Living with a Dog: News and Views
Tips and guidance on sharing your home - and your existence - with your best friend.


March 16, 2009

Everything About Pet Adoption Fees

Filed under: News and Views - 16 Mar 2009 from author

Pet adoption fees are being collected during the adoption fees.  Whether it is a pet adoption from shelters or from rescue groups, adoption fees range from $75 dollars to $200 dollars.  There has been numerous debates over pet adoption fees. 

People who are giving up their pet for adoption think that their pets is not up for adoption but for sale.Many of us have the opinion that it is not ethical to charge for and animal which is homeless or is going to be homeless.  Some people interpret that shelters and rescue groups are in it for the money, rather than looking for the best suitable home for their beloved pets. 

There are even arguments  from people saying that the range of the adoption fee is to high,  something between $20 to $50 dollars will be suitable enough for “homeless” animals.As higher the fees of adoption is, as larger we make concept that people and organizations are trying to get more and more money from the buyers pocket. 

But there are realistic reasons for charging an adoption fee.  Adoption fees make sure that animals are going to suitable, responsible and secure homes.  It is a sad reality that there are dog fighting rings and animals can be used as bait to train fighting dogs.  Giving away animals can make these “homeless” animals more vulnerable to abuse. 

Paying adoption fees also shows commitment.If there are some people who are not in position to pay the adoption fees of the pet’s, is it possible that they can afford to provide other needs of the pet.  Pets do not only requires attention and time, but also they require financial responsibility.  Aside from food, grooming and day-to-day needs, there are also regular veterinary check-ups and vaccines that needs to be done. 

Pet adoption fees do not go to people’s pockets for personal use.  Pet adoption fees cover the operating expenses, pet care, medical bills and so forth.  In most cases, adoption fees may also fall short of the actual expenses. 

Pet adoption fee is sometimes determined by the vetting cost.  This include vaccinations (for puppies normally it takes over a period of 6 weeks to 16 weeks) and spay/neuter.Even adoptable animals at times require tooth removal or surgery or cleaning of the teeth.  Still, shelters and rescue groups do not overcharge and still go with the normal fee. 

For animal rescue groups, their adoption fees are usually higher than that of shelters.  Shelters often have relationship with rescue groups, they ask rescue groups to take responsibility for animals that they cannot afford to pay for the vetting cost. 

There are people who are doing the adoption process personally without shelter or animal rescue organization help to ensure that their pets will be taken to a good home.  Individual pet owners may charge adoption fee since there are times that they include kennel, food dishes, toys, bedding and other pet accessories before adopting.Some may need the fee of adoption to cover the cost of vetting as they have incurred. 

Why animal rescue groups charge higher fees than shelters is that are volunteers that provide care and training for animals using their own personal finances.  Rescue groups do not have corporate backing.  Rescuers use their funds for looking the best possible match,  setting up transports, calling adopting family prospects and reference checks. 

Pet adoption fees are justified by having a healthy companion or additional family member.  Let’s remember that pets are not toys to be discarded when we are already done with playing them.

The sad truth is since we are living in a material world, pets without value are considered disposable.

March 15, 2009

Finding The Pet Adoption Portal For You

Filed under: News and Views - 15 Mar 2009 from author

For many people, finding an appropriate pet adoption portal is the only thing that stands in the way of them getting a new pet. They are the kind of men who already wish to have pets, love pets, want to get ready for taking care for a pet, and are only looking towards various ways to get to the pets they wish to have.

For those who are not interested in purchasing pets from any pet store, their opportunity for having pets are threefold: through pet shelters, through rescue organizations, and through the different websites.

Volunteers run the rescue organizations with the objective of saving pets from the threats that these poor animals are forced to face when they are left on the road to fend and wander in the cities. These rescue organizations aim to cut down on the near 70% of animals that get killed yearly due to harsh conditions and overpopulation. These rescue organizations help nurse these dogs and cats back to life, and help find suitable homes that will adopt them. Their team of expert volunteers and counsellors offer both compatibility assessment and adoption counselling to help facilitate the entire process.

These rescue organizations, because they prefer to be able to save as many animals as possible, would prefer individuals to return the pets they adopted if, for any reason, they feel it is not the right pet for them. Having conversation with the volunteers at the organization might help in getting the appropriate dog you always wanted. each year these rescue organizations provide home for 21 to 30% or purebreds, making these places attractive and similar to the other places where you search for pets.

Animal shelters provide the same sort of service to rescue organizations, because they want to provide animals all the care and support they need to survive. There are a huge number of animal shelters in existence, so it’s important to check whether the shelter you are approaching is good or bad. Good shelters provide animals with a clean, sanitary environment, and captivity conditions that will not constrict reasonable movement where they are kept. Quite a few animal shelters also suggest that you should have a pet that has been sterilized previously.

This is to avoid instances when individuals want only one pet, and end up having one pet with 5 to 7 offspring. Shelters want to be able to get pets to care for off their hands and into better homes, and giving one for adoption in return for having to accept the 5 or 7 offspring it will be have is not commensurate. Inquire about the mandatory sterilization and if it is suggested for your pet. However, if you intend to grow a pet and its young through generations in the family, inform the shelter that you do not wish the pet sterilized before it is released to you.

The last portal you can make use of is the internet. With the advent of the growing consumer awareness through online information channels, the internet has made it easier to disseminate information and provide access to the same. There are websites online exclusively designed to accommodate those who wish to adopt pets.

The mechanism that is underlying the entire system is that the website accepts only listings for pets open for adoption and not any other listing. This helps keep the message that the facility is only to help make adoptions possible.

This pet adoption portal may prove to be effective especially for those who have very little time in their hands to visit shelters by themselves.

March 14, 2009

Discover Common Triggers For Fear Aggression In Dogs

Filed under: News and Views - 14 Mar 2009 from author

Let me ask you a simple question.  Do you know the triggers for fear aggression in dogs?  If not, then you need to read this article to learn more about this type of canine aggression.

Fear Aggression In Dogs

This is one of the most frustrating types of dog behavior problems.  Your dog may not hate all strangers; just certain ones.  He may hate all men, or just men wearing hats, or men with beards.  He may absolutely detest kids under five, but older children are fine.  He may be fine with strangers outside the home, or he may bark at anyone who walks by the house.  

You can use dog behavior modification techniques to desensitize your dog to strangers.  But in order to do so, you need to identify exactly what it is about a stranger that’s scaring him.

Common Triggers For Canine Aggression In Fearful Dogs

Men often seem more threatening to a nervous dog than women do.  They’re bigger, their voices are deeper and louder, they may have beards or moustaches, they may wear hats.  Men have a more direct way about them.  They make eye contact more directly, too.  Sometimes a man may remind your dog of someone who scared him or abused him in the past.

A group of children may be enough to scare a nervous dog into a show of aggression.  Their voices are high-pitched, and they move quickly and unexpectedly.  They’re sometimes attached to scary things like skateboards and roller blades.Small children are often accompanied by noisy toys, which can be frightening to a dog who’s already fearful.  

Kids also have a tendency to grab dogs with no warning and hug them.  This can be dangerous with an unfamiliar dog.  Most dogs don’t like to be hugged anyway.  Teach your children never to hug a dog, especially one they don’t know.

Any dog finds it threatening if someone makes prolonged eye contact with him.  This is especially true with a nervous, fearful dog.  Avoid looking a strange dog directly in the eye.  Look down or to the side instead.

Someone who’s just walking down the street fast or very slowly can be scary, too, especially if they appear to be coming right at your dog.  Anything out of the ordinary can be unsettling for him.

Out of the ordinary movements, like somebody waving their arms around, or jumping up and down will also catch a nervous dog’s eye.An unfamiliar smell on a stranger, like cigars or beer, may frighten a nervous dog, too.

Sometimes it’s not something as obvious as any of these things. You’ll need to spend some time watching your dog and making notes of which trigger, or combination of triggers cause him to display fear-based aggression towards strangers.

Dog Behavior Modification Can Help

Punishing a dog who displays canine aggression towards strangers doesn’t work.  Dogs learn by associating things.  So punishing a dog who’s already aggressive towards strangers only serves to teach the dog that strangers really are bad.He thinks that he gets punished whenever a stranger shows up, so he becomes even more aggressive with strangers.

What you need to do is to desensitize your dog to strangers.  You do this by associating strangers with good things, like tasty treats.  Dog behavior modification is a long, slow training process that can’t be rushed.

A good dog training course can be worth its weight in gold when working with a fearful dog.  When looking at courses, you’ll want to choose one that has lots of good testimonials from dog owners who have used the course material.  It’s also important to find a course that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.  Another essential feature you’ll appreciate is a dog owner forum where you can ask questions, and talk to other dog owners who have solved the same problem with their dogs.

This is the easiest way you’ll find to to deal with fear aggression in dogs.

Visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about fear aggression in dogs.

March 13, 2009

The Truth About The Dog Chewing Problem

Filed under: News and Views - 13 Mar 2009 from author

If you’re interested in finding a way to fix the dog chewing problem, then this guide will show you how. In particular, we are going to talk about why your dog chews, how you can give him something more suitable to chew (to redirect his attention), and why you should never punish your dog for chewing. By the time you have read this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of how you can stop your dog chewing.

Before you can stop dog chewing problems, you need to know why your dog has the desire to chew things. Firstly, chewing is a natural behavior which all dogs have. However, some types of dog are more inclined to develop a chewing habit.

One of the most common reasons why your dog will start chewing things more is because they’re feeling bored or lonely. Similar to how humans “comfort eat”, a dog will “comfort chew”. To put it simply: Your dog feels comforted by chewing.

Another reason why your dog may chew is because he is under exercised. Compulsive behaviors like chewing are usually caused by a lack of exercise.

So what is the cure for a chewing problem? The fastest and easiest solution is to give your dog something more fun to chew. If the biggest problem is that your dog is chewing your shoes, clothes, or even furniture, you can simply buy him a new dog chew toy. If your dog doesn’t have many toys, you may have to buy a few different kinds to work out which type of toy your dog prefers.

When you have found a fun toy for your dog to play with, offer it to him to take his attention away from chewing. You can also make a game of it and play with him for 15 minutes or so, to have some extra fun.

The important thing to remember is to give him some attention so he doesn’t feel bored or lonely. Try to give your dog regular exercise to burn off his excess energy, and cut down on the compulsive urge to start chewing or digging.

Finally, it’s critical for you to understand that you should never punish or yell at your dog for chewing. Remember, it is a perfectly natural behavior for a dog to have. Chewing is what dogs do! Instead, you need to focus on redirecting his attention so he doesn’t form a destructive and compulsive habit like chewing, digging or howling.

Primarily, make sure your dog is getting enough exercise, and that he isn’t left alone for long periods of time during the day. Just like us humans, it really doesn’t take very long at all for your dog to start feeling bored or lonely with regular contact with other dogs or people.

In conclusion, we have talked about what you can do to relieve the dog chewing problem. We’ve covered why dogs like to chew, how to redirect his attention with toys, and why your dog doesn’t deserve to be punished for displaying a natural behavior. Now that you’ve read this guide, you should have a few ideas about how you can stop your dog from chewing.

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