Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I was one of the first to reply to this thread. It has been a while since I have checked back in and I see many responces. I have noticed a trend however. Those that "have" are against those that "have not".
I want to make one thing clear. There are those on both sides of the fence that do not deserve or should even be allowed to have pets. I will bet, if a true and unbiased research were conducted, it would point out that the %s are very equal.
In Shreveport, La, I know of two homeless men that have a dog each. I have much respect for them as dog owners. These two dog’s do not go "without." They are two of the best trained dogs I have ever seen. In fact, I thought many times in the two years I was aquainted with these men of trying to help them start a dog obedience training for those that need it.
Being low, middle, or upper class is not a basis to determine pet ownership. A person caring enough to approach this Forum and ask such a question, shows me that their interest lies in the pets best interest.
Pet ownership is the knowledge of responsibility and the determination to exercise that responsibily. A person that trully cares for their pet will take care of that pet no matter what arises and no matter what their financial position is.
Those that have protest against, those that have not defend their position. Truth is, those that "have" cover up their "abuse" and those that "have not" can not cover up.
JokendaGet rid of the boyfriend, you are better off with the dog. No, don’t do that. Try having the boyfriend spend a little quality time with the dog. Works with kids, should work with dogs.
jokendaThe pooping in the house should stop with time. The eating of it is signs of a problem that needs to be looked into. If the dog were compeeting with other animals for food, they will start the habit of gorging themselves to dominate the food. This can sometimes cause a dog to eat his poop when diet is controlled. You did not mention if there were other pets involved. I threw that in just in case there were.
JokendaDid the dog poop in the house with the original owner or is something new? If it is old habbit, good luck! you say it is in the same spot, try newspaper or better still, maybe a Litter box large enough for the dog to use easily. Worth a try. I have seen one dog that did use a litter box, however the owner did not put litter in it because a dog will try to cover the poop and get litter all over the floor.
If this is new to the dog, it may be a reaction to loosing his owner and not sure if he wants to be separated from you for any length of time. Most dogs prefer to do their job outside. Once he rebuilds his self confidence and feels secure with you, he should go back to going outside. Cover the spot for now and show him ample attention.
JokendaBefore the Flea Collar, I had outside dogs. Dipping the dogs only lasted so long before fleas returned. I can remember many times the dogs had fleas and I received no bites. I was young and very active with my dogs, wrestling and all the fun things dogs like to do, not to mention, young boys. Dog having doesn’t mean owners will get bit by fleas.(Unless you have more body hair than the dogs, then maybe the fleas would like living on you instead of the dogs.)
It could be temporary dry skin from the bath. Soaps have a way of drying the skin. Most shampoos have some replenish ment of natural oils to aid this problem but sometimes that helps very little.
JokendaWash the dog. Use a no-tears type of soap if you can not find a mild pet shampoo. The soap will not hurt the wound and mild scrubbing will help with the healing process. Remember to put some anti-bacteria ointment on after the bath. Cleaning of the wound is proper.
You need to contact the place where you adopted the dog and inform them they need to give proper instruction as to how to take care of the incission.
If in doubt what to do idea: Think about what you would do for yourself or a child. Chances are, the proceedure is very similar. To back this up, almost all drugs and over-the-counter remedies were first tested on animals. If they did not help, or they caused harm in the animal, they would not be available for sale. The doses for the animals were usually much stronger than that for humans.(This information was supplied to me by a Pharmacist I hold with all respect, My Father.)
If you are still concerned, call a vet and ask them.
JokendaTake your cat to the Vet. You obviously notice that something is wrong with your cat, do the right thing and get the cat help. Seriuosly, if it were your child, you would take the child to the doctor. The cat looks to you in similar ways as a child.
JokendaAs long as the horse gets enough roughig(Hay,grass,ect) it should be ok. If a horse is allowed to eat nothing but grain, this is bad and can cause Scoures(not sure of spelling). The horse must eat enough hay to compensate for the grain. Like the reply earlier, I have to agree. How much hay you give a horse depends on the area and grass available. if the horse is confined to a small place, supplying hay is a must. but if the horse has 2 acres to roam and the grass is good, hay may not be necessary.
The only problem I really see is the horse being out side all the time. Horses need to have shelter to get out of certain conditions. If not, health problems may occur. I fed our horses a little grain every day and it did not hurt them. From time to time I even fed them range cubes as a treat. As long as a horse has shelter, grass to graze on, and plenty of water everything should be ok.
JokendaIt is very difficult to sex some birds. Sometimes it takes certain test to determine the sex. The McCaw my ex got after the divorce was never sexed but we just always thought of him as male. Trust me, in time you will find out the sex of each bird.
If the expense of owning a dog is a major concern, I would have to say, don’t get a dog. The reason I say this is simple, if the dog gets sick and a major vet bill should arise, you may have to go without in order to take care of your pet. On the otherhand, sacrafice can be a blessing sometimes. I think we put too much stock in money sometimes and not enough on things that really matter. Pets are companions, they fill spots in our lives that no thers can.
I have been poor. I am still poor. I would like nothing more than to have a pet today. It is not the money that keeps me from having a pet, I live with others that do not want pets. So, this is how I feel that void in my life for now. Reading about others and remembering "When."
I might add. If it is that another pet would do, I would look into that avenue. I have had all types of pets, dogs, cats, snakes, rats, mice, gerbals, fish, hamsters, a opposum, lizards, and frogs. The fish were fun to look at but they resented being taken out of the water and hugged. (Just joking) If I had to pick which pet supplied the most to me, I would have to say, hands down, a rat!
Don’t laugh, I am serious. Dogs do bond with their owners but they will survive with what you supply back to them in affection. A rat will bond with you also but much more than any animal I have ever had or know of. The downside, they don’t live long. The books say about 2-3 years but I have had a couple that lived 5 years. Ignore a pet rat and it will stop eating, get depressed, and will die.
Just an idea. But if a dog is your answer, I say go for it. Just make sure you do not let it bring your family to financial ruin.
JokendaAt the present time, I am without pets. It was good to read about others that have multiple pets, brings back fond memories.
I have had many pets at one time or another. The largest collection was about 80 rats, 10 girbals, I don’t know how many mice, and a Redtail Boa. The rats, gerbals, and mice started out as food supply but I get attached too easy. I had to resort to buying already killed for my food sorce. The rodent population got out of hand when my son came to live with me. He could not remember what cage he took the animals out of. This is not good with rodents, they have a tendency to multiply fast.
Most were eventually given to good homes and good pet shops but I kept 6 of the original rats. they were my favorites and were along in age. Like all rats in captivity, if they live long enough, they die of cancer. All 6 were showing signs, so I decided to keep them and give them the love and attention they wanted and deserved.
Ok, I know I went over board with my story but I get that way sometimes. I have had well over 100 pets at one time.
JokendaBest advice, take the cat to the vet. It may be nothing more than a reaction to flea bites but proper attention is well worth the price. There could be other problems, blood disorders, other parasites, or alergic reactions. Diagnosis without proper inspection is not advisable.
Jokenda
