Archive for October, 2008

All of us would love to have a birdhouse, and watch birds of all kinds flock at the birdhouse and eat.

Although it is easy enough to simply pay money and buy a birdhouse and install it, believe me when I tell you that nothing would give you more pleasure than building one with your bare hands, and offering it to the birds you love, and watching them enjoying it, to your heart’s content!

Build your own bird house

Remember, it is not a simple affair to build a birdhouse: you have to keep in mind the birds’ requirements, and also think of maintenance and cleaning methods.

You must choose a birdhouse pattern that would allow you to open it up for regular cleaning, because it is a fact that birdhouses become plugged up with nesting material and can become completely unusable within a few years’ time, if left unclean.

The thickness of the wood: The thickness of the wood you use is also important: the thicker the wood, the more the insulation and this can be especially attractive for birds during the winter months.

Halloween is the perfect opportunity to dress up in a costume - but it’s not a holiday just for humans. Pet Halloween costumes are becoming popular in recent years, so you can dress your canine up in style with a Halloween costume for dogs.

Why not get your best friend a fabulous costume and have a little fun this Halloween. Because dogs are so friendly and obedient they are easy to dress up and they still greet you with a wagging tail.

It shows that you really care about your canine and you want to include them in anything and everything.

Here are 25 unique and fun Halloween costumes to select for your canine.

As a responsible dog owner, it is of utmost importance that you know about the estrus cycle, what it involves, and how to make sure that unwanted pregnancies do not occur in your dog, when she is too young not ready yet.

Often, the dog breeds on its first heat at a time when she is not prepared; it would be a good idea to wait for her second or third heat so that there are no complications.

The gestation period: The gestation period for a dog is about sixty to sixty three days, and you must be aware of the time period from mating to delivery, so that you can be present at the expected delivery date.

Take your dog to the vet

You must make sure that you take your dog to the vet before you allow her to breed. This will ensure that your pet is healthy and free of infections and disease, and this will automatically make sure that her pregnancy is uncomplicated and uneventful. You may think of continuing heartworm medication through the pregnancy, after consulting with your vet.

Vaccinations: All vaccinations must be given before pregnancy occurs; vaccinations may sometimes cause abortions, and this can be easily avoided with this simple precaution.

The thing about pets, especially your dog, is that even though they may be feeling out of sorts and under the weather, they try their best to hide it, because that is their natural instinct.

It is therefore up to you to watch out for warning signs that all may not be right with your beloved pet.

You must educate yourself about how to take proper care of your pet, and how to deal with problems, should they arise.

Warning signs to look out for:

These are some of the early warning signs to look out for:

• Your dog has either lost or gained weight, even though she may be eating more, or less.  These symptoms may be the early warning signs of an underlying disease, and you must call your vet.
• If she does not eat for more than two days in a row, it can mean that all is not right with her.
• If she starts eating too much, even stooping to foraging in your garbage for food, or develops sudden changes in her eating habits, then it is time to call your vet.

As animal lovers, we all know that food is everything to our animals, and even if it is true that pet foods are available over the counter in all food stores, you cannot be sure of all its ingredients.

Food allergy is one thing you may have to contend with in such a case, and lack of sufficient nutrition may be another.

Prepare your pet food yourself:

If possible, you must try to prepare pet food yourself. This way, you can be sure that there are no added chemical preservatives, no by-products, no artificial colors or flavoring, no wheat and corn, both poorly digestible for animals,  and other potentially dangerous additives are used in your precious pet’s food.

Natural foods are best! Dogs and cats that have been raised on a well balanced and nutritious diet comprising vitamins, fats and minerals in all the required quantities are less likely to develop the food allergies and related complications that animals fed only mass made foods bought from stores demonstrate.

What to feed? You can feed your pet fresh milk, eggs, fish, organ meat, vegetables and fruits along with digestive enzymes for quicker absorption.