Before any breeder breeds their dogs, what do they actually NEED to do 1st?

Toop

Can someone give me a step by step manual? Just to let you know, I am NOT breeding my dogs but I would like to know what a breeder has to go though 1st before they actually think about breeding dogs. The reason why I want to know is because someone told me that good breeding is not cheap.
Oh and I want to get a quality-bred Schnauzer or Golden Retriever once I move to my new house in a few months time. I do not want to get from a backyard breeder.

Answer
Your first step is to call the American Kennel Club for a referral to the national and local clubs for your breed. Join the club to meet and learn from other serious breeders. Subscribe to dog magazines, especially the national magazine for your breed and the AKC GAZETTE. Read everything you can find pertaining not only to your breed, but all breeds. Youâll need an education in all canine subjects, medical concerns, anatomy and structure, behavior, training and even some psychology for working with the owners of your new puppies. Go to dog shows where you can see and touch other examples of your breed and learn what makes them better than average.

One of the most important parts of your education is learning what the âbreed standardâ means. Each AKC-recognized breed has a written standard of perfection. It describes what that breed should look, move and act like. Serious breeders constantly measure, test and compare against this standard before deciding whether their chosen dog is good enough to breed. They show their dogs in order to compare them with others of high quality. Standards arenât easily understood in one reading. It takes study and exposure to hundreds of dogs before you can really see why certain characteristics are important and whether or not your dog has them to such a degree that breeding it would improve the overall quality of the entire breed. Thatâs the real goal of serious dog breeding and the ONLY reason to breed any dog - to produce animals that are exceptional in appearance, health, temperament and trainability.

It can take years to gain this kind of knowledge and along the way, you might learn that the dog you have is a fine pet, but not good breeding stock. If so, youâre in good company. Some of todayâs most successful breeders began by finding out the same thing. They discovered that getting a dog of suitable quality meant a serious financial commitment and a lifetime of dedication to do their very best even though there would be no real monetary reward for their effort.

Breeding dogs today is a serious matter. Before going any further all persons should visit their local pound or animal shelter to see what happens to the dogs that were raised by people who thought it would be âfunâ to have a litter. âThe miracle of deathâ by euthanasia is just as educational as the âmiracle of birthâ! If you intend to breed your dog, then you should be fully aware of what the consequences may be.


Will it be worth it? Most of the time, the answer is no. The decision NOT to breed your pet is one of the most intelligent, educated and loving decisions you can make.

If after all the above research has been done and once you have determined that your dog is of breeding quality and has received its Champion title and have become a part of a club, it will be easy to find a breeding mentor who will be happy to help and explain everything needed for breeding.

Yes whom ever told you it was not cheap to breed was absolutely correct. Reputable, responsible breeders 90% of the time end up lucky if they break even and more times than not end up in the red.

My last breeding last June cost me $5600 not including all the required breed health testings for my b*tch prior to breeding her. I didn't come close to breaking even on what I paid out. However being a responsible breeder is not about making a profit. Breeding should be for the love and betterment of the breed. So there is no price to high for producing genetically healthy pups with good temperaments, bred to the breed standard either for the show ring or for a family pet.

Having the necessary funds available for breeding and any and all complications that may arise is essential for the well being of the b*tch and puppies. A breeder should have at least $1000 put aside and in most cases need more.

Starting a Quality Boarding Kennels...?

pawpyluv

I am thinking of starting up a kennel in a few years. I wanted to know what everybody thought would make the best kennel... I have heard of quite a few kennels and a lot run quite differently. Do you know of any kennels that would be good to take example of in terms of how they run it and also the facility... I want to get as much research done before I start one up. Any comments would be great!
I already am volunteering just about every saturday at my local kennel to try and get some hands on expirience... I also want to know some ideas about what could make my kennel better then another one... Suggestions?

Answer
These are things that I look for in a kennel, not everyone will want/look for these things.

Large runs for the dogs. Indoor and outdoor would be great.
Will board dogs form the same family in the same run, unless the owner says otherwise.
Dogs from different families should not be housed together.
Time to play with other dogs in an enclosed area. This will depend on the individual dogs and how they react to other dogs.
Time with people. Individual attention for each dog.
Will feed what the owner feeds. This includes Raw and home made diets at no extra charge. Also won't change the dogs diet without consulting the owner
Will brush/groom the dogs as needs. Brushing should not be extra, but bathing and other grooming can be.
The facility is clean. It should be cleaned daily and disinfected between dogs.
Dogs should not be wearing chains, harnesses, head collars or other things that can cause issues. All dogs should have some sort or ID on them at all times. This could be a paper collar.
All dogs need to be vaccinated or have a titer test done. Proof must be presented.
Dogs should be free of fleas, ticks, worms and other contagious parasites
Females in heat should never be allowed to interact with other dogs.
Aggressive dogs should not be allowed to interact with other dogs, unless it gets along with a particular dog.
Treats should not be used when dogs are in groups. Many dogs can get aggressive with food. Toys may pose similar problems.
Only give treats/toys if the owner OKs it. Not all dogs are allowed these.
The kennel should have a plan in case of emergency. This includes evacuation plans and plans to cover injury of dog or people.
Someone needs to be on site 24/7. They should have access to the kennels. A monitor is essential for this.
The kennel should have a contract. This includes who pays if the dog is injured at the kennel, if the dog contracts an illness, or if anything happens.
The kennel should obtain permission form the owner to seek vet care if needed. This should include how much care they can seek (emergency vs full care) before calling the owner.
The owner is the only one allowed to pick up the dog. They can list people to pick up the dog when the dog is dropped off. ID must be presented.

These are just some of the things to think about.

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What vehicle (van or SUV) can fit a dog crate in it plus 4 passengers?

kcoley2126

I am going to be renting a car to drive to the beach for a weekend with my family. It's a surprise trip for my mom and we will be bringing her dog along. We need to bring his crate so we can leave him at the beach house while we go out to dinner. He will not necessarily be traveling in the crate on the trip down to the beach. So I just need a car that is big enough to hold the crate in addition to having seating for 4 adult passengers.

I was thinking a mini-van and hoping that stowing the 3rd row of seating would give me enough room for the crate. Does this seem reasonable. I am waiting on the exact dimensions of the crate, but right now I am estimating that it is 54x35x45.

I would appreciate information on specific cars that you have been able to fit crates into and if you think I will need to go up to an SUV (vs. a minivan) to have enough room.

Thanks!

Answer
A SUV will be more comfortable for all of you - In addition to the dog crate, you'll also have luggage.

Hertz rents Ford Expeditions - That would be nice and roomy for all of you and all of your stuff.

The crate is actually the BEST place for the dog when traveling. In case of an accident, he will be less likely to be seriously injured (Same concept as a seat-belt - Make sure you strap down the crate) and can't escape onto the highway in case of broken windows.

Dog crates and car travel?

Michele

We are looking at getting a new car soon - it will be a 4WD or SUV type vehicle with an enclosed tray, large enough to sleep in as we love camping.

We are fairly new dog owners (of 5 months or so), so haven't ever been camping with dogs before. I was looking at getting two crates to go in the back of the car so the dogs would be safe, but I know virtually nothing about crating dogs. In Australia (where I'm from) crating is almost unheard of. However, from what I see on YA, it seems pretty big in the States though. So can you give me some advice?

What do I need to know about crating dogs?
How do I train them to enjoy the crate?
How do you transport your dogs when you travel with them?
Has crating worked for you?

I know nothing!! Please inform me!

Oh and by the way this is what I was looking at:
http://www.petsplus.com.au/pet-shop.asp?id=659
Any good?

Answer
If you plan on transporting your dog in the crate, you need to use a non-folding molded plastic airline-style crate (http://www.dog.com/prodimages/P2627.jpg) or a rigid aluminum crate (http://www.gundogsonline.com/Img/EStore/Products/11606.jpg) for safety reasons.

Collapsible crates and wire crates are not safe for car travel. Collapsible crates, if impacted in car accidents, can fold down on your dog. Wire crates, if impacted, can come apart at the welds, the wire can bend inwards or break, and your dog can be injured or escape.

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How to make dad stop feeding table scraps to puppy?

Rachel

My 18 Westie puppy is the love of my life. He means the world with me, and I love him more than anybody else I know. He has been constantly eating table scraps from my dad. Because of him, he's learned to beg. My dad are big on spices on their food and when they give it to Skipper (my dog), it kills me because I know they're not good for his diet! I currently feed him Wellness puppy food and treats and plan on a raw diet when he's 1 year old. About once a week I put a smear of cream cheese or peanut butter inside his Kong and I give him ice cubes or occasionally apples between meals, but I never give him beef bologna (with corn syrup) and teddy grahams! My dad always gives him steak (the fatty part) and eggs and chicken at the table, and now he's learned how to beg. One time my dad was eating and he kicked Skipper for not leaving him alone! I was so mad, I didn't talk to him for 2 days. It's your fault he was bugging you! He even tried to convince me it was okay because 'back in the day, we gave our dogs only table scraps and they were fine'. I'm sorry, Dad, but it's not the 60's anymore! I don't want my dog to turn out with bad behaviors and he already has one!
I've told him not to give him anything, but he won't listen. He was giving him freaking teddy grahams last night! The only option I have left is to put him in his crate during dinner time. I keep on explaining it and explaining it to him, but he never listens.

Food other than dog food should make up only 10% of a dog's diet. Because of my dad, it's ending up closer to 30% and it kills me inside.

I also think all of this human food is giving him terrible gas, which I hope to stop.

I think one of the reasons I'm so strong about his health is because I'm a vegetarian, I don't want the higher risks of cancers and diseases with eating meat, while eating all of these artificial things (Teddy Grahams, ect.) for Skip will be bad for his health.
uhavegot2bekiddingme: Like I have stated before, he is my dog. He sleeps up on my bed, I feed him, I take him outside every hour and scoops his stool. And it's obvious that you have never formed a close bond with a dog if you think I have 'serious issues'. I care deeply about him and I only want the best for him.
I do know that vegetarian diets for dogs are unacceptable. I personally am a vegetarian, but I would never put my dog on that kind of diet. It would not be nutritionally balanced for him.

Answer
You and I are in the same boat.

I have two car chasing dogs that cannot be trained out of chasing cars- only managed. The problem? My parents, despite their insistence on keeping one of these dogs when I leave the house, refuse to manage the problem and allow the dogs to do whatever they want to do.

Frustrating, isn't it?

Your best bet is to bring your father along to training class or bring the trainer to your home to talk to your father. Have the trainer tell your father that feeding table scraps is not a good habit to teach a dog and that he is creating more problems than solving them.

Kicking the dog is unacceptable. The trainer should address this as well.

Crating the dog during dinner works as well. You could also teach the dog to lay down on his bed (preferably in another room) while you are eating. If the dog gets up, put him back on the bed. This might take about a week for the dog to understand, but if you reward him for his stay after dinner he should learn quickly enough. You might even offer to allow your father to save up any easily digested table scraps (like meat or bread) and give them to your dog after you have finished eating dinner.

There are compromises. Unfortunately, there is no quick-fix. If there were, I wouldn't be looking forward to moving out so much!

As for meat giving your dog cancer- Wellness food is full of meat- and that is a good thing. Dogs are carnivores and can not thrive on a vegetarian diet.

Crate training a dog?

Elle

The way we work is that any dogs we have had have the run of the whole house. Currently we have a dog who has the run of the whole house, but she is a little lap dog and sleeps all day.
There are lots of unwaned puppy litters in our area and we want to buy a cavalier King Charles Spaniel Puppy. It would be during the schools 6 week holidays so we would have time to train her. But when the holidays are over she will be left alone for 8 hours, along with my other dog.
I know a dog shouldn't be left in a crate for 8 hours so I was thinking, for 4 hours, she could have the whole house with my other dog, then we will have someone come in and put her in a crate for the remaining four hours. We fear, if we leave her in the house for longer than 4 hours she may become destructive so thought this may be a good idea? She would have lots of toys in the crate and when she has the run of the house she will also have access to our garden (Which is enclosed and impossible for anything to gte in/her to get out).
How big would the crate need to be?
Does this sound ok or could you devise me another plan.
Please don't say leave her in one room because the only rooms in our house with doors are the bedrooms and bathroom and we wouldn't want to leave her in one of those. The doors to all the bedrooms will be closed.

ALso, don't say not to get a dog because there are so many unwanted puppies in our area and if no one buys them soon I can guarentee they will be abandoned!
I will not crate a dog for the whole 8 hours and the prices of dog walkers near us are ridiculous and my pocket money does not cover no where near enough for a dog walker every day. All we can do is have a family member check on them once or maybe twice during the day but they would not be willing to walk it (well they would on some occasions, maybe once a fortnight or something).
We would only start putting the dog in a crate when she has been house trained etc
I have read the replies, but none helped, so I asked it again hoping for better replies. And also, I have edited it this time so people understand better rather than confusing them with loads of additional details
The dog will have access to our back yard all day, our back yard is fully enclosed and it is absolutely impossible for the dog to get out or anything else to get in

Answer
I didn't read the whole thing but heres some info on crates. It needs to be big enough for the dog to turn around comfortably. I have a shitzu like dog and her crate is about two feet wide by four feet long. Lots of room with lots of blankets so they can make a home. Also, include a water dish and some dry food. As far as training. Just put them in whenever you leave. Lead them through the door with a treat or a chew toy and say "get in your crate" or something like that. Eventually, they will just go on their own when you get up to leave. Your time table looked good. Dogs will not go to the bathroom in what they consider a sleeping area. So 4-8 hours in a crate is more than enough. Also, think about going for long walks before and or after they have been crated. This will help them get the exercise they miss out on by being locked up. And don't give up. They will whine and cry at first but it's worth having a well trained dog in the end.

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average size for a lab dog crate?

nite a

i want to buy a crate for my 7 week old lab puppy. what size should i be looking for and about what price? i found a few online. These are the sizes.
1. 22"L X 13"W X 16"H -

2. 24"L X 18"W X 21"H

3.30"L X 21"W X 24"H

4.36"L X 24"W X 27"H

5. 42"L X 28"W X 31"H

Answer
Please see House Training 101. Get a crate that is adjustable so as the dog grows you can make the space larger.

CRATE (HOUSE) TRAINING

First of all save your sanity and the carpets by not using paper or pads and house train her to go outside. Teaching her to go on paper or a pad is fine only if you keep it that way. Training her to go on paper then outside will only cause you to have to house train her twice. I love dogs and own a Golden Retriever but who wants to train a dog twice.

Next thing you need to do is keep a crate and don't pen her in the kitchen or any other room. Only use the crate when you are unable to watch her but make sure the crate is of the proper size. Crates should just be big enough to allow the dog to stand up, stretch and turn around in. Dogs will not relieve themselves in the area they are sleeping unless they absolutely cannot hold it. Also there should not be anything left in the crate that the puppy can chew such as stuffed animals or blankets. If she does happen to have an accident in the crate these will retain moisture and the mess will be harder for you to clean. Remember that puppies need to go out often as they have little bladder control.

When she is inside and out of the crate you can tether her to you, so that you can watch her closely. This also teaches her to be on a lead and at the same time she can be with you. If you don't want to tether her then when she's not crated you have to watch her like a hawk, not only in case she relieves herself, but for her own safety. She will chew things she shouldn't that can be very dangerous. Many dogs have been electrocuted because of chewing through power cords.

To house train her. Take her outside every 20 minutes by carrying her, she hopefully won't pee on you while in your arms. Tell her "Outside" in an exuberant and happy voice. Take her to where you want her to go, put the lead on her a tell her "Go Pee" watch her and when she goes praise her profusely. Something like " Good Girl, Go Pee" and make sure you pet her at the same time. Take her back inside, into the crate, tethered or just watching her. She will have accidents and (You have to catch her in the act) when she does, show her what she did and say in a stern low voice "No potty". It's not what you are saying that gets her attention it's how you say it. Take her outside as above and say " Go Pee". She likely won't because she just went in the house. Stay outside for a few minutes and bring her back in. If training is consistent it should take no longer than 10-14 days. After she starts getting the idea you need to teach her how to get your attention when she needs to go out.

house training dogs (refuse to crate train)?

daphnelks

I have a 4 year old Shihtzu (kailer) and a 2.5yr old half shihtzu/half Australian shepherd (Niko). Kailer was potty trained and hardly every had an accident till Niko came. Niko has been a devil to train. We NEVER use a crate and think it's mean. We prefer to get the dogs to just bark or show a sign that they need to go out to potty. Niko usually whines as a sign but not always. We keep finding pee puddles and you know when one goes the other has to go too! Is there something new to try? We tried potty pads- they get shredded in tug a war games or shake the crap out of it games. Since its hot my parents are especially wanting to keep them inside but its really really making us mad to find puddles. Please don't try to convince me to crate train- I WON'T DO IT. I want serious replies only. Our dogs are a part of our family and we feel we shouldn't' have to confine them. BTW they sleep with my parents and usually get let out before bed, during the night, & immediately in the morning.
If you suggest something that requires buying can you refer me to where it can be bought and a guess at the price. thx

Answer
First, thank you for not keeping your dogs in boxes. Crating can cause stress which causes both mental and physical health issues.

Try starting over with potty training 101. This is a good article about the steps to take. Cleaning the puddles is especially important so they don't think a place is acceptable because it smells already.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/79206/puppy_potty_training_101.html

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Bringing a dog from E.U. to U.S.?

***JD***

I have a dog (Dalmatian) and i live in Europe, i am moving to the United States, and i would like to bring my dog. I herd that wether my dog has or doesn't have a disease, it MUST be quarantined for 41 days. If my dog does not respond socially to the examiners, my dog will be put to sleep??

What can i do to prevent quarantine
What vaccines must my dog have
How long before the trip must the vaccines occur

Thanks

Answer
The USA does not have a quarantine on dogs coming in from Europe.

To bring your dog into the USA you must have:

1) if the dog is over 12 weeks it needs proof of a rabies shot.

2) you dog will need an Health Certificate (in English) issued within 10 days of your trip stating the dates, manufacturers, expiration dates of the vaccines your dog has received. It must also state that the dog has been ex mined and found free of disease, internal and external parasites.

3) The airline will require you to have a shipping crate of the proper size.

Upon arrival your dog isn't examined by anyone but you will need to have your paperwork approved by customs. The dog will then be released to you in the same crate that you put it in when you left Europe.

If you are returning to EU with your dog in most cases you will need the same but some countries will require a titer test for rabies and some may still require a quarantine. GB and Sweden are examples of ones that do.

Bringing a dog from HK to America ?

jayanthi s

I am wondering if I should bring my toy poodle to america this winter. Do you think this is ok for him? I mean he never saw snow before and might not be used to the temperatures, should i bring him in the summer instead ?
And how do you book the trip for the dog ? Do you need to bring your own crate ? Is it safe? The chances of him getting lost are low right ?
And how long is the quarantine ?
going to chicago

Answer
Where in the USA are we talking about? If it is any state other than Hawaii, there won't be a quarantine period as long as your dog has an up-to-date rabies shot given more than 30 days before entrance into the country.

I don't think the temperature in the winter should be a problem if you plan on keeping your dog indoors most of the time. And in fact, you may find that he likes snow.

Yes you need to bring your own crate. Ideally you'll bring him in the airplane cabin under the seat in front of you. If he is too big or the airline doesn't allow it, he'll have to travel in the cargo area which may not be a great idea for such a long trip.

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Would this crate be too big?

Julie

I have an 8-year-old chihuahua, and sometimes I need to leave him alone for an entire day while I'm in school. When I leave, I put him in his crate. His current crate is a plastic crate 19" high, 26" long, and 16" wide.

I'm thinking of getting him a new wire crate that matches my living room better. The new crate comes in two sizes: Medium (19" L X 30" W X 21" H) or Small (18" L X 24" W X 19" H). Because I'm away for long periods of time, I want him to be able to move around a bit if he wants to.
I really can't hire someone to come and take him out every four hours. I live alone and there aren't any other options. If I'm going to be gone longer than ten hours, I hire someone to take him out on a walk and feed him. He is very good at holding everything until I get back, but I'm wondering if it would be better to get him a larger crate and add a potty pad in case he needs to go before then.
All of the doggie daycare centers near me are $20/day, and they aren't open early enough for me to drop him off on my way out. I have a great pet sitter but I can't afford to hire her all the time. He knows that either potty pads or outside are an appropriate place to go to the bathroom, I have used them before without sacrificing housebreaking. I don't have a dog safe room, but I am thinking a slightly larger crate would serve the same purpose. Of course, he always gets a walk immediately before I leave and when I get home. He's never had an accident in the crate, I just want to make sure he's as comfortable as possible while I'm gone.

Answer
The crate should be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn completely around in and lay down in. No bigger than that. Make sure that the dog is well exercise and taken outside to eliminate before going in the crate and after letting it out. The longer period of time the dog will be in the crate, the more it should be exercised before going in and after coming out. Someone will need to come home half way(about four hours after) through the time he will be crated to take him outside so he can eliminate.

Edit: Adding a potty pad will backtrack any house-training you have done. As I said, exercise him before you place him in the crate and after you take him out. The longer he is in the crate, the more exercise he needs before going in. I don't see any reason to buy a bigger crate. If you exercise him a lot before placing him in the crate, he will most likely sleep the whole time.

If you want him to be able to move around more while you're gone- You can either hire a pet sitter or find a reputable doggy day care center near you and leave him there while you are away(It's usually $6-$8 a day) and I'd suggest doing research on each one. That way he gets exercise and is not alone for an extremely long period of time. The other suggestion I'd have is placing him in a 'dog safe' room. It'd have to be extremely clean and only have safe unsupervised toys available though.

Edit2: I honestly understand where you're coming from. Dog safe rooms are hard to actually get/make that is why it was my last suggestion, ha. He'll be perfectly comfortable in the correct size of crate. Potty pads usually do encourage a dog to eliminate inside instead of outside and can just be really confusing for the dog, it seems like you have a smart dog though. Again Honestly, I'd suggest just sticking with the correct size crate for your dog(where he can stand up, turn around and lay down in). Maybe you can make the walk before you leave/after you get home a little longer so he will be more tired/sleep the entire time. This is just my opinion though, it's up to you in the end. The crate is suppose to be the dog's den and the reason it should be a certain size is because dens are suppose to be small or certain size around the dog to provide more security and comfort for the dog. If you get a bigger crate it might make him feel overwhelmed.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do

Dog Crate??

camille t

Whenever we try to put our dog in the kitchen, (big space, with her bed), and block it off with a baby gate she will tear at the baby gate until she gets out. she is only a 16 lb dog, and she ripped it out of our wall.

We now bought her a excersise pen, for her and her puppies, and she will scratch and bite and pull it every which way. I'm nervous that she is going to pinch one of her puppies in it...


Any reccomendations on how to make her less stressed out when she is gated away from us??

We give her treats, and have tried to make it a happy place, but she is just not interested.

Also, whenever she gets out, she tears up anything that we have out. ie: garbage, toys, paper, really anything.

Answer
Hi. I agree with your answer from "German Shepard." The SIZE of the crate shouldn't be to large because dogs are part of the wolf pack. As such, they are used to "dens" which is exactly what you are doing when you "Crate them."
Go to any petstore...or supply store. Add an attachable water bowl to the inside of the crate.
Add stuffed animals to the inside of the crate.
Add ONE large suffed animal.....this simulates "littermates" and gives her company.
One last suggestion: Place a light blanket OVER the top and three sides of the crate...to create that "den" atsmophere and she should be good to go.
Have a great weekend. Blessings, Patti

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What's wrong with my dog?

Sue S

ok so here's the deal. my dog is a pitbull, she had puppies on the 17th of september. We moved from eastern south dakota to boulder colorado on the 28th of september. Since getting here she has been peeing all the time and pooping at least once every time i take her out. We switched her food around the 3rd of october and it made her way sick so we had to switch her to something else... since then she's been usually ok. the other night though she started throwing up in her kennel again and she had pooped in it too. after that she was ok again... and then today I went to denver for a few hours, i took her out before i left and when i had gotten home she had completely ripped the kennel door off.... it's a wire kennel, one of those really nice ones. and she had ripped up all of the plastic from under her kennel and kicked all her blankets to one end of it. on top of that she pooped inside the kennel and again on a blanket i had bunched up in the corner of my room. she's always had bad separation anxiety but she's also always been a very well house trained dog... i don't understand why she's doing all of this all the sudden? and i'm sure it's not because of the puppies, she's perfectly fine being without them for many hours at a time.

Answer
HELLO are you there???????? You tell us that she just had puppies. Then you moved with her, you changed her food, are taking the pups away for hours at a time.... She is stressed out and afraid. If your dog feels insecure she can act out. This dog needs structure, and to stay with her pups for awhile to assure her everything is okay. She may think the pups are at the old home, and is trying to get out to go find them. Dogs don't have an idea of how far away the old place is, they just know they want to go where they felt safe. If she did just whelp, then her hormones are also in flux, and she is just out of her mind with worry and stress. It is a bad idea to change EVERYTHING in a dogs life at one time..... I think you will have to work very hard to show her she is safe, her pups are safe, and get back to a routine with her as soon as possible. Dogs thrive on routine, LIke, the same eating time, same walking time, same place to sleep , etc. It may be a long road, for her to feel relaxed again. If she is vomiting you should go to the vet and have her checked out right away, there are many things associated with having puppies, that can cause a dog to get ill or die.

How do I keep my dogs warm?

The Facts:
2 dogs lab/husky lab/greyhound
Minot North Dakota routinely drops below -20 during its long winter
Dogs are staying in an uninsulated completely enclosed garage
They sleep in a kennel with large pillows on top of a carpet the kennel itself is wire
A space heater is in place (supposedly meant for garages) and is only supplying a warm breeze over the area they sleep in.


What can i do to keep them warm through this long long winter? Do they need anything other then that warm breeze? Is there a better way to keep the garage warm?(no im not gonna insulate it would be cheaper to fly the dogs south)
Heating pad-Looking into it
Doggie sweater-...i dont support that life style and neither will my dogs
Sleep With Them-When my dog brings home a pay check ill feel bad about the living conditions until then they can enjoy the free ride as you can see im trying to improve the conditions.
Hay-I read that its good but its also a mess ill pay extra to avoid that

Should i worry about when they get to run around in the garage and what temp they are exposed to?

Answer
Why do you own dogs if you don't want to include them in your
everyday life? Dogs need love in a warm home... Why are they
not living in the house? Would you live in a house with no heat? I don't think so... dogs need the same kind of treatment.

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Dog Crates???

SamiiLynn

I have a very hyper puppy that is just about full grown, she is a little over 5 months old and the vet says she won't get much bigger. she is taller than we expected and her head can reach the top of her wire crate. She can walk in and turn fully around but can't lay straight out. Is it too small?
If we get her a bigger crate:
-Would a carrier type crate calm her down a little because its dark and den like? (We can't put a blanket over the wire crate because she pulls it in and chews on it.)
-Which is better, a wire crate or a carrier type?

My puppy is a beagle corgi mix. The father was uknown but we think border collie. Her crate is Something like H 21" L 23" W 18".

I know I have asked this question once before but different people maybe on and i would also like to hear their imput.

Thank You!

Answer
I am glad to see that whether or not to crate is not the issue, but what size and type of crate is best for your puppy. Crating is important for the health and welfare of any dog, but especially a young puppy who does not know enough to stay out of stuff that could hurt or kill her.

That being said, yes, it sounds like you do need a new and larger crate. I would actually go up two sizes, as at less than 6 months old, your puppy still has a lot of growing to do. Most puppies still have approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of their total growth to do after 6 months of age.

What type of crate is more of a function of personal preference of the dog - in most cases. I do greyhound rescue, and typically, we recommend the wire crates because these are the closest to the type of crates used at the track. These come in two styles, what we call pin crates as the crate is held together by long pins that go in the corners to provide stability, and what we call suitcase crates because they fold up and are more easily stored or transported when necessary.
I prefer the suitcase variety unless I have a dog who is very distructive and will demolish the folding crate by forcing an end to pop out of position in an attempt to escape. For these guys and gals, I keep a couple of pin crates on hand.

The other type of crate, is a varikennel or airline crate. These are made of rigid plastic and are fairly sturdy unless you have a real chewer who can and will chew thru the crate wall to escape. These work fairly well for smaller breed dogs, but just really can't stand up to the punishment of most large breeds.

Some dogs do not like to be enclosed in small spaces. For these dogs, the vari kennel is not a good option. They will develop more problems when they have to be crates for long periods (over night or when you are gone to work all day). They are necessary if you plan to travel with your pet, as most hotels that allow dogs require this type of crate, and all airlines require them.

I would, personally, choose the wire crate. If you want to disguise it, there are some that have a basket type of weave covering the walls and top of the crate, so that it looks more like a piece of furniture. A chewer will make short work of this, but it will look better than just having the plain wire crate. If you have dogs, however, most people understand that you also need a crate for your dog, so folks are a lot less formal about how it looks sitting in the living room or family room.

Good luck, and I hope you are able to find the right kind of crate for you and your puppy.

Should I leave my dog in the crate when I'm at school?

Christine

I am trying to crate train my dachshund, Coco. She is already 10 months old and she's not housebroken yet. If I let her run around in a room, she'll pee and poop at least once when I'm at school. If I keep her in the crate, she might not go potty. I've read articles on crate training and house training, and that I shouldn't leave my dog in he crate for too long, but I have to go to school and both my parents have jobs. I want her to be housebroken once and for all.

Answer
Selecting a Crate

Crates may be plastic (often called "flight kennels") or collapsible, metal pens. They come in different sizes and can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Your dog's crate should be just large enough for him to stand up and turn around in. If your dog is still growing, choose a crate size that will accommodate his adult size. Block off the excess crate space so your dog can't eliminate at one end and retreat to the other.

The Crate Training Process

Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament, and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant, and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast.

Step 1: Introducing Your Dog to the Crate

Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Bring your dog over to the crate and talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten him.
To encourage your dog to enter the crate, drop some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If he refuses to go all the way in at first, that's okay; don't force him to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If he isn't interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days.
Step 2: Feeding Your Dog His Meals in the Crate
After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If instead your dog remains reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the dish a little further back in the crate.
Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can close the door while he's eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until he's staying in the crate for ten minutes or so after eating. If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate, it's imperative that you not let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so he'll keep doing it.
Step 3: Conditioning Your Dog to the Crate for Longer Time Periods

After your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you're home. Call him over to the crate and give him a treat. Give him a command to enter, such as "kennel." Encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise him, give him the treat, and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, then let him out of the crate.
Repeat this process several times a day. With each repetition, gradually increase the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time you're out of his sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you out of sight the majority of the time, you can begin leaving him crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting him sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.
Step 4, Part A: Crating Your Dog When Left Alone
After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put him in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the crate. You'll want to vary at what point in your "getting ready to leave" routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving.
Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate, and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key to avoid increasing his anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so he doesn't associate crating with being left alone.
Step 4, Part B: Crating Your Dog at Night

Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night, and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when he whines to be let outside.
Older dogs, too, should initially be kept nearby so that they don't associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with his crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dogâeven sleep timeâis a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.
Potential Problems

Too Much Time In The Crate. A crate isn't a magical solution. If not used correctly, a dog can feel trapped and frustrated. For example, if your dog is crated all day while you're at work and then crated again all night, he's spending too much time in too small a space. Other arrangements should be made to meet his physical and emotional needs. Also remember that puppies under six months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can't control their bladders and bowels for longer periods.
Whining. If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether he's whining to be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or pounding on the crate will only make things worse.
If the whining continues after you've ignored him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore him until he stops whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.

Separation Anxiety. Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but he may injure himself in an attempt to escape from the crate. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counter-conditioning and desensitization procedures. You may want to consult a professional animal-behavior specialist for help.

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can my iguana live in a large wire dog crate?

Q. i was thinking if i got one it would be okay for him to live in a wire dog crate because they can be large enough for a four foot iguana and they are metal so a haet lamp would not melt it and the air could circulate through the wire also there would be a front and a side door so i could have easy access to my iguana and i would not have to go through the trouble to make a big pen for him to live in

Answer
The LAST thing an iggy needs a glass enclosure! Open air enclosures are vastly preferred.

If you get a very large wire crate, I would turn it on one end so it is taller than long or wide. They like to climb.

You would need to install some sturdy climbing shelves and branches.

You would also need to make sure he had a large soaking area, and a basking area of at least 100 degrees.

You'd need about the largest size crate they make though, don't settle for a smaller one just because it's conveniently available. Your iggy won't be happy if he's cramped.

Can Akitas and other large dog breeds be crate trained?

amazonbobc

I am thinking about getting an Akita, and I'm trying to determine if there are any special obstacles to crate training a dog of that size. Does anyone have experience crate training a 120+ lb dog?

Answer
You really really have to shop for personality on a dog like this. Poorly bred Akitas can be aggressive and have severe health problems. Be sure to use a breeder who has done all the appropriate health screenings and whose dogs are "personality plus" type dogs. Someone just breeding simply because they have an AKC dog is NOT the person you want to get a dog from. Your breeder needs to be a member of the national AKC club and follow their codes of ethics, needs to follow the AKC breeding guidelines, and needs to thoroughly screen potential owners. http://www.akitaclub.org/info/breedinfo.html

As far as crate training, sure, most dogs can be crate trained. But, you have to be doing it for the right reasons. Crates are great to help dogs feel secure and to contain them so that they don't hurt themselves, but crates are not a replacement for being a responsible owner and should NEVER be used as a baby sitter. What I mean by this is that if you are working 8 hours a day and expect to have your dog in the crate for that time, and then to sleep in the crate at night, that's an inappropriate use of a crate. Crating for 8 hours at a time is not responsible dog ownership. Crates should only be used to supplement, not to take the place of proper care.

Akitas are TRUE working dogs and should not be left home alone all day. They need jobs & tasks to keep them busy. A lonely and underworked Akita is a destructive and possibly an aggressive Akita.

Good luck to you in your search.

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Any ideas for how to transform an extra large dog crate into a rabbit cage?

Anonymous

I have a blue/white dutch that some random person passed off on me. He's really a wonderful sweet rabbit though. Since I wasn't expecting anyone to hand me a rabbit and walk away, I didn't have the necessary supplies ready for him and he ended up with a guinea pig starter cage (that's the best I could do with my finances at the time). Anyways, he's too big for the cage and all the other rabbit cages seem too small as well. I want him to have more space since he really likes to run around in his cage and stretch out, so I'm thinking of converting my unused extra large metal dog crate into a cage for him. My main questions are as follows:

The crate is missing the plastic bottom, how can I make a new cage bottom that has a wall of a few inches? I would still like to be able to use bedding in this new cage.

How can I create shelves in the crate for him to get on and how to get said shelves secured to the cage?

Any other tips/ideas?

Thanks.


Also, my rabbit is a male (probably not neutered). Should he have a friend or is he ok by himself? If so, male or female friend? Obviously, if I were to get him a female friend I would have him neutered first.
A puppy pen wouldn't work, it would have to be a cage for his own protection because I have 2 dogs. My rabbit does get time outside of his cage to run around when my dogs are outside, but he still needs a bigger cage.

Answer
how about some cheap cookie sheets. just slide in the bottom slot. i'm using a dog crate too,but mine came w/ bottom (used) hard to find a bunny vet...but get him fixed...if you get a female try to get one who is spayed....very expensive to fix a female. he will still jump allover her.. introduce slowly you may think new bun is great. old bun not so much... ok alone but u must spend time w/ him. no iceberg lettuce ever,,no avacados houserabbitsociety.com great site. God bless your heart for taking in His creature. they're great pets but alot of work and supervision,,(like a 2 yr old w/ big ears)

dog crate for hamster cage?

Christine

Hi, I have a question...can anyone let me know if there are any negatives to using a dog crate for a cage for 2 adult guinea pigs? The normal guinea pig cages are not strong enough for me since i have cats and dogs...also can guinea pigs be litter trained like rabbits can be?

thank you.

Answer
Actually, you can find a dog crate big enough for a pair of guinea pigs. It's difficult, but they do exist. But you will have to get an expensive extra-large one. This is one example: http://www.forhappydogs.com/p-133-54-single-door-starter-series-dog-crate-1154u.aspx At 54" x 35", it's actually bigger than the recommended 50" x 30" ( http://www.guineapigcages.com/ ).

However, these types of crates have very shallow bases. It would be difficult to provide adequate bedding for a guinea pig in such a cage (unless you use fleece). Plus, the bedding would spill out and make a huge mess.

You would also have to make sure the bar spacing in the cage was narrow enough so that a guinea pig could not get its head stuck.

I don't have personal experience doing this, but honestly, it might work.

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dog kennels?

Aftab S

hi i was thinking of buying a dog and was wondering is it legal to keep a dog in a kennel in my back garden witch i will insulate so he stays warm and but a bed in for it plz answer asap also im gona keep it in a puppy pen wen its a pup indoor but whne he bit older im gona keep out side plz help me
im live in london and proberly gona get a staffy so what do you reckon ?
and what can i do to prevent my dog barking at night except those collars ?

Answer
it's not illegal with the conditions you would provide but I really don't know why people want an outside dog. they're social animals and think of you as their "pack".

first you should take out a book on just staffys. Then you should take out a book about basic puppy and dog training. Reading those will help you alot. Like someone said, staffys need to do alot of running.

What do you put as bedding in your dogs kennels?

Jaym

I am just wondering what you put as bedding in your dogs kennel (crate)? We are currently using a big dog bed but its a pain to wash and its starting to fall apart. So we are looking at other things to use in there if you could give us some sugestions that would be great! Thanks!

Answer
you can buy fleece at walmart in the fabric crafts section for like 5 dollars a yard , u dont have to do any thing to it , dont need to sew it or any thing it dont fray and is very washable , and you can buy several so u have some while washing .
i buy yrd and half for the kennels and wash every two or three days .

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How long will my 7wk old schnoodle pup go in her crate at night?

Ali

We just recently got a female schnoodle. This is my first inside puppy so I'm new at this. We have her on a feeding schedule and take her out every 30minutes to every 1hr to try to make sure there are no accidents inside the house. She does great during the day. But when we put her in the crate at night, we wake up to pee and poop. I know that's probably normal, but I just don't want her to get use to it. I want to crate train her at night and while we are gone until she is a little more grown. Thanks for any tips or help. Oh and one more thing. I'm a clean freak so when I find her in her crate with pee and pup I want to bathe her right away but I know I can't bathe her everyday so any tips on something like that would be great. Today I just wiped her paws with baby wipe and used some freshener spray from pet store.
I'm not asking for negative comments. This is a schnauzer/poodle mix. Very popular where I am from and many other states. Also just because I have a puppy doesn't mean I have to stop being a clean person. I didn't pay a high price for her because she is a mixed breed, although her mother is a silver poodle and her dad is a party mix schnauzer with papers. Where I am from you can begin selling pups around 6-8wks and she will be 8wks old in a few days. Thank you for any HELP or TIPS. I didn't get on here to be blasted and ridiculed. Thanks.
I'm not asking for negative comments. This is a schnauzer/poodle mix. Very popular where I am from and many other states. Also just because I have a puppy doesn't mean I have to stop being a clean person. I didn't pay a high price for her because she is a mixed breed, although her mother is a silver poodle and her dad is a party mix schnauzer with papers. Where I am from you can begin selling pups around 6-8wks and she will be 8wks old in a few days. Thank you for any HELP or TIPS. I didn't get on here to be blasted and ridiculed. Thanks.
One more thing is she is a toy pup so I have her in the smallest pet taxi crate. she can stand and turn around. :)

Answer
well for a while still, considering she is too young too be legaly taken from her mom in most states and western countries, where the lower limit to seperating mom and puppy is set to 8 weeks

you should take her out around 11 pm and get up around 6 am and take her out, if your lucky in a few weeks she may be able to hold it through the nigth for 6 to 7 weeks, but it variates from puppy to puppy, bladder controll isnt as good in young animals as adults

asuming this is a mix between one of the smaller poodles and schnauzers, but basically if you bougth a designer mutt the likelyhood is it comes from a mill or otherwise irresponsible breeder, you got no idea of what follow up it have from before or which genetics

and you need to realise that with some dogs they have issue with holding it for more the 6-8 hours through nigth till they are fully grown, so dont expect her to sleep long nigths, take her out late and up early

a puppy is a lot like a baby in amount of work, something many people dont realise when geting one..its not that easy to raise a puppy, the only upside is it do grow up faster then a human baby

put some newspaper in part of the crate, but with her background she likely have an established bad habit of going wherever she is when she need to go, so it may take some time to get her used too not doing that, but basic gist seperate the crate in two halves, one with paper and one with blanket, and make sure to change blankets thats been soiled so she dont smell pee there and keep going, and make sure to clean the botom under the blanket well, dogs smell better then us, if it smell like a toilet why shouldnt she treat it like one?

have you had her to the vet yet, if not if i were you i would to get a check up on her health as with designer mutts the breeders rarely have, so it really is nesicary to get a one over with them so you dont have something untreated in the dog either...just as a general added tip, and btw as i know some take it negative i dont see a mutt as a negative, it is just a terminology for a mix breed dog, and they can be excelent dogs, but you need to be extra causious when you got one from someone who tried to sell it as a 'breed' because they are often in it for the money and will cut costs everywhere they can to make as much money as posible, which means its often bad breeding and no health care involved...which isnt the puppys fault though, but i know people who have waited too long and the dogs had diseases in them and they end up loosing the dog or paying quite a bit in vet bills to save them...so its money well spent to get a check up on this puppy

To older dog owners: What has changed with dog training, tools used to train and how dogs should be raised?

~Julie~

My grandma came to visit and she kept commenting how cruel dog crates are, how they never used them back then and how she can housetrain a dog well without the use of a crate. She also commented on how gentle leaders are rediculous and how they never existed back then either (we use one for when my dog goes to the shelter for play groups since metal/choke/prong collars are not allowed, otherwise we use a prong and sometimes choke chain) So i'm just curious, what has changed in the dog world? What are your opinions on the way it is now and how it was(on dogs, not the whole world)? Also, please don't think i'm trying to insult your age, i'm just curious!

Answer
HUGE changes in my lifetime.

40 plus years ago...?

If kids and dogs were naughty, they got smacked, no one thought anything of it.

Chokers were a REQUIREMENT at dog training classes, as were hard corrections where necessary.
If your dog needed a prong for you to hold it safely - You used one.
But mostly everyone only used either a flat collar or choker. They were your 2 choices.

Treats were not used in training class. Ever.
Dogs did as they were told because they had to, not because they got a treat.

Halters were for horses.
Harnesses were for horses pulling carts or sled dogs.

Dogs frequently roamed the streets, having a great time. No one thought much of it, so long as they stayed out of trouble.
If it attacked someone, or chased livestock. It was shot. End of story.

As a result dogs were usually 'well exercised', and slept when they got home, resulting in less neurotic behavioural issues.
(I am NOT suggesting it is advisable to allow your dog out to 'roam the neighbourhood', but I AM implying that many 'problems' people have with their dogs ARE purely as a result of lack of exercise and stimulation).

If a dog had temperament problems that were deemed dangerous.
It was usually shot or put to sleep.
This is because human/childrens lives were deemed more important than the dogs.
No risk was worth it and there were no "behaviouralists" to go to.

People didn't dress their dogs in clothes.

Dogs walked on the ground (sometimes even on lead!) and were never carried in hand bags.

There was no such thing as "poo bags".

If you wanted your dog to have a treat. You gave it a raw bone. Yum!
ALL dogs ate raw meat and bones. Everyone knew that fact.
This was because they are decended from carnivores/wolves.
No one EVER suggested differently.
Even slightly stinky old raw meat at the back of the fridge was usually deamed 'ok' to feed (again, I am not saying this was necessarily a good thing).
Salmonella was what humans got, if they ate old meat.

Dogs were always fed the house hold scraps (anything the dogs wouldn't eat went to the chooks).

Cooked bones, even back in the 70s, had some suspician regarding feeding them...
But you usually fed them anyway, because they loved them.
You stopped this practice only when your (or a dog you knew) died from bowel impaction/purforation.

Dogs were NEVER fed a vegetarian diet!
WTF?
This is because, it never occurred to anyone NOT to feed a carnivorous animal meat.
Just as it never occured to anyone to feed their cows or horses a meat based diet.

Most peoples dogs lived outside, not in the house.

There have been so many changes over the years.
Some subtle, some not.
Some for the better, some not.

But one things for sure, kids and dogs were better behaved back then.
I am not saying that makes the old methods right.
I am just sayin...

EDIT:
I nearly forgot!!
There were no computers and no internet, and no Yahoo Q&A to seek advice from.
Generally, if you had a problem, you asked someone OLD who had owned lots of dogs and had a lifetime of experience, OR you asked a vet.

Also there was no such things as "Designer Dogs".
Dogs were either purebred or mutts/mongrels.
Neither was thought of as 'better' than the other.
Each dog was judged on its own merits.

No one had ever heard of a "Teacup" dog.
If you wanted a really small dog, you got a Chihuahua or the like.

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Using a dog crate for rabbit housing?

Veronica

I want to get my little lionhead a bigger home, and I'm thinking about doing the dog crate option, but what is a good brand that works best for bunnies, and what dimensions should I get? He's about 3.5 pounds, and he has a food and water dish, litter box, and tons of toys, so it needs to accommodate all of that. He gets out at least 6-8 hours a day, but he will still be in there a while so I want it to be big for him.
Thanks! :)

Answer
A dog crate is often used for rabbits and it is actually really nice because of the tall height and stuff. As for dimensions get one big enough for a germann shepherd, i.e a large one. Go to a pet store and ask for a crate for an adult german shepherd, that should do it!
Sounds like you take amazing care of your lionhead!

Ideal dimensions of dog crate for Jack Russell Terriers?

dab214

Looking into buying a Vari Kennel Dog Crate and they have two options:
Size 1 (S): L 53 x W 41 x H 38 cm (L 20", W 16", H 15")
Size 2 (M): L 71 x W 52 x H 55 cm (L 28", 20.5", H 22")

Is the S to small for a full grown Jack Russell?
Thanks.

Answer
It depends on the size of your dog. I think that the crate is supposed to be big enough for them to stand up in and one and a half times the length of the dog. Good luck!

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A good traveling dog crate?

A.Y.

I have a big german shepherd and I want to bring her on the car with me. She's four. make sure it's not that expensive.
oh yeah if you have a link please add it.

Answer
Go to a few pet stores and look around to see what they have. There are 2 different types of crates. Metal and heavy duty plastic. Ask a lot of questions too. The sales people will be very happy to assist you in any way they can. I would take your dog with you too. Let her get in some crates to see how she fits in them. You have to make sure it will be big enough for her to fully lay down in.

Dog problems!!!!!!!!?

LainaBug

I've had a dog for a year now. And she still uses the bathroom in the floor we have the pee pads but she won't use them anything we could do to teach her to use them?

Answer
Why are you using pee pads? What a waste of money! Get a dog crate and use that to house train your dog- it's the easiest way. Petco's website has a huge sale on them right now- it's where I got one for my new dog. Have the dog sleep in the crate or be in it when you're not around to watch it- the dog won't eliminate when it's in the crate. Then when you are there to supervise take the dog outside and when he or she does use the bathroom then give them lots of praise and/or a treat. The dog should learn pretty quick. PS- make sure not to yell at your dog for using the bathroom inside unless you catch them doing it- they won't understand why you're yelling at them and will only make them upset.

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Painting dog crate?

Devin G

we painted the wire dog crate with Rust-Oleum spray paint

im wondering if thats safe?

hes gonna be in fence for next 6 hours n were gonna paint the crate then let it dry since its 100 out . will it hurt him after its dry?

also we do put a kong crate and sometimes a dog bone in the crate and we started crate training 1 week ago and ive never seen him chew the bars

the paint has Xylene Toulene and Acetone.
he wont be inhaling spray paint.. itll be dry,
well the rust oleum site says it can be used indoors so why wouldnt it be safe?
its a protective enamel spray
it was already done before iasked i justed didnt know it

Answer
All those chemicals are toxic - toulene and xylene can cause liver damage if ingested: what if your dog ingests paint fragments that chip off, or through licking or gnawing? Contact your vet for further information - they can also likely give you numbers for poison control lines where you can be given in-depth advice.

Didn't somebody here already advise you to make sure your paint was non-toxic before you painted the crate?

Is it wrong to only crate our puppy when we leave?

lauren

We got out puppy, Meatball, from a rescue organization about three and a half weeks ago. He is between 7-8 months old. He came to us crate trained as well as potty trained. The first two nights he was home, we did not crate him, he kept us up all night, so we began to crate him at night again (which is what he was used to from his foster home). He slept in his crate for three nights, then we tried allowing him to sleep outside of the crate again and he has been great at night. We think those first two nights he just had his days and nights mixed up. We have been crating him solely when we leave, because although he's great at night, he knows we are there to stop him when he is bad, we awoke to book chewing once and cord chewing another time (these are the only things he has chewed) and we are unsure of what he would do if left alone with free reign. He loves his crate, he will go in there to sleep or to chew his bone and what not when we are home and the door is open. We live in an apartment and neighbors have complained about his incessant barking when we leave. He's never been put in there as punishment and I always give him a Kong full of treats and leave the radio on when we leave. He cries if I leave even when my fiancé is still home and he is not in the crate. I'm wondering if it is just separation anxiety? Please help!

Answer
If your question is: why does my dog bark when I'm away - then ask yourself, does he bark for attention when you are home? And if the answer is yes, do you reward that barking with attention? I the answer to that is yes (I suspect it is) then you now know why the dog is barking out. He has learned when you are there you will devote 100% of your time to his needs, on demand, when HE wants attention.

You must turn this around. Some other points:

A dog that chews should be crated when not actively supervised.

Leaving the door open is not crating the dog.

Living in an apartment with a dog is not ideal because of what you describe, any behaviour problems resort to complaints.

Anyway, you need to crate the dog with the door SHUT when you are home. And if he barks - do NOT reward him with attention or letting him out. Teach him "quiet" and insist he settle down.

Don't resort to hitting or banging on the crate, but do be firm with your voice. If push comes to shove and he will not settle down in the crate just by ignoring him without barking, then leash him with a 6 to 10 foot lead, put him in the crate, and shut the door and when he barks out - correct him with the lead ( a short pop) and say in a firm but calm voice "quiet".

Ideally dogs should be ignored for this behavior rather than punished, but it could mean the dog barks for some time and again, this is why apartments are stressful. You feel compelled to keep him quiet .

Anyway, a leash correction in a firm voice without getting angry will help. When is does quiet down, immediately praise him by saying "good quiet".
ONLY let him out of the crate if he is quiet. This can be for a few seconds - but make sure you open the door when he is quiet. He will learn that being quiet is rewarded by coming out - and that barking won't be rewarded with attention.

People expect dogs to adjust to isolation when they are gone, but they usually train for the exact opposite when they are home.

Research NILIF (Nothing in Life is Free) and establish boundaries when you are home with the dog . The principle of NILIF is clear - you may give attention to your dog as many times a day as you want - ON YOUR TERMS. If the dog is allowed on the couch, or near (touching) you all the time you are home, he is invading your personal space.

I teach my dogs to lie on a mat when I am home with them, and they are not permitted to touch my leg. My two dogs are on their beds now as I type, we are in the same room, but they have their space, and I have mine. I start this at puppy hood .

Choose a spot for your dog in the house and put a matt there for him. Everytime you take him out of his crate, leash him and bring him to that spot and command down/stay.

Do not let him chew the lead, bark out, or touch you. At first he may be able to only manage for 4 or 5 minutes - fine, put him back in the crate and try again in another hour.

As a dog matures, he will not require the leash and he will willingly go to the matt wherever you put it. When I travel, I take their matts with me and they instinctively lie on them in whatever house or room I put them.

This is how you condition a dog to move from a fixed space (crate) to your home - and do so without stress chewing or anxiety. Its done in stages, a little at a time. Obviously, the dog must be exercised and given lots of time to run around - but in the house, he learns that just because you are home, he must be content without bugging you.

If you CHOOSE to pet him, or cuddle him the call him off the matt to you, and spend some time petting him. This is fine. But when you are done petting him, he goes back on the matt. This is his space. Use a leash and collar and develop commands to clearly indicate -"ie go to your matt" - "lie down" etc.

PS: Dogs don't KNOW they are bad. They chew because they are a dog - if the dog is showing appeasement behaviours when you approach him (ie his head held low, ears back ) - he has learned to fear you. He is trying to submit to avoid punishment.

This must stop. YOu NEVER punish a dog for chewing. It is your fault. You must be neutral in these cases and just take the object away from him, and replace it with a toy or bone.

A dog must be put in a situation he will be rewarded for. Punishment after the fact WILL create a very anxious, nervous and neurotic dog and its exactly this approach that leads to more destructive chewing, barking and other problem behaviours.

The fact your dog cries when you leave when the fiancé is home is proof to me that you are not setting boundaries when you are there - the dog is glued to you, you give it all the attention it wants, whenever it wants and then suddenly you expect it to cope on its own when you are gone.

This is something you can fix but it will take some work,

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My beta fish is bloated looking. Advice?

Little Mis

I have a male beta. I have had him for 3 years now. About a month ago, he got all fat around the middle, like crazy bloated. He seems fine otherwise. He is always at the top of his bowl. He still eats, is not titlting sideways or anything. I use filtered water (non chlorinated), always change out his water every 10 days, make sure it's room temperature before putting him in.

So honestly I keep thinking he's going to die, but each day he's not dead. I feel bad for him, he looks miserable.
It's better than the cup he came in! I tried one in a tank once and it died really quick. They always do better in bowls for me. I've had several live 3 years each in bowls.

Oh and this doesn't look like dropsy because his quills aren't sticking out.
According to Squiddo, it could be constipation. Though he is shitting, his water right now is full of shit. I need to change it.

Answer
Noseless, Katie & Book Shelf are right. Yes, the bowl is better than the cup he came in, but that's not really a true comparison as it's not meant to be his home, just for sale & transport. So tho it is def better, it's still not meeting his needs, & is kinda like saying a dog living in a crate 24/7 is ok cuz it's better than the cage he was in @ the shelter. Nothing >2.5-3 gallons (& some say nothing >5 gallons) is ok for one betta. You can cycle a larger tank (5+ gallons) which is less work, water & $ for you & less stress for your bettas over time. You can keep an uncycled tank, but it's more work. As for your other one that died quickly he was likely already ill or wasn't acclimated before he was added to the tank.

As to why he's fat, the bloating could be a # of things:
1) Constipation-His stomach is only the size of her eye, so feed 2-3 pieces/day, 6 days/wk., fast 1 day/wk. If he's getting more it's likely constipation. Fast him for a day & feed 1/4 of the insides of a de-shelled, cooked pea on the end of a toothpick-this will help clean her out, so to speak. Make sure the peas don't contain salt, since it causes water retention.

2) Food-Flakes, pellets & freeze dried food have lots of filler that bettas can't digest, can cause bloating problems in sensitive and old bettas & are the least nutritious. PetSmart/Petco sell frozen foods: brine shrimp, bloodworms, glassworms, etc. for $4-5/bubble pack of food, which are easier for them to digest, much more nutritious, more palable & don't normally present the same digestive issues unless the fish is severely overfed. If you do feed pellets, soak them for a few minutes before feeding; otherwise they'll expand in her stomach which can also cause bloating & digestion issues.

3) Swim bladder (SB) issues can also mean that the betta can't swim down w/o difficulty or gets pulled to the top when he tries. SB issues are brought on by cold or poor water quality & can normally be corrected by fixing those underlyig issues.

Despite the cause of his bloating there are a few other things that need to be altered:
1) Bettas are tropical fish & need water @ a steady 78 degrees. Cooler temps. cause color loss, clamped fins, lethargy, digestive issues, loss of appetite, stress, illness &/or death. 1-gallon (7.5 or 10 watt heater @ PetSmart and PetCo), 2.5-3 gallons: 25 watt heater (@ most pet stores), 5 gallons: 50 watt heater (@ most pet stores).

2) Water changes remove ammonia, which is toxic & forms in water from uneaten food, waste, his breathing. It's colorless & odorless so you can't tell if the water's ok by seeing if it "looks clean." For uncycled 100% water change tanks: 1 gallon: change 100% of the water (& rinse off plants, gravel, take the fish out, etc.) every other day; 2.5-3 gallons 2-3 times/week; 5 gallons 1-2 x's/week. In that size tank, w/2 fish you need to be taking them out, rinsing off the gravel, decor & plants & changing all the water every other day. Do NOT do this w/the filter tho if the tank's cycled; if it's not the filter serves no biological purpose & way as well be left out. Many people say not to change all the water but w/uncycled tanks you MUST; otherwise the ammonia levels, which are toxic, continually rise since you're leaving some in w/every water change. Because of the this, the % of ammonia in the water also rises each time. Any ammonia is enough to stress, sicken or kill fish, so none is the only ok amount. In a cycled tank, you'd change 10-25% of the water & vacuum 1/3 of the gravel 1x/wk.

3) Water conditioner that removes chlorine, chloramine & heavy metals needs to be added @ every water change. AquaClear (Walmart, PetSmart) or Novaquel & Prime used together (PetSmart) are both good brands.

Check Craigslist, freecycle,com, Ebay, backpage.com or online fish forums for the above items as people usually sell tanks &/or equipment cheaply or give them away.

Is there anything I can do about being pestered at Petsmart?

Q. Every time I have gone to Petsmart now somebody there has tried to sell me their training classes. I'm so annoyed because I'll go in looking for one thing, they ask me what I'm looking for, and then start going on and on about their training classes. This is getting irritating because I can't even ask where something is without them telling me I need to take my dog to training classes. One time I was looking for agility equipment, another time I was looking for a specific type of collar, and then another time I was looking for a specific kind of crate. I have said I'm not interested in their classes, but it's really getting annoying that I can't even ask where something is without somebody trying to put in a plug for their classes. I almost snapped on the guy tonight as he assumed by dog wasn't trained because I wanted agility equipment.
I think I will try to get in touch with the gm then and just let them know it is irritating. I'm sure I'm not the only person annoyed by it. I have never had this problem at a Petsmart before.
Glenn- Really? I didn't know they did all of that and I have never been to a mall or a department store. Yeah..obviously I'm that dense...

Answer
why not go and ask to speak to a manager about it.. let them know that you are annoyed that the employees are soliciting the training classes.. perhaps when you are looking for a particular item, they should try to show you products that are more related to the item you want.

I could see if they had AGILITY classes to offer when you asked for agility equipment.. but not their basic obedience classes.


ADDED
Yes, sometimes employees are told to push a particular item. I work at walmart, and when we run registers, we are suppossed to push the credit card applications. I know that people find that annoying tho, and I dont push it on every single customer.. simply because I KNOW that's annoying! I leave the information where it can easily be seen, and may suggest it if I feel a customer seems interested.

In my department, I will suggest related items if I see a customer looking at something particular. I see no reason to push the sale of an unrelated item, when they are obviously not looking for such a thing.

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Dog breed?

?

What kind of dog breed would you suggest that stays very small. We have a house with allot of vases and decoration and leather couches. My friend has a Tabby cat and he is no trouble at all and he does not go onto beds or couches he has his own little space with a rocking chair he loves to sleep on. I still want a dog but not let the dog make the whole house as its own house. If you what i mean? That is why i like a small dog that stays very small so it wont distruct the house. Im really not sure. Please Help.
One of my other freinds has a dog and he is medium sized and their house is really dirty i couldnt even stay in there nor live. Im guessing they dont clean their house or the dog is really a handful. Where would you suggest going somewhere to just bond with a dog and see if you like it? That would kind of help. Thank you for your answers.
What would be a small little dog that a 12 year old can handle?

Answer
Tough to say. I've seen little dogs do incredible amounts of damage and I have two large dogs that haven't damaged anything in the house.

My friend's miniature dachshund chewed the living daylights out their new expensive kitchen cabinetry. He has scratched furniture and done a lot of damage. Little dogs are lap dogs and expect to get on furniture. They think it is their right.

I have two big goldens and all I contend with is hair. They chew their own toys, sleep on their own beds are trained to stay off the furniture and out of the kitchen. It was our cat that caused a scratch on some cabinetry that he shouldn't have been on.

If you get a little or a big dog, training is critical. I recommend crate training when you can't supervise for both housebreaking and to prevent damage.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The friend with a medium sized dog and a dirty house is just a bad housekeeper. As I said, I spend a fair amount of time picking up dog hair. My house is clean and does not smell like dog. My dogs are bathed and groomed regularly and I clean regularly. I'm a fuss and couldn't stand a dirty house. So it's the friend, not the dog.

I suggest a non-shedding breed for you if hair is a concern. you will need to get the dog groomed every 4-6 weeks, but hair in the house won't be a problem. Check out shih tzus, and poodles. Skip bichons - they are notoriously hard to housebreak and keeping the house clean seems to be a big deal for you. And as I said before, do crate training to avoid destruction.

To have pets you have to accept that accidents happen, shedding happens, stuff happens. I need to have a clean house but don't freak out over the little things. I just get out the vacuum or whatever. The joy of having the pet outweighs the inconveniences.

Thoughts on underground fences for dogs..comments on crating..Boxer breed info?

Pretty

I met a gorgeous boxer at the shelter. She's the sweetest thing I've ever seen! I have 6 indoor cats and was thinking of adopting her and putting the underground fence around my backyard (which is about a half acre) so she could play outside during the day. I'm not too excited about keeping her crated all day. Any special info you have on boxers would be appreciated. Any input would be helpful if you know anything about the things I mentioned.

Answer
The underground fences aren't safe.

What if the current has a break in it?
Or
What if strange dogs come into your yard and attack your dog. Sure your dog will be inside the fence but, another dog can come into the yard and attack your dog. Your dog is not safe with the invisible fences.

You shouldn't leave a dog outside all day anyway. That is what leads to problems. Such as barking all day long. Also what if someone steals your dog? Or taunts the dog? Dog thefts are rising and not only do people steal out of yards, they break into houses to steal dogs..

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