Dog Grooming

Writen by J. Howard Moore

Dog Grooming & Routine Care

All dogs need regular grooming. It improves the appearance of short coated dogs, and is essential for those with long coats. It also does much to stop unwanted hair on the furniture and carpets. Start as soon as you get your dog or puppy. If you get dogs used to grooming from an early age they will accept it as a normal routine and become to enjoy it.

For the shorter haired dogs a fairly firm clothes brush will be sufficient, but if you need one that's a bit stiffer your local pet store should have a wide choice of brushes. Regular brushing will remove the loose hair and give a shine to the dogs coat. For long haired breeds a strong steel comb as well as a brush is essential. So many owners think they are grooming their dogs when they are actually only running a brush over the surface of the tangled coat. A daily grooming should prevent the formation of matts and tangles, even in spaniels and poodles.

Parasites

Remember while grooming your dog to look for parasites such as fleas and lice which may have been picked up by your dog. To see how to deal with these, please visit our pet website which is shown below.

You may also find grass seeds in the coat, and especially between the toes. These, if not removed, may penetrate the skin causing painful abscesses. A daily examination of the coat will also give you the opportunity to check for skin irritations that may need attention.

Foot Care.

The feet should be examined daily, especially the hairy types of dog such as spaniels, for the presence of thorns. It is better to keep the hair between the toes and under the pads trimmed short, and to wash the feet after exercise in muddy weather. The accumulation of grit and hard packed mud under the pads may contribute to the formation of cysts or boils on the feet. Keeping your dogs feet clean is a must.

Author - John Moore - Family man and animal lover. Please use my link http://www.pet-dog-cat.com.

Safety In The Fresh Air And The Outdoors For Your Cat How To Build A Cattery

Writen by Niall Kennedy

Animal welfare organizations and humane societies have been very successful in helping people to accept that their cats are safer living exclusively indoors, especially in urban areas. However, cat lovers still want to give their cats a chance to enjoy fresh air and all the sights and sounds that come with it. One way to do this safely is to create a cattery.

The term cattery originally referred to a facility that kept and bred colonies of cats. Today, the term is being used to describe a sort of pet playpen. A home cattery is an enclosed, outdoor area in which a pet cat can bask in the sun or exercise. The site can be a lawn, a porch or an apartment balcony, and a variety of building plans can be found on the Internet. The important ingredients of a cattery are size, security and access.

How big to build depends on the activity level of your cat and the amount of space available. If you have an acrobatic cat living in your apartment, you might try to build a structure taller than it is wide, with several ledges for her to jump around on. If your cat is more sedentary and you have a large yard, you might create a cattery that has one or two shelves, but has cat grass and catnip planted inside to provide sensory stimulation.

A cattery can be made from wooden posts and wire mesh. Be certain that all sharp edges are covered or made inaccessible to your cat. If you have a door to enter/exit the cattery, make sure it can be latched securely. Check the cattery frequently for holes or loose spots in the mesh. Make sure that the cattery has a roof. It doesn't have to be expensive - a sheet of strong cloth attached to the sides will do - something to keep your cat in, and anything else out.

If you build your cattery on your porch or balcony, include a cat door so your pet can come in and go out as she pleases. Put some cat toys out for her, and research what non-toxic plants you might put inside to make it like a jungle. Some people hang bird feeders outside the cattery to attract birds for their cat to watch. A scratching post and sturdy climbing pole are just the thing to encourage your cat to exercise.

Keep the cattery clean. Providing a litter box will cut down on the amount of clean up you need to do. Be sure to place a large, clean bowl of water in the cattery so your cat has access to fresh liquid as she needs it. If you have a problem with bugs then you should consider bug-proof food dishes. If you leave your cat in the cattery for long periods of time, don't forget to stock her with a bowl of dry cat food and make sure she has a way to get out of the sun or rain/snow, or make sure this is an area that is sheltered from extremes of weather.

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How To Paper Train A Puppy Without Ruining Your Floor Staining Your Carpet Amp Pulling Out Your Hair

Writen by Caroline Kent

You've just adopted the cutest, tiniest teacup Chihuahua puppy! You've brought him home and got him accustomed to his surroundings.

And now it's "housetraining a new puppy" time!

Uh, oh! But, there's one small problem. You've got to keep your puppy inside or that big ol' dog next door will eat him for breakfast! Or perhaps you live in an area, such as a city, house, or apartment where there is no access to a yard or fenced-in area?

Obviously, your cute teacup puppy can't use the litter box with the cat!

Now you're sweating at the thought of urine stains on your beautiful Persian carpet or a pile of poop on your expensive exotic hardwood flooring! You can relax, because there is a solution!

Housetraining a new puppy can easily be done inside by paper training!

Here are some basic guidelines for paper training a puppy:

1. Place several layers of newspaper in a spot that is away from the puppy's feeding and watering dishes.

After your puppy eats and drinks, take him to the papers. Also take your puppy to the papers, to urinate and defecate, the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. He must also be taken to the papers after he chews, plays hard, and comes out of his crate.

2. Change the papers after each time that the puppy uses them.

Under the fresh papers, put a lightly soiled one. Your puppy will be encouraged to go to the bathroom by the scent left on the soiled paper.

3. Clean underneath the papers with an odor neutralizer.

If you fail to do so, your puppy will smell his scent on the floor and start sniffing around the edge of the paper. That's a no, no! You want to keep your puppy ON the paper and using an odor neutralizer will keep him focused on using the bathroom on the paper!

4. Clap your hands to startle your puppy if he makes a mistake.

Please! Just startle him. Don't scare the poor thing half to death! This will distract your puppy and stop him from urinating. Pick him up and take him to the paper where you want him to go. Lavishly praise your puppy when he finishes going to the bathroom!

5. Don't go BALISTIC if your puppy urinates or defecates off of the papers.

Don't punish him by spanking, yelling, or rubbing his nose in the mess! Remember, your puppy is just a baby. He made a mistake; he did not commit the crime of the century!

6. Do not use a product containing ammonia to clean up after your puppy.

Urine contains ammonia and that lovely familiar scent will invite your puppy to urinate again on that very same spot! If you are concerned about permanent odor or staining, putting plastic or waxed paper underneath the papers will help preserve your carpet or flooring.

7. You must be consistent.

Put your puppy on a schedule. If you alter the schedule or let your puppy do something differently one day and not the next, he will get confused!

8. Keep a close eye on your puppy.

Never, ever leave an untrained puppy alone in your house! Doing so is just asking for trouble!

9. Carry your puppy to different parts of your apartment or house and say "papers!"

Then, carry him back to the papers. This will train your puppy to go to the papers when he has the desire to go to the bathroom!

Paper training a puppy requires a great deal of consistency, a little common sense, and meticulous attention to clean up. With a little effort and patience, your puppy will eventually understand what you want him to do. In time, going to the bathroom on the papers will become second nature to him.

And you will have survived paper training a puppy!

For a free dog training guide containing more tips on paper training a puppy, be sure to visit: http://freedogtrainingguide.com/