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Archive for October 31st, 2009

The amount and type of care necessary will depend both on the water type, the size of the tank and the number of fish that it holds. As a general rule, after the initial set up, regular maintenance of the tank should be relatively straightforward. In fact, an tank that has been set up correctly should eventually reach a state of equilibrium that will require only a minimum level of work.

Water Quality: The Key To Fish Health

Regardless of the type of fish or style of tank, it is critical that you maintain the proper pH levels in the water. Consider your fish tank to be a swimming pool for your fish. Just as a swimming pool that does not have its water tested regularly will quickly turn into an algae-filled swamp, a fish tank that is not monitored for water quality will quickly become poisonous for your fish. You can quickly test the water quality yourself by purchasing a test kit from an aquarium supply store or pet store but the easiest method is to establish a relationship with the aquarium store and take a jar of water to them regularly for testing. The store will also be able to supply you with any chemicals or treatments that your fish require.

In addition to monitoring the pH level and water quality, you will need to make partial water changes as part of your fish tank care. To clean a fish tank it is not necessary to drain all the water, scrub out the tank and refill it with fresh water. All that is necessary is to siphon off around one quarter to one third of the water from the tank and replace this with fresh water from the tap. If you water is chlorinated you will need to add dechlorinating solution to the fresh water or leave the water sitting in a bucket for 24 hours or more before adding it to your aquarium.

Never clean the glass in your tank with soap. The residue is almost impossible to remove and it will almost certainly kill your fish. Partial water changes once every two to three weeks are all that are required once your tank has been properly established.

A sound filtration system and one that is bit enough for your aquarium size also plays an important role in keeping the aquarium clean. A filter that is too small will not circulate enough water and will not filter out enough impurities and your tank will become discolored with algae. Maintaining the oxygen level in the water is important to the health of the fish and an effective filter will also assist in maintaining the oxygen level by recirculating the water.

Following these steps in setting up and caring for your goldfish and they’ll reward you with years of pleasure as you enjoy your aquarium fish tank.

Springer Spaniels make terrific family dogs for a number of reasons and if you’re looking for a dog, you should give this breed a good look. Whether you’re looking to buy or adopt, it is well worth your time to research this endearing breed to find out more about it. Here are ten reasons why Springer Spaniels make great family pets:

1. Springer spaniels belong to the Gundog group of dogs and their history can be traced back at least a thousand years. Being such an old breed, you can be sure they are highly developed as a breed and don’t suffer from heavy inbreeding like many other breeds.
2. There are many lines to choose from as the spaniel family is quite large. The American Kennel Club of England recognizes two separate pedigrees of Springer Spaniels: the Welsh Springer Spaniel and the English Springer Spaniel. There are more English Springer Spaniels around than their Welsh counterparts.
3. Springer Spaniels are very popular dogs and this means many people breed them so you will be easily able to choose from numerous puppies. Finding a local breeder should be easy and you won’t have to travel across continents to find one of these dogs.
4. Springer Spaniels are known for their hardiness and good health and this is believed to be because they have such old bloodlines spreading back a thousand years. Their popularity has resulted in great numbers of these dogs and this also serves to reduce the risk of inbreeding. If a genetic problem appears, it can easily be eliminated due to the large number of breeding stock in existence.
5. These medium sized dogs are very economical to keep and cost about $7 dollars a week to feed. Springer Spaniels don’t require professional grooming or trimming and this can save you even more money. Their hardy constitution also means less vet bills to deal with.
6. Even though these dogs aren’t massive (an average English Springer weighs fifty pounds), they make impressive guard dogs. They vigorously defend their territory and human family without being overly aggressive and will warn if an intruder is sensed. Because of their strong sense of loyalty to their human family, they will do everything they can to defend their owners.
7. Their easy to manage size makes them able to fit in any car and they are small enough to handle when traveling by train or airplane as well.
8. Springer Spaniels are medium shedders and don’t shed much. Regular grooming is all that is required to keep then clean and tidy. English Springers come in two color lines: black and white and white and liver. They may also have tan markings. In the United States there is a blue roan version of the breed. Welsh Springers come in one coloring: white and red
9. Springer Spaniels have great personalities and are full of vigor and vitality. They are fun loving dogs that also have a very affectionate side to them and they love to retrieve, especially when there is water in the picture.
10. As Springer Spaniels need a lot of exercise, they are the kind of dogs that will get you out and about. These dogs will really encourage you to exercise daily and it will do you both a world of good. They are highly intelligent and trainable dogs that can bring a lot of joy into your household.

Five dog training mistakes to avoid

Mistake #1: Not being consistent.

Consistent training is a must if you expect to ever have a reliably trained dog. Repetition is the key. Without a doubt the number one question I have gotten from people training their dogs themselves is, how do you get them to listen to you? After a bit of investigating on my part I find out that they are simply trying to teach to much.

Solution: Break your training sessions down into 5-10-15 minute segments. Two or three times per day. This will help you and your dog progress faster.

Mistake #2: Being impatient.

Let’s face it. Dog training is something that does not happen over night. It takes time, repetition and most of all, patience. You can’t expect your dog to learn how to sit, stay, down, get a cola out of your fridge, and all that in 10 minutes. It’s simply asking to much. Yet, everyday I see people get so frustrated they almost resort to brutal behavior with their dogs. Simply cause they didn’t sit the first they were ever asked to sit.

Solution: Take it slow. Don’t expect to much of your dog. Set them up to succeed and not to fail. Always end on a positive not. Make sure you are upbeat and happy. Be calm. If you find yourself getting frustrated. Do one more repetition, let the dog succeed. Then quit training until you have calmed down. Come back to it later.

Mistake #3: Not working with the dog

What I mean by this is…approaching training like, “You better listen, or else!” That mind set is self-defeating and honestly, if you think about it, would you be able to learn something new in that environment? I highly doubt it. The days of pain = avoidence = obedience are basically out. Working with your dog and being proactive to possible problems is in.

Solution: Let your dog learn. Forcing the behaviour, while they might do it, does not instill a positive process in them. In other words, yes, they might down if they learned it through dominance. But letting them learn that downing when you ask results in a positive, good feeling, will prove to give you a more reliable down.

Mistake #4: Not having an open mind.

When I speak with people who are having problems training their dogs. I always investigate further to boil down the problem. More times than not, someone has either (A) went to a training class and is using their methods or (B) bought a book, surfed the web, or some other method of gathering information on how to best train their dog. In their pursuit for the best method they lose focus. In short, there isn’t one single method of dog training that works all the time every time.

Solution: Be open minded. Use different techniques. Always keep you and your dogs health in the forefront of your mind. Pick techniques you are comfortable with and aid in developing a bond between you and your canine. Remember, training should be fun. It’s your job to make it interesting for your canine pal too.

Mistake #5: Making training a chore.

Tedious, mundane, boring, hard, frustrating, irate, and other words have been spoken by dog owners about their dog training efforts. Making dog training a chore or a job is a sure way of killing any hopes you will ever have a reliably trained dog.

Solution: Make it fun. Change it up. Use your mind. Be creative. Don’t stick to one type of training. Don’t put yourself in a mundane area. We’re not training obedience champs here. Just basic manners. Find interesting ways to reward your dog. Teach new tricks often and incorporate basic obedience into that. For example, teach your dog to get your something like a paper or magazine. Watch those paper cuts! (kidding). Bottom line, make it fun and interesting and both you and your and dog will make more progress.