Archive for the ‘Pets’ Category:
Tips on training your puppy the easy way!
A puppy is always a pleasure to welcome into your home. These cute little rascals are friendly, funny, curious and mischievous, but just like kids – ;} – , they’ve got to be introduced to the ground rules of your home life in order for them to integrate into your family life as easily and pleasantly as possible, to your mutual satisfaction. Training your puppy may sound like an overwhelming prospect – where do you begin? However, training a puppy need not be arduous and trying. On the contrary, training your new family canine can be easy and fun. Your puppy comes complete with attitude. For the best results and shortest learning curve, all you need to do is apply your lessons consistently, calmly and with a gentle manner. Here are a few tips to get you started, training your puppy the easy way.
When you first bring your puppy home, he’s bound to be excited and curious. Everything is new to him. Before you bring him in the house, lay a few sheets of newspaper down around the house. In his excitement, don’t be surprised if there’s an accident deposited on the floor somewhere. Treating carpets with a water repellent spray, prior to bringing your new family member home, may be a good investment! If a potty accident occurs, don’t flip out and shriek at the poor little puppy … he doesn’t know this is undesirable behavior. Instead, use a low, firm voice, saying “No, no…”, and get him over to the newspaper. Granted, the deed is already done, but if you don’t scare him with shrill chastisements and excessive hand-wringing, your puppy will soon come to the party, associating the act with the newspaper as a people-pleaser.
One of the coolest characteristics of dogs is that they have an in-built desire to please you, which is certainly not the case with kitties! Keep this fact in mind as you begin training your puppy. He – or she – intuitively regards you as the master in this relationship – unless you give your puppy reason to think otherwise! Never use a heavy-handed approach when training your puppy. If you do, he may dig in his heels or simply become afraid of you and less willing to go along with your program.
Being patient during the all-important potty training period lightens your load in future lessons, such as the ’sit’, ’stay’ and ‘heel’ training sessions. Sure, for you, the potty training is one of the least attractive aspects of training. On the other hand, try thinking of this stage as an opportunity to bond with your new puppy. He’s only doing what comes naturally. Given praise for the ‘right’ behavior is like a ray of sunshine in your puppy’s mind. Eager to please, he’ll learn the ‘correct’ behavior and bask happily in your praise. If he seems a little slow on the uptake, continue to be patient. He’ll get it, eventually. In the process, you’ll find him paying closer attention to your wishes, just for the sheer pleasure of hearing your praise.
During the first few days, allow your puppy to explore, so he becomes familiar with your home. Your puppy training program does require that you keep a sharp eye on him. Chewing on furniture and your daughter’s favorite sweater must be discouraged! The key to success lies in you keeping your cool, interacting with your puppy in calm and measured tones and consistent behavior.
Once you’ve mastered potty training, training your puppy to obey simple commands is a piece of cake. Now, your puppy knows all about the worst offenses. Teaching him to sit becomes easy. With a little biscuit or other treat in hand, push his behind down as you say “Sit!”. Sitting is natural to a dog, but he’ll certainly love you all the more when he gets a treat for doing something that easy!
Training your puppy is easy, when you exercise patience and give him a lot of love!
Tags: training your puppy
Learn About Dog Beds
Dogs are treated very well all over the world, but America may be the winner in terms of treating dogs like part of the family. Both dogs and cats are spoiled and pampered by their owners, but the phrase “man’s best friend” really only applies to the dogs. The way dogs are cared for and treated has evolved over the years as people’s priorities and earning potentials have shifted, making dogs an integral part of the family, sometimes, even being held at the same level as children.
Grooming supplies, clothes and dog beds have come into play and people buy with a vengeance. Humans realize how important a good night’s sleep is to overall productivity and success day after day and some feel this must be the case for canines as well. While some dogs are fortunate enough to share the bed of their master, others sleep in dog beds.
Someone looking to buy dog beds does not have to do a lot of work to find a large variety. They can be purchased online, in pet shops, at garage sales, from a convention or even from a dog breeder. It’s important to read reviews of dog beds online to see how durable they are. I know my dog loves to try to eat her bed, making flimsy bed garbage in less than a week. If you are purchasing from a pet store, try to ask the owner or employees what they would recommend and what they have found other customers to have luck with.
Some websites have tools that help you find the right dog bed for your dog. The criteria are based on the size of the dog, the shape, the bed filling and/or the bed cover. This means that dog beds can be customized specifically for your dog. The bed would then be shipped to your residence.
Pricing for dog beds can range ten dollars to hundreds of dollars. This has to do with the construction and filling in the beds. This material can range from polyester, memory foam and down. Some dog breeds prefer to sleep on a firmer bed while others like to be enveloped in a softer bed.
Other customizable characteristics of dog beds include the pattern and color of the covering. People can find styles of beds that match their bedrooms, living rooms, lawn furniture, bathrooms or any other room a dog may sleep in.
 | US $599.00 End Date: Wednesday Apr-07-2010 17:34:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $599.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $589.99 End Date: Thursday Apr-01-2010 9:26:43 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $589.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $544.95 End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 18:36:40 PST Buy It Now for only: US $544.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $499.95 End Date: Thursday Apr-01-2010 8:45:55 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $499.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
Tags: dog beds
Help our wild feathered friends survive the winter with hanging bird feeders in your garden
As more and more of both urban and rural America is taken over with pavement and buildings, wild birds are finding it more difficult to find natural havens to support even their small birdie requirements, in terms of food and nesting spots. During the winter, this becomes particularly difficult, due to cold, snow and reduced food supplies. Any bird watcher can vouch for the pleasure you might derive by observing their habits and sheer beauty. Why not help out our bird populations, up close and personal? Installing hanging bird feeders all around your garden satisfies both objectives. Here are a few tips on how to place and maintain hanging bird feeders for maximum pleasure for you and your local wild birds.
1. Choose your locations wisely: You want to be sure the hanging bird feeders are well out of the range of predators. Even if you don’t have kitties yourself, there are plenty of kitties roaming the neighborhood, who will spot these feathered friends in a heartbeat, chirping and twittering as they feed. Cats have a great deal of patience when it comes to watching and stalking birds. When installing your hanging bird feeders, be sure to locate them such that a cat can’t just climb a tree and easily reach his would-be prey. This includes bird feeders hung from porch or balcony rails. Hung outside a window of your home, you can more easily observe, no matter the weather.
2.Your bird feeders should ideally provide a ‘house’ as well as a rim for them to perch on while eating. The house provides a place to rest, out of cold winds and encourages nesting.
3.Buy a sturdily constructed hanging bird feeder, one that will survive the winter cold. Birds are picky about the structures they trust. If you keep replacing the feeders, it will take some time before they decide this new feeder is a safe spot for them to congregate.
4.Supplying your wild birds with a good grade of wild bird seed is paramount to your success. You can purchase a large bag of wild bird seed for very little money. Providing a good quality of nutritious wild bird seed will bring you the pleasure of having a large number of ‘guests’ to your garden, keeping them plump and happy residents over time. Migrating birds may leave your area come spring, but your well maintained hanging bird feeders will soon entice new flocks for the summer.
5.Eventually, you’ll probably want to invest in a set of binoculars, to view the birds doing their natural thing. This is a great activity for both kids and adults, providing hours of enjoyment. The more hanging bird feeders you’ve got, the better!
 | US $110.00 End Date: Monday Mar-15-2010 8:52:33 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $110.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $99.99 End Date: Saturday Mar-27-2010 17:58:01 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $99.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $99.99 End Date: Saturday Mar-27-2010 17:58:02 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $99.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $99.99 End Date: Saturday Mar-27-2010 17:58:04 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $99.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
