Do you really want a pet but don’t want to pay for one? It is okay to look for a free dog but not so okay to expect it to take care of itself. All pets require some kind of expense whether it involves getting them necessary shots or making sure they are licensed or microchipped or buying them healthy food. If. If you can’t afford that kind of thing then you can’t afford a pet and have no business owning a dog whether you get it for free or not. Hopefully you are not looking for a free dog because you think somehow that a pet can take care of itself. This is not true of most pets including cats and dog. Mother Nature does not take care of pets. Owning a dog or cat is like taking care of a child and responsibilities come with it including the need for vaccinations, dental check ups, good food, the need for a babysitter, a good doctor, toilet training and maybe even obedience school. So make sure you budget these needs in whether you decided to pay for a dog or not. The best source of information about free dogs is probably word of mouth or you can simply look at signs posted around the neighborhood on lampposts or on bulletin boards in Laundromats and grocery stores. Most of these types of dogs are the result of owners failing to spay their dogs. If they did not spay their dog then they may have also failed to give the puppies or mother the appropriate vaccinations or other care. If you adopt this kind of dog from a private owner who seems irresponsible make sure you get the dog checked out by a vet. Puppies with moms who have not been vaccinated are sometimes more vulnerable to disease. Sometimes breeders also have free dogs. Usually these dogs do not quite live up to breed standards are sold for almost as much money as full breed dog. Most of the time these are great dogs with a minor physical permuatation that makes them difficult to show or sell. In some cases a breeder that gives a dog away is a bit corrupt so be careful that you don’t end up with big vet bills. Sometimes ill-bred dogs have serious problems like hip dysplasia that require them to be put down early in life. You can also find free or next to free dogs being given away at your local dog pounds or Humane Society. In these situations however the animal may need to be microchipped and you may have to pay for shots or buy the dog a license.Another source of free dogs is advertisements in the newspaper. Sometimes farmers don’t have the heart to terminate the lives of unwanted puppies and advertise them as free dogs to give away. Most of the times these dogs are mutts. You can also end up being the owner of a dog that is the victim of a sudden death or a divorce or any other situation where its owner suddenly disappears. People who have to move often advertise free dogs both online and in the newspapers.
You’ve probably heard of horse whispering but there is also such a thing as a dog whisperer. These people talk wayward animals into behaving. There actually was a television series about a Dog Whisperer. It made its appearance on the National Geographic Channel in 2004. The sponsor of the show is the Pet food company Purina and another American pet store chain called Petco. I ran across it while looking for something to write about on this blog because it is one of the most downloaded of mp3s on the Internet. I guess this is because people can take an iPod to the park and follow the instructions to train their pet live while viewing the episode. The Dog Whisperer himself is Cesar Millan who has made a living from dog whispering. His specialty is working with difficult to train dogs – the typical alpha dog. In each episode he tries to cure a dog of a bad habit such as being possessive of food or toys or biting, growling or nipping at people’s heels. Each of the dogs featured on the television show the Dog Whisperer has a serious problem and at the beginning of each show each is incredibly destructive. You see lots of footage of these dogs trashing a room in just a couple of minutes usually because they are bored or lonely. Millan uses the fifty or so dogs that he owns on his farm including dog breeds such as Rotweilers, Pit Bulls and German Shepherds to demonstrate how to be a dog whisperer. This is impressive as these are know to be “bad dogs” but he does not get his ear torn off. A dog is only as good as his owner, as they say, so the aim of The Dog Whisperer is definitely to teach people how to be better owners. In essence being a good Dog Whisperer is actually about teaching a dog that is boss. Millan teaches each dog that the dog owner is the leader of the pack and not the alpha dog. If you get a dog that thinks he is a leader, then you have an aggressive or even an alpha dog. This kind of dog is often overly suspicious, possessive and protective. One thing a good dog whisperer can do is calm this type of dog down by making him feel secure and like there is a leader. This persuades your dog to stop trying so hard to take over what he perceives in his doggie mind to be your incompetanace. In the wild the leader of the pack would do this by being firm and direct with his body language. The Dog Whisperer cues humans to do the same so that the dog feels secure. The motto of the Dog Whisperer is “exercise, discipline and then affection.” This is demonstrated on dog after dog in the many episodes of Cesar Millan’s shows. The show is very popular as he makes it very easy for any dog owner to understand the principles involved in getting your dog to behave in all kinds of different situations.
Cats are great for people. This according to Betty White who was a regular actress on both the Mary Tyler Moore show and The Golden Girls. It is true that cats are becoming more of a regular sight in prisons, mental institution, nursing homes and hospitals. This is because researchers are finding out that the folklore about cats being healing is true. Researchers in the field of pet-assisted therapy have found that physically being around a cat can help lower high blood pressure and stress levels, motivate the patient to interact with others, alleviate depression, reinforce self-esteem and reestablish motivation. Cats are wandering loose as pets in old age homes as it is known that they can relieve that loneliness of those who lose a husband or a wife. Cats connect very easily to most people and they offer the elderly a chance for relaxation as well as a way for them to express love and receive unconditional love. Stroking a cat has also been known to soothe the human mind as well as revive memory and sensory skills that are stimulated by tactile activity. Cats also take people’s minds off their woes. Studies have shown that patients in hospitals and nursing homes who have regular visits from pets are more positive in attitude and take the human mind of off pain, boredom and other sorrows. Pet therapy has been especially valuable as an aid in helping the elderly, the infirm, the addicted and the abused to reach out and connect emotionally with again. Pet therapy is especially successful with children who feel abandoned lonely or ill. These types of cats, called therapy animals, travel to convalescent homes, hospitals, day care centers, juvenile halls and prisons along with their owners. The sole intention of taking these cats into these places of healing is to use them to cheer people up. Of course not all cats make good therapy pets. The best ones are naturally friendly and have a gentle personality. The cat also must be quite calm and not disturbed by a lot of attention or frightened of things like gurneys and wheel chairs. The kind of cat that hisses or bunches up in a corner when it encounters new experiences does not make a great therapy cat for obvious reasons! Types of disorders that could benefit from a visit by a cat include children with deficit disorder, people with Alzheimer’s disease, people with depression and abused children. Even the simple act of grooming a cat is a huge step for an individual who is physically handicapped. However if it means bonding with an animal some people are more motivated to get better. Allen Schoen, the author of Love, Miracles and Animal Healing, says that this is because bonding with animals offers the person suffering a chance to step outside him or herself and communicate in loving way. It may seem that the main benefit of pet therapy is that the pet allows patients to focus, even for a short period of time, on something other than their own pain.
If you don’t want a dog to sleep in your bed then make him his own lair. Dog beds are also an essential part of dog training. It gives a dog his own personal retreat and most dogs will gladly go to bed when commanded. Saying “go to bed” when you have company is a good way to discipline the dog without hurting his feelings. Also if your dog has his own bed you won’t be spending hours removing dog hair from your bedding and pillows!
A dog bed can help you train your pet from sleeping with you. A good idea is to put your dog’s bed at the foot of your own bed. For one thing it places your body above him so that he thinks you are the “alpha dog” in the pack. This is because canines are wired to think that whoever sleeps the highest is the superior dog.This is also why when you let your dog sleep with you he is more likely to see you as an equal rather than a master. Once this happens he is less likely to obey you and also do things like snap at you when you pass his food bowl.
There are all kinds of absolutely fantastic dog beds out there on the market. There are designer ones. They also come in all shapes, styles and color so you are likely to find the dog bed that is absolutely right for you whether you are shopping online or in a retail pet store.
One of the most popular types of beds are like big beanbags and they sink beneath your pet’s weight and create a natural cradle. Many dogs find this kind of bed really comfortable and safe feeling.
You can also get dog beds that look like rubber rafts. These are boat shaped dog beds that have fleece linings. These are also sometimes called bagel dog beds. You can also buy dog beds that look a bit like soft caves. Dogs love these because it appeals to their den instincts. They are shaped like slightly stiff pitas. The base is foam and there is a stiff fabric arch inside that allows the dog to really get inside and retreat from it all.
If your pet has back or hip problems you can also buy ones that are as high tech and ergonomic as the ones for humans. Examples are the Pet Ortho Mattress and the Memory Foam Bed that are specifically designed to relive stress on your dog’s joints and bones. D
og beds are also usually made from fabric that is waterproof, stain proof and that is easy to clean. The manufacturer to prevent them from gathering hair, mold, fungus or bacteria treats many dog beds. In fact one of the main benefits of keeping a dog bed in your house is that it can keep your home a lot cleaner as the pet will tend to do the main part of its shedding or dander loss in the pet bed.
