Before you select a cat, you need to decide which breed is right, not only for you, but also for the rest of your family. So follow this short guide to help you with the selection of your new pet.
Vocal Breeds
Consider whether or not you would like a vocal companion. Seriously, some cats can be pretty noisy. And although you may not find this to be an issue, local neighbors - especially in compact apartment arrangements - can find this annoying, especially at night.
Some cat breeds that are a bit heavy on the vocal side include: the Burmese, the Siamese Cat and the Korat. On the other end of the spectrum are: the American Curl, the Scottish Fold, and the Somali - all referred to as very quiet cats.
Cuddle Factor
You also need to consider if you prefer a cat that seeks attention and is cuddly. Or maybe you'd refer one that is aloof? Cuddly cats need lots more attention, but also give you more back in return, too. And cuddly pets such as these are usually better around children.
Some friendly cats are the Abyssinian, Tonkinese, Maine Coon, Snowshoe, Ragdoll and Himalayan Persian. More aloof cats include the Nebelung, the Norwegian Forest Cat and the Russian Shorthair.
Bad Hair Day
An important point to ponder is hair. Do you prefer long hair, not caring so much about grooming and shedding involved, or do you prefer to keep things simple with short hair breeds?
Note: long hair can get matted and messy and require a trip to the groomer or vet for shaving - while the cat is under sedation. So consider whether you have the time, tools and patience to help with grooming regularly.
Age
Last but not least, decide if you prefer to raise your pet from early on; i.e. do you want a kitten? Or would you like to maybe help with a rescue of an older animal?
So wrap it up, consider all of the factors above before you choose your new cat. Look over the different characteristics and the various cat breeds of interest before you begin to seek out your new pet.
Check online for more information about cats. And reach out and call around to your local pet stores and to your local Humane Society chapter with more concerns you may have about cats.
by : Renske Buursma
17 Jan 2008
Dog Training Schools - What Most of Them Don't Tell you
Dog training schools can be very beneficial for both the pet and the owner. The common conception about these schools is that they train your dog to behave better. Actually, this is not the whole story. What dog training schools aim to do (at least the good ones) is teach the owners how to properly handle their dogs.
Think of it this way -- do you think there is a way to train a dog to be obedient in a short time that would cause them to be obedient forever? Behavior modification requires constant reinforcement to be done over an extended period of time. This means that after your dog has graduated from school, you will be required to continue the training.
Many people who use training schools for their dogs are wishing for a magic bullet, but they just won't get it. In fact, the owners who attend the classes with their pets have a higher success rate of actually making the training stick afterwards than those who just simply send their dogs off to training school.
For example, a reward system to reinforce good behavior is used by every reputable school in existence. Some schools may reward a dog with a treat, while others may do so with a sign of affection or a mixture of both. It is important that you stick with the same type of positive reinforcement after the dog has been trained. Otherwise, if you change the reward you give for positive reinforcement you can confuse the dog and make their behavior inconsistent.
The same goes for negative reinforcement as well. It is important to be consistent with how the dog has been trained to be punished after they have completed their training. Usually punishments are simple, like an authoritative no or a simple tug on the collar.
Finally, it is important to take the time to research your options when it comes to dog training schools before you sign up for one. Just like anything, there are good schools and there are bad schools Make sure that you go with a top-notch school. Make sure the school matches your own beliefs about how a dog should be trained.
by : Terry Edwards
Think of it this way -- do you think there is a way to train a dog to be obedient in a short time that would cause them to be obedient forever? Behavior modification requires constant reinforcement to be done over an extended period of time. This means that after your dog has graduated from school, you will be required to continue the training.
Many people who use training schools for their dogs are wishing for a magic bullet, but they just won't get it. In fact, the owners who attend the classes with their pets have a higher success rate of actually making the training stick afterwards than those who just simply send their dogs off to training school.
For example, a reward system to reinforce good behavior is used by every reputable school in existence. Some schools may reward a dog with a treat, while others may do so with a sign of affection or a mixture of both. It is important that you stick with the same type of positive reinforcement after the dog has been trained. Otherwise, if you change the reward you give for positive reinforcement you can confuse the dog and make their behavior inconsistent.
The same goes for negative reinforcement as well. It is important to be consistent with how the dog has been trained to be punished after they have completed their training. Usually punishments are simple, like an authoritative no or a simple tug on the collar.
Finally, it is important to take the time to research your options when it comes to dog training schools before you sign up for one. Just like anything, there are good schools and there are bad schools Make sure that you go with a top-notch school. Make sure the school matches your own beliefs about how a dog should be trained.
by : Terry Edwards
Safety Tips and Hints on Using Wireless Dog Fence
Wireless dog fence has been proven and tested to be really safe and reliable. However, there are still safety tips that everyone should take into consideration in using it. These safety tips will give your dog a much better protection.
Take note that dogs collar receiver must always be in contact with the wireless signal thrown by the transmitter. Therefore, if the collar loses contact with the transmitter signal, correction pulse will then be sent by the collar thinking the dog has left the containment area.
Just place the transmitter somewhere in your home, garage or tool shed that is not noticeable to avoid any damage on the system. After keeping it in a safe area and completing the set up, the transmitter will then emit a radio signal which will define the containment boundary of your dog.
It is advised that you avoid leaving the collar on your dog while it is inside your house as household appliances may set it off due to unnecessary signal interruptions.
The dog collar receiver has a water proof feature but then the transmitter must always be out of the weather because this device cannot get wet or the emitted signal will be damaged.
Please be reminded that the system will not work well if a drop-off or steep slope is a part of the contained area. This only means that you must also consider whether our dog containment fences are appropriate for your yard before you purchase the product you want.
The size and attitude of your dog is also a key factor. If you know that your dog is too big or stubborn, might as well choose a more appropriate product because this wireless pet containment is only applicable for small or medium dogs which are easy to train.
For safety and more reliable set up, always try to follow instructions in the provided manual that explains installation and training or ask our customer representatives for assistance.
There is an adjustable range suitable for your yard and an appropriate level of pulse correction for your dog.
For safe and easy to remember safe areas against the boundary, try to place a mark on the boundaries by putting training flags so that you and your dogs can easily remember the defined training area.
You must not also worry about unwanted power loss of the wireless dog fence system that might harm your dog because we also feature an automatic safety shut off on the system that will happen after 27 seconds.
by : Andrei Smith
Take note that dogs collar receiver must always be in contact with the wireless signal thrown by the transmitter. Therefore, if the collar loses contact with the transmitter signal, correction pulse will then be sent by the collar thinking the dog has left the containment area.
Just place the transmitter somewhere in your home, garage or tool shed that is not noticeable to avoid any damage on the system. After keeping it in a safe area and completing the set up, the transmitter will then emit a radio signal which will define the containment boundary of your dog.
It is advised that you avoid leaving the collar on your dog while it is inside your house as household appliances may set it off due to unnecessary signal interruptions.
The dog collar receiver has a water proof feature but then the transmitter must always be out of the weather because this device cannot get wet or the emitted signal will be damaged.
Please be reminded that the system will not work well if a drop-off or steep slope is a part of the contained area. This only means that you must also consider whether our dog containment fences are appropriate for your yard before you purchase the product you want.
The size and attitude of your dog is also a key factor. If you know that your dog is too big or stubborn, might as well choose a more appropriate product because this wireless pet containment is only applicable for small or medium dogs which are easy to train.
For safety and more reliable set up, always try to follow instructions in the provided manual that explains installation and training or ask our customer representatives for assistance.
There is an adjustable range suitable for your yard and an appropriate level of pulse correction for your dog.
For safe and easy to remember safe areas against the boundary, try to place a mark on the boundaries by putting training flags so that you and your dogs can easily remember the defined training area.
You must not also worry about unwanted power loss of the wireless dog fence system that might harm your dog because we also feature an automatic safety shut off on the system that will happen after 27 seconds.
by : Andrei Smith
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