Be Your Pet Dog's Best Friend

To have a really great relationship with your pet dog, you need to work on that relationship constantly. It's not enough to build a few foundations and expect your relationship to blossom with little or no extra effort. Time spent reinforcing the bond between you and your pet dog is time well spent, and will enrich your relatonship providing you both with the fun and rewards that pet dog ownership brings.
Make sure that you spend quality time with your pet dog. As pet dog owners we are all aware of the need to exercise and train your pet dog. The time spent on these activities will vary according to your pet dogs needs, however, this time should be rewarding and enjoyable for your pet dog. When walking with your pet dog, make sure that you talk and interact with your pet dog. Play a game of fetch or chase. All pet dogs love to chase, and taking an active role in this game will not only keep you fit, but will help you engage with your pet dog in a fun and simple way.
Be animated when you communicate with your pet dog. During the day, your pet dog will hear you converse with many different people, either on the phone or in person, and will generally filter out most of the conversation. With your tone of voice you can communicate to your pet dog that something is interesting or fun, or that something is undesirable or naughty.pet Dogs have extremely sensitive hearing and are very much attuned to your moods and tone of voice, use this to your advantage. Attract your pet dogs attention by using a friendly voice that is slightly higher pitched than your normal speaking voice.
Never forget the importance of physical contact. When your pet dog is near, make the effort to stroke their head or neck and talk in a soothing voice. If you are in the park, and your pet dog bounds over to you, make a fuss of them, make being near you a rewarding experience for your pet dog. This will not only reinforce the bond you and your pet dog have, but it will also aid recall. If you have problems recalling your pet dog, practice this when they are off the lead. Several times during the walk, call your pet dog to you and reward them for coming with a treat or a cuddle, and then let them carry on with what they were doing. If you only recall your pet dog when they are naughty or to put them on the lead, your dog will associate punishment or the end of the walk with coming when called. If you have been out, greet your pet dog properly when your return - being away from you is never enjoyable for your pet dog. Make the time to cuddle or play a quick game to celebrate your return. This is very natural for pet dogs, they will do this to other pet dogs they know and like, so this behaviour is something they understand.
Ask yourself, if you were your pet dog, would you enjoy the time you spend together. Try to be fun for your pet dog. We all have busy days, bad days and sad days, but your dog relies upon you to provide the love and support it needs, and will give you loyalty and friendship in return. Your pet dog doesn't need or understand your stress, but they are affected by it. On a bad day, make a point of having a game or cuddling with your pet dog, and you'll probably find it helps you too.
By: Jane EarleyAuthor Bio

Jul 30, 2008

Barking of Dogs

Some of you may find it annoying when your dog keeps on barking. The excessive barking of your dog may also cause disruption of sleep and result to some problems with your neighbors.

Dogs bark for a number of reasons - territorial invasion by other dogs or animals, fear, separation anxiety, etc. This behavior is instinctual and shouldn’t be completely ‘trained out’. In essence, it is typically natural for a dog to bark. After all, that is their nature and that is what dogs are for. Barking creates a warning that initially tells the dog owner about the present problem or any intruder that is trying to enter the vicinity.

However, you may need to resort to a type of device when your dog’s nighttime or excessive barking creates friction with neighbors. This device's specific purpose will control your dog’s barking.

Excessive barking results to noise problems. Besides, extreme barking suggests unacceptable canine behavioral problem and needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Bark collars are specially designed to discourage a dog’s excessive or inappropriate barking. Since they rely on negative reinforcement, they should only be used under certain circumstances.

A dog bark collar doesn’t address the underlying cause of the barking, so it should be used with other training methods to insure the behavior change is permanent. Otherwise your dog may revert to old habits when the collar is removed, or adopt other undesirable habits such as digging, or become destructive or even aggressive. This device is safe for the dog to use, and normally sold in pet stores near you. Each dog bark collar is operated by battery power, and has their own features and options of preventing dogs from excessive barking.

However, if the barking is triggered by genuine fear or anxiety, other corrective methods should be explored. Dogs should learn to ignore routine territorial invasions and common noises. Never use a bark collar on your dog if his barking is the result of separation anxiety, or other fears or phobias. Punishment will only make these behaviors worse.


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Jul 29, 2008

Boxer dog

So are you ready for a Boxer Dog?...
An easier and more pleasant journey with your chosen Boxer starts with checking out the parent dogs for unbecoming traits like aggression, hyperactive and extreme shyness.

This is easier to do when you get your Boxer from a reputable breeder or from a pet shop that get their animals only from known breeders.

Exercise prudence if you are getting your Boxer puppy from pet stores, which often get their supply from breeders of unknown reputation.

These "puppy mills" as they are called are not known to put much emphasis on the quality and health of pups they are producing.

Reputable breeders would adhere to the accepted standards for Boxers in terms of uniformity in the breed, good health, temperament, size and color.

Reputable breeders would be able to show the pedigree and registration papers and/or pictures of the parent dogs that may reside somewhere else.

Professional breeders are also there to produce dog show champions or prospects.

Even if you are not looking to raise a show champion Boxer, known breeders can provide you with some "best buy" puppies because not all the puppies in a litter are show prospect/champion materials.

But the full litter would have had benefited from the same proven bloodlines, nutrition and medical care. So you can choose from among the good-looking brothers or sisters of potential champion for a bargain.

Your other source option is animal shelters that in the US alone receive up to 12 million homeless dogs and cats every year, and about 25% of them are purebred. Paying the adoption fee is a lot cheaper than the price you will pay to a breeder or pet store, and you will be saving a life.

The definition of good stock or purebred must include beauty, and in a Boxer good look means the coat is fawn and brindle, with the white markings or "flash" covering not more than one-third of the entire coat.

Sometimes the distribution of the "flash" alone may make the difference between a show champion and just a pet Boxer.

The all-white Boxer or "check" is prone to blindness and deafness, and the American Boxer Club members are not to register, sell or use the "whites" for breeding.

When it comes to choosing male or female Boxers, there are not much clear-cut differences in their personalities.

At times, the male is calmer, more tolerant of other dogs, willing to hold still for those hugs than the female. But at other times, the female can be so. One owner said the female Boxer is hyper and more aggressive especially toward other females, and that the aggression has increased as the female gets older.

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Jul 11, 2008

best friend


A dog is a man's best friend but it is not always true the other way round, which means that a man might not always be a dog's best friend. If you carefully consider the facts about having a dog as pet at home, then you will notice that it is the owner who reaps the maximum benefits. After all,
it has been proven that after a stressful day at work, the best way to unwind is to have a loving pet welcome you home each day. A dog will be your best and most loyal companion irrespective of the state that you may be in. Our friends and family may not always be around when we need them but it is extremely improbable that your pet will leave your side when you need it. Now, considering all these benefits,
if you measure the amount of love, affection and care that you bestow upon your beloved dog, you will realize that you always fall short. Most of our decisions and reactions towards our pets are selfish, prodded by our own need for love, affection and companionship. So far the situation still seems normal enough, but when a pet is sick and needs care and attention, then any conscious pet owner will abhor making a selfish decision but might be forced to due to limited finances available. Such a situation may be avoided if you opt for a dog health insurance for your beloved pet.

Many companies offer pet insurance and have various plans for dog health insurance but it is the right selection which matters at the end of the day. As a dog owner, you must be willing to put in the required amount of time in selecting the best pet insurance company after judging the options available in the market. The best method to short list a company for your dog health insurance, is therefore through the reliable source of yellow pages or better still, the Internet.

Once you have shortlisted a company, you could simply fill in their online application form and get the necessary quotes on a dog health insurance plan. However, only after comparing the rate of premium, advantages offered under each plan and the coverage provided by the company for your pet, should you decide on the most suitable plan. The age, breed, gender, physical and mental health of your pet will play a crucial role in helping you opt for the best pet insurance plan.

A reputed and reliable pet insurance company will offer much more beyond the usual accident and illness coverage on the dog health insurance plan. Regular visits to the vet, treatment for hereditary diseases, accident coverage, coverage for canceled holidays due to severe illness of the family pet, advertisement cost for a lost pet, etc. are some of the options which you may want to consider for a fool proof insurance plan. Hence, consider your situation and the likely incidents which may occur to you as pet owner and accordingly go for a dog insurance that will insure the best care for your pet under all circumstances without any financial burden on you, ever.

Types of Pet Beds

Why do you need to buy a bed for your pet? For many pet owners, they know and understand that a pet bed is essential to their pet. There are benefits that a pet bed can offer not only to the pets but also to the pet owners. With a pet bed your pet will have a personal space where they can sleep and relax anytime they want. Having their own comfortable bed will avoid them sleeping in your couch. There are several types of pet beds that are available in different size and shapes that would be suitable for you poet. Choosing the bed for your pet would depend on the type of pet you have.

Orthopedic Pet Bed. Orthopedic Pet Bed is ideally designed for old dogs, and dogs with health problems such as arthritis, hip dysplasia which is an abnormal formation of hip joint of dog, and other health problems. This type of bed is generally made of high-quality materials compared to standard dog bed or pet bed. Some orthopedic pet bed comes with electric heater that provides soothing warm to help lessen joint pains.

Pillow Pet Bed. Pillow pet bed or sometimes referred as cushion pet bed is the most common type of bed. Mostly, they are stuffed with foam or poly foam; they come in different sizes and shapes to fit any type or dog breed.

Nest or Cuddler Pet Bed. This type of pet bed is deep and in circular shape with soft walls made of sturdy materials plastic, wood or wicker that stands about six to twelve inches high and will envelop your pet with added security and comfort. This type of bed is ideal for cold climates or for dogs who love to curl up.

Pad or Mat Pet Bed. This type of pet bed is one of the inexpensive that can provide bedding for your pet. You can place it on the floor and ideal in crate to provide added comfort. It can be easily rolled up that makes it portable and have a soft spot for your pet anywhere you want to go.

These are common used pet beds or dog beds. Some pet has cooler and heater that can provide both warmth and coolness on any weather.



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