You’ve gone to training classes, read books, and even watched videos. Yet your dog still seems to dislike training with you. This is usually around the time a pet owner will tell her dog trainer that her pup is either dumb or stubborn, and therefore cannot be trained. However, in situations like this, an owner is often accidentally sabotaging the training sessions. AKC GoodDog! Helpline program manager Penny Leigh, CPDT-KA, reveals some of the most common mistakes we make that can cause a dog to disengage. Attitude “Owners need to always approach training with a positive attitude and avoid telling the dog ‘no’ or making negative sounds like ‘ehhh,’ etc.,” says Leigh. While the idea of a “negative marker” has been around for decades and was originally used by positive reinforcement trainers, research has shown that a negative marker actually hinders learning. “Dogs need to feel confident in order to learn new skills,” explains Leigh. “If they are constantly being told that they are wrong, then they don’t want to try anymore.” Enter what many dog owners describe as the “stubborn” dog. This is a canine companion that seems to be ignoring his owner — doing everything except what is asked of him. To read more on this story, click here:These Common Training Mistakes Might Be Causing Your Dog to Disengage
Most people know that alpacas can be used as pack animals and that their fleece is valued for its silkiness. Pet lovers often ask if alpacas can make friendly pets. The truth is, these llama cousins are friendly and easy to handle. Besides being inquiring, they are also intelligent and sensitive. Additionally, they are calming to be around and show a quick response to gentle handling. Here are 7 reasons alpacas make great pets. 1. Alpacas Have Super-Soft Hypoallergenic Fleece. If you have never touched alpaca fleece, you will be delighted at how soft it feels. Besides being fluffy and soft, alpaca fiber is naturally free from lanolin and other allergy-causing agents. Whether you want to hug an alpaca or make a blanket from its fleece, you are not likely to suffer the same redness and itchiness caused by other types of fiber. Additionally, alpaca fiber has been granted a class 1 rating by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission because of its flame resistant nature. This fleece is also water resistant, making it a warmer alternative to cotton, and a lightweight option to sheep’s wool. 2. Given Time, Alpacas Are Typically Receptive to Human Touch. Every relationship is founded on trust. Once this amazing animal becomes acquainted with you, it will be much more receptive to your contact and touch. In fact, alpacas tend to be more similar to cats in behavior than to dogs. After establishing trust from familiarity, most alpacas will allow you to stroke their backs and necks, and even hug them! What’s more, alpacas are very friendly and even more receptive to children than adults, perhaps because children are small, and therefore less intimidating to be around with than adults. To read more on this story, click here:7 Reasons Alpacas Make Great Pets
I am so delighted to share all the information I have learned on how to raise baby chicks. Whether you are dreaming of fresh eggs, learning to be more self-reliant, looking for a great pet or wanting your own home-grown chickens for meat, just about anyone can raise chickens. I love my chickens. But growing up I was terrified of them. The drive for learning how to be self-reliant and the desire for fresh eggs helped me to overcome my fears. I live in the city and only am allowed a couple of chickens, so I brought home 4 chirping little baby chicks this past spring. After learning how to raise baby chicks and watching them grow, I can say they are the most enjoyable pets I have ever raised. They are super easy to care for, can be very loving, inexpensive to feed plus you get super delicious fresh eggs from them too. To read more on this story, click here:How to Raise Baby Chicks
How often you need to wash your dog depends on a variety of things, including the dog’s breed, size, type of coat, and activities. Dogs that are frequently outdoors may need more frequent baths, while indoor dogs may need a bath only every few months. Baths can be scary for dogs, but with a little knowledge and preparation, you can make washing your dog a good experience for both of you. Before you bathe your dog, brush its fur thoroughly before the bath, and place cotton balls in your dog’s ear canals to protect it from getting an ear infection. Adjust the temperature in the bath so it’s warm but not hot. Wet your dog from the neck to its tail, making sure you fully saturate the coat, then pour a strip of shampoo down the dog’s back and massage it in. Lather up the dog’s entire body except for its head, then use a washcloth to gently clean the dog’s face. Rinse the dog completely, then pat it with a towel to dry. To read more on this story, click here:How to Wash a Dog
While cats can be meticulous groomers, there are times when they really need a bath. Sometimes they get into something very sticky or dirty. Other times, they have a medical condition that requires regular bathing with medicated shampoo. Despite this, most cats will react negatively to getting a bath, which can be stressful for both the cat and the owner. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make bath time less stressful for both parties, and this wikiHow will show you how. To read more on this story, click here:How to Bathe a Cat
The first thing you must do if you’re thinking of having Capuchin monkeys as pets is to check the laws for exotic pets in your State. It is extremely important to know that capuchin monkeys, like other primates, can transmit certain diseases to humans. After rabies, Hepatitis is the most common. Capuchins can also be infected with more common ailments quite easily from humans since their immune systems are not as strong as ours. Monkeys are messy, and most capuchin owners use diapers for their monkey’s entire life. Since they can live for as long as 35-40 years in captivity, that’s a lot of diapers! They may also need to be bottle-fed for their entire lives. Capuchins are mostly kept on leashes both inside and outside of the home. Capuchin owners treat their monkeys like babies and commonly dress them up. Capuchins can grow to weigh up to 4 lbs but the average weight is 2 pounds. They grow twelve to twenty-two inches in height and their tails are also usually the same length as the body. These monkeys can become quite troublesome and aggressive when they reach sexual maturity, which can be difficult for the owner to handle. To read more on this story, click here: Capuchin Monkeys, Do These Primates Make Good Pets?
Poisoning by pesticides and rodenticides is one of the most common household dangers to your pet. In this case, zinc phosphide poisoning will be explored as a potential culprit for your pet's health condition. Zinc phosphide is an ingredient used in some rat poisons, and is also commonly used by pest control professionals. One of the effects zinc phosphide has on the body is a release of gases in the stomach, so that an animal that has ingested poison containing zinc phosphide will have breath smelling of garlic or rotten fish. Treatment is symptomatic (based on symptoms), and side effects of zinc phosphide poisoning can linger for several days after treatment. To read more on this story, click here:Rat Poison Toxicity in Dogs
Halloween can be a festive and fun time for children and families. But for pets? Let's face it, it can be a nightmare. Skip the stress and keep your pets safe this year by following these 10 easy tips. 1. Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets. All forms of chocolate—especially baking or dark chocolate—can be dangerous, even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures. “Xylitol ingestion can also cause liver failure in dogs, even if they don’t develop symptoms associated with low blood sugar,” adds Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinary advisor with petMD. And while xylitol toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it's better to be safe than sorry. To read more on this story, click here:10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
A tiny bunny born with no ears is living 'hoppily ever after' as her new adoptive owner knitted her a replacement pair. Seven week-old runt of the litter Mimi is completely deaf and only has three legs, but Rodajia Welch created the bunny wool ears to ensure she can feel just as fabulous as her furry siblings. The rabbit can 'be whoever she wants to be', as Rodajia has made an impressive collection of woollen ears for Mimi, after being inspired by cosplay. Rodajia agreed to take on the litter and their mum after their elderly breeder became too ill to look after them properly. Mimi's wardrobe includes a knitted flower crown, pink and white ears, as well as a pair of Minnie Mouse-inspired ones. To read more on this story, click here:Tiny Bunny Born Without Ears Gets Adorable Knitted Replacements
Snapchat just introduced new selfie filters meant specifically for your cat Snapchat can now detect your cat's face and apply lenses to it. Previously, the app could generally only detect human faces for its selfie lenses — but it would occasionally work with animals. For now, Snapchat is specifically focusing on cat lenses, and not other pets. If you've painstakingly tried to get Snapchat filters to apply to your cat without luck, your time has come. Snapchat just announced the introduction of cat lenses, meaning the app is now able to reliably detect cats' faces. Previously, the lenses were only meant for human faces, but you could get it to work on your pets if you were lucky. For some reason, Snapchat has chosen to focus specifically on cats, and not other animals. In a tweet announcing the new feature, Snapchat showed off a few of the filters in action — including a cat with bats flying around its face, and a few cat owners taking selfies with their grumpy-looking, glasses-wearing cats. To see it working click here:Snapchat For Cats
What could be hotter than shirtless firefighters with dogs? Shirtless firefighters raising money for charity with dogs! The 2019 Australian Firefighters Dog Calendar is ready to grace your wall with 11 beefy firemen and their adorable, fuzzy, canine companions! Not only will you get 12 months of super cute canines and foxy firemen, but you’ll also be helping multiple charities that support cancer research and animals! To read more on this story, click here:Shirtless Firefighters Pose With
This dog, named Beauty, was found abandoned as a puppy in Mani, Greece. After she was found, she was taken in by a local charity, and sadly spent the first nine years of her life in a shelter. Beauty, along with 150 other dogs at that shelter, waited every day for a family to adopt them. Every time someone would walk by her cage she would wag her tail in anticipation and hope. But that day never came for Beauty. To make matters worse, Beauty got sick with leishmaniasis https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/leishmaniasis-in-dogs , a parasitic disease, this past summer. They couldn’t let her live in the shelter while she was sick, so she was brought to Athens to live in a foster home, where she would finally receive proper care. The best part is that Beauty won’t ever have to live in a shelter again. She will remain at her foster home, but is still waiting for a forever home. In the meantime, she will continue to receive treatment. She is doing and feeling much better! Her foster mom, Zaira, has a heart of gold and always takes in the sickest dogs and tries to nurse them back to health. Sadly, many of them have passed away, but Beauty has proven to be a true figher. Although she was very weak and didn’t seem like she’d make it, she defied all of the odds and managed to pull through! She got her second chance at life, but now she is looking for a permanent home with a family who will love her unconditionally. She is a very friendly and sweet pup and definitely deserves a happy ending after everything she has been through. If you’re interested in adopting Beauty,email support@theorphanpet.com. Watch Beauty in the video below:
Our pets are so adorable that the online pet community has birthed its own ridiculous but hilarious slang to describe our furry friends and their behavior. You are probably familiar with some of the classic kitty memes, such as Keyboard Cat or LOLCats in general, but cat-memeing has crossed the digital threshold into IRL vocabulary. Case in point? Splooting. Splooting describes one of the silliest things a four-legged friend can do. Splooting is when a cat lays out on the belly while having both hind legs splay out behind them instead of being neatly tucked under their torso. It looks like this: To read more on this story, click here:Sploot Or Splooting Your Cat Already Does It
The Afghan hound is renowned for its silky coat, fringes, and curly tail. These tall, elegant, and dignified hounds have exquisite looks. Luke Kavanagh from Australia has the privilege of being the owner of this gorgeous hound named Tea. She was “far too pretty to keep at home,” said Luke. When Luke posted Tea’s photo on social media, it was shared 1 million times… “I guess people were mostly drawn to [the photo] because of her silky coat coupled with that dignified look that Tea has, but that’s just her being her,” Kavanagh told NewsLocal. “I am seriously blown away by how far this one photo has gone and the subsequent stories on Tea.” Tea is not just a pretty face, though. Royal Canin, a dog food brand, asked Kavanagh one time if he would mind if Tea became their “spokesdog,” to which he was delighted with the idea. Tea also landed herself a place in an ad for Harriot and Hounds dog perfume. “Even our weekend walks draw a crowd. She pretends she doesn’t need the attention, but she definitely loves it, just like any supermodel.” The pretty pooch, that is now retired, is very dear to its owner. “I have such a special bond with Tea, and we have shared a lifetime of wonderful moments together.” To read more on this story, click here:This ‘SUPERMODEL’ Afghan Dog Will Blow Your Mind With Its Well-Groomed Looks!
