Posts Tagged ‘dogs’

Should I Get A Cat Or A Dog?

February 7th, 2010

Advice from a cat person who’s gone to the dogs

I was a committed cat person, but due to some interesting circumstances, I now have two dogs. I would never have considered getting a dog before for the following reasons: Dogs smell bad. Dogs have to be walked every day to do their business and exercise, which must be a pain in the butt. Dogs seem to get very depressed when their ‘person’ isn’t nearby. Dogs tear things up and destroy the house. I’ve found that though I was right about some of these things, I was wrong about others.

#1 Dogs smell bad. I hate to say it, but this is 100% true. Dogs use scent as a form of communication- for example, if doggy A went prowling around on the beach and found a dead fish, he would roll in it, paying special attention to the shoulder region, really grinding away at that dead fish so he could have the full benefit of it’s unique aroma. Then he would bring this lovely scent back to the pack (or in this case, back to the apartment) to brag to the others. My dogs seem very dejected when I wash their carefully chosen perfume off. My cat, on the other hand, wouldn’t be caught dead smelling like a dead fish.

#2 Dogs have to be walked everyday, to do their business and for exercise (TRUE) which is a pain in the butt (FALSE!). I used to watch my dog-having friends with pity. We’d be at a pub or hanging out at someone’s house when they’d sigh, get up, and say ‘well, I’ve got to go let my dog out or he’ll pee on the floor’ and off they’d go, leaving a fun night behind them. What I didn’t understand was that they wanted to get home to their dog. I’ve only had my dogs for 5 months and I’ll tell you right now- after 8 hours away, I miss those mangy little mutts. Also, sometimes it’s downright handy to have an excuse to get out of a boring social situation.

I thought I would hate having to walk my dog all the time- but I love it! I actually know my neighbors and it gives me more exercise and time outside. Before I had my dogs, I never went for walks. Now I do at least twice a day, and it’s one of the healthiest, most relaxing habits that I have. Sometimes we need a reason to do what’s good for us. I’m glad I have two. My cat, however, never gets me out of the house. In fact, she seems to send me subliminal messages convincing me to stay in.

#3 Dogs seem to be very depressed when their ‘person’ isn’t nearby. True. This was probably my biggest reason for not wanting a dog. Most people love the warm welcome they get from their dog after they’ve been gone all day, but I found it depressing. If the dog was so happy to see them come home, weren’t they depressed all day while the person was gone? This troubled me for the first month that I had a dog. I would be out all day, busy, while she was home all day, sleeping. Then when I came home, she wanted to play. I’ve found the perfect solution, which is…drum roll please.TWO DOGS! Ever since I got my second dog, we all seem to be on the same wave-length when it comes to activity level. For more information on how two dogs are better than one, please click here.

#4 Dogs tear things up and destroy the house. This one seems to be true for the first month. I’ve come home to my fair share of destroyed slippers. A good number of my personal items bare canine teeth marks. But I found that after the first month, we reached a compromise- my dog had a better sense of what I didn’t want her to chew on, and I have a better sense of what not to leave within her reach. I say a month because that’s how long I think it takes for a new pet and pet owner to reach some sort of understanding. But it’s probably not a coincidence that my stuff stopped getting chewed up right around the time that I got my second dog. Once again, two dogs seem to be better than one. I’m pretty sure that my two dogs play and chew on each other all day while I’m gone.

So there you have it- some of the common misconceptions that cat people have about dogs, and whether or not they’re true.

Were trying to help put dogs in need if you are interested in dog rescue adoption then make sure to check out the website to see how you can help. adoptable dogs all need homes. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

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Welsh Terriers A Facing a Struggle

February 3rd, 2010

Originally, Welsh terriers were bred for hunting rabbits, foxes and badgers, but public opinion and the decline in the lust for blood in general have gone against blood sports and so this native breed of Wales has become a show dog and a pet. Breeders try to outdo each other by breeding the Welsh terrier to have a thicker wiry coat and deeper colouration. The Welsh terrier is also a popular pet because it is one of the most easy-going terriers.

The Welsh terrier is a fun loving dog. It just loves to run, chase and play, which makes it a smashing companion and a perfect pet. Welsh terriers require lots of exercise, so be prepared for plenty of walking, if you make your mind up to get one.

It is a good idea to ’socialize’ your dog as early as possible. This means that you should introduce your Welsh terrier puppy to children and other dogs at an early age. The more you encourage your dog to play with other dogs as a puppy, the less trouble you will have with your dog fighting or barking at other dogs and cats. It’s the same story with children. Children can play very roughly, and a dog could be forgiven for biting back, but it can be avoided by introducing your Welsh terrier puppy to children while it is still young. The child might learn respect, but the dog will learn tolerance.

The Welsh terrier is easily trained, if you like your dog to perform tricks. it is an intelligent breed and, being former hunters, they are good at learning commands and tricks. Train your Welsh terrier with kindheartedness and reiteration. They like to retrieve sticks and play with a ball. Many people train their Welsh terriers to catch a flying Frisbee too.

A Welsh terrier will groom himself quite meticulously, but you can help out by brushing him once a week in order to remove the dead and loose hair. This will also help reduce the amount of hairs dropping inside your house, although terriers in general, and wire-haired dogs in particular do not lose as much hair as soft coated dogs. You could also help by wiping him over with a damp cloth from time to time in order to pick up any dust on his coat.

A Welsh terrier is very active and very curious, so it is prudent to keep your dog in a yard that has been fenced off. However, the fence needs to be realistically high, because the Welsh terrier has an exceptional ability to jump due to its long legs.

The Welsh terrier is Britain’s oldest variety of dog, but it is now under pressure. The British kennel club registers only 300 Welsh terrier puppies a year, whereas it registers tens of thousands of puppies of other, more popular, breeds. The Welsh terrier is a strong-willed animal, so it does need a strong-willed and patient owner.

However. if you want a Welsh terrier and you persevere with it, you will never look back. They have a lot to give and, as with so many things in life, you only get out what you are willing to put in.

If you are interested in Welsh corgi puppies, or Wales in general, go to our website at Welsh Products Online

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Boarding Dogs In Temporary Kennels

February 2nd, 2010

Are you the sort of dog owner who likes to take your companion with you wherever you go? If you are then you know that that there are times when you can do this, but there are also times when you can not, for whatever reason.

On the occasions when that happens, you will usually need to find a boarding kennels that will take care of your dog while you are away.

A vacation is a time for relaxing, so you do not want to be worrying about your dog, if you can help it. Within your own country, it is not usually a big problem, but if you go abroad, then taking your dog can be more trouble than it is worth. Not only for you, but for your doggy friend as well.

If you can not board your dog with someone it knows, like a member of your family or a neighbour, then the only option is a boarding kennels.

I have placed my dog in a bad kennel once and I learned a few lessons from that. I placed my Becky in a kennel in a highly regarded village just outside our town. I was happy with what I saw and the sales pitch of the owner, so I went to Spain, thinking that all was fine for both of us. I had a great holiday and went straight to the kennels from the airport on my return, although I had told them a fortnight before that I would pick Becky up the day after my arrival. I just could not wait to see her.

I went to the kennels and they were surprised to see me. Of course, I was a day early. They said that Becky was ‘resting’ and that it would be better to ‘come back tomorrow’. No way! So they took me to see her. I nearly cried. She was sitting in a good sized cage, but on newspaper sodden with pee.

She saw me and just looked down at her paws. I called her name again, but she did not want to know. I paid the bill and put her in the car on the front passenger seat where she always sat. She just looked out the window and showed no interest in me whatsoever.

It was three days before she would speak to me again! The moral of this story is not to be impressed by big adverts or impressive locations as I was. Ask your dog-owning friends, write into the local paper inviting recommendations, phone the local animal protection society or the kennel club or look on the Internet.

If you are interested in Welsh corgi puppies, or Wales in general, go to our website at Welsh Products Online

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Wedding Cakes

February 2nd, 2010

Nearly every family or social event involves the eating of food and the imbibing or drinks in the celebration. Think of Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. In this piece of writing, I would like to talk about that centre piece of any wedding reception: the wedding cake.

The guests come to eat, drink and be merry and the bride’s parents always put a great deal of work into the organization of the wedding reception. The wedding cake is the focal point of the top table and the whole function in general. The wedding cake has traditional significance and it is often considered bad luck not to have a slice of the wedding cake.

There are precise rules for the timing of the cutting of the wedding cake that have become part of tradition. For example, if the wedding reception takes place at lunch or dinner, it is traditional to cut the wedding cake just before the dessert is served.

However, if the reception is to take place in the late afternoon or early evening, the cake is served as soon as the guests arrive. In some traditions the bride and groom cut and eat the first slice together as a symbol of their vows to love, honour and obey each other. The remainder of the cake is generally cut by one of the assistants, like the maid of honour or a family relative.

It can be quite hard to choose the wedding cake. Traditionally, people opt for a white cake with white icing for weddings, however nowadays, people are becoming more adventurous and are picking more exotic flavours and colours.

Some people choose to have a wedding cake which has different flavours on each layer. While white icing is still the overwhelming favourite, people do order other colours like pink and yellow. Chocolate and mocha are also popular. These days you can have what you like. It is your day, after all.

Everybody enjoys the wedding reception. It is the favourite part of the wedding day and everyone looks forward to seeing the cake cut and sharing it with the bride and groom.

If you are considering becoming a cake decorator, you have a few choices to go about it. You could buy a book or a course or get a video in order to teach yourself how to decorate cakes from the plain to the ornate. You could also go to a night school class to learn the art or cake decoration.

Without a doubt, the very best way to learn cake decorating is to take a course. DVD’s, videos, and books are all well and good, but you cannot converse with them or ask questions. If you attend a class for three months or more you will learn more and get a more profound understanding of the art of cake decoration. You will learn how to put real emotion into the decoration of the cake and you will be able to translate the wedding couple’s dreams into a cake that you and they can be proud of.

If you are interested in a Welsh gold wedding ring, or Wales in general, go to our web site at Welsh Products Online

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Two Dogs Are Better Than One!

January 31st, 2010

I couldn’t believe it- I, the committed cat person, who had thought of every possible reason never to own a dog, who hated the smell and the jumping and the licking and the mucky mess of them- I was rescuing a dog. There I was, speeding along the highway, following my friend Jody who had *my* new dog on his scooter. I’d slept on it for two days and finally decided that I would take the little mutt in. I examined the specimen on Jody’s scooter. She was shivering, a fur covered bag of bones, her nose jutted into the wind and for some reason she was constantly licking the air. Lick Lick lick. With each flick of her little pink tongue I thought to myself, “What the heck am I doing?”

She had been abandoned outside a convenience store. I had passed her a million times since the first time I saw her, two weeks before. I’d taken her food and water, and finally decided that I just couldn’t let her die. But how would I do it? I hate responsibility and being tied down. I loved having a cat- all I had to do was put a bunch of food and water down for her, and a litter box, and she was good to go. What was I going to do with this dog?

Over the next several weeks, Dresden (my mutts named after a German city that’s been fire bombed) seemed to prove every fear that I had about adopting a dog. She peed on the floor. She chewed things up. She slept all day while I was gone, then when I got home exhausted, she had enough energy to power Manhattan. She kept me up all night whining and wanting to play. She cried terribly when I tried to leave, and would always try to bolt out the door when I left for work. I liked her, or at least I felt guilty for not liking her, which is almost like liking her, right?

Cut to two months later- I’m walking Dresden on the beach, and can’t let her off the leash because she’s in heat. What do I see ahead? ANOTHER DRESDEN! Except this Dresden is male.

Now let me tell you- my dog is weird looking. To see what must have been her twin is a strange coincidence, unless someone went up and down the coast abandoning puppies. Which is probably what happened. Let’s just say that male Dresden took a fancy to female Dresden, who was in heat and attracting every dog within a 30 mile radius. I ran home, and this little male dog, though limping and terribly skinny (more of a skeleton than a dog) followed us the whole way. I put Dresden inside, and took out a bowl of food for the male dog- a dog-lover trying to help a stray? No, my plan was to lure him back to the beach and while he was distracted by the food- RUN!

I did it. Three times. It didn’t work.

Finally it was time for me to go to work. Male Dresden was outside, howling at female Dresden, who was inside whining. I left. When I came home, male Dresden was inside the gate, laying on a makeshift bed, a bowl of food next to him. My landlord had taken him in thinking he was my dog! Aggggh! And fed him! Now he would never leave!

Every time I left the house, I had to fight off the amorous male Dresden who was trying to you know what the female Dresden (who is now happily spayed).

I took the little sucker in. Named him Romulus, after the mythical founder of Rome who was suckled by a wolf.

And a miracle happened. Shoes stopped being torn to shreds. When I arrived home, Dresden and Romulus greeted me with that special canine welcome frenzy, then they curled up together and.went to sleep. They had been playing all day. They had no need to keep me up all night. When I left for work, they both smiled wagging— oh good, finally she’s gone, let the games begin! When I took them to the beach, I didn’t have to throw sticks or run with them- they ran circles around each other, and were awfully cute doing it.

Two dogs are better than one! I’m a cat person. If you asked me if you should adopt a dog, I’d say no. But if you asked me if you should adopt two dogs, I’d say hell yes.

Were trying to help put dogs in need if you are interested in dog rescue adoption then make sure to check out the website to see how you can help. adoptable dogs all need good homes. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

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Trendy Dog Names

November 27th, 2009

Fashion appears to dictate everything these days. From what you wear to what you name your dog, everything you do is dictated by the requirement to be fashionable. Cool dog names are hard to come by and even harder to choose. This is because no sooner is something in fashion, than it is out again.

Who would want to choose a cute dog name that may not be fashionable tomorrow? People usually play it safe as a result, which is why the same names have been so popular for so long. To try and break that cycle, five cute dog names are given below with the reasons why you should choose one of them for your dog.

Phoenix: What could be cooler than a bird that goes up in flames and then rises from the ashes? Phoenix is one of the cool dog names that will never go out of fashion because it is located in mythology. It has a timeless quality which has surprisingly failed to boost its popularity.

Star: Star is one of the cool dog names because it has so many meanings and connotations that you can struggle to find out where to begin. A star in the sky is a phenomenon and a star can refer to someone that excels in a certain field. It is a high form of praise and thus is definitely a cute dog name.

Lady: Lady is one of the most popular dog names but it is also one of the cool dog names because of Disney. Lady and the Tramp was a huge hit and made the name popular but also gave it some credibility. In this case popularity is second to coolness.

Elvis: The coolest of cute dog names. Elvis Presley was undoubtedly cool and remains cool today even after his death. It is infinitely cool to name your dog after an icon who never goes out of fashion.

Shadow: There is a dark and mysterious quality about Shadow that makes it a cute dog name. It would be used to best effect on a large dog however because it wouldn’t have the same strong effect with a small breed.

Whatever cute dog names you consider for your pooch, it is a certain method of giving your dog an identity of its own and your dog memorable to others.

Does your dog need training? If you need further information on dogs in general, then visit our web site entitled Successful Dog Training Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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Fleas and Other Parasites

November 25th, 2009

Fleas and other parasites ought to always be awarded the top priority by dog owners. Flea bite allergy in dogs is all too common and causes concern to many dog owners every year, especially in the summer, although all year round if your dog lives indoors with central heating. This is because flea bites often produce allergic reactions in the area bitten by the fleas, which is very often on the back just above the tail. In these cases, the affected area becomes red and bald due to the dog’s continuous scratching of itself.

Heavy flea infestations can cause severe dermatitis in dogs. If the flea bites cause allergic reactions or dermatitis in the dog, it really ought to be taken to the vet, because on many occasions, the dog will be experiencing severe discomfort.

The vet will provide you a cream to soothe the itching and reduce the inflammation and some powder or a spray to kill the fleas. Prevention, however, is better than cure and medicated collars are available to treat and prevent an infestation of external blood-suckers like ticks and fleas.

Besides fleas, other parasites like ticks and lice plus internal parasites like hookworm, round worm, whip worms etc. can affect the well-being of your dog. For instance, if hookworms infect a dog, that dog will usually be anaemic. The signs of anaemia become more prominent according to the degree of infection by the hookworm.

Hookworm larvae can pass directly through the skin and cause severe problems inside the infected dog. Such dogs may reveal lesions on the paws and on the skin due to dermatitis. Frequently, skin rashes result in such cases and the affected animal may also pass runny stools, which are tinged red with blood.

Most dogs and all puppies get round worms, which is why dogs can often be seen rubbing their bottoms along the floor. However, if round worms are present in large numbers, infected puppies show a pot belly, which is easily recognized by dog owners themselves. Piperazine salts are given orally for the treatment of this problem. However, broad-spectrum anthelmintics like pyrantel pamoate, fenbendazole etc. are also given to treat this condition.

Lately, many drugs have come onto the market to treat fleas and other parasites. Nowadays, the medical agent called ivermectin is highly preferred by many dog owners to treat fleas and other parasites in dogs. This drug is available in injection form and oral form. The drug is available for external application also.

If you are having problems getting rid of fleas on your dog, please follow the ‘fleas’ link, however if you just want to read more about dogs or training dogs, please go here: Man’ Best Friend – the Dog Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

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