Pet Astrology

Although the concept of pet astrology may seem strange to many, there are a lot of people who believe that the birth of your pet's astrological signs of the planets, the sun and the stars have a significant impact on the basic behavior and mood of their pets. It is the specific nature of the behavior associated with each zodiac sign for pets. These include all of the following:

Aries: Aries pets are known to be very active and also hypersensitive to the environment around them.

Taurus: Taurus pets seem to have a passive nature normally, but if they are ever caught in a fight where they need to defend themselves or family members, they will not give up a fight.

Gemini: Gemini pets tend to be extremely intelligent, so they are usually very easy to train. But their intelligence also means that they can require a lot of attention, and always need to be in the company of their owners.

Cancer: Cancer pets are extremely sensitive. Because of this, when they get attached to a person, they are loyal to that person for life.

Leo: Leo pets tend to be very independent and almost always end up leading the pack. These pets will be more difficult to train, as they won’t want you to take the role of leader. Be persistent, and the Leo pet will eventually succumb.

Virgo: Virgo pets have a multitude of wonderful characteristics and behaviors that make them perfect human companions.

Libra: Libra pets tend to be extremely easygoing. This means they will make fantastic family pets for families that aren’t very active. Unfortunately this also means that Libra pets are typically somewhat lazy and eventually get overweight without being forced to exercise.

Scorpio: Scorpio pets are extremely possessive of their owners. While this typically makes for an extremely loyal pet, it can also become a problem if the pet believes their owner is being attacked and they aren’t. They can be overprotective at times.

Sagittarius: Sagittarius pets make great pets because they are both fun loving and very intelligent. However, their energy level can be difficult for families that aren’t used to active pets.

Capricorn: Capricorn pets tend to remain very young at heart, and remain very playful even into their old age.

Aquarius: Aquarius pets are extremely intelligent, but for some reason that intelligence can come across as a level of stubbornness that makes them appear ill-tempered and sometimes difficult to handle.

Pisces: Pisces pets are very introverted and extremely gentle. However, their sensitivity means that they can easily sense the moods of their owners. This pet is perfect for people who are naturally calm, but not so good for people who can be very emotional.

Miniature Pinscher, A Little Dog With A Big Attitude

Many people who are shopping for a small dog do not want a dog that is a purse dog, or a dog that is carried around a pampered. Perhaps you are seeking a small dog because you have a small home, yet you want a dog with some spunk. If you are looking for a little dog with a big attitude, then a Miniature Pinscher might be the right kind of dog for you. As with any breed, however, you should know something about these dogs before you purchase one. No matter how cute they are, Miniature Pinschers are not for everyone! First, many people mistakenly assume that the Miniature Pinscher is a small version of a Doberman Pinscher. 

While these dogs do resemble Dobermans, they are not the same breed. These dogs are called Pinschers simply because of the way they hunt. In German pinscher means biter, and these little dogs will jump on and bite their prey when hunting. Of course, if the dogs are not well trained, you might just become their prey. Which brings up another interesting point about the breed. Miniature Pinschers require disciplined training if they are going to be good pets. These dogs have an inherently large supply of energy and can be ferocious when provoked. Miniature Pinschers are best trained through firm, persistent, and calm training methods. 

The most important things to teach your new dog are how to come when called, how to walk on a leash, and how to stand still on a table, as they will need to do this at the vet’s office. Part of what makes it so essential to train these dogs is the breed’s temperament. The breed standard describes the temperament as having a fearless animation, complete self-possession, and spirited presence. This sounds quite engaging, but to those who do not know the dogs’ temperament before purchasing one, this definition can lead to disaster. 

See, many people purchase small dogs because they want a lap dog. The Miniature Pinscher is no lap dog. In fact, if you pamper these pooches, they will become domineering tyrants in your home. These dogs are amazing escape artists! They can get out of just about any confined space, so it is essential that the owner has a room in the home where the dog can be confined when not under supervision. 

This room should be free of small objects that the dog could choke on. These dogs should not be allowed outside without supervision, as they can easily escape from just about any fenced yard. Miniature Pinschers may seem like a good dog for children because of their small size, they cannot withstand the roughness that small children tend to dish out. 

The breed is particularly hardy, but these dogs have tiny bones that can fracture if they are handled too roughly. They usually get along fine with older children, however. Beyond that, though, the dogs have few inherited psychical problems. The Miniature Pinscher’s coat requires little care, and the dog should not be bathed too often as this can dry the skin. Yes, Miniature Pinschers can be a handful to care for and train, but most owners will say that the joy they receive from their tiny dogs far outweighs any inconvenience that comes from the high energy levels. 

These dogs are natural comedians. If you want a companion that will constantly entertain you with his interactions with the world around him, then give serious consideration to owning a Miniature Pinscher. These dogs are incredibly curious and need plenty of activity in their lives. If you do not keep them active, they will find a way to stay active, often to the degradation of your favorite plant, socks, or piece of furniture. However, if you live an active life and have time for a fun-loving little dog, then a Miniature Pinscher is a good option for you!

Big Love (Great Danes)

With it's giant size and extremely gentle temperment, Great Danes are commonly known as "Gentle Giants". Second in height only to the Irish Wolfhound, the Great Dane is one of the largest dogs known. Amazingly, even with their size and power they are gentle and reserved. Tall, muscular, and surprisingly graceful, the Great Dane is a real attention-getter. A walk at the park, or down the street will garner attention from many strangers. My Dane likes to hold onto her leash as we take our walks -- which is usually met with responses such as "Who's walking who?" Some other common questions are: "Is that a horse?", "Where's the saddle?", "How much does she eat?". To the last question I typically reply, "as much as she wants!" Most Danes enjoy all the attention they can get and usually lean against his or her visiting admirers. To me, if a Dane leans on you -- he/she likes you!

The Dane Home

Great Danes thrive as a family member, always up and alert participating in the families day-to-day routine. Their needs are few: love, food, a soft spot to lie, exercise, another soft spot to lie. Great Dane bonds closely with its human companions, is energetic outdoors and requires minimal exercise. They like some time outdoors (usually with human companions nearby) a few times a day and then back inside to watch TV or lay in a sunny window. It seems surprising to most, but Danes can be some of the best apartment dogs because of their mellow nature. 

Being such a tall dog, a Great Dane can easily clear counter tops of any food or morsels if left unattended. Young Danes have a hard time controlling their tail which can easily clear coffee tables of their contents. But with some guidance and love, your Dane will soon learn house rules and be very mellow, lazy when in the house. 

It is said that Great Danes seldom bark, usually they emit a low rumble when spooked or alerted. My Dane, probably due to a mistake in my training, is fiercely protective of me and will bark at any passerby she notices. Though the bark is intimidating, Danes will accept strangers in the home by sensing if a visitor is okay with its owner. Sensitive to moods, Danes have been known to scurry off to another room during a quarrel or will show great remorse when it knows it broke a house rule. The Great Dane breed dog is very attentive and aware of every situation. 

When living amongst a family, the Great Dane will quickly learn the day to day life and what is normal. If something is threatening, odd, or out of the ordinary, they will become alert, focused and protective. It is said that a Great Dane is capable of ferociously protecting its loved ones as a powerful, fierce defender that will give its life in a fight should it come to that.

Dog Training - The Heel Command

The heel command is another very important and popular command for your dog along with many others listed on www.dog-behavior-training.co.uk, taking the time to teach your dog this command will save you hours of getting annoyed when your dog doesn't behave on long or short walks around your local area.

The reason dogs are so 'badly behaved' when it comes to going for walks can be for many different reasons but the most common in many homes is the excitement of wondering the streets with all the new smells, tastes, and other local dogs to discover. 

The best times to train your dog and get them to do exactly what you want without too much fuss is before feeding times, if your dog wants something they will give you a lot more attention than normal. Also puppy's and younger dogs are better to train, even with them getting over excited over everything, puppies and young dogs will be much better behaved and easier to train when they get older.

The heel command, when performed well and properly is used to stop your dog or puppy in their tracks, drop everything and return to your left hand side. Any distractions should be left alone and your dog should carry on walking closely by your side.

To begin with you will need to go in a fairly open space with enough room to move around and walk around properly, and you will need to use a lead to gently correct your dog in this exercise.

Begin by tapping your thigh saying 'heel' to get your dogs attention and them to come towards you, when they are by your side wait a couple of seconds then start to stride forwards, at this point your unknowing dog or puppy will try to run off ahead. If this happens you should turn in the opposite direction letting the lead go slack for 5-10 feet, start to walk in the opposite direction and as soon as the slack goes in the lead your dog will realise you have gone in the opposite direction and run towards you again. 

At this point repeat the first step of commanding heel to get your dog by your side. Continue doing this exercise for 10 - 15 minutes and about 2-3 times a day. Before long your dog will become used to coming to your side and obeying you whenever you command heel.

When your dog gets used to doing this command try going in circles, in figure of eight, and changing directions suddenly, if the command is still working then try your dog on short walks and then build your way up to longer walks as you progress.

Never use the lead to discipline and roughly tug on, if you feel yourself getting annoyed then you should stop and continue at a later date when you are calmer. Keep repeating the process and your dog will eventually come to respect you. Some dogs take longer than others to train so be prepared for this behavior.

Dog Training - Dog Punishments

There are many different punishments for getting your dog to learn the difference between right and wrong, and there are many dog trainers that will tell you that their method is the best way or that a different type of punishment, whether it be positive or negative punishment, is better than the method you're using now.

Dogs need punishment to keep them in order and to teach them what is acceptable and what is not, without some form of punishment there would be no way of showing your dog these things, and no way of training them.

There are two types of punishment for your dogs; there are positive punishments and negative punishments. Positive punishments are punishments when you give you dog something, for example giving a tug on the leash or verbal correction. Negative punishments are when you take away something your dog needs or expects such as treats or toys or having the dog be taken away from you.

I am a strong believer that positive punishments should only be used in moderation or not at all, serious injuries to your dog's safety and health may occur by over using or incorrectly using positive punishment. There is no dog training exercise that cannot be accomplished by using the negative punishment.

For dog safety reasons I will only talk about negative punishments and dog punishments that I would use and are fully safe for your dogs. 9 times out of 10 positive punishments cause your dog to react in a similar way towards other people or the owner. If you are going to use positive punishment it is highly recommended that you consult a professional dog trainer before doing so.

The most popular and some of the best negative punishment are listed below and should be enforced within 10 seconds of the crime being committed to have any affect and avoid confusion

Time out:

Take your dog to a room cut off from other family members and any attention for a short period of time.

Take away toys:

Stop your dog from having any toys for a short period of time.

Ignore your dog:

Totally ignore your dog for a period of time so they get no attention, fuss, or eye contact.

No treats:

Don't give your dog the treat he would have normally had for good behavior

Dog Training - Best Dog Leads/Leashes

Dog leashes or leads are an extremely essential training tool or even just for general care and wellbeing for your dog. Whether you use your leash for taking you dog for long walks or only use it for teaching your dog right from wrong in the comfort of your back garden, a lead is always an important buy for you and your dog.

As a dog owner and a consumer, your choice of dog leads/leashes is as you might expect, huge. With so much choice and variations, choosing which lead or leash to use can be a bigger challenge than the actual training of your dog.

So what are the different kinds of leads and leashes? Well trust me there are thousands out there to choose from, I will only go through a few of the more popular types of leash as I'm sure there are many different types of leads being brought onto the market every week and it would be an impossible task to keep track of all of them.

In the next part of this article I will first go through the different types of lead then finish off with my personal views and preferences.

Extending leads

These do exactly what is says, they 'extend' away from the owner for a certain distance before running out of slack. With these leashes the owner has control of when to stop the lead extending further and can be used just like a normal leash if needs be.

Slip leads

These leads are a simple type of lead with a loop on both sides normally with and adjustable clip at the end that tightens when pulled or loosens around the dog's neck for comfort when there is no pulling. Used by many for dog training.

Nylon leads

This is the cheaper option of dog lead, the simplest form of dog leash available, often causes rubbing and digging into your dog's skin. Nylon leashes are best avoided.

Bungee leads

These leads help to eliminate the slack that other leads cause so that your dog does not trip over the leash and there is less pulling on your arm from a dog in the training process.

Leather leads

This is a popular type of lead that is comfortable for your dog and gives you full control of how far your dog can wonder. A good lead for training but can be tiring on your arm if your dog tends to try and pull you around.

My Conclusion

It is the preference of the trainer in hand at the end of the day but I feel leather leads are best for me and show your dog sum gentle authority when starting to train. Letting your dog wonder too far on walks can give your dog too much freedom and chance to misbehave.

If you are interested in training then I would go for a leather lead to begin, if you just like going for walks in the park or your dog is well behaved then you could maybe opt for an extendable leash.

Dog Training - Train a Dog to Fetch

The fetch game is probably the most popular and most used dog activity for rewarding your dog and giving him exercise at the same time. Giving your dog regular exercise is essential in keeping your dogs health up to scratch and helping them live a more exciting happy life.

Playing the fetch game with your dog is very easy and takes as much effort as you want to put into it. Simply take some form of ball, Frisbee, or stick and get your dogs attention with it, as soon as your dog has their eyes on the swinging stick, throw it as far as possible and command your dog to fetch the stick and pointing in the direction you threw it in with some enthusiasm to make it seem fun for your dog.

Dogs love this game and are happy to play it al day long with you, some dogs like the game more than others due to breed tendencies to please the owners. There are many different products available to help you with this command if you suffer from a bad back or similar and are incapable of bending down or throwing, this product is a long stick that cups the tennis ball and makes it easier to throw and pick up the ball.

This activity can be an energetic exercise for both you and your dog if you want it to be. Running around after your dog and throwing for your dog to fetch is a way used by many to keep fit and not just their dogs. A helpful two in one exercise to keep both parties healthy can't be a bad choice!