Posts Tagged ‘pets’

Asset Management Techniques

Friday, August 27th, 2010

How does one go about taking care of one’s property - one’s worldly belongings? Well, most people keep their money in the bank, store the jewellery in a safe and insure the rest. But insurance is not really taking care of your assets, is it? It is taking care of yourself so that you do not have renew them with your own money.

In the old days, and even now, I suppose in some countries, you would employ a boy to watch over your sheep or cattle or bring them in at night for fear of lions, wolves or thieves. These were an early kind of security guard and indeed wealthy people had and frequently still do have private body guards.

What if you had a substantial office with a hundred laptop computers - laptops because employees had to do field work as well? How would you keep track on all those? A car is another good case in point and construction site plant is being stolen all the time even from under the watchful gaze of (or with the help of) private security firms.

So what can you do? Get dogs? That works sometimes, but they can be poisoned. Get video cameras and passive infra-red movement sensors linked to a control centre? That works and many firms and private houses have it, but it is very expensive.

As a cheap alternative, the police were giving out free pens in the UK, which wrote in invisible ink. The idea was to write your postcode and house number. This ink became visible under a special kind of light. That is fine if you have a suspect or found property.

Bar codes are not practical, the pen is better. It all comes back to insurance or surveillance.

However, there is another technique that is becoming affordable. The concept has been around for about 85 years, but it was too expensive to use on anything less significant than an airplane or a battle tank.

I am talking about radio frequency identification or RFID for short. The idea is the same one that aircraft have been using since during the Second World War - a transponder emits precoded information in response to a demand from an RF reader.

Information concerning ownership and particulars of what the item is can be written to an RFID chip also known as a tag and the tag can then be taped inside the object that it is to safeguard.

There are two varieties of tag: the passive and the active. Passive tags will only reply if information is requested by a reader, whereas an active tag is always broadcasting.

Many entrepreneurs use RFID tagging to keep track of their assets. In the instance of livestock, most cattle are tagged these days. Most big offices have their IT devices tagged as well and we all know that clothing stores have been tagging garments for years, although maybe you did not know what that button was that they were taking off at the checkout.

Individuals are already tagging their dogs, cats and cars and it will not be long before these asset management techniques will be used extensively at home as well. Insurance companies may demand on it.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on several topics, but is currently concerned with the RFID asset management. If you would like to know more, please go to our website at Active RFID Management.

Healthy Dog Food

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

The desire for healthy food seems to apply equally to humans and their pets, because many pet owners prefer to buy organic foods to feed their four-legged friends. One could be forgiven for being surprised at the large variety of organic dog food on offer in the market. Just like for humans, there are a lot of pet health issues that one could cure or even prevent in the first place by the use of organic pet food.

For instance, organic dog food could lessen the risk of the dog getting skin diseases and allergies. The reason for the positive health impact is the absence of additives, chemicals, colourants and pesticides. Instead the ingredients of organic dog food are just grain extracts and high quality proteins.

Normal dog food can cause diabetes and excess weight with all the concomitant problems that accompany these illnesses: back ailment, organ failure and decreased mobility. How can organic dog food help here, then? Well, because organic pet food does not contain bulk filler; they are nutrient-packed products that create energy not fat. Moreover, it is far better and definitely a lot easier to prevent health issues than try to treat them afterwards.

A better digestion and a stronger immunity system are the other main benefits that come with the use of organic pet food. Due to the absence of chemicals normally present in regular pet food, your dog will no longer be sick or experience gas or diarrhea. A more efficient is what you will achieve with a healthy diet. Moreover, the quality of the nutritional substances in organic dog food, boosts the immunity functions, thereby reducing the risks of infection and all sorts of specific diseases that affect dogs on an everyday basis.

In general, veterinarian experts say that organic dog food significantly increases the life of any animal, not to mention the fact that it will pass through old age a lot better. It is quite common that pet owners who choose organic dog food, are also interested in eating organic foods themselves, sticking to clean natural products that enhance bodily functions and reduce toxins and disease.

Ask your local dog food supplier about organic dog food and if there is none available in your local shop, try to order it online. There are many web sites that sell such foods at pretty good prices.

One last piece, be very, very careful with dried dog food like biscuits, no matter what the label says. I used to have a dog called Becky that stayed at home alone during the day, while I went to the office. I didn’t like to leave ‘wet’ food, because of flies, bacteria and vermin, so I bought dry food, which would not deteriorate during the day. However, within six years she had contracted diabetes, which meant that I had to inject her with insulin every morning. The vet said that it was quite common for dogs fed only on dry biscuits to contract diabetes, so check with your vet first of all or feed organic tinned food.

If you liked reading this article on organic dog food and you want to read more about dogs in general or dog training, please go to our our website called Dog Training

Keeping Your Dog Motivated

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

Keeping the attention of your dog while training is not always an easy task. Dogs can be very easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the dog training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making dog training fun for the dog and the human alike is essential to creating a happy, well-adjusted and well-trained dog.

You should provide random positive stimuli throughout the day in order to maintain the interest of your dog. Doing things the dog like, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, are good ways to keep the dog’s attention, but you must give him rewards for his successes.

For example, to thank the dog for coming to you when you call him, tell your dog to come to you, without giving any clues about going for a walk, a car ride, or other treats.

After the dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the leash and begin the treat. This can be either the before-mentioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog enjoys doing.

Giving some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a tickle behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want him to, is a great method to keep your dog’s motivation while you are dog training.

If your dog knows something good is going to happen every time he follows your command, he will be more motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training.

When training a dog, it is vital to not let distractions ruin the training. The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These types of distractions can even be used as rewards when training your dog to come when called.

For instance, if your dog enjoys romping with other dogs, whether it be in a park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play with those other dogs. Then go into the park or garden and call your dog.

When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to return to playing with his pals. Repeat this several times and praise the dog every time he comes to you.

The dog will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

This so-called distraction training is one of the most difficult things for your dog to learn, because dogs are naturally social animals, and leaving the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably unwilling to leave their canine companions, but it is vital to persist in dog training.

Training the dog to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first. For instance, waving a favourite toy, or a lure, is a good way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator too when you are training your dog.

Once the dog begins to get used to coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to obey your voice alone. It is important that the dog responds to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

Does your dog require training? If you require more details on dog training, then go over to our web site entitled Successful Dog Training

Parasites On Dogs

Friday, May 7th, 2010

You really have to destroy heart worm, fleas and other parasites in dogs whenever it becomes obvious that your dog is infected by using the relevant medication against them. Loads of products are available to defend our dogs from heart worms, fleas and other parasites such as hook worms, whip worms, round worms, lice, ticks etc.

Of the heart worms, fleas and other parasites, fleas can produce a hyper sensitive reaction in the affected dog. Animals infested with fleas scratch their bodies very vigorously. Often the scratching becomes so severe that the skin becomes super-sensitive and dermatitis is the result in the scratched areas.

The result of a serious flea infestation is often that the animal can not lie down for long or sleep comfortably due to the continuous flea bites. Therefore, your dog looks as if has some serious skin disease. If the your dog is not properly treated for these flea bites, there could be a secondary bacterial attack in these sites and there may even be a rotten smell emanating from the affected area of the animal’s skin.

You ought to observe your pet closely in order prevent a serious outbreak. It is essential to prevent such a serious infestation as they are extremely distressing to your dog. Similarly, the skin of the animal needs to be inspected often for the presence of ticks and lice. In order to do this effectively, you must look at the dog’s skin by separating the dog’s hairs. The easiest way to achieve this is by slowly back-combing or ruffling the pet’s hair.

Often, if your pet is anaemic, and it is not he result of being plagued by too many fleas, you have to rule out hookworm. Symptoms of hookworm are usually anaemia, loose stools and a pot belly. The dog’s owner may notice these symptoms by themselves, however, speaking honestly, the dog needs to have a routine health examination at the vet’s, which involves both faecal and hematological tests.

There are many commercial products available on the market, some of which are effective for dealing with all these conditions by a single dose. Drugs like ivermectin are highly efficacious and are available in injection, oral and solution forms. The latter should be put directly on the dog’s skin. These drugs can lead to the prevention of these conditions too.

Therefore, the best strategy to follow is to keep a keen eye on your dog. This could easily be carried out at bath time or / and when you are grooming him. You can use an anti-flea and anti-tick shampoo, which will keep these pests under control, if used regularly. Couple this with a regular grooming with a lice comb and a flea collar should keep your pet lice, tick and flea free.

If you are having problems dog flea treatment on your dogs, please follow the ‘fleas’ link, however if you want to read more about dogs, please go here: Man’s Best Friend - the Dog

What’s in a Dog’s Name?

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Dog owners will explain that there is no proven method for selecting a good name for a new dog or puppy. Whether they have to come up with girl or boy dog names, they will normally pick a name that sounds trendy or a name they like rather than putting some thought into what the name really means. Popular boy dog names have meanings, as do human names, so more often than not the meaning will not suit the dog it is given to. Here we give a guide to the top five boy dog names and what they really mean.

In general, one of the first things you have to do when you get a new dog or puppy is choose a dog name for him or her. For most dog owners, this actually takes little thought. They just choose a dog name at random and that is the name by which the poor animal will be known forever. However, there is something you ought to think about when going through dog names in order to make sure that you choose a suitable one.

Firstly, dogs can sense attitude and tone of voice better than we can. If you choose a dog name for comedy value or after someone you dislike, your dog will see straight through you. As a result, their attitudes may change or they may refuse to respond to your commands. Dogs’ names should mean something but should not be detrimental to their development so you should really take the decision of the dog name seriously.

Despite dogs being very clever animals, they can’t process the same amount of information that we can. As a result, dog names should never be more than two syllables long. If they are more than that, most dogs will not respond. Max, Sam, Becky, Lady, Molly and the like are excellent dog names because they are short and the syllables are easily heard. They respond to these dog names and that will improve your chances of training them successfully.

However, dogs’ names ought to assist them mould a character of their own. Popular names don’t really help them to do that, so finding something simple but unusual can help their characters grow a great deal without damaging their willingness to act on a command.

Max: This is perhaps the most popular boy dog name and the meaning is surely the reason why most people choose it for their hound. It literally means “the best”. After all, every dog owner thinks that their dog is the best.

Jake: Jake is short for Jacob, which means “conqueror”. This is an apt boy dog name, if your puppy takes over the house within moments of setting foot inside it!

Buddy: Buddy is a familiarization of Budd, which means “messenger”. This boy dog name could be apt for a working dog, or one you can train to bring in the newspaper every morning. It is a popular boy dog name and can be very widely found within the USA.

Bailey: The boy dog name Bailey is French and means “steward”. This is pretty apt if your dog is responsible and sensible, so it is apt for a Newfoundland or collie puppy.

Sam: Sam apparently means “an answer to prayers”. This is a great name for dogs that are obedient, easy to train and are very little work!

Few new dog owners consult a name’s meaning when choosing a boy dog’s name, so instead of just going ahead with your first idea, it may be worth taking the time to choose a dog’s name that is actually apt for your dog. After all, it doesn’t cost you anything to spend some time considering your dog’s name.

Does your dog need training? If you need further details on dogs in general, then visit our web site called Successful Dog Training

Looking For Snakes And Reptiles

Monday, April 26th, 2010

There are few places in the world that haven’t been colonised by snakes and other reptiles. Snakes are even found in cities, although it is only the friendlier ones that usually survive human wrath. However, if you want to look for a few of the more uncommon snakes, you could look in parks and fields, on beaches or in rivers and ponds and even in the sea, depending on where you live, naturally, as sea snakes tend to swim in warmer, tropical waters.

You will have to be wide awake and accustom your eyes to notice even the slightest movement. Wear clothes of dull, drab colours and move very slowly, stopping often to listen out for movement in the grass or bushes. In the beginning, you will have many false starts, until you learn to differentiate between the noises of the various animals that live or hunt in the grass.

Snakes are difficult to find, because most of the adventurous snakes get killed by frightened (and often ignorant) humans, but a good tip is to look for relatively damp areas in arid regions and, conversely, dry spots in damp areas. Look for where their prey might congregate. For example, near water for toads and frogs. Watch for frightened lizards or birds fleeing for all they are worth. And listen out for geckos warning each other of the presence of a predator.

If you need to move anything, at least don’t damage it and furthermore, ensure you put it back as you found it. Two useful tools while out looking for snakes and other reptiles are binoculars (for tree snakes) and a snake-hook, which should also be used for moving bits of debris so that you don’t risk getting bitten by a snake or stung by a scorpion. A camera, a torch and a notebook and pen are more or less essential, depending on how seriously you take your interest in herpetology.

You could also take a rule or tape to measure your specimens and a few plastic bags and boxes to hold them while you are doing so. However, do not kill anything and do not take anything home with you either! Apart from it not being right to wander into their domain and cause mayhem, it is frequently against the law too. Be very wary of handling any snake that you cannot 100% positively identify as non-venomous. You could be miles from anywhere and will probably not have any anti-venom with you. Since many snakes can kill within 30 minutes, you would probably die.

So, to summarize, go looking for snakes by all means. However, make your search calmly and wear inconspicuous clothing. Furthermore, wear strong, climbing boots to give you some protection where you are most vulnerable and do not disturb anything unnecessarily. Use a snake-hook to move things if you need to; a tape, torch, camera, notebook and pen to record your experience and/or findings and a few clear plastic receptacles just in case you feel the need to pick something up.

I hope you really enjoy your search for snakes and other reptiles, but always bear in mind that snakes are not friendly and they are certainly not pets, so be on your guard against snake bites especially if your search is not taking place in the gardens of a hospital!

If you are interested in snakes and reptiles, you ought to go to our web site called Caring for Snakes

Why Dogs Snore

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

We all know that it is not unusual for pet owners to allow their pets to sleep with them on their beds at night. In deed, one third of pet owners have at some time, permitted their pets to sleep on their beds. Dogs readily provide a companionship that can’t be given by any other breed of animal. However, this doesn’t mean to say that cat owners do not let their cats or another pets sleep with them too.

It is facilitated too by dogs having a sleep pattern that is very much like our own. Dogs often trust their masters completely, which makes them a bit more relaxed during the night. This explains why most dogs fall asleep easily and later on, go into a deep sleep where REM sleep activities can occur. In deed, once a dog enters this stage, the owner may need to call them several times before they can truly be roused from sleep.

For sure, lots of us have already seen a dog ‘running’ during sleep or at times, barking with his eyes closed. These dogs are believed to be dreaming. Breathing patterns can also be observed among dogs. For example, there are breeds which breathe more heavily while there are those who breathe very lightly. The heavy breathers are much more prone to snoring than those who do not breathe as heavily.

Some people find that dogs that snore are quite a nuisance during the night, depending on the degree and frequency of the phenomenon. Like with humans, there are various considerations why dogs snore, although most deal with the blocking of the passage of air in the windpipe, which in turn is caused by the collapse of certain areas along the throat. It is the same problem as with human beings.

A snoring dog should be checked for various issues to determine which treatment can be best provided. Some dogs are especially prone to specific allergic reactions that cause constriction in the airway. It may also be that there is some excess tissue in the areas that are inhibiting proper breathing. It is best if a veterinarian checks on different factors through careful evaluation of the dog’s anatomical features and general physical symptoms.

Maybe, your dog is overweight. Like with humans, obese dogs are more likely to snore during the night. This is because they have more flesh surrounding their throats. Therefore, they have excess tissue that hangs around the throat which can potentially cause the obstructions. Once this problem is corrected, the risk of snoring will be decreased. This would not only be healthy for your dogs, you may actually enjoy nights of restful sleep too.

Snoring also has something to do with the general facial features. Some dogs seem to have pushed-in faces which narrows their air passages to a certain degree. The construction of their nasal passages also largely contributes to their difficulty of breathing. They are pretty much like humans with a cold, who are forced to breathe using only twenty-five percent of their nostril capacity. Dog breeds with shorter faces need to expend lots of effort to breathe properly. It takes them more work to control breathing and they are also more prone to snoring.

Minor surgery can give your dog great relief. Be sure though that before any decision is made, you are well educated about the potential risks and consequences of surgery to stop a dog snoring. Most are irreversible, so careful thought must be given to any operation you allow. In fact it is best to accept the guidelines provided by your veterinarian.

Does your dog require training? If you require further details on dogs in general, then go over to our web site called Successful Dog Training

Is She A Princess Or A Lady?

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

So you may ask, what is in a dog’s name? Just what does it matter what your girl dog’s name is? The answer is maybe a fair bit, because your bitch’s name defines him or her in the eyes of your neighbours, especially if you have a rather small dog. For what a small dog lacks in stature it can make up for in attitude. For a small dog, being cute will get her everywhere. But what is a cute dog without a cute dog’s name?

Cute dog names are usually meant for female dogs or bitches. Abby, for example is a very cute dog name. When you put that together with a mental image, you probably see a little Westie or a Labrador pup romping around on a lawn in your mind’s eye. Other cute female dog names are Queenie, Beauty, Becky and Blackie. All of these cute dog names seem to embody a bundle of fur that has a sweet nature and just loves cuddles. They all allude to a pretty appearance and a very happy dog owning experience.

However, there seems to be rather few cute dog names available for male dogs. This could be because it lessens the masculine image that male dogs are supposed to have. Still, there are a few cute male dog names out there. Bobby, (Old) Nick, Patch and Tigger are all cute male dog names that have the same effect as the female ones do. However, you do have to ensure that you have the right kind of male dog to name with a cute dog name, because if you get it wrong, it will make him sound silly.

Cute dog names can be appropriate for male and female members alike of certain breeds and can help to develop a lovable personality, because of the affection, with which it will be handled. But do be warned, you do not want to leave your dog open to ridicule so choose when to give cute dog names very carefully.

Whilst dogs are very intelligent animals, they cannot process the same amount of information that humans can. Therefore, dog names should never be more than two syllables. If they are more than that, it is very rare that a dog will actually respond. Max, Sam, Lady, Molly and the like are excellent dog names because they are short and the syllables are hard. They easily respond to those dog names and it can improve your chances of training them successfully.

However, dogs names should assist them shape an identity of their own. Common names do not allow them to do that, so finding something simple but unusual can help their characters no end without damaging their ability to respond on command.

I would bet money that most pet owners do not think of the factors mentioned above when thinking of dog names for a new pet. Instead, dog names are picked at random, but it really is well-worth putting a bit more thought into it, for your dogs mental health if nothing else.

Does your dog require training? If you require further details on dogs in general, then go over to our web site entitled Successful Dog Training

Cool Dog Names

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Fashion seems to dictate everything these days. From what you wear to what you name your dog, everything you do is dictated by the need to be fashionable. Cute dog names are hard to come by and even harder to choose. This is because as soon as something is in fashion, than it is out again.

Who would want to pick a cool dog name that may not be fashionable tomorrow? So, people usually play it safe, which is why the same names have been so popular for so long. To try and break that cycle, five cute dog names are given below with our reasons why you should choose one of them for your dog.

Phoenix: What could be cuter than a bird that goes up in flames and then rises from the ashes? Phoenix is one of the cute dog names that will never go out of fashion because it is located in mythology. It has a timeless quality which has surprisingly failed to boost its popularity.

Star: Star is one of the cute dog names because it has so many meanings that you can have a hard time finding out where to begin. A star in the sky is a phenomenon and a star can refer to someone that outperforms in a certain field. It is indeed a high form of praise and so is definitely a cool dog name.

Lady: Lady is one of the most popular dog names but it is also one of the cool dog names because of the Disney cartoon film, Lady and the Tramp, which was a massive hit. The film made the name popular but also gave it some credibility. In this case, popularity comes second to coolness.

Elvis: The coolest of cool dog names. Elvis Presley was definitely cool and remains cool today even after his death. It is infinitely cool to name your dog after an icon who never goes out of fashion.

Shadow: There is a dark and ethereal quality about Shadow that makes it a cool dog name. It would be best used on a large breed of dog however, because it wouldn’t have the same strong effect with a small one.

Whatever cute dog names you consider for your pooch, it is one sure-fire way to give them an identity of their own and make them memorable in the eyes of others. .

Does your dog need training? If you need further information on dogs in general, then visit our website entitled Successful Dog Training

The Spitting Cobras

Monday, October 26th, 2009

The snake called the spitting cobra is one of the most peculiar species as it not only has a venomous bite but it also sprays venom into the eyes of its prey and aggressors. Contact of this venom with your eyes can be very painful and even temporarily blinding, therefore, if you get cobra venom in your eyes, irrigate them immediately in order to prevent permanent tissue damage.

The King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah, also distinguishes itself in this large family of snakes (elapids) by the fact that it feeds almost entirely on other snakes with mice and small birds also falling prey to its venom.

The King Cobra is also unique because of its size - it can reach 5.85m (almost 20 feet) in length, which makes it the longest poisonous snake in the world. The latest discovery of a new species of cobra was made in 2003 when it was identified by London Zoo as part of an illegal shipment of exotic pets.

DNA studies revealed that this new species of snake is similar to the red spitting cobra but has different genes. It seems to originate from an area between Sudan and Egypt and it has been called the ‘Nubian Spitting Cobra’.

Although they are highly dangerous when threatened cobras will rarely attack if you keep your distance from them, although the spit can travel very accurately for two meters. Compared to the strike of a rattlesnake, the cobra is rather slow in its attack and besides that, many bites prove to be non-venomous.

Statistics of a study conducted on Malaysian cobra snake victims indicate that only 55% of the bites involved poison release and the same statistics indicate a mortality rate of only 10% for people bitten, since the poisons injected into the blood of the prey destroy the nerves (neurotoxins), which induces respiratory failure approximately half an hour after being bitten, so you have 30 minutes to seek help.

The colouration is variable from light green-grey to black, while juveniles are yellow and black banded. This snake can find a habitat all over south-eastern Asia.

Are you interested in the Cobras? To learn more about snakes visit Caring for Snakes our brand-new web site.

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