Choosing A Horse Trailer
If you have decided that you need a way to get your horse to competions or even to the vets office, you will be needing transportation. The best way to transport your horse is with a trailer. Designs and types vary widely because of different needs and pocketbooks. Also, it depends on the type of vehicle that will be pulling the trailer.Horse trailers have different entrances Some have ramps that make it easier for the horse to simply walk up in to the compartment. Those that don't have the ramp have to be stepped up in to, to get in the compartment. It is best to test your horse in different type entrances to see which he is most comfortable with.There are two types of "loads" that most consider. The "slant" load and the "straight" load. A "slant load" is used to hold more than one horse due to its sloped platforms on the sides. The "straight" load is only used for one horse on a flat platform.The next consideratoin is whether you will need a gooseneck or a bumper pull type trailer. The main difference is the bumper pull is attached to a hitch on your bumper. Make sure that your bumper is rated to pull the weight your require for the number of horses you will be pulling. The gooseneck requires you use a pick-up truck as the hitch is mounted inside the bed. Goosenecks are typically easier to manover in tight spots as you have a wide turning radious that is not possible with the bumper style.Besides these considerations, you must look at ventilation and safety. Horses won't want to get in a transport again and again if they know they will be uncomfortable while traveling. The safety issues is in reguards to lighting. Horse erally don't like being in the dark so make sure the lighting is sufficient. The other safety issue is your braking system. If you are pulling a large trailer then you will need an added braking system to be installed on your vehicle to aid you in stopping a large amount of weight.
Budget should probably go as the number one thing to consider before looking at horse trailers. Test the number of uses the transport will get against the amount you have to spend and how many horses are envolved.
What To Do With Your Barking Dog
There are a few ways you can deal with a noisy whining dog. Bark collars are one option. Two, you can correct your dog whenever he goes in to his noise marathon, and sneak around waiting for the next time to surprise him to correct him again. There are "bark collars" you can buy that could do the trick, but lets focus on training first.Many believe that training your dog to speak on command turns the control of barking over to the owner. Then likewise teach him to stop on command. When you issue the command to "bark" he focuses on you, and will be ready for the "enough" command to cease the noise. If he continues to bark, grab his collar and give the command "Enough" again, and gently shake. When trying to train your dog, do not give him attention when he is exhibiting unwanted behavior. Don't give him the time of day when he is barking. Some people use a quirt bottle of water or lemon juice and give them a squirt in the mouth if they start barking or whining. This form of training brings us to the last form of getting your dog to stop making noise.The "bark collar" sends a spray of citronella in a dogs face when he starts to bark. This usually deters your pet from barking. You won't have to sit and wait for your pet to start his behavior to catch him in the act. The collar works automatically. If you think your dog is allergic to a citronella there are other scentless sprays available. "Shock collars" are another option. Using a remote control, you give your dog a small electric shock when he is exhibiting bad behavior such as barking and whining. Research from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University has shown that Spray Bark Collars can be up to twice as effective as shock collars.
We hope some of the above resources will help in making your relationship with your dog easier. There is nothing more disturbing than a pet that annoys you and the entire neighborhood with incessant noise. But, for the most part, it's just a good feeling to have your dog trained and happy.
How To Train Your Dog To Heel
When your dog gets a little older and has mastered his
collar and leash, it will be time to start teaching him more difficult tasks besides just "sit". You will need a larger area than you probably have in your home. Outdoors is for the most part, the best place for you and your dog to get a quiet place to focus.
Make sure you have an adequate leash, usually 6ft in length and secure it to your dogs choke chain collar. Hopefully you have worked with your dog on a leash since puppy-hood so that he or she will not be upset by the leash. Have your dog on the left side of your body and give him the sit command. This is the first position for heeling. His head and shoulders should be even with your hip and he should be sitting straight and looking forward. Take the time to make adjustments to his position if need be.
Cue him by begining with your left foot in to a walk, which is the same side he is sitting on. Walk with a brisk pace and make sure he keeps up with you. Upon beginning give the name of your dog and "heel"! Make the walk fun and interesting. Pat your let and give encouraging words so that his full attention is on you alone. When you come to a stop, end on your left leg. This way he will not only learn the word "heel" but will also read your body language which will reinforce the training. During the walk, if he gets out of position, which should be right at your left leg, then give him a quick correction by giving a quick jerk on the leash. Otherwise, you should work with a loose leash. For best results you should use a
choke chain collar for training. If you continuously pull on his neck you will only be nagging him and he won't understand what it is you want of him. The correction should be quick and precise, then let go and give your dog a chance to correct himself. Repeat as needed.
After you think your dog has the training down, then take him out for a walk in the neighborhood where you can reinforce the "heeling" technique with activity around him. Dog classes are another way to get this reinforcement. In class the dogs and owners go around in a training circle and all the dogs do everything at the same time. All heel and walk together, stop together and so on. They learn to heel with other dogs around. Look at your local pet store for information.
When training, always be attentive, excited and try to have a treat for every task completed. Also, make sure your dog is old enough to handle the presure of advanced training. Don't ruin your puppy by trying to put too much on him when he's too young to handle it.
How To Train Your Cat
If you are trying to make your cat wear a leash and be taken out for a walk in the park, then you have the wrong pet. Better go get a dog. Cats can be trained of course but lower your limits. Cat lovers are content to train their pets to use the litter box and use a scratching post. Before you can do any kind of cat training at all you must look at how cats learn.
Cat's are creatures of experience. They don't understand commands or any other verbal forms of communication. There are only good experiences and bad experiences. The good ones are repeated because they enjoyed it and the bad ones are avoided in the future. Cats enjoy sharpening their claws on the couch so they continute to do it. But when they encounter something that is just plain unpleasant, they tend to avoid repeating the same in the future.
To be exact, whatever you want your cat to be trained to do must be exceedingly rewarding and pleasurable. Whatever you don't want your cat to do must be very unpleasant.
A very common mistake that most owners fall in to is to punish their pet only after he or she has done a bad thing such as urinating on the carpet. They take the cat, rub their nose in the mistake and then throw them in the litterbox. This will never work with cats or even dogs for that matter. They will shy from you when you reach for them after that and then think the litterbox is a place of punishment. This defeats any training purposes you had for using the litter box.
First of all, stop all punishents, no matter what they have done. Make your relationship with your cat fun and rewarding with plenty of play time. Sometimes this alone will do the trick as many pets just feel lonely. Don't let your cat feel neglected.
Put your cat on a regular feeding schedule so that he will have a regular time to go to the litterbox. About 15 minutes before you think it will be time to go, bring him to the
litter box room making that his only choice when he needs to go. When he uses it, praise him and maybe deliver a treat. Don't let your cat rome the house until they use the box. This proceedure sets your pet up for praise.
Have things in your home to distract your cat from bad behavoir. Set up a scratching post and set it where your kitty plays. When he or she uses it, praise him and give him lots of attention. When you see him try to scratch on another surface, simply take him to the scratching post to show him he can continue is scratching there. This gives him the attention he craves also. Always, move or take them to the place where they get praise. Then they will always return their on their own.
Wire Cages or Plastic Crates
There are many dog and cat
crates available in the pet stores today. The two most popular are the wire cages and the plastic crates. Here we will take a look at both crates and discover the advantages of both.
Collapsible, fold and carry style wire cages make them easier to store and transport. Removable divider panels that can be expanded to allow your pet to grow are a big plus with this kennel. Wire cages are easier to clean, as they usually have a removable plastic tray at the bottom. Other benefits to a wire cage are better visibility and ventilation for your pet. So, either a
Square Back Cage for at home or a Fold and Carry Cage are the two options for a wire pet cage. Both have durable, easy to clean polyethylene trays and there is no way your pet can escape from either.
There are advantages to plastic crates too. If you travel with your pet by airplane, plastic crates are required by law. Some owners feel that the plastic kennels are better for privacy and a better sense of security for their pet. A home with children present will need a plastic crate for privacy and down time for a dog. You must check to see if your choice is an
airline approved dog crate before you purchase. Crates should have flow-through ventilation on all sides and secure door locks with food/water cups.
Size your crate appropriately. Your pet should be able to lie down, turn around and have three to four inches of extra head room when he or she is sitting or standing. If you start out with a puppy, an oversized crate will alow him to go off to a remote corner to eliminate which would hamper your efforts at house training. Either get a puppy crate to use in the interim until he or she grows up or purchase one that has dividers to reduce the space until he or she grows in to the space.
Any pet owner can tell you the great advantages of having a kennel for your pet. Kennels are used for everything from training to travel and more.
Taking Trips With Your Dog
There are many ways you can adapt your car to make it better to transport your dog or cat. There are also various types of vehicles that are very accommodating to traveling with pets.
If you will be traveling in cooler climates, a truck with a topper on the back is a real possibility.
Sliding windows are an added attraction to this method as you can keep your pets calm talking to them thru the window and monitor their behavior as well.
Vans are a good vehicle to travel with pets. There are many kits you can buy to section off the back of your vehicle to allow pets to be out of their kennels but not have access to the front where you are trying to drive. It's best to have them in
kennels where they are more safe.
If you don't like to keep your dog in a crate, you can purchase a rubber bed liner that will make it more comfortable for your dog to lay on while in the back of a pickup. These usually run about $50.00 and can be purchased at the same places that install camper shells.
There are a variety of
Seat covers that are very popular for the back seat for those that like to have their pet loose in the car with them. Also,
first aid kits will make you prepared for any emergency with your pet while on the road. Another thing to consider is the clean-up at the rest area's that your pet will be using to urinate and do number two. Bring along a
scoop and a bag just in case that the area you pick has rules about picking up after your pet.
Getting a gear bag together to keep all your pets' food, bowls, first aid kit and anything else you can think of. Then simply keep this bag with you where ever you go and you'll always be prepared for whatever may come up. When not traveling, keep the bag in a special place already stocked with everything you need for travel with the exception of the food or treats. Food can go bad if left for too long.
The main thing you need with you on a road trip with your dog, besides your gear bag, is some sort of kennel. Soft-sided kennels are excellent for travel as they fold up flat when not in use. There are also wire cages which allow your dog to see out so he can almost feel like he's not really in a kennel at all. Then there are the hard plastic kennels with a minimal view for your dog. Every owner knows its dog and every dog has certain rituals or tendencies to be considered when purchasing your kennel. It is a fact though that traveling with your pet in a kennel is the safest.
Dog and Cat Crates
Crates can be a very special place for your dog. Dogs are descended from the wolf who is a very den oriented animal. The den is a safe place to have puppies, eat and is safe from outside harm. Dogs still have the instinct to keep their den clean and dry and as comfortable as possible. Usually dens are small and cozy areas, just the same as a crate would be. Using laundry rooms or any other room is too big to be defined by your dog as a den. If you train your dog from a puppy to use his crate as his den, it will always be a great comfort to him.
The number one reason to have a pet crate is for housetraining. As stated above, your pet treasures his den and does not want to soil a place where he lives and lies down in. Using the crate as a den will teach your puppy to hold his urine until he is let out. It is important to take your puppy straight outside every single time he is let out of his kennel/crate to urinate. Be consistent and repetitive and your pet will begin to remember on his own what to do each time. The dog kennel is the best way to potty-train your pet by far.
Protecting your home and furniture from chewing puppies or dogs that have too much energy is another good reason to have a pet crate on hand. Putting them in the crate with a cover does much to calm down your pet and keeps the contained so they keep out of trouble.
If you travel a lot and need a place to keep your pet while on the road, a pet crate is the best thing to have for keeping your dog or cat contained so that no accidents are caused by them getting underfoot. There are many shapes and sizes of
dog kennels for the car. Everything from
soft-sided kennels, which fold down flat, to hard plastic kennels and even wire kennels.
The Dog or Cat Kennel is a welcome den for your pet when it is used correctly from puppy-hood on. After housetraining is over, just keep the door to your kennel open and you will find that your pet will love to go in to take a nap or to retire from busy happenings around your home.
Urinary Tract Infection and Your Pet
Dogs and Cats get Urinary Tract infections just the same as humans do and in fact it is very common for your pets to get an infection of this nature. Statistics show that one in seven animals brought in to the veterinarian's office reports this illness.
Some of the symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection is difficulty in urination, bloody urine, extremely foul odor in the urine, urination in strange places and frequent urination. Urinary Infections can be fatal in pets, so a trip to the Veterinarian is called for as the longer you let it go, the worse it will get.
A simple urine test taken at the Vets office for evaluation can tell you everything you need to know on diagnoses and treatment. They will be able to confirm the presence of an infection very quickly and can determine the strain of bacteria which has caused the infection.
After your doctor prescribes the correct medication you will be given instructions on just what and how much medicine to give your pet. There are many natural remedies for your pet to choose from such as
homeopathic products available to you if you choose to go that route. If you do decide to go with the vet prescribed medicine then it is important for you to follow the directions to make sure your pet is getting the proper dosage.
The best way to remember to give your pet medication is to either combine it with another task that you do regularly. Aso, an alarm of come kind can also keep your timing on tract. Just treat it the same way you would manage medicine for a member of your family that is sick.
It is important to take your dog back to the veterinarian after all your medicine is taken to make sure the infection is gone. If not, then further evaluation will have to be done by your veterinarian.
