How to choose a dog toy
How to choose a dog toy
Picking out a dog toy or two for your pet may be more involved than you thought.
Here’s an article written by Dr. Kim Robertson that I think is very helpful for making this decision.
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Toys for your dog: How They Help Keep Pets Healthy
Puppies and dogs, like children, are delighted when you bring them a new toy. There are hundreds of dog toys to choose from, with new ones manufactured each month. Toys not only add entertainment to you dog’s life, they can also intellectually challenge your pet, feature in interactive play between you and your pet, and even help clean your pet’s teeth while she plays!
How dog toys help
Toys provide your puppy or dog with appropriate objects to chew on, thus decreasing destructive behavior in your home. Puppies especially are inclined to chew as they use their mouths to examine everything! Chewing behavior increases when puppies are about four months to 12 months old and go through teething. Soft plush toys are great for puppies to teethe on. A favorite can become a security blanket for the pup when he has bedded down for the night. Soft plush toys are usually light enough to carry, soft enough to chew on and machine washable for easy cleaning. Older dogs may also enjoy plush toys. Some plush toys come with squeakers inside that many dogs enjoy. If you need to board or kennel your pet, ask if a favorite toy can come along so your pet has a familiar plaything while away from home.
Keeping teeth clean and healthy with dog toys
A number of dog toys encourage your pet to chew to help clean teeth and massage gums. Some of these items are flavored for your pet’s added enjoyment. These toys are designed to provide maximum contact with the surfaces of each tooth, reducing plaque and removing food particles. Rope toys allow the teeth to sink into the strands as they gently rub the surfaces of the teeth. Gently engage in tug of war with your dog. He will bite down on the rope, tighten his grip and floss his teeth while he plays!
Toys for interactive play
Toys that are designed for interactive play between you and your dog include tug toys, rope toys, balls and Frisbees. Dogs love to interact with their people, and these toys provide hours of quality play time. Certain breeds, like those in the Retriever group, enjoy fetching balls, and many would fetch for hours if allowed! Some toys are specifically designed to float, so you can combine swimming with retrieving if your dog loves the water. Other breeds, like Shetland Sheepdogs and Australian Shepherds, enjoy chasing and catching Frisbee-type toys. Frisbees come in a variety of styles and materials, from tough nylon ones to glow-in-the-dark ones, to softer cloth Floppy Discs. Some cloth ones can be converted into a water dish for your pet! Scented toys are attractive to some dogs, and you can even use them to play “hide and seek” indoors with your pet on a rainy day. Reserve special interactive toys for those times you and your pet play together.
Engaging your pet’s mental abilities
Certain toys have been created to engage your pet’s mental abilities. Highly intelligent dogs who may become bored with conventional toys find these products mentally stimulating. One such toy has hidden recesses in it where you can stash dog kibble or pieces of food, such as carrots. As your dog tumbles the toy around and plays with it, a piece of food drops out, rewarding your dog for her efforts. I’ve recommended placing a mixture of peanut butter and sliced carrots inside a hard rubber Kong toy to encourage pets to play with it. The positive food reward makes these toys very attractive to dogs. Owners like the toys because they are virtually indestructible.
Tip: Make sure the toy’s right
Offering too many toys at once can overwhelm your pet. Try rotating your dog’s toys every three or four weeks. This way your dog thinks she’s getting new toys!
Monitor your dog’s toys frequently. Check for wear and tear or small pieces that can be chewed off and swallowed. Rope toys should be replaced when they become frayed.
Check sizes of toys carefully. Very small balls could be swallowed and obstruct your pet’s intestine. Worse, the ball might get caught in a dog’s throat and choke him. If in doubt, always purchase a larger size toy.
Avoid realistic toys. If the toy looks like a sock or a shoe, your dog might not see the difference between her toy and your expensive athletic wear!
As social animals, dogs love to play with each other, with their dog toys and with you, their owner. Dogs and puppies are delighted when you offer them a brand new toy. Their excitement and appreciation will certainly make your day.
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The Truth About Canine Urinary Tract Infections
If you’re like most dog owners, you may think that canine urinary tract infections are not a big problem. All you need to do is give your dog an antibiotic for a couple of weeks, and the problem’s taken care of, right?
Wrong. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if your dog even has canine cystitis.
Does My Dog Have A Canine Urinary Tract Infection?
As smart as dogs are, they can’t talk and tell us what their problem is. The only way they can communicate is with their behavior. If your dog has canine cystitis, she’ll try to tell you by her actions.
If you’ve ever had a bladder infection, you know that the main symptom is pain and burning when you urinate. Your dog will tell you she’s unhappy, with restless behavior like pacing around the house and whining. She may want to go out again right away, even though she just came in.
Worse, she may urinate on the floor, your bed, or in other inappropriate areas. Many dog owners mistakenly think this is a behavior problem. Before you start looking for a dog trainer, rule out bladder infections in dogs first.
Tests Your Vet Should Do To Diagnose Canine Cystitis
Tests your vet will use to diagnose a canine urinary tract infection include a urinalysis, a dog urine culture, and a sensitivity test.
A urinalysis should be done to see if bacteria or stones are present in your dog’s urine. If bacteria are found, a urine culture needs to be done to find out exactly which bacteria they are. The sensitivity test will tell your vet the correct antibiotic to use. The dog urine culture and sensitivity test take two or three days.
The problem arises because urine culturing and sensitivity testing increases your vet bill by $25 to $100. Some dog owners can’t afford the extra money, and others just won’t pay for it even it they can afford it.
So what happens? Your vet ends up prescribing an antibiotic that may or may not kill the bacteria causing your dog’s bladder infection.
Why Using The Wrong Antibiotic Is A Bad Idea
The first reason is that you can spend a lot of time and money treating your dog with an antibiotic that won’t do the job. Giving a dog an expensive antibiotic for two or three weeks is no picnic, so you don’t want to waste time with the wrong drug.
Secondly, if you skip the sensitivity test, you may be treating your dog with a drug that won’t kill the bacteria causing the infection. This can lead to a life-threatening bacterial infection that’s very hard to treat.
An even more important reason to use the right drug is the problem of antibiotic resistance.
Natural Remedies For Pets Can Prevent Bladder Infections In Dogs
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a safe, effective, natural remedy you could give your buddy every day to prevent bladder problems in dogs? Well, you’ll be happy to know that there is. This remedy is manufactured specifically for pets, not humans, which is very important. And it’s made by a company with a great reputation for producing the highest-quality products for pets.
Now that you have this information, you can use natural remedies for pets to protect your dog from the pain and stress of canine urinary tract infections.
About the Author
Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Here you can discover how herbal and homeopathic remedies can help prevent and treat painful canine urinary tract infections. Find the best place to buy these remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com
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Understanding Fear Aggression In Dogs
Tell me, does this describe your dog? Whenever somebody comes to your door, your dog puts on a big show of barking and acting brave, but all the time he’s backing up. If a stranger approaches him, he’ll run off to a safe distance, all the while regarding the interloper with mistrust and suspicion. These are signs of fear aggression in dogs.
If you don’t deal with this problem now, it will only get worse as your dog gets older. In this article, we’ll take a look at what causes this type of aggressive behavior in dogs, and what to do about it.
Causes of Fear Aggression In Dogs
One of the main causes of this kind of canine aggression is a lack of socialization when your dog was younger. If your dog doesn’t have lots of opportunities to interact with unfamiliar people and other dogs when he’s between the ages of three and twelve weeks, he’ll have a hard time trusting people and dogs he doesn’t know.
Unfortunately, another reason for this fearful behavior is that your dog was abused at some point in his life. It takes a lot of love and time to overcome fearfulness in an animal that has been abused.
Some breeds of dogs, including herding breeds, are more prone to developing fearfulness. This aggressive dog behavior tends to run in certain breed lines, too.
Hormonal imbalances may be a factor. A dog with borderline hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormones) may be anxious and fearful. Thyroid treatment is helpful in these cases.
Will This Type of Fearful Canine Aggression Go Away On Its Own?
Unfortunately, no. A fearful dog may learn that he can intimidate people by barking at them. Once he figures out that this works very well, his behavior will get worse, especially around people who are scared of dogs anyway.
A dog may be so successful in hiding his fearfulness with a veneer of aggression that it’s hard to tell that the fear is what’s driving his bad dog behaviors.
How Can I Train A Dog With Fear Aggression?
A reward-based technique is usually the best way to deal with aggressive behavior in dogs that’s caused by fear. If your dog doesn’t like people, you need to figure out how to teach him that this stranger really does like dogs, and if you dog gets close to him, he’ll give your pup a treat.
You need a volunteer for this, someone who’s very patient with dogs. Have your friend sit in a chair and scatter dry food around it. Your dog can get close or back off if he wants. Sooner or later, you dog will come close enough to get the food.
The next time, have your friend hold the kibble in his hand. Be patient and let the dog come to him to get the treat. Don’t pay any attention to the dog if he’s acting fearful. If you punish him or reassure him when he’s behaving aggressively out of fear, you’re just rewarding this bad dog behavior with your attention. When and if the dog comes and gets the food, that’s the time to praise him.
You can see that dealing with fear aggression in dogs can be a long and difficult process. A good dog training course can be a very helpful guide when working with a fearful dog. You’ll want to look for one that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.
About the Author
Darlene Norris worked at a vet clinic and an animal shelter, and has had lots of experience with dogs. Visit her new website, No More Bad Dogs, to learn more about fear aggression in dogs. Discover which dog training course she recommends at http://NoMoreBadDogs.com
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A Guide To Puppy Urinary Tract Infection
Did you know that puppy bladder infections are very common? It’s easy to miss a puppy urinary tract infection simply because puppies do tend to piddle a lot. But if you’re having trouble housetraining your puppy, and she can’t seem to hold her urine for more than a few minutes, you should investigate this possibility further.
Symptoms Of Bladder Infections In Puppies
We all know our dogs are super-smart, but even the smartest pup can’t talk to you and tell you what’s bothering her. It’s up to us as responsible dog owners to keep our eyes open for the symptoms of canine urinary tract infections:
- Bloody urine
- Urine that smells really bad
- Straining while urinating
- No energy; just lays around a lot
- Lower abdomen is tender to the touch
- Urinating all over the house
This last symptom is the one you’ll want to watch for with a puppy.
What Can Cause A Puppy Urinary Tract Infection?
There are several reasons why your little buddy develops a puppy bladder infection. Female dogs are more prone to this problem because their urethras are shorter and broader than a male dog’s urethra. This makes it easier for bacteria to get in the bladder and start causing mischief in the form of a canine bladder infection.
It’s also important that your puppy is drinking enough water. If her urine is too concentrated, this can set the stage for a puppy urinary tract infection.
You may be surprised at how quickly your puppy matures. Her hormone balance will be changing as she goes through puberty. When this happens, her body’s ph balance changes. Just like in humans, this can make her more prone to a canine urinary tract infection. You can avoid this whole scenario by having her spayed before her first heat.
We all want to save money, but cutting corners on your puppy’s diet isn’t the way to do it. Making the investment in the highest-quality dog food possible will pay itself back many times by avoiding health problems and high vet bills later on in your dog’s life.
A good quality canned food is probably the best, but if you feed dry dog food, look for one that has lots of meat or chicken in it. Avoid dry dog food that’s mostly grain. Grain-based dog food changes the urine ph, which can lead to recurring urinary tract infection in dogs.
Natural Remedies For Pets With Puppy Bladder Infections
There are many natural ways to treat bladder infections in puppies. You can try giving her 1000 mg of vitamin C every day for a couple of days. Be sure she’s drinking lots of water. Adding a broth with salt in it to her food will make her thirsty and encourage her to drink more water and flush her system.
People have been using certain herbs and homeopathic remedies to treat bladder infections for many years. You’ll be happy to know that there is now a safe, effective herbal pet remedy that you can give your puppy every day to support bladder health and prevent bladder infections in dogs. This remedy is manufactured by a long-established company with a sterling reputation for producing the highest-quality pet remedies.
If your young dog is already having problems with puppy bladder infections, do yourself and your little friend a favor and learn how herbal pet remedies can treat and prevent this problem.
About the Author
Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Learn how to treat a puppy urinary tract infection, and find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com
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Don’t Ignore Female Dog Incontinence
Many dog owners don’t know what to do when incontinence in female dogs becomes an issue. This problems affects many pets, but their owners either ignore it or are too embarrassed about it to take their dogs to the vet. In this article, we’ll look at causes and treatments for female dog incontinence.
Your Dog Leaks Urine
You’ll probably notice that your female dog is leaking urine, especially when she’s sleeping or she’s very relaxed. In fact, nighttime is when the problem usually happens. Owners will notice that when the dog gets up, she leaves a puddle or wet spot on the carpet.
The urine leaking is a nuisance for you, but it’s more annoying for your dog. Urine is caustic and causes severe skin irritation if it’s in contact with the skin for any length of time. An incontinent female dog will also lick herself more, trying to keep the area clean. She may even lick until the area is raw. Leaked urine burns the area even more, so you can see it becomes a vicious cycle for your dog.
Incontinence in female dogs can also lead to more bladder infections, due to the urinary sphincter being too relaxed. This makes it possible for bacteria to enter her urethra and cause urinary tract infections.
Is Your Dog At Risk For Female Dog Incontinence?
This problem is common in spayed females, especially the larger breeds, although it can occur in just about any breed. The problem usually shows up when you dog is between three and five years old.
Your dog has a muscular valve at the base of her bladder that keeps urine from dripping out. In female dogs, estrogen helps the muscles of the bladder to stay strong. You can see that if the hormonal balance in your dog’s body changes, she may not be able to hold her urine.
When a dog is spayed, her uterus and ovaries are removed. This means that her body is no longer making estrogen, which can lead to a dog that leaks urine.
Treatment For Incontinence In Female Dogs
Vets usually treat this problem with DES, or diethylstilbestrol. This is a replacement for estrogen. It’s given on a daily basis to start, with the dosage gradually being reduced to once a week.
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is also used to treat female dogs that are leaking urine. This drug is not a hormone, but it was an ingredient in diet pills until it was banned for human use by the FDA. It’s still approved for veterinary use, though. Side effects can include irritability, appetite suppression, and changes in blood pressure.
Your dog will need to be on one or both or these drugs for the rest of her life.
Natural Treatment For Dogs With Urinary Incompetence
Many people are becoming more interested in herbal pet remedies. Humans have been using herbal treatments for various conditions for centuries, and in many parts of the world, they still do. It’s to be expected that pet owners would wonder whether these herbal pet remedies would work as well for their pets.
The answer is that they do. These herbal and homeopathic remedies are safe and effective, with no risk of side effects. They’re also reasonably priced and easy to find.
You do need to buy your natural pet remedies from a reputable company that stands behind its products and is committed to providing formulations that are safe for your pet.
Don’t be embarrassed about your incontinent female dog any longer. Do yourself and your dog a favor and discover how a natural treatment for dogs with urinary incompetence is both effective and safe.
About the Author
Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, <a href=”http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com” title=”Natural Pet Urinary health“>Natural Pet Urinary health. Discover how herbal and homeopathic remedies can help your incontinent dog, and find the best place to buy them at <a href=”http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com” title=”//naturalpeturinaryhealth.com”>http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com
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Trimming Pet’s Nails: Take Proper Care Of Your Pet
Most pet owners understand how to take proper care of their pet. Many basic grooming procedures consist of brushing, bathing, and getting their hair cut. Some, however, overlook one of the most important tasks in keeping your pet well groomed. This part involves nothing more than keeping your pet’s nails neatly trimmed. Believe it or not, this is very important for a pet’s health and well being. Several benefits of this process include better mobility, less pain, bonding, and better health. These are all excellent benefits that make this process worth attempting.
Granted, trimming a pet’s nails may seem like a difficult job, and it can be because many pets do not necessarily enjoy this and they are not afraid to let their owners know about it. Fortunately, there are some incredible tools available to make the job less painful for both of you. Using them and getting the job done correctly can have many benefits that are too large to ignore.
When you keep up with trimming your pet’s nails, you can discover the following benefits:
- Mobility – When a dog’s claws are allowed to grow too long, basic tasks such as running and walking become painful and more difficult. This may even become a problem for very young dogs with a lot of energy. Dogs in particular, enjoy running and playing and by keeping their nails short, you can increase their comfort level while performing these activities. Keeping your pet’s claws correctly and neatly trimmed can help ensure that he never suffers the unnecessary pain long nails can cause.
- Better health – When claws are allowed to grow too long over an extended period of time, health problems can arise. An ordinarily healthy dog can become lame from favoring paws while walking. In some cases, broken nails can be an issue and can even cause infections in the paws. Long nails can cause problems for your pet including infections. These infections are caused by the nail cracking or splitting.
- Increased comfort – If you do not trim a cat’s nails often, they may begin scratching in an attempt to shorten their own nails. They may use a variety of surfaces including your furniture. Unfortunately, this also means that they may scratch you and other objects in your home.
- Bonding – Nail trimming and other routine health care maintenance can be the perfect time to bond with your cat or dog. Try to make the experience as enjoyable as possible and it can pay off for both of you. When you begin the process by calming your pet and finish by giving your pet a treat, he or she may look forward to a weekly claw inspection and trimming. This is a great experience because you can tell that your pet is happy and you know they are healthy too.
Getting the Job Done With Ease
If you want to make sure your pet enjoys the benefits of routine claw trimming, you may want to learn how to perform the job yourself. Yes, you can go to a groomer for this, but it can prove costly to keep up with on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. There are several tools and tips for trimming your pet’s nails. To trim a cat or dog’s claws with relative ease, consider the following tips:
- Getting a nail grinder – There are specialized tools for trimming canine and feline claws. Rather than technically cut, they grind. These devices make it easier for you to handle the job and less intimidating for your dog or cat. A nail grinder is a tool that grinds the nails rather than cut them. This can be less painful for your pet because there is a lower chance of cutting the quick.
- Using rewards – Do not overlook the value of rewarding your pet for behaving well during a trim. When you reinforce that a treat is coming after a trim, your pet should respond well.
- Taking it with a grain of salt – If you are new at trimming your pet’s claws and find the job is a little difficult, do not sweat it. Rather than try to trim all four paws in one sitting, do one at a time. If your pet seems distressed, just back off for a bit and come back to the job later.
There are many benefits to trimming your pet’s nails. The main benefits include better mobility for your pet, improved overall health, and less pain. These benefits are worth it and even though your pet may be uncomfortable with the process, you should try to find ways to help them get through it. Rewards are important because they show your pet that your care and they were good during the process. This helps them to behave in a similar manner during the next nail trimming.
About the Author
Jeremy Foster is a freelance writer who writes about pet care and pet products, focusing primarily on specific pet care products such as Pedi Paws.
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The Forgotten Group of Pet Owners.
When my first Boxer died, I decided that when I got my next Boxer I would also get a second Boxer. One thing I noticed about Bogart was that most of the time he seemed really bored and would lay his head on the window sill and just stare outside. I was not always at home and did not have the chance to play with him after work. Boxers are a very hyper breed and love attention. When the time came to get my next dog I got two male Boxers, one was a dark brindle and the other a fawn (Bogart). I will never again give a dog the same name as a previous dog because it causes problems with animal control records.
I had never owned two Boxers before; and therefore was not aware of a small learning curve: * I had to purchase two water bowls and food bowls * One Boxer was 7 years old and the second was a puppy therefore I had to purchase two types of dog food * Vet bills were more expensive because of two dogs * I had to purchase two kennels * Two of almost everything was needed * Making sure my mannerisms were always contingent with Bogart being treated as the dominant male of the two. For example, always giving Bogart toys first. They both knew that I was the alpha male of the pack. I thought I was ready to bring home two dogs because I had covered and/or anticipated all of the above needs. Upon bringing home the dogs, everything went well. Soon they were playing together like old friends. I kept a close eye on them when together because they were both males from the same litter and this is supposed to be a volatile situation. Right from the beginning they have not had any major problems.
The one issue that I had not anticipated was that of walking two dogs simultaneously. When walking one dog I always had a free hand for tasks such as talking on the cell phone, holding used and unused poop bags, keys and other convenience items. When I tried walking both dogs traditionally, with one leash in each hand, both hands were occupied and multi-tasking was very difficult. I started shopping around for some type of device that would allow me to walk both dogs with one hand because I wanted to do more than hold leashes while walking my dogs. The only products I could find were couplers. A coupler is a Y-shaped device with two or more dogs “too closely” connected on one end and the other end connected to a leash. I could walk both dogs with one hand but the coupler was too restrictive and if the larger dog made a sudden change in direction, the smaller dog would go flying in the air. The coupler allowed very little control of the dogs. I then continued my search for a better product,which I never found. Each time I would describe the product I was looking for to a pet shop owner, they would tell me they did not have such a product, but they wished they did. I decided that I would innovate a device that had the functionality of the type of device I was looking for. I named the product The SmartWalk Manager. The patent-pending product allows dog owners to walk one or more dogs with one hand thereby leaving the remaining hand free for other tasks such as holding a flash light while simultaneously keeping close watch over your dogs. It also allows the owner to have convenience items always available during walks or travel. Dog Owners and Couplers Unlike couplers, the owner has better control of the dogs with the SmartWalker. When the more active dog makes any sudden turns, the pull can be interrupted by the SmartWalk Manager before the smaller dog is affected. This is because, with the SmartWalker, each dog is connected directly to the dog owner but with a coupler, the dogs are connected directly to each other. Unlike with couplers you can add or subtract multiple dogs at a time up to as many dogs as you can safely handle depending on variables such as surrounding conditions, size of the dogs and the dog owners size and weight. There is also a wrist strap available to help maintain grip control and avoid surprises. But couplers are preconfigured for two, three and sometimes four dogs. Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters Pet Sitters should have available to them all the tools that will increase the quality of life for their customer’s dogs and make their business venture more competitive. The SmartWalk Manager makes items conveniently available to the sitter while they are caring for your dogs. The sitter can have notebooks available to them while walking their client’s dogs.
We think a Pet Sitter’s company could benefit greatly from the use of our SmartWalk Manager line of products. The SmartWalk Manager can be seen as a “tool of the trade” for dog walkers and therefore may be tax deductible. Check with your accountant or tax professional for details.
The SmartWalk Manager is for Responsible Pet Owners who: * Love exercising with their pets * Like the convenience of having items available to them while walking and/or traveling with their pets * Having treats available as rewards at the time of the good behavior * Would like the possibility of doing more than holding leashes while walking their dogs
The SmartWalk Manager is made up of the following components: – Large SmartWalk Manager for dogs with a combined weight over 50 lbs and Small SmartWalk Manager for dogs under 50 lbs. – Red, Black or Green Anodized Aluminum Leash Retainer resists corrosion and scratching – 6-pocket black genuine leather pouch for the large and 4 pockets for the small – Stainless Steel swivel snap untangles leashes – Soft rubber ergonomic handle – Allows walking of multiple dogs with one hand – Owner can store his/her and dog’s items in the pouch – Key chain holder sewn into pouch – Unlike couplers, the SmartWalk Manager does not allow larger dogs to overpower smaller dogs – Owners use it to ride their bike with their dogs – Can attach to stationary objects such as a fence to act as a tie-out – Back pocket is made of mesh for storing used poop bags – Can be used with any standard nylon or leather leashes – Everything for walking your pets is stored in one place – Retail Packaging: security-sealed bar-coded clamshell for sitting upright or hanging
For an original version of this and other Pet related articles, visit
About the Author
About the Author: Roy Gilbert, Jr. CEO RG PetComm LLC PO Box 191341 San Diego, CA 92159-1341 Web: http://www.RGPetComm.com Email: inquiry@RGPetComm.com Office: 619-341-4825
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Persian cats: Bicolor
Persian cat: Bicolor
Past, present and future of Persian Bicolors
American owners always loved to bicolor, colored cats. In England, vice versa, it is cordial dislike to these colors, which become stronger probably
because they are dofficult in breeding, though this color make cats more beautiful and sight. You can seldom meet piebald animals on the exhibitions in
Russia, thye say that they are not in fashion, but it turns out that our owner don’t know almost anything abou this color.
Gene of white Piebald Spotting is called gene of household, it is the most common among all spontaneous mutations, and is showed in many different forms,
concerning to limitation of colored pigment in definite colors. Some form of this gene appears in all varieties of domestic animals, but is
absence almost in all wild animals. Under the ruthless methods of natural selection, luxurious white marks would mean death. Known exception is zebra.
Her stripes serve as camouflage in habitat. Nevertheless, colorful white marks were appreciated and selected by selectionists for continuation of genus in
the breeding of domestic animals.
Past
Where did modern colors of bicolor and calico ( tortoiseshell on white) appear from? Today ’s Persians are, first of all, progeny of longhaired cats,
imported to England and other parts of Europe during the middle – end 1800s from geographical regions countries Persia and Turkey of that time. Gene of
Piebald Spotting was widespread then, but often was masked by prepotent white color, which is especially well-known in longhaired cats of Turkey.
If to pay attention in the past, we will see that all longhaired cats were prised together on the exhibitions and iffers of breeds were based more on
colors, than on differs of type or the country of origin of given animals. Imagination of cats of american selectionists followed the leading at that time
English exhibition rules in this attitude, so that on the earliest american exhibitions, for example, all white cats were valued at one class, and it
didn’t matter if their pedigree went back to Persia, Turkey or local cats from Man state (having occured in America with first sailors from Europe). This
practice almost lost the type of Turkish Angoras cats, who assimilated into the big breed, which became known to us as Persian.
Unfortunately, earlier herd-books of England and America wil not allow to follow ways of development of all colors in full. At the beginning of the
century bicolored Persians registered and showed and in England, and in the USA. But they were not popular, because there worked pedigree programs of
breeding one colored cats (Solids) in England, and active efforts were spent to avoid white spottiness. In 1904 in one artical, devoted to the review of
cat ’s shows in the attitude of bicolored colors, were said that ‘…it is more better to put to sleep such many-colored indiviuals at once or to sell them
as domestic nurslings than to keep them as sires, spoiling purity, value, and reputation of colors.’
By the time of devision of longhaired breeds into Persians and half longhaired cats at the begiinning of 1900s there wasn’t any need in different
indication of breed within the category of longhaired till the appearance of Himalayan Persins as breed in 1950s. Bicolors and Calico in British and
Americn herd-books rated as non-recognized colors and had a ban for the participation in shows. CFA was the first who attributed Bicolors to recognized
(accepted) for the registration. It was common practice of cat organizations in all breeds, that allowed the registration of cats, which was of pure
origin, but non-recognized color.
The exact period of time, when Bicolors and Calico were difficult to show, is difficult to find out, but in 1933 Evelyn Buckworth-Herne-Soame have written
in his impressions from the exhibition about Tortoiseshell on White cat: ‘This is the most vivid and charming animal. It is a pity that there is no bigger
number of such…’ At the same year first white-black individuals, which public liked, appeared on the shows and it was accepted to bring bicolored in any
other color.
However, after 1933 Bicolors and Calico were officially removed from the shows in the USA right up to 1955 when by the efforts of Dorothy Anderson Calico
was approved anew in CFA. Only in 1971 other bicolored colors were accepted. Herd-books show that these colors is saved in the genotype during these 22
years of oblivion, because the gene of white spottines often masked with white.
The decade of 1980ies made a revolution in bicolored colors and in May of 1991 the article of Anthology of Persian cats was published, devoted to these
colors, which embraced many features and requorememts for these variation of Persians. At the first time cats of these colors got to the catalogues of
winners.
But 80ies brought not only the flash of Bicolors’ popularity, but fixed extreme type, in which bicolored Presians became really amazing.
Fast increasing sccesses of bicolored cats made them popular and enough widespread. Since 1991 Bicolors and Kaliko were singled out into separate
exhibition classes and divided from Solids for breeding ‘within themselves’.
Leading nurseries and ancestors of Persian breeding, specialized on the colors Bicolor became ‘Anz’ and ‘Pajean’, breeded first national winners and
hundreds Grand-Champions of CFA. Practically all modern lines of Persian Bicolors go back to these nurseries.
Future
Future of Bicolors, of course, is obvolute with the secret and consists of more number of questions than of answers.
CFA holds a discussion about separation of colors Tabby with white into separate divisions for the participation in the exhibitions. Probably,
orange-eyed, different-eyed and blue-eyed Vans will stand separately , if their number is enough.
Which changes can we expect in the attitude of the standard of Bicolors? Councillors of the breed Persian Bicolor and Calico of CFA voted down more
than once any changes of the standard, which remained practically the same, beginning since 1988. During the 80-ies some bicolored animals with
old-fashioned type or lack of white in the color gained titles of Grand-Champions, because this type was developed and fixed. Now this is sooner an
exception than a rule, because increase of animals level dictates the necessity of full correspondence to the standard. Incrbicolor3.jpgease of sale of
cats to the countries of European market maens the necessity to pay an attention of owners of CFA on standards of color in phelinological centers of other
countries.
Present
Comparison of Bicolors’ standard CFA and other associations.
GCCF
Recently in GCCF (Great Britain) an addition to Persian standard in GCCF were published ‘…to refuse in the awarding the first place in the class of
kitten and awarding the title in Open Classes ( in CFA it is equivalent to the disqualification ) to the animals, having an upper part of nasal mirror
upper than lower eyelid.’ There continue to storm a debates about this problem, and GCCF takes additons to the standard of Bicolors about
disqualification of animals with wrong proportions in the correspondence of colors. Defect of color is considered: ” Plenty of white on the body
” Absence of white marks on the head
” As for GCCF standard right Tortoiseshell with White (equivalent CFA calico) and bicolored colors must not have less than 1/3 and not more ?
of white in the color. Face must be both colored and white, legs must be white , a little quantity of basic color is accepted. Some of quantity of
white on the tail part is allowed, but white tail part in full is a defect.
” Van according to GCCF standard is basically white except marks of basic color, situated on the head, ears and tail part. Ideally right colored
animal must not have little spots on the body and legs except three accepted.
This standard, of course, would fined that cats, who have more than half of white, but less than required for Harlequin. In 1989 CFA decided this
problem to envelope that luxurious cats in full, many of which take part in the exhibitions and reach the final today.
FIFE
Standard in FIFE defines three separate color variants:
” Bicolor must have at least ? , but not more than 2/3 of basic color of hair (white flame on the face and white small strap on the back part of body are
desired).
” Color Harlequin requirs for at least ?, but not more than ? of basic color
” Van requires for 1/6 of basic color (colors are for Tortoiseshell cats) and 5/6 of white. More precise definition of division of colors in color Van is
two colored patches on the face, separated by flame, and one spot, beginning on the buttock part and enveloping all tail part. Three little colored
patcheson the body and (or) on legs.
CFA
Standard CFA describes esthetis ideal without making experts become mathematicians. Judge is guided by the standard of color, whichdictates the quantity
of white as privileged minimum. Contrary to the widespread wrong opinion there is no there never was percent of white in the standard of CFA. Expert by
appraisal of the right of color is guided by 20 points, 10 points of which are added for colored and 10 points are for white marks. So, standard provides
the operation factors of appraisal to discretion of judge, who decides himself how colors are balanced for definite type of animal.
WCF
Standard of colors of bicolor, harlequin and van practically repeats the standard of FIFE for the exception of an addition about desirability of
presence of ended white ring on the neck and symmetric coloring of the face.
Peculiarities of pedigree work with color
Owner often solve the problem of perfection of type to the rejudice of the color ’s quality. Especially strong this problem stands for Bicolors,
Harlequins and Vans. It is considered that to improve the color, it is necessary to limit the pedigree work with copulations ‘within itself’
(i.e. bicolors with bicolors). But in this case it has to pay an attention on the dose of gene S. So, for Bicolors with not enough developed pegenes
it should choose partners – Harlequins, and for animals with single disseminations of white (what is non-accepted for Persians) the best pair will be
Bicolor with big quantity of white. At that white piebaldness of Van color is slightly isolated from other particolored colors. Cats with such allocation
of white spots are recommended to breed without using other white-piebald and colored variations to avoid appearance of colored spots in on-accepted places
(for example, on the back).
Though, gene S is considered to be prepotent, and Bicolors – heterozygotes along it, allocation of spots and correspondence of colors is regulated not only
by S allele, but groups of genes – modifiers. That ’s why if is intended the copulation of Bicolor cat with onecolored cat, there are more chances to
recieve wittingly good correspondence of colors in kittens in that case if cat ’s mother or father had qualitative bicolored color. It is necessary for
owners to pay attention on this by choosing of sires in the nursery.
Earlier it is considered that by many copulations of Bicolors between themselves accumulation of white color happens and color Bicolor gradually changes
into Harlequin. But to the contrary of this statesment nurseries, stably breeding bicolored animals without systematically top removal Harlequins and
one-colored individuals. Obviously, gene of white piebaldness is quite exposed to stabilization by planned selection.
Peculiarity of grooming
As Persians of any other color, Bicolors is neede in everyday and special exhibition grooming. Great second helping to their ration will serve sea algae
and betacarotine, making the eye color brighter and color of coat contraster. However, preparing of animals, having two or three colors in the color
(for calico) become difficult dy impossibility of using of colored shampoos. Also the standard of Bicolor requires for distinct differentiationof colors,
which in case of necessity is acheived with the help of trimming of white hairs, situated on the colored parts. As it is impossible to use colored
shampoos, medicinal shampoos, which improve the quality of hair, and balsams, containing sea algae will help. Directly on the show it is able to use
special fluffing schaums and sprays, making the hair brighter.
www.persian-catsclub.com
About the Author
Successful authoress about the different breeds of cats.
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Head Halters: Management or Training Tool?
Training enables a dog to collaborate with the human, providing the leader with a desired behavior based on mutual respect, and yes, I’ll call it love. A training tool is any prop used by the trainer to inform the dog what is desired, and help him achieve the correct behavior. A training tool can be faded out when the dog understands the behavior, and finds pleasure and utility in delivering it.
For example, a pinch collar, used gently and correctly, can show a dog that it is possible, and desirable to walk nicely on leash without pulling. Used as a training tool, one can fade the pinch collar out, but retain the polite leash walking. One can also use the pinch collar as a management tool, rather than as a teaching device. If the trainer fails to show the dog how to avoid the collar, the dog will pull when the collar is off, and walk nicely only when it is applied. Other dogs pull despite the presence of a pinch collar because they learn to tune it out. In that case, you have achieved neither training nor management.
Management is the act of making it impossible for a dog to do the wrong behavior. (Example: put the dog in a crate where he cannot chew the furniture.) Training is a process during which you give the dog opportunity to do the wrong behavior, but teach him to offer a desired action instead. (Example: leave the dog out of the crate, but teach him to chew only his toys.)
Both training and management are useful techniques. Most dog trainers tend to use them both, sometimes simultaneously. Take housebreaking. We crate the dog as a management device. We watch the dog closely when loose, take her outside at the appropriate moment, calmly praise while she is going, and assign the behavior a name. The name then becomes the command. This is training. So housebreaking consists of both techniques.
I believe strongly in management. But training is the essential component which actually changes the relationship between dog and owner. It is not enough to stop the dog from doing a naughty behavior. Ideally, we stop the dog from wanting to do that behavior. If I have to confess a bias or a preference for one versus the other, I would have to own up to preferring training over management.
Too often I hear of dog trainers who declare that a given dog will never be off leash reliable, so they simply recommend the dog never be taken off leash. I have worked with clients who were told by previous trainers that their dog would never get over dog aggression so the dog should never be taken off their own property. To my way of thinking, this is simply recommending management when we don’t know how to do the training.
Not long ago I changed my view of a particular tool. A year ago, I would have called the Halti head halter a management tool. I knew that dogs stopped pulling when wearing it. But I did not believe that dogs could generalize the behavior and continue walking politely once the head halter was removed.
I was wrong.
It turns out that the Halti is either a training tool or a management tool depending on how you use it, just like the pinch collar. It is simple to use the Halti as a management device. Desensitize the dog to the halter using treats. Walk the dog on the halter, simply being careful not to wrench his neck by yanking hard or by letting him lunge. It’s that easy. When the dog begins to forge, his head is turned to the side and he finds himself unable to pull. If we let the dog constantly try and fail to pull, we might be satisfied. After all, we wanted to stop the pulling, and we did. But in this example, when we remove the Halti we also remove the good behavior. Take off the halter and the dog pulls.
Why? Because the dog has not learned his owner prefers him walking at side with no tension on the leash. He has merely learned that it is either uncomfortable or impossible for him to do anything else. As soon as it is possible to pull, he will.
I discovered actual training with the Halti quite by accident. Some of you may chuckle and find that my discovery is no revelation to you. But it was a bit of a surprise to me. Before Frank the Labrador came into my life, I used halters only occasionally. When the elderly lady with no money for lessons came with the wild adolescent St. Bernard, I taught the dog to tolerate a Halti and sent them on their way. I congratulated myself on giving her a good management tool, and warned her she’d have to use it for life. The client was thrilled.
Then Frank came along. I nicknamed him The Pirhana. Four months old. Razor sharp baby teeth. Zero bite inhibition. Major leash puller. He didn’t feel in the least bit uncomfortable strangling himself on a flat collar, as he dragged his owners down the street. They put a pinch collar on him and Frank didn’t notice or care. In other words, this adorable little Labrador puppy didn’t much feel connected to humans. He was insensitive to their needs, didn’t want to be petted, and didn’t respond to their form of training.
I took Frank in to train him and just like his owners, I found that Frank didn’t respond very much to me either. This is unusual for me because most often, using good Pack Leadership, treats, toys and motivational body language, dogs quickly enjoy and respect me. I then pass that relationship back to the owners and show them how to grow it further. But Frank was different. Frank didn’t care.
In sheer desperation I put a Halti on the little booger. But I didn’t use it the way many owners do. Many owners use it passively rather than actively. To use it passively, as I described earlier, merely put the halter on the dog, and he quickly discovers he can’t pull. He will spend much of his time ahead of the owner, hitting the end of the leash and self correcting due to the presence of the Halti. You get better walking, but only in the form of management, not training because when you take off the Halti, inevitably, the pulling resumes immediately.
I used the Halti actively, as a training tool. Each time Frank attempted to pass me and go as far as the leash/Halti combination would allow, I gently guided him back to my side with a gentle and smooth rearward motion of my hand. The instant Frank was at my side, I dropped by hand an inch or two. As a result, the instant Frank was by my side, the slight pressure of the Halti on his muzzle faded away.
Of course, Frank was a headstrong little booger and I had to make that adjustment a hundred times the first day. But we make gentle, micro-adjustments thousands of times a day when we drive a car. Even driving straight, we must make many small adjustments of the wheel to continue steering on our path. The same is true of the Halti. Neither Frank nor I viewed these adjustments as corrections because nothing about them suggested that he couldn’t immediately try the same behavior of pulling. And he did. Many times that day.
The second day I noticed that I was still compelled to gently guide Frank back to my side many times, but not as often as on the first day. I never let him get more than six inches out of position before making the adjustment. What Frank felt was mild pressure on his face when attempting to pull ahead, and an instant relief of this pressure when walking at side.
A Halti is so light weight that if the dog does not pull, he hardly knows it is there. Unlike a Gentle Leader, the Halti does not put a constant flow of pressure behind the skull. The Gentle Leader is a wonderful tool when we want that constant, gentle pressure behind the head. It really is a calmative for reactive, nervous dogs. But Frank wasn’t nervous, he was simply oblivious to human concerns.
Here’s what happened. I walked Frank multiple times daily on the Halti. Every day I noticed that he needed fewer and fewer reminders to walk at my side on a loose leash. He got used to it. Although he never minded the huge leash corrections his owners gave him on a pinch collar, he did mind the feeling of pressure on his face the Halti delivered. Therefore, the puppy decided he’d rather avoid that. Constant small experiences showed him that if he tightened the leash, pressure turned on. If he loosened the leash by walking at side, the pressure turned off. During that week, he further figured out that if he never tightened the leash, the Halti never pressured him at all. So by week’s end, Frank walked at side with hardly a reminder adjustment at all.
Management, as we said, simply makes it impossible for the dog to do a behavior we don’t like. Training helps the dog not want to do the behavior we don’t like. I still wasn’t sure whether I had trained Frank or whether I had managed him.
So I took the Halti off, attached the leash to his flat collar, and went for a walk.
Frank walked like a dream. He had generalized the behavior of walking nicely on the Halti, to walking nicely without it. Frankly, this was a surprise to me because I had viewed the Halti with preconceived notions: I thought it was only useful as a management tool. But in this instance, I had actually trained with it because I was able to fade out the tool, and retain the behavior.
But something even more profound occurred during this process. Remember that Frank was also an uninhibited biter and that he didn’t much care about human contact? With the Halti and training technique, Frank began to realize that I was relevant and important to his life. As a result, he stopped biting me, and even began to solicit and earn affection.
Being a curious sort of person, I used this same technique with the next five or six terribly pulling dogs I trained. In each case, I showed the dog that forging ahead turned the mild Halti pressure on and walking right next to my left leg turned the pressure off. Each dog, within a few days, was able to walk nicely without the Halti.
There are two morals to the story. First, the Halti is not just a management tool. You can train with it, and if you do as I describe, you should be able to discontinue use of the tool, and keep the new good behavior. Second, a management tool can become a training tool if you open your eyes to the possibilities. I know I did, and it has placed one more valuable tool in my toolbox.
About the Author
Marc Goldberg, CDT is an IACP certified dog trainer specializing in the rehabilitation of difficult dogs and improving relationships. He is Vice President of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and Editor of SafeHands Journal. The author also educates professional dog trainers in his techniques. Visit him on the web at http://www.chicagodogtrainer.com or http://www.dogtraininginchicago.com.
Article Source: Content for Reprint
Women and Their Psychological Relationship with Their Pets
The psychological relationships that women have with their pets have enabled women to change one life at a time for the better. Women of different ages, races, and economic status develop strong friendships as they engage in delightful conversations about their pets’ escapades.
According to a recent American Kennel Club study, 8 in 10 dog owners consider pets “family.†The single woman can now select her mate online by visiting dating sites such as the Dog Channel Exclusives. According to Dog Fancy magazine, a British survey found that 25 percent of dog owners would choose a pet over their mate if forced to make a choice…which explains the popularity of the pillow that is seen in many homes that states “We are staying together for the sake of the dog.â€Â
Women appreciate the role that pets play in family relationships.
When a young couple does not have children, they frequently get a pet. We hear many stories of women who nurture their pets and soon the women become pregnant. Other women give in to the pleas of their children to add a pet to the family. The pet can help teach older children how to be responsible with daily tasks and to have compassion for others. Once children are grown and leave home, women acquire pets to fill the void. When a woman is married to a man that she loves but who does not provide recreational or social outlets, she may acquire pets to fill those needs.
The psychological relationship between the physical health of women and their pets can be witnessed when women are walking their dogs.
It is not unusual today to see mature and even elderly women in the show ring. Their interaction with others outside their home towns and traveling to different locations seems to make them emotionally and physically healthier than those women with more sedentary, isolated lifestyles. It seems as though when their dog is nearby, women feel less stress and fare better than even when a friend is nearby so competition remains fun.
According to a study in Germany, the health and eating habits of women can be mirrored in their cats. Three times more women who owned overweight cats revealed that they did not feel very happy before acquiring a cat as compared to the number of owners of normal weight cats. The women who owned the overweight cats acquired the cat to console and encourage them and as a result had a closer relationship. These women tended to treat these cats as humans and even substitute the cats for human companions. By using food as a way of communicating with their cats, the cats became overweight.*
There is a psychological relationship between the emotional health of women and their pets. Women do not always live close to their families. Their pet tends to be the anchor of support when family members are not available.
When women are in a crisis situation, their pets can be their only source of comfort and affection. In the case of battered women, those women with pets delay going to a shelter because of their concern for the animal’s welfare. Not all shelters accept pets and in many cases, the women cannot afford to fund outside care for the pet in a safe place. When a woman has to abandon the pet under these conditions, it puts her under additional emotional stress.
A number of elderly women have refused to go or delayed going to the hospital for the same concerns. In many cases, their pets are also elderly. Either family members have no desire to add them to their household or the woman does not feel the family will love their pets enough so the only alternatives are euthanasia or re-homing, both of which can cause further decline in the health of the woman.
The psychological relationships that women have with pets can serve as stress relievers. Therapy Dogs International and the Delta Society educate women volunteers and their pets so that they can effectively visit patients in the nursing home setting. This increases social interaction with the patients, provides comfort to them and reinforces their feelings of independence.
Canine Companions for Independence as well as The Guiding Eyes for the Blind has enabled women with various disabilities to become independent again by developing a close bond with highly trained dogs.
The psychological relationship that women have with their pets can determine where they work. Pets are increasingly seen in business offices. American companies that allow employees to bring their pets to work are listed on a website called Simply Hired. Pet Sitters International teams up with corporate sponsors to host a “Take your Pet to Work Dayâ€Â.
Women who desire to spend more time with their pets and children without sacrificing income often become leaders in the home-based business industry.
The psychological relationship that women have with their pets can determine where women live and what cars they drive. Women have chosen to move to homes based on the needs of their pets. Advertisers today show pets selecting the family car. Even insurance companies are throwing in free pet injury insurance for pets that travel in cars that are insured by them. All of these ads are aimed at the women who care deeply for their pets.
Ultimately, it is the quality of the psychological relationship that women have with their pets that improves the happiness of everyone around them in the home, neighborhood and business arena.
Works Cited List
Kochan, Maureen. “Love Me, Love My Dog.†Dog Fancy February 2008. 7 January 2008
http://jn.nutrition.org/dgi/content Supplement: The WALTHAM International Sciences Symposia Innovations in Companion Animal Nutrition: Obesity and Weight Management. Human-Animal Relationship of Owners of Normal and Overweight Cats
Ellen Kienzle*,4 and Reinhold Bergler* Institute of Physiology, Biochemistry, and Animal Nutrition, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, D-85764 Oberschleiheim Munich, Germany and Psychologisches Institut der Universität Bonn, D-53117 Bonn, Germany 4
About the Author
Amelia Johnson, Life Style Mentor and Successful Entrepreneur, is helping many become the next success story. Whether you’re looking to create an extra few thousand dollars per month, be an ex-corporate executive, or the next millionaire Mom, Debra can assist you to create a second stream of income and greater peace of mind. visit : Success
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dog obedience school
Are you thinking about dog obedience school? Do you know what to expect out of it?
Do you know what it costs or where to find a good school?
If not, let me help take out some of the mystery of finding one to make sure you and your dog get the best experience you can.
If you have searched the web in this topic, you probably found some sites that are basically search engines within search engines, no real information about dog obedience schools.
Or you might have found some obedience schools that were on the other side of the country.
Needless to say, neither one was of much use. Chances are you have a dog obedience school of some sort in your town, unless you’ve got a poplulation of less than 20,000.
In that event, you might need to opt for dog training videos or books, and I will go over some good resources for that later.
The first thing I want you to do is look for someone with proven experience. You can start in the yellow pages and look under “Dog Training” as oposed to “dog obedience school.”
Ask a LOT of questions. These people are going to be molding the mind of your impressionable pup and you want to know that it’s a good fit.
Ask things like:
What will the dog be taught?
What is the success rate?
What happens if you’re not satisfied
Will you be taught how to continue with your dogs new traning?
What are their methods of correction when the dog disobeys
Visit the facility too. Check it out. Meet the trainers and see how they act with people and dogs.
Ask if you can watch a training session or a video of a session so you get an idea of what your dog will be subjected to.
Don’t make a final decision on a dog obedience school until your dog has met the trainers. Dogs are extremly good judges of character.
For the most part, someone in this line of work is going to be a good person and a dog lover. Some, however, will be doing it just to get a paycheck and may not have your pal’s best interest in mind.
If your dog doesn’t like them… take another route.
You might want to consider the local 4-H club. 4-h is where I learned how to train my own dog as a child. It isn’t a dog obedience school in the traditional sense. It teaches kids how to train their dogs, or a friend’s dog.
It’s a youth education program and it provides many many facets of education, one of which is often dog training.
dog obedience gifts
Every owner needs dog obedience gifts. Heck, the trainer could probably use a little more help here too.
Even if he came pre-trained, there is still training to be done.
Doggies have built in command structures. The one who taught the commands is the one who gets to give the commands.
You know what I mean, right?
Unless you teach your dog what the rules are and how to follow them, he’s never going to be as well behaved as he could be.
Read more here…
dog obedience gifts
luxury dog gift
Looking for a luxury dog gift can, undoubtedly mean different things to different people.
For some people, it can mean a blanket of his own. On the other hand, it could mean a diamond collar to someone else.
It is to the middle of those two extremes that I have written this page.
There is a site that I have found that takes spoiling your dog to a whole new level, called Brass Paws.
This site has high end items like jewelry for your dog, high quality dog bags, and collars and leashes with more sparkly than the Chrysler Building.
This is one site you have to see to believe!
http://www.brasspaw.com/
dog bed
Want to find the best dog bed ever?
Have you ever bought a dog bed?
I think many of us dog lovers at least think about it every time we see one, if we haven’t ever yet induldged.
Yes, dogs can live in the wild out in the cold wind and rain… but ours aren’t wild dogs, are they?
So why should they have to? Okay okay, some people may think it’s indulgent. But for us, our pets are merely an extension of our family.
If we were able to supply our loved ones with a warm, comfy place to sleep on, would we not do so?
Of course we would!
We would have for our dogs health, warmth, comfort and feeling of love and safety. But yet so many of us overlook where they spend from 6-10 hours a day. We sometimes assume that because they aren’t human, that they can’t benefit from the benefits of modern comforts.
We think that because so many people don’t have beds for their dogs, there’s no real reason to have a bed for a dog. But, if we stop for a moment and think about the health issues we see in dogs and even take time to speak with our vets about dog beds, we find that, in fact, there are great reasons for having dog beds.
Now that you are thinking about the subject and pondering whether or not you should invest in a bed for your dog, spend a little more time on the topic.
Is your dog getting older and starting to show signs of slowing down, especially in the morning? If so, and even if not, talk to your vet the next time you are in the office and ask if he thinks your dog could benefit from sleeping in a dog bed.
If so, come back here and I’ll show you some great places to check out some dog beds.
dog name
A dog name is something to be chosen carefully
How important is a dog name? Well let’s think about this.
How often do you call your dog? Who will hear your dog’s name? Will you be writing to anyone about this dog?
Now that you think about the times you’ll use the name, maybe you should put some thought into what that dog name is.
I mean, if you have a Great Dane who weighs 120 lbs, you might not want to call him something like Baby or Tiny. Or you might… it’s a personal thing. Personally, Tiny would be hilarious to me.
I can just imagine calling, “Tiny, come here boy!” While a neighbor is watching and for the first time sees this “Tiny.” Now that could be an interesting look to receive!
Maybe you have a dog that has a bit of a fiesty side nd you think it’s a good idea to call him “Killer.” Maybe you weren’t thinking about the little old lady that lives by herself next door… waiting for “Killer” to go home so she can get to the grocery store.
Are these extremes? Of course! But, haven’t you heard some dog names that just didn’t seem… right?
My dogs have some sort of silly names. Actually, my Black Lab, Sadie, had a carefully chosen name. I was pregnant with my first child when we got Sadie. She was six weeks old and clever as they come.
Sadie was very majestic in all her movements and attitudes. So, we decided to look at our baby name book and see what we could come up with to suit her.
Sadie is actually a pet form of Sarah, which means “lady” or “princess” in Hebrew.
It totally fit her and is the best suited dog name I think we could have given her.
Two of her sons, however, were not so fortunate. See, two years ago Sadie had a litter of 7 pups, which we did not intend to keep. We already had four dogs and didn’t need any more.
We cared for the pups though and watched them grow each day. My husband and I would swap stories about the cute little things they did.
The dogs all looked so much alike that we found it confusing to talk about them without names. Eventually, names started emerging on their own.
For example, there was one brown dog in the mix. (How he got this color and look is a mystery.) So we called him Brownie. Not the cleverest of names, but it helped us identify him.
Next there was Tipper and Bubba, who we ended up keeping. Tipper has a tiny patch of white on the tips of his front paws… hence the name “Tipper.”
Bubba, as his name might suggest, is a big brute. He’s the biggest and the meanest of the litter.
But, if we knew we were going to keep these guys, we might have gone a different route in choosing a dog name. Bubba doesn’t exactly say, “Son of a princess,” but his attitude definitely does.
So here are some examples of the different ways a dog name can make a difference.
My advice? Think about all the times you’ll use the name. Find out a little about who your dog is before giving him a name. And, think of yourself 10 years older than you are now… will you still like to say that name and think… I chose that?
dog crate
You can use a dog crate for traveling AND for training.
They’re great. We’ve trained several dogs using crates with great success.
Crate training in a grossly basic explanation is leaving a dog inside of a crate overnight. Dogs don’t like to soil where they sleep and so they won’t wet inside the crate.
Waiting, (and generally whining as loud as they can) for someone to open the door and let them out to go to the bathroom.
They quickly get used to the concept of notifying you that they have to go and so, after a few weeks, training is done.
Keep in mind, there’s a bit more to it than that. You have to know how long a little pup can hold it before you expect them to go overnight. Sometimes they’re just too young to control it yet.
But it doesn’t take long, and it sure is nice to get into the enjoyment of dog ownership, and past the restless nights or smelly days of potty training.
Dog crates are also great for traveling.
And I don’t mean just out of town. We use crates when we take our dogs to the vet because they get a little… well… excited. And with five of them at 60+ lbs each and all the focus their youth affords them… We can’t think of a better way.
Our vet appreciates it too. *GRIN*
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A vote for us improves our rankings and shows people that they can find good information here.
If you don’t think we’re good enough to vote for, may you could send us some suggestions to help us improve! We’d sure appreciate it!
We really want to have a place where you can come to get some great suggestions and information about buying the perfect dog gift for you, your dog, or another dog lover.
We update this site every week, sometimes every single day, so we’re working hard to make that dream a reality.
Will you help us get there too? If so, will you vote for Dog Gifts and Toys for Dog Lovers?
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