Pet insurance is one of those things you can’t buy when you need it. By comparing the various pet health insurance companies and their policies you will quickly discover who offers the most value for your money.
It can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000 for a dog to undergo chemotherapy and surgeries to treat cancer – depending on the size of the dog and the stage of the cancer. A hip replacement for a dog can cost as much as $10,000.
Pet insurance makes treatments for these ailments feasible. Pet insurance is a way to avoid economic euthanasia. Pet insurance is the best way to budget for any unexpected veterinary bills and help to cover day-to-day expenses like vaccinations and office visits as well.
Veterinary medicine continues to advance and so it is increasingly expensive. With the latest developments in veterinarian medicine, new treatments can help cure your pet from diseases that used to result in euthanasia. These treatments can be expensive, but no one wants to deal with the guilt of not being able to afford their pet’s healthcare.
You get pet health insurance to help share the cost of the expensive, unexpected things, not to save money on veterinary bills. But too often pet parents leave it until too late to get pet insurance and then they’re dissatisfied when they find out they cannot insure a sick cat or dog.
If you’re the proud owner of a new puppy, one of the things you can do to ensure your pet is in good health is to purchase dog insurance as soon as possible. There will always be healthcare issues with your new puppy, from annual vaccinations to spaying, neutering or unexpected illnesses. Dog insurance helps defray most of these costs, ensuring you can always afford to take your dog to the vet when he needs care.
Study after study has proven that regular medical care is a prime factor in giving humans longer healthier lives – and the same is true of your dogs and cats. If they are given access to regular medical care they will not only live longer but also maintain a higher degree of energy and mobility into later life.
When you are thinking of getting a new “Rover” or “Fluffy” you think of all of the positive things about having a pet: the company, the fun, the naughtiness – not the financial responsibility, which obviously hits home when something expensive happens.
Pet health insurance is quick and easy to buy online. You can check out the different policies and riders that apply to your pet, get quotes on how much your insurance will cost and even get questions about pet insurance answered.
German Shepherds are very large dogs, with corresponding brains. These smart companions need to be trained very carefully-not just for your sake, but theirs. Their clever minds need to be engaged and their exceptional bodies need to be worked as well.
It’s well known that training is a critical component of owning a German Shepherd, but it’s important to know what kind of training works best. Leash training is better than rewards training-so be sure to give your dog what it wants and needs.
German Shepherds particularly are pack animals, and they instinctively follow the organization of the pack.
Thus, in order to get the best results from training your German Shepherd, you should make sure to put yourself into the position of pack alpha to ensure canine obedience.
There are a few things it’s best to remember while you begin to train your german shepherd. The most important will be listed below:
1) Early training is key. You need to begin training your german shepherd to be obedient at the age of eight weeks. Leash training should begin sometime after the tenth week, but only after your pet has mastered the basic commands you have already been teaching them.
2) It is absolutely key to have the full attention of your German Shepherd. More than other dogs, they are quick to turn their attention elsewhere. You can stop this by keeping them on the leash and making sure that you have their undivided attention whenever you are about to start teaching them a new command.
It’s alright to put tension on the leash a little whenever your dog is paying more attention to passing birds or strangers on the street than it is to you and your commands.
3) You need to keep your end of the leash under tight control. Make sure to always be holding it, making it tighter or looser depending on how your dog is responding to your orders.
As soon as it obeys your commands, lower the tension on the leash. This will remind him not only to listen to your orders, but also that you are the pack alpha and dominant to him.
Leash training is important for all aspects of your life with your dog. If your German Shepherd doesn’t recognize you as the pack alpha, it will not respect your authority effectively. You may be forced to either an authoritarian regime with your pet, or a complete lack of discipline.
Despite all that, it’s still a good idea to add to the leash training with a bit of positive reinforcement such as a reward so that you can achieve success.
Let’s make it fun for you and the new member of your family…”Your beautiful German Shepherd Puppy”. Just follow the 5 simple and easy to apply steps listed below and you’ll have yourself a well balanced, loving and sociable dog in the future.
Step # 1: House Training.
Your little puppy is just like a little baby meaning he will want to relieve himself regularly, usually around every 45 minutes or so… Your puppy will want to go to the toilet after drinking, sleeping, playing and especially if he is excited.
After he’s had a drink take him outside and wait with him until he has done his business, he might go straight away or it could take some time, so be patient with him and try not to take him back in until he’s done his business. If you take him in to early and let him do the deed inside, he will form the habit of waiting to back in and that will not be good for either of you.
The same goes for sleeping. After his nap just go through the cycle above, if you are going to play with him and get him excited then the best place to do it is outside as he will pee without any warning at all. Through constant repetition always try to take him to a designated place to do his business so that he gets a feel for where he should go. Associating him to the outside as the place to go to the toilet will eventually become the norm for him and soon you will find that he will whine, bark or scratch at the door when he does need to go.
Step # 2: Socialization.
Any dog not properly socialized especially from a young age, becomes a liability to all he comes into contact with and it’s the owners duty of care to ensure that their dog is approachable and safe, not only for the dogs sake but for the owners and the general public also.
Socialization like all aspects of training is best done when the dog is young of around 12 weeks old. Socializing him is not difficult and can be fun for you and him. What we must not forget is that your dog, or any dog for that matter, no matter what the breed, essentially deep down, wants to be sociable as this offers him security.
It is imperative that he sees other humans as friends and not something he should be fearful of, so with that said, the easy way to socialize him would be to take him everywhere you go within the boundaries of limitation and let everyone you meet, touch, stroke and caress him…He’ll love the attention.
Socialization should be a pleasant experience for him and one great trick is to carry a bag of his favorite treats with you and when you introduce him to other people, hand them one of his treats for them to give to him, this way he becomes accustomed to other peoples hands and sees them as something not to be fearful of. Introduce him to other animals, being mindful that the other animals you introduce him to are fit and healthy…Do Not however try to introduce him to any dogs that are roaming free as an attack from such an animal will cause no amount of set backs.
Take him for long walks in the park, have other members of the family, friends and their children brush him and take him for walks. Take him regularly to have his nails clipped and his teeth cleaned. All this type of handling will ensure that you will have a well balanced dog in the future knowing that he has nothing to fear from humans and if he has nothing to fear from humans there is no need for him to go on the defense.
Step # 3: Nipping and Biting.
Puppies as part of their learning curve and socialization procedure instinctively will nip and bite, it forms part of their play time, communication and social standing, but does this make it okay for them to do it? Well yes and no! Puppies will nip and bite regardless, as it is part of their generic make up, which goes on to form their social standing within the group to which they are part of.
It is important that you establish who the boss is right away, now I don’t mean you do this in an aggressive manner, on the contrary, an affirmative NO while pointing your finger at him and making eye contact will be enough to get the message across. You should include members of your family and friends to take part also. Obviously you are not going to stop him nipping and biting at your first attempt, so repetition is the key here, so it may take a little time, patience will be your key to success on this one. If you don’t nip this one in the bud at the outset it will cause many problems down the road and he will not be a very nice dog to be around when he is older, he has to learn to play by the rules…Period.
Step # 4: Chewing.
The little blighters it seems will chew just about anything they can get their little razor sharp, needle-like teeth on. The new pair of slippers granny bought you last year has took on a whole new function. They are no longer there to keep your feet warm, oh no, they are there to be shaken, tossed, thrown around the room, torn and snarled at. What about the carpet you just had laid, those few protruding strands are just too much to resist.
But why do they do it? Well apart from it being fun, there are a number of other factors to take into consideration such as teething. It must be awful for them cutting their teeth and so relief comes in the form of chewing.
The solution for this would be to give them a variety of different toys of different shapes and textures to play with, these toys can be quite varied from hard and soft rubber bones and balls, an old shirt or skirt (buttons and zips taken off please), squeaky toys, your brand new slippers (just kidding) you just have to use your imagination and of course your common sense.
I have heard it suggested that a ball of rope would be useful, but in my opinion rope strands can be swallowed and could cause stomach or intestine problems not to mention give you a hefty vet bill? Common sense is the number one rule here.
Our aim in providing such toys is to create a diversion tactic from your clothing and furniture onto something that is okay for then to destroy. Most of the chewing will be done when you are out or in bed so just make sure there are plenty of other things for him to concentrate on by scattering his toys all over the place.
Step # 5: Barking.
Consistent and continual barking is socially unacceptable, so I will to give you a few tips here that should help you greatly to quell this behavior.
Lack of stimulation can play a big part in his continual barking, so are you spending enough time with him, does he have enough play things and does he receive enough exercise, what about his environment?
Puppies along with adult dogs can become quite lonely if you spend a lot of time away from them. They need interaction and stimulation. No one would like to shut up alone in a room all day or night or tethered to a pole with nothing to occupy the mind, it would be enough to drive you stir crazy and your dog is no different, so spend quality time with him. If he feels he’s had the attention he needs he will quite happily relax, sleep and occupy himself, but only if he has had some part of you during the day.
What about his play things are they stimulating enough or are they old, bland and boring, does he have enough, and are they of different shapes, sizes and textures, are they replaced often? I’m afraid only you can answer that one. Just make sure he’s got enough to occupy himself with when you are not around.
Are you tiring him out enough, do you take him for long walks, runs in the park or play ball with him? After a session with you does he come back panting gasping for a drink? Regular and consistent exercise is not only good for him; it’s good for you too. Good regular exercise is life changing for your dog and if you are consistent with it, you will have one happy bunny on your hands.
His environment can also play a big part in his continual barking, are there other dogs in your area that are continually barking if so, this could be a trigger for him to communicate with what is going on in the outside world, or is he being teased? Have a look and listen for any one or combination of factors; once you have recognized the problem, then you know there is something you can do about it. Have you changed house? A new location may be a little unsettling for him, in which case, you will need to take him out often until he becomes accustom with his new surroundings.
Consistency, perseverance, patience and gentle reinforcement are the key ingredients to having a well balanced obedient, well behaved dog. If that is the dog of your dreams then don’t blame or shame him, instead…Train Him.
Robert has spent many years in the conservation field and has travelled widely across Africa in pursuit of his love of all animals.
Having completed his new book “Parrots Are People Too” The Definitive Guide To Caring For Your African Grey Parrot, he is now working with other professionals in the animal sector to bring knowledge of how animals actually tick, especially in the dog world, in the hope that people will have a fuller understanding of their pets needs and the importance of having a well trained, well balanced dog, a dog that will be a pleasure to own…He stands solely by the philosophy that if this is to happen, then it is imperative that dog owners from all over the globe understand, that to have such a dog, one should not try to blame or shame him but instead…Train him.
Crate training puppies can be a simple yet effective way to define boundaries for you and your dog. It is an often misunderstood concept, but used in a correct manner can be hugely successful in training your pup. It’s important to know that crate training should not be viewed as a punishment and therefore it is not cruel. Animals such as dogs will instinctively never soil the area they sleep in. This makes the crate a fantastic tool for house training your pup. It is often recorded that those owners who incorporate a crate in their pups behavior training , have a faster success rate of house training than those who don’t. A crate has lots of positives for puppy training. It clearly defines your pups space and the space of your family. This is important as the pup regards his crate as his den. He can feel safe and secure there and often times, you can find your pup will return there for naps of his own accord. As mentioned above, it also aids in teaching your pup acceptable toilet habits. If you’re about to embark on training a puppy, then choosing to do so with a crate should make that adventure a breeze! The BIGGEST rule about crate training is that the crate should NEVER be used as a punishment tool. The crate should be the pups safe place and somewhere he will go when he is looking for comfort and familiarity. By using it as a punishment, your pup will view it negatively and suffer anxiety each time he is placed in there. Now, obviously the first time you put your puppy in the crate he isn’t going to magically understand what it is and what is required of him while he is in there. There may be a day or two of barking and whining. This is expected and completely normal. The pup simply isn’t used to the new experience. Here’s an easy way to integrate the crate into your pups life. During the day, place your pup in the crate for 10-15 minutes at a time. When your pup barks or cries, do not scold him. Simply, ignore him. You will only reward him for positive actions while he is in the crate and ignore him when he has negative reactions. Sure, this is going to seem like a momentous task the first few days. But by being consistent with your positive reinforcement and ignoring the bad behavior your pup will learn to love his crate. Training your pup like this, and gradually building the time he is in the crate up over a period of three days should have your pup used to the crate and familiar with what is expected of him. He will also learn that bad behavior gets the worst punishment he can stand – to be ignored. Persisting with the crate will have you thankful that you did so. It can be a truly effective tool in training your pup and it should also be mentioned that it will keep your pup safe when you aren’t home. This truly is an easier way to imprint positive training behaviors on your pup if you are willing to take the time at the beginning to do it properly. You can find lots of information about crate training on the internet, but keep in mind it should not cost any more than say $10 – $12. You can find my recommendation by clicking on any of the links in this article.
In this episode of the PurinaCare Podcast series, the bloggers from the PurinaCare Blog, Yvonne DiVita and Dr. Larry McDaniel, discuss the two simple PurinaCare pet health insurance plans for dogs and cats: PurinaCare Plus with preventive care covereage and PurinaCare without preventive care coverage.
A puppy is unlikely to soil his own rest and play area, so the crate is a good way to teach him to hold it until you take him to a specified area to do business.
This will teach him control of his bodily functions and create the impression that he should do only his business in the specified place.
Be careful not to let your puppy go for too long in the crate, as he may need to go to bathroom and if he not let out will be able to little else but go in the crate.
Once this has happened, you could find that he starts to do this more and more and it may become difficult a habit to break away with.
Things you can remember about crate training: Don’t force it: Never have you tried to rush to crate training, otherwise you will make things more difficult for your pet. It can take your dog a while to get use to it, and you should be patient and understanding with him.
Monitor the time: The crate is not meant to be place where your dog spends all of his time. It is not an alternative for responsible dog care or your warm companionship.
Having a dog is needless if you are going to put him in a crate all day while you work, all evening while you have dinner and get the house tidied, and all night while you sleep. The crate should be used as and when you need it, and not as a permanent measure to keep the dog from under your feet.
Careful with puppies: When you are using the crate for your puppy, recall that she is will need to relieve herself often time. You should let her out and take her to her designated area around once hourly to avoid accidents inside the crate.
No Collars: Make sure that you take his collar off before you put him in the crate, otherwise, you may cause a choking hazard.
Make it comfortable: Your dog should see the crate as safe area, a safe place rather of their own. So, aim to make as comfortable as you can, with a toys, blankets, and anything else that will make the dog feel more relaxed at home. More so, remember to your dog always need access to fresh water so make sure you make provision for water always.
Do not use it as a punishment: Your dog should never be sent to her crate as a form of punishment. Also, you should make sure that she is not being harassed by anyone while she is in her crate. Remember you want her crate to seem like her safe heaven.
Do not use a second hand one: You will have more a better chance of getting your dog to successfully use a crate if it’s brand new one. A second hand crate will carry the residual smell of its previous user, which your dog will probably not like.
You may visit the below link in case you may need more information on how to house train your puppy and other dog obedience training related tips.
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The joys of having a Shih Tzu puppy, which is also called a lion dog and chrysanthemum dog, is incomparable. You will appreciate its cute and cuddly appearance, soft and smooth fur, and adoring eyes that make it one of the most desirable pets around. Its quality as an excellent guard dog despite its small size is a bonus!
Like all dog breeds, however, you must train your lion dog to integrate fully into human society whilst staying true to its natural tendencies and temperaments. You can achieve this through proper puppy training, of which many benefits can be had.
Build Good Relationships
The basis of a good relationship with your Shih Tzu puppy is trust, which should be nurtured from the first contact. When you have mutual trust, your pet will follow your commands without the attendant displeasure, confusion and anxiety present in most untrained puppies. Of course, your pet and the people around you will appreciate your relationship. For one thing, your dog will follow commands that can put it out of harm’s way specifically with dog fights. For another thing, your family members and neighbors will appreciate your happy pet, thanks to good puppy training. Ultimately, your relationships with your dog and with other people will benefit from a well-behaved Shih Tzu, puppy or not.
Fix Behavioral Difficulties
It must be emphasized that dogs, like people, have different temperaments although certain traits can be attributed to lion dogs. In addition to their naturally sweet, trustful and playful nature, lion dogs can be very stubborn and easily distracted as well as snappy. Thus, if you are training your pet, always keep these general personality traits in mind.
When you do succeed in your puppy training, you will delightedly discover that your dog behavioral problems wonderfully vanish. You can say goodbye to poop and pee littering the house and the lawn, to neighbors being annoyed with your Shih Tzu’s bad behavior, and to children being snapped on by a temperamental puppy. In short, you will have a healthy, happy and huggable puppy that will bring plenty of joy to the family. What more can you want in a pet?
Encourage Socialization
Amongst all the dog breeds, the lion dogs are said to be the most sociable, most affectionate and most playful. You will observe that your pet constantly craves human attention and contact, which can lead to behavioral problems with both the dog and the human kinds.
Puppy training, however, minimizes the problems associated with such an attention seeker mentality. Of course, you will train your puppy in the correct ways that he should interact around other dogs and humans. Besides, you can establish who the alpha dog is in the pack, thanks to said training. In a Shih Tzu, you must assert your authority or else you will be taken over by its arrogant and dominant qualities!
So, don’t ever hesitate! As soon as you read this article, you can go ahead to my website to learn more about puppy training.
Ricky Chea is a dog lover and has lived with over 20 dogs and he loves Small Dog Breeds.
For more information on how to effectively train your Shih Tzu, please visit: Shih Tzu Puppy Training.
How long should it take to house train a dog? It depends on several factors; your dedication, and the time you are willing to put into the training process. Other important factors include your dogs maturity and intelligence.
Dogs are instinctively clean animals. If at all possible they will avoid soiling the areas where they sleep and eat. Dogs are very much creatures of habit, and they tend to pick certain areas to do their “business”, and these areas become habitual voiding areas. A good example of this: dogs that eliminate on grass or dirt will always prefer grass or dirt. They will not cooperate when concrete or gravel is involved. You can use this fact when training your dog.
I recommend the owner establish a living area for the dog as soon as you bring the dog into your home. While the dog is getting to know its new environment, it is smart to give the new family member a small space of its own. Dogs are pack animals by nature, and enjoy having the comfort of a den. I recommend this area be a small area, such as a kitchen or hallway, and an area that you can gate, when need be. (I do not recommend that crate-training or bathrooms be used as the small area.) I look at a crate for what it is; a cage.
Set up a good territory for your dog and a comfortable bed (that eventually can be moved to what ever room in the house you prefer your pet to sleep), and toys to play with. All meals should be offered in the dog’s special space. It is very important that you spend time with the dog in its space. So make time to play with the dog in its own territory. This area is meant to be only a transitional space. The dogs’ rights are being respected, yet at the same time the dog is getting to know a new way of life, a life that will soon include the run of a house, and a human family.
The next step is to establish an area outdoors that you wish to be your dog’s toilet area. Remember, dogs will develop a habit very easily, so make sure you put some thought into the choice.
When house training a dog, you must take the dogs age into consideration. Most good breeders won’t let their pups go to their new home until they are three to four months old, and are well ready to be house trained. My method of house training is tried and true. It is actually very simple, but tedious.
When bringing your new dog home, before entering the house, take the pup to the area you have designated to be his special voiding area. Let the dog play a bit in this area. With luck, the pup will work up a void. This is the best scenario. Start right off by telling your new puppy, “that’s a good dog.” Dogs love to be verbally rewarded. You have begun to train your dog.
It’s time to bring the puppy into its new home. Introduce the dog to its special space. The first day will be hectic. Keep a close eye on the pup. If you see any tell-tale signs of “I am going to go,” rush that dog outside to its voiding area.
It is smart to set up a feeding schedule. It makes it a bit easier to approximate when your dog will have a bowel movement. If possible, follow the breeder’s schedule for your dog, keeping the dog on the same food it is used to eating. You will notice the dog will be fairly regular with bowel movements after eating. By rule of thumb most dogs will want to void shortly after eating. Most dogs are like alarm clocks.
Rule of thumb: take the dog out to void every two hours. (Waking hours that is). At this point I am sure you are probably saying to yourself, most dogs don’t go that often! And you are right, they don’t. This method of training may be a real inconvenience for a few days, but the rewards of a well trained happy dog are well worth the added trips you will be taking outside.
As I mentioned, the dog will not void each time, but he will be learning quickly that this is “the place to go”.
When the dog voids, make a big old fuss. Reward with petting, verbal reward, and yes, some of the time a “goodie.” Don’t always offer a food treat; the dog should learn that treats do not always come after a void.
If accidents occur, take the dog outside with only a low tone verbal scold. Don’t carry on terribly. Never swat or hit a dog to show displeasure. Most of the time when a dog voids in the house, it is due to human error. The human was not around or not paying attention to the dog’s voiding signals. Dogs are clean animals, with a good amount of dignity. This dignity can be belittled out of a dog. So have patience when training your dog. The rewards will be great.
Nighttime Training. I suggest putting down papers as far from the bed and food areas as possible. You might be surprised with the fact that after a very few days your dog will not void at night, but wait until morning to get out to their voiding area. You see, they learn quickly that they can trust and depend on you to get them to their voiding area, and much prefer waiting then voiding in their indoor space.
This method of house training as I stated can be hectic for a few days. But I have had great success training my own dogs with this method. By following these few and simple directions, I am sure you will find it not only easy, but a speedy method to house training your new dog. As a rule, in a week’s time, the dog is ready to be integrated into the home.
In regards to leaving your dog alone in the house, I recommend that they be gated in their special area until you are well sure they won’t mess in the house.
Most healthy dogs can hold urine for up to 6 hours. Puppies can hold for up to 3 hours.
Until your dog is old enough and has developed a strong habit of eliminating in one area, it is very important that you accompany your dog outside every time they void. As the dog becomes older and more obedient, you will be able to let it out on its own to void. The dog should be trained to come in when called. Note: I recommend no dog be let free to roam outdoors without a fenced yard. Even the smartest dog can bolt when the right stimulus runs in its path. Remember, dogs have great hunting instincts.
Take Note: If you have a dog that has previously been house trained, and all of a sudden is having accidents, you should not try to retrain with this method. I suggest the dog be seen by a veterinarian. Your pet could be showing signs of illness, possibly infection, which needs medical attention, not re-training.
