Hiking With Your Dog: 3 Dangers Every Dog Owner Must Guard Against.
Forest Dangers: The natural woodlands and deep forests can be some of the most exciting terrain for your dog to explore. There are endless adventures to uncover and natural curiosities everywhere your dog turns. However, because the forest contains plenty of mammal life, it makes for great hunting and trapping. And this presents a life-threatening danger to your dog if you are exploring terrain that should be off-limits.
For example, in the northern part of the US, many hunters set bait designed to trap fur-type species. Woodland dogs are attracted to this bait which has resulted in many unfortunate accidents with family dogs. Many of these traps are placed in ditches where dogs love to roam.
The best defense against these dangers when you are taking your dog to explore the forests is to be aware of the hunting and trapping seasons, as well as be educated about the hunting areas you are in. Even if it is off-season and you”re running your dog through a no-hunting area, you must be aware of poachers. It is best to place a bright orange hunters best around your dog”s torso. These types of dog vests are available through certain suppliers.
Prairies Chasing: Many people do not consider a Prairie to be something to worry about when taking their dog out hiking. They are not aggressive creatures and are actually scared of most animals. But therein lies the problem. Dogs love to chase prairies!
While your dog is probably not going to chase a large animal like a deer or bison, it is very likely that he will run after one of these small Prairie animals and end up chasing him for miles at a time. There are many cases where some dogs began to chase a Prairie and never made it back. They either wound up getting lost due to running so far away, or the more likely scenario - they met their match with some larger hungry wild animal.
Foxtail Plants: When running through grassland areas the most commonly encountered danger is called the foxtail plant. This is a perennial weedy grass that is located in large fields and on some roadsides. It is slender shaped with long brushy spikes that contain seeds which will embed themselves into your dog”s flesh. The most common area that dogs get these painful little spikes embedded is in between their toes. It is just like having barbed wire puncturing and stabbing through the skin. Each seed contains little barbs which point backwards. Because of this design, they slowly get pushed deeper and deeper into the body and can cause infection or lead up to more serious situations, such as organ failure.
Dogs must mark their territory - it’s just the way it is! And for a dog there is no better way they like to communicate to the world and announce “Hey, I’m Here, Smell My Scent!”
As normal a behavioral characteristic as this may be, it can be quite annoying to dog owners. Not only does your house get soaked in the odor from your dog’s urination, but it also can cost a lot of money on ruined stuff. For example, I’ll never forget the day my wife came home and found her new two hundred dollar shoes soaked in our Chihuahuas urine. Our dog simply marked the object because they were brand-new and contained unfamiliar smells. In his mind he was not doing anything wrong.
Below are a few tips that can help you lower the chances of your dog’s scent marking behavior:
1. They say that prevention is more efficient than treating the symptom. This can also ring true when it comes to your dog’s territory urine marketing. One of the best ways to stop your dog from urine marking is to have him fixed. Getting your dog neutered or spayed will reduce the body’s natural chemicals and hormones that get pumped up by sexual heat. Be sure to talk with your veterinarian about possible changes in your dog’s attitude after being spayed or neutered.
2. A simple little trick that can keep your dog from marking certain areas of your house is to place items that he has respect for in specific areas. For example, just by placing his food dish or water bowl next to an area that he may have marked will prevent him from marking that area again. This is because dogs are naturally clean animals and do not want soil the areas in which they sleep or eat.
3. Another option is to consider utilizing drug therapy. Some dogs spray entirely too much due to fear and high stress levels. Perhaps it is because of past abuse or other similar circumstances, but regardless of the cause, drugs have been proven to help such severe cases. Be sure to ask your veterinarian about possible drug alternatives and do not be afraid to get full disclosure on possible side effects that your dog may experience.
Help, I Have Allergies But Absolutely Love Cats!.
Even though it seems like everybody has a cat these days, there is still one group of people who are sure to keep their distance from these feline friends of ours - people that have allergies!
This is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome from people that truly love cats but think that they can not enjoy one in their house due to their allergy problems. This is especially true when it is actually the cat itself that causes allergic reactions.
More people are allergic to cats than they are to dogs. This is called having ‘cat allergies’. Some people cannot take this lightly, especially if they have small children with asthma or other related breathing problems. For these people, having a cat come within just a short distance of them can cause severe health problems.
What is it about cats that causes allergy problems?
Most people think that it is the fur of the cat that is causing the issue. This is not so. It is actually a substance called Fel D1 That is located in the cat”s saliva which runs onto the cat”s hair whenever he cleans himself. This hair then gets blown off and travels around the air and the surrounding areas, causing some people to have allergic reactions when breathing in near the animal. So it is not only the cat that seems to cause a reaction, but the substance is also airborne. This is why some people will begin to sneeze or cough immediately whenever a cat is near.
If I have allergies, can I still have a cat so long as his hair is shaved or is cut very short?
Unfortunately, even if your cat has been shaved down to the skin or is a naturally short-haired cat, this will not resolve the allergy issue. There are hairless breeds that exist such as the hairless Spinxs that cause just as much allergy problems for people as a regular haired cat. This is because, as mentioned above, allergies are sparked off from cat saliva and not the actual fur.
Some people do live with cats even though they have allergy problems. And if you are one of these people with allergies who would like to have a pet cat, then it is imperative that you find a good allergist in your neighborhood. He will help you control your allergies as best possible so that you can enjoy the benefits of having a wonderful pet, such as the cat.
Clicker Training: What Is So Special About Using A Clicker To Train My Dog?.
Using a clicker to train your dog is an extremely rewarding and fun approach to dog training. And most importantly, it works! This simple little training aid will go a long way to encouraging positive behavior and instituting obedience as well as tricks into your dog”s life.
What Is A Clicker?
A clicker is a very simple and compact tool that simply makes a ‘click’ sound when the trigger is pressed. Animal lovers who condone positive dog training are seeing amazing results from utilizing a clicker instead of other more negative approaches when using training aids. And amazingly, clickers are being used successfully in the training of cats, horses, and even dolphins!
How Does It Work?
In order to use a clicker successfully, the sound must trigger off an inviting response within your dog”s mind. This is so easy to do and you can literally train your dog to yearn for the sound of the clicker in less than one day. All you have to do is connect the sound of the clicker with one of your dogs most tastiest of treats.
Here Is How You Do It
Click the clicker. Now give your dog a treat. Again, click the clicker. Follow through with another treat. And again - yes you guessed it - click the clicker and immediately give your dog the tasty snack.
Sounds simple, doesn”t it? Believe it or not your dog may build that in mind/treat/clicker connection in less than 10 clicks! Some dogs may take longer but when it comes to pleasure most pets are very responsive, especially when you”re utilizing tasty food as a motivator.
Now your dog will yearn to hear that sound as often as he can. It means that something good is on the way and when the click goes off he can”t wait to get a tasty treat! Now you are ready to begin positive dog training with the use of the clicker.
There are many ways to do this. For example, if you are trying to teach her dog to sit then click the clicker every time he does so. Follow through with a treat until your dog anxiously awaits to perform the next command.
Eventually, after many uses of the clicker with different training techniques, you will be able to totally eradicate the use of treats. This is what is so great about using a clicker - you can continue to make the sound and so long as you follow through with a lot of praise and affection, your dog will get the same euphoric feeling as he did when you were giving him dog treats.
Even though cats are probably one of the most popular pets in the typical household, there are many people that still hold misconceptions about these wonderful animals. There is no doubt that some people who dislike cats (based on false information) would probably enjoy having them as pets if they would just open up their minds.
Most of these misconceptions that people have about cats stem from constantly comparing them to dogs and let’s face it, that’s probably not the best way to look at it. Not everybody loves the way dogs act yet may appreciate the independent character of the cat. It’s the same as a cat lover who might not be attracted to an animal that constantly needs love and attention like a dog does.
Let us dispel a few of these common misconceptions about cats. Below are two that you may be familiar with:
“Cats have no personality and are very cold towards people”
It is no secret that cats are very independent animals and are not the most affectionate of pets. This is probably the most common reason why some people may assume that a cat would not make a great pet for them. Yes, cats certainly do choose their moments when it comes to affection and may not always be willing to be overly friendly, but they are in fact very loving animals.
And when cats do try to nestle up to your leg or try to get a pat on the back, cat critics again claim that they are just in it for the food or a treat. But this is not true. Cats love and appreciate the warmth and affection from their owners, just not as much as dogs do. Cats love to hang out on your lap, lay around your table areas, or smuggle in most places next to you when they are ready to rest.
“Cats take care of themselves and do not need human contact”
This is another misconception that is not entirely true. Sure there may be more wild cats walking around the neighborhood than dogs, but that doesn’t mean that a house cat that has been raised as your pet will want to escape from your home and wonder all into the streets.
Of course it is true that cats are very easy to maintain and pretty much to take care of themselves. However, a healthy cat who has been raised with lots of love will always show affection and want to be in contact with its owners. But that is what many people appreciate about cats - that they are extremely low maintenance compared to other pets.
I put this together for my son’s first grade class. There is a companion presentation that goes with it. Ask me for it if you would like a copy. The video and the presentation are open to the public for use and alteration. I request no rights, however attribution can be a nice courtesy. My email address is faizoro@gmail.com. Just specify weather you would like it in OpenOffice, PDF,…
Below is a list of more traits to look for in a healthy, normal iguana:
1. Mouth: When you look inside the iguana’s mouth, it should look pinkish and healthy. Look for any bad signs of yellow coloring or cheesy, stringy mucous discharge. A mouth that is always hanging open is a sign of a respiratory disease, especially if it is mixed with a forced, labored wheezing sound coming from it’s lungs. To look inside the iguana’s mouth, carefully hold the nose using your thumb and index finger while using the other hand to gently pull down on the very tip of the dewlap. Be careful and very gentle, opening it just enough to see the color.
2. Stomach: Its stomach should not look thin. A thin iguana is not a healthy pet. One that has recently eaten will show a big, happy belly. If you see them eating at the store or current owner’s house, that means they do not have an eating problem and will most likely remain that way when you take it home.
3. Vent: An iguana’s vent is the opening through which the animal defecates. It is also where the sex organs are located. To check the vent, hold the animal in a vertical position at about 12 inches from your face facing at its stomach. The vent is the horizontal slit or fold in the skin. The vent should have no discharge or anything sticking around that area, as this can be a sign that there is something wrong. As for defecating, iguanas are clean animals and always clean themselves after defecation.
4. Tail: A healthy iguana tail looks thick, fat, and plump at the base (the area where the tail attaches to the body). There should not be any visible bones in the tail or the body. A fat tail is a sign that the iguana eating regularly.
5. Skin: An iguana’s skin should be bright and tight without any bagginess. Loose skin is a sign that it is not eating enough and not eating well. The skin of a young iguana should be bright green. As the animal gets older, the green gradually becomes more muted with the addition of some brown, blue, or gray patterns. Adult male iguanas also turn into various shades of orange on their arms, legs, and heads during breeding season.
Do not choose a green iguana that has dark or black skin, this is an indication of a sick iguana. Some iguanas have ticks on their skin. This is not a reason to reject the animal. Ticks are easily removed and are not a sign of sickness. Also, it’s okay for the iguana’s skin to look like it’s coming off or to see thin sheets of torn skin. Thin, torn skin coming off its body means that it’s shedding, which is a healthy, natural occurrence that will take place throughout his life.
6. Legs: Healthy iguanas have rounded legs. However, the legs shouldn’t look swollen or fat. Iguanas with fat-looking legs may be suffering from calcium deficiency. Another sign of this illness is when the back or spine is twisted or distorted.
7. Attitude: When picked up, a healthy iguana should display a bit of feistyness or may squirm and try to get away. They may even try to bite you or whip its tail. This is normal. These are wild animals and it is their natural instinct to try to get away to protect themselves. Unless it’s been tamed, if it’s too relaxed or too calm on your hand, it might be sick.
I have three cats and they must be the most adventurous creatures on the planet. All three of them can never stay out of trouble for too long. They like to get into every nook and cranny of the entire house and discover new terrain. It sure does sound fun for cats, but unfortunately these little play times can be frustrating for us pet owners.
The costs of owning a cat aren’t too high between food and the occasional veterinarian checkup. However, the amount of damage that they can cause to our expensive furniture, clothes, shoes, etc. can be quite pricey. And for some reason many cats just love to attack houseplants.
This is a battle that I fought for a long time with my cats. If you also have a green thumb for growing plants inside your home while at the same time own a “plant-loving” cat, then your job is to make your plants as undesirable as you possibly can to the animal. Below are a few tips that can help you stop the battle between your pet and the houseplants.
1. Since cats enjoy chewing on plants, one of the first things you can do is to make them taste terrible. Be careful however, and avoid spraying anything on your plants that may harm your cat or be toxic to the plant. We recommend that you spray a little vinegar mixed with water or my personal favorite, Tabasco sauce. Sometimes a cat won’t even need to take a taste test in order to be turned off. Just getting close and taking to a whiff of that spice and bitterness will be enough to send him running.
2. Next, you can take advantage of your cat’s fear. So long as you don’t mind the ugly decor, you can make the plant look as unattractive as scary as possible. One technique that I use is to run aluminum foil wrapped around the sides of the pots and then extend a couple lines of foil rolled up and coiled 3 feet out, like a big bird claw. It was funny to see my cats avoid those plants at all cost. This was just one idea I came up with that worked. You can brainstorm and find ways to scare off your cats that may suit you better.
3. Last but not least, if you want to avoid having a bitter aroma running through the house from Tabasco sauce as well as prevent your living room from looking like a science fiction movie with all the aluminum, your best bet is to simply turn your plants into hanging plants. Unless your house or apartment is loaded with high levels that your cat can get to, turning your plants into ceiling plants are is probably the most successful technique that can be used to keep them from becoming cat food.