2008年9月16日星期二

Dog Barks When Left Alone

Please let me know if you have any suggestions to help curb a barking problem when we are not home. Our 2 year-old Shepherd/Chow mix rarely barks when we are home, but when we leave her in her nice pen outdoors when we are gone she yips and barks. We have tried stuffed animals and kong toy with food inside. Do we need to get a bark collar? Any other suggestions or info on the collars would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Beth Nordstrom

Dear Beth:

First, I would try to figure out what is causing the dog to bark. It may be nothing more than nuisance barking. In which case, a bark collar would work best.

But I'd first rule out all other factors, such as:

- A neighbor's kid who may be taunting your dog.

- Lack of exercise/stimulation.

- Throwing a toy outside of the pen and then barking in an attempt to "make it come back"

- Any number of other factors that could be eliminated before dropping $100 on a bark collar.

I don't know what type of exercise regimen you've got your dog on now, but it probably wouldn't hurt to buy a bicycle and start taking your dog for long runs. (It's good for you, too!)

As for which bark collars to use... the ones that I've had the most success with are the Tri-Tronics Bark Limiter. I've tried the cheap yellow ones they sell at the pet stores and have found them to be poorly engineered, consistently over or under-correcting your dog, and resetting themselves too quickly.

The citronella collars are largely a joke. The get clogged and jam frequently. The citronella runs out. Plus, I'm not crazy about spraying the stuff in your dog's eyes.

That's all for now, folks!
Adam

2008年9月4日星期四

Turtles Swallows


Sea turtles are large, air-breathing reptiles that inhabit tropical and subtropical seas throughout the world. Their shells consist of an upper part (carapace) and a lower section (plastron). Hard scales (or scutes) cover all but the leatherback, and the number and arrangement of these scutes can be used to determine the species.


turtles

turtles are reptiles of the Order Testudines , most of whose body is shielded by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs. The Order Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species. The earliest known turtles date from 215 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than lizards and snakes. About 300 species are alive today, and some are highly endangered.

Sea turtles come in many different sizes, shapes and colors. The olive ridley is usually less than 100 pounds, while the leatherback typically ranges from 650 to 1,300 pounds! The upper shell, or carapace, of each sea turtle species ranges in length, color, shape and arrangement of scales.

Sea turtles do not have teeth, but their jaws have modified “beaks” suited to their particular diet. They do not have visible ears but have eardrums covered by skin. They hear best at low frequencies, and their sense of smell is excellent. Their vision underwater is good, but they are nearsighted out of water. Their streamlined bodies and large flippers make them remarkably adapted to life at sea. However, sea turtles maintain close ties to land.

turtles cannot breathe in water, but they can hold their breath for various periods of time.

Females must come ashore to lay their eggs in the sand; therefore, all sea turtles begin their lives as tiny hatchlings on land. Research on marine turtles has uncovered many facts about these ancient creatures. Most of this research has been focused on nesting females and hatchlings emerging from the nest, largely because they are the easiest to find and study.

Thousands of sea turtles around the world have been tagged to help collect information about their growth rates, reproductive cycles and migration routes.

Like other reptiles, turtles are poikilothermic . Like other amniotes, they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water. The largest turtles are aquatic.After decades of studying sea turtles, much has been learned. However, many mysteries still remain.
for:http://www.turtles-house.com