Weather
|
|
The weather in Florida presents some potentially hazardous
conditions for pets and people alike. Hurricanes, floods and
tornadoes are conditions which we must be prepared for with proper
emergency plans.
Lightning
Florida has been called the lightning capital of the world.
When lightning is in the area - make sure your pet is safe.
Heat
-
 The heat and humidity can be very dangerous for your
pet. Make sure they always have plenty of fresh water.
- Do not leave a pet in a closed vehicle! The inside of
cars or trucks will heat up quickly and animals can have serious
reactions up to and including death.
- Walking your dog in the heat of the day, particularly in the
summer months can be stressful. Take those long walks
early in the morning or in the evening after the sun has gone
down. The hot pavement can also cause burns to the paws of
dogs and cats.
Plants
There are many plants in our gardens and homes which may cause
serious health problems to our pets. See the Bishop Animal
Shelter pamphlet "Household Hazards" and "Plants
Poisonous to Dogs & Cats."
Water - retention ponds / lakes
Many Floridians live in housing communities which have retention
ponds. These ponds are of varying depth, may have harmful
chemicals sprayed in them to contain algae and/or have wildlife
which could cause problems. Train your animals to stay away
from these areas.
Alligators & Other Reptiles
Alligators may be found at any time of the year. In mating
season they migrate - which means they are on the move. If you
live near a retention pond or other source of freshwater - stay
alert for possible "guests."
Snakes. There are both venomous and non-venomous snakes
found in Florida. If you suspect that your pet has been bitten
- take your pet to a veterinarian for treatment.
Ticks & Fleas
Ticks and fleas are common problems in Florida. Check your
pet regularly and consult your veterinarian for products to control
these pesky critters. |
Raccoons, spiders and many other animals and
insects that live in Florida can be potentially dangerous to your pet.
The watchful, responsible owner will be a careful one and do everything
possible to provide a safe and healthy environment for their pets.
Puppies
"Wow, isn�t this puppy cute, let�s get it. Hey, what do
I do now?"
Adopting a puppy which will soon grow into a dog is a responsibility that
requires the owner to give to that animal understanding, affection, food and
shelter and in return the owner will receive companionship, love, loyalty and
pleasure. Some things to think about before adopting that puppy include:
-
Financial resources to ensure veterinarian care, food, annual shots,
licensing fees, toys, grooming supplies, etc
- Environment with sufficient yard space for puppy to play
- Owner time to train, play with and enjoy the new addition to the family
- Sleeping and feeding areas
- Equipment; collar, Identification tags, leads, water and food bowls, crate
for training, etc
Deciding to adopt a puppy is only the beginning of years of living in
harmony with 'man's best friend.' With training and care, we can teach them to
be good canine citizens sharing our homes and lifestyles. Puppies need love,
reassurance and lots of reinforcement.
B
ringing
Your Puppy Home
While it is very exciting to at last be bringing that puppy home and you want
everyone to see, play with, admire and enjoy him/her, it should be remembered
that the puppy is experiencing a totally new environment. The puppy will need to
be introduced to his new home and its� occupants in a calm leisurely manner
with not too much excitement in the first few days.
It�s a good idea to puppy proof your home as much as possible. The puppy
has so much to learn about you and his new surroundings, that if the new owner
could only help ease the situation those first few days will be much smoother.
Training should begin as soon as you arrive home with the puppy. Puppies are
curious and get into things. Restricting them to a single room at first and
teaching them the basics of what is acceptable and what isn�t is a good start.
If you have other pets, use caution and take time introducing the puppy to
other pets. See Bishop brochure 'Introducing Your New Pet to the Resident Pet.'
Feeding
To properly maintain your puppy�s health it needs a balanced diet. The most
convenient and reliable way to provide this, is to use high quality prepared
puppy food. It is a good idea to feed the puppy the same diet it has received at
the shelter and maintain the feeding schedule. Check with the veterinarian when
making changes.
Fresh water should always be available.
H
ealth
Care & Dental Hygiene
Regular veterinarian checkups and up-to-date vaccinations are required. If
your puppy came from Bishop Animal Shelter, you will receive information about
which vaccinations have been given and advised as to what inoculations remain.
Included in your adoption fee is one free examination at the shelter�s
veterinarian to take place within one week of the adoption. At that time a
complete health check including information about dental hygiene, diet,
vaccinations and the best approach to maintaining a healthy puppy will be
discussed.
Training
Your Puppy
You should begin training your puppy as soon as the adoption papers are
signed. Your puppy may be most attractive, well nourished and maintained but if
it is not trained to the do�s and don�t of proper behavior you will have
little control. It is easier to train the puppy initially, than have to correct
bad habits when they grow into a dog. Teaching the puppy to sit and stay on
command go a long way in controlling the puppy in almost any circumstance.
Time, effort, patience and a sense of humor all help make the the training
process easier. Leash training, basic obedience training, & crate training
(see Bishop Animal Shelter brochure) all contribute to the socialization of your
puppy.
P
uppy
Behavior
All puppies have in common a number of traits which will exhibit themselves
in the puppy stage. As the owner, you are responsible in correcting and
containing them when they occur: They include jumping, barking and biting. By
training them in the first place their behavior will not become offensive.
Puppies are easily excited so they bark and jump. Biting unless corrected
right away can become a bad habit. Biting sometimes happens during the teething
stage and providing them an alternative to your hand or arm is a good
substitute. Sometimes, we forget that puppies need exercise and play and may
exhibit undesirable behavior out of boredom.
P
et
Proofing
Be sure that household poisons and poisonous plants are not in reach. (See
other Bishop brochures for further information).
Don�t leave small items like nails, staples, buttons, etc lying around
which are very appealing to a puppy and if swallowed can be dangerous.
Puppies like to chew. Shoes, socks and slippers are universally appealing to
teething puppies and until they learn to leave them alone it is easier to place
them out of reach.
Garbage pails & wastebaskets with wonderful odors appeal to puppies who
think turning them over and spreading the contents are a great idea.
Electric cords are a potential problem and if the puppy chews through them a
shock will result.
Puppies may wander and get lost. Don�t leave them outside alone unless you
have a fenced yard which is escape proof.
Digging is another favorite past time of puppies. Boredom is frequently the
cause.
Teaching your puppy acceptable behavior will make the years of companionship
and sharing positive and in turn you will be rewarded with loyalty,
companionship and devotion.
