What's In Your Couch That Could Be Not So Good For Your Pets?

We all know how dogs especially have such a keen sense of smell. They pick up scents long before we do. Now if they could talk and tell us what it is they are smelling then it might give us a better insight to if they are being exposed to hidden dangers.
Take for example some of the components that carpets are made of. Now we have all experienced the fumes of the newly laid carpet. Recently we have discovered that these may not be so good for us. Not too much of a shock however as we can relate this with the odor.
Now think about some sofas and furniture that was made prior to 2004 and treated with fire retardants. We may vaguely recall a slight odor when we first brought this furniture home, but nothing that we can really remember. Well guess what, here it is 2011 and your pet is still ingesting that chemical. Studies have shown that dogs who sleep on furniture treated with this chemical are showing levels of it in their system higher than what is found in humans. Don't think that you as a human are exempt from this either.
The consequences of this are still unknown. Who wants to wait to find out? Do yourself a favor and keep your pets off your furniture. They really don't need to be there anyway. You will be a much kinder pet owner if you invest in a all natural material bed for your best friend.

Animals Have Weight Issues Too!

Any pet owner will automatically classify their pet as a family member. We are all concerned about our family's health, and if our pet is a family member then of course we are concerned about their well being as well. Often an area that is forgot about though is their weight. Many times we are deceived as to what the weight of our pet really is especially if they have a lot of fur. We simply don't realize that they are getting fat.
Its important to first know what is a normal and healthy weight for your particular pet. Then you have a guideline to follow. If possible weigh your pet. You can easily do this by getting on the scales and weighing yourself, then picking up your pet and seeing what the increased weight is.
If you discover that your pet is overweight then take a close look at his diet. Are you feeding the wrong foods, or feeding too much? At one time it wasn't unusual for a dog for example to just live off table scraps. These animals appeared to be perfectly healthy and of a good weight. There are a few things that we may be forgetting about here though. First the majority of these animals were housed outdoors where they burned their excess fat, and many of them were working animals. In addition to this table food was much healthier back then. This really is a positive sign that what we eat today is far different and far less healthier than it was in the good old days.
Take the time to find out what the ingredients are in the food that you are feeding your dog. Don't be surprised if you discover there is a lot of fatty fillers in it. It may give you enough insight to change your pets food to a healthier brand, now that you are more knowledgeable in this area.

Free The Chickens and Still Enjoy Your Eggs

We all enjoy a nice fresh egg. Years ago people would say there is nothing like a farm fresh egg! Well those are words now that its very hard to take pride in saying. This is because most eggs come from factory farms where laying chickens are stuffed into battery cages where they can't sit, turn or flutter their wings. Out of their frustration and misery they attack their cage mates and many of them are pecked to the point of death and suffer repeated pain and misery. Then to keep the risk of infection down they are pumped full of antibiotics …so guess what might be in that last egg you ate!
Now that doesn't mean you have to give up the enjoyment of eating eggs. What it does mean though is that you can make a difference in how they are produced. You have a voice and these chickens don't except to squawk out in misery. If enough people will join together to make it known to all these fast food places that serve up this wonderful egg on a bun breakfasts that they aren't going to buy products that have been produced in misery then you will soon see a change in where they get their eggs from.
So lets get the word out! All too often we are all guilty of saying oh this is terrible and something ought to be done about it, then putting it out of our minds because we all hate to deal with things that make us feel miserable. But think of it this way…if you saw your child stuffing a chicken into a cage would you stand by and watch it? If we are going to teach our children compassion then we have got to express it ourselves.
Here are some actions you can take that will take a mere few moments of your time. But if enough of us do it then we can change this one horrifying circumstance around.

1. Watch this video so you will truly know what the misery these chickens are facing and how in the end it could all backfire on the health and safety of those who eat these eggs.

2.  Put a stop to fast food chains using mass produced eggs that create pain and misery   Visit WSPA's Million Egg Challenge site

3.  Educate yourself that there are alternatives then fight for these Cage Free Eggs are Possible

This is the link for cage free eggs
http://twitter.com/#!/choosecagefree

Join us at socialnetworkmarketstop.ning.com and join our environmental group where we can start to do our part to put an end to at least some of the misery for those who cannot speak for themselves.Also check out www.pet2pets.com where you will find a lot of information about these factory farms.

What Do Our Pets Breathe?

We as pet owners care a great deal about the health and happiness of our pets. Most of us make sure they are well fed, exercised and played with. What we might be forgetting about though is the quality of air they are breathing. Just because we don't seem to be having any difficulties with the air doesn't mean they don't.
The first thing we need to remember is that we don't live on their level. They are close to the ground the majority of the time and you can be sure that the quality of air there is less than perfect. Of course they are animals and they will adjust, after all what about the wild animals? They survive don't they?
Well actually if a wild animal is having difficultly breathing their natural instincts will lead them to higher ground where the air is fresher. But…where is the higher group for our in house pets? If they get up on the couch or bed they are sure to be scolded.
We need to pay attention to the quality of air they are living in. There are several ways that we can do this.

1. Be very careful with the cleaning and household products you are using. Most of the residue from these products will settle on the ground where your pets spend their time.

1. Be as concerned about the quality of air that they are being subjected to when there are smog alerts.

1. Be your own guide. If you are finding it difficult to breath because of poor air quality then you can be sure that your pets are too.

1. Invest in an inexpensive air quality control tester and periodically test the air quality at the level that your pet is subjected to.

1. Become proactive in making the air that we all breathe safer. You can begin by joining one of the environmental groups at www.socialnetworkmarketstop.ning.com

1. Also educate yourself about pollution and you will be amazed that you will soon find yourself feeling healthier, and you will save money.

Remember our pets can't talk for themselves, we have to be tuned into what is best for them.