Thursday, August 26, 2010

How to Find a Tibetan Mastiff Breeder

Tibetan mastiff dogs are heavy-boned and large dogs. These dogs originated in the Tibet and then later introduced to the western countries. These dogs have short fur over their heads with a thick coat of hair over their body. It is actually what makes them survive the cold seasons of Tibet. Most people would choose to have this breed because they are large which are what westerners like the most.

If your live in the states or different parts of the globe yet still wants to have a Tibetan Mastiff dog, you need to find a breeder. Read on to find out how to find a Tibetan Mastiff breeder.

1. The first thing you need to do on how to find a Tibetan Mastiff breeder is to contact your local dog associations or groups. Most of the localities have a Tibetan Mastiff dog association where in they breed dogs of such type. These are the official breeders for these kinds of dogs. That way, you can be sure that your dog is 100% bred of a Tibetan Mastiff.

2. A helpful tip on how to find a Tibetan Mastiff breeder is when the person tells you the ups and downs of adopting the type of dog. It means that he is an expert with these types of dogs which makes his company or group an official breeder. You might want to ask this from any breeders you meet and if he fails to answer that only means that he knows not much of what he is breeding.

3. If the breeder you found tells you that they do not have a puppy available at the moment, you can then ask if he can refer you to other breeders he know. They might have some friends or remote company that also breeds dogs of that type. If you found a good breeder, he will never bad-mouth other fellow breeders. He will actually recommend you to the best place he knows second to their place.

4. Ask the breeder what Tibetan Mastiffs are like. You can inquire about how to take care of them, and all the things you would like to know. This is your opportunity to ask these questions before you take the dog home. The breeder will have enough knowledge about this if he really has an expertise with these dogs.

5. If you found a place that have the puppies you are looking for, kindly ask him if you can see their kennel. See if they are living in a good environment. If they are, you are sure that the puppy is healthy and they are always checked. Some places do not have the proper facilities for dogs.

6. If you are ready to take the dog home, the breeder might ask you some information and questions about your family and home. This only shows that they are concern with the welfare of the dog. No good breeder would let his dogs go to a home that will not take proper care of him.

Those are the steps on how to find a Tibetan Mastiff breeder. Now you can start looking for one in your place to adopt a puppy of your own.

Bringing a New Puppy Home - 5 Tips

he unconditional love of a puppy is one of life's great pleasures.

Their curiosity, innocence, and joy for life are inspirational and bring out the best in us. If you're considering bringing a puppy in to your home, it's important to give careful consideration to such factors as breed traits, how big the dog will be as an adult, access to exercise, your personal schedule, and the long-term cost of caring for your pet.

A dog's personality is largely shaped by its early experiences and with proper care and planning, both dog and owner can thrive. Following are 5 steps to help ensure a lifetime of happiness for both your and your puppy:

1. Prepare Your Home

Puppies are naturally curious; so setting up your home in advance is essential. Lock away all household chemicals, keep any potentially poisonous houseplants out of reach, try to tie back any electrical cords and keep doors closed. It's also important to create a specific "home base" for the new puppy by using portable gates or an indoor kennel to keep the puppy away from trouble as well as helping the puppy to feel safe without the sense of abandonment that comes from being locked alone in a room. Don't give in to the occasional whine and mix solitude with "together time."

2. Diligence Now Brings Happiness Later

Dogs have incredible memories and they'll never forget something that is fun or rewarding. It only takes one time getting on the couch or finding scraps in the garbage for them to learn that "the sofa is really comfortable" or "there's free food in the trash." If they do, they will remember those pleasant things forever; so it is better if your dog never learns the wrong things at all.

3. Stay Positive

Right from the start it's crucial to always use positive reinforcement to train your puppy. A reward and praise for waiting at the door will be a lot more effective than chasing them down the street trying to teach them they shouldn't have run out. Showing puppies things they have done wrong, especially with an angry voice, makes them "hide" and virtually eliminates the ability to teach them what's right. So remember, avoid letting them learn to do something wrong and praise them immediately for a job well done.

4. Proper Socialization

A young puppy must have enough positive, happy, and fun experiences with a wide variety of different life experiences before it is 3 months old. Although your vet might have told you not to take your puppy out due to risk of disease, it is critical for your dog to be socialized before the shots are completed. The truth is that more dogs are euthanized due to behaviors that stem from fear issues than are lost to illness. Proper socialization will ensure that you have a balanced, well-adjusted pet as an adult. So don't hesitate to take your dog to different place, introduce them to a variety of environments, and meet lots of people, but be safe and careful choosing how to introduce your puppy to other dogs. Play dates and puppy classes are great, but dog park visits need to wait until all vaccinations are completed.

5. Be Patient

Puppies are products of their environment and will behave in accordance with what they see and hear. Your early days and months with your new puppy will be filled with teaching moments. And while there will be moments of frustration, like that 'present' you find in the middle of the kitchen floor or a well-chewed slipper, just remember that how you react now will make a huge difference later. Patience, love, and guidance go a lot farther than aggression, anger, and unrealistic demands.

If your puppy is experiencing any level of fear or aggression, seek the help of a qualified, positively oriented trainer or behaviorist. It is possible that doing the wrong thing will make the problems worse and harder to fix in the long run.

Beds For Dogs - Considering Your Dog's Needs

Beds for dogs are as important as beds for humans. Dogs spend more than half their lives sleeping, typically around 10-16 hours a day, depending upon the age and activity level of the dog. Working dogs tend to sleep less, non-working house dwellers usually sleeps longer hours.

Dogs sleep patterns are very similar to humans. They go through slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) just like us. However their sleep cycles are shorter then humans, that is why dogs take frequent short naps instead of sleeping at one long stretch like most humans do.

It's a lot of fun to watch your dog when they are in their REM sleep, every dog owner has seen their buddy running after and maybe even howling and barking at their dreamland squirrels. I have seen dogs wake themselves up with their load barking during REM sleep, the confused look on their face is priceless!

When a dog is curled up in a ball she is usually in the SWS phase of sleep, and is easily awakened. Dogs usually spend their REM sleep stretched out on their sides or lying on their backs, that is when they sleep the most soundly. So be sure your dogs bed has plenty of room for her to stretch out and sleep deeply.

You may also need more then one bed for your dog. Your might need a heated dog bed outdoors, but indoors, you want something that is comfortable for your dog and looks attractive in your home. Or maybe a bed in the family room so she can hang with the pack during the day, and another bed where she spends the night while the human pack members are sleeping. A dog sleeping beside the bed of a child is a sweet sight to see.

Beds for dogs come in as many varieties as there are dogs. Always consider the unique needs of your dog when buying your friend a bed.

Beginner's Guide to Dog Grooming Equipment

If you are thinking about grooming your beloved dog at home there are a few pieces of Dog Grooming Equipment that you will need to purchase to help get a good result. While it's not as simple as grabbing the scissors and the old baby comb in the bottom of the utility drawer it is easy to find and build yourself a good collection of the necessary tools needed without breaking the bank. The first thing you will need is a dog grooming brush. The most important fact about dog brushes is that one size doesn't fit all, meaning the brush you buy needs to be tailored to your dogs length and type of hair.

Undercoat / DE- matting rakes: These are must have items for dogs who shed their fur. Made up of single row of prongs designed to get to the undercoat of your dogs fur and remove the dead fur that may be matted up.

Pin brush: Made with or without rubber tipped ends. Perfect for removing dead hair and minor tangles in your dogs fur. This brush is excellent for dogs that have a medium length coat, a wire, wavy or curly coat.

Slicker brush: Made up of fine wire bristles that removes mats /tangles from all coat types. It helps in removing dead hair from the undercoat and the outer-coat. It's used mainly after the dog has been brushed with a pin brush as it also stimulates the dogs skin to produce a natural sheen to their coat.

A metal toothed comb is useful to have with a selection of brushes. It is useful for quickly and easily detangling fur or gently brushing out mats in the dogs hair. The teeth of the comb vary in size from fine to medium and coarse, depending on the type of coat your dog has.

A dog clipper and blades are the safest way to trim your dogs fur without a high risk of injury to them. There are a variety of brands available to buy that range in price and available functions. Ideally you want one that is reasonably quiet and has a heat control to minimize burning your pets skin. The blades for the clippers are available in different sizes with the lower numbers corresponding to a longer cut and the higher number relating to a shorter cut. A number 4 or 10 are regarded as those used normally for a good tidy cut if the coat. It's recommended to never go above a 10 as you can risk burning or cutting your pet due to the shortness of the cut.

If your dog is a house dog then chances are they very rarely get to naturally wear their nails down, so it is recommended to trim their nails. You can buy a dog nail trimmer that will act as a Guillotine and "chop" the end of the nail off. It is the most used method but does run the risk of you over chopping and hurting your dog by cutting into the quick. Nail sanders are a new piece of equipment and they work by "sanding" the nail on a rotating emery board. They carry less risk to injury of the nail quick but they may be uncomfortable to your pet as they involve a lot of vibration and it is still possible to "over sand" the nail. Dog shampoo and conditioner is a must for any dog grooming. Human shampoo or conditioner can never be used on your dog as it has a different pH level which will can result in irritation to your pets skin and can result in damage to their their coat. This is why there are a wide variety of dog shampoo and conditioners available. You can pick from a variety of brands that each have different properties, such as detangling, moisturizing, parasite control or just smelling gorgeous. By researching a little about your breed of dog and what their fur type is you can easily and quickly get the right Dog Grooming Equipment to groom your dog. Once you have your collection of tools all you have to do now is...relax and enjoy the wonderfully rewarding experience you get with this chance to bond with your dog.

Christina is a busy 9 to 5 worker bee who loves the time she gets to play and hang out with the gorgeous Yorkie at home. Like most pet owners she wishes there was enough time in the day to play with him more so she started looking into ways that she could hang out with him more. One way was to help with his regular grooming at home and make it more of a "spa" experience, which surprise surprise the little fella loved. So at home now is a much happier and more content Yorkie owner and a very satisfied and very much pampered Yorkie who gets to spend more time with his mummy. For more info on how to achieve the same satisfaction have a look at and read

Maintain Dog Obedience Training Through Consistent Reinforcement

Dog training is all about consistency and repetition. Consistency teaches obedience; every time they are told to do something, the command is properly enforced. To communicate clearly with your dog and earn its trust and respect, maintaining consistency is absolutely essential.

Training and obedience must be maintained throughout the dog's life. Just because the dog has learned the commands does not mean the owner can totally slack off with training. This is where consistency comes in. Use the commands throughout your daily life, but be sure to enforce any command you give. If the dog starts 'getting away' with things, it will soon stop obeying except when it feels like it.

Your expectations from your dog should always be realistic and consistent. Unfortunately, many dog owners are guilty of giving their pets mixed messages. If your dog is begging for food at the table and you give him a scrap just to get him to be quiet, you are really rewarding your dog's behavior and perpetuating the problem. Your dog cannot understand your motivation, and inconsistent behavior on your part will only confuse him.

Do not worry that you are being too tough on your dog by never bending the rules. Dogs like consistency - they prefer knowing what the rules are. It is much easier to know that they are never allowed to jump on the couch, then to be allowed on it multiple times, but then get yelled at when they jump on it with muddy feet.

Remember, when you are consistent with your actions and expectations toward your dog, you are improving communication, earning your dog's respect, and ultimately building a better relationship with your pet.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Causes of Aggressive Dog Behavior

Aggressiveness in dogs is quite normal. It is actually their nature of being carnivores. But there are also possible ways to control it. It usually ends slowly as the dog grows older. But if it continues even if it has been your pet for long, there must be some problems on your pet. To know about this, we need to know what the causes of aggressive dog behavior are.

Below are the most common causes of aggressive dog behavior:

1. Defensiveness

Here is an example of this kind of aggression: When your pet dog does something bad, you will eventually get mad and scold him for it. After that, your dog will hide somewhere. The next time you try to get close to him, he will bite you.

This is because he feels threatened of you after scolding him. This is very normal because the dogs will not know what you meant by getting angry with them. All they would remember is how you hurt them. Anyone who is hurt will get mad and take revenge. To treat this kind of aggressiveness, you need to leave your dog alone for a while until his anger is gone. Anyway, he behaves badly that is why you scolded him. He needs to learn that it is not an appropriate action. Leaving him alone for a while will make him think about his behavior.

2. Territorial

This kind of aggression is one of the main reasons why we like to keep dogs at home. Territorial aggressiveness is when the dog guards the house. It will defend its territory against strangers. It can be the same with his food, his toys and even his owner. The dog is just being protective of what he has and cares about. But this can be dangerous when it starts biting and even your friends.

You can cure this by letting your dog socialize with other people. Try giving him a walk on mornings. That way, he will meet other people so that he will not chase strangers as they pass through your house or visit you. Tying the dog with his leash is also a good way to prevent him from attacking other people and animals.

3. Agonistic

This can be a cause of aggressive dog behavior when the dog is in pain. When the dog is hurt or feeling weak, it will become aggressive knowing that it is the only way he can protect himself from enemies. If you sense that your dog is sick or maybe feeling ill, you need to bring him to the vet.

4. Reproductive

Just like humans, dogs are also very protective of their young. If the female dog has just given birth to her puppies, she will be aggressive to whoever tries to get close with them. She may think that people will hurt her puppies. The only way to protect you from being hurt by the mother dog is to leave it alone for a while. Do not start cuddling her young until a few weeks after giving birth. Just give them food and water to drink but avoid playing with them.

Knowing these causes of aggressive dog behavior will help you determine them the next time so you can also protect yourself from being bitten

Bissell Upright Vacuum - Exceptional Suction and Pet Hair Removal

You don't only need to remove the usual dust and dirt, you should also get rid of pet dander, allergens, and pet hair. For that, you need a vacuum cleaner that can be the task. The Bissell upright vacuum is one good choice as it has proven itself effective and durable over decades of use.

The Bissell upright vacuum is available in a number of models, each built with special functions. Listed here is a look at some of the models ideal for households with pets:

Lift-Off MultiCyclonic Pet Vacuum

The Lift-Off Bissell upright vacuum is intended to clean carpet, bare floors, upholstery, car interiors, and stairs. It has a turbo brush system for cleaning upholstery and stairs that works to catch pet hairs. This model also has a detachable canister so you can use it in areas where other upright vacuum cleaners can't go. It is fairly lightweight, only weighing 27 pounds and has a cleaning path of 15 inches. It has two rows of rotating brushes and a HEPA filter complete with an indicator light that tells you when it is time to replace the filter. The Lift-Off has a bagless, easy-empty collection container. It comes with a crevice tool, dusting brush, pet turbo brush, extension wand, and upholstery tool. In addition, it has a front headlight to illuminate dirt and pet hair.

Pet Hair Eraser

The Eraser vacuum is intended for use on carpet, upholstery, bare floors, and low pile rugs. It includes special features for getting pet hairs out of the carpet like a pet hair lifter and rotating brush. This Bissell upright vacuum has a powerful multicyclonic action that provides superior suction. The Eraser utilizes a HEPA filter to minimize allergens and has an easy empty bagless collection container. The vacuum comes with multi-use tools to make it easy to vacuum upholstery and stairs such as an extension wand and crevice tool.

PowerGroom Pet Vacuum

This lightweight Bissell upright vacuum cleans all surfaces including low pile carpet. It has superior suction thanks to a cyclonic separation mechanism. It picks up pet dander and hair and prevents the dispersal of allergens because of the HEPA filter in place. This vacuum has a cleaning path of 15 inches and also has an extension wand and crevice tool for hard to reach places and upholstery. The PowerGroom is also bagless; disposing of the collected hair and dirt is by emptying the collection chamber.

PowerGroom Pet Compact

As its name suggests, the Compact is smaller that the standard upright vacuums. It weighs only 11 pounds and has a cleaning path of 11 inches. It's also about half the price of the larger vacuums. It is ideal for quick clean-ups of pet hair and other household messes. This Bissell upright vacuum operates on the same multicyclonic separation system and is suitable for use on bare floors and carpets. It features a HEPA filter, crevice tool, and pet contour tool. This vacuum is bagless, making disposal of collected dirt a breeze.

You need powerful suction and the right kind of brushes to lift and remove pet hair from your floors and upholstery. The Bissell upright vacuum is a good choice because all of these models have been specifically designed to defend myself against those tasks.