Pet Products

Before you bring your toy dog into its new home you will need to do some shopping for it.

Basic equipment might include but is not limited to:

1. Sleeping basket or dog bed.

2. Blankets

3. Two dishes or bowls (for water and dog food)

4. Dog Food

5. Leash and collar

6. Toys

7. Pet carrier

8. Grooming tools and equipment

9. Fleece t-shirts

A cave like bed is a good choice for a small toy dog. Most small dogs feel very comfortable in a bed they can curl up in and retreat to at any time. Dog beds come in a variety of styles. For short-haired breeds, small wicker baskets make excellent dog beds.

An easy-care soft blanket or heavy bath towel folded to fit the bed makes an excellent padding for your toy dog bed. Washable pads that can be disinfected are available for dog beds.

Select your collar and leash according to the dog’s size and strength. A suitable collar for a small dog is a lightweight leather or textile material collar. Be careful to not purchase a collar too large or the dog can slip its head out. A retractable leash is an excellent choice. You can keep the leash short or depending on the length, let several yards unroll. Length of about 10 to 16 feet is adequate for small dogs.

The very basic accessories should include one bowl for dog food and one bowl for water, or better yet, a water bottle for water. Stainless steel is an excellent choice. Rubber feet on the bottom keep the bowls from being pushed around the room as the dog drinks or eats. Do not purchase plastic dishes.

Pet carriers are extremely handy on trips or for visits to the groomer and vet. There are a wide variety of pet carriers to choose from these days and one for any occasion.

Young dogs and adults enjoy spending time entertaining themselves with toys. Dog toys also come in a wide variety of choices, shapes, colors and designs. Avoid anything rawhide. Solid rubber toys are permissible. Plastic dog toys are unsuitable. Nylabones are an excellent choice for any breed of dog.

Your grooming equipment will depend on the type of small or toy dog you own.

The very basic grooming equipment should include a brush specifically for your breed of dog (usually a dog brush manufacturer will list which breeds their brush is used for), a small comb to comb around the face, a regular size comb, hair dryer (human hair dryers if you don’t want to purchase a professional hair dryer), baby shampoo for the face, HealthyPetNet Dog shampoos for the body and a good crème rinse. You will also want to purchase fleece t-shirts for your toy dog for the colder times of year.

Bred about 2100 years back in Mongolia, the Chow Chow makes a great companion and an excellent watchdog. It’s a medium size dog which has thick fur coat and appears as a living, growling teddy bear. These dogs are normally solid black in color but also come in shades of brown and red. Unlike other dogs, they have black tongues and black noses, and even the inside of their mouths is black.

To look at, the Chow Chow is cute, cuddly dog but has a lordly attitude, which is why it is considered to be a tough and mean dog, which is true in part. Some of them are grouchy and downright mean, while many are playful and indifferent. They are, in general, aloof and haughty.

One thing that stands apart is the Chow Chow’s fierce loyalty towards its owners. They are tough defenders and would defend their families to the last of their breath. This is what makes them great watchdogs. Put him on and not a fly could pass.

Any unknown person is not allowed near any of his things, and if you mess with it, you’ll have some part of your body in his mouth in a jiffy.

They are quite choosy when it comes to bonding. So, a Chow Chow would find a person of his choice in the family and would obey him or her at all the times. Not that he is intolerant of others. He can bear them but obedience comes for a price. If anyone else wants him to obey, he could offer a treat, after which obedience might be considered.

However, that doesn’t mean that even the outsiders can bribe the dog. This offer of treat-for-obedience is valid only with respect to the family members, and any outsider trying it may get a bite-treatment from the dog. This also means that if you want your neighbor to come and watch the house while the dog is in, the dog would ignore the fellow and do whatever it likes though it is unlikely that he would harm the person.

In other words, you can sit and watch, but do not command, as your commands will fall on a deaf Chow Chow’s ear and will be ignored altogether.

They need strong human masters, for they are themselves quite strong willed, and needs to be told that the man is the boss. So you need to be affectionate and firm consistently and your Chow Chow will grow into an obedient, good boy.

While to many a may seem that all the dog she retrained alike there are in fact different things you need to consider depending on the size of the dog. There are many basic training techniques that apply to both large and small sized dogs however different sized dogs have different challenges and special considerations.

Whether you have a small or a large dog, you should always treat your dog with kindness and use positive reinforcement. Never hit your dog as this will do little to enforce training. While some dogs are harder to train than others, all dogs can be trained with patience and persistence.

Small Dogs

Small dogs can be transported easily which will give you more choices for training locations both inside the home and out of it. One consideration was small dogs is that they tend to bark a lot so extra effort may be needed towards bark suppression. Often times small dogs are very fearful and you want to take that into consideration your training. On the other hand there are many small dogs that are too bold which you should also take into consideration.

You should always start training or small dogs when they are young and hold regular training sessions as persistence is the key. You will need to establish early on that you are the leader of the pack, or alpha dog. Be firm when you’re small dog challenges you and don’t give in to his cuteness or be afraid to be firmer than due to his size.

You should give careful thought when leash training your small dog because their throats are easily bruised. Be careful to correct with the sideways tug as opposed to a backwards tug. when the dog is pulling forward, you should jerk the leash sideways in order to correct him—just a tug for correction not a jerk for punishment. While it may seem like a neck muscles a very strong remember their throats are delicate.

When you teach your small dog to sit, remember he is small and do not apply excessive pressure on his hind quarters. The size difference between a large human in the small dog make it easy for you to be a bit too forceful even if you don’t mean to.

Large Dogs

Large dogs have their own challenges when training. When you training a large dog the wheat strength ratio is in the dogs favor. And, therefore, you must make special considerations.

If you are training a large dog you should always be alert. While a small dog can be annoying when he turns on the leash a large dog can throw you off balance which can be dangerous. If you are training a Rottweiler or German Shepherd and he wants to let loose and run after a cat you need to be prepared to hold them back.

Large dogs will need a thick leash – at least an inch of leather or good nylon. A wide collar of good quality with solid fasteners that won’t break open while you are in the middle of training as a must. when you’re walking with a large dog be sure to hold the loop of the end of the leash in your right hand while inserting your thumb through the loop. Then, in your left hand, hold a few inches of the leash draped over your left her in insert your left palm through the little loop which is formed while draping. Claims the leash across your left hand palm.

Even with a large dog, you want to perform leash corrections by jerking sideways as opposed to back. While they are obviously much stronger than small dogs their throats can be bruised by excessive force. Just give them a short tog and release this will let them know that they’ve done something wrong.

Large dogs, in particular, need to be trained not to jump especially around children. Many dogs get excited when they see children and they want to jump up on them and play. Your job as a trainer is to be prepared with leash corrections whenever this happens. In the beginning you will correct with the leash but eventually the dog will learn to not jump with a voice command.

Whether you’re a dog is large or small, daily training is necessary especially in the beginning to reinforce the commands that you want your dog to learn. In order for your dog to be the best pet he can be, it’s important for him to learn what is acceptable behavior and what is not. Dogs like to have rules and they love to please their owners so training is probably something your dog looks forward to. While training can be tedious and time-consuming you will be rewarded with a loyal and loving pet that is a joy to be around.

The shutting and opening door trick can be taught to all dog breeds. The only consideration maybe would be asking small size dogs to close large or heavy doors which are beyond their physical capabilities.

In teaching this trick select a door that swings easily on its hinges; drive a nail, or simply stick with double sided a makeshift hook on your door at such a distance above the floor that the dog can just reach it by standing on his hind legs with his forefeet resting against the door.

Open the door a few inches, place a small piece of treat on the hook and call your dog’s attention to it, saying “Shut the door.” In reaching for the treat the dog will place his forefeet on the door and this will close it. If preferable the treat can be balanced on the door handle, and shutting the door will jar it to the floor, when he should be allowed to eat it and be petted and praised.

After be has done this a few times you can advance him in his lessons by placing the treat in position while he is in another room, then call him in and say “Shut the door,” directing him toward it, and if he does not go, show him the treat and encourage him to get it. In time he will understand the order and will close any door that is shown to him.

Finally, teach him to close the door without having any reward in sight, but after he shuts it in response to your command reward him with a treat. In the first lessons you need not be particular about having the door closed tight, but in later stages, insist upon its being done before any reward is given.

Dogs can be taught easily to open swinging doors, but opening fastened doors is a much more difficult act, and is possible only with those that have the easiest and simplest latches.

To teach a dog to open a swinging door call his attention to it and push it open at the bottom. Do this a number of times every day for several days, then go through the door, closing it after you, and leave your dog on the other side; call him and he will soon learn to push the door open in order to reach you.

To teach a dog to open a latch, hold the dog up to it and push it back with his paw, and say “open door” to associate this trick with this command and continue to give him practice in this way until he will push it back without your assistance.

The Lowchen is a small lap dog that is often cut to resemble a lion. They are a proud breed and make good watch dogs. They are affectionate dogs and are generally good with considerate children. They may be aggressive enough with other dogs to assume the top position in a family of more then one dog. They are considered intelligent, easy to train, and are generally good with non canine pets. They do not need a lot of room for exercise and brisk walks will do.

*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Lowchen is 10 to 13 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 9 to 18 pounds. The female ranges smaller then the male

*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Lowchen is no exception. Although considered a healthy breed, be on the look out for patellar luxation, skin irritation and eye irritations by hair. This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.

She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.

*Grooming. The Lowchen has a silky, long coat that needs to be professionally groomed to achieve the lion look. She should be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, avoid mats and help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.

Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.

Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet. Generally a guillotine type trimmer is the best for this chore and competent instructions to accomplish this can be found on the net.

*Life Span. The Lowchen can live between 13 and 15 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.

*History. The Lowchen came from France. At one time they were considered the rarest breed. They are a bit more popular now. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1995.

Some Registries:

*Lowchen Club of America

*UKC United Kennel Club

*NKC National Kennel Club

*CKC Continental Kennel Club

*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.

*AKC American Kennel Club

*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale

*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club

*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain

*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club

*ACR = American Canine Registry

Litter Size: 3 to 6 Lowchen puppies

Category: Non-Sporting

Terms To Describe: Lively, bright, small, proud, positive, outgoing, intelligent, affectionate, inquisitive

*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS

Good watch dog.

This dog does not shed.

Very affectionate.

Easy to train.

Quick learner.

Wants to please.

*SPECIAL BAD POINTS

Poor guard dog.

They may dig.

They may be noisy.

*Other Names Known By: Little Lion Dog

*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.

When you care for your horse, it is important to make preparations for the winter months. Horses need to be able to tolerate the cold weather and stay as healthy as possible. During the winter horses will have special needs which you as the owner will have to address. It is important to prepare for winter in advance.

Horses are naturally tolerant to cold weather. In fact, horses handle cold weather much better than hot weather. Despite this, there are some basic things owners will want to do to make sure their horses stay healthy. You will want to make sure the horse doesn’t have any parasites, and has been immunized. The costs for doing these things will greatly pay off during the winter. The costs of feeding the horse will be lower.

You may also want to work with your vet in setting up a health plan for your horse. Preparing your horse for cold weather will help it lower the need to eat large amounts of food in order to maintain its weight. Your horse should never lose weight during the winter. Allowing your horse to gain a small amount of weight will help them during the winter months, as the extra fat will work as a cushion to provide the horse with energy when it becomes stressed. During the winter you will want to give your horse some extra calories.

The best protection for a horse during the winter is its natural winter coat. When it is allowed to grow, it will act as a natural heat blanket which will reduce the loss of heat that the horse experiences in cold environments. The coat is also slick and will brush off snow and ice. If you keep your horses outside, you will want to make sure their coats grow long before winter.

To check the condition of your horse, you will want to rub its ribs. A large winter coat can easily hide the fact the horse may be losing weight. Your horse should weigh enough that you are not able to see the ribs but can feel them when touching the horse. Your also want to feel the ears of the horse. Do they feel cold? If so, this is a sign that the horse is cold.

Like all animals which are warm-blooded, horses must maintain their body temperature in order to survive. It is important that they conserve heat during the winter, and as the owner you must make preparations to make sure they’re healthy.

From the first day of life on a leash, most dogs learn that by pulling on it, they get to where they want faster. Its the behavior that so many dog owners struggle with. Its a simple solution - just stop walking. Although, somehow your dog doesn’t learn its just that simple. Or maybe we aren’t teaching it effectively enough. Or say, you have taught your dog that, except when they want to sniff the fire hydrant, or meet your neighbors dog, or chase a squirrel.

I have decided as an owner, that the only way to walk my dogs is by using either a gentle leader or a gentle leader easy walk harness. I still enforce the rules - the dog pulls, I stop. The dog pays attention and walks with me, I move forward and often give treats and praise for doing so.

The reason I use and recommend these two items is simple, prevention and safety. If the dog does pull, they don’t continue to go forward, they are instead turned around and facing me again. It helps me stay consistent.

The Gentle Leader is a great tool. The fit is a bit tricky and most dogs fight it when they get it on - EW something is on my FACE! Ignore it. If you just keep going, stay happy and reinforce them not pawing at it, it will go away. Some have argued that the Gentle Leader can cause damage to their head / back. I think this is only true if the dog is running and you snap the leash. Do not use the tool this way. I prefer a shorter leash and never yank or pull the leash. Instead, just stop, so their head is guided, not forced back around.

The tool I recommend and use is the Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harness. Its an easy fit, the dog doesn’t mind it, and it works really well. There is no issue of the dog escaping, and no damage since you are controling the body.

Don’t let the title fool you. This is not an article about your pet getting old. The title is just a “hook” to encourage you to read on. Hopefully, when you do, you will find this a very informative article relating to your pet’s health, or at least your understanding of some aspects of it.

I actually want to talk to you about grass. That’s right…grass. More specifically, I want to talk to you about why dogs and cats eat grass.

I think we would be hard-pressed to find anyone who has not witnessed this peculiarity of domestic animals at one time or another. When it is our pet, however, it can cause us concern and, if we let our imaginations go unchecked, it can cause us alarm.

It has been my experience that on occasion, that alarm can lead to unnecessary expense as we panic and rush our best friend off to the nearest veterinarian, only to hear him tell us with a chuckle “he’s okay, it’s normal for him to eat grass. How embarrassing is that!

Why is it normal for our pets to consume grass? They all do it if they are allowed access to it. Are they not getting the right nourishment? Are they ill? These are all unsettling, but reasonable questions.

More unsettling is that invariably shortly after ingesting the grass, perhaps 20 minutes later, they regurgitate it back up in a kind of green gooey mess (sorry to be so graphic). Why would they do this? Why would they do something that appears to be so hard on their system, or maybe even harmful to them? Should I be alarmed?

The short answer is “no, don’t panic”. As I mentioned earlier, any veterinarian will tell you that this is normal behavior. The very fact that all pets do it should suggest to you that it is not a bad thing.

The long or more detailed answer is that the outdoors is an animal’s natural world and grass is part of that world. You and I can turn on the radio or television and be kept up to date on what is happening in our world. For dogs and cats, the ground is their primary source of connection with their world.

The ground is like a giant newspaper for them. They interpret the odors and conditions to discover what other dogs have been visiting their turf and what they did there. They “read” the yard to know what is happening in the world outside the house. With their heightened senses, they perceive when another dog or cat has been on their turf, whether it rained the night before, that so and so is in heat, or that the season is changing.

Additionally, the role the ground plays in our pet’s lives does not end at bringing them the news. Through their own “contributions”, they communicate to future visitors of that site who the yard belongs to, who they are and what they are about. Sometimes the deposit is meant as a welcome, other times a warning. It just depends on what the news is for that day.

But in keeping with the primary theme of this article, the ground is also the local canine and feline drug store. Perhaps it could more accurately be called the local natural herb store.

I don’t know how many times I have heard someone ignorantly say “look at that stupid dog eating grass”. The truth is, they are not stupid at all, but are rather quite savvy natural pharmacists. I think most people would be surprised to learn that animals know a whole lot more about herbs than we do. I concede it may be more of an instinctive knowledge than cognitive understanding, but it is knowledge nonetheless.

In fact, their understanding of herbal remedies is awesome. Have you ever noticed that they don’t eat just any grass…they sniff around until they find exactly what they are looking for? Like the aisles in a drug store, each section of the outdoors holds different remedies.

For instance, certain grasses and sprouts are sought out and taken as internal cleansers. They cause vomiting; something we have all witnessed. This vomiting is the expected result for your pet. They know when they eat it that it will cause this reaction, yet they do it willingly and with purpose.

They instinctively know that it will cleanse their body of bile and other items that are not digestible. Anyone who loves and keeps animals knows that there are a lot of items that qualify in this category, from shoes to yarn to hair to some of the most extraordinary items.

While it is unsettling to know that they are not smart enough to figure out that swallowing a sock is not a good thing, it is comforting that they are usually savvy enough to know how to extricate it from their system before it becomes a problem or threat. This only emphasizes the importance of their having access to the outdoors on a regular basis.

Continuing, there is more to their natural pharmacy than just cleansers. Other grasses and herbs help evict or terminate worms and other parasites in their system. Still others provide needed minerals and nutrients and enhance digestive enzymes and acids. Uncannily, they all seem to know what remedy is needed for exactly whatever ails them at the moment.

Then, perhaps the biggest benefit to them is the presence of chlorophyll in most grasses. Chlorophyll helps to fight infection, enrich the coat and even relieves pain such as joint aches. It can also enhance cartilage soundness and offers a host of other benefits.

I know all this sounds a bit simplistic, but it really is not that complicated. The truth is that animals appear to know more about these things than you and I do and certainly more than we would think they should know. I am not sure “how” they know, but it is enough to accept that they do know, without having to know the “why”.

Modern medicine has actually taken a step backwards to develop more primitive remedies as a result of a closer study of this savvy in animals. Science is now recognizing that many of the grass roots (pardon the pun) remedies nature provides for our pets are as good as, if not better than synthetic drugs.

In fact, people are learning how to cultivate and produce certain herbs and grasses to help their pets, even freezing summer crops for winter dispensing when grasses are not in season. This can be especially helpful to cats and other mammals who are not allowed to venture outdoors, but who still need to ingest some of the natural cleansing agents found there.

Next time you see your pet eating grass, don’t worry about it. They are doing something to help their health. Just give them time to allow the process to culminate before you let them back in on your carpet.

Healthy chinchillas have active, bright and clear eyes; yellow-orange and aligned teeth, dry nose; hard and elongated stools; dense and even fur. The ideal weight for a full grown chin is about 450 to 800 grams. Chins are hardy and rarely fall ill.

Today, you’ll learn health tips to keep your chinchilla happy and ways to make it younger.

To have a happy chinchilla, try the following tips:

1) Keep your chin safe and secure in its cage at all times.

2) Make sure that the temperature is right – Chins thrive in temperatures of not more than 77 F.

3) Know the best food to give to your chin. Ensure your chin avoid human food as much as possible.

4) Provide lots of chewing things. Chins need to constantly gnaw to file their growing teeth.

5) Get ready a chin first aid kit ready and the contact of a nearby vet in case or emergencies.

6) Give your chin treats only occasionally. They should compromise no more than 10% of its total diet.

7) Ensure sufficient ventilation and clean the cage every other day.
If you must travel (advisably not), ensure you keep your chin in a protective small animal carrier.

9) Ensure that you chins are matured enough to breed before putting a male and female together.

10) Last but not least, provide lots of love and hugs.

As you can see, keeping a chin, like any other pet, require time and effort. Be prepared as this is a long commitment as chins can live up to 15 years.