So though we separate the species in our minds by assigning different words, they are really all one. These are little guys that are born with a shell. It is a bony leathery shell that grows with them and is pretty much carried with them for life.

Turtles are resilient creatures and perhaps one of the best examples of evolved life on Earth. This is because they have survived longer than most any other species that has come along. The earliest known turtles lived so long ago that dinosaurs were walking the earth with them, but when the disaster struck to wipe out the dinosaurs the turtles managed to survive. They also survived another life altering disaster a few million years later.

Now these guys back then were so well evolved, that is to say they were such a perfect specimen of what they should be, that the oldest fossils we know of are not much different than the ones that roam around today. That means that in the past millions of years turtles have not changed, and have not had to change, all that much in order to survive. Compare that with humans who have evolved dramatically from where we were just a million years ago.

These days turtles can be found everywhere. Populated or remote areas, in personal aquariums or you can find some really big and old turtles in any number of zoos.

Van Whitsett has published a number of articles, both online and offline. For more info on turtles, visit: Turtle Pond

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) the Shih Tzu type dog was a cherished pet – highly favored by the royal family. A cult-like worship for the Shih Tzu developed at this period. Eunuchs were charged with duties of breeding and rearing the beautiful Shih Tzu royal pets. Competition among the eunuchs to gain royal favor became fierce, as each tried to breed the best Shih Tzu, most lion like, and most ferocious looking specimens of Shih Tzu.

Surgery was used to shorten noses of the Shih Tzu. Women who bore female offspring were used to nurse Shih Tzu puppies after their babies were murdered mercilessly so as not to disrupt an abundantly even flow of milk from human nurses to nursing Shih Tzu puppies.

The Ming Dynasty was marked by the development of the arts, especially in porcelain, textiles, and painting. Sculptures, wall-hangings and paintings from this time period depict dogs resembling the Shih Tzu.

The Manchu Dynasty extended from 1644 to 1912. Throughout this period, tribute gifts of pairs of Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso were sent to Chinese rules from the Potala Palace.

Through the first two centuries of the Manchu Dynasty, the Shih Tzu and the Lhasa Apso were more similar than they are today. But it probably has been only in the last hunred or hundred fifty years that specialized breeding programs in the Forbidden City and in the West established uniformity in conformation to really distinguish between the two breeds of the Lhasa Apso and the Shih Tzu.

The Shih Tzu went through several stages while its breeding was confined to the palaces of the Chinese Emperors. For centuries the royal family included a very large number of sub-royalty and servants. They traveled from their summer courts to their winter quarters in procession – complete with household and personal possessions, which of course included their Shih Tzu and other pets. The description of this massive semiannual exodus along with their Shih Tzu was one reminiscent of a very large circus parade.

The Shih Tzu came into its heyday as the pampered darling of the Chinese Imperial Palaces during the reign of the last Empress, who came into power in 1861 and continued as Empress until her death in 1908.

In her youth she was known to her family as Orchid, of the Yehonala family. She was Manchu, not Chinese, background and was of humble origin. At 17 years of age she became the beautiful concubine of the Emperor in the Forbidden City. She rose to power as a brilliant strategist and was the mother of the Emperor’s first-born son. In later years she was known as the earthly embodiment of the Goddess of Mercy. This great personality was the patroness of the Palace Dog – the Shih Tzu.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

These rescue missions are often linked to provide a network of caring for unwanted German shepherds. Volunteers who have a profound love for German shepherds run the rescues. Most have their own jobs and families, but manage to find the time to rescue and shelter these poor animals. The German shepherd rescues are supported by public donations.

Rescues specialize in finding homes for dogs of all ages. In fact, older dogs are more settled, need less exercise and make loyal companions. People are encouraged to either adopt or foster a German shepherd until a home is found.

If you have rescued a dog and think it is a German shepherd but are not sure, you can look at pictures of German shepherds online to verify. Their color is usually cream and brown, but there are also white versions and long-haired versions due to certain recessive genes (recessive meaning uncommon, not defective.) Most trained German shepherds are not violent at all, but do be careful with any dog you find. German shepherds have especially strong jaws; their grip is nearly impossible to escape.

If you would like to adopt a rescued German shepherd, you may do so. You can also adopt through kennels and breeders. You must get it registered with the AKC, get a vet to give it a full check-up for health and vaccinations, and assess its pre-existing training regimen.

German Shepherds provides detailed information on German Shepherds, German Shepherd Breeders, German Shepherd Kennels, German Shepherd Puppies and more. German Shepherds is affiliated with Golden Retriever Training.

Housebreaking your puppy

Remember, neither the pedigree nor the age of your puppy will make her housebroken and trained on her own. Your puppy is not a human being and has no idea of what emotional value you attach to your kitchen garden, your carpet or your husband’s favorite sneakers. All these things can be objects of play for your canine friend. Likewise, she also doesn’t know that sitting patiently will get her that morsel sooner, than snatching it out of your hands. It is therefore important that in addition to puppy proofing your house, you teach that overactive canine soul to respect your sentiments about things material by learning to obey your commands.

Every pup, without exception, needs to be socialized and trained. And socialization and training begins from day one, rather the moment the puppy enters your home cradled in your arms. Never forget to establish the initial socialization norms for her and then adhere to them religiously. Such norms inculcate good manners in them, so that the puppy doesn’t grow to become an embarrassment to us, and a nuisance for others. Teaching early home routines, from the first day itself, sets the tone for her future behavior and habits. However, her proficiency in learning will directly depend upon your interest and commitment in training her.

Teaching your puppy the norms of ‘community living’ and to obey commands should go hand in hand. You generally know what all commands to teach her, but mostly remain clueless on how to go about it. Therefore, it is important that before you unleash your homegrown ideas on your puppy, you acquire the correct method of training. You will be much better off by starting her training as early as possible. And remember that you need to be patient and understanding while teaching your pup. She is your loving companion who is trying her level best to understand, learn and respond to you. So keep your temper firmly in check at all times.

‘Sit’ – the first basic command

The first step in instilling some discipline in your puppy is to make her sit on command. The verbal command ’sit’ is very simple and can be taught to a pup of any breed within four to six weeks. Of course, much depends upon your persistence and patience. Why ’sit’ command is one of the easiest commands to teach is because of the natural construction of a dog’s neck and spine that makes it physically impossible for them to look upwards. In order for a dog to look up at something high it must assume the sitting position. This fact is made use of while training a puppy to sit.

Training your puppy to sit

Let us follow the simple steps in training a puppy to respond to the ’sit’ command:

Stand in front of your puppy, holding a treat above her nose but beyond her reach. This is important. If you hold it too high, she will tend to jump and reach for it and if you hold it too low, well, you’ll find yourself without a treat!

Now, move the treat from above her nose towards her head and continue to trace this path towards her tail. All this while, keep calling your puppy’s name followed by ’sit’ in a clear and firm tone. For example, “Rover, sit!” Use hand signals too, like moving your hand down for sitting. This helps the puppy in understanding the command better.

Most often than not, you will find that your puppy, in trying to maintain eye contact with the treat, is forced to sit down on her own. In case she keeps backing up, train her near a wall, which will prevent her from going in reverse indefinitely.

When she ultimately sits, pat her and praise her by calling out ‘good’ or ‘good puppy’, even animals enjoy being praised! Offer her a treat but never let her grab it out of your hand. If she does, say a firm ‘no’.

In case your puppy just refuses to give in and does everything but sit, hold the treat at the nose level and apply a slight pressure on her rear portion, pushing her gently down into sitting position. At the same time, give a slight pull at her collar. This will help her get the message of getting into a sitting position.

In all these attempts, if your puppy manages to acquire a posture that even vaguely resembles a sitting position, praise her abundantly and give her a treat. This will motivate her to do better the next time.

Don’t let your puppy remain sitting forever. Without your release command she will not know when to get up. And in the absence of such a command, she may get confused. So, give her a command like ‘release’ or ‘okay’ or ‘thank you’, to let her know that it is time to get up.

Gradually, increase the duration of ’sit’ commands and reduce the frequency of treats. Once your puppy begins to sit on your command for fifteen to thirty minutes, at a stretch, without a treat, she has mastered the ’sit’ command.

Training your dog to obey commands requires patience, motivation and encouragement, not to mention a ready supply of treats! The training sessions should be short but frequent and should be repeated at regular intervals throughout the day. If you persevere, you will find that the day is not far when your darling puppy grows up into a ‘responsible adult’ and is praised by all for her immaculate manners!

What is Rimadyl?

Rimadyl was introduced by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in January 1997 to help treat dogs with inflammation and pain associated with surgery or canine arthritis. Rimadyl is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) available as a prescription drug for dogs. The primary ingredient in Rimadyl is Carprofen. It is available as a caplet and chewable tablet and is given to dogs by mouth, or by injection administered by veterinarians. It has proven to be a successful means of relieving arthritis symptoms in dogs.

Is Rimadyl effective and safe?

There is no doubt as to Rimadyl’s effectiveness in treating dog arthritis, but it is the potential side effects that may seriously outweigh the benefits of this drug. Many dog owners feel it has vastly improved the quality of their dog’s lives and, in some cases, even extended their lives. Many dogs have died due to the unexpectedly rapid onset of side effects such as liver failure and/or because the drug’s side effects were not recognized by the attending veterinarian who did not take appropriate action. The Rimadyl labeling includes an extensive adverse reaction section which documents the possibility of a fatal outcome and death.

What Precautions Should I Consider Before Giving Rimadyl?

• Pre-screen the dog before prescribing Rimadyl by performing blood work and checking the liver enzymes.

• Check for warning signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy,
behavioral changes, constipation, and an increase in liver enzymes. It could be an indication of a toxic reaction.

• Rimadyl is not recommended for animals with known bleeding disorders and should not be used if a dog has pre-existing liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or a known tendency towards gastrointestinal ulceration.

• Rimadyl should never be given along with any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin, or along with any corticosteroids such as prednisone, prednisolone, or dexamethasone.

• Dog age should be considered because approximately 85% of possible adverse drug event reports received by Pfizer Animal Health have been in dogs 6 years of age or older.

Alternatives to Rimadyl

Many alternatives are available to the dog owners which are considered safer than Rimadyl. The majority of these products contain glucosamine and/or chondroitin as the primary ingredient. Studies have proven glucosamine and chondroitin to be effective at alleviating the effects of arthritis, joint pain and inflammation in dogs. Other key ingredients which have shown effective are MSM, Ester-C and Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic Acid is particularly effective in increasing synovial fluid which is very helpful for dogs with Canine Hip Dysplasia. These products use natural substances to achieve similar results without the side effects of Rimadyl. Some of the most popular choices are Free and Easy for Dogs, Cosequin, and Arthrix.

William F. Smith is the owner of a Dog Health site started after his beloved Dachshund; Frederick developed Intervertebral Disc Disease, and subsequently had back surgery. The site offers a successful alternative to veterinarian prescribed drugs and can be viewed at: www.yourdoghealth.com

They don’t moan and groan or bark to get your attention.They are a very quiet animal with very few needs.Guinea pigs make great pets for both adults and young children alike.Being a non nocturnal animal,unlike the gerbil or hamster,you don’t find yourself being woken or kept awake at night,running on their squeeky wheel.

Compare them to a dog,cat,horse,rat,rabbit, birds or fish and they are a very easy pet to take care of.Owning a guinea pig for the very first time can be quite an experince,as not many people are familiar with the life of the cavy.As a result the new owner often has many questions about their pet.Whilst most people would agree guinea pigs are a very lovable animal and make great pets,before you purchase one you need to take into consideration many things.Firstly of course there are a large range to choose from. There are four main things that need to be considered.

1) The best type of guinea pig,whether for you or your children.

2) Taking care of your guinea pig or pigs.

3) Allegies to guinea pigs.

4) Keeping more than one guinea pig.

The best type of guinea pig often comes down to personality,
colour,looks etc,but it is worth taking into account whether your small children will be holding your pet often. Females tend to be a smaller animal , more docile,less excitable than their male counterparts and easier to play with.

The Author has written an indepth book on Guinea Pigs based on his practical experience.

If you would like to know more please go to.
http://www.guineapigsecretsrevealed.com