Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Here are some good housetraining tips that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.
 

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals – as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.
 

Potty Training a Puppy

 
Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.
 

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.
 

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.
 

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.
 

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.
 

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.
 

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.
 

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.
 

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.
 

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com
 

Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Here are some good housetraining tips that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.
 

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals – as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.
 

Potty Training a Puppy

 
Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.
 

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.
 

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.
 

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.
 

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.
 

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.
 

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.
 

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.
 

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.
 

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com
 

Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Here are some good housetraining tips that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.
 

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals - as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.
 

Potty Training a Puppy

 
Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.
 

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.
 

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.
 

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.
 

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.
 

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.
 

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.
 

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.
 

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.
 

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com
 

Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Here are some good housetraining tips that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals - as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.

Potty Training a Puppy

Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com

Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Here are some good housetraining tips that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals - as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.

Potty Training a Puppy

Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com

8 Ways to Train Dogs Who Mark the Christmas Tree

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

What to Do if Your Dog Likes to Pee on the Christmas Tree

Your tree is up. It is an absolutely magnificent tree, covered in ornaments which hold great sentimental value or financial value (like my ridiculously expensive but oh-so-necessary pirate Santa ornament). The house smells like pine...and dog pee?!

It is not uncommon for pet owners to find that male dogs have a tendency to mark the family Christmas tree, particularly when a real tree is brought into the home. The people in the house "get" that it's a Christmas tree. The dog in the house thinks you just got him his own indoor potty for Christmas. This culture clash creates stress for both humans and dogs during the holiday season.

With the exception of working with dogs which are medically incontinent or with those who suffer from severe separation anxiety, the techniques used to address potty training deficiencies are all the same. Dealing with a dog that pees on the Christmas tree requires the exact same type of management, redirection and reinforcement that potty training a new puppy requires. Here is a protocol for managing and training the dog that marks on Christmas trees:

1. Management and supervision – Your dog should never have unsupervised access to the Christmas tree. If you are unable to supervise him in the presence of the tree, he must be crated or gated elsewhere in the house. Do not hesitate to go back to the potty training basics you learned of crating, gating and tethering when you are not able to train or supervise.
2. Know the signs – Many dogs offer "pre-indicator behaviors" – behaviors that are offered consistently before the event as a kind of "tell" that the dog needs to eliminate. This can be sniffing around, scratching at the ground, turning in circles or even approaching the tree. If you notice any indicator behaviors from your dog, get him out for a potty break right away!
3. Reinforce success – While you're working on this, build a strong reinforcement history (with toys, food, and/or life rewards) for appropriate elimination outside.
4. Click and treat the absence of the behavior. If your dog approaches the tree, sniffs it, and walks away, click and treat him! This is the behavior we want!
5. Consider keeping your dog on a "traffic lead." A traffic lead is a very short leash, basically just a handle with a clasp. If your dog will not recall reliably under every conceivable circumstance, a traffic lead may not be a bad idea. It will ensure you are able to get your dog out quickly if you DO notice him going toward the tree as if to mark.
6. Find out your dog's schedule. What times of the day does your dog normally eliminate? Provide plenty of opportunities for outside potty breaks during this time.
7. Remember what events might trigger a dog's need to relieve himself – In general, dogs tend to eliminate after: naps, playtime, eating and/or drinking.
8. Consider use of a Belly Band – Belly Bands are snug fitting fabric doggie wraps that are wrapped around a dog's lower torso. They are fitted with absorbent pads so that if your dog does mark, the liquid will be absorbed by the pad and not the beautiful, pristine white beard of your favorite pirate Santa ornament. You can make Belly Bands or purchase them online. A search for "dog Belly Band" should bring up all the information you need. Belly Bands are certainly management tools more than anything, they will not train your dog to avoid peeing on the tree but they will ensure that if management slips up, your tree remains pristine.

Click HERE and HERE for more potty training tips.

Click HERE and HERE for pet urine neutralizer, cat & dog urination deterrents.

Click HERE and HERE for indoor potties for dogs.

Source: http://blogs.dogster.com/dog-training/what-to-do-if-your-dog-is-a-christmas-tree-pee-r/2010/12/

Copyright 2003-2010 Dogster, Inc.

9 Tips for a Chic, Pet-friendly Home

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Your Home can be Beautiful and Pet-friendly with these Pointers from Design Experts
By Leanne Potts

A lot of stylish people are letting their houses go to the dogs and the cats and the birds – without sacrificing style or comfort. Instead of banishing their furry friends to the yard, many pet owners are decorating and remodeling their living spaces with their pets' needs in mind, turning pet-friendly decorating into a full-blown trend.

"You can have a beautiful house and a pet, too," says Julia Szabo, pet columnist for the New York Post and author of Animal House Style: Designing a Home to Share with Your Pets.

"The key is choosing the right materials and accommodating your animals' needs." Julia, who shares her digs with a dozen rescued dogs and cats, says an animal-friendly house is more comfortable for humans, too. "If a house doesn't work with dogs, it won't work with children or guests, either."

DO vacuum regularly.

Even if you match your chaise to your Siamese so perfectly the hairballs are barely visible, vacuum kitty's hair off the furniture at least twice a week. You may need to vacuum daily when your pet is shedding.

Pet hair has an odor, and it contains an oil that will attract dirt to the fabric on which it sits. She suggests you invest in a Dyson DC14 Animal, an upright vacuum named for its miraculous ability to suck up animal hair. It costs around $550, but Julia says you'll wonder how you ever lived without it when you see the horrifying amounts of dirt and hair the Dyson picks up from your floors and furniture.

DO bathe and groom your pet often.

Keeping your dog or cat clean will help your house stay cleaner, longer. Trimmed nails won't scratch floors or upholstery. Regularly brushing and bathing removes loose hair before it ends up on your floor, your bed, your throw pillows, your curtains. Furniture and rugs will last longer if they don't need to be washed as often. Think of it this way: It's easier to clean your dog than your upholstery, and it's usually more fun.

DO use stain-resistant fabrics.

Forget silk, chintz or the pet-hair magnet known as velvet. Discover the joys of Crypton, a nearly indestructible, synthetic fabric that's resistant to stains, smells, bacteria and muddy paws.

William Wegman, the artist known for his Weimaraner photos, has designed a line of Crypton fabrics aimed at pet-obsessed style mavens that includes sturdy suedes and twills with names like Polka Dog and Material Dog. It's available in upholstery shops, from many furniture manufacturers and interior designers; you can find it online at www.cryptonfabric.com.

Leather is a good choice, easy to clean and durable. Most grades of leather will suffer only scratches from Fido or Fluffy's claws, but hey, the scratches add patina. If you see a sad irony in buying a sofa made from an animal for your animal, try pleather. It's cruelty-free, relatively inexpensive and has a timeless appeal.

Then there's Ultrasuede, a machine-washable microfiber that feels as smooth and seductive as real suede. "I can't say enough good things about Ultrasuede," Julia Szabo says. She has covered her 1950s Heywood-Wakefield sofa and chairs in Ultrasuede and even had a couple of pet beds made of it. "It's beautiful, and it always stays cool and comfortable no matter the climate. That's important for your and your animal's comfort." Velvet is a definite no-no for a home with pets. Ultrasuede is a stylish and easy-to-maintain alternative.

DO put washable fabrics on your bed.

If your dog or cat sleeps with you there will be accidents. "Cats barf a lot," Julia Szabo says. "Deal with it." Protect your mattress from the inevitable by covering it with a thick pad. Use cotton bedsheets, preferably in a medium color or a pattern that can hide the pet hair and stains between washings. For bedspreads, duvet covers work well because you can take them off and wash them regularly. Delicate-looking matelasse coverlets are surprisingly durable; their tight quilting resists pet toenail snags and repeated washings.

DO skip wall-to-wall carpet.

Carpet absorbs odors, traps pet hair and soaks up inevitable pet-related stains like a sponge. "I try to steer pet owners away from carpet," says Chicago interior designer Nan Ruvel, who designs animal-friendly interiors for clients and lives with three cats. "It's difficult to keep clean. It's a bad idea."

If you must have carpet, she says, choose a low pile. "It's easier to clean if there's an accident." And avoid continuous loop carpet because a pet toenail can unravel it by catching a single woven loop.

DO choose hard surface floors.

Bare floors are the way to go, but bare doesn't have to be boring. Painted concrete is lovely and durable, as are terrazzo and brick. Hardwood floors are simple to mop or vacuum and add a warm glow to a room, but keep in mind that large dogs can scratch wood.

The best floor is ceramic tile, because it's easy to clean and resistant to any stain an animal can dish out. Tile is toenail-proof, it makes a room look sleek and elegant, and it gives furry animals a cool place to nap during hot weather. Porous materials like marble or other natural stones aren't as pet-proof as other hard surfaces, since acids present in pet spit-up can stain them, even if they're sealed, designer Nan Ruvel says.

DO match colors to your pet's fur.

Your pet can be a source of inspiration when choosing colors for your room. Paint a concrete floor the same shade of gray as your cat. Cover your sofa in a honey microfiber that matches your golden retriever. This isn't just an aesthetic shout-out to your pet; it's also a practical choice because the hair they leave behind won't be as visible. "Put a white floor in a house with a black Lab, you're going to have black tumbleweeds everywhere," says Nan Ruvel.

Julia Szabo tells of a New York artist who painted a room in his Manhattan digs a brilliant shade of green inspired by his Amazon parrot. "It reminds the parrot of his ancestral home in the jungle. The wall is gorgeous, and it makes the bird much happier," she says. Painting walls white is a bad idea aesthetically and practically, she says. "Let's face it; a white wall goes gray in a minute around dogs." This forces you to be more creative and daring when choosing colors, Julia says. "Pets present you with the opportunity to really work with color."

DO give your pet tidy, attractive treats and toys.

Dogs adore pig's ears and rawhide bones, but Julia Szabo says they're a bad idea. "They're hideous, they're smelly and they're as bad for your pet as they are for your floor," she says, pointing out they're coated in nitrates and leave greasy stains on floors and furniture.

It's important to give your dog something to chew on, or he might go after a chair leg. Julia suggests rubber toys like the Kong or the Super-Tuff Rhino. For cats, Szabo recommends Everyday Studio's Cat Tree (www.everydaystudio.com), a scratching post/climbing tree combo that hangs on the wall. It's a chic, geometrically shaped concoction of colored metal and cardboard that offers a stylish alternative to homely, carpet-covered scratching posts and plywood climbing trees. "It's like a work of art for your pet; it's beautiful and it's functional," she says. Another option that will allow your cat to get out his inner panther, stylishly: shelves for him to perch on. Julia sells "Tiger Branches," a set of wooden demilune shelves that attach to the wall (www.animalhousestyle.com).

DO set up an animal room near an entry.

"It's important to consider your pet's lifestyle when you establish the layout of your house," Nan Ruvel says. "If your dog goes outside, make sure he can come back in through an area that's super-impervious." She just finished a project in which she converted a breakfast room into a mudroom for a client's two dogs. "She wanted a place where she could get dirt off them before they came in the house," she says. To do this, she put porcelain tile on the walls and floor of the breakfast room, which opened onto the backyard. She replaced the table with a banquette upholstered in stain-resistant fabric and equipped with under-the-seat storage for leashes and food. Nan also installed built-in shelves on the walls where the client could keep towels used to wipe the dirt off the dogs when they came inside from the yard.

Source: http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/dog-gone-stylish/index.html
© 2010 Scripps Networks, LLC

Good Reason to Save the Trees!

Thought this was funny! –Kim

We have to stop cutting down trees!

Global warming is one thing, but look at what might happen if we continue to clear our forests!

We have to stop cutting down trees! This is getting serious!

Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Here are some good housetraining tips that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals - as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.

Potty Training a Puppy

Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com

Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Here are some good housetraining tips that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

House Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog

House training a puppy or adult dog is such an essential issue for his owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult dog. I enumerate these below:

• You need to understand your dog's body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.
• If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals - as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.
• Take your dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard, and then, to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature's call.
• Praise your dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having "done it right" and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.
• With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.
• Until your dog has been fully potty trained, keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.
• Use a crate. A crate-trained dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.
• If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. This means to create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.
• Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him, as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern 'NO' or 'FREEZE' will do (but be consistent). It will startle the dog enough for him to stop pooping.
• Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your dog home alone for more than 4 hours, as separation anxiety is quite common among home-alone dogs.
• Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult dog to work against his house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.
• Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your dog has marked.
• If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good house-trained dog.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.

Potty Training a Puppy

Irrespective of breeds, house training a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think house training your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers or puppy pads, then think again.

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until he is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.

After each nap, meal, drink or playtime, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until he eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.

Potty Training an Adult Dog

The best way to house train an adult dog is to begin all over again.

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can, time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.

Remember: Commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly house-trained dog. Don't expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.

Click here to sign up to receive a FREE course on potty training your dog.

Get this unique house training guide and start house-breaking your dog today.

Copyright © 2009 TrainPetDog.com

How to Prepare for a Puppy!

Thought you would enjoy these! –Kim

Before You Get Your New Best Friend...

• Pour cold apple juice on the carpet in several places and walk around barefoot in the dark.
• Wear a sock to work that's had the toes shredded by a blender.
• Immediately upon waking, stand outside in the rain and dark saying, "Be a good puppy and go potty; hurry up, now; come on, let's go!
• Cover all your best suits with dog hair. Dark suits must have white and light suits must have dark. Also, float some hair in your first cup of morning coffee.
• Play catch with a wet tennis ball.
• Run out in the snow in your bare feet to close the gate.
• Tip over a basket of clean laundry, and scatter the clothing all over the floor.
• Leave your underwear on the living room floor, because that's where the dog will drag it anyway (especially when you have company).
• Jump out of your chair shortly before the end of your favorite TV show and run to the door shouting, "No, NO! Do that OUTSIDE!" Miss the end of the program.
• Gouge the leg of the dining room table several times with a screwdriver.
• Put chocolate pudding on the carpet in the morning, and don't try to clean it up until you return from work that evening.
• Take a warm, cuddly blanket out of the dryer and immediately wrap it around yourself. This is the feeling you get when your puppy falls asleep on your lap.
  
  

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See the List of No-kill Shelters and Rescues at the bottom of this page.

Also, see:

• Are You Ready for a Dog in Your Life?
• The Facts about Dog Adoption
• The Best Decision You'll Ever Make