How to Crate Train

Step 1: Acquaint your puppy with his new home

Simply start from early puppyhood and have your puppy sleep and rest in his home. Almost without trying he will train himself to seek security and comfort inside his little "dog home." Encourage your puppy to go into his home on his own. If necessary, toss a little treat in the home. DON’T FORCE HIM! He may quickly back out or be shy, but that’s normal. Just take it slowly. At first, don’t close the door on him, let him go in and out on his own. Once he is happy and unafraid of his new home, simply restrain him at the door with your hand. Make him stay in the home for a few minutes, then gradually increase the time and be sure to praise him! Once he is comfortable with this, (probably a few hours or days of short training sessions) simply restrain him at the door with the door—again praising him lavishly. Soon he will be secure in his home with the door closed. Slowly you can get further and further away from him, always praising his accepting behavior. Eventually, the pup will sit quietly and sleep in his home with the door closed.

Step 2: Direct his elimination

Understand that little puppies need to “go” about every 2-4 hours. On a schedule, (such as after feeding, before bedtime, first thing in morning) let your puppy out, teach him the route to the door, praise him at the door and take him out to the part of the yard you want him to use. Very quickly, you are teaching him an elimination schedule that will stay with him for the rest of his life. As your puppy gets older (4-6 months) you can gradually leave him in his home for longer periods of time because he can “hold it” longer. Soon he can be home in his home all day, if necessary, until someone arrives to let him out.

The above courtesy of ">Midwest Homes for Pets

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Why Crate Train?

Dogs in the wild live in a den which provides protection and a great deal of psychological satisfaction. All dogs, therefore, have a strong natural tendency to seek out this type of shelter. In your home, if your dog has no place to call his own, he will make feeble attempts to curl up under a table, a chair or some other choice location. When you use a crate , you give your puppy a place to feel secure...something to get his back up against. He won't feel isolated because the pet home , provides essential visibility & ventilation. Just like a baby in a playpen. You will also be taking advantage of his natural instinct to keep his home clean, therefore, when he has to “go” he will try to hold it until you can take him outside to the proper area. This will teach him a schedule and help him eliminate accidents. With a crate , your puppy will have fewer behavioral problems like excessive barking and chewing. But most of all, by providing him a safe and secure home, he’ll be happier and more self confident.

The above courtesy of Midwest Homes for Pets.

For more on pet care and products, please visit All for PETZ .

All about Pets: New Website for Pets

All about Pets: New Website for Pets

Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

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Rabbits are primarily fed a pelleted diet. Traditionally these pellets are made from pelletized alfalfa hay. Recent research indicates that these alfalfa based pellets are too high in protein and too low in fiber for adult rabbits. The digestive system of the rabbit includes an organ called the cecum that is located at the origin of the large intestine. The cecum's function is to break down digest fiber. High protein, low fiber diets can lead to an impacted cecum.

Current wisdom recommends that adult rabbits (over 6-8 months old) be fed a Timothy Hay based diet for its lower protein and higher fiber content. Fresh dark green leafy vegetables like dandelion leaves, romaine lettuce, kale and endive should be given. Small quantities of fresh carrots, apples, banana, papaya, and even raspberries may be used as treats. Timothy Hay should be offered at all times.

It is safe to feed Guinea Pig pellets to rabbits in an a pinch, but it is not recommended to feed rabbit pellets to Guinea Pigs because pellets formulated for rabbits specifically do not meet the Vitamin C requirements of Guinea Pigs. It is also important to note that adult pet Guinea Pigs' nutritional requirements differ from those of young, gestating or lactating sows.

Guinea Pigs are primarily fed a pelleted diet. They are unique in that they are the only mammal other than primates that do not metabolize Vitamin C from sunshine. Therefore their diet must be supplemented with this essential vitamin at a rate of 10 mg per day. Guinea Pig Pellets should have stabilized Vitamin C added to them. It is safe to feed Guinea Pig pellets to rabbits in an emergency, but it is not safe to feed rabbit pellets to Guinea Pigs.

The above information courtesy of Sun Seed Company, Inc.

New Website for Pets

We have started a new web-based pet supply store. We want our site to be more than just a place to purchase quality, name brand products. We are offering superior customer service to go with the great products. More importantly, however, we will be providing useful information relating to the care and feeding of your pet.

Each week, we will talk about things like nutrition, health care, new products, and important news about our furry and feathered friends. For now, we will leave the horses to someone else. We will focus our attention on what are considered companion pets. These are mostly indoor animals.

Dogs and cats are the most common pets, but there are o many others, including: Hamsters, Snakes, Rabbits, Iguanas, Guinea Pigs, Hermit Crabs, Ferrets, and so many more.

We welcome topic suggestions and ideas. Please visit our website, www.allforpetz.com, and submit your questions, comments, or suggestions.