Dog Training - Easy Dog Tricks

There are plenty of dog tricks around to choose from but starting off with your first puppy or dog and knowing which dog tricks are easy can be a bit of a challenge. If you have a puppy then training them will be a lot easier than an older dog because of the habits dogs fall into when they are brought up.

Older dogs will have different habits and a strong personalityafter '

puppyhood' so they may find some advanced tricks easier than basic tricks because of the way they have been brought up.

Although the same as above can be true for puppies also, this is more likely to be because of the breed of dog you have and the different general personalities that go with them breeds.

In this article we assume you have taught your dog the basics or sit and stay etc and now you want to teach your dog a fun 'show-off' type trick to impress your friends or family when they visit. There are many tricks from bringing you the TV remote to riding a skateboard, but to start off I recommend something simple like the figure of eight around your legs.

This is similar to other commands you will have taught your dog and involves you using treats to encourage your dog to perform actions. To do this trick you simply have hold a treat in one hand and guide your dog through one side of your legs, through the middle then around to complete a figure of eight motion. Try to hold the treat close to your dog's nose to keep them interested and always reward them with praise afterwards and the treat afterwards.

After you have mastered this and can get your dog to do it on command you're ready for your next trick and one step closer to the skateboard. Good luck!

Aquarium Care - Freshwater Fish

Freshwater fish are perhaps the easiest fish to care for in comparison to saltwater species because they are usually hardier fish. A basic aquarium set up will be required. You will need a tank, some rocks or substrate to line bottom of the tank. You will also need a filter, and some lighting.

When choosing fish, it is imperative to make sure the fish are compatible. Not only do they need to be compatible for water temperature and P.H., but they also should have similar food requirements. Try to keep the fish relatively the same size. It has been said that if a fish is small enough to fit in another fishes mouth, that is usually where it ends up. So don't be discouraged if this happens. Even fish that have been housed together for several months have been known to disappear on occasion.

Freshwater fish should be fed twice daily. Feed only a small amount that can be consumed within the first two to five minutes. Over feeding is a common mistake among novice fish keepers.

Any excess food should be lifted with a net if possible, as it will become debris and quickly dirty the tank. Water should be kept regulated and tested weekly. Any discrepancies in P.H. and water temperature should be corrected immediacy in order to minimize stress caused to the fish.

Stress is significant because it causes illness in fish. It is important to monitor the activity and overall well being of the fish in an aquarium. The signs of stress will be fairly obvious. Slow moving or lethargic looking fish will require a stress coat that can be purchased at a local pet store. Try to avoid overcrowding the tank. This should help to reduce the amount of stress caused to the fish.

Change about a third of the water in the aquarium at a time, because this type of change will cause the least amount of disturbance to the fish and other inhabitants. This will need to be done every two to three weeks. Use either a bucket or a siphon to remove the water from the tank. Try to remove any loose or floating debris at this time.

When adding the new water to the aquarium, be sure that it is within approximately two degrees of the tank water. The sides of the aquarium should be scrubbed regularly to remove an algae build up. Again be careful not to disturb the fish. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling the aquarium. Lastly, check the manufacturer's recommendation on filters and change them accordingly. Filters collect any fish waste or left over food. They can't function properly unless they are clean.

Introduce hardy fish to a new tank. These fish can withstand higher nitrite levels that are present in a new aquarium. Choose fish such as danios, barbs, gouramis, and live bearers. Don't add more than three to four small fish per week.

Acclimation times vary per species, so check with your retailer before adding any other new fish.

Create and Care for a Coral Aquarium

Many aquarium owners crave to someday own a saltwater tank displaying numerous kinds of coral. This may be achieved is fast easy steps if you use coral starter kits to grow your own coral. This is recommended over buying coral from a store. By growing your own, you ensure it is properly acclimated to your tank. Setting up and caring for the coral aquarium, or reef aquarium is a task that requires a bit of knowledge before starting. There are some steps to take when setting up a new coral aquarium. The process may seem to take a long time, and because of this, many people opt to use fake coral instead. However, the time spent waiting will be well worth it when you are later able to display your own coral aquarium. If you follow some simple steps and have patience for about 12 weeks, you will be able to create and own your piece of underwater paradise.

To begin, the first thing to do is assemble your aquarium. Find a spot in the home that you wish to have it displayed. Follow through with the set up as you would a freshwater tank. When you are ready to add the water to the tank, follow these simple steps. First, pour the sand into the bottom of the tank. Add dechlorinated water to the tank. Next, add the salt and make sure it is mixed until the specific gravity measures 1.205. After the water and salt are added, arrange your live rock as desired and install the heater and the hood of the tank. After doing these things, you must then wait 4 weeks to move ahead.

After the four weeks has passed, you will then add your first living creatures to the tank. It is best to add fish later, and slowly as to make sure the salt balance in the tank is correct and remains that way. At this time, you can add a variety of snails or crabs if you wish to have them part of your tank. You will also need to install a protein skimmer. The tank should be functioning as if it were full of fish. Make sure the filters are working properly and the lighting is right. Remember not to leave the light on for more than 10 to 12 hours a day as it may promote algae growth. After adding some snails or crabs, wait another 2 weeks before proceeding.

Now at week 6, you will add your first pieces of coral. There are many types of coral used in saltwater coral aquariums. Some of the most common are Button Polyp, Yellow Polyp, Hairy Mushroom Coral and Bulls eye Mushroom Coral. Make sure when adding your coral, it is attached to the live rock at the bottom of the tank. Wait another 2 weeks. Don't get frustrated... you're almost there! During the eighth week, you can add Aqua cultured Coral such as Pumping Xenia, Starburst Polyps and Spaghetti Finger Leather Coral to name a few. Place these corals into the live rock as you did with the previous set of coral.

Now you have succeeded in creating your reef aquarium. During the course of the 10 to 12 week mark, you may begin adding your fish to your underwater world. It may seem a long drawn out process to get a coral aquarium up and running, but the time and hard work will pay off for years to come. Creating and caring for your coral aquarium will bring you much enjoyment and a wonderful sense of accomplishment for creating a spectacular coral aquarium

Dog Training - The Down Command

This command is a very useful command and is relatively easy to teach your dog. After learning the sit command, this command should be a breeze for you. Getting your dog to be able to lie down and wait while you go into a shop or walk away is a very useful command and is also key to gaining trust and a good relationship with your dog.

This command should be firstly taught indoors or in a comfortable place your dog is used to learning and doing commands for you, and then as time goes on and your dog gets better at achieving success with the command, you should take it into a public place with lots of interests and new smells to distract them. This should test the strength and commitment your dog has for the down command.

To start, make sure your dog is in the mood for training and preferably in a hungry and wanting mood where they will be more than happy to please you if it means they get a treat, just before meal times is generally a good time for training and will help the progress of your dog.

When you are ready to begin and you have your dogs treats to-hand, start by getting your dog to sit for you, followed by a reward .Then let your dog know you have another treat in your hand for him and slowly lower it in front of him, going lower and lower, as the treat gets lowered closer to the ground your dog will be forced into the down position with their belly firmly on the floor and paws ahead of them.

As soon as your dogs belly touches the floor, the command 'down' should be said and you should reward them with praise, encouragement and the treat you used. This makes the dog associate the command with the action and the action with a reward to help your dog training process.

If your dog steps out of line during the training exercise, gently punish them accordingly. After you have learnt this command and you now think you're ready for the next step, try taking your dog into a distracting place or area, or playing with their ball around them. When you have your dog under control at all times using the down command it is time to move on to more advanced dog training and you have now got a new trick to show your friends and family.

The Dog Feeding Dilemma: What Kind and How Much?

You've just brought your new dog or puppy home. Now, what do you feed it?

Just like humans, dogs need good nutrition to keep them happy and healthy. Most veterinarians recommend dry dog food over canned food. It has been determined that dry food has more nutritional value than canned food. This is because canned food is usually about 70% liquid. So, your dog has to eat more to get the same nutrition as dry.

Some brands of canned dog food are beef or chicken based and can be adequate for small dogs. Dogs that weigh over 30 pounds should be fed dry food for most meals. Use canned foods too so that your pet feels that his hunger is being satisfied. Sometimes you can mix water or broth with dry food so that your dog feels he is getting something special.

So, how much food should you give and how often should your puppy be fed?

Puppies that are six weeks old or younger should be given milk seven to ten times during the day - and night. Your puppy will let you know when it is hungry by yipping or whining.

You can start feeding your puppy a little sold food when it reaches four weeks of age. Give your puppy very small amounts to begin with. If she gets sick or has diarrhea, wait a few days and then try again...perhaps with a different brand.

As your puppy gets older, the feeding times can be reduced to several times a day. This usually occurs at about eight to ten weeks old. This timetable can vary according to the breed of dog that you have. If your puppy whines at his feeding dish, go ahead and give him a bit more food.

Puppies that are three to six months old will be teething and will need something else to chew on. Chew bones and hanks of rope are good for puppy chewing toys. Puppies should be getting some dry dog food by this time as well. Remember that puppies of these ages are still growing so will have to have adequate nutrition in their food.

When your puppy reaches one year old, she is considered a fully adult dog. You should feed her adult dog food twice a day.

Female dogs that are pregant will need additional nutrients. She may require an additional feeding during the day. Your veterinarian might recommend vitamins to keep her and her puppies healthy.

A dog that is sick will probably lose his appetite. Don't force him to eat; he will eat when he's feeling better. Consult your vet if you think he's not getting enough nourishment.

Older dogs might not want to eat as much as they did when younger. This is normal and nothing to be concerned about because their activity level is lower than when they were young dogs.

A word about table scraps: please don't. Yes, they do love them, but many pets die from disease caused by the wrong kinds of foods.

Use common sense when feeding your dog and your dog will do fine

Goldfish Aquarium Care

Keeping Goldfish can be a fun and rewarding hobby. As with any new hobby, especially one that involves living creatures, always consider the maintenance that will be involved. If you care for your aquarium properly, you will be sure to have happy and healthy Goldfish for many years. Goldfish have a life expectancy of five to ten years. If you do a good job maintaining their fish tank, you should have fun, beautiful fish for a long time. Make sure to feed them correctly and keep their water fresh and clear.

When starting any new aquarium, you should get everything in place before buying the fish. If you are going to put gravel on the bottom, you may want to put only a thin layer. This will make it easier to keep clean, as Goldfish tend to be messy. Make sure that you rinse the gravel thoroughly before placing it in the bottom of the tank. If you have some decorations, you should add them now. Make sure that you rinse them well before putting them into the tank. Also be sure that the goldfish have plenty of room to swim, as they as active fish. Give them a place or two to hide, and that should do nicely.

Now that you have everything in place, you can add in the water. You will need to use a dechlorinator, as the chlorine in tap water is poisonous to fish. Once the fish tank is filled up, you can turn on the filter. Change it as often as recommended to keep your fish healthy. Goldfish live at room temperature, so you will not need a heater. They are quite comfortable in temperatures from 68 to 80 degrees. However, they should not be exposed to rapid temperature changes. You might want to let the filter run in the new goldfish tank for a day or so to filter out any chemicals or dyes that might have been left on the gravel and decorations that you just added. Waiting to buy new fish can be one of the hardest things about fish keeping!

You need to add fish gradually. Fish excrete ammonia. If you add too many fish at once to a new fish tank, the water will not be seasoned enough to dissipate it. As the water in your Goldfish tank ages, it builds up beneficial bacteria that turn harmful chemicals excreted by the fish into harmless ones. However, this will take some time. Start out with only one fish. The nitrogen cycle will not begin until you add the fish, so running an empty tank for several days will not help. Since your fish tank is brand new, you might want to consider making partial water changes of about 25 per cent of the total water volume every few days for the first week or so.

You can find Goldfish food at almost any pet shop. Make sure to purchase some when you buy your first fish. Feed only a small amount. Especially at first. Any uneaten food will sink to the bottom and rot. Keep this to a minimum. Watch your fish the first few times that you feed them. Feed only as much as they will eat in two to three minutes twice a day, or as recommended on the Goldfish food label. Be especially careful not to overfeed when the Goldfish tank is new. This will cause excess build up of toxic chemicals and can kill your fish quickly.

As the water in your fish tank cycles through the nitrogen cycle, you may notice that is becomes very cloudy. This is a normal process and should clear up in a few days. Do not add any new fish until the water is crystal clear again. Clear water will signify that the nitrogen cycle is working and that the toxic chemicals are being converted to good ones.
Remember that Goldfish will grow large and they need a big space. Don't overcrowd the tank if you want to keep healthy fish. If you follow this little guideline, you will be sure to have a healthy goldfish aquarium.

The Different Types of Saltwater Aquariums

Saltwater aquariums should generally contain fewer fish than fresh water tanks, because the species tend to grow bigger in size. Marine species may be bred in a captive environment, or caught in the wild. Captive bred species are easier to care for and usually hardier than caught species. It generates a great amount of stress for a fish to be captured in the wild and then introduced into an aquarium environment. It is often difficult for them to figure out how to eat. Whenever possible, purchase your fish from a retailer that deals only with breeders or from the breeders themselves. There are five different types of saltwater aquariums.

The first type of saltwater aquarium is the fish only aquarium. This is probably the easiest to care for of the five types, simply because you are only dealing with one type of species. Amongst the saltwater fish there are both tropical and coldwater types. They can't be kept together for obvious reasons. The water temperatures vary greatly. Tropical fish are usually brighter in color, and therefore more appealing to aquarium lovers than the fish available in the cold water variety. Most people are somewhat familiar with a few tropical fish such as the Clownfish or the Angel fish. However, few people have heard of such cold water varieties as, the Shanny or the Tompot Blenny.

The second type of saltwater aquarium is the invertebrate only aquarium. These types of aquariums usually consist of shrimp, prawn, hermit crabs and perhaps even starfish or sea cucumbers. The third type is the fish and invertebrate saltwater aquarium. These are more difficult to maintain than either of the two categories separately. Certain invertebrates feed on certain fish, and the reverse is also true. Therefore, it is important to research the species carefully to ensure that you do not put predator and prey together in the same aquarium. Diseases can also spread more rapidly and are more difficult to prevent and cure in aquariums containing both invertebrates and fish species.

The next type of saltwater aquarium is the coral reef aquarium. Reef aquariums can be tricky to maintain and must be thoroughly researched before attempted. The last category of saltwater aquariums is the specialty aquarium. An example of a specialty aquarium would be an aquarium full of sea horses. Sea horses should not be kept with any other type of fish or marine life, because they are timid and slow eaters. Their food source could easily be taken away by other tank mates. Seahorses prefer to swim vertically rather than horizontally, and should be placed in a tall tank. An octopus and a shark or a ray are other examples of fish that require special needs and would fall into the category of specialty aquarium.

Regardless of which type of saltwater aquarium is chosen, research is highly recommended before purchasing any marine life. Make sure you are willing to make the commitment required to care for a saltwater aquarium.

Check Your Dog Food Ingredients

Dogs, especially puppies and miniatures, are so innocent of their surroundings that they'll try anything once, even if it's harmful. This morning, as I was spraying an organic insecticide made from flowers and my miniature schnauzer took a few licks to see what is was like - before I caught her. Just like snakes, dogs use their tongues to test the environment. This spray isn't that bad because it's natural. Still, even natural repellents are pretty hard on the kidneys.

Dogs will try anything, even more so than cats, which are the most finicky pets you could own. So when you are putting out the dog food, chances are, even if there is something bad in there, if it tastes good enough, they'll consume the whole bowl and look at you to see if more is coming. And by the way, make sure you're not over feeding your puppy. Don't feed your puppy scraps or your unfinished food. That's too much food for an animal that doesn't get out very much. They have nowhere to burn off the food and will get fat, quickly.

So if dogs can't tell you how their food tastes, or read the label to see if there is something in their food that might be hard on the kidneys or digestive tract; it is up to you, their owner, to carefully check what is in that dog food bag that sits in the corner. With the recent crises of the Chinese putting junk in mix, it is time for you to do some label investigation to make sure you are not slowly killing your dog with ingredients that still make it onto our shelves.

First, let's understand the economics behind the making of dog food. Dog food manufacturers are in business for one main reason - and it's not to make dog food! They're in business to make a profit. Dog food is only what gets them to profitability. Once you know this, believe that if they can save money on manufacturing and beat the competition, they will. They don't do this because they want to hurt your pet. They do this because if they don't - the way their business model works - they will lose money and sell less dog food.

Have you been to the dog food aisle lately? Some stores have two or three aisles. There is huge competition on price and ingredients. You'll find your normal dog food; names you've grown up with, and then you'll find newer, organic or special diet dog foods. So know that there is not a lot of concern going on for your dog - just marketing what may catch your fancy. But you need to be aware of what to look out for on those labels.

Since Fido will probably eat the same food day in and day out, it is important to look past the attractive labels and clever marketing. Current pet food regulation allows manufacturers to use ingredients you wouldn't feed your pet in you knew. Look for the word "by-products" on the label. This can mean feet, bones and intestines.

Because dog food manufacturers have to make sure the product won't spoil, typically 12 months, they include preservatives. Fats used in dog food would go rancid, so they use synthetic preservatives called butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, propylene glycol which is also used as a less-toxic version of automotive antifreeze, and ethoxyquin. Look for these on the label. There is not much information documenting their toxicity, safety, interactions, or use in pet foods that may be eaten every day for the life of your dog. Propylene glycol was banned in cat food because it causes anemia in cats, yet it is still allowed in dog food.

These potentially cancer-causing agents such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are allowed at pretty low levels. Using these chemicals in dog foods has not been thoroughly studied, and long term build-up of these agents could be harmful. Because of the questionable data in the original study on its safety, ethoxyquin's manufacturer, Monsanto, was required to perform a new, more rigorous study in 1996. Monsanto didn't find significant toxicity associated with its own product, but in July 1997 the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine requested that manufacturers voluntarily reduce the maximum level for ethoxyquin by half, to 75 parts per million.

The ball is in the air on ethoxyquin. Some pet food critics believe that ethoxyquin is a major cause of disease, skin problems, and infertility in dogs, others claim it is the safest, strongest, most stable preservative we have for pet food. And ethoxyquin is approved for human foods, preserving spices such as cayenne and chili powder, at a level of 100 ppm - but it would be pretty hard for even the most hard-core spice lover to consume as much chili powder every day as a dog would eat dry food. Ethoxyquin has not been tested with cats. Still, it is commonly used in veterinary diets for both cats and dogs.

How Many Fish Will My Aquarium Hold?

Have you got yourself a new aquarium? If so, you need to have a plan on how you are going to fill it with those beautiful fish.

Before you work out exactly which fish you want, you need to work out have many inches (or centimetres) of fish you can accommodate in your new aquarium.

The fish will obviously have more room to swim and set up their territories in a larger aquarium, but more important than the size of the aquarium is the shape and proportions of the tank. A long, shallow tank will hold more fish than a short deep tank, even if they have exactly the same amount of water in each.

The reason for this is that the oxygen content of the water depends on how easily it can be supplied. The only place this can happen is where the air meets the water, which is at the surface of the tank, so the larger the surface, the more oxygen available. Similarly, the carbon dioxide that the fish exhale has to be expelled from the water, and this also happens at the surface.

So, to work out the capacity of an aquarium, you need to multiply the length of the aquarium by the depth to get the water surface. For instance, if your aquarium is 24in (60cm) long by 12in (30cm) deep, the answer is 288in2 (1800cm2).

The next thing you need to know is how many inches (or centimetres) of fish you can accommodate, and this will depend on the type of fish.

Freshwater Tropical Fish – 12in2 per inch body length
(75cm2 per cm body length)

Freshwater Cold Water Fish – 30in2 per inch body length
(187.5cm2 per cm of body length)

Marine Tropical Fish – 48in2 per inch body length
(300cm2 per cm body length)

So, in our example tank above you could fit:

24 inches (60cm) of Freshwater Tropical Fish
10 inches (25cm) of Freshwater Cold Water Fish
6 inches (15cm) of Marine Tropical Fish

To calculate the number of inches (or centimetres) of your fish, measure from the mouth to the start of the tail, and don’t forget that the fish you see in the shops are normally juveniles and are not fully grown, you need to allow for the size they will become!

Get this right, and you’re well on the way to having a successful aquarium.