Pets - 17 June 2006

How can i pick a best answer when all the answers were very helpful

2006-06-17 23:54:41 · 32 answers · asked by cazzcull 2 in Dogs

How do I get my dog who barks all the time, sometimes without any reason to stop. She will bark at noises outside and the tv and other times there is no reason she should be barking.

2006-06-17 23:51:19 · 15 answers · asked by Jenny H 1 in Dogs

My daughter's betta just died and she wants to bury him. I was wondering how far down I should dig so that animals won't be able to dig him up.

2006-06-17 23:46:00 · 9 answers · asked by Sparky 2 in Fish

i need to use Metal Halides for the marine tank. I'm not quite sure what Metal Halides is but I did read a for sale advert selling Hydroponic Metal Halides. As the lighting for Marine Tank setups are very expensive I'm trying to find out if Hydro lighting is going to be cheaper and just as effective to keep the coral alive.

2006-06-17 23:38:16 · 1 answers · asked by Cheryl S 1 in Fish

2006-06-17 23:32:50 · 21 answers · asked by janine e 2 in Fish

This has always baffled me. I once saw a "Peke/poo" (Half pekingese half poodle) for sale for $600! Its a freakin mutt! I don't understand. Why do people think they can slap together two random dogs and sell it for primo $$$. Do people actually buy them? Does nobody know that you can go to your local pound and get any mutt you want for about a hundred bucks or less?

2006-06-17 23:24:57 · 15 answers · asked by Jeal 2 in Dogs

2006-06-17 23:19:46 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Dogs

Today’s media is filled with sensational headlines of dog attacks. Routinely quoted in these newspaper accounts are dated statistics from the Centers for Disease Control. The last CDC study released documented which breeds of dogs caused the most human fatalities from 1979 through 1998. While the CDC did an admirable job of studying fatal dog attacks, and went to great lengths to point out that irresponsible owners were the cause of most of these incidents, the media and lawmakers continue to use CDC statistics to substantiate claims that certain breeds of dogs are inherently more "vicious" than other breeds.

The result of sensationalizing individual incidents of severe or fatal dog attacks, included with the use of unexamined statistical "evidence" has created an unfortunate and inaccurate public and political perception as to the dangerousness and predictability of certain breeds of dogs. Despite enormous public and political interest in fatal dog attacks, there is no agency or organization that does investigative work (with the exception of this study) into each of the individual cases of fatal dog attacks and records the number and circumstances of fatal dog attacks on a continuous, yearly basis.

This study is conducted in an attempt to understand the human and canine behaviors that contribute to a fatal dog attack. Only in understanding the events and circumstances surrounding these incidents can we hope to prevent future tragedies.

STUDY FINDINGS:
After reviewing over 431 cases of fatal dog attacks it is apparent there is no single factor that translates in a lethal encounter between a person and a dog(s). A fatal dog attack is always the culmination of past and present events that include: inherited and learned behaviors, genetics, breeding, socialization, function of the dog, physical condition and size of the dog, reproductive status of dog, popularity of breed, individual temperament, environmental stresses, owner responsibility, victim behavior, victim size and physical condition, timing and misfortune.

While many circumstances may contribute to a fatal dog attack, the following three factors appear to play a critical role in the display of canine aggression towards humans;

Function of the dog - (Includes: dogs acquired for fighting, guarding/protection or image enhancement)


Owner responsibility - (Includes: dogs allowed to roam loose, chained dogs, dogs and/or children left unsupervised, dogs permitted or encouraged to behave aggressively, animal neglect and/or abuse)


Reproductive status of dog - (Includes: unaltered males dogs, bitches with puppies, children coming between male dog and female dog in estrus)
It is necessary to emphasize that a fatal dog attack is an exceptionally unusual event. Approximating 20 deaths per year in a dog population of 53 million yields an infinitesimal percent of the dog population (.0000004%) involved in a human fatality.

THE BREED FACTOR
Many communities and cities believe that the solution to prevent severe and fatal dog attacks is to label, restrict or ban certain breeds of dogs as potentially dangerous. If the breed of dog was the primary or sole determining factor in a fatal dog attack, it would necessarily stand to reason that since there are literally millions of Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and German Shepherd Dogs in the United States, there would have to be countless more than an approximate 20 human fatalities per year.

Since only an infinitesimal number of any breed is implicated in a human fatality, it is not only unreasonable to characterize this as a specific breed behavior by which judge an entire population of dogs, it also does little to prevent fatal or severe dog attacks as the real causes and events that contribute to a fatal attack are masked by the issue of breed and not seriously addressed.

Pit Bulls in particular have been in a firestorm of bad publicity, and throughout the country Pit Bulls often bear the brunt of breed specific legislation. One severe or fatal attack can result in either restrictions or outright banning of this breed (and other breeds) in a community. While any severe or fatal attack on a person is tragic, there is often a tragic loss of perspective as to degree of dangerousness associated with this breed in reaction to a fatality. Virtually any breed of dog can be implicated in a human fatality.

From 1965 - 2001, there have been at least 36 different breeds/types of dog that have been involved in a fatal attack in the United States. (This number rises to at least 52 breeds/types when surveying fatal attacks worldwide). We are increasingly becoming a society that has less and less tolerance and understanding of natural canine behaviors. Breed specific behaviors that have been respected and selected for over the centuries are now often viewed as unnatural or dangerous. Dogs have throughout the centuries served as protectors and guardians of our property, possessions and families. Dogs have also been used for thousands of years to track, chase and hunt both large and small animals. These natural and selected-for canine behaviors seem to now eliciting fear, shock and a sense of distrust among many people.

There seems to be an ever growing expectation of a "behaviorally homogenized" dog - "Benji" in the shape of a Rottweiler. Breeds of dogs with greater protection instincts or an elevated prey-drive are often unfairly viewed as "aggressive or dangerous". No breed of dog is inherently vicious, as all breeds of dogs were created and are maintained exclusively to serve and co-exist with humans. The problem exists not within the breed of dog, but rather within the owners that fail to control, supervise, maintain and properly train the breed of dog they choose to keep.

CANINE AGGRESSION - AN OVERVIEW
It is important to emphasize that dogs bite today for the same reasons that they did one hundred or one thousand years ago. Dogs are no more dangerous today than they were a century or millennium ago. They only difference is a shift in human perception of what is and is not natural canine behavior and/or aggression and the breed of dog involved.

Examination of newspaper archival records dating back to the 1950’s and 1960’s reveal the same types of severe and fatal attacks occurring then as today. The only difference is the breed of dog responsible for these events. A random study of 74 severe and fatal attacks reported in the Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia, PA) from 1964-1968, show no severe or fatal attacks by Rottweilers and only one attack attributed to a Pit-Bull-type dog. The dogs involved in most of these incidents were the breeds that were popular at the time.

Over two thousand years ago, Plato extolled a basic understanding of canine behavior when he wrote "the disposition of noble dogs is to be gentle with people they know and the opposite with those they don’t know...." Recently, this fundamental principal of canine behavior seems to elude many people as parents allow their children to be unsupervised with unfamiliar dogs and lawmakers clamor to declare certain dogs as dangerous in response to an attack.

Any dog, regardless of breed, is only as dangerous as his/her owner allows it to be.

Addressing the issue of severe and fatal dog attacks as a breed specific problem is akin to treating the symptom and not the disease. Severe and fatal attacks will continue until we come to the realization that allowing a toddler to wander off to a chained dog is more of a critical factor in a fatal dog attack than which breed of dog is at the end of the chain.

Only when we become more knowledgeable, humane and responsible in our treatment of dogs can we hope to prevent future tragedies.

2006-06-17 23:17:19 · 15 answers · asked by gothicmidnightwitch 2 in Dogs

I know they can't have the leaves but is it safe for them to eat the tomato?

2006-06-17 23:01:46 · 16 answers · asked by suand537 2 in Other - Pets

2006-06-17 23:00:11 · 36 answers · asked by avril l 1 in Cats

i have 7 rabbits in an out door pen - can not dig underground - using ice bottles now - but i want to keep them cooler -- other then building a room and putting an airconditioner in --

2006-06-17 22:55:44 · 12 answers · asked by rabbits 1 in Other - Pets

2006-06-17 22:53:55 · 26 answers · asked by Callum_601 3 in Other - Pets

why dont dogs hate mice or other animals instead??whats up with that?!

2006-06-17 22:52:20 · 9 answers · asked by truefallacies 3 in Dogs

Which do you prefer ...

2006-06-17 22:39:58 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Pets

this question amy sound sadistic, anti-vegetarian/vegan and damn right offensive but i was once told by a friend that you can eat any animal meat as long as it is well cooked and washed.

>>much like Sly Stallone in the movie 'first blood Rambo' hunting that poor Boar.

please people don't get agressive on me on replies, I wouldn't eat someone's cat if I was threatned to.

2006-06-17 22:37:37 · 16 answers · asked by gary m 1 in Other - Pets

2006-06-17 22:27:18 · 12 answers · asked by absinth 3 in Cats

It will have to be outside becuase I think it tis fine to have it inside when it is toilet trained but my family ... well they don't like that idea. The dog that we get will have to be... loyal affectionate easy to train be kinda smallish liked being cuddled and patted not have an annoying bark not aggressive. Can you think of any dog that has all of those traits? And please don't give me the answer like this "I think it is bad to have a dog outside it is part of the family you shouldn't keep it outside and ignore it..." because it is going to get loads of attention from me loads of walks and it will be loved. And we even asked a pet shop worker and they said any dog apart from a chihuahua will be fine outside if they have a warm Kennel to sleep in at night (wich the dog that we get will have) So after that any ideas annyone?

2006-06-17 22:13:50 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Dogs

2006-06-17 21:53:07 · 10 answers · asked by mamalion420 1 in Other - Pets

also are they social birds ?

2006-06-17 21:36:41 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Birds

2006-06-17 21:10:05 · 7 answers · asked by luvinmyhuskys 1 in Dogs

If a dog has worms should i take it to the vet or will an over the counter treatment work????

2006-06-17 20:59:54 · 15 answers · asked by Eep285 1 in Dogs

I been scratched by my cat a couple of times, you know real quick when you can hear skin rip. The area around the wound feels strange, like a heat chemical went in. Then I feel mildly poisoned and weird. Has anyone else felt this way after being scratched? Is it like an allergic reaction, or is it my imagination?

2006-06-17 20:57:19 · 14 answers · asked by Truth 5 in Cats

This owner of this dog wants to give it away, but im not sure if its good to take a dog away from its home at 4 months old, and oh its also not house trained... I also have a 3 month old pomeranian... Please give me some info.. Thanks

2006-06-17 20:50:45 · 13 answers · asked by HelpMePlease 1 in Dogs

2006-06-17 20:47:25 · 10 answers · asked by james_ty2005 1 in Other - Pets

2006-06-17 20:45:43 · 34 answers · asked by Tiger Gal 1 in Other - Pets

Thursday the local pet store was giving away kittens and I decided to get one. She is 6 weeks old and very small. Last night I noticed that she had a slight case of diarrhea but it wasn't anything serious. Tonight she is just releasing herself as she walks.

2006-06-17 20:42:40 · 34 answers · asked by cheyene1885 1 in Cats

2006-06-17 20:40:32 · 11 answers · asked by james_ty2005 1 in Dogs

I am going to be getting my male cat neutered soon and I was just wondering about how much will it cost to get it done in canada, even better toronto.
thanks.

2006-06-17 20:37:25 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cats

Nearly every time I feed my 4yr old Staffy it throws up, what could be wrong with her, I 'm really worried!!!!!

2006-06-17 20:36:00 · 12 answers · asked by Eep285 1 in Dogs

I figured out she beats up the other cats so they will cry, and that means she wants to get fed. Weird but true. This happens at five in the morning and messes up my sleep. What should I do. I love her,( Shiva) but she has claws and Bobie and Shots don't, so she is the alpha kitty and always gets me up too early.

2006-06-17 20:32:51 · 9 answers · asked by teddi 2 in Cats