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January 21st, 2011 by Kor Rassad

Wonder what an Appenzeller Spitzhauben is, and what is curious about it? Then, join the rapidly growing group of people who love this distinctive breed of chicken. Named for its fluffy crest that looks so much like the lacy hats worn by women in the Appenzeller region in Switzerland, the Swiss national chicken is now part of backyard flocks all over the world.

Appenzeller chickens are active as well as being strikingly beautiful. You will need to allow them to roam if you plan to have them. In exchange for this freedom, you will have an amazingly intelligent chicken as a pet. They sport a crest of feathers on their heads with a very distinctive shape. The feathers give them a pompous, yet sort of funny head.

If you feel that you can give Appenzellers the freedom they need to roam and forage, then you may consider buying them to have as pets. They are quite intelligent, and enjoy picking insects out of all sorts of places when you allow them out in the yard. Baby chicks can be ordered from breeders to get you started with your own little flock. The online breeders provide space and shipping recommendations for the breed. Most are concerned that the chicks, or even unhatched eggs arrive safely to you.

As pets, Spitz are wonderful. They can become friendly to human touch with effort and time. In exchange for your efforts, they will produce anywhere from 140 to 160 white medium sized eggs each year. It is rewarding to know that you will feed and water them, but they will also return fresh, healthy eggs to you in return. Because you will feed them good things, their eggs will have orange yolks, which show that the eggs are more nutritious.

Some people who keep chickens really enjoy the different personalities each has. They find that they may be able to pick up their favorite, carry it, and pet it much like they would a family dog or cat. You may be very surprised that this is possible. It may take a bit of doing with a Spitzhauben but they can learn to like being touched.

Three other great attributes they have are a tendency to be quiet, an ability to forage well, and fine flying skills. Some owners note that because the Spitzhauben size tends to be smaller than other chickens, it stays cleaner and does not need the watering that others do. They also note that the crest is much different from other chickens, making it very distinctive in appearance, and this is a plus when caring for chickens in your backyard.

Some owners find that the Spitz stay cleaner and need less watering. The general thinking is that the birds are smaller in size and tend to be less messy because of it. These chickens also love to roost up in your trees. Some families have found that their chickens are all up in the trees, rather in than in their coop. You may find that this happens to you too, and that the flock may not return to the coop unless it becomes very cold. For these reasons, Spitz have the reputation of being independent, though interesting.

Appenzeller Spitzhauben make excellent backyard pets for families wishing to tend and care for chickens. Though you will need to provide secure fencing if you wish them to remain nearby, you can appreciate their egg laying abilities. Their intelligent traits, and their beautiful, speckled, independence are sure to be entertaining.

To continue reading more about the Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chicken, and other Chicken, visit ChickenCoopAdvice.com

December 21st, 2010 by Todd Albert McGing

Rabbit hutches have been around for a long time in all shapes and sizes. These days, more and more people are keeping rabbits as pets. Wooden hutches are often preferable as they provide a more natural setting and as a material, are totally environment friendly.

There are many sizes of rabbit hutches but a larger types are better as they provide much more physical space for the rabbit to move around in. Rabbits normally enjoy a great deal of freedom and so confining them to a shelter with limited space is not healthy.

As a general rule the rabbit hutches available in pet shops are too small for one rabbit, let alone more than one. They are very active creatures and need plenty of exercise and unless you’re rabbit hutch is quite large most are unable to exercise adequately in them. If you are keeping him outdoors you can overcome this problem by having a rabbit run. A run is simply a protected place where he can play when left out of the hutch where he is protected from predators and unable to escape.

However it’s perfectly possible to keep a rabbit as an indoors pet. You can keep him in a normal rabbit hutch indoors, say in the laundry, and he will be safe from excessively hot or cold weather and perfectly happy there. As always it is important to clean out his cage regularly, though of course this also applies when keeping the rabbit hutch outdoors.

However whatever your enclosure consists of by way of keeping your rabbit in. You must also consider if it is suitable in keeping predators out. Rabbits can be startled and it is often advisable to create somewhere the animal feels safe and therefore providing a shelter of some kind is often overlooked.

Once the hutch is dried up, everything should be put back in its place. clean bedding along with food and water bowl. After everything is set up, the rabbit should be put back in. Rabbit hutches should be regularly cleaned as it gets dirty easily due to the rabbit fur and shavings. Rabbit urine has very foul odor and may cause breathing problems to your rabbit or even weepy eyes, so it become a must to get rid of it, especially if the hutch is inside the house.

However before you allow your rabbit to play in his play area you need to do a thorough inspection because rabbits are very quick to disappear into holes, and can become stuck there. Do a full inspection of your rabbit play area for any dangerous holes. Then populate it with fun things such as plastic pipes to play in and you and your rabbit can play, and exercise, to your, and his, heart’s content.

Are you in need of a rabbit hutch? Visit www.radiofence.com featuring and hundreds of cool pet supplies.

October 30th, 2010 by Jerry Welsh

Biting is an inherent canine behavior. Dogs bite to communicate with other dogs and to manifest their dominance over other dogs lower in rank. It is common for puppies to put anything in their mouth as in the absence of hands, puppies learn about their surroundings by biting. The biting that puppies are accustomed to do is not really dangerous as often times it is their way of playing and showing affection to humans. However, if the biting behavior is not curtailed, the puppy will grow into a mature dog that has the tendency to bite and to show aggression. Preventing the development of the unwanted biting behavior of the pet is therefore very important job of a dog owner. Dogs that bite and hurt people are dangerous and commonly put to sleep. No dog owner would want the dog to be euthanized thus they make sure that the dog is trained not to bite.

The dog’s method of stopping puppies from vicious biting is more effective than what we humans have. A puppy that gets too rowdy and bites the mother dog or the litter mates will be punished. An indignant mother dog will let out a menacing growl and completely ignore the pup. If the obtuse pup continues with the rowdy play, the menacing growl will be followed by a violent shake.

Dog owners can apply the methods used by the dog. A high pitched NO! and turning your back on the biting dog will make the pet understand that you don’t approve his behavior. Dogs, being intelligent creatures will know that the action is not pleasing to the master.

An older dog that has the propensity to bite will be a big problem. Play biting of puppies are generally harmless but a big older dog’s bite can result to severe injuries. Biting can be a sign of the dog’s dominant and aggressive nature. Obedience training can address this concern. You can train the dog or hire a qualified instructor that will substitute the pet’s vicious biting behavior with desirable behaviors. Learning to obey commands and modifying an aggressive behavior are the benefits that a biting dog can gain from an obedience class.

The dog’s propensity to bite can be prevented with socialization. Aggression is usually a sign of the dog’s fearful personality. Being aggressive and biting is a natural reaction of a dog that feels being threatened. Socialization or introducing the pet to people and different situations will build up its confidence, eliminate the feeling of fear and consequently stop its tendency to bite.

How to train a dog not to bite? Sarah’s Dogs has more answers to this question as well as dog first aid.

October 27th, 2010 by Jerry Welsh

A dog that can perform tricks and obeys command will be the pride of any dog owner. Dogs are one of the most valued animals because of the way they have gained access to the hearts of humans through their affectionate and loyal ways. However, in spite of being tamed, some dogs would still be difficult to manage.

Dog owners therefore have to obedience train the pet to turn them into good canine citizens. Laying down is a very important command that will allow dog owners to take the pet everywhere they go. Although dogs are considered to be man’s best friends, not all people would love to have dogs. This can be due to the fact that dogs bite. A dog that is down on its haunches would be less intimidating. Moreover, a dog that was trained to lay down would allow the owner to talk with another person without constantly tugging at the leash to restrain the pet.

To lie down is an important obedience command that dog owners have to teach the pet. Even first time dog owners can teach the dog to lay down as laying down is a natural movement of dogs. The objective of the training is to make the dog lay down when the command is given. The rather difficult part of the training is getting the dog to assume the lay down position. Dogs are naturally playful and if the dog is guided into the lay position, the pet may think that you are teaching the dog another game.

The lay down training would be much easier if the dog was trained to sit beforehand. Arm yourself with a handful of the dog’s favorite treat and take the dog to a location with few distractions. Get the dog’s attention and give the sit command. Reward the dog with the treat once it has obeyed the sit command. Use a treat to lure the dog to lie down by moving the hand that is holding a treat downwards.

Dogs are food motivated thus it is expected to lie down, take a crouching position to get the treat. Give the lay down command when the dog lowers its body to the ground. Choose the command that will be used but make sure to use it consistently so that it will be easily learned by the dog. Positive reinforcements will make the training much easier. Repeat the process as often as possible until the dog associates the command with the action of assuming the down position.

Sarah’s Dogs has more information about how to train a dog to lay down and dog first aid.

October 10th, 2010 by Jerry Welsh

Aggression is an instinctual behavior of dogs. Being pack animals, dogs have to be aggressive to be able to defend themselves against predators and to be able to hunt their prey. Aggression is vital to the dogs’ survival in the wild. However, in today’s society dog aggression is unacceptable as this unwanted behavior can have potentially dangerous consequences. Managing the dog’s aggressive behavior is of vital importance.

Humans consider dogs as the most ideal pets. Dogs are loyal and affectionate animals thus it would not be surprising if they are found in most households and considered as family members. Dogs are wonderful companions but this cannot be said if the chosen pet is one that is difficult to manage because of an aggressive behavior. Most often, aggressive dogs have to be put to sleep as between the safety of the family and the life of the pet; the family would win hands down. This tragic situation though can be avoided as there are ways to alleviate this concern. An owner has to know the underlying reasons for the aggression of the pet. The dog may have hurt someone but punishment and inflicting physical harm on the dog would never solve the problem. Inflicting pain can worsen the dog’s aggression.

A vet consultation is necessary if the usually well behaved pet has suddenly taken to snarling, growling and biting. A health concern may be the reason why a friendly and well mannered dog has suddenly become aggressive. Stressed with pain, a usually friendly dog can bite when touched. Neutering or spaying the dog can lessen its aggression as intact dogs are more dominant and territorial.

A situation in the environment can provoke a dog to be aggressive. Dogs are food motivated and very territorial. It is just natural for dogs to react aggressively if it feels that is territory or its food is threatened. The situation can be prevented if the dog is not exposed to such conditions.

Aggression is a common cause of euthanazition. Although a difficult behavioral concern, aggression can be corrected. The dog has to undergo socialization and obedience training to enhance its patience threshold. However, aggression is a tough problem that dog owners find hard to overcome. A program that will modify the aggressive temperament of the dog can be created with the help of animal behaviorist and a professional dog trainer.

How do you stop dog aggression? This and questions about dog first aid are answered at Sarah’s Dogs.