Dog Urine Killing Your Grass? Read This By Darrin Swain

You definitely don't want your dog using the bathroom inside your home. That's why owners readily take them outside when they see signs that it's time for Fido to go. Some will become dismayed at the fact that their dog's urine seems to be killing their grass.

This happens because of the fact that urine is composed of a lot of nitrogen. If your grass is growing well, then the soil has all of the nitrogen that it needs. An excessive amount will cause the grass to become colored most commonly to brown or yellow. This problem is really made much worse if you're using lawn fertilizer that adds additional nitrogen to the soil.

The sex of your dog will also affect how much of your grass gets discolored. Both sexes output urine with similar concentrations of nitrogen and uric acid. However, males tend to urinate on trees, mailboxes, hydrants, and other objects.

This isn't the case with their female counterparts. Your female dog will squat down and put all of her urine in one spot. Such a high concentration will dramatically increase the risk of dog urine killing your grass. There are a few things that you can do to help prevent this problem.

You don't want to start messing around with your dog's pH for any old reason. You definitely don't want to do so without consulting your veterinarian beforehand. Your vet can simply recommend that you switch to a different dog food. Foods that contain protein that's more digestible will probably help avoid the problem with your grass.

Supplements also exist to help with the problem of dog urine discoloring your grass. You would especially need to seek advice from your vet before giving your canine any of these though.

Another option to save your lawn is to train your dog to use more inconspicuous areas. At least you wouldn't have to deal with lots of discolored spots in your front yard. After your dog uses the bathroom, you can use the hose to rinse the area which will go a long ways towards preventing discoloration.

As you have already learned, lawn fertilizer contains nitrogen. If you make use of fertilizer, then make sure that it doesn't contain too much. With your dog urinating in a fertilized yard, you would most likely have problems with spots appearing.

You should also be aware that your dog urine killing your grass may not be caused by your pet alone. Other animals may come onto your property to alleviate themselves. The main way to avoid this scenario is to erect a fence around your yard. However, fences won't be able to keep out more agile animals like cats.

Seven Common Household Items That are Poisonous to Dogs By Darrin Swain

There are many different items that can be found in virtually every household. Dog owners need to pay particular attention to some of these items since they can poison their pets. The following is a list of some of the most common.

Pesticides

Homeowners frequently make use of pesticides to keep a wide range of pests at bay. It's vital that you be careful when using them around your home. Dogs can be curious and a few licks of a trap can be very hazardous.

Chemicals

Other types of chemicals that you have around your home should also be kept away from your dog. Don't keep a bottle of bleach beneath the bathroom sink and let your dog go sniffing around unattended. You need to keep all types of chemical cleaners stored somewhere safe where your dog won't be able to access it.

Antifreeze

One of the most hazardous household items to dogs is antifreeze. It only takes a small dose to cause irreversible damage to the kidneys. Larger doses can easily be fatal. It's important to note that not all types of antifreeze have the same amount of danger.

The chemical ethylene glycol is used in some types of antifreeze and is very deadly. If you own a dog, it's probably in your best interests to put antifreeze in your car that contains propylene glycol instead. This chemical is also dangerous, but your dog would need to ingest more of it to to experience more severe consequences.

Fertilizer

Gardeners commonly make use of plant food or fertilizers to enhance the output of their hobby. Just make sure that you don't allow your dog to consume any of it. Be careful about the type of chemicals that you use on your lawn too. Don't let your dog go nosing around directly after you have applied any of these chemicals.

Plants

Speaking of gardening, dog owners need to note the different types of plants that are inside and outside their home. Some of them are very poisonous to dogs. Therefore, it would be a huge mistake to have them around since your dog won't know better than to eat them if he gets the notion. Mistletoe and azalea are two plant types that are very harmful.

Medications

Different types of medications are found in virtually every household too. It doesn't matter if it's a prescription medication or simple cold medicine. You shouldn't let your dog have access to any human medications. Pills aren't the only things that are toxic to dogs either. Creams and liquids can also be harmful.

Food

Feeding your dog is probably the most important task that you'll have. Don't make the mistake of feeding him scraps from the table. It's common for dog owners to give their dog a bone when they're having chicken, turkey, or another meat. Although dogs love bones, they have the potential to do major damage. Your dog may chew on the bone causing it to shatter. If he swallows the shattered pieces, they may lead to an intestinal obstruction. Internal punctures are also possible too.

Other foods should never be given to dogs because they're poisonous. Two of the most poisonous include chocolate and onions. You should also avoid giving raisins, grapes, alcohol, and salt.

Train Your K-9 to Stop Barking At the Door Bell By Cody Crown

As well as how people talk to express the thought, a dog use barks to convey their thought. Every barking definitely occurs from a reason. But in the case you see your canine barks overly over no reason then you are dealing with some serious behavior issue. A hyperactive dog barks at everything, including when a bell rings.
This everyday barking behavior will give you headache unless you are living far from everyone and nobody ever visits you. The very last thing we want to get from your dog when a person pay a visit to your house is to bark over and over. This really is a true stressful moment for us being a host.

Only just some people might stay and tolerate the noise the dog is making. Along with such barking sound you would not manage to hold a proper conversation with your guest. This is besides from your dog jumping on your guest and frightening the living daylights out of them. We might never hope for that situation to occur. It is challenging to stop this sort of behavior. However with a technique labeled as desensitization this issue can be resolve easily.
There are some stages required for a total desensitization. You should teach your dog the basic sit and heel command first before you can move to the next phase. If for example the dog is familiar with these commands then you could proceed to the following stages.

Step 1
Use the sit command that you have taught to tell your dog to sit away from the door from where the door bell rings comes. Give your dog a reinforce if they can remain sit and remain on their position for some time.. Dogs are really smart creatures. He understands that whenever he is doing your command he gets a treat. Proceed to the second step only when your dog obeys you consistently.

Step 2
Now tell your dog to sit before the door while you open the door simulating a visitor. When your dog rises from his sit position, correct him with soft poke while saying "NO" to make him back. A leash would be really necessary for the training to lead your dog to return the first sit position every time they steer away.

Step 3
This now involves a person at the door. Take your dog to sit on their spot. Wait up until your canine in a relaxed state prior to open the door. In case the dog gets up, correct using a NO. And command again to sit. Wait until your dog well-behaved before you can let the guest to enter the door. Of course, you only train with someone who's in on your dog obedience training. An actual guest will think if you missed your appointment with the doctor.

Step 4
Once you have a success on all 3 steps then you may include a real door bell to the exercise. This final phase is quite challenging, so you may need to be a little patient and focus. When your dog hears the doorbell ring and responds, reprimand with a NO and tell him to Sit or Heel whenever he is doing this correctly reward him. Over time your dog will understand how to act whenever the doorbell rings.

Controlling That Pesky Bark By Andy Gonzalez

Above anything else, a dog wants to please its owner. Dogs view their family as their pack, and they are biologically wired to provide and desire extensive protection for them. There are times when a dog's passion for protecting its 'pack', however, is translated through an excessive amount of barking, which may quickly become a nuisance for its owner. It may not be appreciated by those next door either and its owner may be met with a barrage of complaints from sleep-deprived neighbors.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to achieve bark control which don't put our enthusiastic, four-legged friends in danger. Some of the most common tools for bark control are anti-bark collars. These collars have an assortment of designs, but the two most popular on the market are shock collars and spray collars.

Shock collars work by delivering a small, yet harmless shock to a dog when their barking is detected to be excessive in volume or length. Some models deliver a warning tone first so that they aren't immediately punished for what is, after all, their instinct. The shock collars often come with a number of settings so that the power of the shock or the sensitivity of the collar can be carefully adjusted to meet the owner's preferences, with the maximum settings still being safe for even the tiniest of dogs.

Just the idea of shocking a dog, however safe it may be, may come off inhumane for some owners. For those, there is the popular alternative of spray bark collars. The spray bark collar works in a way easily predicted from its name. Just like shock collars, it has the ability to detect nuisance barking and can be adjusted to meet a number of settings. However, instead of delivering a shock, it simply sprays the dog with a bit of liquid which the dog typically finds unpleasant.

The spray bark collar can be filled with many liquids, but the citronella bark collar is a highly recommended choice for any owner seeking a bark-controlling collar, as it is fully safe while still remaining remarkably effective. The liquid inside it, citronella, is colorless and has a lemony odor, making the citronella bark collar an even friendlier choice for owners who are concerned about ensuring their house looks clean and keeping the aroma of their house pleasant.

It may be a dog's instinct to bark in order to protect its 'pack', but a dog is also known for its extreme intelligence and ability to adapt. Dogs are certainly smart enough to adjust to anti-bark collars quickly, and they can be a perfect aid in the training of dogs at night when their owners are not present to guide them. Since dogs function as our best friends, showering us with love, attention and joy, it?s best that we treat them well in return. If excessive barking is an issue, anti-bark collars are safe, effective, and humane tools we can use to improve our and their environment alike.

Finding Affordable Dog Grooming Supplies By Vladimir Harrison

Caring for your dog can sometimes be very expensive if your furry companion requires a lot of maintenance. Of course, you can't neglect your dog in order to save money. However, if you know how to shop effectively, you will not have any problem with saving on dog grooming supplies.

Having your dog groomed regularly by local services can be very expensive if you tend to do it frequently. If you want to save money on this option, you should learn how to groom your dog at home. Asking your groomer about the types of products and supplies that they usually use will show you where you should begin on your search.

You can also pay attention to the types of products that your groomer usually uses on your dog. Aside from this factor, you need to notice which products seem to be the most acceptable for your dog as well. You do not want to choose anything that may cause an allergic reaction.

When you have the list of supplies that you will need, you should start searching for them locally. The groomer may be able to recommend some locations that sell the items for a great price. Before you make any purchases, you should compare some of the available prices and see if you can find any cheaper substitutes as well.

Most pet stores have some sort of membership program that is available to customers. These programs are ideal because they will provide you with discounts to save money on items for your dog. Having a membership with these types of programs is good because it may give you the chance to save money on your grooming supplies.

If you are having a hard time finding supplies in your town, you should look to see if there is anything available on the internet. The internet is a good shopping resource that can provide you with exposure to a lot of supplies that you may not have previously known about. You can also use online shopping for placing bulk orders.

Bulk orders are a good way to save money on what you would usually spend for your supplies on a monthly basis. It is also a good way to ensure that you have enough supplies to last for extended use.

Considering the tips above, it is very easy to save money on your dog grooming supplies. There is a great variety of supplies that are available for affordable prices as long as you know where to shop. After a month of shopping with these suggestions, you will notice that you have earned significant savings.