We’re digging up our favorite funky dog facts and fascinating pup studies, marking them with our signature weirdness, and dropping them at your doorstep. This week’s topic: Why do dogs sleep so much?
Some dogs just need more sleep
On average, according to the American Kennel Club, dogs spend up to 12-14 hours sleeping. For older dogs it can be even more, since everything seems to go a little slower and get a little more exhausting when you reach those golden years.
Puppies can sleep for 18 or even 20 hours a day, because they spend all their waking hours burning a ton of energy– running around, playing, exploring. Picture a baby who spends about four hours a day driving a 100 mph motorcycle, exploring as much of the countryside as possible. That’s basically your puppy! And also kind of an insane image. You’re welcome.
Your dog’s breed has something to do with how much they sleep, too.
Working dogs, or dogs that were bred specifically to perform a task, are more active and alert; while other breeds are likely to spend more time on their cozy pillows or getting fitted for their jammies.
And one more key difference: size matters. Larger dogs tend to be sleepier, which makes sense considering all that weight they gotta haul around. Smaller breeds can get by with about ten hours. Generally speaking, the larger the dog, the more sleep they need.
But WHY do dogs sleep so much? It’s all about R.E.M.
Humans spend 25% of their sleeping time in REM, the deep sleep where you really recharge. Dogs only spend 10% of their sleeping time in REM- so they need more hours to get the same quality of sleep. If your ears and nose were as strong as a dog’s, you’d probably have a harder time tuning out the distractions and falling asleep, too!
Bottom line, dogs are more distractible than humans- they’re flexible sleepers who fall asleep out of boredom, wake up easily and become alert immediately. You gotta admire a dog’s ability to get a full day of tail chasing, jumping around, and staring at you, all without even needing a pot of coffee!
So that’s what’s going on with your sleepy dog. And that’s why, as they say, it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie… because it’s tricky enough as it is for them to really get that nice rest!
Keep Fluffy and Fido Safe in the Garden This Summer!
Whatever you’re doing is automatically the most interesting thing in the world to many beloved cats and dogs… and that includes gardening. Help keep them safe while your garden blooms!
Lake Norman Humane is an independent, no-kill animal rescue in Mooresville, NC (north of Charlotte, exit 36 off I-77) See all our adoptable animals at lakenormanhumane.org
Elsa and her new toy. Guess who’s the real dog. Elsa is a rescue dog, found with almost no fur, she still has scars on the her face, but she’s still the cutest dog.
Spring has sprung, and with the change of season, our thoughts turn to Easter celebrations, spring cleaning and much-needed home improvement projects. Before you embark on seasonal chores or outdoor revelry, take inventory of potential springtime hazards for your furry friends.
*If you suspect your pet may have come in contact with or ingested a potentially poisonous substance, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately at (888) 426-4435.
Easter Treats and Decorations
Keep lilies and candy in check—chocolate goodies are toxic to cats and dogs, and all true lilies can be fatal if ingested by cats. And be mindful, kitties love to nibble on colorful plastic grass, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting and dehydration. Moreover, while live bunnies, chicks and other festive animals are adorable, resist the urge to buy them—these cute babies grow up fast and often require specialized care!
Screen Yourself
Many pet parents welcome the breezy days of spring by opening their windows. Unfortunately, they also unknowingly put their pets at risk—especially cats, who are apt to jump or fall through unscreened windows. Be sure to install snug and sturdy screens in all of your windows.
Buckle Up!
While most dogs love to feel the wind on their furry faces, allowing them to ride in the beds of pick-up trucks or stick their heads out of moving-car windows is dangerous. Flying debris and insects can cause inner ear or eye injuries and lung infections, and abrupt stops or turns can cause major injury, or worse! Pets riding in cars should always be secured in a crate or wearing a seatbelt harness designed especially for them.
Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition in many households, but be sure to keep all cleaners and chemicals out of your pets’ way! Almost all cleaning products, even all natural ones, contain chemicals that may be harmful to pets. The key to using them safely is to read and follow label directions for proper use and storage. Please visit our Poisonous Household Products page for more information.
Home Improvement 101
Products such as paints, mineral spirits and solvents can be toxic to your pets and cause severe irritation or chemical burns. Carefully read all labels to see if the product is safe to use around your furry friends. Also, be cautious of physical hazards, including nails, staples, insulation, blades and power tools. It may be wise to confine your dog or cat to a designated pet-friendly room during home improvement projects.
Let Your Garden Grow—With Care
Pet parents, take care—fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides keep our plants and lawns healthy and green, but their ingredients may be dangerous if your pet ingests them. Alwaysstore these products in out-of-the-way places and follow label instructions carefully. Many popular springtime plants—including rhododendron and azaleas—are also highly toxic to pets and can prove fatal if eaten. Check out our full list—of toxic and non-toxic plants for your home and garden.
Ah-Ah-Achoo!
Like us, pets can be allergic to foods, dust, plants and pollens.Allergic reactions in dogs and cats can cause itching, minor sniffling and sneezing, or life-threatening anaphylactic shock to insect bites and stings. If you suspect your pet has a springtime allergy, please visit your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Pesky Little Critters
April showers bring May flowers—and an onslaught of bugs! Make sure your pet is on year-round heartworm preventive medication, as well as a flea and tick control program. Ask your doctor to recommend a plan designed specifically for your pet. Please visit our Fleas and Ticks page for more information.
Out and About
Warmer weather means more trips to the park, longer walks and more chances for your pet to wander off! Make sure your dog or cat has a microchip for identification and wears a tag imprinted with your home address, cell phone and any other relevant contact information.
If you’re looking to expand your family or have a dog or cat-shaped space in your heart for a new best friend, consider a rescue animal.
To see all our adorable, adoptable animals, please visit our website LakeNormanHumane.org. Lake Norman Humane is an independent, no-kill animal rescue in Mooresville, NC (north of Charlotte, exit 36 off I-77).
Check out all the options in your community for affordable spay/neuter options, including clinics that offer monthly specials on surgeries and yearly vaccines. This is one of the times of year when grants to clinics and non-profits can make it easier to find help spaying/neutering your family animal. Call your local Humane Society, ASPCA or area rescue. Sometimes your county Animal Services Dept will have information as well . You never know until you ask!
My best friend and I have been looking for dogs for several months. We found this guy at the shelter and I was worried he wouldn’t bond because he was so shy. This is what I woke up to this morning (Source: http://ift.tt/2sqoYQO)
There’s a wonderful dog just waiting for you. Summer is a rough season to be a homeless animal. We think all our dogs are perfect, they’re family. If you don’t find a dog through us please find a dog at another rescue or a county shelter where they have so little time to find a family. Their dogs are also perfect.
To meet our adorable, adoptable dogs please go to lakenormanhumane.org. Lake Norman Humane is an independent, no-kill animal rescue in Mooresville, NC (north of Charlotte, exit 36 off I-77)
Some of the things that make Easter and Spring celebrations so delicious or beautiful for us can be dangerous or deadly for our animal family members. Check out the lists above and have a healthy, joyful day!
Lake Norman Humane is an independent, no-kill animal rescue north of Charlotte in Mooresville, North Carolina. We’re committed to improving life for homeless animals in our town, county, state and the Southeast.
See all our adorable, adoptable animals through our website LakeNormanHumane.org
If you don’t find a love match today, keep checking back for new faces and consider visiting the website of Iredell County’s Animal Control services. They also have wonderful animals and are happy to answer your questions as well. Rescue or shelter, all animals are equally deserving of love and a good home.
Designate Lake Norman Humane as your non-profit of choice and every time you shop Amazon Smile (you can access it right off the home page) they’ll donate .05% to our rescue and re-homing programs!
If you’d like to help us feed our animals, we have a wish list on our website and on Amazon. And we ALWAYS need iams – for dogs, puppies, cats and kittens, wet and dry.
We also support an animal food bank assisting families in Iredell County who need assistance feeding their family animals. Come by our adoption center if you’d like more information. We are so grateful for donations of any brand of cat, dog, kitten, puppy, bird, guinea pig and rabbit food, clumping cat litter, puppy pee pads, animal treats and more. You can have a food donation sent to us through Amazon any time.
As as small, independent, no-kill animal shelter, we rely on donations from animal lovers who help us continue to improve the lives of homeless animals in North Carolina and across the southeast. Thank you!
ASPCA: Dangers Lurking in Every Room of Your Home: An In-Depth Look
You probably know by now that a lot of everyday food items, household items and personal items can be dangerous to your four-legged friends. But do you know where these items may be hiding? The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) wants you to have a thorough breakdown of each room in your home so you can help keep your pets safe, happy and healthy. Below you’ll find our easy, quick-view guide and an in-depth look into everything you need to know!
Attic
While the attic is not necessarily a common place for our pets to go, it’s a place that’s often overlooked when it comes to pet dangers. Mothballs, rodenticides and insecticides may be used in attics to ward off pests, but can be problematic for your furry friends. Make sure your pet steers clear of the attic and doesn’t follow you up.
Bathroom
A surprising number of bathroom items could prove to be toxic or harmful to your pets. Many people store common household cleaners in their bathrooms, which could be extremely dangerous if ingested, inhaled or come into contact with your pet’s skin. Other dangers include soaps and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste or mouthwash, which can contain the dangerous sugar substitute, xylitol. Items such as dental floss, cotton balls and other inedible products can also cause obstructions if consumed by your pets. You should always keep personal products and items in a medicine cabinet or up high enough so that your pet cannot reach them.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are a great place to spend quality time snuggling with our best fur-friends. While less problematic than other rooms in the house, medications are a big concern in this room. Due to either the low nature or easy accessibility of many tables or nightstands in bedrooms, these are not safe places to store medications. And if you have kids (the human kind), help them to remember to pick up bags in their rooms that may contain gum, food or candy that your pets can easily sniff out.
Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the main rooms in the house where pets get themselves into trouble. Like us, our furry friends associate the kitchen with pleasant scents and tastes, so they often are on the lookout for yummy things to eat. Besides food, medications, cleaning products and trash bins are other sources of danger in the kitchen. Keeping food in the fridge and cabinets and keeping lids on trash bins, putting medications out of reach and keeping your pets out of the room when using cleaning products can help keep them safe.
Living Room
While less tempting than the kitchen, dangers in the living room are a great example of the fact that something doesn’t have to taste good for our pets ingest it. Batteries, plants and fragrance products are the primary dangers found in this room. If your furry friend thinks everything is a chew toy, make sure to watch out for these common dangers and keep them up and out of paws’ reach.
Laundry Room
Laundry rooms are where our pets tend to exhibit their sillier sides. Knocking down detergent bottles or grabbing old dryer sheets and running away are two common scenarios seen. But it’s not all fun and games: laundry detergent pods are a quick gulp away from some nasty vomiting and possible aspiration. Keeping laundry products in a cabinet and picking up any dropped dryer sheets or pods is always a good idea.
Garage
Unfortunately garages can be a very dangerous room for our furry friends. Many people store a variety of chemicals in their garage which can be serious concerns for pets. Common use of rodenticides in the garage poses an added danger. Make sure to keep your pet out of your garage while using any chemicals, and when done, securely close any chemicals and put them up and out of reach.
Yard
As warmer weather approaches, APCC sees an increase in calls about dangers in the yard. Keeping an eye out for dangerous plants and mushrooms is always advised. While it’s nice to have company while working in the yard, be aware of what your pet is doing. They may be following you around, eating that fertilizer you are placing, or find that it’s a good time to dig up an ants’ nest. When using any chemicals on your yard, it’s best to keep your four-legged friends away until it is dry or watered in. Also, remember if you do a lot of grilling, lighter fluid and charcoal briquettes are two common outdoor dangers.
If you believe your pet has ingested something potentially toxic, contact your local veterinarian or APCC at (888) 426-4435 immediately.
Lake Norman Humane has an adoption fair tomorrow at 10am!
Dogs, Puppies and Select Cats and Kittens will be at our adoption center at 110 Robinson Rd at 150, Mooresville, NC (exit 36 off I-77 north of Charlotte)
Cats and Kittens at the Mooresville PetSmart (also off 150 at Williamson Rd next to Michael’s)
See all our adorable, adoptable animals through their PetFinder bios at LakeNormanHumane.org.
Pixar’s Short Film ‘Kittbull’ Shows Friendship Between a Stray Kitten and an Abused Pitbull
by Sharon Vega
Pixar really aimed at tugging heartstrings with one of their latest short films. It’s a sweet story with a lovely message. Pit bulls get such bad reputations and are sadly misunderstood, but they are just as worthy of love as all other dogs. The director of this SparkShorts film, Rosana Sullivan says she was inspired by sweet and funny cat videos. We love cat videos too, so we understand Sullivan completely.
Kittbull starts with a wide-eyed stray kitten trying to survive, an excellent way to get the attention of people who love cat videos. The sweet kitten becomes friends with a pit bull who is sadly abused by his cruel owner. Thankfully, they find each other and we don’t want to spoil the ending because we think you should watch for yourself. Just have some tissues nearby!
Every day is love your pet day… but today it’s a party!!
HAPPY PET DAY!
If you’re looking to add an animal to your family, please rescue, wherever you are.
Lake Norman Humane is an independent, no-kill animal rescue in Mooresville, NC (north of Charlotte, exit 36 off I-77). See all our adorable, adoptable animals at lakenormanhumane.org.
There are also wonderful animals waiting at your county animal shelter.
