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Your Dogs Skin - Something So Simple Yet So Comple
September 24 2008, 10:59 PM
A wrapping of fur is not all there is to your dogs skin. It is also a factory for vitamin D production, it protects the internal parts from injury, bacteria, and viruses, and it contains a sensory system that is unsurpassed. The network of skin nerve cells goes to work when your dog is cold, has a cut, or receives a pat on the heat. In cold weather, the hairs stand erect and form air pockets that insulate against the cold.
Healthy skin and hair coats are flexible, glossy, and free of excessive oiliness, redness, dandruff, scabs, eruptions, or parasites. Run you hand against the hair coat and check for growths or blemishes. There should also be no areas of hair loss. Each dog has its own shedding cycle, which may change from year to year. Some pets shed a small amount all the time, while others lose large clumps at various levels.
Pets can have freckles, concentrations of cells containing the brown pigment called melanin. These can be found anywhere on the skin and even in the mouth. Be sure to check the skin’s special alterations, the mammary glands, the foot pads, the claws, and whiskers.
Frequently check your dogs paws. The thick, pigmented, tough footpads are excellent shock absorbers. The pads are named for their l0cation. Pets have sweat glands in the footpad area. If your dog gets excited at the veterinarians office, you may see sweaty paw prints on the exam table. Check the spaces between the toes. Since your dog walks barefoot and this is a very moist area, the interdigital area can be easily irritated and infected by briars, stones, foxtail, sand, and salt.
Your dogs whiskers or tactile hairs as some veterinarians refer to them, are long, stiff hairs located on the muzzle, upper eyelids, cheeks, and legs. They are used as feelers and are especially handy for navigation at night or in dark areas. There is a fable belief that a dogs sense of balance will be lessened if the whiskers are cut or shortened, but there is no truth to this at all. If any unusual changes or defects are found on your pet, do not hesitate to take him to the veterinarian, as changes can indicate an internal illness or parasite.
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Finding Pet Related Services Close to Home
September 4 2008, 3:00 AM
The truth be told, our pets are like members of our family - only better. They never second-guess us, their love is unconditional, their companionship sees us through lonely times, and they're with us through thick and thin. Unlike our human families, though, our pets are unable to take care of themselves. It's up to us to find the pet related services that they need in order to live long and healthy lives.
An Online Pet Directory
Thanks to the Internet, it's possible to find a wealth of pet related services close to wherever you may be. If you live in New South Wales, for example, you can easily use an online pet services directory to find a breeder, a pet shop, or a vet in your area. If you're on holiday with your pet and he or she gets sick or is injured, you can quickly go online to find a nearby vet.
More than Pet Supplies
An online directory of pet related services can be much more than a source for pet supplies, or a tool to find a listing for a pet store near your home. It can also provide pet lovers and would-be pet owners with an abundance of information about all kinds of pet-related topics. For example, if you're considering setting up an aquarium, the dizzying array of tanks and supplies can be paralyzing. You need sound advice on the differences between freshwater and saltwater aquariums, which among the hundreds of varieties of fish you should choose, and the steps you can take to ensure that your fish thrive.
Likewise, you might be considering adopting a dog, but aren't sure if your lifestyle is one that's compatible with dog ownership. A comprehensive pet related services site will discuss the issues involved with adopting and caring for a dog, as well as offer guidelines for finding reputable organizations from which to adopt a dog.
Or, perhaps you have rabbits and would like to add a guinea pig to your family. You may not know that rabbits and guinea pigs aren't compatible because the species tend to fight, or that feeding guinea pigs food made for rabbits could lead to a vitamin C deficiency in the guinea pigs. Whether you have a cat, bird, horse, or reptile, a good website will give you the information and support you need to ensure that your pets lead long, happy lives.
An Online Community
People who love their pets - and who doesn't? - love to talk about them, learn more about their favorite breeds, and find new sources of pet products. There are websites offering pet related services that also enable you to post and read pet classified ads, let you sign up for free newsletters, and offer you the latest in pet supplies.
Finding an informative pet related services site will provide you with everything from vets and breeders to articles and products designed to keep you up to date and your beloved pets with the best owners they could wish for.
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The Commands That Every Dog Owner Should Know That
September 2 2008, 2:35 AM
The Commands That Every Dog Owner Should Know And How This Will Lead To A Happy, Clean And Obedient Dog That Will Not Cause Problems
There are of course many reasons for owners to want a calm, obedient and faithful dog. For one thing, obedient and trained dogs are happier dogs, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs. Another reason is that many communities require that the dogs living in their neighborhoods be well trained. This is especially true for many breeds thought to have aggression and behavior problems – dog breeds like pit bulls and rottweilers for instance.
And of course, training your dog well will also make he or she a much better family companion, especially in households where there are young children. Many studies have shown that proper dog training makes a big impact when it comes to cutting down the number of dog bits and other behavior problems encountered by dog owning households.
When considering training your own dog, or having someone else help you train it, there are certain basic commands that must be mastered in order for a dog to be considered truly trained. These basic commands include:
• Heel – it is important that any dog learn to walk beside its owner on a loose lead, neither pulling ahead nor lagging behind
• Respond to the word No – the word no is one word that all dogs must learn. Training your dog to respond to this important word can save you a ton of trouble.
• Sit – Training your dog to sit on command is a vital part of any dog training program.
• Stay – A well trained dog should remain where his or her owner commands, so stay is a very important command in dog training.
• Down – Lying down on command is more than just a cute trick; it is a key component of any successful dog training program.
• Off – Forms the basis for later training, especially when training the dog not to chase people, cars, bikes, cats, etc.
Dog training does much more than just create an obedient, willing companion. Training your dog properly actually strengthens the bond that already exists between dog and handler. Dogs are pack animals, and they look to their pack leader to tell them what to do. The key to successful dog training is to set yourself up as that pack leader.
Establishing yourself as pack leader is a very important concept for any potential dog trainer to understand. There is only one leader in every pack of dogs, and the owner must establish him or herself as the dominant animal. Failure to do so leads to all manner of behavior problems.
A properly trained dog will respond properly to all the owner’s commands, and will not display anxiety, displeasure or confusion. A good dog training program will focus on allowing the dog to learn just what is expected of it, and will use positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors.
In addition to making the dog a good member of the community, obedience training is a great way to fulfill some of the dog’s own needs, including the need for exercise, the security that comes with knowing what is expected of it, a feeling of accomplishment and a good working relationship with its handler. Dog training gives the dog an important job to do, and an important goal to reach.
Giving the dog a job is more important than you may think. Dogs were originally bred by humans to do important work, such as herding sheep, guarding property and protecting people. Many dogs today have no important job to do, and this can often lead to boredom and neurotic behavior.
Basic obedience training, and ongoing training sessions, provide the dog with an important job to do. This is especially important for high energy breeds like German shepherds and border collies. Training sessions are a great way for these high energy dogs to use up their extra energy and simply to enjoy themselves.
Incorporating playtime into your dog training sessions is a great way to prevent both yourself and your dog from becoming bored. Playing with your dog helps to strengthen the all important bond between you – the pack leader – and your dog.
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Dog Training: When To Reprimand And When To Reward
August 27 2008, 1:55 AM
There are a lot of things people have to remember when they start dog training. There are a lot of different dog training techniques to try.
Some of these dog training techniques work, while other dog training techniques seem to work against you. With so many different aspects of dog training, it is hard to know what techniques work the best.
One of the biggest things that often confuse people with regards to dog training is when to reward your dog and when to reprimand your dog. If you have trouble deciding when to do which, please read on.
Most dog training course instructors will tell you that positive dog training is the best technique to utilize. Unfortunately, there are some instances when you do have to reprimand your dog.
Reprimanding your dog should not happen often, as dogs respond better to positive reinforcement used in dog training. Before you learn when to reprimand your dog, you should first learn when to reward your dog.
You should reward your dog any time your dog does something it is supposed to during dog training. This can be when it sits, stays, eliminates where it should, fetches, etc.
The reward you use during your dog training can be many things: praise, kind words, tummy rub, pat on the head, or a treat.
Dogs learn very quickly from positive dog training. Dogs tend to want to make you happy and this is why they do so well with this type of dog training. However, be sure you never reward bad behavior.
Reprimanding is a type of dog training that should not be done unless necessary. This can be when your dog jumps, eliminates in the wrong place, barks, growls, pulls on a leash, destroys something, etc.
You must only reprimand your dog if you catch it in the act of doing something wrong.
Otherwise, your dog will not realize what it did. The reprimand used for this dog training should be a quick, sharp "no" or "bad dog."
Your tone should be angry, but remember to be short and quick. If you constantly do this, your words will end up being ignored by the dog. Never spank, hit, or constantly scold your dog. This will only lead to more problems in the future.
These are all of the important things you need to focus on when determining when to reprimand or reward your dog during dog training. Remember to be patient because your dog is learning and trying its best.
With some love and consideration, your dog should do quite well with its dog training.
Then it will be a rewarding experience for you both!
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Dog Training Tip
August 20 2008, 10:24 PM
Do you have a dog? If the answer is yes, you must be familiar with the fact that this is blessing and a pain at the same time, because as you probably know, there are always issues when it comes to a dog's behavior. Some people simply don't understand why dogs behave as they do, and people are searching for a quick dog training tip to apply. So, if you want some dog training tips read the next few lines and see if you should reconsider your attitude towards your pet.
Dogs behave as they do, and we don't seem to like it, because dogs are animals and this is how their instinct tells them to act, regardless of the environment or other factors. So, if you want a first dog training tip, here it comes: don't expect your dog to be like a human being; it is a dog and needs proper training in order to have an acceptable behavior from the human point of view.
Next, another dog training tip would be to try understanding that a dog has the intelligence of a small child. Don’t expect wonders from a dog. If you start the training of your dog, it will learn, but it surely won’t learn only if you tell the things you want them to learn only once. You have to be patient and repeat the commands, demonstrate the behavior you want your dog to have and wait. So, the next dog training tip is: be extra patient. If you don’t know, small children don’t learn fast either, so the dog is at about the same level of mental development, even if it is a grown up dog.
Another important dog training tip is to stand up in front of your dog and show it who leads the game. This is another elementary rule. Dogs permanently need to feel they belong to a group and they are used to having a leader, otherwise they will want to be in charge. Collar training or the fact that you give always the commands and the toys to your dog will have a good effect, and the dog will learn that you are the big boss.
A golden dog training tip is not to use aggressiveness or violence when you don’t get the behavior you want from your dog. Using violence is the worst training method. Your dog will respond with more aggressiveness and you surely won’t like it, having to turn to intensive obedience training for aggressive dogs.
Another dog training tip is to praise your dog when it deserves it. If you fail to do so, your dog will be disoriented and won’t know who the boss is, and why it has to perform certain activities in the way you desire. Use treats, pat your dog or use voice appraisal. Because, after all the reason you’ve got a dog is that you like animals, right?
So, try all these basic dog training tips and see if you can improve your dog’s attitude towards you.
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