July 1st, 2009
Here are some tips you can use to keep your Airedale terrier pet dog well-behaved:
1) Can’t teach an old dog – You have to start training your Airedale terrier pet dog as early as possible. This is because of the fact that the earlier an Airedale terrier pet dog learns a trick, the faster they will be able to learn it. This doesn’t just apply to tricks. It also applies to general behavior. When your Airedale terrier pet dog is still just a puppy, you need to start training it. This way, the behavioral training that you give it will be ingrained into the Airedale terrier pet dog’s brain. This way, proper behavior becomes almost instinctive to the Airedale terrier pet dog.
2) Use, don’t abuse – Various training methods are made available for you by various experts. However, there’s one thing you should know: they only work with proper use. Some people make use of the leash or of the crate to abuse their animals. What you need to know is that each method of training can only be effective if used in a way that will not harm the animals. You need to be firm but gentle with your animal when you are trying to train it.
Use the various implements humanely in such a manner that will encourage your dog to behave well and not scare it from behaving badly.
3) Habit inside, habit outside – Before taking your Airedale terrier pet dog outside, try to observe its behavior inside. This will give you a clue as to how the Airedale terrier pet dog will act outside the house. Many people say that a dog’s behavior inside a house is very different from the way that the same dog will act in outside environments. This is not true. By observing the inside behavior of your Airedale terrier pet dog, you will realize how it will respond to you outside.
If your Airedale terrier pet dog does not listen to your commands inside the house, how can you expect it to listen to your commands outside the house where there are things a lot more interesting to a dog than your commands are?
4) Keep your temper – Training an Airedale terrier pet dog can understandably be very frustrating. However, you should not lose your temper. Negative actions such as hitting or shouting at your dog will not accomplish anything positive. Sometimes, we have a tendency to take out our frustrations on helpless pets. Do not blame your problems on the dog. If you know that you are having a bad day, do not even think about training your dog. All that you might get from the ordeal is a bad case of hyperacidity. Your dog will learn nothing and that would only increase your frustration.
5) Timing – Timing is always important. You need to make corrections regarding your Airedale terrier pet dog’s behavior while those corrections are still relevant. If you praise or correct with the wrong timing, you would only end up confusing the dog. Actually, the best timing you can use is to correct the Airedale terrier pet dog before he or she even starts to misbehave.
These five tips can help you a lot in keeping your Airedale terrier pet dog’s behavior in check. By following these tips, you can make training your dog an easy task.
Tags:
Airedale Terrier, Animals, Dog Behavior, Habit, Old Dog, Pet Dog, puppy, Training Dog, Training Pet
June 22nd, 2009
If your dog sheds a lot it does not necessarily denote ill health. Dogs that spend a lot of their time indoors are exposed to electric lights and central heat and air which can throw off their normal shedding schedule that nature built in. However, profuse shedding may have other causes like an unbalanced diet, a kidney or bladder infection or a parasitic ailment.
If your dogs shedding leads to bald spots you should seek help from your veterinarian as soon as possible. All severe shedding conditions are either parasitic or non-parasitic. Parasitic means caused by parasites such as mites or fleas. Non-parasitic means conditions created by a hormonal imbalance and or poor diet, which can easily be treated with vitamins and a more controlled diet.
Eczema is a symptom of an underlying disorder, usually dietary, rather than a disease. In older animals and altered ones, it may be caused by a hormonal imbalance due to a change of body chemistry. The skin becomes scaly and the hair falls out in patches. You must correct the cause by hormone injections or a change in diet, usually by adding fat supplements of Vitamin A and E.
Eczema can also be caused by fleabite allergy, or a parasitic condition. However, these bald spots usually appear suddenly and resemble lesions, or burns. To treat these, after veterinarian diagnosis, you must eliminate the fleas and use a local application of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory medicines.
Bald spots can also be caused by mange. There are two types of mange, ot mange, Sarcoptic mange or “Scabies”, which has a musty odor, often starts on the head and spreads to the ears, tail, the abdomen, chest and under the front legs. Skin eruptions may take the form of red dots or blisters, then scabs. Your veterinarian can provide medicated baths; generally sulfur preparations and anti-itch topicals.
The second type of mange is Follicular or Demodectic mange or “red mange”, caused by a different family of mites that burrows into the hair follicles and most often attacks young puppies. Entire litters can be born with it. It is more serious and persistent that the other variety. In the most serious cases, pustules dot the skin where the hair has fallen out. Veterinary treatment will include oral medications and external treatments to kill the mites, but this type of mange takes a long time to cure.
Lastly, he may have contracted ringworm, a contagious fungal infection, (non-parasitic), that grows on hair follicles, rather like athletes foot. It is characterized by ring-shaped red patches covered with scales, and may be dry or moist, usually starting on the head, neck, and legs. Your vet will advise strict anticontagion measures, since it is communicable to humans. Treatments include oral medications, anti-fungal shampoos or dips, and frequent applications of iodine.
Remember, shedding is a symptom of an underlying condition that is best diagnosed by your Veterinarian usually by microscopic analysis of skin scrapings and or blood tests. While bald spots may not be life threatening, the animal is suffering and the conditions usually only get worse with time, so asking your veterinarian for his opinion is more sensible than just worrying about it.
Tags:
animal, Animals, Anti Inflammatory Medicines, Bald Spots, Body Chemistry, Cat, Cats, dog, Dogs, flea, Fleas, Hormonal Imbalance, Hormone Injections, Medicated Baths, Pet, Pets, Poor Diet, puppy, Scabies, shedding, Skin Eruptions, tail, training
June 10th, 2009
There are many cat breeds out there. If you are like most people, you don’t know much about them. In order to help you to make a choice about breeds, here is some useful information.
Do you want a cat that can entertain himself and not get into mischief? Then don’t consider the Sphynx, the Rex, the British Angora and the Siamese. These cats are energetic and seem to be looking for trouble. For those who are looking for a cat to provide them with entertainment, these are a good choice. The Rex is a silly cat as it will attempt to amuse you.
There are other important features to consider as well. For example, if you want a long haired or a short haired cat. Those who do not have the time to groom the pet daily should not choose a long haired cat. Those who choose a long hair need to realize the commitment in taking care of that coat. If you do not, it can tangle and matt up and need to be shaven. And, it can pose a health risk too.
Vocal cats are often something that many people either consider or want nothing to do with. They can be quite noisy. Many cat owners do not have a problem with them, others realize that communicating with them is necessary and that in some cases, it isn’t the right choice.
Vocal/Noisy Cat Breeds:
Siamese
Burmese
Korat
Quiet Cat Breeds:
American Curl
Scottish Fold
Somali
Attitude is your next determining factor. Some cats enjoy being held and cuddled while others want nothing to do with humans at all. Some cats want the attention while others do not. Choosing which the right one for you is a much is.
Affectionate Breeds are great for children:
Snowshoe
Maine Coon
Ragdoll
Abyssinian
Tonkinese
Himalayan Persian
Reserved Breeds:
Nebelung
Russian Shorthair
Norwegian Forest Cat
Lastly, choose if you would like to go with a kitten or an abandoned older cat. Remember that kittens need to be trained but that adult cats can already be set in their ways. You can find many breeds of kittens to choose from at the local cat show and you can look for them at your local humane society as well. These cats need homes and these organizations are usually full to the brim with them.
I hope that you find this information useful and that it helps you find the perfect cat.
Tags:
Adult Cats, Angora Cats, Animals, Burmese Cat, Cat, Cat Breeds, Cat Owners, Cats, dog, Dogs, family, Himalayan Persian, home, Kittens, Long Haired Cat, Norwegian Forest Cat, Pet, Pets, Quiet Cat, Short Haired Cat, Siamese Cats, Silly Cat, Tonkinese
June 4th, 2009
Giving your pet his own snoozing area gives you the ability to take back all of the space in your house that he has taken over. You may even want to give him several places to call his own to keep him happy!
You’ll find a cat bed that fits your tastes, and your pets, because there are so many out there to choose from. You’ll find a colorful cat bed in fun pet prints that will add a touch of whimsy to the room you put it in. You’ll find designer brands to choose from as well. You can also choose based on how the bed feels too.
Many cat beds have a pillows made of fleece to keep them warm. They are oval shaped and have high sides or they may be completely enclosed. Cats like to find a secure, warm spot to rest. For many, getting into the tight warm couch cushion seems like the ideal place.
You will find that some beds you can choose from are heated as well. If the cat spends time on the porch or in other chilly areas, you may want to give him one of these heated beds to warm up with.
Have you purchased a great bed for your cat but he’s ignoring it? Don’t be surprised at this. If he just doesn’t seem interested, add a catnip toy to the bed to attract him to it. Make sure that you place it in a cat friendly location too which will help to make it appealing to him. Cats don’t want to nap in low places so you may want to put the bed on an end table or platform that is just a bit off the ground. You’ll need to keep it from being in the midst of heavy people traffic as well. He needs to be able to relax and sleep there or he won’t want to be there.
Does your cat shed? Place the nap mat where your cat normally sleeps and then store it when you have guests. The cushions that are under the mat will then be hair free.
Some pets enjoy a perch. These are padded shelves that have become very popular. You can attach the cat perch to your windowsill so that the cat can look out the window at the birds or just bathe in the sun.
More than one cat can means more than one bed as cats are territorial and don’t like sharing their beds. You may be able to look for a kitty version of a play gym or a cat condo. These allow several cats to nap in elevated spots. And, the cat condo has areas where they can climb and sharpen claws.
If your cat likes to nap on your couch cushions, giving him a bed is the ideal way to make him comfortable and provide him with a place other than your furniture to nap on!
Tags:
Animals, Cat, Cat Bed, Cat Beds, Cat Nap, Cat Perch, Catnip Toy, Cats, Colorful Cat, dog, Dogs, family, home, Nap Mat, Pet, Pet Prints, Pets
May 28th, 2009
Canine nutrition hasn’t become as laden with diet fads as have human meal planning. But it has accumulated a number of myths which survive the ridicule of the veterinary profession. As you acquire a dog, your more experienced friends will shower you with advice, which may include some of the following affirmations:
- ”A clove of garlic keeps worms away” Garlic has enjoyed a reputation for centuries in the folk medicine of many cultures as an antiseptic, a treatment for high blood pressure, etc. But if your dog really does have worms, (and most of them do at one time or another), the quickest way to get rid of them is to have your veterinarian give him a specific worming medicine under his supervision.
- ”Raw meat makes a dog vicious” Raw or cooked meat is essential to a dogs nutrition. Fifty percent is the standard ration, and it may compare as much as 75 percent of his diet. If he is fed only meat, he may become high strung, not because the meat is raw, but because he is being given an unbalanced diet.
- ”A sugar cube dipped in coffee is good for a dogs heart” It is particularly good for his morale, because it probably means that he is sharing your after dinner coffee with you. Give it occasionally as a harmless treat, but not as a regular “medicine”, and not as a heart remedy.
- ”Dogs cannot digest starch” They cannot digest uncooked starch, but they can cope with most cooked ones such as rice, whole wheat bread, and macaroni. However, dogs do not receive much nourishment from these foods.
- ”Sugar causes worms” Sugar is quick source of energy for dogs, as it is far us. Worms are caused by worm larvae. A puppy may get worms from his mother, and an adult dog may get them from infected food or drink, from the saliva or feces of an infected dog, or from swallowing fleas and lice which act as hosts to tapeworm eggs- but never from sugar.
- ”Raw eggs improve dog’s coat” A raw egg yolk from time to time enriches a dog’s diet. Cooked eggs are an acceptable substitute for meat in an emergency. But the best coat conditioner is far, especially unsaturated fat, rich in vitamin E, such as linseed and wheat germ oil. The eggs reputation as a coat conditioner is probably due to the fact that yolk is mostly fat.
- ”Milk causes diarrhea in an adult dog” Milk is healthy for all dogs. A bowl of milk with a beaten egg yolk and a couple of pieces of whole wheat toast or dog biscuits is a standard supper dish in many kennels. There are various causes for diarrhea, including internal parasites, indigestion, a change of diet, food poisoning, certain contagious diseases- and sometime, but not always, milk.
Knowledge and concern are important in feeding a growing puppy whose nutrition is the foundation of his future health. But common sense is all you need to feed an adult dog correctly, as his own experience will help guide you most of the way.
Tags:
animal, Animals, Canine Nutrition, Cat, Cats, Diet Fads, dog, dog food, Dog Owner, Dogs, Folk Medicine, High Blood Pressure, Meal Planning, Pet, Pet Food, Pets, puppies, puppy, Source Of Energy, Whole Wheat Bread, Worm Larvae