The only way to be 100% sure of getting a verified pure breed Maine Coon cat is to buy a pedigree kitten from a breeder. The breeder should be able to present a family tree of your cats pedigree and provide relevant certification.

A recommended place to start a search for a reputable breeder in your local area is the Maine Coon Breed Fanciers Association (www.mcbfa.org) Maine Coon kittens can be instantly recognizable by the long tufty ears and oversized paws, as seen in the classic longhaired American however there is a European strain of Maine Coon, (my own Maine Coon, King Henry comes from a German line) which has a shorter ruff around the neck, and often a fuller, squarer muzzle. The differences are not apparent until the cat is between 12 to 18 months.

In terms of identifying a pure pedigree Maine Coon, youll be relying quite heavily on information the breeder is presenting to you. If you have difficulty finding a reputable breeder, you could try and get a recommendation by talking to individuals at a Maine Coon event or an all breeds Cat show. It is essential you are happy with your breeder – if you are becoming a Maine Coon owner for the first time, you may need to rely on their expert advice.

You can expect to pay anywhere between $500 and $800 for a pure breed Maine Coon. With food, litter, vet bills and cat-sitters for holidays, Maine Coons can be a relatively expensive investment. All Maine Coon owners will agree that they are a truly wonderful breed and will repay you many times over.

IMPORTANT TIP: This could save a lot of heartache, trouble and expense later on; When buying an expensive pet, do not go for the kitten you feel sorry for and looks like it needs help. Any kittens with signs of withdrawal, low energy or general apathy, should really be avoided. Choose an independent, lively, energetic kitten. Pick out kittens that dont necessarily come to you but are, however, interested in their surroundings.

Its best to pick a local breeder and visit them in their home, when youre first making your initial enquiries to check the kittens living conditions, health and welfare of all cats living in the same environment.

Although it sounds like common sense, have questions prepared that will help you to establish whether the breeder can be trusted.

Questions youll definitely want to ask:

1. How much experience does the breeder have? If you need assurance about the breeders ability/expertise ask to speak to someone who has recently purchased a Maine Coon from that breeder.

2. Who are the kittens parents and are they champions? Even if you dont intend to show your cat, youll still want to find out about their pedigree. Thats what you are paying for. If this is just not important, you can sometimes find cheaper Maine Coons that are called pet quality meaning they do not meet the required physical standards for showing. This does not mean they are not perfectly healthy.

3. Does the stud live with the breeder? If not, can the breeder guarantee that the stud has not been subjected to any illnesses e.g. cat flu. Has the breeder bred the stud before?

4. Is there any known heredity illnesses in the ancestral line such as HCM (can cause heart failure) and hip problems?

5. Have any of the other cats suffered from any illnesses for e.g. have any recent litters suffered from any strain of cat flu?

6. If relevant to your situation, ask if the kitten is comfortable around other animals and children?

7. At what point, could the kittens leave their mother (I would be concerned if the breeder allowed the kitten to leave its mother if it is less than 12 weeks).

8. Will a vet check the kittens before leaving the breeders home? How many times? If the Maine Coon becomes ill after it has left the breeder, who is responsible for paying vets fees or could the kitten be returned to the breeder?

9. Youll also want to find out how often the queen is impregnated; because a queen subjected to too regular pregnancies can be prone to producing weak or sickly kittens.

Other things you may want to check/do:

10. The living conditions of the stud and queens e.g. the cleanliness of the cages/rooms and the health/welfare of the cat etc.

11. Will the cats be litter trained before they move to their new homes?

12. Also, the environment where the mother and kittens are living. Are there toys, clean litter, warmth, food and water?

13. Check the eyes of the kitten to evaluate its health. Never purchase a kitten that has weeping eyes.

14. The breeders contract. Have a read of the written agreement before you commit yourself. Pay particular attention to areas of responsibility should the kitten become unwell soon after youve bought him/her.

15. You should book your new kitten in for an all round check with your own vet almost as soon as youve collected from the breeder. If there are any signs of problems, youll want to know within the first 24 hours.

On the whole, Maine Coon breeders are passionate about their cats and love what they do. Theres not a whole lot of money to be made in breeding Maine Coons, and it is very demanding work.

Unless, your gut feeling tells you otherwise, you can expect to be talking to breeders who are totally dedicated Maine Coon lovers.

Copyright 2006 Sarah Crosier

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Taking steps to choose a competent veterinarian before you bring that cute doggie home, is a very worthwhile thing to do.

Acclimating your dog to his new family and environment will be all the challenge you need in the early days with your pet.

Should there be some medical emergency, you don’t want to be caught in a panic resorting to a random choice of Vet from the Yellow Pages! And you know the old saying about Murphy’s Law…anything that can go wrong will wrong. Especially if you’re unprepared.

So, where to begin? Here are some suggestions to get you going:

One of the best places to start is by contacting the American Veterinary Medical Association. Most reputable vets belong to this organization. Once you get in contact them, ask for some vet referrals in your area.

Another good source of information is the American Animal Hospital Association. Vets who belong to this organization are committed to achieving the high standards of animal care set by the association. You can visit them out online at www.aahanet.org to get lots of good information. Then go to http://www.healthypet.com/hospitalsearch.aspx to find AAHA accredited veterinary practices near your home.

Once you have your list of referrals in hand, check with some of your neighbors who have dogs to find out who they think is the best doggie doc. Also, boarding facilities may have some suggestions. See if you come up with any matches to the names on your list.

The next step is to pay a visit to some of the vet practices. Check out the hours of operation and how many vets are on staff. It is especially good to find out if they have emergency hours, because taking your dog to an alternate vet in a crisis, is not very reassuring.

Here are some other items to put on your Vet Visit checklist:

• Find out about fees for the basic services, as well as boarding if this is offered.
• Get a good look at the place. Does it look up-to-date and clean?
• Are there many clients waiting and do they seem to be on good terms with the staff?
• Is the atmosphere friendly and do the employees seem happy to be working there?
• Were you welcomed and readily given the information you needed?
• Were you offered a tour?

After you have done your pet detective work, you’ll most likely be much more comfortable and confident in selecting a vet for your dog.

But your job is not yet complete…

Once you and your dog are past the early days of your relationship, make an appointment with the vet you’ve chosen. This could be just a very brief health evaluation of your dog by the vet, and to get your dog’s basic information on file. Most importantly, it will give you a chance to see how well the vet and your dog get along.

Be sure to have some questions to ask the doctor. Part of your goal is to find a vet that is happy to answer any questions you have, even if they may seem trivial. This will set your comfort level for calling the vet without hesitation whenever you need advice in the future.

The bottom line: If you don’t come away from your meeting feeling confident that your dog’s health is in competent hands, move on to someone else on your list.

Choosing a vet you and your dog can relate to and trust is very important and I’m sure you’ll agree that your dog is worth it. So my advice is take all the time you need to find the right one. But, whatever you do, don’t wait until your dog is sick to find a vet!

Keep these tips handy in your dog file. You might want to refer to them again if you move to a new city.

http://www.dog-spoiling-made-easy.com
Spoiled Dogs Blog

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Everybody loves a baby animal and Westie puppies are adorable, but new dog purchasers often do not realize the commitment they are making when they bring a puppy home. For those want the companionship of Westies dogs, but do not have the knowledge or patience to endure the training process, rescuing an older Westie dog may be the right alternative.

When considering an older West highland terrier dog, the first thing that many people think is that they would be getting a dog with problems, either genetic problems common to Westies, or behavioral problems from improper training. The truth is, many Westie dogs go to shelters for reasons that have nothing to do with the dogs’ inherent qualities. Every year, dog owners die, move to retirement homes, change jobs, get divorced, have new babies, or, unfortunately, simply tire of the responsibility of caring for a dog.

The advantages of older dogs are many. They have already finished teething, and no longer feel the urge to chew holes in your shoes, rugs, and furniture. Westie dogs that are older have grown used to sleeping through the night while their people sleep, as opposed to westie puppies, who wake up and whine. Older pets will have already been housetrained and also should know the meaning of the word ‘no,’ making their continued training that much easier.

When you encounter a Westie puppy, you only have the breed standards to give you an idea of what kind of dog it will grow into. Although Westhighland dogs have a typical personality type, there are variations from dog to dog. The full-grown Westie is a know quantity. The Westie dog you meet is what you will get, and you can quickly determine if it will fit into your home.

It may seem like rescuing an older Westie provides you with an ‘instant dog,’ but that is not the case. At first they might become confused, upon arriving at a new home, and need to be reminded of their basic training. However, even allowing a few weeks of extra special care is easier and less stressful than the rigors of training a puppy.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

I do hope that you have found the article of use to you.

Good health and happiness

Jeff Cuckson
webmaster@madaboutwesties.com

*****************************************
Want To Know How To Have The Healthiest
Happiest and Most Well Behaved Westie Puppies
You’ve Ever Dreamed Of! Then Click Here NOW!
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San Diego has been a haven for dog owners for a long time, as the weather is great and the city features some of the most beautiful recreational areas, parks and beaches. Local Eddie Cheddar worked as a security guard at night and hugely depended on his pet dog Pilate for company. Pilate was a Labrador that was very loyal to Eddie but developed the nasty habit of chewing on everything on sight. Eddie knew that the only way to get rid of Pilates disastrous habit was to enter him in an obedience school.

For those living in San Diego, it is best to know some of best dog obedience clubs around the area, in order to help train and discipline dogs.

John’s Natural Dog Training Company

John’s Natural Dog Training Company was launched in 1991 to address the needs of dog lovers across the San Diego area and who wanted to have an accessible obedience school. The organization also serves as a club for pet lovers and is led by the father and wife team of John and Bonnie Rubin. The Rubins first formed Natural Pet Systems Inc in 1995 and this now serves as the organizations parent company. Mr Rubin’s experience in dog training has spanned for over 20 years.

John’s Natural Dog Training Company is a certified company that focuses on the fundamentals of pet obedience. There are no fancy tricks and gimmicks here, as the company believes that the traditional dog training techniques remain the best practices.

Unlike other so-called certified dog trainers, John’s Natural Dog Training Company is more than a club and does not depend on the written curriculum developed by other members of pet associations. The group highly regards the services it offers for the San Diego crowd and believes that it is one of the best dog training organizations in the State of California, given its 20 year experience in the industry.

The San Diego Labrador Retriever Club

The San Diego Labrador Retriever Club was established in February 1996 and its founding members were dog breeders in the San Diego County area that realized a need to organize a regional club. The clubs roster of members has sharply grown over the last seven years and it has already held its first ever Annual Specialty Show in November 2001.

The San Diego Labrador Retriever Club became sanctioned by the American Kennel Club in November 2000. The SDLRC aims to promote the importance of obedience and right training among dogs, especially Labrador Retrievers, and disseminating information about the wonderful breed and how to properly take care of them.

The SDLRC follows a Code of Conduct that is followed by its members and also serves as a guide to other dog owners, in order to properly take care of the breed.

The SDLRC primarily serves to promote and encourage the quality of breeding given to purebred Labrador Retrievers, to teach Labradors and push for their participation in different dog related activities.

The SDLRC hosts several educational events and seminars, which touch on movement, structure and breeding. Special events are normally attended by some of the most highly respected dog obedience experts in the US, where they discuss topics such as hereditary canine eye problems, current vaccination protocols, acupuncture, orthopedic and cardiac diseases and legal issues.

The SDLRC runs an educational booth at the annual San Diego Del Mar Fair and also holds Matches and Fun Days for Labrador breeders. Other special events include clinics for eyes, heart, elbow and hip and Canine Good Citizenship tests.

Kelly Jezek is a successful Webmaster and publisher of dogtrainingessentials.com. She provides more helpful information about the san diego dog obedience clubs at her site. Visit Dog Training Essentials today!

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For the first 8,000 years of their relationship with humans, cats pretty much took care of their own breeding. People kept them for one purpose – hunting rodent – and they are already perfectly designed for that. More than 100 years ago, however, we began systematically breeding cats to appeal to our aesthetic tastes. Hair length, color, coat pattern, as well as head and leg proportions contribute to the look of specific breeds. Look at enough cat bodies and faces, and you’ll see two distinctly different types.

Faces are either triangular or rounded. Bodies that are lean and slender belong to the lithe oriental, or foreign breeds. Short legs supporting a broad, compact body are characteristic of a cobby. Mixed breeds usually have an in between body type.

There are more than 70 distinct breeds of cats that are recognized by formal cat registries. Some registries recognize only about 40 breeds, because they exclude those such as Bengals which are hybrids of domestic and wild cats. Some breeds are simply variations of primary types. For example, a Balinese cat is a longer haired type of Siamese cat.

Some breeds have roots that go far back in history. The Japanese Bobtail, distinguished by a short, rabbit-like tail, can be traced more than 1,000 years. The Egyptian Mau cat retains the physical characteristics of ancient Egyptian cats found in ancient paintings.

With an elegant body that is randomly spotted, banded legs and tail, communicative eyes and an ellegant cheetah-like stride, it is no wonder that the Mau attracts such a tremendous amount of attention at shows.

Other breeds reflect new aesthetics. Ocicats and Savannah cats are wild-hybrids — the result of breeding wild cats with domestic cats – which fill a desire for some cat lovers to have a wild pet. The Cornish Rex, with its soft, wavy coat and curled whiskers, is a dramatic, visual contrast to the typical smooth-coated cat. Likewise, the hairless Sphynx cat is a breed for the esoteric cat fancier.

Because the Sphynx cat has little hair, the cat needs to be bathed periodically. This is an easy task with a cat that has been accustomed to a bath from kittenhood.

Sometimes, cats are just ordinary felines. Domestic is the veterinary term used to classify cats of unknown heritage. Cats in these categories are broken into groups as domestic short hair (DSH), domestic long hair (DLH) and domestic medium length hair (DMH). Some people classify cats based on living circumstances; house cat or alley cat, but these are not true breeds.

Hair length and texture contribute to a breed’s look, but color is not a reliable identity factor. Black cats with white paws, belly, and chests are referred to as tuxedo cats, but this is simply a description of coat pattern found in both domestic and exotic breeds. Tortoiseshell and calico coated cats are sometimes referred to as ginger, marmalade, or orange tabby cats, making them sound like specific breeds. In reality, they are just descriptors, much like green-eyed Asian or brown-eyed European. While it is true that some cat breeds only come in one hue (Russian Blues and Korats only show gray) most breeds display a range of coat color and pattern.

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Canine Possession Aggression

Canine Possession Aggression……..object guarding, this is the act of aggressively protecting objects such as toys, pigs ears, rawhide chews, bones, or articles that the dog has found or stolen, such as socks shoes underwear tissues and human food.

The ears going back will be part of typical body language relating to this behaviour. The dog then will go into a crouch over the object, displaying a whale eye, that is the head turned away but the eyes are swivelled back towards you the perceived threat to his possession, the whites showing, you may also find the lips are slightly pulled back almost in a grin. Look at pictures of whales and you will see why whale eye gets its name. Mine! All Mine.

So why would the dog want to protect these objects? Simple answer is that its normally a learned experience. Either it is a reaction from their siblings taking and tugging objects away at an early age, or we teach them this behaviour by our actions and reactions. As a puppy, your dog wandered through parts of the house, picking up and investigating any little object left lying around. However as soon as he picked up something we did not want him to have, we immediately snatched this precious possession away.

Before long, our intrepid pup would pick up an object then run away so we couldnt take away his find, he would scamper either to another room, the garden, under or behind a table, settee, or chair anywhere where we could not easily relieve him of his treasure.

So what do we do? We follow him to wherever he has hidden away, shouting leave it, or drop! What does the little monster do, he whale eyes you and starts to growl. He has now learned a couple of very valuable lessons.

1.When you give a command, he does not always need to

obey.

2.If he shows aggression, you back off. And by our

actions, we have successfully taught him to resource

guard.

Advice?
Well meaning friends and of course the inimitable doggy experts. You will find these in abundance in any park, street, pub or internet forum, they will tell you to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck then forcibly remove the object, put the dog into an alpha roll position, or give it a good thump. The tips and advice are endless. If you analyse them all you will find that nearly every suggestion will be confrontational, these methods will inevitably have the exact opposite effect to what you are hoping to cure.

What you will rarely be told is to train the dog so that it wants to give up the object, that the dog will think it is fun and rewarding to let you have these treasured articles back.

Start Early
Your puppies and adult dogs should be used to having their mouth touched, when you then wish to remove something it isnt seen as confrontational. From the day you get your dog, either as a puppy or adult dog, brush his teeth, play with his flews (the floppy bits on the upper lip), open his mouth, check his tonsils, look down his throat, do this in a positive fun way with lots of praise and the occasional treat.

Purchase a long rawhide knot or bone. Hold on to one end of the knot while the dog chews on the other. He may want to play tug, but just hold do not pull away, in time he will get used to your presence and relax and just chew.

It is important for your dog to view you as the provider of all good things. You can do this by tightly controlling the dog’s environment. Keep all but one or two toys up off the floor and take the others down only when you want to play. Make sure you offer an item with a command like Take it. When you are tired of the game (you that is, not the dog), tell the dog to Drop or Dead Give him another item or treat in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog’s likes and dislikes? Compose a list of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities, rank them in a hierarchical order, In exchange for dropping the first item give your dog a second, better item. For instance, if tennis ball retrieving is third on your dog’s list, reward him with cheese, frankfurter or puffed jerky for dropping the tennis ball. If your dog attempts to pick up a bit of rubbish in the street, command him to drop and then throw or give him his tennis ball.

Give a Cue
Teach the word dead, drop, or give, do it in a fun way with a happy high silly voice. Start by allowing him to have something that is not so valuable then trade with him for his favourite treat, what is his favourite treats or game? Do you really know your dog’s likes and dislikes?

This is fine for teaching young pups or dogs that are not presently guarding but what about ones that are already way down the road of resource guarding. Training a young puppy is relatively easy. Re-training an older dog is more difficult, but not impossible.

Trade and Reward
Firstly take away all objects the dog is guarding, that could be toys, tissues, chews, bones, pigs ears or sleeping places, that includes beds, sofas or chairs. You may not be able to move the latter but you can cover it, put a box or something else on it that will restrict access. Do not allow access to these precious resources a number of days.

You need to prepare for the next stage if the guarding is articles such as toys chews bones etc, prepare some of the dogs really favourite treats, cheese or frankfurter tends to be high on the list. Then get a low value object, it may be a tissue or a sock, a pigs ear for instance may be perceived as high value. Try to be slightly to the side of the dog rather than face on and relax, take the tension you may feel out of your body as the dog will both smell and sense your fear and this could trigger a reaction.

Offer the object to the dog but try and keep hold of it as the dog takes it, use whatever release command you have decided on it could be dead drop leave or trade immediately produce the tasty treat from behind your back and exchange. Praise when the exchange takes place and give back the object you first exchanged.

Set scheduled times to repeat this exercise at least four times a day but also just do it in opportune moments. Gradually up the anti of treasured goods. Over a period of time the dog will start to look forward to your approach and game. It is at this time that you give your dog the object and walk away, at first come back immediately and trade gradually making the time and distance you walk away longer, until you clearly see the dog is having no problems with your approach whatsoever. Then only give a treat every third time, then every tenth, take the object away and immediately give it back extending the period on this until the guarding behaviour disappears.

As with food guarding, you want to build a positive association around people approaching the objects being guarded. The dog needs to understand that approaching people and the removal of objects can be positive and rewarding. Location or Bed Guarding

This is not always as simple as it may seem, as the severity or incidence may be related to who is approaching. It may be that a woman can approach the bed or sleeping place but not a man, an adult but not a child. It is not always tied to the object being guarded, but more to the relationship or lack of it of the person approaching the resource.

Sometimes this behaviour manifests itself when we try to move the dog off a sofa or when we handle or stroke the dog. It is worth in these cases making sure the dog is not ill or in pain as this could stimulate aggressive reactions.

As with other forms of guarding, make this a positive experience. Gauge how far you can approach before any aggressive reaction occurs. Initially keep to this distance and as you pass throw a treat, praising the dog at the same time. Make sure you do not praise or treat if there is growling or any show of aggression. Gradually decrease the distance over a period of time, do not rush the exercise, if the dog starts to react go back a few steps and start again. Change your angle of approach and the person who is approaching. Always try not to approach head on come in at an angle from the side give lots of verbal praise for a calm and passive reaction from the dog.

Maintain the Status Quo
Over time your pet will come to realise that your approach is a positive experience and the guarding will hopefully cease. However if it starts up again repeat the exercise. You should practice once a week exchange or trade, for the remainder 0of the dogs life.

If you are already at the point where the dog has actually bitten you, then I would suggest you get professional help. This should be from a behaviourist or a trainer who understands aggression. You should look for one that comes to your house. I never understand how professionals can assess your dogs behaviour from the confines of a vets or an office. The dog reacts very differently when out of its own environment. Stan Rawlinson

24 July 2005

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT. PAACT
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times, Pet Talk and Pet Owner Magazine. He is also a behavioural spokesman for Disney and has appeared on Television, Radio and in National Newspapers on many occassions

Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail:enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
http://www.doglistener.co.uk
Founder Member
PAACT
Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers
Membership Number 101
http://www.paact.co.uk

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Stray and Feral Cats

Stray and feral cats are a huge problem in the United States. Strays are simply cats that have wandered off, but feral cats may have bred for a generation of more in the wild and know how to survive without the care of humans. The problem is that they may carry diseases, fight with house cats and spread those diseases. Left uncontrolled they breed more and more cats. They can however perform a useful roll in local rodent and pest control.

Dont walk up and try to pet it. Strays are not always friendly or immunized so there the possibility that they man carry rabies. If you do get bitten, either the cat gets trapped and tested for rabies or you will need a full series of rabies shots, which are not pleasant. A bite or scratch from a feral cat should have you on your way to the doctor immediately.

If the cat happens to be friendly, do it favor and take it to the vet. Get it immunized, spayed or neutered and try to find it a good home if you dont want to keep it yourself. You should also read up on how to deal with cats that have behavioral problems.

Getting Rid of Stray Cats

Most of the products for sale that claim to keep stray and feral cats away dont work at all. It couldnt hurt to try them if you have the money to spend, but there are many tried and true methods below.

1. Dont feed the kitties and remove any food sources that you can find. Leaving food out can also attract other animals such as skunks.
2. Block entryways to places feral cats like to live. The get under homes, decks and into shed. Make sure you do not have a haven for feral cats next to your home.
3. Call you local animal control center and see if they will come out and catch them or let you borrow or rent a trap to catch the cats.
4. Buy your own trap and catch the cat yourself. Take it in to the closest animal control. Releasing elsewhere is just condemning it to a worse life. Take care though this isnt a tamed cat, but a snarling scratching ball of menace.
5. Use pepper spray liberally in the areas the cats frequent. It will bother their sensitive noses and the cats may stay away.

If youve got a heart of gold, trap the cat, take it the vet and have it immunized then spayed or neutered. Release back on to your property and provide it with food. Perhaps you could use a great mouser? Regardless, the important thing is that the stray doesnt continue to breed.

Mark explains how to keep stray cats away at HowToGetRidOfStuff.com; the place for getting rid of things.

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The only way to be 100% sure of getting a verified pure breed Maine Coon cat is to buy a pedigree kitten from a breeder. The breeder should be able to present a family tree of your cats pedigree and provide relevant certification.

A recommended place to start a search for a reputable breeder in your local area is the Maine Coon Breed Fanciers Association (www.mcbfa.org) Maine Coon kittens can be instantly recognizable by the long tufty ears and oversized paws, as seen in the classic longhaired American however there is a European strain of Maine Coon, (my own Maine Coon, King Henry comes from a German line) which has a shorter ruff around the neck, and often a fuller, squarer muzzle. The differences are not apparent until the cat is between 12 to 18 months.

In terms of identifying a pure pedigree Maine Coon, youll be relying quite heavily on information the breeder is presenting to you. If you have difficulty finding a reputable breeder, you could try and get a recommendation by talking to individuals at a Maine Coon event or an all breeds Cat show. It is essential you are happy with your breeder – if you are becoming a Maine Coon owner for the first time, you may need to rely on their expert advice.

You can expect to pay anywhere between $500 and $800 for a pure breed Maine Coon. With food, litter, vet bills and cat-sitters for holidays, Maine Coons can be a relatively expensive investment. All Maine Coon owners will agree that they are a truly wonderful breed and will repay you many times over.

IMPORTANT TIP: This could save a lot of heartache, trouble and expense later on; When buying an expensive pet, do not go for the kitten you feel sorry for and looks like it needs help. Any kittens with signs of withdrawal, low energy or general apathy, should really be avoided. Choose an independent, lively, energetic kitten. Pick out kittens that dont necessarily come to you but are, however, interested in their surroundings.

Its best to pick a local breeder and visit them in their home, when youre first making your initial enquiries to check the kittens living conditions, health and welfare of all cats living in the same environment.

Although it sounds like common sense, have questions prepared that will help you to establish whether the breeder can be trusted.

Questions youll definitely want to ask:

1. How much experience does the breeder have? If you need assurance about the breeders ability/expertise ask to speak to someone who has recently purchased a Maine Coon from that breeder.

2. Who are the kittens parents and are they champions? Even if you dont intend to show your cat, youll still want to find out about their pedigree. Thats what you are paying for. If this is just not important, you can sometimes find cheaper Maine Coons that are called pet quality meaning they do not meet the required physical standards for showing. This does not mean they are not perfectly healthy.

3. Does the stud live with the breeder? If not, can the breeder guarantee that the stud has not been subjected to any illnesses e.g. cat flu. Has the breeder bred the stud before?

4. Is there any known heredity illnesses in the ancestral line such as HCM (can cause heart failure) and hip problems?

5. Have any of the other cats suffered from any illnesses for e.g. have any recent litters suffered from any strain of cat flu?

6. If relevant to your situation, ask if the kitten is comfortable around other animals and children?

7. At what point, could the kittens leave their mother (I would be concerned if the breeder allowed the kitten to leave its mother if it is less than 12 weeks).

8. Will a vet check the kittens before leaving the breeders home? How many times? If the Maine Coon becomes ill after it has left the breeder, who is responsible for paying vets fees or could the kitten be returned to the breeder?

9. Youll also want to find out how often the queen is impregnated; because a queen subjected to too regular pregnancies can be prone to producing weak or sickly kittens.

Other things you may want to check/do:

10. The living conditions of the stud and queens e.g. the cleanliness of the cages/rooms and the health/welfare of the cat etc.

11. Will the cats be litter trained before they move to their new homes?

12. Also, the environment where the mother and kittens are living. Are there toys, clean litter, warmth, food and water?

13. Check the eyes of the kitten to evaluate its health. Never purchase a kitten that has weeping eyes.

14. The breeders contract. Have a read of the written agreement before you commit yourself. Pay particular attention to areas of responsibility should the kitten become unwell soon after youve bought him/her.

15. You should book your new kitten in for an all round check with your own vet almost as soon as youve collected from the breeder. If there are any signs of problems, youll want to know within the first 24 hours.

On the whole, Maine Coon breeders are passionate about their cats and love what they do. Theres not a whole lot of money to be made in breeding Maine Coons, and it is very demanding work.

Unless, your gut feeling tells you otherwise, you can expect to be talking to breeders who are totally dedicated Maine Coon lovers.

Copyright 2006 Sarah Crosier

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The goats produce two very important products in goat farming – the milk and the meat. In most of the large goat farms the goats are treated much like dairy cows as their accommodations are indoors and they are milked twice a day. Large farmers have more than 400-500 goats in their farms.

The breeding season for goats in farms is from August to March. The goat’s pregnancy lasts for four months and they are generally bred once a year, so their kids are born between January and August. The female goats give birth to one to five kids and twins are to be expected.

A female goat in a farm can start mating after the age of seven to nine months while it can be milked when the goat reaches a year. Goats give birth easily, so no special help is needed. However, the farmers need to make sure that the kids nurse from their mother, if they don’t, they should be fed from a bottle. This should be done right after the kid is born as this is when it receives the critical first milk which is called colostrum. After it is fed with colostrum containing minerals, vitamins and antibodies for a few days, the kid could be fed with milk formula or could nurse from its mother.

Breeding goats in a farm is quite similar to breeding cows. The kids of goats should be given a milk formula until they can be weaned; this is after they reach five to seven weeks of age. This is the time when the goats are then milked.

In a goat farm the females are given a two month period before giving birth, they need this time so that they could give nutrition to their kids after birth. As far as milking goats in diary farms is concerned, goats are milked twice a day, usually in intervals of 12 hours. The milk can be extracted by machine or by hand depending on the kind of techniques and work force the goat farm has. Another thing which makes breeding goats and cows similar is that the both use up to date diary production which should meet certain hygienic requirements.

If the farmer is interested more in meat production, then the kids of the goats should be nursed from eight to ten weeks. After that they are to be fed hay, grain and pasture until they gain enough weight, which can vary from 35 to 90 pounds.

When a farmer is breeding goats for their meat, he should consider the goats’ breed and then decide what optimal weight the goats should reach. Different breeds of goat reach different weight. Goat farming might not be the first thing you considered when talking about farming, but it is a profitable and enjoyable business activity.

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If youre looking for an unusual, eye-catching pet, its hard to go wrong with a snake. Theyre exotic enough to catch peoples interest, yet hardy enough to require minimal care. Nevertheless, uninformed first-time owners tend to make some basic mistakes, some of which can be quite costly. Here are some simple tips that can help ensure the health of the snake and prevent a lot of aggravation as well.

1.First, take note of how large your snake can grow to be. Most North American varieties only grown to be about four feet long, which is a reasonable size. Dont let a pet store employee talk you into buying a Burmese python, since these critters can grow to be over thirty feet long, and will require huge cages and tremendous amounts of food. (And before you ask No, most zoos will not accept these as donations.)

2.Dont scrimp on cage size. A cage that is too small can be very stressful and unhealthy to your pet. Pet store clerks will sometimes try to sell you caging that is inadequate in size, so dont fall into this trap. For adequate comfort, the combined length and width of the cage should at least match the snakes length. Snakes can grow fairly quickly, so dont forget to take that into account as well!

3.Do find out how docile that particular specimen is. Most non-venomous North American snakes are fairly docile, but if youre a first-time keeper, you should probably make sure that your prospective pet can be handled easily.

4.Make sure that you select a pet with a hearty appetite. Ball pythons, for example, make great petsbut they are notoriously finicky eaters. Corn snakes make great starter pets because they are exceedingly docile and arent picky about what they eat.

5.Snakesindeed, any reptilecan potentially spread salmonella. The risk involved is very small, but one should still play safe. This is especially true when young children or people with compromised immune systems are involved. Do read up on reptile hygiene and salmonella before purchasing your pet.

Obviously, these tips only constitute some basic advice. I recommend that all prospective owners should read up on snake care in general, as well as the specific needs of the species that they plan to purchase. A little bit of basic research can prevent a great deal of aggravation in the future.

About the Author:

V. Berba Velasco Jr., Ph.D. is a senior electrical and software engineer at Cellular Technology Ltd (http://www.immunospot.com, http://www.elispot-analyzers.de, http://www.elispot.cn). The neighborhood children have referred to him as the Crocodile Hunter though, due to his impressive menagerie of snakes, lizards and tarantulas.

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