Dog Bathing As an Indoor Sport

If you've just finished bathing your dog, you may feel like you've earned a gold medal. Successfully bathing and grooming your pooch without inflicting water damage to carpets, floors or furnishings can make you feel like you're the winner for the latest indoor sports event. Three cheers for you! You won!

If you're a bit timid about getting into the water, here's a bit of coaching that will help you train for your next Olympic trial:

1. How often? This depends on your dog. A mischievous Westie that's attracted to the latest disgusting smelly substance may need baths more often than a couch potato sort of Greyhound. For the sake of your dog's skin, baths shouldn't be more frequent than once a week. (In the case of disgusting smelly exposure, you may need to improvise a bit.) A more fastidious dog could go three months between baths.

2. How big did you say? Where you bathe your dog depends on the size of your dog. A terrier breed fits nicely in the kitchen sink. A Golden Retriever belongs in the bathtub, or on warmer days, a kiddie pool or large plastic tub in the back yard.

3. Timing's everything. If you have the luxury of time, introduce your dog to the bath gradually. Put her in the tub or sink when there's no water. Give her a treat. She's so smart! Then get her out (or give her the command to jump out) before she can think about jumping out herself. On another day, add a wee bit of water to the sink or tub and repeat the exercise. Finally on the last day, you can bathe your dog. Slow and steady is a great approach.

4. Preparing your tools. Having everything you need within reach is crucial. A stack of towels, a small bath cloth, specialty pet shampoo, pet brush and cotton balls are all practical. A non-slip mat helps Scoundrel keep his footing secure. If that's not available, a towel in the tub or dishtowel in the sink can also suffice.

5. Can't I just use baby shampoo? Please don't! The pH of your skin is very different from the pH your pet's skin. Even baby shampoo can dry out your dog's skin which can lead to other problems.

6. Just before the immersion. Brush your pet before he's wet. The knots are much easier to handle dry rather than wet. You'll also manage to get a good bit of loose hairs out before they end up in your kitchen or bathroom plumbing pipes.

7. Where are my ear plugs?? Actually, cotton balls are all you need to protect your dog's ears. Put them in her ears to keep them dry. Wet ears can lead to all sorts of problems.

8. Just right water is perfect. Warm water - not cold or hot - is best, and smaller dogs can become chilled easily.

9. Shake your booty. With apologies to K.C. and the Sunshine Band, it's a given that your dog is going to shake, but you want to have a little say about "when." A hand on your dog's back as you're getting him out can prevent him from shaking himself and showering everyone (and everything) in close proximity. Towel him off as best as you can and lead him to a safer place to shake off the excess water.

10. Location, location. Remember how you thought long and hard about where your dog is best allowed to shake? If you made it to the back yard, monitor her closely to keep her from wallowing in your flower bed. Some clean dogs are simply drawn to dirt.

Zebra Finches are easy to care for and that includes when they are breeding. The little birds are great pets due their quirky little personalities,

When creating the ideal aviary or cage for your finches remember that as small as they are they're very energetic and need space to move. They are made to fly long distances so this must be taken into consideration when building their home. For the benefit of their health and wellbeing they must not be kept in an environment that is too small or suffocating.

You have two options when it comes to an aviary or cage for your finches, purchasing one or building one;

Constructing one is usually the cheaper option and most of the tools can be found close to home; such as a hammer, nails, staple gun, saw, barbed wire, sandpaper, wire screening and lumber.
• Make the lumber splinter free by sanding it down.
• Create the front, back and sides by building frames.
• Stretch the mesh over each of them.
• Screw all the parts together.
• You now have the basics of an aviary.

If not an aviary for your finches then a cage for your is a good alternative. Remember don't purchase a cage that is too small, and don't overcrowd the cage with too many birds; remember space is essential to their health.

A 'Flight bird cages' is another idea. They are made for birds that need to move a lot. They are a lot taller and wider than other cages and are made to house more birds in the one space. They come with several feeders and perches. You can have more than two finches in a flight bird cage but don't forget the issue of space.

When it comes to accessories stick only to what is needed;
• Finch feeders for food and water.
• Dishes for bathing and for treats and grit.
• Perches of different sizes depending on the size of the aviary or cage. Perches are good for your finches feet and for keeping their toe nails trimmed.
• For the bottom of the cage use either grit paper or paper sprinkled with grit.
• An optional extra is a 'bird protector' disk on the side of the cage. This is great for protecting them from mites.
• A great idea is to give them a nest box for them to sleep in at night.
• However you choose to create their home, remember it should have ventilation, be draft free and in a well lit area but away from direct sunlight.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. There are many other resources available to help you in the form of eBooks, websites, online articles and pet stores.

Creating a good aviary or cage for your finches is essential to their health, and usually affordable depending on how you approach it. They have minimal demands and will offer you lots of leisure time in return. They are small yet sturdy and tend to live a long time. Due to their endless energy, cheery bird song and beautiful colours they offer all finch enthusiasts' hours of amusement and entertainment.