Pleasing 4 Pets

I have a neighbour who has a stupid dog which continuously barks, non-stop; it is enough to drive you insane. I used to hate the dog but have realised that it is not the dogs fault – my neighbour is out at work all day so the stupid dog is barking because it feels lonely and bored.

Other reasons dogs bark could be they are being neglected and have medical problems or they might simply be defending their territory. Alternatively, the owners may simply not know how to train them or they haven’t even bothered to try.

Whatever the reasons, it’s not acceptable so if the barking continues after you’ve spoken to your neighbours, then you should contact your local authority’s dog warden service.

It is a sad fact that many people call cats names and demonise these beautiful felines as if they were evil, clawing creatures.  Perhaps the stigma from hundreds of years gone by surrounding cats lives on into this day and age.  No matter where its source is there are many ill-educated people who misunderstand these loving and graceful animals.  It seems to often come from a bad childhood experience where a cat has scratched or bitten a child or due to the fears and misconceptions of a parent being passed on to their children.

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If your dog hasn’t been used to spending time outside you’ll need to introduce it to them slowly.  They may feel overwhelmed and beg to go back indoors so you’ll need to encourage them outside with activities so that they cab build their confidence.
Here are some tips on the types of activities you can do to get them outdoors:

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When you have a dog you need to incorporate activities outside into your life to provide your pet with the exercise and stimulation that he needs.  Letting your dog sniff around your back garden just isn’t enough!  Here are just some of the major benefits to outdoor activity with your pet dog:

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Whether it is for financial or health reasons increasing numbers of pet owners in the UK are considering offering their pet a diet of the home made variety.

But what exactly do animals require in their basic diets?

Anne Tebb, a chief veterinary surgeon at Bristol University revealed:-

“Cats and dogs, like all animals, require six components for a healthy diet. These are water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Although cats and dogs are classified as carnivores, their nutritional requirements are different”.

The greatest difference between canines and felines is that cats require a high protein diet, making them poor vegetarians, whereas surprisingly a dog actually requires just 10%.

Both animals also need calories and this should be taken into consideration when preparing pet food at home. In shop bought foods calories are most often added in the form of cereals.

The head of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association advised :-

“Sledge dogs need 10,000-13,000 calories a day, whereas a Yorkie that spends most of the day on someone’s lap would probably need only 1,000. If your pet is gaining weight, then it is either being fed too much or is not getting enough exercise.”

Home made pet food requires careful planning but is perfectly viable with the assistance and advice of a good vet. Recommended ingredients include lean mincemeat, bulgar lecithin, kelp, vegetables in addition to iron and vitamin A,C and E supplements provided by a vet.

The credit crunch has lead to a reduction in spending throughout many households in the UK, and those who haven’t yet curbed their spending are now looking for ways to reduce their outgoings.

According to a study carried out recently the average UK pet owner spends somewhere in the region of £3.50 each week on food for their pets, 50p more than is spent on average per household per person on vegetables and fruit.

From the bog standard meat in jelly ranges to the finest gourmet varieties, the pet food industry in the UK is worth an incredible £1.9billions per year.

It is believed that the further into recession the UK slips, the less likely it is that pet owners will continue to purchase expensive pet foods and will instead offer the pets scraps from the family table and cheaper pet food alternatives.

Many pet owners in the USA, prompted by the dramatic downturn in their economy, and high numbers of pet foods recalled by manufacturers are attempting to produce home made pet foods.

Home produced calorie restricted or organic diets for domestic pets are popular in the United States and there are increasing numbers of pet nutritionists on hand to offer pet owner’s advice on improving their pet’s diet and encouraging the production of home made pet food.

But just how easy is it to produce a good quality home made pet food. One leading vet and pet nutritionist from Bristol University recommended that animal lovers deliberating whether to prepare their own pet food should consult a veterinary surgeon for advice on balancing a their pets diet, and said recently:-

“It is possible to feed pets home-made diets, but there are numerous potential problems that can arise if the diet is not correctly balanced.

In a study of home-made food for dogs, certain nutrients were below recommendations. Ready-prepared, shop-bought food contains the correct amount of nutrients to keep your pet fit.”

It has been reported that the infamous Battersea Cats and Dogs home has reached its full capacity for the very first time in its history.

Another animal charity the Dogs Trust has confirmed that it also is running at full capacity.

During 2008 so far, Battersea has taken in 6,430 stray dogs, a massive increase from 5,335 throughout the whole of 2007.

Not only are record number of animals being abandoned, charities are finding it progressively more difficult to find them new homes as even animal lovers are forced to tighten their belts in view of the current economic climate.

It is feared that the increasing numbers of abandoned animals finding their way to charitable organisations will reach record proportions in 2009.

An estimated 131,400 are given as gifts at Christmastime each year, and worried animal charities believe that huge numbers could be abandoned when the festive season is over.

The Chief Executive of Battersea Cats and Dogs home commented:-

“While we think part of the rise in numbers of strays is because people can’t afford to keep their dogs any more so are dumping them on the streets, we’re also worried that people losing their dogs don’t know where to turn to try and find them.”

Leading a dog’s life could be much more complicated than anyone had previously imagined.

Research carried out recently by top scientists has revealed that canines often feel the negative emotions usually more associated with their human owners, such as envy, jealousy and pride.

Dogs loathe to witness their owners bestowing affection on others, particularly other dogs and appear to experience complex emotions when a newcomer such as a new partner enters the home environments, when they may suffer the fear of displacement.

One leading animal psychologist from the University of Portsmouth, Dr Paul Morris explained:-

“We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realised.

They can suffer simple forms of many emotions we once thought only primates could experience.

Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity.”

Until very recently animals psychologists assumed that the majority of domestic pets didn’t appear to have the all important “sense of self” associated with the experience of secondary emotions like guilt, embarrassment, jealousy or empathy.

This latest canine study is one of many which are being undertaken by animal psychologists, other species under the microscope include cats, horses, cows and sheep.

Local police officers in the market town of Arundel in the South Downs of West Sussex have been left bewildered after a finding a series of abandoned pets left in a country lane on the fringes of the town.

So, far a total of five pedigree rabbits and two dogs have been found abandoned in the country lane which leads to the neighbouring town of Burpham, just before the junction at the A27, close to the railway station at Arundel.

The latest animal to be found was a Staffordshire bull terrier puppy which was thought to be around 3 months old. The puppy, wearing a blue coloured collar was discovered roaming the lane alone and in the darkness. Local police confirmed that the puppy was very fortunate not to have been hit by a car in the lane.

In October, five rabbits were found abandoned at the same spot, but unfortunately had to be put down by a local vet after it was discovered that the bunnies had contracted myxomatosis from wild rabbits.

Shortly before that an elderly dog was discovered roaming the same stretch of road, but has since be re-homed with a local family.

Community police officer Lorraine Dixon confirmed that the Staffordshire bull terrier puppy found in the lane was being cared for at the Carleton Kennels in Ford, and that attempts to re-home the animal would begin shortly. She said:-

“He is lucky to have survived. A couple from Warningcamp saw him in the road after the vehicle in front of them swerved to avoid him. He was handed over to the Arun dog wardens, who checked the area, but no one living round there owns the puppy.

Now there have been three cases like this, we are asking people to keep a look-out in that lane and to contact the police if they see anything suspicious”.

One of the most popular resorts on the island of Cyprus, Ayia Napa has recently established its very first officially authorised beach solely for animals.

The exclusive beach was sanctioned after complaints from holidaymakers and residents that dogs on the island had no place to cool down in the islands blistering heat.

Ayia Napa on the south-eastern coast of Cyprus is a resort renowned primarily for its all night revelry by tourists from all over Europe. But officials on the island decided to take steps to ensure that mans best friend was as well catered for as his owner!

The mayor of Ayia Napa, Antonis Tsokkos said recently:-

“We have seen lots of people taking their dogs for a walk since the establishment of the designated area, and we have been inundated by phone calls from happy pet owners thanking and congratulating us for this initiative. This initiative has been a long time coming, the fact that no such beach existed had caused problems between dog owners and people who did not want dogs in the area”.

The exclusive area of beach for dogs is Louma, and was historically a place where shepherds on the island would take their sheep to bathe at the edge of the sea. However the designated area has been allocated as a future yachting marina, and so the animal beach will be moved around 200m further away from its current location.