Archive for November 2009

Dog Toys and Treats for Obedience and Fun

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Golden Retriever PuppyDogs and puppies love to play and chew. This is especially true for puppies as they are full of energy and curiosity, and they will want to chew and teethe just like a human baby. Chewing and playing are very good for puppies and dogs, providing they do not play on or chew up your furniture and other belongings.

This is why dog toys and treats such as chew bones and chew toys are very important for your dog or puppy. Having its own toys will help keep a dog from destructive chewing. In addition, playing with your dog and providing it with toys will make it feel that it is an important part of your life, give it much-needed exercise and activity, and also let both you and your dog have a lot of fun.

Gumabone and Nylabone are two popular brands of durable, high-quality chew toys and other toys for dogs and puppies. These toys come in flavored or non-flavored, and come in all kinds of materials. You can choose from nylon chew bones, rope toys, fleece toys, rubber toys, latex toys, and much more. Toys made of fleece, nylon, or rope tend to last the longest time. Nylon chew bones are also considered some of the safest chew toys for dogs because they slowly grind away rather than break off in chunks.

Most of these dogs toys are also available in a variety of shapes and sizes and are fun for chewing and for carrying around. You can even get dog toys that are made to look like popular people, brands and objects. Such toys include Harley Davidson oilcans, frisbees, hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, baby pacifiers, animals, and celebrities.

One of the best, most popular, and most versatile toys out now is the combination looped rope and fleece toy. Puppies and dogs really like these because you can interact with them with this toy. You can throw this toy for them to go chase and fetch, or hold the toy in your hand so that they can play tug-of-war with you. These combination rope and fleece chew toys will also last a long time with most dogs.

Balls are another great toy for dogs and puppies. Dogs love to chase balls in a good game of fetch. A good size for a play ball is about the size of a tennis ball. It can be a little smaller or larger, depending on the size of your dog and the size of its mouth – make sure it cannot be swallowed!

Soft and squeaky dog toys are better reserved for relatively gentle and mature dogs. Many dogs do like to play rough with their toys – this includes trying to shake, rip apart, or “kill” the toy – especially if they find that the toys are plush and soft. If your dog is relatively active and aggressive, try to avoid any toy that contains a squeaker device buried in its center. Your dog may feel that it must find and destroy the squeaking source and could ingest it. If you still would like to try a soft and squeaky toy for your dog, you should supervise its play with the toy.

As you can see, dog toys should be fun, durable, and safe. Always make sure that a toy is not so small that your dog can swallow it. Secondly, keep an eye out for any ball or other toy that could be chewed through and discard a toy immediately if it becomes cracked. A third important rule is to make sure nothing can break or fall off. Avoid or alter any toys that aren’t “dog-proof” by removing ribbons, strings, eyes, or other parts that could be chewed or ingested.

Finally, do not forget treats for your puppy or dog. Dogs love treats, and treats are also one of the most effective methods for helping to train a puppy or dog. You can give treats out to your dog when it does something good or right, such as going potty where it is supposed to. Or you can just give treats when you want to give them. However, do not feed your dog too many treats. Treats can potentially unbalance a balanced diet by causing excess caloric intake, and this can cause your dog to become overweight and unhealthy. So as a rule, treats should not exceed 10 to 20 percent of a dog’s total dietary intake.

There are a tremendous amount of treats available for puppies and dogs. Pig ears, rawhide, and edible chew bones are delicious treats for just about any dog. You can now even get interesting treats like dog cookies and dog ice cream in assorted flavors. But again, remember that treats such as pig ears and edible chew bones are intended to be food items and should not be used as regular chew toys.

Cooked beef or pork bones are another great treat and they are usually safe for dogs. However, do not give your dog small bones such as chicken bones, which are a potential choking hazard, and which can splinter and puncture the stomach and intestines.

There are also a lot of specially-made healthy and therapeutic treats that you can give to your dog. There are tartar control dental sticks, spearmint breath bones and biscuits, anti-stress sticks, skin and coat sticks, vitamin sticks, and special sticks for older dogs. One of the newest chew treats is called Greenies, which will help clean teeth, freshen breath, reduce plaque, and add nutrients to your dog’s diet.

If you have any questions regarding dog toys and treats, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.

Pet Care Tip – Baby Fish

Friday, November 27th, 2009

If you have ever kept guppies, mollies, platies, or swordtails as tropical fish, then you probably have experienced them having babies.  Many times the babies do not last, or don’t do very well, as the other fish in the tank will eat them. One way to prevent this from happening is to invest in a breeding trap, or a breeding device that goes into the tank.

To use the device, you place the pregnant fish into it until she has the babies. Then you take the mom out of the breeding trap and put her back in with the rest of the fish.  You can let the young grow up in the trap, as they are in the same water as the other fish but will be kept protected by the trap until they get bigger.

Such breeding devices work very well. Some of the ones we recommend are:

2-Way Guppy Breeder

2-Way Guppy Breeder

Fish Net Breeder

3-Way Breeder

Holiday Cheer and Care for Your Pets

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

santapupThe holiday season is an exciting time of the year. It is a time for family get-togethers and a lot of holiday cheer. It is a time of sharing and gift giving. During this time you also do not want to forget about the family pet or pets. Some pets may feel a little neglected this time of year, especially if you will be traveling and they have to stay home. So make sure that you get your pet some presents too and also spend some bonding or playing time with it this holiday season to show it that you care about it. Most pets, like people, will appreciate the special gifts that you get them. And if you do not have pets but know friends or family members who do, getting them pet gifts would be a wonderful and unique idea.

Of course, if you will be traveling and leaving your pet at home, first make sure that your pet’s basic living necessities, such as food, water, and clean bedding are all stocked up. Besides drinking, eating, and sleeping, like people most pets are also relatively smart, curious, and energetic creatures that must have things to keep them occupied in order for them to thrive and be happy. These include things like receiving special treats and having fun accessories for adequate exercise, activity, and play. Many of these things will help pets live longer and happier lives, and increase your satisfaction and enjoyment as a pet owner. And during the holiday season, these things all make great gifts for pet gift giving for all types of pets.

Dogs

Pet stocking stuffers for the holidaysChew bones and toys are very important for your dog or puppy. Remember that these will help keep a dog from destructive chewing as well as keep it happy. There are nylon chew bones and all kinds of toys made of rope, fleece, rubber, and latex. All these toys and accessories are known for their durability and safety. There are even dog toys made to look like Christmas trees, snowmen, and other holiday or winter-themed items. In addition, you can get pet Christmas stockings that have toys, treats, and chews inside. The holiday season is also a great time to get dog clothes and shoes for your dog to protect it from snow, ice, rain, and other bad conditions, while at the same time making quite a visual impact and fashion statement!

There are a tremendous amount of treats available for puppies and dogs. Maybe you could get your pet its favorite treat during the holidays. A lot of dogs love treats such as pig ears, rawhide bones, dog biscuits shaped like bones, edible chew bones. Other interesting and delicious dog treats include dog cookies in assorted flavors and even dog ice cream. There are also a lot of healthy and therapeutic treats for dogs such as tartar control dental sticks, spearmint breath bones and biscuits, anti-stress sticks, skin and coat enhancement sticks, and vitamin sticks. One of the newest chew treats is called Greenies, which is not only nutrient-packed, it also helps clean teeth, freshen breath, reduce plaque.

Cats

Like dogs and puppies, kittens and cats will love to play with new toys and enjoy some special treats during the holidays. There are many types of cat toys: cat ball toys, fabric doll toys made in the likeness of a mouse or other small animal, a ball or other object attached to a string for swatting and batting purposes, battery-operated or motorized toys that move by themselves or when activated by the cat, laser pointer flashlight toys, crinkle cat toys that make a crinkly noise or even toys that make bird or other animal noises. Basically, anything that makes noise, moves when played with or that can be pounced will provide your cat with great exercise and fun.

Cats also like to climb and get up high, and getting them a tall cat tree or some other cat furniture with some height to it will be great for exercise, climbing, and general play. A lot of cat trees go up to the ceiling and have shelves, a small house, or other play areas for your cat. Most cats love these cat trees and will play on them for hours, especially if you hang some of their favorite toys from it. Put your cat tree near a window, and your cat can enjoy looking outside to watch birds, squirrels, people, and more. Cat scratching posts, of course, are another a great and very important investment for any cat – not only for exercise and stress relief, but also for protecting everything else in your house from being scratched up.

Small Animals

Three hamsters playing on a wooden playhouseIf you have a hamster, mouse, gerbil, ferret, guinea pig, or other small animal as a pet, there are many great treats and toys available for them too. Small animals will need to have some accessories and entertainment items in the cage such as toys, or you can get a special small animal playhouse with tubes, wheels, tunnels, funnels and other exciting stuff built in already. These playhouses will keep small animals occupied for hours with plenty of antics and opportunities to scamper, tunnel, burrow and play. Your small animal will get its exercise and fun, which is very important, and you will be greatly entertained as you watch it in its playhouse from close up or far away.

There are also exercise wheels and exercise balls for small animals. It is great fun to watch your pet zoom around the house in an exercise ball, while exercise wheels are a better option if you would like to keep track of your pet and keep it in its cage. You can even walk your small animal around outside like a dog during the upcoming spring months by getting some of the new harnesses and leads made especially for small animals. Think of all the attention you would get! In addition, small animals will love wood chews and treats. These will also keep them from chewing on their food bowls, cages, and other things. There are flavored or plain wood chew toys in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes available at your local pet shop.

Fish and Birds

Finally, if you are a bird owner or fish owner, do not forget them this holiday season. Most birds – especially parakeets – love mirrors and other reflective objects. It is especially good to have a mirror in the cage if you have just one bird. They are very social creatures and will not be as lonely if there is another bird as a companion or the reflection of themselves to admire. Many birds are also very playful, energetic and curious and will enjoy bird toys, trinkets, and even wooden bird chew toys. Cuttle bones and millet sprays are favorite treats for most birds and make a great gift as well. Last but not least, like other pets your fish will also notice, appreciate, and enjoy any new plants or other aquarium decorations and accessories that you add to their habitats.

Your pets care about you, so show them you care, and do not forget them during the holidays! In addition, remember that most of these wonderful gifts and accessories will usually last you and your pets many years. If you have any more questions regarding gifts for your or someone else’s pets during the holidays, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.

Pet Care Tip – Winterizing Your Pond

Friday, November 20th, 2009

If you live in the Midwest or Northern states, then fall is the time of the year to start thinking about getting your pond ready for winter. If your pond is 24 inches or less in depth, it will most likely freeze to the point where your fish won’t survive.

You can get a pond heater or de-icer to keep your pond from completely freezing. In this way, you can leave your fish out in the pond rather than bringing them indoors for the winter.  You will want to first clean your pond very well. Remove all leaves and debris. Then, get a pond heater or de-icer ready to install for when temperatures drop.

Some recommended heaters are:

Heated pond saucer - 200 watt

Heated pond saucer - 200 watt

Heated pond de-icer - 500 watt

Heated pond de-icer - 500 watt

Floating pond de-icer - 1250 watt

Floating pond de-icer - 1250 watt

Pond de-icer/heater - 300 watt

Pond de-icer/heater - 300 watt

Product Review: Marineland 220 Canister Filter

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Marineland 200 Canister Filter

Marineland 220 Canister Filter

The Marineland 220 canister filter is a middle size canister filter made by Marineland.  In our opinion, this is one of the best filters that you can buy.  It comes with four different filtering media, including a foam filter for mechanical filtration and two kinds of biological filtration (bio-balls and bio-beads).  It also comes with a good quantity of Marineland’s best activated carbon for removing dissolved organics, colors, odors and gases from the water.

This filter circulates 220 gallons of water per hour, and would be a great filter for a tank sized from 29 to 55 gallons.  The filter has a quick prime button for easy priming, and comes with locking valves on the filter hoses so you can easily remove the filter from the hoses for cleaning.  Because of the multiple filtering media used by this filter, it requires cleaning less frequently than your average filter.

Another nice advantage is that the filter can operate out of the way by placing it under the tank in your cabinet stand. This allows you to set your aquarium close to the wall, only an inch or so away, since that is all you will need for the clearance of the two hoses.

This filter comes in four sizes: the 160, the 220, the 360, and the large 530.

We highly recommend the Marineland canister filter for your aquarium.  You would be hard-pressed to find a better filter.

Click here for more information.