Archive for July, 2008
Using Reward and Punishment to Train Your Dog
The basis of all animal training is reward and punishment, and repetition leading to reflex actions. Pleasure and displeasure are sufficient rewards and punishments for dogs. Dogs never become capable of understanding the moral distinctions between right and wrong, as children do, and they seldom evolve beyond the “childish” stage of doing something because it makes their owner happy.
In dog training, punishments and rewards are really an elementary form of communication, a means of getting the dog to understand what you want him to do. You will get the best results from the mildest punishment and the most extravagant praise at first. Later on, an affectionate word or an imperceptible pat will suffice.
Overweight Pets And Pet Obesity
Many pets today face the same struggle as their owners do when it comes to maintaining a healthy weaight. In fact, I am the owner of an overweight cat named Chubbs who tips the scales at a whopping 25 pounds!
Most people who see Chubbs think that he is just a cute and cuddly great big cat. In fact, many pet owners think that there is no harm in owning an obese pet and like the attention that their porky pets attract.
Looking After Your Dog, Part Twelve - Training Basics
Dogs have inherent wild characteristics, often being aggressive and barking unnecessarily. Some dog owners are frustrated with the situation and frequently smack their dog or banish it to the backyard. However, treating pets in such a way conjures an image of terror in their minds, and they start fearing their owner. All this can be avoided in the first place through proper dog training.
Dog training refers to training your dog to be obedient, adhering to all your commands in a jovial manner. A dog is a man’s faithful companion - that saying can only be true with proper dog training.
The Overweight Dog - Man’s Best Friend May be More Like Their Owners Than You Might Think
Obesity is one of the major health hazards and life shorteners of pet dogs. Its causes and effects are the same as with humans, and so is the cure. The majority of cases are due to excess calories, and not enough exercise, rather than a disorder. Dogs overeat for the same reasons we do, and more often because of boredom than hunger. When a dog is given little mental and physical activity, mealtime becomes the high point of his day.
Top 20 Dog Quotations
Get to know your beloved dog better with these insightful quotations all about your best four-legged friend…
- ” A wise man associating with the vicious becomes an idiot; a dog travelling with good men becomes a rational being.”
–Arabian Proverb - “You can say any fool thing to a dog, and the dog will give you this look that says, `My God, you’re RIGHT! I NEVER would’ve thought of that!’”
– Dave Barry - “A boy can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down.”
– Robert Benchley - “Did you ever notice when you blow in a dog’s face he gets mad at you? But when you take him in a car he sticks his head out the window.”
– Steve Bluestone - “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”
–John Calvin - “I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren’t certain we knew better.”
– George Bird Evans - “Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to.”
–Joe Gores - “To his dog, every man is Napoleon. Hence the constant popularity of dogs.”
–Aldous Huxley - “When the old dog barks it is time to watch.”
– Latin Proverb - “If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater. . . suggest that he wear a tail.”
– Fran Lebowitz - “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside a dog, it’s too dark to read.”
– Groucho Marx - “Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you walked in? I think that’s how dogs spend their lives.”
–Sue Murphy - “It’s funny how dogs and cats know the inside of folks better than other folks do, isn’t it?”
–Eleanor H. Porter - “I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.”
–Gilda Radner - “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
– Mark Twain - “The more I know about people, the better I like my dog.”
– Mark Twain - “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.”
–Mark Twain - “Dogs believe they are human. Cats believe they are God.”–
Unknown - “The dog is the only being that loves you more than you love yourself.”
–Fritz von Unruh - “If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer.”
–Alfred North Whitehead
The Complete Beginners Guide To Keeping Snakes
The beauty of keeping reptiles is that once you’ve set up their caging requirements and learned a few basic skills, there are many species that can be safely and efficiently kept within the home and should live out a full, healthy life.
Fortunately the vast majority of the suitable snakes one might choose to keep, such as corn snakes, king snakes or milk snakes, require very little special treatment and soon become very low maintenace captives.
Quiet, well-behaved, not requiring regular walks and virtually scent-free whilst being unusual and fascinating, snakes can be an ideal pet for today’s ever-busy lifestyle.
How Can I Stop My Dog’s Excessive Barking?
Is your dog’s barking getting out of control? Does the barking get worse when you leave your home? Are your neighbors at their wit’s end? Are you contemplating getting rid of your dog? Bark collars can stop barking dogs quickly, easily, and humanely. When used properly, the electronic bark collar can stop your dog’s barking completely within a matter of few days. If all else fails, however, surgery might be a reasonable alternative.
Immune System Booster for Your Pets
Many chronic diseases commonly seen in pets result from immune suppression. Diabetes, allergies, breathing difficulties, thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, recurrent ear infections, and even cancer, are all examples of an immune system gone wrong.
Some of these diseases can be treated by conventional medicine, or by natural remedies such as homeopathy, but many are lifetime conditions, and some are fatal. Conventional or natural treatments can be effective, but usually treatment is slow, especially where the disease is well established. Transfer factors can significantly shorten the course of the treatment, by giving a much needed balancing effect to your pet’s immune system.
GSD Jobs Draw On The Breeds Working Dog Roots
GSD jobs are what the breed desperately craves. The GSD is the most versatile breed
of working dog in the world. Highly adaptable, task-oriented, naturally protective,
the German Shepherd is a dog suited to working with people. Overall, this breed can
do it all, German Shepherd jobs and training are what the breed enjoys.
The German Shepherd is a working dog breed that can easily switch gears - from
bite work one minute, to being around kids the next. The German Shepherd is a
wonderful all-around dog, very in-tune to their master, possessing the ability to
easily change jobs from one to the other with no lapses or bumps in the gear
changing process.
Dogs: Norwegian Elkhounds - Breed Characteristics & Suitability as Pets
Norwegian Elkhounds are an old breed, dating back to Stone Age times in Scandinavia. Fossil dating confirms its long use as a domesticated hunting companion of man. They are only moderately popular in the U.S., but as you’ll see, this breed has a lot of desirable traits that make it a good choice as a pet.
Physical Characteristics
Norwegian Elkhounds are beautiful dogs, with medium-sized bodies, a distinctive Spitz curled tail, and strong, athletic lines. Bred to hunt a variety of prey, they possess amazing stamina and can go strong for days at a time. Like all hunting dogs, Elkhounds have powerful jaw muscles and ears that move around the head to pick up sounds coming from many directions. They have wide, deep, muscular chests and front legs designed for quick bursts of speed.
