Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Warning! Pet Owners, 4 Challenges to Address Before Buying Your Next Pet

Author: Frederick Adu-Acheampong

Pets especially dogs have been the most important non human being associated to man, even unto the moon. More people own pets in the world than cars, mobile phones and even computers.

The dog thing has presently become a lifestyle thing. Of course with over 41 million households in America owning a pet one wouldn’t have to be surprised.

But like any important purchase in ones life it is of great importance and of necessity to consider carefully some important points of questions to help inform your right choice or decision.

Owning a dog is a very wonderful experience; be it cute, fast, heavy, beautiful strong or for whatever feature and attribute you will want to describe in a dog. Yet there are many basic but serious challenging issues one must consider when choosing a pet, and in this case of this article a dog or puppy.

1st Challenge: Time and energy commitment.
A. The average dog void of disease and accident will live for 12 years. Some dogs will live as long as 20 years. So before you consider buying your next dog consider the lifelong time commitment you will have to make in order to be a happy dog owner and to keep a happy and loyal dog.

B.Furthermore there is also the energy demand factor that will call on you.

Dogs by their very nature apart from for healthy reasons will consistently require exercise. Both indoors and outdoors, they need this space to walk and play.

A happy dog will require 2-3 daily hours from you for walk and play especially outdoors. This is equally healthy to you as well.

Dogs like playing either with other dogs, with their toys alone or with you (owner and children).Please give them that attention.

It is sad how many dog owners quickly lose interest in dog ownership after some few years because they did net consider their lifestyle aspect when bringing in this new family member.

2nd Challenge: Financial – Money to spend and care
Let’s not hide it, it’s expensive to keep a happy dog, Even if it were given to you free of charge, there is the cost of feeding, vaccination, veterinary cost, traveling, training, grooming kits, pampering, supplies, insurance and many other costs to consider. I will recommend that pet lovers consider these areas of cost before buying a pet to help them be happy and responsible pet owners.

3rd Challenge: Lifestyle compatibility
Once the above challenges (time, energy and financial) has been considered and addressed, then i guess we have come a long way already. Yet we will also need to consider our lifestyle to help choose the right dog that will fit us.

It’s important to consider the size, age, disposition and personality, physical type, and sex of the pet.

Examples:
Sex; you will not go in for a female dog if you do not intend to breed or raise a new litter.

Physical size; it will not be parentally advisable for children with first time dog experience to choose a giant dog. This is because from my personal experience you child is more likely to develop an unfriendly attitude towards dogs. If this new dog keeps pushing him/her over always. Remember dogs love to play, I hope you understand.

4th Challenge: Defining purpose – The why factor
There are many and various reasons why anyone will buy a dog. An important question to ask yourself is why you need a need. Dogs come in different shapes and sizes, temperaments, skill and special abilities. Do you need a hunting dog, a watchdog, a dog show dog or maybe just for a pet.

So my dear pet lover the next time you consider buying a pet, try as much as possible to satisfy the above challenges. For with this THOU SHALL BE A HAPPY PET OWNER AND RAISE A HAPPY AND LOYAL PET.

About the Author:
This article was written by Frederick Adu-Acheampong,. If you have any interest regarding dog training or pet needs
http://gentlestep.sharda0092.hop.clickbank.net

Monday, May 19, 2008

A Dog Birthday Party Is Pretty Easy To Plan For Your Pooch


Author: Amy Nutt

The idea of having a party for their pooch is sometimes the last thing on most people's minds. But, who better to throw an event of such epic proportions for than the one who is always so loyal and loving?

It is a fun, new fad that pet owners everywhere are adopting. You may feel overwhelmed at the idea and looking for tips to organize a dog birthday party. The puppy party can pretty much have any theme you're looking for even for a birthday.

Here are a few ideas:
- A regular birthday party is probably one of the most obvious and popular choices
- Barbecues that include pet owners and pets alike in the festivities
- Mardi Gras are sure to offer fun for dogs and people with Big Easy Style
- A Western theme can help you have a blast even if their won't be a shoot out at the O.K. Corral
- The famous song, "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" centers around the song as the theme for the dog birthday party

A Regular Birthday Party
A regular birthday party for your pooch is a great way to honor that loyal companion of the family. Many pet stores have cake mixes especially for dogs. It's great to also bake or buy a cake for the humans in attendance so everyone is included. You can use streamers, balloons, and pinatas filled with healthy dog treats for the canine crew. If children will be attending it may be fun to have a pinata in a separate location for them. The possibilities are endless.

A Birthday Barbecue for your Best Friend
A barbecue is a fun way to celebrate your best friend's special day. Owners get to enjoy the bounty of the barbecue while dogs have fun. If you have a pool and all the pet owners have bathed their dogs, it may be fun to open up the pool for a pooch pool party. This may offer a lot of laughs as well as offer great photo opportunities!

Big Easy Birthday Mardi Gras Style
Maybe you feel your love for your dog is larger than life. What better way to express it than with a Mardi Gras themed dog birthday party? It's fun to have guests and pets come incognito with masks or if you want you can provide the masks yourself. Some party stores sell them for both pets and humans. Decorations with traditional Mardi Gras colors of green, gold, and purple will give a bold and authentic feel to the occasion.

Just "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?"
You can turn your house into a "pet shop" set to the old and famous song "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" Little for sale signs and decorations can put up in the windows of your home or on patio windows. It's fun to play the song when guests arrive. It might be fun to have a puppy pageant or dog show and have designated judges vote on the dogs.

Some Helpful Hints to get it Organized
Here are some tips to organize a dog birthday party:
- Send invitations out two to three weeks in advance. It makes it fun if the invitations match up with the theme of the party to elevate excitement levels of guests. These can be cheaply designed on a computer.
- Get an RSVP from all guests so you know how much food and canine cake to buy
- Have a camera with batteries on hand, so you don't miss a single moment!
- Only invite dogs that you know your pet likes or won't feel intimidated by
- Allow your children (if you have them) participate in the planning and decorating
- If you're having it at a park, make sure a shelter is available on the day in case of rain Planning a pooch's birthday party isn't unlike planning for family members or friends.

A little forethought will keep things running more smoothly and ensure your dog's behaviour. It will help everyone to have a fantastic day without the fur flying!

About the Author:
Bark Busters leads the pack in solving dog behaviour issues, dog obedience training issues, and puppy training.