Zoogony

A Horse Training Secret From The 1800’s To Teach A Horse To

Horse owners who are history buffs may recognize the name Jesse Beery. Beery was an enormously famous horse trainer from the 1800’s and early 1900’s.

He learned to train horses at a very young age. It was clear he had a gift for horse training and made it his life’s work.

Among the almost countless things Beery could do with a horse, he taught them tricks. One of the most amazing tricks he taught was teaching a horse to drive without lines. (In layman’s terms, you have no long reins (known as lines) connected to the horse. The only connection to the horse is the buggy hitched to the horse) This trick almost defies belief!

Beery said this about driving a horse without lines: “While I do not advocate it as being a universally practical way of driving a horse, yet it is possible to so thoroughly train the horse to certain signals that he can be controlled more reliably under excitement and in case of danger than it would be possible to manage him with bridle and lines.”

Beery says there are a number of ways to teach this to a horse but suggests his method as the most reliable.

In a nutshell, Beery first turned his horse loose in an enclosure about twenty-five feet square. He would walk in with a whip and teach the horse to have confidence in him and not fear the whip. (The horse is never whipped).

Once the horse has learned to come to handler at the command of “Come Here” and shows no fear of the whip while it’s gently waved over his head and body, and will follow the handler all about the ring, then you have laid a good foundation for further instruction.

Put the horse away until the next day where the horse learns signals of the whip.

That process is as follows: Stand close the the horse’s hip and take a short whip and tap lightly on the right shoulder until the horse, in anticipation of driving a fly off, will swing his head around to where the tapping is. Step forward quickly and hand him a few oats, or a small piece of apple, almost in the act of turning his head around. Step back and continue the tapping and rewarding.

After a while, in his eagerness for the reward, he will take a step or two to the right when the tapping begins. Then caress him and treat him very kindly for that act. Soon, the idea will be conveyed that when tapped on the shoulder the horse will know to turn in that direction.

Remember to train both sides of the horse.

Once both sides are trained now an open bridle can be put on. Use short lines that come back as far as his tail only - but they are used only if he becomes unruly or to convey your idea to him.

The handler’s whip should not be over five feet long at this stage and the handler should stand directly behind the horse. (Beware of kickers) Let the whip extend to about the middle of his mane.

The signal you wish for him to stop for is raising the whip and holding it in a perpendicular position. Associate the meaning of this movement, and position, just as the whip is raised so the horse can see it. Pull hard on the reins and say “Whoa” - all at the same time. After a few repetitions the horse will know what to do. (Assuming you have thoroughly educated your horse to whoa)

The first few times he stops without a pull of the reins step forward and reward him immediately. Much of the success of teaching this trick depends upon how you give the rewards. If the reward is given in a manner so that the horse can fully comprehend it was complying with the handler’s wish, it will greatly enhance fixing this impression on the horse’s brain.

But if not given in the right manner, the reward will be worse than none at all.

In the same manner, the horse is taught to turn left and right. This is done by giving the horse a pretty smart tap on the lower part of the shoulder and immediately place the point of the whip three or four feet in that direction. Should he attempt to jump and go ahead too much, you can hold him in check with the action and signal to stop him.

About the Author

Andy Curry is a nationally known horse trainer and author
of several best selling horse training and horse care books.
For information visit his website at www.horsetrainingandtips.com.
He is also the leading expert on Jesse Beery’s horse training
methods which can be seen at www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.

New Book Helps Worried Owners Of A Pregnant Cat

‘Help, my cat is pregnant and I don’t know what to do!’ Not a day goes by without someone posting this message to an Internet forum.

Worried cat owners will know what to do if they read How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Cat. This new publication is one of the first English-language books in many years exclusively on cat pregnancy.

The author, journalist and long-time cat lover Marc de Jong, is the owner of www.cat-pregnancy-report.com. This web site started in August 2004 and quickly established itself as a very popular site.

“Before I started my site, it was quite difficult to find a comprehensive guide on the Net about pregnancy in cats”, says de Jong. “Many cat sites and forums tell owners only to spay their cat and almost flame people to death if they say their cat got pregnant. Of course they are right when they say there’s an overpopulation of cats. However, it’s also a fact that millions of cats do get pregnant unplanned. If you don’t tell their owners what to do and what to expect, you can endanger the life of these cats.”

Marc de Jong received dozens of e-mails from worried cat owners since he started his site. “Questions were often so detailed that I had to do a lot of research to answer them. The information I gathered was so valuable that I wanted to share it with all cat lovers.”

Instead of adding it to his already very informative web site, he decided to publish a book. “Web sites have limitations”, de Jong says. “People tend to scan pages and miss half of the text. They are constantly persuaded to click through to another site. Also, printing a page isn’t always easy. And if you have a dial-up account, then the more you read, the more money you pay.”

To give cat owners immediate access to his book he turned How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Cat into an e-book, a digital publication downloadable from his web site. He added extra value by interviewing award-winning breeders and veterinarians specialized in cats. Their insider tips are all in the book.

How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Cat covers almost every subject related to pregnancy in cats. Heat cycles, mating, signs of cat pregnancy, food, care, birth, raising kittens … it’s all there.

“The first response from readers is very good”, says the author. “There’s no doubt the book is a great help for owners of a pregnant cat.”

About the Author

Click for more information: http://www.cat-pregnancy-report.com
You can order the book from this site and start reading within minutes from now.

Loyal Companions Promote Longevity

Have you ever wondered what a dog thinks, or if he dreams? Canine companions, by far, are amazing creatures of habit. If you’ve ever adopted one, your life has been enriched by the spirited side of nature.

Deep, within their childlike eyes is the innocence of perpetual bliss. These fury friends live to satisfy you and you alone. They soothe us with their undying love and devotion, come to our aid in a moment’s notice, anxiously await our return and fill our hearts with years of joy and laughter.

At will, they pleasantly astound us with their cunning mannerisms, comedic maneuvers and gentle demeanor. Always seeking to please, never failing on loyalty.

The nearly Humanistic side of dogs is their keen ability to display real emotion and feeling. When we are saddened, our loving counterparts tenderly nudge us or brush our faces against ours as if they understand. And when we are happy, they mimic our excitement with mirror reactions all their own.

These sweet, extended family members are known to lower stress, tension and even blood pressure. And it’s no wonder — they never refuse our requests, they compliment us with their adoration and they’ll follow us to the ends of the Earth if necessary.

You see, being the “mom” of two Chinese Sharpies, in addition to two “Heinz-57″ Rottweiller/Shepherd mixes, I’ve discovered the true and priceless value of a dog’s companionship and love.

During moments of sorrow, happiness and even depression, I’ve found that when we’re at our worst, our four-legged “children” are there not only to enhance our lives but to extend our longevity as well.

From recorded days of ancient history, dogs have been man’s best friend. Always assisting — love unwavering. Mutually, we care for them for their material needs, but return benefits last a lifetime. Thus is the reason dogs are utilized for so many venues - from assisting the blind, the disabled and now therapeutic hospital visitations that promote help in healing

If you have one of these fury sidekicks, realize they are just like children. Their spirits are broken easily. Love them for who they are, what they are and just maybe, you will be rewarded with the greatest gift in return…an extended lease on life.

© Loyal Companions Promote Longevity
All Rights Reserved
by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations’ Director &
Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners, Massage Therapy Schools, Healing Arts Schools, Alternative Health Education, Insightful Literature and so much more!!

About the Author

C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations’ Director &
Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners, Healing Arts Schools, Alternative Health Education, Insightful Literature and so much more!!

Love Is Not the End But Beginning

Scott had to turn his head away while the needle penetrated; with a sobering voice, he kept saying, “I am sorry; I am so sorry.” As soon as he returned home from the vet, this six-foot-two-tall man collapsed into tears after putting Jackie, his kitty cat to sleep.
Jackie had not cleaned himself or eaten for two days. Scott noticed that he had a hair ball in his mouth, as he looked closer, he found out it was blood. After that he rushed Jackie to the vet and discovered Jackie had cancer under his tongue. There was not much Scott could do except put him to sleep.
Linda just got back home, after saying a quick hi to Scott, she started to look for Jackie, “Come on baby, Mommy is home, where are you Jackie?” Well…she cried four days after she was told that Jackie was put to sleep.
It was a true story; the reason I brought this up is because often times, we take relationships for granted and fail to cherish what we have until it is too late.

Love and figures
Love is a universal language. It is perhaps one of the most popular words we use on a daily basis, each day there are over 20,000[1] people searching for love.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, if you are in your 20’s and you are single male, then you are more likely to look for love.
While more and more people say I do at a later age[2], pet ownership is increasing. A recent survey conducted by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), in 1988, the first year survey was conducted, 56% of U.S. households own a pet compared to the 63% present day.”

Lasting Bonds
The simple truth is that Americans live far more than subsistent; we often lost the touch of our inner self. In this nothing is built to last era, the human-pet bond relationship becomes stronger in Americans’ lives than many realize. More empty nesters, young couples or single professionals are substituting children with a pet.

A recent survey conducted by the American Veterinary Medical Association, “The strong growth in the industry demonstrates what an important role pets are playing in the lives of Americans…they have become a part of the family.”

Another survey conducted by the APPMA, revealed 57% would prefer their pet as their only companion if they were stranded on a desert island. It is not uncommon for a pet owner to call back home and leave messages on the answering machine while they are away, or saying “I love you” to their pets several times a day.

Some pet owners are willing to reach deep down into their pocket to have a birthday party for their pets; others will send their pet for a massage session. To some, these behaviors may seem “queer” and some even wonder why people would do so much for their pets.

The reality
Pets offer far more than return, they greet us at our ups and downs, waiting faithfully behind that closed door day in and day out. Unfortunately, their love for us can’t even earn them a permanent space in our heart.
According to The Human Society of the United States (HSUS), 6-8 million of our furry friends end up in shelters, and about 50% of them are euthanized. As one of the richest and so-called-animal loving nation, we really need to look at statistics seriously.

Learn to love
Each day some are loosing their loves, while many are looking for new love all in the wrong places. Single ads are flowing just about everywhere and anywhere, how many of us have realized and cherish our best friend(s) - the inspiring, fascinating, and more importantly, adorable friend who providing nothing but unconditional love.
Love is a lesson and a long time commitment. Learn to love your best friend(s) with all your heart and with devotion because to them, the bond between you and him/her can be best describes as “for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, to love and until death do us apart.”

Footnotes:
[1] Figure obtained from the Web CEO.
[2] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “the proportion of women 20 to 24 years old who had never married more than doubled between 1970 and 2003 — from 36 percent to 75 percent. Changes were also dramatic for men — the corresponding rate for men in this age group increased from 55 percent to 86 percent.”

About the Author

Pamela is an animal lover, also owner of the PetAdorn, an online pet store specializes in products such as dog hats, hair accessories, barrettes clip, apparel and costumes in sports, holiday, and patriotic themes.

Ten Steps To A Well Optimized Website - Step 9: Monitori

Welcome to part nine in this search engine positioning series. Last week we discussed the important topic of link building. In part nine we will be covering the monitoring and the various areas you should consider and tools you may want to use.

While this area isn’t directly related to attaining higher rankings it is definitely equally important. Once you’ve got good rankings your competitors are going to work to beat you out. You have to keep on top of it to insure you maintain your top positions.

Over this series we will cover the ten key aspects to a solid search engine positioning campaign.

The Ten Steps We Will Go Through Are:

1. Keyword Selection
2. Content Creation
3. Site Structure
4. Optimization
5. Internal Linking
6. Human Testing
7. Submissions
8. Link Building
9. Monitoring
10. The Extras

Step Nine - Monitoring

After days, weeks, or perhaps even months of researching, optimizing, proofing and link building you’ve got your website into the top positions. First thing’s first: congratulations! It’s no easy task to get your site where you got it and you deserve a break. Take a week off and don’t look at your site, at the very least this’ll let you come back at it again with fresher eyes - at best it’ll give you time to spend with those who missed you during your obsession with your site and rankings. But don’t take too long … your competition is right on your heals.

As important as the first eight steps were to getting you the rankings, so to is this step that will help you keep those rankings. There are three basic yet critical steps to the monitoring process. They are:

1. Monitoring your rankings
2. Monitoring links
3. Monitoring changes in the search engine environment

Monitoring Your Rankings

There are a number of ways that you can monitor your rankings. You can run the searches manually, you can use software to check your rankings or you can use online services to check your rankings. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

Checking Manually

Advantage - You will be able to visually confirm the results and also you will remain in full compliance with the search engine’s rules governing use of their systems including the use of automated rank-checking software.

Disadvantage - This method for checking rankings can be extremely time consuming is checking for multiple phrases across multiple engines. If you are targeting 20 phrases and want to check your rankings across the top ten engines and know when you’re places as far down as position 50 you will have to check up to 1000 different pages for your site.

Rank-checking Software

Advantage - This method for checking your rankings is extremely efficient. With software such as WebPosition Gold you simply enter the keywords you are targeting, the engines you want to check for results on, and how deep you want it to go. After that it’s a matter of running the program and doing some other work or grab a coffee while you await the results.

Disadvantage - This software often violates the search engines rules regarding the use of their systems by running a large number of searches. If you are going to use this type of software please set the software to run courteously (a setting you will find in the options) and register for Google’s Web API which will allow you to legitimately run 1000 automated queries per day.

Online Services

Advantage - It is much faster than checking manually and doesn’t have the cost associated with it that software does. An example of an online rank checking tool can be found at http://www.mikes-marketing-tools.com/ranking-reports/.
Disadvantage - It is still far more time consuming than automated software and over a few months you will have made up the money spent on the software in time saved by using it. Also, I’m a bit paranoid when it comes to entering detailed info regarding my SEO sites and targeted keywords. I’m not a fan of anything that requires me to give my targeted phrases and URL to another marketing site. But maybe that’s just me.

Monitoring Links

Monitoring your links is equally important to attaining them. When you were first starting your SEO and link-building you probably checked to see how many links your main competitors had and built more. So what makes you think they haven’t been building more links since then.

It’s a good practice to schedule weekly checks of how many backlinks you have detected by the major search engines and also check to see how many your main competitors have. If you document the results on an ongoing basis you will be able to note whether theirs are growing or not.

While you should always be generating more inbound links for your site whether
you see your competitors doing so or not, knowing when they are and where they are can give you a solid advantage in reacting to this new threat. Remember, as hard as you worked for your positioning, so too with others.

There are software and online services to check for links however the only one I would recommend has nothing to do with its link number abilities. As noted in previous articles, Top Optimizer Pro is the link-building tool I would most highly recommend. On top of giving you the number of links your competitors have it will tell you what the anchor text is, what the PageRank is of those links, and more. It will even help you find link partners.

Monitoring Changes In The Search Environment

The last thing you will have to monitor is for changes with the search engines themselves. First of all, with changes such as MSN’s upcoming shift from providing results based on Inktomi to providing their own results, you will want to know when this happens and what to expect when it does. Additionally, you will want to know when changes are occurring in the search engine algorithms, when major ones take place, and what those changes are.

This is why there are full-time SEOs. To monitor all of these things can be very time-consuming however assuming that you have the time and inclination here are some resources to help you keep on top if it all:

Newsletters

SEO newsletters can definitely help keep you on top of what’s going on however you have to know who to listen to. Here are a few from people/organizations I have found worthy of my respect (not to say these are the only ones but I can’t list everyone here so I’m listing the three top SEO newsletters).

Climbing The Beanstalk - Beanstalk Search Engine Positioning’s own bi-weekly newsletter. Of course we have to include it and if you’re enjoying this article and the ones before it you’re likely enjoy the newsletter as well. You can find the subscription box in the right-hand navigation.

ISEDB Newsletter - a weekly newsletter with links to a variety of articles. Gives a very balanced look at search engines, what’s going on, and SEO tactics. Subscription can be found at the bottom of the homepage.

High Rankings Advisor - a newsletter put out by Jill Whalen. I may not agree with everything she writes but she knows what she’s taking about and is definitely worth reading. She gives a balanced look at SEO in easy-to-understand terminology.

Forums

Forums are perhaps one of the best places to find up-to-date information on the search engines. Because they are updated constantly and by numerous individuals you will have the benefit of many opinions and perspectives. The downfall is you have to know whom you can trust and who’s knowledgeable. Some quality forums can be found at:

• Web Pro World
• SEO Chat
• Search Guild
• High Rankings
• Li’l Engine

There are of course tons of other resources out there and you’ll just have to keep hunting until you find them all (or subscribe to some newsletters and ask in some forums where you might find additional information).

Next Week
Next week in part ten of our “Ten Steps To An Optimized Website” series we will be covering the extras not mentioned in earlier parts. This isn’t simply checking the rankings of your primary phrase every now and then but a scheduled check of all the key components on your optimization and search engine positioning efforts.

Dave Davies is the owner of Beanstalk Search Engine Positioning. He has been optimizing and ranking websites for over three years and has a solid history of success. Dave is available to answer any questions that you may have about your website and how to get it into the top positions on the major search engines. Read Dave’s other search engine positioning articles.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dave Davies and Beanstalk offer guaranteed search engine positioning. He has been optimizing and ranking websites for over three years and has a solid history of success.

How To Use Smart Horse Training To Stop Your Horse From Buck

It can be enormously frightening to be on a bucking horse. If you’re a novice rider, a bucking horse can almost force you to give up the “owning a horse” dream. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I’ve read where people who can ride a bucking horse feel they’re a good rider. That may be. But it doesn’t mean they’re good at training. And training is what we want to do.

Preventing bucking begins when the horse is a colt. One must go to every extent in his training so he won’t be inclined to buck - and that includes preventing bucking if he tries.

Naturally, that doesn’t help you if your horse bucks already. Thus, if your horse bucks then the question is whether or not it is solvable. The answer is: Usually.

The first thing to do is try and figure out why he bucks. This may be done by trying to eliminate the causes.

As a for instance, one of the most common causes of bucking is that the rider punishes the horse’s mouth without knowing it. Also, he may be giving the horse conflicting aids. For instance, the rider may boot his horse forward and jerk on the reins to slow him down. Then the rider jerks his head around to turn him. As the horse fights this the rider gets mad and boots him hard again.

Finally, the horse bucks. Why? Because he’s absolutely frustrated.

Thus, fixing your riding habits to ones that make sense and are thoughtful for your horse will solve that problem. If you’re a novice rider then riding lessons will help you immensely.

As you ride, ride relaxed. Focus on the feel of your horse. Give him the aid or signal to do what you want. Don’t over exaggerate it. Give just enough signal to get him doing what you want then let it be.

If you plan to put him into a lope from a walk or trot, or vice versa, then think ahead and do it in a relaxed fluid manner. Don’t surprise or startle your horse. Keep him relaxed. A relaxed horse is not going to buck.

Another solution may be changing bits. If you are using a curb bit perhaps you should try going to a snaffle. A snaffle is easier on a horse’s mouth. It will still maintain contact with your horse and help him relax.

Another common time a horse bucks is when the rider asks the horse to canter or lope. A horse will sometimes buck in the canter because it’s natural for him to. It could also happen if the rider signals his horse too suddenly and severely in asking for the canter.

You see, a lot of people think they have to boot their horse hard to get the canter- - and when they do, they jerk on the horse’s mouth when they boot him. Or, the rider may ride with loose reins so the horse will canter and then jerk his mouth to try and slow the horse down right when he begins cantering.

I don’t know if you spotted it yet but what’s happening here is that the horse is getting confused. Not only that, it’s also hurting the horse.

After all, put yourself in your horse’s place. If you were asked to canter and the second you did you felt a painful jerk on your mouth…wouldn’t you be a little upset? And if it happened every time, wouldn’t you think to yourself, “I gotta get this jerk off my back - he’s killin’ me!”

Now let’s say you don’t know why your horse is bucking. Let’s assume your riding habits are good and your horse bucks anyway.

Here are some helpful suggestions.

First, if your horse bucks you then it is crucial you don’t stop him. If you do, he learns that if he wants to stop all he has to do is buck. Very quickly, you’ll have a smart horse who knows that to stop he only has to buck.

So, instead of stopping, do this.

First, brace your arms against your body yet keep them relaxed and keep contact with your horse. While doing this, lean back and drive your horse to go forward. (Making a horse go forward is a big horse training secret to help you get your horse’s cooperation and obedience.)

Because you brace your arms, it makes your horse’s head go up and driving him forward makes his attempts at bucking hard enough he’ll quit trying to buck. The point is the horse cannot buck when he is moving forward with energy.

The next step is you must continue moving your horse forward with energy using your seat and legs until he quits trying to buck - be sure to control his speed.

Sometimes it’s necessary to hold your horse’s head up to stop the bucking while moving him forward. If you need to do that then be sure not to pull his head back. Instead pull it up. You do that by extending your arms and pull up.

If you have a horse that bucks whenever he feels like it then he should be doubled. The trick is to do it on the first buck if you can. Double him then boot him out of it with energy. Then double him the other way and boot him out of it and put him in a trot and make him keep moving.

Remember the horse must slow down to buck. If you can tell your horse is slowing down and getting ready to buck then boot him forward and pick up the pace.

About the Author

Andy Curry is a nationally known horse trainer and author
of several best selling horse training and horse care books.
For information visit his website at www.horsetrainingandtips.com.
He is also the leading expert on Jesse Beery’s horse training
methods which can be seen at www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.htm

How To Train An Abused Dog

Many people who’ve adopted older dogs– especially stray dogs or dogs from the animal shelter– assume that their dog has been abused in the past.

So, how do you train an abused dog?

Let’s get right to the heart of the matter and state that– in order to learn how to train an abused dog, we need to first define what an abused dog is:

Of course, there are all types of different abuse. Everything from a dog being hit with a hammer to a dog simply being left and ignored in the back yard for months or years can constitute abuse.

But for the purposes of this article, we’re going to define an abused dog as any dog that shows specific signs of extreme timidity in response to regular behavior by you. I.E., Petting, grooming, feeding, walking, etc…

These are what you might call “high-functioning” abused dogs. In contrast to dogs that have been used (for example) in laboratory experiments. Or dogs that have been physically scarred and wounded. Working with such dogs is (or should be) clearly outside of the scope of this article.

So– How do you work with a “high functioning” abused dog? And how do you teach your dog to relax and enjoy life?

The answer can be found in starting obedience training along the lines of the principles I’ve outlined in my book (which you can read more about at): http://www.dogproblems.com/secretsbook.htm

I can hear it already, “But Adam–you advocate using a leash and training collar when you train a dog, and my little, shy “Muffy” already wets himself when I bend over to pet him…

[ALERT: I’m about to make a broad GENERALIZATION:]

In general, most “high functioning” abused dogs continue to display timid behavior because they are unclear as to when they’re doing the RIGHT thing and when they are doing the WRONG thing.

If you follow my approach to dog training, your dog quickly learns– or more specifically, you learn– how to communicate with your dog in a way that will make him relax and know when he’s doing something wrong and when he’s doing something right.

And what I’ve found with these dogs is that they quickly learn to become much more confident and self-assured through the process. Why? Because when you use intelligent dog training techniques, your dog is now clear about what’s going to happen and when, in a world he formerly had no guidance or clear leadership. He learns what is good behavior and what is bad behavior–instead of having to guess!

—————————————————–
You read that right: The #1 Reason That Dogs Who’ve Been Abused In The Past Continue To Show Extreme Timid Behavior Is Because They Are Confused.
—————————————————–

Once your learn how to communicate with your dog, and take away the confusion, you will see all the extreme timid behavior disappear! And the way to do this is to start intelligent obedience training.

“But should I use the leash and collar to correct my dog, if he’s got such a soft temperament?”

The answer is: Yes.

Which begs the question of how firmly you should correct your dog–which is something that differs from dog to dog.

Here’s a hint: You’ll figure it out by practicing with your dog. (If you haven’t already, please review the: Three Keys To Successful Behavior Modification chapter in my book). However, the issue is not “Should I correct a dog that has been abused in the past” but rather “When I’m communicating to my dog when he’s done something incorrectly–how firmly should I correct him?”

And the answer to this question is: Only firmly enough to extinguish the unwanted behavior and communicate to the dog that he shouldn’t do it again. Like I mentioned: You’ll learn this by practicing with your dog. If you employ the concepts of timing, consistency and motivation–you’ll have nothing to worry about and your dog will gain confidence and self-assuredness from your efforts.
About the Author

Adam G. Katz is the author of the book, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider’s Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History.” Get a free copy of his report “Games To Play With Your Dog” when you sign up for his free weekly dog training tips e-zine at: http://www.dogproblems.com

“How To Keep Your Cat Healthy - Your Guide to Cat Diseases a

Even with the best care, cats can become ill. Sometimes this means a simple “kitty cold,” at other times the disease might have a more lasting or even fatal result. The following are some of the more common causes of serious illness in cats.

An upper respiratory infection (URI) is the medical term for what many cat lovers call a “kitty cold.” Indeed, the symptoms match those of a human cold, sneezing and discharge from the nose. While they seem similar, the human and cat version of this infection are different, and one species cannot be infected by the other. However, URI is highly contagious among cats. If you have a multi-cat household and notice URI symptoms, isolate the cat immediately.

The best treatment for URI is time and loving care. Use a warm, moist cloth to keep your cat’s eyes and nose free of discharge. You might need to warm her food to enhance the smell to encourage your cat to eat.

URI symptoms, which include a decreased appetite, can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Watch your cat carefully; not eating or drinking can lead to dehydration. Also, if your cat becomes extremely lethargic, it may mean the URI has turned into something more serious.

The symptoms of URI may last a few days to several weeks. Cats with URI may also be lethargic and have a decreased appetite. Monitor the cat carefully; a growing lack of appetite and fever can lead to dehydration. Not eating can lead to liver problems. Lethargy can mean a minor URI has become a more serious problem, such as pneumonia. If you notice this occurring, or if the discharge becomes very thick and yellowish-green, contact your veterinarian. Severe URIs may need to be treated with antibiotics.

Chlamydia is a type of bacteria that has many variations. Usually, each variant is species specific; feline Chlamydia is not transmitted to humans. In cats, the bacteria usually infects the eye, causing conjunctivitis. Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics.

Symptoms of Feline Chlamydia

* Anorexia (loss of appetite; may occur as the disease progresses)
* Coughing
* Difficulty breathing
* Fever (may occur as the disease progresses)
* Pneumonia (in young kittens 2 to 4 weeks old, which could be fatal)
* Runny nose (rhinitis)
* Sneezing
* Watery eyes due to conjunctivitis (either one or both eyes)

Panleukopenia is a condition in which a cat’s white blood cell count drops dramatically. Since white blood cells are vital to the cat’s defense against disease, this condition leaves cats vulnerable to deadly infections. The virus is transmitted via body secretions. Feces are particularly common transmitters. It can be carried in water or on shoes.

Panleukopenia is often referred to as a number of different terms, such as

* Panleukopenia (often shortened to “Panleuk” in verbal discussion)
* FPV (Feline Panleukopenia Virus OR Feline Parvo Virus)
* FP (Feline Panleukopenia)
* Feline Distemper
* Feline Infectious Enteritis
* Feline Infectious Gastroenteritis
* Feline Agranulocytosis
* Cat Plague
* Cat fever
* Show fever
* Psuedomembranous Enteritis
* Maladie du jeune chat
* Feline Typhus
* Feline Tyfoid
* Colibacillosis
* Agranulocytosis

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) causes a variety of diseases, one of which is leukemia, or cancer of the white blood cells. Infected cats often appear healthy in the early stages of the disease. The illness may take months or years to cause death. For a long time, FeLV was the most fatal disease among cats. Today, although vaccinations are available to protect cats from this disease, it continues to be a leading cause of death, as there is no treatment.

FeLV is usually transmitted through cat fighting with each other. Because large quantities of the FeLV are shed in puncture wounds and cat saliva associated with fighting result in the injection of PeLV into other cats. Other less frequent routes of viral spread include sharing food and water bowls, cats grooming each other, and transmission from mother to kittens before birth.

About the Author

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How to Increase Your Fishkeeping Fun

Do you really get the fullest amount of enjoyment out of your fish?, or is it hampered by little worries and anxieties?

Do you sometimes worry that you may be spending too much time with your fish? I often hear people remark that although they enjoy their hobby, the routine maintenance tasks involved detract from the fun.

In this month's feature we will explore how we can increase our fun by maybe taking a different approach to those mundane activities that are so essential if we are to keep our fish in tip top condition.

Create a plan

When you get some time to spend with your hobby do you go through a sort of mental conflict wondering what to do?… and when you finally do decide, half of your time has gone already.

WELL…you are not on your own, most aquarists share the same dilemma. BUT… it is possible to overcome this problem, to even double your fishkeeping enjoyment. HOW? Well, certainly not by adding more tanks or even devoting more time to your hobby… the answer lies in a change of mental outlook, a change of approach.

Have you ever noticed that some people always seem to be on top of their work?, how their fish rooms and tanks are always tidy? how they always seem to have lots of time to enjoy their hobby? Yet others never get a minute to live, they always seem to have lots to do and yet nothing seems to get done.The most important ingredient in our formula for increased fishkeeping fun is planning.

Most of us lead busy lives, holding down a full-time job, and taking care of family commitments etc. Without a plan it is all too easy to put off our fish maintenance tasks until another day when life is a litle less hectic. Unfortunately, more often than not life doesn't get less hectic and our maintenance jobs build up until our tank(s) become dirty and our fish begin to suffer.

That's when the pressure starts to build.

Include the family

This can be particularly difficult when your partner doesn't share your love and enthusiasm for the hobby. It is only natural that they will have different priorities for your time than you and if harmony is to be maintained then some sort of agreement must be reached. Having a plan that includes both the family needs and your hobby needs goes a long way to ensuring that everyone's needs are satisfied. The biggest obstacle to overcome in any hobby is distraction. It is very tempting when we have the time to spend with our fish to waste that time on trivial matters or even just admiring our fish.

Now don't get me wrong… I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't take time to admire our fish, after all that is the reason we started keeping fish in the first place. What I am suggesting is that there are probably more suitable times to sit and admire our fish. We can fit in time for that when we are relaxing with the family, for instance.

What I am saying is that during those precious occassions when we can devote some dedicated time to maintenance, we should concentrate just on maintenance activities.The most important ingredient to making the best of our valuable time is one of mental outlook and organisation. Clear thinking about your fish is the key to getting maximum pleasure. No matter what your hobby or interest is, there can be no pleasure in it if it causes anxiety and frustration. Your hobby will only be pleasurable if it brings you satisfaction and relaxation.

Be realistic

Ask yourself … is your thinking absolutely clear about your fishkeeping? Perhaps when you get some time one evening get a pencil and paper and make a few notes along these lines. Have you ever considered how much time and money you can afford to spend on the hobby? Give it some thought and write it down. You might think, for example, ……I can afford to work 2 evenings a week, 3 hours each evening and 5 hours every other saturday. ……I can afford to spend £10 a month or £20 a month. Be as specific as possible even though any one week may have to be changed. The main thing is to have a clear idea of time and money commitment. These will be different for every aquarist, of course. The important thing is that they are commitments that you are comfortable with.

One of the common traps that many of us fall into is letting our hobby get out of hand. We become involved with fishkeeping, either through a visit to a garden centre, pet shop or through a friend and set up a tank in our lounge. Before long the bug has taken hold and we introduce another tank, then another and before we know it we find we can't cope with the water changing and cleaning the glass etc. that we have to do just to be able to see the fish!

One of the interim steps that we might have to consider is shutting down one or more of our tanks, maybe just as a temporary measure until we get better organised.

Next…

The next step is to set a specific objective for yourself and your fishkeeping. This is not necessarily one to be achieved immediately but it must be specific.

“To keep and breed every species of fish” is possibly a dream of many breeders but hardly a specific objective. When setting your specific objective, keep within your time and money commitment. The great thing about fishkeeping is the wide range of possible goals you could pursue. If you are a fish breeder for instance, you could specialise in one fish and set a goal for a breeding programme. If you are not a breeder but enjoy collecting you could possibly try to collect every species within a genus. Whatever your interest make sure you narrow it down to a specific objective, one that is practical within your time and money objective. It could be “Collect as many species of Dwarf Cichlids as possible”, “Develop a strain of albino Discus” or set up a tank housing only the species from a particular geographical area - a Madagascar tank for instance.

Having decided… think about your first step towards achieving this goal. This is your short term goal, something to be achieved in the near future.”Find a good source of dwarf cichlids and buy one pair” or “Keep adult discus alive for x months”.

Give some thought to it but having decided write it down and remember your previous decisions all the time.

OK, Next Step…

With your new goal in mind, go and look at your set up. Ask yourself - “does everything in my current set up contribute towards my short term goal?” The answer will almost certainly be NO.There will probably be odds and ends of fish and equipment that have nothing to do with your goal. NOW comes the hardest bit….Everything that does not contribute to your goal should be sold or traded in and the proceeds put towards your objective. When you have achieved this you could well find that you have doubled your tank space without buying a single tank!!….

NEXT

Create a list of priorities

Most aquarists have regular jobs that they do over and over again. Daily jobs. Yet we regularly waste a lot of time deciding what to do, often every day. I'm sure many of you can relate to the scenario;

You get home from work, take care of the immediate priorities, sit down to dinner, finishing at 7.00 pm. Perhaps you now have 2 hours to spend with your fish. So you now go through the decision making sequence of what to do tonight. We can lose 15 valuable minutes each time we stop to decide what to do next.

How can we overcome this? As we have identified above most aquarists have routine jobs plus a few special ones. Keeping in mind our short term goals, write down each job on a separate piece of card.

For example a fish breeder might list the following 7 items:

Feed fish
Expand set-up
Cull young fish and move into a larger tank
Clean filters
Set out new pairs to spawn
Check for disease; treat any observed
Check water; change if necessary

This is not a complete list, of course, you will probably end up with one much longer but 7 items will do for our example of how to set priorities.

Now look at the list and re-arrange the items something like this: Any disease can spread quickly and if left untreated could wipe out your entire tank - it only takes a minute.

Make a visual check for unusual behaviour…hanging in corners…clamped fins…scratching etc

So No. 1 on our list is: 1. Check for disease

Look at the remaining list. What should you do next? Feed the fish? Well…maybe…but would you put food in a cloudy tank??

No, so it is best to check the water and if cloudy, change some water.

So No. 2 on our list is: 2. Check water - change if necessary

You may ask, would you change water before cleaning/changing the filters? Yes, I would. It is important to remove dissolved solids and waste (bacteria) in suspension which can create harmful nitrite before changing the filter media where wastes are being partly broken down anyway. It is important to change the filter media as time permits but not before water changes in my opinion.

We mentioned feeding the fish above and this is very important and only items 1 and 2 above should come before it.

So our No. 3 is: 3. Feed the fish

Followed by: 4. Clean the filters

Now the last three.

-Cull young
-Set out new pairs
-Expand set-up

Having completed this exercise we now have a priority list to work from. Having set that up, whenever we get a few minutes to spend with our fish we start at the top of the list and work our way through.

Check for disease; treat any necessary
Check water; change if necessary
Feed fish
Clean filters
Cull young fish and move into a larger tank
Set out new pairs to spawn
Expand set up

We have removed the delays caused by having to decide what to do each time. In the 15 minutes that we may have wasted trying to decide what to do we could be halfway down our list. The priority list will be different for every aquarist but the principle will be the same.

Finally….make a habit of keeping a diary of all your fishkeeping activities. This will provide valuable information on frequency of activities and when things like water changes are due. Time has a habit of going so quickly that several weeks can pass since our last water change but without having notes to refer to it may, and often does, seem like last week.

Create your plan, work to it and replace the anxiety with pleasure.

Happy Fishkeeping!

Copyright © 2005 Pet Fish World and Trevor Greenfield

About Trevor: Trevor Greenfield has been keeping and breeding tropical fish for over 30 years. He has held committee posts for several fishkeeping clubs and associations and was a founder member and is the current secretary of the British Cichlid Association (http://www.britishcichlid.com). He is author of numerous articles on keeping and breeding tropical fish and editor and regular contributor to Pet Fish World. You will find more articles and useful links at petfishworld.com.

How To Housebreak Your Dog…Even If It’s Still A Puppy.

The one unpleasant aspect of owning any puppy is the job of housebreaking. As cute as puppies are, each must be trained but remember that every puppy will conquer housebreaking although at a different rate. While some dog breeds can be housebroken in a very short amount of time, other breeds can be quite challenging.
Paper Training
Paper training or using commercially made training pads should be avoided. While this method of training has long been promoted as being easy and successful, the truth is that it teaches the puppy that going potty indoors is acceptable. Instead of encouraging the puppy to go outside, it actually causes confusion. Therefore, you should consider paper training as a last resort.
Crate Training
Using a crate to potty train your new puppy is an excellent and very effective method. With crate training, your puppy will, in time learn to wait to do its business outdoors. It is important to remember that puppies, just like babies, have very small bladders. For this reason, getting your puppy to wait through the night without needing to go outside will take a few months. This is normal and requires patience, love, and support on your part. With crate training, the right type of behavior is encouraged in your new puppy.
Schedule
Regardless of the breed, with dedication and a lot of patience, your puppy will learn the rules. Keep in mind that age does play a role in how easy your dog will complete the process. Since a small puppy eats more meals than an adult dog does, you can expect more trips outside. For this reason, you will need to set up a schedule that coordinates with the puppy’s age.

Typically, a small puppy will need to go outside about every two to three hours. Although you will need to establish your own schedule, the following is what you might expect during the potty training period.

7:00 a.m. - Take the puppy outside immediately after waking up
7:15 a.m. - Feed and water the puppy inside a crate large enough for the puppy to move around
7:45 a.m. - Take the puppy outside to go potty
11:45 a.m. - Take the puppy outside to go potty
12:00 p.m. - Feed and water the puppy inside its crate
12:45 p.m. - Take the puppy outside to go potty

Around this time, your puppy will be tired and in need of a nap. Gently place your puppy inside the crate. To make it feel more comfortable and secure, add in an old sweatshirt of cozy blanket, a couple of soft toys, and then allow the puppy to rest for about an hour. Chances are that you will not need to coax it much since puppies sleep often. Remember, this schedule is to encourage a pattern, making potty training easier.

2:30 p.m. - Take the puppy outside to go potty
4:30 p.m. - Take the puppy outside to go potty
5:00 p.m. - Feed and water the puppy inside the crate
5:30 p.m. - Take the puppy outside to go potty

About an hour after your puppy has had dinner, take it for a short walk and then spend quality time playing and enjoying it. This quality time will help build the bond and a relationship of trust, which only helps to strengthen the desire of the puppy to please its master. In addition, playtime is excellent for socializing the puppy while helping it sleep longer during the night.

7:30 p.m. - Remove the puppy’s water and any food for the night
8:30 p.m. - Take the puppy outside to go potty
9:30 p.m. - Put the puppy in the crate to sleep

More than likely, your new puppy will not be able to go all night without taking care of business. Listen for any restlessness or whining, a sure sign that the puppy needs to go outside. While the process can be inconvenient and tiresome since you never know what time the puppy will awaken, with consistency, your puppy will learn much quicker.

Remember, if the puppy should have an accident in its crate, never administer punishment - it was just an accident. Most puppies that mess in their cage feel embarrassed and ashamed. If your puppy has an accident, take it outside anyway so the association is reinforced. Then, clean the crate, add fresh bedding, and again, tuck the little one in for the night.
Word Association
During the potty training process, your puppy will begin to give you some kind of signal that it needs to go outside to potty. Your job is to learn those signals and the sooner the better. You may notice your puppy walking in circles, walking toward the door, sitting and staring at you, pawing at you, sniffing the ground, and so on.

When you see your puppy giving the signal that it is about to go potty indoors you need to say to it with a firm voice “NO!” In addition, you will need to establish one word or phrase that will be used to make the outside association. For instance, when you notice your puppy giving the signal, say “no”. Then, use your command, which could be something like “Let’s go potty” or “Potty time”.

With that, pick the puppy up and take it outdoors. Soon, your puppy will begin to respond to that command and know what it means. Sometimes a puppy gets outdoors and forgets about going potty. After all, there are squirrels to chase, leaves to sniff, and flowers to investigate. To help your puppy concentrate on the reason for being outside at that moment, you will need another command.

In this case, you could use words like, “Go potty” or “Do your business.” For quick and complete success, make sure that every time your puppy goes outside, the same command is used. This consistency is establishing the appropriate behavior. While it will take you hundreds of times before your puppy gets it, with persistence and patience, you puppy will catch on. After your puppy finishes going potty, provide lots of praise.
Supervision
Another key to successful housebreaking a puppy is making sure you supervise it at all times. While this can be challenging, at first when your puppy is very small, keep it in sight. This way, your puppy will not have the opportunity to sneak off to potty in other rooms of the house. If necessary, you can set up a baby or doggie playpen if you are busy. For example, while cooking dinner, you can use baby gates to keep the puppy in the same room with you or while taking a bath, place the puppy in the crate or playpen. Remember, this is only temporary.
Indoor Accidents
Your puppy will have accidents indoors so expect it. The key is to catch the puppy in the act. As an example, if you have stepped out of the room only to come back a few minutes later to find a wet spot on the floor, correcting at that time is useless. Whatever you do, NEVER rub your dog’s nose in its potty. Not only is this unhealthy, it is demeaning and guaranteed not to accomplish a thing.

Since puppies often forget quickly, punishing five minutes after the fact only confuses the puppy, which can create an entire new array of problems. Remember, you want your puppy to trust you so it has to understand the punishment. If you do find a wet spot, use hot soapy water or carpet cleaner specialized for puppy accidents, cleaning the area thoroughly. Then, sprinkle or spray on a neutralizing deodorant. Although you can buy a number of products on the market, a mixture of 50/50 vinegar and water works quite well.
Physical Problems
On rare occasion, puppies can have some type of physical problem that inhibits them from being potty trained. Problems such as bladder infection or behavioral issues caused by stress are common causes for a puppy being slow in the potty training department. Therefore, if it seems that your puppy is having trouble going potty outdoors, keep an eye on the situation. If the problem continues, have it checked by your veterinarian.

One other consideration is that dogs that have not yet been spayed or neutered have a higher probability of going inside. With potty training, it is not an overnight fix. Puppies take tremendous time and responsibility to train. The good news is that once the training is complete, you have an amazing friend for many years to come.

About the Author

Jake Berlin is the webmaster of Easy-Dog-Training.com, where you can learn how to put an end to the stress and annoyance of your dog’s behavior problems…And slash your dog obedience training time in half by using techniques that give you immediate results!!