Photo Hunt :: Bubbles

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These are my betta fish (a.k.a. Siamese fighting fish). I actually have four of but I'm just featuring two for this theme. Betta fish are small and colorful freshwater fish. They come in different colors. I have two red, one blue and one multi-colored betta fish. I guess they are called fighting fish because they are very territorial. They have a tendency to fight until the death if placed together in one fish tank. Sadly some people use these lovely fish for fish fight betting games.

I have a rectangular shaped fish tank with glass dividers so every betta fish has its own individual space to avoid fighting. When they come face to face with one another, they flare their gills and their flowing fins appear larger. They always try to attack one another. Good thing the glass dividers protect them from causing injury on one another

Betta fish are very easy to take care of. They don't need special apparatus like an air pump (for oxygen) unlike other types of fish.

My betta fish tank is always covered with these little bubbles.

POC Health Article: Rabies: the deadly bite

March is Rabies Awareness Month. I would like to share my health feature on Philippine Online Chronicles about rabies. Please do your share to fight this deadly disease. Be a responsible pet owner. You may click here to read the full length feature.

Puppy Moment

I love this photo. It captures my son's thrilled expression as he plays with Jack, my BIL's Pomeranian puppy. For me, it's another priceless moment. Jack is a small bundle of joy and energy. Yohan was more than happy to play with Jack that day.

Dog Shampoo

I love pets especially dogs. I believe that all pet owners should be responsible for the proper grooming and well being of their pets. Dogs for example require regular grooming. Is your dog itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief? If the answer is yes then chances are you are not giving your dog the proper bath it needs. There might be something wrong if the odor returns quickly despite giving your dog constant baths. Other owners wait weeks between bathing their dogs because of flaky, dry and sensitive skin. Some owners complain of their dogs' excessive shedding. When you encounter problems like these, you might want to re-think if you are using the right products for your dogs. There are many dog products sold in the market that have strong components resulting to skin irritations. Protect your dogs by giving them safe and gentle grooming products.

You might want to try the all natural dog shampoo Dogosuds ® made by Dinovite, Inc. This natural dog shampoo makes your dog smell clean for a long period. It also lathers perfectly and rinses easily. Dog owners can be assured that it contains 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils. Dogs can benefit from its natural and healing properties. This dog shampoo is perfect for sensitive skin because of its gentle soothing formula. It has no chemicals, perfumes and fillers that can irritate your dog's skin. For fleas problem, this dog shampoo is an effective natural flea deterrent. It even works agains skunk odor. You may also want to check out the other remarkable Dinovite products at their site.

Photo Hunt :: In Memory

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This post is dedicated in memory of my loving pets that I had when I was young. My first dog was named Spotty. She was a cross breed Japanese Spitz. My Lola H's dog had a litter of puppies and she asked my parents if they wanted to have one and they said yes. My brother and I were so excited when we found out. When the puppies were old enough to bring home, my family went to my Lola H's house to choose a puppy. My heart was set on a puppy with black markings. I found out that she fell somewhere high and miraculously survived. That story made me pick her for a pet. My Dad suggested that I might want one of the pure white puppies instead but one in particular already stole my heart. We brought home my choice of puppy and I named her Spotty. She was sweet and affectionate. Spotty had one quirky behavior as she grew up. Whenever someone went upstairs, she would always twirl around in a funny, crazy way near the steps. She never outgrew that weird behavior of hers. I remember coaching her to come up with me but she never learned how. It was so interesting how Spotty easily found her way down by herself whenever I carried her upstairs.

Spotty gave birth to several puppies and we decided to keep one. My brother and I named her Bunny because she looked like a little rabbit when she was young. Bunny didn't go crazy whenever someone went upstairs. She was more reserved compared to Spotty.

L-R: Spotty, Bunny and Cookie

When Spotty gave birth again, we decided to keep another one and named him Cookie. He was a hyperactive puppy. My parents became concerned when they noticed Cookie's temper. They decided to give Cookie to my uncle (my mom's brother). I was sad to see him go but I realized that my uncle could take better care of him.

Cookie

My brother's playmate (our neighbor) gave us a puppy named Bubbles. My parents were surprised when they went home one day to find a brown puppy at home. My parents found out that the puppy had worms. My parents tried to give it back to our neighbor, however they didn't want the puppy anymore. My Dad gave Bubbles medicine to get rid of the worms. My parents gently told us that we couldn't keep Bubbles but they promised to find a good home for him. They gave Bubbles to a nice man who sold us vegetables regularly.

Bunny and Spotty

How To Give Your Dog a Proper Bath

I feel tired after giving my dog, Bruno a bath earlier this afternoon. I took time brushing his fur before the actual bath. He does not exactly like getting wet and the shampooing part but he is very behave the whole time. He loves being toweled dry.

I like it every time Bruno gently nips the end of the towel when I pat him dry as if he wants to start a little tug of war. After Bruno's bath, I went to the bathroom to take one myself. During my own bath, I was inspired to write this post. :)

Bruno, after today's mid-afternoon bath.

I would like to share some tips on how to give your dog a proper bath:

1. Prepare your dog's bath things (bath towel, dog soap or shampoo, comb or brush, cotton balls and cotton buds). It is advisable to use bath products specially formulated for dogs. Human bath products are not suitable for dogs.

2. Brush your dog's fur in order to remove loose hair. A Labrador has short hair so I did not have a hard time combing Bruno's fur. If you have a long haired dog, make sure you brush your dog's hair thoroughly. Gently loosen tangles.

3. Protect your dog's ears. Loosely put cotton balls on the ears to block water, soap and shampoo from coming in. Make sure the cotton balls are not too small to avoid getting them stuck deep inside the ears.

4. It is advisable to give your dog a bath during the warm part of the day (usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.). If you live in a cold climate country, you can use warm water for your dog's bath.

5. Wet the dog's body first from the neck to the back. Avoid the head for now.

6. Put a small amount of shampoo (you have the option to use soap) on your dog (amount of shampoo may vary depending on the size of the body) and gently work to a lather starting from the neck until the tail. Don't forget the belly, spaces between the front and hind legs, groin and spaces between the toes.

7. Now it's time to wet the head. When pouring water on the head, gently hold your dog's head down. You can position your hand over the eyes to protect them from the water pressure. If your dog has exposed ears, be extra careful when pouring water. If you are using a water hose, adjust the level of pressure (if possible) to its mildest or most gentle level.

8. Put a very small amount of shampoo and gently rub it on the head, outer ears, and muzzle. Be very careful to avoid the eyes.

9. Carefully but thoroughly rinse the head and the whole body. Make sure you rinse out all traces of shampoo or soap. Residue might result to itchiness and skin problems.

10. Remove the cotton balls from your dog's ears.

11. Towel your dog dry. Don't forget to gently clean the outer part of the ears. If you have a long haired dog, you have the option to use a hair dryer.

12. Gently comb or brush your dog's hair.

13. Use cotton buds (you can wet the buds with a little baby oil) and gently clean the ears. Be reminded not to probe deep into the ears to avoid infection.

14. Pat your dog on the head and praise your dog for being good during the bath. A little treat would be nice too. :)


** Tips above are based on how I give my own dog (Labrador Retriever) a bath. I acknowledge that some dogs may require more attention. **

Camera Critters #36

Please visit my other blog to see a tiger in deep slumber. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Take care.

Lovebird In Mourning

Lovebird in quiet mourn.

My son loves animals. I remember his nursery teacher telling me how enthusiastic Yohan was on Show and Tell Day (Bring a Pet). He loves all our pets and he even prays for them at night. We have a Labrador named Bruno, a flower horn fish, a small tank of guppies, two lovebirds and two African lovebirds.

Two days ago one of our love birds died. I noticed how quiet the birds were that day. I usually hear the distinctive chirping of the African lovebirds but that day, they were strangely quiet. When I checked I noticed that one of the lovebirds was standing on the lifeless body of its partner. I realized that the birds must have been quietly mourning for their dead friend. When I told Yohan, he felt deeply sad. I didn't let me see the dead lovebird anymore. I told him that soon we need to buy a new lovebird so that the sad one will have a new partner.

Dog Emergency

Bruno, my family's lovable black Labrador.

Yesterday after lunch, I went out to play with my dog Bruno. I haven't been paying attention to Bruno these past few days and I thought the weekend would be a perfect time to make it up to him. I noticed that his dog food was left untouched. I went back inside to get a fresh egg to mix with his dog food. It's an occasional treat that Bruno really enjoys. To my surprise, he didn't even go near his bowl. I put the bowl near him but he didn't seem interested. I went back to get a spoon hoping to entice Bruno's appetite but to no avail. I opened his mouth to put a spoonful of dog food when I saw a white thing on his pallet. I was so shocked to see a bone trapped horizontally on his pallet. I immediately called our helper who's in charge of feeding the dog. She admitted that she fed Bruno with some bones from the previous night's T-Bone steak. I felt the blood rising to my face. I felt so angry but good thing I was able to suppress the urge to shout at her. I didn't shout but my voice was a little high when I told her NEVER to feed Bruno with bones again. We don't feed table scraps to our dog so I was so surprised when I found a bone trapped on my dog's pallet.

I panicked because my hubby was out on a badminton tournament. I had to call JV (my BIL) to help me bring Bruno to the veterinarian. My BIL didn't hesitate to help me so I immediately called to check if the vet was in. I was thankful that the vet was there. He and his wife (also a vet) were about to leave the clinic but they agreed to wait for us.

My son, Yohan had no idea about what happened to our dog but he knew something was wrong. When he asked me about it, I just said I had to bring Bruno to the vet for a check-up. My BIL and the driver came after several minutes and we loaded Bruno at the back of the truck. I brought Bruno's toy ball and stayed with him at the back to calm him down (he doesn't like going on rides).

After 10 minutes, we arrived at the clinic. The vet checked Bruno's mouth to determine the situation. He said he will not sedate him anymore. The vet got his forceps and dislodged the bone in less than 5 minutes. It was indeed a steak bone. I felt so relieved. There was some blood and the vet had to inject Bruno with an anti-inflammatory shot.

On our way back, I felt as if a heavy weight was lifted from my chest. When we got home, Bruno was very thirsty. He didn't immediately touch his food but after a few minutes he began eating again. He finished everything in his bowl and I knew he was back to his normal self. My helper was very apologetic and I told her that she doesn't have to worry anymore. I'm sure she learned her lesson. I'm just thankful that nothing bad happened to Bruno.

Get Rid of Pesky Fleas

Fleas can be such nuisance. They are like unwelcome guests who take over your unsuspecting pet dogs and cats. Fleas are harmful to pets and their owners. They can bite animals as well as humans. Flea bites can be very itchy. Learn more about flea control dogs for helpful tips to get rid of pesky fleas.

Dog Boarding

As a pet owner, I understand how important it is to take good care of a pet. In fact, we have several pets at home including a black Labrador named Bruno. My family treats him like he's part of the family. We rarely leave the house for more than a day because we don't want to leave our pets unattended for long.

Busy people who are constantly traveling, do not have to worry about leaving their dogs behind. There are facilities like Dog Boarding in California which offers a nationwide registry of dog boarding facilities near you.

Photo Hunt :: Lazy

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Ashely (my BIL's Rottweiler puppy) smelling a flower.

Wondering what some dogs do on a hot, lazy afternoon? Some love daydreaming, others napping while a few love to smell the flowers. :)

Camera Critters #15

A month ago our pet Flower Horn fish developed a "cloud eye". It's a common disease among Flower Horns. I'm happy that our pet is getting better after proper medication. Please hop over to my Camera Critters #15 at my other blog to find out more.

Camera Critters #12

I saw this cute little fella at the pet shop. I wish I could have taken him home with me. Please come over to my other blog and visit my Camera Critters #12. Thanks!

Camera Critters #11

Yohan loves looking at the fish tank in his school. We wanted to brighten his day so Jules and I bought him new pets. Please click here to visit my Camera Critters #11 at my other blog. Thanks.

Camera Critters #10

I'm a bit late with my entry this week due to power outage. I just posted my Camera Critters #10 at my other blog. Hope you can come by and visit. I'm featuring the tropical fish, Arowana.

Take care!

Camera Critters #9

My Camera Critters entry this week is dedicated to my Dad in honor of Father's Day. He formed a nice bond with my dog Bruno while he was with us on vacation. Please come and visit my Camera Critters #9 at my other blog. Thanks!

Camera Critters #7

I've been out with the family for several days now so I haven't been able to do much blog visiting lately. I'll be going out again tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for visiting even though I've been quite busy these past few days. I'll just catch up with you guys.

If you have time, please visit my Camera Critters #7 at my other blog. Thanks!

Camera Critters #6

Join me as I reminisce about a happy moment in my childhood. Thinking of that day makes me smile. Find out more by visiting my Camera Critters #6 at my other blog. Thanks!

Camera Critters #5

I miss joining Camera Critters. I've been a little busy but I'm glad to be back on CC. Hope you're all enjoying the weekend. The weather is a little gloomy today because of a tropical storm. I heard the storm is leaving the country so hoping for good weather in the days to come.

Hope you can come and visit my Camera Critters #5 at my other blog. Take care!