Golden Retriever Adoption - Does A Puppy Or An Older Dog Make A Better Family Pet?

Your family has finally reached a time in their lives where getting a pet seems like a good idea. You all agree that a Golden Retriever adoption might be perfect for your family and now left with the decision of whether or not to adopt a puppy or an older dog.

While you have no doubt heard from several sources that choosing an older dog for your Golden Retriever adoption can give that dog a second chance for a family and a happy life, you have also no doubt heard horror stories about rescue dogs that have come into families with a series of problems that make them less than perfect family pets. On the other hand, you have also probably heard stories about dogs that have been with the same family since weaning that have also exhibited behavior problems as well. So, the question remains, which would make a better pet for your family, a new Golden Retriever puppy or an adult dog.

The answer really depends on your family. If you have very young children an adult dog of this breed just may be ideal for your family for several reasons. First, with an adult dog you can make a good assessment of the dog's individual temperament. While Goldens are known for their friendly and gentle personalities, it doesn't mean every dog of this breed will have that quality. So, it is something you want to really consider if you have young children. Older people too find that choosing an older dog in their Golden Retriever adoption often works out better than adopting a puppy would. It all depends on your situation.

While some breeds of dogs are loyal to just one person, this is not true of this particular breed. These dogs may be equally friendly to family members and strangers alike, which means that they are a breed that can adjust well to new owners and new homes with very little effort or trouble. However, this will depend on just what type of treatment they have received in the past. So, if you are adopting an older dog, learn as much of its history as possible. Keep in mind that rescues are not the only place to get older Golden's. Many times breeders have older dogs up for Golden Retriever adoption and can give you a complete history of these dogs.

Families with older children who have the time and patience to train and care for a puppy through that puppy stage may well prefer a younger dog or a small puppy. There is something to be said for the experience of working with and training a dog from puppyhood and there is a certain satisfaction that comes with such bonding and training.

However, if you are considering a puppy for your Golden Retriever adoption, take your time and do a bit of research. Either adopt from a reputable breeder or find a rescue that may have pups that they are looking to place. Of course, if your main goal is to have a show dog for a pet, then a puppy is definitely the way to go.

If you are not planning on showing your dog, and if your ultimate goal is to have a healthy and fun pet to love and care for, then either a pup or an older dog will work well in your Golden Retriever adoption. In either case giving a dog a loving home and having the companionship of a Golden Retriever can be a rewarding experience.

James Drake is a Golden Retriever enthusiast and enjoys helping others taking care of this amazing breed. For more great information on Golden Retriever Adoptions, visit http://www.golden-retriever-guide.com.

Adopting an Older Ferret - Life Span and Why They Would Make Amazing Pets

Having a pet is a really, really amazing experience. It really makes your life happier and somehow, more rewarding.

Now, normally, people adopt puppies, kittens and any other "baby" animal. But then again, the joy is still the same no matter what the age of your adopted pet.

Now, when you welcome and adult ferret into your home, the love and energy you will receive from them is just the same as to adopting a kit (baby ferret).

Adult ferrets are actually easier to find but sadly because of the fact that they are all mostly confined in shelter throughout the country.

But if you have decided to finally get one, here are some of the factors that would determine whether or not it's a good or feasible option:

1. You have small children who can play with it.

2. There are members of the family that can and wants to cuddle with it.

3. You have the money or resources to buy food for the ferret and pay for it's vaccinations.

A Ferret's Life Span

A part of owning a pet is knowing that they do, unfortunately, have shorter life spans than humans. Now, if you have a ferret, you would know how much of sad fact that truly is.

But now, you see, there are many factors that affect how long or how short they can live.

Now, the life span of an average ferret is eight years. But of course, there are many more things you have to know.

But the most important thing you should be careful about is their diet. Ferrets have extremely sensitive metabolisms and can cause them to have insulinoma, adrenal disease, gastroenteritis and many more. You should also remember that they cannot eat starch, sugars, fruits and vegetables.

Mitchell Zoglmann has been taking care of ferrets since he was a kid. He is also the creator of a new website that's all about Ferret Care [http://www.ferrets-care-secrets.com]. He has also published a new book entitled "Ferrets: Amazing Pets, All You Need to Know About them. For more information about this new cutting edge book and for a free newsletter, visit his website [http://www.ferrets-care-secrets.com/fcs.html] today!

Benefits of Adopting an Older Cat

There are countless things that get better with age, and your furry feline companion is one of them. While everyone loves a kitten -- let's face it, a kitten is cute, cuddly, and a never-ending bundle of energy -- an older cat can make an ideal companion for some people. Each year, millions of cats are euthanized in shelters all across the country, and while cats of all ages are victims of this practice, it is often the less frequently adopted older cats that are put down in order to make room for cute and highly adoptable kittens. If you're considering adding a cat to the family, why not consider one that's already been trained, has lived through the growing pains stage, and is more interested in keeping you company than in chasing birds or tearing apart your furniture?

Who Should Adopt An Older Cat?

For a single person living in an apartment or condominium, a retired couple, or a household without children or other pets, an older cat can be the perfect companion. In particular, choosing an older female cat means you'll be adding a family member that's litter box trained, spayed, and happier to stay inside on the couch than to go outdoors. An older cat has usually had all of their shots, and is responsible and calm enough to be left home alone. If you're looking for the sort of companion that's well behaved, self-sufficient, a homebody, and always happy to see you, then an older female cat may be the best match for your household.

If you live in a larger space and your family includes children, it may be a better choice to adopt a young and energetic adult cat, rather than a kitten. While kittens are undeniably adorable, children have a tendency to play rough and, just like the kitten, have relatively short attention spans. It's inevitable that your kids will get bored with paying attention to the kitten once the novelty wears off, and vice versa, leaving you not only with kids to keep out of trouble, but a mischievous kitten that needs frequent supervision. A young adult cat is still fresh and energetic enough to entertain your kids, is better suited to handle rough play than the small and fragile kitten, and is also self-sufficient enough to entertain themselves when nobody's paying attention to them. If you're really brave and have the space, consider adopting two around the same age, and your new furry friend will have no shortage of playmates.

Ideal Companions For Life

Senior citizens are often wonderful pet parents to older cats, especially if both the cat and the pet parent are around the same age and stage of life. Many times, older cats end up in shelters because their owners have passed away, leaving the cat without a friend and without a home. Adopting a cat that's been rescued from this situation is perfect for a senior citizen, who may often have too much free time and find him or herself feeling lonely. For both the cat and the owner, it can be the perfect partnership that lasts the rest of their life.

Knight In Shining Armor

An older cat that's given a home is more likely to adapt easily to the situation, and to be grateful and appreciative. Much like human beings, cats collect experiences with age, both of the positive and negative variety. Even after months living in a cage or on the street, an older cat can remember the benefits of living in a comfortable, safe home with loving owners, and will be ecstatic to have returned to that situation. Particularly if the cat has been de-clawed and lost means of survival in the wild, they will look at you as their own personal savior.

In many cases, older cats that were raised in homes that had multiple pets, particularly other cats, will feel sad and depressed at the loss of companionship. If your home already includes an older cat, or even a young adult cat, it's a good time to consider adopting an older cat that's not only lost his human family, but his feline friend, as well. Similarly, older cats that are disabled or have medical issues need love and care more than any other, and yet have the most difficult time finding homes. While not appropriate for homes with kittens, puppies, or small children, giving an older or disabled cat a place to call home and live out his final years in peace makes all the difference in the world, for both of you.

PetHub.com is a place for you to store and manage your pet's stuff. Join our Facebook fan page to keep up with our latest news.

Copyright c 2010, PetHub, Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits of Adopting an Older Cat

There are countless things that get better with age, and your furry feline companion is one of them. While everyone loves a kitten -- let's face it, a kitten is cute, cuddly, and a never-ending bundle of energy -- an older cat can make an ideal companion for some people. Each year, millions of cats are euthanized in shelters all across the country, and while cats of all ages are victims of this practice, it is often the less frequently adopted older cats that are put down in order to make room for cute and highly adoptable kittens. If you're considering adding a cat to the family, why not consider one that's already been trained, has lived through the growing pains stage, and is more interested in keeping you company than in chasing birds or tearing apart your furniture?

Who Should Adopt An Older Cat?

For a single person living in an apartment or condominium, a retired couple, or a household without children or other pets, an older cat can be the perfect companion. In particular, choosing an older female cat means you'll be adding a family member that's litter box trained, spayed, and happier to stay inside on the couch than to go outdoors. An older cat has usually had all of their shots, and is responsible and calm enough to be left home alone. If you're looking for the sort of companion that's well behaved, self-sufficient, a homebody, and always happy to see you, then an older female cat may be the best match for your household.

If you live in a larger space and your family includes children, it may be a better choice to adopt a young and energetic adult cat, rather than a kitten. While kittens are undeniably adorable, children have a tendency to play rough and, just like the kitten, have relatively short attention spans. It's inevitable that your kids will get bored with paying attention to the kitten once the novelty wears off, and vice versa, leaving you not only with kids to keep out of trouble, but a mischievous kitten that needs frequent supervision. A young adult cat is still fresh and energetic enough to entertain your kids, is better suited to handle rough play than the small and fragile kitten, and is also self-sufficient enough to entertain themselves when nobody's paying attention to them. If you're really brave and have the space, consider adopting two around the same age, and your new furry friend will have no shortage of playmates.

Ideal Companions For Life

Senior citizens are often wonderful pet parents to older cats, especially if both the cat and the pet parent are around the same age and stage of life. Many times, older cats end up in shelters because their owners have passed away, leaving the cat without a friend and without a home. Adopting a cat that's been rescued from this situation is perfect for a senior citizen, who may often have too much free time and find him or herself feeling lonely. For both the cat and the owner, it can be the perfect partnership that lasts the rest of their life.

Knight In Shining Armor

An older cat that's given a home is more likely to adapt easily to the situation, and to be grateful and appreciative. Much like human beings, cats collect experiences with age, both of the positive and negative variety. Even after months living in a cage or on the street, an older cat can remember the benefits of living in a comfortable, safe home with loving owners, and will be ecstatic to have returned to that situation. Particularly if the cat has been de-clawed and lost means of survival in the wild, they will look at you as their own personal savior.

In many cases, older cats that were raised in homes that had multiple pets, particularly other cats, will feel sad and depressed at the loss of companionship. If your home already includes an older cat, or even a young adult cat, it's a good time to consider adopting an older cat that's not only lost his human family, but his feline friend, as well. Similarly, older cats that are disabled or have medical issues need love and care more than any other, and yet have the most difficult time finding homes. While not appropriate for homes with kittens, puppies, or small children, giving an older or disabled cat a place to call home and live out his final years in peace makes all the difference in the world, for both of you.

PetHub.com is a place for you to store and manage your pet's stuff. Join our Facebook fan page to keep up with our latest news.

Copyright c 2010, PetHub, Inc. All rights reserved.

Pet Health Issue - Young Pets, Overweight Pets, and Older Pets, During the Summer

The statistics of pet ownership has been climbing for years. Every day many more people go out and become new pet owners, and some of us have had pets longer then some jobs or even marriages. Regardless of how long you have had your pet, you will have to deal with at least two of the issues I am about to address, that of summer health issues and the age or weight of your pets.

At present we have 4 dogs being take care of at our small kennel. Recently we acquired two new German Shepherd puppies, both are now just over 3 months old, and we are caring for two older German shepherds, one at age 8 and the other at age 13.

Like humans, age and conditioning play an important part of our activities during the summer months. Regrettably we often fail to notice the effects that summer has on our four legged friends.

Pets do not have the same ability to cool down as you and I do. When it is excessively hot, like it can be during the summer months, we can sit in front of a fan, grab a cold soda, or crank up the air conditioners. But your pet must pant and pant until his body temperature is regulated. Even in an air conditioned room, your pet can be too hot if you have been outside running them around for a while. Remember, it will take considerable more time for him to cool down from his exercise, then it will for you.

To avoid putting your pet's health at serious risk this summer, follow a few simple steps that can make a big difference:

Walk your pets early in the morning or late at night. These times of day are much cooler, and they will appreciate not having the blazing sun on their fur coat.

Bring a large water bottle for your pet. Water bottles are not just for you. Get one for your pet. Use one that has a squirt top as they can lick the water out easier, and you will not spill as much.

Take your time walking your pet. If you must walk your pet during the hottest hours, (hey we all have schedules), then make sure you can go at a slow pace. Cut the walk short if you need to and take rest breaks during the walk. Better to walk your dog again later then to overdo it at noon time.

Monitor your pet's health. The more time you spend with your pet, the more you should know about your pet's health condition. Like the four dogs we have, I know the puppies are young, vibrant and healthy. They can walk much longer then the overweight or older dogs. You need to know the limits of the pets you have.

Always consider the weakest pet health link. If you have more then one pet, then make sure you always keep in mind that pet which will have the highest risk factors. The overweight German shepherd is a far greater risk factor in the summer then the older, but lighter dog. Even though she is an older dog, she is not lugging around extra fat.

Keeping your pet healthy during the summer is not hard at all. Simply keep in mind that they are much like us in some regards. They want to relax, have a cool drink and perhaps a dip in the pool. If you are going to walk them, and you should, just make sure that they can handle it as well as you can. Take your time, let them rest, give then a nice treat of some ice cubes when you're done. They will love you for the walk, and love you more for caring enough not to put them in harms way.

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Health Care Tips For Your Older Pet

Pets are living longer due to advances in veterinary care, diagnostics, and earlier intervention. Even so the key to enjoying our "older" pets lies not only in increasing their life span, but also in helping them enjoy their later years to the fullest. Just like people, cats and dogs can be vulnerable to incapacitating health conditions as they grow older. Kidney failure, heart disease, arthritis, oral disease, malignant tumors, and cognitive dysfunction can take place through the typical maturing process. In earlier times, simply because quite a few health conditions weren't recognized until the pet was in the advanced stages, veterinarians could do nothing more than make a pet's golden years a tad bit more comfortable by caring for the symptoms of age-related health issues. If the pet was lucky, the issues could advance slowly. Most pet owners merely accepted the fact that their four-legged buddies were only able to survive a relatively brief life, get old, and pass on. Yet breakthroughs in technical advancements in modern day veterinary medicine, surgery, diagnostics and nutrition, not only do pets survive longer but their quality of life has increased enormously as well.

One example follows human medicine in the development and use of the new generation of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.Because our older pets often develop arthritis and joint disease, these newer drugs help alleviate the aches and pains of many senior pets while keeping unwanted side effects to a minimum. Chondroitin and glucosamine supplements also seem to help older dogs with their arthritis. Advanced veterinary technology includes MRI's, cat scans, radiation treatments, chemotherapy, advanced surgery with laser scalpels, laparoscopy, hip replacements, orthodontics, root canals, crowns, and much more. Physical therapy, water treadmills and even acupuncture can help pets recover from surgeries and gain their mobility quicker. More and more veterinarians are pursuing specialty practices to address the needs of those pets whose owners want the best treatment available.

Several age related problems will still be viewed as unavoidable, however the attitudes of both veterinarians and pet owners have changed. The belief now is the fact that "age is not a disease", and veterinary medicine is adding greater emphasis on senior pet health through preventative health plans.

The sooner we can detect a problem, the more likely we can manage or even correct the problem. Lumps and bumps if surgically removed when they are small may prevent the tumors from spreading throughout the body. Advances in oncology now makes chemotherapy and radiation therapy almost a normal course of treatment for pets that do have cancer. By addressing dental disease early on, you can extend your pet's life span by nearly 3 years. Diabetes can be managed with insulin and special diets and heart disease also has newer medications available to help the heart pump better. Cats with renal failure can benefit by many of the newer drugs released and fluid therapy to help them reduce the build up toxins that their kidneys can no longer flush out. There are even drugs that can help with cognitive dysfunction in dogs. These dogs seem to get "lost" or whine for no reason. There are specialists that can even remove cataracts so your pet won't go blind.

At what age is a pet considered a senior? Generally, smaller breeds of dogs live longer than larger breeds, and cats live longer than dogs. Life spans vary with individuals, and pets, like people, grow older at different rates, some more gracefully than others. A few smaller breeds of dogs, like Bones, are considered geriatric at fifteen. Large and giant breeds like Labrador retrievers and rottweilers are considered seniors as soon as seven years old. Cats, especially if they are kept in the house, frequently live to their early twenties and do not attain their golden years until their teens.

The single most crucial way a pet owner can take to keep their pet happy and healthy as long as possible is to pencil in regular veterinary exams. As pets age, these exams tend to be more critical than ever, because as with people, quick detection is essential for disease and problem intervention. Younger pets need routine examinations once or twice yearly. However as dogs and cats approach middle age, these exams should be much more frequent because each year in a pet's life is equivalent to 5-7 people years.

To detect potential health problems earlier,veterinarians recommend routine lab work, electrocardiograms, blood pressure monitoring, and x-rays to detect early conditions like thyroid, kidney, heart, and liver disease. With early detection, pets with organ function conditions can be treated with prescription medication along with specific doctor prescribed quality diets that not only prolong their life span but the quality of their lives. Sometimes, health conditions could even be reversed.

In general, quite a few early warning signs that your family pet might be having a problem are:

* drinking more water than usual and urination

* urinary incontinence or having mishaps in the house

* recurring throwing up

* terrible breath, drooling or difficulty eating

* excessive panting or tires more quickly when exercised

* lumps, bumps, nodules or alterations in areas of skin color, bumps that bleed or are ulcerated

* change in appetite - ingesting more or less than normal

* changes in behavior for example "spacing out" or increased whining

* abnormal bowel habits - diarrhea or constipation

* fluctuations in body weight - gaining or reducing weight

Watch pets closely and convey any abnormal behavioral or physical problems to your veterinarian without delay. Veterinarians also recommend purchasing pet insurance so that if problems are detected in your pet, you will be able to afford the advanced therapies that are available. Talk with your veterinarian and develop a specific senior wellness strategy for your pet's special needs so that your precious pooch or kitty can enjoy getting old gracefully.

Dr. Debra Garrison is a small animal veterinarian. Her primary practice is the Treaschwig Veterinary Clinic in Spring, Texas.. Learn more about senior pet care at Senior Pet Care