Rrrrrrrr

The French use that expression to accentuate the great aspects of the difference between the sexes in men and women, but in reality there are very few differences in personality between male and female sugar gliders. It is not necessary to worry about which sex to choose when you buy a sugar glider because unlike some other pets, one does not make a better pet than the other.

Male sugar gliders are just as friendly and cuddly as females. Unlike what can be a messy experience in dogs, there is very little sign of the heat cycle with a female sugar glider either. Likely the only one who will know your sugar glider girlie is in heat is another sugar glider. Many glider owners who have a male or more than one glider will have the males neutered. This helps in keeping them from breeding if you have one of each sex. Just like in any animal it can make a male a more enjoyable and happier pet as well if they are not concerned with the urges that come with the hormones.

There is no reason to worry about which sex you prefer. You will love them both. They will both bond extremely well to you, and get along with other sugar gliders and any pets that already reside in your home. The sugar glider is a wonderful little pocket pet that makes a great addition to any household no matter what their sex.

If you do keep one of each sex intact as pets, you might find yourself a sugar glider ‘grandma, or grandpa’. This can be a great experience as well, and luckily, unlike the rodent family, sugar gliders do not multiply in huge numbers many times during the year. A female glider will only cycle about twice a year, and each time will generally only have one or two ‘Joeys’ at each birth. Consider the options of bringing more sugar gliders into your home in this way wisely. If you do not have the time for more than your original gliders, a simple procedure that your veterinarian can do will solve the problem nicely and make your pet enjoyable without the worry of breeding.

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We all baby our dogs with neat clothes, top quality dog foods, nice collars, wonderful grooming and the best in anything else. I will say though, the one place that many people neglect their dog is with their mouth. Most dogs’ mouths smell terrible but the problem can be solved by treating them as we treat ourselves.

Dogs are just as likely to get gum disease and tooth decay as humans are. Just as we brush our teeth daily to prevent these things, why should your dog not receive the same treatment? It may seem a bit strange and even inconvenient but it is really not that difficult or time consuming.

These days there are tons of different dog toothbrushes as well as toothpastes which are specially formulated for canines. Chicken and beef is just a couple of the different flavors of paste available to the consumer. Brush the dogs’ teeth as you brush yourself.

At first there may be a bit of resistance, on the dog’s part since it is a new experience however shortly your dog will learn to like and most likely love the tooth brushing. Actually a lot of dogs think of it as a treat. Give it a whirl, it is well worth it.

Jason Montag
http://www.spectacularpets.com

For more information about dogs or to speak to fellow dog lovers on our pet forum, visit http://www.spectacularpets.com.

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Hopefully you will never have to go through this. But odds are good at one time or another, either you or a friend will have a pet that goes missing. You can be the most careful person and through no fault of your own, something happens.

I had first hand experience of this last Tuesday when I got the phone call - two of my dogs, Bailey & Hooch decided to go for an adventure. There are several steps to take when you find out your pet is missing.

The first thing is to confirm they are actually missing. Check over your house & property. They could have gotten locked in the basement or barn somehow.

The next most natural step is to just start looking. Either walk or drive around your neighborhood calling out your pets’ name. When you’re out looking for your pet, talk to as many people as possible. Give them your name, number and a description of your pet. You’ll increase the chances of finding your pet when more people know that it’s missing. Also, call your friends and family; enlist their help in finding your pet.

Depending on the city of town you live in, either call your local humane society or sheriff’s office. Notify them of your pets’ status.

If your pet has been missing for more than a day, it’s a good idea to start posting signs. For local stores & gas stations, use colored signs if you can that have a good picture of your pet. When posting poster board size signs outside, use fluorescent colors - they provide much more visibility. A couple of words of caution only post the basics about your pet & your phone number. Don’t put your address on it & if you’re offering a reward, just list Reward Offered, don’t list the amount.

Hopefully, with a little luck and a little prayer you’ll find your pet safe and sound. Thankfully I had a happy ending when I found Bailey and Hooch the next morning. They were cold and tired, but as happy to see me as I was them.

Suzi Sevcik is the founder of PetLabels.com & proud dog owner. The experiences she writes about comes from living with 3 Golden Retrievers. You can find more pet articles here: http://PetLabels.com/articles/ or email her at suzi@petlabels.com.

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Dog training is not rocket science and is not as difficult as you think. It is certainly possible for ANY dog owners to train their dogs themselves provided they put in adequate amount of effort. The principles listed here are universal to dog training of Any dog breeds, be it sporting, working, toy or terrier, Any dogs - big or small, pup or old, Any Owners - competitive or leisure.

In short, if you are serious about training your dog and demand Only success, You MUST apply these principles. No “If” No “But”. Get the basic right first before you start to train your dog!

Consistency
Consistency is very important during training and correcting unwanted behavior. Always use the same “command” for a specific task you require of your dog. Don’t confuse him by using different command for the same task.

Once you’ve establish some house rules such as - keeping the cooking area out of bound to your dog, enforce them constantly. If the dog learns that he can get away with it now and then, your previous efforts will go down the drain. Lastly, make sure everyone in the family accept and enforce your rules consistently.

Timing
Timing is critical to successful training. Praise your dog whenever he is doing something right. As expected, reprimand him on the spot and to the point whenever he misbehave or fails to response to your command. Praise and reprimand that happen later will have no effect on your dog.

* There are 2 main schools of thoughts concerning the timing of correction when your dog misbehaves. I called the first school of thoughts the “Direct Approach”. It simply requires you to reprimand your dog on the spot if he misbehaves. This is more of a tangible and straight forward approach to training your dog and is easy to understand for most trainers.

I called the second school of thoughts the “Endurance Approach” as it’ll require you to ignore your dog when he misbehaves. Using the cause and effect to your advantage, this approach requires you to ignore the dog, especially when he misbehaves to seek attention and encourage you to pay attention to your dog only when he’s a good boy.

Attention Factor (Endurance Approach)
Dogs love attention and are hugely motivated by it. Unlike man, dogs do not know how to differentiate between positive and negative attention. They see things in a simple way. If a certain action gets reaction and attention, you’ll bet they repeat it over and over again. (Cause and Effect)

Unfortunately, for most dog owners, we more often than not give our dogs negative attention. For example, “Do you let him out of his crate when he groans?” or “Do you give chase when he runs off with your socks?” These are negative attentions given to the dog and is certainly motivating his bad behavior.

Fortunately, the opposite is true if you pay enough attention to your dog when he behaves himself. When the dog understands that he’ll get attention only when he’s behaving, he’ll learn that only good behavior attract attention and he’ll repeat his good behavior always.

Focus your attention on your dog only when he is behaving; praise him or give him a treat, let him know that he’s getting the attention. If this technique is used correctly, he’ll be a well-behaved dog for a long time to come. Nevertheless, this approach is probably not for the short temper and requires you to go through an endurance ordeal. Imagine your dog chewing up your sock in your presence. “Endure Dude!”

Training Mood
You need to be in the correct frame of mind before you train your dog. Never train your dog when you are under the influence of alcohol or drug. Also try not to train him if you’ve a bad day or not in the best of your mood.

If you’ve just argued with your sweetie or got a telling off from your boss earlier on. You would most probably take out your frustration on him and threaten your relationship with him in future.

Do remember to apply these dog training principles constantly & you’ll be half-way through to successful dog training.

About the Author

Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of http://DogsObedienceTraining.com - The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

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Cats that are blind, partially paralyzed, have a missing limb, or very old can develop litter box problems that affect you as well as them. Owning one of these special kitties is challenging, but you can develop solutions to work around cat litter box issues.

This article will touch upon some of the cat litter box issues and corresponding solutions you can implement for your blind, paralyzed, amputee, or very old cat.

Blind cats:

If you have owned kitty for a long time and her vision fades, it is critical that you keep her surroundings as static as possible. She will continue to navigate her way around by memory, and it’s vitally important that her cat litter boxes remain fixed in her memory. This doesn’t mean there won’t be accidents, but you can eliminate the possibility by maintaining her cat litter box location.

You can also develop a system where you keep her confined to a room with her food, water, litter box, and toys when you’re out of your home. This way, she’s in familiar surroundings with all her essentials. If she does have an out of litter box experience, it’s confined to one room. When you’re home and can monitor her wanderings, she has the freedom to travel around the entire house without getting into too many difficulties.

Please stay in close contact with your kitty vet if you have a blind cat. She can suggest more ideas and processes to help you and your kitty.

Partially paralyzed cats:

Some cat owners will opt to keep their partially paralyzed kitty alive. This is a personal choice made in coordination with the cat’s vet. Paralyzed kitties have absolutely no control over their elimination functions, so the feline owner is faced with a constant task of cleaning up the mess and the cat.

Again, close owner supervision will be necessary. If the cat moves around the house quite a bit, the feline owner will need to inspect the home several times a day to discover and clean up cat urine stains and feces. Conversely, the paralyzed kitty can be given a room of her own, with her food, water, toys, and possibly some cat litter on the floor, contained by a very low box, or on a protective piece of plastic. It’s possible the kitty will be in the vicinity of the cat litter if her system eliminates cat urine or feces.

Your vet and you can further consult on additional techniques and solutions. One such solution is learning to express your cat’s bladder to cut down on the number of cat urine puddles you will find in your home.

Missing a limb:

Cats who are amputees will want to do the right thing by using the cat litter box, but due to limited mobility, may get frustrated and use the floor. They lose the ability to scratch at the cat litter to cover their production, as well as maintaining balance while eliminating waste.

You can find a plastic storage bin that has high sides. On one or both ends, cut a “U” shaped opening so that the bottom of the “U” is about two inches from the container bottom. This will help the amputee kitty get in and out of the modifiied cat litter box easily.

You may wish to consider confining your special kitty when you’re not home to cut down the number of places to find cat urine and feces spots. Give her a nice room with her favorite food, clean water, toys, and a clean cat litter box that she can easily hop in and out of.

Consult with your vet. She may have experience with other feline patients and can pass on “lessons learned” to you.

Very old, or senior kitties:

One of the most frequent problems for senior kitties is they can develop confusion and dementia. The cat then forgets where her litter box is located, and finds the nearest convenient place to eliminate. Another very frequent health issue for old cats is stiffness in their joints, which can limit their mobility.

If their cat litter box is far away, or is in a now-inaccessible location, kitty will once again develop her own cat litter box location that is more convenient.

In these cases, keep more litter boxes available, and limit your cat’s traveling distance. For example, if your cat starts voluntarily confining herself to one particular part of your home, put a cat litter box nearby. You may also have to change the type of cat litter box you’re using, if it’s too difficult for her to get in and out of.

Once again, your local kitty vet may will have more solutions to discuss with you.

If you have one of these special kitties, it’s essential that you keep a good enzyme cleaner in stock at all times to quickly and efficiently clean up cat urine and feces spots. Good luck, and bless you!

About the Author

Nancy has successfully eliminated cat urine odor from her home, and kept the kitty that caused it. The Cat Urine Odor Advisor helps you save money and stop the damage in your household by offering solutions that work together to eliminate cat urine odor from your home.

http://www.cat-urine-odor-advisor.com

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Dog houses are now not just a matter of shelter for dogs. Today, equal importance, if not more, is given to beautifully designed dog houses which add an extra charm and beauty to the landscape of the owner’s house. Hence, new attractive designs emerge regularly, reflecting our evolving choices. T.J Designs, Ash Custom Wood, All Dog Houses, Pet Street Mall, La Petite Maison, Lilliput Play Homes, Petsmart, Petmate, Post Modern Pets, Improvements, Solid Cedar Dog Houses, and Orvis are some companies which provide amazing variety of designs among dog houses.

Dog houses are available in different materialwood, plastic, fenced wires, and much more. The design of the dog house differs accordingly too, keeping in tune with the material used in building the dog house. Among woods, cedar, Asian fir, and pine are possibly the most used in building. Fancy, playful designs such as mansion, bungalow, houses with porches, houses with roof porches, and cabin log house are made up of the aforementioned woods.

Barn-shaped and A-shaped dog houses are possibly the most common designs adopted by novice dog house creators and companies. But the flat-roofed dog house, which provides a generous view of the surroundings, is quite popular too. T.J Designs, Petmate, and Pet Street Mall deal with barn-shaped designed dog houses.

Besides wooden houses, several unique-designed dog house are available in the market too. Precision also provides log houses with slight slanting roofs, a change to the routine flat roofs. Igloo-shaped dog houses are much convenient to clean and maintain too. Improvements and Petmate among others make such homes too.

Completely portable dog houses are those provided by Petmate. It resembles a human tent and is made up of ‘heavy-duty polyester’ and has ‘nylon zipper’. Usually can be set up within minutes, it is a very convenient mobile dog house.

Dog houses completely customized to suit and match owners houses are created and provided by La Petite Maison. Dog houses are either made on the site or made first and then shipped to the desired location according to the size of the dog house.

Dog Houses provides detailed information about dog houses, dog houses for sale, small dog houses, large dog houses and more. Dog Houses is the sister site of Dog Tags Web.

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Many people feel that taking the time to train their puppy or dog isn’t worth the effort. What with everything else we have to do these days in our busy lives, whose got the time?

Kimberley was just like that. She’d never bothered training Jack…but then, one day…

Kimberly and Jack ran excitedly up to the top of the escarpment and gazed out over the deep blue ocean waves as they rolled in from the east. The sun was just appearing over the horizon, the cool sea breeze on her face made her feel completely alive, and Kimberley was as contented as she had ever been.

The time she spent with Jack, the 3 year old German shepherd she had rescued from the animal shelter a few months earlier, was the most precious part of her life. He seemed to know just what she was thinking and was devoted to Kim to the point of being a fanatic.

He wouldn’t leave her side…unlike most of the other male companions she had previously had in her life.

Jack was the perfect companion.

He gave her unconditional love, he was always there for her when she needed to talk to someone, he lavished his undivided attention on her, he never spoke back, and was always waiting patiently for her when she came home from her work at the pharmacy.

The early morning walks they shared helped her forget the many troubles in her life, and allowed her just enjoy herself.

This morning was special.

She was on the first day of her annual two-week vacation, and had plans to take Jack up to the mountains hiking and camping for a few days later in the week.

The thought of getting away from the pressures of daily life made her feel a rush of adrenaline and Jack could sense her excitement, yelping and barking playfully as they frolicked in the grass at the top of the ridge.

They played for over half an hour, then turned to head for home to have something to eat.

Maybe it was the excitement of it all, but for whatever reason, Kimberly wasn’t thinking straight as she undid Jack’s leash to let him run on his own through the grassy fields as they descended the hill towards the township below.

It happened in an instant.

Jack caught sight of a rabbit hiding in the grass and took off after the animal in a frenzied rush of excitement and playful enthusiasm.

Kimberley called him back, but he was totally focused on catching the rabbit and heard nothing but the creature’s cries for help as it raced towards the safety of its borough.

Jack was a beautiful sight to behold as he chased the rabbit in full flight across the grassy field. Every second he gained on the small creature, until he was only 10 feet behind it and closing fast.

But Kim was looking on in horror.

The rabbit had built its borough close to the edge of the cliff, and Jack was running at full speed towards the huge drop down to the ocean below.

Kim could feel the fear welling up inside her and she frantically called him back as she ran towards the cliff top herself. “Stop Jack!”, she cried, but he paid no attention to her commands as he chased the rabbit towards the cliff top.

Just 6 feet short of the cliff’s edge, the rabbit dropped into the safety of it’s home below ground.

Jack didn’t see where the animal went, and in the few seconds it took for him to realize that the rabbit had escaped, his momentum carried him off the cliff and over the edge.

Kimberley screamed as she saw her beloved companion disappear out of sight. “No!” she cried as she ran headlong towards the jagged cliff top.

She peered over the edge with tears streaming down her cheeks, fearing that her best friend had fallen all the way to the rocks below.

She moved closer to the edge screaming out to Jack, praying that by some miracle, he had survived.

As she lay down to look over the edge, she saw Jack wedged precariously next to a tree stump on a small outcrop about 20 feet below, injured, but alive.

If he had gone off the cliff just 3 feet either side of where he did, he would have fallen hundreds of feet to the rocks below. His life had been spared, at least at the moment, by the narrowest of margins.

A huge feeling of relief welled up through Kimberley’s body as she saw that Jack was still alive.

She pulled out her mobile phone and called the police.

She quickly explained what had happened to the officer on the line and a team of rescue workers were dispatched to the cliff top to rescue Jack.

Kimberley watched on with trepidation as the rescue team carefully winched her beloved Jack to safety from the outcrop that had saved his life.

He had broken his left rear leg and had some cuts and abrasions, but on the whole, he was a very lucky dog that day…and Kimberley knew it.

She looked towards the sky and gave thanks that her best friend had been spared.

She promised herself that as soon as Jack was back on four legs, she would start to train him to obey her commands so that something like this could never happen again.

She felt guilty that her neglect at not training him properly from the start could have cost this beautiful animal his life. She felt sad but also happy that she had been given another chance with Jack, and she wasn’t about to waste it.

3 Months Later…

Kimberley and Jack are again able to take their early morning walks, but now, Jack’s lead is an option.

He obeys Kimberley’s every command, and they have a deep, new found respect for each other’s abilities that goes far beyond their roles of dog and master. They are truly great friends.

Maybe you don’t take your shepherd for off leash walks near cliff tops, but there are lots of hazards just as dangerous around your home that can cause your favourite pet to hurt himself…or worse.

Running into moving traffic, drinking something poisonous around your home, jumping the fence and getting into fights with other dogs…these are all situations that proper training can severely restrict or eliminate.

Think for a moment of how you would feel if your wonderful dog was injured or killed by a car right in front of you because he ran out onto the road despite your calls for him to come back.

Training is vital for every pet so that they know what is expected of them and they stay safe in an increasingly dangerous world. And properly training your pet is your responsibility.

Please, take the time to train your dog. If you don’t know where to start, there are plenty of good books around to help.

Another option is to take him to obedience classes in your local area.

This is the most focused training you can give him (and yourself…) but it’s also the most time consuming and expensive.

If you have the time and financial resources, it’s usually the best way (if you can find a good trainer), but if you don’t, then reading a good training book and following it’s instructions will give you a solid grounding on how to train your dog properly.

Train him well, and he will reward you for it in so many ways that you can’t imagine.

Rocky Tapscott is an author and owner of Just German Shepherds.com For free information and articles on buying, training and living with German shepherds, or any dog for that matter, come and visit us at,
http://www.just-german-shepherds.com/

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Loyal, friendly, protective, affectionate, fun. Those qualities have earned dogs a special place in the lives and hearts of humans. Most dogs now are owned as pets mainly because they are THE ideal pets. A dog will always try to keep you pleased and smiling. It will never hold grudges against you, and will never judge you for your looks or mistakes. It isn’t called man’s best friend for nothing.

Dogs have a basic need for shelter, good nutrition, exercise and companionship. A dog will rely on its owner for all of these needs, in addition to training and protection. These are all basic needs, but really, what a dog needs the most is veterinary care. If a person has a dog for a pet, it is a good idea to ensure that it is seen by a vet regularly. Dogs are prone to a wide array of illnesses and diseases and it is best that he gets vaccinated against these diseases. Some of the most fatal diseases that a dog should be administered with a vaccine against are listed below.

1. Canine Adenovirus - or Infectious Canine Hepatitis (ICH). ICH is an extremely contagious disease that only dogs could be transmitted with and other canine-type animals. This disease is transmitted in urine and eye or nasal secretions of animals with this disease and affects the liver, kidneys and lining of the blood vessels. Dogs of all ages are prone to acquire this disease, although puppies and younger dogs are at a higher risk.

2. Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) - It is transmitted through contact with infected dogs and affects the gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous systems. This disease is often fatal to puppies and adult dogs.

3. Para Influenza - Also known as tracheobronchitis, it is a contagious infection of dogs seriously affecting young puppies’ upper respiratory. Its symptoms are gagging and coughing. Dogs in stressful and crowded conditions are at the highest risk for this disease.

4. Parvovirus - This is an extremely contagious viral disease that affects white blood cells, the intestines, and heart. It is characterized by vomiting, severe diarrhea and fever. It is often fatal in puppies. At the highest risk for this disease are dogs in crowded places such as dog shows and kennels.

5. Rabies - Rabies can affect all warm-blooded animals that are unvaccinated against the disease, including humans. It affects the brain and is always deadly. Pets get exposed to rabies from the bites of wild animals which include bats, raccoons, foxes and skunks.

The bottom line is to keep a dog disease-free. Have it vaccinated. After all, what a dog really needs is. . .good health!

Jack Russell is a a long time dog fancier, visit his Dog Resources Blog and download his Free Dog Owners Handbook - it’s Dog Gone Good! www.daveshealthbuzz.com/dogcare/

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