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How To Use Golf Training Aids To Improve Your Putting

2008-03-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

Drive for show, putt for dough. Relax the nerves, trust your line. Eyes over the ball, smooth take away. Accelerate through the ball, and...

Klinka tinka tinka -- yes! The sweet sound of a birdie putt, or even a 6-footer for par, dropping into the cup. It's a great feeling, especially if you just finished the 18th for a personal best round. Or if you just won 5 skins to make your buddies shell out some serious coin. A hot day with the putter can make you feel like a million bucks. Actually, in the case of a PGA tour pro, it can earn you a million bucks.

Too bad that for the average golfer those days seem to come so infrequently. The average Joe uses up anywhere between 32 and 40 putts per round, while the best pros average around 30. Tour pros make just under 90% of their putts from 4-5 feet, while average guys make around 50%. That's a lot of shots to give up! Think about this: if you are a thirteen handicapper, your average score is around 85, and you average 36 putts per round, then 42% of your shots are putts! And what do you spend most of your time doing at the range? If youre like most guys (and gals) then you spend most of your time beating balls with your driver or mid-irons. Yet, according to the numbers you should be spending almost half of your time on the putting green.

So how can busy people with little time for golf practice still improve their putting game without doubling practice time or drastically reducing the amount of time spent practicing their full shots? Golf training aids are the answer. Many training aids exist that can quickly improve your putting stroke and green reading without spending hours on the putting green. Just 10 to 15 minutes per practice session is required for most golfers to drop strokes quickly. Here are some tips for finding right training aids or a combination of training aids to maximize your results:

1. Look for training aids that allow you to easily see the following things: square clubface, shoulder alignment, eye placement (over the ball), foot alignment, and stroke path. Some devices use mirrors, some use low-power lasers. Most training aids have physical barriers that keep the putter on the right path during the stroke.

2. For eye alignment you can always do this: line up the putt and address the ball as if you were going to hit the putt. Then take a ball from your pocket, put it between your eyes, and allow it to drop straight down. Wherever the ball lands is where your eyes are lined up. They should be directly over the target ball.

3. Whatever device(s) you choose, make sure that they are not too large and/or awkward. My experience is that you don't use the device unless it is convenient.

4. Follow through is also important, so make sure that the training aid gives you feedback for the whole stroke. You need to see that your stroke path is straight and putter face releases properly after contact, otherwise you will have consistency problems.

5. Use the golf training aid consistently, every time you practice. You need to groove the stroke and you can't do that unless you keep at it. Also, if possible, use the device at home or at the office when you have a spare minute. This extra practice time really helps.

I wish you good luck and a hot blade!

Mike Gelhaus, once racquetball professional and published author for Racquetball Magazine, has turned his attention back to the game of Golf. With the use of golf training aids, he achieved a handicap of 3 only weeks before back surgery. Check out his site at http://the-best-golf-training-aids.com.

Watch Movies, Music, Sports All4Free On Your PC

2008-03-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

With your computer you can watch movies, music, sports all4free on your PC, which is what I do. I don't have to pay any monthly satellite subscription payments or any other recurring payments ever.

There are over 3000 stations I can choose from to watch (Movies, Sports, Music, Clips, News, Radio, etc.) from all over the world including local, regional and international broadcasts.

I can watch over 40 music channels with this software plus includes masses of radio stations as well.

Do you like baseball which has it's own baseball channel TV, basketball NBA TV, hockey NHL, football offcourse live games, soccer which has most English Premier League games live if two or more are on the same time you choose which one you want to see, tennis or even athletics, what about boxing, whatever the sport you can watch until your hearts content.

All you need to be able to connect to a world of television is a computer with Internet access. Meaning that you do not need to buy extra hardware equipment or a PC TV card because the TV channels are streamed through your Internet connection. It even works with a 56k connection. Personally though I only recommend this if you have broadband connection not just 56k connection.(A broadband connection will deliver superior audio and video quality).

The lifetime fee for all the entertainment you need costs $49.95 and as that would suggest, it is the only payment you will ever have to make then you can watch movies, music, sports all4free on your PC.

These are some of the channels for TVU CHANNEL GUIDE, CBN, Fashion, ESPN (ASIA), Star Sports, CCT-5 (Sports), Fox, NBC, NBC15, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, Hunan TV, CSTV, NHL2, Telecapri (Italy Sports), NHL, ONTOP TV (Music), USA Network, CW, E-Music (Harik), EA Music, Xin Chi, Class News (Italy), DW TV (German), Bloomberg, NASA TV, CNBC (India), WSCN, Fox News (M), MSNBC, Phoenix Info, StarTV, Phoenix CN, CTITV, Channel 52, AXN, Hollywood Movie, East TV, CCTV 8, HuaYu, Channel V, Comedy Central, Voice TV, TeleMundo, My Life, EasyFM, CRI Language Studio, HITZ Radio, Nickelodeon, CHANNEL D1, RTM2 etc.

The above channels are just a taste of what there is plus movies you can watch blockbuster titles from all around the world for free from the comfort of your own home.

Over 100 USA TV stations, 60 plus UK TV stations, also ALBANIA, ALGERIA, ANDORRA, ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, BELARUS, BELGIUM, BOLIVIA, BOSNIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, CHILE, CHINA, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, CUBA, CZECH REP, DENMARK, DOMINIC. REP, EGYPT, ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, HUNGARY, ICELAND, INDIA, INDONESIA, IRAN, IRAQ, ISRAEL, ITALY, JAMAICA, JAPAN, JORDAN, KURDISTAN, KUWAIT, LATVIA, LEBANON, LUXEMBURG, MACEDONIA, MALAYSIA, MALTA, MEXICO, MONGOLIA, NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NICARAGUA, NIGERIA, OMAN, PANAMA, PERU, PHILIPPINES, POLAND, PORTUGAL, PUERTO RICO, QATAR, ROMANIA, RUSSIAN FED, SAUDI ARABIA, SERBIA, SOUTH AFRICA, SOUTH KOREA, SPAIN, SRI LANKA, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, TAIWAN, THAILAND, TURKEY, UKRAINE, VATICAN CITY, VENEZUELA, VIETNAM +PLUS MUCH MORE!!!

Plus Foreign (136) Domestic (89) Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan (64) General (62) TV broadcast channels (59) Entertainment (46) Television (44) sports (41) Issued (36) radio (31) Recommendation (28) Republic of Korea (26) CCTV (22) science (18) TVANTS Television (11) digital television channels (8) 3TV test channel (7) VIP tests (5) FINANCIAL (5), religion (4) Film (3) games (2) CNC (2) NBA (1) Shanghai (1) Opera (1)

If you have kids at home and you want to keep them quiet there is a whole variety of children shows. There is also news, weather, politics, and much, much more are also covered. Whatever you want to watch it's all there for you with an Internet satellite television connection. The best part about this its completely, 100% free so you can watch movies, music, sports all4free on your PC.

They only hire the best developers who have previously been employed by the world's leading technology companies such as Microsoft, IBM and Google. This has ensured a high level of compatibility and that the software is robust, powerful, and entirely unique.

This is what I call entertainment on my computer. Don't forget it includes free lifetime updates plus new stations. They are on the cutting edge of satellite TV for PC technology and constantly update other software to keep up with new developments. As TV technology changes so will satellite TV for PC. They will be adding many more quality stations in the near future such as MTV USA, HBO, Playboy TV, Pay Per View, plus many many more. Once you have this software you are entitle to receive these new stations plus all future software upgrades for FREE enjoy.

Watch Movies, Music, Sports All4Free On Your PC

Tony Pescatore finds and writes helpful information on topics he believes in. To check out how you can watch hundreds of LIVE worldwide channels on your PC, with no subscription payments or any other recurring payments. EVER!go to http://www.tpescatoreproducts.com/Recommends/SatelliteTVForPC/

A Little Bit About The Pekingese

2008-03-29T05:04:00.000-07:00

The Pekingese, also known as Peking Palasthund and Little Lion Dog of Peking, are among the favorite American pets of the twenty-first century. The Pekingese is also referred to as a sleeve dog because it is said the Chinese royalty carried the little Peke in the sleeves of their robes.

There were no real lions in China. However, the Lion of Buddha was a sacred symbol from about the first century A.D. The artist of those days portrayed Buddhists symbols remarkably like the emperors palace dogs. The Pekingese were probably the artists models. Until 1860 the Pekingese was kept only by the imperial family. The Imperial family designated three types:

Lion Dogs for their manes and large forequarters;
Sun Dogs because of their golden red coats;
And Sleeve Dogs because they were often carried inside the rather large sleeves of the royal families.

According to historians when the British raided the Chinese Imperial Palace in 1860, they carried off five of these little dogs. One of these little dogs was presented to Queen Victoria and named Looty. The remaining four were given to Admiral John Hay. In John Hays Greenwood Castle these four Pekingese became the foundation stock for todays Western Pekingese.

Very little is known or available of the ancestors of the Pekingese. We do know Oriental breeding was common to produce small type pug-faced dogs with flowing coats.

The Pekingese is probably better suited to adult families or those with older children who understand the need of careful handling of small dogs. The Pekingese is sociable and loves to romp with its family. He can be somewhat stubborn, never loses courage or dignity. He is even-tempered, intelligent and affectionate. The Pekingese is a loyal companion. He is best trained with gentleness, consistency and with great patience. Reward every appropriate action with a kind word and a special treat. The Pekingese is usually not known as an alarm dog. He usually resents strangers, is bold, brave and may develop into a watchdog if encouraged.

The Pekingese have not changed a lot since they were residents of the royal palace of China. They are still small and compatible little dogs. They were bred to please their royal owners. Following the fall of the Chinese palace in 1860 they were seen in Great Britain. The AKC registered the Pekingese in 1906 and the breed has grown in popularity since that time.

Pekingese do not require a lot of exercise, long walks with its owner and backyard playtime is plenty for the Peke.

Grooming

You guessed it..the Pekingese does require quite a bit of grooming. Its coat is abundant, long, straight, flat and flowing. Most Pekingese have a black mask that extends to the ears and are seen in many different colors. Grooming should begin very early in the life of a Pekingese puppy. The fine coat tangles easy. Care must be taken to straighten or clip out mats as they form. The top coat is coarse with a thick undercoat. There is a profuse mane extending beyond its shoulders which forms a cape around the neck.

You will need a slicker or pin brush and a wide-toothed comb. Brushing regularly is essential. Pet Pekingese are more comfortable having their stomach, chest and genital area clipped very short. Show dog Pekingese, however, are not clipped in this manner.

Connie Limon. Visit us at http://www.abouttoydogs.com and sign up for our newsletters. About Toy Dogs is a guide to information about the selection and care of toy dog breeds. We feature articles, dog books, dog toys and supplies, and a toy dog breeder directory. Purchase a full page ad with up to 3 pictures, 12 picture video and advertising in our newsletters for one year at the rate of $25 per year.

Treating Hip Dysplasia In Dogs

2008-03-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Hip dysplasia is a very common condition in most breeds of dogs. Often larger dogs are more prone to hip dysplasia but it can also occur even in the small and toy breeds. Hip dysplasia is a degenerative condition that usually affects dogs as they age, although some breeds can start showing the symptoms of hip dysplasia at young ages as well.

The hip of the dog works the same as the hip joint in a human. It is a ball and socket joint with the socket attached to the pelvis and the ball part of the joint attached to the femur or thigh bone. Normally the ball and socket fit together properly and there is movement in all directions. There is a ligament and other protective tissues that hold the ball and socket together and keep the joint strong and healthy.

Dogs that develop hip dysplasia have an abnormal growth of the soft tissues around the joint and within the ball and socket mechanism of the hip. This starts when the dogs are very young. The result is that the bones of the hip joint are not in close contact with each other; rather they are separated by the layer of abnormal tissue that has developed in the joint. The constant outward pressure of the joint by this tissue then further leads to a stretching of the ligament that holds the joint together. The result is a separation of the joint known as a subluxation.

Hip dysplasia is a hereditary condition that means that it can only be passed down through breeding. With conscientious breeders having their dogs tested for hip dysplasia before breeding the condition can be controlled. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has collected data on various breeds and lines since 1966. This database is the largest in the world and is used by reputable breeders to ensure that the lines that they are crossing have little chance of carrying this genetic condition.

Treatment

Hip dysplasia in dogs is usually first noticed by stiffness and pain with walking. This will often result in dogs having trouble sitting or standing as the joint is flexed and extended. Many owners think that their pet has arthritis when this occurs. A vet can verify hip dysplasia with a physical exam, which will manipulate the joint. The vet can tell be the tension or lack thereof in the muscle and connective tissue around the hip. An X-ray can also be used to verify the condition.

There are several ways to treat hip dysplasia and usually the treatment method will depend on the age of the dog and the cost of the procedure. All the methods that involve surgery are very costly and may not completely cure the problem, depending on the amount of damage that has been done to the bones. Usually younger dogs are more effectively treated with the surgical procedures. Total hip replacements as well as altering of the pelvic bones and even removal of part of the joint or connective tissue are all options.

Non-surgical methods include anti-inflammatory, arthritis medications as well as controlled diet and non-strenuous exercise. Since it is a hereditary condition there is no medication that can control the disease but the damage to the joint and the pain that the dog may be experiencing can be effectively managed for many years.

Kelly Marshall is a popular contributor at http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com - where you can find dog beds, dog steps, pet ramps, and more unique dog gear that you'll never find at your local pet store.

Let Go of Total Control

2008-03-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself constantly griping about having too much to do and never enough hours in the day to do it all, you may be the cause of the problem. As working mothers we are used to taking charge and getting things done. For many of us, time is limited for decision-making and negotiation and it doesnt take long to get to the point where we think, Its just easier to do everything myself. But is it? At home and at work, we need to consider how much control is necessary and how much is unnecessary.

Even though you may complain about shouldering most of the responsibility, and want others to do more, do you have difficulty sharing tasks with your colleagues? Do you seek ultimate authority over everything that happens at the office? If you answered yes, you just might be a workplace control addict.

It often seems like the more control women demand over their careers, co-workers and workloads, the more insane their life feels. Trying to be in charge of everything often leads to bedlam. To gain balance in your life, you must be prepared to relinquish total control. (Theres a big difference, of course, between totally relinquishing control, and relinquishing total control!)

You may be in a situation where you are working long hours, juggling endless family responsibilities and finishing the night off with extra work youve brought home from the office. And on weekends, between soccer practice and ballet lessons, you might even find yourself back at the office catching up on the work that you were unable to complete during the week. Inevitably, the need to be in control at work will leave you on the edge of burnout. Oftentimes, this type of burnout stems form a defeating belief that tells you that you are the only person who can do the job right and there is no point in delegating it to anyone else because youll just have to re-do it yourself anyway. In this situation, total control is on the way to total chaos. By being over-worked and over-stressed, mistakes happen and business can be lostnot to mention your sense of work-life balance.

Trying to control all aspects of your work may have the opposite effect. It may be time to figure out how to let go and lighten up. Making an inventory of the clients and projects you have on the go, and determining which tasks you absolutely love to do, and which tasks you would be prepared to let go, is a great starting point. It may be difficult at first to ask for support from your colleagues for fear that you may appear vulnerable or needy. Asking for help will also demand that you show a considerable amount of trust in others. But doing so will create a sense of teamwork, responsibility, and involvement, and by learning to lighten up, you may realize that it is not as necessary to take everything as seriously as you may have in the past.

With more support on the work front, you can choose to gradually shed those weekend office hours and put more balance into your life. Ironically, by letting go of total control at the office you can gain more choice and ultimately more control in your life.

© Copyright 2006. Lisa Martin. All rights reserved.

Lisa Martin is a certified coach who inspires working mothers to achieve success thats balanced.

Whats Better Residual Income Or Passive Income?

2008-03-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Most of us have been taught to go to school and get an education. Ideally you graduate from high school and further your education through college or a trade school. Some go on to achieve their Masters or PHD allowing them to command more money for their time. Ultimately, one must choose what they intend to do for a career, earn a living and be productive in society. Not that you or anyone else needs a diploma in order to be successful but some would consider it to be a marker of discipline, as to whether one may finish the task or do the job required.

Residual income is known as money that is received on a regular basis from efforts already sown. Could be thought of as money that is left over from an initial purchase or ongoing installment. Its nickname or also known as (AKA) mailbox money and can be obtained by anyone, graduate or non graduate.

Usually to keep receiving residual income, one must still be active within the company or organization. Should they leave or break policy, you can expect to stop receiving any further residual money. Replacing the mailbox money with a final termination letter and ceasing any more paychecks as the residual return comes to an end.

Passive income is similar to residual income but with one major difference. With passive income you can now be an inactive party. Qualifying you to retire from your venture an yet still keep on receiving your expected paycheck. Not to be confused with a pension but giving you the freedom to maintain your preexisting standard of living, while NOT having to work for it (the paycheck) any longer.

You hear a great deal of individuals giving testimony to having a residual income, which is what most people strive to obtain and rightly so. This is to be expected when working within a home based business environment or any other self-earned income opportunity. However, if you can build your residual earnings into an ongoing passive income, you will be better off once you choose to STOP acting (or working) to get the paycheck.

Whether it be residual income or passive income, once you get a taste of either one you will most likely want to continue in this manor and grow it to unlimited heights. Allowing you to experience a lifestyle unlike others they may need to report to workplace at a certain time each day, week after week and year after year.

If you are currently representing a company or thinking of joining a company that offers residual income as a form of payment. You should check into their company policies and learn how your earned paycheck may be treated, should you choose to move on to another business opportunity. Losing a residual income after spending your time and energy creating it, could be devastating if you are not aware of its tenure ahead of time.

Aubrey Richardson is the founder of http://www.logofax.com - logos & clipart site. Find out how you can tap into earning money online http://www.internet-based-business-opportunity.com

More Funny Ways To Save Money

2008-03-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

I was doing research for my web site, on ways to save money. Checking other web sites and discussion forums, I found that the cheapskates are hitting new - and funnier - lows. Choosing a spouse according to how frugal he or she is, and reusing the plastic from bacon packages were just a couple of the serious suggestions. One man even said, "Instead of buying toilet paper, I use yesterday's newspaper."

Probably the suggestion that was the most ridiculous was to stop drinking beer. What are we trying to save all this money for? In any case, here are some more funny ways to save money. I suspect, or at least hope, that many of these really are not meant to be serious suggestions. Don't try these at home.

Ways To Save Money?

- Unplug your clocks at night to save on electricity.

- Carry powdered drink mix and add it to water when eating out, to save on buying drinks.

- Install a cat door and train your cat to go outside and to the neighbors yard to go to the bathroom. This saves you on cat litter and time cleaning the yard.

- Eat dog food. (According to this contributor, the dry dog food is better than the canned.)

- Tell everyone you'll be out of town for Christmas, so you can shop the after-Christmas sales for presents.

- Ask your friends to save the labels for you off any new products they buy, so you can put them on your thrift-store purchases when you are buying gifts.

- Run around the house and close the heater vents in all the rooms except your bedroom before going to sleep.

- Encourage mice in the house by leaving crumbs around - so your cat will have a free food supply.

- Learn speed-reading and read books for free while in the aisle at the book store.

- Leave everything in the same place in your house, so you can easily get around at night without turning the lights on.

- Bring back rolls of coins from Canada, to use at the laundromat and in pop machines, saving you 20% or more, depending on the exchange rate.

Okay, these may be funny ways to save money, but did any of them tempt you? Do you pick up pennies on the street? Wouldn't it be more efficient to just stay on the clock at work for an extra minute? Hey, and while you are there, take a big drink of water - to save on your home water bill.

Steve Gillman studies money. To get free e-courses and e-books on money topics, and for more Funny Ways To Save Money, visit: http://www.unusualwaystomakemoney.com/funny-ways-to-save-money.html

Choosing The Best Dry Dog Food

2008-03-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, the best dry dog food is the one that your dog will eat the most. It is easier to buy something that your canine will eat as opposed to having them eat dog food that may be better for them, but one that they may not necessarily like. However, there are a few things you need to consider when you walk down the pet food aisles at your local retailer.

Consider the price of the dry dog food. Often, dry dog food that are cheap or are not branded are made with ingredients like fillers and seasonings that are not necessarily good for dogs. These ingredient may be tasty, but they can be harmful to your dog. These dry dog food often have too much preservatives, which can cause your dog to develop health problems that may eventually cause them to suffer later on in life.

To increase the vitality and life expectancy of your dog, go with good quality dry dog food. You don't really need to purchase the most expensive dry dog food there is, but it is best if you stick with dry dog food that is manufactured by a reputable dog food company and is priced reasonably.

The main ingredient in the best dry dog food is rice, corn or soybean. High quality dry dog food will also have other ingredients such as beef and chicken. Stores also sell dry dog food formulated specifically to a dog's age. Manufacturers classify the different types of dry dog food as being for puppies, adult dogs and senior dogs. Purchasing the dry dog food that's most suitable for your dog's age is always important.

If you want to know what are the best dry dog foods, ask your veterinarian. Veterinarians would often recommend the branded dry dog foods. These brands are more expensive, but if you have an older dog, it may be to your advantage to pay a little more for the best dry dog food.

You will know if you've picked the best dry dog food by the way your dog looks and feels. When you take your dog for yearly shots, his coat should be healthy, his eyes should be clear and he should be full of energy. If your pet doesn't look well and seems lethargic, there could be something wrong with his diet. It is always wise to keep notes about what your dog is eating on a daily basis. This way, a veterinarian can diagnose your dog more quickly and recommend the best dry dog food for your pet.

George Chao, owner of Digital Excellent Free Online Magazine - http://www.digitalexcellent.com/

Kids And Energy

2008-03-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Im not sure why, maybe because its summer, Im getting a lot of questions and stories about kids and energy. Ill put them all under that broad category but there have been several different subcategories discussed: kids and ADHD, kids and anger management, and kids and computers.

Kids and ADHD

Lets start with kids and ADHD. There seems to be a big trend here in the US of drugging our children so they can control their behavior in school. I am NOT in favor of this practice.

Why is there such an epidemic of ADHD diagnoses in our children? I dont want to oversimplify but I believe one reason is that our children dont have the opportunities they had in previous generations to run around and expend their energy.

In years past, kids got to play in the parks, in the streets and in their own yards. Today, that happens less and less. Parents are too afraid to allow their children to be outside unsupervised, and rightly so! There are predators out there who would do your children harm. However, kids still need to expend their energy, somehow.

So, many times the activities available to them at home are sedentary, such as playing video games, watching television, talking on their cell phones or using the home computer. None of this provides opportunity to release energy, unless your children are like my niece who paces vigorously while talking on the phone.

Then we send them to school and expect them to sit down and be quiet. In addition, many schools are reducing the amount of physical education time for our kids and Ive even seen recently that some schools forbid children to run at recess or use certain playground equipment because they fear of physical injury lawsuit. Is it any wonder our children are having difficulty?

Now I know there are parents and teachers out there who have stories of children who have been helped immensely by the addition of Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta or Dexedrine to their daily diet. If you know a child who is being helped by his or her medication, Im not saying to discontinue it but for every child who is being helped, I believe there are at least three others who are still exhibiting all the ADHD behavior the medication was designed to reduce.

There have been studies done on placebo medications that show that in double blind studies, when neither the patient nor the doctor knew whether the patient was getting the actual drug or the placebo, the ones getting the placebo actually did better. Is it possible there is a placebo effect with some children?

If your child displays what you or the teachers believe is an excessive amount of energy, do your best to create situations where that child can expend energy. I have two boys who could both have been diagnosed with ADHD as children. They were very physical. Luckily, I lived in the country during a time when parents sent their kids out the door to simply play. I also spent a lot of my spare time running them around to different athletic eventsYMCA soccer, wrestling, flag football, T-ball, basketball, you get the idea. This definitely helps.

Kids and Anger Management

I spoke with a woman over the weekend whose son is 10 years-old and she says has anger management issues. We didnt really get into his specific behaviors but it caused me to reflect on some inherent differences between males and females.

I think that from very early on, boys and girls deal with their anger differently. As a general rule, girls need to talk about it to feel better, while boys need to work it out physically.

So if you have daughters, you want to teach them verbal skills to be able to work out their frustrations but with boys, you will need to provide opportunities for them to work out their anger physicallymaybe with a punching bag, racquetball, running, or martial arts. The list of possibilities is truly endless but dont expect your boys to talk about it, at least not until theyve had the opportunity to release the anger in a safe physical manner.

Kids and Computers

This week, a mother contacted me about her child disobeying her limits with the home computer and sneaking time beyond her allowed limit.

In this situation, the mother had a need to protect and nurture her child. She wants to be able to loosely supervise her daughters time on the computer to possibly prevent her from falling prey to adults who victimize children by finding their victims on the Internet. She also wants to support her childs need for physical activity so she restricts her computer usage and encourage outside physical activities instead. Is this mother wrong? Absolutely not.

Her daughter, on the other hand, has a desire to be on the computer. All her friends are on there and want to know why she isnt. They dont have limits while this girl does. This girl is quite accomplished on the computer and can build website pages for her friends. She also has a high need for freedom and doesnt like being restricted and the computer is plain fun to her. She gets her love & belonging, power, freedom and fun needs met with the computer. Is she wrong? Absolutely not.

How does it get resolved? I think the way to resolve this issue is for the mother and daughter to sit down and talk about what each other needs and wants in the situation. If the child can convince her mother that she has the skills and knowledge necessary to protect herself from predators and she agrees to engage in other healthy activities each day, then her mother could relax her restriction on the amount of time she has on the computer.

In this case, and many others like it, the daughter wouldnt be able to meet her freedom need with the computer if there wasnt a rule to break. Sometimes we create the very behavior we are trying to stop with the rules we make. When a person has a high need for freedom, they will inevitably break the rules, particularly the ones they dont like or that dont make sense.

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs youll ever do and the stakes are incredibly high. We all do the best we can and hope for good results. Fortunately, when we have good intentions are kids generally survive in even thrive.

Kim Olver has a graduate degree in counseling and works with parents and children helping them with their communication skills ultimately leading to an improvement in their relationships. Sign up for her free teleclass Empowerment Parenting at http://www.therelationshipcenter.biz/EmpowerParenting.htm.

Why It's So Important to Make Legitimate RuneScape Money

2008-03-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

You can have all the RuneScape money you will ever need easily and there are only two very basic things you have to do to get it. The first thing is to do a little bit of work and the second is to know the best strategies to make legitimate RuneScape money.

Honestly, no one really wants to do the work for you so if you really want to make lots of RuneScape money and become a millionaire, then you need to put in a little time & effort to get good at the game. However, to create an elite level 85+ RuneScape character and make massive RuneScape money in less than a week, youll need to follow top secret strategies that only top notch pro players know about.

However, I tell you one sure way to totally destroy your game, your reputation, and peoples respect for you and that it is to beg for items or gold. The desperate act of begging tells other RuneScape players three things.

1. You dont respect yourself enough to make your own RuneScape money.

2. You dont respect the people you beg for RuneScape Money.

3. You want to take advantage of their hard work to make the RuneScape Money in the first place.

Thats why you must never, ever beg for RuneScape money. Believe me, its a lot easier to make RuneScape money the legitimate way than it is to resort to begging (or scamming, which is even worse). In a desperate moment asking for RuneScape money may seem like the easy thing to do but an hour later youll probably end up losing your RuneScape money and most importantly your self respect. Seriously, in that same hour you could have easily made 50K in RuneScape money employing the right tactics.

Sure, there are people who will give away things for free to low-levels. As a matter of fact, I have a friend that once gave away a whole set of rune to random passer bys and Ive even given away party hats to total strangers (Im an old player). The important thing to know is that RuneScape gamers usually only give away stuff to people that arent begging for it in the first place! Its funny but true so if another RuneScape player surprises you with a freebie, be thankful for the gift but move on and definitely dont try to make a RuneScape living that way.

I have nothing to say about scamming except that it totally sucks. If youre willing to stoop to the lowest level of dishonesty to get your money by scamming or hacking (especially when theres a far easier and more honest way), then theres nothing anyone can do to help you.

Have you ever seen a pro player beg for RuneScape money? Have you ever seen a level 80+ beg because they lost all their RuneScape money in the wildy? Have you ever heard of a top notch player that doesnt have time to make RuneScape money or to train stats? No so if you want to preserve your pride and learn to play RuneScape at an elite level always follow the simple rules I just told you about.

Copyright 2006 Roy Phay

Roy Phay is an Internet Marketer on Top 101 Secrets of Runescape ebook. It is a content-rich and most valuable ebook ever written on Runescape, it is Not about Runescape Cheats. It is an ebook sharing the Fastest, Easiest Step-by-Step cut throat strategies to Create Millions and Level 85+ in RuneScape in less than 7 days. To get a copy of the ebook, please click on http://www.RunescapeTopSecrets.com Now!

Stop your Dog Barking When You're Away

2008-03-26T04:56:00.000-07:00

Obviously, most problems with barking dogs result from dogs that dont have their owner around to quiet them down. In fact, the owners absence in many cases is whats rousing the dogs vocal chords.

Most of what you can do to get your dogs barking under control is done directly by you when you catch your dog in the act. For instance, if you know that your dog is barking at, say people who walk their dogs past your house when youre away, then it is possible to recreate this scenario with you present so you can correct the behavior. However, intermittent barking such as this may be tolerated, by you, the neighborhood, and indeed your local dog legislation, provided your dog is not menacing passers-by through a crumbling fence.

A lonely dog barking or whining can be both much more of a nuisance and much more difficult to address, but there are still some things you should be doing. Try to come home more often, or try to arrange for a friend to visit, ideally with their friendly and energetic dog. It may nip the problem right in the bud. Enough said.

If you know youve got a barking dog problem that has the potential to anger neighbors, a little public relations work can go a long way. If possible, ask your neighbors if there is a barking nuisance coming from your place and, if there is, tell them youre working on it. Then work on it.

You might also try staging a false exit. Walk once around the house or whatever it takes so they think youre gone. When your dog barks, correct the behavior with a Quiet command (though your sudden appearance will likely be enough).

You can use special bark collars, that either use sonic or electric power to correct your dog. Others squirt a substance such as citronella when they bark, a scent they despise. I dont use them, and the ones I have seen in use were awkward and not 100 percent effective. But I stay away from them less because they train through discomfort (they do not harm your pet), and more because they displace the source of authority from you to some device they dont understand. Furthermore, they dont differentiate between acceptable - even necessary - barking on one hand, and noise pollution on the other.

Theres also a medieval-like procedure whereby the dogs voice-box is removed to render them barkless, or at least takes the bite out of their bark. This is simply abhorrent.

A better option for desperate dog owners is arranging some form of doggy day care, whether its a professional service or a personal arrangement. Some dogs simply do not get enough stimulation during the day, and they will let the world know about it until they do.

Martin Olliver is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team (http://www.kingdomofpets.com). For more great articles on problem barking, visit: http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/barking_dogs.php.

Creating More Money

2008-03-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

How many grains of sand are there on the beach? Come on, tell me, how many? How many stars are there in the sky? Come on, all you have to do is count them! If I breathe and you breathe and everybody and every animal on earth breathe in oxygen, why don't we ever run out?

We live in an abundant Universe. There is an abundance of everything. None of us ever wake up in the morning fearing that there won't be enough air to breathe or that there won't be enough water to drink. Did you wake up this morning wondering if there would be water in your tap?

There is so much abundance in this world that it seems that it would be impossible to run out of anything. How many grains of sand are there on the beach? How many stars are in the sky? How many shrimp are in the ocean? If you think about it, it's mind-boggling. Everything is infinite. Everything.

Yet, many of us struggle with a lack, a lack of a very important component to life. Many of us struggle with a lack of money.

It's not because there really is a lack of money in the world. There is enough money in the world for every man, woman and child alive today to be a millionaire and then some. There is an abundance of money just like there is abundance of everything else. So why is it that so many of us struggle with the lack of money?

Some may argue that money is different from air, water, food and such. After all money is man-made, isnt it? But what is money? Money is just a form of energy that we use for exchange. Its truly nothing more. You give your time, ideas and energy and you get money in return. Money is just a medium of exchangenothing else.

The answers to money problems lie in how we use our own minds. How we think determines if we have money in abundance or a lack of money. If we think about lack of money, debt, and other problems all day long that is exactly what we create. If we think of abundance and joy that money can bring that is what we create. We create more of what we think about. If you want more money, think about more moneynever think of the lack.

Think of any famous, rich millionaire you know or have heard of. Do you think they spend any time worrying about a lack of money? No! You shouldn't either. We all deserve to have an abundance of money and anything else we want in our lives.

Karen Lynch is the creator of the motivation and inspiration website http://www.livethepower.com You can learn about using the power of your own mind by picking up a copy of a Free Ebook of "The Power of the Subconscious Mind" by Dr. Joseph Murphy at http://www.livethepower.com/home.html.

The Key To House Training A Puppy

2008-03-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

No Dog training means more to most new puppy owners than that first important lesson: Not in the House!

Teaching your Dog to go to the toilet outside the home, not in it, usually starts between six and eight weeks of age. Dogs as young as four weeks old, have been started on the house training, but at such a young age, a puppy is unlikely to have enough muscle control.

Like any dog training, the trainers patience is as important as the dog's temperament. 'Sit', 'stay' and other behaviours can often be learned in a few days. 'Potty' training can take weeks - sometimes as short as two, often a month or more.

As with other learned behaviours, you should look for signs of the impending action, then enforce and direct them with a voice command followed by praise. In this case the technique works to the trainer's advantage, since all dogs will naturally go to the toilet. The trick is to get them to do it when and where you want!

Look for signs such as circling or squatting, then pick up the pup, say 'outside' and hurry outside. The puppy may circle some more, but will often squat immediately. As it begins, say quickly (or some other phrase) in a clear, firm (but not angry) voice. Wait until the puppy finished and give lots of praise.

You won't always be able to catch the puppy about to begin, but don't become angry or impatient when the dog goes to the toilet indoors. It takes time for the dog to learn to tell you it's time to 'go outside'. It also takes time for the muscles needed to control bladder and bowels to develop.

Young dogs need to go to the toilet every 2-3 hours, on average. If you haven't spotted evacuation behaviour within that time, take the dog outside anyway. Issue the command 'quickly and wait. At first, usually, the dog will have no clue what you want.

Again, even when outside, it helps to wait and watch for the desired behaviour then issue the command. That helps the dog associate the command with the behaviour. If the dog hasn't gone after a few minutes and a few 'quickly' commands, take it back inside for an hour. Of course, if you spot the pre-toilet behaviour in less time, go outside again immediately.

Dogs have a surprising ability to quickly learn what their 'alpha' (the leader of the pack) wants. This is almost always accomplished by associating a verbal command with behaviour, followed by praise. Punishment is usually counter-productive, and nowhere more so than in toilet training. Never rub a dog's nose in waste.

Paper and/or crate training is preferred by some. A pup can be trained to go on a newspaper, or on one of the chemically treated puppy pads designed for the purpose. Some small breeds that live all day in the home may not need to go outside at all.

The technique has a couple of down sides however. Unlike cats, dogs will rarely go in a perfumed litter box. Newspapers (even with the top layer removed after the dog goes) will eventually create an unpleasant smell in the house.

Also, long before the odour becomes unattractive to humans, dogs can smell their own distinctive aroma. They don't find it unattractive - quite the opposite. And that's the problem.

Dogs that are paper trained will often prefer to eliminate indoors. Sometimes they'll miss the paper by only an inch, creating a mess to clean up.

Once the odour is in the carpet, the dog will often seek that spot out as its proper 'place to go'. This makes training the dog to go to the toilet outside even more difficult. Best to suffer a few accidents than to create a hard-to-overcome habit.

Patience, praise and consistency are the keys to any dog training. Elimination training is the first test for you and your dog.

Terry King runs Parcel Pets - http://www.pets2home.co.uk/cat--Training-Aids--TRAINING_AIDS.html - a leading UK pet supplies web site and has had pets all his life. He lives with his wife Louise, dog Sam, Cat Sabrina and 5 fish!

What Are The Top Ten Dog Diseases?

2008-03-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Dog Diseases number in the scores, just as in humans. But, veterinarians tend to see some much more than others. Sadly, a great deal of grief could be avoided if more dog owners were careful to see that their pets are immunized regularly against preventable dog diseases.

While experts, as usual, may differ, what are the top ten dog diseases? Heres a list (not necessarily in order of seriousness) with a brief explanation of each disease:

Distemper: Of all the dog diseases, the American Veterinary Medical Association considers the distemper virus to be the worst canine disease threat to dogs world wide. Distemper is fatal in 80% of puppies and 50% of adults. All dogs are extremely vulnerable, and should be vaccinated, with subsequent boosters in keeping the recommendation of a Veterinarian.

Parvovirus (Parvo): Parvovirus is a worldwide dog disease. It is extremely contagious, especially among puppies, and can overwhelm a dog leading to death within 48 to 72 hours after exposure. Symptoms include depression, loss of appetite, vomiting and severe diarrhea. Parvo vaccination is essential with booster shots as recommended.

Rabies: Rabies is a virus and becomes fatal when symptoms appear. Because rabies can be fatal to humans and other mammals, state and local laws uniformly require rabies vaccination, many mandating booster shots yearly.

Kennel Cough: This is a respiratory disease especially prevalent in kennels and shelters. There are a variety of virus strains, including Bortadella. Symptoms can include a dry hacking cough along with inflammation of the larynx, bronchial tubes and trachea. Vaccination, as often as every six months is recommended.

Leptospirosis: Symptoms of Leptospirosis include lethargy, kidney inflammation, low-grade fever, vomiting, reddening of the mucous membranes and conjunctiva, and blood clotting abnormalities. Since it is a bacterial disease, also found in humans, it is treated with antibiotics. Veterinarians are often reluctant to innoculate against this dog disease, since there is questionable effectiveness, and puppies can have adverse reactions.

Infectious canine hepatitis: While this dog disease often manifests itself with mild symptoms such as a slight fever or slight lethargy, it can, in some instances become fatal. Recovery is usually rapid. Vaccination is recommended.

Lyme Disease: Symptoms of Lyme Disease in dogs will include lethargy, joint pain, lack of appetite, lymph node enlargement, and fever. Lyme Disease is bacterial and is spread by ticks. Treatment is with tetracycline, an antibiotic. The available vaccine is not generally recommended.

Coronavirus: Diarrhea and vomiting are symptomatic of this dog disease so it can be confused with parvovirus. Other indications are loss of appetite, smelly diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration. Replacement of lost fluids and control of vomiting and diarrhea are the recommended treatments. A vaccine is not generally recommended.

Obesity: Just as in humans, this dog disease is a serious medical problem. Frequently, obese humans own obese dogs. Obviously, limiting food intake, withholding human food and enough exercise will contribute to a dogs longer life.

Heartworm: Heartworms are parasites that grow and multiply, infesting the chambers in the heart, arteries in the lungs. Symptoms appear gradually, usually manifested in easy tiring, lethargy and a soft cough. If not treated, it eventually brings on death by congestive heart failure in a once active animal. Prevention with products such as HartGard is recommended.

Your veterinarian should give you a certificate showing your pets immunization against the common dog diseases. Ask for a wallet sized card which you can carry with you.

Robert G. Knechtel maintains several websites, including http://www.petmedshop.com and http://www.go60.com.

How To Make Money Working Online

2008-03-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

Most people who have a computer would like to learn how to make money working online. The challenge usually is knowing where or how to get started. Most everyone anticipates earning big money quickly only to experience little to no earned income. This usually leaves a person feeling frustrated and either ready to quit or more determined to get better results. If you maintain the burning desire to make money working online, you will need to keep your focus.

Writing to you from experience, I can tell you first and foremost - find a mentor! Find someone you KNOW who has obtained the results you would like to have for yourself. By this I mean you want to learn the truth about anyone who has claimed or is claiming, to make money working online. Dont fall for smoke & mirror type results that express or show a high or outlandish return on their effort. Use your own sensory acuity and listen to your inner voice. If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably isnt true at all. A great number of success stories are embellished specifically to get your interest and more pointedly, to get YOUR MONEY!

Ive read a great number of ebooks, how to manuals and numerous other resources to help in determining the right or best tools for the venture. Ive gleaned tons of incredible information from countless writers and their publications. One biggie that sticks out by devouring many different authors points of view is this, if you find yourself reading the same type of information from various individuals, you can bet its factual. The key is how to pick the best one(s) to learn from without spending a small fortune before seeing a return on your investment.

Best way to learn how to make money working on line is to not only read it but view it as well. My learning curve increased drastically by watching online videos of how to examples. Most people learn by watching others do something and then copy it or imitate their process. By doing so, you should find yourself getting the same results as your teacher or mentor. After all, if you want to make more money working online, you should be duplicating someone elses success patterns for yourself. Not to be a copy-cat or me-too product but more along the lines of catapulting (or slingshot) you forward to success faster!

The key for me to make money working online has been doing something proactive on a weekly basis. If you can take some form of action each day, then you will progress much faster. Obviously the more time you devote to make money online then chances are, youll see results much quicker. I suggest weekly because most individuals that want to free themselves by having an Internet based business have other jobs too. Its important to understand you can have success without being married to your computer every single day. Work smarter not harder or longer!

As an estimate, plan to commit at least 10 15 hours per week for at least 1 full year, as a suggested minimum! Everyone experiences different types of results throughout their first year but stick with it. Learn from others mistakes and benefit from their success tips!!

Aubrey Richardson is the founder of http://www.logofax.com - logos & clipart site. Find out how you can tap into earning money online http://www.internet-based-business-opportunity.com.

Womens Soccer Gear

2008-03-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Womens soccer gear apparel consist of jerseys, T-shirts, lined and knitted pants and sphere shorts tailored specifically for the female players. The jerseys range from $50 to $80 while the pants and the shorts can be bought for $45 and $30 respectively.

Specific undergarments for women marketed by Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are priced within $20 to $50. Most often the bras are made from polyester and Lycra mix which offers moisture managing support and maximum comfort. Under Armour also manufactures women-specific boxer jocks and capris.

Womens Fleece is priced at $50-$55. These include hooded pullovers that provide warmth and insulation during early morning training sessions. Womens Hoody and Twill Hoody are other special outfits.

Soccer cleats for women marketed by Adidas and Nike and priced at $175 provide great comfort, good grip and stability. They are considered excellent for ball control and offer tremendous shooting power. Soccer shoes ranging from $50 to $125 are also available. These shoes are designed for remarkable comfort and flexibility. The shoes on the lower side of the price range are predominantly used for indoor games.

Two special products by Reusch cater exclusively to women goal keepers. Reusch Ortho Sleek Gloves are specifically designed for goal keepers with narrow hands and most suitable for women. These gloves are made of highly durable foam that lasts 25-30% longer than the usual mega foam. The flexible and removable finger protectors also greatly reduce the chances of injury. The other item marketed by Reusch is the Matriko Jersey. It is available in three sizes, medium, large and X-large and two elegant shades of lilac and sky blue. The jerseys are made of polyester material and contain stretchable polyester inserts and padded elbows.

Other accessories used by women such as headbands, shin guards, compression sleeve and padded ankle protectors are however designed to suit both the sexes. The key to soccer gear is flexibility. A person should feel extremely comfortable in their clothing. A person should not be reminded that they have on a particular item due to not feeling comfortable. When shopping for the latest in sports gear, a person doesnt have to shop at several different websites in order to find what they need.

Cathy Peterson writes about http://www.sportsteamfanheaven.com/Categories/NHL.aspx, http://www.sportsteamfanheaven.com/Categories/WorldBaseballClassic.aspx and http://www.sportsteamfanheaven.com/Categories/WorldCup.aspx

Herding and the German Shepherd Dog

2008-03-24T06:54:00.000-07:00

Once other animals such as cattle, sheep and goats became domesticated, man became aware of the dogs herding ability. Tactics used by hunting wolves, witnessed by humans, such as driving and separating one animal from the flock, were further exploited and bred into these dogs. As in other dogs, the animals possessing the best inherent herding abilities were further developed to assist human shepherds in their daily duties.

As you know, German Shepherds fall into the Herding Category of dog breeds- the breed was derived in the late 1800s from several different types of herding stock.

As the breed gained popularity, it also gained new jobs and duties as varied as can be possibly imagined- from work in the wars, search-and-rescue, tracking, police work, protection, to guide dog, companion dog and more. Still, some animals(GSDs) are used today actively as herding dogs.

Exactly what is involved in the process of herding? First, a willingness to work and to cooperate with others. In the wild wolves or wild dogs work as a unit when hunting prey and each animal may have a particular job to fulfill in order to bring down the intended victim. Some may be following the prey while others attempt to head it off.

Still, another may be the pack leader who in essence coordinates the events of the hunt. Herding dogs now work essentially with a human as pack leader in attempting to control herds of livestock.

Herding dogs may have natural abilities and fall in one of two basic categories- either that of gatherer or driver. Drivers generally move the stock away from the handler while still grouped, while gatherers tend to head off stock, keep them grouped and move them toward the handler. Generally speaking, gatherers are more versatile than drivers and it is much easier to cross train a gatherer to drive than it is to cross train a driver to gather.

Overall, principles of herding are based on the dogs natural instincts though other training methods abound. First dogs must obey the handler and follow commands.

This, along with mutual trust and respect, are the most important aspects of the working relationship between the dog(s) and the handler. After being introduced to stock, the animals are taught to position themselves in relation to the handler and stock based on their job and the direction in which the herd is to be moved. It is the handlers job to give the dog guidance in working the stock.

Later in training directional commands are learned by the animal in training. Most commands are in the form of verbal cues or whistles although visual commands may sometimes be involved as well. Possible commands may include easy or steady (move slowly), stop, down, or flanking commands such as move counterclockwise or clockwise around the herd. Once the dog masters the basic gathering commands it is taught to drive the herd and as it learns each lesson, it is taught other more difficult commands.

Qualities a good herding dog must possess are obedience, trainability, adaptiveness, good health, responsiveness and, most importantly, being able to use its own judgment. Standing up to uncooperative stock or being gentle with cooperative stock are other qualities of utmost importance in an actual working herding dog.

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.

Parvovirus A Very Realistic Threat To Your Dogs Health

2008-03-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Parvovirus was first identified in 1977 and can infect dogs of all ages, but usually strikes young unvaccinated puppies under the age of 6 weeks. Most puppies acquire temporary parvo-destroying antibodies by ingesting them through their mothers first milk, (colostrums). Puppies should be vaccinated starting at 6 to 9 weeks of age, and then every three weeks until they reach 16 weeks. Afterwards, yearly boosters are recommended.

Veterinarians can now test for the presence of parvovirus in their own clinics. Symptoms include loss of appetite, persistent vomiting, and profuse, odiferous diarrhea, often streaked with blood. In dogs, the lining of the intestines, lymph nodes, and bone marrow are the main target areas for Parvo. In puppies less than 6 weeks of age, the virus can infect heart cells, causing irreparable damage to the heart.

Certain breeds seem more prone to Parvo, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls, and German Shepherds, but scientists do not know why. Parvo is highly contagious, and is spread by oral contact with infected feces. Keep your dog away from other dogs with unknown vaccination status, and from areas where such dogs congregate.

If you board your dog, make sure that the owner/instructor requires proof of vaccination for all their customers. Do not take you unvaccinated or unprotected puppy to pet stores or parks until it is fully protected. Prevent your dog from coming in contact with feces, and always observe good hygiene at home. You can disinfect daily with a 1 to 30 ratio of chlorine bleach to water mixture. Parvo is much less common than it was 20 years ago but we still cannot completely eliminate the risk completely.

Remember, if you have further questions about Parvovirus or any other health issue, or if you think your dog has symptoms of a serious illness, be sure to contact your veterinarian at once. Your veterinarian can explain and break down and explain any issue and or questions you may have.

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

Womens Soccer Gear

2008-03-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Serious Dog Urine Cleaning Products from a Surprising Source

2008-03-23T04:07:00.000-07:00

Nobody enjoys thinking about dog urine stains and odor, but it happens. Even older dogs have accidents. (And let's also admit that dogs sometimes do it on purpose in order to mark their territory - no accident involved).

I'm thinking about this unpleasant subject at the moment because I just moved, and a very distinctive stain showed that a medium-sized dog recently lifted his leg on my new porch. To prevent my own dog from re-marking the house when I moved him to his new home, I had to find a good dog urine cleaning product, and fast.

With the help of my local pet store owner, (who also runs a house cleaning service), I found a great product - but not at her pet store.

So where did my friendly pet store owner take me to find a serious dog urine cleaning product? She led me next door, to the auto supply house. She asked the proprietor to search his shelves for a product that would be good enough to remove the smell and stain from my porch wall, but which would not be so strong that it would remove the paint. The product he had in stock was called Unbelievable!, from CORE Products Co., Inc., (but the man at the auto parts store said there are other brands that work as well).

The product was developed for professional cleaners, and works to remove pet and food stains (and odors) from a car's upholstery and carpet. The product costs far less than the enzyme product I recently purchased from a veterinarian, and it worked immediately. I just sprayed it on the siding where the dog lifted his leg, and the stain disappeared instantly, along with the smell. I'll be trying it on that suspicious spot on the carpet in a few minutes.

The first product that most people turn in these situations is enzyme-based cleaning products that can be purchased at grocery and pet stores. I recently had an opportunity to use an enzyme product on a borrowed cat carrier that had been sprayed by the owner's cat, and most of the odor did go away, eventually.

However, the enzyme product, which I purchased from a veterinarian, was expensive. It also took a long time to work, and my cats could still tell that the carrier had been sprayed, even though my own human nose could no longer detect it.

The product I purchased from the auto parts store worked better, and faster. And it cost less. So, the next time you have a need for a dog urine cleaner, don't head for the pet store - go to the auto supply store, and ask for a product that works on urine stains and odors. You'll save money by not buying an expensive enzyme product from the pet store or vet's, and you'll be happier with the results.

Copyright 2006 Jonni Good

Jonni Good is the owner of a large and popular website that is totally devoted to helping you adopt an older dog at your local humane society. You'll find a list of local animal shelters, and many articles about selecting exactly the right dog for your family. http://www.older-dog.com

5 Ways A Home Business Can Save You Money

2008-03-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

When most people think of starting their own home business, they think of the income potential, the amount of free time that they will have to spend with family and the flexibility of making their own schedule. What if there were even more benefits to working at home? In fact, what if a home business could actually save you money in a big way? Five big ways, to be exact.

Gasoline. With gas prices fluctuating and, at times, being so expensive that colleagues are often forced to carpool, its no surprise that entrepreneurs who work at home will save big bucks in this area. If you arent commuting to work everyday and back home again, you could end up saving several hundred dollars each month just by having a home business.

Car mileage & repairs. The more you are on the road, the more miles your odometer records. Automobiles with high mileage often command lower resale and/or trade-in value, but may also wear out faster simply because of excessive use. When you travel a lot, your vehicle is more susceptible to flat tires, worn brakes and other needed repairs resulting from the everyday use of a vehicle. What if the only places that you had to go included common errands and recreational outings? Rather than racking up miles and risking a flat tire going to work, home-based entrepreneurs put the car in park and walk to the office.

Clothing. Have you ever gone on a job interview and found out that the company required a uniform or specific dress code for employees? Quite often, a new wardrobe isnt on the forefront of someones mind when they are searching for a job. Instead, meeting important family and household expenses are among the leading reasons why most people apply for employment. For those who choose a home business, there are no dress codes, no uniforms and no specific shoes that need to be worn. In fact, you can show up to work in your favorite t-shirt and shorts if you so desire.

Lunch. If you are a full-time employee, then you probably get a lunch break. Unless you bring your own, you will be dining out a lot. Whether you choose a fast food or casual restaurant, a daily lunch bill can really add up. Although you still have to eat lunch if you work at home, you will save a considerable amount of money by eating in.

Childcare. In families where both parents work and a child is too young for school, childcare expenses are a natural part of life. As many already know, hiring a babysitter or enrolling your little one in a daycare facility doesnt come cheap. More importantly, most parents would prefer that one of them be at home to take care of the child themselves. With household expenses and everyday bills, many families struggle with making this dream into a reality. A home business may be the answer. Why? Because it allows for one or both parents to work at home and be there to care for their children while still earning income. Not only will this result in financial savings, but will give everyone peace of mind in knowing that their children are being properly cared for.

As you can see, there are a number of ways that a home business can save you money. When you add each of these five options together, just think of the extra cash that you will have on hand for taking a family vacation which, by the way, a home business allows you the freedom to do.

Jim Mack is a home business professional that is dedicated to help his team succeed http://www.giantcashcow.com , the BEST home business out there today. To find out more about Jim go to http://www.whoisjimmack.com.

A Little Bit About The Chinese Crested

2008-03-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

Other names the Chinese Crested is known as are:

Chinese Edible Dog
Chinese Ship Dog
Chinese Hairless
Chinese Royal Hairless
Pyramid or Giza Hairless
South African Hairless
Turkish Hairless

The crest in its name refers to a copious shock of silky hair that graces the dogs head.

The Chinese Crested is found everywhere, but has never reached great popularity. It has often been exhibited in circuses and carnivals as a freak. However, this little dog has many assets that go unrecognized.

There are two types of the Chinese Crested:

Hairless
With a full coat, which is called the Powderpuff

The Powderpuff is just about identical to the hairless except for the coat. The two are interbred and shown together. If you breed a hairless to a hairless or a Powderpuff to a hairless you can end up with either type or both types of puppies. Breeding a Powderpuff to a Powderpuff will always produce the Powderpuff type puppies.

Some authors claim the origin of the Chinese Crested is Africa. Others find its origin in Mexico or any of several other warm countries. The Chinese Crested is known to have been carried by trading ships from and to many different ports where it was bought and sold. Therefore, its origin is shrouded by sea tales.

The date of origin of the Chinese Crested is considered to be during the thirteenth century. Oriental countries concentrated on breeding miniaturized dogs, so the Chinese Crested ancestors probably include some of these small, hairless mutations.

The Chinese Crested originally enjoyed a pampered life with few duties except those associated with being a good companion. Very early in the development of the Chinese Crested breed it was probably used as a ratter on trading ships and was even sometimes eaten by human residents of these trading ships (how horribly awful to think of eating such a beautiful creature).

Personality

The Chinese Crested is said to be a nimble and cunning playmate. He is a vigilant and sensitive house dog. The Chinese Crested is a loving and obedient pet. He socializes well with other pets and is only a little cautious of strangers. The Chinese Crested is lively and active, but is rarely seen in agility contests. He is easily trained and should do well in obedience work.

Appearance

The Chinese Crested is fine-boned and graceful. He stands about 11 to 13 inches tall and weighs 5 to 12 pounds. He is athletic-looking and well muscled. The legs of a Chinese Crested are straight and strong. The Chinese Crested has a copious shock of silky hair that graces his head. Hair is absent over much of the remainder of its body except for tufts of hair on the tail and feet.

The Powderpuff has a flowing double coat of silky hair that covers its entire body. It is seen in any coat color or combination of colors.

Exercise Requirements

As with most toy breeds the Chinese Crested needs a minimal amount of exercise which can be obtained in your backyard.

Grooming

The Chinese Crested needs to be kept clean with frequent baths using a good shampoo followed by a moisturizer like baby oil or baby lotion. This routine is especially true for the hairless type.

The Powderpuff requires regular brushing and combing. The teeth need cleaning regularly.

You will need a good-quality bristle brush and a safety razor (to shave the face) for the Hairless variety. For the Powderpuff coat you will need a good-quality bristle brush, a wide-toothed comb and clippers.

The skin of the Hairless type responds well to frequent oiling by massaging baby oil or Nivea face cream into the hairless parts. This helps to keep the skin on the Chinese Crested Hairless type smooth and nicely moisturized.

The Powderpuff puppy requires frequent brushing with a bristle or pin brush particularly when the puppy coat changes to the adult coat, at which time daily grooming may be needed. The coat of a Powderpuff Chinese Crested should be brushed in layers with the lie of the coat.

After bathing, grooming and blow-drying, the face should be shaved using clippers (10 mm blade). Take a line from the outer corner of the eye to the ear and in a gentle curve from the ear down to the Adams apple. This cut is similar to the face of a Poodle. In the U.S. the Powderpuff face is not shaved. Finish off the entire body with a wide-toothed comb if desired. The comb will find any remaining tangles in the coat. Of note in the Chinese Crested is that the dogs nails should be moderately long.

Connie Limon. Visit us at http://www.abouttoydogs.com and sign up for our newsletters. About Toy Dogs is a guide to the selection and care of toy dog breeds. We feature articles, dog training resources, dog books, dog supplies and a toy dog breeder directory. Purchase a full page ad with up to 3 pictures, a 12 picture video, and advertising in our newsletters for one year at the rate of $25 per year.

Make Money With Top Search Engine Rankings

2008-03-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Its no secret that Google gets most of the traffic on the internet, followed closely by Yahoo and MSN back in third place.So if we're going to beat the next guy at getting some free search engine traffic what is required and where would you start?

Well first of all you have to realise that you aren't likely to rank at the top of most keywords overnight, infact it can take months of hard work to rank for high traffic keywords so the key here is to start with keywords you can target that don't have a lot of competition.This makes your job 50% easier before you even load a page to the internet.

Next lets look at the specific engines, google takes the longest to rank for out of the top 3 so I like to look closely at MSN search because my experience tells me that even though they dont get anywhere the same amount of traffic I can rank higher and faster here.So my first port of call is to do keyword research specifically with MSN in mind.I use a few tools here but by far the easiest way to do this is to use the free keyword reseach tool at digitalpoint.com .Here you can check keyword patterns and traffic patterns for your desired keywords to see how many searches are performed in the major engines, and also to find spin off keywords you probably would'nt have considered before.You can also check both Overture and Wordtrackers results against each other here to get a feel for how the traffic patterns are going to be for a top rank with your selected keyword.

A rule of thumb I use for MSN is that the traffic for any keyword I search in digital points tool is divided by approx 3-4 to give me an idea of the traffic in MSN.So if my desired keyword had 1000 searches per day according to both Wordtracker and Overture then I can confidently say a number 1 rank in MSN should provide about 300 searches.This doesnt mesn you will get 300 hits , in fact you may only get about half the searchers hit your site through MSN or any search engines for that matter even if you rank # 1.

So now I can confidently say a top rank for that keyword will provide approx 150 hits or visitors per day.So now we have chosen a keyword that looks good whats next?

Check out the competition on MSN.Theres no point choosing words that you realistically will never rank for .The competition pays big money to be at the top so unless you have the same budget stay away from that game.Those so called gurus of the internet will squash you .My reccommendation is to rank for terms that have less traffic and thats easier to get to #1, especially in MSN.

So what am I looking for when it it comes to my competition ? well we all know that relevant , theme related inbound, 1 way links from authority sites are the easiest way to rank # 1 or top 10.

In fact it doesnt take too many high quality inbound links to rank for thousands upon thousands of terms.So here is where the fun begins, After you have uploaded your site and optimised the page with all the relevant html tags etc then gathering links to your page is the single most important task you can undertake to rank.I am not an authority on link gathering but here are a few suggestions.

Write high quality articles about your chosen subject or pay someone to write articles , then submit them to the free article directories, here your article will be picked up by other webmasters and placed on their site with your link on them, This can create many many 1 way links very quickly for your page.

Approach other webmasters in your chosen topic and request link exchange(I personally dont do this as its boring and outdated and honestly is very time consuming)

Use social bookmark sites like del.ici.us to get your content out there and also to get you links from your tags.The search engines love social bookmark sites, I use about 25 of them and they always provide high quality 1 way links, and often with very high PR.

Write a blog about your site and link to it then feed that blog using rss or other syndication methods.this can also provide 1 way links and better results in the search engines.

Buy links. Yes buy them , a few high quality , related links with good Google Page Rank will help massively.

These few ideas I use every day and many more to get traffic and beat the next guy in the engines, especially MSN.

So there you have it a few small ideas to get you moving so go forth and "make money".

So the only thing left to do after you have achieved a top rank for a number of keyword terms is to make money from them and here are my top two ideas for making money that I use everyday.

1) Google adsense, Sign up free and place the ad code on your page and you will earn a share of each and every click visitors make from those ad blocks.

There are dozens of other places you can earn on a "pay per click " basis but Google stands out head and shoulders above the rest in my opinion.

2) Affiliate marketing, If your site or page is about losing weight, then sign up free as an affiliate to any one of hundreds of sites that sell these type of products .Then place a link on your page which has your personal code embedded into it and if a visitor clicks on your link and decides to buy then you will recieve a share of that sale.Sometimes as high 70% of that sale.

So there you have it, now go out there and make some money online, because if you dont I will do it for you.

Calvin Leonard is experienced in the field of network marketing and internet marketing.His Main Business focus is to teach people how to http://www.wealthsuccess.usana.com through quality business.

Colorful Black Labradors

2008-03-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

Out of all of the different types and colors of Labradors, the black Labrador is one of the most popular. Black Labradors are usually solid black in color. They are sleek and graceful looking animals. They are a large breed of dog and must be taken seriously because they can harm small children or frail individuals because they have so much enthusiasm for life and they want to play with everyone. However, black Labradors are very smart and they learn quickly. They can be trained quite easily not to jump up on people or cause other problems because of their energy levels and large size. Some people might be frightened by large dogs such as the black Labrador, but spending time with these dogs will show most people that there is nothing to fear except that you might be licked with much enthusiasm.

Pay Attention To Energy Levels

There are many different breeds of dogs in this world today, and they can differ not just in their looks but in their temperament and their energy level as well. This is important to be aware of when looking into getting a large dog such as the black Labrador. High energy dogs are often very enjoyable to the person or the family that likes a lot of outdoor activity, but this type of dog might not be as good of a choice for the person that works all day or lives in an apartment. This does not mean that the black Labrador would not make a good pet, but it is not healthy for the dog to be closed up in an apartment all day and could result in destructive behavior simply because the dog would be bored.

Big Dogs Need Big Spaces

For those that are interested in owning a black Labrador, space must be considered. Those who live in apartments either do not own dogs or only own small dogs because large dogs with a lot of energy are often unhappy in an apartment all day. However, for the family that has space for a large dog, a black Labrador would be a good choice because they make good guard dogs yet are gentle and affectionate with people that they know including small children.

Denise Duncan loves all dogs, especially labradors, and enjoys training and raising them. She is a contributing author and editor for http://www.AllAboutLabradors.com .

Living In The Suburbs With Your Labrador Retriever

2008-03-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

The suburbs may be the best of Labrador Retriever worlds, but its environment poses its own special set of problems. While suburban Labrador Retrievers are usually not as restricted, regulated, isolated, and controlled as those in the cities, the very lifting of these restrictions provides a set of pressures for the suburban dog owner.

When suburbs do have leash laws, residents do not always obey them. In general, enforcement of leash laws is lax in the suburbs. The law may include a stipulation that the dog must be leashed or "under the owner's direct control." Having a Labrador Retriever under one's "direct control" is, of course, an ambiguous phrase. What it means in practice is that the Labrador Retriever is allowed to run free but eventually returns home. This is enough "control" for some owners.

Free-roving dogs often form packs or bite, a growing problem in many suburbs and villages. This is forcing suburbs to adopt city-type leash laws and implement zoning restrictions that penalize all dog owners. At least in cities, most stray Labrador Retrievers are picked up promptly and impounded. As a result, city dog owners tend to keep their dogs supervised, since they stand a very real chance of losing them if they don't.

Regardless of the environment, the only complete solution to free-roving is somehow to contain the Labrador Retriever on one's own property when it is not on a leash. The best and most humane way is to bring the dog into the house where it belongs regardless of the owner's interpretations to the contrary. Assuming the dog is indoors at least fifty percent of the time and is obedience-trained to come when called, there will be little or no problem of its going off its own property. When there is a problem, secondary backup solutions are to fence in the yard or to chain the Labrador Retriever, an unhappy alternative.

Some suburbanites persist in believing the myth that their environment is "country" enough to allow their pet to go where it pleases. (Unfortunately, even a country environment does not allow that.) The suburbs are not the country, and even if they were, that is no excuse for letting a dog run wild.

Many a suburban dog owner experiencing house-soiling, chewing, digging, or free-roving has considered actually moving out to the country, in order to have their dogs roam free. However, that would not help. Labrador Retriever owners cannot do without having complete control over their dog. A dog will come when it is kept close by, oriented to the inside of the house, and formally practiced in coming when called. Most dogs who are running free in the open become less and less inclined to listen when called and become too relaxed when it comes to obedience. Instead, keep your Labrador Retriever inside, and either accompany it under supervision or leash it for defecation and exercise. If you want it to run free, take it to a park or large field and personally watch the dog.

Richard Cussons is a champion for dogs of all breeds but Labrador Retrievers in particular. You can find out more about Labrador Retrievers at http://www.labradorretrieversavvy.com/

Three Auto Insurance Secrets

2008-03-21T05:10:00.000-07:00

Want to learn something new about auto insurance? Something that can save you a lot of money or get a claim paid? Forget the usual tips. Check out these secrets.

1. Demand the legal policy minimums if you have no assets. Do you really need a lot of liability coverage if you have no money in the bank? Insurance companies will tell you that you do because you can be sued regardless. It's possible. I can't promise you that you won't be sued and end up paying a chunk of your paycheck to someone for life.

However, honest insurance salesmen admit that people without assets are rarely sued. Lawyers work on a commission in these cases, and won't take a case where there is no money to be collected. In fact, having a bigger liability policy can be an invitation to sue, and it won't protect you from personal liability, because they always sue for more than the policy limit anyhow.

If you have no assets to protect, why buy auto insurance? Because it is a legal requirement. In that case why not just buy the minimum coverage required? But be careful. My own insurance guy lied for years, claiming I had just that, when in fact I was paying for "company-recommended minimums." You might have to push the point, and may even have to sign something saying you understand how risky it is to be "under-insured."

2. Claim diminished value. If you have a collision policy, your insurance company will pay for the repairs after an accident. However, is the financial damage really fixed? Not necessarily. A car that has been in an accident and had the body fixed may look the same, but it won't sell for the same price. Would you pay the same for a car that has been in an accident?

A car that has been in an accident might be worth $2,000 less than a similar un-damaged car. This is called "diminished value," and may be covered by your policy. However, diminished value is often not paid unless you push the point. Get a car dealer to do an estimate of the diminished value if necessary, and present this to the insurance company. You pay for insurance to have your losses covered, and they aren't covered if you aren't paid for this.

3. Lower your premiums by removing kids from the policy. You may have already discovered that you pay a lot for insurance as long as you have driving-age children at home. Even if they are off at school, if their legal residence is your house, you pay more.

However, there is a little-known exception to this rule. If your children are at a college that's more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy. This can dramatically reduce your premiums. The catch? They are excluded drivers, so you can't let them drive the car when they come home to visit.

These are just a few examples of the auto insurance secrets that insurance companies probably don't want you to know.

Copyright Steve Gillman. You'll find 11 more ways to save money on auto insurance secrets in "Money saving Secrets," a bonus in the "You Aren't Supposed To Know - A Book Of Secrets" package at: http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com.

Miami DolphinsThe New Bengals? Not Yet

2008-03-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

With the arrest of Miami wide receiver Chris Chambers this past weekend, some might start to wonder if the Dolphins have evolved into Bengals over the off season. Chambers, a 2005 pro bowler and star of, ahem, my fantasy team, was picked up in North Carolina for driving while impaired, reckless driving, and speeding on July 14th. With the arrest, Chambers is now the third Dolphin to be taken into custody this year. If eight more Dolphins find themselves behind bars, they will pass the Cincinnati Bengals and lead the league in most (jail) yards gained.

Besides Chambers, Fred Evans, a defensive tackle with Miami, was arrested on June 23 for trespassing, resisting arrest with violence, disorderly conduct, and battery on a police officer. Joey Porter, the Steeler turned Dolphin, was arrested for a March conflict where he was accused of punching Levi Jones, an offensive lineman for the - go figure - Cincinnati Bengal. Porter was eventually charged with a misdemeanor.

So, there you have itare the Dolphins taking a page from the Bengals and - in lieu of evading sacks and tackles - focusing their time on evading the law? Well, not exactly.

To being with, this is a first offense for Chambers: before Saturday, his professional record was completely clean. He also - according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel - passed a breathalyzer test while at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police station. While he certainly shouldn't have been doing any kind of drinking and driving, he can chalk his arrest up to a mistakeand NEVER do it again.

Fred Evans offense, a violent crime, wasn't as benign, and this wasn't overlooked by the Dolphin's coaching staff. In the aftermath of his arrest, Evans found himself unemployed: Miami let him go. Cam Cameron, the head coach, released a statement saying, "We will not condone this type of behavior. I assure everyone it will be dealt with seriously." And seriously dealt with it was. Good for Cam for standing by his word, and his morals.

Joey Porter's arrest for hitting Levi Jones makes me think that neither party was innocent. When you have football players, packed with testosterone, and add the element of alcohol, these things will happen. Still, Porter is a bit of wild card and someone Cameron should keep an eye on. Porter has not only spat out accusations of cheating, (jokingly?) said he was going to give George Bush a piece of his mind, uttered homosexual slurs, and been voted one of the NFL's dirtiest players, but he also owned two dogs who killed his neighbors miniature horse. How, exactly, does that kind of thing happen?

Nonetheless, for now you can chalk Porter up to a talented player with a lot of passion (if not too much) who likes to run his mouth, and sometimes puts his foot in it. He's hardly the first NFL player to get in a fist fight and he won't be the last. Porter and Chamber don't quite deserve to be labeled Bengals just yet. As for Evans, well maybe Cincinnati has an opening.

Jennifer Jordan is a senior editor for http://www.milleniumlimo.com. An avid sports fan, she likes the Miami Dolphins but her heart belongs to the Denver Broncos.

Separation Anxiety in dogs: First Things First

2008-03-20T03:39:00.000-07:00

There is a fine line between a dog having an acute case of separation anxiety and an acute case of boredom, especially for puppies. You need to make sure that your dog is getting an adequate amount of exercise before you leave it for a period of time. Consider a 15 to 20 minute walk, fetch session, or playtime as an absolute minimum. Beyond the puppy stage, most dogs will function and behave best with about and hour and a half of physical activity each day.

When you are away, also ensure your puppy has something to do chew toys, rawhide treats, or even their favorite slimy ball. If its at all possible, and your dog does not habitually bark or growl at passing people or dogs, give your dog a view so they can watch the world pass by when they cant be romping around in it.

You also need to rule out any sort of medical condition first; for example, a physical condition may be the main cause of the toilet accidents, and a neurological condition could be the real source of the anxiety, especially if it occurs at times outside of your absences.

Finally, you MUST puppy-proof your home. This means making sure all garbage containers are sealed off and inaccessible. Any food on your kitchen counter is cleared away (youd be surprised at how agile dogs can be when no one is watching). Any household items that are at risk should be put away.

There are items that you cant protect easily, such as doors and carpets. If you do return home to find these damaged, remember that they are repairable and replaceable. You should never punish your dog after the fact. They will not associate the punishment with the crime. And the fact that they may now also fear the one person theyre longing for, it will make their separation anxiety much much worse.

Martin Olliver is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team (http://kingdomofpets.com). For more great articles on dog training, including Separation Anxiety: some Solutions, visit: http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/separation_anxiety_in_dogs.php.

Your Write to Deduct

2008-03-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

Being an aspiring and even a published author is not nearly as lucrative as you had hoped. It takes time and investment, mostly yours, to build a fan base and promote your name and your work. While you are busy planning, promoting and writing, you may have overlooked one very important money making opportunity. Every year, people throw millions away because they just dont know any better. And who are they paying? Uncle Sam. Thats right, knowing the tax rules and how to take advantage them can save you a bundle of money. And that is money that you can re-invest to jump start that writing career of yours! What should you be doing to save everything possible each year related to your writing activities? Im glad you asked.

Business or hobby

Is your writing a business or a hobby? That is the first question that you need to answer. If you are like many people who are aspiring to write for a living, you have a full-time or part-time job that must be maintained until the money begins to roll in from writing. Your writing activities produce little income, but the expense side of the ledger is often full of entries. The result is that your writing activities are costing you money, sometimes lots of money. Is there any way to make that red ink work for you? There certainly is, and heres the key: If you are actively pursuing your writing as a business and expect (eventually) to make a profit, then the net of all that red ink can be used to reduce the money that you earn from your day job. For example, if you earn $40,000 from your regular job and you spend a net of $3,000 promoting and pursuing your writing activities, then you would be able to net the two amounts and pay taxes on only $37,000. In effect, you can fund your writing activities with before-tax dollars, reducing your overall tax bill to Uncle Sam. You dont need to itemize your deductions to take advantage of this opportunity. This reduces your income before you get to your itemized deductions. The key is that you are engaging in a business with the intent to make a profit. Actually making a profit is not required.

If you are writing on a more casual basis, for enjoyment and fulfillment, and you do not expect to earn a profit, the IRS will view your writing activities as a hobby. In that case the losses that you suffer from your writing activities (the net red ink) can not be deducted against other items on your tax return.

Business expenses are deductible against other income you make, hobby costs are deductible only to the extent of the income you make from the activity.

So, you know that you are pursuing your writing dream with every intention that one day you will be a successful and money-making author. How do you show the IRS?

My next article will focus on ways to distinguish between carrying on a business and pursuing a hobby.

James Kavanagh is a CPA and an associate writer for eWritingToday, a site focusing on the writing community and helping writers and authors promote their work. Mr. Kavanagh is also an editor at Seven Sisters Publishing, a small press that focuses on unique ways to support its authors marketing efforts. If you have a completed manuscript that you would like to submit to a press active in supporting you after publication, go to Seven Sisters Publishing . Mr. Kavanagh may be reached at Jkavanagh@7sisterspublishing.com.

Trust And Training Your Dog

2008-03-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

Trained dogs are welcome almost anywhere because they behave around people and other dogs. They are a pleasure to take for a walk and can be let loose for a romp in the park. They are members of the family in every sense of the word, a good dog should be house trained, come when called, have few bad habits, stay when told, and not pull when taken for a walk.

Before, during, and after training your dog, you must continually built trust with him. One of the commands you will want your dog to learn is to come when called. To be successful, remember this, when your dog comes to you, be nice to him and reward this behavior. No matter what your dog may have done, be pleasant and use a kind word, a pat on the head and a smile. Teach your dog to trust you by being a safe place for him. When your dog is with you, follows you or comes to you, make the dog feel wanted.

When you call a dog to you and then punish, you undermine his trust in you. When your dog comes to you voluntarily and gets punished, the dog associates being punished with coming to you. Whether you are pleased or angry, your dog associates these feelings only with what was done last.

While establishing trust, you must also take charge and lead. Dogs are pack animals and you and your family are now the pack, at least as far as your dogs concerned. No pack can exist without a leader, and its either your or the dog. Few dogs actively seek leadership, and most are content when you assume the role.

Consistency is vital to the success of training. Your dog cannot understand sometimes, maybe, perhaps but he can and does understand yes and no. The more black and white or yes and no you can make it, the easier it will be for your dog to understand what you want. By observing us and studying our habits, dogs learn to anticipate our actions. Since they communicate with each other through body language, they quickly become experts and reading ours.

If you attribute human qualities and reasoning abilities to your dog, your dealings are doomed to failure. Your pet doesnt experience guilt, and blaming the dog because he ought to know better or she shouldnt have done it will not improve behavior. Your pet also does not understand every word you say, and is only able to interpret your tone of voice, and body language. Once trust and understanding are established, training becomes very easy.

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed http://www.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

Dogs and Children

2008-03-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

Recent events in the UK have fuelled the debate over dogs and children. The death of a five month old baby after being attacked by two Rottweilers has saddened and shocked everybody and our thoughts go out to that poor family. For a while there may well be an over-reaction but lets keep a clear head and look at the facts and what can be done to help keep children (and dogs) safe. The thoughts that follow are not the voice of an expert but they are an informed opinion. My interest in animal behavior is that of a hobby not a career.

Some of the facts

Its very rare for a dog to attack a child

The most likely cause of an attack is teasing NEVER tease or provoke a dog, however friendly

Most family dogs accept and protect the family children but should never be left alone with them.

Stand still if a dog threatens you. It is instinctive for a dog to chase something moving.

Generally watch out for growling, pricked upright ears pointing at you and a stiff tail held high. (Unfortunately some dogs so enjoy a chase that they may wag their tails as if they were friendly when they are not, so try to get to understand doggie body language.)

The best defense is to become familiar with dogs and their signals.

Most barking, excited dogs you meet in parks may wish to chase you but are not intending you harm.

Dogs are not generally aggressive unless trained to be so. The danger lies in play which gets out of hand. Dogs are not little people in fur coats. They brains work differently from ours. They can hurt a child accidentally because they dont realize their actions will harm them.

Two or more dogs are more likely to get too excited and go into attack mode. The pack instinct rises up.

The only way a dog can tell you it doesnt like something is to move away or nip. Teach children not to pester dogs who are trying to get away.

A distressed dog will sometimes warn by snapping into the air. This is only intended to communicate their displeasure but they can catch a child in the face accidentally.

Dont touch a strange dog without checking with the owner that its okay first.

Take extra precautions if your dog shows any jealousy towards a child. You may want to consider whether you should keep him in those circumstances.

Treat dogs with respect, as fellow creatures not playthings. Dont rob them of their heritage and dignity. The relationship between humans and dogs has been rewarding on both sides. Lets celebrate that.

© Linda Cooke, 2006
http://www.good-ideas.biz
Dogs, cats, work, play and more

Linda Cooke trained as a teacher but has also produced writing and photography for magazines for more years than she would like to mention. More recently she has taken to the Web.

Preventive Medicine Is A Must For The Shih Tzu Show Dog Kennel

2008-03-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

A Shih Tzu show dog kennel should practice preventive medicine as the means of maintaining optimum health. The Shih Tzu show dog must be available for showing for extended periods of time. Preventive medicine is much more practical and is kinder to the Shih Tzu.

The Shih Tzu show dog must have routine checks for parasites and a strict maintenance of inoculations. Being in the show ring presents more chances of being exposed to disease germs. It is imperative that the Shih Tzu show dog that has been traveling from show to show be kept separate from the home crew once returning home. This can be compared to the older sister or brother who goes to school and brings home the chicken pox to all younger brothers and sisters. Extra precautions should be taken by the Shih Tzu show dog kennel to prevent possible spread of disease germs to the entire kennel and/or any Shih Tzu puppies for sale present among them.

Three very serious diseases to which all dogs are susceptible are:

1. Distemper
2. Hepatitis
3. Leptospirosis

These diseases are serious because they are frequently fatal. Fortunately, there are effective inoculations against all three.

Fleas and ticks are present in almost all parts of the country during warm weather. They are easy to pick up and sometimes quite difficult to get rid of, especially in the case of a long-coated Shih Tzu. Fleas and ticks also are capable of causing a dog to become infested with worms and sometimes diseases.

The simple rule to follow is to consult the veterinarian whenever there is the least question concerning the health of a Shih Tzu show dog. This is especially true in the case of the various diseases of the skin or conditions that result in seasonal irritants. These problems need to be treated promptly in order to prevent a chronic condition leading to the ruin of a Shih Tzu show dog coat, but is also detrimental to the over-all health of the Shih Tzu.

Toy Dogs, which include the Shih Tzu, have physical problems that are peculiar to them. The Toy dogs also have a few advantages over other certain classes of dogs. Many of the special problems affecting Toy dogs are the direct result of having been bred down to their present size. Toy dogs are actually a creation of man mainly for an amusing house pet.

This article is FREE to publish with resource box.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She is publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Designer dog clothes are offered on the website. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

Top 10 Ways to Save Money When Youre Traveling

2008-03-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

With all of the costs of getting to wherever you are going, wouldnt it be nice to actually learn how to save money when youre there? Besides hunting for the best tickets and times to travel, you also need to learn about how to make the most of every dollar/rupee/yen/euro/etc. when youre actually there.

1. Learn the exchange rate This seems like common sense, but knowing the exchange rate will allow you to tell when youre paying too much or at least more than you want to be spending.

2. Make a budget By just setting yourself a limit on what you can spend each day, youll start to subconsciously limit yourself.

3. Make it a game If youre traveling with someone, try to make it a game to see who can spend the least amount of money. Youll be surprised at what you can do.

4. Walk Instead of paying for transportation and taxis, why not get a little exercise and save money at the same time? Or, you can always walk part of the way and pay for the rest at a much lesser fee than you would have with the whole route.

5. Eat where the locals eat Think about it. When youre at home, you have certain places that you eat because theyre good and theyre cheap. So do people in other countries.

6. Take some risks Head into the smaller stores that you find but arent all that crowded. You will find beautiful things at lower prices because theyre not catering to the tourists that are going to be there.

7. Talk to locals When youre interested in something, talk to the locals about where you might be able to find it. You will learn things that you wouldnt get out of your guidebook as well as where these activities are cheaper.

8. Dont drink your money away Try to limit your alcohol wherever you can or save it for a few special days. Its easy to spend too much.

9. Choose one thing And then spend a lot of money on that. If youre heading to Italy, for example, you might want to save your money up for a day of shopping, but be thrifty the rest of the time.

10. You only live once When all else fails, just spend a little more than you thought that you would. You arent going to be there everyday, so why not make the most of it when you are?

Matt Reider is the manager of http://www.CanuckAbroad.com, a site for finding cheap flights, talking with other budget travelers and finding out everything you need to know before going abroad.