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I've been away for a while due to a serious illness and subsequent health issues. Favourite quotes of the moment:
The children of Israel wandered the desert for 40 years - Even in biblical times men wouldn't ask for directions!
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. whatever we do to the thread, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. - Chief Seattle.
We spend the first 12 months of a child's life teaching them to walk and talk. We spend the next 12 years telling them to sit down and shut up!
As you slide down the bannisters of life, may the splinters never be pointing the wrong way.
May you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.
I've been very happily married since August 1980 to a wonderful man and have beautiful twin girls, now aged 31. Both are married to wonderful young men and one of our girls has recently made us grandparents to a beautiful, smart and feisty granddaughter. I studied geology with the Open University. I am retired from being a manager in a large UK based insurance company which I actually quite enjoyed. (How sad is that?). I love anything to do with the environment and wildlife and try to do my bit for preservation and conservation. I would like there to be a decent world for our grandchildren to inherit. I also have CFS so find life a bit of a challenge at times but always hope for better health in the future.
I have a deep interest in the spiritual and the paranormal worlds, having experienced several incidents myself, and have been involved in meditation groups and groups that (safely) explore the paranormal. There is more to this life than we would normally credit, so an open mind is always the best option. You're not so likely to get caught by surprise!
I have a deep fascination for anything to do with Ancient Egypt, as you can probably tell by my name. I have statues and paintings all around the house. As my hubby has a similar interest in Native Americans, we tend to have a lot of unusual wall decorations, like a tomahawk.
I love cars, especially vintage ones, but my all time favourite has to be the Bugatti Chiron, what a car!
I have had a lot to do with animals over the years. I have fostered many, helped to set up a wildlife charitable hospital and raised a diverse range of young animals from bats to fox cubs and different species of birds, even a baby deer! I have had great pleasure in sharing my life and home with a number of animals over the years, most of them rescues. I am currently sponsoring an Amur Tiger, they are such beautiful cats and desperately need help, there are so few of them left. I was lucky enough a couple of years ago to meet some Aye-Aye's and Livingstone's Bats, a truly wonderful experience. We now have three cats, Oliver and Mollie, a brother and sister, he's a ginger and she's a tortoiseshell and a black and white called Daisy. She arrived in a taxi and was left on our doorstep in a cat carrier with the message that 'they knew we loved cats and would be good to her'. She has settled down well and gets on wonderfully with the other two.
If you have a pet that is showing ANY signs of illness or distress, please, please, please take it to a vet! Even if finance is an issue, work that out later. It is cruel to leave an animal suffering for any reason. Most animals do not show signs of illness until they have been ill for some time, basic instinct tells them it is a display of vulnerability, and certain death in the wild. Their instincts have not caught up with domesticity.
I do feel that we should all treat others as we would wish to be treated. Bad karma comes back to haunt us.
advice
Ok so i own a Siberian Husky pup he is almost 1 year old he is a great dog love him till death. He listens when inside the house great but i feel like its only because he feels like he is trapped. As soon as i let him outside he no longer listens and if he does something bad and i have to punish him i put him in a cage in the house then it takes me a week just to get his trust back he will not come when called will not drop a item when told to do so. And Like i said this is only once we leave the house when we are out doors or in the backyard of the house. He is fast a short 50 pound little ball of fire always on the move he has a huge backyard to play in and i try to get him to the dog park at least twice a week depending on the weather. I train with him everyday but he does not seem to get it he is very hesitant when i call him to me in the backyard and does not even acknowledge my presence at the dog park. He will be bad picking on a puppy at the dog park then we get home and he jumps up on the coach with me like were best friends and i am not mad at him. He knows i am the Alpha again great in the house wont touch food dropped on the floor until told to do so sits when told to even knows when i get him in the house and he was bad he knows to go into his crate. I tried looking everywhere online and everyone says the same thing just practice in your backyard bring him out on a leash i have tried it all as soon as he gets a inch freedom he takes a lot more then a mile. If anyone has advice i really appreciate it also food does not interest him i don't know if i already said that but if anyone knows like a irresistible dog treat that would also be great
Huskies need to be socialised early for the best results so maybe you could join a dog training class so that he gets used to being around other dogs without feeling the need to attack them. A lot of huskies have a very strong prey instinct so it is possible that you'll never be able to let him off the leash in public areas. It's good that you have a large, safe area for him to run around in, they do have a LOT of energy and it might this you're picking up on when you think he's feeling trapped, same with the cage. Huskies weren't really made to be caged, they were bred to run.
To use up some of that energy you could try running with him on a leash or even getting a sled, they were bred for that and it will tire him out. Don't give him any squeaky toys as that taps into the prey instinct.
You also need to firmly establish with him that you are the head of his pack, whether inside the house or outside and he must obey you. Again, dog classes can help with this.
As for treats, you need to find out what he really responds well to. You could try cooked hot dogs for training purposes. Never give raw meat as that also feeds the prey instinct.
Huskies are a lot of work but they are worth it once it's done as they're very loving dogs.
Good luck.
How long will my cat stay in season?
Non-spayed females usually go into oestrus twice a year, in the Spring and the Autumn. During this time they can go into heat several times, lasting between three and fourteen days with around a week being the most common. She will continue this until she is either spayed or mated successfully. The healthier and most sensible option is to have her spayed. :)
my cat has never used a litter box she has a cat door and has always done her business outside for the past week we have smelled an odor in the house
found it under my husbands desk had to cut the carpet and pad out. she must be pooping outside havent found any inside. shes about 12 years old. whats wrong with her
There could be a few reasons for her change in behaviour. She could have been scared whilst toileting outside and now associates that fright with what she was doing and where. Another cat could even have come in through the cat door and scared her.
Something could have changed in the home that has made her feel insecure, so marking her territory is her way of trying to make herself feel better by changing the smell. It could be new furniture, carpets, people or even an emotional upset.
She could have a UTI. This should be obvious as she would be squatting a lot trying to go with little success. She could be more vocal, restless, licking the area almost constantly etc. If she is doing this, she'll need to see a vet and have antibiotics to clear it up, otherwise she could get very ill. She could even have kidney problems, so seeing a vet would be the sensible thing to do at this point. If she gets a clean bill of health you can look at the other options and the vet may be able to give some guidance.
How long will my cat stay in season?
Estrus (heat) can last 7-10 days, if she does not become pregnant this will be repeated around every 14-21 days until she does become pregnant. If your cat has already entered this stage you will be fully aware of some of the more unpleasant symptoms. The best way to stop this is to have her spayed as soon as possible. Not only does this mean there will be less unwanted cats around, it stops her being vulnerable to various cancers and transmitted diseases. For every kitten your cat has and you home to friends or family, it's one less in a shelter that will find a loving home. There are a huge number of unwanted cats these days.
She can be spayed whilst in estrus although most vets prefer to catch them between cycles. You may also find that you have 'gentlemen callers' who could spray around your house to stake their claim. Until she is spayed there will be little respite from the symptoms and if you do allow her to have kittens, she can go into estrus whilst she is still nursing, starting the whole thing again.
You really will be doing her a favour by having her spayed and it's the responsible thing to do.
Hey, I saw your entry about finding a list of Inuit Names. Will you post the location?
It was a long time ago and I can't find the link now. However, if you are looking for an Inuit name there are lots on the internet. So, here are some more. The first link is for the correct pronunciation of Inuit names.
http://www.mythome.org/inuitnames.html
http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/eskimonames.htm
http://omalmalamutes.com/omal/naming.htm (This one even has a translator that will tell you the Inuit name, where possible, for a name you may already know).
http://www.squidoo.com/eskimo-husky-names
I hope this helps.
My brothers dog lost all of its hair?
My brother took my dog to the vet and the doctor told my brother that the dog has a skin disease that it was born with. The dogs hair is gone now and she has a lot of bumps and sores from scratching. Her skin is just pink. My brother has been buying medicine that the vet recommended for him to buy at the store and it finally started working and her skin has improved a lot and my mom thinks the hair is growing back.
My brother wants to take the dog to the pound now, but wont the people at the pound kill it?
I hear stories all the time of them killing dogs.
What kind of disease do you think the dog has?
The dog does NOT have cancer. If it did the vet would have said at the time. It is more likely to be some form of birth defect e.g. congenital hypotrichosis. The medicine the vet advised is possibly hormonal or some other substance to either treat or ease the symptoms. The hair does not always grow back, it depends on the severity of the condition. There are other reasons for hair loss, stress, allergies (food included), fleas, as well as various skin conditions of which congenital hypotrichosis is just one. The vet would be the best person to ask for the diagnosis as he was the one who saw the dog.
If your brother wants to take her to the pound just because of this unfortunate condition, would it be possible for you to take her over or to find someone responsible who can? Some pounds have a no kill policy but sadly, a lot of them do not.
Hey everyone! I have a beautiful black short haired cat who's turning 3 in two weeks. She's very happy, very healthy, very loved, and I brush her fur almost daily, and pet and scritch and cuddle her, like, constantly. She's kind of really spoiled...but it's just me and her here, so we're both okay with that. ^_^
Anyway.
As the subject says, she keeps getting these flakes of dry skin all over her back, like a human with dandruff. Her hair is slightly coarser there. The rest of her is, like, ridiculously soft (hence all the cuddling). I have eczema, so my brain automatically goes, "Is there some kind of cat-zema?"
...
Is there?
Has anyone else's cat has this problem? How did you treat/fix the flakiness?
Daniel55 is quite right about this, the only thing I would add is that it could also be due to a food intolerance. Beef and chicken are the main culprits but you would need to experiment by cutting out one thing for several weeks and if it's not that, going on to the next thing. You can also buy hypoallergenic foods to try.
You can check for fleas by using a flea comb and having a damp piece of kitchen roll to hand. Comb the cat and then wipe the comb on the damp paper. If any spots of red develop, she has fleas as that's flea dirt. If you notice any 'salt and pepper' droppings the 'pepper' is the flea droppings and the 'salt' is the flea eggs. When the flea eggs hatch they eat the droppings, gross isn't it? If you find evidence of this you will need to treat the whole house as they get everywhere, along the edges of skirting boards and carpet, in the soft furnishings. They're born survivors and getting more so every year.
Good luck
I have 3 two week old kittens, and they are molting alot, so much they are going bald. :( I've had kittens this young before, and they never losed their fur. Their mum sadly died when they were one week old, so we've been feeding them special milk that we got from the pet store? Would this cause them to lose fur? If not, any idead what is? Thanks
It could be stress from losing their mother, you need to take them to the vet's and get them checked out properly. You don't say what caused the mother to die but if it was from infection etc she could have passed it on to the kittens. In either case they need to see a vet.
My cat just had kittens, they're about a week old now. I have them in this big cage with a bunch of towels and its covered so it's dark inside. Mama kitty had been ok with it until the last two nights, i keep waking up and she's under my bed with her kittens. Why is she moving them? I don't want her to move them to somewhere i cant find them, what do I do?
A cat's natural instincts is to move her kittens around to keep them safe from predators. As this is a primeval instinct there really isn't anything you can do about it except ensure that wherever she takes them is safe. If there is a chance she could take them somewhere you won't find them, keep the door shut when you're not around or asleep and try to provide some additional 'bolt holes' in your room. When their eyes open and they start moving around independently it won't be such a problem, well not for you. It will drive her mad keeping track of them but she'll cope with that.
Good luck
my dog is still peeing on my carpet how do i discipline him
Never, ever rub a dog's nose in it's pee! It won't work as it will not associate your actions with what it's done. All you're likely to achieve is to make it scared of you.
You don't say how old the dog is, so if it's a puppy it needs training, if it's an older dog it needs retraining. An older dog will quite often do this if it's been upset and feels the need to mark it's territory. It may be worth taking him to the vets just to check out that there's nothing wrong, something like cystitis can cause this, even males can get this.
Take the dog outside regularly so his 'tank' is emptied often. Praise him every time he does his business outside. Clean the carpet with either a preparation bought from a pet store or you could try undiluted white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda or a clear alcohol. Blot up the excess first and as fast as you can after the 'accident'. If your dog keeps returning to the same place to pee, after cleaning it, put something in way whilst it dries, then either put a bowl of dog food there, (they don't like eating in a toilet any more than we do), or spray the area with citronella. They hate the smell.
Remember to always treat an animal as you would like to be treated. Good luck.
How will 2 male cats get along, one is 14 years old and one would be 6 months old?
It's always difficult introducing another cat to the home of an established pet, but it will partly depend on their individual natures.
Have they both been neutured? If not, it may be a good idea to have this done as it will not only calm them down bit will avoid certain health issues in later life. You will need to keep the new car shut away for a few days until he settles down and feels happier about the move. The first cat will hang around as he can smell the new one and is keeping an eye out to see why there is an invader on his territory. The resident cat has been placed in a potentially dangerous position, (according to him) and will possibly be stressed for a while.
This is likely to be a long process so you need to be prepared to have patience with them. You will also need to keep the new cat indoors for at least a couple of weeks so that he settles down, accepts his new home and won't disappear, never to be seen again as soon as he is let out!
They need to stay separated for the time being as forced interaction could lead to some serious problems. When the resident cat is also feeling more settled with the situation, you start off by stroking the other cat with a soft piece of material and then stroking it on first cat, then vice versa. This will get them used to scent of each other without meeting. As they groom themselves they will 'taste' the other one's scent as it mingles with their own. They are still likely to be upset but should calm down after a few days of doing this repeatedly.
Next, you could feed them on each side of a connecting door. Start off with the bowls some distance away and over several days, gradually move them closer to the door. They should start to accept each other's scent and associate it with the very enjoyable occupation of eating. Eventually, you could prop the door open enough for them to see each other, (but not wide enough for them to get through), as they are eating. The first time you do this, it may be worth feeding them a special treat so that they are more interested in the food than each other.
When they seem happy with this, try switching the cats to the other's space for a day or a night. This gives them the chance to have a really good sniff around and get more used to the smell of each other. If they are ok with this and settle with each other's bedding, you're ready for the next step.
When you are happy they are ok with this, you can let them see and smell each other without being close enough to feel threatened. Whether this is in the arms of family members, trusted friends or through a gate is your choice. However, they both need to feel safe at this time.
If they then accept this and you're sure they're happier with each other, you could let them meet up on neutral territory where you can intervene if things look like getting nasty. Maybe a bathroom or another room that the original cat does not regard as 'his'? Don't worry if they have a small disagreement, they need to set their own boundaries and learn each others signals. If they decide to have a full-on fight, don't try to pick them up, you're likely to get damaged. Have a water squirter to hand and spray them. It doesn't hurt, they probably won't realise it came from you and may even associate it with fighting! Give them some time to calm down before trying again. Let them have their own bolt holes to go to.
If all this does not work and they are going to continue to fight, sadly, you may need to look at rehoming the more recent of them.
If this does work and they do decide to tolerate each other, ensure they have a litter tray each and they are kept clean. You also need to make sure that whichever one is going to be the dominant cat is not able to ambush the other one when they are in the litter tray. This is when cats are at their most vulnerable as they can't run away when they are toileting. They will also need separate feeding and water bowls, with you keeping an eye on them, to start with to check that the dominant one does not take the food of the other.
You could also look at having several toys as a distraction for them and a variety of sleeping places at different heights. They need opportunities to be able to escape from each other when they want to.
Lastly, keep in mind that cats are very territorial and this process could take weeks or even months. Even when you think they are settling in together, it may not wise to give them free range for several months when there is no one at home. Put the addition back in a room on his own until someone is there to keep an eye on them.
You will need to put a lot of time and patience into this but if it works it will be worth it. You'll have a happy home with two cats that get on with each other.
Recently my dog developed and itch on the upper part of her belly, when she stands up its almost as is she feels something biting her and darts from the spot to get away, i found a couple fleas on her but then gave her a thurough flea bath and she has been getting the over the counter flea and tick killer/treater for the past 4 months, she has little blackish/brown specks on her belly but again i havent found maybe 4 fleas on her and i check her over everytime i get my hands on her, any ideas what this could be, its killing me to see her like this and not be able to do anything. please help!
A good way to test if she has fleas is to put some water on the specks that you have found. A moist tissue will work. If it comes away stained red, it's fleas, as the specks are dried blood, flea poo!
If you have found four fleas on her, there are going to be quite a few more that you've not spotted. The person who said that the fleas will be in bedding, carpeting, etc is correct as fleas only go on an animal to feed, they live and breed in your soft furnishings. They can lay up to 50 eggs a day, so you can see, if you have even one flea, you have a problem!
Over the counter flea killers are not normally very effective as fleas build up a resistance to the ingredients quite quickly and so they become useless. Your vet should be able to recommend the best to get. There are also flea growth retardents, which stop the eggs from hatching. However, the problem with these is that as the incubation period can be rather long, (up to eight months), you would need to spray every couple of weeks to stop the problem, which could get expensive.
A natural way to get rid of them is to use salt. Sprinkling salt on your carpets etc will dry out the eggs so that they won't hatch. This would need to be done and vacuumed every three days for at least nine days as flea eggs hatch every three days. Nine days would take you through a fleas life cycle. As above though, the incubation period is very long so would need to be taken into account. I can't guarantee how effective salt would be but it does avoid chemicals and cost.
If your dog does have a flea allergy, one flea is all it takes. If it gets any worse with symptoms like licking herself into raw patches, scratching herself raw etc, she will need to see a vet as she then becomes at risk to secondary skin infections which will need antibiotic cream. Bath her regularly whilst dealing with the flea problem as this does get rid of some of the fleas and can sooth her skin. But the longer you leave the problem, the worse it is going to get.
I was instructed to give my dog hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting and I gave him way too much. Now he is vomiting blood. I can't afford to go to a Vet, but I am extremely concerned. Is this life threatening or is there something I can do at home for him?
Who instructed you to give an animal hydrogen peroxide to swallow? This is extremely dangerous and potentially life threatening. If a dog needs to be made to vomit, and it would have to be a serious problem if this were the case, there are other ways to do this without causing further harm to him.
Whether you can afford it or not, your dog needs to see a vet asap, or you may not have a dog much longer. Vomiting blood is not a good sign, please stop treating him yourself and get him to a vet?
My 1yr old german shepard puppy scratches her hair off and creates scabbed up bald spots, but when we check her, she does not have fleas.
She is an inside dog so she hasnt been exposed too much to the outside unless its to go potty and thats it.
We dont hve the cash to take her to the vet just yet, but i was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what it could be.
could it be psycological? mites?
does anyone know of any over the counter or department store medicines that could help ease her itch and heal her sores??
desperate
It could certainly be due to allergies, food, environment, shampoo etc and all of the previous suggestions are really good and these should always be checked first.
However, I just wanted to ask something. You say she is a 1 year old GSH who is an indoor dog. How much exercise does she get and does she have loads of playtime. Sometimes animals will lick themselves raw through boredom or stress. GSD's need a fair amount of exercise and, as they are an intelligent breed, a lot of intellectual stimulus as well.
If you try all the allergy advice first, Wafcol Salmon and Potato is an excellent anti allergenic food and comes in different sizes,but if the problem persists, you may have to consider the alternative. There are playballs where you put dog treats inside and the dog has to work out how to get them out. It can keep them occupied for hours. The best exercise though would be taking her for walks a couple of times a day. If this is not possible, throwing toys for her to chase could substitute this.
I've included a couple of websites that give other suggestions for indoor exercise.
http://www.helium.com/knowledge/42401-indoor-exercise-for-dogs
http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-activities/dog-exercise/article_21216.aspx
Okay, so my family has a 4 year old female yellow lab. She is a part of our family but is locked in the kitchen when we have to go out or when we go to sleep. Many times lately my parents have walked her at let's say 4 then at 6 found a little puddle of pee on the floor. She is trained not to and these past few months have been the first time since she was only a small puppy. My mom called the vet and the vet told her it is probably just the dog being spiteful. Now my parents are getting fed up and saying that they are giving her away soon. I love my dog so much but I don't know what to do to make her stop peeing on the floor. Help?
I very much doubt the dog is being spiteful as that is a human emotion and alien to dogs. Generally when dogs urinate indoors it is either because they have a medical problem or they are trying to tell you something.
If she has not actually been seen by the vet, I would suggest having her checked out first to rule out medical issues. It could be a UTI and easily treated. I would however, consult a different vet to the one who gave the diagnosis of spite. To say that shows a distinct lack of professionalism and lack of insight.
If there is no underlying medical cause, you will need to look at what is bothering her. Have there been any changes lately that could have unsettled her? Different people in the house, different furniture, decorating, other animals etc?
Is she spending too much time alone and is feeling isolated? Dogs are pack animals and do not do well on their own. A human family becomes its pack and wants to be with them, where it feels safe. A stray dog will usually find others of it's kind to become a pack. This is a basic instinct that you could (unknowingly) be depriving her from fulfilling.
Any of this would be enough for her to mark her territory in an effort to make herself feel a little happier with her surroundings.
I can understand your parents becoming fed up with this problem but investigations should be made before making any final decision.
In the meantime, spend as much time with her as possible, take her for walks regularly so that she can empty her bladder. Make a fuss of her and play with her, let her feel loved and secure and that may do the trick.
i have a pet duck that i would like to housebreak. he comes inside with me and lays in my bed and on the couch with me and it would be nice if we could do that without him crapping all the time. someone told me that you can use cat litter and train it like that. does anyone else have any other ideas? thanks!
I've found this web site which may give you some useful information on house ducks. It also lists house geese so you'll need to scroll past that section.
http://www.thegoosesmother.com/
I have a persian kitten [verry fluffy and full of fur] of course every animal has fleas but we never rally had a problem with ours. Well Lacey, the cat, has them horribly bad and we have given her baths over and over again. got the flea collar. the flea comb. the flea killer stuff to put on her neck. but none of them have been working bc she is still FULL of them! We even gave her a haircut amd she looks like a rat. shes bleeding because of the fleas and everyoen in the family at our household has flea bites. Any help on a HUGE flea problem???
Fleas don't live on the animal, they just use them for transport and food. They are living in your soft furnishings, carpets etc and breed prolifically.
You need to tackle both problems at the same time. Get a really good flea killer, if you can, Skoosh is brilliant, non toxic and safe around animals. You should treat your kitten at the same time with a good flea killer. Check with your vet if you've used a variety of flea killers on her as too many could have a nasty effect at her age.
As fleas can hibernate in your soft furnishings for some months, you should keep this two pronged attack on them going. Even in winter now, with central heating, fleas can be a problem.
Once your house and the kitten are free from fleas, keep the house clear and the kitten should be a lot better. If you use something like Frontline on her once a month, you should never see a flea on her again.
My brother has come to live with us for a bit then he's moving to the other side of the country. But he has a dog and she's staying with us because he can't take her. But the problem is, she only listens to and obeys him. She'll behave around him and then when he's not around she'll become aggressive. Now, she has bitten my brother twice before but that was only when she was around food. But she's so unpredictable. She was in the garage and my cat walked by and the dog walked up, sniffed him, then tried biting him. I was so afraid she was going to hurt him. So how do I get her to STOP being aggressive towards people, animals, and to stop being food aggressive?
She has been around other dogs before, so she's pretty social. Even with cats. Oh yeah, and another question is, how do I get her to listen to me, too? She only listens to my brother and when he's around she wouldn't try to bite my cat. So..yeah. :/
If you are able to buy clickers where you live, you could try one. They work on the theory of rewarding good behaviour and ignoring the bad.
If the dog does something good, you use the clicker, then give it a special treat, like a piece of sausage. Ignore any bad behaviour as though the dog were not there. (You may want to keep the cat out of the way whilst starting this training). The dog will soon understand that the clicking noise relates to a treat and what she was doing at the time. She should then start to become more co-operative and obedient.
A dog's relationship with food is rather intense, and in the wild, other than the Alpha dog, they will generally have to fight for their share. If you feed her dry food, try feeding her by hand initially, as this will let her understand that you are connected with the giving of food and not the removal of it. Never tease her with it and as she gradually learns to trust you around her food, you could let the dog and cat eat their own food in the same room at the same time, supervised of course. She should then learn that the cat is not a threat or competition either.
At the moment she responds to your brother as the Alpha dog in her pack and she needs to learn that in his absence she is not the one who is going to take over. Again, this is instinct, as with the fighting for food. In a pack, there are usually quite vicious fights to establish the pecking order. Obviously you cannot do this, but with the reward system, you should gently be able to encourage her into thinking your way.
You may need to muzzle her in public for a while if you are taking her for a walk, as if she is aggressive outside, you could lose her.
Don't expect to be able to retrain her instantly. Depending on how old she is, she has had a long time to get used to being the way she is.
You will need to bond with her, so don't shout at her or hit her, as this will only make her afraid of you and more defensive. You need to win her trust that as the new Alpha dog, you will protect her if she feels there is a need.
Dogs are quite complex animals and we are only just beginning to realise how emotional they are. She's probably feeling a little disorientated by the move and she's more than likely picking up that something is going on but doesn't know what. So she's become defensive. She needs lots of reassurance, love, walks, treats and training. With patience you should have a valuable new member of the family.
I bought this dwarf hamster that has been at my house for about a week now, and she bites EVERYONE. She never did this before. My older sister has known her since she was born in her biology class, and she never bit anyone. Why does she do this, and how can I stop it?
She also doesn't get along with this other hamster we bought two days ago. We put the two hamsters face-to-face to introduce them to each other, and when nothing happened, we put them in the same cage and the one that's been here for a week went nuts. It was like a hamster smack-down... What can I do to stop this, too?
Hamsters are solitary animals and territorial, they don't like to share their space. If you keep them together, things are likely to get a lot worse. You could end up losing one of them. The only time hamsters will be fine sharing a cage is when they are very young or have a mother with babies. Even a male and female hamster don't want to live together.
Adults should have their own cages and be handled every day to prevent them from getting nippy.
I have a 3 year old cockapoo, 20 pounds, female
She keeps shivering and shaking, even if we keep her in a blankets and bedding. Her nose is fairly warm. Besides this, she's acting like herself. When she's playing and romping around she won't shiver. Do I need to take her to the vet? Thank you very much.
Dogs will shiver and shake if they have a back or neck injury as this seems to bother them more than any other.
They will also do this if they have been frightened, feel nervous or are of a timid nature.
The other reason is if they are cold. Even if they are wrapped up, it could take half an hour to an hour for them to feel warm enough to stop shaking. As you say she's fine when she's playing, it sounds as though you can rule out injury and the exercise would warm her up. If she's been recently clipped, it is very likely the cold that is affecting her. You could look at getting her a dog coat to keep her warm and not have her clipped again until the weather improves.
If she still shows signs of shivering if you do keep her warm, she starts to look unhappy or shows other symptoms of ill health, she needs to see a vet. You could always call and ask to speak to someone just to be safe. It's never worth taking a chance with an animal's health and well being.