I Love Animals

The Irish Terrier is a “classic” terrier in every sense of the word. He is believed to be one of the oldest of the Irish Terrier breeds, however there is scarce documentation of this. It is known that when dogs were first shown in Ireland in 1870 there were several terriers of this strain but there were many other colors besides the red that we know of today. It was not until later that the outstanding red color was favored above all else, to the extent that other colors such as brindle and black and tan were eliminated from the bloodlines.

The Irish Terrier is courageous and plucky and has a reputation for being fearless and quite intelligent. During World War I this breed was often used as a messenger dog. The dog has achieved the nickname of “Daredevil” for good reasons, as it is a dog that does not give up when confronted. One of the early descriptions of the breed describes him as “the poor man’s sentinel, the farmer’s friend and the gentleman’s favorite”.

The Irish Terrier always is a beautiful deep red color with no other markings. This color is accentuated by the harshness of each individual hair and the color is enhanced by “stripping” the coat rather than shaving any part of it. Exhibitors in the Conformation Rings take great care to strip the coat regularly but “pet people” often do shave the coat rather than deal with the time consuming job of hand stripping. The Irish Terrier is a racy lean terrier, appearing somewhat long of leg, with fold over ears and a square jaw appearance that is enhanced by the beard and mustache. The tail is customarily docked. The coat should be hard and wiry with a softer undercoat. The males are around 19 inches at the shoulder and the females should be about 18 inches. The Irish Terrier has well balanced movement and should not be high stepping or choppy in its gait. He is a popular dog in the Conformation ring, although not considered to be as “flashy” as the Fox Terrier or the Kerry Blue. Despite this reputation, in 1994 an Irish Terrier took the Best In Show at the premier terrier show of the world, the Montgomery County Kennel Club Terrier Show.

The Irish Terrier is definitely an individual. He knows that he is the best and will not be unwilling to prove it if confronted by any other dog. When challenged, he will fight to the death. It is essential that his owner be aware of this, he has a very strong terrier instinct and although it is not “aggression” in the usual sense of the word, he is not the sort of dog that automatically gets along with any other dog. However, one must realize that this is a characteristic which is completely in harmony after all with what a “terrier” is. Otherwise, this breed has no equal as far as being a guardian and companion to his family, with children he is especially affectionate and steadfast in his loyalty and protection. Furthermore, he can and does serve his owners well when it comes to being the rat catcher and general rodent killer on the farm and in the house.

The Story Concludes

It’s been quite a while since Ginger’s original story was posted. I thought I’d let those of you who followed the story know the conclusion.

Ginger (a.k.a. “Redpuss̶ is a half-ginger, half white, 12-year-old tom who suffered some bad health problems a year or so ago, including cat flu, 6 rotten teeth (with accompanying toothache) and associated chronic infection, a septic lip, ear mites, skin allergies and a heart murmur. His story is documented at the Help Save Ginger page on my Cat-oholics website if you’d like some background information. You may have already read my previous articles about him and how a number of generous people donated funds to cover his vet bills.

While his health problems were sorted out, finding a new home for him proved to be something of a problem. Neither friends nor family were in a position to take him in for two reasons - he’s a cat-flu carrier (and my vet was insistent that Ginger should not go to a house that already has a cat) and his age (people are too worried that an ageing cat just meant big medical bills down the road). Notices stuck up in supermarkets, libraries and vet clinics didn’t get a single reply. Neither did putting appeals in classified ads papers.

I contacted a few catteries to see if they could offer any leads I could follow up on. While they couldn’t suggest anyone to place the cat with, they suggested contacting an animal shelter who didn’t euthanise unwanted animals. Unfortunately, when I contacted them, they told me they only now dealt exclusively with dogs (apparently there’d been unholy war between the cats and dogs when they catered for both). They advised me to contact the local Cat Protection Association through their webpage.

Emails to their advertised email address went unanswered and after several aborted phone calls, I got a message saying that they’d moved and had a new phone number. I tried that only to get a message saying they were unavailable for several days and to leave a message. I did, but with less than ten days remaining before a final decision would have to be made as to whether to have him put to sleep or not, time was running out for Ginger. (this was back in April 2005).

Then, on the weekend prior to what could become a fateful day, I received a call telling me that a home had been found for Ginger. It seems that a grand-niece of Ginger’s original owner had stepped in to take care of him. So, with just one day to spare, Ginger was whisked off to his new home.

It was a relief knowing that the Sword of Damocles no longer hung over him and that the thought of having to have him put to sleep was no longer a consideration.

He’s made a great pet for his new owners as he’s a very affectionate cat. With the exception of being a cat-flu carrier, his health is otherwise good. Given what he went though that previous year, he deserved to have a few good, happy years ahead of him and now he has.

Just like having a child, it can be incredibly fulfilling bringing a kitten into your family and watching it grow up. It takes only a year for your cute little kitten to mature into a cat. It can seem hard to believe but it will happen fast. Being prepared is the goal here. So what are the key milestones for a young cat?

The First Moments

Kittens are born blind and they are completely dependant on their mother. The first stages will involve learning to eat and then growing. The kitten’s eyes will open and he will want to explore. At four weeks old, he is romping around shakily with his siblings. At this time he can begin to learn to use the litter box and should start to become a social animal. In the wild, the kitten’s mother will start to supplement his diet with dead mice and other small pretty. But, you may want to give him some soft kitten food or some dry food that is softened a little with water.

Six Weeks

He’s now six weeks old and he is more than ready to explore the home. If he’s indoors, he will move from room to room. A feral kitten will follow his mother when she goes to hang out with the other cats. These cats will still receive mice from their mother, but they aren’t dead anymore. Instead, the kitten has to learn to hunt the animal. Those who are eight weeks old will be completely weaned from their mother and are ready to go to a new home.

The Next Months

Through the next several months, the cats will grow really fast. You’ll need to get them in to be vaccinated at this time so that they are healthy and strong. They will begin to learn what they have to do to live with their families and learn which behaviors are okay. You can teach your kitten his name as well as a few simple commands now. If the cat has long hair, make sure to get him used to allowing you to groom him, although the cat’s coat doesn’t need to be brushed just yet.

Sometimes, cats will suddenly develop a bad attitude. Believe it or not this is an adolescent stage for them. This happens when the cat goes from being a kitten into being a mature cat. Sounds just like children, right? This will happen around the fifth to six month and may last until the cat reaches a year old. They will still be playful but may get carried away to play too aggressively. If your cat is not neutered at six months of age, he will be mature enough to reproduce now. Neutering the cat will help this stage of his development go more smoothly. At six months, the cat looks the way he will look as an adult even though he may still become larger.

Adulthood

Just like humans, adult cats will continue to go through stages. But, these stages can be dealt with quite easily. And, unlike that mid life crisis you may have, the cat isn’t likely to go out to purchase a sports car at this age!

If you take care of your kitten’s health as he grows into an adult cat you will have a fulfilling relationship that will bring both you and the cat great satisfaction.

Ailments and diseases are a part of the living process. It is but normal to become sick once in a while and go through the difficulty and suffering of a disease provided that you have to be treated for it and as much as possible prevent it from happening to you again. Ailments and rehabilitation is but a part of the total continuum of life.

This is very much the same with animals. Man’s best friend the dog, also go through a series of diseases and ailments in their lifetime and it is up to us their owners and protectors, to prevent them from falling into the disease and not recovering from it. The best way of ensuring that our dogs are as fit as can be throughout their lifetime is by quick and knowledgeable observations of the different diseases that may debilitate them.

Steps To Ensure A Healthy Dog:

Fleas are especially annoying little critters which are the bane of many a dog’s existence. Some dog owners tolerate fleas as a necessary evil but this is not the case with dogs. Dogs react to fleas by scratching and biting themselves which produces eczematous lesions that may lead to infection. This makes the dog’s life utterly miserable and unhappy and unless the owner intercedes with flea control, this problem is not totally eliminated. Flea destruction depends on the destruction of eggs, larva and adult fleas. They should be eradicated from the dog and from his environment altogether to prevent recurrence. Flea insecticides are now found on the market today and they come in the form of soaps, wash, powder, dip or sprays. Your dog will surely be very thankful if you solve his bane for him.

Another problem that may debilitate your dog is worms. Roundworms are the commonest of the parasites and are most often found in puppies. Roundworms can cause a variety of symptoms such as diarrhea, anemia, dull coat and potbelly. There are some cases of injury to the lungs and development of pneumonia as the worms may migrate from the blood vessels to the air sacs of the lungs. Good diet and proper sanitation help in preventing worms. The dog should have clean, dry bedding at all times. Before giving worm medicine to your dog, keep him on a bland diet of rice, noodles and soup for two days prior to de-worming.

The best way to become healthy is to prevent diseases from overpowering your immune system. This is the same with dogs too. Nowadays vaccinations for certain diseases that are caused by canine parvovirus, rabies, canine adenovirus and canine distemper virus are available from your dog’s vet. You can bring your dog to the vet at a certain age and have them provide a vaccination shot for your dog to ensure that he is free from the viral diseases for a period of time. Veterinarians can provide you with the proper sequencing of the shots and when to give them safely to your dogs.

Dogs offer you their full devotion, loyalty and love. It is your responsibility to take care of them properly.

What will you observe in a great dog trainer? A great dog trainer must have the ability to judge how each and every dog is to be handled in a class. He must have gained his expertise and experience by taking dogs of all breeds and under numerous conditions through the preliminaries. He will only gain this knowledge by working with various breeds and under numerous conditions. He will have to consider the individual characteristics and temperament of each dog and vary the technique to meet the occasion at hand.

A trainer can learn what he can expect from a dog and how he will react. Once he a has accomplished this he has an advantage. He can anticipate the dogs next move and will then have to decide if he will force the issue at hand or if he will back down on his demands. A good trainer will have mastered the art in knowing when to be firm, when to rebuke, when to encourage and when to be gentle. Having these natural abilities and the essential qualities to correspond his body motions with the moves the dog makes will result in great timing. This is why some trainers will succeed and others will fail because he knows what he is doing. His actions will be decisive and definite. The dog will then know that the trainer knows and he will have gained the dogs respect. The proof of the trainers ability will come through when he has gained the admiration and respect of the dog through a positive and happy response from him.

A great trainer will have the ability to have the dog feel responsible for the corrections that he must give him in his training. The dog cannot be bullied. He can be forced to be obedient but you can not force him to like obedience. In the process of training the trainer will recognize that there is a step by step progression and if the previous lessons have been comprehended the following lessons will be easy. He might have to back track occasionally to refresh the dog on a previous lesson to build his confidence and bring him up to speed but with his understanding and experience he will not be nagging or intimidating the dog. He realizes the disastrous affect this can have on the dog and will do anything to avoid it. The trainer will not let his exasperation show if he has a dog that is slow in following his training but will be firm and kind and will make obedience fun for the dog.

You will find that a good trainer does not always make a good training class instructor. Some trainers might give one on one instructions out of their homes in a private setting with great success but when working with a large group they do not have the leadership or ability to handle the pressure of multiple issues that a large group of dogs presents.

No only does a great training instructor have the ability to work with dogs but he must have the ability to gain the respect of his pupils. He must be diplomatic and patient and must also be a likable person. He must be able to explain and teach what he is able to do. He will not hold up the class for extended periods of time while he discusses an individual dogs issues with the owner nor will he hold up the class for a few dogs that can not keep up with the rest of the class. He will work with those dogs and their owners on a more personal basis in a before or after class session.

When training your dog it’s important to always remain patient and level headed. Remember your dog is a dog! He doesn’t understand things the same way that you do. He will not understand if you yell instructions at him. He will only become scared of you if you do this. This is not a good way for him to learn.Dogs are very habitual. Their lives revolve around ritual and their internal body clock and routine. They anticipate your return from work at a certain time. They expect their meals at a certain time.You can use this information in your dog training. This sort of habitual behavior is part of why dog’s are easy animals to train (compared to other animals.) Of course the goal of dog obedience training is for the dog to respond with a particular reaction to a particular command.Because of the habitual nature of dogs it’s important that you be extremely consistent in your training. Do not change things up on your dog! This will only confuse him. You should go through your routines with him the exact same way every time. When you tell your dog to sit you need to make sure that he does in fact sit before going on to the next command. This consistency will help your dog training efforts be more effective.Perhaps the most important point with dog training is to keep a level head. You cannot allow yourself to let your temper flare or to yell at or hit your dog. Not only for the obvious moral reasons that you wouldn’t want to treat your dog in this way but also because this sort of behavior will make it much more difficult to train your dog.Your dog doesn’t know how to learn from this sort of behavior. Your dog will only become afraid of you and it will make it harder to train him in the future.Another important point of dog training is to make sure you reward your dog for a good behavior or for doing a trick in the correct way. This is important because it helps build your relationship with your dog and lets them know that you like their good behavior. Like with all aspects of dog training you need to be consistent with rewarding your dog.Of course this does not mean to give your dog a food treat every time they do something right because that would not be good for them and would also become very expensive. You don’t need to give your dog the same treat every time just some sort of treat whether it’s letting them play with their favorite toy, giving them a friendly pat on the head with encouraging words in a friendly voice, or giving them a food treat.For more indepth dog training information: http://www.DogTraining-AtoZ.com

Dog fleas can cause more than itching.

They are difficult to control, but, left unchecked, they can cause your dog very serious health problems.

Simple facts about dog fleas:

Fleas are probably the most successful creatures on the planet in terms of reproduction. There are over 2,400 species and they are difficult to control for a variety of reasons: One female flea will produce 25,000 offspring in one month. An unfed adult can live for several months. The chemicals used to eradicate adult dog fleas have no effect on the eggs. Fleas are very good at mutating to resist new pesticides.

Fleas are a menace to dogs! They cause allergic dermatitis, tapeworms, and anemia. Most of the eggs are not laid on the dog but in the dog’s bedding, in the rug, and on the furniture. It is extremely difficult to eradicate fleas completely. The most you can hope for is to control them and to keep your dog reasonably comfortable during the warm, moist flea season.

The best way to control dog fleas is to remove them from your dog and your house. Take him to a groomer for the day and have him bathed with veterinarian-approved flea shampoo. Spraying or dipping him with a residual pesticide has little or no lasting effect. While he is out of the house, hire a company that uses a non-toxic product to spray the carpets and the furniture. These companies usually guarantee a flea-free home for one year.

Some dogs are bothered more by the use of pesticides than they are by fleas. Flea collars, sprays, powders, and shampoos are all loaded with pesticides. Beware! If your dog is into serious scratching, your veterinarian can prescribe medication for the itching. It is also very important that you discus with your veterinarian which products you should use on your pet to rid him (or her) of dog fleas. There are a lot of products on the market that claim to get rid of fleas; not all of them work and some could be harmful to your dog.

>From this point on, it is important for you to vacuum the carpets, furniture, and your dog’s bedding everyday. Place the cut-off end of a flea collar, or a moth crystal, into your vacuum cleaner bag to kill any vacuumed adult fleas. Vacuum the dog if he will let you! Groom him daily with a flea comb. Do not be surprised if you occasionally find a flea on him. He will bring them in from outside. Remember, you cannot get rid of them, only control them.

Effective Treatment of Your Yard:

In cases where pets spend most of their time outdoors, it may also be necessary to treat the yard for dog fleas. One way to determine if the yard is infested is to walk around the property wearing white athletic socks, pulled to the knee. If fleas are present, they will be seen against the white background of the socks.

Outdoor flea treatment should focus on areas where your pet rests, sleeps, and runs, such as doghouse and kennel areas, under decks, along fences and next to the foundation.

It is seldom necessary to treat the entire yard or open areas exposed to full sun. However, as long as you are treating the outdoor area, it may be a wise move (particularly the first time) to treat as large an area as possible. Once again, check with your vet to determine which product to control dog fleas will be most effective for out door use and will not be harmful to your pet. Be sure to follow all instructions carefully.

Summary of Key Treatment Steps:

1. “De-fleaing” your pet is only one essential step in ridding your home of fleas.

2. It is critical that you treat areas in your home where your pet spends time.

3. It is most effective if you treat your pet and your home on the same day.

4. Treat every week to ten days until the infestation cycle is broken. After that, once a month or as needed.

5. Expect to see newly emerging adult fleas for 2 weeks or longer following If you dust your pet every week to ten days, new generations of fleas will quickly die before they have a chance to lay eggs - breaking the infestation cycle.Flea eggs are completely protected from insecticides so you must break the cycle of re-infestation to clear them from your home.

6. If your pet spend most of their time outdoors, it may also be necessary to treat some areas of your yard. In fact, it is highly recommended when there is evidence of a high infestation of dog fleas.

The dietary regimen is an important aspect of survival. The objective of dietary management is to meet the basic nutritional requirements of the individual dog with proper portions of protein, carbohydrates and fat in a well-balanced diet that will promote optimal body weight.

Generally, these dietary regimens are employed to human beings. However, with the growing fondness to dogs, most dog owners and veterinarians recommed that dietary regimen should likewise be implemented on dogs.

Like humans, dogs need the right combination of the basic food groups in order to have a healthy life span. Dogs also need to be regulated on the kinds of foods that they eat or else they would end up being obese as well.

Included in the dog’s dietary regimen are the proper minerals and vitamins. These essential health items should be well incorporated into the dogs daily needs in order to have a healthy body. With poper minerals, and vitamins, dogs will be abel to maintain shiny, healthy-looking coat. For people who want to know how to prepare the right diet for their dogs, here are some tips to guide you through them.

*Meat should not only be the only food incorporated in the dog’s diet.

*Dogs need minerals and vitamins. These are needed to maintain the luster and shine in their coats and to provide them with

healthy gums and teeth.

*Real Meal Treats. It is best for the dog owners to include their dogs in their meal planning. With real food, dogs will be able to generate the needed nutrients their body’s need.

*Mixed Foods. Giving a dog a variety of foods, nutritional value, and texture are the real diet meal dogs really need. So, go ahead and mix the dry food along with the moist food.

*Greens. A well balanced diet for dogs includes green leafy vegtables. Even if dogs are carnivours by nature, they also need the right amount of greens to provide them with additional nutrients that are only available in green leafy foods.

Best of all, dog owners should always consult their dog’s veterinarians especially on things like health and diet supplements for their dogs.

Dogs like humans, should not be fed with junk foods like sugary, sweet, soda. These will only make them fat without the needed nutrients. Stay away from CHOCOLATE, it is considered as poison to your dog as well as your cat.

Should you seriously consider buying a dog health insurance policy? Yes, you should. Here’s why health insurance for dogs is a good idea:

Dog health insurance saves you money. As with just about all other costs, veterinary expenses have increased rapidly in recent years. Without dog medical insurance (or more accurately, veterinary insurance), you are responsible for paying for everything: routine checkups, preventive procedures, emergency care and disease treatments. That will run into hundreds of dollars. Why not get some help?

Dog Health Insurance: Quick Cost Facts

Health insurance for your dog, like health insurance for yourself, has annual premiums and deductibles. Pet insurance premiums depend on the breed of your dog and the type of policy you decide upon. If you have more than one dog, there is usually a reduced rate after the first policy.

Dog health insurance deductibles can vary as well. The average annual deductible is about $100. You may choose among different coverage plans which are based on your dog’s age, breed, and pre-existing medical conditions. Some policies even consider the dog’s lifestyle; for instance, whether your dog is purely a pet or a watchdog, too.

Health Insurance for Dogs: Quick Coverage Facts

Dog insurance healthcare plans can vary greatly. Some canine health plans are quite comprehensive, covering annual checkups, routine care, vaccinations and other preventive medications, and spaying/neutering, as well as illnesses and accidents. Others only cover unexpected sickness or injuries.

Dog insurance coverage for emergencies begins immediately on most new dog health plans, with a 30-day waiting period for illness and other claims.

Your dog’s age can affect your dog’s health insurance coverage. Typically, policies begin veterinary healthcare coverage when the dog is 6 to 8 weeks old, although some will start when the dog is younger. Similarly, some dog health insurance companies only will cover dogs under 8 years old unless the animal was already insured with them before turning 8.

Many dog health insurers will not cover your pet if she has a preexisting condition or a terminal illness. Some will insure the dog only if the condition is controlled or stable, usually for 6 months.

With all these options, it is important you check out the various dog health insurance companies, their pet insurance policies and corresponding dog healthcare plans.

In short, if you care about your dog, you should care about his health. If you care about your wallet, you should care about your dog’s health insurance coverage, too.

Are you one of the million of Britons famous the world over for being a pet owner and lover? If so, do you have pet insurance? If not, you may well want to read on if you want to save yourself millions of pounds….

Let’s look at two, not uncommon, scenarios that may happen to a pet owner in the UK:

Scenario 1:

You own a dog. The dog is out in the garden. The post comes to the house to deliver a letter. In the course of delivering the letter your dog bites the postman.

Scenario 2:

You own a horse. The horse is grazing in the field. The horse is startled, jumps the hedge and crashes into an oncoming car.

Do you know what would happen in both of these scenarios? Well, if you don’t already know, as you may recall from the recent famous case involving Princess Anne, in Scenario 1 you could be liable to pay damages under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Less well known, in Scenario 2 you could be liable to pay damages under a recent House of Lords interpretation to the Animal Act 1971. Either way, you’re paying.

How can you limit the liability you’ll suffer if either of these unfortunate events where to occur? Without some form of pet insurance policy you could not. As such, if you have a pet and want to save yourself from the prospect of having to pay out a potentially large amount of money in compensation damages to a third party – now is the time that you should be considering getting pet insurance.

Although pet insurance is unlikely to cover you for the full costs you that you may need to pay to both defend your self against a claim and also pay compensation if you lose, as there is likely to be a minimum excess payment and maximum cap payment, for a reasonable annual premium payment you can arrange to have cover that would pay a large portion of this amount.

At the end of the day, however, having pet insurance is like having any other type if insurance. Would you go out n the roads and drive your car without insuring yourself against an accident? Would you leave all your valuables at home without having any home contents insurance? Do you want to take the chance that you could be used for million in personal injury compensation without having paid a minimal amount in pet insurance?