Cattle

Archive for January, 2012

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Before we picked up our new Goldendoodle puppy, I had not gotten ready at all. The only thing I had accomplished was buying a crate that was too large, set the pickup time with the breeder, and driven out. On my trip home the Goldendoodle pup had pottied in his crate, gotten it on his fur , and I could tell he had roundworms.

Fortunately, I got the dog in to get seen by the local vet by calling in a favor, because I had not even set up an appointment. After having the Goldendoodle pup washed up, dewormed, and gotten him a few basic vaccinations, I took him back home to our kids. They were ecstatic!

After bringing him home, I thought about some problems. We did not have a place for the Goldendoodle pup to sleep, he was beginning to gnaw on all sorts of things, and he did not even have a name yet. Even worse, he tried to escape every time he could.

After a couple of weeks, life with the Goldendoodle was not going very well. The puppy had chewed up all types of things in the home, was swallowing underwear left on the floor, the housebreaking was going badly, and the obedience training that I was conducting was not enough, because I was away at work all day. If the children had been older, either my spouse or I could have been able to get the training accomplished, but we did not have the ability. With a heavy heart, even though we were sure training him ourselves was the better way to go, we sent the Goldendoodle to a two week training regimen.

We missed him when he was gonen for two weeks. The kids kept asking when he was coming home, and my youngest even cried because she missed him so much. Bringing home the Goldendoodle had obviously been the right choice.

He returned like a new dog! No more chewing on stuff he was not supposed to, and no running away. He did still swallow a few more sets of underwear, though. We still had to work on the potty training, but with some effective odor removers we were able to get that completed also.The training was certainly required. If I had had a little more time, or could not afford the boarding school, I would certainly have purchased a quality obedience training program and gotten it done myself.

Check out the Goldendoodle pictures on our site about Goldendoodle Dogs.

Who is living in your backyard? You might be surprised. Anyone who has ever hung a bird feeder from a tree branch has experienced the delight of watching our natural neighbors as they make their daily rounds. People who live in high-rise apartments and condos or in areas where a bird feeder is not possible have been missing this simple pleasure… until now.

A few years ago the introduction of inexpensive “web cams” made it possible for those of us with computers to capture video and share the results with others. More recently, miniature video cameras, some packed with features like color, infra-red night vision and audio, are so small that they can be placed inside a bird house. Imagine watching as the eggs hatch and the young chicks start peeping and demanding food. These cameras come equipped with 100 feet of cord that jacks right into your television. You can forget the binoculars.

Hospital patients, those living in nursing homes, even office workers can now experience the sense of freedom that comes from “being outside”, even when they are shut in.

But, if you think “nature cams” are only for bird watchers, think again. As evening approaches and the birds go to roost a new and more exotic group of neighbors moves in. My nature cam, the Gray Fox Cam is the Winner of an EarthCam’s TOP 10 CAMS Award. Go check it out. You will be amazed at what you might see. My nightly visitors include Gray Fox (we have 3 that visit regularly each night), raccoons, opossums, and the rare Ring-tailed cats. As I write this there are two beautiful bright yellow American Finches, a bright red male Cardinal, a Tufted Titmouse, and a couple of sparrows. During the summer months this same nature cam captures the antics of the hummingbirds and other daytime visitors.

As mankind encroaches upon the habitat of our natural neighbors, it becomes increasingly more important that we act as good neighbors ourselves by learning something about them. Watching them is a good place to start. I can assure you that they are watching us!

WARNING!

Nature cams are addictive. Once yours is up and running you will find yourself pausing frequently during your busy work day to glance at the screen. When you do, your heart rate will slow, your breathing will even out, and you will return to your task more relaxed. If you are currently addicted to adrenalin and high pressure situations, this feeling that “all is well with the world” may be uncomfortable at first, but who knows? You may just come to love it!

If you, like many others, decide to set up your own nature cam, please share it with the world. A lot of people who may not be fortunate enough to have a back yard like yours will thank you. On the other hand, if you do not have a place for a nature cam in your yard, feel free to use mine. That’s what it’s there for.

It is not only our responsibility as bird owners to provide food, water and spacious cage for our pet birds. It is insufficient to spend more time with our birds and bond with them.  The first thing that we should do make sure our pet birds would live a long and healthy life is choose a good avian veterinarian.

If you have a dog or a cat and already have a veterinarian for them, that may not be necessarily be the vet that you need for your bird.  Birds have different anatomy and different needs compared to your feline and canine companions. 

Where can you find an avian vet?

There is the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) which maintains a directory of  qualified veterinarians.  You can even get assistance from the Veterinary Medical Association located in your state. Yellow Pages are also a great source of information.   If unable to get hold of anybody from these groups, you can check out their websites in the internet or even ask the local Bird Club if they could recommend anybody.  Pet bird owners like you are can give you the best advice based on their experiences. Also check with local pet breeders.  Most of the times, the most sensible advice comes from them.

Once you have identified the vet that you would go to, the next step is set an appointment to further know the practice and background of the vet.  When talking with the avian get, get to know how long has she or he been ion practice and their professional background.  Make sure that the vet that you have chosen is familiar with the pet that you have. 

Get to know the vet’s schedule and if the vet can do house calls.  Birds can easily get stressed in the slightest change in their surroundings, which is why birds find it difficult to move or to travel.  If the vet is unavailable, it is also important to know if the vet who would be filling-in is also capable to treating avian sicknesses and concerns. 

If you have an exotic pet bird, then it would be helpful to ask the vet if they are constantly updated with new methods in the avian medicine.  Also, get to know the financial costs of getting veterinary services from that vet.  You want to have a qualified and good vet within your financial reach.

Once you have settled that you will be getting services from him, ask the frequency of the check-ups your bird needs to have.  To avoid any emergencies or any sickness, it is best to have your bird regularly checked.  Most of the times, you have to bring your pet bird to the vet annually.

Aside from this, it is always a great point that whenever you visit the vet the doctor and the staff receive you and your pet warmly.  It will be great to walk into a pet clinic that provides you an air of assurance and importance. 

Keeping tabs on the health of your beloved bird does not only fall in the hands of the avian vet.  How would they know that your bird is suffering sickness if you are not paying attention?  It is also important to maintain a healthy working relationship with your vet since you would not know when emergencies can happen.

The vet can even help you draw up a diet plan for your bird which would surely improve the disposition and health of your pet. Also ask your veterinarians about any emergency first aid methods that you can do when something bad happens to your pet bird.  An avian vet is your ally in making sure that your bird would live a long and joyful life.

Solve the Bark Problem!

Don’t let excessive or chronic barking disturb the peace in your home. There are many ways to help control undesirable or excessive barking.

Dogs bark for many reasons. It is a natural behavior and primary method of communication. They bark to warn others or defend a territory, to seek attention or play, to identify themselves to another dog, or as a response to boredom, excitement, being startled, loneliness, anxiety, or teasing. Four proven methods to help you stop unwanted barking behaviors include:

1.     First, avoid the temptation to reinforce your dog’s bark. Do not give verbal reassurance, a treat, or physical attention to a barking dog.

2.     Minimize your dog’s barking with proper and consistent training. In addition, try using a calming pheromone spray in your pet’s environment.

3.     Train your pet to respond to a one-word command, such as “Enough.” During training, divert his attention from the barking and sternly say “Enough.” If he stops barking, reward him with a great treat. Only give the treat if your dog stops barking.

4.     Along with these other behavior modification techniques, you may try a bark collar, a training tool designed specifically to address habitual chronic barking. It gives your pet a warning tingle or mild static correction when he barks, which quickly trains your pet to avoid the behavior that initiates the correction.

Bark control is important in developing a dog that is obedient and able to relax. Your success in this area will create a more harmonious home. Solve your bark problem!

When we think of a guinea pig, we usually picture the American Guinea Pig – the “classic” or “standard” guinea pig – and also the most common. But there are also several other breeds in addition to the common American Guinea Pig. This article will introduce you to a few of the breeds commonly found in homes today.

Abyssinian

The Abyssinian is a long-haired breed. The coat on this animal is quite distinctive because it tends to curl itself into whirls and swirls. These whirls and swirls are called rosettes. The Abyssinian is one of the oldest breeds that can be found today. If you are looking for a low-maintenance guinea pig, keep looking. This particular breed requires daily attention to the coat to avoid tangles and keep the pig looking well-groomed.

American Guinea Pig

This is the variety that first comes to mind when we think of the words “guinea pig”. It is also sometime called an English guinea pig. This is a short hair breed which makes it suitable for a pet. It does not require grooming and can be handled and petted without messing up its coat.

Peruvian

The Peruvian breed is an extreme long-haired breed. Its hair can grow to an amazingly long length of a foot or more. The hair is smooth and straight and tends to part in the middle and hang naturally to either side of the pig. The long hair requires a lot of care; so many owners prefer to keep the coat trimmed to make this task easier.

Silkie

The Silkie is a less common breed and is also referred to as a Sheltie. It has a very long (and, of course silky) coat – similar to the Peruvian. In contrast to the Peruvian, the hair does not tend to part naturally down the center of the back. The hair of the Silkie sweeps backward from the head. The coat of the Silkie is also softer than that of the Peruvian.
Guinea pigs are also categorized according to varieties. Varieties are coat colors or patterns and are also subdivided into three categories.

1. Self colored guinea pigs are a single solid color.

2. Agouti cavies have a coat made up of two colors. Each individual hair of the undercoat has a light-colored tip and a darker-colored base near the skin. The longer hairs which make up the outer protective layer are the same darker color as the base of the undercoat hairs.

3. Marked guinea pigs have markings, patches or islands of color (often white) in their otherwise solid or agouti coats.

This article has presented a short survey of some of the more common guinea pig breeds. No matter what the breed, variety or color; guinea pigs make great loving pets and can help to brighten a household. Although long haired breeds tend to look more exotic and sometimes make good show animals, the common short-haired American breed is a very popular household pet because its coat requires very little care.