Here is a pretty good list of male chihuahua dog names to help
you find the perfect one for your chihuahua puppy!

Chihuhua male name starting with a A
Adonis, Aladdin, Ali, Amigo, Apollo, Artemis, Astro, Atari, Atlas, Avis

Chihuhua male name starting with a B
Bach, Bacon, Bailey, Banjo, Baxter, Beau, Benji, Bentley, Bozo, Brownie

Chihuhua male name starting with a C
Cajun, Cargo, Cash, Chaplin, Cheddar, Chester, Chopin, Cliff, Clipper, Curry

Chihuhua male name starting with a D
Dakota, Dali, Dallas, Detour, Devil, Dilbert, Dingo, Dragon, Dream, Dusty

Chihuhua male name starting with a E
Echo, Edgar, Ego, Einstein, Elliott, Elmo, Elvis, Ervin, Ewok, Export

Chihuhua male name starting with a F
Felix, Fido, Finch, Fizz, Flannel, Fletch, Flick, Fox, Franco, Freud

Chihuhua male name starting with a G
Gadget, Gandhi, Genius, Gin, Goliath, Gordy, Gregg, Groucho, Guru, Gyros

Chihuhua male name starting with a H
Hamlet, Handsome, Harley, Henry, Hero, Hershey, Homer, Hoover, Howard, Hulk

Chihuhua male name starting with a I
Ian, Ice, Igloo, Igor, Indy, Irving

Chihuhua male name starting with a J
Jack, Jackpot, Jasper, Jeremy, Jerky, Jetset, Jim, Joker, Judge, Justice

Chihuhua male name starting with a K
Kaiser, Kalhua, Kellogg, Kelvin, Kenny, Kent, Killer, Kilo, Kiwi, Kryspy

Chihuhua male name starting with a L
Larry, Laser, Lee, Lenny, Lewis, Lexus, Little, Loony, Lotus, Lucky

Chihuhua male name starting with a M
Macho, Major, Malcolm, Mambo, Martini, Max, Melvin, Midget, Mondo, Mustang

Chihuhua male name starting with a N
Nacho, Ned, Neil, Neon, Nestor, Newton, Nillson, Nitro, Norton, Nugget

Chihuhua male name starting with a O
Oak, Oliver, Omega, Onyx, Orbit, Oreo, Orscar, Othello, Otis, Ozzy

Chihuhua male name starting with a P
Paco, Pavlov, Peanuts, Peewee, Peso, Pete, Ping, Pinto, Pluto, Pogo

Chihuhua male name starting with a Q
Quaker, Quartz, Quiche, Quick, Quinn, Quito

Chihuhua male name starting with a R
Racer, Rasta, Reboot, Ringo, Rocky, Roder, Romeo, Roy, Rupert, Rusty

Chihuhua male name starting with a S
Sam, Sausage, Scampi, Schwartz, Scooter, Scotch, Scotty, Scuba, Shadow, Sherlock

Chihuhua male name starting with a T
Tango, Tao, Tatoo, Taxi, Ted, Theo, Thumper, Tito, Turbo, Twister

Chihuhua male name starting with a U
Udo, Ulric, Umaga, Uncle, Unger, Ungo, Uttley

Chihuhua male name starting with a V
Valentino, Van-Dam, Vanelli, Veggie, Velcro, Venus, Victor, Vince, Vivaldi, Volt

Chihuhua male name starting with a W
Waldo, Walter, Warrior, Wasabe, Whiskey, Whistler, Wilson, Windy, Wolfgang, Wonton

Chihuhua male name starting with a X
Xane, Xavier, Xerox

Chihuhua male name starting with a Y
Yahoo, Yankee, Yazzy, Yoda, Yogi, Yoyo, Yule, Yum, Yuri

Chihuhua male name starting with a Z
Zack, Zephyr, Zero, Zeus, Ziggy, Zippo, Zola, Zoom, Zorro, Zulu

Pet lovers always take special care for their pets and spend a lot for pet care products. One of the important pet care products is pet bed. It provides your pet a comfortable place for sleeping. Several kinds of beds are available in the market and most of the beds are bought for pets like dogs and cats. Depending on the type and size of your pet, beds can be chosen. Pet beds are available in varieties like small sized beds, large sized beds, out door beds, indoor beds and luxury beds. Look for important factors such as materials used, comfort, luxury, shape and size of the pet bed.

The pet beds should provide comfort while your pet is sleeping and at the same time the bed material used should create a great look for the bed. Pet beds made of micro velvet nylon gives a luxury look to the pet beds and they can also be easily washed. While buying Pet beds, look for the flexibility so that you can carry your pet and the bed during traveling. Pet beds should be frequently washed and so also the covers. Therefore always check whether the bed covers can be removed and replaced. There are various colors available in pet beds and choose a bed that goes attractive with your pet. The bed material should provide style along with comfort to your pet.

Pet bed sizes vary from small to extra large. The pet bed shapes like round, rectangle etc. can be decided depending upon the size and age of your pet. Round shaped beds are normally suggested for pets as they provide them protection. Polyfiber pet beds are easily washable and detachable. The inner cushion of the pet beds should be thick so that your pet gets total comfort while sleeping. There are reversible pet beds available in the market and you have the advantage of using both sides for your pet alternatively. Another popular pet bed variety is doughnut shaped bed. Some pet beds provide crate pad as additional benefit.

Pet beds for cats should protect them from winter and floor. Many of the pet beds for cats provide heating system in the bed so that the bed temperature is controlled and protects the cat from cold. A pet bed provides your pet its own space and your house will also look in an organized way. You can easily buy pet beds by online means. Usually cats sleep for longer duration in a day to a maximum of 16 hours and a dog sleeps less than a cat.

The extreme changes of weather will not affect your pet if you provide a pet bed for it. By selecting a proper bed you can minimize vulnerable health problems that may affect your pet. Pets are normally subjected to various skin problems and always require a smooth and cool sleeping place. The popular types of beds available are Murphy beds, crib bed, brass bed, orthopedic bed, cooled bed and heated bed. Murphy beds use minimum of space in home and also during traveling. Murphy pet beds are produced using many varieties of wood and stains crib pet beds provide protection to puppies while sleeping and playing. Antique lovers buy brass pet beds with brass carvings for providing elegant look to their houses.

Author: David Hensley
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/finding-suitable-pet-beds-330518.html

It was long held that dogs and cats can't live together in the same space. Having both a dog and a cat myself, I can confirm that is not the case. There are, however, several factors to take into consideration.

How you acclimate a dog to a cat is key. Also, introducing these two species at an early age is always better. You should never force the introduction, but there are a few things you can do.

If you have a cat or cats and want to bring home a mature dog, try to find out some history on the dog. Things like whether or not they've been around cats before. If you can't get any history, it's better to be safe than sorry. Keep them separate for awhile and socialize them slowly. Use of a dog leash would be good for this purpose.

Some breeds truly don't get along well with cats. These include your hunting breeds like Dobermans, hounds and others. Also, terriers don't get along well with cats. Please keep the breed in mind when you decide to bring a dog home to a house with cats.

If your new dog does not react much to cats when brought home, don't automatically think all is well. Sometimes, grown dogs will be completely civil when inside, but then attack when outside. So don't leave them unsupervised in the same room until you are sure.

Now, if you bring a new puppy home versus a mature dog, there are some better socialization techniques you can use. Remember, I mentioned earlier the age of the dog makes a difference. You will want to keep them away from each other for a couple of days or so. During that time, let the cats smell the puppy's bed to acclimate to the puppy's scent. Be sure you let the puppy do the same for where the cats typically sleep.

Now it's time for the actual introduction. You should hold onto the puppy in your lap and let the cats come to the puppy. This is their first visual as well as physical encounter. The puppy is secure and the cats are free to approach and withdraw as they please. If the cats stay in the room after this, let the puppy go. If the puppy starts to chase the cats, firmly say "No". This will bear repeating as the puppy learns not to run after the cats.

Before long, the two species will be playing together and be best friends. Many will even become protective of the other. Just take the time to introduce them properly and you'll be one big happy family.

Do you want to teach your dog to add, subtract or even calculate square roots? If your dog knows how to say woof, it is easier than you think to teach him to count! Here is how to impress your friends with your Einstein dog.

Step1
You have to know when your dog barks. Will he bark when he wants to go outside? When he's playing? When someone rings the doorbell? At squirrels? You are going to use the times he naturally barks to teach him to count.

Step2
Have treats at the ready. When you know he's about to WOOF, raise your finger and say "Fido, what's ONE?" The very instant he barks, give him a treat and tell him he is wonderful. Repeat this as often as possible. What you are doing is training him to WOOF at both your raised finger and the word "ONE."

Step3
Start varying your wording, always ending with the word ONE and a raised finger. "What's two minus ONE?" "What's one divided by ONE?" "What is the square root of ONE?" Always reward for a properly-placed WOOF. Don't reward if he barks incessantly. The trick is to reward directly after the first bark. He can't bark a second time if his mouth is full!

Step4
If you are consistent with your command and reward, your dog will start barking once when you say anything that ends with the word "ONE?" and raise your finger.

Step5
The finger is important because eventually he should be able to woof when you raise your finger. This means that you can go to advanced mathematics with your dog and teach him to bark twice or even 3 times.

Teach your dog a good, solid stay command. This will make the photo shoot go much more smoothly. Check Resources below for a link to my article on teaching your dog the stay command.

Once your dog does a good stay command, find a good place to take the picture. A nice spot in a scenic park, the beach, a room set up with some lighting and a back drop.

Put your dog in a sit, down or stand position and give the command "Stay." This is where some patience on your part comes in. If you put too much pressure on your dog there is a good chance that your dog will start to pick up on your vibes and the whole shot could be much more difficult than it has to be. The best thing to do is relax and have fun with the whole process.

Once you have your dog in the stay position and you're ready to take the photo, say your dog's name. To get a really good photo you want your dog to look at the camera. To get the best shot, say your dog's name and squeak the toy. This will usually get your dog's attention.

If your dog is not interested in the toy or it get your dog to excited wave the treat to get your dog's attention.

Once your dog is looking at you, take the picture. With a little practice you'll start getting great photos of your dog.

The number of animal lovers is increasing all around the world. Many people especially in the western countries love to have a pet in their home. Many of these pets are treated as a family member rather than an animal. Dogs are most popular among the pets these days. For many reason dogs became an integral part of today’s society.

Dog owners should have a good knowledge about what ingredients to use in a dog food. Sometime they unconsciously create health problem for dogs by feeding them unhealthy foods. Before feeding different types of food to dogs; owners should look the ingredients of those foods. Also they have to remember every dog does not need same kind of food. Some dogs have allergies with specific foods. Dogs food can be both vegetarian and non vegetarian. In both kind of food, mixture of proper ingredients is essential.

Dog owners have to provide the necessary ingredient in the dog food for their growth. Important minerals like zinc help grow calcium. Some essential vitamins like A, B, D, E should provide in dogs food. Also have to keep in mind that at different ages dogs need different kinds of food. Like an adult dog require meat, egg while the puppies need milk. Male and female dogs also require different kind of food. Especially during the pregnancy female dogs need to feed properly.

Dog’s health must be monitored periodically. There are signs of illness for the dogs. Like excessive vomiting, continuous nasal discharge, passes loose stool for several times or too much barking. Then there is a high possibility that dog’s health is not well enough.

Owning a dog put some additional responsibility to us. Proper care is essential for them. Feeding them proper food is one of the basic requirements. Owners need to be more aware and conscious about dog’s diet.

If you are a cat owner that truly loves you furry friend than it is imperative that you understand the importance of healthy cat food. Cats have very unique nutritional needs and if they are ignored the results can cause your cat to become sick, or even shorten its life considerably. The good news, is that finding and procuring the best cat food for your beloved pet is now more easy and convenient than ever.

Happy Playful Cats

The main problem is that cats can't talk, so if they are feeling bad due to their diet, they are completely unable to tell their owners about it. This means that right now what you are feeding your cat may be causing it to feel terrible, but you wouldn't even know it. A properly nourished cat is a happy playful cat, so it is also in your best interest to see to it that your cat is being provided the best nutrition possible.

A shocking Discovery

One recent current event that brought the issue of healthy cat food to the attention of cat owners world wide, was the discovery of a certain practice of unscrupulous Chinese pet food manufacturers. What was discovered, has more cat and dog owners around the globe taking a closer look at what they are feeding their pets.

Safe Online Sources

They were found to be adding a dangerous chemical additive to dog and cat food that mimicked the presence of protein. They could have gotten away with this unseemly practice indefinitely, but for one thing. That is, that the chemical that they were using is fatal in some instances. Thats right! Cats and dogs were dying from the food that they were being fed and while the practice has stopped for now it is only a matter of time until they start in again.

If you're one of the millions of people on earth that owns an animal chances are your pet has either had the flu, a cold, ticks, flees or something else altogether. When things like that happen to your pet, obviously you want to fix it. Especially if you're someone like me, I think of my dog Casper as a part of the family, not just a dog. When something happens to your dog or cat or other animal you want to take care of it immediately.

There are several sites online where you can find pet medication at discount prices for your animal. Discount prices are great because medication for humans let alone animals usually costs a pretty penny. Admit it, there's been a few times when you've been sick, and your doctors told you that you've needed a certain sort of medication. This medication more often than not is expensive! Well with animals it's the same thing sadly.

Discount pet medications are also great if you own several animals instead of just one animal! Discount pet medications are no better or no worse than regular priced pet medications. The only difference is, is that they are less expensive. Which in my opinion is terrific for you. If you're looking for sites online that offer discount pet medication, all you have to do is go online and look for things relevant to discount pet medication.

I'm just going to list a few sites for you. Most of these sites are pretty well known, but that doesn't mean you have to do just these sites, you can also find several other sites online that offer discount pet medications. The way I found these sites was that I've heard of them, but I also looked up a top 10 list for discount pet medication sites. So you can do the same as well;

Pet Care Rx. - Dog meds, save up to 50%
Total Pet Supply - Save 80% on pet drugs today, 125% price match guaranteed
1800 Pet Meds - Save up to 25% on brand-name pet medications
Pet Care Choice - Up to 65% savings on pet medication. Best price guaranteed. Free shipping.

As you can see above, these are some of the more popular or well known sites, but as said above there are several other sites to you can go to.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/choosing-a-pet-medication-online-521017.html

Pet lovers always take special care for their pets and spend a lot for pet care products. One of the important pet care products is pet bed. It provides your pet a comfortable place for sleeping. Several kinds of beds are available in the market and most of the beds are bought for pets like dogs and cats. Depending on the type and size of your pet, beds can be chosen. Pet beds are available in varieties like small sized beds, large sized beds, out door beds, indoor beds and luxury beds. Look for important factors such as materials used, comfort, luxury, shape and size of the pet bed.

The pet beds should provide comfort while your pet is sleeping and at the same time the bed material used should create a great look for the bed. Pet beds made of micro velvet nylon gives a luxury look to the pet beds and they can also be easily washed. While buying Pet beds, look for the flexibility so that you can carry your pet and the bed during traveling. Pet beds should be frequently washed and so also the covers. Therefore always check whether the bed covers can be removed and replaced. There are various colors available in pet beds and choose a bed that goes attractive with your pet. The bed material should provide style along with comfort to your pet.

Pet bed sizes vary from small to extra large. The pet bed shapes like round, rectangle etc. can be decided depending upon the size and age of your pet. Round shaped beds are normally suggested for pets as they provide them protection. Polyfiber pet beds are easily washable and detachable. The inner cushion of the pet beds should be thick so that your pet gets total comfort while sleeping. There are reversible pet beds available in the market and you have the advantage of using both sides for your pet alternatively. Another popular pet bed variety is doughnut shaped bed. Some pet beds provide crate pad as additional benefit.

Pet beds for cats should protect them from winter and floor. Many of the pet beds for cats provide heating system in the bed so that the bed temperature is controlled and protects the cat from cold. A pet bed provides your pet its own space and your house will also look in an organized way. You can easily buy pet beds by online means. Usually cats sleep for longer duration in a day to a maximum of 16 hours and a dog sleeps less than a cat.

The extreme changes of weather will not affect your pet if you provide a pet bed for it. By selecting a proper bed you can minimize vulnerable health problems that may affect your pet. Pets are normally subjected to various skin problems and always require a smooth and cool sleeping place. The popular types of beds available are Murphy beds, crib bed, brass bed, orthopedic bed, cooled bed and heated bed. Murphy beds use minimum of space in home and also during traveling. Murphy pet beds are produced using many varieties of wood and stains crib pet beds provide protection to puppies while sleeping and playing. Antique lovers buy brass pet beds with brass carvings for providing elegant look to their houses.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/finding-suitable-pet-beds-330518.html

Pet Insurance offers coverage of your pet's medical expenses. You can purchase pet insurance from a veterinarian or from an insurance company. Though pet insurance is a debatable point as many people take it differently it rescues from financial burden by taking care of your pet's medical expenses when it undergoes any treatment for accidents and illness. Sometimes, pet insurance covers vaccinations and preventive medications also.

Pet insurance is beneficial as medical care for pet is very expensive on occasions like when it falls ill or when an accident occurs. It is a necessary provision for all pets and typically this insurance covers medical expenses for animals like cats and dogs. There are some insurance companies that provide insurance for pets of exotic species also.

Depending on the insurance cost the level of pet insurance coverage varies. There are various pet insurance plans available in the insurance markets that are affordable. The basic coverage starts for a month between $10 and $15 per month and for wider coverage, a higher pet insurance plan can be chosen. Similar to other insurances, pet insurance also looks for pet's eligibility conditions like the fitness of the pet and its age. A pet insurance is generally meant for young pets and is not offered for older pets. But if you want to avail pet insurance of aged pets the insurance costs will be significantly higher. There are insurance companies that don't offer pet insurance for dogs which are more than 9 years old.

The pet insurance policy and insurance plan description will provide you all the details of where and how claims can be met. Pet insurance providers have databases in order to avoid false claims and to ensure that only the insured pet is claiming the insurance amount for treatment. A veterinarian provides identification for preventing false claims. Some pet insurance providers offer discount for insuring more than one pet and provide affordable insurance for pets.

Depending on your pets' health and age, the insurance coverage varies. When your pet is lost due to theft or your pet is dead, the pet insurance provides you a new pet as replacement. But the main benefit for pet owners is the medical cover provided in various forms by the insurance companies.

Before opting for a pet insurance, you should read all the terms and conditions specified by the insurance providers. But the pet insurance procedure totally depends on your pet's health condition. For finding the best insurance policy for your pet you can search through the web for pet insurance policies and covers. Online pet insurance provides you an opportunity to identify different insurance companies along with their rates. This service enables you do a detailed comparison of various pet insurances and decide on the best insurance deal that's suitable for your pet.

With the technological advancement available in health care, the level of diagnostics provided for animals is also high and therefore is not affordable for all. Unfortunately the health care programs of the government are also not available for pets. Pet insurance bears your vacation cancellation expenses if your pet is not well for specific reasons and if there is a treatment necessary for your pet, the insurance covers your overseas travel cost. A pet insurance policy as a gift for your pet proves your love and care for your pet, as it really deserves it.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/why-you-should-go-for-a-pet-insurance-330522.html

The word insurance is one of those words that just makes you cringe. Next to putting gas in your car it seems like the biggest expense you have and there is just so much that you need. You need to keep insurance on your car (it would have been really nice if somebody would have told how big a financial drain that was going to be), if you own a home you pay homeowners insurance, if you rent an apartment you have renters insurance, you struggle with the ever soaring cost of health care insurance, and if you are a really responsible family member you have life insurance. And now you find you are hearing that you should consider purchasing a health insurance plan for your pet dog.

You love your dog, he's more then a pet, he's a valued member of your family and probably your best friend. But health insurance? You can barely afford to put food on your table how are you supposed to be able to afford to insure your pet. Besides he's just a mutt, dog health care insurance is for fancy purebred show dogs, not your rescue pet.

The shoestring you’re probably living on is the very reason you might want to consider putting pet health insurance on your pet. The average dog owner takes their pet dog to the veterinarian approximately 2.3 times a year and it will cost you approximately two hundred and eleven dollars per year. My guess is that each time you pay the vet bill your budget is screaming for mercy.

What happens if your dog contracts a disease, or gets hurt? It doesn't take much to rack up some pretty serious vet bills. What if you have to leave town and can't take your dog with you? Can you really afford to leave your dog at a boarding kennel? You already know how much you have to pay for your prescriptions, do you really think that a dog prescription is going to be any cheaper.

Your dog is your best friend and a treasured member of your family could you really live with yourself if you had to put him to sleep just because you couldn't afford his vet bill.

It is possible to get health care insurance for your dog for approximately ten dollars a month. While it might not cover all of your dogs vet care needs it could help. If you shop around and read each plan carefully you should even be able to find a pet healthcare plan that will help pay for your routine vet visits. Some pet insurance plans will even cover some boarding expenses.

Some questions you should ask the pet health insurance company you are considering buying a pet health care policy from is whether or not your vet accepts that particular type of insurance, if there is a cap on treatments, how much is your deductible, and how will they handle any pre-existing conditions your dog might have.

Your dog is sick - your cat is sick and you have to give your pet medication.

How do you give a pill to a cat or dog?

Pets will tend to resist being handled with force more than actually taking the pill. The trick is to use as little force and restraint as possible and to be quick!

Place your thumb and index finger just behind your cat’s upper jaw behind the canines (your finger will fit in the space behind the canines) and tilt the head upwards. This will cause the mouth to open allowing you to quickly insert the pill (medication) with your other hand. When inserting the pill you must be quick and make sure that you have tossed it far in the mouth near the base of the tongue.

Once the pill is inserted, close mouth shut and hold for a few seconds to make sure the cat will not spit the pill out. If it seems like the cat may be holding it’s breath (to spit out the pill as soon as it has a chance) blow on its nose this will force him to swallow.

If you have a difficult cat wrap the cat in a towel with only head sticking out before administering the medication.

For dogs use the same technique only you will have to put your hand in their mouth to go place the pill near the base of the tongue.

For those cats and dogs where it is impossible to give the medication, try to offer a very small amount of food or treat (or milk) with the pill hidden inside.

www.pets.ca

It’s hard enough for a veterinarian or a trained team member to give pet medications, let alone your average pet owner.

Pet owners struggle to follow the vet’s orders to give their pets medication, and we know the pets need the medication but they don’t want to take it, and just like with toddlers, we have to give pets a prescription they don’t like.

There’s a recent study that shows that only 10% of cat owners and 30% of dog owners succeeded in medicating their pets correctly. What this means, is that prescriptions sent home by the veterinarians often end up in the cupboard or on the person, and not in the pet. And what happens, is that the pet owner is too embarrassed or hesitant to go back to the veterinarian and admit failure.

One trick is to use Pill Pockets. Rather than giving one Pill Pocket as recommended with the medication, you give three. The first one is an empty Pill Pocket as a tease. The second one is the Pill Pocket with the medication. The third one is the chaser.

And for the animal that won’t take any medication, they seem to spit everything out, try a compounding pharmacy. There are several companies out there, FlavoRX is one of them, and they will make your pet’s medication into pet flavors, such as Salty Bacon, Atlantic Salmon, Angus Beef and Bubblegum. Some companies will even send you samples to find out which flavor your pet prefers. About 70% of dogs and cats will lick this medication right out of the spoon. You can do this with both pills and liquids.

And, if nothing else works for your cat, there is the new transdermal system. The medication is put into something that is simply absorbed into the skin, so you wipe put the medication in the cat’s ear. While not all medications can administered this way, many of the common medications can.

However, if your pets takes pills easily, be aware that many pills can be lodged in the esophagus up to five minutes later. While this is uncomfortable for your pet, it can also lead to inflammation and can cause severe problems long term. So, for both dogs and cats, if you are not using something that is chewable, give a water chaser. When you give the water to help flush the pill down, simply grab the corner of their lip, tip their head back, and squirt it in the corner of their mouth, and it will act like a funnel and run down behind the back of their teeth and right down their esophagus. If you try to put the water on their tongue, they will just spit it up right back on you.

Make a dog bed for free from two discarded couch cushions and some stuffing. Fits a small to medium sized dog.

Steps

1. Take two discarded couch cushions.
2. Set aside the best cushion (Cushion #1) for the base.
3. Cut along the seams of Cushion #2 to remove the fabric.
4. Cut this fabric into strips 14 to 16 inches wide.
5. Sew the best three strips end-to-end into one long strip.
6. Lay the strip like a horseshoe around the edges of Cushion #1.
7. Leave an extra 2 inches at each end and cut off the rest.
8. Turn this long strip inside out and fold in half along its length.
9. Sew a seam 1/2 inch from the cut edges to form a tube.
10. Leave two inches unsewn at each end.
11. Turn the tube inside out so the good side faces out.
12. Stuff firmly with soft materials.
13. Neatly sew the ends closed.
14. Pin the tube onto Cushion #1 the way you want it.
15. Sew to Cushion #1 along the back end with double thread.

Tips

• Have your dog lie down on Cushion #1. There needs to be an extra 5 or 6 inches of space on three sides around the dog
• If your strip is not long enough, add more strips as needed
• When sewing the ends, try to get them to match each other
• When arranging the tube on Cushion #1, hide the seam underneath
• The tube will wrinkle when bent. Arrange it so the wrinkles look uniform
• Use thread that matches the fabric to hide imperfections
• The tube can also be sewn along the front end for extra strength
• Add your dog's favorite blanket for a removable, washable cover

Warnings

• Remove all pins before your dog gets into the bed

Teaching your Chihuahua puppy to go inside his crate, and enjoy being in there, is called crate training. Crate training gets your puppy comfortable with his crate so that he will happily enter it and spend time in it when you need him to. Such as when you're housebreaking him or when you need to take him in the car.

Are Crates Cruel?

Dogs like small, enclosed areas. It gives them as sense of security and they tend to find small spaces comfortable. You will find that almost all Chihuahua puppies will love to sleep in their crate and will even go inside it during the day to rest or to chew on a bone. Especially if you encourage them. The main advantage of crates is that they make housebreaking a lot easier. A puppy will not eliminate where he sleeps (in his den) so crates are used during housebreaking to stop the puppy from eliminating in the home. But you will find that most all puppies love their crate so much they will use if for the rest of their lives, even when housebroken.

A crate is NOT meant to be a place where you can lock your puppy up for hours on end. If you're going to do this and not spend any time with your pup, yes it is cruel, and why do you even own a dog?! You should never associate any negativity with the crate, and being locked up in the crate for hours certainly will not be enjoyable for him so if you use a crate like that, then yes, it's cruel.

But if you're a loving dog owner, and you spend time with your Chihuahua puppy every day, loving him, caring for him, playing with him, petting him and walking him, then putting him in his crate for a few hours is not a cruel thing to do. He is not being put in their for punishment, and if you crate train him correctly, he won't see it as such. (By the way, you should never put your Chihuahua in his crate as punishment or he wont want to spend time in it). Most Chihuahua puppies will not mind being crated for short periods of time. And when you think about it, we put our human babies into crates too, we call these crates... playpens.

How to: Crate Training Your Chihuahua Pup

Put the crate in the middle of the room and place some toys and a treat in it. Always leave some toys in the crate so he can play with them. Leave the door open and allow your puppy to walk in and out as he pleases as he explores the crate. When he walks in, say "Crate", to teach him that the word "Crate" means that you want him to go to his crate.

After he's had a good look around the crate, place a another treat inside and let him go in. Close the door gently, leave it closed for a few seconds, and then reopen it. Repeat this a few times. Keep practicing by leaving the door closed for longer periods of time. Leave it closed for 1 minute, than 5 minutes, than 10 minutes. Then leave the door closed for half and hour. Then one hour. Make sure you are home the whole time while you are crate training him. If the crate is a plastic one, have the door facing you so that wherever you are in the home he can see you.

If he cries when he is in the crate don't let him out. If you let him out he will then learn to cry when you put him in his crate, and he will always do it. However, he may be growling or barking because he wants to go outside to eliminate, so keep this in mind. It's best if he goes to the toilet beforehand so you know this isn't the case.

How long can you leave him in his crate? A one month old puppy can be in his crate for 1 hour. A two month old puppy can spend 3 hours in his crate. And a 3 to 6 month old puppy can stay there for 4 hours. A 6 month old, or older, puppy can be in his crate for up to 8 hours, but no longer.

Remember, you should not overuse the crate. It is an invaluable tool for housebreaking your puppy, but it's not a substitute for companionship with your best friend.

Congratulations! You've taken all the steps to ensure the Chihuahua puppy you buy has the highest possible chance of growing into a happy and healthy adult. You've selected a Chihuahua puppy from the litter and you're ready to pay for him and take him home.

Here's what you should receive from the breeder, in addition to your new Chihuahua puppy...

1. Sales Contract
You should receive the sales contract with all the terms and conditions you and the breeder have agreed to abide by and have both signed. The contract should also have, at least, a 48-hour health guarantee where the breeder agrees to refund or exchange the puppy if he is found to be sick when you take him for his Veterinarian check up after you get him.

2. AKC Certificate or AKC Registration Application
You should receive the AKC Certificate which shows the puppy is registered with the AKC if the breeder has already sent the papers in and had the puppies registered. Otherwise you should receive an AKC Registration Application which the breeder has filled out which you will need to send off to the AKC to have your puppy registered.

3. Health clearances
You should see the OFA and CERF certificates for the puppies parents and grandparents. You can get photocopies of these from the breeder.

4. Pedigree
You should receive a piece of paper which outlines the pedigree (family tree) of your puppy.

5. Medical Records
You should receive all the medical records for the puppy up to this day. This will include information on which vaccinations the puppy has had and when. Information on when the puppy was wormed. And a general health clearance signed by a Veterinarian.

6. Advice on feeding
The breeder should also give you advice on what food, and how much, to feed your puppy.

7. Photos of the puppy and parents (optional)
It's also nice if the breeder has some photos of your puppy when he or she was really young, to give you, for keep sake. And possibly some photos of the puppies parents that she can give you too. So you can start your photo album ;-)

How we choose our pets reflects the kind of person we are. These pets are often extensions of our personality and figuring out what kind of a dog you want as a pet may be tantamount to the kind of person you are. How does one figure out if one is cut out to take care of an American bulldog? Does a bulldog fit the kind of person you are?

Finding Out What It Takes
Raising any dog breed takes a certain amount of patience and care and some dog breeds require more of these than others. If you are thinking of adopting an American bulldog, you may need to find out first what is needed in raising such a dog breed. Since bulldogs grow to become rather sizable creatures, you may need to consider the space you have in your home for a full grown American bulldog. You may also need to consider your budget and whether or not you have enough money for a big dog like the bulldog. Since bulldogs need to be trained, you will also need to consider the costs of training and getting your dog disciplined. These are just a few of the things you may need to think about when deciding on getting yourself a bulldog.

The Bulldog's Personality
If there is one thing that a bulldog owner needs to have in abundance, it is patience. These dogs are considered one of the hardest breeds to train. Getting them to do what you want can be considered quite a big feat at first but once you do get them trained and properly accustomed to your commands and edicts, they are very loyal pets that protect and love their owners. The bulldog is a very energetic and intelligent dog and if you do not see yourself as the kind of owner who can stimulate such intelligence or who can get their bulldogs to use this energy in a good way, you may be better off getting another kind of dog.

Family Pet
A lot of families often take in a bulldog as a pet due to the animal's inherent protective nature. For those who are thinking of getting a pet for the family, a bulldog is a pretty good choice since it has this protective instinct that can give you an assurance that it will be kind and gentle to your kids. Of course, pets like the bulldog need to undergo a little training and a lot of care for it to build some loyalty towards the family it is adopted in. If you think that your family is ready for a bulldog and you are ready for the responsibility of having one become part of your household, then you may be an American bulldog type of person after all.

Those that have families with small children or are planning to start a family in the future that are considering adopting a dog should always be concerned as to whether the dog they have in mind will be suitable in a household with kids. Some breeds are certainly less suitable than others, but fanciers of Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs tend to agree that these dogs make wonderful companions for children and adults alike. However, just because a breed is known as being kid friendly doesn't mean that new owners won't have a little work cut out for them to make sure both dog and children play safely together. In this article, we'll take a look at Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs with children and what you can do to ensure that your dog and your children will be comfortable with each other.

Fanciers of Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs are unanimous in their claims that these dogs are not only suitable for children, but they are natural protectors of children. These intelligent dogs seem to understand the difference between their small playmates and their adult members of the family and change their methods of play accordingly. There are even those that suggest that an Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog will play differently with a three year old than it would with a twelve year old, indicating that they understand that smaller members of the family are more fragile that the larger ones and should be played with more delicately.

That being said, it will be your responsibility as a dog handler and a parent to make sure that everyone involved understands what is to be expected of them. The best place to start is with obedience training and socialization as soon as you bring your Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog puppy home. Training your dog from the earliest age to sit, stay or come, as well as teaching him what kind of behavior is allowed and what is not, will all help the dog understand his place in the home and what is expected of him. Like most dogs, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs respond well to positive reinforcement training and will lose their natural sweet temperaments if too much harsh, negative reinforcement is used.

While training your Alapaha is very important, making sure your children respect the needs of the dog are just as important. While Alapahas are naturally sturdy, strong dogs, children need to understand that rough play, particularly when the dog is just a puppy, may not be appropriate. It is also noteworthy to add that Alapahas are extremely devoted to and protective of their families, including the children of the household, so children must understand that roughhousing with their friends in the presence of an Alapaha may lead the dog to think that his family member is being attacked and respond in kind.

The vast majority of Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs are docile, good natured dogs that get along very well with children, but taking a few extra precautions such as proper obedience training and educating your children on the proper way to behave with them will go a long way in ensuring that both dog and children will get along perfectly with each other.

The Bulldog is a very wonderful dog to have as a pet. They get along with everyone, but they especially love being around children. From the time they enter your home, it will feel like they are one of the family. In many ways, it will seem like there is another person in your home. You will especially feel this way at night when you hear your new bulldog snoring. Yes, bulldogs do indeed snore.

When you first hear him snoring, you'll be sure that you are hearing things, but it's only your bulldog snoring as he sleeps. The reason for their snoring is that they have very short breathing passages. They don't snore quietly, but rather loudly and on most nights. Some of this may stem from years ago when they were bred to bait bulls. They needed to have their facial structures a specific way to make this possible. The bulldog had to have a short muzzle and a wide lower jaw to enable the bulldog to grab onto the bull's nose in the same manner as a vise. He would then have to hang on to the bull and drag him. The nose of the bulldog had to be upturned otherwise the dog wouldn't be able to breathe when he was holding on to the bull. This plays a large part in why the bulldog snores, because of his inability to breathe as other dogs do due to their facial structure.

There is another factor with the bulldog that may contribute to their snoring. They cannot be left in any area that is hot or not properly ventilated as they overheat very easily. Not sleeping comfortably often contributes to snoring and this may play a part with the bulldog. They have always been known for snoring and snorting. There is a cause for concern however, if the snoring gets too loud. Some bulldogs suffer from laryngeal edema, which is swelling of the airway and what sounds like loud snoring may in fact be difficulty in inhaling. If the bulldog makes this sound all the time, they may suffer from too small of a laryngeal opening. Some bulldogs also suffer from brachycephalic upper-airway syndrome, which can cause the dog to collapse from exercise, excitement or high temperatures. Any of these problems may contribute to the actual snoring that the bulldog is known for. Although snoring is common with the bulldog, if he or she seems to be having more trouble than normal, seek medical attention from your vet for the dog.

Surprisingly enough, everyone that owns bulldogs claim that the snoring doesn't bother them at all. In fact, most of them say it's a rather pleasant sound and definitely a sound they've become accustomed to hearing. Perhaps this has something to do with the lovable and cuddly personality the bulldog possesses.

So what is the problem you are having with pooch? Is your dog not behaving like the angel you thought it would? There could be any number of reasons as to why the animal is not properly behaving, but one of the most important reasons is the reason of listening. Do you actually listen to what your dog is trying to tell you?

If your dog is not ready to do anything and is lazy, it is not going to obey your commands. It is just as simple as that. Now on the other hand, if you can get your dog excited to start listening, you will have one of the most obedient dogs on the planet. You must make the dog excited to want to learn and want to please you. Only then will you have the full attention of the animal.

So what is one to do? Well, without getting into too much detail, you just have to keep things simple and to the point. Animals do not have to learn by repetition, although I would strongly suggest you do this. How do you practice getting your dog motivated? Come up with a routine that you can do on a daily basis for about a week or so, that will not make your dog distracted.

For example, go to a quiet room and with a dog treat, begin your training. When you can get the dog to focus its attention on you and on the treat, you are winning the battle here. You must always make the dog want to please you and never forget to reward it for the awesome behavior it displays, the good behavior that is. Teaching your dog to sit and then giving it a treat, will let the dog know that you are happy with what it has just accomplished.

Taking these simple things into consideration, you will go a long way in helping your dog understand that when it comes time to pay attention, it better do so. Why would it want to disobey you anyways? It really wants that treat. So with treat, practice, and patience, you will see an amazing change in the way your dog behaves.

You have to keep in mind that a treat is a reward with your dog. Dogs love rewards just like we do. So be generous and be kind when handing out the reward for good behavior. Stay positive in your teaching and never be negative about it. Negativity will only hurt the process. Stay sharp and good luck.

by: Zane Madisson

Anyone looking for a new pet wants a pet that is clean, socialized and well trained. Most people don't know that these are all qualities of pet rats!

There are many misconceptions about rats. People think that rats are unclean and carry disease. In fact, rats are quite clean and groom themselves several times a day. These aren't sewer rats we're talking about. These pet rats, or fancy rats as they're called, have been domesticated and bred in captivity for at least 150 years.

Rats are very intelligent animals. Some consider rats to have intelligence close or equal to that of dogs. Rats are capable of learning to come when their names are called. They can even be litter trained just as easily as training a cat.

If you have any experience with other rodents such as hamsters, mice or gerbils you may be afraid of biting. This is almost unheard of with domesticated rats. Unlike their rodent cousins, rats are generally docile creatures. Most of the time rats just like to lay around, especially males. Rats can easily be trained to be good lap pets.

In the wild, rats live together and have a complex social structure. These social instincts carry over to pet rats. Pet rats tend to develop strong bonds to humans and to their cage mates. So much so that its common for rats to become very depressed when a cage mate passes away.

Many apartments won't allow dogs or cats, and it may simply be impractical to have larger pets in some houses. In those situations a pet rat is perfect. Cages for pet rats usually don't consume much room at all which makes pet rats great for small apartments.

Rats are friendly and intelligent animals and make great first pets for children. Being clean and easy to care for makes them great companions for the elderly. Go out and get your pet rat today!

by: Scott McHenry

The Havanese dog is a breed that came back from a crisis in the last century to become a popular family pet today. This dog is especially popular in the United States, with some breeders still charging up to $1000 for a pup, despite the fact that the Havanese dog is becoming more readily available today. The reason for their popularity is mainly in their personality: Havanese are fiercely loyal, eternally playful and consistently cute entertainers. This makes them a good choice as a family pet for many families, including those with children and other animals in the house. These dogs are also quite brave, despite their small size, and can make excellent watch dogs. One of the best things about this breed is the fact that they never seem to lose their zest for life that they have as puppies. You will rarely see a grumpy adult Havanese dog, but you are likely to see one that is always ready to play.

Intelligent, submissive and eager to please his master. These characteristics are typical in the Havanese breed, which makes it easy t train most of the time. However, housebreaking a Havanese can be a more challenging process than with other types of breeds. Most breeders and Havanese owners will advise someone purchasing a Havanese puppy to allow plenty of time and patience to complete the housebreaking routine. One reason is because Havanese pups do not always leash train well, meaning they may not complete their "business" when enjoying a walk with you. If you are having a hard time getting your Havanese pup housebroken, one method that has worked with some Havanese owners is the use of a litter box that is designed for use with toy dog breeds. Do not ever use regular cat litter in your dog’s box, since he could eat it and get sick. Instead, you can use a hard, cylindrical paper pellet that will actually attract your dog to his box. It is also important to make sure that you spend plenty of time with your puppy, since a lonely dog can easily turn into a chewing dog.

If you are looking for a new pet for your family, and you are hoping for a dog that will be easy to train and fun to own, a Havanese puppy might be the right choice for you. This dog is submissive by nature, eager to please, and intelligent to boot. He is generally a pup that will always be ready to play with your family, and never lacking in energy. Often Havanese are natural performers and your pup may entertain you frequently with his antics. He will be loyal and loveable, and despite his small size, he may make a fairly effective watchdog. Most Havanese tend to be fearless, and even fierce when the situation calls for it. If you are thinking that a Havanese puppy might be the right dog for you, there are plenty of Havanese breeders available who can offer you one of these pups in good health and with good breeding. To find a breeder, you can search online or ask friends or your veterinarian for recommendations. It is also a wise idea to continue to research the breed, so that you can learn everything possible about the Havanese dog.

For many of us, our pets are an important part of our lives and we pamper them sometimes better than we do ourselves. This is especially important when it comes to your dog and its bed. There are so many different types of dog beds on the market; you will have a vast selection to choose from. You could go with a designer dog bed if you have the money to spend, as it could go into the hundreds of dollars. Many have chosen to go with homemade dog beds. It can be as simple as a pillow with some extra fabric, or you may decide to make a wooden dog bed. This can be a simple project or a complex one, depending on how fancy you decide to get. If you have the time and patience, you can involve the whole family in some part of making a wooden dog bed.

Getting Your Supplies Together

When you are making a wooden dog bed, you will need several supplies to complete the task at hand. Starting with of coarse wood, a hammer, nails a saw (if you have not purchased precut wood that is the exact size you need) sand paper and paint or primer depending on the style of wooden dog bed you decide to make. With all these items around, you need to be very cautious and concerned for the safety of any children that will be assisting you with this project. The best thing about making a homemade wooden dog bed is that you can design it to the style and size you see fit. You will need some sort of padding. A fluffy, comfortable pillow usually works best, but you can use whatever you see fit.

Making A Wooden Dog Bed

The first thing that should be done is to make the frame for the wooden dog bed. You can decide what shape and size as well as color scheme you think will work best for your pampered pup. Once you make the frame of the wooden dog bed and nailed it together, then the fun begins. You can add fabric, primer, paint, pillows or even dog padding to complete your pooch’s new bed. Have fun with it, be creative and your dog is sure to enjoy it. Then sit back and think about all the money you have saved by making a homemade wooden dog bed.