Pets Breeding

A Simple Secret For Horse Owners

2009-02-28T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Leslie Moore

All you need to get going is 1 Simple Secret that gets you started towards achieving your goals with your horse and in your life

Here is the first question I want to ask all Horse Owners Can you actually see in your mind what you want?

Too many horse owners just can't see it

Do you see what happens to a horse owner when they don't know what they want? You also wonder where they see the plans they have with their horse? Who is there that can lead them forward if they can't see where they want to go?

As a horse owner I have found that secret!!

If you knew a very, very simple secret would you use it? I just bet you would

Here it is! ..See your picture of what you want to achieve with your horse.

You must be able to see your very own picture of success with your horse.

You need to know what your life looks like to you. How else do you know what you want or if in fact you actually get to where you want to go???? How will you know when you get there?

We all do it consciously and sub consciously we visualise, we create that picture in our minds. Anything you have ever really wanted you could actually see it clearly in your mind, before you got it. That's what drove you to getting it. Part of knowing what you want is being able to see what you want. You see yourself winning the blue ribbon, completing successfully the dressage test or the course of jumps. You see yourself having the Vet say you passed the final exam at the endurance ride. You see your success!

If you can't see it, you can't reach for it.its so, so important to create that picture of success. Sit there quietly, close your eyes and look for it. Create it if you haven't already.

Everything that you do is a product of what you see like it or not. If you don't see it you will be flat, without purpose and scattered. When the going gets a bit tough as it surely will at times, search your mind for your very own success picture and keep it in focus. It's a great pick-me-up. But more than that you have something to reach for. If your picture is somewhat blurred tidy it up, make it smart and desirable.

Ask any successful horse owner to tell you about their PICTURE, and they can and will tell you.

This is called VISION this is the very first step on your pathway to success with your horse.

1 Simple Secret - Make your picture a beautiful one.

Enjoy your Horse, Leslie

About the author: Leslie Moore, a life coach and an equestrian expert with more than 40 years experience has helped many horse owners with practical advice to the commonsense day to day issues they face. For more information go to: www.alotmooresolutions.com so you to can experience a balanced and fulfilling life with your horse. Leslie helps people in all areas of their life so they may have happiness. Success coaching works!

Nutrition Pet Food Or Junk Food

2009-02-24T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kevin Shayne

For a long time I've felt, believed and experienced that nutrition is key to health. Junk goes in and the result is poor health. Maybe not immediately but definitely it will add up to a toxic level and cause poor health. This goes for all living things. No one or being lives forever, obviously, however we want to extend the time we have and make the time we have a healthy one.

During my hundreds and hundreds of hours research in investigating dog foods I found the most remarkable things. Some of what I found was shocking and other facts were down right disgusting. For starters, the dog food industry is totally unregulated meaning that manufacturers can, and do, put whatever they want into "food". There are documented reports of animal waste products, ground up dog carcasses, non human edible grade products, and other animal wastes put into dog foods. These acts are not myths or legends unfortunately.

Among the ingredients in about 99.99% of dog foods you find sugar, salt, corn, phosphates, artificial flavors and colorings. It appears as if the simple dog food has turned into a fast food garbage dump.

Dogs are naturally carnivores and scavengers however since their domestication they have relied on human help in the nutrition arena. As we have moved from fresh foods to processed foods so have our dogs. Just like us our dogs have now inherited human like modern diseases (from cancer, diabetes, and skin ailments to early death).

Veterinarian Dr Jane Bicks has written that dogs should be living in the range of 18-25 years old. This has been supported by friends of mine from other countries where dogs who eat "closer to the earth" commonly live to those ages. Basically we are killing our dog with processed foods.

I must admit to having certain biases based upon personal experience, knowledge about health, and what I've learned. For example, there is a lot of literature on the inability of animals to assimilate fractioned nutrition. What is fractionated nutrition? It is vitamins and supplements. Check the super market or even some of the premium dog food brands and you'll find them packed with vitamins and supplements. But, that doesn't mean they are good!

Let me explain. The processing of and extracting of "nutritional value" causes molecular differences between food and these "vitamins". The result is that the body doesn't assimilate it. Here are list of some of the things you loose with fractionated vitamins over foods: compound vitamins and minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, flavonoids, carotenoids, pigments, terpenes, chlorophyll, coenzymes, covitamins, amino acids and much more.

Animals aren't designed to consume fractionated nutrition. Animals are designed to consume food not chemicals. The concept that altered nutrition fulfills the body's requirements is false. This goes for all animals not just humans.

So, the movement toward providing dogs with raw (such as the BARF diet) and pure foods is a fantastic one. As a dog owner I know it can be rough to provide and shop for my dogs like they are humans but it is necessary for them to be healthy and live long lives.

Kevin Shayne is founder of http://www.dogcare-doghealth.com which exclusively provides information on the most desired dog health concerns. Besides over 14 years in business Kevin has advocated quality nutrition and organics for over 10 years. Additional information available:

Sick Dog Food - Sick Dogs

Natural Premium Dog Food - Real Dog Food

Buenos Aires Tetra

2009-02-22T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gary Bolton

Family: Characidae

Species: Hemigrammus caudovittatus

Size: 7.5cm (3 inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: All

Habitat: Plate river basin of Argentina, Paraquay, and Brazil

Remarks: It may eat soft-leaved plants.

Comments: A thin, horizontal blue line begins behind the gill-cover of this slim fish, and tapers until obscured by a darker line, ending in the centre of the caudal fin. Male colours intensify during spawning. Slightly bigger than your average tetra, so they make a good choice to mix with other small fish from the tetra family, without posing a threat to the other smaller tetra fish. As they will get along fine, and add that bit extra to your aquarium tank.

----------------------------------------

This fish comes from the "Tropical Fish" family species of fish. I hope you enjoyed this fish profile that I put together to help people to choose the right fish for the right aquarium tank setup you may own, or be thinking of buying in the future. If you require more information about keeping fish in general and what are the right fish to choose for your tank setups, you can always visit my site called "GB Aquarium" and see what's posted new there and also join in the discussion taking place.

http://www.garybolton.co.uk

Different Types Of Aggression In Dogs

2009-02-17T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Stan Rawlinson

Aggression is one of the main reasons that dogs are euthanised or rehomed; at least 30% of all dogs in rescue centres are there because of the incidence of aggressive behaviour in one form or another. It is actually unusual to have a dog that is aggressing to have just one type of aggression; most dogs have more than one of the following types of behaviour.

It would be prudent, before embarking on a program of aggressive behaviour modification, to rule out any medical reasons for that behaviour, especially if there is a sudden change in the dog's temperament. Their are some fifty-odd different medical reasons why a dog may be showing aggressive tendencies, these range from Pain to Thyroid Dysfunction, Epilepsy to Hypoglycaemia and Diabetes.

The following is a list of the more common aggressions and why they may be occurring. This is only a part of the total types. Because of the constraints of space it can only be a fleeting reference.

1. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Interdog)

Quite often, this behaviour has its roots directly to the pup's mother. Breeders that breed from fearful and timid bitches will often make excuses as to why you cannot see the dam. If you do view a litter of puppies and the mother is fearful, then do not even think of buying the puppy. It will be almost a certainty that the pups will inherit some of the mother's traits, through both genetics and socialisation, genetically the pups may inherit her timidity and through the time they are with her will observe her fear and follow suit.

Scientific research has shown that even the pups that are born to a solid and stable mother that are then put with a bitch that is fearful, they will pick up some of the unstable habits from the fearful dog. Other reasons for this fear type of problem is when the puppy or adult dog is attacked by another dog, especially whilst on the lead, with no means of escape and restricted from showing submissive body language to the attacker.

Lack of early socialisation can also have an affect on this type of behaviour, If the young pup, especially between the age of seven and sixteen weeks, is not carefully socialised with both adult and pups alike, then they do not learn to "meet and greet". The complex body language dogs learn at this age is crucial to their later behaviour when approaching unknown dogs. If they are unable to either perform or understand the greeting rituals, then they are immediately viewed with suspicion by the approaching dog, and conflict may arise

How can you tell if it is fear?

With nervous and fear aggressive dogs, you will find that they will react aggressively to any dog, regardless of whether it is male or female. The behaviour is often worse if the dog is on the lead or is cornered, especially if close to the owner, who backs up the behaviour, (though unwittingly) by becoming nervous and agitated as the other dog approaches.

This manifests itself in a tightening up on the lead and shoulders. Nervous owners also kick out a cloud of adrenaline that the dog instantly detects, this causes it to look for what is causing the concern. It sees the dog approaching and reacts accordingly. This type of dog is also normally a barker, it will lunge and bark at the approaching dog but generally will not snap unless all its options have run out. ie flight or freeze and after all its threat posturing the other dog has still got too close.

This problem can often be diagnosed if someone who is confident around dogs (that the dog does not know well) takes it out on the lead. It will not get the same fearful vibes from the owner, therefore the reaction to another dogs approaching will be less intense. It is a good way of finding out if your dog suffers fear aggression, as the behaviour will either not be exhibited or will be less pronounced. The owner can then use a desensitisation program for both the dog and themselves.

2. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Inter-human)

Once again, this can be caused through lack of early socialisation, bad breeding and sometimes lack of handling at an early age, starting as young as two weeks old. Pups that are not handled gently and often by the breeder do not get a strong olfactory and tactile bond with humans. This is often the case with puppy farmed dogs and dogs born to large breeders. This handling at such an early age causes a mild stress response in the tiny pup, which benefits its ability to cope with many situations including people and dogs in later life

Nervous and fear aggressing is always defensive in nature, sometimes it is related to the sex of the person. If the breeder was female, and very few males visited or handled the puppies, then the timidity and fear may be worse with men. This particular problem like interdog hostility, will manifest itself mainly with individuals rather than crowds.

You will find that the dog will bark a lot but will be under a table or behind a settee. The tail will be down and although it may seem overtly aggressive, the dogs balance and weight will be on the back foot not over the front feet. This demonstrates that the dog wants you to go away and is not initially trying to bite or attack you. A gradual and careful introduction to the stimulus that is causing the fear with positive reinforcement for calm behaviour is the way to overcome this type of problem though the dog will rarely make a total and full recovery and will never be life and soul of the park and greeting parties.

3. Frustration Aggression

Research has shown that dogs who are not allowed to interact "normally" with people and dogs who were prone to displays of bad temper and behaviour that was overtly aggressive are dogs that are generally restrained or restricted from normal interactions (interactions with people, other dogs, and the outside world). The dog develops an intense desire to gain access to all of those things he desires.

This desire can escalate into escape and roaming behaviour, agitation, biting and unprovoked attacks. It is often observed in dogs that are left tied up in flats, left in gardens, or near a window where they can see the things they want to interact with, but cannot get to them therefore display unprovoked aggression. To some extent, the aggression shown to the postman is based on frustration. I have seen dogs attack their owner or a second dog in the home because it cannot get to the deliveryman.

As with most aggressive behaviours early socialisations and an understanding of how dogs learn and communicate are essential.

4. Sexual aggression.

This type of aggression is usually limited to male dogs. They will mount both people and other dogs. Mounting activity directed towards humans may reflect a lack of opportunity for the dog to play with other dogs, or an over-attachment to people in early life, mounting on other dogs especially if they initially try to put their heads over the other dog's necks can be related to rank and control complex behaviour. Castration and behaviour modification can help with this problem. Allowing the dog to mate may often be recommended by the amateur dog expert, this normally makes the problem far worse.

5 Territorial Aggression

This may be towards other dogs, people or both. By definition, territorial aggression should be directed toward members of the same species ie other dogs. Domestic dogs, however, seem to regard humans in this regard as conspecific, and consequently may direct territorial aggression toward us When dogs display aggression to strangers only on the home property garden, house, or yard, yet do not respond aggressively to strangers on neutral territory, then territorial aggression is the likely diagnosis. There are two primary motivations for territorial behaviour, control complex behaviour ie dominance or fear/anxiety. It may be worse in a small space such as a car than in an open area. Some dogs like this can be fine in the home, but not so good in the garden.

The only answer to this problem is to work on the dominant/territorial problem in a way in which a dog understands its position through a behaviour modification programme using position reinforcement techniques. Remember not to praise for the cessation of bad behaviour rather praise for that bad behaviour not happening in the first place. In other words, say the dog jumps up on someone and you say "OFF" if the dogs get off then do not praise as you will be praising for the inappropriate behaviour, which was the jumping.

6. Control Complex / Dominant Aggression

The word dominant is a dirty word in dog behavioural circles at present however if we understand the word means position and is much more complex that just aggression, then to ignore this area of conflict would be remiss. The initial approach to other dogs is often cautionary and contains many status signals, like tail carriage held high and quickly moving from side to side, standing on tiptoe etc. If the other dog submits, then all is usually fine, if not the fighting can be extremely noisy and in some cases quite severe. In both the last two examples, dominant and territorial aggression, I usually find the dog will pull quite badly on the lead. These dogs can also display aggressive tendency towards members of the family this could lead to an attack if not controlled in their early stages. By working on a programme that will give the dog a purpose and a position in life, almost a job and teaching the dog to walk on a loose leash can sometimes overcome the problem. The type of program I would use is the NILIF program, which stands for "Nothing in Life is Free", See my website under dominance

7. Chase or Predatory aggression

This can be directed at many things including dogs, cats, or anything that stimulates a chase response. Squirrels are a favourite, as their quick jerky movements seem to stimulate even the most placid of dogs. I see a lot of predatory chase aggression in for instance Border Collies, in particular stimulants like bikes, skateboards joggers and cars.

One of the key factors that distinguish predatory aggression from other forms of aggression is that movement often is the trigger . In the wild, this movement is in the form of running and escape attempts of a small animals. Predatory behaviour can be seen in dogs of any sex and age.

Dogs that show intense interest and become aroused or anxious by the movement or noise of children or other pets should be closely monitored at all times. Prognosis is not good for this type of aggression. Reward based obedience training can help, however this is only any use if the owner/trainer is able to constantly monitor the dog at all times.

It is easier to control the chase stimulus when it is directed at cars, joggers, or bikes. Two types of common treatment's include counter-conditioning used to change the dogs' perception of the falsely identified prey. Many also believe punishment works ie noise aversion when the behaviour is first stimulated. Throwing water from a car window or sounding a rape alarm or air horn at the exact time the dog takes off, throwing down a plastic bottle of stones from a passing bike or car can sometimes alter this behaviour.

However. To be effective, punishment must be seen as aversive and the timing of the punishment must be exact so that the dog associates the punishment with the behaviour. Electric shock collars have also been suggested but are not part of treatment programs I would ever recommend.

As mentioned aggression often has its origins in bad breeding, lack of socialisation, high prey drive, and poor basic training can also exacerbate the situation. However, as stated before it can be related to medical conditions and before embarking on a course of behavioural therapy have your dog checked over to see if there are any underlying medical conditions.

Learned aggression can normally be cured however, hereditary aggression cannot, it can only be controlled and hopefully contained. Castration sometimes helps, and should be considered in an overall aggression reduction program. With all aggression cases, you should consider a behaviourist or a dog trainer experienced in these problems, before the problems becomes life threatening either to the dog or the person they are aggressing against.

Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times and Pet Owner Magazine.

Why We Like Dogs Better Than People

2009-02-15T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by John T Jones, Ph.D.

Why We Like Dogs Better Than People

Most dogs are less exasperating than people. Think about it:

Has your dog ever asked you for your car keys?

Has your dog ever asked you for a loan?

Has any dog borrowed your tools and then not returned them?

Has your dog ever ignored you when you come home from work? (If so, get a new dog.)

Has your dog ever not thanked you for what you do? (Well, didn't you see his tail wagging?)

Has your dog ever asked you why you want him to do unnatural things like walk between your legs while you are walking, to stand on his hind legs, to jump through your arms when you hold them like a loop, or to play dead?

Did your dog ever ask you if you wanted him to guard your property?

Dogs are perfect except I have never got one to pay board and room─except by unconditional love.

Okay, the article was rejected for too few words. Let's try a poem if I can dream one up here.

If your dog bites your hand

When you feed him,

It's not a dog,

It's a ferret.

If your dog hates your cats,

Barks all night,

And poops on your rug,

It's a dog.

That aught to do it!

The End

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine, Jones is Executive Representative of International Wealth Success. He calls himself "Taylor Jones, the hack writer."

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.bookfindhelp.com (IWS wealth-success books and kits and business newsletters / TopFlight flagpoles)

Goldfish 101

2009-02-13T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by William Berg

Goldfish are hardy freshwater fish. While most people know about them, they do not necessarily know all about them. This article attempts to tell you a lot more. They originated from the Gibal Carp. Over the past 2000 years, beginning in China, Goldfish were the result of breeding and early genetic like experimentation. Unlike many other species, various genetic traits can be changed over 3-4 generations with Goldfish.

Wild "Goldfish" live in an environment of ponds, lakes, and other water holes and can be found in Moving and still water ranging from 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit / 10 to 32 degrees Celsius. The largest types of goldfish can grow to be upwards of 12 inches/ 30 cm and with weights around 5 ½ pounds / 2.5 Kg.

In the wild, their colors tend to be darker and paler which seems to be a direct result of the amount of light in their environment. Their colors actually include gold, bronze, and pink. They have a couple sub-hues of the sort too, metallic and calico.

It is time to shatter a myth, a dream about keeping goldfish. Those cute little bowls that are often sold containing goldfish are not the right environment for Goldfish. They need more room, as they can grow large and need high oxygen levels in the water. Something that is hard to maintain in a bowl. Small aquarium tanks are never wise for aquarists, as they can have more drastic (and fast) changes in the water quality. This means that the water very fast can turn toxic and kill your goldfish. You sometime hear people being proud that my new goldfish has lived for 3 or 6 month or something like that. A six month old goldfish is really nothing to be proud of as these fish can become 30 and even 40 years old with the proper care.

For a Goldfish aquarium tank, it is advisable to have a tank with a lot of surface area as that allows more water contact with the air which means more oxygen in the water. For every inch of Goldfish, you should have 30 square inches of surface area. Do not forget that they will grow, and some variety can become as large a foot / 30 cm.

Goldfish should be kept in freshwater and can in some areas be taken directly from the tap. Check with a local fish store to se if the water in your area is good enough to house fish in and use a good water preparation chemical. Make sure that new water that you add to the aquarium keeps the same temperature as the old water in the aquarium. You should always let your aquarium stand for about a week after first adding water to it before adding any fish. This process is called cycling and makes the water more suitable to support life.

Gravel on the bottom is wise, as it will help the Goldfish to feel more at home. About 1/8 inch is good. It is a good idea to avoid dyed gravel, as it might have contaminants that your Goldfish will not appreciate in terms of health.

Filtration are not, with good water changes, as necessary for Goldfish as they are with many other fish, though still a good idea and strongly recommended, as it will make your task a bit simpler and help you keep the water conditions good. The filtration will also start a current which increase the oxygen levels in the aquarium tank which is beneficial Oxygenating is a good thing as well. It will help release some harmful chemicals in the water, and helps oxygenate the water as well. A simple air stone, and pump for your Goldfish will help them live happier and healthier, and the cost are worth every penny of it.

Goldfish, like most other fish, do enjoy some environment to play in. Places to hide and find shade in. One other aspect, it is wise to have at least 2 goldfish, as they do like company. Loners in the fish world probably are not that much different from those in the human one. Do not leave your precious pet alone without someone to play with. Make sure all things in the tank are meant to be in a fish tank, and that they are clean, so they don't add harmful chemicals. Don't use any detergents to clean the fish tank and/or any part of decoration and equipment.

Lighting will help the fish to maintain the best color. Florescent Normal Output bulbs do well for Goldfish, although high output bulbs can make your goldfish colors look and be even brighter.

You should take care bringing the Goldfish home. Darkness, room temperature, and gentleness are a great idea, as they will help lessen the stress on the goldfish during the move. Another aspect is that it is wise to dim the lights before adding them to the tank to further reduce stress. Before releasing them into the tank you should let the bag float on top of the aquarium for a while. (At least 15 minutes) you should thereafter open the bag and but about a cup of water in it and than wait another 15 minutes. You should repeat this process 4 times before you release you fish in their new home. This will give the goldfish the possibility to slowly adept to the new water conditions.

Once things are up and running, you should change some of the water in the tank weekly. This helps remove stale water and clean out some debris. You should siphon about 15% of the water out and from the bottom at the gravel where the debris fall. Then replace the removed water with the fresh water, make sure that the new water has the same temperature as the water in the aquarium. If the water changes causes big changes in the water values it might stress the Goldfish.

Goldfish have special nutritional needs that are often available as "Goldfish Food." For example, Goldfish need more carbohydrates in their diet than many other fish species. It is wise to only add enough food for them to eat fully in 5 or 10 minutes. Any more will likely be waste resting at the bottom and worsen the water quality. It is better to feed them 2-3 times a day then it is once a day.

Click on the link to learn more about goldfish or some other fish species.

Learn About Lovable Lovebirds

2009-02-11T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Shari Carpenter

Lovebirds make wonderful pets. Their exquisite colors and animated personalities easily endear them to onlookers. While every bird has its own personality there are traits common to all Lovebirds which have made them a popular pet and a great choice for a first time bird owner.

Appearance

Lovebirds have perhaps the most varied coloration among the parrot species. Years of hybridizing by breeders have developed soft pastels or brilliant hues. You'll find Lovebirds in nearly any color imaginable - blues, yellows, purples, peaches and so on.

Lovebirds are also a pleasantly sized parrot for most people. They are only 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 inches and about 42-60 grams. Baby Lovebirds will be close to the size of an adult Lovebird.

Life Span

Like other parrots, Lovebirds have a long life span - although not as long as the larger species. They live 15-20 years, approximately the same life span as a cat. It is important to understand the commitment before purchasing a Lovebird.

Lovebirds Are Active Little Parrots

Lovebirds are very energetic and inquisitive. They will happily fly about or sit on your shoulder during daily activities. They are not nervous of usual activity and generally can integrate with a family of busy, noisy children with great enjoyment. Lovebirds love to play and are comical to watch whether they are playing alone splashing in their water dish or playing with your hair and sneaking into your collar.

Your best bet is to buy a hand-raised Lovebird which will be more tame than a parent-raised bird. While Lovebirds are quite fearless and should be supervised closely around other pets, they do enjoy playing with people. Gentle and consistent handling will help prevent nipping.

Lovebirds, like other birds, are born to live among a flock and so they will challenge authority for the dominant position. Sometimes headstrong, the owner of a Lovebird needs to be patient and firm. However, Lovebirds are not overly demanding in most respects and will learn to be well-behaved. They are also content to play alone for periods of time as long as they are given proper space and playthings.

Lovebirds are very intelligent and can even be 'potty' trained to go on a paper or in a trash container instead of around the house. This can make it much easier to allow your Lovebird to enjoy freedom outside the cage without the constant clean up.

Vocalizations

While Lovebirds will learn to mimic the sounds around them, including household noises and other birds, they are not known for mimicking human speech as well as other parrot species.

Despite this you will find your Lovebird to have a strong personality all its own and it will convey its moods and desires quite clearly.

Before buying your Lovebird be sure the owner or breeder can provide additional assistance in helping you settle your bird at home. You are likely to have other questions arise as a first time owner and should look for cooperation for properly learning to care for your pet Lovebird.

Permission is granted to reprint full article "as is" with author credit given below and a link back to http://www.birdwatchin.com. There are no private label resale rights available and the article cannot be modified or your name assigned to it.

Shari Carpenter is the owner of http://www.birdwatchin.com, a one-stop resource for people that love bird watching, backyard bird feeding and pet birds. http://www.birdwatchin.com covers a wide range of information, products and supplies, including the blog "Birdwatchin' Buzz Today!" It is also the place to subscribe to the free newsletter "David's Wild Bird News".

House Training For Your Golden Retriever

2009-02-09T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Charles Amith

When you begin house breaking your golden retriever, you should follow a strict routine. Before your pet is properly trained, it's very important that your gold retriever does not spend too much time outside of it's crate. If your pet is roaming around your home, you should watch it carefully. Don't be upset at your pet if it relieves itself in an unwanted area. Your pet is your responsibility!

Training your golden retriever in your home is almost like training a child. In the morning, show your dog where to go. Designate that one location for relieving him or herself. Once your pet does, praise it. Let your pet know that it has urinated or pooped in the correct place.

While your in this training process, you don't want your pet to roam wherever it wants. Neither do you want to let it outside of it's crate when it wants. When an accident happens too much, it could become a habit. Pet's don't learn from their mistakes too easily. You have act like a parent and guide your pet and avoid these accidents as much as possible. Even though your pet might not fee too comfortable going through this process, it's important that you train your pet right so the good actions become good habits.

If you give him too much freedom, your golden retriever could relieve itself on the floor. This might seem like a small thing. You could always clean up the mess and expect it to not happen so easily again. However, this is a major mistake. After you clean up the urine, you might not think that there's anything there. However, there's a good chance that your dog could smell it. This could trigger the action of peeing. So when he smell that area, your dog may identify this as the normal area to relieve itself. Having your dog relieve itself in the right location is very important.

If possible, it would be a good idea to allow your dog a passage, such as a dog door, to go outside. If you're training your golden retriever to relieve itself outside, you should use a litter box or a wee-wee pad at the designated location. If you don't have a outside passage, having wee-wee pads (also known as underpads) will be sufficient in an indoor environment. These can allow your dog to easily identify where it should go incase it has to go.

The process of house breaking your golden retriever could be time consuming, as well as frustrating. It's important that you praise your dog and follow a strict regiment. Treat him like he's a part of the family. Once your dog is properly trained, things will be much easier. So make sure your pet is properly trained!

Charles Amith is a successful Webmaster and publisher of http://GoldenRetrieverWeb.com. Charles provides informative content on taking care of your loved pet, as well as information on house training your golden retriever.

Seeing Past Cuteness When Selecting The Best Dog Breed For You Part 2 Of 3

2009-02-07T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kathleen Newton

Are there so many great dog breeds out there that you just can't decide where to begin? If so, let's break it down and sort through all the options. In Part 2 of this 3 Part Series, we'll continue looking at the seven Groups of dogs that are acknowledged by the American Kennel Club. We'll learn what it is that brings various breeds together to form a Group. Learning about each Group will narrow down our search for the best Breed(s) for us.

How to Use this Guide: Highlight each piece of information that is most important to you and compare the number of highlighted traits when you have finished reading about each Group.

Group: Working

Group Traits: Powerfully built; Protective of owner; fearless

Likes: Structure and routine; Predictability

Dislikes: Unexpected events

Behavior Indoors: Low to moderate

Behavior Outdoors: Moderate to active

Physicality: High

Territoriality: High

Relations with Children: Good to very good (particularly family)

Relations with Strangers: Reserved

Relations with Dogs: Moderate to Dominant

Relations with Other Animals: Good

Guard dog inclinations: Moderate to High

Vocalization: Moderate (High when guarding)

Group: Terrier

Group Traits: Determined; high stamina; feisty; digger; fearless

Likes: Activity; Learning new things

Dislikes: Boredom; confinement; harsh discipline

Behavior Indoors: Active

Behavior Outdoors: Active

Physicality: High (high threshold for pain)

Territoriality: Moderate to high

Relations with Children: Poor to Good

Relations with Strangers: Poor to Good

Relations with Dogs: Moderate to Good (do well with like breeds)

Relations with Other Animals: May chase (prey drive)

Guard dog inclinations: Great watchdog, poor guard dog due to size

Vocalization: Moderate to high

Group: Toy

Group Traits: Bred to be companion; prefer favorite person; indoor only; bright problem solvers

Likes: Attention; laps; soft furniture; warmth;

Dislikes: Harsh reprimands; hectic, unpredictable environment

Behavior Indoors: Active

Behavior Outdoors: Moderate to active

Physicality: Low to moderate

Territoriality: Moderate to high

Relations with Children: Poor to Good

Relations with Strangers: Poor to Very Good

Relations with Dogs: Subordinate to good

Relations with Other Animals: Moderate to good

Guard dog inclinations: Good watchdog, poor guard dog due to size

Vocalization: Moderate to very verbal

*Note: Use this information as a general guide at best. The most we can hope to offer is a stereotypical overview of what you might be able to expect, or what you may want to look for, in dogs in each Group. Breeds and individual dogs in each Group can vary greatly in traits and personalities.

Part 3 in this series will discuss the following Groups: Herding Dogs and Non-Sporting.

The author has worked with dogs and dog people for two decades, advocating for smart selections before a new dog is brought into a home and always stressing responsible selection and ownership for the good of the dog, the family and the community. She also makes dog and cat art available to the companion animal industry and to animal lovers at http://www.GreatandSmallGallery.com

How To Train Your Dog And Influence Behavior Get Your Dog To Do What You Want When You Want

2009-02-06T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Eric Letendre

When she walked into my office I tried to keep the surprised look off my face. Her eyes were black and blue and her nose was swollen beyond belief. As she sat down she started to cry and had a difficult time talking. I got her a glass of water and let her know to take her time. Once she gained control, she informed me that her dog was responsible for her broken nose and black eyes.

She went on to tell me that her dog had injured her arm and wrist and her leg. She said that she loved her dog. She also added that her dog was a large black lab and in no way aggressive. Her dog had injured her by jumping, pulling, and in general not listening to her commands. She said that the latest incident had happened a few days before. She told me that she was getting ready to walk her dog. She had put her dog on leash and was about to go out the door. Just as she was about to exit the house through the front door, her dog saw a cat across the street and took off at full speed.

She hung on to the leash and tripped trying to go out the door. She went face first into the door and broke her nose. At this point she teared up again and said that she loved her dog but didn't know if she could keep him. She had no control. I told her not to worry, and that we would get her dog under control.

I taught her my system for dealing with behavior problems, what I call my M.U.T.T. Method. The M stands for Manage, U for Underlying, T for Training, and the last T is for Time.

M=Management A big part of dog ownership is effectively managing your dog's behavior. Crates, kennels, baby gates, and leashes are some tools to help you manage your dog's behavior. In this case, we put a gentle leader head collar on her dog to help manage her dog's pulling problem.

A gentle leader works by controlling the dog's head. In principle, it works a lot like a horse bridle. It makes it much more difficult for the dog to pull, and it gives you much better control over the dog on leash.

U=Underlying Whenever you are dealing with a behavior problem you have to understand that there is an underlying problem. For instance, if a dog is digging there could be many different underlying reasons for the digging. It could be that the dog is bored, frustrated, hot, or it could be breed specific. Terriers love to dig.

In this situation, we figured that one of the big underlying reasons was lack of exercise. Her dog was loaded with energy. We came up with a plan to have her son bring the dog to the park three times a week on a long leash. He would spend about 45 minutes throwing a ball for her dog. In addition to the ball playing, she brought her dog to a dog daycare three times a week. By giving her dog some intensive, aerobic exercise her dog started to calm down.

T=Train We put her dog on a training program that consisted of the basics (sit, down, stay, walk, and come). She or her son had to spend at least ten minutes each day doing a training session. We focused on teaching her dog to greet politely at the door and stop pulling. By using the gentle leader she was able to walk her dog past very distracting situations. She even expressed her amazement when she crossed other dogs and animals during their walks and was able to control him.

In addition to the obedience training she also learned how to teach her dog that she was the leader. She had her dog work for attention, food, and playing. By establishing some leadership she gained much better control.

T=Time Any behavior program is going to require time. By following the steps that we outlined she started to see changes within a short period of time. By following the program for 21 days, those changes would become stronger and stronger.

Any time you're faced with a behavior problem, remember the acronym M.U.T.T. and apply each step. You'll be happy with the results.

About the Author: Eric Letendre started his dog training business in August of 1995. He has worked as an animal control officer, training director, and provided K-9 security consulting for such institutions as World Wide Plaza in Manhattan, and Hartford Hospital. He has also helped numerous animal shelters and has published two books. To learn more about his newest book, "The Amazing Dog Training Man," you can visit his website http://www.AmazingDogTrainingMan.com.

The 5 Things You Should Know Before Breeding Cats

2009-02-05T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Marc De Jong

The cat population is astronomical. Most experts agree that average cat owners should spay their cat, not breed. Still there are people who want to have a litter from their pet. But there's a lot to think about before planning a feline family.

Here are five things you should know:

1. It takes time. You'll have to clean the nest every day, for two months. You should keep an eye on the kittens and watch their development you won't have time for a holiday.

2. It takes space. It's not a good idea to breed if you have a 3-room apartment. Your family members should agree with your plan of having kittens. You can't lock up these little balls of fur. They'll go everywhere - in your partner's study, in your baby's bedroom, your kitchen, your bathroom.

3. It takes responsibility. Do you know beforehand that you will find a good home for your kittens? Some of your friends or relatives will say 'Yes, lovely, I'll take one of them'. But one or another may change his/her mind once the moment is near. Are you willing to keep the kitten that nobody wants?

4. It takes education. Have you thought about what could happen at birth? Do you know how to cut an umbilical cord? What to do if a newborn remains in its fluid filled sac? What supplies you need? How to know when a c-section is necessary? What to feed a pregnant cat?

5. It takes money. Kittens cost more money than you probably think. It's not only the food. Even if you go through pregnancy without a vet's help, you need to have them vaccinated and dewormed.

Yes, there's a lot to think about! However, if you really want to breed, make sure you get the right information, so you are prepared for the best and the worst.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marc de Jong runs an acclaimed web site on cats and is the author of the book How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Cat, available through http://www.pregnant-cat-care.com. In this book vets and breeders reveal the secrets they use to help a cat deliver and raise a healthy litter.

Dog Care 6 Easy Steps For A Terrific And Safe Romp In The Woods

2009-02-04T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by ONeal Hendrix

Leaves are falling and paws are crunching in the parks....

What a beautiful time of the year to get out with your canine companion and enjoy the crisp, cool air, frolic in the falling leaves and take in the visual splendor of nature. A walk in the woods can be an exhilarating experience for you and your dog, especially if you'll take a moment for some basic dog care preparations. Minimize surprises and emergencies by following these simple steps.

I don't know about you, but I will drive hours to find a place where the dogs can run free in nature. We all love it and often spend the whole day in the mountains together. I've developed a list of easy dog care to-do's to ensure we have a great time and arrive and leave together safely.

I recommend the following items for your outdoor adventures:

1. Orange vests for you and your dog

This may sound like overkill, but I recently had an experience with my dogs that scared me. I was out in the woods with my dogs when I heard shots fired not far from me. I couldn't see my dogs and terror ran through me. Immediately I realized we were not prepared for the hunters. Bright colored vests would have helped the hunters know we were not deer, and please don't shoot us. Every year you hear the stories of accidental shootings. Don't be the next casualty -- don your orange vests!

2. Current dog tags on collars

Keeping a collar and current dog tags on your dog helps others get him home if you get separated. One thing I have recently done is change the dog tags to read "I must be lost. Please call Mom. (xxx) xxx-xxxx". This gives all the pertinent information, yet doesn't provide information for an easy abduction. I don't want someone to know my babies' names, which might lead the dogs to believe the stranger is a friend.

3. Foot and body check during and after the outing

I check my dogs' paws and body frequently to remove the debris from the fall season -- gum balls, seeds, burrs, rocks, thorns, pine needles, and leaves can add up to irritation or lameness.

4. Fresh water and a bowl

If I can help it, I don't let my dogs drink standing water. I carry fresh water instead. I have had to deal with stomach problems in the past from bacteria in standing water. Carrying your own water is a small thing, but doing it can prevent lots of pain and suffering, a vet bill, and a 10-day supply of antibiotics.

5. Towels

I love towels, lots and lots of towels. To me, dropping dirty towels in the washer is much easier and less smelly than detailing a car or working to get that horrible wet, dirty dog smell out of fabric and carpet in my truck.

6. Whistle -- long range

Lastly, I whistle-trained my dogs. If we do separate, a blow on the whistle has them running to me. Chances are, they don't like not being able to see me and will be happy to have me back in their sights. I highly recommend the ACME whistle that sounds from 2-5 miles. Get it on a lanyard and carry it with you.

These 6 simple steps can make your outdoor trip so much more enjoyable, for you and your dogs. And paying attention to the basics in dog care shows your dog just how much you love her.

Happy hiking!

O'Neal Hendrix is a premier professional dog trainer in Atlanta, GA. For many years, she has "worked miracles" with dogs and their owners. Check out her dog training blog for her advice about everything dog!

Use Dog Clothes To Help You Bond With Your New Dog

2009-02-01T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

There are over 65 million dogs in the United States. Every one of them is special. Whether your dog is the family pet or a Westminster champion, you have an awesome treasure. There is no other creature as close and integrated into the human psyche and human culture as the dog. A family dog eats in the kitchen and sleeps in the bedroom. He munches on snacks as he watches television with his owners. Some of these dogs get their toenails painted pink and red.

Your dog is special. He probably is the most beautiful dog you ever seen and quite possibly the most beautiful on the earth to you. He amuses you. He charms you. He makes you laugh when your friends have made you cry. Your dog will never grow up, go to college, get married or get a job. Your mischievous little puppy will hang around your house until he is old and maybe a bit senile. He will always be your little boy or your little girl.

It is quite normal to want to dress up your dog in the latest of designer dog clothes and accessories. It is normal to want to have that perfect carrier for your little pal to take him along on shopping trips and everywhere you can. You miss him when he is left behind.

Today we have a wide variety of choices in dog fashions. The toy dogs especially look cute in little dog clothes, but the bigger dogs can look just as cute and fancy. There is something for every breed and every size of dog in dog clothing.

Dogs are wonderful, adaptable, amazing animals. As long as the clothing is restrictive, most dogs love the extra attention of getting dressed up. Good dogs can be found anywhere. Bad dogs can be found anywhere. You can find a good dog from responsible breeders, irresponsible breeders, backyard breeders, shelters, rescue organizations, neighbors, newspaper ads, relatives, pet stores, the alley or the highway in front of your house. Wherever you get your dog, once he finds out you are his friend and not his foe, putting a warm fleece t-shirt on him in the chilly weather only makes him feel more at home and secure with you, which in turn, can help to mold him into the "good dog" you want him to be. A good dog often times begins with a good owner regardless of where you get your dog..

As a dog owner, you can expect to deal with housetraining mistakes, chewing, nipping, health crises, digging, and barking regardless of where you obtained your dog. Very few dogs will present you with all these problems, but no dog is trouble-free. Don't let that scare you. The good far outweighs the bad. Acquire some good dog keeping skills. This will require action, resolving problems, planning and some sacrifice.

Somehow dogs seem to know which owners are committed to them and which aren't. Dressing up your dog in designer dog clothes is a very powerful way of showing commitment to your 4-legged best friend. Putting a tiny dog dress on your toy dog is a terrific way to get started on the right foot toward dog owner success. Try it and see the difference in can make in your relationship with your dog.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She offers Designer Dog Clothes at: http://www.littleguysdogclothesshop.com

Small Dog Clothing

2009-01-30T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Grant Carroll

Small dogs are wonderful companions, and they look adorable all dressed up. Due to their less than large stature, many of them need some clothes to keep from shivering to death, however, buying small dogs a wardrobe has become an issue of fashion and pampering. Clothing the small dog is all about assessing their needs and then their style.

What kind of clothing does my little baby need? That's the question on the mind of every doggie parent as they begin shopping. The answer depends of the weather. If it's winter, then they need coats and sweaters to stay warm during outside walks. Also, many dogs are still cold even indoors, so it's a good idea to have an "around the house" sweater. When the warm spring and summer roll around, they can go "naked", but it's still good to get some shirts. Many short haired breeds like Chihuahuas and Min Pins get cold indoors from the air conditioning, so a shirt or light sweater can come in handy. While the outdoors is very warm, a shirt will protect a dog from sunburn. All you have to do is put sun block where there's bare skin. Since skin cancer is the most common cancer among dogs, this is a very important step in prevention.

You can give your little one style by expressing their personality through clothing. One easy and fun way to do this is through message shirts. You've probably seen them in stores or online with messages varying from "I'm cute" to "spank me". There is a huge variety of these shirts available, so enjoy looking around for what best represents your little spunky one. If message shirts are not your thing, then perhaps canine couture is the way to go. Canine couture has been gaining popularity and is now a booming business. People can buy high fashion dog clothes right off runway. The problem is, however, that these fashions often cost much more than the average dog parent is prepared to pay. Still, these fancy styles are quite catching and are made of the best quality, just be sure not to pay too much. Following all of these suggestions can make clothing your small dog a fun and easy experience.

Grant Carroll proud father of three dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters. Also visit Elizabeth Austin for Wholesale Dog Clothes and Wholesale Pet Supplies

Piroplasmosis Protect Your Dog Well

2009-01-29T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Steve John Cowan

Piroplasmosis is one of the diseases, sometimes fatal, most frequently seen in dogs. This disease, which destroys the red cells, is due to a parasite of the blood, transmitted by a tick bite. The treatment is effective on condition it is set up in time, but the complications can be serious.

Which are the symptoms which one can observe?

The dog is laid low, it refuses to take nourishment, vomits and has a strong fever. Its urine takes on an abnormal colouring. The symptoms are not always easy to detect and it is advisable to consult a veterinary surgeon in case of doubts.

How is piroplasmosis transmitted?

Only ticks can transmit this disease. In order to be able to drink the blood of the dog, the tick injects an anticoagulant saliva, which contains the parasites of piroplasmosis. Once in the blood these penetrate in the red cells, multiply there, and make them burst. A dog affected by piroplasmosis is not contagious, to other dogs, to other animals, or to man.

What is the treatment for piroplasmosis?

The treatment is very effective assuming it beings rather quickly.

It is advisable to monitor the appearance of the symptoms well.

According to the stage of evolution of the disease, the veterinary surgeon will set up a treatment program in the form of injections which make it possible to destroy the parasite and of infusion, intended to rehydrate the animal and to fight against the hepatic and renal complications.

The animal will be also transfused to compensate for the lack of red globules.

How to prevent piroplasmosis?

wo techniques exist. First there are pesticides, which is the surest way to etablish real prevention. The product must destroy the tick before it has time to puncture the skin. It is thus necessary that it is poisoned in contact with the dogs coat, in a few minutes. The pesticides are in the shape of collars, pulverizers or pipettes.

The other method is that of vaccination. There is a vaccine which protects from piroplasmosis, but it is not 100% effective and appears very expensive.

For more dog caring tips and suggestions, visit my site at http://webbiz99.com/dogtraining/index.html

Steve Cowan is an Asia based businessman and writer,as well as an international racing driver and full time father.To discover more,visit his blog -What's New Today,Stanley?- at http://webbiz99.com/

Lemon Tetra

2009-01-28T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gary Bolton

Family: Characidae

Species: Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Size: 5cm (2 inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: All

Habitat: Streams of the Amazon basin

Remarks: This fish looks best shoaling in a well planted tank.

Comments: The dorsal fin contains black with a yellow streak on the front edge; the adipose fin is yellow with a black edge; and the long-based anal fin has a bright yellow front and black rear edge. General colouration is greenish yellow with silver belly. Mature males are more intensely coloured. If you want something that's a little different from the normal tetra, this is a good choice to go with. Quite easy to keep and looks good in any aquarium with other small fish!

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http://www.garybolton.co.uk

Shih Tzu Properly Train Your New Shih Tzu Puppy

2009-01-27T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

Shih tzu puppy training is very important, whether you are training your first shih tzu puppy or your 20th. Properly training and socializing a shih tzu puppy is vital to making it a valued member of your family and your community.

In some ways training a shih tzu puppy is easier than training an adult or adolescent dog. One reason is that the shih tzu puppy is essentially a "blank slate", untroubled by past training techniques and other issues. In other ways, however, the shih tzu puppy can be more difficult to train than an older shih tzu dog.

One challenge to training a new shih tzu puppy is that shih tzu puppies are more easily distractible than adolescent and adult shih tzu dogs. Everything is new to a shih tzu puppy, and every new experience provides a new chance for distraction. For this reason, it is best to keep training sessions short when working with a shih tzu puppy, and to end each training sessions on a positive note.

It is also important to allow the shih tzu puppy plenty of time to play, and to interact with other shih tzu puppies and shih tzu dogs. Socialization training is vital to making your new shih tzu puppy a good canine citizen, as dog aggression is a growing problem in many areas. A properly socialized shih tzu dog learns how to play properly with other dogs, and overly aggressive play is punished by the other dogs in the play group.

This type of play learning is something that happens among siblings in litters of shih tzu puppies. As the shih tzu puppies play with each other, they learn what is appropriate and what is not. Inappropriate behavior, such as hard biting or scratching, is punished by the other shih tzu puppies, by the mother shih tzu dog, or both.

Unfortunately, many shih tzu puppies are removed from their mothers and sold or adopted before this socialization has fully occurred. Therefore, shih tzu puppy play sessions are a very important part of any shih tzu puppy training session. Most good shih tzu puppy preschool training programs provide time in each session for this type of dog interaction.

Introducing your shih tzu puppy to new experiences and new locations is also an important part of shih tzu puppy training. Teaching your shih tzu dog to be obedient and responsive, even in the face of many distractions, is very important when training shih tzu dogs and shih tzu puppies.

One great way to socialize your shih tzu puppy both to new people and new dogs is to take it on a trip to your local pet store. Many major pet store chains, and some independent ones as well, allow pet parents to bring their furry children, and these stores can be great places for shih tzu puppies to get used to new sights, sounds and smells. Of course you will want to make sure the store allows pets before heading over.

It is important for shih tzu puppy owners to structure their pet's environment so that the shih tzu puppy is rewarded for good behaviors and not rewarded for others. One good example of this is jumping on people. Many people inadvertently reward this behavior because it can be cute. While it is true that jumping can be cute for a 2 pound shih tzu puppy, it will not be so cute when that puppy has grown into a 10 pound shih tzu dog.

Instead of rewarding the shih tzu puppy for jumping, try rewarding it for sitting instead. This type of positive reinforcement will result in a well behaved adult shih tzu dog that is a valued member of both the family and the community at large.

This type of reinforcement can also be used in potty training the new shih tzu puppy. For instance, teaching a shih tzu puppy to use a unique surface such as gravel or asphalt is a good technique. The theory is that the shih tzu puppy will associate this surface with going potty, and therefore be reluctant to use other surfaces (like your kitchen carpet for instance) as a potty.

Connie Limon is a professional shih tzu breeder in Indiana. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Herp Hunting In The Northern Territory Australia

2009-01-26T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chris M Jones

Appeared in 'Reptile Care' Volume 3, Issue 3

The northern territory is well known for being 'the real bush'. It has a population of less than 200'000 people, over 90% of which live in Government areas. These government areas only cover 5% of the Northern Territory, which leaves over 1.2 million square kilometres virtually deserted. This area is nearly five times the size of the UK! As you can now imagine, this is an incredibly large and diverse landscape! There are approximately 300 species of reptile, and 50 species of amphibian in the Northern Territory. Slightly more diverse one might say, than the UK's species count of only 6 reptiles and 6 amphibians!

I spent the entire year of 2005 travelling around Australia. I went to every State, every major city, drove across the longest straight road in the world, twice, and travelled the complete circumference of this beautiful country. But the Northern Territory was in my books, by far the most fantastic place I have ever been. I spent 3 months in Darwin, and several more weeks travelling around the NT, going as far south as Alice Springs and Ayers Rock (Uluru in Aboriginal terms). I knew the place was for me when, only a few days after I drove through, I saw my first wild Black Headed Python (Aspidites melanocephalus) crossing the road. What a shock! This was the first snake I had seen in Australia and I had already driven thousands of kilometres. I nearly ran it over, but swerved suddenly, missing it by millimetres! I turned around and went back, moving it off the road before the 50 metre oncoming road train ploughed straight through us all! It was a beautiful, 2 metre female in perfect condition. It was different seeing such an animal in the wild, after seeing many of them in friends' collections, it did not compare to the wonderful feeling of seeing her out in the bush and lending her a helping hand getting across the road. This was definitely for me! I knew there was plenty more where she came from, and I would definitely find them!

During my time in the Northern Territory, I spent 3 months working at 'Crocodylus Park'. A crocodile research and education centre, home to approximately 8'000 saltwater crocodiles and a number of other crocodilian and animal species. This was certainly an experience of a lifetime. Not only to work with such a large number of large crocodiles, but also to meet a whole group of brilliant ozzies! Myself and my girlfriend Eirlys stayed with an Australian couple; Cade & Holly. Cade knew the area and had been working at the park for a couple of years. He told me of a place he goes to on a regular occasion. He said to me; "We drive out after the sun sets, about 45 minutes out of town and just cruise for snakes." Well, that just sounded too easy for me, but I definitely wanted to give it a go!

Only a few days later, Cade had organised a few of his mates to join us on a night out 'herping'. We set off in convoy, Cade and 3 others in his car, closely followed by Maddy's car with me in the back and another couple of people! 45 Minutes later and we arrive at Fogg Dam. This place wasn't what I expected, it didn't look so amazing. We started driving very slowly along this road, which soon turned quite narrow, with a 2 metre drop off either side into dense, wet marshland. This was however, the dry season. In the wet season this road is not even visible, being completely submerged in water. Only a few seconds after driving along, comes our first catch of the night; a Yellow-Bellied Water Python (Liasis mackloti)! This was very closely followed by another, then another, then another. Within half an hour we had picked 14 water pythons off the road, even catching 2 or 3 at a time! Of course, all of these were released straight back into the marshes. I certainly had second thoughts about this place, it was amazing!

After our successful water python round-up, we took the time to sit by the road and see what we could spot. Out came our big torches, shining into the marsh either side of the road. The eyes of at least 20 crocodiles shone back at us. Most were the freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni), but some eyes were larger and further apart, these were the bigger, saltwater or 'estuarine' crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus). I had seen this on TV many times, but it was quite different to see this naturally. I must admit, even working with crocodiles all day; knowing that we were surrounded by hundreds of them was certainly a scary thought! The night was topped off by a find I was desperate for, a Northern Death Adder (Acanthophis praelongus)! An absolutely beautiful one too, camouflaged so well into the road we nearly turned it into another piece of 'road-kill'. This was a successful night!

I later found out, 'Fogg Dam' has the largest concentration of predatory animals in the world! The water pythons on their own, represent the largest density of predatory species in such a concentrated area. Their prey is the dusky rat, which are said to be in numbers of 15'000 per square kilometre. From these numbers of prey, it is easy to understand their success.

Darwin is a small capital city, with just over 100'000 people, over half the population of the entire Northern Territory. You only have to drive an hour out of the city centre to reach Litchfield National Park; a 1'500 square kilometre oasis of Northern Territory habitat, including one of the most famous termite mound spectacles in the world, a number of amazing water falls, rock formations and forested areas. A couple of hours due East is the even larger Kakadu National Park, covering nearly 20'000 square kilometres of land, nearly the same size as Ireland! This is one of the most famous National Parks in the world and it certainly should be. Home to thousands of species of flora & fauna.

It was nice to get out to Litchfield National Park on weekends, being only a short drive away. I went several times during my stay in the NT. It has an abundance of wildlife visible during the day, but at night it really comes alive! Litchfield is famous for it's Magnetic Termite Mounds, so called because they are all north south facing. The structures are approximately 3metres tall and built so that the narrowest edge is facing the extremely intense sun for the midday heat. With so many termites, come so many predators. Many species of skinks and other small lizards are common here. The Northern Territory is home to approximately 100 species of skink, many rely on small insects such as termites. With so many small lizards, come many reptiles that feed upon these lizards, including the Burtons Legless Lizard (Lialis burtonis). This is one of the larger species of legless lizard, and has the unusual, snake-like characteristic of being able to un-hinge it's jaw to allow an easy passage for their larger food items. These are very common in Litchfield, and I was fortunate enough to see many. All of which varied in colour.

Orange-naped snakes (Furina ornata) are plentiful in the Northern Territory, although they are not seen nearly as often as other species. I was lucky enough to spot this guy slithering across the road one night. My tour guide for the night was Maddy, one of Cade's mates. He had been herping for years around the Territory, and was familiar with the different species of reptiles you might find on the different nights, at certain times of the year. He thought I must be a good luck charm, as this was the first Orange Naped Snake he had ever caught here!

I have dealt with hundreds of species of snake in the last few years, but I really wanted to get a taste for the 'lethal' stuff. The Northern Territory was certainly the place to do it; and at this point I had already encountered a Death Adder in the wild. That though, wasn't enough. The Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) was a rare sight and although I hoped to catch a glimpse of one, the opportunity never came. I was more fortunate however with the Brown Snakes! I saw 2 Western Brown snakes (Pseudonaja nuchalis) within a few kilometres of each other in Litchfield National Park. Unfortunately though, my one and only sight of a wild King Brown (Pseudonaja australis), was a juvenile victim of a car tyre. It had only just happened, we had passed the same spot just half an hour earlier, yet on our way back through, the snake had appeared, dead.

A number of reptile and insect species can be found in and around the Darwin area. While living in Karama, we had a number of visitors to our backyard. Green Tree Snakes (Dendralaphis punctulatus), Two-Lined Dragons (Diporiphora bilineata), Striped Tree Dragons (Amphibolorus temporalis), Australian House Gecko's (Gehyra australis), Asian House Gecko's (Hemidactylus frenatus), Garden Skinks (Carlia gracilis and Carlia munda)and Mertens' Water Monitor's (Varanus mertensi). Huntsman and Redback spiders are also common in households and gardens.

By Chris Jones
Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.
http://www.petclubuk.com

The Bernese Mountain Dog Draft Dog Extraordinaire

2009-01-25T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

The Berner as he is commonly spoken of is a dog that has recently become one of the favorite breeds in the United States because of his characteristics of moderate size, beauty and good natured temperament. He is a member of the Working Group of the American Kennel Club. His striking good looks and exceptionally stable temperament have contributed to his popularity, which has burgeoned since he was admitted into the registry in 1990.

The Bernese Mountain Dog comes from the large family of Swiss dogs of black and tan coloration and mastiff origin which dominate the Alpine regions of Central Europe. These dogs seem to have origins in the original Molloser dogs which were transported into Europe by the Roman Legions. Many of these dogs were used by the Romans as drover dogs and others were considered to be war dogs of massive power and formidable appearance. The Bernese Mountain Dog is most probably a representative of the former type, a dog which was used to drive the flocks of cattle and oxen and also as a carting dog or draft dog. Another common name for the Bernese Mountain Dog is the Berner Sennenhund.

The Berner is always a tri-colored dog. The base coat is black with rust and white markings. Symmetry of markings is important. Rust should appear over each eye and on the cheeks reaching to the corner of the mouth. Also there should be rust on each side of the chest, on all four legs and under the tail. The muzzle should have a white blaze. There should be a white mark or blaze on the chest and this should be in the shape of a cross. The tip of the tail is white. There should be white on the feet but not extending higher than the pasterns. The Bernese Mountain dog has a medium length to the coat, which is a double coat and is naturally weather resistant. The hair should be straight to slightly wavy. The entire picture of the well groomed Berner is quite striking with the sharp contrasts in color and markings, especially since this is a coat that has a natural shine. This is a dog who appears stocky to a certain degree, but not overly large. His working gait is that of a slow trot but he should be capable of faster movement when necessary.

Berners achieved popularity on the farms and holdings of the mountain people as strong dogs that were willing to pull carts and work side by side with their human companions without complaint and with happy enthusiasm for the jobs to which they were entrusted. In the United States and Great Britain the Berner has achieved the same sort of popularity, not because he is used as a working dog so much but because his temperament makes him a popular family pet. The temperament of the Bernese Mountain Dog should be one that is loyal and protective to his family but accepting of strangers and gracious, never aggressive. He has great intelligence and fortitude, preferring to have a job to do and working with endurance and stability for many hours.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Dogs

Breeding Your Goldfish

2009-01-24T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Dane Stanton

If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know that it's not an easy task. It will take a lot of patience, a lot of space in the tank and quite a bit of money too. Don't get into breeding if you think it's going to be profitable, because it isn't! Breeding goldfish is best left to a professional but if you still want to breed them, here's how to begin:

Decide on the breed: You also must decide before hand what variety of goldfish you want to breed. Ideally, if you are a beginner you should decide on breeding a good quality single tail type fish like the comet.

Pair and choose the breeds: You must choose high quality goldfish to breed high quality goldfish. The goldfish you choose should be two-four years. A good quality goldfish would be assessed according to its finnage, body shape, size and color. They should be at least 4-6 inches or larger and very healthy. It's better to breed with younger fish as the older ones might produce eggs that are deformed and infertile.

* The ideal female goldfish would be heavy at the rear, protruding on the left part of her body and her anal area would be soft.

* The ideal male goldfish would be a great chaser and there should be signs of his breeding tubercles on his gills and pectoral fins. Begin with two females and three males. The idea is to have two males for every female.

Time to breed Here's the time plan to breed goldfish

* You would need to plan a year ahead in the months of July or August. This is when most breeders sell their surplus fish at cheaper rates. If you skip this period than would find it hard to find a good breeding quality pair of goldfish.

* During the winter you must feed the fish and help them build enough body mass to last the winter and be ready for spawning in the early spring. By October or November, your fish would need less food and this is the time to not only clean the fish but also separate the males from the females.

Cleaning the fish: The solution you need to clean the fish is one measure of Terramycin, 80 drops of Formaldehyde and 6 drops of copper sulphate in four gallons of water. The solution should be at the right temperature and the fish should get enough oxygen to breathe. Allow the goldfish to remain in this solution for 20 minutes and then move them to a separate container of clean water while you prepare a spawning tank.

* Make sure you make the new tank a natural spawning area with bushy natural plants, artificial fibers or spawning mops and coconut fibers, all materials that can receive the spawn. Goldfish need such props for spawning.

Size of the spawning tank: You will need at least a tank that can hold 20 gallons of water. If the fish were bigger than you would need a bigger tank.

* Now that the fish are clean and the tank is clean too, do not feed the fish anything for the next two months except some amount of live food like insect larvae,worms, and brine shrimp. This preparation will help the females develop healthy and the males, milt that is needed to fertilize the eggs.

* If the winters are too cold in your area, you can consider using a heater.

* Watch the male goldfish developing breeding tubercles that look like white pimples on their gill covers and the pectoral fins.

* Watch the females become rounder body as it fills up with roe or eggs. How do you spot the spawning moment?

* Spawning usually happens in the early morning.

* The colors of all the goldfish will look brighter then before.

* The fish would group together while swimming.

* The males will be chasing the females at random.

* Finally the active males zero in on one particular female and chase her more than before.

* The chase will intensify with the male getting aggressive and pushing against the female goldfish till she ejects her eggs. * As the eggs are out the male will fertilize them by depositing milt over the eggs.

* The eggs will fall through the water, landing on plants. They stay in the same spot till they hatch.

* The spawning may begin again after some days of rest.

Point of note: Goldfish eat their eggs. Of the 10,000 eggs that are laid in one spawning session, hardly any will be left if the fish are not removed. So once the eggs are laid, move the parents back to another tank.

Dane Stanton - www.goldfish-secrets.com

Dane Stanton is an expert on goldfish health care. To visit his website visit http://www.goldfish-secrets.com for more information on Goldfish care and other aquarium related topics. *Recommended*

If Humans Are Merely Animals Why Do They Rule The Surface Of The Planet

2009-01-23T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many zoologists and research biological scientists believe that humans are nothing more than really fancy designed animals. That is to say more adapted and highly evolved than most all other species in the animal kingdom. Mankind indeed has conquered the top of the food chain yet if humans are merely animals, how come the species is so successful?

Recently this topic came up with the principle investigator of the "Why Are Humans Unique Project" in an online think tank who stated;

"We could establish value boundaries beforehand from and establish our base model in determining and categorize the samples into there appropriate groups. I believe this would provide us with a sufficient process to measure whether or not each species is in the same grouping as the other."

Another think tanker in the group was fascinated by all this and then stated; "Well this makes more sense, as the animal groupings each have particular characteristics that humans share, but humans have nearly all the capabilities whereas each animals species has one, two, three or so. With only a few species like Dolphins, Elephants, Pigs, Guerillas, Chimpanzees, Canines, etc. with many and very similar to humans. I would call these higher order mammals."

Yet in such a classification of the animal kingdom, it seems all this is available on the Discovery Channel, Animal Channel, Science Channel, NOVA and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. Even Encarta has charts of these things along with the "Time Life Series" which I have read all thru cover to cover. Most Zoology Text books I have perused do to.

The head researcher for the project also stated; "I feel this procedure has a very good chance at providing the argument in question and other similar debates with a valuable data set."

The rest of the think tank members seemed to be inline with all this and one gentleman stated; "I agree but it really seems all this has been done already and I have found fault with little of it. Some of the old stuff like animals do not make tools or use tools and those such thoughts have been dispelled now."

What are your thoughts on humans and their uniqueness? What have you considered about your own species identity? Have you considered any of these concepts? What do you think of the "Why Are Humans Unique Project?" Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Dog Of The Desert The Canaan

2009-01-22T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

The Canaan Dog is sometimes mistakenly believed to be a pariah dog which roams throughout the Middle East, however this is incorrect. The Canaan Dog is a true breed which has survived in the desert for more than 2000 years. In the 1930s the Israelis began a program of re-domestication of these dogs, recognizing their potential as guard dogs to guard their settlements . Their history as a desert breed has contributed strength and endurance to the genetic makeup, to say nothing of the fact that they are relatively disease free. Their bodies have developed in much the same way as the Arabian Horse, strong lungs and resistance to extremes of weather are part of their heritage.

The Israelis have been careful to preserve these characteristics and have also been careful not to mix in any other type of dog into the breeding program. On occasion they do bring in more of the Canaan Dogs from the wild deserts to continue to improve the domesticated stock. This is more difficult as the spread of civilization has made the existence of these desert dogs more tenuous and there are fewer places where they can still be found living in the wild.

The Canaan Dog can be any shade of tawny desert yellow or tan with white markings and also black with white markings. The coat is double and fairly short. Ears are prick, the tail is long and curves over the back when excited. They are of medium size, with surprising strength and agility, possessing great endurance and lung power. The dogs readily adjusted to civilization and are loyal and very affectionate family pets. Their major use is that of a dog guard that will protect outlying settlements from predators and give warning when strangers come. They are also useful as herding dogs for the flocks of goats. The Canaan Dog does not require harsh training methods and adapts to family living easily.

This is a comparatively rare breed and has only recently made an appearance in the Dog Show Circuit in the United States. They are classified as members of the Herding Group. Their numbers are gradually increasing. They are a relatively easy care dog and are happy as an urban resident or on the farm. Owners of the Canaan dog have found that they are generally not stubborn, are quite intelligent and make very good pets. They should show reserve with strangers but have proven themselves to be affectionate and loyal. The American Kennel club describes their temperament as "alert, vigilant, devoted and docile with his family".

Factors which contribute to the usefulness of this dog as a family pet are their easy care coat and their general good health. Owners of Canaans can expect that these dogs will present few vet bills in comparison to other breeds! They are known to be easy to train without stubborn tendencies or hyperactive traits. They are inquisitive and because of their history of survival of the fittest are independent thinkers but appear to have a great deal of common sense.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Animals

Gps Tracking For Mans Best Friend

2009-01-21T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Simon Wyryzowski

To say that our pets are our best friends is an understatement. There are many people in this world who see their pets as life long companions, and even an integral of their family. How would you feel if your pet has run away, or perhaps has gotten lost somewhere outdoors? It would make your heart beat fast, palms sweaty and extremely anxious wouldn't it? After all there is not another pooch or kitty that can ever replace the special personality that your pet has.

GPS or global positioning systems can help give you peace of mind in knowing when your pet has crossed outside the safety zone of the backyard, or somewhere in your neighborhood. Other scenarios aside from domestic issues are the kinds where you take your pets on vacation with you, or go hunting with. Why take chances and lose sight of one of the most valuable members of your family?

GPS tracking devices will not substitute common sense and vigilance in watching over your pets, but rather help complement and reduce the chances of your pet running off by accident. These small moments can add up to lots of time, emotional investment, and spiritual drain after a while.

Consider several types of GPS tracking devices, from those that allow you to program safety zones which alert you when your pet goes out of bounds so to speak, waterproof and weatherproof models if you live in temperate zones, and advanced features such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature to see if your pet is truly 100 percent safe from the inside out.

It is up to you as the owner and caretaker of your pet to decide what features are necessary and which are not. You will find that GPS tracking devices whether for people, pets, or objects, are relatively easy to setup and are getting simpler everyday. What are you waiting for? Your pet deserves the best!

Run to our site for GPS tracking services for people, pets, and objects. Also discover a range of car tracking device products to give you additional peace of mind.

The Vizsla A Hungarian National Treasure

2009-01-20T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

The Hungarian Vizsla is pronounced "veeshla". This tawny red dog of medium build is known for its skills as a hunting dog and its excellent trainability. However it must be trained with a certain degree of gentleness and understanding, this is a sensitive dog and will not take to harsh punishment. The Hungarian Vizsla is a dog that works "close to the gun" and will not range far, it is a silent hunter and does not scare up the game too soon. This hunter was bred mostly to go after birds but is also a good rabbit dog.

I have personally had acquaintances who own Vizslas and have come into contact with several of them at dog shows. The ones that I have known are quite active and highly intelligent. They love to play and will gladly retrieve and give chase, a large yard is a necessity. The correct temperament is one of willingness and friendliness to strangers and this does mean that the Vizsla puppy must be socialized at an early age. Without socialization a Vizsla can be overly shy and this in turn can lead to aggression. Care should be taken if the dog is to be used for hunting, that it is trained early to the sound of the gun.

The Coat is tawny red and quite short. A brisk rubbing with a towel or a soft brush is often the only care that needs to be done. Of course nails should be kept regularly trimmed. The ears, although lop, are fairly short and stay clean. The tail is usually bobbed at about 1/3 the length. The head is broad at the skull with a clean look to the muzzle. The Vizsla is a pointer and will freeze in the point with one front leg lifted when it comes on the birds. This dog is quite well balanced in looks and is a beautiful sight to see when it is "on point".

Adult dogs should be x-rayed for hip dysplasia before being used for breeding. Epilepsy is a problem associated with this breed also and there can be skin problems and allergies. A dog which is given the chance to exercise will not become obese, but these dogs are "chow hounds" and will become overly fat quickly if allowed to eat all they want, especially if they don't get adequate exercise.

Vizslas need a close association with people and unlike many hunting breeds they do not make a good kennel dog. These dogs are what one would call highly responsive to training that is positive in nature. They are "willing workers" and will respond well to praise. Whether it be as a show dog or an obedience dog or a hunting dog, they are best when they are not bored. If left alone for long periods of time they can get into a lot of mischief in a house and a yard is important if they can not be with their family the majority of the day.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Animals

How To Raise A Healthy Kitten

2009-01-19T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Katharine Logan

Selecting a Kitten

It is best to choose your kitten from the whole litter, choose the frisky playful, friendly kitten that is confident and happy to approach you rather than the one that hangs back and is shy. The best time to take your kitten home is between 7 and 8 weeks old. Some pedigree breeders like to keep the kittens until 12 weeks old so they can have their initial vaccinations. Some things you have to look for when choosing a new kitten or cat are:

The ears should be clean and no unpleasant smells.

White blue eyed cats are prone to deafness (all cats eyes are blue at this age) Test this by making sounds outside its field of vision.

Eyes should be clear and bright with no sings of weeping.

Gums should be pink (not red) and teeth should be white.

The coat should be clean and unmated with no fleas or flaky skin.

Check under the tail this area should be spotless in a healthy cat.

Setting in your new Kitten or cat

It is probably best to have a proper pet carrier to take your new pet home in to avoid extra stress. At let your new kitten or cat come out of the carrier at its own time. It will need time to settle down, so make sure it has fresh drinking water and a little food also make sure it can find its way to its bed and litter tray then leave it alone for a little while. Make sure that children behave gently and quietly around the kitten, kittens need peace and quiet to sleep as well as needing laytime. It is best to keep your kitten confined indoors for a week or so and accompany your kitten on its first trip outside continue to go out side with your kitten for the next few trips. This will give the kitten a sense of security and encourage it to come when you call. Your new kitten should integrate quite well with other pets, make sure that you can introduce them slowly. Some pets will integrate at all make sure you keep small mammals and birds away from your kitten as their natural instincts will take over. Once your kitten has overcome its initial fears it will amuse it self for hours with very cheap simple toys like ping pong balls, cardboard rolls and small stuffed animals.

What Equipment your cat or kitten need

A bed: a cardboard box with a blanket or cushion in it makes an ideal bed for a kitten as the kitten grows you may like to find a more permanent replacement, such as wooden box or a covered bed. You may like to keep in mind that it should ideally be washable when choosing a bed. Place the bed in a quiet, draught free, warm spot.
Grooming tools: A brush - preferably with natural bristles is very useful for grooming any cat for long haired cats you will also need a wire toothed metal comb and a pair of rounded scissors to cut out any tangles. A pair of feline claw clippers will complete your pussy cats grooming set.
A collar or harness: Your cat should wear a collar complete with an identification disk. The collar must be elasticized in case it gets caught for example on a branch whilst climbing a tree. Some owners train their cats to go for walks on a harness or lead.
Toys: There are a huge range of toys available for cats making play of exercising fun and providing stimulation. Many stuffed toys contain catnip this herb also called catmint appeals to many cats, creating an apparent sense of wellbeing this lasts for approximately 15 minutes.

A scratching post

Cats love to scratch. Scratching serves a couple of purposes firstly it keeps the claws neat and trim it also marks the cats' territory as other cats will see the marks and smell the scent. The cat has glands between the toes that release this scent as the cat scratches.
A scratching post is the best solution but the cat will need to be taught to use it from the very beginning. This will save your furniture, avoid using a carpet covered scratching post as the pet cat may see the house carpet as an extension of the scratching post. If the cat ha selected a piece of furniture where it like to scratch by covering it with plastic for a while the cat will stop scratching there. Cats do not like the feel of plastic.

A litter tray

A litter tray will be needed when your kitten first comes home and if you intend to leave the cat in at night. Choose a tray that is deep enough and roomy enough for your cat to turn around in easily. There are numerous varieties of kitty litter available choose one that suits you. Also a covered litter tray is a great idea as it keeps the smell and the mess inside also creating a more private spot for your cat.

A Cat flap

Cat flaps are a great idea to allow the cat to go in and out as it pleases. You must be careful however as other cats may also come in. check what flaps are available and choose the one that suits your needs. A cat is quite easily trained to use a cat flap prop the flap open at first and call the cat through form one side than the other. When it has mastered this, lower the flap a little and use the same procedure continue to do this until you can close the flap altogether.

Feeding your kitten

Ask the breeder or pet shop for a diet sheet so that you can continue feeding them the same diet and quantities. This will avoid you giving it too much food or an over rich diet which can cause tummy upsets. You should also find out meal times.

Food and feeding your cat

There are three types of cat food available commercially moist food, semi moist food and dry food. Cats need meat or fish everyday to be healthy.

Moist food as in the canned varieties is preferred by most cats because it closely resembles fresh meat. It also has the vitamins and minerals that the cat needs. How ever canned foods will not last long once served and it is best to take the food away after an hour to encourage your cat to eat its food in a single sitting rather that picking at it all day long.

Semi moist food usually comes in a sachet. It keeps well in a bowl without drying out or loosing its texture and tastes good to cats.

Dry food contains very little moisture so it is very important to have fresh drinking water available.

Establish a feeding routine where you feed your cat once or twice a day at the same place and the same time. Leave the food out for an hour then take it away. This will help to make your cat a healthy eater and not pick at the food all day.

Worming

The most common worms that affect cats are round worms and tape worms. Cats must be de-wormed regularly. Your vet will give you specific advice on worming products.

Following these simple steps will ensure you, your family and the newest edition to the family will have a happy, healthy and rewarding time together.

Katharine Logan is author and content manager for Pet-library.com She conducts research on specified subjects to help people with day to day issues. For more click on:http://www.pet-library.com

Syrian Vs Dwarf Hamsters What Should I Get For My Family

2009-01-18T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Markison

As pets go hamsters are fairly easy to take care of. Hamsters require no walking, are not particularly dirty or stinky, they are small and don't take up much space and are generally inexpensive. Hamsters are also fairly hearty animals and can be a very good pet for a child or a family with several children. There are however, two distinct choices when it comes to adopting a hamster for your family, and that is the dwarf hamster and the syrian hamster. I spoke with Ken Brocx, the founder of Hamsterific.com, an authoritative hamster and small pet website about this question and what his recommendations would be to someone considering adopting a hamster but not knowing exactly which route is best for his/her family.

Andy Markison:
Thanks Ken for taking the time to speak to us. First of all, let's assume a family with a young child or children (let's assume around seven or eight years of age for this example) is considering adopting a hamster or hamsters for their home. Would you personally recommend either a dwarf hamster or a syrian hamster in this case?

Ken Brocx:
Typically I would recommend a syrian hamster for younger children. Dwarf hamsters are smaller which can make them harder to handle. Also, if a dwarf manages to get loose they are faster than syrians and thus harder to catch. Syrians tend to be more docile if they are properly raised.

AM:
Syrian hamsters are supposed to be solitary once they are weaned, but that's not the case with dwarf hamsters is it?

KB:
No. Most dwarf hamsters prefer some company, but that means more space. That can be a problem since many commercial cages are too small for more than one hamster, even a dwarf hamster.

AM:
Is there any reason to purchase a dwarf hamster solitarily? Or would it be better to adopt two dwarfs rather than one?

KB:
In the wild dwarf hamsters live in colonies, so I prefer to keep them that way. A dwarf hamster on it's own will need a lot of attention to keep it from getting depressed.

AM:
If you initially purchase a dwarf hamster and later wish to introduce a second (or third) dwarf hamster would that be possible or are you asking for conflicts with such an introduction?

KB:
It depends on the particular dwarf hamster and on how long they have been alone. If a dwarf hamster has been on it's own for more than a month I find it is very difficult to introduce a new cagemate. Young dwarf hamsters will accept a new hamster much more readilly than an older dwarf hamster. Also dwarf hamsters tend to socialize better with siblings than with strange or unfamiliar hamsters.

AM:
Are dwarf hamsters generally less hearty creatures than syrians?

KB:
Both dwarf and syrian hamsters are very hardy creatures. Dwarf hamsters have been domesticated for a much shorter time than syrians, and because of that there has been less of an opportunity for them to become inbred. Inbreeding can cause many problems with the health of any breed of hamster. In syrians this often results in a hamster that is difficult to tame. In dwarf hamsters it is very common to see diabetes in inbred pups.

AM:
What kind of equipment would you recommend someone about to adopt a hamster get for their hamster's new home?

KB:
Hamsters need a constant supply of clean water, a food bowl that's heavy enough that it won't tip over when a hamster is crawling on it, a wheel for exercise and a "nest" where they can feel secure. Wheels aren't just toys. A hamster in the wild can run several miles a night marking it's territory and looking for food and the only way we can duplicate that in a confined space is a wheel. In the wild hamsters live in burrows underground. For nesting a hamster needs a place where it feels it can retreat from danger. A hamster without a nest will feel insecure and nervous.

AM:
What are the life spans of dwarfs and syrian hamsters?

KB:
Dwarfs usually live 2-4 years depending on breed, living conditions and genetic disposition. Syrians live about 2-3 years.

AM:
What would you suggest someone look for when purchasing or adopting a hamster?

KB:
The most important things are the hamsters health and personality. The color, long hair and pretty eyes won't matter much if you have a sick hamster. Look for clean and dry fur, especially around the butt of the hamster, stressed hamsters can get Wet Tail, which is a deadly type of diarrhea. Wet Tail can spread to surrounding cages and it can be very difficult to sterilize an area after an outbreak. Personality is very important, too. If you pick an outgoing hamster that doesn't mind being held you're probably going to have a much easier time taming and making friends with him or her.

AM:
Is there a reason to adopt a hamster(s) from a breeder rather than a pet store?

KB:
Professional breeders usually take great care in ensuring their hamsters are not inbred. Inbreeding can result in many health and personality problems. Many pet stores buy from these same breeders, although some may just let their hamsters breed in the store leading to rampant inbreeding and hamsters with poor health. Also, just because a person has lots of hamsters and sells them does not mean they are a quality professional breeder. Don't forget to check your local shelters, too. Animal shelters often have hamsters that need good homes.

AM:
Is the diet of the syrian significantly different than that of a dwarf? I know, for example, that giving dwarf hamsters fruit that may be high in sugar could be problematic because dwarfs may be more likely to become diabetic.

KB:
Other than that, syrians and dwarfs have similar diets.

AM:
What is "heat" exactly? It's related to nuts in some way isn't it or is it related to other types of foods as well? And does "heat" affect a syrian and dwarf the same way?

KB:
Well, there are two types of "heat". "Heat" can be the term for when a female hamster comes into season, but you are talking about the condition that affects hamsters that eat too many fatty foods. That type of "heat" is usually caused by an owner who wants to feed their hamster a treat, usually sunflower seeds, and goes overboard. Too much oil, like that in sunflower seeds, can cause a hamster's metabolism to speed up and cause them to lose hair. That's "heat" and I've only seen it in dwarf hamsters.

AM:
Any last words, warnings, recommendations or other thoughts in general that you'd like to share with someone who is interested in adopting a hamster?

KB:
Health and personality are the most important things in buying a new hamster, buy the biggest home for your hamster you can, never put two syrian hamsters together, and play with your hamster as often as you can!

Interview with Ken Brocx, founder of Hamsterific.com an authoritative website on hamsters and other small pets.

Andy Markison is an illustrator, graphic designer, animal lover and pet owner living in Germany. His website, http://www.zapgraphix.com/, sells fun and humorous pet related merchandise.

Is The Bulldog The Right Dog Breed For You

2009-01-17T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andy Matthews

The Bulldog was classified as a breed as far back as medieval times. Developed in Great Britain for its tenacity and power to attack and kill bulls in the arena, it has subsequently evolved, through selective breeding, in to the affectionate and loyal dog loved by so many owners today.

The American Kennel Club has classified the Bulldog in the Non-Sporting Group. He weighs in at around 44 to 55 pounds and reaches 12 to 16 inches in height. You can't mistake the squat, compact body, massive head, and large jaws, for any other breed. Powerful is the word that instantly comes to mind. But, gaze in to those dark, gentle eyes and you realise that your dealing with a big softy really.

These dogs make ideal pets for apartment owners. They are definetly an indoors breed. Perhaps, they are not the most energetic of dogs, but they will still enjoy a short stroll in the morning and perhaps a leisurely walk alongside you in the evening. The Bulldog has one mission in life--and that is to be your loyal companion.

Like any breed, these dogs have flaws. Living with a Bulldog you could be excused from thinking that your living in a frat house. Snoring, drooling, and quite frequent passing of gas is the norm. But you will find that you will excuse these sweet natured dogs almost anything.

Bulldogs are powerful, and can be willful. So, it would be wise of you to start training your dog from 8 weeks of age. Although they are not the quickest of learners, they love human attention, and fortunately are eager to please their owners. Try obedience classes, new people and strange dogs, will help to socialize your puppy far quicker than a traditional approach.

Bulldogs, in common with most dogs, love their food. Because of their dislike of exercise, obesity is quite common in this breed, so you will need to be vigilant about the portions that you feed your dog. Hip dysplasia and eye problems should also be watched for.

They can suffer from breathing problems, so you should never walk them using a choke collar. A dog harness will prevent any damage to their already small windpipes. New owners need to be particularly careful in warm weather as this dog breed is prone to heatstroke.

Having a very short coat the Bulldog needs just a quick brushing through with a good bristle brush once or twice a week, to remove the loose hair and dirt. However, the wrinkles on their face require careful cleaning with a damp cloth every day. Without this regular maintenance your dog could develop a nasty skin infection.

The Bulldog can be a loving family pet, and a loyal companion. So, if your a bit of a couch potato, and you don't mind a dog that loves attention. Then, this could be the right dog breed for you.

Andy Matthews is the best friend of Suki, a 2 year old Cocker Spaniel, who has tirelessly built from scratch http://www.top-dogs-names.com. Check it out it's kind of unique!

How To Make A Smooth Move With Your Pet Moving With Exotic Pets

2009-01-16T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alex Kazaryan

A lot is written how to move with dogs, cats or even fish. But what if your beloved ones are far more exotic and unusual than other people's pets, don't they need some special and accordingly unusual care during the move? If you are the lucky owner of, say, a snake or a hamster here are few suggestion for your smooth with them:

The first thing to remember when moving reptiles is to keep them moist. It can be achieved by putting a damp blanket inside a moving container for your pet. Reptiles can be packed in boxes, venomous snakes should be be double boxed. Make holes in boxes to maintain good ventilation during the move. Make the inside of the box soft for your pet by putting their foam panels, crumpled paper and pieces of cloth. Mark the box with both common and scientific names of your reptile. Be sure to write "live cargo", "this side up" and "keep at room temperature ( 70-75F)" if you'll be shipping your pet. The main danger of shipping your pet reptile is changes of temperature; a reptile can't survive in too cold or too hot surroundings and it's hardly avoidable during the move.

One of the convenient ways to move your reptile long distance is by overnight postal service, though USPS won't guarantee live delivery; they might be only liable if the box in which you were moving your pet would have been damaged, but if your beloved one baked or freezed to death you would get nothing. This method of shipping is very common for moving turtles in cushioned, insolated boxes with air holes. Nowadays, moving reptiles by airlines has become difficult due to people who were careless for shipping regulations and caused numerous accidents with their pets. Delta Dash (Delta Airline's priority cargo service) and American Airline's Priority Parcel service used to accept reptiles properly packed and clearly labelled. When moving your reptile by car don't leave it alone overnight, always take it into motel where you'll be stopping, if its pet friendly, of course, to soak your pet in a bath.

When moving small mammals like mice, gerbils, guinea pigs and hamsters, it's better to use their normal container and move them in your car. Take the water and food out of their container and use rest areas to water and feed your pets. Maintain comfortable temperature - don't park the car in the sunlight; remember whatever temperature is comfortable for you is comfortable for your beloved ones.

You also can ship your exotic pets abroad, provided they are not listed in CITES. You will need to fill out US Fish & Wildlife certificate before shipping your pets. You'll also need to provide the list of animals you're shipping with their common and scientific names and mark it on the shipping container. Also you'' need to contact your airline, that transports animals, for example Delta, to find out the procedures they demand. And make sure your pets pass Wildlife Inspection Port. Provided you took care of everything mentioned above check if the state you are moving to requires Health Certificates, Import Certificates or Value Added Tax and should they be ffixed to a pet carrier. It especially concerns countries of EU which have very strict regulations for incoming animals.

http://www.ezmoving.com/

Does Your Bichon Frise Eat His Own Poop

2009-01-15T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Janet Combs

Hi,

I'm Janet Combs

My mother bred and raised Bichon Frises for 23 years. I have been a Bichon Frise breeder for 13 years. Between what my mother taught me and my own personal experience I know a little something about Bichons.

The reason I'm addressing this issue is because, over the years I've had quite a few people ask me; "How do I stop my Bichon Frise from eating his own poop?"

This is a habit that many dogs (of all breeds) develop.

Well, keep the faith! Help is on the way.

There are a couple of things you can do to break your dog of this nasty habit.

One: Try putting some diced pineapple in with his food. Yes, I said diced pineapple. About 2-3 teaspoons. When the pineapple is digested it produces an enzyme which deters the dog from, you know, doing what we're trying to make him stop. Some Bichons may not eat pineapple. Our little male, Walker will eat just about anything. But, our female, Annie, is very finnicky. But, I think most Bichons will go for it.

Two: If, for whatever reason, the pineapple doesn't do the trick, there is a product called "Deter" which has the same effect. Give him 1-2 tablets per day (depending on size) for two weeks. It has been proven to be effective. You can find it at a discount price at www.dog.com.

I hope I have been of some help. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to email me at jennasgifts.cinci.rr.com

Wishing you and your Bichon happiness always,

Janet Combs

If you would like to learn more about caring for and training your Bichon Frise go to: http://www.combsinfo.com

The Mile High Canine Club Story

2009-01-13T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tiffany Thoms

In February of 2005 my girlfriend and I rescued a Great Dane from the Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue. She was six months old, severely malnourished and cute as can be. We already had 2 rescue dogs (Henry and Morgan) so we had some experience with the behavior, diet and socialization anomalies that adopted dogs can bring with them. The night we picked her up, the foster family told us how she spent her first six months of life. She and her two sisters had been found in a garden shed in Nebraska. They were all scared and emaciated but completely adorable. Our baby, LuLu, was the worst of the three. She was afraid of every noise, walked with a tucked tail, never barked or whimpered and didn't know how to play. She didn't understand typical canine social cues: Week two in our house when she approached Henry while he was eating a bone, he gave her a warning growl. She didn't have any idea what it meant. She didn't recognize play behavior and didn't understand why Morgan's tail was always wagging. The rescue advised us to get her some formal socialization. Since LuLu was our baby (still is, really), we wanted to find a worthy dog daycare and kennel to take her one or two days a week to help her understand the fundamentals. Thus we embarked on a thorough search of the Denver dog daycare market.

We used the typical search tools to identify our prospects (yellow pages, Google, Yahoo, etc). Dog daycare isn't a new concept in Denver there are several establishments operating all over the metro area. We identified the ones closest to us, asked everyone we knew for ones we may have missed and visited each one asking the most detailed questions possible. We may have spent more time interviewing these places than some people do looking for child care.

We asked about outdoor terrain, playgroup segregation, permissible toys, dog to staff ratio, operating hours, incident handling procedures, feeding and medication procedures, nap time requirements, water intake monitoring, staff education and cleaning habits. We weren't surprised to find that many places have similar setups. There were a couple of great places that we loved but they were either too far or booked out three weeks in advance. We just weren't satisfied with the level of care provided in the places closest to us that had immediate availability. Thus, we decided to start our own establishment.

My girlfriend and I approached a fellow dog lover (she too has two rescue dogs) with our idea to start a dog daycare and kennel. We all three volunteer with rescues and other dog organizations, have a passion for animal care, donate to several animal causes and want our babies to be spoiled at all times. These philosophies created a strong foundation for Mile High Canine Club.

The three of us spent weeks searching for the perfect facility. We wanted something with a large outdoor and indoor area. We wanted something close and convenient but far enough from a major intersection (just in case a dog got off leash during drop off or pick up). We wanted something with multiple outdoor access points (to allow playgroups to go out different doors). After 2 months of searching, we found the perfect place. It was zoned correctly, the landlord welcomed our application (many others denied us based on the animal aspect), and the indoor area was huge (4,800 sq ft) with multiple access points to the 7,500 sq ft outside space (already enclosed by a 6 foot cedar fence!). We immediately signed a lease and hired a contractor to begin building our dream canine palace at 1346 W. Cedar Avenue.

We hired a designer to do our space planning and building layout. She measured the place, designed a beautiful lobby with lots of windows (so owners could view the playgroups), and created four distinct play areas that could be collapsed into two (in case we had larger playgroups). She designed the entrance door on one end and the exit on the other to eliminate the congestion of dogs in one opening. She picked great colors, great materials and the build out began.

During the construction phase, we joined a few email group lists for dog daycare and kennel owners. This provided valuable information and lessons learned from around the nation. One of the advantages to working in the dog care field is the willingness of others to share information. After all, we do have the same goal in mind: canine care. Through these email discussions we learned best practices for interviewing dogs, feeding restrictions, effective operating procedures and much more.

We used all of our research and past experience volunteering with rescues and humane societies to create our own operating procedures to support our philosophy. We are differentiating ourselves by spoiling our members the way we spoil our own dogs. We do this by providing more amenities like purified water and filtered air, dog beds, lots of toys, healthy treats, plenty of playtime and cuddle time, a trained and educated staff, an onsite manager with Veterinarian Assistant training, partnering with a knowledgeable vet, an outdoor area without pea gravel (to minimize irritated paws) and calling customers to provide updates on their dog while they are out of town. Our web cams provide customers with the ability to view their dogs while they are away. We ask owners to provide food to mitigate unnecessary gastrointestinal disruption. We administer medications and don't charge a premium to do so. Our kennel rates are the same 365 days a year; we don't charge more for holiday stays. Our goal is to make the dog and owner happy. We believe that a well socialized and loved dog is a happier dog. We created an environment that allowed our LuLu, to gain confidence and make friends (she actually wags her tail, fetches and barks now!). We would like to share that environment with your babies.

In addition to providing exceptional canine care to our customers, we also continue to assist the rescue organizations. It is our mission to partner with area rescues and assist in facilitating fundraising events as often as possible. In our first month of business we hosted a dog wash to benefit the Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue. We charged $10/wash and 95% of the money was given to the rescue. In November 2005 we are hosting the Good Samaritan Pet Adoption Center Holiday Open House. We are allowing them to use our facility free of charge. We have also contacted other local rescues and humane societies offering our facility and time. Promoting these worthwhile organizations is important to us. After all, they started this mission by bringing LuLu into our family.

If you are in need of dog daycare and/or kenneling, give us a call. We would be happy to provide your dog's first day free of charge, after they pass the initial behavioral interview, that is. Come in today to see what a day does for your dog!

Mile High Canine Club
1346 W. Cedar Ave
Denver, CO 80223
303-722-2011

info@milehighcanineclub.com

http://www.milehighcanineclub.com/

The Proper Use Of Dog Identification Tag

2009-01-12T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Dave Poon

Losing your dog could be a very sad experience. Dogs are more than just pets; they are also our guardians and our companions. It is said that dogs are more loyal than other animals and are in fact, even more loyal than most of us; hence, a dog is considered as man's best friend.

No matter how we try to keep our dogs always within sight, however, they sometimes go astray. Chances are, without any form of identification, they may not be returned by those who find them and they might be gone for good. This is where the importance of a dog identification tag comes in. Since your dog cannot speak for himself, its dog identification tag shall tell the finder where to return your lost dog.

A typical dog identification tag is a flat metal tag attached to the collar, chain, rope or harness worn by the dog around its neck. It usually displays the name of the owner, his contact number or his address. It's used to easily and quickly notify the owner when the dog is found.

In UK, affixing a dog identification tag on the dog's collar is a legal duty. A Control of Dog Order was issued in 1992 which required all dog owners to fix on their dog a collar with a dog identification tag on it whenever it is in public places such as a public road or a public resort. The dog identification tag must have pertinent information such as the name of the dog, and the name and address of the owner so the dog can be easily and quickly returned to the owner when lost. These pieces of information may also be engraved on the collar itself or on a plate attached to the collar. A violation of such law would cost you £2,000.

There are also exemptions to the Control of Dog Order of 1992. Not covered by the legislation are the following:

a. dogs that are officially used on by armed forces, HM Customs & Excise or the police
b. dogs that are used in sport events
c. dogs that are used in capturing and destroying vermin
d. dogs that are used to drive or tend sheep
e. dogs that are used by blind people to guide them
f. dogs that are used in rescuing in the event of emergencies

In the US, using dog identification tags is not obligatory; however, many dog-friendly organizations recommend the use of such tag. Moreover, most Americans, dog lovers as they are (American Veterinary Medical Association 54% of all households in the US have at least one pet dog; 47% of them consider their pets as members of the family), feel and understand the need of using dog identification tags.

As an alternative to dog identification tags, some dog owners prefer to have their dogs tattooed as collars and dog id tags may also be lost. Today, with the emergence and advancement of RFID technology, it's already possible to implant microchip with control numbers under the dog's skin. This makes tracking for a lost dog easier and faster.

Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in pets and pet safety. For more information regarding Dog Identification Tag, please drop by at http://pets.answerwisely.com

The Shih Tzu Tibetan Heritage

2009-01-11T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

There has been opinions that the Tibetan Lion Dog is the result of a cross between the Lhassa Terrier and the Pekingese. The dogs of each country, the Lhassa Terrier from Tibet and the Pekingese from China had been taken to the other country from time to time. The cross in Tibet that was taken out of that country through India has been called the Apso, while the Chinese cross has more of the Pekingese. It is the opinion of some that all these breeds were interbred to create the first Shih Tzu in China.

When first Shih Tzu imported into England in 1930, the Shih Tzu were classified as Apsos. The two breeds were distinguished as separate in 1934.

The Shih Tzu of Scandinavian background were in an even different category during this same time period. It is not documented anywhere of any of the Shih Tzu Scandinavian lines being mistaken for Lhasa Apso, even after importation into the United States. Their appearance was so different of the Lhasa Apso that there was no likelihood of confusing the Scandinavian Shih Tzu lines with the Lhasa Apso.

There was a considerable amount of fear expressed by the British Shih Tzu Club of potential "disastrous" crossbreedings in the United States. They encouraged future American purchasers to avoid any further confusion between the Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso in the U.S.A.

The American Shih Tzu Club code of ethics plainly states that crossbreeding a Shih Tzu with any other breed, whether it be with Lhasa Apso or the Pekingese breed, is strictly prohibited. This code of ethics should be adhered to by all Shih Tzu Purebred Breeders.

The two breeds of the Lhasa Apso and the Shih Tzu have been kept separate now for many years. A suggestion to help distinquish the two breeds from one another is to always show the Shih Tzu with the long sweep of hair on the top of the head tied with a rubber band into a top knot, the hair above the head then fanning out into a "palm tree." The Apso has its long hair of the head styled as parted n the center, then mingling with the ear featherings.

The fact that both Shih Tzu and the Lhasa Apso have common ancestry is highly probable according to all the documentations found in our history of the two breeds. However, one should continually look for and appreciate the subtleties of the different characteristics of Chinese Shih Tzu and Tibetan Apso. They have become two quite distinctly different breeds.

The earliest "Lion Dog" in Tibet were probably long-haired and small and somewhat similar to the Maltese in type. As the cultural and religious ties between Tibet and China flowed over the centuries, the exchange of dogs no doubt became mutual between them. The Chinese have been most certainly known to interbred their small dogs, of which were more varieties than the Shih Tzu, with the long-haired Tibetans, and something similar occurred in Tibet without much reason to doubt this fact.

Again, however, I want to emphasize here: The crossbreedings mentioned in this article is a part of our past Shih Tzu History. The Present Day American Shih Tzu Club's Code of Ethics clearly states that crossbreeding a Shih Tzu with any other breed, is strictly prohibited and against the Shih Tzu Purebred Ethics for a Shih Tzu Breeder of the Purebred Shih Tzu. We must all adhere to this Code of Ethics.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Ring Worm Treatments

2009-01-10T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Marcus Peterson

Ringworm is an infectious skin disease spread by fungi called Dermatophytes. It spreads itself by forming ring-like pattern on skin with a circular rash that is inflamed at the edges and clean at the center.

Though, ringworm is a curable disease it should never be taken lightly or ignored. If left untreated it will spread and can become chronic. As soon as you notice symptoms like itching, burning, dryness, or circular flaky rashes on the skin, consult your family doctor for immediate treatment.

The regular treatment for ringworm usually takes 2-4 weeks depending on its intensity. The most common treatment methods include applying topical anti fungal creams like miconazole or cloritmazole on affected areas. These creams and many anti-ringworm ointments are readily available.

Since creams may not be applied to affected area such as toenails or scalp, oral medication along with ointments developed especially for these body parts may be prescribed. Scalp ringworms are major cause of hair loss and require aggressive treatment.

If ringworm resists regular treatment, consult a skin specialist. She may advise you to take oral medication along with special ointments to control or stop the growth of fungi. Oral medications are usually accompanied by side effects too that include gastrointestinal upset, abnormal liver functioning, decreased clotting ability of blood. If you are taking any medication for ulcer or GERD treatment, you must inform your doctor in advance since they may interfere with this therapy.

Ring Worms provides detailed information about ring worm, human ring worm and more. Ring Worms is affiliated with Dry Skin Lotion.

Create A Backyard Habitat For Wild Birds With A Bird Feeder

2009-01-09T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chris Robertson

With a little imagination and very little effort, you can transform your backyard into a natural habitat for birds. Whether you're an avid birdwatcher, or simply want to invite nature a little closer to your home, birdfeeders put down the welcome mat for our avian friends.

According to the Audubon Society (www.audubon.org), a bird feeder comes in one of four basic designs. Ground feeders are flat and open, have a screened bottom, and rest off the ground and should be situated ten feet from nearby trees or bushes so that birds can fly away from any predators. Ground feeders can be made squirrel proof by utilizing wire mesh over the bird feeder.

Tube birdfeeders are cylindrical in shape and typically have openings that allow birds to access the seeds. They should be hung off the ground and, for maximum enjoyment, near a window so that family members can witness the wild birds that come to visit.

Suet and hopper bird feeders are typically shaped like houses. A suet bird feeder, made for wild birds that peck at the seed mixed into the suet, is usually hung, while a hopper bird feeder can either be hung or placed on a post for easy access by wild birds. A hopper bird feeder contains a large quantity of seed, which is released when the wild bird steps on the feeder trigger. Hopper birdfeeders attract both small and large birds, including the cardinal.

Unlike the tube and hopper birdfeeders, the thistle bird feeder is designed with very small holes, allowing only small-beaked finches to access the food. Thistle birdfeeders should be hung, and can be made squirrel proof.

The Audubon Society also provides helpful tips on making your backyard friendly to hummingbirds by populating it with humming bird feeders. They suggest that you use several humming bird feeders and fill each with sugar water, being careful to avoid using red food coloring and honey. In addition, you should change the solution in the humming bird feeder weekly, or more often in hot weather.

It is certainly possible to make your own bird feeders, but there are several great birdfeeders available on the market, including those made by Droll Yankee, Opus, Woodllink, and Duncraft.

To get the most out of your bird watching experience, the Audubon Society suggests that you utilize several different types of bird feeders and that you place them at various heights and locations. In this way, you will attract a wide variety of wild birds. In addition, be sure that your efforts to create a backyard habitat don't harm the birds you are trying to attract. Keep birdfeeders three feet away from windows to avoid collisions, and make sure to keep your cat indoors.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Pets and Supplies Website and Majon's Pets and Supplies directory.

West Highland White Terriers A Wonderful Breed Apart

2009-01-08T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jeff Cuckson

West Highland White Terriers are furry coated dogs, with dots for coal black eyes and button noses.

Why are West Highland White Terrier puppies sought after by many dog lovers? Because these friendly creatures are well-behaved, loyal and affectionate dogs, who may be pocket sized (average a 10-11 inches tall), but are highly intelligent animals.

You won't have a hard time training these dogs, whether solely as house pets, or for show. Their keen intelligence makes it seem like play. However, they learn better and best to training sessions that are done on a schedule.

Brush their white coats two to three times a week, to keep it shiny and clean. If you do intend to enter them for competition, make sure your pet is regularly trimmed, plucked and stripped of his or her coat.

A West Highland white terrier lives an average of 15+ years, and usually has a litter of two to five puppies.

What is the history behind the West Highland White Terrier breed? This breed originated in Scotland developed in the high mountains of West Scotland, to hunt vermin. They claim a common ancestry to the Scotch Terrier.

References to the existence of the West Highland White Terrier can be seen as early as the 18th century, like one painting done by Sir Edwin Landseer. The piece entitled "The Breakfast Party" clearly features the West Highland Terriers.

Another name of the West Highland White Terrier, is as the Poltalloch terrier. The name refers to the home of Col. E.D. Malkolm, the first breeder of these breed. In 1907, the breed then registered as the Roseneath terrier, little Skye and Cairn. Then in 1909, AKC officially changed the breed's name to what it is known as today, West Highland White Terrier breed.

In the past West Highland White Terriers, were considered to belong to the one breed, with Dandie Dinmont, Skye, Cairn and Scottish Terriers. However, although they share common ancestors, selective breeding resulted in the differences between their coat type and colors.

A surprising fact about this breed is, given that the West Highland White Terrier was originally bred to traipse the steep and rugged mountain sides, Westies are well adjusted to today's living conditions. As long as they are walked several times a day, they are good apartment dwellers.

It's not that hard to see then that the West Highland White Terrier definitely qualifies as one of man's best friends.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

I do hope that you have found the article of use to you.

Good health and happiness

Jeff Cuckson
webmaster@madaboutwesties.com
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Reincarnating Pets

2009-01-07T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nedda Wittels

It is always sad when a beloved animal family member leaves their body and goes into spirit. We call this death, but truly, no one dies. The physical body drops away as the spirit separates from it and goes into another dimension. The spirit is the being that we truly love, although we may be attached to the physical aspect that we associated with that being. Since we are still in physical, we often miss the sight, touch and smell of our friend and we grieve this loss, which is appropriate.

As an Animal Communicator, I frequently speak with clients and their animals who have passed into spirit. When the animal tells me they want to return it leads to discussions about what form they plan to take and when they might come. Sometimes animals tell me that they "try out" different forms while still in spirit. At other times, they already have decided or know exactly what form they want, down to sex , size and color of the body.

Humans always want to know how they will recognize their beloved friend upon their return and how they will be able to find them. The replies are fairly consistent. "You will recognize my energy." "Look into my eyes and you will know me." "This is a time for you to learn to trust your intuition."

One of my clients, who had two dogs, was sad to realize that the older dog, Chanel, a white German Shepard female, was getting ready to pass into spirit. I spoke telepathically with Chanel prior to her leaving, and again, after she had completed her spiritual transition work. In a series of conversations with Chanel in spirit, she explained that she wanted to return to her family. She was very specific, saying she wanted to be a white German Shepard female once more, perhaps a bit smaller in size. She said she would return in the New England area, where her family lived, and would be born around April 1, 2002.

Her person wrote, "White German Shepherds are fairly rare. However, that June, after much searching and networking, a friend of a friend told us of a white, female German Shepherd in Manchester, Connecticut, born on April 1. She warned us that this dog wasn't very friendly or social with anyone. We immediately visited the puppy. Everyone was amazed how she came right to us, sat down and gave me her paw!"

My client e-mailed some photos of the puppy to me, and in a telepathic session, she claimed to be Chanel. It certainly sounded and felt like Chanel to me, and my client also sensed it was her friend. She named the dog Lily, and brought her home on June 10, 2002. My client wrote, "It was amazing how she knew where everything was and, although we were told that she was not housetrained, we did not have to do anything in that regard. Lily had only one accident and was instantly going to the door to ask to go out--the same door Chanel used to go to! Finding Lily and knowing she is also Chanel has been a wonderful experience for our family. We feel blessed to have gotten our Chanel back in the form of another loving and beautiful canine."

Not every return to the physical plane takes places so quickly. Animals from our childhood may return when we are adults. Sometimes they come many times in our same lifetime, and other times they come once and then not again until we experience a different life. One of my cats, Violet, has been with me three previous times in my current lifetime, each time as a cat. You can read the story of Violet's most recent return at http://raysofhealinglight.com (click on Nedda Wittels, and then click on Violet Returns).

The important thing to remember is that we are never truly separated from the ones we love. We can speak to them while they are in spirit. Many of them visit us after they pass over. At other times, they may choose to return to us in physical.

One cat already in spirit was clear that she planned to return soon. "I want to be a dog this time," she told her family. The cat wanted to be a small, white, and lap size. The family was more interested in a larger type of dog. They compromised, agreeing on a nearly white Golden Retriever. When the family found her, they were so certain it was she that they never even asked me to speak with her to be sure.

Compromises of this type are not always possible. Types of bodies, sex, and colors, and possibly other details of appearance and genetics have different vibrations. The being who is returning has specific life experiences and lessons they may be planning to incorporate into their next lifetime. Sometimes they simply prefer a particular form or color. It is up to spirit to make these determinations. It is not up to us to try to control the process and the form the animal is choosing.

Another cat I spoke with didn't ever purr, according to her family. They wanted to know why she would make growling sounds whenever they stroked her, yet didn't move away or try to scratch or bite them. The cat explained that she had never been a cat before and was very experienced at being a dog. She said she didn't know how to purr, and was trying to imitate the sound. What came out sounded like a growl.

Experience has taught me that our job is to allow the returning being into our lives with love and acceptance. It is not our job to orchestrate all the details. Most returning spirits give us just enough information to get us to search for them. We are encouraged to strengthen our intuition and to learn to recognize them by their energy, their spirit. Then, when we welcome them with open arms and hearts, we experience the miracle of their return.

Rev. Nedda Wittels, M.A., M.S., is a telepathic Animal Communicator, Spiritual Counselor, and Shamballa Master/Teacher, offering private sessions in communication and healing for humans and animals. She teaches workshops in Animal Communication, Communication with Nature, and Shamballa Multidimensional Healing. She can be reached at 860.651.5771, NeddaW@aol.com, and http://www.raysofhealinglight.com

First Aid For Pets

2009-01-06T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jennifer Horning

Ever consider a first aid kit for Fido or Fluffy? There are a number of items and techniques to help a pet stay comfortable until professional help can be reached. Of course in any emergency situation, your veterinarian should be notified for immediate treatment.

· Choking The Heimlich Maneuver can be very effective for pets. Even if your vet is just a phone call away, every pet owner should be able to perform this life saving technique. Be sure to ask your veterinarian how to properly perform the Heimlich Maneuver on your pet.

· Burns Thermal burns on pets are treated much the same way humans treat burns. Apply a topical, soothing ointment such as aloe vera or Vitamin E oil to promote healing and ease the "sting" of the burn. Electrical burns are very serious, as they can stop a pet's heart, so contact your veterinarian immediately if this is the case.

· Poisoning One good product to keep in your first aid kit is "activated charcoal". This is commonly used for children as well. Activated charcoal will absorb toxins or poisons that were ingested, so that it can harmlessly pass through the digestive system.

· Wounds If your pet has a fresh, bleeding wound, try to subdue the animal and apply pressure with a cool, damp, cloth. Hold firmly for 10-20 minutes. If you are unable to stop the bleeding during this time, contact your veterinarian. Consider using a light wrap such as an ace bandage, and change this bandage frequently. A topical antibiotic ointment may be helpful to speed healing and keep wound clean.

· Abrasions Run cool water over the scrape several times daily to promote cleaning and healing. A topical healing ointment may be used. Bandages for abrasions are not usually recommended.

· Sprains and Strains Apply a cool compress or ice pack wrapped in a towel to the affected area to reduce swelling and ease pain. Warm and cool compresses may be alternated to increase circulation and promote healing.

· Broken Bones After calling the veterinarian, try to stabilize your pet by comforting him/her. Try to keep pet as calm and quiet as possible. A cool compress may be used to help keep swelling down, but generally the area will be very painful and sensitive to the touch. Makeshift splints and bandaging are not recommended for those who have no training in this area.

Smart pet owners will be prepared for any emergency. Be sure to have your veterinary emergency contact information in an obvious location (such as posted on your refrigerator or home message center).

Jennifer Horning has worked in the veterinary field for over 10 years as an assistant to a veterinarian homeopath/nutritionist.

Shih Tzu Early Socialization Is Essential For Your Shih Tzu Puppy

2009-01-04T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

Teaching a shih tzu puppy or a shih tzu dog proper socialization skills is vital to the safety of both your dog and other dogs and people with whom he comes into contact. A properly socialized shih tzu dog is a happy dog, and a joy to be around for both humans and animals. A poorly socialized shih tzu dog, or one with no socialization at all, is a danger to other animals, other people and even his own family.

Socialization is best done when the shih tzu puppy is as young as possible The socialization lessons a young shih tzu puppy learns are difficult to undo, and it is important to remember that the socialization skills the shih tzu puppy learns will affect his behavior for the rest of his life.

A shih tzu dog that is properly socialized will be neither frightened of nor aggressive towards either animals or humans. A properly socialized shih tzu dog will take each new experience and stimulus in stride, and not become fearful or aggressive. Shih tzu dogs that are not properly socialized often bite because of fear, and such a shih tzu dog can become a hazard and a liability to the family who owns it. Improperly socialized shih tzu dogs are also unable to adapt to new situations. A routine matter like a trip to the vets or to a friends house can quickly stress the shih tzu dog out and lead to all sorts of problems.

Socialization is best done when the shih tzu puppy is very young, perhaps around 12 weeks of age. Even after 12 weeks, however, it is important that the shih tzu puppy continues its socialization in order to refine the all important social skills. It is possible to socialize an older shih tzu puppy, but it is very difficult to achieve after the all important 12 week period has passed.

There are some definite do's and don't when it comes to properly socializing any shih tzu puppy. Let's start with what to do. Later in this article we will explore what to avoid.

Socialization do's

Make each of the socialization events as pleasant and non-threatening for the shih tzu puppy as possible. If a shih tzu puppy's first experience with any new experience is an unpleasant one, it will be very difficult to undo that in the shih tzu puppy's mind. In some cases, an early trauma can morph into a phobia that can last for a lifetime. It is better to take things slow and avoid having the shih tzu puppy become frightened or injured.

Try inviting your friends over to meet the new shih tzu puppy. It is important to include as many different people as possible in the shih tzu puppy's circle of acquaintances, including men, women, children, adults, as well as people of many diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages.

Also invite friendly and healthy dogs and puppies over to meet your puppy. It is important for the shih tzu puppy to meet a wide variety of other animals, including cats, hamsters, rabbits and other animals he is likely to meet. It is of course important to make sure that all animals the shih tzu puppy comes into contact with have received all necessary vaccinations.

Take the shih tzu puppy to many different places, including shopping centers, pet stores, parks, school playgrounds and on walks around the neighborhood. Try to expose the shih tzu puppy to places where they will be crowds of people and lots of diverse activity going on.

Take the shih tzu puppy for frequent short rides in the car. During these rides, be sure to stop the car once in a while and let the puppy look out the window at the world outside. Introduce your shih tzu puppy to a variety of items that may be unfamiliar. The shih tzu puppy should be exposed to common items like bags, boxes, vacuum cleaners, umbrellas, hats, etc. that may be frightening to him. Allow and encourage the shih tzu puppy to explore these items and see that he has nothing to fear from them.

Get the shih tzu puppy used to a variety of objects by rearranging familiar ones. Simply placing a chair upside down, or placing a table on its side, creates an object that your shih tzu puppy will perceive as totally new.

Get the shih tzu puppy used to common procedures like being brushed, bathed, having the nails clipped, teeth cleaned, ears cleaned, etc. Your groomer and your veterinarian with thank you for this.

Introduce the shih tzu puppy to common things around the house, such as stairs. Also introduce the shih tzu puppy to the collar and leash, so he will be comfortable with these items. There are of course some things to avoid when socializing a shih tzu puppy. These socialization don'ts include:

Do not place the shih tzu puppy on the ground when strange animals are present. An attack, or even a surprise inspection, by an unknown animal could traumatize the shih tzu puppy and hurt his socialization.

Do not inadvertently reward fear based behavior. When the shih tzu puppy shows fear, it is normal to try to sooth it, but this could reinforce the fear based behavior and make it worse. Since biting is often a fear based behavior, reinforcing fear can create problems with biting.

Do not force or rush the socialization process. It is important to allow the shih tzu puppy to socialize at his own pace.

Do not try to do too much too soon. Young shih tzu puppies have short attention spans, and continuing lessons after that attention span has passed will be a waste of your time and your puppy's.

Do not wait too long to begin. There is a short window in which to begin the socialization process. A young shih tzu puppy is a blank slate, and it is important to fill that slate with positive socialization skills as early as possible.

Shih Tzu Care Of Your Shih Tzu After Whelping

2009-01-03T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

During a shih tzu whelping you should have the puppies in a small box (I use plastic rubbermaid boxes of various sizes). In bottom of the box place a heating pad. On top the heating pad, place a soft baby receiving blanket. Drape another receiving blanket over top the box. This creates an incubator type environment for your newborns.

When you are sure your shih tzu has delivered all her puppies, place the puppies from the incubator box in the whelping box with mom (after you clean the whelping box and provide clean linens). I use various types of whelping box liners such as towels, quilts, baby blankets, regular blankets. Most shih tzu mothers are anxious to accept their babies and will probably make a fuss about any of them being out of her reach. There is always the exception, however, and if she does not accept them right away do not be alarmed. I have never had a shih tzu mother to refuse her babies for longer than a few minutes actually. If mom is tired or in a momentary state of shock she might not feel like being with her newborns right away.

A funny story about one of my shih tzu moms, which was my movie star girl, Ginger, and I will place Ginger's picture in this article. I had a family emergency just as Ginger started to deliver her first litter. Oddly she whelped in daylight (usually it is always night or early morning for whelpings). I had no other choice but to leave her for a short while. She had whelped one puppy with me by her side doing my chores with the whelping process. When I returned, I found just that one puppy she whelped before I left and I assumed she had not delivered anymore. I looked at her and said, Ginger, no more puppies yet?

Suddenly Ginger pointed with her head to the small step that leads out of this area where she was whelping and there layed another puppy. I could almost hear her saying: "over there it is." It was comical and I labeled it as one of the shih tzu's many comical antics they are capable of coming up with. I also was troubled she did that. There she sat in the whelping box by herself. The one puppy she whelped before I left still in its spot. And now on the step lays her second puppy. Why in this world she got up there and had the puppy, then returned to her box is left to anyone's imagination or opinion, but I felt it was an "antic," perhaps even because I left her. She knew I was looking for more puppies as soon as I returned and immediately showed me where it was. Almost anything to be contrary sometimes is a shih tzu.

I have always been able to put the shih tzu newborns in with the mother immediately after the whelping. I keep a heating pad in the box with mom and puppies.

You should take your mother shih tzu to the vet within 8 hours after a whelping. He will give her two injections most likely. One is to expel all things from uterus (sometimes part of a placenta or even a dead puppy may remain in the uterus). The other injection will be an antibiotic to guard against infection. Calcium pills and small supply of antibiotics might also be prescribed. Different vets have different protocols. Sometimes a vet will have you to give your shih tzu mom calcium pills until weaning.

If your mom shih tzu had a long whelping, you might offer her some milk between the delivery of the puppies and give her a chance to relieve herself. You will want to carry her out, and keep a tight rein on her. You don't want her running off somewhere to finish delivering. Some of my shih tzu have repeatedly tried to pick their own whelping spot and it could be under the porch for all they care. Why they would choose under the porch rather than a nice soft blanket in a box to deliver is way beyond me, except of course, just another way to be stubborn and contrary.

Clean the hindquarters with a damp towel right after whelping and dry her thoroughly. When it seems she has rested some, settled in and the puppies have nursed a little and are quiet, it will be safe to take mom for a full shampoo. Be sure and leave the heating pad in the whelping box and put your receiving blanket over the whelping box to hold in the heat. Chilling is number one cause for newborn fatality. Don't let mom get chilled during the bath. Blow dry her thoroughly. She will probably be nervous and upset to be taken away from her babies and very anxious to return to them, but you need to be sure mom shih tzu is thoroughly dry before returning her to her babies, so pay this no attention.

A breeder's main tasks after whelping and until weaning time is to keep the captain of the ship (your shih tzu mom) well fed, plenty of fresh water and a clean, dry whelping box. There are several effective cleaners on the market for cleaning the box. I like using just a mixture of bleach and water. Clorox bleach is very effective against parvo virus. At this point, the breeder can begin to feel much like a "maid servant" to her shih tzu mom and newborns. The sight of these precious little babies make up for most of it, however. If they are a healthy crew, they will wiggle and squirm nudging each other out of the way to get to their precious "milk," from mom.

My moms often will be so excited about their babies, they will hold out their tongues as if in sheer joy and laughter. Look out for a fuss from mom each time you remove the puppies from the box to clean. She will most likely jump inside the small box you place the puppies in, no matter how small that box is, my mothers still try to fit themselves in there with their new babies. They are terrified the babies cannot survive a second without them, and this is actually very, very true. There is no other care that replaces the care of the mother during this time of a newborn's life. I always try my best to accommodate mom's wishes, and respect her instinct, although it does create a little havoc at cleaning time. At this time, newborn shih tzu are aware of anything but their mother. Mom will stimulate them to defecate and urinate. They are born unable to do so on their own. Their eyes and their ears are glued shut. Their open up at about 10 days.

I recommend and feed HealthyPetNet Life's Abundance to my nursing moms.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

The Geriatric Older Dog Overview

2009-01-02T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Moses Chia

Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according to size and breed. It is commonly held that dogs live 7 years for every year that we man does. However, this serve as only a rough guide when converting and calculating your dog's age as dogs grow up very rapidly in their early years and then slow down.

For example, a 1 year old dog is comparable to a 15 year old kid, at age 6, he is comparable to 40 years old in human terms. By 12, it is consider a geriatric dog and is equivalent to an 80 year old man.

It is generally believed that the smaller the dog breeds, the longer they live. Small breeds such as Terrier and Poodle may not slow down until 13 or 14 and could live to 17. On the other hand, larger breeds such as Great Dane and Wolfhounds rarely live pass 9 years.

Diet

A healthy diet for the older dog should be senior food that are formulated with low in fat and salt for a healthy heart, lower calories to help combat obesity since they are less active, lower protein to help the kidneys and liver, and higher fiber for the bowels to prevent constipation.

A switch to a specially formulated commercial diet for the older dog will usually perk him up. If you have no clues about your older dog's diet, you should consult your vet for advice.

Medical attention

You'll probably find that your older dog needs more medical attention than before because this is the time where age-related problems start to kick in. If possible, try to make more than just an annual visit to the vet and keep vaccinations up to date. A yearly geriatric screen, including blood and x-ray would also be useful to keep a closer eye on his health.

Patience

Patience is a key factor on your part when you deal with your beloved dog as he grows older. More often than not, he will develop age related problems such as tooth decay, periodontal diseases, vision impairment, hearing loss and also less active than before.

In any case, try to give them more time and understanding because they are not in their prime anymore. With enough love and care, older dogs can still continue their enjoyment of life well into old age.

Take good care of me when I get old. Someday you will be as old as me and you will see how it feels. ~ unknown dog

Moses Chia is the webmaster of DogsObedienceTraining.com. He provides more helpful information on dog obedience training, dog training book reviews and dog illness symptoms interpretation that you can learn in the comfort of your home on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

Get A List Of Dog Breeds And Choose The Right Dog For Your Household

2009-01-01T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ruth Bird

Breeds of dog differ in many ways: body size Chihuahua to Bernese Mountain Dog. They differ in proportion like the Pit Bull to the Greyhound. They differ in head shape, ear shape, coat length and texture and in colour. Get a book and study a list dog breeds.

Much of their physical traits matched the need for the function of the original breed. Do not rely only on the dog breed pictures. There are many directories of breeds of dogs. Buy one, or go to the library and borrow one.

Today, behavior is even more important.

Too often prospective dog owners select a breed based on its physical trait and not its character.

The toughest guard dog is of no using if it falls asleep at the front door. Dogs enjoy as many breed behavioral traits as they do physical traits. Don't be surprised by this.

Dogs are prone to act in certain ways that are dictated by their genes. Not all dogs will act the same within a breed, but most will.

There is one behavioral trait that is present in all dogs. Their love towards their owner/master.

You need to first analyze why you want a dog, before you select a dog. If you have kids you need to find out the breed that is good with kids. But, do not forget, you also need to teach your kids how to behave with a dog. A dog is NOT a stuffed emotionless toy. It is a living creature with emotions. Also, please, do not make kids take responsibility for a dog. It is an adult job to do that.

If you are basically older in years, well you will not want a breed that needs lots of exercise. Or, a breed that may pull your arm out when walking.

The size of a dog needs to be considered. If you have a huge dog and a small kid, they could bump heads and the child get hurt and that being no fault of the dog.

Choosing a breed entails more than looking at pictures. Check out the breed profile. Talk with owners of the same breed in the same circumstances as you. Meet some "live" dogs of the kind you are looking at.

Study the history of the breed. It will show you what molded that breed to be what it is today. For instance, an old breed of dog that was bread to dig out vermin will end up digging up your yard...it is in the genes!

A sheep herder may end up nipping a little in the heels.

Also, check into the more modern breeds. There are some amazing new "oodle" dog breeds. These new "oodle" dogs are great for dog allergy sufferers.

Make sure your energy levels match.

And all that being said. Look for the surprises. For instance, the greyhound race dogs make amazing pets for seniors, or those who do not partake in lots of activity. They make great apartment dogs. They love to sleep in the day, often curled up on a couch or pillow. They do NOT crave activity or exercise. They are trained to perfection and they are loving dogs. Go figure. Just when we think we have it all figured out.

So you see, do not just run out and get a dog. Get the right dog for your household. Train that dog and you will have a friend and family member for life.

Ruth's passions are people and pet health. She is very active with dog therapy visiting. She has two certified therapy dogs that visit in Senior Health Care Centers. Her Dog Blog: http://www.happypetstop.com/blog Her Dog Therapy Visiting site: http://www.mimfreedom.com/dogtherapy.htm

Pet Training

2008-12-31T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by J.J. Nielson

Do you have an unruly dog or cat that just won't behave? When animals don't listen to their masters and start to become destructive around the house, it is probably time for some good old fashioned pet training. There is much more to pet training than just teaching your dog the basic commands like sit, stay, heel, lay down, and roll over. When you can become the leader for your animals, they will follow you and live up to the name of man's best friend.

There are many pet training tools that you can use if you prefer to try teaching your pet commands or tricks at home. You don't have to be a professional dog trainer to get your dog or cat to come, stay, or listen to you. The first rule to follow is to be very calm and assertive around your dogs and cats, so that they get the message that you are in control. You might also want to purchase training leads, collars, treats, leashes and other helpful pet supplies to assist you in the teaching process.

When you begin your pet training, whether with a professional or at home, remember that if you get frustrated or angry with your pets, you probably won't be able to teach them very easily. Patience and repetition is key, and the more you practice and also exercise your animals, the better your relationship with them will be. Consider getting a pet training video or book to help you teach your dog or cat the best behavior.

J.J. Nielson is a successful graphic artist and published internet author. She has worked closely with prominent dog behaviorists and leads her own pack of animals at home.

For more pet resources and information, visit our site at http://www.best-pet-supply-online.com

Train Your Dog With Respect

2008-12-30T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Wendy Yeager

Proper training of your dog should begin when he is a puppy. The first four months of a dog's life are very important in the training of your dog. This is when they learn behaviors that they will practice in the future.

Socializing your dog is one of the most important things you can do to influence your dog's future behavior. As soon as you bring your new puppy home, you should start letting him interact with other puppies, dogs and humans. Take your dog to parks where there will be other pets and people. Ask your friends if it is okay for your dog to visit their dog at their home or yours. Puppies will learn how to get along with other puppies and dogs if they are allowed to play with them when they are young. Introduce your dog to new experiences. Give him rides in the car, walk him on a leash around the park, let him hear the vacuum cleaner running. Help your puppy get used to a regular routine of baths, brushing , and healthy meals.

Housebreaking your puppy takes a lot of patience. Fix up a nice little space or room for your puppy. Place his food and water bowl there along with some favorite toys. Be sure to put newspapers all over the floor and replace them often. When you are at home with the puppy, let him out of his room for a short period of time to roam around and play. Return your puppy to his room and the newspapers after about 30-45 minutes to help with his housebreaking. Do not punish your puppy for having an accident. It could take up to six months before he is fully housebroken. Remember, most puppies can't control their bladder overnight until they are about four months old.

Your puppy will undoubtedly want to chew on things he shouldn't. Train him to leave your things alone by keeping them out of reach and by providing him with a variety of doggy chew toys. If he chews on your favorite slipper, don't punish him. Simply replace the slipper with one of his own chew toys. Praise him for playing with his own toys.

Sometimes, you will have to leave your dog home alone. Help him to feel comfortable alone by leaving on the television or radio for company. Leave an adequate amount of food and water. Don't forget to leave lots of doggy toys for him to play with.

You may be having trouble training your dog. Maybe he's not responding to your commands or seems to be ignoring you. Or maybe the housebreaking is backfiring and your dog is having accidents all over the house. These may be signs of a medical condition. Be sure to visit the vet regularly to rule out things like loss of hearing or bladder infections. Always be sure your dog is healthy, happy and well cared for.

If you feel this job is too big for you or you just want some additional instruction or behavioral training for your dog,, there are many reputable professional dog trainers and obedience schools. Do some research and ask questions to find the right school for your dog.

Most importantly, you must be a responsible owner in order to train them properly. If you want your dog to trust and respect you, you must do the same in return. Never hit, kick, or slap your dog. Include your dog in family outings and games and general family life. Do not play aggressive games with them as this can cause them to behave aggressively. Reward good behavior and yet do not spoil your dog. Remember, if you practice lots of patience, love and respect for your dog, you will receive the same from him.

About The Author

Wendy Yeager

http://www.wenmarcorp.com/dogs-go2

mjy222@hotmail.com

Dogs And Cats How To Select The Right Pet For You

2008-12-29T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Simon Guilder

From Lassie to Garfield, many of us have been entertained by shows depicting animals and have enjoyed having pets of our own.

If you have not had the pleasant experience of living with a pet, you might want to consider it now. The companionship and fun offered by having a pet of your own can't be beat.

People choose everything from iguanas to parakeets for their pets, but dogs and cats are by far the most popular choices. Which of these would be best for you is the subject of this article.

Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when selecting species and breed for you and your family.

Both dogs and cats are wonderful as pets. You may want to be checked for allergies before adopting your pet because finding out you're allergic later can be heartbreaking.

You can find pets from a variety of places - from the animal shelter, where they generally have all their shots, to a local veterinarian's office that may have postings, to a breeder, easily located on the Internet.

When choosing a pet, remember to take into account the time and energy you have to care for your animal.

Cats are very self-sufficient animals who love to be treated like royalty. Although they can be friendly, they are also independent and after they get a little older, they can pretty much take care of themselves. You still have to train your new kitten to the litter box, but this is usually very easy.

If you're an extremely busy person and do not have a lot of time to spend with a pet, a cat may very well be your best choice. If you are going on a weekend trip, you can leave your cat at home without concern; this would not be possible if you had a dog.

Dogs are one of Nature's friendliest and most companionable creatures. Known as man's best friend, your dog will be excited when you come home, and until they become very old, they will enjoy walking and playing with you endlessly.

When they're puppies, dogs can take up a lot of your time as you have to house- train them if they're living inside, and if you choose a larger dog especially, you will need to make sure your schedule provides time for daily exercise for them.

Dogs were bred for specific purposes, and it is in your best interests to understand what "job" the dog you're interested in having was bred to do - even a mixed breed dog if you can find out what its main ancestry is.

For example, a collie was bred to herd animals. Their instinct is to round up a group by coming up behind and nudging, etc. This instinctive behavior is powerful, and virtually impossible to train out of a herding dog.

Also, herding involves covering distances at a run, so these dogs have incredible endurance. Knowing these characteristics helps you decide whether a collie is appropriate for you.

Collies are bred to work, and get neurotic if they don't have a "job." Plus, they need a great deal of exercise because they were bred for covering long distances.

To learn more about the characteristics and temperament of different breeds, you can find excellent books at your library or go online. Enter a term like 'dog breed description' in a search engine, and you will find many good informational sites.

Doing this little bit of research can save a lot of frustration trying to fight the nature of a dog that wasn't the right breed for you, and can help ensure that you find a dog with characteristics that enhance your enjoyment of its companionship.

Simon Guilder has made a study of topics related to domestic animals. He is contributing writer of articles for AC Dog and ARE Books

Shock Collars Teaching Your Dog Basic Obedience And Breaking Bad Habits

2008-12-28T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Byron Pappageorge

Shock Collars

Are you at a loss as to whether or not to purchase a shock collar for your pet? Yes, you love the little guy but the neighbors don't want him in their yard. Or, maybe they are complaining about the dog's barking? You need to do something and you are thinking about getting a shock collar? Here's some information to think about regarding shock collars.

When you are looking into shock collars you should think about what your goal is. Is the ultimate goal to keep the dog from barking? Perhaps you wish to limit the aggressiveness your dog shows? Even more so, you may need to ensure the animal stays on your property. There are different types of shock collars to accomplish these tasks.

While it may seem cruel to shock an animal into submission, the actual shock the dog receives is small. It will not leave a lasting mark or pain. There are always stories of shock collars malfunctioning and by doing so the animal gets hurt. But, the risk is much smaller than allowing that same animal to run into a busy street. So, the pet owner will have to decide if they want to use a shock collar or not.

Shock collars work by shocking the animal when it behaves badly. Say for example, that an animal is to remain in a certain area. No amount of telling the animal to stay keeps him there and the owner does not want to keep an eye on the animal the whole time they are outside. So, the result is purchasing and using a shock collar. The animal steps over the buried boundaries and it causes a small shock to emit from the collar. This tells the animal, NO! So, the dog backs away and ends up staying in its assigned area.

As you can see, there are many benefits to using a shock collar on your pet. While it may seem harmful, it really is minimal compared to its benefits. While many people may never decide this is for them, it may eventually become something that you find useful and gives you great success. Shock collars are one method of training an animal. If you should choose this method for your pet, take the time to realize the pros and cons. It is a rather large expense and should not be taken lightly.

http://www.dogtraining collars.net

Byron Pappageorge

English Bulldog History And Breeder Information

2008-12-27T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lane Jordan

The AKC standard for the English Bulldog is medium size, around 40-50 pounds. English Bulldog's have a smooth coat, a large short-face head, low swung body with wide shoulders. Today, Bulldogs are bred as a friendly dog that interacts well with both humans and other dogs. English Bulldog puppies and adult dogs can be cheerful, playful, frisky, suborn and protective. Bulldogs are know for their unique personalities.

The English Bulldog's flat face has been know to cause breathing problems for them. Due to this they can develop heat stroke easier than other dogs when the weather is hot. Their short legs make it difficult for them to swim, so they need to be monitored when around water. Some of their other health problems may include cataracts, hip problems, allergies, and cherry eye. Due to their large heads in relation to their medium sized bodies, many infant bulldogs are delivered by way of c-section to prevent their head from being stuck in the birth canal.

Originally, Bulldogs were bred for bullbaiting. This is a popular betting sport during 17th century England. The Bulldogs were trained to jump at the bull, clamp onto its snout and try to suffocate the bull. This sport was banned in England in 1885. After bullbaiting was banned, Bulldog clubs began to form in Britain to help enhance the breed. Bulldogs gained more prominence with the increasing popularity of dog shows in Great Britain. Bulldogs quickly rose to the top of the show dog ring and became a symbol of Great Britain.

Many universities, military institutions, and organizations throughout the world have used the Bulldog as their mascot. English Bulldogs have also been used in the artistic world with countless characters and references in paintings, books, films, performing arts, and music. Today, English Bulldogs continue to be widely accepted as one of the most prestigious, expensive, and sought after canines.

For more information on English Bulldog puppies & breeder information visit Pets4You.com - Dogs | Cats

Senior Dogs Are Trainable

2008-12-26T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Dave Eckholm

Are you considering adopting an older or rescued dog? Older dogs are great family members and need homes. Depending on the breed, senior dogs are often are more subdued than a puppy and therefore easier on your home. But what about behaviors learned or tolerated by a previous owner? Senior dogs can be still be trained using a few tried and true ideas! Just as with puppies it will take time and patience but the outcome is worth it. A trained dog will be a happier dog because he will know what is expected of him.

5 TIPS for Teaching NEW Tricks to Older Dogs

1. Use the proper tone when communicating with your dog: High/EnthusiasticUse for Praising (i.e. "Good Dog!") Demanding/AuthoritativeUse for Commands (i.e. "Sit!") Growly/LowUse for reprimanding (i.e. "Bad Dog!")

2. Give a command only once. This teaches your dog to listen the first time.

3. Hands Off when giving a command. Touching or petting distracts from training.

4. Recall (or "Come") is the most pleasant of all commands for your dog. Never reprimand a dog that finally comes to youeven if you had to chase him through the neighborhood before he obeyed. He needs to know that you will lavish praise and pet him when he comes to you!

5. Training not to jump up on people and furniture is best done with a metal can or box with 10 pennies, stones or marbles taped inside. For convenience, it is a good idea to have several cans located in various areas throughout your home. Shake the can up and down once or twice whenever your dog jumps up. Remember to reprimand with the low tone at the same time. The noise will startle the dog and eventually the behavior will stop.

Dave Eckholm is the owner and creator of http://www.olddogpaws.com, a site dedicated to the care and comfort of our old friends. As our dog Tikki began to lose his eyesight and became grey around his muzzle, we were concerned for his quality of life. As a senior dog, he started to have special needs. We searched for new ideas, resources and products to enhance his life. Old Dog Paws shares this information with all dog lovers so your friend can enjoy wonderful senior years too!

The Secret That Keeps Horses Trainable

2008-12-25T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andy Curry

As you likely know already, horses have at least 10 times our strength. If they also had our intelligence, they would probably be riding us humans. Fortunately, horses cannot reason like human beings and therefore will never have superior intelligence.

Since they don't have reasoning abilities, horse training becomes a challenge because you now have to understand how their intelligence works. You have to know what works and why to really be effective.

The biggest secret that makes it so we can train a horse is the fear of pain and/or punishment that our creator instilled in their mind. We can use that built-in fear to our advantage and teach the horse what we want him to do.

The trick is to not push the horse too far with his built-in fear. We must never abuse this knowledge because it will backfire. Once it backfires then we will have problems with the horse we're training.

How does it backfire? Let's take a novice horse owner who fulfills his dream to have horses and train them. Unless he's studied a horse's nature he will probably get into big trouble with his horse because of the delicate balance of the horse's built-in fear.

For instance, the very first lesson you must teach your horse is to have confidence in you. If your horse doesn't have confidence in you, he will neither trust you. Both are enormously important to horse training.

Think of confidence in this way. If you're a child who's just seen a scary movie on TV you probably want to sleep with Mom and Dad for the night. They'll protect you. You'll be safe with them. Hopefully, you know these things to be true because you have experienced it with your own parents.

But if you didn't feel like they'd keep you safe you wouldn't have confidence in them, would you?

A horse's thinking is similar to that. He must have confidence in you when you're working with him.

A horse can be taught confidence in different ways. I prefer to the Jesse Beery confidence lesson.

Jesse Beery, a famous horse trainer from the 1800's, uses his confidence lesson as the beginning place of training his horses. He said, "This is the most important lesson of all." To learn more about Jesse Beery go to:

http://www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beery_etips.htm

Interestingly, it's also the easiest.

How nice it is that the most important lesson is the easiest to do.

Essentially, the confidence lesson takes advantage of (but never abused) the horse's built-in fear. In a way, the fear is harnessed and carefully used to get the horse's confidence in you. It's akin to getting a child to watch a scary movie and being there to protect him or her when they get scared.

When the horse experiences the fear, you're there to save the day. You make it so he depends on you to be his superhero.

When the horse gets fearful, you have to be there to tell him everything is okay. You do that through petting him. Talking to him in a soothing manner. Using a pleasant tone of voice.

I have a friend, Gene, who loves his horses but when they don't do certain things he think they should do, he punishes them. (By punishing, I don't mean he hits or whips. A horse can feel punished just by a threatening tone of voice for example)

Anyway, I rode with a group of people one day and Gene was in our group. We came upon running water. You could call it a small river or a big creek. It was about 30 feet wide and varied in depth from a foot to three feet.

Every horse crossed the water but Gene's. Gene got so upset that his horse wouldn't cross that he began booting his horse in the ribs. That poor horse wanted to comply with Gene's request but the running water scared him. The horse was spooking.

The horse paced back and forth, occasionally sniffing the water but never crossed it. The whole time Gene's legs were wildly kicking the horse trying to get him to cross - yet the horse remained spooky.

What Gene didn't realize is the horse was fearful and needed his help. Anytime a horse is fearful of a place or a thing he should be reassured with pleasant, soothing voice sounds and/or petting him.

If you do what Gene did, you just gave your horse another thing to fear. Not only does that horse fear crossing running water, now he fears he's going to be punished for it. And it's likely that anytime the horse comes upon running water both fears will crop up and Gene will have a horse that would like to comply but his instincts are so powerful that he probably won't (unless Gene figures out what to do)

Think of it from the horse's point of view.

You're a horse that cannot reason and you're instincts are self-preservation. What keeps your self-preservation in check is the built-in fear. Fear makes you run from danger. Fear is what keeps you alive. If you don't understand something you fear it even more.

Now knowing all that, imagine you're the horse and you're standing at the edge of the river. You won't cross it because you think there's danger in it somehow. On top of that, someone is on your back, pissed off and kicking you in the ribs because you won't go forward.

Not only are you scared of the water, but now you're getting kicked in the ribs and feeling punished. You want to be obedient and go forward but your instinct is too powerful and tells you not to.

It would be like telling a scared child who just saw a scary movie that he had to sleep in his own damn room.

But what if Gene had understood his horse was scared? What if he helped his horse deal with his fear.

How would he do this?

When Gene and his horse approached the water he could have spoke to his horse in a pleasant, soothing manner. When the horse was getting scared Gene should have recognized it as fear and not as disobedience.

He could have petted his horse to reassure him all is okay. He could have talked to his horse in a pleasant manner. He could have let his horse sniff the water and check it out on his own.

Instead, the horse was now confused, scared, feeling punished, less trusting of his rider, and who knows what else.

But if Gene would've recognized the fear in his horse then he could have helped his horse overcome it. Gene lost the awesome opportunity to gain a significant amount of the horse's confidence and friendship in that river scene. Too bad too. That's a beautiful paint horse.

About The Author

Andy Curry is a nationally known horse trainer and author of several best selling horse training and horse care books. For information visit his website at www.horsetrainingandtips.com. He is also the leading expert on Jesse Beery's horse training methods which can be seen at www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.htm.

What To Expect From A Havanese

2008-12-24T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Fiona Kelly

One of the most positive and prevalent traits you can expect from your Havanese is companionship and devotion. A Havanese can live in a small apartment setting with ease. They don't require the amount of space or exercise requirements that larger dogs require. Therefore, in many ways a Havanese dog is very easy to care for.

Various dog breeds are prone to many common health ailments and diseases. The great thing about the Havanese breed is that it has relatively few genetic diseases in its history. This is a welcome note to any Havanese owner or anyone that is interested in finding their own wonderful Havanese dog.

The genetic problems of the Havanese include autoimmune skin conditions, cataracts and progressive retina atrophy.

I must stress, however, that it is still important to maintain quality preventative care through vaccinations, heart worm pills, and flea & tick medications. These preventative health measures are necessary for virtually every breed of dog.

A Havanese has a typical life span of around 16-18 years.

Personality Of The Havanese

This is probably the one burning question that many potential Havanese owners ask. What is their personality like? Well let me go through that for you right now:

1. Temperament

The temperament of a Havanese is playful and alert. The Havanese breed is brave even though they are smaller then most other dogs. This courage helps them to be a great watch dog. They are devoted to their family.

The Havanese breed is good with children. The key is to treat the Havanese like a companion and not a toy. Remember they are not a fragile doll and can play and romp with the best of them. Their playful attitude and active nature make them great friends for walks, swimming, and playing in the yard. The Havanese tends to be an indoor dog, but they need exercise as well.

The Havanese makes a great house pet and work well with kids. It is critical to teach your children to respect your Havanese and create a loving relationship.

2. Toy Breed

The Havanese breed is a member of the Toy group as classified by the American Kennel Club. The toy breed is small in stature which makes them wonderful apartment and house dogs. The Havanese can be a great choice for someone that lives in the city.

3. Exercise Requirements

A Havanese dog loves to curl up on the couch with you. However, they do also like to take a walk. In fact, walking should be part of their exercise plan. A Havanese will often be ready to play, but at times will want you to carry them during the walk. This can be tempting, especially because they are so cute!

Don't carry them. This will only spoil them. They need the exercise or they will become restless and irritable. A restless, bored, and irritable dog is prone to behavioral problems.

Exercise and play not only keeps your dog physically fit, but it promotes their mental health as well. Keep your Havanese happy and healthy with games, walks, and a good belly rub.

4. Great Family Dog

A Havanese can make a wonderful family dog. This breed is good with children if you train and socialize them properly. They have an innate need to watch over their family. They may not be able to attack an intruder, but they can let you know with a bark that an intruder is present.

Fiona Kelly is a passionate Havanese owner that has devoted countless hours sharing her secrets on how to have the perfect, happy, healthy and best behaved Havanese. If you're interested in the Havanese then you can check out her web site at http://www.havanese-puppy-guide.com. The Author grants you permission to re-print or re-publish this article so long as it remains unchanged and all links remain present and active.

If you would like to learn more about the Havanese Breed, visit http://www.havanese-puppy-guide.com

What Type Is The Right Collar For Your Dog

2008-12-23T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mike Steele

There are many styles of collars to choose from depending upon your dog's size, disposition, as well as your personal needs. For many dogs, a traditional nylon or leather collar will suffice. However, there are collars for more specific situations as described below.

Traditional Collars: Traditional collars are available in numerous colors, styles, and widths. These collars should ride higher on your pet's neck. Don't use collars that are too loose, falling down towards your pet's shoulder blades. When choosing a collar use a tape measure to determine your pet's neck size, adding about two to three inches to insure proper fit.

When choosing a collar make sure it is snug allowing enough room to fit two fingers between your pet's neck and their collar. For safety reasons, a collar should never be loose enough to slip over the pet's head. The risk of losing a pet that slips away can increases when their collar is too loose. Also, loose collars may easily snag on objects, increasing the risk of accidental hanging and other trematic injuries as a result of being entangled due to loose collars. In addition it is important that collars are not worn in wire cages. Be sure your pet's collar is not too tight which can restrict their breathing or cause coughing. Make sure you check the collar size frequently with your puppies.

Choose a collar and lead with the appropriate width that matches your pet's size. Smaller, lightweight collars and leads are for small dogs and puppies, while wider, more durable styles are for larger, stronger pets. Be sure you have a current nametag attached to your pet's collar at all times.

Harnesses: Harnesses, will go around the neck and around the shoulders behind the front legs, are generally recommended for dogs who have upper respiratory disease as well as diseases of the throat or trachea. If a collared dog pulls on their leash, it places pressure on the throat and trachea, which can cause irritation and coughing. Harnesses are an excellent choice to help relieve that pressure.

Halter Collars ensure the best control over your dog. Giving you control of your dog's head. Controlling your dog's head, gives you control of your dog. Many brands of halter-type collars are available including the Halti Training Headcollar. These collars have a band that goes around the back of their head, and another band around their nose. These leashes snap onto the collar under the dog's chin. When pulling on the leash, your dog's head will pull down or to the side, makeing it next to impossible for your dog to move ahead or pull you forward.

Slip (Choke) Collars: Slip collars, also called "choke collars," provide effective training and retraining methods when used correctly. Many times these collars are used for dogs whom are stubborn, pull when lead, or for those that do not respond well to training when wearing other collars. If you need to use a choke collar, make sure you how to use it correctly. If not, have a trainer assist you in demonstrating its proper use. Using a choke collar correctly involves a quick 'tug-and-release' action which tells your pet a different behavior is desired. Only utilize these collars when training, making sure it is not worn in a crate, while avoiding use on pets with delicate tracheas.

Prong Collars: Prong Collars contain blunt prongs that face inward from the collar links. Designed solely for the most stubborn of pullers, they are a temporary training tool designed to change behavior on dogs that do not respond to any other type of collar. Unfortunate if they are necessary, we've found it best to make sure your training methods are being utilized correctly, which at times can eliminate the need to use this type of collar. However, there are situations and/or dogs that may require this type of collar, to insure the training is as effectual as possible.

Mike Steele

http://www.dog.com

The Curlycoated Retriever

2008-12-22T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

The Curly-Coat is a retriever of great ability in the water and on land. He is descended from a cross between the St. John's Newfoundland (presently known as the Labrador Retriever) , the English Water Dog and the Poodle. He became extremely popular among the English land-owners of the nineteenth century and was prized as a multi-purpose hunting retriever with great perseverance on land as well as strength in the water. With the arrival of the twentieth century, the popularity of the Curly-Coat gave way to other retrieving breeds. Today it still remains popular in Australia and New Zealand. This is a dog with great power in the water when it comes to retrieving. I have personally seen a Curly -Coat that has brought in without hesitation a wounded Canada Goose, no small feat. He is a natural swimmer if introduced to the water at an early age to water play. There is not always an inherent desire to swim, at least without an introduction, because the Curly Coat has also been used for years as a hunting dog on land.

The Curly-Coat is Black or Liver in color. The tight curls are an essential requirement, they must be a dense mass of small tight curls. This type of coat is extremely weather proof and water resistant and also is a protection against brambles and thickets. Every part of the dog is covered with these dense curls except the muzzle and the toes.

The Sporting dogs, especially the retrieving breeds, are usually thought of in terms of active personalities and very outgoing, to the extent that they are not often good watch dogs. The Curly-Coat however is not only a quiet and placid home companion but is also a good watch dog, giving voice when strangers approach. It is a persistent hunter, does not give up and is eager and alert in the field. At home it is somewhat aloof but is calm and dignified. Of course a puppy, as with any youngster, will be exuberant and will get into things, but as a general rule the Curly-Coat has a certain common sense and placid nature that makes it quite content to lie about the house and sleep. It does not demand the attention that some of the other retrievers do.

This is a dog that is quite healthy in most respects. However there are some particular bloodlines that appear to have predisposition to Cancer and there is also a skin condition associated with pattern baldness. This is an outdoor type of dog and he does need plenty of exercise. If he is to be used for hunting it is essential that he be adjusted to the physical demands and in good condition. If allowed to lie around he will take the opportunity. If he is to be a house dog, he still needs to get out and go for good long walks. This is a breed that has the stamina to be a "jogger's dog" and he delights in participating in this activity with his owner.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Animals.

Ive Got A Horse Now What

2008-12-21T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Belinda Osgood

Ever since I was a little girl, I hoped and prayed for a horse to call my own. It became a ritual every birthday and Christmas that I would first check the property for a horse tied up to the plum tree, or stabled in the garage with the family sedan. Of course, I was totally naïve as to the expense of owning a horse and so I was always disappointed. Somewhere in my teens I gave up on the dream. So it was at the more mature age of 31 that my dream was finally realised and I became the owner of a precious baby girl (well, 14-year-old ex-Pacer, Standardbred mare). But to me she was my new baby and she came with the most perfect name, Angel.

So here was my dream, in living colour, high spirits and dignified stubbornness. I ... well I was an untrained and inexperienced, though willing, Mum of one huge equine. I had no gear and even less of an idea. So began my training to become a suitable mum for my beloved dream come true.

The first step was to read books; lots of them. However none of them can physically prepare for the task of caring for a horse. I learned a lot since obtaining Angel, because I just had to get out there and do it, or ask someone else how to do it. I have a lot more to learn yet and I find it a rewarding and exciting path. This article provides some basics for anyone considering getting a pony or horse or who has just landed that dream and does not know where to start, just as I began my journey.

It is important that you talk to experts such as your vet and local horse club for professional advice. Other helpful tips and suggestions can be obtained through talking to horse owners, phoning or visiting the local pony club, or joining a horse forum on the Internet. Horse people love to talk about horses.

There are numerous breeds of horses available. You will need to look for an animal that has the correct temperament, abilities and height. Breeds such as thoroughbreds are tall and can be too high-spirited for a beginner. A Standardbred, like Angel, has an unusual gait (movement) which is uncomfortable until you are used to it. Look at the history of the horse - is it flighty, can it handle traffic noise, how old is it, does it have scars or uneven hoof wear which could indicate lameness? There are numerous things to look at, so if you can,have a knowledgeable and experienced person available to help you choose, there is a much better chance of a happy horse- rider relationship.

Once you have the horse or pony, the first, and most obvious concern, is where to keep your new pet. Horses require a lot of grazing, fresh water and room for exercise. Alternatively you can stable a horse just like you would send a dog to a kennel for a holiday. It depends on where you live and what your budget is like as to which is the most suitable option. When I got Angel, I spent months trying to find grazing for her, all to no avail. The former owners kindly let me keep her on at their farm, but most people selling or giving away a horse will not want to do this. Prepare yourself for a lot of telephone time and legwork checking out any vacant paddocks around your area. Look for a paddock that is well fenced, has a working water trough or natural flowing water, and ideally some form of shelter from weather extremes. This could be as simple as a shelterbelt or hedge. Also take note of any poisonous plants such as hemlock, buttercup, oak or foxglove, and any debris like tin cans, broken glass or hidden branches. These can all harm your horse.

Now that your horse has a place to stay, you will be wondering what to feed him. A grazing horse has fewer needs than a stabled horse, but may still require extra feed such as hay and oats during winter, and a salt lick, especially during summer. What you feed your horse depends on how much work they are doing, what temperament they have, and their condition, therefore professional advice should be obtained. A stabled horse relies on what you feed it so it will need a larger supply of hay, grains and dry pellets. An apple or carrot is good for your horse too, whether stabled or grazing. When feeding a carrot make sure to cut it lengthwise as small circular pieces can choke them. Remember the water, fresh and plenty of it as a horse can drink up to 55 litres per day.

Now housed and fed the health of your horse is the next priority to ensure their happiness and your enjoyment. To this end your horse will need to be regularly groomed, wormed and be seen by a farrier.

Grooming: A grazed horse requires less grooming than a stabled horse because the natural oils in the coat help protect them from the weather. The most basic grooming required is to pick out their hooves to remove stones, which can cause bruising or lameness, and to remove mud and manure; a brush down with a curry comb to remove mud; and combing the mane and tail to remove knots and foreign matter. To brush a horse, use very firm strokes that won't tickle him. Horses have ticklish spots just like our feet. If the horse starts twitching or becomes restless as a particular area is groomed that might signal a ticklish spot, and could result in a 'pay-back' nip from the horse.

To pick out the hooves, stand beside your horse and run your hand down the back of their leg. Most horses will raise the leg for you. Hold the hoof firmly and pick it out from the heel to the toe, avoiding the soft frog area (triangular middle piece). There is much more to grooming, but starting with these basics will ensure a happy comfortable horse. It will also provide you confidence in working around your horse. As you gain assurance and knowledge you can move onto other areas.

Worming: It is essential that this be done regularly, every six to eight weeks. Horses can ingest worms through the grass and hay they eat, so cleaning up manure in the paddock helps stop the spread of worm eggs and other parasites. Your vet should be consulted for the size of the dosage and the frequency as it will vary according to the gender, age and state (e.g. pregnancy) of the horse.

Farrier (Blacksmith): Your horse will need to be seen by a farrier every six to eight weeks to have their hooves trimmed. If the horse is wearing shoes then it may need loose or worn shoes to be fixed or replaced. Lack of regular attention on the hooves can lead to lameness, potentially resulting in permanent injury. Their hooves are just like human fingernails -growing rapidly and prone to chip, break, crack or split. If the horse is ridden frequently and on hard surfaces, shoes are required so that the hooves do not wear down too quickly.

After all of the above, only the primary needs of your horse have been attended to. There is much more, but as with my experience, it can be learned as you go along. There is one aspect that I haven't discussed and that is the exercising, or riding, of your horse.

Some horses may come with their own gear or a local horse-owner may have some spare gear you could borrow, lease, or buy. The very minimum you will need is a lead-rope and halter so that you can catch and tie up your horse. For riding, starter saddle kits are available at a very reasonable price but will invariably not last as long as a more expensive set. Talking to your local saddler will help you unravel the somewhat confusing needs of saddle size and style, girth size, leather type and care. An essential item that you will need to invest in is a good riding helmet. I advise to get brand new over second hand so that you can guarantee its safety has not been compromised. A lunge rope and whip for non-riding exercise is good for your horse too. I use a cheap towrope purchased from the local service station as a lunge rope, so do look for alternatives to the expensive custom-made items. A lunge whip is not terribly expensive at the saddlers.

Horse care is a satisfying aspect of owning a horse. I hope that you can share in the enjoyment of horse ownership and the creation of a bond between horse and rider that is formed as you care for your dream.

Belinda Osgood is a full-time writer working from her home in a small rural township in the South Island of New Zealand. Passions include her pets, craft and rock-hounding. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.

Teach Your Dog To Come On Command When Called

2008-12-20T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jon Dunkerley

Teaching your dog to come on command to you is as simple as:

1) Making it worth your dog's time and effort to come to you

2) The understanding that if he/she does not come to you, there will be consequences Analogy:

When you the parent tell your child to do something, 9 times out of 10, your child will obey you. Why is this? It is as simple as saying, that your child knows that by not doing what you the parent ask, they are more than likely heading for some sort of disciplinary act. The child by no means begrudgingly obeys you. Usually the child will be quite happy doing what you ask of him/her. The same can be said for your relationship with your dog. By not installing pack seniority with your dog, your dog will walk all over you, control you doing what he likes when he wants. Your dog understands pack seniority, he/she will obey you readily and happily knowing that only good things will happen. (praise, treating)

Being authoritative when dealing with your dog is not cruel or mistreatment, it is a case of you the dominant figure, conveying to your dog that if not obeyed, you the Alpha will react accordingly in order to attain the desired result. In the wild, when a pack member is out of line, the Alpha punishes the individual either by nipping, pinning down, etc. We as humans have taken the place of the wild Alpha and we must continue to implicate behavior that is already in the dog's bloodline.

When you call your dog, make sure you are ready to react to what your dog's actions are. At first your dog will not even know what the command is, so punishing him/her for not obeying is not an option!

Below are points to follow:
-When starting to teach the come command, have your dog on a leash.
- Utter the command and gently but firmly pull the dog to you.
- Praise and treat.
- Upon comprehension, continue these actions progressively lengthening the distance that your dog has to travel to reach you.
- If need be at first, you can show the treat to your dog to entice the desired result.
- Upon moderate success, you can throw in distractions to tempt your dog.

- If adding distractions that your dog is fooled by, your "gentle firm" pull should become firmer.
- To test the level of comprehention, give the command and wait for your dog to react. If the reaction is positive, then guiding with the leash is not necessary.
- Upon comprehension, your "gentle firm" pull can cease.
- Always, always reward good behavior.

The frequency of which you practice this exercise, will determine the speed at which your dog learns the command. Your intent is to convey to the dog that coming to you when you call him is the best thing in the world, and if done properly you will attain a crisp outcome sooner than later.

The understanding that if he/she does not come to you, there will be consequences

http://www.dogsbydunk.com is your one stop destination for premium dog food and premium dog training. From great products, to great resources, dogsbydunk.com is a superior unique alternative that I hope you all take full advantage of!

How To Find The Best Small Breeding Dog

2008-12-19T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ann Born

A small breeding dog is the perfect pet for all of us who live in little cubbyhole-like apartments. Larger dogs, when stuffed into such flats, usually spend their time galloping from one end of the flat to the other in less time than you can say Indiana Jones and, with time, come to dolefully detest their utter existence. So don't bother with Retrievers and Grey Hounds, let them laze in lush green lawns of farmhouses that are ideal for them. Instead get a dear little Chihahua or a Daschund. Most small breeding dogs don't measure any more than 10 inches in height. Due to their portable size, they arewellportable for starters..and can also adapt to smaller living quarters more comfortably.

However, before you jump the gun and run to the nearest pet store to buy one for yourself, you had better sit down and do some research about small dogs. Not all small breeds are suitable for everybody. Many of them are what are called 'Toy dogs' and they are not the right kind of dog for everyone. Also, take into account the other people in your home before deciding on the kind of small dog that you are going to get. If you have children, take the time to select the breed will be the most suitable. Some small breeds do not get along well with children and many are too fragile for rough play with children. Small dogs can often require more care and attention than larger ones, too.

Another very important point to keep in mind when considering whether or not to get a small dog is that their food requirements are minimal. Most of them eat hardly anything compared to the mountain of food you have to give bigger dogs. And while that sounds like a good deal it is also a point of concern. This is because, despite their low consumption of food, their nutritional requirements are by no means less than other varieties of dogs. So a lot of attention needs to be paid to what they eat and how much they eat. Your level of attention will quite literally strongly affect your small dog's health and development.

Finally, here is a brief list of some of the dogs acknowledged by the American Kennel Club as Small Dogs.

Maltese (belonging to the toy group).
Manchester Terrier (belonging to the terrier group).
Miniature Bull Terrier or Mini Bull (belonging to the terrier group).
Miniature Pinscher (belonging to the toy group).
Miniature Schnauzer (belonging to the terrier group).
Harrier (belonging to the hound group).
Havanese (belonging to the toy group).

To that, we add a few more breeds you might want to consider:

· Scottish Terrier
· Yorkshire Terrier
· Pug
· Chihuahua
· Poodle
· Dachshund
· Pekingese
· Shih-Tzu
· Welsh Corgi
. Toy Poodle

Get all of your dog information at http://yougodog.com

Extra Baggage

2008-12-18T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ryan Joseph

We all packed on a few extra pounds during the holidays and now it is the time to shed that extra luggage the way a German Shepherd shed's it's coat in the summer. We all know that our Country is suffering from an obesity epidemic. And Somehow this epidemic is even affecting our pets also.

In the mid 1990's, for example, research studies showed that some fifteen percent of our animals were overweight. Now it is about forty percent. As we know from the media, those extra pounds are not ideal for our health or for the health of our beloved animals. Their growing waistlines may in fact cause them many medical concerns. Obviously, a thin animal is much more likely to live a healthier and happier life.

According to a recent research study published in the prestigious Journal of Nutrition, dogs of overweight owners are almost 3 times more likely to be overweight themselves. The same may apply to cats also. In a very real way, Our animals are our mirrors: they are chiseled and molded by our household's habits. They seem to embody our lifestyles, our decisions, and even our dreams. On a spiritual level, they sometimes even reflect our health.

So that begs the question: could the human-animal bond actually be an unhealthy thing for our pets? I mean, really, if you happen to be a couch potato, there is a strong probability that your pet may be one also. Sitting together on the couch for hours and hours, watching TV and constantly consuming snacks and treats is promoting a sedentary lifestyle for both you and your pet.

So let us explore this avenue. Does the increase in pet obesity have to do with some sort of subtle spiritual connection between pets and humans? Or is it just something more tangible? This much is true though: animals are awesome copy cats (no pun intended).

So as we rummage through our brains for our New Year's resolutions, let us keep our animals in mind and turn the human-animal bond back into the positive thing it was supposed to be.

How do you know if your animal is overweight? Just pllace your hands on his or her rib cage with your palms facing down. If the ribs are easily felt, your pet is considered to be normal weight. If you can feel more than about one inch of skin and fat between the ribs or if the ribs are difficult to feel, your pet is indeed overweight.

Ryan Joseph is a researcher and writer. For Pet Nutrition information visit Life's Abundance Premium Dog Food as well as Life's Abundance Premium Cat Food.

Dog Hats

2008-12-17T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Pamela Chao

While Gaston, a seven-year-old pooch was wearing his dog hat striding down the parking lot of the local university with pride, two ladies with astonished voices exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, look at that dog in that hat!" In fact, it wasn't the first time that he caught the attention and admiration of others.

Do you own a dog hat or ever had your dog wear one? Hats are perhaps one of the most popular accessories that are sold and being used on a daily basis. The reason for wearing a hat varies from culture to culture and person to person. Whether it is for protection, political, social ranking, or fashion usage, headwear has emerged from its history and become a fashion that stays.

World's Oldest Hat
The history of the hat can be traced back to the hunter-and-gathering era when the hat was used primarily for protection from the extreme weather. According to BBC dated 25 April, 2000, "Woven clothing may date back at least 27,000 years, according to archaeological evidence left by Stone Age hunter-gatherers After discovering the impressions on the clay fragmentsa number of "Venus" figurines found in EuropeMany appeared to be wearing clothing including basket hats and caps, sashes and belts."

Underneath the Hat
According to the Dictionary of Idioms, wearing a hat is associated with "keep something secret," this expression came from the late 1800s. Although the earliest artifacts depicted women (the Venus clay figure) were the one to wear hats. However, in our contemporary society, more men wear hats than women.

As time passed, keeping something under the hat still stands. Movies depict a spy trying to hide his face under a hat, and, in real life, celebrities covering their faces with hats in hopes not to be recognized. Now that hats have become an integral part of our lives, it carries symbolic meaning. Through wearing, we send out our sense of belonging and who we are. The baseball hat, for example is more than just a hat. It gives you a clue of that particular person who wears it. If you pay attention to the symbol in front of the baseball hat, it may have a story behind it, whether it is a particular group or activity, the symbol can be a profession, sports team, name of a famous designer, or just simply a phrase to express the inner self.

A Complete Mini Me
Now hats have extended to dogs as well. The movie Legally Blonde captured girls hearts with that "mini-me" look. The movie portrait how Elle (Reese Witherspoon), the Harvard-educated lawyer cherishes her little companion, she even accessorized her little pooch with the matching pink dress and hat. The hat certainly adds a dazzling look. So, if you are single and open to meet people, get out there and reveal in the season's pleasures. Remember nothing is better at capturing life's most personal moments than creating your "mini me" look. Expressed "your sense, yourself." Let your attitude have an overhaul, pick a dog hat that makes you frolic.

Pamela is an animal lover, she owns her online store specializes in pet accessories. For more information, please visit PetAdorn.com

Are Aquariums Suitable For Children

2008-12-15T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by William Berg

Most children are fascinated with animals and want a dog, a cat, two birds, a horse and some fish. But are fish and aquariums suitable for children. The answer to this question is to a very high degree depending on how old your child is. Children under 12-14 years are not suitable to keep an aquarium by themselves and will need help from their parents or some other adult to maintain their aquariums. The child can take care of the daily care such as the feeding of the fish. They will however require help with larger undertakings such as changing the water in the aquarium and cleaning the electrical equipment.

Small children under 5-7 years of age should not be entrusted with the care of any animal including fish. This is not to say that small animals shouldn't have pets but rather to say that the parents understand that the pet is their responsibility and not the child's. A child in this age group can benefit a lot from being allowed to interact with animal, se fish swim and feed the fish but is not ready to care for the animal themselves. As an example can be said that children off this age group only should be allowed to feed the fish when a parent is present. It isn't an uncommon event that children tries to be kind to the fish by feeding them the entire can of fish food causing a biological disaster, and if not discovered and corrected the death of all the fish in the aquarium within a matter of hours.

Small children under 5-7 years should never be allowed to change water in the aquarium or work with the electric equipment used in the aquarium due to the risk of injury.

Some parents might think that a fish is a good pet for a child since it require less care than say a dog and are cheaper. This is only partly true. A fish requires good care to remain healthy and the parents should expect that they will have to do a certain amount of work to keep their child's fish alive and healthy. True it didn't cost that much but it is still a living thing and does as such deserve to be threaded with care. Expect that an aquarium will require 5 minutes of your time each day for daily care and an hour each week for partial water changes etc.

Remember that a small aquarium requires more work than a large one. You should therefore never buy a small goldfish bowl or other small aquarium for your child. It might seem easier but requires a lot more work and only experienced aquarists should keep fish in small aquariums. I recommend an aquarium of at least 25-30 gallon (around 100 L) as a first aquarium for your child. Anything smaller will give you a lot of extra work and most likely more dead fish. A little larger aquarium also allows you the luxury to choose between more fish for your aquarium. So what fish should you choose to your child?

Some fish species are more suitable than others for children. First of, a child should never be allowed to keep toxic or otherwise potentially harmful fish species. Secondly the fish should be hardy enough to be easy to take care of, accept flake food and other easily storable foods and be calm enough not to be stressed by the children playing near the aquarium, tapping on the glass etc. Suitable fish includes many livebearers, barbs and tetras. Always buy fish that are suitable for you aquarium and don't just let your child by the fish he think is most beautiful, coolest or otherwise most appealing without considering their demands.

And don't forget that you as a parent have to do your research so that you know how to take care of an aquarium before letting your child get one. It might be your child that is getting an aquarium but you are getting the responsibility.

You can read everything you need to know about setting up and caring for an aquarium at AC Tropical Fish & Aquarium. AC Tropical Fish & Aquarium features a large amount of articles containing info on all aspects of aquarium keeping from setting up the aquarium, to diseases and fish breeding. Visit the Aquarium article archive now.

Dog History The Pit Bull Terrier

2008-12-14T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tim Amherst

Most modern Pit Bulls are believed to be descended from European bull dogs and different breeds of mastiffs that were once used in farm work. The mastiffs were known for their strength and power, so they were primarily used to help farmers with their bulls when it was time to bring them in from the fields.

The mastiff became known as the bulldog. The dog's main purpose was to protect the farmer from being gored by an enraged bull. The dog usually accomplished this task by biting onto the bull and hanging on until the bull relented. Since these dogs were used for protection from angry bulls, they had to have tremendous strength in their jaws and bodies. They also had to be stubborn enough to hang onto a stampeding bull, no matter what the bull did to them, to protect the farmer they worked for.

As time passed, these dogs started being used in bull and bear baiting. During this time it is believed some bulldogs were also bred with terriers to help make them better suited for these sports. By mixing with the terrier breed, the dogs were smaller and a great deal more agile than the regular bulldog. They also had more muscular bodies, which helped to enhance their damage producing ability. These sports were most popular in England around the early nineteenth century. In the year 1835, English Parliament banned the sports of bull and bear baiting, stating that it was much too cruel to the animals involved. The sport lost popularity, and eventually died completely out after a few years.

Dog fighting soon took the place of the previously banned bull and bear baiting sports. Breeders began trying to produce dogs that were geared to be excellent fighters. They tried to enhance the dog's agility, strength, and musculature to make them more formidable opponents. Breeders also tried to breed the most intelligent dogs, so they would be less likely to make mistakes in fighting, and also so they would only be aggressive toward other dogs, not humans they may encounter. One of the rules of dog fighting was that the owner of the dog had to be able to enter the ring during a fight, pick his dog up, and take it completely out of the fighting ring without the dog biting him. If the dog bit the owner during this time, the dog was immediately killed.

Also in the 1800's Pit Bulls started becoming popular pets, not just for dog fighting and farming. The dog became a mascot during World War 1 and could be seen on many war posters, which helped to increase its popularity. They were popular because of their high intelligence and devotion to their masters. In the early 1900's pit bulls began being used in movies as well.

The Pit Bull is a dog with a very detailed history, and is still quite popular today. The breed does receive a lot of negative criticism, but with the right owners, still make terrific pets.

To learn all about raising an American Pit Bull Terrier and training Pit Bulls, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com today.

Shih Tzu Show Dog Judging The Head Body And Hindquarters

2008-12-13T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

The Head:

The show dog judge will ask you to place your Shih Tzu show dog on the table. The Shih Tzu show dog judge will then get the first close look at your Shih Tzu's expression. He will be looking for proper shape and dark eyes. He will check the length of your Shih Tzu's nose. He will look for the "correct" slightly-undershot bite. The Shih Tzu show dog judge will evaluate the shape of the top of your Shih Tzu's head. He will check to see that the hair pulled up in the topknot does not alter the set and placement of the ears (all these things must be exact to the AKC standard for a Shih Tzu show dog to pass). One thing in particular the Shih Tzu show dog judge will not want to see in your Shih Tzu is any sign of fear, or if your Shih Tzu turns its head away. The expressions of fear or turning the head away would indicate "shyness." "Shyness" would be considered a fault of the AKC show Dog Shih Tzu standard.

The Shih Tzu show dog judge will look at the ear leather. He may raise the ears to check the length and thickness of the neck and to see if the neck is well placed on the shoulders. These are areas also that must be in compliance with the AKC standards of a Shih Tzu show dog. The Shih Tzu show dog judge may trace the angulation of the shoulders with his hands and the placement of the front legs beneath the body is checked. A Shih Tzu show dog judge may lift the dog up gently and let it down to see how well the Shih Tzu lands on its feet. He may check the thickness of the pads of the feet as well.

The Body:

The Shih Tzu show dog judge will check to see if the Shih Tzu is in good weight, not to thin or too fat. The weight is measured on a scale of 9 to 16 pounds as being appropriate for the Shih Tzu show dog. Under or over this weight would be a fault.

The Hindquarters:

The Shih Txu show dog judge will check your Shih Tzu's tail to see if it is set properly according to the AKC standard for tail set. The tail must be carried over the body to the correct degree. Angulation of hind legs is checked and a check for the strength of the hindquarters is also made at this time. An indication of weakness when the hocks are lightly "twanged" or evidence of cow hocks would be noted as a fault in your Shih Tzu. The hocks should be strong when moved gently back and forth. If your Shih Tzu is a male, this is the point in which the judge will count testicles. There must be two testicles present or the male Shih Tzu will be disqualified.

There are strict standards of correct conformation of the head, body and hindquarters, as well as other aspects of the Shih Tzu that must be met during the Shih Tzu show dog judge's evaluation. Further information regarding these requirements can be obtained from the American Kennel Club either by writing to them directly or from the AKC official website.

Skin And Gill Flukes In Tropical Fish

2008-12-12T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nate Jamieson

While parasites of various types are often responsible for fish rubbing themselves against objects in the tank, sometimes to the point of causing raw skin, it can be difficult to identify which parasite it is, unless you have a very good visual of it.

In the case of skin fluke, which is a parasitic flatworm, they are unlikely to show themselves to the extent where you would be able to remove them manually as you can with leeches or fish lice. One of the common denominators they have with other parasite infections, is they can cause redness of skin, but so can rubbing against stones and wood. However, skin fluke also causes a fading of color, and because the treatment is common to other types of parasites, you are best to go with a general medication, such as Droncit or formalin baths, when unsure whether it is skin fluke or not. Remove severely affected fish to a hospital tank.

The standard treatments of adding 1 tbs. of aquarium salt to a daily change of water in the home aquarium, and raising the tank temperature by four degrees also applies. This is used for most parasites, including gill fluke, which has more obvious and visual symptoms.

Gill fluke is a worm that specifically attacks the gill membranes, causing them to turn red and acquire a coating of slime that makes it difficult to breathe. Fish will hang at the water's surface, gasp, and lose weight rapidly. The same tank treatments as skin fluke can be used, but with gill fluke, removing to a hospital tank and adding short baths in either formalin, salt or ammonium hydroxide to the regimen will help kill what is on the fish, and you can then treat their environment.

Love Tropical Fish? Find out how to create a beautiful, low-cost tropical fish aquarium with complimentary tips at http://www.TropicalFishIsland.com

Chronic Ear Infections In Dogs

2008-12-11T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Shawn Messonnier

Chronic ear infections are among the most commonly seen disorders in pets. Often they occur in certain breeds, including spaniels and retrievers. I regularly consult with owners who have treated their pets for years with various medications. The ears improve during treatment, but quickly relapse once treatment stops. With time the treatment ceases to work since the bacteria and yeasts which cause the infections have built up resistance to the drugs.

It's very important to determine the cause of the infection so that proper treatment can be selected. Only a microscopic examination (cytology) of the ear discharge can tell us this. If chronic bacterial infections occur, ear cultures plus oral medications (in addition to ear drops) are needed. In my practice, most ear infections are the result of yeasts; pets treated incorrectly with antibiotics (drops or oral medicines) will never get better and will in fact worsen. Keep in mind that certain breeds of dogs are prone to ear infections and also allergies (which are a common reason for chronic ear problems.) Unless the allergies are correctly treated (and not with just repeated doses of steroids!,) your dog's ear problems will never go aware.

Here's what I suggest for the pet with chronic ear problems. Get the correct diagnosis. Treat underlying problems such as allergies. The ears should be flushed (and anesthesia will probably be needed) before you treat them with the appropriate drops. I've had success with various supplements (olive leaf, Echinacea, etc.) in treating chronic ear problems. Once the problem is corrected, regular ear cleaning (several times a week at a minimum) must be done to prevent frequent recurrences.

Dr. Shawn Messonnier is the author of 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Dr. Shawn is the medical consultant for Pet Togethers, a pet supplement company.

http://www.pettogethers.net/healthypet

http://www.petcarenaturally.com

Weave Poles Which Method Should I Use For My Dog

2008-12-10T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Brad Carlson

Weave Poles can be the most challenging obstacle for you to teach and for your dog to learn. Many agility obstacles resemble natural obstacles that dogs could find out on a hike out in the woods, jumps, frames, and tunnels. Going over, under, or through things and places are natural for dogs,however, weaving the poles is not.

How do you teach an unnatural skill........with lots of patience, the right motivators for your dog, and a plan. There are many great methods to teach the weave poles. If you've gone to agility camps with several top instructors, you know that most have their own method . So, there is not one method that is the best or one method that produces the best weaving dog.

There are many methods of teaching weave poles. Some of these include, the Push-Pull method, the Angled Weave Approach, Chute Training, Two-Pole Method, Gate method, and more..........

How do you decide on which method to choose? Research each method and find out what you like about it and what you don't. What method are they teaching at your agility school? Most handlers just starting agility will teach the method being presented at their facility. If you attend a large agility school, sit in on some of the advanced classes and watch the skilled dogs weave. Ask those individuals how they taught their dog to weave. Most instructors have a preference of weave training, it may be the method they are teaching or it may not be.

Once you decide on a method, get the poles you want and then, outline a plan to train 5 minutes a day on weaves. Five minutes a day will take your dog much further than once a week in class. If you are into agility and want to progress, the weave poles are an absolute must to have at home.

Get your dog, grab his motivators, take a deep breath and go have fun for five minutes a day.

Brad Carlson is a dog trainer at Agility by Carlson. For more training details, visit our website at http://www.carlson-agility.com/

Worming Your Dog

2008-12-09T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by J. Howard Moore

Regular worming is essential to protect your dog against internal parasites. This involves giving it preparations in liquid or tablet form. Adult dogs should be wormed at least once a year, and at least once every six months if in contact with children. Dogs showing any signs of infection should be wormed immediately and all breeding bitches should be wormed prior to mating.

Roundworms.
Several of these parasites affect dogs but the most important are the ones that belong to the Ascarid family, and live in the small intestine. Other roundworms infest the large intestine, blood vessels and respiratory tract. Ascarids feed on digesting food in the dog's gut, and are particularly harmful to puppies. They penetrate a puppies gut wall and pass via the blood to the liver and then to the lungs. From there they crawl up the trachea to be coughed up and swallowed, again ending up in the gut. Infected puppies may develop :-

Hepatitis, pneumonia, fits, and obstruction to the gut, so regular treatment is vital.

As the puppy gets older most of the worms travel to the muscles, where they form cysts. These lie dormant until the puppy bitch becomes pregnant. They then migrate to the puppies lungs, and this is why virtually every puppy is born with roundworm, and must be wormed regularly.

How Roundworms Affect Humans.
These worms can infect humans, and in a very low number of cases, cause disease. Good hygiene and common sense concerning children and puppies should control the problem.

Tapeworms.
The tapeworm tickle the dog's anus and make the dog drag it's rear end along the floor. If you see any worm segments in your dog's faeces, treat it as soon as possible.

As a dog lover myself, I treat my own pets at least twice a year. Worming tablets can be bought cheaply at your local supermarket or petshop, so there's no excuse for not treating your own pet on a regular basis.

Thank you for reading my article. I do hope it's been helpful.

Author John H Moore - please use my link
http://www.pet-dog-cat.com

Train A Cat To Listen

2008-12-07T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Rajeev Kumar B

Cats cannot be discipline as you would a dog. With a dog they are social dominant that can be trained to have you as the dominant one. The reason that cats will not react as a dog is that cats have social groups only by respect and social groups.

Physical punishment on cat will only result in the cat fearing you. So never, hit your cat or any physical punishment.

Train your cat to have appropriate behaviors and that they cannot do the inappropriate behaviors as you will not tolerate this type of behavior. Cats do not like surprises; an advantage that you will have on the cat, in order to be able to train by using surprise noises. Use clapping, firm voice "NO", hissing, or water bottle to have your cat stop the unwanted behaviors. For these to be effective you must do a surprising sound immediately when the unwanted behaviors are being done. Seconds later or even when you come home and find the unwanted behavior done is not going to be effective as doing it as soon as the cat starts the unwanted behavior.

Never rub the nose of the cat. Use the face push method, pushing the palm of you hand in the cats face. This is a great way to let your cat know that biting is not acceptable, if you have a cat that is biting. Simply push the cats face back gently, do not hit the cat.

Some behaviors will not be able to train. Childproofing might be the solution to that behavior. Small plastic container, keep the valuable breakables out of reach, find our of reach places for the dangerous items so your cat cannot reach and get into them. Make sure all items that the cat might be able to get on if there is a climbing or a jumping problem is secure.

Pet stores do offer assorted sprays, creams, powders, scents, and other items to help with the training your cat. Catnip is available in different forms to help with having your cat know some of it territory. Scat mats are mats that have very little current that runs on a battery. These are great for on the counter, couch, or anything that the cat has been jumping on when your presents is not in that room. Scents in sprays and creams for furniture, litter boxes and other item that help deterrent your cat from. So they will use a scratching pole.

Place fabric that is lose woven down, or netting cats does not like to have their nails snag. Rubbing lemon, bitters, cayenne pepper, orange peelings on items that the cat is not allow playing with. Put foil paper around plants so that your cat is not digging in the dirt. Cats do not like the feel or noise from the foil paper.

Toys for actives are also import for you to help with behaviors. If you do not supply actives for the cat to do you will not be able to train your cat. Toys with catnip in them are great, scratching poles, ropes, and hoops for jumping through. You can be crafty and make items that the cat would like to play with.

Starting to train a cat when it is young is the best way, this is the easiest with you and with the cat. Less stress, your cat will learn the good behaviors easier, and you can get a handle on the natural bad behaviors.

Once of the best things to make sure that your cat is ready to train is take him to the vet for a check up and make sure he has had his shot. This is important; as if your cat is ill, you will not be able to train your cat. Also, for the groomer to maintain his fur and nails. Both of these are great to for the social part of training. Your cat will need to see these people on regular bases and if started right away, will help with the training.

Most of all Patience, love and caring for your cat will be a great gift that you can do for the training. They will love you back.

Author is the editor of Special Feature section of newkerala.com, the Online newspaper published from India. Read more articles by the author at http://www.newkerala.com

Pit Bull Terrier Dog Training Lessons From An Expert

2008-12-06T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tim Amherst

The number one, most basic dog training command is sit and come. Teaching your American Pit Bull Terrier these two commands is extremely important for him to learn. Both of these basic obedience training commands are used for many different reasons such as in competition or dog show and keeping him behaved when you have company. When walking your Pit Bull off leash, you expect him to come to you when called, not run around the park with you chasing after him shouting at him to "come back here!". When I see this (and I do all the time), it just makes me laugh.

Teaching your Pit Bull Terrier how to come isn't difficult, it simply requires repetition. All dogs learn by repeating the desired activity over and over again. The easiest way to get your Pitbull to come is to hold a toy in one hand and a treat in the other. When you are in the yard simply walk away from him, holding out the toy and excitingly calling him to you. When your well-behaved Pit Bull comes to you, give him the treat! Make sure to be consistent and always use the exact same training commands that you are going to use in the future. Repeating this several times a day is an excellent way to teach him, but remember to use lots of long breaks between training sessions so he doesn't get bored and don't forget to reward him with those doggie treats.

Getting your Pit to sit could prove to be slightly harder but again, is still only basic dog training that anyone can do. Once you have mastered the come command, call your Pit over to you, place your hand on the end of his back and roll right over his rump and into the back of his legs, giving the "sit" command while gently pushing his legs forward. When he sits properly, give your Pitbull a treat and lots of praise. If you would like him to sit for a longer period of time, simply delay the treat and praise, tell him to "stay", and take your time bending down to him to deliver the treat.

Basic dog training for your Pit is very simple and effective. Please remember to keep the exercise fun for both you and your dog and keep in mind that a training session shouldn't last for hours and hours, keep them short. Lastly, don't forget to reward your obedient Pit for all of his hard work!

To learn all about raising an American Pit Bull Terrier and training Pit Bulls, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

An Overview Of Dog Shows

2008-12-05T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

Puppy classes are for Shih Tzu nine months of age and over but under twelve months. The Shih Tzu must be whelped in the U.S.A.

The Novice class is for Shih Tzu six months of age and over. The Shih Tzu must be whelped in the U.S.A. or Canada and havenot prior to the closing entries won three first prizes in the Novice Class, a first prize in Bred-by-Exhibitor, American-Bred or Open Class, nor one or more points toward a championship title.

The Bred-By-Exhibitor Class is for Shih Tzu whleped in the U.S.A. which are six months of age and over, not champions and who ar owned wholly or in part by the person or the spouse of the person who was the breeder or one of the breeders of record. Shih Tzu entered into this class musdt be handled by an owner or by a member of the immediate family of an owner.

The American-Bred class is for all Shih Tzu except champions six months of age or over, whelped in the U.S.A. by reason of a mating that took place in the U.S.A.

The Open class is for any Shih Tzu six months of age or over, except in a member specialty club show held for only American-Bred Shih Tzu in which case the class is for American-Bred Shih Tzu only.

Winners Dog and Winners Bitch: After the above classes have been judged, the first place winning Shih Tzu are required to compete in the ring. The male Shih Tzu judged "Winners Dog" is awared the points toward his championship title.

Reserve Winners are selected immediately after the Winners dog. In case of a disqualification of a win by the AKC, the Reserve Dog (male Shih Tzu) movers up to Winners and receives the points. After the male Shih Tzu classes are judged, the bitch Shih Tzu classes are called.

Best of Breed or Best of Variety Competition is limited to Champions of Record or Shih Tzu dogs (with newly acquired points, for a 90-day period prior to AKC confirmation) which have completed championship requirements, and the Winners Dog Shih Tzu and Winners Bitch Shih Tzu (or the dog award Winners if only one Winners prize has been awarded), together with any undefeated dogs which have been shown only in non-regular classes; all compete for Best of Breed or Best of Variety (if the bred is divided by size, color, texture or length of coat hair, etc.).

If your Shih Tzu wins his class, the rule states: You are required to enter classes for Winners, Best of Breed and Best of Winners (no additional entry fees).

Training Your Puppy How To Stop Him Digging His Way To Freedom

2008-12-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

Writen by Phillipa Baxter

Let's have a look at a natural canine behavior that drives us crazy.

All dogs have an instinct to dig in the wild they do it to bury their food so no-one else gets hold of it. They dig when they're too hot, because the soil below the surface is cooler. Females will dig if they're pregnant (or have a phantom pregnancy) because they're making a safe den to have the puppies in. And some breeds, like all Terriers, are bred to dig.

So what can we do about it?

Starting with the bored dog a topic which I've covered quite a bit. Boredom leads to a lot of the behavioural problems we see in our dogs. There is no substitute for spending time together playing, walking, and just generally 'hanging out'. Any dog left alone in a garden will eventually start digging.

The hot dog syndrome is also quite easy to solve - just try to keep him as cool as you possibly can. Especially if he has a heavy coat. If he has an outside kennel or dog house, put it under a tree or a spot in the garden that never gets any direct sun if you can.

If that's not practical, you may have to keep him indoors if it's very hot.

For those of us without air conditioning in our homes, keep him in the coolest room with as many open windows as you can. You can also set up one of those small desk fans close to his crate or bed. Make sure he can't get at the power cable or the fan blades and don't forget to 'introduce' him to the noise it makes.

Always provide plenty of cool drinking water for him but NEVER give him ice.

If you know your lady dog is having pups, or she thinks she is she should stop digging if you provide her with a whelping box in a good secure place that she believes is out of view.

If your dog is digging to bury his food, don't let him eat outside or with the door to the garden open while he eats.

The most difficult cause of digging for us to pinpoint, relates to your dog's amazing sense of smell. The reason he almost always goes straight for the new shrub you've just planted is that he can smell your scent there; and the general scent of the area has changed because of the new plant. He'll do the same thing if you have someone else tend your garden, because he'll pick up the 'stranger's' scent.

There are also many 'wild' animals in urban areas these days. Your garden may be used by foxes, hedgehogs, or other small mammals, during the night your dog will smell all of them when you let him out in the morning. He'll start digging to look for them.

Hounds, or any kind of dog bred with an exceptional sense of smell, will most often dig by your fence. They can smell something outside the garden that they want to get at. Males who haven't been neutered will do this a lot to get at neighborhood females in season.

If this is your problem, make sure there are no holes in the fence either above or below the surface. If you were building a new fence, you'd put a concrete foundation layer in the ground first but if the fence is already there, try chicken wire across the bottom. Make sure the wire goes right down into the soil as far as you can, and curve it away from the fence underground.

If all else fails, and you have the space, try giving him his own piece of the garden. Have a bone or some toys buried in it for him to 'find'. This can be great fun for the dog especially if you join in the game.

Phillipa Baxter offers sensible, effective dog training tips that have helped over 9,000 puppy owners worldwide build strong, loving relationships with their new dog. For more useful advice you are very welcome to visit her at http://www.DogTrainingCourses.com.

Buying Your First Horse

2008-12-02T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Paul Hegarty

Buying your first horse is an exciting adventure! Whether some one is buying the horse for you or you yourself have the money to buy a horse, you ought to carefully consider several factors.

A horse is a big investment of time, money, responsibility and commitment. A horse is not simply a pet you can welcome into your home and abandon when you go on holiday. Some one has to feed and care for your horse every day.

From a very early age I was begging my parents for horse riding lessons and soon there after for my very own horse. Neither of my parents were enthusiastic to pay for a horse. I continued with riding lessons never giving up hope and dreams of one day having my own horse. A number of years passed by and I received a small inheritance that enabled me to fulfill my dream. All I thought of was the big picture, a horse in my back yard, any horse, just get me a horse!

I learned through some tough times that there is far more to owning a horse than first meets the eye. I have listed a number of questions that I have found through the years to aid me in my decisions and thus to not be so hasty and have regrets with my choice of horse.

The first aspect to consider is why are you buying the horse? "I love horses" is a great answer, but it doesn't really help you select a horse. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

What do you want to do with the horse? Do you want to simply spend your days going on trail rides (hacking/outrides)? Are you interested in competing with your horse? If so are you interested in western or English riding, jumping, dressage, eventing or showing? A horse destined for trail riding could cost far less than a horse who has the potential to be a successful competition horse. Do you want to have the horse for several years or just a horse to learn with until you can afford something better?

You also need to consider the age of the horse. Thoroughbred horses are usually under the saddle at age 2 and Warm bloods are started around 3 years. If you buy a young horse it may have only had ground work introduced such as lunging and long-reining, in which case you would need to have someone back the horse. That is to put the saddle and bridle on the horse and work up to riding the horse and teaching it to move forward. Are you experienced enough that you would not need to pay someone to do this, or do you know someone who would help you for free? The answers will make your choice easier.

Your horse guide. Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about Buying a Horse.

Paul Hegarty is the owner of learningfromdvds.com. Price compare Educational DVDs, read reviews, download free E-books. Read this month's e-book on "How To Spot A fraudulent Email". Grab your free copy today.

Glowlight Tetra

2008-12-01T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Gary Bolton

Family: Characidae

Species: Hemigrammus erythrozonus

Size: 5cm (2 inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: All

Habitat: Rivers in Guyana

Remarks: These small fish prefer a well-planted aquarium and soft, acid water for breeding. They will eat their eggs.

Comments: The upper and lower halves of the peach-coloured yet translucent Glowlight Tetra are divided by a glowing red-gold line. It starts on the snout and ends at the caudal fin. It has to said that these are one of the best looking tetras in the family. Stunning to look at and very easy to keep indeed. These are an ideal starter fish for the novice aquarium fish-keeper, just starting out for the first time.

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http://www.garybolton.co.uk

Changing Your Horses Diet

2008-11-30T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bonnie Marlewski-Probert

I recently received a letter from a reader on the East Coast who is facing a challenge that every horse owner is going to face at least twice each year if your horse spends any time on pasture. In the fall and early spring, every horse owner is going to face the challenge of switching their horse from pasture to hay and back again from hay to pasture.

"I recently bought my first horse (morgan/perch cross). He is VERY solid and has always been on pasture board (with run-in). I live in Pennsylvania and the grass is starting to get yellow. At what point should he be getting hay(my barn manager insists it's still good)? He also is just starting to get a handful of grain He's getting very fit and has lost a little weight (which is good in that he was getting too big), but just think he should start getting hay. Thanks so much. I look forward to hearing from you.

Martha"

Hi Martha,

Good to hear from you and congrats on purchasing your first horse! As for grass vs. hay, there are two things I would recommend:

1. If you call your local ag extension office and ask them to run a test on the grass in the pastures this time of year to determine the nutritional value, this will eliminate all the guesswork. Of course, many barn owners will be offended if you do this, but you are ultimately responsible for your horse's health.

2. You can call your local vet and ask him what he thinks about the nutritional value of yellow grass.

At the end of the day, if you horse is in good flesh and his energy level is good, he is probably fine on the diet he is currently on. If he is not thriving on it, I would at least call the vet to ask the general question about when he thinks horses should start to transition off field grass onto hay for the winter (in your part of the country).

Remember to ease him onto hay, if he hasn't been on it for the summer, especially if he is on yellow grass now. If there is little or no nutrition in that field grass this time of year and you start him on alfalfa hay (which is a very rich hay), you run the risk of colic or founder, so in a perfect world, while he is still on pasture most of the time, I would add 1/3 of a flake a day of the hay (for two days), increase that to 1/2 flake for another two days and then continue to increase incrementally in two day phases until he is on whatever his full daily hay ration is going to end up being. If this transition is hard for the barn staff to do, you can always arrange to swing by the barn yourself during the transition period to ensure he is eased onto the new diet.

In horses, it is not so much what they eat that is a danger, it is the transition from old diet to new diet that generally causes the most medical distress. This is true in the spring when the horses have been on hay and suddenly the pastures are filled with rich, wet, grass everywhere. The same cautious transitional rule applies, ease him onto the new grass in small bits each day until you eventually have him onto the new diet.

Whether you live on the East Coast or on the West Coast or in Europe, the same rules apply where diet change is concerned slow is best. The last thing you want to do is find yourself with a horse that has a stomach ache or worse. The simple formula is to divide the total amount of the new feed that you plan on feeding each day into a fourteen day transitional period (assuming you will feed the same amount for two days each time you increase the amount). In other words, if you intend to switch from no grain to 7 pounds a day (used here as an example only, you should follow the quantity recommendations on the feed bag), split the 7 pound ration over a 14 day period. This would mean that on the first and second days, you will feed 1 pound of grain. By day three and four, you will be feeding two pounds a day, etc, etc. Remember that if your horse was on another grain product and you are switching from one to the other, remember to decrease the amount you are feeding of the old product, proportionate to the amount you are feeding of the new. In other words, if you start to feed one pound of the new brand of grain, reduce by the same amount what you were previously feeding of the old brand. If the goal is to transition from one product to a new product, reduce what you feed of the old as you increase what you feed of the new, in order to keep his diet balanced and to avoid colic or founder risks.

Another tip when you are transitioning your horse's diet keep an eye on his water intake and output and keep an eye on his stools to ensure he is not showing any signs of diarrhea or worse, is not producing any stools at all. For most horses, if you exercise the basic common sense detailed in this column, your horse will transition from grass to hay and back again, or from one grain product to another without any problems. As long as you exercise common sense and caution, it should be a very uneventful transition. If you short cut, you can expect expensive vet bills, lots of sleepless nights and the possibility of lifelong founder issues as a result of taking that short cut.

I want to hear from you! If you have any questions, comments or suggestions that you would like to share with the rest of us, drop me a line at:

Bonnie Marlewski-Probert
P.O. Box 548
Yellville, AR 72687

Or you can contact me directly on the Internet at BRMP@AOL.com or by visiting our web site, TheCompletePet.com

For more information on any of Bonnie's books,

A Parent's Guide to Buying That First Horse
Debugging Your Horse
The Animal Lover's Guide to the Internet
Horse Tales for the Soul, Volumes 1 5
Dog Tales for the Soul, Volume 1

Or for her videos,

Debugging Your Horse and
Trail Riding, Rules of the road
Visit, http://TheCompletePet.com.

Bonnie Marlewski-Probert is an internationally respected writer and speaker. In addition to her work in the horse industry, Bonnie has also written for some of the top magazines in the world including Good Housekeeping, Science Journals, RV and Travel publications and a variety of Animal-related publications. She taught college courses on the art of writing and getting published and wrote a teaching guide called, "If I Can Do It, So Can You!" Bonnie has published more than 1000 magazine articles, ten books, two how-to videos and two syndicated columns. She is an internationally respected speaker for her content and for her humorous presentations. For more information on Bonnie, her work and her books/videos, visit her website at TheCompletePet.com or e-mail her at brmp@aol.com. Bonnie is also the founder of Whitehall Publishing. You can learn more about that by visiting Whitehallpublishing.com.

Whos Missing From Your Wedding Party Your Dog

2008-11-29T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Blake Kritzberg

Man's best friend is enjoying a higher profile when it comes to tying the knot. Although the trend gained steam in the easy-going West, wedding planners all over the country are seeing dogs take on key roles in the ceremony. In short, well-trained tail-waggers are showing up as ring bearers, groomsmen, maids of honor, and even assuming the role that once belonged to good ol' Dad -- giving away the bride. Dogs have become so common in weddings, many professional planners know where to book a dog handler for the day without blinking an eye. (After all, he'll need water, protection from crowds -- and a few trips to the loo.)

Gone to the Dogs?
What fuels the trend to add Fido to the ceremony? Opinions differ, but one is the way that weddings are changing: once they were a purely formal affair, with formal language and dress that hardly seemed to relate to our real lives at all. But many of today's couples are trying to bring more of the things we really say into the ceremony -- sometimes by writing our own vows -- and more of how we really look, which sometimes means bypassing the traditional white dress. And for many of us, our patient pooch is a lot like a child or a two-footed companion. He might have his own furniture, his own shelf full of tasty organic treats, his own set of smart fashion accessories. And whither we go, he goes ... just like any other family member. No wonder many couples don't think twice about bringing him to the altar.

But not every dog makes the perfect bridal party member. No matter how much you might love the mischievous antics of your wayward canine at home, it's only the well-trained, responsive dog that should share your big day. If your dog comes, sits, is good with groups, and can be relied on to hold a "down-stay," he's a candidate. If not, leave him home, or invest in some obedience classes straight away.

You'll also want to clear your pup's presence with the powers-that-be well ahead of time. Yes, it's a little surprising, but with the rising popularity of dogs in weddings, it's a fair bet that your officiant will give you the green light. Many banquet halls at hotels will also say "yes" to a well-behaved pet on your big day, provided you have a handler.

Dressed for Success
Once you've got the go-ahead, the greatest fun in including your dog is dressing him up. Popular choices for pint-sized wedding apparel include adorable jeweled collars, miniature tuxes or bridal gown, and crystal-encrusted combs and barrettes. Diane Meier Delaney of "The New American Wedding" draped her pooch in an ornate floral arrangement that literally took her guests' breath away (but discuss this option thoughtfully with your florist -- avoid poisonous flowers and steer clear of scratchy wires).

Now that you've ordered his attire and your dog's all set to work hard at your wedding, why not plan to treat him? You can purchase adorable cakes and cupcakes designed for occasions that are perfectly safe for your dog: delicious-looking confections made with wheat flour or oatmeal and bananas or honey, dripping with carob and studded with candy dog bones. Or you can make your own -- just search the net for some tested, dog-safe recipes that avoid excess fat and sugar, and pass on canine no-nos like chocolate, grapes, avocados, coffee and certain nuts.

About the Author

Blake Kritzberg is editor of FavorIdeas. Stop by for continually-updated celebrity wedding news, fairy tale wedding favors, wedding attire for dogs and unique wedding favors.

Dog Breed Profile Border Collie

2008-11-28T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Stephanie Bayliss

History

Border Collies date back many, many years, although were given the name Border Collie around 1915. They were bred out of necessity; shepherds in the borders between England and Scotland could not have worked their flocks without the help of their trusted sheep dogs. Many herding dogs exist, but the image that most people summon when they think of sheep dogs is that of the Border Collie.

Appearance

Border Collies have a fairly broad face, with strong short muzzle. They have beautiful, big oval eyes, which are usually brown but can be striking blue in merle coloured dogs.

The most common Border Collie colour is Black and White, although they also come in red and white, blue merle and many variations in-between. Their coats can be long or short, but are dense in both cases.

Border Collies look like true athletes; strong and agile they are so active that its rare to see an overweight Border Collie!!

Temperament

Border Collies are extremely intelligent and are the true work-a-holics of the dog world!!

They are extremely loyal to their trusted family group but generally develop an unbreakable bond with their master; no dog can make its master feel more important and loved than a Border Collie; once you have their trust, its hard to break!

They are great fun for older kids as they will play Frisbee or ball; they have endless energy and the kids will tire long before a Border Collie would!

Their intelligence does not make them ideal pets for most people; they need significant amounts of exercise and if they are not given a job to do to keep their mind active, they can become destructive and stressed.

Agility, Flyball and Obedience competitions are dominated by Border Collies because of their energy and intelligence. Some of these competitions run classes called ABC classes (Anything But Collies) to give some of the other breeds a chance!!

Grooming

A quick groom once or twice a week (perhaps more at shedding time), should keep a Border Collie's dense coat in lovely, shiny condition.

Exercise

Border Collies require significant amounts of physical and mental exercise; they will walk and run for hours and will still want to play ball when you get home! They excel in agility, flyball and obedience because of their boundless energy and intelligence.

They will make themselves busy around the house; performing tricks and fetching and carrying newpapers and post. But if you don't give these dogs mental workouts and things to do, they will find things for themselves, like emptying bins and generally being destructive!

Not a dog for the feint hearted!!

Health Problems

Border Collies are one of the healthiest and hardiest dogs and do not tend to suffer illness often. Some Border Collies suffer from allergies and deafness is known to affect the breed occasionally.

Stephanie has written many articles on dogs. Visit Kennel Corner for more Dog Breed Profiles and other interesting dog resources, including a Dog Obedience School Directory.

Shih Tzu A Method Of Housebreaking

2008-11-26T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Connie Limon

House training is one of the most important parts of training your shih tzu to be a valued part of the family. As with many other aspects of shih tzu training, the best way to house train a shih tzu is to use the dog's own nature to your benefit.

The great thing about dogs, and the thing that can make house training much easier, is that shih tzu are instinctively very clean animals. Shih tzu would rather not soil the areas where they sleep and eat. In addition, shih tzu are very good at developing habits regarding where they like to urinate and defecate. For example, shih tzu that are used to eliminating on concrete or gravel will prefer to eliminate there rather than on grass or dirt. It is possible to use these natural canine habits when house training your shih tzu.

Setting up the training area

The first step in house training your shih tzu is to set up your training area. A small, confined space such as a bathroom, or part of a kitchen or garage, works best as a training area. This method of training differs from crate training. Crate training is great for shih tzu puppies and other small dogs, but many larger dogs find a crate too confining.

It is important for the owner to spend as much time in the training area with his or her shih tzu as possible. It is important for the owner to play with the shih tzu in the training area, and to let the shih tzu eat and sleep in that area. The shih tzu should be provided with a special bed in the training area, anything from a store bought bed to a large towel to a large box. At first, the shih tzu may eliminate in this area, but once the shih tzu has recognized it as his or her own space, he or she will be reluctant to soil it.

After the shih tzu has gotten used to sleeping in the bed, the owner can move it around the house, relocating it from room to room. When you are not with your shih tzu, the shih tzu should be confined to the training area.

Setting up the toilet area

The second part of house training is to set up the toilet area for the shih tzu. It is important for the shih tzu to have access to this place every time he or she needs to eliminate. It is also important for the owner to accompany the shih tzu each time until he or she gets into the habit of eliminating in the toilet area. This will ensure that the shih tzu uses only the established toilet area.

A set feeding schedule makes the house training process a lot easier for both the owner and the shih tzu. Feeding the shih tzu on a regular basis will also create a regular schedule for the shih tzu's toilet habits. Once you know when your shih tzu is likely to need to eliminate, it will be simple to guide the shih tzu to the established toilet area.

Once the shih tzu has established a toilet area and is using it on a regular basis, it is very important to not confine the shih tzu without access to the toilet area for long periods of time. That is because if the shih tzu is unable to hold it, he or she may be forced to eliminate in the training area. This habit can make house training much more difficult.

Continuing the house training process

After the shih tzu is consistently eliminating in the toilet area and not soiling the training area, it is time to extend that training area to the rest of the home. This process should be done slowly, starting with one room and slowly expanding to the rest of the house. The area should only be extended once you are sure of the shih tzu's ability to control its bladder and bowels.

When you first expand the training area to a single room, let the shih tzu eat, play and sleep in that room, but only when supervised. When it is not possible to supervise the shih tzu, place it back in the original training area. Then, after the shih tzu has accepted the room as an extension of the original training area, the area can be extended.

Speeding up the process

If this process is too lengthy for your needs, it can be speeded up, but it is important to proceed cautiously. It is easier to take your time up front than to retrain a problem dog later. One way to successfully speed up house training is to praise and reward the shih tzu each and every time it uses the established toilet area. It is also important not to punish the shih tzu for mistakes. Punishment will only confuse the shih tzu and slow down the house training process.

Connie Limon is a professional shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Tips For Nervous Dogs

2008-11-23T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Terry King

In The UK we are fast approaching Fireworks Night which in our multi-cultural society heralds a sustained period of celebrations including Diwali or Deepawali coming to an end around New Years Eve.

Around the world the Firework has for hundreds of years formed a key part of celebrations.

I thought it might be useful to outline some tips for dog lovers like me about how to keep your dog calm during what can be a scary couple of months for our faithful friends like our mutt Sam (a Black Lab/ Springer Cross).

There's nothing new here and I can't claim to have invented these but they've worked for Sam I hope they work for you.

On particularly noisy nights Sam likes to have a safe hiding place, he uses a small alcove at the side of the Settee; it's in his favorite place (other than the cat litter tray!) next to us in the living room; I know someone who uses an animal carrier with the door open.

We also do the obvious stuff like close the curtains and turn up the Television to drown out the Firework noise, but we don't shut the doors as I was once told this would make him feel trapped.

We always try and make Sam tired so in the afternoon we try and take him for a long walk and a play with his Friends, Sophie, Honey and Snoopy.

Like you and I Sam feels sleepy after a big meal, so before the Fireworks begin give him a big meal preferably high in Carbohydrate, try rice or mash Potatoes.

There are also a number of products on the market including a natural remedy called Serene-UM. I understand that this product works best if given to a dog over a period of time so now's the time to start. Apparently people often make the mistake of only giving there animal Serene-UM a few days before and this reduces the effectiveness. I found a Website that will deliver Serene-UM to your home http://www.pets2home.co.uk/ and it's on special offer!!

If you're worried all this won't work speak to your Vet about Dog Appeasing Pheromone. It comes as a plug in diffuser and I'm told has really calming influence on Dogs.

Terry King

kinterry@googlemail.co.uk

Terry married and lives with his wife Louise and his dog Sam a Two year old Lab/Springer Cross( Sam not Louise)

Guinea Pigs As Pets

2008-11-22T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Graeme Jarry

In the USA over 1 million families have guinea pigs as pets. Guinea pigs are cuddly and soft and love to cuddle up in the arms of small children.They make great companions and don't have to be toilet trained.Put them in a roomy cage with some bedding, some old newspaper and a constant supply of water and food and you will have a very happy pet.Compare them to a dog,cat, horse,rat,rabbit, birds or fish and they are a very easy pet to take care of.

They don't moan and groan or bark to get your attention.They are a very quiet animal with very few needs.Guinea pigs make great pets for both adults and young children alike.Being a non nocturnal animal,unlike the gerbil or hamster,you don't find yourself being woken or kept awake at night,running on their squeeky wheel.

Compare them to a dog,cat,horse,rat,rabbit, birds or fish and they are a very easy pet to take care of.Owning a guinea pig for the very first time can be quite an experince,as not many people are familiar with the life of the cavy.As a result the new owner often has many questions about their pet.Whilst most people would agree guinea pigs are a very lovable animal and make great pets,before you purchase one you need to take into consideration many things.Firstly of course there are a large range to choose from. There are four main things that need to be considered.

1) The best type of guinea pig,whether for you or your children.
2) Taking care of your guinea pig or pigs.
3) Allegies to guinea pigs.
4) Keeping more than one guinea pig.

The best type of guinea pig often comes down to personality, colour,looks etc,but it is worth taking into account whether your small children will be holding your pet often. Females tend to be a smaller animal , more docile,less excitable than their male counterparts and easier to play with.

The Author has written an indepth book on Guinea Pigs based on his practical experience.

If you would like to know more please go to. http://www.guineapigsecretsrevealed.com

Is Your Pet In Pain

2008-11-21T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Aliza Adar Levine

Can you imagine that your pet may be in pain and you might not know it? Unbelievable as it sounds it is all too common. Learning to detect the signs of pet pain is really crucial to your pet's health care and well being. And pets don't always act like people do when they are suffering.

Animals can suffer with toothaches, joint pain, infections, just like people. Unfortunately, because they can't tell you about it you might be neglecting a serious or painful condition. One of the main things to look for is a change. That can mean change in behavior, temperament, eating or sleeping patterns. It can be very subtle.

One sharp cat owner noticed that her cat was simply meowing more than usual for a few days. Not crying, just more meowing. She took "Max" took the Vet and a horribly infected tooth was discovered and treated. No more meowing.

A typical cat reaction to pain is to hide. If you notice your cat is gone most of the time, check it out.

With dogs, less interest in eating, eating less or even slower than usual, can signal a toothache. Food falling from the dog's mouth is also typical. It may hurt to chew.

When "Doobie", usually a frisky boxer pup, was just lying in a corner quietly, something was wrong. A visit to the vet revealed a painful abscess that needed treatment.

If your pet is suddenly hyperactive or listless, pay attention. Both are possible signs of pet pain.

Older pets can suffer from chronic conditions like arthritis, hip pain, and other age related problems. Symptoms can be slow movement, limping, balance problems, subdued or nervous disposition. Pain can make a calm animal irritable or even aggressive.

There is no reason your pet has to suffer. Your vet can prescribe pain medication that can bring relief. Never give a pet human medications, though. This is very dangerous and can even kill. Cats especially, because their liver is different than a person, can be poisoned easily.

Often an animal will lick a painful area, or even rub it against a surface. A sign of this is can be a flattened or wet area on your pet's coat. Try to separate the hair to see if you can detect anything. The appearance of redness, swelling, an open wound, or even local heat all are best checked by a vet.

If you notice your dog scratching constantly, check out and treat for fleas if needed. If Poochie scratched herself raw and is bleeding, keep your eye on the wounds and get help if it's not healing up quickly.

So, if your pet seems to be acting different,it could be pain that's behind the change. When in doubt, go to your local pet clinic for security. You never know. When it comes to pain, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

You may end up saving your beloved pet's life!

Aliza Levine RNMH runs a busy Clinic, Pharmacy. Learn more about Dog health care at http://www.DogHealthCare.info

Dealing With Loose Aggressive Dogs On Walks

2008-11-20T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Sean D

This can be quite a problem for some dog owners, what do you do if a loose dog comes over to you and your dog, the situation can be quite intimidating especially if you have a small dog and the one coming toward you is much larger or aggressive.

The reason I have written this article is because I was on a dog forum recently and read a hart wrenching post from a lady who held her dying dog in her arms after it was attacked in front of her by a loose dog that snapped it's neck.

I do not always keep my dog on a lead but I have a rule I always use when I am out with her, if she is off the lead and I see another dog with it's owner if that dog is off the lead I keep Brandy off hers, I make the assumption that the other dogs owner knows their dog is all right interacting with other dogs, however if the owner has their dog on a lead I then put Brandy on hers. This is because I feel if the owner of the other dog is unsure how their dog will react to mine I should do everything I can to help their dog be combatable, this is just a rule I use when out with Brandy.

There are times when you need to deal with dogs who's owner is either not responsible or is not around in there situations I believe there are a number of options you might consider taking.

Dog with owner

If you come across an aggressive dog off its lead but with the owner then it might be worth having a quick word with the owner and suggesting he keep his dog on a lead when other dogs are around.

Aggressive dogs

If you are lightly to come across aggressive dogs on your walk then there are three things I would recommend you could carry with you to deter an attack.

Pepper spray

You can get dog safe pepper spray, this will cause the dog discomfort and stop the initial attack, it also acts as a deterrent from future attacks, if a dog recognises you as someone who has caused him pain he should avoid you in the future. I think this is an extreme measure and I would only use it if there were lightly to be in danger of harm to Brandy or myself.

Ultra sonic alarm

You can buy ultra sonic alarms that can be heard by dogs but not people, this will cause the dog to get distracted and the sound will not be pleasant to him but should cause no permanent harm.

Carry a stick

This is an option you could consider a walking stick waved at a dog as it starts to become aggressive can often deter an attack, and might stop the situation developing further.

Call the dog warden

Sean has been a dog trainer and handler for 39 years, he is now sharing his techniques in a free ebook available from

Tall indoor dog gates get your free copy now http://www.tall-indoor-dog-gates.com

Behavioural Problems In Puppies And Adult Dogs Part 1 Biting

2008-11-19T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Rickie Haughton

Why is my puppy biting me and what should I do about it?

This is a very common question posed by puppy owners. There can be many reasons for your puppy biting, but first you must ask yourself the all important question:

"Is the puppy really being aggressive or is it just playing with you, like it would with its brothers and sisters?"

When puppies play with each other and with their mum, they are very rough. Their teeth are needle sharp and they use them without any worries. The puppies have quite tough skin and so this play does no real harm.

If the puppy were to treat you in the same way it would probably draw blood. So when you play with your new puppy you have to teach it that you are the leader of its pack and it must obey you.

Use the word "No", said in a stern voice to discourage unacceptable behaviour. If the behaviour persists, it can be reinforced with a light tap on the snout. Remember this is only a baby and can not be expected to behave perfectly at all times, so try to distract the puppy from what it is doing before resorting to harsher methods.

One way of stopping your new pet from biting you is to push its bottom lip into its mouth underneath your finger when it bites. This has the effect of making it bite itself and usually cures the problem if used in conjunction with a voice command.

If you do not address this issue when the puppy is young you could find that your adorable puppy grows into a very unruly adult.

All dogs are pack animals and as such need to feel and be part of a pack. You and your family are now that pack and it is vital for your family's happiness and the puppy's that it realises from a young age that it is at the bottom of the pack. Even the youngest member of the family has to be higher in status than the dog no matter what its age.

As the dog gets older it may try to assert itself more and raise its position in the family pack. This does not mean that it will become aggressive; however, it will try to dominate the lower members of the pack. This is not acceptable and must be strongly discouraged. Provided that you maintain your position as the pack leader and show your disapproval of the dog's actions there will rarely be a problem.

Use your tone of voice to impart your wishes to your puppy. It is very important to use a commanding tone when giving the puppy an order. Saying "sit", for example, in a very soft, pleading tone will have very little effect on the puppy. If, however, you use a firm, no nonsense tone, the dog will soon learn to recognise what is required. Do not raise the volume, just alter the tone.

There are two very definite don'ts when training your puppy; Firstly, never ever hit the dog with anything including your hand (as I said earlier, a light tap on the snout is ok, but nothing harder) Secondly, remember that love and affection and a small treat is always far more effective than punishment (most dogs will do and learn anything if rewarded with little food treats).

It is strongly recommended that you enrol your puppy in a good local training class. If you do not know of one then either ask your vet or consult a reputable breeder. The Kennel Association for your country will probably have information on this subject.

Rickie Haughton is a Kennel Club of Great Britain registered dog trainer and has bred, shown and trained dogs for over 35 years. His expertise covers all aspects of breeding, rearing, showing, training and behaviour in breeds of all sizes. Together with his wife, Lesley, they own the Bassmas Basset Hound and English Mastiff Kennels in Somerset, England. Occasionally they have puppies for sale to approved homes only. They can be contacted at Bassmas@northmoor.plus This article can also be seen at http://www.poodle-lovers.com.

Tinfoil Barb

2008-11-18T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Allen Jesson

The Tinfoil barb has a silvery body with bright and shiny scales and beautiful black and red-orange fins. The Tinfoil barb is sometimes confused with another species in the aquarium trade.

The Tinfoil barb is an active species that will inhabit the lower part of the aquarium, from the bottom and up to mid-level. Most Tinfoil barbs in the aquarium trade are wild caught, since their size makes them difficult to breed in captivity. Sexing the fish is also hard. Tinfoil barbs are egg-scatters and a female Tinfoil barb can produce several thousands of eggs during one spawning.

Tinfoil barbs should only be kept by aquarium keepers with really large aquariums, since it is one of the largest barbs and can reach a length of 36 centimeters (14 inches). It is also a schooling species, so you must have enough space to house a group of Tinfoil barbs. A school of Tinfoil barbs is un aggressive and can be combined with fish from other species as long as those fishes are as large as the barbs or bigger.

The Tinfoil barb feeds chiefly on plant material, but will not turn down occasional treats in the form of worms, insects, crustaceans or small fishes. Keeping your Tinfoil barbs with small fishes is therefore not recommended, since they might be perceived as prey. It is not hard to get your Tinfoil barb to eat in captivity. If you have tender plants in the aquarium, or plants that have not yet rooted themselves in the substrate, your Tinfoil barb might eat them.

The Tinfoil barb will also appreciate filamentous algae. Many aquarium keepers choose artificial plants for their Tinfoil barb aquarium, but you can go for real plants if you choose sturdy plant species that will tolerate nibbling. Ideally begin with really inexpensive plant species to test how your particular Tinfoil barbs will treat the live plants.

The Tinfoil barb originates from tropical waters in Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand, and the Malayan peninsula, and the water temperature in the aquarium should therefore be 22-25 ° C (72-77 ° F). Since it inhabits rapidly moving rivers and streams in the wild, the Tinfoil barb will appreciate strong currents in the aquarium. The preferred pH is in the 6.5-7.0 range and the water hardness should not be higher than 10 degrees of general hardness. If you care for your Tinfoil barbs and provide them with a suitable environment and appropriate diet they can live for 8-10 years.

Allen Jesson writes for several sites including two sites that specialize in salt water and fresh water aquariums and the aquarium site and Seapets, a leading source for aquariums and fish tanks.

Locomotion Of Animals

2008-11-17T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

The word "locomotion" means "moving from place to place". It comes from two Latin words: "locus", meaning "place" and "motio" meaning "movement". Animals can move from place to place in water, in air, or on land. Such movement does require work and their bodies must be lifted or moved forward or both.

Even humans can notice this easily. When you walk, you feel the weight of your body. As you lift each foot, you work against the downward pull of gravity. When you swim, the water supports your weight almost entirely. The downward pull of gravity is balanced by the upward lift of the surrounding water. However, you will have to work to push through the water as it resists your moving body. On land in, air resists your movement very little. You can even hardly notice the resistance. Therefore, animals that live in water work mainly to overcome the resistance of their surroundings. Animals that live out of water work mainly to overcome the pull of gravity. Locomotion is naturally very different in air and in water.

A fast-swimming fish, such as a mackerel, has an ideal shape for moving rapidly through water. The body tapers at the front and tail. The shape meets very little resistance from surrounding water since water streams smoothly over the surface of the body. It is also the shape of large sea mammals such as whales and dolphins. This is the shape men have chosen to base the submarine design on. The streamlined shape is necessary for rapid movement in water because it gives the much needed stiffening and power.

The force of the forward push depends on the size, shape and slant of the tailfin while the animal's speed through the water is determined by its body size. A dolphin 6 feet long can easily swim at 20 mph. Its body shape is streamlined like that of a fast-swimming fish, but its body and tail speak up and down rather than side to side. The surface of a dolphin's body does meet some resistance from the water and this is why huge whales about 100 feet long swim no faster than the smaller dolphins. Except when the animal is attacking its spray or escaping an enemy, to swim at high speeds demands more effort than the body can afford.

Others sea animals move through water much more slowly. Worms and snails glide along the bottom while turtles and other animals paddle. Jellyfishes move by some sort of jet propulsion. The squid, octopus and the clam swim by somewhat the same method as well.

On land most kinds of animals move from place to place a means of legs. Legs work against the pull of gravity by lifting and supporting the weight of the body to carry it forward. For rapid locomotion over the ground, a few pairs of longer legs seem better than lots of short legs. A spider can move across the table faster than a millipede can and a mouse can move faster than a spider. The fewer and longer the legs are, however, the better the body must be balanced. In an insect, the body must be carefully balanced so all its legs support the middle part of the body. An insect moves only three legs at a time because the other three legs are used for support. And an insect has its weight equal in both the front and behind of the body. Although this is good for balance, this arrangement is not as good for fast local motion as in vertebrates.

Four legs support most land vertebrates and move it from place to place. In some animals like the salamander, the legs are at the sides so the animal wriggles like a fish. When standing, some vertebrates place their body weight on their front legs and some place it on their hind legs. Others also place it evenly on both pairs of legs. In order not to fall down when walking, a four-legged animal must always have the other 3 feet on the ground. No foot is lifted off the ground unless the center of the body weight is spread over the other 3 feet. For instance, if movement begins with the right front leg, the left rear leg steps next. Then the left front leg moves, followed by the right rear leg. This pattern is the same for a turtle, dog, or a human infant on all fours. By walking this way, a four-legged animal can stop suddenly at any moment without falling down

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Animals

Orthopedic Dog Beds

2008-11-16T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ken Marlborough

Many people consider their dog to be part of their family, and want to ensure his happiness and comfort. As dogs get older, they experience the same problems in their canine bodies as humans do. Arthritis in older dogs, especially males, is quite common, though sometimes hard to detect since your dog can't complain about the aches and pains he's experiencing. He'll slow down when walking and running, he won't leap for that dog treat as quickly as he used to, he'll shorten those evening walks and he simply won't sleep as well on the same bed he's been using for years.

There are, however, many ways you can help him. The first step is to consult with your veterinarian, who will probably make adjustments to his diet and perhaps even prescribe some medication to be mixed into his food. Your vet may then suggest that you invest a few dollars and buy him one of many orthopedic dog beds to help him sleep better. The more comfort you can give to your dog with this problem, the more he'll enjoy his declining years.

Orthopedic dog beds are quite common these days, and even if your veterinarian does not know where you can find one in the town or city where you live, he will likely be able to direct you to a number of mail order companies or websites that specialize in them and be able to help you make the best choice.

In general, older dogs, those recuperating from surgery or accidents, or handicapped dogs will get the most comfort from some kind of foam bed, since they are firmer and easier to get into and out of. If your dog likes to "nest", (kneading the fabric of his bed before he lies down), a MiracleLoft-filled bed will be the best for him.

Baffle beds, that is, beds designed with polyfil-filled tubes of fabric sewn together, are also an excellent choice, as they tend to be firmer and to provide more support where the dog needs it most. They are designed to create a non-shifting liner, so the shape of the bed does not change over time and the dog can get into a similar position comfortably and easily each and every night. Quilted foam orthopedic dog beds are probably best for dogs with severe arthritis, as the foam is of a medical grade, created for humans with similar problems, and provides the most support for painful, arthritic joints. Take your dog with you if you're lucky enough to have an orthopedic dog bed supplier in your area and let him decide. After all, it's his bed now, isn't it?

Dog Beds Info provides detailed information about small and large dog beds, as well as designer, orthopedic, and discount dog beds. Dog Beds Info is the sister site of Bird Cages Web.

How To Take Care Of Your Little Angels

2008-11-15T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tarja Anchor

Angelfish have been popular for a long time, and new strains are still being developed. Wild-caught fish are also widely available. Angelfish are cichlids, which mean they can be aggressive, territorial, and predatory. They also have some demanding requirements for space, water conditions, and diet.

Angelfish require space to establish and hold a territory. You can keep one Angelfish in a relatively small aquarium, but they will do a lot better in a group of five or more in bigger tank. You should provide 10 gallons of water for one adult Angelfish. If you consider keeping Angelfish, locally bred fish are a good choice. They are usually already acclimated to your tap water, and probably are available at your local fish store.

There is a growing number of "basement breeders" all over the country, who bring their fish to the store for sale. This will save you a lot of time and money if you are just starting with Angelfish.

Wild-caught fish are harder to get acclimated to different water conditions. It has to happen very slowly, and at first the conditions should be close to their natural water conditions; slightly acidic, and relatively soft. Water temperature must be maintained between 78 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit for all Angelfish regardless of their origin. They don't like to get "chilled"; they will suffer and get sick in too cool water.

There are no special requirements for filters, as long as the water stays clean. The only thing to think about is that the water is not flowing too fast. Angelfish are not happy where salmon would be. Thirty percent of the water should be changed at least every two weeks. Also vacuum the bottom to keep it clean and aerated, since Angelfish will not mix the substrate. One option is to keep some bottom dwellers with Angels.

Angelfish generally accept all kinds of food. They are omnivorous, which means they eat meat and plant food. You can offer pellets, flakes, frozen blood worms and brine shrimp, and so on. Avoid too fatty meat to protect the liver from getting cirrhosis. It is a good habit to feed Angelfish two or three times a day a with small amount instead of single large meal. This will prevent digestive problems.

Angelfish can be good community fish. They do need to have appropriate tank mates for everything to work out. Some small fish may end up on the menu, like Neon Tetras, and slower fish may have difficulty to get enough food. Avoid very small fish and choose tank mates with similar temperament, and water condition requirements. Some Angel fish strains have very long fins and tails, which some other species keep nipping.

If you are interested in breeding Angelfish, you will need a second tank to separate the breeding pair from the rest of the community, or to rear the fry. It would be best to get at least 3 to 5 Angels to be sure you get one female and one male. Sometimes you may find a pair of adults for sale, which have already spawned. Angels will form a pair after courtship display, and will aggressively guard the chosen spawning spot. This is usually some kind of vertical surface, a big leaf or tubing for example. Spawning takes about an hour. Both parents keep fanning the eggs for three days until they hatch. The fry will stay attached to the surface for about five days and then start swimming on their own. By this time the fry has used most of its yolk, and needs to be fed for the first time. You can offer newly hatched brine shrimp. It's wiggling will stimulate the fry to eat better than flake food will, which can be offered crushed.

Parents will take care of the fry, but if any wander away; they will get on the menu of the other fish. This can be prevented by moving the fry to a separate tank. If the fry is well fed and the tank is kept clean, the fry will grow very fast. Then you can start asking from your local fish stores if they would be interested in having your little Angels for sale. Happy fish keeping.

More information about aqurium fish, aquarium plants, aquarium decoration, aquarium filters, and salt water aquariums at http://aquariuminfosite.com

Crate Training Dogs The Right Way And The Wrong Way Part One

2008-11-14T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kathleen Amaro

Part1: There is Actually a "Wrong" Way to Crate Train

Crate training dogs, (or crate training puppies) if approached correctly is by far one of the most effective tools you can use to form good dog behavior.

The most subtle mistakes in crate training are sometimes the worst because they go undetected and are repeated over and over again which can make the whole experience of potty training dogs negative and frustrating.

Using the correct method of crate training you can avoid subtle mistakes and have your puppy or dog's training move along quite smoothly.

Even though crate training dogs is by far the best way to potty train, it can backfire if not done correctly. This is why there are so many pet owners who attempt crate training and wonder why they're still having problems; because there is a right way and a wrong way to approach the whole process.

My proven methods of crate training make this stage both a positive and rewarding experience for both you and your puppy (or dog).

A Basic Understanding:
---------------------

The first step in puppy training or dog training is to learn how your puppy or dog is viewing things, what actually forms his puppy behavior and what you can do to appropriately shape it.

By understanding the canine mindset better, you can make the process a lot easier and faster, which in turn makes it a lot more fun and rewarding for both you and your puppy.

So in order to be successful in crate training dogs or puppies, a basic understanding of "natural" puppy behavior is needed. Here are a few examples:

1. Dogs cannot view things the way we do; and in fact many times situations are just the opposite of what it looks like from our perspective.

2. Dogs do not make connections between cause and effect when any amount of time has passed.

3. Dogs do not understand the spoken language unless it's paired consistently with something meaningful to them.

4. Dogs are frightened and confused by anger that humans display.

5. When a dog experiences fear and confusion as a result of a human getting angry with him this also slows down the dog's learning process since effective learning cannot take place under these conditions.

What Dogs Do Understand:
------------------------

Some of what dogs and puppies do understand is:

* Instinct and self preservation-(neither of which they have conscious control over)

* Immediate consequence to action

* Positive rewards

* Tone of voice

* Some body language

And they are effected by our emotions even when they don't understand them.

Dogs and puppies respond more quickly and more reliably to positive incentives than to fear or punishment. And in dealing with puppies, fear and punishment can and will damage their personalities for life.

In many cases, punishment tactics actually cause behavioral problems, can compound existing ones, and can even bring about the opposite behavior than what we are trying to achieve.

Crate training dogs and crate training puppies using positive behavior shaping methods allows you to effectively train your pet without having to use punitive measures at all.

Kathleen Amaro is the owner of http://www.puppy-potty-training.com. Her instantly downloadable ebook "25 Secrets to Raising the Perfect Puppy" not only tells you how to raise the perfect puppy, it presents the exact methods of how to crate train your puppy or dog using only positive and healthy learning techniques.

Punishment Is Not The Answer

2008-11-13T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lynn Lott

Some people mistakenly think that kind and firm solutions reward their dogs for bad behavior and that the only way a dog can learn is to suffer. More often than not, the "solution" for the dog's misbehavior is really misplaced anger or a desire to hurt the dog for hurting you. That's what happened with Francie, who left her new puppy Cody, an American Eskimo dog (a very attached breed who needs attention), home alone for long hours while she went to work. Her little dog was bored and teething, so he entertained himself by chewing on Francie's shoes. Little did he know that his entertainment would make his mom so angry. When Francie walked in and saw one of her $200 shoes in Cody's mouth, she saw red. She pulled the shoe away from him and hit him with it over and over, yelling, "No, no, no! Bad dog, bad dog!" Cody slunk away with his tail between his legs and hid under a chair. Francie grabbed him and threw him outside saying, "You think about what a bad boy you've been." Right!

If Francie thought her methods would stop Cody from chewing on her shoes because she "taught him a lesson," she was soon disabused of the notion when, the next day, he chewed another pair of her best shoes. No amount of yelling and hitting seemed to get through to the little pup.

The Pup Parenting Plan was very simple for Francie.

1 . The behavior that bothers me: Chewed up shoes.

2. Why change is needed: Shoes are expensive and I can't afford to keep replacing them.

3. The mistake I am making: Every one of them. I am reactive, disrespectful, punitive, and I talk too much. When she stepped back and looked at the problem objectively, she knew that chewing a shoe is not bad behavior. It is normal dog behavior. The faulty behavior is leaving the shoe in the dog's reach in the first place. Francie could see that it does not make sense to punish a dog for normal dog behavior, nor does it make sense to assume a dog will learn from punishment. Have you noticed that most pooch parents initially respond just the way Francie did? They punish their dogs for chewing the shoe instead of simply removing their shoes from the dog's path.

4. A list of possible solutions: I don't have to brainstorm for a list of solutions. It's obvious that I must keep my shoes out of sight and provide appropriate chew toys. Instead of brainstorming, she acted:

She went to the store and found a shoe rack that hung on the back of her closet door and put all of her shoes in the rack.

She also bought a lot of soft stuffed animals at the secondhand store and set them out for Cody to chew. Each animal cost 50 cents -- a bargain compared to her shoes. Francie tried rawhide strips, but Cody never liked chewing on them. He preferred something soft, like the shoes, so the stuffed animals were a great substitute and a much better solution than releasing all one's anger at a dog.

5. Choose a solution and follow through: Having a well-thought-out plan made it easy for Francie to follow through. She kept her shoes out of Cody's sight, and she never lost another shoe.

Try to imagine what your dog is thinking while being swatted with the shoe. Do you think he is thinking, "Thank you for caring about me so much that you want to hurt me to teach me right from wrong"? It is more likely that your dog is hurt and totally confused -- but amazingly, still loves you.

Francie didn't feel good about hitting Cody and yelling at him. She shook her head at how much she and Cody had suffered because she didn't take the time to think the problem through. She liked herself a lot better when she was less angry and had a respectful plan. Kind and firm proactive pooch parenting was much more her style.

If Cody could talk, what would he say? "I loved the game that Francie used to play with me. I would chew her shoe, she would give me lots of attention, I got to go outside and play in the yard, and when I came back in, she had already left another shoe for me to chew. Oh well, now I have my own special toys to play with."

http://www.positivediscipline.com/pupparenting

Reprinted from: Pup Parenting: A Guide to Raising a Happy, Well-Trained Dog by Lynn Lott, Jane Nelsen, and Therry Jay © 2006 Rodale Inc. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their website at www.rodalestore.com

Dog Behavior Problems Digging In The Yard

2008-11-12T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tyler Brown

Is your dog hunting for land mines around your yard? Digging in the yard is a dog behavior problem that many of my clients have complained about. It ruins the grass, flowerbeds, and generally gives a lousy look to your yard. Train it correctly and your dog can learn to hate digging in the yard.

Digging is a natural behavior for your dog. Members of the canine family in the wild dig to hide their treasured possessions and to build their shelters. In our domesticated world, however, digging is not an acceptable behavior.

The first thing to do is to understand that your dog is digging to fulfill one of his needs. Start out by giving your dog something else to do. Make sure that he has safe toys to play with in the back yard and that he gets plenty of exercise. This probably will not cure him of his digging behavior problem but it is only fair to help him occupy his time.

Second, you must change his association to digging. Right now your dog sees digging as a fun activity. It is up to you to make it an activity that brings no pleasure.

You are going to need a partner to help out with this exercise. Have your partner take the dog out of the back yard. He can't see what you are about to do. With your dog out of the yard gather as much of his stool as you can. Fill the holes he has dug with his own stool and cover it up with dirt. Do this to every hole.

Most dogs are repulsed by their own stool. Most dogs will also return to their previously dug holes. So when he goes back to his old hole to re-dig, he will find his own stool and have a negative association to that hole. If he then re-digs another hole and again finds his own stool he will once again be repulsed. If this happens often enough he will soon believe that every time he digs he will be confronted with his own stool. This should stop his digging.

Sometimes it isn't as easy as that, though. Some dogs get clever and dig in a new place. When that happens, repeat the same process of removing him from the yard and filling in his hole. You may have to repeat this process numerous times before, by virtue of the law of statistics, he keeps having bad experiences with his own stool while digging.

Stay consistent. Keep at it. Persistence and patience is the keys with removing this unwanted dog behavior problem.

Author Tyler Brown is a renowned dog trainer whose training adventures and clients have taken him to 18 states and 5 countries to teach others how to properly train their dogs. Go to dogbehavioronline.com for more dog training articles, advice, tips, and answers from a professional dog trainer.

Birds Are People Too

2008-11-11T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many bird lovers find themselves closer to birds than many people, indeed birds are our friends and they seem to be intrigued by humans for the most part. Many people have birds as pets and find them to be quite content to be our companions.

One author; Dale Sheldrake has written several books, which discuss how birds and people can communicate at times via brain waves or something other than verbal communication. His verified studies and research even show the ability of birds to communicate over many miles of separation. Yet how can this be? People cannot do that?

Well actually it appears people can. For instance have you ever heard your phone ring and just knew who it was or had been thinking about someone and suddenly they call? How do they do that anyway? Well, it turns out this is perfectly normal and although it does not happen so often in long-lost tribes they describe this ability as common and they use it to communicate. Very interesting.

And did you know that sometimes wild birds over 60 miles away and totally out of range will fly to a dead animal carcass which has been left right after the very first birds of their same species find it and land and start eating? How do they know? How do people communicate like this? My only question is how much abilities do we share with our feathered friends? Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

What On Earth Is A Duck Toller

2008-11-10T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Russell

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a unique breed originating in Nova Scotia. It's major characteristic is the reason it is called a "Duck Toller". It is a breed that has a strong sense of play and will prance about endlessly throwing sticks or toys in the air and playing by itself. For some reason ducks are attracted to dogs which play in this manner, particularly to dogs which are the red color of the eastern fox and the "Duck Toller" fits this description.

In years past the ducks were lured into a long tunnel of netting and captured in this manner, with the dog being the lure. Nowadays the dog is used in the same manner except that the birds are lured into close enough proximity for the hunter to shoot them. The duck toller is noted for its happy character, the tail always being in motion and its propensity to play with toys. When working as a toller, the dog has speedy action, the tail always is in motion and he will prance and pounce completely without direction by a human. When the birds are downed, his retriever instincts are brought into play and the hunter will direct the dog to bring back the birds, which he does with great swimming strength and skill on land or in the water.

In 1945 the standard was first drawn up, but for many years the Nova Scotia Duck Toller was relatively unknown. Only recently was it admitted into the American Kennel club registry in the Sporting Dogs Group. He has continued to attract a loyal and enthusiastic crowd of fanciers, who prize his friendly and good natured character. He is a medium sized dog that is noted for his active and alert manner, playful spirit and easy trainability. He makes a good watch dog but is not a guard dog. His coat is red, or various shades of orange, with light feathering and of medium to short length. In appearance he looks very much like a small, lighter boned version of the Golden Retriever. In fact, the Duck Toller is believed to have been bred through crosses with Labrador Retrievers, Goldens and various Spaniels. He is by nature a strong retriever on land or on water and should exhibit powerful swimming ability and a natural love of the water.

The Nova Scotia Duck Toller does not make a good kennel dog, he worked as a "partner" to mankind for generations in his history and is a much better companion and pet when allowed to be with his people. Furthermore this is a breed that is easily bored and needs activity and plenty of exercise to thrive. He makes a great house pet as he is not overly large and he is exceptionally gentle with children and accepting of strangers. He fits well into a household with other breeds also, being good nattered and playful in his approach. Since his only drawback is his playfulness, he probably should be in a household with plenty of children and activity, although his gentleness, fondness for playing "solo" and easy trainability would not rule him out as a pet for the elderly.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Dogs

Horse Training 101

2008-11-09T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ray La Foy

Each horse is different in how it learns and how it reacts to outside stimuli. Certain methods of horse training may apply to some horses, but it does not mean that it will be effective to all breeds of horse.

To start horse training you must develop a communication system with the horse. This might take time. In the same way as children may not fully grasp the idea of things at an instant, baby horses in training may not get every pressure, pat or way of holding the reins at once.

When you apply a certain pressure, you expect a certain response. During horse training, you must make the horse understand that a certain pressure should elicit a corresponding response. We don't expect full compliance in the beginning, but as time goes by, these actions will be part of the horse's vocabulary.

Throughout the course of the horse training, one by one these actions will be added to his vocabulary. But these actions should still be broken down into minute details that the horse can take in one at a time. Learn how to pace with each individual horse. Training is something that should be done slowly and surely.

You must also learn how to "speak" to your horse in a way that it will be able to comprehend. This manner of speaking would mean fewer words and more body language.

Horses are herd animals. They learn well by imitating the leaders of the herd. You should be that "leader" your horse will follow. Patience is a key in training your horses.

You must also take into consideration that no one, animal or human, learns well when under stress. You should not force lessons into your horse during horse training. They don't appreciate the yelling and whipping, especially if they do not know what all the harshness is for. Unlike humans who can speak their minds, horses resort to more physical responses. And you certainly wouldn't want your horse to whirl, kick, strike and do out of hand movements.

You must create an environment wherein the horse can learn on its own, aside from the horse training that you give it. It is also important to see the difference between having been able to teach the horse something and it just accepting it. If a horse is relaxed when you do something, this does not necessarily mean that it is trained. This might just mean to it as another thing a human being normally does. Resistance at first is needed in order to see that the horse recognizes that something new is being taught to him.

The horse's daily training routine should not be based on a set of particular things you want to teach to the horse. It should be based on how your horse reacts to your actions. Don't teach something new to it without reviewing what it already knows.

Most importantly - don't force your horse to go on horse training if it doesn't feel well. A good routine does not only maintain the horse's attention level, but also its comfort level.

Horses and Ponies Learn more at http://www.horseandponys.com

Tips For Choosing A Fish Tank

2008-11-08T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lee Dobbins

Picking the right tropical fish tank will make the care of your tank easier and much more fun for both you and the fish, so you will want to choose an aquarium that not only looks sharp, but is also functional and appropriate for your needs. Ultimately the decision is yours to make - below are a few thoughts that should help to insure you pick an aquarium that is perfect for you!

Shape

The most prevalent shapes for fish tanks are hexagon and rectangular, but you can also buy rounded bubble tanks, coffee table tanks and even thin fish tanks that fit right in your wall! When deciding on the size of your tank, you need to consider the location where you will setup the tropical fish tank to be certain the tank will fit and won't stick out into any traffic areas.

Rectangular fish tanks are best for your water quality and fish health. Because rectangular tanks are long, the surface area (the area that meets the air) is bigger in ratio than aquarium tanks of other shapes and sizes and allows for best exchange of gases and, hence a healthier aquarium tank. A hexagon shaped fish tank, looks neat, but there is not as much surface area. You can still have a successful hexagon shaped tank, but you will most likely need to spend more time maintaining the water and won't be able to house as many tropical fish as you can when using a rectangular tank which holds as much water.

Location

If just are going to have 1 fish as a conversation piece on a small shelf or bathroom vanity a cool decorative tropical aquarium could be just the thing. When picking a location for the fish tank be sure that you take the weight of the tank into consideration (a filled aquarium can weigh 12 pounds per gallon so a filled 20 gallon Aquarium Setup can weigh over 200 pounds) and locate it a spot that can support the weight including the right stand. When buying your aquarium tank, it is necessary to think about its placement in your house. If you are looking to add appeal to an empty corner, a hexagon shaped aquarium tank might be wonderful, but a long rectangular aquarium setup could make an interesting statement along a wall.

Size

If you are just a beginner you should consider a 20 to 30 gallon aquarium setup. A small 5 gallon aquarium tank is fine if you do not have a lot of space but you will have to be sure you don't overload the aquarium with fish or the quality of your water will suffer which can make your fish unhealthy. Don't be tempted by those little fish tanks or bowls that have 1 or 2 fish with no filtration, Believe me, the fish will not live for a long time in that tank and you will spend a lot of time monitoring the water quality and performing water changes. The rule of thumb for size when buying an aquarium is that the bigger the aquarium tank, the less maintenance you'll need to carry out and the more fish you can house.

Typically you can house 1 inch of fish for every gallon of water in the tank - along with adequate aeration and filtration, that is. If you buy a 20 gallon aquarium setup, you can have 20 inches of tropical fish, or about 15 fish with the tinier 5 gallon aquariums you will only be able to keep 2 or 3 fish.

Picking the right tank is a question of personal preference, you need to weigh the options and pick what fits your needs. Doing your homework before you go to the store will help to save you both time and money in the long run.

Lee Dobbins writes for Page Giant where you can find more interesting articles on a variety of subjects.

Bedding For Horses

2008-11-06T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ronnie Kellner

Proper bedding for horses is extremely important. Their health and performance depends on them having the proper amount of rest. Studies have shown that sleep can be divided into 2 stages, Slow Wave Seep (SWS) and Paradoxial Sleep (PS) .
Horses normally fall asleep while standing up and they enter SWS during which the muscles gradually relax.

If the horse is feeling comfortable in its environment it will lie down and drift further into SWS with further relaxation of the muscles.

The horse may then lie down flat to enter PS where the muscles are totally relaxed, that is, there is virtually no muscle tone.

An important point about sleep cycles is that the horse must lie down flat to complete a sleeping cycle that includes PS. If a horse cannot, or chooses not to lie down then it can rest in SWS but cannot achieve the total relaxation of PS.

Paradoxial sleep is sometimes termed the sleep of the body because of the general muscular relaxation.
SWS is known as the sleep of the mind.

And so with that in mind I started researching the different types of bedding for horses. Here are the various types of horse bedding I have found.

Straw bedding especially wheat straw was used in virtually every stable some fifty years ago. Horses were mainly kept for hunting, competitions or belonged to riding schools. Some horses had "hay coughs",now called Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and since the majority of horses were looked after by professional grooms, COPD meant nothing to the average horse owner.

Today's the situation is so different. The growing trend to keep equines as pets and not only as work animals has spurred a growing trend to find new types of bedding.

Straw as Horse Bedding

Benefits

If clean and dust free, it makes an excellent bed.

Disadvantages

amount of waste material generated
costly to dispose
Heavy to cart to the muck heap
Dangers of spores and dust
May create respiratory problems for horse and humans
horses often eat straw bedding.

Findings from other studies have shown that when given the choice of straw or wood shavings as a bedding type, horses spend more time on straw.

Horses appear to spend more time performing bedding-directed behaviours on straw and this seems to reduce boredom in stabled horses

The use of beddings other than straw may increase the risk of abnormal behaviours such as weaving.

Both straw and wood shavings are economical and easy to obtain.

Straw is generally warmer bedding than shavings because it traps air.

Sawdust as Horse Bedding

Benefits
Readily available almost everywhere
Relatively inexpensive

Disadvantages

May irritate a horses lungs
Can cause the "heaves" (a respiratory problem)
Heavier to load and muck than straw, shavings or wood chips.
Horses with respiratory problems should not use this type of bedding.

Peat moss has countless tiny air-filled cells that provide a comfortable cushion under the horses foot, making it a bedding recommended by veterinarians for convalescing horse's with severe foot problems.
It naturally neutralizes, not covers up, but organically neutralizes, ammonia fumes. Veterinarians have long recommended peat as a beneficial alternative stall bedding for horses suffering from COPD, commonly known as "heaves".

Peat moss has long been recognized as one of the most effective natural filtration materials found in nature. The natural beneficial microbes, and the material's outstanding absorbency trap and contain harmful urine and ammonia fumes.
Benefits

Counters the build up of stall ammonia.
No further need of special stall deodorizers.
Generates less waste volume than shavings or straw, or pellets
Requires less storage space.
Small amount of daily waste generated
Rapid break down time compared to wood products or straw
Keeps a white horse from getting urine stains

Disadvantages

The brown earthy colour makes the stalls look dark More expensive initially than sawdust or shavings

Hemp as Horse Bedding

Hemp has been cultivated in North America since the 17th century. For a number of years it was against the law to grow hemp, it is once again legal to grow hemp commercially in Canada .

The outside of the hemp stalks are harvested for use in the textile, composite and paper industries. The core of the stalk is used for animal bedding, garden mulch and building materials.

Queen Elizabeth of England,uses the European company "Hempcore", producers of hemp bedding, as her equine product supplier.

HempChips, an Ontario based company, researched the wide spread use of hemp bedding in Europe and did stall trials and test marketing of the product in Ontario prior to launching HempChips at the Royal Winter Fair in 1998.

Benefits

HempChips are dust extracted and cleaned of any impurities
Ensure a clean stable environment
Reduction in conditions that lead to respiratory problems in horses
All natural there few chemicals used to grow the hemp stalk and no chemicals used during processing.
Highly absorbent therefore you can use less
Horses will not eat hemp stalks

Disadvantages
High initial Cost of putting down the bedding
Difficulty in locating local sellers.

Newsprint bedding is shredded newspaper/cardboard. It is ecologically conservative and very absorbent.

Benefits

Soft and comfortable
No Dust
Horses usually will not eat it
Horses are easier to clean after lying in newsprint as opposed to shavings
Easy to store and transport in the small bales
Good for places that are allowed to burn muck

Disadvantages
Light weight can make the muck heap prone to blow around the yard in windy weather.
Makes the stable look unkempt with the newsprint blowing all over the place

Branded Wood Pellet Products.
Wood pellets are compressed shavings (usually pine). They are treated to remove toxic substances and dust, and they expand when wet.

Benefits

Some pellets clump so it's easy to clean.
Very Absorbant therefore you need to put down less
Branded wood pellets are free of dust and toxic substances
Greatly lowering the chance of respiratory problems
Easy to sift through with pitch fork
Mucking out is faster easier and less wasteful
Reduction in the amount of waste thrown out
Requires about 1/3rd the space of a traditional flake shaving bale.
Comfortable, shock absorbing, and aesthetically pleasing.
Stalls are drier and cleaner
More Cost Effective in the long run
Easier to use

Disadvantages

Upfront cost is higher
More difficult to find than sawdust or wood shavings

The Benefits of Rubber Matting are numerous. Just like us, horses and ponies feel the strain from standing on hard surfaces. If they slip, injury is also likely to be greater on concrete than on a softer surface.

Benefits

Rubber matting provides a very comfortable standing surface
Extra traction helps to reduce the risk of injury in the stable.
Provides a much warmer, safer and more comfortable floor
Reduces the quantity of bedding required.
Different brands and differences in cost and quality.
Good buffer between the horse and the floor.
Extra cushioning alleviates pressure and stress of hock and knees.
Less bedding need

Disadvantages of Rubber matting

The cost of some stall matting is quite high

A good friend of mine uses the ComfortStall® System for her 2 box stalls. It is true that she goes a little overboard (to say the least) when it comes to caring for her horses. They not only have the Comfortstall® system for the floor of their box stalls but peat moss as bedding. To me this is the best type of sleep arrangement for any horse. By the way, the matting for the 2 stalls cost a total of 1500 $ cdn including installation.

Like any other bedding, the amount of material you will need depends on the type of horse being housed, how many hours the horse spends in the stall, weather conditions, and the size of the stall.

Also be aware that stabling is not natural for equines, so measures must be taken to ensure a healthy, comfortable and happy environment is created.

Having lived all of my life in a big city, moving to a horse ranch in the country was a dream come true. Far from the hustle and bustle to the peaceful life with horses.

I love the new life I have here in St. Lazare, Quebec. Besides taking care of 9 horses, 2 crazy dogs, a pig...and lets not forget the cats.

My husband and I also have a graphic design studio. But I wanted something new, something different - something that would weave together: design - horses - and anecdotes about my new life.

Oh yeah...I also wanted to find a new income source. Something that I could do from home. No commuting to the city

So I started this website www.livingwithhorses.com

I am continuously updating with information for the novice horse rider and the new horse ranch owner. Lots of horsekeeping tips, and information on managing your horse boarding stable.

Visit us at www.livingwithhorses.com

Keeping Your Cat Litter At Bay

2008-11-05T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Sharon Sheraton

You are doing your morning chores around the house and you get to the cat's litter box, you can smell it before getting to it and you just cleaned it the day before. What's worse, as you stand over the box you note that there is spray of litter in what looks to be like a nine inch ratios on the floor. Sighing heavily you get to workonce more.

Ever wonder how to keep the litter from making such a mess all over your floor? When your furry little friend or friends use the litter box we are proud of how smart they are but then you have to clean the mounds of litter off the floor. It can be frustrating.

Litter boxes can be found in a tremendous selection of sizes, designs and colors but just because they can now be added to your household as a fashionable piece doesn't make that mess any more fun to clean up. With all the choices there are it is a chore to determine which is going to be best for our pets as well as suit our household needs. There are many new systems designed to help minimize this chore.

One method is litter boxes that can be purchased with covers that help keep the litter contained inside. They are easy to use; you simply snap the lid off for cleaning. These types of litter boxes have been around for a while and have gone from really simple, just a top that sits on the litter box, to refined, a top that is vented that snaps onto the litter box and even has a place for an air freshener! The only problem with these litter boxes is that there are some cats that will not use them. Once inside the litter box that has a top, the cats are more confined and this may deter them from wanting to use them.

Another type of litter box that seems to have proven popular is one that comes with disposable bags. The bags fit onto the box. They are designed to cover the outside lip of the box as well and ties down so that your cats and/or kittens can't accidentally pull the bags off. When it is time to change the litter box the bag is simply lifted out and tied off. There are two problems with this type of method however, one the cats tend to scratch up the bag while attempting to cover what they have deposited and two, it can be difficult to scoop the box without tearing the bag.

Perhaps the most revolutionary development is the new self cleaning litter boxes. These new systems automatically sift litter after each use by your pet. The boxes are outfitted with an infra-red monitor that checks the pans interior constantly. Once your cat uses the litter box, the system detects that the box needs cleaning and then, using a raking system, an automated arm scoops the waste into a clean bag. When you are ready to clean the box, it is simply a matter of pulling off the bag and replacing it. These systems come with a large removable lid for ease and a carpet or mat to help control litter scatter. The logic is that your cat will get use to the system cleaning itself and hopefully not do so much trying to bury their deposits themselves. Whether that works or not remains to be seen. The other potential problem with this system is that, although you may think it is really cool, your cat might have a very different opinion. The fact that it is automated may scare your pet thus making them leery of using it. Finally there are a lot of new age designs out there to try out on your cat. It could get expensive but if there is no price tag finding your feline the right litter box then there are a lot of alternatives. Another rather interesting one is the Booda cat box. The Booda is a cat box designed with steps into a spiral dome that makes your cat walk up a small set of stairs and then use the litter box inside a dome shaped area. The problem with these boxes is that they are bulky and again there is the issue of your cat wanting to use a litter box that in enclosed.

Which ever cat litter box you decided to use to ensure the control of that litter mess it is very important to keep your cats litter box clean. The most common cause of a housetrained cat to stop using the litter box is that the litter box isn't clean enough for your cat. Cats are picky when it comes to the cleanliness of their litter boxes. A cat will stop using the litter box it he/she thinks it is too dirty. It is best to clean your cat's litter every day.

In addition to scooping the litter, you obviously need to change it from time to time to ensure good cat health. Daily cleaning is best, this ensures that odors and wetness won't have too much time to build up to unacceptable levels and it also reduces the likelihood of sickness due to high levels of bacteria.

Author Sharon Sheraton is founder of SheratonLuxuries.com, online seller of luxury carriers, attractive harnesses, natural cat litter, pet pillows and more. So much is available! Visit http://www.SheratonLuxuries.com

Breeding Clownfish A Short Description

2008-11-03T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by William Berg

Thanks to Disney's Motion Picture Finding Nemo, almost everybody knows about clownfish since they introduced Nemo to the world.

Clownfish, or Anemonefishes, from the family of Pomacentridae, are one of the easiest tropical marine aquarium fish to breed. Clownfish regularly lay eggs in aquariums. They have pretty large eggs and larvae, and since the larvae easily eats cultured live foods, raising them is somewhat simpler then it tis with many other marine species..

You need to get a pair if you want to breed clownfish and you need to sex the fish. And that's a quite an interesting part believe it or not, clownfish are all born as males! When they are adults, the largest and the most dominant fish of the group will undergo a sex change, and become a female. The second largest usually becomes the breeding male, while all the other fish remains juveniles and gender-neutral. If the breeding female disappears, the breeding male will change to a female, and so on. Buying an established pair maybe a reasonable way to go, but it is often better to have a group of juveniles growing up together. If you choose to buy a pair you should look for a pair that goes around together. Sometimes you can be lucky enough to get a pair already spawning. Anyhow, establishing an adult pair can be a little tricky; and you need to keep your eyes on them to ensure that the female doesn't kill the male.

The next thing is about setting up the tank. The tank should be large enough, approximately 200 liters for the breeding pair. It is better to let the pair be alone in an aquarium when trying to spawn clownfish.

The rest of the aquarium should be decorated with a nice anemone, a few live rocks, and other rocky substance with a vertical surface, a layer of coral sand on the bottom, bright lighting, good filtration, and protein skimmer. The aquarium and your clownfish should be stressed free which means no aggressive tank mates and good water quality. As for the feeding, clownfish need a mixed diet of fresh raw seafood and vegetable. A good diet includes prawns, mussels, and squid. It is best to feed small bits at regular periods.

Spanning can begin 1 to 12 months after the fish have settled into their new home. When the fish are ready to spawn, they become very aggressive. The male clownfish will dance up and down in front of the female (also known as "clownfish waggle"). They will also start to clean their selected rock by robustly biting it. The spawning itself usually occurs in the afternoon or early evening. Once the spawning is complete (within several hours) the male takes on responsibility for attending them, whereas the female acts as protector of the eggs and supervisor of her male.

The spawning is likely to be occurred again at intervals of 12 to 18 days. The eggs should be left in their care and not removed, except if the parents are known to be egg-eaters. At first, the eggs are a bright orange color, which after a several days diminishes and the eyes appear. Hatching usually takes from 6 to 15 days, depending on the temperature. The most critical stage of the fry is the stage they undergoes in the first 10 days of their larvae span. If you can get your fry to survive this period the rest of their raising should be more easy.

About The Author
William Berg has over 20 years of aquarium experince and runs the website http://www.aquaticcommunity.com and is also written the texts on http://www.clownloach.info.

Tumors In Tropical Fish

2008-11-02T19:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Nate Jamieson

Tropical fish are like other species in many respects, and that includes the fact that they have diseases or disorders that may resemble those of other animals, but are specific to the fish themselves. One good example is tumors.

Just as humans, cats or dogs may get cancer or other types of tumors, so can tropical fish. The main difference is that treatment in fish is nearly impossible, depending on the type and location of the mass. Not only are they difficult to handle where a human can have clear visual access to them, but such things as surgery are basically out of the question.

Tumors generally show themselves as a lump under or on the skin of fish. These are a distinct bump or lump, as opposed to the white fluff of skin diseases. For the most part, tumors are benign, although it's possible for one to grow so large that the fish's quality of life declines and you may have to euthanize them.

One type of tumor that does have some success with treatment, is the kind that forms under the skin of the gill, causing it to remain open. The cause of this is usually a thyroid malfunction. Remove the fish to a hospital tank, and add 1 milligram of potassium iodine for every gallon of water. Improvement can be slow, and the full course of treatment can take up to four weeks.

Internal tumors can be quite advanced before the fish shows any signs, such as a swelling of the abdomen. These cases are invariably fatal, with the rapid growth causing the fish to lose its ability to swim or eat, at which time you should consider euthanasia.

Love Tropical Fish? Find out how to create a beautiful, low-cost tropical fish aquarium with complimentary tips at http://www.TropicalFishIsland.com

Crate Training Your American Pit Bull Terrier Will It Help Your Dog

2008-11-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

Writen by Tim Amherst

Crate training is one of the most often misunderstood dog training techniques. Many questions often come up when discussing the topic of crate training such as: "How can I use crate training to teach my dog to behave?", "What are the pros and cons of crate training?", and "Is crate training safe to use as part of my overall dog training program?"

This article will definitely help you understand crate training and what it will do to you Pit Bull terrier. After you're done reading, I'm confident that you'll have a much better understanding of crate training.

I get many questions from new dog owners on the subject of crate training. Most people really have no idea what crate training is or what purpose it serves. Quite simply, a "dog crate" is an enclosed cage area that prevents your dog from getting into trouble.

You can crate train your Pit Bull both inside the house or outside. You'll want your dog to have plenty of room to stand up and lay down.

So what are the benefits of you crate training your Pit Bull? There are many few reasons why crate training your Pit is a good idea. One reason is that a crate will prevent your Pit from destroying the inside of your house when you are away. Eventually, you'll be able to leave your dog loose when leaving the house and he won't be destructive while you're gone.

Another example of when crate training can be helpful is when you're traveling in your vehicle for a long period of time. Allowing your dog to rest in his crate during the trip will ease his fear if he has any issues with traveling.

Lastly, crate training is a vital component to properly house training a new puppy. Using a crate to assist in potty training is a very good idea and will help cut your pup's learning curve down drastically.

To learn all about raising an American Pit Bull Terrier and training Pit Bulls, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.