by quapan

Summertime is right around the corner. It’s that time of year when we jump into our cars and hit the roads for some fun and relaxation. But what about our furry family members? More places are becoming pet friendly, but there’s more to consider. Do we bring them, kennel them, ask a neighbor to look after them or get a pet sitter?

You should always ask yourself if bringing your pet along is what’s best for your pet? Of course, if you’re actually moving, you’ll bring your pet no question. For shorter trips though, you should ask yourself, is it best to bring your pet with you even though you want to? Be sure to take into consideration how your pet handles travel. Do they ride well in dog crates, dog carriers, or cat carriers as the case may be or are they stressed out? Are they in good health? How old are they? Where will you be staying? Are you going into any extreme weather changes? Sometimes answering these questions will cause you to reconsider bringing your pet with you, for their sake.

If you do decide to bring your pet with you after asking the questions above, do your preparations so the trip is enjoyable for all. The worst thing is for your pets to become ill while they’re away from their regular veterinarian and you haven’t made the necessary preparations. Make sure you have all your pet’s medical records and medications with you. It’s always a good idea to have your pet checked out by their regular vet before leaving on any trip. Some airlines require this documentation to show that vaccinations are current.

If your pet requires special food, be sure to pack it. It’s always nice to bring the pet beds they’re familiar with along if possible as well as a toy or two. Don’t forget to pack your pet’s first aid kit, collar, leash, tags, all their regular items. Just consider what their daily needs are as well as the “just in case” items and throw them in a bag.

There’s no reason your four legged family member can’t join you, if they’re up to it, and everyone have a wonderful time. It’s up to us humans to take the time to prepare not only for our travel, but for our pet’s, too.

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by Dylerpillar

The time has changed and the leaves have fallen off the trees. It is the time of year to get ready for winter. In a large part of the country snow will be on ground soon and the temperatures will get below freezing. Your dog and cat know it is winter. They get their winter coat and react to the shorter daylight the same as us. Some dog owners leave their pet out for exteneded periods of time thinking that animals are adapted to living outdoors. That is not the case with domesticated pets. They are used to living indoors just as much as we are. I would like to give you a few pointers for winter pet care.

1. A good idea for winter care for your pet would be to take them to your veternarian before winter really sets in. Make sure your pet is in good health. Older dogs, like older humans, tend to get sick more easily in the winter. If your pet have arthritis or diabetes or heart problems make sure he gets a good check up.

2. If it is cold outside make sure you watch your dog and cat carefully. A good idea would be to stay outside with them. When you get cold then chances are your dog is cold too. That would be a good sign to take him back inside.

3. Watch for hazards in the winter. If you live near ponds or lakes keep your dog away from the ice. You never know what the thickness of the ice is. If your dog would happen to fall in he would have a hard time getting out. I would say if are near water stay outside with him. If you live near woods or a forest the snow can cover up hazards the dog can’t see, like sticks or rocks or trash.

4. Keep an eye out for antifreeze. Dogs like the smell and will drink it if they find some. Antifree is extremely poisonous and will kill your dog. If you need to change your antifreeze make sure your clean up any spills. Dogs that don’t have access to clean unfrozen water will drink whatever they can find. This includes gutter water which can contain antifreeze, oil, or other household hazardous waste.

5. If your dog needs to be kept outdoors for any length of time make sure they have a nice warm shelter. A nice sturdy doghouse would be a good idea. Make sure they have a nice warm dog bed and fresh unfrozen water. That is very important. Your dog can get dehydrated in the winter. Please check his water bowl before going off to work or shopping. If you put a wrapped hot water bottle in their shelter it will keep it cozy.

6.Rock salt and deicer can very hard on your dogs pads. When they come in the house make sure that you wipe off their pads with a warm cloth. This is important as they may try and lick their paws and they may become very ill.

7. Be particularly gentle with older or elderly dogs. Their arthritis can get worse in the winter. Stay close with them when they are going down stairs as they may slip and fall. They may be a bit more awkward and uneasy when they are outside. In the winter they may need help getting up on their favorite couch or chair. Make sure they have a nice cozy bed. A heated dog bed would be a great idea. You may have trouble getting them out of bed in the morning.

8.If you have a cat that goes outside be careful with starting your vehicle as cats like to curl up in warm engines. A good thing to do is bang on the hood of your vehicle so any cats hidden there will jump out. If a cat is on your engine and you start it, the cat will be injured or killed.

9.A good idea if you can get your dog to let you do this put a warm little sweater on them. Little paws booties will also help keep their little paws warm.

Take good care of your pet thiis winter and they will be there to keep you company for many winters to come.

By: Cyril Scheer

If you have been thinking of getting a new dog, have you considered all the options available to you? The obvious choice people make, when considering a new dog is to go to a specialized dog breeder. A good dog breeder will be able to sell you a puppy that has been checked for genetic problems, diseases etc and will very often provide you with a high quality pedigree dog that should be free from problems that plague a lot of dogs.

This is ideal for a lot of people but of course will come at a price. There is an alternative – adopting a puppy or adult dog.

There are lots of dogs that are without homes at animal shelters or humane societies. These animals are often a victim of circumstance. Either an owner has died, or an elderly person cannot cope any more. Sadly through no fault of their own, they have ended up homeless. Adopting a dog, may be a great way to offer a loving home to one of these dogs.

A lot of people are concerned that they may end up with an unhealthy dog, or a dog that may be aggressive by getting one from a shelter. Most animal shelters will check a dog for good health and good temperament, so if there are any problems you will be told about them. Also, a lot of shelters offer in-house training to increase the chances of a dog finding a new home. Which is great for everybody!

The best way to go about adopting a dog is to pay a visit to your nearest animal shelter. Explain to the staff there, what kind of dog would suit you and your family. Bear in mind that if you have very small children, getting a large dog may not be a good idea. Similarly if you have an apartment, maybe think about getting a small dog that doesn’t require vast amounts of exercise. A bit of forethought before you arrive will make finding the perfect dog for you that much easier.

When you bring your new dog home, try and imagine things from her perspective. Your new dog has probably been through a lot in the past so bringing her to yet another new home may well be overwhelming. The best thing to do is keep her on a leash at first, and gradually introduce her to your home letting her sniff each room until she has got a feel for her new surroundings. Also take her to relieve her bladder outside if she has been on a long car journey with you.
Once she has settled down, allow her to walk freely off the leash inside your home (not outside off the leash yet). This will give her a chance to find ‘her’ spot. By this I mean her favorite place. We all have a favorite spot where we like to go, dogs are no different. If you have bought a new dog bed or blanket for your new arrival, this may be the place to put it. She will naturally go to that spot so having a comfy new bed there will help her settle in.

Your new dog may be very quiet for the first few days but don’t worry, this is part of the settling in process. After a short while your dog will be a fully settled in new member of the family.

Adopting from an animal shelter is a great way to get a new companion and a great way to make a new and happy future for your dog.

Andrew Strachan
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/adopting-a-dog-3962.html

Taking care of a pet is quite easy as well as should be well taken care. Pet care is in fact a simple job, and includes the very important functions of grooming and striving to maintain good pet health care. General pet supplies could be considered a definition of useful tools for grooming and keeping your pet in good health.

Let us consider some useful terms which should be taken care for the well being of your pet:

Choosing A Pet:

The process of choosing a pet is very important. Choosing a pet depends on one’s preferences, but there are still some important things that should be kept in mind. One should always choose an animal of good breed. Secondly, the pet should be healthy especially if it is still in the initial stage of its life. A healthy young pet shows good fast growth.

Pet Supplies:

You should make a complete list of pet supplies and include the following: pet food and food bowls, pet id tags and collar, pet medications, supplements and tonics, etc. Some other items to consider are animal carriers, pet houses and furniture, pet beds, clothes, and pet jewelry.

Online Pet Supplies:

Online pet supplies are supplies that can be purchased from pet stores over the Internet. There are numerous pet grooming product manufacturers and pet-grooming stores selling their products online through their individual official websites.

Pet Grooming Supplies:

Pet grooming supplies include items such as grooming clippers, pet hair care products, soaps, shampoo and perfumes.

Pet Health:

Pet health is a very important responsibility of pet ownership. For puppies and kittens, or any other four-legged pets, important treatments would include giving a hygiene bath, cleaning, combing, brushing, checking ears, paws, teeth and underside of the tongue, nail trimming, removing fleas and insects, and fixing regular meetings with a professional veterinary. A good pet owner should follow a regular schedule of grooming sessions.

Pet Care:

Pet care can require a lot of patience. Like children, pets often require special attention. A puppy, kitten or any other pet in its infancy needs to be handled with extreme care. In particular they must be groomed properly, fed carefully, and bedded properly.

Pet Insurance :

When you are treating your pet as your family member why not covering your pet with an insurance policy. Yes! That’s absolutely possible and you will find many insurance companies providing policies for your beloved pet. Pet insurance is now a days very common and used largely by many pet lovers. Though how much you take care of you pet but you never know when an emergency situation arrives.

There is a very famous saying from George Eliot “Pets are such agreeable friends, they ask no questions and they pass no criticisms” about pet animals. Pets have always been friendly to humans and often show their love and affection by licking, hickeys, even love-bites.

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