Hunting expedition

I went hunting over the weekend in Mpumalanga, Middleburg. I had a ball. The guys take the sport very serious and that changes my perception of hunters. I used to think of hostel dwellers when I thought of hunting and dogs. I was with Doctors, Teachers, accountants, police, prison warders, business owners and a whole lot of professional people. The sport is bigger than I thought it was.
The guys are very professional, they do not hunt for meat, but to have a good time at the end of the day.

I saw quality, top of the range. I cant mention how many we killed just in case you forward this to the SPCA. But we had a good time, away from the noisy gossips. There were about 37 guys with more than 75 dogs. Next time, I will take pictures to share with you fellow bloggers.

Some of us were detained for trespassing, this comes with the package of course!

When you look at the quality of the dogs you see that these guys take the sport very serious. This is not to say we do not have guys who hunt for meat purposes, but the ones i was with are professional and well organised. Their dogs are clean and well looked after. Some of them have been imported from as far as Ireland and Australia and they spent a fortune in the process. Buying and importing a dog can be as much as R50 000. So you can imagine what class of people am I talking about. These guys go for the best bloodlines, they dont just go and buy from Baas Jon. They do their research and follow the bloodlines of a dog they intend getting and the money is not an issue.

Soon I will be joining the South African Greyhound Association. We need to take the sport to the next level, you cant beat them if you dont join them and in the process learn as much as possible and then run away and open your own. There are mnyama brothers who are already doing it and we have to join hands and take it to another level.

"Black Empowerment, I Love You". We now have farms where we hunt and have a good time, in the past we used to buy from Baas Jon, but he wouldnt let us hunt in his land. Even though the farms are used for braais and parties, at least they are there and we will one day plant something and keep at least one cow and one goat, for the party of course.

Keep blogging

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Grehounds speedhound or cross hunting dogs

Some call them Greyhounds, speed hounds, hunting dogs and many other names, but they are all the same. The difference is in the bloodline. Some have too much speed, less stamina while the opposite is also possible (more stamina less speed). It all depends on what you breed your dogs to hunt and also the hunting terrain.

We all love them the same, yet there are many unaswered questions about the sport. I will leave that to the expert or animal rights associations before I burn my fingers. These dogs make very good pets. They need a lot of love like any other pet, more training and a lot of running space.

I dont think there is any abuse on the animals when you use them for hunting, but that is my own opinion as these animals are bred or born to hunt. What they hunt is a topic for another day. Hunting is like any other sport, like your polo and horse racing, not sure if the horse is being abused there.

The only worrying factor is how the hunters look or take care of the animals during and after their hunting years. But the few that I have seen, love their animals. I love mine and I always encourage the same amongst the guys who have them. We take them to the vet, feed them quality food and house them in clean warm shelters all the time.

I do not believe in breeding greyhounds as it is very expensive especially when you know what you are doing. I seem to differ with most guys on this one because all of us think our dogs are the best and so we breed from them and the puppies end up in shelters. This is one gospel I wish to spread amongst the guys.

This is an open topic, Id like to get your input so as to educate our brothers as far as this precious breed is concerned.

I have attached pictures of my two runners, fricky(black) and greyhound(brindle)

"Gone hunting, not breeding"

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Homemade Dog Food From Scratch

By Thomas Henricks

Is your pets health important to you? I would hope the answer to that question is yes, it is important. It might surprise you to read that many studies indicate that commercially prepared dog food is not entirely healthy for your dog, and can even contribute to health issues. To avoid these problems, some people are turning their own homemade dog food. While this might seem like a much unnecessary work, it is a small price to pay to keep your beloved pet healthy.

Baking Basics for Your Dog

If you want to make your own homemade dog food, there are a few basic issues to bear in mind. There are some specific guidelines for homemade dog food that should be followed when you are determing the base products required. These guidelines ensure that the end result will in fact be a healthy alternative for your dog.

The primary elements that make up commercial brands of dog food are protein, fats, fibre and moisture.

To satisfy nutritional requirements, about one third of the components of homemade dog food should be high in protein. This protein can come from eggs, dairy products, or any type of meat. The remaining two thirds of the homemade dog food should consist of grains and vegetables.

It equally as important to know what ingredients you should avoid when preparing homemade dog food. We sometimes have a tendency to think that a dog can eat nearly anything but in fact there are certain ingredients that upset a dogs digestive system. To assure that will not occur, there some products you should never include in a homemade dog food recipe. These include chocolate, onions and onion powder, mouldy foods, garlic, grapes and raisins, mustard seeds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol. These products have all proven to be intolerable to your canines digestive system.

A Sample Homemade Dog Food recipe

Although a number of common household food products are suitable for your own dog food a simple list of ingredients could include the following.

Mix together 6 cups water, 1 pound ground turkey, 2 cups brown rice, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, and a combination of carrots and cauliflower. You can prepare these ingredients for use as your own custom homemade dog food by simply placing them in a large Dutch oven and cooking them for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Let the mixture cool and package in quantities suitable for to satisfy single serving requirements. Be sure to package your servings in a manner that will dispel surrounding air.

Vacuum sealing is a great way to package portions that will remain safe for use for extended periods of time. When preparing large batches, these portions can be frozen until required.
If you want to be sure that your dog is receiving high grade, healthy food products, try making your own. You might be surprised at the satisfaction you feel when cooking up a meal for your dog exactly as you would for any other member of the family.

For more information about Petfood please visit Petfood Resources

Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com

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Collar Dog Training Is definitely an Effective Tool

Collar dog training is among the most controversial ways of training dogs today. These special collars, referred to as e-collars or shock collars, can give your dog an easy shock like a punishment for misbehaving. Many could find using a shock collar for training as cruel but others think it is a highly effective tool with regards to training their pet. New modern e-collars now include the possibility to lighten the shock wave, to be able to set the shock in the very minimum setting. This makes sufficient of the sensation to make your dog feel uncomfortable pain free.

Dog trainers discover that using collar dog training might help your dog learn rapidly and frequently leads to a trusted response in the dog. Dogs will quickly learn that misbehavior may cause an unpleasant and annoying sensation and can learn new behaviors quickly. Several ways of teaching are utilized and also a shock collar. One of the ways would be to ask your dog to carry out a specific task. The trainer can give your dog an order to do while pressing the button on the collar. This can annoy your dog. When the dog performs the command, the button is released. This could be the technique employed for dogs who dont always follow commands, but have previously learned to follow along with directions from the owner.

The second approach to collar dog training would be to provide the dog a rather more intense shock when it misbehaves. No commands are necessarily receiving. Once the dog starts acting within an undesirable behavior, a surprise is offered which tells your dog to prevent. An anti-bark collar is yet another kind of training tool. This collar automatically provides a slight shock towards the dog whenever it barks. Its sensitivity could be set helping train your dog from continually barking.

No matter which method you select, using the new collars currently available, collar dog training continues to be recognized to help modify behavior.

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Buying Pet Health Insurance For Cat Or Dog Peace Of Mind

By Craig Thornburrow

Cats are a very individual minded animal. In other words, cats do for cats and are not mentally hardwired to follow a leader in the same manner that a dog will. That is why a cat will probably want to forgo the need to acquire proper cat insurance. Now, while cats are notoriously single-minded, human beings should know better. Human owners who love their cats should go the extra length and acquire the proper pet health insurance for cat so as to provide a financial blanket to cover a major procedure in case a pet cat requires such help.

Some may not see the need for cat insurance if the cat is an indoors cat. After all, all the major problems that a pet cat could face derive from an unfortunate incident that might occur outside the safety of the cats (well, your) home. Unfortunately, common things such as aging can result in medical and dental problems that can prove virtually catastrophic. And remember, such events can occur without any trauma presented to the animal or in conjunction with any out or normal circumstance.

It is not uncommon for a cat to develop bad breath. Sometimes, the halitosis will be so severe that the cats owner decides to take the pet to the vet to have a little dental cleaning performed. It shouldnt be that big of a problem, should it? After all, a little dental cleaning certainly wont cost that much. Well, if all that is required is a little dental cleaning, then there will not be much of a cost.

But what happens if the cat has developed a severe cavity that needs to be pulled? What it there are two or three cavities? What if there is the presence of gum disease that may lead to a life threatening infection? What if a blood test is required in order to gauge the severity of the potential infection? All of a sudden, a $50 visit to the vet has expanded into a major procedure that can cost upwards of $500. Pet health insurance for cat is the answer.

If that cautionary tale did not provide proper impetus for motivation to purchasing proper cat insurance, nothing will. Well, actually, there can be a whole host of cautionary tales provided that would hopefully motivate people into purchasing cat insurance. The common thread behind of these cautionary tales is the moral of the story: accidents and problems can occur at any time.

Therefore, it is always wise to have the precaution of a proper cat insurance policy in place so as to financially cover any catastrophe that might occur. Pet health insurance for cat can be acquired from a quality insurance issuer and is usually quite affordable. Furthermore, the coverage can be quite extensive and all encompassing.

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on dog insurance and cat insurance at http://www.petinsurancegroup.com

Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com

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Dogs With Skin Or Digestive Problems Require Enzyme Support

By Janie Knetzer

Your dogs diet can have a great impact on a variety of factorsin his health. A dog that is not receiving adequate nutritionfrom his diet can be prone to gas, flatulence, lack of energyand skin problems.

The dogs coat may become dull and, if he is a working dog, hisperformance may be affected. This is due, in great part to avariance that many dog owners have imposed on dogs when theydomesticated them. In essence, it is a nutritional deficiencythat, though unintentional, can lead to health and digestiveissues.

In many cases, digestive enzymes for dogs can correct orsubstantially reduce the problems. Enzymes are substances foundin the body that have the ability to induce chemical reactionsor accelerate these processes. Enzymes are broken down into twoparts, one is a protein called apoenzyme and the other is anon-protein. The non-protein can either be a coenzyme orcofactor.
Every cell in every plant and animal contains enzymes. Theyregulate biochemical reactions that aid the system and sustainlife. When the delicate balance of the bodys digestive systemis upset, various undesirable reactions can result.

Enzymes can bring balance, but if they are not presentnaturally in the diet then supplements must be introduced. Asupplement can reduce or even eliminate the undesirable sideeffects of an improper diet in a dog. Gas and flatulence, skinproblems and lack of energy can be turned around and the dogscoat will be shinier.

Dog digestive problems are common even in dogs whose ownersfeed them top of the line dog food. The problem stems from theprocessed diets that most domestic dogs are provided. A dog isnot equipped to digest this type of diet because kibble lacksthe necessary dog digestive enzymes his body needs.

Wild canines, such as wolves, exist on a raw diet. In theirnatural environment, wolves will kill their prey and consume theorgans first. The organs contain the vitamins and nutrientsthat the wolf needs and it is these vitamins and nutrients thatboost their system, aiding in digestion.

A domesticated dog does not have access to animal organs fromprey or a raw diet, so their body requires an enzyme supplementfor proper digestion and a healthy system. A dog is naturallydesigned to consume raw prey. However, with domestication, manhas imposed a diet of kibble which is more convenient and costeffective, but the dog is paying a heavy price because his dietis nutritionally lacking.

In such cases, enzymes for dogs are necessary to provide whatthe dogs diet is lacking. This is true for dogs of all agesand especially important for senior dogs. However, when a dogis started on digestive enzymes as a young dog, it will givegreater assurance to the owner that the dog will be healthier asit ages.

Its never too late to start providing your best friend with anenzyme supplement for dogs.
About the Author: Janie is an avid dog lover with over twentyfive years of dog care and handling experience. She has writtennumerous articles on dog skin, nutrition and care.

Visit http://www.old-dog-treats-and-rawhide.com/dog-skin-problems.html

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=193038&ca=Pets

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To Train or Not To Train

I often hear others speak about training as if its not something that they do with their dogs everyday. "Its too time-consuming" or "I cant find a good trainer in my area" or "I dont want to have to turn the dog over to a stranger for a few months to get him trained. are all excuses I hear everyday! I often chuckle because, know it or not, these people are training their dogs, whether they realize it or not!!! Yes, like children, your dogs eyes and ears are on you at all times, studying your every move and expression. It only takes one time for you to say, "No", but allow the malevolent behavior for your dog to learn that "No" definately is something negotiable at your house.

So, if training is a hot shot trainer to you, remember, YOU are your dogs best trainer. If you say "No", but allow the behavior, the dog learns that "No" means go ahead and test.

So, remember, if you give your dog a command, follow through - EVERY TIME!!! If you dont, you are teaching your dog that your commands are negotiable and you are NOT the pack leader!!!

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Advice on House Training Your Dog or Pup

When first starting to house train our dogs most of us just assume that accidents are going to happen. Well this technique of house training your dog is targeted more toward stopping accidents rather than waiting for them to happen. We want to make it easy for the dog to do the right thing the first time.



House training your dog in this fashion is faster, easier and more effective than scolding and punishing your dog for past mistakes. The success or failure of your dog is all up to you. This method requires patients, determination and reliability in order for it to work. This technique works well for adult dogs and pups alike.


A dog crate will be needed when using this method. If you don’t have a dog crate, a small confined area will work just fine. Basically any spot where your dog can rest, stay safe, secure and out of trouble when they cant be supervised. This will make the job a lot easier.


When house training your dog it is important to remember that adult dogs and pups can be house broken in the same way. If you are training a pup keep in mind that puppies have limited bladder control and might require a bit more attention than an adult dog.


First off provide your dog with a clean area to sleep like a crate or small confined area. It may be hard to believe but dogs do like to be clean and have an area that is not stinky and dirty.



Scheduling is essential when house training. Dogs could be very routine animals and they usually “need to go” when they wake up in the morning, after a nap, within ½ hour after eating and before they go to sleep. Accidents will happen if your dog is not allowed to relieve himself at those times. Better yet just assume that your dog “needs to go” and let them outside.


When using a crate for house training the size of the crate is very important. If the crate is to big your dog or pup might just use one end as a bathroom instead of showing you that they need to go outside. Remember dogs wont use the bathroom where they go to sleep unless they have to. If you feel your dog has a bit more room in their crate than necessary put down some newspaper on one end so they can use the bathroom when you’re not home to let them out. The crate is intended to be their sleeping and eating place and since dogs like clean sleeping areas they wont dirty their crate if they can help it.


Developing a schedule with your dog is very important when house training. This helps establish control of the times they have to go and also helps prevent accidents. Remember, first thing in the morning then breakfast in the crate. They should have to relieve themselves within ½ hour after eating so put them outside to do so. For the first month or so you probably will feed your dog 3 to 4 times a day following the same routine.


So here’s the breakdown, First thing in the morning right when you wake up, then wait about an hour to give him breakfast in his crate, after let him out to relieve himself. They should need to use the bathroom about every hour after that especially after naps and meals.


House training your dog could be very simple just remember that patients and routine are very important. I hope this has been helpful. Good Luck!

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If you or a friend needs a puppy let me know

I sell puppies and only registered pups, with full innoculations and I offer after care service. Any breed you may need, I will be able to get for you.

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Dog Treats How to Choose Healthy Treats for Your Dog

By Joseph Then

Your dog is indeed your best friend and how you feed him or her is very important. Even small items like treats are very important to their health. They can be used for different purposes. Sometimes you will use them as a reward when training other times just give them something enjoyable just because you love your friend. However you use them it is important to know your choices.

How these snacks can improve and maintain your pets health: The most common way is to clean and maintain their teeth. The dog treat should be chewable and encourage your pet to use their teeth. When they do this they will be automatically cleaning their teeth. Examples of these are rawhide (like beef jerky) snacks that take plenty of chewing. Another is a bone that you can get fresh from your local butcher or again in snack form from the pet store.

Any snack you give your pet should be nutritious. For canines protein is the most common as they are primarily meat eaters. There are many varieties of these on the market. They are often in the form of strips and sometimes nuggets or biscuits. Minerals and vitamins should not be forgotten. These are also vital to your pets health, and many snacks will include these.

Dog treats come in many shapes and sizes. You can get them in grocery stores, in the pet section or your local pet store. Try to take a quick look at ingredients to be sure that your pet is receiving the best nutrition from their snack and not a whole lot of chemicals. Sometimes there are a surprising amount of chemicals in these products, and the more natural ingredients they have the better they will be for your pet.

One way to ensure your pet is getting healthy ingredients in their snacks is to make them yourself. Remember there is a balanced diet your pet should have in order to stay healthy and happy. 40 percent meat, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch. Exceptions to these catagories are if they are on a vegetarian diet, which should only be done when consulting your vetenarian. There are many recepies on line for snacks and dog food.

As you can see there are many dog treats available for your pet, and even some you can make yourself. Always remember that your pet depends on you to help him keep healthy and happy.

Love your dog with treats today! Learn how to make dog treats at home and find out more about dog treats at Home-made Dog Treats

Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com

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Dogs meet traditional wear

BUHLE BEMASIKO NEBUVE BETFU TSINE BENDLU LEMNYAMA

Its been dogs all along, But I just want to also mention that I also supply traditional wear to those people who love wearing their cultural wear.





We sell and rent emabheshu (emajobo) netidvwaba nayo yonkhe imvunulo yesintfu. I try to accommodate many different cultures.





You can get more information on our website http://www.mthembuleatherwork.co.za/

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Puppy training tips If you or a friend needs a puppy let me know

Puppy training tips: If you or a friend needs a puppy let me know

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