#prepperbag

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Editor’s note: Post by guest contributor Jenna King — Wild Bill

Traveling off the grid is an incredible way to enjoy nature. The sights and scents of native plants and wildflowers are hard to ignore. But those scents also attract nature’s worst. Whether you’re hiking through woodlands or relaxing in your backyard, there’s no escaping those darn mosquitoes. And unlike human intruders and squatters, it’s tough to fence out these critters.

Hey Mosquitos, Why Me?

There’s no denying mosquitoes prefer to bite some people rather than others. Scientists think genetics, the skin’s surface, and a person’s unique body chemistry make some people mosquito magnets. Mosquitoes have an excellent sense of smell and are attracted to carbon dioxide — especially to people who release large amounts of it. When you’re hiking, playing or walking outdoors, the heat, and humidity activates the sweat glands. The skeeters get a whiff and then chomp down! 

These bloodsuckers are annoying and sometimes deadly. Most cities rank them as the worst insect pestbecause they spread viruses and diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, West Nile Virus, and Zika. Many commercial bug repellents contain Deet, a chemical that’s effective at masking humans’ presence from mosquitoes. While the Environmental Protection Agency has found it poses no risk under normal use, it does recommend you wash it off as soon as you come indoors.

Permethrin is another common repellent. It kills the mosquitoes but is also toxic to bees and fish. Cats can also be susceptible to permethrin. The EPA has listed permethrin as a carcinogenic, meaning it can cause cancer — but only if you eat it.

Natural Mosquito Repellents

If you are considering natural mosquito repellents as an alternative to the chemicals, you have several options:

Cinnamon Oil. This oil acts as an agent to kill mosquito eggs. It’s also effective against adult insects. Mix ¼ teaspoon (24 drops) of cinnamon oil into 4 ounces of water for a diluted solution. Spread evenly when spraying the spicy water on your skin and clothes.

Citronella. Oil of citronella is made from a combination of citronella plants and herbs and sold in many forms. It works by masking the scents that attract mosquitoes and other insects. Citronella plants are also excellent for keeping mosquitoes at bay. Plant them around the perimeter of your patio for a pest-free zone. Keep in mind, citronella is a repellent, not a bug killer.

Geraniol. This alcohol-based substance comes from plant secretions like lemongrass, citronella, and rose. It only works for two to four hours, so it’s best applied just before a hike. Geraniol may cause skin or eye irritation.

Lavender. The sweet-smelling floral fragrance of crushed lavender can ward off adult mosquitos. It’s also soothing to the skin after the bugs bite. If you don’t want to search for a lavender-based product, try growing the flowers in containers or an outdoor garden. Crush the blooms and add to vitamin E oil.

Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE). Scientists found this oil is nearly as effective as Deet in repelling mosquitoes. It’s been used since the 1940s and is now on the list of ingredients approved by the CDC for ingredients to be used in bug repellents. – You can apply it every 3 hours, but oil of lemon eucalyptus is not recommended for children under 3. 

Neem oil. Generally used for protecting plants against munching pests, neem oil can be rough on sensitive skin. Studies show it might be effective for about three hours after application.

Thyme oil. It’s time to try thyme. Just toss the herb’s leaves into your campfire to help keep mosquitoes away. To mix up your own solution, add 4 drops of thyme oil to one teaspoon of base oil – olive or jojoba works well. Two drops of thyme oil with 2 ounces of water makes an effective spray.

The scent of these oils really bugs mosquitoes. Several plants will also keep the bugs at bay including peppermint, basil, catnip, and rosemary (Carry a pouch of catnip in your pocket and watch the mosquitoes head in the other direction.) The same spices you use in your meals could prevent you from becoming the next meal for a mosquito.So spice up your next hike with these natural ingredients, and watch the mosquitoes take a hike. While enjoying Mother Nature’s best, you’ll be able to avoid her worst outdoor pest and the deadliest creature on the planet.

Jenna King is a writer, avid hiker, and self-proclaimed survivalist. She spends most of her time backpacking and using organic elements within nature.

The post How to Deal with Mosquitoes Without Using Chemicals appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Written by Tim Weaver on The Prepper Journal.

Virginia Democrats: “We’re passing the most draconian anti-gun measures in the nation!”

Arizona Democrats: “Hold my beer!”

Well, the madness (and Bloomberg’s money) has come from the East coast to try and worm its way into Arizona.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen anti-gun legislation here in Arizona, and it certainly won’t be the last. But coming on the heels of Virginia, it appears Arizona anti-Constitutionalists were emboldened by Virginia’s ‘success’ at forwarding the anti-gun agenda.

The Fight is On!

At particular interest in Arizona are Senate Bills 1624, 1625 and 1626, which are written to require government intervention in private transactions (1624), ban pretty much any firearm with a magazine (1625), and emplace red flag laws that will be used by vindictive exes to strip the law-abiding of their property.

The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has been working tirelessly for more than 15 years to stop bad gun laws and promote good gun laws…they’re the people who gave us in Arizona “Constitutional Carry”, reduced training requirements and burdens for CCW permits and permit renewals and strengthened our state preemption laws.

Track legislation

AzCDL tracks gun-related bills each session, and you can see the summaries and links to all the bills currently introduced in this legislative session.

Also, there will be a Second Amendment Rally at the Arizona Capitol on Saturday, 15 Feb, 2020, from 10am – 2pm. You can get more info at www.2ndAmendmentRallyAZ.com

Don’t let Arizona become California.

The post Arizona 2nd Amendment News appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

SCOTUS: Second Amendment is a right Virginia Legislature: Hold my beer. Looks like the legislature is demonstrating what potential tyranny looks like. Recent legislation in the form of House Bill 567 would probibit any indoor shooting range, by law, unless it was inside a building owned or leased by the state. Folks, this is what we’ve feared. Virginia is becoming the California of the East Coast in terms of trying to disarm the population. Unlike California, a number of county officials have stood up and declared they will not enforce unconstitutional laws. Read more about the proposal here. If you’re from Virginia, this upcoming election will be one of the most important you’ll participate in. If you’re not in Virginia, be vigilant, because if the state legislature in the Old Dominion is successful, it will be spread across the country. Ironic for a state whose motto is Sic Semper Tyrannis, “Thus always to Tyrants.” Let’s hope the good people of the state live up to the motto.

The post Virginia vows to shut down all gun ranges appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

Many aspects of the Modern Minuteman toolbox apply to preparedness in general, however personal and small-scale or widespread and earth shaking our pet disasters may be. As with overall preparedness, our exact situation and our expectations of disaster scenarios affects what we prioritize for our finite time and attention.

Last time, I concentrated on an “early/now” frame for prioritizing a handful of commonly recommended skills. This time, I’m actually taking the “at all” perspective, be it amped-up community watches, riot control, or some NWO-EROL situation we’re gearing up to oppose.

As always, opposing opinions are welcome. The more perspectives available, the better everyone is able to make their own decisions.

Gauge Community Climate

Absolutely and emphatically, yes.  

Heaven help me, I recently found myself agreeing with Nancy Pelosi. A group of students approached her in her office to express their displeasure in her lack of support for an AOC environmental bill. Her reply was essentially that stupid to waste time on something with absolutely zero chance of passing.

That was a fair enough point on its own, and speaks directly to taking the pulse of a population.

Even more so was a nugget that made fewer news sites in the following days: The belief that trying to push too-extreme an agenda – however much she personally might agree with it – was worse than doing nothing at all. It would only further ruffle feathers, making things harder to achieve the next time around.

I’m no more fan of politicians than the next, but the ability to accurately predict and read the masses is something that we do need to be aware of if we have any interest whatsoever in being a citizen soldier.

What the community will stand and what they won’t is the bedrock of insurgency and resistance movements.

What they will and won’t stand in good times, versus crux moments and tragedy, historically makes or breaks those movements, as well as the hold over a community by a commanding force – whether that’s a large, visible government with policing agents and military, or the behind-the-scenes types large and small. 

It applies to anticipating and either preventing or responding to something like a riot or demonstration, as well as guerrilla actions against occupations and undermining strongholds of loyalists for either/any faction.

Large scale, long-term or single-event short-term, we have to be able to gauge the mood of the mob and the climate of our communities, and our reactions have to come from a complete tool set – not just picking today’s hammer.

If we can’t, our chances of success are downright nil.

Denial & Disruption

Most emphatically, yes.

Riot control on sidewalks or countering the jackboot takeover, we want to be able to deny our enemy intel and assets, and disrupt their way of doing business (and ability to relax).

That can take all sorts of forms – and has, throughout history.

Interdiction and harassment take so many forms, it really rates its own set of articles even to nutshell the tactics and techniques employed by insurgency and resistance in guerrilla operations, community and large-force counters to guerilla operations, and even law enforcement and IT deterrents large and small, and internal policing by law enforcement and militaries and even lowly little small-business operations, as well as force-on-force operations from pre-tech eras to modern times.

On the larger scales, it involves all sorts of supply and travel disruptions, misinformation/counter-intel, harassing fire, false flags, etc.

Many of those can also be applied on the smallest of scales – even interpersonal conflict and self-defense situations – employing different techniques to the same theories, or adapting techniques to fit conditions.

Again, though, we really want to mind the effects on and reactions of our internal and closest-ties allies (family, coworkers, partners), the near neighbors, and the community at large, as well as our opposition and the reactions of their varying rings of influence.

Wilderness & Military Camp Setup

Yes, absolutely – anywhere.

Site development and placement of elements – modern or long past – have a lot of aspects that apply to preparedness in general, even “just” getting through a hurricane and “just” setting up our homes for everyday functional efficiency and security.

The same aspects keep them relevant to a modern minuteman intending to defend storefronts or residential communities from riots as well as the prepper who anticipates infantry-like service defending freedom.  

Positioning for ready communication, rapid responses, protection of key elements, LOS, external observation points, latrines/sanitation, deployment outside the wire and-or green zones, individual safety and incoming-fire cover, fire safety, supply distribution, and awareness of known effective ranges by position and armament all factor in.

They apply equally to both the able-bodied foot soldier and to the physically limited watchman or rear-echelon non-combatant, whatever the situation, however big or small the location.

*Think that one through, and consider our daily nothing-wrong lifestyles – It really does resonate everywhere, from where our smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are, to aggravations or eases when we grocery shop, bathe dogs, do laundry, file and maintain paperwork, coordinate with family and coworkers, get to and from our chores and recreations, etc. We don’t have to be totally paranoid or OCD to start seeing typical trends in non-prepper, non-minuteman sources for safety/protection and efficiency.

Camo & Concealment

Meh.

Really, it’s situationally dependent.

For most of the scenarios we can list off, from protecting our corner of Baltimore or Koreatown to taking our turn as the insurgents – or countering them, or splinter cells of a larger force – unless you’re a sniper operating from the woods, mostly, “meh” leaning “well, nah”.

Flip side: Oh hell yeah, because camo and concealment isn’t always green and tan splotches of paint or fabric.

Camo and concealment is a suit or slacks and a briefcase in a courthouse, yoga pants and a light bag at the park, a “normal” passenger vehicle instead of an off-road rock-climbing mudder or Humvee on the average street, high-vis vests with dirty pants on a road crew with their bucket or tool box/bag, and scuffed up boots on a farm hand.

That camo and concealment extends to mixing up travel patterns to avoid breaking foliage and creating “deer trails”, being able to slip out of a location without observation, and presenting the appearance of following habitual movements and activities while deviating from the norm.

It’s also developing the control to watch our mouths and non-verbals rather than fight every battle that comes our way and picking every hill as our hill to die on. (Return to Nancy Pelosi above to make that an even uglier pill to swallow.)

And, yeah, in a few situations, it’s being able to become a rock on the hill or another tuft of brush, but unless we’re evading birds or sniper hunters, mostly breaking up our outlines isn’t too hard and doesn’t always require paint or cammies.

Hand-to-Hand Combat

Yes and no.

Don’t get me wrong. Self-defense capabilities are great to have, period. It’s not like this world has ever been totally safe, or like it’s getting any crazier.

However you want to apply it, keep in mind how often we see 2-5 cops or foreign militias trying to wrestle a bad guy into cuffs or move them after arrest, and weigh how much training and daily practice they get, versus our ability to invest time and money into training.

Our expectations of the bad guy we’ll be encountering, and how we’re deploying also factor in pretty hugely.

If we’re countering a significant force, whether it’s widespread jackboots and organized invaders or forces that have the benefit of protective gear, our chances of success are much lower.

Similarly, our chances against servicemen from one of the nations that focus significant continuing training time on some pretty gnarly martial arts, knife work, and batons … not so hot.

There are exploits for hand-to-hand combat even against somebody wearing body armor groin to neck, face shields and helmets, and knee pads. We just have to be realistic about whether we’re going to personally stand a chance with our available investment capabilities, or if we want to focus instead on something else.

Learn some basics that fit your physical condition for everyday encounters, but don’t break the bank on this one.

Instead, for minuteman purposes develop awareness, de-escalation, and evasion skills as well as Gray Man presentation.

Also work reflex drills, ankle-knee lateral and start-stop strength (or chair skills), and balance exercises – especially for people who are limited in some way by age, injury, or genetic luck of the draw.

Urban or rural, footing can be iffy. The better able we are to compensate for shifting terrain, curbs, bumps, and slips, and the better able we are to change direction on a dime, the better chance we stand of staying in the fight, whatever the scenario we imagine.

Modern Minuteman Skillsets

Most likely, the term “Modern Minuteman” brings a certain image to our heads. And, most likely, any 2-20 of us would describe very different images – particularly as the most likely and most common potential for a modern minuteman to deploy.

Because we have very different situations and needs, with very different scenarios in mind and very different capabilities due to our physical shape and local environment, the skills we are most likely to need are going to vary.

Some, though, are pretty universal. We can sometimes assign a value across the board, regardless of situation or scenario.

With any luck, somebody disagrees with these, or the matrix I apply at large, and presents points for discussion.

If not and until then, go find somebody who thinks “bah, PC community-pulse nonsense” or “moron, every soldier should fight with sticks”. Weigh the argument presented for those situations, and decide what does actually make sense for you. It’s only having multiple perspectives that really lets us prioritize, whether we’re picking out groceries or putting together our minuteman to-do list.

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The post Modern Minuteman – Yes-No-Maybe Skillsets Vol. 2 appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Editor’s Note: A contribution from Scott Huntington to The Prepper Journal. As a native and one who has been through multiple earthquakes I can say “amen” to holding our breath. There are so many faults that half of the quakes I experienced personally were generated by previously unknown faults in the Pacific plate, still considered the “ring of fire” by scientists worldwide. Whenever traveling to and from California I cross that mother of all faults, the San Andreas, where discussions always gravitate towards…. while the article speaks to California it applies to anywhere along the ring of fire, and yes, maybe Yellowstone as well.

Californians have been holding their breath for 20 years now, waiting for “the big one” to hit. Living in a fault zone can be nerve-wracking. The mental impact of not knowing when an earthquake might strike might be almost as damaging as the effects of the physical quake when you consider it over time.

But you can do some things to feel better. Earthquakes have been taking place since the beginning of time, and people have come to understand how to prepare for them. Here are our suggestions for the best ways to make ready for a quake.

Know If You Live in a High-Risk Area

Prepping for an earthquake might not be a good use of your time if you live in Nebraska. California gets a reputation as a seismic hotspot, which it probably deserves, but other places are high-risk zones as well. The USGS survey identifies areas across the country with seven levels of risk, which you can view in a color-coded map on their website.

The West Coast is particularly suspect when it comes to the risk of earthquakes, with the USGS map indicating the strongest probability of a quake is in Southern Alaska, Washington, California, Hawaii and Nevada. For those who choose to live in these states, there will always be a high risk, although the right construction can reinforce your home against the harmful effects of a quake. There is also a USGS program called Shakealert that claims to offer early warning of coming earthquakes, which might be worth your time if you live in a high-risk zone.

If earthquakes aren’t your thing, move away. That’s the best way to avoid them. But these are excellent places to live (political climate aside), so if you’re going to stick around…

Prepare Your Home

Minimize loose, heavy items in your house by fastening heavy furniture to the wall or avoiding it altogether. If you have the budget, you can consider installing reinforcing walls like we mentioned earlier, which will help ensure your home remains a safe zone during most earthquakes. If you work or live in a tall building, have a clearly marked evacuation plan and make sure everyone knows how to access it.

Have a communication plan with your children, which is fairly simple in the age of cell phones — but, should damaged cell towers cause coverage to go down, it’s smart for children to have a phone number or two memorized and know how to use social media to communicate they’re safe. At a minimum have a stated, know “meet location” for all family members. You really can’t depend on any infrastructure remaining uninterrupted in an earthquake.

An earthquake readiness kit isn’t quite the same as the bug-out bag you’d pack for a hurricane or tornado, but it’s similar. You could be facing a situation where communications and other infrastructure is down, so have extra doses of any special medications your family needs, clean water and snacks, a powerful flashlight and extra batteries. Apportion your supplies to last at least three days. Pack a first-aid kit with medical supplies to treat lacerations and bruises. While off-the-shelf kits are available for purchase, only YOU know your family and their real needs so start with the basics and build out your kit your way. Pick a couple of 72-hour periods and note everything the family consumes during that period, from water to food to medications as a starting point and then do the “what if’s?” – water supply is compromised, home is compromised, missing family member, what is Plan B – always have a backup/Plan B. As any military officer will tell you Plan A is out the window as soon as the first shot is fired.

In addition to these must-haves, some other items will round out your kit nicely, such as two-way radios and pet supplies if you’ve got any furry friends in the family. A multitool is a good idea as a substitute for a full selection of hand tools, and a breathing mask with a particulate filter is another excellent addition to protect your family’s lungs from the smoke and dust that could fill the air in the aftermath of an earthquake.

Know How to Respond During a Quake

Earthquakes are one natural disaster we usually can’t predict until it’s too late. That means you need to practice what to do when one hits before you’re in a bad situation. If you have kids, make sure you have a plan as a family for what to do if an earthquake starts.

As for what to do, less is more in the case of an earthquake. You aren’t going to have time to seek much shelter. The best motto is “drop, cover and hold on,” which is what children learn in school. If you are outdoors, don’t seek cover indoors. If you’re sleeping, use your pillows to protect your neck and head.

If an earthquake occurs while you’re driving, pull over in a space that’s clear of overhead buildings or potential debris. All you can do is wait the quake out in the safest possible place. Once the shaking stops, it’s time to evaluate the situation. Know what natural gas smells like, and immediately disable the gas lines in your home if you smell a leak. There are valves available to automatically shut off natural gas lines in case of an earthquake, have them installed by a licensed professional. Locate your earthquake kit and check in with your family. Once you have everything squared away, you might head out to see if you can help others.

In the Aftermath

Earthquakes often have aftershocks up to a day later, so be vigilant, because these can be severe incidents if the earthquake was powerful. Once you’ve established that you and your family are unharmed, put on your sturdy footwear and take a walk around the perimeter of your home to spot any damage that may have occurred.

Unlike the movies, and like hurricanes, the majority of injuries and deaths occur in the first 72 hours after the event, downed power lines, floods, broken infrastructure like damns and freeway overpasses, etc.

Monitor your radio and other means of communication for information about the damage the quake did and whether there is any public action to help those affected. Depending on your situation, it may be appropriate for you to help, or you may need to reach out for assistance, which is why it’s so critical to have your radio and supply of batteries.

Perhaps the most frightening thing about an earthquake is the way they happen with little to no warning. Having a practical plan and the right supplies in place can give you the peace of mind to get through an earthquake safely. It’s only a matter of time, so think ahead and practice these good habits to be ready when the day comes. Stay safe!

Be Safe out there and be sure to check out The Prepper Journal Store and follow The Prepper Journal on Facebook!

The post How to Prep for an Earthquake appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Written by Wild Bill on The Prepper Journal.

Editors Note: A guest contribution from Alex to The Prepper Journal. There is an upside of having a dog alert you and a downside. While we all know the upside of the alert there may be times when you want all, including the dog, to remain silent and Alex provides some insight on how to achieve that with a dog in the house. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share then enter into the Prepper Writing Contest with a chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies!

It is comforting to have a dog in your home. You are assured that incidences will not catch you off guard but instead, your faithful companion will alert you. Even so, there are moments when you and your neighbors sincerely wish that the dog would stop barking to notify you of these events, like in a SHTF scenario where you are bugging-in. So, can you successfully train it accordingly? What are the practical steps to take in the training process? Well, this article offers you all the details.

Training a dog to alert without barking involves the following:

Buying the best retractable dog leash

It is daunting to do any form of dog training without having a sense of control. The pet is bound to wander and play because it does not consider the process as vital. As such, you must invest in the best leash with several considerations in mind. First, the leash must fit your dog’s size and weight. It must be comfortable enough to not irritate the dog in normal use, not too loose or too tight, but firm enough to restrain the pet during training.

Second, the leash must be durable. Always go with brands that are designed to offer you value for money, it is a one time purchase and dogs become accustom to their collar, it becomes a part of them. Third, you should consider the length of the leash. For training purposes, a lengthy leash is better than a short one. Fourth, the leash must have an ergonomic handle, for your comfort and ease of repeated use and it should be useful in all weather conditions.

Use of Treats

Dogs love treats, they are after all, walking, barking stomachs with legs and a wet nose. Use treats as rewards for the behavior you are trying to train. The treats to use could range from animal bones, to a through petting/massage reinforced by a standard verbal command like “good girl” or boy (dogs are still binary, I think.) The treats should be ones the dog likes, small and only given when they obey a command, and not the same ones your kids may use in the course of their daily play with the animal. Whatever option you choose, it is critical that you go for a treat that a dog will appreciate. This means that you must have spent enough time with the pet to know its likes and dislikes.

Notably, the use of treats involves four (4) major steps. First, you should create an environment where a dog will bark. For instance, you request someone to open the gate or ring the bell. The dog will naturally want to alert you of the event.

Second, you should acknowledge the barking by checking the source of the noise. A tug on the collar, combined with a hand signal visible to the dog. Show them the treat but do not give it to them until the barking stops. Repeat the tugs until the dog responds. Patience is the key here, this is breaking a natural behavior. Make sure to keep all the tugs firm but not so firm that they injure the dog in any way. And do not give up the treat until the barking stops and do not drop the hand signal until the barking stops. You will be surprised at how quickly some of the smarter breeds (poodles, retrievers, water dogs) learn and how frustrating it is to realize that some of the smaller breeds (the toys, small terriers and miniatures) seem to be in a different universe. Again patience and only give the dog the treat and drop the hand signal when the barking stops. This is work, it can become tedious, but the results will amaze you. No exposed treat, no collar tug, no hand signal and the dog will alert when you want. Add the three controls and it will silence. Of course the key here is getting the dogs attention BEFORE its natural instincts kick in. A properly trained dog will look to you first as opposed to bark when it is alerted. 

Remember bird hunting dogs are trained to point, signal and flush on command with no bark, while small game dogs use the bark to chase, corner and tree some prey.

Perseverance in training is the key, you must keep repeating the processes for the dog to learn that it is possible to get your attention without necessarily barking. Also, varying the amount of time it takes to get the treat is critical. Use of the gestures will also notify the pet on what to do in specific situations. You ability to recognize the alert from the silent dog is something you will have to learn

Be Calm yet Firm

Shouting and yelling will naturally alarm your dog. In fact, it may think that you are trying to join in the attention-seeking behavior. It is, therefore, important to be calm while giving cues in training.

You must realize that you act as a role model and leader during training, you are after all, its alpha dog. Once the pet realizes that you wish to remain calm, it will follow suit. At the same time, the pet must understand that the training is a serious event. Being firm while giving cues is worthwhile in this regard.

Familiarize the Dog with Different Sounds

A dog that does not visit different places in your environment will keep alerting you unnecessarily. If you only take the pet to quiet places or environments that resemble your home, it will unlikely fit in the natural world. It will be apprehensive when in traffic or in an elevator. Therefore, you should take the pet to different places and train it to remain calm, to not react to normal noise. It will take its cues from you and how you react and how you react to its behaviors. Here the hand signal can be worth every second you spent training it! 

Be Patient

Dogs learn how to bark in response to various things from day one of their existence in the world. It will take time to train them to opt for a different path. You must be patient in your training.

Start Early

Do not wait until a dog is fully grown to teach different tricks. Start the training as early as possible to achieve perfect results. Puppies are like children, sponges even when they are chewing anything and everything they can get into their mouths. They look to you again as the alpha dog, work that angle. 

Know Your Pet Well

Dogs respond to issues in their environment differently. For instance, you know that a dog is excited when it is wagging the tail. It may remain inactive and in the same spot when sick. A nip or bite may indicate that the pet is afraid or tired of the training program.

Once you have identified a pet’s behavior and meaning, it will be easy to encourage them to choose certain activities as opposed to barking. This starts with acknowledging the pet and making the necessary changes in the environment.

Ensure That the Dog Is Healthy and Happy

Dogs may bark when they are hungry or sick. The slightest of noises in their environment may trigger excessive barking. You are mandated to check for medical complications and take the necessary measures. Feeding the dog and taking it for exercises regularly is also a part of avoiding unnecessary barking, of socializing.

Work With the Professionals

It may easier to get the results you seek more quickly when your veterinary and qualified trainers are involved. A veterinary will let you understand a dog and check for health complications. They will also let you know when you cross the boundaries.

On their part, qualified trainers offer you unique tricks and tips to help you through the training process. To avoid the costs of hiring them, find websites that provide the relevant information and take notes. Buying books may also be of value as this is not more complicated than training job #1 – house broken. Plus, you will have to learn what the trainer has taught and deal with the dog adjusting to your authority over the trainers. 

What to Avoid  

While training the pet to alert you without barking, you should avoid:

Punishments. This approach only increases a dog’s stress level. It will not learn and instead, the barking will continue. The dog may also resist any form of training.

Rewarding the pet for barking. Resist the temptation to give the barking dog some treats or praise even when they look sad and weary. It will take longer to train it differently.

Giving up on the pet. Any dog, regardless of its age or breed, can be trained to behave in a certain way. You can fine tune your approach to training in case the ideal outcomes are not achieved after a while.

All in all, it is possible to train a dog to alert you without barking. Offering treats, proper leadership, consulting the professionals, calmness, and patience are among the approaches to consider in this process.

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The post Training a Dog to Alert Without A Bark appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

First let’s give a nod at the growing zones that are just entering or hitting the main strides of their production seasons. Best of luck to you!

For many of us in the northern hemisphere, growing season is winding down. We may be extending our production with row covers, greenhouses, indoor veggies and greens, and sprouts, or we may be hanging up our gloves for a complete break.

Winter or summer, anytime we’re going to let our gardens or some portion of them go dormant, some simple preparations can help lower our workloads and increase their productivity for the next season.

Test Now

While things can change due to soil activity and temperature, even if you’re already getting frosts or snows, go ahead and test your soil pH and nutrients. You can do basic tests at home for very little cost. Most extension services also offer testing, including a battery for micro-nutrients using plant matter, so call around to see if that’s an option.

Most amendments, especially on the pH and major deficiency fronts, do best if they have some time to groove before planting. If you’re making significant changes, it’s usually recommended to do so incrementally verses dumping tons in one go. The faster we know about a trend, the faster we can address it and get back to max productivity.

*Don’t ignore this one if you have pots and planters – they’re as vulnerable as raised beds and can benefit just like beds and row-crop plots. 

Spread & Start Compost

Fertilizing early also applies to compost, finished or partially finished, or raw.

Trench, hole and tube composting in-situ allows microbes to work over raw materials through the verges of our seasons. Spreading finished or partially finished compost on the surface also allows nutrients to permeate downward and for microbes and beneficial insects to work it into the surface.

We can also go ahead and till or fork finished or partially finished compost into the surface of soils for the same effects. Soil will be better conditioned at the start of planting.

Composting materials – to include the “safe” manures – can also help us if we use greenhouses, cold frames, or plastic row covers. Composting requires some warmth, but it also generates heat of its own. By doing pits or trenches to fill with compost, we can actually extend the growing season for some of our tenders and our cold-hardy crops.

The compost that develops over autumn and winter will be ready to help feed areas of the garden that need a spring boost. In cool areas where it won’t completely finish, it’ll still be speeding up the process for us.

Greenhouses

Wash off any dust or pollen that’s built up on the roof or sides through the season to maximize the sunlight plants will be getting. A pressurized hose nozzle or power washer can also remove the leaves that will or are already falling.

Don’t neglect the interior. Greenhouse glass or plastic can end up coated by “hard water” and “soap scum” mineral deposits as condensation and irrigation spray evaporates, reducing the amount of light that gets through.

Outdoor cold frames and row cover plastic can be more difficult, but can also benefit from spraying or brushing off pollen and dirt, mild solutions to remove evaporation buildup, and some visual inspections for wear, holes, and rips.

This is also an excellent time to check for holes in screens and drafts in window joints and at the door(s). Adding reflectors and heat sinks like black hoses, buckets, and bottles filled with water can further extend seasons.

Clean-up season can also be a good time to run disinfectant protocols and check preps for winter-spring greenhouse pests.

Gardens Like Cozying Up Under Blankets, Too

One of the biggest, easiest boosts comes from leaving as little bare, flattened earth as possible over our dormant season. Cover crops and a specific way of tilling for sloped areas gets covered in a bit, but one of the most effective ways to bed down gardens is to tuck them in with a nice blanket.

Tarps prevent soil erosion and compaction from rains and any snowmelt. Especially for raised beds and planters or containers, diverting rains and snowmelt also means less nutrient wash-out.

“Tarps” in this case means anything that spreads flat– cardboard, plastic, wood paneling, strips of metal roofing, salvaged kiddie pools. Some types of carpets, curtains, and blankets can also be effective.

Container gardeners have it really easy, and can just slide trash bags over their pots and planters.

Tarping also prevent weeds from being blown or carried in, and most types listed above will block sunlight, starving weeds below.

In many cases, they’ll also create warmer soil conditions. That will keep our soil life active later and earlier in the season. (That’s both pro-con if pests start digging through them hunting our bugs.)

Mulching delivers many of the same benefits. Mulch comes in a wide variety of types and styles – whole leaves we rake from our trees, chipped leaves, leaf mold and compost we developed over the growing season, pine or grass straw, wood chips. Mulches can also be mow-down, crimp, or cold-kill cover crops.

Depending on our climate and whether we have “woody/hard” mulches (wood chips, whole leaves) or “soft/green” mulches (lawn trimmings, leaf mold, buckwheat and mustard covers), our mulches may break down sufficiently over the season to be tilled in or planted through come spring. Others may need to rake them off, furrow through them to expose soil for a planting pass, or use no-till methods, especially for the woodier types.

Some of the warnings about mulching are justified. In some cases, the “threat” is actually something I’m aiming for or consider a bonus – like pine and oak mulches increasing acidity in beds.

If you’ve had a booming acorn year (walnuts or pecans, too), you might want to do some winnowing so fewer end up planted in your nice, fertile garden soil to become a pest.

We definitely want to be very cautious if we’re chipping privet for mulches. Privet should be outlawed, and can survive some incredible horrors, then become a real pest. Discard any berries and sift through for small branches that escaped the chippers to avoid problems.

Also skip mulches made from trees that share diseases with our crops and ergot-infected grasses.

If we have major flea beetle or slug problems, some mulch types will exacerbate them and we may want to apply other measures to protect soils over the dormant season.

  Cover Crops

It’s not as easy to bed down a whole field, especially late in the season. If there’s time in your growing zone yet, you may be able to get a cover crop in, or autumn-sow a cover that will come up in spring for some protection.

Buckwheat sprouts and grows fast, and can provide some die-down soil cover. Radishes and mustards are also quick and both have some additional benefits, especially if you’ve had pest problems earlier in the year, but consider your upcoming crop rotations with them.

Cover crops also apply to smaller beds, and there may still be time in some zones for things like autumn-sown, spring-harvest grains.

Tilled Plots

If you’re past the point of planting with a field or plot maintained with till cropping, there are still a couple of things that will help.

One, leave standing stubble unless it’s going to be a pest/disease host.

If it’s already bare, turned in, or has only sporadic plant matter, go ahead and get another till in. Double-cut across the face of contours to form exaggerated furrows (ridge-and-furrow irrigation style).

Versus a plot that’s already packed down flat and bare, both stubble and the undulating surface will slow and catch more of winter’s rains and any snowmelt, increasing infiltration and reducing erosion and nutrient runoff.

Exaggerated furrowing also means less spring flood inundation, creating warmer and less compacted soils that can be worked earlier in the year.

If the plot is small enough, go ahead and identify where you’ll be actively planting and where you’ll be driving or walking. Covering just your growing space may be possible, protecting that soil and decreasing the weed load. Any of the covers from tucking in smaller beds apply – weighted tarps and cardboard, compost, straw and leaf mulches.

Bedding Down Gardens

A few simple steps can have huge impacts on our gardens when they’re not in production, whether we’re going dormant for busy or arid or sweltering seasons, in part or in full, or for winter. Especially in areas where we get as many rain and thaw days as we have frigid days and persistent snow cover, protecting beds, planters, and row plots from weeds and runoff can help enormously when we’re ready to break ground again.

Working ahead to improve yields next year doesn’t have to be expensive. We can source coffee for fertilizer, all kinds of tarp replacements, and pine straw and leaves without spending a dime. In other cases, we can boost our productivity with $5-$25 testing.

Most bed-down practices also apply if we’re planning to expand our gardening next year, especially when it comes to soil testing, soil structure amendments, and lowering the weed loads we’re going to face. “An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure” is pretty much universally true. It applies exponentially when it comes to our dormant and future garden spaces.

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