Do you own a little dog who is the boss of your house? Does she jump up on you when you come home from work, snap at your sleeves, try to bite you when you try to trim her nails, growl at strangers? If so, you’ve got a pet that thinks that she’s in charge. This is a dog with “small” dog syndrome. Your cute little dog thinks that she’s the boss. Think of her as a big Doberman and you’ll see the mistakes that you’re making. Dog owners often let small dogs get away with behavior that they would never tolerate from big dogs.  They let them sleep in their beds, beg for  treats, jump into their laps and more. To  re-claim your leadership, you must refuse to tolerate her bad behavior. Insist on good manners with calm but determined energy and you’ll eventually see that small dog syndrome disappear.

Remember, your pets count!

During a puppy’s first year, it’s very important that his food contain lots of fat and nutrients. Always choose a high quality food that says “puppy formula.  These foods contain important nutrients and fats that your puppy needs.  High quality foods are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which many generic brands are lacking. If you’re debating whether to feed him wet or dry food, I would choose a moist, semi wet food at first. These foods contain the same important nutrients as the dry foods.  Treats are also important. They contain extra vitamins and nutrients for your puppy. Treats can also make his teeth and gums healthier and stronger. Give treats sparingly. They should not be the main portion of your puppy’s diet.

Remember, your pets count!

Some cat behaviors are meant to mark their territory like spraying and scratching on things. Cats are territorial creatures and much of their behavior reflects this.  You make your cat happy when you rub the sides of its face. This gives him the chance to deposit his scent on you and make you his property. Some cat behaviors are leftover from when they were wild. Cats that are very sick or dying will hide. This protected them from predators while in their weakened state. Cats that scratch around their food bowl want to save some of their meal. They also did this in the wild. If your cat lies down in front of you with it’s belly exposed, it means that he trusts you completely and knows that you would never hurt them. Kittens kneaded on their mothers to stimulate milk flow. When they do this to you, they think that you are their surrogate parent. If your cat hisses at you suddenly after being petted, he’s telling you that he’s done and that the petting is now  becoming annoying. If your cat gently takes a piece of skin in his mouth while your petting, he’s not biting but showing you affection. You have to realize that your cat cannot be angry or act spiteful. If your cat suddenly stops using his litter box after you bring another cat into the home, he’s not angry, he’s just reacting negatively to the change in his territory.

Cats are wonderful creatures, you just have to take the time to understand them.

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If your female dog is not spayed, she will probably go in to heat every six to eight months depending on her size. Heat lasts about 7 to 10 days. There are several ways that you could make your dog more comfortable during this period. Dogs sometimes become more loving or needy during this period. Give her some extra attention. It will help calm her down. Some dogs do not eat well while they are in heat. Give her some extra treats and spoil her a bit with some meat baby food that contains no garlic or onions. If your dog gets diarrhea during her heat, try to feed some boiled hamburger with the fat drained off, with lots of rice. Play a game with her or give her a little more exercise. This can also help her relax. Close all of your windows to minimize the scent of male dogs.  Males can come to your door step from as far as three miles away. That’s amazing!  Clean her frequently. This will also help to minimize smells to attract male dogs. Put a little Vicks around her tail. This can also help minimize her scent and keep the males away.  You may also try giving her Chlorophyll tablets. to attract less males. You can use the liquid kind and pour a teaspoon in her meals in the morning and evening.

Remember, your pets count!

Cats do need vitamins to stay healthy. These essential vitamins include A,B,C,D and K.  Complete, high quality cat foods typically provides cats with all the vitamins they need. Vitamin supplements may be needed for strays especially kittens. Cats that are pregnant, nursing or unable to absorb certain nutrients may also benefit from supplements.  Vitamin deficient cats may exhibit lethargy, anemia,  poor skin,a dull coat and weak bones and teeth. If your cat has a vitamin deficiency, follow your veterinarians recommendations. Large does of some vitamins can cause illness. In such cases, more is not necessarily better.

Remember, your pets count!

UNSAFE AND STUPID!

This morning while on my morning bike ride, I noticed a young man on a bike coming down the road. He wasn’t alone but had not one but two small dogs on a leash running along side the bike. Not only was he going too fast for the dogs to keep up but there was a car coming and he had to veer over to the side of the road. When he did this, one dog got tangled and almost got stuck in the tire spokes. Does this make sense?? I don’t understand people sometimes. What makes them do the crazy things that they do?? What occurred this morning is a form of animal abuse. It not only pust the poor dogs in danger, but it put the driver of the car and bike rider in danger as well.

Use common sense when it comes to your pets. Keep them safe. They don’t deserve your abuse!

Remember, your pets count!

Yeast infections in dogs are usually found in the skin and ears. They are caused by an organizm called Malasezzia pachydermatis. This condition only appeared on the dermatology scene about ten years ago but it may have been around much longer. Yeast infections exist in many dogs but sometimes never does any harm. It’s considered a secondary pathogen if it’s in the dogs ears but is considered a primary pathogen if it’s in the dogs skin.  A  predisposing cause will change it from a harmless condition to an itchy, relentless problem.  Many times dogs suffering from  Malasezzia will have skin lesions or sores. They can be isolated or all over the dogs body. The sores are usually red and are accompanied by areas of increased pigmentation, scaliness or greasiness. This scaliness and greasiness with a yellowish tint indicates that malasezzia is probably the problem.

If you notice any of these symptoms, take your dog to the vet who will prescribe medication to help control  and eradicate the condition.

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Fatty foods taste good, even to a cat who’s a finicky eater. If a cat has a diet that’s too high in fat, he could gain weight and become obese but that doesn’t mean that you should avoid feeding fats to your cat.  If fact, fats are a very important part of your cat’s diet. Fats give your cat the energy he needs throughout his day and helps keep his coat soft and shiny.  Fats also help your cats body absorb important vitamins such as vitamins A, B, D, and K. So check the label om your cats food. By law. it has to state the fat content. Talk to your veterinarian to determine what fat content is best for your cats age, health and overall activity level.

Remember, your pets count!

The other day, I saw a new kind of cat food made by the same company that makes Fancy Feast, my cats favorite food. I opened the can of Fancy feast morning blend and thought that my cat Mollie would love it! She loves all Fancy Feast food. She sniffed it, turned up her nose and walked away. I threw the new food out and gave her a can of her regular Fancy Feast. She was happy again and chowed it down. Cats have sensitive digestive systems.If you have to change your cats food, here are some simple guidelines.

Remember that the minimum transition time for changing food is seven days.

• Day One: Mix 90% old food Rand 10% new food in their bowl.

• Day Two: Mix 80% old food and 20% new food.

• Day Three: Mix 75% old food and 25% new food.

• Day Four: Mix 50% old food and 50% new food.

• Day Five: Mix 25% old food and 75% new food.

• Day Six: Mix 20% old food and 80% new food.

• Day Seven: Mix 10% old food and 90% new food.

After Day Seven it should be safe to give your cat 100% new food.

Remember, your pets count!

This morning, my older cat Mollie and I were out on the porch. I was at my computer and Mollie was lying comfortably on a rug. Mollie began to get up and seemed not to be able to get her balance. She flopped over to one side and had trouble standing. Of course, I panicked (it’s something I do best !) . I jumped up and picked her up and brought her inside. She still was a bit unstable but quickly recovered and walked over  to her bowl to get something to eat. I’m watching her closely. Cats can be prone to vestibular syndrome which I think may have been the case with Mollie. The root of the problem  can be caused by changes involving the peripheral vestibular system which is lies deep within the inner ear.  Fluid in the inner ear can cause the ear canal to become inflamed  creating balance problems. So far nobody has been able to confirm a single common caused for this problem.  According to cat heath.com,  some cats may cry out, roll around, have a head that tilts way off to one side, eyeballs that oscillate back and forth, may lean against walls or furniture, fall down, and seem “out of it”. Sometimes if both ears are affected, the head may not be tilted much and kitty may not want to move at all. The affected cats most certainly are as puzzled as we are.

If this happens to your cat, watch her closely and if she doesn’t recover fully right away, take her to an animal clinic or your vet. I would also call your vet anyway to be on the safe side. When these things happen to our pets, we become very concerned because they can’t tell you how they are feeling after the incident.

Remember, your pets count!