The Synchronous Converter

I’m pretty convinced although hog roasts have been around for almost a thousand years they are at their most fashionable right now.In medieval times roasting a whole hog to serve at a grand banquet was one of the most awesome and amazing things anyone could do. Only a select few got to experience a hog roast, as it was only the really prosperous and influential who could afford to host a hog roast.Now in 2009 hog roasts are even more popular then they were back in medieval times and now absolutely anyone can enjoy them.There is no easier way of feeding many greedy people then having a hog roast at your event, so when you are next hosting a big party you should consider it as a possibilityThere is very little difference from the method applied nearly a thousand years ago and the one applied today. The obvious and small differences are basically just to do with technology, the cookers applied today are gas powered and rather than a manual spit turning system there is a mechanism.However both methods develop the same results, a beautifully roasted hog, dripping with flavour and covered in golden brown crackling, a vision which few men or women can withstand. So whether you’re throwing a medieval themed feast or just having a birthday party remember to keep hog roasts in mind as it will turn your event into a day that no one will get in a hurry.

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The numbers of Gouldian Finches have weakened rather rapidly during the 20th century. Their habitat has been reduced or altered. Early research indicated a parasite called air sac mite, was responsible for the decline of the Gouldian. However, this idea has been ruled out. In general, The Gouldian Finches are susceptible to diseases and viral infections. Their beautiful colors mean that they are easily eaten by predators. Fires are listed as the number 1 threat to the natural populations. The total number of Gouldian finches altogether is not low, however, because they are among the most popular pet birds, and are bred in captivity for the pet trade.

Actions have been taken and are underway to implement a recovery plan to recover and conserve its natural habitats, such as building protective fencing to prevent damage by cattle. Attempts at reintroduction have so far proved unsuccessful; it was also suggested to develop management guidelines for land-holders about appropriate land management, promoting the recovery program and Gouldian Finche conservation.

Although often bred in a colony in captivity, in the wild The Gouldian is not a settlement bird. However, out of the mating season it assembles in flocks often a mixed flock consisting of Longtail Finches, Masked Finches and Gouldians. This is probably a defence against predation. Flocks used to consist of up to 1000″2000 individuals. During the breeding season they are usually found on rough scree slopes where vegetation is sparse. In the dry season they are more nomadic and will move to wherever there is food and water.

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Bringing a new puppy into your home can be an exciting experience, but also will inevitably provide many challenges for the new dog owner. Puppies are as law abiding as they are old. Puppies tend to compensate for their anything goes behavior with oodles of cuteness that results in the owners pandering to the pups, and thus not training them properly. Many will think they have the will power to withstand the cuddly cute manipulations that puppies are famous for, however few will succeed. The key to training puppies is to lay out several ground rules for you, and abide by them daily. This is why professionals often refer to puppy training, as in all truth being people training instead.

Designate off limits zones in your home before, or during the beginning of dog ownership. Puppies tend to operate on a free style basis that allows them to go, sleep, and urinate wherever they please. Remember that dogs typically mark their territory through urination. So the more you make your house feel like the puppies new home, the more the pup’s going to want to a whiz in it. So the first step to avoid such a problem is creating off limit zones. Typically the easiest way to make this happen is close the doors to any and all rooms that are unavailable for the puppy to be in. Once you have created off limit zones for the dog it will limit your pee patrol to a few rooms, and once you get the dog trained to go outside you’ll be in really good shape.

Choose and portion food wisely for your new canine friend. Dogs like to eat as much as they can, as often as they can for no particular reason. Be sure to make eating a daily routine in which you serve the dog the food, thus the dog understands who is in control of the food. Food can be your biggest weapon in training a dog.

Fence in your yard if it’s not fenced yet, this will be the easiest way to train your dog. With a securely fenced in yard dogs will have a controlled environment to play, go to the bathroom, and sit when they are not wanted inside. Without a fenced in yard dogs will be forced to abide by your walking rules, which can vary in time and duration, and often don’t occur enough. Trust me, it’s much easier to let a dog outside in the fenced in yard than to walk them 5 times a day.

Take pride in your duty as a dog trainer. Don’t be afraid to really get involved in training your dog, and becoming an interested participant in your dog’s growth. As with most anything in life, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. This is key with training dogs, the dog will be very responsive to your efforts if you take pride in training it. As long as the dog sees you working as hard as it is on abiding by rules, and working towards a routine the easier it will be to train the puppy in the long run.

Be sure to purchase a book on the breed of the puppy you have purchased. Breed books are typically right on target when discussing dog habits, issues, and personalities specific to the puppies particular breed. Owning a dog book will give you insight on how best to train your new puppy.

Clark Covington is a professional author who provides information on dogs and dog training for Dogs ‘N’ U. Also stop by our dog forum.

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Have you ever wondered exactly how tall your horse is? Well, next time you are going to the barn, bring a tape measure and find out for yourself!

When you get to the barn, get your horse and walk him to a flat surface (concrete or level dirt). Make sure your horse is standing squarely on all four feet.

Take out the tape measure and from the ground, pull the tape up to the highest point on your horse’s withers. Make sure the tape measure is perpendicular to the ground. Don’t pull the tape measure to meet the horse’s withers. Pull it straight up from the ground - your tape measure should be about 1 - 2 feet away from your horse’s withers.

Use a flat surface (like a small piece of wood, name plate, crop, book, etc) and place it on your horse’s withers to meet the tape measure. This way, you will get a very accurate measurement.

When you find the measurement, just match it up on the table below.

inches---feet---hands---meters
 56"-----4'-8----14------1.42
 57"-----4'-9----14.1----1.45
 58"-----4'-10---14.2----1.47
 59"-----4'-11---14.3----1.50
 60"-----5'-0----15------1.52
 61"-----5'-1----15.1----1.55
 62"-----5'-2----15.2----1.57
 63"-----5'-3----15.3----1.60
 64"-----5'-4----16------1.63
 65"-----5'-5----16.1----1.65
 66"-----5'-6----16.2----1.68
 67"-----5'-7----16.3----1.70
 68"-----5'-8----17------1.73
 69"-----5'-9----17.1----1.75
 70"-----5'-10---17.2----1.78
 71"-----5'-11---17.3----1.80
 72"-----6'-0----18------1.83

Also, keep in mind when your horse was last shod. This can have a pretty large impact, especially if you are aiming to hit that “14′2″ mark!

E. Landers
Round Pen

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from David the Dogman

The ten worst excuses not to spay or neuter a pet are:

1. Just one litter and then we’ll have Fluffy spayed.
   
   (Studies show that virtually the entire pet overpopulation stems from the “just one litter mentality.)
   
   

2. My dog doesn’t run loose, so he doesn’t need to be fixed.
   
   (Murphy’s Law says otherwise.)
   
   

3. We always find homes for the kittens.
   
   (And that means that an equal number of kittens at the pound will be killed.)
   
   

4. I want the children to witness the miracle of birth.
   
   (Rent a video.)
   
   

5. My dog is so cute and unique, there should be more of her.
   
   (The shelters and pounds are full of cute and unique dogs, most with only a few days to live.)
   
   

6. It’s not natural.
   
   (There hasn’t been anything “natural” about dogs since we began to develop breeds thousands of years ago.)
   
   

7. I just couldn’t look my dog in the eye if I had him castrated.
   
   (Watch it, you’re anthropomorphiizing.)
   
   

8. A female dog or cat should have at least one litter for health reasons.
   
   (Medically, factually and ethicaly indefensible.)
   
   

9. Neutering my dog will make him fat and lazy.
   
   (Too much food and not enough exercise make a dog fat and lazy.)
   
   

10. Fixing my pet will change its personality.
    
    (The main influences on an animal’s personality are the kindness and care with which it is raised.)
    

Commitment, Firmness, but kindness.

Brought to you by: World Wide Information Outlet - http://certificate.net/wwio/, your source of FREEWare Content online.

Do you have any problems with your pet? Then why not send your problem to DAVID THE DOGMAN.

David is a Canine Behaviourist who works and lives in Marbella, Spain. Tel/Fax (00345) 2883388.
His web site is located at: http://www.thedogman.net.

David has his own radio and TV shows, and writes for many newspapers and magazines. David has been working with dogs for many years and started his career in Israel, working on the Border Police. He has been involved in all forms of training, including air sea rescue, air scent work, and has trained dogs for finding drugs. David has devoted the past 10 years to studying behaviour and the very passive approach. He does not use choke chains, check chains, or any form of aggression.

David The Dogman is available for private consultations in your home, for further details telephone; Tel; (95) 2883388

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There are as many ways to raise a puppy as there are to raising a child. In fact, one way per family in general! But most of us agree that when it comes to children, certain things are universal and undisputed. Here are three things that a lot of people just do not think of when it comes to raising their dogs, however. How many times have we heard, “My dog just won’t listen to me”, or “He just won’t behave!”

1. Dogs do not understand English until we teach them.

The thing we all love about puppies the most is the way they live for us, the way they focus all they have on us, and the way our lives become theirs. In the beginning, they study us to learn our body language and our facial expressions. Until we teach them the English language, it’s all they have. But if we say, “Wanna go out?” one day, “Have to go potty?” the next day, and, “Hafta pee?” the third day, if they DO figure out what we want, it is because we have picked up the leash and moved toward the door with a happy face! If you want to speed up his training by three-fold, teach him YOUR language. Pick a command for EACH behavior and stick with it. Tell everyone in your family to use the same words and commands as you do, and your puppy will amaze you at how much faster he learns.

2. A young puppy’s metabolism is racing along faster than we think.

The younger your puppy is, the faster he is growing, the more food and water he needs to fuel his metabolism, and the more often he has to go potty. Do not punish your puppy when he makes a house-breaking mistake. These are YOUR fault. Your puppy’s age in weeks and his breed size determine how often he must go out. Once an hour is not too often for a large-breed 6-week old puppy, especially if it is summertime. Dogs love the exciting smells outdoors, so there is no excuse to not have him housebroken by 7-8 weeks of age. First thing in the morning, right after a nap, after he eats and after grooming are the key times, and he will signal you. If he is happily chewing a toy and gets up suddenly with his nose to the floor, move quickly! And every time he goes potty outside correctly, praise him to high heaven! “What a good BOYY!”, “GOOD go potty!” and the like. Dogs love our happy faces, and they will do anything to get it.

3. Dogs live for our facial expressions and body language.

Because of this, the worst punishment you ever need to give your dog is a scowl and to turn away from him. You can see his tail fall down and his face get so sad. He will learn the lesson, I guarantee it. But his attention span is only 3-5 minutes, so do not scorn him any longer. Love him up and give him your happy face again. Physical punishment is never necessary. Use consistent commands and loving praise and he will know what you want of him before you know. He will become a master of your body language and facial expressions in no time at all.

Naturally there are many aspects of training your puppy well. Loving kindness works just as well for puppies as it does with children, creating a happy, well-adjusted and obedient dog for life. These three important tips, used consistently with confidence, will start him well on his way.

Dy Witt has shown, bred and trained standard poodles for 25 years. Her puppies’ manners and training were so impressive that their new vets and groomers sent word back that they had never worked on such well-adjusted dogs in their careers. To read more about her dog and puppy training techniques and her new ebook, visit: http://www.DogTraining15MinsADay.com

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I will always remember the night in 8th grade when my family went to the mall just for the heck of it.

We ended up in a pet store and fell in love with a Siberian Husky puppy with gorgeous blue eyes. Next thing I knew, we were taking him home!

Looking back on this now that I am a parent, I’m guessing that it was a bit more than just chance that had us at the mall.

Little puppy, huge feet

While just a little puppy, this dog had such huge paws. We quickly decided he was an outside dog.

I got to name him, and chose King. He acted like one too. We lived on an inside corner lot and the backyard was about half an acre. King roamed that little half acre as if it was his.

At night King slept on the screened in back porch. The only problem was that he would only come in for me. My dad would yell and yell and King would not come in. My dad would have to wake me up, and I would stumble half awake onto the porch and quietly say “King, get in,” and he would come running.

Thanksgiving 1974

Even though he had a huge backyard to roam, Kind would take every opportunity he had to get out of the yard. I could usually catch him on our street. This was good, because we lived two streets off of Highway 436, a then four lane highway in Winter Park, Florida.

On Thankgiving afternoon of 1974, King got out and I could not catch him on our street. He made it out to the street that led to the highway, and was running full speed for the highway. I was sure I would not catch him in time. Before he even got to the highway, he ran in front of an old Ford Mustang and got hit.

I screamed as I watched him get hit, go under the front of the car, and I swear I am not making this up, come out the left side, between the front and rear tire, and come out running to me!

I stood there sure I had been transported to the Twilight Zone. The car stopped and we took him to the vet, but this was 1974 and there was of course no vet open on Thanksgiving Day. When we took King in the next week, he was fine.

Just a few thoughts that came to mind as I prepare to get my kids their first dog for Christmas.

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Heartworms (Latin name Dirofilaria immitis) are parasitic worms
that are common in both dogs and cats. Like their name suggests,
they live in the dog’s heart, normally free-floating in the
right ventricle and nearby blood vessels. The worms are
transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes which pass the worm
larvae through their saliva. The presence of heartworms can be
very dangerous to the dog’s health. Although the dog will not
display signs of infection until it has progressed considerably,
heartworms can be life threatening and are sometimes difficult
to detect and diagnose.

Signs of Heartworm Infection

When a dog is first infected with heartworms, there are
literally no signs and the presence of heartworms can not be
detected even with a blood test. Once the worm larva reaches the
heart and matures, however, signs that are detectible by X-ray
start to develop almost immediately. These include damage to the
blood vessels around the heart and lungs. It is rare that a dog
will be infected by only one worm and as the mature worms in the
heart grow in size and number, the conditions worsen, eventually
causing a blockage of blood flow. It is at this point that the
dog will start to display physical signs which can include pain,
hypertension, difficulty breathing, lethargy or even fainting.
In extremely progressed cases the dog can suffer from heart
failure and death although by the time the heartworm disease has
reached this stage the owner has probably realized that
something is going on and sought veterinary care.

Treating Heartworm Infection

Once a dog has been diagnosed as having heartworms, treatment
must be started. What this treatment is and how it is
administered is dependant on the stage of heartworm infection.
Generally, there are four stages of heartworm disease.

• Stage One - Dogs at the lowest risk - heartworms are detected
in X-rays but all other tests appear normal.

• Stage Two - Dogs are moderately infected, may have some
difficulty breathing and be demonstrating coughing

• Stage Three - Dogs are severely affected & may display weight
loss, have difficulty breathing, blood tests likely show kidney
and/or liver damage

• Stage Four - Dogs have Vena Cava Syndrome and are in shock,
essentially dying - surgery may be undertaken to remove worms,
but there is no guarantee that it will save the dog.

When it comes to heartworms in dogs, prevention truly is the
best medicine. The best time to begin a preventative treatment
is early in puppy-hood, before the dog is seven months old since
dogs older than seven months are at a great risk for adverse
reactions to the preventative treatments.

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Make you puppy training easier and more fun by understanding that your puppy is trying to communicate with you in other ways than barking or wagging his tail. Remember, your puppy also communicates with his ears, tail, paws, mouth and more and your puppy training and everyday life with your dog will be much more fun.

Here is a short guide to some basic dog body language and what it means:

Dominant - You’ll find that a dominant dog has its ears straight up or forward, its mouth slightly opened or closed, its eyes open wide or staring, its body standing stiff and tall with hackles possibly raised, and its tail out from the body stiffened or fluffed. A low and assertive bark can often be expected.

Friendly - A friendly dog has perked up ears, open and alert eyes, a relaxed mouth, a tail or whole rear end wagging, and possibly whimpering, yapping or giving short barks.

Playful - A bow position with wagging tail means “let’s play.”

Submissive - A dog with its ears tightly back, eyes closed and paw raised is showing extreme submission. The dog isn’t happy but shows it will not attack.

Aggressive - An aggressive dog has its ears flattened back against its head, its eyes narrowed or challenging, body tense, mouth open to show teeth and tail held out from the body and fluffed up if possible. Snarls or growls are typical.

Worried - Sharp barks combined with growling, ears flattened and neck hairs raised means “I’m worried” or “something is wrong.”

Fear - A dog shows fear with a lowered stance, tail down or tucked underneath, an arched back, looking or turning head whilst showing the whites of their whites of eyes and dilated pupils. Dogs often bark out of fear, especially if they are cornered, fenced in, or on a leash.

Stressed - A stressed dog will often have ears back and down, a wide open mouth, lips drawn back with rapid respiration. Also shoulders lowered, hunched forward, tail tucked, tension in haunches and will probably be trembling.

Now that you understand more about what your puppy is trying to say to you about how he feels or the mood he is in try to accommodate this in your puppy training and everyday life.

In a puppy training session your dog should be showing that he is in a friendly or playful mood. If he shows he is dominant then you know that he may not be taking you seriously or could be being stubborn and you probably need to be more assertive.

Some submissive behaviour is not a bad thing as it means that that he understands that you are in charge.

If your puppy becomes stressed, fearful, worried or even aggressive, you must stop your training and reassure your dog immediately. If you have been training for more than 15 minutes stop and take a break. When you come back takes things more slowly or approach things in a different way.

Use your knowledge in every day life too. Observe your puppy in different situations and you will quickly discover what he likes and dislikes or how he is feeling. You can then take steps to give him more of what he enjoys and more support, confidence and training in situations he finds more difficult.

About The Author

Richard Cussons is a dog lover with a passion for helping people with their dogs. Discover more about puppy training and care at http://www.all-about-puppies.com/puppy_training.html.

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Tired of coming home and having puddles all over the house, the
cat meowing as if you have left for a weeks on end.

All of this is natural to a cat, even as it is annoying to us
most the time. Just remember your cat has never learned any
different.

Let us look at natural cat training. One of the first things we
have to learn is the natural instincts and behavior of a cat.

Kittens are born with a great sense of smell, before they can
even see. This is a sense that you will want to help build in a
kittens life, in order for growth to a cat, the sense will
continue to be strong. A cat will live with in its or territory
if they have their scent around the area. As a kitten, you will
want to have the kitten explore as many possibilities as it can.
Like taking, the cat to the groomers when you have not taking
the kitten when they are young, the outcome will be disasters if
you wait until they are a full-grown cat. Kittens and cats need
the socialization in order to prevent bad experiences.

When taking the kitten out you will want to use a pet carrier
for this. Put kitten’s favorite blanket, pillow maybe a favorite
toy. With putting these items in the pet carrier will help kitty
smell its own scent and will want to go in the carrier easier.

Cats do become accustom to our routine around the house. If we
have a routine of everyday say getting up for work and comes, a
day that we can sleep in, kitty is not going to let you do that.
This is like breaking kitty’s routine, and cats do not like
breaking routine. Cats also do not like it when things are not
in place around the house or if something new enters the house,
like a pair of new shoes. Cats with a keen smell will be able to
tell something is not right and will go and check it out.

Here are some thoughts that you can use if you are going to
natural cat train your cat. Going on the internet and check out
recourses to help you more with the changes are a good idea,
talk to your local vet, or look for books that will help.

Setting a goal. Set a goal for the behavior that you need to
change. Think of options for training your cat to reach the goal.

Step by step. You will want to take time and lots of patience to
do this. Remember kitty has done this since it was born. Rushing
your kitten will do nothing for the both of you. .

Patience, Patience and more patience for you and for the kitten
will be necessary for the kitten to view the change as good one.

Last, if the kitten encounters loss of appetitive stress over
the behavior change, this is a good time to stop and reevaluate
the process.

Cats will learn by experience. When the experience is good,
your cat will try to repeat it. If the experience is unpleasant,
your cat will not be willing to try it in the future.

Always remember to reward your kitten or cat when the behavior
is good. However, if the behavior is not good remember not to
get mad, reprimand the cat for the behavior with out a reward.
Do not give in and feed a kitten or cat when they do something
that you think that they want to eat. Your kitten or cat needs
to have a set time to eat and stick to it. Not before or after
this will not work for training.

Remember to give your kitten or cat a hug today.

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