Dandruff is not only the most aesthetically pleasing thing in the world but it is also a sign that the skin of your pet has become stale. This is quite common among pets especially dogs as they eat dry – kibble which is low in moisture and also because they do not drink enough water which leads to constant dehydration and thus, they can readily become flaky and dry in their outer appearance. If pets develop any kind of medical problems such as infections, diabetes or allergies then often the skin is the first to signify a change in general health by becoming roughened and dry. If your pet, too, develops a poor hair-coat or a dry skin then you must consider the following possibilities and go to your veterinarian :-

•  Lusterless coats or dry skin might indicate an improper balance or deficiency of certain essential fatty acids in the pet’s diet. Pet foods are particularly low in certain fatty acids which are beneficial. Fatty acids are relatively dainty and prone to breakdown by improper storage or over – cooking of dry food. If your pet is following the fat – restricted diet then they might be at increased risk of deficiency.
•  Irritated or dry skin might be an antagonistic reaction to the foods which contain additives, preservatives and artificial dyes. Food allergy to some specific ingredients can also cause flaky or dry skin.
•  Mites, flea allergy, yeast ring worms, mange and other bacterial skin infections can often cause skin redness, itchiness, dry – skin and also hair loss.
•  Endocrine problems such as diabetes, cushing syndrome, hypo or hyper thyroid ism etc, hormonal problems, skin cancer and immune problems are some of the serious causes the skin flakiness.
  There can be many causes of dry skin and various tests might need to be performed if you want to find an exact precise diagnosis. Usually, a skin scrape with the microscopic examination is the first step at the office of your veterinarian. Occasionally allergy testing, dandruff or hair culture, blood test or biopsy will have to be performed.

WHAT KIND OF DOGS GET DANDRUFF?

TREATMENT OF DANDRUFF :-

1. PETS ARE WHAT THEY EAT :-

As i already said that our adorable pets need some certain amount of fat in their diet, but do remember to provide good type of fat, not bacon, in order to keep their skin supple and nice, and fur shiny. You can either switch their diet to a holistic, high quality food or you can also supplement oils in their diet, specifically designed for pets. It is very important for our pet to drink plenty of water in order to stay healthy and hydrated. Our body is of 70% water and yes, our pets, too, are no different. Pets which are in continual state of the dehydration are more likely to develop symptoms of kidney disease and many more other diseases. So, If your adorable pet does not drink sufficient water then you can add water in his food. You can also include canned food in the diet of your pet as it provides essential water supplementation and is wonderful for organ hydration.

2. BATHING :-

Bathing your dog regularly, can help to wash away dandruff peels, however redundant  bathing can make the situation only  worsen. So you can give bath to your dog once in a month during winter and Twice or thrice a month during summer season. When you are planing to give bath to your pet then it is very important to use the right type of shampoo. And no, i am not taking about the bottle of shampoo in your shower which YOU use, as that is not for your pet. There are many shampoos available in the market which are specifically designed for your pets and can help you in getting rid of dandruff. If your pet is showing even a small sign of having dandruff then you must use dandruff shampoo to bath him. However, if the problem persists even after applying of dandruff then it is advised that you should seek some professional help bin vet.
You’ll know definitely  the right time when is to go out and buy dandruff shampoo for your pet if you begin to see dead skin or white flakes shedding from your dog’s fur.

3. IMPORTANCE OF GROOMING :-

It is another way of keeping your pet dandruff – free. Brushing your endearing pet not only makes your pet feel nice and keep his fur shiny, burr – free and and smooth but it also helps in distributing the natural oils of your pet’s coat and also massage his skin. However you should choose your brush carefully as if its too soft then it will not work whereas if the brush is too stiff then it will annoy rather than helping. Pet owners must determine the amount of brushing needed as it can exfoliate the skin of your pet. Usually cats generally self – groom whereas long – haired cats might need assistance. Also, double coated fur may trap the dead skin underneath it so you must take extra -care to brush your pets.

4. SUPPLEMENTS :-

Fatty acids supplements are important with skin conditions in all pets. Fatty acids help in eliminating the inflammation within the irritated skin and thus, help in improving skin suppleness and moisture, regardless of underlying problem. Most of the people are well known with the fatty acids like omega 3 which are commonly found in fish oils.

5. SEE A VET :-

If you take your pet to a veterinarian then he will know exactly what to do in treating your little fluffy friend.  They may advice you to do the therapies, additionally, in treating dry skin, however the above methods for treating dry skin is more economic – free.

And last but not the least, do not forget to spend more valuable time with your pet so that he might not feel alone, so good luck!

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Congratulations, so you have finally decided to get a crayfish as a pet! This is really great!  They are definitely one of the most lovable pets and fun to watch, but you need to know more about it than just propelling it in the tank.  They make excellent pets, also known as – crawdads, mud bags and  craw fish.  Taking care of them is quite easy and this is the reason which makes them one of the most prominent pets.  Read further in order to know how to take care of them.

1.  GET YOUR CRAYFISH :-

You can easily buy a crayfish from any pet store or a tropical fish store. If you want to buy a red – crayfish then it can cost you one to three dollars while a blue colored crayfish can even cost more than twenty dollars as they’re more high – end crayfish. If you want to have more options then you can also go through some websites in order to find more exotic and exceptional  species, although they can cost you a 100 dollars.

2. HOUSING :-

They are considered as one of the least demanding pets which makes them convenient for adults as well as children. They need only easy and simple living conditions with air plumps and filters as compared to other semi – aquatic and aquatic or marine pets. However, if you want, then you can add extra  elements in the tank.  Generally, they require a tank which has a temperature of  21 -24 ° Celsius with a pH level of 7.0, which is neutral. A crayfish, usually, crave for at least six to eleven Gallons of water.

Also, it is not advisable to keep more than one crayfish in the same tank but if you do this, then you have to make sure there is sufficient place for both the craw-fishes in the tank. Also, you have to be sure that both of the crayfishes are of same variety or breed, else ways, they could kill each other.  You should change water regularly,  you should do this at least twice a week as they have lots of   bio loads. So, you will have to make sure to have a dechlorinator when changing water.

3. MAKE TANK COMFORTABLE FOR YOUR CRAYFISH :-

You should create a good environment in the tank as they love to go into hiding, playing and hovel, and in order to make them comfortable. You can add things like plants, rocks, tipped over castle and PVC pipes. They love to crawl on the plants so you could buy fake plants, else ways, they will eat the real plants sooner.  In order to make them feel truly safe, you can get gerbil pipes, any three – side containers or hollowed out rocks.  Also, you  need to know that they are more comfortable when its dark so you can minimize the light -exposure which the tank gets.

4. KEEP YOUR CRAYFISH FROM ESCAPING THEIR TANK :-

They love to examine new region and are absolutely good at running away. So you will have to make sure to have protected openings in the filter. You can use rubber bands,  aluminium foil and tape in order to confine the opening of the filter from outside. If your crayfish escapes then, without water, it will dehydrate and thus, die, in just a couple of hours. So it is very important to be careful about this.  So, if you’ve  captured an escaping crayfish then you should make sure not to put them back directly into water as its gills need some time to get   acclimated with water again, and you really do not want it to drown. You should just place it into a bucket which should have enough water in order to cover it fully. Now, you can add a rock in bucket in order to make it feel less assailable. After a full day, you can take the crayfish and hold it onto the surface of water, if he do well then you can put them back in the tank.

5.  FEEDING :-

Crayfishes are omnivorous scroungers which feeds primarily on organic detritus, algae and plants.  They eat shrimp pellets too, so you can plunk down some of them to its hiding place so that they can eat them.  In vegetables, they can eat shelled peas, cabbage leaves, romaine lettuce etc.  You can also fill them in with  frosted foods like brine shrimp, blood worms, daphnia and frozen fishes. You can  feed them cooked chicken as a treat, sometimes but not regularly.

You should fed them a small amount of foods daily, if you throw an excessive amount of food, erringly, then you must abolish the excess food, right away.  If your water living friend stays soft for a longer period of time, that is, more than a day after decorticating then this could mean that the hardness or pH level of water in the tank is too low or your pet is not getting sufficient amount of calcium in its diet.

6.  DISEASES :-

It is not a good idea to keep crayfishes from the different continents as there is a higher risk of spreading disease if they are kept in the same tank. Particularly, one disease poses a quite threat which is known as Crayfish Plaque and this carried by the North -American species of craw fish. Allegedly, American crayfishes have derived to indulge this fungus without any difficulty. But, it is still baleful to other types of crayfish which include crayfishes from Eurasia and Australia.  White Spot disease is another one which can admonish other crayfishes. It affects the shrimps but it might be transferable to other crayfish if you fed them with the raw food made from the effected shrimp.  If you determine to keep more than one species of crayfish in the same tank then you should make sure to keep them separate for at least one month before putting them in one aquarium. Crayfish diseases are very difficult to identify and also even more difficult to cure the disease.

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Obesity today can be found everywhere around us! Most of the people in today’s time are overweight. As we discussed in the previous article about how to track your dog’s weight because being overweight can be a huge problem and a risk to pet’s life, here is a tab about how to cure obesity! Though many of us are conscious about our eating habits, but some are just so busy and stressed with life that they cannot take out time to shed their increasing weight, which causes danger to their pets too. Just the way our eating habits are the pets also adopt the same as they are told by us to accept the way they are being fed! So if a person is lazy or has very low level of physical activity, it might be possible that his/her pet will also be a little overweight! Therefore let’s take a look at the six super easy ways to prevent obesity or overweight problems in your pet dogs!

1.Determining the Intake
Determining or calculating the intake of the calories & fats of your dog will help you the most! Keep a regular check on how much fattening food your dog is having every day, then accordingly start an exercising routine for the dog. Keeping or pushing your dog for physical activity will be a problem in the initial days, but once it is habitual of it, the weight control becomes very easy for you to handle. However, to make your dog exercise, you will also need to be active and playful with the pet.

2.Keep A Check On Relapses
Your dog has the chances of relapsing into overeating if you do not maintain a careful eye on its eating habits! Just as one has to keep a coke addict in surveillance, your dog’s eating habits plus the daily routine also need to be checked! Make sure that you are giving your dog the right amount of food that will help in reducing the weight & not the physical strength! Give him such quantity of food that is sufficient to cope with his/her hunger nothing more than that.

3.Prescribed Exercise
Do not forget to take your dog to the vet on a regular basis. This will keep a tab on health of your dog and it will also help your dog prevent dangerous diseases that happen due to overweight! Follow the vet’s instructions properly & ask for the exercises that are to be done by your pet and make sure that your pet is following every prescribed activity.

4.Do Not Feed Your Dog Table Scraps & Treats
You are yourself killing your dog if you give your dog those fattening sweet treats as a reward for doing tricks for you or for being cute! Those sweet candies can actually cause diabetes to your dog. You should not feed your dog anything besides its meal time, and especially when you are yourself having your meal & if your dog comes to you & asks for the food in your plate, then the only right thing for you to do at that time would be not feeding the dog from your plate or allowing it to licks off the scraps left on the table from your plate!

5.Treat Any Donating Factor or Element
If your dog is overweight, then it is prone to have a lot of diseases that are caused due to obesity, therefore make sure you pay timely visits to the vet who can keep your dog’s health under the scanner. Sometimes the calorie conscious food or prescribed physical activities fail to help your dog get the weight reduced or does not even reflect even the slightest deduction in your dog’s weight, in such a case make sure that your dog does not have any disease that is helping the weight to increase more than to decrease!

6.Regularly Monitor the Dog’s Weight
Keep a timely check on your dog’s weight by regularly monitoring its weight! Holding a check on your dog’s weight actually helps you determine the actual results that will help you gain confidence about your care for your precious dog. Regularly monitoring your dog’s weight will help you keep yourself always on tab about the healthy lifestyle of your dog & your own self! You can always maintain a diary dedicated solely to your pet. Write about your dog’s diet, medicines and exercises so that you don’t forget it at all and this will also help you to compare the advancements in your dog. An owner can also share the diary with pet’s caretaker if you travel without your pet. The diary will help the caretaker to understand your pet’s need in a much better way.

Today more than half of this planet’s population is obese, and with obesity there come countless health problems that result in short life spans & increased stress & poverty, because of all the money going in for the expensive medicines & cures. In such a fast paced time, where we hardly have time for ourselves, it is very important for us to keep our pets as healthy as possible, as they are very delicate & we humans anyway survive the toughest conditions, but many our pets were never made to live in such inhuman conditions, where sometimes we put them into by being negligent! Proper feeding time & giving the right amount of food & keeping a check on the intake along with the being sure of the physical activities to be done by the dog, everything at the end ends up on our head as we humans are the ones who can make our pet’s lives as beautiful as a heaven or as ugly as hell to love & survive!

The post Ways to Control Obesity in Dogs appeared first on Pet Attack.

I intended this article to be in continuation of my previous series ‘ Sensible Dogs’ but due to some practical difficulties, what i intended, couldn’t happen.

So here’s another standalone article series on dogs and the owners’ generosity, some sneaky-peaky habits of your dog and the last part being – dogs understanding your dislike/fear.

But before I continue, I want to clarify that some parts of this article are a mere observation and may/may not be backed with appropriate statistical data to come to a concrete conclusion. Reader’s discretion is of utmost importance.

They can sense your generosity

Did you ever observe your dog when you did something generous? Do observe him the next time. I will not tell you how he might react, observe it for yourself and comment.

How do we humans form opinions about our fellow humans? What, according to general standards, would be a sign of a good human being? A good human is expected to have: high regards to morality, sympathy, empathy, compassion, kindness and fairness. So if you were to test a person on all the above mentioned aspects, by a single deed, which deed would it be? Ofcourse – a deed of generosity. According to common accepted values, a generous person is expected to be a good person, because sympathy is the basis of justice.

As mentioned in the first article of the series ‘Sensible Dogs’, dogs have a high sense of justice. They find generous human beings as just and fair. If you are generous to your fellow humans, they think that you would be generous with them too.

University of Milan conducted a study in which a group of people were asked to share food with a poor homeless man. Another set of people were asked to reprimand the poor homeless man. Both these groups were observed by a set of dogs. When the people from both the groups called the dogs (at the same time), almost all the dogs responded to the generous group. As it is widely said “generosity is as much about justice as it is about kindness”.

So, your dog also knows when you are generous and when you are snub. The reason why they are such extraordinary pets, is that they are highly susceptible to morality and other emotions.

They know when you are not looking

After reading the title of this part you might say: “Genius! Ofcourse my dog knows when I’m not looking. He has got eyes you see? *stare*”

Ofcourse your dog has got eyes, but the point I’m trying to make is: even if dogs think of themselves as gatekeepers of morality, they also know how to get away with small risks.

Consider yourself as participating in a study, where you have kept a delicious looking cake on a table. This table is accessible to your dog and your dog is very well capable of eating that cake.

When you are looking at them, they would not even consider the idea of stealing that cake but when you are out of sight, or even when you are not looking at them, they find the cake hard to resist. And in an opportune moment, they usurp the cake in seconds.

For dogs, food is one the very limited sources of unlimited pleasure. This has less to do with taste or quantity and has more to do with ease of access. They do not have as easy an access to food as we do. And that makes it a rare commodity.

This part is easily misunderstood by people, but even the most loyal humans are vulnerable to things that are hard to achieve. I do not intend to say that your dog is capable of much more serious in-obedience, but your dog is not as morally right as it expects you to be.

They can sense if you do not like someone/something

This is similar to that of fear. When you are afraid, your body secretes adrenaline that initiate a series of chain reactions in your body. The only difference here is that when you look at someone/something that you like, your body secretes serotonin and dopamine that makes you feel joyous, ecstatic and cheerful. In a same way, your body secrets another set of hormones that trigger hate, disgust, anger and distrust.

Here’s an example. If you see someone (you do not like) approaching you, you inadvertently communicate this to your dog. If he can smell a teaspoon of sugar in million gallons of water (remember?), then he can smell the subtle chemical changes occurring in your body through your odour too.   Your dog will then howl or growl or bark or plunge at the person approaching you.

More often than not, serious injuries take place because of such impulsive reactions of dogs. To avoid such situations, it is always advisable to keep yourself in control since you are the triggering factor for your dogs. (I know it is next to impossible but one can atleast try!) And if you cannot keep yourself in control, then try and keep your dog in your control. You might think: “Aha! That should be easy!” But it is not at all an easy task to control a dog (especially big ones like Labrador, and other Mastiffs).

A person who cannot practice self-control or self-discipline, cannot bring his dog to listen to him. Now you might understand the reason why so many pet parents find it difficult to train their pets. Please keep in mind that your reaction (however subtle it is) is the basis of your dog’s reaction. Your behaviour can play a major role in keeping your dog at ease, but it is also capable of inducing negative reactions to your dog thus increasing the chances of confrontation that might lead to grievous injuries to you, your pet or to the other person.

The next article in this series would talk about some other emotions/feelings/attitude that dogs comprehend and react to.

The post Dog sense – Part 1 appeared first on Pet Attack.

As pet owners people always expects their pet to be unique and different from other pets. They always want them to stand out from the crowd. There are certain animals which if becomes a pet can definitely be a show to watch. It has the shape, the beauty, the intelligence, the play and the tricks that make him exceptional in every possible way. I am sure you might still be guessing who I am talking about. Well, it is none other than the most elegant and playful being of water i.e. the Dolphins. They are not just elegant but even considered as the national aquatic animal of India.

Dolphins belong to the cetacean mammal family who are closely associated to the porpoises and whales. We can find around 40 species of dolphins in 17 different genera. They range from 4feet and 40 kg to almost 30 feet and 10 tonnes. It is a fish that is available everywhere around the world. However, the majority of population is seen near the shallow seas of the continental shelves. They are flesh eating mammals (carnivorous) mostly surviving on fish and squid. When dolphins are in a group or herd they are called as a ‘pod’ or a ‘school’. A male dolphin is called as ‘bull’, whereas a female is a ‘calf’.

The different dolphins as per their taxanomy are – Common dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin, Spotted dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin, Commerson’s dolphin, Dusky dolphin, Killer whales, Amazon river dolphin. Dolphins have a flat, fusiform body which helps them swim faster. The fin tail known as fluke is used for momentum while the pectoral fins provide direction control and the dorsal fin is the balancing factor while swimming. The head is shaped round as it contains the melon, an organ used for echolocation.  In many species an elongated jaw is a common feature. Some species have up to 250 set of teeth.

Dolphins are extremely social animals. They respond to human contact and activity quickly. But there are certain limitations to how we can correctly interact with a dolphin.

• THE WATER TEST: Get inside the water where the dolphins swim. Do not swim close or around them. This makes them know you are not aggressive or menacing. Make sure you do not perform this act alone and have a companion with you to keep an eye on. Dolphins can be unpredictable at times. Especially when you are a stranger and they are unfamiliar to the being. The safest way is to do this with someone who is well trained and has some knowledge about dolphins and their behaviour.
• THE FIRST STEP: Never take the initiative or the first step while petting a dolphin. Unlike other pets dolphins take their own time in building confidence in someone or considering them as a friend. Hence let the dolphin come to you instead of you going to him.
• NOTICE THE TENSION: As said earlier it is always safe to let the dolphin take the first step. It makes them realise that you are not to cause any harm to them. But if you think that the dolphin is not comfortable with your presence do not come in its way. Let it go. Or else it may even turn the dolphin aggressive.
• STRETCH YOUR HAND: The dolphins don’t like unnecessary touching unless they really want it. So do not directly touch the dolphins. Stretch your hand out and let the dolphin come near it. Make sure you stretch your dominant hand so that in case of worse scenario you are ready to reflex back. The dolphins investigate your hand and if comfortable let you touch them.
• THE TOUCH TEST: Once you are sure that the dolphin is comfortable around you go ahead for small, gentle touches. Pat softly on its back. Dolphins are otherwise social animals. They enjoy human company. Be careful that you avoid touching its dorsal fin as it is a sensitive area.

So these were some of the suggestions one must follow if you are going on a wild adventure with the non-captivated dolphins. However, dolphins can only be captivated in Dolphinarium. As the name suggests a dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins care specifically. Over here the dolphins are kept in large pools or other water bodies according to their body size. Generally dolphins are not animals that can be kept as pets as they need large space as well as natural environment to carry on with their daily activities. Certain fishes are kept in aquariums where they are displayed in transparent glass tanks. However, dolphins are not tank-fishes. They need space to jump and play which include in their regular activities. There are certain dolphinarium where dolphins are kept in one pool, where they perform in front of the public. Such dolphins are usually trained and safe to touch and play with. The most common breed of dolphins seen here is the bottlenose dolphins as it is easy to teach and train and lives longest in captivity. Other species even include the Orcas.

Apart from the facts about their lifestyle and their habitats the most and relevant reason why one cannot buy a dolphin is that they are extremely expensive living beings. It is sheerly impossible for a common person to buy a dolphin as pet. On the other hand, there are loads of legal obligations one has to face to get a green signal to buy a dolphin. Hence, it is practically impossible for one to have a pet dolphin but one can definitely enjoy its company in their nearby dolphinarium. It is cheap, legal and at the very same time gives you a chance of being near this beautiful creature. So next time you visit a dolphinarium make sure to follow the basic rules and stand out in the crowd.

The post DOLPHINS – the national aquatic animal of India. appeared first on Pet Attack.

Everyone has a general USP or a standout point that differentiates him/her from the rest. Sometimes these unique things about certain creatures are nothing more than rumours or clichés that eventually get attached to them unknowingly. For instance Chinese people are always short or anything western/new is originated in America etc. These were some examples from human world but there is an instance that shows us this trend exists in the animal world too. Like a mouse is supposed to like cheese, or a cat should be lousy, the elephant and the ant and the very famous of the entire dog and its bone.

Although many among these may even be true as for the mouse and its cheese or the cat being lousy but the dog and its bone is a real controversial topic! I know this seems to be the most said and heard phrase and should not be debated on. However every coin has two sides and studies have revealed that the other side of this phrase is not really a healthy one. The basic rule of a dog going behind a bone being normal should supposedly change. Or else it may definitely lead your dog a veterinian visit, if not so.

There are many reasons why a dog should be kept away from an alien bone. Some of them can be explained as follows:

• DENTISTRY: A bone is usually served hard and brittle to the dog. This may lead to broken teeth of the dog in the process of eating it. The adult dogs may be used to the technique of chewing a bone, but a puppy may not be habitual to it. Hence care must be taken that the bone if served must be fed at the right age.
• MOUTH: Apart from the teeth, the dog may even have other mouth injuries while having a bone. This may include the tongue bites, the mouth infections which turns bloody and nasty if not treated at the right time.
• ESOPHAGUS: We usually experience difficulty in swallowing something large without munching it properly. We have a small windpipe and esophagus that takes the food to our stomach. Hence it is very essential to chew our food properly before swallowing it down. In the same way, if a dog mistakingly swallows the bone without chewing it can get stuck in its esophagus. This can be extremely painful and need a vets attention.
• CONSTIPATION: Even if the bone somehow manages to pass through the small pipes it can still get stuck somewhere near your stomach or intestines depending on the size of the bone gulped. This may stop the entire digestion and excretion procedure of the dogs body making him sick constipated.
• PERITONITIS: Well all these steps ultimately direct your dog to this messy difficult-to-treat bacterial infection. It is caused in your dog’s stomach. The bone your dog swallows pokes holes in his stomach and intestines leading to peritonitis.

Thus these were some health hazards your dog may suffer from if left with its bone unsupervised. However studies have even shown that bones are not all that bad after all. Little bit of guidance and attention may prevent from the future chaos. If it is so, you must be wondering what type of bones or how to feed your dog with bones?

Feeding your dog with the bone has certain benefits also. The continuous chewing of bones stimulates saliva. If they are given few minutes after your dogs’ meal they help remove the trapped food in its teeth. It not only prevents the plaque build up and gums diseases but also gives minerals and other nutrients to your dog. These are the nutrients necessary for the skeletal system to keep it regenerating. But as said earlier not all bones are safe. You need to determine which is appropriate for your dog. These are certain guidelines that will help you find it out.

• THE RIGHT BONE: Well, not all dogs can really chew a bone properly. Hence, care must be taken that you know the kind of dog you are petting. The right kind of bone that suits your dog basically depends on its jaw line. The teeth structure plays an important function in the chewing process.
• THE RIGHT TIME: Every time is not the right time to feed a bone. Make sure you do not feed the bone before meals. The obvious reason here is that you don’t want your dog to be hungry/ starving when he’s drooling over his bone. Even do not forget to wash the bone properly once your dog is done with it. Store it in fridge for nearly 3-4 days before giving it again to your dog. Until this time serve your dog with some other delicious items that distracts its attention from the bone.
• THE RIGHT SIZE: The size of the bone depends on the size of the dog. Breeds like the German shepherds, Labradors, Dobermans are large in size and hence need large bones which they can swallow all at once. Care must be taken that the size of the bone should not be bigger than the muzzle which makes it difficult to swallow. A beef bone is considered to be the best fit for the larger breeds.

So these three rules must be kept in mind before feeding your dog with a bone. A bone must never be cooked, baked, boiled or barbecued before serving as it dries it up and makes it more brittle to chew. Many of the nutrients it holds are also lost in the process. The next time you feed your pet dog with a bone do remember all these guidelines and make your dog happy!

The post DOG AND THE BONE appeared first on Pet Attack.

Pets in cities and towns are a much seen practice. People want them as an alternative for a friend and a companion which they elsewhere cannot find. However, more often you can even see people flaunting their pets as some sort of status symbol in front of their colleagues. The costlier the breeds you have the more respect you receive. Although these are just assumptions and ego bubbles that people have built around them. Irrespective of this entire show buzz there are people who need pets instead of wanting them. Well, the wordplay here is the leap between need and want.

Not everyone buys a pet as a friend to pass their alone time. Sometimes it is more than that. Why go away for an example! The most known and familiar person here is the farmer. A farmer is a person who earns a living for himself out of the little digging he does on the field with the help of his friends. The friends here am talking about is none other than his pets i.e. the domestic animals he takes care of and who takes care of him. Logically, it might be a question of argument whether a domestic animal can be counted as a pet but if you go by the pros and cons list you will definitely understand the similarities.

You must know the number of pets farmers holds, but hardly few people might know their role in his life. No need to worry at all, here is the right place to enlighten you! These are some of the very common pets and their chores that a farmer usually have:

• CHICKENS: These can even be called as domesticated birds which are commonly seen in every farm. There is even a huge poultry business that is conducted on the basis of these tiny creatures. There are over 150 breeds of chicken all over the world. Chickens are found at a farmers place as they provide him with eggs. For people who don’t know, another fact about chickens is that their waste product makes excellent fertilizer.
• GOATS: Goat is an amazingly versatile animal. Apart from the basic uses that we are familiar with – as meat, for milk and fibre. Goats are widely used for much other purpose. The soft and mild milk that we get from the goats can be used as soap too, especially for sensitive skin. Not just this, goats are even used as browsers. They eat all the weeds and clear the land for the farmers.
• DUCKS: Ducks similar to the hens/chickens are kept for eggs and meat. However, they are even kept for ornamental and pets value. Ducks make outstanding pets. They clean your homes of pest, slugs and other insects by eating them. They just need a water dish, big enough to swim. They usually are found near water based areas and hence are also called as “Waterfowls”.

• SHEEPS: Looking at sheep’s, the very first expression one might have is that these are expressionless creatures. Well as a matter of fact, it is not totally wrong. Sheep’s are docile and down to earth animals. They make very good pets and supply a lot to the farmer. They also provide with milk, meat, fibre etc. They are humble creatures, with very less maintenance.
• HORSES: Horses altogether fall in a very different category of work. They belong to the equus family, the same family of donkeys, mules etc. They are quick and strong mammals. They are usually categorized as working animals for treks, transportation and other such on road work. They make outstanding companion as studies show they can understand their owner.

• PIGS: Everyone has a kind of gross feeling whenever around a pig. People have this belief that pigs are dirty animals. However, this is not true. Pigs in reality are very clean animals. They roll around in the mud to keep their body temperature cool which they cannot do normally on their own like the humans. They are kept for flesh.
• LLAMAAS: These are hefty camellia that was first originated in North America and then later moved to South America. They are not seen in India or anywhere near Asia. They are disciplined animals and make excellent pets. The striking features of these domestics are that they look after your other pets as a guard and lowers you worries.
• HOUNDS: This is a type that falls in the dog category but is not really a dog. These are kept by a farmer for the purpose of hunting any wild creature wandering around your pets. They are wild but with proper training makes loyal pets

• COWS: Last but definitely not least, this is the most common and widely seen animal at a farm. It is like a farmer cannot function without a cow. There are several uses of a cow. The milk that it provides is used for making several dairy products like cheese, butter, buttermilk, ghee, oil, even cosmetics. They are strong and bulky animals and hence are even used in ploughing and harrowing procedures.

So these were some of the known domestic pets that belong to a farmer. These pets require less care as compared to the city pets that might require 24hrs attention. But they provide more than them in comparison. Since, they usually stay together in a shed like the cows, hens ducks etc, they even look after each other at times. We see how a cat and dog can’t usually stand each other, in a farm the case is vice versa. You need not worry about such clashes unless if there’s some unfamiliar new entry in the group. Thus, these were the farmers’ best friends that always support; help him in all his ups and downs.

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Whenever we talk about exclusive or unusual pets, Snakes are there for sure in the list. Many people while looking at a snake say slimy, ugly, disgusting, evil, creepy & scary, but many of us also say magnificent, damn it is beautiful! Snakes are one of the most splendid creatures. They make some great pets & can be very beautiful to handle. Yes they do appear to be scary & dangerous, but even a dog doesn’t bark without a reason!

Many people are going for snakes as pets above dogs, cats, fish or birds. Many people nowadays with no experience take in snakes as their pets & unfortunately end up with a dead snake or venomous bites, which force them to leave these pets into the wild on their own, which results in deaths of many snakes. Growing up with snakes can be a very learning experience, as it is said that the practical knowledge is way stronger than the theory, therefore keeping snakes as a pet can be a very rewarding choice. This extremely educational experience can teach you many fascinating things about snakes. As snakes require patience & are easy to keep as pets, therefore one can grow very patient, calm & relaxed in nature with snakes. But there are many of us who can screw up their first experience if they do not keep a check on few things mentioned below, before they go in for a snake.

Make sure you are not squeamish!
First of all you need to understand the fact that handling a snake as a pet is not a child’s play. You have to be brave at heart & very active, as snakes are one of the most nervous & shy animals, therefore they require that extra attention & care! A week at heart or who get scared of reptiles can’t see a live mouse being eaten, cannot promise to take care of a snake properly! And someone who pets a snake in impression to make his fear of snakes go away can definitely not stay friends with the snake for long. Petting a snake requires that gut & feeling from the inside, if you are not sure of yourself taking a good care lifelong then you should probably not go for a snake. Snakes can live up to 20 years, therefore proper care is very essential to keep them healthy till their last days.

Does the Law allow you?
There are many countries in the world where owning a particular animal as pet is strictly prohibited & can invite some serious punishments if the law is broken. So before you go in for a snake, then make sure you are thorough with the rules & regulations of the area or the country where you stay. You should know that the law of the place where you stay allows you to have a snake as your pet & will not put you behind bars if you take your snake out on for a walk!

What type of Snake will suit you the best?
Now most of the time people go in for the snakes without any good research, that results them in getting the type of snake that they fail to handle & take care of due to which the snake is only left to die!
You should always do a research about the type of snakes that mostly are taken up as pets. You should know the in & out of that particular type of the snake you are going in for, because who wants an unhappy pet at the end of the day?

Do you have enough space?
Although snakes do not require much space, but they can grow up till 7-8ft. & so big cages that escape proof are essential, as snakes tend to escape cages most of the times. You should make sure that your cage has enough space for your snake to move, sleep & play around. If there is not enough space in the cage then the snake can easily get irritated & can have temperament issues.

Do you have money issue?
If you have money issues, then you should not go for a snake, as their care can be a little expensive & those visits to the vet can be a little extra heavy on the pocket. As snakes are one of the exclusive pets, therefore they are expensive & the equipment they require also comes for that extra money & not to forget the vet! Not every vet can take good care of snakes, therefore specialists charge you a little extra for to look up to your snake problems.

Are the climate conditions right for the snake you are planning to own?
Climate plays a very important role in a snake’s life. If that particular snake is not made up for the climatic conditions it currently is living under, then the snake would die. Therefore, going in for the type of snake that can live in the climatic conditions around your house will be the wisest thing you will do.

Will you be able to take care of the food habits of snakes?
Usually snakes eat very less, but sometimes snakes can be one of the biggest eaters, who can be hungry enough to bite anything they see first as soon as you open the cage. So make sure to get every minute detail of the eating habits of your snake. And most of all in this category, you should be ready to clean up the mess a.k.a the poop they do after eating as it has salmonella, & can be extremely dangerous for humans as well as snakes.

The post Things to Know before you Pet a Snake appeared first on Pet Attack.

We pet-parents have always been welcomed invariably; by malls, restaurants, parks, gardens, beaches and all other places that are openly accessible; by a sign board that says “Pets Not Allowed!” This has been a bone of contention for almost all the pet-parents. Somewhere or the other, there is a bit of a hesitation in allowing pets into public places due to various reasons. One of the most cited reason is hygiene, disturbance and most importantly space crunch. For the ones, like me, who tried to sneak our pets into a restaurant or even a garden, have always been reminded of our pets being “animals”. While at home, we pet-parents have always made sure that our pets get the same treatment that any of our family members do; it becomes heart-wrenching when somebody, in a very crude manner, points it out that your pet is “after all, an animal”. Let alone being welcomed whole heartedly, our pets do not even get the basic respect or compassion that each living being deserves. Some cafes, who claim themselves to be pet-friendly, have an outdoor area where we need to seat our pets. But, for obvious reasons you could always tell that your pet is not being welcomed whole heartedly. There are countries which feature fine dining restaurants that allow customers to bring their pets along. But that is a far cry as far as our country is concerned. So one has no choice but to leave his pet alone at home.

It might as well be a dream come true for many pet-parents who have been yearning to go out and have a dinner with their pets. I have had such experiences too. I had to leave Angel (my 6 year old Daschund) at home and go for a dinner. Not that she didn’t have anything to eat, she had her favourite food in her platter. But as soon as I came back home, I could see her being sad and that her platter is untouched. It would always make me feel guilty, for I might have had a sumptuous meal and Angel here, would have starved herself. This would not have happened if I could take her along.

Veterinary doctors claim that this separation can lead to ‘behavioural issues’. According to them, the pets that are frequently brought outdoors and made to socialise with other pets and humans are the happiest pets of all. But how many of us get to do that? On a weekday, each one of us has his own livelihood to work for and on a weekend, we always have to leave our pets at home when we have to go out for a dinner or a party. Is there no work-around for this?

Yes, there is. This article is all about the places, for Mumbaikars, where they could enjoy dining, not only with their loved ones (humans) but also with their pets.

Gostana is one of the first places in Mumbai that whole heartedly welcomed our pets. A café that is famous for its healthy salads and burgers, is also a heaven for pet-parents and their pets. The homely set up and a cozy atmosphere, makes it the right place to spend time with your pet. Located in Bandra, it offers home cooked healthy pet meals too. The only thing you need to do is to inform them that you are going to bring your pet so that your pet too enjoys a sumptuous meal while you dive into their yummy burgers. Not just for this, Gostana is also famous for Apple! Now, here neither am I talking about the famous tech biggy company not about the fruit. Apple is a very adorable Labrador. She would be the first one to welcome you in. There are people who come to Gostana just to spend time with Apple. These are the ones who cannot or are compelled not to have pets.

Alibaba is a restaurant in Apollo Bunder. It allows dogs in its outdoor porch. You can walk your pet near the Getaway of India and make the moment memorable by having a delicious meal at Alibaba. In this café, which is located in Colaba, you can as well place an order for your pet and the same will served to him.

The Bagel Shop is your destination if a cozy, comfortable and peaceful place is your preference. As in case of Alibaba, here too pets are only allowed in the outdoor seating area. But you need not worry as the area is well covered, thus making it -and I quote them here -“the perfect place for you and your pet to lounge with ease.”

Mutt Hutt Café is a pop-up restaurant. Pop-up, meaning the establishment is not permanent and that it keeps shifting from place to place. The major reason for such an arrangement is that the licensing rule for any permanent eatery prohibits cooking for pets and humans under a single roof. This is one of the places where the pets and their pet-parents can dine together. And mind you, not just dine but take part in other fun activities as well. This arrangement is a clever one, because on one hand it gives its customers a delightful experience with their pets and on the other hand it also gauges market’s response to such a pet café. The Mutt Hutt Café keeps popping up at various locations in and around Mumbai. It is an ideal pet café, though a temporary one.

Undoubtedly, the above mentioned places are worth visiting. Such pet-friendly efforts are commendable. But nothing makes your pet happier than you spending time with him. The amount of time spent with him is also secondary, what is of most importance is the quality of the time spent.

The post Pet Café: Even Humans are allowed appeared first on Pet Attack.

You must know how people have a specific taste in a particular kind of pet. Especially, in case of dog breeds – not everyone goes for a bull dog, or a cock spaniel, or a chuahua etc.  Everyone has their type and taste. And one is very consistent on getting the same. Dogs don’t just guards are homes they become a part of your family. They understand the ups and downs happening and accept us wholly without any expectations. But as humans we cannot match the same equation. We only are around things we like and can stand.

Nowadays, there is this huge craze going around among the pet lovers about the dog German Shepherds. People just like what they see and then run on making the purchase. But it is very important to understand that you research about a pet properly before making it a part of your life. It saves both, you and the pet from any further trauma. Now for all those who is buzzing for having the German Shepherds as a pet, for a start not a bad choice! However there are some facts you must be well aware of.

German shepherds are recently seen as a domestic animal. There was time when their skills and speed made them look wild and dangerous. German Shepherds, though now a house pet, is originally a hunter species. He’s wild, strong and very cunning animal. Nowadays when you buy them they are calmed down and sold..But that’s not really who they are. It is impossible for an amateur to train an infant of the shepherd.  They are a very dominant species of dogs. But you cannot even ignore the fact that they are herd animals. They like sticking with the group they belong or are with. This means they are going to be with you as pet, till their last breath. To develop this degree of loyalty it requires a lot of training and investment of time. So one must understand that if you are opting for a German shepherd out of all dogs you need to have sheer commitment and more time at home.

German shepherds gained their popularity initially during World War I, when an US army official brought a puppy home after the war. He trained that puppy to make the most of its abilities. This puppy was named as Rin Tin Tin. He was later even picturized in loads of movies of that time. But this was a far time ago. Later, this breed came to be known as the force dog, or the police dog. Due to its intelligence, and cunning nature and amazing strength, and speed it was used in forces for rescue operations. And no doubt they aroused with flying colours. Even in the much known 9/11 attacks they were the key to find a lot of missing parts of the puzzle.

Not just in professional cases, but German shepherds were anciently even used for guarding the herds by the domestic farmers. Their aggressive nature, the raw and fearsome looks and the biting abilities made them capable of it. This activity is practiced even today in some of the corners of the world.

Apart from the good and merrier part about the dog, there are even stories and observations that should be considered. German shepherds, need to be handled with care. They have a quick response to stimuli and can be misinterpreted at times. If you have children in the house, make sure they don’t go close until the dog gets familiar to them. Once, that happens it becomes easier for the dog to bond. Even after the bonding is done, you need to be careful around it. As you know, German shepherds are really huge. They require a lot of space. And this is not a breed that you can expect to compromise. They need a comfortable home to sleep at. Or else an irritated and sleepless dog can be more dangerous than he already is. Other than that he needs adequate diet. You must understand that he is an active dog who is always at a move. Hence he requires enough food to regenerate his energy. On the other hand you must also be prepped up for regular play sessions with your dog. They need to utilise all that strength somewhere, so instead of some wrong chores why not a play session.

German shepherds are famous biters and chewers. They like removing their aggression by this activity. He can bite at things and people when he’s suspicious about them, or he thinks something’s wrong about them. He usually does the chewing when he’s not in a good mood. So you need to learn all those mood swings of your dog, to understand him better. Otherwise, the dog is always accused of being a bad dog. It is very important to train him in a way, where his reaction sensors are similar to yours. Well, the biting may go wrong sometimes – it may not always be a thief. So make sure your dog is properly vaccinated.

All these observations and training will make you realise one thing for sure, a German shepherd is not a cake walk at all. From all this it can be concluded that having a German shepherd is like cooking a difficult but delicious dish – one ingredient more or less can spoil the whole recipe. However, in spite of all these precursors’ people go for a German shepherd. You want to know why???? Well, the answer is pretty clear; he’s one of the loyalest, smartest dogs one can have. He’s a dog of principles – ‘you don’t mess with me, I won’t either.’ So if you are ready for the tasks do not think any further and get it.

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