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I first heard about people raising chickens in their own gardens back in 2004, when a friend of mine started doing it because he liked organic food and knowing that the eggs he ate came from animals that were treated and raised in a humane manner. He decided the only way to know for sure about that was if he raised the chickens himself. He did a lot of research on the different aspects of chicken coop design, and then he built two pretty decent-sized coops in his back garden, since it’s pretty large. A few weeks after that we went over and my wife heard about it, and then nothing would do but that we raised some chickens of our own.

I was okay with it, I guess. We have a pretty big garden ourselves, but I couldn’t see needing that many eggs so I managed to talk the missus into only one coop. Fine, she said, and then she left me to get started on the chicken coop design, going off with a big book under her arm called how to care for chickens. Well, I wasn’t about to do all that research myself what with my friend already having done it, so I gave him a call and asked him to come over.

He did, and ran over the basics with me in the little shed I use as my workshop. First, he said, chickens need enough space to be comfortable, or they won’t lay as many eggs as they should. I asked him how much space was enough, and he gave me these guidelines:

* Inside the coop ” at least 4 square feet per bird

* Outside the coop in a run – at least 10 square feet per bird

* On roosts ” 3 horizontal feet per bird.

Other than that, he said, I also needed to make sure there was enough ventilation in the chicken coop design to keep the chickens healthy. They naturally like temperatures that are neither extremely hot or cold, so adding windows into the top of the coop would allow air to circulate and keep the temperature in a range the poultry would like. With that in mind, I put in one that I could control how much it opens, since sometimes it gets cold here and a wide open one would let in drafts that the chickens would find just as uncomfortable.

He also told me about how chickens like to roost off the ground. Apparently this is because in the wild they sleep on tree branches to avoid predators, so that adding roosts into a chicken coop design that lets them do something similar will make them feel safer. I ended up choosing, at his recommendation, 2 x 2 boards with the sides rounded a bit to make it easier for my birds to grip them.

The last thing to consider was protection from some of the chickens’ natural predators. Since there are so many, of so many different kinds”such as birds of prey, wild cats, and wolves or foxes”you need to consider all angles of attack when making your chicken coop design predator-proof. Make sure the walls of the coop are solid enough, and that any chicken wire you use has a small enough mesh to prevent them getting into the run.

For more great tips and advice on chicken coop, visit http://www.chickencoopadvice.com.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is not only common in humans. It is common in dogs, too. This is most common in female dogs because of their short urethra, but UTI in male dogs is also probable, although rarely. In its early stages of development, UTI in dogs may not necessarily be harmful and may not exhibit obvious signs. In addition, urinary tract infection in some dogs may resolve itself within a span of time even without medical intervention. But if UTI in dogs is not treated for a long period of time, it may cause further infection and damage to the dog?s urinary system.

The symptoms of UTI in a female puppy are easy to detect if you are aware of the urinating habit of your puppy. Any signs of irregularity may signal a problem in the puppy?s health.

The following are signs of female puppy UTI: 1. Frequent urination. A female puppy suffering from UTI may tend to urinate more often. This constant urination may be caused by an inflammation in its bladder. If inflammation has worsened, this frequent urination may lead to incontinence or the inability for the puppy to control the flow of its urine. 2. In contrast to frequent urination, a puppy with UTI may urinate less than usual. This condition could be caused by a blockage in the female puppy?s urethra or bladder. The blockage may be caused by the formation of stones or plugs. Although blockage is most common in male puppies, it could also happen in females. If left untreated, a complete blockage may occur and put the puppy?s life in extreme danger. 3. Excessive thirst. Female puppies with UTI may also tend to drink more water. This increase in thirst may be a sign of dehydration which may be caused by constant urination or excessive excretion of liquid from its body. 4. Bloody urine. In its advanced stage, UTI in a female puppy may result to bloody urine. This can be extremely painful to the puppy. 5. Straining to urinate. The puppy may strain to urinate but produce only trickles of urine. The puppy may also whimper when trying to urinate because of the pain that goes along with the process. 6. Lethargy. If you notice that your puppy is getting lethargic more often, or is feverish, chances are it may be suffering from female puppy UTI in its advanced stage. Treatment is a must in this condition.

Urinary tract infection is a painful experience for the dog. Now that you have an idea of why and how UTI in dogs happens, it is vital that you take precautionary measures to prevent your dog from contracting another case of dog UTI. Prevention of UTI in dogs is as simple as ABC, as long as you take regular action of the following tips: ? Give your dog ample amount of clean water everyday. ? Give your dog a regular bath, taking note to especially wash its genital area. ? Give your dog a regular dose of homeopathic remedy. ? Wash the dog?s food and water bowl with clean water regularly. ? Regularly take the dog out for a morning or afternoon walk. Exercise can help stimulate its bladder. ? Encourage your dog to urinate regularly. Regular urination is essential to flush out the bacteria that may have accumulated in the dog?s bladder.

Before giving your dog these ingredients, though, be sure to have it brought to the vet for examination first, especially when you notice signs of symptoms of canine UTI in your pet. Canine UTI is a serious health problem in dogs and must not be ignored. Seek the help of a veterinarian as soon as possible when your dog shows signs of dog UTI. This way, you can save your pet from further health problem.

Trying to find a solution to UTI in dogs or searching for a remedy for dog incontinence, look no further.

Dog breeding is certainly rewarding but you will need to invest a lot of time, effort, and money before you can start to enjoy the fruits of your labor, so make sure you enter this adventure with your eyes open

Find a good stud dog. This is essential. Go to a kennel and find a reputable stud dog owner. This owner will have done this before, so they should be able to give you advice on how to ensure success. Also make sure you check for the purity. There should be a certificate. You will also want to get a health certificate from the stud dog to ensure he has a full bill of health.

The female dog’s health is also vital. To ensure success in dog breeding you will need to take good care of your female dog’s health. A healthy pregnancy will result in healthy pups; and the birth process will be easier for your dog. Make sure your vet examines your female dog before any attempt at mating.

The commonest reason breeding failure is bad timing. Female dogs have lengthy periods in heat, but it can be tough to identify the ideal timing. Ask your vet for recommendation about perfect timing. The proper time to start breeding is when the female is at least 2.

Develop a good relationship with your vet. You will need his or her advice during breeding, pregnancy, and birth. New pups should be examined by the vet in order to identify any abnormalities or defects.

The costs involved in breeding dogs can be high, make sure you look into this before you start. You will need to consider the food that you feed your dogs, their housing and medical care as well as the costs involved in looking after the litter. Talk with your local veterinarian to determine how much you would be spending on full medical care as well as other dog breeders to get their view on financial expenditure.

These are some of the dog breeding tips I have used with great success. Follow them and remember to be patient, since this can take sometime. Don’t skip steps because you could end up with much larger problems if you don’t.

I know how you feel, you want to breed dogs but are a bit overwhelmed by it all. Then this is what you need to do NOW First, go to http://4dogbreeding.com. Next enjoy the site and pick up some tips.

Animal hospitals recognize that whole nutrition for dogs is a careful guesstimate, at best. But don’t worry. The finest health for your dog doesn’t have to be a lost cause. Nevertheless, it can be gone astray inside a bag of unfilled nutritional promises.

Repeatedly, you’ll read that bone meal, or meat meal, or corn meal is the chief element in your dog’s packaged foodstuff. That does not mean that it will prove to be the greatest morning or evening banquet.

Rather, holistic dog feeding, tailored to your specific pet, is more likely to promote your dog’s best shot at good health and longevity.

Unrefined foods for dogs supply nutrients that are more readily accessible for dogs’ systems to use. Unrefined foods are also more capable in their transfer of energy. Moreover, if you choose organically produced food, you choose to do away with the chemicals that can obstruct nutrient and energy digestion. These are all advantages that hardly any processed foods can claim.

Certain dog indicators, such as constipation, obesity, malnutrition, skin and coat problems, and allergies can result from inappropriate feeding. And not uncommonly, ailments of the eyes, heart, gums, kidneys, and liver are possible. Furthermore, studies have confirmed that cancer thrives when the diet is deficient.

Ask a veterinarian, and they’re likely to suggest a particular diet for puppy care, or during a dog’s pregnancy, or in response to any number of dog health problems or sicknesses. Your veterinarian or dog nutritionist can also propose an assortment of natural instructions, designed for your healthy dog’s age, weight, and activity level.

Pet medication is over prescribed. Some canine pharmaceuticals are essential for survival, but others are used to treat dog symptoms that can be prevented with proper feeding. Most every dog’s best medicine is the food that he or she eats. Though no one can pinpoint the exact percentages of nutrients, fat, and protein required for optimal health of every animal, a diet composed of genuine food is always best. Your veterinary nutrition expert can devise a pure food meal plan targeted to your dog’s specific needs, or to eliminate the chances of the development of specific needs.

To give your dog the best opportunity to thrive, feed foods that will remedy health problems, or foods to maintain his or her already good health; make regular visits to your pet’s vet; and brush your dog’s teeth often. And, don’t forget that appropriate and timely vaccinations give your dog the best shot at fighting common, and sometimes deadly, illnesses.

Don’t mistake endearing dog food advertisements and heartfelt promises for good dog nutrition. Convenience is really the only advantage that they can offer. And please, don’t confuse meat meal with real meat, or with a real meal.

Dr. Omaboe has been helping dog owners sustain the health of their dogs through good nutrition for over twenty years. He owns and operates Cabinet Veterinaire International, located in Mies Switzerland, which is just outside of Geneva.

Making up an aquarium at home used to be so simple; any hopeful aquarist who could put together a reasonable arrangement of aquatic plants, a few funny pebbles and a little plastic castle in a glass box could end up looking like a sensitive guy for his trouble. If you have ever seen the ethereal and exquisite effects of Japanese aquarium decor though, you know how real the artistry involved in aquascaping is. The organic and harmonious look achieved in Japanese aquarium decor principles often makes people imagine that these are actual attempts at re-creating a biotope, the habitat of an actual ecological community. As tempting as it is to imagine that, these are as man-made as anything you would see in any modern aquarium, and sometimes they are inspired by landscapes you would see above water to boot.

There is something about a living environment: the harder you try to artificially replicate it in your own aquarium, the more elusive it becomes. But if you are lucky and if you try, you may end up with aquarium decor that you find more beautiful than the original. The Japanese aquarium styles sees the fish and the environment they live in as equally contributors to the final effect, after the philosophy that the frame can sometimes be considered to be as important as the painting itself.

The first step to designing your Japanese aquarium would be to pick the general shape of the landscape you want within the tank; popular landscape shapes include arranging for a generally concave look, where the surface rises all around a central valley, and a convex look where the landscape rises from the peripheries of the aquarium to a central prominence. The ideal aquarium decor layout would place before the viewer no more than one or two areas of focus, of something good and catchy to look at. There shouldn’t be lot of stuff thrown in there, each piece competing for attention.

Japanese aquarium decor philosophy places some value in imbuing tank designs with a sense of depth. The most popular way to do this is to use lowrise aquarium plants and not bushy ones. The larger shapes in the aquarium need to be the rocks and the driftwood you bring in, and not the plants. Riccia and hairgrass are great choices; for a neat look with excellent depth, try using contrast – plants of different colors, some close-cropped and tidy, others that hang a little more free, and so on.

A natural underwater vista would include a number of rocks and pebbles of the same type. It might be tempting on your visit to an aquarium supplies store to pick a couple of all the best-looking rocks around for a Technicolor effect; while that might be the way to go for Vegas-like glamor, you must remember that you are going for the natural look, for Oriental restraint. Try to pick all your aquarium rocks, as many as you get, to belong to the same geological type, more or less. When you arrange them around the bottom of your tank, the placement that should work best is usually where the action of water currents would kick them around. The natural look is best achieved by rolling the rocks around and letting them rest where their center of gravity dictates.

Of course the aquarium you dream up can never be precisely to your standards; an aquarium is a living environment, and is a place of free biological growth. If you can somehow factor that into your core philosophy, you should be ahead of most first-time designers and perhaps you could say something grand to people who come in to admire your handiwork, like “According to ancient Japanese wisdom, the earth that supports life and the life that lives on it must all be free”.

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Dogs aren’t actually headstrong. However, they usually don’t understand precisely what they’re supposed to do. To make this clear, you need to seize the alpha status up front. Be ready to exhibit patience and modest and firm force to produce the behavior wanted. This can be difficult when training the command “come”.

Dogs enjoy exploring their environment naturally by sniffing all around the area, digging, turning things around and running away with little objects. A training session is best done when you keep your dog away from other distracting voices and people. A clear yard without any little objects is the best idea for such a purpose.

Be sure to build upon any instinctive behavior you see. For instance when you notice the dog coming toward you, execute a voice command along with a hand gesture to reinforce this behavior. Try to use a command and gesture that you don’t naturally use during your teaching sessions.

Put the dog in a sitting position facing you. Reinforce the command of ’stay’ as you move away. Use hand gestures and voice commands. Praise the dog if the behavior is correct. Do not reward the dog for an incorrect or partial response.

Keep repeating this, as you move back. If your dog comes towards you too quickly, use ’sit/stay’ commands again. If the dog does not move try coaxing with treats or toys.

Reluctant or slow learners might need collar training or leash training. Put the dog in the sit and stay position. Start moving away, letting the leash go slack. If the dog does not obey you, tug the leash gently with the appropriate hand and voice command.

For a dog that comes too quickly, use a long rope or lead and wrap it around a stake or a tree. If the dog tries to come too early pull the strap as you verbalize the “stay” command. If there are no trees handy, use someone to help with the session. The bad part about using an additional person during the session is the dog can become Thrown off about who they should focus on. It’s mostly best if they just focus on one person.

One needs to be consistent as well as patient during a dog training session. Dogs do not understand the need for such commands like ’sit’, ’stay’, and ‘come’. Do not speak harshly to your dog if he does not obey you at the first instance. This is a counterproductive measure. You need to establish your alpha status firmly by your body language, and readiness to wait for your dog to obey the given order. Physical leading and physical punishment is not such a helpful technique.

Many dog breeds are quite willing to be trained, and respond very positively to quick praise, for proper and correct behavior. If necessary, you have to show that you are the stubborn one waiting for them to ‘come’, instead of your going to them.

Learn how to pick the right Dog Bedding for your dog. Don’t let Puppy Potty Training become a time consuming or tedious experience. This and other unique content ‘dog bedding’ articles are available with free reprint rights.

The muscles found in the jawbone of a dog are capable of stripping the flesh off a rawhide bone in a few minutes. Even an ordinary Golden retriever can tear that thick bone apart really fast. That is because a dog has some of the strongest jaw muscles among animals. And that is why it can become a problem that they can do the same to the furniture too.

The chewing tendency of a dog is going to depend upon his breed and that is why a knowledgeable owner needs to know about the behavior patterns of his dog. However, chewing every object which is present in the house is a normal tendency in every existing dog breed. That is the reason why one has to focus the dog’s attention on some other object upon which they can chew. But that is quite a difficult thing to do with some dogs.

Young dogs including puppies are not very choosy about the materials which they find to chew. However, owners can teach the puppies to keep away from objects which are definitely not to be chewed upon.

Foremost, it is important to point out that a little prevention can help avoid a number of problems. That is why it is wise to keep shoes, laundry and other items where dogs will be unable to gain access to them. Keeping children’s toys separated from the dog’s toys so mix ups do not occur is a good idea.

A large number of attractive toys should be placed both inside and outside the house, so that the dog has plenty of opportunity to chew them. Some species like hard rubber bones, while others prefer rawhide bones or plastic bones. It is not advisable to give many types of real bones to dogs because they can splinter easily and cause injury to the pet.

Thankfully, there are a great many special toys that can be used instead. Many will even have hollow interiors designed to hold treats. Often, the dog will need to struggle a little in order to get to the treat at the center which is the whole idea. This will keep the dog occupied and presents your pet with a solid mental and physical workout which keeps them striving to reach their reward.

One can also admonished the dog firmly especially when it decides to chew upon unsuitable objects. However, yelling or sharp physical punishment is not desirable. So instead of yelling at one’s dog, one needs to vent that anger and frustration somewhere else. That is not easily done, but has to be followed, for a harmonious relationship between the pet and the master.

The development of specific habits can be done by leashing the dog. Then an unsuitable object has to be placed near the dog. The moment, the dog approaches it, the leash should be jerked sideways, and No said very firmly.

Always be sure to jerk sideways and never back. A dog’s neck muscles are very strong, but the dog’s throat can be easily bruised. Remember, the pulling movement is to inform and definitely not to punish.

If when outside the dog has a tendency to chew on plants, fences, or other exterior items, you can take advantage of a few commercial mixtures or home recipes to discourage such bad behavior. A little cayenne pepper paste smeared on the leaves of plants the dog is attracted to can generally eliminate chewing in merely one lesson. Then, there are commercial preparations which contain ‘bitter apple’ which has been known to discourage a number of dogs.

One needs to have consistency, persistence and patience to train a dog successfully. The idea is not to reinforce a new learning pattern, but to prevent a dog from following the natural behavioral pattern.

Often, redirecting the dog to acceptable objects is the best bet since it is impossible to eliminate the dog’s instincts. That is why it is necessary to be calm and vigilant. Keep your cool even when the dog chews on the new carpet. Objects can be replaced. A good relationship with a pet cannot.

Learn to pick the correct Dog Bedding for your dog. Do not allow Puppy Potty Training become a time consuming or tedious affair. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

The royal gramma (Gramma Loreto) and 4 others, the flame angelfish (Centropyge oriculus), yellow tang (Zebrasome Flavescens), blue tang (Paracanthurus Hepatus) and the percula clown fish (both ocellaris and percula) are the most popular fishes in the hobby. It is frequently called the fairy basslet as well.

The royal gramma is a sight to behold. It is blueish-purple from the front as it fades into a bright orange/yellow towards the back half. It has a thin dark stripe that runs from its snout through its eyes.Also present is a black spot on its dorsal fin.

Royal Gramma’s can be found all through the Caribbean Sea. They retail for as little as $15 dollars and are disease resistant and resilient. A beautiful mix. Cheap, gorgeous, abundant and easy to keep in an aquarium. They are regularly mistaken for the bicolor dottyback (Pseudochromis Bicolor) as they both have very comparable colors. Luckily, they are easily distinguishable. Only the royal gramma has a black streak running through its eyes.

The royal gramma is a good candidate for a broad range of tanks. They are peaceful provided they have a small territory of their own. Gobies, damselfish, clown fish and angels are all great tankmates for the royal gramm. Their territory however, is extremely crucial. If any fish tries to enter its domain however, there will be trouble.

Royal grammas can reach lengths of nearly 4 inches in the wild. In captivity though, they typically reach a maximum of 3 inches. Royal grammas have been successfully kept in aquariums as small as 10 gallons. Minimum tank size ought to be at least 20 gallons since they will finally reach a length of 3 inches.

Royal grammas are carnivores that eat copepods and plankton in the wild. Your corals are safe with them as they are reef safe. A diversity of meaty foods should be offered. Krill, Mysis shrimp and Prime Reef (A great blend of seafood) are all top frozen foods to feed. They commonly start feeding within days of introduction.

The Royal Gramma and the Coral Beauty Angel are just two articles written by the writer on hubpages. For further information on all topics saltwater tanks, please follow the links to Gabrilea Desouyez’s hubpages.

GPS dog tracking devices help dog owners to find their dogs should the latter get lost somewhere. Because modern GPS receivers have been miniaturized to a great extent and thanks to the minute sized mobile phone modems that are being sold on the market today it is now very easy to attach a GPS pet tracking system to your dog’s collar and in this way keep track of your pet at all times.

The first thing that you will need to take into consideration is understanding the exact tracking requirements to help ensure that you can locate your lost pet – even under the most extreme circumstances. You could, for example, use your GPS pet tracking system only to ensure that safety of your pet dog and if so you will need to use particular systems. On the other hand, you might want a GPS pet tracking system for a hunting dog in which case you will need to look for an entirely different kind of system.

However, the Council of Pet Population Study and Policy has found that a meager twenty percent of lost dogs are actually ever rescued as well as returned to their owners. Nevertheless, a GPS pet tracking system is the most efficient means of protecting your pet dog from straying as well as in preventing the dog from meeting with a serious accident such as being run over by a car or be attacked by other animals.

The better such devices even come with extra antennae that can receive signals emanating from a base station that is in most cases the dog owner’s home. The signals sent out can be modified and in fact, as soon as the device fails to receive the signals then the GPS dog tracking will immediately set about the task of locating your errant pet dog that has broken out from the Virtual Fence.

A third important consideration is understanding the location of the antenna. This is especially important because a GPS pet tracking collar can have issues with its signals; more so when the antenna is located in the chest region of the dog. Ideally, the antenna must be located at a higher level because only then will it be able to send stronger signals. So, review various options before making your final decision.

There are two different kinds of GPS tracking devices with one being a device that works with the help of cellular carriers that transmit information about the pet’s location and in this way help the owner to track the lost pet down. However, such a device only works if there is cell phone coverage available in the area.

The other option is to use a GPS pet tracking system that makes use of standardized radio waves. The only problem with using such a device is that the coverage can be limited. It works well though if you have a handheld device that can receive data (in the form of radio waves) about the whereabouts of your dog.

The better GPS pet tracking systems are now even able to provide round-the-clock customer support that in turn will ensure that your chances of finding your lost pet will increase dramatically.

Even better, you will also find GPS pet tracking models that can track not only your dog but another two pets as well – simultaneously. All you need to worry about is that the GPS dog tracking device that you buy must be easy which ensures that at least you won’t have to worry about learning anything fancy in order to get the device to do its job.

Get the truth before you put a microchip in you dog! Learn why a GPS Dog Tracking is much better than a microchip. To learn more visit http://www.lovemypetsgps.com

It’s a serious business having a puppy or a dog. Sure it’s fun but expect there to be work involved as well. And one of the first jobs you’ll need to tackle when you have a new puppy or dog in the house is to house break your puppy. It can be less than fun to house break puppies.

Unless you know what you’re doing it can be quite hard house breaking puppy.

And if you don’t get it right it can be a bit of a disaster for puppy and for you and for the entire household.

And of course not everyone starts with a puppy, there are some people who, through various circumstances, end up with a full grown dog that needs house training. Again it’s not all that hard to potty train a full grown dog – provided you know what you’re doing.

I’m short of space here to give you all the steps for house breaking puppies and dogs, and I like to keep those secrets for my website. But there’s a few points that I can make about it.

The first thing to appreciate is that your dog or puppy looks to you, as the boss dog, to set the rules and make them clear. Dogs are prepared to follow the rules, but you need to teach them correctly. Some people think that teaching the rules involves punishing your dog for every breach of the rules, but don’t.

But you do need to be firm and consistent setting the rules.

But rather than punish your dog for an infraction of the rules, including potty training, you need to remember that positive reinforcement is far more effective. In the past the preferred method of potty training was to show the dog the right place to go then punish him if he went anywhere else until he got the message. It can take a long time trying to train by punishment and can often fail miserably.

And be prepared to do whatever it takes to successfully train your puppy or dog. Every puppy is different, just like kids are different. Some will get the message quite fast and if you use the correct methods to train him will be successfully trained in no time. Others will take quite a while. Understand that it’s a process that you and your puppy need to go through that, even if you are doing everything right, will take as long as it takes.

Don’t expect immediate results. Be happy if you get them, but keep at it if you don’t.

Remember like lots of other things it’s the process that matters. Learn the right process, follow it consistently and it will work, when it works.

It’s as much about you as him. You must know exactly what you are doing before starting, and stick at it. Find out much more on my website.

Want to know more about Potty Training Puppy? Visit Peter’s website to learn more about House Breaking Puppy.