Basically, my felines are outside most of the time. They were each originally strays so they are very found of the outdoors. The felines come inside to eat and sleep and that’s pretty much it. The rest of the time they are wandering around our five acre plot of land. We are conveniently located near farms and our road is very quiet.

Traffic is not the only worry that we have with the outdoor cats. We always have our pets’ information on their tags and we make sure that they always wear collars but the very collars that are supposed to help can be hazardous as well. A petsafe collar is not hazardous for many reasons.

Felines tend to climb trees, fences and just about anything else that they can get their claws into. The danger with the typical collar is that it can get caught on branches or other materials commonly found outdoors. When this happens the cats are at risk of choking. A well designed petsafe collar can literally mean the difference between life and death for your cat.

Finding a good petsafe collar is essential for your outdoor cat. You want to find a pet safe collar that will break away if it gets caught on something. You can easily test it right in the store by placing it on your arm until it is semi-snug. You then tug it to see how quickly it breaks away.

You should have to use some force to have it break away. You also want to look for a petsafe collar that has reflective panels on it. These will reflect car lights and help to avoid your cat from being hit by a car. You will want to make sure the collar fits your cat. You want it to be snug, but you should be able to put your index finger through the loop up to your second knuckle.

You also want a petsafe collar that has a loop for a leash that is felt and does not stick out as the metal clasps tend to. The metal hooks can also get caught on things. You also may want to consider a pet safe collar that has a felt tag clasp as well. A well designed petsafe collar is one of the more important purchases you will make for your pet. Your local vet usually carries pet safe collars, as well as department stores and pet stores.

The only drawback is that when the collar breaks away outside, your chances of retrieving it are slim. Luckily, they run around seven dollars and this is a very small investment.

Good toys have different shapes and textures for the bird to explore and destroy. At least three toys should make a bird work for food Working toys are toys that make them work for their treats or favored foods. Parrots in the wild will spend the majority of their waking hours, hunting and foraging. Toys stimulate their mind and help replicate actions they would execute in the wild. Proper toys and placement enhance a Psittacines life in captivity.

Parrots think they’re working for food while avicultural outsider sees birds playing with toys as birds; playing with bird toys. Your companion parrot is always thinking, and since nothing has changed in their minds, playing with toys is their job. It’s what Mother Nature gave them to survive, this need to forage. If you provide no means of foraging, your bird will seek other avenues. It may be furniture or personal affects. Usually because they are easy and plentiful targets. It’s important to encourage your companion parrot to work for food because it’s a natural behavior.

Three or four toys should be made of soft wood. Soft wood allows you to push your fingernail in forming an indent.

The next toys depend on the bird. Large birds like macaws and Cockatoos may have a huge appetite. Introduce hardwood toys into cages and perhaps toys with hard plastics so they can spend more time on the various pieces. Toys may be strung together with rope, leather, chain or a combination of materials.

The balance of toys should be easily shredded. Toys may be store bought or home made. Parrot toy parts are available and helps keep toy making economical. Soft wood, paper, leather and other textures are important for the bird to explore and destroy

Introduce pieces of food like broccoli or corn, using one of many commercially available or home made toy holders. The food on the toy holder rewards them for playing.

The more textures, shapes, sizes and colors the better. Diversity is important because in the wild your birds eat a diverse diet. An eclectic selection of toys helps maintain your feathered companions interest.

Watch a bird in its natural habitat and you’ll see them chewing soft bark and hard tree trunks. Toys made from compressed palm leaf or treated Yucca introduces hours of “pecking pleasure” Interactive toys made from Plexiglas are very effective at reducing birdie boredom.

The majority of toys should hang or be placed in the upper third of the cage. Introduce a few more to the middle third (without hampering access to food dishes) around a perch made from soft wood, comfortable to grasp depending on the size of the bird’s feet. The bottom third of the cage should remain relatively uncluttered to allow the bird to walk freely.

Spot-check toys and perches on a daily basis looking for frayed or sharp edges that may potentially harm your bird.

The more you change the toy and perch arrangement, the more you challenge your companion parrot. It helps them socialize and helps avoids “toy-phobia” Parrots can develop phobic reactions to new people, new furniture, and even new birds.

Toys from household items

Cornhusks Adding machine tape Toilet paper roll Nuts hidden in nested paper cups Phone book slipped through cage bars Wrapped straws – cable tied Fortune cookies Saltine cracker packet Junk mail Cotton swabs Doggie rawhide Shoelaces strung with beads or Cheerios Branches with leaves Breakfast-food bowl with newspaper taped to top

Healthy Fish Tip #1 - Water changes, water changes, water changes: This is probably the most important of the healthy fish tips. Regular water changes remove contaminants and waste byproducts from the aquarium and replace them with fresh clean water. Typically you should perform water changes on a regular schedule so that all of your water changes add up to about 100% in a month. Some common examples are 25% water change once a week or 15% water changes twice a week.

Healthy Fish Tip #2 - Consistent Temperature: This is another important healthy fish tip. Unlike humans fish cannot regulate body temperature so variations in water temperature are very stressful to a fish. Research the recommended temperature range for your fish and make sure that all of the fish in your tank can live in the same temperature range. After finding out what temperature is acceptable to all of your fish species set your temperature there and try to keep it from changing much. Be especially careful when performing water changes that the water is not too hot or cold when you change it.

Healthy Fish Tip #3 - Don’t use too many chemicals or products: Using pH adjusters or chemicals to clear the water is usually not a very good method to keep healthy fish. Also keep in mind that most medicines are very harmful to the fish because they either stress them directly or kill the biological bacteria in your tank that is keeping it healthy. The only chemicals that go into my tanks are tap water, water conditioner to remove chlorine, charcoal in the filters and aquarium salt (if needed). If you need to adjust the pH of the water, you should use rocks or substrate to raise the pH or wood or plants to lower it. This will stabilize the pH and prevent wild swings in pH.

Health Fish Tip #4 – Use a quarantine tank: If you have an established tank with no real problems and follow all of the healthy fish tips above then the chances of the fish in your tank spontaneously contracting a disease is very little. The quickest way to raise this risk is to introduce new fish to your tank that have come fresh from the fish store. It does not matter how good the fish store has been in the past, the fact of the matter remains that fish stores have a lot of fish coming in and going out so the chances are greatly increase for the risk of disease infection. I always quarantine my fish in a 20 gallon quarantine tank for 3 weeks prior to introduction into an established tank.

Health Fish Tip #5 – Keep aggression under control: If you have an aggressive tank such as an African cichlid tank then there will be aggression and territorial conflict. This is normal and probably healthy for the fish because it is natural. However if you notice a fish that is too aggressive or one that seems to be getting picked on by all of the fish in the tank, then you need to find a way to resolve the problem. Sometimes merely rearranging the tank can change the tank dynamic and perhaps give a “picked on” fish some new hiding spaces. If rearranging the tank does not work, then consider removing the problem fish from the tank and placing it in a different tank or perhaps trading it in to the local fish store. Stressed fish are prone to disease and once a stressed fish becomes diseased it is more likely other healthy fish in the tank will contract the disease from the stressed fish.

The goal of following these healthy fish tips is to avoid having to treat the fish after they become sick. Happy fish keeping!

Are you looking for natural flea and tick pet care? Did you know that apple cider vinegar repels fleas and ticks?

To make the solution more fragrant, you can make a tincture of fresh and dried leaves such as rosemary leaves, calendula blossoms, rose petals, lavender, lemon peel, sage, comfrey and/or chamomile.

Loosely place the plant leaves & blossom in a small jar filling about one third full. Cover with vinegar. Leave the jar in warm place for two or more weeks. Occasionally shake the jar gently.

Strain the scented vinegar and add several drops essential oil of rosemary or lavender to enhance the fragrance. Store the vinegar in a cool dark place.

Pour a small amount of scented oil onto a damp cloth and wipe your pet’s coat. This not only is good as an insect repellent but also soothes the skin and improves the coat.

This mixture can also be applied directly to treat itchy or irritated skin or as a disinfectant for cuts & abrasions. Use it as a final rinse after you give your pet a bath for a soft silky coat, but dilute it with an equal amount of water.

Would you ever thunk it? The active ingredient in pickle juice is a GREAT natural flea and tick pet care product. And CHEAP!

Here’s to your pet dogs health care!

The overall purpose of testing the dogs is to see if they are able to first recognize a human scent and then follow the scent and locate the target. The test will also show if the dog enjoys doing this type of activity and is eager to track. The majority of dog owners enjoy the sport of tracking because it allows them to spend time with their dog and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors at the same time, to say nothing of getting fresh air and exercise. There is not a specific dog that is better than another in tracking is because they all have an amazing sense of smell. Some dogs, however, are more trainable than other dogs. The only prerequisite is that the dog be in good health.

If you want to train your dog for tracking by yourself, you will first need a healthy dog. The equipment that you will need includes a tracking harness, a long lead (at least 25-feet), a few articles, some treats for rewards for the dog, and several flags to mark starts and turns of the tracking route. You want to begin in some open fields or grassy areas. You will need only a couple of acres in the beginning. As you advance in the training process, you should consider going to where you have at least twenty acres or more. Just as it is important that your dog is healthy, you will also need to be in good physical condition. You will be doing a great deal of walking in uneven terrain. Of course, this is a great way to get exercise and fresh air.

For a dog to track they use tremendous mental concentration and this added stress may keep the dog from getting as much endurance training as he needs. While you are training for tracking, you also want to include going for walks right after each tracking training session. The reasons for this are to reward the dog for working during the very intensive workout. The dog loves to run and will find this very rewarding for his efforts. If you are able to let him run freely with other dogs this is even more motivating. Another benefit to talking the dog for a walk or letting them run is to relieve any stress the dog may have after an intensive session. The most important reason is that it continues to build endurance in your dog.

While you have the pattern down for your tracking training sessions, how long should your endurance training sessions be. They may not be as long as the tracking sessions. Most tracking sessions (once the basics are learned) is once per week and that is for the high-spirited dogs. You may want to schedule your endurance training sessions at least three times per week and not on the same days as the tracking training sessions. It is important not to overwork your dog. Once your dog loses the enthusiasm for tracking and does not consider it fun anymore you may never get them back to the sport.

The most common answer is the power a dog has when pulling something. That definition, often relates only to the dogs physical strength. Dog power can also mean the power of your dogs spirit. Recently, I had an amazing discussion with Gary Williams. Gary is 3rd degree black belt in the Mars-Zen-Do style of Karate. He owns the website www.karateforhockey.com His website offers insights into how Karate can help improve a variety of sports.

Gary and I discussed the similarities and differences between Karate training techniques and dog training techniques. In Karate, sparring is the practice of technique, but sparring does not have to include contact or physical harm. Canine sparring is what what happens when dogs play.

In Karate, instructions are barked out to keep the intensity of the movements up. The instructor will then make his way down the line of students critiquing stances and movements and giving praise or correcting positions. At the spiritual or etheric level, eye contact is always part of that praise. The student receives positive reinforcement through the acceptance of the teachers’ energy. The lower level student is expected to accept eye contact so that he can receive the energy the teacher is giving. At the higher levels, energy is exchanged through Karate blocks and strikes whether there is contact or not.

Respect for the Sensei (Master) comes from this exchange of energy. In dog training, you must breathe AND offer your dog an acknowledgment of respect and an exchange of energy. If you just hold your body and breath rigidly while staring your dog down hoping he’ll look away, you have not asked for respect, you have simply bullied your dog. Asking for respect is a two way street.

Respect also comes in the form of respecting space. If a dog growls at you when you go near his food dish it is not always a challenge. It is just a reminder for you to respect the dogs space, and the fact that he considers that dish and the food in it his. Giving respect at a simple time like that can be meaningful to a dog. Challenge him at that time and he may not back down. Things can escalate unnecessarily. This is the difference between picking fights and respecting space.

If you have a working dog, like a Husky, they are bred for a specific purpose. That means they have certain genetic traits that allow them to do the things a husky is bred to do. The characteristics such as strength, endurance, and intelligence come with, for lack of a better term, side effects. These side effects have several names such as stubbornness, excitability, or bad behavior. Good dog handlers (or Karate Masters) harness the energy and spirit of side effects into stamina. This adds to the overall power of the dog (or human in Karate).

Stamina is only one benefit of being able to harness and channel the spirit and energy (in dogs and people). Train-ability and loyalty are also things that are present in those traits. Depending on the environment the husky (or human) grew up in, and the teachers or trainers they have as they mature, is what determines when and if these good traits can be drawn out.

In Karate, sparring is only allowed when the Sensei (Master) feels the student has enough skill, but more importantly control of his skills. Karate students first learn to spar with no contact allowed, and gradually progress to light contact. Finally, full contact sparring is allowed, but only to specific body areas. This controlled sparring determines strengths and weaknesses of the opponent, but more importantly the strength and weakness of the self.

This is similar to the meaning behind crate training a dog. When a dog or puppy is new to your home they do not have much self control. Not just control of bodily functions, but control of curiosity. It is up to the human to provide a place where control can be discovered. When you crate a dog, you are providing a quiet place with few distractions. In Karate, when people spar, the rest of the class is required to sit quietly and watch. This provides a safe, distraction free environment for learning. It is in this quiet way that fear and trust issues between humans, or owner and dog, can be resolved. Yes, trust is involved in learning self control for humans as well as dogs. As a dog becomes better at controlling his curiosity he gains trust, and then he is allowed more freedom.

Karate is based on principals of universal laws. Universal means dogs fall under these laws. However, as the supposed more intelligent being, and our conscious understanding of those principals, we have the responsibility to uphold respect with our canine counterparts.

As long as you don’t overload their vocabulary, parrots can be thought to say almost anything you want them too, as long as you keep it clear and simple. It’s evident that you’ll have an easier time teaching your parrot to say “I love you” rather than the German “Luftschiffkapitän”, since it’s clearer and easier to pronounce (that doesn’t mean that parrots prefer English to German though). And yes, I know what you’re thinking, parrots can be easily trained to swear and they can even learn to swear without any training, simply by living in an environment where curses are used all the time.

The story of Charlie the Cursing parrot is of notoriety, the 50 year old parrot belonging to Winston Churchill being thought to throw curses at the Nazis during the Second World War.

But getting back to how you can teach your parrot to talk, there are basically two main strategies you can undergo. One would be to buy a training tape and place it near his cage. These tapes repeat specific sentences or words over and over again and many owners leave them on and on auto-repeat while they’re off to work. Eventually, your parrot will start to grasp and reproduce the sounds he hears, but this method is extremely annoying for him. Because it looks more like a torture method rather than a training one, most parrot owners tend to go the “hard way”.

The hard way means that you’ll have to personally take care of the parrot’s training. It’s obviously best if you start doing so while he’s at a younger age, relating an action (such as feeding him for example) with a word or sentence. For example, every time you hand-feed the parrot, say “Thank you!”. After a while, if you keep focusing on these words, he’ll form a link between them and getting fed and he’ll start reproducing the sounds when you hand-feed him. You could also give him a reward when you hear him “talking”, so he’ll be more eager to pronounce the words.

To conclude, you should take note that some parrots are less trainable than others in this regard. Amazons and Conures are known to be great talkers, whereas Lorikeets are commonly regarded as less likely to be successfully trained to reproduce sounds. Some species only start talking at older ages (such as the African Greys for example) whereas others are extremely chatty even in their first few years. Even if you own a parrot that is less likely to talk, training him in this direction is extremely fun (actually, experienced parrot trainers state that it’s more fun to successfully train a parrot that doesn’t have an affinity for sound reproduction, rather than one that’s considered chatty by nature) so you should make the best of it.

A: It’s a difficult question I am afraid and one that is asked a lot. Whenever a new cat enters an area there is disruption and usually plenty of fights until everyone found their place. Your situation seems more difficult if these other cats consider your house to belong to them.

The first thing to say is that given time things should improve, and one option is no action at all, wait until everything settles down naturally. It will help if you are making it clear to these cats that you don’t want them there. Water spraying and noise is a good plan to deter them. There are also a whole selection of other deterrents available, none of which I have had any experience of I am afraid, but maybe worth a try, a lot of them seem to be electrical, upsetting intruders in various ways -if you can find one with a short range that you can use around your house (without affecting your cat, or the ones next door) then that could help move them on, or at least put them off trying to occupy your land.

Do you have a cat flap? They can work well to provide your cat with access to the safe haven of home and magnetic collars can give them their own key so noone else can come in. It doesn’t solve your problem but it will make sure that whilst things are settling down your cat will have an escape route.

Do you think the cats are feral? If this is the case then you may be able to get a local animal charity or animal warden to remove them (depending on where you are). There are a lot of programs of stray animal capture, health checking and neutering which you may be able to point in the direction of your neighbourhood.

I should point out the health risks to your cat, bites can result in abscesses, and so any wounds should be treated by your vet. It is also essential to make sure she is fully vaccinated so that she is not put at greater risk from viral infections (especially if they are stray). Feliway, is a pheromone mimicker which will help to relax your cat during this stressful time, do not under-estimate stress, we know that in cats it can be responsible for many health issues.

I suppose another option is to resign yourself to having a house cat, they can be just as happy, don’t feel guilty in the short term, she is probably really glad that you have closed the door safely behind her.