Cats and dogs are amazing pets to have, but you may be considering something a little more...exotic. Exotic pets may not be as popular as other animals that you are used to seeing as part of a family’s household, but they can be just as fun, rewarding, and easy to form bonds with!
Birds, for example, are highly intelligent animals that can be taught to or vocalize. Turtles, if provided the proper habitat and dietary requirements, can be another great addition to your home with their unique personalities. Reptiles are quiet, low-maintenance, scaly friends that can also offer you companionship without all the hassle. Read more below to discover what type of care each of these animals needs and if they’re right for you.
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Declawing Alternatives for Cats
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
Cat declawing is possibly one of the most controversial of all animal surgeries. Cats scratch to mark territory and to keep their claws in top condition, but the scratching behavior can challenge the bond between a cat and his owner. Felines, especially young cats, often play rough and scratch their
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Dogs and Kids
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
The image of your child and dog as inseparable, best friends is a great one that we'd all love to be reality. With the right awareness, our children and pets CAN have the wonderful relationships we hope for. Here are some tips that all families with children and dogs will want to know.
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Basic Dog Training
Category:
Newsletter Library, Behavior & Training
Although there are various techniques used to train dogs, the basics of any training regime are consistency and plenty of exercise. Discipline and affection are also key to a well-trained dog. Dogs need a leader - they feel more confident with a leader. If their owner is not the leader, they will take
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Dog Bite Prevention
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
DID YOU KNOW?
About 1 million people a year require medical attention as a result of dog bites. **2
Dog Bite Prevention week is held during the third week in May each year.
Neutering dogs has been proven to prevent dog bites. Neutered dogs are not as aggressive as other dogs.
An estimated
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Deciding to Spay or Neuter Your Pet
Category:
Newsletter Library, Visiting the Vet
Spaying and neutering your pet is a common practice in the United States. With so many animals in the United States (and around the world) nÂeeding homes, spaying or neutering your pet is the responsible way to help end pet homelessness.
Spaying and neutering (also referred to as "sterilizing" or
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De-Skunking Your Dog
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
De-Skunk Your House
Now that you have gotten the smell off of your dog, you will need to get the smell out of your house. The same solution that is described above works both for dogs and for items around your house such as carpets, couches, etc. However, the peroxide in the solution can
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Canine Environmental Enrichment
Category:
Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
Does your dog like to bark, dig and chew everything in his line of sight? Before you panic and head straight for doggy boot camp, the solution may be simpler than you think. Just as humans do, dogs get bored. Unlike humans, however, dogs have fewer means of passing the time. Instead, bored dogs can develop
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Assisting Anxious Pets
Category:
Newsletter Library, Behavior & Training
Pet anxiety can be a huge problem for pets and their families. Being home alone for several hours a day while their humans are at school or work can cause separation anxiety. Thunderstorms and fireworks can also really panic pets. Some pets are so anxious that any new situation (car trips, moving, unexpected
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Does Your Young Dog or Puppy Have Pain or Lameness?
Category:
Newsletter Library, Keeping Pets Healthy
Young puppies are expected to be full of life and energy. They are enthusiastic about playtime, walks and exercise. Puppies will often follow you wherever you go, can disrupt your nap or quiet time in their excitement to show you something new, and be always ready for playtime and fun. When puppies and
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A Tired Dog is a Happy Dog
Category:
Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
No species on earth varies as much as the domestic dog. Dogs can weigh two pounds or two hundred pounds. We have developed different breeds of dogs to fit all kinds of different occupations. Some dogs such as retrievers are bred to return things to us. Herding breeds such as border collies have been
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A Moving Experience
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Did You Know?
Fish are the only pets that require no certificates or permits of any sort when they are relocated from one state to another. The more exotic the pet, the more complex the regulations are surrounding its entry into a new state of residence.
Moving, whether across the street or
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Does Your Family Have a Dog Theft Prevention Strategy?
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Finding Lost Pets
Losing a pet can be a heartbreaking experience that devastates entire families. Keep medical history and information about medical conditions with you at all times, always have current photos of your pet and be able to describe coat color/markings.
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Creepy, Crawly Critters
Category:
Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites
There are many parasites we need be concerned about that can affect our pets. Ticks are one of the most common and frightful. Most people shudder just at the thought of a tick, let alone finding one on their pet or in their house. Unfortunately, the people who study these things tell us we should expect
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Assistance Dogs Offer Many Benefits
Category:
Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Unbelievable Pets
Assistance dogs are not just for blind or visually impaired people. Today, these dogs help people with a range of conditions enjoy full lives.
Guide Dogs
Guide dogs, also known as Seeing Eye dogs, help blind and visually impaired people live independent lives. These dogs "see" for their owners and
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Can Pets Sense Pregnancy?
Category:
Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Unbelievable Pets
Your pets probably don't understand that in nine months a new baby will be joining your family, but dogs and cats do detect differences in mood, posture, behavior, and body chemistry that clue them that an enormous change is happening.
Your dog or cat will pick up other signs, too: Our four legged
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Creating A Pet Friendly Yard
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Yard Plants Can Be Toxic
"A few usual plants you might never think to suspect are baby's breath (for dogs and cats), elephant ears (for dogs and cats), and grapefruit (toxic to dogs, cats and horses)," says Caitlin Williams in Pets and Backyard Poisons.
Jenna Trethewey, a care
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