First Coast Pet

Archive for January, 2009

Has this ever happened to you?  You come home to find that your dog has been chewing on your favorite shoes–again!  If dog chewing problems are a headache for you, read on to discover the four big reasons for destructive chewing.   

A Bored Dog Is A Dog That Will Engage In Destructive Dog Behavior

Dogs tend to play rough.  They chew on things and pick them up in their mouths to shake them, thereby “killing” them.  Tearing their toys to shreds is all part of the game.  This is natural dog behavior.  The problem starts when it’s your things the dog is playing with, not his own.

A bored dog will usually find something to do if he’s left by himself with nothing to occupy him.  Unfortunately, his idea of fun often involves destroying things, especially if he’s a puppy or adolescent, and he doesn’t have anything else to do to use up all his energy. 

What’s the solution?Your dog needs lots of exercise.  Play fetch with him.  Go for long walks, and give your dog plenty of time to sniff at interesting things.Don’t neglect the training opportunities that walks provide.  They’re much more than just bathroom breaks for your dog.

Make sure your dog has plenty of toys.  Rotate them so he always has something new to interest him.Your dog will be happily occupied for a long time if he’s presented with a toy stuffed with food.

Separation Anxiety In Dogs

This problem often shows up with dogs who are too attached to their owners.  Your dog has a panic attack whenever you leave him by himself.  Dogs with separation anxiety often chew on things to comfort and soothe themselves when they’re alone.  It makes him feel better.

The important thing to remember is that your dog isn’t chewing on your belongings to get back at you for leaving him alone.  He’s doing it because he’s scared; punishing him will add to the problem.

Separation anxiety in dogs is a tough problem to solve, but with lots of time and patience, you can desensitize your dog so he doesn’t react so strongly to your leaving.

Your Dog Wants Your Attention…

And he will do anything to get it, even if the attention is bad.  A dog who doesn’t get much attention unless he misbehaves is a dog who’s being trained to misbehave. 

It’s a hard thing to understand, but dogs are reward-based.  The best way to get a dog to stop doing something is to ignore him when he does it.  If he gets your attention, whether it’s good or bad, he’s been rewarded for what he’s been doing.

Give your dog lots of positive attention.  Play with him, take him for walks, just spend time with him.  If your dog is getting lots of good attention from you when he behaves well, he won’t resort to destructive chewing to get your attention.

Fearful Dogs

Anxiety in dog is often a problem with canines who are scared of loud noises like thunder or fireworks.In an attempt to escape from whatever is frightening him, he’ll attack doors, door frames, window coverings, screens, and walls. 

Avoind comforting your dog when he’s reacting fearfully to things.  You’re rewarding his behavior with your attention, which will only serve to reinforce it.Play with him and reward him when he responds what you’re doing, instead of whatever is scaring him. 

Your dog needs a safe place he can go if he’s scared.  This way he can retreat there when you’re absent.

To sum up, it’s important that you find and correct the reason for dog chewing problems.  A good dog training course is essential so that you can learn how to end destructive dog behavior without making the situation worse.

If you’re dealing with dog chewing problems, visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about a dog training course that will help to solve your problem.

Are you the one who feels that your pet dog deserves to dress like you with style and ease? Well, you are completely right! Our pets are just like a part of family and they also need that special attention where their apparels are concerned. You are the one whom they depend upon to choose the clothes that would provide them ease and comfort. Choose the right kind of dog clothes for your dear pet. The right kind of dog clothing you choose would depend upon many factors like the breed of your pet dog, its size, the requirement for its clothing, etc. One should always bear in mind to take care that the dress that you choose should be of proper size, a proper fitted dress can give good comfort for your furry companion.

Your friend deserves to be pampered with different clothes for various occasions! The coat your dog wears for his evening stroll cannot be repeated to the party he accompanies you to. You doggy needs to be cared for and thought about where dog coats and jackets are concerned! Confused? You need not be as we have solutions for all your pet dog concerns. You can depend on us to dress your precious pet in style and comfort. We are an company specializing in designer dog apparel to bring to you a variety of uncommon clothing statements for any kind of occasion you are looking for! We have dresses for all occassions, be it an evening stroll, or a fancy costume for a fancy dress party or an special designer dress for evening parties!

You can easily log on to our website and choose your dog sweaters without having to visit any local dog store. Our main concern is the comfort level of our furry friend. We have methods by which you could get the perfect sized costumes for your dog. To give you a briefing about our dog clothing, we have a variety of dog clothes from sweaters, coats, jackets, hooded comforters to sanitary pants, pajamas, dresses, costumes, wedding attires, etc.

For people who live near a beach where the climate is generally hot throughout the year, then you need to choose the right kind of dog shirt to provide them good comfort and breathing space. Summer time needs you to choose some cool materials for your pet. You can choose robes and tops which are made from cotton material that soothe your puppy climatically and also you can choose swimwear if you puppy is comfortable while swimming. Our website is aimed at providing your bundle of fur with the right dog apparel for the right occasion. You can choose from hundreds of designer clothes for your special pet by simply browsing through our website. We can assure you that our dresses are designed in such a way that it will fit your pet comfortably and he will be proud to have an apparel like this. Happy pet shopping!

Have you ever wondered why separation anxiety in dogs is a problem for some canines, but not for others?  If you’re dealing with destructive dog behavior, you may be wondering if it’s because your dog is bored, or if it’s because you have one of the four to eight percent of dogs with separation anxiety.

Although a bored dog and a dog with canine separation anxiety may both engage in destructive dog behavior, the difference lies in when the behavior begins.Dogs with separation anxiety will have a panic attack when their owners leave them alone.The problem dog behavior starts within a half-hour (or less) of your departure.  A bored dog, on the other hand, will be happy for a couple of hours, but then start destroying things to amuse himself.

Are Some Dogs More At Risk For Canine Separation Anxiety Than Others?

Separation anxiety is when a pet panics when he’s left by himself.  All puppies show some signs of separation anxiety.  But most of them outgrow it as they mature.  

Long-nosed breeds of dogs, like herding and guarding dogs, seem more prone to this condition.  It’s also seen more often in spaniels and setters.One vet observed that dogs with this problem usually are thin and are prone to digestive upsets.  

Separation anxiety in dogs happens in both males and females.  It doesn’t seem to matter whether they’ve been spayed or neutered or not.  It usually starts when the dog is between five months and two years of age, although older dogs can be affected as well, usually suddenly.  Sometimes a dog owner thinks their older dog is becoming senile, but the problem is really separation anxiety instead.

Other Risk Factors For Separation Anxiety In Dogs

Sometimes puppies that were rejected by their mothers, or who were taken away from their mothers too soon, will develop separation anxiety.  Although dogs that have been bounced from one home to another may develop it, a history of abuse doesn’t seem to make a dog prone to it.  

Sometimes dogs in close-knit families who suddenly lose a family member to illness, death, or divorce develop this problem.  If a favorite person leaves to go to college, or a new baby suddenly takes up a lots of the favorite person’s time, it can have an impact on a dog.  

The problem of separation anxiety often runs in the family in humans, and this is true of dogs, too.If your dog has a litter mate or a parent who has separation anxiety, he’ll have a higher risk of developing it than a dog that doesn’t.  

Sometimes the problem lies with the dog owner.  It can be flattering to have a dog that follows you around, not letting you out of his sight for a second.  It’s tempting to give your dog lots of attention when you get home and he’s so happy to see you that he bounces around, barking and giddy with joy, for several minutes.  

However, while your dog should be happy to see you when you come home, his happy dance really shouldn’t last for more than 30 seconds to a minute.  Anything longer indicates that your dog has a problem, and it’s not good to encourage it.

How Can Dogs With Separation Anxiety Be Helped?

Your vet does have drug treatments available for dogs with severe cases of canine separation anxiety, but it’s best to try dog behavior modification techniques first.

You can take steps to desensitize your dog to your leaving.Even though this is a long process that can’t be rushed, you can be very successful with it.  A good dog training course can be extremely helpful, especially one that teaches you how your dog thinks.

Go ahead and invest in a dog training course that teaches you how your dog’s mind works.  This is the best way to avoid inadvertently training him to do exactly what you don’t want him to do.

If you’re dealing with the problem of separation anxiety in dogs, visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about a dog training course that will help to solve your problem.

If separation anxiety in dogs is a problem for your pet, there are many things you can do to help.  There are also many things you can do to make the problem worse.  Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts for dealing with dogs with separation anxiety.  We’ll look at the “don’ts” first, and then finish up with the “do’s.”

Things You Shouldn’t Do When Dealing With Dogs With Separation Anxiety

The most important thing you need to know is that you should never punish your dog when he’s acting out because he’s scared.  This will only make him even more anxious.  Plus, unless you catch him in the act of destructive dog behavior, he won’t know what he’s being punished for.

You need to rethink how you interact with your dog. The problem of separation anxiety in dogs is often related to dominance issues.  A dog who thinks he’s the pack leader will be anxious when his followers leave.  This is because in the wild, although the leader can leave the pack for a while, the other members of the pack can’t leave the leader.

To assert your position as pack leader, try these suggestions.  Instead of giving your dog attention every time he asks for it, you should be the one initiating contact with him.  Feed him after you eat, because pack members eat only after the alpha dog has eaten.He should be either walking next to you or behind you when you go for a walk with him.  Don’t allow him to pull on his leash ahead of you, because the pack leader always goes first. 

Discourage your dog from becoming too attached to you.Don’t let him lie down or sit down within three feet of you.  You may need to rearrange furniture or put something on the floor so he can’t get too close. 

Don’t let your dog sleep on your bed.  Ideally, he shouldn’t even be in the same room.  Start out by making him sleep at the foot of the bed, and then get him a dog bed to sleep in.  Eventually move his bed out of your bedroom.

If there are other people in the household, take turns feeding the dog and taking him for walks.  This way your dog won’t become too dependent on one person.

Here Are Things You Should Be Doing To Help A Dog With Canine Separation Anxiety

You may be surprised to find out that your dog knows you’re leaving a lot sooner than you think he does.  You may go take a shower, comb your hair, put on your work clothes.Your canine buddy pays attention to these things, and he associates your doing them with your leaving. 

Your goal here is to desensitize your dog to these cues that you’re leaving.  Do these same things, but then stay home.  Get your car keys, and put on your coat.  Then sit back down.  This is a slow process, and you’ll have to do it many times over several weeks, but eventually your dog won’t get upset when you do them.

Do make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise.  You should take him for a long, vigorous walk, both in the morning before you leave, and again in the evening.  This will use up excess energy, and help him to remain calmer in your absence.

Keep your exits and entrances low-key.  Ignore your dog for twenty minutes before you leave, and again for twenty minutes when you come home.Avoid encouraging him with your attention when he gets worked up on your return.  You want him to learn to accept your comings and goings in a matter-of-fact manner. 

Do invest in a good dog training course.  You’ll want to choose one that focuses on teaching you how a dog’s mind works.  If you don’t understand  how your dog thinks, it’s very easy to give him the wrong idea when trying to train him.

Don’t waste your precious time by accidentally teaching your dog the wrong things.   A good dog training course is the easiest way to solve the problem of separation anxiety in dogs.

If you’re dealing with the problem of separation anxiety in dogs, visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about a dog training course that will help to solve your problem.

As a pet dog lover, you always see to it that you give all the best in the world for your furry best friend. Some even would go through the extreme of enrolling their dogs to an obedient school for weeks or months. Well, that would be a swell idea if you have the financial resources. They can also opt for a trainer who can train their dogs right in their own homes. If you have the money, go ahead. But unfortunately, most dog owners can’t seem to manage to invest in these things. That’s why, they would resort to going through the Web, browsing for an online dog training course and help them learn how to train their own dogs.

If you would want to train your dog on your own, this is also what you should try to look for. There are many benefits in learning how to do pet dog training. First of all, you can create a stronger relationship with your pet. Of all people, you are the only one or your other family members, for that matter, knows the personality of your mutt and training him on your own can be handled efficiently as compared to getting the services of a dog trainer. A dog training course that you can do on your own is much cheaper. You might, for example, find a software or an e-book guide which you will only pay for a minimum amount and you can train your dog with it and you can even apply your knowledge from what you’ve learned from a book guide on other dogs.

Third and the last, training your own loyal best friend won’t really be a impediment to your time and your other important responsibilities. You can set out your fixed schedule on when to train your dog effectively. But the concern is, where can you find a a proven method to train your dog? If you go to the Net right now, you can come across some dog training reviews site which has compiled several guides on how to train your dog. From there, you can get to learn the different system and after reading them, that’s the time for you to decide to choose from among those options which you think will work best for you and your furry friend.

Are you just plain fed up?  Does feeding your dog turn into a nightmare of aggressive dog behavior if anyone in the household comes near him while he’s eating?  If your pooch is displaying food aggression in dogs, this serious dog behavior problem needs to be stopped before your dog attacks you or someone in your family.

Dog Food Aggression Is Instinctive Behavior For Canines

Dogs in the wild protect their food, their mates, and their territory.  Aggressive behavior in dogs is necessary for their survival.  The most aggressive dog is the pack leader, or alpha male, and he enforces his position by being the dominant dog in the pack. 

However, your dog shouldn’t be the pack leader in your home.  If he is, you’re in for trouble, because he thinks he’s the alpha male, and like he would in the wild, he’ll enforce his position by using aggressive dog behavior.  This is a dominance issue that won’t go away on its own.  You must take steps to deal with his aggressive behavior before it reaches a dangerous level.

Causes of Food Aggression In Dogs

Many people think that a puppy who is aggressively guarding his food is cute.  Don’t do it!  This is a serious training mistake many dog owners make.  Instead of encouraging this kind of canine possession aggression, you need to nip this problem in the bud.

Your dog’s understanding of exactly who leads the pack is confused.In your dog’s way of thinking, if you don’t take the role of the alpha male (even if your female), there’s a leadership vacuum.  If you don’t step into the role, he will.  And he won’t be nice about enforcing his position in your household.

He thinks he can take whatever he want from anyone else in the pack because he thinks he’s the pack leader.  The reality is that the family dog should be at the bottom of the heap, not the top.  Anyone in the household should be able to take anything away from him, even his food.  Of course, you’re not really going to do this, but he needs to know where he stands in your household pack. 

Dog Food Aggression Training

With a puppy, you’ll make it clear that having people or other animals around when he’s eating is OK.  Do this right from the beginning, and you’ll probably never have a problem with this type of aggressive dog behavior.  Anyone in the family should be able to safely stand right next to him at any time while he’s eating.  If this isn’t the case, you need to take control of his food.

It’s always a good idea to feed your dog after you and your family have finished eating.  Your dog will instinctively understand that the alpha dog always eats first.This teachers your dog exactly where he ranks in the family is in relation to everyone else.

Require that your dog sit and stay quietly while you’re fixing his food.  If he whines and jumps around and demands food, don’t give in.  He needs to earn his food by behaving in a non-aggressive manner. 

Don’t ever give your dog food if he’s growling at you.  This only rewards his bad dog behavior.

If food aggression in dogs is already a serious problem in your household, a dog behavior course may be your next step.  Look for a course that includes a consultation with an experienced dog trainer, and that has a forum where you can get advice from other dog owners.

Now that you know what to do, don’t delay in taking steps to control dog food aggression.

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times: “Don’t bother the dog while he’s eating.”  This is probably good advice for small children who shouldn’t be trying to play with the dog at mealtime.  However, a dog that’s always by himself when he eats may be learning a lesson about food aggression in dogs that you’d rather he didn’t.

In the wild, the leader of the dog pack is always the first one to eat, usually by himself.Your dog may get the wrong message if you always leave him alone at mealtime.  This can lead to aggressive dog behavior in the form of him snapping or growling at anyone who ventures too close while he’s eating.

Don’t Let Dog Food Aggression Get Started

When your dog is still a puppy, always feed him after you and your family have already eaten.  This reinforces the idea for him that you and your family members all rank above him in the pack.

When you feed your puppy, anyone should be able to approach him while he’s eating.  Slipping a little treat into his bowl teaches him that it’s good for someone to get close.

Four Steps To Control Food Aggression In Dogs

An older dog who is already using aggressive dog behavior to protect his food will require different training.

Spend about ten to fourteen days on each of these steps.Do these things every time your feed your dog.  If your dog is extremely aggressive around food, you may need to keep him on a leash for your own protection.  

The first thing you’ll do is to put his food dish away for a couple of weeks.  Your dog will be eating out of your hand for a while.  Feed him just a few pieces of dog food at a time, until his meal is finished.

After a couple of weeks, you can progress to the next stop.  Get out your dog’s food bowl again, but don’t put anything in it.  After a while, walk by and drop a couple of pieces of kibble in it.  When he eats it, keep adding small handfuls of food every couple of minutes until his meal is finished.  At this point, he’ll probably be begging you to walk up to his bowl.

After ten days, you can try the next step, which is to put out a half-full bowl of kibble for him.  Walk up to him as he’s eating, and as you go by, drop in a couple of treats.  Then walk up again and add the rest of his food.

The last step is to put a full bowl of food down for him while he’s obeying the sit-stay command.Assert your control by not allowing him to eat until you release him from the “stay” command.  This is where the leash comes in handy, as you have control over him for this step, but hopefully you won’t need to use it.Break things up once or twice a week by calling him over to you while he’s eating and rewarding him with a tasty treat.  

Always use the sit-stay, wait, and take-it commands when you feed him so that your dog understands that you’re in charge of the food.  This reinforces your status as the alpha dog for him.

If your dog reverts to his old dog food aggression behavior, start again at step one.  

Look For A Good Dog Training Course

Food aggression in dogs is a dominance issue that’s usually a symptom of other problems in the relationship between the owner and the dog.Seek guidance from a good basic dog obedience course.  

Look for a course that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.  Check for testimonials from satisfied customers who have used the course material already.

Take this advice to begin solving your problem with dog food aggression now.

The interest of responsible ownership and pet welfare are widely realized by the general public wherein they strive to provide significant innovations and development for the interest of the domestic animal population and aid the concern of pet owners of providing sustainable and healthy living conditions. The area of concern for the welfare of dogs has created many advances in improving their living conditions.

Dog Obedience

Significant advances have been made in the area of improving the living conditions of this favorite domesticated animal. Part of this is the presence of dog bed cover which is directed towards providing sleep comfort for your animals. For its relevance, its purpose is mainly directed towards two interest namely for comfort and health of your pet.

The Importance of Dog Bed Covers

Why should you consider acquiring dog bed cover? For the interest of providing the most ideal and beneficial living condition for your pet god, dog bed cover is important. Generally, the traditional approach of just letting your pet dog sleep in boxes, rags, or even anywhere is not sufficient anymore. Pet owners are responsible for providing the best healthy living conditions for their pets. Dog bed covers not only provide cushioning for your dog, but it controls the temperature over the contact area providing a soothing, relaxing sleep.

The dog bed cover is not only intended for sleeping comfort wherein it also provide health relevance for your pet dog. Initially, as the dog bed cover support a relaxing and comfortable rest for your pet dog’s sleep, your pet can gain health benefits for the said condition.

Further, most dog bed cover in market today also have antibacterial and anti-infestation properties wherein as your pet dog lay on top of it in sleep, the dog bed cover properties cleanse the animal’s fur and eliminate  present pests such as ticks and bugs. This product enhances the overall health of your pet.
Dog bed covers are not necessarily expensive. Most dog bed covers in the market are made with strength and durability providing efficiency and value for their cost. Further, many dog bed replacement cover are also widely available in the present which the pet owner population can avail of for their respective interest.

Indeed, providing a healthy living condition and welfare for your pet dog is easy with the use of dog bed cover for your pet’s necessity for a comfortable and relaxing sleep.

Dog Training

Dog is considered to be man’s best friend. Cats today are considered to be dog’s best friend, therefore, a cat can also be man’s best friend in the ethics of logic or the logic or ethics, whichever you prefer, this is presently true and it can be possible (whoever made the notion that dogs and cats are worst enemies? And why the phrase “raining cats and dogs”, eh?) Anyhow, that’s precisely correct and you can corroborate that any time today because numerous people favor to have cats as pets over man’s best friend, the dog. There is even this one social networking site that has an article about how people loved cats most than dogs. That’s why, today, buying a kitten can also be one of the best thing that people, especially cat lovers, need to know about.

You might think that there is no big deal in buying a pussycat on your own or you might way, you just go to a pet store blindfolded, then, let your fingers point to a line of cats and then, whatever you are pointing to whilst you uncover your eyes is what you’re going to get, talking about cat random selection. No, that’s not the way, for true-blue cat aficionados, maybe. There are lots of things to consider when buying a cat from a pet store or from any establishment that sells cats or from a legitimate cat breeder.

When planning in buying a cat, you need to make some considerations before you do. Taking on a purrty animal as a pet is a big task and should not be taken flippantly. It will need attention, routine veterinary treatment, grooming and daily care, that is, if you really are a lover of cats and not just some bloke who wants to have a pet cat, period. When you take a cat for a pet, you have to know that it would take 10 to 15 years to groom it, pet it and taking care of it. Here are some helpul tips in procuring a kitten. First of all, it is always strongly recommended that you find a good and competent breeder. The gain of getting from a professional breeder is that the propagation has already been charily plotted and is already taken care of. The cat breeder will just have to familiarize you with all the necessary subject you need to know about that cat. When buying from a pet store, be sure that the cat you choose is healthy and with a breeder, you can get personal views of cat care tips. You wouldn’t want to procure a sickly animal and then having a hard time when you don’t know how to take care of it, correct?

Pet adoption should never be done spontaneously.  There are numerous reasons why pets are being surrendered in shelters and rescue organization, most common reason is deciding spontaneously about getting a pet and then failing to do the responsibility that taking care of pets requires.

Therefore, before adopting an animal from rescuers or shelters it is important that the animal that you are choosing will be a life-long companion.  Otherwise, this defeats the mission and goal of animal shelters and animal rescue organizations. 

Shelters and rescue groups have wide selection of puppies and full-grown cats and dogs.  It is important to identify which animal will be most suitable for the adopter’s personality and temperament. adoptable dogs and cats (whether it is mixed bred/purebred) displays unusual uniqueness.  It is best not to rely only on the physical characteristics of these animals but focus more on their attitude and behaviour. 

Choosing Your Feline Companion

Cats make wonderful pets.  Although they value their independence, they crave for love and companionship.  What is good about cats is that they can easily adjust to different lifestyles and types of residences. 

When choosing cats in an animal shelter, it is best to ask permission or assistance from the adoption counsellor to spend some time with the animals. This is to better understand the behaviour and temperament of the animals.  Although, keep in mind that since it is an unfamiliar environment for the animals, there are cats that tend to be timid, passive or frightened even if they are naturally sociable. 

Having young children at home is another thing to consider.Young children are normally unable to handle the responsibility of kittens.  A cat, at least four months old will be a good choice. 

If the adopter have other animals at home, it is best to help the new member of the family to adjust to its surroundings.  Adopters can try isolating their new cats in a room and then slowly exposing them to the other animals.By this, they can gradually mix up together and accept the new feline presence in the same house. 

Choosing the Best Dog

Adopters sometimes get overwhelmed with the wide selection of purebreds and mixed bred animals in shelters.  The best way to narrow down the choices is identifying the adopter’s characteristics or personality.  Another thing is learning about the different personalities and temperaments of purebreds and mixes. 

With this process, you can do a process of elimination by removing those breeds and mixes that do not match or complement the adopter’s lifestyle. 
When visiting animals in shelters; always keep in mind that this is a stressful and unfamiliar environment for the dogs.It the dogs are in a safe and secure place then the real character will come up for display. 

Again, ask for the adoption counsellor’s attention to known several information about the dogs you are interested.Inquire about the behaviour, the age, and also about its behaviour with children.Before proceeding to the shelter it is essential that you should narrow down the search, it also applies for adoption of cat. 

Remember that the pets that you are adopting will be your companion for the next 10 until 15 years – or even longer.This stands out as the key reason why the pet adopter’s should choose their ideal pet carefully.  Pet adoption makes the most wonderful unions between pets and owners, as long as the decisions were made in no rush and with guidance.