Pet Care Information

Spraying is also referred to as marking behavior. There can be many reasons for this behavior; most of the time spraying is related to sexual maturity. Neutering or spaying your cat will solve the problem of spraying in most cases. If the animal has already been neutered or spayed, preventing your cat from spraying in the house will depend on finding out the root cause of the behavior.

One reason your cat might be spraying in the house is due to something new in the environment. A cat will often spray new items in the house to mark its territory even if they are neutered. These behaviors are deeply a part of their nature and some cats hold on to these instincts more than others.

If your cat is spraying on a new piece of furniture for example, try putting pieces of tin foil around the new piece of furniture. Place the aluminum foil in the area they sprayed as well as other areas around the furniture where they are likely to spray. Cats usually hate the sound of their urine stream against the aluminum foil surface and will most often avoid it.

If you have multiple cats in your house, one or more of them might be spraying due to stresses caused by this environment. You can ease the stress of your cats and often stop the spraying behavior by providing more cat items in the house. Providing more litter boxes and food dishes for example can often help the situation.

As always, be sure that your cat is not spraying urine because of some type of medical condition. Peeing in the house could be part of a kidney infection or other serious disease. When in doubt, it is a good idea to have this behavior checked out immediately with your veterinarian.

This article just touches the surface of the many reasons why your cat is resorting to spraying behavior. The book, catutah.com/reviews/product1.html “Solutions to Cat Behavior Problems” by Veterinarian, Dr. Chris Suckow provides several more solutions to the problem on how to stop your cat from spraying in the house. catutah.com/reviews/product1.html Click here for more information on this resource.

Did you know that spraying is one of the most common problems among cat owners? Don’t put up with it; catutah.com/reviews/product1.html here are some resources to help you get your feline inline!

Many people think that a bird is a fun low maintenance pet that can provide you with good company. While birds are fun, intelligent companions they do require quite a bit of maintenance and care. Some birds require more maintenance than others so here’s some guidelines on bird care that might help you pick a bird that’s perfect for your lifestyle.

First of all you should be aware that all birds will need to have fresh food and water in a cage change daily. Also, birds are messy with their seeds and you’ll soon find seeds all over the floor around the cage that will need to be cleaned each day to. You can buy things to go on the cage so minimize this mess but be prepared to spend at least a half-hour cleaning up and around your birds cage each day. In addition, you want to set aside time each week to wash down the cage as it can get quite messy.

The reason most people get a bird is to obtain friend I can sit in the shoulder and entertain them. But if you want your bird to remain tame and friendly you’ll need to spend some time with it particularly at feeding time when you can choose to hand feed him and also you want to set aside time to take them out of the cage just to play.

If you don’t have a lot of time to spend with a bird but still like the look of these bright little creatures you may want to think about purchasing a canary or some finches. These birds are pretty self-sufficient and won’t pine away if you don’t pay a lot of attention to them. Also, if you don’t want a loud bird that will wake up all your neighbors these have light pleasant sounding voices. Beware, however, that they’re just as messy as other birds so you will need to spend time cleaning up their cage’s.

let’s say you who do have plenty of time to spend training and playing with your pet bird but you just don’t have the room for big giant parrot. For you, the cockatiel parakeet might make the perfect pet. These birds can become very tame and can even be taught to do tricks and in some cases to talk. They are not overly loud so can be good pets for apartment dwellers.

If you want something a little bit bigger, consider midsize parrots like Conures or Senegal parrots. these birds are a bit bigger in size can be fun and entertaining pets but I must warn you they can be very loud. Conyers in particular have an ear piercing shriek that they like to emit first thing in the morning. they’re not the talkers that the larger parrots are but some breeds like Quaker parrot and Nanday conure can talk pretty good.

If you do a lot of time and you want a bird that will talk extensively than you want to choose one of the larger parrots like an African gray or maybe even a macaw. The larger parrots theirs is just as smart as a toddler and will probably require almost as much attention. You need to make sure that you keep your bird from getting bored or providing him with interesting toys that you change out every once in awhile and by interacting with them yourself. If you buy a large burden and spend time with it you’re just asking for trouble as they can be quite destructive and loud.

No matter what type of bird you choose, you want to make sure you get one that has been hand fed since it was a baby. This bird will already be quite tame and used humans and be ready to adapt to his new home and willing to learn to talk and do tricks from you. It’s a bird that is not tame or friendly may have problems and may never learn to trust you, therefore not making a good pet.

It can be exciting to adopt a pet bird but you need to make sure that you make this decision carefully. Buying a bird that you do not have the time for will be a disappointment for both you and the bird and will not work out in the long run. Before you make your purchase, be sure that you will commit to caring for your new feathered friend and you will find that you have a wonderful companion.

Lee Dobbins writes for pet-birds.pet-breeds.com pet-birds.pet-breeds.com were you can learn more about birds and pet-birds.pet-breeds.com/ pet bird care.

What Exactly Are Modular Dog Kennels?

Finding the right dog kennel solution starts
with understanding your options.

One popular option among dog owners is purchasing
a modular dog kennel.

Modular dog kennels are kennels that
are pre-made to specific standards and almost
always come in sections you have to assemble.

Obvious advantages of the modular dog kennel
are:

a) Outside and inside construction options.

Modular dog kennels can be set up inside
or outside depending on the area you have
available for set up.

b) Better materials.

Depending on where you buy from you have
a wider range of materials to choose from.

Modular dog kennels are made from chain
link, steel wire mesh, high gauge steel,
to welded ornamental materials.

c) Stronger construction.

The more elaborate modular dog kennels are
available with welded wire mesh and parts
to increase strength and security.

d) You’re not limited to one design.

You are able to adjust or modify the
kennel panels to create different
designs giving you more options on
placement and design.

While not available from every supplier
of Modular dog kennels this option is
gaining more popularity among dog owners.

e) Affordable.

If you compare outdoor dog kennels or
other options with modular dog kennels
you will quickly find the option is
affordable for even the most cash
strapped household.

In the end modular dog kennels give you and
your dog a lot of flexibility when it comes
to your pooches living space. Whether you
plan to set up an inside or outside kennel
it will be hard to find a better option
than a modular dog kennel.

For more information about

Americans are pet love people. What this means goes way beyond a description of people who love their pets. While this may not be a news flash, there have been some serious statistics over the past few years that illustrate our status as pet love people.

According to the latest statistics compiled by the APPMA (American Pet Products Manufacturers Association), Americans are off the chart when it comes to spending on our pets.

For instance, as of 2006, 73.9 million Americans own dogs and another 90.5 million are cat owners.

There are more than 16.6 million bird owners in the US and 11 million US citizens are snake owners.

Show Me The Money
While the pet ownership numbers are impressive, how much money would you imagine is spent on those millions of pets? Well, according to the APPMAs’ Pet Industry Statistics and Trends Report, Americans spent $34 billion on their pets in 2004. This represented a huge growth in spending that in fact doubled US spending in the last 10 years.

It comes as no surprise that we treat our pets like members of our families. A regular routine is having your dog groomed and while you’re at it, why not have his ears rinsed, after all it makes your pet more comfortable and healthy?

And then there is medical care, which is another area of financial impact that is definitely felt by all families throughout the world. The family pet can now be covered as well. In fact, some form of medical care for pets has existed for the past 20 years.

With pet accidents becoming more frequent than accidents affecting humans, much to the dismay of many families, 24 hour animal emergency rooms are a fixture in many communities.

Additionally, pet health care by way of medical plans are available, however, the choices are not as simple as you might think.

Pet health care insurance is now marketed competitively throughout the US. The policies and are written with the familiar titles and options written into policies for the pet’s human care takers.

Such condition itemization as species, age, pre-existing conditions and even lifestyle (e.g. indoor VS outdoor cat) are included in the paperwork.

Most policies start at age 6 – 8 weeks and have no age limit. Others have an age limit of up to 27 years. Deductibles average $100 annually and the policy costs very widely depending on the issuer.

Services covered include:
• Office visits
• Exams
• All shots
• Any elective procedure (e.g. Dental care)
• Any surgery (e.g. Spaying or neutering)
• Hospitalization and more….

Annual plans run an average of $99 up to $500 per year and most programs have monthly payment options beginning at $10 monthly up to $50 or so. Many companies are adding pet care health insurance to their employee benefit packages.

All in all, we are pet love people and there are many benefits across the board for both pets and their human family. Psychologists have documented measurable improvements in lowered stress levels and reduced blood pressure levels for pet owners.

The stories of remarkable courage and lifesaving heroics of dogs in police service, in addition to everyday house dogs and cats that have made dramatic rescues of family members requires no stretch of the imagination to recognize the importance of the four legged members of our families.

This article is a tribute to pet lovers everywhere.

About The Author:
Alex Rich PhD, is a hypnotist in private practice specializing in weight loss. He also provides personal and business coaching. Alex spends his free time doing research for his article writing assignments. petlovepeople.blogspot.com Click here to find out how to get a free copy of “5 Things You Must Do Right Now to Protect Your Dog From Death By Disease.”

Copyright 2007 – Alex Rich, PhD. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give author name credit.

During the first two weeks of a pups life all its needs are met by feeding from its mother.
If however the litter is large or if the mother is not producing enough milk herself, or if the pup is orphaned, then it may need to be hand reared.
If the pup is orphaned it may be worth contacting a local breed club to see if there are any suitable foster mothers available to feed the pup.

Puppies grow very quickly and can double their birth weight in just a few days.
Because of this rapid growth they need large volumes of their mum’s milk or something similar.
Thankfully substitute formulas are now available commercially, and this can be fed either by bottle or syringe.

These dried milk substitutes should be made up fresh each day and heated to 38 degrees Centigrade.
Feed your puppy slowly, and don’t force things as your pup may end up with pneumonia from inhaling milk.
Sometimes the teat hole may need to be enlarged to improve milk flow so that the puppy doesn’t just suck in air.

One thing to remember if you are nursing an orphan pup is to rub a small piece of moistened cotton wool at it’s bottom after it has been feeding.
This action copies the action it’s mother would have taken with her tongue to encourage the pup to pass urine and faeces.
You can stop doing this from about 3 weeks old when the pups should be old enough to no longer require this action.

When your pups are about 3-4 weeks old they will start to explore their environment.
This is a good time to bring in a good high quality puppy food.
This can be fed mixed in with some milk substitute initially, and then fed on its own.
Mum’s milk will still however form the bulk of their diet at this stage.
You could soften dried food with gravy or water, or even a small amount of milk, but milky foods are not essential.

Puppies should be fed together under supervision to make sure that they all get a good share of the food, and that one doesn’t gain weight at the expense of a smaller, weaker sibling.
Concentrated, highly palatable puppy foods are best for weaning.
Most pups can be successfully weaned onto this type of diet by about 6-8 weeks of age, when they are almost ready to leave their mum.
I would also tend to feed them about 4 times per day at this age rather than allowing them to feed ad lib.
I would continue with this regime until about 10 weeks old when I would then drop to 3 meals a day.
By 5-6 months old I will have dropped the feeding to twice daily.
I continue to feed this growth diet until the puppy approaches its adult weight, then drop the feeding to once a day, and also change onto a maintenance diet.
If I’m feeding a large breed dog I may continue to feed a growth diet for a lot longer, as they take longer to mature and develop.

Assessing the needs of a growing pup can be difficult as lots of things can mean differing nutritional requirements.
Different foods have differing energy values and even the pups themselves depending on body type, breed and activity level will affect their needs.
Nothing I feel can beat just casting a good eye over the general condition of your pup, and feeling him generally to see that his dietary needs are being met to the full.

Leonard Mutch is a dog owner and trainer with over 25 years experience working with dogs. Learn the 7 essential components of good dog feeding on his website : tastydogfood.com/dog_food_article_list.php” target=”_blank puppy food information

The Alsatian, commonly known as the German Shepherd Dog, is a working dog breed that often acts as military dogs, guard dogs, police dogs, or search and rescue dogs. They are used because they can be trained in protection and obedience easily and they like to please their owners.

German Shepherd Dogs are large, strong dogs that have coats with either long or short hair. Their coats’ colors vary, but are mostly seen in tan and brown. However, there are some German Shepherds who are completely black or white. German Shepherds’ ears stand up erect and they also have long tails.

There are several lines of German Shepherd, all of which have different looks, behavior and skills. The international working line of German Shepherds are bred as working dogs. They are quite tough but their appearance varies. The North American show line of German Shepherds are bred for their appearance, which is unique to them. Their backs are more angled than a typical German Shepherd’s and unfortunately this can be bad for their backs. They are also believed to not have the working dog traits of the other lines. The international show line of German Shepherd Dog also is bred more so on appearance, so they typically look the same.

German Shepherds tend to develop great loyalty and are very obedient towards their owners. Due to their strong teeth and jaws, they can be trained to attack. Unfortunately, they can also become too aggressive or become fearful if not bred properly. Many of these types of dogs, who are either poorly bred or have owners who don’t train them properly, end up in puppy mills. Since German Shepherds are frequently used as attack and police dogs, they have received an image of being quite dangerous. However, most German Shepherds make great pets for families and are not aggressive.

German Shepherds are very emotional dogs and are quite loyal. They are sometimes used as guide dogs, but that is on the decline as they can get separation anxiety and trauma. As stated earlier, different lines of German Shepherds vary in temperament. Working dogs have more energy and are more obedient. They are intelligent and become upset if they do not get enough exercise. They like to have a job to do, which is why they are often used as rescue dogs. North American lines of German Shepherd Dogs are more fitted for the role of companions.

Due their large size, German Shepherds can suffer from elbow problems and hip dysplasia. They may have skin allergies or have von Willebrand’s disease. The average life span of a German Shepherd is twelve years.

German Shepherd Dogs were discovered in the late 1800s by Captain Max von Stephanitz and were meant to be a diverse working dog. American and British soldiers of World War I then brought German Shepherds to their homes and they became popular dogs. They were used as family pets and as working dogs.

German Shepherds are very versatile in the type of things they can do. They are highly intelligent and like to please and protect their owners. For this reason, they can become great guard dogs, rescue dogs, or police dogs and also make good pets for families.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to dog-guides.com/ Dogs

You need to create a common language between you as a dog owner and your dog to get a solid and trustful relationship. This may only be achieved by good dog obedience training, which means that you start to understand your dog and its needs. With the right dog obedience training you’ll make sure that your beloved dog always responds in a positive way to your commands.

By starting to use the best dog obedience training there is, you’ll help your dog to create the best responses to the stimuli – and therefore using the right dog obedience training course will be of great benefit for both you as owner and your dog(s). I’ll suggest you look into one course I’m going to reveal for your shortly.

First I want to give you a little more knowledge about dog obedience training types:

Reward based dog obedience training
The most common and easy to put to action is the reward-based dog obedience training where commands given to the animal and properly executed are rewarded. Usually these rewards are caresses, a toy or as most often food. (Dog crackers etc.)

The dog associates a specific positive behavior with certain rewards and starts acting to get more of the wanted reward. Behavior patterns develop along these lines as dog obedience training pursues a mutual understanding between pet and owner. Basically this dog obedience training means teaching a trick that leads to a reward: scent detection, fetch commands or even criminal apprehension.

Leash dog obedience training
The latter is considered to belong to the traditional dog obedience training used at first in military facilities due to this training’s effect on getting the dog to obey in all kind of situations. The leash dog obedience training has more advantages than the food reward in such practical purposes, since this leash dog training finds better adaptation to the task or mission the animal has to face. The collars bring mild or even hard correction, yet, make sure that you don’t use it ineffectively.

The leash dog obedience training teaches the animal to obey to collar control. You will need to remember that the leash is just the first step into developing the skills to get the dog obey under no matter what circumstances and relying on other tools as well. This type of dog obedience training establishes the hierarchy or the leadership in the dog’s life and the relation you develop with the dog very much depends on this aspect.

Professional dog obedience training – or do it yourself?
You may hire a professional in dog obedience training, but you have to be an active part in the process since you are the one to spend most time with your dog. This means you should learn the basics, and hopefully a little more.

There exist a course for you as a dog owner that I really recommend. You’ll find more information in my author box. Dog obedience training by yourself: Get on it! - You can make it work today - for you and your dog.

I recommend reading this course on dog obedience training: click the link => instanttip.com/free-dog-obedience-training instanttip.com/free-dog-obedience-training

The domesticated cat has spread to nearly every continent and is one of the most popular pets worldwide. However, there are many people who do not like cats and would never consider letting a cat share their home for several different reasons.

Although some people simply don’t enjoy animals, many prefer dogs over cats because of few liabilities that cats have, such as shedding, clawing furniture and carpet. The following questions and answers provide some information that can make cats easier to live with, explain some of their bothersome behaviors and how to remedy them, as well as how they purr and land on their feet, and the typical lifespan of a cat.

Do cats always land on their feet?

Well, that is actually a generalization. While housecats are very adept at falling gracefully, bigger cats that are not used to climbing or falling, like lions, have a lot of trouble landing on their feet. It isn’t entirely rare for a lion to have a painful descent on the rare occasion it climbs a tree. In some cases, large housecats that are less than athletic have similar issues.

Research compiled on cats that have fallen or jumped from windows have found that many of the cats who fell from a lower level or a higher level were able to land on their feet.

This phenomenon is called Highrise Syndrome and basically shows that cats that fall from six stories or higher are more likely to survive than cats falling from lower levels. Falling from higher up gives cats longer to get their feet underneath them and brace before they hit the ground.

Why does my cat shed all the time?

Cats shed their fur as a way of adjusting to their living conditions. Outdoor cats tend to put on a thick coat in the fall as winter sets in, and then shed the extra fur in the spring when it begins to get warmer. Outdoor cats shed in this manner because their brain can sense how much sunlight they are exposed to and use this to gauge how much fur they need to stay warm or cool for the season.

Indoor cats, on the other hand, have very little exposure to natural lighting and the artificial lighting inside home does not register the same to the part of their brain that controls shedding. Because the cat’s brain senses an imbalance, they grow and shed hair continually, unlike an outdoor cat.

Should I have my cat declawed?

Although tens of thousand cats are declawed each year, many vets and cat owners are against this procedure because of what declawing actually entails. A cat’s claws are not like ours. Our finger nails are simply dead cells while a cat’s claws are very similar to the last joint on your finger.

Cats use their claws for balance and movement, so the lack of them can be painful and removing them makes walking much different for the cat. If you plan on letting your cat live in the house, there are other measures you can take to ensure they don’t shred your furniture like getting them a scratching post covered in abrasive material instead of soft material that resembles carpet or upholstery.

Is there anything I can do to stop or slow down my indoor cat’s shedding?

There are a few things you can do to keep cat hair off of everything you own and make your cat more comfortable as well. Since cats shed constantly in response to being kept indoors, which is not exactly their natural environment, cats that shed excessively are, in effect, slightly out of balance.

The best thing you can do to reduce unwanted shedding is to make sure that they have a healthy and balanced diet and to brush them often. A good diet will ensure that they have a healthy coat that will shed a normal amount. Keeping your cat healthy and brushing excess hair will prevent cat hair from getting all over the place.

What are the benefits to having my cat spayed or neutered?

Other than preventing them from having unwanted kittens, having your cat spayed or neutered will preventing them from developing several activities that pet owners may consider undesirable, especially in indoor cats. In addition to making it impossible for your cat to mate, it also takes away their desire to mate and all the related activities.

This means that male cats will not mark their territory with urine spray or roam for miles trying to find a mate. Once female cats become mature, they will stay in heat nearly all the time until they become pregnant, which means that they will likely keep you awake at night by howling to attract a mate.

However, many cat owners have their pet spayed or neutered because the energy they would have spent on finding a mate is dedicated to their human companions instead and they become a much more devoted pet.

Mike Selvon owns a number of niche portal. Please visit our cats.trustprofitableniche.com/ cats portal for more great tips on your common cats.trustprofitableniche.com/cats-questions-answers.php cats questions answered, and leave a comment at our mynicheportal.com/pets-animals/your-cats-questions-answered cats blog.

Trends and fads in diets have always garnered attention in the media and, at times, even sparked debates. Considering this, it was probably just a matter of time before pets got pulled into the fray.

Believe it or not, a major movement called feeding raw is becoming popular with pet owners across the country.

What is Feeding Raw?

Basically, this refers to a diet comprised entirely of natural foods. In other words, it excludes any kind of commercial pet food. For example, instead of a cup of kibble, you would serve your dog a raw egg or a piece of a (raw) chicken. The idea here is to mimic how an animal would eat in the wild. So instead of cooked and processed food, it would be food in its most natural form.

Is Feeding Raw Safe?

Not all pet owners and vets will support the feeding raw movement. There are several possible reasons for this. First, it can be a burden on your lifestyle and on your pocket. It’s not always easy to find a supplier of chicken carcasses or organ meat, and it can be expensive to purchase these things. Obviously, buying pre-packaged foods is an easier and cheaper solution.

Next, some vets have a personal stake in the foods they offer. For example, they may earn a percentage on every bag of food they sell to their clients. In addition, since feeding raw is a relatively new trend, not all vets learn about it in their schooling.

But those who have jumped on the raw food bandwagon will be the first to tell you that most packaged pet food, even the “natural” brands, have altered ingredients and components that are unnecessary and potentially harmful to animals. For example, many claim that dogs and cats do not need to eat grains, fruits, or vegetables and, in fact, these ingredients may upset an animals’ digestive system. They would go on to say that by following a raw food diet and controlling exactly what your animal eats you are bound to have a healthier, happier pet.

What are Benefits of a Raw Food Diet?

According the followers of the raw food movement, your pets will benefit in the following ways:

Healthier teeth and gums
More attractive breath and overall odor
Fewer stools
Healthier digestive system
Stronger jaws and muscles (from chewing meaty bones)
Fewer allergies
Better weight control

Those who follow a raw food diet for their pet also claim that their pets have more energy, a sunnier disposition, and are healthier all around.

The Trouble with Raw Foods

Well, if feeding raw is so beneficial, why isn’t everyone doing it?

As we stated above, this movement is relatively new on the scene, so there have not been many long-term studies that show the pros and cons of feeding raw. Until these are available, many pet owners will choose to stay with the familiar—namely, the packaged goods.

Also, not all pet owners want to handle carcasses and animal parts or watch their pets tear into them for a meal. Although it is possible to argue that there is nothing “unnatural” about this, we can not blame people for cringing at the sight of Fluffy gnawing on a lamb’s neck.

And, of course, there is always a danger of infection whenever dealing with raw meats of any kind. Although raw foods die-hard will downplay this risk, it definitely exists.

We think it is safe to say that a raw foods diet is not for every pet or every pet owner.

Melissa Steele is a freelance writer for

Grocery Stores could use some larger Dog Food Isles. Not because there are more brands of Dog Food. Not because there are more Pets. Not because there are more items for sale. The reason is that the level of quality of food Americans are eating these days is less than that of dog food. Have you recently read the ingredients of the food you are eating, with all the chemicals in it? The ingredients and chemicals on some of these labels certainly is not fit for human consumption.

Nor would you feed such food to your best friend and four-legged companion; at least I hope you wouldn’t. But we all have tossed our dogs scraps from time to time, stuff that cannot possibly be good for them, as their evolutionary food supplies came from things they ate, not processed crap and chemical laden foods. Their systems are not set up to eat such things. Now, then so far you have not said a word, you have read this article and agreed with it for the most part, nodding your head. So then do you wonder why humans who eat this food, are over weight, having health issues and are finding themselves at odds with their ambitions and life goals? Why they lack the energy to press on, or become lethargic when a task needs to get done? Could it be the food we are eating? Eating food that taste good from that special blend of chemicals to spike the taste buds, to the point we no longer smell the food we eat and simply wait for that perceived sugar flavor, which is not sugar at all really, just more simulated chemicals that appears to be sugar.

If we put all the food which has all this stuff in it in the dog food isle, then there would be 22 isles of dog food and 5 isles of real food and of course we would all know what side of the store to shop on to stay healthy and fit. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” - Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/