Where pet lovers check out our archives!
The term ‘purebred’ is relative. No breed has been so isolated that it’s never mated with another. But taken over the last hundred years or so, there are populations of Golden Retriever, German Shepherds and many … Read More
Like humans, dogs are individuals. Some, through a combination of genetics, circumstances and self-development display assertive characteristics and others are more passive. Assertive dogs seek alpha (leader) status, forcibly remove rawhide bones or toys from others, … Read More
The old saying .. ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ … is a myth. Like humans, or many other species, dogs learn new things every day throughout life. But, also like humans, learning new … Read More
Dog training philosophies vary as much as dogs and trainers do. Most professionals agree, however, that a large part of training dogs consists of training the trainers. Whether those trainers are pet owners or professionals they … Read More
As descendants from wolf packs, dogs have and seek a natural hierarchy in which some are dominant (alphas) and others follow. Struggles among young pups to sort of who is which start early, in some cases … Read More
If you buy a foal or a horse that is green broke, you will need to be prepared to train your horse. After all, a badly trained horse is not just unenjoyable. A horse is a … Read More
While most people think of pet birds as animals that just sit in the cage or perch on someone’s shoulder and say the occasional funny phrase, some birds can actually learn quite a few interesting and … Read More
Training puppies requires patience, proper technique and tons of time. Ferrets are harder. They’re not unintelligent, but they’re less eager to please and not as socialized as dogs. Though domestic, they’re simply a different kind of … Read More
By Derek Wood You went out and purchased a dog, got them home and after a few months you realized it is time to start training your pet. Training has even progressed to a good degree, … Read More
Sometimes the distinction between training and control is too easily lost. Using commands and hand gestures, with leashes or treats, to solicit desired behavior is training. Using choke or ‘no-bark’ collars, electronic fences and similar devices … Read More
No training is more basic for pet owners than that first important lesson: Do it outside! Teaching your pet to eliminate outside the home, not in it, usually starts between six and eight weeks of age. … Read More
By Catherine Smith Is your rat aggressive? Does your rats often start fights with the other rats? Does he bite, or scratch you, or the other rats? If he does, I may just be able to … Read More
Normal dog training requires patience that is greater nowhere else but childrearing. Training rescued dogs takes even more. Though sterilizing dogs – spaying (removing female organs) and neutering (removing male organs) – has been common practice … Read More
Not every dog gets spayed (removal of female reproductive organs) or neutered (removal of male organs). Whether through an intention to breed or other motive, many individuals leave their companions intact. Left with a full complement … Read More
No project, apart from raising a child, requires more patience than dog training. All breeds have different attributes that present challenges. Some are intelligent, but boisterous and easily distracted. Some are eager to please, but dim-witted. … Read More
Most dogs will display a tendency to jump on people at times. How often will vary with breed and by individual. One theory suggests that dogs are trying to get close to the person’s face – … Read More
Parents will often get a rabbit specifically as a pet for their child. Your child looks at you with those big eyes and says ‘please’ and the rabbit comes home. But rabbits are unlike cats or … Read More
Tastes among humans differ, but one thing is constant: your dog will eat just about anything off the table you give it. That may be fine when it’s just you and the family. But when you … Read More
Dogs have a significant capacity for training their trainers. Apart from making us wave our hands and bark odd words, we regularly fetch treats and run after tennis balls. Not useful to us, but the dog … Read More
Dogs aren’t really stubborn. But they often don’t clearly know what’s wanted. Make it clear by quickly establishing alpha (dominant leader) status. Be willing to exercise the patience and modest, firm force to get the desired … Read More
Debate continues unabated about whether or not crate training dogs is healthy or harmful. ‘Crating’ involves placing a pet in a cage, usually plastic or metal of roughly the size of the dog, for a period … Read More
For most cat owners, one of the biggest drawbacks of owning a cat is the dreaded cat litter box. Few people like to clean litter boxes. After all, they aren’t just smelly. Litter can be quite … Read More
Many people are under the mistaken impression that cats are arrogant, moody creatures that will ignore their owners’ attempts to train them. They think that cats could obey and choose not to. Although cats do ignore … Read More
The variety of dog species is so great that sometimes it’s better not to think of them all as part of the same species at all. Biologists do because they can interbreed. Dog owners have different … Read More
Most dog owners sincerely want to train their dog well. But an almost equal number will underestimate the time and effort it takes to do so. The result is frequently a common set of mistakes that … Read More
Even dumb dogs are clever. Just think of the many ways they get humans to do what they want. Few can resist the soulful eyes and the offered paw when eating something the dog also views … Read More
Though dog-human interaction goes back thousands of years, communication between the two is still sometimes rough. The human half of the pair is usually the smarter party, but watching the usual training sessions one can have … Read More
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), dogs bite more than 4.7 million people per year. Law suits, medical bills and sometimes dog euthanasia are common results from this unwanted – and often avoidable – … Read More
Riding a horse looks so simple that you shouldn’t need formal lessons, right? Actually, while it may be easy to fall off a horse, staying on is a bit trickier. Staying on and looking good is … Read More
