Dog Supplies

Welcome to petcave.com. This site is designed to feature a range of information about raising and caring for domesticated pets, especially dogs and cats.

Before buying a dog or cat, careful consideration must be given to a number of elements: temperament, time, children, allergies, intelligence and ease of training. All the research in the world though won’t necessarily match you with the perfect dog. Often pets are chosen because of an instant rapport or bonding experience between human and animal. Meeting your prospective pet is the best way to find out if you will get along with him/her in your life.

Temperament as a breed can be researched online and in books. Books can tell you that Chihuahuas are yappy, spaniels are loyal and friendly, herd dogs are intelligent and learn quickly, etc.

Time is a big factor in pet ownership: time to train, time to groom, time to bond, time to play and/or exercise. If you work full-time and no one is home during the day, your pet could be lonely and get feel neglected. A neglected pet could begin to act out – actively seeking any attention from its owner – good or bad. If you pay someone else to spend time with your pet in the day and perform essential functions such as feeding and playing, you will be missing out on vital bonding activities – you could never really get to know your pet.

Children are also a big factor. Large dogs and children don’t usually mix for the obvious reasons. If you are looking for the family dog, spaniels and retrievers are excellent examples of laid-back, kid-friendly breeds.

Allergies are a big deal – pet allergies are usually caused by dander, not the hair itself. Some hybrid breeds claim to be hypo-allergenic , but the only way to really know is to spend time around the animal and see if the person with allergies has a hard time or not. Often times, mild allergies are overlooked because of the family’s attachment to an animal. But if your spouse has trouble breathing because of your beloved pet, it might cause interpersonal relationship issues (i.e. if you love the cat more than you love your spouse that is definitely an issue).

Intelligence and ease of training are highly prized attributes in a dog breed. The so-called working dog breeds are known for their intelligence, ease of training, and cooperation with humans to perform labor-intensive tasks such as livestock herding and search-and-rescue. Examples of working dog breeds are the Newfoundland and Portuguese Water Dog (water rescue dogs), Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed and Siberian Husky(sled dogs), Bernese Mountain Dog and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (mountain rescue dogs). The working dogs make excellent pets as long you give them all the exercise and space they need.

Pet supplies for dogs, cats, and a whole host of other domesticated animals are available in large, general stores where you can buy a pet and all its supplies and bring it for health care. Specialized, independent breeders exist all over the world. They specialized in producing one certain breed of dog, pure or hybrid. You can find many of these retailers in an online pet store.

 

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