Pet Sitting & Dog Walking in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage

Hello all, Helpful Hank Here. Welcome to Helpful Hanks Guide to a happy pet.

In the coming weeks and months, we will be talking about the ones who never judge us and always love us. Our pets, whether you have a cat or dog, a lizard, fish or bird.

Our current menagerie consists of three dogs and a dove. Over the years, my husband and I have had Labs, cockers, shelties, boxers, cockatiels, doves, chickens and more.

We all love our pets. We pamper them, dress them up, give them space to run and feed them well. We make sure that they are healthy and happy. This blog will be about just that, the things that make our pets Healthy and Happy.

In our household, our pets are pretty spoiled. I avoid feeding our dog’s table scrapes. In general, they are not good for them. I do however, scramble and extra egg on Saturday mornings for the three of them to split, and have with their dog food. I also believe that different dogs react differently to different food just as humans do. However, we do know certain things are bad for our dogs and cats and we have to be aware of those things.

I was always taught that a little bacon grease in a dog’s food is good for his or her coat. However, what about the fat content? A boxer my partner had until he passed of old age would get into any box or bag of chocolate even if hidden. If he could reach it, he was going to eat it. He never showed any signs of health problems because of it. We know it’s bad for them. My Sheltie Corgi mix loves corn bread, and he seems no worse for the ware. What we have to understand is this.

Yes, there are human foods that are dangerous for our pets. We must be aware of them and avoid them but we also have to be reasonable about it. We can’t always prevent our furry little friends from getting into types of food that may tickle there taste buds but are bad for them. They can be fast sometimes (Our lab is proof of that.) What we can do is provide them with food that is good for them and give them regular snacks so they aren’t feeling hungry all the time. We must also avoid feeding our pets from the table. I try and feed our dogs when we are about to sit down to our meal. We eat inside they eat outside (except for the corgi who is finicky but doesn’t beg from the table like the cocker and lab do (both of which, are fast eaters.)

By feeding them just before we sit down to dinner they have a regular feeding time (I do the same in the morning.) and are busy eating their food while we are eating ours. We have a yard so they can just run, play, relax and, take a potty break after they eat and before they come back in which is after we are done eating our meal.

Here is another tip. If you are going out to dinner feed and let them go to the bathroom before you leave for dinner. If you are going to a pet friendly place (as we often do), they will be much better behaved whether left at home or taken with.

Below are two lists. The first list is 10 things never to feed your dog the second is 10 things not to feed your cat.

10 Bad food for your Dog and why

Chocolate: It contains methylxanthine alkaloids,
(Especial Bakers Chocolate) poison to dogs

Raw Onions and Garlic It contains sulfoxides and disulfides,
which affect the red blood cells.
Raw onions can send dogs into
liver failure.

Green Tomatoes potatoes and They contain solanine, which can
Rhubarb. cause gastrointestinal problems
as well as problems with their
central nervous system. As well as
heart failure

Avocado and persimmons These can cause fluid in the lungs
and are very toxic to dogs.

Grapes and Raisins Just a few can cause kidney failure

Nuts Nut’s known to be toxic are walnuts
and macadamia nuts.

Fruit Pits Peach, Nectarine, Apricot and, others
are very toxic to dogs. And can get
lodged in their throats

Bones Beef, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Fish
All of these can splinter and lodged
In your dogs throat and intestines
Causing bleeding and other damage

Mushrooms Toxic, Toxic, Fatal! Need I say more

Bread made with yeast It can still rise in their stomachs
Baking Soda and Powder because of the yeast and cause
gastrointestinal problems for them
they can all lead to seizures, heart
problems and have symptoms that are
not immediately seen.

10 Bad food for your Cat And why

1. Baby Food Could lead to anemia

2. Chocolate Contains theobromine. Which
is poison to cats and can cause
abnormal heart rate and
seizures.

3. Coffee and teas There's no antidote 8 teaspoons
can be fatal to your cat or dog.

4. Grapes and Raisins These can cause kidney failure
just as they do in dogs

5. Onions and Garlic They can cause damage to the
red blood cell causing anemia.

6. Unripe Tomatoes They have Solanine which can
feline friends from nausea to
hallucinations and, paralysis
even death.

7. Bread with Yeast As with dogs it can rise in their
stomach’s causing gastrointestinal
problems.

8. Spinach Which contains small amounts of
calcium oxalates which can cause
kidney stones to develop

9. Tuna fish Tuna meant for human consumption is
harmful to cats. The feline heart
requires an amino acid called Taurine
which, is added to canned cat food with
tuna but not in the tuna fish we as
humans eat..

10. Nuts Nut’s can cause a chocking hazard
For cat’s and some are toxic.

Here are five ways to make your dog smile

Ear Rubs: With a half fist rubbing your dogs ears at the base near
the top of their head will surely put a smile on their
faces

Inner ear rub: Using the same technique as about repeat the process
Against the cartilage sticking out at the entrance to
their ear. You’ll know their happy as the tilt their head
Into the rub.

Dog scratch At the end of your dogs rib cage, use your finger tips
fever. To scratch their side and watch as they get that happy
leg in motion.

Neck scratch Right under their chin and down below collar line
scratch your dog with your finger tips and watch
as they raise their head up as if to say more please.

Thumb Brow Take your thumbs and placing them at the top of their
Brows drawing your thumbs backwards creating a
gentle massaging motion that may put your furry
friend to sleep or at least make their eyes roll back
in pure pleasure.

Well folks, that’s about all for now. Until next time keep your pets safe happy and healthy. Remember for all your pet sitting need you can contact Desert Pet Sitting at 760-864-1122 or reach us on the web at www.desertpetsitting.com Oh, and keep an eye out for our newest blog page here at Desert Pet Sitting “Treasured Memories” a place to share pictures and memories of treasured pet we want to remember. As always, I enjoy hearing from reader with questions and comments or contributions to the blog

-Helpful Hank

You can contact Helpful Hank with Questions, Comments, Tips and, Deals at: askhelpfulhank@gmail.com Helpful Hank is written by Russell E. Bertlow © 2009 All list compiled from various sources
All rights reserved. No portion of this blog may be reprinted in part or whole without the express written permission from Russell E. Bertlow

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