Archive for » October, 2008 «

Wednesday, October 08th, 2008 | Author: admin

Bringing home a puppy is always an exciting event. However the not so fun part is all the accident that your new arrival is bound to have. You should start Boston Terrier training right away for your sanity and the happiness of the whole family. There is a way to make this a fun thing. Boston Terrier potty training should be the whole family’s responsibility. The family should decide together on a method and work together.

When you work as a team your Boston Terrier training will go so much better. No matter what technique you use don’t expect results right away. Any dog training book will tell you that your Boston Terrier potty training may very well take months before it is completely successful. Boston Terriers can also be a little stubborn but they are intelligent creatures and eager to please. Use this in your favor and you will soon find you have potty trained your pet.
It’s not always easy to anticipate when a puppy needs to go. You can’t always be on the lookout for when it will need to be taken outside. The crate is a great tool for Boston Terrier potty training. If you make a cozy crate for your dog it will not want to mess up this area as it will think of it as it’s den. So when you are not around to supervise your puppy confine it to your crate. Let your puppy out at regular intervals to the part of the garden or house designated for its toilet.

Make sure your doggy crate has toys and bedding in it, everything possible to make it feel like home for your dog. There will be a few occasions when your dog has accidents in the crate. Don’t be discouraged, just clean out the crate and perhaps check more regularly on your puppy. Remember that if your puppy starts to squat or sniff around then it is likely to have one of those accidents. So take it quickly to the place you want it to go.
Remember that Boston Terrier potty training takes time. A month is not enough for your Boston Terrier to be perfectly trained. If your puppy is only a few weeks old then it is still very young and it may be quite a while before it is properly trained. You need to be patient and consistent with your dog. It can be frustrating and tiresome to keep a constant eye out for your dog and accidents but keep it up and it will pay off.

One of the things you can do to help with the training is to look out for the tell tale signs that a dog needs to go potty. If your puppy is squatting or seems to be sniffing around very diligently then it is about to go. You need to quickly take it outside before an accident occurs. The more times you can get your dog to associate the outdoors as the proper place to eliminate the better your training will go.

Boston Terrier training does not have to be hard as long as you are consistent and patient. This article condenses what you need to know from dog training books into an easy to read article.

Tuesday, October 07th, 2008 | Author: admin

Frontline Plus is the way to go, because it’s not just you who loves your beloved little pet.

Flea, tick and other parasitic infestations can beset your cat or dog, causing discomfort or more serious problems.

Most pets which are allowed out into nature will at some point pick up pet’s ticks, flea or other infestations.

Before you wrap your cat up in a hypoallergenic oxygen tent, relax.

For the most part, cat fleas and ticks are nothing more than a nuisance and can be easily treated.

However it should be paid attention to that a flea infestation left to run riot may result in sores and bald patches, and can actually kill your cat if you are neglectful enough to let this problem get out of control.

Frontline Plus For Dogs is the answer for all this, but first of all, let’s look at the little rascals concerned.

It may come as a shock to know that there is more than one kind of flea!

Know too that cat fleas can live off human blood too, but cannot reproduce without their principal hosts.

At 2.5 mm long the female is bigger than the male.

Fleas can jump straight up for 5 or 6 inches (about 15 cm), and can attach themselves to skin or clothing.

If this isn’t enough of a problem for you, the fact that fleas can reproduce rapidly and infest your home should be enough for you!

But what will kill fleas? Frontline Plus is the best answer!

For a cat, a flea collar can be a useful way to get rid of fleas, but you may find a dip or a shampoo better for some cats.

You need to choose an effective treatment for your particular cat.

Frontline Flea Tick should be a regular part of taking care of your animal these days.

There are many flea treatments on the market which work in different ways on different cats.

Medicated shampoos are okay for instant results if the infestation is clearly visible, but the effectiveness may only last a day or two as little chemical residue is left on the coat.

It is useful if you are trying to get a flea-free zone immediately for your cat. Dips are a little harsh though for routine care and for lesser cat infestations.

In these cases flea medications such as powders and sprays can be used, giving your cat protection for several days from not only fleas but also ticks.

The answer is Frontline Flea & Tick, the number one choice for vets in North America and the product that I use and recommend.

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Tuesday, October 07th, 2008 | Author: admin

It is advisable that you not start your Pug obedience training before your Pug has reached the age of seven months and the best way to succeed with Pug training is to win over his confidence and thus make him come to love you and admire your leadership. In fact, once you have brought your Pug home, you can start to teach him how to walk loosely on a leash and also teach him where to sit, as well to lie down when given commands such as sit and lie, and to also learn that the come command means to come to you.

In addition, if you are not patient when imparting Pug training the chances of success will diminish because the right way of giving Pug obedience training is to be patient which will also help your Pug associate different words of commands with their associated actions. What’s more, while training your Pug you need to make good use of a training leash as well as your hands and to also use a reassuring voice when giving commands. And, when your Pug learns the commands, you need to reinforce the good habits by repeatedly drilling the same commands into his mind so that he always responds positively to them.
Once your Pug puppy begins to connect a word with an action without requiring physical guidance you then need to reinforce it through constant drilling and it thus means correcting his errors in as kind a manner as possible to begin with and more severely as he gets more into his Pug obedience training routine. However, it is not advisable to use force or slap or punish him while in the process of Pug training, though you should praise him when he responds in the appropriate manner.

It is also not advisable to constantly give your Pug puppy treats while he is being trained because then he will develop the habit of only performing just to get his treat which will defeat the purpose of his Pug training. Still, when he does perform what is asked off him you need to praise him so that he becomes ready to repeat the correct action over and over again?
There is no doubt that to perform Pug obedience training in the proper manner is very important to making your Pug behave in a desirable manner and thus reduce the chances of him becoming a problem pet. Thus, to get best results, you should get him started off at an early age, and also be patient during the whole Pug training exercise. Pretty soon he should begin to associate proper actions with appropriate command words and by praising him and drilling the correct action, you will have succeeded in your efforts.

However, Pug training is not a bed of roses and in particular when you are involved in Pug obedience training you will find that in the beginning it will be hard for both the Pug and you to understand each other and so, to get best results, you should not let a single training session last for more five minutes at a given time. And only after the Pug begins to respond well can you extend a single training session to about fifteen minutes. In addition, you need to vary your training methods so that the Pug does not get bored with repeated training and using training equipment should also prove to be a useful aid in getting best results.

Though the Pug is small in size, he can often prove to be difficult to train because of his stubbornness and independence and so to make your Pug training more effective you may also need to consult dog training books to learn what the best methods are. Most people turn to reading dog training books when looking to learn more about Pug obedience training though this article too can show them what is necessary for them to succeed with training.

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Tuesday, October 07th, 2008 | Author: admin

Focus On The Way You Want Your Pet To Behave Not How You Don’t Want Him To Behave

If you’re not sure what you want, how are you going to get it? This is the case with everything you do in life, especially where dog training tips also

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of concentrating on things that we don’t want. And it seems to be a wide spread phenomenon with dog training too. We definitely don’t want our pet to pee on the carpet, and absolutely not to chew the furniture, or ignore us when we tell him what to do, or start barking incessantly when older members of the family come to the house.

Contemplate this for a minute. Suppose you’re about to adopt a puppy. Are you actually considering spending the next eight to fifteen years chasing your dog telling him off for things you didn’t want him to do? Wouldn’t it be better to guide your dog into behaviors that you want?

For example, instead of thinking, “I really do not want the dog to chew the furniture,” try, “I want my dog to chew his toys.” Instead of, “I hate it when the dog harasses and jumps up on people who visit the house,” how about, “It would be nice for the dog to sit nicely and welcome visitors.”

By focusing on the positive aspects of your training goals, you will have a much clearer path to successfully training your dog. That’s a great way to start your training journey.

Do Rewards Really Work?

The most important aspect people have realized in housetraining puppies over the last few years is the shift from emphasizing correction, or penalties, to emphasizing rewards.

Using rewards is a whole lot smarter for most trainers - especially for potty training tricks. One of the critical reasons for this is that if you make a mistake using punishment, the effects are likely to be quite disheartening for your pet. It’s not overly common, but your dog might respond with aggression to being overly punished. Other dogs shut down. They seem to lose their sense of adventure. Some may simply curl up and shy away all the time.

Many people also find that reward-based training feels better. It’s nice to be a source of praise and treats, instead of a constant disciplinarian.

But regardless of how good it makes you feel, rewards based training actually works. The main reason being that rewards of this nature help to stimulate and build acceptable behavior. As soon as she discovers that rewards come for a particular action of behavior, your dog will associate one with the other and learn to repeat the behavior when called upon. When you learn how to apply that simple rule, this technique will have your dog behaving like the perfect gentleman (or lady).

Monday, October 06th, 2008 | Author: admin

When you bring home a new puppy or a dog, you may notice that he or she is coughing on a regular basis. The term for this is known as Kennel Cough and it is similar to that of the human equivalent of a common cold. The coughing will occur in intense brief periods of nonstop coughing that may also be accompanied by vomiting. While this coughing spasm may look painful for the dog, it is but a cough and is no more painful than your own cough during a cold.

Kennel cough is a highly contagious infection!

When your dog or puppy starts to display this form of behavior, the chances that he or she has Kennel Cough could be good. Technically speaking, when you hear a veterinarian speaking of the condition, you will hear the term infectious tracheobronchitis. This is a very contagious problem that needs to be rectified before it gets spread to any other dogs in your home or at the neighbor’s house.

The cough itself is caused by keeping the dog in a tightly cramped space like that of a pet store or a kennel and is a combination of a number of different bacterial infections, viral infections as well as mycoplasmas.

The difference between the Kennel Cough cough and an ordinary cough is that when your dog has these brief non stop coughing experiences, the cough will sound harsh. The reason for this is the same as why your cough would sound smooth or harsh and it has to do with a build-up of fluids in the lungs.

Furthermore, just like the common cold, this Kennel Cough will usually go away within 10 or so day and even re-infect the dog only days later. Just like the common cold, there are a number of things that you can do to help your dog get rid of Kennel Cough; or at least make the symptoms a little more bearable for the puppy.

Taking care of Kennel Cough!

Just like any other possible health concern, the very first thing that you should do when you notice your dog has started to develop the symptoms of Kennel Cough is to take him or her in to see the veterinarian. The vet is trained in matter like this and will be able to determine how bad the condition is as well as what you need to do to take care of it.

In many cases, the veterinarian will administer a cough suppressant to the dog as well as some antibiotics depending on the severity of the Kennel Cough. In some cases, the vet will be able to determine if it actually is Kenner Cough or a more serious condition like the bacterial infection pneumonia.

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Monday, October 06th, 2008 | Author: admin

Food begging in dogs usually becomes a habit if you feed the dog from the table when he begs. He won’t leave the table if he’s reinforced for staying with tidbits. Command the dog to “settle” at the table and enforce it. He’ll tire of staring up and will soon fall asleep if you don’t reward him for begging. If you give the dog a scrap from the table, give it only when he’s in a settle position.

Some dogs are just born optimistic, and even though they have never received food from the table, they plant themselves at the table, hoping something will fall their way. Dropped food is a good beggar reinforcement, especially if you have a child who likes to make a game of dropping food on purpose. You may choose to train the dog to settle or down-stay in another room or at a distance from the table.

The dog must never bite the hand that feeds. To make sure that he doesn’t, teach him the command “easy.” Offer him a treat by holding the treat in your thumb and index finger keeping your palm toward your body and your knuckles facing the dog. If the dog grabs for the treat, give him a very loud and firm command by saying “Easy”. After a few rounds of this practice, he will generally take the food from your hand gently.

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Sunday, October 05th, 2008 | Author: admin

If you need some dog accessories such as shampoo for dogs or dog treats bulk then be sure to visit Your Dog Supplies Store now.

Just like humans, a puppy loves the idea of being the center of attention. The longer the time that your puppy has been the center of attention in your home, the more jealousy that is likely to become noticeable upon introduction of a newborn in the household. You will start to notice behaviors like pawing or barking, furthermore, the puppy may also begin to show destructive behaviors.

In preparing for a new baby you have to also make sure that you prepare the puppy for the new infant in order to prevent any possible misbehaviors that may arise.

1) Before bringing the baby home, while you are preparing the rest of the home for the new child, you will also need to start preparing the puppy for the arrival. For starters, preventing the puppy from thinking that the baby is a toy that he can play with and bite, you may want to introduce him to a doll. Carry the doll around throughout your daily routine much like you would once the baby arrives. Pretend to change the doll’s diapers in the presence of the puppy while at the same time making sure to give the puppy commands. Furthermore, you will also need to lay the doll down for a nap just like you would once the baby is born. Above all, make sure that the puppy obeys the commands that you give him; it is better that the puppy bites into the doll than your own baby.

2) Taking the puppy for walks around other toddlers such as at the playground is another way of getting him accustomed to the new arrival. Keep the puppy on a small 6’ leash and allow him to walk around while at the same time allow the other children to pet and play with the puppy so that he can get used to the young children. This will help him to realize that the new baby will not be a threat to him as well as assist in lowering the stress levels associated with bringing home a new baby.

3) Socializing your puppy with children is important before you ever bring home a new baby. In the event that the puppy shows any form of aggression to the children, you need to contact a professional as the puppy may be in the need of some form of specialized dog behavioral training.

4) As you start preparing the baby’s room, in the last few weeks before the arrival of the baby, let the puppy follow you in and out of the baby’s room as well as sniff the things you bring into the room while under complete supervision. In the event that the puppy paws at the crib or gets too close to it, tell him NO and teach the puppy that the crib is off limits to him; always.

Sunday, October 05th, 2008 | Author: admin

Your dog’s eyes can often be regardedas the windows to his health.* could be indicative other concerns, such as vascular disease affecting the blood and the blood circulation system.

Dog Eye Health Problems That Can Signal Vascular Disorders
Does your dog have blood coming out of the blood vessels in the eyeball? That’s a complaint known as intraocular hemorrhage, and it’s a condition that might mean your pet has a circulatory ailment.

You should also be aware that a diagnosis of retinal detachment, where the retina separates from the choroid, could lead to a diagnosis of vascular disease.

Finally, if your pet suffers from papilledema, a swollen blind spot that’s caused by excessive fluid build-up, that ailment might also be indicative of a vascular ailment in your pet dog.

Consult Your Vet
If your pet has any of these dog eye health disorders, you should organize an appointment with your vet to have your dog examined to see if he has a ailment that interferes with his blood circulation. If your pet has already been diagnosed with one of these dog eye health conditions, be sure to follow your veterinarian’s guidance and give your pet any prescribed medicine or treatment for the ailment.

Dog Eye Health Problems That Can Signal Infectious Disorders Watch out for inflammation, or redness, around the tissue that surrounds your dog’s eye. This health condition, known as conjunctivitis, might mean your pet has a a bacterial disease, a virus, parasites, or allergies. Conjunctivitis is considered one of the most common conditions diagnosed today, and it is normally easily treated by keeping the dog’s eyes in good health, keeping them clean, and admiinistering medicine for a short while to eliminate the cause of the infection.

If your pet has conjunctivitis, his eyes will itch. Try to prevent him from scratching his eyes while you are treating his eye health problems. Get a cone-shaped collar from your vet if need be, so your pet’s conjunctive eye tissue health infection will have a chance to heal.

Know Your Breed
Some breeds are more likely to have more dog eye health issues than other dogs, so it’s essential to be familiar with any dog eye health issues particular to your dog’s breed. German Shepherd breeds, for instance, are susceptible to chronic superficial keratitis, and some toy breeds can experience eye problems if their hair is not kept away from their eyes.

Of course, you must also ensure that your dog is properly house trained. Check out these articles to learn more about the best methods
House training puppies
House training dogs
puppy potty training

*My dog is a male, but this information about dog eye health applies to female dogs as well as males.

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Sunday, October 05th, 2008 | Author: admin

Great Pet Advice
Your dog health should not be left up to chance. All dog breeds are a bit different when it comes to their health and pub dogs are no different. It’s true that many dog problems are consistent with all breeds, but some breeds have more problems than other breeds.

In recent years, one of the most popular dog breeds has been the Pug, and if you are going to own one of these magnificent animals, then you must realize that it will require special pug dog health. In 1885, the Pug -a breed that man has known for thousands of years - officially became part of the AKC, specifically the Toy group. Pug’s are not hard to recognize, as they have a wrinkly and flat face, a curly tail, and a thick little body. On average, the breed is 13 pounds at the lightest, or 20 pounds at the heaviest, and stands 10 to 14 inches in height. Certainly, the breed has its own unique charm, but it is a type of dog that can develop many health problems that only their breed can catch, and special care must be taken to assure this doesn’t happen.

Pet Puppies

Inspect the dog’s folds carefully for any sign of infection between them, as this is a common problem for Pugs and one that must be fixed by a vet. Because of the propensity towards infection, you should always bathe and clean your pet regularly, especially between the wrinkles of skin.

Dog House Training

Eyes definitely cause major Pug dog health problems. The design of the Pug’s face means that the eyes are not protected as well as they could be, and are therefore prone to injury, among other problems. The eyes should be examined regularly for signs of infection, and of course take the dog to the veterinarian if you see any signs of infection.

If their owner permits it, Pugs will eat excessively. Always watch your dog’s food intake and keep him at a healthy weight, as a negative weight can affect a dog as badly as it can a human. Pugs do not handle heat well, and should never be left in a locked car or left in the sun outside without shade. High temperatures can induce difficulty breathing in Pugs, thus you should avoid leaving them exposed to high temperatures.

Of course, like any dog, taking proper care of your pet and taking him to the vet for regular visits is the best way to insure good pug dog health. Take responsible care of your pet, and you will have a pet who will provide many years worth of happiness.

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Friday, October 03rd, 2008 | Author: admin

If your dog has a yeast infection, it may be that your dog has a weak immune system and will be vulnerable to problems with yeast. When the immune system is weak, it lessens the good bacteria and yeast changes to a full blown yeast infection in dogs. The odor of yeast is noticeable especially in dogs.

You might think it is wax since it is brown in color and thick and it can go untreated.

Yeast infection targets the ears, feet and anal parts of a dog’s body. Anywhere that is moist will attract yeast. Dogs that have this infection usually have an excess of oil on the skin. The yeast loves this kind of oily skin texture. Extreme itching and irritation is also a product of yeast infection in dogs. Learn more at Yeast Infection Canine.

If your dog has an infection, be sure that you have to do things such as always keeping your dog clean. If the dog is outdoors in the rain or snow, make sure you bring him or her inside and thoroughly dry them especially in between the toes and behind the ears. The dog’s bedding should also be kept dry.

Poor diet and a weak immune system is a serious cause for dogs yeast infection.

Start feeding your dog premium food or a raw diet. Use food that has allergy blend if your dog is allergic to anything including yeast infection.

Use shampoo with less grease when bathing your dog. Yeast thrives on moisture. Antibiotics will only worsen the yeast infection and cause recurring yeast infection. Using natural baby wipes on your dog each day can help. If you can find one that has aloe as part of the ingredient, that would be helpful. You can also try enzyme supplements along with the premium diet.

Here is a homeopathic yeast infection remedy to try:
Use rubbing alcohol – about four ounces and mix it with two tablespoon of boric acid and a tablespoon of glycerine. You can put this in a dropper and administer two drops in each of your dog’s ear. Use this weekly until the dog ear yeast infection clears up.

Learn about how to cure dog yeast infection here at Yeast Infection Canine.

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