Aroma Pets

The Domestic Dog - 2

Despite their descent from wolves and classification as Carnivora, dogs are variously described in scholarly and other writings as carnivores or omnivores. Unlike obligate carnivores, dogs can adapt to a wide-ranging diet, and are not dependent on meat-specific protein nor a very high level of protein in order to fulfill their basic dietary requirements. Dogs will healthily digest a variety of foods, including vegetables and grains, and can consume a large proportion of these in their diet, however all-meat diets are not recommended for dogs due to their lack of calcium and iron. Comparing dogs and wolves, dogs have adaptations in genes involved in starch digestion that contribute to an increased ability to thrive on a starch-rich diet.

Breeds
Further information: Dog type
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels demonstrate variation within breed

Most breeds of dog are at most a few hundred years old, having been artificially selected for particular morphologies and behaviors by people for specific functional roles. Through this selective breeding, the dog has developed into hundreds of varied breeds, and shows more behavioral and morphological variation than any other land mammal. For example, height measured to the withers ranges from 15.2 centimetres (6.0 in) in the Chihuahua to about 76 cm (30 in) in the Irish Wolfhound; color varies from white through grays (usually called "blue") to black, and browns from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation of patterns; coats can be short or long, coarse-haired to wool-like, straight, curly, or smooth. It is common for most breeds to shed this coat.

 While all dogs are genetically very similar, natural selection and selective breeding have reinforced certain characteristics in certain populations of dogs, giving rise to dog types and dog breeds. Dog types are broad categories based on function, genetics, or characteristics. Dog breeds are groups of animals that possess a set of inherited characteristics that distinguishes them from other animals within the same species. Modern dog breeds are non-scientific classifications of dogs kept by modern kennel clubs.

Purebred dogs of one breed are genetically distinguishable from purebred dogs of other breeds, but the means by which kennel clubs classify dogs is unsystematic. DNA microsatellite analyses of 85 dog breeds showed they fell into four major types of dogs that were statistically distinct. These include the "old world dogs" (e.g., Malamute and Shar Pei), "Mastiff"-type (e.g., English Mastiff), "herding"-type (e.g., Border Collie), and "all others" (also called "modern"- or "hunting"-type). 

Roles with humans

Gunnar Kaasen and Balto, the lead dog on the last relay team of the 1925 serum run to Nome.

The dogs' value to early human hunter-gatherers led to them quickly becoming ubiquitous across world cultures. Dogs perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship, and, more recently, aiding handicapped individuals. This influence on human society has given them the nickname "man's best friend" in the Western world. In some cultures, however, dogs are also a source of meat. Domestic dogs inherited complex behaviors, such as bite inhibition, from their wolf ancestors, which would have been pack hunters with complex body language. These sophisticated forms of social cognition and communication may account for their trainability, playfulness, and ability to fit into human households and social situations, and these attributes have given dogs a relationship with humans that has enabled them to become one of the most successful species on the planet today.: pages 95-136

The dogs' value to early human hunter-gatherers led to them quickly becoming ubiquitous across world cultures. Dogs perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship, and, more recently, aiding handicapped individuals. This influence on human society has given them the nickname "man's best friend" in the Western world. In some cultures, however, dogs are also a source of meat.

Early roles
Emigrants from Siberia that walked across the Bering land bridge into North America may have had dogs in their company, and one writer  suggests that the use of sled dogs may have been critical to the success of the waves that entered North America roughly 12,000 years ago, although the earliest archaeological evidence of dog-like canids in North America dates from about 9,400 years ago. Dogs were an important part of life for the Athabascan population in North America, and were their only domesticated animal. Dogs also carried much of the load in the migration of the Apache and Navajo tribes 1,400 years ago. Use of dogs as pack animals in these cultures often persisted after the introduction of the horse to North America. The cohabitation of dogs and humans would have greatly improved the chances of survival for early human groups, and the domestication of dogs may have been one of the key forces that led to human success.

Anthropologists believe the most significant benefit would have been the use of dogs' robust sense of smell to assist with the hunt. The relationship between the presence of a dog and success in the hunt is often mentioned as a primary reason for the domestication of the wolf, and a 2004 study of hunter groups with and without a dog gives quantitative support to the hypothesis that the benefits of cooperative hunting was an important factor in wolf domestication. Humans would also have derived enormous benefit from the dogs associated with their camps. For instance, dogs would have improved sanitation by cleaning up food scraps. Dogs may have provided warmth, as referred to in the Australian Aboriginal expression "three dog night" (an exceptionally cold night), and they would have alerted the camp to the presence of predators or strangers, using their acute hearing to provide an early warning. 

The dogs of Thibet are twice the size of those seen in India, with large heads and hairy bodies. They are powerful animals, and are said to be able to kill a tiger. During the day they are kept chained up, and are let loose at night to guard their masters' house.Wolves, and their dog descendants, would have derived significant benefits from living in human camps—more safety, more reliable food, lesser caloric needs, and more chance to breed.  They would have benefited from humans' upright gait that gives them larger range over which to see potential predators and prey, as well as color vision that, at least by day, gives humans better visual discrimination. Camp dogs would also have benefited from human tool use, as in bringing down larger prey and controlling fire for a range of purposes. 

The dogs of Thibet are twice the size of those seen in India, with large heads and hairy bodies. They are powerful animals, and are said to be able to kill a tiger. During the day they are kept chained up, and are let loose at night to guard their masters' house.

Humans would also have derived enormous benefit from the dogs associated with their camps. For instance, dogs would have improved sanitation by cleaning up food scraps. Dogs may have provided warmth, as referred to in the Australian Aboriginal expression "three dog night" (an exceptionally cold night), and they would have alerted the camp to the presence of predators or strangers, using their acute hearing to provide an early warning.

Anthropologists believe the most significant benefit would have been the use of dogs' robust sense of smell to assist with the hunt. The relationship between the presence of a dog and success in the hunt is often mentioned as a primary reason for the domestication of the wolf, and a 2004 study of hunter groups with and without a dog gives quantitative support to the hypothesis that the benefits of cooperative hunting was an important factor in wolf domestication.

The cohabitation of dogs and humans would have greatly improved the chances of survival for early human groups, and the domestication of dogs may have been one of the key forces that led to human success.

Emigrants from Siberia that walked across the Bering land bridge into North America may have had dogs in their company, and one writer suggests that the use of sled dogs may have been critical to the success of the waves that entered North America roughly 12,000 years ago, although the earliest archaeological evidence of dog-like canids in North America dates from about 9,400 years ago. :  Dogs were an important part of life for the Athabascan population in North America, and were their only domesticated animal. Dogs also carried much of the load in the migration of the Apache and Navajo tribes 1,400 years ago. Use of dogs as pack animals in these cultures often persisted after the introduction of the horse to North America.

Reference: Wikipedia

Just Cats 2

Cats not only make good pets, they can also help our health. Studies by Dr. Erika Friedmann and other have shown that stroking a cat has a calming effect on the nervous system and lowers blood pressure. People who have had a heart attack lengthen their chances of survival if they own a pet. And cats love the attention too.

But no matter how much we love our cats, they can be aggravating, to say the least, when they ruin the furniture with their scratching. Cats which do this are working towards shedding their nails and making way for the new ones, and also adding their scent to yours.

To prevent this, make a scratching post from an old piece of wood and put essential oil on valerian on it. The oil of valerian sends cats into the height of ecstasy, as does the root of the valerian plant. Cats adore catmint too, and if you have a patch of it in your garden they will roll in it with great pleasure.

Treat arthritis and fleas in cats in the same way as described for dogs. Cats often get abscesses, usually as a result of a hectic night on the tiles. To treat an abscess put neat tea tree essential oil on to it to bring it to a head. As the cat licks the fur it will ingest the oil which will also help to clear the abscess up. After it has burst and all the pus has been discharged , apply lavender oil to speed up the healing.

cats suffer from coughs and bronchitis and these can be treated in much the same way as you would humans, massaging along the back and on the chest with 4 drops of eucalyptus oil once a day until it clears.

Canker of the ear is another problem that cats encounter, one form of which is eczematous, and the other due to a parasite. The scratching can cause a sore and infection can set in. The ear will feel hot and there could be a discharge of wax. Try to clean the ear if possible. To prevent a sore from forming from the scratching, warm a teaspoon of olive oil to which you have added  1 drop each of chamomile and lavender essential oils, insert a small amount into the ear, and also rub it around the ear. Canker is contagious and must be treated.

For any kind of bacterial or viral infection turn to the bacteria Busters, and use these oils on the chest, back and neck of the cat, as you would for a child.

Cats will eat grass to induce the vomiting they need to bring up hair that collects in them as a result of their constant grooming. If your cat is off its food , a hair-ball could well be the problem. A dessertspoon of olive oil in its food will help it until the hair-ball is passed or vomited.

To prevent a build up of hair, add a small amount of olive oil to your cat's food on a fairly regular basis.

Mange is contagious and all the bedding should be treated or thrown out. Cover the cat as much as is possible in water to which 3 drops each of lavender and tea tree have been added. Chamomile essential oil could be used as well. Although the cat may not be too happy about the idea, try to coat the whole of its skin in this solution.

Reference: The Fragrant Pharmacy: V.A. Worwood

How To Make Your Cat happy

You have a feline at home and you want to make it as happy as possible. Providing for a pet who has its own personality and charm is one of the most satisfying parts of the relationship.

You can learn to keep your pet as happy and healthy in life as possible.Taking Good Care Of Your Cat. Try to remember that all pets are like an additional child in your household.

Feed your cat well.

The right diet is extremely important for the wellbeing of your cat.

Obesity is a common source of problems among domesticated animals.

Look for quality cat food in your favourite pet shop and make sure to buy something adapted to its age

1. Don’t wash your cat. Cats are perfectly able to keep clean and will engage in a lengthy routine to be odour-free. Only wash the animal if it is exceptionally dirty or came in contact with a toxic product which cannot be swallowed.
2. Keep the litter box nice and fresh. Cats bury their poo to avoid detection. It is in their nature to expect a clean litter and they might use something else if it is not to their standard. Change it at least twice a week and scoop it once a day. 
3. Cats are independent animals and will cope well when you’re at work. You can, however, make sure that they have enough toys to keep busy. You can buy cat toys in most pet shops and supermarkets. When you come home, don’t forget to play! Cats need exercise.
4. You can also do your own cat toys. Attach a piece of string on a door handle and let the cat go wild.
5. Alternatively, you can offer your cat a ball. Your animal will chase it as a mouse.
6. Don’t forget to provide a scratching post or else your couch will suffer.
7. Use a laser or a flashlight and point it at the floor. Your cat will try to catch the light and will get very excited.

Adopt another cat.

Cats work well on their own but are also happy to have company. You could consider taking another cat if you work long hours and if you have the space and the energy. Don’t forget to neuter them or you might end up with a feline army! To introduce a new cat, use the following steps:

The resident cat will often display hostility at first. Isolate the new cat at first and let it get used to the room. Your old cat will not see it but will be able to scent it.

Introduce your cats at mealtime but put the feeding stations at opposing sides of the room. Separate them after the meal and start again for the next days.

After a few more days, let them meet but always monitor the situation. If there is any violence, separate them quickly and repeat the next day.  

Be careful about the food you leave outside.

Make sure that it’s not eaten by other animals.

Bring your cat for a check-up before letting it outside.

Talk with the veterinarian about the dangers and the things to look for.  

• Allow your cat to get out.
• There are many debates as whether a cat can be truly happy kept inside.
• If you have green space around the house, consider letting it out.
• Your cat is a predator and will enjoy the outside. It’s a great way to keep your feline fit.

  Be careful if you live next to a busy road. Cats don’t react so well around cars.

  Follow your cat in the first days and don’t let it go too far. Your feline needs time to get used to its new surroundings.

  Look for other cats. They might consider your garden as their territory and will look at your cat as a threat.

  Don’t have too much faith in your fences to keep the cat inside the garden. They will inevitably find a way to escape.

  It can be a good idea to keep a collar on your cat, but some cats may become snagged on fences by their collar,

  which may result in suffocation. A microchip is a much safer option, and all rescuers and veterinarians now scan

  for them before they proceed with handling the animal.

• Let your cat hunt. 
• Don’t try to detract your cat from hunting birds and mice.
• Your feline, just like its cousin the lion, is a predator and is wired to kill small animals.
• Don’t forget to make sure that there is no dangerous animal outside. 
• You don’t want your cat to become the prey!
• Your cat will prefer hunting mice and birds. You can also see it chasing flies and other insects.
• Never punish your cat if it hunted and killed another animal. The cat will not understand why it’s being punished!
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• Reference:DogingtonPost.com

The Domestic Dog

The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris or Canis familiaris) is a domesticated canid which has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviours, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes.

Dogs perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship and, more recently, aiding handicapped individuals. This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet, "man's best friend".Although initially thought to have originated as an artificial variant of an extant canid species (variously supposed as being the dhole,  golden jackal, or gray wolf , extensive genetic studies undertaken during the 2010s indicate that dogs diverged from an extinct wolf-like canid in Eurasia 40,000 years ago.

Their long association with humans has led to dogs being uniquely attuned to human behavior and are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet which would be inadequate for other canid species. Dogs are also the oldest domesticated animal. Dog vary widely in shape, size and colours. 

Etymology

A male canine is referred to as a dog, while a female is called a bitch. The father of a litter is called the sire, and the mother is called the dam. (Middle English bicche, from Old English bicce, ultimately from Old Norse bikkja) The process of birth is whelping, from the Old English word hwelp; the modern English word "whelp" is an alternate term for puppy.  A litter refers to the multiple offspring at one birth which are called puppies or pups from the French poupée, "doll", which has mostly replaced the older term "whelp".In 14th-century England, hound (from Old English: hund) was the general word for all domestic canines, and dog referred to a subtype of hound, a group including the mastiff.

It is believed this "dog" type was so common, it eventually became the prototype of the category "hound". By the 16th century, dog had become the general word, and hound had begun to refer only to types used for hunting.  The word "hound" is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *kwon-, "dog".  This semantic shift may be compared to in German, where the corresponding words Dogge and Hund kept their original meanings.The term "domestic dog" is generally used for both domesticated and feral varieties. The English word dog comes from Middle English dogge, from Old English docga, a "powerful dog breed".  The term may possibly derive from Proto-Germanic *dukkōn, represented in Old English finger-docce ("finger-muscle").  The word also shows the familiar petname diminutive -ga also seen in frogga "frog", picga "pig", stagga "stag", wicga "beetle, worm", among others.  The term dog may ultimately derive from the earliest layer of Proto-Indo-European vocabulary. 

Taxonomy

The dog is classified as Canis lupus familiaris under the Biological Species Concept and Canis familiaris under the Evolutionary Species Concept.

In 1758, the taxonomist Linnaeus published in Systema Naturae a categorization of species which included the Canis species. Canis is a Latin word meaning dog,  and the list included the dog-like carnivores: the domestic dog, wolves, foxes and jackals. The dog was classified as Canis familiaris,  which means "Dog-family"  or the family dog. On the next page he recorded the wolf as Canis lupus, which means "Dog-wolf". In 1978, a review aimed at reducing the number of recognized Canis species proposed that "Canis dingo is now generally regarded as a distinctive feral domestic dog. Canis familiaris is used for domestic dogs, although taxonomically it should probably be synonymous with Canis lupus."

In 1982, the first edition of Mammal Species of the World listed Canis familiaris under Canis lupus with the comment: "Probably ancestor of and conspecific with the domestic dog, familiaris. Canis familiaris has page priority over Canis lupus, but both were published simultaneously in Linnaeus (1758), and Canis lupus has been universally used for this species",  which avoided classifying the wolf as the family dog. The dog is now listed among the many other Latin-named subspecies of Canis lupus as Canis lupus familiaris.

In 2003, the ICZN ruled in its Opinion 2027 that if wild animals and their domesticated derivatives are regarded as one species, then the scientific name of that species is the scientific name of the wild animal. In 2005, the third edition of Mammal Species of the World upheld Opinion 2027 with the name Lupus and the note: "Includes the domestic dog as a subspecies, with the dingo provisionally separate - artificial variants created by domestication and selective breeding". 

However, Canis familiaris is sometimes used due to an ongoing nomenclature debate because wild and domestic animals are separately recognizable entities and that the ICZN allowed users a choice as to which name they could use,  and a number of internationally recognized researchers prefer to use Canis familiaris.

Later genetic studies strongly supported dogs and gray wolves forming two sister monophyletic clades within the one species, and that the common ancestor of dogs and extant wolves is extinct.

Origin of the domestic dog

The origin of the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris or Canis familiaris) is not clear. Whole genome sequencing indicates that the dog, the gray wolf and the extinct Taymyr wolf diverged at around the same time 27,000–40,000 years ago.  These dates imply that the earliest dogs arose in the time of human hunter-gatherers and not agriculturists.[30] Modern dogs are more closely related to ancient wolf fossils that have been found in Europe than they are to modern gray wolves.  Nearly all dog breeds' genetic closeness to the gray wolf are due to admixture,  except several Arctic dog breeds are close to the Taimyr wolf of North Asia due to admixture.

• Terminology
  
  A group of any three or more adults is a pack .
• The mother of a litter is a dam. 
• The father of a litter is a sire.
• It is possible for one litter to have multiple sires. 
• A group of pups from the same gestation period is a litter.
• Immature males or females (that is, animals that are incapable of reproduction) are pups or puppies.   
• An adult female capable of reproduction is a brood bitch, or brood mother.   
• An adult male capable of reproduction is a stud.    An adult female is a bitch.
• In some countries, especially in North America, dog is used instead due to the vulgar connotation of bitch.   
• The term dog typically is applied both to the species (or subspecies) as a whole, and any adult male member of the same.

Biology - Anatomy

Domestic dogs have been selectively bred for millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes.  Modern dog breeds show more variation in size, appearance, and behavior than any other domestic animal.  Dogs are predators and scavengers, and like many other predatory mammals, the dog has powerful muscles, fused wrist bones, a cardiovascular system that supports both sprinting and endurance, and teeth for catching and tearing.
Size and weight

Dogs are highly variable in height and weight. The smallest known adult dog was a Yorkshire Terrier, that stood only 6.3 cm (2.5 in) at the shoulder, 9.5 cm (3.7 in) in length along the head-and-body, and weighed only 113 grams (4.0 oz). The largest known dog was an English Mastiff which weighed 155.6 kg (343 lb) and was 250 cm (98 in) from the snout to the tail.  The tallest dog is a Great Dane that stands 106.7 cm (42.0 in) at the shoulder.[33]

Senses

The dog's senses include vision, hearing, sense of smell, sense of taste, touch and sensitivity to the earth's magnetic field.

Coat

A heavy winter coat with countershading in a mixed-breed dog

The coats of domestic dogs are of two varieties: "double" being common with dogs (as well as wolves) originating from colder climates, made up of a coarse guard hair and a soft down hair, or "single", with the topcoat only.

Domestic dogs often display the remnants of countershading, a common natural camouflage pattern. A countershaded animal will have dark coloring on its upper surfaces and light coloring below, which reduces its general visibility. Thus, many breeds will have an occasional "blaze", stripe, or "star" of white fur on their chest or underside.

Tail

There are many different shapes for dog tails: straight, straight up, sickle, curled, or cork-screw. As with many canids, one of the primary functions of a dog's tail is to communicate their emotional state, which can be important in getting along with others. In some hunting dogs, however, the tail is traditionally docked to avoid injuries.  In some breeds, such as the Braque du Bourbonnais, puppies can be born with a short tail or no tail at all.

Health

There are many household plants that are poisonous to dogs including begonia, Poinsettia and aloe vera.

Some breeds of dogs are prone to certain genetic ailments such as elbow and hip dysplasia, blindness, deafness, pulmonic stenosis, cleft palate, and trick knees. Two serious medical conditions particularly affecting dogs are pyometra, affecting unspayed females of all types and ages, and bloat, which affects the larger breeds or deep-chested dogs. Both of these are acute conditions, and can kill rapidly. Dogs are also susceptible to parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites, as well as hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and heartworms.

A number of common human foods and household ingestibles are toxic to dogs, including chocolate solids (theobromine poisoning), onion and garlic (thiosulphate, sulfoxide or disulfide poisoning), grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts, xylitol, as well as various plants and other potentially ingested materials.  The nicotine in tobacco can also be dangerous. Dogs can be exposed to the substance by scavenging garbage or ashtrays; eating cigars and cigarettes. Signs can be vomiting of large amounts (e.g., from eating cigar butts) or diarrhea. Some other signs are abdominal pain, loss of coordination, collapse, or death. Dogs are highly susceptible to theobromine poisoning, typically from ingestion of chocolate. Theobromine is toxic to dogs because, although the dog's metabolism is capable of breaking down the chemical, the process is so slow that even small amounts of chocolate can be fatal, especially dark chocolate.

Dogs are also vulnerable to some of the same health conditions as humans, including diabetes, dental and heart disease, epilepsy, cancer, hypothyroidism, and arthritis.

Reference: Wikipedia