baba dey: Nice one op. When is it best to castrate a male dog, how much is it done @ a vet clinic and is it wise to do it maself?

Thank you for your question. According to an article that I read on PetMD, most veterinarians recommend that you castrate your dog between the ages of 6 - 9 months. When it comes to the cost, it varies from one vet clinic to the next. You will have to call or visit a vet clinic close to you and inquire how much the veterinarian charges to castrate a dog. It is not wise to castrate the dog yourself because castrating a dog is like performing surgery and if you are not a veterinarian, you will just end up killing your dog. Its like asking if one can perform a cesarean section on their pregnant wife when the person is not a OB/GYN doctor or surgeon. Things like that must be left for the professionals only.

chinedumo: I am a kitty owner.

What does it mean when it starts running around in circles, running round the house a great speeds without stopping

Your kitty is most likely just playing and is excited unless of course if your kitty does that when it hears a loud sound and is frightened. If the running around in circles is disturbing you, get your kitty some toys to play with to keep it busy. You can even make the toys yourself if you like and know how to.

kulyie: My dog is fund of pecking me and kissing me,hope it has no health implication for me even though shes a healthy dog,i bath her everyday and she has her tooth brush but she doesnt let me brush her teeth properly so i've stopped it sha.shes always tired of leaving her mouth opened and likes chewing the tooth brush

Thank you for your question Kulyie. It is normal behavior when dogs try to lick the faces of their owners. It is a dog's way of showing affection so to speak, lol.

However, if you see a dog obsessively licking only a certain part of your body and then making certain distressing noises, it could mean something else. I have read many articles of dogs that can detect cancer in their owners because dogs have a stronger sense of smell and cancer cells emit a certain kind of smell but that's a topic for another day. In regards to the health implications, here is what I found out:

The Facts

A dog's mouth contains plenty of germs, not to mention other "icky" things. Think about the stuff your dog eats off the ground and out of the trash, or the things he licks off of himself. Plus, many dogs do not get their teeth brushed as regularly as people, so there is the dental tartar and bacteria to consider (as if doggie breath didn't give this away). Overall, a dog's mouth contains more germs than anyone wants to think about. But the good news is that these germs are usually dog-specific and unlikely to cause any harm to humans. Basically, if you keep your dog healthy, dewormed and up-to-date on vaccines, there is little to worry over. Better yet, take care of your dog's teeth and there's even less going on in that mouth. So, a little "kiss" from your dog is nothing to fret about, but I wouldn't go sharing water bowls or letting your dog lick your wounds.

Taken from: http://dogs.about.com/od/caringfordogsandpuppies/tp/Biggest-Dog-Myths-Misconceptions.htm

I will be back with more answers to your questions later. I need to get some work done here in the office.

Stay tuned......

I have a cross breed(alsatian female n local male)pls wats ur take on the standard food to feed her n hw to keep her worm free n healthy.

Mesopotamia:
bro,i'm so much around.....been everywhere....hw r u?

Good bro..
Ur rott, is it still a pup or an adult?

bigiyaro: I have a cross breed(alsatian female n local male)pls wats ur take on the standard food to feed her n hw to keep her worm free n healthy.

I won't prescribe any particular food. But feed your dog food rich in protein. Each meal should contain AT LEAST 30% PROTEIN.
To keep her worm free, de-worm her every 6 months

Damojo: My lhasa apso doesnt like to stay/sleep in his cute kernel again, he barks all night if i try it. He would rather stay outside, within the veranda like a real watchdog.

Thank you for your comment Damojo. Lhasa Apsos were actually bred to be watchdogs. Don't let their small sizes deceive you. The Lhasa was bred in Tibet by Tibetan monks to guard the Tibetan monastery should there be any intruder. When they barked at the sight of an intruder, they alerted the monks and the bigger dogs who then swung into action. So, your Lhasa is just acting out the natural character of his breed. So, let him stay within the veranda and he will not hesitate to alert you should there be any person approaching your property.

Here is a brief summary of the Lhasa Apso:

The Lhasa Apso dog breed is originally from Tibet, where he was a highly regarded watchdog in the palaces and monasteries of his mountainous homeland. Today's Lhasa is no longer a palace guard but primarily a family companion who loyally protects his family from danger. Though small in stature, the Lhasa is a sturdy and independent dog.

The Lhasa Apso thinks he's a large dog, a very large dog. Bred for hundreds of years to be a royal watchdog, the modern Lhasa approaches life the way his forebears did: he is a loyal guardian of home and family.

Culled from: http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/lhasa-apso

odun4love: Where can I buy a parrot either male or female... Thanks

I'm sorry I have no idea. This thread is created to help pet owners answer any questions they might have about proper pet care. Maybe a parrot seller might see your post and respond accordingly.

Nadia_SA1: I have two cute hamsters

Cute! Do you have a hamster wheel for them to keep them busy when you are not home?

Geniusvic: I have two Alsatian dogs.. Both 4 months old.. I need help on how to stop the annoying biting.
And also I used an aluminium sheet for the floor of their kennel, is that ok? :-D

Are the dogs biting their own bodies as in self mutilation? If yes, then one possible reason could be that the dogs have fleas and/or ticks. These parasites suck blood from the dogs while causing the dogs to itch and self mutilate. If they are not gotten rid of, they can also pass serious diseases unto your dogs.

Another reason why your dogs might be itching can be a result of food allergies. This might come as a surprise to some dog owners to know that their dogs can react negatively to some types of food they eat just like humans. If that is the case, you will have to find out which food your dogs might be allergic too. Remember, a dogs diet should consist of a lot of meat along with other foods like rice, vegetables like carrots and the occasional fruit like banana, apples and oranges. Your dogs are not local breeds that you can feed eba and amala and they will survive. The Alsatian also known as the German Shepherd is a foreign breed whose origin lies in Germany. If you don't provide these foreign dog breeds a proper diet and a conducive environment, they will easily fall sick.

How much exercise are you providing your dogs? The Alsatian is a working dog breed meaning that this breed of dog was bred to work back in the day before Europe became fully industrialized. This is why even in today's western world, these dog are still working. Today, they are used in law enforcement like in the police force and in the military. If you choose to just chain them up outside or in their kennel, they will get frustrated because they have so much pent up energy which you are not allowing them to use since you have them chained up. The result of that could cause these dogs to start self mutilating their own bodies out of frustration. Dogs should be allowed to run around within the yard and taken for a long walk. They need some structure in their lives and an owner who has time for them. Stress can also cause a dog to start self mutilating his body or being kept in a stressful non-conducive environment.

In regards to housing, aluminum sheet is not appropriate for the floor of the kennel. why? because aluminum sheets get very hot. You know how hot our weather get's here in Nigeria and the aluminum sheets can burn your dogs' paws. Secondly, aluminum sheets can also cut your dogs' paws. The best type of flooring to use in your dog kennel is tiles because they won't cut your dogs' paws. In addition, tiles remain cool and are more conducive since we live in a tropical country where temperatures get so hot. There are tiles that are not so expensive that you can purchase. Look for the inexpensive ones and call a Tile installer to install the tiles on the floor of your dog kennel. Attached is a picture of an outdoor kennel with tile flooring.

nolia66: So happy about dis trend,I own 5 lhasa apso and dey r all healthy apart 4rm 1 dat just developed a skin problem right after she gave birth to 4pups wen she was less dan 1,cld it b possible dat she developed dis problem cos of her young age at the tym she gave birth..her skin rite nw is scally n discoloured,n its giving her an unpleasant smell,n her hair has stopped growing at some certain places were d skin problem is worse,I cnt take her out no more because of this n she used 2 b my finest dog,its really giving me great concern n I wld b rly grateful if u cn enlighten me on wat 2 do 2 help her.

Sorry for the late response and thank you for your question. I conducted some research online about this problem and here is what I found out. I found out that the cause could be thyroid problems but a veterinarian will be the best person to go to so that he/she can run some tests to determine for sure if that is the problem.

Another cause for the itching could be poor nutrition. When a female dog is pregnant, her diet needs change because the pregnancy is causing a huge demand on her body. So she probably did not get the proper nutrients she needed during the pregnancy and perhaps even after. A dog that is breastfeeding/lactating requires a different diet from a dog that is not. The diet must be balanced and very nutritious.

My sincere advise is that you take your dog to a qualified veterinarian who knows what he or she is doing. Let the veterinarian check your dog out, run some tests and then recommend the proper treatment. Lastly, I will highly suggest that after your dog is done whelping her puppies - in other words, once the puppies stop breastfeeding - that you have your dog spayed. What that means is that the veterinarian should fix your dog so that she won't get pregnant again for the good of her own health and overall well being. All the best!

Amefrica: I have a mastiff dog, this dog is so faqin aggressive.. He breaks chain a lot. There was a day I was hiking with him, then suddenly the chain got slipped from my hand.. Believe me, he started chasing a goat, I ran after him, shouting calling his name, but he wouldn't answer.. He caught the goat and killed it.

How can I stop him from being aggressive, I swear if this dog should catch a thief, this stewpid dog is gonna eat him.. I'm so hating him now, very aggressive and disobedient..

Advice!!

In so far as I know that the mastiffs are very big and aggressive,you can still tame it. How long have u had it? I would advice u look for a dog trainer to give it obedience training. When my dog was 10months old (a crossbreed half Alsatian,half dobberman) we got a trainer to train it,at fist he started with aggressive training but told us the dog had natural aggression and they were going to commence obedience training. Just get a trainer and hope u don't feed ur dog with raw meat or anything that has blood. Cook all their meals or alternate with canned and dry dog foods and be up to date with its vacine especially the distemper vacine.

Mesopotamia: Hi OP,hw can i stop/curb my rott from digging?

Thank you for your question. Based on what I have read in several dog magazines and online, dogs tend to dig out of boredom. In addition, some dogs are notorious diggers because it is in their breed's nature to dig like the rottweiler, dachshund, and the terrier breeds. Since it is in a dog's nature to dig, the dog will naturally try to drain some of that energy doing something that they are familiar with. The same way we take children to the playground to run around and burn all that energy inside of them is the same way a dog needs to exercise and let out all that pent up energy. So digging is considered to be a form of exercise for dogs.

Now you are curious to know how to stop this habit. Well, one way to stop the digging is to give your dog plenty of exercise. Let your rottweiler run around, you can play games with him that will require your dog to run and jump. When your dog is well exercised for at least 30 to 45 minutes, all that pent up energy will be drained making the dog too tired to start digging. Another alternative is to create an area in your yard, put a lot of sand there and train your dog to go there and dig. Something like a sandbox. Alternatively, take the dog to the beach if you live in Lagos and he can run around and dig there too. I have attached a picture of a sandbox to give you an idea. All the best!

Usbeel: Wow! I love this thread!
Introducing my pets: cats; Roxy & Brandy(kittens); Haseeha(royal colour/mixed) and Teemy(brown/golding).

Your cats are very cute!

pepperliny:

In so far as I know that the mastiffs are very big and aggressive,you can still tame it. How long have u had it? I would advice u look for a dog trainer to give it obedience training. When my dog was 10months old (a crossbreed half Alsatian,half dobberman) we got a trainer to train it,at fist he started with aggressive training but told us the dog had natural aggression and they were going to commence obedience training. Just get a trainer and hope u don't feed ur dog with raw meat or anything that has blood. Cook all their meals or alternate with canned and dry dog foods and be up to date with its vacine especially the distemper vacine.

Thanks madam! This dog is 15months already. I don't give him raw meats or blood stained food. If I wanna turture him, I'll have to chain him down and funniest thing, he would bark n be ready to attack me when I beat him.

The training should be better. Thanks once again!

seyideco: Gt dis GS, he eats anyfin on sight,shoes, slippers, bucket, mats etc... Now he's on chain 24/7 and I don't luv pets on chain... Hw can I correct dis?
Cos I leant beating her won't solve buh makes matas worst!

Thank you for your question. German shepherds need plenty of exercise. They were initially bred as working breed dogs. When you don't keep your dog busy and make sure he get's plenty of exercise, then the dog becomes destructive because he has all that pent up energy inside of him that he needs to let out.

Please make time to exercise your dog. You can take him on a long stroll every evening on a leash or you can get him a ball and play 'fetch' with him. These foreign breed dogs are not like our local dog breeds that you just acquire and then leave him to his own devices to fend for himself and keep himself busy. No, it does not work that way with foreign dog breeds. White and Asian people created these specific dog breeds for a purpose and as such, people ought to do some research on these various foreign dog breeds in order to know their history and what they were originally bred for so as to know what to expect of their behavior and know their exercise needs. You just don't purchase them and then when they begin to act out their nature, you begin to wonder what's wrong. All the best!

fulanigirl: I recently got a hamster and I can't seem to get her to stop biting her cage I bought her chew toys to chew on instead but she won't stop. Does anyone have any advice on how to get her to stop doing that?

Thank you for your question. See if you can get your hamster a hamster wheel so that it can exercise and let out all that pent up energy. Your hamster is chewing on her cage out of boredom and frustration. So, endeavor to keep your hamster busy. A hamster wheel can be purchased in a pet store where pet supplies are sold.

dasparrow:

Thank you for your question. German shepherds need plenty of exercise. They were initially bred as working breed dogs. When you don't keep your dog busy and make sure he get's plenty of exercise, then the dog becomes destructive because he has all that pent up energy inside of him that he needs to let out.

Please make time to exercise your dog. You can take him on a long stroll every evening on a leash or you can get him a ball and play 'fetch' with him. These foreign breed dogs are not like our local dog breeds that you just acquire and then leave him to his own devices to fend for himself and keep himself busy. No, it does not work that way with foreign dog breeds. White and Asian people created these specific dog breeds for a purpose and as such, people ought to do some research on these various foreign dog breeds in order to know their history and what they were originally bred for so as to know what to expect of their behavior and know their exercise needs. You just don't purchase them and then when they begin to act out their nature, you begin to wonder what's wrong. All the best!

In addition to what u said, I would advice you purchase dog toys or chews from a pet shop or the big departmental stores. It helps a lot or better still u could buy bones from ur local meat seller and have them get busy with it.

lynpetra: Having cats as pets,God forbid!I don kill all the cats that enters my dads house with fish head and poison.



BTW,here is Athena,my GSD.
My mom is taking good care of her just that she doesn't eat dog food.
She doesn't eat food without meat or fish.My money don dey finish for this dog head
But me like her,she is toooooo smart.


My dog plays with my bundle of money,scattering it with her teeth but won't tear it,but if I give her newspaper,she shreds them to pieces.She is big now.By d way,sometimesshe just don't want to eat or drink,she wud play way too much and yet won't eat

this your dog resemble antelope.

seyideco: Gt dis GS, he eats anyfin on sight,shoes, slippers, bucket, mats etc... Now he's on chain 24/7 and I don't luv pets on chain... Hw can I correct dis?
Cos I leant beating her won't solve buh makes matas worst!

In addition to the OP's response,just keep things out of site and keep ur pet busy. I had that problem with my dog half Alsatian,it would chew at anything. I had to get toys and chews,never puts it in its kennel except there is a guest coming in or going out. I leave it to roam the compound running around and sometimes engage it by running round the compound with it having to chase me. Just keep it busy. You can also buy bones from ur local meat seller. Once my dog has its bone nothing else matters.

Amefrica: I have a mastiff dog, this dog is so faqin aggressive.. He breaks chain a lot. There was a day I was hiking with him, then suddenly the chain got slipped from my hand.. Believe me, he started chasing a goat, I ran after him, shouting calling his name, but he wouldn't answer.. He caught the goat and killed it.

How can I stop him from being aggressive, I swear if this dog should catch a thief, this stewpid dog is gonna eat him.. I'm so hating him now, very aggressive and disobedient..

Advice!!

Did you provide your dog with any socialization skills when he was a puppy? In other words, did you expose your dog to different sights and sounds by taking him to public places? How old was your dog when you acquired him? Puppies that are taken away from their mother before they turn 8 weeks old are more likely to develop aggression and behavioral problems. The mastiff is a big dog breed which means that you the owner must be able to control your dog or he could cause extensive damage to a human or animal.

I read in many articles online that to control your dog and especially the powerful breeds like the one you've got, you must establish yourself as the pack leader of your dog. You do that by establishing boundaries, rules and limitations. If you watch Cesar Milan's "Leader of the pack" every Saturday evening at 6:00PM on National Geographic Wild TV channel, you will learn a lot on how to deal with various dog behavioral problems. Remember to walk your dog and provide him with plenty of exercise so he can burn up all that pent up excess energy. This will help to maintain a healthy dog's mind. According to dog training expert Cesar Milan, you have to work on your dog's mind first before you can remove excess energy from the dog.

If you don't establish yourself as the pack leader, the dog will try to establish himself as the pack leader. When the dog does that, he will no longer listen to your commands or anything you have to say because in your dog's mind, he will be thinking that you are too weak to lead the pack and hence he must take over. You have to make it clear to your dog that you are the boss. Make sure to buy a mouth harness (see picture attached) from the pet supply store for your dog when you take him on a walk on the leash. Make sure your dog is never in front of you when you both are walking. The dog should not be leading you, you should be leading the dog.

If you cannot successfully establish yourself as the pack leader of your mastiff by training your dog, setting limits and boundaries and providing your dog with plenty of exercise so he can release all that pent up energy that he is trying to let out each time he breaks the chain, then I am afraid you might have to give up the dog before he puts you in trouble. Your dog killed and ate a goat. What would have happened if the dog - God forbid - attacked a 2 year old toddler? So, kindly start training the dog immediately. Don't panic when the dog starts acting up. Dogs can sense fear when their owners panic. Wish you all the best!

dapsondou:

Good bro..
Ur rott, is it still a pup or an adult?

itz almost a year old....

Amusaopeyemi: Hi, v got a samoyed who's just 9weeks, she loves shouting a lot just to get attention.
Shez loves playing too.

Hello and thank you for your comment. Be sure to give her plenty of exercise. The Samoyed dog is very intelligent and is not the kind of dog breed that you can just acquire and then leave them chained up outside with little attention. Samoyed dogs love to be the center of attention and they enjoy being a part of the family. When you don't provide them with enough exercise where they can run around, play or take long walks on a leash, behavioral problems will set in. Samoyeds become frustrated and once they are stressed, they will start losing their fur or they might start biting and mutilating their own bodies. So, be sure to give your Samoyed lots of love and attention along with a proper nutritious diet and plenty of exercise and your dog will thank you for it. All the best!

lynpetra: Having cats as pets,God forbid!I don kill all the cats that enters my dads house with fish head and poison.



BTW,here is Athena,my GSD.
My mom is taking good care of her just that she doesn't eat dog food.
She doesn't eat food without meat or fish.My money don dey finish for this dog head
But me like her,she is toooooo smart.


My dog plays with my bundle of money,scattering it with her teeth but won't tear it,but if I give her newspaper,she shreds them to pieces.She is big now.By d way,sometimesshe just don't want to eat or drink,she wud play way too much and yet won't eat

Athena the German Shepherd is so cute. See her looking all cool with that shirt, lol

It is okay if she does not eat commercial dog food. A lot of these commercial dog foods being sold in the stores are not always high quality. Some dog food brands have had to be recalled after many dogs fell ill after consuming them. One cannot always vouch that quality ingredients go into making these dog foods because the manufacturers are in it for profit and will not hesitate to cut corners to minimize manufacturing costs.

Giving your dog a home-made meal is fine. Just make sure the food is nutritionally balanced. A dog's diet should consist of a lot of meat and Athena knows that and that is why she would not eat any food you give her if meat or fish is missing. Smart dog! lol If you find that sometimes, she does not eat, make sure she has plenty of fresh water to drink. Give her a bone to gnaw on as well. Doing so will cleanse/detoxify the dog's body. You can get bones from the cow from the butcher or the abattoir. Boil the bones, don't add seasonings, and then give it to Athena to chew. All that chewing will do a lot of good to her teeth and keep them clean and plaque free. Keeping a dog does not come cheap but the joy and companionship a dog brings makes it all worth it. All the best!

Shimshark: I hav a cat.. I see him only 1ce or twice a week. Havnt seen him dis week yt.. Only God knws where he goes..

Is your cat by any chance a feral cat? I ask this because that it what feral cats tend to do. Domesticated cats leave the house too but at night, they come back home to sleep. Your cat goes to meet other feral cats and they have their fun. Once a while, your cat will remember he has an owner and needs to feed and then he comes home. After that, he goes back to his buddies. Don't worry, he will come back home again.

Fellow Nairalanders,

I will be back to this thread again tomorrow God willing and will continue to answer any pet care related questions you all might have. Thanks for all your questions and comments so far. Keep the questions and comments coming.

dasparrow:

Thank you for your question. See if you can get your hamster a hamster wheel so that it can exercise and let out all that pent up energy. Your hamster is chewing on her cage out of boredom and frustration. So, endeavor to keep your hamster busy. A hamster wheel can be purchased in a pet store where pet supplies are sold.

She has a hamster wheel and many toys but she just won't stop. I also let her out to play when I get home until she gets tired. But thanks for the advice

Amefrica: I have a mastiff dog, this dog is so faqin aggressive.. He breaks chain a lot. There was a day I was hiking with him, then suddenly the chain got slipped from my hand.. Believe me, he started chasing a goat, I ran after him, shouting calling his name, but he wouldn't answer.. He caught the goat and killed it.

How can I stop him from being aggressive, I swear if this dog should catch a thief, this stewpid dog is gonna eat him.. I'm so hating him now, very aggressive and disobedient..

Advice!!

There are no bad dogs,only bad owners.
Get yourself some dog training lessons on google, its damn simple.

dasparrow:

Is your cat by any chance a feral cat? I ask this because that it what feral cats tend to do. Domesticated cats leave the house too but at night, they come back home to sleep. Your cat goes to meet other feral cats and they have their fun. Once a while, your cat will remember he has an owner and needs to feed and then he comes home. After that, he goes back to his buddies. Don't worry, he will come back home again.

domesticated..

dasparrow:

Are the dogs biting their own bodies as in self mutilation? If yes, then one possible reason could be that the dogs have fleas and/or ticks. These parasites suck blood from the dogs while causing the dogs to itch and self mutilate. If they are not gotten rid of, they can also pass serious diseases unto your dogs.

Another reason why your dogs might be itching can be a result of food allergies. This might come as a surprise to some dog owners to know that their dogs can react negatively to some types of food they eat just like humans. If that is the case, you will have to find out which food your dogs might be allergic too. Remember, a dogs diet should consist of a lot of meat along with other foods like rice, vegetables like carrots and the occasional fruit like banana, apples and oranges. Your dogs are not local breeds that you can feed eba and amala and they will survive. The Alsatian also known as the German Shepherd is a foreign breed whose origin lies in Germany. If you don't provide these foreign dog breeds a proper diet and a conducive environment, they will easily fall sick.

How much exercise are you providing your dogs? The Alsatian is a working dog breed meaning that this breed of dog was bred to work back in the day before Europe became fully industrialized. This is why even in today's western world, these dog are still working. Today, they are used in law enforcement like in the police force and in the military. If you choose to just chain them up outside or in their kennel, they will get frustrated because they have so much pent up energy which you are not allowing them to use since you have them chained up. The result of that could cause these dogs to start self mutilating their own bodies out of frustration. Dogs should be allowed to run around within the yard and taken for a long walk. They need some structure in their lives and an owner who has time for them. Stress can also cause a dog to start self mutilating his body or being kept in a stressful non-conducive environment.

In regards to housing, aluminum sheet is not appropriate for the floor of the kennel. why? because aluminum sheets get very hot. You know how hot our weather get's here in Nigeria and the aluminum sheets can burn your dogs' paws. Secondly, aluminum sheets can also cut your dogs' paws. The best type of flooring to use in your dog kennel is tiles because they won't cut your dogs' paws. In addition, tiles remain cool and are more conducive since we live in a tropical country where temperatures get so hot. There are tiles that are not so expensive that you can purchase. Look for the inexpensive ones and call a Tile installer to install the tiles on the floor of your dog kennel. Attached is a picture of an outdoor kennel with tile flooring.

Whoa! thanks a lot..
it's not self mutilation, it's my legs and hands they keep biting.. I really need to know how to correct this before they grow bigger..
Wat if I use wood instead of tiles in place of the aluminium sheet, is that ok as well?
I feed them with dry dog food @ 5am, milk @6am.Rice mixed with wet dog food/beans/moi-moi//okpa @12pm then custard powder+milk @5pm.. I give 'em fried fish, meat and bones almost daily.. I also add vitamin supplements to their food twice a day.. Are these ok??