Paws ‘n’ Claws Photo Guide – Trick #9 “Stay focused, stay focused.”
Where Humans Learn More Tricks!
Paws ‘n’ Claws Photo Guide – Trick #9 “Stay focused, stay focused.”
Categories: Meow!, 334 wordsSend feedback •“Hello there! It’s Magnum the Cat peeking at you from just inside your mail folder. Today’s trick is a simple one, but I think I just have to tease Eddie to see if he knows what it is. There he is now. Check this out…Eddie! Eddie, come over here a minute, willya!”
What’s Up, Magnum? Are we going to teach another trick today?
“Yes we are, but first I want you to stare at this dog toy.”
You know I don’t care much for toys, but okay. I’m staring at it.
“Keep staring at it.”
I’m still staring at it but what’s this got to do with a trick?
“Nothing. I just wanted to see how long you could focus your attention on something.”
Magnum, that’s actually sort of funny as today’s trick is about focus, camera focus, not focused attention.
It’s a good idea to try to keep backgrounds as simple as possible or out of focus if possible when taking pet photos. The reason is simple, it puts the key focus of the photo onto your subject – your pet.
To review, try to avoid complicated backgrounds for your pet photos, keep the focus on your pet. Oh, and if your pet is light in colour, stay away from a light-coloured background. The same if your pet is dark-coloured, avoid a dark background.
Don’t forget to keep watching your inbox for more great tricks. Another one will be coming your way in a few days, which will give you enough time to practice this one.
By the way, we are getting a lot of e-mails and read every one of them!
To write to myself or Magnum or Yogi send your note to eddie@frameyourpets.com and to see photos of all of us and to find out what we’ve been doing visit my blog located at www.frameyourpets.com.
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Think you can't train a cat? Think again Renowned animal trainer Rick Parker shares his tips on training cats
Categories: Meow!, 298 wordsSend feedback •(NC)-Many people don’t realize that you can train a cat - did you know you can even teach your furry feline how to “sit", “high five” and “shake a paw".
Animal wrangler Rick Parker has spent the last 40 years training animals and says that it’s easy for the average cat owner to train their cat, all it takes is a little time and patience.To get started, Rick recommends having a clicker, which is available at most pet stores, some low calorie treats, like Temptations, and a treat pouch so that your hands are free to cue the cat.
Once you’ve got all the necessary items, follow Rick’s tips below to get your cat showing off his shake in record time:
. Always work in a quiet room where the cat will not get distracted.
. Use treats as an incentive and reward for positive behaviour.
. You should always place the treat on the ground or surface rather than feeding from your fingers. This will avoid any innocent nips at fingertips.
. It is best to conduct training before meal time. This will ensure you have the cat’s full attention.
. Keep your sessions short, approximately 5 -10 minutes each. This will ensure your cat does not get bored and stays focused.
. Break the trick down into simple steps, and gradually build. Practice only one step per session, and as the cat masters the step, you can move on. Sometimes you may need to go back and relearn a previous step until the cat is fully confident.
. Have patience.More tips on how to train your cats and video demonstrations of Parker in action are available online at www.temptations.ca.
Credit: www.newscanada.com
Visit us online at: www.thenewsleader.ca or visit Eddie the Dalmatian’s Blog at: www.frameyourpets.com
Canine obesity: What you need to know
Categories: Meow!, 254 wordsSend feedback •(NC)—Are Canada’s dogs overweight? It depends who you ask. According to an Ipsos Reid survey, Canadian veterinarians say 56 per cent of dogs they see are overweight or obese. On the other hand, only a fraction of Canadian dog owners identify their dog as such.
The reality is that canine obesity is a growing problem, driven primarily by not enough exercise and too much food. Sound familiar? When it comes to weight gain, dogs and humans are not that different. Feeding table scraps, overfeeding during meal times, extra treats and not enough exercise to compensate for the number of calories they take in, can set your dog up to gain extra kilos.Extra weight is something all dog owners should take seriously. More than just making your dog sluggish and less interested in interacting with your family, overweight dogs are at a greater risk for osteoarthritis, cardiac disease, respiratory conditions, heat and exercise intolerance. Obesity may also leave your dog prone to skin infections or haircoat problems.
Curious to know if your dog is at risk? Check out www.ismydogoverweight.ca and take the BARC (Body Assessment Rating for Canines) Quiz. This website also provides background on the causes of canine obesity, more details on the serious health risks facing overweight dogs and tips for helping you help your dog shed unwanted pounds.
Helping your dog maintain his weight will ensure he is an active part of your family.
Source: www.newscanada.com
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