Cattle

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Why do dogs bark & what can be done about it? Part 2

So, now we have arrived at the other big reason dogs bark…exercise (or lack thereof). Let’s be honest, most of us do not give our dogs enough exercise, let alone mental stimulation (boredom anyone?) If you are not walking your dog at least an hour a day, at least six days a week, you are not even going to touch their energy level! And as we stated in an earlier post, we have jobs, spouses, kids, dinner and of course the boob tube to contend with, so what do we do? 

Besides us walking our own dogs, which we should all be doing anyway since it’s good for us as well, we can use doggy day care or professional dog walkers! If you own a dog and cannot afford the 10-20 bucks a day for doggy day care or professional dog walker and if you don’t have the time to exercise the dog because of the hecticness of your life, I really need to ask the question “should you own a dog?” I know that is a cruel question, but it is not fair to relegate a social animal such as a dog to solitary confinement 18-20 hours a day! This is a question you and your family must answer on your own, but unfortunately not everyone should own a dog.

Sorry… off my soapbox and back to doggy day care.  Facilities such as this will not only give your dog exercise, but will allow the dog to, well, be a dog! I am a big believer in the fact if dogs are not allowed to interact with their own kind (outside of the pack they have at home) they forget how to speak dog.  Doggy day cares are a great way to keep them proficient at their native tongue, while properly socializing them. It also allows dogs to spend some quality time away from Mom and Dad, realizing that being away from the family is not a bad thing, but is actually fun! It can actually help prevent, and even help in some cases of separation anxiety! This being said, doggy day care will not be a good fit for every dog, and any reputable facility will tell you if you have an anti-social dog. Dogs, like people, have different personalities, just like some people don’t like being around other people, some dogs don’t like being around other dogs. (See later post on how to choose a good doggie day care/boarding facility!)

Now you are ready to experience a worn out dog. One of the first things I teach in my classes is “A tired dog is a good dog!” This alone, with some dogs, will have a marked difference on all sorts of problem behaviors, including barking. If not, you can at least work with the dog since their attention will be more focused because of the exercise and socialization from the doggy day care facility or the exercise from other sources. Think of it this way, we have a first grade class who does not get recess, and is given 2 pounds of chocolate to eat and Mt Dew to drink! Do you want to even try to teach them arithmetic? But say we have kids who get physical exercise with 2 recesses a day, socialization with Gym class and a healthy lunch, now how about arithmetic?  I’m pretty sure I would choose the second group of kids! 

So the next step is to get started with some cues/commands (now that we have the edge off with exercise) that can help you get barking, and even some other problem behaviors more under control.  Think about it this way…our kids have had recess & now it’s time to learn our ABC’s.

Cats scratch for different reasons and the act of scratching provides the cat with the necessary exercise in order to keep their bodies supple. By scratching, cats also mark their territories and indoor cats that don’t have any scratching posts, have as their only option your furniture and carpets. Fortunately for cat owners, nowadays there is a wide selection of cat scratching posts available and it is practically impossible not to find something your cat would like.

Since cats differ greatly in the way they scratch, the diversified types of cat scratching posts available on the market represent a good thing. Nowadays manufacturers use various surfaces for covering scratching posts and the most frequent is the sisal fabric. Another material used as a carpet is the jute, but it does not stand a lot of laceration. A cat scratching post can also be made from cardboard but this is not very durable and it will need to be changed frequently. However, cardboard scratching posts are cheap and there are cats that prefer them.

There are three main types of cat scratching posts and some posts are made of combinations of materials. Although your decision will be influenced by your budget and particular needs, the cat will definitely be the one to determine the type of cat scratching post you will buy. Sisal posts have a rough surface and they are not recommended in the case of cats with very sensitive paws. However, there are other cats which find these posts delightful and use them frequently.

Carpet cat scratching posts are the most common and they can be found even in grocery stores. These have a soft surface and they wear out in a short period of time. However, if you have a cat scratching post that must be replaced, make sure you choose one of the same colors because kittens don’t like change and a replacement will confuse them. There are scratching posts that will need to be assembled once you get home but all you need for that is a screwdriver. 

Cardboard posts are boxes filled with exposed corrugations; usually, they are placed on the floor so that the cat can scratch without leaning up.  Many cats like cardboards and the glue used in making them while others enjoy chewing it. As you can imagine the cardboard material will wear out faster than other posts but luckily, these posts are quite thick.

Another type of cat scratching posts is those made of natural wood.  These consist of a tree limb or log with bark on it and although it is very natural, it can contain insects or mold that can be harmful for your cats.  Many cats have their own preferences when it comes to scratching positions so we advise you to observe your cat while scratching before purchasing a cat scratching post. Note the details regarding its preferred texture and see if its scratching locations vary or if he always returns to the same place. Once you observe all these aspects, you will know what you have to do.

Our experience has taught us that cats should own several cat scratching posts, of different sizes, angles and scratching surface. These posts are essential for the cats because they provide the needed physical exercised and they relieve stress. Scratching posts will save your furniture and carpets from being scratched.

As you begin to read through this informative article, give each point a chance to sink in before you move on to the next. Cats are born with claws, the same way that humans are born with fingernails and toe nails.

Cats need claws in order to mark or scratch a specific place or territory that they have been in. Humans need finger nails to, scratch themselves or others, or for opening a letter envelope. Cats basically stretch their agile bodies in order to prepare their muscles when they dig their claws deeply into wood perhaps or a tree, and then they pull back from their hold. Scratching is a basic physiological need of cats. To claw or declaw, that is the question!

So do cats need to be declawed? If cat owners truly care for the welfare of their cats, they would have to think twice on declawing their cats.

Declawing, what is it?

Declawing is done by taking away all the front claws of a cat. In a way this procedure is equal to the amputation of all the finger tips of a human being. For cats this surgery is painful and, for someone who is walking on all fours, terribly unnecessary.

Though the recovery of declawed cats may only take a few weeks or so, its physical and psychological effects could last a cat’s lifetime.

The following are the possible results once a cat has been declawed.

Ouch, ouch and ouch:

Immediately after surgery, declawed cats suffer severe pain, though it is quite impossible to gauge how much pain they are experiencing. Declawed cats could be considered as amputees. Cats usually try to go on with their cat lives even with pain unless the pain eventually becomes unbearable. Although they may look and act normal does not mean they are free from aches.

Complications after the surgery:

After the surgery, declawed cats usually experience one of the following post-surgery effects: presence of abscess, feelings of lameness, claw re-growth. Based on studies performed on declawed cats, it has been found that twenty five percent of them develop various complications. The same result has been found on cats who went under tenectomy. This is also a form of surgery that is currently being offered as an alternative to declawing. It is called this because only the tendons extended on the toes are the ones amputated.

Stiffness of the joints:

Cats that are declawed experience stiffness of the joints since the tendons that manipulate the toes retract because of the surgery. As time goes by, these same joints freeze and ultimately they will no longer be able to extend their toes.

It has been thought though that cats really do not miss their claws since they also “scratch” continually even if they no longer have anything to scratch with. However, this act is really the cats’ way to stretch those frozen joints.

Catarthritis:

Believe it or not, research shows that declawed cats immediately shift the weight of their bodies to the back and onto the larger pad in the front of their feet, away from their toes. The result is still evident despite giving these cats strong anti-pain relievers. If such an effect continues after declawing, the cat will ultimately stress its own joints in the leg, its spine and eventually suffer from arthritis.

Cats who cannot claw, bite:

Since the natural instinct of cats is to claw especially when threatened or scared, in the absence of claws cats are forced to resort to another form of defense – their teeth. Declawed cats that are aggressive naturally are more prone to biting.

Declawed cats have no “nine lives”.

There is a serious risk of death for cats that are declawed. Death could be brought on by the anesthesia they received, or any complications in surgery or hemorrhage.

Declawed cats that resort to biting run the risk of being abandoned by their owners. These cats could then be put in a shelter, and since they turn to biting, the probability of being adopted becomes slim. Usually un-adoptable cats are put to sleep or they are used to train dogs to fight usually as bait.

In summary, cats are extremely and highly trainable to be taught to use a post for scratching instead of common household furniture, rugs or curtains. Though declawing cats is one of the options a cat owner can take, it is basically an unkind and a very animal-unfriendly thing to do.

It all depends on the cat owner whether Kitty is more (or less than) valuable than that expensive Italian rug – the choice is theirs. Understanding this article is a good way to fully appreciate the complexity of this subject.

A pet is more than a family member; it is a soul mate, a friend for life and its passing can cause immense emotional suffering to its owner and those around him. However, even if those close to you can understand your suffering, few of them will know how to comfort you or ease the pain that you are feeling. Fortunately, for all pet owners all over the world, there is someone that can not only understand the pain associated with the loss of your pet, but can also ease that pain and help you forever cherish the memory of your beloved dog, cat or other pet.

There are several ways through which you can honor your pet’s life and forever keep him in your memory. You can choose a pet urn, either a dog urn or a cat urn, or you can have a pet memorial. These two methods will help you relief the grief you feel over the loss of your beloved pet, they can make others understand what you are going through and most importantly, they represent the closure that you need in such times.

Pet urns can be brought online and shipped in two days maximum. They are a constant reminder of your pet and one of the most beautiful ways of showing your love for your dog or cat. With over seven hundred models to choose from, dog urns can give you that needed closure as well as the felling that your beloved pet is always going to stay with you. Dog urns or cat urns can be customized to your satisfaction and delivered in record time. There is nothing more comforting than having your beloved pet next to you forever. Dog urns and cat urns can bring you that satisfaction.

Another great method of celebrating your pet’s life is having a pet memorial. Sharing your feelings is one of the most efficient ways of relieving the pain felt with the loss of your dog or cat.  However, if those around do not understand and share your feelings or your need to have a dog memorial, than you cannot get the closure you need.  Fortunately for you, there are online web sites where you can have your dog memorial or your cat memorial. You can post pictures of your cat or dog, you can express your feelings about the loss of your friend and you can celebrate its life. This online dog memorial or cat memorial will certainly bring you the closure that you need and something extra: it will allow your pet to live forever! By having this pet memorial, you will also be able to share and celebrate the life of you dear, departed friend and companion.

Celebrating your dog or cat’s life by purchasing a pet urn or by having a pet memorial is the best and easiest way of paying a tribute to the one that made your life beautiful, fun and exciting. Furthermore, you will be able to share your feeling with people who will understand you and who understand the pain you are going through. Don’t be sad that your pet has left you, celebrate what it has given you and make it proud to have been your pet!

Distantly allied to the black widow, the russet widow spider is far excluding venomous than its infamous cousin. Though it is usually extent in the United States, this species often proves obstinate to name because of its adaptable incline. Thus, you may find coffee widow spider specimens in a type of ensign from light tan to obscurity coffee; moreover, all sorts of markings deck their bodies making them all the more matchless. There are red, orange, fair, black and ashen patterns that the russet widow spider may include on the abdomen, all these skin misleading any untrained eye.

The darling locale of the brunette widow spider includes well cosseted locations in homes and other man-made structures. You may even find tanned widow nests in buckets, post boxes, door corners, closets, garages and even in vegetation like bushes and hierarchy twigs. Most bites arise when one accidentally twig their hands into such secluded areas and corners or, when the spider gets pushed against the skin. Wearing some rubber gloves when cleaning up around the house will help you prevent being exposed to a close link with the brunette widow spider.

The hourglass blotched detail to all widow spiders tinted in golden or orange cadaver a distinguishable characteristic on the underside of the abdomen. The tang of the russet widow spider is pretty aching, causing a lot of anxiety to the victim, yet, it is not even by far as genuine or as deadly as that of the black widow. There is a paradox related to the qualities of the bronzed widow spider malice: when compared to that of the black widow it is double as strong. Surprisingly enough, the death jeopardy is a lot reduce with this species; the explanation for this funny detail deceit in the shy kind of the auburn widow spider that injects rancor shyly distinct the black widow.

One joint way to uncover the spirit of the chocolate widow spider is by identifying its egg sac. This is a peculiarity of the species, completely different from that of other widow spiders. The facade of the sac is complete of critical projections that make it resemble to a fluffy little ball. In instance you observe such a white sphere sticking out from a buried surround, then you can be trusty you’ve come across a brown widow spider nest. Both spiders and egg sacs can be nicely distant with a vacuum cleaner, thus eliminating the menace of directly dealings. Regular dusting of all the house topic is the thumb decree for discouraging spiders to profit.