(Part 3) Best animal & pet care books according to redditors
We found 3,420 Reddit comments discussing the best animal & pet care books. We ranked the 893 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 41-60. You can also go back to the previous section.
It’s the Cat Tarot from Megan Lynn Kott
here’s more pictures of the deck FULL of cats! Our Golden boy is sadly the evil one in their eyes
the deck
That actually may be a bad idea. If cats are not brought into a home at the same time (preferably as kittens) it can lead to major stress. My aunt's cat never got used to having a second cat. She is a total bitch to the "new" one, even years later. Read Cat Sense.
Source: National Geographic
Source: a great article on CNet.
A book link to "Cat Sense" (I've read it and really enjoyed it).
The photo is actually my own cat, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. :D
Growling is actually good. Growling is not your worst fear. Growling is a warning sign. You don't want a dog who doesn't give you a warning. Don't punish the growl, you're removing your early warning system.
Crawling is hard for pups! These babies are all unpredictable. It's scary for the dog.
No. 1 Recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/Please-Dont-Bite-Baby-Chase/dp/158005577X Book by a dog trainer about bringing her adoptive son home. Really, REALLY good advice. I can't recommend it enough.
Recommendations:
Victoria Stillwell is a good, positive methods trainer. Check out her website and Facebook page.
The book "The other end of the leash" is good and a really interesting read.
Watch for known issues - e.g. my dog is possessive of balls, and one specific toy. The baby is NOT ALLOWED THAT TOY. It's the dog's. It's our job to police that.
Oh also - very important, learn about dog body language. This is a good video from a trainer at a nearby place to us. https://www.facebook.com/ZoomRoom.Campbell/videos/858572274272659/ People soooo misread dogs. "Oh look, he's smiling!" OMG no, he's so uncomfortable and desperately needs his humans to remove him from that situation before he snaps. Learn what to look for: Rigid boy, whale eye, showing teeth. Those all come before the growl. Learn what to look for even before you get to the growl - which is still an early warning, more than a bite.
Good luck! It doesn't mean he/she is a bad dog. At all. Just needs a little more help managing fear of the baby.
Stop picking him up unnecessarily, stop taking him to places where he cant be on the floor because he hasn't had his shots, stop introducing him to random people. Bring him home, let him chill in his house.
Stop yelling at him and spraying him and messing with him when he eats.
I honestly don't know where to begin because so much of what you are doing appears to be stressing your dog out that it's impossible to tell what to be concerned about and what is simply him reacting to you and all of the stress in his environment. The good news is that there is so much going on that is not very good for the puppy that I expect that if you change those things it will go a long way towards improving his behavior.
I would find a trainer who has some educational background in training. There is no real certification process so anyone can call themselves a trainer, and that's the type of trainer it seems you have been going to.
Positive reinforcement is realistic, and is not going to create the kind of aggressive responses you are getting currently. I would also recommend picking up the book Puppy Start Right. It's an easy read with lots of good training exercies in it. If you find a trainer that isn't using the same basic techniques, find another trainer.
The hair length is easy! It’s two things: (1) long hair is recessive to short hair, and (2) if a dog is feral and has long hair, there’s a real possibility of matting and resulting health conditions leading to an early demise (therefore less reproductive success)
Size-wise, “medium” is the best evolutionary card to be dealt – being too small means you’re fragile, being too large means it can be hard to secure the resources you need to survive.
Dog color genetics get pretty complicated pretty quickly, but since the brown/red/tan color seems to take hold everywhere, my guess on that is that ultimately those genes shake out as dominant over the others.
Dogs are descended from wolves, but the thousands of years of divergent evolution between them has created a genetic gulf between that domestic dogs would be incredibly unlikely to leap back across. Dogs are scavengers, wolves are predators. A dog, even if it’s feral, is going to have a much stronger inclination to affiliate with humans than any wolf would. Interestingly, even the rare feral dogs colonies that don’t have any human interaction don’t return to any wolf-like state. They don’t pair bond for a mating season, males don’t help with care of offspring, they don’t live in family units, and their social structure is held together through the dogs showing affiliative behavior toward one another (not any of that dominance nonsense pop culture won’t let go of).
…and now I’ve rambled for way too long about dog behavior and genetics. If anyone is reading this who is actually interested in the topic, this book is a great read (or this, if you’re looking for a less weighty read.
Some people don’t seem to do this but I definitely did. We don’t allow our dog on the couch/bed anymore because we live in NYC and her paws are gross from walking around outside. I don’t want to have to worry about germs even more than I already do. I want the furniture to be safe places for my LO. Also he seems to get covered in dog hair so much even without being on the same level as the dog so I can’t imagine if they shared furniture.
Introducing the dog and the baby was more challenging than I expected. For the first two weeks every time the baby cried the dog cried and I was ready to pull out my hair. The dog is big and friendly and the baby is just too small. There’s a good book called Please Don't Bite the Baby (and Please Don't Chase the Dogs): Keeping Our Kids and Our Dogs Safe and Happy Together https://www.amazon.com/dp/158005577X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_ijFGcV9mUXn3I
I wish I had read BEFORE the baby came. By the time I got to it it was too late to enforce any of the rules.
Good luck!
Honestly, doesn't sound like you'll have time for this dog. I read your other post. There was zero planning here. But you can still fix this if you decide to keep the dog:
The book Puppy Start Right will help answer a lot of your questions and more. You won't have to search through other sub reddits or wikis.
Check for puppy socials\playgroups in your area. You want to make sure it is socialized properly
Make sure he has toys to chew on. Find something he loves. Redirect him onto that when he goes for something he shouldn't.
Bring treats outside with you. Wait out there until he pees\poops whatever. When he does make it a big celebration and give him a handful of treats. Repeat the process.
If you haven't taken him to the vet yet please do that too
Seriously if you can't do any of these things you should seriously consider finding that dog a new home
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>People Are Scaring Their Cats with Cucumbers. They Shouldn’t.
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>“If you cause stress to an animal that's probably not a good thing,” says Jill Goldman, a certified animal behaviorist in southern California. “If you do it for laughs it makes me question your humanity.”
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>John Bradshaw, a cat-behavior expert at the University of Bristol and the author of the book Cat Sense, agrees, saying the “despicable” videos are “an incitement for people to scare their cats and then invite people to laugh at them.”
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>The fact that the cucumbers are often placed near feeding stations in the videos confuses the cats because they often associate those areas with safety and security, adds Pam Johnson-Bennett, author of Think Like a Cat. "That's a cruel thing to do," she says.
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But, internet points from strangers...
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First of all, as far as trust goes.... don't treat him like a dog that you can train to obedience and start thinking him more as a creature with a unique personality, and toddler-like intelligence. You cannot "scold" or punish a bird as intelligent as a grey, the only thing that works for training is 1) rewarding good behavior and 2) ignoring bad behavior. Punishments (including yelling, squirting with water, hitting, etc) get you nowhere as the bird will only associate these negative experiences with YOU and learn to hate/fear you. Tbh your bird sounds incredibly stressed and potentially abused (I'm not blaming you at all, I just want to stress how bad the situation sounds on our end).
I do think that you need to do as much research as physically possible before you start to tackle the care of this bird. First, research the needs of greys specifically. To stop his plucking, and begin forming some sort of positive relationship with him, you need to get his basic care situated.
Does he have a balanced and nutritious diet of pellets, fresh fruit and vegetables, grains, nuts, etc? Bad diets can exacerbate feather plucking and inhibit new feather growth. Next, does he have a large enough cage with A LOT of interesting toys? A busy bird is a happy bird, and if he has plenty of things to chew, swing on, or jangle around he is less inclined to be stressed or bored enough to pluck. Finally, does he have a reliable sleep schedule, is he constantly frightened by the other animals/yelling, is he interacted with for at least 2 hrs a day, etc? All of the negative things in his environment should be fixed, or else they will hinder any progress you make with training.
Once you have everything else situated, I suggest looking into clicker training. Check out this book, or sites on the web that can teach you about bird behavior, body language, and positive reinforcement training. You need to learn how to read him to figure out what makes him happy/fearful/aggressive, and also how to gain his trust. DO NOT just sit and stare at him without making noise! Birds are prey animals, and they become MORE freaked out when predators (especially those with forward facing eyes like us) stare at them because it means they might end up as a meal. Being too quiet is also a bad sign because that often signals danger in the wild. Instead, sit next to his cage and watch TV, read a book aloud, or play the radio. Soothing background noise, while he gets used to your presence will help him learn to trust you more.
I hope this info helps and I wish you luck!
One source for that is this book which is written by Veterinary Behaviorists.
Basically they say the dog can tell when you are mad. For example, they pee on the floor, and they learn that when you enter a room and pee is on the floor you get angry. They act submissive because when they relate to other dogs, they are showing that they are no threat to the other dog, they are just trying to get them to stop being angry or aggressive so peace can happen.
But this causes issues when communicating with people because the dog is trying to say "ok I won't hurt you I'm not a threat please don't me mad at me" and the person sees "I know I did something wrong and I'm guilty" and if the dog is still getting punished it is suddenly in a very confusing and precarious position. Then maybe eventually it thinks well submission isn't working, do I need to defend myself? Or some other unwanted behavior.
It should be noted that the dog is not quite able to make the connection that he peed on the floor so it's his fault at that point. Unfortunately they don't think that abstractly about cause and effect unless you catch them right in the act. Once you find pee on the floor it's too late really, and the dog is only making the connection about people being upset and pee is on the floor at the same time.
But they definitely pick up on the body language and tense voice, even if they aren't being punished in any way, they can detect enough about your mood and are doing the thing they think will make it better between you two.
Ferrets For Dummies https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470139439/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GuSCzbG3RRERN
I haven't had coffee yet today, so I apologize for being blunt here: you need to approach this with a lot more patience. You've only had him three weeks. That's not enough time for him to settle in after a big change. It's definitely not enough time to have worked through a training method, or for you to be at the end of your rope.
I highly recommend you take a step back from focusing on getting him to step up and start working on minimizing his stress and forming a bond with him. Stop cornering him to get him to step up. You're going to end up in a situation where you have a bird who is terrified of your hands, and undoing that is far more difficult and time consuming than doing things right from the start. Not to mention the stress it causes your bird.
I've had the most success with clicker training and target training. If you can give your bird a treat, you can clicker train him. Dog training clickers are cheap, and a chopstick works perfectly as a target stick.
The book I've seen recommended the most from folks I trust is Getting Started: Clicker Training for Birds by Melinda Johnson. I actually just ordered a copy so I stop recommending a book I haven't read. ;) I have clicker and target trained birds with a lot of success. It's very effective.
Everything about this method is positive. It's more like a game for your bird. You're building trust and learning to communicate. The initial part is the slowest (priming to the clicker, etc.) so stick with it. Keep training sessions short, maybe 10-15 minutes. You can do several a day, but you want to stop before you bird loses interest and end on a good note.
Parrots are very expressive and communicative. Listen to your bird's body language. He'll relax a lot more if you don't push him too far beyond his comfort zone. If he's acting nervous, back off until he's comfortable. There's no reason you can't have a happy bird who enjoys being handled, but it won't happen overnight.
Ours love love loves being outside at any time. She does a perimeter patrol multiple times a day, she’s been out there in snow, rain, thunder, none of it phases her. Very few potty accidents with her, she also has a service bell she rings when she wants to go out, and abuses that power when it suits her.
She is also a hunter and has saved us from multiple bunnies, birds, garden snakes and a rat. She’s still hoping for an elusive squirrel one day. She’s a very good girl and wants to be a good listener but all bets are off if she’s hunting, she can never be off leash outside except in the securely fenced yard and at the dog park.
She howls when her feelings are hurt. It’s the cutest thing ever. Someone left and didn’t take her in the car? Other dog doesn’t feel like playing? Baby howls.
She is crate trained and sleeps in a cat cave in the crate so she can be cozy, it was a great alternative to a pile of blankets for her.
The book Good Owners, Great Dogs was a helpful training guide for me when I got my first dog.
CARE for reactive dogs. Keep her under threshold. That (for most dogs) means increasing distance - you want her to notice them, but not be building to the reaction. At that point, you can do a couple of things - look at that (dog looks at the trigger, you mark and reward - you want to transition this very quickly where you mark the dog looking at the trigger, then you and marking for looking back at you, and then eventually just marking ignoring the trigger), look and dismiss (dog looks at the trigger and dismisses to do something else - sniff, play with you, etc), BAT 2.0, or any other protocol.
I like to also do mat work and then take the mat on the road. The mat acts as a high value, known source of confidence which can help with other training. I wouldn't let anyone touch her, be her advocate. Beyond that, it's just time and patience.
Books you may want to read:
Why is the automatic assumption here that if scientists all agree that the evidence contradicts your cherished belief then it must be because they're biased leftists who are hiding it away as "forbidden knowledge"? This is the exact same argument that the creationists made, like in Ben Stein's "Expelled" documentary but we laughed at them when they tried to say science was biased against them, why would we suddenly take your anti-scientific arguments seriously?
The problem with the pitbull myth is that it's based on incredibly weak evidence, which is summarised quite well by this study here:
>Despite human directed aggression being a serious public health issue, there has been limited systematic research into potential risk factors. Existing studies provide useful insights but many have utilised populations with inherent biases, do not have controls for comparison, or have used multiple univariable analyses with associated risk of Type 1 errors. Previous studies have investigated four population types: hospital recorded bite victims (e.g. De Keuster et al., 2006; Morgan and Palmer, 2007); clinical populations from specialist behaviour clinics (e.g. Bamberger and Houpt, 2006; Fatjo et al., 2007) or general veterinary practices (e.g. Guy et al., 2001a,b,c); temperament screening for particular populations or breeds of dogs (e.g. Ott et al., 2008; Borg et al., 2010), and surveys of dog owners (e.g. O'Sullivan et al., 2008; Hsu and Sun, 2010). Inherent biases are associated with the first three populations, and the latter may be biased depending on recruitment. For example, large breed dogs are more likely to cause injuries to children requiring hospital treatment (Overall and Love, 2001), and incidences with owned dogs have been reported to be less likely to be associated with injuries requiring medical attention than those occurring in public places (Cornelissen and Hopster, 2010). Clinical populations are likely to involve a sub-set of owners willing to invest in treatment, may be biased towards larger breed dogs where aggression is less easy to tolerate, and towards family rather than stranger directed aggression (Bamberger and Houpt, 2006). Temperament testing studies generally utilise specific populations with putatively increased risk, such as rescue centres (Bollen and Horowitz, 2008), military dogs (Haverbeke et al., 2009) or associated with legislation (Schalke et al., 2008), and hence may also not necessarily be representative of the general population. Although owner surveys may overall seem a less biased population, biases can also occur due to different methods of recruitment (Asher et al., 2011)
Basically, a lot of the data comes from dog bite statistics, which is obviously not a good source of data if our interest is in whether pitbulls are innately more aggressive or not - because, of course, such data will be swayed by things like the severity of the bite, the overall number of that breed vs other breeds, the accuracy of the victim to identify the breed, etc.
The last part there is particularly important given that the category of 'pit bull' used in clinical data on dog bites can include up to 7-10 different breeds (sometimes including breeds like the American Bulldog, which has a completely different genetic ancestral line from the American pitbull terrier, making genetic claims a little difficult!) so not only are we grouping together a number of dogs so that their overall bite rate will necessarily be higher (i.e. if we combined 6 other random breeds together then their total will drastically increase too) but people are understandably terrible at identifying what breeds are including in this diverse category called "pit bull".
So what does the evidence suggest is a predictor of aggressive behavior? [Well, factors like whether they are rescue dogs and their training experience are the main predictors (with breed explaining very little of the variance).
But let's assume that all of the evidence above is liberal claptrap. Here's an article which might be viewed as more 'balanced' as they go into detail on some of the genetic effects on aggression, and note some of the aggressive features of the pitbull. However, even these authors note that pitbull aggression appears only to be significant when looking at attacks on other animals, whereas attacks on people was within the average for all breeds.
The fact of the matter is that the higher the standard of evidence we use to judge whether pitbulls are innately aggressive, the less we find to support that claim. When we look at controlled assessments of aggression we find that pitbulls are within the normal range, when objective and neutral organisations like the AVMA review the literature they find no evidence that pitbulls are uniquely aggressive. A lot of what fuels the misconception is that pitbulls, when they bite, can do a lot of damage - as any big dog can. But if we were to successfully manage to ban pitbulls, and destroy every last one that existed, we wouldn't see a decrease in dog bites - we'd just see last decade's 'dangerous dog' come back. Which raises another question - since pitbull bites have only become noticeable in the last 20 years, what kind of genetic effect are we expecting to have occurred worldwide in that time?
And just to cut off a possible objection here, none of the above denies that genetic differences can exist between breeds. Saying "But we know X was bred for Y, how can you deny that?!" doesn't support the claim that pitbulls are: a) innately aggressive, or b) more aggressive than other breeds. Even ignoring the discussion above about "pitbull" consisting of at least 5+ breeds with different genetic histories, the fact that people wanted them to be aggressive doesn't mean that they succeeded in doing so. And looking at the current evidence, that seems to be the case. So pointing out artificial selection attempts is definitely a good reason for hypothesizing that an effect might exist - but the lack of empirical evidence for an effect means that there's no good reason for continuing to argue it on this point.
Finally, I just want to highlight this book: "Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon" which is an excellent historical analysis into the moral panic and pearl clutching over pitbulls, explaining that a lot of the myth was started because of the close association pitbulls had to minority racial groups. In other words, it seems like the rise in hysterics over pitbulls and the rejection of empirical evidence on the matter goes hand in hand with racism against the common owner of pitbulls... Effectively, just like moronic white nationalists reject evidence on crime to try to push pseudoscientific beliefs like "black people are innately more likely to commit violent crime!", there is essentially 'racism' against pitbulls by proxy.
Actually, it would be a really interesting discussion if Harris could get a scientist on to discuss the moral panic over pitbulls. It's an excellent example of how emotion has ruled policy and scientific evidence is often ignored!
Siblings, yay! They'll already know each other which is helpful when transplanting each to a new environment.
I think this book is a helpful general guide for beginners. This one too though it has a stronger focus on wet food diets.
Hey there!
First of all I'd recommend to schedule a session with a dog trainer who deals with reactive dogs on a regular basis. I went for an exercise walk with mine to analyze behavior, and she really was a huge help.
Also the /r/dogtraining wiki has a page about reactivity which I found quite helpful.
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I'll try to provide some input on your particular situation from my own personal experience with a reactive dog (taking care of a 4y old reactive Border Collie myself now since about a month):
>Then I tried distracting him with treats. But hes so focused on the other dogs that it doesn't matter.
When Opie is in his reactive state it's probably best to remove him from the situation (emergency u-turn, etc.). If he calms down after increasing distance, you can turn it into a learning opportunity by following the CARE protocol.
>So I guess I'm just asking for advice on how to handle him correctly in those situations where I cant avoid running into other dogs. And should I even be trying to avoid them? Or is exposure good with the right training from me? What training is the right training?
Try to avoid situations that trigger Opie, IMHO it's only stressful for the dog and he won't learn anything when he's spaced out barking. Exposure is good as long as he is not reactive and you're in control. For training sessions, you'll probably need an assistant and another dog that triggers Opie's behavior. Then follow the steps outlined in the CARE protocol, also explained in this video. You should (hopefully) slowly be able to gradually reduce the distance where Opie gets triggered by other dogs.
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Things that helped me get started:
Hope it helps! I'm just getting started with my own reactive dog journey so it would be great to hear what others have to say =)
Gunna second the suggestion to look up the Walstad method.
The short version: it's a method of using potting soil topped with gravel, you overstuff the tank with plants and set it up with a light. I don't have a filter on mine, though I did plug one in for the first day or two of my tank to clear up the dirt and stuff floating after I set it up, it helped a lot, but I havent had one since then.
It's based on a book, it's a boring read but pretty informative on the whole theory: https://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Practical-Scientific-ebook/dp/B00DB94K5I
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This playlist is what inspired me to try it myself, and then I got the book to have on hand, a good watch: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2155euLw9DN6EU2zBTlDj8-q572aZv7w
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My first suggestion would be to read some literature on the history of the breed. You’ll be her advocate, and while hopefully you won’t have to defend her breed often, you may need to at some point. Knowing their history and how they got the (absolutely unfair) reputation they have now is a great tool to have in these circumstances. I’ve very rarely had anyone blatantly disregard the breed, but even friends and family have mentioned things like the lock jaw myth to me, in which I was able to kindly educate them. Pit Bull by Bronwen Dickey is a great one. I also loved The Pit Bull Life by Deidre Franklin.
As other have said, socialize her often! The sooner they learn how to make friends with strangers and new dogs, the better.
Be prepared for allergies! We have ours on a grain-free diet after a handful of breakouts after food or treats. He used to take allergy meds, but after we switched to grain free and started wiping him down with hypoallergenic wipes after hikes and such, we have it under control without medicine.
They’re working dogs, so they need both mental and physical stimulation. Long walks help with the physical, but it’s his backpack that helps with the mental exercise too. I usually fill it with a collapsible bowl, a water bottle for him, some treats, and usually my water bottle too. Carrying things turns our walk into his job. Activity boards help with the mental exercise too!
Doggie day care is a great help in making sure they got their socialization, mental, and physical exercises. Find a good one in your area if she’s going to be alone for a while during the day (this will have to wait until she’s had all of her shots and vaccinations though!).
A trainer was also so helpful in the beginning, as others have mentioned.
Also, since they can be temperamental to weather changes/being cold, a rain coat has made going potty during a storm or the winter way more possible.
Strong toys! We like Kong, Playology, and firehose toys for ours.
Be prepared for lots of love and snuggles!! I’ve owned jack russels, Yorkies, and a corgi-mix, and none of them have been anywhere near as clingy and cuddly as my pit. As much as he loves day care, and hikes, and running around, he loves to be held or lay in my lap just as much. He’s by far the sweetest pet I’ve ever had.
She’s beautiful, by the way! I’m always so excited for new pit owners. Even though puppyhood can be hard, (r/puppy101 has guidance on that too!), pits are just so wonderful, so I’m excited for the bond you’ll share with her! 😊
I took my classes outside Toronto about 9 years ago (last time I had a puppy). Can't remember the name of the program sadly but there were 2 levels and I recall the second level was fantastic. What I definitely can recommend is the book Good Owners Great Dogs.
http://www.amazon.ca/Good-Owners-Great-Brian-Kilcommons/dp/0446675385
Since you have trazadone I'm going to assume you have already talked to your veterinarian about your dog's anxiety. If that is not the case, please discuss it with your vet.
The behaviorists are pricy, but they're an excellent resource and worth the money. I'd definitely stick with either a Veterinary Behaviorist or an Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist over a regular trainer, anybody can call themselves a trainer while CAABs and VBs have tons of education and experience. They can tailor advice to your specific dog and your specific household in a way a book or video cannot.
I am by no means an expert (I'm a vet tech at a general-practice clinic) but my go-to recommendations for behavior books are Decoding Your Dog by the American College of Veterinary behaviorists, (it has a chapter on house training and a chapter on separation anxiety) and The Other End of the Leash (it's about understanding dogs and how they think rather than specific issues) by Patricia McConnell. Patricia McConnell also has books (booklets? they're short) about anxiety and separation anxiety. I've never read the booklets, but she's a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with a Ph.D, so they're probably a better resource than random internet sites even if they're not as helpful as an in-person consultation with a behaviorist.
There are some great suggestions already. I bought this bookto help with my lab mix's issues with nail care and baths and it has been a huge help, he is going from tolerating to liking these things. The author, deb jones, also has a blog with some great information if you can't get the book and she runs a Facebook page as well.
I also highly recommend muzzle training so while you work on building positive associations to grooming. I am in the process of muzzle training my dog, there are so many useful applications and I like knowing that if he ever needs to be muzzled, it won't stress him out further, because he'll be used to it.
Rider deck is often suggested for beginners because of the clear visuals. But I personally think it’s more important to seek out a deck that resonates with you.
I felt comfortable with and drawn to this cat tarot deck. It’s my first and only deck. The messages can be a little tricker to interpret for the minor arcanum without its book for reference, but that also nudges me to study up and find my own meanings within the cards. Probably reigns true for others and their unique decks, too. There are plenty of resources to help you learn online, so follow your intuition!
You might be thinking of Bronwen Dickey's Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon. It's an interesting read but gets very mixed reviews from well-informed dog folks. The author definitely has an agenda.
I highly recommend the book Cooperative Care by Deb Jones for any body handling needs.
For the behavioural training, not the daily how-to's: Control Unleashed Puppy Programme by Leslie McDevitt. Absolutely adore this book and its author.
I also think Dr. Sophia Yin's Socialisation Protocol is invaluable for getting puppy used to his new environment. I have a very reactive, sound and sight-sensitive breed and she is literally bombproof in urban life thanks to getting her on a right start with this check list.
Best of luck to your coworker. You are doing a great thing, btw. You saw an issue and are doing your best to help out with the resources available. :) She's lucky to have you around!
Replying to my own message to help you get started researching.
Good Owners, Great Dogs is a great first-time-dog-owner/looking-for-a-dog book. Costs a little more than ten bucks at amazon.
www.dogstardaily.com. Read ALL THE THINGS. They have great articles about introducing a dog into your life, playing games, training, tons of stuff. Absorb it all before going out to choose your companion.
www.dogfoodadvisor.com for help in choosing a good food for your new best friend.
Tip of the iceberg; there's plenty to take in. But I realized my original comment just said "hey, man, go do some research" and didn't point in a good direction. Those places will get you started.
And I am really hoping the comments thus far are helping re-shape your notions of adopting a canine and realizing what that really means.
Even if you know how to keep it healthy this is only half the battle. You need to research your birds temperament and how to properly train it. This is not the place to constantly post asking for help with every single thing the bird does that scares. This shows a lack of knowledge regarding bird behavior and training that could cause you to hurt your new relationship. Before you interact with the bird any further you need to do some hefty research into bird behavior and training. We all love to help on this subreddit, but you need to be a problem solver when you own a parrot. Their behavior can change as they age and any parrot owner should have an in depth knowledge of bird behavior and training to negate any bad behaviors before they become a serious issue. This book https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890948152/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ""Getting Started: Clicker Training for Birds" is a great book to look into. Good luck!
*Edit to add that I never called you or would call you stupid, just possibly a bit uneducated. I'm not judging, I just want whats best for the bird and you so you can have a healthy happy buddy and a great relationship with them.
Diana Walstad's Ecology of the planted tank covers a decent amount of this.
Freshwater chemistry is a broad term, since it encompasses many different fields, including wastewater treatment, aquaponics, fertilization, and other ecology. You most likely will have a hard time finding a "one ring to rule them all" approach to literature.
I feel like we did a good job of covering a lot of the meat in these topics in the Planted Tank part of our wiki, of which I am a major author on. Let me know if you have specific things you want to learn more about and I can link you some papers/further reading.
Cat Sense by John Bradshaw. Highly recommended so far (only 1 chapter in!) http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Sense-Feline-Science-Better/dp/0465031013/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407414304&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+sense
I am going to recommend you start doing some extra research before you take on this.
Bulk Reef Supply has a series of videos that are full of information on the hobby. I'd recommend watching as many of them ( if not all of them ) that you can. Also a book I was recommended that I've currently been reading through "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist"
The more you know going into this hobby, the better off you will be in the long run. You're attempting to create and maintain an ecosystem in your house / apartment / where ever this tank is located.
Starting new and diving right into trying to deal with a problematic tank might not be the best of ideas. As I don't currently have a tank setup yet take this opinion with a grain of salt, but I just can't see taking on a headache right out the gate.
Similarly, I'm planning to use baby gates to divide my house into 2 zones so that we have the option to separate baby and dog while still giving each of them access to a large area. I got a lot of good ideas from the book "Please don't bite the baby".
I actually don't think your concerns are outlandish. Many dog/baby injury stories start with "he was always so gentle!" A little bit of management with play pens and baby gates can provide a lot of protection against accidents.
I would suggest trying out the raw diet as well. I have a kitty with irritable bowel, and I'm considering switching him to raw; I've been doing alot of reading on it lately.
This book was informative : http://www.amazon.com/Your-Cat-Simple-Secrets-Stronger/dp/0312358024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313206337&sr=8-1
Also, this website has pretty detailed info.
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood
When feeding raw, be sure to feed organ meats, as your kitty needs taurine, and thats where taurine comes from.
Also, my kitty may have asthma, and the meds for that, if you go the oral steroid route, are super expensive. I've looked into that on forums for asthmatic cats, and some people order from canadian and other foreign pharmacies. Apparently you can get medications for significantly cheaper by this route.
Please, please do not listen to the Petco person. Senior cat foods tend to advertise "reduced protein" formulas which means more carbohydrates (especially in dry foods) which you do NOT want for a cat, especially an older one that vomits often. The more carbohydrates and fillers, the more the cat has to eat to fill itself, the more vomiting and pooping and gut irritation, on top of a high possibility for diabetes, urinary issues, food allergies, and skin conditions. Cats throw up sometimes, but rarely. If a vet isn't concerned about this, that sounds like a red flag. How often is "a bit" for your cat?
I really recommend switching to a frozen raw diet as well. If that's not an option, then certainly switch to canned. No dry food whatsoever and especially do not free-feed. If you do more research into the topic (I highly recommend both http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood and Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins's book, http://www.amazon.com/Your-Cat-Simple-Secrets-Stronger/dp/0312358024) you'll get a better idea of why it is that cats need essentially a zero carbohydrate, all-meat moist food diet, and how improper high-carbohydrate diets are inappropriate for cats and lead to several serious medical issues (vomiting is just a symptom of other problems).
Socks, especially fluffy socks. Never too many fluffy socks, seeing as laundering them very quickly murders them.
I'd also really like money for my boyfriend to build me a new computer, money to responsibly care for a large fish tank and its stock, and some additional furniture when it comes to big budget items. My birthday's this month and I've been mildly stressed about it. Mostly I want money and a job.
Oh, and this has been on my Amazon wish list for awhile now. On that note, a Kindle!
There's also The Cat Tarot: Cat Tarot: 78 Cards & Guidebook https://www.amazon.com/dp/145217363X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_l1qoDbMSKG6XX
And The Considerate Cat Tarot: https://consideratecat.com/ the inspiration & cause this deck supports is just too pure ❤
I love the freedom harness.
Part of the job is to get him to "look at me" to heel by staying next to your knee. With a puppy, food is a reward, so as you are walking treat pouch on right hip, dog on the left. Have a treat ready and when he looks at you, INSTANTLY offer the treat. Takes effort, but being consistant is key. One he has that down, treat and YESS, is all that is needed, eventually going to just a verbal YESS.
Excellent book:
Family Friendly Dog Training: A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog
Books are a nice option that are generally pretty cheap overall, if not free.
What do you mean by very obedient? Do you plan on doing advanced training in the future? Like in dog sports? Do you want all the basics to just be SUPER DUPER SOLID in all locations? What kind of dog are you planning on?
If you're thinking about sports, I second the FDSA free ebook, but also suggest "Control Unleashed: The Puppy Program", and "The Focused Puppy". Both of these books' audiences are for the enthusiastic trainer who probably has a bit of experience training dogs. There will be a bit more training jargon and the like.
If you're more of a beginner, I really like "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days" or "The Puppy Primer". Then, I also highly suggest "Beyond the Backyard" as that really gets into the ways to get a dog that listens everywhere and not just when you've got a treat in the hand, or just in your house, etc. (Do note this book does assume you have taught the basics and instead goes into the proofing of behaviors in all environments, which is why I suggest that in addition to the puppy books)
I love the AquaClear filters. The 30 may be overkill on a 10G tank with just shrimp in it, but I sure don't see anything wrong with it. :) Their bioload will be pretty low, and you can always turn down the output if the flow is too much for them.
I'm not sure about the heater — I don't have any experience with the pre-set kind, and I'm not sure how accurately they're calibrated or anything. I always recommend Eheim Jager Trutemp heaters, though, and they're reasonably priced on Amazon if you're considering returning the one you have.
Plants! Plants are terrific, and they can be beautiful, too. :) The first thing you should do for plants is decide how much work you want to put into maintenance. If you want something that's pretty much set-it-and-forget-it, I'd go with root tabs for fertilizers or a dirt substrate capped with gravel. (There's a phenomenal book out there called Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Dr. Diana Walstad that's really readable and full of great information on using dirt to provide nutrients for your plants.) Both of these methods are great for beginners, the lazy, and people who want to spend the majority of the time looking at their tanks instead of working on/in them. The root tabs aren't as messy initially, but the dirt doesn't need to be replaced. (You'd probably want to replace the root tabs every few months.) Next, join us in /r/PlantedTank. That sub is a terrific resource for planted tanks!
You can use either sand or gravel. I'd go with something black to make your cherries stand out better. There's black Flourite, black sand, black Eco Complete... I'm sure there are lots of options out there that I'm not familiar with, too. If you choose sand, make sure the bag isn't marked "not for use in aquariums" — a lot of that stuff will probably make a huge, cloudy mess in your tank.
For lights, I recommend Finnex LEDs if you decide to go the LED route. A FugeRay or FugeRay Planted+ would provide terrific light for a 10G tank. Current USA also makes a fixture (the Satellite+) that's totally customizable in really cool ways, but has a lower plant-useful light output than the FugeRay or Planted+. Personally, I think Marineland and Fluval lights are hella overpriced, but they're probably not bad lights. If LEDs aren't your bag, though, I'm a lot less helpful since I don't have any experience with using other types on tanks. :) Really, though, you can get away with some pretty cheap options, like a couple of desk lamps with CFLs in them if you want to!
Hope this helps!
read Your Cat. It's helped us with our two cats. Better to start early though. Cats with habits are hard to change. Avoid that prescription food unless it is the only option that will work. Prescription food companies care more about profits than cat health (meaning it will be high in carbs and carbs are terrible for cats...they eat only protein in the wild).
edit: the amazon description for that book is terrible. It's a scientific perspective on cat health from a former pet food company vice president. She currently has a cat vet practice and shares her secrets for extending cat life from the typical average of 9 years to about 20 years.
It would be adequate, but not ideal. Get as big a tank as you can afford, both price-wise and size-wise. More volume means more stability, the ability to select larger fish specimens, and, overall, less headaches. Sumps are great and if you can afford the extra expense/setup time, you will never regret getting one. You can get another tank, maybe 15 gallon, and put your skimmer/heaters in there, as well as more rock. It's a great place to add supplements and increase your water volume.
Read and research all you can now. It's much harder to change things after you've got creatures living in your tank. Two great, essential books: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Marine-Aquarium-Step-By-Step/dp/1890087521 and http://www.amazon.com/The-Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Professional/dp/1890087998
To hold you over until you get those books: http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm
The key here is patience. Yes, it's hard work, but most of the hard work is only at the beginning if you plan it right and don't rush it. Good luck! Feel free to ask me more questions.
I'll echo the other posters here - ferrets will get sick more often than a dog, in my experience. I think of it as their life is condensed to 7-10 years compared to a cat or dog's 15-18 years. A dog will have a good 10 to 12 years before it might have cancer or die or old age, whereas a ferret will run into problems around the age of 4 to 6. Ferrets are such sweet, joyful, punchy-personality & heart-capturing creatures. I imagine it must be equally tough with rats not living very long?
If you haven't heard of it already, read Ferrets for Dummies. Yes really - it's THE ferret book, and explains all their conditions and risks.
We try to always have $1k emergency money that we can use on ferret vet bills. We feed them the best food we can find, and keep up on their hygiene. Make sure they don't eat anything they shouldn't - fabric, rubber, plastic - due to risk of intestinal blockage. This should cover your bases fairly well.
Edit: out of curiousity, I looked it up: black footed ferrets live 8-9 years in captivity, maybe up to 12. Polecats live up to 14 in captivity?
I was planning on getting into the hobby for a few months before I finally did. I tried to do all the research I could, including reading online articles, browsing forums, and reading The Conscientious Marine Aquarist (which I highly recommend).
My first tank was a 75 gallon with a 20 gallon sump. I made the stand myself over the course of a week - I had to rent a circular saw to cut the wood haha. They say that bigger is better when it comes to water volume, which is true (generally) but I think I went a bit overboard. I think a 30 gallon tank, possibly a biocube, is the perfect beginner size. Large enough to be stable, spacious, and interesting, not too small to be challenging, and just the right physical size.
Of course, nothing will ever truly prepare you for keeping a saltwater tank. It's one of the most demanding, rewarding, frustrating, and fascinating hobbies out there. Here are some things that really surprised me as a first timer:
That all being said, reefkeeping is a blast. Once you get your legs under you, it's incredibly awesome to keep a slice of the ocean in your home. I've learned bits of everything from chemistry to biology to electrical engineering to carpentry and more. A well-kept tank is a joy I could spend hours looking at.
Good luck!
Congrats on your new ferret! I highly suggest you pick up Ferrets for Dummies to help you learn all about being a ferret owner!
It's a dangerous game to play having a pet when they are not allowed. Hopefully your complex gives notice when they plan to come in. Recruit a friend to be your ferret sitter in case you need to house him temporarily somewhere else. Have a plan before you need it!
Agreed, take your time and do it right. Don't try to rush the setup.
Before I started my tank everyone I knew told me I had to read this book cover to cover. Well worth it. Most people consider it to be the reef keepers bible.
Ferrets for Dummies was a lifesaver for me when I got my first ferret and I still consult it. Also, they are so very inquisitive so ferret proofing your home is an ongoing task, even the smallest hole can be scratched into a larger one. And congratulations! You can never stay in a bad mood when you have ferrets in the house.
If you're hiring a behavior consultant, please take a look here - ccpdt.org. The trainers and consultants here have taken a test and signed an oathe to do no harm and only ever use fear or force as a last resort.
In the meantime, here are some of my favorite resources:
1.) (Free) CARE for Reactive Dogs - careforreactivedogs.com
2.) Grisha Stewart's Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) - https://www.amazon.com/Behavior\-Adjustment\-Training\-2\-0\-Frustration\-ebook/dp/B01BG05UAW/ref=tmm\_kin\_swatch\_0?\_encoding=UTF8&qid=1525694710&sr=8\-1
3.) (free) Relaxation Protocol - http://championofmyheart.com/relaxation\-protocol\-mp3\-files/
4.) Karen Pryor's Click to Calm - https://www.amazon.com/Click\-Calm\-Healing\-Aggressive\-Dog\-ebook/dp/B008510I5S/ref=pd\_sim\_351\_1?\_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TYTV68ZND5W25S0ZH1XH
This is the most highly recommended resource on how to create and maintain an inexpensive, soil aquarium: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DB94K5I
Death Gate Cycle is probably one of my favorite series aside from WoT and Sanderson books.
https://smile.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466613725&sr=8-1&keywords=death+gate+cycle
My deck is actually https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tarot-78-Cards-Guidebook/dp/145217363X but that one is adorable too!
If you find a copy of this book and read it cover to cover you'll be set: https://www.amazon.ca/Petroleum-Refining-Nontechnical-William-Leffler/dp/1593701586
I would recommend BAT (Behavior Adjustment Training) 2.0. There's a book on it by Grisha Stewart. Basically, it involves identifying a dogs "triggers" and allows the dog to explore them in their own way and on their own time, thereby building confidence. It focuses less on rewarding with food, which has been challenging for my dog. It's not a quick fix, but it has worked for many dogs. It's on Amazon and you can read online.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BG05UAW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
If you don't want to buy the book (but it's a really great book, I promise) then you can check out some youtube videos on that topic instead.
Wherever you go, I suggest you buy this book.
It completely changed my approach to owning and training a dog. My wife and I followed it to the letter and our Golden was the most obedient dog any of my family or friends had ever seen.
Most of the dogs come up from the US to groups locally, although possibly not directly in Ottawa. I used to have a retired racer, but that was in Vancouver and we drove down to Washington to pick him up. You could try flagging down an owner as someone suggested, or contact some of the local rescue groups http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.com/info.html or http://www.gracanada.com/. You can expect a bit of a process in adopting, as the groups will likely want to do a house visit and you would go through a meet-and-greet to get to know potential dogs before adopting. I totally recommend adopting a retired racer, but as with any breed, you have to look at your lifestyle and see if that type of dog fits. This book is a good primer, but the basis of it is that greyhounds are super calm, very sweet, and very sensitive, which is great, but the flip side of that is that they can have separation anxiety (so if you are out of the house 10+ hours at a time, it won't work well) and aren't as "dog" like as people are expecting, a lot of people are surprised that they have to always be on a leash unless it is a completely fenced in area. They pretty much want to sleep most of the day (preferably near you) and despite what people think, they are very low energy, but bringing them to an enclosed area to run briefly and some walks is all it takes. Good luck :)
Check out this book: Ecology of the Planted Aquarium
Read through it and you will know more than most people with an aquarium. Armed with this knowledge you could have a miniature underwater forest for a fraction of the cost and headache of most aquariums.
I have a cat that gets crystals, that I have to constantly manage. However, to properly know how to manage it, you need to find out if your cat has struvite or calcium oxalate crystals. Mine has had struvites, which I think is a bit easier to manage.
A few things I've learned about struvites:
A great book to read about cat health (written by a vet that takes a more "whole cat" approach, looking largely at feed) is Your Cat. It really does a great job at dissecting the current state of feline diets, and the role they play in many feline illnesses. I HIGHLY recommend it.
Good luck!
I found this blog post and this book incredibly helpful!
Get this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Microcosm-Professional/dp/1890087998/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466776945&sr=8-1&keywords=the+conscientious+marine+aquarium
Read it from Cover to Cover. It's best advice anyone gave me when I first started 6 months ago.
Have you considered the Death Gate cycle by Weis/Hickman?
It follows the story of Haplo, one of the descendants of two warring factions of seemingly-all-powerful magic users. His people were locked away for centuries after "losing" the war and have only recently begun breaking free from their prison. Haplo is tasked to go through "Death's Gate" to scout the other worlds in preparation for his people's return to power.
The first thing he discovers is that no one remembers his people, and "the enemy" is nowhere to be found...
Edit: Don't go to wikipedia for this one, the article is spoilery as hell and you will enjoy the series much more if the revelations occur organically. Here's book 1 of the 7 book series.
http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390
A referral to a veterinary dermatologist would be the next step to take.
Deb Jones has a book on Cooperative Care: Seven Steps to Stress-Free Husbandry and also teaches an online class at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy on cooperative care.
it's the Cat Tarot and I bought mine from Amazon!
Are you looking for an adult Greyhound, a very young Greyhound, or a puppy to raise how you want?
Retired racers are prone to separation anxiety and come with a longer adjustment time than some dogs due to the major upheaval of rehoming to a strange new world, but some adjust faster than others.
You should look at reputable adoption groups in your area/state if you're interested and do your research. I know several people who keep Whippets and Greyhounds, notably vet Jennifer Ng, and she does a lot of amateur sporting with both. You can look through her numerous sporting photos and albums through her Facebook page.
Freshly published by Dennis McKeon
Retired Racers for Dummies If you want to borrow this from me, I can loan it.
Another essay for the new adopter
You can find other info on groups' websites, and that info will vary in quality and accuracy, so do your own research.
> I was under the impression that these dogs were, in general, of a meaner disposition due to selective breeding. Is that inaccurate?
This is wildly overstated imo. I highly recommend
https://www.amazon.com/Pit-Bull-Battle-over-American/dp/0345803116
TLDR: A dogs breed is not nearly the dominant factor on it's temperament that many people take it to be.
Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
I also got a whippet puppy in Jan with -30C weather. It was a challenge at the beginning because she was used to using newspaper at the breeder's indoors. We got a piece of sod initially but she was more consistent when we took her into our backyard. A warm jacket is a must. They'll learn quickly to just do their business quickly to get back inside. You could also use a shower stall/tub if in the middle of the night and freezing.
I'd suggest finding a puppy socialization class initially. Puppy Start Right was recommended (https://www.amazon.ca/Puppy-Start-Right-Foundation-Companion/dp/1890948446/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517626807&sr=8-1&keywords=start+right+puppy) and I'd suggest you watch some youtube videos (I'd suggest Zak George).
Crate train is a good idea for your own sanity (and property), and you'll learn to discern the usual whining from "i need to go potty" whining. There are videos on crate training as well.
Good luck and enjoy the "good" moments! He will definitely try your patience!
Hey mate. Glad for you. You'll like this stuff , there's everything you need.
https://www.amazon.com/Control-Unleashed-Program-Leslie-McDevitt/dp/B0077BTNFS
I've been looking through Puppy Start Right sand I dig it so far. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1890948446/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_pxvgzbH2X29EE
It has information on all sorts of puppiness, but mostly behavior related.
> https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Clarifier-Aquarium-Treatment-Solution/dp/B0002DI1WO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536594605&sr=8-1&keywords=tetra+water+clarifier
I have to disagree with this product- or any 'clumping' type clarifier.
First, it's probably bacterial bloom from:
a. big difference in ph between tap water and tank water.
b. not using a chlorine remover that also removes chloramines.
c. replacing filter material instead of lightly rinsing it in tank water and re-using it.
d. over vigorous gravel vacuuming.
All of those will kill a % of nitrifying bacteria. The bloom is basically bacteria attempting to re-establish itself.
If you knock the bacteria down with a clarifier it will 'smother' it. Also, according to Walstad the 'sticky' clumping material will also clog fish gills because of ionization.
If you want to add something to the tank to speed the process, add some nitrifying bacteria.
Two things:
Check out the book Control Unleashed. The puppy one is probably best for you, but also for anyone, because it's an easier read (according to my trainer).
Have some really "high value" treats available to get your puppy's attention. Walk away if you have to. There's not going to be a simple fast fix that automatically snaps your pup into non-play mode. It takes time and patience. Someone on here once said "I have more patience than my dog." I have to constantly repeat this to myself.
My dogs are my friends, and we compete together. One sleeps on the bed, one is in a crate, one has her own sofa. The younger the dog, the more rules there are, and as they get older, the rules vanish, or are diminished. Rules for puppies teach self control and boundaries, and as the puppies get older they are so used to the boundaries that I no longer have to harp on them.
If you can order from Amazon this is a great puppy book.
Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding & Correcting Common Dog Problems
Set up as many positive experiences with strangers and other dogs as you possibly can. Puppy socialization classes are your best friend. Everything else can come later.
Puppy Start Right is my favorite puppy book.
My only short-term suggestion is management -- I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but there are no easy fixes to reactivity like this. Basically, make sure that your dog doesn't have access to the yard unless you're there to supervise. If she's already so overstimulated by the time you get out there, there's nothing you can do but pull her away. Screaming won't help -- it may deter her a bit, but screaming doesn't sound a whole different than a human barking. If it is enough to deter, your dog's simply going to learn that bad things happen in the presence of the neighbor's dog, which in turn will increase reactivity, not that she's being punished for her behavior.
What you can do in the long-term is practice BAT, or behavior adjustment training. Here's a video just as an introduction to BAT training by Grisha Stewart -- she is highly regarded in this area. The idea of BAT is to change the way your dog feels about stimulus. If you go this route, it will be a lot of work, but you'll be better off for it in the long-term.
If you don't know where to start or simply want to begin under the eye of a professional, here is our guide on how to find a reputable trainer.
https://www.amazon.com/Cooperative-Care-Seven-Stress-Free-Husbandry/dp/0578423138
This book by Deb Jones is a good resource. If you have Facebook check out the Nail Maintenance for Dogs group.
Check out Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language
by William Leffler.
https://www.amazon.com/Petroleum-Refining-Nontechnical-Language-William/dp/1593701586
If I go with puppy pads, do you think that I can tape them together on the bottom so that they don't shift/expose the floor? I've already looked into that book, as well as Good Owners, Great Dogs, and I'm probably going to purchase both.
What you said sounds good for a basic intro - you can go into the specifics of your planned exercise and work schedule and preferences once you make initial contact.
Hope you like the book! It's a good concise but broad roadmap to adopting an adult dog. After you read it, if you find yourself wanting more detail about the nitty-gritty of training, I found her Family-Friendly Dog Training also really helpful - a lot of training books focus on puppies, but this one is written with new-to-you dogs of any age in mind, and gives you a nice six-week plan.
Try checking out Lee Livingood's "Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies" if you haven't already. There is a lot of good information in there covering a wide range of breed-specific topics.
the red book on refining for non-technical people
Our company buys this book for all new engineers.
https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tarot-78-Cards-Guidebook/dp/145217363X
I'm having some success with a similar issue using this book: Clicker Training for Birds
but does anyone have a suggestion on how someone can get the birds to stop biting her if she can't see well enough to read their body language?
Have you tried .. every "pop" fantasy book ever?
The Shannara books are pretty popular. https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Shannara-Trilogy-Terry-Brooks/dp/0345453751
So are the Discworld books (a bit more tongue in cheek).
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Magic-Discworld-Terry-Pratchett/dp/0062225677
Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series is really good. https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-First-Rule-Sword-Truth/dp/0812548051
If you want to branch out into fantasy that isn't swords and wizards, you can move into things like The Deathgate Cycle. https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390
All of these have pretty interesting worlds with a hero that saves the day.
I strongly recommend not clipping its wings. It clearly can fly well so clipping it at this stage would be very cruel. It is one thing to clip a bird who takes no interrest in flying or has been given little opportunity to. It is quite another to clip a bird who knows how to fly. There is a strong possibility that clipping it at this stage will cause behavioral issues and/or depression. Make sure you give it at least an hour or two to fly around in your house each day.
If you end up keeping it, I hope it makes a wonderful addition to your family. They are amazing birds. Things will go better for all involved if you do as much reading as you can. Learn about diet and caging. Also I can't recommend learning clicker training enough. It is a a great way for you and your children to interact and get to know the new addition to the family. It will also help with general behavior. Perhaps reading something like this would be a good place to start.
I wish you the best of luck! By the sounds of it she is a very sweet bird.
Excuse me but I read it on Reddit so.
All credit for the below to u/Alantha
Source: National Geographic
Source: a great article on CNet.
A book link to "Cat Sense" (I've read it and really enjoyed it).
The photo is actually my own cat, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. :D
Cat Tarot by Megan Lynn Kott
I found them at urban outfitters but they have them on amazon!
Cat Tarot: 78 Cards and Guidebook
Licki mats work great for one-person treat dispensing/distracting while you work.
An unrelated option is to train your dog to use a scratch board (usually a piece of wood with sand paper attached) which will address their front nails but not back or dew claws. I am in the process of going through the Cooperative Care Book to desensitize my dog to dremeling but the scratch board is great for keeping her front nails short (which are the ones that grow the most) while she gets comfortable with the dremel.
While we're at it look up Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language. It's exactly what it says on the tin, and it's pretty informative.
It sounds like this dog has separation anxiety. That can lead to destructive behaviors, sometimes leading to dogs being re-homed. A personal trainer would be the best solution for the dog, but reading this book is a good place to start: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Owners-Great-Brian-Kilcommons/dp/0446675385
Although I've been reading Discworld books since I was very young I don't own a lot of other fantasy style books but people do tend to buy me them thinking I must be totally into that genre.
A while back someone bought me the first book of The Death Gate Cycle
Whilst it's not really anything like Discworld, I'd recommend it once you've read all 40+ Pratchett books. However, like the Discworld books, I don't think anyone has ever listened to my recommendation.
Sure! Decoding Your Dog:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00E78ICDS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523300558&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=decoding+your+dog#nav-search-keywords
Happy to help ! If you want some really good reading material on really effective and great ways to understand, train, and happily live with your dogs, read this
He really is amazing at what he does.
We have two pitbull type dogs that will be around when our little one gets here. Our old guy (we think he's 8 or 9) has been around babies of all sizes and is very good about being gentle and patient with them. Our younger dog (4 1/2) is a ACD/pitbull cross and he's veryyyyyyy high energy and loves to chase small creatures like cats and squirrels and what not. We were worried about him thinking that a tiny human would be a fun squeaky toy so we got in touch with a trainer and worked on his basic commands so that we would be able to work with him for the next nine months. I didn't think he was poorly trained before but even just working with him for 10-20 minutes a day has really made a difference in him.
We also have been getting our dogs accustomed to being sequestered in the kitchen with baby gates so that if they do get too excited they have a safe place to settle down away from baby.
The biggest thing that we plan to do though is just make sure that the dogs and the baby are never left alone in the same room together even if it's just for a few moments. Way too many horror stories have happened from situations like this and we want to do everything we can to prevent anything tragic from happening.
I ordered this book to give me some ideas on how to manage all the changes coming and I found it to be incredibly helpful especially when it came to easing my own nerves about being a first time mom with a newborn and two big dogs. Baby girl gets here in a few short weeks and then we'll know for sure if any of our training has made a difference! Fingers crossed that our boys fall in love with her because I would be heartbroken if we had to give them up.
https://www.amazon.com/Please-Dont-Bite-Baby-Chase/dp/158005577X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483987219&sr=8-1&keywords=please+don%27t+bite+the+baby
I think the first thing you should do is read about how the fish, invertebrates, crustaceans, etc are obtained. Learn about the different ways that they are harvested or captive bred and raised. You want to create a small part of the ocean, not destroy it.
Cyanide fishing for example is horrible for the ocean and you should learn the warning signs of a fish caught with that method so you can avoid it.
I know they are 'just fish' (or whatever else you have in your tank) but you really need to create the best environment possible for them- their life depends entirely on you. Do a lot of research before making a purchase; don't just buy something because you like the way it looks. Too many people buy fish because they're pretty, then the fish ends up suffering and dying because they didn't know how to properly take care of it.
Look into the price of not only the initial set up but maintenance of the tank. Since they are living creatures you can't just quit in the middle of it if you decide you won't have enough money.
This is a very good book to start learning.
Nah... Check out this book.
Let's see... at your age, I started reading Wizard's First Rule and was immediately hooked. And around 14-15 I was really into Dragon Wing.
Both are excellent books in the fantasy genre, although the former is part of a very long series, while the latter is only seven books long.
I really recommend the book Clicker Training for Birds (http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Started-Clicker-Training-Birds/dp/1890948152/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410049591&sr=1-1&keywords=clicker+training+for+birds)
It was really interesting and very helpful. Check it out and I think you will see really great results (I did!)
I found both of these books very helpful for someone who had little knowledge of the oil industry at first. They give a general overview in layman's terms. These are the amazon links, I haven't been able to find online pdf's or .mobi's for free unfortunately.
http://www.amazon.com/Oil-Gas-Production-Nontechnical-Language/dp/1593700520/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396195787&sr=1-7&keywords=petroleum+nontechnical
http://www.amazon.com/Petroleum-Refining-Nontechnical-Language-Fourth/dp/1593701586/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396195758&sr=1-1&keywords=refining+nontechnical
It isn't really anything like The Dark Tower, but if you want to try something off the beaten path, I love The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis / Tracy Hickman (the duo that did Dragonlance). It's a multi-world seven-book series, fantasy (though not as "high fantasy" as Dragonlance), and the first book is called Dragon Wing.
http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Wing-Death-Gate-Cycle/dp/0553286390
I would also recommend Leffler's Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language
The title sounds like it would insult your intelligence, but it's a very good intro to Lieberman's books if you're not well versed in crude distillation, hydroprocessing, FCC, reforming, alkylation, coking, etc
I live on a different coast, so I can't talk about AZ, but we've all been through this. Everything will be fine.
Get yourself a copy of the greyhound bible, Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies. Stairs are a completely surmountable obstacle. Yeah, it might be rough for a week, but they'll get the hang of it. As long as you're willing to put in the walking time (most orgs recommend 2 walks, 30 minutes each), a condo is a totally fine situation. Everything will be fine.
Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life - for understanding the importance of diet and general health issues. Vicky Halls have written several books that I find well written, entertaining and full of good advice with regard to behaviour.
Sometimes the color might stain your lips, but sometimes it's intentional. My pretty.
They tell me my black dresses look like they belong with a witches broom. Something lengthy won't ride up while riding my broom, eh?
“All those poor elves I haven’t set free yet, having to stay over during Christmas because there aren’t enough hats!”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. To help my kitty pet feel festive when snow falls.
If you've ever seen Hocus Pocus, which dear goodness I hope you have you might recall the line Booo0000000OOOook! As any good witch, my animal will be a kitty, and of course, kitties can be bossy.
I inherited a naval trunk. Need something to seduce the strapping young wizards won't I?
DIY Child's Cape. I'll also need something to hand to that sobbing girl in the bathroom..
I strongly recommend reading the book Cooperative Care by Deborah Jones and following along with it.
Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
I wouldn't say they require more work or special care than most other dogs. There are a few things to take into account:
There are some great books out there if you're serious about it. This one and this one.
Oh, and, if you do adopt 1 or more, be ready to become greyhound obsessed! Don't fight it! :)
I'm worried about my dogs' behavior when our baby comes, so I started reading Please Don't Bite the Baby (and Please Don't Chase the Dogs): Keeping Our Kids and Our Dogs Safe and Happy Together yesterday. It's easy to read and helps you understand your dog's body language with some tips help everyone get along. I highly recommend it!
Thank you for your positive reply. This is a really good book on clicker training - I've used clicker training to teach one of my cockatiels how to fly (after he kept breaking feathers from falling like a rock), and my other two birds also responded very well to clicker training since they LOVE treats. You can probably get your cockatiels more seed motivated if you only offer seed/millet as treats occasionally, and switch their usual diet to a pellet diet (Roudybush or Zupreem naturals are good brands - but please be careful about the switching process). Also, this is a useful book on parrot training and behavior. Even if you aren't able to get the actual books/ebooks (though I recommend them) because you aren't able to use Amazon for example, you could also google search about clicker training/behavior, and you can post future topics here in the parrots sub to ask for specific advice. Don't give up.
1: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Professional/dp/1890087998
There is a great book called Cooperative Care: 7 Steps to Stress Free Husbandry that will change your life. It takes time and effort but this method is fabulous for turning the tables on dogs who hate being poked and prodded.
I recommend this book!
So, a couple of things I'm seeing here:
First of all, I think the "she's being stubborn" mentality is detrimental to your relationship. More likely, she's confused about the rules and/or doesn't feel comfortable going outside when you aren't home. IMO it's better to consider your dog's shortcomings as a gap in the way you're explaining something so that the onus is on you – otherwise you run the risk of anthropomorphizing the dog's actions and resenting them down the line, which isn't good for anybody.
Finding the pee / punishing after the fact is not effective. For
"punishments" to be effective, they must happen almost simultaneously with the action – in this case, you would need to interrupt the action of peeing to get them to associate "peeing inside" = "unpleasant thing" (which, in the case of potty accidents usually means a loud "Eh Eh Eh" and getting picked up/whisked outside mid-pee. Not traumatic, but not a very enjoyable pee, either.) There is a book called Decoding your Dog has an awesome explanation of this concept that is well worth a read!
If I were you I would probably try to orchestrate a way to watch her from another room (webcam?) Then I would pretend I was leaving and wait for her to pee inside, at which point I would interrupt the behavior, take her outside, and reward for finishing outside. This should help if she's confused about the rules, but if she is uncomfortable being outside when you guys aren't home, then that is a harder challenge. Maybe find ways that you can spoof being home, like leaving on a radio or tv in another room? Let us know how it goes!
Does she have a bite history? If so, you may have a harder time getting her into Italy.
If all she's done so far is get up in other dogs' faces barking, you can probably make this work if you're diligent and patient. First thing I would do is stop taking her to the dog park. Forcing her to socialize with dogs isn't going to fix the issue, and it's really stressful for other dogs and owners when there's a bully in the dog park. Do you know where in Italy you'll be living? If you're in a rural area you may be able to find spots to exercise your dogs without having to deal with other dogs. I'd do most of my exercise in these spots while you work on training the reactive behavior.
Second thing I would do is step waaaay back to basics in your training. Does she work well for treats or toys in your house? Take her out and figure out how much can be going on in the environment before she stops taking treats. Can she still focus if a dog is 100ft away? 50ft away? Once you've got a handle on her reactive threshold, try and slowly (like over months, not over days) work that threshold closer.
There are many methods to go about reducing that threshold distance. Lots of people like BAT 2.0 and CARE for Reactive Dogs. They're all somewhat similar at a basic level (see dog outside threshold, reward for calm behavior, walk away), but there are nuances to each.
Be careful with muzzles. They can be very constricting and harmful to the dog.
Patricia McConnell's books are really pretty great (short, to the point, reward-based). Here's one that may be what you're looking for.
Someone on here reccomened this book awhile back and it's fantastic: https://www.amazon.com/Pit-Bull-Battle-over-American/dp/0345803116/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1502303525&sr=1-1&keywords=pitbull very well written and informative. It's about, not only pit bulls, but the history of dog breeds and media narratives as well, I'm really enjoying it and learning lots about dogs (mine and all) along the way. Highly recommend.
I rescued a pooch who was very timid about six months ago, and he has really come out of his shell. Any advice I could give would be plagiarized straight from here.
I don't want to sound like a shill, but I really recommend reading this.
Edit: He writes a great deal about walking your dog twice a day, and says that the dog should never be allowed to walk in front of you. I didn't strictly follow the last part, since I allow my dog off leash for most of the walk. Obedience training at PetSmart did help to teach him to walk without pulling on the leash.
Based on reading your other comments in this thread ,you're not being consistent enough, and you're not being patient. Training is about consistency, especially with a puppy.
Training doesn't happen overnight. It takes months and months to reinforce these behaviors. You need to be patient and realize that your dog isn't doing ANY of these things 'on purpose' or to purposefully disobey you.
I highly recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Family-Friendly-Dog-Training-Program/dp/1891767119/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453856024&sr=8-2&keywords=patricia+mcconnell
Patricia Mcconnell is an excellent, positive-reinforcement dog traininer and this will help your pup get started off on the right paw.
I absolutely love this deck and plan to make it my new one whenever I buy another. This is the amazon link because it’s the first to show up.
Yeah, a lot of rescues have odd personalities due to being raised, basically, like livestock.
They're certainly not rough-and-tumble rasslin' dogs like a lab or retriever. They wanna run for about 5 minutes once or twice a week, and lounge/sleep the rest of the week. They have terrible recall. Most of them, if they see a squirrel or a cat or something off in the distance, they're going to zero in and take off (35 mph in 3 steps). And then get hit by a car or get lost. So anytime they're out of the house, they need to be in a fenced-in area (yard/dog park) or on-leash. Those are the down sides.
For me, I picked a greyhound because they are the absolute chillest dogs ever. They love to see you come home and they'll greet you for a couple minutes, then just hang out near you. They don't chew up furniture, they don't demand hours of play/exercise every day, they're not yappy. (It was about four months from when I adopted my 6-y/o until I heard her bark for the first time.) All the rescues are house-trained. They can be mostly command-trained if you put in some time. I taught mine "sit", "stay", and "down", but "come" never worked outside the house. Also, they're raised for health and good genetics, so there aren't chronic medical issues like bad hips and stuff that you'll find in other purebreeds.
If you do start seriously considering it, I highly recommend "Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies" and "Adopting the Racing Greyhound". After those you should be pretty set on what to expect. Also, the rescue agency should work with you to find a dog that fits with your situations and what you want. (Some are not cat-safe, some are more high-energy, some are more comfortable with new situations, etc)
I'm really glad I adopted (and fostered). But rescue greyhounds are really unlike any other pet dog out there.
...Wow I just typed a lot, haha. Let me know if you have any questions!
Start working on clicker training. A good book to use is Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog (Karen Pryor Clicker Book) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1890948446/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_gc0UDb5Y1RQB5
Also here are some links to videos that can help:
https://journeydogtraining.com/13-dog-training-games/
KikoPup has a lot of videos, here's a starter: https://youtu.be/YF7boyICV7M
So, I was reading a book called Cat Sense (by former AMA'er John Bradshaw), and he offers the idea that, while capture, spay/neuter, release is a good thing, it's possible that it will quickly start to favor, evolutionarily, those feral animals (cats, of course, in the case of his book) that are wild enough to be difficult or impossible to catch (since they'll just keep on reproducing, while the more tame/social-with-humans animals will be taken out of the gene pool).
Any thoughts on this?
I think the vet is the right route to go. My girl hasn't bitten me, but she definitely gives a warning when she's had enough or the cotton ball touched something painful. She is prone to ear infections so it is always a give and take. I guess I'm not immediately thinking this is unbridled aggression off the bat, I'm thinking something medically is wrong. In any case a visit to the vet should let you know. If nothing underlying then maybe a behaviorist can help you out.
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Also, maybe give this a go? Cooperative Husbandry
If you've never trained a dog before, go ahead and get this book. It's our bible of dog training. Powerful methods you will use with every interaction.
You should check out the FAQ section and grab a copy of the ferret bible
Also, if you want to read more about this technique, consider picking up this book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1891767119
Patricia McConnell really knows her stuff.
> I think I'm going to buy a book to familiarize myself with them so that I can be prepared.
There are two I recommend based on how you like to get your information:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0077BTNFS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1892694263/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Basic understanding in order: (1) Online sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_refinery (2) Books: http://amzn.com/1593701586 (3) Classes: University or http://www.aiche.org/resources/education
Hi,
I have a leash reactive dog, some would recommend neutering and it can work, as long as you don't let the behaviour go on long enough that it becomes part of his personality. Personally, I'm not sure the evidence for behavioural alteration is rock solid, but if you're going to neuter anyway, it's worth a shot. Considering it started a few months ago, I'd say if you're going to get him snipped, do it soon.
Secondly, engage with a veterinary behaviourist. One that uses force free methods and is accredited. If you can't afford one, start with the book "BAT 2.0" or "When pigs fly!". In fact, while he's still entire start with those.
EDIT: added links and corrections.
https://www.amazon.com/Pit-Bull-Battle-over-American/dp/0345803116
If you have time to read this book, there is some excellent information to combat the flawed logic of breed specific bans.
A few great books to start with:
Weekend Dog by Myrna Milani
http://www.amazon.com/Weekend-Dog-Myrna-M-Milani/dp/0451157311
AKC's Citizen Canine
http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Canine-American-Kennel-Club/dp/1593786441/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310420524&sr=1-5
Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan
http://www.amazon.com/Cesars-Way-Everyday-Understanding-Correcting/dp/0307337979/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310420551&sr=1-2
Upvotes for crate training. IMHO, if you don't crate train your dog, you haven't started training your dog. Dogs should be crated when left home alone and overnight, and this helps establish dominance and reduces stress. Dogs are decended from wolves, and they by default will feel compelled to control and dominate their territory, and when you crate train you are teaching them that their domain is the crate, and the rest belongs to you, and they are happier for it.