Home About Guest Post Contact Us Disclaimer Privacy Policy Links
Twitter
YouTube
RSS
Facebook

How to Pet-Proof Your Home

By Guest Author on Thursday, August 19th, 2010 | 1 Comment

The decision to adopt a pet is not one that is made lightly.  You must first consider what type of animal you are keen to bring home, then decide on breed, age, approximate size, gender, how many pets you plan to adopt, and so on.  Younger pets will require a lot of time and attention whereas older ones may be content to nap all day while you’re at work.  Male pets may spray while females are often prone to fighting.  And besides all the hallmarks attendant to particular breeds, each animal is going to have its own unique personality to contend with, which may affect not only how they fit into your household, but also their ultimate trainability.  It can be a lot to think about, but do not get so caught up in considering which pet to take home that you neglect to prepare your house to receive the animal that is destined to be a long-term companion.  Here are a few ways to make sure that transitioning a new animal into your home goes as smoothly as possible for all involved.

  1. Get on their level.  Much like preparing a home for the imminent arrival of a baby, you must be aware of what is on the level of a much shorter individual.  Like babies, pets are curious and they will almost certainly check out everything within reach.  For that reason, you should remove (or make inaccessible) anything harmful that they could potentially ingest, damage, or hurt themselves on.
  2. Secure harmful items.  Once you have identified items that could harm your pet, they must be secured.  For example, many pets can use snouts, paws, and so forth to open cabinet doors, so those that contain food, trash, cleaning products, etc. should be secured with child locks to keep your pets out.  As for those items that your pets might be tempted to chew or mark as their territory (anything from books to shoes to your Playstation), you may want to move those off the floor and higher up or put them in a cabinet or closet.
  3. Consider bumpers.  While pets tend to be less wobbly than infants, you may still want to think about whether or not your furniture could cause them undue harm.  Coffee tables with sharp edges and spindly chairs or side tables are almost begging to be bumped into and knocked over, ultimately bruising your new best friend.  So if you’re not willing to replace them with pet-friendly alternatives, at least add bumpers or secure them in some fashion to protect the hide of your furry friend.
  4. Don’t forget the outlets.  Outlet covers are an absolute necessity!  Curious pets don’t know any better than to stick paws, noses, and tongues into inviting holes in the wall, so spend a few bucks on plastic covers to pop in so you don’t end up with any crispy critters.
  5. Work from the ground up.  Now that you’ve done all you can to make the ground level safe for your new pet, let your eyes drift upward.  Plenty of animals will climb or simply bump into furniture, so try to determine if they might knock over books, knick-knacks, or electronics in the course of their exploration or play.  Smaller items can be moved away from edges while heavier electronics can be secured to the wall with straps.  This will guarantee that your fluffy friend avoids death from above.

Kathleen Macky is a writer for Tampa Homes 24-7, which specializes in Riverview Real Estate.

Pet Hooligans Interview: Jana from Dawg Business

By Alison Wood on Friday, August 13th, 2010 | No Comments

For today’s Pet Hooligan’s interview please welcome Jana from Dawg Business.


Firstly, please introduce yourself and tell us a little about where you are based, for example in which country and part of that country?
My name is Jana Rade and I live in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.


Please tell us about your pet website and how it came about?
As a graphic designer by profession I never aspired to learning about dog health issues until I met Jasmine. Unfortunately, I have received a crash course on the subject due to Jasmine’s many health problems. More importantly, some of her early issues never got diagnosed in spite of our more than frequent vet visits. I believe that a lot that happened in the last two years wouldn’t have had to were the initial issues diagnosed. That is all very disturbing to me and I started my blog in an attempt to prevent this from happening to other owners with their dogs. I came to realize that owner education is the key to healthy dogs. At the end, our dog’s health is in our hands. We are the ones that do or do not see early symptoms and do or do not pay attention to them. We are the ones that choose our vet and do or do not look for a second opinion when we feel that our vet might be missing something. We are the ones who ultimately have the power to choose the treatment. We are the ones who do or do not follow through with the treatment or prevention. The ability to make the right decisions is rooted in our knowledge.


Have you always loved animals and pets?
I always liked animals and pets, not necessarily in my own house … :-) That has all changed with the arrival of a little Rottweiler puppy who we named Jasmine. She changed my life completely.


Please tell us a little about any pets that currently live with you and if they ever get into any mischief?
We have two dogs, Jasmine, and J.D. aka Jasmine’s Dog (because that’s what he is, we got him for her). Jasmine is too smart to get into mischief, she is also too smart for our own good too, though! J.D. does get into mischief, he is quite an air-head–he’s a male! ;-)


What first interested you in setting your pet related website up?
I felt that if my blog can save one dog from suffering the way Jasmine did, her pain wouldn’t have been in vain.


How long now has the site been established?
The blog is actually quite young, I started at the end of December 2009.


How do you find your inspiration and the content that you blog about?
First I started writing about our experiences and the things Jasmine had gone through. But there is so much more to address, I don’t think I’ll ever run out of content! I publish stories of the health struggles people had with their dogs and explanation of respective conditions.


Tell us a little about your typical day and what is involved in running the website?
Well, I still have to put bread the table, we are still quite in debt from the recent vet bills. So I do have to devote good part of the day to work. The rest of the time I spend writing, reading other blogs and dog health articles, researching for mine, connecting with people on twitter and facebook. Of course the most important part of every day are dog walks!


Do you have any plans for the future in terms of expanding the website or featuring any other areas?
I don’t know if my website needs expanding, but I do plan on writing e-books. I do not plan to venture into other areas, there is so much to be covered I won’t run out of things to write about.


Finally, if people want to learn more about you and your website do you have a Facebook page or Twitter profile where they can learn more?
Yes, I am on twitter @DawgBlogger http://twitter.com/DawgBlogger; facebook http://www.facebook.com/DawgBlogger; and I also run a Dog Health Issues group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=132431313454015&ref=mf

Dogs and Table Scraps: A Good Idea?

By Guest Author on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 | No Comments

A dog’s world is primarily made up of eating and sleeping.  It doesn’t help that they have such an acute sense of smell.  Who can blame your dog if he is a little excited at the smells radiating off that juicy steak you are eating right in front of him?

Most of us don’t have any problem giving Fido a little bite or two when everything is finished.  He deserves to be rewarded for his patience and good behavior.  However there are two schools of thought when it comes to giving dogs table scraps.  One says that you shouldn’t do it ever and the other says it’s perfectly OK and that the majority of the dog’s food should come from scraps.  Probably the most correct answer is a mix of these two.

Giving dogs “human” food is not a problem.  There are of course some foods that we enjoy that dogs shouldn’t eat like onions and chocolate.  But any meat we eat is great for dogs.  The only thing that should be avoided are cooked fowl bones.  Once cooked these bones become brittle and can splinter, injuring the dog’s throat and intestines.

It wasn’t that long ago that table scraps made up the entirety of a domesticated dog’s diet.  There simply was no such thing as commercial dog food.  These days, almost everyone feeds their dog too much.  Obesity in dogs is almost as common as in humans.  A healthy dog should appear skinny.  The ribs should be easily felt and by no means should the stomach protrude.

Problems usually arise when people begin to feed the dog both the regular dog food as well as table scraps.  It should be one or the other and not both.  A good practice is to use scraps to enhance the commercial dog food.  The dog will be happier with some real food and the meal with be healthier.

If you decide to supplement with scraps, make sure that you are using quality scraps.  Often, the scraps we end up giving the dog are mostly fat.  The dog is given the fat trimmings from the steak and chicken and not the high protein parts of the meal.  Though a little fat won’t hurt the dog, it that’s the majority of their diet, the ill effects will soon be apparent.  It’s OK to give the dog the “pre-meal” waste, but you also need to give them sufficient quality food also.  If your family regularly cleans their plates, then you will have to find another way to make sure the dog gets a balanced meal.

There are many people who have switched to a 100% table scrap diet for their dogs.  This is absolutely fine and healthy as long as you ensure that the dog is getting a balanced meal and isn’t being fed too much.  The quickest way to harm your dog’s health is to over feed him.

Written by Caroline of Pet-Super-Store.com, the dog bed store!

Gourmet Pet Food: Top Five Ingredients to Make Your Own

By Guest Author on Saturday, June 19th, 2010 | No Comments

Your pet deserves the best, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to spend more money on their food than on your own.  And although there are plenty of gourmet options available that promise a shinier coat, alleviation of allergies, and better overall health (and longevity), you just can’t see breaking the bank to feed Mitzy gourmet.  And yet, you are concerned about giving her the best chance for a long, healthy, happy life.  So why not take matters into your own hands?  With these five simple ingredients, you can give your pet the gourmet diet she deserves while saving a little money on the overhead.

  1. Organic meats.  You don’t necessarily have to go for lamb and beef.  Most animals do just as well with the lean protein found in cheaper options like chicken and fish.  And if you buy organic, you know it’s free of hormones and antibiotics (which many claim are the cause of fatty tumors that have become prevalent in pets in recent years).  Also, make sure you select whole chickens, or purchase the organs, since they are rich in vitamins and nutrients. Of course you’ll want to cook any meat, but cut it into chunks so that your pet has something to chew on (for healthier teeth and gums).  You can also swap in eggs once in awhile.
  2. Brown rice.  Since it retains significantly more nutrients than white rice, it is an excellent source of manganese (which helps produce energy, synthesize fatty acids, produce cholesterol, and protect against free radicals), fiber (self-explanatory), selenium (which helps to regulate metabolism, antioxidant defenses, and immunity), and magnesium (which is essential to metabolizing proteins, fats, and carbohydrates).
  3. Whole grains.  Phytonutrients, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, lipids, and sterols found only in whole grains provide nutrients that are vital to the regular function of cells and glands.  So mix it up; replace the rice with other grains like wheat, soy, and barley once in awhile.  And don’t forget about quinoa, which contains complete proteins like those found in animal products.
  4. Fruits and vegetables.  There are certain items that are not suitable for animals, and you probably know what they are either from word of mouth or because your animals won’t go near them (including, but not limited to, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, avocado, and nuts).  You will, of course, want to avoid any produce that can make your animal ill.  Beyond that, you will certainly want to incorporate items like broccoli, peas, carrots, cabbage, and even pumpkin and yams into your animal’s food as a good source of vitamins (just be aware that some may cause upset tummy for Toto, so keep an eye on his stool for awhile).  You can also add such treats as bananas and apples, which most pets love.
  5. Vitamin and mineral supplements.  It’s not easy to ensure that your pet is getting all the vitamins and minerals they need (which are generally included in dry kibble).  So to ensure that they’re not missing out, include a cat- or dog-centric supplement to their daily meals.

Jamie Palovoy is a content writer for Gourmet Food where you don’t have to be rich to enjoy a gourmet meal.

Doggie Diets: How-To?

By Alison Wood on Friday, June 11th, 2010 | No Comments

An overweight dog can face many health problems. Aside from decreased mobility, overweight dogs are more likely to suffer from joint problems, diabetes, breathing problems, and are more prone to injuries. To help your canine companion avoid these health problems, it is important to correctly diagnose and treat canine obesity.

Does Your Dog Need To Go On A Diet?

Determining whether your dog needs to go on a diet is usually very simple. A dog at a healthy weight will appear slim, with a defined waist between the rib cage and hips. If it is difficult to determine whether a dog is overweight because of a thick coat, pet owners may also tell by the definition of the dog’s rib cage. A normal dog should have ribs that can be easily felt, and are not covered by a thick layer of fat. If it is difficult or impossible to feel the ribs, then the dog is overweight.

When determining how much weight a pet needs to lose, it may be advisable to seek guidance from a veterinarian. A knowledgeable veterinarian will not only be able to tell a pet owner whether a dog is overweight, but will also be able to determine how much weight the dog should lose. This gives pet owners a better understanding of the dog’s weight and a starting point from which to plan the diet.

Choosing An Effective Diet

There are many diets available to dog owners. Many pet supply stores carry a variety of diet dog foods. These dog foods are a simple way to begin a dog’s diet. However, many pet owners may prefer to put their overweight dog on a specialized diet. Two great specialized diet options are organic diets and raw diets.

An organic diet is one may take a bit of dedication and work from the pet owner. While there are ready-made organic dog foods available for purchase, many dog owners prefer to prepare their dog’s food with organic ingredients, by following recipes that are much like the recipes used to create human food. While this may require the pet owner to put forth additional effort, an organic diet prepared at home is a great way to ensure that a dog is consuming a nutritious, low fat diet.

Many dog owners also choose to put their dogs on a raw diet. A raw diet is one that does not include any store bought dog food. Raw diets consist solely of raw meats and raw animal bones and allow a dog to consume a diet similar to what it would consume in the wild. Wild dogs do not consume grains, fruits, or vegetables, so these items are generally excluded in a raw diet. Because these diets are very low in carbohydrates, they allow a dog to reach a suitable weight in a healthy way.

How To Safely Put Your Dog On A Diet

The key to safely putting a dog on a diet is to make gradual changes. Instead of suddenly cutting out meals, gradually decrease meals by about a quarter of a cup or less. This will allow the dog to lose weight, without starving or having to make sudden adjustments. Along with decreasing meal size, it is important to limit the dog’s intake of snacks of treats. Table scraps or other treats can easily lead to weight gain and should be closely monitored when a dog is overweight.

In addition to a dog’s diet, simply increasing the amount of exercise a dog gets is key to promoting weight loss. Taking an overweight dog on more frequent walks or allowing him or her more play time with other dogs, is an easy way to help your dog lose weight and also become healthier. By maintaining your dog’s weight, you are not only providing him or her with a healthier life, but a happier and possibly longer life as well.

Caroline Casey, editor of Chazhound.com, is a animal enthusiast and proud puggle owner! Visit her site for an incredible selection of boutique dog beds!

« Older Entries
  • LT - 090909 - 125×125 Feel Good