I Love Animals

Housebreaking your puppy is going to take a lot of patience. As soon as you bring your puppy home, you should begin to housebreak it. With puppies, nature calls about 6 times a day. You should take your puppy out immediately after each meal, as this is the time that it is most likely to need to relieve itself.

A puppy is not able to fully control its bladder until the age of twelve weeks. Up until that age, good housebreaking routines should be followed in order to avoid your dog relieving itself in your house.

Watch for signs that your puppy has to go out, including walking around in circles. That is the biggest sign that your dog needs to go outside to relieve itself.

Confining your puppy to a small area of the house, or using a crate are a couple of good ways to make sure your dog doesn’t end up defecating or urinating all over your house. Housebreaking your puppy is a lot harder if it smells urine in a part of your house that you don’t want it relieving itself in.

When housebreaking your dog, it is important to make sure that your dog knows when it is doing wrong, and knows what it is doing wrong. It’s no help scolding your dog for urinating on the floor if it’s not clear to the dog why you’re scolding him. Be firm, yet gentle, especially until your puppy knows better.

It is important to housebreak your puppy properly the first time, or you’ll be regretting it for years to come. If it’s not a hundred percent clear to your dog that it is not ok to urinate in the house, then you will be cleaning up a lot of messes over the course of your dog’s lifetime.

Information on proper housebreaking methods can be obtained from your vet, dog trainers, or on the internet. Do your homework ahead of time, before you bring your new puppy home, because the housebreaking needs to start immediately, as soon as your puppy gets home. You don’t want to be fumbling around, trying to learn how to housebreak your puppy while he’s urinating all over your house. Put yourself in the position of knowing how to do it before you bring your puppy home.

The American Paint Horse is a breed of horses which are known for having a percentage of white hair over skin combined with another color. This color pattern is one of the most important characteristics of this breed. The American Paint Horse Association is one of the largest breed register centers in the US.

Every American Paint Horse has white hair combined with some other color found in horses. This includes brown, black, tan, or gray. American Paint horses are related to the American Quarter Horse, and share the same ancestors. The markings on these horses can be anywhere on its body. Like the Quarter Horse, American Paint Horses are known for their speed and athletic qualities.

Strict requirements are necessary in order to register these horses. Both the sire and dam have to be registered in the APHA and the club for Thoroughbreds. At least one of the parents of the horse being registered must be an American Paint Horse. It is also important that the horse being registered have white fur over skin which is another color. These horses have an excellent temperament, and make great pets.

The American Paint Horse should have a body shape which is the same as the American Quarter Horse. They should be heavy but not very tall, and their center of gravity should be low. They should also be very muscular with a powerful back legs. They should also be able to run extremely fast and maneuver quickly. The American Paint Horse is one of the most popular breeds of horses in the United States today.

Despite this, these horses are susceptible to getting lethal white syndrome, a genetic disease. Some foals are born with a pure white color and do not have a functioning colon. As of this writing, no effective treatments have been found for this disease, and the foal usually dies within two weeks. The death is a very painful process, and they are typically put down once symptoms have been found. The coat color alone is not an indicator that a horse has this disease.

This disease has become well known among American Paint Horse breeders, and many of them have encountered this disease first hand. While it was thought at one time that overos carried this disease, recent research has shown that not all overos carry this disorder, and tobianos and quarter horses may carry it also. Despite these conditions, American Paint Horses are highly prized.

Without a doubt one of the most annoying issues for owners is a dog that is a chronic barker. These dogs seem to bark at anything and everything and do not stop barking even when the threat or event is over. While chronic or excessive barking is often associated with small dogs all sizes and breeds of dogs may become chronic barkers under the right set of conditions.

What makes a dog bark?

Initially puppies and dogs bark to attract attention, notify owners of a stranger or unusual event, or to defend themselves and their property. Most owners appreciate a dog that barks to notify them when a stranger approaches or there is a knock at the door. The problems start to happen when the dog does not disengage from the barking activity, even if corrected. Some chronic barkers will not stop even if removed from the room and will continue to bark even if placed outside.

Usually dogs that have a problem with barking started this behavior because they were bored or received attention for barking. Remember that to a dog all attention is good, even if it is negative. Therefore when a dog is bored, lacks attention and then barks and gets yelled at, he or she quickly learns that barking gets human attention, which is just what he or she wants. Once this pattern has been established it is more difficult to correct than catching it early and stopping it as it develops.

Working With A Puppy or Dog

Puppies are often very cute when they bark and owners do little to correct the barking. Once they become a bit older the problem becomes more annoying, but by then the behavior is established. If you want to have a watchdog consider using the following method:

When the stranger comes to the house or yard and the puppy or dog barks, immediately praise the puppy. After one or two barks say “Enough” or “Stop” and then immediately give them a toy or chew item to distract them from barking. As soon as they take the toy praise them for stopping and provide attention for quiet behavior.

If the puppy or dog continues to bark and doesn’t take a toy consider giving them a food treat. Again praise as soon as the dog is quiet after you have given the verbal command.

Spend time playing with the puppy and provide attention when they are quiet.

Never yell at the puppy or hit the dog to make it stop barking. This will only raise the puppies anxiety level and lead to more barking or even more aggressive behaviors such as biting or running away.

A squirt bottle filled with tap water can also be used to stop the puppy from barking, although this should only be used if other methods fail. Again, the word “Enough” or “Stop” should be used prior to the water bottle, and the puppy should immediately be praised when he or she sits or stands quietly beside you.

For dogs or puppies that bark chronically when the owner is away consider providing more toys and activities for the dog. In addition take them for a long walk or play games with them to provide more stimulation before you leave them alone. Try to make the times away from home as short as possible and praise the dog when you get home and all is quiet.

Be as consistent as possible if you are trying to train or correct a barking dog. Always respond the same way to barking. Dogs become very confused if one day they are allowed to bark and other days they given negative attention for barking. Always pay attention to the dog when it is quiet or behaving appropriately and spend extra time exercising and playing with the dog or puppy to ensure that they will be tired and relaxed when you are away from home.

Many if the people who make their own snake or other reptile cages adapt other designs or continue to improve on the designs they have already used.

When you adapt a cage design from basic plan you can use it to make a reptile or snake cage to suit your own needs. You may have a space that is not quite suitable for the size of the original design. You may want to adapt a half built cage, a closet or an old cupboard. You may want to make a specific length, height or width. You may have limited access to materials or you may have an existing stockpile of materials that want to use.

In all cases, it is important to have a clear idea of what you want the finished product to look like and how you are going to construct it.

Detailed plans can contain a lot of important information for building reptile cages, but you should remember they are not definitive. For example many people who have used the “How to Build Reptile Enclosures” book site have altered the plans, in some cases quite significantly, to suit their needs and their skills.

They all acknowledge the benefits of using the book as a launching point for their cage building. They also found it helped them think more carefully about how they might construct a snake or other reptile cage to suit their needs. Then there are the other requirements for reptile cages and care eg heat mats, basking lights, UV lights, misting systems, substrates, decorations such as artificial walls, artificial trees and branches, and how these can be made and placed in the cage.

The book also gives you valuable information about construction techniques, making cages stronger and some useful hints and tips.

The original plans have been many individuals as a starting point for their cages and then adapted them to suit their needs, materials and skills.

You also find tha once you have started to make cages and adpat designs tat your building and design skills improve substantially and you continue to make and adapt your ideas.

Many people do not want to adapt the cages but want to build them exactly as described. There is enough information to allow you to do that to. Either way, a plan is an important part of the building process.

The main thing is to have some fun building something for yourself and your pet (and save a bit of money).

It can be very distressing for owners when their cats are involved in regular fights especially when this is witnessed in the home. Cats are not naturally obedient creatures, unlike dogs, so alternative measures often have to be tried to curb cat fighting in the home.

If you have a problem, try some of these measures:

1. Try to keep cats apart if they are newly introduced into the home - let them get to know each other gradually and at their own pace

2. Allow each cat freedom of movement - let them choose which part of the house they wish to be in and let them go outside as they please

3. Ensure that the cats are petted and loved - don’t show affection for one over and above another

4. Try moving furniture around - cats are territorial and have their own feelings about “their territory” - by moving furniture, you can help to break up their sense of terrirory and allow the older and newer cats to redesignate their territorial spaces

5. Cats smell each other and don’t always like what they find - use a towel to rub over both (or more) cats so that the odours are mixed

6. Training cats is not easy but when they are fighting a few drops of cold water will easily break up the scuffle

7. Proprietary cat furniture can be a useful decorative addition to the home and some pieces have nooks and crannies in them that each cat can call “their own”

When all is lost, sometimes you just have to let them slug it out. Cats will often find their own place in the home hierarchy.

If your new kitten attacks you, it probably will not hurt. But never encourage this behavior because you do not want him to grow up thinking that climbing up on people’s legs is an acceptable behavior. If he attacks you when he is an adult, it is definitely not cute. He must learn to attack only his own belongings.

- If he just growls or hisses, just walk away.

- If he actually bites you or scratches, say, “Ouch!” immediately and sound hurt even if it really did not hurt. Rub your bite and walk away.

- If he is a kitten and you are confident you will not get hurt, pick him up and set him down pointing away from you. Walk away. If he persists, lock him in the bathroom for five minutes. If he is still feeling feisty when he comes out, have a lure toy ready and play with him when you let him out.

- Watch for his warning signs of anger or agitation. Pay attention to how he holds his ears, tail and posture before he attacks. Watch his eyes and mouth. If you see an attack coming, try distracting him with a lure toy, or push an “aggression toy” onto him. Give him something that he can kick and bite. Use a large fuzzy catnip toy, stuffed animal sprayed with catnip. You can also make your own: Stuff a tube of strong, snaggy fabric with polyester fiberfill and dried catnip. Sew the ends shut. It should be long enough for him to bite and kick at the same time. A terry cloth sock works very well.

- Handle your cat with care. Almost any cat will defend himself against rough handling. Even if your cat only scratches or bites in that situation, stop doing it. Rough play is not a good idea anyway. You want your cat calm and happy, not wild up.

- Do not use your hands to play with your cat. Use a lure toy instead. When cats play, they use their teeth and claws.

- For cats who turn aggressive because of certain noises, avoid those noises when you are around if possible. However, at the same time you will need to get the cat more used to human noise by playing music or television every day. Do not let him always be in a quiet environment. He needs to be exposed to normal human sounds to get more used to living with them.

- Add cat vitamin supplements to help alleviate moodiness.

- Keep his nails trimmed. Kitten’s claws are very sharp and will easily cut through your skin. Adult claws can do even more serious damage.

- Watch his diet. Sometimes, a specific food can cause allergic reactions that can lead to angry spells. Tuna, yeast and hormone-injected meats have been known to do that in some cats.

- Do not hold a cat when he is likely to be suddenly frightened, such as when meeting a new cat or dog or walking near an appliance making noise.

- If you get a kitten that is really aggressive and does not respond to training, you may need to take him back. If your new adult cat is aggressive, consider returning him right away. Do not adopt a cat that you think is dangerous.

Photographing pets can often be a difficult proposition. Add water, glass reflections and the low lighting of an aquarium environment, and you’ve got the recipe for one extremely difficult photo shoot.

But it doesn’t have to be that hard. Armed with the following tips, you can get great photos of your fish in just about any situation.

1: Get a tripod.

Tripods are usually used for non-moving subjects. But they can be immensely helpful when photographing fish, even ones that are constantly moving. Low light levels lead to slow shutter speeds. So anything you can do to stabilize the camera will be of tremendous help. The best way to photograph moving fish with your camera on a tripod is to loosen the levers on the tripod so you can move the camera freely left, right, up and down but the camera will remain in position if left alone.

2: Get your fish acquainted with the camera.

Now that you have a tripod (since you faithfully followed the first tip), set it up in front of your aquarium with the camera mounted on the tripod. Now leave it. For as long as possible… several days would be ideal. The purpose of this exercise is to get the fish used to seeing the “thing” you’re constantly moving around, pointing it at them and making noises. When they’re comfortable with the sight of the camera, they’ll be more relaxed and less prone to dart around the tank or hide.

3: Use a digital camera.

Digital cameras allow us to “just take the picture” without worrying about whether we’re wasting the film and processing money on a shot that won’t be good. When you can focus on getting the best shot possible, no matter how many tries it takes, you’re on the right track to get the shot you want.

4: Turn off the lights in the room.

Ambient light causes reflections on the tank glass that may ruin a perfectly good fish photograph. Eliminate all sources of ambient light that you can, and be very aware of any reflections as you shoot. If there are some reflections you can’t get rid of, try putting your body between the light source and the glass to shield the tank from the light.

5: Clean the glass, cut the pumps.

Turning off the aquarium pumps before you shoot is an excellent way to clean up your shots of particles and bubbles in the water column. and if you happen to have a planted freshwater tank or reef aquarium, this will also prevent the plants or corals from swaying in your picture, turning into a blurry mess.

Cleaning the glass is probably the most overlooked step to aquarium photography, and quite possible is responsible for more ruined photos than any other issue. Remember, just because you don’t see it now, doesn’t mean you won’t see it in the picture. Amazing how that happens. So clean the glass well, every time, before you pick up the camera.

6: A Bonus!

Have fun. Aquarium photography can become an interesting and challenging hobby all its own. Have fun with it, experiment freely, and be sure to share your pictures online!

A dog lover gift basket is a wonderful gift item for any occasion. Generally, it is a hand assembled gift basket filled with dog lover gifts. Making these gift baskets can be easy and funny by choosing items with dog themes and packing them in an attractive basket. You can also buy these gifts readymade from a company that assembles them either according to their own suggestions or as per your specifications. But if you are brave, you can try your hand at making your own basket.

Begin by placing a layer of paper in the bottom of the basket. Fill your basket with gifts like dog calendars, books on dog health, coffee mugs, t-shirts, caps, dog stationery, note cards, coasters, jewelry, dog magazines, picture frames and mouse pads. Also, pick some dog chew toys and doggie bones for the pooch. Wrap all the items in dog themed gift-wrap.

Finally cover the basket with a beautiful cellophane paper and tie it with a long, colorful ribbon. The wrapping plays an important role in the appearance of the gift. Tape a humorous dog design greeting card with a message on the wrap. Now your dog lover gift basket is ready. If you don’t have time to create your own gift basket, you can purchase one from a gift shop at different price levels. Online shops are also available. These stores and online shops can also personalize your dog lover gift basket as per your wishes. Make sure you shop around in order to get the best deal.

There are many things that both the Shih Tzu and the Shih Tzu owners could have in common. For example, both Shih Tzu and Shih Tzu owners could be prone to obesity if not regulating food intake and by not exercising.

In addition, Shih Tzu and humans may also acquire diseases that results from improper dietary regimen like diabetes, heart diseases, etc.

Moreover, the most amusing thing that both Shih Tzu and humans share is the fact that they are both vulnerable to allergies.

Sounds impossible? Think again.

Veterinary experts assert that Shih Tzu have allergies too. One of the primary signs of allergies is the itching of their skin. Their respiratory tract system can also be affected with allergies.

Normally, Shih Tzu will manifest symptoms of respiratory tract allergies like sneezing, wheezing, and coughing. Their nose and their eyes may also manifest a discharge just like humans do whenever they have colds or flu.

There are also allergies that may have an effect on their digestive system; hence, it may result as watery stools, diarrhea, or vomiting.

Experts say that almost 20% of the Shih Tzu in the United States suffer from several types of allergy. So, for people who want to know more about the different allergies that Shih Tzu acquire, here is a list of the most common allergies:

1. Allergies with fleas

It is a well-known fact that Shih Tzu are usually infected with fleas. However, what most people do not know is that they can get allergies through these fleas, too.

Well, it is not the fleas that actually cause the allergic reactions in Shih Tzu but the flea’s saliva. Hence, it is important for the Shih Tzu to undergo a skin allergy examination so as to determine if a particular dog is sensitive to flea saliva.

In the event that the Shih Tzu is allergic to flea saliva, it would be better for the owner to implement a rigorous flea control or flea eradication treatment in order to lessen the allergic reactions. Though, it must be kept in mind that solutions that are used in flea control should be safe for the Shih Tzu.

2. Allergies pertaining to foods

Like humans, Shih Tzu gets allergies from food as well. There are instances wherein Shih Tzu gets allergies from foods that their system cannot tolerate, such as wheat, soy products, pork, beef, whey, fish, eggs, milk, corn, artificial sweeteners, and chemical preservatives that are placed in their food.

Moreover, Shih Tzu can get allergies in food that they have not tried before. The best way to combat this particular allergy problem is to feed the dog commercial dog foods more often instead of homemade products.

Some signs of allergic reactions to food in Shih Tzu are shaking of the head, scratching the ears, irritated skin, biting and licking at the rear feet, inflammations in the ear, sneezing, behavioral changes, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

3. Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a known allergic skin disease in dogs. This is usually caused by the hypersensitivity of the dog’s immune system to ordinary substances that can be found in the environment like molds or dust mites.

Usually, a Shih Tzu is said to be suffering from atopic dermatitis when the Shih Tzu begins to excessively lick and chew its paws, licking the abdomen and its rear feet.

Atopic dermatitis can be seen as a saliva staining found in the armpits, between the toes of the paws, and in the groin. In light-colored canines, atopic dermatitis can be seen as a red-brown stain found on the same parts that were mentioned.

4. Allergies resulting from bacteria

This is the most common cause of serious allergies in Shih Tzu. Generally, there are certain bacteria that thrive in the dog’s skin. This is known as the species of Staphylococcus bacteria. In most cases, this does not cause allergies in Shih Tzu. However, there are certain types of dogs that develop an allergy to it.

The most common symptom of this kind of allergy is hair loss along with the development of ringworm like marks in the Shih Tzu skin. The areas where these marks appear usually get infected, hence, it is important to treat them with antibiotics.

Indeed, allergies are not for humans only. Allergies greatly affect almost 20% of the total population of dogs in the United States, and that is a pretty alarming number. Therefore, it is extremely important for dog owners to know these dog allergies in order to prevent them from further exposure.

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Take my word for it, no matter how much you want your new puppy to sleep with you, this is not the best option. Especially when you’re dealing with a 75-pound behemoth that’s scared of a little thunder. Your king-sized bed suddenly becomes half a twin-size bed. So next to food and a trip to the vet, a good dog bed should be one of your first major purchases. But what kind of dog bed should you get? There are literally hundreds of choices. For instance:

Large dog beds for the type of dog mentioned in the first paragraph

Outdoor beds for the pooch who prefers sleeping under the stars

Fancy designer beds for the pampered pooch that’s probably related to Paris Hilton’s Tinkerbelle

Travel and car beds for the dogs who spend a lot of time on the road

Heated beds for the cold-natured little breeds

Orthopedic beds for the pooches getting up there in age Iron beds for the decorating pooches in your household

Chew-proof beds for…well…you know

And waterproof beds for the little pups who sometimes get a little scared at night…you know what I mean.

But no matter the bed you buy, there are a couple of rules you should be aware of. First, make sure every part of the bed is machine washable. No matter how many times you wash your dog, he’s going to manage to smell up that bed. And if it’s a bed you keep in your own bedroom, the odors that will eventually emanate from that bed will give you nightmares.

Second, get a bed with cedar shavings or a thick foam pad as the padding. This will help immensely with keeping your favorite flea friends from becoming permanent residents of your dog’s bed. Third, make sure you buy the right size dog bed. If possible, take your dog with you when you buy the bed. No matter how cute the bed is, or how well it goes with your home décor, if your dog can’t comfortably lay down in the bed, he won’t use it.

Also, pay close attention to what the bed is made of. Wicker is cute and very stylish. But fleas love it. And for the dog that hasn’t quite gotten over the chewing stage yet, a wicker bed is little more than the world’s largest chew toy. Beanbags are also popular dog beds because most people born in the late 60s still have one stowed away in their basements or attics somewhere (yes you do, admit it). But have you ever seen what’s inside a beanbag? You will find out very quickly if Fido discovers how to operate the zipper that keeps the stuffing in the bag. You would be wise to leave the beanbag in the attic and open your wallet cheapskate.

So now that you’ve done the research, go out and buy your new best friend a great bed. Remember to get the proper size. Get one with cedar shaving or foam as the padding. Make sure all parts of the bed are machine washable. And most importantly, make sure Fido likes the bed or you will have an unwanted visitor in the middle of the night…especially when there’s thunder.

Copyright 2006 Allen Shaw