What Everybody Needs To Know About Pet Safe Plants

Title: What Everybody Needs To Know About Pet Safe Plants
Author: Darlene Berkel

What Everybody Needs To Know About Pet Safe Plants
House plants and pets sometimes do not mix very well. If
you love to have your home in bloom all year around, then
you need to be careful about the plants you select if you
intend to also keep a pet. Some plants can make pets ill
if they eat the leaves some can even be fatal.

There are plants that are relatively safe for animals, you
just need to do a little research before you buy. Choose
only plants that are relatively free from insects, and that
are in good condition. Try to buy only from nurseries that
do not use pesticides, or at least that try to use as
little pesticide as possible.

Extra caution is required since many common species that
you may assume to be pet friendly plants are actually
potentially harmful to animals. There is a large number of
plants, actually more than eighty varieties of common
plants, shrubs, and trees that are potentially harmful to
your pets. Popular and attractive plants such as lilies,
tulip and narcissus bulbs, azaleas, rhododendrons and yew
are actually harmful for your pets. If a pet chews on the
branches, stems or roots of plants like these, then they
can suffer some rather unpleasant symptoms.

Seasonal Decorations Aren't Always Pet Friendly

Pet friendly plants are a welcome addition both inside and
outside of the house. They add grace and beauty, and serve
the purposes of making a house a home, but it is important
to ensure that they are not harmful in any way. Warning:
Do not grow any member of the chili pepper family if you
have pets. The reason this may be harmful for your pets is
that they all contain capsicum, the chemical that makes
peppers hot, and which is an irritant to skin and eyes.

The holiday season can be a dangerous time for animals too.
Holly, while attractive to humans, can make animals ill if
eaten in large quantities. Mistletoe is also bad for pets
causing nausea, diarrhea, and sometimes hallucinations and
even death. If you have a pet, take extra care and use
fake plastic mistletoe instead of the real thing.

Try not to grow thorny or spiny plants if you have pets, as
these can cause injury. Also, keep your pet away from
indoor lime trees as their foliage contains terpene.

The best thing to do would be to keep plants high up, away
from pets or not have them at all if your pet likes to try
to jump or climb.

About the Author:

Visit http://www.every1loves2travel.com for great pet
travel resources and helpful tips for finding pet friendly
lodging. Remember: pets love to travel too!

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Labrador Puppies For Hunting

Article Title: Labrador Puppies For Hunting
Author: Anna Hart

Labrador Retrievers have become the most popular dogs in the
United States. Having reached the top, they have stayed there
for a number of years, and seem reluctant to relinquish the
crown.

Many of the Labradors that have found homes as a result of the
breed's popularity have become pets, but this dog was, and
continues to be bred as a retrieving gun dog.

Labrador Puppies Hunting Homes

Visit a breeder or animal shelter, and you find many Labrador
puppies hunting homes. Some will be purebred, AKC-registered
dogs. Some will be mixed breed. Some will be bred for pets,
while others will be bred for show. If you want Labrador puppies
for hunting, however, you will want to look for specific
characteristics.

Breeder

The best Labrador puppies for hunting are probably those that
come from a good breeder. The breeder should be acquainted with
the standard for the breed. More importantly, though, the
breeder should be dedicated to, and passionate about, training,
breeding, and hunting Labrador Retrievers.

Ask basic questions. Does the breeder use only breeding stock
that comes from the finest field trial and hunt test lines
available? Ask to see pedigrees of the breeding dogs. Ask to see
proof of awards won.

Does the breeder monitor the health of breeding dogs? Are their
Labs' eyes and hips screened for genetic disorders before
breeding? Will they guarantee the health of the Labrador
puppies' eyes and hips for a period of time? Do they keep
kennels clean, clearly disinfected?

Are testimonials available from customers who have purchased
Labrador puppies for hunting? Is there a possibility of talking
directly to any of those people to learn more?

Labrador Puppies

Observe the puppies carefully, and ask questions. It won't be
too hard to choose the puppies that look nicest to you, but
there are more important matters at stake if you want Labrador
puppies for hunting.

Run through the following check list. Labrador puppies that
have all or most of these 7 features are likely to be the most
trainable for hunting. The 7 features are not necessarily listed
in order of importance.

1. The Labrador puppies have been well socialized, including
learning to be comfortable with children as well as adults:
learning to get along with other dogs; introduction to birds;
crate conditioning; and kennel conditioning.

2. The Labrador puppies have been introduced to water if the
season permits.

3. They are obviously intelligent.

4. They are bright and alert when playing.

5. All of the Labrador puppies have respected pedigrees.

6. All of the Labrador puppies have had quality veterinarian
care, being wormed, and receiving necessary shots.

7. They are clean and shiny.

New Owner

No matter how wonderful the Labrador puppies hunting homes are,
if they are going to be Labrador puppies for hunting, the new
owner will have a lot of responsibility. You will have to take
those intelligent, energetic, eager Labrador puppies and teach
them to retrieve birds for you. To do so, you may want to
consider the following points.

1. It is a fallacy that your Labrador puppies must stay outside
in a kennel if they are going to be good hunting dogs. Labrador
puppies bond with their owners better, and develop much better
temperaments if they are permitted to live indoors with the
family.

2. For the first 5 or 6 months, you may want to teach your
Labrador puppies little else than retrieving. That is, you may
want to teach them to come when called. This is of topmost
importance in retrieving. It is also important when an emergency
arises, such as an unexpected vehicle, a snake, etc. It is a
lesson that human children also should learn from a young age.
You want your Labrador puppies to learn that "Come" means
immediately running directly to you.

3. Some puppies are taught to sit when they are very young, but
they receive so much praise, all they want to do is sit. Some
are started out with an obedience course that would be used for
any pet dog. They learn to obey many commands, but end up not
wanting to add retrieving to the list.

4. Keeping Labrador puppies in the house allows you to use the
hallway as an early "retrieving ground" for the puppies. When
you throw a dummy down the hall, they have nowhere to go but
back to you. As the puppies learn, you can sit to one side of
the hallway, making them come directly to you. If they try to
run past you, you can easily capture them.

If you are not experienced at training Labrador puppies for
hunting, you may want to enlist a trainer who is, or follow use
of the many books that offer complete training programs.
Finally, even though you got your Labrador puppies for hunting,
enjoy their undying affection and humor.

About The Author: ©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to
read more of her articles about Labrador Retrievers at
http://www.lovablelabradors.com. Anna has posted additional
information about this popular breed on that site. If you want
information on non-field training of Lab puppies, go there now
and get Anna's perspective on the subject.

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Finding Pet Friendly Colleges and Universities

Title: Finding Pet Friendly Colleges and Universities
Author: Darlene Berkel

Finding Pet Friendly Colleges and Universities
It may seem like a strange idea at first, but pet friendly
colleges and universities are on the increase. There are
still many student accommodations that do not allow pets,
but if the thought of leaving your beloved pet at home for
months on end while you are at university is something you
cannot accept, then you should be able to find a university
or college that offers the course you want, and will let
your pet stay with you.

Just about every college has the policy of disapproving of
students keeping pets This is so for a number of reasons.
Pets are usually considered to be smelly, noisy, and
capable of biting, or scratching. Another major concern is
that some students may be allergic. Also, there is the
possibility that once the novelty of having the pet has
worn off, and the students get busy with their academic (
and social) activities, they may neglect or abandon their
pets. This would not be beneficial for other students, and
certainly neither would it be beneficial for the pet.

Thankfully, many authorities are starting to realize that
pets can be a great stress reliever, and that pet owners
tend to be happier and more relaxed than non-pet owners.
Pets can help students cope with the stress of exams and
the initial feeling of homesickness at the start of term.

The Biggest Pet Friendly Colleges and Universities

The closest to being pet friendly colleges and
universities as far as most are concerned, is to allow
fish or small reptiles. That seems "safe" enough, doesn't
it? Naturally, guide dogs and other service animals are
allowed. However, in recent years, many more colleges and
universities are permitting certain animals on a trial
basis. This is good news for college bound students who
would prefer to head off to college with their pets.

The two major universities MIT and UCLA will allow cats
that have been spayed or neutered. They also require that
the animals innoculations are all up to date, and that the
animal be registered with the campus housing office. Every
resident on the floor has to approve the cat before it can
stay there "" to avoid issues with allergies, for example.

Eckered College has special 'pet dorms' where cats and dogs
are allowed, although they have to weigh less than 40
pounds, and again, all vaccinations have to be up to date.
Stephens College will allow cats, dogs and rabbits in one
of its halls, but only on the first floor, so pet friendly
'places' are limited.

Vassar College have had a pet friendly policy since 1971,
although they operate a voting system and require that at
least 75% of the residents in a dorm vote in favor of
allowing pets before the dorm becomes a 'pet dorm'.

CALTEC will allow cats in their dorms, as will the State
University of New Your. The University of Pennsylvania
will allow hamsters, birds, and rabbits.

As you can see, many prestigious colleges and universities
will allow pets. Many more consider the possibility each
year, so ask about pets when you apply, and you may find
that you can take your four legged friend with you when the
term starts.

About the Author:

Pets loves to travel too! Visit
http://www.every1loves2travel.com for great pet travel
resources and a wide variety of pet friendly lodging.

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Pet Health: Top Three Reasons Why Your Dog Should See The Vet Today

Article Title: Pet Health: Top Three Reasons Why Your Dog
Should See The Vet Today
Author: Lisa Albanese

Veterinary care can be one of the most expensive things about
having a dog these days, and while most pet owners know how
important proper medical care is, dogs have a tendency to mask
their medical problems until they are full-blown. Not only does
this create a threat to the very existence of your four-legged
friend, but the veterinary care for emergency medical treatment
is out of this world. To help ease the burden of emergency care
on your pocketbook, here are a few reasons why your dog should
see the veterinarian today.

They Are Behind on Their Vaccinations

If your pet is behind on their vaccinations, it may not seem
like a big deal to you unless you have lost a pet from one of
the illnesses that are normally vaccinated against. Parvo is one
of the most devastating illnesses that a dog can get, and the
symptoms associating them can be painful for your pet and for
you to watch as well. While this is just one disease, it is part
of a regular vaccination that most dogs receive in the first few
months of their life, as a regular part of the routine
vaccination package. Most canine vaccinations can be had for
less than $20—nothing compared to the thousands of dollars that
can be spent trying to save your little friend from an untimely
death at the hands of one of these killers.

You may think your dog is healthy, but they can catch something
through just simple motions of everyday life as a dog. Catching
a rat and killing it can be deadly if they happen to be rabid,
but if your dog has been properly vaccinated you won't have
anything to worry about except a potentially nasty mess.

They Are Very Old or Very Young

Elderly pets or infant pets are vulnerable to a great deal of
diseases that pets in the prime of their life might not
otherwise fall victim to. The bodies of very old or very young
dogs have a tendency to not resist diseases and bacteria as well
as they should, causing them to fall victim to a host of deadly
diseases and infections that could threaten their life. Just
because they are around and seem to be getting around okay does
not mean they are healthy; get them seen by a vet today and put
your mind at ease.

Your Dog is Pregnant or Nursing

If your dog is pregnant or nursing, it is vitally important
that they see a veterinarian as soon as humanly possible. The
nursing stage is a bit late for most dogs, as first time queens
tend to have problems with labor and delivery, some of which can
be potentially life-threatening.

If your dog is nursing, it is important to make sure that they
are in top health so that they don't pass on any potentially
devastating illnesses to their young. Many illnesses are
transmitted through bodily fluids, including mother's milk, and
getting your dog seen by a vet is a great way to make sure that
both mother and babies stay in tip-top condition.

Many people think their dogs are indestructible, and they have
a way of driving that assumption home. It is a known fact that
dogs are people-pleasers and do well at masking symptoms of
their illnesses, all to make your life easier. Such loyalty;
don't you think you owe it to your dog to have them seen by
their vet as early and often as possible? It will do nothing but
enhance the length and quality of your time together.

About The Author: Shop pet supplies like Designer Dog Beds
http://www.pampermepuppy.com/dog-beds.html & Leather Dog Collars
http://www.pampermepuppy.com/dog-collars---leashes-leather-dog-collars.html
at Pamper Me Puppy & visit Author's Pet Blog
http://blog.pampermepuppy.com/

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