American and International Info Resources

There is no question that people in America love dogs. One look at popular culture in our country will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Americans have a love affair with dogs. Movies and TV shows about dogs go in and out of popularity and stories like Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows are considered timeless classics. Only in America, however, do dogs manage to achieve celebrity status.

Rin Tin Tin

Rin Tin Tin was Hollywood’s first recognizable canine star. The German Shepherd was featured in 26 films for Warner Brothers Pictures and is generally credited with having saved the studio from bankruptcy during the silent film era. The original Rin Tin Tin died in 1932 at the age of 13, but his bloodline and his fan club exist to this day.

Lassie

Ask someone to name a famous dog and you will probably get the name Lassie every time. The star of several television series, many movies, and the subject of countless books, Lassie is probably the most recognizable canine star in American TV and movie history. Interestingly, all of the dogs to portray Lassie over the years have been male. The original collie to portray Lassie was actually named Lad and was the star of the memorable original television series as well as several movies, most memorably the original version of Lassie Come Home.

Benji

In the 1970’s a would-be filmmaker named Joe Camp started pitching a “dog movie” around Hollywood. He was told repeatedly that the film would never work, so he decided to produce the film independently. Once the film wrapped Camp had new troubles because no distribution company would release the film. Again, Camp relied upon himself to distribute his family movie worldwide. Camp’s gamble paid off and Benji, starring a lovable mixed breed dog that was adopted from an animal shelter (the original Benji was the dog Higgins who had worked on the TV show Petticoat Junction) became a huge hit. Over the years there have been five Benji movies, television programs and specials, comics, and a ton of Benji merchandise.

About The Author

Kirsten Hawkins is a dog lover and animal expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.doghealth411.com/ for more information on dog health, the care of dogs, and dog travel.

Language is a behavior potentially under our control, and a powerful loop: it’s how we act upon the world, and how the world acts upon us. It’s how we express our thoughts and feelings, and it also influences our thoughts and feelings. It is probably not possible to have a feeling without a thought, and that thought is framed in words - coming from within our heads, or from the words of others.

Barring physical force, language is how we get what we want, influence, motivate, inspire, forbid, gain sympathy or support, incite, value or devalue, and make it happen - in other words, how we move the world, and ourselves.

Having a word for something allows us to “know” it and gives us a sense of power over it. It allows us to know “it” from “something else,” and to choose strategies for dealing with it.

Language is the power of “naming,” and this is the power of the secret, or the name of Yahweh. Something must be very powerful not to have a name, and we must be very unpowerful not to know it, or not to be able to use it. Who gets to say it, i.e., who gets to “know” it, is dictated by the powers that be.

It’s a great moment in a baby’s life when he learns the word “no.” Instead of pushing the thing away, averting his eyes, screaming, crying, or hitting, he can utter the word “NO” and — at least some of the time — the thing of offense will go away.

That’s power.

The power of language.

And when we can name that our anger is coming from fear (instead of just a mish mash or feelings or pounding temples), then we can deal with it and move forward, empowered. Anger, as they say, is a good way of knowing what we want, though not a good way of getting it.

Those of us who have lived through the “sexist” revolution in the US (in terms of “all men are created equal,” and “[s]he”) know the power of language and how it both influences and is influenced by feelings, attitudes and values.

You may also have experienced this if you decided, after assertiveness training in the 70s, to quit using the word “but” and to substitute “and” in each instance. It may have taken you a full year to quit thinking “but” automatically, but chances are you noticed a difference in your thinking and behavior after you became mindful of a habit, and changed it.

LANGUAGE AND HURRICANE KATRINA

Consider how you and those around you are talking about the events around Hurricane Katrina. What happened is this: Hurricane Katrina is the third most intense hurricane to make landall in the US. Early in the morning of August 29. 2005, the eyewalls of Katrina grazed by New Orleans, Louisiana and made landfall in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Those are the facts. The rest, as with the reporting of any event, can be, and usually is interpreted, reported, elaborated upon, commented upon, embellished, reported falsely, lied about, exaggerated, down-played, assigned emotional meaning, given value judgments, and so forth. It can also be “used” for various purposes, depending upon the one reporting - for sympathy, for outrage, for money, to incite action, to disparage, for support, to criticize and blame, and any number of other purposes.

The words we use in reporting about the hurricane personally, as a nation, and as a world, will be influential. Who dictates this language? The media? The leaders? You and I? The words used will shape your thinking, so pay attention and accept or reject it, but recognize your ability to choose and be mindful or both what you take in, and what you put out.

According to the Global Language Monitor ( http://www.languagemonitor.com/ ), a fascinating website, here’s the way it’s being played in global reporting, in order of word/term usage:

Disaster is being used most often. Then Biblical. (The London Times reported ” …a town of 6,800 where corpses lie amid a scene of Biblical devastation”.)

Next is global warming. (Der Spiegel reported: “…German Environmental Minister Jrgen Trittin remains stolid in his assertion that Hurricane Katrina is linked to global warming and America’s refusal to reduce emissions.”)

Next, in this order, are Hiroshima/nuclear destruction, catastrophe, holocaust, apocalypse, and end of the world.

What do you think about these different terms? What are the connotations? What emotional overtones do they have, i.e., how do you react to them? How do they make you feel? What is “factual” and what is “descriptive”? As you sort through the data, are you discriminating the fact from the embellishment and commentary? Are you considering the possible biases of those reporting?

Are the survivors of the hurricane evacuees, refugees, or survivors of the hurricane? What difference does it make which term you use? Evaluate your emotional reaction to each. Various emotionally loaded terms are being used in order to manipulate your reactions.

Why not take some time today to apply this think/feel paradigm today as you speak and listen to those around you.

• Is your word choice emotionally loaded? Incendiary, for instance (”Just try touching that television one more time and you’re grounded for a week.”) or depressing (”There’s no use even talking about it. There’s nothing you can do about it.”)
• Is it passive? (”I’d sure like a new computer but I guess you’d never give me one.”)
• Is it intimidating, designed to scare and silence the other (”If I’d wanted your opinion I would have asked for it in the first place. Just stay out of it.”
• Is it victim language? (”This always happens to me because I’m a star-bellief sneech?”)
• Is it politically correct, aka neutral of emotion and value judgments? Do you want it to be?

From your first smile as an infant, and the first time you uttered “Ma ma” you were learning how to work the world with language. And the first time your Mama said “Good boy” to you, when you ate your peas and you did, you were being worked on by language. It’s a powerful tool. Use it wisely.

About The Author

©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandun.cc. Providing coaching, Internet courses and ebooks around emotional intelligence for your personal and professional success. I train and certify EQ coaches internationally. Email for info on this fast, affordable, comprehensive, no-residency program. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for free EQ ezine.

sdunn1@satx.rr.com

I run an online pet memorial web site and as you can imagine I come into contact with many people who have lost a much loved pet or animal companion.

Looking through the memorial web sites that pet owners create when a beloved pet passes away has shown my that there are a number of ways that people come to cope with the loss of a pet.

Some people seem to be unsure or even embarrassed about the depth of grief and loss that they feel when a close pet dies. In the back of their minds they may think that others would think “It was just a pet”, “only an animal” and be surprised at how the death affects them.

But the truth of the matter is that we form a very special bond with our pets, they become part of the family and we love and take care of them for many years.

Many people confide in their pets (if my dog could talk I’d be in big trouble.), pets help to take us out of ourselves when things are not going so good in other areas of your lives and they have unconditional love to give us. All of this goes to form a special bond that when broken by the death of our pet, goes to make a substantial loss.

Possibly those who think “it’s just a pet” have never really formed that special human /animal bond, and this brings to mind the beautiful quote by Anatole France.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

It is totally okay to grieve for a lost pet and it is also necessary if you had that special bond with your pet.

Many people find that writing down their feeling helps enormously.

A simple heartfelt verse or poem is a very good way to contact the grief that you feel. Writing down your favourite memories, or an expression of the relationship that you had with your pet will go to help with the grieving process.

Others may want to mark the passing of a pet in other ways with a headstone or other physical memorial.

More and more people are creating online memorials and a lot of the people who do say that it actually helps them to focus on their feelings and memories as well as giving friends and family a chance to better understand the relationship that they had with their pet.

It is well accepted that in order to truly come through a period of loss and grief, one must be able to face every aspect of the loss. Focusing your attention on your pet’s life and what they meant to you will help in that process.

We sometimes have to cry the grief out to allow the joy of our good memories to shine through.

If you are coming to terms with the loss of a pet or animal companion and if you are finding it difficult, try focusing your attention on your pet, try writing a short poem, try writing down exactly what your pet meant to you. Yes the tears will come, but if you continue to look at those memories and feelings soon the tears will go and you will be left with the good memories. But more importantly you will be able to enjoy those memories once the grief has gone.

Dave Watson is the owner of Sadly Missed Pets.com and has written extensively on pet loss and coping with the loss of a pet. There are many article and resources on the web site and many online memorials created by those who loved their pets.
http://www.sadly-missed-pets.com/introduction.php

info@sadly-missed-pets.com

Many people believe that it is impossible for cats and dogs to live together peacefully. Perhaps this belief is brought on by images seen in cartoons or by one or two negative experiences between cats and dogs. But, in reality, it is quite possible for the two species to live together peacefully - and even to live together as friends.

Genetics

Genetically, there are reasons for cats and dogs to dislike each other. By nature, dogs are predators that tend to chase things that move quickly and that are smaller than them. Of course, cats fit this description, making them the perfect play toy for dogs wanting to utilize their predatory skills.

Cats, who are also predatory, can also exhibit stalking behaviours toward dogs; despite the fact the dog is usually much bigger. In addition, cats will defend themselves, so thus begins the rivalry.

Environmental Influence

Of course genetics and instinct alone isn’t the only reason why dogs and cats sometimes don’t get along. During the first 2 to 3 months of an animal’s life, it learns who its friends and its enemies are. Therefore, a puppy raised with cats will most likely tend to get along better with the cats. Similarly, a kitten raised with dogs will not think much of the dogs. In fact, it is often easier to raise a new kitten in a household with dogs than the other way around because cats tend to be more territorial than dogs. A highly predatory dog, however, will make it more difficult to introduce a new kitten to the household.

Training Pets to Live in Peace and Harmony

Teaching cats and dogs that don’t get along with each other to live together can be a somewhat difficult task, but it is possible. The best way to accomplish this is to allow the animals to spend time together while a human chaperone is present. The more time animals spend with one another, the more tolerant they become of the other. In fact, this can often lead to a very affectionate relationship. Puppies and kittens that are raised together have the best chance of developing a positive relationship.

If a dog has been particularly cruel to cats in the past, however, it is probably not a good idea to try to get the two species to co-exist. Even if the dog doesn’t manage to get the cat, it will most likely make the cat’s life difficult by continually chasing after it. Similarly, a puppy might need to be protected from a particularly territorial or mean cat.

Dogs can also be trained to leave cats alone, just as they can be trained to fetch, sit or stand still. For a pet owner who has the time and patience, the dog can be leashed with a training collar. Another person can bring the cat increasingly closer to the dog. If the dog sits still it, should be praised. If it attempts to lunge after the cat, the leash should be pulled and the dog should be told “No. Leave it!” Some dogs learn quickly while others take a little longer.

Another approach for training the dog can also be utilized. This approach uses positive association. Each time the dog is in the same room as the cat, it is provided with extra attention and treats. Soon, the dog realizes having the cat in the room is a good thing because it gets something good out of it. In this way, it positively associates the cat with things that it desires - affection and tasty treats!

Feeding Time

Even cats and dogs that get along might start fighting during mealtime. Most animals are very protective of their food. In addition, they tend to be quite curious about the food the other animal is enjoying. For this reason, it is best to have separate feeding stations for cats and dogs.

It is best to place the cat’s food in a high, hard to reach area. Otherwise, the dog will have a tendency to eat the cat’s food, or to at least try to eat it. Of course, the food should still be placed in an area the cat can easily reach and eat comfortably. Cats don’t generally try to eat dog food. But, in the case of a cat that does, this behaviour should be discouraged. The best way to do this is to feed the two animals at the same time, but in different places.

It is also important to remember that cat and dog food each have different nutrients, so one should not be used in place of the other. Therefore, it is not only necessary to keep the food separate in order for the pets to live in harmony; it is also necessary to keep them healthy.

For more information on caring for your Cat check out Paul’s site at http://www.basic-cat-care.co.uk.

When I tell people that I own a chinchilla, their initial
reaction is usually “Huh?” People hardly know anything about
chinchillas other than they are rodents, but there is so much
more. I have had fish, hamsters, lizards and dogs, but my
chinchilla has been my most interesting pet to raise so far.

A chinchilla is a rodent that upon first look resembles a
rabbit with a bushy tail. A chinchilla is much more active than
a pet rabbit, though. While they do hop like rabbits, they are
much more agile jumpers and are not afraid to jump from high
ledges. As an owner it is important to note this when handling a
chinchilla. You want to hold them firmly but gently, as to not
hurt them and not give them the chance to jump out of your arms
and risk hurting themselves. They tend to enjoy being cupped
against your chest or stomach which provides both comfort and
safety to the animal.

Like any animal living in a cage, chinchillas need a chance to
run free once in a while. This should be done in the house,
either under your supervision or in a safe setting. Often I put
my chinchilla in a hamster ball so she can get some exercise
without getting into trouble. It also is a good way to protect
your small animals from other animals that might cause problems,
like dogs.

If left to roam on their own, there are hardly any places safe
from your chinchilla’s expeditions. They are very adventurous
animals and are always looking for a new toy to chew on. Often
this is wood or electrical wires, though plastics, papers and
other reachable materials are not out of the question. The floor
should be checked carefully before letting your pet out for
their exercise. Electrical wires should be lifted off the ground
and out of the chinchilla’s reach.

You may think that you can keep up with the chinchilla and that
there is no need to take such precautions, but they can be very
sneaky animals when need be. They are easily timid if not use to
their owners and will instinctively find a safe place out of
your reach, usually under a large chair or behind a huge piece
of furniture.

The biggest problem with chinchillas is stocking up on the
right pet supplies. Most small, local pet stores don’t carry
chinchilla specific items, even if they have sold the pets in
the past. This was the case with my chinchilla. The most
essential chinchilla specific item is their dust bath. This can
be easily found in many stores though as usually a common item
to see.

Chinchilla specific toys and food can be rare, however. It may
run out and more stock may take weeks or months to come in. Do
not worry. Chinchillas love many things that gerbils, hamsters,
rabbits and even parrots do. They really enjoy wood blocks to
chew on, as do all rodents since it helps keep their teeth
healthy and perfect length. Chinchillas are very active even in
their cage, and wooden ledges for them to climb and jump around
on is wonderful too. They also enjoy a nice shelter within their
cage, usually some plastic house or igloo you can easily find.

Chinchilla are quite unique animals. While many needs can be
similar to a rabbit or hamster, they have a much more wild and
adventurous personality that can keep you on the go when taking
care of them. They are very affectionate too and can be just as
comforting as a dog or cat. If you haven’t considered buying one
before, it is a nice possibility to look into. Once you hold a
chinchilla and feel its soft fur nudge into you with its own
version of a hug, you’ll never want to put it down.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with
http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.