Things To Consider Before You Adopt A Chihuahua By Clarence Clark

Chihuahuas are loving pets. They are small enough for you to cuddle. They are very alert and they make an excellent guard dog. Every dog lovers would love to have a Chihuahua as a house pet. But before you get one for yourself, there are some things to consider before you adopt a Chihuahua.

There are some things that your need to review before adopting a Chihuahua. If you are willing to adopt a Chihuahua, are you mentally prepared to be fully committed to take care of this pet no matter what happens?

When it comes to adopting a Chihuahua, it matters a lot whether the dog that you adopt is an adult or a puppy.

Generally, Chihuahua puppies are easier to take care. Adopting a baby Chihuahua is definitely an advantage, as you will get to raise it up according to your wish. This also helps to ensure that the pup gets proper treatment and it will eventually grow up to a healthy and happy adult Chihuahua. By getting the chance to train the Chihuahua personally, you will get to forge a stronger bond with your pup. As such, both of you will be best friends in no time.

A Chihuahua puppy is able to adjust to new surrounding better than adult Chihuahuas. However, you must be prepared of some damage that it might cause in the house. This calls for house training. Again, this will take quite some time but if you train your Chihuahua well, she can be very obedient.

Adult Chihuahuas do not require much attention. This is because they already have certain behaviors established. But adult Chihuahuas can be temperamental, so keep a look out for that.

The thing about adult Chihuahua is that it is difficult to re-train the dog again. The dog is too accustomed with its own habit such that it resists any changes. As such, you will have to put up with any disturbing habits from your Chihuahua.

Overall, Chihuahuas are very fragile creatures. They can be severely injured with just a fall. As Chihuahuas can be pretty adventurous both in and out of the house, they love to climb on high surfaces. As aforementioned, these pets are very fragile. Thus, if you are thinking of adopting a Chihuahua, check to see if your house is well protected. As these dogs are tiny, we tend to step on them and such. They might go missing at times and it pretty hard to keep a look out for them especially if you have a big house.

So, if you are not prepared to play hide and seek, it is best that you adopt a dog that is slightly bigger than the Chihuahua.

Chihuahuas are definitely adorable, but because of its small size, they are more prone to diseases. Some of the healthy problems would include respiratory problems and dehydration. Because of this, you got to spend quite a large sum of money for regular check ups.

These fragile Chihuahuas have weak ligaments that cause the kneecap to float in and out of place. So, if you plan to make your Chihuahua be your jogging partner, think again.

The Chihuahua is such a delicate creature such that it is almost impossible for it to live by itself, unlike other dogs.

A Chihuahua would require your 100% attention all the time. And if you fail to do so, it might get pretty upset and jealous. It is best that you get a friendly and east going dog for adoption, if you think that you are not up to the challenge.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259327&ca=Pets

Basic Horse Training Aids To Help You Get Started By Michael Paetzold

There are tools for every trade, and the right set of horse training aids can make the difference between success and frustration. Don’t be tempted to skimp on this area of investment.

All horse training is serious business. The average animal outweighs the trainer by an impressive margin, and the horse training aids you choose can help prevent serious injury.

-- Rope Halter

The most basic of horse training aids is the halter and lead rope combination. A rope halter will facilitate tying and leading, and works better than a flat halter because it will prevent leaning while at the same time being comfortable for the horse. The halter is placed on the animal’s head.

-- Lead Rope

The lead rope is attached to the halter and used to direct or “steer” the horse. In many ways this horse training aid is like a leash.

-- Longe Line

The term longeing refers to the set of training skills used to teach a horse direction, posture, and how to yield or move off pressure. And the longe line is the training aid used to accomplish this.

-- Progress String

In most cases, this horse training aid is a thin, braided rope with an eye splice at one end and leather “popper” at the other. This device is used in many ways.

You can apply a progress string as a visual aid. For instance, to let the horse know when he is in your space.

Also you can use this tool to make physical contact from the saddle. The progress string is not heavy enough to cause a horse any pain, but the popper end make s a distinct noise when applied, and can work in place of a crop.

-- Large Rubber Ball

Perhaps a less traditional horse training aid is a large rubber ball, like the kind you can buy at any toy store. This aid is great for conditioning the horse’s nerves.

You can roll the ball around in front of the horse, and even roll it gently into the horse’s legs. Also, while in the saddle, you can direct the horse into the ball and gently guide the animal to move the ball around with its legs.

This sort of training will help you desensitize your horse to unexpected movement and objects, thus decreasing the likelihood of getting spooked.

-- Plastic Tarp

Another tool for developing the horse’s courage, a common plastic tarp is an inexpensive and effective training aid. Start by laying the tarp out in the training area and leading your horse over it, or even asking the horse to walk over the tarp on its own.

As you know, a tarp can get pretty noisy when walked on. And it will create the illusion of strange footing.

You could even slowly work into an exercise where you place the tarp over your horse’s back, possibly completely covering him or her with the tarp. This not only develops the horses’ trust in you, it also simulates noisy brush and other riding situations and helps desensitize the horse to such conditions.

This list of horse training aids will give you plenty to work with in the beginning. Of course as training progresses you will need more advanced tools and tactics.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259968&ca=Pets

Hiking With Your Dog: What To Take With You By Ben Anton

Taking your dog on a hike with you can be an enjoyable experience, provided you have the right hiking gear to accommodate the both of you. Taking your best friend along shouldn’t bog you down with extra gear but you will need to consider where you are going and how long you plan to hike in order to ensure you have what you need for a safe trip.

Whether hiking for an afternoon or taking an overnight trek, you should make sure to stock your backpack with the following items to help Fido, Lassie or whom ever you take with you have as much fun as you do.

• Adequate water for both you and your dog. If you know that there will be water sources along the route, carry a water bottle with you that you can refill if needed. If you are unsure about water availability, pack 1-2 quarts of water for your dog for a day hike plus enough for yourself. Collapsible dog bowls are good for dogs that may not drink from a stream or from a water bottle.

• A leash. Most trail ways require that your dog be on a leash or harness while hiking. A leash will also help keep order should there be a lot of dogs on the trail with you.

• First aid kit items. Most pet injuries while hiking occur on the pads of their feet. The pads can easily be cut on sticks, stones and roots in the ground. You should stop hiking intermittently to check your dogs paw pads for cuts or blisters. Have the appropriate bandages and disinfectants with you in case this happens.

• Proper ID tags for your pet. The dog tags should include information on your pet’s vaccination as well as your home address and phone number. Make sure the rabies tag that you received from your veterinarian is attached to your dog’s collar.

• Clean-Up Items. Zip-lock bags are great for hiking trips to reduce the odor of the feces while on your hike. Be sure to pick up all your dog’s feces while hiking using paper towels or your bag and dispose of it in a garbage container. Also carry a towel to clean off your dog should he or she get into dirt or water. • Snacks or Treats. Your dog will get tired just as you will. Make sure to pack a few treats to keep him energized until you get back home. However, you don’t want to over-feed your dog while hiking or they may get sick. Treats can also be helpful in getting your dog’s attention should they run off unexpectedly.

Above all, make sure your dog is up to the challenge of an afternoon hike. Make sure they are healthy and well-nourished before setting out on the hike. Older dogs should be treated to a trail way with a level terrain and with little to no incline. Small dogs should be taken on well groomed trails that won’t have a lot of low hanging brush or leaves that may cause eye or skin irritation.

Pay attention to the signs your dog may give while on a hike that there is something wrong. If they avoid the sunshine or lay underneath leaves they may be dehydrated and need to stop for a long drink of water. If their stride becomes labored or if they favor one paw over another, they may have gotten a sliver or cut on their pad. Your dog will tell you what they need while outdoors so long as you listen.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=259592&ca=Pets

5 Tips To Stop Dog Growling By Jacqueline Harris

To make the task of stopping a dog from growling easier, we ought to understand why the dog growls in the first place. Growling is considered to be an assertive behavior which is triggered by any unfamiliar event, person or even another animal. Thus a dog would growl when an unknown or sometimes known entity comes his way. This is his way of saying that he wants to be left alone or he does not approve what he expects would follow.

In other words, he feels threatened. As soon as the approaching person or animal moves away, this would be interpreted as showing respect to the dog and soon the animal should stop growling. Anyone who has a pet dog at home should understand many such myriad ways in which canines communicate so that there could be safe co-existence between the dog and the rest of the family.

This is especially important when the household has children, who are known to be particularly affectionate towards any pet. What happens when someone ignores the growling and continues to approach the dog casually? The dog treats the situation as threatening and expects adverse events to follow. Therefore he may start barking, or even snap and bite the approaching individual or animal as the case may be. Having briefed you so far on the reason why a dog growls, let me provide you with 5 sure-shot tips to stop the dog from growling:

1. It is recommended that you should never punish a dog for growling. Your punishment or reprimand may stop the dog from growling temporarily, but he would develop a latent behavior where he bites or snaps at people, without any warning in future. So the best solution under such circumstances is to respect the animal and let him be. He would stop growling as soon as he realizes that there is nothing disturbing his peace any more.

2. Explain to your children why a dog growls and if the dog starts growling suddenly, they should immediate stop doing whatever they were doing as it is obvious that the dog is getting irritated with their activity. Ask them to simply move away gradually from the dog’s vicinity. Tell them to never run away from the growling dog as it irritates him further. Such incidents must always be
reported to the parents, as then you could focus more on this area while training.

3. It must be understood that dogs growl when intimidated by some one. Sometimes sheer size is perceived as a threat and the dog starts growling. So when a huge man approaches a dog, however kind his intention may be, the dog thinks him to be a threat. In such cases the man should squat and bring himself at the same level as the dog. Then approach him gently with extended hand – palm facing up. Then talk to the dog in a calm and gentle voice.

4. If you find that the dog is growling for no apparent reason and is snapping at every thing, it might be right for you to get a medical check up done for the dog. Your vet could do some tests to check hormonal balance, neurophysiologic functions and allergies, if any. You never know, there could be underlying causes for his growling, which when corrected could stop him from growling.

5. There are some dogs which growl when he is eating and someone gets close. The reason for this is that he is simply possessive about his food and scared that this person might take his food away. To correct this behavior, choose an adult who the dog loves most. Let this adult start feeding the dog and stay close to him while he is eating.

To start with, simply stay with the dog and talk to him with a reassuring and calm voice. Once the dog is used to this, then let the adult approach the dog while he is eating, go on reassuring him with his gentle voice.

Once the dog is used to this habit also let the adult touch the dog with slow and gentle movements while he is eating. Though this procedure to stop him from growling could take a long time, but this happens to be one of the sure-shot ways to reassure a dog and take away the threat element, which makes him growl in the first place.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=258348&ca=Pets