If you’d like to learn my most advanced strategies, and step-by-step methods for curing over a dozen different types of screaming behaviours, watch the video below. The lady keeps calling a bird “an animal” but she does know her stuff.

There are dozens of reasons why parrots scream that Chet at Bird Tricks will show you how to cure, in his Secrets To Stopping Screaming program.

An example of another cause of screaming is restlessness, which is caused by a bird that’s supposed to be flying 50 miles a day looking for food, being locked up in a cage. Normally, birds are NOT locked up in cages, and they fly freely throughout their outdoor environments getting lots of exercise. When a bird is locked in a cage, the natural levels of stress that build up in all bodies of living creatures is NOT able to be burned off by exercise, so it comes out as screaming. Giving your bird attention would NOT fix their problem, they need to be exercised.

Let me put it this way…

Have you ever known someone that misbehaved just to get attention? Most kids do this a lot, and kids who have absent parents REALLY do this. In their little minds, it’s better to get some bad attention then no attention at all.

Well guess what? A screaming bird is no different. If it’s starving for attention and screaming at you and gets you to yell back – That’s ATTENTION! And that attention has just rewarded the bird for screaming …and will cause the screaming to get worse.

This is where consistency is HUGE, and has to be conveyed to an entire family if you really want to stop a bird’s screaming.

If you’d like to learn more strategies for overcoming your bird’s bad behaviour, Chet truly offers the best methods. He’ll teach you the techniques you MUST master to break a birds screaming AND biting habit.

Go now and view his offer (banner below). I’m betting you’ll be so impressed you’ll buy his DVD!

I have often been asked why I would even contemplate having a large parrot-type bird for a pet. Well, I’ve owned Blue & Gold macaws, Moluccan cockatoos, African Grey Congos, and even an Umbrella cockatoo… and I loved them all!

My advice to anyone thinking of purchasing a parrot-like bird is always this: Do NOT buy one of these birds unless you are prepared to spend money on providing them with a proper, healthy diet AND environment.

Cockatoos have a very fine dust all over their features. Having a cockatoo in your home… well, it’s like everyday someone coming into your house, opening a canister of, say, baby powder, and giving the canister a big squeeze so that the powder floats straight up and lands willy-nilly everywhere in the room, all over furniture… and oh yes, finally gets to the furnace where it can be sent to other rooms in your home. And, to add insult to injury as some would say, both large parrots and cockatoos are VERY LOUD squawkers and screamers… but they can be oh so worth it all, if you don’t need a dust-free environment nor a lot of silence.

Here are a few videos to show you the lighter side of these types of birds:

Bare-eyed Cockatoo:

Medium Sulphur Crested Cockatoo:

African Grey Congo:

Blue & Cold Macaw:

… and for those of you with biting birds… there really IS help available:

Related story: Macaw or no Macaw…

My Macaw Peter... with friend Frank!

1. Will a bird act in a desirable way?
2. Will the bird talk?
3. Are birds intelligent?

9. Do I have what it takes in patience to train a bird this size?

While you are the only one who can truly answer the last question here… you need not worry about all of the other issues above as all are easily corrected behavioural problems… IF they even exist in your bird. It is up to us as pet owners to make certain our bird meets its greatest potential.

Other issues you MAY want answers too should you be considering adopting a previously owned bird… especially if the Macaw is considered to be a problem, are:

10. Can feather plucking be stopped?
11. Can a bird with obvious malnutrition issues be helped?
12. Can a Macaw be toilet trained?

Again, yes is the answer to all of the above… if YOU are good at following instructions. It’s as easy as that!

If you have never owned a bird before, you need to understand that birds of any sort are not domesticated like cats and dogs have been. Only through actions like hand feeding, comfort and care, human contact becomes associated with “parents” and they then become members of the bird’s flock.

Should you buy a baby Blue and Gold Macaw (or any other type of bird for that matter), be sure to deal with a trusted breeder. It’s the breeders who start the bird’s socializing, and it is because of this that most breeders start hand feeding hatchlings when they are about 16 days old.

Often unknown situations and/or locations can cause an upset and frighten a bird. As important as constant care, feeding, and handling by all family members (including friends) is, socializing also includes introducing your bird to new and different places and situations. If you want to prevent harm to your Macaw (and/or possible others) then as owner of a Macaw, it is a must that your bird trusts you in any and all locations and situations.

Remember good and/or bad behaviour are learned responses, so it is up to you, as owner to make every effort in preparing your Macaw for his new environment. Why not make it a healthy environment for everyone concerned and enjoy your new pet!

Related posting: Why a Large Parrot or Cockatoo?

Nugget shown here with his summer cut

My little 12 pound Shih Tzu was sick again last night. That’s the second night in a row! And, this time it wasn’t just stomach acids, but his undigested dinner that he consumed 12 hours earlier.

Once the emergency of the situation had passed… and having finally learned not to panic and calling the vet first, I did a quick search on the internet to see what could be causing Nugget to wake up from a sound sleep, and vomit.

Here is what I learned at Lhasa and Shih Tzu Mania: “Things Shih Tzus Should Not Eat” … so let me rephrase that here:

Things DOGS should not eat:
• Red Food Dye
• Soy
• Peas (wait a minute, aren’t peas in some canned dog food?)
• MSG
• Spinach
• Celery
• Chocolate (I remembered this one from when my Maltese Princess was alive)
• Raisins
• Onions
• Garlic
• Grapes
• and, NEVER human pain reliever or other medicines

Oooooh my God! I was sharing protein shakes with my Nugget. Every time I made one of my strawberry shakes, he gave me those big brown eyes, and then he’d sit pretty, asking for some. I usually only gave him a tablespoon of the shake, but the past two days, I spoiled him, giving him EASILY ½ a cup of the protein shake. Protein powder is Soy!

Not only that… but some of the stuff listed above, is also in Nugget’s canned dog foods, kibble, AND in his treats. All I could think of was; “Now what am I to do?”

Well, I got searching more on the internet, and came across THE answer I was looking for at Wellness Pet Food. This company’s standard for pet foods exceeds that of the Food and Drug Administration and Association of American Feed Control Officials standards. Now, how many other pet food manufacturers can say that?

After reading through several pages at the Wellness Pet Food website, I decided to find out if the pet foods are available in Canada, and if so… where. While at their website, at the top of the loading page, you will see “where to buy” (at the time of writing, it is located top, right-hand), click on that… then look directly below the blue “find” button. It states “For locations in Canada, click here.” Once you’ve clicked “…click here” you will get to a page with Canadian location options.

Oh wow…. look how many stores are carrying Wellness pet foods and treats that are near me! I drove to my local Pet Valu Store on King Street at Wilson Road and loaded up on their foods and treats.

UPDATE: My Shih Tzu vomited again so off to the Vet’s for blood tests to see what was causing all of this. Turns out my little guy has a kidney issue… which means my purchasing all that quality protein dog food was a waste of MY money. Darn! Guess that’s what I get for trying to diagnose my dog’s problems myself.

The blood test proved he needs a nutrient for the rest of his life… and he’s been put on medication too… for a spell. His new blood test will prove or disprove the need to continue the drug. I pray the drug will not be needed full term, as I am not keen on drugs… as they usually shorten a lifespan, though yes, adding quality time.

He’s also been put on a low-protein diet. I have removed ANYTHING with red food dye in it from his snacks… and replaced MANY of his snacks with sweet potato snacks for dogs. He loves them!

Just so you know… originally when he’d vomit, it was mostly clear bile… maybe three months in one year. As time went by, his vomiting slowly became more frequent, and was yellow bile… and progressed to blood in his vomit. At one point, he had me very concerned that I would lose him. The Vet’s office explained the blood in his vomit was from all of the wrenching my dog was doing… and, they assured me that we are all slowly poisoning our pets with kindness. So… do watch what you feed your cat and/or dog!

Related posts:
Are You Poisoning Your Pet?
My Dog Was Shivering… Sometimes Uncontrollably. Why?

Thank YOU Doggies.com! Back in October 2009, my local Showcase (aka: As Seen On TV) store advertised the Potty Patch for sale for only $49.99 and $89.99, so I decided to “Google” the Potty Patch and see what I could learn BEFORE purchasing the product. Am I ever glad I took the necessary time to research the product!

Having found the doggies.com blog, and reading through all the comments (and there are several, so don’t go skipping any!) I decided to save my money AND frustrations, and NOT purchase the Potty Patch. And it looks so wonderful too.

The Tinkle Tray was mentioned in one of the comments, so… off to my search engine I went, and found Marj Kruger’s website straight away. Having read through her entire web page, I became sooooo impressed that Marj’s product is being made in America that I emailed her asking if she could export her product to Canada. Disappointingly, I never did heard back from Marj… so, off to my local Lowe’s store in Whitby, Ontario I went, equipped with a printed picture of Marj Kruger’s Tinkle Tray and measurements of 21” x 27” written on it… along with my dog’s present potty tray measurements, 20” x 34”.

Andrew (in the windows and doors department) at Lowe’s is in his last year of studying to become a structural engineer, so I KNEW I could depend on his ingenuity, along with his knowledge of parts that might be available within the store that would allow me to create my own version of a Tinkle Tray for my dog. I was right!

Potty Pan

Label from utility tray

18429 2×4 white egg crate styre(ne) $10.98 (used for ceiling light louvers) PLUS, 293486 22×34 modular utility tra(y) $9.98 (better known as a boot tray)… all for $20.96 (CDN) plus $2.73 taxes for a grand total of $23.69. I even pressed on the white egg crate styrene with my hand to make certain it would not hurt my dog’s paws… and it is fine.

All I needed in the way of tools to create my own Potty Pan was a pair of side-cutters and a marker pencil!

side cutters

Carefully marking EXACTLY the squares to cut with a marker pencil, I the cut the “egg crate styrene” to fit the utility tray. Then I lined the tray with newspaper and placed the trimmed piece of “egg crate styrene” on top… and voila! My dog now has his very own Potty Pan.

Homemade Potty Pan

This new Potty Pan now sits where a previous metal pan sat, in my laundry room… and it looks soooo much neater, considering I no longer need a towel just under the edge of the tray for my male dog to “wipe” his paws on.

If not for the post published at doggies.com, I too would have been an unhappy camper within weeks of purchasing the Potty Patch, considering the stench many pet owners complained of regarding the artificial grass top!

Indoor potties with artificial grass, I would NEVER recommend. But for those of you who do NOT have the time to make your own doggy potty, I fully understand and offer you THIS suggestion along with a comparison:

For those of you who prefer to simply purchase the WizDog click here. And, please, do come back and let me know what YOU think of the WizDog, once your puppy has had the chance to use it.

Related post: Gourmet Dog Treats: Make Your Own Healthy Yam Yummies

Wow, the stories I hear about pets being inadvertently poisoned by us, their caregivers… it breaks my heart. I know I’d never be able to forgive myself if by providing my dog with a poor diet; I contributed to his early death.

This morning, while listening to CHFI’s morning show, Erin Davis mentioned how many of us feed treats to our pets that hamper their health and could literally poison them. Yikes!

Erin read out a much more thorough list of foods to AVOID feeding dogs and cats than I listed in my blog entry yesterday.

Here’s the list:
• Grapes and raisins
• Garlic and onions …and their powders
• Macadamia nuts
• Mushrooms
• Tomatoes and tomato plants
• Chicken bones
• Xylitol (a sweetener found in Trident and Orbit gum, just 5 pieces can kill a 65 pound dog!)
• Raw potatoes (especially ones with green spots!)
• Nutmeg
• Turkey skin
• Caffeine (example: coffee & tea)
• Alcohol & hops
• Moldy foods

Erin went on to say how a cat had gotten lily dust on its paws, and became very ill after licking the dust off… so, do be careful of the types of house plants you keep near your “wittle-waskles”… in case you’ve “adopted” a nibbler!

With my new found arsenal of Wellness dog food products ready to feed my Shih Tzu, I anticipate Nugget’s health to improve immensely.

Source [ Erin Davis ]

Related posts:
Dog Owners Be Aware – Dog Health Problems
My Dog Was Shivering… Sometimes Uncontrollably. Why?

Nugget having developed kidney problems early in his life, I had to learn quickly what treats he could and could not have any more. All treats with red food dye I removed immediately… but wanting SOMETHING to spoil him with, his doctor recommended sweet potatoes, or …as some of us know them as, yams.

Visiting the local Pet Smart store, I found a very small bag of dried yams, marked healthy treats. The pieces inside were the size of short French fries, like those served in most restaurants throughout Ontario. Having paid nearly $10 for what seemed like only a small handful of these healthy treats, I decided to try making my own.

Friends picked me up an inexpensive dehydrator in good condition, at a local yard sale, allowing me the pleasure of trying to create these treats as inexpensively as possible. If you would prefer purchasing one new, Canadian Tire has a really good dehydrator for sale, for only $50.

The first time I tried making Yam Yummies, I only used one yam. That way, too, I could make certain that Nugget was happy with my ‘cooking’.

Voila! Nugget loves them… so, here’s what I did in making Nugget his Yam Yummies:

Ingredients
5 elongated yams

Directions

1. Scrub yams so all dirt is removed. I like to place them on a paper towel to dry.

2. Place yam on cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut a small slice off one side of the yam to create a flat base for the yam to sit on so it is less apt to roll as you continue cutting into slices.
   

3. Place the yam on the flat side you just created, and start slicing… anywhere up to ½” in thickness.

   

   NOTE: The thicker the slices, the longer it takes to cook and dehydrate.

   TIP: Be real careful with the knife during this step. Yams are a whole lot harder to cut when raw. It will take force to slice the yams. As the knife gets closer to my hand with each slice, I will turn the yam and slice from the wider side again… because I’ll be cutting my slices into pieces once cooked anyway.

   My wrists are not as healthy as I’d like to have them… but I can STILL slice up to 5 yams without painful wrists.

4. Using a microwave-safe plate (I use to a dinner plate), arrange the slices in one flat layer.

   

5. Set your microwave on full power and cook for 4 minutes on either side.

   NOTE: Use a fork to flip them as they will be HOT after the first 4 minutes.

   TIP: I use my wet paper towels from draining the yams, here as pot holders on my dinner plate when removing it from the microwave each and every time.

6. Once fully cooked on both sides, pierce the slices with a fork so the water can be released that much quicker… ideally to shorten the time in the dehydrator.

   

   TIP: I actually pierced these slices even more after taking this photo.

7. If you have a large dog, your slices can go onto the dehydrator tray now. However, I have a little Shih Tzu so; I need to cut my slices more, so the pieces will be smaller… PLUS the smaller the pieces the less time needed to dehydrate.

   
   
   NOTE: Your cutting board WILL become stained during making Yam Yummies, so if you want to keep your white plastic cutting board white, either use a cutting board specifically for making these healthy treats, or be prepared to treat the cutting board for stains afterward. My dishwasher is really good at removing these stains, yours might not.

   My good ole’ RCA microwave likes to overheat and shutdown at about the 3rd… sometimes 4th plate of yams. This forces me to take a 10 minute break.

8. Arrange the yams on the dehydrator tray so that there is airspace between the pieces.

   

9. Once you’ve filled all 5 trays (my dehydrator has only 5 trays), put the lid on and turn on the dehydrator.
   
   I have found my pieces are pretty much cooked after 8-10 hours, so I would highly recommend you start checking yours after 8 hours.

   

   NOTE: If you are cooking the larger slices, I would suggest anywhere from 10-20 hours. Again, this will depend on how thick the slices were cut.

   

   TIP: When done, the pieces will look leathery and some may even be curled up on the edges. Test each piece to see that it is fully dried out… because you will want to store these in a container in your cupboard… and, you don’t want them going moldy.

10. Make sure to have your product taste tested… then store remaining pieces for future use.
    

    And… no, he’s not growling in the first photo; he’s chewing. Nugget couldn’t eat his Yam Yummy any faster if he tried.

Nugget is the most spoiled, little dog you would ever want to meet… especially when it comes to treats. He used to love his dog cookies… you know, the ones by Pedigree Pal; their Breath Buster brand… THE best on the market today!

Well, now every morning he refuses his cookie and sits pretty for a Yam Yummy.

Boy! Have I ever spoiled my little “wonder dog” …it’s a wonder he’s a dog! At times, he acts more human than some humans do

Related post: Potty Pan For Dogs…

My precious Nugget was diagnosed with kidney problems. For several years, he was vomiting once every so many months, then all of a sudden his vomiting became nightly. After a few days of trying different things (including changing his diet), I took him to his doctor and had his blood tested.

Nugget has been on medication and a nutrient that has nearly stopped his vomiting, and improved his overall mood to that of being a “puppy” once again.

Lately though, his vomiting started to happen… 3 times in one day. Needless to say, this time I telephoned his Vet’s office the next day.

I was instructed to purchase children’s gravol and give Nugget one teaspoon daily to lessen the nausea he was suffering. Nausea is apparently quit common among humans and animals with kidney problems (one of 10 different symptoms posted here: http://www.lifeoptions.org/kidneyinfo/ckdinfo.php?page=4).

After several days of constantly vomiting, my precious decided he wanted his hair cut off. He had no patience left to tolerate daily comb-outs nor his cute little top-knot anymore. So, I telephoned his personal groomer (he prefers only ONE professional groomer to cut his hair, Selena Power). Thank God it’s warmer weather right now, though we’ve had a few days of cooler temps… which is why he’s pictured here with a sweater on. It was a tad too cool for him to handle on those days.

Nugget started shivering, sometimes uncontrollably just prior to getting his hair cut… but more noticeably afterward. Being worried that he might be suffering from pain, I did an Internet search to see what MIGHT be causing him to shiver… and no, he was NOT cold at the times he was shivering.

The search results I received for dog shaking, dog shaking trembling, dog shaking uncontrollably, dog shakes uncontrollably, dog shakes when sleeping (which he did sometimes too), and dog shivering not cold… well, I have to say I was sadly disappointed in what I read on the many different web pages and postings. One of the web pages was supposed to have been a response from a Vet, though I rather doubt it was a REAL Veterinarian who posted THAT particular response.

No matter… later that same day, after Nugget’s Vet’s office was open, I telephoned them and asked why Nugget might be shivering so much lately… and I added that he is NOT cold.

Well daaaah! The answer I received was just what I might have expected.

“Shivering can be a sign that the dog MAY be suffering from pain, but in Nugget’s case it is likely that during the times he feels most nauseated is when he shivers.”

Bingo! Yup, now that’s an answer that makes sense.

Anyway… I feed my Nugget three small servings of dog food (low protein) a day. In between his afternoon meal, and his meal just before bedtime, I give him a few teaspoons of sweet potato that offers him a healthy treat… and… helps stabilize his tummy so he’ll be less apt to be nauseated… and thus shiver.

I SHOULD have guessed what I learned today… because after EACH time I fed or treated Nugget, his shivering subsides and then stops all together.

Am offering this info here in case YOU need the proper info like I did today! If this helped you, please make sure to leave your comment below.

Related posts:
Potty Pan For Dogs…
Are You Poisoning Your Pet?