Holding the distinction of being the only spotted breed, the Dalmatian is a medium-sized dog possessing a big reputation! Many people know this breed because of its Disney fame, admiring its symmetrical body, superior endurance, and lean, clean lines. Its short, dense coat is pure white with black or brown spots randomly scattered all over it.

Dalmatians are sharp, alert and full of vim and vigor. Because they served throughout history as a working and sporting breed, they are great performance dogs, but they also make wonderful family pets. They are not overly territorial, nor are they excessively aggressive and they are pleasant to be with and are very loyal to their masters.

This sturdy breed does not need a lot of maintenance in their day to day upkeep. They should not be ignored or left by themselves in a yard chain for long periods of time”they are best kept in a household environment. They love people, and enjoy being cared for and bask in the affection of their owners.

Although the exact origins are uncertain, the Dalmatian is associated with Dalmatia, a Croatian region”and spotted dogs have popped up throughout history in Asia, Europe, and Africa, credited with a dozen nationalities and as many names. The Dalmatian has done almost everything”he has been a dog of war, a draft dog, ratter, firehouse mascot, shepherd, bird dog, trail hound and retriever! Most importantly, he is the one and only coach dog, his kinship with horses a natural instinct as his urge to follow and guard the horse-drawn vehicle remains.

The Dalmatians expression is alert and intelligent, indicating a stable, outgoing temperament and belying his fun-loving, people-oriented nature. They are a high-energy breed, capable of great endurance and speed, and they should have exercise every day. The Dalmatian is very trainable, to a high degree of obedience, and will do well with a firm owner and consistent training patterns.

Strong leadership and plenty of romps are needed by frisky young Dalmatians. They will calm down after a few years, however, if they are properly shown who and how to obey. Handlers or masters who keep them after their active years will be pleased they did.

If you would like to adopt a Dalmatian, make sure you have the time, energy and are authority-driven enough to handle them! If not, they might become high strung, destructive, and hard to manage. If you lead a healthy, fit and active lifestyle, however, and you know what it takes to be a pack leader, then the Dalmatian is just perfect for you!

We’re facing an epidemic in the world and it isn’t the swine flu. Rather, it’s an over abundance of rotund canines. Ok, maybe epidemic is a bit strong but not by much. Just ask your veterinarian who will likely confirm that nearly 25% of the dogs they treat are heavier than they should be.

While some might think their portly pups are cute, extra weight on a dog can lead to trouble. Over-weight dogs tend to suffer from more health issues than their more svelte counterparts, experiencing increased incidents of joint and hip problems (such as arthritis), heart disease and diabetes. Worse, those extra pounds can shorten your pal’s already too-short life!

The good news is that it isn’t too late to help your pet. The first thing you must commit to is to stop feeding your pup table scraps! Though your dog may rejoice in the occasional table treat, human food is NOT healthy for your dog. Though most human foods won’t directly harm your dog, sticking to a food schedule that includes regulated portions of dog food is, by far, the healthier approach!

Remember that some ingredients in our food are difficult for a dog to digest and may even run the risk of causing serious health issues. Chocolate, onions, raisins, garlic, hot peppers, grapes and salt (in excess) can all cause problems from minor to serious. Your best bet is to show a little tough love and eliminate the risk as much as possible by eliminating the human-food treats. Occasional treats might be alright, providing you can exercise self control and resist those “don’t you love me anymore” eyes your dog is sure to aim at you.

As mentioned, maintaining a regular feeding schedule is ideal for your pet. Left unattended, constantly filled bowls of food can lead to problems beyond even obesity. For example, free feeding your pet may lead to potty-training hassles. Naturally, what goes in must come out and a free-for-all feeding habit makes it difficult to predict when your dog will need to do his business. Regularly scheduled feedings make it far easier to predict and accommodate a pet’s potty needs.

It often helps to change bad habits by eliminating temptation. In our case, that means throwing out those perfectly marketed, processed dog treats you may have recently purchased. In their place, consider some healthy pet-snack alternatives such as carrots. Believe it or not, some dogs love these as treats (particularly if you eat a couple and act like it’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten).

Of course, some dogs are as fond of veggies as they are of visits to the vet and will simply spit them out if offered as a treat. If yours is such a dog, you might want to try all natural, low sodium, low-fat turkey bacon. Yes, it violates the general “no human food” rule, but it is a reasonably healthy alternative to much of what you’ve likely fed your pooch in the past. Just remember to absorb the excess grease from the bacon after you cook it by soaking it up with a paper towel. Cook some up, soak up the grease, crumble the turkey bacon into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate in an airtight container. I don’t think it needs mentioning that you shouldn’t be feeding Fido the entire package at once.

Despite their sometimes finicky tastes, dogs will often accept a very simple treat in the form of ice cubes. This is a great summer treat after a long walk. If you want to kick it up a notch, consider freezing a few turkey bacon crumbles inside the cubes. This may be just the cool, delicious and relatively healthy treat your pooch has been waiting for.

Having covered some food alternatives, it’s obviously important we also discuss exercise. This is where it’s time to accept that you need to set a good example. Add a lap to your usual walk around the block. You’ll both benefit from it. Just keep an eye on the weather. If it’s hot, give your pup breaks and consider bringing along a bottle of water. A nice, brisk walk is a great way for your dog to lose weight. And, who knows, you might just lose a few pounds yourself!

Keeping your furry friend happy and healthy is very important. Unfortunately, dogs do not live as long as we would like them too so isn’t important to keep them with us for as long as possible? Many people show love through food and that is a big no-no. Next time, instead of reaching for a treat when your dog does something wonderful, lavish him with praise and pet him like there is no tomorrow. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is important not only for his happiness but yours as well!

Herons are beautiful, majestic birds that have one major flaw. Herons love to feast on Koi, and where better then to find Koi then an unattended Koi pond or garden?

Of course, finding one of these birds, with their rather large wingspan, in your garden is a pleasant surprise under different circumstances. But not if you have a pond in your garden. If you do then you do not want these birds to be visiting it in order to feast on your Koi.

Herons are usually to blame if your Koi go missing and they often leave evidence that they were there. You might notice that some of your fish have nasty looking holes on their sides. This happens when the bird fails to get a proper grip on the fish. Also, they sometimes remove a fish only to drop it away from the pond for you to find. Unfortunately, nobody has yet come up with a way to completely prevent Herons from visiting your pond, but there are some things you can try that might be beneficial.

While there are many types of technical equipment available to attempt to detour Herons, you will quickly find that these types of detours will only work for a small amount of time.

Other types of deter ants available on the market these days work by causing some discomfort to the birds without harming them. However, Herons will eventually become used to this and it will no longer be effective in discouraging the birds from snapping up your Koi.

Basically, the only thing you can do is to keep a watch out for them. You cannot prevent them from coming but you can reduce their presence.

1.do not stick to the same routine. Herons can be surprisingly observant and intelligent and will learn when you are likely to be around. Instead change your routine and try to visit the pond numerous times throughout the day. Chances are you will catch the Herons in the very act of stealing you fish. If you work during the day try to get other people you know to pay visits to the pond to check up on things for you. Some people even enlist the neighborhood kids to help as well.

2)If you catch a Heron in the act, make as much noise and frighten the Heron as much as you physically can. Shout, yell, throw things, or whatever you feel will scare the Heron. The more frightened the Heron is, the less chance he is to return anytime soon.

3)Create a hiding place in your pond for your Koi. More natural Koi pond owners have noticed that after a Heron attacks a pond, it may seem that the Heron has got all the fish, only to notice that the Koi start appearing from strange hiding places once the scare is over. If you purposely provide a place for your Koi to hide in the event of an attack, you greatly reduce the amount of fish that a Heron will leave with. Do not worry about your Koi hiding from you, as they should know and trust that you will not hurt (or eat) them.

4.Finally, do not add more Koi to your pond if Herons have reduced the numbers of fish. Rather, allow some time to pass. Eventually the birds will look elsewhere for a more readily available meal.

Lets find out all about the Shar Pei, that funny wrinkled dog with its blue-black tongue thats famous all over the world! Known also as the sharkskin dog, the Chinese Fighting Dog and the Chinese Shar Pei, this dog was developed in China. Because of its harsh, prickly coat, the name Shar Pei literally translates to sand paper skin.

With ancestors dating back at least 2,000 years, the Shar Pei are definitely an ancient breed! Because the chow-chow has a bluish tongue much the same as the Shar Pei, and this trait is exclusive only to these two breeds, they are believed to be related. Due to its appearance, and its close ties to the chow-chow, the Shar Pei has links to the giant Mastiff breeds!

The Shar Pei have the distinctive hippopotamus head, are medium sized and squarish in profile, and wear a sad expression that seems almost irresistibly comical. They were used for a long time as general-purpose farm dogs in countrysides in China, for jobs like guarding stock, hunting, and protecting the family and home. It was raised for its cleverness, strength, and frowning expression (which the Chinese believed helped ward off evil spirits).

The loose skin and prickly coat were developed in the Shar Pei to aid it in fighting, as these traits would make it difficult for its opponent to grab and hold on to it. While they should be brushed regularly, their coat does not need to be trimmed, and they do not have an undercoat. Puppies have more wrinkles than adults, and the Shar Pei slowly lose their wrinkles as they get older.

This spunky breed has three coat varieties which are the horse-coat, brush-coat, and the rare bear-coat. The uncommon horse-coat is rough and harsh to the touch, and the brush-coat has longer hair and a smoother feel. Their hides come in all colors, as well as sables.

The loyal Shar Pei connects well with his family and is outstandingly devoted to his master. They are fearless, bright, playful, dominant and full of character. They are recognized by their melancholy expression, but they are surprisingly calm, self-reliant, loyal and friendly dogs.

The Shar Pei needs a firm, gentle, and consistent figure of authority to treat as alpha dog, as they are very clever and will end up dominating a weak trainer. They have a tendency to be stubborn, due to their instincts as fighters, but early training, socialization and exercise will easily remedy this. The Shar Pei have had myriad roles in history, including catching vermin, herding, and tracking, but if you know how to handle them, there is no reason they could not make perfectly desirable house companions for you.

The dog which barks unnecessarily is a pain to live with and agony to live next door to. Some dogs bark because their guarding instinct is very strong and they feel it necessary to alert you to every little noise. Some dogs bark because they are nervous and the sound of their own barking gives them confidence . Some bark because they like the reaction it provokes in you and some bark because they have not been taught not to. It is quite normal for a dog to bark if he hears a strong noise during the night. Continuing to bark after an acceptable time is what you want to deter.

In most cases the way to stop a dog barking is to teach him to bark on command.! This may sound very strange but it does work. At the same time as teaching him to bark you are also teaching him when not to bark.

For the dog to learn this exercise you need to enlist the help of a friend, so that you can set up the situation. You should be sitting and relaxing and then your helper comes to the door and rings the doorbell.. your dog will naturally bark and when he does give him the command speak. Allow him to bark for five seconds and then give him the command quiet,giving him lots of fuss when he does what he is told. Do not attempt to open the door until the dog is quiet . then go to the door open it and speak to your friend on the doorstep as you would a casual caller and then close the door.. go back and sit down and after an interval of 10 mins repeat the whole exercise.. Alternate between speaking to your friend on the doorstep and inviting him in to simulate what would sometimes happen.

Try to repeat this process over a few days ,building up the association with the dog that he is allowed to bark for five seconds when the doorbell rings but he must stop when you say so and the door must not be opened until he is quiet. You are also getting him to associate the word Speak with barking.

Why must the door never be opened until he is silent?

If you allow him to bark as you open the door then he will associate that his barking is what gets the door open, resulting in future problems.

If he is the type of dog who imagines there is someone at the door and barks often unnecessarily the only way you will get him to be quiet is to go and open it. You may even end up in a situation of the dog training you- every time he wants attention he will bark to provoke you into getting up to answer the door to an imaginary caller.

Having taught him to bark on the command speak,you will then be able to get him to bark if you ever feel in a threatening situation-when you are out for a walk and are approached by a suspicious character,or should you hear a strange noise in the middle of the night. You can also apply the same training if your dog barks every time the telephone rings. Arrange for a friend to call you and don t answer until the dog is quiet. On these occasions do not practice giving him the speak command as you do not want him barking every time the phone rings. Simply correct him for barking unnecessarily at the telephone.

One of the first routines to be established with any new puppy and perhaps some adult dogs is where and when it is appropriate to relieve themselves.

We have to accept that there will be accidents indoors and never punish your puppy or your adult dog for these accidents. Going to the toilet is a normal bodily function and as far as the dog is concerned and especially the puppy, when they need to go,then they need to go and that is where they happen to be.

The fact that the delivery of faeces or urine on the carpet is obnoxious to us is a concept that dogs do not understand. The old wives tale of rubbing the dogs nose in it or throwing the puppy outside so that they will learn that it is wrong is misguided. The fact that puppies trained this way do eventually become house trained is more luck than anything else .They would have become house trained anyway.

When you do this it builds up mistrust between dog and owner and to the dog this behavior is illogical and only makes a human even more difficult to understand. Remember that the puppy will need to go to the toilet often so it is up to you to ensure that when the need arises the puppy is in the appropriate place to do the required action. Take the puppy into the garden as soon as he wakens, as soon as he has eaten, when he awakens after a sleep ,after playtime and every hour apart from that!

The need to visit the garden will reduce as the number of mealtimes reduces. Remember that at 7 weeks old your puppy could be having up to 6 meals a day which will reduce to 2 by the time he is about 6 months old. Note that I said take the puppy into the garden .If you simply put him outside he may just sniff around and forget what he is out there to do .

This could result in him coming indoors and peeing on the carpet. If you are not outside to reward him when he goes then he will not learn that going outside to the toilet pleases you whereas when he performs the same action indoors it gets ignored.

If you learn how to use treats to reward him when he goes you can combine this with a simple sound or word so that he will learn to go on a certain command. To begin with you will find that you have to stay outside for a while with the puppy before he performs the required action. he just does not know yet what you want him to do. Do not be tempted into a game or he will never do what you are looking for.

Without losing sign of him try and ignore him removing any toys he may bring to you to play with. Do not get cross or lose your patience. It may be cold raining or thundering but he still needs to go to the toilet!

As a cat owner it is important for you to take extra precautions for your cat’s health during hot weather, otherwise, your cat may suffer from dehydration. Since your cat can’t tell you when it is feeling dehydrated, it is up to you to pay attention to your cat’s behavior and provide cooler living conditions if necessary to prevent overheating.

Pet cats don’t have the same street smarts as stray cats. They may not be able to find a cool place outdoors. If they do find one your cat will probably not come home until after the sun goes down. It’s a good idea, then, to keep your cat inside during hot weather. Concrete, which may be a cool place for your cat to lay when the weather is not hot, gets too hot for a cat’s tender paws during the hottest seasons.

If your cat travels in your car with you, never leave your cat in a parked car in the heat. The temperature in a closed car rises extremely rapidly in the heat. It can be harmful or even deadly to your cat.

Even when you try to park in the shade to prevent your car from heating up, as the sun moves throughout the day. The heat travels from hot areas to cold areas. Dogs can sometimes alert passers-by that they are in discomfort, but a cat is unable to do that and may die in as little as fifteen minutes. Always get your cat out of the car with you when you park.

Groom your cat to keep its fur short to help keep it cool. A good combing will remove shed fur that is hanging on adding a layer of heat insulation. Long-haired cats, like Persians and Siberians, almost leave you with no other option than providing a cooler environment.

Make sure your cat has access to clean water. Regardless of the season, it is important to allow your cat to stay well hydrated. Keep water cool by changing it a few times each day during hot weather. The goal is to keep your cat’s body temperature constant.

Koi, like any other pet, will have medical issues throughout its life, especially since Koi have been know to have a life span of up to 30 years. You contact the vet because you Koi is showing signs of injury or illness, and unless you have a vet that does house calls, chances are the first thing they will say is bring it in.

Like most Koi owners you are probably rather fond of your Koi, and proud of them as well. The last thing you want is for harm to be done to the fish because you were not prepared enough. Therefore, it is very important that you arm yourself with the proper knowledge so that you will know exactly what to do when you have to bag and transport your Koi.

The proper equipment that you will need:

First of all, it is very important to ensure that you always have enough of the following items on hand at any given time. The whole collection will not take up much room making storage of these essential items a breeze.

Bags- You must have the proper bags on hand to transport Koi. Do not attempt to transport your Koi in trash or regular plastic bags, as they are not designed for this, and may cause damage to your Koi. Unless you remembered to keep the bags you brought your koi home in originally, you will have to make a trip to your local pet store. Make sure to get bags sizable enough to hold your Koi.

Elastic bands - You will need plenty of good quality rubber bands that will not snap easily. Ensure that you have lots of them for every bag that you have.

The net - You will need a net that is of the proper size in relation to your fish, however, you will not be using it in order to catch them. Instead you can use it to guide the fish to where you need them to be. It is not advisable to left the fish out of the water with the net because it can cause them harm.

A bucket - Any suitable container will do but paint buckets tend to work well. It is a much safer way of catching your fish.

Transferring the fish into bags:

If you need to, invite someone to help you with the process of catching and then bagging the fish. You will be pleased to find, however, that it is not a difficult task to accomplish.

All you need to do is to coax the fish into the paint bucket using the net. Once it is in the bucket you then let most of the water out and bag the fish.

Of course it is important to check the bag to make sure that there are no leaks. Then, place it over the fish from head to tail, making sure that the gills are covered properly by water. To prevent the bag from being too heavy do not overfill it with too much water. Leave lots of air in the bag and seal it using a few of your rubber bands. Make absolutely certain that it is properly tied up.

As for transporting the fish by care you need to place the bag in such a way so as to minimize disturbance of the water and fish. Also, keep the bag shaded as much as possible and in the horizontal position so that the fish is not bent. By following the above guidelines you will safely bag and transport your Koi whenever the need arises.

Owning a dog can be one of the best experiences in the world unless your dog has the annoying habit of digging. Anyone who has a dog with this bad habit can probably tell you that it drove them insane. These people probably spent countless days and even weeks trying to learn how to stop a dog from digging.

For some dog owners, it can be fairly easy to eliminate the digging. But for others, it can seem futile. Listed below are some techniques that will help dog owners stop dogs from digging.

One of the most common reasons why your dog digs is because it is bored. This might be the reason if you look around your lawn and you see random holes. You can prevent your dog from getting bored by spending some of your free time with him every day. You can try alleviating your dog’s boredom by playing or talking to it. If these don’t work, try petting or brushing your dog.

The scents coming from your yard can be another reason for a dog’s digging behavior. Dogs use scents as a means of interacting with their surroundings. Your dog may want to explore these scents by digging around the vegetable garden or flower bed in your yard.

One way to get your dog to stop digging in these areas is by placing a sprinkler in your yard. So whenever you see him dig in an area that is forbidden, you can turn on the sprinkler. The water should scare him away. If you do this long enough, your dog will eventually figure out that this area is off limits.

If your dog digs a lot, you will probably find holes dug under the fence surrounding your property. These holes are very common among dogs that dig. There are usually some good reasons why your dog will dig those holes.

One reason is because your dog may want a little exercise so it will do whatever it takes to go for a walk. Another reason is because it may just find something really appealing such as a smell or another dog and will dig a hole under your fence to get to it.

If the holes under your fence are driving you crazy, the easiest and cheapest thing to do is to walk your dog daily around the neighborhood. By letting it explore surrounding areas, you will give your pet the opportunity to satisfy its curiosity about another dog or a certain smell.

Even if your dog doesn’t dig, walking him every day is a good idea because it is a good form of exercise and it gives you and your dog more time to get to know one another. If this doesn’t work, try pouring some concrete right at the base of the fence. Once the concrete dries, your dog will have a difficult time trying to dig through this new barrier. Eventually, it will give up digging.

Are you losing your pets to accidents? Do they wander and never return? Show them that you care. Keep your pets safe from harm with the wireless fence for dogs.

Crates have become a popular training method in recent times. They have helped dog owners train difficult dogs and have in fact influenced the number (reduced) of dog abandonments. Crates allow dogs to be trained in a safe secure environment.

Crates have three main purposes. The first is to provide a secure and safe place for your dog during house training, crates also protect household items, and they are also essential for travel.

Veterinarians have mixed reviews about the dog crate. Some see it as an acceptable and useful tool for the training of your dog. While others say it is potentially dangerous and that it is unfair confinement. However, it is used by dog show and training professionals for the purpose of properly training show dogs.

Some Vet’s question whether locking a dog inside a crate is inhumane and whether the dog feels punished by this. When a dog is properly trained however they see the crate as their own den and actually like sleeping there as they feel safe. Crate’s have numerous benefits that will help you and your dog build a better relationship.

Some more advantages to using crates include being able to relax when you’re not at home knowing that your furniture and household items are safe from destruction, knowing you won’t return home to a new accident on the carpet, and knowing that you dog feels safe when you are not there. Additionally, crates are very practical for trips in the car with family.

Some of the things you should remember about the crates are that it was not meant to keep your dog all day. In some instances such as long distance travel, where the dog may be crated for long periods of time, you will need to ensure that the dog is exercised during the day so that they have a chance to release pent up energies and they don’t feel confined.

While crating is an excellent way for training most dogs it is not for every single dog. All dogs are different and what works well for some is clearly not an option for others especially older dogs.

Crate training works best when your dog is still a puppy. If you seem that no matter how persistent you are with your dog, you never get results, it might be time to stop attempting to use this method and to try a different one.