It isn't so much a matter of physical exercise, although that would make them very happy and tired. Mental exercise is an absolute must for herding dogs. With proper training and socialization, they are wonderful pets.

Modern breed research and understanding suggests that even intelligent dogs need training. What happens to a lot of herding dogs that get taken to the shelters is that their owners don't bother to train them. They hear the breed is intelligent and expect it to train itself.

Also a lot of the shelter dogs are impulse buys from pet stores, flea markets and parking lots by people who have no understanding of what a herding breed needs. An untrained and unsocialized herding dog can be a nightmare for a family with young children because they can and often do become very protective and territorial.

That can lead to the dog acting out aggressively based on his natural protective instincts or based on his fear. This is a broad generalization and not all dogs will react this way, but a strong guardian instinct is part of the herding breed standard. This is not surprising because they have been bred since ancient times to guard the farm, ranch, family and livestock.

Positive reinforcement training and consistent socialization are essential to living in peace (and having peace of mind) with a herding dog breed.

Dear Dog Owner,

I have to admit it. I think its cute when my dog whines. Even adorable. Thats because she whines for only two reasons: 1) When she sees a dog friend she really likes and she wants to be allowed to greet them and play; and 2) when she sees a human friend she really likes and she wants to be allowed to greet them and play. This prelude to play is music to my ears, since I know its a short - and by all measures, sweet - song that she sings. Of course, not all dog owners have reason to feel the same.

Dogs can whine for many reasons, and dealing with this habit is almost always a matter of reading the signs right.

Pain

This cause is the least common but also the most important one to rule out first. A dog whose whining comes on suddenly and is fairly steady afterward is possibly reacting to pain. Even puppies can have severe growing pains or genetic conditions that cause great discomfort, so you should not rule out this reason for puppies.

Usually, you can palpate areas of the dogs body, paying close attention to legs and the tail. To check for arthritis, which often develops first in the rear hips, you can try this:

1. stand over your dog with your legs on either side of theyre torso, with the head facing behind you.

2. Gently lift their hindquarters up with one arm, and then lift each leg up and out behind them with the other.

3. You should then be able to release the hand that is supporting their body, and in effect, suspend them by one extended leg at a time. A pain free dog will be able to flex this leg comfortably, even with all their back weight on it. Any hip pain, they will jerk away and youll hear it from them.

Check their ears (a painful ear infection will also bring lots of scratching or head shakes, and a discoloration and / or odor of the ear membrane). Check their mouth. Tooth problems can not only cause pain, but an over-dry mouth can be an indication of extreme discomfort or even fear. In all cases, if you think your dog is whining from pain, but cant find the source, take a trip to the vet.

Fear

Fear can itself be another cause for whining. Often this behavior is short-lived and the stimulus is likely to be fairly easy to recognize. One tip is simply not to encourage the fearful behavior but emphatically comforting your dog when the fear is not warranted. In other words, if you comfort and soothe them in response to a thunderstorm, this will send the message that the thunder is in fact putting them in some danger and they SHOULD be afraid of. Instead, you should act like its no big deal, perhaps even distract your dog with play. Of course, if you happen to be afraid of thunderstorms as well, then youre out of luck on this one.

Boredom or Loneliness

Two further common causes of whining are boredom and loneliness. They are treated separately simply because boredom whining is what a dog does when youre there and loneliness whining is what they do when youre away. The first means that you probably are not giving your dog as much exercise as they really need, even though you think it gets out as much as a dog should or as much as you can possibly let it. Enough said.

With lonely whining dogs, youll have to do your best to spend more quality time with them, get them more tired out when you do, and consider the possibility that you may have a full-blown case of separation anxiety on your hands. This will require extra patience and training, and there are plenty of detailed training programs available to address this.

Until then, enjoy the music.

Martin Olliver is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team (http://www.kingdomofpets.com/). For more great articles on problems with whining and barking dogs, visit: http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/whining_dog.php

Behavior problems are at the top of the list of unhappy dog owners. Each year dogs are abandoned, put out of their adapted homes, or put to sleep because of bad behavior. Destructiveness, excessive vocalization, and house soiling are the most common signs of separation anxiety. These bad habits occur when the dog is separated from its owner.

Dogs are considered pack animals, so they prefer to be part of a group, and have a pack leader to follow and look up to. The dogs owner becomes the pack leader in the eyes of the dog, and when the leader isnt there to follow, the dog feels abandoned. This abandonment leads to anxiety and frustration which the dog has to deal with, the only way he knows how, what we call bad behavior.

Positive indications of separation anxiety are bad behavior primarily when your dog is left alone, he follows you everywhere you go, he becomes overexcited when you return home, he becomes excited or depressed when you prepare to leave home, or if he dislikes being alone out of doors.

Separation anxiety is not due to disobedience or lack of training. It is an instinctive behavior and should not be punished. The key to treating this problem is to gradually train or condition your dog to get used to your absence. When you leave home or return home make it a low key event.

Begin by leaving your dog alone at home for only a few minutes for the first few days or so. Then gradually lengthen your leaves in the weeks ahead. Also you should try to very your leaves at different times of the day so as not to create a pattern or habit. To yelp ease his anxiety, you can leave your dog an article of clothing that has your scent on it.

Remember, you are attempting to break your dogs old habit of dependency on you, so you must develop new habits and condition your dog to accept them. It takes time, patience, and love, but in the end it is well worth the effort.

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed http://Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can shop for the latest dog collars, dog clothes, pet supplies and more. Check them out at http://www.joncopets.com

Have you ever tried betting on the outcome of a sporting event? Sports are a great source of entertainment for people of all ages. No matter which is your favorite sport game the excitement and the anxiety that it creates is just difficult to express.

The demand for different sports has resulted in increase in demand for Sports betting line all over the world. Sports' betting is a general activity whereby you can predict sport results by betting on the outcome of any sporting event. Many sports fans believe that sports betting increases the excitement of the game, which thereby benefits the leagues, teams and players. Though many bet on sports to make money there are many who bet just to add that excitement and anxiety to the sports activity.

Sports betting enable sports fans to wager on various sports competitions including golf, basketball, hockey, soccer, horse racing and boxing.

Types of Bet

There are different types of sports bet available for a sports gambler. Lets take a glance on the different types

Proposition Bets: This is an interesting type of sport bet whereby wagers are made on a very specific outcome of a match. For instance betting on the number of goal that each team will score or betting that a basketball player of one team will have more hits that another player of the opposing team.

Parlays: Parlay form of betting enables sport fans to have multiple bets on a sport activity. This form of betting rewards successful bettors with a large payout.

Run line, puck line or goal line bets: These are fixed point-spread bets that offer higher payouts for the favorite and a lower one for the underdog.

Future Wagers: These types are wagers are predicted for the future activity of any sports. For instance a certain NFL team will win the Super bowl for the upcoming season.

Different sport fans have interest in different types of sports activity and increase their wagering amount when the specific sports activity are going on. The demand for different sports in different seasons varies the betting volume of sports book throughout the year.

Fransis Rodrigues is the author of this article. Visit to today http://www.superiorbook.com and http://www.onlinesportsbooks.co.uk for more information on the subject.

So the time has come and you are thinking of buying a new pet. http://www.petmillions.com is the leading pet contest online supporting pet charities across the globe. Dogs and cats remain the most popular household pet, with 39% of US households owning at least 1 dog and 6.1 million in the UK. However every year close to 20% of animals find their way into animal shelters.

It's true what they say - dogs are mans best friend. They have qualities that cats simply don't. Dogs are intelligent, faithful and fun, unlike cats they will take up a lot more time and energy. Depending on the size of your dog you may also find they take up more space are quite expensive to look after.

So is a dog right for you? Here is the http://www.petmillions.com checklist...

Q) Are you out most of the day?
Q) Are you buying this dog for teenage children?
Q) Are you elderly and buying a puppy?
Q) Do you live in a flat or small house with no garden?
Q) Do you live in a city or area with little green/outdoor spaces?
Q) Do you have a limited income?
Q) Do you move around a lot?

If you answered yes to most of these questions you need to rethink having a dog.

So what do dogs need? http://www.petmillions.com offers some key things you need to remember if taking a dog as a pet.

Companionship - to be with other dogs or people and not to be left alone for too long.

A balanced and nutritious diet, and the occasional bone from the butcher or left over from sunday lunch to gnaw on

A constant supply of fresh, clean water, which is easily accessible to the dog

A bed, blanket and toys such as ball, dog rope and chew bones. Visit http://www.petmillions.com for loads of pet retailers and offers.

A strong fenced garden to play and exercise in, the bigger the dog the bigger the garden. the key is if they can't run and have to pant the garden is probably not big enough.

Short and Long hair dogs need to be brushed and groomed, at least once a day.

Like humans dogs need to see the vet dentist.

Regular walks and a lead for walking near traffic or farm animals.

Dog mess is pretty awful, but you MUST pick it up with a pooper-scooper.

Never leave a dog in an enclosed space like a car or small room, even with the window open.

A collar with identity tag Plus vet microchip.

To be properly trained.

To be neutered,if you want a puppy remember you won't get just one with your dog and pregnancy will be costly!

To be taken to a vet if they are ill.

Regular and necessary injections to prevent serious diseases.

Worming and regular flea treatments.

To be looked after when you are on holiday by a professional career or someone who can give your dog the time and attention it needs.

So if you think you have what it takes to look after a dog, then go for it and remember an animal shelter is a good place to start. Please vote for Coco in th epetmillions contest - http://www.petmillions.com/vote.asp?vote=1033 you will be supporting charities and animal shelters across the globe PLUS you can get a chance to win up to a $1,000,000 in cash!

Henry Jackson hails from Ill. and has a brace of beautiful retrievers, including Coco. You can vote for Coco in the petmillions.com pet phot contest - her pet ID is 1033 (http://www.petmillions.com/vote.asp?vote=1033)

Well Darlings,

There has to be a reason for it. It is unnatural. Perhaps it is to do with some of the modern foods people eat these days? Or something in the coffee? I hope it isn't anything to do with all the Chinese ingredients companies now add to so many of our foods today without telling us. If Chinese food has been killing the dogs in America and making people ill, as I read recently, I don't want to be eating it! Whatever it is I'm looking for, it needs to be found quickly for it is responsible for a pronounced lack of common sense in too many people. Some of these people shoulder enormous responsibilities, and we rely on them to use their common sense to keep us from harm. One such person is the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers.

Leyhill Open Prison in Gloucestershire - it has no perimeter security fence whatsoever - has been ordered to house up to 50 very high risk criminals, including a "relatively large group of men" sex offenders. This is the prison where almost 400 inmates simply walked out between 1999 and 2006. During that time the inmates here were disappearing at the rate of more than one a week. Mostly they were those convicted of robbery and burglary offences, but alarmingly they also included 22 murderers and 7 rapists.

Anne has at least had the common sense to question the "appropriateness" of placing such higher-risk inmates in open jails, but still wallows around in a fudge of uncertainty. Like so many today, if it isn't written down somewhere exactly what to do, she appears to be at a loss. She talks of the guidance on whether such offenders should be in open prisons as being "unclear", and complains there are no clear rules on whether high risk prisoners should be put on normal resettlement programmes where they work in local colleges or companies. What? She needs guidance and rules for this? Has she no savvy?

I have to question why any person should need to be guided in order to know whether or not murderers and sexual offenders, some of them rapists, should be kept in open prisons where they can simply walk out. Even just a modicum of common sense will say: no, they must always be kept in secure accommodation - and yet strangely it has been the Prison Service's policy to send these offenders to Leyhill for years.

In my mind, whoever decides prison policy might well benefit from a trip to the convent in Lisieux where St. Thrse, the Patron Saint of Common Sense, spent some years - and if they don't find any, perhaps they should stay there! Other than that they should be forced to take up residence with their families somewhere close to Leyhill - given time, I'm sure a few of the inmates would love to pop in on them to say thanks!

I hate having to bring it up yet again, it is becoming tedious, but it really does need to be kept in the news. Our appalling NHS has suffered a scathing attack by the Scottish newspaper the Daily Record under the front page headlines: Scotland's Killer Hospitals. The paper revealed that almost 1 in 10 patients pick up an infection in a Scottish hospital, and in one Glasgow hospital the rate is nearly 1 in 5. The hospital acquired infections (HAIs) kill more than 500 patients a year in Scotland alone and cost the NHS a staggering 183million.

In England and Wales, where HAIs are almost as prevalent, to add to this deplorable situation we now learn that more than 24,000 hospital patients were reportedly given the wrong treatment last year. In some cases this has led to serious injury and even death.

Our NHS really cannot be allowed to continue on in this state. It never used to be like this, so why is it now? All the money they are spending - wasting? - on various "health issues" in an attempt to take the focus off their own gross failings must cease immediately, and they must knuckle down and address the real health threat to the nation - themselves! That money needs to be spent in the hospitals cleaning them and teaching the staff and doctors basic hygiene standards. A 1 in 5 chance of catching an infection that might kill you, and if it doesn't it is still most unpleasant, has to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.

I have little doubt that someone still with some common sense left needs to be brought in to give those in the NHS the "guidance" and "direction" that so many people cannot seem to function without these days. The worrying factor is: people with common sense are becoming increasingly harder to find.

Britain has 4.2 million CCTV cameras, 1 for every 14 people - that's more than in the rest of Europe all put together! - and yet we still have some of the worst crime rates in Europe. Cameras are an easy "cop out" for politicians - it makes it look like they are addressing the problem - and whilst cameras have been invaluable recently in tracking the movements of terrorists, so we do need them, they are a long way from being the answer to preventing crime on our streets. Proof of this comes from the Holloway Road in London. With more than a hundred cameras along its two-mile length it is the most spied upon road in Britain, and yet last year, over a period of just 6 months, we're told 430 offences were committed there, including 29 serious assaults, 15 robberies and 32 burglaries.

What does common sense suggest to you? A few more police needed on the street? It's something worth a try, isn't it? But I doubt that they will get them - they'll probably install another couple of cameras, so pulling yet another copper off a street somewhere to stare at a screen.

So, where has all our common sense gone? Have we just lost it, or has it been stolen? Only those who have managed to retain at least some of theirs will know the answer to this one. Common sense has been stolen from us by those who forced us into political correctness. Wherever they encountered it, these people took it away from us. No-one is allowed the freedom now to analyse anything for themselves and come to their own sensible conclusions anymore - to use their own common sense - as we are told precisely how we must react to everything and every situation. We have become little more than a nation of zombies, unable to think for ourselves and just going through the motions of life like some bored repertory actors. However, with Gordon Brown's pledge to bring back competitive sport for our children, there is a slight glimmer of hope on the dark horizon. It needs to be grabbed and nurtured.

Common sense has always said to me that the winners are likely to be the best ones to do the job. Political correctness has for decades taken away competitiveness, so we have never really known who was best - we just guessed, or waited for a palm to be greased! School sports were banned in case those not good at them should feel inferior, and so too for a long time, and for the same reason, were many school examinations. Where common sense said everybody should have equal opportunities and achieve what they could from them, political correctness said everybody should be equal. The former is an admirable concept and is easily attainable; the latter is an utter impossibility, unless we are all dumbed down to the lowest possible denominator.

Political correctness is on par with communism: we are all equal, except we find some are far more equal than others - and they will be the ones who make up the rules. If you still have your common sense with you, it will be immediately apparent that, under this system, those least able to do a good job of making the rules are equally likely to be those doing just that job. Is it any wonder we are in such a state today?

Isn't it about time we threw out political correctness, and started using some common sense? Equal rights for everyone under the law - yes! But an equal (downtrodden) people, where one size fits all - no! We are all individuals. Our Creator made us that way, and no man has the right to change that!

"The Bitch!" 13/07/07.


Michael Knell

Affiliate marketing has been around long before the internet, but it has become so much more popular as a way to make money since then. Let's take a quick look at what it is and what it is exactly that makes it so special, shall we?

Affiliate marketing is not about writing your own product and trying to find people to buy it. Affiliate marketing is about recommending someone else's product or products and making a percentage from that sale. It's basically piggybacking on the efforts of other peoples work, which is ok, because they want you to!

These marketers who have their own products will be very eager for you to recommend their products. If they know what they are doing then you are their best friend! And you can easily have a great, profitable business relationship with these other marketers; they create the products and you sell them!

This is really great for both the affiliate and the creator of the product. The average affiliate marketer just wants to make some extra money. They do not bother with creating products or services or even handling other tasks that come along with being a product creator or owner, like customer service, updates, upgrades, etc. Great affiliates are really good at figuring out what people want to buy and then directing those people to the product. This is one of the many wonderful advantages to being an affiliate marketer: It is not your job to sell the item. It is your job to simply pre-sell the item. Let the items sell themselves.

Affiliate marketing can be even more lucrative for the affiliate marketer by offering buyers incentives for buying through your affiliate link. What kind of special offers? Well, the smartest affiliates are affiliates that have actually tried the product or service they are promoting. When the affiliate has actually tried the product, they can create better offers based on what they know of the product! The affiliate marketer that does this can provide additional reports or even videos that explain the advantages or secrets of what the buyer can do with the product or service! If you are an affiliate marketer selling a software application, then you can tell your visitors that they will receive a video from you showing the best ways to make use of the software program.

Back to the original question: Is affiliate marketing the easiest path to make good money online? Without a doubt, yes, it is. Once you take into consideration the fact that you do not have to make a product and all that you have to do is promote products to people that are already looking for products you are promoting, taking candy from a baby could not be easier.

John Gottshall has a FREE step by step guide to making money online. It is not one of those guides that's disquised as a sales letter for something that costs money, it's the real thing. Get it while it's still free => http://www.secretprofitfiles.com

C. M. Coolidge, known for his "poker playing dogs", was a brilliant man with innovative ideas and an entrepreneurial instinct about art. Born in a small town in upstate New York to Quaker parents, he didn't receive a formal college education, but did take some college business classes later in his life. By the time he was 18 or 19, he took a few lessons in portrait painting, along with a course in bookkeeping a few years later. His love for reading resulted in a solid self education. At the age of 19, he started doing cartoons for newspapers in surrounding neighborhoods. A few years later, while living in Rochester, NY, he wrote and illustrated a weekly newspaper column.

Coolidge loved people and was quite social. At around the age of 20 or 21, he was elected Superintendent for one of the local school districts. Later, he was elected Town Clerk. Around the same time, he became active in the Masonic Lodge. Coolidge had lofty plans for himself, although most of his pursuits didn't work out or were short-lived. When he was 27 or 28, he started the first bank in the town of Antwerp, NY. He worked there for a short time, and then became a druggist. That; however; did not hold his interest for long. And, a year later he founded his hometown's first newspaper. Unfortunately, that failed a short time later.

Between jobs and in his free time, he would draw cartoons for area newspapers and would do caricatures of people. One of his many elaborate projects was the writing of a comic opera concerning the elimination of mosquitoes. Interestingly, it was produced but made no real money. He also applied for a patent for collecting fares on street cars. Although, again, nothing became of it.

The one consistent endeavor he held onto was his love of comics and art. He began to do dog paintings around the turn of the century. Mainly, they were purchased by cigar companies and used as giveaways. Coolidge's big break came when the advertising firm Brown & Bigelow approached him to do a series of paintings that would be used on calendars and other memorabilia. That was in 1903. Around this time is when his infamous poker dog paintings got underway.

Over the next ten years, Coolidge created 16 paintings of dogs - seven that portrayed dogs playing pool. The other nine were dogs surrounding a poker table. By putting dogs in art, yet in a situation familiar to middle class Americans, he not only anthropomorphized them, but created an instant kitsch fad. It certainly helped the cigar and calendar businesses for which he worked. A few of his original dog paintings sold for US$2,000 to US$10,000 dollars - an astonishing amount for the time period.

For years his images of dogs playing poker while drinking, smoking, and basically getting into trouble graced bachelor pads, bars, and taverns around the country. The scenes always evoked feelings of something American and something modern. Recently, a pair of his poker dog paintings entitled A Bold Bluff and Waterloo, expected to go for US$30,000 to US$60,000, surprised the art world by selling for $590,00 for the pair.

More meaning for A Friend In Need:

A few theories about his art give more meaning than what initially meets the eye. One theory states that the painting A Friend In Need has great significance. "Coolidge's painting was used in the Second World War to boost the moral of Dutch citizens. The dog with the cigar being Churchill giving America help (on his left hand side), which goes unnoticed. Russia (the most left dog) tries to attract USA's attention, while Hitler (the dog with the pipe and the 'big ears' in front of the clock) watches anxiously."(1)

Poker enthusiast Jim McManus has stated, "[In] A Friend in Need, the blatant cheating refers back to the early nineteenth century, Mississippi riverboat days, when poker was mainly a series of opportunities to fleece the suckers."

A specialist for Sotheby's Auction House, Alison Cooney, says that people who dismiss the painting as simply "kitsch art" are missing the deeper meaning of his work. "It's a humorous, ironic take; she continues, a jab at middle-class America; another way of poking fun at ourselves."(2)

Another theory suggests that the dogs were all aspects of C.M. Coolidge himself. Known to his friends as "Cash", he loved a good bet and was something of a hustler.(3) He wore a hat and often held a cigar, just as his paintings of dogs did. Other sources hint that he looked like the bulldogs he painted.

In a recent tongue-in-cheek article by Steven J. Rolfes, he writes "In this iconic work, we see a masterly representation of the Last Supper, with Christ (on the left) sitting conveying His wisdom to His followers. We see Judas to His right, with the bag of silver coins at his pawside." He asserts that the painting A Friend in Need has deep arcane roots in a very secret society that even precedes the Illuminati called the "Prior of Dogbone."(4) This important insight is one that Coolidge himself would appreciate.

After his success with painting dogs, a new idea provided him a profitable income. He started the invention of "Comic Foregrounds", which are wooden life-size cartoon stand-ups with the face cut out so that one can place their head for funny photos. He completed hundreds of them, including the famous Man Riding a Donkey and Fat Man in a Bathing Suit. Some of these comic foregrounds had hand lettering at the bottom. He would often hire students to do them.

C.M. Coolidge was a bachelor for most of his life. When he was 64, he met Gertrude Kimmel, an art student who was doing some lettering work for him at the time. They were married in 1909 and had a daughter a year later.

A few years later, when Coolidge was about 70 years old, he fell and hurt his knee. According to an account written by his daughter Marcella Coolidge, he didn't visit a doctor and was lame the rest of his life.(5) He tried his hand at writing, but it didn't take off. Still, Coolidge remained in good spirits. His wife went to work and he was strong enough to do work around the house.

Coolidge's daughter has also said that his dog paintings were not taken seriously at home by herself or her mother. She said that she never liked them - that it was simply commercial. Furthermore, she relayed that they never had a dog, but that her dad was fond of them.(6) This is clear as seen in the widespread influence they had in his art.

Andy Warhol was influenced by Coolidge's work. Coolidge set a precedent for the weimaraner photos of William Wegman. Today, we find Coolidge's canine images on posters everywhere. If you have US$590,000 or more to spend, contact Doyle Auction House in New York to see when they will have another original Coolidge dog painting to auction.

Sources: 1. http://gaming.unlv.edu/gallery/a_friend_in_need.htm 2. Barry, Dan. "Artist's Fame Is Fleeting, but Dog Poker Is Forever" New York Times. 6/14/2002 3. http://www.tenbyten.net/luckydog.html 4. http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/archives/dogs.html 5. http://www.dogsplayingpoker.org 6. http://archives.stupidquestion.net/sq52500dogsplayingpoker.html

Copyright 2006 Melanie Light

Melanie Light is an artist and art educator. She is the site owner of Pet Lovers Art at http://www.artzpet.com and Classic Pet Art at http://www.cafepress.com/petz. You will find more pet artwork, gifts, and information on these web sites.

Getting to know your dog starts by getting to know its breed. At Kingdom of Pets, we keep a large database of detailed information on the appearance, personality, and health requirements of individual dog breeds. Here's what you need to know about Bloodhounds:

Bloodhounds are traditionally known for their work in trailing escaped prisoners. However, in todays world, we also see this breed used for trailing lost people in the mountains, someone kidnapped, a child separated from a family, and so on. Considered a cousin of the Scent Hound, the Bloodhound is a dog of patience, tolerance, friendliness, and an easy-going attitude. What amazes people most is that when it comes to choosing a dog for children, the Bloodhound is truly an exceptional choice.

The only drawback to owning a Bloodhound is that the breed is considered a little on the messy side. With a long tongue that laps up water, they tend to splash and even drool. Sometimes called a St. Hubert Hound, this large breed dog has an unrivaled ability of scent, often used for finding humans in collapsed buildings, hurricanes, and other natural disaster situations. Many times, the Bloodhound is called a Gentle Giant, as a term of endearment that certainly fits.

Physical Appearance

The Bloodhound breed usually weighs as much as 110 pounds although they can be somewhat smaller, between 80 and 90 pounds. From the withers, this breed is between 23 and 27 inches tall with a beautiful smooth coat. In addition to being recognized by the American Kennel Club, this breed is also recognized under the FCI, UKC, NCA, and many others. As far as colors, the following are acceptable.

* Black and Tan
* Liver and Tan
* Red

Temperament and Personality

Different from common belief, the Bloodhound is very cheerful, mellow, and affectionate. The one aspect of owning this breed you need to remember is that Bloodhounds can be a little difficult to train, but if you put in the time, you will end up with a great all-around dog.

Without doubt, a Bloodhound is loyal to his master. In fact, when away from the owner, a Bloodhound has been known to become depressed, actually showing signs of mourning. As far as a family pet, this breed is one of the best, with a gentle spirit, even temper, and affectionate nature.

Health

Typically, a Bloodhound can live between 10 and 12 years. Because this breed is large, they are prone to developing Hip Dysplasia. Other than this, proper care with diet and exercise should keep this breed happy and healthy.

Daniel Stevens is the renowned dog trainer and author of SitStayFetch, a leading dog training guide having sold over 21,000 copies (and counting). See http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/dogbreeds/bloodhound.php for more on dog breeds.

How much money would you like to earn from your book, I ask my client.

From her facial reaction, I know that the question resonates as if I am asking how much her child is worth. It is challenging to most writers to think in terms of dollars and cents.

Thats why I ask.

The romantic myth that money somehow sullies the creative process is, in reality, a bigger obstacle to your publication goals than not having an agent. Its not that your goal has to be to get rich from your book, although that is a perfectly fine goal to have. Its that understanding the ebb and flow of money in your publishing life creates a positive perception about you as an author prospect. When you have defined expectations, you project confidence, commitment and focus.

To clarify your financial focus, I offer three questions to help you center on where you are today, and three questions to help you establish your financial goals.

1. What is your motivation for writing the book? How will the book serve your career and/or life purpose?

2. How do you promote your image now? Do you do workshops or publish articles?

3. What are your long-term career goals as a writer? Currently, is writing a hobby or a business? Do you report your income and/or expenses on your income tax?

Here are three questions to help you establish your financial goals.

1. Identify two books that are similar to yours in your publishing category. What is the LIST (cover) price of each one? Assume it is a hard cover book and that you would receive a 10% list royalty from the publisher (for paperback, assume a 7.5% royalty). Then, calculate how much you would earn if the book sold 5,000 copies, 7,500 copies, and so on.

2. Using the amount you would like to earn as a guide, how much of that money would you like to retain as income and how much are you willing to invest in publicity or direct selling, independent of what the publisher plans to do for your book?

3. Given what you plan to invest in the marketing and promotional effort and in the time you will invest in writing the book, what is the ideal advance amount you would like to negotiate with the publisher?

Every editor comes to the contract negotiation with numbers in mind. He or she has made a decision about the market value of your work. If you do the same, you are in the position to have thorough discussion about mutual expectations. Make a list of the items that are most important to you.

Finally, make a financial calendar that will help you visualize when you will be incurring expenses versus when you anticipate receiving your advance payments or income from other sources.

Whether you are an author with a commercial publisher or you are self-publishing, you have the power to make your project a financial success on your terms.

Believe in yourself, your talent and your ability to value your work. Now, go forth and prosper.

C 2006 Melissa A Rosati

Melissa A Rosati is a publishing coach, a contributing editor, Novel Writer magazine and a professor of publishing, Pace University, NYC.

Anyone looking for a new pet wants a pet that is clean, socialized and well trained. Most people don't know that these are all qualities of pet rats!

There are many misconceptions about rats. People think that rats are unclean and carry disease. In fact, rats are quite clean and groom themselves several times a day. These aren't sewer rats we're talking about. These pet rats, or fancy rats as they're called, have been domesticated and bred in captivity for at least 150 years.

Rats are very intelligent animals. Some consider rats to have intelligence close or equal to that of dogs. Rats are capable of learning to come when their names are called. They can even be litter trained just as easily as training a cat.

If you have any experience with other rodents such as hamsters, mice or gerbils you may be afraid of biting. This is almost unheard of with domesticated rats. Unlike their rodent cousins, rats are generally docile creatures. Most of the time rats just like to lay around, especially males. Rats can easily be trained to be good lap pets.

In the wild, rats live together and have a complex social structure. These social instincts carry over to pet rats. Pet rats tend to develop strong bonds to humans and to their cage mates. So much so that its common for rats to become very depressed when a cage mate passes away.

Many apartments won't allow dogs or cats, and it may simply be impractical to have larger pets in some houses. In those situations a pet rat is perfect. Cages for pet rats usually don't consume much room at all which makes pet rats great for small apartments.

Rats are friendly and intelligent animals and make great first pets for children. Being clean and easy to care for makes them great companions for the elderly. Go out and get your pet rat today!

Scott McHenry and his wife have had a large number of pets of many different species. They have several years experience with rats and together run http://www.ratanswers.com, a rat informational web site.

You've got it! That beautiful stallion or mare that is the perfect example of everything a horse of its breed should be. It's got great conformation, a perfect temperament, and has performed well in its chosen discipline. You know this horse could benefit its breed by passing on its progeny.

You've made the decision to breed your horse.

So, now what? Do you follow the old adage and "breed the best to the best and hope for the best?"

Well, while that advice is actually tried-and-true, and certainly not the worst advice in the world, you are going to have to take a few extra steps to make sure the resulting foal is everything you hope it will be. Because the foal will be a blend of both the sire's and the dam's genetics, there are a few things to consider when choosing a good mate for your horse.

* Consider the goal of breeding your horse. In other words, what kind of horse are you breeding for? Do you want to produce a horse for dressage, hunting, cutting, reining, endurance, driving, or one of the other many disciplines? Knowing what kind of horse you want to produce will help you narrow the field as you consider mates for your horse.

* Look at your horse's conformation. No horse is perfect! Take a good look at your horse, and make notes about his good points, as well as what needs improving. Now do the same to the mates you are considering. Eliminate any horse who have weak points in common with your horse, and lean toward those who correct your horse where he is weak.

* Consider the temperament of potential mates. A horse who is easy to work with is just as valuable as a horse with perfect conformation. Because disposition may be genetic, be sure to evaluate the mate's personality. What kind of temperament are you looking for in the foal? Is the mate nervous or confident? Timid or bold? Calm or jumpy?

* Look at prior progeny. If the mate has other offspring, take a good look at them. Did the mate pass along its good traits to its progeny? Did any congenital defects crop up? You can investigate ancestry even further by contacting breeders with the same line. Did the dam, sire, and siblings of the mate you are considering produce successful individuals?

* Investigate the health of the mate. Is the mare or stallion in good health? Look for the normal things, like bright eyes, a shiny coat, and an alert expression. If the animal is under or overweight consider carefully, especially if it is a mare. Mares who are not in good body weight can sometimes have difficulty getting in foal. Make sure the horse is sound and moves correctly. Be wary of horses with injuries, as certain weaknesses can be passed to offspring. You should also make sure the horse has received good veterinary care, including regular deworming and current vaccinations.

* Do a breeding exam. A mare should always undergo a breeding exam before you commit. Maiden mares will need rectal and vaginal exams, while proven mares may need more extensive examinations.

* When you think you've decided, think again! That's right. Before you sign any papers or contracts, make sure you know what breeding entails, including the costs involved. And always, always make sure you have a valid reason for breeding your horse. It is not something to be done lightly! In the end, if you've determined that your horse can contribute the betterment of the breed, you well understand what financial and health risks you'll be up against, and you've found a good mate, go for it!

Ron Petracek is the founder of Equine Internets vast 15 site classified and social network. You can view its amazing size here Http://www.equineinternet.com/network.php or to further your equine habit please visit our forum by clicking here http://www.horsechitchat.com/equineforums and start posting Need to sell a horse or tack? place a free ad here http://www.click4equine.com and always the barn door in left open on purpose.

The answer to that question could be the one thing that legislators all over this country need to realize. Im not writing this to bash anyone or scream about my dislike for the way specific breeds are being treated, but I am writing this in the hopes that somewhere sometime someone who makes these decisions will read this and then consider the results of their actions.

The journey for me started just 10 months ago. I never thought I would say this but I fell in love with a Pit Bull, an American Pit Bull Puppy named Donut to be exact. My sister had rescued this puppy, but soon after found that she could not handle the care and training necessary. So my wife and I decided to give that puppy a better home.

Before meeting Donut my opinion of Pit Bulls was negative. I had always thought of them has such mean dogs that didnt belong in a house with children. But something changed for me. Maybe it was that floppy right ear, or uncontrollable wagging tail, well no matter what it was I was in love.

Once Donut was settled in I really got to know this little guy, who was quickly becoming the big guy. I was amazed he took to training practically overnight and he was so full of love. But wait, this is a pit bull, a mean aggressive and dangerous dog, right?

I then learned that several neighbors of mine also had Pit Bulls. They too were very well behaved and very good around my son. This really got me thinking. Is it just media hype? Where did my misconception of pit bull behavior come from? Then I was confused even more when I heard the news of pit bulls all over being put to death just for being in the wrong city at the wrong time.

How could this happen? Lets put aside the fact that this is America and we are a free country. Those dogs didnt hurt anyone. No, this is just a knee jerk bandaid reaction to a problem that started with the owner and not the pet. I say pet and not animal. (An animal is untamed and wild. A pet is a member of the family.) Responsible pet ownership is the solution to the problem. If a child mouths off to a teacher in class we say its the parents fault, but if a dog barks and bites someone we blame the dog. Why is that? If you own a dog, care for a dog, or are just thinking about getting a dog, I urge you to take the time to train your dog properly and give them tons of love. The song doesnt just apply to people, because Love is all you need.

Bill Clanton is Program Director and Co-Founder of All Pets Radio (http://www.allpetsradio.com), an online radio station for Pet Lovers and Pets alike. Having worked in broadcast radio for the past 15 years and always living around pets of all kinds, Bill felt that bringing these two loves together would be a perfect match.

If you have been searching for good quality dog training books to train your unruly dog behavior, you probably will have searched through mountains of information and come across volume of dog training books that it is hard to tell the good from the bad.

A popular but inferior dog training book is not going to benefit you or your dog, neither is it easy to get excited when the book isn't all that great.

However, the good news is Daniel Stevens, a dog training expert, has released a book titled 'SitStayFetch' covering every aspect of dog training that you are ever likely to need. One of the easiest to follow dog behavior training books on the market, you will learned more from this resource than anything regarding dog training. In terms of quality, information and features, his book is at the top of the market.

What You Will Get In SitStayFetch

The hugely popular book is divided into nine chapters or over 150 pages chock full of all the latest dog training methods and techniques. One of the easiest to follow dog training books on the market, SitStayFetch gives tried and proven dog training programs to help you deal with a huge variety of dog problems, like:

* Aggression
* Biting, mouthing and nipping
* Poop eating or Coprophagia
* Chewing
* Digging
* Disobedience
* Shyness
* Off-leash problems
* Jealousy
* Dogs rivalries
* Excessive barking
* Travel problems
* Having more than one dog in the house
* Bad breath
* Cat and car chasing
* Hot weather and heatstroke
* Jumping on furniture and people
* Separation anxiety
* A death in the family

Jam-packed with information, including over 100 exclusive photos, SitStayFetch is also an excellent visual learning tool to take you step-by-step through your dog training process. The training techniques are also non-physical and teaches dog owners how to understand and communicate with their dogs effectively. Included within to help you further are also topics on:

Selecting, buying and raising a puppy or older dog

The best ways to care for your dog

The advantages and disadvantages of all the training method

How to understand your dog through body language, facial expressions and the impact of wolf instincts

How to train your dog virtually any command and tricks including Come, Hold, Leave, Seek, Beg, Catch, Crawl, and even climb ladders!

The best methods to train your dog, including the latest thing in dog training dog whispering!

Plus Training Commands and Tricks Explained in SitStayFetch:

Come (Recall)
Roll Over
Okay and No
Training Program
Hold and Leave
Advanced Seek (Find)
Sit and Stay
Advanced Sit and Stay
Beg
Down (Drop)
Fetch (Retrieve)
Heel Stage 1 - 3
Catch
Shake
Climb
Stand
Crawl
Wait
Jump

In addition to this fabulous dog training book package includes 5 bonuses when you get SitStayFetch.

These include 4 bonus mini booklets titled:

1. Dog Grooming Made Easy
2. Tips On How To Security Train Your Dog
3. All The House Training Methods And Tricks
4. Secrets To Becoming The Alpha Dog

.. and the fifth bonus -- a free online email consultation to customers who may have specific problems or concerns to address. This is particularly useful if you are having difficulty with a command or have a particular dog problem that you are struggling with, or even a unique problem that is not covered in this comprehensive book package.

SitStayFetch is highly recommended if you have a dog of any age or breed that you want to train successfully. The information is so simple to comprehend, and apply; many dog owners have enjoyed extremely fast results with this book and gave their testimonials on SitStayFetch as indeed the best and also one of the most comprehensive dog training books available on the market.

James Lee is a dog lover who has benefited from the SitStayFetch book. For more information, please visit: http://www.DogTrainingClassroom.com/best-dog-training-book.html.

1) When bringing your new dog home for the first time make sure that he/she has plenty of time to explore their new home, also try to make sure that all family members are present and introduced to your new pet, this is especially important for the older dog. A dog is a territorial animal and the guarding instinct can be very strong and new faces appearing can lead to some confusion - it is better to get everyone introduced straight off, this establishes all the new pack members.

2) Dont play rough or encourage aggression or play biting, this is especially important if you have children in the house for two reasons the first being that very young children are obviously at risk from injury even from a well intentioned but overly boisterous dog used to rougher play and the second is that older children could well be the ones playing rough with your new pet and inadvertently encourage the wrong behaviour or at worst put themselves at risk, in this case both pet and child need to be trained.

3) Never physically punish youre pet to force compliance to your commands, this will lead to a fearful dog and potentially aggressive animal - dogs work on association and will associate physical punishment with your commands and as he does not want to be punished he will avoid you, therefore defeating any training efforts.

4) Training needs to be consistent - this is very important and sometimes very difficult to maintain, your commands must always be the same e.g.: when you want your dog to come to you, you could say either come or here, the trick is to decide which command you are going to use and stick with it As I say this can sometimes be harder than it looks even the most experienced dog handler will sometimes slip up and issue a different command, the important thing is to remember not to chastise your dog for your mistake, after all he does not know you are talking to him when you issue a different command he is not used to.

5) Related to the above, if there are certain places in your home off limits to your pet make sure from the very beginning that your pet is aware of them eg: not welcome in the bathroom, on the couch or on your bed. It is also wise to make sure that all family members are aware of these restrictions as well and stick to them, if your children or spouse are happy for your dog to sit on the couch , but you are not, then you poor dog is getting very mixed signals and does not know what he should do, but he knows one thing that couch sure is comfortable.

6) Punishment must always be when your dog is caught in the act, unlike you or me, a dog will not associate punishment with something he did earlier in the day that you have just discovered the best example being when you get home to find dog mess on the floor or your favourite shoes now chewed to destruction, if you now go into a rage and punish him now, he will associate you coming home as punishment time and will likely hide away when you get home rather than being happy and pleased to see you. This is sometimes the hardest thing to achieve and naturally a dog that persistently offends whether it is messing the floor or being destructive can be very frustrating and frustrated people can get very angry, but it is important to remember how your dog thinks and behave accordingly.

7) Praise him, praise him and praise him again - this is your best tool when training your new dog, whenever he does what you want praise him, if he does it again praise him and keep on praising him, he wants you to be pleased with and lavishing attention on him. As a tool though it is invaluable, again a dogs mind works on association if you lavish praise on him when he does something like doing his business in the garden or whilst out on a walk rather than in the house, he will quickly pick up on the fact that you like him doing this and he will keep on with this pattern of behaviour and in no time at all this training job is done very nicely thank you very much.

I hope this is helpful, I could have listed more tips but these are the ones I consider essential and many others are just variations of the above.

David A. Eaton

Here is a simple walleye fishing tip that I use for one area of a lake I fish frequenly on Manitoulin Island and the lake is Mindemoya lake. This walleye fishing tip will work on most lakes of various sizes anywhere walleye are caught.

I have been catching walleye for over 50 years all across Canada. During that time I have learned a lot of things about fishing. But always remember that you can usually learn some new tricks and tips at any time.

Over the many years that I have fished this area I see so many anglers full of enthusiasm and expectations come and leave just frustrated with their experience fishing walleye. This fishing tip will help eliminate that frustration. It may not make you an expert, but it will make a difference in your fishing results.

Lake Mindemoya is not a large lake but to know where certain features of the lake are is great information to have. Depth, where to find shoals, sunken islands or structure that walleye love and frequent. My favorite spot on this lake is what is called Grassy Island and in the north west corner of the lake. It is actually what I call a sunken island because the only time it is actually visible from anywhere is in the summer when the reeds and grass are growing. In fact the hottest time of the summer is a great time for fishing walleye.

Now the first thing is of course is your rod and reel, sounds simple but be sure to use good fishing equipment. A light action graphite rod and reel with 6 or 8 pound test line is sufficient to catch and land most large walleyes.

The last thing is of course the simplest the hook. A plain unadorned ball-headed jig is king here. It is simple and easy to use, and deadly. Use 1/4 ounce as much as possible. If you have a problem finding the bottom you can move up to 3/8 ounce till you get used to finding the bottom.

These jigs have no action of their own, so that is up to the angler, short hops seem to work best but do not be afraid to experiment. Try to maintain contact with the bottom at all times, but try not to bounce on slack line. This can cause you to get snagged more often.

Jigs are great for catch and release, most of the time the walleye will be hooked in the top lip. Unhooking is fast and easy for you and the fish.

Tip jigs with either a minnow or a leech. I like to use leeches but at times minnows will work best. I usually carry both so I can test which is working best that day or for the area you are fishing.

Well now put this all together and lets catch those walleyes. Off the edge of this grassy island or sunken island as I call it there is a drop off and the walleye hold to this at different depths at different times of the day. Deeper during the heat of the day and closer in the evening.

The area I fish I am usually able to drift slowly over this reef from one end to the other and preset my jig and bait offering easily plus with great success. If you use electronics of any kind of course you can find these walleyes and where they are holding up. Also if it is too windy to drift the way you want a trolling motor can keep you in the thick of the action or even anchor.

Walleye do not like bright light and most anglers think that the best time for fishing walleye is early morning or in the evening and even after dark. But on Mindemoya Lake in the heat of summer you have an algae growth that clouds the water somewhat and makes for great fishing even in the heat of the day. As simple as this walleye fishing tip seems, remember it works and just experiment and you will succeed.

So to wrap this up if you ever get to my favorite place on earth, Manitoulin Island and happen to be near grassy island on Mindemoya Lake say hello to the oldtimer you see out there all alone in his Lund boat. Do not be afraid to ask questions, because he will have fish! Get out there and enjoy nature and relax!

Jack Phillips has been an avid Canadian angler for over 50 years. Fishing Canada provides solid advice walleye fishing tips, bass, pike, muskie, a variety of trout, arctic char bass and more. Idea's on when and where to go on your next trip to Canada. Ice fishing tips. Delicious fish recipes also!

I once knew a man who gave away his border collie because the dog chewed on his furniture while he was at work. The dogs second family discovered the pooch had bleeding gums and two rotten teeth. Their vet removed the two bad teeth and cleaned the rest. While they were prepared to bring in an obedience trainer, they didnt have to because the dog never chewed up anything again.

When a dog that never used to chew things starts chewing, its a good idea to let a veterinarian rule out physical problems, such as teeth and gum problems. You and I know how awful a tooth ache can be how we press the side of our face, against the offending tooth to relive pain? Since dogs cant do that, they may chew on something hard, like the leg of a chair, to help relieve the pain. Sometimes there really are medical reasons for bad behavior that dog training isnt going to fix.

Poor oral condition in dogs and cats can lead to heart and kidney disease, as well as painful tooth aches, or gum disease. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, oral disease is the No. 1 health problem diagnosed in dogs and cats! But if you follow the steps below, you'll increase your pet's chances of a lifetime of healthy, pearly whites:

1. At least once a year, make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and dental cleaning if necessary and schedule follow-ups if you discover swollen gums.

2. Develop an at-home dental care routine that includes a nutritious diet and yes, regular brushing. While its best to start when they are young, with patience and persistence on your part, even an older animal can get used to having their teeth brushed and they may even enjoy the extra attention. And nix the table scraps they cause plaque build up.

If, after devoting attention to your pets oral health needs, you find the chewing continues, then you have a behavioral problem and youll want to seek professional help. To learn more, visit http://www.ezniche.com/data/article.php?l=83.

Patricia Collier is owner of http://FloridaPets.net which offers pet-friendly information to Florida residents and visitors, including where to vacation, play, dine, live and more. Copyright 2006.

Home bound workers can either consider telecommuting or freelancing. While telecommuting may keep you out of your home for some hours a week, online freelancing is a good way to make money if you are forced to stay at home. For example, homemakers, part-time students, retired folk, or others who wish to supplement their income from jobs or businesses can all consider freelancing.

Freelance Skill Sets

You can start earning as a freelancer as long as you have skills that someone is willing to pay for. For example, writers, web designers, photographers, and programmers can earn a substantial income by creating articles, websites, portfolios and software from home. The Internet is a hot and viable source of income for freelancers from around the world. Your target customers can be webmasters, online business owners, blog owners etc. For example, blogs and wikis are hot sources of income for freelance writers nowadays, and there's no reason why you can't tap into this market if you possess good writing skills.

Freelance Income

On the flip, your income may fluctuate from one month to another. As with all businesses, freelancing does not guarantee a stable paycheck at the end of the month. So keep a small kitty reserve for dry days or have another source of income for which you can work part-time. Be prepared to accept boring, low-level work initially just to keep the cash flow strong. Once you get a good reputation for providing original, high-quality work at reasonable price, then clients will flock to you.

Freelance Advantages

Probably the best thing about freelancing is that you get to work at your pace, in your own hours, from home, and be your own boss. That means, your shop is open 24x7. And as long as you provide good quality work and meet deadlines, your clients will remain happy with you.

In order to be visible, you also need to be seen and heard in the right places, like forums, blogs, online groups, etc. Spend time everyday to visit such sites because they are invaluable repository of freelance gigs and email addresses of prospects. Alternatively you can sign up with freelance sites like Elance.com, GetAFreelancer.com and Scriptlance.com where you can start bidding on projects and snag a few as early as today!

To conclude, a freelance business is one of the best ways to earn money from home and to work for your own self. If you've got a fair amount of time on your hands, maybe you too should consider freelancing as your full-time career alternative or supplementary income source.

(Hint: While you can find plenty of lucrative freelance assignments on Elance, the other sites mentioned above generally tend to feature lesser-paid projects. However, if you're just starting out as a freelancer, the competition on Elance can prove to be really tough. So you might want to first try GAF and Scriptlance to build up your portfolio, and then go for Elance.)

Lewis Low is the founding editor of OnlineBizPromo.com. For more Practical Online Business Ideas and Work-From-Home Opportunities, visit his Work-At-Home directory at http://www.OnlineBizPromo.com

Picture the scene. I'm driving sedately in my family car across the desolate moors of Derbyshire, in particular the High Peak area of North West England, the far side of Macclesfield. It's a long, fairly straight road, but there are some vicious bends in it, and if you take them too fast you can end up in the ditch, your car a write-off. Maybe that's why some sections of the road have a 50 miles per hour speed limit. It's known as a dangerous place to drive, and also fairly renowned for having more than its fair share of motorbike traffic. (It seems the 'Easy Riders' like the twists and turns and enjoy the risk. They're asked not to: there are posters at intervals along the road warning them to slow down. They regularly ignore the injunctions. So motor bike riders regularly crash, especially in wet weather.)

This day I'm talking about is fortunately dry. I'm keeping up a good speed, but well within the limit. I don't want to dawdle, because I know that it can annoy those people following. Sure enough, that day, there is a car a few metres behind me, pressing hard, trying to get past. He seems in a bit of a hurry, so, as I want to be helpful, I go as fast as I can (or, strictly speaking, as fast as we are both allowed). He doesn't care about that, he just wants to get ahead. Not surprisingly, he seizes the first chance he can get. As we come down round a bend, he swings out and hammers past me, his engine racing. He didn't judge it very well. The road ahead seemed clear for a while, but a car comes round the bend ahead of us, and my overtaker has to pull in abruptly in order to avoid a collision.

Firstly, he took a chance, an unnecessary risk, simply in order to get ahead. It doesn't help his journey. A mile further on is a junction and I caught him up there. Slightly further on are traffic lights, and he was forced to stop there too. So, simply because he didn't like his position on the road behind me he put all our lives at risk. If he had crashed his car, it might have caused me to come off the road too, plus the people in the car coming towards us. The slightest misjudgement could have been fatal. Being in pole position didn't speed up his journey because it's such a winding road that he couldn't build up enough speed to really get ahead of me. That was a mistake.

Still, let's be fair. He had a car that looked impressive. It was more modern than mine, and made all the right noises. Surely he was entitled to race it? Not if his bad driving put our lives at risk. Second, not if he broke the law, i.e. the speed limits, which were clearly marked and surely there for all our sakes. Anyway, let's think about that. Do we know it was his car? It might have belonged to his employer. Would his boss have encouraged him to hammer his vehicle, knowing it would shorten the serviceable life of the car? What if more likely the car belonged to the bank? Yes, we don't like to think about it, but it's a fact that when we 'buy' things on credit then they don't actually belong to us, not until they're paid off. 'His' car might be yet another consumer possession that the man was able to use, but hadn't quite paid for yet and therefore didn't actually own.

Fourthly, why was he in such a hurry anyway? Now, his employer might be involved at this stage. Maybe he had given the man orders about being at such-and-such a place, to meet a certain person at such a time. Me, I was ambling along because it was early afternoon. I had fulfilled my appointments for the day and was heading home. (The joys of self-employment!) So, our 'boy racer', in his brand new car, isn't a person to be envied all that much, if his time is not his own, and he is 'racing' to perform business that won't actually make him rich and is someone else's priority.

What a disappointment! I may be guessing, but I think that young man in his shiny car was pretty full of himself. He was gunning the engine and assuming that other drivers were envying him, his flash motor and his fast-paced lifestyle. He would be horrified to hear that observers were, in reality, feeling sorry for him, the stresses placed upon him and the way he was wasting his time and energy. Sound familiar? How many of us want to be admired? There's an obvious way to get that. Just go out and do something worthwhile. It might be difficult, of course. But don't expect that you can take the easy way out and simply show off your glossy possessions for the populace in order to earn their admiration automatically. Their pity, maybe, but driving fast cars recklessly, as part of a non-stop, busy lifestyle, is simply a sign of bad time-keeping. Nothing to admire there.

Mike Scantlebury is an Internet Author, with books, stories and self-help material to his credit. He currently lives in Manchester, England, home to a famous soccer team called Manchester United and many fine singers like Morrisey and Graham Nash. Check out further details at his Information site. Try http://www.mikescantlebury.info

The concept of correcting your dog can create a contest of willpower between you and your pet. Anyone who has ever lived with even a slightly naughty dog can tell you that such critters thrive on contests of willpower. A four year old child whining in Walmart for a candy bar still hasnt got the reserve of willpower held by the average dog.

For example, if youve ever corrected your dog from getting up on the couch or eating off a counter, he knows you dont like him doing it. Does he stop? Heck no. He simply does the behavior when youre not looking. Or maybe he even does it in front of you with a look that says, go ahead, try and stop me.

Thats because Fido knows what you want. But he just knows he has the option of doing it anyway because maybe, just maybe, today is the day when mom or dad doesnt have the strength to deal with me.

The answer is NOT to yell at or correct your dog more or harder. Thats a hard lesson to learn for most pet owners. But as you may have found by now, correcting more and more simply makes for an enjoyable challenge for the dog. He thinks, Go ahead, make my day, because I feel lucky today, punk.

Lets take luck out of the training process!

Here is a set of simple instructions to follow to stop your dog from doing an indoor behavior such as getting on the couch, snarfing food off counters, eating the trash, etc.

1. Do not reprimand the dog. Youll only teach him to wait till youre not around if you do so.

2. Instead, keep a supply of empty plastic milk jugs handy all over your house.

3. Into each empty gallon or gallon jug, place a couple handfuls of dried beans and replace the cap.

4. When you find the dog on the sofaor better yet eyeballing it with intentloft a jug so that it lands on or near your dog, depending on his size or temperament.

5. When you throw the jug, DO NOT look at or even say anything to your dog, and do not pick up the jug again in your dogs presence.

6. Your dog will think, Hmmm, God drops a loud bomb on my head every time I even look at the couch.

This process will not harm your dog as it certainly does not hurt. In fact, it wont even hurt his feelings because you havent yelled at him. However, it will make the behavior a great deal less fun than it was before.

You may only have to do the above once or twice to make the couch (trash, or whatever) a bad place for Fido. But what you have removed from the contest is YOURSELF. You have made the contest between Fido and God, and believe me, God always wins.

Marc Goldberg is a dog trainer specializing in the rehabilitation of difficult dogs and improving relationships. He is Vice President of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and Editor of SafeHands Journal. The author also educates professional dog trainers in his techniques. Visit him on the web at http://www.chicagodogtrainer.com or http://www.dogtraininginchicago.com.

For all pet owners, regular monitoring and examinations of your pet will give you a better idea of the animals overall health and prove as good quality time for both you and your pet. Also, this may help you catch a problem in the early phases and certainly before it becomes life threatening. The list of things you can do during this time could be long but below weve taken the time to list a few of the most basic and easy to read signs of being off color. In addition to the usual, these steps may help you in deciding your pets actual state of health.

CHECK YOUR PET FOR:

1) Build up in the tooth area. Also bad breath- which may suggest gingivitis or other tooth/gum problems.

2) Clean ears. Is there wax build up, ticks, mites or other parasites inside? Is a bad odor present?

3) Are the eyes discolored or irritated? Is extensive matter present?

4) A greasy coat? Is the skin grey white or red and irritated? Do you find evidence of fleas or other parasites? Is the smell of the animals coat on your hands, after checking it with your fingers, fishy, rank or offensive?

A doggy odor, while common, is still a sign of a low level of health. If your answers to many of the above areas are YES, then you should plan some type of action to discontinue this cycle of bad health. First and foremost, diet is the best place to start. Consult with your vet and/or check into possible alternative therapies. In the end, your pets overall health is up to you, so these early warning signs should not be overlooked.

A clean bill of health is the most valuable gift you can present to your pets- next to your love and attention.

Article written and reprinted with permission of: http://www.pedigreedpups.com/
Purebred Dogs, Puppies and Dog Breeders - "Your New Best Friend"

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

Debbie Ray, owner of http://www.pedigreedpups.com and http://www.total-german-shepherd.com, is a lifelong animal lover and dog enthusiast. Interested in more dog information? Training and health tips? Thinking about getting a purebred dog? Interested in the German Shepherd Dog in particular? Need to promote your dog related website and get additional in bound links? Check out pedigreedpups.com , total-german-shepherd.com or http://www.pedigreeddogs.com (purebred dog breed directory) for more information.

Throughout the centuries, human beings have loved the water. Water has fed us, cleaned us, quenched our thirst, and given us a convenient highway since long before there were real highwaysindeed, for as long as our species has been alive. Weve built most of our major cities near rivers, oceans, or lakes. We compose poetry and songs about the ocean, write stories about adventuring on mighty rivers while floating on nothing but tiny rafts, and build expensive waterfront properties so we can live next to water year-round. Weve devised thousands of ways to travel, play, and live off-land. Following are just a few ways weve come up with for experiencing the thrill and joy of being out on the open water.

Yachts. Nothing compares to the elegance of a yacht. Powered by windthe ancient engine that Polynesian wayfarers used to populate the far-flung islands of the Pacific, Viking explorers used to discover Greenland, and Magellan used to circumnavigate the globea yacht will take you where youre going, and make you feel like a king or queen while youre en route. Lots of yachting companies offer trips that involve fine wine, gourmet food, and a luxury experience.

Powerboats. Couple the thrill of being out on the water with the excitement of high speeds, and youve pretty much summed up a trip on a powerboat. We love skimming across the glassy surface of a lake or riding the waves, the wind scraping the hair back from our faces, the sun shining down on the surface of the water. The best powerboats are like convertible sports cars on wateran unbeatably thrilling experience.

Windsurfing. For centuries humans have been harnessing the power of wind to navigate on the water. But windsurfing is a relatively new invention that involves balance, strength, and timing. Windsurfing gives you more range than a surfboardyou can traverse wide lakes with no waves or perform daredevil stunts in the surf, depending on your style and that of your board. It takes practice, but its a sport thats growing in popularity worldwide.

Kitesurfing. Similar to windsurfing, except the sail is really a kitelocated at the end of a rope instead of attached to your board. Kitesurfing is a fun and challenging sport that requires some coordination to do wellyou need to be able to guide both the kite in your hands and the board thats strapped to your feet. The sport has become far safer and more accessible to beginners due to recent advances in kitesurfing technology.

Zapcats. Never heard of these? Youve been missing out. Zapcats are small, motor-powered catamarans that can move at thrilling speeds and turn on a dime. Theyve got the speed of a powerboat and the flexibility of a jet skian undeniably exciting combination. Most rentals will usually send an instructor out with you, like they will with a powerboat. A zapcat ride is much more hands-on than the typical powerboat ride, however, because both parties are needed to steer the craft. Theyre a blast to race in aquatic obstacle courses.

White water rafting. Even if strong currents and big waves make you nervous, white-water rafting is a fun and amazing experience that will give you confidence on the water. Most white-water rafting companies will send you out with an experienced guide and in a durable craft specially designed to handle the rigors of the rapidsso youre perfectly safe. Its a fun and thrilling way to experience the power of nature firsthand. Because of the size of the crafts and its accessibility to all levels of ability, its also an ideal way to bring a group together. White-water rafting is an ideal activity for an office outing or family trip.

Rapid running. Youd think this sport would be better for people who are more experienced in white-water raftingbut actually, its popular with all ability-levels. With rapid-running, you get your own inflatable two-person craft, and are sent without a guide down a rapids course. Youre prepared beforehand, of coursemost companies that offer rapid-running activities will include a course on how to navigate the rapids safely. Its a lesser-known but no-less-fun variety of white-water rafting, perfect for those who like a little more autonomy in their boats or who just want to try something a little different than the typical white-water rafting trip.

Jet skiing. Its been described as a motorcycle on water. Jet skis are one-person watercraft that accelerates with a throttle in the handle. Theyre very flexible, with the ability to accelerate quickly and make sharp turns. Jet ski tours of bays, rivers, and otherwise-inaccessible islands are becoming popular tourist activities in locations near water.

Whether you prefer relaxing yacht cruises, heart-pounding motorboat rides, the hands-on excitement of white water, or the balance and skill of wind or kitesurfing, theres sure to be a water activity youll love. Dont be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try something newyou may find more than one activity youll enjoy for years to come.

Janette Vince is managing director of the online experience days and unique gifts website http://www.thanksdarling.com For more information on a range of days out learning water sports visit http://www.thanksdarling.com/categories/water.htm.