It’s name is deceiving and probably can be a factor when it comes to adoption.  It reality, the Rat Terrier is an intelligent, alert and loving dog. Don’t let it’s name fool you, these affectionate dogs make excellent companions especially if you enjoy a dog who’s energetic.  They are very good with children. The ideal situation is to raise him as a puppy with children.  While they are usually friendly with strangers, they still make very good watchdogs. They are easy to please and can be trained very easily.  The Rat Terrier will probably follow you all around because they like to go where you go. If you want to take him to the beach or lake, he’ll amaze you on how well he could swim. They have a true terrier nature but are not “yappy” dogs.

Rat Terriers will do well in apartments as long as they get about 20 – 30 minutes of exercise per day. They also  like games so make sure you let him fetch and run around often. It’s best if they have a yard because they love to dig  but make sure that he cannot dig a hole under your fence, he will get out!

Rat Terriers are also easy to groom. An occasional brushing  or combing to remove the dead hair is usually all that he needs. Their life expectancy is between 15 – 18 years so he will be your  true companion for a long time.

I would like to thank Anthony, a student at the elementary school that I teach at for giving me the idea to write about a Rat Terrier.

Remember, your pets count!

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I heard an interesting story this morning. A little boy pulled his pet cat’s tail and the cat got angry and went after him hissing and clawing. The boys father kicked the cat away from the boy. The cat then became enraged and held the whole family hostage in the bedroom. Yep! that’s right. He was outside of the room ready to attack anyone who opened the door. So the father called 911 (yes you heard that right 9 1 1) . The police came and took the cat but because of the family’s love for their pet cat, the cat was calmed down and returned to the family. That’s good news but the main point, train your kids not to pull the cats tail. Also, never kick the cat. They get angry just as we do!

Remember, your pets count!

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This morning while working on my computer, my cat Molly started walking around and “meowing.” She was fed and she is content but why the meowing?  You can better understand your furry friends vocalizations by the kind of meow that she is making. Is she howling or hissing? This could indicate distress of anger.  As you become familiar with your cats personality, you will soon be aware of  her personality and habits and will be able to detect her mood changes and even health problems. The all-purpose “meow” can be a greeting, a command, an objection, or an announcement, like “I found a mouse.”  Chirps and trills are how a mother cat tells her kittens to follow her. Sometimes, if you have more than one cat, they will “talk” to each other this way.  All you hear between my two cats are hisses. They don’t care for each other!  Chattering is that strange noise you hear when your cat is watching birds or squirrels. Purring is usually a sign of contentment. Sometimes a cat will purr when it is ill. This is way that she will comfort herself sort of like when a child sucks his thumb.

Does your car purr and arch his  back when you come in the door? This is her way of telling you that she is content and enjoys being pet and wants more. If she purrs and shrinks toward the floor, she is glad to see you but save the petting for later.  Growling, spitting or hissing indicates that your cat is annoyed.

So this morning, I believe that Molly was telling me to get off the damn computer and spend some time with her. In fact, I think I will.

Remember, your pets count!

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We’ve always heard stories about dogs warning their owners about fires in the house or some other event they may pose a danger to their owner. I once had a dog who started jumping on me at 5:00 am on a Saturday morning. I got ready to take him out, but realized that he didn’t want to go and ran back upstairs to the bedroom. I got back in bed and he began to jump and bark again. A few seconds after that, I felt a vibration and heard a rumble which lasted only for a few seconds. Since I don’t live in an earthquake prone area, I thought it was some kind of explosion. Later that morning, I turned on the radio and heard that there had been a small earthquake up in Westchester county N.Y. that could be felt in parts of northern New Jersey. I knew immediately that my dog sensed this when he jumped on me and barked earlier that morning.

I believe this is one of the most endearing things we love about owning a dog, because a dog’s sixth sense is often much better than a human’s. This most likely is genetically encoded in modern domesticated dogs and has been passed down for their ancestors—wild wolves who needed all their instincts to survive in the wild.

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If you look at dogs from an evolutionary point of view, you’ll find that – much like their wild ancestors – these animals are den dwellers by nature. They enjoy the personal security an enclosed space affords them, and it’s much easier to protect a coveted bone or rawhide strip if the dog can see everyone who dares to approach. Crate training might seem a bit cruel at first, but it’s easily the most effective way to housetrain a puppy.

The most important consideration is how to make the crate a warm, inviting home for the dog each night. Try lining the space with a dog crate pad and throwing in a few favorite blankets and toys. Don’t lock the dog in until he becomes accustomed to the crate. Then begin training him to stay in the crate at night; he’ll soon learn the importance of using the bathroom before bedtime.

Remember your pets count!

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Always keep your dog on a leash when walking him  in a park or where there are lots of people. This prevents him from chasing other dogs, jumping on people or running out in the street. I have a story of a person who owned a large dog and never kept him on a leash. I owned a small dog at the time  and always walked him in the park around the corner. I always kept my dog on a leash and close to me at all times.  Unfortunately, not all people are considerate of others.  There was this man who owned a pit bull I believe. The dog was never on a leash. One day while I was walking my dog, the pit bull charged after me and my little dog. He almost knocked me down and had my little dog in it’s mouth. I screamed and kicked him. He finally dropped my dog and ran away. My poor little dog was shaken but all right except for bite marks around his neck. I immediately took him to the vet where they took care of his wounds. This incident stayed with me a long time. I will never forget the image of my little dog in that nasty pit bulls mouth! My dog could have been killed. It could have been a small child!  I was determined to catch this man and report him. One day, I went to the park (without my dog) and saw the man again with the dog off the leash. I ran toward him and when he saw me coming towards him, he took his dog and went home. I followed him and saw where he lived. I reported him to the police. Apparently, he had been warned before but continued to break the law and endanger pets and children playing in the park. His dog was eventually taken from him and given a new home. It always amazes me how inconsiderate some people could be. If your dog does not like being on a leash and continually pulls you along with him, you may want to consider using a retractable dog leash. It gives your dog more freedom but still enables you to have a hold on him and control where he’s going.

Remember, your pets count!

Technology has come a long way. Now we could do almost anything online even buy our pet’s medication but is it safe?  The FDA has warned about buying prescription medication online.  The truth is buying pet medication online is very safe. You get the same medication as the ones you get from the vets office but you must d0 your homework first.

To make sure that you get legitimate medications, make sure that you’re on a secure internet site. You should see a small gold padlock in the status bar of your browser (usually on the bottom). If the gold padlock is open the page is not encrypted. If the gold padlock is closed that means the sight has 128 bit encryption which means that it offers the highest level of protection offered for all your Internet communications, including credit card use and other financial transactions. It is important to note that the only place the locked padlock is important is on the page where you are entering your credit card or bank information. It does not have to appear on every page of the website. Make sure that you are ordering the exact medication that your vet prescribed. When in doubt, always verify with your vet. You must also know the dosage so before you attempt to order pet meds online, it is vital that you have this information correct!

The advantage of buying online is that you may get the medication a bit cheaper but that’s not the main reason. Taking your pet in to the vet can be risky if there are other sick pets in the waiting area. If your pet is sick, you probably would rather keep him home and not disturb him .In this case getting the medication delivered has it’s advantages.

Remember, your pets count!

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It’s hard to believe that there is so much that we could learn about cats.  You wouldn’t think that you would have to know the best area to place their food and water but the truth is you should.  You want kitty to enjoy her meals in a calm place. The kitchen is not always the best place, especially if you are introducing a kitten to it’s new home. They are usually very cautious at first and may become nervous if their food and water is in the kitchen. This is because the kitchen is usually a very active room. There is lots going on there. You want to make sure that kitty is getting the proper nutrition and is taking in the proper amount of fluids. Her mealtime should be a peaceful time when she can enjoy eating.  With the proper thought, you’ll come up with a good location and once you do, don’t change it. Cats are creatures of habit and prefer their environment very consistent. Don’t put her food and water near her litter box as she may become confused as to what to do.

Remember, your pets count!

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