Why do people keep pets? What is that pushes them to spend their extra time, attention, expense on some random animal? Why people are ready to make a pet a part of the family? Some of the obvious reasons can be to shed boredom, to make their children happy, to establish a status in society owning a pedigree or may be just to get a companion. They don’t speak human yet we try to bind them into an owner-pet bond, which not only provides a love-affection binding but a lot more. Though they are categorized as animals and claimed to not understand human emotions, they still and time and again have proved to be our best friends.

So how keeping a pet helps us live better? Let us have a look.

7. Human needs and Benifits

Pets were basically used to fulfill needs of humans, for domestication. The poultry and dairy pets are kept for wool, flesh, milk and eggs. The horses and donkeys carry our loads. Some are even for leisure and sports. A dog for protection and cats and other small pets are for companionship and leisure. The basic need was to fulfill our own day to day needs that we began petting animals. With time it has developed from a benificial relationship to a good companionship.

6. Routine your Life

Once a pet comes into your life, you get to shed off the procrastination you carry out every day. No matter how lazy you are, you need to get up to feed your pet, clean it up, play with it, may be take it out for walk but overall you will enjoy all of it. With the well on time feeds and walks, regular cleaning and grooming, you will surely end up retuning the clock of your life while doing it for your pet.

5. Increase your social circle

Yes that’s true! When you take your pet out for a walk you will always meet up other owners and tend to interact with them. You meet people in training centers, clubs, pet stores, pet shows and public parks. Believe me, you end up going out and making new buddies when you are out there with your pet, the conversation starting by talking about each others pets and their behavior. You may progress from having a cup of coffee together to being really good friends!

4. Family Bonding

Children love playing around with pets. They can be one of the reasons for your kid’s joyous day to day activities. Kids can learn to develop affectionate and caring nature from the very beginning, by regular petting and pampering their pets. Even the elderly, who sometimes feel lonely and don’t mingle up with other members of family, get to have a companion and to enjoy lives by spending time with pets. A pet generates affection, laughter fun and exuberance among the people it lives around and hence gets the family together.

3. Relieving Anxiety

Touching, petting, pampering, cuddling your pet can reduce stress levels considerably low. Remarkable behavior changes have been observed in prisoners who have been exposed to being with pets. A sense of comfort and satisfaction is observed in spending time with pet. Your pet always tends to divert your mind and attention to pull it towards it. It is scientifically proved that pet owners are less likely to suffer depression than those who don’t have one. There have been many good outcomes of keeping a pet considering health, behavior, fitness stress etc. Also it is very satisfying to take care of another living creature. According to a research, presented in American Heart Association, the stress and blood pressure levels in stockbrokers, who had been on medication, had come down significantly come down, after they took to petting an animal along with medication. The affectionate bond and support can help in reducing stress that is a major contributor to cardiovascular problems.

2. Exercise

Well, not all pets can help you stay fit but most of them can. Take for example of your pet dog or cat. Regular morning and evening walks is good for your pet and healthy for you too. If you are not a regular gym person then make a habit to go for regular walks with your pet or chase your kitty around playfully. That will not only keep you healthy physically but mentally too you will stay off stress and diverted and devoted towards your pet.

1. Companionship

That is one of the most considered reasons for keeping a pet. A new member in family is always welcomed like a guest and so is a pet. Why because you always look forward to develop that bond with your pet. Sometimes even the closest people betray you and you seem alone and lost. But when you have a pet along it gives a sense of comfort and company to be with. A good pet will always try to interact with you or least keep you busy and try building a bond with you if taken well care of.

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When you think of chicken, what comes to your mind? In one go, all the non-vegetarians out there would think of all kinds of mouth watering chicken cuisines. Well if you are what they say as ‘pure-nonvegetarian’, then why not have your own farm of poultry and raise your own healthy chickens, so that you never have to go to the supermarket to buy eggs and flesh and get a fresh supply from your own backyard. Keeping poultry pets is not so popular in suburban areas but here are few reasons as to why and how you keep a flock in your backyard.

Why?

1. An omelette in morning and a chicken cuisine for dinner would be something quite common for you, and that includes the family dinners and parties as well. You will be happily feasting with your friends and relatives.

2. Keeping chicken is fun. They are active, alert always ready to run around. You can cuddle them, pamper them only if you take care of them and bond well. They are unique! Yes, every chicken is unique in its personality trait, apart from varied feather colors and sizes. Chicks are equally adorable. You will love to play around with them and raise them in your backyard.

3. Keep them if you have pest problems in your garden. They can turn it into a fertilizer. No need to use pesticides also. Chickens love to roam around freely and forage. They can eat almost anything, even the grass that has grown too long. So stop caring about mowing your gardens and let those chickens go loose.

4. Low maintenance is what is synonym to keeping chicken. No walking, no brushing only feeding twice a dy. With minimal needs and plethora of benifits what more you can ask from your pet, than an egg every morning. The cleaning and bedding is a once in a while effort.

5. Save a chicken from the farm-factory where they follow ruthless and cruel farming of poultry and diary animals to produce higher output. High epsticides and antibiotics are used to rpevent spread of diseases in the stocked up innumerable poultry animals. Here you keep chickens, there one less chicken is put in a gruesome situation plus even you prevent yourself from ingesting those chemicals.

6. Its not just about chicken and eggs, in the end you get a pet to whom you can cuddle, scoop around, comb and pamper. Amaze others as you make your chicken fall asleep in your arms, they can be good pets if bonded well.

Now that you have got enough reason to keepp them, lets see the how part.

HOW?

DIET

FOOD

Chicken diet depends upon the breed and the age. Feed should be well balanced and the containers should be regularly cleaned to avoid any chances of illness. Chickens need insoluble grit in their diet like hard flint grit. Chicken feeders are equally important when keeping chickens as pets.

Water

Constant clean and fresh water is a must in your poultry house. The drinkers should be cleaned regularly. Care should be taken that drinkers are not too deep to prevent the chicks from falling into them.

HOUSING

The place where your chicks will grow up and thrive has to be warm, dry and well ventilated. The area needs to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to remove parasites and other insects. The feeders and drinkers should be placed in one corner of the house and if you have more number of chickens, two or more feeders can be kept per chicken coop.

Flooring

The flooring should be made of dry material like wood shavings or straw that should be topped up. Chicken like to forage and dust bath around so the toppings can be replaced when required. The floor should be dry to avoid habitats for parasites to grow and cause unwanted diseases to your pets.

Space

Chickens require ample space to stretch their wings, run and hop around. If you have 30 birds in your coop, roughly 12 square meters of space would be enough for them. But this also depends on size and number of chicken pets you have. You can fill the space with perches, about 3 to 5 cm in length with round edges to avoid the chicken getting hurt.

 Nest Boxes

When the hen is getting ready to lay eggs it needs quiet places. Make sure you provide the would-be moms with warm, serene enclosed nest boxes where they can lay eggs in peace without any disturbances from humans and other male chickens. The flooring can again be straw or wood shavings, in short, something dry and comfortable.

Outdoor Environment

Provide an overhead cover over the coop, like a small tree or a shed to protect your pets from sun and weather. Chicken constantly sun bathe and forage so enough space should be there for them to do so. Feeders and drinkers should even be kept outside for easy access to food and water. Proper fencing should be there to protect your pets from wild animals or other pets in your house. Make sure the bird doesn’t get out of the fence or not hurt itself getting stuck in it.

HEALTH

Healthy chickens are easy to notice. They have bright eyes and alertness in their movement. Poor health symptoms include hunched posture, reluctance in movement, erect feathers, hiding in corners etc. The chicken seems dull and less interested. Always contact your vet if you think your chicken is not doing well. Late response may make other chicken unwell too. Chickens should be checked for lice and red mites, generally found under the wings or in the crevices of the coop. Chickens need regular de-worming, if kept outside in the same area over a long period of time.

Chicken Company

Feather pecking can be a cause of serious trouble while introducing new chicken to the flock. Cockerels who haven’t grown together should be kept separate to avoid rivalry. Even hens peck and pull at the feathers of other hens causing injuries. This can occur anytime and may even lead to cannibalism. Care should be taken to separate any newly introduced member into the flock if they break into a fight.

Before getting yourself a flock of your own birds make sure you have ample space and can devote enough time and care towards them.

The post Poultry Pets: Chicken appeared first on Pet Attack.

According to Wikipedia “Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding. When the lineage of a purebred animal is recorded, that animal is said to be pedigreed.” In other words, if a German shepherd mates with another German shepherd, their pups will have similar characteristics to their parents and not to other breeds in their gene pool. However, just like human babies may have congenital defects due to their parents being related, breeding from too small a gene pool, especially direct inbreeding, can lead to the passing on of undesirable characteristics. It may even cause a collapse of a breed population due to inbreeding depression. Therefore there has always been a debate about when to allow ‘outside’ stock for breeding purposes as this can improve the overall health and vigor of the breed. Purebred animal breeds are also susceptible to a wide range of congenital health problems. Then why do humans demand for purebred pets? Why is an animal, whose ancestry has been recorded, considered a better pet than a mutt? These questions are simply beyond me, especially after knowing the ill effects of pure breeding. My article is going to focus on the effect of this, especially on dogs.

Genetic conditions are a particular problem for dog breeds that do not accept any outside breed or blood. Most kennel clubs make a dog breed with its parents or siblings, which is morally as well as genetically disgusting. Some of the most common conditions arise from inbreeding. These include hip dysplasia, seen in large breed dogs, von Willebrand disease, a disease that affects platelets that is inherited in Doberman Pinschers, entropion, a curling in of the eyelid seen in Shar Peis and many other breeds, progressive retinal atrophy, inherited in many breeds, deafness, and epilepsy, known to be inherited in Belgian Shepherd Dogs, German Shepherd Dogs, Cocker Spaniels, and St. Bernards. Many dogs are bred with exaggerated features to please dog show judges! In reality, not only do ‘purebred’ dogs riddle with genetic diseases, but dog breeds are not even a real thing! We have made them up! We often talk about dog breeds as if nature created them that way and as though every mutt were just a mix of different purebreeds. But in reality, mutts are healthier than the so called ‘purebreds’ and pure-breeding is a sort of genetic manipulation humans made up just to amuse themselves. 90% of all dog breeds have been created in the last century! Because our ancestors thought that dogs should live upto our arbitrary standards, even though it causes them to get sick and die.

In 2008, the BBC ran a documentary on the health problems in pedigree dogs.A summary of the main points of that documentary are as follows:

• 60% of Golden retrievers die of cancer.
• 1 in 3 of King Charles’ Spaniels have skulls that are smaller than their brains!
• Great Danes are so huge that their hearts cannot support their bodies!
• Male Dalmations have difficulty in urinating due to stone formation.
• Bull dogs are a total genetic failure and are victims of borderline animal abuse! They can barely breath due to their squashed noses, their heads are so big that they can only give birth through caesarian, their tails can become ingrown, they have hip dysplasia and their average life expectancy is 6 years!
• The Bull Terriers have respiratory diseases due to their oversized snouts, supernumerary teeth and are compulsive tail-chasers.
• The Basset Hound has suffered too many changes to its rear leg structure that has made it stand so low that its stomach nearly touches the ground! It also has excessive skin, vertebra problems, droopy eyes prone to entropion and ectropion and excessively large ears.
• The Boxer have an extremely short snout, has difficulty in breathing, has lower hindquarters and has difficulty controlling its temperature in hot weather. It also has one of the highest cancer and many of them suffer from seizures.
• The Dachshunds are prone to dwarfism and do not have properly functional legs or necks for their size. There is barely any clearance between their chest and the floor.
• The mutations in German Shepherd Dogs serve no purpose but have made it an imbalanced breed that is more prone to cancer.
• The St. Bernard is oversized, has difficulty breathing and has too much skin due to which it quickly overheats and cannot work like thebreed was meant to. Their common diseases include entropion, ectropion, Stockard’s paralysis, hemophilia, osteosarcoma, aphakia and fibrinogen deficiency.
• Pugs have high blood pressure, heart problems, low oxygenation, difficulty breathing, tendency to overheat, dentition problems, and skin fold dermatitis. Even their double curled tail is a genetic defect that leads to paralysis in serious cases.

When new born puppies don’t fit the ridiculous and harmful breed standards imposed by us humans, who like to play God all the time, they are culled by the breeder. Completely healthy puppies are euthanized, just because they don’t look perfect. This is sick. The next time you feel like bringing a pup home, pick up a stray or adopt one from the animal shelter. But I beg you to not ask for a ‘purebred pedigreed’ dog, because that is just wrong and against the laws of nature.

The post Purebred and pedigreed? Doesn’t make sense to me! appeared first on Pet Attack.

I was just browsing, searching for nothing in particular, when I came across a photograph of what looked like, well, Pingu (the cartoon) with brownish black fur glued on to him! Absolutely delectable in a queer way, the photo seemed doctored so I looked them up. And lo! Mr.Pingu-with brown fur did exist, and are called by the name of Kinkajous.

These kinkajous, more commonly known as nightwalkers or honeybears, are also known by the scientific name of Poto Flavus, have several subspecies, many of which are docile and kept as pets. Now, having said that these are kept as pets does not mean that all of us can afford them. Kinkajous are extremely expensive and being exotic, are also rare. They live up to 25 years in the wild but according to recent reports, one of them staying in the Honolulu zoo is a little more than 40 years old.

Now, as I have mentioned earlier, they have several subspecies and they vary in size. However, to consider an approximation, their length ranges between 16 to 26 inches with the tail growing up to 20 inches. Quite a tail, I must say! Kinkajous are small pets, and weigh around 8 or 9 pounds.

Before embarking upon actually purchasing one of these delectable creatures, it sure is imperative to know what they really are. Kinkajous are nocturnal creatures. They reside in the treed canopy of the rainforest areas, and needlessly to say, they are tree-dwellers with prehensile tails which assist them in climbing. They do share a lot of characteristics with monkeys in general but they are actually related to racoons, red pandas and also coatimundis.  Nectar and fruits are what you can call their staple food in the wilderness.

Now, let me tell you that if you intend to keep a Kinkajou as pet, it is probably advisable to adopt them at an early age when  they are quite compliant and not to mention, friendly. However, whatever be the age at which you bring home one of these, you must remember that they are primarily wild animals and their habits and habitat are different from ours. You, first and foremost, need to be flexible with them and the less you expect them to change, the better it is for them physically and psychologically. To adduce this, you might consider that they are, by nature, nocturnal so you might get the most activity in the latter part of the evenings or even past your bedtime. They are, like monkeys, extreme curious and they tend to get into things and create quite a mess. They like to toss food around, and in case you plan to keep more than one, they can be quite territorial and you might as well expect quite a ruckus during mealtimes. Kinkajous, sadly( for you, of course!), cannot be litter-trained however much you try. The best that you can expect from them is to find some favourite toilet areas where they would like to frequent, and hope that their favourite spaces do not collide with your favourite parts of the room.

As said earlier, with kinkajous around, you can expect to have a noisy household. In fact, it will be just like having two or three mischievous boys in their early teens creating what you can call a cacophony in an otherwise quiet household. For that matter, you must do what you would have done if you had three teen-aged boys; put them in a leash! I mean, seriously. You cannot let them round around unattended. Kinkajous need a large tall cage, not less than six feet tall and more than five to six feet wide. Now, what you need to do is to create a pseudo-habitat for them inside their cages, and the more elaborate you can be with the whole cage thingy, the happier will your pets be. For that matter, you need to provide an assortment of branches, shelves and even ropes for climbing. In addition to that, you might also want to include a variety of toys, hanging wood and even wide( so that your pets do not try to swallow them) pieces of PVC pipes. You can also hang something akin to hammocks or sleep sacks. A nest box is also important, so you might try placing an opaque plastic container with a hole cut in one of the sides and suspended from the walls of the cage. You need to remember that kinkajous are hyperactive and need to play to get rid of their excess energy or they will, for sure, create quite a ruckus. Now, you need to know that however elaborate you make their cages, they will need to be taken out on a regular basis. What would be the most feasible thing to do, I think, is to let them out for a few hours during the day and confine them during the night when, due to their being nocturnal, they are most active and will tend to irritate you by their incessant slow huffing, chirping to whistling, barking( quite close), and even shrieking out loud to defend their food.

Now that we have heard about kinkajous fighting and turning territorial for food, I think we should know about what to feed them as well. In the wilderness, alongside nectar and fruits, they are used to eat a variety of insects, frogs, and eggs. However, in captivity, you might endeavour to make their food a tad bit more delicious by providing them with an assortment of biscuits, chow, fruits like figs, cherimoya, pomegranates, pineapple, grapes, kiwis, melons, mangoes, papayas and even bananas. It is best to avoid chocolates and dairy products since kinkajous have trouble ingesting milk.

Kinkajous, if you do manage to adopt one, are extremely rewarding pets, and will ensure a lively household with their chatter and endless prattle. To say the least, you can never be or even feel lonely when you are around these creatures.

The post An exotic pet for you to choose: kinkajous! appeared first on Pet Attack.

If you have a thing for pocket friendly pets, as in one that you can purchase without burning a hole in your pocket, and are small enough to fit into your pockets, then I think you should get a Sugar Glider for yourself. These petite creatures are ridiculously delectable in their appearance, and relatively easy to care for.

First things first: you need to know that Sugar Gliders are marsupials, and like the kangaroo, they start their life in their mother’s pouch. They are usually found in places in and around Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia. Their diet and habits actually account for their being named so, much like our Snot-nose and Smelly-pants. They, when in the wild, feed on nectar and the sap of eucalyptus sap, and are therefore called ‘sugar’, and gliders because the flap of skin in between their ankles and wrists allows them to glide between trees
.

Contrary to their being called so, their staple food is not just sugar( honey or sweet sap). They are omnivorous animals, and their diet includes a plethora of items like fruit, honey, insects and even small birds and rodents.

Sugar Gliders are social creatures, which is one of the reasons why you will love having them as pets. In the wilderness, they usually live in social family units, and just cannot stay alone, without social interaction. In fact, there are many cases of them dying due to depression induced by staying alone. For that reason, you must, if you are thinking about getting one of these delectable creatures as pets, meditate on the amount of time you can spend with it so that it does not suffer from bouts of negligence or depression. A practical thing to do would be to get more than one, so that your pet gets to have his social interfaces even when you are not around.

Sugar Gliders, if you are a mushy shilly-shallying pet lover, are the perfect match. They are playful and extremely endearing pets. You must. As mentioned before, keep them in groups of two or four. Company is nonpareil for sugar gliders. Other than food and company, they are not really exacting pets, so to say. They are clean and do not need multifarious housing requirements. They are what you can call long-term pets, for they, if provided for in a proper manner, can live up to fourteen years in captivity.

Now, there are some things which you should keep in mind while tending for a Sugar Glider. As said earlier, their need for company tops the charts. You need to around them as much as possible, and I cannot stress this enough. Since they are such tiny creatures, you might, if possible, take them with you in your pockets! Trust me, they will love riding around in your pocket or a gunny bag.  Delectable as they are, they are not very good with training, so you will have to take necessary precautions. To adduce this, I may add that Sugar Gliders have sharp nails which will dig in to you when they are either climbing on landing on your body. Now, since, you cannot train them to be gentle on you, you need to trim their nails on a regular basis. Their teeth is another such concern. Although, they are not aggressive creatures to begin with, if threatened or scared, there is a high tendency that they might bite.  Now, you cannot, of course, chop off their teeth. What you can do, however, is to be patient enough to get your pet to like and trust you so that it does not feel threatened in your presence. Also, it might be in your best interests to not let anybody whom your pet is not familiar with touch or cuddle it.

Now, you need to give your pet a full meal, which contains all the necessary requirement, including vitamin and mineral supplements. Whether sugar gliders should be given sugar to eat has become a highly debatable matter, which has heightened in the wake of a disease typical to them called nutritional osteodystrophy, which stems mostly from an imbalance of calcium or phosphorous in the diet. So, I would advise you to consult a good vet-dietician for the purpose.

Housing is another important part of keeping a Sugar Glider. You might be good enough to let your pet share your pet but I would advise you against it. Other than infections that are fairly common, there is also the risk of other animals trying to make a meal out of your pet. The best thing to do is to get a cage, of more than 36 inches, for a pair. In this respect, let me remind you that bigger is better, and they are more keen on the height of the cage than the floor space. The cage should be no more than two inches wide, since horizontal bars will induce them to climb and they will not lose their typical agility.  Now, you should be creative in your decorating the cage with toys, boxes and glider pouch. An exercising wheel would be wonderful. You primary endeavour should be in keep your pet active and busy.

Sugar Gliders make wonderful pets, and I can assure you that if you do get one of these endearing  creatures for yourself, you won’t ever regret it. As said earlier, Sugar Gliders, unlike other pets, do not respond to castigation at all, so the best thing to do is to take precautions and always treat them with the love, care and respect they deserve.

The post Craving for a Sugar Overdose? Bring home a Sugar Glider! appeared first on Pet Attack.

One of the most common breeds of dogs in the world is the Pomeranian. And why not? Its small in size easy going and does not require a lot of fussing unlike some other breeds. The Pomeranian also called a Pom pom or even simply Pom is a breed of the Spitz type. It is said to have originated in Central Europe, in the Pomerania region, which now comes as a part of northern Poland and east of Germany, hence giving it the name. Its size is so small, that it is classified as a toy dog, although its ancestors, i.e. the Spitz were much larger, specifically the German Spitz. In fact, it often goes by the name of ‘dwarf Spitz’, in some countries.

The very size makes it absolutely adorable to have and to hold. Its popularity can be credited to the large number of royal owners this breed has had for the past few centuries, as early as the 18^th century. Also the fact that since celebrities these days have made owning a small dog so fashionable, everyone wants to be in trend, and a Pomeranian fits the bill perfectly. In fact the size of the breed reduced by about 50% during Queen Victoria’s lifetime alone. What is interesting is the breed seems to have a fairly good lifespan for its size, about 12 to 16 years.  The breed is considered among the top 15 most popular breeds in the USA and simultaneously its popularity is growing worldwide.

These compact dogs weigh about 1.9 to 3.5 kgs and tend to have an abundant textured coat, set high and flat, yet as fluffy as ever. They have a unique ruff on the neck and a fringe of fur on their hindquarters. The earliest known Pomeranians were mostly if not exclusively white, brown or black. But after Queen Victoria adopted a small red Pomeranian, this color too gained prominence. With time, a large variety of colors were seen in the breed. Some solid, others were a blend or a combination of various colors. The most common colors are white, orange, cream and black. Other colors include tan, spotted, brindle, blue and sable. Merle is a distinct color recently developed, which gives a mottled effect. Although there are certain colors considered unacceptable according to some breeding standards. The eyes, nose and paw pads also can be uniquely colored as a consequence of breeding. Pomeranians have the largest variety of colors compared to any other breed.

Because of their thick double coat, breeders recommend daily grooming in order to maintain its quality and since it is fairly easy. Special care needs to be taken during the shedding season of their undercoats, which happens about twice a year, when the coat tends to knot and tangle easily. The undercoat is usually softer, while the outer is long, straight and just a tad harsh. To maintain the gloss and softness, its better if the fur is trimmed every 1-2 months. What makes Pomeranians particularly loved by kids is that they are a very friendly breed. They love to play. They are inherently lively, and this energy more than makes up for their relatively small size.

They also make decent guard dogs, considering they are highly prone to barking at any new stimuli. This alertness makes them susceptible to any change in their environment. They are aware about everything around them, often excessively defensive about their territory. Their intelligence ensures a good response to training, which is aided by their extrovert nature. But at the same time they are well known for their ability to get what they want from their owners. They love to be the centre of everyone’s attention, which comes off as aggression and dominance. If not trained well, they tend to bark excessively, which makes them unadvisable for the elderly. Toys come in handy when you need them to be alone.

One advantage of their lightweight build is that this breed is not known to have hip dysplasia as commonly as other breeds do. With good nutrition and sufficient exercise this dog lives a sturdy, healthy life. Most of the ailments are a result of insufficient care and grooming, such as regular cleaning of their ears, teeth and eyes. It’s advisable to feed them dry food, as early tooth loss is a common problem. On an average a pom breed is about 1-3 puppies per litter, among the smallest compared to other breeds. Some other common ailments are related to bones and muscles, such as patella and slip disc. This is painful in the initial stages, but it later subsides. Respiratory problems such as tracheal collapse are another commonly found ailment amongst Pomeranians. Most common symptom of which is coughing that worsens by hot weather, excitement or exercise. Testicular disease, ie, cryporchidism is treatable by surgery. But the most common disease involves complete or partial hair loss and hyperpigmentation.

A Pomeranian is well-suited as a companion for everyone. Its loving nature makes it an ideal lap dog. Pomeranians are often used as therapy dogs. In fact their adorable appearance alone can make them extremely popular, as recently witnessed in case of Boo, that became an internet sensation, based solely on its cuteness.

The post Its Pom pom time! appeared first on Pet Attack.

In humans, the pregnancy period is quite a delicate time, so is for animals. Proper attention care is required towards the animal whether it is diet, safety, exercise or meds. First thing to keep in mind is that, you should not breed your pet unless are ready to take up the responsibility of the litter. Just for the matter that your dog/cat should have the experience of having a litter is not a reason enough for breeding your pet. Also if you have already planned for it then you should go to a responsible breeder who has considerable knowledge about your breed. You can also consult the vet first to get the breeding done.

After your dog/cat is in the gestation period, a lot of attention and care is required from your side being an owner. Below are few important points that you should realize while taking care of your pet.

Diet

This is the first and the most important thing that your dog/cat needs good nutrition. Now that she is carrying babies, she needs to intake extra calories, to feed more than one. Improper diet can even lead to death of newborns. After mating and while gestation, you should make sure that your pet eats properly. During the first few weeks dogs eat in normal amounts but as the weeks precede so does their requirement. By the end of the gestation period they tend to eat 1.5 times their initial diets. Same applies to your cat so increase the amount of food you provide to your pet. Give your dog/cat commercial dog/cat food that is high in calories. Also talk to your vet about the dietary habits for your pet and how to make it better. Most importantly provide ample amount of water at all times.

Exercise and Fitness

You dog should undergo sufficient exercises though not vigorous ones. The target should be to ease the complications during delivery and not weight loss. Regular outdoor walks should keep your pregnant dog fit and fine. Cats usually take care of themselves on their own during pregnancy. They may undergo morning sickness like certain behavior changes, not having food on time, vomiting and restlessness. But worry not this is a part of the hormonal changes going inside her body. Sometimes you might not even notice such changes. If the cat doesn’t eat food for a long stretch of time do consult your vet. Weight loss is not recommended for your pet and a lot of rest and sleep is required, so don’t try to tire your pet, in the name of exercise. Again plenty of water is a must.

Discharge

Your pet both dogs and cats experience discharge from genital area during pregnancy. The discharge is often pinkish in color in case of dogs and transparent in case of cats. If the color of discharge differs, it can be pus or blood. You should immediately contact your vet in this situation. In case of cats, if the discharge is pink it is a fungal infection while green discharge indicates bacterial infection.  After delivery discharge is normal in case of cats, which can be thick and either punk or brown in color. This continues for 10 days so no need to worry. Discharge during pregnancy should be taken seriously ignoring certain conditions can even lead to abortion or premature delivery.

Surroundings

To make your dog/cat go through the gestation period comfortably you need to ensure that their surrounding environment is stress free and tranquil. Make separate bedding for your cat, some time before her due date like a box. Provide comfortable bedding or base, by putting a soft towel, blanket or may be an old launder that makes them feel warm and cozy. Place it in a silent location; make it a point to keep it away from other pets and children in the house so that your cat/dog may rest silently without any disturbances. Let her know where the box is kept but don’t force her to be there. She may end up choosing some other location to give birth or may even make changes according to her wish in her newly made space. Keep your pet away for three weeks after parturition so as to prevent transmission of any potential diseases.

After Birth Care

You should make sure that your pet feels comfortable and secure around people in the house. Keep a separate den for the new mommy where she can feed and tender to her litter without any trouble or disturbances. Keep a bowl of water close by, but make sure that pups don’t fall into it by mistake. Change the bedding regularly to avoid smell and maintain hygiene in their resting place. Clean the puppy poop from time to time, although in case of cats, the queen, that’s what the new mommy is called, tends to eat up her baby poop, clean and groom them simultaneously. This behavior is sometimes seen in dogs too and is fairly normal. Ensure that your pet has proper food even during lactation. Whenever you feel any abnormal changes like loss of appetite in your pet, insatiable thirst, discharge etc contact your vet.

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People don’t usually keep rodents as pets. Even if they do it is usually a guinea pig or a hamster. Rats and mice are also petted but rarely. But if you have recently bought one of these puffy yet delicate beings you need to know how to take their proper care. Big animals like cats and dogs, are easy to take care in terms of food, cleaning, bonding and petting. Coming to the rodents, even they require love and bonding which may turn out to be difficult considering their size and behavior.

Here are few points to help guide how to develop a better relation with your little rodent.

1. Cages

The size of the cage depends upon the size and number of pets you keep. Hamster adults are about 6 inches so a 12*18 size cage would be fine for a single hamster. Hamsters are solitary animals, hence should be kept a hamster per cage.  Gerbils are petit and grow up to just four inches. They are social animals so it is better to keep them in a pair or a group. A 12*24 size cage would provide enough space for a pair. Mice make it to just 3 inches and like gerbils tend to stay in pairs or groups. They need a small 12*18 size cage although the size can be varied if you increase the count. Rats and guinea pigs on the other hand reach a length of 8 and 10 inches respectively. You can get a cage of size 24*36 or can even make a little home with the household items for the guinea pigs, your rat my chew off its home, hence a cage is better option.

2. Bedding and Accessories

The bedding shouldn’t be made of an absorbent material. Normally pine wood shavings and paper-based pallets are comfortable for your pet and even keep the bad odor away. Make sure you don’t provide wired bedding for your rodent as spending time on wired base leads to bumble-foot, a bacterial infection associated with feet. Rats tend to litter waste in one corner of the cage, you need to make sure you clean the cage regularly, at least once a week and restore the bedding back. Rats and mice like to climb over the cage. You can add certain toys and accessories to the cage for your rodent’s playtime. Some rodents like to run on wheels while others don’t. You can get some toys which your rats and mice can chew upon and rotate them so that it doesn’t feel bored.

3. Food

Hamsters, guinea pigs can be given similar diets like whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits and other healthy things. Pellet food is considered best for your pet. You can also try human food, as long as it is healthy and not junk food. Dwarf hamsters are prone to diabetes, so sugar and fatty foods should be avoided. If you have a rat or mice low fat meal can be given occasionally including cheese and nuts apart from bread, rice yogurt. A low fat high fiber diet is preferable. Rats get tempted with sweet food items like sugar and chocolate but this tendency of developing a sweet tooth must be avoided. Make sure you give clean drinking water to your rodent. The water should be changed regularly and take care that bowls don’t get contaminated with algae. Your rodent requires water regularly and may be ill otherwise.

4. Cleaning and grooming

Rats don’t usually require cleaning and grooming as they clean themselves by licking. But if you feel the fur becoming dirty or the tail turning black with dirt, you can give it a slightly warm bath. Bathing should be done once per month only if necessary. Same applies to hamsters, guinea pigs and other rodents as well. Take care that the water doesn’t go the eyes. DO NOT put shampoo anywhere around eyes. Clean the face with a damp towel. For the first time, the bath can be intimidating for your pet and it may try to run off. You can first make it comfortable by placing it in an inch or two of water and let it get used to the wetness. Use only a drop of shampoo and not more than that. Rinse and little and wash off. Clean the tail with a soft brush in case of a rat, being long and skinny it often gets dirty. You can even trim off the nails if you think they are too long by using normal nail-cutter but be careful with not to cut the pink skin. A vet can be consulted in this case.

5. Playtime

It is better that kids don’t handle these rodents themselves as they are delicate creatures. Squeezing and dropping down can cause harm to your pet. Though they can be social, but rats, mice and gerbils are generally nocturnal and can be disturbing throughout the night. They may not like getting disturbed during the day, as they sleep most of the time. They are playful but not that responsive, though they can be tamed by frequent handling and spending some time with your pet both when inside and outside its cage. Get few toys for your rodents to chew upon and when you leave them out make sure you don’t keep any valuables in their way as they can chew off almost anything.
Spend time with your pet and don’t just keep it because it is cute, furry and adorable. Take proper care of it and let it enjoy your company.

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Timothy just had an intense petting session with his pet dog Ginger. After all the belly rubbing and hugging, he found himself covered with dog hair, an everyday occurrence. Of course it was not only Timothy who found Ginger’s hair sticking on him, most often, the entire house would be covered in dog hair and his mother would be complaining about it in her annoying-yet-affectionate tone.

If you are a dog lover who has had your pet for many years, dogs shedding hair is just a normal process that you have learnt to cope with.

If you just got a dog as a pet and getting used to having it licking you and jumping around and suddenly found yourself covered in hair, CALM DOWN. It is only natural for your pet to shed hair and not something for you to panic over.

However, haven’t we all wondered why our pets tend to shed so much of hair and if it is possible at all to actually reduce it? Read on, to find out more.

Why?

Most people might reckon that hair shedding is a natural process for a dog, and they are absolutely right! It does not take a Darwin to figure that out. Just like humans, dogs are wont to shed hair and dead skin so that new skin can grow again. It has been noted by most experts that dogs usually shed hair in response to exposure to different intensity of light. For dogs that live outdoor, hair shedding varies according to seasonal changes. However for most of our domestic pets living indoors along with us, exposure to artificial light throughout the year is common, so they tend to shed hair round the year.

So, it is not always a cause for worry if your dog is shedding hair. However, certain breeds of dogs such as Poodles and Terriers don’t shed hair away from their body. Rather, their hair collects as a curly coat around their body to give them their beautiful and unique appearance, creating their aesthetic appeal.

The amount of hair loss as well as the frequency of hair shedding varies from breed to breed. Make sure you know and get accustomed to your dog’s type of hair shedding. It would be extremely handy if you think your dog is shedding more than usual or if it is a cause for concern.

Pregnancy in dogs is also another cause for dogs to shed their hair due to the hormonal changes that take place in their body. Most often, your dog might be shedding more than usual during that period. So take it easy.

When do you worry?

After you have acquainted yourself with your dog’s nature of shedding hair, if something unusual happens, you will definitely notice the difference. Suddenly your pet might be shedding more hair than usual or there might be excessive hair fall. In fact it might even leave a hairless patch on its skin which does not seem to grow hair again. That is definitely a cause for worry! Rush your dog to the Vet right away and find out what the problem is.

Reducing Hair Shedding

Let me tell you that there is a way for you to control the hair shedding that might cover every surface of your house, making cleaning a Herculean task. While you will not be reducing the amount of hair shedding, you will make it much more manageable.

The trick is- grooming!

Just regular brushing and combing your dog’s hair would go a long way. Some of the grooming tips you absolutely must pick up are listed below:

Brushing that hairy mane – Brushing your dog’s coat of hair is an effective way to catch the stray hairs before they settle on your floor carpet. Make sure you train your dog from a young age to enjoy the experience of being brushed. The right brush should be chosen according to your dog’s breed. Ensure that the brush is suitable for its hair coat. Start brushing from its head to tail, in the direction in which the hair grows, in short strokes.

Combine combing- Combine combing when you brush your dog. After you are done brushing, combing is an effective way to catch hold of the excess hair that might have been missed while brushing it out. Wide toothed metal combs are useful tools while grooming your pet. You could wear shedding gloves while you are at it, which will pick up the stray hair.

No Long Strokes- Dogs have very thick hair on their coat and long strokes are not really going to help combing out the loose hair. Use short strokes that go deep while brushing and combing your dog. It is wise to comb your dog in the direction of its hair growth, and after that against it. This ensures that no hair is missed when you are combing it out.

Regular baths help- If your dog has a thick double coat, brushing or combing It might be irritating. A bath will help to loosen the hair on your dog’s coat and a wet dog will be easier to brush. However even before you bathe your dog, make sure you brush him out slightly to prevent the formation of mats on his hair coat. Otherwise, you are just going to have twice the amount of work cut out for you.

Dog Diet Check- It shows if your dog’s diet is not making it healthy and if your pet is malnourished. Excess hair shedding is an indicator of malnourishment.  Ensure you provide your dog with healthy food to meet its dietary needs. A glossy hair coat is what your pet needs, and if you feed it well, it will have it in no time!

Just a few of these grooming tips, along with a healthy diet, you could have that hairy mess in your house under control. However, look out for any unusual hair shedding which might be a symptom of something much more severe. Then, it is time for a visit to the vet!

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Doberman, the name itself sounds quirky. Though it is a common pet breed, people have stereotyped this dog as more of a temperamental and aggressive breed. On the contrary they are loyal and obedient family dogs. With their strong built, alertness and intelligence, these dogs were earlier used as guard dogs, police dogs and even war dogs but it has turned out to be less common these days. With their ferocity they tend to show aggressive behavior towards strangers and other dogs, but when it comes to their owner, they are most loving and protective. It is highly unlikely that they show aggression towards their owners.

History

This breed is not an original one but is said to be a pedigree of many other species which includes Rottweiler, German pinscher, Great Dane, German shepherd, Manchester terrier, and English greyhound. You would be surprised to know that the Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a local tax collector in the German state of Thuringia around 1890 created the breed so as to provide him protection during his collections in different places. His aim was to have a dog that would not only be loyal and intelligent but would also turn into a ferocious animal to protect his owner. With the birth of Doberman Pinscheres, two gentlemen namely, Otto Goeller and Philip Greunig continued developing the breed which came out to be the dog that we see today.

Appearance

Dobermans have athletic body. Males are muscular and females are a little thin comparatively. They standing up to height of 64cm and weigh roughly 41kgs, on an average. They have short fur coat usually black or brown in color with patches or tans. They don’t require much grooming.  With slender bodies and square build these dogs are a perfect combination of strength, agility, ferocity and intelligence. Your watchful dog would surely protect you from the unwanted strangers but it will also turn out to be an obedient family pet.

Tails

Doberman have long tails naturally, not as we see them around. The tail gets is deliberately cut short by docking, wherein a major part of the tail is surgically removed. Originally it was done to ensure that the tail doesn’t come in the way of dog’s work. Also the natural tail is quite long and slender. Being hit by a Doberman’s undocked tail is more like a whip, so people prefer to dock their Dobie’s tail although it is a illegal practice in some European countries and Australia, including cropping of their ears.

Health

Your dog will give you a good company for 10 to12 years, on average. But there may be certain health issues with dogs, especially Doberman Pinschers that develop a cardiac disease that causes uncertain deaths among this breed. The disease turns out to be fatal to the affected dog most of the times. According to studies Dobermans even have chances of suffering from prostatic diseases more than any other breed. Neutering the dog can reduce this risk by considerable levels.  Doberman has a muscular built and remain highly active. They require regular exercise on daily basis else they become restless and irritated. A morning and evening walk would keep your dog healthy and happy too. These dogs are loyal and quite attached to their owners. Being a good owner you should always spend quality time with your pet patting and pampering it. This is good for making a healthy bond between you and your dog.

These intelligent mammals show aggression depending upon the situation and are generally sociable towards humans. Known for their traits like powerful, fearless, energetic and loyal, Doberman have a calmer and gentle side to their temperament too. Obedience can be incurred into the dog since early age and they can be trained to socializing around humans and other animals.

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