City Dog Walking Advice

City dog walking requires 360 degree awareness at all times

Dogs love cities! What they lose in wide open space is made up for in the volume of sights, sounds and smells which envelop a dog during their time outside. Many owners who have moved their suburban or rural dog to the city have found that they develop a new level of confidence, both with other dogs and with people.

But with this stimulation comes the potential for mishap. Walking your dog in the city demands your utmost care and attention at all times. It's a good idea to bear a few things in mind during a city dog walk:

Never unleash your dog on a city street

For most people, this is common sense -- yet it's surprising how many dog owners think it's no big deal to walk their dog off leash in the city. Such people will tell you that their dog "would never do anything crazy", but the simple truth is that all dogs have the potential to react unpredictably when provoked or startled. Here's why you should never walk your dog unleashed on city streets:

    In most cities, it's against the law and subject to a fine. Sudden loud noises like truck horns can startle a dog and cause them to bolt. An approaching unleashed dog can be interpreted as a threat to a leashed dog and can create tensions and possible physical conflict. It's not possible to steer an unleashed dog away from hazards and obstacles they may not be aware of. For people who are afraid of dogs, an approaching dog off the leash -- even a small dog -- can be a terrifying experience. Such people need to see that you have full control over your pet. If your dog causes an accident while unleashed, you're going to pay through the nose! If anything should happen to your dog as a result, you'll never forgive yourself.

Scan the sidewalk ahead of you at all times

There are many hazards on city sidewalks which mean that you should never take your eye off them, in much the same way as you should never take your eye off the road when driving.

Sidewalk snacks are the most common -- always do your best to steer your dog away from them. Chicken bones are plentiful in areas that have a lot of fast food establishments, as are pizza crusts. Dogs love both! But chicken bones can splinter in the intestines and everything else carries with it the risk of bacteria and food poisoning. If your dog looks for food obsessively it may be a good idea to walk them with a collar instead of a harness, as a collar attachment makes it easier for you to move their head away quickly from anything they might eat.

Broken glass is a problem for dogs in the city and it's for this reason among others that many urban dog owners have their dogs wear booties outside. Large pieces of glass can cause serious lacerations in paws, and smaller pieces can become embedded in pads and lead to infections. If you suspect that your dog has walked across broken glass then be sure to stop and check their paws there and then -- don't leave it until you get home.

Sidewalk scanning is a skill that develops in time for the city dog walker. You'll do it without thinking after a while. Just remember -- you are the extra pair of eyes your dog needs!

Avoid using retractable leashes on city streets

Although retractable leashes are very popular among dog owners and great for certain environments, they are not always such a good idea for city dog walking. First and foremost -- even though it is very rare, the locking mechanism on such leashes has been known to fail. This can be a terrifying experience if your dog is trotting ahead towards a busy intersection and you need them to stop. To compound matters, most retractable leashes consist of a thin line which will burn your hand if you ever need to grab it and pull in such a situation. Besides which, the added length and freedom which these leashes give you is moot in a busy urban environment in which you really need to keep your dog on a relatively short leash and near you at all times. Another disadvantage is that you can't wrap them two or three times around your hand like you can with a regular leash -- and that's something which adds an invaluable extra layer of security.

Keep your dog close when crossing busy roads

A short leash and full control is absolutely essential when crossing roads with your dog in the city. When waiting to cross, insist that they sit right by you on the curb and not on the road or in the gutter. When crossing at an intersection which allows cars to make turns onto the crosswalk, be aware that many drivers either cannot see your dog or aren't looking out for one anyway, so make sure your dog stays away from moving wheels! Drivers are often impatient in the city and like to edge their way through crossing pedestrians with the smallest of margins when turning. If your dog is walking slightly behind you it's so easy for them to be caught up in the wheels of a turning car.

Never let your dog spray lampposts or scaffold

Dogs love to pee on anything vertical -- but just make sure you avoid anything that carries the potential for stray currents, as dogs can and do get electrocuted in such situations. In New York City for example, many lampposts are badly maintained with open hatches at the bottom -- and sometimes even live wires protruding. Similarly, sidewalk scaffold can in rare cases lead to electrocution as current strays from faulty overhead lighting into the steel poles.

Approach other dogs with caution

Dogs live to socialize. In the course of a 30 minute dog walk in a busy urban area it's not uncommon to pass ten dogs or more -- and if your dog's friendly, they're going to want to do a meet and greet with them all! But never assume that the other dog is friendly. It's good practice to ask the owner "is your dog friendly" before letting them meet -- unfortunately, some dogs aren't.

Once you have the go-ahead, never be tempted to let go of the leash even if they insist on circling each other. It's tempting to do this to avoid leashes becoming entangled, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. Leashes can always be untangled safely.

A little horseplay is fine, but try not to let them get too excited while wrestling because in rare cases two leash fasteners can clash in certain positions and unhook themselves. It has been known! The last thing you want during a period of such excitement is for your dog to become unleashed.

Take great care with dogs around elevators

If you take your dog into elevators on a regular basis then always make sure they stay right by your side. Never let your dog run into an elevator well ahead of you, and similarly never let them run out ahead or behind you. If the elevator door is faulty and closes suddenly with you on one side and the dog on the other -- well, it doesn't even bear thinking about! Bear in mind that this can and has happened. It's also important to keep your dog on a short leash right beside you when traveling in an elevator, since you never know who's on the other side of the doors when they open. If it's another dog and they startle each other, a melee could ensue!

Cats Make Great Pets If You Understand Them

Anyone wanting a new kitten should be a cat lover. Let's face it, folks, cats are just different from dogs. Cats do not usually perform any special tricks, and they certainly do not guard your possessions while you are away. In fact, the only thing you can be guaranteed of by having a cat is that a mouse won't last long if they creep into your home.

Cats are loved by many because of their independence. Cats have a life, so to speak. Most cats do not follow you around the home with their tongues hanging out of their mouths waiting on your attention. While they do love their owners fiercely, cats will not grovel like a dog and worship and fawn over their owners. Cats are perfectly content simply being themselves--and they do not seem to need constant reassurance, unlike canines.

This does not mean cats do not need love and affection, it simply means cats are not "fragile" characters. In fact, cats exude a self assurance which can often be misunderstood as aloofness or coldness. Yet, cats are far from aloof or unfeeling. They feel deeply and love deeply. If a cat comes to sit on your lap, you know you are truly loved.

Anytime the family thinks about bringing a new pet into the home, it is exciting. Cats are a favorite of many because as kittens they are so entertaining to watch. Cats have a mind all of their own and only a true cat lover can even claim to understand the psyche of a feline. Cats are mysterious animals, which is part of the draw to them. While cats have been brought into the home, their instincts still remain. Cats adopt their owners and will even go out and provide "dinner." Many cat owners have stepped out on the stoop to find a dead mouse, opossum, or mole waiting for them. Now, that is love and loyalty!

If you are planning to bring a cat into your home, you should look at it as a life long commitment. Cats can live fifteen years and beyond. You should also understand that as cats mature, they will often sleep and laze around the home. If you are wanting a cat to entertain you throughout her life, you should seriously think about whether a cat is the pet for you. Kittens are very entertaining and young cats are always curious and open for a challenge. However, older cats aren't easily excitable and usually prefer to watch the antics in the home from a distance.

When you have made the decision to bring a new cat into your home, you will have to decide between a domestic or purebred cat. If you choose to go with a purebred cat, you can be guaranteed of size and appearance, and possibly temperament. There are more than 40 breeds to choose from, so do your homework. You will want to research the grooming requirements of the breed you are considering, along with the general disposition of the breed.

Domestic cats come in all colors and shapes. When you look at any cat, there are some things you should consider. For instance, while all cats are fairly in proportion to each other, there are some cats which are more lanky and lean than others. These cats will be the ones who may be more interested in running and exploration. The chunkier, heavier cat will probably be more laid back and not get into too big a hurry about anything. You have a choice between a domestic long hair or domestic short hair cat.

Aggression Triggers in Dogs

Aggression in dogs can be caused by many triggers. It's up to us to find out what is triggering our dogs to have behavior that comes out in the form of aggression. There are many motivational triggers to look at in dog aggression...

Leadership is one of the first and most common triggers of aggression in a multi dog house hold. In a pack of dogs or a family with more then one dog one leader will be chosen by the pack of dogs. This usually results in a fight. The one who wins is then the pack leader. This may be challenged again at times. It is important for us as humans to respect this and not treat the weaker dog of the pack with more care and attentiveness. This will only cause aggression in the leader of the pack and make life difficult for your dogs.

Pack hierarchy is the rank order of the rest of your dog pack and with each dog it is different. This can occur multiple times in order for the pack rank to move from one dog to another.

Protection of territory is important to most dogs. Some are protective of where they live, food bowl, preferred toy or his human companions or one of his human family members.

Maternal instinct can occur when the male dog comes to close to her puppies or when humans especially children come to close for comfort. It's important to avoid sudden contact with pups.

Fear/Stress can cause a dog to bite and can be apart of flight or fight decision when a dog is scared. The dog needs personal space. When introducing two dogs to each other, it's important to give them space and not hover over them the whole time. This can also be avoided by not letting a dog meet and greet being attached to a leash as the dog will feel your stress and the tightened leash. It is even better if they can meet on an area that is not familiar to any of the dogs to avoid territorial aggression. At first when adopting a second or third dog it's important to give the dog that you had first, attention and food first until they have figured out their pack dynamics.

Hunting instinct is more prone in some dog breeds then others. Huskies are well known for this as they have a high prey drive and an excited energy and can cause great harm and death to smaller dogs and animals.

Dogs that suffer from pain or is injured should always be handled with a muzzle on. An injured dog wants to protect him by the only way he knows how and that is through aggression this goes hand in hand with fear and stress related aggression. When dogs get into a fight, beating them to stop the fight can even stir up a bigger fight between the dogs.

Dogs can be competitive mostly for attention from his owners and this causes some jealousy that triggers unwanted behavior that can go over into aggression.

Dogs and kids both need boundaries and very often we let kids just play with dogs as they please. This can cause a dog to snap. There are usually many warning signs of a dog feeling frustrated by a child. Things like walking away, growling etc. But we and kids choose to ignore this and push the dog just that little bit extra. This is how kids get bitten by dogs most of the time and this is the only way they know how to say please stop now. Adult dogs do this with puppies too and discipline them this way.

When dogs play they can easily cross the point of being play full and starting to fight. It's important for us to know when they are still playing and when they are starting to fight. This can avoid serious fights. Dogs that play will only bite lightly and leave the certain spot where he is biting after just a few seconds. Dogs that really fight will open flesh. Also take notice when one of the dogs seem to want to leave and not play any more and when they start to growl with irritation this is when they should stop. Dogs wanting to play lays down in the down ward dog position. This is when they put their front paws down on the ground with their hind legs up wards, tails can wag and they can jump around excited and make friendly barking sounds.

Male dogs cause up to 90% of gender fights, but male dogs sort out their problems much more quickly then female dogs. Females that are spayed can be more aggressive because they have more testosterone, but an intact female is like a woman that has pms. An intact female goes through that same hormonal stages, irritability and feeling down.

Some breeds are more prone to fight because of their genetic make-up. How you raise these dogs and socialize them can make a vast difference in their temperament.

How to Make Your Rescue Dog Comfortable in Your Home Part 2

Okay, so now you have completed your first adventure with your dog and you are back home. You have spent some time getting acquainted. Now, while one member of the household is busy figuring out how to put the crate together, one of the others should give the dog some food and water. Keeping your dog hydrated is very important. Make sure that water dish is at least half full and it has fresh water in it. I made it a habit to change the water in our dog's water dish at least twice a day. You don't like stale water either, now do you?

If the first type of dog food you get your dog doesn't seem to work out, as in, your dog refuses to eat it, don't worry. Sometimes you will have to try several different types before you hit on the one your dog likes. It took us about five tries to get it right. That is why you should purchase small quantities at first until you find the brand your dog will eat. The only thing you want to make sure you do is avoid anything with lamb meal in it. Lamb is difficult for a dog to digest.

The first day your dog is home with you, it is a good idea to keep the doors closed of any rooms that you do not want your dog exploring. Until you can determine the level of housebreaking your dog has experienced, it is best to confine them to a certain, preferably uncarpeted, area of the house. Put those potty pads down near doorways. If your dog has had any level of housebreaking, it will probably do its business on the potty pad if it hasn't been taken out for a walk in a while. It is a good idea to take your dog out every couple of hours at first for two reasons. The first is to get it used to walking with you on a lead. The second is so the dog can relieve itself outside and not on your favorite rug. You will get to know how often the dog really needs to go out after a short period of time, probably a couple of days.

The first night your dog is home with you can be difficult. I recommend trying to get your dog on the weekend so you are not having to get up to go to work or school the day after you get your dog. It may be difficult to get this beautiful bundle of fur to sleep the first night. He or she may want company because of being in a strange place. You can put a treat in your dog's crate and very firmly but gently tell your dog to go in the crate and stay. Let the whimpering begin! If you are very lucky, your dog will go into its crate and go right to sleep. If not, your dog will begin whimpering or outright barking as soon as everyone has gone to bed. Come back to the crate and pet the dog for a minute to reassure it that everything is okay, then say stay and go back to bed. The next time it whimpers, ignore it for a while and see if it will settle down. Normally they will. If not, you repeat the going to reassure it routine a couple more times and then eventually, it will settle. The first night our dog was with us, my son and I took turns keeping her company. After the first night, she was okay though and settled down and went to sleep without any problems. Guess it was just that first night in a new home with a new crate. Our dog has not slept in a crate in a long time now. She pretty much has the run of the house since she has shown she can be trusted. She sleeps in her own little doggy bed which is on the floor of my daughter's bedroom. This is perfectly acceptable to us, but everyone must do what is most comfortable for them and their dog.

The first days with a rescue dog are challenging as they are with any new puppy that you bring into the house. The dog has to get used to a new routine and new people and is probably still suffering ill effects from the situation it had to be rescued from. Your dog may be skittish, it may relieve itself any time you or some other member of your family come near it, assuming a submissive posture, rear end down on the floor, looking up at you with a pitiful look and before you can tell it that everything is okay, well, there is a puddle on the floor. If your dog starts to assume the submissive posture, grab it and put it outside or on the potty pad to relieve itself. Either that or tell that cute dog to come to you. That is sometimes all you need to do to keep the floor from getting wet.

Your dog may have learned behaviors that are not acceptable to you and your household. When your dog does something that is unacceptable, move it from the place that it is doing that behavior and put it in a different location. Then tell or show the dog what you want it to do. When it responds correctly, offer positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement of good behaviors through giving treats and saying, "good dog" when the dog is doing something you want it to do will keep it from resorting to those bad behaviors after a while. Remember, your dog wants to please you. It just needs to learn what pleases you and displeases you. It also needs help to break negative behaviors it might have learned as a method of survival.

Rescue dogs are wonderful. They are so happy to be given a second chance at a good home that they will work very hard to please you. They do require a lot of patience and love. If you are patient and caring with them, they will give back to you ten fold. After a year and a half with our little rescue, I hardly have to explain any more that she is a rescue and doesn't play well with others. She has developed a sense of self through love and caring and now she is beginning to act like, well, like a self-confident little dog who is well loved and cared for. We wouldn't trade her for anything and we are so glad she came into our lives. Have fun, be patient and give lots of love! You will be rewarded greatly.

Why It's the Best Diet For Your Cat, and What Are the Trade-offs For You?

The biggest myth surrounding cat ownership is that cats are worry free, self-contained and self-providing pets that require little or no maintenance. Cats are so good at giving people the impression of independence and self-reliance that people believe they don't have to provide the highly focused attention to cats that, say, dogs require. The fact of the matter is that cats do require the same attention to detail that any dog does, and maybe even a little more, in some cases. This is especially true when it comes to probing the controversy regarding whether raw cat food is better that canned cat food or kibbles for your feline ward.

It's a sad thing to look around our country these days and see so many people who have allowed themselves to become overweight and then have to deal with the consequential suffering and ill-health effects of obesity. Diabetes, shortness of breath, constant exhaustion from lugging around so many extra pounds and lowered self-esteem. Of course, the garment industry is singing happy tunes with all the extra thread they have to put together. There's no shortage of explanations for why this situation has come about, but I think when it comes down to it we can only blame ourselves at the individual level for allowing such a condition to take root. After all, how many pounds overweight does one have to get before they realize that something's not right and becoming a problem? 10, 20... 50 lbs? And how long does it take to realize that the magic pills, diets, elixirs and effortless, lose-weight-with-no-work-out machines are products being marketed to your ego, to separate you from your bank account, and not to solve your problem? No... the only way to find an ideal normality is with thorough research, discovery and a lot of hard work accompanied with a healthy life style change. But, enough sermonizing about the human condition. This is about cats, their eating habits and raw cat food.

One thing needs to come along with this discussion from the previous paragraph. Most people are not experts in animal nutrition and rely on others to lead them in the right direction. The source for most 'experts' available to a person for their daily decision making and selection of choices usually comes to us through the traditional media of radio, newspapers, television and now, the internet. Media offers two kinds of resources. Investigative reporting which is presented in newscasts or opinion pieces, and secondly, the marketing hype that provides commercial broadcast funding. The former is reliable enough to put credence into and might call for further research on your part if it interests you. The latter really only wants you to spend your money with them. That's not necessarily bad... it does ultimately put people to work and provides many with an adequate, and even comfortable living. Unfortunately, the bottom line is... corporations only have one objective in the end. That is to feed their bottom line. Now recent events have caused many to reconsider the morality behind a corporations goals. But, as long as this market structure is the paradigm for our economy, the ultimate goal for big business will always be to maximize their profit-loss statements towards the profit end of the spectrum, any way they can get away with, and at your expense... literally.

So, what does this have to do with cats and if raw cat food is what you should be feeding them? Simply put, most people rely on the marketing hype to base their decisions regarding the food they feed their pets. Which is exactly the wrong source for basing such a critical decision. Take the cat for example. It's not only a scientific fact, but a cultural one also, that the cat is described as an obligate carnivore. This defines cats as creatures who derive most of their food nutrients from the animals they hunt and consume (raw cat food). When a cat devours it's prey, she will eat everything including not only muscle meat, but the brains, organ meat and the stomach and its contents which may consist of grasses and grains. One thing she doesn't do is fire up a stove and saute or bake her dinner, or prepare a nice sauce to go with it. She eats it raw. Cultural purists use this description as an argument that feeding cats store bought, mass produced canned or dry cat food is doing your cat a disservice by depriving her of the natural nutrients she would normally get in the raw cat food she captures in the wild, and for which she was biologically designed.

How to Make Your Rescue Dog Comfortable in Your Home Part 1

You have done your research and found the perfect dog for your home. He or she is a shy but sweet little or big bundle of fur. You have brought your dog home. The first thing you do is to let your dog sniff around and get used to you, your family and your house. Now comes the fun part. How do you acclimate your rescue dog to your home and your family? Hopefully, you found something out about your dog's situation before you picked the little girl or boy out. A good rescue society should tell you if your dog was just neglected or abused or both. They may not tell you exactly what the situation was that your dog faced or for how long, but they should let you know how traumatized the dog was.

Depending on what your dog faced before it was rescued, you are going to have to handle your dog with care. In order to get your new friend acclimated to your home and your family, you are going to need to have lots of patience and lots of love. Once the people from the rescue society who have brought your dog to you have handed you the leash and left, it is reality time.

The first thing you want to do is to get your dog familiar with its new surroundings. First of all, take your new pet outside so it can relieve itself. Then come back in and take the dog to the parts of your house or apartment where you are going to allow it to roam and let it sniff around to get familiar with its surroundings. The next thing you need to do is to let the dog get used to each member of the family. Let the dog spend some time with each person. If you have little ones, teach them not to jump or make fast movements with the dog. That might frighten the dog and he or she will instinctively either jump at the person or shy away and perhaps relieve itself on the floor. Teach them to stay very still and extend their hands, palm up, to the dog and allow the dog come and sniff. Then, they can slowly extend their hand to pet the dog or give it a treat. Find out from the rescue society if the dog likes a particular treat so you can make sure you have them on hand when the dog is brought to your home.

Now, the next thing to do is to just relax and get to know your dog. If you haven't purchased a set of bowls, dog food or a crate your dog can call home yet, now is the time to do it. Take your dog for a ride to the nearest pet store. All of the major chain pet stores allow you to bring your pet in on a leash. This is a good first outing for you to try with your new pet. This is a good idea for a number of reasons. First, you will find out how your pet behaves in the car. Some dogs love to ride in a car. Others aren't so good. They shake, whine, shiver, bark and generally are very uncomfortable. A short trip to the pet store is a good way to check this out before you commit to taking a long trip with your dog.

Now, once you are at the store with a good, secure leash on your dog, wander around, let your dog sniff at everything and ask one of the associates there what they would recommend as far as supplies go. We were told to use ceramic or metal bowls for food and water because they would be less likely to become contaminated then plastic. Then, we were told to get a crate because our dog had been crate trained. Make sure the crate gives your dog enough room to turn around and lay down comfortably. Who needs to be cramped? Crates are used to give your dog a place they can call their own where they feel safe and secure. Of course, our dog has chosen a section of our sectional which we have put her for her. Make sure you get a pad or pillow for the bottom of the crate so your dog has a nice soft place to lay down. The only other things you absolutely should get at this time are whatever type of dog food your rescue society recommended and some treats for training purposes. A chew toy or two are also a good idea at this point. Another necessity are doggy potty pads. They sell them at just about any pet store and until you and your dog are used to each others routines, they can keep floors and carpets from having to be shampooed on a regular basis.