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January 11th, 2009 by john savage

Training your dog is no easy task; any pet owner can tell you that. While many dogs are very eager to please their owners, the bottom line is that they really don’t always understand what it is that you are saying and they have very, very short attention spans. These factors can make things difficult for even the most patient of owners, but before you are tempted to throw in the towel, let us consider some simple and basic dog training aids that you can use to help you along the way.

Now tell me something, which do you prefer, to be rewarded for something, or to be punished? Well its obvious isn’t it, we all like to be praised and rewarded, and your dog is no different. They want us to love them, and approve of their actions, so if, for instance you want them to toilet in a certain place then praise them and reward them when they do, and they will want to do it there again. Believe you me, praise and reward can work wonders.

Are there any training aids that we can purchase in order to help us with our dogs behaviour? Yes there are a number, and a visit to your local pet store will be quite an eye opener. Some of course are much better than others, as you would expect. Take for example dog leads. Nowadays, the experts tell us that choke chains and collars are not a good idea because they are of little benefit when training, but, a good study lead and collar on the other hand can work wonders when trying to get your dog to obey an instruction. Muzzles are another aid, not something that I like, but some people say that it help control a dogs barking both indoors and out.

Believe it or not, a good grooming brush and some toys can be considered dog training aids. When done right, dogs love to be groomed and they love to have their owners play with them. These activities can help a dog to remain calm and assured and keep her from barking incessantly, chewing on furniture, and so on. And of course the more you play with a dog the more tired she is so she’s less likely to have the energy to misbehave! So be sure to add these to your dog training aids list and use them often!

Let me say in conclusion a few words about the bathing of your dog which although at first sight might seem rather an onerous task, can actually be quite enjoyable for both of you. Treat it as a training excercise, and in time you both will come to look forward to it. Number one priority is to make sure you use only shampoo designed for dogs,do not be tempted to use your own shampoo, and then complete the excercise by useing a conditioner which again must be designed for dogs. Have fun, and your dog will enjoy it too.

January 9th, 2009 by Darlene Finch

Everyone wants to believe that their canine is the best thing around; the last thing that we as pet owners want to deal with is dog problems. However most people who add a canine to their family end up usually experiencing dog problems.

There is so much information about dealing with dog problems; you can watch shows about them or read a book or even order materials online that promise you how to deal with dog problems. The truth about dealing with dog problems is that regardless of the method that you choose to begin training your canine friend; unless you are willing to stay consistent with your training they will not change.

Every pet owner loves their dog or whatever type of pet they have chosen to add to their family. It is great when you come home from a hard long day and your pet is sitting by the door anxiously waiting for you to come in and greet them. As a matter of fact they learn to know the exact time that you will be getting home.

However if you are coming home to a house that is torn apart because your dog got into the cabinets or the trash can while you were gone; then most likely you are not as happy to see them. You can learn how to train your dog so that you can stop dealing with dog problems.

One of the best things to do if you notice that your dog is tearing up your home while you are gone for the day is to lock them up a confined area of the house. For instance get some baby gates and put them in the kitchen or the laundry room.

This is not considered abuse as long as you give them the necessary items for the day; they will understand that this is their home while you are gone. As a matter of fact once they begin understanding that this is where they will be staying; they will automatically know where they go once you leave home.

No matter what types of problems you are experiencing with your dogs; it will benefit you to visit our site below and find out how to stop all the behavioral problems that you are experiencing. You will find that you both can live in harmony without constantly worry about what they are doing to your home while you are gone.

January 9th, 2009 by Darlene Finch

The internet is full of information about “how to stop aggressive dog behavior.” Chances are if you can not find the information online; then all you have to do is turn on the television. We are going to provide our readers with valuable information about how to stop this type of behavior in your pet.

While no pet owner wants to admit that their beloved pet can be a danger to society; it is important to stop the aggressive dog behavior before it becomes too difficult to deal with. This is especially important if you live in an are where there are always people and other pets around; such as apartments, condos or other multi-family dwellings.

You may be wondering what is characterized as aggressive dog behavior?

1. Too Much Barking: People can find too much barking to be considered a nuisance and even aggression. You can tell a difference between your dog barking for attention and your pet barking because they want to tear something up. It is up to you as the owner to differentiate between the two types of barking.

2. Growling Noises: It is in the nature of a dog to growl every once in a while after all they are a family member of the wolves. However if your dog begins making growling noises at you when you are trying to feed them; it is necessary that you stop this behavior.

It is necessary to learn how to take control of your pet so that they will not bite you or someone else that can cause injury. This situation should never be taken as funny; after all your dog will bite you or someone else if they feel threatened in anyway.

3. Digging In The Yard: We see it all the time a dog that digs to try to keep cool on hot summer days. However you may or may not realize it that digging in the yard can also be considered aggressive dog behavior. This is not a difficult problem to stop if you know the proper steps to take.

A dog will only show signs of aggression towards their owner if they feel as though their owner is a follower. You have to become the dominant one in the household. Remember a dog will never bite a dominant person and will be happy to take commands from them. Regardless of the type of breed you have; you definitely should visit the site below and find out how to begin taking control of the household and learn how to properly train your pet.

January 7th, 2009 by Anthony Galz

Bear bile farming is a reality today. Although it is unnecessary to bile a bear, it is still very much a common practice in some places today. It causes extreme pain to the bears. During the process, it can be observed that bears gnash their teeth, bite their cages, moan, and even chew their own paws because of the pain.

How It’s Done – Bile extraction is done in the crudest manner, and without any form of sanitation. The persons conducting it are unskilled and the process is not up to modern veterinary standards. Most of the bears die during or soon after bile extraction. If they live, they suffer from liver cancer, as a result of chronic inflammation and infection of the gall bladder and liver. Generally, farmed bears live only up to 4 years.

Reason Behind Bear Bile Farming – Bile is a digestive liquid produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Bile gathered from bears has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for at least three thousand years for a variety of purposes. It is used in Chinese physiotherapy, to cure inflammations and to dissolve gall stones and kidney stones. Also, it is thought to help detoxify the liver and improve eyesight. And according to research, bears are the only mammals that produce the bile salt ursodeoxycholic acid, which is effective in treating some liver diseases.

The old practice involve killing the bear and removing the gallbladder. In recent decades, when wild bears became increasingly rare, bile became prohibitively costly for most Chinese. But then, during the year 1980, the Chinese bear bile farming industry adapted a technique first developed in North Korea. This involved extracting bile from captive bears without having to kill them.

Cruelty to Bears – The bears are housed in cages hardly large enough to hold the animal itself. To get the bile, an incision is made in each bear’s abdomen and a catheter (which is basically a plastic or rubber tube) is then inserted into the gallbladder. The bile is drained through the catheter and then gathered for sale.

To gather the bile from the gallbladder, a connection from the gallbladder (located deep inside the body) to the surface has to be established. The connection, which is medically called fistula, is made in any of the three ways: insertion of a metal tube, insertion of a plastic tube, or creation of a tissue bridge between the gallbladder and skin. The connection is conducted by untrained and unskilled individuals who do not observe modern veterinary standards.

Bears are made to wear metal jackets. It is worn around their bodies and it has a collection container attached to it. There are bears forced to lie on the floor of their small cages so the bile will drip downward. Keep in mind that their crush cages are extremely small. The floor is made up of iron bars so the bears cannot stand or lie down on firm ground. This results in neck and back injury. Since a bear’s body will try to exclude the inserted metal or plastic tube or close the tissue bridge, scarring and damage is done to both the inside and outside of the bear. Sometimes, to prevent the closing of the incision, hot pieces of metal are inserted without any form of sedation or anesthesia. Bile is collected twice a day, and this goes on for the rest of their lives.

Why It’s Useless – This is all very unnecessary. There is no need to make poor bears undergo such abuse. The use of bear bile is obsolete. There are at least 75 herbal medicines that can be used as an alternative to bear bile. Of which, 54 are proven to work. These alternatives are a lot cheaper and more convenient.

Today, we can already manufacture synthesized bear bile that contains UrsoDeoxyCholic Acid (the active constituent in bear bile). All these alternatives are just as effective without the deaths of innocent bears. Let us put a stop to bear bile farming. It causes unnecessary torture to poor bears.

January 6th, 2009 by john savage

If you would really love to own a Golden Retriever but are hesitant about taking on a puppy, then adopting an older Golden may be the answer. These lovely dogs when they are mature settle in very easily to a new home and they do not need nearly as much attention as a puppy as they like to have some time to themselves. Regardless of their age you will find that your new friend very quickly becomes a welcome member of the family.

People sometimes say to me “yes, I agree, it makes good sense to adopt an older Golden, but where do I find one?” Good question, and the answer may surprise you – try your local breeder. I know, its seems on the face of it to be an unlikely source for a mature dog, but in fact there may well be quite a few reasons why a breeder might have an older dog for sale, and this can all be to your advantage.

Most older Golden Retrievers are already housebroken, and know a lot of behavior patterns and how to adapt to a new and loving family. Although it will be a little hard on your new dog at first, if you give him plenty of love, attention, and patience, he’ll be just fine. You need to keep reassuring your new Golden on a regular basis, and let him know that you are his new owner and that you love him and you are glad he’s a member of your family.

Before actually making that decision to adopt a Golden,do give the matter some careful thought. Meet the dog first, and find out as much as you can about him or her. Find out their eating habits, and whether or not they get on with children, and old people, and do they enjoy going for walks in the country or in the town and so on. Ask if you can take them out for a walk, and make sure that you introduce him to the other members of your family, so that they too are happy about the decision.

If you had a guest staying with you in your home you would of course take some time to show them where everything is, where the bedroom is and the bathroom and so on, and it is just them same when you introduce an older dog into your family. Allow some time in your busy schedule to ease them in to your home and routine, and this will pay dividends in the long run.

People often ask me how long it will be before your new Golden is comfortably settled in to your family routine, and I would like to suggest that it takes about a month, give or take a week or so. After this do consider taking them to a dog obedience training class somewhere because you will find that this pays handsome dividends. Yes, they will probably have been trained already before they came to you, but this will act as a sort of ‘top up’ training.

So, let me encourage you to seriously consider giving a home to an older Golden Retriever. If you don’t think that you have either the time, or indeed the patience to take on a new puppy, then a more mature dog may well be the answer. They may well have more medical problems than a puppy, and this is something you will need to enquire about first, but I believe that any downside is more than compensated for by the benefits of owning a mature Golden.