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Having a pet and pet stains are unfortunately going to go hand in hand. Perhaps you have been given a new untrained puppy, or you have an older dog that no longer can retain its urine until you come home. If you have hardwood floors, this presents a very unique predicament. You can call in the professionals to remove the stain or you can do it yourself. Doing it yourself necessitates a few special tools and of course a bit of elbow grease.  New pet stains are undoubtedly easier to remove than old pet stains, but both are feasible.

First test your stain removal plan on a piece of flooring that will not show damage should damage occur.  Removing every iota of the stain is important, as part of the removal process is to remove the “marking” odor that pets recognize and desire to either mark again, or mark it for themselves if it was made by another canine. It’s a territory thing, you know?

Removing A Fresh Pet Stain

So, first let’s assume that you are working with a fresh stain.  Because the wood is not thoroughly soaked down deep, these stains are uncomplicated to remove.   Arm yourself with warm water, white vinegar, paper towels and one of those new-fangled products that contain enzymes, or special bacteria that will remove both the discoloration and the “marked” odor from the wood.  Be sure and ascertain that the particular product you purchase has been designed for wooden floors.

Now you are ready should your pet urinate indoors on your wooden floor.  Be organized to act quickly and begin by removing as much of the liquid urine with paper towels.  Next, use the white vinegar, which will work to remove the stain as well as remove the odor of the urine.  Rinse the spot with warm water and more paper towels.  Follow this with a vigorous drying course of action with more paper towels until the area is thoroughly dry. Next use the professional stain remover, carefully following the direction on the product.

Removing An Old Pet Stain

This is a bit more problematic; however, if the stain has been there long enough to have saturated both the wood and sub-flooring, the first step is to sand the wood down to determine how deeply the urine stain went. If the stain has disappeared with a bit of sanding, simply refinish that section after you cease sanding. Should you find that the damage goes much deeper and is too far-reaching perhaps the best solution at this point is to refinish the total floor.  Also, removing deeply ingrained odors may require a treatment with bleach in order to keep pets from using the same spot over and over again.

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Coming home to your happy dog, which never fails to greet you with a wagging tail, palpable happiness, and absolutely no retributions for anything you have done – this is all part of owning a dog. Since time immemorial, dogs are said to be “man’s best friend” thus your pet is going to rely on you to be his best friend as well.

Some canine pets require a lot of time for grooming therefore you should be aware what breed you are considering based on the time and effort you will have to spend on grooming your canine best friend.

Unless you plan to breed your new pet, the shelter is the best place to consider getting a dog.  There are so many available, and they all greet you as their best friend the moment you walk into the kennels.

Consequently if you are ready and willing to part with care, food, and attention, they will pledge their allegiance to you and guard you as though you were the most precious thing on earth, which of course, to the canine mind, you are!

Nutrition

In order for your pet to live long and yes, prosper; you need to purchase dog food that is nutritious. This is not the time to acquire junk food and expect your pet to thrive, just as junk food is not nutritious enough for most humans, neither are the low-priced cans of dog food contain cheap fillers.  Also, just as humans need treats, so dogs need treats as well, but you should be judicious with them.
Training

Dogs need to learn manners, tricks and other ways to bring you pleasure, for bringing you pleasure is essential to their happiness.  A well trained dog is one who relishes pleasing their owner, thus it rests on your shoulders to train the dog yourself, or attend the local dog training sessions so that your dog is not a nuisance but instead the “true friend” that you seek.

Grooming

In order for your dog to be the attentive companion you seek, you must be sure to either groom it or have it groomed.  Depending on the breed you’ve chosen, it will require, to be well brushed so it maintains a pleasant coat.  The longer haired breeds may need to have their coats trimmed at intervals to prevent painful knots from forming. Also, you will need to clean the dog’s ears and brush their teeth. Of course all dogs need an occasional bath, which you will have to provide.

Exercise

Making a commitment to a dog means that you must be ready to walk your pet so that it can relieve itself and get the exercise it needs.  The larger the breed, the more exercise it will require.  Make the walk a fun time for you to bond with each other.

Health Care

Just as you see your own Doctor at specified intervals so will a good veterinarian set up a schedule for your pet.  Yearly shots are necessary but you also need to keep a careful eye on your pet so that you can bring your dog pal to seek help as soon as possible.  Just as a human becomes listless when they are sick, so do our canine friends.  As you become accustomed to your dog’s specific habits, you’ll note a difference in your dog when they are ill.

All in all, you’ll have years of pleasure with your dog if you follow the tips listed above, and most importantly you’ll discover why a dog is known to be “man’s best friend!”

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All dog foods are not the same, and because quality varies so much, many owners, in the search to maintain their pet’s health at its very best, have discovered that they can better attain that goal by making the food they feed their pets.

Because of this, many Internet sites have sprung up that contain exceptional recipes for you to try making for your dog.  There are also other reasons for the popularity of these sites and that is the intimidating shock that all pet owners felt when commercial pet food was found to contain ingredients that were highly poisonous and killing many pets.

Many of the recipes posted are jam-packed with the correct ingredients for accurate nutrition and even provide the proper vitamins in order that your pet can not only maintain superior health but also gain improved resistance to any illnesses that may come along.  It’s a win-win situation for both you and your pet.

Many owners have even found that they can eat some the meals themselves, saving not only time but stretching the costs associated with making your pet meals yourself.  Most of the ingredients for the pet meals are readily accessible at your corner supermarket.

Time is of course, the largest expenditure to making home-made meals for your dog, however most pet owners will agree that the thought of saving your pet from an excruciating death due to the harmful additives that have been found in commercially prepared dog food is well worth the time needed to make the meals. Having that ultimate control as to what your pet eats is an amazing feeling, one that many owners have found is particularly fulfilling as they can use passionate creativity in preparing the meals for their beloved pets.

On many of the sites, helpful lists are posted to inform you of a variety of ingredients that dogs should not be fed, or those that can cause accidental medical problems in your pets such as diabetes, obesity or heart disease. Some lists even bring you up to date of changes you can make in the pet’s diet to take care of existing medical pet problems!

Making a pet’s high quality food is not only easy, and very rewarding to the dog owner but surprisingly it can often be much cheaper than commercial foods.  Some of the pet food recipe sites even contain useful articles and charts.  By the way, all the tools considered necessary to make pet food are probably already in your kitchen.

Also, your dog will be exposed to a bigger variety of tastes and textures that will make your pet more secure and less bored with their food.  Good animal nutrition not only can be better for your dog, but it can be tasty too. When the solution is so easy, it behooves owners who truly love their dogs to ascertain that they are properly fed for a long, healthy life by making their meals for them.

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Dogs are super intelligent creatures, and because they are so intelligent they require mental stimulation.  Toys will provide stimulation, but those toys also need to be safe for your dog.  Some toys are made for the dog to play with alone, and others require the aid of their human.  Occasionally dogs suffer from separation anxiety when you leave, so sometimes their toys can assuage them and help pass the time.

As mentioned above, a dog’s toys need to be safe for him to play with. Dog toys need to be purchased that do not have small parts for them to choke on. Also you should be sure and purchase toys that do not contain poisonous contents should your dog play too rough with the toy and burst it open. Stuffed toys, for instance, may pose untold dangers unless pointedly made for dogs.

Among the safer toys are toys designed for chewing that even cleanse their teeth as they chew.  Also there are rawhide bones, pig’s ears, rubber balls, and hundreds of other varieties.  It can be confusing, but pet shops usually have highly qualified help who will point you in the right direction for your breed and size of your dog.

Most pet shops, unless they do not have a separate entrance, will even allow your pet to come with you inside the store as you choose toys! It can be a blast to acquire toys for your dog that he has chosen for himself.  Dogs inside such stores are like children and they love to rush about from one side of the store to the next finding the “perfect” toy for their size and temperament.

Younger energetic dogs need toys that can take a lot of hard abuse.  The rigid hard rubber toys such as balls and those shaped like bones will please the most destructive of canine. Nylon bones will allow your pet to entertain itself for hours on end.  Older dogs tend to play for fifteen or so minutes then curl up for a well-deserved canine nap. Some toys are even filled with treats that keep your dog working industriously to attain the treat.

Some dogs thrive on playing tug-o-war with their humans and thus rope figure-eight shapes will lend both you and your canine pal loads of fun.  If your canine friend loves the water, there are toys made that float and are especially made for dogs as they are nearly indestructible.  Who knows, perhaps you’ll even land on one of those TV shows that portray dogs diving great distances into water to retrieve a toy you’ve thrown for him to fetch.

Small tiny dogs, such as miniature poodles and Chihuahuas seem to relish large balls that they can push around at great speed.  Many dogs enjoy pushing them under furniture and wedging them so that they need to get around the ball to push it back out.  Again, keep in mind that dogs are highly intelligent creatures, and thus dog toys need to stimulate their intelligence and most importantly be safe for them to play with.

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Just as two owners are not the same, so no two canines are the same.  Keeping this in mind will help you tremendously in seeking the “right” breed to suit your temperament, your home and even your local temperature. This article should help you in making notes for the possible “ideal” pet for you.

Lifestyle

What kind of lifestyle do you have? Are you a couch potato, or do you like to camp in the great outdoors? Does a smaller breed, such as a poodle or Chihuahua suit your lifestyle best, or do you dream of owning a Great Dane?  Pet stores are a great way of looking at different breeds, but doing your “homework” prior to falling in love with a squirmy puppy is imperative.

If you are searching for a purebred dog, your best bet is either the Internet or local dog clubs. Speaking with breeders will allow you to lean a tremendous amount about the particular breed, so do be sure and follow up on that as well.

Space

Is your home large and spacious with a few acres of land behind it, or do you live in a small condominium or a city rental apartment?  It stands to reason that the amount of space you can devote to a dog, will also rule what breed you will be happiest with.

Time

How much time will your pet require in order to be healthy and contented?  Obviously many longhaired dogs require a tremendous amount of time for grooming purposes, but any breed needs exercise and walks to relieve itself.

Expenses

Purebreds require an initial cost, but any animal needs to be properly taken care of.  You will encounter vet bills, grooming bills, dental costs, nutrition costs and such. Getting a pet from the local shelter is much cheaper and often they will come pre-neutered and with all their shots.  If not, you will also incur those costs if you accept a pet from either a breeder or someone advertising in the newspaper.

Because Disney made a wonderful movie about Dalmatians does not mean that you should adopt or purchase a Dalmatians no matter how the kids clamor for one.  For instance, Dalmatians require special care and frequently have specific problems with the breed, such as deafness.  Will you be able to deal with a deaf dog?  Will your children

Stress compatibility

It cannot be stressed enough that canine compatibility with yourself, and your family will guarantee that everyone, including that cherished dog, will be suited for each other and will bring long years of happiness.