Tips About Pets

Back to ancient times, cats are already around. Today, we can assess any owner of a cat. There are no restrictions at all on their owners, unlike other pets that require high maintenance and are subject to state or federal regulation.

A cat can also help you forget an exhausting day at work or school. She can caress you and purr. Any cat lovers, it does not need a reason or a question of ownership. However, for those who do not have a chat in May that they believe is an enormous task.

In fact, cats are the easiest to own pets. A simple set and some training sessions may be dispensed to treat the problem of dirt, especially for indoor cats.

Choosing a pet can be a momentous decision, there are considerations of space, time, and a great dedication to all of the days of love and care of another living being. Of course, there is the equally significant choice between varieties of pets. Pet owners are often divided equally between those who love dogs and cats - with the owners of both thrown in spices. Cats in May seems the simplest of animals from which to choose. But the truth is that there is a variety of cat breeds to explore - each has its own look and personality.

Each breed of cat is something very different from the other. It is therefore important that you consider the personality of your family and what breed of cat to better your lifestyle. Some cats are very happy to stay to themselves and only emerge when they need to be fed. May this be a good choice of breed of cat for a busy professional couple without children? For a family who wants a participatory approach to pets, however, a breed of cat with a personality better social adjustment in May.

Cat breeds are not as different from each other that the different breeds of dog, but there are still some powerful different kinds of cats there. Some breeds of cats are pets and people of other races who prefer cats out and independent. Some cat breeds are more prone to periods of silence, but sometimes cats of different breeds most votes are not very talkative.

Cats are unique

Cats have amazing abilities to hear, see and feel. Cats also turn their ears when they play or listen to a sound coming from behind. Felines will also use this emergency to communicate, fond memories of feeding time to a requirement insistent rub. Cats involved in a conflict in May fully extend their tail hair in the air and turn right side of their body to appear larger.

Traits of Cat Breeds

Some cat breeds require lots of brushing and maintenance to keep them happy and healthy and others only discount twice a year. The races are usually differentiated by their bodies and faces, and sometimes distinctive physical characteristics such as the tail or ears folded. Remember that kittens are similar, but, like purebred dogs, different breeds of cats tend to have their own traits that May or May not to influence your decision. Some breeds of cats tend to be better with children or other pets, while other breeds of cats are generally more distant and prefer a more solitary existence.

What to Expect in Domestic Cats

Domestic cats eat fairly little vegetable matter? Domestic cats are generally white, black, yellow or gray and sometimes marked with a different color. National Mixed breed cats are generally characterized by long, thin tail, ears straight, short hair and a variety of colors. While most domestic cats are not purebred (only 3% belong to a breed of cat), there is a wide variety of breeds of cats and most of the houses reflect the traits of one or more of the different breeds of cats.

Feline Behavior

Knowing what is normal cat behavior help in training and treatment of feline cat behavior problem. Play-motivated aggressive behaviors are observed in young, active cats less than two years. Play incorporates a variety of behaviors such as exploratory, investigative and predatory, cats and offers opportunities for youth to practice the skills they normally need for survival. Treats can help during recess, but try to limit their use as rewards for positive behavior modification. The cats are very social; a first difference in social behavior between cats and dogs (which are often compared) is that felines do not have a social survival strategy, or a "pack mentality", but this only means that cats take care of their basic needs on their own initiative. Hunting has also become a central element of their models, even to their predilection for short bursts of intense exercise punctuating long periods of rest. Scratching behavior seems enjoyable to the cat, and even declawed cats will go through the development of scratching routines with every evidence of great satisfaction, despite the lack of results.

Conclusion

Some of these breeds of cats the most popular are the Persians, Himalayans, Ragdolls, Siamese and Maine Coon. The gaps over cat breeds are the Norwegian woods, and Nibbling Russian Shorthair. While most breeds of cats are known to have certain traits, the cats are very special and a cat of a breed known for its independence could be very dependent. With a little research, however, you are sure to determine the cat breeds that fit your situation.

When your four legged bundle of joy is starting to see your hands or clothes as his favorite chew toys, you obviously need to find effective ways on how to stop puppy biting. But one cannot completely eradicate the behavior without understanding why puppies tend to bite.

Biting is a normal behavior among dogs particularly puppies. While this is usually due to teething, a pup may also bite to investigate objects, to communicate and to play. However, there are some cases in which biting is way beyond the normal and needs to be controlled for the safety of those who are around.

Putting an end to puppy biting problem seems an impossible task. An owner cannot simply tell the pet "Stop that!" and expect that the pet will obey. Dogs maybe highly intelligent animals but that doesn't necessarily mean they can understand every word or command uttered by their beloved owners. They must be trained on how to do things that are acceptable by their humans.

One of the best solutions to this problem is to teach the pup about bite inhibition or the ability of a dog to control the force of his biting. This can be done through puppy socialization and play-fighting. A pup that is properly socialized will be able to learn to control the force of his biting based on the reactions displayed by his playmates. Human reaction can also be used in training a puppy about bite inhibition. This can be done by yelping and acting like you are terribly hurt everytime he bites. This aims to make him realize that he is too rough and must be gentle next time.

While you are trying to make your puppy understand that biting hurts and that he must not continue doing, you should not play tug of war, wrestling, chase or other type of games that can encourage biting and nipping. Physical punishment will not alleviate the problem as well. Contrary to what you wanted to happen, punishing a dog for biting or for any other reasons won't do any good. It will only make matters worse than just mere puppy biting.

Carrying out the steps on how to stop puppy biting is quite challenging but through patience, consistency, hard-work and determination, there is no obstacle one cannot hurdle.

When you are house training dogs, the first thing that definitely needs disciplining and controlling would be... your temper! Short-tempered owners and trainers are in danger of not achieving the training goals for the dog. You need to keep in mind that prior to the training, midway to it and when it ends, the pet has a reasonable need to take his time learning. If you think you are the determined and patient type, then you certainly can give training a shot.

House training dogs presents a big challenge for you and your dog: getting your dog to pee and poo where you want him to. Without housetraining, your house will turn out very smelly, and your furniture and furnishings might be seriously ruined.

A second tip to get good results in house training your dog is to praise the pet whenever he does something right. Make allowances and understand that the odd accident will strike now and then. Do your best and never shout at the dog. Giving punishment of any sort, especially physical or mental, need to be prevented. The key here is to reach out and aim for understanding in a firm yet amiable way with your dog. If you are consistent, time will come that your dog will see what you mean and will relieve himself at the right place, at the stretch of time that you would expect he would. Positive reinforcements and repetitions of the process will help your dog comprehend the correct way and spot to get rid of his waste.

Now here are some more details and tips that support what we have discussed so far about house training dogs. A physical way of reprimanding your dog when he eliminates in the wrong area can backfire, since the dog is likely to associate punishment with the act of eliminating itself. Then this can further lead to the dog developing the fear of being seen eliminating, and as a result may either be hesitant to go, or will go off to hide his waste somewhere else in the house.

Examples of moments when the puppies will generally need to do to pee and-or potty are after eating, or upon waking up. Responsible owners will look for the place (a temporary one inside the house, or the more permanent one outside) for the puppy to go. An example of a relief spot is perhaps near his sleeping quarters in the laundry with a good supply of newspapers.

Sure you can buy wild bird food, sometimes for BIG $'s, but there are hundreds of family handed-down homemade recipes for you to make on your own.

Many of these recipes include ingredients you will have laying around the house. This saves you BIG $'s.

Most birds will eat many things. The recipe(s) we have collected for each bird are some of their preferred food selections. Here are two examples:

Oriole

There are 2 very easy recipes for Orioles.

Great project for 3 year old or older - with supervision

Complexity - Easy

Time to Complete - 10 minutes

Main Ingredient - An Orange or Jelly

Needed - Orange or Jelly

Step 1 - This is one of the easiest of all! All that is needed is half an orange. Nail the orange to a deck railing, bird feeder, or other location where the Orioles can easily perch.

Step 2 - Another easy recipe is to place a dish of jelly in a similar location. We have found Orioles prefer jelly over jam, which may be thicker and not to their liking.

Note- Both methods work great. Placing the food under a cover (such as a feeder with a roof) will make it last much longer. Just make sure the orioles have enough room to move freely.

Dark-Eyed Junco

(Peanut Butter treat)

Great project for 5 year old or older - with supervision

Complexity - Medium

Time to Complete - 15 minutes

Main Ingredient - Peanut Butter

Needed - Tupperware sandwich holder

- Peanut Butter, mixed bird seed, chopped nuts, rolled oats, cracked corn and/or oatmeal

Step 1 - Junco's prefer to eat from flat feeders, so we will oblige. The sandwich dish can be filled and placed outside until empty (you will want to keep this dish for the birds from that time on, or you can use it as a mold and place the food in the feeder without the dish. If you want the dish back, then you can line the inside with cooking grease, fill the dish, then place in the freezer for 1 hour. At that point, it will pop right out.

Step 2 - Using a small bowl (not your feeder dish) add enough peanut butter so that it would fill approximately 1/2 of your feeder dish. Then add 1/2 of the remaining ingredients, mixing well.

Step 3- Using a small plate, spread out a thin layer of the remaining 1/2 of the dry ingredients.

Step 4- Now dig out the mixture and cup it in your hands, much like making a snowball. Roll the 'ball' over the seed mixture on the plate, giving it a good coating. Then form the entire 'ball' into your sandwich dish. From here you can take it outside or place in the freezer.

Enjoy!

We are living in a technology world, where searching/finding something is no big deal. Despite of all easy and fast search ways, your search needs to be to the point in order to obtain desired results and for the successful search you should know what you need exactly. Now coming specifically to the pets, you should know what type of pet is suitable for you? What can be the maximum cost to have a pet at home? What type of information you need to know before buying a pet for you? But before all these, you should find the best pet shop in your area. This article states all that very precisely.

How to Find a Pet Shop?

For finding the best shop for you, you have to do extensive research for that. One medium for searching is the Internet. Through the Internet, finding something is not a big deal nowadays. Everything you asked/searched for is reachable to you within few clicks. You can search through the Internet whether there is a pet shop in your area or you need to travel for that in some other town, if yes, then how much?

Selecting a pet shop is the most important step as your pet adoption depends on it. Definitely, only the best pet shops have the good and variety of pet collections in their shops that give you choices to compare and select the one that’s suits you & your family the most.

Another way to search the best pet shops is to explore them around you. Ask those who already have pets in their homes and conduct few meetings with your friends & family members to find out simply the best pet shop for you.

Make some checklist to categorize the shops and at last, select the best. You should consider following few things in your mind while selecting the pet shop:

• Whether the shopkeeper has a license to deal with the pets?

• If it is the licensed shop then what is its expertise regarding pet keeping? i.e. either they deal in only dogs/cats/birds/all of them.

• What is the overall status of the shop when it comes to repute of pet shops?

• For how many years the shop is serving in the market?

• Either the shopkeepers are fair enough in their dealings?

• How the shopkeepers behave with their customers? Are they friendly enough to discuss certain details with you regarding pets?

• Will you get any kind of pet counseling as an additional service or not?

• Will you get any kind of discount on purchasing more than one pet?

You have to take into account all these questions, while searching for the best pet shop around you.

After figuring out these few things, try to make a list of those companies that satisfies all your doubts and in all aspect serves according to your requirements. Once you have the list of the selected companies, you can figure out the best for you with great ease.

Start the selection process by personally contacting the shopkeepers and figure out their exact way of dealing with customers. Now, if you are satisfied with their way of dealing for pets then you can proceed to adopt a pet from them, otherwise try another shop. Repeat this step till you find the absolutely best shop that fulfills all your requirements, offers you the most feasible price and deals exactly the way you wanted.

Conclusion!

Now you can find the pet shop in your area with great ease and comfort. The best way to search is the Internet. Besides that you can also find different advertisements in the newspapers as well.

You should focus your search on what is really required and keep in mind different important points (stated in this article) to find the most optimum pet shop for you.

Hope you find the best pet shop and the pet at last. Happy searching and have a great living with your pet(s).

When it comes to housebreaking a new puppy, many people simply do not know what to do. With so many techniques out there, it can be very easy to become confused about which method is the best. There are three main types of training that is used for house training. There is paper training, litter box training, and crate training. To figure out which is truly the best option for you, it is important to make sure that you are looking over all of your options.

Paper Training

Paper training is the training method that a lot of people first turn to but few stick with. Paper training can be a messy job, even after the dog has got the hang of it. Start with a puppy pee pad that is scented in order to attract the dog to it. Place the pee pad in the area that you want to designate as the dog's bathroom area. You may luck out on your dog may be attracted to the paper right away.

If you find however that your puppy is not naturally attracted to the paper, you will want to make sure that you are leading it in the right direction. As soon as you see your puppy starting to use the bathroom, make sure to pick it up and take it to the pee pad. If the puppy finishes there or simply goes there on its own, make sure that you reward the puppy with a treat or a lot of affection. This is a training process that may take a lot of puppies a while to catch onto.

Litter Box Training

Even though most people assume that litter box training is something that is strictly for cats, they would be wrong. This is perfect for puppies that are going to remain small, such as toy-sized dogs. The litter boxes that have the lid on the top give your dog privacy and also allow the mess to be kept out of sight. This is especially important for when guests come over.

The concept works the same as paper training the dog. Just make sure that you are praising your dog a lot whenever it goes in the right spot. This is to help make sure that the correct behavior is reinforced. Over time, the dog will catch on and the potty training phase will be over.

Crate Training

This is by far the most effective and yet the most misunderstood form of housebreaking a dog. The crate, when used properly, is a wonderful tool and can help your puppy learn the house rules faster then any other method. And since the sooner your puppy learns the rules of the house the sooner you can relax, it is important to get started right away. The size of the crate is the most important thing about this training technique.

Make sure that the crate size is not too small and not too large. When the puppy is kept in the crate at night or while you run to the store, the puppy will hold it's bodily functions until it is released from the cage. This will prevent accidents and it will allow you to take the puppy directly to the designated spot for potty breaks. Crate training is the training method that will provide the best results for you and your puppy.

Russian psychologist, Ivan Pavlov, discovered Classical, or in the terminology of behavior analysis respondent conditioning, in 1920s. It seems that classical conditioning was discovered by chance. Pavlov was investigating dog´s digestion when he noticed that the most experienced dogs that he had been testing began to salivate before the samples of food were presented to them. He started to investigate this systematically. Throughout Pavlov´s experiment, dogs were exposed to a wide variety of arbitrary stimuli (example bell and light) presented contiguously with food. Pavlov has a special laboratory constructed in which the experimenter and a dog were separated from each other in soundproof rooms. Discovery was that conditioned stimulus (bell) began to trigger the same reactioning (salivate) in dogs that unconditioned stimulus (food) did. The associative bond between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US) is strengthened when the CS consistently occurs just before the representation of the US and is weakened when the CS and US occur independently of each other. So classical conditioning is unintentional and subconscious reaction to a certain stimuli.

It is important to understand how classical conditioning works and hopefully a few everyday examples will do that. Most dogs respond readily to sound of doorbell ringing and after several repetitions, in which the bell signals the arrival of someone at the door, the dog may begin to example bark. The dog has learned to correlate a previously insignificant event (doorbell) with a significant on (visitor) and now when the doorbell rings the dog dances with excitement anticipating the visitor´s entry and greetings. But what starts to happen if dogs owner doesnt open the door when doorbell rings? After several sessions of nonreinforced exposures to the bell, the dog will gradually inhibit its anticipatory reactions and finally ignore the sound altogether. We can say that the conditioned effect has been extinguished.

Classical conditioning has also an important role in the development of anxiety and fears. For instance, dogs easily develope fears associated with the veterinary clinic, especially if they have undergone painful procedures there. It may help to prevent negative associations to the veterinary clinic when we provide dogs or puppies treats and other pleasurable experiences while being examined. But what if dog doesnt eat in that situation? Its probably too stressed (or not hungry) and you have to start giving food to the dog earlier (example in the hospital parking lot). Lifelong phobic reactions can also occur as the result of a single traumatic event and dogs suffer a broad spectrum of phobic fears, most of which are established and reversed through classical conditioning.

But does Pavlov have anything really good information for us to use in dog training? You may have heard about clicker training. When we examine clicker training through classical conditioning, clicker is conditioned stimulus (CS) and food (or some else reinforcement) is unconditioned stimulus (US). Clicker is a mechanical device that makes a short, distinct "click" sound which tells the animal exactly when they're doing the right thing and its combined with positive reinforcement. You can also use something else than clicker, example light, whistle or some other sound. Other important information of Pavlovian conditioning is counterconditioning. It plays avital role in the learning and unlearning of emotional reactions. So in dog training, resolving fears and other problems (example phobias, separation anxiety and aggressiviness), classical conditioning may be required. Classically conditioned responses are largely autonomous and independent of central control, unlike instrumental behavior. Dogs dont choose to feel fearful or anxious. To be controlled, an aversive emotion like anger or fear, must be countered by the elicitation of an ever stronger and incompatible emotional response.

Betta fish care couldn’t be simpler really, they are quite a small fish only growing between 2 to 5 inches in length in their entire lives and they are quite easy to maintain and keep healthy as long as you follow the tips and advice available to you. It is important to start off with a good environment for them including silk or real plants (plastic plants can damage and rip the betta’s fins) and have ornaments for the fish to rest upon. You should also feed your betta fish once a day, or once every other day and make sure that they have a varied and healthy diet which can include; flakes, pellets, fresh and freeze dried food. You should try your betta on a little bit of everything to see which type of food suits him best.

Here are some tips to help with your betta fish care.

1 Remember that betta’s have a back up breathing system which means that they can breathe surface air although they still need a filtration system for their tanks and it is important to bear in mind that the long finned betta’s do the best with as little current as is possible.

2 Betta’s can actually learn to recognize their owners and you can even teach them games that they will remember. Make sure that you keep your betta fish company and say hello to him every once in a while so that he is able to learn who you are. Bettas will recognize people but mainly because they will associate you with feeding time!

3 When maintaining betta fish care, you should always treat your betta with a proper medication if it gets sick. This might be an antibiotic or an antifungal treatment and you can get these easily at your local fish store, but most will be ordered so you should always be prepared in advance.

Betta fish need lots of care and attention so it is important that you do not neglect them, just because they are fish does not mean that they need less attention that, say a dog. True, you cannot walk a fish, but they do make great company and pets as long as you maintain your betta fish care and make sure that you are well prepared for anything. For more information on the care of betta fish, visit your local fish store or log onto the internet.

There’s nothing quite like the family dog. It’s almost a slice of Americana. In ever cheesy fifties image of the Perfect American Family we see a nice little house with a white picket fence, Mom and Dad, two children (usually a boy and a girl), and a family pooch happily prancing around the yard. As clichéd as that image may be, the fact remains that people love dogs and some families just don’t feel right without a family dog.

When choosing a dog for a family, there are important traits to keep in mind. Some breeds of dog are wonderful for families while others simply don’t have the proper temperament to deal with family life. They may be too rough with small children, to needy of their own space to deal with the incessant coming and going of a large family, or simply too naturally aggressive to respond well to a family setting. Other breeds are just perfect fits for family life. Here are some of the best dog breeds for families.

Golden Retrievers

Originally bred as a bird dog (like most retrievers), the Golden retriever is an amazingly loyal and very protective breed. They are perfect for families that enjoy outdoor activities because they love to run, jump, and play.

Irish Setters

Irish Setters are known for their pleasant personalities and their eagerness to please humans. They were also originally bred as hunting dogs and can serve well in this capacity, but it is their aptitude for companionship that makes them a beloved family breed.

Collies

The Collie may be one of the breeds most easily associated with the qualities of a family dog due to the popularity of the Lassie television programs. Collies are characterized by a combination of intelligence and patience uncommon in other breeds.

Boxers

Boxers look large and scary and have a deep, resonating bark that makes intruders wary, but they are truly gentle, loving, and loyal dogs. Their size may make families with small children want to wait a few years before owning one, but they are a perfect family pet once the kids are a little older.

Newfoundland

Remember the dog “Hooch” from the Tom Hanks movie Turner and Hooch? This is Hooch, a big, friendly, loving pooch. They tend to slobber and drool rather excessively, but the Newfoundland is a loving and protective pet. Like the boxer, the dog’s size may be of some concern, but it will be hard to find a more loyal dog for a family than this breed.

Japanese koi are the most colorful and magnificent fish that you can keep in any fresh water environment. The different color and pattern variations associated with the different koi varieties can be like an artist painting on each fish. Even the white of the Platinum Ogon koi can be breathtaking. Especially for a fish that can grow to 30 inches and live to 50 years in the right environment. From the Asagi to the Utsuri, there are many factors involved in raising these magnificent koi. Many koi keepers have done all the right things in creating a koi pond large enough, with plenty of water movement and filtration to keep and grow large koi. They may buy quality Japanese koi that started out looking great, but as time goes by may loose koi to disease or have the colors seem to wash out. Many koi keepers overlook the importance of using a premium koi food that meets all the nutritional needs of their koi. It's like humans eating a diet of junk food and expecting to be trim and healthy and live a long life.

Bentonite Clay

The Japanese have spent many years developing the different breeds by careful selection and also developing their own formulas of food for the best growth, color, and health. The best koi in the world are grown in mud ponds in the fertile valleys of Niigata in Japan. The reason for this is because of the minerals present in the clay of these mud ponds that ad to the color and health of the koi. Dainichi is the only koi food that incorporates bentonite clay in their koi foods. Bentonite clay contains over 60 minerals and trace elements that aid in enhancing digestion and growth, as well as neutralizing metabolic toxins. Koi that have a poor diet will show up in the whites looking dingy, especially in the face where it will look more yellow than in the rest of the koi. You can also add bentonite clay directly to the pond water to help stabilize the water ph. Koi will ingest significant quantities of silt and other indigestible detritus from their natural environment which will act to bulk out the diet. Having gravel in the bottom of your pond gives a place for this silt and detritus to build up without having the turbid water that you would in a mud pond. It will also harbor worms and small crustaceans that the koi will feed on. Water lilies can be taken out of the pots and planted directly in the gravel adding to the ecosystem of the pond.

High Protein

The metabolism of koi reaches a peak at water temperatures of 75° F. During this time it is essential that they receive a high protein diet to aid in growth and color. They also need to be fed at least twice a day, three times is better. Koi do not have stomachs, and when their metabolism is high they forage constantly. Fish meal and krill for color are protein ingredients to look for in a high quality koi food.

Koi Eat Plants

There are a lot of people that will tell you not to put Japanese koi and plants together. Pet stores and internet articles suggest that koi will destroy any plants you put in your pond. Koi are omnivorous and need vegetable matter in their diet. A high quality koi food will contain spirulina algae which also enhances color. Since koi forage constantly it is good to grow a plant in your pond that will keep up with the appetite of the koi. Watercress is an excellent plant food source for koi. Watercress contains significant amounts of iron, calcium and folic acid, in addition to vitamins A and C, and koi love it. It is best to plant on a shallow ledge with rocks around it to keep the koi from pulling up the roots. You can buy it in the produce section of your grocery store. Just stick it in some shallow water in gravel and it will grow.

Different Foods for the Seasons

During the cooler seasons of spring and fall it is best to feed a food that is higher in vegetable matter, lower in protein, and easy to digest. In the summer months, when the water temperature is above 70° F switch to a higher protein formula. When the water temperature is above 70° F it takes about 16 hours for the food to move completely through a koi digestive tract. At 50° F it can take up to 60 hours and food intake is much less. Only feed the koi as much as they will eat within a few minutes. It is much better to feed 3 times a day in the summer months. At 50° - 55° feed 2 - 3 times a week. When the water temperature goes below 50° F do not feed the koi at all. If the food is not digested due to the low metabolism it can rot in the gut of the koi and cause death.

Cost Versus Quality

If you consider the cost of a high quality food versus the "cheap" foods, there is not that much difference. Keeping healthy koi using a high quality food means fewer outbreaks of disease and lower mortality rates. You are not spending money replacing koi or treating for disease with medications due to poor health because of a poor diet. You also have to go by weight and not just the physical size of the bag. Cheaper foods tend to be more airy while the premium foods tend to be more dense, so it looks like you are getting more food than you actually are with the cheap food. Many times, if compared by weight, the price is pretty close. In the long run it may actually be cheaper to buy the premium food. You will definitely notice the difference in the color, growth, and overall health of the koi over just a short time.

When you have a pet, you need to make sure that you are able to take care of it, to make sure that your pet is healthy and happy you should have all of the pet care information that is available to you. You can find pet care information from your local pet store where they will be able to give you advice on taking care of your pet, what you should feed them and how much, how to keep them happy and much more, don’t be afraid to ask because that is what the staff are there for!

You can also get pet care information from your local vet they will be able to tell you everything that you need to know in order to keep your pet healthy, from diets and weight, to walking and health it is important that you talk to your vet and know everything about looking after an animal. Lastly, you can find pet care information on the internet there are hundreds and hundreds of websites out there with helpful advice and tips on looking after and training animals just do a quick search on an internet search site for more information.

Here are some important pet care information tips to help you get started:

1 Always make sure that your pet has an area in which it can go to the bathroom, and remember to praise your pet when he does something good.

2 Be sure that you do not over feed your pets because it is unhealthy for them to be over weight.

3 Never hit or shout at your pet because this will just make them scared of you.

4 Make sure that your pet has all of his shots so that he is protected against disease, and take your pet for regular check ups.

5 Pets need lots of care and attention it is not fair on the pet or you if you know you are going to be out of the house for long periods of time.

6 Never give a pet as a Christmas present.

7 Don’t force your pet to do something that he doesn’t want to do this will only make you irritated and your pet very unhappy.

If you would like any more pet care information, then head down to your local pet shop or vet and pick up some helpful leaflets on how to take care of your pet and keep him happy and healthy, or check out the internet for great tips on how to take care and train your pet.

Your westie won't let anything pass, and will want to know about everything and everywhere. That is why training him to be disciplined and obedient is part and parcel of caring for your dog.

The best time to start westie training the dog is from the moment he is brought home at close to 8 weeks. The westie will need to be taught some simple words to start things off. His name would be the first important thing, which needs to be repeated to him while he is a puppy. Then word commands will be taught to him; teaching commands is basically saying the appropriate word many times while the puppy maintains that position. Soon, he will simply learn to make the association between that word and what he was doing.

When the puppy behaves accordingly, praise him to let him know you are happy with how he is behaving. You will help build confidence in your dog when your dog makes the connection between your saying “good dog” and a happy, positive reaction from you. But if the puppy does something that you do not want him to do, say “No” but only on times that you catch doing something he ought not to. There is no sense anymore in disciplining a puppy for an accident that happened minutes ago, or for some mischief that you are sure he was responsible for, but was not caught red-handed. Otherwise, your poor dog will get mixed signals.

The time you need to start teaching a new command is some 15 minutes a day. Find out if there are any basic training classes in your city. They will be indeed a big help in case the westie you just obtained is an adult.

Let's talk now more about the puppies' westie training. As stated earlier, the training starts when you bring your puppy home, but start small of course. Naturally, the westie is still too young to know the gravity of his actions, let alone remember for all his life what you teach.

But still what we just discussed still stands. Things done your way earn him praise and love, while things done his way earn him penalties (but never harm, which is excessive). You need to show the dog again and again that your way is easier to do and more desirable, so that the puppy will want to repeat that action to get more love from you.

Put into action a successful westie training by being persistent, confident and above all consistent yourself. This way, your westie can sense the confidence in you, and will grow up confident himself!