Cattle

Archive for July, 2009

Anaconda snakes, for sure, conjures up an image of a gigantic, black, serpentine creature slithering in mud and constricting a hapless creature to death. You are not to be blamed for this. Instead, blame those numerous movie directors and novelists who, thanks to their imagination or lack of it, portrayed these docile creatures as vileness epitomized.

Urban legends and rumors are awash with horror tales of anaconda snakes gobbling up innocent kids, regurgitating and re-swallowing their victims thereby giving them a slow and painful death and so on and so forth. So much for the creativity of human brain! Ask a biologist and you will get a drastically different image, an image of a docile, fearful and reclusive creature tucked away in the dense forests of South America.

Classified as members of the boa family, anaconda snakes represent one of the lowermost strata in the pyramid of evolution. Found naturally in the dense tropical forests of South America, these serpentine creatures are worlds one of the biggest constrictors. Anaconda snakes come in two distinct and attractive colors, dull yellow and green. Wet and tropical climates, dense forests and undergrowth, and abundance of food are what make the ideal habitat for these visually majestic snakes.

In this era of instant gratification and consumerism, you do not need to go all the way to the dense forests of Trinidad or the swamps of Amazon to achieve the glory of viewing an anaconda alive. Drive down to the nearest snake park, or even easier, search for a view of anaconda in many famous sites and you shall get to see many antics of this particularly gigantic snake head. However, to appreciate Mother Nature true wonders you have to get your boots dirty.

Anaconda snake viewing is one of the most exotic adventure tourism available to us. All you need to do is consult your travel agent, fix up a packaged tour, and get a guided tour of Amazon. With a little luck and some time, you can see not only live anacondas, but also experience anacondas in conjunction with their own, natural ecosystem. No amount of National Geography documentaries viewed in widest of the wide screen televisions can substitute the rush of adrenalin that you will get while watching a true anaconda snake attacking a wild pig.

Planning a trip to the exotic Amazons is easy enough. A little research on the internet will give you sufficient information to plan your trip depending on your appetite for adventure and precious time available with you. A session with your travel agent will further fine-tune the travel plan and will ensure that what you get dovetails with what you expect.

Starting from specialized and trained guides, to boutique hotels offering you unmatched view of the jungle, a whole industry is waiting to help you experience the nature in its purest form at the Amazons. Now get out of that couch and grab a ticket to the Amazons, for watching anaconda snakes in its natural habitat is a sight to remember.

Clicker training is a reinforcement or reward for a cat when training them. Clickers are use most often for support when training a cat for a reward. Cats associate the clicker with a good behavior they will use for a long time. Clicker training is associated with classical condition were they associate the sound with food. and operant conditioning (cat will do certain movement to receive food).

Why use a clicker and not tell a cat or make a sound to get your cat to do a trick? A clicker has a sound a cat can hear and associate good behavior. With words, our tones in our voice can change from time to time, which a cat can become confused with the training. With talking for the commands, a cat could mistake the commands. With using a clicker, it is more of a training tool to get the behavior started with the cat. Then you can put the clicker away for that behavior or trick once a cat has learned the behavior

When taking the cat out for a walk or on a trip, the clicker is a good item to carry along with you. Cats can get distracted with other people, or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wondering around.

With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Get a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click that they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this for a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click.

 Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go though the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes though the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go though the hoop a snack is available.

Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat.

The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 minutes a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief.

Clickers can come with books to help you train, treats, and a clicker. Clickers come in many different size shapes, and color. You will want to research the clickers out. Check out a pet store, Internet sites give lots of information on training and using a clicker. Check out companies that make the clicker by using Internet to see what kind they offer and any additional information that you might need to get the process of training done. Check out articles about the clicker. Talk to someone that has used one. Talk to your area veterinary about training with a Clicker

Once you have used a clicker, the cat will get good exercise and be a healthy cat. The cat will be happier and you will be happier with the new behaviors that you have taught your cat.

To sum up training your cat, important things to remember is have patience, love and the use of the clicker.

NOTE:  This article is for information only.   See your veterinarian for medical advice.

Preventing dog health problems should be a top priority for dog owners.

If you are like me, my dog is an integral part of my family.  I want him to live a long, healthy, and happy life.

Our dogs are completely dependent on us.  They are just like our children.  They count on us to give them what they need in their lives.

My dog, Romeo, is the little white guy sitting in my lap shown in the picture at the top of the page.  He is very healthy.  My wife and I have made it a point to provide him with the very best.

You and I make lifestyle choices to boost our immunity and live a healthy life.  We should do the same thing for our dogs.  We should have their best interest at heart.

Listed below are 6 basic things you need to give your dog.

If you are considering getting a dog and are not willing to provide the dog with these things, then my suggestion is to save your time and money.  Forget about getting a dog.  Invest your money in a person you love.

I’m sorry to be so blunt.  But I feel that all true pet lovers probably agree with me.  So here is the list of 6 things you must give your dog:

1. Exercise – Exercise should be an extremely important part of your dog’s daily routine.  This is a great way to help prevent dog health problems.  It helps to detoxify its body.  Just like the human body, exercise stretches and strengthens its muscles, gives a cardio workout, and helps get rid of stress.  I walk with Romeo every morning – anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 miles.  His little legs can really move.  I know he really enjoys himself.
2. Water – Your dog should have access to plenty of water throughout the day.  The bowl should be frequently replenished with fresh, clean water.
3. Food – Your dog should be fed a high quality, nutritious dog food.  I don’t have enough room here to fully address this issue.  Feeding a food bought in a grocery store or even a pet specialty store will probably lead to health issues.  The food should be very fresh and free of by-products, corn, wheat, soy, and chemical preservatives and colorings.
4. Treats – We all want to give our dog some treats throughout the day.  And the dog certainly enjoys them.  My advice is to limit the number of treats you give your dog. The treat should be functional.  In other words, it should fulfill a specific purpose.  For example, it should be a healthy treat and provide dental care, or anti-oxidants, etc.  Most treats you find in a store are not healthy, they lead to weight gain, and only tend to satisfy the dog’s hunger.
5. Natural supplements – Your dog should have a daily supplement or vitamin.  Each dog, just like a human, has a different body chemistry.  The supplement provides the nutrition the dog does not absorb from the food he eats.  This helps to prevent health issues.  Larger dogs should take a supplement that will prevent or, at the very least, postpone arthritis, dysplasia, and other joint issues.
6. Weight management – This is extremely important.  I see so many dogs that are overweight.  There is no excuse for this.  Lack of proper exercise can be part of the problem.  Overeating is a major reason for obesity in dogs.  You should be able to feel your dog’s rib cage.  There should be a thin layer of flesh over the ribs.  If you do not easily feel the ribs, you need to cut back on the quantity of food you are feeding.  Don’t feed more than what is suggested on the label. But cut back that amount if your dog shows signs of being overweight.

Have you moved into a new house and felt a bit lost? You’re glad to be there, but it’s all new and different and a little stressful. Bringing a new cat home for the first time can be stressful for your cat as well as for your family. The cat is surrounded by all new things, all new people. There are strange smells and sounds and maybe strange new animals. You and your family don’t know how the cat will take to your home and aren’t sure if they should try to pick it up, try to play with it, or let it wander for a while. You want to do what’s best for your cat from the start so that you don’t have problems in behavior later on. There are some tips to making sure that the process is less frightening for everyone.

Think about that first day in your new home and empathize with your cat. Take things slow. Your children will be all excited about this new pet and will want to play, but remind them that the cat is nervous as they sometimes are in a new situation. If they scare him, it might take longer for the cat to trust them. It helps if you have prepared your house before bringing your pet home. Have a room set aside where you can put his litter box. A bed, food and water should be in another part of the room and he should feel free to roam without being disturbed by children or other pets. Give him at least a half hour alone before checking to see that he’s OK. Go in and check again from time to time so that he gets used to you, but don’t force him to get too close just yet. Spend a few days increasing the time you spend in the room and gradually start to approach him or sit on the floor and let him come to you. You will gain his confidence by getting down to his level, making yourself smaller, and not looking him in the eye. Gradually add a toy or some string and let him decide when it’s time to play.

After your cat is comfortable around you, you can add other family members. Other pets should only be brought in after Kitty has bonded with you and should always include your supervision. After three or four days, once you’re sure the cat is secure and happy to be touched and stroked by you and your family, you can you begin to give your cat freedom to enter the rest of the house. Let your cat take it at his own pace and be sure he has access to “his” room if he needs to have some time away from everyone. Cats will usually adapt quickly to their new home but some will take a little longer. A lot will depend on their last experience. It’s important to let your cat take his time and gain confidence at first even though it may seem slow. You need to let your cat trust you and feel safe in his new environment so that he can be secure and happy. Once that bond is established you will have a lifetime of companionship for you, your cat, and your family.

If dog is man’s best friend, then cats are a man’s caprice. 

Aside from being expensive, purebred cats are difficult to care for as they require their owner’s love and attention. Cats are like babies, because they need to be fed, sometimes bathed, combed, played with and cared for.

Cats are best bought from responsible cat breeders. Hobbyists choose to own purebred cats because their temperaments are more predictable than cats with unknown pedigrees.

If you are getting a cat from a cat breeder, ask him about the number of cat breeds that he has so you can choose from them. Also, ask him how many years he has been breeding cats and whether he can give you a health guarantee and complete papers for the cat.

Top cat breeds

If you want to show off your cat then it is best to choose from among the top five cat breeds throughout the world.

1. Persian-Persian cats are called Persian for their country of origin. Persians have a long coat, sweet personality and have the ability to blend into the household. These are the qualities that made Persians one of the top choices of cat lovers. However, its long coat requires daily combing to avoid tangles.

2. Maine Coon-These are long-haired cats with good mouse hunting skills. These cats are good companions for children.

3. Exotic-This breed can offer you the better of two worlds. The Exotic cat has the look of a Persian cat, but it has short hair, making it easy to groom. They look like teddy bears with their thick and short coats. These cats are sweet and good companions like the Persians.

4. Siamese-Siamese cats originally came from Siam or Thailand. This cat possesses an aristocratic head, looks almost like a deer because of it’s stiff ears, and has a short coat.  Siamese cats have long bodies, long legs and long necks.

5. Abyssinian-These cats are very elegant-looking, much like the cats portrayed in Egyptian sculptures. Abyssinia is the former name of Ethiopia. However, Abyssinian cats did not originate in Ethiopia. They got the name because the first cats of Abyssinian breed, which were exhibited in England, were from Abyssinia.

No matter what your choice of a cat breed is, make sure that your cat is healthy and that it has already been weaned. The ideal age to get a kitten is about 14 weeks, when their immune systems are already developed.