Hot Pets & Animals How-Tos
How To: Exercise your dog
Learn how to exercise your dog. Follow a regular exercise routine together with your pet. It will benefit you both!
How To: Pick up after your dog
Learn how to pick up after your dog. It’s easy to be a responsible pet owner by cleaning up after your dog – just be prepared to roll-up your sleeves!
How To: Massage your dog
Learn how to massage your dog. Man’s best friend gets stressed, too! A massage can benefit your dog’s health as well as their mood.
How To: Put alligators and chickens into a trance-like state
In this BBC Earth video documentary, you'll see some amazing tricks you can perform with alligators and chickens. You'll see the exact process to put alligators and chickens into a trance-like state.
How To: Teach your dog to roll over
Rolling over is a simple trick that any dog can master, and it will help you build confidence in your dog. Learn how to teach your dog to roll over with this how to video.
How To: Teach your dog to sit
Teaching your dog to sit establishes trust and also creates a foundation for other tricks. Learn how to teach your dog to sit with this dog training video.
How To: Make hummingbird food
The tiny hummingbird is the only bird that can fly upside down and backwards. Attract these expert fliers to your feeder with this simple nectar recipe. Learn how to make hummingbird food with this how to video.
How To: Teach a dog to shake hands
From housebreaking to traveling, crate training a puppy or dog can have long-term rewards for both owners and pets. Watch this how to video to learn how to teach a dog to shake hands.
How To: Teach your dog to do the Bo Obama fist bump
In honor of the Obamas' new furry friend and as a remembrance of the fist bump heard 'round the world, a dog behaviorist shows you how to train your dog to do the fist bump. This is a perfect pet trick for any dog, Portuguese Water Dog or otherwise. Bo Obama is the most acrobatic of all First Dog histories.
How To: Attract birds to your backyard
Quit hogging your own backyard. Make it a haven for your fine feathered friends. Learn how to attract birds to your yard.
How To: Bathe a guinea pig
Guinea pigs rarely need baths, but if your furry friend is dirty or oily, a quick wash is a good idea. He’ll squeal in protest now, but he’ll thank you later. Watch this Howcast video to learn how to bathe your guinea pig.
How To: Make rabbit toys
There’s nothing a rabbit likes more than toys they can climb inside, shred, and drag around. With a good pair of scissors, you can make a steady supply of bunny-pleasers that won’t cost you a thing.
How To: Handle and restrain a rabbit for injections
This Animal Welfare Foundation three-part video tutorial is from expert veterinary staff demonstrating the correct procedures for handling small mammals for clinical examination and medication. Its aim is to show that the primary consideration should be for the the welfare of the animal. This video guide will show you practical animal handling for a rabbit.
How To: Handle and restrain a mouse for injections
This Animal Welfare Foundation two-part video tutorial is from expert veterinary staff demonstrating the correct procedures for handling small mammals for clinical examination and medication. Its aim is to show that the primary consideration should be for the the welfare of the animal. This video guide will show you practical animal handling for a mouse.
How To: Massage and feed a squirrel
Mr. Baby Squirrel gets the ultimate spa treatment. Massaging a squirrel is a delicate process. Baby squirrels can benefit from some gentle petting. These are techniques for domesticating squirrels.
How To: Deal with yellow jackets
Nothing ruins a romantic fresh air picnic like the buzzing of angry yellow jackets—especially since, unlike the useful honey bee, they can use their stingers over and over again... Learn how to deal with bees without getting stung. This instructional video from Howcast offers tips on handling yellow jackets.
How To: Train a rabbit to use a litter box
Did you know that rabbits can be litter-trained? Having a properly trained bunny means less mess and stress for you—and the bonus for your bunny is that she’ll get more freedom around the house.
How To: Paper train your dog
Dogs have to learn bowel etiquette much quicker than humans, and these helpful steps will make sure your paper-trained pooch becomes man's best friend, not your carpet's worst nightmare.
How To: Care for a pet guinea pig
Guinea pigs often squeak with joy when their owners enter a room. How can you resist such welcoming pets?
How To: Train your cat to behave
Here’s the thing—dogs will do things just to please you. But cats want to know what’s in it for them. Learn how to train a cat.
How To: Teach your dog the rebound trick
This is a basic trick for little dogs like this Miniature Pincher, Daisy. The dog jumps off a human's leg and does a half turn (180). LIke any dog training be patient, go over each step multiple times in order to help the dog learn. The treats should be broken up so you don't spoil the dog or make him stuffed with sweets.
How To: Wash your dog
Mike The How-to guy shows you how to wash your dog. This is not an easy thing to just jump in to. Get towels, dog shampoo and a low nozzle so you can spray the dog close to his fur. This can be enjoyable for a dog or really stressful. Make sure you have everything prepared before you bring the dog into the bathroom.
How To: Relax a stressed out cat
This is amazing how cats reacts... Just try it ! This technique is simple and involves the rubbing of each of your kitty's ears in circles. Then press on the sides of his head gently. This will soothe his stress and he should start purring instantly.
How To: Teach a pet rat to "Tunnel Fetch"
Whiskey and Womble take us through the steps to teaching a pet rat how to tunnel fetch (fetching a ball from a tunnel).
How To: Fit a horse shoe properly with Matt Bigwood
Matt Bigwood shows how to shoe a horse for proper fit. He concentrates on the trot to check for fit. His gait should be balanced and with no interferences on the horse from a shoe. The shoefitting is incredibly important for the horse's health. The imprint foot kit prepares the shoe. He uses an antibacterial to clean the foot, glue the shoe and then cool the shoe.
How To: Clicker train your dog to take a bow
Clicker training tutorial on teaching your dog to take a bow. This tutorial utilizes BF Skinner's methods of operant conditioning. This will create a well regulated training schedule between you and your dog or other pet. Operant conditioning is great to get an animal to do bizarre tricks.
How To: Teach a pet rat to retrieve and drop a ball
This trick is much harder to teach than the ones previously done a video for (spinning and walking on back legs), so apologies that the video is so long but it needs to be. You will need a lot of patience for this and may need to spend many training sessions on each step before moving on so that your rat can get used to the task at hand. If you move on too fast you will find that your rat will either ignore the glass altogether or at best put two front feet on it and just stare at the ball as...
How To: Teach your dog to heel
Teaching your dog to heel will make walks more fun and relaxing for both of you. Watch this video to learn how to train your dog. You will need treats, a leash, a collar and patience! Tips: for training, choose soft, small treats that you don't give your dog normally.
How To: Band a young homing pigeon
You must band pigeons while they are young if you intend to use them as racing homing pigeons. The banding process is simple. You attach a band to their leg while they are young.
How To: Feed a baby pigeon
Here's the easiest way to feed a baby pigeon! This is a rouge outline of the handfeeding method. It is important to be gentle. This helps train the birds to be extremely close with their owner or human family.
How To: Feed and water pigeons before shipping
This is a short video on how to hydrate and feed pigeons before you ship them off. These are homing pigeons. Make sure you only ship pigeons in official and marked 'Live Birds' crates that are specifically designed for birds. There are four types of dry food and water that must be fed to a bird before they are packed and sent off.
How To: Train birds with B.F. Skinner's shaping methods
This is footage from B.F. Skinner's psychological tests on shaping behavior.
How To: Give a pigeon a vaccination or shot
Here is how you can vaccinate a bird by hand. No help needed. This is an age old technique not performed by a veternarian. This is to inject a vaccine in the homing pigeons to protect them from contracting disease. This is a common practice of preventative medicine.
How To: Practice proper basic falconry with peregrines
One lesson on falconry in Sherwood forest. This is a third person falconry video that shows how to handle falcons with a glove.
How To: Practice proper falconry
Glyn Harris demonstrates what he describes as proper falconry when he uses his birds to hunt other birds. The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in a swoop of all hunting birds. This is the proper handling for falconry hunting.
How To: Train your cat to play fetch
Who says you can’t play fetch with a cat? You just have to make it worth Fluffy’s time. You will need a cat, patience and rewards. Tip: Don't yell! Cats don't respond well to loud noises. Don't use "no" during training, as this should be reserved for important things like not shredding furniture.
How To: Express a disabled dog's bladder
This is an example on how to express the disabled dog's bladder. Prop the dog in a standing position with their feet flat on the ground. Either place the dog facing you or facing away from you. In this video, you will see the dog face the woman, as it works best for expressing her dog in that direction. Males should be faced away from you, as you do not want to have him urinate on you. Place both of your hands on the sides of the bladder. Keep in mid the bladder is known to move. The bladder ...
How To: Teach your dog to "lay down"
Get some tips and tricks to helping your dog become a well-obedient and well-trained dog. Watch this video tutorial to see how to teach your dog to "lay down".
How To: Teach your dog to "come"
Get some tips and tricks to helping your dog become a well-obedient and well-trained dog. Watch this video tutorial to see how to teach your dog to "come".
How To: Get your home ready for a new dog
Pet-proofing your house won't just protect your possessions from becoming chew toys—it could save your dog's life. You will need a dog crate, a dog who's ready to move in, dog manuals, pet repellent, electrical cord covers, baby gates and a dog bed or towels for bedding. These are helpful tips for pet proofing your home for your new puppy or dog.