Pet Care Information

Initially, cat toilet trainers should know that cats learn one trick at a time. Changes are made after a first trick is mastered. A cats’ motto: “Slowly but surely.” The capacity of cats to learn differ and so are expectations, control them to avoid disappointment.

Consider the kind of cat to be potty trained. There are pampered, indoor, and spoiled cats. These types are the ones can be toilet trained. It is vital to maintain a house that does not smell like there is a cat living in it.

Follow these steps on how to effectively toilet train cats:

1. Start by placing the cat’s litter box near the bathroom door. He should know the new location and uses the litter box as usual.

2. After about a week, put something underneath the potty trainer to elevate it. It could be a bunch of old newspapers, cardboard boxes, or floor mats.

3. Raise the litter box an inch higher every other day until it reaches the level of the toilet seat.

4. At the start of the training, the cat just steps onto the litter box as usual until it slowly jumps up and down from it.

5. Lift the toilet lid up in order for the cat to learn how to tromp with only the seat to step on.

6. Next, move the potty trainer above the toilet seat. Leave it this way for a week or two.

7. The most exciting part: remove the litter box from the toilet bowl but put down the metal bowl inside. Put a few litters for cat’s recognition of purpose.

8. Once the cat is used to using the toilet bowl, tutor him on how to squat the right way and that is holding the legs for the correct posture as often as possible until mastered. If the cat has his all fours on the toilet seat, begin by holding the two legs in front.

9. As soon as he knows how to squat properly, lift the hinds out. Assist the cat as he learns how to balance in that position.

10. Start removing the litter from the metal bowl. Now put water at the bottom and increase the contents everyday.

11. Once the feline is already comfortable with the water in the metal bowl, take it all off the toilet bowl.

Cat toilet training is a slow process. Time and effort are invested to obtain a kitty litter free house. Not only does an owner get rid of the ghastly chore of cleaning the litter but get more time to enjoy the catís company.

Anita Hampton cat-health-tips.com cat-health-tips.com

When thinking about what type of dog training equipment to get, it is important to consider the difference between dog training and dog control. For example, using hand gestures and reward for a given action by your dog, is classed as training. Whereas the use of choke chains and anti-bark collars, would be considered as a form of control.

Controlling your dog should not be considered a bad thing. Your dog will need to be aware that you are the leader (alpha) in the pack. If you do not adopt this role, you will end up with an unruly, destructive noisy dog that has little respect for you. So a certain level of enforced control is essential.

In the same sense, the alpha male in a pack of wild dogs will take control.

Choke Collars

Choke collars are used to assist you in gaining control of your dog. Some dogs, especially the larger ones can be very assertive when on a leash. Pulling the owner is a big problem and can be dangerous. Certain breeds are also known to be slow learners. For dogs that do not respond well to leather or nylon collars, a metal choke collar can provide that extra bit of discouragement.

The big problem with the use of a choke collar as a form of dog training equipment is that they can easily be used the wrong way which can be dangerous for the dog.

A choke collar fits only one way. If fitted the wrong way around, it can cause problems such as pinching and even suffocation.

Also a collar of incorrect length will cause problems. As a general rule, the collar should be two inches longer than the circumference of the dogs’ neck.

Prong Collars

Prong collars can look like a form of medieval torture machine for a dog but thankfully they are a lot less dangerous than they first appear. That said, it is our view that these collars have little to no positive value as a piece of dog training equipment. The only good aspect of these collars is that they can only be closed down so far.

An animal that has got to the stage where a prong collar is needed is in need of more than a bit of poking and choking. They will need a committed dog behavior training regime designed to correct the behavioral problems of the dog.

Halter Collars

A Halter collar is a harness type collar that wraps around the dogs face and neck without interfering with drinking or panting. This type of collar can give extra control but they have a BIG down side. They do not prevent biting or grasping and therefore have limited use.

It may be preferable to go for a good leash and collar or a chest halter. Both of these will provide equivalent forms of control.

No Bark Collars

‘No bark’ collars are designed to help with dogs that tend to bark for long periods of time and often for no reason.

They come in two main types. Noise collars and Shock collars.

Noise collars produce an unpleasant sound that distracts the dog from its barking.

Shock collars produce an electric shock that is produced in response to the noise of the barking.

Using some forms of dog training equipment as a quick fix is very tempting to most dog owners. The problem is, they become a fix-all substitute for longer term training which is more beneficial to both dog and owner.

Taking the time to learn more about your dog and how you can both work together will produce a happier dog and a happier owner!

Article by Andrew Strachan. Find out more about

Brushing and combing out the Shih Tzu coat of hair is the most laborious and time-consuming chore in Shih Tzu dog grooming. A knowledge of some “tricks of the trade” will help cut down on this labor time, especially so in cases of badly matted Shih Tzu coats. The longer the coat of your Shih Tzu, the greater the potential for matting.

If your Shih Tzu’s coat is very badly matted and tangled there is no alternative but to strip the coat of your Shih Tzu. Stripping the coat of your Shih Tzu means to remove the entire coat with clippers fitted with a fine blade, right down to the skin. If the coat of your Shih Tzu requires stripping, obviously, there is no need for brushing and combing.

Coat conditioner:

If your Shih Tzu’s coat is not so bad, does not require stripping and can be saved, but still bad enough to require considerable brushing and combing, you can saturate the Shih Tzu’s coat with an oil-based coat condition to loosen the knots and tangles and ease the brushing chore. Coat conditioners that contain an oil base are beneficial for both the coat and skin. Mink oil is probably about the best Shih Tzu coat conditioner on the market and especially for a matted Shih Tzu coat. There are other methods professional groomers and handlers use for dealing with matted Shih Tzu coats. This becomes a matter of personal preference between you and your Shih Tzu.

Universal brush:

The Universal brush is a German import and is convex-shaped with fairly long, hard, wire bristles. Its shape and density enable it to pull out the dead hairs of your Shih Tzu more efficiently than any other brush. Unfortunately, it will also pull out the live hairs of your Shih Tzu’s coat and therefore should never be used for a show coat of a Shih Tzu.

Oster mat comb:

The “Oster mat comb is a major product that cuts down on grooming time of your Shih Tzu. The comb is specially designed to cut through knots and tangles and much less time is spent in brushing and combing your Shih Tzu.

The Oster mat comb is used in the following manner:

Grasp the mat comb firmly with thumb resting on the thumbrest and the other fingers around the wooden handle. Place the mat comb directly behind the mat with the teeth flat against the skin. Pull the mat comb forward towards you. If the Shih Tzu coat is heavily matted, try pulling the comb through the Shih Tzu coat with short vertical strokes that should result in slicing the big mat into several smaller ones. Continue the process until you can comb through the coat of your Shih Tzu without catching.

Use your soft wire slicker or Universal brush to brush out all the remaining small mats and comb through the Shih Tzu coat once again, until the comb runs through the shih tzu coat smoothly.

Brushes and combs:

The brush you use to brush your Shih Tzu is most important. A soft wire slicker brush is a happy medium between the too-soft brushes used for Shih Tzu show dogs and the too-harsh slicker brushes sold in most pet stores.

The Universal brush or a fairly large slicker brush with hard fibers is used in cases of badly matted Shih Tzu coats. This type of brush is harsher than the normal slicker and may take our more hair than desired.

The comb of choice for general Shih Tzu use consists of half fine and half coarse teeth and does not have a handle. The best of these types of combs were formerly manufactured in Belgium but American companies now make equally fine combs. The comb can be used for roughing out to finishing touches of your Shih Tzu’s coat.

The mat comb is a companion to the Universal brush for coping with badly matted Shih Tzu coats. The mat comb is heavier with wider-spaced teeth and is not to be confused with the Oster mat comb, which is a tool especially for dealing with very badly matted Shih Tzu coats.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

From the beginning of time, dogs and humans have made great companions. Not only are dogs extremely faithful, but they are notorious for displaying unconditional love to their human companions. It is our job as their companions to properly care for and look after our beloved dogs. In this article, we will discuss 10 tips that you can implement right now to keep your dog healthy and happy for a very long time.

Take care of his nutritional needs. Diet plays an important part in promoting the health and well being of your dog. So, always give him nutritious food that he can easily digest. Raw food diets are great choices. If you choose a commercial pet diet, make sure that it is free of preservatives and uses human grade ingredients.

Exercise him regularly. Always make sure that your dog exercises regularly. This will help him maintain a healthy body weight and also strengthen his joints and muscles. In addition, exercise provides mental stimulation.

Have him examined regularly. Make sure that you take your dog to a vet on a regular basis to ensure that he is healthy and thriving. This will ensure that no illnesses are present.

Become knowledgeable about your dogs needs. Dogs have different needs depending on their age and breed. By keeping current with the latest findings, you can give your dog the special care that he requires. For instance, if your dog is showing signs of aging, you may have to build him a special ramp or give him special medication.

Watch out for illness. If you notice a sudden change in the playful nature or mood of your dog, he might be sick. If he refuses to eat or seems lethargic, you should take him to the veterinarian right away as it could be a sign that he is ill.

Adopt weight control measures. Just like human beings, obese dogs have health challenges and must undergo weight management plans. Therefore, make sure that you don’t overfeed your dog, monitor his food intake and exercise your dog to avoid this problem.

Spaying and neutering. Spaying (removal of the female dog’s ovaries and uterus) and neutering (removal of the male dog’s testicles) can prevent a host of diseases if breeding is not desired. In addition, it can prevent many unwanted puppy births that might end up in animal shelters.

Give your dog mental stimulation. Dogs love to learn and you should give them plenty of mental stimulation. Give them breed specific toys and teach them simple tricks and games. This will improve their confidence as well as their alertness and mental fitness.

Monitor their environment. It is better to keep a watchful eye on your dog before something happens than to deal with accidental situations. For instance, remove toxic substances like rat poisons, etc., as well as sharp or dangerous objects.

Keep them vaccinated. By providing your dog with the right vaccines at the right time, you can help prevent a number of diseases and ensure better health for them.

In conclusion, being a human companion isn’t easy, but it is well worth the effort when you’re rewarded with a healthy and happy pooch for the long haul!

For additional information on how to keep your dog healthy and happy, please visit DogEarYeastInfection.com DogEarYeastInfection.com, a website that features helpful dog-related articles, information, resources, and E-books for health-conscious and loving dog owners who want the best for their canine companion. Learn more about DogEarYeastInfection.com” target=”new Dog Ear Yeast Infection

The old adage, the better the photo, the better painting certainly holds true with pet portraits. As a pet portrait artist, I am continually perusing through photos that people send to me to find the perfect pose to use for a memorable portrait.

The very best view for the photo is to be eye level with the animal you wish to photograph. Try to have their nose tipped downward slightly, otherwise the camera may distort their nose and jaw making them appear larger than they really are. For smaller dogs or cats, I like to place them up on a couch or chair, so that I can be eye level with them. The furniture also makes a nice backdrop to the painting. Even larger dogs look adorable and comfy lounging on a couch, chair or bed. I sometimes use a little squeak from a dog toy to cause a dog to prick up his or her ears. This can backfire, however, if the dog wants to play and leaves his pose for a lively romp!

It’s not necessary to be too concerned with the background in the photo. One nice thing about paintings is that backgrounds can be easily changed. If the perfect photo has a less than perfect background, a more meaningful background can be placed into the painting. If your dog loves the beach, the mountains, backyard or wherever, this background can be painted into the portrait. One woman wanted her father’s Miniature Pinscher named Lucy placed in a Texas theme. The reference photo was of Lucy on gravel pavement with picnic supplies behind her. I changed the background to a grassy area with a blanket behind her hanging in the wind that contained the Lone Star of Texas symbol on the blanket. Lucy’s red scarf against her black fur added that special touch to the portrait.

I remember photographing a Shih Tzu named Bailey outside on his bed which was placed low on the rock patio. I laid flat on my stomach for that photo. Bailey was experiencing the last few weeks of his life, was incontinent and couldn’t be photographed inside the house or on any piece of furniture. The day was warm and sunny and Bailey looked his best in his green bed smiling a greeting among the red carnations growing in pots behind him. He had a very long and comfortable life and I’m so honored to have met him before he passed on.

Fortunately, it is possible to combine photos for the animal, as well as the background. I remember a Merle Australian Shepherd named Annie. Her Mom sent several good photos to me of Annie sitting in her backyard. “The photo I love best,” she told me, “is the one with her ears back. I wish her ears were more forward. Otherwise, this would have been the perfect photo.” One of the photos she had sent to me were showing Annie’s ears forward, so I just combined the two photos into one painting, painting Annie’s ears forward from the one photo and using the body posture and expression of the other photo. Annie’s Mom was delighted!

I remember one visit to an aged Rottweiler’s home. The dog’s name was Ginger and she was very gray around the muzzle and had a problem with arthritis. Ginger’s Mom was unable to take the photo because of a tremor in her hands. Ginger was utterly terrified of the camera. Every time I took the camera out of my pocket, Ginger would meander behind some piece of furniture or turn her head away and hide behind her Mom. We decided a chew toy would settle her down and Ginger promptly hid under the dining room table with her prize as she began to gnaw on it. “Now’s my chance,” I thought to myself.

Knowing she had arthritis and wouldn’t be able to scramble away from me in a hurry, I slowly moved the chairs out of my way and climbed under the table! “I’ll either be killed or get a great photo,” I thought to myself. Not hearing any growling or other warning signal from Ginger, I lay flat on the floor in front of her. Just then Ginger’s Mom called her name, Ginger looked up and “Click!” I got a truly great photo. I did thank the angels that day as I drove home with my prize photo waiting patiently in my digital camera. For the painting, I just deleted the furniture around her and added a lovely background. I painted out the gray on her muzzle and also added a young, fresher appearance to the golden tan of her face and body.

Cats are extremely photogenic. They seem to be striking up a pose no matter what they do. I love window shots especially. There’s just something about a cat peering out the window that makes a lovely composition for a painting. One of my favorite reference photos was of a cat named Tillie lying amid her mom’s scarf. The scarf was a maroon color with an interesting pattern and looked great against Tillie’s black fur. The same rule of thumb applies to cats, too, of being sure to be at eye level with them. Even cats that are sleeping make great photos. I especially remember two cats in a basket curled up together that made a lovely painting. You could hardly tell where one cat started and the other one stopped!

With these tips for the best photo angles and explanations of how portraits are painted from reference photos, you’re now ready to capture your pet’s likeness in a way that will contribute to a lasting memorial treasure – a pet portrait either for yourself or a special gift for your friend or relative.

Note: this article may be re-published freely as long as the following resource box is included at the end of the article and as long as you link to the URL mentioned in the resource box:

© Connie Bowen. Pet Portrait Artist and Professional Illustrator Connie Bowen creates stunning pet portrait paintings on canvas from photos. Specializing in capturing the spiritual nature of dogs, cats, horses and other animals in a realistic fashion with impressionistic backgrounds as seen on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s TV show, Art Beat. Over 200 pet portraits completed and counting! Visit conniebowen.com conniebowen.com to view exquisite samples.

There are many devices used in the world of shih tzu training, and some are obviously more effective than others. One of the shih tzu training devices that does work well, however, is known collectively as the head collar.

The head collar is a device that is designed to wrap around the nose of the shih tzu and then attach behind the head. It uses the pressure points on the shih tzu’s nose and head to apply pressure which stops the shih tzu from pulling, jumping and straining against the leash.

Many people who see head collars mistake them for muzzles. This can make many people nervous when the shih tzu is out and about, and it bothers some dog owners as well. Beyond that, however, the head collar can be a valuable training tool for many dogs, particularly large breeds that may have learned their own strength and are difficult to control with a normal buckle collar.

There are two main brands of head collar on the market, the Halti and the Gentle Leader. Most people find the Gentle Leader easier to use than the Halti. In addition, the Gentle Leader is designed to fasten around the dog’s neck. With this design, if the shih tzu manages to remove the muzzle portion, it is still wearing a collar. While it is difficult for most dogs to get out of the muzzle portion of a head collar, some shih tzu do figure out how to perform this trick.

The Halti version, on the other hand, generally provides better control of the dog, and it is often favored with those working with large, aggressive dogs for that reason.

Training the shih tzu with a head collar is often easier for beginning dog trainers and inexperienced dog owners than is training with a regular buckle color. Head collars are quite good at stopping even the strongest dogs from pulling and straining, since these devices use leverage to give the handler more control.

Head collars are often favored by many people for handling shih tzu in difficult situations, such as being around other dogs or taking a trip to the vet. A head collar can be quite effective at controlling the dog in frightening and difficult situations, even when it is not used for regular training.

It is better, actually, to use head collars as occasional training tools or reminders, not as a replacement for a regular buckle collar or training collar. That is because many shih tzu quickly learn to tell the difference between the head collar and the normal collar, and adjust their behavior accordingly. Therefore, the shih tzu that behaves perfectly while wearing the head collar may suddenly jump and strain out of control when returned to the regular collar.

That fact, of course, points up the limitation of any training device, even one as effective as a head collar. The goal of any quality shih tzu training program should be to create a willing, obedient shih tzu that can be controlled by nothing more than the handler’s voice.

Even if you plan to never allow your shih tzu to go outside without a collar and lead, a well trained shih tzu should be capable of walking with you without a leash, even if there are a great many distractions around. The head collar can help guide you to this goal, but it is till up to you to gain the respect and trust of the shih tzu that will allow it to become a truly well trained member of the family.

If you are unsure how to use a head collar, or if you are unsure if a head collar is right for you, you might want to consult with a dog trainer, your veterinarian or the staff at your local pet store. These experts have probably seen many head collars used, and they may be able to provide valuable insight on the type of training device that will work the best for you.

Connie Limon is a shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

You may or may not agree with this statement but I truly believe that toy pomeranian puppies are the cutest ever. They are so fluffy and cuddly. A puppy of any dog breed is gorgeous I know, but they grow up into big dogs and that is the difference with the pomerian (as some people spell it) because when these little treasures grow up they still look like toy pomeranian puppies.

You always feel like you own a puppy instead of a full-grown dog. Being a toy breed means they are small and often fragile so they do need some extra care especially around young children. When they are puppys this is even more important. Just squeezing too tightly or being dropped can be fatal.

If you are interested in purchasing a pom and would prefer a puppy then do your research and find out if you and you family will be suited to owning one of these delightful little creatures. Have a look at lots of pictures either in books or online. Read as much as you can about their needs and wants. The last thing you should do is buy a pup and then realize it won’t fit in with your lifestyle. This is not something to think of lightly.

Ask the local vet where you can find a good breeder that has toy pomeranian puppies for sale or look online yourself and then do some good checking out of breeders to find reputable ones to compare with. Always ask to see the pup’s parents and make sure the puppy is healthy and has been vet checked. Make sure you get documentation on this.

In the end, if you go ahead with bringing a pom pup into your family it will be one of the best decisions of your life!

Susan Dean is the webmaster and publisher of

I’ve recently participated in a new refresher course in dog training. This wasn’t really on my agenda but a few circumstances developed that lead me down this path of re-education. It all started when my wife came home one Saturday afternoon and mentioned she had found a dog wandering loose. She dropped it off at one of our children’s home. The plan being that they would put up signs to try and find the owner since the dog was found in the vicinity.

I should have know that there was something more going on when she elaborated on how cute and smart this dog was and that she hoped the owner could be found soon. We already had a dog, Spoofy, and two cats, Blackie and Baby, in residence. And on any given day they more than provided enough adventure.

Spoofy was a stray that one of our daughters brought home one stormy night. My daughter has since moved on but Spoofy stayed. The two cats had been strays that wandered up to the house one day when they were little more than kittens. They immediately adopted our dog as a surrogate mother, and Spoofy having been a mother in the past was delighted.

The two cats think they’re dogs. They sleep, eat, and go in and out of the house with the Spoofy. They come when you whistle, they share table scraps with the dog, about the only thing they don’t do is bark. The dog and two cats are inseparable and you will rarely find them apart. I never really had to train Spoofy, she just did what ever you asked her to do with few exceptions.

Flash forward about three days and I get a call from my wife, who just happened to stop by to check on our stray dog in search of an owner. She asked if she could bring the dog to our house for a while since our daughter was going out of town. She thought the it would be easier to have the dog at our house rather than going over several times a day to let the dog out while our daughter was out of town.
I should have known right then that this was a conspiracy. The daughter, the wife, and the dog were all in this together. I was the soon to be victim of this clever little plan. My wife probably paid my daughter to go out of town but that’s never been proven.

So I agreed to the “temporary” arrangement and my wife and new friend, who was now named Tuxcitto, soon arrived with much fanfare. Tuxcitto was gladly welcomed by Spoofy since Spoofy likes anybody new, especially a dog. Blackie and Baby (the cats) were a little less happy with this new arrival. For one thing, he was jumping around like a crazy dog, the other was that he and Spoofy seemed to be getting along just a little too well.

Tuxcito was obviously overjoyed with his new “temporary” home. He had another dog to play with and two strange creatures to investigate. Tuxcitto looked to be a Border Collie. At the time I had no idea what a border collie did or the nature of their personality. Little did I know that the breed, and in particular, Tuxccito, could run about 60 miles per hour, leap over 5 foot fences, could escape any containment, and wanted to play 24/7.

The first day, once Tuxcito had explored every nook and cranny of our house, I sat him down to see exactly what he might know or not know. I told him to sit, stay, lay down, play dead, and he snapped to on every command. Hmm, someone has trained this dog. I asked him where Spoofy was and he turned around and looked right at Spoofy, then I asked him where Blackie was, and he then looked at Blackie. Uh Oh, this dog is smarter than a lot of people I know =8~).

Up until now I’d always had him on a lease when we went outside. So I let him, Spoofy, and the cats out in the backyard. He fooled around with Spoofy for a while, then checked out the entire backyard, bush by bush, tree by tree. All the time running over to get petted every so often by me and my wife. Everything was fine until he heard a neighbor rummaging around in his back yard.

Tuxcito stopped dead in his tracks, listening. Then with the speed and agility of a deer, ran right up to the adjoining fence and leaped right over it. Tuxcito cleared that 5 foot fence with room to spare. My wife jumped up, I jumped up and Spoofy and the cats turned to look. About then my neighbor yells over the fence, I see you have a new dog.

My brain cells finally clicked and I immediately realized two things. Yes, more than likey I did have a new dog, and that this dog was probably going to drive me nuts. And I was right on both counts as it turned out. But back to Tuxccito and his amazing escapes.

Over the next week or so, Tuxcito managed to find a way to escape every containment method we found to try. If we tied him to a stake, he pulled out the stake. If we tied him to a tree, he slipped his collar. The only way to keep him from escaping was to use a leash, he seemed to be fine with that. Every time the front door opened and you didn’t have Tuxcito in hand, he was gone. Through the legs of many a visitor, and he was so quick you could not grab him.

When he would get out, he would just run up and down the streets checking out anything of interest. People, dogs, cats, houses, he’d swim down the bayou (he loves water) or whatever. He never caused any trouble, but he would not come back in until I went out and cornered him somewhere. My grandchildren were especially easy targets to provide an exit.

And of course he loved to escape just when we were leaving to go somewhere. So everyone always knew why we were late, Tuxcito and his amazing escapes. At first I would scold and admonish him every time I caught up with him to bring him back home. After a while I figured out that this wasn’t going to work. I was reinforcing that when ever he did come to me (or most times caught him) he would get a tongue lashing.

And I remembered hearing somewhere that this was one of the major mistakes people make when trying to correct bad behavior in a dog. So my next ruse was to take Spoofy for a walk, and then Tuxcito would find us and want to walk with us. As soon as he came up I slapped a leash on him. But this got old too. Sometimes there were too many distractions, like neighbors riding bikes or kids playing ball. They were much more fun.

Then I started keeping treats with me and would frequently call him to my side. So every time he came to me I slipped him a treat. After doing this for about a week, he escaped again. So I went out and took Spoofy with me as bait. Sure enough, when I called him he scampered right up, and I gave him a treat.

So, in the end analysis, Tuxcito has trained me to give him a treat when I call him =8~). But we have overcome his great escapes, now he’ll run around the yard until I come out to give him his treat. Which is OK, I can live with that. But it does demonstrate that using positive reinforcement is a much more affective dog training method than negative reinforcement or punishment.

John Dow owns freedogtrainingarticles.com” target=”_blank www.FreeDogTrainingArticles.com, a website that provides free information on dog training. John gets to test this training information daily with his new dog Tuxccito. You can learn more here: freedogtrainingarticles.com” target=”_blank www.FreeDogTrainingArticles.com.

These allergic symptoms can include itchy skin, red and dry eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. It may take you a while to realize that the allergies are coming from your cat. If your allergies didn’t arise until after you’ve had your cat for awhile, it can be very difficult to give your beloved cat away.

Don’t send kitty packing too quickly; there are several things you can do to make your allergy symptoms less severe.

The allergen is the dander that comes from the cat and compiles around your house in the bedding, curtains, and on the furniture. Because we spend at least 6 hours or more per night in our bed, it makes sense to stop letting your cat on your bed.

This will dramatically reduce pet dander while you are sleeping. Another good recommendation is to take a shower before bedtime so that you can remove as much of the pet dander that may be on your skin before prior to going to bed at night.

Another big factor is to reconsider whether you should let your cat into your bedroom at all. By keeping your bedroom pet free, it will provide a safe retreat when your allergy symptoms flare up.

Because of cat allergies, be certain to change your bedding weekly. Take extra time to vacuum your carpets daily, and wash your curtains at least once a month. These simple tasks will greatly help in removing the amount of dander found in your home. Be sure to get a HEPA filter with your vacuum cleaner for best results.

Another good practice is to wash your hands after handling any pet, including your cat. It’s even more important to do this since you have allergies. The simple act of touching your cat, and then your face can leave you with an uncomfortable evening later on.

Consider using a micro fiber cloth to stroke your cat. This will eliminate more dander than a bath, and it’s easier for you since your cat may not be too fond of baths. If you continue to have trouble controlling your symptoms, confine your cats to one area of the house and see if your symptoms lessen.

Last but not least, keeping yourself healthy is very important, but hanging on to your cat is also important. By following the basic steps mentioned above, as well as speaking with your doctor about allergy shots and medications, the above recommendations should allow you to feel good and keep that beloved feline at the same time.

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Training your dog will help him to be a more obedient animal. It will also help him to be a better pet. The time that you spend investing in this training will reward you for many years. Your pet will be closer to you and will respect you even more. And, it doesn’t take away for his or her personality. But, what is does is sets the rules, the boundaries which help an animal to feel secure.

Your pet is communicating with you. They want attention and will do whatever it takes to get it. Believe it or not, you may actually be unconsciously telling your dog to behave badly if you do not provide them with the attention that they are in need of. If you yell at your pet for doing something wrong, for example, having an accident on the rug, you are providing attention to it and therefore, they may keep doing it to get that attention. You are excited which makes them excited. Instead, try ignoring your pet when they do something wrong like this.

On the flip side, then, positive reinforcement works well on many pets. Reward your dog for good behavior. What can you do? Things like giving them a treat or just verbally praising them works well. Or, take some time to pay extra attention to them. This does several things for your pet. The pet will realize that good behavior, whatever it is, will get them this type of reward. And, it will help to promote you as the leader. You need to remain the leader of the pack, even if your dog tries to challenge this. For those who need to learn this, and even those animals that are less assertive, obedience training can be quite beneficial. When the dog uses his or her instincts to follow a leader, the pet will feel more secure and behave properly as well.

Positive reinforcement type training can work in a number of different ways. For example, the capture reward process where the pet is rewarded when the good behavior is displayed is commonly used to gently coax the animal into giving you the desired reaction. The professionals will likely tell you that it is best to use several senses for training. The use of verbal communication and the use of hand signals are necessary. Things like sit, come, go, stay are all verbal signals. You need a release signal as well which will inform the animal that she has done a good job. You would give the release signal and then her reward right afterwards. This links the signal with the fact that the animal has done something good.

Now, who is going to teach your pet and how will they do it? First of all, you can do most of the training yourself. You can tap into the resources that you find at the library and bookstores on training the dog in how to type books. You can get quite a bit of the information you need to do it right on the web as well. If you do want to find additional help, seek that of a professional in your area. You can find them through pet supply chains or your local humane societies. Classes can be a great way to help your dog to socialize and to educate yourself. You can find local personal trainers for your dog as well. These individuals will come to you and work with your animal in a custom way to give them the support that they need.

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