Westie Dogs Please Consider Adopting An Older West Highland Terrier

Writen by Jeff Cuckson

Everybody loves a baby animal and Westie puppies are adorable, but new dog purchasers often do not realize the commitment they are making when they bring a puppy home. For those want the companionship of Westies dogs, but do not have the knowledge or patience to endure the training process, rescuing an older Westie dog may be the right alternative.

When considering an older West highland terrier dog, the first thing that many people think is that they would be getting a dog with problems, either genetic problems common to Westies, or behavioral problems from improper training. The truth is, many Westie dogs go to shelters for reasons that have nothing to do with the dogs' inherent qualities. Every year, dog owners die, move to retirement homes, change jobs, get divorced, have new babies, or, unfortunately, simply tire of the responsibility of caring for a dog.

The advantages of older dogs are many. They have already finished teething, and no longer feel the urge to chew holes in your shoes, rugs, and furniture. Westie dogs that are older have grown used to sleeping through the night while their people sleep, as opposed to westie puppies, who wake up and whine. Older pets will have already been housetrained and also should know the meaning of the word 'no,' making their continued training that much easier.

When you encounter a Westie puppy, you only have the breed standards to give you an idea of what kind of dog it will grow into. Although Westhighland dogs have a typical personality type, there are variations from dog to dog. The full-grown Westie is a know quantity. The Westie dog you meet is what you will get, and you can quickly determine if it will fit into your home.

It may seem like rescuing an older Westie provides you with an 'instant dog,' but that is not the case. At first they might become confused, upon arriving at a new home, and need to be reminded of their basic training. However, even allowing a few weeks of extra special care is easier and less stressful than the rigors of training a puppy.

(Disclaimer: Any information contained in this site relating to various medical, health and fitness conditions of Westies or other animals and their treatments is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own veterinarian. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing the health of any animal. You should always consult and check with your own vet or veterinarian.)

I do hope that you have found the article of use to you.

Good health and happiness

Jeff Cuckson
webmaster@madaboutwesties.com

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Dog Training How To House Break Your Dog

Writen by Amy Howells

Dog training is something any dog owner has to go through. Most people now get their dog training through a dog trainer. But there are some aspects of dog training that can't be done with a dog trainer.

This is because this type of dog training occurs at your home. Not sure what kind of dog training I'm talking about?

I'll give you a hint... this kind of dog training takes place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Give up?

What I'm talking about is potty training or house breaking your dog or puppy. This part of dog training is often the most hated and dreaded of all dog training. This is because house breaking often takes the longest for your dog or puppy to learn.

For those of you who need help with, house breaking your dog, help has arrived.

House breaking your dog often starts when you get your dog as a puppy. But there are adult dogs that need this type of dog training as well. Dog training has come a long way in recent years.

It has recently been decided that crate training is the best way to get your dog house broken. Dogs do not like to sleep where they have gone to the bathroom. So, in theory, if you keep a dog in a crate for small periods of time, they will learn to hold it. This is because they would rather hold it than lay in it.

Most people think that this form of dog training is cruel to the dog. But in reality, this form of dog training is not cruel in any manner, in fact, many dogs like the idea of sleeping in a crate.

Dogs naturally like to sleep in a den like environment. Using a crate for your dog training

helps create this environment. Dogs feel safe and comfortable in their "den." Many people find that their dogs often go to their crate on their own when tired.

Using a crate does take time for a dog to get used to, so be sure to start out in small intervals when beginning this type of dog training.

House breaking your dog can be a difficult part of dog training. But crate training has been proven to be the most effective way of house breaking your dog. In fact, most dog training classes and dog training books recommend it for house breaking.

For more information about this type of dog training, you can go online and type in "Crate Training" into the search engine. You will soon see for yourself how effective a crate will make your dog training easier!

Amy Howells is an expert dog trainer who owns a website dedicated to teaching dog owners the short-cuts to dog training.

You can also sign up to her free e-course and discover the astonishing short-cut secrets to dog obedience training.

The Aussie Shepherd

Writen by Michael Russell

The Australian shepherd is a medium sized dog with a giant sized heart. Bred to herd, it lives for the opportunity to herd anything at all, from children to cars to actual sheep! "Aussies" have even had jobs herding geese and birds away from airports!

A true australian shepherd will often pass a herding "fun match" (a practice herding trial) without any advice training, it is so instinctive with them.

Australian shepherds have a medium length furry coat, with outer coarse "guard hairs" and a soft and woolly undercoat which insulates them and protects them from the weather. An "Aussie" should not have a thick luxuriant "silky" coat as this will naturally collect more burdocks and grit than a more natural less heavy coat, thus one should not expect to see a "heavy" coat on an Australian shepherd but rather just a medium length coat (usually not longer than two inches in length at the most) and often less feathered than the heavily groomed "show" shepherds.

Aussies have a joyous and bouncy personality. However they take their work seriously and are big on protecting their "flock" They make loyal family pets and love nothing more than to curl up with their master of an evening after a long day working in the fields.

As previously stated, they love to chase and will not stay willingly in a yard without a fence.

Australian shepherds come from a rather mixed parentage, with a "little bit of this" and "a little bit of that" in their pedigree. Thus they often can be a bit under-sized or over-sized from the standard as outlined by the Australian shepherd club.

The American Kennel club states that the preferred size for males should be 20-23 inches at the shoulders and the females 18-21 inches. Tails should be naturally bobbed or docked.

Colors of the Aussie may be Blue merle, black, red merle, or red...all of these may have white markings including white "collar" , socks, facial blaze but can not include white splashes on the body between the withers and the tail.

The Australian shepherd is meant to be a working dog. It is important that families who wish to have an Aussie remember this fact. Plenty of running and exercise should be part of the regimen. If you can't "herd" with your Aussie, then a good game of fetch and activities such as agility are a good substitute and will keep your dog healthy and in good spirits.

Michael Russell
MgrCentral.com
Established 2001
Home Business Training and Information Guides

Introducing Chinchillas

Writen by Sandra Kwok

What has large button eyes, the body of a rabbit, large ears of a mouse and tail of a squirrel? While the descriptions help one to visualize a chinchilla, these do not give credit to the world's most adorable creature.

The Chinchilla is a member of the rodent family originating from the Andes Region of South America. Chinchillas are the most exotic rodents in the world because of their dense and soft fur and hence their pelts are very popular for fur coats.

There are basically 2 species of chinchillas, Chinchilla brevicaudata and Chinchilla lanigera. Both species have long hind limbs, short forelimbs, four toes and flexible digits. The C.bevicaudata is thicker in the neck and shoulders and has a shorter tail. C.lanigera has a more pointy face, elongated ears, narrower neck and more slender body.

Both species were originally brought to the United States to be bred as fur producers. Since C.lanigera adapted better to captivity and reproduce better, C.brevicaudata was eventually dropped from most fur-farming ranches. The Standard Grey is the original color but when chinchilla trade grew, demand for variety gave rise to a new trend – color mutation. Colors available are Beige, Silver or Pink White, Black Velvet, Brown, Tan, Sapphire, Mosaic, Violet. Initially, culls and other poor fur specimens were offered as commercial pets. However, as chinchillas' popularity soared, most were bred as domestic pets. Wild chinchillas are currently on the U.S. Endangered Species list.

Chinchillas make good pets as they are small, quiet and clean. Being nocturnal animals, they must be given a quiet and dark place to rest during the day. They are not the pet of choice for owners who want a daytime companion.

Sandra Kwok is the author of "By the Fur of my Chinny Chin Chin" Ezines. Her love for Chinchillas has led her to create a website exclusively for Chin owners. Subscribe to her FREE Ezines and get expert tips on everything you need to know about chins:

http://www.chin-r-us-com

The Brittany Spaniel An Extraordinary Bird Dog

Writen by Michael Russell

The Brittany Spaniel originally was found in Breton. In a painting by Oudry in the early 1700s there is a portrait of a tail-less spaniel about the size and color of the Brittany that is pointing a partridge. The breed became popular with local poachers in the 1800s because of its agility and small size and its extraordinary ability to point and flush the birds, combined with a desire to retrieve and a willingness to work.

In modern times, the Brittany has become the most popular of the "pointing" breeds in the United States. It is extremely "birdy" and is tireless in the field. It will retrieve the birds also, which is not common with most of the pointers. The "Britt" also fits well into a household, being affectionate and friendly. He is a small dog with a love of the outdoors, being agile and compact he can fit into an urban household but needs to be well exercised. This is a dog whose first love is bird hunting and it is an independent dog. It loves nothing better than to work with its human master on a "partnership" basis to bring in the birds. There are many hunters who swear by this dog as being one of the best bird hunting dogs they have ever had, once they have had a "Britt" they will never switch their loyalties. This is a breed that has retained a strong hunting presence in both England and the United States and it is not uncommon for "dual championships" (championships in conformation and hunting trials) to be shown in the show ring.

The Brittany is a smaller dog, standing 17 to 20 inches in height, with finer bones than many of the larger pointers. The coat should be somewhat sparse and lying flat with some waviness, although the dogs shown in the ring have a fuller coat it is not necessarily part of the standard of the breed. The coat should not be so heavy as to catch the burdocks and weeds but rather thin enough and silky enough that the dog can travel through heavy underbrush with ease. Colors can be everything from orange and white to liver and white with orange and white being the most popular. Black is not allowed. The Brittany should be an athletic dog with the stride of the rear foot landing in the print of the front foot or beyond when moving. The tail is either short or bobbed.

In matters of temperament the Brittany is not overly aggressive and its behavior befits its function. It has never been used as a "guarding dog" but only as a "bird dog" and this is its first interest. It is friendly to humans but does not "crave" the human companionship as much as it craves the joy of the hunt. It is a willing worker and has a "soft" nature, it is a dog that is easy to train and does not need harsh discipline.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Dogs

3 Tips For Being Prepared For Emergencies With Your Dog

Writen by Paul Duxbury

Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog – or another dog – ever suffer a serious, life-threatening injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or a bee sting? It's great to know your vet's phone number, but what if something happens during off hours? What if you don't know where the closest emergency animal clinic is located?

Enough with the questions already, right? Any emergency is stressful and scary, and one involving that furry little four-legged member of your family is no exception. The toughest of owners can be instantly reduced to helpless balls of mush if something's wrong with their dogs and they can't figure out what to do.

1. Preparation is key.

The key to getting through a veterinary emergency is preparation. You may think you have that covered with a first aid kit and having the phone number to your vet handy, but what if there isn't enough time to move your dog? You need to be well-versed in some of the more common animal emergencies just in case a situation ever arises. And hey, if a situation never arises, you'll still feel more confident knowing that you have the ability to deal with one.

2. Know how to care for wounds.

Did you know that you shouldn't use hydrogen peroxide on a bleeding wound? Nope. It slows clotting to the area, which means your dog could actually lose more blood than he would if you didn't use the peroxide at all. In fact, the best way to treat a deep, severely bleeding wound is to apply a clean cloth and hold it in place for five minutes, then tape the cloth to the wound. That original cloth should never be removed – that also slows clotting – and should instead be layered with more clean cloths if blood soaks through.

3. Know what to do about poisoning.

Did you know that certain varieties of toads, salamanders, newts, and other amphibians are poisonous if licked? Hey, guess who loves to hold little woodland critters in his mouth! Your dog. If you notice your pup drooling, whining, and wiping at his mouth after a trip into the forest, get him to a clean water source and rinse his mouth thoroughly. While the poison can be fatal if left in the mouth, it's fairly easy to cleanse from the tongue and glands.

Make sure you are prepared for any emergencies for that friend!

Paul Duxbury owns http://www.my-dog.co.uk a leading sources of free information and advice for all dog owners as well as http://www.dog-lover.co.uk

Free Leasing A Horseis It Really Free

Writen by Cheryl Searles

A little something I've learned about free leasing a horse…in our case…it DEFINITELY wasn't free. Several years ago we decided to enter into a free lease agreement with a woman who advertised that her aged horse was bombproof and suitable for an "absolute beginner" This suited us because we were absolute beginners and we wanted an affordable and safe way for our daughter, who was horse crazy, to learn about horses. It seemed perfect.A requirement of the agreement was that he was to be left stabled where he was, so, as we had no where to put a horse anyway it seemed like a perfect situation. We went over to see the horse and he was beautiful…we fell in love with him (as his crafty owner no doubt knew we would) A deal was made. She threw in the bait and reeled us in good and proper.

To begin with it seemed fair enough that we buy the hay…after all our daughter would be learning a lot of valuable information from this experience. As time went by, we were informed that we would have to pay for the dentist and farrier as well (we did) We were by now, willing to do anything to continue our relationship with this beautiful old ex racehorse. Especially seeing as it wouldn't be too long before our daughter was able to ride him…well…as soon as he was over his temporary lameness that was. In the mean time, my daughter got to work tirelessly cleaning up after the old fellow (and his owner's other two horses as well). I know you are probably thinking things like "idiots" "suckers" etc. however, please understand that as beginners we weren't aware that this wasn't how it was meant to be. We thought that we owed her a debt of gratitude. We wanted to be a part of the horse world SO much but had neither the funds nor the dwelling nor the experience to even entertain the idea, so we just did what she wanted and for a long time even looked up to her for her knowledge and experience.

As agreed, we were buying the hay (she told us it was $15.00 a bale) We always gave her the money and she picked up the hay. What we didn't know was that we were also supplying the hay for her other 2 horses as well. She was charging us $15.00 a bale and buying it for $5.00 a bale. Keep in mind that this "free lease" was now costing us around $60.00 per week as she was also charging us $30.00 for stabling (we found out that she had a deal with the property owner and she got a discount because she had 3 horses stabled there…stabling for 3 horses was costing her $30.00 per week…yep we were paying for all her horses…AGAIN.

One morning she called our house to inform us that the hinges on his stable needed replacing and (like the fools we really were at the time) we went down to the local rural supplies barn and bought lovely strong hinges (another $40.00) and then my husband fitted them. Meanwhile our daughter was still cleaning up poo, cleaning the stables, changing the water daily and still no riding.

We started to become a little suspicious when she wouldn't allow us to bring anyone to see our horse. She became very insistent that we did not have any conversations with the stable owner either (This was because he didn't know that we were leasing the horse in the first place…if he did she would not have had her discount on stabling any more) We weren't allowed to visit at all unless she was present and then we decided to buy the hay ourselves one day and discovered what she was doing. It wasn't long before we had her whole little scam worked out and found out that she'd done it before…in fact she did it all the time. As soon as the victims found out what she was up to and dumped her…she went fishing for a new sucker.

Needless to say we learned a harsh lesson and were left feeling ripped off and red faced. As there was no written contract (another mistake) we weren't obliged to continue and we didn't. Looking back on it, several years later and now owning 2 horses of our own, I feel very embarrassed to admit that we were so gullible, but while ever there are inexperienced people out there who are blinded by "horse love" and sly conniving people who are willing to take advantage of them to suit their own needs…I guarantee we won't be the last.

Just take heed, make sure you are aware of all the rules and what will be expected of you AND GET IT IN WRITING. Don't get caught like us because honestly, there are many people willing to rip you off if you are willing to let them.

By Cheryl Searles

I am a 43yr old mother of five and grandmother to one beautiful little girl. I enjoy writing, singing, reading and helping my daughter with our horses. We live in NSW Australia and I am currently working on a little website which is designed to give Aussie horselovers a place to get together and exchange ideas and anything that has to do with...you guessed it...horses. http://www.stablelife.net