Creative Blogs

Many people shudder at the thought of leaving their animals home alone. Like children, pets require love and attention during the day as well as at night. From this fundamental belief was founded the idea of pet day care. At day care your pet will be fed, groomed, trained and played with any time you are not available to do so.

Many an owner has come home to a destroyed home, chewed up shoes or an escaped dog running free in the neighborhood. Dog daycare eliminates that problem by providing a safe place for animals to stay and play while their owners are away.

The pet will be given their own sleeping space, feeding dishes and toys, and will be cared for daily as if they were home. Time is allotted for daily grooming, training, exercise and play.

Day care is available for pets whose owners wish to drop them off in the morning and pick them up in the evening after working hours. Again, bedding, toys and feeding bowls are often provided. While facilities of this type can be found for most small animals, dogs are the main focus, and many more facilities for them can be found than for others.

Some programs work with the owners as well; you and your dog will have a session with the trainer in which they will teach you to teach your dog to listen, and how to work together without being frustrated.

Canine boot camp can seem like a gift from the heavens, but owners should be careful. Beware of programs that claim to give you a perfectly trained animal within a matter of days; while a dog may be able to learn a trick or two in that time, it is unlikely the training will stick with them once they have returned home. Observation of their training techniques is important as well; while results are important, excessive force should not be used.

Another trend that is currently sweeping the nation is pet spas. These generally cater only to smaller animals. Here animals are groomed, exercised and pampered in the same manner as humans visiting a spa; their ears, teeth, nails and hair will be cared for, and they will be walked, played with, massaged (if the facility has the appropriately trained staff) and cared for. These services, again, can be found for most small animals, such as dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs, and may be purchased on a daily basis or for extended periods of time (overnight stays are available in spas with boarding facilities).

Along with playground time, all dogs are given plenty of one-on-one playtime with staff. This time is essential for the dogs happiness, and illustrates the most important benefit of placing a dog in daycare. Dogs, like children, require love and attention throughout the day to be happy and well adjusted. Dogs that receive this love and attention are less likely to develop common misbehavior problems, and these happy dogs will make happy owners.

There may be more than one cause of a cat litter box problem, but they come from one of two categories. If you’ve read my article on the physical causes of this dilemma, then you already know that this problem is either physical, or behavioral.

Since your cat can’t tell you what’s going on, you have to rule out each possible cause, until you are left with the most logical answer. This is known as a diagnosis of exclusion.

The first step here is to have a consultation with your vet. Always assume that your cat has a physical problem as the cause, unless your vet says otherwise.

Next, after your vet has ruled out a physical problem, you have to assume that your litter box problems are behavioral. Let’s think like a cat for a minute and try to understand some of the behavioral reasons for not using the litter box.

1. Dirty Cat Box - some cats prefer the box to be extremely clean, and others are willing to allow it to be somewhat less so. No matter what, you should clean your litter box at least once per day. You should also change your litter out completely at least every few weeks. Whenever you change the litter, wash the litter box thoroughly. Be sure to wash the lid too if you have a hooded box.

2. Box Smells - if the box doesn’t smell right, don’t expect the cat to use it. Your box has to be acceptable to your cat’s nose, not yours. Just because you don’t smell anything, it doesn’t mean your cat thinks that way.

If you didn’t clean it well enough, your cat will know. If you used a scented cleaner, or didn’t rinse it well enough, it may not smell right to your cat. It’s recommended that you use a solution of one part bleach to 30 parts water to help prevent the spread of parasites and recurring infections. Rinse well and dry thoroughly! When you’re finished, the box should not smell like cat waste, soap, or bleach.

3. Litter Box Odor - some cats simply prefer the odor of one brand or type of litter over another. Even unscented litters have an odor your cat can detect and may not like. Be prepared to try different types and brands until you find the right one for your cat.

4. Wrong Litter Type - brand aside, your cat may be turned off by the type of cat litter you use. Switching litter types too fast can be an issue. When you switch litters, add 20 percent new litter to 80 percent old, and then increase the amount of new litter over several days.

5. Type of Litter Box - the size, shape, and type of box may make a difference to your cat. Hooded boxes may prevent litter spill over, but some cats may prefer not to be closed in. On the other hand, your cat might like the privacy of high walls, and some will like a larger box. Have you recently changed litter boxes? Perhaps this is the problem.

6. Box Quantity - another cause of a cat litter box problem relates to multi-cat households. Remember the one plus one rule when selecting how many boxes you’ll need. One box for each cat, plus one extra so that there is always a free box to use, no waiting. Having more boxes also keeps each box a little cleaner, which makes your job easier.

7. Location Choice - in some cases, you just can’t find a good spot for the box, and you’ll have to do your best. If your cat is not pleased with the location of the box, she may stop using it. Always try to keep the box in a low noise and low traffic area. Busy areas like laundry rooms and kitchens are usually not good places.

8. Territorial Battles - territorial arguments are common in multi-cat households, and usually of no consequence. Some cats, however, like to sneak up on others when they’re using the box and pounce. If one of your cats is attacked every time he’s in the box, he may develop litter box aversion. Follow the one plus one rule for multi-cat households.

9. Stress - if your cat is stressed by a recent move, a new addition to the household, or perhaps simply a behavior shift on the part of a family member, this may be at the root of the box issue. Try to think about what might have changed recently in your cat’s life, and then try to ease whatever stress she’s under.

Cat litter box problems can usually be solved, once you know the cause. The solution doesn’t have to mean getting rid of the cat. Your veterinarian needs to first rule out physical causes so you can tackle the behavior side of things. Think like a cat, and you’ll be able to solve your box problems.

The two main causes of a cat litter box problem are behavioral issues and physical problems. The first thing you should do then, is have your vet check out your cat to make sure there are no physical causes.

As you read this, keep in mind that your cat will form an association with her experiences, either good or bad. So, if your cat has a bad experience in the litter box, she may associate negative feelings with it. If those feelings are strong enough, perhaps due to repeated bad experiences, she may refuse to use the box at some point.

Here are four physical reasons why your cat can’t or won’t use the box properly.

1. Pain While Urinating - if your cat experiences pain while urinating, she will create a bad association with the box. Your cat can’t hold it in forever, so she ends up urinating on the dining room rug. Be aware that until you remove the odor completely from that spot, your cat may return there again and again.

2. Pain During Bowel Movements - if, for example, your cat is painfully constipated she will associate pain with the litter box. When she is finally able to go, it may be on the kitchen floor, instead of in the box.

3. Joint or Muscle Pain - in order to use the litter box, cats have to be agile enough to get in and out of the box. They also have to be able to squat comfortably. Arthritis, an injury, or any problem with your cat’s joints or muscles may cause your cat too much pain. The litter box becomes associated with pain, and your cat doesn’t use it.

4. Problems With Motion - perhaps your cat has difficulty climbing up into the litter box. Older cats, or cats who are diseased or have been injured often have limited movement, and aren’t able to use the box.

Judging from some of the email I get, many readers think about litter box problems as being behavioral. This is simply not true. Your vet will help you determine if a physical cause is your problem.

Once you determine the source of the problem is pain, then your vet can come up with a treatment plan. The treatments will vary for depending upon the underlying cause. Some retraining for your cat will probably be required. Just make sure to exercise a lot of patience while your cat readjusts.

If a mobility problem is at fault, there may be some things you can do to help. Make it easy on your cat by getting a low litter box so your cat doesn’t have to step too high into it. Also, a large box that is easy to move around in would be better. Depending upon your situation, your vet may have a treatment to help your cat’s mobility problem.

After a physical cause of your cat’s litter box problem is determined, you can then work with your vet to help your cat recover. Any issues that cause your cat a bad litter box experience should be dealt with as soon as possible. The earlier you catch these problems, the easier it is to deal with.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if your a horse lover then I am sure you are like me and think they are very beautiful and some of the smartest animals to ever live, but in order to spend time with them safely you need to follow some simple precautions so both you and the horse are safe and no one gets hurt from an unsafe act.

While knowing about Barn safety, you may have to keep in mind that all barn equipment should be stored in a proper storage area. Places where a horse could step on them or a human could possibly trip over them should be avoided. All equipments like rakes, forks and other things should be stored in a place that is out of reach.

Cleaning the barn is an essential part of safety for both you and your horse, this should be done on a daily basis along with wearing the correct outfit for working inside a barn, one of most important is footwear, never wear open shoes.

Safe distances and proper approach are one important part of horse safety, whenever working around the horse it is a good idea to keep track of how close you are in relation to the horse and when walking behind the horse always walk as close as possible to the animal, by doing this you minimize the potential for the horse to rear or kick you. The closer you are to the animal the less room the horse has to get it’s leg moving to actually kick.

When entering or exiting the barn you should lead the horse, do not use a halter, instead use the lead rope which gives you greater control with the horse. Remember to train your horse to accept other activity around the barn so no one else gets hurt from the horse rearing or kicking someone inside the barn.

Irrespective of whether you are handling your horse for the first time or just leaning over the fence for enjoyment learning about some safety precautions would prevent you from any unnecessary accidents and injuries. There are possibilities of people getting hurt when even the calmest horse gets scared or rattled.

Until you become very knowledgeable about your horse do not attempt to put them together. Many horses do not play well together and can injure themselves or others trying to get away from the other animals.

Safety is of critical importance for the both of you so try to memorize the safety advice given here and use it all the time, this way you will have a safe and enjoyable time with your horse.

The world of Webkinz is a treat for kids. They can play with their Webkinz pets like they would want to play with their real pets. On www.webkinzhub.com you will find a whole lot of Webkinz toys, which are basically stuffed animals to play with. They were released by the Ganz gift company in the year 2005.

Webkinz are toys like other stuffed toys but with a difference. They have a special code attached to the labels, by which the owner can access www.webkinzhub.com and create a virtual account of the pet and interact with it online.

When you buy your first Webkinz pet, you will get goodies like a room, a food item, a welcome balloon, one piece of furniture for the pet and an amount equal to fifty dollars in