Dogs and kids

It seemed like a good idea at Christmas. The children are older now and my daughter has begged for a "Yorkie" for three years in a row. But by February, we were seriously doubting that we had made the right decision adding a dog to our family.

I forgot the round-the-clock attention and care that a baby requires, even if it is a dog. It's certainly beyond the ability of a child to care for a dog, no matter that she promises to do all the feeding and walking if you'll just "please, please buy her a dog".

At five months, the puppy's favorite game is "run and cuss". He picks up something he knows he is not supposed to have and runs away from me as fast as he can. I chase after him like a fool, cussing and yelling, "Drop it!" Oh, it's great fun.

Then last week while I'm eating lunch, I see that he has my sunglasses. Instead of running after him, I told him in my most serious voice that I was not getting up and he better just drop it. To my amazement, he dropped the sunglasses and looked at me. I grabbed a treat and praised him. Then, he ran off and found something, came to my feet and dropped it again.

Now that "Drop It" is his new favorite game, I have hope again that we can get through the rough times. He's still learning, and he really love bacon-flavored treats.

I've learned that it makes more sense for a family with kids to adopt or buy a dog that is past the puppy stage. Housebreaking a puppy is very time consuming, and the puppy's needs most often require adult attention.

Different breeds have their own benefits and drawbacks. Our Yorkie doesn't chew up shoes or furniture; but he's an inside dog, so housetraining was a challenge. He's active and playful, but prone to get into trouble without lots of attentive play.

A large outside dog is no problem to housetrain, but will need plenty of protected running room outside. He's notorious for chewing everything in the house. Our lab ate an entire plate of freshly made divinity from the kitchen counter in an instant one Christmas.

If I haven't convinced you to put off getting a dog, these sources will help you choose the right dog and make it through the first few months.

What is the Best Way to ‘Call’ My Cat to Encourage it Home at Night?

It is advisable to establish a signal other than just a name call from the earliest days of owning a cat. This signal - which could be the sound of a tinkling bell, a spoon tapped on a food dish or even a whistle - would precede any name call. Once a cat strongly associates with this sound, usually after a week or so, it can be used to recall the cat if it should ever wander off or become lost. The simple sound, used repeatedly, will carry further into the night air and is not as complicated as a name call.

My rug is not a toilet!

Someone sent this to my box and for cat owners, this could be a problem solved for you……My 6 yr. old female cat has begun defecating occasionally on throw rugs within a few feet of her covered litter box! The litter box is not new and she will do this even when the box has been freshly cleaned. HELP!

Your cat is doing one of three things:

• She either objects to something in the litter tray (this may have been something that happened in the past and is now simply an association).
• There is an outside disturbance and your is marking her territory/ relieving anxiety (more likely to be the case if this is happening near a window or door).
• She prefers the carpet substrate.

You need to clean up your rugs thoroughly using an enzymatic cleaner. It might also be preferable to remove the rugs for a while, if possible. If not, use deterrents such as citrus skins laid over the rugs. If you suspect another cat in the vicinity, close all window blinds to prevent your cat seeing the other one and have a word with the cats’ owners.

Replace your litter trays with new ones, preferably of a different size. I like to encourage owners to buy bigger ones than the typical small ones available in most stores. Make sure you are using a deep layer of litter and cleaning it often. When all else fails, some owners have had success in getting their cats back into the litter tray by placing off cut of carpet in there! With time, you can sprinkle litter over the carpet and gradually increase this until the cat learns that this is the best substrate for toileting.

A type of african wild Dog

Lycaon pictus (Latin for “painted wolf”) is an apt name for the African Wild Dog. Their fur is mottled in shades of tan, brown, black, and white. They have dark circles around their eyes. The ends of the African wild dogs' tails are mostly white--kind of reminds me of flags.
Incredible, huh?

What cats do when sleeping...

Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. Daily durations of sleep are various, usually 12–16 hours, with 13–14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours in a 24-hour period. The term cat nap refers to the cat's ability to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period and has entered the English lexicon – someone who nods off for a few minutes is said to be "taking a cat nap".
Due to their crepuscular nature, cats are often known to enter a period of increased hyperactivity and playfulness during the evening and early morning, dubbed the "evening crazies", "night crazies" or "mad half hour" by some. [10] [11]
The temperament of a cat can vary depending on the breed and socialization. Shorter haired cats tend to be skinnier and more active, while cats with longer hair tend to be heavier and less active.
The normal body temperature of a cat is between 38 and 39 °C (101 and 102.2 °F).[12] A cat is considered febrile (hyperthermic) if it has a temperature of 39.5 °C (103 °F) or greater, or hypothermic if less than 37.5 °C (100 °F). For comparison, humans have a normal temperature of approximately 37 °C (98.6 °F). A domestic cat's normal heart rate ranges from 140 to 220 beats per minute, and is largely dependent on how excited the cat is. For a cat at rest, the average heart rate should be between 150 and 180 bpm, about twice that of a human.

SmellA domestic cat's sense of smell is about fourteen times as strong as a human's. Cats have twice as many smell-sensitive cells in their noses as people do, which means they can smell things we are not even aware of. Cats also have a scent organ in the roof of their mouths called the vomeronasal, or Jacobson's, organ. When a cat wrinkles its muzzle, lowers its chin, and lets its tongue hang a bit, it is opening the passage to the vomeronasal. This is called gaping, "sneering", or "flehming". Gaping is the equivalent of the Flehmen response in other animals, such as dogs, horses and big cats.

The Big Sleep

When most people think of hibernation they picture bears. Yet bears aren't true hibernators. Their long nap is more properly called winter lethargy. Discover the important difference, as well as which animals are true hibernators.

how to care for your kitten

Kittens are so wonderful! But they do take some special care.

Weaning. Mothers usually begin to wean their kittens at about 4 weeks of age. By 8 weeks of age, the kittens are eating solid food. Older kittens who are still with their mothers may occasionally nurse, but this is more for comfort and reassurance than for nutrition.
In general, kittens should not be removed from their mothers until they are at least 8 weeks of age. Kittens seperated from their mothers at too young an age require special care.

here are some of the things you need to know.

Milk. Do not give your kitten cow's milk - it can make them sick and give them diarrhea. You can obtain mother's milk replacer for young kittens at many of the pet stores in the area. When the kittens are 8 weeks or older, they no longer need the milk but may enjoy it anyway. Milk that has been specially processed for cats to consume safely is available from many local groceries.
Water. Keep clean, fresh water available to your kitten at all times. The bowl should be low enough for the kitten to able to drink from it easily. Some kittens enjoy playing in the water and even tipping over the bowl, so you may need a heavy bowl. Place the bowl when it won't get dirtied by litter etc.

hang on for the rest information.

via; www.paw-rescue.com

Five Little Speckled Frogs

Five little speckled frogs,
Sitting on a speckled log,
Eating the most delicuious bugs,
Yum, yum.
One jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were four little speckled frogs.

(Repeat , working your way down to one.)

One little speckled frog sitting,
Sitting on a speckled log,
Eating the most delicious bugs,
Yum, yum.
He jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool,
There there were no little speckled frogs.

VIA.canteach.com