Real World Connections: Animals/Nature

Showing posts with label Animals/Nature. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Keeping Your Cats Happy

Keeping Your Cats Happy And Loving
By Nicholas Hunt

Cats can be very loving animals if treated correctly. They can also get angry, pout, play and generally get along with everyone. But if you aren't paying attention, they can also get lonely. Here are some tips to keep your cat happy:

1. Toys: Replace old toys every so often with new ones. I keep a box of cat toys in the corner, and when my cats want to play they will pull one out and play with it. After awhile, I will notice the box is not touched and that is my sign to go out and get new ones. I try to get a wide variety for them, from mice and fuzzy toys, to toys that move on their own. This keeps them active and playing.

2. Catnip: Some cats go crazy over catnip and will roll around in it for hours. Buy a toy or mat that has catnip in it, or sprinkle some on a scratching pad. They will love you for it as they are covered in catnip and happily meowing.

3. Canned Food: If your cats can handle it, give them a treat every so often of canned food. It doesn't have to be the whole can, you can do 1/4 of a can, just a little to give them a nice change. If they aren't able to stomach canned food, try giving them a little edible cat treat that you can find at a pet food or grocery store. Just one will do the trick and they will be happy.

4. Talk to them: Cats love to be talked to. Try doing some baby talk and see the kind of reaction you get from them. They will most likely roll around on their backs or meow at you.

5. Play with them: Pull out one of those new cat toys you bought and toss it to them for a little while. You might find that you enjoy playing with them as well, while strengthening your bond with your kitty.

6. Get them a companion: If you live in a one-cat household and find that you can't be home as often as you'd like, try getting them a buddy. Don't be surprised if they don't get along well at first; they will soon get used to each other and be inseparable.

7. Lastly, pet them and show them love. Cats can be affectionate and most of them love the attention of being petted. Spend a night hanging out with your cat and they will most likely open up to you and lay with you.

There's nothing like hearing the contented purr of your cat as they are lazily lounging around. Keep them happy by giving them lots of love and attention. Your cats will thank you for it.

Nicholas has advice on how to get the best pet insurance, and on how to get cheap quotes for pet insurance online, quickly and easily.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicholas_Hunt
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Nora The Piano Playing Cat

Dog Training

Dog Training - 6 Things You Better Do When You Have A New Puppy In The House
By Andrew John Daniel

Taking on a brand-new puppy can be among the most exhilarating things that could come about to an individual or a family, but that precious little fur ball can as well cause a great deal of tension, particularly during the 1st couple of days of coming to his new household. If you've just took in a pup, there are some things you want to bear in mind to make certain that this novel add-on to your family grows up fit, happy and healthy. Below are 6 dog training tips you ought to know for the benefit of the newly-arrived puppy:

1. Provide your brand-new puppy with a great deal of love and care, in particular when he does something "justly," especially after you start training your dog. When you begin training a puppy it is very important to communicate with him the instant you take him home. Do not await for your puppy to make a mistake or do something inappropriate prior to beginning communicating with him. Whenever you begin communicating with your puppy this way, you're fundamentally conditioning your puppy that you're good some of the times and not nice at different times.

2. Puppies love chewing therefore give your puppy a great deal of chew toys. You can make chew toys for your puppy or you can buy some from your local pet store. This manner your puppy understands early on to chew on his toys rather than your shoes!

3. Have comfy, warm bed for your puppy. If you expect for your puppy to live outdoors, make certain to provide him with weatherproof doghouse. The doghouse ought to be roomy too. If you resolve to allow your puppy sleep indoors, you'll be able to use a rectangular wooden box for his bed. You can also check out crates and kennels sold at local pet shops.

4. Observe your puppy when small kids are present. Puppies are practically no match for rambunctious little children. Puppies can easily become injured and even killed if they are left alone with youngsters. Small kids commonly do not understand that puppies are very delicate creatures and that they should be managed with additional care and gentleness.

5. Start your puppy on a steady feeding agenda the 1st day it comes in your home. If your puppy is six months old or younger, give him 3 to 4 solid meals daily. During each feeding, give your brand-new pup all the food he can eat within half-hour. After 30 minutes, remove any leftovers. It's really important that you allow for your puppy plenitude of fresh drinking water in between meals.

6. Begin training your puppy to go on steady bathroom breaks. Take your puppy to the same bathroom spot at the same times day-after-day, whenever at all possible. It's advocated that you take your puppy on bathroom breaks after every meal and two to three hours in between his meals, and after he's taken a nap. At nighttime, take your new puppy on late-night bathroom trips if possible. This will educate your puppy early on to go to his bathroom spot whenever he requires to urinate in the midst of the night rather than doing it right in his crate.

Remember that dog obedience training should remain consistent. When training a dog you do not want to do one think one day and something different the following day, this will just confuse the dog.

Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free e-book. In it I reveal all the secrets I've used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso's dog training blog right now...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_John_Daniel
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dog-Training---6-Things-You-Better-Do-When-You-Have-A-New-Puppy-In-The-House&id=1052856

Kangaroo vs Dingo

Living Green

7 Top Tips On How To Live Green
By Geoff White

Living green doesn't mean you have to wave goodbye to all the niceties and luxuries of modern life. There are plenty of things you can do which will help you to live green without total sacrifice.

Re-use: the bags you get every time you shop are good for more than one trip. Re-use them or, better yet, buy a "bag for life" and use that.

Re-cycle: you probably already have a recycling collection service. If not, look out for recycling places local to you and drop off your newspapers, bottles, cans, etc next time you are passing. Don't make a special trip though. For larger items, if they're still usable then look up Freecycle for your local area.

Eat local produce. Especially if it's bought fresh from a Farmer's Market. You'll notice the difference in taste. And if you buy just what you need (rather than the supersize pack your grocery store normally sells) it probably won't cost much more.

Turn unused appliances off at the socket. Standby mode still uses lots of energy. Cut your fuel bills by turning off televisions and other items when they're not in use. That includes your computer's monitor as well.

Wash your clothes at a lower temperature. Modern detergents work fine at lower temperatures. Or throw away the detergent in favor of Eco washing balls.

Turn down the thermostat in the winter (and turn it up in the summer if you use air-conditioning). One or two degrees difference is barely noticeable, except when the fuel bill arrives.

Compost waste if you have a garden, saving on fertilizer cost and giving your plants a treatment they'll love.

For more easy to follow tips on how to live green check out my guide. There's plenty of easy to use information that can often save you money as well as help save the planet when you start to live green without wearing a sack cloth and ashes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Geoff_White
http://EzineArticles.com/?7-Top-Tips-On-How-To-Live-Green&id=934212

Tornado

Adding A New Pet?

Thinking Of Adding A New Pet? Things You Need To Consider!
By Traci Murai

Things to consider before getting a new pet.

The Importance of Responsible Pet Ownership

A new pet can provide you and your family members with more unconditional love than you can imagine. But please remember that acquiring a pet is a lifetime commitment and should not be taken lightly.

There are several things to consider before adding a new member to your family:

Do you want an adult dog or cat or a puppy or kitten?

The amount of time that you will need to spend training your new pet depends greatly on its age. A young puppy will need to be housebroken, and will need to be given the opportunity to relieve itself at least every four hours. Puppies will go through a teething phase, which can mean chewing! Kittens, while more easily housebroken (litter box trained), are full of boundless energy and may release it by climbing up curtains and other household items unless trained not to do so!

How much time do you spend away from home?

When pets are left alone for long periods of time (more than 8-10 hours) they may display frustration behaviors such as barking, digging and chewing. In addition, if you are frequently away on overnight trips, it will be necessary to have someone care for your pet. Dogs, especially large breeds, need regular exercise. Will you have time in your schedule for a nightly walk?

Do you have small children?

Are they old enough to interact with a dog or cat responsibly without hurting themselves or the animal?

Cost

Remember that the average life span of a dog can be 10-15 years, and that of an indoor cat even longer (up to 20 years). Your pet will need to have regular veterinary care (not to mention veterinary attention for any unforeseen emergencies), a nutritious pet food, toys, a crate (for housebreaking) or litter pan and litter, a pet carrier (for trips in the car) and other miscellaneous supplies. All this can add up. Are you and your budget ready for the additional expense?

Unforeseen Situations

There's an old saying that the only constant in life is change. At some point, you and your family are bound to be affected by a change in job, location, family status - or perhaps all three! How will this affect your pet? If you are required to move, will you be able to take your pet with you? Are you willing to consider your pet in the re-location process? What if you or another family member becomes allergic to your pet? Do you plan to have children? Do you plan to have more than one pet? What if your pet comes down with a debilitating disease? How will you provide for your pet under these circumstances?

Unfortunately, many of the pets in shelters today are there because their previous owners didn't consider these possibilities. Please, before you make your decision, think about it seriously so your pet doesn't become a statistic once again.

http://journals.aol.com/rasraiette/thinking-of-adding-a-new-pet-bul/

Bullie Pups R Us

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Traci_Murai
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