Even if you have a fenced backyard, your dog may not be getting enough activity unless he’s exerting himself to the point of panting.

Don’t expect your dog to start out with a 30-minute intense walk, however. You’ll need to condition your pet and work up to more intense activities, just as you need to do yourself if you haven’t worked out in awhile.

A good starting point for most dogs is a 10-15 minute, moderately paced walk. You can work up to 30 minutes, three times a week or, for athletic breeds, up to an hour per session. If you don’t have time to take your dog for regular walks, hiring a dog walker, or taking your dog to a supervised doggy day care, will provide a great alternative.

And for cats:

Cats, especially the indoor variety, can be harder to keep active but a bit of ingenuity on your part will go a long way. Experiment with a variety of toys for your cat and change them often to prevent boredom.

Most cats enjoy catnip-filled toys, such as Nigel the Octopus from GreenerWiener.com or mouse toys like the 100% natural Wooley Bully.

Another simple option to keep cats entertained is a flashlight or laser pointer. Cats will wear themselves out trying to “catch” the light, and SixWise.com highly recommends the Ba-Da-Beam Hands-Free Rotating Laser Chaser from GreenerWiener.com for all cat owners.

And some safety tips:

When exercising your cat or dog, be sure to watch for signs of overexertion, such as excessive panting or lying down. These are signs that it’s time for a break. Also, be especially careful when exercising pets with flat faces, such as pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats, as they are vulnerable to respiratory distress.

Other breeds may also be prone to overexertion or injury, including toy breeds, dachshunds, young puppies and older pets, so always use caution and pay attention to cues from your pet.

You’ll also want to avoid exercising your dog in extreme heat or cold, which can lead to hypothermia, heat stress and over-exhaustion. In bad weather, take your dog to an indoor play park, or teach him to walk (with your assistance) on a treadmill!

Of course, always make sure your pet has access to fresh water during any exercise session.

If you do not have the time or energy to exercise your pet(s), that is one of the services At Home Pet Sitting will gladly provide for you.

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• Take Care Of Cats (animaltopics.com)

Thanks for the wonderful memories you gave us.

This was Dusty. We fostered Dusty from the SW WA Humane Society in the spring of 2007. Dusty had non-contagious mange and had lost much of his hair. He was the ulgiest dog I’ve ever seen even if he had not lost his hair. Dusty was treated and cured of his mange although some of the hair never did grow back.

During the time we were treating Dusty we found out that this ugly dog had a heart of gold. There was no way that we could give him back to the shelter to be adopted out. We lost Dusty last summer. He is missed much. You can’t judge a book by its cover.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk7CeW3Fxto

United Animal Nations has a website called My Dog is Cool that provides information about the dangers of putting your dog in your car during warm weather days.  Even though it may not seem hot to you in your car, unlike your dog, you are not wearing a fur coat.  You are not sweating solely through your mouth.  You have the ability to get out of your car and get a drink of water when you are too hot.  Dogs are not designed for hot weather.  They like it cool.   Keep your car cool and keep your cool dog out of it on hot days.

Cody

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvo-g_JvURI

Dog half somersault

We currently have 7 dogs in our household. All of them (except1) were probably unwillingly given to us by their owners either because they failed to fence their dog properly or let them off leash.

Our dog play yard not only has a 6 foot chain link fence. There is also another 6 foot fence behind the chain link and there is another two feet of fencing that is buried underneath the ground.

You see some dogs are what they call diggers and some dogs are what they call escape artists. We have a little of both. Again that is probably how they came to be ours in the first place. But none of them have ever (knock on wood) gotten away from us. And we want to keep it that way.

If you think your dog is safe off leash, here is a story that may change your mind, Missing Fla. dog shows up 1,000 miles away in Ill. It is never completely safe to have your dog off leash outdoors other than in an area that is properly fenced. And it is against the law.

Even if your dog will stay with you 100% of the time, you have no way of knowing if another dog or other animal will come upon your dog and attack him or her.

When I am out walking one of my dogs, who is aggressive towards other dogs, sometimes an unleashed dog will come up to us and cause my dog to go into a fit of rage. A dog that is leashed perceives that he or she is at a disadvantage when being confronted with an unleashed dog and will show more aggression than normal as a way of protecting himself or herself.

Why put your dog or other dogs/animals at unnecessary risk? Always leash or properly fence in your dog whenever he or she is outdoors.

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• No excuse for not using a leash

He loves to check out the neighborhood and make sure everyone knows he has been there.  He also likes to jump onto your lap and let you know he expects you to pay attention to him.

Arctic Archie

Archie is a playful pug who just wants to be pampered 24/7.  We are grateful to be able to be his parttime pamperer.

1 Comments

• At November 1, 2008, Allison wrote:

  He's fortunate to have you all when I have to be away! Thanks for looking after him...

Top 10 Human Medications That Poison Dogs

The ASPCA by way of Dogster’s has a list of 10 most frequent medications for people that end up poisoning dog(s).  They are:

NSAIDs
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or naproxen are the most common cause of pet poisoning in small animals, and can cause serious problems even in minimal doses. Pets are extremely sensitive to their effects, and may experience stomach and intestinal ulcers and—in the case of cats—kidney damage.

Antidepressants
Antidepressants can cause vomiting and lethargy and certain types can lead to serotonin syndrome—a condition marked by agitation, elevated body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, disorientation, vocalization, tremors and seizures.

Acetaminophen
Cats are especially sensitive to acetaminophen, which can damage red blood cells and interfere with their ability to transport oxygen. In dogs, it can cause liver damage and, at higher doses, red blood cell damage.

Methylphenidate (for ADHD)
Medications used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in people act as stimulants in pets and can dangerously elevate heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature, as well as cause seizures.

Fluorouracil
Fluorouracil—an anti-cancer drug—is used topically to treat minor skin cancers and solar keratitis in humans. It has proven to be rapidly fatal to dogs, causing severe vomiting, seizures and cardiac arrest even in those who’ve chewed on discarded cotton swabs used to apply the medication.

Isoniazid
Often the first line of defense against tuberculosis, isoniazid is particularly toxic for dogs because they don’t metabolize it as well as other species. It can cause a rapid onset of severe seizures that may ultimately result in death.

Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a popular decongestant in many cold and sinus products, and acts like a stimulant if accidentally ingested by pets. In cats and dogs, it causes elevated heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature as well as seizures.

Anti-diabetics
Many oral diabetes treatments—including glipizide and glyburide—can cause a major drop in blood sugar levels of affected pets. Clinical signs of ingestion include disorientation, lack of coordination and seizures.

Vitamin D derivatives
Even small exposures to Vitamin D analogues like calcipotriene and calcitriol can cause life-threatening spikes in blood calcium levels in pets. Clinical signs of exposure—including vomiting, loss of appetite, increased urination and thirst due to kidney failure—often don’t occur for more than 24 hours after ingestion.

Baclofen
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant that can impair the central nervous systems of cats and dogs. Some symptoms of ingestion include significant depression, disorientation, vocalization, seizures and coma, which can lead to death.

If you suspect your pet has ingested any of the following items, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. And remember to keep all medications tucked away in bathroom cabinets—and far from curious cats and dogs.

Please also remember that chocolate is also deadly for dogs and dark chocolate is the most deadly.  Keep all of these items safely tucked away from your loved one(s) at all times.

1 Comments

• At September 12, 2009, Hank Marshall wrote:

  Question-- about the use of baby aspirin for dogs pain.

  Some articles say it is OK-- some say NOT.

  All say to NOT use Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

  What is the truth about aspirin use for dogs?

This video shows an instance where the cat and the printer interaction has escalated to a more dangerous level.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=REQRHdMRimw

But he is unbelievably cute and sweet.  He will own someone very soon that will love him to death.  You just can’t help it with him.

PuBear (click to enlarge)

PuBear (click to enlarge)

Bee (click image to enlarge)

Not my photo although I hope to take quality pics like this with the new camera I am getting next month.  Noticed this on the web and just had to show it off here.  Credit belongs here.

The Humane Society said it has decided to combat the feline overabundance by lowering the cost to adopt kittens and cats. Whereas it normally costs $80 to take home a kitten it has now been reduced to $50, and adoption fees for cats have been reduced from $50 to $15. For those who take home two cats, the second costs $10. All cats will be spayed or neutered if not already altered, vaccinated and microchipped. Adopters also receive a free veterinary exam and 30 days of free pet insurance.

Adoption hours for the Humane Society at 2121 St. Francis Lane in Vancouver, Wash., are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Humane
Society encourages you to help in any way you can including:

• Give a playful kitten or sophisticated adult cat a loving, permanent home and be rewarded with unconditional love.

• Spay or neuter your pets to prevent unwanted animals.

• Explain the importance of sterilization to your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors.

• Help the Humane Society for Southwest Washington build a new home not only to shelter more animals, but also to provide them a healthier environment.

• Consider fostering a litter of kittens. Contact the foster coordinator to reserve space at the monthly Foster Orientations.