Archives for February, 2009
One of the oldest methods for potty training a new puppy is the paper training method. To do this you will isolate your new puppy in one room, if it can be a room with a door to the outside that is all that much better. To use this method properly, you lay down newspaper or potty training pads throughout the room so that whatever the puppy does it won’t ruin the floor. Gradually you make the paper area smaller and smaller once the puppy has gotten into the habit of only going on just the paper. If the room has a door to the outside, slowly move the small square of paper towards the door, and soon it will be relatively simple to make the transition from pottying on the paper near the door to pottying outside. The paper training method is one of the oldest methods in use for potty training a new puppy, but it is also a very successful one that many people have used over the years.
Feb 26, 2009 | | Potty Training
Separation anxiety is a tough problem to handle, both for the dog owner as well as the dog itself. The dog goes through a great deal of unneeded stress and anxiousness that is not good for its overall health. The dog owner must deal with both the emotional discomfort of seeing their beloved pet suffer, as well as the real problem of chewed or scratched up items in the home caused by the dog as they are suffering from their anxiety attacks. One thing that can help aid a dog owner in reducing the amount of separation anxiety is exercising the dog regularly. When a dog is well exercised they have less energy so that when the owner then leaves, it does not have the same amount of opportunity to cause the physical damage that they normally do during those times. Exercise is beneficial to a dog for a number of reasons, but most people don’t know that regular exercise can also lessen the effects that separation anxiety has on the dog, the home, and the dog owner too.
Feb 23, 2009 | | Dog Know-How
Every dog owner knows that one of the worst, but very necessary, parts about having dogs is the cleaning up process. Whether the dogs have an isolated kennel or are free to wander the yard, patroling the area and removing the poop sometimes seems like a full time job. While there is no secret method to make this job go away completely, there is something you can do to make it a little easier on you and better for your dog too. A healthier dog is easier to clean up after, why is that? A healthy dog, just like a healthy human, is more regular in terms of the bowel movements that they take. Feeding a dog a natural dog food that is higher in quality than normally available at most stores is a great way to improve the dog’s health and their bowel movements. Standard dog foods contain a good amount of filler which is not easily digested by the dog. Because of this, there is more to clean up than if a dog were to consume a more nutrient rich food. High quality dog food is beneficial in at least those two ways, first it makes the dog overall healthier and it also lessens the amount of times that a dog has to do its business, or the amount of actual excrement that the dog has to expel.
Feb 16, 2009 | | Health
Getting a new puppy is an exciting time, for both adults and children. Puppies are incredibly enjoyable and everyone in the house usually looks forward to their arrival. There are a number of things that future dog owners need to prepare for when they are going to get a new puppy, and many of them can be done before the new arrival even arrives.
Responsibilities
Discuss with the entire family how this new pet is going to have to be cared for by either everyone or primarily by the one person in the house who is the dog’s owner. Possibly set up a schedule that details who is responsible for what duties relating to the new puppy. Who will be in charge of feeding it? Who will be the one charged with cleaning up the toys so they aren’t constantly scattered about the house? Who will have the responsibility of cleaning up the dog poop? Who will take care of changing out the newspaper or potty pads used in house training? It may be best to rotate these responsibilities weekly or monthly too.
Feeding
Different breeds of dogs require different feeding amounts or methods. Some breeds require special foods or feeding methods that other breeds do not. Similarly, some breeds require different amounts of food and water each day than other breeds do. It is best to check with either a breeder or veterinarian to see if there are any special feeding requirements for the new puppy that is being added to the household.
Medical
There are a number of breeds of dogs that historically exhibit certain tendencies for specific medical conditions. Knowing whether they should watch out for hip problems, ear problems, eye problems, and any other type of medical problem in their new puppies is an important piece of information that a prospective dog owner can find out from either a reputable dog breeder or a veterinarian.
Equipment
How an individual or family wishes to raise their new puppy may dictate whether they need specific equipment or accessories to help them do so. Is a dog going to be walked regularly? Then a leash and collar may be required. Is a dog going to be crate trained? Then a dog crate should definitely be purchased before the puppy comes home. Is a dog going to be potty trained using potty pads? Then those should be on hand at the time the dog comes home for the first time. There are a number of things that dogs need the minute they come into a new home. Purchasing these ahead of time is a necessary step to take for a seamless introduction of a new pet into a new home.
Just because the new puppy is not home yet doesn’t mean that there aren’t things that can be done to make the home more ready for his arrival. Preparing in this way will not only give the dog a better chance at successfully integrating into their new surroundings, but will also enhance the dog owner’s valuable time that they get to interact with their new dog. When a home is ready to accept a pet into it, the process of getting a new puppy is a great deal more enjoyable than it is if the owner and prospective home are not ready.
Feb 12, 2009 | | Dog Know-How
Finding fleas or ticks on your dog is not the most enjoyable way to start or end a day. We love our pets and when they are infested with bugs we can’t enjoy them the way we should be able to. A dog with fleas or ticks should not be hugged, cuddled or even petted. For that matter, a dog with fleas or ticks shouldn’t really even be allowed indoors. There are a number of topical flea and tick control medications on the market to help dog owners fight this problem, but what are the pros and cons of using them?
Pros
-Modern topical medications made to fight fleas and ticks are highly effective.
-Topical flea and tick medications are readily available and require no veterinarian visits or prescriptions.
-Flea and tick medications that are made to apply directly on the effected areas are rather simple to use.
Cons
-After applying a topical flea and tick medication, dog owners are not able to wash or bathe their dogs for up to two weeks.
-Large dogs, or dogs with extremely long or dense hair, do not always see the same positive results that other dogs experience when using a topical flea and tick medicine.
-Children love to play with their pets, but they must be kept away from dogs who have been treated with a topical flea and pet medication because it can be harmful to them if they get it in their eyes or mouths.
Topical flea and tick medications are a great way to battle against flea and tick infestations, but they do also have their limits. For the right dog owner, they may be the best option, but dog owners need to know that they may not be the miracle cure they are looking for. For those cases when they don’t work, it is best to consult with a veterinarian to see what other options may be available.
Feb 09, 2009 | | Health
Great family memories usually center around times of togetherness. Sometimes that means weekend road trips, sometimes it means full blown vacations, and sometimes it just means time together at home. Often those family times involve pets. And what makes a better pet than puppies? Dogs enrich our lives so much and are such a huge part of our family that for many people they can’t imagine being a family without having a dog.
Does your heart skip a beat when you pass by a sign that says Dogs for sale? Adding a new dog to a family is a big step, and there is a lot to think about. Are their kids in the picture and are they too young to assume any responsibility for taking care of the new pet? Are the kids the one that are driving the search for a new dog and are the parents unsure if this is the correct step to take? Does the whole family want honestly want a new dog and it is time to take the big step right now? There are a number of things to think about before going out and finding that new furry family friend.
Dogs require a good deal of maintenance and care, they aren’t to be locked away and forgotten about. Dogs are very social animals and love the contact with their human owners just as much as the family members love their time with their dog. Dogs require maintenance as well. It is important to keep an eye out on the health of a dog, many breeds have issues that are specific to them including hip problems, ear infection problems, and diet restrictions. Some breeds of dogs require more exercise than others do as well and that should also be a concern that a prospective buyer should take into account. A family that lives in an urban apartment or condominium may not be best served in buying an active dog.
So if you are the type of person who takes notice when they see the words Puppies for Sale, go out and get the perfect dog for you right now. But remember, pick the dog that best suits your family situation. When the perfect dog is matched up with the perfect family, the opportunity for those classic family memories to be made are highly increased.
Feb 06, 2009 | | Recommendations
There are a number of reasons that many dog owners choose to crate train their dogs when they get them as puppies. One of the benefits that comes with crate training is that it can be a very effective way to potty train your puppy. When a puppy is crate trained they think of their crate as their home or den. Most puppies, just like their adult dog counterparts, prefer to not soil where they sleep. To effectively potty train a puppy using a crate, you have to pay close attention so that you can let the puppy out before he needs to do his business. After a fairly short time (it sometimes may not seem short enough), the puppy will get into the habit of holding it until they are let out of their crate and put outside. It is a good idea to bring the puppy straight outside once they are let out of their crate so they don’t develop the habit of relieving themselves outside of the crate, but still inside the house.
Feb 05, 2009 | | Potty Training
