HART-Empire Network II - Pet Related Channel

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Periodic Newsletter from The IAMS Company:
From: “Iams Dog”
To: hart (at) petlvr.com
Subject: Iams® e-news: Spring changes for your senior dog

MAIN STORY - When Your Old Pal Meets New Friends

The arrival of spring brings kids of all ages back into the streets, parks and maybe your own home. Older dogs sometimes have a hard time dealing with the noise and action. Here are a few tips for helping your senior dog get along with children of any age.

Toddlers can be challenging, but even more so for an older dog. Their sudden movements and high-pitched noises may cause older dogs to become overly agitated. Most dogs love roughhousing with children, but it’s best to set limits on play. Model proper behavior around dogs, and try to keep toddlers calm and at arm’s length. Reading books about animals to children helps them understand that pets have feelings, too.

Older children need to be taught how to properly act around animals. They should know not to bother any pet that is sleeping or eating. Before children pet your dog, it is best if they let your dog sniff their hand. This makes your dog more comfortable and more likely to enjoy the interaction.

Bringing home a new baby? This offers a whole new set of challenges for your dog, as it will not only dramatically affect your routine; it will also affect your dog’s. The new sights, sounds and smells can all be disorienting. Your dog may also feel threatened by the amount of attention your baby will be receiving.

To help your dog adjust, start introducing scents such as baby powder around the house about a week before baby is due. When bringing baby home, it’s best if Dad or a relative carries the baby into the house, so Mom can greet the dog properly. Once he’s settled down, introduce him to the new arrival. When baby dozes off for a nap, give your old pal some quality time. Maybe treat him to something special like Iams Active Maturity™ Formula Biscuits.

Of course, it’s important that you always supervise play between children and your pet — especially since your older dog doesn’t have the patience he once did. It only takes seconds for a baby to be injured by a pet that has been accidentally startled or hurt. Your pediatrician can probably offer some handy tips as well.

THE DISH - Iams® Active Maturity™

Iams Active Maturity helps your dog get the most out of life with high-quality chicken, providing the necessary protein to help maintain muscle mass. It contains antioxidants such as Vitamin E to reduce free radical load and support immune response. Plus, a gentle, patented fiber source helps maintain colon health and enhance the ability to absorb age-essential nutrients

HEALTH WATCH - You and your dog: exercise partners

Now that warmer weather is returning, it’s a good time to start planning some outdoor activities to get you and your best pal back in shape. Most all dogs, even older arthritic ones, will benefit from a half-hour or more of daily exercise. Aside from the obvious health benefits, exercising together leads to better communication with your dog and is an outlet for reinforcing good manners. Dogs that share lots of time with their owners in outdoor activities also tend to have fewer behavioral problems.

When designing an exercise routine for your older dog, the keys are consistency and moderation. For a senior dog, it’s better to have a short, gentle activity every day than to have an intense exercise one day and go several days without. Moderate-paced walking is more beneficial than running or hiking, which are both harder on his joints. Swimming is also an excellent choice, since it works the muscles without stressing the joints. Whatever option you choose, remember to start the exercise program slowly, and work up to longer distances as your dog’s stamina builds.

Before starting any training regimen, here are some considerations to keep in mind:

* A diet with complete and balanced nutrition, such as Iams Active Maturity™, helps your buddy keep his energy up during outdoor activities. To avoid upset stomachs, it’s best not to exercise on a full stomach, but rather, feed your dog after he is rested and cooled down from the activity.

* Leash your dog and keep him under control during your exercises. Many people are frightened when a strange dog approaches them, no matter how friendly the dog appears.

* Weather conditions can particularly impact older dogs. As temperatures heat up, it’s best to limit your pet’s exercises to early morning or evening, especially if they have a dark or heavy coat.

* Before starting any new exercise routine, do sufficient research. Check with your veterinarian to see what he advises for your dog, and take advantage of the huge amount of websites and owner forums available online.

HEADLINES FOR CANINES - Debunking an age-old myth

It seems the old rule of thumb “seven dog years for every one human year” isn’t such a rule after all. (OK, OK, for the largest of large dogs, the 7-to-1 ratio is close. But for the rest of the doggie world, it’s a different story.)

In comparing dog years to human years, it’s important to remember that dogs reach physical and sexual maturity much faster than humans. So to say a 1-year-old dog is equivalent to a 7-year-old kid isn’t accurate. Dogs age well over seven years in the first year of life. After that, it’s the size of the dog that determines how fast the years add up. Use the quick reference below to determine your dog’s real age:

* Small dogs (up to 20 lbs.)
Add 15 years for the first year, then 4.5 for every year after that.

* Medium-sized dogs (20-50 lbs.)
Add 15 years for the first year, then 5 for every year after that.

* Large dogs (50-90 lbs.)
Add 14 years for the first year, then 5.75 for every year after that.

* Really large dogs (90+ lbs.)
Add 12 years for the first year, then 7.25 for every year after that.

So why should you care? First, it’s fun to compare your dog’s age to your own age or your friends’ dogs, and you might as well be accurate. Second, it’s an important determining factor in deciding when to switch your dog to adult or senior dog food formulas.

For more on your dog’s real age or when to switch formulas, consult your vet.

WHAT’S NEW AT IAMS.COM? - Open the Iams Toy Box

Playing ball. Barking at the mailman. Chasing tails. Dogs get to have all the fun. So why shouldn’t their owners? Step inside the Toy Box to check out the latest doggie pics in our photo gallery, send an e-card or download a free wallpaper or screensaver. Let the fun begin!

~~~~~~
Copyright © 2007 The Iams Company. All rights reserved

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Bird watching is a thrilling and fulfilling hobby that is suitable for people of all lifestyles. It is also a hobby would has become more popular over the years with over 30,000 people searching for bird watching related terms on the internet every month.



The great thing about birding is that is it a hobby that you can participate in anywhere - even in your own backyard. Infact, Backyard birding is not only exciting and enjoyable, it is also a very low cost way of observing nature.

There is over nine hundred species of birds in the United States alone. No matter how you stack it, that number means that the hobby can take you to far off locales and be exciting for a lifetime.

The basics of backyard birding are simple. There are two considerations and both of these are equipment-based thoughts that you will need to work with. The first important decision will be choosing the binoculars you will use. This is probably the most important piece of equipment that you will buy for the hobby. Without a good pair of binoculars then bird watching is nearly impossible to say the least. Not only should you consider the quality of the binoculars. You
should also make sure the comfort level matches your personal preferences.

For backyard birding, pocket binoculars are usually sufficient because the birds will be in relatively close proximity.

During certain months, the sights of natural birdlife may be scarce but there are many ways of making your garden attractive to many different birds and enjoying their presence for most of the year.

There are a few ways that you can make your garden more suitable for backyard birding.

These methods are:


1. Installing a Bird House: This is one of the most common methods and, best of all, birds love them. No matter what the weather a house can provide shelter against any kinds of weather and birds can have something to eat or drink during their stay.

2. Fitting a Bird Bath: For people who love bird watching there is nothing nicer than watching birds frolic in a bath while you sit comfortably inside or lounge in your garden.

3. Having Large Trees: As the winter months start to creep in, birds need to prepare their nests ready for the birth of their young and it creates a beautiful atmosphere. There is nothing nicer than watching birds twittering away from the trees. Greenery such as conifers almost guarantees visitors all year round. Overall, these are common features that can be found in any garden, but birds love them and this will mean an ultimate experience for you and your family.

With these backyard birding tips, you should be able to enjoy bird watching from the comfort of your own home.

Learn More About Nail Fungus Treatment at: http://www.Bird-Watching-Guide.org

If you didn’t know this .. offline I am an accountant, bookkeeper and income tax preparer (besides “consultant and blogger and pet owner” titles) .. and here in Canada, personal income tax returns (T1) are due April 30th. That is, of course, unless one is self-employed .. then the deadline to file a return is June 15th, but payment is due by April 30th. Corporation income tax returns (T2) are due six months after the year end, although payment is usually due by the end of the third or second month following the company’s year end (depending on circumstances).

As I look at my TO DO LIST … it would seem that I’ve got 87 items in my “To Do” list to be completed before April 30th .. and every day new items are being added! The biggest problem is NOT the actual work or workload .. it’s the scheduling of the meetings and getting the work out of my (home) office and out to the client!

As I look on my Pre-posting Schedule of Blog entries that I have coming due this week .. I suddenly realize that I have ABSOLUTELY NO PRESCHEDULED POSTS available for the next 10 days!

Quite honestly, this is just too time consuming for me to catch up with the postings for the remainding month of April, so I’m officially on SLOWDOWN NOTICE - TEMPORARILY - UNTIL MAY 1, 2007.

Although I may or may not be posting periodically during this time on PetLvr.com/blog/ or 1800HART.com/blog/ these will strictly be for “instant blogging” reasons such as “income tax news” or “if I don’t post it now it well get lost in my email” reasons or my weekly “fat blogging summaries”.

Unfortunately, I can’t quit “my day job” yet from blogging … so, I just HAVE to concentrate on my “Meat and Gravy” .. which is accounting and income tax.

But my blogs do not have to be deadspace …

If anybody is interested in GUEST POSTING articles in ANY of my blogs in my sidebar ON ANY TOPIC, please contact me at …. hart (at) PetLvr (dot) com ..

Just provide me the following:

* Let me know which blog you would like to guest author for
* Please provide a write-up about yourself to describe you to my readers
* Don’t forget to include resource line for end of article to promote your site or product/links!

I figure .. it never hurts to ask, right? Anybody interested?

Thanks!

HART (1-800-HART)
Google Talk: 1800hart (at) gmail (dot) com

PS:

cc: HART-Empire.com
cc: PetLvr.com/blog/
cc: 1800HART.com/blog/
cc: Battling-Obesity.com

But, I will not be cc:’ing this anywhere else .. so I don’t seem to spam any services with similar posts, like Outpost-Earth.com etc etc etc

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There’s Nothing Like A Cute Cat

By Michelle Bery

There comes a time in everyone’s home when it must be decided if it’s going to be a home with a pet or a home without. This is an easier decision for some than it is for others; there are some of us who grew up in a home that was never without a dog or cat; there are others of us who did not have a pet growing up and are eager to fulfill this childhood dream in adulthood. Ultimately, pet ownership is a choice only your family can make, as is the type of pet you choose - for dog lovers, a friendly pooch; for feline lovers, a cute cat.

But let’s face it; a cute cat is subjective. Cats come in a variety of breeds – in all sizes, colors, hair lengths, and personalities. A cute cat for one person may be a sparkly eyed Burmese; for another a sleek Siamese. When choosing a cute cat, it is most important to take into consideration your particular needs as a cat owner. If you are someone who enjoys company from your pet, then you may want to find a cute cat that’s friendly and people-oriented. If you are a busy professional who is content to see your cat over a meal, then there are number of independent-minded cats that like their personal space.

When choosing a cute cat for your family it is also important to be mindful of the amount of grooming that each particular cat breed requires. Longer-haired cats need frequent grooming to keep their matting at bay; shorter-haired cats need far less grooming and may be best for busier households or for those who have allergies. Before purchasing any cat, however, it is important that you are prepared – not just for the grooming but for the space considerations, need for a litter box, diet and nutrition, and veterinary needs. It is essential that if you are going to be a cat owner that you are a responsible one.

Whether as a purchase for yourself or a wonderful gift for someone you love, a cute cat will brighten your world and change your home forever.

For easy to understand, in depth information about cute cat visit our ezGuide 2 Cats.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Bery

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Trilogy / HealthyPetNet Field Representative,

Premium Cat & Dog Food - Here

As many of you already know, a new wave of recalls has been announced in the last 24 hours. Evidence suggesting that a shipment of the ingredient “Rice Protein Concentrate” contained melamine has come to light. Natural Balance, Royal Canin and Blue Buffalo have all announced recalls of their products containing this ingredient.

We have had several inquiries regarding our foods, since Life’s Abundance contains “whole brown rice”. Some consumers are confused, as the newly recalled Natural Balance foods include “brown rice” in their names. However, the contaminated ingredient is not brown rice; instead, it is “Rice Protein Concentrate”. None of our products include this ingredient.

Additionally, it is believed that this contaminated ingredient, like the wheat gluten involved in prior recalls, was imported from China. We use only human-quality ingredients from U.S. sources in our foods. There is no chance that this ingredient came into contact with any of our products.

We are fully confident that our foods, as well as all of our products, are completely safe. All of the products covered in the recalls of recent weeks included either wheat gluten or rice protein concentrate (and possibly corn gluten) in their formulas. We consider these ingredients to be unnecessary fillers, and as you know, we do not use fillers in any of our foods.

We continue to maintain very strict quality control measures in the manufacture of all of our foods, treats, care products and supplements. As we have noted previously, we devote a great deal of energy into using only the best vendors in the market, so that only the highest quality ingredients are included in our products.

We encourage you to contact your customers to let them know that all HealthyPetNet products are completely safe.

We will continue to monitor these developments and work diligently to provide the safest, healthiest options for your consumers and their companion animals.

Best regards,
Trilogy International
Premium Cat & Dog Food - Here

Toilet Training- Praise Your Dog For His New Tricks

By Eric Hartwell

You must have heard the saying, “You cannot teach an old dog new tricks!” All pet owners will agree with this saying more or less. However, if your adult dog is still not potty trained and keeps on doing it the wrong place, do not lose hope. With a little patience and love towards your pet, you can effectively potty train your adult dog as well. Just remember, it is never too late to teach your pet to do the right thing. Having a pet dog can be full of excitement and fun. However, one of the major worries of pet owners is the issue of potty training their pets. Potty training is a vital task. If it is not done properly, it can result in spoilt furnishings, rugs and even your bed. Add to it the foul smell that will linger all over your home. All this can be quite frustrating for the pet owners. Hence, the best way to avoid such annoying situation is by potty training your dog effectively.

The first thing that you must control while training your pet dog is your temper. If you are short-tempered, you will fail to achieve the desired results while training your dog. Before starting the training process, you must remember that your pet may take his own time to learn things. Therefore, start training your pet only if you are really determined and patient enough.

One of the most difficult aspects of house training a dog is to teach him where to pee and poop. It not avoided, your house may end up as a stinking place and all your furniture and furnishings may end up in a mess. Successful toilet training for your pet will involve a number of aspects.

Another secret of successfully training your pet dog is to praise him whenever he does the right thing. At the same time, you need to remember that occasional accidents will occur. You will have be tolerant enough at such times and ensure that you do not shout back at your dog. Physical forms of punishment also needs to be avoided at any cost. All you need to do is communicate in a firm yet friendly manner with your dog. Sooner or later, your pet dog will certainly understand and always pee and poop at the appropriate place. Repeating the process time and again will help your dog understand the right way and place to eliminate his body wastes. Positive reinforcement will certainly result in effective potty training of your dog and leave your house stink - free!

Eric Hartwell oversees “The World’s Best Homepage” intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on dogs and pets and visit our associated site articles for free.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell

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call HART crazy .. but

NOTE: [RANT ON]

PLEASE CLICK ON THIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND FORWARD YOUR THOUGHTS TO TIM HORTONS CUSTOMER SERVICE EMAIL IF YOU FEEL STRONGLY LIKE I DO ABOUT THIS TOPIC AND REFER THEM TO THIS URL. THANK-YOU.

[/RANT OFF]

To: TIM HORTONS CANADA
Rachel Douglas
Director, Public Affairs, Tim Hortons
Tel: 905-339-6277

From: HART, Pet Owner

Dear Rachel Douglas:

Reference: Fiasco At The Tim Hortons Drive Thru - April 20, 2007

My two dogs Maxxie (on the left) and Sophie (on the right) would like to tell you that they are *very disappointed* with Tim Hortons - you can tell from their sad expressions below:

I am disappointed as well. You see, I work out of my house everyday (SOHO), and rarely have extra moments during the day to spend with my pet Papillon dogs. I can tell you, that they absolutely LIVE for the possibility of…

* A “car ride to Tim Hortons” for a TimBit!

We usually go to the Tim Hortons store at 3296 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba in my car .. me with my two best friends .. because it’s the closest to my home. They both look so cute looking out the window as I go through the drive-thru lane!

I usually order an extra large coffee, with double cream and a Chocolate Chip muffin for myself. For my pets, I usually just mention that I have “two doggies” in the car that want to say hello and love Timbits!

What usually happens, is that the teller at the window adds 2 plain (presumed day-old) Timbits in the bag N/C for each dog in the car.

Timbit is a well branded word in our household .. all I have to do is mention it, and my dogs instantly know that to mean a car ride through the Tim Hortons Drive-Thru for a treat!

But - that ended today . There was no TimBits in my bag with my Chocolate Chip Muffin order. I happened to point out to the girl at the window that there was no Timbits for the dogs. She left momentarily, and brought the day manager over .. who informed me that they ‘don’t give TimBits out anymore to pets in cars’.. (April 20, 2007 9:00′ish am CST)

Okay … I know you don’t HAVE to give out free Timbits out to dogs .. but, it’s a very good community thing and brings great goodwill to people like me and other pet owners that I know .. who come to your store and are loyal customers. We are also long-term customers! How many day-old Timbits do you throw out anyway? Is it a money issue?

I really don’t know what to do now - because .. I really really like Tim Hortons’ coffee. In fact, working out of my home each day, I also arrange to meet clients at the very same Tim Horton store for either lunch or coffee - without my dogs - and meet inside.

But, when you go against THE FAMILY (my dogs) you also go against me!

A day-manager at another Tim Hortons store once told me that it was an unwritten rule to give treats to the pets of customers that wants them .. and I have always admired Tim Hortons for doing that for Pet Lovers.

So what’s the scoop? Is Tim Hortons a Pet Friendly business or are you against pets? A lot of Pet Owners use the Drive-Thru and take their pets with them, strictly because they are unable to bring them into the restaurant.

You may feel free to contact me at any time .. hart (at) PetLvr (dot) com

Yours Truly
HART (1-800-HART)
HART-Empire Network
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Yes: I am posting this on several blogs to get maximum exposure. I am not a happy customer now.

cc: http://callHART.com/crazy
cc: http://1800HART.com/blog/
cc: http://PetLvr.com/blog/
cc: http://PapillonLvr.com/blog/

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call HART crazy .. but

NOTE: [RANT ON]

PLEASE CLICK ON THIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND FORWARD YOUR THOUGHTS TO TIM HORTONS CUSTOMER SERVICE EMAIL IF YOU FEEL STRONGLY LIKE I DO ABOUT THIS TOPIC AND REFER THEM TO THIS URL. THANK-YOU.

[/RANT OFF]

To: TIM HORTONS CANADA
Rachel Douglas
Director, Public Affairs, Tim Hortons
Tel: 905-339-6277

From: HART, Pet Owner

Dear Rachel Douglas:

Reference: Fiasco At The Tim Hortons Drive Thru - April 20, 2007

My two dogs Maxxie (on the left) and Sophie (on the right) would like to tell you that they are *very disappointed* with Tim Hortons - you can tell from their sad expressions below:

I am disappointed as well. You see, I work out of my house everyday (SOHO), and rarely have extra moments during the day to spend with my pet Papillon dogs. I can tell you, that they absolutely LIVE for the possibility of…

* A “car ride to Tim Hortons” for a TimBit!

We usually go to the Tim Hortons store at 3296 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba in my car .. me with my two best friends .. because it’s the closest to my home. They both look so cute looking out the window as I go through the drive-thru lane!

I usually order an extra large coffee, with double cream and a Chocolate Chip muffin for myself. For my pets, I usually just mention that I have “two doggies” in the car that want to say hello and love Timbits!

What usually happens, is that the teller at the window adds 2 plain (presumed day-old) Timbits in the bag N/C for each dog in the car.

Timbit is a well branded word in our household .. all I have to do is mention it, and my dogs instantly know that to mean a car ride through the Tim Hortons Drive-Thru for a treat!

But - that ended today . There was no TimBits in my bag with my Chocolate Chip Muffin order. I happened to point out to the girl at the window that there was no Timbits for the dogs. She left momentarily, and brought the day manager over .. who informed me that they ‘don’t give TimBits out anymore to pets in cars’.. (April 20, 2007 9:00′ish am CST)

Okay … I know you don’t HAVE to give out free Timbits out to dogs .. but, it’s a very good community thing and brings great goodwill to people like me and other pet owners that I know .. who come to your store and are loyal customers. We are also long-term customers! How many day-old Timbits do you throw out anyway? Is it a money issue?

I really don’t know what to do now - because .. I really really like Tim Hortons’ coffee. In fact, working out of my home each day, I also arrange to meet clients at the very same Tim Horton store for either lunch or coffee - without my dogs - and meet inside.

But, when you go against THE FAMILY (my dogs) you also go against me!

A day-manager at another Tim Hortons store once told me that it was an unwritten rule to give treats to the pets of customers that wants them .. and I have always admired Tim Hortons for doing that for Pet Lovers.

So what’s the scoop? Is Tim Hortons a Pet Friendly business or are you against pets? A lot of Pet Owners use the Drive-Thru and take their pets with them, strictly because they are unable to bring them into the restaurant.

You may feel free to contact me at any time .. hart (at) PetLvr (dot) com

Yours Truly
HART (1-800-HART)
HART-Empire Network
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Yes: I am posting this on several blogs to get maximum exposure. I am not a happy customer now.

cc: callHART.com/crazy
cc: 1800HART.com/blog/
cc: PetLvr.com/blog/
cc: PapillonLvr.com/blog/

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