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Adopting A Pet: Is It For You?

By Alison Wood on Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 | No Comments

Deciding to get a pet is a large step in a family’s life. They have to decide what kind of pet that they want, what breed, and the general size. They might have already narrowed down their name choices for their new pet, picked out where its bed will be and bought some toys. Now all that is left to do is to get the actual pet. For far too many people, that next step will involve a trip to the local pet store for a purebred cat or dog, but our shelters are filled beyond capacity with pets that just need a little love and their chance to finally find a forever home.

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Before you spend a large amount of money on a purebred puppy or kitten consider a few things. Are you planning on showing your new addition at shows? Is this a business decision that you are making? If the answer to both is no, then by all means reconsider spending that much money on buying your new friend. Go down to the shelter and walk through. Talk to the shelter staff, and let them know exactly what you would like to find. If the exact right animal is not there, and you truly do not connect with any of the available pets, leave your name with staff and have them call you if the right pet does become available.

Once you have made your selection, you will fill out an application and pay a small fee. In some shelters, there is an interview to make sure that the pet and the adoptive family is a good match. There might be an in house interview as well, to see the environment that the new pet will be coming too, and to make sure that there is adequate space for him. Some shelters now require an offsite interview with an area veterinarian who will fill out a letter of recommendation for the prospective adoptive family in order to assure the shelter staff that post adoption care will be maintained on a regular schedule.

After you have filled out the paperwork, answered all of the questions and been interviewed by those in charge, you will get to the most fulfilling part of adopting- the moment they put that leash or carrying cage in your arms and you bring your brand new family member home for good.

Exotic Pets: Safety First

By Alison Wood on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 | No Comments

Having an exotic pet can be very satisfying but it is definitely not without its risks. As a responsible pet owner, you have an obligation to not only your family’s safety, but the safety of the pet and the community as well. One of the first steps to successful exotic pet ownership is knowledge; knowing what the temperament and habits of your exotic can help you take the necessary precautions to keep everyone out of harms way.

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First: handling your exotic pet.  Some of the exotics are easier to tame and handle than others. If yours is truly not amenable to being touched or carried, then you must respect that. The only way for the animal to communicate this is sometimes with a painful bite; so if your pet is struggling and trying desperately to get away, do not pick him up!  Remember, some exotic pets may be more dangerous than others, as some are poisonous or harbor dangerous germs that can make you very ill. Exotics can also be very unpredictable, so there may not be any actual warning signs given before a strike. Be especially cautious when allowing younger children to handle your exotics, a child may inadvertently squeeze or scare your pet, or may panic and release him.

Be sure that your exotic pet’s cage is escape proof. There is nothing worse than trying to recapture a creepy crawly or a slimy slitherer- snakes just do not come when called! Rats and other rodent exotics are very adept at escape, and can be very destructive when out of their own habitat, so careful monitoring of their cage is necessary. One very smart hamster managed to pull a neighboring curtain through the bars of his cage and then use the material to shimmy to the top of the cage, and out the top, never to be seen again. Watch for any signs of escape and thwart the attempt!

Always make sure that handling is done when everyone is calm and focused. A brief interaction in the evening is fine, holding the pet mouse during a child’s birthday party is not. Again, monitor the pet and the pet holder for the first sign of problems and end the interaction immediately. Do not allow the pet to be taken out of its cage or habitat if there is someone who professes they afraid of your pet. Terrence the tarantula should not be invited out of his home if Aunt Tilly has arachnophobia!  Wait until Auntie goes home to play with the big hairy spider.

Finally, after you are done handling your exotic, make sure that you and your children thoroughly wash your hands. No matter how you feel about your pet, they can harbor germs in their fur or on their skin. Do not allow anyone to eat while handling an exotic pet, and make sure that your exotic does not get any human food- some items can be highly toxic for some species.

Dog Breeds: Do You Have a Favorite?

By Alison Wood on Monday, May 18th, 2009 | 1 Comment

A listing of the most popular dog breeds can bring about ardent debates over which dogs do and do not belong. Let a list include the breed that bit you when you were a small child and you are outraged, or worse, let the list snub your current wubsie and that does it, you want to write an angry letter. To be fair, you must consider the source of the list, and what the criteria were for it. For instance, the AKC kennel association shows its top one hundred dog breed listing based on the number of each breed that is registered with them. They do not declare one breed better than others for the sake of this list; they simply list how many of the breeds are accounted for.

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If you search the words “most popular dog breeds” on the web, you will find a large number of listings- from the different categories of dogs and the breeds within them, to the most popular dog breeds for families with children. Narrow down what exactly you are looking for and that should help quite a bit. Perhaps you want to know what the most popular toy dog breeds are, or the most popular hunting dog breeds. Either way, you will be able to pull up the right list and see exactly where your favorite dog breed places.

Everyone has their favorite and least favorite dog breed. It does not matter how or why they came to their conclusions, they just have and that’s that. For them, there is no convincing them that the husky is a perfectly fine dog, if it is handled properly, or that the Yorkie can sometimes be more trouble than they are really worth. Some people will dismiss entire breeds of dogs simply based on what they know about one representative of the club, a practice that is not fair, by the way. Dog breeds gain and lose popularity based on many things, including movies that feature them, or which breed is winning at the major dog shows. But, regardless of all of that, there are some dog breeds that make it to the tops of nearly every list, the diehard favorites that people flock to, year after year. Those breeds include:  the Labrador retriever, the Golden Retriever, the Beagle, the Yorkshire Terrier, and the Poodle.

Of course there are the so-called designer dogs- the mixed breed dogs that hopefully get the best of both worlds. Popular mixes are: the Puggle, a mix of the ever–popular Pug and the Beagle, the Labradoodle, a mix of a Lab and a Poodle and the Cockapoo, a mix of a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. These dogs are not registered, but still very popular, as evidenced by their steadily growing numbers.

Cats Need Training Too

By Alison Wood on Sunday, May 17th, 2009 | No Comments

Despite all of the stereotypes, kitties are not completely self-sufficient creatures. They still need their human families to feed and water them, and to protect them from the elements. And, despite all of their protests against it, kitties need their humans to love them. Adopting a cat can be a very rewarding feeling, as well as a major challenge at times. We want our family life to be calm and warm, not frantic and frustrating, so we need all of the members, including the furry ones, to be at their best behavior. Training your cat can ensure that you have a gentle, loving pet that does not eat your furniture and pee in your houseplants. Training your cat does not only protect it from potential dangers, but keeps your belongings safe from destruction as well.

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Cats claw, scratch, bite and chew for many reasons. If they are doing these things to food items or their cat toys, that is great, but many times they will find something else. Cats that chew on the new divan or the electrical cords are not only destroying property, they are also potentially put their own lives in danger. Young cats will mouth or chew on things for the same reasons that puppies and human babies do- they are exploring their world, as well as teething. Give them substitutes and reward them for chewing on the right items. If an older cat has suddenly developed a urge to gnaw on things other than food or usual toys, then consider whether he is bored, or if it is possible that he has a nutritional deficiency.

Poorly trained kitties will often start using the entire house as their personal litter box. If you have ever walked in the house when the litter box needs to be changed, you know how disgusting that can truly be. If your cat is using items like your bed or favorite chair to potty on, he might be sending you a message. Does he loathe the new litter you bought? Did you move his litter box? Or, have you started spending too much time with that guy in 2A that stomps his feet at kitty when you are not in the room? Although most cats will train well to the box and never have issues, some are more stubborn and this behavior can often be the deal breaker for many families.

A well-trained cat will charm and amuse your guests when they come to your home. He will make your days seem warmer and brighter. Because he knows what is expected of him, he will not have as much anxiety, leading to a calmer more easily controlled cat. Calmer cats are more affectionate because they are not nervous or high-strung. Training your cat allows him to focus on good behaviors and the things that make a cat’s life a good one; napping, eating and stalking dust motes in the sunny patch by the window.

Children and Pets: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

By Alison Wood on Saturday, May 16th, 2009 | 3 Comments

The jury is out on what constitutes the “best” pet for children. On one side of the fence are those who say that it is the independent cat; perfectly happy to allow themselves to be observed from a safe distance, and occasionally deigning to allow a small sticky hand to give them a pat. On the other side of the pet fence are the dog lovers, who claim that no childhood is truly complete without the lapping tongue of a four-legged pal. Of course, there are those people who suggest that the best pet is no pet at all, but let’s ignore those people, shall we?

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For apartment dwelling children, smaller pets are the best, and are, often times, the only choice. Fish are beautiful and relaxing to watch, but do not really give the whole pet experience. Small birds can be trained to sit on a gentle finger, but are susceptible to colds and drafts and are messy beyond belief, something you might consider if you are a true neatnik. The rodent family offers many different types of options, some better choices than others. Rats are smart, if you can get past the fact that they are, well, rats. They can also be surprisingly affectionate and are rather easy to care for. Not ready to swallow your loathing of rats? Guinea pigs are another option to consider- less rat-like, the sweet natured guinea pig can be a really great first pet for most children to start with. The only thing to remember about them is the need for daily vitamin C to prevent scurvy.

If space is not a consideration and the entire family is in agreement, then a dog is a good choice as well. Remember that there are many factors to consider when choosing a dog breed, but there are several that will fit in with virtually any family. These include the gentle pug, the intelligent beagle and the ever-popular Golden Retriever. Of course, all families are encouraged to check their local shelter for their new family member first.

And, in the interest of fairness, there is the cat. Often given a bad rap for being too aloof, the cat is a very good pet, especially for those families that are involved in lots of activities. Properly fed, a cat will not really pout and mope if he is left for long periods of time- he will content himself to curl up on your bed until you get home. No matter what pet the family chooses, make sure it is a safe, loving choice for everyone, including the child that will bond with it stronger than anyone else in the household.

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