Hiking With Your Dog: What To Take With You By Ben Anton

Taking your dog on a hike with you can be an enjoyable experience, provided you have the right hiking gear to accommodate the both of you. Taking your best friend along shouldn’t bog you down with extra gear but you will need to consider where you are going and how long you plan to hike in order to ensure you have what you need for a safe trip.

Whether hiking for an afternoon or taking an overnight trek, you should make sure to stock your backpack with the following items to help Fido, Lassie or whom ever you take with you have as much fun as you do.

• Adequate water for both you and your dog. If you know that there will be water sources along the route, carry a water bottle with you that you can refill if needed. If you are unsure about water availability, pack 1-2 quarts of water for your dog for a day hike plus enough for yourself. Collapsible dog bowls are good for dogs that may not drink from a stream or from a water bottle.

• A leash. Most trail ways require that your dog be on a leash or harness while hiking. A leash will also help keep order should there be a lot of dogs on the trail with you.

• First aid kit items. Most pet injuries while hiking occur on the pads of their feet. The pads can easily be cut on sticks, stones and roots in the ground. You should stop hiking intermittently to check your dogs paw pads for cuts or blisters. Have the appropriate bandages and disinfectants with you in case this happens.

• Proper ID tags for your pet. The dog tags should include information on your pet’s vaccination as well as your home address and phone number. Make sure the rabies tag that you received from your veterinarian is attached to your dog’s collar.

• Clean-Up Items. Zip-lock bags are great for hiking trips to reduce the odor of the feces while on your hike. Be sure to pick up all your dog’s feces while hiking using paper towels or your bag and dispose of it in a garbage container. Also carry a towel to clean off your dog should he or she get into dirt or water. • Snacks or Treats. Your dog will get tired just as you will. Make sure to pack a few treats to keep him energized until you get back home. However, you don’t want to over-feed your dog while hiking or they may get sick. Treats can also be helpful in getting your dog’s attention should they run off unexpectedly.

Above all, make sure your dog is up to the challenge of an afternoon hike. Make sure they are healthy and well-nourished before setting out on the hike. Older dogs should be treated to a trail way with a level terrain and with little to no incline. Small dogs should be taken on well groomed trails that won’t have a lot of low hanging brush or leaves that may cause eye or skin irritation.

Pay attention to the signs your dog may give while on a hike that there is something wrong. If they avoid the sunshine or lay underneath leaves they may be dehydrated and need to stop for a long drink of water. If their stride becomes labored or if they favor one paw over another, they may have gotten a sliver or cut on their pad. Your dog will tell you what they need while outdoors so long as you listen.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259592&ca=Pets

5 Tips To Stop Dog Growling By Jacqueline Harris

To make the task of stopping a dog from growling easier, we ought to understand why the dog growls in the first place. Growling is considered to be an assertive behavior which is triggered by any unfamiliar event, person or even another animal. Thus a dog would growl when an unknown or sometimes known entity comes his way. This is his way of saying that he wants to be left alone or he does not approve what he expects would follow.

In other words, he feels threatened. As soon as the approaching person or animal moves away, this would be interpreted as showing respect to the dog and soon the animal should stop growling. Anyone who has a pet dog at home should understand many such myriad ways in which canines communicate so that there could be safe co-existence between the dog and the rest of the family.

This is especially important when the household has children, who are known to be particularly affectionate towards any pet. What happens when someone ignores the growling and continues to approach the dog casually? The dog treats the situation as threatening and expects adverse events to follow. Therefore he may start barking, or even snap and bite the approaching individual or animal as the case may be. Having briefed you so far on the reason why a dog growls, let me provide you with 5 sure-shot tips to stop the dog from growling:

1. It is recommended that you should never punish a dog for growling. Your punishment or reprimand may stop the dog from growling temporarily, but he would develop a latent behavior where he bites or snaps at people, without any warning in future. So the best solution under such circumstances is to respect the animal and let him be. He would stop growling as soon as he realizes that there is nothing disturbing his peace any more.

2. Explain to your children why a dog growls and if the dog starts growling suddenly, they should immediate stop doing whatever they were doing as it is obvious that the dog is getting irritated with their activity. Ask them to simply move away gradually from the dog’s vicinity. Tell them to never run away from the growling dog as it irritates him further. Such incidents must always be
reported to the parents, as then you could focus more on this area while training.

3. It must be understood that dogs growl when intimidated by some one. Sometimes sheer size is perceived as a threat and the dog starts growling. So when a huge man approaches a dog, however kind his intention may be, the dog thinks him to be a threat. In such cases the man should squat and bring himself at the same level as the dog. Then approach him gently with extended hand – palm facing up. Then talk to the dog in a calm and gentle voice.

4. If you find that the dog is growling for no apparent reason and is snapping at every thing, it might be right for you to get a medical check up done for the dog. Your vet could do some tests to check hormonal balance, neurophysiologic functions and allergies, if any. You never know, there could be underlying causes for his growling, which when corrected could stop him from growling.

5. There are some dogs which growl when he is eating and someone gets close. The reason for this is that he is simply possessive about his food and scared that this person might take his food away. To correct this behavior, choose an adult who the dog loves most. Let this adult start feeding the dog and stay close to him while he is eating.

To start with, simply stay with the dog and talk to him with a reassuring and calm voice. Once the dog is used to this, then let the adult approach the dog while he is eating, go on reassuring him with his gentle voice.

Once the dog is used to this habit also let the adult touch the dog with slow and gentle movements while he is eating. Though this procedure to stop him from growling could take a long time, but this happens to be one of the sure-shot ways to reassure a dog and take away the threat element, which makes him growl in the first place.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=258348&ca=Pets

Choosing The Right Fish Habitat For Your Aquarium By C Swarens

If you have decided to bring pet fish into your home, one of the first things you will need to determine is the type of habitat you will create. You may be surprised to learn that there are actually many different types of habitats for you to select from. In addition, the type of habitat you choose to create will determine the type of fish you can put into your tank.

A community tank is a tank that may contain a variety of different fish, but all of the fish species in a community tank need to be non-aggressive against each other. This way, the fish can live in the same tank without hurting one another. This does not mean, however, that you cannot have aggressive fish in your tank. Rather, you need to choose the fish in your community carefully. This way, one species will not dominate and harm the other species. Some types of community tanks you might want to create include:

• Cichlid tanks

• Tetra and Liverbearer tanks

• Fast moving tanks

By combining the right types of fish together, they will be able to live together peacefully.

Cichlid Tanks

Cichlid tanks come in two major forms: African and South American. When it comes to cichlids, you can mix a variety of African cichlids together or you can mix a variety of South American cichlids together. You cannot, however, mix African cichlids with South American cichlids. If you do, disaster may strike as the two different types of cichlids fight over the territory.

With African cichlids, you need to make certain your fish have plenty of places to hide. These fish tend to enjoy having rock formations, caves, and plants in which they can hide. Ideally, you should maintain a pH balance of 8.0 for African cichlids. South American cichlids, on the other hand, need to have plenty of space to move because they tend to get quite large. Some fish that fall in this category include severums and Oscars. Since they tend to get so large, you should have a tank that is at least 50 gallons big in order to keep them happy.

Tetra and Livebearer Tanks

Tetra and livebearers can be kept in smaller tanks than what you would use for cichlids. In fact, a tank that is only ten to twenty-nine gallons big is large enough. The pH should be in the mid 7s for most livebearers, though tetras prefer the pH to be somewhere in between 6.5 and 7. Either way, it is best to keep plenty of plants and decorations in the tank, as these fish tend to enjoy playing with their decorations.

Fast Moving Tanks

Fast moving fish include fish such as tiger barbs, zebra danios, and sharks. For these fish, you will want to obtain a high tank that provides them with plenty of space to roam. Although these fish don't really have anywhere to go, they like to get their fast. The temperature in these tanks should be kept somewhere around 70 to 80 degrees.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=260724&ca=Pets

Fat Pets Equal Fat Bills By Simon Christopher

With more than one third of cats and dogs in the UK classed as obese, the costs of owning a pet are rising whether or not those obese pets are insured. If your pet is obese, chances are you're going to end up paying for it one way or the other.

According to new research from Sainsbury's Bank, there are around 2.72 million obese dogs, and 2.87 obese cats in the UK. That's more than 5.5 million pets whose health is suffering as a result of their excess weight. The owners of those pets are suffering too, with higher vets bills even with insurance.

Many owners of obese pets may not even realize the potential problem and some pet policies don't cover obese pets. The long-term health effects for pets can be serious, and long-term medical care for pets is expensive.

Obese Pets Suffer

Animals that are overfed and become obese can develop diabetes, osteoarthritis, and other conditions that will require long term veterinary treatment. An obese pet's life expectancy can also be reduced.

According to Sainsbury's pet insurance manager Claire Moyles, one problem is simply that many pet owners enjoy feeding their animals 'people food' instead of giving them food that's intended and nutritionally balanced for pets.

Give a dog chocolate and they'll enjoy the treat, but too many of those treats will eventually cause obesity. And in the case of dogs and chocolate the problem is much more serious, as pancreatic and heart problems can result from chocolate ingestion.

If Your Pet is Obese, You'll Suffer Too

A staggering 81% of animal physiotherapists believe that obesity is the biggest health danger for dogs. The numbers definitely bear that out, but your obese pet isn't the only one suffering.

Obese pets develop obesity-related diseases that require long-term care. That means more veterinary visits as well as medications and treatments to reduce the disease symptoms. And that means more money spent on veterinary bills.

In the long term the costs can easily add up to thousands of pounds. Think your insurance will cover it? Think again. Many pet insurers don't cover treatment on obese pets, because pet obesity is a risk factor that can be easily avoided. Even with insurance, your overweight pet may not be covered.

Solve the Problem for you and Your Pet

So how do you solve your pet's weight problem? If your obese pet is a dog, regular walks will make him happier as well as healthier, and that's a great start. Taking your obese cat for a walk is probably not going to work, but you can spend time playing with your cat each day to help them increase their activity levels.

Whether your pet is a dog or a cat, ensuring they're provided with nutritionally balanced pet food will help ease their health problems. When feeding an obese or inactive pet choose food that has been designed as a low-calorie 'diet' pet food to help accelerate the weight loss.

Feed your pet the correct amount for their age and breed, and don't feed them any other food. That means no table scraps or other human food treats, no matter how much they 'ask' for them. It can be tough sticking to it initially but your pet will get used to the new rule, and in the long term they'll be much healthier. Your finances will benefit in the long run, too.

And in the meantime, keep up your insurance premiums. Getting your pet down to a healthy weight won't take long, and overall, the cost of insurance for a healthy pet is a bargain compared to the potential costs of veterinary bills.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259395&ca=Pets