Just About Jacks

Archive for November 4th, 2009

In the wacky world of human bedding, there are standard sizes for mattresses bettwin, queen and king, for example. But there aren’t any standard measurement requirements for getting a dog bed. What could be an extra large orthopedic dog bed for one company could be merely a large for another. Always check the measurements to be sure you are getting an extra large orthopedic pet bed.

So Many Beds, So Little Time

There are so many choices in dog beds that you can’t be blamed for feeling overwhelmed whenever you go to the pet store or flip through a pet supply catalog. Even orthopedic pet beds are now coming in a wide variety of styles, thicknesses and colors. Once upon a time, you couldn't find a round orthopedic dog bed to save your life. Now you can find round extra large orthopedic dog beds in faux tiger fur.

Although makers of extra large orthopedic dog beds will try to convince you to get a bed for each room your dog is allowed in, you really only need one. Although extra large dog beds are nearly as long as your own mattress, they do not have the metal springs or heaviness as a human mattress. You may decide to keep the extra large orthopedic dog bed in just one room, but often you can find they can be moved inside and outside with only a modicum of discomfort.

Forget Color

There's an old saying that a good dog is never a bad color. That's the same with extra large orthopedic dog beds. Just like with dogs, it’s what inside that counts more than just the external appearance. If the extra large orthopedic dog bed is doing its job in helping your dog get a great night's sleep, fits in your home, is easy to clean and doesn't fall apart easily, then who cares what color it is.

That being said, there are a lot of colors and patterns available for extra large orthopedic dog beds. Most of these kinds of dog beds have removable covers that zip off and can be machine washable. These are often reversible, to not only give the bed a longer life but to make the bed look a little more fashionable.

There are many companies that not only make extra large orthopedic pet beds, but different covers for them, too. So, if you decide years later to change your interior design, you can also make your expensive dog bed fit in with your new dacor.

My wife has a little Yorkie. He’s eighteen months old and his name is Monty. We got him as a puppy last year and he wasn’t a barker, which was great as Yorkies certainly can be somewhat yappy.

However, just a few months ago things changed – if he heard any noise outside, he started barking. We live in a very quiet street and any external traffic is usually audible. Certainly, it’s not all bad. For example, if someone attempts to enter your house then a little advance warning is very definitely welcome. Annoyingly, Monty kept barking for some time after the “threat” disappeared. It started to get annoying pretty rapidly.

Luckily for us, one of my wife’s friends had encountered a similar problem with her own dog and was able to advise how she had remedied her problem. Acting upon her advice, my wife decided to treat the problem before we all went insane – or Monty met with an premature end. She got a bottle of mineral water – the type with the “sports” type cap. Whenever Monty started barking at some external threat, real or imagined, she splashed a small amount of water on him, said that he was naughty and shook the bottle in his face. She didn’t raise her voice to him. He was firmly but quietly ticked off.

As it transpired, she only had to actually splash him two or three times at most. After that she just shook an empty bottle at him and squeezed it so that it made a crumpling noise. That was more than enough for Monty. It took only three days to produce a noticable reduction in his barking. After a week of this conditioning Monty’s barking problem was fully cured.

The added bonus was that Monty’s therapy was not only extremely effective, but also selective. External noises no longer trigger a prolonged barking session – but if anyone comes to the front door, or the doorbell rings, he still barks. I’m quite confident that my wife could eliminate this barking if she wanted, by using precisely the same technique – but we don’t mind it, especially bearing in mind that he doesn’t keep up the barking after the initial stimulus has been investigated.

So, if your dog is a problem barker, you might want to try the water bottle treatment. It’s not unkind to the dog and it appears to be effective and fast acting. There are other ways to stop your dog barking of course, but this one is well worth a try in the first instance.

If your dog seems to always over react to your leaving them home alone, then they could be suffering from canine separation anxiety.This can be a severe condition that can cause suffering to your dog and your house. Canine separation anxity is a medical condition that should not be ignored. Your pet is suffering and needs effective behavioral directions.

Separation anxiety is demonstrated by your pets panicky reaction to being left alone, even if only briefly and possibly even only in another part of  the house.Your dog has become unbalanced.

Separation anxiety is most often times seen in younger or older dogs, and not seen often in middle aged dogs. The condition is also noticed when a dog is adopted from a shelter. This seems understandable from the fact that they were left with strangers and the shelter and their owner never returned. Once they have become attached to their new owner they may feel they could be leaving them permanently also, each time they leave. They need reassurance this isn’t the case.

Visit training dogs helpfor more help

Another situation which may lead to separation anxiety is when your pet is used to spending all of its time with you. Whether you take your dog to the store with you, stay at home with them majority of the time or take them on vacation. When a dog becomes accustomed to being with you over an extended length of time without separation, but is suddenly left alone, the dog may suffer from separation anxiety, worried if they have been left alone forever and their loved one isn’t coming back for them.

This is something that a lot of parents experience when leaving their child in daycare, our child can be a bit clingy. A child needs to know that you are going to be coming back for them later in the day. Dogs need the same assurances.

A dog’s anxiety experienced when their loved ones leave them alone, can range from mild to severe. You will probably find there reaction will be obvious within about 30 minutes. A few signs of separation anxiety to watch for in your pet include barking, howling, whining, digging, chewing, scratching, attempts to get out of their surrounding and find their owners, and sometimes house trained dogs may poop or tinkle when in distress. As a result of a day of separation anxiety, your pet may terrorize your home or yard. Dogs who suffer from separation anxiety may chew on your doors, window seals or anything they can find.

If you are suffering because your pet is suffering and need help fast see help with canine separation anxiety

There are a number of steps you can take, including vets help. Your dog is suffering and you must remember that it is not doing it to be a pain. Your dog is dealing with its stress in the only way it knows.Punishment is not an option.It will make the problem worse and you could end up with a timid dog that is frightened of everything

There are a few steps you can take, including making your departure and arrival something that they learn to expect and not making too much of a drama out of it, leaving them something with your smell and giving them the same word or phrase when you leve them. Your dog will learn to associate the repetition of words with your actions. A few test runs of picking up your keys and pretending to leave may help also with dealing with their anxiety, showing them that you do return.

Other things to try include, using daycare, or leaving your dog with someone you trust while you are out or even seeking medical assistance as a last resort.If chewing is a problem, leave them something other than your furniture to chew on while you are out.

Dogs love their owners and are attached to us just like our kids. You need to assure them that you are not leaving them for good and will be backCanine separation anxiety can be improved but in the short term it can be a very worrying condition for the dog and its owner.

If you are suffering because your pet is suffering and need help fast see help with canine separation anxiety

Crate training a dog is a way of training your dog and also keeps him secure while you are out. There are good and bad ways to crate train a dog but with a little help and planning your dog will be happy to stay where he is put and can some down time.

crate training a dog easily click here

You have to think firstly about the size of the crate. Too small equals an anxious miserable pet. You have to think how big your dog might get and dont buy a crate that seems ok but means that your dog looks like the incredible hulk in an ill fitting suit when he is full grown.

He needs to get used to this. He will be frightened at first as he won’t be used to it, so get him comfortable with the idea and try sitting with him, giving him treats and praise.

He should be able to stand up, move around, and get comfortable in his crate. Usually, if he has an inch or two above his head and several inches on either side of his tail and head when lying down, the crate is large enough. Better to be be cautious and go too big rather than too small.

You will need to get your dog to accept the crate and should spend at least a couple of days with him when you first introduce it. As he gets a bit more used to it being there, treat him as he goes in and when you close the door.Once he has done that, give him a little time in it then open the door.

Furthermore, think about your plan before you start. Your dog is going to object to the idea at first whether he is just a puppy or if he is a full grown dog. He will bark, he might scratch, and he may even carry on like he’s dying. He’s not. He doesn’t want to be on his own, he wants to be with you but if you give in to him in the early stages because he is making such a protest, you will never get him used to the idea.

crate training a dog easily click here

This includes when you first come home or wake in the morning.Ensure that he can be calm for a couple of minutes before you let him out. Crate training a dog is difficult when they think they can get you to open it up by making a commotion.

Giving them something to keep them occupied can be a good idea but you have to think it through as some can cause choking if you are not around. Some rawhides especially the smaller ones should be avoided for this reason. Your dog might be a bit destructive and tear things up into millions of little bits and choke on them. Another dog might not chew and choke. An accident can happen and you make decide it is better to be safe and avoid leaving anything hazardous with them
Done correctly you can crate train a dog safely and relatively easily if you get some training yourself and I would recommend that you look at some of the online dog training guides for this and other methods of crate training a dog.

crate training a dog easily click here

As early as now, it needs to be clear with Jack Russell Terrier owners that their dogs were bred and born to be effective woodland hunters. Up to this moment, the Jack Russell is still a hunter through and through, and has actually been known to get aggressive and even kill other smaller housepets, whether four legged or feathered. This articles also explains later on that these terriers do not make ideal housemates and playmates for children, and most especially if the children are aged eight and below.

CATS and Jack Russells

Many Jack Russell terrier owners find out too late that even the sweetest terrier can turn unpredictable when casually left alone with another pet. But the fact is that raising a cat and a jack russell puppy together does not insure the safety of the cat. When it comes to Jack Russell Terrier Training, never take things for granted. Years actually pass before the first mishap (usually quick and also lethal) happens.

But if you are still interested in keeping both a Jack Russell and a cat under one roof, then be vigilant in:

a) breaking up aggressive play; b) providing a few “high” surfaces where the cat can take protection in case the dog gets rough; c) never leaving the two alone without somebody keeping an eye out.

The best thing to do when everybody leaves home is to put all Jack Russells and all pets in kennels and crates.

Jack Russells and Children

With regard to children, the same amount of prudence need to be taken in socializing them with Jack Russell Terriers. Kids, especially those under 8 years, have yet to reach maturity when it comes to interacting well with a living animal. Youthful exuberance is another issue too. A Jack Russell will not think twice about putting an equally painful stop to painful tail-pulling and fur-grabbing.

On the other hand, a child with a Jack Russell pet at home presents you the opportunity to teach the kid some pet etiquette. Get your children involved in caring for and training the dog, say by teaching the proper way of handling and petting. Tell them that the dog needs also to have some space of its own that the kids must never enter.

Lastly, the dog must never be punished for biting. In case of an incident, if we are going to stick to Jack Russell Terrier Training, the dog and child need to be brought to separate areas, while you go and take a better look at the kid. Talk to the child how he/she feels about getting even; if he/she wants to, persuade him/her that dogs do not understand what it means to get even. Talk with the bitten child to trace what could have made the dog flare up, and how the child ought to have dealt instead with the dog.