Saturday, January 15, 2011

How to Breed Superworms



3 Secrets to Adult Dog Training - Tips You Must Know

Bringing home an adult dog is very different from bringing home a puppy. A puppy is able to learn new commands fairly quickly but an adult dog is accustomed with the old tricks. He may also have developed some bad habits which his previous owner allowed. If you found your dog from a shelter, chances are he had learned different commands and undergone training. However, old dogs can also adapt and change their behaviors to your expectations. You will just have to be patient with your adult dog training.

House Training Your Adult Dog
If you are bringing home an adult dog from a shelter, the first thing you have to ascertain is whether or not he is housetrained. If not, you will need to train him immediately. Having been shuffled around many foster homes, your dog will need some time adjusting to the new environment. Be sure to show him his litter bathroom area where he should excrete. Compliment him as he does it right.

Crate Training
Crate training is always one of the hardest aspects of dog training for an older dog. Most dos do not enjoy being in a crate and they think of a crate as a prison. You should always ensure that the crate is spacious and comfortable for your dog. You can place some toys in the crate and make it homely. You can even place some blankets inside the crate. As a start, you can consider leaving the door of the crate open and allow your dog to discover it on his own time. He will begin to explore it and in time come to think of it as a safe haven.

Alternatively, you can begin crate training on your own terms. Always start off gradually. Get him to enter the crate and keep him inside for a short period of time, and then let him out. On some days, keep the door latched. On other days, keep it opened so that your dog can leave it freely. This way, he will not associate it with a prison.

Teaching Your Adult Dog New Behaviors
When carrying out adult dog training, focus more on teaching your dog new commands rather than correcting his behaviors and punishing him for it. Remember, it is not entirely his fault that he developed these bad habits. His previous owners may have encouraged him. Instead, you may want to ignore his advances. For example, if he comes up to you and begs for food when you are at the dining table, you should turn a blind eye to it. Only when he tries bolder moves such as jumping on you or the table, you would then have to reprimand him.

The best way to get your adult dog to kick this habit of his is to teach him new behaviors. Execute basic commands and get him to stay in another room as you are dining. Bring your dog to the spot you want him to be and instruct him to stay put. Repeat this training until he gets that you want him to remain in this spot as you eat. Adult dog training requires much patience and effort on your part. It won't be easy but once you have successfully trained your dog, you may have a very meaningful relationship with him.

If you are having trouble training your dog to be obedient then you should consider visiting my list of the best dog training guides available on the net. For more adult pet training tips, be sure to visit us on the web at our Adult Dog Training page.



How to Train a Puppy - Part 1

zcache="2" sizset="67">

I must have been asked this very simple question more times than I care to remember so lets cut to the chase.

In this example we will use reward based training for your puppy.

These techniques will also work with an adult dog.

  • Start the training as SOON as you have bought your puppy do NOT leave it a few days and then start training.
  • Remember that a puppy will have zero attention span - One minute he will be giving you those puppy dog eyes gazing at you lovingly and next he will be attacking your shoes.
  • Be patient - he's just a baby.
  • If you are working with an adult or older puppy/dog - remember you may be dealing with years of bad habits, and will take time to unlearn or undo these habits. Be patient while he learns your new rules.
  • You may find the initial training a bit tedious - but stick with it.

Ok lets get the environment ready for the training process - SUPERVISION

  • You are in charge - so get the environment right - this will tell your puppy/dog who's in charge and set the right tone. You don't want him to have the chance to practice behavior you don't want.
  • If your puppy/dog never has the chance to eliminate inside you are creating a positive, consistent education environment.
  • He will get into the habit of going outside to eliminate and you will reward him every-time.
  • You have created the environment so it;s up to you to make sure that he never has the chance to eliminate in the House/environment.
  • To prevent accidents - you need to watch him like a hawk - If you have a toy breed it won't take a second for him to pee - so I mean it watch him like a hawk.
  • For every accident that your puppy/dog has inside he is practicing behavior that YOU don't want - and you are both taking a step backwards.
  • Even a few seconds without supervision could set back the training process- I know it sounds daunting but it will work.
  • Once you have created your environment, it will become a habit for you to watch your dog and manage the environment.
  • You will be learning the routine together

In part two I will go further into the puppy training process and will introduce the crate.

If you found these puppy training tips useful then you may also find this site helpful



How to Breed Superworms

As your collection of animals has grown you have undoubtedly thought about breeding your own feeder insects. If you have been buying superworms week after week and are wondering how to breed them yourself you have come to the right place.

Constantly running to the local shop or ordering your feeders online becomes quite a chore after a short while. Breeding superworms yourself is not only cost effective but a lot of fun.

The first step in breeding superworms successfully is learning how to raise them. Healthier larvae will pupate with less problems and thus in turn become healthier and livelier beetles.

Once you can sustain a colony of healthy larvae then it is time to try your hand at getting them to breed.

There are a few things that cause confusion for most people when trying to breed their superworms.

The very first thing to note about breeding superworms is that they will not pupate and then turn into beetles if kept together as one usually does with mealworms. Unlike mealworms who will complete their life cycles and breed together all in the same container, superworms like to be left alone when it comes to becoming a pupa. When your larvae is grown you are going to have to separate each one into its own little enclosure.

A common method of doing so is to use film canisters to temporarily house each worm. Tackle boxes or screw boxes work equally well. Separate each superworm into its own little home. Once separated the larvae will eventually stop all activity, curl into a c-shape, slowly turn into a pupa, and then transform into a beetle all in the same small enclosure. This process will take a couple weeks, but it is quite fun to watch.

Once your larvae have completed their transformations you are going to have a lot of hungry and thirsty beetles on your hands. Take all of your new beetles and place them together into a container such as a Rubbermaid container with a secure lid. Additionally, line your Rubbermaid container with a substrate of wood shavings. Your beetles will need a source of water and food. Potatoes or apples work very well for hydration, and moistened dry dog food works well for a food source. The added protein in the dog food will help with egg laying.

Keep your beetles at a temperature of around 80 degrees. Maintain their enclosure's humidity with regular misting. Do not overlook giving your beetles a place to lay their eggs. This simple mistake can cause you to scratch your head months from now wondering why you never managed to get your superworm beetles to breed. A piece of cork bark laid across the substrate works nicely. Without this your beetles may lay their eggs in the substrate which can be eaten by other beetles.

In a few weeks you should be seeing very tiny wiggling worms at the bottom of your substrate.

Dog Tubs
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)