According to the American Psychiatric Association 91% of Americans are willing to seek counseling for themselves or a close friend in response to a crisis. In fact, Americans spent more than $100 billion on their anxieties. Anti-depressant medications and others like them are prescribed more often than any other type of medication in the country over the last several years. With so many humans advocating psychotherapy and prescription antidepressants it is no surprise that people are increasingly advocating the same therapies for their dogs.

Some people are quick to project human emotions on their canines because, in some cases, they view them as human beings and not dogs. They see their dog napping and moping all day and they feel that he has a case of depression. Advocates of dog psychology argue that if there are anti-depressant medications that alleviate separation anxiety or destructive behavior then it is better for the dog to take them than end up in a shelter because the owner looses patience in their behavior. Supporters believe that medication helps eliminate biting, destructive behavior and depression. With the number of supporters growing it is apparent that many people believe in the positive effects of psychotherapy.

Others; however, believe that while dogs are extremely perceptive to human emotions, they do not experience them in the same ways that humans do. Many proponents argue that prescribing human medications designed to regulate human dogs is a terrible idea because it ignores the natural relationship between people and dogs in the first place. Dogs were originally wild animals who traveled in packs, social groups with a leader and a pack hierarchy. Humans domesticated them to serve as guardians, companions, hunters and to perform other work related tasks. By doing so humans took on the role of pack leader and dogs received the benefit of shelter, food and eventually love. As this love has grown the original purpose has shifted from worker to family pet and along with it comes a lack of adequate pack leadership. This lack of leadership and stimulation has dramatically increased behavior problems once uncommon amongst dogs.

While these naysayers admit that dogs do have phobias and behavior problems they feel that humans can reduce or eliminate these problems through methods other than medications. Some believe that walking your dog is the single best thing you can do to improve their mood. Physical activity provides an outlet for dogs and a way to get out their anxious energy in a healthy way.  Once your dog has had some exercise they recommend basic obedience training. Give your dog a job by making his sit, stay and lie down. As the dog gets better at his commands you can get involved in agility work or simply take him on a run while you bike beside him. Dogs are eager to please you and love to do work for their people.

If your dog still seems depressed try introducing him to some other dogs. Local municipalities across the country are building off leas dog parks for the socialization of people and their dogs. A well adjusted dog will enjoy the play time with other canines. You could also try scheduling play dates with neighbors and their dogs. You enjoy a social life and anti-psychotherapy people think your dog will too. They also maintain that proper socialization will help eliminate behavior problems as it boosts your canine companion’s confidence. If all else fails they suggest checking with your Veterinarian to make sure that your dog is eating the proper types and quantities of food. Dogs with nutritional deficits can exhibit lethargy that might be interpreted as depression. Remember that the care of your dog is ultimately your decision and you should seek recommendations and do some research before you make a hasty one.

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Q. Why does my cat have to knead everything like dough before lying down?
A. Because it is a habit or a comforting habit that they picked up from their mom. When kittens are nursing they knead their mother with their paws in attempts to get more milk or to keep it flowing. Cats continue this behavior because it is either a habit or it comforts them.

Q. Why does my cat rub his head all over my feet, ankles and pants legs?
A. Simply put, your cat is marking you with her scent. Cats have numerous scent glands in their face and rubbing them along you and your clothes releases pheromones from those glands that mark you with her scent. While your cat is showing affection, she is also staking her claim to you with her scent.

Q. Why does my cat wake up in the middle of the night ready to play?
A. Cats in the wild hunt prey at night so your cat is likely genetically programmed to be her most active during night time hours. They have also been asleep for so long during the day that they wake up ready to pounce on you or shadows in the night. This behavior is perfectly natural, but it can be a tad on the annoying side if you are a light sleeper. Try getting some interactive toys and encouraging your cat to play a bit before bedtime to get rid of some of that extra energy.

Q. Why does my cat run around the living room several times in a row?
A. Cats will often create a series of moves and jumps as she travels around the perimeter of the room. Sometimes they will repeat this behavior several times in a row and then run it backwards before stopping suddenly for a nap. Cats do this because they are honing their predatory skills. They are enjoying the thrill of the hunt during these moments. Interestingly enough, cats are creatures of routine and will engage in repetitive behaviors while stalking their territory, whether it is the plains or prairies or your living room!

Q. Why does my cat put her toys in her food bowl?
A. In the wild cats typically bring trophies or possessions back to their nesting areas to keep them safe. Your cat is probably taking her favorite toys to the safest place she knows of within the house. Often, this ends up being her food and water containers. Your cat finds comfort and security in obtaining food from her bowls and likely views them as safe.

Q. Why does my cat flatten her ears and hiss when I am petting her?
A. Your cat is simply letting you know that she has become uncomfortable. Perhaps she initially enjoys petting, but grows tired of it after a certain period of time? Perhaps she is trying to let you know that you are petting her too vigorously and need to be gentle? Perhaps she is telling you that she simply is not in the mood for petting at the moment? Each of these options are possibilities, but owners should try not to read too much into this behavior. Your cat still loves you; she is just setting a boundary.

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With the economy in decline some of us might be taking a second look at our dogs. They lounge about the house all day without a care in the world while we go to work to put food in their bowls. Some of us might be thinking about ways that we could send them to work while we lounged on the couch in their place. While this is an entertaining thought, it is unlikely that our adult dogs have what it takes to perform as modern working dogs. Today’s working dog performs difficult tasks that require significant training and in some cases, a hefty financial investment. Working dogs of the past herded cattle, retrieved game and hunted small game on their own. While these were valuable tasks in their day, today’s dogs are more high tech than their hunter ancestors. Here is a list of the top 5 modern occupations for man’s best friend:

1. Service dogs are dogs who are trained to assist handicapped persons complete everyday tasks. Service dogs live and work with individuals who have experienced a loss of hearing, sight or mobility. These dogs guide the blind, signal to the deaf and retrieve objects and pull wheelchairs for those confined to them. These dogs start training at a young age and it can take over a year to fully train and place them with individuals in need. There are several avenues to take when training service dog; private companies which are the most expensive; prison inmate programs which sometimes have long waiting lists and self training where an owner trains his own dog to be of service.

2. Police dogs are dogs who are trained to work with police officers and are often referred to as K9 officers. These K9 officers perform a variety of tasks including chasing and detaining fleeing suspects, detecting illicit substances such as narcotics and searching for cadavers. Dogs have a sense of smell almost 50 times more sensitive than a human’s and they are well equipped to perform tracking tasks when armed with the proper training. The most popular police dogs are German Shepherds, but other breeds who do well in this role include Rottweilers, Dobermans and American Pit Bull Terriers. 

3. Detection dogs are an offshoot of police dogs. They do not work with suspects and are concerned only with sniffing out various substances. These “sniffer” dogs are trained to detect drugs, explosives and other contraband in airports across the country. These detection dogs work on the borders to detect the same substances, but they are also able to detect certain agricultural products not allowed across borders. These amazing dogs can detect mold, termites, money, blood, guns, cellular phones and even cancer. Dogs such as beagles, spaniels and hounds are well suited for this canine occupation.

4. Search and rescue dogs are specially trained to find disaster victims or their remains and alert their handlers to the source. They are often called in after earthquakes, tornadoes, building collapses, hurricanes or bomb blasts. These dogs work in extremely dangerous conditions and serve as a comfort to rescue workers and families searching for their loved ones. There are very few teams of search and rescue dogs out there, but the most popular breeds include German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retrievers and Blood Hounds.

5. Dogs as actors are extremely popular and have been for years. While this job is less strenuous and does not carry as much risk as some of the others it does provide entertainment relief in various forms. Dog acting is so popular that there is an actor’s guild designed specifically for dogs. Some of the factors that are considered when casting dogs for commercial or film roles include breed, size and level of training. All aspiring canine thespians should be trained in advanced obedience to increase their chance of finding roles. Dog actors can range from mutts found in shelters like Benji to purebreds with documented lineages so do not despair if your talented little guy isn’t of pure pedigree.

Always remember to make training a fun and rewarding experience for you and your dog. He might just be able to be of service in your home if you make training a game for him. Reward his good behaviors and he will be more likely to repeat them. Whether he will get off the couch and get a job is another story!

This article was provided from the authors at pet-super-store a site carrying orthopedic dog bed, wireless dog fence, and dog doors.

Chances are we all know what to do in case of a human emergency, right? Of course we do, call 911 and the ambulance and or police come to the rescue. Unfortunately, there are no ambulances or 911 for the family pet just yet. While our pets are generally happy and healthy with just their yearly check up, accidents do happen. In case of accidents or emergencies a good first aid kit is an essential item in any household with pets. While there are dozens useful items to include you should be in good shape with these 10 items:

1. Information card with the name, address and phone number of your veterinarian, Veterinarian Emergency Clinic and the National Animal Poison Control telephone number (888) 426-4435. Having all of this information conveniently located on one index card will save you time in case of an emergency.

2. Commercial muzzle adjusted to fit your pet or a length of fabric to make one if needed. Your dog may be sweet and gentle, but even the sweetest dogs can bite when injured. When pets are hurt they may bite to keep you away from their injury when you are trying to treat it. It is best to protect yourself by muzzling your dog when treating more serious injuries.

3. Bandaging materials to cover wounds are an essential item in any first aid kit; however you might need different materials for your pet’s first aid kit. Rather than a band aid, which doesn’t stick to fur, try wrapping a wound with saran wrap and tape, 2” rolls of stretchable gauze or an ace bandage.

4. Duct tape is an item renowned for its ability to fix anything and everything and is no exception in pet first aid. If your pet has been seriously injured, i.e. being hit by a car then you can use duct tape to immobilize your pet to transport him to the nearest emergency clinic. If you have a large pet then an ironing board makes an excellent stretcher. A small pet would be fine on a cutting board or similar surface. Use the duct tape to immobilize them to prevent them from injuring themselves further by allowing them to move about.

5. Blunt tipped tweezers known as hemostats are essential items used to remove foreign items from small places such as ears and nostrils. Tweezers are also handy to have around for removing splinters, insect stingers or ticks.

6. Needle-nosed pliers are one of the most important items to keep on hand because they can mean life or death for your pet if he gets something lodged in his throat. Needle-nosed pliers allow you to firmly grip objects further in the throat than you would be able to reach on your own.

7. Hot and cold packs. Hot compresses are helpful in treating jellyfish stings, leg swelling, puncture wounds or abscesses. Cold compresses are used for treating bee/wasp stings, nosebleeds and hives.

8. Rectal thermometer to determine your pet’s temperature. Normal temperatures for dogs and cats range from 99 to 102.5 degrees. If your pet’s temperature is 106 degrees or higher than you should take them to the emergency room or begin cooling at home until you can seek medical treatment. Try getting your pet into a cold shower, applying a cold pack and get him to drink some cold water.

9. A clean blanket or towel to wrap around your pet should they go into shock. A blanket can also serve as a makeshift stretcher to transport your pet with.

10. Karo Syrup or honey in case of shock is a must for any first aid kit. Shock occurs when the body is unable to get enough oxygen and can kill a pet in a matter of minutes. If your pet is woozy and unaware of his surroundings combined with pale gums then he may be in shock. Rub Karo Syrup onto the gums to raise blood sugar almost instantly and that should buy you enough time to get him to the nearest emergency room.

There are many human medicines that make appropriate additions to your pet’s first aid kit; however, many can be deadly so make sure to check with your Vet concerning proper dosage before administering any type of medication.

This article was submitted a pet supplies site carrying invisible fence, dog training collars and petsafe radio fence.

A person who decided to be a pet dog owner thought that sharing  their lives with their pet mutt is easy as pie. Pet dog owning is more than following law regulations and requirements for pet owning. Neither is responsible pet owning measured by how much cool stuff your pet dog has. Pet owners, future and present, must understand that keeping your pet healthy and balanced is the main thrust of dog owning.

To be able to fulfill that responsibility to your pet dog, a pet owner sets rules, limitations and boundaries which your pet dog has to live with. To make this possible, we have learned that dogs are ruled by their 'pack mentality'. Knowing the frame of mind of every dog in the world is the first step for universal respect and deeper connection between owner and pet.

You are a pet owner, that makes you the 'pack leader' and it is expected of you to be "calm-assertive" leaders. Being a "calm-assertive" leader, it is expected of you NEVER to project: nervousness, panic and tension. Since pet owning is never confined to a particular gender, so a 'pack leader' can be either a man or woman or neuter. Never let your gender affect your being the "calm-assertive" entity you are in your dog's life.

Communication with your pet dog can be likened to dance choreography where no words need pass through anyone just the energy and movement. Your pet dog is led to correct behavior through your pack leadership. Correct behavior is the result of your asserting calm control over your pet dog or dogs. The ability to handle multiple dogs is possible when a pet owner understands and fully appreciates their role as "pack leader". An effective calm-assertive energy results when the rest of the pack responds in a calm-submissive energy. In the exchange of energy, a pack achieves its balance.

Consider the basic learning cycle of a puppy from the womb until 8 weeks; even before they are born pups are sensitive to touch. Once out of the womb, pups get to be sensitive to smell even before they are able to see anything. A mother dog with several blind pups about, assumes and retains control over the litter by setting limitations, boundaries and rules. Pups are reprimanded and corrected by the mother's calm-assertiveness, showing no favors and no patience to unwanted behavior. As the pups grow, they are still under the mother dog's control, and never exempt from corrections in form of nips, growls or aggressive stance by the mother. All corrections vary in intensity, but all is centered to the retention of 'pack leadership' of the dam over her pups.


To understand your pet dog, you must accept that it is and always be an animal. Human psychology does not work on pet dogs, no confirmations of any theories were affirmed by pets that had undergone "treatment". By nature, a mechanism called 'pack mentality' is innate in all dog breeds. Pack dynamics are nature's fail-safe guide to the development and adult lives of pet dogs. Pet dogs that have no calm-assertive pack leader to guide it become unstable and difficult to live with.

As humans, understanding pack dynamics is easy and we possess the ability to replicate it on our pet dogs. Treating your pet dog using this enables us to connect with our pets on a primal level.

Do away with the urge to cuddle your pet out of the blue, if you care for your pet. Being the pack leader in your pets eyes has no pause button. A pack leader shows a calm-assertive manner to pet dogs 24/7. Feeding and  sharing affection with your pet may be done AFTER your pet's mind has become calm-submissive. Calm assertiveness is not effective without calm submissiveness. If your dogs ignores you or rarely exhibits submissiveness means your role as a pack leader is not established. A pet dog with an attitude problem basically does not see a proper pack leader. Once a pet dog is in this situation, it will try to be the pack leader. Being aware of your role as the pets pack leader will save pet owners on pet accessories that promise an obedient dog.

Your pup has always been 'calm submissive' by its mother's training and control. The dam has an overall authority to dictate when the pups can wander away from the den, when it is time to eat, when they must walk and when rough play is enough.

By establishing a "do and don't" system the mother dog has set the standard 'pack leadership' the pups are used to. Keep this in mind as you get to see your pup for the first time, project a 'calm-assertive' manner for the pup to recognize you as the new pack leader.

This article was provided by the generous authors at Pet Super Store which is an excellent source for all of your pet supplies - Featuring: dog car seat covers, elevated dog feeders and dog houses.