Bearded Collie - Great For The Family
Bearded Collie - Great For The Family
The Bearded Collie is a medium sized dog that weighs between 40-58 pounds. They are 20″ to 22″ in height. Their abundant hair gives the impression that they are larger than they actually are. They have a happy, friendly nature and are not watch dogs in any way as they are friendly with all that they meet.
Recognized by the AKC, the acceptable coat colors for the Bearded Collie are black, grey, tan, brown or fawn with some white markings. When they are puppies, they may or may not have white markings. As they mature, their coat color either fades or changes. The most common colors are black with white or gray with white. Their long, harsh, straight and shaggy outer coat and short, soft, thick undercoat requires a daily brushing to prevent tangles. Their nickname is “beardie” because of the long, shaggy hair under their chin.
This energetic, loving, happy-go-lucky breed makes an excellent family pet. They are people dogs and love to be with their family. They are wonderful for homes with children and other dogs and can do well with other non-canine pets provided they have early socialization. They are enthusiastic, outgoing, and lively and require plenty of exercise and play time. They need a yard to run and roam. Having toys on hand is a good idea if you are going to be gone for an extended period of time. Early training is recommended because they have a stubborn tendency at times. They are easy to train.
Dating back over 500 years, the Bearded Collie originated in Scotland. They are considered to be descendents of the Polish sheepdog. They were bred to heard sheep and cattle, thus explaining their collie name which means herding dog in Scotland. They have also been used for tracking. They are still used as sheep herding dogs in some areas.
Friendly to family and strangers alike, the Bearded Collie will greet all he meets with enthusiasm. Because they require regular outdoor exercise and play, they are best with active families who will give them the activity that they need. Homes with other dogs and children can feel confident in adding a Bearded Collie to their family.
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Five Things To Remember When Introducing Your New Dog to Your Cat
Are you planning to bring a new dog into your cat s home? Be sure to keep these five things in mind to make the introduction less stressful for everyone involved. 1. Give your cat her own space
Whether your cat has spent six months or six years in your home, she has come to identify it as her home. Bringing a dog into her space can be quite upsetting. Help reduce the stress for her by maintaining an area that is clearly her own. Give your cat a place to escape to free from canine intrusions. Eventually, once the dog and cat have gotten to know each other (on their own terms), this won t be necessary. In the beginning, however, it is important that your cat have a place where she can feel at ease and relaxed for her long naps and cleaning sessions! 2. Place the cat food and water in a place your dog can t reach
What might take your cat the better part of the day to eat can take just seconds for your dog to devour. Make sure the cat s food and water is in a spot that is easily reached by your cat but not accessible to your dog. This will not only keep the food from being eaten by the dog but will give your cat a safe place to eat, somewhere where she doesn t have to be on alert while eating. If she doesn t feel safe, she may not eat. You will probably find over time that your cat will start to drink out of your dog s water bowl; perhaps this is her way of reminding your dog who is boss! 3. Keep your cat s nails clipped
If your dog comes too close to your cat she will let him know by doing a kitty growl or hissing and accompanying that with a swipe at his face with her paw. If her nails are sharp that could result in her cutting his face or scratching an eye. This will certainly teach him not to mess with her, but it could be quite painful and even cause some real damage that could require a visit to the vet. It s inevitable that your cat will swipe at your dog to assert her household dominance, so reduce the likelihood of a cut and keep those nails trimmed. 4. Keep the kitty litter out of your dog s reach
Dogs love kitty litter, especially used kitty litter! Some refer to the treasures the dog finds in the kitty litter as Kitty Roca . If you use a clumping kitty litter and your dog ingests too much of it, it could lead to a gastrointestinal blockage. Save yourself the hassle of discovering that your dog loves Kitty Roca and make sure the kitty litter is easy to get to for your cat but out of reach from your dog. 5. Be patient
It s unlikely that your dog and cat will become friends overnight. However, over time you should see their behavior towards each other change for the better provided you do not force it. Some cats take longer to adjust than others. Your cat will probably develop a fairly intense fascination with your dog, always wanting to know where he is and what he is doing. This is partly due to fear and wanting to make sure the dog isn t coming near her and partly due to curiosity. Soon their interactions will become more amicable as the dog learns he can t mess with the cat and the cat sees that the dog isn t trying to hurt her (provided that he isn t!). Be patient and in time you may even see them snuggling on the dog bed!
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Things to Think About Before Acquiring a Rabbit
Rabbits have been popularly kept as pets in Western nations since the 1800s. Rabbits can adjust well to indoor life, and can even be litter box trained. Like all pets, rabbits need a considerable amount of care and attention.
Often people purchase rabbits from a breeder. Many people prefer breeders under suspicion that some pet stores sell cross bred rabbits. Such a breeder who has a litter of young rabbits available for sale can be found in the newspaper classified ads listed under “Pets” or “Livestock.” Some can be found through rabbit breeders’ club publications or through rabbit-related magazines, which often include a breeder listing. With the advent of the Internet, many breeders advertise their stock online.
Finding a local rabbit breeder is generally preferred to shipping rabbits for long distances, as it can be stressful for the animal. Many pet shops nearly always carry smaller breeds of rabbit such as the Netherland dwarf, the Holland lop, and the Mini-Rex. These breeds, although smaller than ‘normal’ rabbits, still live long and healthy lives. A point to note is that often smaller breeds of rabbits are prone to tooth problems such as malocclusion.
Rabbit rescue organizations or a local humane society are increasingly common places to find adult rabbits, who may already be spayed or neutered and docile from handling. Though most rescued rabbits are healthy, some may require special care for health conditions or behavioral problems resulting from prior abuse.
Training and Play
Pet rabbits can be trained to urinate and defecate in a litter box or on a newspaper in a specific corner of a room. The litter box may also be placed inside the rabbit’s cage or the rabbit can be trained to treat the cage itself as the litter box. Litter training becomes much easier once a rabbit is spayed or neutered.
Rabbits cannot learn voice commands like a dog, but can recognize different patterns of the voice. For instance, If a rabbit is disobeying, for example biting, simply make a high pitched noise, or an extremely bass noise and the message will be conveyed. Rabbits can be taught their names, although they recognize the pattern of the noises more then the words. Rabbits are intelligent, and enjoy games and toys.
It is possible to permit a rabbit to run loose in the home if rooms have been rabbit-proofed (i.e. dangerous chewable items such as electric cords are removed from the pet’s reach). Rabbits have a tendency to chew on items in their space, particularly wires, although they can be trained not to chew.
It is important that if a rabbit is allowed to roam in a house that it be impossible for the rabbit to chew or get into dangerous or valuable items. They do not possess the same comprehension as a dog or a cat, and often don’t understand if punished physically; rather they will become scared or confused if some kind of punishment is used, as they do not see the damage they have done. If all this is taken into consideration, rabbits make excellent house pets.
Companionship
Other rabbits
Unneutered rabbits frequently fight when paired with another rabbit of the same gender. Generally fighting is a result of sexual mounting, which is engaged in by rabbits of both sexes upon other rabbits of either sex; this behavior stresses the rabbit being mounted and can make it aggressive toward its cagemate. Unneutered rabbits of opposite sexes will breed rapidly, so a pet owner should not leave them together, even if they do not fight.
Because of these problems, it used to be preferred to keep rabbits caged individually. However, it is becoming common to spay and neuter pet rabbits allowing male and female rabbits to live together. Fighting can result even from pairing altered rabbits. Keeping rabbits in pairs can limit behavioral problems (such as general aggression, biting or withdrawal) which may arise if rabbits are kept single.
Pairs of bonded and desexed rabbits, usually one of each gender to a pair, can often be adopted from animal shelters. These have usually already had all their major expenses taken care of (desexing) and they will rarely fight or harass each other, taking the trouble out of bonding two separate rabbits.
Guinea pigs
Some books recommend keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together to meet their social needs. While some people have seen success with this technique, the current consensus is that rabbits should never be kept in the same cage with guinea pigs. A rabbit can easily harass or injure a guinea pig; this can lead to severe distress or even death for the guinea pig. It may be unintentional or due to being startled, since the rabbit is larger and stronger so can seriously injure a guinea pig. They also have differing nutritional requirements, so it is therefore preferable that rabbits and guinea pigs are fed separately. Guinea pigs require additional Vitamin C in their diets that rabbits don’t. Lack of Vitamin C may lead to scurvy.
Additionally, guinea pigs typically show very little interest in social activities necessary for the rabbit’s well-being, such as grooming; this limits the intended benefit of housing the guinea pig and rabbit together in the first place.
Dogs and cats
It is generally recommended that dogs should never be left alone with rabbits as their predatory instincts (or overenthusiastic play) can lead to the dog attacking the rabbit spontaneously. Cats, on the other hand, can become close and safe potential companions if properly introduced to the rabbit and they are of at least roughly equivalent size. In fact, when the cat is introduced in a home with a resident rabbit, the rabbit sometimes will act aggressively to establish his territory and the cat, which does not have such concerns, will typically cede the point to the resident.
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10 Most Important Tips To Training Your Puppies
All of us dream of parenting the perfect dog, a pup that is a CGC or canine good citizen and is well behaved and dependable at all times. Well dreams do come true if the training is done with care and dedication. Remember pups learn from day one and need to be taught what is right, what is wrong, and proper socialization. Pups are like children, they need constant supervision and training. Training a pup need not be an ordeal all you need to keep in mind are a few simple rules: Until your pup learns you need to keep an eye on him at all times. When you cannot then you must crate him. Create a schedule for the pup this will help the pup settle down quickly. The schedule must include things like hourly bath rooming visits, eating times, rest periods, walks, play time, training, and so on. A pup that has a busy day has no time to be bored and get into mischief. Teach the pup to respect you. Dogs live in packs and instinctively follow a leader. If you establish your leadership in no uncertain terms then training will become easy as the pup will obey you at all times and not challenge your authority. Use only positive training methods. Never shout at, hit, or punish a dog. It is not just cruel but can lead to behavioral problems. Use of electric shocks, prong collars, sprays, and so on could hurt the animal. Teach the pup nothing in life is free. This is a system that is widely acknowledged as a useful training tool. If you practice this, the pup will learn that to get something like love, a walk, or treat, he must behave well. Teach the meaning of No, from day one. Do not encourage behaviors like jumping, mouthing, tug-o-war, barking, or running out of open gates and doors. Praise good behavior and ignore or walk away when there is bad behavior. The pup will learn that if he misbehaves he will loose his companion/playmate. To correct a behavior you must catch the pup in the act and startle him by rattling a can of pebbles. Once you have done this make him correct his behavior and immediately offer him a treat and praise. Pups do not recall what happened earlier so scolding him after an event is of no use. Always call/use his name positively. Never say Bad TOM, or No Tom, this will cause confusion and the pup will think that if you call his name then it is something bad. The pup must associate his name with happy events like hugs, petting, walks, treats, and such. If this happens he will come willingly when you call out his name. Create a training schedule that is short and sweet say 10 minutes thrice a day. Long repetitive lessons can be boring and the pup will loose interest in learning. Make learning fun and use trick training to teach commands like sit, down, come and so on. Bond with the pup and both of you will enjoy your lessons. The pup must look forward to spending time with you and not avoid you by running away or hiding. Be sure to socialize the pup early. Socialization is one of the most important lessons. The pup must learn to be around other animals, people, sounds, vehicles, and other activities. So, slowly introduce the pup when he is little to everyday activities and sounds. Take him to the mall/ park, introduce him to children and other pets, and make him unafraid of the vacuum and garden hose. Learn all about crate training, leash walking, house breaking, as well as food training. These are kindergarten lessons that every pup must master. Know about all the idiosyncrasies as well as peculiarities of the breed this will give you valuable insights on how to successfully train the pup. As a pet-parent you have many choices. You could choose to train the dog yourself or register at a professional training school. Training a dog has many stages: kindergarten, obedience training, doggy sports, showing and conformation, as well as other aspects like therapy dogs, hearing dogs, and so on. What level you choose to train depends on you as well as the learning abilities of your dog. As you know, different dogs like humans have varied talents. Choose well and both you and your pup will have fun times together.
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888Discuss.com/pet/ , the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Pet Forum including topics on pet health, pet care and nutrition, grooming pet at home, dog, cat's health issues and more. He also freelances for the premier Data Recovery site http://www.1888DataRecovery.com
Pets Help Heal
Therapy dogs are dogs that are canine good citizens and are well trained and of a nature that is suitable for interaction with humans who are unwell. Studies have shown that interaction with pets and the special bonding it brings, helps the sick heal faster and trauma patients are known to come out of silence, grieving, or shock by interacting with pets. An innovative program set up by Therapy Dogs International is children reading to dogs. Handlers and their dogs visit libraries and schools regularly and interact with children who have trouble reading. The dogs make friends with children who are encouraged to read the dog a story. The friendship and bonding between the child and dog as well as the non judgmental attitude of the happy animal encourages the child to read aloud to the dog who sits with a smile on his face and a wag in his tail. The interaction instills confidence in the child as well as improved learning. Therapy dogs also provide valuable relief during disasters by helping affected families and persons as also relief workers. The animals provide comfort and an understanding that is invaluable in sad situations. Petting and hugging or grooming the dogs provides release of anxiety and stress. Dogs help heal and overcome problems and grief. It is unbelievable the kind of understanding a dog can show. So, dogs regularly work at bombing sites, earthquake affected areas as well as places whether flood or hurricanes have struck. There are therapy dogs who regularly visit hospitals, old age homes, and nursing homes to help heal. The interaction with dogs brings a smile to face of patients and many dogs participate in physical therapy programs as well as in children s wards where there are many children fighting illnesses. The dogs instill a positive attitude in patients and many look forward to the visit each day. Patients are encouraged to talk to the dogs, pet them, or even groom them. Bonding with the dogs speeds up healing and brings happiness. Many of the dogs are natural clowns and perform tricks to entertain the sick. To be a therapy dog, both the handler and dog have to undergo special training, be of good health, be well groomed, and be dedicated to the cause. The dog must have a clear health certification and not be shedding his coat or have any allergies. The dog needs to be calm and obedient as he will have to take hospital activities and noise in his stride. The handler will need to devote time in training the dog, enjoy the work, and take insurance against unforeseen accidents. Owners interested in pet-therapy work will need to register with a group in the area where they live and find out from their dog club or trainer whether the dog they have is of a suitable nature and breed to be a good and successful therapy dog. Therapy dogs show great patience, love, and understanding and the interaction is magical as even terminally ill patients are known to get better. Dogs boost morale, provide affiliation and touch, encourage love and communication, stimulate activity and exercise, help patients deal with depression, loss, and grief, and lower hypertension as well as blood sugar levels.
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888Discuss.com/pet/ , the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Pet Forum including topics on pet health, pet care and nutrition, grooming pet at home, dog, cat's health issues and more. He also freelances for the premier Web Directory site http://www.1866Webdirectory.com
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