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.

 In this series, we have been talking about dogs and their extra-sensory-abilities. In the previous three articles (Sensible Dogs Part 1, Part 2 and Dog Sense Part 1) we had looked at how dogs can sense: your intentions, fear and sudden change in your priority. Let’s continue with the last article of this series.

But before I continue, I want to clarify that some parts of this article are based on 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.

Many of you had asked me, as to why I forgot to include this part in my previous articles, but I knew it only too well that readers would have expected this part to be the first in my list to write about. Hence, I kept this for the last article of this series.

They can sense your grief

I’m sure each one of us has had this experience when we were almost broken down to pieces (shattered to the core), you feel like crying but you can’t, you feel suffocated, as if someone is trying to strangulate by your throat, you feel heavy from inside as if a ton’s weight has been dumped on you. Your pet is sitting in a corner of the room, keeping a close eye on even your slightest movements. He gets up, comes to you and looks at you with his deep infinite eyes. Then he climbs up your lap and sits, resting his head on your hand.

And just as he settles himself, you feel relieved, as if all your problems have vanished in thin air.

But how does he do that? I’m not talking about the ‘relief’ part (we’ll look at that in a different article). I’m referring to the part where he understood that you are in grief.

‘Animal cognition’, a study, found out that dogs tend to approach weeping, crying or sobbing people, in comparison to ones talking, or involved in other activities. But in the above example, the person did not weep or cry, but still the dog approached him. This is because dogs do sense your grief. If that is not enough, they also try to placate, pacify or calm the person. In doing so, some dogs will even try to lick away the owner’s tears.

If you feel proud that your dog did so, my next statement might turn your pride into rubble. Scientists feel that any dog, will approach any person who weeps and it is not at all necessary that it needs to be his owner. (Warning: Please don’t try to act as if you are crying, and that too in front of a stray dog, he might as well make you cry for real!)

The above mentioned paragraphs do not imply that dogs are empathetic. But it surely is found that dogs can sense your sadness as a distinct emotion.

The next part is a ‘must-read’ for all first-time pet parents. And also for those who don’t have a clue on what went wrong in their dog-training.

The can sense if you are a pushover

The first and the most significant reason why, at times, training dog can be very difficult lies in the way your dog perceives you. Dogs, especially larger breeds will always try and test their boundaries. Some dogs become violent if their owners are lenient.

Dogs do not know what they are allowed to do and what they are not. They get to know if they are doing the right thing when they receive a gift and they know that they are doing the wrong thing when you give punish them. They are completely dependent on social structures and hierarchies of the society to determine what is considered to be right and which is not. If you want your dog to understand how to behave, then you need to be his coach and mentor. To assert your position you might, at times, even resort to strict punishments. I know how it feels, when you scold or reprimand your dog, but always think that it is for his greater good that you are doing this.

Your take-home message from this part, is to always be your dog’s leader, and to not let your dog perceive you as a ‘push-over’. You might want to ask: “You mentioned the word ‘push-over’ what does it actually mean? How do I know if I’m one?”

Answering the first part of your question, Push-over, is what your dog will think of you when you fail to lead him. In simple, words, your dog will take you for granted. I would like to list out a few points by which you can understand if you are a pushover or not:

• Your dog walks faster than you in his walking trips.
• Your dog enter the every door/entrance first.
• You serve your dog his food before you have yours.
• Your emotions stop you from punishing your dog
• You always advise strangers to stay away from your dog as he’s dangerous
• Your dog has the liberty to do all that he wants (including the things that you dislike)

If you agreed to atleast3 of the above mentioned points, then you are just about to be tagged as a ‘push-over’. If you strongly agreed to more than 3 of the above mentioned points, then your dog has already been treating you as a ‘push-over’.

By saying all this, my intention is to just make you understand what could have gone wrong in your training. You can as well treat this part as an answer to the frequently asked question: “I just can’t train my dog. I really do not know what is going wrong.” The larger the breed is, more is the need for a disciplinarian reign.

The post Dog Sense – Part 2 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.

Being healthy is the first thing that every living organism wishes. To lead a good and prosperous life it is a basic need to maintain your body fit and strong. Just like a human body, our lovely pets also require a lot of attention from its owner’s side to keep a regular check on their diet and health so that it is strong enough to combat any kind of illness. According to Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), an estimated 52.5 percent of dogs are overweight or obese. Excess of fat on your pet may have severe adverse health effects on its body which can lead to reducing the lifespan, even if the pet is a little obese.

Being obese can attract dreadful diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis in dogs. Obesity is most common in pet dogs these days; therefore it is really important for a dog owner to know the symptoms of being obese and what reasons can probably make your pet obese? There are some simple symptoms that can let you know if the pet is suffering from obesity. If your dog is not willing or unable to exercise then there are high risks that it may be tormenting from overweight issues which is making him unenthusiastic in any outdoor session. In case you identify excessive fat on your pet’s body which is bulging out then for sure your dog has stepped onto the ladder of being obese. Obesity in dogs not only makes them extremely lethargic, but also snatches their natural aggression or the dog trait of being protective or active from them. The owner should know the consequences of an obese dog! Have a look at the symptoms that can help you identify if your dog if overweight or not

1. Weight Gain
The biggest symptom is weight gain! Everything starts with gaining even the slightest weight. Added weight is not only a problem to many human beings, but it is a problem for animals too if not taken care or looked after! Weight gain will always result out to be critical if it is not controlled at the right time. High intake of calories or not the getting the activity to burn the fats in the food will only result on weight gain.

2. Excess Body Fat
Excessive amount of fat clotted up in the areas where usually the fat is not much felt or seen. Bulgy skin or lumps of skin at places can be the excessive fat grown out. Simplest way of finding out whether the dog has gained because of the fat is by getting regular weight check-ups done timely. Keeping a check with your vet will even help you control the gain in weight!

3. Inability or Unwillingness to Exercise
The decrease in the play time or walk time is a big signal of being overweight mostly in many dogs. Sleeping too much or getting tired soon or not running is the main symptoms of obesity. Many dogs develop wounds down under their footpads due to a heavy body. As the body starts getting pumped up, the legs tend to get weaker enough to bare the increasing weight of the body. This mostly happens with dachshunds. Their limbs are very fragile & they are made to pick a certain amount of weight on them. Being short in height, a dachshund’s legs cannot bare a large amount of weight on them.

I’ve seen lots of time many owners being clueless about the weight rising much even after giving less food! Many times we do not come to know about how many fattening elements the food that is being fed usually has! This results in the illness that is caused due to a lot of weight!

Let’s have a look at what causes obesity in a dog:

1. Excessive Food
Leaving a bowl full of food in front of your dog every time it comes towards the kitchen will absolutely make your dog gain a lot of weight & get fat. You need to make your dog understand that there is a routine for everything that it needs to be followed. Excessive food without any routine will do nothing but increase your dog’s weight rapidly! The routine has to be then followed daily by the dog & its owner.

2. Low Activity Level
The level of activity you are providing your dog matters the most & is responsible for the weight of your dog. If you feed your dog a lot of fat full diet, then you should make sure that your dog gets double the level of activity than the amount of food was fed. Low activity level not only makes your dog gain weight, but also makes it all ill or stay low with the mood very often. Low activity in human beings & dog hit the same! The more you stay inactive, more are the chances that you & your dog will fall into depression or stress soon!

3. Illness
Excessive eating or low activity level are not the only causes of obesity. Illness too can at times be the cause for being overweight. For example, illnesses like hypothyrodism, Cushings Disease, Pancreatic Cancer and pituitary problems are mostly found to be the reason of obesity in many dogs.
Getting hold of obesity or weight gain problem at the right time is very important. It can cause a lot of problems in future if not taken care of! Therefore looking out for cure of this problem is essential, after all who does not want a happy, playful, friendly & protective dog as pet! In order to find out simple ways to keep your dog far away from obesity, stay tuned for the cure of obesity in dogs till the next article!

The post Check if your Dog is Obese appeared first on Pet Attack.

In this series, we have been talking about dogs and their extra-sensory-abilities. In the previous article (Sensible Dogs Part 1) we had looked at how dogs can sense: your intentions, fear and sudden change in your priority. Let’s continue with this article.

But before I continue, I want to clarify that some parts of this article are 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 illness

Even you might have heard stories of pet dogs’ helping their pet parents diagnose any illness by displaying weird behaviour. You might have also heard of stories where hospitals pet dogs, who patrol around the hospital, roaming about wards and other rooms and spending time with patients.

But how is it possible especially in an aspect where even the most sophisticated instruments and most experienced doctors feel helpless? Again this is due to their keen sense of smell. Here’s the fact: Dogs can sense VOCs that are given out by our body through sweat. Now what are VOCs? VOC is a term used for Volatile Organic Compounds. These include various chemicals that are even toxic, but are an important part of our metabolism.

How do only dogs smell VOCs? Not that only dogs smell them, even we can smell them too. The only difference is that they can smell a very large variety of VOCs while we can smell merely a dozen odd ones.

Dogs, depending on their breed, can have 10,000 to 1, 00,000 times stronger sense of smell. If I give you an example, you will understand the magnitude. A dog can smell a teaspoon of sugar in million gallons of water. This might seem unreal or fake to you but if trained properly, certain breeds, can sharpen their skills so-much-so- that they could even warn an epilepsy patient of an attack in the near future. Foreign countries have set up centres that train dogs to sense subtle changes occurring in human body that reflect the presence of a disease.

The next part is for pet parents that house 2 or more dogs at home.

They can sense when you are unfair with them

You wouldn’t believe that dogs do have a sense of justice. In an Austrian study, when two dogs performed an activity and only one of the two was rewarded, even when both of them did it correctly, the un-rewarded dog was seen to be agitated at the sight of the other dog. Their classic reaction was to lick their paws and scratch their ears in impatience.

Dogs have inherited their sense of justice from their ancestors- wolfs. Wolfs lived, ate, hunted and migrated in packs and they had some very strict rules. The one who failed to perform his duty was punished. He was refused of any rewards that the pack would get. Not just wolfs, chimps too worked in the same way.

But here, in case of the study, the dog which did perform his duty was denied reward and that triggered agitation.

Interestingly, if you could not manage to get two equal gifts, then that’s not a problem at all. For example if the first dog gets a dog-cookie and the second one gets an ordinary dog-biscuit, you would be surprised that both of them were equally happy with their respective prizes. I have already mentioned this in the previous article: Dogs are as intelligent as a 2 year old human kid. That is the reason why they cannot differentiate between a big/small or costly/cheap reward.

I can relate the next part of this article with my life. Angel has been living in my house since six years now, and she always knows when I am angry. She has a habit of tearing newspapers, books, or any paper; into pieces, when I’m away from home for long periods of time. When I come home, I see her drowning in a pile of paper bits

They can sense your anger

If you have spent some years with your pet now, then you will agree with me. Experienced pets know when their pet-parents are angry. Experienced pet-parents need not utter a single word to make their pet understand that they do not appreciate his behaviour.

Often, when you find your dog guilty of something, a simple gesture is enough to get him down on his knees, trembling and whining. (Here the intention is not to torture your pet but to send a strong signal that you won’t approve of such behaviour). You just need to keep your hands on your hip and give him a narrow-eyed stare.

But do not praise yourself for fixing the blame on him just because he shows signs of guilt. More often than not, dogs display signs of guilt just because you are angry. They do not know if you are angry because of them or because of something else. Since the source is unclear, dogs have no choice but to be guilty and blame themselves for your anger.

This can be disastrous, in some situations. When you are not sure if he’s guilty and you punish him (by anger), and if this happens repeatedly, your dog is bound to get undisciplined and frustrated. Your inconsistent behaviour can create an impression in the dog’s mind that you are unfair to him. (I have already talked about the sense of justice in the previous part of this article).

A sincere request all pet-parents: Please do not reprimand your pets before you are absolutely sure that your dog is guilty. This can plague your relationship with him and lead to various behavioural problems, ultimately leaving you with no choice but to abandon your pet. Please do not let this happen to you pet.

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

The post Sensible Dogs – Part 2 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!

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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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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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Pets are generally seen as a medium for company. People usually get a pet to make sure they are not alone, or bored, or to have a friend. Pets, animals have their own language of communication. They do not speak words but makes noise until it becomes familiar to their owners. This is their way of communicating with us. However, it often remains a question do they really understand what we are trying to say? Do they understand our language?

Even if they do, they always remain the listener in the process. But all of us hope that there must me some pet who can talk back at us. Someone like a talking parrot!!! There are many rumours and interpretations about a parrot being able to talk. Some believe it is a true phenomenon where as some just ignore. Yet, studies show that a speaking parrot is not a fictional story. It is a true event that happened and still occurs with proper training.

Well, it might be simply astounding for an owner to watch his parrot talk. But not all species of parrots can really talk. And even if they speak there are certain limitations to it. Parrots are able to imitate only the human speech and no other kind. Hence, their talking skills include sheerly words. Unlike human beings they do not have vocal chords to support their talking.  Still they have the correct type of anatomy which helps them speak. Our feathered friend has an organ called as syrinx situated at the lower most part of its trachea in the chest. It plays the same function as the larynx in our human anatomy. The sound is obtained by releasing air across the mouth of its bifurcated trachea. Thus, diverse sounds are shaped by variation in the depth and design of the trachea. This proves that the talking of a parrot is actually the whistling in various tones.

According to Steve Hartman of the Parrot University, parrots are counted among the six animals that use verbal communication to interact with others. Parrots are extremely social pets and yearn for attention and interaction from their human partners. It is believed that the parrot has more chances of talking if you start teaching them since a tender age. A well grown bird can be redundant in changing its talking habits. The necessary environment required for growing a talking parrot is just being a vocal person and having a very vocal family. This eventually develops the talking practice on your parrot.

There are different aspects that must be taken into consideration while teaching your parrot how to speak. Repetition is one of the prime factors here. Make sure you use similar and familiar words around the bird every day. This makes the bird known to those words and helps him generate it. Do not forget the actions while talking. This helps the parrot understand what is meant for what. Or else he will just learn the words without knowing its meaning.

Although not every parrot can be categorised as a talking parrot, still there are a few that can be listed. Some of them are:

• MONK PARAKEET: This is a colourful little bird which is actually a small parrot. It is also famous as Quaker Parakeet. Irrespective of their size, their intellectual abilities are higher. They are social and develop wide vocabularies of words and phrases.
• INDIAN RINGNECK: These are capable of speaking in complete sentences without any breaks. Though they speak in their own bird voice, they catch and understand the mood behind the speaking.
• BUDGERIGAR: It is also well-known as a Parakeet or a Budgie. It is a very common bird who can learn various phrases and even songs. They do not have clear and definite voices. Males are believed to be more proficient of talking than females.

• BLUE-FRONTED AMAZON: If you are planning to have a pet for lifetime than this bird should be on the top of your list. A blue-fronted Amazon can survive up to 100 years! They have a loud clear voice and are skilled to perfectly mimic human voice.
• ECLECTUS: The eclectus come in two different colours. The males are in green while the females are in bright red colour. They copy the human talking accurately. Not just the words but even the mood and tone of the language. However, its abilities are shaped to the best if it is trained since a young age. Otherwise it is just some other feathered parrot.
• HILL MYNA: The hill myna is a pretty little black bird that has an amazing ability to imitate the human voices. It not only mimics voices, but even has a soothing voice that makes the listening peaceful. They have an affinity towards singing.
• YELLOW-NAPED AMAZON: Among the Amazon birds, this one is credited as the best with its talking capabilities. They sing and are highly intelligent birds who can talk also.

• AFRICAN GREY: He can be tagged as the lion of the talking bird’s category. He is the smartest and the most intelligent in this genre in the animal kingdom. Experts say that these birds learn to speak and share to human concepts at the same level as a human tot.

So these were some of the talking birds/parrots one can pet. Though these birds standout as a pet and makes you look extra ordinary, care must be taken that they are not used as a medium of show-off. They must be adopted for companionship. Hence, their talking ability should not be stressed and pressurised. They are just birds with a quirky factor and must be looked at in the same way. They need the same domestication as any other bird and must be given accordingly.

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