Are Your Pets Part Of Your Family?
Our household consists of two sons with furry coats and four legs each. Is this unusual? Not in a majority of homes that have pets. Pets are considered family members and are treated as such. Not only do we provide the basic necessities for our beloved dogs, we also lavish love, attention and gifts upon our furry family members.
Dogs have always been an integral part of a child's life. Growing up in the 1950's and 1960's, every home seemed to have a dog included in the family structure at one time or another. Dogs and kids playing together, going for walks or just hanging out could be found in every town, city or village. Finding a stray dog and bringing it home was not unusual, especially in small cities or rural towns. Spaying and neutering your dog was not at the top of the list for pet ownership during this time so dogs and puppies were always in abundance. During this time dogs were seen and treated as pets, not family members, especially by the children's parents.
Well the children grew up and their love of canines never ceased. Now our pets live inside our home, sleep in our beds and some even have their own couches. The dogs have toy boxes full of balls, Kongs, tug toys and their own feeding stations. In winter we buy our dogs fleece lined nylon all weather boots and for hot summer pavement they are fitted with breathable Codura boots with Velcro straps. Our loving companions are now fitted with a microchip so we may locate them if they become lost. If our dogs are unruly or not behaving as we think they should, there are dog trainers that come to your home or we may send our furry friends to a boarding facility to be retrained. There are even doggie boot camps for the really stubborn dogs. Our dogs visit vets for their yearly check up and get their teeth cleaned. If your dog needs an x-ray, MRI, EKG or a cardiac pacemaker implanted, it can be done. Our dogs are part of our lives and families and we treat our pets as we would our children. Yes, I do buy presents for my dogs for Christmas and birthdays. I am also guilty of sending cards to people from my dog.
Having a pet and making him a family member is a growing transition. Just look at all the websites focusing on canines and pet stores that cater to our canine companions. In homes where the kids have grown up and left or where single or elderly people live alone, dogs make good companions and keep people from becoming lonely. Having a dog to talk to or keep you company is good for your physical and mental health. People who love animals are generally more pleasant to be around and not as self centered.
Children who are raised in a home where there are pets (dogs, cats, birds, fish etc) are more likely to allow their children to have pets when they start their own families. If these young people were taught the responsibilities of taking care of an animal they know the hard work and also the rewards of raising a dog or other such pet. Being kind, loving and taking care of another life is the greatest lesson we can teach our children. Providing for our pet's care after our death is important. If you have a loving, dependable friend or family member to take the dog into their home would be a blessing. The dog will be saddened by his owner's death and will mourn his loss. If the dog will be given a home by someone he knows this will help the dog overcome his grief much faster and provide some stability in his life. A family member or friend may love your dog and want to care for him but may need financial help to provide for the animal as you have done during your lifetime. You, as a responsible owner, can provide for your dog's upkeep by setting up a pet trust. A pet trust is a legal way to set aside money for your dog's expenses and will be paid out by a trustee to the person designated to care for your dog.
Humans who considered pets as family members used to be looked upon as eccentric as having more money than sense. That is not the case any longer. People are beginning to understand the connection people have with animals and the love that binds them. It has been proven that people in disaster areas (hurricanes, floods etc) will not evacuate to shelters if their pets can't go. People have risked their lives to save their pets from fires or floods. These are our four legged children. A pet food maker in Japan gives employees money and gifts whose dogs have birthdays or dies; just like they do for the people having birthdays or new births in their families.
It has been estimated that Americans spend more then $37 billion on their pets annually. This includes healthcare, food, toys, books, training and clothing. That's a lot of money spent on just a dog.
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Jim McKiel lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife Doris and their pet family members Buddy and Buster. They have devoted their lives to the betterment of pet ownership. For more information, visit: Large Breed Family Dogs
The Keys To Understanding Your Dog
You do not have to look very far to determine that the old saying about a dog being a man's (or woman's) best friend is right on. Dogs provide a great companion and they only want your attention in return. Some dogs require a bit more attention than others but that is understandable. Nowhere else will find a friend that will forgive you so willingly for virtually anything you may have done.
When you get a new puppy, one of the first tasks that you are going to want to teach it is the task of being house broken, and to provide some kind of sign or signal when they need to go outdoors to relieve themselves. By nature, dogs will squat wherever they are and this is their nature, but with training you can teach them that doing this inside the house is not good, and they need to do what you teach them.
An old school of thought is that when they make a mess indoors, you should scold them, stick their nose in it, and then put them outside. Believe me, there is not a need to stick their nose in it, they will get the point with the scolding. Keep in mind that this is an animal, not a child, and it may take them a bit longer to catch on to what you are trying to teach them, but in the end they will eventually catch on.
Dogs are huge with the reward system. Your attention and petting and kind words go a long way towards letting the dog know you are happy with something they have done, and it really does not take long for them to grasp the concept of something when it is associated with a reward. That reward could be a dog treat or kind words, but when they have done something right, make sure you remember the reward system will work wonders with them.
Some people want to have a dog but they are gone all day. This creates a problem, because even with a dog crate, the dog should not be left alone in the crate for the period of an entire work day, which is 8 hours or more. They just cannot hold it that long, and scolding them for making a mess in their crate after you have left them for 8 or more hours is totally unreasonable. If you are going to be gone for that long a period of time, either do not get a dog or make other arrangements. There are many places popping up all over that are the equivalent of "doggy day care", and this is an excellent alternative to leaving your dog in a crate all day.
In terms of intelligence, dogs are pretty much the same. It is said that some breeds are smarter than others, but I think it is because some breeds are more anxious to please you than others and therefore have your undivided attention when you are trying to teach them something. To a certain extent, dogs are as different, even within the same breed, as humans. I have seen some dogs that appear to be dumber than a doorknob, but then again, I have also met humans who fall into that same category!
Love your dog and treat them right, and you will have a constant companion and a friend for life!
Jon is a computer engineer who maintain a variety of web sites based on his knowledge and experience. For more information about any aspects of Dogs, please visit his web site at All Dog World.
Safety Tips When Hiking With Your Dog
Dogs are man’s best friend, and most of us will want to achieve the status of being our dog’s best friend as well. How do you do that? Simply take him out for walks, or exciting adventures such as hiking. Dogs love to roam around freely, and being able to run on grassy lawns as well as play at forests areas. Seeing it in such a happy state one can almost see a smile on its face.
As fun as the wilderness seems fun for your dog, don’t forget the dangers lurking around the corner. You would not wish to see your dog being harmed and hurt while it is playing. There are a few things you should be aware of and you have to take responsibility as so to protect your dog from being hurt or even killed.
Below are a few risks associated with taking your dog out hiking or traveling other outdoor areas:
One of the risks are ant hills, especially for those who live down south. There are abnormally large anthills at the southern regions of the United States, and your dogs are best kept away from these anthills. From South Carolina to Texas, fire ants are common and they are known to be ferocious. Fire ants are one of the most aggressive ants that you can ever come across, and these deadly ants have venom in their system which they will inject into anything that they deem threatening, especially those who approach their nests. Their stings are small but painful, and if your dog is stung by a lot of them at once, he may have the risk of being fatally wounded and may die from it.
Snakes are another dangerous threat. Rattlesnakes are common, and they can be found at most areas, and are harmful to dogs, and even humans. Snakes may prefer to take shelter in different areas, as common grounds are dry and contains burrows as well as vegetation. Rattlesnakes tend to hide in hollow logs, as it is dry and dark. These snakes will rattle when they sense threat approaching, and dogs are usually not afraid of the rattling noise. Therefore they will still offend the snake and ended up being bitten anyway.
The other common snake in the United States is the copperhead. These snakes are prone to biting and the bites are very painful. They are normally not very venomous, and if your dog is of larger size then it will not suffer fatal wounds. Smaller dogs may have a different fate, and a bite from copperhead snakes may do more harm to it.
For more information on Dog Obedience or visit http://www.puppydogobedience.com/neat-dog-tricks-how-to-train-your-dog-to-round-up-the-dirty-laundry/, a popular website that offers information on Dogs, Dog Training, and Dog Breeds. Please leave the links intact if you wish to reprint this article. Thanks