Pet Advice

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Search or browse 1904 pet advice articles on pet health, pet care and pet behaviour. The Pets4Homes site aims to provide the most informative and useful pet advice and pet care articles and information on all types of pets, from dogs and cats to rabbits and reptiles. Our articles are written by qualified veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, breeders and other writers who have a passion for pets.

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Some more information about the Bolognese dog breed

24th July 2014

When people talk about Bolognese, they are usually referring to a spaghetti dish, but Bolognese is also the name given to a breed of dog! As you might expect, the Bolognese is Italian in origin, and is one of the rarer small dog breeds around today. The Bolog....Read Full Article

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Bad Rabbit behaviour - Some common rabbit problems addressed

24th July 2014

If you keep rabbits, you probably got them with the intention of enjoying holding, stroking and playing with your cute and cuddly companions, and enjoying watching them go about their often-entertaining daily lives. Rabbits do bond strongly with their owners ....Read Full Article

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Using silent whistles with your dog

24th July 2014

You have probably heard of the silent whistle or the Galton whistle as a dog training aid, although they are not as widely used today as they have been in the past. A silent whistle isn’t exactly silent per se; it is just that the sound that it produces cannot be heard by the human ear! The hearing of the dog covers a d....Read Full Article

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Rabbits and their feeding and nutritional requirements

24th July 2014

Feeding your pet rabbit an appropriate diet that fulfils all of their needs is essential in order to keep your rabbit healthy, and ensure that they stand the best chance of reaching old age. People often mistakenly think of the rabbit as an easy pet to keep, particularly when it comes to feeding them; but in fact, the metabolism of rab....Read Full Article

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Rabbits and their vision

24th July 2014

All mammals see slightly differently to each other, so it is understandable that the vision of pet rabbits is not the same that we have as humans have, both in terms of the range of their vision and how they perceive the world around them. Anything that helps you to develop a better understanding of your pet and how they interact with ....Read Full Article

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Dogs that stalk other dogs

24th July 2014

If you own more than one dog or if your dog regularly comes into contact with other dogs, such as at a park or other popular walking location, you may have observed on occasion the behaviour of one dog appearing to stalk other dogs, either one specific dog or several of them. The reasons behind why one dog might appear to hav....Read Full Article

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Exercises and games to delight your herding dog

24th July 2014

Herding dogs are dogs from any of the various breeds across the world that were trained and developed to assist with herding and managing livestock. Whether large or small, herding dogs share several traits, including high intelligence, a low boredom threshold, boundless energy and an overwhelming desire to work and herd! Herding dogs ....Read Full Article

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Grooming a heavy-shedding dog and dealing with a blown coat

24th July 2014

Certain dog breeds need very little coat maintenance, due to having short, straight and single-layered fur that largely takes care of itself. However, if your dog is the exact opposite of this, being longhaired, double coated or a really heavy shedder, you probably find yourself waging a constant battle with a hoover and a grooming kit....Read Full Article

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Cleaning your pet snake’s enclosure

24th July 2014

Snakes and other reptiles are very clean animals, which do not thrive in a dirty enclosure. They are also particularly susceptible to carrying and developing bacterial conditions and skin problems, such as salmonella, which is transferred through their faecal matter. Salmonella can of course also affect humans, and in order to keep bot....Read Full Article

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All about reptile brumation

24th July 2014

If you keep any sort of reptile as a pet, such as a snake or lizard, you may begin to notice a marked change in their behaviour when the weather begins to turn cooler in the autumn. As winter approaches, certain species of reptiles, including lizards, frogs, tortoises and snakes, will begin to exhibit a slight slowing down in their dai....Read Full Article

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How to train a dog to stop running away

24th July 2014

If you own a dog that makes a bid for freedom every time you open the front door, that likes to escape from the garden or that is apt to run off on occasions when you are out on walks, this can be both frightening and worrying for the owner. It is also one of the hardest canine behavioural problems to deal with. Understandabl....Read Full Article

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Tips for Safe Home Cooking for Dogs

23rd July 2014

Home cooking is now becoming more popular as discerning dog owners like to know exactly what their dogs are eating. For many, it can provide a happy medium between raw feeding and commercial food, without the risks of bacterial / parasitic infection and bone shard damage / impaction associated with raw meals. This type of diet is popul....Read Full Article

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Tips and tricks for raising an obedient dog

23rd July 2014

Most dog owners desire to have an obedient, responsive dog, and sometimes it is the owners of the worst-trained dogs that lament their dog’s training the most! Even with the best of intentions, training can sometimes be a challenge, particularly for inexperienced handlers or if you are following all of the correct steps, but seem....Read Full Article

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Caring for Lined Seahorses (Hippocampus erectus)

23rd July 2014

The lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) is native to the Western Atlantic ocean, ranging right down from the north of Canada to the Caribbean sea. They can usually be found in costal waters around coral reefs, and other structures such a piers and breakwaters. They are also one of the most commonly kept species in the marine....Read Full Article

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Can you boost the confidence levels of a shy dog?

23rd July 2014

As pack animals, dogs are used to living their lives within a hierarchy of alpha, beta, and lower pack members, and this is the same within the family home. This also means that depending on the handling your dog has received and their general personality traits, some dogs will be much bolder and more outgoing than others, while some d....Read Full Article

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Can you keep a fennec fox in the UK as a pet?

23rd July 2014

The fennec fox is one of the smallest fox species in the world, and is native to the Sahara region of North Africa. They are most distinctive for their uniquely large ears, which allow them to dissipate their body heat in hot weather. These little foxes weigh just 3.5lb at most, and have thick, soft stroke-able coats and lithe, agile b....Read Full Article

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Different ways of keeping a house rabbit

23rd July 2014

While the concept of keeping rabbits as an indoor pet rather than in a hutch and run in the garden is a fairly recent idea, keeping rabbits as in-house pets is becoming increasingly more popular each year. Keeping your bunny inside has a range of benefits, including keeping them safe from predators, allowing more contact with your rabb....Read Full Article

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How to tell when to interact with a puppy, and when to leave it be

23rd July 2014

When you first bring home your new puppy, who will usually be a cute, cuddly waggy-tailed little sweetheart, it can be really difficult to get the balance right between giving your puppy enough attention, socialisation and company, and allowing them to have their own space and time to take stock of the situation. It is obviou....Read Full Article

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The Goodness of Grazing

23rd July 2014

The concept of stabling horses is one which was developed for human convenience.  Horses were essential to everyday life and to warfare and it made complete sense to have them close to hand for when they were needed.  It also enabled humans to keep refined horses in places where they would never have been able to survive natu....Read Full Article

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Common Illnesses in Finches

22nd July 2014

This is a general piece on finches, which cover two main families known as the Old World Finches such as Greenfinches and Goldfinches and the New World Finches such as Zebra Finches and Bengalese Finches.  While different birds may have specific illnesses they are common to, as a general rule these birds are physically similar eno....Read Full Article