Posts from — December 2005

Guess what? Just because you’ve finished all of your research and finally decided what kind of dog to get, that doesn’t mean you’ve finished making decisions. You still have to make the most important decision of all…a dog collar.

As silly as that sounds, next to your dog’s food, a good collar is probably the most important purchase you will make involving your new best friend. Is fashion the most important factor in your decision? There are plenty of colors and styles to choose from. But what if training is the main factor in your decision? You have a choice between choke chains, harnesses or electronic shock collars. What about the simple act of intimidation? Even the littlest Chihuahua can look terrifying in a spiked collar. It all depends on who you want your new best friend to be; a fashionista, a well-behaved family member or a protector. So what are the choices? Let’s take a look.

Buckle collars are exactly like they sound. They connect like a belt and do not tighten on the dogs neck once fastened. Quick-release collars are basically the same thing except the fastener connects with a plastic closure that makes taking the collar off and on a little easier. Buckle collars are made out of nylon, cotton and leather. Quick-release collars are primarily made out of nylon.

As far as training goes, there are several choices. A nylon slip collar (also called a choke chain) in most people’s minds is the most humane. Though in reality, none of the different types of choke chains are inhumane, they just look intimidating. Slip collars, or choke chains, have “O” rings at either end. The collar loops through one of the “O” rings to make an adjustable collar. As the dog pulls on the collar it tightens around his neck. These collars are used primarily for training but rarely used as an everyday collar. Slip collars are made of braided nylon, cotton leather or metal.

Another popular training collar is the prong, or pinch, collar. Though this particular training collar is very popular with professional trainers, it tends to intimidate the everyday dog owner. The pinch collar looks more like a torture device straight out a 19th century prison than a training device for dogs. The inside of the collar has blunted, metal prongs used to pinch the dog as it pulls on it’s lead. Studies have shown that the pinch collar is actually safer than a choke chain. But the look of the collar is enough to turn some dog owners off.

Harnesses are also used primarily for training. There are two types; a head halter (not to be confused with a muzzle), and a body harness. The head halter acts like a halter that a horse would wear (minus the bit of course). Instead of pulling at the neck, like a choke collar, the dog’s head is the guide tool. When your new best bud pulls to far on his leash, instead of choking, his head jerks around and you can shake your finger at him. And like the choke chain and the pinch collar, the head halter should not be used as the primary collar. Just use it for training.

The body halter is for those dogs that for some reason or another just do not learn that when they pull to far on their choke chain, they are going to choke themselves. A body harness will let your dog learn at his own pace without choking himself to death.

And finally there’s the electronic shock collar, probably the most evil sounding collar in existence. But in reality they’re not. Electronic shock collars are used for two major training purposes; the Fido who won’t stay put and the Fido who will not stop barking. An electronic collar delivers an electric “shock” to a dog as a correction for a bad behavior. If the dog won’t stay in the yard, press a button. If Lassie won’t stop barking, press a button. Used under a professional’s guidance, electronic shock collars can be an important training tool. Used under a psycho’s guidance, you can expect a visit from your local police department. You need to know exactly what your goals are with your dog before buying an electronic shock collar. If you tend to fall more in the psycho category, stya away from the shock collar.

There are many other types of collars available for your new best bud, but they are all variations on the collars mentioned above. The buckle and quick-release collars come in numerous colors from bright pink to basic black for the fashion conscious pooch. And for the protector in your family, spiked collars come in sizes ranging from 10 inches to 36 inches. Even if Fido doesn’t behave like a guard dog, he can look like one.

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on dogs-n-u.com/ dogs, dogs-n-u.com/dog-collars.htm dog collars and puppy-training1.blogspot.com puppy training.

The Japanese Chin is a tiny oriental dog that was formerly known as the Japanese Spaniel. It has been associated with China, Japan and Korea. The Japanese Chin has a long coat that does not tangle. It can be kept beautiful with careful combing and brushing several times a week.

So far as exercise, the Chin requires a small amount of exercise. Usually the backyard is sufficient enough of an outlet for its energy or a couple short walks a day. The Japanese Chin is well suited for apartment living because of its lapdog heritage and low-maintenance exercise requirements.

The Japanese Chin has a regal appearance and one function that are of a lively and lovely companion. The Chin is happiest in the lap of its owner. Though the Japanese Chin prefers to be the center of attention they are not demanding and are quite devoted to their loved ones. A chin makes a fine companion for older children who have been instructed in this tiny dog’s care and handling.

The Japanese Chin is cheerful and calm. They bond quickly to their owners and will go to great lengths to please them. Usually the Japanese Chin is easily housebroken and trained. Some might say the Japanese Chin has an obstinate side that occasionally appears, but generally, they are very accommodating. The Japanese Chin has a stronger will to please far outweigh any kind of an obstinate streak. This tiny toy breed is rarely seen in canine sports, but does do well in obedience work. The handler must be dedicated and consistent.

The height of a Japanese Chin should be 8 to 10 inches and weighs generally around 5 pounds. The smaller size is the better size with this breed.

The purpose for creating the Japanese Chin was to provide lapdogs for Japanese fanciers with the imperial aristocracy’s ranks. They perform very well as loving and affectionate companions. They were carried to Europe and America in the mid-1800s. They were first known as the Japanese Spaniel. The name was changed to Japanese Chin in 1977 by the AKC.

According to some writers the Japanese Chin originated in Korea. Others give Japan as its native land. Still yet another set of writers agree that the Chin came from China, where it was bred and maintained for the aristocracy. Date of origin is sometime before 700 A.D. At this time there were several accounts of the Japanese Chin being presented to the emperor of Japan. From that time the Japanese Chin was adopted and developed by the Japanese into a lapdog.

The Japanese Chin does resemble the English toy spaniel. They may have common origins. The Japanese Chin may have been crossed with the English dog sometime during his development.

The Japanese Chin is a dainty little dog with an Oriental pug face, a lively, high-stepping gait, and a coat that is long and generally tangles free. The colors are mostly black and white patterns, although there are some lemon and white, red and white or brindle and white.

The Japanese Chin is perfect little lapdogs for small homes and apartments. They are also perfect for cute little dog outfits, and a good choice for older children, but not such a good choice for small children.

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Author: Connie Limon. Visit us at abouttoydogs.com abouttoydogs.com About Toy Dogs is a guide to the selection and care of toy breed dogs. We feature articles, dog books, dog supplies, dog clothes and a Toy Dog Breeder Directory. Purchase full page ads at the rate of $25 per year for your website, kennel, puppies for sale or other dog supplies. Sign up for our FREE bi-weekly newsletter.

The first sense of a Shih Tzu puppy is “scent.” The newborn Shih Tzu puppy will be able to smell the scent of the breeder immediately after the sac is broken. The Shih Tzu breeder is familiar with litters of Shih Tzu puppies before their eyes open. Up until the Shih Tzu puppy opens its eyes they became familiar with their breeder’s scent through their dam’s coat. Shih Tzu puppies learn where there is and is not a place of milk and nourishment on their mother through scent.

It is advisable that only the Shih Tzu breeder handle puppies during their first two weeks. This does limit the Shih Tzu puppy’s reality of the world around them; however, it is practicing sound early responsible care practices. As Shih Tzu puppies begin to open their eyes they become aware of differences in people. Because of this awareness, a very young Shih Tzu puppy may act violently the first time handled by anyone other than their breeder. The Shih Tzu puppy may begin to struggle or scream to be free. It really is not necessary for other people besides the breeder to handle Shih Tzu puppies during this very early period of their lives. If a Shih Tzu puppy is frightening by early interactions with other people it could set the stage for later mistrust toward all humans. It is therefore extremely important that all early contacts with a Shih Tzu puppy be positive. Once a barrier of distrust is instilled in a newborn Shih Tzu puppy, the puppy can become hard to work with and sometimes even unmanageable as adults. Limiting contact with humans also aids in the spreading of germs to newborn Shih Tzu puppies.

There is a proper way to hold a very young Shih Tzu puppy. You should not “swoop” a Shih Tzu puppy quickly into your arms, or hold it at arm’s length. Do not ever pick up a Shih Tzu puppy by its legs, ears, tail or scruff. Severe and even irreparable damage can result.

Use the following steps to pick up and hold a newborn and very young Shih Tzu puppy:

1. Place your hands firmly around the Shih Tzu puppy’s body making it feel secure before it is lifted from the whelping box.
2. Immediately begin to snuggle the Shih Tzu puppy closely to your neck, chest or face area, letting the Shih Tzu puppy smell your familiar scent. Here is where the Shih Tzu puppy will feel the reassuring rhythm of your breathing and your heartbeat. The Shih Tzu puppy will remain relaxed. The Shih Tzu puppy will have less tendency to struggle against others first holding them if you will practice these steps from the beginning.

In general, you should not place very young Shih Tzu puppies in your lap, at least until after they begin to walk. They do not feel secure in a lap position at a very young age.

When handling newborn Shih Tzu puppies it is helpful to make “kissing” sounds near their ears. The sound is similar to puppies nursing. Therefore, repetitious kissing offers the same sense of security and comfort for the Shih Tzu puppy.

One of the earliest conditionings a Shih Tzu puppy encounters is being nestled in secure comfort by its dam while being fed warm milk. When you emit the same type of sounds with repetitious kissing the Shih Tzu puppy responds immediately to your stimulation and will feel secure. The Shih Tzu puppy will snuggle rather than struggle and learn to trust humans from a very early period of their lives. This type of conditioning is important for proper development as an adult Shih Tzu and instills a “trusting” of humans rather than a “fear” of humans.

Shih Tzu puppy conditioning beyond diet is a highly important part of a professional Shih Tzu breeder’s job, and will often separate the professional breeder from the “backyard” or puppy mill breeders.

Author: Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu puppies from top champion bloodlines. Purchase and sign up for our newsletter online at: stainglassshihtzus.com

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Author: Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu puppies from champion bloodlines standards and teacup/imperials. Purchase online and sign up for our newsletter at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

I’ve recently participated in a new refresher course in dog training. This wasn’t really on my agenda but a few circumstances developed that lead me down this path of re-education. It all started when my wife came home one Saturday afternoon and mentioned she had found a dog wandering loose. She dropped it off at one of our children’s home. The plan being that they would put up signs to try and find the owner since the dog was found in the vicinity.

I should have know that there was something more going on when she elaborated on how cute and smart this dog was and that she hoped the owner could be found soon. We already had a dog, Spoofy, and two cats, Blackie and Baby, in residence. And on any given day they more than provided enough adventure.

Spoofy was a stray that one of our daughters brought home one stormy night. My daughter has since moved on but Spoofy stayed. The two cats had been strays that wandered up to the house one day when they were little more than kittens. They immediately adopted our dog as a surrogate mother, and Spoofy having been a mother in the past was delighted.

The two cats think they’re dogs. They sleep, eat, and go in and out of the house with the Spoofy. They come when you whistle, they share table scraps with the dog, about the only thing they don’t do is bark. The dog and two cats are inseparable and you will rarely find them apart. I never really had to train Spoofy, she just did what ever you asked her to do with few exceptions.

Flash forward about three days and I get a call from my wife, who just happened to stop by to check on our stray dog in search of an owner. She asked if she could bring the dog to our house for a while since our daughter was going out of town. She thought the it would be easier to have the dog at our house rather than going over several times a day to let the dog out while our daughter was out of town.
I should have known right then that this was a conspiracy. The daughter, the wife, and the dog were all in this together. I was the soon to be victim of this clever little plan. My wife probably paid my daughter to go out of town but that’s never been proven.

So I agreed to the “temporary” arrangement and my wife and new friend, who was now named Tuxcitto, soon arrived with much fanfare. Tuxcitto was gladly welcomed by Spoofy since Spoofy likes anybody new, especially a dog. Blackie and Baby (the cats) were a little less happy with this new arrival. For one thing, he was jumping around like a crazy dog, the other was that he and Spoofy seemed to be getting along just a little too well.

Tuxcito was obviously overjoyed with his new “temporary” home. He had another dog to play with and two strange creatures to investigate. Tuxcitto looked to be a Border Collie. At the time I had no idea what a border collie did or the nature of their personality. Little did I know that the breed, and in particular, Tuxccito, could run about 60 miles per hour, leap over 5 foot fences, could escape any containment, and wanted to play 24/7.

The first day, once Tuxcito had explored every nook and cranny of our house, I sat him down to see exactly what he might know or not know. I told him to sit, stay, lay down, play dead, and he snapped to on every command. Hmm, someone has trained this dog. I asked him where Spoofy was and he turned around and looked right at Spoofy, then I asked him where Blackie was, and he then looked at Blackie. Uh Oh, this dog is smarter than a lot of people I know =8~).

Up until now I’d always had him on a lease when we went outside. So I let him, Spoofy, and the cats out in the backyard. He fooled around with Spoofy for a while, then checked out the entire backyard, bush by bush, tree by tree. All the time running over to get petted every so often by me and my wife. Everything was fine until he heard a neighbor rummaging around in his back yard.

Tuxcito stopped dead in his tracks, listening. Then with the speed and agility of a deer, ran right up to the adjoining fence and leaped right over it. Tuxcito cleared that 5 foot fence with room to spare. My wife jumped up, I jumped up and Spoofy and the cats turned to look. About then my neighbor yells over the fence, I see you have a new dog.

My brain cells finally clicked and I immediately realized two things. Yes, more than likey I did have a new dog, and that this dog was probably going to drive me nuts. And I was right on both counts as it turned out. But back to Tuxccito and his amazing escapes.

Over the next week or so, Tuxcito managed to find a way to escape every containment method we found to try. If we tied him to a stake, he pulled out the stake. If we tied him to a tree, he slipped his collar. The only way to keep him from escaping was to use a leash, he seemed to be fine with that. Every time the front door opened and you didn’t have Tuxcito in hand, he was gone. Through the legs of many a visitor, and he was so quick you could not grab him.

When he would get out, he would just run up and down the streets checking out anything of interest. People, dogs, cats, houses, he’d swim down the bayou (he loves water) or whatever. He never caused any trouble, but he would not come back in until I went out and cornered him somewhere. My grandchildren were especially easy targets to provide an exit.

And of course he loved to escape just when we were leaving to go somewhere. So everyone always knew why we were late, Tuxcito and his amazing escapes. At first I would scold and admonish him every time I caught up with him to bring him back home. After a while I figured out that this wasn’t going to work. I was reinforcing that when ever he did come to me (or most times caught him) he would get a tongue lashing.

And I remembered hearing somewhere that this was one of the major mistakes people make when trying to correct bad behavior in a dog. So my next ruse was to take Spoofy for a walk, and then Tuxcito would find us and want to walk with us. As soon as he came up I slapped a leash on him. But this got old too. Sometimes there were too many distractions, like neighbors riding bikes or kids playing ball. They were much more fun.

Then I started keeping treats with me and would frequently call him to my side. So every time he came to me I slipped him a treat. After doing this for about a week, he escaped again. So I went out and took Spoofy with me as bait. Sure enough, when I called him he scampered right up, and I gave him a treat.

So, in the end analysis, Tuxcito has trained me to give him a treat when I call him =8~). But we have overcome his great escapes, now he’ll run around the yard until I come out to give him his treat. Which is OK, I can live with that. But it does demonstrate that using positive reinforcement is a much more affective dog training method than negative reinforcement or punishment.

John Dow owns freedogtrainingarticles.com” target=”_blank www.FreeDogTrainingArticles.com, a website that provides free information on dog training. John gets to test this training information daily with his new dog Tuxccito. You can learn more here: freedogtrainingarticles.com” target=”_blank www.FreeDogTrainingArticles.com.

Saltwater aquariums are certainly more difficult to maintain than fresh water aquariums. The ecology of saltwater aquariums is different and needs careful as well as knowledgeable handling.

Saltwater aquariums can house a wide range of fishes and mammals in comparison to fresh water aquariums. In a salt water aquarium it is possible for you to keep some of the flamboyantly colored reef fishes. A saltwater aquarium can also house live coral, anemones, crustaceans or jellyfish. Some advanced aquarists even keep octopuses and squids. This variety of sea life gives the aquarium an exotic feel. Perhaps this is the reason why saltwater aquariums are so popular.

Starting a Saltwater Aquarium

Before starting a saltwater aquarium it would be a good idea if you researched the ecosystem of saltwater fishes, their habitat, food, water temperature etc. A saltwater aquarium can be highly gratifying and the extra time used to research the exact requirements for a saltwater tank is worth its weight in gold.

To start a saltwater aquarium you will require a Fish tank, Filtration System, Substrates, Heater or Thermometer, power head, protein skimmer, water pump, and air pump.

The Basic Types

There are three basic forms of saltwater aquariums: Fish Only, Fish with Live Rock and Reef System.

Fish only – This is a good choice for beginners. This type of tank is for keeping fish only as the name suggests and is the least expensive type.

Fish with Live Rock- This is basically the same as fish only, but has live rocks. It is called “live rock” because of the creatures and organisms living on the inside and on the surface of the rock. Buying good rock, can be expensive though.

Reef System- Reef tanks are usually set up by very experienced hobbyists because these tanks require excellent water conditions, extremely high lighting levels, water supplements, reverse osmosis and deionized water, and excellent filtration. In short it costs the earth and then some.

Saltwater Aquarium Do’s & Don’t’s

You should ideally choose an aquarium that is 55 gallons (200 liters) or larger. It will be harder to maintain suitable water quality and balance in a smaller tank.

After deciding on size you must decide on the material of the aquarium. There are 2 choices glass and acrylic. Both these materials are commonly used for saltwater aquariums and have their pros and cons.

Location is a very important aspect of saltwater aquariums. Too much sunlight causes algae problems and too little is equally harmful. The temperature should be as constant as possible.

Never place anything in the aquarium that is not saltwater proof. Make sure that decorations are saltwater proof or they may poison your aquarium.

Filtration is an important part of any aquarium, salt or otherwise. There are three basic types of filterations- mechanical filtration, chemical filtration and biological filtration.

Cleaning your aquarium with detergent or soap will pollute the water and destroy the fragile ecosystem of your saltwater aquarium. It’s best if you use bleach instead. Add one capful of pure bleach to 10 gallons of water and wipe the aquarium with, clean carefully with fresh water afterwards.

You should never use ordinary salt in your aquarium. Its best to buy aquarium salt from a fish store and mix it with water according to instruction.

A hydrometer is very crucial for the saltwater aquarium. It is of utmost importance for you to maintain a balance between the salt and water levels. Water keeps evaporating, whereas the salt level remains the same. Evaporated water should never be replaced by salt water. A hydrometer will make it possible for you to check the exact salinity of the water.

Popular Saltwater Fishes
Clown fish, Angelfish, Blue lined triggerfish, Comical blenny, Flame fish and Damsels are a few examples of popular saltwater fishes that can be kept in aquariums.

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The best cat health advice will include knowing when something is wrong with your cat. Early signs of illness may include lack of energy, reduction in appetite and bathroom habits going bad. If you know your cat well enough, you’ll know when something is not quite right.

Some good cat health advice is to keep an eye on the weight. This is an important part of caring for your cat. You really don’t need technical equipment to weigh your cat and your bathroom scales will be OK. If your cat won’t go onto the scales, pick him up and weigh yourself with kitty and take a note of the weight. Then weigh yourself without the cat and calculate the difference. The difference will be the weight of the cat. Any major change in weight and shape of your cat should be noted as this may indicate something is not right with the health of your cat.

A lot of cat illnesses will cause the cat owner to seek medication and other solutions to get them back on an even keel. Your vet may need to be contacted if your cat has a bacterial, viral or fungus infection. Your vet will also advise you on other abnormalities such as parasites and metabolic diseases. Issues like these can cause weight loss in your cat.

Your vet will be able to give you good cat health advice. Some people attempt to administer their own medication to the cat. On occasions, dog owners may be advised to give their hound half an aspirin but this should never be attempted with a cat. It may take more time and money to consult your vet but for the sake of the cats’ health, this is not a step you should overlook lightly.

Some more cat health advice will also take in the factors of keeping your cat groomed at regular intervals, correct food and a clean sleeping area and litter tray. Cats also need regular exercise to maintain their weight and muscles. Yearly vaccinations are a must, regardless of whether your cat comes into contact with other felines or not. Barring any accidents, your cats’ life will be extended by following good cat health advice.

Teeth, skin and ears must be checked regular on your cat. If any irritations develop, your vet must be informed. As with humans, cats’ teeth can be looked after with specialists cleaning products. You should also keep your cats ears clean and clear from parasites. Prevention of fleas with use of a flea collar and regular grooming is also a must as fleas can lead to more complications in your cat, yourself and your home. Look out for your cat scratching and licking itself excessively as this may indicate skin irritation.

Following this cat health advice and taking care of your cat becomes easier the more you do it. When done on a daily basis, the quality of your cats’ life will improve.

Trying to find the best health care for your cat?

There are so many medications and advice available so how do you decide what is for your cat?

For more free advice, tips and suggestions, visit felinehealthcare.net Feline Heath Care

Fostering a dog or a cat has many benefits for both the foster parent and the animal.

Bringing a foster dog home immediately frees up cage space at an animal shelter, which means more animals can be saved.

Getting a dog or cat out of a shelter environment removes the animal from a stressful, noisy environment, where they are isolated in a cage-and puts them in an environment where they can relax more and interact with people and other animals.

It is much easier to get a good assessment of the animal’s personality in a foster home environment. Some animals just do not do well in a shelter. Shelter animals who come from an abusive background or who are scared in the shelter tend to be much more relaxed in a foster home. They can learn to trust while in foster care and become more social.

You will be able to find out all the personality traits of a pet- Is he potty trained? Does he like to fetch? Does he like kids or other animals. What are his little quirks and idiosyncrasies? Does he like to chat……Bark/Meow? Foster parents can provide potential adopters with much more information than if the animal was left in a shelter.

Getting out of a shelter can remove the animal from possible healths risks, especially contagious airborne infections like an upper respiratory infection, i.e., kennel cough.

Some people shy away from fostering because they fear getting too attached to the animal. It can be a very emotional experience when the pet gets adopted and goes on to it’s permanent home, especially the first time that you foster an animal. I have found that this gets easier as you foster more animals.

As a foster parent, you will most likely be involved in the adoption process. A lot of the emotional issues are relieved when you meet the adopters and you know that the dog or cat is going to a good home. Adopters are usually more than happy to share their email address or phone number with the foster parent and let the foster know how the newly adopted pet is doing. Some will send letters and pictures.

Some things to consider before you bring a foster dog or cat into your home:

Do you have other animals in your house? How will they react to a new animal coming in to the household?

It’s a good idea to take preventative measures to protect your pet’s health before bringing the foster animal into your home. Are your animals current on their vaccinations? Most dogs will also need a Bordatella vaccine to protect them from kennel cough, upper respiratory infections that is very common in shelter animals. Talk to your veterinarian before fostering.

You will need to introduce your pet to the foster dog or cat as you would any new pet that comes into your household. Some pets become very accustomed to new animals coming into the house from time to time-new animals don’t phase them at all. Some animals need a more gradual introduction.

Do you have children? This is a big consideration. Of course, you have to consider safety. Get as much information as you can about the foster animals temperament.

Sit down and discuss being a foster parent with your children. You will need to remind them that you are only fostering the dog or cat and not adopting it. Remind them that it will be will hard for them the first few times that an animal goes on to it’s permanent adoptive home. Of course it depends on each individual child, the child’s age and other factors. But, with honest, open communication, most children understand that they are doing a good thing by fostering. And, as soon as an animal gets adopted, many kids can’t wait to get to the shelter to get their next foster dog or cat.

Foster care usually costs the foster parent nothing financially. Most shelters will provide food and other necessities.

Foster care can be very rewarding. If well thought out it is a win-win situation for the animal, foster parent, and shelter/rescue group. Most shelters are in desperate need of foster homes. They will be more than happy to address any other questions or concerns that you might have.

The mission of Dogamaroo LLC is to connect pet owners and animal lovers to educational resources, information, and quality products and services-promoting responsible pet ownership and increasing the quality of life for pets everywhere.

We also hope to raise an awareness of the need for quality, loving homes for rescued and shelter animals, of the severity of the pet overpopulation problem and the importance of spaying and neutering, and the need for people to become more involved in this cause of helping shelter animals and how rewarding it can be.

We hope to play a role in reducing pet overpopulation by supporting free and low cost sterilization programs.

Check out our website at => RealDogsRealLife.com RealDogsRealLife.com

(c) Dogamaroo LLC

a) Growling

If your rabbit growls or grunts at you, she is upset with something and probably something is bothering her. Maybe she’s angry that you’re poking your hand into her cage, and she doesn’t want you in her territory. Growling can be a sign of anger, fear, uncertainty and stress. You should get to know your
bunny better and understand what her different growls mean.

b) Screaming

This is not the thing that you want to hear from your bunny. A bunny scream is usually a bad news. Generally signifies your bunny is either hurt or dying. You’ll want to get her help immediately.

c) Crying

Bunny cry is interpreted much as you would understand the same noise in puppies or people. A bunny do so by thumping their back feet or whimper.

d) Licking

If your bunny licks your face or your hands,be happy. She’s telling you “I love you!”

e) Flopping

Your bunny is on top of the world. She is a very happy bunny.

f) Binkying

You definitely got one happy bunny living with you.

g) Thumping

Your bunny will thump her back legs for a number of reasons including fear, anger and warning you to danger lurking.

h) Chinning

Your bunny is rubbing her chin all over the places to mark her
territory. She’s saying, “hey, this is mine.”

Best regards,
Amanda Gates
geocities.com/rabbitcare_lover www.geocities.com/rabbitcare_lover

I am Amanda Gates and I have been a rabbit lover since young! In my eyes, rabbits are simply lovely, sweet, cute, soft and gentle. It is my hobby to care for my rabbits and I spend most of my free time doing research, collecting rabbit’s beautiful pictures and reading lots of books about rabbits. Currently, I have two rabbits, a Florida White and a Polish, named Barbie and Ken. My rabbits have been with me for more than 3 years and they are so cute! Both of them are part of my life and bring joy to me.

The positive approach to training is the ideal method in training your Pit Bull. Punishing him for bad behavior may not yield positive results and quite often it makes the behavior even worse. You need him to respect you and not to see you as the continual aggressor.

When he does well in training or performs a good act, reward him with treats or shower him with lots of attention and good praise. Training time should be made fun for your dog and you should have a lot of patience in dealing with your pooch. Give your Pit Bull some tender loving care while training for this and this could be a good opportunity for you to spend quality time with your dog.

Some useful tips…

It is very important that you do not yell during training and instead use your normal tone of voice. Yelling may give your Pit Bull a negative connotation of your training session. If your Pit Bull is not likely to listen to your commands at home chances are he will be misbehaving even in public. So until he learns his manners, it would not be ideal to be exposing him to other people or bringing him to social gatherings where he may cause some problems. Training takes a lot of patience and hard work. I would strongly suggest that in order for you to strengthen your relationship with your Pit Bull you do the training yourself before seeking for any help from a dog trainer.

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Many Americans today live with being overweight or obese, and recent studies show that America’s pets are now suffering from these problems as well. Obesity became a serious problem for Americans in the 1990’s when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a 61% rise in the number of obese Americans and a 49% rise in the number of Americans with diabetes. These data are directly related to the fact that during this rise, 27.3% of people did not engage in any physical activity at all. It seems that Americans just don’t like or don’t have time for exercising. The average American diet only makes the situation worse. The enormous fast food industry has become an unhealthy pillar of American culture over the past decade. The crucial difference between human and Pet Obesity is that pets don’t have control over their diet or exercise program. People that abuse their own bodies with poor food and exercise choices seem to be passing that abuse on to their pets. The National Academy of Science said that today 1 in 4 pets are overweight while other surveys say that as many as 40% of dogs and 12% of cats presented at clinics are either overweight or obese. It seems as though American’s bad lifestyle habits have started to affect man’s best friends. Many medical problems have been linked to obesity both in humans and animals. Heart disease and diabetes are just a few ailments on a long list of problems related to being overweight. Pets are known to also suffer from joint disease, stroke and fatigue at much higher rates when overweight. So what can pet owner’s do to help their furry loved ones live longer, healthier lives? It boils down to the same to the same two things for Americans and their pets, diet and exercise.

For any weight loss program, human or animal, diet is the first essential part. The first step is to consult with a veterinarian to ensure that the weight gain is not related to a medical condition such as hypothyroidism. The vet will also help construct a diet plan specific to the pets needs. A common misconception is that healthy dogs and cats must eat every day when in fact they do not. Smaller breeds are an exception, but even then pet owners must take care not to overfeed. This being said, the easiest way to cut calories is to simply reduce the amount the pet eats. One method is to reduce a pet’s daily food intake by one third. If in two weeks there is no weight loss, then the amount should be reduced by a third again until results are seen. It may seem cruel, but it’s crucial to remember that they will live much better lives for it. Things such as sugary foods and table scraps should never be allowed in a pet’s diet, and pet treats should be given in moderation. Another issue to consider is the effectiveness of specially formulated, low-calorie pet food. With the rise of Pet Obesity, pet food companies raced to offer the public low-calorie alternatives. Some veterinarians say the low fat and high fiber content is beneficial, however, there are others that attest the amount of carbohydrates is far too high. As many low-carb dieters know, high carbs equal high insulin levels which leads to the storage of fat.

The other necessary part of battling pet obesity is to increase their daily amount of exercise. This means giving more walks for dogs and more playtime for cats and dogs. While it’s suggested that people work out 30 minutes most days of the week, dogs need about 45 minutes to an hour of good exercise every day. This requires commitment and love on the part of the owner, but as an incentive, the pets who don’t exercise have been shown to shorten their life span by as much as two years and suffer many more ailments. Besides walking, playtime is an excellent opportunity for pet exercise and for human entertainment. This is as simple as investing in good pet toys. For cats, cat nip toys have been shown to especially encourage a flurry of activity. If an owner sticks to giving their pet the best diet and exercise, they will enrich the pet’s life and their own as well.

Grant Carroll proud father of three dogs and co-owner of littlepamperedpets.com littlepamperedpets.com with littlepamperedpets.com Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters.

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