Pets become an important part of our lives once we begin to live with them. These animals become family members, giving us support in an inexplicable manner that might only be interpreted by the psychoanalysts and psychologists. In order to give your pet the ultimate care and affection it is wanting, you might need a lot of things (like accessories, medicines and drugs, collars, clothing, food, etc.). But often you will feel the need for more accessories and other things for your pet that might be too expensive for you to afford. Wholesale discount pet supplies are what are sold to individual retailers to resell to the public. However, you can also try to pool your buying resources and buy in bulk with other pet owners directly from wholesalers.

There are ways to find affordable pet products, though. There are a number of Wholesale pet suppliers who can provide what you need in the most affordable ways. Some of the products that might be available at wholesale rates: dog clippers, dog dryers, grooming tables, grooming fashions, combs, rakes, clipper blades, toys, treats, bedding supplies, shampoo, collars and leads, clothing accessories, house breaking pads, disinfectants, doors and gates, stainless steel dog bowls, raised dog bowls, all kinds of flea and teak, soft sided dog crates, folding dog crates, dog bed pads, dog bed chairs and sofa covers including specialty beds, bath supplies like bath tubs, houses and such related accessories, towels, and various kinds of foods, like health supplements and natural food.

Discount Pet Supplies provides detailed information on Discount Pet Supplies, Wholesale Discount Pet Supplies, Discount Pet Drug Supplies, Discount Pet Food and more. Discount Pet Supplies is affiliated with Custom Dog Tags.

A dog can be a wonderful addition to your family, as long as everyone is prepared to put in the time and effort required. So many people think a puppy would make a wonderful present for their children, only to forget about them once the novelty has worn off.

Before you make the leap and introduce a new pet to your family make sure you know what to expect and that you?re prepared for all the consequences of bringing a new family member into your home.

Some of the things you should consider before you take the step of picking your puppy or dog.

Who is going to be responsible? It?s all well and good to tell your children that the new puppy is theirs to care for, but remember, the first time they have to choose between picking up after it and hangin? out with their friends you know there?s going to be a problem. So if there is no one prepared to step in and look after the animal on a regular basis perhaps re-thinking the gift would be a good idea.

Do you have room for it? Depending on what type of home you live in and what type of backyard you have, will be a major factor in both deciding on what type of dog you should get, along with whether or not you?re prepared to exercise the dog, if you don?t have the room to let it run free in the backyard. If you can?t supply the room for a dog to run or are not willing to exercise them on a regular basis then perhaps a dog is not right for you.

Are you a neat freak? No matter how well prepared you are, or how well you train your dog is, there will be accidents. These can range from the normal potty training problems to digging up your prize garden, chewing your new shoes, or shedding their hair on your lounge. If you?re not ready to put up with any of the above at some stage of the dog?s life then perhaps a dog is not right for you.

Can you afford it? Caring for a dog means more than just paying for its meals. While dinner time scraps are a common food source, they need more than that, particularly when they are young and still growing, a well balanced diet is essential. Food is not the only cost though. There are also the worm tablets, vet bills, registration fees and other costs associated with caring for your pet. If you are struggling to pay your bills now you shouldn?t add to those costs, as unfortunately all too often it?s the animal that misses out on what it needs.

These are just a few things to bear in mind when you?re thinking about getting a new dog. If, after reading the above points, and now knowing some of what is expected when you introduce a new dog into the family, you decide you still do want a dog, then yes, you do deserve one. Provided of course you can fulfil one other key requirement.

Being prepared to offer lots of love, caring and patience.

V Brown is a long time dog owner/lover and has recently introduced a new puppy into the family so has decided to start sharing her experiences as the training etc begins. If you’d like to know more please visit Life With A Dog

Problems between dogs and their care givers arise from a multitude of reasons, most of which could be easily avoided. Inconsistent training, expecting too much too soon, harsh or inexperienced handling, and negligence are responsible for the majority of ongoing canine behavior problems. Understanding your dog will help.

Pet owners who take the time to become knowledgeable about their pet?s needs, and who build a solid foundation of love and trust with their pet, rarely experience serious behavior problems once training is complete.

Pet owners who fail in these areas, however, are likely to instill fear, confusion, lack of confidence, and even depression in their pet. Reading this Savvy Dog Lover article will go a long way in helping persons to understand the unique needs of their canine companions.

A Dog?s Unique Personality

Dogs are a lot like most people. They may goof now and then, but they invariably try and do their best. They truly want to please their care givers. A sensitive dog owner will realize this.

Sensitive dog owners will also realize that, like people, some dogs catch on more quickly than others; others are slower to learn. Some dogs are also more easily distracted. Some are naturally more aggressive, others more timid ? requiring extra patience and encouragement during training.

Understanding your dog is vital, for both you and your dog. This is especially true when it comes to training.

Guidelines for Successful Training

There are ten important factors to remember if you desire training success:

1.)Patience is critical. Forcing a puppy or young dog to do more than he is capable of doing, losing control and yelling or striking out at the dog, or ending a training session on a sour note all sabotage training success and build confusion and mistrust in the dog.

2.)Keep training upbeat and fun for your dog. Sessions should begin and end with success. Start the session out by ?reviewing? a feat or accomplishment your dog already does well. End the session in the same way, with plenty of praise.

3.)Structure is important, so be consistent. Training sessions should be performed regularly. Sessions should be timed to end while your dog is still enthusiastic and attentive. They should last about 15 minutes for puppies, 30 ? 40 minutes for adult dogs. Sessions should also be conducted in as distraction-free a location as possible. That means no audience of onlookers for the sake of showing off your ?skills? as a trainer.

4.) Be lavish with praise. Reward each success with plenty of verbal and physical praise. Not only will this build confidence in your dog, and create a stronger bond between the two of you, but it will make him even more anxious to please you when learning other new feats.

5.)Never call your dog to you for disciplinary purposes. This will only make your dog apprehensive and reluctant to approach the next time you call. Instead, order him to ?sit,? and ?stay,? then approach him.

6.)Never over-discipline. Once a dog understands a command but refuses to obey, reasonable physical discipline may be appropriate. Discipline should never be violent or executed in anger; it should always be imparted in a calm, controlled manner.

7.)Don?t lock your dog into shame cycles. When a dog refuses to comply, verbal and physical discipline should be controlled, and reasonable. Ongoing verbal reprisals and scolding when a dog bungles an assignment is ineffective and will only serve to strip confidence. It will discourage your dog and make him dislike training sessions altogether.

8.)Understand that learned behavior takes time. Just because a dog learns the ?sit? command on Monday while in his own backyard, that does not mean he will be able to carry the lesson over to Friday?s day at the beach. Dogs do not instinctively apply knowledge learned in one setting to another quite different setting. He must be taught how to do that; it takes repetition over a period of time, and patience.

9.)Teach commands in steps. For instance, before a dog can effectively learn the ?lay down,? command ? which is, in actuality, a three-step command ? he must first learn the commands ?sit? and ?down? (or lay down). Break multi-tasked commands into simple steps.

10.) Factor #1 bears repeating. Patience is critical!

By working with your dog following these guidelines you will soon discover the essence of each. Patience combined with consistency, love, and praise for accomplishments well done are the most important factors of all when it comes to building trust in your dog, and assuring training success.

Other training tips, aids, and products for pets can be found online at www.savvy-dog-lovers.com.

? 2006 Lori S. Anton Savvy Pet Editor

Published writer and dog lover, Lori Anton, has been writing for nearly 30 years. She is founder and editor for Writers Write Now, offering original professionally written content, and SEO content for web sites; visit Writers Write Now. Lori lives in rural Wyoming with her husband, Jeff, and their diabetic canine companion, Muffy.

Lori is also Savvy Pet Editor. Savvy Dog Lovers web site offers valuable information on pet health, care, and training, as well as top pet products. Visit Savvy Dog Lover. Savvy Dog Lover ? where the best bones are buried!

What can you do to improve the health of your dog, its coat, and its skin that is cheap and effective? Grooming that’s what! The small investment of time and money involved for grooming can yield numerous benefits for your dog’s health!

Is your dog’s coat looking dull, tatty and matted? Is your dog’s sad looking coat causing you to worry about his/her overall health? Sometimes the simple things can often provide very effective benefits, and in the case of the health of your dog, grooming is one of these simple measures that can yield big results.

Dog health and grooming go hand in hand as the act of grooming has numerous benefits that can help prevent many dog health problems before they arise. Like humans, regular grooming and attention to changes in the skin, eyes, and teeth can help maintain health and prolong the life of your pet, as many indications of possible health problems are noticed and addressed before they progress to something more sinister.

Health Benefits of Grooming

• Grooming removes dead hair leaving only the healthy hair behind, which immediately looks better. It also lets air circulate through the coat better reducing any odor, keeps the dog cooler, and looks cleaner. It is also a good idea to bath your dog regularly with a quality dog shampoo to further improve the benefits of general grooming.
• Grooming stimulates blood flow, which in turn improves blood supply to the hair follicles working wonders for the health of the overall coat.
• Grooming also stimulates the lymphatic system, thus having a positive affect on the dog’s overall health in the same way that a massage does for humans.

Residual Benefits of Grooming Aside from the more obvious physical health benefits of grooming there are other benefits such as: -

• Bonding with your Dog – While grooming your dog you are helping to create a bond between you and your pet because of the physical touching and interaction. This also has a positive effect on the dog’s emotional state as it feels more comfortable and safe in your hands. Dogs always love the attention they get during grooming.
• Knowing your pet – While grooming your dog you get to know your pet better and know what he/she likes or dislikes, and its favorite and least favorite places to be touched or brushed. Knowing your pet will help you to notice any changes that may indicate a health problem, for instance if your dog suddenly flinches when touched in an area where it usually loves to be touched would alert you to investigate the cause of the tenderness.
• Spot Possible Health Dangers – While grooming your dog you can check the skin for possible skin rashes and problems like hair loss or lumps. Also check for signs that your dog has been scratching a certain area of the skin which would indicate some sort of irritation such as worms, fleas, mites or ticks. Ticks in particular can be deadly if left undetected and a thorough visual check of the dog?s skin should be a regular part of your dog health and grooming strategy. It is a good idea to check the eyes for any signs of sight or health problems while grooming your dog. Also check the pads and nails of the paws for problems that may require attention along with the teeth for signs of decay or gum problems.

Possible Bonus Benefit for you

If you find that you enjoy grooming and become quite competent, you may consider starting your own dog grooming service to make a few extra dollars or perhaps turn it into a full time business. Dog grooming services are in high demand and can be very profitable. There is nothing better than making a living doing something that you enjoy.

What You Need to Start?

It is important to get the right grooming tools and information on grooming techniques. The internet has is a wealth of information about grooming along with numerous sites that sell a range of grooming tools. Other sources are local pet supply stores or alternatively most towns and cities have a local dog association where dog lovers can meet and exchange ideas. Public libraries may also have books on dog grooming.

The benefits to your dog?s health by regular grooming far outweigh the small outlay of money for the grooming tools, and time spent grooming. Your dog’s coat will look shiny and healthy and the health of your dog’s skin will also be improved. Spend a little time on your pet and he/she will love you for it.

Colin L Wolfenden is webmaster for http://www.my-resource.com and http://www.impressiveebooks.com.

Dog lover gifts are the perfect presents for a person who has one or more dogs. Various kinds of dog-themed gift items are available on the market. A dog lover gift is one of the most appreciated and cherished of all gifts, and it should be selected with utmost care.

When you select a dog lover gift, you have to keep certain things in mind. If you decide to give a dog as gift, you should know what type of dog you are giving. There are a host of dog breeds and each has certain unique physical traits and qualities. Dog lover gifts can be personalized with the name of a dog or dogs, or a quote related to dogs. Shop around for the best rates on these items.

Dog lover gifts are often designed with a particular breed in mind. Dog food items, dog accessories, books on dog health, grooming, care and food habits are the most common gifts. Also, personalized dog t-shirts, videos on dogs care, bed sheets, dog printed pillows, dog towels and dog doormats are available. Ceramic items, hand made products, gift baskets and showpieces made of metal, and glass and wood are in great demand. Big posters of dogs and dog photo frames make wonderful gifts. Most dog lovers would love to attend a dog show ? so, why not give a ticket to a show? Other popular gift items include dog key chains, dog clocks, dog signs, dog mouse pads, dog jewelry, pins, coasters, and dog cookie jars.

Dog Lover Gifts provides detailed information on Dog Lover Gifts, Unique Dog Lover Gifts, Dog Lover Gift Baskets, Personalized Dog Lover Gifts and more. Dog Lover Gifts is affiliated with Gourmet Food Gifts.

Large breed dogs pose special grooming dilemmas. The Great Pyrenees and other Bernard family members have cornered the market on that special combination of girth and hair. Without a regimented grooming routine the Pyrenees? flowing white locks can easily morph, soon resembling an electrocuted Komondor on steroid.

One obstacle to keeping large breeds in the peek of beauty is the difficulty in locating nail clippers, brushes and dental supplies suited to their substantial size. Substitution will have to be made. Still, with a little ingenuity grooming is a snap.

Body Brushing Combing out the Great Pyrenees is a challenge. The high-stung nature of the breed makes them tend to wiggle around during grooming. In fact, these stealth dogs are apt to sprint off if not restrained, sometimes moving up to three centimeters in a single afternoon.

Your best bet for body brushing or raking is to work on your pet while he is asleep. Avoid active times such as 6:00 to 6:03 a.m. and the 30 minutes after sunset Pyrenees? devote solely to barking. This breed is known to sleep with its eyes open. When stalking them with grooming tools be cautious. Once you are with in 65 feet of your dog, listen for a train. This verifies your dog is snoring.

Work efficiently once you begin grooming a Great Pyrenees. You may only have 13 hours before he wakes up. When grooming 140 lbs. of fur bonded together by drool and the occasional tree branch, you must not dally. A weed eater is an efficient option for quickly working your way through the shrubs to the actual hair prior to brushing.

Nail Clipping Clipping your Pyrenees?s claws should be a regular part of your grooming routine. Before beginning this procedure head for the hardware store. Pick up a large metal rasp and bolt cutters. Once claws have been neatly trimmed call in HAZMAT to remove the clippings from your home. Don?t forget the dewclaws.

Great Pyrenees? have a multitude of extra toes just kinda ?hangin? out? on their lower legs. Hiding amongst them are a total of six massive curly toenails. Each is so large it makes a valosaraptor claw look like a minute droplet of Chihuahua snot. Don?t let the dewclaws go unattended more than a few weeks. Negligence will yield a clipping big enough to be used as a spiral staircase.

Dental Care Dog owners often overlook the importants of good oral hygiene. Fortunately, in the Bernard breeds, their mouths offer plenty of room to work in. Take advantage of this trait. You can create ample access to the mouth by simply pulling their massive floppy lips up from both sides of the face. Then, use three clothespins to secure them to one another across the bridge of the nose. You may also secure a single lip to the opposing ear in a similar fashion.

Once the teeth are exposed insert a shop vac tube under your dogs tongue. This technique is identical to that of the ?spit sucker? used in a dental offices. A fifteen-gallon vac should suffice. Once the shop vac is fired up the Great Pyrenees will start to awaken. You will have about two hours to completely remove large pieces of sod stored along the gum line before your dog hits full cognitive thought. At this point he?ll eat the vacuum prior to falling back asleep.

As a final touch, clean you canine?s feet. Shinny up between the pads with a flashlight, some pliers and a bottle of WD 40. Remove stones, dried bats, milk carton children and anything else not belonging up there. Once this task is done your grooming regiment is complete. Wake your dog by simple uttering the word ?cookie.? By the time you get to ?coo? every Great Pyrenees in a six mile radius will be in your kitchen.

With a little work and a few trips to Home Depot, your Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernard or Newfoundland will glow with beauty. When you combine all this glamour with their high intelligence and magnetic personalities, your dog will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Zoologist turned satirist Nola L. Kelsey is the author of the scathingly wicked satire Bitch Unleashed: The Harsh Realities of Goin? Country (September 05). She is also the owner of Samuel the Great Pyrenees, who plays primary character in her book and in her life. Excerpts from Bitch Unleashed and subscriptions to Kelsey?s newsletter are available on her web site, http://www.NolaKelsey.com

Many people feel that using an indoor kennel crate for their puppy is somehow cruel. Nothing could be further from the truth. When used properly, a crate can be one of the most valuable tools for training and maintaining your new puppy.

Dogs naturally love den-like enclosures and an indoor kennel crate will satisfy this desire. Dogs are also naturally reluctant to soil where they sleep so crating is an extremely effective housebreaking tool. Crating can keep a puppy away from potentially dangerous household items and can be moved from room to room whenever necessary.

Crating can help to ease separation anxiety and prevent destructive behaviour when you cannot physically supervise your puppy. When you have to leave your puppy alone or when you go to bed at night, you can rest assure that your puppy is not only safe, but he is also not chewing your furniture, electrical wires, rugs and so on.

It is very important that you introduce the crate to your puppy as a safe place to rest in. You should therefore never use the crate as a form of punishment. Your puppy should associate his crate with security, comfort and enjoyment. There are quite a few things that you can do to foster these positive feelings about the crate in your dog.

Drop pieces of food such as kibble or special treats in your puppy’s crate throughout the day. As your puppy discovers these treats it will reinforce the notion that the crate is a positive place. Along the same principle you can also feed your puppy in his crate.

When you first introduce your puppy to his crate, praise and fondle him when he goes inside. Make a game of it by including rewarding him with treats when he enters. Never attempt to force your dog into his crate. However, at night when going to bed you may have to place your puppy inside and then shut the door. It is recommended that you place the crate near to your bed to reduce your puppy’s anxiety at night. Dogs are pack animals and do not like to sleep alone.

It is an excellent idea to begin crating your puppy for short periods of time while you are home with him. This will prevent your puppy from making the negative association that going into his crate means that you will be leaving him alone.

It is important to allow your dog the opportunity to fully eliminate before he goes into his crate. Young puppies have very little bladder and sphincter control so you should not crate your pet for extended periods of time. Puppies under 4 months of age should not be crated more than 3 hours. Except for overnight, puppies and dogs should not be crated for more than 5 hours at a time.

Always remove your dogs’ collar before crating. Ensure that your crate is the proper size. If it is too big, your puppy may eliminate in one end of the crate and sleep in the other. If this occurs you may have to block off a section of the crate to discourage this behaviour.

Many dogs who are properly introduced to crating at a young age grow to like their crate as their place to rest and get away from it all. This is ideal for owners because you can then use your crate when travelling or visiting and not have to worry about your dog. He has his safe, secure place to go.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Dog Training

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.