Saucy Pet

Archive for April, 2009

Understanding Your Dog’s Behavioral Problems

Dogs exhibit many behaviors that leave their owners scratching their heads in confusion. Whether it’s barking, digging, nipping, or a number of other annoying activities, canines do things that seem odd to us. However, by understanding why they do such things, owners can learn to modify such behaviors.

Below, we’ll discuss several behavioral problems that can frustrate owners, their guests, and their neighbors. Here we will explain some of the factors that lead to your dogs behavior issues and steps to correct them.

Chewing

Dogs chew for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they’re anxious. Other times – especially in the case of puppies – they chew because they’re teething. Still other times, they simply become bored or restless. They do it to work off excess energy.

If your canine limits her chewing to a chew toy, or Bully Sticks there’s little harm in it. If no chew toys are present, everything in the house is a potential chew toy, including shoes, furniture etc. When you physically see your dog chewing on inappropriate objects, may sure you inform them. Take away (or remove her from) the item on which she’s chewing and give her a Odorless Bully Stick in its place.

Excessive Barking

First, it’s important to realize that your dog barks as a way of communicating. While it can become frustrating if she does so excessively, owners should understand that there may be a valid reason for the behavior.

That said, canines often bark excessively for a number of reasons that are inappropriate. For example, they may be bored or excited. There barking may be because their are other pets in their surroundings. Many times, your dog just wants to attract your attention.

To discourage  the excessive barking, make sure your dog receives plenty of exercise and attention each day. It the dog is bored and lonely the behavior issues can increase. Also, avoid encouraging her barking by giving her attention when she does it. Instead a Loud clap from your hands will inform your dog that their actions and behavior is unacceptable.

Begging

Dogs love food, even if they’re not hungry. Given the opportunity, they’ll continue eating as long as someone gives them something to eat. The problem is that owners encourage begging each time they provide a taste from the dinner table. Remember, your pooch learns by repetition. When it comes to food, she learns quickly. If she receives something when she begs, she’ll naturally (and quickly) begin to believe that begging is appropriate.

You can discourage begging by keeping her in another room while you and your family eat meals.

The Value Of Obedience Classes

Most behavioral issues can be curbed by enrolling your dog into obedience classes. If you do so when she’s a puppy, the training is more likely to “stick.” If you enroll her as an adult, the training will be effective, but she’ll probably need periodic classes as a reminder of what constitutes appropriate conduct. In the end, a well-trained, well-behaved dog makes a more pleasant companion.

One of the most frustrating experiences for new dog owners is house training. There is no telling how long it will take for a dog to pick up on this training, it’s just a case on keeping going. House training your dog is easier than you think! Using this method will enable you to succeed with little hassle or damage to carpeting.

First of all, it’s important to know that dogs will urinate or defecate where this has been done previously. Previous odors will distract your dog so you must ensure that any old odors are removed from the place you will be using. You will probably find this quite hard in an area which is carpeted but it is key to the success of the training.

Puppy pads—absorbent diaper-like disposable mats that are placed in a designated area of the house—are the absolute best way to house train your dog. If you have decided to use the puppy pad method you will want to ensure you have a handy supply at all times. Position it in a spot that suits you and can remain. An immediate response to using them can be seen in some puppies as they are attracted to the special scent.

If you notice your puppy relieving him or herself in a particular place, move the puppy pad to that area. If your puppy has already made a wet patch indoors, you can only clean it up, there is little else you can do at this time. See where your puppy has gone to the toilet, place a pad over this area, pick it up and take it over to it and place it on the pad.

If you happen to catch your puppy during the act, tell them “no” in a firm tone of voice, and move them to the puppy pad. As soon as you see your puppy using its pad make sure that you give them a treat and/or loads of praise. A connection with reward will soon build in your puppy’s mind through usage of its puppy pad. Pleasing you is genetic in puppies and they will try to make sure that they make you happy with them. This works to your advantage when training your dog.

If you’d like your dog to potty outside, begin to move the pad toward the door gradually, eventually moving it outside. Tou may find that it takes several weeks before you see your puppy going outside without using its puppy pad. Rewards are key, so ensure that you do reward your dog when it successfully does what it should be doing.

Basic Puppy Training

The new owner of every little puppy should devote the first few weeks it is with them to certain basic puppy training tasks.

It is important to train the puppy early. Crate training and two basic commands are the aspects of training that I will deal with in this article.

It is also very important that all to be dog owners equip themselves with this knowledge on basic puppy training BEFORE they go out and buy or adopt their new puppy. They must know what to do in the first few weeks of the puppy’s life with them and be confident about doing it.

Puppies learn fast. Puppies are keen, attentive and very sensitive. Some breeds better than the other, but all puppies would pick up habits and form behaviour patterns as they grow older.

While dogs have certain traits peculiar to their breed, they learn most everything else. Their habits and behaviour patterns are formed as they grow. These habits and behaviour patterns are influenced by their surroundings, and the way they are treated.

It is because of this we must make sure they learn the right things from the start, if we don’t we may be in for rude shocks as the puppy grows older forming bad habits and developing problematic behaviour patterns in the process.

Crate training is a very beneficial training for a puppy. The benfits of crate training cannot be underestimated. It is instrumental in helping your dog form good habits.

Some of us humans may feel that confining a little puppy in a small cage like box is like imprisoning it, and if you feel that way you are wrong.

The very first benefit of crate training is that the puppy gets to feel secure and safe from outside harm.

It gets the feeling of ownership because it will automatically collect all its toys and stores it in its crate. It tells the puppy that he has its own place.

Crate training helps us potty train the puppy. By using a crate we can teach the puppy that it cannot do its business anywhere or everywhere inside the house. Crate training is beneficial for transporting the dog. It is used to the crate, hence will not object or feel agitated when moved while inside the crate.

Puppies love to jump up onto anything and everything. Puppies love jumping up onto people they see for the first time, or see after an absence of time. We must control this urge in the dog. The best way to do that is with the two verbal commands ‘SIT’ and ‘STAY’

Teaching the puppy to sit and remain where he is seated is a very import aspect of basic puppy training.  We must get the puppy to understand those two commands and obey them, because if we don’t we will have a grown dog that jumps up at people, which can be rather problematic, especially if a person is scared of dogs.

Another important benefit of enforcing the SIT and STAY commands is they can be associated with training the dog not to bark unnecessarily, and further advanced training as it grows into a full grown dog.

For more tips on basic puppy training, please visit www.basicpuppytraining.net

The concern to eat healthy foods seems to equally apply to humans and pets, since many animal owners prefer to buy organic products to feed their four-legged friends. The offer for organic dog food is incredibly large. The health issues affecting improperly fed animals are just as serious as those in the case of humans. Thus, organic dog food will reduce the risk of the pet developing skin diseases and allergies. The reason for the positive health effect is the lack of pesticides, additives, colorants and other chemicals. Instead there will be just grain extracts and high quality proteins as ingredients of organic dog food.

Organic dog food also offers more nutrients, and this aspect shows up best in the energy levels of a pet fed on it, plus, the risk of overweight is drastically reduced. Regular dog food is often behind obesity and diabetes with all the additional problems that accompany these illnesses: poor mobility, bone ailments and organ failure. What’s the trick about organic dog food here? Well, organic food items for pets do not contain bulk fillers, they are nutrient-packed products that create energy not fat deposits. Prevention of the disease is therefore the best situation.

The summary of the benefits brought by organic dog food are a good immune function and a better and healthier digestive system. While the chemicals in dog food often make the dog vomit or cause it diarrhea, such problems will no longer be the case with organic dog food. A healthier metabolism is thus what you will mainly achieve with a constant healthy diet. Then, the risk of infections is also much lower thanks to the stimulation of the immune system by the nutrients available in organic dog food.

All in all, veterinarian experts claim that with organic dog food, your dog will gain in longevity and the ravages of old age will not be that difficult to cope with. In the majority of cases, pet owners who choose organic dog food, normally use organic products for their meals too. Ask your dog food provider about organic dog food, and if there is none available with the local shop, try the online order. Lots of web sites sell organic dog food for very good prices.

Basic puppy training

One should never attempt to train a dog if they have no knowledge about basic puppy training.

Anyone could learn how to train a dog, there are so many sources of information, but the fear of information overload is very likely to deter one. Learn how to train a dog, before to attempt to train one.

Dogs by nature, love to please and love to be rewarded. This basic nature of a puppy makes dog training quite an easy task. Communicating with the animal is the most difficult part of puppy training.

Three fourth of the dog training battle is won if you can get the dog to understand your intentions, actions and commands

The cardinal rule in dog training is ‘TRUST’ ‘RESPECT’ and ‘LOVE’ and definitely NOT FEAR. You can never train a dog properly if he fears you. If a dog fears you, he will mistrust you.

Avoid striking the dog al all costs, whether it is with your bare hand or with an object like a leash, cane or anything.

Avoid loud repetitive and harsh scolding al all costs.

To convey your disapproval a single stern verbal NO is more than enough, anything else would be over doing it.

Use the positive approach of praise and rewards instead. If the dog realizes that it will get no praise or reward if it does the wrong thing, it will soon try and remember the things HE SHOULD NOT DO

Rewards are a very important part of basic puppy training.

Remember that any praise or reward will reinforce correct behaviour. Hugging and petting or lovingly stroking the dog when it does the right thing is OK, BUT a reward with a small treat goes a longer way in reinforcing correct behaviour.

Food is the prime motivator with all animals, and the dog is no different.

Body language is the next best tool in good dog training. Develop the art of communicating with your actions instead with your words. Right from the very start try and establish body movements that mean YES and movements that mean NO. Movements of the head and the hands can be perfected to mean many things.

Puppies are very alert, attentive and sensitive. Body language can go a long way and achieve just as good response as verbal commands.

Start by having a definte body action accompany each individual verbal command. Identify that particular verbal command with that particular body movement.

Once you are happy with the response to the verbal command, try only the body movement instead. This would establish in the dogs mind what that particular movement of your body means.

To succeed at dog training you must be persistent. You must persevere if you want results. Frustration can be an early experience, but do not give up.

Everything takes time. Do not expect results overnight. Do not have unrealistic time frames. Place no time frame. Work at achieving results instead. As a trainer, you must learn to be patient.

Keep at it and you will be rewarded with a well behaved, well adjusted happy and healthy dog.

For more tips please visit on www.basicpuppytraining.net.

Food aggression is most often seen in dogs who are rescued from homes where they were abused or neglected. A bite, a growl or a snap are all different types of food aggression. You may find that your dog will attempt to bite or snap at you if you put your hand by its bowl.

Self-preservation is the most common source of food aggression, and the easiest to correct. As the dog fears their food being taken from them they feel the need to be very protective of it in these cases. Dogs who have been under fed will have a tendancy to guard their food in an aggressive manner to protect what they have. Food aggression doesn’t always come from owner abuse or neglect, however. If your dog’s previous owner had other pets, those animals could have run your dog off of its food.

If you feel that this is the case with your dog, all that’s necessary to correct the behavior is time, patience, and lots of love. You have to show your dog that you can be trusted, that you are not a competitor for its food, but rather the giver of the food. Do not prepare your dog’s food and then invite it to come and it, you need your dog to see you preparing it.

Go slowly. Sitting near to your whilst it is in eating mode is a good place for you to start off. For the first few times, stay silent. Your dog has to note that you are still there whilst it is eating but make sure that you do not make it nervous to your presence. As your dog becomes less nervous to your presence and is not so guarded talk softly to them and reassure them that all is ok, whilst moving around the room. As your dog becomes more accustomed to your presence it will allow you to handle its bowl whilst eating. Just take a few steps back and do not say anything if your dog begins to snap or growl at you. It is an absolute must that no punishment is dished out on your dog, do not shout or hit it. Show your dog lots of affection when it allows you to touch its food and pet them whilst still eating.

If you are consistent with this training, you will see positive results very quickly.

Unless you are lucky enough to live out in the countryside with lots of private grounds you will have to travel to get your dog to a space open enough to give it a good run. If there is a dog friendly park nearby within walking distance you need only pop on a lead but for some dog owners living in a city or busy town centre the only option is to travel by car.

It is important that your dog is safe and comfortable during any length of car journey. This is a list of dog car accessories

Dog Safety

Dog travel cages or cages specially adapted for cars not only makes your car journey safer for you but also for your dog, it also helps the dog feel more secure. Imagine how frightening it might be to your dog looking out the windows of a moving car!

It could be there is no room for a travel cage or that maybe your dog is taken out in more than one car, in which case a dog harness with seat belt adaptor is a good alternative. This is a great multi purpose accessory!

Word of warning: For those who think these are extreme, imagine what would happen if you were to have a car accident. If unsecured, your frightened dog could easily jump out of a car and run right onto a busy road.

Dog Comfort

A car boot isn’t designed to be comfortable so if your dog has to travel in the car a dog bed is much nicer to sleep on.

It is also a good idea to keep a dog blanket in your car especially if you are planning a long journey in the colder months. (Keep a blanket for yourself too in case of break downs!)

Food and Water

Your dog will get hungry and thirsty during a long car journey and will certainly need to quench his or her thirst after a long run. Keeping water and a bowl is a must but instead of the bulky hard bowls consider investing in those special dog travel bowls made of material that fold up when not in use, you can also get disposable travel bowls.

Tip: Your car could need water too! Keep a supply of water in your car for both dog and car engine especially during the hotter months. Large plastic milk or juice bottles are ideal for this. If you are out in the country you can re-fill at a fresh water river or stream.

Shade from the sun

Drivers and human passengers have visors to protect them from the glare of the sun so don’t forget your dog and fit a car window shade where appropriate.

Tip: If you also have children you may already have car window shades that are just as suitable for your pet!

Dog Ramps

A dog car ramp can be a godsend! You can lift smaller dogs into the car but what if you have had a particularly muddy run or if you have an older heavier dog that can’t jump up? There are several dog ramps that you can buy which fold away neatly when not in use.

Pet First Aid

As exciting as running in the countryside can be for your dog, there can also hazards including barbed wire, broken glass and sharp sticks. The first aid you apply to your dog if it gets a nasty cut will be vital in its recovery and if you are out in the middle of nowhere it could be a while before you can get your dog to a vet. Pet first aid kits often come complete with gauzes, wipes and bandages and fit in most glove compartments.

Swellpets.co.uk has many more great products for dogs. Give it a whirl.co.uk

Making changes to your cats behavior problems has just become easier with the complete cat training system which was created by Paula Robb. This is very cost effective, because there is no need for training classes or trainers, and it will bring you cat closer to you.

Owning a cat can at times be stressful. You may love your cat dearly but there are probably times that you feel that your cat has no affection whatsoever. Especially when you attempt to alter your cats behavior problems. You will not succeed in training your cat. Often you will find that if this stalemate continues, the relationship between you and your cat becomes stretched.

Cats Problems can vary:

Perhaps your cat doesn't use the litter tray and likes to use your carpet instead.

Signs of aggression may be common in your cat.

If your cat spends its time scratching the furniture, it can become very frustrating, not to mention costly.

You may find your cat jumping onto areas that you don't want it to.

Whatever changes that you want to make to your cats behavior problems, will now be possible by Paula Robbs Complete Cat Training System. You will not need any special skills or be an expert in cat training to improve your cats problems, and in most cases, eliminate them altogether. You need to have an understanding about how your cats mind works. You are provided with this with the complete cat training method, plus techniques which are extremely effective in making changes to your cats problems with behavior.

Your capacity to understand your cat will increase. Bluntly put, you need to get to the basis of any problem if you want to successfully solve it. Apart from learning how to train your cat, you will create a far stronger bond with your pet. This will occur because you will be knowledgable about your cat, and your cat will be more knowledgable as to what pleases you.

The mistake that many people make when they try to train a cat, is that they often use methods which are used for dogs. Your cat is not a dog. A cat will not be bullied into doing something that it doesn't want to do. Your cat will not be impressed by you shouting at it. One similarity that a cat has with a dog is that it wants to please you. However it will not do this at the expense of its natural instincts.

In order to train your cat, you will need to understand your cats instincts and how learn how to use them for your benefit. With the complete cat training system you will learn to understand what makes your cat tick, and some of the quickest and effective ways to change your cats behavior.

Are your children fascinated by animals? This activity is part pet care, part science lesson, and all fun! You can get eggs, take care of them for a few weeks, watch them hatch into adorable baby birds, then return them so they can live out their lives on a farm. If you live in Southern California, there’s a store in Orange that makes this easy to do.

Wagon Train Feed & Tack in Orange sells chicken, duck and quail eggs and rents out incubators. You bring the eggs home, keep them warm in the incubator, and in a few weeks little beaks will start breaking out of the shells. Enjoy the baby birds for a couple of days and then bring them to back to Wagon Train.

It’s pretty affordable for such a great experience.  The incubator rental costs $25. Eggs cost between $12 & $30 a dozen depending on the type. If you’re going to do this often (maybe you’re a teacher?) you might want to buy an incubator. Eggs are available all year, not just in the spring.

Don’t forget about the older kids. I always imagine this kind of activity taking place in a Kindergarten classroom, but older kids enjoy it too. And they actually understand more than the younger kids. You might have to answer tougher questions, though!

Have you hesitated to get a pet?  Don’t have enough space, or it’s too big of a time commitment?Hatching eggs takes place indoors and the whole thing only lasts a few weeks, so this could be the ideal way to expose your kids to animals.  Or you could offer to organize this for your child’s classroom.  Kids always benefit from animal-centered activities.

Here’s the information about the store:

Wagon Train Tack & Feed
7618 E Chapman Ave
Orange, CA 92869
(714) 639-7931

The eggs come in on Tuesdays, so be prepared to pick them up on Tuesday or Wednesday. Call at least a week ahead to order the eggs and reserve the incubator.

Wagon Train seems to be the only store that offers this service in Orange County. If you find a feed store that’s willing to do this in your area, please let us know.

Thanks to Mrs. Maffetore, Kindergarten teacher extraordinaire, for this info!

Mom got an African Grey Timneh from my sister for birthday in 1990, and named him Rudi. Rudi was less than a year old old when she got him, and they had a love/hate relationship until mom passed away in 2004.

Having been living overseas in Brazil for the last 5 years drilling oil wells in the Amazon Jungle, I didn’t get to meet Rudi until 1993, after Mom had raised him for 3 years, and was appalled by the little cage she kept him in. It was much smaller than the cage I had for my cockatiel, which was not a large cage by any means. She was using an old parakeet cage from the garage, that she had saved from the 1960′s. I remembered that cage well, it used to by my little parakeets’ cage!

I had talked to mom many times while working overseas, and knew about Rudi, and some of the trouble she had with him. He was highly intelligent,, very outgoing and friendly, and had learned to talk a lot, but went through many periods where he would bite her a lot, and quite severely. Even though he spent hours on her shoulder during the day while she did her sewing and quilting, sharing grapes, cantaloupe, melons, apples and other snacks with her, and learning all the names of the fruits and even asking for them by name, he would bite her frequently, especially at night when she tried to put him to bed. I had never thought to ask her what kind of cage she had him in, not being a particular expert on birds, or parrots especially. When I came back from living in Brazil, and met Rudi and saw the cage, I wondered if his biting was related to that tiny cage, because it was obviously way too small, and since he usually bit her when she tried to put him in the cage at night.

Now mom was almost 70 years old at the time, a widow on a fixed income, and I didn't want to embarrass her, so I just bought her a much larger cage for Rudi as a Christmas present. It was about 3′x4′x6′, very similar in size to this Prolific Dome Top Cage, and had two perches of different sizes, stainless steel water and food cups, and bought a playtop attachment . When I put the cage together Christmas morning, I could see Rudi watching me intently from his cage, and I wondered if HE was wondering “Is that for ME?”
Yep, Rudi, it was for you, bud.

Mom took Rudi out of his cage, and after she had filled the new cage with his parrot toys, food, and water, she set him down on top of his new home. He shot like a streak through the open door, and started ringing the bell that she had hung inside, It was a bell from his old cage, but I had never heard it ring before. To show his pleasure, Rudi rang that bell with abandon.

I was living right there close to my mom in Ft Worth at the time, and went over 3 or 4 times a week to help her shop, cook, and eat dinner together, catching up on family and old times, and becoming fast friends with Rudi. I taught him how to whistle many, many different tunes, and lots of my favorite lines from the the movie “Caddyshack”

My best memory of Rudi was the time I oiled her squeaky kitchen pantry door, which was very annoying. Rudi’s cage was just 3 feet away from the pantry. When I opened the door several times to work the oil in, it stopped squeaking, but about the 7th or 8th time I swung it open and closed, well after it had stopped squeaking, I heard the EXACT same squeak, at the exact same volume, that it used to make! And then, a little bird chuckle, the one Rudi used to make when he was happy and liked to show it. Yep, I got rid of the squeak in mom’s pantry, but we never did get rid of the noise. Every time we opened the pantry door, Rudi would remind us of the noise the door SHOULD have made. Mom and I laughed every time it happened

It wasn’t even a month later before mom mentioned that Rudi had stopped biting her, and I knew it was mainly because he now had a cage where he could stretch his wings, and climb around and get more exercise. I loved her too much to embarras her by explaining that her old cage was way too small, that he didn’t like being in it, and had been biting her as his only way to convey that fact, but I was convinced that was the reason when she told me he had stopped biting. As far as I recall, he never bit her again until the day she died.

When mom passed away in 2004, we gave Rudi to a woman who was the president of a bird rescue society in Dallas, who had answered an ad that my sister put on Craigslist to find Rudi a new home. I had moved to Oregon by then to start a new business, which kept me on the road so much I couldn’t take him myself, although i wanted to desperately. When I flew down for the funeral, I met her and she met Rudi, who didn’t say a single word or whistle while they met. She told me she had a huge aviary at her home in Dallas, with over 20 birds in it, and that Rudi would have many other playmates. I was convinced of her love for birds and she took him home. She called me in Oregon 2 weeks after the funeral, and was just gushing about Rudi, about how he loosened up after a few days in his new, gigantic aviary with lots of playmates, and was the star attraction for the other parrots living there, entertaining them with his many whistles and his extensive vocabulary, which mom had told me one day was well over 500 words, and many sentences. I was quite happy for Rudi, and still think about him quite often.

It’s been five years since I saw Rudi, and the lesson I learned about parrot cages convinced me to start my own cage store. We carry the best parrot cages for sale anywhere, that are bird safe. The powder coating is laboratory-tested to be lead and zinc free. The much-anticipated line of INNOVATIVE CAGES are now available to the public. Innovative Parrot Cages are the best cages on the market, with an unprecedented 5-year guarantee, which is indicative of the quality of a cage. These parrot cages come in 4 beautiful and distinctive colors. They are the only cages made of non-toxic, powder coated cold-rolled steel with the thickest, double welded bars on the market. The manufactures of Innovative Cages have laboratory tests proving that the powder coating on their cages are completely non toxic, and bird safe Whether you need a large or small parrot cage, for your Cockatoo, African Grey, Amazon Yellow Nape, Senegal, Conure, or a large Macaw Cage, Innovative parrot cages will give your parrot maximum comfort, safety, and enjoyment for a lifetime. They are the best parrot cages for sale anywhere.