breeding cats and dogs

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The Jack Russell Terrier – the choice for you?

December 23, 2011 in Dog care, Jack Russell Terrier, Pet care by admin | No comments

When choosing a dog, it’s important to consider it’s characteristics, and ensure that the lifestyle that works for your dog, also works for you.  Remember happy dog means an easy dog!

The Jack Russell Terrier is a smart and lively breed, which has evolved from fox hunter to family pet.  Their size also makes them a popular choice for a family.  The Jack Russell is loved for it’s active and lively personality.  It also a highly intelligent dog which is readily trainable.  Being an active dog, it can become restless and it is suiting to playing with other dogs.  It has plenty of courage, and wont back down from a challenge.  If bored they have a tendency to dig and are world class escape artists, so tall and secure fencing is recommended.

The Jack Russell is strong and sinewy, and is supple and flexible, with a coat that is either smooth, broken or rough. In all cases it’s pretty think and weatherproof!

With a long lifespan of 14 to 15 years, there are few health and genetic problems with this breed.  They are considered hardy and injuries generally relate to their fearless nature.  The Jack Russell is very low maintenance requiring little grooming even with a rough or broken coat.  A regular brush is all that is needed. 

The Jack Russell is a fantastic choice for a family and is great with children over 3 years of age.  The active lifestyle required for this breed is often under-estimated and I suspect that is why they can often end up in pounds, being seen as “a handful”.  So choose carefully, this is fantastic breed, but as with all breeds, you get out what you put in!

Article adapted from Dogs NSW December 2011

Tags: breeding cats and dogs, Buying a new dog, Care for your dog, dog breeding, Responsible pet ownership, Taking care of pets

Why you should rescue a pet from a pet shelter

December 3, 2011 in Cat care, Dog care by admin | No comments

Taken directly from interviews with pets and owners

The pet:

Here I am, confined to place with a whole bunch of animals with whom I have nothing in common and no hope of freedom, unless a compassionate human decides to save me. If no one takes me I may even have to leave this world prematurely. So here is why I think you should take me away from all this:

  • I am healthy and consider myself good-looking. I may not be aristocracy, but I can scrub up pretty well. Brush my hair and put on a nice collar – you’d be surprised how classy I can look.
  •  I eat and sleep well and will not turn my nose up at the occasional treat.
  •  I will give you unconditional love and intelligent companionship.
  •  I’ll play with you, take you for a walk and be sociable with your friends. I love children provided they don’t torture me or let off firecrackers close to me.
  •  I am house trained and will not make any little messes on your carpet.
  •  I have had a medical check-up, been vaccinated, microchipped and all that jazz.
  •  I will wag my tail every time I see you or your family and lick your face if you let me.
  •  Last but not least I am FREE. You don’t have to pay exorbitant fees to breeders.

 The owner:

  •  Growing up, we always had pets in our family. Now I’m leading my own life I really miss having a four-legged friend, but the thought of going through the complexity of decision making is just too much. I don’t have time to research breeds and breeders and in any case I can’t afford high prices. So here’s why I have decided to rescue a pet from a shelter:
  •  I’m lonely and miss having a pet. Animals add a special dimension to our lives.
  •  I hate the thought of all those unwanted and homeless pets craving for a loving owner and shudder at the thought that they may have to be put down if no one takes them.
  •  Taking a pet from a shelter is the socially responsible thing to do.
  •  I want to have a warm, loving companion that will welcome me when I come home, will not criticise or nag me, but will be ever grateful for whatever I do for it.
  •  I don’t want to start from scratch, vaccinating, microchipping, training and so on. I want a pre-owned pet that has been broken in.
  •  If I happen to get a pet that has been ill-treated, it will make me so happy to rehabilitate it with love and attention.
  •  I have observed that celebrities like Angelica Jolie and Brad Pitt have adopted stray children. If I did the same with animals, I would feel like a celebrity.
  •  Last but not least it’s FREE. I won’t have to pay exorbitant fees to breeders.

Tags: breeding cats and dogs, Buying a new dog, dog breeding, dog rescue, Environmentally friendly pets, Ethics of pet ownership, rescue cat, rescue dog, Responsible pet ownership, Taking care of pets

Cure and prevention of allergies to dog food

October 4, 2011 in Dog cover, Pet cover, Pet insurance by admin | 4 comments

Next to flea bite allergies and allergies to inhalants, allergies to dog food is the most dreaded by pet owners. They are also one of the most prevalent form of allergies among canines and unfortunately they make life extremely difficult for both the dog and the owner.

Although experts have conducted extensive research to try to unravel the mysteries surrounding food allergies in dogs but despite of all their efforts, they only came up with a list of symptoms to dog food allergies which are critical in giving accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Allergy-causing dog food

Studies reveal that certain dog foods include ingredients with higher potential of causing an allergic reaction. These food ingredients which are now viewed as common allergens are lamb, chicken, beef, fish, wheat, eggs, corn and soy. The long list seems to capture everything you are giving to your dogs.

Signs of food allergies

The most prevalent sign of food allergy among dogs is itchy skin usually occurring in the face, ears, forelegs, armpit and anus. This is actually similar to other type of dog allergies. Other symptoms include recurring infection in the skin and ears, hair loss, hot spot and excessive bowel movement.

Identifying food allergies

By sharing similar symptoms with a range of dog ailments, it is doubly hard to make diagnosis and propose prevention and cure. Thus, your veterinarian will need to employ the process of elimination to rule out other causes of the allergy. Your dog is likely to have to undergo a series of “food trials” to test what type of dog food would trigger the allergy. It’s quite a tedious process that requires conscientious monitoring on the part of the dog owner in order to yield accurate results. It is also preferable to avoid processed food as there is risk that it includes unwanted ingredients that could cause a reaction. Ideally you prepare the food yourself, so that you know exactly what your pet is being fed.

Effective treatment

Avoidance remains the best cure for dog food allergies. If you have already identified the food allergens, be sure not to let your dog take that food. Make sure other members of the household, and friends are aware of the situation so that they will not mistakenly feed your dog the offending food. Maintaining a healthy dog can takes a lot of time and patience, but like any member of your family, it is always worth the trouble – there’s nothing worse that seeing your pet suffering unnecessarily.

Tags: breeding cats and dogs, Care for your dog, Foods that are toxic for dogs, Taking care of pets

The ethics of pet ownership

July 17, 2011 in Pet insurance by admin | No comments

The right way to go about buying a pet

Congratulations! You’ve decided to buy a pet; let’s say a puppy. You’ll be joining the 50 per cent of Australian families that own a pet. It’s a rather exciting decision, but one that many people don’t take seriously enough.

Before you forge ahead and welcome the little bundle of joy into your home, ask yourself:

How much am I prepared to spend?

What is the upkeep of my pet going to cost – micro chipping, desexing, vaccination, obedience training, pet insurance, food, holiday boarding and other incidentals?

Do I have enough time and energy to exercise my dog?

Is my home suitable for a pet? What about future plans? (A pet is not just for a month or a year).

What kind of dog or cat do I want?

What should I look for in a breeder?

Choosing a dog or cat

Obviously you need to ‘tailor’ your choice to suit your home and family. Good sense must prevail. For instance, even though you may long for a big dog like you had when you were a kid, it would be selfish and inconsiderate to have a large highly active dog in a small space.  So make a sensible choice, based on the well-being of your pet.

 A good breeder will question you on your living conditions and offer ongoing advice and support. It’s advisable to go to the breeder personally, so that you can inspect the breeding premises. Internet purchases offer less certainty about the conditions and quality of the breeder and rely more on luck than evidence.

Things to know about ‘designer dogs’

The popular new ‘breeds’ like cavoodle, spoodle, labradoodle and so on are not considered breeds. They are the result of crossing two pure breeds and producing a dog for particular qualities – appearance, low maintenance (minimum shedding) and temperament.  However, because genetics are very complex, the dog may not necessarily turn out exactly to formula. The other point to note is that because these dogs are not considered a breed as such, they are not registered with the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) and the breeders do not have to be scrutinised under the ANKC) rules. So make sure you choose a reputable breeder.

Rescuing a dog

Saving a dog from euthanasia is a compassionate and rewarding act. There are so many animals that are discarded by owners for many reasons – moving, the arrival of a baby, divorce…all sorts of changed conditions can cause an owner to abandon a pet. These pets (cats and dogs) deserve a good home.

From your point of view they cost far less than buying one from a breeder and if you go to a reputable organisation like RSPCA,  Animal Welfare or DoggieRescue as they will ensure that the pet is desexed, vaccinated microchipped and dewormed and checked for behavioural problems.

Pet health insurance for your dog or cat

Pet insurance can save you huge, unexpected costs. It is best taken out when you buy the puppy and should be considered a set-up cost like vaccination etc. Like all insurance, pet insurance gives you peace of mind and if you never have to claim that’s the best outcome. But if your pet meets with an accident or develops a serious illness, you could be up for thousands of dollars in vet fees.

Contributed by Marcelle Grolman

Tags: breeding cats and dogs, Buying a new dog, Ethics of pet ownership, insurance for pets, Lifetime cost of pet care, pet insurance, puppy farm

Do we need to breed more dogs and cats?

April 10, 2011 in Cat cover, Dog cover, Pet cover, Pet insurance by admin | 3 comments

Consider this – over 250,000 animals are destroyed each year around Australia.  So how on earth do healthy, full of  life dogs and cats end up in pounds?   Basically, it’s supply and demand.  In an unregulated industry, simply too manydogs and cats are  being bred (for profit), and  many  are not being de-sexed prior to sale.  The industry is out of control, and it’s costing the lives of many dogs and cats, that deserve a lot better.  Find out what your council’s policy is on animals that end up in the pound under their control.  Does your council sell dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that are undesexed?  You may be surprised to know that this is indeed the case for many.  Let’s start naming and shaming!

Tags: breeding cats and dogs, cat breeding, dog breeding, insurance for pets, pet insurance

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