Holistic Pets

People describe cats as tree climbing animals. Proailurus was the first true descendent of the cat that was found 33 million years back. Cats earlier resided in rain forests and were great hunters.

Their razor sharp claws helped them ascend deftly, hiding on trees to escape danger or climbing to wait for a prey. Climbing in other words was immensely helpful for survival and eventually became a way of life.

Domesticated cats have a general fondness for heights. A household cat will always feel very contented in an elevated part of the room be it a window perch or a high shelf. Instinctive knowledge plays an important role in verifying this standard feline desire. Cats instinctively search for hideaways, as it is their natural behavior for shelter and hunting. Do not be surprised, if a cat’s eyes are seen gleaming from some corner.

Theories For Fondness Of Heights:

Below mentioned are some reasons that state why a cat loves heights:

1. Height in some way signifies the rank of a cat. If there are many cats residing in the same household, the cat who reigns the topmost perches generally governs the rest. The governing cat is factually the ‘top cat’.

2. Height enables a cat to observe the surroundings effectively. The cat can thus be more vigilant about the activities of individuals and other pets. An upper position in the wild, functions as a hidden area from where the cat can hunt for its prey.

3. A cat may feel warmer, if it climbs a high place.

4. A high perch enables a cat to escape from any factor, which makes it scared or anxious.

Buy A Cat’s Furniture According To Its Lifestyle:

An individual may find out a pet cat’s character and personality by careful observation and accordingly select the furniture, which best suits the cat’s lifestyle.

1. A brave mountain lion keen to climb an apartment perch: Younger, energetic cats’ favor the highest perch one may provide preferably a ground to ceiling tree. An extremely tough mega tree is necessary for a cat, which likes to dash up the tree.

2. A temporary explorer who regularly occupies a secure middle position: Many segments between two to seven feet will suit the cat’s requirements. A 39″ tall curved penthouse will be suitable accompanied with an ideal observation deck.

3. A demure savanna occupant that prefers a soft floor level pillow: Older cats and those suffering from ailments will favor a comfortable pyramid bed.

Cats Survive After Falling From Great Heights:

Cats have survived falls from 32 stories. Humans die after falling from such a great height. Interestingly the rate of survival and the severity of damage were the same even if the cat fell from seven stories or from 32 stories. In fact, sometimes, the injuries were much less.

This is because cats achieve maximum speed at 60 mph or only after five stories. When a cat reaches this speed, its balancing organs become less functional. This causes the cat to relax, which distributes the collision force uniformly.

We all know the dangers of eating junk food or living on a diet of foods that are processed. We know about them and most of us make a point to avoid them. We also make sure that our children avoid them. This is often because hyperactivity and an array of behavioral problems have been closely linked with the diets of sufferers.

What many pet owners fail to see, is that by feeding our dogs a diet that mainly consists of processed, poorly prepared dog foods or the equivalent of junk food, they may be causing many of the behavioral and severe illnesses that are found in dogs today. Basically, the diet that you are feeding your canine companion could not only be making him aggravated, hyper or plain old mean it could possibly shorten his life span.

A well balanced diet provides quality nutrition and in turn keeps the cells, tissues and organs healthy. This enables an animals’ immune system to stay in top condition to fight any invaders.

The same holds true for behavior. If you ate fast food and candy bars everyday, eventually it will affect your energy level and your mood.

Because we love our pets, this may be a little confusing for those who think that they are doing the right thing, say, feeding their pets dog foods out of the can. Admittedly, not all dog foods are bad. However, many are and contain ingredients that are difficult for your pet to digest and can make him sick. So how do you weed out the good dog foods from the bad?

In order to give your pet the best life, you must make sure that he has the best type of lifestyle, just like us humans. Before buying pet foods, check the label to see what is in the food. Basically, the first five ingredients are important. Foods that list 2 or more grains in the first 5 ingredients may have more vegetable protein than animal protein which means less nutrition and more clean up.

Canned food can also be full of preservatives, to keep the food inside from going bad. Dog foods containing preservatives should be avoided. Not only has the pet food been filled with preservatives that could cause your pet harm, the pet food has been boiled at high temperatures in the cooking process causing any of the useful nutrition found in the food to be lost anyway. Proper cooking of pet foods will ensure that no preservatives are needed to keep it fresh.

Keep in mind that canned dog food mainly consists of water so feeding a canned diet alone will not give your pet the proper nutrition they need to live a healthy lifestyle.

So let’s look at the things that should be avoided when buying pet food:

• No Preservatives. Avoid foods that contain chemicals in them such as BHT or BHA. If these preservatives are found anywhere on the label, give the food a miss, as these chemicals can be harmful to your pet.

• No by-products. By-products are the parts of meat that are unsuitable for consumption, such as the feet, necks and intestines of other animals. As you can imagine these parts of animals were not made to be digested by humans, dogs or any animals for that matter.

• Beware of grains. Soy, corn, corn gluten and wheat gluten are often used as protein sources; however, they are generally inferior and difficult to digest.

Give your pet the chance at life that he deserves, feed him with a good nutritious premium dog food, free from preservatives and additives that are not meant for dogs. A great way to decide what is suitable for your dog to eat is ask yourself if you would eat it? If your answer is no, don’t feed it to your pet.

The root of dog behavior problems can either be of medical or behavioral nature, at times, both. The dogs clinical history, a physical examination and/or diagnostic testing the underlying causes contributing to the problem.

Some behavioral causes of dog behavior problems can be any change in the dogs environment such as having a new person to interact with or moving. Training, more specifically with regards to reinforcement and punishment, can also play a role. Its the method of training that can either stop or allow the continuation of the problem. Medical causes are ones that are the most difficult to improve on for they may be genetic factors that determine the dogs response to stimuli. The dogs environment during its most sensitive periods of development, the lack of stimulation, exposure, socialization and stressful events can also have an impact on the dogs behavior.

In order to put a stop to dog behavior problems, there are several ways to determine the underlying cause of them. Behavioral causes can be determined using the dogs history. An in depth analysis of the medical and behavioral past including the training of the dog would prove to be helpful. However, a diagnosis of a behavioral cause can only be done after all medical factors, such as age and a physical examination have been proven to not be a cause.

A decline in any of the senses, organ failure, hormonal diseases and any other disease that might cause any pain or discomfort are medical causes of dog behavior problems. Determining if the behavior is due to a medical problem, the assessment of clinical history and a physical examination are used. It would be helpful if any and all behavioral or medical changes that have occurred are detailed. Based on what is reported and the results of the examination, neurological examination or sensory testing may be performed. Other more comprehensive tests may only be done by specialists.

Once the cause of any dog behavior problems is determined, treatment to stop it can be done. Before beginning any therapy for it, any medical issue that has been diagnoses must first be treated. A change in diets or issuing a drug may be important in differentiating between a medical or behavioral cause. If a tumor is diagnosed or if a high sexual behavior is noted, surgery is an option for treatment.

A veterinarian can begin treatment of dog behavior problems for any long standing problems. Do not treat dogs with any so-called natural remedies or supplements like herbal remedies, homeopathic remedies and therapeutic touch and acupuncture. There are no studies that show if any of these types of treatments are actually effective. Although the same can be said for most drugs used in treatment, these have been proven to be effective in human behavior therapy. Be smart in choosing how to go about any problems and treat dogs the right way.

Dogs are often seen chasing cars on the streets. It is quite a nuisance but we should understand that dogs are instinctive chasers and will run after any thing that’s moving. Whether it’s a car, an animal, a toy or even their own tail (who doesn’t love the sight of a dog going around in circles trying to catch his own tail).

Car chasing is a big worry for many dog owners as the dog can injure himself doing it and may even get lost. But they should understand that it is just an instinctive thing for some types of dogs. Even though dogs have been domesticated centuries ago but some dogs still have their hunting instincts intact and for them, every moving thing is a potential prey.

But some dogs may have territorial issues. This means that they think of the car as an intruder in their territory and don’t want it to come there. Some dogs have been bred to herd sheep from many centuries and still have herding habits in their instincts and running after cars is just their way of trying to herd them. Also, dogs love to catch and fetch moving things, so by chasing the cars, they are basically trying to fetch them. I know, it is as funny as it sounds, but it is the truth!

In order to stop the dog from chasing cars, the owner should first find the reason behind it. Sometimes, the dog may see a regular visitor like the milk delivery van or the garbage truck as an intruder to his owner’s house and his own territory. This problem arises more in the neighborhoods where the houses are far apart and the locality is not very crowded. If this is the case then, the owner should try to make the dog familiar with the delivery people. He can also ask them to hand over a few treats to the dog as it will ensure the animal that they are not predators and are not there to harm anyone.

You can also stop the chasing by distracting the dog with some noise and when the dog stops chasing the car appreciate him with a pat or a treat. You can also try to distract the digs which according to his basic instinct, is trying to herd the cars by giving him something else to do. You can play with him and take him for a walk, anything that gives him a good exercise. You can also indulge such dogs in organized activities like agility training and fly ball. The dogs may also keep the dog inside fence to keep him away from the moving cars.

By taking these steps and spending some quality time with the dog, you can surely make him quit the habit of chasing cars and turn him into a friendly dog that everyone loves.

• Satisfaction Ensured
• Your Pet will Love it.
• Makes for a great Gift.

Product Description
Finalize conquering any fear an animal may have – Flower Essence Remedy Fear is often debilitating. Fight, flight or freeze instincts take over resulting in disappointment. This remedy was originally created for a band of Kiger Mustangs with shoeing issues. These horses did not appreciate pounding steel onto the bottom of their feet with iron nails and, as a result, they had difficulty standing still and co-operating. Animals can create new, positive experiences replacing old sad, confusing, or frightening memories. Essences of Mimulus, Arnica, Gorse, and Ladys Slipper. After 5 days and 3 evacuations – barely ahead of the fires, my horse was the only one eating, drinking, and breathing normally, only because I used my BlackWing Farms blend intended for fear that we had for shoeing. Rebecca McNulty – Carlsbad, California 2oz bottle

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With the recent “Snapping”…OK, darn right biting of a reporter by the President’s dog, it seems that there has been more talk of Pets Behavior Problems these days.  I guess as tough as the reporters have been to our dear ‘ole President, it is no wonder he gets a little snappy form time-to-time…the dog, not the President. 

How about you?  Are you dealing with some Pet Behavior Problems yourself?  Hey, I’m not a Doctor and I don’t even play one on TV, but I have had a long obsession with my pets and have spent a lot of hours working with various Animal Rescue organizations as it a passion and one I contribute to as much as I can yearly.  In that time I have had a lot of conversations with various Doctors who have given me some excellent information when it comes to Pet Behavior.  Everyone has their own remedies, that much is for sure, but there seems to be some consensus as to some of the methods people use. 

Here are some of the most frequent questions that I have heard that have seemed to begged answers from new pet owners that were adopting a pet.  They relate to barking excessively, chewing in a destructive manner, accidents, a pet that seems to pace about, licking or drooling excessively and inactivity, usually in older dogs.  There are tons of other questions, many that seem more Breed related, but most of the questions seem to fall under the previously mentioned categories.

First and foremost, there are questions you need to ask yourself.  I believe that many problems from a Pet Behavior standpoint can be directly related to the owner’s behavior.  You see, your pet often reflects back what you are feeling.  I know that my cat can seem to pick up on my moods and there is no doubt that your pet may be doing the same.

So ask yourself is there something going on in you life that has caused a “Disruption” in the usual routine?  Have you changed their diet in some way?  Has a “new” pet or child been introduced into the fold?  Great questions to determine any external situations that may be causing a different behavior from your pet.  Have you spent more time away from your pet than usual?  There is a thing called “Separation Anxiety” and pets are certainly not immune. 

Now see if your pet has any overt signs of sickness that will be causing a problem.  Many times at the beginning of a sickness, the problems start to manifest.  Just be aware of your pets changing moods and don’t be so quick to want to punish bad behavior.

A couple of tips for dealing with your pet. 

When you see a problem, deal with it quickly.  Don’t try to dismiss it and think it will go away if you ignore it.

Always be gentle with your pet.  Just as with a child, I don’t ever believe you should hit a pet out of anger.  Your pet should never fear you by thinking they are going to get hit when you raise your hand.

The quieter you are when dealing with your pet, the better and rarely scold them.  How do you feel when you are constantly derided at work or by a significant other?  Why do you think pets are any different?

Rotate the toys for your pet.  That keeps them interested in playing more if they have new stimuli to play with.

The most important aspect to remember about your pet is that, by and large, you chose them somehow, right?  You decided that you wanted a pet. 

I’ve often heard that you can’t pick your family, but that you can pick your friends…and your pets.

Visit DA’s blog at petcare.itsyourshowitsyourlife.com and join the Pet Care Newsletter and stay informed on the latest trends and products that relate to that family member we love so much.

• Satisfaction Ensured
• Your Pet will Love it.
• Makes for a great Gift.

Product Description
Clarify a peaceful way through any difficulty – Flower Essence Remedy Initially created to get very stubborn horses into a trailer for the first time. This blend enabled the horses to turn around their fear and stubbornness and use it in a co-operative way creating a determination without negative behavior, fear, anger or confusion. Horses loaded into the trailers time after time with resolve. Many animals are one time learners meaning it takes only one bad experience and the animals will react negatively every time. RESOLUTION can turn this attitude around while the animals are able to listen and respond working with you toward a solution. Flower essences used here are for increased patience, trust, and understanding, self- confidence replacing any previous stress or confusion. Essences ofArnica, Impatiens, Mustard, Pink Monkey Flower, Star of Bethlehem, and BlackWing Farms own Drama Trauma. 2oz bottle

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Product Description
Ensure a trusting relationship whether the animal is too bold or too timid – Excellent for puppy mill puppies – Flower Essence Remedy Pets shyness or bravado is tempered enabling balanced personalities. Puppy mill victims, abused, rescued, aggressive animals often just need to find a safe place in the world, this remedy offers this stability. Balance learning and confidence levles not too shy and not too bold imperative in establishing trust. Essences of Sweet Pea, Red Clover, Mustard, and Gorse. ‘Within days, we noticed that the aggressive dogs and cats were back from the front of their cages and the shy ones had come forward. Doesnt get any better than that.’ Janet Parker – Kennel Manager Louisiana SPCA New Orleans, Louisiana 2oz bottle

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• Satisfaction Ensured
• Your Pet will Love it.
• Makes for a great Gift.

Product Description
Regrettably necessary for someone at sometime – Good for loss of another pet – Flower Essence Remedy Incredible solution to lifes toughest times. Remedies sorrow, defeat, confusion, and disorientation. Integrating negative experiences and building again on a perfect, balanced personality. Essences used in this blend are for getting through a loss or trauma while respecting the process and not sweeping the emotions under the rug. Essences of Echinacea, Forget Me Not, Mustard, Yarrow, BlackWing Farms own Drama-Trauma and homeopathic Aconitum Napellus 30x . 2oz bottle

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• Satisfaction Ensured
• Your Pet will Love it.
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Product Description
Wonderful for introducing new animals & for older animals to accept the aging process – Flower Essence & Homeopathic Remedy Originally blended for older animals uncomfortable with the aging process. Using this blend will create change in personality and tolerance levels are calmed. Pet parents tell us the introduction of a new animal, a new routine, or change in their environment are accepted with calm. Adjustments are completed with contentment. Health care is enhanced while offering mental and emotional comfort during a process of recovery. Essences of Dandelion, Oak, Pine, Red Clover, and homeopathic Chamomila 6x. ‘Sprayed a remedy in the car thinking I was taking care of our hyper dog riding with us. 15 minutes later, I said: That stuff must work because we are stuck in a traffic jam, Im not upset and the dog is asleep.’ Norman Doyal – Oakdale, Louisiana 2oz bottle

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