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Supplies

Supplies you will need before you bring your new puppy home: The first thing youll need is a travel crate for your dogs trip home. Youll also need to buy some high quality puppy food and bowls for food and water. Your vet, breeder or shelter personnel can tell you which brands of food are the best. Other items youll need to get in advance of the new puppys arrival are: an adjustable collar, a leash, toys and bedding. Dont forget to make an appointment with your veterinarian for your puppys first check-up!

No food should ever be fed to a dog unless that food is put into some type of a container. The practice of putting food on newspapers or directly on a cage floor or the ground serves no purpose except to contaminate the food from the surroundings. This method also contaminates the surroundings from the food, draw flies, increase parasite transmission and soil the dog's coat. The money, time and energy a dog owner thinks he is saving by such feeding practices are completely wiped out by the loss of the dog, the time spent to clean floors and combat insects, or the effort needed to put a food-soiled coat back into show condition.

Crate Training

Crate training is a method by which your dog is taught to stay in a crate within your house for prolonged periods of time. This is an especially useful technique for dogs that would otherwise tear up the house when left alone. The best time to start crate training is when your dog is still a puppy. Leave him in the open crate for brief periods of time at first and then begin closing the door behind him.

Make sure that your puppys crate experience is always positive by giving him treats and rewards whenever he enters the crate. Once he is comfortable, you can leave him in the crate for increasing periods of time - give him his meals there as well.

Never use the crate as punishment. You want your dog to feel that his crate is a safe refuge, not a prison. Furthermore, the crate is a place where your dog can go to feel safe and secure while you and your family are away from home for a few hours. When youre home, your dog should be out of his crate and socializing with his human family.

Obedience

Teaching basic obedience skills to a dog can be exciting as well as challenging. Having problems on where to begin? Start by doing your homework. A student can only be as good as his trainer, right?

The first lesson in obedience is to get your dog to pay attention to the commands. You want to start by calling his name and then using a keyword like watch or look afterwards. This way, he will associate the words to a command. Once youve got his attention, the lessons can begin.

You want your dog to be able to pay attention for a short length of time. Try keeping his attention by doing attention exercises. One example would be to hold a toy or dog treat in near your mouth and then give him the keyword command.

Each time he takes the time to watch, praise him. The more you do this exercise, the more time he should be able to pay attention to you. Try getting him to watch for at least a minute. Let him know that he is doing a good job by rewarding him. Dogs learn best this way.

Because dogs have such short attention spans, they get distracted pretty easily. Choose a place that is free of other distractions such as other pets, children or loud noises. Training sessions should only last approximately 30 minutes tops. Usually, if you go over this time limit, the dog will get restless and easily distracted.

If your dog isnt learning very quickly, you may become frustrated. Dont take that frustration out on your animal. A few things to remember before starting your obedience lessons:

1) Never cause pain to your dog (this will cause him to shy away or become aggressive to you.)

2) If he begins to become distracted, change the tone of your voice (this doesnt mean raising it)

3) Consistency can not be stressed enough (animals are like children, if youre not consistent, they will become confused as to what is expected)

Teaching your dog basic obedience commands will make for a more obedient and more pleasant dog to be around.

The first command to start off with would be to sit. You must use the word sit while teaching him so that he can relate the word with the action. Start by gently pushing his backside down and saying the word sit. Eventually he will catch on to the concept.

The second command is down. Dogs can become pretty hyper when they get excited. Jumping up on their owners lap is usually how they express their excitement. If you have a big dog or have other people over, you might not want them pouncing about. When they jump up, tell them down. Do not pet them or act excited to see them while they are on you. Continue to tell them down, and even place their legs down if you have to.

Next is the command of stay. This command is a good one to know especially if you have a rambunctious hyper dog. You can teach him stay, for example, by putting a treat or something desirable on the ground. As he moves toward it, tell him Stay. Another good idea would be to put your hand up while saying the word stay. When he begins to become obedient in this area, you can move further away from him. This will cause him to become more daring and he will probably take a step forward to see how much he can get away with. When he does this, continue to put your hand out and tell him stay. He has to know that even though you are moving away, you can still see what hes doing and expect him to continue to obey.

After youve mastered the stay command, you will move on to the come command. Once your dog has learned to sit and stay, he will need a command to know when its ok to get up and approach you. They may be a bit confused at first, but with a change in the tone of your voice, he will soon understand. Put a little excitement in your voice when saying the word come. He will pick up on it. You might also want to pat your leg when you say come.

Stand is the last command to achieve. This is where your dog is allowed to get a little excited but not in a pouncing kind of way. When teaching your dog to stand, pat your hands on your chest and, once again, put a little excitement in your voice, so that he knows hes aloud, under certain circumstances. He will begin to know the difference.

Teaching your dog basic obedience, if possible, should be taught as soon as you and your dog are ready. Remember be consistent with the commands and dont forget to have fun!

Arild Myklebust runs the free http://doggroomingtips.ws website. Visit now, to get more useful Dog Tips & Articles and also a Free Email Newsletter. For other topics, check out his http://freetips.ws website.

Brace yourself its an eating frenzy between now and the end of the year. The office parties and gatherings at homes are ready to entice you with delicious food offerings. Besides watching your waistline grow, there can be danger lurking in the delectable food dish in front of you.

If you watched the news this summer, cases of E. Coli from spinach caused a scare and the recall of packaged spinach. Packaged lettuce was also a concern for E. Coli contamination.

Many of the parties and pot lucks have food left out over a long period of time and may not be safe to eat later in the day. Your best strategy is to get there early when the food is just put out for consumption. Of course getting there early usually guarantees the best selection of food choices. Most people who bring in potluck items are conscientious enough to prepare food in a cleanly manner. Most caterers have to abide by health department regulations.

So what do you do to protect yourself from consuming something that may be unhealthy for you? Theres always the sniff test and the appearance test. You can usually tell if some food dish is getting crusty from being left out and then you know to stay away.

You may have all star intuition or gut feeling tell you, this food is not safe or appropriate for you to eat. Chances are your emotions take over and you load your plate with delicious looking comfort food ignoring those signals you get to pass on a particular food choice.

You may even be sensitive to the ingredients of a dish and have an allergic reaction if you eat it. This is a time to enjoy yourself and getting sick from eating at a party or potluck is not usually your idea of a fun time.

Many office refrigerators are prime breeding grounds for neglected food that grows smelly and moldy. Throwing out that food is a no-brainer, and yet the habit of leaving it for someone else to toss prevails.

One of the first steps is to pitch in and make sure your home and office refrigerator is cleaned and to toss that old food. When it comes to the office refrigerator, its usually left for someone else to do and may not get done. Getting someone to help you clean the refrigerator (if you decide to take it on) is a harder sell than The Little Red Hen had when she invited people to help her make the bread.

Its possible you have survived the eating frenzy during these holiday parties and potlucks. You can be grateful that you have never had a problem. The enticement of free and plentiful food sometimes clouds your judgment to protect yourself from getting ill from consuming it.

One of the things you could do is to use dowsing or muscle testing (kineseology or device-less dowsing) to ask if the food you are about to put on your plate or into your mouth is safe for you to eat. Using dowsing with a pendulum at a public gathering may not make you look too good. But using device-less dowsing can give you the protection you need while being discreet in public. You can easily learn how to dowse with your fingers.

As with all dowsing you need to establish a link with a higher power then establish a yes and no response. It is best if you test your yes and no response with questions you know the answers to like your name and birthday. There are several different ways to use your fingers to dowse. One is rubbing your index and thumb in a circular motion, a stick usually is meant to be a yes and smooth movement can be the no response.

Asking dowsing questions is best to be phrased to get a yes or no response. For example, if you are questioning the safeness of a particular food dish, is this casserole safe for me to eat? And then you can ask, is it in the highest and best good for me to eat this brownie? Well, when the sweet tooth hits sometimes even the no response can be overridden. You have to decide in that moment whether the pleasure of eating that sweet treat now will be better than the possible expansion of the waist or even the discomfort you could feel from overstuffing yourself.

For some of you there can be a tendency of offering treats to your pets during the holidays. You need to be cautious when sharing people food to your pets. Be aware there have been recalls of pet treats and pet food. You cant have the Internet reports with you everywhere you go shopping for food, unless you have the latest and greatest tech device.

Even then you can use device-less dowsing to check to see if that treat or bag of food is safe for your pet. I just saw a coupon from a product that seems great for dogs and is meant to help clean teeth (it is the same color as lawns in the summer) I recall a report that revealed that some dogs became ill from this product and some dogs even died. For people who love their pets and treat them as family members, protecting them from toxic food products is vital to caring for your pets health and avoiding high vet bills.

Enjoy yourself, and as they say, Eat, drink and be merry. Its always easy to assume the safety of your food and your pets food until a recall or problem hits the news. If you value your health and the health of your family and pets you will consider taking the steps you need to protect it.

You have a choice to discover if a food choice is by using the ancient art of dowsing. Its a simple thing to learn and to use. Discover how dowsing can help you at http://www.thedowsingadvantage.com. Many people wish for peace of earth this time of year. Why not take that a step further and give yourself peace of mind.

Lynn Wertheimer has been dowsing for over 20 years. Lynn uses her pendulum and device-less dowsing in all areas of her life including making sure the food she buys is safe to eat. She is the author of the eBook, The Dowsing Advantage. The Dowsing Advantage is offered with 4 bonus reports: How to Guide for Shopping; How to Find and Improve Relationships; Tips on How to Use Dowsing for Feng Shui and Fun Experiments for Kids. You can learn the Secrets to Dowsing fast for making powerful decisions and more by visiting http://www.thedowsingadvantage.com.

Removing your cats nails is not the only choice in your battle against cat scratching. There are many alternatives to this surgical procedure.

The claws of a feline serve many purposes, most of which are overlooked y owners who just want to protect their belongings. Claws are not just a device for scratching. They are a multi-purpose tool that cats use for many things, such as balance, climbing, defense, kneading, playing, and self-expression.

The act of de-clawing itself involves more than you may think. De-clawing not only removes the nail itself, but also the first knuckle on each toe of the paw. This removal of bone is very painful for the animal, especially since it has to walk on its paws in order to sustain itself. The surgery itself is related to disfiguring, dismembering, and disjointing the animal, resulting in severe pain. It is much more closely related to an amputation, as often the digits of the toe are removed. Upon removal of this end digit, sensory and motor nerves are cut and destroyed; they do not grow back for months. The cat is left to walk on the stub end of the remaining second digit, experiencing considerable pain.

Understanding the physiology of the cat may make this horrific the process easy to comprehend. Cats nails are unlike those of humans. They are more similar to the human finger, as the feline nail is a movable digit, attached by muscle. Ligaments and tendons attach to the claw, giving it strength and motor function.

There are several alternatives to the procedure of claw removal:

* Scratching Posts. If scratching furniture is the problem, provide your cat with an adequate scratching post for which to scratch on. Make sure it is as tall as your cat at extended stretch. Do not purchase carpeted posts as your pet will have a hard time differentiating between what carpet she can and cannot scratch. Praise your pet when she uses the post to encourage the behavior.

* Discourage Wrongful Behavior. Each time your cat uses the scratching post, praise her and spend time playing with her near the post. When the animal scratches at the wrong area, say her name followed by the word no, and move her to the post. Try dangling a toy in front of the post. When the cat goes for it, she will end up scratching and playing at the post.

* Trim the Claws. Keeping the nails clipped will minimize the need for her to scratch, as well as lesson any damage she can do. Use clippers especially made for cats, and enlist the help of a second person to hold her still. This can be done once per week.

* Nail Covers. Plastic nail caps have been manufactured to aid cat lovers in their attempts to protect their belongings. The plastic sheaths are attached to freshly trimmed claws with glue. They are replaced every month, or as needed.

De-clawing your cat is unnecessary if the proper measures are taken. In fact, the United States and Canada are the only countries where this procedure is performed. It is considered inhumane or illegal in most places.

David Beart is the owner of http://www.professorshouse.com. Our site covers household finances, dogs, cats, family, cooking and other household issues.

How do you groom your dog? Keep him clean!

To hope that washing and brushing alone will produce a fine coat, bright eyes and a general air of well-being when the poor animal has worms,ear mites, or other conditions due to neglect, is nonsense. Before you groom externally, get down to business internally; realize what worms and other pests do to your dog general condition. All parasites of concern can result in damage to an animal's health. Similarly, some can be transferred from the dog to other household animals including humans. No dog that is parasitized is considered healthy.

At least weekly you should brush your dog thoroughly. This is the perfect time to get down to the skin where you can see any puncture wounds, cuts, or parasites such as ticks or fleas and see any bumps or other abnormalities

If you live in a location where spring and summer bring burrs and foxtails, your dog should be checked daily and a brush run through its coat after every outing. Pay particular attention to checking the inside of your dog's ears, around the eyes, vulva and anus, as well as between the pads on the feet.

Brushing your furred friend removes dead hair and skin, spreads out natural oils in their coat, and helps keep them from developing an odor. It is one of the simplest things you can do for your dog, but it is also one of the most necessary.

Brushes, hound gloves or curry combs will all work on coats.

Dogs need a bath about once a month unless they roll in something stinky. Before bathing a dog, make sure the coat has been brushed out carefully. Any mats left in the coat prior to the bath will be impossible to detangle and will have to be cut out. Placing cotton balls in the dog's ears prior to the bath will reduce potential ear infections caused by water in the ear canal and care needs to be taken not to get soap in the dog's eyes during the bath.

Check your dog's eyes at least weekly. If the eye seems slightly red or irritated you can use artificial tears to clean the eye. However, if you suspect your dog has something in its eye that is not flushed out with the artificial tears, please take the dog to your veterinarian for treatment.

Ears should be cleaned as necessary, usually once a month, although they should be checked more frequently. If your dog swims frequently, special attention needs to be taken to ensure that water in the ear canal doesn't lead to ear infections.

The nose leather should be soft and pliable. It does not have to be 'wet' but a cracked nose or one covered with mucous or a dried crust can be an indication of problems.

At least once a week you should check your dog's mouth. Look for bumps or anything unusual in the mouth itself, and check the teeth for fractures or other potential problems. Cleaning teeth is not the chore it sounds if you take the time to introduce the dog to it.

Carefully check the pads of your dog's feet and between the toes. Use your fingers to feel between the pads and toes and don't simply rely upon sight to spot potential problems. If your dog has excess hair between the pads, you may need to trim this area. Excess hair will accumulate snow, ice and mud which will cause discomfort and may lead to lameness until the dog is able to remove the offending objects. If trimming the hair is necessary, use blunt scissors. Small manicure scissors that are blunted on the tips are ideal for this task.

Finally, a dog's nails need to be kept trimmed. Long nails will cause a dog to walk on the back of its feet and not on the balls of the feet as it should. Over time, this will cause the metacarpals of the foot to become malformed and can cause lameness and arthritis.

My name is Jason Homan. I was born in Detroit Michigan and moved to Denver at an early age. I have always been an avid animal lover for as long as I can remember. Interested in finding out more about the dog grooming? Click here to visit my website http://Askedweb.com. Choosing a dog breed, finding dog breeders, is made easier with my site.

Baby photos are something that everybody loves even when the baby is not our own. When we become parents, we always want to find every way possible to register all those beautiful moments of our babies and baby photos is one of the more popular, easy and effective ways to do it. One of the first pictures that many parents want to keep is the ultrasound picture which parents can use to show everybody the soon-to-be-born baby.

Some parents use the internet in order to find some information with pictures of the fetus so they can get an idea of what is happening inside the mothers belly during the different stages of the baby development. There is nothing more exciting than having and idea of how their baby is growing and almost feeling that he/she is in their arms. And when the expectant mother feels the kicks of the baby, she couldnt be happier since they start to imagine if the baby is going to become a soccer player.

When the baby is just born everybody wants to take pictures on the little one wrapped in blanket like a mexican taco with a little hat on, theres nothing cutter than that.

Some parents dress up their babies with the outfits that a friend gives away which regularly are two sizes bigger; this is a great opportunity to take very funny and sweet pictures. These pictures of the baby in the hospital are the most popular which are good to give away to every member of the family. At this time, parents start their collection of their baby photos; every pose or gesture is a good opportunity to take a picture on the baby which will be remembered forever.

Baby photos of any kind are beautiful by themselves but when are taken by a professional photographer they become a real master piece. There are parents that hire a professional to take quality pictures either in color or blank and white. Normally parents pose with the baby or babies making a wonderful portrait that will be the envy of everybody. Some parents even take professional pictures and send them to baby photos contests where their babies get to be seen by many people and decide which one looks nicer.

However, the only appearance of their baby to the eyes of lots of people might be enough for the parents to be proud of their little ones.

You might need some baby photos for certain project and dont have your own baby or babies to take pictures on, but dont worry because you can always go to the internet and visit one of the many baby sites where you can find hundreds and hundreds of baby photos that you can use.

There all kinds of them, all of them really cute and some sites are really good in presenting these pictures, they present them in calendars, key chains, greeting cards, wall papers for your computer and lots of other nice ideas which are very good presents for everybody in the family and friends. Take note that some sites are protected and you will need to pay a little fee if you want to download pictures.

Victor Castaneda is a regular contributor to Ezinearticles.Com. He is about to become a father which is way he started to gather all the information about babies he can. Read about how he is planning on welcome his baby at: http://www.how-to-make-baby-shower-invitation.info/index.html Find Baby Shower Invitation

The Basset Hound originated in sixth century France and is thought to be descended from the St. Hubert Hounds. The Basset Hound (bas means 'low-set' in French) proved useful to hunters, with its slow movement and long ears to stir up scent, they could drive prey out from dense covering and into open fields. The Basset Hound has stamina to keep up with hunters and to track and prey for long periods of time. Basset Hounds are still used for hunting in some areas of the world. The Basset Hound is described as gentle, sociable and stubborn.

Basset Hounds are loyal to their families and good with children and other animals. They prefer to be lap dogs and do not make good guard dogs, as they will greet any stranger who approaches them as a friend. Basset Hounds tend to be strong-willed and independent, making them difficult to train, but with enough consistency this can be overcome. When out for a walk with a Basset Hound, always keep it on a leash as the hunting tendencies may override any and all training.

Though Basset Hounds have a short stature, standing 12 to 15 inches tall, they are not considered small dogs, and will on average weight 50 to 65 pounds when mature. They have short coats that are tri-colored (black, white and tan) or red and white, and require relatively little maintenance. Regular brushing will keep the coat free of dirt and reduce shedding. Baths are necessary only a few times a year, as their coats tend to repel water. A Basset Hound's ears need regular cleaning since their long, floppy ears do not allow air to circulate, increasing the risk of infection and they do tend to slobber more than other dogs.

Basset Hounds need to be exercised frequently and often times have to be encouraged to do so as they are prone to taking naps in the sun. The Basset Hound is prone to some genetic disorders. Von Willebrand's disease is a platelet disorder that results in mild to moderate bleeding and a longer than average bleeding time. Through breeding, the incident of this condition has been reduced in the breed.

Basset Hounds are also prone to glaucoma, gastric torsion and interdigital cysts. Some Basset Hounds are allergic to certain grasses. Without proper exercise, Basset Hounds are prone to obesity, which can cause arthritis, back pains and heart trouble.

There is a website that has great information on Basset Hounds and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2006

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25 years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.