Most dogs need a dog crate. They are great for giving your pet a safe place to curl up. They are also good for use during traveling. Dog crates can give your dog valuable protection in the event of an auto accident. You never want to leave a dog in a parked car, even briefly with the windows cracked. You do not want to force your dog to spend a large amount of time in the crate.
 
 Your dog crate should be a place where your dog can escape and have its own space. Dogs are naturally den animals who appreciate a private space. You can create the private space your dog craves with a dog crate. Your crate should be large enough so that your dog will be comfortable while in the crate. You will need to measure your dog before you buy a dog crate. Add three inches to both the height and length to get the right size for your carrier.
 
 If you have a puppy and want a crate your dog can grow into you can buy a divider panel to make it smaller for now. It will be easier to house train your puppy if you have a dog crate. A dog will do almost anything to avoid soiling the space where they sleep. It can also be a great way to keep puppies from destructive behavior when puppy needs to be home alone.
 
 Your dog will be much more comfortable in the crate if you add a crate pad. A dog crate pad will also help to protect your dog from crate sores and other injuries. With dog crate pads your dog is comfortable and safe. Look for a crate pad which is machine washable and allergy free. A soft crate pad will also turn your crate into a cozy den and reduce barking while the dog is in the crate.

Unless you are lucky enough to live out in the countryside with lots of private grounds you will have to travel to get your dog to a space open enough to give it a good run. If there is a dog friendly park nearby within walking distance you need only pop on a lead but for some dog owners living in a city or busy town centre the only option is to travel by car.

It is important that your dog is safe and comfortable during any length of car journey. This is a list of car accessories for dogs

Dog Safety

Dog car crates or cages specially adapted for cars not only makes your car journey safer for you but also for your dog, it also helps the dog feel more secure. Think how frightened your dog might be looking through the window of a moving car with everything whizzing past!

It could be there isn’t room for a travel cage or maybe your dog is taken out in more than one car in which case a dog harness with seat belt adaptor is a good alternative. This is a highly recommended multi purpose accessory for your dog!

Word of warning: For those who think these are extreme, imagine what would happen if you were to have a car accident. If unsecured, your frightened dog could easily jump out of a car and run right onto a busy road.

Dog Comfort

The boot of a car is not designed for comfort so if your pet has to travel in the boot a dog bed is much nicer to sleep on.

It is also a good idea to keep a dog blanket in your car especially if you are planning a long journey in the colder months. (remember to also keep a blanket for yourself in case of break downs!)

Food and Water

Your dog will get hungry and thirsty during a long car journey and will certainly need to quench his or her thirst after a long run. It is essental to keep water handy and for the bowl, consider disposable or re-usable material travel bowls that fold up neatly instead of the standard bowls that are bulky and take up more space.

Handy hint: The car engine might need water too! Keep a supply of water in your car for both dog and car engine especially during the hotter months. Large plastic milk or juice bottles are ideal for this. You can re-fill at a fresh water river or stream if out in the countryside.

Shade from the sun

Drivers and human passengers have visors to protect them from the glare of the sun so don’t forget your dog and fit a car window shade where appropriate.

Handy hint: Families with small children may already have car window shades which as perfect for pets too!

Dog Ramps

A dog car ramp can be a godsend! You can lift smaller dogs into the car but what if you have had a particularly muddy run or if you have an older heavier dog that can’t jump up? You can choose from a number of dog car ramps that will fold away neatly when not in use.

Pet First Aid

As exciting as running in the countryside can be for your dog, there can also hazards including barbed wire, broken glass and sharp sticks. The first aid you apply to your dog if it gets a nasty cut will be vital in its recovery and if you are out in the middle of nowhere it could be a while before you can get your dog to a vet. Dog first aid kits usually come with bandages, gauzes and sterile wipes and are small enough for your glove compartment.

Swellpets.co.uk has many more great products for dogs. Give it a whirl.co.uk

Do dogs have feelings? It’s a question most dog owners
have probably wondered at some point. And the logical
answer, if you’ve ever looked into your dog’s sad eyes before
you’ve left the house to go to work, leaving him alone all
day, is: Of course a dog has feelings!
But whether a dog experiences joy, pain, sadness, jealousy, love and even hate is a topic that’s still up for debate.
Aristotle apparently found evidence of emotion in animals. ”Some are good-tempered, sluggish, and little prone to ferocity, as the ox; others are quick-tempered, ferocious, and unteachable, as the wild boar,” he wrote in
”The History of Animals.”
And Marc Bekoff, of the University of Colorado, wrote a book called ”The Smile of the Dolphin,” in which researchers explain why they believe ani
mals have emotions.
A study at the University of Vienna, Austria, found that dogs have a sense of fairness and jealousy, as well as a sensitivity that goes beyond reward and punishment factors.
”Animals react to inequity,” said Dr. Friederike Range, who
led researchers in testing animals at the school’s Clever Dog
Lab. ”To avoid stress, we should try to avoid treating them differently.”
But beyond the myriad studies are our own daily dealings with our dogs, and the seemingly irrefutable fact that dogs experience emotions that
are at least similar — if not identical — to humans.
Take Lollipop, my 4-year-old Rottweiler who believes she is my human soulmate. I can look in her eyes and immediately tell if she is happy, sad,
tired, preoccupied, jealous, angry, and even feeling blissfully in love at that moment(yes, with me). It’s uncanny. And I can often trace those feelings to previous activities in the day. If I’ve taken one of my other dogs for a walk and left her home, I get the poutyface, you know the one; if I’m
about to take her to the park for a playdate, her smile is as
wide as her big, square head; if she’s sad that I’m leaving for work (without her), she sits quietly resigned at the end of the couch, her eyes droopy and her mouth shut tight (I can almost see the bottom lip sticking out). They are as blatant expressions of feelings as I’ve ever seen in a human.
The beautiful thing about our dogs and their feelings is
that they’re able to let them go. They don’t hold grudges, and
they don’t play the guilt-trip game (at least not for long). They are
eager to move on to the next emotion, and are often steered to that by our actions. When I arrive home after work, all is forgiven and Lollipop’s there
to welcome me with open paws. The wide, goofy grin is
there, and she’s always eager to hear about my day (as long as I’m petting her while I talk). It’s true love, alright. And if that’s not proof of feelings and
emotions, I don’t know what is.

www.pawsiblegaytails.blogspot.com

Breeds are all different, same as people are different. Housing your dog depends on many factors, such as your lifestyle, your dog breed and the amount of room you have to spare.

For those who dont know me, my name is Sue Walton, and I am a professionaly accredited Dog trainer and coach. This article shares with you some of my top dog housing tips, but for my best secrets and heaps more info, you need to visit my site on dog training tips, which has a huge section on choosing and siting a great kennel/dog house. 

Its best to start by assessing what dog you have. Housing your dog largely depends on its needs to stay safe warm and dry.

Toy breeds, by the virtue of their petite size, make perfect house dogs. Many owners of small dogs such as terriers, shitzu or bichon are happy all the time, provided they are trained well!

These small breeds respond well to the home environment, providing they know their place in the home! You’ll find a matt or a dog bed around the size of a cat bed will do for these small breeds.

Keeping them in garage or laundry could be ideal, provided that your dog feels safe and it feels like it has a little area of its own. Dogs are, after all, well known for being territorial.

As for bigger dogs, such as medum sized pointers, boxers and terriers, you will learn that keeping them inside becomes tedious or irritating. Not just for you, but for your dog too.

They require the space that outdoor freedom offers them.

Also, you will have to consider the space and room that you can offer for housing your dog.

If your garage is well aired, cosy and there is not to much clutter, it might be a great place for your dog to live, if however its full of gear and your dog has to live in a corner where it cannot make its own space, it will quickly become fustrated.

For those of us that live in units, apartments or other small areas, you have to be very cautious of how your dog interacts with neighbours. Alot of dogs dont like being housed where other people can annoy them and irritate them.

Youve also got to think about what sort of breed requires what sort of housing.

Your breeder will have sussed you out before selling a dog, to see if your lifestyle suits that breed, however people often come across dogs in other circumstances. Do plenty of research into your chosen breeds living requirements. A lazy bulldog will surely be happy with a corner of the yard and not much space, but you try and keep a livly breed like a pointer in a small yard, and you’ll drive the poor dog insane. Active breeds such as working dogs, needs space and roomy enclosures.

If your in this situation, and have a yard space for your dog to be housed and run around in, please please please ensure that the fence you put up or have, is in good order and is secure. Consider your dog must not get out, but also consider if anything else can get in. Cats, other dogs and children are pretty handy at getting into places where they shouldnt be, and this can lead to obvious trouble!

Housing a your dog also has situational requirements. Think about the climate you live in and where you will site your kennel. Will it be cold? Windy? Directly sunny? Consider these factors when moving a kennel in your yard or chosen area. Kennel insulaton might be required if the area is frosty or gets snowfall regularly or intensely.

Obviously, in this circumstance a saint bernard will be happier than a greyhound, so exercise common thought about the breed your dealing with. Pay attention to hot climates also, because this can affect them very rapidly.

Black paint on that kennel might suit your house, but will it cook your dog….? As far as purchasing a kennel goes nowadays there are great off the shelf items that suit many lifestyles and homes. Moulded plastic versions are popular but watch out if your dog is a chewer!

Avoid fibreglass kennels like the plague, as the glass can lead to pain and discomfort for your pet. Wood ones are hard wearing and look great also. If you can afford a nice wooden kennel, go for one!
My best dog housing tips, and some great examples of kennels and enclosure designs can be found at my dog resource page on housing your dog. Check it out, and the rest of my site www.dog-hobbyist.com

Looking for the best dog training online? Are you having hard time house training or taking care of your Shiba Inu dog or any other dog for that matter? Chances are, you’re annoyed up to your neck the way your Shiba Inu behaves, that is, if you haven’t had the best training that you have given to your pet. As everybody knows, Shiba dogs especially Shiba Inu puppies are cute and adorable pets but they can be annoying as they try to turn your house into one smelly dog hole and would bark endlessly even for no reason at all. Here’s the worst part, next-door neighbors would complain about the noise especially when you’re not around. These dogs suffer from separation anxiety and it would take a good training to keep them disciplined. When these animals experience this kind of discomfort, they will be going like crazy and would find someplace or someone that they can be familiar with and neighbors will go uneasy, too. You have to bear in mind that it’s important to make your Shiba undergo training, not only for personal or health purpose, but to follow the law as well. Every state has its law regarding dogs that are not trained. That’s why, Shiba Inu breeders are also doubling as trainers to help owners train their dog or make them enroll at a dog obedience school.

But the fact of the matter is, it’s not that easy to train a dog, like, hiring somebody to do that job. It could be very expensive. However, a dog owner can also learn how to train his own pet on his own and all he needs is a kind of book guide to learn all the ropes in dog training. For a Shiba owner, it is essential to find the right Shiba Inu care and training guide that he can learn easily. Training his own Shiba can also create stronger bonding and relationship between him and his pet. Luckily, there are many book guides for such purposes that are now flooding the Internet Highway today.