31 Jul 10 Miami Pet Photography category: Uncategorized Comments Off What better way to immortalize your best friend than with beautiful photos that really show your his or her unique personality. Check out these great moments captured by talented south florida photgrapher Chantal Lawrie. For more information: http://www.imagesbychantal.com/ 30 Jul 10 Cats are carniverous! category: Pet Tips Comments Off Cats Need Animal-Based Protein Cats are obligate (strict) carnivores and are very different from dogs in their nutritional needs. What does it mean to be an ‘obligate carnivore’?  It means that your cat was built by Mother Nature to get her nutritional needs met by the consumption of a large amount of animal-based proteins (meat/organs) and derives much less nutritional support from plant-based proteins (grains/vegetables). It means that cats lack specific metabolic (enzymatic) pathways and cannot utilize plant proteins as efficiently as animal proteins. It is very important to remember that not all proteins are created equal. Proteins derived from animal tissues have a complete amino acid profile.  (Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.  Think of them as pieces of a puzzle.)  Plant-based proteins do not contain the full compliment (puzzle pieces) of the critical amino acids required by an obligate carnivore.  The quality and composition of a protein (are all of the puzzle pieces present?) is also referred to as its biological value. Humans and dogs can take the pieces of the puzzle in the plant protein and, from those, make the missing pieces.  Cats cannot do this.  This is why humans and dogs can live on a vegetarian diet but cats cannot.  (Note that I do not recommend vegetarian diets for dogs.) Taurine is one of the most important amino acids that is present in meat but is missing from plants.  Taurine deficiency will cause blindness and heart problems in cats. The protein in dry food, which is often heavily plant-based, is not equal in quality to the protein in canned food, which is meat-based.  The protein in dry food, therefore, earns a lower biological value score. Because plant proteins are cheaper than meat proteins, pet food companies will have a higher profit margin when using corn, wheat, soy, rice, etc. Veterinary nutritionists and pet food company representatives will argue that they are smart enough to know *exactly* what is missing from a plant in terms of nutrient forms and amounts – nutrients that would otherwise be in a meat-based diet.  They will then claim that these missing elements are added to their diets to make it complete and balanced to sustain life in an obligate carnivore. The problem with this way of thinking is that Man is just not that smart and has made fatal errors in the past when trying to guess how to compensate for such a drastic deviation from nature. Not all that long ago (1980s) cats were going blind and dying from heart problems due to Man’s arrogance.  It was discovered in the late 1980s that cats are exquisitely sensitive to taurine deficiency and our cats were paying dearly for Man straying so far from nature in order to increase the profit margin of the pet food manufacturers. There are several situations that can lead to a diet being deficient in taurine but one of them is using a diet that relies heavily on plants as its source of protein.  Instead of lowering their profit margin and going back to nature by adding more meat to the diets, the pet food companies simple started supplementing their diets with taurine. This is all well and good – for this particular problem – but how do we know that Man is not blindly going along unaware of another critical nutrient that is missing from a plant-based diet?  Why is Man so arrogant that he thinks he can stray so far from what a cat is designed by nature to eat? Let’s also ask ourselves the following question:  How many cats become ill or die from these species-inappropriate diets yet the patient’s diet is never even questioned as a possible cause of the illness or death?  We cannot answer that question definitively but I have no doubt that the answer would be “many”. Do cats survive on these supplemented plant-based diets?  Yes, many of them do. Do cats thrive on these diets?  No, they do not. Please pay special attention to the words *survive* versus *thrive* as there is a very big difference between the two states of health. Source: http://www.catinfo.org/ 29 Jul 10 Rain or Shine: 10 Ways to Engage Your Dog Indoors category: Pet Tips Comments Off Dogs need exercise, regardless of the weather. In snow or rain, they still need mental and physical stimulation. That said, there are certainly some days where the weather may be too hot, too cold, or the precipitation too blinding to exercise your dog as you might otherwise like. On these days, it’s helpful to have on hand a variety of ideas for ways you can provide your dog with boredom relief in the comfort of your own home. Here are a few ideas you may find helpful! 1. Food Dispensing Toys – Food dispensing toys are invaluable boredom busters. While rubber Kongs are classic toys and can be stuffed with a great variety of treats and tasties, in the last few years the food dispensing toy market has greatly expanded and there are lots of new and exciting products available. Nina Ottosson has a fantastic (but pricey) line of durable puzzle toys which are dishwasher safe and feature a number of difficulty levels. A less expensive (and slightly less durable) alternative is the newly available Aikiou toy. Other options include: Kong wobbler, Kibble Nibble, Busy Buddy toys, Orbee Treat Spot toys, Tug-a-Jugs, and Buster Cubes. 2. Kibble Hunt – If you place your dog’s kibble in a food bowl, chances are the bowl is empty within 15 seconds and the dog gazes up at you upon finishing as if to say, “is that it?” You can put that food to work for you by making your dog hunt for it with his nose. Instead of dumping the food in his bowl, consider crating him while you hide small piles of food in the house then release him to “kibble hunt.” Initially, make the piles very easy to find. As your dog gets better at this game, practice hiding the food in more difficult spots. 3. Tug and Fetch – Tug and fetch are classic dog games that do not require a lot of room. Hallways tend to be great for fetch games, and tug can be played virtually anywhere. 4. Shaping Games – Shaping provides great mental exercise for a dog and a good shaping session can often tire a dog more than a walk that is two or three times as long. Practicing shaping in lots of short sessions will help tire your dog’s brain out while relieving stress and boredom. Teaching your dog new behaviors is fantastic for her confidence and will make both of you happy! 5. Learning Games – British trainer Kay Laurence has a fantastic book available called “Learning Games.” This fantastic book is chock full of ideas for how to keep your dog mentally and physically stimulated while improving his behavior. For more fun ideas from Kay, check out her youtube channel. 6. Have a Doggie Play Date! – If your dog has a favorite playmate or friend, consider scheduling a rainy day play date. Before your dog’s pal arrives, be sure to puppy proof and pick up all breakables and valuables. As you know, dog play can get quite rowdy! 7. Go on a Socialization Outing – If you are unable to take your dog for a walk, consider taking him for a ride and doing a “fun visit” at the vet’s office where he just goes to hang out and get some treats and scratches just for being a great dog. This will provide the added benefit of teaching him that vet visits can be a lot of fun! 8. Play Hide and Seek! – Hide and seek is a great way to exercise your dog’s mind and body and recall skills. Each family member should stock up on great treats. Family members will take turns hiding throughout the house, calling the dog to them, and rewarding her generously when she arrives. When her treats are finished, say “all done!” which is the cue for the next family member to call him. 9. Nosework – Canine nosework is a great new sport that can be done in your house. All you need to start are some boxes and some great treats! For more information on canine nosework, visit www.funnosework.com. 10. Need even more rainy day suggestions? This article from BadRap has lots of them! Now you have lots of ideas, and the next time it starts raining, you can start training! Source: http://www.dogster.com/articles/Rain-or-Shine-10-Ways-to-Engage-Your-Dog-Indoors-224 28 Jul 10 Pets in the USA (info-graphic) category: Chit Chat no comments 21 Jul 10 Understanding Your Dog’s Verbal Cues and Body Language category: Chit Chat no comments Have you ever wondered why your dog makes those strange muttering sounds at the dinner table? Or why he lays his ears back when confronted with a stranger? Dogs speak to us, but in a different language. Unfortunately, there’s no Rosetta Stone DVD to help us learn “dog talk.” So, instead, we must analyze it ourselves, keeping it in context, avoiding asserting our own interpretations, and remembering that dogs were once wild animals. The best way to start is to look to the dog’s ancestor, the wolf. Wolves live in packs and dogs do the same with other pets in the household and their humans. There must be a leader of the pack and that leader should be you. And to be an effective canine leader, you need to know what your dog is trying to tell you. Dogs communicate in many ways with each other, using verbal cues, body language and facial expressions. They also try to communicate with humans using these methods. Humans, of course, communicate with dogs with commands and phrases. Dogs can learn hundreds of human sounds but they can’t string them together. Thus, the need for short commands such as “Sit!” and “Come!” Many of our communication tools are lost on dogs, such as sarcasm (to indicate frustration) or closed body language (to indicate you’re uncomfortable) or a look of surprise. So, to enhance our communication with our canines, we must learn to get back to the basics and speak “dog.” Canine Verbal Cues The Howl This is an attempt to locate someone, perhaps you or the dog down the street. When you leave for work, it’s very possible your dog howls in an effort to get you back. When one dog starts howling in the neighborhood, usually many others join in – it’s sort of like a conference call. The Growl This means “back off.” You’ll see a dog growl when another dog gets interested in his food. Your dog may growl at a stranger he doesn’t like or he may growl at you when you try to take his toy away. It’s actually a very effective way of communicating and actually signals that you can probably negotiate that toy away. When a dog is in an aggressive stance and silent, there is the most danger. The Grunt or Mutter This is usually to indicate that your dog wants something. It’s an interesting sound because it’s almost manipulative – your dog knows if he barks, he’ll get into trouble but the more subtle “grunt” might get him wants he wants. It is also heard when dogs greet other dogs or humans. The Whimper Dogs whimper when they’re anxious or hurt. Sometimes they figure out that they get attention when they whimper and use this to their advantage. The Whine This indicates frustration. They are in a sense “complaining” about something. The Bark There are many different types of barks. A high pitched bark indicates excitement and happiness. A low pitched bark indicates aggression and is possibly a threat. Dogs bark to get attention, to respond to other dogs, to indicate that they’re happy, and to alert their human to a problem. Unfortunately, your dog may detect a “problem” that you can’t see or hear, such as a siren miles away or the neighbor’s cat hiding in the tree outside the window. Canine Body Language/Facial “Expressions” Confident and Relaxed Stance – erect Tail – wagging slowly Ears – pricked up but with a relaxed look Eyes – small pupils Mouth – closed or slight parting of lips Fearful or Anxious Stance – lowered Tail – tucked under Ears – down Eyes – a wide-eyed look with the whites showing Mouth – panting Aggressive Stance – rigid Tail – straight up or out behind, very rigid Ears – pricked up Eyes – intense, focused stare Mouth – lips are pulled back and some teeth show Hackles – this is a line of hair that starts at the base of the neck and runs down the shoulders. It is raised if a dog is feeling aggressive and lowered if he is relaxed. Fear-Aggressive Stance – dog is pulled into himself Tail – tucked completely under Ears – lying down Eyes – wide-eyed and trouble focusing Mouth – lips pulled back slightly or heavy panting Relaxed Stance – lying down or standing without any alertness Tail – up and wagging or lying naturally Ears – at their normal state, depending on the breed (A Terrier’s would be up but relaxed, a Hound’s would be down) Eyes – normal pupil dilation, focused but not staring Mouth – open and lightly panting or closed Remember when Lassie sprinted off down the road to find help because Timmy had fallen into a well? Through her verbal cues and body language she was able to lead the rescuers back to the disaster scene. By understanding our dogs’ language, we can better communicate with them and avoid common misunderstandings. And you can be assured that your dog isn’t going crazy when he’s muttering to himself all the time. Source: Dogster, http://www.dogster.com/articles/Understanding-Your-Dogs-Verbal-Cues-and-Body-Language-177 « Previous Entries