Pet Information

At some point in time most dog owners will encounter the problem of their dog pulling on the leash. This sometimes happens at the most inopportune of times and can become both an issue for the owner and the dog as well.

The best procedure for putting a stop to leash pulling is to start training your dog for the leash at an early age. When you first start taking your dog on walks try not to be predictive with where you’re going and what you’re doing. If you notice that your dog is about to head out to the end of the leash, turn direction and go in the opposite way he or she is doing.

Make sure that when doing this that your turn of direction happens before the leash gets tight. Doing this consistently and on every walk, especially in the beginning, your dog will learn to pay attention to what you are doing instead of going his or her own way. Thus, you’ll be putting a stop to leash pulling problems before they even become a problem.

One of the most effective methods for putting an end to your dog’s leash pulling habit is the start and stop method. The real beauty of this method is the simplicity of it. When your dog begins to pull on the leash, stop walking and have him or her heal. That’s it. There is nothing more to it than that.

Continue doing this every time your dog pulls on the leash and over time the leash pulling problem will become less and less. As with all aspects of training a dog, consistency and repetitiveness is important. Dogs are creatures of habit so use that habit to your advantage to putting an end to your dogs leash pulling.

An important thing to remember when leash training your dog is to not allow frustration guide how you react when things aren’t going as well as planned. Your dog will feed off of your negative emotions, in turn adopting a similar frustrated attitude and can easily become nervous. At which point, anything you’re trying to teach will not be learned and most likely turn into a set back.

Regardless of what method you use when trying to put an end to leash pulling or trying to prevent it from happening, when your dog does something positive, reward him or her positively. Positive reinforcement via treats, praise or a combination of both will go a long way to improving any training you’re trying to accomplish.

Many times cat owners are at a loss as to why their cat doesn’t use their litter box. Here are some great tips that can help you solve the problem.

The litter box is the first thing you should check. It should be in a quiet, private area of the house. Many people put them in their basements and leave the door open a little as this not only creates a private environment but also keeps odors to a minimum in the rest of the house.

Some use a closet but if you do this be sure and keep the box clean to reduce odors in such a confined space and don’t forget to leave the door open!

Another placement possibility is under a table. Many people find a place without carpeting is best from a maintenance point of view as tile or cement is a lot easier to clean.

Ask yourself if you changed the litter box in any way:

Has the box been moved to a high traffic area recently?

Does the box need cleaning?

Is a new litter being used or does it have too heavy a scent (clumping and unscented is best).

Has the depth of the litter in the box changed? Some cats like their litter deep, others shallow.

Your cat has outgrown the box and needs a larger one.

The box is too hard to enter and exit. This can be an issue for older cats.

Do not put food and water near the litter box. Cats like these two areas kept separate (don’t you?).

If your cat has picked out a particular room to soil try closing the door to that room if you can or cover the target area with furniture.

Put a bowl of food over the target area as cats like to keep their eating area away from their “bathroom”.

Take your cat to the Vet on a regular basis.

If you have more than one cat get each one of them their own litter box.

Have you recently moved? A cat might smell an area where the previous owner’s cat urinated.

Let the cat alone while it goes so it can have some privacy.

If it is a new cat in your home it could take from three to eight weeks to get adjusted to the new environment. Be patient!

Was there a recent addition or loss to the family? A new baby, spouse? This is usually temporary until the cat adjusts to the change in their environment.

A change in your schedule can throw off your cat’s schedule as well and cause problems. Try and phase in major lifestyle changes gradually.

NEVER EVER punish the cat by kicking, hitting, chasing, screaming or rubbing their nose in their urine (remember the smell doesn’t bother them). Cats cannot make the cause and effect connection like we can so punishment after the fact is useless and will only make matters worse.

Cats are naturally very clean animals and they know where they are going. It is important to remember this and try and help your cat overcome any stress or anxiety they might be having in a caring and loving manner.

Visit www-cat-urine-remover.com for more great advice on preventing cat urine problems and cleaning tips.

Dogs get plaque and tartar on their teeth just like humans

do. Cleaning your dogs teeth between professional cleanings

is very simple.

Keeping your dogs teeth and gums clean will eliminate “doggy

breath” as well as keep your dog healthy.

Most veterinarians suggest twice a week brushings. When

brushing teeth, use baking soda or a special toothpaste

formulated for dogs, not toothpaste for humans. Pet

toothpastes contain enzymes that help dissolve plaque and

can be swallowed. They also taste good.

Use a toothbrush designed for pets or small children. Or

just use gauze or a washcloth if the pet doesn’t like the

brush.

Tooth brushing is best but if the dog won’t let you brush

it’s teeth then giving it something to chew that rubs on the

sides of the teeth is useful.

Although dogs do not usually get cavities in their teeth,

tooth problems result from soft foods that can leave debris

in gum pockets at the base of the teeth, known as

gingivitis. Infections form which soften and cause the gums

to recede. Bad breath is a symptom.

Tartar buildup can be removed from teeth by rubbing with a

solution of three percent hydrogen peroxide. Advanced

buildup requires scraping with dental instruments. Some

veterinarians use ultrasonics now as well, so the treatment

is more pleasant.

For between dental visits, provide soft chew toys made of

rubber or nylon and something made of fiber like a chew rope

which helps to wipe the teeth clean.

For more information on how to keep your dogs teeth and

mouth healthy visit: http://www.apluswriting.net/petcare/dogteeth.htm

Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney

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The family dog is a staple is many households. For a lot of us, our dogs are simply just another family member. We love taking our dog out on walks, running around the backyard and for the occasional road trip. The thing that makes having the dog in the car a bit of a challenge is that unlike the rest of the family, he’s not taking a bath everyday. We needed to find a way to protect the upholstery without having to put the dog in a cage. We found the perfect solution in a dog car seat cover.

We used to use an old blanket to protect the back seat of the car, but that was fraught with problems. Notably the dog would move and so would the blanket. With the dog car seat cover that’s no longer a problem, as it stays put even when Rover is moving back and forth from window to window.

The main different with a regular car seat cover and one made for the family pet is that the latter is easy to remove and made of a different material. Whereas a regular cover is usually made of some plush material, the dog car seat cover is made with plastic. It keeps the car’s seat protected in the event that the dog can’t hold it until we get to where we’re going.

Some animals also get a bit queasy from the motion of the car. It’s very unpleasant having to be the one who needs to clean up the mess. If you have a dog car seat cover, it’s simply a matter of removing the cover, and throwing it in the trash or into a washing machine. You’ll also probably want to leave the car windows open for a time to air out the car.

You may think that the choice of patterns isn’t as varied as they are with a traditional seat cover. In fact, there are many different colors and patterns in a seat cover made for an animal. You’ll certainly be able to find a dog car seat cover to match the inner decor of your vehicle, but keep in mind that it’s not going to be on the seat all the time, unless you take the dog everywhere with you.

Even if the dog doesn’t have any accidents in the car, you need to clean the cover from time to time. Depending on the label,

you may be advised to either wipe the dog car seat cover with a damp cloth, hand wash it or throw it into the washing machine. In almost all cases, drying flat is recommended so as not to damage the plastic in the dryer.

If you’ve got a dog that you like to take on road trips, you’d do well to invest in one. It will not only save the interior of your car from accidents, it will help keep the smell of the dog out of the fabric.

Although not for the faint of heart, Irish Wolfhounds are strong, muscular, beautiful dogs that are usually even tempered and friendly. Originally they were used in Ireland to hunt wolves and Irish elk. But today they are a favorite among dog enthusiasts for their gentle disposition and commanding appearance.

The temperament of this dog breed is soft-natured and easygoing. They are calm around the house and patient. These qualities make them a good dog with children, pets, and other dogs.

History of the Breed

The Irish Wolfhounds in their earliest form were actually dogs that went to war and were trained to kill men and beasts. They were also used as guard dogs and as hunting dogs early on as well.

It is believed that their history has been long, perhaps even reaching all the way back to the first century BC. During the 19th century, when it became popular to give a number of these dogs as gifts to foreign royalty and as the wolf became extinct in Ireland, they almost became extinct.

Thankfully, Captain Graham began to breed Irish Wolfhounds with other breeds, such as Great Danes and Deerhounds, to keep the breed from dying out. This interbreeding led to variations in color and in a mellowing of the temperament as well.

Characteristics of Irish Wolfhounds

Although in history these dogs were used as war dogs and guard dogs, the Irish Wolfhound today does not make a great guard dog. While they do have a penchant to hunt, these dogs love people and require a great deal of interaction with the family.

The Irish Wolfhound is actually the tallest hound in the entire world and they are a stately and proud dog. Their coats feel rather rough to the touch, and they come in a variety of different colors, including brindle, pure white, red, brown, black, gray, and fawn.

They typically live to be about seven, although there are dogs that live to be as old as ten. Increasing numbers of breeders, however, are now selecting for longevity and this will hopefully increase the lifespan of the Irish Wolfhound in the future.

What Irish Wolfhounds Need

If you decide that you want to own an Irish Wolfhound, it is important that you take into consideration the special needs of these dogs and take care of them properly to promote the best health possible. They need plenty of room to stretch out and a daily long walk.

Irish Wolfhounds need to be with people and need plenty of interaction, so before you purchase one, you need to be sure that you have the time to properly take care of your dog.

It is important that you train your Irish Wolfhound well or he may get out of hand. Starting to train from the time your dog is a puppy will help you avoid problems later in the dog’s life.

Having an Irish Wolfhound can bring a great deal of joy and pleasure to your life and these dogs make wonderful companions. If you are ready to invest some time in a dog, take care of a dog properly, and you want a dog that will keep you company, you may want to consider having an Irish Wolfhound as a pet.

Cats need to play, no mater how young or how old they are, they need to have some toys in order to stay entertained. Cats love all kinds of different toys and just like people each cat with have his or her own special preferences. Some of the best cat toys are affordable, some are even things that you have around the house already. Just remember to make sure that all of your cat’s toys are safe, that they have no sharp edges for your kitty to cut itself on.

Here are the top cat toys:

Balls

There is not a cat on the planet that will not go crazy for a little ball, especially one that makes noise while it is rolling around the room. Cats love to play with balls, ones that the cats can pick up and carry around are definite favorites. And check out the hollow ones that treats fit into, these are always fun for a kitty.

Lasers

Laser toys are great because you can interact with your kitty without worrying about getting mauled to death. It is always fun to find toys that you and your cat can play with together. These have a long range and you can really get your cat exercising and having fun with these.

Toys that you already own

There are all kinds of things that you already own that make for perfect cat toys, you just don’t know it yet. You probably drink milk, if you get the big jugs you are familiar with the little pull tabs that come off before you can take the cap off. These are a favorite cat toys, my cats play with these for hours on end.

Another favorite toy that you can get for practically nothing is a pipe cleaner. These cost pennies and they will last forever. They do not break so they can literally last for months on end.

They key to keeping your cat happy with cat toys is to change them from time to time. This does not mean that you have to buy all new toys every couple of weeks, just rotate the toys that you have out and about. Each week change the toys in order to keep tings fun and fresh for your cats.

The praying mantis is a very interesting looking creature. Usually, you can’t even see them in the wild because they blend in so much with plants. The African Mantis is becoming very popular as a pet and is relatively easy to keep.

A praying mantis can grow to be up to ten centimeters long. They come in many different color variations that range from bright green to dark brown. Occasionally, they also are a cream color. The adults have full wings and can see extraordinarily well.

If you are going to keep these creatures, you must be very careful to keep them in the correct temperature and humidity. They need to be kept in an aquarium that is pretty tall because they need height for molting. Make sure the tank is sealed so that they cannot get out, but use a well-ventilated lid so oxygen can get in. Many people end up sealing the tank so well than oxygen cannot get in and the creatures die.

At the bottom of the tank you will need to have some kind of substrate as well as twigs and branches. Make the substrate ten millimeters thick. You don’t need to make the aquarium that humid because the praying mantis gets the moisture it needs from what it eats. It is recommended that you lightly mist them though. A younger mantis needs more humidity than an adult. If you see dew on the side of the tank, then that means that the there is too much humidity in there. Don’t let the humidity get too high or your praying mantis can die. Also make sure the humidity doesn’t get too low.

In the wild, the praying mantis eats mainly insects. When you keep these animals in your home, you need to feed them every two to three days. You should feed an adult mantis crickets and grasshoppers. A younger mantis can be fed smaller insects like pinhead crickets or drosophilae. If you have more than one mantis housed together, be sure to keep them well fed or they will eat each other.

If you plan on breeding the praying mantis, the first thing you need to know is how to tell males and females apart. The easiest way to tell is to count the abdominal segments. Males have eight and females have six. Once you get a pair, feed them very well for two weeks before breeding them. If you don’t feed them enough, one will probably eat the other instead of mating. The only thing recommended for a breeding tank is a piece of diagonal corkboard. Put the breeding pair together once they have been fed for the two weeks. Watch them very closely and make sure the female is not aggressive towards the male. If she is, take out the male immediately. If they mate, the female will lay several hundred eggs. Be careful, because right after they mate the female will try to eat the male.

It doesn’t take that much work to keep your praying mantis healthy. Getting their environment right is the hardest thing to do. Once you do that, you can just enjoy watching these fascinating creatures.