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NATURAL PET NEWS
March 6, 2003 Edition

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A NOTE FROM RANDAL
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Hi Everyone,

We have noticed our cats are like us they are ready to enjoy fresh air and
reasonable temperatures. We had one day that was real nice in temperature.
In fact, the evening was so nice our male cat "Kitty Boy" was sitting on his
pillow, on the screened porch, and when it was time to come in, he didn't
want to. I physically had to carry him and close the door. Otherwise, I
would have been awakened in the middle of the night to let him after all.

I have a favor to ask, please consider using the stamps that are mentioned
below if you haven't already. Together we can make a difference!

SPAY/NEUTER POSTAGE STAMPS STILL NEED YOUR SUPPORT:
A five-year writing campaign brought the spay/ neuter postage stamps into
existence, and if we want the U.S. Postal Service to issue more animal
advocacy stamps in the future, we need to show them that this type of stamp
does indeed SELL. We, the animal protection community, need to maintain
interest in sales of the stamps through September of 2003; please be sure to
use the Spay/Neuter stamp on all of your mail! Stamps are available for
purchase from your local post office, or online at www.usps.com (click the
"Buy Stamps" option). For , see

Thanks for your readership and continuing to tell others about Natural Pet
News, it's how we grow!


Until next time,

Randal

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PETS IN THE NEWS
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DOGS, CATS TO LAP UP LUXURY AT PET HOTEL

(Reuters) - A Las Vegas entrepreneur pushing the definition of luxury is opening a dog and cat hotel where precious pets can rest on Oriental rugs, watch television, and socialize with their own set while their masters frolic on the Las Vegas Strip.

Featuring suites for dogs, three-floor "condominiums" for cats and a staff that is ready to clean up after guests do their business on the indoor lawn, the America Dog and Cat Hotel opens officially on Wednesday with everything it thinks a pet could want -- and more.

"We hear time and time again, 'Gee this is so nice, I'd like to stay here,'" hotelier Christopher Easley told Reuters in an interview, acknowledging that people tended to want for their pets what they wanted for themselves.

Kennels have been around for a long time, but nowadays masters do not want to put their loved ones in cages, he said.

"Certainly the cats don't know anything about Tiffany lamps," he said, but they like to watch images flicker on television screens, he argued, and pets don't need to know Louis Armstrong to like jazz.

"The dogs don't know it is a Persian rug, but they know it is soft," he said.

Easley, who spent some $200,000 converting a gym into the resort, is ready to bet his concept of luxury pet chic will catch on outside of Sin City, dreaming of expanding the concept nationwide, and then taking the company public.



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PET HEALTH NEWS
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OBESITY IS BIGGEST HEALTH WOE FOR DOGS

(Reuters) - Obesity is the number one health problem for dogs in Britain,
according to a study, just as the renowned Crufts dog show starts.

The second-biggest health danger was traffic and disc problems were third.

Almost three quarters of physiotherapists questioned cited obesity in the
survey by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy -- which deals with animals
as well as humans.

Like humans, dogs become obese because they are overfed and do not exercise
enough, the study observed.

"As a nation we overfeed at meal times and tend to give "titbits" through
the day as treats for our furry friends," said animal physiotherapist
Charlotte Baldwyn. "Good health and fitness for the domestic pet is vital to
a happy and long life."

Reinforcing, perhaps, the old saying that owners tend to look like their
dogs, official figures have showed the proportion of obese men and women in
Britain hit a record high in 2001.

The centenary Crufts show of over 20,000 top pedigree dogs began in
Birmingham on Thursday.

Have you heard of the Zone Diet for overweight dogs? Formulated by Dr.
Barry Sears and Dr. Jane Bicks? Read more here:


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DOG TRAINING/BEHAVIORAL HELP
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DON'T GO NEAR THE DOG WHEN HE'S EATING!!

Do you remember hearing that? Your mother/aunt/father had a good point. A
lot of dogs have a problem with "Possession Aggression". In other words,
"what's mine is mine, and you aren't allowed to even look at it." Sharing is
a foreign concept to most dogs, especially dogs who are the sole family pet.
A dog with possession aggression will guard his resources, whether his
resources are his food, toys, or the most valuable of all, You.

The easiest way to deal with this is to start from puppyhood. Get your dog
used to having you come and take his things away. Give them back, but take
them for a while. Let him see that even someone else has something he wants,
if he waits patiently he'll most likely get it back.

Teaching a "give" command will also help. When your dog has a toy in his
mouth, gently take it from him, saying "give" at the same time. When you
have it, reward him and praise lavishly. By rewarding him as well, he'll
learn that to give something to you, means to get something even better at
times.

From About.com:

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CAT TRAINING/BEHAVIORAL HELP
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INAPPROPRIATE ELIMINATION CAN DRIVE EVEN THE MOST LOVING PET OWNER CRAZY

Nothing puts kitty in the proverbial doghouse like a urine spot on the
carpet. Inappropriate elimination tops the list of problems feline
behaviorists deal with, and it's the number one reason cats are surrendered
to shelters or pounds. That's the bad news. The good news is that
housesoiling problems can be prevented. That's what I'll be discussing in
this story. In Part Two (coming next month), you'll read about how to deal
with problems that have already appeared.

What Cats Want Understanding what cats look for in a desirable toilet area
reveals preferences that are not unlike our own. For example, it must be
clean, private and easily accessible. They also have some requirements that
are based on their survival instincts: It must contain an easily-raked
substrate and it must offer escape potential. Although our pets live in the
safety and comfort of our homes, from their point of view these
considerations are still vital to their well-being. This survival know-how
is pre-programmed into your cat's brain, just as it was in his ancestor's,
the African wildcat-a cat who had unlimited access to a sandy substrate. By
covering his waste, he was able to elude detection by prey or potential
predators. He was also alert to the danger of being caught in a vulnerable
position, so escape potential while eliminating was a life-saving priority.

How does all this translate into setting up the ideal litter box situation
in your home? If we look at it from the cat's point of view, we will make
decisions that will be in harmony with the cat's basic nature-making it more
likely that kitty will find the litter box acceptable.

For most people, scooping and cleaning the litter box is the most
unappealing aspect of cat ownership. Manufacturers of litter and litter
boxes capitalize on this fact. New products are popping up every day, and
the manufacturers claim they can take the mess, smell and work out of litter
box maintenance. It can all be very confusing to the well-meaning but not
well-informed cat owner. Should the litter box be open or covered? Should
the litter be scented or fragrance-free? Should the litter be clumping or
non-clumping? What about litter box liners?

Always base your decisions on what is most natural from the cat's point of
view. What would kitty use if he were in the great outdoors? He would look
for a soft, diggable substrate, such as garden soil. There would be no
artificial fragrance and, of course, no plastic liners. He would have plenty
of room to perform his elimination ritual of sniffing, digging, squatting
and turning around. A clean spot would be selected each time-at least six
inches from the last spot he used.

The Bigger, the Better Now, how do we meet these requirements indoors? Let's
start with the litter box. Select a box that is at least 16 inches by 22
inches. Avoid boxes that have rims that slant inward-they cut out a lot of
interior space for the cat and are awkward for the cat to enter. The sides
can be six inches high, unless the litter box is for a small kitten or a
handicapped cat.

Some of the best litter boxes are not sold in pet supply stores, but in
hardware stores, where they are labeled "all-purpose tubs." People whose
cats like to throw the litter out of the box, or who overshoot the box by
not squatting down enough while urinating, have found that a large,
high-sided storage box (minus the cover) works well to contain the mess. An
entryway can be cut into one side to give the cat easy access.

Hooded or covered litter boxes are popular with consumers, but if cats did
the shopping, they would be left on the shelves. Humans do not want to see
or smell what kitty leaves behind in the litter box, but for that matter,
neither does kitty. The hooded litter box forces him to enter a cramped,
cave-like structure that concentrates odors, creating an outhouse effect.
Since the cat's sense of smell is at least 14 times more sensitive than
ours, this may be all it takes to send kitty in search of a fresher smelling
toilet area-quite likely a corner of the dining room. The dining room has
another advantage, too: Unlike the hooded litter box, it offers a spacious
area with escape potential. This is especially important to felines in
multicat families, where litter box ambushes are likely. (To Be Continued)

for the rest of the article


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FEATURED WEB LINK
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ECO-FRIENDLY KITTY LITTER!

Some kitty litters can be burdens on landfills, and the traditional clay
variety, often contains silica dust, a carcinogen. Try litter made from
recycled newspapers or made from reclaimed wood. Read more about kitty
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GOOD NEWS PET STORY
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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TRAINING HOMELESS DOGS by Sherry Morse

A pilot program recently started by the Humane Society of Indianapolis (HSI)
and Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is involving high school students in
providing homeless dogs with behavior training intended to make them more
adoptable.

The Paws and Think program benefits the students as well by not only
teaching them to be responsible and patient, but giving them an opportunity
to gain more self-confidence.

HSI staff members base decisions about having dogs participate in the
program on their temperament and adoptability. Once a dog is chosen, he or
she is sent to one of the schools run by IPS for training three days per
week for a period of one month and then made available for adoption.

A similar program was started in Portland, ME in September by The Spurwink
School and My Wonderful Dog, which raises and trains guide, hearing and
other assistance dogs.

"Teens learn basic principles of training, as well as how to care for their
assigned animals," said a My Wonderful Dog spokesperson in reference to the
Teen-Trained Assistance Dog Program.

Another program, one sponsored by the University of Tennessee College of
Veterinary Medicine, involves teenagers in rescuing adult dogs that are
going to be euthanized at shelters and training the animals for a period of
four weeks so they can be made available for adoption.

© 2002 Animal News Center, Inc.


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DISCLAIMER:
The stories, suggestions, and information in this newsletter are not meant
to diagnose or prescribe. If your pet has a medical problem, you may want
the advice and recommendations of a veterinarian. All stories and
information content that is passed along in this newsletter is for
informational purposes only and is not necessarily endorsed by its sponsor,
"The Herbs Place,com." This is a personal publication by Randal Watkins.
The ideas and information expressed in it have not been approved or
authorized by anyone either explicitly or impliedly. In no event shall
Randal Watkins or the above-mentioned website be liable for any damages
whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection with the use of
this information or its publication, including any action for infringement
of copyright or defamation.

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