Archive for the ‘Pets’ category

Teaching Your Dog To Swim

February 19th, 2010

Although some dogs are natural swimmers, not all are, which makes it important that you take the time to teach your dog to swim. Not only is it good for bonding but can be fun for both of you. Here are some useful tips on teaching your dog to swim.

1. Using a dog life jacket.

A dog life jacket is one of the most useful pieces of equipment for helping your dog to learn to swim. The extra buoyancy provided by the life preserver not only helps him to learn to swim a lot easier but also reduces the amount of fatigue he experiences. It will also keep him warmer in the water. Also a dogs life jacket will usually have a handle on the top which is helpful for lifting him out of the water. This makes it a lot easier for getting him out of the water should he become panicked or fatigued.

2. Be in the water at the same time as your dog.

Very much like teaching a small child to swim it helps a great deal to be in the water with your dog. Not only is it great fun, getting in the water will allow you to guide him through the water and provide encouragement. Also, should he run into trouble you can quickly lift him out of the water and to safety. One proviso on this is that should you have a big dog you may need a friend in the water with you to help lift him out.

3. Start small initially.

If you have your own swimming pool, then this is an ideal way of introducing him to water. He can go in feet first and slowly move out until all his body becomes wet. Throwing your dog into water and hoping for the best is a very bad idea. This can lead to a life long fear of water in your dog.

4. Keep episodes short.

When swimming, a dog uses a lot of energy and also loses a lot of heat in the water. Dogs that are bred to spend a lot of time i water usually have thick fur and a large. This minimizes their heat loss. To prevent your dog from developing hypothermia, keep swimming sessions short, dry your dogs fur afterwards and follow up by wrapping in a blanket.

5. Make swimming fun.

Dogs love nothing more than joining in with his family, jumping and playing about in the water. Make the whole water experience fun. This can be achieved by playing games in the water, giving encouragement and even giving treats. This will encourage him to spend time in water as he will associate the experience with having a good time.

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Are You Prepared for a Cat Health Emergency?

January 27th, 2010

When you own a cat you are having a huge responsibility of taking care of the cat and provide him with all he needs to live happy and healthy. Like it happens with humans, there will be situations in life that will lead to a health emergency and you should be prepared for it with the necessary tools to keep your cat out of harm.

A must-have item to have in your house is a cat’s first aid kit. You can build your own first aid kit or buy a kit which already contains all the necessary items that will be handy to handle an emergency. Be sure to include items such as isopropyl alcohol, ointment antibiotics, elastic bands and cotton; online you can find great lists with the needed items inside a first aid kit. Keep the container at hand, and try to buy a color that stands out to easily find it. As an extra tip, I advise you to take a piece of auto-adhesive paper and write on it the emergency numbers for your cat, including your veterinary’s phone number and the number of animal poisoning center.

You should also have a good knowledge of common cat health problems. It is our duty to recognize the symptoms of a sick cat because in many cases it will cause a great difference in the state of our cat. If we recognize symptoms early, this will be of greater help for our beloved pet and the veterinary will do a better job restoring the good health of our cat. Find and read information on problems such as plant poisoning, constipation and cat eye infections. Just knowing this info is one o the best things you can do for your cat.

Finally, know that emergencies do happen, and in any event it is better to stay calm to make the right decisions when needed.

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Info on a Cage for Your Chinchilla

January 5th, 2010

Chinchilla cage should be kept in a cool and quiet place because chinchillas belong to cold climate, which is why they have fur. They cannot sweat and thus warm climate is dangerous to them. You can either choose from a wide variety of readymade cages available in the market or go for a homemade one.

A homemade chinchilla cage will require a lot of planning and time for arranging materials, taking measurements, and executing the plan. The good thing is you get a custom chinchilla cage, which has all the space and comfort for your pet.

Cage for chinchilla should not be kept in bedroom since they are nocturnal animals and can disturb you. They will wake you up, and make you think someone is breaking into your house. High, deep and broad cage will provide sufficient moving space for free jumping and climbing for the pet. Since they can jump as high as 6 ft, a large chinchilla cage is necessary. They are quite agile as their natural habitat is in burrows or crevices in mountains.

There are a number of chinchilla cage plans that you can choose from. Chinchillas, unlike humans, love dust bath, which is necessary for them at least once a week. Healthy environment will boost their health and lifespan. Chinchillas urinate often and spread their feces in every possible corner of the cage. Therefore, you need to arrange for proper sanitation to prevent any infection or disease.

A wired cage is better since it allows for proper air flow and keeps temperatures around normal during summer unlike solid-sided cages, which will be very difficult to live in the summer. Chinchillas might chew plastic so it is better to use wire cage. The cage for a chinchilla should be comfortable for the animal. Remember to provide proper outing to the pet or it will deteriorate in physical capabilities over time.

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