Pampered Dog Blog

Thinking about buying a dog?
So you’ve decided to purchase a dog. Owning a dog can be the beginning of years of happiness as the special bond between humans and canines exceeds even the greatest of expectations. However, to ensure the best relationship with your dog, you must be prepared for some important responsibilities. Keep the following questions in mind as we go along.If you need to see many quality accessories for your dog please check Quality Advice

Have I found the right breed to fit into my lifestyle and home?

Will I have enough time to spend training, grooming and exercising a dog?

Am I willing to spend the resources to ensure the best future for a dog?

The breed for you
Is there a breed you have had your eye on, or are you confused about how to select a dog? In either case, you should do some homework to make sure that you select the right dog for you and your family. The bonus of selecting a purebred dog is their predictability in size, coat, care requirements and temperament. Knowing what your cute puppy will look like and the kind of care he will need as an adult is a key in selecting the breed for you.

Several websites that can help you choose a dog include Pet Net’s Select-A-Pet and the Animal Planet Pet Selector.

You and your dog
Too frequently, common sense goes out the window when it comes to buying a puppy. This seems to be even truer when the purchase is by a family with children. Buying a dog is like buying anything else; the more you know before you buy, the better off you will be. This advice applies to all aspects of buying your dog, from selecting the breed to deciding where to obtain the puppy. We strongly recommend that you spend time investigating before buying. Remember, dogs are for life.

Selectapet can help you begin your research with its pictures and descriptions of each breed. Your initial research will help you narrow the field when it comes to selecting the breed for you and your lifestyle. Remember to consider your dog’s lifestyle, too. And for extended research, consult the resources at your local library.

While investigating, always be honest with yourself. The Bearded Collie you fell in love with because of his lush coat is indeed beautiful, but are you going to be able to brush this coat every day as it requires? Maybe a short coated dog better suits your busy lifestyle. Think about the size of your house or your apartment.

Will that Golden Retriever be happy in your apartment? The Golden Retriever is a larger working dog who requires a lot of exercise. Do you have a fenced yard so he can go out safely? If not, can you afford to install a fence? These are crucial questions regarding the safety of your dog and being a responsible neighbour.

Always remember, it is okay to change your mind about which breed you want or if you want the responsibility of owning a dog at all. Owning a dog is a big responsibility! Talk to breeders. Ask them lots of questions; we all know there are no stupid questions. A responsible breeder will eagerly answer your questions and share his or her experience and knowledge with you. Where can you find breeders and see dogs? At dog shows (see upcoming Activities and Events). Also contact DOGS Victoria affiliated clubs for their recommendations.

Selecting a breeder
Buy your puppy from a responsible and well-respected breeder. This cannot be stressed enough. Responsible breeders are concerned with the betterment of the breed. For example, they work on breeding healthier dogs with the appropriate temperament for their breed. Your DOGS Victoria breeder referral contact will direct you to a breeder who is concerned with the future of the puppy. Once you select a breeder, screen the breeder. Ask to see at least one of the parents (the dam or the sire) of your puppy. See how the dogs in your breeder’s home interact with your breeder. Are they friendly and outgoing or do they shy away? The responsible breeder will be screening you, too, looking for the best home for each puppy.

How much does a puppy cost?
This is not the time to hunt for a bargain. Your new puppy will be a member of your family for his lifetime, so you’ll want to make a wise investment. Ask breeders and breed club members to get a rough idea of prices, but don’t make decision on price alone – more expensive isn’t necessarily better. Make sure you find the right dog for YOU. And remember, the price of the puppy is just the beginning of the costs. Remember to check out many great pet accessories at Dog Needs

Can you afford a puppy?
The purchase price of your puppy is not the only cost you have to consider. Be aware that the puppy you bring home will need proper care. Of course, it will need food and health care, (a dog needs annual vaccinations and regular worming treatments). Your puppy will also need little things like a collar with identification, a bowl, and a lead. It will also need to be registered with your local council or shire. Evaluate your budget; ask yourself if you really can afford a dog. Dog Ownership = Responsibility.

Take the time to ask yourself these questions and to make an educated decision. You and your dog will be happier for it. There is no doubt that a puppy is a cuddly bundle of joy, but it is also a huge responsibility.

Caring for your dog
All dogs must be cared for daily. This means proper diet, exercise, grooming and veterinary attention. There are many excellent guides on all facets of dog care. We recommend you have some other authoritative reference source available. Do not attempt to be your own veterinarian! All dogs should be regularly examined by a veterinarian and vaccinated against the major infectious canine diseases.

Your dog and your neighbors
All dog owners must be aware of their responsibilities to their neighbours, both those who live in the area immediately around their residence and their neighbours in the broader sense of the community as a whole. Dogs, for all the pleasure they are, can be a nuisance to your neighbours if not trained. Remember, excessive barking can be annoying. Always keep your dog on a leash or inside a fenced yard when exercising. Remember to pick up after your dog. Forestall problems for yourself and your dog and all dog lovers by being a good neighbour.

Obedience training for everyone
One way to make your dog a good neighbour is through obedience training. A poorly behaved dog is a problem for everyone. Nothing is more frustrating than attempting to catch a dog that will not “come” when you call. A well trained dog is not only a pleasure to own, he is a goodwill ambassador for the entire canine community. A well-behaved dog is the result of the dog’s owner being willing to work with the dog regularly in a systematic manner. Obedience classes are available in most communities (see Obedience Clubs). Time spent training your dog is time well spent.

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Flea Control Tips

There are many flea products on the market today that make a lot of claims which can be confusing to the consumer trying to select a flea control product. But before applying any flea insecticide, it is important to consider the complete scope of the flea problem. The most important principle in a total flea control program is that the pet?s environment (indoors and outdoors) as well as the pet and all other pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets) should be treat simultaneously.

Before using any insecticides, the environment must be thoroughly cleaned to remove as many of the adult fleas, eggs, larvae, and pupae as possible. Vacuuming with a beater-bar brush is extremely effective in removing adult fleas and other immature forms. Vacuuming raises the carpet fibers which makes the immature forms of fleas accessible to insecticides, in addition to aerating and drying out the carpet. Even if the vacuum fails to remove the cocoon because of its sticky nature, it will stimulate pre-emerged adults to emerge from the pupae, allowing them to be sucked up by the vacuum or exposing them to the insecticides. Be sure to thoroughly vacuum the ?source points? where the pet spends most of it?s time. If that is a chair or bed, be sure to vacuum and treat under the furniture, because the eggs and larvae will actually fall off and the larvae will crawl under the furniture away from the light. Be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag immediately. Don?t use a flea collar in the vacuum bag because it is not approved for use in such a manner and may pose a threat to your health. You may also want to steam clean your carpet at this time which will further help in the mechanical removal of fleas. Be sure your pet?s bedding and blankets or rugs routinely occupied by your pet are washed in hot water. This is something that should be repeated on a weekly basis.

Outdoor cleanup will involve mowing and raking the yard thoroughly, including removal of any organic debris from flower beds and under bushes. This will also increase the exposure of the fleas to the insecticides. Be sure to clean any areas where your pet spends time, such as the garage, basement, pet carrier, and automobile. Non-carpeted floors should be mopped because fleas may develop in cracks and crevices.
The next step in flea control is the application of insec?ticides to all pets and the indoor and outdoor environment simultaneously. All pets, such as dogs, cats, and ferrets, should be treated at the same time, and free-roaming animals kept out of the environment.

There is no one chemical or chemical combination of insecticides that will fit every flea infestation problem or fulfill the needs and desires of every pet owner. One natural and safer approach in killing and controlling fleas on the pet and in the environment is to use a product with a pyrethrin and an insect growth regulator (IGR). IGRs are synthetic juvenile insect hormones that have ovicidal and larvicidal activity. The pyrethrin will provide the quick kill of the adult flea, while the IGR will prevent eggs and larvae from developing into the pupae. There are currently two IGRs used in flea control products on the market?methoprene and fenoxycarb. These are extremely stable and provide prolonged residual activity of approximately 30 days.
You can also find IGRs in foggers and premise sprays which can be used alone or in combination with other chemicals. Foggers are commonly used by pet owners but several precautions should be considered:
? Foggers should be placed in each room to be treated (because they don?t effectively go around corners).
? Fogger spray does not go under furniture.
? All people and pets, including fish and birds, must be removed before treatment.
? Utensils and all surfaces in which food is prepared must be covered.
? The home must be thoroughly ventilated and chemicals dried before people and pets return.
Areas that cannot be reached by the foggers, such as closets or under furniture, and heavily infested source points should be sprayed by hand with the insecticide. Often, the heavily infested source points in the home or yard need to be retreated in two to three weeks, because the pre-emerged adults inside the pupae or cocoons are protected from the initial application of chemicals. Retreat the areas where you see fleas. In most cases, these will be the source points or hot spots.
Read more on advantage flea control and flea infestation

Get realistic info in the sphere of house train a dog – this is your personal tips store.

You will need an assortment of toys that are appropriate for your puppy’s size, age and personal preferences.  Safe, fun and interactive doggy toys are recommended.  A good example of interactive toy is the red, hard rubber “beehive” toy that bounces erratically when dropped.   Your puppy will soon learn to drop it himself.

Some balls are meant to be thrown and retrieved while others like the big boomer ball can be pushed, hit and nosed by the puppy alone.  A ball with a bell inside keeps interest in the game.  Rope toys are great for mild, controlled tug-of-war and also for solitary chewing.  Rawhides offer hours of busy chewing and are more occupational than play.  A plush dinosaur, hedgehogs, chimps, frogs , pigs  and numerous other characters produce sounds that range from squeaks to roars.

Watch your puppy when he is playing with chew toys, because not every toy is safe for every dog.  Some dogs confuse the concept of “play” with “destroy” and are interested only in destroying whatever toy you buy.  Stick with toys that require your participation, or, for solitary play, the larger-sized hard rubber toys and balls and good-sized rawhide bones.

You can find a variety of unique dog toys for your pup at Pampered-Dog-Gifts.com  For readers of this blog you may use coupon code PDG10 to get 10% off your entire order.

Your puppy needs a crate.  It is his private, personal, snug den where he can sleep, chew a toy and watch the world around him, completely undisturbed.  Crates come in two styles: closed (fiberglass) or open (wire). The closed crate is draft-proof, but some puppies as well as their owners want to be able to see more.  The open variety offers this visibility, but most dogs like the crate covered, especially while they are sleeping.

Either type must be placed away from drafts and sources of heat or air conditioning.  Regardless of which style you decide on, it is important to get the correct size.  Gauge the adult size of your pup and get a crate that will just allow him to stand and lie down. If that size gives him more space than he needs for the next couple of months, use an adjustable barrier that can be moved back as needed.

For large breeds, it may be wiser to have a crate suitable for up to six months of age, and then get the one that will last the dog a lifetime. The best puppy bedding is a folded bath towel, one that is washable or disposable in case of accidents.

Visit Pampered-Dog-Gifts for the cutest dog gifts online.

With so many different kinds of dog shampoos on the market today, it is not easy to decide which one to use.  For most breeds, a basic, all-purpose shampoo is fine.  But if you want your shampoo to do more than clean, you might consider a specialty shampoo.

• Shampoos designed to deliver extra conditioning to long or curly coats can make post-bath grooming even easier.

• Accentuate your dog’s coat color by choosing a shampoo made for white, black, or red coats.

• For sensitive eyes, consider a tearless shampoo.

• For wire-coated dogs, look for a shampoo designed to preserve the crisp texture of your dog’s coat.

• Many dogs have sensitive skin or eyes.  A hypoallergenic shampoo can minimize sensitivity reactions to bathing.

• If your dog already has a rash, allergies, itching, or other sensitive skin conditions, look for a medicated shampoo designed to treat your dog’s problem. Your vet should be able to recommend a good medicated shampoo for your dog.

• For flea season, consider a shampoo containing a gentle anti-flea ingredient such as pyrethrin or limonene, or any of several natural botanicals designed to repel fleas, such as neem oil.

You may also consider specialty scented shampoos like the tropical scented dog shampoos (scents such as kiwi & lemon, lime & mandarin etc.) available at Pampered-Dog-Gifts.com .  Check out all our dog bath products for your pampered pooch.

A pet fence is a wire that is used as a boundary around the property so that animals or pets don?t stray outside the boundary and remain within the property itself. The Dog fence originated in Australia in 1880 to keep dingoes or wild dogs away from the farm lands, so that they don?t get violent with the livestock, rabbits, emus and other animals on the property. In modern times the need for a Pet fence has become inevitable so that pets don?t wander away onto other people?s properties inconveniencing the neighbors.

Initially, pet fences which were used were mostly wire mesh fences which were attached together by placing four posts in the ground and installing a gate so as to facilitate entry into the fence. The advantage of the wire fence is that the height of the fence can be adjusted depending on the size of the dog or pet. Most pets which are trained will not jump over the fence and will remain within the boundaries of the fence itself.

Pet fences or Dog Fences can be a simple wire mesh fence which is surrounding the entire boundary of the building or can be a small stretch that is wired so that the dog or pet can move around inside it. Some pet fences are chain linked and are the most common. These are found in many kennels and homes today. It consists of diamond shaped wire gauze, which is very hard to tamper with and it is agreeable with zoning laws. However, the pets can easily become irritated in a chain linked fence. Spiral rail fence is a better design for a Dog Fence and is included in many architectural designs these days.

The other types of conventional Pet fences are picket fence, farm fence and snow fence. Besides these the new-age fences are the hybrid fences, which are hidden and are best suited for those who do not want to change the fa?ade of their houses. They serve the same purpose as a conventional fence does. The only difference being that they are fixed deep in the ground along the boundary of the house. If the pet attempts to jump the fence it gives a little shock to the pet who is wearing a collar with fence sensors. They are not very expensive to install as compared to some of the other fences and help serve the same purpose in a better way.

There are various kinds of Pet fences available in the market today and you can choose depending on your requirement. Many factors such as design, budget, durability and dog breed go into making a decision on the type of invisible dog fence required for installation.

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Dogs have been one of the most popular house pets from ages and taking care of a dog involves showing him proper care and attention to all of his needs and housing is one of the primary needs of every animal. When it comes to dog houses, you can find many adequate solutions to take proper care of your dog?s housing necessities while keeping to you budget, if that is an issue.

Dog houses can be interior or exterior, depending on the type of habitation you have, dog houses can be located inside your own home or outside it.

They can also be all of shapes and materials. The most popular exterior dog houses are simple wooden ones, simply composed by four walls a roof and a door. Cement dog houses have been widely used as well and have been very popular means of dog housing for years as aluminium ones have but both have proven to be very inefficient dog houses since they both were not comfortable for the pet.

Cement dog houses have proven to be very cold during winter while aluminium dog houses are extremely hot in the sunny weather making those two options a very cruel way to house your canine friend. Read more info about Dog Cages.

Nowadays the most popular and efficient option for exterior dog houses is still wooden or, if you fancy luxury dog houses or want to make a custom one, you can build your dog a super cosy, isolated dog house, using the same architectural and design techniques as if building a mini house for yourself. This can be a costly solution, but if that is not a problem for you, custom dog houses can be the safest way to make sure your dog is properly taken care of.

The idea of a custom housing for your dog is not all original and there are many different companies developing this type of products and services. You can now bring dog houses to a new level with customization.

Nevertheless, if you still love your pet very much but cannot afford to build him a two story with air condition house, the market has also more modest options that will keep your dog happy and well taken care of.

Interior dog houses can be exactly of the same type as the exterior ones- only they are placed inside your house- or they can be completely made out of smooth fabrics such as cotton, felt and sponge. They are very warm and comfortable dog houses, specially made for the confort of your dog without the need to think about the exterior weather conditions. Different form simple dog beds, those interior dog houses have the traditional four walls and one roof but they are made using very different materials.

All efforts to keep your furry family member happy are worth it and giving him the best housing you can is an act of love and respect. With such big an offer for dog houses, whatever your lifestyle, you can provide him with a safe and proper place to live. Dog houses don?t need to fancy or expensive, just keep your dogs contort in mind. Find more about Dog Carrier.

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I know this may be tough to believe, but not everyone likes your family dog. Keeping your pet in an enclosed space with a good quality pet fence, your dog can stay in your neighbors good graces. I know what you are thinking, it’s almost impossible to imagine that anyone who knows your dog doesn’t immediately fall in love. Well your dog might be ok with the neighbors but the things she does in their yard might not be so ok. This is one of the main reasons why every pet owner has an obligation to control their pets traveling range with some type of pet fencing.

One of the biggest problems is a dog deciding to go to the bathroom in your neighbors yard. Of course your pet might be the nicest dog in the world, but you can bet that your neighbor will get mightily upset if your dog starts leaving surprises all over the front lawn!

That’s not to say that your dog isn’t nice, or anything silly like that. Dogs are usually social animals and enjoy interaction with a variety of people and other animals. This interaction is not without consequences though, and you must realize this. Things can get broken, chewed on and otherwise “enjoyed” by your pet no matter if they belong to you or the neighbor.

There is also the issue of community security to be concerned with. This is even more true if you have a larger dog. Having a large dog escape the security of their owner’s yard could be seen as negligence. Many communities are becoming more and more upset at pet owners who allow their animals to free run of a neighborhood.

The old saying says that “A good fence makes for good neighbors”. That rings true with your pets as well. By keeping your dog in your own yard, you can rest easily with the peace of mind and comfort knowing that your pet is safe and not getting into any trouble. Invisible dog fence products are a great investment no matter which type of dog or other pet you have!

I highly recommend you go take a look at a dog fence system for your dog. I would most highly recommend Invisible Dog Fence brand.

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Novelty Toy

We just got a new supply of these unique novelty dog toys.  If you are looking for something that is really unique this toy is perfect. 

Looks like your favorite beverage, but with a twist.  Poopsie is for dogs only. 

The perfect gift for the prankster in your family.

pampered pet bed

In addition to our traditional pet beds, Pampered-Dog-Gifts has a new pet bed for spoiled pups that I am very excited about.  This cute designer dog bed replaces our new puppy bed gift set that was discontinued by the manufacturer.  This bed has high sides and includes a soft cushion and accent pillow and is so cute.

This bed is extra soft and the sides are 2″ thick which provides great support for your dog while he sleeps.  Your pup will not be disappointed.

We are also in the process of updating our Louis Dog line of designer pet beds.  I’ll keep you updated as we add these designs.  These are usually available only for a limited time as the manufacturer changes their designs 2-3 times a year.