Family: Lebiasinidae

Species: Copeina guttata

Size: 15cm (6 inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: Upper and middle

Habitat: Streams and rivers of central Amazonia

Remarks: This species is relatively easy to keep and breeds readily. Eggs are laid in a hollow and guarded by the male. If you want to breen fish this is an interesting one to try.

Comments: The body of this species features a green-brown dorsal surface with darker flanks, and a light yellowish ventral surface. Each large scale has a red marking at its forward apex, giving the fish the spotted appearance which is reflected in its common name. Nice fish fish to keep and own, which is great to watch at night.

—————————————-

This fish comes from the Tropical Fish family species of fish. I hope you enjoyed this fish profile that I put together to help people to choose the right fish for the right aquarium tank setup you may own, or be thinking of buying in the future. If you require more information about keeping fish in general and what are the right fish to choose for your tank setups, you can always visit my site called GB Aquarium and see what’s posted new there and also join in the discussion taking place!

http://www.garybolton.co.uk

The next time you go away, whether it’s for business or pleasure, you might want to consider hiring a pet sitter to come into your home to care for your pets. Employing the services of a professional pet sitter will allow your pet to stay comfortable in his own home, gives you peace of mind knowing he’s safe and in capable hands, and frees you from having to rely on friends or relatives. Before you hand over your keys and wave goodbye to Rover and Fluffy though, take time to educate yourself about pet sitters and the services they provide. Interview a few pet sitters, get to know them a bit, and ask questions. Find out about their experience, how frequently they’ll visit your pets, how long visits last, what they’ll do while with your pets, how they’ll handle emergencies, and fees. In addition to general information about their services, you’ll want to cover a few very important points, as listed below.

Insurance and/or bonding: This won’t prevent accidents from happening but it will protect you and the pet sitter to a certain extent should a mishap occur. Most sole proprietors are insured, and most services that employ pet sitters are bonded and insured. It’s a good idea to ask for proof of insurance.

Pet emergency provisions: If your pet becomes ill when you’re away, it’ll be important for your pet sitter to know what measures to take if you cannot be reached. He or she should have your vet’s contact information, and the type of treatment and/or amounts you authorize if you cannot be contacted.

Pet sitter emergency procedures: Ask what measures will be taken if your pet sitter becomes ill and is unable to care for your pets, if he or she is unable to get to your home due to inclement weather, or in the event of a natural disaster.

Key security: Ask how the key will be identified and stored. Keys should not be attached to anything with your name or address on it, and when not in use, ideally they should be kept secure in a locked safe or other secure enclosure. Most pet sitting businesses will also offer to keep your key for future pet sitting assignments.

Contracts and other forms: Be sure that your pet sitter provides you with a written contract detailing such things as dates, times, services agreed upon, emergency procedures, key security, rates, etc.

References: Ask for names and contact information for a few clients. Take time to talk to these people and ask about their experiences and whether or not they’d hire that particular pet sitter again. Many pet sitters are also happy to give references from other pet care professionals such as veterinarians, groomers, or trainers.

Pet issues: Inform your prospective pet sitter of any health problems, behavioral issues, or other important factors regarding your pets. Giving your pet sitter as much information as you can about your pet will enable her to give the best care possible.

Home issues: As with pet issues, be sure to inform your pet sitter of any oddities about your home that may arise in your absence (toilet that overflows, doors that don’t lock properly, security alarms, etc.).

Because pet sitting is a personal service, you and your pet need to be comfortable with the person you invite into your home. Look for a sense of professionalism with a personal touch, be sure to take into account your gut feeling, and observe your pet’s reaction to the pet sitter you interview. With a little bit of preparation and investigation, your pet will be able to stay safely in his own home while you’re away, and will be there to eagerly greet you with love and affection when you return.

To locate a pet sitter, dog walker, or dog daycare in your area, or to learn more about the services they provide, go to http://www.petsitusa.com.

2005 PetsitUSA.com All rights reserved.

Therese Kopiwoda is a professional pet sitter and the owner of PetsitUSA.com. Founded in 2003, PetsitUSA.com allows pet owners to locate professional pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog daycares, and learn about the services they provide. For more information, go to http://www.petsitusa.com.

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A popular technique being used for Pit Bull terrier training is with the help of a clicker. Clicker training makes use of a small plastic box that has a metal button on top of it which makes a clicking sound when pressed. Clicker training is the kind of training where the dog decides whether or not it suits him. There have been a lot of success stories with clicker training.

Researchers have shown in dog studies that the clicker promotes obedience training without the use of discipline. The idea behind it is that whenever your Pit does something positive, he’ll get rewarded and continue to behave in that manner. Dogs are extremely intelligent and if they do something that earns them praise or a tasty treat, they’ll quickly learn to repeat the action.

Training your Pit Bull terrier with a clicker is a good way to reinforce positive behaviors. If your Pit obeys you by following your sit command, simply give the clicker a click and immediately reward him with a treat. The next time your Pit Bull obeys, do the same but don?t say anything verbally. Your dog will soon realize that whenever he sits, he hears a click and gets a treat. This is powerful because he will associate the clicking sound with positive reinforcement and will soon obey even without the treat.

Clicker dog training is never used in conjunction with negative reinforcement because researchers believe that although punishment does stop some bad behaviour, it could also potentially create other unwanted behaviors. Punishment, or negative reinforcement, is almost always practiced after a dog has done something wrong. Therefore, dogs see punishment as a random consequence which makes in ineffective as a training technique.

To learn all about raising American Pit Bull Terriers and training a Pit Bull, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

The next time you go away, whether it’s for business or pleasure, you might want to consider hiring a pet sitter to come into your home to care for your pets. Employing the services of a professional pet sitter will allow your pet to stay comfortable in his own home, gives you peace of mind knowing he’s safe and in capable hands, and frees you from having to rely on friends or relatives. Before you hand over your keys and wave goodbye to Rover and Fluffy though, take time to educate yourself about pet sitters and the services they provide. Interview a few pet sitters, get to know them a bit, and ask questions. Find out about their experience, how frequently they’ll visit your pets, how long visits last, what they’ll do while with your pets, how they’ll handle emergencies, and fees. In addition to general information about their services, you’ll want to cover a few very important points, as listed below.

Insurance and/or bonding: This won’t prevent accidents from happening but it will protect you and the pet sitter to a certain extent should a mishap occur. Most sole proprietors are insured, and most services that employ pet sitters are bonded and insured. It’s a good idea to ask for proof of insurance.

Pet emergency provisions: If your pet becomes ill when you’re away, it’ll be important for your pet sitter to know what measures to take if you cannot be reached. He or she should have your vet’s contact information, and the type of treatment and/or amounts you authorize if you cannot be contacted.

Pet sitter emergency procedures: Ask what measures will be taken if your pet sitter becomes ill and is unable to care for your pets, if he or she is unable to get to your home due to inclement weather, or in the event of a natural disaster.

Key security: Ask how the key will be identified and stored. Keys should not be attached to anything with your name or address on it, and when not in use, ideally they should be kept secure in a locked safe or other secure enclosure. Most pet sitting businesses will also offer to keep your key for future pet sitting assignments.

Contracts and other forms: Be sure that your pet sitter provides you with a written contract detailing such things as dates, times, services agreed upon, emergency procedures, key security, rates, etc.

References: Ask for names and contact information for a few clients. Take time to talk to these people and ask about their experiences and whether or not they’d hire that particular pet sitter again. Many pet sitters are also happy to give references from other pet care professionals such as veterinarians, groomers, or trainers.

Pet issues: Inform your prospective pet sitter of any health problems, behavioral issues, or other important factors regarding your pets. Giving your pet sitter as much information as you can about your pet will enable her to give the best care possible.

Home issues: As with pet issues, be sure to inform your pet sitter of any oddities about your home that may arise in your absence (toilet that overflows, doors that don’t lock properly, security alarms, etc.).

Because pet sitting is a personal service, you and your pet need to be comfortable with the person you invite into your home. Look for a sense of professionalism with a personal touch, be sure to take into account your gut feeling, and observe your pet’s reaction to the pet sitter you interview. With a little bit of preparation and investigation, your pet will be able to stay safely in his own home while you’re away, and will be there to eagerly greet you with love and affection when you return.

To locate a pet sitter, dog walker, or dog daycare in your area, or to learn more about the services they provide, go to http://www.petsitusa.com.

2005 PetsitUSA.com All rights reserved.

Therese Kopiwoda is a professional pet sitter and the owner of PetsitUSA.com. Founded in 2003, PetsitUSA.com allows pet owners to locate professional pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog daycares, and learn about the services they provide. For more information, go to http://www.petsitusa.com.

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Fish tank maintenance is one of the most important parts of owning an aquarium. It is definitely not as fun as decorating the tank or picking out fish, but without the proper fish tank maintenance, you will be endangering your fish. Fish tank maintenance should be performed on a schedule to ensure that you never miss out on what needs done. The aquarium is the home the fish live in and must be maintained for the welfare of the fish. Besides, it is not any fun to watch fish in a dirty aquarium.

You should perform regular fish tank maintenance every two to three weeks. This means that you should look at the overall condition of your tank. Start with the outside first. Make sure that everything is functioning the way that it should. Check the lights, the filter, the heater, and the pump. If anything looks like it is not working properly, be sure to fix the problem before moving on. Malfunctioning aquarium equipment will also cause the fish tank to require more frequent cleaning and maintenance.

Ignoring an issue like this will not make it just go away. In fact, it will only make the problem worse and endanger the life of your fish. After thoroughly checking the outside of the tank, move to the inside. Check to make sure that the water temperature is where it should be, and that the chemicals in the water are within an acceptable range. Also, remember to check and see if your gravel needs to be cleaned. If it does, take care of it right away. How about the walls of the tank? If there is a lot of algae growing, be sure to find out why, and also clean it off.

If you need help with fish tank maintenance, there are many books available. You can also ask your local pet store for advice on fish tank maintenance. The Internet is also a great source of information, as there are hundreds of websites devoted to fish tanks and aquarium enthusiasts.

Fish tank maintenance is an important aspect of your larger aquarium setup?and is important to integrate into your overall scheme. There are ways to keep maintenance down, but you can not escape the inevitability of having to perform maintenance. For example, there are special fish you can buy, called algae eaters, that will eat the algae from the inside of the tank. They do a fair job, but a thorough cleaning can’t be beat.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Fish Aquariums, please visit Fish Aquariums Information for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith’s own web site at Keith Londrie dot com

Theres a horse show across the state in a few weeks, and youre planning on being there with your horses. However, its been awhile since you last pulled a horse trailer, and youre a little concerned about your trailering skills. After all, you want to arrive at your destination safely, with the horses as calm and relaxed as possible.

Guiding a loaded horse trailer down a country road or highway requires practical experience and know-how. Theres very little room for error. What do you do to ensure a safe, uneventful journey?

How to Ensure Safe Trailering

If youre out of practice, or if youve never towed a trailer before, obtaining adequate personal experience prior to the actual event is of the utmost importance. Just as if you were learning to drive for the first time, you should begin by practicing basic driving skills before getting out in traffic with the trailer.

The more experienced you become, the more prepared you will be for anything that may potentially happen. With more confidence and a higher level of awareness and preparedness, you should be better able to handle any unexpected situation that comes along.

Find a level field or a parking lot in which to practice. Mark your course with several highway cones, then, set out to work on the following driving skills:

Ready for the Highway

After youve practiced all the basic driving skills while pulling your horse trailer and you feel confident in your ability to handle the rig safely, youre ready to test your skills out on the road.

Try towing your trailer for short distances, at first. Make sure that you feel comfortable with turning corners in traffic, with backing your trailer, with parking on a grade, and with being able to stop your trailer quickly (should the need arise). Once you are confident in your towing abilities, youre ready to travel any distance with your horses.

Just remember to always be alert when out on the roads. Drive defensively and be prepared for any possible situation.

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There has been a strong opinion in shih tzu history that the Tibetan Lion Dog is the result of a cross between the Lhasa Terrier and the Pekingese, which occurred out of the mixing of the two breeds in Tibet and China.

The dogs of each country had been taken to the other from time to time by tribute envoys and officials. The cross in Tibet, that had been taken out of that country by way of India, has been called the Apso, while the cross in Peking has been called the Tibetan Poodle or Lion Dog. The Tibetan cross probably had more of the Lhassa Terrier in it, while the Chinese cross has more of the Pekingese.

Shih Tzu Management:

Be cautious about the dangers of dampness and violent temperature changes when it comes to the living quarters for your shih tzu. With a heritage of luxurious living in the palaces of the Orient, the domesticated dogs of today for the most part share the lovely homes of their owners in our affluent society but still must be protected against sudden change in temperature or weather conditions, particularly true with puppies.

The Shih Tzu is a rugged little dog, it is sheer folly for a dog to sleep indoors by the stove, fireplace, or beneath a comforter on his master’s bed one night, and then be expected to spend the next night outdoors in a dog house or in a drafty garage. Shih Tzu do have a way of choosing their own beds, and it will probably be the same as yours!

Probably about the most important of all aspects in the care and health of your Shih Tzu is diet! My Shih Tzu have thrived better on HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance. Fresh water available at all times is also a diet essential. Be careful about the extras you choose to feed your dog. Try to be certain that everything he eats is safe and nutritious. Again, I recommend using HealthyPetNet treats, the dental cookies, the skin and coat bar, the Porky Puffs, etc. As a breeder, I recommend and prescribe the diet I prefer using for my own dogs and that has worked best for me. I cannot say enough good about HealthyPetNet Products. I can’t imagine anyone not liking them after once trying them. Yet…..I do realize other breeders will have their own recommendations. And, as always, your own personal vet should be included in your final decision about your shih tzu’s diet.

The capacity and size of the individual shih tzu determines the amount of food he/she should consume each day. Labels on the food itself give good guidelines to follow. For my puppies before they leave home, I keep food out at all times. This can change, according to the new owner’s preferences. A healthy dog should eat the approximate same amount every day, and will be in good flesh without going to fat. Table scraps are out of the question. Never feed your shih tzu table scraps. Shih Tzu are acustomed to the best and it seems this part of their heritage never fades away. Feed your Shih Tzu the very best of Premium Dog Food. HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance is my choice.

A Legend of Shih Tzu Management:

The Chinese tell a story of Ch’en, of the town of Chiang Chou as an illustration of the perfectly brought up household. Ch’en not only preserved harmony among the 700 members of his family but also had the family dogs so well trained that, if one was late for dinner, the other 99 waited for him!

No explanation was given of how this was accomplished and the stories are legend, of course, but another Chinese sage, Chang Kung-i of Shantung, provided a clue……..questioned by a T’ang Emperor how he kept nine branches of the family together, Chang gave an answer often quoted in China, by writing one word a hundred times – - jen-mai, meaning patience or forbearance.

The stories being legend, there is nothing to prove that the Ch’en family dogs, if they even existed, were Shih Tzu Kou. Such tales do draw attention to the fact that the Shih Tzu can be trained in obedience since they are highly intelligent, remarkably responsive, and unusually quick to learn.

Training a Shih Tzu does call for patience, however, since a common trait of the Shih Tzu is a strong self- willed streak. This fact has been noted down through history by many Shih Tzu Fanciers. One leading dog trainer in the United States spoke of the breed with extreme admiration, but emphasized, with a smile…….that they could occasionally be very stubborn.

So….keep that in mind when training your Shih Tzu, and remember, none of us are without downfalls. The Shih Tzu with all its other wonderful qualities far outweighs this one aspect of their personalities. Try praising your shih tzu during training with HealthyPetNet Porky Puffs (a favorite treat of my shih tzu). They go CRAZY for HealthyPetNet Porky Puffs.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Coupons for shih tzu puppies and other products are offered to subscribers. Updates of available puppies. Sign up at http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

This week my dog Kiera had to go to the vet. Ill spare you the gory details, but I can assure you, there was no doubt in my mind that something was not right with my normally perfect girl.

While I was at the Vet I struck up a conversation with the team there about some of the things they wish people would remember when they bring their pets in for care. As we talked I realized that theres some great information here especially since we shared a few giggles and a few gasps about some pretty rude behavior. Voila! A column on vetiquette.

So, here are some things, courtesy of my hard-working front-desk friends at Del Ray Animal Hospital, to keep in mind to make sure you dont find yourself on the wrong side of the vetiquette police.

1.Youre not the only one with a sick animal who is nervous at the office. Try to take into consideration the fact that every person in the waiting room has a sick animal or at least one thats not necessarily pleased to be there.

2.Remember people go to the vet for different reasons. Some may be getting over a devastating diagnosis while sitting quietly in the waiting room. Some may have just put their companion to rest after battling an illness. Even if you have the cutest puppy in the world, they may not really be in the mood to be reminded of happier times with their own pet.

3.Not everyone is a dog person or a cat person. Dont assume that folks in the waiting room want to play with your pets or appreciate being slobbered, kissed, or purred on by your pride and joy.

4.Vet Clients are entitled to the same privacy as people-doctor clients. When you head to the doctor and youre getting ready to pay, you dont expect to have other patients leaning over the counter, looking at your receipt or listening to your diagnosis, do you? When you leave the examining room, realize that it will take a bit to process your receipt and if the front desk staff is busy with another client, respect their privacy and let them finish before you elbow your way up to the desk. Remember, financial stuff that isnt yours isnt your business.

5.Dont offer treats to pets that dont belong to you. This is a plain petiquette rule. No matter where you are, please dont feed someone elses dog or cat. Even if it is your pets favorite homemade liver treat. Remember, one of the reasons that pet may be at the vets office can be tummy trouble!

6.Keep your cat in the carrier. I thought this was a no-brainer, but Ive been assured that there are lots of people who insist that Pookie just hates the carrier and is perfectly behaved in all situations. Generally this assurance is coming as the owner is proudly watching Pookie walk across the front desk.

7.You are as important as the next person. Meaning, you and your pets needs are of equal importance as those of every other client at the clinic. Speaking rudely, disregarding rules (like cats in the carriers), and pushing other clients paperwork out of your way do not make you a more important pet-owner. In fact, it may make some people utter, theres an attitude only a pet would love!

The staff at every clinic goes out of their way to treat each and every pet with care, attention and tenderness. Sharing that attitude with your fellow vet clients can go a long way to keeping you out of vetiquette jail!

(c) 2006 Peggie Arvidson-Dailey

Peggie Arvidson-Dailey is the owner of Peggie’s Pet Services (one of the Regions BEST pet-care companies, as rated by The Washingtonian Magazine.) She’s also an engaging and lively speaker on topics related to the love affair between dogs and their humans. She’s an advocate for happy and healthy homes for all species and is eager to assist in creating them. If you want a monthly dose of tips and golden nuggets of information on living with and caring for your pet throughout his life, be sure to subscribe to The Care of Pets at http://www.peggiespets.com. Peggie is also a pet-care business advocate and the founder of the Pet Care Business Success University, which can be found at http://www.petcareuniversity.com.

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Do you want a long and healthy life for your pets?

There are things in our pets’ environments that can rob them of precious health and long life. I’m not talking about cars accidents and mean kids in the neighborhood. I’m talking about things inside the home. Things like:

1) Food Food is meant to be good tasting and good for you. The same applies to our pets. Unfortunately, both people food and pet food are full of stuff. And most of this stuff isn’t found growing naturally.

Manufacturers have taken the place of growers and cooks. To make foods taste better things are added.

To make foods last forever on the store shelf, things are added. For example, tomatoes are now designed to look good after a long trip to the store. They are not grown to be nutritious and safe.

On TV we see reports about how additives, preservatives and stuff are making our children unhealthy. The same thing applies to our pets’ food.

Preservatives keep food fresh by altering the DNA of the creatures living on the food. What do these preservatives do to the DNA of the child or pet eating them?

See where I’m going?

Altered hormones, cell mutations (cancer), sickness !!!

The only way to minimize this stuff in our pet’s food is to make the food ourselves. There are recipes all over the web for the kitchen literate.

http://www.simplypets.com http://www.bullwrinkle.com

Most people don’t have the time to make their pet’s food and treats. There are places where good wholesome pet foods can be purchased.

http://www.waggintails.com http://www.healthypetnet.com http://GrandPaGraham.com

2) Chemicals in the home

What do you use to clean your counter tops? Where do you store it? Can your pet get to it? Can your kids get to it?

A large number of children and pets are poisoned each year because household products are very attractive to inquisitive minds. There are a lot of products on the market that won’t harm anyone if swallowed.

We had one 6 month old child find and swallow a cleanser. The parents didn’t think he was old enough to get to the open bottle.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=apcc http://www.aapcc.org/

3) Mold in the home Most people consider mold in the home an unattractive nuisance. But it can cause allergic reactions in children AND pets.

One house we investigated had two sick, allergic, asthmatic kids. But they called us in when the dog started sneezing.

Does your pet sleep in the laundry room? Lots of mold there too.

Mold can cause:

* Allergies,
* sinus problems,
* itching,
* stomach problems,
* hyperactivity,
* skin and hair problems.

This list applies both to kids and pets.

But be careful about what you use to clean away the mold. Bleach doesn’t kill mold but does burn sensitive lungs.

Don’t use any product that your store owner or pest control person won’t drink in front of you.

For more info on mold and what it can do to you and your pet, go to:

http://www.themoldlab.com

Remember – if you use this article as your guide, your pups and cats will love you for a long, long time.

(c) 2005 Dr GW Graham

Dr Graham has been helping people treat and prevent disease by living in a clean environment for 30 years.

Theres a horse show across the state in a few weeks, and youre planning on being there with your horses. However, its been awhile since you last pulled a horse trailer, and youre a little concerned about your trailering skills. After all, you want to arrive at your destination safely, with the horses as calm and relaxed as possible.

Guiding a loaded horse trailer down a country road or highway requires practical experience and know-how. Theres very little room for error. What do you do to ensure a safe, uneventful journey?

How to Ensure Safe Trailering

If youre out of practice, or if youve never towed a trailer before, obtaining adequate personal experience prior to the actual event is of the utmost importance. Just as if you were learning to drive for the first time, you should begin by practicing basic driving skills before getting out in traffic with the trailer.

The more experienced you become, the more prepared you will be for anything that may potentially happen. With more confidence and a higher level of awareness and preparedness, you should be better able to handle any unexpected situation that comes along.

Find a level field or a parking lot in which to practice. Mark your course with several highway cones, then, set out to work on the following driving skills:

Ready for the Highway

After youve practiced all the basic driving skills while pulling your horse trailer and you feel confident in your ability to handle the rig safely, youre ready to test your skills out on the road.

Try towing your trailer for short distances, at first. Make sure that you feel comfortable with turning corners in traffic, with backing your trailer, with parking on a grade, and with being able to stop your trailer quickly (should the need arise). Once you are confident in your towing abilities, youre ready to travel any distance with your horses.

Just remember to always be alert when out on the roads. Drive defensively and be prepared for any possible situation.

More articles at articles database