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The Doberman pinscher is an extremely popular dog today as it is an affectionate, intelligent and loyal pet. This sleek, intense breed gets its name from the German tax collector who originated the breed - Louis Dobermann. Developed in the 1860s, the Doberman is a mix of German pinchers, Greyhounds, English Greyhounds, Rottweilers and the Beauceron. This beautiful intelligent dog has been a popular breed ever since its first dog show presentation in 1876.

Part of the American Kennel Club working group, the Doberman pinscher was recognized by the AKC in 1908 and has its own special club - the Doberman pinscher club of America which was founded in 1921. this sleek shorthair dog weighs in at between 66 and 88 pounds and grows to between 24 and 28 inches in height.

Well known for its muscular physique, the Doberman pinscher is an elegant looking dog - thin but powerful with a well proportioned chest and muscular neck. His dark eyes are lively and intelligent and easy as stickup straight from his head and are usually cropped. Along with the is being cropped, and detail is usually docked as well but these practices of come out in favor in England. he has a short code that is tight to his body and comes in fawn, white, red, blue-gray, black & tan and plain black.

Many people think the Doberman pinscher is vicious and aggressive but he really is not. This is a very intense dog that has a lot of energy along with tremendous stamina and strength. They are highly intelligent and easy to train, although the females can be more stubborn and maybe a bit difficult to train. They are fearless and determined and loyal and affectionate towards their owners. These dogs are naturally protective and make good guard dogs. This breed can actually have large variations in temperament with some being very submissive and others taking only to one person while still others are great with the whole family.

Doberman pinschers usually enjoy good health but they can suffer from an inherited blood disorder called Von Willebrands disease as well as cervical sodalities. Other problems that may crop up include hip dysplasia or, congenital heart disorders and bloating. These dogs can also get rather obese in their later years.

Dobermans do need sufficient exercise but they can live In apartments as long as they are exercised frequently. Although they are very energetic, it is not a good idea to keep them outdoors because they can be sensitive to the cold. As far as grooming goes, this dog is very easy to care for is they really don’t need any grooming and they shed very little hair.

Lee Dobbins is an avid dog lover and pet owner who writes on many topics including dogbreeds123.com different breeds of dogs. Visit her at Dogbreeds123.com and find out more about dogs such as the loveable dogbreeds123.com/dobermanpinscher.html Doberman Pinscher.

How do you get your dog to stop barking? After all, who likes a constantly barking dog? The only time I want a dog barking is when people drive up or to keep coyotes away. But when I tell her to stop, I want my dog to stop.

So how do you go about obtaining this wonderful silence? We all know it’s better to train anyone and anything when they are young. So start with your puppy training it to end up with a dog that only barks when you want.

That last sentence is the key. You need to decide how much barking you do want and then train your puppy to achieve that goal. As we have stated elsewhere, you must decide what the rules are for your family and work during your puppy training toward that end.

And situations differ with regards to a barking dog. A person living in the city in an apartment does not want a dog that constantly barks. This is irritating to you and your neighbors.

On the other hand, I live in the country with livestock. The purpose of my dog outside is to let me know someone has driven up and to keep the coyotes away. She needs to let them know she is here and on duty. Barking is how she warns the coyotes. I have seen her take on a bear standing her ground between it and the livestock, barking until the bear left. I want my dog barking.

So again this goes back to your lifestyle, the way you and your family live and where you live. Consider your purpose in having your dog. Do you want your dog to announce visitors? Do you want your dog to be Lassie and warn of danger to the children? Is your dog a guardian that you take along when you jog? What should your dog be barking at? Do you want your dog barking upon your arrival at home to greet you?

Now that you have decided how much barking you want your dog to do and when, you just take steps in your puppy training to achieve this. The best way to get your dog or puppy to bark when you want is, during puppy training, teaching him to stop when you want. This is how you clue him in to the proper times to bark. You want your puppy or dog barking only when you want.

copyright 2005. Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

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The best cat health advice will include knowing when something is wrong with your cat. Early signs of illness may include lack of energy, reduction in appetite and bathroom habits going bad. If you know your cat well enough, you’ll know when something is not quite right.

Some good cat health advice is to keep an eye on the weight. This is an important part of caring for your cat. You really don’t need technical equipment to weigh your cat and your bathroom scales will be OK. If your cat won’t go onto the scales, pick him up and weigh yourself with kitty and take a note of the weight. Then weigh yourself without the cat and calculate the difference. The difference will be the weight of the cat. Any major change in weight and shape of your cat should be noted as this may indicate something is not right with the health of your cat.

A lot of cat illnesses will cause the cat owner to seek medication and other solutions to get them back on an even keel. Your vet may need to be contacted if your cat has a bacterial, viral or fungus infection. Your vet will also advise you on other abnormalities such as parasites and metabolic diseases. Issues like these can cause weight loss in your cat.

Your vet will be able to give you good cat health advice. Some people attempt to administer their own medication to the cat. On occasions, dog owners may be advised to give their hound half an aspirin but this should never be attempted with a cat. It may take more time and money to consult your vet but for the sake of the cats’ health, this is not a step you should overlook lightly.

Some more cat health advice will also take in the factors of keeping your cat groomed at regular intervals, correct food and a clean sleeping area and litter tray. Cats also need regular exercise to maintain their weight and muscles. Yearly vaccinations are a must, regardless of whether your cat comes into contact with other felines or not. Barring any accidents, your cats’ life will be extended by following good cat health advice.

Teeth, skin and ears must be checked regular on your cat. If any irritations develop, your vet must be informed. As with humans, cats’ teeth can be looked after with specialists cleaning products. You should also keep your cats ears clean and clear from parasites. Prevention of fleas with use of a flea collar and regular grooming is also a must as fleas can lead to more complications in your cat, yourself and your home. Look out for your cat scratching and licking itself excessively as this may indicate skin irritation.

Following this cat health advice and taking care of your cat becomes easier the more you do it. When done on a daily basis, the quality of your cats’ life will improve.

Trying to find the best health care for your cat?

There are so many medications and advice available so how do you decide what is for your cat?

For more free advice, tips and suggestions, visit felinehealthcare.net Feline Heath Care

In Illinois, a research facility has perfected a way of communicating with Bonomo Chimps and has been using this machine for 7-years now. The primates use the machine to talk to humans and have no problem using the 350 word machine, each with its own button to communicate.

Many people are amazed at this break thru although they really should not be, because their findings are completely in line with Jane Goodall’s research and the Institute in Washington State that works with Chimpanzees. In “The Language of Animals” by Stephen Hart discusses these types of communication between humans and animals are discussed in depth too and we should not be surprised by this great work in Illinois.

These Bonomo Chimps are impressive primates and we really are not all that different, as the DNA is barely 1% different. It is time that the world realized the truth. We must stop allowing religion to cloud our judgments of this science. One Bonomo Chimp Kanzi is a superstar, but all these primates are capable of this, as well as dolphins and other higher order mammals it is just a matter of time until our tools allow us to communicate with all of them.

Mankind needs to ditch their arrogance and religious beliefs long enough to wake up and realize the reality of the many species here on Earth. Indeed if we fail to realize that there is other intelligent life here on Earth then we miss a grand opportunity. If you do not believe they are intelligent because your Church, Mosque or Priest says so then you are denying reality. If you do not believe me, just ask them, because the Bonomo Chimps will tell you straight to your face? What are you afraid of - the truth? Think on it.

L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entreprenuer worldthinktank.net worldthinktank.net . Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by Calling-Plans.com Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.

As a 10 year old child, I watched helplessly one hot August day as my beloved boxer, Duke, died in my arms. Four decades later, I still have that memory painfully etched in my mind. We didn’t learn until after the fact that Duke had died of a heat stroke. Even more painful was the realization that, had we known what to look for, we could have taken measures to possibly prevent his death. In honor of his memory, I want to share vital information that may keep your dog from suffering Duke’s fate.

What is heat stroke?
Too much time exposed to the dangerous combination of increased temperature and humidity can lead to a heat stroke. A mammal’s body (and that includes humans, too) can only tolerate temperatures up to about 107 degrees before cells start dying. The higher the temperature, the faster this occurs. The longer the body remains at an elevated temperature, the less chance there is for recovery. Heat stroke can occur very quickly, given the right set of circumstances, and if too much time has elapsed, even your best efforts may not be enough to keep your dog alive.

Is my dog at risk for heat stroke?
Any dog can fall victim to heat stroke, but hot weather is especially hard on puppies and older dogs, (they have a harder time regulating their body temperature), short-nosed breeds, (like pugs, pekes, boxers and bulldogs), overweight dogs, those with heart or lung problems, and dogs recently moved from a cooler climate. These risk factors increase if your dog doesn’t have enough water, if he’s in an enclosed space or is exposed too long to direct sunlight.

How can I recognize heat stroke?
Heat stroke causes dogs to pant rapidly and heavily, the body’s defense in an effort to lower the core temperature. Their eyes may be open abnormally wide, and they may appear to stare blankly, ignoring your commands. They may drool excessively and stagger weakly. The gums will appear pale and dry and eventually, if left untreated, the animal will collapse into unconsciousness.

What should I do if my dog has a heat stroke?
If you suspect your dog is suffering from heat stroke and you’re close to a vet or animal hospital, put him in the car, crank the air conditioning all the way up and get him there as soon as possible. They’re the ones best equipped to handle your dog’s recovery. If that’s not possible, you must try to reduce your dog’s temperature yourself. Get him to a shady area and either put him in a tub of cool (not cold) running water, or spray him with a hose. Be sure the water penetrates his coat and wets the skin beneath. Run it over his tongue and mouth, inside the legs and on his stomach. Remember that small dogs will cool down more quickly than larger breeds. Take your dog to a vet as soon as you can.

Hopefully your dog will never suffer a life-threatening heat stroke. If he does, at least now you know the signs and symptoms to be aware of, and the measures you can take that will offer him the best chances for a full and total recovery.

Honey Wesley is the owner of

Dogs Bark That’s the plain simple fact of life of owning a dog its just like you or I speaking but there is also the uncontrollable barking that will drive you crazy and you find yourself yelling Dog stop Barking . Why does your dog bark you can rest assured that it is not for the sole purpose of driving you crazy it might seem like that sometimes but it is not. I will tell you about 3 of the dogs barking reasons these are not all Social isolation, frustration and attention seeking. 2. Territorial, protective behavior and 3. Separation anxiety. Social isolation, Frustration and attention seeking is probably the main reason your older dog will bark for long time when he is left by himself.

Territorial and Protective Behavior
This is the kind of barking that is actually nice as long as it is controlled your dog letting you know when someone he does not know is entering his territory and he is letting you know. Protective barking is just as good or better he is not letting anyone close to you unless you tell him it is OK again this is good if your dog is well trained and does not do that to people he should be familiar with.

Social isolation, Frustration and Attention Seeking
Your dog can very well be barking for a long period of time if he is bored, yes bored dogs will get bored very easy and they let the world know they are very vocal when they get bored. If your Dog is left alone for long periods of time without any interaction with you he will bark. His environment if your dogs backyard or wherever you keep him has no toys or other dogs or pets even a friendly cat will keep him occupied and stop him from barking for those long periods of time. If he is a active type of dog like a herded and needs to be active but doesn’t have anything to do he will bark This is most common with older dogs his way of letting you know he needs to be walked more.

Separation Anxiety
If your dog starts to bark right after you leave or a short time later, does he follow you wherever you go in the house and does not leave your side for any length of time? If he does and he barks and disturbs the neighborhood this is because separation anxiety.

Territorial, Protective Behavior, Social isolation, Frustration, Attention Seeking and Separation Anxiety are the main reasons why your dog may be Barking Uncontrollably. Older dogs are more prone to Social isolation, Frustration, Attention Seeking then puppies are because it is there way of telling you that they need more of your time. Separation Anxiety is where puppies are more prone to bark a lot.

The author is a dog lover who believes that proper training shouldn’t be hard nor expensive but necessary for you to bond with your Dog and enjoy all the benefits that come with having a dog in your household go here for more information on how you can stop yelling
barkingdogproblem.dogbehavior-problems.com/ Dog Stop Barking

With all the dog food recalls recently you maybe concerned about your dogs health and what he/she is eating. This article will provide you with some helpful tips when preparing food for your dog.

When you cook for your dog at least you will know what your companion is eating. But there are some foods that you need to avoid when cooking for your dog. The first one is chocolate. Chocolate contains theobromine which occurs naturally but it is unhealthy for your dog. Theobromine can kill your pooch.

Onions are another food to avoid any recipe that calls for vegetables should not onions. Onions can cause a certain type of anemia that could kill your friend. If you want to flavor a recipe with onions bus sure to leave them as large pieces so they can be easily scooped out before giving the food to the dog.

Another thing to avoid is honey. Honey can contain botulism spores which can be fatal to puppies. I would recommend not feeding or putting honey in any recipe for your dog or puppy.

Although wine may make a tasty sauce the alcohol does not fully cook out and too much alcohol is not good for your pet. I would not recommend giving alcohol to your animal even if they seem to like it.

So now that we know some foods to avoid here is a recipe for your dog to enjoy.

Hearty Dog Biscuits

2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 to 10 tablespoons of water

2 jars of baby food meat, strained (you can use any flavor)

Mix all ingredients together and knead for three minutes. Roll to about 1/2 inch thick and cut out with bone shaped cutter (available at pet stores), place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes about two dozen depending on size.

Rebecca is an avid puppy dog lover who places a strong importance on proper dog obedience training as well as a healthy canine diet. To view her professional dog training reviews go to rastopreviews.com rastopreviews.com

Keeping chickens can be really rewarding. They are so easy to keep and you will get rewarded with eggs on a daily basis (hopefully!). A good healthy chicken can lay up to 6 eggs a week so just keeping, say, 4 can get you 24 eggs a week!

They basically need somewhere dry to sleep and and nest boxes, although most chickens will lay anywhere if left to their own devices, they are very self sufficient.

Their diet basically consists of layers pellets, that can be easily obtained from pet shops and they also like a little corn as a treat. If left to roam in the garden they will also get lots of nutrients from anything in the garden such as grass, worms, snails and even ants and insects. I find that the more natural their diet the more richly coloured their egg yolks, put it this way when you buy battery hens’ eggs the yolks are usually quite pale, but free range eggs have lovely orange yolks as their diet is more natural.

Chickens are also fascinating to watch and have really interesting habits such as dust bathing, this is where they make a shallow pit in sand or dry soil and wriggle around in it getting the dry soil/sand between their feathers, this is said to get rid of mites. They are also fond of sunbathing and love to lay sideways in the sun and get the rays to their outstretched wings.

I would recommend having more than two otherwise one will become bossy and bully the other, as in trying to establish a pecking order. They can be housed in a large rabbit hutch if a coop is not available or it is quite simple to make a raised hutch with a little ladder to allow access.

Keeping chickens is a cheap and rewarding hobby and chickens can live to a ripe old age of 15 although they will probably only lay well for about 4-5 years after which time their egg laying does go into decline. They make good pets and are much more intelligent than they are given credit for.

If you do decide to keep them bear in mind that if they are allowed to roam in the garden they do a lot of scratching with their feet and can be quite destructive, a run may be a better idea if you are having more than a few. They will always go back to their coop as soon as they sense dusk so catching them is not a problem, let them naturally go back to their coops in the early evening and then they can be shut up for the night.

They will need to be let out early in the morning as soon as it is light as the more daylight they experience the more eggs they will lay as they need natural daylight to produce eggs.

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One of four Belgian Sheepdogs, the Belgian Tervuren is often mistaken for a German Shepherd because they closely resemble each other in size, coat and color. It is pronounced Ter-VER-en. The Belgian Tervuren is recognized as its own breed by the AKC, but many countries consider all four Belgian Sheepdogs to be one breed even though there are noticeable differences in everything from coat to size to color.

Also known as a “Terv” by their owners, the Belgian Tervuren is named for the Belgian village of Tervuren. They were traditionally used as cattle and sheep herding dogs. They have also been used as police dogs and in narcotics detection, bomb detection, search and rescue and as therapy dogs. While two of the Belgian Sheepdogs are still used more as working dogs, the Belgian Tervuren and Belgian Groenendael are both seen more as companion dogs today.

They are a medium to medium large breed. They weigh between 45-75 pounds and are anywhere from 22″ to 27″ in height. They are an energetic, powerful breed that enjoys exercise and play. Because of their high energy and size, they are not ideal apartment dogs but are perfect for families with large yards or those who have access to parks or fields where they can run.

Their coat color is recognized by the AKC in the colors of a mahogany or fawn base with black tips, mask and ears. A small amount of white on nose, chest and chin is permissible. The long, straight, thick and harsh outer coat and soft dense undercoat needs daily grooming to prevent matting and knots. They shed throughout the year, but it is typically light shedding.

As a guard dog or family dog, the Belgian Tervuren is protective, loyal and highly intelligent. They are energetic dogs that need plenty of exercise and activity whether they are working on the farm or kept mainly as a companion dog. They need to be socialized and trained from an early age. The earlier they are introduced to children, dogs and other pets, the better they will do. They might be dominant towards other dogs. It is important to research a Belgian Tervuren’s history before making a purchase to ensure that there is no aggression found in their lineage. Give your Belgian Tervuren plenty to do and they will be happy. A bored Belgian Tervuren can be a bit destructive as they will find a way to fill their time.

If you are an energetic family looking for a dog that will enjoy activity and outside play, then the Belgian Tervuren is a perfect breed for you. They will match you step for step in running or walking. They will be protective of you and your home and make awesome watchdogs. If you are looking for a farm dog and family companion all rolled into one, any of the Belgian Sheepdogs including the Belgian Tervuren will be ideal for you.

Learn more about the deardoggy.com/dog_breeds/belgian_tervuren/ Belgian Tervuren or discuss deardoggy.com/ Dogs with other dog lovers at deardoggy.com/ deardoggy.com

In the last decade or so, the popularity of sugar gliders as pets has grown considerably. The small size of these furry acrobats, their personalities, their plush fur, their large eyes, their agility and their ability to bond closely with humans have attracted legions of new sugar glider devotees.

What is a sugar glider and where did they originally come from? Sugar gliders are small marsupials and members of the possum family. They are found in Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia, and New Guinea. Their scientific name is Petaurus breviceps. Most sugar gliders these days are captive-bred and not wild-caught.

Like their larger marsupial cousins, kangaroos, sugar gliders have a pouch where their infants grow and develop. Their young are called “joeys,” as are the young of kangaroos. You may come across the term OOP while researching sugar gliders on the internet. OOP means “out-of-pouch” and it indicates how long the joey has been completely out of his mother’s pouch. Joeys are ready to go to a new home at approximately 8 weeks OOP.

Sugar gliders are approximately chipmunk-sized, measuring about 9 to 12 inches long (including their long tail), and they weigh about 3 to 6 ounces as adults. Their normal color is steel gray to brownish with a black stripe down the back, but selective breeding in captivity has brought out other color variations, including albinos. In captivity, they can live as long as 15 years, although 8 to 12 years is more usual.

One of the most distinguishing features of sugar gliders is a thin membrane, called a patagium, that stretches between their front and rear legs, much like the more familiar flying squirrels of North America. This is what allows them to glide from tree to tree. When they glide, the skin spreads out, making sugar gliders look like furry kites! When the sugar glider is sitting, the patagium looks like ruffled furry skin, shaped somewhat like the edge of lasagna noodles.

Their tail is not prehensile, unlike their more familiar American opossum cousins. That means that sugar gliders cannot grasp, grip and hang from their tails. Instead, the tail is used as a balancing and stabilizing tool, especially while gliding.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. They have very large (relative to their size) eyes, which help them see at night. They also have large ears, an obvious benefit to an animal who is both preyed-upon and a predator. Those big ears allow them to hear even the smallest sound.

Sugar gliders have fixed teeth, incisors, molars, and premolars. You should not trim your sugar glider’s teeth. Unlike some species, such as guinea pigs, their teeth do not continue to grow once mature. If a tooth falls out, it is not replaced. Wild gliders chew on branches and in the process, clean their teeth. Gliders in cages will also chew on branches.

Sugar gliders have 5 toes on their front feet. Each toe ends with a very sharp claw that helps them land when they glide. Those claws also make gliders very agile climbers. Their hind feet also have 5 toes, but one of them is an enlarged, clawless opposable toe. An opposable toe means that they can use that toe to grip things, much as humans’ opposable thumbs allow us to do the same.

Why are they called “sugar gliders”? In the wild, sugar gliders eat, as part of their diet, manna (a crusty sugar left where sap flowed from a tree trunk or branch) and honeydew (an excess sugar produced by sap-sucking insects). In captivity, sugar gliders have a fondness for sweet foods. They will eat too many sweets if allowed, so sweet foods must be rationed.

In the wild, sugar gliders nest in holes of trees in colonies of 7 to 15 members and have been observed gliding as far as 300 feet! The ability to glide is one of the most amazing features of sugar gliders, and one of the things that makes them such special pets. Teaching your sugar glider to glide to you is very rewarding!

Sugar gliders are social animals, which means they live in groups. They get along with and love the company other sugar gliders, and many sugar glider owners choose to have more than one glider. It is their social nature that allows them to develop strong bonds with their human owners. But it is also that social nature that creates their need for attention from their owners. Sugar gliders are not the kind of pet that can be left for long periods of time without any attention from their owners. The more time you spend with your sugar glider, the more he will become bonded with you.

Many sugar glider owners bond with their new gliders by carrying them around in a bonding pouch for several hours a day while the glider sleeps. Sugar gliders are sometimes called “pocket pets” because they will often curl up in your pocket and go to sleep!

Diet and housing are perhaps the two most important factors in deciding whether a sugar glider is the right pet for you. Sugar gliders require a varied diet consisting of a protein source (meat, insects, etc.), a fruit and/or vegetable source, and a supplement of calcium. There are commercial sugar glider dry and soft-pellet foods available, but it is not recommended that you feed your sugar glider a diet consisting solely of these commercial foods. Sugar gliders require fresh food sources in addition to any commercial food. Calcium is also crucial to their diet, and there are a number of products on the market that will allow you to easily add calcium to your sugar glider’s diet.

Sugar gliders require as tall a cage as possible. They feel safer up high because they are normally tree-dwellers. 30 inches tall is usually the bare minimum for a sugar glider cage, but most breeders and sugar glider experts recommend cages 4 feet tall or higher. Many sugar glider owners buy flight cages designed for finches and other small birds. The flight cages are tall enough and roomy enough for a sugar glider. It is also recommended that sugar glider owners permit their gliders supervised play time in a glider-safe room for at least several hours a day.

Although sugar gliders are loving, affectionate and adorable, it is recommended that an adult closely supervise any young children around sugar gliders.

The cost of a sugar glider is approximately $150 to $250. If the glider must be shipped to you via airplane, there will be an additional cost. Certain desirable color variations can raise the price of a sugar glider considerably.

Miles Fowler is the author of Sugar Gliders: The Ultimate Guide, a comprehensive book for both novice and experienced sugar glider owners. Learn more at:
sugargliderauthority.com/ sugargliderauthority.com