A day in the life of a dog and a cat

Excerpts from a Dog’s Daily Diary:
8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm – Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm – Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!


Excerpts from a Cat’s Daily Diary:
Day 683 of my captivity:
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.
Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the floor.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. The audacity!
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow– but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released — and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded!
The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe…for now…

Pet traveling tips

Dr Mugford, renowned animal behaviourist and psychologist, offers the following tips when taking your pet onboard with Stena Line: 

1. Take your pet with you on short local trips before embarking on a long journey - this will help to familiarise him with car travel
2. Ensure your pet carries an identity disc with your holiday address
3. Plan your journey time carefully - you'll need to stop at regular intervals to exercise your pet. Travel in the morning or later at night, taking advantage of Stena Line’s overnight crossings, when it is cooler and less busy
4. Ensure your vehicle is well ventilated and cool en route
5. Pack a sufficient amount of your pet’s usual food but avoid feeding him less than two hours before the trip. If your pet suffers from travel sickness speak to your vet
6. Water is vital during summer-time car journeys and should be offered at least at two-hourly intervals.  Carry a two litre bottle of water in case your pet suffers from hyperthermia in a hot car
7. Arrive at the port early so that your vehicle can be positioned in the best place in the hold for the welfare of your pet. Travelling on one of Stena Line’s overnight crossings is also recommended - your pet will be used to sleeping at that time
8. Attach a CLIX Car Safe harness to your car seats, which will function as a seat belt for your pet, avoiding possible painful injuries
9. A restrained pet in the car may also be liable to overheating if there is no shade from sunshine. Specially designed solar shades are available from good pet shops so monitor this aspect of your pet’s comfort
10. Do not allow your dog to travel on the front passenger seat of your car. In some countries this practice is illegal and it is certainly dangerous for dogs if safety airbags are activated in a crash.

Easy tips to clean your fish bowl

1.  
   
   Fill a couple of pitchers with clean tap water. Add a couple of drops of water conditioner (usually one or two drops per gallon), and let it sit for 24 hours.
   
   The water in the pitchers has to be exactly the same temperature as the water in the bowl, or the shock of a temperature change can kill your fish. Testing the temperature with your finger to see if it's "close enough" so you can use it immediately is inaccurate at best, and can lead to a dead fish. Be patient, plan ahead and wait the 24 hours.
2.  
   
   Scoop the fish out of its bowl with a net, and deposit it in the pitcher of new water. Dump the bowl of dirty water down the sink, using a sieve to catch the rocks and faux plants.
3.  
   
   Wash the bowl with warm water and a soft rag. NO SOAP! As well as you think you've rinsed the bowl, soap residue and the chemicals left behind can kill your fish. Same goes for the rocks and plants. Rinse them thoroughly with warm water in the sieve, stirring them with your hand to make sure you get all the fish feces and scum off (it's inevitable that a small amount will stay behind, but that's OK so long as you get most of it).
4.  
   
   Rearrange the rocks and faux plants in your fish bowl, making sure they are room temperature before reintroducing your fish. Pour the clean water and fish back into the bowl.

THATS IT, JOB DONE X

Some useful tips on how to keep your dog happy at bath time

Learn2 Wash Your Dog

You dirty dog
Depending on your approach, bathing your dog can be a pleasant or a traumatic experience for all involved. Some dogs are natural water lovers, while others not only hate the process, they prove the theories about canine ESP by uncannily disappearing at bath time. Either way, by following a few simple guidelines, you'll be able to clean up your canine companion faster than you can say, "Good dog!"

You can bathe your dog as often as once a week, but make sure you keep him or her warm both during and after the bath. You don't want your dog to catch a chill. You may decide to bathe your dog in the bathtub, its own special tub, or the sink, but whatever you choose, a hose and spray nozzle will help. If you don't have these, an unbreakable water container such as a juice pitcher or bowl can help with the wetting and rinsing processes. Note: Washing in the sink is not recommended if you intend to use flea shampoo.
Of course, before you can wash your dog, you have to get him or her into the tub or sink. Lift your dog into the tub if necessary, but do so with a gentle, soothing voice and calm manner. Likewise, use careful, gentle movements throughout the bath, and try to be positively involved in the process, making your dog think this is fun or pleasant. Remember, your dog takes most of its cues from you, so if you act like you can't wait to finish, it will feel the same way. If you have to, bribe your dog with treats. This will distract your pup somewhat, and in time he or she may even associate bathing with eating goodies.
Make sure you dress for the occasion by wearing old clothes or a bathing suit. Dog bathing can get sloppy. Wet your dog thoroughly
Take your dog's feelings into consideration throughout the bath. If your dog is frightened of the faucet running, fill the tub with several inches of lukewarm water before beginning, just enough water to be able to wet your dog, but not so much that he or she worries about being submerged.

• If your dog has tangled hair, comb it out first. (Washing will only make the tangles mat and become worse.) But if your dog is particularly frightened of the tub, brush him or her in a different room before you start the bath.
• Gently put cotton balls in his or her ears to protect them from water.
• Place the dog in the tub on a rubber mat so that he or she doesn't slide.
• Test and adjust the water temperature, then wet the dog thoroughly from head to tail. This is where the hose and nozzle prove useful, but a water container of some sort can do the job too, especially if you're scooping water that's already in the tub.
• There's no need to get your dog's face wet (some dogs are particularly sensitive about this). If needed, you can clean its face later with a damp washcloth. Lather your dog Once your dog is wet to the skin, apply dog shampoo in small amounts. Begin at the back of the neck and work down toward the tail. Work up as much lather as you can. Wash short-haired dogs with a vigorous circular motion to pull out the dirt. Use a back-and-forth motion on dogs with medium-length hair. For longer-haired dogs, rub in the direction the hair grows. Make sure you lather up the belly, legs, and tail. Clean between the toes, behind the ears, and under the chin. Be careful not to get any soap or water in the eyes or ears, though. If your dog is hating this experience, feed it a treat with a non-soapy hand or have someone else feed the treat for you.
  
  If you need to wash your dog's face, use a warm, damp washcloth and as little soap as possible, or no soap. When finished cleaning, wipe any soap off the face with a rinsed washcloth. Again, be careful not to get any soap or water in the dog's eyes or ears. Rinse your dog
  Use fresh, lukewarm water to rinse your dog. Once again, test the water temperature first. If your dog has a heavy coat, try scraping the lather off before rinsing. You can do this with the back of a comb or brush, or with your hand.
  Holding the hose and nozzle or water container with one hand, pour fresh water over the dog while kneading the soap out with the other hand. Check for soap residue by looking for bubbles when squeezing the hair. If there are any bubbles, keep rinsing. A thorough rinsing is necessary to properly clean your dog and to prevent soap residue from dulling the coat or causing potential skin problems. Also, if your dog senses residue, he or she will probably try to lick it off. Shampoo, especially flea shampoo, isn't meant to be ingested.
  
  Adding a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice to the rinse water will help wash away strong odors. You can also use baking soda, which will leave your pet's coat softer and shinier. Dry your dog
  Towel dry your dog thoroughly. Do this in a draft-free place so your dog doesn't catch any chills. If your dog has long hair, you can squeeze a lot of the water out of the fur with your hands before towel drying.
  If your dog has particularly long hair or you need to dry him or her quickly, a portable blow dryer will help. Set the dryer on medium and lay the nozzle parallel to the skin so it blows water off the hair from the skin outward. This will also help prevent tangling. Don't actually press the blow dryer against the skin, as it can grow hot and burn your dog. Note: Use your blow dryer away from the washing area to reduce the risk of electric shock.
  
  Most dogs really enjoy the drying process. The extra attention of being rubbed with a towel or the pleasant, warm air of a blow dryer make up for any of the indignities of the recently concluded bath. And you'll be glad to have a clean canine companion again. "Good dog!"