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Your cat brings you joy as she curls up on your lap and purrs herself to sleep. She provides you with endless entertainment as she chases her feather wand with enthusiasm. But from time to time, she might also drive you crazy as she scratches your favorite chair, executes sneak attacks on your ankles, or stops using the litterbox.

Whatever “issues” you or your cat may have, we have information that can help you address them. Never get angry with your cat behavioral problem, if you can read this understanding cat behavior

Some behavior problem of your cat:

Why Do Cats Scratch?
It’s normal for cats to scratch objects in their environment for many reasons:

To remove the dead outer layer of their claws.

To mark their territory by leaving both a visual mark and a scent – they have scent glands on their paws.

To stretch their bodies and flex their feet and claws.

To work off energy.

Because scratching is a normal behavior, and one that cats are highly motivated to display, it’s unrealistic to try to prevent them from scratching. Instead, the goal in resolving scratching problems is to redirect the scratching onto acceptable objects.

Training Your Cat To Scratch Acceptable Objects

*Cover the inappropriate objects with something your cat will find unappealing, such as double sided sticky tape, aluminum foil, sheets of sandpaper or a plastic carpet runner with the pointy side up. Or you may give the objects an aversive odor by attaching cotton balls containing perfume, a muscle rub or other unpleasant odor. Be careful with odors, though, because you don’t want the nearby acceptable
objects to also smell unpleasant.

*When your cat is consistently using the appropriate object, it can be moved very gradually (no more than three inches each day) to a location more suitable to you. It’s best, however, to keep the appropriate
scratching objects as close to your cat’s preferred scratching locations as possible.

*Don’t remove the unappealing coverings or odors from the inappropriate objects until your cat is consistently using the appropriate objects in their permanent locations for several weeks, or even a month. They should then be removed gradually, not all at once. For more information, you can check out this link solve your cat problem

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Now that you know you and your dog have a move ahead of you, it’s time for the planning. Whether you have a long distance move and will need a long distance moving companies or a shorter local move and will need a Florida moving company, you still have lots of preparation you can do to make sure your move goes easily. Before you do anything else, contact your veterinarian and request a copy of your pet’s records. Keep these in a secure place, preferably carrying them with you, so you’ll have the information you need at any time during the move. Once you settle into your new home, you’ll have your pet’s records with you to hand to your new vet.

The next thing to do is to make your moving checklist for your pet. On this list, you need to place all of the contact info for your moving company at the top of the page. The easiest thing to do is make a list and cross items off as you go. It’s a good idea to make your dog’s own checklist and attach it together with your personal checklist. On the list, you’ll need to write down those items which are necessary to have at hand while traveling. These items will include: any medication your dog requires, dog food, plastic containers to portion the food into (it’s simplest to put a couple days of food into pre-measured portions for the trip), a bag or container of treats, a collapsible water bowl, a cozy blanket , your dog’s bed, and your dog’s most loved toy.

Now that you have all of your needed items together, you may want to follow a few tips on the actual day or days of the move. It’s best to feed your dog several hours before traveling. While traveling, it’s best tomake stops frequently, about every 2-3 hours, to allow your dog to have toilet breaks. Always give your pet water from the collapsible water bowl during these stops, since your dog may be nervous and may get dehydrated with all the excitement. It’s best to use bottled water for your pet, as tap water in different places can vary quite a bit, and you want to avoid any stomach problems while on the road.

When you get to your new home, it’s best to confine your dog to a small palce with the use of boxes or a baby gate. Ensure your pet can still view you so he can feel safe. It’s best to put your dog’s bed and food bowls in a familiar place. If you had his bed by the fireplace in your old home, then do your best do copy that placement in your new home. It will help him to get used to the new home and make him feel more safe.

As you get settled into your new home, remember your pet might be puzzled and a bit lost in the first few days. Try to follow the same schedule for feeding, walks, and play time as you did before you relocated. Dogs are very adaptable animals, and you might be surprised at how quickly your furry friend gets used to the new environment! If you have a short move, or a long one, by following these tips moving with your dog will be simple and easy!

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Relocation is tough on the whole family, including your four legged friends. Keeping your pets safe and content is important for a successful trip. Whether you are relocating across the city or across a long distance, plan ahead so your pet can have a stress-free move. Some tips to make it like this are below.

Try to stick to your pet’s normal schedule as much as you can. Many pets, especially cats and dogs, are creatures of habit. They are comfortable in a familiar setting where they know their surroundings. Animals need structure and do best when they are in the comfort of their own house. When relocating, try to keep that in mind and expect a little anxiety on your companion’s part.

It is important that you pay special attention to your pet’s whereabouts on the day of the actual move. Animals can quickly become lost with movers coming in and out of the house over and over. If the movers leave the doors open, ensure you secure your pet in a place or fenced in area where they do not have unsupervised access to outside. If you are relocating a significant distance, you will need to choose if you want to let your pet ride unrestrained or confined. Check your moving truck rental policies on pets to determine if they have any guidelines for allowing pets to ride along in the cab or if they require pets be confined.

There are many cheap moving trucks that can be rented at competitive rates. Review the company and its rules before choosing which one to use. Ensure it has a reputation for safety and great customer service. If you choose to move your pet in a carrier, purchase a sturdy, high quality carrier and gradually introduce your pet to it before to the move. When reserving your truck rentals for moving ensure the vehicle cargo space is well ventilated.

If the temperature is high, never, ever leave your pet in a parked vehicle as they can become over heated quickly and that can injure or harm them. Do not put your pet in the trunk or in the bed of a truck, either. It is important to remember your pet is making a huge transition as well. Make sure you pack well and that all your pets’ favorite toys, dishes and treats are handy during the trip. Stop frequently for restroom breaks and always have your pet on a leash. With these simple tips, your family should have a great move.

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Various contentions have been put forward in the dog world by some, (eg those against mixed breeds), that ‘hybrid vigor’ is allegedly not possible (for example) when breeding labordoodles (ie mixed breeding of Labradors and Poodles) as it is alleged that hybrid vigor is only possible with mixed breeding of unrelated animals (eg horse and donkey). However, that it not correct.

For example, see http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/resources/publications/pdfs/ER-IS-03-01.pdf:

“What is a hybrid?

A hybrid is an organism resulting from a cross between genetically different parents. Hybrids can arise from crosses between closely related species (interspecific hybrids) or by crosses between different types (subspecies, varieties, cultivars) within a species (intraspecific hybrids).

Hybridisation occurs naturally, but it is also widely used in selective breeding programmes for both plants and animals. The mule is an interspecific hybrid between the horse and the donkey, bred to combine some of the favourable characteristics of each parent. Intraspecific hybrids often show ‘hybrid vigour’ (heterosis), growing more vigorously and yielding more than in-bredlines.”

Hence, laberdoodles are ‘intraspecific hybrids’ (ie are within species breeding) and do show hybrid vigor.

Also, see http://www.country-wide.co.nz/article/449.html:

Another important but often forgotten principle is what happens when you interbreed the first cross (F1) progeny. In essence if you breed (F1) sires and dams together, there will be less hybrid vigour in the progeny. Like wise hybrid vigour also drops if you breed back to either of the parent breeds.

Our Labradoodle puppies are F1 generation (ie first cross between Labrador & Poodle), maximising hybrid vigor (or heterosis), and minimising inbreeding depression, etc. And have purebred parents with champion bloodlines/pedigrees.

The F1 (ie first generation) of Labradoodle puppies have more hybrid vigor than the second or so generation, are less likely to be more variable then some other generations, and also have the least inbreeding depression.

Another interesting scientific point to note about our F1 Labradoodles is that research has shown that these have increased longevity or rates of survival (eg research has shown up to 4 years longer), due to the absence of inbreeding (such as that occurring in purebred dogs). And the same research has shown that the higher the rate of inbreeding (eg in purebreds), the lower or shorter the longevity or survival rates. This relates to the term known as ‘inbreeding depression’, and which is
described in more detail at inbreeding depression and inbreeding depression.

And this may be due to the benefits from hybrid vigour, especially compared to the negative effects known as ‘inbreeding depression’ present in purebreds.

Unlike some breeders, we can guarantee the genetics of the puppies are solely Labrador/Poodle, as the parents of our Labradoodle puppies are purebred, and with pedigree papers. And this also ensures that they are definitely F1 puppies.

The term ‘hybrid vigor’ is used in various fields, such as breeding livestock, rabbits, aquaculture, plants, cats, dogs, etc.

And rather than just us giving you our opinion etc re hybrid vigor, we thought you may like to read information from other sources. So that you can make an informed choice or decision.

So, below are some relevant extracts re hybrid vigor, and links to their sources:

From MSN encarta online:

‘hy-brid vig-or

improved traits resulting from crossbreeding: the increased growth, disease resistance, or fertility seen in hybrid species.’

From Encylopedia Brittanica online:

‘Increase in such characteristics as size, growth rate, fertility, and yield of a hybrid organism over those of its parents.’

‘Plant and animal breeders exploit heterosis by mating two different purebred lines that have desirable traits. The first-generation offspring generally show, in greater measure, the desired characteristics of both parents. Since this vigour may decrease if the hybrids are actually mated together, the parental lines must be maintained and crossed for each new crop or group desired.’

From Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:

‘heterosis

the marked vigor or capacity for growth often exhibited by crossbred animals or plants — called also hybrid vigor’

From report by CSIRO:

“The benefits of hybrid vigor only appear in crossbred animals that have parents of completely different breeds.”

From a transcript of the Senate:

“veterinarians recognize the concept of ‘hybrid vigor,’ especially in first generation hybrids”

From United States Department of Agriculture, University of Arkansas, and County Governments Cooperating:

“The highest level of hybrid vigor is obtained from F1’s, the first cross of unrelated populations.”

“Hybrid Vigor - An increase in the performance of crossbred animals over that of purebreds, also known as heterosis.”

So, there should be little (if any) doubt that the first generation (ie F1) Labradoodles have the maximum hybrid vigor and the least inbreeding depression compared to other generations etc.

P.S. For the house training dogs tips please watch this video.

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There are so many things to think about when making the decision to relocate long-distance. The obvious, job, house and education concerns will long be answered by the time you start thinking of other seemingly small things such as will we pack on our own or pay the relocaters to pack for us? Which household goods should we leave here and replace when we get there? Should we take the houseplants or find them new homes here in Florida? Then there is the question of moving the family pet.

Shortly after you have gathered your estimates from the long distance moving companies, you’ll begin writing out your moving checklist. Somewhere down around the bottom of that checklist, you will need to be sure the dog is taken care of. You will need to make sure you have gotten all the paperwork from the vet to carry on to the new one; you will need to make sure all vaccinations are current and up to date. You will need to think about whether the dog rides well or might he need to be sedated for the trip? Is there going to be a big temperature change? From Florida to Montana in the middle of winter, for instance, should have you thinking of adding a few pieces to your dog’s clothing.

This is going to be a stressful time for the poor dog. You will want to make sure that he is as comfortable and happy as possible for the big trip to and the settling in process once you have arrived at your new house. Shortly after your Florida moving company has relocated you from one end of the country to the next, you will need to start speaking to neighbors and new coworkers to get recommendations for a new animal doctor. Maybe plan to visit a couple different veterinary offices with your dog before you make a final decision.

Have you updated your dog’s tags? Are there any dog parks closeby where your pup might make some friends and exercise? How about walking trails? You should think about starting or ending each day with a walk with your pet around the neighborhood so he can familiarize himself with his new surroundings. Let him meet some of his four-legged neighbors (with the permission of their owners). It shouldn’t be long at all until he begins to feel as at ease in his new surroundings as he once did at his old house.

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Is there anyone here who is a dog lover or owns a dog or wants to own one? How about you, my good sir or ma’am? Surely, the main reason that you have reached this “doggie” article is that you are looking for a a nice pet dog, right? Or maybe you do already own a pet dog in your house and you’re looking for the best source that can teach you how to care and train for your puppy, right? Well, what kind of dog breed do you own? If you have your own English Mastiff dog or any other kind of Mastiff, for that matter, then you landed on the perfect spot. And if you’re still trying to gather your ideas on how to buy the perfect and the best Mastiff, then, read on.

The English Mastiff is one of the gentlest dogs all over the world and even though larger, they are still considered as the gentlest and the most harmless of all dog breeds but they can be excellent watch dog, too. Who would ever think of entering your house in the middle of the night or when everyone has gone all through the day when they see a 200-lb. elephant licking his chops waiting for someone that he can swallow? With an English Mastiff around the house, you will surely have a peace of mind.

But dogs will be dogs, right? They will surely behave the way dogs behave naturally and if you don’t get to learn how to train and learn how to take care of your dog, you will surely be living in a gigantic Mastiff lavatory- your house and you wouldn’t want that to happen to you now, would you? With untrained Mastiff dogs, everything will be turned inside and out and all hell could break loose. Imagine yourself lazing on a weekend after lunch, dozing off in your backyard when suddenly everything gets dark and you instantly found out that your gigantic dinosaur just sat on your face and smiling innocently at you. Imagine yourself bursting into flames after you’ve learned that your Mastiff chewed on your very expensive Persian rug or on your $700 men’s shoes and made it into a pair of flip flops. Imagine your house is stinking with doggy pee and poo all over the place, from your living room, to your attic, to your vehicle parked outside, out in the garden and God knows where else. Why, it might even make a bathroom out of your little kid’s head or on your legs. Can you imagine yourself going through all of this when you have a pet dog in the house? Be thankful enough that there is this new guide called “Mastiff Secrets: Everything You Need To Know About Buying, Raising and Caring For A Mastiff” and is very useful in teaching you how to train both Mastiff puppies and fully-grown ones the easy and right way.

Dogs don’t come with an instruction manual on how to train and care for him but you will eventually find the right guide for training Mastiff dogs and this right book guide can be found online. Of course, you can always get to hire someone to do the job but training and learning how to take care of your own dog can bring better and closer bonds between you and your mutt, don’t you agree? And it won’t be expensive, too.

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There’s no need for you to buy expensive 35-mm. camera equipment to take pictures of your Siberian Husky. The way technology has advanced, and the way prices have dipped, you can take high quality pictures of your Siberian Husky with an inexpensive or reasonably priced camera phone or digital camera. Digital photography technology makes taking stunning photographs of your Siberian Husky easier than it’s ever been. By following just five easy steps, you can take Siberian Husky pictures like a pro.

In no time at all, you’ll have Siberian Husky pictures so clear and vivid, you’ll want to upload them into a digital photo frame and display at your office or in your home. You’ll have pictures worth printing and putting in your scrapbook. You’ll have pictures that will be perfect for your computer desktop wallpaper, pictures perfect for screensavers and pictures worth sharing with your friends online. Your dog is always there for you, and these five tips for taking digital pictures of your Siberian Husky dog will help you capture your Husky’s personality in pictures.
Tip number one is to use a checklist. The better prepared you are when you start to take your Siberian Husky pictures, the better the pictures will turn out, because you can focus on how the dog looks and getting the best possible picture instead of worrying about details of the shoot. Get out all the cameras you’re going to use. Check their memory cards and make sure they are fresh, with plenty of room on the card. Load fresh batteries in each camera and have plenty of extra batteries nearby. Select the area where you will take your pictures, and gather any backdrops or props you will be using.

Tip number two is to ask for help. You’ll have your hands full once you start taking pictures of your Siberian Husky. Your attention must be focused on your work behind the camera so you can take those great Siberian Husky pictures. You will need at least one extra set of hands to manage your Siberian Husky, fluff its coat, wipe its eyes, arrange the backdrops and watch out for its safety, especially if you are taking your Siberian Husky pictures outside.
Tip number three is to watch your background when taking Siberian Husky pictures. Nothing is worse than taking an otherwise perfect picture of your dog with a cluttered background, with laundry, dishes or toys competing for attention with your dog. Use a solid-colored, uncluttered dark or light background to make your Siberian Husky pictures the best they can be. Many photographers agree nothing looks better with a Siberian Husky than a background of snow.

Tip number four is to use dog toys and other colorful objects to add interest to your pictures. Props are a must when you’re photographing a Siberian Husky puppy, and they add detail to pictures of older dogs. Every color looks good against the white coat of your Siberian Husky, so you don’t have to worry about clashing colors.

Tip number five is to get down to your dog’s eye level. The best dog pictures are taken at the dog’s eye level, especially the Siberian Husky, with its beautiful, unique eyes. Your elbows make a natural tripod, and if you’ve been taking pictures standing up, you’ll be amazed at the difference.

Follow these simple tips, and soon you’ll be taking amazing pictures of your Siberian Husky.

Plan your Siberian Husky pictureswell in advance by loading your camera with fresh batteries and a new memory card. Get a friend to help you stage the dog for pictures. After you photograph your Siberian Husky, information about a career in digital stock photography might interest you. Many Siberian Husky owners sell pictures of their pets for use online or in brochures, calendars or other publications.

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Are you having problems with your cute Shiba Inu dog? Is chewing on your carpet and shoes her favorite pastime? How about making a big potty seat out of your nice abode? Now, that really makes you annoyed. Even the neighbors can’t take anymore the unnecessary barking and howling your Shiba is making during late nights making you an official light sleeper. Now you don’t have to worry about that anymore. With a good house training, Shiba Inu dogs will do just fine and they will be the dog that you always wanted it to be and when you go online, you will find that there are many several alternative way to finally learn how to train your own Shiba Inu right at home in the easiest way possible.

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Have you heard the customer testimonials about Dynamite® pet food on the radio? They would make you think that there is nothing better to feed your dogs. Well, the stuff IS awesome, and our own dogs get some daily, but there are better ways, and you should know about them!

I like to believe that most people would like to give their dogs the VERY best dog diet there is. If this is true for you, here is some background:

There is a destructive myth that dogs are “carnivores.” Dogs are not carnivores – they are omnivores. To be healthy, they NEED to eat both meat and plants. It is HOW they most often eat plants in nature that has created the confusion.

If you can watch a wild canine make a kill in nature, you will see that they go right for the stomach, and the contents thereof. In a healthy herbivore, the stomach is full of partially digested vegetables. For the canine, this is their “salad” before the meat and bone. Through this, the get needed plant-based vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. To the casual observer, not considering what is in that stomach, it looks like they just eat meat.

If they were to ONLY eat the flesh of animals they would soon become sick and die from either nutritional deficiency or from acidosis. Notice that they eat the flesh AND bones—together, if the animal is small enough. If it is a larger animal, the bone is chewed and swallowed a little later, but it is still critical to the proper utilization of the flesh. The flesh is an ACID ASH food, and it must be neutralized with about four times as much ALKALINIZING bone and vegetables in order to maintain the healthy balance of 20% acid, 80% alkaline.

If you are interested in learning more about all this, pick up a copy of Dr. Ian Billinghurst’s books on the B.A.R.F. diet, or “Give Your Dog A Bone.”

Lately I have heard that, for the “real” Billinghurst raw food diet, you need to be sure to get the original books that he wrote. I have read some reviews of his recent books saying that he has “sold out” to the processed food industry. I don’t necessarily believe this, but I have not read his recent books. My suspicion is that Dr. Billinghurst has come to accept the reality that very few people will take the time to feed their dogs a raw diet. Few would even take the time to feed their FAMILIES a raw diet, even if they understood how much difference it would make to their health. THIS FACT is why the Dynamite® pet food is so relevant to the health of your dog.

The value of the Dynamite® pet food is that it is a fast-feeding kibble that doesn’t contain any of the toxins that are in most ready-to-serve foods. The ingredients are very carefully selected and controlled to assure that the nightmares caused by the mainstream dog food companies are never a factor when feeding any Dynamite product. The food is manufactured in a plant that never allows any preservatives or toxins into the building, let alone into the food.

But, even that was not good enough for the owners of Dynamite. They dreamed of creating a dog food that was a ready-made, easy-to-feed “BARF” diet. This past year that dream became a reality. They are now producing their new “Ultimate Diet for Dogs” — a raw extruded meat and vegetable dog food that is dried into a fine meal. It actually uses fresh-killed whole beef – not “beef by-products.”

The only hooker is that it isn’t ready to just dump out of a bag and walk away from. It is a very dry extruded “meal” that needs to be moistened with about 4 parts water, then stirred and soaked before feeding, and it is BEST when mixed with fresh, raw LIVE vegetables that have been liquefied with water in a Vita-Mix (carrots, spinach, beets, left-over green salad, green beans, etc.). Because of this, most people with busy schedules still prefer to feed the Dynamite® pet food – a kibble that can just be poured and forgotten, but with a clear conscience.

Although Dynamite® pet food might be only third-best, it still beats out all of its commercial competitors! The only commercial food we know of that is better happens to be made by the same company.

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Dogs. Aah…man’s best friend. A loyal guardian, a humble companion, a concerned vigilante, always on man’s side until the very end. Drawing the fine line between master and servant but always considered to be a member of the household. Surely, one couldn’t live without each other ever since time began. That’s why man is so much attached to dogs. Wouldn’t it be nice if one has a reminder of his dog on his Dog Checks wherever you go? Today, you can personalize your checks with your dog’s photo on it and you can order them on line. Dog lovers would surely love to have one of his own checkbooks with this personalized dog checks. Dog lovers should check this out on the web. But what kind of dog checks? Do they have Basset Hound checks, Doberman checks, Pomeranian checks? How about Jack Russell Terrier checks or maybe an English Mastiff check or Miniature Pinscher checks? Why not try to find out for yourself?

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