Hangin’ with the Animals

posted by Animal Lover2 on Dec 29

By: Andy Curry

I get a lot of horse training questions about stopping a horse from kicking. The kicking habits of these horses range from the horse kicking at virtually anyone to kicking at only the husbands.

It’s a daunting problem that lots of people have no idea how to cure. That being so, I want to share some insight to horses kicking.

First I want to relate some causes of horses starting in the habit of kicking. Because a horse kicks is no reason to think he is naturally bad or unmanageable. I don’t think there is a horse alive that is “naturally” vicious. In fact, they’re made that way due to bad management or ignorant handlers.

Admittedly, there are some horses that inherit the characteristics of their ancestors. But one should never start to break a horse without first taking into consideration the nature, disposition, and understanding of a horse.

For instance, there are some horses that are naturally predisposed to have a “not so good” disposition. There are certain physical characteristics you can spot on a horse that indicate what his disposition is like.

Jesse Beery, a famous horse trainer from the 1800’s, was brilliant at deciphering a horse’s disposition. He even wrote extensively about how to do it. You can read about it at http://www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beery_etips.htm.

Anyway, now we can handle the horse according to its disposition. We can get it very nearly equal with a good dispositioned horse. All the difference in the world is due to the management and training of the colt. A horse with a “not so good’ disposition will require more patience and thorough work.

All animals in nature have a self defense of some sort. A horse’s self defense is kicking. After all, if you work with a horse that gets badly excited by some cause (such as ropes or chains coming in contact with his legs and those parts of his body aren’t broken) his first inclination is to kick it out of the way.

The trick is to break a horse in a way that the habit never occurs in the first place. Too many people think a lesson will be enough to educate the horse to be ready to go. But if you’re driving your horse and he gets caught under the tail or the cross pieces of the shaft touch his quarters…and those parts are unbroken, it would likely frighten and excite him enough to cause him to kick.

And the worse part is this: Once started, there is an increased inclination to go on kicking until confirmed in the habit.

So the cure is prevention. You must make all parts of his body submissive to sensitivity of his extremities. One way to do this is using a technique called poling. Essentially, you take a light pole and start at a horse’s nose, rub it over the mane, back, belly, quarters, and sensitive parts of the body, until all muscles become relaxed.

But what if you have a horse confirmed in the habit of kicking?

If that’s the case, I can give you three possible answers.

One is to sell the horse. If you feel it’s not fixable then it’s not a good idea to keep the horse around. You’re going to get severely injured if you’re not extra careful.

Two, get a professional trainer to help you. A trainer will charge anywhere from $400.00 per month to $900 per month. Is that worth it to get your horse to stop kicking? Only you can decide.

Third, you can learn to do it yourself. There are solutions out there that are pretty good. Jesse Beery, which I mentioned earlier, has a permanent solution to stop it - and it’s a guaranteed solution.

About the author: Andy Curry is a nationally known horse trainer and author of several best selling horse training and horse care books. For information visit his website at www.horsetrainingandtips.com. He is also the leading expert on Jesse Beery’s horse training methods which can be seen at www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.htm

posted by Animal Lover2 on Dec 28

By: Lee Dobbins

Bringing home a Pug can change our life, but it is also a big responsibility. When you become a Pug owner, it is up to you to make sure that your pet’s needs are met including, proper care, a safe environment and lots of love! Caring for a dog is a commitment, but has many rewards.

One of the most important things you can do to make sure your Pug has all the tools he needs to stay safe is to give him obedience training. A dog that is not properly trained will be a nuisance to others, while one that has the appropriate obedience training is a pleasure to be around. Many a dog has been considered a �bad� dog when all he really needed was the owner to take the time out to train him properly.

If you train your dog properly, not only will he have some cool tricks to show off, but it will also add to his safety. If your dog is properly trained, then you will be able to call him back to you should he be heading towards a dangerous situation. A well trained Pug Will be well behaved around strangers and the family � an obedient companion. Plus the training process can help define you as the master and act as a bonding experience for you and your pet.

The Pug is a very sociable dog as well as being extremely smart and quite stubborn. They are sensitive so yelling at him will not help you in training. Since Pugs are very smart they will train easily but can get bored with the same old lessons so you must always be showing them new tricks.

Also important for the health of your Pug is to provide your dog with excellent veterinary care. He should have a checkup every year and please make sure all vaccinations are up to date. Anytime you notice a difference in your Pugs behavior, schedule a vet appointment right away. Even a subtle change could be a sign of trouble and it�s better to be safe than sorry. Have your Pug neutered or spayed - they WILL be much happier.

Providing a safe environment for your Pug especially when he is a puppy, can help eliminate unfortunate accidents. Make sure every room your dog has free access too is �dog proofed� and there are no sharp objects or small pieces laying around that he could step on or eat. When guests come over, or if the kids are running in and out, make sure they know not to leave the door open so the dog can get out. Refrain from feeding your Pug food from the table as some of it can be harmful.

Grooming your Pug can help your pet look and feel his best. Cleaning his ears, brushing his fur, trimming his nails � these all contribute to the overall health and happiness of your pooch. Proper dental care is the most important grooming task you can do for your Pug. Without regular brusing, bacteria can build up in your dogs mouth. This bacteria can break away and cause serious health problems for your dog. Make sure you brush at least a couple of times a week and have a dental check up every year!

Hopefully you�ll never need to act on it, but you should have a plan for the dog in case of emergency. Your dog may be helpless in an emergency such as a fire or gas leak, so you need to plan on someone in the family being the one who is responsible for getting the dog out. Also, it is a good idea to make sure you have a �babysitter� you feel safe leaving your dog with in case an emergency takes you out of town suddenly.

Welcoming a Pug into your home as a pet, you are making a lifetime commitment to provide everything he needs for a healthy and happy life. Some Pugs can live well into their teens with good care � hopefully yours will live at least that long and the rewards you get from the loyal companionship of your pet will far outweigh the commitment you make to his health.

About the author: Lee Dobbins, a pet owner and dog lover, owns http://www.epet-center.com where you can find out more about pugs as well as other dog breeds, cats, birds, fish and ferrets. Learn more about the Pug at http://www.epet-cent er.com/pugdogs.htm

posted by Animal Lover2 on Dec 28

by: Connie Limon

This is dog is occasionally referred to as the Miniature Spitz dog or European Spitz. In its native land of Germany it is the smallest member of the German Spitz group. The Pomeranian is also sometimes called the German Spitz in Germany.

In Germany the Pomeranian was bred to its present size in Pomeranian during the nineteenth century. Its ancestors were of the Spitz type and larger. Among the Pomeranian’s ancestors are the Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Chow Chow and other northern European breeds. It is possible that the Pomeranian was reduced in size from the large white sled dog that originated in Iceland and Lapland. Exact time of origin is unknown. Queen Victoria of England took a great liking to the Pomeranian and helped to increase its popularity in her palace in 1888.

Other Spitz types were used as herding dogs and sled pullers. The Pomeranian, however, has always been a lapdog. It came to America in the late nineteenth century and was shown in the miscellaneous class in 1892 by the AKC. American Kennel Club recognized the Pomeranian officially in 1900. Since that time he has become quite popular as a pampered little pet.

Personality

The Pomeranian is sometimes a little too courageous for its own good. He serves well as an alarm dog, but its barking sometimes becomes a habit that needs to be discouraged. The Pomeranian has one primary purpose and that is to please its owners. It sometimes shies away from children that play too rough. The Pomeranian may not be a good choice for a household with children or as a child’s pet. They socialize easily with cats and other small family pets.

The Pomeranian is definitely one of those big dogs in a little package. They usually won’t back down from a much larger dog. This aggressiveness can be self-destructive as obviously a bigger dog could make mince meat of a tiny Pomeranian.

The Pomeranian is eager to learn and is devoted to its family. He is affectionate and has a very loving nature toward its own family. He is delightful and is always ready for a quick game with those he loves.

The Pomeranian responds to command if they are consistently given and he is rewarded with edible treats or kind words. The Pomeranian has a tendency to become somewhat of a “spoiled brat.” When his bad habits surface he may simply ignore commands to “act better.” He is rarely seen in agility trials; however, the Pomeranian does well in obedience trials.

Appearance

A Pomeranian stands about 7 to 8 inches tall and weighs from 3 to 7 pounds. The tiny Pomeranian has a short body, straight legs and well-balanced overall appearance. He has erect ears and a fox like expression that gives this little dog an alert expression. Pigmentation of the nose, lips and eyelids are always dark, usually black.

The Pomeranian’s coat is double and profuse. Acceptable colors are red, orange, cream and sable, black, brown and blue.

Grooming the Pomeranian

The coat of a Pomeranian is made up of an undercoat and an outer coat. The undercoat is soft and fluffy. The outer coat is fairly long, straight and harsh and covers the entire body.

There is an abundance of coat around the neck and the fore part of the shoulders and chest that forms a frill that extends over the shoulder. The forequarters are well feathered and the thighs and hind legs are well feathered to the hocks.

The Pomeranian requires regular attention to keep it clean and attractive. Thorough brushing once a week is required to keep the coat in good condition.

You will need a slicker/pin brush, medium-tooth metal comb, scissors and cotton buds.

Brush against the lie of the coat to give the Pomeranian its round pompom appearance. Brush first with the slicker/pin brush working from the top of the head, layering the hair as you go and be sure you reach the skin level. Then work through the coat with the comb to remove any tangles left behind from the brushing.

You might consider using a dry bath on your Pomeranian’s coat when in full coat. When the Pomeranian is in full coat, use a suitable pH-alkaline-balanced shampoo and rinse well.

About The Author

Connie Limon. Visit us at http://www.abouttoydogs.com and sign up for our newsletters. About Toy Dogs is a guide to the selection and care of toy dog breeds. We feature articles, dog training resources, dog books, dog supplies and a toy dog breed directory. Purchase a full page ad with up to 3 pictures, a video of your dogs with up 12 pictures; ads are featured in our newsletters, all for the price of $25 per year.