Dog Breeds that act like Cats

Source: Women's Day

Everyone likes to say that there are cat people and there are dog people. But, believe it or not, there are some people who are fans of both. If you're one of those who love cats and dogs equally and just can't decide which type of furry friend you'd want to add to your family, perhaps one of these dogs that are like cats will entice you.

Basenji

Just like a cat, the Basenji is a good little hunter, according to Dog Time. The breed is also known as "the barkless dog" because it's so quiet. And to make it even more cat-like, the Basenji has an extremely stubborn streak. It may very well known what command your asking him to do, but whether it follows or not will depend on how it's feeling.

Chow Chow

It's no secret that the big fluffy Chow Chow isn't exactly kitten-sized, but these proud dogs really do behave like cats. They've been likened to cats in their need for keeping clean, according to the American Kennel Club, and are incredibly easy to house train. They're a refined and dignified breed and can act aloof at times, but are very loyal towards loved ones.

Greyhound

Greyhounds may be best known for racing at high speeds, but according to Vet Street, these dogs love nothing more than lazing around on the sofa all day and actually require minimal exercise, making them great apartment dogs. They're also quiet, gentle, and extremely friendly dogs.

Manchester Terrier

The Manchester Terrier definitely has the size of a cat — usually maxing out around 20 pounds — but the breed also shares one very stereotypical cat trait: being great mouse hunters. According to the AKC, Manchester Terriers are also very graceful and athletic, which sounds pretty cat-like.

Papillon

The Papillon may be named after the French word for butterfly, thanks to its big wing-like ears, but this little dog share plenty of feline personality traits. According to Dog Time, Papillons are very agile and curious, but also love nothing more than curling up in a ball on your lap.

Shiba Inu

These little, muscular dogs were once used as hunters, according to the AKC. They have a smooth, graceful stride and are basically born house broken, so you'll never have to really worry about them having accidents like most puppies will.

Whippet

Another racing breed that loves curling up on a soft armchair in a warm house more than anything else. But they do enjoy a good sprint from time to time, according to Hills Pet. They're also known for getting along great with other pets, including cats.

Source: Women's Day

Source: Cathealth.com

Cats and humans don't always speak the same language. In fact, some things we do to try and show our cats love might actually be harming them. Learn more here: "You Love Spoiling Your Cat, but Should You?"

Luckily, there are easy ways to let your kitty know you adore her. We've compiled some here to help you bridge the communication gap between you and your feline friend.

Slow Eye Blink at Her

Cats slow eye blink at each other and at their humans when they're feeling relaxed and loving. You can slow eye blink back at your cat, too, and she'll understand the feline gesture as love. Learn more here: "Why Do Cats Do the Slow Eye Blink?: It's a Kitty 'Eye Love You'!"

Use Interactive Toys to Play with Her

Cats are predators, but they often don't get to use those instincts as much as they need to when they're house cats.

You can allow your cat the outlet of chasing prey by providing interactive toys for her. Spend at least 10 minutes a day playing with your cat using a wand toy. A toy like the Frolicat Cheese Cat Toy can be great, too.

Predator-prey play helps keeps cats mentally and physically healthy.

Give Her Whiskers a Break

Did you know that cats can get whisker fatigue? If you're using water and food bowls that push back on her whiskers when she eats and drinks, you may be unwittingly causing your cat pain.

Get a cat fountain and an anti-whisker fatigue bowl and place them on opposite sides of the room. Cats don't like to eat and drink close to each other, so giving her whiskers a break and separating her food and water sources will let her know that you really get her.

Give Her Comfortable Beds and Plenty of Them

Cats love to sleep and providing great quality, cozy beds is a great way to show yours you love her. Many cats like to be up high, so consider a tall cat tree with a roomy bed on top. That way, your cat can get above her territory and survey it. 

Source: Cathealth.com

The Truth About TeaCup Dogs

Source: Bestfriends

Looking for a “teacup” puppy? You may have heard of them — dogs for sale weighing less than four pounds fully grown. Elizabeth Oreck, national manager of Best Friends’ puppy mill initiatives, sums up the teacup puppy phenomenon quite simply: “There’s really no such thing as a teacup breed of puppy.”

Elizabeth equates the level of disappointment for folks who buy teacup puppies with that of a similarly misnamed fad, teacup pigs. “People buy these animals labeled as ‘teacup’ and think they’re getting a miniature,” says Elizabeth. “But the reality is when the young puppies grow into adulthood, they’re often much bigger than what the people thought they were buying — if they’re healthy enough to grow up at all.”

Teacup puppy marketing ploy

Elizabeth says that the term “teacup” is really just a marketing ploy to sell more puppies. The majority of teacup puppy purchases are from breeders selling online, where stock images show darling puppies posed in a teacup. People imagine themselves toting around a Lilliputian pet in a tiny purse. “The pet industry, fueled by greed, creates a demand for a pet that can only be produced by unscrupulous breeders,” Elizabeth says.

It’s not only a marketing ploy, it’s a consumer fraud issue. “Teacup puppies are much more expensive than other puppies,” Elizabeth says. “There are no dog registries, including the American Kennel Club, that recognize teacup dogs.”

The tragic truth about mini puppies

Another problem is that puppies for sale with a teacup prefix are often unhealthy. They’re usually much younger than advertised, or they’re undersized puppies resulting from the breeding of runts to runts. Either practice does a disservice to people and pets. Puppies separated too early from their mothers, as well as the offspring of two runts, are often plagued with a lifetime of health problems, including fragile bones and fragile health, says Elizabeth. “If those puppies even make it to adulthood, they can cost people thousands of dollars in medical expenses.”

The fact is, people who buy a teacup puppy are often disappointed. “Many of the dogs who are labeled as ‘teacup’ are already small-breed dogs, like Yorkshire terriers,” says Elizabeth. “False advertising leads people to believe they’re getting an even smaller version of the breed, but then the teacup puppy often grows up to become a standard-sized Yorkie.”

Deceptive advertising

For folks looking to adopt a small dog, Chihuahuas are the smallest breed recognized by the AKC, and they’re available from animal shelters and rescue groups around the country. “There are toy breeds available right now at your local shelter,” says Elizabeth. “Chihuahuas are being transported across the country because Los Angeles’ shelters are filled with them. Nobody needs to shell out a lot of money for a teacup puppy when so many toy-sized dogs are dying in animal shelters.”

Dog lovers who want a small dog can look on Petfinder.com or do a search online for breed rescue groups, where tiny dogs of every age, shape, color and temperament are ready for adoption. “We want to help people avoid making the potentially heartbreaking and expensive mistake of falling for what is basically deceptive advertising,” says Elizabeth. “No one is going to end up with an adult dog who fits inside a teacup. You’re better off adopting a dog and saving your teacups for tea."

About Best Friends' puppy mill initiatives

Through Best Friends' puppy mill initiatives, we are educating consumers about puppy mills, helping to create and lobby for humane legislation, and working with pet stores to offer shelter pets for adoption instead of selling mill-bred pets. Together, we're making an impact and saving lives. Join us and help bring about a time when every dog can feel safe, happy and loved.

Learn more about the puppy mill initiatives.

Source: Best Friends

Photos by Sarah Ause-Kichas

Pet Allergy Checklist

Source: Earthbath

If you have a pet allergy, take action now to cut down your symptoms. Some simple steps can make all the difference

1. Keep pets out of bedrooms. It’s hard, but never let them sleep on your bed.

2. Clear away clutter. Less stuff makes it easier to clean and get rid of dander, the dead skin cells shed by pets that trigger allergies.

3. Keep your floors bare. Carpets trap dander.

4. Bathe pets regularly. For best results, have someone else do it. A frequent bath can wash away those sneeze-inducing allergens.

5. Ask a family member to change the litter box or clean an animal's bed. They are dander hotspots.

6. VACUUM WEEKLY. USE A VACUUM WITH A HEPA FILTER.

7. Visit with pet-owning friends outside your home. Their clothes will bring in dander. Meet them at a restaurant or somewhere else instead.

8. Cover vents with cheesecloth. It can catch the allergens before they're blown into the air.

9. Use synthetic pillows. Ones that are made out of feathers can make your symptoms worse, depending on your allergy.

Source: WebMD

Ten things you can do to show your pets you love them. Happy Valentines Day

Who loves you more than your pet? This Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to show your pets the same love they show you every day.

But how? You already know chocolate is a no-no, and since your pets can’t read e-cards and don’t appreciate jewelry or flowers ― well, that takes all the go-to Valentine’s gifts off the table.

Here’s the good news. There are better ways to show your pets how much you love them, and while you can make Valentine’s Day extra special for them, here are 10 simple things you can do that will make your pet feel loved every day.

1. Feed your pets healthy food.

Just like humans, pets thrive when they have a healthy diet. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there regarding pet food. In fact, many of the studies on canine nutrition are funded by pet food companies ― a situation that poses a conflict of interest. It seems that everyone has a different opinion on optimal nutrition for our furry friends. One reliable source of information, though, is a veterinarian who specializes in nutrition. Visit the website of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (acvn.org) for some basic guidelines about what to feed your pet, and always check with your vet before changing your pet’s diet.

2. Exercise your pet.

Exercise is a vital part of enriching your pets’ lives. Walking, running, playing fetch or tug, and learning agility or flyball are all great ways to keep your dog physically fit. For cats, try interactive play with wand toys (we like Da Bird) or balls. Some cats can be taught to enjoy walks outdoors wearing a harness and leash. Many of these activities have the added benefit of exercising humans, too. Always check with your vet before starting your pet on a new exercise regimen.

3. Learn a new language.

Become bilingual by learning your pet’s language. Our pets are constantly communicating with us through their body language, but sometimes we don’t understand what they’re saying. To learn more, we recommend the books On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas and Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff for dogs, and anything by Pam Johnson-Bennett for cats.

4. Pay attention to what he wants to do.

Once you speak dog or cat, start observing whether or not your pets enjoy the activities you’re asking them to participate in. Does your pup indicate through his body language that he really doesn’t enjoy wrestling with other dogs? If so, cut it from your repertoire. On the flip side, try to find things that he loves doing and work those activities into your schedule. For example, if your dog loves to dig, make him a sand pit out of a kiddie pool. If your cat loves going outside, build a cattery so she can enjoy the outdoors safely.

5. Invest in a relationship-based training class.

Reward-based training classes help you to build a relationship with your pet, provide her with mental (and sometimes physical) enrichment, and let you just have fun with her. Try a class in basic manners, a Canine Life and Social Skills (CLASS) course or classes to teach your dog nose work, agility, treibball or flyball. Need help finding a good trainer? Check out the resource “Find a Dog Trainer.”

6. Visit the vet for a checkup.

Let’s face it. Few of us like going to the doctor, and our pets are no different. But you can teach your pets to tolerate going to the vet by doling out delicious treats that make the experience more enjoyable. Many clinics will allow you to simply come and visit, so that later on when an appointment is necessary, your pet will have a more positive association with medical care. Don’t forget to schedule your pet’s annual checkup while you’re there.

7. Play more games.

Playing games is an effective stress reliever for you and provides your pets with both mental and physical benefits. To keep your pet from getting bored, find a few activities (such as fetch, hide-and-seek and scent games) that you enjoy playing with each other. Your pet isn’t sure how to play games? Ask someone who does reward-based training how you can teach him.

8. Help him conquer his fears.

In animals, fear manifests itself in several ways, ranging from shutting down to retreating to appearing aggressive. We don’t often work on our pets’ fears (or even notice them) unless it becomes a problem for us. Enhance your pet’s quality of life by vowing to change that this year. If you don’t know where to start, consider hiring a behavior consultant who is certified through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. These professionals can teach you effective techniques for allaying your pet’s fears. You can also get helpful information at bestfriends.org/resources.

9. Use appropriate walking tools.

Collars and harnesses are tools that can help your dog walk on a loose leash and also remain comfortable. If the tool you’re using isn’t meeting your needs and those of your pet, do some research and find something better. For example, front-clip harnesses are ill-advised for running, but they work great for dogs who pull. Back-clip harnesses aren’t recommended for pullers, but work well for dogs who have neck issues. Keep in mind that some walking tools have adverse side effects. Choke chains, for instance, can cause trachea damage even if they’re used correctly. And prong collars often increase aggressive behavior.

10. Enjoy and pamper your pets.

Most important of all, show them just how much they are loved. Take a few extra minutes to cuddle. Let your dog play with his buddies just a bit longer. Give your cat an extra treat now and then just for being cute. Be slow to anger, quick to forgive and cherish every moment you have with your pets this Valentine’s Day.

Give love to homeless pets all year long by becoming a Best Friends member

Source: Bestfriends.org

Photos by Best Friends staff

Understanding Heartworm Disease

source: stone ridge

If there was tagline for heartworm disease, it would be: “It only takes one bite.”

Unfortunately, many pet owners take a risk when it comes to heartworm. In addition, Texas ranks among the top 10 states where heartworm disease is most prevalent. Since heartworm can predispose your pet to life-threatening health issues, prevention is something that should be on the mind of every pet owner.

Understanding Heartworm Disease

Heartworms are thin, spaghetti-like organisms that invade the heart, lungs, and arteries. Although commonly viewed as a canine-specific disease, heartworm can infect cats and other animals. It just happens that domestic dogs and their wild cousins (coyotes) are more susceptible to infection.

Heartworm disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquito transfers tiny parasites, known as microfilariae, to the host animal. As the disease progresses, these microscopic worms develop into larvae, which mature into heartworms. Once grown, adults continue to reproduce and create more microfilariae, sometimes for years if the disease remains undetected.

Symptoms of Heartworm Disease

Clinical symptoms often do not catch the eye of pet owners until the disease is quite severe. Symptoms associated with heartworm can include:

• Coughing
• Decreased interest in exercise
• Lethargy
• Labored breathing
• Lack of appetite and weight loss

When left untreated, heartworms can compromise the circulatory and respiratory systems. This can eventually lead to cardiac arrest, liver failure, kidney failure, blood clots, and numerous other emergencies.

Preventing Heartworm in Your Pet

Some owners opt out of parasite preventives hoping to save a little money. However, prevention is far more cost effective (not to mention, safer for your pet). Treating heartworm disease is a complex process that may involve surgery, which would exceed the cost of regular preventives. To assist pet owners, our team always tries to source the best prices on these important monthly medications.

In addition to a monthly preventive, it’s important that your pet be screened and examined each year for heartworm and other parasites. This not only protects your pet, it also protects you and your family from zoonotic diseases (illnesses that can be transmitted to humans).

Other ways to combat pests this spring include:

• Removing standing water from your yard, including bird baths and plastic pools
• Avoiding active pest hours, which generally occur around dawn and dusk
• Checking your pet’s skin daily for fleas and ticks
• Cutting back tall grasses and weeds  
• Keeping trash bins in a garage to deter wildlife (which carry parasites)

Although we live in a region rife with mosquitoes, there are ways to protect your pet and keep him or her safe. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Source: Stone Ridge

Exercising with your dog

Source: Earthbath

Are you sticking to your New Year’s Exercise resolution? Most people drop off within the first two months, and it may not be surprising to hear that many people fall of the exercise wagon within the first two WEEKS after nothing but good intentions and fat gym membership fees!

However, if you’re a parent to a slobbery, furry kid, aka a DOG, you have a live-in exercise partner that will help you keep to your daily dose of exercise, in the form of daily walks. 

Interestingly, however, simply having a dog doesn’t automatically correlate with being in shape (shocker!). This is because most people choose pets with a similar activity predisposition to their own, or if pets don’t share their owner’s (low) activity levels to begin with, they often become unwittingly “trained” to live a typically-human sedentary lifestyle. No dog was born to be a couch potato and eat pre-made food regularly dispensed neatly into a bowl!  Some even observe that people choose pets that physically resemble themselves. This means that the overall level of physical activity in a pet ends up correlating to that of their owner, as does their waistline!

One scientific study that looked into the relationship between weight loss (in both people and dogs) and exercising together showed that people who regularly exercised with their dog stuck with their workout plan better than people without dogs. Even celebrities have used their dogs as motivation to lose weight. Remember Nia Vardalos, from My Big Fat Greek Wedding? She said that following the advice of her vet to help Manny, her 6 year old Labrador Retriever, lose weight, also helped her to slim down.  “The two of us lost weight together. The vet had just told us that he was a little bit overweight, so we called it the ‘Manny 6-Lb. Challenge.’ ” She stayed active with daily walks and play time with Manny, which involved chasing a tennis ball.

If you’re just starting out on an “exercise plan” with your dog, or trying to increase your and his activity levels, take it slow. You wouldn’t hit the gym for 3 hours the first day of your membership, would you?  The last thing you want to do is put unnecessary and possibly damaging stress on your dog’s joints and muscles. If your dog has been inactive or is carrying extra weight, just like in humans, high intensity and/or long exercise sessions can be too much for the body and joints, and cause injury.

Start with an evenly paced, low-impact activity, like a short walk or hike, and then begin to increase the length and challenge as you and your dog gets accustomed to the exercise routine. Especially for dogs with joint problems or osteoarthritis proclivities, it’s much healthier to undertake no- or low- impact activities like swimming, paced hiking or walking over high-intensity exercises, like running , jumping, and twisting.

Set attainable and sustainable activity goals for yourself and your pet. If you commit to going on a daily walk, your dog will start to expect it and look forward to it (which will also help to keep you on track!). If you are starting to feel bored with your normal route or type of activity, change it up by trying a new path, or a longer walk. Explore a different park. Drive to a dog-friendly hiking trail. Don’t be afraid to get your paws wet and go for a swim!

And of course, before you start on an exercise program with your dog, make sure you consult with your veterinarian. Dr.Thompson! 

Source: Earthbath

Source: Earthbath

Though the “unspoken rules” of dog walking are as common sense to many of us dog owners and dog walkers as knowing what to do with our bottles and cans (recycle please!), or used Kleenex/other trash (garbage!), there are, of course, some people who may be ignorant of or actively choose not to follow the etiquette of dog walking. If one were to ask a “Miss Manners” of the dog world what the “rules” entail, here are five simple tips on dog walking etiquette that will make your neighborhood much more pleasant, for you, your neighbors (some of whom may not be as accepting of dogs and their “lovably quirky” behavior as the typical dog-lover), other dogs, and, of course, your dog:

1) No trespassing! When walking your pet around a residential neighborhood, it is universally accepted as rude if you allow your dog to walk on people’s front lawns, into their gardens, snack on their landscaping, or urinate on their mail boxes, garbage cans, or lawn decorations.  Best to keep him to the sidewalk, street, and encourage him to eliminate on the strip of grass that’s between the sidewalk and street.

2) Pick up the Poo! Obviously, dog walkers should be prepared, under all circumstances, with a plastic bag (or several) for picking up doggy doo… and simply toting them isn’t enough: don’t “forget” to use it! I’ve seen dog walkers make an elaborate show of getting their bag out when another person or car passes by, and then stuffing it away, still empty, as soon as the other person is gone (for shame)! Even if your dog was kind enough not to “go” on a lawn, but instead used the street, sidewalk, city planter, or grass strip between the sidewalk and street, it’s unacceptable to leave the “poo to stew” (or another more colorfully descriptive rhyming phrase… use your imagination)!

3) Your dog might be friendly. But other people might not be. Does your dog want to say hello to everyone that passes, are inspired to jog alongside runners, or chase down roller bladers and bicyclists? Not everyone may be as much of a dog lover as you are, and even if they are, they may be otherwise occupied (trying to beat their personal best time on their daily run won’t happen if they are waylaid by your well-meaning social butterfly of a dog!). If a passerby is interested in your dog, you’ll know it. Best to assume that no one is as interested in your dog as you are (or as your dog is in them), and act accordingly. Some people are afraid of dogs, don’t care for dogs (I know, who ARE these people?!) or simply may not be in the mood to be sniffed, licked, or (worst of all) jumped on. Your objective on a walk should be: keep walking, calmly and purposefully, and not to let your dog run your walk!

4) Other dogs might not be friendly either. Rule #3 also applies to other dogs. Don’t assume that other dog walkers (or dogs) are as interested in socializing their dogs as you (or your dogs) might be. Not all dogs are as happy-go-lucky, social, or calm around other dogs as your perfect Polly is… and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to change that behavior by being the recipient of an aggressive snap or bite from an unsociable dog.  On the converse side of things, if your dog is a “barker,” most people prefer to err on the side of caution and stay away. Best to ask the other owner, particularly if you are going through a puppy socialization stage: “Is your dog friendly? Is it ok if we let our dogs say hi to each other?” and gauge their response, and the dog’s response/behavior when you let the two meet. Make sure you have a tight hold of your leash, and also check to make sure the other dog walker seems in control of his/her dog as well to prevent any unfortunate unpredictable encounters.

5) Best to keep the leash on. Really. Even though you might feel very confident in how “good” your dog is in his ability to walk calmly by your side off-leash and obey all of your verbal commands, his behavior could be unpredictable, depending upon the unexpected (and exciting) nature of a given stimulus (e.g., a darting cat across the street, a tempting squirrel running up a tree, another exciting looking dog, a rushing car, a kid chasing a ball), and the worst thing that could happen while walking a dog is, of course, to lose your dog. Even if you have the utmost confidence in your dog’s off-leash ability, make sure that you acquaint yourself with your city’s leash laws in the area(s) you will be walking. You don’t want to get a ticket, or worse.

As holds true for all parents, pet parents hold a significant amount of responsibility in their hands, and every time you and your pet hit the streets, you both are acting as “ambassador” for dogs, dog owners, and responsible behavior all around. As dog lovers would all agree, the presence of all of the sweet, funny, quirky, silly, wise, protective, placid, loving dogs in our lives all contribute to enriching our neighborhoods and parks, when they listen to Miss Manners, of course. Now… who wants to go for a walk?!

Source: Earthbath