petcarefun.info

June 27th, 2009 by KittyKitty

Be careful to protect your cat from dehydration.  Since your cat is unable to communicate with you, you will have to keep a sharp eye on your pet.  Watch for any changes in behavior that may be related to heat.  If you aren’t home enough to keep an eye on your cat, make arrangements for cool living conditions so that your cat doesn’t dehydrate and overheat.Learning how to take care of a cat during this season is important.

Pet cats don’t have the same street smarts as stray cats.  They may not be able to find a cool place outdoors.  If they do find one your cat will probably not come home until after the sun goes down.  It’s a good idea, then, to keep your cat inside during hot weather.  Concrete, which may be a cool place for your cat to lay when the weather is not hot, gets too hot for a cat’s tender paws during the hottest seasons.

Do you have a cat that likes to ride with you wherever you go?  Pets like that are great, but make sure you never leave your cat in the car when it is hot.  The temperature in your car goes up very quickly in the heat. 

Even when you try to park in the shade to prevent your car from heating up, as the sun moves throughout the day.  The heat travels from hot areas to cold areas.  Dogs can sometimes alert passers-by that they are in discomfort, but a cat is unable to do that and may die in as little as fifteen minutes.  Always get your cat out of the car with you when you park. 

Groom your cat to keep its fur short to help keep it cool.  A good combing will remove shed fur that is hanging on adding a layer of heat insulation.  Long-haired cats, like Persians and Siberians, almost leave you with no other option than providing a cooler environment.

Make sure your cat has access to clean water.  Regardless of the season, it is important to allow your cat to stay well hydrated.  Keep water cool by changing it a few times each day during hot weather.  The goal is to keep your cat’s body temperature constant. Keep some of these tips when you are also choosing a pet for kids.

June 27th, 2009 by KittyKitty

It is not only our responsibility as bird owners to provide food, water and spacious cage for our pet birds.  It is insufficient to spend more time with our birds and bond with them.  The first thing that we should do make sure our pet birds would live a long and healthy life is choose a good avian veterinarian.

If you have a dog or a cat and already have a veterinarian for them, that may not be necessarily be the vet that you need for your bird.  Birds have different anatomy and different needs compared to your feline and canine companions. 

Where can you find an avian vet?

There is the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) which maintains a directory of  qualified veterinarians.  You can even get assistance from the Veterinary Medical Association located in your state. Yellow Pages are also a great source of information.   If unable to get hold of anybody from these groups, you can check out their websites in the internet or even ask the local Bird Club if they could recommend anybody.  Pet bird owners like you are can give you the best advice based on their experiences. Also check with local pet breeders.  Most of the times, the most sensible advice comes from them.

Once you have identified the vet that you would go to, the next step is set an appointment to further know the practice and background of the vet.  When talking with the avian get, get to know how long has she or he been ion practice and their professional background.  Make sure that the vet that you have chosen is familiar with the pet that you have. 

Get to know the vet’s schedule and if the vet can do house calls.  Birds can easily get stressed in the slightest change in their surroundings, which is why birds find it difficult to move or to travel.  If the vet is unavailable, it is also important to know if the vet who would be filling-in is also capable to treating avian sicknesses and concerns. 

If you have an exotic pet bird, then it would be helpful to ask the vet if they are constantly updated with new methods in the avian medicine.  Also, get to know the financial costs of getting veterinary services from that vet.  You want to have a qualified and good vet within your financial reach.

Once you have settled that you will be getting services from him, ask the frequency of the check-ups your bird needs to have.  To avoid any emergencies or any sickness, it is best to have your bird regularly checked.  Most of the times, you have to bring your pet bird to the vet annually.

Aside from this, it is always a great point that whenever you visit the vet the doctor and the staff receive you and your pet warmly.  It will be great to walk into a pet clinic that provides you an air of assurance and importance. 

Keeping tabs on the health of your beloved bird does not only fall in the hands of the avian vet.It will not be possible for them to know about sickness of your bird unless you pay attention?  It is also important to maintain a healthy working relationship with your vet since you would not know when emergencies can happen.

The vet can even help you draw up a diet plan for your bird which would surely improve the disposition and health of your pet. Also ask your veterinarians about any emergency first aid methods that you can do when something bad happens to your pet bird.An avian vet is your ally which make it sure that bird would lead a long and joyful life.

June 27th, 2009 by KittyKitty

1800PetMeds.com is America’s Largest Pet Pharmacy, a publicly traded company (NASDAQ symbol: PETS). They deliver prescription and non-prescription pet medications along with health and nutritional supplements for dogs, cats, and horses at substantial savings directly to the customer. Since inception, 1800PetMeds.com has proudly served over 4 million pet owners, selling only the highest quality products at great prices.

The way America buys pet medications — by phone, fax, mail and the Internet — is changing, and 1800PetMeds.com claims to be the agent of that change. Purchasing of pet medications through 1800PetMeds.com is as easy, convenient and economical as possible, they claim. The company says it has invested in state-of-the-art information systems and infrastructure, along with trained Customer Care representatives, and a licensed pharmacy and veterinary staff to accomplish this.

By focusing on customer satisfaction and delivering savings and convenience to its customers, the company claims to be revolutionizing the distribution of pet medications. According to the company Web site, the goal is to promote pet health, save you time and money, and empower you to choose the best products.

1800PetMeds.com offers the highest quality products available, according to its Web site. All of its products are exactly the same medications that are sold in your veterinarian’s office, and are U.S. FDA/EPA-approved. 1800PetMeds.com says it is able to deliver the freshest products direct to your door with its high volume of sales to millions of customers, saving you time and money.

As with all licensed pharmacies, its products and facilities are regularly inspected by state agencies and the company’s Web site says it is in full compliance. The level of special care that your neighborhood pharmacy would take with your own prescriptions describes the level of attention 1800PetMeds.com gives to your pet’s medications, the Web site says.

1800PetMeds private label products such as the 1800PetMeds Super VitaChews and the 1800PetMeds Be Well supplement were created with only your pet’s health in mind, the company states, adding that it researched the finest ingredients for its products so that your pet will receive all of the nutritional benefits that a supplement should provide.

June 27th, 2009 by KittyKitty

You almost certainly think of on the safety of yourselves and your family. However do not forget your animals. This is a crucial part of pet care. Summer is especially difficult and dangerous for your pet. The two areas to pay attention to are the effects of warmer weather and holidays.

Lets start with the results of the hot weather on the animal. Just like us – they will want more water, keep it on hand at all times. If you regularly go dog walking ensure they have the ability to have water, every hour or so, or even more regularly if you are of the active type.

Whilst you would not think or leaving your children or baby in a locked car in the sun, it is surprising and a disgrace the number of people who do this to their animals. This can murder an animal, temperatures in the sun, can quickly rise to over 100 degrees. Putting the window slightly ajar, does not help that much.

Just like ourselves, with no change to activity level, you need less food to preserve your weight in the summer. If you, or your animal, keep consuming the same, you certainly will increase your weight. Pet obesity is increasing everywhere. Putting on weight in summer, is likely to slow the pet down in winter and this can then lead to more weight gain, so consider reducing the food, or as a minimum, keep an eye on your animals weight.

Danger with leaving moist / wet food out. The food will most quickly go off as its temperature gets near to blood temperature of ~100 degrees. If the pet does not consume wet food within half an hour, remove it. Dry food is very safe, if does not become wet. So if you have a slobbery pet, little and often should be the rule. Also be careful about condensation, or drips from the air conditioner.

Whilst playing with dog during the hot weather, you may have done it for the last six months without a problem, watch out, he may suddenly want to bound into some water, with you if you are holding onto the lead. Even more dangerous is the jump into a river, if he is not on a leash. In London, if you are by the Serpentine, you can often see people being pulled in! Not helped by them chasing the ducks. In summer there is often more wildlife around for them to chase, so be even more careful.

Summer, is often the time of the long holiday. So if you are having to find a pet sitter, choose a professional company such as London Pet Sitting, who vet and train their pet sitters. A professional pet sitter, will even check out all the risks as part of their agreement. This is often the best option for the animal, they prefer to be in their house. If not, and you must put them in kennels, check the kennels out. Ideally a personal commendation, as in everything there can be great and pitable. The pet may not like it, but they are secure.

What about taking your pet on vacation with the family. This is the most dangerous option for an animal. Prepare and plan well. Food, water, toys, blankets etc. The journey in the car is dangerous for us as well. Certainly consider using a pet restraint, you use one, for good reason, so ensure your pet has one. The danger of dehydration, so plan for water stops for you and your pet every sixty minutes, perhaps a bit longer if you have air conditioning – on. Be particularly vigilant during the stops, there are often cars moving about, and the pet may want to take a runner (you might as well).

When you arrive you will be in a strange location. So check it out thoroughly for any risks to your animal. The biggest one is running away, particularly in motels, rooms opening out onto a busy road and cars. Do not forget that digestion of fruit and especially {raisins and grapes} is dangerous to dogs, so keep them away from the fruit.

Pets, will find it difficult to find their way back to your motel, if lost, we all know of good cases and happy endings when pets get lost near their normal home. This is not the case in a strange place. Make sure you have good name / phone tags and keep them on a leash.

I wish you and your animals have a happy, problem free holiday.

June 27th, 2009 by KittyKitty

You may be one of those cute people who wants to have cute guinea pigs as pets and if you are, then, you are standing on holy ground when it comes to taking care or a pet guinea pig so you better take off your sandals. Seriously, guinea pigs are just some of the rare type of animals that anyone can think of as pets. For those with untrained eyes and with little know-how, they will certainly jeer at the idea of having pet guinea pigs. Who on earth would want to have a cute little animal who do nothing but eat all day all cramped up in a tiny cage? For them, they wants pets that move around, that plays and would interact with them. Maybe they are thinking about dogs or cats but with a guinea pig, they will just tell you: “No way, Jose…”

But what they do not know is Guinea pigs are relatively very interactive animals, too. They are very weak types of animals and they need utmost attention. These tiny pet animals die quickly and they get sick quickly. That’s why, for serious Guinea pigs lovers, it’s very essential that they should learn the proper way of taking care and handling these poor guys. Just by looking at their eyes, you can say that they are way too cute and way too lovable to be wasted away.

Anyway, if your truly love Guinea pigs, you will love to have your own book guide that will teach you how to give some little Guinea pig care for them that will surely make them happy, thriving and alive. Actually, on the Net today, there are more than one book guide that can teach you all the things you need to know right in your own home at your own pace and time. What you just need to do is to read some book reviews first especially of the best Guinea Pig tutorials guides so you will have some information on what the best guides to choose.

June 26th, 2009 by KittyKitty

When you get your new Chihuahua, it is important that you realize that Chihuahua puppy care starts with you. There are so many things that you might want to be a part of when you get your new dog, and it might be very intimidating because there are so many things to think about when you start to deal with Chihuahua dog training. However, remember that there are a lot of common sense things that you should think about when you dealing with Chihuahua puppy care and that the majority of them are simply easy for you to understand.

Begin With Research

The first step in providing correct Chihuahua puppy care for your new dog is to research the breed. There are many things about Chihuahuas that you might not know, and it is important that you realize that Chihuahua puppy care is not the same as regular puppy care. Indeed, all breeds have their own things that need to be done to provide correct care. One of the different aspects of Chihuahua puppy care that isn’t the same with other dogs is the small size of the Chihuahua and the fact that they are much more prone to getting cold than other dogs. You should always be aware that a Chihuahua puppy needs to be in a very warm environment, and if the room isn’t that warm, you will need to provide extra warmth.

Another thing that goes along with the idea of temperature when you are thinking about Chihuahua puppy training is that Chihuahua puppies are more prone to being dehydrated, because they spend a lot of their time in warm environments. Many people over look this and don’t provide extra water, but you should remember to provide more water than you think the dog needs.

There is another thing about Chihuahua puppy care that you should realize before you get the dog for yourself. Most people consider Chihuahua’s to be fun toy dogs, the kind that you can carry along with you at all times. While this might be true, the fact of the matter is that the Chihuahuas are not toys, but they are real dogs. They have needs, such as their own space and their own time. You can’t expect to always be holding your puppy, because a dog will need to get down and romp and play. If you don’t give your Chihuahua enough of his own time, he might get mean.

June 26th, 2009 by KittyKitty

If you are considering bringing a new puppy into your family, but your house tends to be empty during the waking hours, there are a few basics to know about care of your puppy during the day. Keep in mind that the dogs that make the best family pets generally do so because of their friendly, social personality. This means that spending days alone may give your pup an acute case of boredom that can evolve into destruction if the care of your puppy during the day is not handled carefully and thoughtfully. This will incorporate certain tools that you can use to care for your puppy during the day, as well as the approach that you can take in the evenings to train your pup and build a relationship with him.

Crate Training

Crate puppy training has been touted as one of the best ways to train a puppy in recent years, and works with nearly any breed and size of dog. If you are considering a puppy, before you bring one home it is a good idea to purchase a crate to have ready for your new dog. This crate can be used as early as the first night that your pup spends in your home, as a secure environment for your puppy to sleep in after he leaves the safety of his litter mates. The crate can also be used to house your dog as a part of the care of your puppy during the day. This method beats coming home to a soiled carpet or a chewed armchair, and gives you the peace of mind in knowing that your pup is safe during the day when you are not there to keep an eye on him.

It is important to note when talking about care of your puppy during the day, that young dogs are not able to exercise bladder control for the entire eight hours that you might be gone. If you can, it is a good idea to swing by home on a break or your lunch hour to let your puppy outside. On the flip side, a crate can be a good tool to use when gradually teaching your dog about bladder control. Just don’t make your pup wait too long between potty breaks while he is still very little.

If you are absent during much of the day, it is important for you to take time with your dog in the evenings when you come home. If your puppy care during the day does not involve play time or dog training of any sort, then you will need to participate in both of these activities at night. A puppy needs to spend time with his owner to feel secure and loved, and to learn proper behavior. If you are unsure of how to train your dog in the limited amount of time that you have, an obedience course at night can go a long way in training and caring for your puppy during the day.

June 26th, 2009 by KittyKitty

A career in dog training can be tremendously rewarding for you if you love working with dogs and it does take a very special and dedicated person with a really big heart towards animals to become a professional dog trainer.

However, a dog training career can also be very challenging and it is going to take you a great deal of time, patience and determination to become a successful dog trainer.

Therefore, before you go enroll yourself to become a dog trainer, let’s first examine your motives and ask yourself a few questions:

• Do you love all dogs regardless of age, breed or temperament? Can you really work with them even if the dogs are stubborn and aggressive?

• Are you comfortable working with people? A dog trainer job is not just about training dogs. It is also about training people, specifically the dog owners themselves on how to train their dogs.

• Are you kind, respectful and patient? Dog trainers must be kind and patient teachers since most dogs cannot be trained in a couple of minutes. Many hours of dedication and patience will be required to work with both animals and humans to achieve the desired results.

• Are you willing to put in a lot of time and effort to become a successful dog trainer? In your dog training career, you will come across many different types of behavior problems with different breed of dogs therefore you will need to be committed to keep your dog training knowledge up-to-date by attending seminars, workshops and conferences so that you will become a well-qualified, knowledgeable and skillful dog trainer who understands canine behavior, knows the appropriate techniques on how to train and care for the dog.

Let's say that you have decided that you are truly passionate about dogs and is committed to make handling dogs a successful career, the next big question is how to do you start your dog training career?

A career in dog training can begin in a number of ways:

• By volunteering at one of your local rescue centres or animal shelters, you can pick up lots of great hands-on and observational experience. Often dog shelters will also have some form of training program for their volunteers or you may also be assigned to help one of the trainers. As your experience progresses, you will be given more responsibilities to help out in the training.

• While expensive and quite a time commitment, attending a professional dog training school or a K9 academy can give you a more formalized and complete education as a dog trainer. To get started, check with your local pet stores or veterinary hospitals for reference and recommendations.

• You can also contact local breeders and dog trainers in your area and become an apprentice to take lessons from them directly. Alternatively, some guide dogs training centers offer apprenticeship programs for anyone interested in becoming instructors for the school.

• Another way to start your dog training career is through self study. Read as many training books as possible and attend lots of seminars, workshops and conferences to learn about dog training and behavior modification. In addition, you may also want to volunteer to train your friends or neighbor's dogs to get some hands-on experience and improve your training skills with dogs.

While there are also some mail and internet correspondence courses that claim to "certify" you as a "professional" in the field of dog training and behavior, you would do well to avoid any of them. Most correspondence courses at most can only offer you basic information on dog handling skills and you probably will learn as much from reading books on dog training.

As you make the transition from trainee to dog trainer, you can start your professional career in dog training working full time or part time. As a professional dog trainer, the income that you could earn can be attractive. Many full time dog trainers earn an income of $30,000 to $100,000 annually depending on experience, reputation and location.

As mentioned before, a career in dog training can be extremely satisfying and rewarding. If you truly care about dogs and can work with both dogs and humans on a daily basis, then becoming a dog trainer would be an excellent and fulfilling career choice for you.

June 26th, 2009 by KittyKitty

What are the basic principles for attaining the three core attributes associated with a happy, healthy dog, a wet nose, a wagging tail and a shiny coat!

No dog is too old or too young to embark on a regular grooming regimen. Make your wonderful, fury companion shine.

 Clean, well-groomed fur, trimmed nails, clear bright eyes, and clean teeth, every breed  requires  some type of grooming. While not every dog will be as high-maintenance as a Shih-Tzu or Poodle, all dogs minimally need to have their teeth brushed and cleaned, nails clipped and coats brushed.

 Proper grooming is not only important for a dog’s appearance but for his health and well-being as well. Some essential supplies for do-it-yourself dog grooming include brushes, combs, clippers, shampoo, and nail clippers. Regular brushing and combing  remove dead hair and dirt and avoid matting. Dogs who are frequently groomed tend to have a healthier and shinier coat because it stimulates the blood supply.

You will be able to examine your dog closely for any problems while grooming. Move the hair to the side and examine the skin closely for signs of fleas, ticks or skin irritations. Look for any uncommon problems with the coat such as mats, tangles, dandruff, etc. Mats and tangles can be cautiously removed while grooming.

  All dogs have sensitive areas that need to be groomed a little extra gently and carefully than others. By paying particular attention to these areas, you will help make your dog more comfortable while being groomed, and he will not resist future grooming sessions.  

The best time to start in on proper grooming habits is as soon as you bring your puppy home. The earlier you begin, the better adjusted to grooming your dog will be. If a puppy is young, baths might not be necessary; still, there are other things you can do to begin conditioning your dog to future grooming. Dogs who are never handled or groomed at home will battle the process until they get used to it. To get your dog adjusted try handling him consistently. Rub his ears, move his gums to examine his teeth, move his legs, embrace his paws and engage in other activities that mimic a visit to the Vet or the groomer. The more you handle your dog in this way the better off he will be when the time for grooming has arrived.

  If you dog’s coat is really short you can try a brush made entirely of soft rubber. This will provide follicle stimulation and get rid of excess hair, but will not hurt the skin. If your dog has a longer coat, take into account a bristled brush or a slicker brush with curved metal teeth. shorter rubber bristles will not comb through some types of coats, so this will ensure that the hair is detangled.

Happy grooming, take good care of your wonderful fury friend.

June 26th, 2009 by KittyKitty

You love your cat dearly. You know how to treat your cat well, but you are also a busy person. You spend till late night hours working and even get to work on some loose ends in the weekend, or worse you’re sent to a far-flung place on a business trip. You always have the nagging fear about who is going to feed the cat while I am away? Be glad then that there are automatic cat feeders. You’re free to leave your place and still be sure that your pet gets to eat regularly.

Automatic fish feeder will make sure that your cat is fed at the right intervals not just for a day but for several days. Automatic cat feeders are meant to feed your cats from one up to four meals daily. Some models can hold up to eight meals in a day. An automatic cat feeder has compartments that can reach up to 8. It can contain as much as 96 ounces of pet food. Some of these great cat feeders are electric-operated while others run on batteries. You can time your pet’s feeding at your preferred interval with this excellent tool. This great device also comes with a feeder dish which can be used for wet canned foods. Ice packs can be used to save the food from spoiling.

Food however is only one of the items that can be placed in an automatic cat feeder. This can also be used for your cat’s medication. You can schedule the time your pet should take medicine on the digital display screen. Everything you programmed you can find on an LCD screen where you can easily change the information on time intervals and dates.

It’s a great tool to use for a cat owner who has no regular hours at work or one who has a full-time job. You have peace of mind when you on a trip, knowing that your pet is being fed. The great thing about this cat feeder is that you can bring it along in your travels. You are sure that your pet is well fed in the trip’s duration without worrying about the supplies. You then have enough time to enjoy the scenes.

You can be happily feeding your cat with an automatic cat feeder. You no longer fear of leaving your cat without anybody to feed her.