[Rameshdude]

Originally Posted by Rajeev1

I can help you with the "shedding of fur" issue but dont have too much of an idea on the "ingress/egress" question.



http://www.furminator.com/products/d...hort-hair.aspx

Thanks. Is it available in India, or delivered here? How often do you use in your lab? Can we set the level to be trimmed?
Is there any tonic you give to reduce shedding?
Regards
Ramesh

[Thad E Ginathom]

Shedding is natural. I don't know how "foreign" dogs cope with different climate conditions, but they are meant to grow more fur for winter and moult in the summer.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by Rameshdude

The problem for me is whenever I take them out in my ecosport, there is shedding of their hairs and getting difficult to clean. And in our creta, since there is no leather seats, it is even more difficult to vacuum the hair.

Isn't it natural for most of the dog breeds to shed fur? I suggest you use lint rollers and a powerful car vaccum to your rescue. Also, you can cover the seats with custom built tough fabric slip on seat covers when you have the dogs onboard.

I have very rudimentary seat covers built using 10 kg pedigree bags (you read it right) which i slip on top of the leather seat covers when I am transporting dogs , which is mostly to the vet's place. But I have only Indies and they don't shed that much or have long furs.

[digitalnirvana]

@Rameshdude

The furminator does work as advertised but it can cut the innercoat which is irreparable. Regular brushing and grooming is probably a better option


And on Aliexpress if you search for dog seats you will get exactly what you described ie a seat like cover for the rear seat on which pets can sit. There are pet travel drinking cups and even pet seat belts for ISOFIX cars. All of these are widely available on Ali

Ideal way to brush off hair is to be regular in grooming, using any soft bristled brush available in a pet shop, and spend time daily or alternate days on brushing. Don't let the fur get matted or tangled. Also a weekly bath with pet shampoo will help keep the fur clean.

[Rameshdude]

Thanks guys,
These are my pets. The lab was abandoned during the last year floods in Kerala. And we adopted through an agency.
Yes, will try good seat covers. It has become part of our family so quickly. I think labs are like that. And with our kids gone out of state for studies, we enjoy their company.
Regards
Ramesh

[Thad E Ginathom]

Rameshdude, so happy that you adopted that dog. I wonder what became of its earlier family.

[Rameshdude]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Rameshdude, so happy that you adopted that dog. I wonder what became of its earlier family.

Yes, really feel sorry for both . We searched the locality, and even put her picture in the newspaper. She was found in a very bad state and needed three months treatment to recover.
Now she has grown.
Regards

[digitalnirvana]

Bella and Sasha are beautiful Ramesh. Thank you for being a good pet parent. The girl will know that you gave her a new chance at a good life and she'll always be thankful for that.

[badboyscad]

Here are the little rascals from our place, waiting for supper. The undernourished little one sitting on the doorstep holed up under a crawl space in our terrace during last week's rains and got separated from the mother. Currently I am trying recover it by feeding whiskas kitten food.

[digitalnirvana]

Adorable little kittens. Good on you @badboyscad. The two orange ones look like they're from the same litter, I wouldn't have known any different had you not told that one is a rescue!

[condor]

A pic taken just now: the mama cat is now going out more often, she is hungrier too. The kittens have started eating the food we keep.

Originally Posted by Sankar

She looks cute! If the cat and her litter remains in your garage be prepared to see remnants of rats/mice/other small beings available locally once the kittens are in their cat teens. Mom cat would bring them live food to get them trained

I did find a rat yesterday. Had to dispose off that.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

That's a lovely place you have made for them.

It's a nice feeling, being trusted by mum

Thanks, Thad.

Originally Posted by digitalnirvana

@condor there's a saying oft quoted by feline aficionados that goes something like "a cat finds/chooses it owner" (as opposed to a dog).

You might have been chosen already!

Wouldnt take it that far . It did pick the spot, but with time has become friendly because she is getting something she needs. Animals often gradually trust humans. I have done that with bulls too - that was an experience to remember. Once the trust was established, I had tended to them and even drove our bullock cart.

Hey - should I add that last part to my post in the 'How many cars have you driven' thread ?

[Thad E Ginathom]

You actually drove a bullock cart?

That deserves a whole thread, please! Do you have pics? Even if not, do please write about it!

[condor]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

You actually drove a bullock cart?

That deserves a whole thread, please! Do you have pics? Even if not, do please write about it!

Yes. Long back, back in the days when cameras were more in the studios than outside. The ones outside were the P&S stuff.

Driving the cart isnt a biggie. Once the yoke of the cart is on their neck, and the harness is fastened, you have the leash ropes in your hand, and you can control them easily. Pull the lead of the left bull to turn left, and of the right one to turn right. Or both to stop.

Just in case you werent aware:

The fun part is when you are working with them. Typically, native Indian bulls are held by two leashes when at home. One leash is permanently fastened around the neck and the other end of this leash we tie it to a strong peg on it's left. The other leash has one end permanently fastened to a peg on the right of the bull, and the loose end of this second leash is then tied around the neck of the bull.

So you lead the bull to it's place with the one leash. He'll go stand in his place and you will may be go done on one knee to fasten this leash on it's left. Next you would go around pick up the other leash from the floor, move closer to the bull. This leash is split into a 'Y' shape at it;s free/tying end. You are now standing alongside it by it's neck - between his shoulder/fore-leg and those long horns. The end of the leash in your right hand, and you reach your left hand around it's neck, grab one of the two split ends, pull it up and then tie these two split ends. Now you have the bull tied and settled.

Btw, when harnessing them to the yoke of the cart, you would be standing in front of both them bulls - and neither is tied down. Once you position the yoke on their neck, you also need to tie that leather belt around their neck and the yoke. Again, working very close to them long horns.


I still try to use every chance I get to get close to them. Tend them, feed them. Did I share this pic earlier ? Having worked with these magnificent animals, I just love this pic. It says so much.


(Pic courtesy: from WorldWide Hindu Temples FB page)

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thanks! That is a lovely pic. You still have the bulls in your family? Do they still work pulling a cart?

I know nothing about them. Interesting to read your post. I guess only people on mutual good terms get to do that work with them!

Whilst I had a countryside upbringing in England, it wasn't rural as in farming. My mum knew all that stuff, in fact she had a passion for the animals. Didn't have fear of cows: used to give grass over the gate to the cows in the next-door field. I am used to the rasp-like texture of a cow's tongue. But these cows were not Indian street cows, totally oblivious to humans around them except when being forced to get out of the way. As to the British bulls, my mother's lesson was that, if the bull was in a field with cows, it was probably ok to be in that field --- but a lone bull with no women, no way! Danger! Stay out!

I was in Parry's (Chennai market area) one day, standing next to a bull, waiting for gap in the traffic to walk around it. He had his eye on me, and it was a suspicious eye: he didn't quite like what he saw (hey, maybe it was a racist bull, although he was white too! ) Then he put his head down just as I had the chance to pass. I'm sure that incidents on the street with these animals are rare, but I was glad to get away from there!

I suppose I'm in two minds about seldom seeing these animals here in the city these days. It is true that they hold up the traffic, but I miss them.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

You still have the bulls in your family? Do they still work pulling a cart?

I am used to the rasp-like texture of a cow's tongue. But these cows were not Indian street cows, totally oblivious to humans around them except when being forced to get out of the way. As to the British bulls, my mother's lesson was that, if the bull was in a field with cows, it was probably ok to be in that field.

Yes, though now mainly for ploughing and some farm work than lugging loads. There are tractors for that. As a kid, I have ridden on them ploughs too - when they worked on the farms. Wish I could do some more of it. Hopefully, I will

That rasp like textured tongue ? Ah ! I have sometimes put my hand into their mouth, but thankfully havent had to feel the strength of those jaws. Though I did have had one close encounter with the hind-leg of a bull - it just missed my knee.

I'd stay away from un-familiar Indian cows too - not just the bulls. Even the Indian version of the Jersey /HF cows look pretty quiet, though. Havent seen an aggressive one - unless there's sufficient mix of genes there.