak.
How To Choose The Right Havanese For You!
June 23, 2009
How To Choose The Right Havanese For You!
by: Fiona Kelly
The sweet, playful expression of the Havanese has caught your eye. You are hooked by their fluffy fur and affection. You excitedly scope the classifieds and internet for a Havanese breeder. You can’t wait to bring home a new puppy today!
Slow down. Take a moment and breath. Don’t be too quick with your decision. It is optimal to find a Havanese that has the personality, physicality, and connection that is top notch. Therefore, it is beneficial to take the following factors into account before selecting your specific Havanese.
While purchasing a new dog can be emotional, do not let your emotions outweigh your practical side. You will have your dog for their entire life which can be close to 20 years with a Havanese. Therefore, you want to make sure that you find the Havanese that is going to fit in with your family and enjoy its new home. You must think about your dog’s needs as well as your own.
Set a goal to make an informed decision when choosing your Havanese. The following are some of the issues you need to take into account when you are faced with several different sweet Havanese puppies to choose from.
Dealing With Loose Aggressive Dogs On Walks
June 23, 2009
Dealing With Loose Aggressive Dogs On Walks
by: Paul Smith
This can be quite a problem for some dog owners, what do you do if a loose dog comes over to you and your dog, the situation can be quite intimidating especially if you have a small dog and the one coming toward you is much larger or aggressive.
The reason I have written this article is because I was on a dog forum recently and read a hart wrenching post from a lady who held her dying dog in her arms after it was attacked in front of her by a loose dog that snapped it’s neck.
I do not always keep my dog on a lead but I have a rule I always use when I am out with her, if she is off the lead and I see another dog with it’s owner if that dog is off the lead I keep Brandy off hers, I make the assumption that the other dogs owner knows their dog is all right interacting with other dogs, however if the owner has their dog on a lead I then put Brandy on hers. This is because I feel if the owner of the other dog is unsure how their dog will react to mine I should do everything I can to help their dog be combatable, this is just a rule I use when out with Brandy.
