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    Avoid Instructing Your Dog This Way

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    Every dog owner out there wants a dog, which is well-trained. But many dog owners have underestimated the amount of effort as well as the time which goes with training a dog properly. That is the reason why a number of totally avoidable mistakes occur which could have been done away with in the 1st place.

    Dogs are definitely not furry children as some owners consider them to be. An average dog is going to have the mental capacity of a human 2-year-old, but there are not as many similarities as differences between a human and the dog. Dogs cannot follow language processing or reasoning like human beings. In the same manner, they do not understand cause and effect.

    That is the reason why people get frustrated when they repeat the same command a number of times and the dog does not seem to comprehend it. In 98% of the cases the dog does not understand it, and that is why it is not necessarily ignoring that particular command. One should understand that, because it is possible that they responded to that command before but not on this particular occasion.

    Many times, humans are surprised at dogs acting stubbornly. But their pet may have failed to associate yesterday’s rewards for obeying the call, “come” with today’s “come” because he did not connect the two in his mind. Some possible reasons and explanations based on how dogs learn have been suggested.

    A dog trainer is going to need a lot of patience. You will need to repeat those commands continuously and again and again. Be ready not to get 100% results every time. Many dogs need more than 2 years of training to get past the simple basic and easy to understand commands.

    It is of no use if you lose your temper with your dog and punish it physically. Many people think that physical punishment is the easiest way to correct your disobedient dog’s bad behavior. This is definitely not a way to inspire trust in your animal. Physical punishment has to be kept in reserve for the most unforgivable behavior.

    Dogs are just like human beings in the way that they follow people they trust instead of the people they fear. Following a person they fear is a last resort option for dogs. Dogs also have different reasoning abilities than humans. They are not going to learn from physical punishment, because they do not understand the reason behind it. That is why physical punishment is not an effective training option.

    This is how not to train your dog: -Treating and talking to your dog like it is a human, and able to reason like you. -Thinking that your dog can connect cause and effect, and events across different circumstances and time and reach the same conclusions as a human being. -Getting impatient with the dog, as well as frustrated, just because they are not behaving in the manner you want them to behave, and then punishing them for something they cannot understand.

    These methods are completely useless and are going to result in a frustrated dog owner and an unstable and fearful pet. So, to make sure that you do not get these results, change YOUR behavior before you try changing your dog’s behavior.

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    Health Insurance for Pets in Pennsylvania

    Friday, July 31st, 2009
    Throughout history most of a veterinarian’s clientele was farm livestock (large animals). Dogs, cats and other household pets made up such a small amount of their daily business there was very little reason to study up on it. Even the beloved European veterinarian, James Herriott, counted on the Yorkshire farmers for a majority of his country clinics business. In 1884 that began to change when the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary school opened the United States very first clinic specializing in the veterinary needs of dogs. In 2001 the United States of America had over 28,000 veterinarians who specialize in small animals.

    It is fitting that Pennsylvania opened the very first vet clinic that specialized in the veterinary needs of dogs, the state has had a long running bond with the canine population, starting with the states founders, William Penn’s, Great Dane. A portrait of this Great Dane standing beside his master can be seen hanging in the governor’s reception room of the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg Pennsylvania.      Pennsylvania considers the Great Dane the state dog. Owners of Great Dane’s appreciate the breed’s faithfulness, intelligence, beauty, courage, and tolerance. Great Danes stand approximately 30-34 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 120-200 pounds, people who have Great Danes believe that the larger the dog the better. Because of their large size Great Danes are not an exceptionally long lived dog; their bodies simply aren’t designed to last very long. Many Great Danes suffer from heart problems, bloat, twisted intestines, and tail injuries. Some Great Danes have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Great Dane owners are not advised to take their Great Danes jogging until the puppy is at least one year old. Dogs featured in ancient Greek art work bear a strong resemblance to today’s Great Dane. German hunters were especially impressed with the dog’s ability at hunting bears and wild boars and bred the best great Danes to the best Greyhounds which helped create a leaner more agile breed.

    Dog owners in the state of Pennsylvania are more then eligible to purchase pet health insurance for their dogs from the American Kennel Club. The American Kennel club estimates that the average pet owner who purchases an essential pet health care insurance plan (the essential health insurance plan is the name of the AKC’s lowest health insurance policy) through them will only pay approximately sixty-eight cents per day. Pet owners who purchase pet health insurance through the American Kennel Club have four different types of health insurance plans to choose from. The American Kennel Club Insurance company is happy to include cats into its health care insurance program. The American Kennel club is so confident that pet owners will love the benefits of purchasing pet health care insurance through them that they proudly offer owners the opportunity to test drive their insurance policy free for sixty days. Pet owners who insure their pets with pet health care insurance offered by the American Kennel Club are allowed to decide if they would like to receive a monthly statement in the mail or if they would rather pay for the an entire years worth of insurance in one lump sum and then not have to worry about it for twelve months.



    By: Joan Shine

    About the Author:

    Learn about frog dissection and frog pictures at the Frog Facts site.



    Does Your Dog Struggle To Get On And Off The Bed?

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    The health of your pet is extremely important to you, right? You worry about their teeth, their diet, and make sure that they get adequate exercise. If you are like many people, you consider them a natural extension of your family. If this fits your feelings toward your pet, then there are three big reasons to consider bed pet steps a necessity, not a luxury.

    It is often assumed that pet steps are only for sick or old pets that are no longer capable of jumping up onto the bed on their own. While it is completely true that older pets will need steps to protect their joints and muscles, this is true of younger pets as well. The strain of constantly jumping up and down can put pressure on your pet’s body with time.

    It is quite common for injuries to pets as well as owners to happen when a pet has to jump up and down from a high bed. To avoid broken bones or collisions with your pet, you will need steps so they can walk up in a more orderly fashion.

    Have you ever been jarred awake by the pounce of your pet on or off your bed? This is especially an issue if you have a larger dog who is probably not as graceful as you would like. By placing a pet step near your bed, you minimize any excess movement from your pet.

    You could compare the jostle of a pet on your bed to the same situation involving another person. If your partner tosses and turns throughout the night, you are more apt to take precaution by purchasing a mattress that minimizes motion transfer. In the case of your pet, you can easily minimize his excess movement by keeping pet stairs nearby.

    You can understand the amount of stress your pet’s joints go through to absorb the shock from jumping. Pet steps are a healthier, safer alternative to jumping on a bed. When searching for pet steps, you can choose from a variety of designs and styles, such as wooden pet steps and carpeted pet steps.

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    Different Dog Breeds Can Be Really Alike

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    Dogs are surprisingly complex creatures.

    Estimates about the number of breeds are as high as 800 in Western countries alone. Even given the fact that the difference from one breed to another can be carried to absurd extremes, the variety is astonishing from a human perspective, who have, perhaps, only a dozen ‘breeds’.

    Dogs have descended from wolves and began domestic interaction with humans only 10,000 years ago. As a consequence, some dog behaviors will develop regardless of the breed. A few common traits stand out and I’d like to discuss 2 of them today.

    Dogs are predators:

    Although your dog is not out there hunting all time, still he is very much a hunter. They have extremely well developed ears, eyes and noses. They can hear very well (much better than us of course) and can perceive a much wider range of sound frequencies.

    A dog’s field of vision is wider than that of humans. Their field of view has been estimated from 180 to 270 degrees, by comparison humans see from 100 to 150 degrees, allowing dogs to oversee the hunting grounds better.

    And last, but not least a dog can pick up scent extremely well. They have a much better developed nose what permits them to smell scents a 100 million times less concentrated than what human beings can smell.

    For instance, Golden Retrievers are able to smell a gopher in the winter through a yard thick layer of snow and earth. Once picked up the smell of the gopher they’ll try to dig a hole in order to capture the animal. That’s typical behavior of a predator.

    The second trait I want to discuss today is their social character.

    We all know that dogs are social animals, because that is the reason why we have them in the first place, but sadly, in practice, owners don’t always take that in to account. Many times ignorant owners will leave the dog alone for periods up to 10 hours, isolating the dog too much. Dogs need social interaction with other animals and human beings. If not they can develop anxiety or can get aggressive. In order to stay mentally healthy your dog needs company.

    Isolating a dog for brief periods can be a useful training technique. Expulsion from the pack is an effective way of letting the dog know when he was behaving improperly. He should never be expelled for more than 5 minutes.

    Your dog needs social contact and if he lacks it you’ll pay the price. All dogs, even guard dogs, need to be around their pack or family, because if not how do they know who is welcome and who should be chased away?

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    Hutches, Cages, and Runs, What To Look For.

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    Your pet rabbit or guinea pig is going to require some form of living quarters since it is not likely that you are just going to let it run all over the place freely. There are so many hutches and cages obtainable that it can be tricky to choose the right one for your rabbit or guinea pig. In addition to a hutch or cage, you may also want to get hold of a run.

    Hutches are first and foremost used for rabbits when you will be keeping them outside. They will allow your rabbit to stay warm in the cold months and cool in the warm months. They will also give your rabbit with the right quantity of air flow. When you are looking for a hutch, keep the following things in mind:

    The size of your rabbit (current and future) The number of rabbits that will be included Durable material that is non-toxic Easy access to the inside for cleaning Level of protection from wild predators Room for accessories, litter pan, and bowls

    In addition to these considerations, you should also consider how active your rabbit is. If you have a lazy rabbit that doesn’t jump or play much, the height of the hutch will not be as important. If your rabbit tends to run about quite a bit, you should make sure that the height of the hutch leaves enough head room for the rabbit to jump or stand up on its back legs.

    Cages can be just as tricky to decide on. Pet rabbits and guinea pigs that will be kept in the house will need a cage. There are separate necessities for each of these pets. Rabbits and guinea pigs are quite alike, but rabbits are larger and have different dietary requirements.

    Rabbit cages fluctuate in size. If you have a smaller breed rabbit, a 24 x 36 inch cage will be satisfactory. If your rabbit weighs, or will weigh 8 pounds or more, you will need a bigger cage. A 30 x 36 inch cage will work well. Wire cages are not optimal because they can cause your rabbits to have painful feet, but if you do pick out a wire bottomed cage, make certain that you incorporate some type of solid surface in part of it for your rabbit to stand on for relief.

    For guinea pigs, solid bottomed cages are suggested, with a wire clip on top. The open-style top allows for air flow on all sides of your piggies and lets them see what is going on. The key thing with choosing guinea pig cages is to make certain that you have a big enough cage to contain at least two pigs together. Normally, it is suggested that you have two guinea pigs since with just one, you wind up with a lonesome and depressed animal ” regardless of how much you pet and love on your single guinea pig. They are more community animals and are happier when there is another one to play with.

    Runs can be used for both rabbits and guinea pigs, and there are runs that are obtainable for indoor and out-of-doors use. All a run is, in a nutshell, is a sort of playpen for your small animals. Runs are more often than not made from tall wire with open tops and bottoms. A run provides your rabbit or guinea pig with the opportunity to exercise and rush about outside of the restrictions of their hutch or cage, without hazard.

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    The By-Product Debate in Dog Food

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    As one of my dogs began to get sick I started to research dog health topics. TV has become boring for me, and so I try to spend most of my free time researching how to improve the length of my dogs lives.

    Those of you that know me also know that I believe the number one cause of health issues with dogs is commercial dog food. That is why I have been on a mission to spread the word about the best dog food, and I am a big believer in homemade dog food.

    The truth is most people, even if they do switch to a homemade diet, will need to supplement with some brand of commercial food. That is why I spend so much time on the best dog food subject.

    During my research I come across many debates on different ingredients, and one such ingredient is meat by products. This could be listed as chicken, poultry, beef or just about any type of meat followed with the word by-product.

    So what is it and is it good for your dog? If you do research on the subject you will find two groups, one defends by-products as good, and the other saying it is toxic for your pet.

    The truth is, it depends let’s take a look at the definition of Poultry by-products.

    “Poultry derivatives contain mashed up, renderings, clean portions of murdered poultry cadavers, such as necks, beak, feet, unhatched eggs and intestines, leaving out feathers, “except in various amounts that might happen by accident in normal processing”The trouble is you are not aware of the ingredients all the time. There isn’t any standard that states there are a certain amount of feet or a measurement of intestines or any form of nutrition at all. In reality, none of this is actually suitable for a person to eat.

    Some will debate that a wild dog will consume anything that is found on the by product ingredient list and this is why it is alright to give this to your dog. Although there is some truth to it, it is like saying that humans could eat from dumpsters and garbage cans if necessary.

    Since I plan on feeding my dogs the best food possible, by-products will remain in the trash and won’t be found in any of the food I provide.

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    How To Build A Chicken Coop – 3 Tips To Building A Chicken Coop

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    How to build a chicken coop is not that difficult to learn but is extremely beneficial to do so. Some of the many benefits include being able to raise a healthy flock and having fresh eggs on a regular basis. With that said, here are 3 tips to get you started to learn chicken coop building.

    1. Get the proper building plans

    Getting started with the right building plans is essential to saving you time and money. Knowing what to expect is extremely crucial so learning the exact process from start to finish will significantly help you. In fact, not being prepared can easily lead to disastrous results so be sure to avoid this at all costs.

    2. Make there is enough room

    Once you have the right building plans, you will then need to ensure there is enough space in your yard for a coop by spending the time to take the measurements. Having to stop your project half way through only to discover it will not fit can be extremely frustrating to deal with. Measurements literally only take 10 minutes at most but can save you a lot of frustration.

    3. Start your project small

    If this is your first time when it comes to how to build a chicken coop, then you may want to start small. A good number to start with is five chickens so you can better be able to handle them. Then as you learn more, you can always increase the size of your coop later on.

    Learning to build a chicken coop is actually not a complicated process once you have everything set in place. Most importantly, be absolutely certain that you have the right building plans and that you have all the tools you need. Be sure to take these factors into consideration as being well prepared is crucial to your success.

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    The Blue Tang : A Guide On The Most Popular Surgeonfish

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    The Blue Tang (Paracanthurus Hepatus) along with the yellow tang (Zebrasoma Flavescens), percula clownfish (Ocellaris, Percula), royal gramma (Gramma Loreto) and the flame angel (Centropyge Loriculus) make up the 5 most recognizable fish in the marine aquarium hobby. It remains the sole species under the genus Paracanthurus. Its body is a stunning bright blue while it has thick black markings that stretch out from its eyes to its tail.

    The blue tang also enjoyed the limelight as a major character in the movie, Finding Nemo. It is also known as the Palette Surgeonfish, Royal Blue Tang, Hippo Tang and the Regal Tang. Along with the yellow tang, this fish is the most popular surgeonfish in the hobby. One of the most heavily collected fishes from the Indo-Pacific, they are very affordable. Juveniles retail for around $25 while adults can fetch up to $80 per specimen. As with all surgeonfish, the blue tang is susceptible to ich and lateral line erosion so pick so keep a look out for any sign of the two.

    The blue tang is a relatively peaceful fish towards other species outside the tang family. Which is why (besides its beauty) it enjoys such popularity in the marine aquarium hobby. They can be hostile towards other surgeonfish, especially blue tangs so the general rule should be one blue tank per aquarium.

    This species forms large shoals in the wild. If more than one is present in a large tank, such behavior can be witnessed. When housing more than one blue tang, they should always be introduced at the same time. Putting another blue tang into a tank with an established one will certainly bring about hostilities between the two.

    Their maximum attainable length is 12 inches. Fish that size need tanks upwards of a 100 gallons. Because this fish is heavily collected, there will be many small specimens no bigger than an inch. They grow very fast at that size and will easily outgrow a 30 gallon in a matter of months.

    Ample swimming space are needed by blue tangs so the scape should reflect this. They require a few niches/caves to bed down in every night.

    In the wild, blue tangs are primarily herbivores. They form large schools and actively graze on algae throughout the day. In captivity a vast percentage of their diet should be made up of algae based foods. Unlike marine angelfish, they are completely reef safe and do not bother corals, making them hugely popular fish for large marine reef aquariums.

    Seaweed/Nori sheets are commonly offered. You can either buy seaweed produced and packaged specifically for marine fishes (Julian sprungs sea veggies) or you can go to your local supermarket and buy some nori sheets there. Always buy plain, unflavoured nori. Avoid those that are come spiced. Attach your seaweed to a nori clip and attach it to the side of the tank.

    While they are mainly vegetarians in the wild, they will normally consume anything that is offered in a saltwater aquarium. A small percentage of their diet should come from meaty foods.

    High quality food mixes like formula one and formula two should be offered as well as mysis shrimp and a good pellet food. New Life Spectrum produces some excellent pellets for all marine fishes.

    You may see lettuce being fed to surgeonfish at pet stores. You want to avoid lettuce as it doesn’t offer much nutritionally (romaine or iceberg, doesn’t matter).

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    Removing Dog Fleas – Dog Training

    Friday, July 31st, 2009
    So you have discovered evidence that your dog has these annoying little pests they call fleas, and now you have no idea how to get them out of your house and home, this article will talk your through the main ways to get rid of these fleas from your dogs coat and from your home.

    Getting rid of fleas is no easy task as many other dog owners will tell you, but the chances are that fleas will happen through either another dog coming to play with yours or just picking them up from playing amongst damp fine gravel or sand where fleas like to live and breed.

    So let’s take you through the easiest and best ways to rid of theses pests.

    The first step is to take your dog or pet to the vet and have the fleas professionally identified to avoid giving your dog the wrong treatment, and get professional advice on possible new products that are on the market.

    After this, the vacuum cleaner should come out. This is a very effective way of getting rid of many of the pupae, larvae or eggs that may be lurking beneath the surface of your carpet. Do this often and it will reduce the number of fleas quickly and easily.

    The next step is to use household insecticide to clear your house of any flea related growths that your vacuum cleaner may have missed. Although I do not encourage insecticide and other chemicals near your dog or family this is one case where it is vital for getting rid of fleas. Always read the labels carefully and get a well known or professionally recommended product.

    After the initial insecticide process and being careful to reach every possible area and corner you may want to insecticide your garden to ensure full removal of fleas, the garden could be more of a problem than the house, and could be where the flea problem began so be sure to target fine gravel or sandy areas where fleas may be living.

    Your dog is the next obvious step and there are hundreds of products perfectly safe for your dog that will rid him/her of the annoying itchiness. Go to your nearest pet shop or vet and they should have sufficient products that will help.

    After all this, you may think that the flea problem has gone forever but there may still be pupae that has survived the insecticide due to their protective cocoon, taking the same measurements as noted above two weeks later, should help the full removal of all things flea related and your dog will be able to sleep again.

    If the problem persists, please contact your vet or other professional advice.



    By: John Williams Dog Training

    About the Author:

    For more information visit our dog training website at this link… Dog Training



    Proper Dog Illness Diagnosis

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    Dog illnesses cause a large variety of symptoms. When the dog owner tries to identify what is wrong with the dog, the symptoms can be misleading. Symptoms can be physical and behavioral.

    Behavior changes are often misinterpreted by dog owners. A dog can show signs of dog illness or injury by its behavior. A dog owner may not notice mild changes in behavior or changes may be attributed to normal aging or mood when it could have an abnormal physical cause.

    This is why changes in behavior should be reason for the dog to be examined by a veterinarian. Dog illness diagnosis requires thorough veterinary knowledge of dogs and the ability to run tests to determine the cause of the dogs symptoms.

    A dog owner may be able to identify a dog illness that can cause those physical symptoms or behavioral changes, but that illness may not be the true cause for those changes in the dog. A veterinarian can perform diagnostic tests for a proper dog illness diagnosis.

    The dog owner is not an unnecessary part of dog illness diagnosis. Dog owners play a crucial role in helping the veterinarian diagnose a dog illness. Dog owners can report the symptoms and describe any noticeable changes in the dogs behavior.

    The veterinarian uses the information provided by the dog owner about the dogs symptoms when determining the cause of the symptoms. The veterinarian may do some tests on the dog to identify the dog illness. Veterinarians often have to do several tests to rule out dog illnesses that can cause the same symptoms.

    Besides blood tests, the veterinarian may use the dogs feces or urine to determine the cause of the dogs symptoms. X-rays and other diagnostic tests may be used.

    The veterinarian may suggest different treatment options once the dog illness diagnosis is confirmed. The dog owner should feel comfortable asking questions about the diagnosis and treatment.

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