Yes, I have received my book. I am very pleased with it. You did a super job on it. We laugh every time we look at it. I have shared it with More »
Hello Tails Untold, I got the book today. Thank you so much, it is amazing! You did a lovely job, thank you, again. Larissa from Australia. More »
When it comes to adopting a new cat or kitten, the question often arises is it better to adopt two so they can have companionship when we are not home? There are More »
A new baby is on the way and your pets will need to adjust. After all, they were the new babies first. It is a lot like preparing a sibling for a More »
Tails Untold is very proud to announce that Sebastian, who recently was the Star of a Tails Untold New York City Adventure Book was just featured in an article in the New More »
One of the joys of owning a pet is the hair or fur that we find clinging to our clothes, couches, cars and carpets. Nearly every dog or cat sheds, though some shed less than others. Their skin is less than one-half the thickness of our own, so they are more prone to dermatological issues and greater hair loss. Dogs and cats shed to get rid of old, damaged or extra hair. This occurs year round and occurs in cycles. These are affected by the amount of light the pet is exposed to as well as the change of seasons, stress, hormones, health issues and lifestyle. They typically grow new coats in early spring and late summer followed by shedding in late spring and early fall. During the middle of the summer and winter, shedding is minimal. House pets natural cycle is affected by artificial conditions of their indoor environment. Interior lighting, air conditioning, and heating disrupt their natural cycle and can lead to year round shedding.
What is a dog or cat lover to do? The first line of defense is to keep your pet well-groomed. Regular brushing removes dead hair and decreases mat formation. There are also commercially available pet grooming tools that attach to your vacuum and are great for very hairy pets. Bathing is also helpful using a mild pet shampoo. Be sure to rinse your pet thoroughly. Most experts do not recommend bathing too often as it may dry out the pet’s skin. Cats tend to groom themselves and should only be bathed when extra dirty. Many pets are sensitive to pollens and other irritants in the environment. This requires bathing every few weeks to curtail itching, shedding and dandruff.
Many dog and cat foods contain fillers that can cause allergic reactions, including excess shedding. Your pet needs a proper diet using food with high quality ingredients. Read those labels and be sure the first ingredient on the food label is meat such as chicken, beef, or lamb. Hypo-allergenic foods can often be purchased at your vet’s office.
Shedding is inevitable and pet owners can do their best to keep it under control..but a lint roller goes a long way for keeping our darker clothes hair-free!
Tails Untold is proud to announce that donations have been made to The American Cancer Society Bark For Life in New York City and in Bangor, Maine. Thank you, Joann and Lily and Kelly and Riley for participating.
The American Cancer Society Bark for Life is more than just an event. It is an event that gives people an opportunity to help save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays by supporting the American Cancer Society. By taking part in Bark For Life, they are helping the American Cancer Society save lives by:
Small dogs have special needs. In terms of grooming, they need more nail trimming as their nails grow faster than large dogs. They also tend to need more frequent hair grooming, especially the longer haired ones, as they are closer to the ground.
Small dogs have faster metabolisms than larger dogs. They require more food relative to their body weight and they burn through calories faster. Their needs for food intake can be 2 to 4 times greater than large dogs. In addition, they can tend to dehydrate faster than large dogs because of their faster metabolism. Small dogs need food that is small in size so they can chew it properly. It is best to avoid food with more grain fillers as are often found in the cheaper brands of dog food. Also, grains are harder to digest especially in small dogs whose digestive tracts are still developing. This can lead to a build-up of sugar and cause health problems such as hypoglycemia, hyperactivity and diabetes. There may also be gastrointestinal problems like gas and diarrhea.
Where your keep your small dog is important as well. If you keep your dog outside, be sure the fence or enclosure does not have weak spots that your dog can wriggle through.Bird attacks are also a real possibility from larger birds of prey. You should have a large covered kennel with fresh water and a cool shady place where your dog can feel enclosed and comfortable.
Small dogs and large dogs are no different when it comes to temperament. What makes a dog’s temperament different is that humans tend to treat small dogs differently. They tend to be babied and overly protected. Both large and small dogs need to know who their alpha dog is. Just as you wouldn’t let a large dog jump on you, small dogs, no matter how cute, should not be allowed to either.
In spite of their small stature, small dogs are very loveable and will respond to your attention with great affection.
There are varying opinions on whether to declaw a cat or not. Many owners are fearful of the destructiveness of their cats clawing the furniture. It must be kept in mind that a declawed cat cannot go outside. It needs claws to defend itself.
Cats walk on their toes, unlike most mammals who walk on their paws or feet. Their bodies are designed to support and distribute weight across their toes as they move. The cat’s claws are used for balance, exercising and stretching muscles, which they do by digging their claws into a surface and pulling back in an isometric kind of movement. They also scratch to sharpen their claws. If you trim their claws, they will want to sharpen them all the more.
Cat’s claws are unlike human fingernails. In order to declaw a cat, you have to remove part of the terminal bone in a cat’s toe. It would be the equivalent of cutting off the fingers of a human at the last joint. Declawing, called onychectomy, involves 10 separate amputations. When the amputation is done, it also takes ligaments and tendons. It is very painful and recovery takes about 2-3 weeks before the cat can walk comfortably again. There are added risks of infections, bleeding to excess or nail regrowth that may be misaligned. Many cats have a loss of balance because they can no longer get a secure foothold.
What can be done, then, about destructive clawing? Cats should be trained while still kittens to use a scratching pad or post. There are also vinyl nail caps that are also known as soft claws. They can be put over the cat’s claws with adhesive, but this has to be applied properly. Plus, you have to trim the claws first, which is often very difficult to do. The caps last about one month. This works best for cats that have to be kept indoors for a short period, but it can be done long term as well.
All in all, it is up to the cat owner to decide. If it means having to get rid of the cat, then declawing may be the only answer. If you want your cat to live considerably longer, it is better to keep the declawed cat as an indoor cat than make it a defenseless, declawed outdoor cat.
Tails Untold is so pleased to donate to another wonderful rescue organization the Doodle Rescue Collective. Having just completed another adorable Tails Untold Personalized Pet Book this time for Bocker T. Labradoodle, at Bocker and his mom, Marie’s request, we donated to this great Rescue Organization. Please visit http://doodlerescue.org
Founded in 2008, Doodle Rescue Collective, Inc. (DRC) is recognized as a national, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, charitable organization since 2009. Comprised of a “collective” of volunteers dedicated to Labradoodle rescue & Goldendoodle rescue and education, DRC provides refuge, foster homes, vet care, rehabilitation, transport and quality forever homes for doodle dogs in need. DRC also provides support services and educational resources for doodle owners, aspiring owners, rescuers and enthusiasts and re-home assistance for those needing to find new forever homes for their family pets. To date, DRC has saved and successfully placed over 550 doodles in need.
Older dogs may be susceptible to Cushings disease. Cushings disease is caused by an overproduction of the hormone ACTH by the pituitary gland which in turn controls the release of cortisol by the adrenal glands. It is mainly a disease of dogs, not cats. The most common cause is a microscopic benign pituitary tumor which triggers the overproduction of ACTH. These tumors are often found in older dogs. Cushings can affect the function of many organs. In addition, the excess cortisol suppresses the immune system allowing for bacterial infections. The most common infection is in the bladder.
The symptoms include hair loss, primarily on the body, increased appetite and thirst, frequent urination and a pot-bellied look to the abdomen. The skin may be thinner than usual and may bruise more easily. Diagnosis involves hormone injection and monitoring of the dog’s blood and needs to be done over several hours at the veterinarian’s office.
Treatment is with medication to suppress production of glucosteroids. It is a complex plan that involves close monitoring by the veterinarian. The average life span, with treatment is two years or longer. When presented with symptoms of frequent urination and thirst, one might assume diabetes. It is best to consult your veterinarian and suggest he look for Cushings disease as well as other more typical metabolic disorders.
I have watched my dog’s paws mimic running and heard her yipping when she appears to be soundly sleeping. My sister’s cat’s whiskers twitch, its tail whips and it swats at imaginary things in the air when it sleeps. Are they really dreaming?
Many scientists believe there is enough evidence that both cats and dogs and many other animals do dream. They have studied animal brains and found that they exhibit REM (rapid eye movement) type of sleep, where the brain is highly active but the person is unresponsive to the environment. During REM sleep, animals show the same kind of brain activity as humans. It is thought that the animal, like its human counterpart, relives experiences its had while awake.
Dogs spend an average of 10% of their sleeping time in REM sleep. Cats, who have been studied with EEG tests average about 30% in REM sleep. Puppies, kittens, and larger dogs can average even greater amounts. It is believed that REM sleep is a time when we sort and file our days events into our memory. So the next time you have an active day with your dog or cat, watch them sleeping afterward. You may just see that experience acted out in their dreams.
There are those who feel that dogs should be given a raw food diet. After all, dogs grew up in the wild before they became domesticated. They ate animal meat and plants and seemed to do fine with it. Those who promote the use of raw food say it has many benefits such as shinier coats, healthier skin, cleaner teeth, higher energy levels and better digestion. They feel that commercial dog foods contain additives that may be harmful to your dog or create allergies.
However, many veterinarians and even the FDA disagree with the raw food diet. They say there are inherent risks in giving raw meat to animals. There is the possibility of contaminants in raw meat, such as e-coli or salmonella. In addition, the potential for choking, breaking teeth or internal puncturing with the eating of bones is a big concern. It is felt that formulating a balanced diet is quite difficult and may lead to nutritional deficiencies if not done properly. Not all dogs are cut out for a raw diet. Puppies, who have yet to build up a strong immune system may not be able to handle the kinds of bacteria that may be present in raw meat. Immuno-compromised dogs should also not be given a raw diet.
There are many raw meat diet companies on the internet. However, it is best to consult your vet before embarking on a raw diet for your pet.
Dogs often know what we are going to do before we do it. They are very sensitive to our behavior and emotions. But what about them? We all wish we could tell what our dog is thinking. We know that he seems happy when he wags his tail and licks us. What we need to do is understand more about our dog’s thinking by observing his body language. Here are some indicators of what your dogs body actions may mean:
Whole body movements
pawing – appeasing gesture
play bowing – invitation to play and sign of happiness
freezing in place – frightened
licking another dog’s face – invitation to play or a sign of deference
Mouth and lips
panting – playful, excited, or hot
mouth and lips closed – uncertain or appeasing
licking lips – worried or appeasing
pulled back lips – challenge or warning sign
Hackles
raised – arousal, frightened, challenging another dog
smooth – calm
Tail
relaxed tail – calm, at ease
tail straight out and wagging slowly – cautious, on guard
tail down – worry, uncertainty
tail up and wagging fast – excitement
erect tail – alertness
tail between legs – fear
Ears
relaxed – calm
erect – alert and attentive
up and forward – challenging or assertive
laid back – worried, scared
Eyes
direct contact – bold, confident
averted – deference
dilated pupils – fear
casual – contented
Each dog is an individual and may use many body postures that have earned them rewards from you. My dog will bow when she wants a treat, which I guess is a sign of happiness too! Enjoy your special friend and watch that body language!
These days, many of us like to travel with our pets. Travel in the car is common, but what about on a plane? If your dog weighs more than 15 pounds, it must fly in the cargo area. If this is the case, the following tips will help to make it a safe and enjoyable flight for both of you.
| Name: | Weezie |
| Nickname(s): | The Boss |
| Gender: | female |
| Characteristics: | One eye, white face, very large pointy ears |
| Personality: | stealthy, determined, quiet, funny |
