Cattle

Posts Tagged ‘energy’

The Bichon Frise (pronounced ‘Bee-Shone Freeze’) is a curly all-white dog with a puffball appearance and a very puffy head. It has been around since the 1300’s, and throughout their history they have been popular among Italian sailors, the Italian and French royal courts, and eventually with French street performers. Their name ‘Bichon Frise’ is in reference to their curly white coat.

Their diverse history of human companionship is proof of the Bichon Frise’s easy going temperament. These Non-Sporting dogs are independent, gallant, and full of energy. The Bichon loves people and is happiest when he is in his owners company. However, the Bichon Frise is also friendly to strangers, adores playing with children and doesn’t mind other family pets.

The Bichon is intelligent and is easy to train. By nature, he is a natural worker, which is why he got along well with street performers and made a wonderful circus dog once upon a time. This also means that the Bichon can be quite the little clown and enjoys learning tricks.

As was previously mentioned, the Bichon Frise is covered from head to tail in a curly white coat. His coat does not shed, making him a great companion for those who suffer from allergies. Nonetheless, the coat of the Bichon needs daily brushing to keep it free from mats. He will also need a monthly bath, and will require a full coat clipping every few months.

Since the Bichon’s coat gives him such a fluffy appearance, you may be surprised to learn that he isn’t as large as he may appear. For instance, the height of the Bichon Frise only reaches 12 inches and they weigh between 7 ‘ 12 pounds.

It is important to keep a Bichon in trim shape to avoid the possibility of him becoming overweight. This is best achieved by feeding him a sufficient diet and providing him with significant exercise. Because of his size, and the fact that they can happily live in an apartment, one may think that the Bichon does not need too much exercise. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The Bichon Frise enjoys being active and likes talking long walks and the freedom to run around in the open.

Those interested in the Bichon Frise will discover that he is a long lived companion with an average life expectancy of 15 years or more. Bichons have a few hereditary problems such as cataracts, ear ailments, knee dislocation and epilepsy. Nonetheless, the Bichon is still one of the more healthy breeds available today.

The Bichon Frise will become miserable if left along frequently. He loves to be included in the activities of his family and owner as much as possible. Human companionship is what makes the Bichon a happy go lucky canine and the best friend you could ask for.

Thankfully, for the owner that does not want to put up with too many problems, the Labrador retriever is known as one of the more mellow breeds of dogs. It also has a great track record for working with children. As far as bringing home a dog that will work well in a family atmosphere and allow the owner to feel safe leaving the dog alone with the children, a Labrador retriever would be a perfect match.

As with all good things, there are some less desirable ones. In the case of a dog like the black Labrador puppy (and all variations and ages of this breed), it will eat whatever is put in front of it. Therefore, it is up to the owner to monitor what the dog is eating and make sure it does not overeat which would result in various health problems.

These dogs are also known for being highly energetic, willing to play catch with a ball or Frisbee for long periods of time. The exercise outside that this dog gets is what keeps it in shape and the owner must be available to play with it. In order for this dog to remain healthy, an owner must be willing to spend time outside with it by playing the aforementioned game of catch or taking it for a walk. A black Labrador puppy will have an added level of energy and the owner must be ready for that.

A dog like the black Labrador puppy is an ideal one for people with a family. It is also a coveted dog for hunters and people who spend plenty of time outdoors. A potential owner must weigh these traits and determine if this is the right dog because that will ultimately decide the happiness of both the owner and the dog in the long run.

One of the harshest facts about the winter months, especially in the northern states, is that many factors combine to make it hard for birds to find food.  First, there is just less of it.  Plants that many birds might feed on, such as berries, have just stopped producing in many areas, and those birds that like to feed on the insect population will find that there it has pretty much disappeared, either dying out or hibernating during the cold months.  So finding a good source of food is a challenge.

The other thing to keep in mind is that because birds are warm blooded, and wintertime is so much colder, they need a very high source of energy to keep warm enough to survive.  Much of the bird seed available these days doesn’t really provide much in the way of calories or energy.  That’s why suet feeders are a favorite for winter time bird feeders.

Suet is raw beef fat, typically taken from around the kidneys and loins. Because of its high fat content it is very high in energy.  Suet is one of the best foods to attract nuthatches, woodpeckers, wrens, titmice, chickadees, thrashers, cardinals, bluebirds and many other types of birds.  And, as usual with bird feeders, it can attract some less desirable wildlife like starlings and squirrels.  So, if these are a problem, you may want to use a suet feeder with a cage, and for starlings try a feeder covered on all sides but the bottom, which will feed many other birds but discourage starlings.

Depending on the type of suet you use, it can start to melt and go rancid at temperatures above 70 degrees F, so take care to empty after the spring thaw.

Another thing to keep in mind is the wintertime need for water.  Obviously, with freezing temperatures, the availability of water outdoors will drop, and a typical bird bath will freeze over fairly quickly since they are designed to be shallow.

There are many heated bird baths, but probably the easiest way to solve this problem is to add a bird bath heater to your existing bath.  Make sure that the bird bath is made from a material that can take the heat, some resins may melt.  Also be sure that the heater has a thermostat so it won’t overheat the water as well.

With a few simple steps like this, you can make sure that the birds in your yard are going to make it through the winter.