Latest Dogs Articles

Pet GPS Finds Your Pet Before You Know It Is Gone

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:38:24 -0600

For most of us, a pet is more than just an animal that lives in our house; it is a part of our family. When we come home, we are expecting to be greeted by the woof or meow of our furry friend. And when we are not, we start to panic, especially if it is a dog. Cats are notorious for staring at owners while they are going crazy calling their names. In either case, having a pet GPS can help you pinpoint the location of your pet easily and quickly.

There are a lot of different types of pet GPS to choose from but they will all have a transmitter that stays on your pet, usually on a collar. They are battery operated and, in many cases, will let you know automatically when they need to be replaced. The transmitters will send you a message when your pet is not where it is supposed and give you its location. Or, anytime you wish to know where your pet is, you can ask the transmitter to tell you.

How the signal is transmitted varies from model to model. Some models use a cell phone modem to send the signals via satellite. Others use radio frequencies. There is one that uses mobile phone triangulation, rather than GPS.

GPS technology is used in most brands of pet tracking devices. Brands differ in the features that they offer. Many can be programmed with safe areas, in some cases up to ten, where your pet can be without concern. When it is outside one of these areas, the tracker knows that it needs to start working. Messages can be sent to you with location information in a variety of ways such as fax, phone, email and text or instant messaging.

There is not yet agreement over how well GPS works in the tracking of pets. Many say that, if your pet is stolen, the thief will just take off the collar right away so you will have no useful information. However, if it is not stolen, and has run away or gotten lost, this technology can help to get your pet back quickly and safely.

Battery life is another concern for some. However, many GPS devices will inform you when batteries are weak. And, though they may run out while the pet is lost, you will at least have some information as to the general direction it was traveling. Some brands can tell you where your pet has been for the last week.

Some pet owners believe that the pet chip is a better option. These are sometimes referred to as GPS chips but this is incorrect. They do not use GPS technology and must be scanned to get a reading. Chips are useful for lost pets that are brought into an animal shelter or vet, but only if they are read.

Whether a pet GPS is a good idea for you is going to depend, in part, on your individual pet. But, particularly if you have one that is an escape artist, you should be able to use this technology to reel him in before he gets too far away.

5 Smart And Easy Tips For Keeping Your Pooch Safe

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:34:44 -0500

Your dog relies upon you to keep him safe both inside your home and outside. Most owners realize that they should keep their canines on a leash while they're outside in order to prevent their roaming into the street. But, their responsibility extends much further. In this article, we'll provide five tips that you can use to ensure the safety of your pooch.

#1 - Keep Dangerous Poisons Out Of Reach

Your canine's appetite isn't limited to the meals you provide him during the day. Given the opportunity, he'll eat items that are not meant to be consumed (at least, not by him). For example, he may begin eating antifreeze if it is left within his reach. He might also start eating mouse bait, pesticides, and your own medications. Each of these items can lead to significant health issues. Keep them out of his reach.

#2 - Tag Him

You may think it could never happen, but many owners have learned that their dogs are always willing to explore if they're given the chance. One of the reasons animal shelters in many cities are overflowing is because canines get loose and roam until they're found. Put a collar and tag on your pooch. Also, consider microchipping him. Then, once a week, check to make sure his collar and tags are secure.

#3 - Keep His Head In The Car

It is a rare dog that doesn't love to ride in a car with his head sticking out of the window. The problem is that it invites bugs and debris into his eyes. Plus, if you're involved in a traffic collision, your pooch can be injured. If he's going to ride in the car with you, keep the windows up enough to prevent him hanging his head outside.

#4 - Make Him Ride In The Cab

Owners will often place their dogs in the exposed bed of their trucks. This is incredibly dangerous for a few reasons. First, the stopping and starting can throw him off balance, often into the sides of the vehicle. Second, taking a sharp turn while your pooch is elevated on the side of the vehicle can throw him from the back into traffic. If you own a truck and you're bringing him along, keep him in the cab.

#5 - Have A Veterinarian On File

The worst time to look for a veterinarian is when your dog desperately needs one. You should have the name and contact information of a trusted vet within reach. That includes his or her office phone and an emergency number. You should also have a back-up veterinarian that you can take your canine to in the event your primary vet is unavailable.

Your dog's safety is at risk from accidents. Whether he's getting into rat poison, becomes lost, or is riding in the back of your truck, you don't expect him to get into trouble. It happens unexpectedly. Take the time to make sure he's as safe as possible.

Training Tips For A Smart Dog

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:31:55 -0500

You should train your dog to eat anywhere. You should train him to eat indoors, outdoors and in any room. Doing this will help you in future when you take the dog with you anywhere.

An important part of dog training is to train him to use the crate. Then you can carry the crate anywhere. The puppy should be trained to sit in the crate. As far as potty training is concerned, you should buy a flexi leash and train the dog to go potty there.

You should train your dog to be quiet in the car. He should stay quiet when you ask him to. You can encourage him to follow your order by rewarding him every time he agrees to what you say. So he can become obedient and accept all your orders.

Dog training sessions can help train your dog to respect you and even love you. If you have trained him well, you will be able to control him in any situation when he seems out of control.

It is highly recommended that you should not use any violence with your puppy. You can warn him by saying just "No". You can carry him to the toilet place. If he does not use the toilet sometimes, the place should be cleaned immediately.

Dogs often chew furniture and other things. You can stop them from doing so by giving them nice chewing toys that they can chew. This will also prevent them from getting bored and you will be able to remove their habit of chewing furniture.

You can also paint some objects with substances that taste foul. Such substances are available at pet stores but you should make sure that these are not toxic. You can also use the Aversion therapy.

You should obedience training an important part of dog training. Do not train your dog for long hours otherwise he will be bored and not learn anything. Try to teach your dog to follow simple commands and never slap or kick him.

"Secrets to Dog Training" Review, Is It Really A Cure To Dog Biting?

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:44:41 -0500

secrets to dog training review

"Secrets to Dog Training" Overview

The book, "Secrets to Dog Training", was created by a professional dog trainer. Anyone trying to teach their pet can benefit from the easy to understand tips in "Secrets to Dog Training". With the help of the book, people can make their dogs more obedient. You can put and end to dog aggressiveness, sit, eliminate excessive barking, even deal with separation anxiety. Also, Importantly "Secrets to Dog Training" helps owners understand how to communicate with their pets. "Secrets to Dog Training" teaches you a system that can get your dog trained and keep it trained through a series of simple steps you implement on a regular basis.

My Experience

I know I'm not alone when I say I have always loved my dog, but his antics can drive me crazy. I never would have believed that my dog could have been trained. He wouldn't listen, he jumped on company, and he would chew on anything he could get his mouth on. I was so frustrated I didn't know what to do. That all changed when I found "Secrets to Dog Training". I decided that "Secrets to Dog Training" would be my dog's last chance with me.

It's like having your own dog trainer on house call when you own a copy of "Secrets to Dog Training". By teaching you how to communicate with your dog "Secrets to Dog Training" helps you change your dogs behavior drastically.

Key Benefits

I'm an animal lover and a pushover, and my dog always knew that. Because of that, he was running the house. But I didn't have to feel mean because "Secrets to Dog Training" taught me how to train my dog without being harsh. With this book I figured out that I could make my dog happier if I trained him and that he wouldn't love me any less.

I had never trained a dog before so the step by step training program was a great help. The easy style really helped me in training my dog. After reading the book and watching the videos I was able to train my dog with no trouble at all.

One of my favorite parts of the program was learning how to deal with separation anxiety. My dog, bless him, would flip out every time I left the house alone. He made so much noise when I left that I could hear him at the bottom of the driveway and it made me feel so bad I sometimes avoided going out. "Secrets to Dog Training" freed me from that problem and so many others.

I found simple ways to end his chewing habits in "Secrets to Dog Training" and it also helped me get rid of the aggressiveness he often displayed around other dogs.

I was able to do all of this quickly. I hardly had to invest anytime at all in the program. I was able to teach my dog without taking a large chunk of time out of my life.

The Bottom Line

My relationship with my dog has changed for the better because of "Secrets to Dog Training". Now he is trained properly I can tell my dog is happier and I am able to spend a lot more quality time with him. He is now a much better dog because I finally learned how to communicate with him properly.

Sources Of Printable Dog Food Coupons

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:50:15 -0500

With people looking for ways to save money it promised with the economy, using coupons is becoming a popular way to save. A dog owner can find printable dog food coupons at a variety of sources on the Internet.

A few popular retailers occasionally have printable dog food coupons available on their websites. One retailer that sometimes has printable dog food coupons is Target.

When looking for printable coupons on a retailer's website, the dog owner should remember that the coupons are likely to only be usable at that retailer's stores. When checking the website of a retailer, the dog owner may also be able to look at the current circular which may contain a sale on dog food. A sale on dog food could be just as good if not better than using a dog food coupon.

The websites of some dog food manufactures may have printable dog food coupons. Instead of printable dog food coupons, dog food manufacturers may have coupon offers. Typically, the dog owner needs to fill out an online form and the dog food manufacturer will send a dog food coupon in the mail.

Dog owners looking for dog food coupons should check dog food manufacturer's website and the websites for the brands that the manufacture produces. There are often different dog food coupon off first one the dog food manufacturer's website and the websites of their brands.

While looking for dog food coupon offers, the dog owner may find offers for trials of new dog food. When feeding a dog a trial size packet of new dog food, do not replace the dogs meal of their usual food with a sample.

Abruptly changing the dog's food can cause the dog's stomach to become upset. It would be better to give the dog about half of the sample with their regular dog food. No less than half the meal should be their usual dog food.

Printable coupon providers are websites that offer a collection of printable coupons for their viewers. Users of these websites are able to select the coupons that they would like to print. One such printable coupon provider that sometimes has coupons for pet supplies including dog food is Coupons.com.

Dogs Urinary Problems:Top 5 Signs Your Dog Has Bladder Problems

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:54:47 -0500

Can you tell when your dog is not feeling well? Chances are you can. Most dog owners are in tune to their pets, and will observe the behavioral changes that can occur when their dog is sick. In dogs, urinary problems can be hard to spot, especially if your dog urinates in the yard, instead of on a walk. Here are five most valuable signs exhibited by dogs with urinary problems.

1. "Accidents" in a housebroken pet. If your adult dog is suddenly having accidents indoors, this is a sure sign that something is wrong. In adult dogs urinary problems will often present first in this way, and may be accidentally assigned to a behavioral problem.

2. Straining to urinate. If your dog is having difficulty producing urine, or seems to be straining, a urinary problem may be the culprit. With dogs, urinary problems can be painful, just like they are with humans. If your dog is reluctant to urinate, it may be because it is painful for him to do so.

3. Change in activity levels. If your normally energetic and rambunctious dog is suddenly lethargic and sleepy, this is a strong clue that he is not feeling well. If your dog is exhibiting extreme lethargy, you should see your vet right away.

4. Needing a walk more (or less) often. One of the early signs dogs with urinary problems will exhibit is a need to go "out" more often. Your dog may be feeling an urgent need to relieve himself, but be unable to do so because of a urinary problem. Some dogs may do the opposite-and stop indicating they need a walk entirely. You should know how often your dog urinates normally in order to spot any behavioral changes.

5. Drinking a lot more water than usual. If your dog has been very active, or it is hot outside, he will naturally need more water. If your pet is drinking extra water in cold weather, unrelated to activity, this could be a sign of dehydration. Dogs with urinary problems are likely to become dehydrated, and may drink excessive amounts of water.

Certainly observing a dog's urinary symptoms is the first step in recognizing a problem condition. You will need the guidance of your veterinarian to determine the severity, prognosis, and treatment. Your vet take blood and urine tests as well as perform a physical examination along with asking you some questions about your dog's recent behavior or change in behavior.

What You Need To Know About Dog Chew Toys

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 05:00:39 -0500

Dog chew toys can do a lot for your pet. They help your dog to grow teeth and gum, avoid getting bored, and prevent him from swallow harmful objects. However, all dogs are not the same, and you need to choose the chew toys that are right for your pet.

Get The Correct Size

Dogs do not come in one size. The chew toy that you pick should be just right for the size of your pet. If the product is too big, your dog may not like to play with it at all. On the other hand, if the toy is too small, he might accidentally swallow it and choke on it. You really should know about your dog's breed and size well to get the appropriate toy size. Many reputable chew toy manufacturers will have clear warnings on their labels to help you decide on whether a toy is appropriate for your pet.

Make Sure the Toy is Safe

Apart from the size, you also need to make sure that the toy is neither too hard nor too soft. Hard texture may damage the teeth of your dog while excessively soft toys might lead to accidental ingestion of torn or chipped parts. You also need to avoid toys with small beads, buttons, strings, wire, bells and fake fur. Chances are you puppy will swallow all these small pieces, which in turn will result in choking, mouth wounds and even damage to the intestines and constipation.

Reserve A Variety Of Toys

I am not encouraging you to keep a full box of dog chew toys, but it is a good idea to have several varieties so that you can rotate them and your pet will not easily get bored. You may also like to occasionally give your puppy toys with edible treats in them to encourage him to play with these toys.

Be Watchful While Your Dog is Playing With His Toy

Your dog is just like a small baby and can accidentally swallow a non-edible part. However busy you are, you need to at least keep an occasional eye out on your pet when he is at play.

Watch out for the toys, too. All objects have their own life span, and the signs of wear or tear are suggesting to you that you might need to replace that toy. Otherwise, you could be risking your dog's health or even life, no joke!

Ask Your Veterinarian

Your veterinarian should be the first person you turn to for advice in case you are not certain about the choice of a dog toy. In fact, many veterinarian can give you very good recommendations about brands or retailers.

As you can see, in selecting dog chew toys, we should never sacrifice safety for fun. In the end, giving him toys is our way to show our love and affection. Because of the love, we want our pets to be both happy and healthy.

Training the 'Down' Command

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:48:48 -0500

Have you ever heard the saying, "Nature to be commanded, must be obeyed?" This quote is attributed to Francis Bacon and it's never been more relevant than when training a puppy or dog. Dogs inherently know and recognize a hierarchy structure. They relate to different levels of authority within their pack-which now that dogs have been domesticated relates to their family of people, as well. The alpha is the leader at the top of the pack, while the one with least authority is known as the omega. When you have a dog, you want him to recognize that you are the alpha or leader in your family or pack.

When a dog has learned the down technique and rests in this position, you won't have to worry about children getting bowled over or furniture getting jostled about. It also forms the building blocks for additional commands you may want to teach your dog-such as "sit," "stay," "roll over," or even tricks.

Training your dog to obey the down command is actually pretty straightforward. Your dog will naturally lie down when he is tired or relaxing. So the first thing to do is study your dog and learn to recognize when he is about to go from a sitting position to a down position.

When you see this occur you should express a distinct and exclusive verbal command and hand signal combination. Each and every behavior pattern should always be accompanied with an exclusive hand sign that is not used typically throughout the day. It is also important to use a clear, precise word and tone.

Of course, the dog is already on his way to going into the down position when you give the command, and initially he won't know what you mean. But as soon as that down position is completed, you should lavish the dog with praise and attention. Over time and with specific repetition, the dog will learn to associate the praise with the words and action being completed. And you will associate the command with the positive behavior with the praise for the dog.

Nearly all dogs will not attain the asked for behavior on a command the first few times it is tried. So, always be easy-going and clear and - above all - be consistent. As with any other type of teaching, it is crucial to decrease sound and motion types of distractions during the training session. Try to be alone with the dog and as far away from other voices as humanly possible.

Another way to help your dog learn the down command and reward him is to do the following. When your dog is in a sitting position, place a toy or treat on the ground right near the front of the dog's nose where he will naturally want to lie down to engage with it. At the same time, simultaneously give the down command and then reward the dog with praise when he complies.

Helping to focus your dog's attention with the toy or snack, utilize a 'waving down' hand motion, with your palm towards the floor position. Make sure to hold back from rewarding any dog with praise or a treat until the behavior is attained and exactly correct. Be that as it may, if things don't go as planned, take care not to become upset with the dog.

Some dogs require complementary training with a leash and collar to assist. To do this, get a short leather or nylon leash-a maximum of 4 feet long. Place the dog in the sitting position and kneel so you are in front of the dog facing him.

Make the clear-cut hand movement signaling the command, while at the same time giving the verbal command and moving a treat or toy by the dog's chin and to the floor while slowly and smoothly pulling on the leash. The goal is to encourage the dog and not to penalize the dog in any manner.

Sometimes a dog simply will not get it. So here's another thing to try. Loop the leash around one of the knees on the dog's hind legs. Bring the other end of the leash under your foot (on the opposite side) where you can move it with your foot. While giving the command and the gesture, slide the leash with your foot so it buckles the dog's hind knee and gently pull the dog's two front legs toward you so the dog gently slides into the down position.

Even if you had to initiate the movement to get the dog in the correct position, give the dog lots of praise and attention. The key here is that you want the dog to always associate good and positive feelings-both his and yours-with this position.

Is The Sit, Stay Fetch EBook A Scam?

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:51:47 -0500

Should you buy it? Is it a scam? Is it a rip off or good advice? Folk are talking about the "Sit Stay Fetch" e-book.

Some folks think it's a trick or waste of money. However, based on my research and everything I've found from dog lovers who have bought this book supports the idea that "Sit Stay Fetch" really delivers and the e-book is easily worth the investment to purchase it. The book is for the dog lover, of any level - from first-timer to experienced owner - who would like a better behaved dog!

If you are about to purchase your first pooch, consider reading this book first. The first couple of chapters go into detail on breeds, knowing what you are getting into will save everyone a lot of aggravation. There are lots of animal facts to think about before deciding on what sort of dog is best.

If you already have your new pup, read it anyway! You'll learn a lot. A few chapters in is where it reaches the good stuff, the actual coaching.

Here Daniel Stevens, the writer of the Sit Stay Fetch PDF ( Now retitled to'Dog coaching Secrets' ), explains in detail all the steps of coaching your dog.

These instructions are broken down into separate step, which gives new owners a bit at a time to handle and makes it easily followed. Daniel Stevens gives an 8-week guarantee too, so if your dog isn't behaving within that time, you can request money back for the book.

If your dog is exhibiting behavior problems that you'd like stopped - dog aggression, barking, jumping, house breaking problems, or even just refusal to obey simple commands, then this dog training guide is just what you need.

The fact that Sit, Stay, Fetch is delivered as a downloadable ebook means that you can get access to it instantly (no shipping charges or wait time) and be training your dog in the next few hours! The e-Book format is easy to read and you can even print it out if you'd like to keep it on hand to refer to later. It is easy and fast to use!

if you'd like to try a training your dog a trick or a command, scroll down to the page and voila - you can even print it out on a piece of paper to have a handy 'cheat sheet'. It's much faster than going through a physical book attempting to find it.

Well, the short of it really is: Buy the PDF. It is fabulous for training dogs and studying about them, it works even if you've got an older dog ( not a puppy ) or multiple dogs in your house that need to be trained. Your dogs will enjoy the challenge and so will you! If you want your dog to sit, stay, and fetch, download this book!

Dog Food Ingredients - What Are Your Really Feeding Your Dog?

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:17:42 -0500

Why are dog food ingredients lists so hard to figure out? It's like some secret language. But you need to learn to translate your ingredients in your dog food. If you don't, you could be feeding your best friend food that prevents optimal health and even causes some health problems down the road.

How in the world are you supposed to figure out what all these ingredients mean? You've heard of corn, but what is corn gluten meal? Is it good for your dog? The dog food companies spend lots of money in advertising telling us they are feeding our dogs exactly what they need. But unfortunately, we found out the hard way, with all the pet food recalls, that the pet food companies care more about their bottom line. The good thing that came out of the pet food recalls was that more organic and natural dog food alternatives are now available to us.

But it's not hard to figure out what is in your pet food so you can compare with other brands. Here are some of the more common "tricks" to reading dog food ingredients lists:

1. You can get a feel to the quality of the dog food by looking at the first 5 - 10 ingredients, as these make up the majority of the dog.

2. Look for natural preservatives, such as vitamins E and C (also shown as tocopherols and ascorbic acid). Inferior dog foods still use BHT, BHA, and Ethoxyquin. These chemical preservatives have been banned from use in human food.

3. When looking at your ingredients, be aware of multiple ingredients in the same "family", corn for example. You may look and see ingredient #4 is corn bran, #7 is corn flour, and #8 is corn gluten meal. This makes the corn look like it is less of a major ingredient. But if you added the weights of #4, #7, and #8 together and called it corn, it could jump up to the #2, maybe even #1 spot. Is it legal? Totally. Is it sneaky? Definitely.

4. Listing just a meat as a top 2 ingredient. If the actual meat is listed (i.e. chicken) , and not a meat meal (i.e. chicken meal), then the meat is weighed with all moisture in tact. Meal, on the other hand, has most of the moisture removed first. Therefore, the amount of protein in one pound of chicken will be less than in one pound of chicken meal. Keeping the moisture in the meat makes it weigh heavier, keeping it in the beginning of the dog food ingredients list.

So you really do need to read and understand your dog food ingredients label to figure out your dog food. You might be surprised to find out your current food is garbage, or that it is a fantastic food for your beloved pet. Whatever you do, though, don't look at the dog food packaging. Instead, look at the actual ingredients label. The bag may say it is made with fresh chicken and vegetables, but a look at the ingredients list will tell you the truth.