What You Know About Pets?

Pet Adoption Fees

2009-04-26T16:20:00.002+08:00

Pet adoption fees are being collected during the adoption fees. Whether it is a pet adoption from shelters or from rescue groups, adoption fees range from $75 dollars to $200 dollars. There has been numerous debates over pet adoption fees.

People who are giving up their pet for adoption think that their pets is not up for adoption but for sale. Most people think that it is inappropriate to charge for an animal that is already homeless or soon to be homeless. Some people interpret that shelters and rescue groups are in it for the money, rather than looking for the best suitable home for their beloved pets.

There are even arguments from people saying that the range of the adoption fee is to high, something between $20 to $50 dollars will be suitable enough for “homeless” animals. The higher the adoption fee, the larger conception that organizations and people are just trying to get money from other people’s pockets.

But there are realistic reasons for charging an adoption fee. Adoption fees make sure that animals are going to suitable, responsible and secure homes. It is a sad reality that there are dog fighting rings and animals can be used as bait to train fighting dogs. Giving away animals can make these “homeless” animals more vulnerable to abuse.

Paying adoption fees also shows commitment. If there are people who are unable to pay for their pet’s adoption fees, how likely is it that these people will provide for their pet’s other needs. Pets do not only requires attention and time, but also they require financial responsibility. Aside from food, grooming and day-to-day needs, there are also regular veterinary check-ups and vaccines that needs to be done.

Pet adoption fees do not go to people’s pockets for personal use. Pet adoption fees cover the operating expenses, pet care, medical bills and so forth. In most cases, adoption fees may also fall short of the actual expenses.

Pet adoption fee is sometimes determined by the vetting cost. This include vaccinations (for puppies normally it takes over a period of 6 weeks to 16 weeks) and spay/neuter. There are even adoptable animals that require dental cleaning or tooth removal or a surgery. Still, shelters and rescue groups do not overcharge and still go with the normal fee.

For animal rescue groups, their adoption fees are usually higher than that of shelters. Shelters often have relationship with rescue groups, they ask rescue groups to take responsibility for animals that they cannot afford to pay for the vetting cost.

There are people who are doing the adoption process personally without shelter or animal rescue organization help to ensure that their pets will be taken to a good home. Individual pet owners may charge adoption fee since there are times that they include kennel, food dishes, toys, bedding and other pet accessories before adopting. Some would require an adoption fee to cover the vetting costs that they have incurred while taking responsibility for the pet.

Why animal rescue groups charge higher fees than shelters is that are volunteers that provide care and training for animals using their own personal finances. Rescue groups do not have corporate backing. Rescuers use their funds for looking the best possible match, setting up transports, calling adopting family prospects and reference checks.

Pet adoption fees are justified by having a healthy companion or additional family member. Let’s remember that pets are not toys to be discarded when we are already done with playing them.

The sad truth is since we are living in a material world, pets without value are considered disposable.

Tools For Training Your Dog

2009-04-18T11:23:00.002+08:00

You may think that dog training aids are out there for you to spend money and not actually reap any benefits from. That is not the case. Dog training aids are there to help you succeed in teaching your dog, this could be teaching him obedience, agility or any other type of teaching you want to do. There are many aids available but only a certain few will work with your dog and his temperament.

I find the best training aid to be treats, small pieces of human food chopped up and given to him when he has done something good has always worked wonders, that is unless your dog doesn’t really have an interest in treats. This is a really cheap method of a training aid but if you want to blow some cash there are hundreds of options available for you.

For dog agility training aids that are available are e.g. anti bark collars. Many dogs have a problem when they do dog agility. They start barking constantly basically because of the hype involved. Anti bark collars do one of two things or sometimes both, they give a small electric charge when your dog barks and spray some water up into their face. People may think this is cruel but it is completely harmless. It just lets your dog know that barking is not acceptable. These collars are available at pet shops and on the internet and are not too expensive.

For dog obedience some dog training aids that are available are dog clickers, the newest craze out on the market which allows owners instead of associating sit with a word they use a click instead and reward with treats, no punishment allowed. Another aid available is a harness; this gets fitted around your dog’s upper body so when you are teaching him to heel a slight tug on the harness pulls him back completely. The harness is a widely used obedience aid and is greatly used for bigger dogs such as German shepherds and Rottweilers.

There are also dog training aids available for around the home. These are simple and effective. Many people turn to dog training aids when nothing else has worked but they don’t have to be the last thing you try, with aids so cheap these days there is no reason why you can't invest in something that will make your dogs learning process a lot more exciting!

Small tips on training your cat

2009-04-11T18:00:00.001+08:00

This article is for the small behaviors that could be medical and with tips to help in the right direction for training.

Teeth grinding could be a sign of improper bit of a kitten. A mature cat that has just started this would be a time to visit the vet to find out if there is some medical problem with the cat’s mouth, teeth, or gums. Changing the cat’s diet also can help. Usually in older cats, the dry food becomes hard to chew and you will need to change to soft food or a wet cat food. When doing this you will want to be careful with changing the diet. Take small steps; start with mixing small amounts with some dry food. In addition, of course leave the dry food for the rest of the meal. Allow the cat to eat the mix food you gave first then the rest of the dry food. You can do this until you have completely changed over to the other food. Important to remember to get the cat to the vet to make sure there is no under lying medical problem with your cat. .

Is your cat rubbing it bottom all over the floor? This may not really be a sign of worms. Look at your cat’s diet and physiology. If a cat is eating their own hair this will pass though the cat but will become uncomfortable for them to pass. If the long hair is hanging out the bottom this is a way that your cat is using to remove the rest of the hair. Taking the cat to the vet is the best thing for de worming and examination. Keeping your cat groomed is very important especially in long hair cats daily grooming is required. This will help with the cat chewing the hair.

Clingy and follower cats can become annoying. Afflicted cat will cling and exhibits advance lap fungus symptoms. When you leave your cat in an enclosed room, the cat will cry as if you have left it alone for every. This is a good time to stop and have some one on one activity with the cat just for a short time. This would be a good start to training for the cat. As they will learn that, you have activity time. Use good food reward for this, when the cat is not screaming and in another room, this is a time to reward with a small treat not all the time but to let your cat know that you approve of this.

Did you get a new kitten and have to give it a name. Toby, Molly or what every perfect name you pick for the cat will become very important. You will wan to train your cat to come to you and have your attention when you call him. With most cats and animals, have simple small names. This is something you will want to do. Start with learning about clickers this is a great tool in training a cat. You can push, and it makes a clicking sound that cats can hear. You can find these in pet stores and on the internet.

For training the kitten to respond to the name , sit with the cat in your lap with cuddling, say the cats name, click, the cat responds to the click say the name, give a small treat. Use bite size liver treats for this. Small liver treats works great. Continue with the training with the name. Once the cat learns that you say the name, a click, a treat, the next step will be to say the name, no click, cat responds, and then the treat. Soon your cat will come to you when you say his name. At this time, reduce the treats until you are not giving a treat for the name training.

No matter what the problem is there are basic training tips.

Patience, time, and caring will be the most important of all.

Give your cat a hug today; this starts a great relationship with your and your cat.

Pet Adoption as the Solution

2009-04-05T15:45:00.002+08:00

Pet adoption is taking responsibility over an animal that has been put up for adoption due to experience of abuse, violence, neglect and etc. with previous owners. With pet adoption, animals are given the chance in finding the appropriate, caring and life long home for them. Aside from this humane chance we are giving to man’s best friend, there are also benefits from adopting animals.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates an whopping 8 to 10 million cats and dogs that enter shelters ever year. From these numbers, there is estimated 4 to 5 million of pets euthanized in shelters. Numbers of strays that die due to starvation are not included in this data.

With these sad figures, pet adoption is a great way of saving a life of a homeless animal. Animal euthanasia is being done because there are too many people giving up their pets and too few people adopting from shelters. There is limited space in shelters, euthanasia is a very hard decision to make by staff members to make way for new animals pouring into their doors.

Animals in shelter dying by euthanasia can be dramatically removed by adopting pets in shelters instead of buying them in pet stores. By adopting an animal from shelters, other animals can be saved and rescued else where and provided a home.

Animal shelters, unlike what pet adoption myths say, have healthy animals. Shelters often get as much information from previous owners to determine what kind of vaccination has already been provided. Aside from medical care investigation, shelters also provide the necessary vaccination and many spay o neuter the animals before being adopted.

Worrying about the temperament or behaviour of the animals is also not a big issue. Unlike the common misconception that animals are taken into shelters due to behaviour problems, personal reasons by the owner themselves are the most common factors.

Everybody knows that having pets have actual benefits. According to Sciencedaily.com, there are a lot of researches proving the pet parents have lower blood pressure, less anxiety, and experience lifts in their depression. One study actually proved that with a little than 10 minutes, a pet can lower blood pressure significantly.

Pet parents even have overall better physical health due to exercise with their pets. Actually senior, citizens who own pets actually need less medical attention. Not only are sick and old people benefits from pets. Children exposed to pets during their first year of life have a lower frequency of asthma and allergies.

Pet parents who have undergone surgery even have lower recovery time. There is even a study saying that heart attack patients with pets have longer life expectancy than those who do not. There is even a study saying that pets decrease heart attack mortality rates by 3 percent which is 30,0000 lives every year. HIV/AIDS victims who have pets also report less depression and can reduce stress levels.

There are countless research proving that taking an animal into their homes is a great way to enhance their personal and family health. The love and care that pet parents provide to their pets in indeed reciprocated. Aside from humane and health benefits that pet adoption can give, it is also a great way of saving money.

For a price which is very much less compared to pet store pets, you will get an animal that will be able to provide you with loyalty and devotion.

Potty Training Your Dog

2009-03-28T19:31:00.002+08:00

Unless you have a sixth sense you can't predict when and where your dog is going to do the toilet, that is why dog toilet training is necessary. Dogs need to learn to “hold it” and go where he is supposed to as they don’t know any different. In the wild dogs can go when and where they please, but this is not the wild and they need to be taught the difference.

Dog toilet training can be something of a difficult task. Every day needs to be the same and you need to give him constant attention when you can; this will make the toilet training procedure a lot easier. Your training process will take longer if you are working out of the house quite often as your dog will need to go and the house is the only place that he can.

When you start out dog toilet training you need to give him a place of his own, maybe a corner of your back room. That should be where you put his food and his bed and his toys and cover the whole floor in newspaper. When you leave the house make sure he is in that room and can't get out.

When you are gone he will obviously need the toilet and will go where he is standing, but over time he will pick a place and start to do his business in the one place, when he starts to do that you can then start to remove the paper from the area furthest away from his chosen spot. Gradually continue this until it is only a small space available for him to go, if he misses the paper then you are moving a little bit too fast and need to go back a step or two until you get to as little papers as possible. When he gets older he will be able to control his bladder movements a lot easier.

When you are at home spend as much time with your dog as possible. Dog toilet training will be much easier if you do. Every 45 minutes or so take your dog outside and whenever he does the toilet outside make sure he is praised very happily and excitedly with lots of enthusiasm, and do this everytime that he “goes” outside. He will realise that this is where he needs to go to the toilet and when he can control his bladder a little better he will wait until you come to let him out. It does take a lot of time and patience though.

Never scold your dog for doing the toilet in the house as he does not know any better. We did the toilet in our nappies until we were potty trained because there was nothing else we could do about it, when we needed we went, well dogs are the same. No dog is properly toilet trained until he is about 6 months old so it is a lengthy procedure but a great one when the end results start to show!

Train your cat for behavior problems and basic commands

2009-03-21T16:05:00.002+08:00

You want to train your cat to come, sit, and stay. You can also teach your cat not to scratch at things. When you are teaching your cat to not scratch, sometimes they seem like they are pawing at you and they start scratching you. On this certain behavior you can softly stroke their paw to help retract their claws. When their claws have been retracted, you can tell them good kitty in a reassuring voice. They do not realize that this is a bad thing that they are doing and they are not trying to hurt you. The reassuring and the praise should not be followed with food. This will show them that this is one thing that will be expected of them at all times, and it is not a trick. You are going to have to continually work with them on this for a few weeks. They are not going to scratch on the first time you do this. By you telling your cat that they are a good kitty and paying attention to them is a good thing to do.

To ensure good behaviors you should make sure that you handle your cat gently. Do not rough house with your cat this can show them that it is ok to scratch, bite and just to be mean. Cats can be quite finicky; by being rough with them, they can associate this with aggressive behaviors. Such as biting at your hand, or scratching you. If you choose to play with your cat, you should use one of their toys to show its ok to bite, scratch at their own toys. While you are playing with your cat, if they scratch you it is not their fault. Accidents happen, do not discipline them for this action. They think that you are trying to play, you will not get anywhere but confusing your cat.

Here are some tricks that you cannot teach your cat. If you want, your cat to “stay” you should start out by taking your cat in a secluded room, one with no distractions and preferably before dinnertime. Before you do this, you should get some healthy treats to reward them. The reason you should do this before dinnertime is so they will have a bit more of an edge to do what you want so they can get their treat. The next thing to do is put them on a surface that will bring you and your cat eye to eye. When your cat starts to wander off, call out their name in a stern voice and tell them to stay. Put your hand up as to say stop. After your cat does this, you should reinforce it by giving him a bite of the treat. After the cat is done, you should allow him/her to get distracted again and then tell them to stay. You should do this about 4 to 5 minutes per day, with 2 or 3 training sessions.

The next trick that you can try is “come”. This should be easy; you have already taught your cat to stay. He now knows when you are teaching him something that there is going to be yummy rewards. You can start trying this when your cat is in another room, call them by their name, and say come. Make sure to try to say it in a fun playful voice. That is one big key as well as when they do come by you. You should always have a treat or something for them. You asked them to do something, give a little back. Make this a fun loving game for you and your cat.

Some important things to remember young cats are the easiest to train. Do not make your training sessions any longer than 5 minutes, per session. This can make the cat become uncooperative and irritable. Make sure you reward your pet, if they do ask you may ask. Another thing is to make sure that you always end your training sessions on a positive note. Hugs and treats are the best way to show your cat that you care.

Online Pet Adoption – Looking After a Virtual Pet

2009-03-14T18:11:00.002+08:00

Having a furry friend at home surely has its ups and downs. But did you know that there are these cute little critters called virtual pets that have become a craze in cyberspace these days? Online pet adoption sites allow you to select a pet to take care of. Virtual pets are one of the newest trends that never fail to fascinate both children and adults alike. They have become so popular with a lot of web users, investing time and emotions into their overall care and well-being.

You can select from a wide array of animals from dogs, cats, hamsters, pigs, monkeys, horses, snakes and many others. If you are looking for eccentric creatures to look after, there are also dragons, aliens and monsters available. The choices for a virtual pet to adopt are practically unlimited.

Jazzing up your personal sites

There are numerous sites which you can drop by and adopt a virtual pet. You can put them on your blogs to make them look more interesting. In fact, as much as most of these virtual pets come for free, they are also compatible to embed in most social networking sites of your choice.

Once you have registered with a virtual pet site, you can select the gender and the color of your furry friend. Then you get to give it a name as well. A code will be generated for you to copy and paste wherever you wish your pet to appear on your personal website. You get to see your virtual pet and tend to their needs, like feeding and playing with it, whenever you log in to your site.

Teaching kids how to care for pets

What better way to train your kids in caring for pets than letting them experience having one virtually? These virtual pets are replicas of animals; they seek the same interaction from their owners essentially just like the real thing. Your kids will develop their sense of responsibility while looking after the pet of their choice, while having fun at the same time.

Unlike real animals, virtual pets will enable your kids to discover the enjoyment of having a pet without nearly as much maintenance as their real-life counterparts. The kids will discover how to attend to their pets’ needs on their own, without their parents constantly reminding them to feed, bathe and walk their virtual furry pals. What will further motivate the kids to ensure the well-being of their virtual pets is the points they earn from it. The more points that they get, the more stuff they can purchase for their pets. They can buy them food, clothes, toys, houses and other items that will make the virtual pets happier.

Of course no virtual pet can give the kind of pleasure like only a real pet can give. But in the meantime, one can take on the satisfaction and enjoyment given by these cyber critters. It’s experiencing having a pet, without the actual problems, which makes virtual pet adoption popular. Some of the great online pet adoption sites you may visit include:

* Bunnyhero Labs - http://bunnyherolabs.com/adopt/
* Adopt Me - http://www.adoptme.com
* Perfect Petzzz - http://www.perfectpetzzz.com
* VirtualPups - http://www.virtualpups.com
* GiroPets - http://www.giropets.net
* Marapets - http://www.marapets.com
* Furry-Paws - http://www.furry-paws.com
* Fishland - http://www.fishland.com

Training Your Puppy Early

2009-03-07T12:21:00.001+08:00

A new puppy in the home excites everyone especially children but make sure you got the puppy for a good reason and not just on a spur of the moment feeling. Like they say dogs are for life not just for Christmas. A puppy can bring lots of happy memories and times but they have a lot of training and work involved to, they are not all fun and no work!

A puppy’s temperament depends on where the puppy has been brought up and what type of breed he is. German shepherds, Rottweilers, bull dogs and boxers are all guard type dogs so tend to be very loving and protective. Border and bearded collies tend to be herding dogs and reared on farms and tend to be quite enthusiastic and never sit still (be aware because they are reared on a farm they may be a little bit nervous around modern day technologies, such as bridges, loud noises etc). Labradors, gun dogs and pointer are all hunting dogs so expect them to be full of energy and laughable moments. Of course these are just general expectations every dog has its day…and its personality!

Puppy dog training is something that can be achieved in a matter of weeks depending how much time and attention you spend on it. You don’t need to train for hours and hours a day, a few minutes several times a day is all it takes. The first thing you need to train your new puppy in is obedience, commands like sit, come, heel, stay and fetch are basic enough for them to learn. As they get older you can incorporate commands like paw, roll over and play dead! Training a young puppy is not as hard as you may think as they are like a blank sheet of paper waiting to be written on. The way and things that that they are taught will stick to them and will influence them later on in life, although training isn’t forever so you need spend a few minutes every day just to keep reminding them what to do.

There are not so nice consequences involved when puppies aren’t trained, for a start your house will constantly be a toiler ground for them and your furniture will have massive holes in it. Puppies are like babies and need to be taught the difference between right and wrong, to do this you need some puppy dog training!

Many handlers experienced or in-experienced are turning towards training products and aids but training can be done without these methods. Just a bit of good old hard work! A puppy may take several months to training but when it is complete the rewards will be well worth it, but don’t forget to top up on your training for several minutes each day or your dog will slowly forget and you’ll have to start all over again, with an even bigger task, training an older dog!

Training cats with nocturnal behaviors

2009-02-28T12:01:00.001+08:00

Here the problem the cat is up most the night playing wanting to go outside tearing around the house and wake me up in early hours of the morning to go out. Once I do let him, out he does not want to come back in and once I do let him in, he wants to play.

Does this behavior sound familiar to you? Cats that have nocturnal behaviors can be trained to have activity time when it is convenient for you.

Few step that you may want to change to help with this problem:

Change the feeding time to around the time you are making dinner for the family. Cats usually have to go potty shortly after they eat. This gives you time to feed him , then let him out side for potty and some play time before you sit down to enjoy your dinner.

Feeding him to close to bedtime will only result in getting up in the middle of the night to let him go out for potty.

Allow the cat water until a couple of hour before bedtime. He will have to go out to potty and give him playtime at that time. Letting him have water all night long, will only allow him to have to go out in the middle of the night to go potty or you will have accidents in the hallways in the morning.

Set up good playtime in the evening for him. Good exercise, with fun filled activities will help him to sleep better.

If possible do not allow him to sleep during the day; this will also get him to sleep during the night. If he is going to be up during the night, do not allow him to have free ring over the house. Set up an environment that is some what contained with quiet actives for him to play.

When he comes in your room in the middle of the night have something that will make a noise to chase him out. Cats do not like sudden loud noises, so this will make him run.

After a couple of times, he will not want to come in again.

Patience is going to be the biggest thing for you and the family to get his routine to change so that he is not up all night and sleeps during the day. When you and a family member find him sleeping during the day, you will need to wake him and play with him. Letting him sleep will not end the night activities.

When you are all out doing your daily activities and he is left alone all day, well yes he is going to sleep. One good suggestion is call him at home. Set up the answering machine to be able to play a section that you have recorded just for him. Maybe once or twice a day you will have to call, but in the end kitty will not sleep all day and start sleeping at night.

Are you a user of catnip for your cat, you may want to put this up for the nighttime. Catnip is a mint smelling, taste that cats love. By removing this out of the area, the cat cannot smell with help with the training a lot. Cats’ keen smelling sense will put up any scent that is left behind.

Nocturnal behaviors are natural behavior for your cat. However, you do not have to follow their routine of being up all night and wanting to play. You can change their routine slowly and quiet easily to allow you and family member to sleep and keep your routine. Do not allow kitty to train you, kitty will allow you to train him with time and patience.

Giving in to your cat for routine will not give you the relationship with your cat that

You are looking for. When you are able to change the routine, remember to reward the cat for the change. This will help with the companionship that you and your cat needs.

Looking for Free Pet Adoption Opportunities

2009-02-14T17:39:00.001+08:00

Often, people who have never had pets before entertain the thought of having pets when the opportunity for free pet adoption arises. Those who entertain the possibility of using these free channels often do not request to get their own pets because they are confused as to how to go about the entire process. Luckily, there are a lot of adoption centres and shelters that can assist families and homeowners in their pursuit of the perfect pet.

One of the best places to look is a rescue organization. These rescue organizations for pets are part of a big effort in order to help save the almost 7 million pet dogs and cats that die due to the lack of care and overpopulation in the streets. Their goal is to keep these animals of the streets, and possibly, find for themselves a sustainable home to stay in for the rest of their lives.

With this goal in mind, these rescue organizations often try their best to make sure they are able to find the best possible home for the pets they have rescued. They do this firstly by making use of the services of volunteers. More than a strategy to cut costs, the use of volunteers in the facility helps them make sure that they know the pets they have very well and that these pets are well taken care of.

This is because volunteers at pet shelters and rescue organizations are often individuals who are very much interested in taking care of animals, and invest time and effort in getting to know animals in order to give them what they need. Because they know these animals so well, they are also able to know what sort of environment will best suit the pet once it is ready for adoption.

They also have a series of application steps and screening interviews for prospective adopters. This helps them assess the intention of the people seeking to adopt pets. Moreover, they are able to assess which pets may be most compatible with the people seeking pets to adopt. Through the series of interactions these volunteers have, they are able to cross-reference about the pets they’ve taken care of with the personality of the prospective owners.

Some of these individuals seeking to adopt pets can come into the facility already looking for particular breeds, or are more inclined to a pure-bred dog or cat over a mixed breed. What they may not expect, however, is that these rescue facilities can have a 30% population of purebreds at any given time. This, of course, is not to disparage the remaining 70% of the hybrids, who are equally wonderful as pets.

As they go through the entire application process, these rescue facilities often offer adoption counselling, which will allow the individual or family adopting to cope with the challenges of adjusting to a new pet. After all, they have to make sure that their current home and lifestyle conditions are conducive to giving love, attention, and care to a formerly unloved pet.

If, for some reason, some incompatibility results regardless of the preparation already put into place, these rescue organizations offer individuals the opportunity to return a pet. This is to help reduce the probability of pet owners simply leaving their pets out in the cold, or neglecting them because of an inherent dislike. At the end of the day, the goal of these rescue organizations is to keep these pets in safe homes, making an incompatibility compromise necessary.

At the end of the day, free pet adoption shouldn’t scare people, especially with shelters offering as much assistance as they can along the way.

Making Your Dog Listen

2009-01-31T15:40:00.002+08:00

Getting frustrated that your dog jumps up on people when you are visiting friends? Can’t understand why your dog runs away from you at the park while everyone else’s happily comes back? The simple answer is have you tried dog obedience training? It is simple, effective and very fun to do if you have the right attitude and patience.

The basics of dog obedience training and teaching your dog to sit, stay and come. These basic training commands will be extremely beneficial to you later on in your dog’s life. When you take your dog out you don’t want him to be running muck in the street, you want to show him off for the perfect dog that he is! Dog obedience training can be achieved in a matter of weeks with the right attention, dedication and patience.

There are a lot of obedience classes available. So if you can't teach your dog by yourself there is plenty support at the class, there are also other dogs there. Not only are you training your dog you are socializing him to which of course is the next step after sit, stay and come. Dogs are kind of like children to an extent, except with a lot of fur, they need to be taught right and wrong.

I always find that treats are a great method of dog obedience training; you award them with a special treat when they have done something you have asked them to. If they don’t respond they don’t get a treat. There is no point shouting at your dog as he will only become scared of you and you don’t want that, you want to form a happy relationship with him. Dog’s are a man’s best friend!

When teaching your dog obedience try and teach him away from distractions like his toys, take him to an empty field or park where there aren’t any people, only you and him. Tell him firmly but nicely that you want him to sit, then take your hand and place it on his back and gently guide his bottom down, when it is down say sit and tell him he’s a good boy then award him with a treat. Repeating this over and over again will make him realize that when you say sit you mean for him to sit and he gets rewarded, soon enough he will know to sit when you tell him to and the treats are no longer necessary.

Getting him to stay is another matter, you’ll probably need another person for that. Get him to sit (once he has learned how) and get a friend to hold him. Walk away from him telling him to stay, using your hand hold it up firmly (doing this will make him realize that when you hold your hand up in the future you want him to stay as well, not just when you tell him to) then give it a few seconds and let your friend release him, when he comes to you make him sit and tell him how clever he is! Don’t forget to reward him. While using this technique you are also teaching your dog how to come to you as well, so don’t forget to say "ome" to him, not just his name.

When dogs are born they are like soft clay, they need to be molded and shaped. You can teach your dog from any age and the younger you start the easier it is. Like they say: you can't teach an old dog new tricks!!!

Training your hyperactive cat

2009-01-17T17:41:00.001+08:00

You walk in your home after being gone for a short time, or all day from work and your cat has taken over the house. The drapes are hanging not where they should be, a cup was tipped over with the last few drops of coffee that has left a stain in the carpet. The morning paper, which you were unable to finish reading, is torn in shreds. Now is the time to put a stop to all of that and train your cat. When you get home at night after work or gone for a short time, you can come home to a nice quiet, clean home and a healthily content cat.

Do not start by scolding your cat for all the mischief they gotten into while you where gone. A cat cannot remember that far back. Do not reward your cat for the wrong behaviors. Also, do not go running after the cat, this leads them to think you are playing with them and that is what they are looking for. Catching them in the act of doing these things is a good time to let your cat know that is not acceptable to do that. Rewarding your cat when they have the good behavior is the best time. Sometimes if you have a real big problem with your cats’ attitude, there are other options. You can purchase a kennel to put your cat in there for short periods. On the other hand, even get them a kitty psychiatrist to start addressing their bad behaviors.

Starts when getting home spend some time with your cat relaxing. Cats can also help us to relax; it is known that a cat could help lower our blood pressure. Massaging your cat is another way of showing them you do care about them and helps them to relax, by knowing you will take good care of them.

A cat that is bored or lonely will have a tendency to do things when you are gone. Make a safe and happy environment when you are gone for your cat. Their special toys, strings items they play with. A ball, a scratching tree to climb on, an empty box of some type so they have a place to hide and play with. Your cat can do many things while you are gone and not destroy your home. Make them a perch somewhere near a window to have a place to look out, watch for you and to sunbathe.

When teaching the cat the right behaviors you will need to help them with this. Cats will not exercise themselves. Take time out each day and play with you cat. Teaching your cat how to play with the toys and item that you give them. Rewarding your cat for good behaviors, with a healthy treat or special toy or just a simple massage will also be rewarding for a cat.

A healthy cat can learn good behaviors; this is why it is important for regular visits to the veterinarian. Cats require shots, and healthy food for them. A cat that is lazy and fat is not a healthy cat. Cats will not behave well for you and will be almost impossible to train. It is important to feed healthy foods and snacks to your cat. This will help continue to build healthy bone and muscles for playtime and continue to let the brain develop so that training comes easier as you go.

There are natural supplements that are not a drug that which can be given to the cat to help with its fears and aggressions control. Older cats are harder to train for new behaviors then kittens are. When they are young, they are not sure what is right and wrong. Kittens are born with some instincts that are not good behaviors. Kittens have a tendency to be more playful and will get into more things. This is why it is very important to start your cat at very young age to teach them good behaviors, and keep them from having bad ones.

Remember when your cat is running in circles, or having a bad day. Don’t do as the cat does. Relax you and your cat.

How to Find Free Pet Adoption Websites?

2009-01-09T12:52:00.000+08:00

The best things in life are free. This song lyric is true in most instances. But do you actually envision free pet adoption? No, this is not the virtual pets that you can download and use at your websites. This is also free but the main difference lies in the pets that you will be getting. Forget the codes that you have to copy and paste on your site because this is the real thing. You can get real animals that can be your pets just by excavating through the available online adoption centers.

Make a Difference

Every year, about four million animals are being executed in the United States alone. Think about just how many more experience the same fate all over the world. But you cannot solely put the blame on the people who decide on these things. There are many pets that are being uncared for and as a result, these animals wander aimlessly. They experience the world’s cruelty that is why they sometimes end up as cruel and can be harmful to other people.

Pet adoption can be achieved in many ways. There are centers wherein you can get the animals with a minimal fee. The costs that will be incurred in this process are still much lower than when you opt to buy the pets on commercial stores. You can gain information about such centers on your local vets and even on the pet stores on your locality. The advantage of this route is that you are assured that the animals that you are getting have been treated with proper vaccinations and other required treatments. Most of the time, you will be assisted by the facilitators of the center so that they can match you with the kind of pet that will suit your lifestyle. This way, you are assured that you will be getting not only what you want but also what you need.

In any adoption scenario though, it will be better to do this during the springtime or even in early fall. These are considered the breeding seasons. You will have many choices with the kinds and breeds of the animals on the shelters. Meanwhile, Christmastime is not a good season to complete the adoption. Many people are actually doing this during this month that you will have only minimal choices. And besides, with all hustles and the bustles that the occasion may present, you may even want to go a holiday trip, you can afford to worry about the pet that you will left behind at home.

Perfect timing is also a key to be successful with this venture. You have to find your perfect match in terms of pets. And you have to find it during when you can really allot time for it.

There are also free adoption centers available for you if this is the setup that you prefer. You can find the right leads mostly on websites. These kinds are being held up by non-profit organizations that aim to help lost animals to be found by their rightful owners. These are the people who would really care for them even if they don’t look as superb as the ones available commercially or that they don’t look as cute as a famous’ personalities featured pet on TV.

Take time to browse the Net for the links that can guide you to free pet adoption websites. Think about any steps that you will take after you click on the sites. And before even setting your eyes on the pet that you want to adopt, make sure that you are really ready to welcome the animal into your home and into your life.

Kennel Breaking Your Dog

2009-01-07T11:51:00.000+08:00

There is great controversy about dog kennel training. Many believe that cages, kennels and crates are today’s answer to quick convenient punishment. Although not as much controversy as there is about dog collars that choke a dog and give them electric shocks. Many dogs find comfort in their own place and some find quite strange places to call their own- the washing basket, the tumble drier, the bottom drawer…..

When dog kennel training you must ensure that you do not put your dog in there when he has been bad as tempting as it may be. Also dogs can’t be in the kennel for more than four hours due to the fact that they will need to stretch and need to the toilet. Many dogs start to feel uncomfortable after four hours and then they begin to get anxious. Sometimes the kennel isn’t the godsend some think it is. A lot of people aren’t using kennels properly and therefore end up with more problems then they had started with.

You firstly need to identify the problem that you are using dog kennel training for, it is for housebreaking? Chewing? Making a mess? Once you have identified the problem you then need to utilize the cage to your advantage. All dogs should feel at home when they enter their cage. Food and water should always be available to them and comfortable bedding. For chewing problems chew toys should be available in the kennel and no where else and if he is caught chewing show him his chew toy instead don’t shout at him. Housebreaking is a little bit harder. Most dogs will not do their business where they sleep. So once you notice your dog start to get uncomfortable in his kennel take him out and let him do his business, once he has praise him and continue to repeat. Dog kennel training needs a lot of attention and probably aimed at dogs that are very stubborn and hard to train.

You may think caging up a dog is cruel but in truth its not, what happened to us when we were small? We were left in our cot or playpen to play, that is what you are doing to your dog, nothing cruel or inhumane just practical. Kennels are a little bit expensive to buy so make sure that you want to follow dog training kennels methods to the end before purchasing one.

Training a cat to have likeable behaviors

2009-01-05T11:50:00.000+08:00

Cats can be very finicky at times. When you are trying to change bad behaviors, this can be hard. Cats will not always do what you want them to. When you are trying to change a bad behavior you need to introduce one good behavior. Redirect them into a behavior that is more acceptable for the both of you. Make sure that you reward your cat for any good behaviors that they may show. Use treats, praise, cuddling, hugs, and games.

When you spot, you cat doing something undesirable you should redirect them to something else. For instance, if you catch them scratching at the couch you should get them a scratching post. There are some things that you should remember, do not ever hit your cat. This can make your cat get extremely irritated and skittish.

Here are some ideas that can help with deterring your cat from doing things that you may not want him to. You can use water, try slyly squirting your cat with water, naturally they do not like water. Try using loud noises such as: shaking pennies in a soda can. Use a compressed can of air to make a loud hissing noise. All of these can be used for a quick stop when your cat is expressing a bad behavior. In addition, with some success hopefully you can catch them doing these bad behaviors. The discipline can be used to help them realize that these bad behaviors are not going to be accepted. On another note if you have gone away and you come home to find your trash can tipped over. You can not punish them for this. One, they will not remember doing this; secondly, they will not know why they are being punished.

Here are a few things to try if you want to keep your cat from jumping on your counter tops. You can use things such as double sided sticky tape, aluminum foil, plastic wrap. The double sided sticky tape is to be put wherever you don’t want your cat. If the cat goes near it and puts one of their paws on it, they will stick to it. As we all know cats do not like having sticky things on their paws. This goes along with the plastic wrap, it has the same effect. The aluminum foil can be used like a mirror. This will give off a reflection of the cat. Typically cats do not like reflection they believe they see another cat. Or even at the most extreme you can put an electric mat on the counter; most of the time this can be purchased at a pet store. This mat will give off slight shocks to keep the cat from the counter.

There are some things that you can buy at local pet stores, to keep your cat from biting on plants, and electronic wires. You can get some bitter tasting and bitter smelling things to put on the plants and wires. You have to be careful what you put on these items. You can look on the back of the product to tell if it will harm your plants. You should also monitor how much you put on these. Your cats need toys to play with; they need to keep themselves occupied. You can also take the time and grow them their own plant or grass. Just be careful and find out what type of plants that can be harmful to your cat. One more idea to keep your cat from getting into your plants is to get plant hangers and keep your plants out of the cats reach.

Just a few reminders that you love your cat and you need to be patient. All cats have at least one bad habit, there is always some way of dealing with this. When you want your cat to behave just treat it fairly. They need time to learn new things, just like you would. They also need time to break bad habits. Don’t forget they are not trying to make you mad they just want love and positive attention.

Finding the Pet Adoption Portal for You

2009-01-02T18:00:00.000+08:00

For many people, finding an appropriate pet adoption portal is the only thing that stands in the way of them getting a new pet. They are the type of people who already want to get pets, love pets, want to get ready for caring for a pet if they aren’t already, and are only looking for ways to get access to the pets they want to give homes to.

For those who are not keen on buying their pets from the pet store, their options for getting pets are threefold: through rescue organizations, through pet shelters, and through the internet.

Rescue organizations are run by volunteers who want to save pets from the threats they face when they are left to roam and fend for themselves in the cities. These rescue organizations aim to cut down on the near 70% of animals that get killed yearly due to harsh conditions and overpopulation. These rescue organizations help nurse these dogs and cats back to life, and help find suitable homes that will adopt them. Their team of expert volunteers and counsellors offer both compatibility assessment and adoption counselling to help facilitate the entire process.

These rescue organizations, because they prefer to be able to save as many animals as possible, would prefer individuals to return the pets they adopted if, for any reason, they feel it is not the right pet for them. Communicating your expectations clearly to the volunteers at the organization may help narrow the search for your perfect dog. These rescue organizations are home to about 21 to 30% purebreds each year, making them equally attractive places to search pets from.

Animal shelters provide the same sort of service to rescue organizations, because they want to provide animals all the care and support they need to survive. There are a huge number of animal shelters in existence, so it’s important to check whether the shelter you are approaching is good or bad. Good shelters provide animals with a clean, sanitary environment, and captivity conditions that will not constrict reasonable movement where they are kept. Some animal shelters also recommend that you get a pet that has already been previously sterilized.

This is to avoid instances when individuals want only one pet, and end up having one pet with 5 to 7 offspring. Shelters want to be able to get pets to care for off their hands and into better homes, and giving one for adoption in return for having to accept the 5 or 7 offspring it will be have is not commensurate. Ask about mandatory sterilization and whether it’s recommended for your pet. However, if you intend to grow a pet and its young through generations in the family, inform the shelter that you do not wish the pet sterilized before it is released to you.

The last portal you can make use of is the internet. With the advent of the growing consumer awareness through online information channels, the internet has made it easier to disseminate information and provide access to the same. There are websites online exclusively designed to accommodate those who wish to adopt pets.

The mechanism that is underlying the entire system is that the website accepts only listings for pets open for adoption and not any other listing. This helps keep the message that the facility is only to help make adoptions possible.

This pet adoption portal may prove to be effective especially for those who have very little time in their hands to visit shelters by themselves.

Breaking In The Dog House

2008-12-31T20:04:00.000+08:00

When scolding your dog for doing the toilet on the carpet remember that we were once young and did not use the proper toilet either. Your dog needs to be house trained, and this can be done in a few easy steps, but over a long period of time.

Dog house training may be one of the hardest training techniques as it is the one that requires the most attentiveness and work. You have to be able to read your dog’s body signals as he can’t tell you when he needs the toilet. Many people make the mistake of assuming that their dog will bark when he needs the loo, sometimes they are lucky to find a dog that will but believe me there are many out there who don’t and accidents are found all over the house!

Dog house training requires a few simple steps as I said but they are time consuming ones. Firstly I would recommend putting newspaper in front of the door, that way if you see him doing an accident in the house you can quickly life him there and he will realize that if he needs to go and your not there to let him he has to do it on paper.

The next thing you need to know when dog house training is most dogs when they need the toilet will start to get restless and stat sniffing around, this is when you pick them up and take them outside, when they are really young you should take him outside at least once every hour. When you take them outside you can say things “do the toilet” or “do your business” or whatever command you want to use for your doing going out to do the toilet. Once they have done the toilet you must give them lots of affection outside straight away (of course it’s best to wait until they are done) They will soon come to realize that outside is the place to do the toilet and will after some time start asking to go out.

There are hundreds of books available on dog house training all of which use different techniques and routines. No dog is going to know straight away that outside is the place to do the toilet, they have to learn and you have to teach them (unless you don’t mind accidents all over the place) Oh and don’t forget to scoop!!

Cat behavior training

2008-12-29T19:58:00.000+08:00

Learning cat behaviors before you start training them would be an good idea for anyone that is going to train a cat’s behavior.

A cat can jump and lands on its feet as this are a natural instinct for a cat. When a kitten is first born, the cushion in a kittens paws are not developed with the cushion to land on its feet. It takes about 7 wk to develop the cushion in a cats paw for landing. A cats bone structure is unique to other animals as the bones are flexible , cat has no collar bone, which enables them to be able to twist and bend their bones A cat can jump from short distant with out sustaining any injuries.

With this behavior, you will want to teach the cat to jump hoops, sticks, or off the scratching tree. Letting a cat jump from extreme heights will cause injury to the cat.

Cats have a unique hearing ability; they are able to hear high tones and pitches, like opening a door or a can of food. Cats also have unique smelling abilities. The reason a cat will scratch or urinate on the floor , rub its self up against a door or furniture, is the cat is leaving their scent in that areas so they will be able to come back and know they were there, in other words marking its territory. In addition, if another cat or animal comes along in the area a cat will know this. Cats can also smell with their mouths. There is a gland call 'Jacobson's organ’, it is a sac in the cats upper mouth filled with blood, as the cat smells the scent and the slightly opens their mouth and upper lip, this allows the scent to be carried in and to the sac, which it will carry the scent goes to the cat brain. This mostly happen to male cats when a female has urinated.

With these natural instincts and behaviors this can give you some insight to help you train you cat. With behavior training you will want to make sure that you allow your cat the ability in some way to play out it natural instincts and behaviors.

When training a cat for behaviors here are some things that you need to look at and take in consideration when training. Aggression especially in older cats, this can be cause from illness, other cats in the home. This you may want to contact your vet to have the cat check out to see if it is all right at this time to train a cat.

Depression and anxiety could play another part with trying to train your cat. If a cat is separated by it recent owner the cat can become depressed. Stress on a cat can be common effect on a cat. If you think that your cat has depression or high anxiety, this would be a good time to take the cat to the vet. Vets can talk to you about some of the things that may be causing this and a help list to help the cat. There are medications that a vet can prescribe for the cat to help with depression and anxiety.

Never hit a cat for a punishment the cat will learn to fear you, and fearing will be a behavior you will not be able to control or retrain. When they do something that is not right. Ignore the problem or if you catch them right a way you can associate a noise with that behavior on what you do not like or just in a stern voice tell them “NO”.

If a behavior is becoming impossible you may have to resort to the baby proof home, all containers that have food in them have a lid on it. Make sure that the counters are clean and have nothing that a cat would want to play with.

The day that you get your cat or kitten, you will want to start training at this point. This will keep many unwanted behaviors away, and hopefully not let any new behaviors to start.

Healthy cats need healthy relationships with their owner.

An Overview of the Costs of Pet Adoption

2008-12-26T20:05:00.000+08:00

You can know the costs of pet adoption before you commit to it. The easiest option may be to open your PC and connect to the World Wide Web. You must remember that your choice of animals will depend a lot on the lifestyle that you are leading. Adoption centers can help you with the process of finding the right one for you. They are also concerned about the well-being of the animals after they have left the center. So as much as possible, they want the right pets to land on the right hands.

Does it already sound like a dating game wherein people are being matched according to their traits and preferences? Well, that is very much true. As the pet owner, you must also make sure that when you already acquired the animal, you must do everything in your capacity to look out for its well-being. Now it is already sounding more like parenting, right? But this shouldn’t scare you. Pets bring lots of joy for those who are open to accept them with loving arms.

But before your thoughts go as far as the many advantages of being a pet owner, you must first be informed about the costs that it would take for you to find the right pet.

1. In calculating the annual costs of owning a pet through adoption, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals suggests that the following items must be included: food, treats, toys, required licensing if any, medical treatment and vaccinations. They have come up with the following figures for the pets listed below.

• Fish will cost about $20. The aquarium’s prices differ from $20 to $200 and even higher depending on the quality and the features.

• The prices of dogs will differ depending on the size and breed. A medium built may cost about $600 while a large built can be up to $800.

• Rabbits are easy to deal with. But the costs for this type can be up to $700.

• Cats may be within the range of $500 to $600.

• The prices of birds will also depend on the size and type. A small one can cost about $100 to $150.

After you have acquired these pets, it is your responsibility to provide for their shelter, fun and training if you want. You may want to purchase cages for your pets, training bundles and dog crates. The costs for these can range from $80 to $500.

2. You must also be prepared for unexpected conditions such as accidents and sudden medical problems. You must save up for your pets as well for you to be able to afford the treatments in such conditions.

3. To give you a detailed sample of the costs of adopting a pet, here’s one example where you can base your decisions from. As stated previously, the annual costs that you may incur from owning a cat can reach from $500 to $600. And why is that? Here is the breakdown. The cost of adopting an adult cat is $60. The prices vary from location and the breed of the feline that you choose. If you will buy cats from pet stores, the prices may range from $150 up to $1000. The cats from the center have been neutered ($30 up to $80) or spayed ($45 to $90). The vaccinations for its first year can be about $150 to $300. Cats must also undergo FELV or Feline Aids and FELV or Feline Leukemia testing that can be about $50 to $80 per test.

But the costs of pet adoption must not discourage you from being a pet owner. The joys your pets will add to your life will make it all worthwhile.

Stopping Bad Behavior

2008-12-24T18:09:00.000+08:00

Bad behavior in dogs can consist of many problems. Does he bark all night long and keeps you from sleeping? Are you afraid he is going to keep biting? Does he chew everything except his toys? If the answer to any of these questions are yes you need to invest some time into a little bit of dog behavior training. A little training will go a long way.

Dogs that bark can be extremely irritating but the main thing is not to loose your cool, if you shout at him he will try to shout louder than you. Try and find out the cause of his barking. Is he barking because he is afraid? Is he happy? Is there someone out there? If you can’t find the reason for the barking then he is doing it because he doesn’t know it is wrong to bark all the time. This is where dog behavior training comes in. There are lots of products available to help dogs with constant barking, there are special collars which gives them the tiniest of electric shocks so they know that it isn’t good to bark.

A biting dog is maybe one of the more serious behavior problems, especially now that the laws are tightened and any dog that bites someone is more than likely to get put down. Teaching your dog not to bite is one of the most important teachings you can give him. This is where you have to be firm and stick to your guns. When playing with a young dog they will automatically nip and gnaw at your hand this is because when dogs play together they play with their mouths. When teaching your dog not to bite stroke him with one hand while offering something which is acceptable to be bitten with the other hand, something like a chew toy or a raw hide treat. Your dog will soon realize that hands aren’t there for biting. This process has to be done repeatedly for it to take effect.

Dog behavior training is simple enough for the experienced dog lover but when it comes to beginners all the help available is needed. Accept help from friends and family and maybe even enroll in a dog behavior training class, this will help you to meet other people, having the same problems with their dogs that you are with yours. You are not alone when it comes to having trouble with dog behavior problems. Every dog will get them, it's just a matter of how you fix them.

Tips on training your kitten

2008-12-22T19:57:00.000+08:00

Most kittens seem irresistibly cute and fun. There are a few more things to know before you bring home your kitten. You need to research healthy types of food. You should interview a vet. You should kitten proof your house. You should pick up your plants, hide your wires. One good idea you can do is go out and find something for your kitten to hide in. when they first get home they may get a bit scared and want to find a safe and secure place to go. This could either be a kitty condo or a kennel.

There are several problems that may occur when you bring your kitty home. Behavior problems are normal for most kittens. Most of the basic problems will include chewing on things, scratching on chairs, or defecating.

Scratching on different items can create a big problem, like scratching on your favorite chair. It’s a normal thing for a cat to scratch, but get things that are appropriate for them to scratch on. Place them around the house so that there is not just one scratching post. Make sure that you trim your kittens nails at least once a week. If there continues to be a reoccurring problem with scratching you may want to consider having them de-clawed. If you don’t want your kitten to be de-clawed, you should be able to go to the pet store to purchase booties. This will help them from scratching on furniture or other things.

Sometimes kittens will chew on different things, such as strings from mini-blinds, curtains, pretty much anything that sways and could catch their attention. You should take your cords and place them out of reach or just unplug them. You can also get a special cover for the cords.

You will want to keep a close eye on your kitten. Make sure that your kitten is not snagging their claws on your curtains; if they do they have the chance of ripping one of their nails out. This same rune should apply for your carpet, and throw rugs. You want to make sure that your kitten is safe as possible.

The next thing that you should do is make sure that the kitten has enough chew toys. This can help with a lot of oral activity, this being very important for the development of the kitten’s gums and teeth. Another thing that you can do is grow your kitten some of their own grass. This will also help with their digestive system.

Kittens require a lot of attention, they have playful tendencies and if they do not get enough play time they may seem like they are attacking you. All they really want is an outlet for their destructive behavior.

Sometimes you can introduce another kitten to help with aggressive behavior issues. But that would be totally up to the owner. By bringing in another cat the kitten can take the aggressive behavior towards the other cat. And maybe the kitten is only trying to play; even if that is the case you do not want your feet attacked when your kitten decides that it wants to play. Kittens do need a lot of social interaction. Not just with the owner but with other animals too. If you bring a kitten into a house with a dog, you need to introduce your dog to the new kitten. This will be a big change for all of you. The cat and dog may not get along at first but they need to figure out between the two of them who has higher ranking in the house.

Remember when all of this is said and done you want to make sure that everyone is satisfied with the results. This will include your animals, children and yourself. Don’t get stressed out, just hug your cat. It will all be ok. All cats will ever try to do is please you. They are not intending on making you mad they just may not know better yet. It all takes time to teach and learn. Just remember a few basic things. Make sure you pet is happy and healthy. Make sure your doing everything possible for your cat.

An Overview about How a Pet Adoption Center Works

2008-12-19T21:45:00.001+08:00

What do you do if you want to adopt pets? There are actually many options for you these days if you are pondering about such thing. Your main consideration must be to look for the right pet adoption center where you will get the animal that can change your life forever.

Big Responsibility

Owning a pet is indeed a big responsibility. As much as these pets bring laughter and fun to your household, it cannot be helped that they may also cause distractions and destruction. And why is that? They are animals. And as much as you train them, their instincts are not the same from yours. So you must not expect them to follow everything that you say with compliance and retention that you can get from a child.

So think hard about your decision before you settle on anything that may affect your life as well as that of the animals. You must choose the pet that will suit your lifestyle the best. If you have acquired an animal, you must do everything in your capacity to prove that you are its rightful owner.

Emotionally, you must be attached to your pets. This will help in instances wherein you don’t like what they have done or have caused you. You will not instantly get mad at them enough to throw them out because of the connection that you are sharing with your pet. Physically, you must only choose the kind of pets that you can keep up with. If you don’t have enough time to spare for a pet, you can settle for the tamer types and those that will not require you to get involved in activities with them. And of course, financially, you must be ready to pay for any medical conditions that your pet may need in instances that they get sick or get entangled into accidents.

Adoption Center

The centers for the adoption of pets are being built by organizations that are concerned about the welfare of animals. They aim to help the animals, give them temporary shelter while providing them their basic necessities like food and warmth. Their goal is to give these animals the rightful owners who will take care of them.

These shelters bring in different animals that have varied backgrounds. Some were abused, many are neglected and there are those that are lost. There are also some animals that are handicapped and were left at the shelters by their owners who couldn’t care for them given the situation.

The shelter, as much as possible, will go out of their way to find sponsors for their organizations. They give the animals on their care the proper medication, vaccination and treatment for these pets to remain healthy while at their care. Some of the shelters will require you some fees when you adopt an animal. But this is still less expensive than buying a pet from a commercial store. In most cases, you will be assisted by the people at such centers to find the perfect pet that will fit the kind of life that you are leading. They will lead you to the animal that they are sure that you can handle given your situation.

You can browse through the Internet to find a pet adoption center near you. You can also ask for help at your local vets. You can also ask suggestions from the pet stores or some people who may have already used the service of such centers.

Preparing For Agility Competitions

2008-12-17T21:44:00.001+08:00

One of my favorite activities is dog agility, it keeps you fit and makes you feel good picking up those trophies at the end of each competition.

Dog agility training is somewhat harder than other training options, but I find it the most fun. Firstly if you haven’t heard of dog agility it is a sport for dogs and owners. It is extremely popular in the UK and now there are reports of it happening in the USA and down under in Australia. It comprises of a main event, of which there are lots of different courses for your dog to run. In the courses there is a set number of obstacles. 26 is the average. Your dog has to complete the course without getting any faults in the quickest time to win. Sounds easy? Think again.

There are certain obstacles included in the course which need much training to master. There are two different types of courses, there are jumping and there are agility courses. Jumping courses are exactly what it says on the box, they are courses full of obstacles which your dog is to jump over, things like jumps (two stands which face each other that hold a pole, the pole stand is around 4ft high) which your dog has to clear without knocking the pole down, there are weaves (the weave is a straight line of poles. They can be 6,8,or 12 poles in length, your dog must weave through this) which your dog must not come out of before the end. In agility courses there are contact points on obstacles which your dog must touch with their paws. This requires a lot of dog agility training.

To run your dog in a show you must be registered with the Scottish Kennel Club (SKC) (or the AKC, the American Kennel Club if you are from the USA) and be part of an agility club. The members of these clubs meet up once or twice a week and train together, they set up practice courses, or just do certain obstacles their dog needs practicing on.

Dog agility training is not allowed in a club before your dog is one year old. Most agility enthusiasts have some equipment at home so they can start their dog from as young as six weeks, of course the poles from the jumps lay on the ground, and they don’t make their dog do anything dangerous. There are companies such as Jax which make obstacles and also training obstacles.

A lot of dog agility training must be done before you enter your first show. Your dog must be able to run a full course.

Forgive me for making dog agility sound like hard grueling work, not the fun it really is. It is spectacular. The people, the atmosphere, the fun! The dog agility training is just what you have to endure to get there!

Feeding and Training a Cat

2008-12-15T21:43:00.000+08:00

Semi-moist foods are usually less expensive because they contain some vegetable protein and are usually supplemented with nutrients to make them nutritionally complete, especially for growing kittens.

Dry foods contain about 10 percent water and less fat and protein then semi-moist foods. Cats on dry diets should have plenty of water available. Some cats on dry diets may develop bladder problems. Milk, water, or gravy can be mixed with the food to improve palatability and to ensure that the cat gets adequate water intake. One may wish to feed canned foods occasionally to help prevent bladder problems, get the cat used to different types and textures of foods, and ensure tat the cat gets a balanced diet. Dry foods do have the advantage of helping to clean the teeth and prevent the buildup tartar.

The amount of food one gives depends on the cat’s age, weight, breed, condition, and amount of activity it gets. Cats and young kittens will not consume enough food in one meal to last 24 hours. Two meals are recommended and young kittens and females that are pregnant or nursing require more frequent feedings.

Cats should never be given a diet of dog food because it contains large amounts of cereals and vegetables. Because of this, the cat may not get enough animal protein. Dog food also lacks necessary amounts of vitamins A and B and some essential fatty acids. Many times cats will be seen eating grass. The exact reason for this is not known, but it may be an attempt to increase roughage in the diet or to eliminate a hairball.

The amount of exercise a cat needs varies considerably depending on the on the breed and where its home is. A cat living in a city apartment may get very little exercise, whereas one living in rural areas may be allowed to runs free. Apartment cats may need to be furnished with toys, cardboard tubes, or other play equipment to provide them with means to exercise Owners of valuable purebred or snow cats may not want their animals to run free where they risk injury, loss, or unwanted litters. Outdoor cats get plenty exercise however, they run a greater risk of injury from fights, of death or injury of the roadways, and of contacting diseases and parasites. Cats living in indoors should have clean litter box and plenty of water. Owners should be aware of plants that are poisonous to their pets and other dangers if the cat is left alone for long periods of time. To protect the furniture, cats should be trained to use a scratching post.

Cats scratch to sharpen their claws, to remove loose scales and fragments of dry skin, and to leave a mark for other cats. Kittens should be trained to use a scratching post as soon as they are weaned. The kitten should be held by the scratching post and its claws placed on the post. The kitten will soon learn what to do and will usually come to the same post a cloth covered post may offer the cat an alternative to clawing on soft furniture and draperies.

Correct toilet training is easier with cats than with dogs because cats naturally cover their urine and feces. If a mother cat does a good job of raising her litter, she will probably train them to use a litter box. If a kitten does not know what the litter box if for, can train it easily. Holding it front paws, the owner should show it how to scratch the litter material. Every time the kitten appears to be looking for a place to urinate or defecate, it should be placed in the litter box.

Urine spraying is a natural part of a cat’s behavior. The male cat will spray walls and furniture to mark its territory. If one can catch the cat in act spray it with a water pistol. Another alterative to try is to hang aluminum foil around the spraying areas. Also, one can try feeding the cat in the target areas, because cats will usually not spray near feeding areas.

Some cats can be trained to sit, beg, jump, through hoops, and do other tricks. Training should be similar periods, firm verbal commands, and instant rewards. Whether a cat learns any tricks depends on its intelligence and whether it wants to oblige. In any case, training should not be forced on a cat that does not appear interested.

An Analysis on the Best Times to Do Pet Adoption

2008-12-12T20:30:00.000+08:00

If you are set about owning a pet, it may be better if you will first inquire about the best times to do pet adoption. Inquiries are a must if you want to get what you want and what will fit in to the kind of life that you are leading.

Not because you want a very big dog are you going to be allowed by adoption centers to have one. The centers will do a lifestyle check to find out if what you want is really what you need. The match should be right. You cannot get an active pup if you don’t have time to play with it or take time to do rounds of running with the pet each day.

Who you are will determine what kind of pet you deserve. Being a pet owner is a big responsibility. The animal shelter will do their best to make sure that the decision will be beneficial for you and your chosen pet.

The Costs

This is one factor that you must be prepared for. Acquiring a pet through adoption is less costly than when you buy them on commercial pet stores. But there are some considerations that you must also be prepared to allot for. This includes, most importantly, is the medical needs of your pets. You should be ready that just like you, they may get sick from time to time. And the sickness may vary from simple to severe. And accidents may also happen when you least expect it so you have to have that extra budget to be able to handle the situation.

Save a Life

If you are still undecided about adopting a pet, here is one great motivation for you. Did you know that every year, more than four million of companion animals are being destroyed in the United States alone? So in your decision to adopt a pet, you are also saving a life in the process.

If you have no idea how to start the process of adoption, you can look for your local center or the one nearest you of the Humane Association of the United States. You can also ask the help of the veterinarians near you and they can point you to the right people. You can also do the inquiries at the pet stores in your locality. But please be sure that before you precede any further with the adoption process that you are ready in all aspects that may require you to be.

Financial is a priority. But aside from that, you must also be ready to open up emotionally. Animals are like humans, they need to feel loved and taken cared for. You must also talk about your decision to the important people of your life who will also be interacting with the pet. This is a serious matter that requires you to be responsible for your every decision.

The Right Time

The best times to do pet adoption, of course, is when you are ready in all aspect mentioned above. But if you want to get the best deals, it will be best for you to seek out the shelters in springtime and early fall. These are the breeding seasons so your choices will be a lot varied.

Meanwhile, if you don’t want to be stuck with minimal choices, do not go during Christmas season. Many people are adopting during this time and so the process is being hurried.

Training With A Click Button

2008-12-10T20:29:00.000+08:00

The newest dog training craze is clicker dog training. A clicker is a small rectangular plastic box with a metal button on top that clicks, hence the name clicker. It’s the type of training that the dog decides whether or not it suits him. There have been a lot of success stories with clickers, but with my dog he just didn’t want to know!

Researchers in dog studies believe that the clicker promotes enforced training, without punishment! As we all know when we do something good and get rewarded for it we are going to do the same again, a dog thinks the same way. Dogs learn through consequences, if they do something and it earns them a treat and praise they are going to want to do it again because they like this consequence. If they do something that you don’t like and they get ignored or said no to in a strict voice they know that they aren’t going to get any treats so are not going to do it again.

Clicker dog training works in such a way it reinforces good behavior. If your dog sits, click and give him a treat. The next time he sits do the same but don’t say anything to him. He will soon realize that when he sits he will get a treat and hear a click, so when you eventually come to click before he sits he knows to sit. Its not all that confusing when you think about it.

Punishment is not used with clicker dog training as researchers believe that although punishment does stop some bad behavior it may also create another unwanted behavior. Punishment is almost always carried out after the dog has done something wrong so dogs see punishment as a random consequence therefore punishment doesn’t really solve anything.

Clicker dog training is not only used or dogs! It is widely used for other animals such as dolphins and horses. It is a widely practiced training method and does produce results; if carried out properly.

How to litter train your kitten?

2008-12-08T20:28:00.000+08:00

Cats are naturally clean creatures. Teaching them to use the litter box encourages this good behavior. They will continue to use this litter box unless it gets dirty. Here are a few tips on getting your cat to use the litter box all of the time.

Pick out a litter box that would be right for you and your cat. There are various types of litter box’s, there are big ones and small ones there is also a automatic cleaning box that has a rake that rakes the dirty litter in a storage bag. Some people use the disposable litter box’s that come with the litter already inside so you don’t have to mess with the litter.

Finding the right cat litter is something you can do easily. There are a lot of different types of cat litter; there are scented litter and non scented litter. There is also litter that will clump up after your cat does his/her deed making it easier to scoop up. You should change your cats litter box at least every other day to keep your house smelling fresh and clean. Finding the right cat litter your cat likes can take a while. Your cat may not like a change in the type of litter you have in their box and this will cause them to go in unwanted places as well.

Picking out the right type of cat food can make a difference in training your cats. Remember cat food is for cats not dogs and dog food is for dogs not kitties. There are many types of cat food there is dry food, soft food and canned food. Try not to give your cats milk we all know they like it but it also leaves a big mess in the litter box. You want to use a variety of foods you can also use some of these foods as a treat to reward your cats for doing something good like using the litter box. You can control your cats input and output for successful litter training. If you play with your cat 15 minutes before it eats and then let the cat eat. You will be able to judge when your cat will be ready to go into the litter box. Not letting the cat leave the litter box area when you know their bladder is full, will help the cat realize what it is that you are trying to teach them to do. Finding the right cat litter your cat likes can take a while. Your cat may not like a change in the type of litter you have in their box and this will cause them to go in unwanted places as well.

How to toilet train your cats. First make sure the litter box is in a safe and clean area and away from lots of traffic but be sure your cats have access to it. Make sure cats also know where the litter box is often showing him/her. If you have more than one cat make sure you have more than one litter box cats don’t like to share the same. Also make sure the litter box is cleaned once a day. There is a scoop you can use to scoop out the soiled litter. You should put in about 1 inch of litter in the box is plenty. Never yell or hit your cats if he/she has an accident just simply tell her no and place her in the litter box.

Do not place the litter box near his/her food. Cats do not like to eat in the same place they have urinated. Never clean the litter box if you are pregnant because it contains toxoplasmosis in the fecal witch could cause harm to your baby. Cats will urinate on clean places such as your couch or carpet when they have a dirty litter box. Making sure that it is clean is very important in training your cat.

Cats need attention and sometimes will leave deposits of unwanted urine and feces in places, due to lack of attention. If your cat feels neglected they will get mad and do things to make you pay attention to them. You should spend daily time with your cat to make them feel loved and wanted. They will respond much better when you take the time to show them attention.

Male cats should be neutered as they like to spray to mark their territory. So you should make sure that they are neutered so they don’t make any more mess. You can use vinegar and water to make the smell go away. You can use half water and half vinegar to clean this up. This will keep your cat from returning to that spot to use again.

Pet Adoption Versus Animal Euthanasia

2008-12-06T11:55:00.000+08:00

Animal euthanasia is the act of inducing death to an animal. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress. Most of the times, it is called the act of “putting asleep” an animal. Meanwhile organizations like animal rescue groups and animal rights organizations strictly oppose this method. They say pet adoption could dramatically reduce the number of animals being “put to sleep”.

There are many reasons for animal euthanasia. Terminal illness, behavioural problems like aggression can be reasons for euthanasia. While there are animal owners inducing their animals or pets to euthanasia when they have illnesses or broken limbs that requires big medical and financial attention.

Old age is also a common reason for animal or pet euthanasia. Meanwhile for animal shelters, they induce euthanasia since they do not have enough space or room for an abandoned animal.

According to Humane Society of the United States, there is an estimated 4 to 5 million of adoptable animals in animal shelters euthanized due to lack of facilities. While American Humane Association cites even a bigger number, 9.6 million of animals in the United States are being euthanized every year.

According to the survey conducted by the American Humane Association, out of the 1000 shelters who responded to the survey, 2.7 million of 4.3 million animals (64 percent) are being euthanized. Out of this euthanized number, 56 percent are dogs and 71 percent are cats. There 15 percent of dogs and 2 percent of cars were reunited with their owners. Just a dismal 25 percent of dogs and 24 percent of cats were adopted.

Majority of the animals in shelters were being euthanized since there is a standard period of time (ranging from several days to weeks for unclaimed stray animals). However, there are “no kill” shelters run by private and animal welfare organizations. These “no kill” shelters make it an official policy never to euthanize animals for medical reasons.

Another reason why animal euthanasia is creeping to our culture is because of pet overpopulation. There are numerous pet owners surrendering their pet due to personal reasons and inadequacy in taking responsibility for their pets. There are also people who only wants puppies, once the puppies grow, they completely neglect them and eventually surrender them to shelters or rescue groups.

There are owners who due to failure of spaying or neutering their animals tend to reproduce. There are thousands of litters being born in American homes every day. It is important to consider the financial and medical attention and responsibility these huge numbers of pet reproduction. We do not want to contribute to the raising number of people surrendering their pets for adoption. Eventually, leading to not being adopted and euthanasia.

Clearly, there is crisis in the pet population of the United States. Too many animal companions competing for a few good homes than will take them is a clear effect of uncontrolled breeding.

Dog bite victims are now ranging to 4.5 million each year, due to uncontrolled breeding. Some of the victims fall prey to homeless and stray animals in the streets. They pose public danger, and the government is paying the people’s tax money in controlling these animals and maintaining animal shelters.

Pet adoption is a great way of lessening the impact of the crisis in pet population. Instead of buying pets from puppy mills or companies that breeds animals for profit, adopting an animal is a great way of reducing the number of euthanized animals in shelters.

There are countless benefits of pet adoption. There are studies conducted saying the adopted pets are more loyal and devoted since they have already experienced the worst. Pet adoption is a great way of reducing the number of animals in shelters and making way for another one. Pet adoption battles euthanasia – one pet at a time.

How To Train Your Boxer?

2008-12-04T11:54:00.000+08:00

The Boxer is an amazing dog and is extremely playful, energetic and definitely a handful (in a good way of course). This breed if dog is extremely loyal and when a friendship is built it lasts forever. The boxer is very unique and not for everyone, if you’re a new owner of a boxer you have to be aware that they need a lot of attention and training. They are extremely intelligent dogs which can work to your advantage when it comes to training, but then again can be very disadvantageous as they know how to use their intelligence to get what they want.

Boxer dog training consists of training them up to become guard dogs, this is their main profession if you like. People who don’t know boxers tend to assume that they are naturally aggressive when they are in fact the opposite and couldn’t be more playful than any other dog! Because of their good stature and aggressive look, people are automatically assuming this dog could do more harm than good. If your boxer isn’t trained properly then he just might.

Because of their intelligence Boxers can be very stubborn but when it comes to training a boxer it can be very helpful. Owners must remember that there will be times when you ask him to do something and he’s going to look you in the face and basically tell you where to go, he knows he is supposed to do what you are telling him but he decides he can't be bothered and doesn’t. The main thing you have to remember in these circumstances is to be patient. From as early as 6 weeks old you should start your boxer dog training as this will help him when he grows up, socialize him, play with him and teach him, but do it in an exciting way and he is more likely to listen.

The main aspect of training for a boxer is socialization. Boxers can be very friendly dogs but they need to be trained to become one. They need to get accustomed to other dogs and people. The best way to do this is training classes. That way your boxer will be trained alongside other dogs.

When your boxer reaches 13-16 weeks old it's time for some serious boxer dog training, this is the stage where he is going to test for dominance, he will nip and try to show you that he is the more dominant one, mainly by not listening to you. You have to be a strong leader at this time, you must show him that him acting like that will not be tolerated no matter what!

Boxers are genuinely a lovable family dog and would make a proud pet for anyone, they are dogs that prefer to sit on you lap for a cuddle than anything else. Train your boxer early with some serious boxer dog training and you can be assured you will have a stunning, loyal family friend!

Train a kitten for playing

2008-12-02T11:53:00.000+08:00

Motivated aggressive behaviors for play is common in kittens when cats play the have a variety of behaviors that they share in their play. Exploratory, predatory, and instigative play provides a kitten the opportunity to practice these skills. All of these skills are normal need for survival. Kittens will explore new thing that moves. They like to bounce, bite, and swing at objects that are great to play with.

Kittens learn to bite from the mother and offspring. If you take a kitten from their mother to soon, it can have adverse effects of rough playing. The kitten does not have time to spend with the family to learn rough playing with out the hurting.

Do not let the kitten play with your hand or feet, as this will allow the behavior to be a positive behavior. You will need to teach your kitten that this type of behavior is not acceptable.

Train your kitten with the correct behaviors for rough play. Have toys that will intrigue the kitten to play with, pull toys, put a small stuff toy on a string, and pull the toy. Allow the kitten to pounce, bite, or chase the toy. Allow the cat to rough play with a larger toy; this will help to stimulate the aggression behavior that is natural in a kitten.

You will want to set up daily sessions, with the kitten a day for this type of activity. This is let the kitten know that this is ok to do, with the toys or items that you have let them play with. This only gives a cat the signal that it is ok for the cat to use the object for rough play.

When your kitten is playing rough and does use an object to play rough, play with you will want to say “NO” in a stern voice. Do not yell or scream at the kitten, as they really do not understand you and sure do not at this time understand the word meaning. Say no, the kitten’s name, and the behavior he is doing. “NO tabby, you can not play rough with my hand.”

If this does not work, you can try using the spray bottle method to distract the attention from the rough play of the object. Cats do not like the spray in the face and will turn from what they are doing, you might have to repeat yourself for a few times, but tabby will get the hint soon. Try not to spray the fur or coat as this will mat the fur, and when grooming comes, it will not be a great experience for your or your kitten.

If you want the cat not to claw or sit on furniture or articles, you should put uncomfortable things on them so the cat does not feel the comfort to sit or claw on them. Such things as a net, should be placed over the couch for discomfort. When the cat starts to claw, they will get their claws snagged and they do not like that. Therefore, the cat will learn that it is not a comfort zone for them to be sitting or lying on.

When the kitten is playing correctly you will want to have small treats, bite size as a reward for the kitten, this will assure the kitten that when doing good rough playing is done that some things special is coming. Once you see that behavior for this is under control at this time you can decrease the treat until you are not to do that. You can use this special one when you want to just to let the kitten know they are doing a great job.

Never tap hit or flick your kitten for rough play, this will not work your kitten will fear you and or that this is great rough play and try to continue. In addition, never harm your cat or kitten for any reason.

There a lot of toys, scratch post, and other items that you will be able to purchase for your cat. Learn more about the different toys and items on the internet by searching for toys for cats.

Reasons for Pet Adoption - Are You Ready to Become a Pet Owner?

2008-11-30T11:52:00.000+08:00

The reasons for pet adoption can be as varied as your choices during the springtime and early fall in centers and shelters. These are known as the breeding season. And because of that fact, people who will choose to adopt during this period will have lots of animals to choose from, different types, different kinds, breeds, sizes. You name it. You will have a breeze in finding the right pet that will be a welcome sight to your home and to your life.

Pet adoption can be achieved through lots of ways. The setup can be a formal one, like you will go to a shelter and sign the necessary papers for your chosen pet to be released. You will go through all the necessary process from choosing the pets to assisting on legal documents that other localities may want you to accomplish. Other centers will ask you for a minimal fee. In return, you are assured that the animal that you will be getting is free of any sickness and have been treated with the right medication and proper vaccinations.

You can also find online pet adoption portals that can give you choices of animals that you can adopt for free. These are usually owned by charitable institutions that aim to help the needy animals to find shelter and families for them. At this instance, you have to take the initiative to bring the animal that you have chosen to your local vet to be treated or vaccinated. You have to ensure that the pet is healthy before you bring it home.

The charitable institutions have only the best intentions for these animals. But you cannot blame them if they cannot afford to bring the animals to the vets as required. They work hard to find sponsors. But with the numbers of pets being sent to them each day, they need your help to accomplish the rest of the procedure to make sure that the animal will live long.

You can also adopt informally. Like for example, you know a pet owner who will be moving out of the country for justifiable reasons. Or you know someone who can no longer afford the responsibilities of taking care of their pets because of lack of finances. You can talk it out with them. You can adopt their pets for free. Or if they opt to sell it, you can also think hard about it. In any case, you have to look closely at the pet. Is this the type that you will be able to handle? Or are just going to cost more sufferings to the animal? If the latter is the case, then it will be better if you will advice the owners to send the animals to shelters or to charitable institutions or even to local vets who may have links with these associations.

The Reasons

So what motivates you to own a pet? Look at this list and determine if you are ready for the challenges that it may pose. This will also help you decide what kind of pets will be beneficial to the kind of setup that you have at home and at your overall lifestyle.

1. You want a companion from a stressful and busy life. If you don’t have much time to spare, you may want to opt for animals that will not require so much from you. You may want to look into rabbits. You may also want a bird that is easy to maintain. You also can contemplate about owning a fish. Remember that your pets must suit your lifestyle.

2. You want to help. This is a good cause that you can participate to. But if you don’t really have the time to spare to be a responsible pet owner, you can just donate goods or cash to the charities or shelters that care for these animals.

So what are your reasons for pet adoption? Hear yourself out. If you can convince your heart that this is the right thing to do, then maybe this really is for you.

Dog Training For Beginners

2008-11-29T11:51:00.000+08:00

“How does your dog sit when you tell him to and mine doesn’t?", “How can your dog heel to you like that?", “Wow! He comes when you tell him to” - Sounds familiar? If it does, you need to invest some time into a little bit of basic dog training. Starting to train your dog from a young age is crucial as the first few months of his life is when you will have the greatest influence on him; this is where he is shaped into the dog he is going to be when he is all grown up.

The most basic of dog training is to get your dog to sit and come. Teaching him those commands are essential for him to learn. These commands are used for various different reasons, if you are in competition, if your dog jumps making him sit will immediately get him off and "come" is the all important one. If you take your dog for a walk, you let him of the leash and you expect him to come back to you, not run around the park with you chasing after him shouting at him to “get here right this instance”. That would be just down right embarrassing!

To teach your dog how to come requires only the most basic of techniques but a lot of repetition. The simplest way to get him to come is have a toy in one hand and a treat in the other, when you are in the house simply walk away from him, hold out the toy and excitingly call him to you, when he comes over give him a treat, always use the command for come that you are going to use in the future. Doing this several times a day is a great way to teach him, but remember to have lots of long breaks so he doesn’t get bored and stop enjoying it, and don’t forget the treats!

Getting him to sit could be a slight bit harder but again only requires basic dog training. When you have mastered the come command call him to you, place your hand on the end of his back and say "sit" while gently pushing down on his backside, when he sits his bottom down give him a treat and a lot of praise. If you want him to sit longer just delay giving him the treat and the praise, get him to sit but take your time bending down to him and feeding him his titbit.

Basic dog training is simple and very effective. It should also be fun for you and your dog, it doesn’t have to be hours and hours each day just may be 5 minutes or so. Don’t forget to reward your dog and yourself for all the “hard” work though!!

Train your cat to be groomed

2008-11-28T16:30:00.000+08:00

Grooming for a cat should be done on a daily basis for proper care of your cat. In addition, with the proper care, your cat will stay healthy.

Brushing, combing, clipping nails, and cleaning ears, are grooming that needs to be done. By doing basic grooming on a regular basis will help in prevention with scratching furniture, and hairball management.

Hairball management can be managed using different products that can help with the hairball for the cat. Do not confuse this to substitute for this part of the grooming. Learn more about these products at your favorite pet store or internet site.

When training your cat for grooming, one of the first things you will want done, is to have the cat to be able to relax in your lap. By petting your cat gently on the head and then you will want to pet him down the back and continue till you see that your cat is comfortable with you petting him in the areas that you will be grooming. Next, you will want to press gently on the paw pads to look at the nails, you will want to work on checking the ears. When you have achieved all these things, this is the time to introduce the brush by letting him check the brush out. Carefully start to brush him until you see your cat being comfortable with the brush. Remember a cat’s skin is sensitive and you will want to take real gentle precaution when grooming.

Training your cat to be comb will be the same step you have taken to be able to brush your cat. Be gentle, cats hair is easily matted, snarled, and skin sensitive. If you using precaution with doing the combing and you cause pain to your cat, they may not let you do this. Brushing a cat’s hair is very important, also with long hair cats combing needs to be done. With combing it helps get out the lose hair, and will make a nice looking fur for the cat.

Clipping nails, if you have never clipped your cat’s nails, please talk to a veterinarian, a local groomers, search articles about it, read books, and be very careful when you are cutting them. One thing to practice is having some one with you to help with this, so if the cat tries to move you have reinforcements. When cutting a cat’s nail, toward the paw is a pink area that you do not want to clip. This will be very painful for the cat and a visit to the vet quickly. Make sure when doing this that the cat is very comfortable with you touching its paws. Talk to him when cutting the nails to reassure it is fine and soon will be done. If your cat seems annoyed with cutting their nails, stop, and try later. If you are unable to do this, cat groomers trained to cut nails can do this for you and most time very inexpensive, a lot less then a vet bill.

Cleaning your cat’s ears is another basic grooming process, as in the first part of the article, makes sure the cat is comfortable with the touching of their ears. Once you know that you are able to touch your cat’s ears, now is the time to clean.

Use soft tip q-tips for this part, gently at first rub the q-tip around the out side of the ear working your way to the inside to be able to clean the ear. If at any time the cat resist, stop redirect the cat and then continue until you can successfully clean the ears.

Grooming your cat is also caring for your pet; just feeding your cat is caring. Grooming is also a great way to interact with your pet, for healthy relationships.

Search out more information on training your pet, tools to help with the training and caring for your pet. Check out books, pet stores, search on the internet there are great articles, ideas, and suggestions on training your pet. One way of training may not work but some one else may have different approach. Not all cats train the same, just as we do not teach the same.

Pet Adoption Considerations - Are You Fit to be a Pet Owner?

2008-11-27T16:29:00.000+08:00

In any decision that you do in life, you must think hard about it in order to arrive at the best choice as much as possible. In the end, it is also you who will suffer or who will benefit from anything that will arise from that. Pet adoption considerations must also be at the top of your mind if you want to venture into this situation.

Why would you want to adopt?

Your reasons can be as simple as you want to gain a companion. The pets of your choice will depend on your lifestyle. You don’t want to get an animal that will require a lot from you physically if you cannot really afford the time to give it to them. You can just settle for a tamer one like a fish, rabbit or parrot that will serve as a companion white they really don’t ask you for too much attention. It will be enough for you to give them their basic necessities like shelter, warmth and food.

You may also want to acquire a pet because you merely want to make a difference and help in this good cause. You may have a soft spot for animals especially for those that have been left in shelters or have been cared for by charitable institutions. This is a good omen and can lead you towards a brighter future in caring for pets. Just make sure that you are ready for the responsibilities that will be required from you when you opt to trek this route.

Do not give pets as presents.

This is a must. The reason for this is very obvious. The recipient of the gift may not be ready to owe up to the responsibilities that your gift comes with. What do you think will happen to the animal when they are handed to an unwilling owner? You may have your own reasons why you give the pets as gifts. You may think that you’ve already assessed the recipient based on the facts that you know about them. But for sure, there are certain spots that you do not know about them. The pets may end up in shelters or may also be given out to others. The worst thing that could happen is for the pet to be ignored and may cause its health to diminish.

What are the other considerations?

Owning pets will give you lots of joy. But these are animals. You cannot teach them to tidy up by themselves. So expect the unexpected. Prepare yourself to clean up your pet’s mess that may be distributed even on your favorite parts of your house. You can teach your pets tricks and share with them some manners. But you must not expect them to follow what you are saying all the time. They may be intelligent but you are superior than they are. You cannot expect them to do the right things all the time. You may be surprised to see eaten foods or chewed papers or shoes at times.

If you are not prepared for such situation, what are you going to do? The most probable thing is that you will vent your anger at your pet. You may want to decide to get lost of them the instant they did what seems to be inexplicable. These pet adoption considerations can help you open your eyes and mind if you can be trusted to be a responsible pet owner.

Dealing with problem puppy behaviors

2008-11-26T16:28:00.000+08:00

Everyone who owns a puppy or dog will eventually have to deal with and correct less than desirable behaviors on the part of their companion animal. There are a number of behaviors that should be nipped in the bud, including:

Jumping up on people

This is one of those behaviors that many owners inadvertently encourage in their animals, since jumping up, wagging his tail and the like can be adorable in a young puppy. When that puppy is older, larger and heavier, however, this jumping up behavior ceases to be cute and begins to become annoying and even dangerous.

A large, heavy dog jumping up on people can be dangerous to young children and even to some adults, since a large, 100 pound plus dog can easily knock down a child or small adult. Since you as the owner are responsible for the behavior of your dog, it is important to nip this problem behavior in the bud.

The best time to do that, of course, is when the puppy is still small and easy to handle. When the puppy jumps up on you or someone else, gently place the puppy’s feet back on the floor. When the dog remains standing there, be sure to praise it extensively.

It is also important to give the puppy an alternative to jumping up. Puppies jump up on people to express their enthusiasm, so it is important to redirect this energy in a more socially acceptable direction. Try teaching the puppy to present his paw instead of jumping up.

When teaching the puppy to not jump up on people, it is important to be consistent. Consistency is important in any training program, and all members of the family must understand that the puppy is not permitted to jump on them.

Pulling, charging and tugging on the lead

One problem you definitely want to nip in the bud is this one. It is important that the puppy learn to respect the collar and leash now, when he is still small and light enough to handle. Teaching this lesson to a 10 pound puppy will be much easier than teaching the same lesson to a 150 pound dog.

Using a good strong body harness or head collar can be a big help when training a puppy not to pull, or to retrain a dog that has already learned to pull on the leash. When first fitting a harness, it is important to allow the puppy to walk around wearing it, so that he can get used to wearing it.

The first thing your puppy must learn, and the basis of all subsequent training, is teaching your dog to heel. Teaching your dog to walk quietly at your side on a loose lead is the basis of all dog training, and until your puppy has mastered this vital skill he will be unable to move onto more advanced training.

When walking with a puppy on a leash, it is important to always keep slack in the leash. If the puppy begins to pull on the leash, the handler should quickly change directions. The puppy will then find itself lagging behind instead of forging ahead. The least will be loose except for the split second it takes to change directions. It is important for the handler to use a quick tug of the leash, followed by an immediate loosening, when teaching this lesson.

When teaching the puppy to walk properly, it is important to never allow the puppy to pull you around, or to forge ahead on the leash. Allowing the puppy to pull you around will teach him exactly the wrong lesson.

Training your cat to go to a veterinary

2008-11-25T16:27:00.000+08:00

Why train a cat to go to the veterinary?

Shots will be need, exams, medical attention when the cat needs this type of attention. When taking them to the veterinarian, cats will meet many different people, other cats, and animals. Cats can be frightened with the different smells, scents, sounds that will not be familiar to them. The vet will be a stranger that will handle your cat. Stressful event if you do not take the proper precautions in training the cat.

Due to illness, you will need to take your cat to the vet. This is the first time that you will have to take the cat to the vet, you will need to stay calm and in control. Your cat can sense the uneasiness if you are.

Carrying cases are the best way to transport your cat to the vet. This will keep them save from the harm, from another animals and from trying to escape. Use the carrier for other times that is convenient for you to travel with the cat. Using the carrying case just for vet’s visits will result in a cat hiding in the way corners of the house, hopefully far enough that you will not be able to get him.

Choosing a veterinarian is just as important as taking your cat to the vet. You will want to find a veterinarian that has been in practice for a while and that will help you with the first visits for the cat. You will need to talk over carefully care for your cat and recommendations that they vet may have for feeding and training. You do not want to jump in on the first visit for the vet to examine or do anything that the cat will fear. The first couple of visits should be friendly visits so that the cat will be use to the vet touching and talking to him. This will take a lot of stress out of both you and your cat.

As the vet for the first time is getting to know your cat, you will want to praise the cat for the great job that he is doing. In addition, reward the cat for doing a great job. Very small treats are great to slip in your pocket to take with. Remember treats are for good behaviors not bad ones. You do not want to take a large amount and use the treats if your cat is not having proper behaviors.

When there is bad behaviors at the vet or where every, you will want to use the stern voice “NO” by its name and what the behavior is that your cat was doing. This will let your cat know that you do not approve of. A simple loud clap might be a way to get the cats attention for the bad behavior. Alternatively, just setting and getting the cat to relax would be great. This is telling them that the fears they are having at the vets is nothing to be afraid. Petting the cat on the head and giving comfort for him will help both you and the cat.

Making regular office visits to the vet will keep the cat with knowing whom the vet is. In addition, the vet can keep any shots, illness on file to help with the next time the cat is sick. Just as we go to the doctor as they have file of our health, it is also important to have the same type of file on record for your cat. In some cities and town, they require that shots be on record at a veterinarian office, so in case of serious injury, there is a record or the cats shot and health.

Be kind to your pet take them to the vet they will love you for caring for them.

Easy Steps towards Virtual Pet Adoption

2008-11-24T16:26:00.000+08:00

Do you have a website for your business? Or do you maintain a blog for personal purposes? Or you may not have any of these but you are an avid Internet user. Then you may find the idea of virtual pet adoption as something interesting.

The Idea
The notion behind this all is that you, as the Internet user, will have to go to certain URL address known as the virtual pet adoption center. From that site, you can adopt a pet of your choice for free. Where that virtual pet will go? You can display it on your website or you can just bookmark the page where you want it to be.

Are you getting the idea? This is like teaching a virtual pet owner to care for something that will in turn make them happy, just like what real pets do to you. This makes your cyber experience more fun and enjoyable because you have the pet to look forward to whenever you open your PC and you go online.

How to Get One
The process is simple. You can look over any search engines for the popular websites that offer this tool. Be careful with the sites. Make sure that they pass all the anti-virus and spam filtering settings of your connection. When you are already at the sites, read the instructions carefully. Make sure that the pets are safe to be downloaded, if this can be done.

Choose the animal that you’d want to be your virtual pet. There are a lot of choices actually. The popular ones include puppy, penguin, cat, spider, pig, fish, hamster, duck and so on. The list can actually accommodate all your preferences when it comes to this. Then after choosing the animal, you must name your pet. What do you want to call it? And then you will choose what color is your pet going to be. You will be given a code that you can copy and paste on the space provided for such on your own website. This kind of entertainment comes for free.

How Does It Work?
Once installed, you will the master of your chosen pet. They will follow your mouse on every direction. Other tricks that some of them can do include the following. The spider will spin webs on your screen while you are watching it. You can feed the fish by clicking your PC’s mouse. The penguin will make you feel light as it sits on the iceberg and moves around. It looses balance and falls into the cold water. The tiger will wave back and purrs at you. The puppy will bark at you until you give them treats. The bunny hops around while you are clicking on it.

Your website or the page that you have bookmarked will become home to your chosen pet. It will also add to its appeal and may increase traffic to your site. Just remember that just like in the real sense of acquiring a pet, having an online pet will require you to look out for it whenever you are online. Do this for fun and enjoyment. Just make sure to instill the good values that you will be able to pick up along the process.

You see, virtual pet adoption is easy. It will make your website come alive. It will also make you feel happier and relaxed whenever you are online.

Tips for house training your new puppy

2008-11-23T16:26:00.000+08:00

House training a puppy is one of the first, and one of the most important things, that any new dog owner must do. It is easy to get frustrated if you do not understand the basics of this important process, so we have put together a few tips to make the process of house training your puppy a little easier.

It is vital to establish good toilet and hygiene habits in the puppy when he is young, since the patterns that are established in those first few months can last a lifetime. When you consider that house training issues are the number one reason why dogs are surrendered to animal shelters, it is easy to see why house training is so extremely important.

In most cases, a puppy will not be completely house trained until he or she is six months of age. That is because puppies younger than six months often lack the bowel and bladder control that they need in order to be reliably left alone in the home all day.

Puppies younger than six months should be confined to a single, small puppy proofed room any time the owner is not available to supervise the animal. The entire floor of the room should be covered in newspaper or other similarly absorbent and cheap material. At first the puppy will go everywhere and anywhere in the room. As the puppy gets older and begins to display better bladder and bowel control, the amount of paper used is slowly reduced, until the puppy goes only on the established “toilet” papers. This toilet area will form the basis of later house training.

House training the puppy – what to do:

- Provide the puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the toilet area that has been established.

- Take the puppy to the toilet area every 45 minutes when you are at home.

- When you are away from home, or when you cannot supervise the puppy, it is important to confine the puppy to a small area that has been puppy proofed and covered with newspaper.

- It is important to be sure that the toilet area does not resemble anything in the home, such as carpet or hardwood floor. Once the puppy is used to eliminating on a particular surface, such as grass or blacktop, he will want to eliminate on that time of surface.

- Always provide lots of praise when the puppy does its business in the established toilet area. The puppy needs to learn to associate eliminating in the established area with positive things like treats, toys and praise from you.

- It is important to keep a set schedule when feeding the puppy, and to provide ready access to fresh, clean drinking water at all times. Providing a consistent schedule for feeding will help you learn to anticipate your puppy’s toilet needs.

- Using a crate can help the puppy to develop much needed self control. Dogs are naturally very clean animals, and they will try their best not to soil their bed area.

- And finally, it is vital to employ patience during the house training process. House training can take as long as several months, but it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain a problem dog.

House training the puppy – what to avoid

- Do not punish or reprimand the puppy if it makes a mistake. The puppy will not understand the reason for the punishment, and he may become nervous and agitated. This could set the training back even further.

- Do not give the puppy constant access to food. Keep the puppy to a set feeding schedule instead of leaving food out all the time.

- The puppy should not be given the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.

House training a new puppy is not always easy, but it is important to persevere. By exercising patience, and rewarding your dog with lavish praise every time he does the right thing, you will have your puppy house trained in no time at all.

Training your cat to be transported in a pet carrier

2008-11-22T16:24:00.000+08:00

Do you travel or going to spend time away from the home and would like to take your cat with you. There is good news! You are able to take them with you. Pet carriers are available in most major discount stores and pet stores.

Training the behavior is just important as selecting the correct carrier for your cat. First thing that you will want to do is train your cat to be comfortable in an enclosed area. If your cat is not use to being in an enclosed area this is the first place that you will want to start.

Step by step your can achieve this with little resistant from the cat. Putting your cat in enclosed area can cause stress with the cat. You will want to be careful with these steps.

First pick out an area that the cat is familiar with. Maybe like the bathroom or a closet, but big enough, so that you will be able to be in there for a short time. Let the cat investigate with the door closed and you in with him to find that there is no fear. At this time you will want to be talking to him assuring there is nothing wrong. For the first day do this a few times, so that they start to get comfortable. One thing you will want to do is take a few of the cat’s favorite items that are small. Remember the goal is a small pet carrier so there will not be a lot of room for other items. Favorite toy, blanket, pillow or any small item that is his will help with him to be comfortable. One of the reasons for this is the item has his scent on it so this will tell him that this is also part of his territory. During the stay, you will want to have small treats to give him for reward for being good. Petting him and making a relaxed atmosphere will also be important.

When this is accomplished, the next step is to find a carrier that is right for him. Learning and searching sites and talking to pet store about this will help you with the right choice. You do not want a carrier that is too big and too small. There are also different types of carriers. You may at this time want to learn more about collapsible houses to use on the trip. This will make the cat happy and safe when you are at your destination. Your cat will be able to have an area that is confined but also for the cat to enjoy fresh air and the view.

With the carrier you will want to open it and make sure the door is securely open. At this point you do not want the cat to get trapped in the carrier. Now put some of the cats favorite toys, blanket, pillow or items that you used in the closet, put them in the carrier. This will attract him to be curious about the carrier. A good idea would get some catnip to put in the carrier. Catnip is a scent that cats love and will attract them. Once you have let the carrier out for a couple of days and see that your cat has become really curious and maybe not entered it yet. This will be a time that you will want to play games with the cat. Put the favorite toy that you play with in the carrier tell him to find it. Show the cat where it is, by placing him in front of the carrier. Once this is achieved, play with him in the carrier. Put the cat carefully and gentle in the carrier while petting and making him relaxed. Once you have done this play with the toy to let him know that he doing a good job. Remember to reward your cat when he is doing a good behavior.

Once this has been done and you are able to move away from the carrier a few time in the next couple of days make this a good play time. This will allow the cat to get use to the carrier. After you see that he is achieved this, now is the time to work slowly with the door.

Place the door in a closed position while talking to him. Then open the door do this for a few times to make sure that he is comfortable with it. Once you see that he is comfortable then you will want to close the door, not locked just closed and move away. So that he is able to see you but you are not right there. Do this for a couple of days or till he is comfortable.

Next step lock the door, making sure he is comfortable with the actions. Make sure closing and locking is not making any loud noises as this will startle him and it might be the end of kitty going with on the trip. Once you see that he is comfortable, continue to back up till he is unable to see you. At this time there should be no resistant to him being in the carrier with the door lock.

Finally pick up the carrier with him in it and walk around the room. You should do this for a couple of times till you know things are working. Now the challenge is taking the carrier to the car, place it so that your cat can see you. Now go for your first ride. Remember loud noises will startle him. Drive quietly, safely with him in the car. This will be very important not only the first time but every time.

Once things are comfortable for you and your cat, pack your bags, the cats items you will need to take with and off you go on your trip. Have a save and enjoyable one.

Teaching your dog with confidence and respect

2008-09-10T11:11:00.000+08:00

The first thing that any successful animal trainer must do is win the confidence and respect of the animal to be trained. This important piece of advice definitely applies to the training of dogs. As social pack animals, dogs have a natural need to follow a strong leader. Setting yourself, the owner or handler, up as this leadership figure is the basis of any successful dog training program.

Until your dog has learned to trust and respect you, it will be difficult for any training program to be successful. Trust and respect are not things that can be forced, they must be earned through positive interaction with your four legged companion. After the dog has learned to trust and respect the owner, he or she may be amazed at how quickly the training sessions progress.

Many new dog owners mistake love and affection for trust and respect. While it is of course good to shower your new dog or puppy with love and affection, it is also improtnat to gain its confidence and respect. It is also important to not allow the puppy or dog to get away with everything it wants to. It is easy to let a dog take advantage of you, particularly when it is so cute and adorable. It is important, however, to set boundaries, and to establish acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

Dogs actually appreciate these types of boundaries, since they are similar to the rules that the pack leader establishes in nature. Every dog in the pack knows what is expected of it, and knows its plce in the pecking order. This kind of structured hierarchy allows the pack to function, hunt and survive as a single entity. Your dog is actually seeking this type of leadership. If he or she does not get leadership from you, he or she may be frightened or confused.

In addition, failure to gain the respect of the dog is very important to the well being of both the human and the dog. A dog that lacks respect for its human owner can be dangerous as well as hard to live with. It is important to establish firm boundaries of good and bad behavior, and to consistently, effectively enforce those boundaries.

When dealing with a puppy, it is important to start gaining his respect and trust as soon as possible. Establishing an early bond is the best way to move the treaining and socialization process forward.

It is also important to make the initial training sessions short. Puppies have a notoriously short attention span, and even older untrained dogs may be unable to focus for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time. It is best to make the lesson short and positive than to stretch it out and create a negative experience.

It is also a good idea to start and end each session with a period of play. Starting and ending the training sessions on a high note is important. Dogs make quick associations, and creating a positive association with obedience training will help to create a happy, healthy and well adjusted dog. A happy dog will be easier to train, and more willing to please.

It is also important to keep the dog from becoming bored during the training sessions. Many dog owners make the mistake of drilling the dog on things like basic obedience skills, heeling, sitting, etc. While these obedience skills are important, and it is true that they will form the basis of more advanced skills, it is important to mix things up and make things fun for both yourself and your dog. The more variety you provide the better your dog, and you, will enjoy the training sessions.

Cat playing or fighting

2008-09-09T11:06:00.000+08:00

With multi, cats can play rough. Outdoor cats that stay outside or can go outside will also play rough with other cats. Biting your ankles or arms can be play for your cat. Cats that have extra energy to play and have difficulty finding ways to release their energy can be a very playful cat.

What is the difference in playing and fighting with the cats?

Cats that are not familiar with each other can be fighting and not playing. Dominant of one cat to another, screaming, hissing continuously during what looks like the playing are signs of fighting. In addition, if a cat gets hurt, this is a signs cats are not playing. This is a sign of your cats are really fighting. This is important to learn and get additional information about especially if your cat is an outdoors cat and encounters another cat. You will be able to tell if fighting or playing is going on. Leaving your cat outside and not know the playing for fighting can have effects on your cat's behaviors and stability for going outside again.

Distraction is the best way to separate fighting cats. With any type of interfering can cause pain to both you and the cats. Make a loud noise, firm voice, cats do not like loud noises this is a good way. Have spray bottles handy to use. Cats do not like to be sprayed with water and this will stop them. Once they have stop immediately separate the cats with close doors so they are not able to see each other. This aggression will need to be dealt with carefully. Allowing cats to continue to fight will end up with a cat being hurt and with fighting; this could cause diseases in the cats. This will become expensive with having to take the cat to the veterinarian for medication and some time stays at the vets for care and treatment.

Cat play is a natural for a cat and you should not interfere with the playing. Exposing other actives for the cats can help with the playing, when the playing seem to get to intense. Have plenty of toys for the cats to play with, their own scratch post, or their own area to play in.

With multi cats in a home, you will want to create an environment for each cat to have a place to feel comfortable. Some cats are able to adapt to other cats in the home and share. With different breeds and natures of the cat, will also depend on the cats being able to share one area. There are cat breeds that are just naturally a single pet and will not fit in the home with the presents of other cats or dogs around. These types of cats will have high stress and quick aggression towards other cats. You can get more information on the type of breeds that will live together and those that need their space. There are plenty of books and internet sites for you to check out.

Hitting your cats will not accomplish any thing; this will make your cat fear you, as this will lead to no communication with your cat. Training will be impossible, as communication is the most important thing when training your cat. Physical punishment to any animal is never a good thing to any animal. Remember your cat is a companion and a friend. We, as humans, would never physical or mentally hurt our love ones or friends.

Remember if the cats are not fighting and are just playing with each other, this is a sign of good communication with each other. Allowing the communication to continue will help the relationship with the cats and with you. Communication is a great tool when trying to train your cat.

Teaching a puppy to accept his collar and leash

2008-09-08T11:10:00.000+08:00

Learning to walk on a collar and leash is the basis of all further training for every puppy. Until the puppy has learned to accept the collar and leash, it will be impossible to perform any additional training.

The first step toward getting the puppy to accept the collar and leash is to find a collar that fits the dog properly. It is important that the collar be neither too light or too heavy, neither too thin nor too thick. A collar that is too light for the dog can be easily broken, while a collar that is too heavy may be uncomfortable for the puppy to wear. It is also important that the width of the color be appropriate for the size of the dog.

Determining the proper length of the collar is relatively easy. Simply wrap a tape measure or a string lightly around the dog's neck to get an accurate measurement. It is important that the tape measure not be tight, just slightly snug.

Most collars are sized in two inch increments, so you may have to round up to get a properly sized collar. For instance, if the dog has a 13" neck, you would buy a 14" collar, and so on.

After you have purchased the perfect collar, the next step is to put it on the dog and allow him to wear it around the house. Do not be dismayed if the dog whines, paws at the collar or otherwise tries to remove it. This is normal, and the dog should not be punished for it. It is best to simply ignore the dog and allow him to work out his own issues with the collar.

The dog should be allowed to wear the collar 24 hours a day for a number of days to get used to the feel of the collar on his neck. After the dog is accepting the collar well, it is time to start introducing the leash. A lightweight leash works best for this process. Simply attach the leash to the dog's collar and allow him to walk around the house with it. The dog should of course be supervised during this process in order to make sure he does not get the leash caught on anything. Getting the leash caught or snagged could frighten the dog and create a leash phobia that will be hard to overcome.

In the beginning, the leash should only be attached for a few minutes at a time. It is important to attach the leash at happy times, such as playtime, meal time, etc. It is important for the dog to associate the leash with happy things. When the leash is not attached to the dog, it is a good idea to keep it near the dog's food and water bowls. The dog should be encouraged to investigate the leash, and to discover that it is not something to fear.

After the dog is used to walking around with the leash attached, take the end of the leash in your hand and just hold it. Allow the dog to walk around. If the dog bumps into the end of the leash, just allow the dog to react and move as he desires. The goal of this exercise is to simply allow the dog to get used to the feel of the collar and the leash.

It is important to allow the puppy plenty of time to get used to wearing the collar and leash before ever attempting to lead the puppy. It is best to perform this exercise in the home or other environment where the puppy feels safe and secure. After the puppy is comfortable and content walking on the leash in the home, it can slowly be taken outside. It is best to make these outside trips very short at the beginning, and to lengthen them slowly over time. Some puppies take to the collar and leash immediately, while others may require some additional time.

Training your cat for aggression

2008-09-07T11:06:00.000+08:00

The ears flatten backwards, cat is snarling with the sharp teeth exposed as he has his mouth wide open, and the eyes dilated. This is prime example of aggression in a cat.

Learning and understand the different aggressions in your cat has will help in combating the problem.

Aggression sometimes will be very noticeable with out knowing what happened for your cat to have this type of aggression. Some of the warning signs are eyes wide-open, dilated pupil, flattened ears, tail lashing, or brisk tail, growling ,snarling, hissing ,or even spitting.

Unable to escape is one of the aggressions that a cat may have. They will be frightened and their response mechanism will go off. Most cats will find and escape route, but sometimes there is none and a cat will be have been triggered to have this type of aggression.

Sudden movements, sounds, imaginary threats, are some of the ways that fear aggression a cat will have. Timid cats can be big aggressors as the fear is real for them even if the threat is not real. Experiences with fear will also play in with the fear. Fear aggression is a natural reaction for a cat especially physical punishment, which is a big threat to a cat. That is the most fearful thing a cat will react with real aggression. In addition, your cat will not want to have nothing to do with you. Physical punishment on your cat or any cat should never take place.

When you see that aggression is starting you can start to pet the cat immediately to let him know that he has nothing to fear. Petting a cat helps to relax a cat and relaxes you.

Pain for a cat will lead to aggression. This is also a sign that you need to be watching if you feel that the aggression is not one that you can see or point out. Taking the cat to the vet and have the cat exam will help knowing if the cat is really in pain. Getting treatment for the pain will help you and the cat.

Cats can be sensitive to petting. A cat's skin is sensitive so over petting or hard petting can be painful for your cat. Some cats will become fell threaten or over stimulated with petting. Some of this fear can come from past socializing with people.

When the cat starts with the aggressions, start with speaking soft and gentle to the cat, this will help with the fear of the cat under control. If the cat has a hold of you with the teeth, gentle stroke the tips of this paws and then the toenails until he releases. Never try to open the paws, as this will cause pain to the cat. Not staying calm at this point will only lead your cat to fear you more with the sudden movements and loud noise. Do not pull away quickly after the attack; continue with the activity with the cat so that he will know that you are not there to hurt him.

If the aggression is on a male cat, neutering could be an option to have done. Neutering will also help with catfights and injuries with your cat. You should contact your veterinarian for more information on getting your cat neutered.

Behavior problems can be an underlying stress causing the aggression, such as towards people. Stress can be caused by a cats change in the environment. Baby in the home, visitors that come to visit and stay in the home. A new pet, a dog can really become stressful for a cat.

There is medication, experts with cat aggressions, that can help with the aggression of the cat if it is serious. Do not wait if you are unable to control the aggression. Contact an expert for ways of dealing with the aggression.

Training your cat for aggression will take a lot of patience and training in other areas of the cat life for both of you and your cat to have a great relationship.

Always make time for your cat with actives and relaxing. Relaxing with the cat is a great way for the both of you to spend time. Caring for your cat and treating the proper behaviors when they start will help with aggression that your cat may experience.

Training your puppy not to bite

2008-09-06T11:09:00.000+08:00

Biting is one of those things that every puppy seems to do, and every puppy must be taught not to do. Like many behaviors, such as jumping up on people, biting and nipping can seem cute when the puppy is small, but much less so as he gets older, larger and stronger.

Left to their own devices, most puppies learn to control their biting reflex from their mothers and from their littermates. When the puppy becomes overenthusiastic, whether when nursing or playing, the mother dog, or the other puppies, will quickly issue a correction.

Unfortunately, this type of natural correction often does not occur, since many puppies are removed from their mothers when they are still quite young. It is therefore up to puppy's owner to take over this important process.

Socializing the puppy with other dogs and puppies is one of the best and most effective ways to teach the puppy the appropriate, and non appropriate way to bite, and to curb the biting response.

Many communities and pet stores sponsor puppy playtime and puppy kindergarten classes, and these classes can be great places for puppies to socialize with each other, and with other humans and animals as well. As the puppies play with each other, they will natural bite and nip each other. When one puppy becomes too rough or bites too hard, the other puppies will quickly respond by correcting it.

The best time for this socialization of the puppy to occur is when it is still young. It is vital that every dog be properly socialized, since a poorly socialized dog, or worse, one that is not socialized at all, can become dangerous and even neurotic. Most experts recommend that puppies be socialized before they have reached the age of 12 weeks, or three months.

Another reason for socializing the puppy early is that mothers of young children may be understandably reluctant to allow their young children to play with older or larger dogs. Since socializing the dog with other people is just as important as socializing it with other dogs, it is best to do it when the puppy is still young enough to be non threatening to everyone.

It is important for the puppy to be exposed to a wide variety of different stimuli during the socialization process. The socialization process should include exposing the puppy to a wide variety of other animals, including other puppies, adult dogs, cats and other domestic animals. In addition, the puppy should be introduced to as wide a cross section of people as possible, including young children, older people, men, women and people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

While socialization is very important to providing the puppy with life lessons and preventing him from biting, it is not the only method of preventing unwanted biting and mouthing. Giving the puppy appropriate things to play with and bite is another good way to control inappropriate biting. Providing a variety of chew toys, ropes and other things the puppy can chew is important to preventing boredom, keeping his teeth polished and keeping him from chewing things he should not.

As with any training, it is important to be consistent when teaching the puppy not to bite. Every member of the family, as well as close friends who may visit, should all be told that the puppy is to be discouraged from biting. If one person allows the puppy to chew on them while everyone else does not, the puppy will quickly become confused, and that can make the training process much more difficult than it has to be.

House train your cat

2008-09-05T11:05:00.000+08:00

Is your house your house or is your cat's house?

Is your cat climbing the curtains, chewing cords, digging in the garbage, jumping on counters or tables, ripping the carpet or rugs,

Here are some tips for training your cat in the house.

Curtains and drapes look great to your cat they can climb them and use them for chewing and shedding. Using tension rods when possible is great. When your cat tries to climb or scratch, they will come down and cause noise to your cat that will result in soon he will not want any part of it. For drapes that hand on rods that are in the wall, take thread and thread them on the rod. This will result in falling down when your cat tries to climb on them. After the cat has got the idea that, they will fall after a few times he will leave them alone. In addition, you will be able to put them back on the rod.

Vertical blinds are great for cats. Blinds usually made of plastic, which the cat will not be able to climb. With that, he will be able to move a slat on the blind and view the outside world with out tearing down the whole thing. Horizontal blinds are the greats to put up.

Chewing cords or other items: by putting distasteful substance on the item will help with your cat not to want to chew on it again. Cayenne pepper, biter apple, orange, nail polish orange peels lemon peels and you can get different sprays and creams at the pet store also to help with the chewing. In hardware and do, it your self-center there is molding that comes just for putting wires in. Tape such as duct tape, which can get messy or Gaffer's tape is a tape in many colors and is not messy to use. Make sure, when putting the substance on the item that your cat is chewing on will not ruin it for you.

What is in the garbage that your cat has to dig for? Make sure that your cat is on a good schedule for eating and this will help with digging. The garbage can should have a firm tight lid on it. Do not use the open swing type garbage cans. A good one would be one that you have to lift off the top or one that you have to use your foot to open. Place the garbage can out of site, in a pantry or under the sink a place where the cat is unable to get to the garbage. If your cat is tipping the garbage can over put something heavy enough so that they are unable to tip it over

Cats hate loud noises and surprises make sure that you leave on the counter or item that the cat is jumping on some things that will do this for you. Like odd utensils, empty aluminum cans on the edge with maybe pennies in them. Use foil paper, cats do not like the touch or the noise of the paper. Use regular dishwashing soap to leave on the counter, with it being sticky and slippery will keep the cat away. Never leave anything that a cat would want to get to on the counters.

Carpet ripping is not a great thing and can be very costly. A scratching pole cost a lot less than replacing carpeting or rugs. Scratching pole come with rug on it to help with his wanting to scratch the carpet. Put plastic runner down in the areas that the cat has started to scratch. Find some type of chemical or spray to use on the carpet to help with getting the cats scent off the carpet. Do not use fabric spray scent cats love the smell and will attracted to that area.

This is your house and not your cats; you share it, with your cat. Your cat can have a place in the home. Taking care of a cat is great for both you and your cat. Have a safe and happy environment for your cat. Give your cat a hug today.

Dealing with house training your dog

2008-09-04T11:08:00.000+08:00

House training is one of those issues that every dog owner must grapple with. In most cases house training is the first major milestone in the relationship between owner and dog, and it can sometimes be difficult and confusing for owner and dog alike.

The best house training procedures are those that use the dog's own instincts to the owner's advantage. These strategies take into account the dog's reluctance to soil the spots where he eats and sleeps. This is the concept behind den training and crate training. Dogs are very clean animals, and in nature they always avoid using their dens as toilet areas.

These kinds of natural training methods generally work very well, for both puppies and older dogs. Naturally, older, larger dogs will need a larger area for their den, and crate training is generally best used for puppies and small dogs.

When house training a dog or a puppy, however, it is important to pay close attention to the signals the dog is sending. It is also important to be consistent when it comes to feeding times, and to provide the dog with ready access to the toilet area you establish on a regular basis.

It is important as well to never try to rush the process of house training. While some dogs are naturally easier to train, most puppies and adult dogs will experience at least one or two slip ups during the house training process. When these accidents occur, it is important to not get mad and punish the dog. Accidents during house training usually mean that the owner is trying to move too fast, or that the dog has been left alone for too long. In this case, it is best to just take a step back and start the process again.

It is also important for the owner to reward the dog enthusiastically when it does its business in the appointed area. The dog should learn to associate doing its business in its toilet area with good things like treats, rewards and praise.

During the house training process, the den area starts out very small, often as small as half of a small room in the beginning. As the dog learns to control his bladder and bowels better, and the owner learns to anticipate the dog's toilet needs, the den area can be slowly expanded. It is important not to make the den area too large too soon. The den area must be expanded slowly in order for the house training process to move along smoothly.

It is important for the dog to be properly introduced to its den. Many dogs, particularly those who have never been confined before, such as those who have spent their lives as outdoor dogs, may react to the den area as if it is a prison, and constantly whine, cry and try to escape the den. It is important that the dog learn to accept its den as a home and not a cage.

One problem many dog owners overlook when house training a dog is that of boredom. Boredom is actually the root cause of many behavior problems in dogs, including chewing and other destructive behaviors. Boredom can also be the root cause of problems with house training. Dogs that are bored often consume large amounts of water during the day, and this excess water consumption can lead to the need to urinate often, even in its den area. Since soiling the den area goes against the dog's nature, he can quickly become confused and frightened, thereby setting the house training program back even further.

To prevent the dog from becoming bored when you are away from home, be sure to provide him with lots of different kinds of toys, as well as a safe and secure place to sleep. In addition, a vigorous period of play time can help the dog sleep while you are away. In addition, playing with the dog in its den area will help him bond with this area and recognize it as a safe, secure home.

Training your cat for the outdoors

2008-09-03T21:05:00.000+08:00

Your cat will love to go outdoors; the environment is excellent for him and good way to get exercise and the energy that he will need to use to settle for a while so that he may not be up all night wanting to go out.

The birdfeeder is a wonderful place for the cat to sit and watch. Watch the birds as they bath and take position to drink the water. Oh and kitty is ready to attack. Make sure the birdfeeder is clear and letting the cat, no cover but not left open to far from a tree for the bird to be able to get to incase there is an attack. Make sure there is nothing near by that the cat can jump up on and get to the feeder.

Your cat is a very good climber and fences are no exception for your cat to climb. Those little paws know just what to do. If you do have a fence, a good thing you may want to do is to put a hang over on the top of the fence to keep the cat from going over the top. Cats are good high jumpers so you will want the top to be inward tilt so that the cat cannot get a hold of it as he tries to jump to the top while hanging on the fence. Netting is another great idea. Cats do no like to get the paws, nails hung on fabric, or netting, once they see that this is something that can be done they will not try to go over.

The Garden is a great place for your cat to dig and eat your plants. This will destroy your garden and some of the plants can be poison.

Make your cat a private little garden in the corner with catnip, oat grass or other plants that your cat can eat. By putting down chicken wire the cat will not want to come in the garden, as it will be too hard to walk on for them. Thee are sprays and other produces that you would be able to get to help with having the cat stay out of the garden Using a sprinkler system to water the garden , cats will not go near sprays of water, and when he goes out side this would be a great time to water the garden.

There are many dangers outside for your cat, if your cat has not yet been able to roam outside, you will want to think about training the cat on a leash. This is great way to start with getting the cat to get outdoors and you knowing where you cat is. Once you have trained the cat on the leash you will be able to take steps in letting your cat run free in the yard.

Take you cat for walks with the leash, not only in the yard for him to check the whole yard out, but down the street to check out the other areas that he is not familiar with. This also is a great idea in case kitty get does get a way, he can be familiar with the area to get back home.

With the walks, you will be able to find out if there is and how many other cats are left outside, as they will be course with your cat. This too is a great idea to know if your cat can really be left to roam. Remember during mating time your cat will want to be with the neighbor cat and not at home.

Look at the yard carefully and make sure your cat will be safe and that he will be able to have fun when he is outside. Provide the actives that you approve of. Both you and your cat will have great times outdoors.

House training your dog the right way

2008-09-02T21:08:00.000+08:00

House training your dog properly is one of the most important aspects of dog ownership. More dogs are surrendered to animal shelters for elimination problems than for any other reason, so proper house training can literally be a lifesaver.

The most popular ways to house break dogs, and the ones that are the most effective, are those that use the dog's own instincts to provide this important lesson.

Dogs are instinctively very clean animals, and they try very hard to avoid soiling the areas where they sleep and where they eat. The modern methods of house training dogs, including crate training, den training and other variations, take advantage of this aspect of dog behavior to create a well behaved, house trained dog in less time than many other methods.

Another aspect of the dog's nature that can be used to your advantage is the fact that the dog pays close attention to the kind of surface on which it makes its toilet. That means that a dog that has become accustomed to using grass or dirt as a toilet will be reluctant to eliminate on other surfaces, such as gravel, asphalt or carpet for that matter. This is a great aspect of canine behavior that many owners are unaware of.

The first part of house training any dog is setting up the training area, or the dog's den. The den is the centerpiece of the house training program, and it should be a small area, like a small bathroom, or part of a larger room. The dog should be confined to this den any time it cannot be directly supervised.

It is also important for the owner to spend as much time as possible in the established den with the dog. The owner and family members should spend time in the den, playing and interacting with the dog. It is important for the dog to feel as comfortable as possible in his special area. The dog should be given a special bed in the training area. This bed can be anything from a store bought bed to a beach towel to something as simple as a large cardboard box. The important thing is that the dog feel comfortable and secure in this area.

At first the dog may do its business in the bed area of its den, but after awhile, when the dog has come to recognize this as his sleeping area, he should be reluctant to eliminate there.

The other part of this house training process is to establish the toilet area. It is very important that the dog have ready access to the toilet area every time he needs to do his business. It is also very important for the owner to go with the dog every time he goes to the toilet area. This is important for two reasons. First, it will ensure that the dog uses the established toilet area, and only the toilet area. Second, it will allow the owner to provide praise and encouragement to the dog for using the toilet area.

Establishing a set feeding schedule for the dog is also very important to properly house training the dog. A set feeding schedule will mean a set elimination schedule. Once you are familiar with the dog's toilet schedule, you will be better able to anticipate his toilet needs and take him to the toilet area whenever the need arises.

It is important to not confine the dog for long periods of time without access to his toilet area. If the dog is left alone too long, he may have no choice but to soil his den area, and his can set house training back for weeks or even months. It is important to take the dog to the toilet area consistently, and to provide lots of praise every time the dog eliminates there.

Finding a good trainer for your cat

2008-09-01T21:04:00.000+08:00

Training a cat has been great interest to people, as to weather you can train a cat or not. Cats are independent animals, which leads people to believe training will not be able to be done. With the different personalities, characteristic or species peculiarities in cats Training can be fun in training a cat.

Looking for a good trainer takes time and work to do, some one that claim they have been working with cats for years are not always seem, what they appear to be. Ask this person how many cats that they train a year. This will give you an idea if they have really trained a cat or just seem to think they are a trainer.

Asking the right people for the right information is going to lead you to the best trainer for you and the cat. Asking friends or the vet for information about training will not be a great idea. A trainer can tell when the behavior is a medical problem and will lead you to the vet, as they are the ones that deal with the medical problem and the trainer with the training problem. We are selves would not go to a heart doctor if our foot is hurting. Putting a cat on drugs for behavior problems is not a good idea until you are sure that the behavior is not a genetic or psychotic one. You can spend a lot of time and money if you are not careful with finding a good trainer.

When considering a trainer there are a few areas, which can help you in searching.

What is the approach they take? Is it flexible enough for the cat and you? Anyone sticking to certain way of training is not a trainer that you should consider and looking for. Treats, negative reinforcement, and punishment will not be answer in training your cat.

Communication and to communicate clearly, are they able to do this. Big words, terminology will not help in the training of the cat or the communication with you and your cat.

Not only cat skill do they possess but also people skills, you and your cat both will be working with them. Can they teach you properly how to doing things with your cat.

Considering an individual cat or are they more interested in solving the problem. Training a cat can be easy. With different breed of cats and personalities, each cat needs consideration.

Teaching skills, are the skills, something that you and your cat able to do. Being successful for you and the cat is very important as part as training. You will need to be able to learn skills from the trainer to help your cat with the training. The trainer will not be at the home all the time.

How long in the profession for training a cat. Find one that been in the business for a while and with a stable business, not one that may pack and leave before the training is done and once the training is done you may need contact with them for some situations.

Humane methods that they use trust, understanding, respect are good traits for a trainer.

Harsh techniques will not be good enough for the cat as for you and is not a good practice and the trainer should not be a trainer.

Are you comfortable and is your cat comfortable around this trainer. If you or your cat is not comfortable with the trainer, the time and money that you put in for the training will be as effective as the training of your cat. They will not be able to. In addition, the cat will not allow the training to be.

Finding a good trainer looks like a real job to take on. Remembering the simple area to look at will help you with the job. Most important one will be communication. If you and your cat are unable to communicate with the trainer, there is no training.

With the proper research, you and your cat will be on your way to a great training session.

Training your dog with a training collar

2008-08-31T21:07:00.000+08:00

There are many excellent training devices that can be used when training your dog. The most basic piece of equipment that every dog owner should own is a quality training collar. There are many different types of training collars, and these devices go by a variety of different names, including choke collar, choke chain, correction collar, slip collar and of course training collar. Training collars are favorite tools among both amateur and professional dog trainers.

When used properly, a training collar is a valuable, effective tool. However, like any tool it must be used properly in order to be effective. Despite its simple appearance and design, a training collar is a piece of precision equipment, and it must be treated with respect.

An improperly used training collar will do no good, and it can harm your training program by causing the dog to become confused and frightened. There are several important things to consider when choosing and fitting a training collar.

The first consideration when choosing a training collar is how the collar fits the dog. It is vital that the training collar be fitted properly to the dog. Only a properly fitted training collar will be effective for the dog.

The training collar must also be put on the dog the right way. Unlike a normal buckle collar, there is a definite right way and wrong way to put on a training collar, and putting it on the wrong way can make the collar ineffective or even dangerous.

In addition to being fitted and sized properly, the training collar must be used properly as well. The training collar is designed to provide a reminder, not a punishment. It is very important to never use steady pressure with a training collar. A training collar works by providing a sharp pressure, followed by an immediate release of pressure.

The weight of the chain and the size of the links on the training collar are very important when choosing a training collar. The weight of the chain should be appropriate for the size and weight of the dog. For instance, you would not use a heavy chain on a 10 pound dog, just as you would not use a very light chain on a 100 pound dog.

When using a training collar, it is very important to place the collar on the dog properly. The collar must be placed on the dog properly in order to be effective.

It is relatively easy to determine the length of training collar your dog needs. The appropriate size of the collar is the distance around the animal's neck, plus 2-3 inches. Since training collars are usually made in even sizes, it may be necessary to round up to find the right size. When measuring, be sure to not make the tape measure too tight. The training collar will need to fit snugly, but not too tight. It is important that the pressure on the training collar be instantly relieved when the leash is slackened.

If the training collar is too tight, the pressure will not be relieved when you loosen the leash. If the collar is too loose, on the other hand, it could accidentally slip off the dog when he lowers his head.

When putting the training collar on the dog, it is important that the end of the chain that attaches to the leash is on the top of the dog's neck. This is important in order for the collar to function as intended. It is important that the training collar loosen properly when the leash is slackened, and that it tighten instantly to provide the sharp correction when needed.

If the connecting piece of the training collar is placed anywhere except on the top of the dog's head, the training collar will not loosen properly when the leash is slackened. This constant pressure on the training collar will be counterproductive, since the dog will not understand what is being asked of it or why the pressure is not being relieved when it does as it is asked.

Training the cat to scratch on a scratching post

2008-08-30T21:04:00.000+08:00

Every wonder why a cat has to scratches everything in site. Your cat is sharpening claws and ridding the outer layer of old claw is one reason. After a cat has been declawed, they could continue to go though the motion of clawing. On the paw pad are scent glands, that will rub off the scent as they claw or scratch on an item. Once a cat does claw or scratch on the item other cats will come to smell the scent left and can have the tendency to scratch the same item to have their scent on the item. When you finding the couch or other item scratched or clawed this is when the cat is exercising.

Redirection and proper scratching post or trees will help with the exercising or energy that a cat has.

A rope can offer a stable item for the cat to scratch and claw on. Purchasing a scratch post or tree that is sturdy enough for the cat and will not be easy tip over when the cat is scratching or clawing at the tree. Making sure, the scratching post or tree is high enough for the cat to reach and be able to scratch and claw.

Rubbing orange peel or lemon on the fabric or surface of the item can help with scratching or claw the item. Using a commercial cat repellent is another way to rid the scent on your items. Cats do not like plastic, covering your furniture with plastic till, the cat starts to use the post, or tree will help. Communicating with the cat with soft words as "no kitty you are not to scratch that, this is not the place". Then taking the cat to the scratching area and showing them this is the place to scratch will help with the redirecting the energy of the cat. Rubbing the cats paw on the post will help leaving the scent of the cat on there so they know that this is a place to scratch.

Scratching is a natural to a cat as it is for them to breathe. With gentle guides, redirection, telling the cat not to scratch on the item the cat will soon leave the furniture and couch alone.

Nail grooming a cat is also important especially with older cats and inactive cats that sleep most the time. These types of cat are usually in a curled up position with the paws tucked under them and this can cause the nails to curl. Trimming the nails is just an import to help with training. If you are uncertain about trimming the nails on the cat, call the groomers. Groomers that have been trained to trim and cut nails on cats. Taking the cat when the nails are in need of grooming, can also gives a cat a good chance to get out of the house for the socializing that it need.

Treats are another import thing when training a cat. Giving a treat to a cat for good behavior warrants the cat to continue the behavior. Treats and food on the other hand should be use when a cat wants something, like attention from the owner. Excessive meowing is another time you do not want to give a cat a treat. Treating the cat is a way of saying they are doing a great job. A reward, with rewarding with the bad behaviors will lead the cat to continue them.

Simple treats as live treats are a good treat for your cat. Most cats like the taste of liver and with the small treat, this will not over feed a cat. Once the behavior is in control, you will want to decrease the times that the cat gets a treat for the behavior until the cat is doing it with a treat. This is so that you will be able to use the treat for training for the cat with other unwanted behaviors. With the cat knowing that the taste of the treat and that with good things they are doing, the next training will be a non stressful on the cat.

Training the cat to not to scratch everything in site can be a great experience for you and your cat. With the proper training and love, communication you will be on your way to the next training behavior.

Training your dog with a head collar

2008-08-29T21:07:00.000+08:00

There are many devices used in the world of dog training, and some are obviously more effective than others. One of the dog training devices that does work well, however, is known collectively as the head collar.

The head collar is a device that is designed to wrap around the nose of the dog and then attach behind the head. It uses the pressure points on the dog's nose and head to apply pressure which stops the dog from pulling, jumping and straining against the leash.

Many people who see head collars mistake them for muzzles. This can make many people nervous when the dog is out and about, and it bothers some dog owners as well. Beyond that, however, the head collar can be a valuable training tool for many dogs, particularly large breeds that may have learned their own strength and are difficult to control with a normal buckle collar.

There are two main brands of head collar on the market, the Halti and the Gentle Leader. Most people find the Gentle Leader easier to use than the Halti. In addition, the Gentle Leader is designed to fasten around the dog's neck. With this design, if the dog manages to remove the muzzle portion, it is still wearing a collar. While it is difficult for most dogs to get out of the muzzle portion of a head collar, some dogs do figure out how to perform this trick.

The Halti version, on the other hand, generally provides better control of the dog, and it is often favored with those working with large, aggressive dogs for that reason.

Training the dog with a head collar is often easier for beginning dog trainers and inexperienced dog owners than is training with a regular buckle color. Head collars are quite good at stopping even the strongest dogs from pulling and straining, since these devices use leverage to give the handler more control.

Head collars are often favored by many people for handling dogs in difficult situations, such as being around other dogs or taking a trip to the vet. A head collar can be quite effective at controlling the dog in frightening and difficult situations, even when it is not used for regular training.

It is better, actually, to use head collars as occasional training tools or reminders, not as a replacement for a regular buckle collar or training collar. That is because many dogs quickly learn to tell the difference between the head collar and the normal collar, and adjust their behavior accordingly. Therefore, the dog that behaves perfectly while wearing the head collar may suddenly jump and strain out of control when returned to the regular collar.

That fact, of course, points up the limitation of any training device, even one as effective as a head collar. The goal of any quality dog training program should be to create a willing, obedient dog that can be controlled by nothing more than the handler's voice.

Even if you plan to never allow your dog to go outside without a collar and lead, a well trained dog should be capable of walking with you without a leash, even if there are a great many distractions around. The head collar can help guide you to this goal, but it is till up to you to gain the respect and trust of the dog that will allow it to become a truly well trained member of the family.

If you are unsure how to use a head collar, or if you are unsure if a head collar is right for you, you might want to consult with a dog trainer, your veterinarian or the staff at your local pet store. These experts have probably seen many head collars used, and they may be able to provide valuable insight on the type of training device that will work the best for you.

Training a cat around the plants

2008-08-28T21:03:00.000+08:00

Oh but kitty loves plants, Grow them one? Yes, cats love green grass or plants.

Wheat, oat grass, catnip, or heather are just some of the plants that you can grow a garden for kitty indoors or outdoors. Going along with growing some grass in your house, it would be a good idea to find a long potting box so that your cat can crawl up into the grass and lay in it. There are a lot of plants, bushes, and even grass that are not good for your cat. Some of the plants and bushes have poisons chemical in the plant, which will make your cat very ill or even death. With growing, some of the grass and plants recommended for your cat this will save the other plants from gnawed on and dirt spread around.

Growing catnip in the house or outside will give your cat the pleasure that you are looking for. Catnip is from the mint family and cats do love the smell and to nibble on it.

When growing catnip you will want to pinch off the tops of the blades of grass from the catnip once it is high enough, this is to help the plant to bush out. While the plant is growing indoors, you will want to keep it from kitty too much catnip and kitty will be immune from catnip.

Why does a cat eat green grass or plants? Cat use this to help get hairballs to digest out of their system. Grass or plants serve as self-medicating to the cat

With having a cat and plants we need to be careful, with still having to be able to decorate the homes with some fresh plants and flowers to make it comfortable for you and for the cat. With out these plants you will be come dissatisfied with the comfort of the home and the cat will be uncomfortable with living outside the home.

Purchasing plants for the house should be a care purchase. Contact the local florist or greenery to find out more about the plant. Search the web for more information on a plant that you may have or looking at purchasing. You will know if the plant is safe for the cat

Lilly plants are the most dangerous for you cat. Poinsettia, some types of ivy, rhubarb, Aloe Vera, amaryllis, and apple seeds, most fruit pits, baby breath, Black-Eye Susan, bleeding hearts, some cactus, Christmas rose, cornflower, chrysanthemum, daffodils, elderberry, ferns, holly, honey suckle, Jessamine, marigold, mistletoe, morning glory, mushrooms, different yews, Virginia creepers, tulips, tobacco, tomato plants. This is just a small list that is of the plants that are poison

Some plants that are safe for you cat,

African violet ,American rubber plant ,Baby rubber tree plant ,Bachelors buttons ,Bamboo, Begonia species, Blue daisy, Boston fern, Buttercup squash ,Camellia, Cape primrose, Carolina hemlock ,Cat ear, Chaparral snapdragon, Christmas palm, Christmas orchid, Cocks comb, Common snapdragon ,Common camellia ,Common catbrier Cornflower, Dallas fern, Dwarf feather fern, Dwarf palm, Easter daisy, Easter cattleya, Easter orchid, Easter lily cactus, Feather fern, Strawberry,

There is pellet out that will help you to keep your plants and keep your cat out. Sprays that will give off scents and if your cat would try to lick it or eat it they will not like the smell or the taste. On the market, there are different items that will help you to keep your cat out of your plants or gardens.

So just, remember that when you are trying to train your kitty around plants, be patient. They are not trying to ruin your plants. They just want to help themselves feel better. In the occasion that they might get sick from a plant, contact their vet, and take them in it is the responsible thing to do. Grow your kitty some grass they like to roll around in it, and eat it too.

Teaching your dog not to chew

2008-08-27T21:06:00.000+08:00

Chewing is something that comes naturally to every dog. Every dog feels the instinctual need to sharpen its teeth and hone his biting skills. Chewing on the right things, like specially designed chew toys for instance, can even help the dog clean his teeth and remove plaque.

Even though chewing is natural and healthy, that does not mean that the dog should be given carte blanche and allowed to chew everything in sight. It is vital for every dog to learn the difference between the things it is OK to chew on, like toys and ropes, and the things that are off limits, such as carpets, shoes and other items.

When working with a new puppy, it is advisable to keep the puppy in a small, puppy proofed room for at least a few weeks. This is important not only to prevent chewing but to properly house train the puppy as well.

Older dogs should also be confined to a small area at first. Doing this allows the dog to slowly acquaint him or herself to the smells and sights of the new household.

When you set up this small, confined area, be sure to provide the puppy or dog with a few good quality chew toys to keep him entertained while you are not able to supervise him. Of course the dog should also be provided with a warm place to sleep and plenty of fresh clean water.

As the dog is slowly moved to larger and larger portions of the home, there may be more opportunities to chew inappropriate items. As the dog is given freer access to the home, it is important to keep any items that the dog or puppy should not chew, things like throw rugs, shoes, etc. up off of the floor. If you forget to move something and come home to find that the dog has chewed it, resist the urge to punish or yell at the dog. Instead, distract the dog with one of its favorite toys and remove the inappropriate item from its mouth.

The dog should then be provided with one of its favorite toys. Praise the dog extensively when it picks up and begins to chew its toy. This will help to teach the dog that it gets rewarded when it chews certain items, but not when it chews other items.

Teaching the dog what is appropriate to chew is very important, not only for the safety of your expensive furniture and rugs, but for the safety of the dog as well. Many dogs have chewed through dangerous items like extension cords and the like. This of course can injure the dog severely or even spark a fire.

Most dogs learn what to chew and what not to chew fairly quickly, but others are obviously going to be faster learners than others. Some dogs chew because they are bored, so providing the dog with lots of toys and solo activities is very important. It is also a good idea to schedule several play times every day, with one taking place right before you leave every day. If the dog is thoroughly tired after his or her play session, chances are he or she will sleep the day away.

Other dogs chew to exhibit separation anxiety. Many dogs become very nervous when their owners leave, and some dogs become concerned each time that the owner may never come back. This stress can cause the dog to exhibit all manners of destructive behavior, including chewing soiling the house. If separation anxiety is the root of the problem, the reasons for it must be addressed, and the dog assured that you will return.

This is best done by scheduling several trips in and out of the home every day, and staggering the times of those trips in and out. At first the trips can be only a few minutes, with the length slowly being extended as the dog's separation anxiety issues improve.

Training a cat not to spray

2008-08-26T14:50:00.000+08:00

Is Toby the cat spraying everything and everyone in site? Is this resolving in unwanted messes in the house? Is Toby on the way out the door for good?

Male cats are known to spray when they are in heat looking for Sue, the female cat to come around. Marking his territory to let the other cats that may be in the area, this is his territory and no one is not welcome.

Sue the female on the other hand is leaving puddles allowing the family to step in, sit in, and yes even on the fresh clean linen that are being urinated on. This is a sign that she is in heat.

An important thing that you may want to consider is having them spaded. The percentage is around 90% that after they are spaded that the spraying will stop. This will result in the household coming back to normal routine. You will be able to sleeping again at night, taking earplugs out or even being able to communicate with your cat again.

If you are choosing not to have the spading done at this time, there are other ways that you can help your cat thou this period.

First, they will want to have all the activities at night. Try playing with him during the daytime to keep him away in hoping at night he will sleep, with out having the run of the house while you are sleeping.

Make a room just for him. Since they will continue to spray at times, you will want to have the flooring in the room easy to clean up. Make sure the litter box is in the room, make sure the litter box is clean with litter and free of any droppings that they might of left. Make a soft comfortable bed for him or her, pillows, blankets, prefer with some item that is his, and washable. If the room is a guest room, you may want to cover the bed and any chairs with plastic in case he gets the idea about spraying that. There are scat mats out that can help you with some other furniture in the room to keep him off. Make sure the room has a window and that he is allowed to perch near it to look out.

Make sure he has some water in the room, and proper healthy food. Do not over do it, as he will want to go out for potty in the middle of the night, and if he is trained to go outside to go potty, you will be up.

Another thing you can do is get a pet carrier. Put him in that during the times that you are not at home or at night when activates are to start. One draw back with this is he will start to holler with meows and this could keep you up. But putting him in the kennel in a room with the door closed far enough away from the family sleeping can take of the problem in a couple of days.

When they do spray or leave puddles for you to clean up there are different types of chemical products on the market that will help take care of these smells and damage that maybe cause to furniture, carpeting, or linens. Look around for products that will help you take care of the problem.

Spraying is a natural behavior, take precautions when spraying is evident, don't let Toby or Sue the cat spray you out of the house.

Training your new puppy

2008-08-25T14:53:00.000+08:00

Bringing a new puppy into the household is always an exciting and fun time. Everyone wants to play with, cuddle and hold the little ball of fur. The last thing on the minds of most new puppy owners is training the new addition, but it is important that puppy training and socialization begin as early as possible.

Socializing a new puppy is a vital part of any training program, and it is important for socialization to begin early. The window for socialization is very short, and a puppy that is not properly socialized to people, dogs and other animals by the time he or she is four months old often never develops the socialization he or she needs to become a good canine citizen.

Learning how to interact with other dogs is something that normally would occur between littermates. However, since most dogs are removed from their mothers so soon, this littermate socialization often does not finish properly.

One vital lesson puppies learn from their littermates and from the mother dog is how to bite, and how not to bite. Puppies naturally roughhouse with each other, and their thick skin protects them from most bites. However, when one puppy bites to hard, the other puppies, or the mother dog, quickly reprimand him, often by holding him by the scruff of his neck until he submits.

The best way to socialize your puppy is to have it play with lots of other puppies. It is also fine for the puppy to play with a few adult dogs, as long as they are friendly and well socialized. Many communities have puppy playschool and puppy kindergarten classes. These classes can be a great way to socialize any puppy, and for handler and puppy alike to learn some basic obedience skills.

When socializing puppies, it is best to let them play on their own and work out their own issues when it comes to appropriate roughness of play. The only time the owners should step in is if one puppy is hurting another, or if a serious fight breaks out. Other than that the owners should simply stand back and watch their puppies interact.

While this socialization is taking place, the pack hierarchy should quickly become apparent. There will be some puppies who are ultra submissive, rolling on their backs and baring their throats at the slightest provocation. Other puppies in the class will be dominant, ordering the other puppies around and telling them what to do. Watching the puppies play, and determining what type of personality traits your puppy has, will be very valuable in determining the best way to proceed with more advanced training.

As the socialization process proceeds, of course, it will be necessary to introduce the puppy to all sorts of humans as well as all sorts of puppies. Fortunately, the puppy kindergarten class makes this process quite easy, since every puppy gets to interact with every human. It is important that the puppy be exposed to men, and women, old people and children, black people and white people. Dogs do not see every human as the same. To a dog, a man and a woman are completely different animals.

It is also important to introduce the puppy to a variety of other animals, especially in a multi pet household. Introducing the puppy to friendly cats is important, as are introductions to other animals the puppy may encounter, such as rabbits, guinea pigs and the like. If your household contains a more exotic creature, it is important to introduce the puppy to it as early as possible, but to do it in a way that is safe for both animals.

It is often best to start by introducing the puppy to the smell of the other animal. This can be easily accomplished by placing a piece of the animals bedding, like a towel or bed liner, near where the puppy sleeps. Once the puppy is accustomed to the smell of the other creature, he or she is much more likely to accept the animal as just another member o the family.

Training your cat to train you for the holidays

2008-08-24T14:50:00.000+08:00

Hanging the stocking with care in hope the cat will not interfere. With the twinkling of lights from the fresh cut tree, in hopes that the cat will sit by the sill. When what to the cats wondering eyes must appear the Moon glowing down on the glitter, tensile, and fancy shiny bulbs for the tree. Oh, the cat is watching it all, and taking it in, with one great big leap that is the end.

So is this the story for you every Christmas, You take all the time and preparation to have that perfect Christmas tree with all the trimming the room. You go to bed and next thing you know there is a disaster in the living room where the tree was standing, socks were hung on the fire place, and everything on the mantel is now on the floor.

Training a cat not to do this is going to be a bigger challenge than what you were thinking of. This is why we need to train our self has to put Christmas up with the cat in mind.

Start by letting the cat enjoy the holidays with you. A present, its own things to play with that is shinny and resembles the things on the tree. Few things to remember is the tree is fresh cut have a pine scent that somewhat resembles the catnip. So now, kitty is in trig with the tree because of the smell and freshness of it.

The pretty poinsettia that you have sitting next to the fireplace that looks so lovely, and are very poisonous. Kitty eats any they will be very ill if not die from poinsettia plants.

Treat the cat during holiday time; make a small sample of food off the table. Once or twice, a year for the holidays will not spoil the cat. Does the cat have a stocking, make one for your cat, and put catnip in the stocking. Catnip does come in sprays and you could spray it with that, this way they may not be wanting to touch yours hanging on the fireplace or wall.

Make sure kitty has plenty of water so that you don't find him under the tree drinking the water another thing that can be done if you have a real tree is fill it with the water and put plastic over the top so that kitty is not right exposed to it. Once you have that a nice tree skirt over the water holder to the trunk will also help to keep your cat from wanting to drink the water. There a chemical out on the market to help preserve the tree for the holidays, but they will not preserve you cat. These chemicals can harm your cat, or even cause death. Most the time put the tree up keep it watered everyday and can add couple of aspirin to the water to help the life of the tree.

Make decorations for your cat and hang them near his play area so that he can find them and play with them instead of the ones on the tree. Do not hang pretty expensive decorations on the tree or near the bottom, this will get kitty to wanting to sit and play with them dangling from the tree.

Have the lights on only when you are present to help kitty to remember they are really to look at and not to play with. Cats are not really concern that the lights run on electricity this can be a real hazard for your cat. If your cat is really in trig with the blinking lights, on the market they have a lot of flashing items during the holidays that do run on batteries and are kid safe, depending on the item it can be cat safe. Check the item over carefully before giving it to kitty. However, a blinking lights or light could be an answer to the lights on the tree.

Spending time with your cat a couple times a day for good healthy exercise and games will give the cat the exercise and play time that they need to help sleep while you are tending to holiday things.

Dog training for desired behaviors

2008-08-23T14:52:00.000+08:00

Teaching a dog proper behavior while it is young is very important. While playing and having fun with your new puppy or dog is certainly important, it is also important to teach your canine companion just what is expected - which behaviors are acceptable and which behaviors are not acceptable.

Teaching these lessons early, while the dog is still a puppy, is the best guarantee that these lessons will be learned and retained. Dogs learn quickly, and every interaction between human and dog is teaching the dog something. Making sure you are teaching the right lessons is up to you as the dog handler.

Proper training techniques are important for the protection of the dog as well as the protection of the family and the community at large. While dogs are loving, protecting members of the family in most cases, a poorly trained dog can be dangerous and destructive. Making sure your new addition is a pleasure to be around and not a menace is up to you as the owner.

The relationship between humans and dogs goes back for many thousands of years, and dogs have been domesticated longer than any other animals. Therefore, humans and dogs have developed a bond not shared by many other domesticated animals. This strong bond is very useful when training any dog.

All potential dog owners and would be dog trainers should understand how dog society works in the absence of humans. It is important to understand the pack hierarchy, and to use that hierarchy to your advantage as you train your dog. All pack animals have a lead animal, in the case of dogs it is the alpha dog. All other members of the pack look to the alpha dog for direction and guidance. The alpha dog in turn provides important leadership in hunting, fending off other predators, protecting territory and other vital survival skills. This pack arrangement is what has allowed wolves and wild dogs to be such successful predators, even as other large predators have been driven to extinction.

What all this means to you as the dog trainer is that you must set yourself up as the pack leader - the alpha dog if you will - in order to gain the respect and trust of your dog. If the dog does not recognize you as is superior and its leader, you will not get very far in your training program.

Respect is not something that can be forced. It is rather something that is earned through the interaction of human and dog. As the dog learns to respect and trust you, you will begin to make great strides in your training program. A training program based on mutual respect and trust is much more likely to succeed in the long run than one that is based on fear and intimidation.

A fearful dog is likely to at one point become a biting dog, and that is definitely one thing you do not want in your life. Rewarding the dog when he does the right thing, instead of punishing him for doing the wrong thing, is vitally important to the success of any training program.

Punishment only confuses and further frightens the dog, and it can set a training program back weeks if not months. It is important to give the dog the option to do the right thing or the wrong then, and to reward the dog when it makes the right decision. For instance, if the dog chases joggers, have a friend jog by while you hold the dog on the leash. If the dog attempts to chase the "jogger", sit him back down and start again. You are not punishing the wrong decision, you are simply providing the choice. When the dog remains sitting calmly by your side, give him a treat and lots of praise. The dog will quickly learn that sitting is the right choice and chasing the jogger is the wrong choice.

Natural cat training

2008-08-22T14:49:00.000+08:00

Tired of coming home and having puddles all over the house, the cat meowing as if you have left for a weeks on end.

All of this is natural to a cat, even as it is annoying to us most the time. Just remember your cat has never learned any different.

Let us look at natural cat training. One of the first things we have to learn is the natural instincts and behavior of a cat.

Kittens are born with a great sense of smell, before they can even see. This is a sense that you will want to help build in a kittens life, in order for growth to a cat, the sense will continue to be strong. A cat will live with in its or territory if they have their scent around the area. As a kitten, you will want to have the kitten explore as many possibilities as it can. Like taking, the cat to the groomers when you have not taking the kitten when they are young, the outcome will be disasters if you wait until they are a full-grown cat. Kittens and cats need the socialization in order to prevent bad experiences.

When taking the kitten out you will want to use a pet carrier for this. Put kitten's favorite blanket, pillow maybe a favorite toy. With putting these items in the pet carrier will help kitty smell its own scent and will want to go in the carrier easier.

Cats do become accustom to our routine around the house. If we have a routine of everyday say getting up for work and comes, a day that we can sleep in, kitty is not going to let you do that. This is like breaking kitty's routine, and cats do not like breaking routine. Cats also do not like it when things are not in place around the house or if something new enters the house, like a pair of new shoes. Cats with a keen smell will be able to tell something is not right and will go and check it out.

Here are some thoughts that you can use if you are going to natural cat train your cat.

Going on the internet and check out recourses to help you more with the changes are a good idea, talk to your local vet, or look for books that will help.

Setting a goal. Set a goal for the behavior that you need to change. Think of options for training your cat to reach the goal.

Step by step. You will want to take time and lots of patience to do this. Remember kitty has done this since it was born. Rushing your kitten will do nothing for the both of you. .

Patience, Patience and more patience for you and for the kitten will be necessary for the kitten to view the change as good one.

Last, if the kitten encounters loss of appetitive stress over the behavior change, this is a good time to stop and reevaluate the process.

Cats will learn by experience. When the experience is good, your cat will try to repeat it. If the experience is unpleasant, your cat will not be willing to try it in the future.

Always remember to reward your kitten or cat when the behavior is good. However, if the behavior is not good remember not to get mad, reprimand the cat for the behavior with out a reward. Do not give in and feed a kitten or cat when they do something that you think that they want to eat. Your kitten or cat needs to have a set time to eat and stick to it. Not before or after this will not work for training.

Remember to give your kitten or cat a hug today.

Understanding Your Cat’s 5 Senses

2008-08-22T13:36:00.000+08:00

Are you a cat owner who is curious about your cat and how they function on a daily basis? Of course, you cat likely cannot comfortably survive without the food and shelter you provide him or her with, but you may be curious about their senses. Do you ever find yourself wondering how well your pet can see or what their tastes are like? If so, please continue reading on.

As for your cat’s hearing, have you ever heard that your cat’s ears are similar to a satellite dish? There are many pet owner and veterinarians who make this comparison. What does this mean? It means that your cat does have a relatively good sense of hearing. You may notice your cat turn their head and move their ears when you start talking or when they hear a noise outside. This provides cats with the ability to hunt mice and other small, quite rodents.

As for your cat’s sense of touch, all pets are just like humans. They have a fine sense of touch. Whether you touch your cat’s whiskers, her paws, or her tail, it is a movement that she can notice right away. The most sensitive part of your cat’s body is their whiskers. As a cat owner, you should already know how important a full set of whiskers are to a cat. Your cat’s paws are also a sensitive area on their body.

As for your cat’s sight, he or she has good vision. It has been claimed that cats see at 1/5th the intensity of humans. Although cats cannot see perfectly in the dark, they are still able to make out distinctive shapes and movements. Cats are also able to see movement quicker than humans are. A movement that may appear as nothing to us, is a movement that a cat can notice. However, during daylight humans do have a better sense of sight.

Depending on your cat and his or her eating habits, you may assume that cats have a sensitive sense of taste. After all, many cat owners report their pets as being picky eaters. Although it may appear as if your cat is a picky eater, they logically aren’t, at least for taste reasons. In fact, cats are more likely to pick and choose their food based on smell, rather than taste.

Speaking of smell, this is the most heightened out of the five senses for your cat. Cats have a much better sense of smell than humans do. In fact, did you know that cats have about 200 million cells in and on their noses that are odor sensitive? They do. This is much more than us, humans, have. In addition to using smell as a way to decide which food to eat, cats can also use smell to determine if an environment is safe to enter. Smelling is also a method of communication for felines. It has been said that cats can smell odors that humans can’t even detect.

Now that you know how your cat’s five main senses are, you may be able to better understand the behavior that your cat displays and the habits that they develop. With that said, also be sure to use your best judgment. If your cat is refusing to eat their food, it may be something more serious than them just not liking the smell of their cat food. If your cat appears to lose or have problems with the above mentioned senses, you should consider scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian.

Using rewards and positive reinforcement to train your dog

2008-08-21T14:52:00.000+08:00

Training dogs using positive reinforcement and reward training has long been recognized as both highly effective for the owner and a positive experience for the dog. Positive reinforcement training is so important that it is the only method used to train dangerous animals like lions and tigers for work in circuses and in the movie and television industry. Proponents of positive reinforcement swear by the effectiveness of their techniques, and it is true that the vast majority of dogs respond well to these training methods.

One reason that positive reinforcement training is so effective is that is uses rewards to teach the dog what is expected of it. When the dog performs the desired behavior, he is provided with a reward, most often in the form of a food treat, but it could be a scratch behind the ears, a rub under the chin or a pat on the head as well. The important thing is that the dog is rewarded consistently for doing the right thing.

Reward training has become increasingly popular in recent years, but chances are some sort of reward training between humans and dogs has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years.

When understanding what makes reward training so effective, some knowledge of the history of humans and dogs is very helpful. The earliest dogs were probably wolf pups that were tamed and used by early humans for protection from predators, as alarm systems and later for guarding and herding livestock. It is possible that the wolf pups that made the best companions were the most easily trained, or it is possible that these early dogs were orphaned or abandoned wolf pups. Whatever their origin, there is little doubt today that the vast variety of dogs we see today have their origin in the humble wolf.

Wolf packs, like packs of wild dogs, operate on a strict pack hierarchy. Since wolf and dog packs hunt as a group, this type of hierarchy, and the cooperation it brings, is essential to the survival of the species. Every dog in the pack knows his or her place in the pack, and except in the event of death or injury, the hierarchy, once established, rarely changes.

Every dog, therefore, is hard wired by nature to look to the pack leader for guidance. The basis of all good dog training, including reward based training, is for the handler to set him or herself up as the pack leader. The pack leader is more than just the dominant dog, or the one who tells all the subordinates what to do. More importantly, the pack leader provides leadership and protection, and his or her leadership is vital to the success and survival of the pack.

It is important for the dog to see itself as part of a pack, to recognize the human as the leader of that pack, and to respect his or her authority. Some dogs are much easier to dominate than others. If you watch a group of puppies playing for a little while, you will quickly recognize the dominant and submissive personalities.

A dog with a more submissive personality will generally be easier to train using positive reinforcement, since he or she will not want to challenge the handler for leadership. Even dominant dogs, however, respond very well to positive reinforcement. There are, in fact, few dogs that do not respond well to positive reinforcement, also known as reward training.

Positive reinforcement is also the best way to retrain a dog that has behavior problems, especially one that has been abused in the past. Getting the respect and trust of an abused dog can be very difficult, and positive reinforcement is better than any other training method at creating this important bond.

No matter what type of dog you are working with, chances are it can be helped with positive reinforcement training methods. Based training methods on respect and trust, rather than on intimidation and fear, is the best way to get the most from any dog.

Cat training collar

2008-08-20T14:48:00.000+08:00

Cat like dogs, you will need to get a collar for your cat. There will be times when you will want to walk the cat or let your cat out on a leash. With having a collar it will be easy to do both of these.

Collar training does take time, patience on both cat and your part. If your cat has never worn a collar, you will need to take the training step by step.

Let us look at getting a collar for your cat. The market is flooded with collars all shape and sizes, to every color and design that you can think of, cheap collars to expensive collars. When looking at collars you will also see harness for cats, this can be in place of the collar. You would place the harness around the cat to serve the same as a collar.

Some example of leashed and collars that glow in the dark and some that do have a small light on so at night you would be able to see the cat outside and know where it is.

Which one is the right collar for your cat? One of things when purchasing a collar for your cat is you do not want one that is too big , one with a lot of collar hanging over once you put it on, and of course never get a collar or put a collar on that is too tight for the cat. You will want the collar to have at least a good finger lose on the collar, but not to lose, as you do not want the collar to come off.

When purchasing the collar for the cat, when you get it home the first thing you might want to do with it is wipe it off with warm water, to help gets rid of smells from other people or pets. If there is any other smells on the collar, the cat may not want to have anything to do with the collar. .

Put the collar down and let the cat check it out for a while, they will rub on it, could even hiss at it, which all of these acts are a good sign that thing may go well. You will then after you think the cat has been all right with the collar, is to get your cat to relax. A good idea would be to get the cat in your lap and massage the cat. This will help the cat to relax, after you see that the cat has relaxed for a while, now is the time to lay the collar around the cats neck to get the cat use to the collar. You will want to put the collar on your cat a couple times a day until you know that the cat is allowing the collar to stay there.

The next step would be to put the collar on the cat but to leave it as loose as you can, so if your cat is not ready they will get it off right away. Do not slip the collar over the cats head, but you will need to buckle the collar the proper way. Putting the collar over the cats head could scare the cat. As the cat gets used to the collar, you should then every day tighten up the collar until you have the proper adjustment for the cat.

After the cat has worn the collar for several days that would be a good, time to start the leash for the cat. Following the same principle as you did for the collar on your cat you can do the same for the leash. This will be very important for the cat to know that the leash is a good tool and not something that will harm them.

With the training of the collar and leash, you will want to reward the cat with a small treat at different stages of the cat getting use to having the collar on. This will help also with using the leash.

The training of a cat collar will take a lot of patience and care from you for your cat.

In the end, the rewards for both you and the cat will be great.

Understanding Your Cat’s Aggressive Behavior

2008-08-20T13:36:00.000+08:00

Are you a cat owner? If so, your cat may typically appear to be a calm, cool, and collected cat. After all, many cats are content with lounging around all day with just a few hours of play. Despite the fact that your cat may appear to be calm and mild mannered, there may come a point in time when you notice a change. It is not uncommon for pet owners to report occasional aggressiveness with their cats.

If you have just witnessed your cat in an aggressive state, fear may be the first thought that enters into your mind. Many cat owners have questions when they witness their cats attack. Many owners want to know if something is wrong with their cat or if it is a danger to those around him or her. In all honesty, you will find it depends. Before deciding if you should contact your cat’s veterinarian, there are a number of important points you will first want to take into consideration.

First, it is important to know that cats, even domestic cats, can be considered predators. The ancestors of your cat relied on hunting to survive. This is not a trait or a characteristic that just disappears. Your beloved cat will also have that need and desire to hunt. This is one of the many reasons why cats occasionally display aggressive behavior.

Concerning natural aggressive behavior, many pet owners are concerned, as they provide their cat with enough food. It doesn’t matter how well fed your cat is, he or she will always occasionally feel the need to hunt. For example, has your cat ever killed a bird, mouse, or another rodent? If so, did they consume their kill? Chances are not. This is proof that cats don’t just attack for the sake of food.

As for how you can determine whether your pet cat is just exercising his need to hunt, look at the attack in question. Did your cat try to attack your foot as you walked by? If so, this a normal occurrence and not a sign of something serious.

Jumping at your feet as you walk by was sited as an example above. This can lead to another cause of aggression in cats; overexcitement. Some popular cat toys on the market are those where balls are attached to a string and your catch chases it. These toys are nice, but they can also lead to some confusion, as your foot may appear similar in nature to your cat’s favorite toy. It is also important to know that cats are sensitive and their mood easily changes. Is this why playtime with your cat can end with you having a scratch or a bite mark.

Cats, as with many other pets, are territorial. This is another leading cause of aggression in cats. Is your cat the only pet in your home? If so, they may react with aggression when another pet enters into their territory. The same can be said for children. Do you have children? If not, when a child visits your home, your cat may be frustrated, fearful, or angry with the change, especially inside their territory. The quick movements of small children can also cause a cat to act out. As an important note, cats are typically safe around children. With that in mind, all small children should be watched carefully when around any kind of pet.

Training your dog with a training collar and leash

2008-08-19T13:29:00.000+08:00

The leash and training collar is the most basic piece of equipment used in training a dog. Using the lead and training collar properly is vital to successful dog training. The training collar is designed to apply a specific amount of pressure each time the leash is tightened. The amount of pressure put on the leash controls the amount of pressure placed on the training collar, and the pressure can be adjusted according to how the dog responds.

How each dog responds to training with the leash and training collar is quite variable. Some dogs barely react the first time they encounter a collar and leash, while others fight this strange contraption with all their might. It is important to recognize how your own dog reacts, and to adapt your training program as needed.

The first part of training with collar and leash, of course, is to purchase a quality, well made training collar that will fit your dog properly. There are many types of training collars and leashes on the market. The most important thing is to choose one that is sturdy and well made. The last thing you want to do is chase your dog down after he has broken his collar.

The length of the collar should be approximately two inches longer than the circumference of the dog's neck. It is important to accurately measure the dog's neck using a measuring tape. In order to get an accurate measurement, you must make sure that the tape is not tight around the dog's neck.

Most training collars come in even sizes, so you should round up to the next size if your dog's neck is an odd number. It is important that the chain that attaches to the collar be placed at the top of the dog's neck. That is where the training collar is designed to apply the best pressure.

The ability to apply varying degrees of pressure, and to relieve that pressure instantly, is what makes a training collar such an effective tool. It usually takes new users a little while to get used to using the training collar, and some styles of training collar require more finesse than others. If you are unsure which collar to choose, be sure to ask a professional dog trainer, or the management staff at your local pet store, for help.

After you have become familiar with the way the training collar works, it is time to begin using it to train your dog to walk properly on a lead. The well trained dog is one who will walk at his owner's side on a loose lead, neither dropping behind nor charging ahead.

The well trained dog will also vary his pace to meet that of his handler. Under no circumstances should the handler be forced to change his or her pace to match that of the dog.

If the dog does begin to charge ahead, it is important to correct the dog promptly by giving a quick tug on the leash. This will give the dog a good reminder that he needs to change his pace. It is important to quickly relieve the pressure as soon as the dog responds. The training collar is designed to relieve pressure as soon as the leash is loosened.

Most dogs will immediately respond to corrections by a good, properly used training collar. If the dog does not respond as directed, it may be necessary to apply greater pressure. This can be especially true of large dogs or those who have preexisting behavior or control problems. If you are still unable to get a response from your dog, it is possible that you are using a training collar that is not large enough for your dog. If you think this may be the case, be sure to ask for expert advice before proceeding.

Tips for Understanding Your Cat

2008-08-18T13:35:00.000+08:00

Are you a new pet owner? If you have just purchased a new cat, you may be excited! After all, you should be. Owning a cat is a huge responsibility, but it is one that is filled with many great rewards. There is nothing better than seeing love and compassion in the eyes of your cat. In fact, that it not all that you will see.

When you and your new pet get to know each other more, you will begin to notice many traits and characteristics that your cat displays. After all, all living animals have their own personalities. In no time at all, you will be understanding your cat, just like he or she is one of the kids or another human being.

As nice as it is to hear that you may be understanding your pet in no time at all, you may be looking for more information. After all, you may be curious as to how you will understand your pet. No, you will not receive a human response when talking to your pet, but there are other signals that your pet may send you. To be the best pet owner possible and to provide your cat with proper care, it is important for you notice and take action when these signals are displayed.

So, what signal should you look for when understanding your cat? For starters, do you know when your cat may be ready to fight? Whether your cat is ready to attack you, another person in your home, or another pet, this is a sign that you need to be on the lookout for. Although cats are almost always safe and cuddly, some do have anger issues. If your cat has his head down and is in a crouching position, he may be ready to pounce. Many cats will also try to hide behind an object, such as a couch so that they cannot be seen.

Cats, like humans, and other pets can develop a wide array of emotions, including anger. Even if your cat does not pounce or attack, he or she may still be upset. Many cats will move their tail in a horizontal pattern. In fact, it will seem like your cat is lashing his or her tail back and forth, not just moving it. Some cats will also deal with their anger by hiding or retreating to an area that they feel comfortable or safe in.

Although some cats will pounce with the intent to play, many other cats will display other playful signals. A happy cat and one who wants to play is usually very active. Your cat, when happy and excited, may always be on the move. He or she may be extra cuddly with you, hoping that you will provide them with extra attention and playtime. Another sign of a happy and excited cat is one whose head, tail, and ears are straight up.

As previously stated, the reward of being a cat owner is seeing love and compassion in your cat’s eyes. What you may not realize is that this is actually something that you may be able to notice. It has been said that cats who squint when looking at you, are showing you that they do love and care for you. It has also been said that biting and licking are additional ways that cats show love and affection.

The above mentioned examples, are just a few of the many that you will want to be on lookout for when trying to understand your cat. As a reminder, the process of understanding your cat isn’t one that should be rushed. All you need to do is give your cat the proper amount of love and attention, watch their reactions, and make note of any habits your new friend may develop. In time, you will and your new pet will soon be understanding each other.

Training a cat to a new environment

2008-08-18T13:24:00.000+08:00

When bringing home a new cat or kitten to a different environment with other pets and additional family members this does not have to be an overwhelming experience for the new cat or kitten and family. Cats and kittens adjust quickly to different environments than we do. Depending on the nature, breed and the environment of a new cat or kitten is how they will adjust. Kittens will adjust quicker and smoother than an older cat. Especially if the environment happens to be a busy, crowed home.

Here are a few points that will help with the transforming environments for your new cat or kitten.

You will need to have a place for the cat or kitten to have of his or her own. This should be out away from the daily hustle of daily living. You will want to provide privacy for the cat or kitten when they need the privacy. Making the sleeping area comfortable, maybe with a pillow or two, soft blanket even something the cat or kitten used before to help them with the move.

You should put the cats litter box across the room from where they have their privacy. Cats will not sleep by their litter boxes. If the cat is use to a special kind of litter, you will want to try to keep using that particular band. If you are going to change the litter to a different type or brand, you will want to do this slowly. Mix small amounts of the new litter to the brand the cat or kitty are use to.

Place food and water dish as far away from the little box as you can. Preferably opposite site of the room as cats and kittens do not like to eat near the litter box. Another thing you may want to think about in the near future is that they do have self-feeding water and dry food dispensers for cats and kitten. The feeders do come in different sizes; this is helpful so that the new cat or kitten is not getting too much to eat. Over feeding, a pet is not healthy on the pet or on you. This is something that can be monitored and adjusted as the pet grows.

Place the cat in the room and let them explore the room with you in it. At this time, you will be able to bond with the cat as well as start training your new cat or kitten. Placing soiled litter in the box will also tell the kitty where to go or use catnip spray that is on the market this does the same thing. Show the new pet where the water is and food.

Allow the cat to look over everything in the room to be able to see the area they will be staying. Allow the cat to look out the window, check out the couch, chairs, and tables. If the cat or kitten appears that it is sleepy, allow them to do this you may want to move the cat or kitten to the sleeping area if they have fallen asleep some other place. You will want to move them to the sleeping area to have them know where the sleeping area is.

Allowing the cat or kitten on his or her own to explore the rest of the house or apartment would be beneficial. By leaving doors cracked so they can go explore the home to see the parts of the home that they will be living in. Leaving doors cracked open is something you will want to do, so that the new pet can explore.

Do not push kitty on the other family members or other family pets as this could be over whelming. Allow the cat or kitty to do this on his or her own time. Then Kitty will be able to use their own sense to introducing themselves to the family. Meeting the dog is now not a good time. You will want to contain him for a bit, until kitty gets use to the house, family, and environment. There will be plenty of time for the new cat or kitty to meet the dog and for the new cat or kitty to set the rules for the dog. This will take you to help set these rules up for them.

After the new cat or kitty has settled in with the environment, this is the time, step by step to start training. The first in training will be changing location on the sleeping, eating and litter box.

Patience, love, and showing your new cat or kitten that you care are the start of a great relationship.

Training your dog the right way - the basics

2008-08-17T13:29:00.000+08:00

In order to be considered properly trained, there are some basic commands that he or she must master. Understanding these basic commands is vital to the well being of the dog, the owner and the family.

Learning just a few basic commands can go a long way toward creating a dog that is a joy to be around. Everyone has seen examples of both well trained and poorly trained dogs, and few people would opt for the poorly trained varieties. Training a dog properly the first time is especially vital for owners of dog breeds that have been bred for their aggressiveness, such as pit bulls, Doberman pinchers and German shepherds.

In addition, proper training is important for families with young children. Young children can torment dogs and cause biting reactions, so it is important that the dog learn how to deal with these types of situations.

The basic obedience commands that every dog must know are - "Heel", "No", "Sit", "Stay", "Down" and "Off". These six commands form the basis of every basic obedience class, and it is vital that you and your dog master these basic commands. These are the fundamentals, and it will be impossible to move onto other commands, or to correct problem behaviors, without having mastered the basics.

Heel

Let's start with the most basic command of all, the heel command. Teaching a dog to heel is the fundamental first step in teaching the dog to walk properly on the leash. The proper place for the dog to walk is at your side, neither lagging behind nor straining to get ahead.

If your dog begins to forge ahead on the lead, gently tug on the leash. This will cause the training collar to tighten and give the dog a gentle reminder to fall back into line. If the dog begins to lag behind, gently urge him forward. A lure or toy is a good tool for the dog that constantly lags behind.

Once the dog is consistently walking at your side, try changing your pace and encouraging the dog to match his pace with yours. It should always be the dog who adjusts his pace to you; you should never adjust your pace to meet the needs of the dog.

The word "No"

The word no is an important one for your dog to learn, and one you may be using a lot as training begins. It is important that the dog learn to respond to a sharp "No" promptly and obediently.

The "Sit" command

The sit command is another vital link in the chain that is dog training. Teaching a dog to sit on command, using voice commands alone, will form the groundwork of much future training, so it is important for the dog to master this vital skill.

The sit command can be combined with the heel command. As you walk alongside your dog, stop abruptly. If your dog does not stop when you do, give a sharp tug on the leash to remind the dog. Many dogs will instinctively stop when you do, while others need to be reminded through the use of the leash and the training collar.

Once the dog has stopped by your side, urge him to sit by pushing gently on his hindquarters. It is important not to use too much pressure, or to push him down abruptly. Doing so could frighten, or even injure the dog. Rather, apply a steady downward pressure. Most dogs will recognize this as a sit command. It is important to say the word sit as you do this.

Repeat this procedure a few times by walking, stopping and sitting your dog. After a few repetitions, the dog will probably begin to sit down on his own every time he stops. It is important to say the word sit each time, so that the dog will eventually learn to respond to voice commands alone.

The "Stay" command

Like the sit command, the stay command is a vital building block to other, more advanced training. For instance, the stay command is vital to teaching the dog to come when called, which is in turn vital to off leash work.

The stay command can be made into an extension of the sit command. Have your dog sit, and while he is sitting, slowly back away. If the dog begins to follow you, as he probably will it first, come back to the dog and ask him to sit again. Repeat the process until you can reach the end of the leash without your dog getting up from a sitting position.

After the dog is reliably staying where you indicate, you can try dropping the leash and backing further away. It will probably take the dog some time to reliably stay where he is put without becoming distracted.

The "Down" command

The down command is another important part of any basic obedience training program. Teaching a dog to lie down on command is much more than an entertaining trick. The down command is very important in regaining control of a dog, or stopping a dog who is engaged in an inappropriate behavior.

The "Off" command

The off command is just as vital to as the other commands, and it forms the basis for later training, especially when training the dog not to chase people, cars, bikes, cats, etc.

For instance, when training a dog to remain still when a bicycle goes by, the owner would stand with the dog calmly on the leash. If the dog begins to strain against the leash, the owner sharply issues an "Off" command accompanied by a tug of the leash. Eventually the dog will learn to respond to the voice command alone.

The Importance of Understanding Your Cat

2008-08-16T13:34:00.000+08:00

Are you a new cat owner? If so, there will come a point in time when your cat becomes “just like one of the kids.” However, until that time arrives, it is up to you to understand your cat and the small signals that he or she may be sharing with you.

As important as it is to hear that it will be your responsibility to understand your cat and decipher the signals that he or she may be sending you, you may be wondering why. Many pet owners often respond with something like “what the heck?” If you are a new pet owner or a first-time pet owner, you may not understand just how much your cat relies and depends on you.

As for why it is important to understand your cat, doing so can be important to his or her health. We humans are able to speak and seek medical attention when we develop a cold or suffer a debilitating injury. Pets, on the other hand, cannot do so. Just because your cat doesn’t outright tell you that she needs to go the vet, it doesn’t mean that a visit isn’t in order.

If you suspect that your cat is suffering from a medical problem, whether it be an injury or an illness, you will want to seek professional help right away. Schedule a visit with your veterinarian. The sooner you do so, the quicker you can understand what is bothering your cat. If you must make your cat’s appointment an emergency appointment, especially if he or she seems to be suffering.

Speaking of suffering, many new cat owners wonder how they can tell when their pet is feeling ill or has suffered an injury that may not be noticeable to the human eye. Whether you have only had your cat a week or five years, you should already start to notice habits that he or she has. These habits may include greeting you when you walk into a room or sleeping in the same spot. If these habits change, it may be due to an injury that is difficult to see or a medical illness.

In addition to knowing when your cat may be ill, understanding when your cat is hungry is also important. Some pet owners will always leave food out for their pets. This is doable; however, there may be some negative consequences. For instance, your cat may eat too much and develop an obesity problem. Bug and other rodents can be attracted to your pet’s food, especially wet canned food, regardless of how clean your home is.

For that reason, look for signs that your cat may be hungry. Many cats will approach their empty food dish and start to cry out. Others, may take steps to get human food or the food of other pets in the home. Of course, you also don’t have to let it get that far. Creating a set feeding schedule for your cat has a number of benefits.

Despite the fact that deciphering your cats every move may seem like an impossible task, it really isn’t. Although your cat will have his or her own distinctive attitudes, you may be surprised just how similar cats occasionally react like humans. When upset or frustrated, your cat may retreat to their own special spot. When hungry, your cat may call out for food. When your cat is excited, you should be able to tell right away, as he or she will likely be more active than usual.

The above mentioned reasons are just a few of the many why it is important for you to learn how to understand your cat. If you are looking for helpful tips, consider speaking to your veterinarian. There are also multiple book and online websites that are designed to help new pet owners develop a close and healthy relationship with their cats. Having an attentive and close relationship with your cat is the first step in understanding their wants and needs.

Cat training with a clicker

2008-08-16T13:23:00.000+08:00

Clicker training is a reinforcement or reward for a cat when training them. Clickers are use most often for support when training a cat for a reward. Cats associate the clicker with a good behavior they will use for a long time. Clicker training is associated with classical condition (they associate the sound with food.) and operant conditioning (cat performs movement to receive food).

Why use a clicker and not tell a cat or make a sound to get your cat to do a trick? A clicker has a sound a cat can hear and associate good behavior. With words, our tones in our voice can change from time to time, which a cat can become confused with the training. With talking for the commands, a cat could mistake the commands. With using a clicker, it is more of a training tool to get the behavior started with the cat. Then you can put the clicker away for that behavior or trick once a cat has learned the behavior

When taking the cat out for a walk or on a trip, the clicker is a good item to carry along with you. Cats can get distracted with other people, or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wondering around.

With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Get a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click that they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this for a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click. Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go though the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes though the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go though the hoop a snack is available.

Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat.

The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 mins a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief.

Clickers can come with books to help you train, treats, and a clicker. Clickers come in many different size shapes, and color. You will want to research the clickers out. Check out a pet store, Internet sites give lots of information on training and using a clicker. Check out companies that make the clicker by using Internet to see what kind they offer and any additional information that you might need to get the process of training done. Check out articles about the clicker. Talk to someone that has used one. Talk to your area veterinary about training with a Clicker

Once you have used a clicker, the cat will get good exercise and be a healthy cat. The cat will be happier and you will be happier with the new behaviors that you have taught your cat.

To sum up training your cat, important things to remember is have patience, love and the clicker.

Training your dog not to chase cars

2008-08-15T13:28:00.000+08:00

One of the most serious, and unfortunately most common, problem behaviors among dogs is that of chasing cars. Dogs must be trained as early as possible that chasing cars is not acceptable. That is because dogs that chase cars eventually become dogs that catch cars, and car plus dog always equals big trouble.

There are many reasons that dogs chase cars. For one thing, chasing moving objects is an ingrained, instinctual behavior that can never be completely removed. Chasing behaviors, however can and should be controlled through a combination of good training and supervision.

Some dogs are more apt to chase cars, bikes, joggers, cats and other dogs than are others. Dogs that have a high prey drive, including breeds that have been bred for hunting, are particularly susceptible to the thrill of the chase. Herding breeds are also apt to chase cars, attempt to herd the neighbors children, or express other undesired traits of their breeding.

One reason that many dogs chase cars in particular is that they have learned to associate cars with good time and fun things. Most dogs love to ride in the car, and when they see a car they may try to chase it down for a ride.

No matter what your dog's motivation for chasing cars, however, it is important to curb this dangerous behavior as quickly as possible. Training the dog not to chase cars starts with teaching the dog the meaning of the "Off" command. The "Off" command is one of the basic tenets of obedience, and it must be mastered by every dog.

Teaching the dog to stay where he is, even if interesting, exciting things are happening elsewhere, is very important to all aspects of dog training. In the world of professional dog training, this is sometimes referred to as distraction training. Distraction training is very important, and it is applicable to teaching the dog not to chase cars.

Teaching this important lesson is not something you will be able to do on your own. You will need at least one other person - a volunteer who will slowly drive by and tempt your car with his bright, shiny object. You will stand with your dog on his leash as the volunteer drives by. Having the volunteer drive your own car can provide an even greater temptation, since dogs are able to distinguish one car from another. If your car is the one that provides his rides, it is likely to be the most tempting object in the world.

When your friend drives by, either in your car or his, watch your dog's reaction carefully. If he begins to jump up or move away, repeat the "Off" command and quickly return your dog to the sitting position. If he remains where he is, be sure to give him lavish amounts of praise and perhaps a treat or two.

Repeat this process many times over the course of a few days. Once your dog is reliably remaining seated when your friend drives by, start lengthening the distance between yourself and your dog. A long, retractable leash works great for this process. Slowly lengthen the distance between you and your dog, while still making sure you have control.

Even after your dog is trained to not chase cars, however, it is important to not leave him out off the leash unsupervised. Leaving a dog unattended, except for within a properly and securely fenced in yard, is simply asking for trouble. Dogs are unpredictable, and it is always possible that the chase instinct could kick in at exactly the wrong moment. The best strategy is to confine the dog when you cannot supervise him.

Let's Go For A Walk!

2008-08-14T13:33:00.000+08:00

Why should dogs have all the fun? Many indoor cats would love to go outside and enjoy the sun but it is often far too dangerous to let them simply wander about as they please. Busy roads, large dogs and careless people are hazards many of us don't want our cats exposed to. So why not teach him to walk on a leash?

But cats don't walk on leashes! That's the sentiment many people have when the idea is first introduced. It's true that some cats will absolutely have nothing to do with the whole business. They apparently think it is entirely beneath them to be seen out of doors on a leash. What would the neighbors think! Fortunately, there are other cats willing to entertain the idea and some who actually come to like their walks. There really isn't any way of knowing which way your cat will turn out unless you try. Let's get started.

The first thing you will need is a properly fitting harness and a light weight leash. It doesn't need to be fancy, just sturdy and well made. Trying to teach your cat with only a collar is not a good idea. Pressure around their necks seems to make some cats freeze. You want to teach him to move forward, not lock in place. The second thing you will need is a bag of treats. Preferably something he really likes but doesn't often get. The third thing you will need is lots and lots of patience.

Begin training inside your home. Do not take him outside until he is walking freely and comfortably along with you on his leash. Place the harness on your cat and let him get accustomed to it. If your cat is particularly timid, you might want to leave the harness where he can investigate it and get used to seeing it first before you put it on him. Leave the harness on him for ten to fifteen minutes a day for the first few days. After that the period can be raised to fifteen to twenty minutes. Give him one or two treats during the time he is wearing the harness so that he associates it with good things. When he is fully comfortable with the harness, add the leash in the same manner, allowing him to drag it around for a slowly increasing period over several days. Don't forget the treats.

By now, your cat is comfortable wearing both harness and leash. Pick up the end of the leash and just hold it. Don't try to lead him anywhere. Follow him around if he moves. Do this exercise for a few minutes a day until he is comfortable with it. Now comes the big step, teaching him to follow where you lead. Place your cat to your left side, your leash should be in your left hand. Let your arm hang relaxed at your side. Take a treat in your right hand. Turn toward your cat and show him the treat. Now take a couple of step forward, continuing to show the treat. If he follows you, take a couple of more steps. If he follows to your new position, give him his treat and praise. If he is reluctant to move forward, place the treat closer to him. Praise him if he takes a step forward and give him the treat. If he doesn't want to move forward no matter what you do, don't drag him. Pick him up and take him somewhere else to take his harness off. Do not give him a treat since he didn't do as you asked. Here is where patience comes in. Keep repeating the lesson every day, asking him to move farther each time.

When your cat is walking freely on leash with you all over the house, take him into your back yard and walk him around in it. If he freezes and refuses to move, don't panic. Reassure him he is safe and take him back inside. Try again tomorrow. If he tries to take off on his own you can easily check him with your leash. Once he is comfortable in the yard you can start taking him farther. Before long you will be able to take nice walks wherever you choose.

Litter training a cat

2008-08-14T13:22:00.000+08:00

When you come home from being gone, at work all day and find the cat has messed all over, or in one area. You have to go and get it cleaned as the cat sits and stares at you as if they have done nothing wrong. This is right!

Cats like children they need to be taught. Patience, time, kitty litter, litter box are items that you will want to consider when getting ready to train the cat to use the litter box. Patience, Cats do not know that when living in your home or any other home that the litter box with fresh smelling litter, clean and never used is for them. Putting a litter box down and filling it with litter, telling the cat this is the place for them to make their mess is not going to do. Time, this is not going to happen overnight. It could but do not set your goals to high for an over night miracle.

Cats will only void in a clean litter box. One that is not clean or has not been clean for a while and smells the cat will not use. The litter box should be in somewhat a private area for the cat. Cats like privacy to go to the bathroom, as we need privacy.

Kitty litter, there are simple plain litter to scratch and sniff litter. Textures of litter, recyclable newspaper, and compressed pine shaving that give off natural pine scents, pellets with different scents, ground corn, wheat, or conventional granule type. If you are going to change the type of cat litter you use mix it gradually with the litter that you use. This will get the cat use to the smell, feel and how the new litter will perform. Changing litter and gradually introducing the new litter to the cat can cause problems with the cat using the new litter.

Litter boxes are usually plastic that would be a recommended to use. As the box gets older sometimes, the smell does get in the plastic material and does not come out. Litter boxes are very inexpensive so getting a new one when you have to be not a large cost. When cleaning a litter box after you clean all the litter out, take good soapy water and wash the box, rinse very well with water. Let set and dry for a bit. If it is, a nice day out side in the sun is a great place. The sun has a good dry agent that helps take odors out. Then wipe down with ammonia water to help absorb the smell from the cat. After letting that dry good, then refill the cat litter box with the litter that you use.

Training the cat to use the litter box is sometime an easy task. Take the cat a couple times a day to the litter box to let them know that they are able to be in there. Show them that they are able to dig around in the litter. A short time after the cat has eaten in the morning and evening take the cat to the litter box

Cat will associate eating and going potty as a good behavior. If a cat does make a mess on the floor do not rub it nose in it as you can hurt them and they will not know what you are try to accomplish. Take the cat right to the litter box for them to know that this is where they should be. Remember when training rewards are great tools for getting a cat to associate that they are doing a good job.

If you are not having good results in training your cat to use the liter box, there are a couple of things to look at. Put some catnip in the box as this scent is that cats love and will attracted them to the catnip. On the other hand, you may have to call your local vet to get some tips or have the cat go in and see the vet. If a cat is sick or ill, they will not be willing to participate with the training.

Training your dog not to fear loud noises

2008-08-13T13:27:00.000+08:00

Loud noises, such as fireworks, thunder and traffic, are one of the most frequently cited fears given by dog owners. It is natural for some dogs to be fearful of loud noises, but some dogs are so traumatized by thunder, fireworks and other loud noises that they are completely unable to function.

Dogs that display excessive fears or phobias such as these can be a danger to themselves and those around them. Dogs may manifest their fear in self-destructive ways, like slinking under the couch or the bed and getting stuck, for instance. They may also react in ways that are destructive to the home, such as urinating or defecating on the carpet, chewing up favorite items, or barking incessantly. These reactions are often worse when the owner is not at home.

One thing that is hard for many dog owners to understand is that soothing or stroking a dog that is displaying fear is exactly the wrong thing to do. While it is natural to try to calm a fearful dog, to the dog you are rewarding it for being afraid. The dog likes the sound of your voice, likes your petting, and concludes that he has done the right thing by acting afraid. This only makes a bad situation worse.

The best strategy when the dog displays fear when there is a thunderstorm or a fireworks display is to simply ignore the dog. It is of course important to watch the dog to make sure he does not hurt himself, but otherwise just ignore him and let him work through the fear on his own. When you go away, be sure to make sure there is nothing the dog can get stuck under, since fireworks or a thunderstorm can pop up at any time.

A dog that is severely afraid of thunderstorms and other load noises may need to be confined to a single room, or even a crate, for a period of time. After the dog feels safe in his "den", he may be able to deal with his fears a little better. It can be quite a struggle to teach a dog not to be afraid of thunderstorms, firecrackers and other such noises, but it is important that the dog at least be able to control his fears without being destructive to himself or his environment.

Using distraction

Much as magicians use sleight of hand to hide their tricks, so dog owners practice the art of distraction to take their dog's mind off of their fear. For instance, if your dog is afraid of thunderstorms and you know one is on the way, gather some of your dog's favorite toys and get ready for the misdirection.

Of course, your dog will probably know the thunderstorm is on the way before you do. When you see your dog start to display fear, take a few of his favorite toys and try to get him to play. Very fearful dogs may be reluctant to play, but it is important to try nevertheless. Often a few treats can be a good distraction as well. Try buying one of those balls that you can fill with treats or biscuits, and encourage your dog to chase it.

Try playing with your dog every time a thunderstorm is in the forecast. This can start to implant good memories, and these can sometimes replace the fear memories that caused the dog to be afraid of thunderstorms in the first place.

Desensitizing your dog's fear

Desensitization is a highly effective way to deal with phobias and fears in humans, and it can be very effective for dogs and other animals as well. Desensitization involves introducing the dog to small amounts of whatever noises frighten him. For instance, if the dog is afraid of thunder, try tape recording your next thunderstorm and play it back slowly when the dog is relaxed. Reward the dog for not showing fear responses. If he does show fear responses, do not comfort or soothe him but just ignore him.

This kind of desensitization training can be remarkably effective for some dogs, but it will take lots of patience and hard work. Fears of thunder and fireworks are not always easy to cure.

Unusual Cat Breeds

2008-08-12T13:32:00.000+08:00

Are you looking to get a new cat soon? Great! You may want to consider a purebred cat. There are many breeds that can be found in this country, each with its own characteristic appearance and temperament and history. Think carefully about what you would characteristics you would like to see in your new companion. Perhaps you would care to consider something a little bit different:

The Munchkin

When you think of the Munchkin, think of a cat that is built like a dachshund. A cat built with a long body and short legs. Munchkins are a very recently developed breed. They have only been established since 1983. The foundation cat was a female named Blackberry who was rescued from dogs by school teacher Sandra Hochenedel.

Blackberry was a black cat with very short legs. Found pregnant, she passed on her unusual body type to her kittens. Blackberry's son, Toulouse, was left unaltered and it wasn't long before there were a good number of short legged cats living around his owner's home. Strangely enough, Toulouse and his short legged sons had no trouble competing with standard toms for females.

In 1990 a study of the genetics of these short legged cats was conducted. The study found that only one copy of the short legged gene to create more cats with the same characteristic. The spines of these cats were also examined because there were fears that they would have issues just like the low long bodies dog (e.g. dachshund) have. Though nothing wrong was found at that time, judgment was reserved due to the extremely small population that existed at that time.

Munchkins were named for the little people in Wizard of Oz that Dorothy met when she first arrived in Oz. Breeders became interested in the quirky little Munchkin and began controlled breeding programs. The Munchkin was first introduced to the public at the Madison Square Garden Cat Show. The breed has faced some opposition. There are people who believe that deliberately breeding for a mutation, even one that occurred naturally, is ethically wrong. The cats themselves seem unaware that they are in any way different from there long legged cousins. They self-assured, outgoing and curious in nature. Munchkins tend to be people-oriented and bond easily with their people. Munchkins leap and play just like other cats. The only difference is they can't jump as high due to their short back legs.

The Sphynx

If you ever wondered what a cat would look like naked, look no further. The Sphynx is virtually hairless. Sebaceous oils secreted by the skin are normally transferred to the fur in other breeds. The Sphynx requires regular wiping down to remove these oils to prevent skin infections.

This breed originated in 1975 as spontaneous mutation in a shorthaired litter. One hairless kitten was born in that litter. She was named Epidermis. The following year a hairless male was born. He was called Dermis. When bred to normal shorthaired cats, Epidermis produced normal kittens. When Epidermis was bred to one of her sons, three hairless kittens resulted. The hairless gene was a recessive. Both parents must carry it in order for hairlessness to be expressed.

The breed was named after the great Sphynx monument of Egypt. The Sphynx cats are devoted, loyal companions, who love attention and will purr happily if their favorite person is near them. They are very athletic and like to jump to high places or hang upside down from their climbing trees. Sphynx have strong personalities and don't like being left alone. A feline companion will help to keep a Sphynx happy and occupied while you are gone.

These very unusual cats are not everyone's' cup of tea. Give these very different cats a closer look. Their unique appearances and lively personalities might just make a great pet. These cats may be exactly what you are looking for in a new companion.

Cat training for sever weather

2008-08-12T13:21:00.000+08:00

Ever wonder if you should be training a cat for sever weather? Yes a cat can be trained for sever weather.

First, make sure that the cat has been to the vet for check ups and vaccines. This first will protect them from illness that they pick up during some natural sever weather you may be parted from your cat and this is a good protection that you can give them.

Make sure you train a cat to wear a collar. This is important too to have a collar that will tell what their name is and address where they live. You can purchase the tags from your vet, pet stores, or most places that make tags. Do not get a large one, as it will irritate a cat and be uncomfortable for them. Small but informational is the best kind. Also, make sure you get a tag from the vet with the vaccines and any information that someone that finds your cat cans I deify your cat so that it can be return to you.

There are many different collars for cat. Size, color, and even design ones. This is up to you and the cat, which one would be appropriate for the cat. When purchasing one makes sure that, it is not to snug on the cat neck, and not to lose so that cat can get it off.

You will need to train the cat to ware the collar. Couple of tips would be when you are at home, have the cat ware it for short periods until they are satisfied and comfortable with it. If the cat is a small kitten that is the time to start with the collar. Spray the collar with catnip will help to. Cats love the scent of catnip, which sprays can be purchased to help you with this training.

When sever weather comes you could see your cat running for cover. Allow the cat to do this in safe places. If the cat is not in a good safe place, take the cat to the place that would be safe for them. Make an environment safe area for the cat. To get the cat to go there, Put a snack there when sever weather approaches, make sure they have water, a small toy and near by a small cat litter that is only use for this purpose or the cat will get mixed signs where they should go other wise. Then leave the cat alone. Cats have a natural fear of sever weather and know how to take cover from it. Do not try to train the cat to get use to the sever weather. We have to allow cats to uses some of the natural instinct that they are born with.

If the cat gets wild during sever weather then maybe a lock kennel would be great to start out with. To help them with this when a sever weather is approaching put the cat in the kennel spray or put some catnip in the kennel this will help. Lock the cat in and reassure the cat that everything is fine and they are safe. You will want to put the kennel in the area that eventually the cat will go on his own and be left out of the kennel in case of sever weather.

For weather that is severing enough that maybe you will be apart from your cat, make sure they are will be comfortable. Favorite toys, blanket, pillows, or things that you know that will make them comfortable.

Leave a good amount of water and food for the cat. There are self-feeders that will hold water and dry cat food for the cat. This will allow them to eat and know that they can get to it.

In weather that is sever and your cat will be outside, leave shade for hot days for a cat. You could put out an umbrella, box that allows good airflow or small table so it can climb under for shade. Wintertime or cold days, if the cat is not able to get in where it is warm provide some protection with rags, newspapers or something that will help protect them. Remember if a cat is use to being inside, and are left outside, we need to protect them from the weather.

Training the shy or fearful puppy or dog

2008-08-11T13:26:00.000+08:00

With dogs as with people, some dogs and puppies are naturally more bold and daring than others. When you watch a group of puppies play, it will quickly become apparent which ones are bold and which ones are shy. Some of the puppies will hang back at the edge of the pack, perhaps fearful of angering the stronger dogs, while others will jump right into the fray and start jostling for control.

Working with a shy puppy or dog, or one that is fearful, presents its own special challenges. Of course bold, forceful dogs present challenges of their own, especially with control and leadership issues. Every type of puppy or dog has its own unique personality, and its own unique training challenges as a result.

One important reason to build confidence in a fearful dog is to prevent biting. High fear dogs often become biters to deal with their fear of new situations, and this type of fear response can be dangerous for you and your dog. It is important to teach the puppy or dog that new situations and new people are nothing to fear, and that they are not out to hurt him.

Signs of fear in both puppies and dogs include being afraid of strangers, being leery of new situations, and avoiding certain people or objects. A fearful puppy or dog may also snap or bite, especially when cornered.

If you recognize signs of fear in your dog or puppy, it is important to act quickly. Fear responses can quickly become ingrained in a dog, and once those fear memories are planted they can be difficult to erase. Properly socializing a young puppy is essential to making sure your dog is not fearful, and will not become a fear biter. Many puppies are raised as only dogs, but even these puppies should be given the opportunity to play with other puppies, and with well socialized older dogs and friendly cats as well. The more novel situations the puppy encounters when he is young, the better he will be able to adapt to new situations as an adult dog.

Adapting to new and changing situations is a vital life skill that every puppy must learn. As you know, the world is constantly changing and adapting, and it is vital that both you and your four legged companion learn to take these changes in stride.

It is important for owners to not inadvertently reinforce or reward shy or fearful behaviors. For instance, when a puppy or dog shows fear, by whining, crying or hiding, it is only natural for the owner to go over and reassure the dog. This type of reassurance, however, can be misinterpreted by the animal as a sign of approval from the pack leader.

When the dog or puppy displays fearful or shy behavior, the best strategy is simply to ignore him. The dog must be able to learn on his own that there is nothing to fear. If left alone, a dog will often start to explore the fearful object on his own, thereby learning that the initial fear reaction was mistaken. The owner must allow the dog to explore things on his own, and not try to coddle or over protect him.

Another reason for fear reactions, particularly in older dogs, is past abuse or lack of proper socialization as puppies. The window for good puppy socialization is relatively short, and once this window has closed it can be difficult to teach a dog how to socialize with dogs and other animals. Likewise, a dog that has been abused probably has all sorts of negative associations, and it is up to a patient owner to work with the dog to replace those fear reactions with more appropriate responses.

When working with an older fearful dog, it is important not to try to rush the socialization and fear abatement process. It is best to simply allow the dog to explore things on his own, even if it means he spends a lot of time hiding from the perceived monster. Trying to force the dog to confront the things he fears will do more harm than good.

It is also important to address already ingrained fear based behaviors, such as biting, snapping and growling, whether they result from past abuse, a lack of socialization or a combination of factors. If the dog is frightened and reacts defensively to strangers, it is important to introduce him slowly. It is important to correct these potentially dangerous behaviors, however, and teach the dog that fear is no excuse for growling, snapping or biting. The best way to do this is to immediately reprimand and correct the dog when he bites, snaps or growls at anyone.

The dog should be generously rewarded the minute it stops displaying aggressive behavior. If you do find yourself having to reprimand your dog for displaying aggressive behaviors, it probably means you have tried to move him along too quickly. It is important to avoid threatening situations as much as possible until the dog has built up the confidence it takes to deal with those situations. If you think you have moved too fast, take a few steps back and let the dog regain his confidence.

Spotted Cat Breeds

2008-08-10T12:50:00.000+08:00

Are you looking to get a new cat soon? Great! You may want to consider a purebred cat. There are many breeds that can be found in this country, each with its own characteristic appearance and temperament and history. Think carefully about what you would characteristics you would like to see in your new companion. Perhaps you would care to consider something a little bit different:

Ocicat

The Ocicat were named after the Ocelot wildcat that is found from southwestern Texas south to northern Argentina. The Ocicat, however, does not have any Ocelot blood in them. They are entirely domestic bred. The first Ocicat was produced as a happy accident in the early 1960s by breeder Virginia Daly who was was trying to breed a Siamese cat with Abyssinian colored points. She did reach her goal, but in her second litter she found a cream colored male with golden spots and copper colored eyes. She named him Tonga. Her daughter called him Ocicat because he reminded her of a baby Ocelot. Tonga was later sold as a pet and neutered.

Fortunately, the same breeding pair that produced Tonga later produced a second spotted male. His name was Dalai Dotson who became the foundation for the Ocicat breed. The first Ocicat, Tonga, was exhibited at a cat show in 1965. The Ocicat registry was established in 1966. The Ocicat was so striking and unique that other breeders were attracted and joined Daley in establishing this beautiful breed. The breeder continued to focus ion Abyssinians and Siamese for their foundation stock, but some American Shorthair was introduced as well. The American Shorthair bloodlines introduced a beautiful silver color to the ocicat.

Ocicats are very lively and intelligent. They are also great talkers. They are loyal and loving and tend to bond strongly to one person. Ocicats are very intelligent and will make up new tricks to entertain themselves. Most of them know how to fetch. Ocicats are another breed that doesn't like to be alone for long. Again, a feline companion will be ideal for keeping your Ocicat happy.

The Bengal

Unlike the Ocicat, the Bengal has wild ancestry. The Bengal was produced by crossing the Asian Leopard Cat, a small wildcat with domestic shorthaired cats. The name Bengal was derived from the Asian Leopard Cats Latin name, Felis bengalensis. It took the original breeder Jean Mill, several generations to produce a beautiful cat with domestic and predictable personalities.

In 1985 Mill showed her cats for the first time. There was some controversy over the new cats. Some people felt it was unwise cross wild cats with domestics since many wildcats are threatened species. Most people, however, were very taken with the beautiful new cats. Mill was able to recreate a number of new Bengal breeders.

The modern Bengal is a wildly beautiful cat with an affectionate personality and great energy. Bengals form strong bonds with their owners and become faithful and affectionate companions for life. Bengals love to climb and will do so given any opportunity. You will routinely find them on top of bookcases, doors and dressers. They are very curious and will rearrange the contents of any drawer the find open. Bengals are playful well into old age and will pounce an anything that moves. From their Asian ancestors, these cats inherited a love of water. Some will even join you for a swim in the pool or hot tub.

These very unusual cats are not everyone's' cup of tea. Give these very different cats a closer look. Their unique appearances and lively personalities might just make a great pet. These cats may be exactly what you are looking for in a new companion.

Cat door training

2008-08-10T12:43:00.000+08:00

Are you tired of listening to the cat is meowing up a storm or scratching up the door to get in.

Let us look at some simple solutions to this problem. Let us take a look at some of the training aids to help train your cat to alert you to come in.

Put a small bell on a string that hangs down from the door. This will allow the cat to play with the string and ring the bell. This is a good learning tool to help both you and the cat. Bells come in a variety of different sizes. A small one would be the prefect size for a cat to play with so they are able to ring the bell. Bells are very inexpensive and can be found and purchased most stores. Craft store have them and are very inexpensive. String should hang down long enough so that the cat can reach it with out jumping at it or having to use the door for support. You can put a small amount of catnip on the string or in the bell. This to will attract them to play with the bell. Get catnip in a spray, smell this will help attract them to the bell.

Teaching the cat to use the bell is another thing that you will have to do for them. This is so they learn how the bell works to play with. The sound from the bell will warn you kitty is ready to come inside.

When you put the cat outside you will want to keep an eye out for them coming in and show them to ring the bell. Once your cat rings the bell, you want to reward them with a good healthy snack. As you help the cat ring the bell you will need to open the door allow the cat to come in with a reward right as they can get in.

Let us look at another way of training a cat to use a cat door to entrance and exit in. You can find cat doors and entrances in most large pet stores, on the web, or ask you vet where you can purchase a cat door. The doors are small enough so that a cat can get in and out when it wants to, and frees you up from having to attend to the cat going in and out. One simple suggestion is make sure your cat is not going to run off before installing the door.

These doors can be installing right in your door, or possible next to your door for a wall mounting. This is something that you will have to look at before purchasing a door for the cat. Measuring the size of the opening is also important to look at before purchasing. You will want to know the size that you are able to fit the door in. You also will want to measure your cats' height and width. To know what size of opening you will need to get. When measuring the width make sure, you allow at least a couple of inches more than the width of the cat. The height from the shoulders to the back of the front legs this will give the right height. With the many different types of doors, sizes, quality, and sizes, a search in store or on the Internet would be a great place to start looking.

Let us look at the training for the cat to use the door. A cat will not automatically use the door. Hold the door open and allow the cat to come in and out freely with a reward of a simple small snack on each side. This will give the cat a chance to know that they are able to do this. This could take time for the cat to use with continue playing with the cat over a period, soon they will be entering and exiting on their own. Something that you will not want to do is by using the cat's nose and pushing the cat though the door opening. Open the door and allow them to come in and out.

Once the cat is using the door you will experience the freedom of sleeping though the night, not having to stop what you are doing to let your cat in and out, and possible no more kitty litter or mess where they should not be doing.

Taking your dog training off leash

2008-08-09T12:45:00.000+08:00

Many dog owners are anxious to give their four legged companions the freedom of going off leash, but it is important not to rush that important step. Dogs should only be allowed off their leash after they have become masters of all the basic obedience commands, such as walking at your heel, sitting and staying on command

Another skill that must be completely mastered before the dog can be taken off the leash is the come when called command. Even if the dog can heel, sit and stay perfectly, if he cannot be relied upon to come when called, he is not ready to be taken off the leash.

Taking any dog off the leash, especially in a busy, crowded area, or one with a lot of traffic, is a big step and not one to be taken lightly. It is vital to adequately test your dog in a safe environment before taking him off his leash. After all, the leash is the main instrument of control. You must be absolutely certain you can rely on your voice commands for control before removing the leash.

After the dog has been trained to understand the sit, stay and come when called commands, it is important to challenge the dog with various distractions. It is a good idea to start by introducing other people, other animals, or both, while the dog is in a safe environment like a fenced in yard. Have a friend or neighbor stand just outside the fence while you hold you dog on the leash. As the friend or family member walks around the outside of the fence, watch your dog’s reactions closely. If he starts to pull at the leash, quickly tug him back.

Repeat this exercise until the dog will reliably remain at your side. After this, you can try dropping the leash, and eventually removing the leash and repeating the distraction. It is important to vary the distractions, such as introducing other animals, other people, traffic, rolling balls, etc.

After your dog is able to remain still in the face of distraction, start introducing the come when called lessons with distractions in place. Try inviting some of the neighbors, and their dogs, over to play. As the dogs are playing in the fenced in yard, try calling your dog. When the dog comes to you, immediately give him lots of praise, and perhaps a food reward. After the dog has been rewarded, immediately allow him to go back to playing. Repeat this several times throughout the day, making sure each time to reward the dog and immediately allow him to go back to his fun.

After the dog has seemingly mastered coming when called in his own yard, try finding a local dog park or similar area where you can practice with your dog. It is important to make the area small, or to choose a fenced in area, in case you lose control of the dog. If you cannot find a fenced in area, choose an area well away from people and cars. Practice with your dog by allowing him to play with other dogs, or just to sniff around, then calling your dog. When he comes to you, immediately reward and praise him, then let him resume his previous activities. Doing this will teach the dog that coming to you is the best option and the one most likely to bring both rewards and continued good times.

Only after the dog has consistently demonstrated the ability to come when called, even when there are many distractions around, is it safe to allow him time off leash. Off leash time should never be unsupervised time. It is important, both for your well being and your dog’s, that you know where he is and what he is doing at all times. It is easy for a dog to get into trouble quickly, so you should always keep an eye on him, whether he is chasing squirrels in the park, playing with other dogs, or just chasing a ball with the neighbor’s kids.

Selecting Your Cat

2008-08-08T12:49:00.000+08:00

It's a great day today! Today is the day you go out to find your new friend and companion, your new cat. But where do you go to find her? What will you need to look for? What would you be wise to avoid? Let's take a look at each question.

Where do I find my new cat? There are a large number of places where cats are available for new homes. The local animal shelter is an excellent place to begin. They always have a very good selection of cats and kittens to choose from. With so many different breeds, sizes, colors, and ages to choose from you're almost sure to find a new friend just waiting for you to come and pick her up. Farmers frequently have kittens that are available to go to a new home. If you are interested in a particular breed of cat, contact their registry. They should be able to direct you to a reputable breeder in your area.

Now that you have looked over the cats or kittens available, how do you select right one for you? First and foremost, make sure the cat or kitten is healthy. Bright eyes, shining coat and a lively manner are indicators of good health. Interact with the kitten or cat. Does she hiss and pull away when you touch her or does she purr and rub her head against your hand? Is she patient or happy to be picked up, or is she frantic to get away? Does she walk away from people and sit down as far away as she can with her ears down or does she hold her ground and let her curiosity draw her to the new person. It will become obvious pretty quickly which kitten or cat will have the kind of personality that you will enjoy. Avoid the cat or kitten with an ugly attitude or that shows poor health. That will be the way to avoid heartbreak on down the road.

Another thing that you should consider is yourself. What do I mean? I mean that you should take stock of yourself. Most people are a sucker for kittens. Those little fluff balls with their sweet faces are nearly impossible to resist. Do you have the time and energy to deal with a lively kitten and her antics? (Oh, you mean I'm not supposed to swing on the drapes?) Perhaps you would be more comfortable with an older cat who already knows all about litter boxes and not climbing on top of the counter. A quiet adult who will sit on your lap and purr while you watch your favorite show may be more your speed. Be honest with yourself. You and your new cat will be much happier for it.

Okay, you've assessed yourself and the kittens and cats available to you. You've picked out your perfect new friend. On your way home think over what supplies you have at home. Do you have everything you need? A litter box with nice fresh litter? Is there a little scooper to clean her litter box with? A food dish and a water bowl? Do you have good quality food for her? Is it the one she is already used to? No? Perhaps you might want to stop and pick up a small bag of the one she's familiar with. It will be something she already knows in a strange place and may help her become comfortable in her new home faster. You can begin blending your preferred food into her old one in the coming days, eventually shifting her completely to her new food by the time the small bag ends.

There is much to consider when getting a new cat. Take your time. Make sure all your preparations are made. You will be well on your way to a happy life for you and your new cat.

Cat training aides

2008-08-08T12:42:00.000+08:00

The market is flooded with all different types of aids for training a cat. From simple little things to very large expense items, there are sprays to keep cats off furniture to large housing for cats, to a simple leash to help with training a cat.

Let us take a Looking at some of the training tools that can be helpful in training.

A simple lightweight leash is a good idea. The leash can be use for many purposes when training. Letting the cat outside is a time to use a leash to train the cat for staying in the yard. Using a leash to take a walk, or ride in a car. Cats need exercise and using a leash when walking is a perfect way to get a cat to walk with you not run off or walk ahead of you. When walking the cat you want the cat to walk with you. Train the cat, as they are not the leader in the walk that you are. This will make the walk more enjoyable for both you and the cat.

Another good tool to use when training a cat is scat mat. By using a mat with training, mats can serve the purpose of not allowing the cat on that area. Scat mats send out pulses to static electricity to let the cat know they are not to be on that item. There are many different sizes, colors, even clear ones so that the cat can see the area. The mats are battery operated with no real electricity running in them. In addition, scat mats are safe to use with your cat. You can also purchase scat mats to connect to each other for larger areas to cover. Dummy scat mats do not have pulse or static going though them. These are for after the cat is trained just a reminder to stay off.

Another great tool for train a cat is catnip. Cats love the scent of catnip. Transneptalactone a substance found in a plant used for catnip. Catnip scent is close to the urine of female cats. Male cat are usually more intrigued with catnip than female cats.

Catnip comes in different forms for training for cats. Toys with catnip fill in them may also attract the cat to play with. Catnip does come in Sprays design to spray areas for the cat to help learn a behavior. Such as spraying around the cat, litter to let it knows that is where they should go. For fun play, they have catnip in bubble form. Just like the kind, the children play with. It is made of safe products so it will not harm your cat. With blowing bubble, the cat will enjoy pawing at the bubbles and enjoy the scent of it. Catnip also comes in ground dry form so that you can rub on your hand to let the scent fill the air for the cat. You can also purchase catnip seed, which you can plant inside or outside of your home.

Is your cat pouncing on items thinking that it is a mouse? By nature, a cat will do this for killing purpose. There are many different play mice out on the market. From simple little stuff ones to ones that have catnip in them to large one that can be wound up and let go for a fun chase and capture. Remember in training that the cat has natural instincts to do things. We need to fulfill them to have a happy healthy cat.

Healthy rewards for the cat is another tool when training the cat. Many different treats can provided for a reward for the cat. There are vitamins that are natural to give the cat. This is a good idea, as you know that they are getting the vitamins for strong healthy bones, hair, and body. When looking for a good healthy snack, simple little biscuits are a good choice. Alternatively, if you are a good baker there are recipes or prepackage treat mix you may purchase and baked for your cat. With the family making snacks for your cat, can be a great family project.

Have patience with your cat they are learning, and you are learning more about them.

Eliminating problem dog behaviors - jumping and roaming

2008-08-07T12:44:00.000+08:00

Every dog owner must eventually deal with some unwanted behaviors on the part of their four legged companions. Some of the most frequently encountered training problems with puppies and dogs alike are jumping on people and performing those amazing feats of escape.

Jumping up on people

Jumping up on people can be a cute trick for puppies, but it quickly becomes a problem behavior as the dog gets older, larger and heavier. A very heavy dog can easily knock a child or even a small adult of his or her feet, so jumping on people can be a dangerous problem as well as an annoying one.

The reason puppies and older dogs jump on people is obvious - they are excited and happy to see them. Many people are reluctant to discourage this exuberant behavior, but it is important to redirect that happiness and energy in other ways. Many well meaning owners, family members and friends inadvertently encourage this jumping up behavior by picking the puppy up, kissing it or otherwise providing encouragement.

This type of inconsistency is anathema to proper dog training, and in order for the dog to be trained not to jump, every member of the family must recognize and accept the importance of the training. If one member of the family allows the dog to jump up while other family members do not, the dog will understandably become confused and frustrated. The training must be firm, kind and consistent in order to be effective.

One way to redirect the dog's happiness and excited ness from jumping is to teach him to lift his paw when greeting you. This "shaking hands" posture is an acceptable way for the dog to show his happiness and his respect. Many people even teach their dogs to do simple tricks, like rolling over, instead of jumping on people.

Escaping and roaming the neighborhood

A responsible dog owner would never dream of allowing his or her dog to roam the neighborhood freely. Allowing a dog to roam on its own is irresponsible, dangerous (to the dog and the neighborhood), and probably even illegal. Most towns have ordinances which prohibit dogs from being allowed to roam around free, so you could be in legal trouble if your dog is found wandering the neighborhood unattended.

Of course sometimes that wandering dog is not the owner's idea, and many dogs perform amazing feats of escape when left on their own. The temptations for unattended dogs are many, including passing bicycles, joggers, children, cats and other dogs. It is much easier to prevent escapes than to recapture a loose dog, so let's talk about some preventative measures every dog owner can take.

Removing the motivation to escape is a big part of the solution. A bored dog is much more likely to spend his day plotting the great escape. A dog that is surrounded by everything he or she needs, like lots of toys, a soft bed, and plenty of fresh clean, water, is more likely to spend his or her day contentedly sleeping or playing with toys until the owner returns.

In addition, a dog with lots of pent up, unused energy is likely to try to escape. Try incorporating several vigorous play sessions with your dog into your daily routine. Make one of those play sessions right before you leave. If your dog has a chance to work of his or her energy, chances are he or she will sleep or relax much of the day.

Of course dealing with the dog is only half the problem. It is also important to make the property as escape proof as possible, through proper fencing and other measures. For dogs that dig, it may be necessary to extend the fence underground by placing metal stakes in the ground every few feet. For dogs that jump, it may be necessary to make the fence higher. And if none of these measures work, it may be necessary to confine the dog to the house when you are not at home.

Raising Kittens

2008-08-06T12:46:00.000+08:00

Your cat is expecting kittens. How exciting! Raising kittens can be a highly rewarding and enjoyable experience. What should you expect? What will you need to make sure the little tikes grow up happy, healthy and strong?

Let's start from day one. Most likely, you walk in and find your cat already nursing her new litter. As there will be a bit of a mess where she is, you will want to move her and her kittens somewhere clean and safe. Mother cats prefer a darkened den, so putting a blanket over her box and lining it with nice clean bedding will do nicely for a nursery. The nursery should be set up in a quiet area, away from traffic. Too much noise and light can upset a mother cat and she may try to move her kittens if she doesn't feel her they are safe. A sad fact is that sometimes there are one or two dead kittens born along with the live ones. Remove them immediately along with the rest of the birthing mess. The mother will be unlikely to show any interest them.

For the first few days the mother will be constantly with her kittens. They need warmth and frequent feedings at this time which doesn't leave much time for socializing. By the time they are approximately a week old their need for very warm temperatures will begin to reduce. The mother will begin to leave them alone for longer and longer periods. They will begin to huddle up together for warmth. If you peek into the nursery and find a ball of kittens sleeping peacefully, rest assured they are doing just fine. Kittens will sleep nearly all the time for their first two weeks. If the kittens are crying constantly then they are ill or not getting enough milk. Call your vet immediately. Ill or starving kittens can die very quickly without your help.

Assuming that kittens and mother are all healthy and content, you will need to do very little during the first month. The kittens' care will rest primarily in their mothers' capable paws. Normally, kitten eyes will open in seven to fourteen days. If they stay shut for longer than that call your vet. Kittens often get a mild eye infection. The infection results in the eyelids being gummed shut. A cotton ball that has been moistened with warm water should be all you'll need to open the eyes again. If a kitten gets this eye infection keep a close on her. The infection could build up behind those glued shut eyelids and damage the eyeball. The infection usually clears up by itself in a few days. If it turns particularly severe, take the kitten to your vet.

At about one month of age, the kittens should toddle around pretty well and will want to start eating solid food. You may find one of your little tikes standing in his mothers' food dish trying out the food. You will want to put down a plate of a good quality kitten food for them to nibble on. Kitten food is formulated specifically for the needs of growing kittens, where adult food is not. Poor nutrition while the kittens are growing could result in health issues when they become adults. The trick will be keeping the mother out of the kitten food. Most adults find kitten food absolutely delicious.

The first planned visit to the veterinarian for vaccinations should come at about two months of age. By about 3 months of age the kittens should pretty independent and ready to move to their new home if you are planning to sell or give them away. I've given a general overview here. For a normal healthy litter and mother these guidelines should serve you well. If there are any issues, rely on your vet to let you know the best thing to do in any situation. Enjoy your kittens while they are with you. They grow up so amazingly fast!

Training your cat not to scratch furniture

2008-08-06T12:41:00.000+08:00

Cats have a natural instinct that will lead them to climb and scratch. If you are not providing the proper tools for the cat to use, they will use what they can find to scratch. For most, the times it will be furniture, drapes, counter tops or any thing that they can scratch.

Why does a cat need to scratch? Scratching is an enjoyable activity that a cat likes to do. Helps remove old layers of nails on the cat's claws. Cats do scratching also to mark their territories in the home, so if there are other animals or cats in the house that is a way of telling them this is their area.

Lets look at what can we do to help the cat learn good behaviors for scathing. First, do not spray a cat if they are scratching on the counter as they will jump off, run, and think it is a game. Take them off and let them know that this is not acceptable for them to do this. A firm voice can accomplish this. Alternatively, use some ways like a pop can secured with tape with coins in the can this will makes noises to let them know you do not want this done and they should not be up there.

Providing a scratching pole or tree for the cat would be the best solution. With a scratching post, they are able to do this and not have your furniture ruin. There are many different types of scratching post on the market to get for the cat. Some are standing alone with carpeting on them to deluxe kind that the cat can scratch and climb with cubbyholes for them to nest in, nap, or hide. Also when purchasing a pole or tree for the cat, watch the carpeting on them as the cat will hook their claws on the loop if that is the type of carpeting that is on there. Teaching a cat to scratch on a pole or tree does not come easy. You will have to show the cat what the pole is for and what options that can do on it. You yourself will have to scratch at the pole to show them that this is ok to do there. Providing good playtime with a cat with the pole will show the cat that they are able to use this. With rewarding the cat with a massage or healthy treat when they do use the pole. This will let the cat know that the behavior is acceptable.

Another thing that you could consider to help a cat not to scratch at your furniture is wrap the furniture in aluminum foil. Cats do not like the feel or the touch of aluminum foil. Putting netting or some type of woven fabric over it can help also, as cats do not like to snag their claws.

Making an environment when the cat is at home its self is a good idea to do, especially if they are still scratching at furniture, climbing the drapes or jumping on and off the counters and tables. This way you know the cat is safe and they can learn that they have to use only the items that you allow them to play with when you are gone or when you are at home. The environment should contain the only items that the cat able to play with. Scathing pole, toys, strings, balls, most important cat litter dish. One thing we do not want to forget is do not leave the water or the food out for the cat to get too as they will need to use the litter box and if you have not trained them yet you could have a surprises when you get home.

Cutting the cat claws to a proper length is another thing that will help. Cutting them to much down to the pink area will hurt the cat and could cause them to get infection. There are plenty of trained pet groomers to do this for a very small reasonable charge. You could ask the vet for a good groomer in your area. Keeping the cat healthy is another important step to help training your cat.

Training your dog to not pull on the leash

2008-08-05T12:44:00.000+08:00

Pulling on the leash is one of the most common misbehaviors seen on all kinds of dogs. Puppies and adult dogs alike can often be seen taking their owners for walks, instead of the other way around. Pulling on the leash can be much more than an annoying habit. Leash pulling can lead to escape in the case of a break in the collar or leash, and an out of control, off leash dog can be both destructive and dangerous to itself and to others.

Leash pulling can result from a variety of different things. In some cases, the dog may simply be so excited to go for a walk that he or she is unable to control themselves. In other cases, the dog sees itself as the leader of the pack, and he or she simply takes the "leadership position" at the front of the pack.

If excitement is the motivation for leash pulling, simply giving the dog a few minutes to calm down can often be a big help. Simply stand with the dog on the leash for a couple minutes and let the initial excitement of the upcoming walk pass. After the initial excitement ahs worn off, many dogs are willing to walk calmly on their leash.

If the problem is one of control, however, some retraining may be in order. All dog training starts with the owner establishing him or herself as the alpha dog, or pack leader, and without this basic respect and understanding, no effective training can occur. For dogs exhibiting these type of control issues, a step back to basic obedience commands is in order. These dogs can often be helped through a formal obedience school structure. The dog trainer will of course be sure to train the handler as well as the dog, and any good dog trainer will insist on working with the dog owner as well as the dog.

The basis of teaching the dog to walk calmly on the lead is teaching it to calmly accept the collar and lead. A dog that is bouncing up and down while the collar is being put on will not walk properly. Begin by asking your dog to sit down, and insisting that he sit still while the collar is put on. If the dog begins to get up, or gets up on his own after the collar is on, be sure to sit him back down immediately. Only begin the walk after the dog has sat calmly to have the collar put on, and continued to sit calmly as the leash is attached.

Once the leash is attached, it is important to make the dog walk calmly toward the door. If the dog jumps or surges ahead, gently correct him with a tug of the leash and return him to a sitting position. Make the dog stay, then move on again. Repeat this process until the dog is walking calmly by your side.

Repeat the above process when you reach the door. The dog should not be allowed to surge out of the door, or to pull you through the open door. If the dog begins this behavior, return the dog to the house and make him sit quietly until he can be trusted to walk through the door properly. Starting the walk in control is vital to creating a well mannered dog.

As you begin your walk, it is vital to keep the attention of the dog focused on you at all times. Remember, the dog should look to you for guidance, not take the lead himself. When walking, it is important to stop often. Every time you stop, your dog should stop. Getting into the habit of asking your dog to sit down every time you stop is a good way to keep your dog's attention focused on you. Make sure your dog is looking at you, then move off again. If the dog begins to surge ahead, immediately stop and ask the dog to sit. Repeat this process until the dog is reliability staying at your side. Each time the dog does what you ask him to, be sure to reward him with a treat, a toy or just your praise.

Remember that if your dog pulls on the leash and you continue to walk him anyway, you are inadvertently rewarding that unwanted behavior. Dogs learn whether you are teaching them or not, and learning the wrong things now will make learning the right things later that much harder. It is important to be consistent in your expectations. Every time the dog begins to pull ahead, immediately stop and make the dog sit. Continue to have the dog sit quietly until his focus is solely on you. Then start out again, making sure to immediately stop moving if the dog surges ahead.

Cat Behavior

2008-08-04T12:46:00.000+08:00

More Oddities

In my previous article on cat behavior, we discussed some interesting and unusual behavior displayed by the family of cats that live on my farm. That was only the beginning. These cats seem to delight in unexpected behavior. I thought I would share a few more gems with you.

There are three female cats on my farm. They consist of matriarch, Patch, and two of her daughters. There have been other female cats on the farm, but I have been able to find new homes for all of them. Cats, being solitary hunters, are not expected to show any kind of social hierarchy. My three female cats do have a definite hierarchy. The top cat is, of course, Patch. It's the two daughters that have been interesting. The older daughter, Calico, is from Patch's first litter she had on the farm. She is a sturdy, healthy calico that has not had any real problems. The second daughter is Little Girl. Little girl is a couple of years younger than Calico. She is the smallest cat on the farm. A black cat with flashy white markings, little girl is active and elegant.

Since her birth, Calico has been Patch's favorite daughter. Calico and patch hung out together much of the time. Patch even allowed Calico to help her with her kittens. When Patch wanted to go do something, Calico was right there to baby sit. Even when Patch was there, Calico was often right there with her. She could often be seen washing a kitten or even just providing a nice warm place for the little guy to sleep. When Little Girl arrived things continued quite awhile in the same way. Little Girl grew up and had her first litter of kittens. Calico, as occasionally happens with calico cats has turned out to be sterile. She has never had any kittens. Because of that, when little Girl had her kittens, Calico lost her favorite daughter status. With Little Girl's kittens, Patch became the doting grandmother. She was always helping Little Girl with her kittens. The two of then could often be see lying together, bathing the kittens or watching them play. Calico was banished. She wasn't allowed anywhere near those kittens or any other litter since.

Calico didn't just lose kitten privileges. She wasn't even allowed to hang out with Patch anymore the way she used to. Poor Calico, she was very upset. She knew exactly who to blame for her predicament. Little Girl. Calico and Little Girl fought several times. Unfortunately for Calico, Patch would sometimes jump in on Little Girl's side and run her off. Calico was banished to hanging out with her brothers. It's been a couple of years since then. Little Girl is still favorite daughter. Calico's position has eased somewhat. Last summer, Little Girl allowed Calico to help her with her kittens once in awhile. Patch has allowed Calico to hang out with her again from time to time. Who knows? One day Calico may just be able to work herself back into her mother's good graces. Little Girl seems to think so. She watches Calico very carefully. If she thinks things are going too well for Calico, Little Girl will start a fight with her. Oh well, Life goes on.

It isn't only the girls showing some interesting behavior. This past year two brown kittens were born. Thomas, a handsome cinnamon brown with lots of flashy white, was born in the spring. Pudge is solid brown without any white at all and was late summer. What is interesting about these two is that they are both fascinated by horses. We have three horses and every day you can find Thomas or Pudge (or both) strategically positioned to watch them. When I call the horses out of their pasture, often I find Thomas trotting in along with them. If I throw hay into their mangers I have to check before I throw. Quite often Thomas or Pudge will be sitting in the manger, ready for a close up study of the horse. When the horses are grazing, Thomas will creep along, nose to the ground until he's almost nose to nose with the horse. He will stay there for a few moments until the horse gently swings his nose at the kitten to push him out of the way. Pudge has recently developed a fascination with horse's tails. He will come right in behind the horse's heels and start playing with the tail. Fortunately for him, the horses have refrained from launching him into orbit.

Cats are funny and entertaining creatures aren't they. You just never seem to know what they are going to do next.

Training a Cat for the litter box

2008-08-04T12:40:00.001+08:00

Did you know that you can control when a cat has to go to the bathroom and when they don't have to go? It is called feeding time. One of the first things in training a cat is do not feed the cat anything unless you are going to be home for a time after they have eaten. This is a good example of feeding the cat after you get home from work and preparing dinner for the family. By the time you and your family have sat down and enjoyed your dinner, the cat should be ready to go out or go to the litter box to go potty.

Making sure the litter box is clean at all times so that the cat can have a nice smelling comfortable place to go potty at. There are plenty of different types of litter to get for the litter box. From plain to good smelling when they scratch at it or dig to sand to soft pellets. There is not a particular type that will help with the training of the cat. It is totally up to you and your cat. Some cats do not like smells and so this would be a consideration that you might want to find out if your cat will use the box with these types of litter. They have scoopers out that you can purchase to help clean up the litter box when the cat uses it so that they have a clean environment to go to when they need to. Another thing is that you would want to have a clean environment for this for your family too. Family member can get sick off of cat litter, clean and dirty.

You should wash out the litter box everyday and replace the litter with 1 ? of new litter. Wash out the litter box with hot soapy water, rinse thoroughly with water. By adding lemon juice or vinegar to the water will help take the smell out of the box. Ammonia is not a good cleaning agent to use as it will increase the smell of the litter box. If you have more than one cat a good thing is to have a couple of litter boxes in different locations so that each one has their own.

The litter box should not be near the place where the cat is sleeping, eating or playing area. If you going to but the litter box in the bathroom make sure that the door is open for the cat to be able to get in when it has to use it.

What are some of the causes that a cat would not use a little box? They use a favorite chair of a family member, quilt, blanket or carpet to go on. One the litter box could be dirty, which will lead a cat to bad behaviors for potty training. Other reasons could be too many people in the house, new pet that you have gotten lately, especially another cat. Children home on vacation for the summer or holidays, or maybe they sense you will be gone on a vacation or a period of time that they will be left at home and neighbors will stop in and check on it and feed them.

Urinary tract problems are another reason. This is why it is important when getting a cat or trying to train your cat to make sure they get to vet when they need to. Infections can cause a cat to have bad behaviors. With this if you are able to find out from a vet that your cat has an infection or is sick you will be able to treat the cat. And they will not learn all the good behaviors that you have taught them.

Rewarding the cat when it has gone potty in the proper place is very important in part of a cat training good behaviors. This is a time that you will want to search out for a good small healthy snack for your cat. Your cat will know that this is good, when you reward them for a job well done.

Training your dog not to chase people, bicycles, joggers, etc.

2008-08-03T15:40:00.000+08:00

Dogs by nature are predatory animals, and all predatory animals share the motivation to chase fleeing objects. While this may be a natural instinct, it is not appropriate when those fleeing objects are joggers, bicyclists or the mailman.

Training the dog not to chase people and bicycles is an important thing to do, and it is best to start that training as early as possible. Starting when the dog is still small and non-threatening is important, particularly with breeds that grow very large, or with breeds that have a reputation for being very aggressive. Many people respond to being chased by a dog, especially a large dog, with understandable fear, and it is best for yourself and your dog that he be trained not to chase before he reaches a threatening size.

Some dogs are easier to train away from chasing than others. Breeds that have been used for hunting or herding often retain much more of their chasing instincts than other types of dogs, for instance.

No matter what breed of dog you are working with, however, it is important to not allow him off the leash until his chasing behavior has been curbed. Allowing an untrained dog off the leash is dangerous, irresponsible and illegal.

Before you expose your dog to a situation where he will want to chase someone or something, be sure to train him in a safe, controlled area like a fenced in yard. It is important for the dog to be able to focus and concentrate on you, and for him to understand what behavior you want. The dog must be given the opportunity to repeatedly perform the behavior you want while in this controlled setting.

The training session should be started indoors in the dog's home. The dog should be put on a leash and the owner and the dog should stand at one end of a hallway or a room. The owner then waves a tennis ball in front of the dog but does not allow him to touch it. After that, the tennis ball is rolled to the other end of the hallway or the room, and the command "Off" is used to tell the dog not to chase the ball. If the dog starts out after the ball, use the command "Off" once again and give a firm tug on the leash.

When doing this type of training, it is vital that the dog not be allowed to touch the ball. If he actually reaches the ball, he may think that "Off" means to get the ball. This exercise should be repeated several times, until the dog has learned the meaning of the "Off" command. When the dog responds correctly by not chasing the ball, he should be rewarded with a special treat.

After the dog seems to understand his new game, move to another room and try the same thing. Repeat the exercise in several rooms of the house, in the garage, etc. After the dog has seemingly mastered the game and learned the meaning of the "Off" command, you can work with him without the leash, but still only in a safe area like your own home or a fenced in yard. It may take some time for the dog to fully master control of his chasing instinct, and it is important not to rush the process, or to leave the dog off leash until you are sure he is fully trained.

To test the training in the real world, enlist the assistance of a friend to pose as a jogger. It is important that the dog does not see and recognize this person; he has to assume that it is a stranger in order for the test to be valid. Stand with the dog on his leash and have your friend jog by a couple of times while you do the "Off" exercise. If the dog does as he is asked, be sure to provide lots of praise and treats. If he starts after the "jogger", give a firm reminder by tugging on the leash.

Deworming Multiple Cats

2008-08-02T15:44:00.000+08:00

Ah yes, everyone's favorite pet chore. One day you clean your cats' box and discover little white chunks of what appear to be cooked spaghetti lodged in the feces, that is, until one starts to move. You know then that it's time to deworm your cats. If your veterinarian says that your cat doesn't have anything particularly tough or nasty then he or she may recommend a regular schedule using commercial dewormers that can be found readily in any pet store. Your veterinarian even may have a good general purpose dewormer on hand for your use. Fortunately, there is a wide range of deworming medicines available on the market. Most are liquid or pill form.

If you have only one cat, your task is relatively simple. Choose a dewormer that your cat will find acceptable if not palatable. Many liquid dewormers claim to be very tasty to cats. Unfortunately, many cats would vigorously disagree with that assessment. In such a case, if you have access to a pill form of dewormer that your cat is willing to swallow, you're in luck. If your cat won't swallow pills without major mayhem breaking out and turns his nose up at every liquid dewormer you try, then you have a problem. If you have more than one cat, it can become even more of an issue. If your cats will happily take whatever you offer, then the only thing you have to worry about is keeping the greedy guts from getting more than they should. But, If each of them has a different idea as to what is acceptable (or not) for deworming medicine, then you have a major headache.

Rather than cater to each cats whims and maintain a veterinary pharmacy worth of dewormers in your house or routinely running your finicky feline into the veterinarian every to he needs deworming, you might try a different route. You will need a liquid deworming medicine and a syringe. Syringes are readily available in the livestock medication section of farm supply stores. You only need the section with the barrel and plunger. No needles are needed or should even be used. Syringes in farm supply stores usually offer the two sections separately. Select one of smaller size. Your cat won't need large amounts of medicine at any one time.

Measure out the proper amount of dewormer for your cat into a measuring cup. A measuring cup usually comes in the package with a liquid dewormer. Take one of your syringes and place the open end (where the needle would normally attach) into the measuring cup and draw the medicine up into the barrel by pulling upward on the plunger. Try to get it all at one time. You could do this task by increments but trying to manage a squirming cat while refilling a syringe really is more difficult than it is worth. Now restrain your cat gently and situate yourself so that you can hold the cat and use the syringe easily. It could require some experimentation to work out a suitable position for the both of you. . If you keep one hand underneath the cats head and cradle his chin it will make this part of the task go more smoothly. Slide the end of the syringe a little bit into your cat's mouth and slowly depress the plunger This will empty the medicine into your cat's mouth slowly enough that he can readily swallow it without choking. Repeat for each cat.

Naturally, your cat will not be particularly pleased with this method. He may object rather strenuously. With repetition, however, you will become much smoother with the task. You don't need to rush during this task. Take your time to discover what will work best for you and your cats. Your cats will become more accustomed to it despite themselves. This method will ensure that each cat, even your most finicky, gets the proper amount of medicine he needs. And that, of course, is the whole reason for the entire exercise.

Cats training on extreme meowing

2008-08-02T12:39:00.001+08:00

Has you cat been trained to do excess meowing?

When we hear a cat meowing, what is the first thing that comes in one's mind?

Your cat is hungry! This would be a wrong answer!

Excess meowing for your cat can mean a number of things. Are they having discomfort, medical problems, are they bored, or does your cat want to spend time with you. Of course, they could be hungry or have learned this habit. When the cat is verbalizing, ignore them, when they are quiet then reward them. This will let your cat know this is a good behavior. Giving in when your cat is noisy will contribute to bad behavior and unsatisfied relationship for both cat and owner.

First, you will need to get your cat to learn when it is appropriate to meow, when they really need something. A content cat will find many things to occupied it self with. This will mean your cat will do less meowing.

A good thing to remember about your cat, they will not exercise by themselves. Set up a playtime and area to spend with your cat. Strings, ball, catnip items, or simple home made items that your cat will love. This will help develop a good behavior, for the times that you are away, busy or do not have time to spend with your cat. Make sure the time you spend with your cat is around the same time of day. A good time is when you come home from work or your busy day that you will want to relax. It is known that cats can help ones blood pressure and help you to relax.

Purring is a way a cat is telling you they maybe content. Nevertheless, beware not all purring at times are good purrs. Cats will purr if they are ill, sick, or dying. Pay close attention to your cat if it is purring your cat can use purring as a warning when sick; to let other animals know they are a threat to them.

If your cat stops purring another thing you will want to be concerned is your cat may be sick with a virus or some other thing could be wrong. This is the time that you should be seeking a veterinarian to have your cat examined for any thing that may be wrong with your cat. In some cases, when cats get older they may stop purring or maybe the purring is so soft that you are unable to hear them purr.

Emotions can also be part of a behavior in your cat. In many cases, we are unable to recognize emotions Fear, grief, compassion, jealousy, just to name a few. These emotions are real to us and real to your cat fear of hurt or maybe intimated by another animal. Grief, if a cat loses it owner they will grief just as we do losing a love one. Compassion, cats have compassion of other cats. Jealousy if your cat has to start sharing owner, home, toys, eating and watering dishes. Here are some things that we need to take in consideration when trying to train a cat. Emotions with these emotions you will not be able to train your cat. Emotions will also cause a cat to have excessive meowing, that you will not be able to train.

We need to remember when training a cat for meowing restively is why they are having continued meowing. Are they hurt, ill or is it a behavior. Are we giving the proper attention that a cat needs? The cat's emotions are they satisfied with where they are, whom they are with, and what they are doing. Training a cat is not easy, it does take time and patience, just like children we need to teach them the good behavior and ignore the bad ones.

Remember to reward your cat today for being good. Take time with your cat and teach them how to play with toys and items that they are allowed to play with. Feed those healthy snacks and food. Get toys that they will play with.

However, most of all be kind and hug your cat today!

Dog training - keeping your dog motivated

2008-08-01T15:40:00.000+08:00

Keeping the attention of a dog while training is not always easy. Dogs can be easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making training fun for the dog and the human alike is vital to creating a happy, well adjusted and well trained dog.

Providing random positive stimuli during the day is a great way to keep the interest of the dog. Doing things the dog enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, is a great way to keep the dog's attention and reward him for small successes.

For instance, in order to reward the dog for coming to you, for instance, ask the dog to come to you, without giving any clues about a walk, a car ride, or other treats. After the dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the leash and start the reward. This can be either the aforementioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog likes to do.

Providing some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a scratch behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want, is a great way to keep your dog motivated. If the dog knows something great is going to happen every time he obeys your command, he will be motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training

When training any dog, it is important to not let distractions disrupt the training. The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These types of distractions can even be used as rewards when training the dog to come when called.

For instance, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, whether in a local dog park or with the neighbor's dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or yard and call your dog. When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to go back to playing with his friends. Repeat this several times and praise the dog each time he comes to you. The dog will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

If the dog does not master this particular type of training right away, try not to get discouraged. So called distraction training is one of the most difficult things to teach. Dogs are naturally social animals, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their canine companions, but it is important to persist.

Training the dog to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first. For instance, waving a favorite toy, or a lure, is a great way to get your dog's attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator as well.

Once the dog begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to respond to your voice alone. It is important that the dog respond to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

Cat Mythology - Cats as Familiars

2008-07-31T15:43:00.000+08:00

Cats as familiars have a long and dark history in western mythology. These cats often found their way into literature. One of the most famous was Grimalkin, the witches' cat from Shakespeare's MacBeth. Cats as witch's companions are still a part of the popular symbology associated with the modern holiday of Halloween.

What is a familiar? In western mythology a familiar was an animal companion given by the devil to a witch in order to help her with her evil magic. These familiars would have names just like any other pet. In the middle ages, if you were caught talking to your pet (like a lot of people do) you were considered to be consorting with the devil in speaking to w obviously your familiar. The Middle Ages were a very dark and violent period in Europe. Their alternative name "Dark Ages" should come as no surprise. Learning was confined to clergy and nobility. The general population was therefore quite ignorant and prone to superstition.

A familiar could be any type of animal such as a toad, dog or cat. Black cats became the traditionally cited companion and hence cats became particularly reviled. In 1233 Pope Gregory IX wrote in his Papal Bull "Vox in Rama" actually denounced black cats as satanic. The Popes' proclamation began the persecution of cats all over Europe. Thousands and thousands of cats were burned alive in the attempt to drive out the evil Satan. Wild tales of these cats shape shifting into other creatures were common among the populace and justified these terrible acts in their minds. When the power of the Knights Templar was broken, some of the knights were said to have confessed to worshipping cats. As these so-called confessions were given under extreme torture, they would seem to speak more to the attitudes of their inquisitors than to anything the Templars themselves had actually done.

Why were black cats in particular singled out? There are a couple of legends that might explain this singular revulsion. In the first legend, so the story goes, is that cats who were born at the end of blackberry season were called blackberry cats. According to this legend, the end of blackberry season coincides with the expulsion of Satan from heaven. When he fell he landed on a blackberry bush which he defiled with his urine and spit. Thus, blackberry cats, especially black ones are associated with the devil in this tale. The second tale comes from Italy. The Italian witches, called streghe, tell a legend about Diana who is goddess of the moon and also called "Queen of the Witches". Her brother who was known in ancient times as Apollo, is renamed Lucifer (Light Bearer) in this tale. Supposedly, Diana wanted to have a son by Lucifer, so she attempted to trick him by taking the shape of a black cat.

As you can see, these stories were pretty wild, and yet the people of those dark times took them as the gospel truth. The irony of this superstitious hysteria against cats was that by destroying the cats the Europeans nearly destroyed themselves. Cats had been used for centuries to keep down the population of vermin, especially mice and rats. When their predators were destroyed, the vermin population exploded. They ate large amounts of grain that had been meant for human consumption resulting in widespread hunger among the people. Even worse than the hunger was that the enormous numbers of rats became disease carriers. The worst of these diseases was the bubonic plague, otherwise known as the Black Death. The Plagues of the Middle Ages are terrible instance of the repercussions that can befall humans due to misplaced zeal.

Advanced dog training exercises

2008-07-30T15:39:00.000+08:00

Coming when called is a vital skill that every dog must learn, both for its own safety and that of those around it. A disobedient dog that refuses to come when called could easily be hit by a car, get into a fight with another dog, or suffer a variety of other bad experiences. A well trained dog that comes when called can safely be taken out to play in the local park, at the beach, on the hiking trail, or anywhere else the owner and dog may wish to go.

Basic training to come when called is relatively easy and straightforward, and involves providing praise, treats and other perks when the dog does as his owner wants. After these basic come when called training exercises are mastered, there are a number of fun exercises that can be introduced to challenge the dog and pique its interest.

Making training into a fun game is one of the best ways to motivate dog and handler alike. It is easy for training sessions to become routine and boring, and it is important to keep them from degenerating into this state.

Before beginning any food based training exercise, it is important to make sure that the dog is properly motivated and ready to respond to treat based training. Testing the dog is simply a matter of taking a piece of his regular food and waving it in front of the dog's nose. If the dog shows great enthusiasm for the food, it is ready to start the training. If not, it is best to wait until the dog is in a more receptive mood.

The treats that work best for treat based training games like hide and seek are cut up quarter inch or smaller pieces of chicken, cheese or liver. In other words, something your dog will love. It is best to use very small pieces to avoid overfeeding the dog during he training sessions.

One great game for you and another family member or friend to play with your dog is simply back and forth recall. This is a great exercise for teaching your dog to come whenever it is called by a member of the family. Dogs often learn to only respond to one person, and this can be a problem when other people are watching the dog. That is one reason why professional dog trainers always insist on working with the owner as well as the dog. A well trained dog must learn to respond to whoever is in charge, not just the owner or usual handler.

In the back and forth recall game, two or more people stand approximately ten yards apart, in a safe place like a fenced in yard. One person calls the dog and asks him to sit and say until another person asks the dog to come. When the dog responds to the command to come, it is rewarded with a treat. Most dogs respond wonderfully to this exercise and love playing this game. When playing the back and forth recall game, it is important that only the person who called the dog be allowed to give the dog a treat.

After the dog has mastered the back and forth recall game, the humans in the game can start to spread further out, thus turning the back and forth recall game into a fun game of hide and seek. The hide and seek game starts with two or more people in the center room of the house. Every time they call the dog to come, they spread out further away from where they started. As the game continues, one person will be at one end of the house, while another may be at the opposite end. What makes the hide and seek game so much fun for the dog is that he must seek out the person to get the treat, instead of simply running up to a person in plain sight. This type of seeking behavior appeals to many of the dog's natural instincts. After all, dogs are naturally hunting animals, and seeking out food is second nature to them.

Cat Mythology - Cats as Deity

2008-07-29T15:42:00.001+08:00

Cats as deities are most closely associated with ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians had several feline gods and goddesses. Lions were said to guard the great god Ra during his nightly journey through the underworld. The Egyptians had a fascination with lions. They created their sphinx with the body of a lion and the head of Pharaoh. Three lion goddesses existed in ancient Egypt. Sekhmet was a fierce and powerful goddess. She was a war goddess who was sent by her father Ra to earth to destroy his enemies. She is usually depicted as a woman with the head of a lion. Another lion headed goddess was Tefnut whose name means moisture. She represented a primeval force of nature. The third lion goddess was Mafdet who was the goddess of protection.

Among her fierce sisters, gentle Bast may seem a bit out of place. Often shown as a graceful cat wearing bracelets a broad collar and earrings, Bast was the protectress of domestic cats and those who cared for them. Her principle gifts to the world were joy and pleasure. She was a much beloved household deity. Her principle temple was at Bubastis and was said to be one of the most beautiful and popular in all of Egypt. She had a secondary seat in Memphis as well. There is some evidence to believe that the ancient Egyptians believed that Bast and Sekhmet were actually two faces of the same divine force. Sekhmet representing the violent aspect of the divine, and Bast, the gentler qualities.

Egyptian children were often consecrated to Bastand placed under her protection. Bast was considered a divine mother and was sometimes depicted with kittens. When a woman in ancient Egypt wanted to have children, she would often wear a bracelet or a necklace depicting the goddess Bast with kittens. The number of kittens shown with the goddess represented the number of children desired by the woman. Ancient Egyptians seemed to consider cats to be the height of beauty. The styles of makeup they used, especially around the eyes, tended to give them a feline look.

Cats were so highly regarded by the ancient Egyptians that the penalty for killing one was death. When a family cat died of accident or old age, its' human family would go into mourning. They would shave their eyebrows off to show their grief. Cats were often mummified. One royal cat was buried in a marble coffin. The hieroglyphs on her coffin referred to her as "Lady Cat".

Bast was said to be the wife of the god Ptah. Ptah was the creator god of the universe. Ptah and Bast were said to have had a son, the fierce lion god Maahes. Maahes originated as a Nubian god. During the New Kingdom, his worship moved northward where he was incorporated into the Egyptian pantheon as the son of Bast and Ptah. On becoming a divine mother, Bast became associated with the protectress of Lower Egypt, Wadjet. They became linked as Wadjet-Bast. A similar association was created in the Upper Kingdom By the combination of Sekhmet and the Upper Kingdom protectress Nekhbet.

The constantly changing nature of Egyptian religion can be rather confusing. They had an inclusive attitude towards other gods and religions. The ancient Egyptians freely adapted and adopted these others into their own cosmology. This attitude makes it difficult for modern readers to understand. Most of us have been raised in religions whose nature is highly exclusive. With an exclusive religion, outside influences are rejected or even actively repelled. The Egyptians, as demonstrated by the story of Bast and Maahes, had a very different way at looking at religion.

Dog training - reward training basics

2008-07-28T15:38:00.000+08:00

Training with treats and other food based rewards is a great way to motivate your dog and speed the training process along. Most dogs are highly motivated by food rewards, and treat training using this kind of positive reinforcement is used to train all sorts of animals, including tigers, lions, elephants and even house cats.

Before you begin a treat based training session, however, it is a good idea to test the dog to make sure that food will motivate him through the session. Begin around the dog's regular meal time by taking a piece of its food and waving it in front of the dog's nose. If the dog shows an enthusiasm for the food, now is a great time to start the training. If the dog shows little interest, or none at all, it may be best to put off the training until another time. Don't be afraid to delay the start of meal time in order to pique the dog's interest in training. The advantages of proper training will far outweigh any delay in feeding.

It is generally best to get the dog used to regular feedings, instead of leaving food out all the time. Not only does free feeding encourage the dog to overeat and increase the chances of obesity, but a free fed dog may never be fully motivated in reward based training.

The come when called command

Once your dog has shown interest in the food offered to it, it is time to begin the training. Since you already got your dog's undivided attention by showing it food, now is a great time to start. Give the dog a few pieces of food right away, then back up a few steps. While holding the food in your hand, so "come here". When the dog comes to you, praise him effusively and give him a few pieces of food.

After the dog is coming to you easily, add a sit command and hold the collar before you give the food. After the sit command is mastered, other commands, and even some tricks, can be added. Food based positive reinforcement training is the best way to teach a variety of important behaviors.

One good exercise is the sit, stay, come when called exercise. This exercise can begin with the owner walking the dog, then stopping and asking the dog to sit. After the dog is sitting quietly, the owner backs away and asks the dog to stay. Ideally the dog should continue to stay until called by the owner, even if the leash is dropped. At the end of the exercise, the owner calls the dog. When the dog comes to the owner, it receives food and praise from the owner. This exercise should be repeated several times, until the dog is reliably coming when called.

It is important to keep the training sessions short, especially in the beginning, to keep the dog from becoming bored, and from consuming its entire meal in the form of treats. After the dog has been responding regularly, the treats and food rewards can be slowly reduced. It is important to still provide these food rewards, but it may no longer be necessary to provide as many. After awhile, as well, it will not be necessary to give the dog treats every single time he responds as requested. In general, it should only be necessary for the dog to receive a food treat one out of every five times he comes on demand. The other four successes can be rewarded with praise and scratches.

Once the dog understand the basics of the "come here" exercise, the basic exercise can be expanded, and many games can be created. These type of games can be great fun for owner and dog alike, as well as a great learning experience. Some off leash work can be introduced as well, but it is always best to start with the dog in a safe environment, such as a fenced back yard. For variety, you can try taking the dog to other safe environments, such as a friend's house, a neighbor's fenced yard or a local dog park. Try turning the dog loose in these safe places, and practice the come when called exercise. Always praise the dog extensively, scratch him behind the ears and tell him what a good dog he is. The goal should be to make coming to the owner a more pleasant experience than whatever the dog was doing before he was called.

A Short History Of Cats

2008-07-27T18:09:00.000+08:00

It seems strange that there was ever a time when cats were not a part of our lives. It's been less that 10,000 years since cats swaggered into our lives. Hardly an eye blink in the grand sweep of life on this planet. Why were cats so late to join our team? The simple answer is they didn't need us to survive. Cats were surviving just fine on their own. Then, people invented agriculture. Agriculture resulted in large scale storage of grains which attracted the usual and well know group of freeloaders, mice and rats. Grain attracted rodents. Rodents attracted cats who consider them tasty meals. The result was that cats set up housekeeping close to human settlements. Eventually, cats being cats, moved right on in.

Who were these first cats? The first clue lies in where agriculture was first practiced. Agriculture first took root (no pun intended) in the Middle East in a great sweep from modern day Turkey to Egypt. Within this area ranges the African wild cat, Felis libyca. African wild cats are slightly larger that our modern house cats and are yellow in color with muted stripes. These cats have a docile, almost laid back nature. Interestingly, these cats still tend to live and hunt near human dwellings today. Locals still like to catch and rear young wild cats as pets. When mature, wild cats raised by humans tend to behave very much like our familiar housecats. A very good case can (and has) been advanced designating Felis libyca as the principal founding population for domestic cats. At least two other varieties of wild cat are speculated to have contributed to the genetic make up of domestic cats. One is Felis silvestris, The European wildcat who appears to have contributed darker markings and a peppery spirit to the African wild cat base. Also, from Asia, comes the Pallas or Steppe cat (Felis manul) that appears to have contributed long-haired coats to the mix.

The early period of domestication of cats is vague with only patches of evidence. However, by 6,000 B.C. statues found in Anatolia (modern Turkey) show women playing with domestic cats. Cats had clearly become common and affectionate pets by that time. The earliest written records about cats appear by approximately 4,000 B.C. in Egypt where they were frequently kept to hunt mice and rats from stored grains. It was a good time to be a cat in ancient Egypt. Domestic cats were thought to be the embodiment of the goddess Bast (or Bastet). There was a necropolis at her principal temple at Bubastis that contained mummified cats.

Romans spread the domestic cat northward into central Europe and westward to Britain during the expansion of their empire. Cats were quickly adopted and admired as great hunters. And they continued to move north and east in Europe. The Vikings used cats as both rodent hunters and pets. The Viking goddess of love and war, Freyja, was associated with cats. Huge winged cats drew her chariot. It also became the custom to give new brides a kitten in her name.

The Middle Ages it were a very bad time to be a cat. Cats were said to be witches familiars, in league with the devil. Because of this superstition, cats were routinely killed during festivals. Sometimes they were even burned alive or thrown off tall buildings. The Europeans paid heavily for their cruelty to cats. The deaths of so many cats allowed the rodent population to rise out of control, bringing in the Black Death which killed so much of the European population. Eventually, the cats' cleanly ways and hunting prowess redeemed them in the eyes of the people of Europe. By the 1600s, people in France began putting little holes near the bottom of their doors to allow their cats to enter and leave as they please.

In Asia cats continued to be familiar hunters and cherished pets. Cats were often subjects for drawing and painting in China. In Japan, cats in the form of Maneki Neko, usually portrayed as a sitting cat with one paw raised and bent, are considered good fortune. They are often found in businesses to draw in money.

The history of cats is a fascinating one, worthy of much more in depth study. It fosters an appreciation for the personalities and talents of our pets.

The Pros and Cons of Keeping Wild Ferrets

2008-07-27T18:05:00.000+08:00

Is a wild ferret for you? You might have to quiz yourself well on that before you head off to the nearest forest and score yourself a brand new wild ferret to have and hold. There are many advantages and disadvantages of keeping wild ferrets, and here are some of the more major things you can expect once you decide to acquire wild ferrets.

Advantages:

More adventure, more fun. People who are just as interested in getting adventures out of their ferrets as much as the wild ferrets are must be open to the idea of keeping them untamed. Wild ferrets are quite exciting to behold, especially for extremists who may find themselves bored with the typical domesticated pet. The good thing about wild pets is that they are extremely resilient and able to bounce back from attacks easily with they speedy and adventurous nature. Their curiosity may also lead to bring you in some surprises you wouldn’t otherwise have had if you had them tamed.

Non-deviation from their natural genetic makeup. The genetic makeup for ferrets is that they roam free and explore unchartered territories fearlessly. Leaving them to their wild side will enable them to do just that. If you are planning to research on ferrets, keeping them wild is the best way to keep them as close to their natural habitat and actuations as possible. This way, learning about your pet is maximized.

Owners will get the chance to see wild ferrets as they are, sans modifications that can be painful for them. Seeing ferrets au naturel has its perk. Modifying ferrets for domestication such as removing their gland (a big ouch for your mammal!) that secretes the offensive musky smell can really alter your ferret permanently.

One can have to option to train them at a later time. Once you have had enough of the adventures or misadventures of your wild ferret, you always have the option to tame them at a later time.

Disadvantages:

Wild ferrets may choose to be free from your ownership anytime. Since wild ferrets are designed to be free from any form of captivity or ownership, they will have no sense of loyalty whatsoever and will be free to roam around to places in any way they choose. If you truly want this whole thing to work, you have to be prepared to lose your ferret over anytime once they decide to break free and change their surroundings.

They have higher risk to diseases and early deaths. Wild ferrets are not regulated in any way. They will eat anything and everything that they see lying around. In fact, even domesticated ferrets still have this as a common cause of death. This risk to early deaths, lack of digestion and poisoning may be heightened. And treating them with a laxative may be all the more difficult if you have not trained your ferret even to get familiar with you to trust you.

They may pose a danger to you, especially to children. If you let ferrets be, they will remain as wild as ever and they may not be the kind of pet you would want to have around when there are many children who can get hurt. Children and ferrets are both playful and grow wild when untamed, and there is no predicting what kind of explosion may occur if you put them together in the same room and in the same condition.

Younger children are at a higher risk of getting bitten because they may not be able to regulate the way they touch your ferrets and the ferrets might interpret the child’s playful cuddling as an attack.

Once you decide to train them later, they may be most resistant to your attempts. Training wild ferrets when old may not be as easy as when you start them out young. You might have to incur additional expenses and few ferret trainers will be willing to get bitten by an old wild ferret for a fee.

Dog training issues - refusing to come when called

2008-07-26T17:57:00.000+08:00

Many dog owners fail to recognize the importance of having a dog that comes when called until there is a problem, such as the collar or leash breaking, or the dog tearing free to chase a person or another animal. These situations can be dangerous for the dog, the owner and other members of the community. In areas where there is a lot of vehicular traffic, the situation could even prove fatal to the dog.

Unfortunately, many well meaning owners sabotage this important part of their dog's training by allowing it to run off leash and unattended. Whether the dog is allowed to run in the park, on the beach, or just play with other dogs, this teaches the dog that there are many fun things that do not involve its owner. In fact, from the dog's perspective at least, these fun times are often ruined by the appearance of the owner.

Look at things from the dog's perspective for a moment. You - the dog - are having a ton of fun running on the beach with all your doggy friends, and suddenly here comes this human to take you away from the fun. When you see the dog's point of view it is easy to see how the appearance of the owner, and the leash can be seen as a negative.

This negative perception causes many dogs to delay this outcome by refusing to come when they are called. From the dog's point of view, this makes perfect sense, since every minute of delay means another minute of romping on the beach or in the park. In other words, the dog has learned that the most rewarding thing to do is to ignore the calls of its owner. While this may seem like a good idea to the dog, it is definitely not a good thing from the owner's perspective.

For dogs who have not yet learned this type of avoidance behavior, it is best to prevent it from happening by supervising the dog at play, and making the time you spend with your dog as much, or more, fun, as the time it spends alone or with other dogs.

For dogs that have already learned the value of ignoring their owner, some retraining is definitely in order. It is vital that every dog respond to the "come here" command, for the safety of both humans and dogs alike.

One thing to avoid is following the "come here" command with unpleasant activities. Calling the dog, and then immediately giving him a bath, clipping his nails, taking him to the vet, etc. will quickly teach the dog that coming to the owner has negative consequences. It is best to ask the dog to come and then play with him, feed him, walk him or engage in other fun activities. If you do need to take your dog to the vet, bathe him, etc. be sure to allow some time to pass so the dog does not associate the "come here" command with the bad experience.

It is important to remember that dogs are constantly learning, whether a formal training session is in process or not. Your dog is always learning something from you, whether good or bad. It is therefore important to make every interaction with your dog a positive one.

When teaching the dog to come on command, it is vital that the dog be consistently rewarded every single time he does as the owner wants. A reward can be as simple as a pat on the head, a "good boy" or a scratch behind the ears. Of course, treat based rewards are appreciated as well, and many dogs are highly food motivated and respond quickly to this type of training. The key is to be consistent. The dog should get some kind of reward, whether it be praise, a toy, or a treat, every time he appears at the owners side when called.