Are you looking for some excellent food for your bird feeder? Did you know that bugs are delicious bits of food for birds, and that there are very few birds that don’t eat insects? Even birds that are classified as seed-eating or nectar-sipping will gobble up insects in a minute. Technically speaking though, spiders and earthworms are not considered to be insects but are on the main menu of many birds. When it comes to wild birds such as starlings or grackles, they eat tremendous numbers of wasps, spiders, ants and many others including grubs. So every time you set your bird feeder out or fill it up, you can rest assured that when a huge flock descends on your yard you’ll be certain to have fewer insects when the birds are gone. During the nesting season, insects are hatching all over the place, eating your flowers, fruits, and vegetables and everything else in sight, and they grow very quickly. This is the best time of the year for all of your local birds.

To balance a birds see diet, these young bugs and their parents provide your feathered friends with a quick, protein-filled meal for their young nestlings. After all, in addition to a bird feeder that is full of seeds, growing baby birds need soft squishy insects full of energy.

Did you know that humming birds eat small spiders and then use their webs to build their tiny nests and lay their eggs? There are so many fascinating things that we don’t know about the bird world, even those right in our own local neighborhood. If you watch birds in your yard around bird feeders or just on the ground, you will soon see that different birds find insects in various ways. Using the Internet for all of your birdseed and bird supply requirements is one way to save money.

By Terry Price- Remember to visit http://www.pet-supply-discount.com/bird-feeders.html for a great resource on all kinds of bird feeders and bird supplies.

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Yorkies are one of the worlds smallest dogs. Although their origins are uncertain, many experts believe they were probably developed by the working men of North England who bred them to catch rats in the mine shafts. They were also used in hunting to penetrate into fox and badger burrows. The first Yorkies were much bigger than the tiny dogs we see today. They were made into a fashion dog by selective breeding throughout the years.

Besides their obvious small size Yorkshire Terriers are eager sweet natured dogs. They are very energetic and adventurous. They are also known to be very intelligent, cunning and stubborn. This explains why they may be hard to house break. Although, most Yorkies are less than 7 lbs, dont be fooled! This tiny dog can pack a powerful punch. The Yorkie is known to be a great watch dog and may snap is surprised or provoked.

Some Yorkies, like many smaller dogs, are prone to early tooth decay. Feeding them dry food can help keep their teeth strong and healthy. Also, although the teacup sizes are all the rage, they are prone to having serious behavior and health problems.

All in all, these tiny characters can catch a mouse, defend a home and be a fashionista all in the same day.

Nikki Carroll mother father of four dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters

Visit Elizabeth Austin for Wholesale Dog Clothes and Wholesale Pet Supplies

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You know the scenario. You come home and your dog has made a mess on the rug, or chewed the corner off the coffee table, or eaten the lasagna you had sitting on top of the stove to cool. You immediately give your dog the eye and, not surprisingly, he gets that guilt-striken look on his face and starts slinking away.

A-ha! you exclaim, You know what you did! You just couldn’t help yourself, and now you feel guilty!

Going with the moment, you punish your dog with a swat to the head with a newspaper, or a stern No! Bad dog! Baaaaaad dog! You don’t eat food off the counter! Or maybe you even banish him to another room with the door shut, to really show him who’s boss. He knew what he did, you think afterwards, feeling confident that you taught him a lesson he won’t soon forget.

…Or did you?

The Unmistakable Face of Guilt

We’ve all seen that guilt-striken face, haven’t we? The one that says, I did it, I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have. There’s just one problem… dogs don’t feel guilt! Guilt is an exclusively human emotion, so while it’s not surprising that we ascribe our emotions onto our dogs, we are mistaken in doing so. Dogs don’t have morals, and they certainly don’t have moral dilemmas. They act on instincts, impulses, and conditioning. If a dog gets into the lasagna that was sitting on top of the stove, you can be sure that he enjoyed every moment of it and walked away from the scene of the crime feeling nothing but a full, satisfied belly. And perhaps a feeling of incredible luck.

That look of guilt is nothing but your dog’s reaction to your upset/angry/annoyed demeanor and body language. A dog’s first language is body language that is how dogs communicate with eachother. Therefore, your body language is very important to your dog and he reads it constantly to understand you. When you see that mess on the floor and your face tightens up, and your eyes glare, and your shoulders drop, your dog is getting a very clear message from you: I’m feeling aggressive and you’re standing right in my way!

No wonder your dog gets that look on his face and starts to slink away. This is his way of saying, I see you’re not happy, and now I’m showing you that I’m no threat to you. You’re the boss, I’m just gonna back away slowly now and get out of your way.

It has nothing to do with feeling guilty about what he did. This is very important to keep in mind you’ll discover why in the following section.

Timing is Everything

Dogs live their whole lives in the present moment. In a dog’s eyes, punishment and reward must be immediate. In the litter, if a puppy mouths the mother too hard, he gets a quick nip from her right then and there. Dogs connect punishment and reward with whatever they are doing in that very moment. Here are a few examples of ineffective punishment and reward:

1. You are housetraining your dog, and you stand just inside the door as he goes out and does his business. He relieves himself, sniffs around a bit, then trots back into the house. You lavish him with praise and possibly a cookie. He’ll love the attention and the treat but he won’t associate it with eliminating outside. An effective reward would have been given outside, the very moment he finished.
2. You come home from work and find that your dog has urinated on the living room rug. You bring him close to the urine spot, point at it and say, No! Bad dog! before cleaning it up. This is just confusing to him… he won’t understand why the urine is making you angry, and might resort to urinating in a more hidden area so you won’t find it in the future. If you find a mess, just clean it up and work on out taking him out more regularly (and praise him when he gets it right) so that he learns outside is the proper place to relieve himself.
3. You discover one of your most expensive pairs of shoes has been completely demolished by your dog. You shove the mangled shoe in his face and tell him what a bad dog he is, and that he should never eat your shoes again. Your dog doesn’t know the value of your shoe, nor does he understand the concept of a shoe that is unwearable because it has been chewed up. Make sure he has plenty of toys to chew on, and keep your shoes behind closed closet doors.

Remember: Dogs don’t associate right now with 2 minutes / 30 minutes / 2 hours ago! They only associate right now with right now!

Daniel Collinsworth More dog training articles can be found here: Dog Training Basics

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A Yorkshire Terrier or Yorkies are a very popular dog. They are classified as a toy breed and are one of the world’s smallest dogs! These little dogs are brave, clever and want to please you.

A yorkie is a lapdog who loves attention. They are very loyal to their owners and bond closely with you. They need companionship and people around. They don’t like being alone for long periods of time. If they are, you should think about having two Yorkies but they do get along with other household pets.

Usually a sweet and loving dog they can be snappish if surprised or frightened. They can be timid around strangers. A Yorkie dislikes roughhousing – prefers a quiet life. They are best with older children because they are easily injured since they are so small. He can be an indoor dog and will get enough exercise inside but do love to play outdoors.

These little dogs are slightly difficult to train but if they have consistent training and early socialization they will learn quickly.

They have a neat, compact, well-proportioned body with a high head carriage. Their head if flat and muzzle topped by a cute black button nose. Their eyes are bright and dark with rims. Ears are small, erect and triangular with a docked tail. Their coats are long, profuse, silky, steel blue on the body and tail but tan everywhere else. The adult coat is parted down the middle of their spine and hangs down to touch the ground.

Yorkies are only 7-9 inches tall and 5-7 pounds in weight.

These little fearless dogs are spirited, lovable, highly energetic, spirited but they can be willful. Although a Yorkie Terrier is easy to train but sometimes stubborn, it’s best to socialize them early to reduce tendencies towards timidity and nipping. Be patient when training them.

They need regular combing and brushing daily. Their topknot is usually tied with a ribbon to keep their hair out of their eyes. Teeth need to be cleaned regularly and scaled by veterinarian. They tend to loose teeth around three years of age. Their ears should be checked and loose hairs removed from the ear passage.

Sandy Oberreuter has a web site on popular small dog breeds plus information of interest to dog lovers.

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Raising a puppie into a dog can be a very rewarding experience. It is like seeing a family member grow up, but in fast motion. Of course, I am talking about dogs not people. My wife, Barbara, and I raise Yorkies and Maltese and tend to think of them sometimes as family members. Except, these guys never need to borrow the car keys or stay out too late.

This morning, we had a litter of six Yorkies born. Both of us were on hand to help the mother. Most of the time, a mother dog doesn’t really need any help, but sometimes there are problems. I cut the umbilical cords and tie them with dental floss. The mother dog would ordinarily chew the umbilical cords into by herself. With some breeds, such as Yorkies, sometimes the mother has too much trouble turning around to reach the cord, so I am there to help.

After the puppies are born, we put them in a warm room in our house. They get a dry, clean, warm bed consisting of a wooden frame about 24 inches square made of 1 by 12 boards. There is no bottom. This square just sets upon a cloth pallet on the floor. For the first week, we insert a small heating pad beneath the pallet. If you buy the disposable bed pads made for human use, they are great for the mama and her babies to lay on.

We keep a close eye on the little family evey day. Make sure the puppies are warm and dry. You can tell when the puppies are warm…they will tend to spread out on their bedding. Cold puppies tend to bunch up tight to conserve body heat. Make sure the mother dog is clean and that all the puppies are nursing. The mother’s udder should be checked every day for milk production and infection. She will not go far from her puppies during the first few days, so bring her food and water very near to her.

For a mother dog to do well, she needs a quiet, secure place to be with her puppies. Stress can have a negative effect on the mother dog and her puppies. Keep other dogs away from her. Strange people can cause undue stress. Don’t bring in all your freinds and their children for the first several weeks.

A lactating mother dog uses a lot of calcium and should be given calcium pills each day. If she suddenly goes into shock, she may be too low on calcium and will need immediate attention from your vet.

For about a month, the mother will take care of most things. After a few weeks, the puppies will open their eyes and start trying to stand up and walk. Playing comes soon after. In about 4 to 5 weeks, the puppies will be ready to start eating solid food. A mixture of canned and dry food with a little water to soften it is a good first food. Then, slowly reduce the moisture content until the puppies and eating canned or dry food only.

Alton Hargrave offers advice and resources for those interested in a business online. His website, http://bigthicketonline.com contains honest information regarding website software and low-cost solutions for your business.

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Proper bedding for horses is extremely important. Their health and performance depends on them having the proper amount of rest. Studies have shown that sleep can be divided into 2 stages, Slow Wave Seep (SWS) and Paradoxial Sleep (PS) .
Horses normally fall asleep while standing up and they enter SWS during which the muscles gradually relax.

If the horse is feeling comfortable in its environment it will lie down and drift further into SWS with further relaxation of the muscles.

The horse may then lie down flat to enter PS where the muscles are totally relaxed, that is, there is virtually no muscle tone.

An important point about sleep cycles is that the horse must lie down flat to complete a sleeping cycle that includes PS. If a horse cannot, or chooses not to lie down then it can rest in SWS but cannot achieve the total relaxation of PS.

Paradoxial sleep is sometimes termed the sleep of the body because of the general muscular relaxation.
SWS is known as the sleep of the mind.

And so with that in mind I started researching the different types of bedding for horses. Here are the various types of horse bedding I have found.

Straw bedding especially wheat straw was used in virtually every stable some fifty years ago. Horses were mainly kept for hunting, competitions or belonged to riding schools. Some horses had hay coughs,now called Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and since the majority of horses were looked after by professional grooms, COPD meant nothing to the average horse owner.

Today’s the situation is so different. The growing trend to keep equines as pets and not only as work animals has spurred a growing trend to find new types of bedding.

Straw as Horse Bedding

Benefits

If clean and dust free, it makes an excellent bed.

Disadvantages

amount of waste material generated
costly to dispose
Heavy to cart to the muck heap
Dangers of spores and dust
May create respiratory problems for horse and humans
horses often eat straw bedding.

Findings from other studies have shown that when given the choice of straw or wood shavings as a bedding type, horses spend more time on straw.

Horses appear to spend more time performing bedding-directed behaviours on straw and this seems to reduce boredom in stabled horses

The use of beddings other than straw may increase the risk of abnormal behaviours such as weaving.

Both straw and wood shavings are economical and easy to obtain.

Straw is generally warmer bedding than shavings because it traps air.

Sawdust as Horse Bedding

Benefits
Readily available almost everywhere
Relatively inexpensive

Disadvantages

May irritate a horses lungs
Can cause the heaves (a respiratory problem)
Heavier to load and muck than straw, shavings or wood chips.
Horses with respiratory problems should not use this type of bedding.

Peat moss has countless tiny air-filled cells that provide a comfortable cushion under the horses foot, making it a bedding recommended by veterinarians for convalescing horse’s with severe foot problems.
It naturally neutralizes, not covers up, but organically neutralizes, ammonia fumes. Veterinarians have long recommended peat as a beneficial alternative stall bedding for horses suffering from COPD, commonly known as heaves.

Peat moss has long been recognized as one of the most effective natural filtration materials found in nature. The natural beneficial microbes, and the material’s outstanding absorbency trap and contain harmful urine and ammonia fumes.
Benefits

Counters the build up of stall ammonia.
No further need of special stall deodorizers.
Generates less waste volume than shavings or straw, or pellets
Requires less storage space.
Small amount of daily waste generated
Rapid break down time compared to wood products or straw
Keeps a white horse from getting urine stains

Disadvantages

The brown earthy colour makes the stalls look dark More expensive initially than sawdust or shavings

Hemp as Horse Bedding

Hemp has been cultivated in North America since the 17th century. For a number of years it was against the law to grow hemp, it is once again legal to grow hemp commercially in Canada .

The outside of the hemp stalks are harvested for use in the textile, composite and paper industries. The core of the stalk is used for animal bedding, garden mulch and building materials.

Queen Elizabeth of England,uses the European company Hempcore, producers of hemp bedding, as her equine product supplier.

HempChips, an Ontario based company, researched the wide spread use of hemp bedding in Europe and did stall trials and test marketing of the product in Ontario prior to launching HempChips at the Royal Winter Fair in 1998.

Benefits

HempChips are dust extracted and cleaned of any impurities
Ensure a clean stable environment
Reduction in conditions that lead to respiratory problems in horses
All natural there few chemicals used to grow the hemp stalk and no chemicals used during processing.
Highly absorbent therefore you can use less
Horses will not eat hemp stalks

Disadvantages
High initial Cost of putting down the bedding
Difficulty in locating local sellers.

Newsprint bedding is shredded newspaper/cardboard. It is ecologically conservative and very absorbent.

Benefits

Soft and comfortable
No Dust
Horses usually will not eat it
Horses are easier to clean after lying in newsprint as opposed to shavings
Easy to store and transport in the small bales
Good for places that are allowed to burn muck

Disadvantages
Light weight can make the muck heap prone to blow around the yard in windy weather.
Makes the stable look unkempt with the newsprint blowing all over the place

Branded Wood Pellet Products.
Wood pellets are compressed shavings (usually pine). They are treated to remove toxic substances and dust, and they expand when wet.

Benefits

Some pellets clump so its easy to clean.
Very Absorbant therefore you need to put down less
Branded wood pellets are free of dust and toxic substances
Greatly lowering the chance of respiratory problems
Easy to sift through with pitch fork
Mucking out is faster easier and less wasteful
Reduction in the amount of waste thrown out
Requires about 1/3rd the space of a traditional flake shaving bale.
Comfortable, shock absorbing, and aesthetically pleasing.
Stalls are drier and cleaner
More Cost Effective in the long run
Easier to use

Disadvantages

Upfront cost is higher
More difficult to find than sawdust or wood shavings

The Benefits of Rubber Matting are numerous. Just like us, horses and ponies feel the strain from standing on hard surfaces. If they slip, injury is also likely to be greater on concrete than on a softer surface.

Benefits

Rubber matting provides a very comfortable standing surface
Extra traction helps to reduce the risk of injury in the stable.
Provides a much warmer, safer and more comfortable floor
Reduces the quantity of bedding required.
Different brands and differences in cost and quality.
Good buffer between the horse and the floor.
Extra cushioning alleviates pressure and stress of hock and knees.
Less bedding need

Disadvantages of Rubber matting

The cost of some stall matting is quite high

A good friend of mine uses the ComfortStall System for her 2 box stalls. It is true that she goes a little overboard (to say the least) when it comes to caring for her horses. They not only have the Comfortstall system for the floor of their box stalls but peat moss as bedding. To me this is the best type of sleep arrangement for any horse. By the way, the matting for the 2 stalls cost a total of 1500 $ cdn including installation.

Like any other bedding, the amount of material you will need depends on the type of horse being housed, how many hours the horse spends in the stall, weather conditions, and the size of the stall.

Also be aware that stabling is not natural for equines, so measures must be taken to ensure a healthy, comfortable and happy environment is created.

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Does your puppy or dog Beg, Borrow or Steal from your dinner table? Turn the tables on him! You can turn begging, borrowing or stealing from the dinner table into an asset by following this simple plan.

So many times we see behavior we don’t like and think how can I stop that? We do ourselves a great disservice because then our focus is on ‘stopping’ the behavior we don’t want rather than training the behavior we DO want.

Why do dogs beg or steal from the dinner table? Quite simply, they want food.

Some dogs are particularly brazen (and agile) and will attempt to steal food directly from the table. This is usually met with some sort of reprimand, but if your dog has ever been successful in his raid then the pattern is set. If you leave your plate unattended (except by your vigilant dog), then don’t be too surprised to find half your dinner missing when you return.

It has nothing to do with dominance. It has just become reinforced behavior.

Other dogs aren’t quite so brazen, or would have physical difficulty in stealing directly from the table. These dogs tend to ‘beg’, by staring, drooling, pawing or whatever works to get them a little of the delicious meal you have prepared. Their behavior only needs to be reinforced once and it will take a very long time to go away without any further reinforcement (and that means from anyone, even by accident).

However, we can turn this begging or stealing into an asset by ‘turning the tables’ (so to speak) on our pet!

First up, we need to decide what we would prefer our dog to do instead of begging or stealing. I would almost always prefer a ‘down’ – as in ‘lying down quietly’. My dogs are big, and when they sit, long shoelaces of drool dangle disgustingly from their mouths. Laying down just looks better to me.

To begin with, during actual meals we will lock our dogs out of the room or put them in their crates. This is so we can enjoy a meal without having to train. In the early stages we need to concentrate during training.

If you have more than one dog, just work with one at a time at first. Lock the other dog/s out of the room.

Have your dog’s normal meal in a bowl on the dinner table. Obviously, a clean bowl is preferred for reasons of hygiene.

If your dog doesn’t already know how to lay down on command, then take a small piece of food and lure him into position. If you don’t know how to do this, find out. (You may need to cut some types of food into tiny pieces before you begin).

Silently, count to 1 in your head and give him some food if he is still laying down.

Now immediately count to 2 in your head, and give him some food if he is still laying down.

Now count to 3 in your head, and give him some food is he is still laying down.

If at any point your dog gets up, then ask him to lay down again and re-start your count at 1. If you get all the way to 10 and he gets up, ask him to lay down again and re-start the count at 1, feed, 2, feed etc

Keep your sessions short, 5 minutes at the most to begin with. You can do this 2 or 3 times each day if you have the time, but keep each session short.

When your dog can stay laying down for a count of 30, you can start using this exercise during normal meals unless you have another dog. If you have two or more dogs, start working with both of them when they can both stay down for a count of 30 individually. When they can both stay down for a count of 30 together, then you can start using this exercise during normal meal times.

By all means, if you want to feed them healthy tid-bits from your plate, then do so. I now only use food off my plate, and my dogs will stay in position for nearly a whole meal. I give only two or three tid-bits during a meal.

This exercise will teach your dogs some self-control, manners and over time, how to work for a long duration.

Aidan Bindoff is Editor of Positive Petzine, a free resource for people training their own dog.

Join now, and for a limited time you may download all available back issues (a $29.95 value) for FREE!

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Zoonoses is the term applied to a grouping of diseases that are transferable from canine/feline to human. Basically, these diseases fall into three groupings based on their means of transmission. This also groups these, ideally, in the means of treatment and control. The three groupings of diseases are as follows -diseases spread through :1) urine or feces, 2) hair and skin contact, or 3) bites and scratches.

Zoonoses – Spread through Urine or Feces

Hookworms

Hookworms enter the German Shepherd’s body in the area that directly comes in contact with the feces-contanimated soil. Seen more commonly in the South, these parasites are unsuited to ideally live in human beings. Traditionally they die after crawling several inches underneath the surface layer of the skin. Inflammation usually occurs as a result of these parasites in humans and causes a condition called creeping eruption which may last several weeks or months depending on its severity.

Leptospirosis

German Shepherd’s may come in contact with this disease through swimming, drinking, licking their fur, or by eating food contaminated with animal urine. Many animals may carry this, though rats are most often the culprit.

This zoonoses symptom in humans include flu-like including chills, body aches, vomiting, fever and headache. Sometimes kidney damage may occur or the membranes covering the spinal cord or brain may become inflamed. This disease is not usually fatal though it does make its host miserable for weeks at a time.

Roundworms

If these parasites are swallowed by humans they migrate into the body tissues and may cause damage, including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which can last up to a year in length including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which can last up to a year in length.

These parasites are most commonly found in small children (2-4 yrs. of age) who mistakenly swallow the eggs and become infected. Children playing in an area in which an animal has defecated in the past, who do not wash their hands after coming in contact with the eggs and inadvertently sticks their hands into their mouth are the most common receptors of roundworm. Only rarely fatal, the disease is traditionally mild though it may be long lasting.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms can easily be ingested by any German Shepherd who swallows a flea carrying the infected form when biting at or chewing their coat. Children may get it virtually the same way- minus the coat chewing.

Tapeworm infestation in humans this way is actually quite rare when compared to infestation from eating undercooked pork or beef.

Toxoplasmosis

Rarely this may cause death in humans since most people develop a resistance to it during normal exposure. It can cause many types of birth deformities in children born to mothers who have been infected for the first time without having developed an immunity before becoming pregnant. Most commonly this is picked up through contact with infected cat feces or in contact with contaminated soil.

Zoonoses – Prevention of Waste Transmitted Diseases

There are a few basic precautions everyone should take to prevent transmission of any of the above mentioned diseases – zoonoses. First, clean up all pet droppings and wash your hands each time you any come in contact with contaminated soil. It is extremely important to teach children these steps. Also, if your German Shepherd has gone wading or swimming in any water which may have become contaminated with animal urine, bathe it at once when you return home.

Zoonoses – Spread through Skin/Hair Contact

Fleas

Fleas prefer feeding on your German Shepherd though they will not turn up the chance of of making an occasional meal on humans as well.

Ringworm

Most commonly found in children (though anyone may be infected), this disease is caused by a skin/hair eating fungus which first appears on people as a round, red, scaly area. It grows outward in a circular formation and is the most common fungal disease currently reported.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Tick borne, this disease or Zoonose can cause symptoms such as fever, chills and headache though it is not usually fatal. Symptoms may last many weeks and it can be treated with antibiotics.

Most commonly this disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Also, you may become infected while pulling a tick off your German Shepherd. It is best to wear gloves when removing ticks.

Scabies

The less commonly found version of mange (as opposed to the demodetic version), this may still cause intense itching, irritation and thickening of the skin. Animal mange may live in human skin though it cannot reproduce there. Humans have their own version of the scabies mite.

Zoonoses – Prevention of Skin/Hair Contact Diseases

Overall, proper nutritional care and health of your German Shepherd is the best defense against the chance of your dog harboring any of these diseases.

Frequent grooming and herbal repellents are good choices in combating most of these diseases or Zoonoses before they become major. Stress, roaming and contact with other dogs are the three most common points of transmission among the previous diseases.

Wash your hands after dog contact and minimize contact with any infected pet until the problem is cured.

Zoonoses – Diseases Caused by Bites and Scratches

Cat Scratch Fever

Some people will develop a fever, enlarged lymph nodes and malaise near the area of a bite or scratch from a cat a few weeks after the occurrence. Though not fatal it can be very uncomfortable and can be followed by complications. Infected cat bites may become infected with an entirely different bacteria though the symptoms are similar.

Probably best, is to thoroughly wash an area bitten or scratched by a cat and to clean it liberally on a frequent basis to prevent, hopefully, infection.

Rabies

Virtually 100% fatal once the clinical symptoms appear, this disease is carried by a virus transmitted through the saliva of an infected biting animal. Symptoms include frothing at the mouth, extreme behavioral/personality changes and convulsions which usually ends in the aggressive, staggering and bleary- eyed condition.

If you happen upon an animal showing any of these disease symptoms, get away from it as quickly as possible and call your nearest animal control unit. If by chance you are bitten, try to follow it to where it lives (if it is a stray) so that the proper officials may capture it for testing. If you do kill it, do not injure the head as this will be needed for verification. Also, if you are bitten by an animal exhibiting any of the symptoms above, thoroughly wash out the wound as quickly as possible and contact your personal physician immediately. Overall, your chances of getting rabies are rare though you can never be over cautious.

Zoonoses – Prevention of Bite and Scratch Transmitted Diseases

Best advice, keep your German Shepherd in tip-top physical condition through exercise and proper nutrition to reduce its chances of picking up any diseases or parasites from less healthy animals. Also, try to minimize your pets contact with wild animals or sick pets.

The author, a lifelong dog lover and German Shepherd owner, has been a German Shepherd breeder for over to 15 years. For more information and articles covering other German Shepherd related topics, feel free to visit: total-german-shepherd.com

Interested in other purebred dog breeds? Visit: pedigreedpups.com

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Why use a crate:

When used properly and not abused, crates are the fastest and most humane method of housebreaking dogs. Dogs are den animals that will instinctively seek out a small, cozy place to rest for shelter and security. Crates act on a dog’s instinct to keep its den clean and unsoiled. Keeping your dog in a crate teaches him to hold it until he can go in an appropriate place, which helps your puppy develop his bladder control. For older dogs, crates act as a bedroom where they can relax and escape the hustle and bustle of kids, other pets, and everyday family life. Also, it’s never too late to crate train! A crate can help break bad habits that improperly trained dogs may have developed over the years.

Plastic or metal?

Plastic kennels are good for travel, and are generally the only method of containment permitted by airlines. Metal wire dog crates are ideal for home use, however. They are generally roomier and more open. They’re also sturdier, so they will stand up to your pet’s movement/ activity and be able to last as your dog’s permanent bedroom.

What size?

A crate should only be big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lay down. If the crate is too big, your puppy will have enough room to soil one side and sleep in the other, which defeats the purpose of the crate. Buy a crate large enough to accommodate your dog’s full-grown size and get a divider panel. This way, you can keep the one crate and have it grow along with your dog.

Accessories:

Always be sure to include appropriate toys and treats in the crate. This will keep your dog occupied and prevent your teething puppy from chewing on the crate’s metal bars. It is also important to purchase crate bedding. A crate cover is great for lowering the number of outside distractions your dog sees, which can reduce barking and stress in the crate. A crate pad will be more comfortable than the crate’s plastic pan. Finally, a bumper like the one included in Pet Dreams Cratewear will help protect your puppy from injuries caused by chewing or leaning against the crate’s metal bars.

For more information:

In addition to Cratewear, Pet Dreams provides a wealth of Crate Training Tips, articles, and FAQs to help you crate train your dog. Weve also recently launched Forums where you can discuss all aspects of training with others and get advice from the experts!

Visit http://www.petdreams.com for Dog crates, Cratewear bedding and Sleep-ezz dog beds.

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AQUARIUM:
Start with as large an aquarium as you can afford. There is a very BASIC rule of thumb (this only applies to beginners), that is to have 1 inch of narrow bodied fish per filtered aquarium gallon. Goldfish are dirty and fatter, so I would triple this with them. Remember, many fish purchased can grow much larger than your original purchase size (ex: goldfish), so keep this in mind too.

FILTERS:
I always recommend two filters minimum per aquarium for redundancy and for improved biological (denitrifying) filtration. For a small aquarium, a combination of a hang on the back filter and a sponge filter. Or a sponge filter and an internal power filter. You want to make sure and rinse your sponge or cartridge out in used aquarium water to maintain your beneficial bacteria for bio filtration. Other filters of note include canister, wet/dry, under gravel, and fluidized bed.

HEATER:
Most tropical fish do well at a temperature between 76 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. (Discus prefer warmer). Goldfish do not need a heater.

CYCLING:
Your aquarium will not be at peak biological filtration for 6 weeks (or more). To start your biological filtration, there are many cycling products available, such Cycle by Hagen. I prefer to add gravel or a used filter sponge/ cartridge from another aquarium. You can also just set up your aquarium and run the filters for a couple of weeks (pretty boring though, and this is also a slow way to develop aerobic bacteria). Cycling is what is referred to as the Nitrogen cycle. Waste (nitrogenous) from the fish is broken down first from ammonia (NH3, the most toxic) to nitrites (NO2, less toxic) to nitrates (NO3, least toxic- but high amounts can stunt fish growth and lower disease resistance).

FEEDING:
I recommend feeding high quality fish and plant based foods. Quality ingredients include: spirulina, fish meal, FD Brine Shrimp, shrimp meal, Vitamin C & E, lobster shell. Fish cannot digest proteins from beef well, and fish get most their energy requirements from fats. Some quality foods include: Omega, Spirulina 20, Ocean Nutrition, Hikari, Sanyu. Feed you fish two to three times per day what they will consume in three minutes. Feeding foods high in poor quality proteins can increase your nitrate levels, as an essential ingredient in protein is nitrogen, and if unusable by the fish, it is excreted, entering into the nitrogen cycle.

CLEANING:
You should try and have a schedule of changing 20% (or more) of your water every week. I recommend using a gravel vacuum, you need not remove the fish while using a gravel vacuum. Make sure the water you add back in is the same temperature and ph, and has no chlorine or chloramines.

CHEMISTRY:
Keep your ammonia level at 0, your nitrite at 0, your nitrates below 20-30, and your KH above 80 ppm. Ph depends very much on the fish you are keeping. Discus prefer under a ph below 7.0, while Mbuna African cichlids prefer above 8.0 A very general ph of 7.2 -7.5 works for many community fish.

CONCLUSION:
This is only very general information, there is much more in depth articles about each of these subjects and more available. A good reference point is Aquarium Information

By Carl Strohmeyer

http://basic-aquarium.blogspot.com/

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com

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