Posts from — March 2006

The word caring is very much a relative term. There is a major difference between simply caring for your pet and really caring for your pet.

For example, making certain your pet has adequate food, clean water and yearly visits to the vet can classify to some as caring even though you are really doing just enough to get by. But what is it to really care for your pet? What is it to go that extra mile?

Is it throwing your ten year old Black Lab a birthday party?
Is it carrying a photo of your Sphinx in your wallet to show all your friends? Is it knitting your Poodle mix a sweater with your own 2 hands? Is it paying close attention to your Siamese cat’s behavior and eating habits to make everything is o.k.? Or all of the above?

There is not really a textbook method for caring for your pet because caring is really an art, and your relationship with each pet should be as unique as the human thumbprint. Some of it will come naturally to you and some of it you will learn as you go along. It is just as important to find new and exciting ways to sustain the human-pet bond as it is to read up on the new research studies about the pet world.

The Art of an Agile Eye

Being a caring and health-conscious owner is not simply about taking your pet to the Vet to make certain nothing is wrong; you must also do your part in the home. If you are attentive to your pet’s rhythms and habits, you are very likely to catch things that a Vet would not.
Once you detect that something is out of the ordinary you may report it for further examination. This may save your pet’s life. When cats age, they change their behavior only gradually. It is the same for many dogs. One day you may suddenly discover that:

It now takes your cat three minutes to get downstairs; before she used to dart down like a furry streak of lightning.
Your dog no longer runs to the door when the doorbell rings.
Your dog does not roughhouse in the backyard as fervently as he did previously and your cat does not jump on the furniture any more.
Your cat has simply stopped using the scratching post.
Your dog no longer hops in the bed with you at night and lets out a heartbreaking cry when he or she jumps into the car.
Your Daschund cries when it moves, cries when you touch its neck and has trouble holding its feces or urine.

These are just a few examples of subtle changes which may occur. And there are a number of others that only you, as the pet owner, may discern.
For information about pet health and nutrition, go to

Vitamins Can Increase Your Dog’s Life Span!

There is evidence to suggest that a good vitamin supplement for your dog not only helps prevent, improve or cure many degenerative type illnesses and disease, but may actually lengthen your dog’s life span. Really!

This is particularly the indication if you supplement with vitamins while your dog is young and healthy, rather than waiting for your dog to get sick or show the usual signs of aging and degeneration.

So let’s start with a little lesson on the cause, and effects, of disease. …

Disease is a process which gradually debilitates the cells of an organism. The organism may be you, or me, or your dog (or mine!)

Debilitated cells are unable to rebuild, regenerate and repair damage which inevitably occurs just through the fact of being alive and moving day by day closer to the end of life. Of course, much greater damage can be caused by poor nutrition or other dietary deficiencies or excesses, environmental poisons, physical and/or emotional stress or insufficient excercise. In short, anything which pushes the organism past its optimum capacity, or causes it to fall short of its optimum capacity, can and will cause damage and will debilitate the cells.

Do you ever supplement your own diet and lifestyle with vitamins and/or minerals?

Me too.

But you know what? It didn’t occur to me that my beautiful dogs would benefit from a good vitamin supplement until recent years.

I always (wrongly) assumed that if I gave my dogs a largely natural diet of raw meat and bones, with the occasional addition of steamed vegetables and rice or pasta, and with a morning snack of a small handful of commercial dry dog food, my dogs would always remain in tip top health.

Luckily for me, I was on the right track, and my dogs have always been very healthy. My vet routinely compliments me on their great teeth and gums and wonderful general health.

But as they started getting past their prime, some health concerns started popping up. Kara, my Rottweiler, started developing arthritis and the effects of hip dysplasia (which she’s had since very young, but without any symptoms). Similar to my own parents (who’re well into their 60’s), Kara started to look a bit older and stiffer when she moved, and especially when she got up after lying still for a while.

So I started Kara on a dog vitamin supplement. And, oh, what a difference! It took a few weeks to kick in, but once I’d found the right dose and the vitamins started to show their effects, Kara appeared more youthful – less stiff – and she didn’t look so uncomfortable when moving around. It really has done wonders.

And still I didn’t “get it” in general terms. Because Kara clearly had a problem, I decided to treat it with a supplement. But I didn’t think to treat Jet, my Staffordshire Bull Terrier, as well, which I should have done just to keep her in tip top health even though she had no specific problems back then. Besides which, Kara takes her vitamins in tablet form, whereas Jet is a tablet nightmare!

But when Jet was also diagnosed with the early stages of a degenerative disease – gradual loss of her eyesight – the penny finally dropped. I thought “Why on earth am I not giving Jet a vitamin supplement as well?” So I use a tablet crusher and mix the crushed tablet with peanut butter. Yes, these tablets crush pretty well. And Jet eats them! I have to admit that she still looks suspiciously at the concoction each day, but the lure of the peanut butter usually gets the better of her!

Nowadays I absolutely swear by dog vitamins. I really don’t know why I didn’t think them necessary long ago. But better late than never.

And my dogs are now in peak health even though they’re both coming up to 10 years old.

Do you want your dog to enjoy peak health?

Click Here for more Pet Vitamin information! – HealthyHappyDogs.com/Vitamins

(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in holistic dog health. Her site, Healthy Happy Dogs, has pages and pages of information on improving your dog’s health naturally. Brigitte is the author of several reports, articles, and the Healthy Happy Dogs newsletter.

For your special FREE report – “How to Improve Your Dog’s Health Within 30 Days – Maybe Even Lengthen Your Dog’s Life!”, Click Here for Your Free Dog Health Report!
HealthyHappyDogs.com HealthyHappyDogs.com

Do you really get the fullest amount of enjoyment out of your fish?, or is it hampered by little worries and anxieties?

Do you sometimes worry that you may be spending too much time with your fish? I often hear people remark that although they enjoy their hobby, the routine maintenance tasks involved detract from the fun.

In this month’s feature we will explore how we can increase our fun by maybe taking a different approach to those mundane activities that are so essential if we are to keep our fish in tip top condition.

Create a plan

When you get some time to spend with your hobby do you go through a sort of mental conflict wondering what to do?… and when you finally do decide, half of your time has gone already.

WELL…you are not on your own, most aquarists share the same dilemma. BUT… it is possible to overcome this problem, to even double your fishkeeping enjoyment. HOW? Well, certainly not by adding more tanks or even devoting more time to your hobby… the answer lies in a change of mental outlook, a change of approach.

Have you ever noticed that some people always seem to be on top of their work?, how their fish rooms and tanks are always tidy? how they always seem to have lots of time to enjoy their hobby? Yet others never get a minute to live, they always seem to have lots to do and yet nothing seems to get done.The most important ingredient in our formula for increased fishkeeping fun is planning.

Most of us lead busy lives, holding down a full-time job, and taking care of family commitments etc. Without a plan it is all too easy to put off our fish maintenance tasks until another day when life is a litle less hectic. Unfortunately, more often than not life doesn’t get less hectic and our maintenance jobs build up until our tank(s) become dirty and our fish begin to suffer.

That’s when the pressure starts to build.

Include the family

This can be particularly difficult when your partner doesn’t share your love and enthusiasm for the hobby. It is only natural that they will have different priorities for your time than you and if harmony is to be maintained then some sort of agreement must be reached. Having a plan that includes both the family needs and your hobby needs goes a long way to ensuring that everyone’s needs are satisfied. The biggest obstacle to overcome in any hobby is distraction. It is very tempting when we have the time to spend with our fish to waste that time on trivial matters or even just admiring our fish.

Now don’t get me wrong… I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t take time to admire our fish, after all that is the reason we started keeping fish in the first place. What I am suggesting is that there are probably more suitable times to sit and admire our fish. We can fit in time for that when we are relaxing with the family, for instance.

What I am saying is that during those precious occassions when we can devote some dedicated time to maintenance, we should concentrate just on maintenance activities.The most important ingredient to making the best of our valuable time is one of mental outlook and organisation. Clear thinking about your fish is the key to getting maximum pleasure. No matter what your hobby or interest is, there can be no pleasure in it if it causes anxiety and frustration. Your hobby will only be pleasurable if it brings you satisfaction and relaxation.

Be realistic

Ask yourself … is your thinking absolutely clear about your fishkeeping? Perhaps when you get some time one evening get a pencil and paper and make a few notes along these lines. Have you ever considered how much time and money you can afford to spend on the hobby? Give it some thought and write it down. You might think, for example, ……I can afford to work 2 evenings a week, 3 hours each evening and 5 hours every other saturday. ……I can afford to spend £10 a month or £20 a month. Be as specific as possible even though any one week may have to be changed. The main thing is to have a clear idea of time and money commitment. These will be different for every aquarist, of course. The important thing is that they are commitments that you are comfortable with.

One of the common traps that many of us fall into is letting our hobby get out of hand. We become involved with fishkeeping, either through a visit to a garden centre, pet shop or through a friend and set up a tank in our lounge. Before long the bug has taken hold and we introduce another tank, then another and before we know it we find we can’t cope with the water changing and cleaning the glass etc. that we have to do just to be able to see the fish!

One of the interim steps that we might have to consider is shutting down one or more of our tanks, maybe just as a temporary measure until we get better organised.

Next…

The next step is to set a specific objective for yourself and your fishkeeping. This is not necessarily one to be achieved immediately but it must be specific.

“To keep and breed every species of fish” is possibly a dream of many breeders but hardly a specific objective. When setting your specific objective, keep within your time and money commitment. The great thing about fishkeeping is the wide range of possible goals you could pursue. If you are a fish breeder for instance, you could specialise in one fish and set a goal for a breeding programme. If you are not a breeder but enjoy collecting you could possibly try to collect every species within a genus. Whatever your interest make sure you narrow it down to a specific objective, one that is practical within your time and money objective. It could be “Collect as many species of Dwarf Cichlids as possible”, “Develop a strain of albino Discus” or set up a tank housing only the species from a particular geographical area – a Madagascar tank for instance.

Having decided… think about your first step towards achieving this goal. This is your short term goal, something to be achieved in the near future.”Find a good source of dwarf cichlids and buy one pair” or “Keep adult discus alive for x months”.

Give some thought to it but having decided write it down and remember your previous decisions all the time.

OK, Next Step…

With your new goal in mind, go and look at your set up. Ask yourself – “does everything in my current set up contribute towards my short term goal?” The answer will almost certainly be NO.There will probably be odds and ends of fish and equipment that have nothing to do with your goal. NOW comes the hardest bit….Everything that does not contribute to your goal should be sold or traded in and the proceeds put towards your objective. When you have achieved this you could well find that you have doubled your tank space without buying a single tank!!….

NEXT

Create a list of priorities

Most aquarists have regular jobs that they do over and over again. Daily jobs. Yet we regularly waste a lot of time deciding what to do, often every day. I’m sure many of you can relate to the scenario;

You get home from work, take care of the immediate priorities, sit down to dinner, finishing at 7.00 pm. Perhaps you now have 2 hours to spend with your fish. So you now go through the decision making sequence of what to do tonight. We can lose 15 valuable minutes each time we stop to decide what to do next.

How can we overcome this? As we have identified above most aquarists have routine jobs plus a few special ones. Keeping in mind our short term goals, write down each job on a separate piece of card.

For example a fish breeder might list the following 7 items:

Feed fish
Expand set-up
Cull young fish and move into a larger tank
Clean filters
Set out new pairs to spawn
Check for disease; treat any observed
Check water; change if necessary

This is not a complete list, of course, you will probably end up with one much longer but 7 items will do for our example of how to set priorities.

Now look at the list and re-arrange the items something like this: Any disease can spread quickly and if left untreated could wipe out your entire tank – it only takes a minute.

Make a visual check for unusual behaviour…hanging in corners…clamped fins…scratching etc

So No1 on our list is:-1. Check for disease

Look at the remaining list. What should you do next? Feed the fish? Well…maybe…but would you put food in a cloudy tank??

No, so it is best to check the water and if cloudy, change some water.

So No2 on our list is:-2. Check water – change if necessary

You may ask, would you change water before cleaning/changing the filters? Yes, I would. It is important to remove dissolved solids and waste (bacteria) in suspension which can create harmful nitrite before changing the filter media where wastes are being partly broken down anyway. It is important to change the filter media as time permits but not before water changes in my opinion.

We mentioned feeding the fish above and this is very important and only items 1 and 2 above should come before it.

So our No3 is:-3. Feed the fish

Followed by:-4. Clean the filters

Now the last three.

-Cull young
-Set out new pairs
-Expand set-up

Having completed this exercise we now have a priority list to work from.

Having set that up, whenever we get a few minutes to spend with our fish we start at the top of the list and work our way through.

Check for disease; treat any necessary
Check water; change if necessary
Feed fish
Clean filters
Cull young fish and move into a larger tank
Set out new pairs to spawn
Expand set up

We have removed the delays caused by having to decide what to do each time. In the 15 minutes that we may have wasted trying to decide what to do we could be halfway down our list. The priority list will be different for every aquarist but the principle will be the same.

Finally….make a habit of keeping a diary of all your fishkeeping activities. This will provide valuable information on frequency of activities and when things like water changes are due. Time has a habit of going so quickly that several weeks can pass since our last water change but without having notes to refer to it may, and often does, seem like last week.

Create your plan, work to it and replace the anxiety with pleasure.

Happy Fishkeeping!

Trevor Greenfield has been keeping and breeding tropical fish for over 30 years.
He has held committee posts for several fishkeeping clubs and associations and was a founder member and is the current secretary of the British Cichlid Association.

He is author of numerous articles on keeping and breeding tropical fish and editor and regular contributor to Pet Fish World.
©Pet Fish World 2005

You will find more articles and useful links at petfishworld.com You are free to re-produce this article in it’s entirety provided the copyright notice is also included.

This article courtesy of petfishworld.com petfishworld.com.

You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.

You must have heard the saying, “You cannot teach an old dog new tricks!” All pet owners will agree with this saying more or less. However, if your adult dog is still not potty trained and keeps on doing it the wrong place, do not lose hope. With a little patience and love towards your pet, you can effectively potty train your adult dog as well. Just remember, it is never too late to teach your pet to do the right thing. Having a pet dog can be full of excitement and fun. However, one of the major worries of pet owners is the issue of potty training their pets. Potty training is a vital task. If it is not done properly, it can result in spoilt furnishings, rugs and even your bed. Add to it the foul smell that will linger all over your home. All this can be quite frustrating for the pet owners. Hence, the best way to avoid such annoying situation is by potty training your dog effectively.

One commonly used method to toilet train your dog is by restricting his movement around the house. You may consider using crates or leash to do so. Using a dog crate or a leash will give your pet limited space to move around, and the dog will start considering it as his personal space. High chances are that your pet will not pee and poop in such area and will try to control his urge unless you take him out of his personal space.

Use pre-treated paper or pad. Dip a small part of the paper into your pet’s urine and place the paper at the exact location, where you want your dog to pee and poop. As you know that dog have very strong smelling powers, they will sniff their way towards the “poop place”. So every time your pet feels the urge to relieve him, he will be guided towards the appropriate place.

You will need to give your dog some time to learn, while being patient. Eventually, your pet will recognise his own “poop place” and learn to relieve himself at the right spot, every time! The time taken by different dogs to complete their potty training successfully may vary. Training a dog may be a cumbersome and frustrating at times. Another alternative is to send your pet to an obedience school to be trained by an expert trainer. However, training the pet all by yourself is a journey filled with many ups and downs, which will help you get closer and build a better relationship with your pet. Just remember, time and patience are the keys to success!

Eric Hartwell oversees “The World’s Best Homepage” intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on theworldsbesthomepage.com/blog/category/home/pets/ dogs and pets and visit our associated site free-content-resource.com articles for free.

Teaching your puppy crate training is a great way to give him a good start, install positive habits early, and bond with your new pet. Puppy crate training is a very effective way to housebreak your new puppy, and also teach basic manners. Here are some concepts that will get you off to the right start.

Keep in mind that crate training should be a positive experience for both you and your puppy. Many people believe that crate training is cruel, and refuse to consider it as a training method. Dogs, however, enjoy having a den-like environment that feels save and secure to them, and crate training, used properly, focuses on rewarding experiences and positive reinforcement, not pain or punishment.

Crate training involves keeping the puppy inside the crate for a certain length of time, and then removing the dog to an established toilet area, where he can relieve himself. The reason that crate training works so well for housebreaking your puppy is that it encourages him to ‘hold’ it, and associate emptying his bladder outside the crate. The puppy won’t want to soil its den, as that is where he lives and sleeps.

When first beginning crate training, the puppy may protest at first by whining or barking. Eventually, he will be able to stay comfortably in the crate for longer and longer periods of time. Start with 10 minutes at a time, and eventually, you can gradually increase up to two hours. However, a puppy should not be left in the crate for an extended amount of time, usually no more than three to four hours.

Once you get started, there may be occasionally accidents, and it very important not to punish the puppy or dog when it makes a mistake during the crate training process. You will also be more successful if you keep a diary of when your puppy eats, and when he requires a bathroom break when training. This will help you anticipate your puppy’s needs on a regular basis.

A strong crate is the very basis of good puppy training. The crate should be large enough that your pup or dog can stand up in and turn. You can get a large crate, and then make partitions, creating a larger space as your puppy gets bigger. Or, you can start with a smaller crate, and then move up to a large size over time. It is important the crate be comfortable and long-lasting.

Once you’ve house-trained your puppy with crate-training, you’ve gone a long way toward creating a positive bond with your dog, and have instilled the habits that should stay with him for a lifetime. Crate training may take some time and focus at first, but, it solves the housebreaking problem, and helps to prevent accidents in the future. This investment goes a long way toward a happy household for you and your dog.

Amy Wells is a dog owner and enthusiast of crate training. She monitors and reviews the latest dog-training guides at: welama.bezoogle.com/pp/dog-training/ welama.bezoogle.com/pp/dog-training/

Just like when you bring home a new baby, you will need to prepare before you bring home your westie puppy. The needs of westie puppiess are not tremendous, but there are a few things that you must have in place to give your westie a safe, happy transition into your life

It is much easier and safer to prevent your west highland terrier pup from getting into and destroying things than it is to watch him every second. Remember that any item they chew on is also an item that is potentially swallowed: bits of cloth, tassels, string, and of course, shoes.

Secure everything that can be picked up or moved. Electrical cords are a particular danger. A solution called ‘bitter apple’ can be sprayed on cords, and anything else that cannot be relocated, to discourage chewing.

Dog trainers recommend that you never give your new puppy the freedom to roam the house while you are gone. A crate will keep the dog secure, and can also be used for safe travel. Pick one that is big enough for the dog to stand up and turn around in. Baby gates, or pet gates, will keep it confined to a room of the house that has a durable floor.

Since your westie will not be old enough for reliable housetraining until about four months of ages, this may be essential to keeping your carpets stain-free.

Your westie dog will need to eat, and it is wisest to ask the breeder what he has been eating, and buy that brand. You may change the food later, but in the beginning he will have enough adjustments to make without a change in diet. Food and water bowls should be of stainless steel, since most plastics will become victims of teething.

To encourage it to chew on acceptable items, have a selection of sturdy chew toys on hand. These should be made of Cressite, or English rubber, although tennis balls and nylabones are also acceptable.

You will want to get your westhighland terrier puppy used to a collar and leash as quickly as possible. Buy a light collar and leash, suitable for puppies, and get an ID tag to go with them. The grooming routine is also something that it needs to experience as early as possible. Have a brush or comb ready at hand.

Some owners recommend a bed of old towels, while others suggest faux lambskin. Like everything else you buy for your westie puppy, whatever you choose for a bed should be both washable and durable, as well as comfortable for your dog.

Last, but not least, find a veterinarian. A reputable west highland white terrier breeder will even let you bring the dog to a vet before purchase, in order to ensure that the dog you bring home is healthy.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

I do hope that you have found the article of use to you.

Good health and happiness

********************************************************
Jeff Cuckson is Author of “Mad About Westies” Find out more on how
you can have the Healthiest and Happiest madaboutwesties.com/westie_puppies.html Westie Puppies

You’ve Always Dreamed Of by going NOW to madaboutwesties.com/ Mad About Westies
********************************************************

Each and every one of us is drawn to other people based on a sometimes subconscious preference for looks and personality. As your personal relationships deepen, and you commit to a long-term form of friendship, or choose a life-long mate, you often start to come to the realization that it’s a persons personality that far outweighs any other quality. No matter what your chosen companion(s) may look like, its far less important in the long run than their dependability or sense of humor.

The same is equally true when deciding on the German Shepherd that you want to make part of your family. While every dog buyer (and breeder) may have a certain set of preferences regarding physical appearance, the number one concern that should be on your mind is finding a dog that is compatible and will make a happy and well-adjusted long-term companion.

Truly “good’ breeders (i.e. non-profit) spend loads of time with their puppies. During these extended socialization periods, the savvy breeder will note certain personality traits such as dominance, amiability, and determination (not to mention gait, topline, and angulation). If it some down to it, you would be much better off giving up on the “perfect” appearance in order to have a dog that is compatible with you and your lifestyle. If you breeder is a knowledgeable German Shepherd handler, they’ll be able to help you find a perfect “match”, as they realize that when an owner is happy, so is the dog.

Word to the wise, however. A German Shepherd Dog is most definitely NOT for everybody. If you’re looking for a lazy, dull, listless breed that is absolutely submissive and will always obey every single command, don’t bother with the German Shepherd. If you work 12 hour days and are too tired to spend an hour or so a night playing with your furry friend – don’t buy a Shepherd. If you plan to chain your dog in the backyard and commit him to a life with little or no human interaction – don’t buy a Shepherd. German Shepherds are the appitimy of “mans best friend”. They want and need a social life, and will suffer greatly, both emotionally and physically without one. Treat them as you would a best friend, and they’ll bring more joy into your life than you can imagine!

Decision Time : Puppy or Adult?

If you’re like 99% of the dog buying public, you initial response is “a puppy, of course”. Just as in the world of human adoptions, the vast majority of people want to start their relationship with their new family member at the start of their life.

However, don’t overlook the advantages of an adult dog. When you adopt an adult German Shepherd, many times you forego the early ‘trials and tribulations” that new dog owners must ‘suffer’ through (housebreaking, etc.), not to mention the “chewing’ stage that a teething puppy will invariably go through. If you’re gone most of the day, and have already experienced the ‘delights’ of owning a new puppy , then an adult dog may be right for you (check your local shelter or rescue agency, many times they have a “diamond in the rough” just waiting from someone like you!)

Male or Female?

Both genders have their pros and cons. There is a slight size difference (with males averaging two inches or so taller, and about 20 pounds heavier than females) in that males sometimes appear to have a greater “stature” than females (not always true, of course). Females, of course, have a heat cycle, which can be a pit of a pain until you have them spayed (always recommended).

Having said that, a German Shepherd’s personality characteristics are determined much more by heredity and environment than by gender. As with any dog breed, a loving home with concerned and caring owners does wonders in raising a dog that is happy, fun-loving, and a joy to all that meet them.

About the Author: Erik Olsen is the editor-at-large for
MyDogbreed.com MyDogbreed.com Visit us and find out more about your favorite dog breed(s), their care, health, and
training.
Submit your dogs picture to our galleries, and join the discussions in our forums. Read more about mydogbreed.com/german-shepherd/german-shepherd-training.php German Shepherd Training.

This brief article is an introduction to Clicker Training for Puppies and Dogs. Clicker Training is an effective and pet-friendly method of dog training that anyone can learn and use straight away to teach tricks and solve common behavior problems.

What is a “Clicker”?

A Clicker is a small noise-maker which makes a clicking sound. The click itself is brief, clearly audible and consistent.

What is the point of using a Clicker?

If we wish to reward a dog for behavior that we want more of, we need to be able to say to the dog “Yes! That is exactly what I am rewarding!” For many behaviors, we can simply say “Yes!” or “Good!” and follow up with the reward (usually food)

The clicker, or verbal marker, is known as a “Bridging Stimulus” because it bridges the gap between behavior and reward.

If you are trying to teach your dog to push a button with his paw, for example, then you need to be able to reward that exact behavior. This is where the clicker comes in, you can click the clicker precisely as the paw hits the button – effectively saying “That is exactly what I want you to do” – then give the reward.

How Do Clicker Trainers Stop Unwanted Behavior?

Clicker Trainers have a bag of tricks based in the science of ezinearticles.com/?Secrets-of-Dog-Training-Professionals—Operant-Conditioning&id=201252 Operant Conditioning. However, they do not use force, fear, pain or scolding to train. That still leaves Negative Punishment, ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Make-Your-Pets-Bad-Behavior-Extinct-Like-a-Dodo&id=207907 Extinction and training alternative behaviors.

When a clicker trainer comes across an unwanted behavior, they ask “What is reinforcing this behavior?” and “What would I like my dog to instead?” Then set about removing the reinforcers for the unwanted behaviour and training a preferred behavior.

Does it Really Work?

Clicker Training is nothing new, it’s just taken a while to catch on. It is proven to work and has been used to train dogs in every field of endeavour, from Guide Dogs, to Police Dogs, to Obedience Champions. It has also been used to train thousands of species of animal, including wild animals in their natural environment.

If you try to punish a wild animal it will either run away or kill you. This leaves Clicker Training as one of the few effective alternatives. Tigers and Bears have been trained to offer a tail or paw and have blood taken. Dolphins have been trained in military surveillance in the open ocean. Dogs have been trained to make their disabled owner’s beds – just a few examples of what clicker training can be used for.

Where Can I Learn More About Clicker Training?

groups.yahoo.com/group/positivepetzine/ Positive Petzine is a free resource for people training their own dogs.

Aidan Bindoff is Editor of Positive Petzine.

bestezines.com/?id=1737 As Featured On Best Ezines

When our son announced that he was moving back home to further his education, and that he was bringing P.J., his Maltese with him, my husband and I were somewhat apprehensive to say the least. First of all, we had never even seen a Maltese, and weren’t entirely sure that we even wanted to. Secondly, we thoroughly enjoyed our life as it was with the flexibility of coming and going whenever we wanted to. We also enjoyed the fact that we could have quiet time or go out for entertainment if and when we desired.

We knew things would change somewhat just by having our son home again, but between his working full time and going to school, we weren’t expecting to see much of him. So, what about the dog? If we didn’t see much of our son, neither would the dog see much of our son, which meant that my husband and I were soon to become a “threesome”. We decided we would tolerate the situation, knowing it was only temporary, but we were both already longing for assurance that we would have our previous flexible life back real soon.

Moving day soon arrived, and as the furniture and boxes were being moved in to the house, this inquisitive little fuzzy white dog with huge black eyes suddenly appeared, bounding in the door. She didn’t even acknowlege the fact that my husband and I were sitting on the couch, and instead began scurrying from room to room as if taking inventory of everything in site. She displayed absolutely no fear and one would never have suspected that this was her first trip to a house belonging to virtual strangers. When she completed her investigation, it was as if she gave everything her stamp of approval, jumped up into my lap, curled up, and promptly went to sleep. Little did I know that this was just the beginning of many curling up in the lap sessions.

That day, which was a little over three years ago, has certainly changed our lives, to say the least. Our car now has a doggie car seat prominately displayed in the backseat, and the car seldom leaves the driveway without P.J. happily perched inside. Our once orderly living room now has a large basket sitting there to hold the numerous dog toys and rawhide chews which are instead always scattered all over the house. There’s no such thing as an empty lap. P.J. not only thinks that all laps are “created equal”, but also that all laps are created for her. Both my husband and myself often find ourselves having complete conversations with….the dog. She’ll attentively sit there with her ears perked up listening to every word. She also loves to perch up on the back of the sofa and proudly announce the arrival of every bird, squirrel, dog, or person that does or does not come up to the door.

Yes, our lives have certainly changed. We no longer have the flexibility of coming and going whenever we want to. Our quiet haven is no more. In exchange we now have an adorable whimsical little companion who excitedly barks and wags her tail anytime either of us walks through the door. Our entertainment now consists of taking P.J. to the park or playing fetch, and our quiet time is holding this little ball of fur while she naps.

Our son has completed his schooling and is now moving on to a new phase of his life, but leaving P.J. with us. We of course are thrilled with this arrangement, and actually couldn’t imagine life without P.J. anymore. She has truly stolen our hearts with her Maltese Magic.

Copyright 2006 Cari Haus

By Connie Tersigni and Cari Haus. Connie Tersigni is owner of milliondollarmutts.com milliondollarmutts.com, offering upscale pet supplies for Poodles, Yorkies and Maltese — among other breeds.

You own, or are thinking of owning, an alpaca pet on your farm. Alpacas are gentle creatures that will bring years of pleasure if properly cared for. Below are 7 deadly mistakes that you can avoid so your camelid friend will be with you until old age.

Mistake # 1 – Insufficient fencing

Your alpaca pet will not challenge a fence. Your fencing should be made to keep predators out. Neighborhood dogs are the #1 killer of alpacas. Be sure and provide a fence that predators can not get over, under, or through. Read more about alpaca fencing.

Mistake # 2 – Not checking for poisonous plants

Your Alpaca pet is a ruminant. They eat weeds, bark off wood posts, and anything else they want to try. They can not tell if what they are eating is good for them or not. You must do that for them. Your pastures and your yard must be free of plants that are poisonous to alpacas. Many ornamental plants are poisonous to alpacas.

Mistake # 3 – The open gate

Forgetting to close a gate behind you leaves your alpaca pet open to mistakes number 1 and 2. Without a fence to protect them, all alpacas can do is run from a prey. If they get cornered, they will be killed. A pack of dogs or coyotes can bring an alpaca down quickly. If your alpacas stay inside the fenced area, an open gate allows predators to get inside and kill.

You may have taken the time to be sure your home is free of poisons but your neighbors haven’t. An open gate allows your alpaca to roam and possibly get into your neighbors poisonous ornamental plants.

Mistake # 4 – Improper fencing material

Those wood split rail fences look fantastic. White rail horse fencing looks pristine. Field fencing is cheap. None of these will work for your alpaca pet. Use 2 x 4 wire no climb fencing. Use any of the other fencing and you are taking a chance with your alpacas life. The first two are just too open, allowing predators into your pastures. The holes on field fencing are just too large. An alpaca can stick it’s head through and die. Their heads may not come back through as easily and they will panic and strangle.

Mistake # 5 – Not shearing

Alpacas natural habitat is high in the Andean Mountains where it stays cool. Their fiber is very dense. If you do not shear your alpaca pet in the spring, and you live somewhere that summer temperatures climb, your alpaca can die from heat stress. If your alpaca is having trouble staying in a cush position, breathing with its mouth open, drooling, or walking stiffly, your alpaca is in trouble and needs to be cooled down quickly. Avoid this emergency by shearing before the heat soars.

Mistake # 6 – Feeding pellets

You can feed pellets to get needed supplements to your alpaca pet, but you must be very careful. Your alpaca will be in competition with any other alpaca for the most pellets they can eat and will grab large mouthfuls and swallow without chewing so they can get more. This causes a choking problem. The container you put the pellets in makes a big difference. A small bucket that hangs on the fence is not good. The pellets pile up and your alpaca can gulp a big mouthful and choke. It’s better to have a long trough that you can spread in a thin layer. Placing rocks in buckets or feeders can help. The alpaca must pick around the rocks and can not get large mouthfuls. You force them to eat slower.

Mistake # 7 – Irregular or no worming

Your alpaca pet will eat off the ground. Worms get into their system. There’s no way to avoid it. If you don’t worm your alpaca regularly, your alpaca will eventually die of malnutrition. If you live in an area that has white-tail deer, you might have meningeal worms. If your alpaca gets meningeal worms it will die a horrible death. Check with your veterinarian to see if meningeal worms exist in your area and the proper scheduling and dose of worming medication.

If you avoid these 7 deadly mistakes, your will take big steps to insuring your alpaca pet has a long and happy life. Alpacas can live 20 years or more so you have a long time to enjoy the benefits of owning an alpaca.

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