Care to Your Dog!

I don’t do a lot of my shopping at pet stores, but it’s not for the reason that you may think. Many people who avoid these types of stores do so because they cannot afford the higher prices for pet foods and other accessories. My problem is that I know I will buy too much. When I do bother to venture into a pet store, I always see at least 20 things I would like to buy for my cats. I suspect there are many people who are exactly like me, and this is why pet stores are so successful.

I do love to take my daughter into pet stores however. When we go inside I see her eyes light up with wonder. Many children feel this way about animals, and they will have a good time if you go into pet stores. The only problem with this is that my daughter wants to touch every thing and every animal that she sees. She has even gone as far as to try to put her hand in a fish tank. This was when I knew it was time to leave the store.

Pet stores to have an advantage over your average department or discount store. If you want something special for your pet, pet stores are the best places to get them. Not only will they have more items from which to choose, they will generally have items that you cannot find anywhere else.

Pet stores are also known to carry hard to find pet foods. There may be times in your pet’s life when they need a special diet, and you may have to go to pet stores to find these foods. Though it may cost you more than you wish to spend, your pets health will be worth it.

Some of my favorite things in pet stores are the really neat pet trees. No, these are not trees that are made out of pets, but rather furniture designed to allow your cats to climb high up in the air. Many cat owners don’t realize it, but cats love to be as high as they can be. They love to be up above everything else so that they can keep an eye on their territory.

When you go into pet stores you can find many of these trees available for purchase. Though there are some people who love to build these on their own, many people do not have the time to do so. You can find the very best of these in pet stores.

The next time you sip your morning coffee while watching your favorite pet feline methodically groom herself for the day, consider this: your pet cat might have been revered, even worshipped by Egyptians thousands of years ago. These ancient Egyptians were a technologically and intellectually advanced society for their time. What exactly about your pet would they find so worthy of adoration?

To better appreciate this race’s amazing allegiance to their four footed companions, one must have a modest understanding of history. The Egyptians wisely utilized the waters from the Nile River, and its surrounding fertile soil to grow a variety of crops. Those seasons when the crops failed, the economy suffered horribly, and thousands of people went without food. This ancient culture relied heavily upon the wild, or feral cats of their era to protect their prized grains and harvested crops from disease carrying rats and mice. With their long, graceful limbs, large eyes, and sleek form, these agile felines were perfectly suited to catch vermin. It is suggested that terrible plagues were avoided just from the cats keeping the local rat population in check.

While feral cats were doing their part to protect important Egyptian grains and produce (as well as the local economy), in their cities and villages, domesticated cats served another significant purpose. Household cats were bread for their abilities to protect their beloved owners from snakes, rats, and other harmful pests. Cats were known to risk their lives for their owners, attacking and killing venomous cobras to protect their families. They kept young children from harm, and roamed the houses at night, using teeth and sharpened claws to safeguard the premises.

The cleverness, resourcefulness, agility, and grace of the Egyptian’s domesticated cats inspired this ancient culture to associate them with the goddess Bast. Bast’s spirit was often personified in feline appearance, and was frequently seen in the form of statues, paintings, and sculptures of the period. At times Bast was depicted with the face and head of a feline. On other occasions she was portrayed as a wise, regal cat. Bast was eventually given her own beautiful temple so that pilgrims could travel to revere her spirit in her own place of worship. Inside this structure, the priests of Bast cared for the many temple cats that dwelled in the sanctity of this holy place. In time, the sacred practice of mummification was extended to cats, for their owners adored them, revered them, and wished to be with them even in the afterlife.

In modern times, cats are still of importance to society. As the ancient Egyptians correctly realized, there are many advantages to having cats in the household as well as in the community. Although most cats in modern society are not required to save their owners from deadly cobras, many have been known to (depending on the local climate) protect against rattlesnakes, scorpions, poisonous spiders, and disease carrying rats and mice. Many farms, vineyards, and orchards continue to welcome cats for their ability to contain the local pest populations.

Scientists have spent vast sums of money trying to unlock the secrets of feline nocturnal vision. Cats’ nerves, reflexes, and musculoskeletal systems are presently being analyzed with the hope of making medical advancements that would be of benefit to humankind. Hundreds of years from today, we will still be learning about our feline companions, and benefiting from their presence in many ways.

Now would an ancient Egyptian have worshipped my pet cat? It’s quite possible. Would I worship my cat? Possibly, if she were able to reorganize my DVD collection, tidy up the kitchen, and organize my computer desk. I would definitely have to consider it.

Similar to leaving your child at home some may even have pets at home that are left alone when the owners go to work. Pets also need attention and love to be poured by someone. The only solution to get rid of this problem is to seek help from the pet daycare service. Keeping such things in mind there are pet day care centers organized by many people. They will feed, groom, train and play with them in the absence of the owners.

The pet day care is divided into two different categories: actual day care and boarding services. Boarding services are open to animals from horses to hamsters. Usually, the pets whose owners are away for a long time are taken care of. The duration varies widely from even overnight to a period of six months or even more. Such day cares are approached if there is a lack of space at home for large animals like horses and others. They are provided with toys, feeding dishes and sleeping space.

Unlike this there are even pets that are left alone only during the working hours of the owner. For such cases there pet day care centers that function for these kind of animals every day. The pets are left in these centers and are later picked up after their work. Usually they are mainly opened to small dogs and sometimes other animals. As usual feeding bowls, toys and bedding are provided by the organizers. At certain doggy day cares exclusively for dogs they are trained by staffs for better health management, safety and for good dog behavior.

Usually the puppies are taken care of separately away from the older ones. Puppies are given special attention providing them a separate area. They are given the basic training and are always kept active and playful. There is always time allotted for naps and play. Basically doggy day care centers have many features and the best day care suited to us can be chosen.

These days the current trend is day care for pet spas. The focus is basically on smaller animals. Here they are exercised, pampered and groomed in the similar manner as done to humans when they visit a spa. Their hair, teeth, nails and ears are taken care of and they are massaged, walked and played with. They have trained staffs to take over these tasks. These services are exclusively for small animals like ferrets, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs and cats. Even overnight stays are provided along with boarding facilities. There are do-it-yourself centers where the owners have to train and groom their own pets to increase the bond between them. The spa provides the necessary space and also shampoo, grooming equipments, wash basin and nail clippers. They can serve the best for such animals.

Bringing a dog home is just the beginning of the process of converting a predominantly wild animal into a pet. Dogs came from wolves and all dogs therefore carry a little bit of wolf in them. They are quite docile and can easily be turned into a faithful and dependable pet but that needs a little bit of patience and a considerable amount of tact.

The first thing you must do after bringing a little pet home is to take it to a vet for a thorough check up. If he has any health complication, it could be detected early and treated forthwith. Second comes an anti-rabies inoculation to keep him protected against rabies and all those who accidentally get a scratch from his teeth. Besides the fact of course that the stray intruder who might get to sample a dog bite for accidentally or deliberately being where he or she is not supposed to be!

Once these two things are taken care of, a pet owner must find as to what has been the dog’s particular lifestyle-whether he is an active kind or a simple, docile one; whether he needs to exercise strenuously or can do with an occasional walk. It is important because dogs are quite sensitive to abrupt sea changes in their lifestyles and may not take well to it. So, be a bit careful about it.

Three things you must ensure on daily basis that the dog gets optimum amount of nutritious foods, gets to drink fresh and clean water and exercises. If your dog is the one with long hair, he needs regular baths to keep himself clean and disease free.

Then comes training. An untrained dog can really be a bad pet. You must be careful while training that you teach him the right commands to obey without being too harsh on him. At the same time one must not be too light, for that could make the dog take training less seriously than he should.

Dogs learn to obey easily and they are easy to train because of their natural urge to please the owner. Be affectionate to your dog at all the times, for nothing works better than strenuous training mixed with a little bit of love. That’s the magic potion that fails almost never.