Pet Care Articles

June 28th, 2011
This happens from time to time with our cover-dog from the home page, Bomber.  Usually, this occurs just after he's been groomed.  He'll chase his tail and rub his butt on the ground and act a bit strange.  Does this happen with your dog?  It's quite normal.  All dogs have anal glands (sacs) just inside their anus.  Sometimes, these glands get irritated or blocked.  Thus, the rubbing.  Most groomers express (squeeze) these glands to empty them.  As a result, the glands get irritated and for a day or two your dog will rub his butt.  For Bomber, this usually occurs just after he's groomed, but after a few days, he's back to normal.  If the rubbing persists, contact your groomer and ask if they expressed the anal glands.  If they didn't do this, contact your vet or you can do it yourself.  Fair warning, the smell from expressing the glands is very pungent!  It's probably best to let your groomer or vet do it.   Read more...
June 27th, 2011

Does your dog bark too much?  There may be a real reason for all that noise.  Perhaps he just wants some attention.  The following article provides an interesting thesis behind why some dogs bark excessively...

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-training/article_barking3.aspx?sc_cid=4882977

  Read more...
June 25th, 2011

The following article is courtesy of Pet Sitters International...

June is National Disaster Preparedness Month for Animals

The first five months of 2011 have brought much destruction; including tornados, floods and fires in the United States and the devastating tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan. Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere and can take many different forms.
 
In the event of a disaster, preparation can save lives—yours and the pets in your care. Creating a disaster plan is a proactive way to ensure that you, your pets and clients' pets are safe.

The following eight tips will help pet owners prepare for a disaster.

1. Understand the possibilities. Recognize the different types of natural and man-made disasters that can occur in your area and know how to effectively plan for them.

2. Make decisions early. Different disasters require different courses of action. The sooner you create a disaster plan, ...   Read more...