Advice for Your Pets

How To Keep Your Dog Happy
by Adam Katz

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and I thought I would quickly send this out to you, before I leave for the weekend.
We were discussing how to keep your dog's mind stimulated.

Remember: Bored dogs cause problems. If you don't keep your dog's mind stimulated, chances are that he'll find activities to stimulate his mind, himself. And you won't like those activities.

A dog that is mentally stimulated on a daily basis is a happy dog. And happy dogs don't cause dog problems.

Here's a quick list of how to keep your dog mentally stimulated:

1. Exercise. Lots of exercise. If you can incorporate exercise with another activity such as playing, "Find the ball," or doing some agility exercises, then that's even better.

2. Brain teaser toys. I'll be adding some of these to our web site store, later next week. There are a number of cool toys that actually challenge your dog's mind. For example, one of the more popular ones is the "Buster Cube," a plastic cube that releases a pellet of food, every third or fourth time the Cube is rolled over.

3. Small rituals done at the same time of day, every day. For example; feeding time, grooming, walks, "cookie" time, car trips around town, etc...

4. Dogs like to work. Teach your dog to bring in the newspaper, carry mail back from the mailbox or to walk out with you when you take the trash out. (Whenever I go through the drive-thru window at McDonald's, Forbes - my dog - gets to carry the trash bag to the trash receptacle when we're finished. Sound silly, right? But the dog loves it!)

5. Do obedience training with your dog. Obedience training requires your dog to use his brain and think. Knowing that he will be praised for making the right decision and corrected for making the wrong decision (and allowed the opportunity to make the right decision again) instills a sense of responsibility in your dog and demands that he use his noggin. Remember: Dogs are bred to work. They've been blessed with super-human instincts and drives and they need an outlet for those drives.

That's all for now, folks! Adam

About the Author
Adam Katz is that author of the book, "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!" and has shown literally thousands of dog owners how to train their dogs to Dog Training Videos as editor of the Dog Training website Dogproblems.com

How to Choose Freshwater Aquarium Fish
by Sam Noel

This is a summary of the important points to be noted before choosing a freshwater aquarium fish. It will be always fun for fish enthusiasts while buying a new fish, but they must take care to consider some important details about the fish, like, what it eats, how large it grows. It is always advised not to buy a fish without knowing fully about the fish.

Fish that are very specific in their habitat conditions cannot grow in home aquariums. This will affect the health of the fish. Sometimes, fish may also die, so it is always advised to buy a fish after knowing its habitat details before buying it.

Your fish also must be compatible with each other. Usually aquarists have fishes of different varieties, colours, shapes and sizes. Those fishes originated from different parts of the world. So their behaviour and food habits may also be different.

Different kinds of fishes prefer different types of water conditions. There are some fishes which prefer hard and alkaline water, while there are some fishes that prefer soft and acidic water. It is not possible to provide separate environment for each type of fish. Some fishes that are not compatible with the chemistry of your aquarium water may not grow well or may not exhibit their best colours.

Pattern of behaviour is also very important. Fishes that swim around fastly will disturb the fishes that swim slowly. Those fast swimming fishes will have and need more food than the slow swimming fishes at the time of feeding. This is because the timid species will hold back and get only very little food to eat.
Differences in behaviour can be very disruptive, conflicts can occur among fishes inside the tank itself, even when fishes have peaceful dispositions. Some of the fishes like the territorial fishes do not allow other fishes to enter their area, leaving only a little place for the other fishes in the tank.

Also remember that the fishes sold in the shops are very young. They will grow in your home aquarium only. So you need to select the fish that fits the size of your aquarium after it grows well. After buying this fish, the tank might look empty for a few months. In the mean time, do not fill the tank with more fishes, as this will create a problem after the fishes grow.
Healthy fishes will always be active, so do not buy fishes that have poor colour, fins that are clamped close to the body, or with odd behaviour in swimming.

When you are approaching the tank, the Freshwater Aquarium Fish must crowd in the front in the anticipation that they are going to get fed. If any fish is not coming with the other fishes, then there could be a possibility it is sick. Never buy that fish.

Source

http://www.homefishaquarium.com

PetSmart


Why Conventional Cat Urinary Tract Health Medications May be Harming Your Pet
by Rebecca Shelly

Are you frustrated with your cat's urinary tract health? I know I was until I did a little research. Urinary infections respond very well to antibiotics. However, they are very harsh and can cause allergic reactions and resistance to antibiotics given over time that can create further problems down the road.
Are you frustrated with your cat's urinary tract health? I know I was until I did a little research.

Common causes of urinary tract infection in cats

Although cats of any age can be affected by Urinary Tract Infection it most often happens in overweight or older cats do not exercise, use a litter box, are indoor cats and eat dry food.

How is diagnosed and treated?

The symptoms of urinary tract infection in cats can be similar for a variety of medical causes such as urethral plugs; urinary stones, cancer, and urinary tract infection. If you cat is passing little or no urine and becoming increasingly distressed, this is an emergency, requiring immediate veterinary treatment.

Drawbacks of conventional treatments

Conventional treatment for urinary tract infection in cats most likely includes antibiotics. If your cat has a chronic condition, catheterization or surgery might be recommended. Antibiotic treatment may be 7 to 10 days and chronic or acute urinary tract infection may take up to 4 weeks. Unfortunately these treatments compromise immune resistance and encourage persistent infections.

Adverse effects of antibiotics

There are problems with using antibiotics for cat urinary tract health. Antibiotics are toxic to kidney cells or can cause allergic reactions which can be life-threatening. Antibiotics kill the normal flora and leave the cat more vulnerable to other infections which are resistant to antibiotics.

You should only treat a dog or cat with antibiotics if you are pretty sure that an infection is present. The best proof of this is laboratory culture. This has the additional advantages of confirming the identity of the bacteria and allowing for antibiotic resistance testing.

Prevention strategies for cat urinary tract health

Your best bet is prevention for cat urinary tract health. There are some simple procedures you can follow to help prevent or reduce the frequency and duration of urinary tract infection in cats.

--Feed moist small meals frequently and use a high quality pet food.

--Provide clean, fresh water at all times.

--Supply a sufficient number of litter boxes for each cat

--Keep litter boxes in quiet areas of the house, and keep litter boxes clean.

--Reduce changes in routine that create stress

Alternative Treatments for Cat Urinary Tract Health

Unlike conventional treatments for cat urinary tract health, alternative treatments naturally soothe and support the bladder and urinary tract, maintain urinary tract and bladder health, maintain flow of urine, supports immune system functioning to keep pets healthy.

While conventional medicine works by often treating just the symptoms, natural medicine strives to create holistic balance in the body to support systemic health, relieve ailments, and help prevent future disease. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, natural medicines support overall health and functioning (rather than just suppressing symptoms).

Now that you are armed with this information it's time to start putting these solutions to work if you want to protect your cat's health.

About the Author
Rebecca Shelly has been studying alternative health applications for a number of years. She is a regular contributor to Pet Natural Cures, a site discussing some of the most promising natural treatments for pet health on the market today. If you're looking for an alternative to harsh medications for your pet, visit the site to learn more.

Visit us now to learn more about UTI medications



Keeping a Pet - The Pros and Cons
By Isla Campbell

Pets are loved by everyone for many reasons; no matter what breed of animal you own, they can bring happiness to lives. However, when you are thinking of getting a pet for the first time, whether it's as a new addition to your current family of pets or a replacement for one that sadly is no longer amongst you, there is a lot to consider when keeping a pet.

People have pets for various reasons, whether given as a present (remember, they are not just for Christmas!) or perhaps the children are interested in having their first pet; or you were perhaps unable to have a pet as a child but are in more suitable circumstances or simply because you and they share a love for animals, the notion to need and want a pet is deep-rooted in our psyche. This is perhaps not surprising considering pets act as great companions, providing company for people from all walks of life.

Pets can provide excellent social opportunities for both adults and children, with the ability to improve your exercise routine, depending on the type of pet you own. They also provide opportunities to meet new people and begin new hobbies, should you have a pet you can walk around the park or enter competitions with. In that respect, some pets are easier to look after than others, and depending on your circumstances, such as type of accommodation and location you live in, this could be an important factor as not all rented accommodation allows pets; so the type of pet you choose to have may also relate to your situation.

Although pets can bring lots of happiness to lives, it also not too surprising to discover how much responsibility they are to keep, as in some respects they are not too dissimilar to looking after a child in that they have needs to consider too. If you are planning to go on holiday and it is not feasible to take your pet with you, it is always a good idea to find someone suitable to look after your pet. This may not always be an ideal situation, expecting others to look after your pet, whilst kennels can be a costly option should your pet be a dog.

There are further factors to take into consideration when deciding to keep a pet, with probably the most popular deciding factor for many being cost. They are expensive, particularly given the expense of purchasing food, and also those accessories to allow them to have an enjoyable level of living, these including shelter and toys to keep them entertained.

When deciding to keep an animal, pet insurance can help reduce any stress surrounding potential veterinary expenses, having the ability to cover your pet's health through insurance, whilst also attending to any specific needs they require such as ongoing treatments and medication.

Despite there being many pros and cons to consider with keeping a pet, the levels of enjoyment and companionship afforded by pets are often worth every penny we lavish on them. After all, money can't buy you love and pets give it freely.

Isla Campbell writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isla_Campbell


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Choosing Unusual Pet Names - The Foolproof Method
By Nerida Murray

Naming a child after a well loved character from literature can sometimes backfire- not many children would willingly stick up their hand at roll call to claim the name Ulysses or Medusa.

This isn't a problem for your pet. In fact, using names from literature or mythology are great ways to find unusual and unique pet names.

You can enjoy the irony of calling your turtle after the speedy god Mercury.

You could easily christen a highly intelligent and stalwart dog Atticus after the lawyer with the same qualities in Harper Lee's classic To Kill a Mockingbird.

An apparently aloof and superior cat could be called Nero after the emperor of Rome who was reported to have played his violin while the great city burned.

Literature can be an excellent resource in finding unusual names. You may go after unusual names given to human characters like: • Uriah Heap or Spenlow from Charles Dickens' David Copperfield

• Boo Radley or Little Chuck Little from To Kill a Mockingbird Or it may be famous fictional animals you are looking for, like: • Aslan, the majestic lion from Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.

• Fiver or Hazel the adventurous bunnies from Richard Adam's Watership Down. If you have more than one pet, you may like to choose your names from one source. You would be hard pressed to exhaust TS Eliot's list of cats from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. There are around 35 names to choose from; all unusual and all well loved. How about: • The RumTum Tugger

• Bustopher Jones

• Grumbuskin

• Jennyanydots

Or stick with one author, like Jane Austen, and name your pets after her famous characters. A few years ago I met a gorgeous chocolate colored Labrador named Mr Darcy. Within minutes he was surrounded by a group of women, aged across 4 generations, all reminiscing about the dear pup's overly proud namesake. You may also consider:

• Miss Lizzie

• Knightly

• Fitzwilliam

• Lady Catherine

• Fanny Price

Think about how a name can be shortened for ease of affection or discipline. For example, I once had a favorite brown hen I named Lady Catherine de Bourgh after the character from Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice as she was bossy and very self important. If I caught her in my lettuce patch this could easily be shortened to a sharp "Cate!"

Choose names with affection and good humor and both you and your pet will have many years of delight with them.

Nerida Murray is the editor of http://www.better-living-ideas.com the site that is all about your family and home life. Visit now to find more unusual pet names for your favorite little friend!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nerida_Murray

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