Archives November 2022

Rats are intelligent as well as like to cuddle. They make fantastic pets. They are the best pet for apartment or condo dwellers since of their peaceful nature as well as little size. Rats are active as well as like to climb as well as explore. Therefore, a big cage is ideal, however let us very first use Rat Cage Calculator as well as then make final choice.

For rats, tall cages with several levels work well. just make sure the bars are horizontal so your rat can climb up.

A tall cage provides you sufficient area to location a hammock in the corner, which your rat will take pleasure in to curl up in besides the activity.

Rat Cage Calculator

Poor ventilation in enclosed cages for hamsters as well as aquariums is a problem. Rats can ended up being ill from ammonia buildup in their urine.

The finest rat cages are really ferret cages. However, the spacing between the bars may be as well large for young rats. They may still be able getaway if they can capture with the bar. Ferret cages are a fantastic choice for big rats.

Rats are social animals as well as will naturally online in colonies. If you don’t want to have numerous rats at once, it is a much better concept to keep them all together.

The number of rats you have will figure out the size of your cage. However, you must goal for at least 2 square feet per rat. To figure out the very best size cage for your pet rats, you can utilize an on the internet rat cage calculator.

For one Rat, Cages

Hagen Living world Deluxe housing

WARE wonderful house little animal Cage

WARE-Proof little animal Critter Cage

Size of a Rat Cage

You may have asked yourself this concern if you are thinking about getting a pet Rat. A single rat needs a cage measuring at least 2.5 feet to satisfy the RSPCA’s minimum size requirements. To figure out the size of your rat’s cage, you can utilize our rat cage calculator.

Best Rat Cages

Best Rat Cage sizes for 3

A&E Cage business little animal Cage 3 level with Removable Base

The A&E Cage business 3-Level little animal Cage (Buy online) is big sufficient to home a big colony of rats. The cage’s overall interior volume is around 16.8 cubic yards. This cage is big sufficient to fit 6 to 7 rats.

The three-level style of this cage is one of its finest features. Each level covers the entire cage’s length as well as width. The ladders linking each level are simple to climb as well as will motivate rats to get active throughout the day.

Three big doors on the front of the cage make it simple for rats to access, regardless of their level. This cage likewise features 4 little feeding doors. These doors will let you feed your rats without the concern of them trying to escape. You likewise get four stainless-steel bowls as part of this cage.

The slide-out tray makes it simple to clean the cage. If you requirement to store litter or other items, the shelf at the bottom of this stand is a fantastic option. The stand has built-in wheels to ensure that you can step the cage around even if it is large.

Prevue Hendryx eco-friendly & White little animal Caddy with Stand

The Prevue Hendryx eco-friendly & White little animal Cage (Buy Online). is a big rat cage that’s budget-friendly as well as has a great deal of great features. The rat cage’s overall interior volume is around 13.3 cubic feet. This cage is big sufficient to home as much as five rats.

This cage has a single-level style as well as includes a big litter pan with removable cable fit together grate. Either you want your rats to online on the metal fit together floor or you can let them online in the litter box.

The cable floor will make the cage much easier to clean. However, keeping the cable floor in can cause injury to your rat’s feet.

The deep litter pan is a much better option for rats as they will feel safer as well as a lot more comfortable. You can likewise minimize the possibilities of any type of litter or other debris escaping the cage by keeping your rats in the deep litter box.

The cage includes casters as well as a stand. The sturdy tubular steel stand will raise the cage from the ground to ensure that it is much easier to clean as well as maintain. You can likewise step the cage around with simplicity utilizing the casters.

Kaytee Multilevel Exotic Pet Home

The Kaytee Multilevel Exotic Pet house (Buy online) is big as well as compact rat cage. The overall living area of this cage is around 9.5 square feet. This cage is big sufficient for 3 rats.

The three levels are well-designed as well as will be enjoyed by your rats. Each level is composed of a platform made from plastic that measures a third of its width.

These platforms are linked together with wavy plastic ramps. since they don’t have a steep grade, the ramps are much easier to climb since of their wavy design.

Kaytee Multi-Level Exotic Pet house includes a food meal that can in shape into one of the platforms. This is a fantastic function since it makes it harder for rats to spill their food on the floor.

Another fantastic thing about this cage? The litter pan design. This cage has a litter pan that is additional deep. It is unlikely that any type of debris or shavings will get outside. Plastic litter pans make it simple to eliminate any type of staying debris with a paper towel or a spray.

Best Rat Cage sizes for 2

Prevue Hendryx Cocoa & cream little animal Cage With Stand

The Prevue Hendryx Cocoa & cream little animal Cage (Buy online) is a small, portable as well as easy-to-maintenance medium-sized cage. The cage’s overall interior volume is around 13 cubic feet. This cage is big sufficient for 2-5 rats.

This cage has a removable cable floor which you can eliminate to secure your rats’ feet. The cage includes a single platform in addition to a ramp that your rats can utilize to check out the space. You can change the platform as well as ramp to your liking.

Your rats will like living in the security as well as comfort of the extra-deep litter pan if you choose to take down the cable floor. You can likewise keep all messes made by rats contained within the cage with the deep litter pan.

The cage can be increased utilizing the included stand, making it simple to gain access to your rats as well as preserve them. It likewise has built-in wheels to ensure that it is simple to step the cage around, no matter exactly how strong or weak they are.

Me as well as You Living the dream little animal Habitat

The You as well as Me Living the dream little animal habitat (Buy Online). is the perfect rat cage for those who are restricted on space. The cage’s interior volume is around 8.5 square feet. This cage is best for holding 2 to 3 rats.

This cage’s dimensions are the very best thing about it. This cage measures 40 inches L x 17.5″ Wx 21″ H.

This cage includes a ramp as well as an adjustable platform that will be liked by your rats. The ramp is made from plastic as well as has an anti-slip design. The plastic platform likewise has a increased lip at its edges to ensure that any type of debris your rats may have collected there can’t be quickly kicked out.

This cage has a litter pan that is additional deep as well as built-in wheels at its base. The litter pan is deep to keep the cage’s area clean. The casters make it simple to step the cage around your house.

WARE Three-Level little animal Critter Cage

The WARE little animal Critter Cage is Chew-Proof three level little animal Critter Cage (Buy online) is an exceptional cage for rats who requirement a lot more vertical space. The cage’s overall interior volume is around 7.8 cubic yards. This cage is big sufficient to fit 2 to 3 rats.

This cage has three levels. The litter pan is the bottom as well as two cable fit together platforms are on top. Each platform is around one-third the cage’s width. You can clean the inside of the cage by just eliminating the cable fit together ramps.

This cage has two doors. One will let you reach the lower level, while the other will take you to the top. You won’t requirement to concern about your rats running out of the cage.

Although the litter pan in this cage may not be as deep as the others, it is still simple to clean. You can wipe the litter pan clean if any type of debris sticks to it.

Best Rat Cage sizes for 1

Hagen Living world Deluxe Habitat

The Hagen Living world Deluxe Rat habitat (Buy online) is one the most total little rat cages available. The cage’s overall interior volume is just 6.6 cubic feet. This cage is big sufficient to fit 1 to 2 rats.

The cage has lots of features as well as accessories. This cage includes a rat hideout. This hideout will likely ended up being a preferred area for your rat to spend the day.

You will discover a location to put your plastic food bowl. This bit function will minimize the possibility of your rat spilling their food on the floor.

The cage includes a hayguard that can be utilized for keeping things elevated from the cage. This cage likewise includes a water bottle that is drip-free. This cage includes a drip-free water bottle.

Another great function is the curved, full-length top door. You can reach all areas of the cage with your hands thanks to the big door. It will be simple to preserve your cage as well as pick up your rat, even if they don’t seem to like it.

WARE house wonderful house little animal Cage

The WARE wonderful house little animal Cage (Buy online) is an budget-friendly little rat cage. The cage’s overall interior volume is around 3 cubic feet. This cage is big sufficient to safely home one rat.

If you’re new to keeping rats, this cage is an exceptional starting point. The litter pan is big sufficient to keep any type of mess from getting outside. It is simple to preserve the cage with its two-piece design. All you have to do to clean it is to eliminate the cable mesh.

What size Rat Cage must Be for 1 Rat?

One rat must be kept within a cage of at least 2.5 square feet. A cage of this size must consist of at least one rat. instead of keeping your rat inside their cage for hours on end, think about buying a 3-4 cubic foot cage.

What size Rat Cage must Be for 2 Rats?

A cage of at least 5 cubic feet is needed if you mean to keep two rats in one cage. To minimize dispute as well as provide your rats a lot more space, a larger cage is a great choice. A 7 to 8 foot cage is the perfect size cage for two rats.

What size cage must a rat cage be for 3 rats?

To humanely home three rats, you’ll requirement at minimum a cage of 7.5 square feet. You will likely requirement a bigger cage to minimize anxiety as well as territorial behavior. If you mean to keep three rats, you will requirement a cage with at least 9-12 cubic feet.

How huge can rats get?

A pet rat’s typical body length is 9 to 11 inches. A rat’s typical tail length is 7 to 9 inches. The typical adult rat is 450-650 grams in weight, however there are some male rats who can reach 900 grams (2 pounds)!

Spacing at Rat Cage Bar

suggested Bar Spacing : 1/2 inch

When buying a cage for rat, it is crucial to think about the spacing of bars. You run the danger that your rat will getaway from their cage if its bars are as well wide. They can get stuck in bars if they are as well little to hold their head however not their body. This can cause injury. A rate cage must have a spacing of no a lot more than 1/2 inch between bars.

Where can I get rat cages?

Online

Amazon.com

Petco.com

Petsmart.com

Chewy.com

HomeDepot.com

Brick & Mortar

Petsmart

Pets

Walmart

Rat Cage Calculator

An typical rat needs 2.5 cubic feet of space.

This can be done by measuring the size of your rats cage in inches. Then, utilize our calculator to figure out if the cage is big sufficient to home all the rats you have.

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Small dog’s possessiveness of owner

Tips to stop a small dog’s possessiveness of his owner

How to stop my dog from resource guarding me

1. understand the problem – Why does my dog guard me?

2. dedicate to solving your dog’s guarding

What to do if your dog is protective of you?

3. Do not hold the dog when he’s growling

4. block your dog from guarding you

5. Don’t enable your dog on the furniture (temporarily)

6. Do not enable possessiveness of food or toys

7. practice solid obedience skills

8. teach your dog it’s ok to be alone

9. assist your dog bond with people other than you

10. Reward great behavior

Signs your dog is protective of you

Is my dog protecting me or scared?

What are some other tips you’ve used to prevent a dog’s territorial behavior?

Best products to assist with resource guarding:

More resources to stop your dog from guarding you

Small dog’s possessiveness of owner

I typically hear people ask, “How to stop my small dog from guarding me?” however huge dogs will likewise guard their owners.

With small dogs, the scenario goes something like this:

First, the dog barks as well as growls whenever people come to the door.

Next, the dog’s owner picks him up to stop him from barking or growling.

From his owner’s arms, the dog continues to growl at anyone who tries to get too close. He might not even “allow” anyone else to sit on the couch next to his owner.

Sound familiar?

Tips to stop a small dog’s possessiveness of his owner

If your medium or big dog is showing possessiveness, these rules will likewise apply!

How to stop my dog from resource guarding me

1. understand the problem – Why does my dog guard me?

If a small dog is guarding his owner, he is typically acting aggressive since of an insecurity.

The dog’s owner has been carrying him around for months, shielding him from experiencing the world as a dog. Whenever the dog is frightened, the owner picks him up.

Although the owner is trying to protect her dog, the dog never learns exactly how to offer with the real world. He never learns exactly how to cope with new environments, other dogs approaching him, kids reaching for him, etc.

Naturally, the dog feels safe (and therefore more powerful) when he’s in his owner’s arms. He wants to maintain that feeling of power, so he learns to growl at anyone who comes too close.

When he growls, people move away. The dog learns that growling protects his “power source.”

Often, if the owner would simply set the dog on the ground as well as ignore him, the dog’s state of mind would quickly change. more repetitions of that as well as ultimately the dog no longer growls.

*Enjoying this article? get realistic dog training tips emailed once a week. Click Here

2. dedicate to solving your dog’s guarding

It’s typically difficult for dog owners to realize they themselves are the problem.

What to do if your dog is protective of you?

If you can dedicate to making modification in your own behavior, you can assist your dog. I understand it’s not always easy, so hang in there!

Are you ok with setting your dog on the ground when he’s scared? Are you ok with ignoring him? using a firm voice? setting clear rules as well as boundaries?

If you are willing to make changes, you will be able to assist your dog overcome his possessiveness over time. If you can’t change, then it will not be possible for your dog to change.

Keep reading for more ideas on what to do if your dog is protective of you.

3. Do not hold the dog when he’s growling

When you hold your dog, you enable him to ended up being more powerful.

Obviously we love lap dogs, as well as it’s not a poor thing to hold as well as cuddle them. That’s one of the reasons we love dogs!

However, we should not hold or cuddle our dogs when they are acting insecure or aggressive. Doing so encourages the wrong behavior. If you hold a dog when he’s growling, he is not discovering a more appropriate behavior. He thinks the barking is ok when it’s not.

I’m not saying you can’t provide comfort to a frightened dog, however when the fear is resulting in aggression we need to look for other ways to offer comfort vs. picking the dog up.

See my post: Can you reward a dog’s fear?

4. block your dog from guarding you

If you set your dog on the ground, he might sit at your feet as well as guard you from there. Or, he might keep trying to jump back onto the couch or onto your lap where he feels more powerful.

Don’t enable this.

If he jumps onto your lap, set him back on the ground.If he tries to jump on the couch, block him with your arm or leg. push him off if needed. If he sits at your feet, put his leash on him as well as tether him to a chair across the room. Or, if he keeps hiding behind your legs at the dog park, keep moving away.

The dog needs to discover exactly how to cope without you.

When placed on the ground, the dog will most likely stop growling as well as barking. Instead, his true stress and anxiety will show. He might pace as well as whine, frantically trying to get back to his “power source” – your lap!

This is when you should simply ignore your dog. Don’t think about him. Don’t touch him. Don’t even glimpse in his direction. Act as though he is not there. as well as don’t feel poor about it.

You are helping him ended up being a more confident, normal dog. When he’s calm as well as quiet, that’s when you should pet him as well as even invite him back to sit with you.

*Enjoying this article? get realistic dog training tips emailed once a week. Click Here

5. Don’t enable your dog on the furniture (temporarily)

If your dog has a habit of guarding you, I recommend a no dogs on the furniture rule, at least temporarily.

This rule seems very difficult for the owners of small dogs to enforce, however it’s important. (My dogs are never allowed on the furniture as well as they are just fine!)

See our post: stop my dog from growling at me on the bed

Often, the furniture itself is what triggers the possessiveness. The dog may not enable strangers to sit on the couch, for example.

If that’s the case, the owner should not enable the dog on the couch at all. The human decides who sits on the couch. The dog does not get to decide.

The dog might even growl at someone who sleeps in his owner’s bed! Again, the human should be the one to choose who sleeps on the bed. The dog does not get to decide!

Enforcing a no dogs on the furniture rule will likewise teach your dog a higher level of self control. This is important overall since a dog with more self control is generally going to be more obedient, balanced as well as happy.

6. Do not enable possessiveness of food or toys

Dogs that are possessive of their owners are typically possessive of food as well as toys as well. This is habits that you should not tolerate from your dog.

To stop a dog’s possessiveness of food as well as toys, it’s important to  teach the dog a command for “drop” or “leave it.” It’s likewise important to comply with consistent rules, as well as to teach your dog that whatever belongs to you – even “his” toys, food as well as bed.

7. practice solid obedience skills

Dogs with solid obedience skills are generally more respectful of their owners. They listen to commands, as well as they have a high level of self control.

It’s not a coincidence that small dogs are less likely to be trained as well as more likely to be possessive compared to larger dogs.

It’s never too late to start training your dog, though. I extremely recommend you start taking your dog to group obedience classes. It’s important for the dogs to discover self control while working around other dogs.

*This article has been expanded into a FREE ebook on how to break a dog’s possessiveness. Get it here.

8. teach your dog it’s ok to be alone

Sometimes a small dog feels the need to guard his owner since he is not comfortable being alone. He barks as well as growls at anyone who comes near since that person might be trying to remove him from the owner.

You have the capability to modification your dog’s habits by helping him cope without you. It’s not healthy for a dog to be near his owner 24/7 just as it’s not healthy for any type of two people to be together all the time!

So, provide your dog some time each day in his kennel or in a separate room. You can provide him a special treat during this time like a Kong toy with peanut butter. If the dog whines, it’s very important to ignore him until he’s quiet.

Another way to produce separation is to tether his leash to a chair as well as sit on the other side of the room, ignoring him for 20 minutes.

You should likewise work on teaching him a solid down/stay command until he will lie on a dog bed or mat for up to a half-hour.

See: exactly how to teach the place command.

9. assist your dog bond with people other than you

Ask pals as well as household members to feed your dog, take him for walks as well as play with him from time to time. This will assist your dog see that other people are good, too!

And here’s a fantastic training exercise recommended by a reader named Marie:

Tie your dog’s leash to a chair as well as sit on the chair. Then, ask different people to approach you as well as your dog. The second your dog barks or growls, get up as wellas walk away without saying a word. This will teach your dog that barking as well as growling will not assist his situation. It will really make you go away!

Sounds like a fantastic concept to me!

10. Reward great behavior

It’s important that we praise our dogs when they are showing great behavior. If your dog is sitting calmly on the floor while guests are over, make sure to pet him as well as tell him he’s a great boy. Or toss him a treat.

If he sits patiently while you pet one more dog, tell him what a great dog he is.

We want to ignore unwanted habits as well as reward the good. I recommend the treats called wellness Well Bites.

Signs your dog is protective of you

Finally, I quickly wanted to listing out some signs that your dog is protective of you since it’s not always simple to tell.

Signs your dog is guarding you:

(These can likewise be signs your dog is scared, which is typically the real reason the dog is protecting you. She’s frightened!)

Growls or barks when other people approach you
Places herself between you as well as one more person
Backs into you or sits on your feet or at your feet

Is my dog protecting me or scared?

Often, both! The top reason dogs “protect” their owners is since they are scared. Their owner is the one thing that helps them feel secure as well as safe, so they want to “protect” this “power source.”

The best thing you can do is assist develop your dog’s confidence as well as security using some of the tips outlined above.

What are some other tips you’ve used to prevent a dog’s territorial behavior?

Let me understand in the comments!

*This article has been expanded into a FREE ebook on how to break a dog’s possessiveness. Get it here.

Best products to assist with resource guarding:

High-value treats!I recommend the brand Wellness Well Bites when you work with your dog on “drop”, “leave it” as well as trading them.
Treat pouch.Use a treat bag to conveniently hold all your treats during your training sessions.
Clicker.Use the clicker to mark the precise moment your dog does the correct behavior. In our case, it’s “drop” or “leave it.” followed by a treat!

More resources to stop your dog from guarding you

How to break a dog’s possessiveness (my long article)
Book: The cautious Canine by Patricia McConnell
Dr. Patricia McConnell’s article on guarding

Lindsay Stordahl is the creator of That Mutt. She writes about dog training, dog exercise as well as feeding a healthy raw diet.

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Worst situation scenario: Your guests are about to show up for the dinner celebration you’ve been planning for weeks. The table is set. The food is practically ready, as well as the whole home smells like Grandma’s tasty 6-cheese lasagna. Wait! What’s that odor contending with the delightful aroma of the dinner you’ve slaved over for 3 hours? No, not now! cherished Mitzi has just utilized the facilities…and there’s no time to empty the feline box before your manager as well as colleagues arrive. You definitely don’t want to pass them on their method in your door while bring a smelly garbage bag of feline litter to the trash!

Thank goodness, you have the Litter Genie plus feline litter disposal system. In seconds, you’ve scooped up the issue as well as locked away the menacing clump in an air-tight litter container that has saved you from weeks or even months of jokes around the office. now all your colleagues will be speaking about is what an amazing cook you are as well as exactly how much they delighted in Grandma’s 6-cheese lasagna.

The Litter Genie plus is the Diaper Genie for feline litter!

There will be no much more running to the trash each time your feline utilizes the litter box. In fact, the Litter Genie can be utilized for as much as 14 days for one feline before needing to be emptied.

Litter Genie directions are simple. utilize the included litter scoop to eliminate the clump from the litter box, open the lid as well as decrease the clump into the pail, close the lid as well as pull the handle. Odor, mess as well as bacteria are locked away inside the special 5-layer, anti-microbial disposal bag.

The included refill holds sufficient Litter Genie bags to last as much as 2 months for a one-cat household. It’s the ideal service for little spaces, house dwellers, those with restricted mobility or anybody who discovers constant trips to the trash to be a hassle.

If you like your feline as well as like a clean, fresh smelling home, Litter Genie plus is one of the feline accessories you can’t online without!

Win Your own Litter Genie!

We’re providing away one Litter Genie plus feline litter disposal system as well as two (2) refills to one lucky winner! To go into for your possibility to win, leave a comment below telling us exactly how a Litter Genie plus would benefit your home! The champion will be selected on 10/28/2014. Good luck!

Congratulations to the winner, Mary L! We’ll send you an email about declaring your prize.

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Today I am feeling a little bit melancholy. That’s because yesterday was national Pet Memorial Day, which is observed on the second Sunday of September. This is a special day to honor and remember all the wonderful cats and dogs who came before.

This is my sister, Pixie. She had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2008. She was a Devon Rex cat, just like me. I tried to play with her a lot, but she never wanted to play. I miss her very much. I liked Pixie because she never tried to ruin my good Times (unlike my brother Harley).

This is a special urn where Pixie is now. Only, I know she’s not really inside there, on account of I tried to tap on the urn and I couldn’t hear anything. I think that now Pixie lives inside my own heart, keeping me company.

Sometimes I feel sad, but then I bring back some of the memories of Pixie and I feel better. When one of our furry pals leaves us, it is okay to feel sad for a little while. but remember that they would not want us to feel sad for long. We are meant to laugh, love, play and have fun. and eat treats. lots and lots of treats.

Keeping a special urn like this can be comforting. I like to keep Pixie’s urn close by, to keep it safe. Some other ways you can remember your dog or cat is by making a scrapbook, framing a special photo, or writing a poem about your four-legged friend. You can even plant a shady tree and place a pretty marker underneath.

Most importantly, always remember the good times you shared with your friend. Adopting another cat or dog that doesn’t have a home is a great tribute to the One who Came Before. I know when I am gone, I want another cat to benefit from all of the toys, treats and love in my home (sorry, Harley is part of the deal too).

My pet dog Ace is making his pet dog Shaming debut today. It will not be difficult for him to contribute a lot more pet dog Shaming pics in upcoming posts.

How about the rest of you? Do you have pet dog Shaming pictures to share? I’d like to see them! Send your pics to Lindsay@ThatMutt.com.

Cat Shaming pictures likewise accepted. ?

1 – My pet dog Ace

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Send your pet dog Shaming pics to Lindsay@ThatMutt.com.

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A common question when evaluating allergic family pets is whether a pet has a food allergy or a food intolerance. A food intolerance may be defined as when a pet cannot manage even a small amount of a particular food, meat, protein or grain source. Usually ingesting small amounts will cause severe acute reactions, including vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, boosted gas, as well as even skin eruptions/hives and itching in severe situations. a lot of of the time the symptoms will resolve on their own, once the offending food has been cleared out of the system.   In rare cases, hospitalization, including IV fluid therapy may be needed if reactions are excessive.  Upon repeated exposure, similar or a lot more severe intense reactions may occur.

Food allergies are usually developed over a a lot more chronic period of time, and normally include the development of immune-mediated reactions in the digestive tract that may present as either acute development of digestive or skin symptoms or a lot more chronic immune reactions over time.  Beef, dairy, wheat and corn are common offending allergens.  Diagnosis of food allergies is usually made by feeding a restricted novel protein diet over several weeks, during which symptoms will typically minimize or resolve.  After the dietary trial is over, the original diet or proteins are then reintroduced, and then if symptoms occur, a diagnosis of food allergy is confirmed.

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For well over 100 years, dogs have been trained and used by law enforcement agencies to aid in police work. Today, K-9 units are important members of the police force. These four-legged officers, such as the dogs of the Pasco Sheriff’s office K-9 Unit, work hard every day to keep our neighborhoods and families safe and secure.

Intelligence, aggression, strength, and an acute sense of smell are just a few of the traits that police dogs possess. Some police canine breeds include the German Short-Haired Pointer, Bloodhound, Boxer, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Doberman, and Rottweiler. In Pasco County, Florida, specifically, the Pasco Sheriff’s office K-9 unit consists of German Shepherds, Bloodhounds, Retrievers, and more. These dogs are rigorously trained to carry out numerous challenging tasks. In addition to tracking and capturing criminals, they also track and rescue missing or abducted people. They also assist with warrant sweeps and sniff out drugs, contraband, bombs, and other explosives.

Without asking anything in return, these faithful dogs risk their lives daily to serve and safeguard their deputies and citizens.  hard work ought to be rewarded, and that’s why we sent the 19 active dogs in the K-9 unit of the Pasco Sheriff’s office a well-deserved package filled with goodies to help keep them healthy and strong. The boxes were filled with the PetKit smart Bowl, PetKit P2 activity Tracker, 1-800-PetMeds® VitaChews for Dogs, 1-800-PetMeds® Ear Cleanser, 1-800-PetMeds® very Pure Omega 3, 1-800-PetMeds® Oatmeal & Aloe Vera Shampoo, 1-800-PetMeds® Max Doll Toy, Grizzly Salmon Fillet Treats, 1-800-PetMeds® 2 Gourmet canine Biscuits, and a customized note of appreciation.

These dogs are supported not only by their partners but also through Pasco Sheriff’s Charities, a nonprofit organization that supports numerous great causes in Pasco County. visit PascoSheriffCharities.org to find out much more about the K-9 team and how to show your appreciation for their hard work.

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Shelters are in the service of selling pets

There is a demand for “adopted” animals, and people are ready to pay a price to take one home.

However, there is also a lot of competition, even for adopted animals.

There are other shelters and rescues. There is Craigslist. There are people trying to re-home their pets.

If shelters are not competitive, people will get dogs and cats from somewhere else, and they’ll probably do so for less money.

One way to attract a lot more adopters is to offer adoption discounts. For example, instead of charging $150 to adopt a dog, the dogs could be $50 for one weekend.

Progressive shelters and rescue groups are already doing this.

But why are some shelters so hesitant?

There is this myth out there that advertising the animals as complimentary will attract animal abusers, as though animal abusers are lurking around shelters just waiting for a bargain price.

They’re not.

People have gotten so protective of family pets that they would rather see them “euthanized” than go into respectable homes.

That’s scary to me, much scarier than the minor chance that a bad person could end up adopting one of the animals.

We can’t secure dogs and cats from everything. We can only do our very best to give them a chance at life. To do that, we have to get them out of the shelters and into homes.

You can’t put a price on love.

I know a family that paid $5,000 for a purebred puppy from a breeder. They were very pleased of this puppy and couldn’t stop talking about her. They flew across the country to pick her up.

My pet dog Ace and me!

But, after a year they made a decision they’d had enough fun and gave the pet dog away.

Don’t we all know of a similar story?

People get dogs all the time and it doesn’t work out. I’m not saying this family did not love their dog, but the price they paid for her did not predict their commitment to her.

Meanwhile, don’t we all know someone who has taken in stray animals (for free) and loved and cared for them?

Two of my three family pets were free. One happened to be a spur-of-the-moment gift. another was from a “free to good home” providing online. We paid just $35 for our third pet.

Do you think we would love them a lot more if we’d paid $200, $500 or $5,000 for them?

Of course not.

This is why I believe in adoption specials, as in using complimentary or discounted adoptions from time to time in a fun way.

And it’s why That Mutt sponsors the adoption fee of a shelter pet dog each month.

I can’t anxiety it enough.

Adoption specials matter. complimentary adoptions make a difference. Dogs and cats are better off with just about any family than at a shelter. even if it’s the best shelter.

Let’s send them all home.

What are some fun adoption events your local shelter has advertised?

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One of the most common questions asked of veterinarians is how often pets need to have a heartworm test.  Both the American Veterinary Heartworm society and most veterinarians do recommend yearly heartworm testing.   even though many animal guardians keep their pets on year-round heartworm medication, it is still important to test pets yearly for several reasons.

One of the most important reasons for an annual heartworm test is that, even though most products are highly effective in preventing heartworm infection, there is still no product that is 100% effective.  I have seen many cases in my 20-year veterinary career of pets on year-round heartworm preventative medication that have tested positive for heartworms.  There has also been increasing recent concern about developing heartworm resistance to some of the older products, and until this issue is sorted out, it is still best to have all pets tested every year.   also in the possibility that a pet is heartworm positive, there can be very occasional severe and even rare fatal reactions should a pet that is positive for heartworms continue to receive monthly preventative.

Heartworm

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Like I discussed in Leo vs Potty training Pt. 1, Leo has been quite great about not going in the house, as well as we’ve quite much stopped bring him from our door to the potty spot. Although, because whatever seems to be one step forward, two steps back, I wasn’t amazed to see Leo piddle for the very first time. It goes like this:

Leo sees people. people see Leo. Leo starts the wiggle as well as races as far as the leash allows. people get thrilled that Leo is thrilled to satisfy them. People’s enjoyment shifts Leo’s enjoyment into overdrive, as well as Leo’s wiggle moves from his tail, to his torso, to his head. in some cases he tries to jump up. when they meet, Leo is head over heels as well as all pee breaks loose.

I’ve checked out that piddling is something that numerous puppies do as well as will soon grow out of. However, up until I can count on Leo to keep his piddles to himself up until we reach the designated potty spot, I have to scoop him up as well as apologetically (also awkwardly) tell any type of bypassers I’m scared he’ll pee.

In the comments below, let me understand if there’s anything else I can do to prevent piddling. Scooping up a 30+ lbs pup is getting to be difficult work!

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