Posts Tagged ‘Provide’

5 Things You Can Do to Provide a Better Quality of Life for Your Handicapped Dog

Jerry is a twelve year-old Labrador.  When his owners decided to get a dog, twelve years back, they were certain they wanted a Labrador because of its friendliness and charm, but never did they imagine they were adding such a joyful member to the family.

As they will confirm, Jerry chose them.  He was the shy one of the pack, or that was his strategy… the truth is that, he was so quiet and calm when they arrived at the shelter, that he was not noticed amid the chaos of little paws, wet tongues, and lovely barks of his brothers and sisters fighting to reach Olivia and Mike’s legs; until Olivia looked up and saw two shiny, timid eyes locked into hers.  That was it!

Jerry arrived home that same day, and for twelve years he has loved and has been loved, he has learned and has taught, he has been happy and has given happiness to others.

Jerry is now an old dog.  His hair is not what it used to be, his sight is blurring, and six months ago he started suffering from a serious case of arthritis.  He started slowing down and eventually was not able to hold his weight on his back legs.  Jerry is part of a family and everyone learned to provide the appropriate care for him, giving him the best quality of life possible in spite of his illness.

Here are five things Jerry’s owners learned about how to care for a handicapped dog.  As long as he is still cheerful, hungry, and doing pretty much everything he used to do, he can still have a happy life:

1. Show him your love and devotion and treat him with respect.  After a lifetime together, and so many years of unconditional love a dog is able to give, there comes a time when it is you who has to show how much you care.  Even more than people, a dog can sense who loves him and cares for him, and this will instantly invigorate him.

2. If you live in a two-story house and the dog is used to being upstairs, move him downstairs, but tending to his every need and making the environment attractive so that he doesn’t feel left out.  Some of your own activities may have to be moved downstairs to keep him company.

3. In the early stages of disease, make his environment comfortable and hazard-free to enable the use, for as long as possible, of the majority of his physical capabilities.  There are special steps to help him get out of the car or get off the bed without having to take a big jump that could damage his bones and joints faster.

4. Do not deprive him of his beloved walks and quality time outside; it keeps him active and alive.  Instead, support him with an appropriate harness and help him maintain his pace and activity level for as long as possible.

5. When he is no longer able to walk by himself, do not treat him like an invalid; instead, enable him to move as he used to.  Get him a wheelchair or special cart to support his body.  He won’t even notice it and will continue to be his old self for quite some time.

Find the best gadgets to help your handicapped dog.

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Elevated Dog Feeders Provide Comfort and Proper Eating Posture For Your Pet

The concept of dog feeders is probably as old as the concept of petting itself. There are a wide range of feeders, and while some dog owners use normal plates or bowls to feed their dogs, other like to go for more sophisticated stuff like non-spill feeders, elevated feeders and electric feeders.

Elevated dog feeders are vet-recommended for the safety of your dog. Elevated dog feeders allow your dog to swallow the food properly, without gulping and reduced the air intake. This setup prevents the dog from choking hazards and results in better metabolism and digestion.

Elevated dog feeders are also suitable for small dining areas and reduce messing up of your dining area to a good extent. Because the feeder bowls are elevated, it becomes easier for you to get hold of them for putting dog food into the bowls. An elevated bowl system also ensures comfort for dogs with neck and back problems.

If you have more than two dogs that are not comfortable with eating on a double bowl system, you can use two or three single bowl feeders for your dogs at separate places. You can also use two single bowl feeders to separate your dog’s feeding and drinking areas. With prices ranging for $50-$350 for single bowl elevated feeders, be rest assured that you will have a lot to choose from while deciding on your final choice of dog feeders.

You might like the clinical iron-aluminum type feeder system, or the classy wooden frame system. The design you choose also depends upon the kind of interiors you have. If you have a small dining area, you would prefer a light-weight aluminum feeder, preferably double bowl. This will save space and it’ll be easier for you to move about with this system. If you have heavy wooden interiors, you would definitely like to go in for a dog feeder with a wooden stand with an aluminum or steel bowl. The texture of the stand and the bowl should match with the interiors of your apartment.

The latest in pet feeding system is the concept of automatic dog feeders. How many times has it happened that you have planned for a night out or a weekend trip, but you either had to carry your dog along with you, or had to drop the plan altogether in order to fed your dog? Automatic dog feeders are a solution to this problem. With these, you can stock up to 5-8 meals and program them in such a way that they automatically release the meal at the pre-decided time. All of these variants are micro-chip based and are guaranteed to take care of your dog’s meals while you are out for a day or two. The cost of these feeders depends upon the sophistication of technology and the number of meals that can be stocked in them in one single go. Apart from food supplies, you can also ensure that your pet has adequate water supplies by using custom designed automatic feeders.