Top Dog Breeds: Poodle

#8 Poodle
--Toy/Miniature Poodle

Top Dog Breeds: Rottweiler

#9 Rottweiler

Top Dog Breeds: Dachashund

#10 Dacshund

Best and Worst Food for Cats and Dogs

Best Pet Foods              Average Star Rating

Authority ------------------------------------------★★★★☆

Avoderm-------------------------------------------★★★★☆

Blue Buffalo Wilderness-------------------------★★★★★

Breeder’s choice----------------------------------★★★★☆

Castor & Pollux-----------------------------------★★★★★

Dogswell Nutrisca--------------------------------★★★★★

Eukanuba------------------------------------------★★★★★

EVO------------------------------------------------★★★★★

Halo------------------------------------------------★★★★☆

Hill's------------------------------------------------★★★★★

I and Love and You------------------------------★★★★★

Innova----------------------------------------------★★★★★

Merrick---------------------------------------------★★★★★

Nature’s Recipe-----------------------------------★★★★★

Nature’s Variety Instinct-------------------------★★★★★

Nutro------------------------------------------------★★★★★

Organix----------------------------------------------★★★★★

Royal Canin----------------------------------------★★★★★

Science Diet----------------------------------------★★★★★

Simply nourish-------------------------------------★★★☆☆

Solid Gold Barking at the Moon-----------------★★★★★

Wellness Core--------------------------------------★★★★★

Worst Pet foods

(Reported deaths, illnesses or repeated recalls)

Purina(especially Beneful and Purina One)

Iams

Bravo!

Steve’s Real Raw Pet Foods

Ol’ Roy

Alpo

Gravey Train

Kasel

Bil-Jac

Diamond

Pedigree

Any food that is vegan is deadly. Dogs and cats are carnivores and NEED meat to stay healthy.

Any pet food that is sold in a grocery store is generally unsafe or not healthy for your pet.

Whenever you buy a new food or treats, check to see where it was made. Most food that comes from countries other than the US is generally unsafe, especially food and treats from china.

Recalled Pet Treats

Canyon Creek

Milo’s Kitchen

Merrick Dog Treats

Carousal Dog Treats

Hartz Natrual Beef

Nature’s Jerky Treats

Dogsbutter – Peanut butter for dogs

Yoghound Frozen Yogurt

Charlee Bear

**There is a current warning out for all jerky treats, they are causing many deaths and the reason is unknown**

Item Review

Proplan Cat food
Weight Management: ★★★☆☆
Urinary Tract: ★★★☆☆

I'm switching from Purina's Proplan food too Merrick for my cats. Purina is an all around bad brand that kills a lot of animals. Proplan is one of their better foods but I still don't trust it. My two rescue cats were being fed Proplan when I adopted them. One of them is in love with Proplan, if I tried to feed him something else he would just cry and cry.

I adopted Tabatha already very fat and I've been trying to get her to lose weight. Nelson is perfectly healthy and would eat anything so I put him on this food as well. I didn't notice any change with this food. Tabatha didn't lose any weight, in fact, she actually gained a little.

One of my cats gets crystals in her bladder. She was on Science Diet C/D but it was expensive and the other cats were eating Proplan anyway so I switched Anny to Proplan Urinary Tract. Anny gets crystals in her bladder easily but she didn't get any with this food. Her coat wasn't as shiny and was slightly dull and brittle. She's still in great health but doesn't seem quiet right on this food. I gave it three stars because it prevented her from getting crystals. 

Proplan was an okay food but I don't want my cats eating it any longer. I'll review Merrick Cat food after they start eating it. 

Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering Your Pets

A spay is, the removal of the ovaries and uterus in female animals. A neuter is the castration or removal of the testicals in male animals. These seem like major surgeries but in reality have a quicker recovery time and are less painful than if the same procedure was done on a human. Spaying and neutering your pet will enhance their life as long as yours. A dog that has been spayed or neutered should live 1 - 3 years longer than a dog that still has it's sexual organs. A spayed or Neutered cat lives an average of 3 - 5 years longer than one that hasn't. Here are some other great reasons to spay or neuter your pets. (SPAYING AND NEUTERING BENEFITS DO NOT APPLY TO JUST CATS AND DOGS)

Pros:

Females (Spay)

- Reduced risk of mammary cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer

- Longer lifespan

- No heat cycles (making them less desirable to males) 

- Reduced roaming desire

- No contribution to the already over populated species (also reducing the number of animals in shelters)

- Reduces aggressiveness and tendency to bite

Males (Neuter)

- Reduced risk of testicular cancer and prostate cancer

- Eliminates or reduces humping and desire to mate

- Eliminates or reduces spraying and marking

- Reduces aggressiveness and tendency to bite 

- Reduced roaming desire

- No contribution to the already over populated species (also reducing the number of animals in shelters)

- Longer lifespan

- Easier to train

Cons:

- None

The best time to spay a female is before her first heat. The best time to spay a male is widely debated but generally within the first year of his life. A spay or neuter can be preformed anytime after 8 weeks of age. 

Common misconceptions and FAQ

1. "My pet will become fat."
Too much food and lack of exercise makes a pet fat. If you monitor food intake and provide exercise, your pets will stay trim.
"He's purebred so he can't be fixed."
Purebreds and their offspring also end up homeless in shelters. Purebreds not spayed or neutered can also contribute to the problem of overpopulation.
"I will find good homes for all of the kittens (or puppies)."
If each of the great homes ready to welcome your pet's offspring would instead adopt from a shelter, they-and you-could potentially save the lives of deserving animals waiting for a new home.
"My pet is so special I want another pet just like her."
There is no guarantee that puppies and kittens will inherit their parents' best qualities. In fact, they may just as easily inherit the worst qualities.

2. Top 3 Reasons to Spay and Neuter
It helps to reduce companion animal overpopulation. Most countries have a surplus of companion animals and are forced to euthanize or disregard their great suffering. The surplus is in the millions in the United States. Cats are 45 times as prolific, and dogs 15 times as prolific, as humans. They do not need our help to expand their numbers; they need our help to reduce their numbers until there are good homes for them all.
Sterilization of your cat or dog will increase his/her chance of a longer and healthier life. Altering your canine friend will increase his life an average of 1 to 3 years, felines, 3 to 5 years. Altered animals have a very low to no risk of mammary gland tumors/cancer, prostate cancer, perianal tumors, pyometria, and uterine, ovarian and testicular cancers.
Sterilizing your cat/dog makes him/her a better pet, reducing his/her urge to roam and decreasing the risk of contracting diseases or getting hurt as they roam. Surveys indicate that as many as 85% of dogs hit by cars are unaltered. Intact male cats living outside have been shown to live on average less than two years. Feline Immunodeficiency Syndrome is spread by bites and intact cats fight a great deal more than altered cats.
Additional Benefits:
Your community will also benefit. Unwanted animals are becoming a very real concern in many places. Stray animals can easily become a public nuisance, soiling parks and streets, ruining shrubbery, frightening children and elderly people, creating noise and other disturbances, causing automobile accidents, and sometimes even killing livestock or other pets. 
- The American Veterinary Medical Association
The capture, impoundment and eventual destruction of unwanted animals costs taxpayers and private humanitarian agencies over a billion dollars each year. As a potential source of rabies and other less serious diseases, they can be a public health hazard. 
- The American Veterinary Medical Association

3.When can I have this procedure done?
Both procedures can safely be performed at as early as 8 weeks of age. American Humane Association is a strong proponent of juvenile or pediatric spay/neuter since it is both healthy for pets and effectively reduces pet overpopulation.

Why should I have my pet neutered?

Animal shelters, both public and private, are faced with an incredible burden: What to do with the overpopulation of dogs and cats that they cannot find homes for? Approximately 3.7 million animals are euthanized at shelters each year, due to the sheer fact that there are not enough willing adopters. Having your pet spayed or neutered ensures that you will not be adding to this tremendous burden.

What are some of the health and behavioral benefits?

Through neutering, you can help your dog or cat live a happier, healthier, longer life. Spaying eliminates the constant crying and nervous pacing of a female cat in heat. Spaying a female dog also eliminates the messiness associated with the heat cycle

Neutering of male dogs and cats can prevent certain undesirable sexual behaviors, such as urine marking, humping, male aggression and the urge to roam. If you have more than one pet in your household, all the pets will generally get along better if they are neutered.

A long-term benefit of spaying and neutering is improved health for both cats and dogs. Spaying females prior to their first heat cycle nearly eliminates the risk of breast cancer and totally prevents uterine infections and uterine cancer. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and enlargement of the prostate gland, and greatly reduces their risk for perianal tumors.

Neutering just costs too much!

The cost of caring for a pet, including providing veterinary care, should be considered before acquiring an animal. Many animal shelters offer low-cost spay/neuter services, and there are also many low-cost spay/neuter clinics across the country. To find low-cost options in your area, call your local animal shelter. The reality is that the cost associated with providing adequate care for just one litter of puppies or kittens is often more than the cost of spaying or neutering. The cost of feeding, worming and first vaccinations for a litter can be upwards of $200 to $300. You must also consider that there could be complications with the birth that require hospitalization or surgery. You will also be faced with finding good homes for the offspring yourself or placing more animals into your local shelter. The cost of the well-being of not just your companion animal, but of future generations, should be considered.

Can't I allow my purebred dog to have just one litter?

Mixed breed or purebred -- there just aren’t enough homes. Purebred animals also often end up in shelters. In fact, 25 percent of shelter dogs are purebreds. Responsible purebred breeders have homes for their potential litters before they breed.

I don't even own a pet! Why is this my problem?

All of us are affected by animal overpopulation. Millions of tax dollars are spent annually to shelter and care for stray, abandoned and unwanted pets. Much of that money is spent to euthanize these animals when homes cannot be found. Human health is threatened by the danger of transmittable diseases (including rabies), animal bites and attacks. Property may be damaged and livestock killed when pets roam in search of food. Animal waste is proving to be a serious environment hazard, fouling yards and parks. It is only when all of us assume the responsibility for pet overpopulation that we will see any decrease in the problem.

Isn't it wrong to deprive an animal of the natural right to reproduce?

No, it’s wrong to allow these animals to reproduce millions of unwanted offspring that are eventually killed because there aren’t enough responsible homes.

If I find homes for my pet's litters, then I won't contribute to the problem, right?

Wrong. Only a finite number of people want pets. So every home you find for your pet’s offspring takes away a home from a loving animal already at a shelter.

Shouldn't every female pet have at least one litter before being spayed?

No. In fact, your pet will be healthier if she never sexually matures.

Shouldn't children experience the miracle of birth?

No. A more important lesson to teach your children would be responsible pet ownership and concern for life by explaining why their pet should not have babies.

Doesn't neutering alter an animal's personality?

No. Personality changes that may result from neutering are for the better. Not being distracted by the instinctual need to find a mate helps your pet stop roaming and decreases aggressive tendencies.

Won't animal shelters take care of the surplus animals?

No. Shelters do their best to place animals in loving homes, but the number of homeless animals far exceeds the number of willing adopters. This leaves many loving and healthy animals in our community that must be euthanized as the only humane solution to this tragic dilemma. Only spaying and neutering can end the overpopulation problem.

Credit:

1.http://www.paws.org/why-spay-neuter.html

2.http://www.spayusa.org/benefits.php

3.http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-your-pet/spaying-neutering.html

Conure Care

Conure Facts

Conures are a small type of parrot. They aren’t good at mimicking but can learn to say simple words.

There are 26 different types of Conures you can own but the Green Cheek Conure and Sun Conures are the most common.  Conures are available in a variety of colors and patterns like the Jenday Conure, Nanday Conure, and Cherry Headed Conure.

The average Conure life span is 15-35 years.

Conures reach full length at 8 weeks but should continue to fill out until 6 months of age. They will reach 10-12 inches and length and should weigh between 100 and 130 grams.

A Conure won’t get all of it’s colors until 18 months to 2 years of age.

Conures are diurnal meaning they’re awake during the day.

Feeding

Pelleted foods are important for all birds. Pelleted food should make up 70% of a Conures diet with fruits, vegetables, and grains making up the other 30%.

Cooked Grains:  Amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat, hulless barley, kamut, millet, quinoa, spelt, tuff, whole oats, and wild rice.

Cooked Legumes: Adzuki, lentils, mung, and sprouting peas

Fruit: Any type of berries, apples, apricot, banana, cherries, figs, grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, limes, mango, melons, nectarines, oranges, papaya, pears, pineapple, and pomegranates

Vegetables: Acorn, beet root, bokchoy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, cactus leaf, carrot tops, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chayote squash, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, corn, cucumber, dandelion greens, endive, escarole, green beans, green peppers,  jicama, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, okra, peas, pumpkin, radish,  red peppers, romaine, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, turnip greens, zucchini

Seeds: Almonds, canary grass seed, nyger, oat groats, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, red millet, rolled barley, safflower seed, shelled peanuts, sunflower seeds, white millet, and whole wheat

Other foods: Cooked eggs, corn bread, peanut butter (creamy), sprouted seeds, and whole wheat pasta

Dangerous foods: Alcohol, avocados, caffeine, chocolate, dairy products (besides yogurt), fruit pits, fruit seeds, fruit rinds, garlic, mayonnaise products, onions, peanuts, raw meats, rhubarb, salty/sugary foods, uncooked beans, and uncooked rice

Housing

Provide your conure with the largest possible cage.

Minimum cage size is 20Wx20Hx20L with bars 3/8” apart.

Conures need a variety of perches. It’s best to provide your bird with different size perches. Different size perches help stretch birds’ feet and prevent arthritis.

Provide your conure with a nesting box to sleep in.

Conures need as many toys as possible! Conures with a variety of toys are healthier and smarter than those without them. Toys should not have lead, zinc, or galvanized parts because they can cause medical problems in canaries.

Cages need to be placed away from drafts, heater vents, and open windows.

Cover the cage at night to prevent drafts, keep the birds warm, and keep them on a timed schedule.

Cages should never be placed in a kitchen as Teflon, smoke, and strong odors can be deadly to them.

Cages, perches, and toys should be disinfected once a month. Food and water bowls should be cleaned daily or as needed.

Behavior & Grooming

Conures are social animals and need to be handled for several hours every day. Conures aren’t good at mimicking but can learn simple phrases or sounds.

Conures can be housed with other conures of the same sex but they need time to adjust to each other.  Not all birds are guaranteed to like each other.

Conures can have their wings clipped but it is up to you. Vets and some pets stores will clip wings for you but it is extremely easy to do yourself if you know how to do it right.

Bathe your conure at least once a week in lukewarm water or by using a spray bottle.

Toenails need to kept short or canaries can injure their feet and legs.  Exotic vets will trim nails or you can do it by yourself.  Research how to trim nails before doing it. Be careful not to hit the quick as small animals can easily bleed to death. Bleeding can by stopped with styptic powder. If that doesn’t stop the bleeding you can light a match, blow it out, and immediately press the match onto the toenail to cauterize the bleeding.