Best Pet Supplies

I must have tried a hundred different methods to stop my Collie from barking when she’s in the backyard.  But for whatever reason, as soon as I let her out, she just starts barking and doesn’t stop until she comes indoors.  Now instead of trying to stop her from barking, I just try to make her come in when she’s called, but she’s even resistant to that!  I spoke to a friend of mine, and she had the same problem with her Sheltie.  She suggested I get a dog treat jar, and train my Collie to come indoors as soon as possible so that she would get a treat.  I started showing her the dog treat jar, before she went outside, and after a while when she realized what was in the treat jar, now she just bursts out the door, barking for a few seconds, then does her business, and comes right back in for a treat!  While I can’t say I’ve reduced her barking while she is outdoors, she now comes back in fast at least. 

I’m sure there are methods that could dissuade her from barking all together, but I’m satisfied with just limiting her time outdoors.  She is just a puppy, perhaps I’ll be lucky and she’ll find that barking isn’t all that fun after a while! 

Although most of us really don’t think about grooming our cats or kittens, it really is important for lots of good reasons.  Most cat owners believe that because cats spend alot of time grooming themselves, cat owners don’t think they need to do anything as far as grooming them.  this couldn’t be further from the truth.  Cats can get serious hair balls from constantly licking their coat which can lead to more serious health problems for them.  Gently brushing and combing your cat not only make their coats shiny and healthy, it also gets rid of loose hair which lessens the risk for hairballs and hair all over your house.  If your cat runs at the sight of combs or brushes, there are grooming gloves you can use to groom your cat while petting it and make them think they are only getting lots of wanted attention from you. Long haired cats need more frequent combing or brushing especially in the spring when they naturally shed their winter coats and short haird cats can benefit from weekly combing or brushing fairly often.  Combing through your cat’s coat also helps to rid them of those nasty fleas and matts and tangles that the fleas seem to flock to.  When you groom your cat, use dematting and deshedding combs made especially for cats.  You and your cat will be glad you did!

We have two small children (Ages 5 & 7 now) who have been around dogs since birth.To make sure the relationship is a happy one for everyone concerned, parents should take time to teach their children the proper care and acceptable way to treat a dog. When children understand a dog is more than just a plush stuffed toy, they are more likely to gain a better understanding of how to care for and love their dog.There is no reason children can not take part in caring for their dog. They can be taught how to properly care for their dog. Even small children can take a hand in feeding and watering their dog. School age children are quite capable of taking their dog for a walk. They can even take part in grooming. Children can learn to brush and bath a dog properly, if taught with patience and care. Children should also be taught that a side from taking care of their dogs needs, the dog needs to be played with and have special time set aside just for them. Preschool children should never be left alone with any pet. They should be supervised at all times. The dog should not be kept completely away from the baby. Or the dog may not see it as part of the pack but, as in intruder. Allow the dog and baby to get to know each other. Your dog may want to sniff the baby which is fine. The dog uses its sense of smell to acquaint itself with all things… Don’t overly concern yourself with germ transmission. If your dog is kept clean, vaccinated and dewormed there is very little chance of catching a disease. The dog should be taught not to lick the baby. If you are expecting a new baby you may want to take your dog to the vet 6 weeks before the baby is born. Have it checked for parasites especially tapeworms and just a general check up. Once the dog has had a chance to sniff and get to know the baby, it will accept it. The dog may even start to protect the baby. Children who grow up with a dog gain experiences which will benefit them the rest of their life. Best of all, when children have a dog they always have a friend.  The dog should also have his own doggie toys that your children and the pet can enjoy together so that the pet won’t take and chew up your child’s toys.

 People are finding that having an aquarium is fun and easy to take care of whether you have gold fish or expensive fish.  They are also great for people who live in apartments where other pets aren’t allowed. You can see aquariums just about any where from your doctor’s office to your favorite store and it’s so easy and inexpensive to dress them up with lights and all kinds of decorations!  Having an aquarium is the easiest way to bring a little of nature right into your home and fish require very little maintenance and the aquarium can be anywhere from a one gallon on up to any size you have room for. I have a 20 gallon fish aquarium in my living room with lights and all and I like to turn the lights down low and just watch my little finned friends just swimming happily about in their little home!  It’s calming and relaxing and the ornaments and lights you can get for fish aquariums is mind boggling!  My kids love to watch the fish, too and love the different plants and ornaments I have in there, too!

There are alot of nail trimmers out there to trim you pet’s nails. The most common nail trimmer is the guillotine trimmer. The top of the dog’s nail is inserted into the opening of this metal tool above the cutting blade. When the handle is squeezed together, the cutting mechanism is activated. Other nail trimmer types are the scissors type and the safety nail trimmer, which is equipped with a safety stop near the cutting blade to limit the amount of nail trimmed. Then there are nail files and electric nail trimmers. Your pet’s nails should be kept relatively short  for the feet to remain healthy. Long nails interfere with the dog’s gait, making walking awkward or painful. They can also break easily. This usually happens at the base of the nail, where blood vessels and nerves are located, and can case pain and a trip to the vet. Another problem affects dogs whose overgrown nails curl toward the foot, eventually piercing the sensitive pads and causing deep pad infections. Dewclaws most frequently become overgrown, presumably because owners commonly overlook them. Many breeders routinely have dewclaws removed when puppies are a few days old. If your dog still has the dew claws, be sure to check them frequently to make sure they aren’t getting too long. When you begin to clip your dog or puppies nails, start by regularly stroking your dog’s feet, gently touching each toe in turn. Allow your pet to become accustomed to having their paws handled, so they won’t be apt to panic when you get down to business later. Unfortunately, some dogs never adjust to having their nails trimmed. They need only see the clippers and they’re squalling, long before you’re anywhere near a nail. In that case, trimming nails becomes a two-person job: one person to hold the dog, the other to do the work. It can still be a test of wills. That’s why you should accustom your young puppy to nail care. It increases the likelihood of maintaining peace when the animal is fully grown. Unpigmented or white nails are simple to trim. If your dog has at least one unpigmented nail, examine it closely. You should see a small pink triangle extending from the base of the nail narrowing toward the tip. This triangle houses the blood supply and nerves, which you want to avoid when trimming the nail. Position the nail trimmer so that it clearly bypasses the pink area, and proceed to clip. That’s all there is to nail trimming.Of course, trimming nails is infinitely more challenging in dogs with black or pigmented nails. Because you can’t see the pink part, you must estimate how much nail to clip. To be on the safe side, trim only the part of each nail which hooks downward. The trimmed nail should just clear the floor.  Once your dog gets used to the idea of getting their nails clipped, it will increasinlgy become easier.

Dogs should be bathed when they look dirty and/or have a strong doggy odor. If your dog or puppy has matts, they should be removed by combing or clipping before bathing as matts seem to get a lot worse after getting wet.  Puppies or small dogs can be bathed in sinks and tubs while large breeds may require bathtubs. (After bathing your dog, be sure to scrub and disinfect the area prior to human use.) If the weather is warm, a child’s wading pool and garden hose may be used. Have your dog’s shampoo or soap, brush and comb and towels nearby before you begin. Place the dog in the tub and soak the dog through to the skin. Use a shampoo that is pH balanced for dogs. If your dog has a special skin problem, ask your veterinarian to recommend a shampoo. When starting the bath, be sure to start at the neck by lathering all around it.  This will prevent any fleas from running to their face or ears.  I personally use a wash cloth to wash their little faces because it’s easier and my dog loves it!  I shampoo twice  ( the first shampoo to loosen dirt and the second shampoo to remove it), each followed by a thorough rinsing with warm water, not hot water, should be sufficient to get your dog clean.  I also like to use a conditioner to make their coat soft and sweet smelling and it helps prevent matts.  Be sure to use a shampoo and conditioner made especially for dogs otherwise you may cause undue skin irritation and dryness.

Playing “fetch” games provides some good exercise for your puppy or dog. It also provides a good way to get those toys back so you don’t end up getting all the exercise.In the beginning, roll the toy away from your puppy or dog and let him or her get it. When your pet picks it up, say, “Fetch!” so he or she begins to associate the command with the action. Then praise them with an excited voice.As your puppy gets older, throw the toy a little farther. When your dog brings it back, give lots of praise and let your dog play with the toy for a few minutes so he or she gains some benefit from their effort of retrieving it. If your dog doesn’t bring it back, use a long lead attached to his collar. Gently reel your puppy or dog in with the toy and praise him or her for coming back. Touch your dog or puppy, but avoid the head so he or she doesn’t think you’re going to immediately take the toy away. Some dogs enjoy the chase of the toy and retrieving it and want you to throw it back immediately. Others want the toy with less chasing and retrieving.Once your dog or puppy has had a minute or so to play with the toy, your dog may drop it on their own.  If he or she does, say ‘Drop’ to reinforce the behavior. If they don’t’t drop it on their own, get a light grip on the toy and give the command to drop. Praise your dog or puppy when they let go of it and throw it again.  Have fun playing fetch with your dog or puppy with their favorite toys!

LED lights are the greatest thing I’ve seen and you can find them just about anywhere!  People just naturaly love colored lights and lights that blink and flash!  I also love sports and I also love my dog.  Well, guess what!  I found a lot of stuff for my dog that has LED lights and with a sports theme–my favorite sport–football!  It’s a cap with a football that has LED lights in it! You should see all of the attention my dog gets when he proudly wears his new hat when we go out and about!  You can find a lot of different caps and toys and such with LED lights in them that are safe for your pets and will give them all the attention and more that they crave!  Doesn’t matter what sport you’re into, you’ll find all kinds of sports caps for your dog with beautiful flashing LED lights that not only make them look cool, they’ll be the center of attention!