Posts Tagged ‘many different types’
Dog Collars – What You Need To Know
What’s The Best Type Of Dog Collar?
Getting the right dog collar for your dog is one of the most important things you can do for your dog. Your dog will probably spend most of it’s life with it’s collar on, so getting a good comfortable hard wearing dog collar is essential. Luckily for the more style conscious amongst you, modern designer dog collars can be fashionable too! Finding the best type of dog collar for you , will depend on your dog and what the main use for the collar will be.
What is a dog collar for, and is it essential?
The main use for a dog collar is probably the most obvious – controlling your dog. Used in combination with a dog leash, a dog collar can provide you with a certain amount of control to prevent your dog wandering off or straying into road traffic when out walking. There are other uses for a dog collar such as dog or puppy training. Also, you can incorporate your dog’s identity and your contact information within the dogs collar, in the event your dog gets lost.
Choosing the correct size of dog collar is important. Having a collar that is too small can cause your dog harm and at best will leave your dog feeling uncomfortable. Similarly, having a collar that is too big will enable your dog to easily slip out of it. Also, the width and material of the collar neeeds to match the size of your dog or puppy. A heavy duty leather collar will not be much good for a Chihuahua and neither will a lightweight nylon collar be any good on a Rotweiller.
A good rule of thumb, is to make sure that on a large dog, you can slip two fingers between the dogs throat and the collar. Also ensure the collar can rotate easily, but not slip over the dogs ears. On smaller dogs, ensure the collar can rotate easily and does not cause any breathing problems. Make sure it cannot pull over the dogs ears. Remember that in the right situation, many dogs can become little Houdini’s in their own right.
There are many different types of dog collar available. There are sporting collars, designer collars, personalized collars. We will be covering a few main types. These are as follows.
Standard Dog Collar
Dog Training Collars
Electric Dog Collar or Dog Shock Collar
Standard Dog Collar
The standard dog collar is what your dog would wear for everyday use and can come in a variety of materials. Most common these days is the Nylon collar. These come in all sorts of colors and sizes. The main advantage of a nylon collar is it’s price. These collars are very cheap yet provide a superb durability in that they don’t tend to rot and when wet will dry out quickly. Alternative types such as leather collars tend to have a more asthetic natural appeal. A good quality leather collar could easily last the lifetime of your dog. An extension to this are the designer dog collar or fashion collars. These can extend to anything from a simple fashionable pattern or designer name, to a rhinestone dog collar for more special occasions.
The dog collar that you will be using most should be comfortable for your dog and secure, although for lapdogs where the collar can be more of a fashion accessory being comfortable is the priority. For larger dogs, a strong hardwearing collar is a must.
Dog Training Collar
A dog training collar is – as the name suggests – used mainly during training. The type of training will dictate the type of collar.
For obedience training, a choke collar or ‘choke chain’ would be best suited. These collars comprise of a slip loop that tightens around the dogs neck if it pulls on a leash too much. When the dog stops pulling, the chain loosens off. Many people consider the use of a choke collar as unnecessary but used in the right circumstances, this type of collar can be an effective training aid. It is extremely important to only use a choke collar when training and when the dog is supervised. You must NEVER let your dog out alone with a choke collar on. If the dog becomes caught on something they may easily choke themselves.
Electric Dog Collar or Dog Shock Collar
Electric dog collars or as they are sometimes known ‘dog shock collars’ and ‘anti bark collars’ tend to be used to discourage a certain behaviour in a dog. More often than not these are used to control unnecessary barking. These collars consist of a sensor to detect the bark and a pair of electrodes or similar to administer a small harmless shock to the dog. More advanced devices can adjust the level of the shock depending upon how many shocks have been administered before. The main problem with these devices is that the dog is being consistently punished for it’s bad behaviour. This may seem ideal initialy but it is far from this.
Training a dog involves much more than punishing the dog every time it is bad. In fact, using positive reinforcement and praise when the dog stops behaving badly can have a much more positive effect. Getting to the root of the behavioural problem is the best approach. Only then can a preventative training method be implemented. Consider the case of a dog that chews and barks because it misses it’s owner during the day. The barking and chewing is a product of the dog feeling anxious. If the dog recieves an electrical shock every few minutes, that anxious behaviour will be compounded. Read this article for further training information.
For cases where the owner is not present, a far more humane method of discouragement can be implemented. This involves a similar type of collar that detects a bark but the collar releases a natural spray of Citronella that discourages the dogs behaviour. These can be used as a complementary method to other training.
Article By Andrew Strachan. Find lots more information about dog collars and different types of dogs at http://www.types-of-dogs.com Lots of help and advice too.
Author: Andrew Strachan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Do I Need A Cat Furniture?
There are different kinds of cat furniture you can choose from like cat condos, cat trees and others. Depending on where you live and what kind of design you prefer, you have different choices of cat furniture. If you life in a suburban area or on the landside and your cat has a way to go outside the house, then you won’t need any cat furniture. But if you life in a city and your cat stays at home all the time, then you better listen and save yourself some a lot of frustration.
Consider these things before choosing a cat furniture:
- it is cat’s nature to scratch, they sharpen their claws and get rid of old material this way.
- cat’s natural instincts make them jump, hide, climb and chase. In wildlife cats need to hunt and kill other animals in order to survive and this is still dominating the behavior of our pet cats.
- cats sleep up to 15 hours daily. They love safe and warm places to sleep. Cat’s don’t like loud or stressful places.
As you can see, your cat has cerain needs to be satisfied. If you don’t provide a place to scratch, your cat will use your sofa because there is nothing else. If you don’t provide a nice place for your cat to sleep, your bed will be used…
What kind of cat furniture should you look for?
There are many different types of cat furniture that you can choose from. Your choice always depends on what kind of cat you have and how much space you have in your house. You don’t need to get a giant cat tree, a small one will do as well. More important than the size of your cat furniture is the quality. Your cat will use the cat tree or whatever kind of furniture you get, to scratch and climb. Therefore the cat tree must be save for your cat to use. It is always better to invest into quality once rather than purchasing a new cat furniture once a year.
The best kind of cat furniture are definately those that satisfy multiple needs of your cat. Most cat trees are combined with a scratch pole, some include a condo, a place where your cat can hide and sleep. There are some trees that include toys like hanging balls, these are great for your cat to play with.
You find these cat trees unattractive, even ugly?
You can get a designer cat furniture that is designed to appeal to humans as well as to cats. These designer trees and codos are sometimes mado of maple or oak hardwood and therefore not cheap. You can find designer cat trees in all variations and forms.
Before you go and purchase a cat tree you might want to
- read online reviews from other pet owners, see what types of cat trees they found most useful.
- compare the prices of different companies
- compare the quality of the cat furniture
- think about the color of the cat furniture
- what about the cleanability?
As you can see, there are quite a few things to consider before getting the new cat furniture. Write down what you expect to get and then look for it and compare the prices.
Guido Nussbaum, Cologne/Germany. More information on cats, funny cat videos, cat urine cleaner and more at: cat urine cleaner
Author: Guido Nussbaum
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Does Your Dog Bite? How to Protect Your Dog and Yourself from Liability
MuttShack Foundation for Animal Foster and Rescue, claim that dogs bite more than 4.7 million people every year in the United States.
The blame could be the dog’s, the owner’s, or the victim’s. But the one who invariably pays, is the owner. The owner of the dog becomes responsible for paying for the medical bills, time lost from work as well as pain and suffering. The one who suffers most, is the dog that is abandoned in a shelter or disposed of.
Dog owners should assume more than their share of the responsibility for protecting people and other animals from their dogs, and also assume the responsibility to protect their dogs from people. Kids will run up to a dog screaming in delight and frighten the dog. A dog in his excitement to greet someone may jump up and scratch him or her. A passer-by may approach a dog aggressively or provoke him. Neighborhood kids may let the dogs out just to have some fun.
There is no way to guarantee that your dog will never bite someone. But you can significantly reduce the risk:
o Spay or neuter your dog. This important and routine procedure will reduce your dog’s desire to roam and fight with other dogs, making safe confinement an easier task. Spayed or neutered dogs are much less likely to bite.
o Socialize your dog. Introduce your dog to many different types of people and situations so that he or she is not nervous or frightened under normal social circumstances.
o Train your dog. Accompanying your dog to a training class is an excellent way to socialize him and to learn proper training techniques. Training your dog is a family matter. Every member of your household should learn the training techniques and participate in your dog’s education. Never send your dog away to be trained; only you can teach your dog how to behave in your home. Note that training classes are a great investment even for experienced dog caregivers.
o Be alert with your dog around children. Rambunctious play may startle your dog, and he may react by snapping or biting. Neighborhood children may be attracted to your dog, so make sure you have a child-proof lock on your gate and there is no way for little hands to get through the fence.
o Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Never teach your dog to chase after or attack others, even in fun. Your dog can’t always understand the difference between play and real-life situations. Set appropriate limits for your dog’s behavior.
Don’t wait for an accident.
The first time he exhibits dangerous behavior toward any person, seek professional help from your veterinarian, an animal behaviorist, or a qualified dog trainer. Dangerous behavior toward other animals may eventually lead to dangerous behavior toward people, and is also a reason to seek professional help.
o Be a responsible dog owner. License your dog as required by law, and provide regular veterinary care, including rabies vaccinations. For everyone’s safety, don’t allow your dog to roam alone. Make your dog a member of your family. Dogs who spend a great deal of time alone in the backyard or tied on a chain often become dangerous. Dogs who are well socialized and supervised are much less likely to bite.
o Stay on the safe side. If you don’t know how your dog will react to a new situation, be cautious. If your dog may panic in crowds, leave him at home. If your dog overreacts to visitors or delivery or service personnel, keep him in another room. Work with professionals to help your dog become accustomed to these and other situations. Until you are confident of his behavior, however, avoid stressful settings.
I thought you said your dog doesn’t bite? “That’s not my dog” … says Peter Sellers.
Seriously, if your dog bites someone, act responsibly; take these steps to mitigate the harm:
o Confine your dog immediately and check on the victim’s condition. If necessary, seek medical help.
o Provide the victim with important information, such as the date of your dog’s last rabies vaccination.
o You should cooperate fully with the animal control official responsible for acquiring information about your dog. If your dog must be quarantined for any length of time, ask whether he may be confined within your home or at your veterinarian’s hospital. Strictly follow quarantine requirements for your dog.
o Seek professional help to prevent your dog from biting again. Consult with your veterinarian, who may refer you to an animal behaviorist or a dog trainer. Your community animal care and control agency or humane society may also offer helpful services.
If you have to let your dog go, don’t drop him off at a shelter, where he will only be given a few days to live. Take the time to find him a new family. To do this there is a support and training network called MuttShack, at http://www.Muttshack.org, who will teach you how to re-home your pet.
o If your dog’s dangerous behavior cannot be controlled, and you have to make the painful decision to give him up, do not give him to someone else without carefully evaluating that person’s ability to protect your dog and prevent him from biting. Because you know your dog is dangerous, you may be held liable for any damage he does even when he is given to someone else.
o Never give your dog to someone who wants a dangerous dog. “Mean” dogs are often forced to live miserable, isolated lives, and become even more likely to attack someone in the future. If you must give up your dog due to dangerous behavior, consult with your veterinarian and with your local animal care and control agency or humane society about your options. Be safe, be responsible and most importantly, teach your dog to be a good canine citizen.
o Your dog lives to make you happy. If he understands what you need from him, he will make you proud.
About Muttshack:
Muttshack Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit, a project of the National Heritage Foundation, established in 1968. MuttShack Foster and Animal Rescue promotes the education and creation of foster homes for abandoned and abused animals.
Muttshackers rescue animals from shelters, rehabilitate and nurture them to health in homes (MuttShacks) and find them quality, permanent new families.
By intervening and rescuing shelter animals about to be put to sleep, MuttShack fostering stops the senseless killing of healthy animals in overcrowded shelters.
Donations Saves Lives. Visit animals online who are in danger of being put to sleep at http://www.muttshack.org. Join us in preventing animals from entering shelters that kill. Support Muttshack Animal Foster and Rescue Foundation, at http://www.registrationfactory.com/v3/?EventUUID=B47421FD.
Author: Amanda St. John
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Bird Toys – The Varieties of Bird Toys and What They Offer Your Parrot
If you have a pet bird or are considering getting one, bird toys are an absolute necessity. A bird requires toys for entertainment and stimulation. Even if you often interact with your bird, you will need bird toys in the cage for your bird.
There are many different types of bird toys available for you to buy. There are toys that are meant for mental stimulation for your bird, toys that are designed specifically for destruction and toys that allow your birds to preen the toy, rather than over preening themselves. You should have all types of bird toys available for your bird and should rotate them frequently in the cage.
Bird toys are made from many different materials for your bird to enjoy. Toys that are made from paper and natural materials like woods and natural fibers are good choices for your bird, because it gives them something to chew on. Birds enjoy chewing and breaking things apart. It is not only entertaining to them, but it also helps promote healthy beak structure. Other safe materials for them to chew on and destroy are rawhide and leather, or toys made from food substances.
There are many toys that are also made from non-natural materials. Plastic, fiberglass and metals are common choices of materials in bird toys. They are used often in toys that are for mental stimulation. These toys give the birds the mental stimulation they need to prevent boredom from occurring, which can cause severe issues like feather plucking. Birds must have adequate amounts of mental stimulation and these toys should be rotated frequently to prevent the birds from getting bored with them.
Preening toys offer the birds clean, hygienic feathers or materials for the birds to preen. When birds become to bored, they can start preening themselves too often which can lead to feather conditions. When you offer them toys that will allow them to spend time preening, you can help to prevent these conditions from occurring.
When you choose bird toys, you need to choose ones that are the proper size for your birds. Toys that are small, such as toys for parakeets, cockateils and other small parrots, should not be given to large birds like Macaws or African Greys. Giving a large bird toys that are too small can pose choking hazards. Make sure that when you buy your bird toys, you ensure they are the correct size for the bird that you own.
There are so many bird toys for you to choose from, you will certainly have a hard time deciding which ones to buy! You’ll be amazed how many types of birds toys there are for different species of birds. When you shop for bird toys, you should choose toys in a variety of materials for your bird to enjoy. You should also make sure you buy different toys for simulation, destruction and preening so that your bird will never become bored and will stay a happy bird.
If you read this article and found it helpful, consider stopping by my website
http://www.BirdToys.com
You can also find me and over 17,500+ other parrot owners at http://www.BirdBoard.com where you can ask questions and get immediate feedback.
Author: Kelli L
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Bird Toys – The Varieties of Bird Toys and What They Offer Your Parrot
If you have a pet bird or are considering getting one, bird toys are an absolute necessity. A bird requires toys for entertainment and stimulation. Even if you often interact with your bird, you will need bird toys in the cage for your bird.
There are many different types of bird toys available for you to buy. There are toys that are meant for mental stimulation for your bird, toys that are designed specifically for destruction and toys that allow your birds to preen the toy, rather than over preening themselves. You should have all types of bird toys available for your bird and should rotate them frequently in the cage.
Bird toys are made from many different materials for your bird to enjoy. Toys that are made from paper and natural materials like woods and natural fibers are good choices for your bird, because it gives them something to chew on. Birds enjoy chewing and breaking things apart. It is not only entertaining to them, but it also helps promote healthy beak structure. Other safe materials for them to chew on and destroy are rawhide and leather, or toys made from food substances.
There are many toys that are also made from non-natural materials. Plastic, fiberglass and metals are common choices of materials in bird toys. They are used often in toys that are for mental stimulation. These toys give the birds the mental stimulation they need to prevent boredom from occurring, which can cause severe issues like feather plucking. Birds must have adequate amounts of mental stimulation and these toys should be rotated frequently to prevent the birds from getting bored with them.
Preening toys offer the birds clean, hygienic feathers or materials for the birds to preen. When birds become to bored, they can start preening themselves too often which can lead to feather conditions. When you offer them toys that will allow them to spend time preening, you can help to prevent these conditions from occurring.
When you choose bird toys, you need to choose ones that are the proper size for your birds. Toys that are small, such as toys for parakeets, cockateils and other small parrots, should not be given to large birds like Macaws or African Greys. Giving a large bird toys that are too small can pose choking hazards. Make sure that when you buy your bird toys, you ensure they are the correct size for the bird that you own.
There are so many bird toys for you to choose from, you will certainly have a hard time deciding which ones to buy! You’ll be amazed how many types of birds toys there are for different species of birds. When you shop for bird toys, you should choose toys in a variety of materials for your bird to enjoy. You should also make sure you buy different toys for simulation, destruction and preening so that your bird will never become bored and will stay a happy bird.
If you read this article and found it helpful, consider stopping by my website
http://www.BirdToys.com
You can also find me and over 17,500+ other parrot owners at http://www.BirdBoard.com where you can ask questions and get immediate feedback.
Author: Kelli L
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Cat Furniture Buyer’s Guide
Cat furniture is a commodity that is known by many names. The most common include Cat Trees, Cat Condos, Kitty Condos, Cat Towers, Cat Climbers, Cat Scratchers and Cat Gyms. There are dozens more, but whatever term you use to describe cat furniture, the purpose is the same – to enable your cats to follow their instinctual desire to scratch without damaging your furniture, carpet, or other belongings, and also to give them a place of their own where they can exercise, play, and lounge.
There are many different types of cat furniture, made from such a variety of materials, that shopping for cat furniture can be confusing. Which materials are better? What design is the most stable? What size should I buy? Which style would my cat like? In this article, I’ll try to help you answer these questions so you can make a more informed buying decision.
Why Do Cats Scratch?
In order to be completely informed when buying cat furniture, it’s helpful to understand why it is that cats scratch in the first place. The primary reason for cats scratching furniture, carpets, woodwork, or other objects is to mark their territory for other cats (this is instinctual, so they will do this even if they are the only cat in the house). Additionally, the scratching helps remove the dead cells from the claw sheaths, and stretches their muscles and ligaments.
Feline behavior is consistent, whether it’s a tiger in the wild, or a Maine Coon in a condominium. Scratching is the way they say to other felines in the area “Hey, I’m here, and this is my place”. Scratching communicates this in two ways. The first is obvious – the scratches provide a very visual cue to other cats. Additionally, cats have scent glands in their paws, which leave pheromones that other cats can smell. For those of you that have experience with declawed cats (PLEASE don’t declaw your cats!), that’s the reason that they continue to scratch even after the claws have been removed.
Cat Furniture Coverings
In the past, most cat furniture was covered with carpet. This was a good choice, because it looks good, and it offers a material that cats obviously like to scratch. Some of the cat furniture manufactured today, especially hand-made models, still use carpet.
Most carpeting today contains fabric loops. Unfortunately, after thousands of scratches, cat claws can cut through these loops, resulting in unsightly and messy shredding. You’ve probably seen this yourself.
However, with today’s technology, engineers have developed an acrylic material specifically for use in the cat furniture industry. This material, commonly referred to as fake or faux fur, has become increasingly popular. The main reason for this popularity is the fact that it does not contain loops, so it doesn’t shred like carpet does, and therefore tends to last longer than carpet. The drawback is that since it doesn’t offer the resistance that carpet does when they scratch it, cats don’t like it for scratching as much as they like carpeting.
As a result, most cat furniture that offers faux fur also utilizes sisal rope as a covering. Generally, the vertical posts are wrapped with sisal rope, and the platforms and enclosures are covered with the acrylic fur.
Sisal rope is made from the Agave Sisalana plant, which is native to the Yucatan area of Mexico. Cats seem naturally drawn to this material, and unlike the acrylic fur, sisal rope offers the resistance that cats need to tune their claws and stretch their muscles.
Some cat furniture manufacturers that use carpet as a covering also offer sisal-wrapped posts, and in most (but not all) cases cats will scratch on the sisal instead of the carpet.
Structural Materials
Obviously the strength of the cat furniture is provided by the underlying structural materials. Vertical posts are usually wood 2 x 4′s or heavy cardboard tubes, while horizontal surfaces are either plywood or pressboard. Manufacturers sometimes use cardboard for enclosure walls that do not bear any weight load.
It is a common misconception that wooden posts offer more structural integrity than cardboard tubes. In actuality, this is not necessarily true. Of course everybody knows that wood is stronger than cardboard when flat. However, when thick (at least 1/4″) cardboard is made into a tube, and stood up vertically, it can hold an incredible amount of weight. The addition of a layer of sisal rope wrapped around it adds even more strength. One big advantage of cardboard posts over wooden ones is the weight. Shipping rates are based on weight, and shipping costs for a piece of cat furniture made with cardboard posts will be considerably less than a comparable model with wooden posts.
For platforms and weight-bearing walls in enclosures, manufacturers generally utilize either plywood or pressboard (also known as particle board). Pressboard is fiber pulp that is mixed with a chemical adhesive to create a smooth, uniform board. Plywood is manufactured by gluing thin layers of wood together, resulting in a board that is actually stronger than solid wood of the same thickness.
Generally, plywood is preferred to pressboard for cat furniture platforms for a number of reasons. During shipping, pressboard is much more likely to be damaged than plywood, especially if the carton is dropped on it’s corner. Additionally, pressboard tends to crumble around the edges of screw or bolt holes if the hardware is tightened too much. Pressboard platforms are also more likely to break if enough weight or vertical force is put on it, as happens if a child sits on it.
Floor-to-Ceiling or Freestanding?
Cat furniture models will be either freestanding or floor-to-ceiling (commonly referred to as cat trees). Freestanding cat furniture is usually wide and bottom-heavy, to prevent it from tipping over when cats are at the top, or are very active. Floor-to-ceiling models use tension against the ceiling to provide their stability, and so do not require as wide a footprint as freestanding models. A properly assembled and installed floor-to-ceiling model cannot tip over. Usually, the tension against the ceiling is accomplished either through use of a spring-tension rod or a screw-based mechanism. This doesn’t mean that the cat tree is screwed into the ceiling. Rather, the topmost post has a threaded bolt, usually topped with a soft protective cap that screws up against the ceiling. Generally, the screw-type cat trees are more stable, especially if you have active cats, and are also less likely to damage the ceiling surface.
So What Should You Buy?
The decision as to what type of furniture to buy for Tabby and Fritz should be determined by a combination of factors:
- Do you want a freestanding or floor-to-ceiling model? This is really more of a personal choice issue than anything else. If you have very active or very large cats, a floor to ceiling model will probably offer more stability. If you have a multi-cat household, special attention should be paid to the weight rating of the furniture. It’s also usually possible to secure a free-standing model to a wall with common brackets and hardware available at any home center, in cases where rambunctious kitties cause it to rock or tip.
- Which covering? Carpet offers the advantage of more color choices, and if you’re very particular about your cat condo fitting in with your décor, this might be your best choice. Faux fur models are generally made in neutral colors like beige or taupe, although there are some exceptions. In either case, having a sisal scratching surface should be a goal if at all possible.
- Structural materials. If you have a choice, choose plywood over pressboard. As for the posts, both cardboard and wood offer good stability. As stated earlier, models with wooden posts are heavier and may cost more to ship.
I hope that this article has been helpful in explaining the different types of cat furniture available, and the strengths and weaknesses of each type. In the end, don’t forget that the safety and happiness of the feline members of your family should be the most important factors in choosing cat furniture for them.
Nick Bulka operates a number of pet-related web sites. You can visit his sites at http://www.petsupplyguy.com, http://www.cat-scratch.net, http://www.pet-guide.us
Author: Nick Bulka
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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