Pets

Dog grooming in the summer does not necessarily mean getting the “buzz-cut.” Dog owners may think that they are providing their dogs relief, but may actually may be increasing their dog’s discomfort.

For some dogs their coat provides insulation and protection against ultraviolet rays. Dogs don’t sweat like us. Dogs pant and sweat through their paws. Plus the sun is hard on dogs’ skin especially if they have a long coat. Although dogs do not tan, they do burn.

So what should dog owners do? According to Erica Richter, owner of Salon Poochini in Bal Harbor, FL the best thing you can do for your dog’s skin and coat is to keep your dog well-groomed. A healthy coat, no matter what the length, is always better than a shorter one that is tangled and matted. Tangles and mats can actually lead to dry skin and hot spots.

Even well-groomed dogs can face other summer skin irritants. Fleas and ticks are always unwelcome summer guests. So it’s important to have a good reliable flea/tick control product.

And finally consider switching to a good dog shampoo that has a built in conditioner. Dogs tend to get more baths in the summer as they are outdoors more and getting dirtier. Frequent shampooing can actually dry your dog’s skin adding to his discomfort. So its good to supplement bathing with deodorizing spritzes and waterless foam shampoos to keep your dog looking and smelling great.

Luckily for dog owners, these animals travel by air better than cats. If the dog is accustomed to car travel, then air travel shouldn’t be a problem at all. Use the following dog air travel tips for safe and pleasant airplane travel with your best furry friend.

Certify Your Dogs Health before Air Travel

Not only is dog air travel better for your dog if the dog is healthy, but it’s actually the law. Federal law requires that a dog has been certified within 10 days of the trip to be healthy, vaccinated, and free from contagious diseases. This is a very important for any pet travel, large or small.

Avoid Excessive Temperatures

Ensure the safety of your dog during air travel by never flying with your dog while temperatures are over 85 degrees or under 35 degrees, on either end of the flight. Many airliners put “heat embargos” and/or “cold embargos” on dog air travel during the summer and winter months respectively. This means that the airliners prohibit dog air travel during these times. This shouldn’t be seen as a problem, because the airlines do it to prevent disease or death, and guarantee a safe flight for your dog.

Overseas Dog Air Travel May Involve Quarantine

For international dog air travel, keep in mind that some isolated countries, such as New Zealand and England, quarantine animals arriving by air. Before traveling and booking reservations, familiarize yourself with the laws, requirements, and procedures of your particular destination. Unless your flight is non-stop, remember that you may have to deal with regulations in multiple places.

Don’t Tranquilize Your Dog During Air Travel

Although tranquilization may seem like a good idea during canine air travel, it isn’t. Tranquilizers are the leading cause of death or sickness of dogs during air travel. A dog can’t receive immediate or professional medical care during air travel, so unnecessary medications do more harm than good. In fact, many airliners reject tranquilized pets as a safety precaution.

Obedience During Dog Air Travel

Training your dog before airline travel is the best way to ensure a good flight. Unfortunately, even short air travel means hours of separation between owners and their dogs (except for service dogs). Your medium to large size dog will be confined to a shipping crate for the entire flight.

You can help relinquish the strain and discomfort on your dog by preparing him for dog air travel beforehand. Do this by getting your dog used to being inside a travel crate for extended periods of time. Also, make sure your dog works well with strangers, namely in busy, frantic, or uncomfortable environments. This will do wonders for traveling with your large furry companion.

Thought to date back to the time of the Vikings, the Norwegian Forest Cat is an old breed. References to this type of cat can be found in Norse mythology and Norwegian fairytales, but the true origins of his breed are unknown. Domestic breeding of the Norwegian Forest Cat, known as ’skogkatt’ in Scandinavia, began in the 1930 by farmers, but it was not recognized as a breed until the 1970s, when breeding of ‘Wegies’ (a nickname derived from the word ‘Norwegian̵ became popular.

Norwegian Forest Cats lived in a harsh and cold climate for most of the year, so their coats are adapted to this environment. It is long and thick to protect them from the hash winters and virtually waterproof. They get a summer coat in spring, resulting in shedding that needs to be attended to. Some say that grooming so not necessary, regular grooming of a Norwegian Forest Cat is a useful tool in combating shedding, though they shed far less than other longhairs. They require regular brushing to help deal with tangles and matting and may require a bath at times if they get too oily (the oil is what makes the coat water resistant). The coats themselves appear in many colors and patterns.

Adult male Norwegian Forest Cats will reach an average weight of thirteen to twenty-two pounds and females will be about half that size. They will live anywhere from fifteen to twenty years. Norwegian Forest Cats are intelligent, kind, and patient, making them a good family pet for those with children. They are also friendly and gentle, so they get along well with other family pets. This breed loves to climb, so a cat condo is a must.

If a Norwegian Forest Cat is not allowed to climb on a regular basis, he may become irritable or bored, which can result in destructive behaviors to alleviate the boredom. The meow of a Norwegian Forest Cat is described as not a meow, but as singing a soft melody. This is a hearty breed, though some may be prone to glycogen storage disease.

There is a website that has great information on Norwegian Forest Cats and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Before the latter half of the 1900’s, cat litter boxes are filled with sand, soil, and plant shavings. But the obvious tiresome task of cleaning litter boxes using these materials had resulted into much disgust, if not abhorrence, from cat owners. So someone came out with using a type of litter box filling made up clay minerals that absorb water; thereby isolating cat wastes. But still, this clay material did not satisfy cat owners for long as it collects urine and fecal moisture at the bottom of the litter box, becoming a cesspool of bacteria that produce foul-smelling ammonia.

A few years before the turn of the century, scientists were able to come up with a new formulation of clay that clumps up when moisture or water is introduced to it. Called bentonite, this material allows wastes to be segregated and swept away. What’s more, bentonite has some built-in odor neutralizing characteristics. With bentonite, urine and fecal moisture is absorbed by the clay and slowly allowed to evaporate into the air.

Today, a significant percentage of all cat litter boxes are filled with this highly absorptive litter that clumps cat’s wastes. And clumping cat litter has become the trend for many cat owners. Clumping cat litters was an instant hit because it offers convenience and money savings. Cat owners do not have to deal with the foul smell of feline wastes and they are spared from constantly changing litter like in the old days of sand, soil, and plant shavings.

Instantly cleaned with zero effort and sweat, plus added with pleasing scents and deodorizers that give off a sense of a well-sanitized environment, super absorptive clumping cat litter became an overnight success story in the history of animal waste management. But all the sensation about clumping cat litter is now cast in doubt as more and more people have blamed it to have caused diseases and death to many cats.

As it turned out, bentonite has been discovered to function like cement or plumbing sealing material. And with water, it can even expand to almost twenty times its original size. As its size increases, bentonite can block not only cat’s digestive system but also that of humans. It can even clog your sewage system.

Unsurprisingly, cat owners have observed a sharp increase in the number of cats suffering from immune system deficiency, respiratory ailments, and digestive problems in the past two decades since clumping cat litter has hit the mainstream market. Several owners have found out that cats that have ingested clumping cat litter have discharged stuff which when combined with water, turns into a gel.

Now picture yourself having a gel-like mass somewhere in your digestive tract. This substance will certainly cripple your digestive functions much less than your pet cat who visits the litter box everyday. Research show that clumping cat litter can build up on the walls of the cat’s digestive organs; and when this happens, food can not be properly absorbed into the cat’s system and elimination can not be properly done.

This results further into bacteria and other toxic matters accumulating inside your cat’s body leading to other diseases like respiratory ailments and immune deficiency. Your pet will eventually have weaker disease-fighting mechanism which could ultimately lead to death.

So what do you do when your cat is suffering from an ailment that you suspect to be related to clumping cat litter? There are two things to remember when your cat becomes sick after you have just used clumping cat litter. First, simply take away the litter from the box. Second, plan a cleansing and home therapy regiment for your pet, like using curative herbs. It is best to consult a veterinarian to help your cat to recovery.

Clumping cat litter is sure to give you a convenient way of managing your cat’s wastes, but are you willing to risk your pet’s life for your comfort? Manufacturers of clumping cat litter have repeatedly denied the connection between their product and feline casualties, but are you willing to leave your pet’s life up to chance? Indeed the only way to prevent your cat from becoming one of the statistics is to go back to the old ways of cat waste disposal. Sand, soil, and plant shavings used as litter may entail tedious cleaning routines; but at the very least, they are healthy for your cat.

The Havanese puppy is a loveable dog that unknown to many is a member of the Bichon breed family. What does Bichon mean? “Bichon” is a French word that means “fleecy dog”. The Bichon breed is often related to the Barbet. The Barbet is the French name for a poodle like water spaniel that is thought to be an ancient ancestor of the current day Bichon breed varieties.

Of course there are several different types of Bichon dogs that include: the Maltese, Bichon Frise, Bichon Bolognese, Lowchen, Coton de Tulear, and the Havanese. These Bichon breed varieties have various geographic origins.

Most of these breeds were around in ancient Greece. When the Spanish Empire swept across the world in the 1500’s, so did the Bichon breeds as well. The Bichon breeds were known to be perfect companions for long voyages on maritime ships.

Originally the Bichon breeds were developed in the Canary Islands, France, and as well as Cuba. Now of these breeds can you guess which Bichon breed came from Cuba? That’s right, it was the Havanese!

Like so many dog breeds the Havanese breed was named after the world famous seaport in Havana, Cuba. It’s not surprising then that the Havanese is the national dog of Cuba. In Cuba, the Havanese dogs descended from a dog breed called “Blanquito de la Habana”!.

So what is the best way to describe the Havanese? The Havanese breed is a small, white fluffy dog that has a well defined face. The Havanese breed is very affectionate, loyal and a special companion that just loves to sit on your lap. They not only want your love and attention but they will give their admiration in return. Their attentiveness paired with their beautiful coat and features made the Havanese a well sought after breed.

Although the aristocratic society of Cuba embraced the Havanese breed.by the turn of the century into the 1900’s brought a change in the interests of the social elite. The upper crust of society no longer favored the Havanese breed!

Why did this happen? Especially after 200 years how could such a high demand for the Havanese breed diminish? We part of the reason is due to the influence of North America. Prior to 1900, Cuba was dominated by European, and in particular Spanish, influences. The Cubans as a result conducted the majority of their business with Spain. Therefore this European influence created the prevalence of the European Bichon Frise lapdogs.

Around 1900 North America then began to conduct more business with Cuba. As a result of this new business partnership it also introduced different types of dog breeds to the wealthy Cubans. The wealthy Cubans soon wanted to be on par with North Americans regarding the latest trends and this included the current “it” dog breeds.

So this desire to keep up with the North American “Jones’” lead to the Havanese breed to be overlooked in the wealthy Cuban households as they searched for a new breed to adore. This transition left the Havanese to become a house pet in common households. In effect, the Havanese garnered a wider audience of admirers and owners.

If you would like to learn more about the Havanese Breed, visit http://www.havanese-puppy-guide.com/

German Shepherds are an incredibly loving, intelligent breed of dog and are the ideal pet for active families. They love being with people and are generally extremely eager to please their human companions.

There are 5 things you should know before you make your decision.

1. Appearance and Size. The German Shepherd is a medium to large size dog. Height: 22-26 inches. Weight: 65-95 lbs

2. Personality. The German Shepherd dog is extremely intelligent, easily trainable, loyal and faithful throughout his life. The breed is popular for being a police dog, and often used in search in rescue missions. He is also a popular companion dog, a part of the family, and a guard dog.

3. Home and Family Relations. German shepherd are extremely tolerant by nature. For this reason they are excellent pets for children, and a natural protector. And with the proper obedience training they can be an imposing guard dog.

4. Training. Training should begin early in life. Untrained German shepherd have a tendency to be difficult to handle and/or control. German shepherd training is a process that can take many hours of work on both your part and that of your dog, but the rewards are certainly worth it. Basic training of your German shepherd will take anywhere between a few weeks to several months, depending on the amount of time you have to put in to it. You will find that it is time and effort very well spent.

5. Health. Most common diseases are Hip dysplasia, bloat, aortic stenosis.

A German shepherd in your family will require a lot of your time and careful training. They require daily exercise, if not, they will want to jump all over you and your guests in their excitement, especially when they are still young, and can also be aggressive towards other animals.

Many of the Betta fish available to buy at stores are already sick from being kept in unhealthy conditions. Sounds strange isn’t it? In any case you need to know how these wonderful pets perform in their natural habitat. This would enable you to make an informed decision for buying a healthy Betta fish.

Environment: Are the cups clean or are they perfect of soil wet? Is there a bad smell in the rhythm? It could be from dead fish.

Color: Bettas are admitted for their vibrant coloring. Of course, there are variations that are pallid or white. supplementary likely, however, the dull color is a sign of emphasis or poor health.

Did you know the color variations you can look for. Well here is a snippet of information just for you. —————-

Betta Colors —————-

Selective breeding has producing a rainbow array of colors for Betta’s. Some of the more common options are listed below, but you can find more variations from breeders.

Red - red shades run from bright to dark burgundy and brown

Apricot - sometimes called peach too. This is a soft pastel shade.

Yellow - from golden to lemon. A Betta that is a mix of yellow and black can be a Chocolate if pretty solid-colored, but if the yellow scales are outlined, it’s called a Pineapple Betta.

Green - the color turquoise is a genetic variant on green. A very dark green is very rare and highly prized.

Blue - royal blue, cornflower blue, and steel blue shades are all available.

Purple - colors can be pale (lavender) to dark (violet).

Black - solid smoky or with lighter fins, called Black Lace.

White - this opaque color is not albinism, and you can tell as these Betta’s will have black eyes.

Albino - a rare but natural occurrence like with other fish and animals. A true albino will have red eyes.

Multi-colored - these Betta’s have mixed colors, and this name covers all fish that have no predominant color-tone.

Behavior: You want an active fish, floating upright, not spending too much occasion on the boat. If a betta fish is motionless it could be sleeping. Don’t dig on the glass as that commit emphasis it out. Be subtle trying to obtain his stress.

Fins: The fins should be liberate of wholes or tears, and spread fairly instead of clamped together.

Scales: The scales should be flat and smooth. They shouldn’t be loose or peeling.

Gills: Make sure the gills are smooth, not red or stringy.

Eyes: The eyes should be clear and not be bulging or sunken.

Hope this article kept you more informed about the fascinating world of Betta fish

Puppies aged eight weeks of age (and up to 16 weeks of age) can attend puppy preschool. Check with your veterinarian regarding vaccinations, class times and schedules, but most importantly, do not miss out on this opportunity.

Puppy preschool is not about intensive training but more about learning positive reinforcement and how to apply it. It offers a good introduction to socialising young dogs so that they learn to interact well with other dogs, children and adults, and pet owners learn how to teach basic obedience. It provides the new owner with an opportunity ask questions and interact with other dog owners and veterinary staff while learning the basic commands of dog obedience.

The course facilitator will also discuss important health issues and dietary and nutrition requirements for your pet.

Classes usually run for four weeks, one evening per week for approximately one hour. During this time, topics such as socialisation, toilet training, diet, behaviour problems are discussed. Owners are encouraged to mix with each other’s pets and supervised children can be involved in these classes.

Also taught are the basic commands including sit, drop, stay, heel and come. At this stage your puppy is simply being introduced to these commands so ongoing obedience training will be required.

There are added benefits of attending a puppy preschool run by your local vet clinic. Your puppy will associate the premises with fun, happy memories and the vet or vet nurse will show you how to do some simple health checks in order to identify the onset of problems such as tooth and gum disease, skin conditions and eye infections.

Dogs Will Work for Nazis

During the night, I often wake just enough to feel the gentle pressure of Little Neal, one of my cats, snuggling his back against my calves, my thighs, or my butt.

It’s an extremely comforting feeling.

It tells me that everything in my house is as it should be, peaceful and calm. Were there a door ajar, a strange cat prowling, or an intruder, every cat in the house would be investigating. They would all be sniffing, peering and craning to see what was going on. But, if my little grey Burmese is snuggling against me, everything is fine.

The subtle pressure of his body is a great compliment. This extraordinary, still wild creature has chosen me to lay down with. A cat will not lay down with just anybody. A cat’s love and trust is earned and earned again every day. A cat will not easily allow himself to be taken for granted.

“But, a cat won’t shake hands, or sit up.” Remarked my doctor the other day during a telephone conversation.

“Well of course not.” I thought, but didn’t bother saying.

I didn’t bother saying it because it was preposterous on its face, the idea of a cat performing cheap tricks for a morsel of food.

No, you’ll never see a self respecting cat wearing a jester’s collar, performing for the entertainment of inferior beings who for some reason are amused by such foolishness. But, then again, you will never see a cat on a leash, snapping at the heels of wretched Jews in box cars.

Dogs will work for Nazi’s. Cats will not.

Cats have never been the pet of choice for people who find themselves drawn to subservience and obedience. Cats have a kind of stiff-necked pride that I think appeals more to women than to men. Men are, as a general rule, team players, ruled by the dominance hierarchy. Women are far more subversive, as Western civilization has recognized for eons. Women are very much like cats. They will, in the end, generally follow their own internal dictates and would rather starve themselves than compromise their ideals.

Women, like cats, are survivors. Smaller and lighter than their competitors, they have learned to run and fight only when cornered. Once cornered, however, they come out with teeth and nails flashing in a rush of fury that can scare the be-Jesus out of the bravest man.

Needless to say, as a woman, I live my life surrounded by cats and with a man who admires them almost as much as I do. I find this an admirable quality. My husband was, in fact, accepted into the family by one of my cats who climbed up on his chest before I had even decided to admit him into the fold. But, I get ahead of myself. That is a story for later.

The Black Mystery Snail is a popular aquarium inhabitant and will do well even in small aquariums with a capacity of no more than 10 gallons. When you find Black Mystery snails in aquarium stores, they will typically have a size of 3/4″ to 1-1/4″. As your Black Mystery snail grows older, it can reach a size of 2″. The Black Mystery snail is not an aggressive species and it is therefore suitable for community aquariums with docile fish species. You should naturally not house it with fish species that eat snails in the wild, unless the fish is very much smaller than the Black Mystery snail.

This snail belongs to Apple Snail family. In the Apple Snail family you can find roughly 120 snail species and many of them are popular in aquariums. Just like all the other snail species from this family, the Black Mystery snail has a siphon that is use to breath oxygen from the air.

The Black Mystery snail will stay submerged near the waters surface in the aquarium and stretch up the siphon into the air. It is very important that the Black Mystery snail is not denied access to the surface in the aquarium, since this will cause it to suffocate. Leave a gap of at least 2 inches between the water and any lid. In its native waters of Brazil, the Black Mystery snail will spend the day resting and become active at dark. It will spend most of its time submerged, but it can actually walk on land in search of food. When it is kept in an aquarium, you can see it scavenging for food in the substrate or sliding up the glass to breath at the surface.

As the name implies, the coloration of this snail is mainly black, but you can find specimens that are decorated with golden and ivory colors too. The pattern varies between each individual snail. A Black Mystery snail can adapt to most pH values as long as your avoid the extremes, but ideally to keep the pH from 6.5 to 8.0 and avoid rapid changes. The preferred dH range is 12-18 and the recommended water temperature 68-85° F.

The Black mystery snail is an omnivore species that will happily eat left over fish food and help you keep the aquarium clean. You can for instance feed it flakes and frozen food. It will also eat algae and dead and decaying plant matter. If the aquarium is without any plants, you should regularly feed your Black Mystery snail vegetables and algae based food.

Sexing Black mystery snails is difficult, but when two snails of similar age have been kept on a similar diet in the same environment, the biggest of them will typically be the female one. A Black Mystery snail is never hermaphroditic. During the breeding period, the female will deposit her eggs in clutches over the waterline.