Archive for the ‘Pet Behaviour’ Category
City Dog, Country Dog
February 26th, 2011 | 
Author: By Elizabeth Wasserman
Andrea Linne’s 18-month-old miniature French poodle, Charlie, is accustomed to taking walks on a leash through the New York City streets and to life in an apartment building. During a recent trip to the country, however, this city dog enjoyed running free in a fenced-in yard and walking along the beach. “You can’t do that in Central Park,” Linne says.
But she made sure to protect Charlie against some of the hazards of country life for dogs. She sprayed him with tick repellant. She also frequently checked his coat for fleas and burrs.
Linne knows that the environment in which Charlie and all other dogs are raised can have a profound sense on the pet’s temperament, preferences, and tolerance of such things as loud noises and other animals. A city dog may be used to meeting other canines at a public dog park or run. A country dog may know to avoid eating dangerous plants, like mushrooms, or downing too much grass. But dog owners should be aware that there are factors to consider if you plan to move a dog out of one environment and into another environment, even for a visit. Read the rest of this entry »
Unleash Your Cat’s Inner Hunter
By Jennifer Viegas
Is your cat packing on too much extra weight? According to a recent survey organized by The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, chances are high. Veterinarians in 29 states concluded that 53 percent of all cats studied were overweight, with 19 percent being downright obese.
“We are becoming a nation of couch potatoes and lap potatoes,” says the study’s lead investigator, Ernie Ward, DVM, a Calabash, N.C., veterinarian. He points out that too much weight may contribute to health problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
If your cat does fall into the hefty majority, the extra weight may have more to do with domestication than intentional laziness. Pet nutritionist Hilary Watson of Ontario, Canada, thinks the switch from outdoor wild to indoor mild may be at the root of the pudginess problem. Read the rest of this entry »
