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20 May 2009

How to Stop Your Dog from Digging

by Craig Clemins

Some dogs get a heap of satisfaction and enjoyment through digging up your yard. It's not that they intentionally want to destroy your impeccable flower bed, jus that they love digging.

You can either accept this behavior as a normal dog activity or you can make a conscious decision to do something about it.

One way that you can guarantee to keep your dog from digging up your garden is to install a small electric fence at its perimeter. Electric fence's are cheap to buy and extremely easy to set up. They don't do any real harm to your dog either, they only give a very minor flick to encourage your pet not to enter the garden. Don't worry if you have children as these fences can be adjusted to a very minor level that won't hurt your child should they touch it.

Some people will use the foul moth balls to keep their dogs out of the garden. Usually dogs sniff out everything the touch, those smelly moth balls with their foul taste will definitely make the dog want to hang out in your garden. They will have much better things to do with their time than mess with those moth balls. Keep in mind however, that while this is a great way to keep your dog out of the yard, moth balls don't stay forever and will have to be replaced, especially if it should be raining outside. Another downside is that when you are doing work around the yard, you may also pick up this smell as well.

Another way to keep your dog from destroying your garden, is to use a new method, this is a sour apple spray that can be sprayed all over you yard on a daily basis. It can actually be used on any of the things you would prefer the dog not to touch. The reason this is such an effective method is because your dog will hate that taste of sour apple in their mouth and will not want to chew on anything that they find this taste on. Also after a while of tasting it on that object they will associate the object with the taste and stay away for it instinctively.

Dog's dig because they are conditioned to do so. Its in their blood. If you work consistently to stop your dog digging using the tricks mentioned above, you should be able to almost totally eradicate the problem.

Be sure to put your foot down and become inventive with things that can be repeated on a regular basis to ensure that the dog learns what you want to teach him. Be patient and loving but be firm with your pet and life with your dog will be the better for it.

About the Author:
Craig Clemins is dog enthusiast and experienced dog trainer. Discover more about How to Stop Dogs From Digging today. For expert advice, read this Secrets to Dog Training Review.

15 May 2009

Why I Like Dogs Better

Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife

by Jimmy Kazoo

A dog is truly a mans best friend. They are very helpful to humans. They can be great companions and very good guardians. That's why it's no surprise that they make better pets than cats.

To start with, many people equate dogs to safety. This is mostly due to their sensitive noses and ears. Having a pet dog is like having a 24-hour security guard in your house. They're always protecting you and your house even as you sleep. If they sense danger, they begin to bark and alert you to what's going on. Most people who has a pet dog at home feels safer. Does this even occur when you have a cat as a pet?.

Dogs tend to be more loyal and caring pets than cats. A dog understands you and your emotions very well. When you're having problems, you can share them with your dog. They are wonderful listeners. They are usually hanging on to each and every word. Hell also try to comfort you and make you feel better. On the other hand, a cat won't respond to your feelings as well.

Dogs are very warm animals. They never harbor ill feelings. The moment you come back from work your dog will be happy to see you. He will initiate play by jumping on you and licking your legs and face. A cat, unlike dogs, tends to harbor grudges. They won't pay attention to you for weeks.

Dogs love their owners completely. They cannot see anyone harming them. They start wagging their tails when someone approaches their owners. Being such loyal animals, they would do anything to protect their owners. However, if you have a cat as a pet it won't be as protective of you. Cats would usually try to hide away.

While cats have their benefits, dogs are simply more fun. They are man's best friend for a reason after all. You can do a lot more with a dog than you can with a cat. Cats can't really go outside, they won't guard your house, they won't play- they are the lazy mans pet. If you are lazy, get a cat. If not get a dog!

About the Author:
Jimmy Kazoo loves all animals but loves dogs even more. He has only owned a cat once and was so bored by it that he only owns dogs now. He loves beagles and havanese dogs the best. For more information, visit his websites on beagle dog training tips havanese dog information

10 May 2009

A Look at Cat Breeding

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

by Elias Maseko

For over a thousand years, cats and their people have lived together in some association. Currently, they are the second most kept pet, trailing only behind dogs in popularity. Caring for cats is still easy to do, even if you are away from your home or apartment for long periods of time during the day.

The basic food and attention needs of cats are not as large as the typical dog, who needs long walks frequently. These creatures can be a great pet for anyone because they are very adaptable and can live almost anywhere and would even live happily, healthy and comfortably in a small apartment. Many people consider them to be a great pet because their need to play and show adoration of their owners is balanced by a very faithful streak to their family, regardless of the owners' ages.

Since the majority of the cats kept as pets are a mixture of more than one breed, they are not a pedigree. Only 3 percent of domestic cats are purebred, there are no distinct advantages or disadvantages of buying a purebred and they can be very expensive. More than 100 breeds of purebred cats exists, thanks to the classification efforts of global groups.

Notable differences exist between the separate breeds, of course, as you can tell by looking at the unique breed shapes, sizes, coat color, coat length, eye color, and individual personalities. There are two main categories of cats: short hair and long hair. The short hairs outnumber the long haired varieties.

Long hair cats are harder to care for because they need daily grooming, they are at a higher risk of having hairballs. You'll have a more difficult time taking care of cats which have the longer hair, particularly when it comes to fleas or grazed skin.

About the Author:
Cat breeding guidelines pet cat supplies for more information.

25 April 2009

Advantages of Owning a Dachshund

Image by ikes via Flickr

by Cheryl L. True

If you are considering getting a dog for yourself or your family, a dachshund might be the answer. Why so? Well, small dogs have become more fashionable in the public view lately, probably because there are many celebrities who own them.

Besides, there are many advantages to having a small dog. These include portability, an end to the fear of large dogs, bonding and maintenance.

Dachshunds can be taken pretty much anywhere. They are small enough to fit safely inside a special bag or a large tote bag designed especially for small breeds of dogs. These can be found at your local pet store or online. Also more restaurants and retail stores are starting to welcome small dogs. This is definitely an advantage to pet owners.

Dachshunds are good pets because they don't take up much space. They're ideal for apartment living. Food costs are lower too because dachshunds require less food than larger dogs. The larger your dog, the more food you have to feed it (and more comes out the other end!). This will save you money on your dog food bills.

You can save even more if your dog is housed in a kennel or needs grooming. With a dachshund, these cost less since these small dogs occupy less space and have fewer hairs.

Provided you take time to pick the right dog, dachshunds tend to be less threatening to young children and other pets that you may already have in the house. This is true if your dachshund is properly socialized.

Since you can take a dachshund anywhere with you and a small dog is less intimidating to other people, you can coddle and pamper your pet anywhere.

There's a lot of information about dachshunds on the Internet. With a little knowledge on the breed and enough room in your heart and home for a pet, you'll find the dachshund a welcome addition to your family.

Are you losing your pets to accidents? Do they wander and never return? Show them that you care. Keep your pets safe from harm with the petsafe wireless pet fence.

About the Author:
Cheryl L. True is a Manila-based freelance writer who writes on a variety of topics.

21 April 2009

Lyme disease in dogs

Image by ucumari via Flickr

by Cheryl L. True

Lyme disease is named after the Connecticut town of Lyme where the disease was first discovered. One of the more common dog diseases, it has been seen in dogs in every part of the United States although it is more common in certain geographical areas, including California, New England and parts of the American South.

It is caused by cork-screw shaped bacteria called spirochetes which are transmitted through bites from ticks that have attached themselves to your dog's skin. The ticks, in turn, catch the bacteria from certain varieties of white mice.

An infected tick must remain stuck to your dog's skin for at least two days in order for the disease to take hold in your pet. Unfortunately, these ticks are very small and often difficult to detect

There are actually three different kinds of ticks that are carriers of Lyme disease, although the majority of cases are transmitted by the deer tick. Symptoms include limping, a higher than normal fever and swollen lymph nodes. A dog with Lyme disease may suffer only mild discomfort at first. But over a period of several days, it may be suffer intense pains in the joints that it will refuse to move.

One problem with diagnosing Lyme disease is that its symptoms closely resemble other diseases involving the dog's lymph tissue and its immune system. At the same time, dogs are sometimes mistakenly diagnosed with Lyme disease when the disorder is actually something else entirely.

However, time is of the essence if you suspect that your canine may be suffering from Lyme disease. If caught and treated early, your pet won't suffer any permanent damage. Left untreated for too long, the disorder can damage your dog's heart and muscle tissue and cause joint and nerve damage.

If you see symptoms that indicate Lyme disease in your previously healthy dog, go to your local pet hospital as quickly as possible for a diagnosis. The vet will give your dog a simple blood test to see if Lyme bacteria are present or not.

Unfortunately, the blood test by itself does not always give a definite answer and the veterinarian will also take into consideration your dog's health history and other symptoms. Treatment is usually with antibiotics which your dog must take for three to four weeks.

If your dog or cat suffers from arthritis pain, don't make it suffer any longer. Relieve joint pain, lubricate the joints, increase flexibility and improve mobility with the best puppy pain relief

About the Author:
Cheryl L. True is a Manila-based freelance writer who writes on a variety of topics.

19 April 2009

3 Secrets To Better Dog Training

Image by airwaves1 via Flickr

by Craig Clemins

A trip to your local book store will reveal hundreds of different dog training books. It's easy to be overwhelmed with the countless number of methods to dog training, but don't be. In this brief post I want to reveal to you what I believe are some of the Secrets to Dog Training.

Despite all the different methods offered by the hundreds of self proclaimed "gurus", the underlying feature in almost every successful method is positive reinforcement. Almost every successful dog training method has this in common.

Secret number 1:

The 1st secret I want you to know is this: Puppies learn faster than mature dogs. SO - teach your dog while its young if possible. If your dog is no longer a puppy don't despair. Consistency and persistence will still get you good results.

Secret Number 2:

The best way to train your dog is to be firm but fair. Get to know your dog and build up a bonding relationship with him. Treat your dog with love and affection and your results will most likely be more effective than ever.

Secret Number 3:

Prevent problems before they arise. Don't wait for a problem to occur, teach your dog good behaviour before you find a problem! Prevention is so much more effective than correction.

If you want to get best results when training your dog, stick to the basics. Follow these three rules and be persistent, consistent and understanding. No dog can learn something perfectly the first time, in most cases, after a little persistence, dogs can learn a wide array of tricks and general obedience lessons.

About the Author:
Get more Dog Training Advice and read a tell all review of the number one dog training guide, Secrets to Dog Training

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