Before getting a pet, no matter where you get it from, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, and foremost, make sure that your entire family is ready, willing and able to care for a pet. Make sure that there is total agreement about the type of pet that you will be seeking. And, make sure that everyone knows what type of pet is absolutely not allowable for any reason!
If you are a first time pet owner, make sure that you understand what that means, exactly. Do you know the basic needs of the pet that you have in mind? Do you know the approximate expense involved? Adopting a pet means adopting an entire lifestyle as well, so do some research on the various breeds of pets to make the best choice for you and your family. If there is any possibility of allergies with your family members, then by all means visit shelters and pet shops and watch for reactions before making the leap. Also, consider taking your children to areas where they might interact with different animals and watch how they behave. Some children are just not big animal lovers, and they should never be forced to pet or talk to one, especially if they are afraid. A fearful child may make a dog or cat apprehensive enough to bite.
Where you live will determine the size or type of the pet that you should look at adopting. If you are an apartment dweller, your lease may not allow any pets at all, or may restrict you to certain small, caged pets. Small homes and small yards will rule out larger breed dogs who need lots of room to roam and stretch out their big legs. Some toy breed dogs are not appropriate with younger children- they tend to be hyper, delicate and will nip at the drop of a hat. Make sure that you ask lots of questions during the adoption process- if you do not know what to expect of a certain breed, make sure to do the research, ask the questions or look for another pet option.
Again, before even going to the shelter to adopt a pet, know what you would like to find, and what you do not want to bring home. Make sure that everyone knows from the start of the process what your intentions are- including the shelter staff. Do not let an overzealous worker talk you into a pet that is not really right for you or your family. This is a serious commitment, and not one that should be taken lightly.
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This article will discuss pet feeding and how to properly feed your pet to ensure they receive all the nutrition they need to live a long and healthy life. However, more and more pet owners are resorting to making meals for their pets or feeding pets raw food.
Some people believe that pets should only be fed raw food, as the animal would have eaten in the wild, in order for the pet’s nutrition to be “balanced” in a more natural way. There are many articles available which discuss the possibility that the man-made pet food of today and straying our pets from raw, natural food is the cause for so many diseases that are cropping up in our pets. It is believed that most of these diseases are nutrition-based due to the lack of raw meat and other nutrients in our pets’ diets.
However, veterinarians usually recommend a well-known and trusted brand of pet food that has been specifically designed for your pet. This is where pet feeding can become difficult. The quality of pet food can vary tremendously between brands and can differ in the amount of animal nutrition, therefore it is usually a good idea to choose a brand with a good reputation. For instance, Science Diet dog food and Purina dog food are very well-known and trusted brands.
Pet Feeding for Dogs: Commercial brands of pet food for dogs include canned food, dry food and semi-moist food. Up to 50% of your canine’s diet can come from carbohydrates such as grain. Vets do not recommend semi-moist food because of the additives and chemicals in them. Adult dogs may be fed once or twice per day, while puppies require more frequent feedings. There are brands that specifically specialize in all natural dog food, so if you decide you do want to feed your dog a more natural diet, you may look into it.
Never feed your dog chocolate, onions or garlic in any form (fresh, powder, flakes), persimmons, plant leaves (potato, tomato, rhubarb), mushrooms, grapes / raisins, or macadamia nuts. Also, do not let your dog chew on dryer sheets or eat human vitamins. The chemicals are harmful to them.
Cats also have a variety of food to choose from, ranging from dry, to semi-moist, to canned (wet). As with semi-moist dog food, veterinarians do not recommend it due to the preservative chemicals it contains. Cats require a high moisture content in their food, therefore it may be a good idea to stock up on canned food, which has a terrific balance of moisture.
There are also foods which are unsuitable to feed to a cat, such as: dough that contains yeast, onions, mushrooms, plant leaves, garlic, sugary foods, raw eggs, salt, persimmons, macadamia nuts, and raisins/grapes. Regardless of the rumors that milk is good for cats, you should never feed a cat cow’s milk, as they cannot digest it properly. There are some brands of cat food which offer small bottles of milk, usually intended for kittens.
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After perusing the internet, I have found a few nice forums for pet lovers and decided to share it with you. http://www.lovemypets.com/Forum/forumPage.aspx
It is my goal to exceed all the other membership numbers that these other forums have (which is a mighty big goal). However, I think I will just take it one day at a time and have a fun time with it.
Usually people think of pet owners as having a dog, cat, or even a fish. But I am going to open this forum up for all pet owners! Maybe you have a snake (which isn’t a furry friend) or you might have a pet goat!!! Whatever type of pet you have, this forum is for you!
I’m writing this for pet lovers every where , which like myself, there are many out there who are very close to their pets. They will always be there for you, good companions, and rarely complain. However they do in fact need our help through their journey in life.
Over the years I’ve traveled the world, visiting many countries, where ever my work would take me, primarily throughout Asia. I’ve learned and experienced many cultures, and now live in Northern Thailand , surrounded by jungle, but not too remote.
The other day, I was looking across the jungle view, thinking back on all the pets I’ve experienced, and who have come and gone with time. I really have enjoyed to the fullest many Dogs, Cats, Birds through the years.
One thing really struck me though, being a pet lover. I realized a disturbing pattern of most of my pets which, well enlightened me to share my experiences, and hopefully offer some good common sense, preventive steps to protect your pets, as they can and do follow similar heath problems as people.
Preventive, is certainly the right word to use towards your pets life and well being.
I’m going to share an experience with my pets, and these aren’t what you might think, shots, vaccines, give a pet a bath topics, but unique true experience, where many of my pets could have lived a much longer and healthier life, if I would have known these problems before hand.
It started with my favorite dog, a golden Lab-Retriever name Kruger, yes named after the Australian gold coin, do to his short hair and very gold color. He traveled almost everywhere with me, within the states.
I gave him extremely rich canned food, mixed with rich dry food. You see those cans all the time, the picture with rich meat and gravy look on the label.
So the lesson is simple preventive understanding on nutritional guidelines for your pets. If I had picked up a book, and educated myself, he may have lived a much longer life.
Think about this simple preventive, common sense approach as a pet lover, and this certainly applies to more than just dogs.
http://www.lovemypets.com/
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