PetLvr.com - [The Blog]

Candid Canine Capers - Using Your Digital Camera to Make Sweet Memories

By Ian White

Digital cameras make it easy and fun for amateurs to capture endearing images of their pets. Tiny dogs, big dogs, beautiful dogs, scruffy or ugly dogs; they all have an innate grace about them. The lift and tilt of their head, the quizzical look when you address them, the body-posture of anticipation; we love them and we want great photos. If you want memory-maker photos, try these easy tips:

Choose Bright Light and a Familiar Location: Plan to shoot outside, if possible. The light outside is brighter, and brighter light is best. Pick a familiar outdoor spot, probably your backyard. Think about what kind of shot you want: Do you want a playful, vigorous and alert shot of Max or do you want to see his gentle, sweet and mellow-side? The sun must be to the side of your pet, not behind him. Put Max in the spot where you want to photograph him. Get down eye-to-eye with him and check the background. Is there good contrast between his fur and the background? Are there shadows falling from a roof-line or garage? Is the background messy with children’s toys, a trash can or lawn furniture that you don’t want in the shot? If so, something has to go — either the unwanted props or Max. Let Max be the star.

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How to Avoid Problems When Boarding Your Dog

By Katie Simpson

Most dogs, especially older ones, develop a sense of pattern in their daily lives. Transporting them to new places or doing something that could disrupt those habitual patterns can be upsetting to them.

Experts say that old pets are more likely to have health problems. Common to senior pets are deafness, blindness, and arthritis. As dogs get older, they are more prone to kidney, heart, and liver diseases. Sometimes your pet won’t get around very easily. They might be experiencing arthritis and other degenerative conditions. Keep in mind that if your pets are not used to being boarded, or are not boarded properly, their health problems might worsen.

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Is your Pet Rat Cool?

By Diana Davidson

If the environment is too hot, Rats can’t naturally cool themselves off. Rats cannot sweat like humans and they cannot pant like dogs. Therefore Rats are very sensitive to heat and humidity.

Rats are pretty comfortable in the upper 60’s and lower 70’s; many experience distress around 80-90′F and can die if left uncared for in this condition or if the temperature rises towards 100. Tailless rats and mice like it a tad cooler: 75-85 can be distressing with temperatures rising in the 90’s being deadly.

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Basic Needs For Your Pet Ferret

By Lee Dobbins

A ferret can be a fun pet that will provide you with hours of amusement. If you are thinking about adopting a ferret, you should take the time to learn about their needs. You will need to buy a few things to get you started including a proper cage, adequate ferret foods, vitamins and toys. You should make sure to get your ferret to the vet within the first few weeks and each year after that. Here’s some tips on making sure you have the perfect setup for your new pet.

Cage

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Helping Your Dog Lose Weight Benefits You As Well

By Susan Ryder

When we rescued her from the local Humane Society five years ago, Kayla was 97 pounds of wriggling, jiggling, out-of-control two-year old Yellow Lab. Her previous owner had become ill and unable to care for her, and as a result, Kayla received lots of food and treats, little exercise, and even less discipline and training. But in spite of her less than svelte figure and her barely manageable behavior, one look into her amber eyes, and I fell in love with her.

When we brought her home, our first goal was to get some of that extra weight off her. So we put her on a strict diet and exercise regime, much like a human would do, to lose extra pounds. We had no idea what she had been eating, or how much, but she was clearly overweight in a potentially unhealthy way. After consulting our vet, we fed her the suggested amount of a dry, diet dog food, which she wolfed down without chewing in about five seconds flat. We gave her occasional low calorie doggie treats, and did not feed her any scraps from the table, no matter how much she begged. And in addition, we took her for at least two 30-minute walks per day, morning and evening, to get her some much-needed exercise, and work on her unrestrained behavior.

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DIY Driftwood for Aquarium

By Tony Tsai

DIY driftwood takes time, but it will save you tons of money. Some small pieces cost well over $20. Also, the soak method (minus salt) will work for store bought driftwood. Store bought driftwood is cleaned and has not been soaked. This may lead to tannin’s being leaked into your tank

What you’ll need:
Driftwood, which can be found anywhere. It doesn’t necessarily have to come from the water. You could find it in the woods, as long as it is weathered down and looks unique. Also make sure the wood is not rotting.

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Feeding Prepared Dog Food and Puppy Food

By Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

If you have decided that you will feed your dog or puppy prepared dog food or prepared puppy food, then your next decision is what type of food should you be feeding your puppy? You will need to do some research on the prepared puppy foods available if you decide not to pursue feeding puppy a raw food meal.

Become a label reader. The higher priced puppy foods will usually come from a company that is or has conducted extensive research on providing the best nutritional food to your puppy. So a rule of thumb is that the inexpensive stuff is not going to be as good as the more expensive puppy foods.

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Eliminating Cat Odor Problems

By Martin Meyer

Cute, cuddly kittens bring joy to any home. Unfortunately, they don’t bring with them the innate knowledge of litter box usage. It’s up to you, the owner, to train them. The process can be a long, frustrating experience. Not to mention a smelly one.

Untrained kittens or untrained rescue cats aren’t the only cause of feline odor problems. Cats, both male and female, neutered or whole, are capable of scent-marking their territory. And de-clawed cats are more likely to scent mark than fully armed cats.

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By Rena Murray

Why is your dog displaying destructive tendencies? Many people erroneously believe that destructive dog behavior means their dog is punishing them for being left alone. This is quite untrue, as most dog trainers and dog behaviorists will confirm. Let me show you with examples from with my two young rescued dogs, along with a couple of basic dog training pointers.

All dogs have a lot of energy. The more high energy the breed, the more exercise your canine requires. If you have a problem with dog hyperactivity or over-excitation, insufficient exercise may be a root cause. The same holds true for destructive behavior in dogs.

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What to Know Before Buying a Pet Parrot

By Shari Carpenter

How delightful it is to be in the presence of such magnificent creatures as parrots! Their stunning color combinations, attention grabbing ability to talk, and amazing intelligence create quite an impression on both young and old alike.

Have you been thinking about buying a parrot of your own? Parrots are quite unlike any other pet and they have distinct attributes that make them both loveable and frustrating. Before you choose to own a parrot it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of their qualities to insure that they will fit with your lifestyle.

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