Get your dog spayed or neutered. Spay/neutered pets not only live longer and healthier lives,  but they also make better companions. The best age to spay/neuter a dog is around five to six months old, at the beginning of puberty. Talk to your vet about the right time for your dog.

Provide proper identification. Your dog should always wear an I.D. tag with your name, address and phone number. Getting your dog microchipped gives an added layer of protection and increases the chances that he will be returned to you if he lost.

Get training to help you understand your dog. Knowing your dog's unique temperament and tendencies will help you to better control how he behaves. A well-behaved dog is less likely to upset people and pets in public places, will be more welcome at gatherings, and will enjoy a better relationship with everyone he meets. Plus, his good manners will reflect positively on you, his responsible owner.

Schedule regular checks-ups with your veterinarian. Choose a veterinarian who shares your medical philosophies and beliefs, then follow his/her recommendations for vaccinations, diet, spaying/neutering, annual checkups, and other care.

Make time for your dog. Owning a dog is a big responsibility that takes time and discipline. Make time daily to pet, play with, take on walks, or do other activities with your dog that are fun for both of you.

Give your dog regular exercise appropriate for his breed, age, size, and other unique chacteristics. Whether it’s a short walk or rousing game of fetch, exercise is essential to your dog’s physical and behavioral health.

Provide shelter for your dog. A crate or doghouse is an ideal place for your dog to rest and sleep for a limited amount of time. The enclosure should be large enough for your dog to sit, stand and turn around comfortably, but small enough to retain his body heat inside the shelter.

Travel Safety. Keep you dog safe in the car by using a crate or by attaching the dog to a seat belt with a harness. Never let your dog ride free in the back of a pickup truck (he could be thrown into traffic) or allow him to hang his head out of the car window (a danger to his eyes)

Watch for temperature extremes. Never leave your dog in the car if it is extremely hot or cold outside. Your car is like an oven under the blazing sun and a freezer in the bitter cold.

Start training as soon as you get home but remember before 13-14 weeks of age your puppy can not maintain full bladder and bowel control. Purchase a crate or kennel that will be large enough to house your pet as a full-grown dog.They should have enough room to stand , turn around and lay down comfortably. It is a dog's natural instinct to not use their den (crate) as a bathroom. For this reason while your puppy is small you must block off the crate so it is  small enough to act as their den. This can be done best with a plexi-glass barrier or something similar that puppy will not chew up and swallow. Place the crate near the door that will be used to go outside most often. Locate the crate in a room that can be blocked off and has a non-porous floor. Select a spot outside where your puppy can relieve itself. The spot should be quiet and close to the door. If your dog must go indoors, use a spot with papers as an intermediate step to going outside. Place the food down in the crate and call puppy to eat. Leave the food down for 20 minutes and then pick it up. Ten minutes after each meal take the puppy out. Use a consistent phrase like "time to go out" and lead puppy to the designated spot outside. Wait quietly while puppy goes. Use another phrase and reward. Bring puppy inside to play for 5-10 minutes. Do not give attention or rewards unless puppy has relieved itself. If it doesn't go, comeback inside and place the puppy in it's crate. Try going out again in 10-20 minutes. Once the puppy has gone to the bathroom, use lots of praise and reward. Bring puppy inside to play for 5-10 minutes. At 8:00 pm pick up the puppy's water. Although they need lots of water, it doesn't need to be available every minute. Take your puppy out immediaty before your bedtime and as soon as you wake up. Always take your puppy out after eating , playing, sleeping, being confined in the crate, and anytime the puppy starts to wander away from you while sniffing the floor. Until housebroken keep the puppy in the play area, the confined kitchen is the best. If the puppy can not be watched, then it should be left in the crate.

CAT DECLAWING PHOTOS & SURGERY

click this pic to view gruesome video!!

PLEASE
Don't Declaw!

If you plan on Declawing your cat please read this first. Scroll down for pics and "SICK" video!

The Impact and Effect of Declawing

Many veterinarians do not explain to cat owners what really occurs in a declawing operation. The procedure is essentially ten complex amputations. The cat must remain anesthetized for quite a the entire procedure, increasing operative risk.

A cat's claw is a complex digit. It is not just a fingernail as it is with humans. The nails retract and are actuated by muscles and tendons. By cutting into these, you raise the risk of serious long-term physical and emotion impacts for your cat.

Declawed cats in effect are reduced in their ability to gain traction and to walk properly. They have to move with their weight shifted backwards from their natural posture. Claws exist for many reasons:

• To stretch out muscles and spine
• To help exercise and stay fit
• To provide defense against mistreatment or other animals
• To provide traction and grip in all sorts of environments

The consequences of declawing are larger than many people realize. Cat's behaviors can change. Declawed cats no longer have their primary defense mechanism and turn to biting as a default behavior. Physical ailments such as premature arthritis, cystitis, or perennial skin disorders can occur. Bungled surgeries can result in growth of deformed claws or serious infection.

Some Alternatives to Declawing

• Provide a tall, sturdy and heavy scratching post that you occasionally sprinkle with catnip. There are many varieties of scratcher. Some with carpet, some with sisal rope. All help provide a natural outlet for your cat's scratching.
• There are also now plastic sheathing caps (such as SOFTPAWS) that you can apply to your cat's front claws.
• When selecting your household furniture, find closely woven and smooth fabrics. Cats have a hard time piercing tightly woven materials, and find smooth fabrics less enticing than rougher surfaces.
• If acclimated to being handled, cats will eventually tolerate or even enjoy having their nails trimmed on a regular basis. It is important to work this into their routine as a positive activity, not as a punishment for scratching. Consult your vet for instructions.
• Until your cat learns the proper locations for scratching (scratchers, toys, etc.), cover unprotected furniture with aluminum foil, double-sided tap or other materials that give him pause. Many pet supply stores have materials that will help with this.
• When playing with a cat or kitten, it is important to never use your hand or individual fingers as playthings. This teaches the cat that people are toys and she or he may scratch to play. Each time your cat scratches you intentionally, say "OWW" and leave his or her presence. This provides an incentive to stop scratching if they wish to play with you.
• When you find him using the scratchers praise him like you would your canine friend. Positive reinforcement is everything. If he doesn't use the right item, don't scream, hit or throw things. This will only frighten or confuse him. Remember, positive reinforcement is everything. Praise, praise and more praise.
• If all else fails, get a squirt bottle or squirt gun. When caught in the act - and only when caught in the act - say a loud "NO!" and give him one quick squirt to his body, not his face. You could also shake a rock or marble filled can or drop a magazine on the floor. These methods intrude on where his concentration was, upsets him and he learns from repetition, that is why praise and love work so well and are the preferred method. Sooner or later he will get the hint. Remember, positive reinforcement is the key.

   

   

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