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Archive for October, 2010

Crate Training Puppies

Thursday, October 7, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

dog-crateA good way to train a puppy is to confine him to a dog crate when you can’t supervise him. This will not only keep him out of trouble and help housebreak him but it will help him feel safe. Dogs dig dens in the wild to create their own place to sleep. A crate serves the same purpose for domestic dogs. If you get your puppy used to his crate while he is still young, he will grow to love his crate as an adult. Just make sure that you never keep your dog in the crate longer than overnight.  To make a dog feel secure, his crate should be quite small.  Small enough that it should feel like his own den.  It should be tall enough that the dog can stand up, turn around and lie down with a straight spine. If your crate is too large for your puppy, you can fill the extra space with a box until he grows.

Giving a cat a pill

Wednesday, October 6, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

cat-pillIf any of you had to give your cat a pill, you know how difficult this could be. Your cat will wiggle his way away from you and head right to his favorite hiding place. Mine goes under the bed where she knows that I cannot reach her. Her are some tips that might make this “painful” process a bit easier.

  • See if you can give the pill when your cat is resting, preferably in a high place such as a window sill.
  • Place your thumb and index finger at the cat’s maxilars  joint located just behind his mouth.
  • Very gently, tilt your cats head back and raise his mouth. Pet your cat  and talk to him in a calm voice so he feels safe.
  • Here’s the tricky part. Gently put your middle finger between his front  teeth and push down the bottom jaw. Make sure that you have the pill. Keep it between your thumb and index finger. Make sure that you do this at the beginning of this process.
  • Your cat’s mouth should now be open. Throw the pill as deep as you can in his mouth. Try to get the pill down the throat and not on the tongue. This way he won’t try to spit it up.
  • Close his mouth and gently rub his throat until you see that he swallowed the pill.
  • Watch him for a few seconds to make sure that he doesn’t spit it up. Cats are tricky, they can pretend to swallow the pill then spit it out when you’re not looking!

Don’t worry, the process gets easier with time Now after it’s all over give him some cat treats or take out some of his favorite cat toys and play with him for awhile.

Kennel cough

Tuesday, October 5, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

dog-kennelKids can catch colds at school or from other kids. Dogs are the same in that they can get sick from other animals boarded at the same kennel.  Kennel cough is an infectious, respiratory disease that is caused by a combination of several viruses and bacteria. This disease affects a dogs upper airway causing laryngitis and a bad cough. Pet medication such as antibiotics will help but it will not cure this infection. It must run it’s course which is about three or four weeks.  Puppies usually get vaccinated against kennel cough but it doesn’t always protect them against new versions of the disease.  So if you’re going away and need to board your dog, choose a kennel carefully. Make sure that it has lots of ventilation and low moisture in the air. If you spend a little more time, you can prevent your dog from getting this disease.

How Well Can Your Dog Hear?

Monday, October 4, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

dog-big-earsYou may wonder whether or not your dog’s hearing is better than ours. The truth is that dogs hear low pitched sounds about the same as we do however their hearing of higher pitched sounds is far superior than ours.  When we are very young, our upper end hearing range is about 30,000 cycles per second.  By the time that we are young adults, our upper range slips to about 20,000 cycles per second.  By the time we are in our mid sixties, our upper range is about 12,000 cycles per second. Dogs have an upper range of about 35,000 to 40,000 cycles per second. There was some research done on this in Russia and they found that a dogs upper range could be as high as 100,000 cycles per second.

If your dog suddenly lifts his ears and becomes alert, he may be hearing a high pitched squealing of a mouse which is totally inaudible to us. They have the ability to hear sounds which to us are ultrasonic. When your dog suddenly becomes very attentive and runs to the door, he is hearing someone coming long before a human would be able to detect it. When you are walking your dog and he suddenly breaks away from his dog leash and runs to what seems to be nowhere, he is actually hearing a bird, squirrel or other animal so far away that we would never be able to hear it!

Keeping your dog warm in winter

Sunday, October 3, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

snowparka97blackThe cold weather is on it’s way and keeping your best friend warm is always a big concern for most dog owners.  If you have a small dog, an older dog or short haired dog, you should consider purchasing a dog coat to keep him warm during his winter walks.  You may want to choose a sweater for the cool autumn evenings and a heavier coat for the winter months especially if you live in a colder climate. Make sure the sweater or coat fits properly and is easy to put on and take off.  Most dogs don’t like wearing clothing at first. Get your dog used to the coat by putting it on him for short periods at a time.  Then give him a treat. Your dog will learn to associate wearing his coat with those delicious dog treats.

Make sure that you choose a coat that’s appropriate. It should be make of warm materials like wool. Look for water resistant materials for snowy or rainy days. Don’t worry about what looks fashionable. This is not the priority. You should be concerned about keeping your dog warm.

You may want to consider boots. The ice treatment like rock salt that’s put on sidewalks and steps can really irritate your dog’s feet.  Keep your dog warm and safe this year and make sure that he’s comfortable.

dog-eatingThere are so many brands and types of dog food on the market that you can get dizzy just walking down the pet aisle of your supermarket. When selecting a dog food, it’s important to check the ingredients.  Here are some tips that may help you make a healthy selection for your pet.

  • A very simple rule is that MEAT should always be the first thing that you see in the ingredients.
  • Always look for the source of the meat. Is it lamb, beef etc.?
  • Fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6 should be included in the label as they are important for your dog’s skin and coat.
  • If you see ingredients such as vitamin C or E or citric acids, these are acceptable preservatives.
  • Avoid foods containing wheat, artificial flavoring, soy, corn, coloring or by products.
  • All good dog foods should contain a blend of fruits and vegetables. These are natural antioxidants.
  • Avoid preservatives such as  BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin.

A basic rule of thumb to follow is to avoid any dog food where GRAIN is the main ingredient and avoid any dog food that lists more than one source of grain in the first few ingredients.  Dogs and cats must get their protein from meat not grain. Remember, never use dog treats for your dogs main diet. The necessary nutrition is just not there.

Cat hairball problems

Friday, October 1, 2010
posted by Jim Murphy

cat-groomingCats are always grooming themselves with their tongues so they can swallow lots of hair.  This can result in horrendous hairball problems. My older cat Mollie has problems with hairballs and is constantly spitting them up.  This is not only a problem for long haired cats. A cats hair is replaced approximately every thirty days and even short haired cats can ingest a lot of hair.  Usually the hair will pass through the gastrointestinal track without causing any problems.  Sometimes it gathers into sticky balls that your cat has to cough up.  Otherwise the hairballs with block the digestive tract and cause constipation.  Make sure that you brush your cat frequently to avoid hairballs.  If this doesn’t solve the problem there are lots of pet medications for hairballs.  Get a recommendation from your veterinarian.