You invite granny to the house. As she enters, your dog gleefully leaps on her, causing her to knock her head against the wall. Ouch, Grandma!

An extreme example? Maybe. How about this:

Everyone’s dressed nicely, and is ready to go out for dinner at your favourite restaurant. There’s just enough time to take your dog for a quick walk so that she can do her “business”. She prances through a mud puddle accidentally on the way back to the house. Just as you’re thinking about wiping her paws off, she thinks it’s playtime and starts to jump all over you. Now your pants are FILTHY. Time to change!! Yahoo!!

Dangerous for grandma? Yes. Inconvenient and annoying for you and your guests? Right. Does your dog jump up on people too much?

It’s a problem that has some easy solutions.

Here are some answers.

LOOK AT ME! ME! ME!

Dogs jump up on people because they’re excited to see them. When you arrive home, he’s excited to see you, and BOOM! he jumps up on you or your guest. This is not the best way for your dog to express his doggy excitement, and you can show him this. When your dog tries to get your attention by showing this wrong behaviour, don’t give it to him.

When you give your dog positive or negative attention, you’re showing him that his behaviour is OK. A few simple yet highly effective methods are available to change the way your dog acts.

TURN AWAY:

Your dog thinks that jumping on you is the best way to get your attention. When your dog gets ready to jump on you, turn your back. Completely ignore her, and don’t even make eye contact until she’s stopped jumping up. Once she settles down, praise her immediately. This will reinforce the idea in her mind that she can get lots of nice attention only when she’s NOT jumping on people.

SWAP TIME?

While turning away can be effective, you may want another trick up your sleeve. You can encourage them to display a different behaviour by giving them the Sit command, for example. Your pet will quickly begin to understand that NOT jumping on people will get them better quality attention.This method only works if you give your dog lots of positive attention when they display the correct behaviour.

Dogs jump on us because they love us, right? However, if she jumps on children or elderly people, someone could get hurt. In order to avoid this, it’s best to use some effective training methods and be firm and kind with your dog.

2 SECRETS:

* Dogs jump up on you because they love you, and are excited to see you

* By giving them give positive or negative attention, you reinforce their behaviour

2 SOLUTIONS:

* Turn away when he jumps

* Give a command: Sit, Go to your place

Remember, a courteous dog is liked by all.

If you have horses and frequently travel with them around the country then you will be aware of how your horse reacts to being put into a horsebox. When it comes to horseboxes bigger is always better for both you and your horse. A larger horsebox can accommodate more horses.

For years now people have been using horseboxes as a way to transfer their horses around, traditional horseboxes are very basic and can’t accommodate any more that four horses at one time.

However now there is a new toy on the scene. The horse wagon; haorse wagons are massive to say the least. Imagine a bus that has been converted to take up to eight horses plus living quarters for up to four adults including beds, skins and cookers.

So just why are people starting to buy these super horse wagons? Think of it this way, if you were going to be competing and had to sleep in the back of a transit van would you feel rested and ready for the next day’s events? No I didn’t think so and the same goes for your horses, by forcing them to spend the night in a cramped horsebox you aren’t properly resting them for the event. A horse wagon acts as a home away from home for your horses.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a weekend in one of these huge horse wagons and I must say it was rather splendid. The beds were as you would expect to find in a hotel and the kitchen was of a better standard than I have in my home. It had a fullsized shower and when it was my turn to compete I was perfectly rested as were my horses.

As you might expect such luxuries come at a price; the typical wagons start at around 60,000 and the prices keep on climbing the higher the specification. You have to see a horse wagon as an investment but I wouldn’t rush out to buy one if I was just starting in the wonderful world of equestrian.

All of our animals like to help us. It may be in big ways or small but their need to nurture, protect and love is as strong as ours. Through learning animal communication you can identify your animal’s job.

In a multi-animal house there are sometimes problems for all sorts of reasons; a clash in personalities, a squabble over the favourite chair or have you considered a feeling of redundancy? Have all the best jobs gone? Does the newest addition feel left out?

This is especially true in a multi-animal environment. If one animal takes the responsibility of guarding the house, another welcomes guests and other is the clown making everyone laugh, what job does the fourth animal do?

Your animal might pick his own job and simply get on with it, but sometimes they need our help in suggesting a role for them. Look at their personality, their preferences. It’s no good asking a timid dog to guard the house. He will only get stressed.

They might have a seemingly smaller role like being your comforter; whenever you are upset it is their job to bring you affection or make you smile again. But perhaps it is more complex than that?

Don’t forget to thank them, even if you are not sure of their job. Animals thrive on praise as much as we do. Thank you dog for making you laugh, your cat for his affection and your budgie for brightening your day.

Does one particular animal always appear when you are feeling down? Then this is your comforter! Another might encourage you to get some fresh air, or make you laugh, or simply be an unselfish companion who loves you unconditionally. Thank them, for they take their jobs seriously and, like us, they will blossom with praise.

Animals have a role in big or small ways and our pets are no exception. Through learning animal communication you will not only enrich their lives by listening to their needs, your own life will be enriched too. Animal communication will strengthen the bond between you both and a greater understanding will exist, one of many mutual benefits.

There’s a lot of information to sift through as you consider buying vet insurance for your dog or cat. There are a lot of pet health insurance companies out there and it’s hard to know who is best. Be sure to comparison shop based on which policy will be most affordable and offer your pet the most coverage should he become ill. Generally speaking the higher your deductible and the more routine care you are willing to pay for out of pocket, the more affordable your pet insurance coverage will be.

Clearly, if you regard your pet as a family member, you don’t want to ever be in the situation where deciding to save your pet’s life is impossible due to financial constraints. Nor do you want to go broke paying for medical treatment. With so many pricey medical options these days, many people find themselves offered treatment at the vet for extending their pet’s life, only to be in a position where they’re not able to pay for it.

The Cost of Medical Care For Pets Is On The Rise

You probably pay for health care coverage for the other members of your family with an insurance plan through your job or an independent insurance company. Making sure your pets medical needs are insured is similarly important. In fact, the concept of pet care health insurance is not new and has been around for years. However, as medical care for dogs and cats has become more expensive, it’s no longer a trivial matter to pay for pet medical procedures out of pocket. Having pet medical insurance coverage is a necessity if you’re going to be able to afford any of the more-complicated procedures or treatments.

Be sure to read the fine print when choosing medical coverage for your pet. Not all insurance plans cover the same thing, so you can’t just expect to get by on whichever plan has the lowest monthly payment. Be sure to find out what your deductible is, whether there is a cap on how much money the plan will reimburse you for your pet’s care, and whether there are any medical treatments or procedures the plan won’t cover.

The nature of vet insurance is that if you don’t read the policy carefully now, you could get burned by a nasty surprise once you actually incur an expense and need to use the policy to reimburse you or your veterinarian. Be sure you fully understand what your policy does and does not cover. Talk to a customer service representative if necessary to make sure your questions are answered.

Another question to ask is whether you’ll be using your plan for routine care, like checkups and vaccinations, or if it is only applicable for catastrophic events. Generally, the less you plan to use the pet insurance policy to pay for your pet’s regular vet costs, the less you’re going to have to pay for it. Putting a high deductible on the plan is another way to keep your costs down.

One thing you have to realize about pet health insurance is that the insurance companies are out to make money. Most likely you’ll pay a little more in premiums than you’ll ever get back from reimbursements, but if something big and bad and expensive DOES happen, at least you know you’ll be covered. But since they are out to make a profit, don’t think you can sign up an already sick pet for coverage and have it be paid for. You have to sign up for the pet insurance policy while the dog or cat is still healthy.

If your pet does get very sick or have an accident or injury, the medical treatment can be very expensive. Pet insurance makes the most sense in covering the costs of these types of catastrophes, but all the same, let’s hope they never happen to your pet.

We all know that hamster toys are a necessary part of any rodent’s life. Pet stores offer a ton of different options for our little pets. It’s easy to find running toys for hamsters. There are even toys available that are meant to encourage rodents to dig and climb.

Not all of us have the chance to buy hamster toys though. Maybe you don’t live very close to a pet store. Or maybe you just can’t be bothered to spend a lot of money on a variety of different toys for your hamster. Regardless of the reason, there is an easy solution to this problem – homemade hamster toys. Keep reading for some basic ideas.

Probably the simplest hamster toy you can make for your hamster is a tunnel. All you need to do is give him a cardboard tube. For small hamsters, use a toilet paper roll. If your pet is a bit bigger, you may want to consider using a paper towel roll tube. Simply place the cardboard tube in the cage and let your little buddy play. If you want to get really creative, glue a few tubes together and give your pet a real challenge.

Another great hamster toy that can be made for cheap is a simple box. All you need to do is take an empty Kleenex box and put it in your pet’s cage. Make sure you remove any plastic from the box before doing so. This way your hamster won’t eat anything that he’s not supposed to. Rodent’s love to hide and the Kleenex box allows him to do this. For real creative individuals, you can even take this toy a step further by connecting a few boxes with cardboard tubes. Make your little buddy a hamster castle!

The next toy I want to discuss is a bit tougher to make. It’s a hamster maze. Although it’s not easy, putting a bit of time into making this particular toy is definitely worth it. Hamster’s absolutely love mazes! Start off with an empty flat of soda. Cut out an entrance on one side and an exit on the other. Now get yourself some scrap cardboard and start cutting it into strips. Glue the strips inside the flat of soda to create the maze. Try to make the inside walls a good height. We don’t want your hamster cheating.

As you can see, it’s pretty easy to make your own hamster toys. All it takes is a bit of time and creativity. Next time you come across an interesting piece of cardboard, think about how to could be converted into a hamster toy. Your pet will love you for it.

Nipping and biting is one of the biggest behaviour problems that almost all dog owners go through when they get a new puppy. Dogs nip and bite as a form of learning about there surroundings. What taste good, what’s hard, what’s soft, and much more can be learnt through nipping. Nipping is annoying though and all dogs need to learn that it’s not ok to nip people.

Be the Alpha Dog

The first thing you need to do is be the Alpha Dog. Below I have list a summary of the key things you can do to ensure that you are the Alpha Dog.

Always walk through doorways first.

Always eat before your dog.

Respond to any bad behaviour immediately.

Make your dog move if its in your way – don’t walk around it.

Give your dog its own bed; never let it sleep on yours.

Never participate in rough play with your dog as this encourages nipping.

Be consistent and never allow nipping – this means not play fighting with your dog. You shouldn’t really participate in games where you are going head to head with your dog (such as tug of war) as these also encourage nipping.

If your puppy bites you – ignore it.

When you get nipped by your puppy, make a high pitched noise to demonstrate pain. Immediately after stop playing with your dog and give it absolutely no attention for a full 15 minutes. This teaches your puppy that nipping ends the fun.

Make snatching unacceptable.

When your puppy snatches food from your hand, don’t tolerate it. Immediately turn your back on your puppy and don’t give him the food for a full five minutes. After 5 minutes has passed, turn back to your dog and attempt to give him the food again. First make your dog sit and then slowly gift him the food. If he snatches again you’ll need to repeat the process. Eventually your dog will understand that snatching is not ok.

Be Consistent in your Expectations

As with teaching anything things to dogs, consistency is a real key. You must make a conscious decision that biting will not be accepted and then rule it out altogether. Allowing your dog/puppy to bite some times but not others only confuses him.

For more information about dog training, and training dogs not to bite, visit the link listed below.

We have all heard it before – plan before you start any major project. Well a Koi pond design is no different. Building a Koi pond is a big project. Poor planning will certainly cause it to be more expensive than you planned and take a lot longer to get it completed.

The shape of your pond is an important aspect of design. Many factors impacting the design of the pond you won’t be able to control. Certainly there will be existing landscape features, structures on the property, grade and slope of the property, etc. that will have to be considered. Always lay out several potential designs with rope or garden hose and view them from all angles. Make sure you view them from inside as well as outside and from second stories that may overlook the pond.

Your Koi pond design also needs to careful plan for the depth of the pond. Koi can get to be big fish and will need adequate room to swim not only laterally but also vertically. Plan for a minimum depth of four feet. If you can go deeper so much the better. Ideally abut 6 -8 ft. will be as deep as you need. This deeper pond will also help with keeping the water temperature more stable in the summer and winter.

Certainly the bigger the pond, the more fish you can put in it, but there are always limitations. The smallest practical size for a Koi pond is about 6 feet by 9 feet, and 4 feet deep. This size pond will hold about 1600 gallons of water. In calculating the actual depth of your pond, don’t forget that there is usually about six inches from the water line to the top edge of the pond.

Keeping your Koi pond design simple is important. A simple design, while it may not look that spectacular on paper, will allow for better water circulation and filtration. You can always spruce up the design with landscape plantings. To keep your fish healthy and thriving you want o make sure the pond is kept clean and has the proper chemical balance. A simple design will make this a lot easier.

The best simple design shape is a rectangular or oblong pond. The rectangular design more easily allows the placement of multiple drains thus providing better filtration. It will minimize or eliminate dead areas that have poor or no water circulation.

The location of your pond is a very important part of Koi pond design. It should be where you will enjoy it the most. Most people prefer to have it as the central or focal point of a backyard or garden. Being able to view it from a balcony, deck or back porch can be very spectacular.

As you determine that perfect place, consider these issues. A pond in full sun is perfect for algae growth. Incorporate elements into your design to provide some shade. A pond under a tree is going to get dirty with debris and eventually cause the acidity to rise if not watched carefully. A pond next to large trees could find the pond liner pierced or concrete cracked by the roots. Keep your pond away from any locations that can have excessive rain water runoff. Make sure your pond not located to close to plants that require the use of harmful insecticides.

Every pet owner would love to do away with dog behavioral problems. You have to admit that if you are a pet owner then you have dealt with this type of issue at least once. With all the animal lovers in the world statics show that most people love to own dogs over any other animal.

No pet owner thinks that dealing with dog behavioral problems is fun; however it is something that can not be neglected. If you are a pet owner then it is time to take control; especially if your little furry friend is trying to take control of your home.

You Can Train Dogs Quickly: The good thing is that you can easily train a dog with new behavior quickly and easily. Dogs are quick to pick up new habits and behaviors than we as humans are.

Gentle Training: If you are pet owner who is frustrated with dog training it is important to be gentle with your dog. Dogs will respond better when they are not afraid of their owner and they are receiving gentle training.

Humane: You should always seek humane methods to train your pet when dealing with dog behavioral problems. The internet is full of all type of training materials that will help get your dog acting and behaving the way that you want them to.

As long as your dog is not being aggressive towards you then you will realize that it is very easy to train your own dog. Visit our site below and grab your FREE 6 day ecourse that is filled with valuable tips and information on how to get rid of dog behavioral problems for good.

Owning a pet has many health benefits. Many studies have shown that owning a pet can help us lead happier, healthier lives and even may help us to live linger. Some people have pets for status or fashion owning a pet can give you health benefits that we never imagined.

Pets can even help people to overcome fears and forget painful memories. Psychologists agree that having pets is very beneficial, especially for personality development for children. Some psychologists encourage parents to have pets for young children to help teach responsibility and other valuable lessons.

Taking care of a pet, however, is a lifetime commitment. You have to provide them their basic needs, such as food, shelter, and medicine. You also have to spend some time with them. But don’t you agree that it is only fair that we should experience such minor “inconveniences” in exchange for all the good things that our beloved pets have done for us?

In these times of financial uncertainty, it is best if there is something that could help us in providing our pets with the best veterinary care. Nowadays, more owners are investing their money in pet insurance because you can never predict when disaster would strike your adorable animal companion.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Sometimes we can’t prevent everything. Despite our best intentions sometimes our pets become ill or can be injured. Purchasing pet insurance to prepare for such a situation will ensure that you are prepared to deal with emergency illness treatment for your beloved pets.

There are even insurance plans for your pet should they go missing or died suddenly. Even though money can not bring back your pet or replace them, the funds may help by allowing you to donate then to a shelter in your pet’s name. Sometimes pets can injure others, pet liability insurance can help us pay for damages our pets my cause.

Pet insurance, like other insurances will cost a monthly premium. Most policies cover 80% of your pet’s healthcare costs. Do your research to make sure your pets will not be disqualified for a pre-existing condition.

If you have breeds that are prone to congenital or breed specific diseases you may have some trouble insuring your pet. Make sure you check the fine print of policies to ensure your pet is covered if you have such a breed.

Having pet insurance for your pet is such a small thing to do in return for all that we receive from our pets. Taking good care of your pets health will not only serve your pet but will also give you peace of mind.

Male dogs are usually more aggressive and destructive, particularly in small spaces are the typical characteristics of male dogs as held by some dog owners. If you want to have dogs that are better to school and more loving in nature, then you might as well settle for the female dogs as they are perceived to have those characteristics. Dependent the dog type, these stereotypes may be true or not. Choosing a female dog means either taking the initiative to neuter, or deal with the issue of the dog being in heat. If you just can’t get rid of those cute litters of puppies then you are more likely to take for granted the need to do something for doggy birth control.

You should know that the menopause is not something that female dogs have, so giving birth almost all their lives is possible as compared to the human female who not only has change of life but tends to give birth for a longer period of time. Guarding your female dog is an activity that you are expected to do for weeks in every year because male dogs either from your neighbor or those stray ones can catch her scent no matter how far they are. On the other hand, it would become a financial gain to have a female dog, if that particular dog is a pedigree that you just can type.

To mark their territorial dominion, which be from the outside of your home or even just around the corners of your room is something that male dogs can’t really avoid doing. They do the marking of their “spot” by peeing on that part so that they won’t have the trouble finding it again. You can try to train a dog not to mark his territorial dominion, but you’re asking him to go against his instincts. If you already have a male dog in your house and you have add another, then a fight on who becomes the boss is likely to be witnessed between those dogs. The dominance over the home is something that even the smaller dogs would fight for against the larger male dogs in order to insist who among them got there first.

Just like with humans where opposites attract, the same goes with dogs of dissimilar sexes. Although male dogs seem to be more vicious with each other than female dogs, some females don’t want to share their space with another dog. Usually, when it comes to household training, female dogs are easier to manage than male dogs and they adhere to the rules more sensibly, although that is not usually applicable in all cases since each and every breed has its own distinct features so it may still vary and that will also depend on the ability of the dog trainer on how well he could control the dogs. Male dogs are considered as more lively and active, but, there are certain breeds with both their males and females possessing the nature of being temperamental. Ask the regular individual shopping for a dog and you’ll find many are looking for a female dog. The idea that those dogs which are easier to school and less hostile are the female ones is more likely to be the thought that they think in.

But, being highly temperamental is a fact with most female dogs that those people tend to forget. Dog breeders tend to favor male dogs as an easier pet to handle. In determining how a dog will behave, depending on the essence of what the sex can tell you with regards to its characteristics is not enough to give you the facts you need. There are breeds that set aside the sex since some of their features are likely to be retained such as being calm and tolerant whether the dog is a female or a male. But males and females of breeds which are energetic, nippy and difficult to manage usually have those characteristics within them.

Since there’s no scientific proof that predicts the characteristics of males compare with females, then, deciding what gender of the dog would be best for you is likely to depend to your own subjective choice. Your choice is more likely to be influenced by your childhood memories of having a pet or your desire to have the kind of pet that your friend also has.

Maybe you remember the gentle female Collie who lovingly cared for litter after litter of pups as the ideal dog. Or you think about the rough and tumble large male dog that could run hard, play tirelessly and keep up with the most curious children. If that’s what leads you to determine whether a male or female is the best dog to have, then go with your feelings. Whatever selection you make, as long as you have thought about it well, then that will unquestionably be the right one for you.