Pets Smile Plus

History has shown us that people have been naming their dogs for as long as they have kept them. Archaeological digs from around the world have given us proof that mans best friend was given a name. We know many ancient Egyptian dogs’ names from leather collars as well as reliefs, stele and statuary. They included such names as Brave One, Reliable, Good Herdsman, North-Wind, Antelope and even “Useless”. Other names come from the dog’s appearance, such as Blue or Snow, while still other dogs were given numbers for names, such as “Seven”. Many of the names seem to represent endearment, while others convey merely the dog’s abilities or capabilities.

Naming a dog today has become a challenge as more and more people become dog owners. We all want our pet to have that unique name which no one else has. However there are certain common sense guidelines that should be followed when naming your beloved puppy.

1. Remember, you will be using and yelling this name thousands of times in the life of your dog, if not hundreds a day. Choose a name that rolls off the tongue easily. Most trainers and breeders suggest a two syllable name. Your puppy will find it easier to learn and you will have an easier time saying it.

2. Choose a name that stays away from common command words (sit, go, down, fetch etc). Name like Brown, Sitah, Bogo, Fletch can confuse a puppy being trained to behave, as well as older dogs whose health and hearing are fading.

3. Remember, your dog will be with you for a long time, so a name that seemed cute and adorable while he was a puppy may not be such a great name in her later years. You will need to guide small children should they be allowed in on the process as they will always go for the cute and embarrassing.

4. Using your dog’s unique appearance, abilities and capabilities is a great way to come up with a name. Your Beagle could be Patches, your Rhodesian Ridgeback could be Big Red or Lion and your new Shar Pei could be named Wrinkles.

5. Let your dog decide her own name by narrowing down the choices to a few, then calling the names to your dog. Whichever one he comes to could be the one. Conversely, you could place the chosen names on separate paper and let your dog decide by sitting on the name she wants.

However you decide to choose the right dog name for your new pet, be comfortable in the fact that you are not alone in the difficult task of choosing a name. just remember to choose the name you and your dog are most comfortable with and you won’t go wrong.

About the author: Mike Mathews is a Dog owner and has shown his dogs in the past. He is a writer and contributor to the popular Dog breed site dog-breed-facts.com. dog-breed-facts.com. He has also written an eBook titled choosingadog.dog-breed-facts.com” target=”_blank “Choosing and Training Your Dog”.

Pets provide an unconditional love that requires very little on the part of the human.

Animals are so special to those of us who love them. We miss them when they are no longer with us. We grieve for them in ways which are just the same as grieving for a human loved one.

Whether the end comes through old age, illness, sudden death, or euthanasia, the death of a pet can cause enormous feelings of sorrow, guilt, and loneliness for children and adults alike. Yet pet owners are often inhibited in their very real grief, even if the animal was considered a fully-fledged family member, a child’s favoured playmate, or an older person’s loyal and faithful companion.

Pet owners in grief are largely misunderstood and can even be ridiculed by friends and by society in general.

Some people don’t want a pet because they do die ! It’s understandable to be reluctant to expose yourself to death but, at the same time, we become immeasurably more human because our animals die. When we live with animals we’re more in tune with the rhythms of the planet from day to night and from season to season because our companions make us more aware of the changes around us. Our companion animals teach us about the simple gifts of a beautiful day, a good meal and a gentle touch.

The death of a pet can make us wrestle with our belief structure - a natural part of the grieving process. Whether grieving an animal or human, we question our beliefs and many people find their belief structure becomes stronger when they ask themselves hard questions. Others find an new way of acceptance.

We use some kind of visualisation during our grieving process, imagining our loved ones in a beautiful place of peace and tranquil beauty, filled with light and flowers. Many of us see out deceased animals in this same place. This can be helpful and can provide some peace for those who are grieving.

And we learn from our animals. Animals aren’t afraid to die, they show us that the end of life can be faced without fear. They can teach us to accept death as an opening for love and wonder.

Allow yourself to grieve in whatever way is appropriate for you. The loss of a pet is real grief and causes us to travel through the stages of grief - denial, anger, depression, guilt, and acceptance. These stages must be lived through for the mourning process to allow full healing.

Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor and mythologist. She creates ceremonies and Rites of Passage for individual and civic functions, and specialises in celebrations for women. celebrant.yarralink.com celebrant.yarralink.com

“For a major emergency – like a blackout or severe storm – you need to be prepared. Ready for at least 72 hours while emergency workers help those in urgent need.” So reads the initial words of advice being offered on one government website. Other organizations, when speaking of emergency preparedness, have much the same to say.

There is a reason for this. Experience with past disasters and the threats of disasters yet to come, have made it clear that being prepared for quick and unexpected evacuations should be given serious consideration in every home. It is commonly suggested that each family member should have close at hand and easily accessible a backpack filled with those commodities that would be necessary during a 72 hour absence. Most lists would include dried foods, small containers of water, flashlights, first aid supplies, prescription medications and other such necessities. That way there is no last minute packing and hunting for missing articles. Simply grab that backpack and load it and yourself into the awaiting vehicle, and off you go.

Yet, what about man’s best friend? Most people, if the possibility exists to do so, want to see their pets whisked to safety as well. Should they too not have access to some sort of a 72 hour emergency kit? In the case of dogs, they can, with a little help, even carry their own.

There are, in fact, commercially available backpacks that are made specifically for our canine friends, although it is certainly possible to produce your own. With a little bit of sewing skill, a basic design idea, and enough material to do the job, Fido can very soon have his very own backpack. For the less adventuresome but still skilled, patterns can be obtained.

One of the important things to remember when designing a backpack for our four-legged friend is that the weight needs to be placed over the animal’s shoulder blades rather than the middle of the back, for a dog’s shoulders are built to carry weight, not the spine. As well, the best idea for the backpack is a saddlebag type design. This will be much more comfortable for him. Ideally, the end result should also be something that will not restrict movement, while still remaining in place without the need of frequent adjustments. That requires attention to harnessing methods and placement of straps, and probably would be helped by a little on-line research.

Of course, a retail product would automatically eliminate many of these worries, as long as it was a quality product that was being considered for purchase.

A dog does not likely have need of a change of clothes, but dried dog food, water, collapsible bowl, pick-up bags, and a leash would be ideal candidates for items to be included amongst its contents.

Once you have the dog’s kit ready, it would be wise to make it an attractive piece of apparel for him. Have him wear it on walks, or as an even more healthful choice, on hikes. It won’t take the animal long to associate it with fun activities, and to look forward to those times when it can be worn. Thus, when it is really needed, there is not likely to be any balking at being so attired.

If you and your companion do go hiking together, consider water resistant material in the construction of the saddlebags. Vacuum sealing the dog food will seal in odors as well, and not draw the attention of wild animals. A brightly colored backpack will stand out in the woods, and help prevent some hunter from thinking your beloved pet is some sort of a game animal. Realize, too, that not all trails welcome dogs, so that needs to be taken into consideration. And one more note. If you think that your dog will be ideal protection if you suddenly chance upon some bear or other large form of wildlife, think again. An untrained dog is just as likely to cower behind you so that you can protect if from the beast, as to rush forward to protect you from it.

Finally, don’t forget the emergency preparedness aspect of the backpack. In other words, keep it stocked, and keep it handy.

As you probably know, a chicken coop is an essential part of raising backyard chickens.
It will provide your flock with warm shelter and a safe place to eat and sleep. However,
not many of us want to invest in a pre-made chicken coop for many reasons such as:
inflated cost and the hassle of delivery or bringing it home. Therefore, I have written
this article to help you build a backyard chicken coop fast and easy. If you follow these 5 easy steps, you
will be able to construct a strong and durable backyard chicken coop that will provide excellent shelter for your chickens and keep them safe from predators.

Step 1: Plan Ahead of Time.

If you want to build a backyard chicken coop with the least amounts of setbacks, you must PLAN ahead of time. Some things to think about before beginning your construction are: How many chickens will inhabit the coop?, What size are the chickens, large standards or bantams? How many nests will you provide the hens with? How many feeders and waterers will you have available? How many windows will your chicken coop require to give enough sunlight to your flock? Will you be constructing a chicken run with easy access into and out of the coop? You see, there are various questions that need to be answered before you build a backyard chicken coop because you may find out too late that the coop you built was not sufficient enough to keep your chickens happy and safe.

Step 2: Choose your Terrain.

Once you have answered all your pre-building questions, the next step is to choose a terrain where you
will build a backyard chicken coop in. It is very important that you choose an area that is wide enough for your coop to fit with plenty of space around it for a chicken run or for you to maneuver around. You do not want to build a coop where you do not have easy access around its perimeter. Try to choose a terrain where it receives direct sunlight and far from heavy bushes or weeds where snakes, rodents, and other predators may reside in.

Step 3: Sketch out your Design on Paper.

When attempting to build a backyard chicken coop, do not go at it with a concept in your head. This can lead to disaster. Make sure you sketch out your coop on paper, even if you’re not an artist, and cover every angle including a top view of the roof and a sketch of the inside. If this is your first time building a backyard chicken coop, you shouldn’t go for an architectural masterpiece, but rather start out with a simple chicken coop first just big enough for your flock and as you gain experience, then go for something of a greater scale.

Step 4: Gather all your Materials.

Before you build a backyard chicken coop, make an effort to collect all the materials you will need so that you won’t have to take unexpected trips to and from the hardware or lumber store. A good example of materials you will need are: wood (2 x 4), concrete cinder blocks, chicken wire or fence wire, insulation strips, and ofcourse nails, screws, saw and hammer. While these are your most common materials, only you
will know exactly what you need when you complete steps 1 and 3 and actually plan ahead of time and sketch out your coop design from every angle.

Step 5: Build it.

It is now time to build a backyard chicken coop. You have done all your planning ahead of time. You have chosen a terrain convenient to maneuver around with excellent sunlight and free from predators. You have sketched out your chicken coop design on paper and you have gathered all your materials. Now all you have to do is put it together.

Some things to remember: Provide plenty of ventilation through screened windows, bury your outside chicken wire along the coop’s borders about a foot deep to prevent predators from digging in, and if you live in cold climates, make sure to properly insulate the roof and insides of the coop.

I hope these 5 steps will help you build a backyard chicken coop with greater ease and success.
However, these are only a few guidelines and there is so much more information you should learn before you actually build a backyard chicken coop.

To discover the wisdom and secrets on
mybackyardchickenfarm.com/chickencoop.html how to build a backyard chicken coop, visit longtime farmer and poultry keeper Dale Higgins’s website: mybackyardchickenfarm.com www.mybackyardchickenfarm.com.

Dale Higgins has been raising chickens and poultry for over 20 years and is an expert in building chicken coops.

The indigenous dogs of all regions approximate closely in size, color, form, and behavior to the native wolf of those areas. Of this most significant case there are far too many instances to allow of its being looked upon as a mere happenstance. In 1829 Sir John Richardson recorded that “the resemblance between the North American wolves and the domestic dog of the Indians is so great that the size and strength of the wolf seems to be the only difference”.

Some people have said that the fact that dogs bark while wild wolves only howl is evidence that they are not related. This, however, is quite silly since it is well known that any wild member of the canine family raised by a domestic mother will learn how to bark. It goes both ways as dogs allowed to run wild will forget how to bark.

It’s very clear then that the trait of barking cannot be used as any kind of proof or disproof of the relationship between dogs and their wild brethren. This stumbling block consequently vanishes, leaving us in the position of agreeing with Darwin, whose final hypothesis was that “it is highly probable that the domestic dogs of the world have descended from two good species of wolf (C. lupus and C. latrans), and from two or three other doubtful species of wolves namely, the European, Indian, and North African forms; from at least one or two South American canine species; from several races or species of jackal; and perhaps from one or more extinct species”; and that the genes of these, in some cases mixed together, flows in the veins of our domestic pets.

Grant Carroll is a happy father of four dogs and co-owner of littlepamperedpets.com littlepamperedpets.com with adorable

Owning a dog requires a lot of care and maintenance. You are responsible for a living creature from whom you receive so much love and attention, and your pet definitely deserves the best. However, with the introduction of so many kinds of dog supplies available in the market, a dog owner such as your self is often confused on what is essential and what is not.

A human’s most basic needs include food, money, shelter, and clothing. Your dog’s needs may not be too different after all.

Sufficient food and water

Apparently, a living creature’s needs do not vary that much where food is concerned. Humans and animals alike need clean and safe food and water to sustain life. Thus, ensuring your dog receives adequate amounts of food and water should be properly observed.

Choosing the right dog food is very important in maintaining a healthy dog. In recent years, animal doctors have advised dog owners to stop feeding dogs table scraps. Moreover, it has been said that the food of the owner is not necessarily good for his dog because of special dietary requirements of dogs. Thus, dog foods were created and developed to be able to provide dogs with the sufficient vitamins and minerals.

There is, however, an existing opposing belief about dog foods and studies have shown some dog food to be actually detrimental to a dog’s health. The type of dog food that is not recommended by some if not most animal doctors, are the mass-produced type which are considered low quality and are said to contain a number of harmful chemicals and preservatives. Thus, choosing the right dog food for your pet is very important to ensure a long healthy life.

Decent shelter

Your dog will be living with you and you must make certain that your home is suitable to accommodate a dog. There are sanitary and health standards that must be observed where a dog’s home is concerned. For one, dogs are prone to fleas and ticks and your home must be free of such pests.

There are dog supplies available in the market today that will make this task easier. There are sprays and cleaning agents that can be used to guarantee a house free of such harmful elements. Moreover, your dog must be bathed regularly with the use of specially formulated soaps and shampoos which will help in maintaining the healthy coat of hair on your dog.

Dog beds are optional, although a number of these are available in your local pet store. Their beds and/or cages must also be cleaned regularly so they will pest-free.

Clothing for protection

Fashionable clothing is also available for dogs. This however is not necessarily a must, although they may be helpful in cases of extreme weather. Other dog supplies such as collars and leashes among others fall under this category as well.

Despite any budgetary constraints that you may have, your dog has essential needs that cannot be disregarded. Furthermore, no amount of money and dog supplies can replace your love, care and attention.

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Building a nano reef aquarium seemed to go against everything that I had learned many years ago when I had a 180 gallon reef tank. How could I possibly keep water parameters stable enough to house live corals with a small tank? I had read articles on this subject and decided to give it a try. I also decided to keep SPS corals, which seemed even more to be a doomed attempt. I purchased the a Current Aquapod 24 gallon aquarium with the 150 watt 14,000k HQI metal halide and 6 each of the blue and white lunar lights. A separate small power head was installed and comes on twice a day to change the water flow.

I started by setting up the aquarium and mixing the saltwater. Then I added a two inch layer of live sand and allowed to settle before restarting the pumps. After running for three days the water cleared and it was time to add the live rock. The nice thing about a nano reef aquarium is, it doesn’t take very much live rock to fill the tank. After running the tank for about a week, I checked the water quality for nitrites and ph level. It was now time for the fun part of adding corals, fish and invertebrates. Over the next month I slowly started adding AragaMilk to eventually raise the calcium level to 450 ppm.

I have been running the tank for 2 1/2 months now and the SPS corals are already showing signs of growth. The coralline algae has colored up nicely and is also showing signs of growth. I had to remove one of the live rocks to make room for some of the corals at the top. It is easy to keep up with the weekly water changes and doesn’t cost much since I only change 2 1/2 gallons per week. I buy distilled water for water changes and topping off evaporated water. At $.64 per gallon, it doesn’t make since to buy a reverse osmosis water purifier for water changes.

Nano reef aquariums are great for SPS coral frags. To attatch the frags to the live rock, I use Marineland’s Hold Fast, which is a two part epoxy similar to plumbers epoxy. The glue will quickly be overgrown by coralline algae or the coral itself. Many SPS corals are now aquacultered leaving the ocean’s natural reefs preserved.

For more information visit reefkeepingfever.com www.reefkeepingfever.com

Content writer for reefkeepingfever.com

The most common complaint that veterinarians face in their daily practice is skin trouble! Dry, itchy skin, redness, sores, little bumps, pustules, falling hair, typical ‘doggy’ odour are some of the usual signs. Owners tend to give a lot of importance to their pets ‘skin and coat condition mainly because skin rashes and falling hair affect the appearance of the dog. What few people realize is that the skin often shows the first signs of ill health. This, the first article of this series, will focus on internal problems that manifest as skin disorders.

Diet for good health

Your dog’s diet affects every aspect of his health including alertness, skeletal and muscular development and general vitality, but the first and most common sign of nutritional deficiency is a dry, itchy skin. Unfortunately, Indian dog owners are yet to wake up to the fact that feeding a good commercial pre-formulated dog food is best for the dogs. Only when your dog is on a 100% diet of a good pre-formulated dog food (without any addition of home-cooked food) can you be certain that he is getting all his nutritional requirements in the correct amount and proportion. It is important to understand that feeding an imbalanced diet will lead to serious health problems, some of which may become evident much later in the dog’s life, and are often difficult to treat, like joint disease. Consult your vet on a regular basis to determine the most suitable dog food formulation according to his growth and life stage.

How does diet affect the dog’s skin and coat? Simply put, certain nutrients in the daily diet are essential for maintaining a healthy skin and coat, mainly essential fatty acids (e.g. linoleic acid), vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, calcium and biotin. Certain amino acids, the basic ‘building blocks’ of proteins, also play an important role in skin health.
Your next question may be that if your dog is on dog food alone, does he need additional supplementation? I usually do not recommend popularly prescribed supplementation of calcium phosphorous vitamin D. There is always a tendency to over supplement these minerals, resulting in some very serious, irreversible bone and joint defects. If you are feeding your dog on 100% dog food, your dog’s coat may still benefit from correct supplementation. Research done at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, UK, concluded that even dogs fed with 100% dog food show further improvement in skin and coat health when their diet is supplemented with certain nutrients. A good supplement enhances the coat softness and feel, increases coat gloss and helps in better coat scale.

Apart from diet, other internal factors also affect the condition of the dog’s skin and coat, which have been summarized in the form of a table.

Deworming do’s and don’ts

A dog who is not dewormed regularly also suffers the same problems as a dog with nutritional deficiencies. Internal parasities ‘eat away’ certain nutrients from the dog’s digestive system.

The deworming schedule that I recommend is once a month for pups up to the age of 7 months, every two months for pups between 7 and 12 months and thereafter, every three months. Dogs fed home-cooked food, especially meat, will need to be deworned more frequently. It is best that you consult your vet for a deworming schedule specifically designed for your dog.

The ‘itch-scratch’ cycle

The reason why skin conditions take so painfully long to treat, is because of the ‘itch-search’ cycle. Any of these conditions can make a dog feel ‘ itchy’ dry skin, allergy, the presence of loose hair, ectoparasities (ticks, fleas, mange, etc). Every time the dog scratches, he causes mild to severe abrasions or scratches on his skin and also introduces infection-causing organisms into the layers of the skin. As these abrasions and scratches on the skin begin to heal by the process of granulation, it causes an intense itching sensation, which starts the whole vicious cycle all over again.

Therefore, when treating any such skin condition, it often becomes essential to give the dog a good anti-histamine for a few days, only to break the ‘itch-scratch’ cycle and give the treatment enough time to start acting. It may become necessary to give an antibiotic. Your vet will be able to advise you on the best course of action for your dog. A beautiful skin and healthy coat starts from inside. No amount of external applications with the best products can give a healthy luster to an unhealthy dog.

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Attack dogs are dogs trained to bite people on command. Although these dogs are usually associated with police work, they had different uses in the history of human-canine relationship. Hundreds of years ago, attack dogs were used to break the first line of enemy armies and to capture and kill fugitive slaves.

In theory, an attack dog must be able to bite and stop biting on command. Thus, an attack dog would be a useful helper for police forces without being a dangerous animal.

Unfortunately, some dogs are trained to attack but not to stop their attack on command. Besides, there are some vicious dogs that may bite their own owner or trainer. These are not real attack dogs but vicious and dangerous animals, often owned by irresponsible and disturbed people.

Well trained attack dogs must also be well socialized and have reliable obedience training. These dogs are not supposed to attack any person, unless their owners are facing a threat. Every dog trained to attack on command must be carefully chosen according to its physical and psychological features. In addition, it must go through long and demanding obedience training.

– Attack dogs and guard dogs

Guard dogs are not the same as attack dogs. Although an attack dog may also be a guard dog, guard dogs can not always be attack dogs.

The main function of a guard dog should be to inform about the presence of a stranger. So, guard dogs are not supposed to attack the stranger. Therefore, several small breeds can be used as guard dogs, though they can not be effective as attack dogs.

– Are attack dogs dangerous?

An attack dog will always be dangerous if it has been trained in the wrong way. In this case, the dog will just become a vicious dog which can attack even its owner.

However, a well trained attack dog may be safe. I say “may be” because safety depends on the dog’s handler. An experienced handler who understands the dog will be able to control it and to predict its responses to different stimuli. Thus, such handler will avoid risky situations and the dog won’t be dangerous.

On the other hand, a well trained attack dog is dangerous if the handler is inexperienced and/or does not know the dog’s reaction to several stimuli. This would be like a small kid with a knife.

So, if you are considering training your dog to attack, you must train yourself in the first place. Getting enrolled in canine clubs to practice sports like Schutzhund, Mondio Ring or French Ring may be the best way to get involved in attack dog training. These sports have high and well defined standards so their practitioners are knowledgeable in training, dog behavior and canine aggression.

Usually, sport dogs are reliable and safe because their owners and handlers are experienced people who know very well how their dogs behave.

– Are attack dogs necessary?

The utility of attack dogs is arguable. Since no dog can compete with modern weapons, attack dogs are useless except in some particular situations. On the other hand, no dog is 100% reliable under stressful circumstances, even if it is very well trained.

Because of their limited utility, I think attack dog training should not be recommended for canine companions. Attack dog training should be left for police dogs, army dogs and, of course, sport dogs.

Rodrigo Trigosso is a biologist and professional dog trainer. His website at dog-training-tutorial.com/ www.dog-training-tutorial.com provides objective and reliable information on dog training and behavior.

Cats, as most of us know, make a wonderful and loving pet. For that reason, more and more households in the United States have cats. We can virtually see them sleeping on windows or cuddling with their owners. These feline pets have been around for a long time now. Studies show that the earliest known domestication of the cat was in Egypt, which was more or less 5,000 years ago.

During the ancient times, cats were considered as loyal and endearing companions. Also, cats have proven themselves to be excellent hunters, this is because cats have several notable characteristics than those of dogs (such as shorter sleeping periods, easier to wake up, better vision at night and better auditory system).

Unlike the ancient times wherein cats were used as hunting companions, cats these days only used as pets and for show. While some of today’s cat seldom hunt mice and rodent because of the reliance of man.

There are numerous cat breeds these days, from the regular cat found mostly on alleys to the popular Siamese breed. Each and every breed is unique and offer great companionship if properly cared.

If you are planning of adopting one, it is advisable that you must first carefully consider the source. If you plan to adopt from a cat breeder, it is recommended that you first check if the cat breeder has a good reputation in breeding cats. It is important that the cattery (or the place where the cats are bred) is clean and is operated properly. Most of the reputable breeders won’t allow the kittens to be adopted unit the kittens are 12 weeks old, while some breeders prefer 16 weeks, this is to ensure the proper development of the kitten’s health and immune system.

And once you have adopted one, it is important that you must place your cat in a litter box. The litter box must always be kept tidy and must have constant source of food and water. If you opt for a kitten, it is highly recommended that they must be allowed to roam and run around freely. It is unwise to keep kittens on cages. Also, it is important that you have constant physical interaction with the kitten, the kitten must get used to being touched and stroked so that it will interact more to you. A kitten that is handled properly will eventually have better temperament when it grows up.

Cats make very good pets or companion if properly taken care of. You can adopt a cat or kitten through the local animal adoption agency near you. Or you can either find one through your local paper and on the internet.

Jack Moundon is the owner of the-cat-central.com the-cat-central.com Helpful information about cats health problems and meanings about their common behavior. Great gift for cat lovers and helping you cat stay healthy.