Everyone likes to smell nice, feel fresh and stay clean. Your dogs are no different, they do not like to dwell in their stench or feel sloppy and unclean. Hence cleanliness should be the pet owner’s first priority, primarily because hygiene issues are directly proportionate to health issues, and secondly they live under the same roof as you, their problems will soon become your problems, be it health or sanitation.

A clean dog is a healthy dog and a healthy dog is a happy dog. Keeping your dog clean is not rocket science, it is simple and not that time consuming if done regularly and most of all it is a fun bonding exercise for the owner and the dog.

There are just a few simple instructions one must follow in order to keep your pet spotless and sparkling.

1) Giving your dog a bath:

Your dog does not necessarily need to bathe as often as you do. A dog can be given a bath strictly on a need basis or it can be given a bath on a regular basis. Factors that determine whether or not you want to give your dog a bath depends on, how much hair it has, if it undergoing any sort of skin problem, if it is smelly etc..

To give your dog a bath, follow these instructions:

a) The first step is to Gather the required bathing material

- Shampoo; preferably a dog friendly shampoo or an extremely mild shampoo.

- A tooth brush and toothpaste; A soft bristled toothbrush and a dog friendly toothpaste, never use any other toothpaste (Paste is not usually essential)

-A Towel; A dry towel

-Luke warm water; Cool water can be used depending on the climatic conditions.

-An area to bathe; preferably an open space but a bathroom or a bathtub would do just fine.

- Treats (or distractions); this is optional; this will help your dog to be less stressed and will decrease his irritability to the situation.

b) The second step is to lure your dog into the bathing area; this is where the treat or any dog toy will come handy.

c) Make sure your dog is wet completely; this can be done by using a mug or a tumbler to evenly pour the water,

d) Brush your dogs teeth gently by clasping his/her face in your hand.

e) Apply a decent quantity of Shampoo on the fur and lather.

f) Rinse off the shampoo thoroughly

g) Apply conditioner to make sure the fur does not become dry (Optional)

h) Use a towel or a blow drier to dry and keep him/her warm.

i) Give your dog a nice treat at the end of his/her bath, for cooperating and being a good dog.

2) Grooming your dog,

A) Brush your dog’s fur on a regular basis, this will superficially remove dirt, dust and it will make it look well groomed and neat.

B) To prevent your dog from smelling, you can apply a small quantity of baby powder, odour cream or baking powder all over the dogs body (Except the head area), this will absorb excess oils and produce a good smell.

C) Make sure you cut and clean your dog’s nails and paws. This is also beneficial for you so that your dog does not hurt you unnecessarily.

D) Clean your dogs’ ear with an ear bud or a small cotton ball, this should preferably be done after you give your dog a bath so as to remove any remaining water in that area.

3) Clean your dog’s bed on a regular basis. This includes washing the bed in warm water and drying.

4) Take your dog to a grooming parlour and the vet on a regular basis, to eliminate any form of skin problem at an earlier stage.

5) Give your dog a hair cut once in a while. The best time to give your dog a hair cut is after you bathe him/her. All you require is a pair of scissors, clippers and a hair brush or a comb. This will maintain the hair growth and increase the quality of hair.

6) Last but not the least; make sure your dog is active and not lethargic. Take your dog for regular walks and allow it to play as much as it is willing to. If it is dull and lazy, push it out of the house and devise incentives for it to run around and play. This will not only maintain its looks it will keep your dog very healthy.

A well groomed dog is a healthier and happier dog. If your dog looks well groomed, if will feel confident and proud, and it is very important for your dog to possess these qualities, it will make your dog more agile and active.

Cleanliness will increase good health; good health intern leads to a longer life span.  Being a dog owner does not end your responsibility by just owning a dog, you should fulfil your responsibility by keeping your dog clean, healthy and happy. ‘Cleanliness is happiness’

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So you want a new pet? Well, congratulations! Rabbits are very social and loving animals who needs your affection, time and attention. They can get bored without human interaction.  You must always remember that the lifespan of rabbits are around 12 years so be prepared to care for the adorable bunny through the long term. They are the unique and lovable creatures who makes unbreakable bonds with their owners and families.
Caring for adorable rabbits can be a lot of work but it will worth it, there are many things that you should know about them, they are not low – maintenance low pets as, they, too, requires routine vet care, nutritious feeding,  etc.
CHOOSING A RABBIT :-  
You should do full research before buying a rabbit and you need to consider few things in your mind such as if you want a male or female rabbits however  this is a matter of personal preference Male rabbits are more easy going than female ones. Female rabbits are more into digging holes.  Whatever sex of rabbits you go for, make sure they are spayed or neutered otherwise they”d have high risks of cancer.
Also before getting a rabbit, make sure if he is healthy by a close look. Check that if his eyes are bright or ears are clean with no built – up of any wax. You should take your rabbit to the vet care after buying for a whole body checkup. Do not be afraid to take your rabbit back to the place from where you bought it if the vet discovers any health problems as most pet shops offers 1 or 2 week of guarantee on the health of rabbit. If you will choose a healthy rabbit, then you might be saved from a future headache.

CHOOSING A CAGE :- 

Pet rabbits should be kept in a cage at the home but he must have some freedom to  run free in the house but after the rabbit – proofing and proper training.  There are many cages available in the market, you can choose any of them. Choosing the right kind of cage is very important.  The cages should be large enough,  easy to care and easy for your rabbit to get in or get out, so that it will be much easier for you by sharing your home with your pet.
If your pet usually likes to spend his time in the cage then buy bigger – sized cage.  The cage should be 4 – times the size of the rabbit as a general rule.

FEEDING :- 
Giving right nutritious food to your rabbits is extremely important, as inappropriate diets can cause serious digestive problems in the rabbits. Generally, they eats veggies or fruits such as carrots, apples, corns etc.  But if your rabbit is younger than six months of age then you should not feed them veggies or fruits, however you should feed plenty of timothy hay. If he is older than six months of age, then you can feed them anything like fruits or veggies. Pellets are the main food that you should need in order to feed him however too much of pellets can cause obesity in them.
You should feed them everyday, but you must not feed them too much. You should feed them according to their size or weight, for instance, if you have a big rabbit then you should feed them twice a day. Also make sure to give them fresh water, you should know that they drinks a lot of water.
EXERCISE :-
Exercise is very important for rabbits for maintaing a good health. It helps in preventing from various diseases such as obesity  pododermatitis, osteoporosis etc. If rabbit cannot exercise then his muscles will becme weak and underdeveloped, in that case, your rabbit will not be able to face stressful situations like chasing by a puppy or child.
You can let them to go outside the cage. You can also take him to garden or park by putting a leash on them. You should never leave them alone outside as other creatures might harm them. You can also help them to jump and climb.

MAINTAINING HEALTH :-
You should take your rabbit to vwt atleast once a year to maintain a good health. Also if he looks ill and any of the symptoms appear, such as cough ir sneezing, you must immediately take him to vet.
You should NEVER bathe him as water can get into his ears and eyes which can be harmful for them. There us no need to bathe him as they clean themselves.
Now, I hope you have understand all about the basic things about rabbits. They are so cute that you can resist of saying “Awwwwww”.  If you will give them your love, affection and care, they will also love you back. But if you do not have enough time to spend with him then I recommend you to not to buy it.

The post Bunny Basics! appeared first on Pet Attack.

Fishes are one among the most beautiful creatures on this planet and it is truly a breathtaking sight to watch them in their habitat. What is even better is if you can enjoy this view every day, right? That will be possible if you own an aquarium in your home. Having an aquarium at your home will not only add to its beauty but will also give you an interesting hobby. In fact, there are a lot of people who want to maintain aquariums but they do not do so because they have minimal knowledge about fish and do not know how to take care of them. Therefore I have put together the basic information anybody will need to know if they want to get an aquarium.

First and foremost, you must think it out patiently. Aquariums last for a long time and taking care of fish might be a commitment that you will regret if you are not ready for it. So it is better not to make this decision on the spur of the moment. Once you are completely sure that you want to do this, you can go ahead with the planning.
Before getting the aquarium and the fish, it is important to plan out everything step by step. You do not want to end up bringing home a huge aquarium for which you cannot spare enough space or having your big fish suffocate in a small aquarium. A few things that need to be thought about carefully while planning are –
• Where the aquarium will be kept
There must be sufficient space around the aquarium as you will have to clean it often and that will be difficult if it is crammed up with the rest of your furniture. So keep it in a spot that has ready access. Also see to it that the temperature of the water is not altered by its position. For example, sunlight coming in from the nearby windows or doors can overheat the water in the tank and excess of light might trigger the growth of unwanted algae in the water. Nearby windows, vents and doors can subject the tank to drafts of cold air, which will change the temperature of the water. These changes in temperature will cause stress to the fish in the tank. Even when people constantly move about close to the aquarium then the fish will get stressed. Fish require a stable and secure environment. Hence all of these factors must be taken into consideration while choosing the right spot for the tank.

• Research the fish you would like to own
Find out which fish you would like to own. Learn about their food habits, what temperature, pH levels and environment is best suitable for them, what is the maximum size they can grow up to and which other fish they are compatible with. For example, you cannot have fighter fish in the same aquarium as most other fish as they might attack and kill them. Fish that are continuously harassed will tend to get sick due to the physical stress. So it is better to get breeds of fish which can live together peacefully. Also, different kinds of fish have different needs. Thus it would be advisable to get fish of similar requirements regarding food and the temperature and pH levels of water. You can ask people who own aquariums, browse the internet or enquire with any reliable pet store.
After the planning you can get down to action. The first thing you need to do is to select an aquarium. Most beginners will think that the smaller the aquarium is, the easier it will be to maintain. But this notion is wrong. If a tank is small then it will get dirty quicker than a big aquarium. But that does not mean that one should choose a very huge aquarium. The huge aquarium filled with water and supported by a heavy stand, might not be very good for your flooring. Therefore a moderate sized aquarium should be selected, keeping in mind the spot it will be placed in and also the fish that it will hold.

The next thing to be done is selecting a strong stand and a hood. The tank must not be kept on just any table because with the water, it might be too heavy. Also, when the water splashes out (this is inevitable, no matter how careful you are), it might damage the furniture. Hence a stand which is made especially for the tank is best. A hood is a must for any aquarium because many fish are jumpers and they can jump surprisingly high. In order to ensure that none of your fish jump out of the tank, you need to cover it with a hood.
Finally, you must choose the materials that you want to place in your aquarium. This includes water plants (real or fake), gravel and a filter. Remember that the natural habitat of fishes is complete with plants, lots of rocks and a natural purifying system. So you must try to make your aquarium mirror their natural home in every way that you can. Buy chemicals only after consulting with the people at the pet store. But do not be stingy in doing so as this could affect the health of your fish. Only buy good quality equipment.

Once you have everything ready, you can successfully start working on your aquarium. In my next post I will deal with how to start and continue to maintain aquariums. So be sure to read it.

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