Paws and Claws Pet Photography

Paws and Claws donates basket and services to F.B. Meekins Preschool

webdev — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:47:22 +0000

Paws and Claws Photography donates a basket of dog and people goodies along with a gift certificate for a FREE sitting and FREE 11×14 to the F. B. Meekins Preschool annual auction March 17th 2012. Meekins is a non-profit preschool in which parents play an integral role in their child’s classroom experience and in the operation of the school. The result is a tight-knight group of teachers, parents, and families working together at school and in the community. Funds raised from this event support development and learning of preschool children through the purchase of playground equipment, classroom supplies, and hands-on learning tools.

Molly

webdev — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:15:59 +0000

Molly a 12 year old Cocker Spaniel

Jewel

webdev — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:19:39 +0000

Jewel a 10 year old shepherd mix

Gift Certificates for the pet lover

webdev — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:12:20 +0000

Valentines day is just around the corner and Paws and Claws has the perfect gift idea for pet lovers… Give the gift of memories with a Paws and Claws Photography gift certificate. Gift certificates are totally customized to fit your needs and promise a unique and personal gift for your loved one that won’t wilt away in seven days. For more information on Paws and Claws Photography gift certificates, please contact me at meganalee@cox.net or 571-641-1044.

SAVE $4 ON TICKETS TO SUPER PET EXPO

webdev — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:24:02 +0000

Super Pet Expo is coming to town and we have arranged for our friends and families to save $4 on each ticket you purchase. The show is wonderful for families with children and animal lovers in general. You see a wide variety of animal education and entertainment plus thousands of cool pet products for sale that are not typically found in pet stores. Don’t forget to have your pet’s portrait taken by Paws and Claws Photography.

Here’s how to save $4 on tickets right now:

1. Go to www.superpetexpo.com

2. Click on “Purchase Tickets”

3. Enter promo code PAWS

4. Click “Click to Continue”

5. Insert the number of tickets you wish to purchase

6. Click “Order”

Bonus-for each online order, you will receive a FREE one (1) year subscription to award winning NOVADog Magazine (valued at $19.95).

Our discount is only valid when purchasing tickets online at www.supetpetexpo.com.

We hope to see you at the show!

13 New Year’s Resolutions for Dog Owners

webdev — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:40:23 +0000

dogster

With the arrival of a new year inevitably comes a variety of new year’s “resolutions.” We vow to better ourselves through losing weight, quitting smoking, stop procrastinating, and so on. But how may we improve ourselves as pet owners? What new year’s resolutions should dog owners consider? Here are 13 suggestions for your consideration.

Vow to provide your dog with the highest quality nutrition possible. This means researching the ingredients in dog food and often, thinking outside the grocery store kibble aisle. The Whole Dog Journal is a fantastic publication which publishes annual dog food reviews. WDJ offers unbiased reviews as a publication which subsists entirely on subscription revenue – they do not accept advertisements from manufacturers.

Make it a point to ensure your dog’s health through providing adequate and appropriate exercise.

Be realistic about your dog’s weight. It’s scary how few people recognize weight problems in dogs and equally scary when people think their pet’s obesity is funny or a joke. Obesity shortens longevity, both in dogs and people. If you can’t feel your dog’s ribs easily, he is too fat. Ask your vet for guidance in regulating his weight and achieving healthy body condition.

Train your dog. Training is not a luxury, it is necessary Not only will appropriate training make living with your dog more enjoyable for you, it will make life more enjoyable for your dog by providing him with the mental stimulation all dogs need and crave.

Play with your dog. Play can take many forms – training, tug, fetch, food dispensing toys, nosework games and exercises, off leash adventures in safe environments, etc.

Keep your dog well-groomed and maintained. Mats in the fur, parasitic infestations, rotten teeth, overgrown toenails, embedded collars, yeasty ears, oozing or itchy eyes, hot spots, etc. are all unsightly and worse, uncomfortable for dogs. Routine care and maintenance can significantly improve your dog’s quality of life.

Make it easy for your dog to succeed. If your dog loves chewing on shoes, do not allow him unsupervised access to shoes. If your dog eliminates in the house, provide him with plenty of opportunities to eliminate outside by giving him frequent breaks. If your dog bites strange children, don’t bring him to your daughter’s soccer game.

Vow not to get mad at your dog for your management failures. If your dog loves chewing toilet paper and you leave the bathroom door open, it’s your fault, not his, that the toilet paper is now strewn throughout your house in 7,986,235 pieces. Simply clean up the mess and next time, close the bathroom door!

Be appreciative of how wonderful your dog is. One of the biggest elements of successful training is looking for desirable behaviors and reinforcing them with something your dog likes and appreciates – a treat, a butt scratch, a game of tug, the opportunity to go for a walk. Never miss an opportunity to thank your dog for good behavior.

Make time for your dog. This may mean rearranging your schedule. It may mean going out in the cold or rainy weather to give your dog a walk. It may mean skipping Wednesday night book club so that you can enroll in the agility class you wanted to take. It may mean spending less time on Facebook and more time playing, training, and exercising with your dog.

Be a responsible dog owner – keep identification tags on your dog, renew your dog’s annual license, make the annual veterinary appointment, clean up after your dog, respect leash laws, etc.

Keep learning and improving as a pet owner. What does your dog love? What stresses him out? How does he communicate his emotions through body language? Understanding your dog will enable you to be a better friend to him, this year and every year.

Help a less fortunate dog at least once this year. Remember that not all dogs are as lucky as yours. Not all dogs have regular meals, veterinary care, someone who loves them and will play with them, a home to call their own. There are many ways you can help less fortunate dogs – by making donations (either goods – beds, leashes, collars, food, toys, etc. or cash) to a local shelter or rescue, volunteering at a local shelter or rescue, organize fundraisers, help take pictures of adoptable pets for petfinder listings, apply to become a foster parent, etc.

About the Author: Casey Lomonaco graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, and is a member of the following professional organizations: APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers), CGC evaluator – AKC (American Kennel Club), TDF (Truly Dog Friendly), and the No-Shock Collar Coalition. She is also the author of Dogster’s popular Dog Training Guide.

Scruffie,Teddy & Annie.

webdev — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:49:04 +0000

Scruffie black mini poodle, Teddy long haired dachshund and Annie mini dachshund.

Koda

webdev — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:22:27 +0000

Koda a black lab/rottie mix

Top 10 Pet-Owner Mistakes

webdev — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:46:50 +0000

The Top 10 Pet-Owner Mistakes

By Megan Kaplan

REAL SIMPLE

Avoid common errors, and keep your four-legged pal healthy and well-behaved.

Mistake 1: Buying a Pet Spontaneously

Why this is a mistake: That doggie in the window may be darling, but he might not be the right fit for your family or lifestyle.

How to avoid it: Fully inform yourself before you bring home a pet. Every dog or cat has its own needs, some of which are specific to the breed. Terriers tend to dig; Abyssinians explore and climb. If there’s a breed that interests you, read up on it (try the website of the American Kennel Club, at akc.org, or the Cat Fanciers Association, at cfainc.org), talk to owners, and get to know someone else’s Border collie or Persian. That said, not every dog or cat is typical of its breed, so “ask about the pet’s history, health, and temperament,” says Stephanie Shain, a director at the Humane Society of the United States. When dealing with a breeder, you should be shown where the pet was raised and meet his parents.

Mistake 2: Skipping Obedience Training

Why this is a mistake: Bad habits can be difficult to train out of a pet. So unless you have the know-how to school an animal, you need the help of a pro.

How to avoid it: Even before a puppy starts formal training, teach him simple commands, such as sit and stay. A puppy can begin formal training at eight weeks (and ideally before 12 weeks), after he has had his shots. “Between the ages of 8 and 16 weeks, puppies readily absorb information about the world around them,” says Andrea Arden, author of Dog-Friendly Training ($13, amazon.com). To help a dog stick with good behaviors, every few years take him for a refresher course. (Find one in your area at the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, apdt.com.)

Mistake 3: Being Inconsistent With the Rules

Why this is a mistake: If one child lets Fifi on the bed and another punishes her for it, the animal will be confused. Bad behavior is inevitable.

How to avoid it: Make sure everyone in your household knows- and follow -the rules, says Arden. “You want your dog to sit before eating a treat? You don’t want your kitten to pounce on your hands? Then figure out a system that will help your pet succeed.” Pets thrive with a sense of order, so discuss with your family when yours should be fed, exercised, and even given a treat.

Mistake 4: Dispensing Too Many Free Treats

Why this is a mistake: Treats lose their training value if your pet gets them for no reason.

How to avoid it: ”Think of treats as currency given to a pet to reward good behavior,” says Marty Becker, a veterinarian and a coeditor of Petconnection.com. Assign each type of treat a value, and pay according to how well your pet behaves. Kibble is worth a dollar; a chicken strip, five; bologna, 10. “But it’s important to not pay off the good behavior all the time,” Becker says. “That way, your dog will always hope he might get that piece of bologna, and he’ll eventually perform without seeing a treat.”

Mistake 5: Neglecting to Socialize Your Pet

Why this is a mistake: Pets that aren’t exposed to a variety of animals and people at a very young age can develop fears and aggressive behavior.

How to avoid it: Introduce your pet to adults, kids, animals, and environments so he’ll take every novelty in stride. It’s optimal for a pet to start the process before you bring him home, since the critical socialization period is early in life. “For a dog, it’s between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. For cats, it’s between 2 and 8 weeks,” says Nicholas Dodman, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, in North Grafton, Massachusetts. The breeder or the shelter’s adoption counselor can tell you how much socialization an animal has had.

Mistake 6: Skimping on Exercise

Why this is a mistake: Pets have pent-up energy that needs to be unleashed through physical activity. Otherwise it will be channeled into barking, jumping, or even hostile behavior.

How to avoid it: “Walk your dog at least twice a day for a minimum of 30 minutes each time,” says Cesar Millan, host of The Dog Whisperer, on the National Geographic Channel. “To your dog, that’s a primal activity-birds fly, fish swim, and dogs walk.” Pamela Reid, vice president of the ASPCA’s Animal-Behavior Center in Urbana, Illinois, recommends that dogs get at least 40 minutes of aerobic exercise daily. “Dogs need more exercise than people do,” says Reid. Try running or biking with your dog or playing fetch or Frisbee. With a cat, “you can’t take her jogging, but before and after work, give her 10 to 20 minutes of playtime,” says Reid.

Mistake 7: Neglecting to Keep Your Pet Mentally Active

Why this is a mistake: Bored pets are more likely to get into trouble.

How to avoid it: Give your pets something to do. For a dog, that can mean having him hunt for food. Place a meal or treats in spots around the house for him to sniff out, or “feed him out of a food-dispensing puzzle toy instead of his bowl,” says Andrea Arden. Keep a cat engaged with simple amusements, like a toy mouse dangling from a string. “You can stimulate your cat visually by placing a bird feeder outside a window, or setting a lava lamp on a shelf,” says Arden Moore, author of The Cat Behavior Answer Book ($10,amazon.com).

Mistake 8: Leaving a Pet Alone for Too Long

Why this is a mistake: A lack of proper companionship can lead to separation anxiety and destructive behaviors.

How to avoid it: ”Don’t leave a puppy alone for eight hours,” says Reid. Hire someone to watch him or drop him off at a doggie day-care center. Your puppy will need to learn how to be alone for a few hours each day, however, so “teach him to self-pacify almost immediately,” says Andrea Arden. Put him in a crate (or leash him to a stable object) a foot or two away from you, then gradually increase the distance over the course of a week. Then make sure that he spends escalating amounts of time alone in his crate or confined to a room. Break up the day for dogs of any age with a visit from a dog walker or a neighbor, and give your pet access to toys and visual stimuli. Unlike puppies, kittens can be left alone, but they should have access to toys and visual stimuli.

Mistake 9: Failing to Make Your Home Pet-Friendly

Why this is a mistake: A cat without a proper litter box will just use the carpet. A dog without a cozy bed will end up on the couch.

How to avoid it: Location is key with a litter box. “A cat doesn’t want to travel a long way to go to the bathroom any more than you do,” says Mieshelle Nagelschneider, a feline behaviorist and a consultant at the Cat Behavior Clinic, near Portland, Oregon. Place litter boxes (one per cat, if you own a few, plus one box they can share, says Moore) in quiet areas throughout your home. Plug in a night-light beside each one so your cat can find it in the dark. Cats dislike strong odors (even air freshener), so use uncovered boxes and unscented litter and scoop out each box every day. Dogs are far less persnickety about where they relieve themselves, but do them the favor of regularly picking up the poop in the backyard. Cats and dogs also need spots where they can cuddle up and feel safe. “A dog needs a crate like a teenager needs a room,” says Dodman. Provide a crate or a cozy bed, and make it taboo for your family to pester the dog while he’s in it. Cats naturally want to climb to an optimal vantage point, so set up a place where yours can look out a window.

Mistake 10: Punishing Your Pet

Why this is a mistake: You might think Chewie knows you’re screaming at him because he ate the loaf of bread on the counter, but he won’t connect your behavior with his action.

How to avoid it: Never physically punish your pet; he’ll just learn to fear you. It’s OK to startle a pet out of a behavior, but only if you catch him in the act. Command him with a firm “No!” or “Down!” and he’ll connect the reaction with what he’s doing and learn that it’s not OK. Otherwise, the punishment should come from the environment. Teach a cat or a dog to stay off the counter, say, by arranging sheet pans in a pile that will clatter to the floor if he jumps up. The counter, not you, will become the thing to fear.

Lynx

webdev — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:49:07 +0000

Lynx is a 11 year old Aussie Belgian mix.