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Addressing the Needs of an Exotic Pet

January 26th, 2012

It’s not easy to get an exotic pet. First, you need to make sure that you will be able to address the needs of your pet before you spend anything on it. You also have to secure a place for the pet. It’s easy to get a cage, but where will you put that cage in your house? Your pet cannot live on extreme weather conditions and you can’t give it a jacket to keep itself warm. Furthermore, you also need to worry about the safety of the pet against all kinds of harm. In preparation for this, you should visit the website http://www.petinsurancepro.com/exotic-pet-insurance/.

Almost everyone likes the idea of having a pet. But what they do not realize is that it’s not really that easy to take care of a pet, especially exotic ones. If you are a person who is barely scraping by with your monthly income, you might want to postpone the thoughts of getting a pet.

If you think that you have the budget to be able to care for a pet, you can now move on to canvassing its usual needs. You should also research about the things that it needs so that you will know beforehand. You might also want to ask advice from people who have cared for some pets in the past. This way, you can ask pointers and also assess yourself if you can really do this.

After you have assessed that you are really fit to become an exotic pet owner, this is the time for you to get a pet. Make sure that you get from authentic sources so that your life won’t be in danger. Your pet should be protected in the form of liability and health insurance. You can do this by visiting websites such as http://www.petinsurancepro.com/exotic-pet-insurance/ to choose the best insurance among the many.

Clicker Training Tips For You and Your Dog

January 25th, 2012

Clicker training for dogs is a way of training using positive reinforcements.  All you need to get started with clicker training is a clicker, a device that makes a clicking sound when pressed, and some treats.  The click sound is used to mark the behaviors you find acceptable.  For instance, if you ask your dog to shake, you click as soon as his paw hits your hand, then you immediately give him a treat.

Here are some tips to help you along the way.

-          Every time you click, you must give your dog a treat immediately afterwards.  The treat is the reinforcement to the click.  It is something he thoroughly enjoys, so you need to make the click a predictor to getting the treat.  He’ll learn that if he keeps doing the behaviors you click, you will get a treat.  If you don’t give a treat each time, the clicker will lose its effectiveness.

-          The treat must be given to your dog immediately after you click.  If the treat is not given immediately after the click, you dog may not understand what you are asking.  He may not understand the connection between the clicker and the getting the treat too.  Again, the clicker will lose its effectiveness if the treat is not given immediately afterwards.

-          The timing of your click is everything in clicker training.  You must click at the exact moment you dogs performs the behavior you are asking.  If you don’t click at the exact moment of the behavior, you may end up clicking to behaviors that you don’t find acceptable.

-          Keep you clicker with you at all times you are with your dog.  Capturing behaviors he does naturally is an easy way to tell him that he is doing something you like.  Things like, cocking his head in a cute way, is something he does naturally that you can click to.  He will pick up on it quickly and you can soon add verbal cues to it.

-          Keep training sessions positive.  Training is supposed to be fun and a way to bond with your dog.  If you get frustrated, your dog is going to get frustrated as well and he won’t want to clicker train anymore.  If you get frustrated, stop the training session and come back to it later.

Clicker training for dogs is a great for you and your dog to build an inseparable bond.  Just remember timing and treats are the key to your success.  Have fun and stay positive in your clicker training.

Clicker Training For Dogs

Dog Agility Homemade Obstacle Course

January 20th, 2012

Dog agility training is a great way to have some extra fun with your dog.  You don’t have to necessarily join a club; you can practice in your own backyard.  You can create your own obstacle course in your backyard inexpensively.

Here are some ideas for you…

-          You don’t have to go out and spend hundreds on the traditional jumps you see in competitions.  All you need is a horizontal bar.  This can be anything from a shower curtain rod to a yard stick.  You can also use buckets or empty milk jugs to hold the bar up.  You want to be sure that the bar is able to be knocked over or injury could occur.

-          For a tire jump, you can use anything as long as it is a circle.  A hoolahoop works great for this and it can be held up by anything as long as it is secured.  You’ll want to keep the tire jump and the regular jumps low when you first begin training.  Height can increase as training progresses.

-          The teeter totter obstacle combines height, motion and noise all in one.  Most dogs struggle the most with the teeter totter, so break it down and teach it in pieces.  Motion can be taught by teaching your dog to ride a skateboard or having him cross a playground sway bridge.  To teach height, you can again use the playground equipment.  Noise can be taught by making loud noises and rewarding your dog for not reacting negatively to the noises.

-          For tunnels, go to your local toy store and purchase a children’s play tunnel.  These make great tunnels for dogs to start out on.

-          You can teach your dog balance by teaching him how to back up straight, walking across a board on the ground, or climbing the stair backwards.  Anything that teaches him balance and body awareness will help you later in dog agility.

Dog agility training equipment doesn’t have to be expensive and we do not recommend going out and buying all the equipment when you’re first getting into the sport.   With these helpful tips to building your own obstacle, you’ll be joining the dog agility competition world in no time.

Dog Agility Training