iBlog Pets

Grooming dogs can take a little bit of practice. You can always take your dog to a pet store or a groomer rather than attempt it yourself, but you can do it at home too. Basic dog grooming equipment includes dog shampoo, nail clippers and a comb or brush for the fur. Reliable dog grooming information is available through a veterinarian, in books or on the Web.

Be sure to find dog grooming instructions related to the specific breed and coat type of your dog. Some dogs will require more care than others. Short-haired breeds may require less in the way of dog grooming supplies than long-haired breeds, but all dogs can benefit from a basic grooming session performed on a regular basis. Grooming can be a bonding experience for both owner and pet, and it keeps your dog looking great.

When grooming a dog try to keep the season in mind. Even a long-haired dog may go running for their Igloo Dog House if their hair is cut too short in the winter. Be sure and take the time to learn any dog grooming tips from professionals or friends who groom their dogs regularly.

The best cheap kitty toys (other than homemade ones) are rabbit fur mice. I have yet to meet a cat that didn’t just love a rabbit fur mouse.

Along those lines, you can give your cat a scrap of tanned, processed animal hide/fur to play with. I stress that it should be processed to prevent any bacterial infection from the ’raw’ hide. Sanitized bird/peacock feathers are also a favorite.

Zanies Realistic Mice Cat Toys provide Hours of Fun for my cat and you can get a Set of 20 for under $5 at Amazon.

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If you have a toy sized puppy or dog, you might want to consider toting him around in a dog carrier. There are a wide variety of options available. You can choose from tote carriers, slings, pet pouches, and even canine strollers. If you decide to put your dog in a carrier, choose something that is suitable for his weight and well ventilated to keep him cool. Despite the fact it might look ‘really cool’ in its construction, remember to keep in mind the natural sitting or laying down posture of a dog. With repeative use in the wrong position, this can cause harm to a dog’s spine and bone structure!

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1. Feed your ferret a premium ferret or premium kitten food (only if ferret food is not available). Make sure the food you choose contains at least 34% protein and less than 2% fiber. Make sure that meat is the first ingredient on the list of ingredients on the back of the bag. Avoid any ferret foods that contain dried fruits and vegetables. Remember, ferrets are strict carnivores! Suggestions: Totally Ferret, Zupreem, Iams Kitten, Eukanuba Kitten.

2. Give your ferret meat based treats or fatty acid supplements as treats. Give your ferret cooked chicken, chicken or turkey baby food, chicken livers, cooked egg, and chicken or turkey flavored cat or ferret treats. Avoid giving your ferret fruits and raw vegetables as treats. A raison a day won’t hurt your ferret, however raisons provide no nutrients for your ferret (and they contain sugar). Raw vegetables can cause intestinal blockages in ferrets. Remember, ferrets do not have a cecum and cannot digest vegetable matter.

3. Give your ferret a one-half inch ribbon of hairball remedy a few times a week during non-shedding seasons, and a one inch ribbon daily during shedding season. Be sure to give your ferrets the hairball treatment at least one hour after they eat. Don’t give your ferret hairball remedy right before he or she eats a meal. Remember, hairballs can and do cause stomach and intestinal blockages in ferrets. They can’t cough up hairballs in the same way cats do.

4. Give your ferret at least three hours of supervised out of the cage play time each day. Invent creative games to play with your ferret and provide him or her with lots of interactive toys. Remember, ferrets are very intelligent animals. They can get depressed and stressed if caged for too long. This can lead to illnesses such as ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems (plus it is just isn’t nice). Hold your ferret often and give him or her lots of affection. Ferret are social animals (like dogs) and need interaction with others for good mental and physical health.

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5. Purchase the largest cage possible for your ferret. One ferret requires a cage that is at least three feet wide, two feet deep and three feet high. If you have more than one ferret, you need a much bigger cage. Choose a ferret cage that has multiple levels. Fill the inside of the cage with tubes, tunnels, hammocks, sleep sacks, dangle toys, a litter box, food bowls, a water bottle and lots of soft fabric bedding. Don’t ever use a fish aquarium as a ferret home.

6. Use recycled paper litter in your ferrets litter boxes. Do not use cedar or pine chips as litter for the litter boxes or as bedding in the cage. These products may cause respiratory problems in ferrets.

7. Ferret proof your home!!! Keep your ferret away from shoes, soft rubber items, foam rubber, Styrofoam, pencil erasers, rubber bands, nuts, candy, chocolate, soda, chips, gum, cleaning supplies, soap etc.. Be aware that ferrets like these items and will do anything they can to get them. All of these items are potentially lethal to your ferret. Block off any openings around the dishwasher, stove and under cabinets. Keep your ferret away from the laundry room. Also be aware that ferrets can climb into reclining chairs, sofas and beds to fall asleep. Ferrets are often injured by getting crushed in furniture. Always know where your ferret is at all times. Never let your ferret run around the house unsupervised. Ferrets can open cabinets and climb into bath tubs, washers and dryers and drawers. Try to have a ferret safe room for your ferret to play in.

8. Groom your ferret. Make sure your ferret’s nails stay trimmed. Clean your ferret’s ears whenever you see wax building up. Keep your ferret free of fleas. Don’t bath your ferret more than once a month (unless he or she gets into something). Brush your ferret’s fur regularly, especially during shedding seasons (spring and fall). Brush your ferret’s teeth with cat toothpaste at least once a month.

9. Have money set aside for medical emergencies. Be sure to have enough money set aside for emergency surgeries and vet visits. Try setting aside a certain amount of money every month for your ferret’s medical care. Just one surgery can run as much as $800.00 or more. Your ferret depends on you to care for it in the event of a medical emergency. Have at least $1000.00 available at all times for medical care. Ferrets do tend to get illnesses that require surgery.

10. Keep your ferret up to date on his or her vaccinations and heart worm medication. Ferret do need to be vaccinated against rabies and canine distemper on a yearly basis. Both diseases are lethal to your ferret. If you live in an area with mosquitos, your ferret needs to be on a monthly heart worm prevention medication. Take your ferret in for a check up and vaccinations every year (more often if your ferret is ill).

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You’ve probably heard news reports of dogs suffocating inside cars on warm days.
With the summer month’s upon us it’s a good idea to re-educate yourself and others about leaving pets in cars, and what to do if you see a pet in distress.

The dangers:

It takes only minutes for a pet left in a vehicle on a warm day to succumb to heatstroke and suffocation. Most people don’t realize how hot it can get in a parked car on a balmy day. However, on a 78 degree day, temperatures in a car parked in the shade can exceed 90 degrees — and hit a scorching 160 degrees if parked in the sun!

Even when the outside air temperature is in the 60s, temperatures inside some vehicles can reach the danger zone on bright, sunny days. So many experts recommend not to leave pets or children in parked cars even for short periods if the temperature is in the 60s or higher.

Rolling down a window or parking in the shade doesn’t guarantee protection either, since temperatures can still climb into the danger zone. And if the window is rolled down sufficiently, the pet can escape. Plus if a passer-by claims he or she was bitten through the car window, the pet owner will be liable.

What about leaving the dog in the car with the air-conditioning running? Many people do this, but tragedy can strike — and it has. For example, in 2003, a police dog in Texas died after the air-conditioning in the patrol car shut down and began blowing hot air. The air system’s compressor kicked off because the engine got too hot. Many cars, including modern models with computerized functions, are prone to the same problem. In August 2004, a North Carolina couple lost two of their beloved dogs, and nearly lost their third dogs, as result of a similar failure. They had left bowls of water and ice in the car, and the air-conditioning on, during their shopping trip of less than 30 minutes.

Animals are not able to sweat like humans do. Dogs cool themselves by panting and by sweating through their paws. If they have only overheated air to breathe, animals can collapse, suffer brain damage and possibly die of heatstroke. Just 15 minutes can be enough for an animal’s body temperature to climb from a normal 102.5 to deadly levels that will damage the nervous and cardiovascular systems, often leaving the animal comatose, dehydrated and at risk of permanent impairment or death.

Precautions:

* Leave your dog at home on warm days.

* On trips with your pet, bring plenty of fresh drinking water and bowl.

* Don’t let dogs ride loose in pick-up truck beds. The hot metal can burn a dog’s paws, the sun and flying debris can hurt the dog, the dog can accidentally be thrown out of the truck if the brakes are suddenly applied, and the dog can jump out if scared or upon seeing something interesting to chase. Instead, use a crate to create a safer space for the dog if you can’t fit the dog inside the truck cab.

* Take the dog into the shade, an air conditioned area, or to the vet if you see signs of heat exhaustion, which include restlessness, excessive thirst, heavy panting, lethargy, dark tongue, rapid pulse, fever, vomiting, glazed eyes, dizziness, or lack of coordination. To lower body temperature gradually, give the animal water to drink, place a cold towel or ice pack on the head, neck and chest, and/or immerse the dog in cool (not cold) water. Call your veterinarian.

* Get free brochures (see below) to use to educate pet owners.

If you see a pet in a vehicle on a hot day, take immediate action:

* Note the car make, model, color and tag number, then go to the nearest stores and ask the managers to page the owner.

* Call the police, which usually can respond much faster than can animal control departments. The police have the capability to enter the vehicle and rescue the pet.

Laws:

It is against the law in most jurisdictions to leave a pet unattended in a standing or parked motor vehicle in a manner that endangers the health or safety of the animal.

Here is an excerpt from the Cruelty to Animals section of the Maryland Legal Code:

(a) A person may not leave a cat or dog unattended in a standing or parked motor vehicle in a manner that endangers the health or safety of the cat or dog.

(b) A person may use reasonable force to remove from a motor vehicle a cat or dog left in the vehicle in violation of the provisions of subsection (a) of this section if the person is:

(1) a law enforcement officer;

(2) a public safety employee of the State or of a local governing body;

(3) an animal control officer under the jurisdiction of the State or a local governing body;

(4) an officer of a society or association, incorporated under the laws of this State for the prevention of cruelty to animals, authorized to make arrests under the provisions of Art. 27, � 63 of the code; or

(5) a volunteer or professional of a fire and rescue service.

(c) A person described in subsection (b) of this section may not be held liable for any damages directly resulting from actions taken under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section. Transportation Article 21-1004.1.

Whether or not your pets get along depend on their personalities. Your current pet may view a new pet as a threat; there may be a few scuffles as each animal establishes his “place in the pack”. Do not interrupt them if there is no danger of injury, and provided they are supervised at all times.

Some pets will merely tolerate each other. Others will become great companions (like my own two dogs and cat). Here are a few tips for introducing a new pet into your home.

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Always supervise your pets until you are absolutely sure they get along. Until then, separate your pets by confining at least one of them to its own room. Only allow them to interact with each other with your supervision. It may take them hours, days, weeks, or even months for your pets to adjust fully to one another.

Introduce your pets indoors in controlled situations. Keep your dogs on a leash and do not tolerate any aggressive behaviour. If you are introducing a cat to a dog, do not allow the dog to chase or corner the cat – even if it’s out of playfulness or curiosity.

When introducing a cat to a dog, do NOT hold the cat in your arms. A frightened or nervous cat may scratch.

Allow your new pet to familiarize itself with its new home. Temporarily confine existing pets to a room to give your new pet a chance to feel more comfortable with its surroundings.

Give your pets separate food and water bowls. If you are introducing cats, also provide separate litter boxes. Feed your new and existing pets in different locations.

Be especially careful when introducing dogs or cats to caged animals. Dogs and cats can live in harmony with rabbies, guinea pigs, birds, etc… but please introduce them under strictly controlled supervision. Keep in mind that cats are very agile, so placing a cage high up on a shelf doesn’t necessarily protect the caged pet. Don’t take any chances – one mistake could be fatal to your caged pet.

Give them time. Do not try to force your pets together; allow them to adjust at their own pace. Give all your pets – particularly the new one – time to gain confidence and decide when to face his or her new housemates.

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Cat litter box training is very important if you do not want your pet using the entire house for their toilet. Cats are very neat and clean animals, and they actually prefer to go in litter or dirt and then to cover up the evidence afterwards. Litter box training should be started as soon as your new cat comes home. When you bring your cat inside for the very first time, put them in the litter box so that the cat understands where it is. It is normal for the cat to wander out of the litter pan without using it at first, and do not ever force your cat to stay in the litter box, or the cat may refuse to use it altogether. Follow your cat as they wander through the house, and when it appears the cat has to go to the bathroom, pick them back up and set the cat back in the litter pan. Do this as often as necessary until the cat starts to use the litter box on their own.

Cat litter box training is not difficult, but it does require time, vigilance, and patience. Accidents may happen outside the litter box at first, and it is important to always maintain your self control. Yelling or hitting over an accident, or anything else, can create an even bigger problem, and can cause your cat to distrust or fear you. Only methods involving positive reinforcement should be used, and this includes rewards for the expected behavior like little pieces of cat treats, praise, and attention.

Cat litter box training is essential to good toileting habits with your cat. Because cats are such clean animals, it is crucial to keep the litter box clean, and to change the litter on a regular basis. If the litter box is full or smells, most cats will not use it, and may choose another spot in the house instead. Cleaning up any accidents is needed, and the smell must be completely removed, or the cat may think this is the new toileting spot and go again. Litter training your cat is essential to a happy cat and a clean home.

If you are plan for dog house, then don’t get nervous and waste your time, it is something very easy process, providing if you have the right place or source to search. If you have the searching ability on the net,then there are lots of sites that dealing with tips and suggestion for that.

When you will finish this article, you will have a good guidance about ‘creation of dog houses’.

First of all you need to choose the actual size of the dog house that you are looking for. If the dog house would be a small one than your dog, the you dog get afraid and will not use this house. Then total work of you will become value less. So I suggest you to measure your dog first, then go for the dog house.

Other than size & design, you also need to focus on the other side like dog house floor. Be sure that you have raised your dog house floor a few inches from the ground. This process will help to keep the house floor damp less during rainy season and also colder during summer time.

We all are aware about the fact that dogs are very sensitive, so do not focus on the metal or plastic related product when you building dog house as these products gets warm sooner that other.

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