A Happy and Healthy Beagle

Posted by Admin – February 2

If you don’t properly train your new beagle, your house can turn into a disaster area. And worse, you and your family may lose a little bit of your remaining sanity as well.

That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but every dog, beagles included, needs some type of rudimental training. Fortunately, a few easy tips may be all most of us need to win the war on training our new puppy.

Wearing out a puppy with way too much training and information will be totally counterproductive to your goals. That little puppy’s attention span is really short and his energy is limited, so your sessions need to be short and positive. If you try too hard to train your young beagle, he will probably just forget what you have taught him and he will dislike your training time. This will make it more difficult to train the puppy at a later time.

Do not take out your other frustrations on your beagle by speaking to it in a rough manner for no reason. Don’t chastise him for something that is out of his control.

Don’t place more than one dog together in a small space. They could tangle the chains in such a way so that one or both of the dogs are stuck or injured. If the dogs are different sizes, it could be even worse. A small dog could easily get hurt if it were to get too tangled up with a larger breed. And Veterinarian dog expenses are high enough without adding in easily to avoid accidents.

Be aware of what treats your dog loves the most. Use your puppy’s favorite food to reward him. This will give him a bigger incentive to train hard. Be sure to analyze how your dog acts when given the reward.

A crate will usually come in handy when housebreaking a beagle. Use a consistent schedule for proper crate training of your dog. Once your dog has gotten used to and likes his crate, he will be far less prone to making an accident indoors. A good crate is fairly inexpensive and available on most dog supply shops.

Prepare yourself to work with your new beagle, be patient and good luck.

The first rule in successful dog training is to be smarter than the dog. Which is why some breeds are easier to train than others.

Posted by J.T. Steele – August 20

Well okay, obviously a bit tongue-in-cheek there but I could not help it. Dogs are very intelligent animals, some breeds are smarter than others and then again, some perform certain tasks better than others. In one of my future articles I will break it down for you as to the smartest breed.

Let’s Jump right into it, intelligence has very little to do with our topic. How To Stop Your Dog From Jumping, bet you didn’t see that coming.

Jumping dogs are close to the number one issue of dog behavior that I hear. There is a multitude of reasons why Fido or Fiffy may jump. And it may actually only happen at certain times, but of course when they do it, they do it at that one time you had wished they didn’t.

This jumping behavior is partly instinctive. It’s a “pack” thing actually. Let’s take a look at a couple of reasons why they jump on people. First, they can simply be excited, they will “jump for joy” when you or a family member or recognized friend enters the house.

Sometimes it starts as puppies as they vie for their mother’s attention, which is another reflection of the wolf pack.Dogs sometimes lick each others faces when they greet, a likely reflection of lower ranking members of a wolf pack.

The second reason is yes, the pack mentality againm the dominance factor. . This is referred to as “teeing off.” They will try and rest their head or paws on a dog they want to dominate. It’s tough for them to accomplish this on humans as we (tend) walk on two legs, making it more difficult to” tee off” on. You can distinguish this behavior by them attempting to “lean” on you.

It’s important to identify this behavior and understanding it, as it relates to your relationship. A disobedient dog isn’t always a dumb one. If they pushing, pulling or jumping on you, they may think they are the Alpha dog in your family pack hierarchy!

Regardless of being a male or female dog, a dog that keeps jumping on you may be trying to control you as they see themselves as the Alpha dog. Alpha dog behavior is something we address in the Bonus book, Secrets Dog To Training U pdated, Secrets to Becoming the Alpha Dog, and there’s a full DVD devoted on the topic in our Dog Training DVD Series

Thought of the day, Some days you’re the dog; some days you’re the hydrant

Secrets To Dog Training Updated is the best dog training program on the market, don’t just take my word for it, there are over 210,000 people and dogs that have used this program around the country. Secrets To Dog Training Updated is the number one dog training program available on-line, with hundreds of thousands of happy dog owners to prove, shouldn’t you be next?  The first rule in successful dog training is to be smarter than the dog. Which is why some breeds are easier to train than others.

Good Hound equipment grooming tips

Posted by Mike Jones – August 18

Having a dog could be a pleasure filled experience especially if you focus on dog grooming efforts using dog clippers. Buying dog clippers is the simplest way to save money.But you need to grasp certain important factors to get the best benefits out of dog clippers.The right way to do this is to contact a preferred dog clipper manufacturer.Some of the most well liked manufacturers include Wahl, Oster and Andis. So what’s the right way to know which dog clipper is the correct one for your dog?

Well, this is no rocket science. Understand that all dog clippers are not similar. These are prepared in a fashion to serve different purposes for differing kinds of pets. Some dog clippers are made to be particularly used for grooming dogs while many are made to trim dog’s body efficiently. These clippers can be gotten in different sizes. This indicates you can select dog clippers to fit your dog’s wants well. Make sure you purchase separate clippers for tiny dogs. Different types of dog clippers will be available at different prices. It is essential to think about price when buying dog clippers. In case, you are buying dog clippers for the first time, it is wise to buy a kit. This is going to help you enjoy full advantages of these clippers.

You can find varied kinds of dog clippers on the market available with utility items such as dog brush, guard for example. Almost all of the dog clippers are available with DVDs offering directions regarding how to groom dog using dog clippers. This will save you a great deal of money on hiring a professional for grooming dog.

If you are confused about deciding on a pair of clippers, it is going to be a good idea to have a glance at various evaluations of shoppers. This is terribly crucial to know the reputation and potency of the product you choose to buy. An alternate way is to make contact with past clients of the company. Ask your mates and relatives about how they felt about the performance of the product. Go thru feedbacks offered by past clients online when buying dog clippers.

After you own a couple of dog clippers, focus on maintaining them properly. You need to scrub and oil them regularly after every use. The clippers can be saved from getting jammed by regular oiling and cleaning. This is a. K. A one of the finest systems to provide oiling to the clipper blade. It is imperative to wash your dog before clipping and grooming it. This is the best way to remove mud and mud from the dog’s coat. The mud should be removed properly as it could lead to friction on the blade of dog clipper. Another crucial factor to recollect is to dry the dog properly prior to clipping. Take care the clipper blade does not get too hot. If your blade gets too hot, it will hurt the dog.

 

Taking care of your Small Family pet is a Huge Responsibility

Posted by Audrey Olefson – August 17

If you’re thinking about getting a family pet you need to think about exactly what tending to a family pet involves. Your pet will become part of your household and like the other people in your household, it will have a personality and very unique requirements. Each animal species is different and it’s worth doing a little research in your neighborhood library ahead of deciding on a pet. Or maybe you can go on the internet to learn more and ask some professionals.

Some pets will want their own room but on the most part, pets like cats can contentedly rest in a dedicated area. Of course, they could want to nap on your bed as well! Baby animals like kittens also require an area for their kitty litter tray.

Some pets, like puppies, may need to be trained in order to adjust to a domestic environment. A lot of puppy owners choose to train their dog with the help of a training video or guide. But this is not always sufficient and sometimes you need to speak to the professionals, and sign up for behavior training courses. Either way, in order for the puppy to grow to be a fully-integrated and grateful part of the household, it’s likely a little instruction will end up being necessary.

Your family pet probably can’t consume the exact same foods as the rest of the household. They have their own nutritional requirements. If your pet has come from a breeder, shelter or pet store, ask the staff members regarding what they need to eat. They know their stuff.

Pets need physical exercise and a few, like cats, can take care of this themselves. They set off on their own energetic escapades and make their way home when they are hungry. Caged pets are much more restricted and it is up to the owner to make sure they offer something to keep them trim, for example an exercise wheel for a hamster. Dogs ought to be walked at least once a day, and walking a dog is actually also good physical exercise for the owner.

Maintaining a pet can be very costly. Aside from the day to day costs such as food, there are many other costs that go with pet ownership. Toys and other accessories, treats, and a place to sleep, like a basket, are just a few of the things that you will need. Like humans, pets can get ill and veterinarian bills can be quite expensive. It’s worth setting aside some cash for any unanticipated vet bills, or if possible investing in a pet insurance plan. Speaking of vets, if you’re thinking about bringing home a puppy or cat, they will need to have vaccinations before they can go outdoors. And they’ll need to be neutered.

When you have domestic pets, you also have to think about how they may fit in with vacations you take far away from home. Can they go with you? Or do you need to book them into a kennel or boarding place. Or can you keep them with a buddy to take care of them while you are away?

Caring for a pet is not always a simple job. It requires time to create a relationship with your pet. But once you get to know each other you may discover you have a new friend and companion. Maybe even a new part of the family.

Track down the right pet shops and the best web based shops with the best reputations. At these businesses you will see just about all the puppy supplies you need. Head over there and explore a good deal more.

Diagnosing Dog Diabetes

Posted by Wayne Harley – August 13

How can you tell if your dog might possibly have diabetes? In the wide majority of cases, it is very uncommon for younger dogs to have diabetes, but if your pet is older than four years old and has shown some of the symptoms, then the potential for diabetes could be a real one. Diabetes in canines is quite a bit more common in females. Many of a dog’s symptoms are much like those of diabetes in people.

Symptoms for Dogs that have Diabetes

* Canine diabetes can begin with an out of shape, overweight dog. This is not always true though; in some breeds it can be in the gene pool. Being obese can be a dangerous sign though. * Diabetes typically happens in dogs around the ages of 7 to 9. * With larger dogs there is more of a possibility to contract diabetes than there is with a littler breed. * Watch for unquenchable thirst. If this happens, do not try to limit your dog’s water intake. This is important because your dog will require all the water it wants to help keep from having dehydration issues. * Drinking so much means he/she will need to use the bathroom more. Your dog, the one you’re so proud of how house trained they are, could start having accidents more often on your carpet. Why? They are not used to transporting so much water in their bladder. Much like the chicken and the egg, and the debate of which arrived first, the need for water or the need to urinate has been debated both ways. * Your dog may begin losing weight quickly and abnormally, even though she is eating more and could begin moving slowly and showing signs of being worn out, acting very fatigued. * Your dog may start losing their eyesight, having issues with vision.

Helping prevent dog diabetes:

1. If you see your dog starting to put on the pounds, or if they are already overweight, lower the number of calories they consume. Yes, much like us, a large number of carbohydrates add to to weight gain, which adds to the likelihood of diabetes. Many everyday dog foods have ingredients that include as much as 98% carbohydrates. Take a close look at the food labels and learn as much as you can about your dog breed to ensure that he is getting the right number of nutrients. Changing over to a healthier dog food can be an enormous step towards a leaner and healthier dog.

2. Get plenty of exercise! A lot of dogs get diabetes that could be completely avoided if they had kept exercising and not gotten out of shape. This is where you and your family can pitch in, as the dog owners. If your dog stays lazy and out of shape, he can contract diabetes even if he is not a breed that is typically at risk.

As of this article there is no cure for diabetes. Work side by side with your vet to ensure that your pet gets the best treatment and the correct medication to continue to have a happy life. Sometimes diabetes will stay all the way through your dog’s life span. To help deter diabetes in dogs, do the best you can to keep your dog’s weight at a good level, keep him active with plenty of exercise, and make sure he gets his medicine on a regular basis along with plenty to drink.

Does your family want a a healthier dog? Should you be worried about diabetes in dogs?. This article, Diagnosing Dog Diabetes is available for free reprint.

Harlan Teklad

Posted by Stephanie Raide – August 10

I’ve avoided and postponed writing this article about quarantine and rat care. The reason is the passing of our beloved Carmel on June 3, 2006. I’m still teary-eyed as I write this and even more painful is the knowledge that his suffering may have been prevented by proper observation of quarantine. This is crucial information if you wish to keep rats as pets.

Observing proper quarantine practices is essential to rat health when another rat is to be introduced into your household. It’s not like bringing in a puppy as a companion for old Fido. Your new pet rat may carry diseases particular to rats (but harmless to humans). The immediate introduction of other healthy-looking pet rats is extremely dangerous for your current rats and may ultimately be fatal.

I’m no vet or super rat expert, but I’ve learned the hard way that pet rats have very tender little lungs that are susceptible to nasty pneumonia-like illnesses that can result in death if not treated immediately upon infection. To prevent any possibility of such infections as much as you can, here are the necessary steps for a safe and effective quarantine:

1. Do not bring your new arrival into the home of your current pet rats. You must first find someone living in a separate building who is willing to house your pet rat during the quarantine period. If a new arrival shares airspace with your pet rats, even if just in the same house on different floors, they will become infected.

2. Do plan on a quarantine period of at least three weeks and no less. Many well experienced rat folk prefer to extend it to a full month. During that time, you’ll be watching for any signs of illness in your new rat: sneezing, red discharge in the eyes or nose, refusal to eat and lethargy. Should your new pet rat exhibit such symptoms, immediately contact a veterinarian in your area with experience in rat care. In my own case, Carmel’s sneezes were ignored until the disease had progressed to a more stubborn stage.

Signs of illness may include but are not limited to any of the following:

* Red secretions from eyes or nose
* Sneezing
* Wheezing
* Rough coat
* Labored breathing
* Lethargy
* Hunched posture
* Swelling on neck or body
* Abscesses
* Scabs or itching
* Diarrhea
* Constipation
* Lack of appetite
* Eye ulcerations, bleeding, or swelling
* Visual identification of parasites including lice nits
* Abnormal odor from the rat
* Abnormal smelling feces or urine
* Respiratory distress
* Head tilt or abnormal gait
* Thinness

3. Do not handle or touch another rat right after doing so with the quarantineed rat. Disease can be spread by contact as well as through the air just like the human cold virus. The consensus among those in the know is to change clothes and wash all areas of your skin that came in contact with the quarantineed rat. Better yet, handle them on alternating days when you’ve showered and dressed in clean, fresh clothes. Again, this is a rule we constantly broke due to our ignorance about proper rat care.

4. Do not allow others to touch the quarantineed rat. If one person does all the caretaking for your new pet rats, the chance of transmitting something is a lot less. The kids and the in-laws and the neighbors can all wait.

Seems like a big deal, doesn’t it? Your current pet rat is just that susceptible to outside diseases and your new rat is just that likely to spread exactly that. If you can’t make this kind of arrangement, don’t bother at all with getting another rat until your current ones have passed away.

Some more tips for keeping your pet rats in good health during quarantine:
# Avoid pet stores that sell rats.
# Do not handle rats at pet stores or shelters.
# Inform fellow rat fanciers that your pet rats are under quarantine.
# If you are exposed to outside rats, clean up as soon as you return home or wait awhile before going into your home. SDA and Sendai will only remain contagious when away from the host for approximately 3 hours. Go for dinner and a movie or visit friends.
# Avoid housing rats in areas where wild rats have access.
# Avoid taking your rats to rat inclusive events.
# Avoid constantly adding to your colony. It is safer to get rats less often and quarantine them well.

Want to find out more about Harlan Teklad, then visit Stephanie Raide’s site on how to choose the best Harlan Teklad for your needs.

Pet Rats

Posted by Stephanie Raide – August 8

Anyone looking for a new pet wants a pet that is clean, socialized and well trained. Most people don’t know that these are all qualities of pet rats!

There are many misconceptions about rats. People think that rats are unclean and carry disease. In fact, rats are quite clean and groom themselves several times a day. These aren’t sewer rats we’re talking about. These pet rats, or fancy rats as they’re called, have been domesticated and bred in captivity for at least 150 years.

Rats are very intelligent animals. Some consider rats to have intelligence close or equal to that of dogs. Rats are capable of learning to come when their names are called. They can even be litter trained just as easily as training a cat.

If you have any experience with other rodents such as hamsters, mice or gerbils you may be afraid of biting. This is almost unheard of with domesticated rats. Unlike their rodent cousins, rats are generally docile creatures. Most of the time rats just like to lay around, especially males. Rats can easily be trained to be good lap pets.

In the wild, rats live together and have a complex social structure. These social instincts carry over to pet rats. Pet rats tend to develop strong bonds to humans and to their cage mates. So much so that its common for rats to become very depressed when a cage mate passes away.

Many apartments won’t allow dogs or cats, and it may simply be impractical to have larger pets in some houses. In those situations a pet rat is perfect. Cages for pet rats usually don’t consume much room at all which makes pet rats great for small apartments.

Rats are friendly and intelligent animals and make great first pets for children. Being clean and easy to care for makes them great companions for the elderly. Go out and get your pet rat today!

Find out more about what to feed rats.

Dog Allergy Symptoms, What are They?

Posted by Wayne Harley – August 5

Allergies are becoming more and more common with people and dogs, particularly food and scent allergies. What are some clues your dog could be allergic to something?

Common dog allergy symptoms can include:

Itchy, red, moist or scabs on the skin Increased scratching Ear infection Itchy, watery eyes Itchy back or base of tail (most often this is a flea allergy) Itchy ears & ear infections Sneezing Vomiting Diarrhea Snoring caused by a swollen throat Paw biting/licking/swollen paws Rubbing the face Incessant licking

The worst of these canine symptoms is scratching, because an animal can scratch himself raw, which can possibly lead to secondary infections, excessive shedding, and loss of hair.

What Could Your Dog Be Allergic To? Tree, grass and weed pollen Cleaning products Prescription drugs Dust mites Mold spores Dander Feathers Rubber & plastic products Cigarette smoke Food ingredients Fleas and flea-control products Perfumes Fabrics Shampoo products

How to Determine What Your Dog Could Be Allergic to

Are your dogs allergies seasonal or do the allergy symptoms for your dog seem to happen all year round? If the symptoms are all year round, one thing you can try is to switch out your dog’s food. The most noticeable symptoms for dog food allergies are licking, scratching, and a variety of skin problems.

Have you made a recent change in your dogs routine since the allergy problems started? You may need to sort through the above allergy list one by one and try to make changes until you have narrowed down the cause.

Remember, even though your dog might have the above issues, he may not have allergies. He may be having problems from any number of other medical conditions, such as fleas, worms, or hormonal disorders. See your veterinarian to be sure.

Might your dog have allergy symptoms? How can I identify the symptoms for dog allergies?. Check here for free reprint license: Dog Allergy Symptoms, What are They?.

Beginners Guide to Dog Training

Posted by Martin Elmer – August 4

It can be an overwhelming experience to have a dog in your house for the first time. It needs care and attention, but it does also have to learn to behave. So training is an important part of your dogs life.

When a professional dog trainer trains the dogs, it looks very simple; but it is not. So you will probably experience that even the simplest training methods is difficult. But when it looks darkest, you must remember that most dogs want to please their owners. So the more time you spend training your dog, the more it will love you; and obey you.

The best time to start training your dog is between the age of 3 and 16 weeks. Here the bond between it and you will take hold. So if you earn its respect as the master, the training will be easier in the future.

Commands are the first to learn in dog training. But it is not as simple as the experienced dog trainer can make it look. Your dog will probably not obey your commands, when you are trrying the same.

The success lies in the tone of the voice. It may seem like the experienced dog trainers know a secret dog language. But actually they do just know how the tone of the voice can make the dog obey. And if you practice a lot, you can learn the same.

You must have a firm (but non-threatening) tone of voice to show who is the dominating part of you two. If you do not establish that, you will not be able to train your dog. And it will only fear you, if you threats or yells.

Instead you should praise your dog, when it is doing something right. A positive attitude is the most effective thing in dog training. A dog is able to distinguish between right and wrong; but it is not capable to understand the difference without the proper feedback from the trainer.

So to shown if it behaves right or wrong, you should use your voice. This way you learn it to distinguish between good and bad behavior. And remember that all dogs are trying to please their owners, so it will do everything it can to follow your instructions.

As a dog training beginner the voice is the first thing you have to master. When you feel comfortable with that, you can start practicing more complicated training methods.

But remember that all dogs have different intelligence and temperament. So a methods that works well on one dog, can be useless on another. So do what you feel rights, when you are training you dog.

Martin Elmer is the editor of Hundefan – a website about hundeudstyr. Here you can also read about loppemidler.

Dog Allergies – What Causes Them

Posted by Wayne Harley – August 2

Allergies are starting to be more and more common with humans and dogs, especially food and scent allergies. What are some clues and signals your dog could possibly be allergic to something?

Common dog allergy symptoms can include: Itchy, red, moist or scabs on the skin Scratching Ear infection Itchy, watery eyes Itchy back or base of tail (most commonly flea allergy) Itchy ears and ears infected Sneezing Throwing up Diarrhea Snoring caused by an inflamed throat Paw biting/licking/swollen paws Rubbing her face Constant licking

The most destructive of these is scratching, since your pet can sometimes even scratch herself raw, which can potentially lead to secondary infections, excessive shedding, and hair loss.

What Could Your Dog Be Allergic To? Tree, grass and weed pollen Cleaning supplies Prescription drugs Dust mites Mold spores Dander Feathers Rubber and plastic products Cigarette smoke Food products Fleas and flea-control products Perfumes Fabrics Shampoo products

How to Tell What Your Dog is Allergic to – Are your dogs allergies seasonal or do the allergies for your dog seem to happen all year round? If the symptoms are all year round, one thing you can try to do is to switch out your dog’s food. The most noticeable symptoms for dog food allergies are licking, scratching, and different types of skin problems.

Have you made a recent change in your dogs routine since the allergy problems started? You may need to sort through the above allergy list one by one and try to make changes until you have narrowed down the cause.

Remember, even though your dog could have the above symptoms, he may not have allergies. He may be suffering from any number of other possible medical conditions, such as fleas, worms, or hormonal disorders. Contact your veterinarian just to be safe.

Is your dog having problems with dog allergies? Is your dog showing symptoms of an allergy problem?. This article, Dog Allergies – What Causes Them has free reprint rights.