First Coast Pet

Archive for June, 2009

It can be very difficult to find a collar which fits your small dog. Luckily many dog collars manufacturers are starting to create special collars built for small dogs. There is a wide array of styles and types to choose from when selecting a collar for your small dog. It is best to find one which can be adjusted so your dog can have a custom fit.

A tight dog collar will not feel good on your dog’s neck while a collar that is too big will come off. Some collars are so painful for a small dog that they can make your dog sick. Although this problem is most common among larger dogs it can also be found in small dogs who wear tight collars. One of the best collars to eliminate the potential for this problem is a martingale collar.

This type if collar puts even pressure all around the neck so you do not get too much pressure in one area. These collars are also the perfect choice for dogs who often pull at the leash or try to remove their collar. Due to their adjustable straps you can fit them so they fit well and will not become loose if your dog pulls on them. There is also a large selection of fancy rhinestone dog collars available for small dogs.

The options are just about limitless from electronic bark collars to those studded with jewels. There are many different types of designer dog collars to suit the personality and style of any dog owner. No matter what type of dog collar you select chances are it will take a while for your dog to learn to love it. It the adjustment to the collar is very difficult it may be time to take a special training class.

Hummingbirds are found all over the Americas including the Caribbean. Well-known for their hovering ability and their skill at backward flying, hummingbirds hover by flapping their wings at speeds as fast as 80 times a second.

The Bee Hummingbird is the tiniest bird in the world at only 1.8 grams in weight and two inches long. The largest hummingbird is the Giant Hummingbird at around eight inches long and weighing about 25 grams. All the hummingbirds have the fastest metabolism of any birds and to sustain this they have to eat their own weight and more in food every day. So that they can do this they must visit many hundreds of blooms daily to harvest the nectar. They have extended bills and tongues in oreder to reach right into the blooms. They can decrease their metabolisms when resting, unlike most other high metabolism animals. This increases their lifespan, which has been reported as long as 17 years.

How to Make A Hummingbird Friendly Garden

To draw hummingbirds to your garden plant brightly coloured shrubs and flowers. The sense of smell of Hummingbirds is very poor but they can be attracted by intense colours. Hanging a a speciality hummingbird feeder in your garden or on your deck will be a focus for these pretty birds. Annuals to plant include salvia, petunia, impatiens, firespike and jewelweed. Perennial plants include foxglove, hosta, hummingbird mint, lupine, yucca, cardinal flower, bee balm, canna and columbine. For bushes and trees plant lantana, mimosa, red buckeye, azalea, buddleia and weigela.

Don’t use any pesticides in your garden as you will kill bugs and insects that hummingbirds eat. They will also leave deposits on the blooms which the hummingbirds may consume. Also provide plenty of places to perch as they spend almost 80% of the time perching on clothes lines, twigs etc. Supply plants that will supply materials for nesting to attract female hummingbirds. They prefer feathery nesting material from trees like eucalyptus and willow and from ferns, mosses and lichens.

Placing vibrantly colored, specially made hummingbird feeders in your backyard will exert a pull on the hummingbirds. An excellent idea is to fix red ribbons that blow around the feeder. It is also helpful to put out feeders at various heights as hummingbird species all have different preferences. Species that prefer plants that are low growing will go to a feeder sited lower whereas species that feed on taller shrubs and plants will prefer to go to a feeder sited higher. Hummingbirds are also extremely territorial and one hummingbird may perhaps defend a particular feeder and prevent other birds from feeding. Place no less than three feeders at assorted heights around your backyard.

Hummingbirds enjoy bathing in the mist on foliage so you could place a mister close to some broadleaved vegetation to give them a place to bathe.

Making Hummingbird Nectar

Make a sweet nectar by blending together one cup of sugar and four cups of pre-boiled water. Cool and keep in the refrigerator. Excess nectar can be kept safely for up to 7 days. Carefully wash hummingbird feeders once a week by rinsing with a solution of 1 cup of vinegar to four cups of water then washing out with plain water. Fill with the sugar solution and suspend in the shade. Don’t use sweeteners or food coloring. Also don’t use honey as it can ferment and create a a poisonous fungus. Swap the solution in the feeder every 3 days or oftener when the weather is hotter.

In Conclusion

It is not hard to make a garden to attract these beautiful birds. Give them the food they love and a comfortable setting and hummingbirds will pay a visit your garden frequently.

See more garden craft ideas at Easy Craft Ideas

Poor bladder control is the top reason for puppies being taken to dog shelter charities. It is often difficult and often dog walkers are asked to help, so a key part of puppy care. Studies have shown that the best way to toilet train is to use a cage. Most breeders will {use a cratehave used one}, and will often sell on the crate, as the puppy is used to it. This is based on the principle that dogs do not like to soil their beds and in a cage would be forced to lie in the mess. This method also has the advantage of encouraging the puppy will try to control their bladder. Young puppies from 9 weeks or so should last around 8 hours. During toilet training, put the puppy inside the cage whenever he cannot be supervised, whilst you are say bathing the children. Just prior to putting him into the crate or taking him out of the crate, take him outside so he can go to the toilet. There should never be any food or water in the cage, just a blanket and perhaps a chew toy to keep him occupied. As time goes by and the puppy performs better, you can leave the puppy more and more out of the cage.
The cage needs to be right size, enough floor space for him to lie down. But not so large he could urinate in a corner. The crate is useful for the dogs whole life, so to avoid replacing crated as he grows, buy one big enough for his full grown size, with a partition that you can move as he grows.
The two alternatives to crate toilet training a puppy are constant supervision, not many people have the time for this. This involves being with the puppy all the time, so you can be ready when you see his pre-potty pattern, such as sniffing the carpet. Then taking him straight out to his potty area, then return him straight back, remembering to give him praise and verbal clues such as “good dog”. The pup needs to appreciate why he went outside was for the toilet, nothing else, do not baffle him.

The other alternative to potty training is put down papers or pre-treated pads, encouraging them to use these areas, for practical reasons placed in the bathroom or utility room. The pads have chemicals to draw them. When you see them with their pre-toilet pattern, pick them up quietly and carry them to the papers. Praise them if they do the business. The main disadvantage with this method, is you have to do a second training to doing this outside, by moving the papers closer to the door.
Potty timing, normally, pups should to go out, soon after waking and 30 or 40 mins after having been fed.
Sometimes puppies will spontaneously urinate when scared or excited, also known as submissive urination. Do not punish the puppy for this. If they are liable to this, go for a walk, before any excitement, like family coming. Or if visiting, take them for a walk, just before, or when you arrive. The puppy will normally grow out it after about 6 months.
To strengthen the potty  training, as in dog training, you should to use verbal clues. Good ones are simple and distinctive. Everybody in the family or in contact with the dog, such as dog walkers and the pet sitter need to use the same words. One or a maximum of two words.
Outside: For going outside, to go to the toilet. Use a different word such as “play” if its for more of an enjoyable activity, though he may go to the toilet when he is there.
Potty: Do the business.
Good Dog: For praise – any.
No: When the puppy is doing something wrong, such as going in the wrong area, or inside.
Two rules:
1.  Always praise success.
2. Never punish the puppy, if you do not catch him in the act of doing something wrong. He will have no idea why you are scolding him.

If you catch him in the act of urinating inside, carry him to the place, will often stop him, as well as reinforcing what he should be doing.

A freshwater tropical fish tank can be a beautiful addition to your home that can be both attractive to look at and beneficial. It will be a source of enjoyment to visitors to your home and your family and everyone will be enthralled and entertained. For novices setting up a tropical fish tank aquarium for the first time here are some guidelines to assist you to make the most of your new fish tank and to keep it in good condition and looking beautiful.

Explore the species of fish you will be putting into your fish tank before you go to the pet shop. Make sure you understand how big the fish will grow and the number that can be easily accommodated in your tank when they are mature. A too crowded tank will not be a healthy tank! Next find out the types of fish that can be housed together. A tank that houses different fish species that can live in peace together is known as a community tank. A number of fish, for example tiger barbs, may well be fine when they are very young but grow up into violent bullies. There are lots of fish that can be put in a community tank including Neon Tetra, Rainbowfish, Hatchetfish, Molly, Harlequin Rasbora, Leopard Catfish, Opaline Gourami, Platy, Head Tail Light Tetra, Guppy, Pearl Gourami, Penguin Fish, Horseface Loach, Lyretail and loads more.

Now that your aquarium is filled with fish here are a few tips to make it easier to maintain it:

* Never overfeed – Rotting food left in the aquarium will emit noxious chemicals and harm your fish. Only add as much food as your fish are able to completely eat in approximately three minutes, two times a day. Fish are meant to be hungry nearly all of the time and if they don’t come to the top of the fish tank as you start to add the food you are feeding them too much!

* Two times a month partly replace the water. Wipe the glass often with an algae scraper and every month or so take out the rocks and ornaments to clean off algae. Don’t exchange all of the water or wash out the filter, ornaments, rocks, plants etc at the same time. This will get rid of all the valuable microorganisms that you worked so hard to encourage when you set up the tank and stress the fish as the levels of ammonia escalate.

* As the water level decreases, top up with water that is chlorine free. If you do not want to use chemicals to de chlorinate the water, set aside a covered bucket of tap water for two days to permit the chlorine to disperse

* For newly purchased fish or fish that appear sick you should set up a small quarantine fish tank. Place any newly purchased fish into the quarantine tank for around a week to prevent the introduction of any diseases into your main fish tank.

* Continue to test the water for ammonia, nitrite and pH levels four or five times a week to catch anything going wrong before suffering is caused to the fish. If the levels of ammonia or nitrites start to rise a partial water change often corrects things without resorting to any harsh chemicals.

Lastly enjoy your new pets and consider joining a local tropical fish association. Chatting with other tropical fish enthusiasts is a good way to discover more about your hobby.

Are you a proud owner of a clean and clear koi pond? If you are then you know just what it takes to upkeep and maintain a pond to ensure that it continues to be a charm. For those who are new to koi ponds or even water/garden ponds, it takes quite a bit of effort and time to be able to enjoy having a pond. Still, equipments such as pond vacuum cleaners can help give you crystal clear and clean water.

Pond vacuum cleaners are very similar to your household vacuum cleaners. It is used to rid your pond off excessive food, dirt and other contaminating agents. As a result, you can have the sensational pond you dream of all the time.

Let’s take a closer look at these pond vacuum cleaners. There is a host of different pond vacuum cleaners from different manufacturers in the market. Among some of the many known cleaners are electric vacuums, garden hose driven manual vacuums, small pond vacuums, medium pond vacuums, large pond vacuums and many more. What’s more, there are also vacuums where its individual parts are replaceable giving you more value-for-money.

As mentioned above, you have a wide choice when it comes to pond vacuum cleaners. The competition is great and thus, you as a consumer will always have an upper hand where choice and price is concerned. With pond vacuum cleaners constantly evolving from time to time, it is wise to conduct your research on the products prior to the actual purchase. Arm yourself with the proper knowledge to give you the best options.

Pond vacuum cleaners are available everywhere; from Wal-Mart to your local store to the Internet. Again, it is wise to compare the features, price and functions of the different manufacturers.

With the above tips, your quest for a pond vacuum cleaner for your best will be a breeze. In addition, your task at cleaning the pond will made so much lighter to boot!

For more tips on quality pond equipment and other pond ideas visit ezpondideas.com

More and more people are keeping chickens and no wonder why. As the benefits of having delicious, chemical free, organic free range eggs readily available for your kitchen for certain appeals to most people. But before you can start to keep chickens you need to look for a chicken coop for sale.

When doing your research for a chicken coop, it will soon appear to that there is a lot of different designs and sizes. But your choice in your search for a chicken coop for sale is going to be governed by the amount of space you will have to raise your chickens and how many chickens you intend to keep.

Beneath are several helpful points to assist you in your search for chicken coops for sale.

1 What Size Chicken Coop?.

The first thing that you have to do is decide what type of chicken coop is going best for your needs and what size you will need small, medium or large.I would recommend you purchase a chicken coop that is too big, rather than one that is to small. Why? Well keeping chickens in a coop that is to small causes them to become stressed and unhappy and a unhappy chicken will not lay eggs.

2 Coop Ventilation Is Essential

Nobody likes a stuffy home and chickens are just the same, they do not like stuffy coops. So any coop you purchase should have plenty of ventilation! A coop with poor ventilation will result in a build up of carbon dioxide to a toxic level and this will seriously affect the health of your flock of chickens.

3 Your Coop Should Be Secure.

When you buy your chicken coop for sale it needs to be secure from predators, such as cats, dogs, foxes, raccoons etc. So as you can now see, strong wire mesh fitted to doors and windows is needed to keep your chickens safe. Any chicken coop you buy that is well made will have this.

4 Chicken Coop Access

Make sure the henhouse you purchase is easy to access as this will make it far easier to clean. Also remember any waste is ideal fertilizer.

5 Are Chicken Coops Expensive?

By shopping online you will find that chicken coops are quite reasonably priced. So not only will you save money, but you will also save yourself a lot of time as well.

Try to use the above points when you are searching for a chicken coop for sale and i feel sure you will find one at a price that will fit your budget.

For more FREE tips and advice on Chicken coops be sure to visit Chicken Coops For Sale

People use dog collars for all kinds of reasons. Knowing how you plan to use your dog collar will help you choose the right one. Some people require a special training collar while other people just need a place to put the ID tags in case the dog gets lost. Others look for dog collars with a bit more sophistication and buy jeweled dog collars for their favorite pooch.

A jeweled dog collar still allows you to use a leash, hang the right ID tags, and make you dog look stunning while she is out for a stroll. Jeweled dog collars are available in a wide array of styles. For many, dog collars are a required accessory. Some beautiful dog collars are made from leather with a row of jewels. Many different types of jewels are used to make jeweled dog collars including extravagant diamonds, rhinestones, and colored gems.

Many of these collars are still very functional even with all the adornment. You can make the collars look more like necklaces with the addition of a pendant. There are some jeweled dog collars that are just for decorative purchases. Often these feature delicate strands of jewels and often come with matching accessories such as hair clips. If your budget is unlimited there are many things you can add to your collar including real precious gems.

Some wealthy dog owners will decide to get matching sets of jewelry for themselves and their pets. Some people think that a dog decked out in a fancy collar makes the perfect fashion accessory. Often the smaller dogs are also carried in a designer purse. Chances are that dogs who wear jewel dog collars are also pampered in other ways. They most likely also have cute designer clothing, only the best food, and a custom made dog bed. Jeweled dog collars are just one of the various methods people use to spoil their pets.

We all have seen the race across the floor between your Golden Retriever and his feeding dish. Moreover, while this race is fun to watch it can be quite frustrating for your dog. I have to admit growing up I got a kick out of watching this race that occurred three times a day. Especially since we had, three dogs that all made a mad dash come feeding time. Along with the fact that this can scuff your freshly moped floor. This is a case where an Elevated dog bowl could be helpful.

Today’s feeders are designed with style and ease of use in mind. In addition, to sturdy design, many feeders have rubber grips on the feet. Some styles even have stands, which raise the feeder up even more for much larger dogs and provide additional storage options or convenience features in the additional space.

As dogs age, they have a tendency to develop Mobility issues. This can lead to the awful experience of having to watch as a loved member of the family suffers while trying to simply east a meal. With a standard food bowl, the dog has to bend down and in doing so causes more pain in the pet. An elevated feeder raises the bowel off the ground, which helps the dog with the joint issue. This is important because a dog, which suffers pain while eating, may be inclined to reduce the amount of eating it does. This act of self-sacrifice for comfort can lead to all kinds of nutrition deficit issues.

In addition, for a person with joint issues the simple act of feeding their beloved pet can be excruciating. Loading food and water into an elevated feeder is a simple and painless task. Simply lift the lid and easily refill from a standing position.

Elevated feeders can now be found in a number of designs ranging from the simple to more stylish modern design. It’s easy to find one which is both easy to use and compliments the interior of your home and matches your personal style.

You can get fDog feeder in Stone, Wire, glass, and rattan. There are even versions in Fabric covered wood and some which are made of clear plastic, which allow you to easily monitor, fill levels. The most popular choices are metal and finished painted wood. With all of this choice it should be easy for you to find one which is just right for your home.

Beyond the mess issue and the joint pain that dogs tend to suffer from, there are the other medical issues that dogs have that need to be taken into account. One such issue causes food to backup in the esophagus, which leads to the dog suffering from painful vomiting. Another issue, which is present primarily in large dogs, can lead to a dog developing a case of bloat. Bloat in a dog if left untreated can become life threatening.

To find the style, which Elevated dog bowl is best for you, do a small amount of research and pay a visit to a local pet store. Seeing many of the choices you have nowadays will better prepare you for making an informed purchase decision.

Dog feeders are becoming more and more unique as time goes by. Who would have guessed a dogs bowl would now be called a feeder and come in so many different shapes and sizes, it’s unbelievable! In today’s society people are paying a lot more attention to what they give their dog as well as what Double Dog Feeder their dog is eating out of.

Such stores as Pets’mart and Petco continue to pop up all over the place. Inventions for dogs are becoming a new craze amongst so many animal loving people. No one would have thought centuries ago that there would be a store made to cater to our domesticated animals.

Dog feeders join the ranks of many other overpriced dog inventions. The feeders are made to cater to your dogs needs as well as to your dog’s height. There are feeders that stay on the floor, elevated feeders, and automatic feeders.

The days of your dog eating out of a regular bowl has now gone down the drain. Many pet owners are rushing to stores to buy their dogs the latest craze of new things. But, what makes these feeders good to give our dogs? Why are people more convinced in spending the extra dollar for these feeders instead of sticking to the old fashioned way?

The automatic feeder is by far the best feeder on the market. The feeder was invented for the consumer as well as the dog. In today’s society many people have to work out of their homes to make ends meet. In doing this, they leave their pets all alone by themselves to basically fend for themselves. This feeder eliminates the cause of worry. Is keeps a certain amount of food in it at all time and automatically refills it self when the food has been eaten by the dog. You may also get an automatic water dish which is capable of the same things.

The automatic feeder by far is the best feeder; I personally think that was invented. The elevated feeder is made for a bigger breed of dog. Pit bulls and Golden Retrievers fit in the category for needing an elevated feeding system. Big dogs will hurt their necks if they need to bend over too much. This feeder is the perfect solution to ensure your dog does not have to deal with any stage of discomfort.

Dog feeders do take a little bit more out of your pocket book then an ordinary bowl. But isn’t your dog worth it? Many dog feeders do not exceed $120.00. This is a small price to pay for your pet’s welfare.

Dog Bowl inventions are becoming a craze of this new millennium. No one knows what to expect next. We can only look forward to the new endless ways being developed to ensure that our pets are taken care of in this fast paced world. These are the Dog Accessories you need.

The massive pet food recall of 2007 had millions of dog owners terrified that they had unwittingly been poisoning their beloved pets. If you and your dog survived that frightening time, you have undoubtedly been more careful in your choice of dogs food ever since.

But how is the average dog owner to know what is really going into doggie’s dish? One way to know for sure is to make your pet’s food at home, but that can be very time-consuming. The other option is to know which commercial foods are both safe and nutritious.

The question of what to feed your dog is a sensitive one as there are many different camps advocating many different ideas, facts, and theories. For many owners, the question is answered by finances.

To put is simply, if the owner can afford the dog food then that type and brand is going to go into the food bowl. While this approach may seem sensible, especially when the monthly budget is taken into consideration, it may not be best. Why feed the dog sub-par ingredients and face vet bills later on that may have been avoided in the first place by choosing the right food?

The dog foods found on most grocery store shelves, the generic or store brand ones, are not usually considered among the best foods for your pet. More often than not, these brands are full of ingredients that are lower in quality and inexpensive. While these brands provide a cheaper alternative to the other brands, they are generally not recommended. A quick glance at the ingredients can provide an example of lower quality food.

Generic meat ingredients without a specific species named is not a good thing to feed a dog. Avoid phrases such as “meat byproducts” or “meat and bone meal”. Look for brands that can list the animal that they use as an ingredient, like “chicken meal” or “beef”.

Also, avoid any brands that list corn as their main ingredient. You are feeding a dog, after all, not a pig or a cow.

But, you say, Fido is delighted with the store brand food, which retails for half of what the brand names do? That’s because Fido’s been tricked. Chemicals have been added to that food, creating a pleasing color and aroma which Fido finds irresistible. These chemicals are easy enough to spot if you know what to look for. Coloring agents, drying agents, and texturizers are just some of the tell-tale ingredients that should cause you to sit up and take notice.

There are, of course, premium commercial dog foods which provide the highest grade ingredients free of harmful additives, and in another newsletter we’ll explore how to find them. But they will cost a premium price, and if you are a hands-on dog owner, you might be more interested in preparing your dogs meals yourself.

This option of making pet food at home has become more and more popular over the past few years as it allows owners to choose directly what is going into their dog’s bowl. Feeding doggie home made food, however, does not mean allowing them to dine on the family’s leftovers.

It means researching the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for your dog, and finding the food which will provide them in an easily digestible form. One of the best known homemade diets for the canine set is the BARF diet.

And now–what does BARF stand for? Seems you can say it stands for a couple of things, but the most often cited explanation is Bones And Raw Food. The other one floating around on the Internet is Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, which is attributed to Dr. Ian Billinghurst, one of the original Barfers.

The BARF Diet is suitable for many dogs but it takes time and dedication on the owner’s part. While there are noticeable differences between the BARF diet and a diet based on commercial dog foods, the purpose of both diets is to provide the dog with the best nutrients possible.

BARF is about feeding a biologically appropriate diet for a dog that is made up of raw whole foods like those eaten by their ancestors. This would include muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meat and vegetable materials and any other foods that mimic what the wild ancestors ate.

The BARF diet, however, is not always the best method of feeding your dog and it takes a great amount of time to prepare and research the foods.

Conversely, commercial brand dog foods have undergone tests to insure that they are compatible with the dietary needs of the dog. Basically, a dog will receive just about the same benefits of the BARF diet if he remains on a commercial diet and may even receive more nutrients that way.

The important thing you, as a dog owner, should know is that not all commercial dog foods are the same. You can learn much more about what ingredients are in each can, pouch, or bag of dog food by becoming educated in label reading, and the AAFCO standards. Ultimately, it’s your deciaion to choose what’s right for your dog.