Horse owners in Florida have awoken to terror in their pastures the past few years, with the rise in horse theft and deaths. Most unlucky owners walk out to discover their horses have been killed and butchered in their pastures, once thought to be safe havens. The national publicity this has garnered has given rise to awareness in security for our horses, in the hopes that this can be prevented where ever possible.

Some steps that seem to work in keeping horses safe are security systems consisting of monitors and cameras. These have been effective in both deterring and apprehending equine criminals. Proper lighting and lock systems is also a great deterrent.

But what about those owners who keep horses in pasture situations? Those horses are the most likely targets, and keeping them safe has become quite an issue for most. In order to stave off an attempt at theft, owners are getting creative. Many are making patrols around the pasture at night, just to make sure no one is out where they dont need to be.

In addition to unscheduled, unpredictable patrols, many are making smaller containment areas, closer to their homes. These smaller paddocks are often under lights, near windows where the owner can look out and see the animals. This is also a place where a baby monitor can come in handy, as close proximity will allow for quick action should you hear something that sounds wrong.

Video monitoring of close paddocks is also an option. There are quite a few user-friendly systems available today, that will allow for constant surveillance of your horse. Fed directly into your home, you can install a monitor by your bed if you so wish, to make things a bit easier. Many times this is used by breeding farms, to watch their brood mares during foaling season. Video is a wonderful tool, and very affordable.

Men and women that decide to patrol their pastures should make sure they are well prepared for any sort of trouble they might run into. Always remember to bring two flashlights, a cell phone, and even a firearm or can of pepper spray for protection. Never confront a criminal before calling your local authorities.

The multi-tool is a great companion for patrols. This little gadget is easy to carry because it is lightweight and designed to fit in a pocket or belt strap. Use this tool for making any sort of emergency repairs while out on patrol.

When patrolling you should also make sure you have some rope to use. This can be used for subduing both runaway horses and horse thieves. Use the multi-tool to cut the rope into smaller pieces when necessary.

unfortunately this cat and movie are not mine I have two other CAT vids on my channel!

When you are trying to find the right name to call your new dog you can select about any one you want. In fact there are hundreds even thousands of different names a dog owner can choose from, but at the end of the day it should be one that is suited to their particular dog. In this article we provide you with a number of guidelines which should help choosing the right name for your dog much easier. Although the name you choose may suit your dog it certainly may not suit another. But through the points below you should be able to select a name that suits your dog perfectly.

1. When selecting a name for your dog go for one which is not only easy for you to say but pronounce as well. If you decide upon a name which you have difficulty saying or pronouncing then your dog will find it much more difficult to understand you. It is best that you (and your family) select a name that can easily be said time and time again and will not provide any confusion to your dog. Plus selecting an easy name means that at those times when things can get stressful, say when you are trying to maintain control over them will make it much easier to deal with the situation.

2. Only ever provide your dog with one name, never ever give them two as you would with your children. A dog with more than one name will become easily confused and will be that more difficult to train and control. So stick to one name only and make sure it is one which your dog will actually find easy to remember.

3. Never select a name for your dog that sounds like a command. So avoid names that sound like “heel”, “jump” or “kill”. Unfortunately a dog whose name sounds like a command can become easily confused when you are carrying out their training. This is because they will not know what is their name and what it is they should be responding to.

4. When selecting a name for your dog go for one that has either 1 or 2 syllables in it, but no more. Names such as Taz, Heff, Jack, Jodie, Lady and Tramp are perfect names to select. Giving a dog a name like these you will find that not only do they learn and remember it much more quickly but they often respond much better when called.

5. When selecting your dog’s name never go for one that has negative meaning or connotations to it. Dogs who have names with negative meaning often do not respond as quickly when called. Also remember that it will not just be you who is calling them and hoping that they respond but other members of your family as well.

6. Do not give your dog a name which is embarrassing or is considered to be politically incorrect. Unfortunately there are still people around who think that because their dog is black they are quite within their rights to call it “Nigger”, but this is just not the case. Plus dog’s are quickly able to pick up on any negative feelings a person is having when calling a particular name and are far less likely to respond.

7. Once you have chosen the name for your dog and have started using it then you can not change it. By giving your dog one name and then suddenly changing it to another can leave your dog completely bewildered and confused. So once the name has been chosen you need to stick to it.

However at the end of day when you are choosing a name for your dog it should be as much fun as possible. It is important that anyone who is going to have contact with the animal on a daily basis should have some involvement in the name chosen especially if it is to be a family pet. But you also need to keep the guidelines mentioned above in mind and this will further help to make the process of selecting a name for your dog much easier.

www.pbs.org New Episode Premieres Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 8pm on PBS Feline enthusiasts gather at a cat show to vie for top honors in an agility competition. Think only dogs can be trained? Think again! Watch as NATURE shares the stories of pet owners and their beloved animals. “Why We Love Cats and Dogs” premieres on PBS Sunday, Feb. 15 at 8 pm (check local listings). “Why We Love Cats and Dogs” ispart of the 27th season of the Peabody and Emmy award-winning …

If you are a dog owner, you will know that some barking can be expected. However, there is a fine line between normal barking and excessive barking. Excessive barking is when your dog is barking all day, or barking long past what is classed normal. A Dog bark collar is a great way, especially if you are away from home a lot and its when youre away from home that your dog barks.

There are two main types of Dog bark collars available on the market. Both will provide you with a way to apply corrective behaviour to your dog. The first main type is a static dog bark collar. This has a small box attached to the collar. When your dog barks, it emits a vibration that is uncomfortable to the dog and will make him correct himself.

Dogs naturally hate the smell of citronella. So the other main type of dog bark collar is a citronella collar. This collar is great if you really do not want to put a static collar on your dog. This emits a burst of citronella when your dog barks, this gets sprayed near his or her faces, and they will soon learn what happens each time they bark.

Are you trying to train your dog to stop barking and finding that all you do is scream and yell at him or her?? This is very common, dogs are so easily trained, but its hard to sometimes break them out of their routines they have created themselves. A dog bark collar is great for training your dog quickly to stop barking. The best thing is you can train your dog to stop barking even when you are not home.

Neighbors, we all have them, some are nice, and some are not. If you are lucky to have nice neighbors then talking to them when you are having problems with your barking dog is relatively easy. Its when you have problems with your neighbors that can arise when you have a barking dog. Many dogs each year are hurt or taken away from their families because of their excessive barking. Keeping your neighbors onside at all times is a must when you have a barking dog.

Here is an early Golden Book Video Classic, “The Poky Little Puppy’s Favorite Stories” (formerly released as “3 Best-Loved Golden Stories”). The second part of the video here features “The Sailor Dog,” where a young dog named Scuppers, whom had to move from his old home at sea at a young age, decides to go back to being a sailor dog! BTW, I had the book version of this when I was a kid! I can tell they changed a LOT of things from the original book. Special thanks to my good friend …

CHECK THIS: secrets-of-cats.com Thanks to William the Cat!!

I’ve always considered anything to do with horses to be “elitist” and never thought I, as a middle income wage earner would ever have more than a passing acquaintance with it, however, in 1981, I gave birth to a beautiful little girl who quickly became enamored with the huge beasts from the time she could talk.

I thought she’d outgrow this infatuation with horses, certainly before I’d have to deal with worrying about how to afford a horse, or riding lessons and equestrian clothing, etc.

When our daughter began school, she did not do well. Her teachers and the professionals we consulted said that she was mentally slow. They told my husband and me that we needn’t worry about college for her. But, we knew our daughter, and we knew they were wrong. So we set out to prove that our daughter was fine, and it was their assessment that was incorrect.

When she was ten years old, we started allowing her to take horseback riding lessons. She took to them like ducks take to water, and her infatuation with everything about horses continued to grow. When she was riding, the shy and introverted child that she appeared to be in school was transformed. On that horse, she presented as the self assured champion we knew her to be.

But, oh, the expense of it all. Keeping her on that horse became almost unmanageable for us over that next year, and we suffered trying to pay the costs of this “horse habit”.

Then, in the sixth grade, we were offered a trade off for her riding lessons. If she worked at the stables, doing everything from grooming horses to helping new, younger riders, she could earn her lessons.

Six years later, our daughter graduated from high school with top honors in all her subjects as well as with a full scholarship to one of the best colleges in the United States. When she was 17, she finally removed the name of her old horse, Merlin, from its place of honor on her notebook, replacing it with the name of her boyfriend. But the boyfriend was well aware that this honor was bestowed upon him only because he also had a deep passion for horses.

Our daughter graduated from college with a 3.8 GPA and she never cost us a penny after sixth grade. She worked at the stable faithfully throughout her school years.

We credit her love and passion for all things horse with her success, not only in school, but in life. Her willingness to earn her lessons at such an early age instilled in her a work ethic that other parents have coveted for their own children.

We are so glad that we didn’t allow our belief that horses were not for our daughter because it was just too expensive a habit to be maintained on a middle class income. We feel so fortunate that we took the plunge and started to try to provide those lessons. Horses did teaching that no experts in any field could do, and they did it without saying a word.

Want to read more about horses and the many advantages of being near them? Visit my website and learn how to take care of horses through diet, health care, exercise, and even horse bedding

Dogs are still viewed as a man’s best friend, even though many of them would like to eat the remote control. It is because they have that characteristic of being dynamic, but they are at home with a television addicted couch potato. This mismatch can make for a strained human relationship – or a really sad dog.

If you have decided to bring home a dog, there are physical activity levels that you should be able to think about since it will determine the factors needed by the dog to keep him fit not just physically but also emotionally. Having a dog that needs walking twice daily can somehow give those idle adults the kind of physical exercise that for so many years, they have been taken for granted. Active dogs need active keepers, but if they have been matched with lazy folks, a change of ways is badly needed – nevertheless, that can’t be easily done. The dog will be the one to stomach the consequences of having a idle keeper as he won’t be able to get what he genuinely calls for in a regular outside time since the keeper is more likely to slacks off on walking.

The amount of daily activity that a dog needs is not the same as exercise. You should give your dog his required time to walk, run, jump and unwind for each day. Walking on a lead to a park or just around your neighborhood is also one way of doing this. You don’t have to put your dog on a leash to let him relish the freedom of running and playing if you have a home with a fenced yard. Older adults who have their own problems with mobility limitations need to choose a dog that requires less daily physical activity. Active dogs may find individuals who are fond of going outdoors to have fun or relax after a day’s work to be ideal owners that are suitable for them. Meeting at the end of the day is what both the keeper and the dog gladly anticipates, since they will both enjoy the fun and freedom of running together or chasing each other around the park.

You should be conscious that the tendency to be more physically active goes with those dogs of larger sizes. Those dogs with the heritage of being working or hunting dogs can be sited as examples of these dogs. The desire of getting busy and working off their energy is just some of their built-in traits. Movement and agility are some of the inherent traits of dogs such as the German Shepherd, Greyhound, Doberman, Irish Setter and the Beagle, thus, it is natural for them to want some kind of exercise everyday. Having an exceedingly large dog who can easily outweigh his owner such as the St. Bernard and Bull Mastiff doesn’t mean that you have an active dog since size can actually fool you. Even though you see the St. Bernard in movies rescuing the lost skier, what you don’t know is that to sleep in front of the fireplace is the physical activity that usually takes up most of the dog’s time.

Small dogs can live in small places and can go without having to walk daily in the park and these dogs may include the Poodles and Chihuahuas, but their highly strung temperaments cause them to be high in physical activity around the house. Granted, their activity may be running aimlessly around the room, jumping on your guests or bouncing on you, but once they’re already out of energy, all they do is simply behave. When those little dogs go find their way to your lap or on their plush pillow, that’s the time for them to recharge by getting that hard-earned nap.

There may seem like so much to be conscious of before buying a dog – and there is! By taking time to make a profile of the dog that best fits your living space, personality, and personal physical activity level, you’ll have a better match for a lasting relationship.

If you are busy and have a hard time taking out your dog check out a Dog Treadmill. Also visit here to a get complimentary course on Dog Training.

Your pet is wonderful in so many ways. I feel like anyone who has a pet probably has some sort of special feeling for it. I want to tell you how you can effectively train your pet without bringing a wedge in the relationship. Your pet is the most loyal living being that you will probably ever encounter.

The number one rule you must know as an owner is, the rules and commands have to be consistent. Most pet owners don’t understand why their pets start off obedient and soon after become non responsive.

If you decide to buy some sort of pet training DVD or hire a professional dog trainer, the key is being consistent. When your dog understands what the rules are he or she will gladly follow them.

The true key in training your animal, specifically your dog, is training yourself. When you give certain commmands to your dog, keep your tone constant. For example, when you are telling Spot to sit while you are in a good mood, don’t change it from when you are in a bad mood. Do not let it go from “O sit baby” to “SIT YOU STUPID DOG!!!

This sort of action only confuses the animal, and then we tend to think they are being disobedient. The truth is that as much as your dog loves you, you are starting to confuse and irritate them.

Even with the many many conversations we have with our pets, they really don’t know what we are talking about. They only know tones and sounds, which is why our commands have to be consistent. Please do not stop talking your pet though. The animal always knows when we are being loving and compassionate to them by the sound of our voice.

Be sure that when you are deciding to be serious about having a well trained pet that it all starts with you. If you get into the habit of saying “sit sit sit” don’t expect your pet to sit on that first one, you are training them that if you do not say it three times, you really don’t mean it.

Be sure to understand that you must train yourself to be consistent! No matter what route you want to take in training your pet if you stay consistent they will continue to be that great extended part of your family!

For more info about caring for you dog check out T. Clark’s website about Pet GPS and Pet Training. Complimentary info and dog training courses are also available.