Asking your pet not to be able to go out to relieve himself for eight to ten hour stretches is a lot to ask. If you're a pet owner and work outside the home I'm sure you already understand this. This only creates stress for both pet and owner.

Then, regardless of how much we love our pets there are always those times when you are home and your pet annoys you because he needs to go out to relieve himself or just to play outside. This can be a hassle especially if you are trying to get things done.

Did you know their is a simple solution to these problems? Yes, it's a pet door. More freedom for you. More freedom for your pet. Pet doors eliminate these problems and more. No more coming home to clean up after your pet. No more interruptions while fixing dinner.

The pet door itself is not that difficult to install provided you can follow directions and you're handy with tools. If not then it's fairly inexpensive to have a handyman install it for you.

Before getting your pet door you will need some basic information. The height and width of your pet, What type of pet door is best for you. Patio pet door, electronic, or wall. There are many varieties available for you to choose from.

While looking for your new pet door keep in mind how difficult it will be to install as some are more difficult than others. In any event you may just want to ask for the help of a neighbor or friend or the services of a handyman.

Pet doors come in many different sizes, shapes, colors and of course vary in price. That's why you need to do your research before making a final decision on which door you want to go with. My preference is an electronic pet door. It offers many advantages over other types.

The electronic pet door is activated by a signaling device attached to your pets collar. This gives you the peace of mind of knowing the door remains sealed, keeping out unwanted guests and only opens and closes when your pet approaches it. This also reduces the loss of heating and air conditioning.

After you've installed your pet door it's time to train your pet to use it. Just like training your pet to do anything the best course of action is encouragement and reward. They will catch on soon enough. Then both you and your pet can enjoy the new found freedom a pet door brings.

Posted under Puppy

A dog with a biting problem is by far a pet owners worst nightmare. Weve all seen horror stories on the evening news about Pitt Bulls, Rottweilers, along with other breeds both large and small viscously attacking, postal carriers, children and other neighborhood pets. This is of course, the worst case scenario, but unfortunately dog biting does happen on occasion. This alone should be motivation enough for the responsible pet owner to make sure they stop a biting problem before it happens.

A dog should be initiated into the anti-biting program early enough, when it is only a puppy and the best way to do it is by making it mingle with better behaved dogs. Those dogs will train it in their own way, and will also guide you in training it. Though biting is instinctive in the case of dogs, you have to instill into your dog early enough that biting cannot be tolerated, and that is the only way in which you can become the proud owner of a dog that does not bite.

Since most pups are taken away from their mother and siblings after only their second month of life, it is very important that you take on the mother roll. Dogs learn the majority of their behavior during the first four months of life, which is why rescue dogs and dogs that come from puppy mills are more prone to biting than dogs whom come from responsible and respected breeders.

Puppy mills are dingy unhygienic places, commercial in nature, where all that the breeders are concerned about is the profit that they can make on a pooch. Puppies that are the products of these places have a wild temperament and have physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. Since they have never seen good behavior, they have no idea what it is.

However, even if you have chosen to raise a rescue dog that has a tendency to bite, it is not impossible to correct it. Needless to say, training a pup is easier than training an adult dog, but even a grown dog with a biting habit can be trained to give up the habit.

The method of training a big dog is not all that different from training a young one, the only requirement being that it should be done a little mildly. If a grown dog has biting tendencies, it cannot be left unleashed among other dogs, hoping that it would get trained the natural way, taking the cue from the other dogs; nor can it be allowed to roam free in a playground if it has a tendency to bite children. That will just be sticking your neck out to be caught in a lawsuit.

The dog has to be trained in a phased manner, by being taken around a dog park so that it becomes familiar with the other dogs, and then slowly bringing it into closer contact with them. Perseverance and determination are what sets the tone for succeeding in ridding a dog of this unwelcome habit.

Posted under Dogs

Debate continues about whether or not crate training dogs is healthy or harmful.

With crate training the dog is put in a cage, usually made out of plastic or metal that?s about the size of your dog, for shorter periods of time over the day.

People in favor state that crate training gives the dogs a refuge where he can ?hide? and feel comfortable. It?s much like a little room just for him. Your dog feels safe in there, because of all the toys and other objects with a familiar smell. It?s his retreat from the hectic world around him.

Supporters of crate training will tell you that it is much easier to potty train your puppy. As dogs don?t like to soil their nest they will wait until they?re set lose before doing a pee or a pooh.

On the other hand, opponents argue that locking your dog into a cage with just enough space to turn around undermines his nature to explore. The dog can?t wander around and isn?t stimulated by new experiences.

People against the use of crates argue that puppies do play in their own waste as can sometimes be seen in pet shop windows. Locking the dog away, they say, is more for the convenience of the owner than for the well-being of the dog.

No doubt both sides have some good and some bad points. Objective studies on the issue are scarce and equally divided. Provided certain 'rules' are respected, there's probably no harm, and possibly some good, in crate training.

Make sure that your dog is never longer than 2 hours in his crate. Whenever you let him out of his crate, take him immediately to the place where you want him to evacuate. And after that take him for a walk and let him do all the exploration he can.

Opponents worry that crated dogs can injure themselves when they try to escape or from rowdiness inside the cage. Check to ensure there are no sharp edges in the crate, and that the crate is strong enough to withstand the dog's normal behavior. Above all, make sure the crate can't tip over.

People in favor of crate training say that a crate trained dog is much easier to travel with. They?re used to the crate, that is also used for car, train and air travel. They are comfortable in their crate, above all if they have some of their own toys with them.

On the other hand critics state that it?s better to leave your dog at home and ask someone else to take care of him when you?re traveling. Apart from their walks and other short trips, dogs feel best when they are on familiar territory.

But you must be the judge. You should give crate training a try and decide if crate training is beneficial for you and your dog.

Posted under Puppy