Pets

The day you bring a new puppy or dog into your home is a red letter day indeed. It may be an exhausting one for you. It certainly will be for him. This is also one of the most critical moments in your relationship, because first impressions are indelibly marked on the animal mind. It is vital to establish from the beginning an atmosphere of security, affection, and mutual confidence. In short, the goal is to make your dog feel at home.

Your puppy will come to you with no worldly goods at all, so you must provide him with his first essential possessions;

- A bed, slightly larger than your dog

- A blanket, again slightly larger than needed

- A water bowl, (stainless steel or earthenware, but not glazed pottery, which contains lead that is poisonous to dogs)

- A light puppy collar with an identification tag, leather is best, flat for short-haired breeds, round for long haired

- A leather leash with a strong clip fastener

- A comb and brush, the canine kind, (suitable to his breed)

- A squeaky toy

- A chewing toy of rawhide or a nylon or both

- A hard rubber ball (Big enough so that he cannot swallow it, but light enough for him to carry around in his mouth)

- Finally, and most important of all, a name

As always, if you have any questions reguarding your pets or their health please refer to a veterinarian for further assistance. Veterinarians are highly trained professionals who know what is best for your pets health.

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever makes a great family pet. She is a good watch dog but a poor guard dog. She is not a barker, but will let you know when strangers are about. She is generally good with other dogs and pets. She loves children and absolutely lives to retrieve a ball. They are said to make great house dogs. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.

*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is 17 to 21 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 37 to 51 pounds.

*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is no exception. Although considered to be a very healthy breed, be on the look out for Canine Hip Dysplasia (genetic based looseness in the hip joint that can lead to arthritis pain and lameness), eye problems, auto immune problems and thyroid problems. This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.

She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.

*Grooming. They have a double coat of medium length and medium soft outer hair and a soft, dense inner coat. Bath her rarely as this strips her protective oils from her coat. She should be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat and help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.

Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.

Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet.

*Life Span. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever can live between 12 and 14 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.

*History. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is from Nova Scotia, Canada where they were used to help hunt ducks by luring them with their antics. They may be a cross between the Golden Retriever and the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. They are listed with the American Kennel Association.

Litter Size: 4 to 6 Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever puppies

Category: Gundog.

Some Registries:

* Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club of USA

*UKC United Kennel Club

*NKC National Kennel Club

*CKC Continental Kennel Club

*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.

*AKC American Kennel Club

*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale

*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club

*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain

*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club

*ACR = American Canine Registry

Terms To Describe: Intelligent, outgoing, alert, loving, affectionate, agile, want to please

*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS

Good watch dog.

Easy to train.

Very playful, loves to retrieve, especially in water.

Not a big barker.

*SPECIAL BAD POINTS

Poor guard dog.

*Other Names Known By: Little River Duck Dog

*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.

General Information

Green anoles are the most commonly seen of the anole lizards in captivity. They are regularly exported from Florida and surrounding states. They are cheap to buy, but contradictory to popular belief are actually not ideal for a beginner. Green anole lizards are temperamental to their surroundings, and require the correct temperature, humidity and surroundings to remain healthy. They are a short lived lizard, averaging around 4 years of age in captivity, however have been known to live for up to 10 years. Adult males are larger than females, reaching approximately 20cm, females only 15cm. Many people call these ‘Chameleon Lizards’, due to their ability to change colour. However, unlike chameleons they cannot actually change their colour to match their surroundings. They will however, turn a darker green / brown when either stressed or basking. The darker colour will raise their body temperature quicker when basking; once they reach their optimum temperature they will begin to turn green again. Most anole lizards are communal species, living in highly populated areas of perhaps hundreds of individuals. Males are highly aggressive towards each other when confined in a small terrarium with a number of females. However, a larger terrarium with a ratio of 1 male to 5 females is ideal.

Housing

It has been published and said many a time that green anoles can live in a small terrarium with minimal requirements. I must stress that this is far from the truth, and will lead to a short lived, unhappy and unhealthy pet lizard. Although this is a small species of lizard, they are incredibly active and curious creatures. They need to regulate their temperature and have access to UVA and UVB rays normally omitted by the sun. Humidity is another important factor, this will help in the sloughing of their skin and generally aid in the health of the lizard.

It is recommended that one male is kept to a minimum of three females. Alternatively, if you only want two or three animals, then just buy females. Green anoles are a communal species and should be kept in groups. Keeping a single specimen will deprive it of the much needed stimulation offered by the surrounding lizards. An ideal group consists of one male to five females. This size group should be housed in a terrarium L90cm x H90cm x W45cm. The larger the terrarium, the further you will enrich your lizards life. A larger group of two males to 10 females should be kept in a terrarium L120cm x H90cm x W45cm.

Many keepers choose to house their green anoles with other species, such as brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) and numerous day gecko species (Phelsuma sp.). This is not recommended for a number of reasons. Brown anoles for example are more robust than green anoles and will dominate the terrarium. It may not be so obvious, but the brown anoles will predominate the higher grounds of the terrarium, have first place under the basking site and may even push the green anoles aside when feeding. Day geckos can be rather aggressive and may nip the green anoles. A number of geckos are also nocturnal, meaning that at night time these geckos may literally walk all over the sleeping green anoles. This will add much stress to the green anole and should be avoided at all costs. There is one animal however which I feel will add use to a green anole tank; that is an American Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea). These are nocturnal frogs which will help clear up any uneaten insects during the night, they cohabitate with green anoles in the wild and require the same temperature and humidity fluctuations.

Green anoles, when kept in an optimum environment will breed readily; and therefore will need a deep substrate which is easy to dig in. Potting soil is ideal and is completely natural. With this substrate, it is also possible to place live plants directly in the substrate rather than placing them in pots within the terrarium. It is important to balance your planting and décor with space. Green anoles will often like to get out into open space along sticks and branches and onto open leaves to bask and get a good look at their surroundings. However, being able to crawl away into a bush to get cover is also a necessity. Be sure if using live plants not to use anything which is either toxic to eat, or releases toxic fumes. For a list of safe plants, see our plant list.

Heating & Lighting

As already mentioned; green anoles are a diurnal species and will bask in the sun. Therefore they need a basking site to reach their optimum temperature, and a light which emits UVA and UVB rays. Ideally, 2 or 3 basking sites should be set up in your enclosure. These should be simply 60W spot bulbs placed approximately 8” away from where the lizard/s will bask. By placing more than one basking site in the enclosure you will allow lizards to choose their favourite spot, and allow several lizards to bask in at the same time, as they would do in the wild. These basking sites should reach approximately 86-94ÚF, allowing for a more overall air temperature of 80-84ÚF and lower down in the enclosure, a cool area of approximately 74-78ÚF.

It is possible to replace the spot bulbs with UV spot bulbs. However, providing several of these is a very expensive on-going cost which is not necessary. Instead, place a UV strip light across the top of the enclosure. This should be as long as your enclosure allows, with a reflector behind it so that UV rays are not aimed in the wrong direction. UV bulbs should be replaced every 6-8 months, regardless of whether or not they are still emitting light.

Do not use heat mats or heat rocks with green anoles. They are completely un-natural and serve no purpose. If extra heat is needed during the night time hours, an infra-red bulb will act perfectly.

Humidity & Water

Coming from Florida and surrounding states, a high humidity range is a must. An ideal range is 60-70%, although fluctuations either way will rarely harm your lizard. This can be achieved in a number of ways.

Firstly, a large water bowl placed as near as possible to a heat source will aid in the overall humidity. One step better is to then add air bubbles, commonly used in aquariums for fish. The bubble effect will continually circulate the water and burst small water vapours into the air. Similarly, a small waterfall will give the same effect.

Offering plants such as bromeliads is another way to increase humidity. These plants hold water within the pockets at the base of the leaves, allowing for more surface area of water to evaporate. They also make a great addition for a display terrarium.

Spraying the terrarium with cool water once a day, preferably in the mid-morning will certainly help the humidity, and at the same time allow the anole lizards to drink the water droplets that gather on any leaves or other surfaces. If you have a larger budget, a timed misting system will be perfect for when you are not around and would like the terrarium sprayed at regular intervals. These are becoming fairly inexpensive and are a perfect addition to a wonderful anole display tank. One word of advise though; direct the spray nozzles away from the front of the terrarium, as the spray will obstruct your view into the terrarium and the glass will need to be cleaned more often.

Food & Feeding

Green anoles are predominantly insectivorous (insect eating). However, I say predominantly because they are also known to eat pollen, nectar and other tasty liquid type fruits. They may not eat a banana for example, but may lick the juices. Try offering your anole some of these tasty fruit options, if it eats it, great.

Offering a variety of insects will stimulate the anoles natural feeding responses and aid in the general health of your animal. As we humans need a balanced and varied diet, so do anole lizards. Do not simply offer the same crickets all the time. Although there is not the best selection of foods available within the UK, there is still enough to satisfy the needs of your anole. Offer a mix between crickets, small locusts, mealworms, wax worms, small earthworms, small cockroaches, flies and even moths, butterflies and spiders you find in your own home. Not only will giving a variety offer a more balanced, nutritious diet, but will also make the anole adapt its hunting methods for each food item. An anole lizard won’t have to chase a waxworm, but will run like mad to chase a fly or daddy long legs spider. This will give your anole a chance to exercise and aid in the overall health and longevity of it.

It is important to supplement the food with calcium and mineral dusting powders. This should not be done at every feeding, but at least once every two or three feeds. An ideal dusting powder is Repton, a specially formulated powder for insectivorous lizards. As long as this is combined with the appropriate foods and UV rays your anole should be perfectly healthy.

It’s that time of year again and Christmas will be here before you know it. How time flies! Here is your friendly reminder to help keep your parrots safe as we enter another holiday season. Don’t forget to share this with your friends!

A little planning, some supervision, and a few things to watch out for can go a long way toward both you and your bird having a happy holiday. If I have forgotten anything, please let me know and I will build on this article for next year!

Stress

We all know Christmas can be a stressful time for us humans. Our parrots must think we have lost our minds. New people around, strange decorations, etc. Stick to your bird’s regular schedule as much as possible, don’t forget the lovin’ and playtime. Oh, and make sure there is plenty of time for a good night’s sleep for both you and your bird.

Decorations

Be careful of Angel Hair, it’s spun glass and that just can’t be good for anyone that eats it. Tinsel and garland are another big concern, it can cause intestinal obstructions if ingested. I don’t know what kinds of decorations you have at your house, but just be aware that they are unfamiliar to your bird and they may or may not panic at the sight of some of them. Many decorations are made of toxic or potentially toxic materials like different plastics, scented pinecones, hidden wires made of who knows what, stuff that is sprayed on so decorations look “fresh” longer. And don’t forget the common everyday things lying around that could cause problems such as rubber bands, string, ribbon, tape, tacks, little nails, glue, etc.

Candles and Smelly Stuff aka Fragrances

Candles with lead wicks can be toxic, usually you will find them in cheap imported candles. Burning candles with fragrances is very irritating to your bird’s sensitive respiratory system. Those candles with “essential oils” in them that smell great to you are HIGHLY TOXIC WHEN BURNED. Try 100% beeswax candles instead. They are more expensive, but burn five to seven times longer, are not scented and burn cleaner. One other word of caution - burns and wax spills have been known to happen when a wayward bird collides with a candle so ALWAYS watch your candles and your bird, don’t leave either one of them without supervision. I have a rule, IF I light a candle it’s 100% beeswax and the parrot gang has to be in their cages.

Potpourri, air fresheners, and a host of other smelly spraying things irritate the daylights out of your bird in so many ways. (They also irritate me, so it is not a problem for my birds because I don’t use them in my home.) Try and go for something more natural if you feel the need to “scent” your house. Heat up some water in a pan on the stove and throw in a few organic cinnamon sticks, that smells yummy. Oh yes, can’t forget this one NO SMOKING AROUND THE BIRDS - PERIOD!

Lights and Electrical Cords

Make sure these are concealed as well as possible so little birdie brains don’t get any smart ideas and want to play with them. They could get shocked (as in probably killed) or burned by chewing on them. If they are loose, they could get tangled in them.

Plants

I think most people with parrots know by now that Poinsettias and Holly are dangerous if eaten, but did you know that Philodendron, Ivy and Mistletoe are also. In case you didn’t there’s is no excuse now. These plants have the potential to cause life threatening problems for your parrot if eaten!

Dressing up Birdie

Not that you would do it, but watch those little ones. They seem to think it’s a good idea to stick bows on (ouch) or drape ribbon over and around birds. Talk about a strangulation hazard. Ribbon or string may cause intestinal obstructions if they eat it.

Food and Drink

Alcoholic drinks, hot chocolate, coffee, and the ever-present eggnog are popular drinks at Christmas time. If your place is anything like mine, there are yummy fattening human goodies everywhere like cookies, candy, cakes and deserts. Watch that your birdie doesn’t get into the holiday spirit this way! I like to put some water in a dark coffee mug (a duplicate of mine) and give the fids sips out of that. I don’t know what they think it is, but it’s in a coffee mug like mine and they are happy to drink it. Keep some nice fresh treats on hand for your birdies to munch on. I like pea pods, birdie bread, almonds and a little fruit. That way they won’t feel left out and I have to keep Zeke (African Grey) from saying “Mmmm, want some?” all night long.

Non-Stick Coated Surfaces

Be extra careful not to overheat any non-stick cookware or anything with a non-stick surface! Those toxic fumes can kill birds in no time flat. I know this warning has been around for a long time, but with extra cooking going on, I thought I would remind you all again.

People

Having guests over? I know you would never feed your bird anything it’s not supposed to have or subject it to extra stress, but watch your guests. Make sure they don’t give your bird anything to eat or drink that could cause a problem. Of course, for us bird lovers, it almost goes without saying to make sure they are not causing the bird any undue stress like poking their fingers in the cage or just generally annoying your bird. Show them where the acceptable bird treats and give them a rule run down about being nice to parrots.

Fire

Want a nice warm fire in the fireplace? Is your fireplace in good shape or is this the first time you will be using it this year? What type of wood are you burning? Is the damper open? Check those “instant fire logs” and make sure they do not contain lead or arsenic. DO NOT BURN WRAPPING PAPER OR PRESSURE TREATED WOOD EVER! It’s fine to have a fire as long as your fireplace is working like a should, has some type of guard across the front, and is being vented properly.

Wrapping Paper

Wrapping “paper” is a stretch. Lots of these innocent looking colorful papers contain toxic substances. Do not allow your bird to eat it and DO NOT burn it in your fireplace. If you are going to wrap a present for your bird, please use plain paper. If worst comes to worst, use a sheet of a black and white section of a newspaper.

Trees

May scare the daylights of your feathered friend. Take it slow and never place the tree where your parrot can chew on it.

Artificial Snow or Flocking

I couldn’t find anywhere that said these were definitely a hazard, but they are not meant to be ingested and I am pretty darn sure they are not good for your bird if they inhale the fumes of that stuff either. When if doubt, just skip it. It’s just not worth it.

Open Doors / Windows

With all the extra commotion going on around the holidays a little extra precaution about open doors seems to be in order. People going in and out, packages and food being carried in and out, point is that your door will probably get a workout. Not only that, but new things like trees or big boxes, might startle your bird and they may panic and fly. Just make sure you little feathered friend is out of harm’s way and not in the direct path of the chilly air.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

Please, I don’t want to hear about any accidents this holiday season. You all know what to do. And a message to your bird: (It’s not you. The humans really ARE out of their minds for a couple of weeks a year.) Remember, a little precaution and supervision go a long way in keeping everyone safe and happy!

The Affenpinscher is a small 7 to 8 pound dog that usually does not exceed around 10 inches in height. The Affenpinscher has bushy eyebrows and shaggy hair and most often is considered to look somewhat like a monkey. Although this certainly is a dog, you might consider that sometimes it is a monkey by the way that it acts.

Affenpinschers look like terriers but they’re actually part of the pinscher-schnauzer subgroup. The common color of an Affenpinscher is black, although the AKC will allow them to be other colors such as gray, silver, and a combination of black and tan but Black is always preferred.

They are very playful and lively. They get along, generally speaking, with other dogs and pets but they can become excitable around small children so they’re not necessarily recommended as a family pet. They often can be territorial when it comes to their food so you might want to take this into consideration as well. That being said Affenpinschers certainly can be a fun pet to own and can provide hours of entertainment.

The breed can date itself back to the 17th century and has European origins. In fact its name is a combination between the German word for monkey and terrier. Originally the breed was a little bit larger than it is now standing about 12 to 13 inches in height, but it had similar colors. Its original purpose was as a ratter, working very hard to to remove rodents from places such as kitchens and stables.

All in all, the Affenpinscher can make a fun and loving pet that can provide hours of fun while it plays and puts on a show for it’s owners. A faithful and loyal breed, the Affenpinscher is a pet to look into having for your family.

A puppy often bites and nips as part of his natural play behavior. Biting and nipping by a puppy when in the dog family is an acceptable form of play behavior and if the puppy becomes overly aggressive the biting is dealt with immediately by the other member of the dog pack who is being bitten too harshly. If the puppy should bite another puppy too hard,the offended puppy will yelp loudly and scurry away, to go nurse his wounds or play with someone else. In the case of the alpha dog or the mother of the pup, she will firmly and immediately place her entire mouth over the pup’s head and neck and hold him down, or she will gently but equally as firmly place her foot over him and hold him down. Often this is accompanied with a low growl. Sometimes the disciplined puppy will yelp out of surprise for her punishment is swift and intended to teach a lesson. The mother is a firm but gentle disciplinarian. In either case, the puppy who is the aggressive biter is quickly taught that he committed a serious offense.

When a puppy doesn’t know the body language of other dogs, he can get into more trouble in many areas other than the biting problem. Not only does he not know how to bite gently, he doesn’t know how to greet alpha members of the pack, or how to behave submissively upon meeting new dogs, or how to respond to aggression from other dogs so that a fight does not ensue. He has never learned pack behavior and how to respond to other dogs, how to inhibit his bite, how to face discipline and how to submit to discipline.

This is quite common if a family acquires a puppy who was removed early from his littermates and his dog family. Unfortunately there are many puppies who have come from backgrounds where the breeders do not know or do not care if the pup is taken away from the littermates at an early age. For optimum learning of pack behavior a puppy should remain within the canine family unit until the age of at least 8 weeks and preferably 12 weeks. It is common for new puppies in a human family to bite and nip the children they are playing with and to bite and nip the adults in the family also. If he has never learned appropriate pack behavior, he often bites too hard.

There is a very successful way to teach bite inhibition, which is not painful to the puppy but actually utilizes natural dog language. “Bite inhibition” is geared to teaching the puppy to bite softly, rather than stopping the behavior entirely. This is especially useful if you have a working dog that you will be training to retrieve, or to work as an assistance dog, where he must pick up and carry items in his mouth. It is also useful for training herding dogs who may still be expected to nip at livestock. This is not necessarily important for other breeds such as toy dogs, however, it is still an effective method of teaching a dog so that his nipping behaviors will not physically lead to breaking the skin or actually biting.

What the human master will actually do is take over the part of the littermate of the puppy or the dam of the puppy. You have to inform the puppy in no uncertain terms, that biting HURTS. This is done by yelling “OUCH” loudly when the puppy nips at you and immediately retreating away from the puppy. This is exactly what another puppy would do if he was bitten too hard by a littermate. You can expand upon this by actually allowing the puppy to nip at your hand, even quite softly and when he does, act as if he really did hurt you, even when he didn’t! The puppy will believe that he has hurt you and will mouth even more gently the next time!

Alternatively, you can also grab the puppy by the scruff of the neck and pin him down for a moment or two to the floor, which is what the puppy’s dam would do when teaching him not to bite. When you use this maneuver, you can growl menacingly at the pup, “don’t bite!”

It is important that you administer either one of these quickly and immediately when the puppy bites. Both of these methods are much more effective if used on a puppy before the age of 12 weeks. After that age, the best way to inform the puppy of his bad behavior is to simply stalk away haughtily when the puppy nips; show him quite obviously that you will have absolutely nothing to do with him the instant he uses his teeth.

An important component of training this behavior is to inform all members of the family and all people who come into contact with your puppy that they are not to play tug of war with the dog. This is the opposite of “soft mouthing” behavior and will quickly undo the changes that you have accomplished in the puppy’s behavior.