Animals Are Forever

Throughout the course of my life, I've encountered my own share of dogs. From early childhood days, I recall having several dogs that stayed temporarily with us until my dad's next military assignment. Though my parents took good care of our animals, military life was unsuitable for animal adoptions as in most cases, animals were not permitted to go back overseas with us; thus we were inevitably forced to find homes for our pets.

In 1983, my parents adopted our first 'forever' dog. She was a beautiful, graceful German Shepherd mix. Because my oldest sister had small children, my mom kept 'Apollo' outside in the backyard. Living in the South, my family was virtually unaware of the risk of heartworms . In Europe, heartworms didn't exist, and unfortunately, the SPCA where Apollo had been adopted did not pass out information on these dreadful predators. While our Apollo was continually outside, she was even more susceptible to the deadly mosquito infestation. After a short two years with us, we learned that our beloved Apollo had heartworms and died in less than 24 hours of our perceived understanding.

At the time, I was merely 14 years old and deeply distraught and heartbroken over the loss of our priceless family dog. It was at that time that I had consciously made an oath to never have an outdoor dog and to always seek preventative medicine so that something like this would never happen with my own, future animals.

In retrospect, I never imagined I would ever surrogate eight (8) dogs in my home - but Max, Zeus, Cujo, Hailey, Sharley, Tiny, Thor & Ozzie have become a cherished part of my family pack. Having all been neutered & spayed, annual checkups, immunizations, plenty of fresh water & food, heartworm preventative, and proper grooming - my dogs would never dream of 'escaping' their lap of luxury. Aside from having all the love in the world, my dogs lazily lounge on the sofas, get to run and play on nearly an acre of fenced yard, and even watch Television - which is usually set on the Animal Planet

One can never get me to stop talking about my dogs. They are comical, sincere, understanding, loving and in addition to being the most grateful living things, give so much love and health benefits in return.

Many persons do not realize the profound effects that animals have on us, but most importantly, do not understand the effects that we have on them. Though puppies and kittens are adorable, soft, cudly and cute - all animals mature and take on their mature form - sometimes as big as a 140 lb rottweiler. This is when things can 'become sticky' for folks. Suddenly, the cute black & tan pup is a massive bulk of clumsiness. He bumps into your living room endtable and breaks the cherished lamp; the velvety kitten is now a fully-grown cat and he's decided to 'redo' your tapestry with his claws; and 'Happy' the dog isn't making you 'so happy' anymore because he is too hyper and keeps escaping your paradise home. So what is one to do?

First and foremost - and I cannot stress this enough - Spay or Neuter your animals. The sure-fire way to not only calm animals, spaying or neutering is also a positive way to reinforce and strenghten bonds between animal and human counterpart; and additionally has incredible health benefits, as these cost-effective procedures help to lengthen lifespans as well.

Okay, so now you've spayed or neutered your pet - but she still wants to squeeze her way out of the fence to roam. That's understandable. She's been escaping the yard the whole time, and spaying isn't going to stop a learned behavior. So now what? My first suggestion would be to take your pet outside on a lead. (This should already have been one of the first training methods taught upon adopting a cat or dog) Teaching basic commands will help her to understand that she has boundaries and has to adhere to them.

If the lead technique still doesn't keep her at bay, a kennel can be purchased ranging from $40 - $400 (depending on size of kennel). A house kennel is appropriate for indoor animals who are exhibiting disallowed behavior such as chewing, biting, scratching, urinating, etc. These kennels cost usually less than $100 - again, depending on size of animal. An outdoor kennel, is excellent for training animals to stay inside your fenced yard.

(Note: Never, under any circumstances, allow your animal to run freely.)

Start by placing animals in your indoor or outdoor kennel if you have to go somewhere or if you will not be directly supervising them. Never use the kennel as a means of punishment. Most animals may be a bit leary of the kennel at first, but give them some time, and you'll discover that they love their kennel so much that it becomes a safe haven - and animals may even want to make it their permanent sleeping place.

Animal behavior can sometimes become frustrating as we've seemingly tried just about everything, and no matter what we do, they still sometimes do the things we don't want them to. But that's what separates animals from human beings: the fact that they are indeed animals. Our expectations can sometimes be set too high and we come to think of Rover or Mittens as a 'little person.' It's when we do this, that they will ultimately 'fail' our logic every single time. One cannot allow himself to set behavior standards so high that we no longer accept our animal counterparts for what they are. When behavior becomes an issue, and the lead and kennel have not produced adequate results, the next step is seeing an animal trainer or animal behavior consultant who may be better able to assist you.

Finally, but not leastly, animals are forever. Love your animals. When you open your home and hearts to animals, you have instantly become their lifetime mentor and surrogate parent. They look up to you for your time, patience, compassion, understanding, food, shelter, healthcare and everything else in between. Without you, they are helpless. The worst thing someone can do is abandon or willfully neglect his devoted dog or cat.

Below are some alarming statistics and vital information (1) from the Humane Society of the United States:

• One female dog and her offspring can give birth to 67,000 puppies. In seven years, one cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens.
• Every year, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters; some three to four million of these animals are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them.
• Living creatures have become throwaway items to be cuddled when cute and abandoned when inconvenient. Such disregard for animal life pervades and erodes our culture.
• Abandoned and stray companion animals who survive in the streets and alleys of cities and suburbs pose a health threat to humans and other animals. Each year communities are forced to spend millions of taxpayer dollars trying to cope with the consequences of this surplus of pets. These public costs include services such as investigating animal cruelty, humanely capturing stray animals, and sheltering lost and homeless animals.
• Free-roaming cats--owned cats allowed to go outside as well as stray and feral cats--often are hit by cars or fall victim to disease, starvation, poisons, attacks by other animals, or mistreatment by humans.
• Leaving a dog outside for long periods, especially if he or she is chained or otherwise tethered, can be physically, emotionally, and behaviorally detrimental. Dogs need companionship, care, exercise, and attention. Leaving a dog outside for an extended period without supervision not only deprives the animal of these things, but can also lead to behavior problems (including aggression).

For further information about pet adoptions and the Humane Society of the United States, visit: What to Consider before Adopting a Pet at www.hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/what_to_consider_before_adopting_a_pet.html

In their short but special time they share with us, it is important to remember that animals belong in forever homes. Are you up to the challenge? Some thoughts to ponder.

References:

1. The Humane Society of the United States

© 2005 Animals are Forever By C. Bailey-Lloyd aka. Lady Camelot

About the Author: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Writer for Holistic Junction -- Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners; Acupressure Schools, Massage Therapy Schools, and Reflexology Schools; Alternative Healthcare; Insightful Literature and so much more!

NOTICE: Article may be republished free of charge as long as Author Resource Box (above) is included, and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN in tact and active.

---

Breed Specific Legislation: Is Your Pit Bull Next?

Breed specific legislation otherwise known as "BSL" has started to... Read More

Horse Training Secrets For Busy Horse Owners Short On Time

Picture this. You're late for work one day. You look... Read More

The Beauty of Boxer Dogs

Boxer dogs are an all around great breed, especially skilled... Read More

The 7 Stages of Puppy Development

Let's take a look at the different stages, but before... Read More

Do They Really Need a Dog Bed?

When Lucky was starting to show signs of aging, we... Read More

Understanding Dog Fleas: How Fleas Breed & Affect Your Dogs Health

Fleas belong to the insect order Siphonaptera. They are common... Read More

Goldfish Tips - Choosing The Right One

Tips to getting the right GoldfishGoldfish are a temperate breed... Read More

Tips For Toys

Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky... Read More

Cancer and Your Pet

Just say the word cancer and any of a host... Read More

Your Dog and the Dentist: Learn the Drill

While "late is better than never," sooner is better than... Read More

Bird Cage Stands

Like us, birds need variety in life. To be happy... Read More

How to Keep Your Cat Free from Diseases with This Quick Guide to Cat Parasites

Parasites are organisms that survive by feeding off of other... Read More

Water Chemistry For The Discus Tank

Much has been written about the Discus, or Symphysodon aequifasciatus,... Read More

Chinchillas As Pets

You may wish to consider a chinchilla as a possible... Read More

Comparison of the Cost and Effectiveness of Holistic Horse Care versus Conventional Care

After years of practicing both conventional and holistic medicine for... Read More

Growing Adult Brine Shrimp

General Info.Brine shrimps, or artemia, are a zooplankton used mainly... Read More

Why the Heck Would You Have a Pet Snake (or lizard, crocodile, monitor, frog, turtle etc)?

This is a question that has been asked of me... Read More

Dog Health Conditions and Terms You Should Know...

Some Dogs like Boxers unfortunately, are prone to several potential... Read More

Do You Know About Boxer Dogs?

Boxer Dogs Information - What Are Boxer Dogs? Boxer dogs... Read More

3 Tips For Dealing With Dog Emergencies

Have you ever thought about what you need to do... Read More

Get Your Dog Safely Through a Storm

Thunder storms affected pets differently. Some hardly notice them, others... Read More

Ensure a Good Relationship Between Your Cat and Your Kids

Many parents know that the best way for children to... Read More

Dog Supplies: Whats Needed Versus What Might Be Fun to Have

Buying a new dog is more than simply finding the... Read More

Dog Beds for Larger Dogs

Large dogs and extra large dogs require more thought and... Read More

Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water?

You know that cats should always have a supply of... Read More

Chihuahua Training is Easy!

Chihuahua Training is Easy! You may be wondering if Chihuahua... Read More

Is Nail Trimming Time A Battle?

Does the idea of trimming your dog's nails send chills... Read More

Beds for the Pets: Sleeping in Comfort

As we love to have a comfortable place to sleep... Read More

Approach: The Third of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With Your Horse

In horse training or natural horsemanship, Approach is nothing more... Read More

What Should I Make My Snake Cage From?

What kind of materials should you use when constructing a... Read More

Christmas Gifts For Cat Lovers

The act of offering Christmas gifts is always enhanced if... Read More

Introduction To House Training

The information in this article is based on the successful... Read More

My Fathers Daughter

My dad was an avid animal lover. We grew up... Read More