September 29th, 2009 by Lianne
Barking is only natural for dogs but at times it can be excessive and cause annoyance not only in your own home but your neighbours too. There are many reasons why dogs bark such as to convey fear and anxiety. Training your dog to bark only when its appropriate will make both you and your dog happier.
The beauty is that training only need take a couple of minutes every day and involves the repetition of simple verbal commands so that your dog will, in time, learn to follow your instructions.
The first task is to train your dog to bark on command. When your dog follows the command successfully give him a treat. If he then barks without command make your dog lie down and do not reward him with a treat.
This is very simple but effective and the younger your dog is when you start the training the better.
September 24th, 2009 by Sally
We all know that our pets have a big impact on our living space and the environment; but there is no reason why we can’t have pets and keep green. For some tips on how to do this I have included a list below.
- One of the biggest and main issues is to make sure you always clean up after your pets poop. This is what any responsible pet owner should be doing anyway but the best way to help the environment is to use a biodegradable poop bag.
- There are many organic cleaning products on the market which you can use to clean up after your pets. This will help your home to become a safer environmentally friendly place.
- Avoid buying your pets junk food. Read the packet before buying your pets food, as some conventional foods can consist of animal by-products. Instead it is better to choose organic foods where the food was raised in humane ways without any drugs.
There are plenty of ways in which you can stay green and it just takes a little effort. So lets all do our best and keep our pets in a green environment.
September 18th, 2009 by Lianne
If your cat starts spraying in the house, it’s a habit that you will want to stop very soon. But what is it that causes cats to do this in the first place. Well it could be a number of things but one of the main reason is usually due to an addition to your house hold, whether this is another pet or a baby. This can often lead to your pet feeling left out. In this case you will need to make sure that you are paying your pet enough attention and you may just need to give it time for your cat to adjust to new people or animals being in the house.
If you can’t wait that long, then a good technique is to put kitchen foil round the areas where the cat is spraying as they don’t like the sound the foil makes.
Also, when cleaning up after you cat, make sure to use a biological detergent. This is important, because if you clean using ammonia based detergents the cats will recognise it as urine and it will only encourage them to spray again.
September 14th, 2009 by Sally
It can be really difficult and frustrating trying to give your dog its medicine. Sometimes no matter how much you try, your dog simply refuses to swallow the pills it needs to get better. It gets even worse when there is more than one dog in the mix. If one refuses then the others will usually do the same.
You can try and hide the pills in food but you often find that the pill falls out. There is a solution however and it comes in the form of small pill pockets made from real meat. These pockets have a space in the middle ready for you to insert the pill. You can then pinch the ends of the pill pocket and feed it to your dog. The good thing about these pill pockets is that they are small and go down so quickly that the dog won’t get chance to spit it out.
September 13th, 2009 by Peter
So you want a pet but haven’t quite got the space for a dog. Or you live in flat share where a cat would not be appreciated by all. What’s the solution? Well how about buying a fish. They can be inexpensive and easy to look after. They also don’t take up a lot of space so can be great to even keep your room rather than in the main communal rooms of your accommodation.
So what kind of things do you need to think about when going to your local pet shop to buy a fish?
One of the first issues is purchasing the tank. You will need to think what type of fish and how many you intend to keep. With this in mind you need to choose the right size of tank and also think about how much you are willing to spend. You can either buy a tank made of glass or acrylic. Both of them do the same job, but if you’re on a tight budget then glass is often cheaper.
Next you need to look at what type of accessories you want or need for the tank. This will usually include a heater and gravel as well as any decorations you want.
The good thing about keeping fish as pets is that you can do it as cheaply or as expensively as you want dependant on whether you decide to keep goldfish or go for a bigger fish which requires a much larger tank such asOscars.
Whatever decision you make, remember to do your research before visiting the pet shop so that you know exactly what you will need to give your fish a happy home.
September 10th, 2009 by Peter
Many of us are having to make cut backs during these hard economic times but we are not prepared to do this when it comes to our pets. There are however ways we can still take good care of our pets without having to spend a fortune. One of these ways is to take more time when choosing your pet food. Check whether you are actually paying for better ingredients or just better packaging, also see if it’s cheaper to buy your pet food online rather than going to your local supermarket.
The second is to cut down on the amount of toys you buy for your pet. Why not try buying a few toys and then rotating them every so often. Like with the pet food, compare toy prices at different stores and also online to make sure that you get the best deal.
We all enjoy spoiling our pets but there’s nothing wrong with taking a little more time with your purchases, and it may just save you quite a bit of money as the months pass.
September 9th, 2009 by Lianne
So you want a dog, but do you go for a playful puppy or choose to recue an older dog? It’s a difficult choice, especially when children often want puppies, but there are soo many older dogs out there that need good homes.
Your choice will sometimes be due to your situation and how much you can afford to pay, but there are many other things you need to think about as well.
For instance if you don’t want the hassle of the house training then a rescue dog is ideal , plus it has the obvious benefit of saving a dog’s life. On the flip side, a puppy doesn’t have any bad habits that need breaking and you get to pick the exact breed and colour you want.
Sometimes you may be lucky and find a puppy that is a rescue dog but at the end of the day it’s down to personal choice. Just remember to take some time to weigh up the pros and cons to ensure that you make the right decision.
September 8th, 2009 by Sally
I know it’s only September, but many of you out there (and you know who you are) will already be planning or even have bought presents ready for Christmas. Always popular on children’s Christmas lists is a pet. But which pet should you choose? It not a simple as just buying a dog, which many families do, but as the NSPCA reminds us all around the festive season, a dog, or indeed any pet, is for life and not just for Christmas. Therefore it is important to choose carefully to ensure that your house remains a happy home for both you and your chosen animal.
I have listed the type of things you should think about before buying any pet, which should help you to make an informed decision:
- Does your child, or anyone in else in the house suffer from allergies, to fur, or materials like sawdust.
- How long are you prepared to commit to a pet? Some pets demand more time and live longer than others do you have to spend on a pet. This does not just mean the initial outlay but also food and health costs.
- How much time do both yourself and your child have to spend looking after a pet on a daily basis
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- How much space do you have to accommodate a pet.
These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself when thinking about buying a pet for your child. Making the right choice will help you to meet your expectations and help make both your child and your pet happy.
September 7th, 2009 by Peter
The internet is a really useful way to research the type of pet you would like and now it is being used more and more often to purchase pets. Although the internet makes this a very convenient process, it’s not without its pitfalls. For this reason I have included a list below of tips that you should follow when entering into such a purchase.
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Ring the seller. Find out what accredited organisation they are a member of, then follow this up by ringing the organisation to confirm that they are in fact a member. If you are looking to purchase a pure bread then, ensure that the breeder is accredited with the relevant breed association.
- If the breeder has the relevant licenses and accreditations, take a visit to their premises which will allow you to inspect the living conditions of the animals.
- Lastly be aware of people trying to scam you. Never purchase an animal from outside of the UK and never put any money into a foreign bank account.
When looking to buy a pet online make sure to so your research, as it will be worth it in the end.
August 20th, 2009 by Peter
Here are a few ideas to stop your dog from pulling on the lead:
- Whilst walking, if the leash goes tight, the dog is pulling. If the leash is slack then the dog is walking at a suitable pace. When the leash is slack you can reward him and give him some praise, remember to continue walking immediately though. The dog will soon become aware that keeping the leash slack will earn him rewards. You need to be very consistent with this approach.
- Try walking around the garden in an unpredictable pattern. when he pulls on the lead trying to go one way, turn the other way and continue walking. Do not give any commands and evetually he will realise he needs to stay by your side to predict where you are going to walk next.
I hope this helps. If you have any good ideas then make sure you leave a comment.
