Month: December 2020

All dogs need a professional dog trainer to teach them how to show respect to their master as well as basic discipline. Even if you successfully teach your dog how to respect you, he still needs to learn fundamental training to avoid potential dog behavioral problems in the future. The following are the basic commands every pet owner should teach their dogs. However before you start training, there are a few things you need to know.

First of all, for the training to be effective, it has to be done regularly. Patience is one of the key secrets to a successful dog training. At the start, when your dog is still slowly adjusting to your instructions, we highly suggest you don’t go hard on your dog. Don’t push him to his limits. In other words, go easy on your dog.

When you’re going to start training, choose a place that is peaceful and free from distractions. You don’t want your dog’s attention to be divided during the training. When planning the lessons, make them simple and short. Dogs’ attention span is limited. If you can, establish a routine for training to make it consistent. No matter how upset or frustrated you are, don’t punish your dog. Practice the commands at home before you try it with your dog in a public place for safety reasons. When your dog does the command successfully, don’t forget to reward him. When your dog successfully masters a command, go ahead and teach him a new one. When training your dog, make the lessons entertaining and fun.

The following are 5 easy commands your new pup should master:

Watch Me – to teach your dog the watch me command, maintain eye contact with your dog while you give him a treat that you’re holding in one hand. Move your hand from your dog’s nose towards your face. When your dog looks at you, you then say the words clearly “WATCH ME”. Repeat this training command a few more times until your dog is able to master it. Don’t use a treat as a form of distraction for your dog, instead only use it as a reward. This is a very important command because it serves as a bridge for you to teach your dog other commands.

Sit – another basic command you need to teach your dog is the sit command. To do this, put a treat near your dog’s nose and make sure he smells it. Move the treat above his head so he can follow it. Naturally, your dog won’t be able to catch the treat but he will be sitting once he tries to follow it and when that happens say the command “SIT” clearly followed by giving your dog a treat. Again, practice it several times a day until your dog masters it.

Down – the down command can be particularly challenging but with regular training, your dog will be able to get it. To do this command, get a treat and put it in a closed hand. Lift your closed hand towards your dong’s nose. When your dog smells it, immediately move your hand to the floor. When you do this, your dog will follow and go down to the floor. It doesn’t end there. The next thing you’ll do is to move your hand along the floor so that your dog will lay down. When your dog is on the floor, say the command “DOWN” and give the treat.

Takeaway

Practice these 3 commands with your dog until he masters it. Once he gets it, it will be easier for your dog to catch up on other commands in the future. Again, if you don’t have the time and patience to train your dog, you can always hire professional dog trainers.

With the cold season here, it is essential to keep your outdoor pond from freezing if you want it to be healthy until spring. A healthy pond will make for healthy fish and any vegetation that is around the pond area. If there are dead plants in the water, freezing over will most likely cause your fish to get sick, which is something you want to avoid. De-icing is a crucial part of keeping your fish alive, some owners use dock de-icer to protect permanent docks and boathouses from ice damage. Not all ponds freeze over, and most that do in places where the winters are not too harsh stay frozen for just a couple of days.

Tips To Keep Your Pond From Freezing

Get A De-icer

You can purchase a de-icer to ensure that the pond stays warm and won’t freeze during the cold season. You can talk to a professional to help you get the best de-icer. Keep in mind that some salespeople may convenience you a certain de-icer is worth it because they want to make a sale. Talk to someone who understands how the de-icer works and the kind of pond you have.

If you want to keep the pond from freezing without having to use electricity, these tips below will help.

Float Devices On The Water

If you notice that the weather is starting to affect the pond, you can use items from the kitchen like hot pans or balloons filled with water to break the formation of the water and stop it from freezing over. There are also manufactured devices that you can purchase to keep the water from freezing. Additionally, you can also use tennis balls because they will float around the water.

Keep The Pond Clean

Make sure that you remove any dead plants and debris from the surface of the pond because they are a risk for your fish. If the pond starts freezing over, the fish could end up dying because of the toxins the dead plants emit. If there are any dead plants or frozen leaves, remove them from the surface and place hot water balloons in the pond.

Covering The Pond

You can also opt to cover the pond if the other options do not work. You can use materials such as bubble wrap and stretch it over the pond to keep the top of the water from getting too cold and freezing. There are commercial polystyrene covers that prevent the water from becoming frozen so you can invest in one.

Switch Off The Pump

If you have a pump for the pond, switch it off on the days when the temperatures are very low. The warm water will settle at the bottom while cold water stays at the top, so your fish can stay in the warm water below. Keep in mind that the fish do not need to eat when it is too cold, which means you can cut down on their feeding.

Have A Deeper Pond

If you suspect that the pond will get frozen during winter, you can make arrangements to make it deeper before the cold season starts. Have an expert tell you how deep your pond should be, or do some research online. A shallow pond freezes over easily, while a deep pond ensures that the fish stay in the warm water deep below.

Use Solar Aerators

There are submersible solar aerators that you can use to keep the oxygen flowing in the pond. The aerator will keep your fish healthy while also ensuring that the water at the surface does not freeze over. There are also fountain aerators that spray water. They have a nozzle and pump that sprays the water into the pond, ensuring oxygen is getting in at all times.

Owning a property is a great investment option, but there is a lot of work that comes with it. Being the landlord means many responsibilities because you do most of the things on your own. Some people choose to do everything themselves so they can cut down costs. Managing your own property can be very rewarding, but also stressful. Your goal is to make a good return on your investment while minimizing the stress that comes with property management. Below are top stress-free property management tips for landlords likely for rental property management dallas.

Tenant screening

This is one of the most challenging parts of owning property because a small mistake can end up being costly in the long run. Screening potential tenants gives you the chance of only renting your property to responsible tenants who are going to pay their rent on time and take good care of the unit. It is important to do thorough tenant screening because that is the only way you are going to learn more about them before renting to them. One of the things you need to look out for when screening tenants is past evictions. There is a risk of it happening if it has happened before.

Cashflow management

The goal of any investment is to make a good return. This means maximizing your rent returns and minimizing your expenses. The worst thing to happen to a landlord is finding out that the rent income is close to their expenses. Make sure your investment is well presented and well maintained if you are looking to get a better rental return. Learn more about cash flow management to make sure you have a good understanding of your rental income, expenses, taxes, etc.

Having Rainy Day Reserves

You should always put aside some money in case of an emergency. Before you rent out the property, make sure you discuss with the property manager a plan that will ensure the house is kept well throughout the tenancy duration. This will help you avoid surprises when things go wrong. When you have some “emergency money”, you will be able to deal with any problem without having to worry about where to get the cash. A good rule of thumb is putting away two weeks’ rent.

Having a Solid Understanding of Local Laws

There are many laws you need to deal with when you own and rent out a property. You need to have a good understanding of the local laws so you don’t break anything. Both landlords and tenants’ rights are protected by law. Knowing the law means you won’t be breaking any of them without knowing. Breaking such laws can end up being very expensive, especially when you are hit with large fines.

Have an Eviction Plan

If you are a landlord, then you know you have to evict tenants at one point. This is one of those things landlords dread. Some stubborn tenants are going to try everything possible to make things miserable for you, including going to court. You need to understand the legislation on the eviction process. Landlord insurance can cover this process because it can end up being costly. Make sure you find out from your insurer whether they cover eviction.

Streamlining Your Finances, Accounting, and Paperwork

You have to be on top of your finances if you are a landlord. Make sure the invoices have been paid out. Having your paperwork in order makes things easier for you during tax time. Make sure your financial year statement outlines income, expenses, balance, and GST on expenses.

Owning a property should not be that complicated, and the tips above will help you manage your property stress-free.