Should I Use A Bark Collar On My Dog?

Is your dog making a racket in the backyard and bothering you as well as every neighbor within hearing distance? If so it sounds like you need to do something to make the barking go away and fast, before somebody calls the law.

Dogs bark, that's how they communicate with us and with each other. In fact most dog owners don't mind a bit of barking to get our attention, to tell us somebody is outside or to warn us of danger. However none of us want a dog that barks constantly.

In some communities your barking dog can get you a ticket and even a very large fine. If you live in an apartment a barking dog may get you served with an eviction notice. So how do we control the barking.

The quickest sure fire way to get the barking under control before you get yourself fined and / or homeless is to use a bark collar. If you select the right collar you can get almost instant results. When it comes to bark collars you have choices.

There are several different types of bark collars so lets talk about them so you can get an idea of what you should be able to expect from each one.

Citronella Collar

First we have the citronella collar. When your dog barks it get a blast of citronella in the nose. Most dogs don't like the smell and the idea is that they quit barking to avoid the smell. Unfortunately they are not the greatest when it comes to working well. It seems that most people say it just did not work with their dog.

Bark Collar

The second collar to talk about is the ultrasonic collar. This one make a noise that the dog can hear but you can't. The noise is a high pitched noise that most dogs prefer to avoid. Again works with some dog and not with others.

The third collar is the vibrating

Bark Collar

collar. It actually vibrates on the dog and distracts it from the barking. Dog owners like this collar because their is no discomfort to the dog merely a distracting vibration. This collar is definitely worth a try.

Bark Collar

The final collar is the bark collar we are all familiar with, the one that causes a very mild static shock. Before we go on let me explain that it isn't as bad as it sounds however it is very effective. These collars can be programmed at different levels of stimulation and most allow a couple of barks before they activate. These collars are very effective. In fact if you are facing a large fine or life on the street this is the one I would go for.

I hope this information gives you some ideas about what you feel would be best for your dog and it's barking problems. Don't forget there is always doggie day care while you are gone during the day!

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Stop My Puppy From Biting My Hands

There is nothing more exciting or as much fun as getting a new puppy. However along with the excitement comes some things that are not as much fun. Yes it is a fact that having your puppy biting at your hands, arms and feet is really annoying and also painful. Let's talk about what you can do to eliminate the problem before you are scared for life.

Yes, those little teeth are sometimes described as being as sharp as needles and as painful as razor blades. I have had clients whose hands and arms have literally been cut, scratched and scared.

So now, how do we solve this problem? You have probably been given solutions by your vet, friends, family and you have even read some solutions on the internet or in books. Did they work? I guess not because you wouldn't be reading this article if the problem has already been eliminated.

You may be like a recent person that said her little 10 week old puppy was biting her in the face and doing the same to her kids. Do you see what the problem is here? Why do they have their faces down to the puppies level? If you give a puppy an opportunity it will take advantage of the situation. So keep your face up and away from the pup.

You have probably been told that when your dog bites at you give it one of it's toys. Did that work? I bet it did for a minute but then it is right back to you. It's almost as if you tasted good.

IDEA!!!

Let's fix it so you don't taste good. Do you bite on food that tastes bad? Absolutely not. Well either will your puppy. Are you ready for the secret to solve the puppy biting problem? Here it is.

GRANNICKS BITTER APPLE

Grannick Bitter Apple

For those of you that say I tried bitter apple and it didn't work. I can assure you that you didn't use the GRANNICKS brand or you didn't use it correctly.

Buy the small bottle so you can keep it with you easily in your pocket or close to wherever you are with the dog. When it mouths or bites at your hand, grab the bottle without saying a word. Spray a generous amount on your hand and give it back to the dog. You will see that look of disgust on it's face. It is saying "oh my gosh why do you taste so bad".

This is such and easy no confrontation type of trick to keep your dog from biting you. You can use the spray wherever you need it, even on your shoes or your legs.

I have never seen a dog go past one bottle of GRANNICKS before this painful behavior disappeared forever. Get a bottle at any pet store and give it a try.

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Pit Bulls Are An Excellent Choice For People Who Understand Dogs

Pit bulls have gotten a bad name because of late they have become popular with bad people. People who want to fight dogs have exploited one breed of dog after another for centuries. Within the last sixty years or so, we have seen these people ruin the reputation of German Shepherds, Dobermans, Rottweilers and now Pit Bulls.

The fact is, for a dog to be willing and able to be a fighting dog, it must be a very loyal, intelligent dog who will do absolutely anything to please its master. Meanness has nothing to do with it. It is eagerness to please that pre-disposes a dog to do something entirely foreign to its nature. Little do these loyal dogs know that if they lose the fights they are forced to fight, they will be killed or abandoned by the masters to whom they have tried to be loyal.

The dog that is commonly known as a Pit Bull started out as a "nanny dog" in England. This type of dog was bred to be loyal and protective of the children they were intended to watch over. They were trustworthy dogs that could always be depended upon. Unfortunately, the breed has been compromised by poor breeding practices and abuse.

Today shelters are overrun with Pit Bull type dogs. Most have been victims of abuse and/or neglect. It used to be thought that these dogs could not be rehabilitated, but now this belief is known to be false. These dogs are highly trainable and eager to please; however, it is best that they be placed with people who really understand dogs and know something about compassionate training.

Pit Bull types are active, strong-willed dogs. They need to know that the person who is in control is actually competent. They respond best to consistent, compassionate training techniques, and they need to be active.

If you are seeking a dog at a shelter, you should certainly give the pit bulls a chance. Most of them are gentle and trainable and will make a wonderful life companion for an active man or woman who is able and willing to participate in proper training and obedience classes.

The same goes for families with teens and older children. The right  Pit Bull can be the perfect pet for a family. As long as you can provide consistent, correct training and activity on a regular ongoing basis, you should not have any significant problems.

If you are looking for a dog that will lie around and not want to do much, a Pit Bull is probably not the right dog for you. When looking at dogs to adopt, be sure you take your time at the shelter. Visit with the dogs you have in mind and handle them. Make sure all members of your family meet the dogs you are considering. By taking care in selection and following through with good training and ample activity, you will surely have a successful match.

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What's The Best Lap Dog?

The best lap dog's going to be a breed that's just as friendly as it is small. This means we have to avoid all breeds that are small enough to fit in our laps, but don't have the right temperament. When it comes to the smaller breeds, Napoleon complexes are very common. This makes it a lot harder to find the perfect dog that's cool with sitting in anyone's lap. When we make sure that we get the right breed, and really pay attention to the dog's behavior before we take him home, we'll be able to find the right creature.

When people think about getting lap dogs the first place they'll go tends to be the Chihuahua. This is a common mistake. Some Chihuahua's are friendly, but most are frightened easily, and tend to be yappers. Because of their small size, and low IQ, they tend to be more aggressive. They are worried about being harmed by strangers, and could even have some issues with certain family members in the house. One things for sure, this dog will never sit still. Chihuahuas have a lot of energy, so they're not great for petting while you watch TV.

If you're looking for a dog that's great as a lap you should consider a miniature poodle. While they aren't as smart as their cousins the standard poodle, they still have merit. Poodles tend to be friendly dogs, they're great swimmers, and most importantly, they are the smartest dog breed on the planet. A neat thing about the poodle is that they don't shed. When you stick with the previous option, you'll be cleaning Chihuahua fur out of your carpet for a very long time. This simply isn't so with these guys.

You should pay attention while at the dog breeder, or shelter. It's important to make sure the dog you're playing with is responding to you positively. A great sign that a dog's going to make a perfect lap dog is it's ability to be picked up. If it looks as though it doesn't liked being picked up, or hates being handled by people, it's probably not going to sit still in your lap. You should pay attention to how affectionate the dog seems. An affectionate dog will actually enjoy the time you spend cuddling, while one that's more independent will do it out of a dog's desire to obey.

Treating your dog with respect, and giving him the human contact he needs is a great way to ensure your dog will have a good personality. Make sure you treat your dog like a member of the family. If you do I'm sure he'll love sitting with you. Dog's love being able to sit on human furniture, and especially human laps. You just need to make sure you have one that fits the norm. Look in your local shelter today!

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What To Look For When It Comes To Cancer In Dogs

As a dog owner, it is always important that you remain proactive when it comes to your pet's health. This will mean not only bringing your dog in for regular veterinarian check-ups but also taking the time to notice any signs that there could be something wrong health wise. Believe it or not, canines are actually susceptible to the same forms of cancer as humans. The only major difference is that they can start to metastasize a whole lot faster in dogs than in humans.

Of course, the best way to try and detect any possible signs of cancer is looking for some symptoms that can be telling. Have you noticed any sort of swelling that is abnormal? This could actually be a sign that a tumor is growing and it should be looked at to try and confirm whether or not it is cancerous.

Appetite is another factor that you will want to take into consideration if you are concerned about your dog's health. If he or she has cancer, you may find that they will start to lose their appetite as well as lose a significant amount of weight. Hand in hand with loss of appetite can be a loss of stamina as well as a drop in energy levels.

Some dogs that are in the later stages of cancer will start to have issues when it comes to expelling waste. Abnormal patterns for breathing might be a concern and there could even be wounds, bleeding and/or discharge that will occur simply because they have a weakened immune system. If you start to notice these or any other sort of symptoms that are alarming or a big change from the way that your dog normally acts, it is important that you bring them to your vet as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis.

There are treatments that you can talk with your veterinarian about that are known to help fight cancer in dogs. However, they can be painful and quite costly over the long haul. The more that you educate yourself on the type of cancer that your dog has as well as your options when it comes to treatment or life care, the better equipped you will be to help keep them comfortable as long as possible. Overall, while it can be devastating to hear that your dog has a form of cancer, you can work with your vet to try and treat your pet as soon as possible.

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Is The Golden Retriever The Right Dog Breed For You?

If you have been doing your research to try and find out what type of dog breed that you should get for your household, the chances are very good that the Golden Retriever has been a solid contender. This is a breed of dog that is very outgoing and the perfect pet to have if you are looking for one that just loves people. A Golden just loves to be with other people, around their human family or just part of the group. Because they love attention, it is easy to spoil such a dog and make it just as though they are a true part of your family.

When selecting any pet, you should take your household and your lifestyle into consideration. For example, if you happen to travel a lot or you work outside of the home for long hours each day, this may not be the right pet for your household. If you are home a lot of the time, or there is at least someone who is home for the majority of the day, then you might find that a Golden Retriever will be the perfect fit for your family.

A popular dog breed, the Golden Retriever will do well with families that have kids of all ages. As a matter of fact, children are great because the Golden needs to have a good bit of exercise each and every day to stay healthy. Whether it comes from walks or playing in the yard, you will want to make sure that you can give your pet at least a half an hour two times per day where they are able to exercise and get moving. With owner interaction and play, you will find that a Golden is just going to adore running around and having a good time with their human counterparts.

Depending on the size of your yard, you will want to invest in a fence that can keep your dog contained and safe. Such an investment might be costly initially, however this will make for the perfect area for your new pet to be able to run around and get plenty of exercise. Even a senior Golden Retriever is known to enjoy getting out a couple of times per day to run, play catch, take a brisk walk and more.

Keep in mind if you are considering a Golden Retriever for a family dog, you will be looking at approximately $350 to $600 or more per year for feeding expenses and then another $350 or so a year in veterinarian bills. Of course, you then have other expenses such as grooming supplies, toys, leashes and much more that will come along with any dog breed. Once you take all of this information into consideration and it all sounds good, you should be ready to get in touch with a reputable breeder for a Golden Retriever.

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Signs Of Deadly Parvo Virus And What You Should Know

Canine Parvovirus Infection, most of the time just called Parvo for short, is a highly infectious virus that is one of the most dangerous and deadly that your dog can contract. Parvo is also highly infectious, so if one dog in a kennel is infected it's quite likely that all the dogs that are not vaccinated will become infected too. There are some warning signs that you need to watch out for if your dog is susceptible to Parvo, let's go over those now.

The most obvious sign of Parvo will be if your dog has bloody diarrhea, he may also have vomiting, a loss of appetite, and a low body temperature as well. Because of the diarrhea and vomiting, it's highly likely that your dog will become very dehydrated, this dehydration is one of the most dangerous parts of the infection and can lead to death. This deadly virus is mostly spread through contaminated stools that an infected dog will have for several weeks, even after the disease is mostly gone. Nearly any dog that comes in contact with the contaminated feces can come down with the disease, if they are susceptible.

If you think your dog is infected and showing some of the symptoms in the paragraph above, he should be taken immediately to the veterinarian for tests. The Vet can take x-rays and do an

ultrasound of the abdomen, test the urine, or examine the stools and vomit for the presence of the virus. But the most important thing is to immediately give your dog IV fluids in order to get your dog re-hydrated. When your dog is vomiting and has diarrhea all the water that he drinks goes right through him, or comes back up, and none gets into his system, so dehydration can be deadly.

The absolute best way to keep your dog safe from Canine Parvovirus Infection is to make sure that you get him vaccinated according to your veterinarian's recommendations. Initially you can start at six weeks of age with the first vaccination, with a booster at nine weeks and another at 12 weeks old. During this time your dog is still susceptible to the virus and his play with other dogs should be kept at a minimum, or screen other dogs, only allowing play with dogs that have also been vaccinated.

As you can see, Canine Parvovirus is a very deadly and contagious disease. However, it's easy to prevent by merely following your veterinarian's recommendation for vaccinations. Vaccinations are an incredibly cheap alternative to the high cost of saving your dog's life after he contracts this sometimes fatal disease.

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