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By Derek Wood
 Any avid pet owner likely would do most anything to keep their pets happy, unfortunately many pet owners are not even fully aware that getting pet health insurance for their cat or dog is even an option for them. This is because most people are never told about it until after it is too late. Sure you might see a flyer in the store, or some add online, but the truth is that no one ever really wants to share the bottom line truth about what is involved with getting pet insurance. Let's take a quick look at the good and bad points of what you will encounter with insuring your pet's health for the long term.
Like any type of insurance, there are dozens of companies that can provide you with insurance quotes and plans. As with your own insurance, you will be left to decide which company is best for you and your pet's needs. Here is a brief list of several of the most readily available pet insurance carriers on the Internet:
Pet Care Insurance Companies - PetCareInsurance.com
Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (VOI) -PetInsurance.com
Pets Best Insurance - PetsBest.com
Vet Insurance - VetInsurance.com
The basics of any insurance plan, whether it is for you or your pet are always the same: coverage, cost, and available doctors.
Because not all vets will be participating members of any one insurance company, you should always check with your locally preferred vets first. If you have been using the same vet for 20 years, then ask if they are members of any vet insurance companies, and ask why they have never mentioned it to you before.
Insurance coverage will vary based on each company. I found one company website, PetCareInsurance.com, to be quite informative and displayed available coverage options from the start. They did not hide behind the "get a quote type option". Coverage levels can include accidents only or long-term illnesses, and could range from a seventy percent (70%) payments to as high as one hundred percent (100%) cost coverage.
They also list the cost associated with common problems. This is when you realize that some issues like gastric torsion (where the stomach twists and bloats) or a bone fracture can cost you $3000 per occurrence. The vet is never going to tell you ahead of time how much some hereditary disease will cost you. No one ever thinks to ask how much it will cost *if* my dog breaks a leg. We do not want to think ahead in that manner. A breeder I received two dogs from recently paid $2500 to remove a throat blockage from a 5 week old puppy. There is no way to know what will happen with your pet.
The monthly costs involved could be as low as $11 per month for accident only coverage, to a range of $35-$85 for specific breeds long term illness coverage. Obviously some breeds are more prone to particular illnesses then other breeds. You should know your breed well, and take this into consideration when looking for pet insurance.
The bottom line is that you need to do your homework. You need to know the potential risks for your breed of cat or dog, as well as how they behave. If your dog is chasing cars all day long, assume that the risk of an accident is much higher then a dog who is stuck indoors all day. This is in no way saying that an indoor accident will not happen, but some things are more inherently dangerous.
Decide if you can afford to spend a small amount each month, or if you could afford to come up with a quick $3000 if you need to. Check with your vet about pet insurance companies they recommend or use personally. Ask them for their honest opinions, not a sales pitch. By taking the time and steps needed to learn and make an informed decision about pet insurance you could literally save your pet's life.
Derek Wood breeds and trains large breed dogs through the use of healthy and humane techniques. He is a life-long pet advocate and animal friend.
Get free canine health care tips by visiting: Http://Canine-Health-Care.com Pet Training Videos can be Worth the Cost
By Derek Wood
 Because pet training is often thought of as being difficult and time consuming to anyone who is new, many beginners will have a tendency to lose their focus when it comes to their pet training efforts. This happens quite often as there are all sorts of things to that must be considered, such as your hand movements when you train your pet, how loud your voice should be, whether or not to use a rough voice, trying not to get frustrated, how many treats to feed, which collars to use, what type of leashes to buy, and a ton of other tools just to get the job done. However one tool that is often overlooked could easily be worth its weight in gold to the beginning pet trainer. The tool I speak of is the use of video.
There are two main ways that you can use video as a training tool for your pets. The first option is to buy videos of professional trainers working with dogs. This allows you to see and hear the exact steps that are being taken to train the dogs. Better videos will show you the entire training sessions. Do not settle for one that shows you a dog being all aggressive then cuts to another scene a week later where the dog is calm. You cannot verify what happened during that week.
In many cases you should see some, if not noticeable results within 15-20 minutes of training depending on the lesson and dog. Better training videos will also show a variety of dogs being trained, and will show them in real life situations. After all, what good is training your pet if the training does not work during your normal lifestyle?
The second method you can use video for is tracking your pet's successes or failures. If you own a video camera, which many people do these days, consider video taping your sessions. This will also let you know if you are performing the training techniques as you should as well. There is no better way to scrutinize your methods then to watch yourself in replay.
Keeping a video log of your pet's training will make it easier for you to refer back to training sessions at a later date, keep a record of progress, and maintain documentation of any mistakes. By using video as a training source you can learn how to train your pet better, faster, and more effectively.
Derek Wood breeds and trains large breed dogs through the use of healthy and humane techniques. He is a life-long pet advocate and animal friend.
Get free pet training tips by visiting: Http://German-Shepherd-Obedience.com Pet Health Issue: Young Pets, Overweight Pets, and Older Pets, During the Summer
By Derek Wood
 The statistics of pet ownership has been climbing for years. Every day many more people go out and become new pet owners, and some of us have had pets longer then some jobs or even marriages. Regardless of how long you have had your pet, you will have to deal with at least two of the issues I am about to address, that of summer health issues and the age or weight of your pets.
At present we have 4 dogs being take care of at our small kennel. Recently we acquired two new German Shepherd puppies, both are now just over 3 months old, and we are caring for two older German shepherds, one at age 8 and the other at age 13.
Like humans, age and conditioning play an important part of our activities during the summer months. Regrettably we often fail to notice the effects that summer has on our four legged friends.
Pets do not have the same ability to cool down as you and I do. When it is excessively hot, like it can be during the summer months, we can sit in front of a fan, grab a cold soda, or crank up the air conditioners. But your pet must pant and pant until his body temperature is regulated. Even in an air conditioned room, your pet can be too hot if you have been outside running them around for a while. Remember, it will take considerable more time for him to cool down from his exercise, then it will for you.
To avoid putting your pet's health at serious risk this summer, follow a few simple steps that can make a big difference:
Walk your pets early in the morning or late at night. These times of day are much cooler, and they will appreciate not having the blazing sun on their fur coat.
Bring a large water bottle for your pet. Water bottles are not just for you. Get one for your pet. Use one that has a squirt top as they can lick the water out easier, and you will not spill as much.
Take your time walking your pet. If you must walk your pet during the hottest hours, (hey we all have schedules), then make sure you can go at a slow pace. Cut the walk short if you need to and take rest breaks during the walk. Better to walk your dog again later then to overdo it at noon time.
Monitor your pet's health. The more time you spend with your pet, the more you should know about your pet's health condition. Like the four dogs we have, I know the puppies are young, vibrant and healthy. They can walk much longer then the overweight or older dogs. You need to know the limits of the pets you have.
Always consider the weakest pet health link. If you have more then one pet, then make sure you always keep in mind that pet which will have the highest risk factors. The overweight German shepherd is a far greater risk factor in the summer then the older, but lighter dog. Even though she is an older dog, she is not lugging around extra fat.
Keeping your pet healthy during the summer is not hard at all. Simply keep in mind that they are much like us in some regards. They want to relax, have a cool drink and perhaps a dip in the pool. If you are going to walk them, and you should, just make sure that they can handle it as well as you can. Take your time, let them rest, give then a nice treat of some ice cubes when you're done. They will love you for the walk, and love you more for caring enough not to put them in harms way.
Derek Wood breeds and trains large breed dogs through the use of healthy and humane techniques. He is a life-long pet advocate and animal friend.
Visit his websites for more pet health care tips, supplies, and articles.
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