Benefits of Wire Dog Pens
Having a pen in your home for your dog can be a tremendous benefit and can offer a great deal of convenience for the owner. But there are so many different kinds of pens available that it can be overwhelming just trying to decide which product to purchase. Many dog owners, however, have found that there’s nothing more convenient than a wire dog pen when it comes to providing a safe place for your dog to rest.
There are many benefits to these wired structures, and one of the biggest is convenience. These wire dog pens are bound to get dirty, and a wire structure is incredibly easy to clean. If you purchase a rust proof version, you can also house these outside without any worries that it will be detrimental to the pen itself. It also allows for open air to circulate, so your dog doesn’t overheat or have to breathe stale air. You can also make these structures more comfortable by adding any number of pillows, blankets, or cushions.
Cool Dogs
We are in the season to make sure that we keep our dogs cool. I have found this Freezable and Reusable teether dog toy! They are called Chilly Bones and they contain a non-toxic 
absorbing sponge that can be frozen over and over. Don’t let the term “teether” fool you. Your adult dog will love the chilly cold sensation any time of the year and they are perfect for teething puppies too!
Faith Walks
This is a very special story about a dog with no front legs but survives by walking on the hind legs. Think about the struggles that must have come up during this Faith’s life. But if look at the picture in the article Faith still wears dog tees. 
Please check it out and show your support, it doesnt cost a dime.
Horses and the Economy Part 3-Grooming
I have discussed some solutions in previous blogs. Some to do with types of saddles some info to save you money regarding bartering.
There are a number of ways to go about having your horses groomed. I remember as a kid I was the one that was responsible for the grooming, cooling down, feeding and cleaning the stalls. It seems that we have gotten away from the simple things in life that use to give us pleasure. Granted, cleaning the stalls before school was NOT the highlight of my day but it taught me responsibility.
Now is the time to go back to the simpler things in life. Back to the beginning and remember what it is all about. OK enough of that. Now…you do know where your horse grooming tools are right?
Some ideas that can help you in a tough situation is to:
- Barter your way through periodic grooming that you need done. That is if you do not want to tackle it yourself.
- Get kids involved.
- Ask you local kids group, ymca, or other local center if they would like to have the kids visit your farm for some demonstrations and learn how to work with horses. The grooming can be a part of that visit.
Teach them about all the tools: curry comb (metal or course/fine rubber combs), hoof pick, soft/hard bristle brush, mane and tail comb. You may be surprised at how many kids enjoy working with horses and would not mind coming periodically to help. Who knows you may have a future employee in training.
Give some of your own ideas to help others.
Special Dog Harness Part 2
As stated in part 1 the specialized dog harness, Bottom’s Up, is a special leash that helps your pet walk when they are having some problems with their joints or have a neurological problem. The Bottom’s Up leash help to support the rear end of your dog by looping straps around their hinds legs so that you can help hold up the rear end. The leash supports your pet but does not hinder their ability to relieve themselves.
I previously stated some medical reasons that you may need this leash. I wanted to continue on with one last one that is extremely important to me.
Degenerative Myelopathy
Degenerative myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet. This can first occur in one hind limb and then affect the other. As the disease progresses, the limbs become weak and the dog begins to buckle and has difficulty standing. The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk. The clinical course can range from 6 months to 1 year before dogs become paraplegic. If signs progress for a longer period of time, urinary and fecal incontinence may occur and eventually weakness will develop in the front limbs. Another key feature of DM is that it is not a painful disease. It is also usually the last diagnosis after all other tests have been performed.
There is no cure for DM at this time and it is so heartbreaking to see you four-legged family member go through this. But they are not in pain so that can be some consolation.
DM is the reason I began the hunt for specialty items such as the rear harness and dog carts (wheel chairs). I have been through DM with my lovable dog Charlie who developed DM when he was 8 yrs old and progressed over the following year to where he needed assistance walking to go outside. This disease however did not deter him from wanting to chase squirrels! I couldn’t run that fast. Watching him made my heart melt and want to do something to help him. So like I stated, I purchased the rear harness and helped him get where he wanted to go. It was the best purchase I have ever made as it also relieved the pressure on my shoulders and back from trying to hold him up from behind and more convenient than using a towel which didn’t sit in the right places for him to relieve himself.
So if you are ever in doubt check out the rear harnesses to assist your pet through some hard times.
Special Dog Harness Part 1
While nothing will ever replace a dog leash, the dog harness the need has become more prominent in ou
r society to leash our pets. The laws and regulations regarding our pets have been put into place that you need to have a leash to walk your dog. When you have a pet with special needs sometimes the regular leash will not do.
There are a number of different product names and types to choose from depending on what your specific needs are.
Sling type dog harnesses are being used to help animals when they’re having problems walking. The Bottom’s Up Leash, actually supports the rear end of your dog and is one of many types of assisting harnesses for lifting or holding the rear end of your pet up. You can use this to assist your pet getting up the stairs, getting into the car or simply walking around.
Some of the conditions that may warrant a specialized harness
Canine arthritis
Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a progressive, debilitating disorder characterized by a loss of cartilage and the death of cartilage-producing cells. DJD can occur in any joint, but is most often found in the hip. It can lead to permanent loss of function.
In most cases, DJD occurs secondarily to trauma, nutritional disorders or infections. It is prevalent in middle-aged to geriatric dogs. DJD may also occur in young dogs who suffer from canine hip dysplasia, a common developmental disorder of the hip joint found primarily in the larger breeds and breed mixes.
My dog, Baby, is 13 yrs old and is closely getting to the time where she will need a harness as she is getting slower walking up stairs. So I definitely know where to turn from experience.
I wanted to make this a shorter post so I will talk about other conditions that would warrant you to use a Bottoms Up Harness in future posts.
Rested Dogs
Dogs, like people, need a comfortable place to sleep. After all: A well rested is a well-behaved one. If you feel like simply placing discarded towels in a laundry basket, you may want to rethink this idea.
A rested puppy will not only behave well, but will be easier to train and will generally be a bit friendlier; after all, you would be much friendlier yourself with a full night’s sleep, as opposed to four to five hours. Giving a dog a comfortable place to sleep is above and beyond tossing blankets on the stained end of a couch. If you want to make your pup feel truly at home, a soft dog bed will be the way to go.
Dog Licking
When I first saw my dog licking the chair she was laying in or the floor or her bed I thought she was going crazy. The I thought maybe she had some kind of compulsive disorder. I figured I had an OCD dog. But the more I read about it the I realized that she wasn’t the only one doing this.
It seems there may be a few different reasons for why this happens
1. Comfort
2. Marking their area with their own saliva (I am happy it is nothing else)
3. Food crumbs
4. Boredom
5. Tactile experience
Regardless of the reason it was very annoying to my husband when he went to sit in the chair and it was all wet.
What I started to do was creating a play time specifically for her. I would sit on the floor with her favorite dog toys. It seems to lessen the the amount of time licking. Plus I have introduced dog toys that have a texture to them and it definately seems to have lessened her urge.
Have you ever had this problem?
Horses and the Economy Part 2
No one likes to dwell on a down economy and a tight budget, but its lasting impact may turn out to be a positive one. All in all, it’s a great time for horse and dog owners to discover new opportunities.
Everyone has had to make sacrifices for their animals. You also see more and shelters being filled up as Some simply let their animals loose in the streets or ignore them and abandon them altogether.
I have seen many horses being given away as the owners are in a foreclosure status on their homes. It is so sad to see so many displaced animals much less the people who love them.
I’ve heard from veterinarians, breeders, and barn managers but now I want to hear from you. Where have you cut costs? How creative have you gotten? Share some of your tips and tricks by commenting on this blog
Some of the things that I have heard people doing are bartering for services. This eliminates the output of cash and build a better business community. If this is what you choose to do remember not to sell yourself short.
Also the time has come to get back to the basics. Horse grooming for instance can be done by you and save hundreds of dollars per year.
This blog will take a look at a different component of owning a horse and suggest ways you can cut costs and save money. I would like your advice and suggestions from you via the comment section.
I have already written about the pros and cons of synthetic vs traditional western saddles. Check out the blog and give me your thoughts on that subject as well.
How have you dealt with the economy and your animals?
Room Training
Room training is an imperative component of any comprehensive dog training routine. Select a safe room that when visitors come over whom are not “dog people,” the dog would stay while the visitors are there. It should contain a pee pad and toys. Some puppies pee in their space at first and some don’t, have patience. The point of the room is to discourage peeing for a period of time and keep them out of trouble – first an hour or two and at night, then gradually longer. The point is to take the dog out before it has to go to the bathroom and as time goes by it can hold it longer and longer. Never more than 4 hours except at night, when I recommend you get up twice during the night and let the puppy out; after two days wait and let the puppy out once in the middle of the night, gradually extend the wait time an hour until finally they have gone all night.
The room should be used up to a year when you are gone and at night. The sooner the puppy is trained and you can trust them the sooner they have free roam of the house. Remember to remove food and water an hour or more before leaving the dog, the puppy should be let outside and empty when left in the room. At night, take food/water away by 5pm so the puppy is empty for the night.