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1). 4 Things to Think About Before Declawing your Cat Declawing is a major surgery known as onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, that removes the tip of each digit (from the first knuckle out) of the cat's forepaws. There is a slight chance of death in the surgery, and a declawed cat may have an increased risk of infection and life-long discomfort in its paws. This surgery is not recommended for a... 2). Dog Training Part I Dog training is the process of teaching a dog to exhibit certain desired behaviors in specific circumstances. Some examples are: * Teaching a dog basic obedience commands (part of obedience training) * Teaching a dog to perform tricks casually or for circus acts * Teaching a guide dog to lead the blind * Teaching a re... 3). Dog Training part II - Age for early training Dog training begins virtually at birth. Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. In some places it is against the law to ta... 4). Dog Training part III - Communicating with the dog Fundamentally, dog training is about communication. From the human perspective the handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances. From the canine perspective the handler must communicate what behaviors will give the dog the most satisfaction to his natural instincts and emotions. Without... 5). Dog Training part IV - Reward and punishment Most training revolves around giving the dog consequences for his behaviour, in the hope of influencing the behaviour the dog will exhibit in the future. Operant conditioning defines four types of consequences: Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for exam... 6). Dog Training Part V: The Command Voice When giving commands to a dog, a calm, firm, authoritative voice is most effective. Dogs do not respond well to hesitant, pleading voices, nor to yelling, which might sound to the dog like threatening barking or scolding. It is also important that the word used for the command and the pitch of the voice be consistent each time the command is delive... 7). Gastrointestinal stasis: What is and why it is so dangerous for some rabbits Gastrointestinal stasis (or G.I. stasis) is a serious and potentially fatal condition that occurs in some rabbits in which gut motility is severely reduced and possibly completely stopped. Treatment should be sought immediately from a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and with significant rabbit experience. When untreated or improperly tr... 8). Rabbits Diet: Is your rabbit eating right? The typical diet for a pet rabbit consists of water, hay, pellets, fresh vegetables, and its own caecal pellets. Fruit and other treats are given only in very limited quantities, as they can cause obesity in a rabbit. Rabbits require a constant water supply as they dehydrate quickly. Most sources recommend 80% of the diet should be Tim... 9). Things to Think About Before Acquiring a Rabbit Rabbits have been popularly kept as pets in Western nations since the 1800s. Rabbits can adjust well to indoor life, and can even be litter box trained. Like all pets, rabbits need a considerable amount of care and attention. Often people purchase rabbits from a breeder. Many people prefer breeders under suspicion that some pet stores ...