It?s a rare day off of work for you. You are relaxing at home, thinking that pizza would be great for lunch. Suddenly, your dog starts doing the ?daddy?s coming home? dance. You find this odd because, Spot reserves this dance for 4:30 in the afternoon, about a ? hour before your sweetie arrives home from work.

Thirty minutes later, your sweetie is at the door, pizza in hand, having decided to come home early to have lunch with you. How did Spot know that daddy was coming home and better still how did your sweetheart know you wanted pizza?

This scenario is a wonderful example of telepathy, simply defined as mind to mind communication. Both humans and animals are able to telepathically relay thoughts, emotions, wants, and needs on an energetic level. Animals are very aware of their telepathic abilities and use them to communicate as a matter of course, actively and intentionally sending and receiving telepathic messages. Spot was paying attention to what daddy was thinking and feeling, and knew when he made the decision to come home early. Even though we humans are usually less aware of our telepathic abilities, we use them every day, all day. We intuitively send and receive these messages and often act on them without even knowing it. It?s how we are aware of who is on the line when the phone rings, how we can tell when someone is in a bad mood before they speak a word, or when we should bring pizza home for lunch.

Animal communicators are people who have turned this unconscious practice into a consciously active process. We have learned to tune in, receive, translate and vocalize what our pets are sending to us. We are the interpreters, using more than just our five traditional senses to hear, sense, feel what animals are attempting to tell us. We have cultivated our natural clairsentience, our ?sixth sense?, in order to use it as an effective communicative tool.

Communicating with animals is a skill that simply comes easier to some people than others. It is not a special gift possessed only by a few. Anyone can pick up a clarinet and blow a few notes because the physical capability is there. With practice and a little guidance, one can become proficient and possibly even extraordinary. Developing your telepathic skills works much the same way.

By listening to our animals, we are giving them the opportunity to express their concerns, likes, dislikes and their reasons for doing the things they do. Many less than desirable behaviors that our pets exhibit are often an expression of their frustration created by not being able to get their message across. Affording them the opportunity to express themselves in a more constructive way will reduce this stress, helping to create an environment where pet and owner can work more effectively together. Communicating with your animal will not solve all behavioral problems but it is a great place to start!

When we to listen to our animals, we develop a stronger bond with them. Our relationships become more of a give and take, creating a mutual respect and a deeper trust. One of the greatest gifts we can give is the gift of listening. Honor your pets by listening to them.

?Lots of people talk to animals. Not very many listen, though. That’s the problem.? ~Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

Jennifer Albertin is an internationally respected Animal Communicator. She has over 20 years experience working with energy and it’s applications.
Visit Jennifer’s website Sacred Paws for more information on Animal Communication, Energy Work and for free information and resources on how you can support your animal companions mental and physical health.
? Copyright Jennifer Albertin, Sacred Paws 2006

Homemade dog treat recipes may sound like a great idea for creating your own nutritious and cost effective dog treats but you should also be extremely cautious to ensure that you are not giving your dog anything that could potentially be harmful to their health. Ingredients such as cocoa, chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions and macadamia nuts are known to cause health problems when ingested by dogs. These ingredients cause problems ranging from renal failure, anemia and erratic heartbeats as well as neurological problems. To avoid these potentially life threatening ingredients you should research each ingredient in the recipe.

It is imperative that you carefully research the ingredients in homemade dog treat recipes to ensure that each individual ingredient is safe for canine consumption. Using reputable sources for this important research is recommended. Published books as well as websites run by highly regarded individuals are both excellent resources for researching the ingredients in homemade dog treat recipes. If you are unable to find any specific information on the safety of a particular ingredient it is wise to show the ingredient list to your veterinarian to seek their opinion. They may be able to tell you if the ingredients in your homemade dog treat recipes are safe for your dog or not.

To find free homemade dog treat recipes, check out Todd’s website at: http://homemade-dog-treat-recipes.com

Just as trees, flowers and plants help our environment, add a food source and make our landscapes beautiful so too do aquatic plants provide the same for your aquarium.

Just like us fish like to have areas where they can swim around and nibble at, but plant life in the aquarium plays a much greater part in the aquatic environment.

Toxins in the water created by rotting food and fish excrement pollute and starve the water of vital oxygen. Remembering that the fish breathe water through their gills we know that it is vital to keep oxygen levels up in the tank. Aquatic plants will help the process and uses the phosphate created in the nitrogen cycle to help them grow.

So what is the nitrogen cycle? Just like on land the leaves, plant life and animal droppings rot and mulch down into a fertiliser. Plant roots take the fertiliser and use it as a feed. In the aquarium rotting foods, and fish waste falls to the bottom of the tank and turns into a fertiliser for the aquatic plants. In turn they produce oxygen through photosynthesis just as the trees and flowers do above water. More oxygen means that the fish can breathe healthy clean and safe water.

Aquatic plants also play an important part in the breeding process of fish. Some species lay their eggs beneath the leaves away from other predatory fish swimming around the plants to ward off fish from nearing them until the eggs hatch, the leafy plants then offer a good food source for the young fry and indeed many adult fish enjoy nibbling on the fresh leaves as much as we enjoy our garden vegetables..

Not only are aquatic plants important to the tank environment but offer an exciting landscape for you and your fish. Imagine walking through the countryside and seeing no trees, no flowers and plant life, pretty grim thought yes? In the same respect the underwater garden offers you the chance to create dramatic and stunning plant effects that will give you hours of watching pleasure as you see your fish happily swimming and enjoying the garden you have given them.

Different plants have different visual effects, look around your aquatic centre and ask for advice as some plants are hardier than others and therefore easier to look after. You will also need to ensure you have a good substrate for the roots to grow and a plant food, this usually comes in liquid form and can be added at intervals to ensure your plants get what they need to survive life in the tank.

The plants come in all shapes and sizes, various colours can brighten a drab looking aquarium, this not only creates great effect for you and any visitors to your home, but also gives the fish a greater enjoyment. When you plant your garden, use your imagination, create an effect you will truly be happy with, and if you need an extra hand there are hundreds of ideas to choose from in websites and books readily available on the net, library?s and in your local aquatic centre.

Cerianwen is a keen aquarist with many years of personal experience of tropical and cold water fish keeping. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.

House-breaking your Pit Bull puppy requires a lot of time, effort, and patience on the part of the owner. There is no set time-frame on when your puppy will be able to do this, or how long it will take, you just have to start a routine and stick with it until it is finished. Many owners lose patience with their dogs due to problems that often arise during the house breaking process. It is important to just work through them as they come, and to remember not to punish your puppy, but work through this process together.

Many things can be done along the way that will help make housebreaking faster and easier for you and your puppy. As with any type of training, you have to be consistent with the routine. Take your dog out at the same time everyday, or if you aren?t able to, make sure that someone else can. The puppy will soon learn when it is time to go, and eventually will know what is expected of him. You should have everyone else in the household alerted to the routine, and willing to help when needed. Sometimes it is helpful to keep a journal of your dog?s habits, so that if they turn into a problem later, it will be easier to correct them.

You should also try to go outside with your puppy so that you can be sure he is going to the bathroom while he is outside, which will help avoid accidents while inside. If you are unable to go out with your puppy, he should be confined to one area such as a crate, or fenced in backyard, so that he can learn this is his space to go.

One thing that can interrupt the housebreaking process is irregular feedings. It is important that you feed your puppy the same amount at the same time everyday, and try to avoid giving him extra snacks and treats until he is successfully housebroken.

The most important thing when housebreaking your puppy is to be patient and understanding. He is going to learn overnight, and there will be messes along the way. You have to understand that this takes time, and try to maintain reasonable expectations of your puppy. It is important not to punish your puppy when that happens, rather just clean it up and accept it for what it is, part of the process. You will have a much better relationship with your puppy if you are patient with him as he grows.

To learn all about Pit Bulls and training a Pit Bull, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

Dog days of summer are the muggiest days of the summer and generally are considered to occur from July 2 to Aug 11.

Wonder where that term came from? Ancient Egyptians. Before smog, lights and construction obscured the night sky, people used to watch the stars and imagine the constellations formed pictures of common items.

Among those common items were dogs. Two of those constellations became known as Canis Major and Canis Minor. The brightest star in the night sky and one which was part of Canis Major was called Sirius, the dog star.

During July/August, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun at times. Our ancient forefathers believed the star?s heat added to the sun?s which created 20-days of hot and muggy weather. This period became known as ?dog days? after the dog star.

Whatever the scientific background of the term, there?s no denying July and August can be beastly hot ? for us and our dogs.

You must know the prime rules of summer ? never leave a dog in a parked car! and see he has plenty of water to drink but here are three tips that are not so obvious.

1. Prevent sunburn

This is a major problem for hairless dogs such as Chinese Crested, for dogs with bare skins such as Maltese with their parted hair exposing bare skin and for any dog?s exposed ears and nose. Be advised that an overdose of sun may be associated with cancers of the nose and ears.

Don?t let your dog out in the sun, especially on a beach, for long periods of time and use a safe-for-dogs sun block on him.

Remember your dog will want to lick any suntan lotion off so you must be sure it is non-toxic to him. Your vet can recommend a brand or use a product made for babies. Doggles, the company that makes sunglasses for dogs, has come out with a sunscreen safe for dogs called Doggles Pet Screen. It?s available at http://www.entirelypets.com/petsunscreen.html $8.99 for a 2-oz spray.

I prefer to use stick sunscreen as it?s harder for a dog to lick off. If you use a sun block for babies make sure it doesn?t contain any lanolin or baby oil.

2. Protect his paws

Hot pavement and unclean grass can be hard on a dog?s paws. I like to use all-weather Muttluks on my dog while other people try something like Vaseline on their paws.

If it?s too hot or you don?t like paw protectors, there are two products to consider:

1. Shaws Paw Wax which is very popular at dog shows to prevent dogs from slipping on the floors. The Paw Wax will help protect your dog?s paws from the heat as well as gravel, asphalt and all hard surfaces. Shaw’s Paw Wax is $5.95 for a can.

2. Musher?s Secret is a popular product that protects paws from hot concrete as well as icy pavement. Apply a thin coat on pads and between the toes. You only use this product once a week unless your dog is out in extreme conditions. It?s $9.95 for a jar.

Both products are safe for dogs and available through the Internet.

3. Beware your own backyard

Along with all the dangerous plants and diseases hiding in the grass, don?t forget about your garden hose. It is NOT advisable to let your dog drink from a hose.

Standard vinyl garden hose has substances in it to keep the hose flexible. These chemicals, which get into the water as it goes through the hose, are not safe for humans or pets and there’s also no way to tell what’s inside the hose.

The outside thread opening at the end of the hose could be contaminated, covered with chemicals or germs or bacteria from a previous use, dirt, insects, or rodents.

A more current problem is West Nile virus which dogs can get from mosquitoes just as we can. Officials say pet owners should avoid walking dogs especially older dogs in areas with a lot of mosquitoes and should keep them indoors in the evening.

Never use insect spray on dogs because the dog can lick it off and ingest it. As a general preventive, take a few minutes daily to run your hands, or a comb, through your dog’s coat to look for ticks and other insects.

Most of all, enjoy the summer sun and vacation time with your canine companion. Just make sure it?s a safe summer for both of you.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and creator of the popular website on small dogs, http://www.ToyBreeds.com

The first sense of a Shih Tzu puppy is ?scent.? The newborn Shih Tzu puppy will be able to smell the scent of the breeder immediately after the sac is broken. The Shih Tzu breeder is familiar with litters of Shih Tzu puppies before their eyes open. Up until the Shih Tzu puppy opens its eyes they became familiar with their breeder?s scent through their dam?s coat. Shih Tzu puppies learn where there is and is not a place of milk and nourishment on their mother through scent.

It is advisable that only the Shih Tzu breeder handle puppies during their first two weeks. This does limit the Shih Tzu puppy?s reality of the world around them; however, it is practicing sound early responsible care practices. As Shih Tzu puppies begin to open their eyes they become aware of differences in people. Because of this awareness, a very young Shih Tzu puppy may act violently the first time handled by anyone other than their breeder. The Shih Tzu puppy may begin to struggle or scream to be free. It really is not necessary for other people besides the breeder to handle Shih Tzu puppies during this very early period of their lives. If a Shih Tzu puppy is frightening by early interactions with other people it could set the stage for later mistrust toward all humans. It is therefore extremely important that all early contacts with a Shih Tzu puppy be positive. Once a barrier of distrust is instilled in a newborn Shih Tzu puppy, the puppy can become hard to work with and sometimes even unmanageable as adults. Limiting contact with humans also aids in the spreading of germs to newborn Shih Tzu puppies.

There is a proper way to hold a very young Shih Tzu puppy. You should not ?swoop? a Shih Tzu puppy quickly into your arms, or hold it at arm?s length. Do not ever pick up a Shih Tzu puppy by its legs, ears, tail or scruff. Severe and even irreparable damage can result.

Use the following steps to pick up and hold a newborn and very young Shih Tzu puppy:

1.Place your hands firmly around the Shih Tzu puppy?s body making it feel secure before it is lifted from the whelping box. 2.Immediately begin to snuggle the Shih Tzu puppy closely to your neck, chest or face area, letting the Shih Tzu puppy smell your familiar scent. Here is where the Shih Tzu puppy will feel the reassuring rhythm of your breathing and your heartbeat. The Shih Tzu puppy will remain relaxed. The Shih Tzu puppy will have less tendency to struggle against others first holding them if you will practice these steps from the beginning.

In general, you should not place very young Shih Tzu puppies in your lap, at least until after they begin to walk. They do not feel secure in a lap position at a very young age.

When handling newborn Shih Tzu puppies it is helpful to make ?kissing? sounds near their ears. The sound is similar to puppies nursing. Therefore, repetitious kissing offers the same sense of security and comfort for the Shih Tzu puppy.

One of the earliest conditionings a Shih Tzu puppy encounters is being nestled in secure comfort by its dam while being fed warm milk. When you emit the same type of sounds with repetitious kissing the Shih Tzu puppy responds immediately to your stimulation and will feel secure. The Shih Tzu puppy will snuggle rather than struggle and learn to trust humans from a very early period of their lives. This type of conditioning is important for proper development as an adult Shih Tzu and instills a ?trusting? of humans rather than a ?fear? of humans.

Shih Tzu puppy conditioning beyond diet is a highly important part of a professional Shih Tzu breeder?s job, and will often separate the professional breeder from the ?backyard? or puppy mill breeders.

Author: Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu puppies from top champion bloodlines. Purchase and sign up for our newsletter online at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

This article is FREE to publish with resource box.

Author: Connie Limon. I raise Shih Tzu puppies from champion bloodlines standards and teacup/imperials. Purchase online and sign up for our newsletter at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com