Now we live in an age of elephant art. Look at this amazing elephant self-portrait. The art is created by an elephant in this video.

Writing about elephant art is not my usual fare, but it’s so astounding I had to share.

If you haven’t seen this beautifully made portrait of an elephant made by an elephant, watch the whole thing - it is well worth the time, as you may never have imagined that any non-human animal could be so adroit, graceful and artistic.

Absolutely beautiful image - I’d be pleased to call it my own, to call it elephant art.

This particular elephant is a male born in 2002 named “Paya,” which means “excellence.” He’s only been painting for a couple of years.

There is much to learn from this incredible display of intelligence, dexterity and artistic sense by this marvelous elephant and all the others as well.

Source: By Trush Be Known Via Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project

If your pet has a medical history, travel with a copy of your pet’s medical records.

• If your pet is on medication, be sure to take enough of them.
• If your pet is on a special therapeutic diet, purchase an extra supply in case you can’t find the food right away in your new area.
• Carry a first aid kit for your pet. While first aid is no substitute for veterinary care, it could save your pet’s life.
• If your move involves driving, book ahead hotels that accept animals.
• If traveling by plane, call the airline in advance to check out regulations and services and to make reservations. Some airlines allow pets in the cabin, but you will need to purchase a special airline crate that fits under the seat in front of you.
• . For the pet’s comfort, air travel on an almost empty stomach is advisable.
• Some pets travel better while tranquilized.
• While traveling to other countries, it is important to carry a rabies vaccine certificate.
• If you are traveling in a car, first make your pet accustomed to the car. Take it for a few short rides before the trip. This may lessen the effects of motion sickness.
• Keep your pet buckled up in a moving vehicle. This protects the pets in case of a collision, and prevents pets from running loose and distracting the driver.
• Pets should not be allowed to ride with their heads outside the car windows. Dirt particles can enter the eyes, ears and nose, causing injury or infection.
• Stick to your regular feeding routine while traveling, and give your pet its main meal at the end of the day or when you’ve reached your destination.
• Feeding dry food is more convenient while traveling. Dispose of un-canned food unless it can be refrigerated.
• While leaving the pet in a parked car, be sure to - lock all doors, park in a shady area, and open windows wide enough to provide ventilation without enabling your pet to jump out or get its head caught. Be aware of weather conditions. Do not leave your pet in a parked car when the temperature and/or humidity are high or when temperatures are near or below freezing point.
• To avoid losing your pet during a trip, put an ID tag around your pet.

Pets are unique in their own sense. They have their own natural behavior. You have to mould their behavior as per your requirement. All this calls for training of pets.

Two cardinal rules that are to be followed while training your pet towards desirable behavior are:

1. Never reprimand or punish your cat for an unwanted behavior. This may make your pet fearful of you or else the pet will continue with the unwanted behavior in your absence.
2. Reward your pet for the desired behavior. It will act as a positive reinforcement.

While training a puppy regarding food habits, put your puppy on a consistent feeding schedule. Feed a puppy below six months three times per day and at the same time each day. Feed an adult dog twice a day and at the same time each day. Feed the same food consistently. Changing foods can cause finickiness and intestinal upset.

Regarding bowel habits, puppies typically need to go out within 30 minutes after a meal, and almost immediately after awakening, shortly after a play session, and just before going to bed at night. Puppies have limited bladder and bowel control and need to go out rather frequently during the day, and sometimes during the night.

Cats have an excessive habit of meowing. They do so when they want to attract attention, when they are hungry or when they are bored. Do break this habit exercise and play regularly with your cat. Don’t pay attention to her and give her anything when she is meowing. In fact ignore her completely whenever she does so. Fulfill her needs when she is quiet. This will instill in her mind the desired behavior that is expected of her.

Cat is a nocturnal animal and its natural tendency is to sleep in the day and remain active in the night. To break this habit, change the biological clock of the cat as per your schedule. Firstly, don’t reward cat in anyway - by playing with her or feeding her - whenever she wakes you in the night. Secondly, don’t let your cat doze off in the day. Keep her active all day along and feed her late in the evening/early night. By following this schedule you will deprive your cat of sleep in the day and hence she will catch up with her sleep in the night. In about 2 weeks time her biological clock will match yours.

Cats have a natural instinct to scratch. They scratch our valuable furniture, carpets etc. To prevent them from doing so place double-sided tape or masking tape left sticky side up at strategic places on the furniture. Cats don’t exactly relish having an object cling to their sensitive feet. Bring them a scratching post to satisfy their scratching instincts.

To ensure that your cat eliminates in the proper place litter box training is very important. . As a kitten, every time that she looks like she’s about to crouch or she starts sniffing near a corner (classic signs of oncoming urination or defecation), pick her up and put her in the litter box. Also, first thing in the morning, put your kitten in the litter box. Kittens learn extremely quickly. Cats don’t litter in dirty litter boxes so keep the litter box always clean. Reward your cat for eliminating in the litter box. In order to do so you must be present there at the time when she eliminates.

Pet toys are meant to keep the pets entertained and give them plenty of exercise. Many of them are useful tools to assist in training the pets according to the household too. These toys can be of rubber or plastic, can be edible types or made up of catnip. They can be squeaky, glow in the dark or emit laser beams making them easier to locate and interactive too. Many of them often double up as pet treats too. If you are buying toys for an active pet, you may want to buy toys that wiggle or flip-flop and are great for cats, ferrets and small dogs. Most pets enjoy the easy to throw and catch discs that are flexible. Social pets love squeaky fun toys that come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Premium handmade catnip toys in shape of a mouse or a rat are just perfect toys for cats.

Birds, cats, dogs and other small pets like rabbits and mice love to play with toys too. Rabbits can become destructive, depressed or overweight, if they are not active and may be bored to death. You can start by giving them crumpled-up paper, cardboard boxes and toilet paper rolls to play with but other toys that can be bought for them include a tunnel to hide and chew toys that are sturdy. Rattles that can be chewed upon or eaten are loved by rabbits too such as those made of a blend of oat and alfalfa hay. Wooden balls and a wood-shaped bunny can be used too along with paper bags that they can tear to find hay, herbs and chew blocks for them. Bouncing balls and toys are the favorites of rabbits.

Funny cards and gifts for your pet are not only meant for them but their owners too. While dogs love to chew upon edible bones or bone-flavored and shaped plastic toys, cats love fish and shrimp-flavored toys and scratching posts. They love catnip bubbles too. Bones of different flavors such as bacon, spearmint, peanut and fruits are just perfect gifts for dogs on their birthdays or adoption anniversaries. Natural gourmet toys not only keep your pet entertained but also provide healthy nutrition to them. Dental toys include rope and rubber toys that can be used to tease your pets and stimulate their natural hunting instincts and should be sturdy enough to bear their scratching and biting. Most pets love flavored tennis balls. However, they should not be small enough to be swallowed by them and become a potential choking hazard. For bigger and larger animals, it is wiser to choose bigger-sized balls to play with. Ferret teaser toys are available in the market too.

There are toys available for hamsters and gerbils too that include safe and quiet running wheels that have a solid surface and are safe for birds and meant to minimize neck and tail injuries. The low noise spinner is the best exerciser for all small animals. Bouncing balls and other balls can be used to play with rats, guinea pigs and ferrets too. The toys that roll and look like moving preys are interesting to most pets, big or small. Similarly, tunnel and cave like toys that can be entered and left, whenever desired, provide them with a much craved for private space. Buy toys that let you pets nibble and gnaw or arouse their curiosity and give way to exploration and treasure hunt. In short, pets are not much different from kids, when it comes to toys. If used properly, they enhance the mental and physical expertise of your pet and keep them happy for hours at end.

Bath and grooming products for a pet are meant to remove odor of the pets too. The pets can be cats, dogs, birds, aquarium fish or any other exotic pet. Make sure that pet odor removers are pet-safe and biodegradable. These are known to effectively remove pet odors caused by cats, dogs and other small animals and also take urine and littler stains and odor into account. Eliminating pet odors is an important step in toilet training your pet for it continues to return to the area, it has marked with its personal scent despite all the positive reinforcement that you can summon. Thus, it is important to neutralize the odor thoroughly to train your pet properly.

While steam colors and heat are known to permanently set the odor and the stain on the man-made fibers of the carpets, rugs and sofas, cleaning chemicals with strong ammonia or vinegar odors are not as effective on pets to cover the urine odor as on their human counterparts. In fact, they might only encourage the pet to reinforce the urine scent mark in that particular area for better recognition.

Some of the effective ideas to remove pet odors are:

• Washable Items can be washed in machine with one pound of baking soda to the regular detergent and then air-dry them.
• Enzymatic cleaners are known to clean the items and remove the odors too.
• Cover beds and sofas with an easy-to-wash, inexpensive, vinyl, flannel-backed tablecloth, which seems unattractive to your pet until it is toilet-trained.
• Try to clean the pet urine before it dries and soak it up using newspaper and paper towels, to be able to remove the pet odor quickly. Once it dries, the smell becomes stronger.
• You may also keep these in the litter box to encourage your pet to use it as a ‘bathroom area’.
• To remove the traces of old chemical cleaners, you will have to clean the stains thoroughly in carpeting and other areas.
• An extractor or wet-vac or a vacuum cleaner is quiet efficient and economical for the purpose.
• After thorough cleaning, a high-quality pet odor neutralizer can be used while following the instructions on its pack carefully.
• You can also neutralize the odor by alternating baking soda and vinegar.
• After cleaning, sprinkle the area with baking soda and leaving it overnight. Next morning sweep it up and then use a strong vinegar wash. Then rinse the area. After the few hours, the smell of vinegar evaporates up by itself.

You can also save your pets from having bad breath or body odor by giving them natural and healthy food, bathing them up properly and grooming and brushing them up regularly. Consistent care of the animals significantly reduces pet odors or eliminate them completely.

To pet lovers, pets are no less than kids and they see no reason or absurdity in desiring to know about the future prediction for their beloved pets and seek astrological devices to know them better. Animal lovers across the globe have accepted pet horoscopes as the latest fad on their list. They seek the services of the psychics, astrologers and numerologists for the purpose and Internet is a quick way to process the required data and give out predictions for pets, with or without fur. These sites charge a certain fee to give an extensive reading to the owner about their dog’s, cat’s, pig’s, horse’s or chick’s personality and future based on their birth date and birth place. You may also ask for the astro-charts and predictions for the next few months. Prediction of pet’s behavior for a long time to come might help you to reduce your anxiety about your pampered pet.

The astrologers believe that the position of the almighty sun and stars at the particular moment carves out the distinction personality and behavior pattern of a pet. However, horoscopes of different animals definitely differ from each other. These horoscopes can tell you about the relationships of the animal along with its ruling, planet, lucky day and number, physical characteristics, desirable qualities and most harmonious signs. Here are some general characteristics of the pets, common to almost all species, according to their sun signs:

Aries
Some of the most energetic and active pets are born under this sign. They love workouts and are not easy to subdue. They do whatever they want and make plenty of noise yet are so friendly and sweet that they love to do tricks to entertain your friends and love them when they come home. However, they tend to be assertive and Aries canines are good guardians of home. They love playing and fun and get compulsive at times. Aries cats like to roam a lot and will resist being locked up. A competitive spirit is behind their speed and stamina than other pets in the neighborhood and new games and toys entrance them to their owners. The head, eyes and ears of Aries pets are vulnerable so take special care of these parts of your pet.

Taurus
Taurus pets are lazy and like to sleep a lot. They need comfortable beds and a super-soft blanket to be in paradise. They need a lot of pampering and lots of fresh and tasty food. The Taurus pets loved to be petted and slow and luxurious rubdowns on their coats. Lethargic in nature, they hate exercise and just lounge around at the most. Persistency and stubbornness are their distinctive traits and they do not like to leave the comforts of home. However, these pets rarely run away and are very loyal to their masters. They tend to get fat with over eating and so you need to keep an eye on their food. With kids at home, they are gems for they are very tolerant and gentle in nature.

Gemini
More communicative, social and interactive, Gemini pets are noisy and yappy. They crave variety and freedom and hate fixed routines. They are bright, amusing and love to learn new tricks. They are just a little in fast forward motion and eat and walk at fast pace. They keep wandering from place to place and are innovative in nature. They can invent original stunts and precocious moves and have a zest for life that will keep them young even when they are old. Fun is the word for Gemini pets, though, their paws or legs or any kind of lower limbs can be their weak spots.

Cancer
Moody Cancerian pets love to be a part of a family unit and hardly feel the need to go out and explore. They are prone to stomach and digestive problems and need regular meals controlled consistently. Keep them away from emotion stress, as they are generally very intuitive and sensitive. Family problems may upset a Cancerian pet too. The Cancer pet loves to play with kids and snuggle up with their owners. On bad days, they seek to be alone. Cancer pets can be quite possessive about their toys and family members and do not like to be left alone when the family goes on a trip. They are loyal to their last breath and are known for their affectionate warmth for the family they live with.

Leo
Rulers like kings and queens, Leonine pets are as charming as they are spoilt. They can be little lazy and aloof and want just about everything perfect like their favorite meals, being washed and groomed regularly and being the focus of attention, always. However, they are capable of undying love and fierce loyalty. The Leo pets are family and neighbors alike and manage to gain their attention. They can be quite demanding at times but are courageous and strong, when the opportunity arises and are known to perform heroic deeds.

Virgo
With picky Virgo pets, you may need a lot of patience. Simple food served on time and a strictly observed routine is a mist with them. Order and schedule are their first love and they are on the verge of being hypochondriacs and wince and yelp a lot. If you follow a set and stable routine, they are easy to care for and you can enjoy walking with your Virgo pet at the same time every day on your usual route. They Virgo pets like to be neat and clean. They do not need much besides hygiene and routine and won’t expect new toys much. They can be good guards because of the attention they pay to details.

Libra
Playmates mean a lot to a Libra pet. Companionships form the lifeline of Libra pets and they cannot stand to be left alone. Their social circle is necessarily large or they may start crying and whining. Harmony at home is essential for them as these animals are too good at picking up bad vibes instantly. They like to be groomed properly, lead a good life and eat well. They love traveling too and are quite of masters who take them to the corner regularly. They are very eager to please too.

Scorpio
Scorpio pets are mysterious and loner by nature. They love to wander, are more independent and self-sufficient and are strong-willed on the verge of being stubborn. They may go for an adventure along for days but be assured that they will always come back. Idiocy irritates them and personal space is a must for Scorpio pets. They are extremely loyal and would not suffer even death to come in their path of loyalty. Emotional and intuitive at once, they will be with you whenever you are sad. They are sometimes too curious for the taste of their owners and may search out the garbage cans. You have to be careful that they do not bring something disgusting in the home with them, taking it to be a fancy treat.

Sagittarius
Sagittarius pets are sanguine in nature and are happy-go-lucky types. They are always happy, extremely energetic and playful. Sag pets seem to be claustrophobic and need space. They are quite a companion for hiking trails or camping trips. They love to wander off and get plenty of exercise while they’re at it. However, delighted to be with a family, they always come back and are great with kids.

Capricorn
Capricorn pets are serious, deliberate, cautious and do not like to take risks. Conservative in nature, Capricorn pet amuses itself by watching other animals at play and like to help out and work hard. Cap dog can fetch the newspaper while a Capricorn horse can help you to lock the barnyard animals. Cap pets are stable and serene and like a happy family and a comfy home. Work is their exercise and they like to be needed to do your chores. Capricorn pet is not hard to train and is has immense self-control. It dutifully follows the family rules and is quite self-reliant and contended to fend off for himself while the family is away. They don’t need much physical affection but like to be neat and clean and brushed regularly. Their bone and teeth might need special attention.

Aquarius
Eccentric by nature, Aquarius pets are unusual, quirky and strange. They can be finicky at times and loves freedom to express itself and hate to be leashed or put in closed quarters. They love to socialize and mix easily with people and other animals. Aquarian pets learn from other animals more quickly and may take to vegetarian food easily for the sake of novelty. They are individualistic in nature and won’t easily sit on your lap for long. If you don’t try to cuddle them often, they prove to be good companions. They are known to set their own terms and can be quite shy and seem lost at first. They love to flaunt too and are quite smart in learning new lessons and tricks. Never boring, these pets are quite rebellious in nature.

Pisces
Pisces pet live in their own fantasy world and thus seem lazy. They are sweet but don’t expect much from them. They are caring and sympathetic and can sense that you are upset and try to cheer you up. Piscean dogs will gladly lay in your lap and lick you with affection. Pisces pets are known to follow their masters like shadows and are contented with little. However, they always like to be near you. Piscean cats are known to be crazy for catnips, so exercise control on their diet.

Homes and houses are not only loved by us but our pets too. Besides offering protection from weather, they help them to improve the quality of life and live comfortably in them. A Cat House or a Dog House are meant to make cats and dog, respectively, comfortable in winter and summer and save them from adverse effects of sun, rain and wind. Pet homes should be strong, durable and well built because they are going to become the best loved habitat outdoors. Pet houses include kennels for dogs, aviaries, chicken coops, dovecotes, hutches, beehives, stables and even aquariums. Best quality wooden pet homes are the most popular ones though.

Many pets can be as cozy at the top of the tables or a spare box lying in the corner of the home, as they are in their nests, caves and holes. However, the homes meant for them should be made safe for them too. They should be insulate and provide a happy break from dirty garage corners and utility buildings for your pets. The rugged construction gives them a natural feel while insulated walls; floor and roof may be covered with polystyrene foam. Some of them come with pet bed heater to measure the temperature inside the house. Pet homes with magnetically sealed pet doors will ensure greater safety for your pet. If the surfaces are constructed of steel, they are bound to be more durable.

Pet homes must be insulated and their temperature must be regulated properly according to the climate of the reason. Fresh air and comfortably warm pet house will keep your fit and fine. Pet houses can be fully assembled or easily foldable that can be used for traveling purposes. The door sizes should be chosen according to the size of your pet. Cathouses should have cat flaps for their protection. Pet homes with their own heating system are preferable. Pet heaters are specifically designed for use with pets and keep pets safe blistering and hair loss unlike the normal heaters. Power cord in pet homes should be enclosed with heavy spring to prevent being chewed upon by the curious animals.
For hens and poultry birds, a movable house is the best. Cooping them in a small area makes them depressed while leaving them open may encourage them to harm your plants. Thus, you can just move the house you provide for them a little on the grass and they will be perfectly happy. It will also save them from the hunting species and bigger birds. Large hencoops are of course best for they give them space to run and shelter from sun, rain and wind. If the hens and birds are born and brought up in a coop, they don’t often venture out to see, if there is a world outside. A constant change of grass is all they need. For every species of pets, the most important thing is that their pet homes are clean and provide their needs. Cozy for smaller animals and big enough to allow them to run here and there make the ideal pet homes.

A healthy pet makes a good companion. But you really need to take good care of your pet to keep it in good condition. In spite of all your efforts, the pet may fall ill. It may contact a deadly disease. The key to a healthy pet lies in taking all the precautions so that it does not fall ill and more importantly recognizing the symptoms of diseases, which if left ignored may turn out to be fatal.

Some of the symptoms that indicate an onslaught of a deadly disease are:

• Abnormal discharges from the nose, eyes, or other body openings.
• Loss of appetite, marked weight losses or gains, or excessive water consumption.
• Difficult, abnormal, or uncontrolled waste elimination.
• Abnormal behavior, sudden viciousness, or lethargy.
• Abnormal lumps, limping, or difficulty getting up or lying down.
• Excessive head shaking, scratching, and licking or biting any part of the body.
• Dandruff, loss of hair, open sores, and a ragged or dull coat. Foul breath or excessive tarter deposits on teeth.

Cancer
Cancer is very common in pets and accounts for almost half of the deaths of pets over 10 years of age. The cause of most of the cancers is not known and hence its prevention is difficult. Breast cancer can be prevented with early spaying.

Symptoms of Cancer in Pets

• Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
• Sores that do not heal
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
• Offensive odor
• Difficulty eating or swallowing
• Hesitance to exercise or loss of stamina
• Persistent lameness or stiffness
• Difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating
• An early detection of cancer is paramount in its treatment.

Rabies
Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The virus is usually transmitted by a bite from a rabid animal. Only mammals get rabies. Birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians do not. Prompt and appropriate treatment, after being bitten and before the disease develops, can stop the infection and prevent the disease in people.

Prevention/Treatment of Rabies

• Get your pet vaccinated against all the deadly diseases including rabies.
• Don’t let your pets roam freely. Keep them indoors.
• If a pet has been bitten by another animal contact a veterinarian immediately.
• If pets that have been vaccinated against rabies are bitten by another animal, they should be revaccinated immediately, kept under the owner’s control, and observed for period of 45 days.
• If unvaccinated pets are bitten, the pet may have to be euthanized immediately. Alternatively, the animal should be checked and immediately placed in strict isolation for 6 months and vaccinated 1 month before being released.

Ear mites
They are common in dogs and cats. These mites spend most of their life in the ears. Often an animal can be severely infested with the pests before there is any outward sign of their presence. If ignored it is followed by a bacterial infection that can spread deep into the ear and eventually penetrate the brain causing convulsions and death.

For prevention, get your pet’s ears regularly examined by a veterinarian.

Spaying/Neutering
Get your pet spayed or neutered. Spaying your female pet (cat or dog) can help to prevent cancers of the reproductive tract, including breast cancer, and will decrease the incidence of reproductive infections. Neutering your male pet will prevent testicular cancer and can decrease the incidence of prostate problems. Certain behavioral problems are also reduced when the pets are spayed or neutered.

Dental Care
Pets need good oral care. Remove plaque regularly from your pet’s teeth as part of the dental care routine. Regular dental checkups by an experienced veterinarian are also essential. Bad breath could be a sign of impending dental disease such as gingivitis. Dog breeds, such as Pekingese and Shihtzu are more prone to dental diseases because their teeth are crowded into small mouths and this creates a haven for plaque buildup. Some signs of a tooth decay are: bad breath, a yellow brown crust of tartar around the gumline, pain or bleeding from the gums.

Vaccination
Like us pets can be prevented from diseases by vaccination. They should be vaccinated to protect them from many highly contagious and deadly diseases.

Trimming of Nails
Nails of all the pets should be regularly trimmed and especially of cats as they have a scratching habit. When trimming the nails, be careful not to cut them too short and cause bleeding. Cut the nails until you see a dark circle appearing in the center of the nail. This is the edge of the quick or blood vessel in the nail bed.

Brushing
Prior to bathing and clipping, the pets need to be brushed out to make sure there are no knots in the furnishings. Knots are big problem in cats and dogs and more so in longhaired cats. Brush the beard, legs and underskirt to make sure there are no knots using the Pin Brush. Brush upward (against the natural lay of the hair) starting at the top of the leg and proceed downward as you are brushing.

Bathing
Pets need to be bathed from time to time. But frequency of bathing of each pet varies. For example, cats need to be bathed not more than once a month. While bathing make sure that the temperature of the water is not too hot. Be careful not to get water and shampoo in the ears, eyes and mouth when bathing the pet. Put cotton balls in the pet’s ears to help prevent water from getting in the ear canal.

Drying
While towel drying the legs and beard, don’t rub but squeeze out the excess water to help prevent tangling the furnishings. You can also use a drier. Brush the beard and eyebrows down. Brush the legs up, starting with the pin brush and moving to the slicker brush when the leg is almost dry. Slicker brushes tend to rip out hair when used on a wet leg.

Some important things to remember while grooming your pet:

• Never punish the pet for not responding to the grooming schedule. Animals like to be left alone and are not very comfortable when someone touches them. Hence, in the beginning they don’t respond positively to the grooming routine.
• Never let your pet mistake grooming tools as toys. Don’t let it play with brush or clippers because otherwise pet will start treating grooming session as play time.
• Never hit your pet with a grooming tool else pet will start associating grooming tool with punishment and will try to avoid grooming session.
• Start grooming from an early age. That way pet will get use to grooming easily.

Like humans, animals too need a balanced diet for a healthy existence. Each of the six nutrients - Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fat, Vitamins, Minerals and water - plays a vital role in the pet’s health. Proteins are the main element of body tissues like muscles, blood, skin, organs, hair and nails. Carbohydrates provide energy for the body’s tissues. Fats absorb, store and transport vitamins and moisturize skin and coat. Vitamins assist in maintaining metabolism of the animals. Minerals are necessary to develop healthy skin, hair, and proper skeletal support and development.

Pets like dogs and cats are essentially carnivorous and hence require a daily diet of animal food. They require the enzymes, amino acids and other nutrients in the raw meat in order to stay healthy. Many skin and coat problems are a direct result of a lack of raw animal fat in the diet. Animals need at least 30% raw fat, and their systems are not designed to handle cooked meat or cooked fat. Hence, readymade dry food, cooked food or processed food should be avoided. Essentially a pet (dog & cat) food should consist of a combination of certain raw meats and raw vegetables.

Excess of nutrients is also not good for the health of pet. Many nutrients are actually toxic in excessive amounts. Every pet has unique nutritional needs based on age, health and activity level and it should be fed accordingly.

In general, Puppies should be fed only as much as they can consume in 5 to 10 minutes at a given meal. Puppies are usually fed 3 times daily when between 6 and 12 weeks old, 2 times daily when 12 weeks to 6 months old, and may be fed 1 or 2 times daily when older than 6 months. For certain large breed of dogs it is recommended that several smaller meals be fed rather than one large meal. Consumption of large meals may result in a serious medical condition called gastric dilatation/volvulus or “bloat.”

It is advisable to feed pets at set mealtimes because intake can be more easily monitored. Canned foods should always be fed at set times, because if left unrefrigerated, they can spoil. It is advisable to feed pets in stainless steel bowls because plastic and ceramic bowls can scratch, leaving crevices for bacteria to hide.