|
============================================
DOG WALKING
Fetch! Pet Care is the nation's most trusted name in professional at-home pet sitting, dog walking and private boarding services. Fully bonded and insured, satisfaction guaranteed. Call 1-866-FETCH-ME or visit http://www.fetchpetcare.com to schedule a free in-home consultation.
ADOPTING A DOG
-The City Animal Care and Control is an option, they have numerous dogs looking for homes, new dogs every day, and $65 adoption fee. Here is their website. This is where some of the other shelters get the majority of their dogs from anyways, so why not go straight to the source.
-The Anti-Cruelty Society. They have dogs and cats for adoption. Last time I was there, they had several puppies and a few purebred dogs. Their adoption fee is reasonable. They are at 501 N. LaSalle, which is close to Grand. You park in the parking garage for free, then walk over to the front of the building. http://www.anticruelty.org/
-If it's a specific breed of dog you are looking for, there is a breed rescue for many of them!
Here is a list of breed rescues
-Also try www.PetFinder.com, you can search multiple shelters and rescues that all list dogs on the site, and have pictures, too.
BUYING A DOG
You may just find the exact type of dog you want in a shelter or rescue! However, if you are going to buy a dog, please ask me, so I can help point you in the direction of a responsible breeder who contributes to the betterment of the breed. A good breeder does not advertise in the paper or on puppy sale websites! Those are majority backyard breeders who do not have quality dogs or care about health. Contact me for referrals.
Personal Protection Training
Contact for Personal Protection Training and Bitework
go to www.DynamicDogsChicago.com
DOG FOOD
I usually recommend a raw prey-model diet, or pre-made raw diet. However, these are my picks for commercial pet food as well, in which case I would only choose a super-premium low-grain kibble.
1. Raw Meaty Bones Diet- Start with the small informational book "Work Wonders: feed raw meaty bones diet" by Dr. Tom Lonsdale, you can find it on Amazon.com or Ebay. www.rawlearning.com is another place to get info. A biologically appropriate diet that dogs love.
2. Orijen, Fromm, Solid Gold- These are very high quality kibble pet food.
3. Nature's Variety Raw, Companion- Can be more expensive than Raw Meaty Bones diet, because it is pre-made. But since it's pre-made, its convenient to feed. You just defrost the patties in the fridge and feed them the next day.
A FEW NOTES ON FEEDING:
- Don't feed dog food dry. It is boring for the dog and encourages picky eating and scavenging, since the dog does not enjoy his food.
- DO rotational feeding. This means switch up your dog food every so often. This helps prevent food allergies from developing, like when the dog eats the same food for years, and also provides some nutritional variety. I switch dog's food maybe every month or few months. If your dog is too sensitive, you can just switch varieties within a brand of dog food!
- When feeding kibble, I recommend adding things to it! I always add canned food and a bit of hot water. Some other things I add: eggs (good protein), a bit of cottage cheese, plain cultured yogurt, Keifer cultured milk, bits of meat, cooked green beans, and so forth.
- Supplements like Missing Link are a waste of money, look at the ingredients you are paying for. You are paying for a bag of liver powder and flaxseed. It's a waste. Nupro is a much better supplement, and fish body oil is also good.
VETERINARY CARE
Animal Ark, www.AnimalArk.us
Clean, up to date facility, a very knowledgeable vet Dr. Landini gave my dog a thorough exam. I got my cat neutured there, everything went well, and they even called the next day to check on how he was doing.
THE WORST- aka the bad list!
PetSmart Dog Training?
PetSmart is a large retail store chain, NOT a dog training facility. That is a fact.
If you can walk in off the street, never having owned a dog in your life, get hired, then go through their 90 hour training, and call yourself a "Dog Trainer", not the best situation.
Regardless of the individual trainer, they have to follow a manual that is designed by corporate. They use one-sided techniques that don't work for every dog. They cannot consider their employees to be educated enough to use and teach corrections in a proper manner, so the training is ineffective. It is not balanced. Treats are used as bribes, and treats are used heavily as lures. After going through the 8 classes, most of the dogs cannot even "heel", in fact, heeling (a basic essential obedience command) is not even TAUGHT in their basic obedience course, it may be taught in the advanced course. The best you may get out of one of these classes is a dog that sits for a biscuit, or some housebreaking tips.
I have even seen trainers at PetSmart accepting aggressive dogs into their training and thinking they can help solve or fix such a problem. That is dangerous and unethical.
Some trainers there may be better than others, and some PetsMart trainers may even be good, but generally any place that only gives 90 hrs of training is not professional.
Please find a reputable professional trainer.
1. WARNING: repost: beware of "rescue" scam artists. They go on places like Craigslist, (a free classified ad and community website), and find people trying to rehome their animals, getting them for free and re-selling them.
BEWARE OF FAKE AVIAN RESCUES:
stayathome4birds.com is a scam, NOT an avian rescue whatsoever. Real rescues do not buy birds or sell them like www.stayathome4birds.com does. Do not under any circumstances ever deal with Crystal Creek Avian Rescue, or www.stayathome4birds.com or Indiana Exotic Parrot Rescue, or IL Parrot Rescue. It is a SCAM, BEWARE! Angela Tanskley,
Crystal Creek Avian Rescue , IL Parrot Rescue , Stayathome4birds , Crystal Creek Avian Rescue. Fake references and her website is simply a front for her scam. They also lie about having an agriculture license. They are advertising in Chicago Tails Magazine! Also asking for donations?
Michelle Tharp, Angela Tanksley, many false identities, Charity, Ameila, Amela, etc. She is living in Valporazo IN, Lafayette, Indiana, Also, Shannon Hogan, also known as Mazzy, is doing the same thing, Buda IL
http://www.epr.zoomshare.com/0.html (LOOK ANOTHER FAKE SCAM WEBSITE, ALSO SOLICITING DONATIONS!) Why need donations when you sell birds for HUNDREDS that you got free?
THESE ARE SOME OF HER NAMES:
Indiana Exotic Parrot Rescue
Crystal Creek Avian Rescue
2. BANFIELD PET HOSPITAL CHICAGO
A poor choice for medical care for your animals. I have personal experience with them, and I have made the mistake of brining an animal there.
But don't take it from me! If you simply google "Banfield Pet Hospital Complaints" you will see they have numerous consumer complaints, Better Business Bureau, and customer reports on them.
|
