Protect yourself from fraudulent internet activity

The following link on the news classifieds website provides a useful resource for safe online transactions:- http://www.classifieds.news.com.au/info/safety_guidelines/.

Petsguide advises users to be aware of fraudulent operators on the internet. A common characteristic of someone conducting fraudulent activity is their immediate offer of financial gain. Their emails are often written in poorly constructed sentences.

These emails generally originate from overseas, including African, Asian and European nations. The individual may try to pursue your bank account details, of which we advise you to be very cautious.


Scammers who use Paypal or International Money Transfers


These scammers typically try to pay for a purchase via paypal, or will try other tactics using paypal to launder money from you. Often the link they provide you to paypal is not a genuine link, please be sure to check all URL's before clicking on them. These people can contact you via email or text you via mobile phone. Horseguide recommends that you do not conduct a transaction with anyone offering to use Paypal, unless you are confident that the person you are dealing with is genuine and authentic. Do not provide any personal information to anyone who offers to pay via paypal.

This includes bank account details, address and phone numbers or clicking on unverified links they email you. To protect your privacy, do not include your email address in your advert description. People can safely email you via the query form on your advert without you requiring to provide your email address.

To sum up, if something sounds to good to be true, then it is. Should you believe you have received a suspicious email, please avoid further contact with the individual and alert horseguide and/or relevant authorities. Further information can be found at ScamWatch.

An example is included below of typical email from a scammer:-

Dear John , I have a Question about your advert

I am very sure interested in buying cat for my use. Kindly contact me for more details .

General John Allen



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Below is an example of a typical text from a scammer.
"I want to know if your pet on petsguide is still up for sale, plz email me on kristen.jones240@gmail.com ".

This person then tries to launder money by requesting Paypal on the next phone text or email.

Listing your pet for sale on Petsguide is entirely FREE with a Standard Advert, which entitles you to 3 photos and a detailed description.

Categories of Pets for Sale on Petsguide include:- 

• Dogs for sale, puppies & accessories
• Cats for sale, kittens & accessories
• Fish for sale, aquariums & accessories
• Birds for sale, budgies, aviary & accessories
• Small Animals - rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, rats, ferrets, or other for sale
• Reptiles and other - Lizards, snakes, turtles, tortoise, farm animals, pet pigs, amphibians, insects, arachnids.. the list goes on!!!

To place an advert you must firstly create a Standard membership account.

If you breed pets or operate a pets club, then a Breeders Account will allow you to place a FREE advert in the Breeders Directory.

If you operate a Pets business, then promote your business nationally with a FREE Petsguide Dealer advert.

Not all dogs are created equal - some are born to lead while some gladly follows the commands of the pack leader. Consequently, not all dogs respond to training in the same manner - some gladly do their tasks and exercises without giving you, the owner, a hard time while others will test your temperament to its limits.

Hard-to-train dogs are by no means the lesser beings as compared to their more subservient counterparts. On the contrary, these dogs often possess several positive traits that interfere with your dog training sessions. Two of the qualities that get in the way of dog training the most are the animal's independence and dominance. Let's see how these qualities might jeopardize your dog training efforts.

Independence

Independence is by far the most commonly demonstrated trait by hard-to-train dogs. An independent dog can be viewed as a renegade who never needs to please anybody. While independent dogs unquestionably love their owners, their drive to please them is not as strong as those of other more compliant dogs. This trait often gives the owner or the trainer a more difficult time during their dog training sessions.

How could you tell that your dog is independent? Here are some telltale signs: .Independent dogs may exhibit a marked indifference to other people or animals. .They may not like being petted and disdainfully resents grooming. .They may prefer being alone. .They turn away when reprimanded.

However, independent dogs are not at all impossible to train. You just need to know what works with them and what doesn't so that you may get the best out of your dog training efforts. A word of caution - it is a big mistake to apply force in correcting the habits of your hard-to-train dog. Physical corrections such as hitting and yanking will only lead to passive resistance on your dog's part and make your dog training sessions close to impossible. Once your dog takes on this stance, it would be very difficult to make him or her obey your commands.

So, what is the best thing to do in training your independent dog? Utilize the "cookie power"! In other words, find out what rewards elicit a positive response and take advantage of it. With an adequate reward, your dog will surely let you have it your way!

Dominance

A dominant dog is one who explicitly shows you that he or she cannot be bossed around. While an independent dog will simply ignore your commands, a dominant dog will show you his or her discontent in being ordered around.

Dominant dogs are natural leaders. With these dogs, you need to prove yourself first before he or she recognizes your authority or else, your role will go further down the pack pecking order. Some signs of dominance may include the following: .Displays defensive behavior when guarding territory, foods or toys .Shows readiness to launch into a fight .Growls or snaps when they are not allowed to do what they want

Dominant dogs are trainable. Despite their fearsome and irritable nature, you can make them obey your commands during your dog training sessions and beyond. All you need to do is establish your role as the one who holds the alpha position. You need to establish your authority through reasonable actions and you will see that everything else will follow. Once the leadership issue is clearly established, your dog training sessions will go on smoothly without any troubles!

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dog Training

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
 

Until a very recent period, dog worms were thought to be of a spontaneous origin, brought about by the influence of heat upon decaying vegetable matter, and it was and still is freely asserted that puppies are born with dog worms inherited from the mother in some mysterious manner while still in uterus. This has been conclusively proven an error and in the minds of all scientists there is no question about dog worms springing from individual eggs and having a complete life history of their own.

The principal worm species with which dog owners have to contend are round worms and tape worms. The first named commonly infest puppies and consequently are most dreaded by breeders. In shape and size these worms resemble common angle worms, but in color are lighter, being almost white or only a pale pink.

In adult dogs these worms, when full grown, are from three to seven inches long. In puppies they are about half that length, and as thick as common white string. Round worms live in the small intestines, sometimes coiled in such masses as to obstruct the passage, and occasionally they wander into the stomach or are passed by the bowels.

It is easy to understand that when one dog in a kennel is infected with worms, millions of eggs will be passed with the feces. These are scattered all over the floors, bedding, feeding and drinking pans. They get on the dog's coat, are licked off and swallowed and in numbers of ways gain entrance to the digestive tracts of other dogs, where they soon hatch out and in ten days are fully developed.

This rapid development account for the popular belief that puppies are born with worms, for breeders who have held post-mortems on puppies scarcely ten days old and have found in their stomachs fully developed round worms could account for their presence in no other way. They overlooked the fact that the prospective mother, confined in a kennel infested with worms, would get these eggs attached to her coat, belly and breasts, and the young, as soon as born, would take these eggs into their stomachs with the first mouthfuls of milk.

Symptoms Of Dog Worms Attack

Dog worms are responsible for so much sickness and so many symptoms that it is practically impossible to mention all of them, but their presence can safely be suspected in all dogs which have not been recently treated for them, as well as in cases where the patient is run down, unthrifty and out of sorts.

Other symptoms are a hot, dry nose, weak, watery eyes, pale lips and gums, foul breath, mean hacking cough and a red, scurfy, pimply or irritated condition of the skin and harsh, dry, staring coat that is constantly being shed.

Wormy dogs sometimes have a depraved appetite and will eat dirt and rubbish. Some days they are ravenously hungry, the next day they will not eat at all; their sleep is disturbed by dreams and intestinal rumbling, the urine is high colored and frequently passed, bowels irregular, stomach easily unsettled, watery mucus is frequently vomited and the mouth is hot, sticky and full of ropy saliva.

Puppies which are full of worms bloat easily and are pot-bellied. After feeding their stomachs distend disproportionately to the amount of food consumed. Their bodies are also subject to scaly eruptions and their bowels to colicky pains; they do not grow as rapidly as healthy puppies should and instead of playing with each other they curl up and sleep hour after hour; they get thinner, weaker and more lifeless from day to day and if they do not waste away or die in fits and convulsions with frothing at the mouth and champing of the jaws, grow up coarse-jointed, rickety and misshapen. Puppies with worms are also liable to paralysis of their rear limbs and on removal of the worms the puppies regain control of the affected parts.

A wormy dog is usually an unhealthy and unhappy dog who leads a miserable life. It could even be deadly, especially so for young puppies. Bring your dog to a veterinarian if you are unsure. Your dog will certainly thank you for that.

Moses Chia is the webmaster of DogsObedienceTraining.com. He provides more helpful information on dog obedience training, dog training book reviews and dog illness symptoms interpretation that you can learn in the comfort of your home on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Moses_Chia
 

How Wild Birds Stay Warm in the Winter and You Can Help

Winter poses several challenges for our birds, especially when the temperatures drop below freezing. We don't often think about or wonder how our birds survive the colds nights, we just know they do or at least we hope they do. Even those moments in the deep South, Desert regions or the Pacific coast where a cold snap or several inches or feet of snow fall, can effect a bird population. Winter brings extreme cold temperature, strong winds, driving snow and rain.

Nights seem to last forever. 16 hours of darkness and in some locations more. That doesn't leave a whole lot of time to forage and feed. Yet, many birds must at least triple their normal intake to survive and do it in half the time. Each winter we lose many of our feathered friends to the rigors of winter. It's how "Nature" works. Survival of the fittest, Passing on the strongest genes.

Birds have many adaptations to survive the extremes of winter. Some birds migrate, some adjust their diet habits. Birds such as chickadees and American goldfinchs add feathers in preparation for winter. The typical chickadee or goldfinch is covered with about 1,000 feathers during the summer. By the time winter arrives, they have doubled that count to more than 2,000 feathers. For a small bird, that can be some serious added bulk and weight.

During cold, windy or just a plain nasty day, birds will fluff up their feathers. By doing this, they create dead air pockets, much like insulation or a double pain window. This reduces the heat loss by up to 30%. Extra feathers and fluffing isn't enough to make it through a cold winter day yet alone the cold, long dark nights.

Birds also have a unique circulatory system in there legs to help them cope with cold temperatures.

Pay attention now.

Warm arterial blood from the birds interior, which is on its way to the bird's legs and feet, passes through a network of small passages that runs alongside the cold returning blood veins from the feet. The network of vessels acts like a radiator and exchanges the heat from the out-going warm arterial blood to the cold venous blood. By warming up the old blood, no heat is lost and the feet receive a constant supply of life sustaining blood. This is also why water fowl can swim in near freezing water and not get cold.

Fat is another important winter weather survival adaption. Fat acts as an insulator in addition to an energy reserve. During the day, birds eat to build up fat reserves. On average, a bird can put on up to 15% to 20% of body weight in fat before it becomes to heavy to fly.

Now remember, days are shorter and cold. Birds have to eat enough to survive the day as well as replenish the fat reserves. The smaller he bird, the higher the metabolism (more energy burned). Birds don't have brown fat, the kind we have, instead they have white fat. White fat is a high-energy fuel used to power the bird's warming process.

Shivering

Thermogenesis is a fancy name for shivering. You can't really see it, but all birds shiver in the cold of winter. From the largest of birds like eagles and water fowl to the smallest of birds like hummingbirds. They all shiver to maintain their core body temperature at about 106 to 109 degrees, depending on the species.

Shivering produces heat five times their normal basel rate and can maintain  a normal body temperature for six to eight hours at  temperatures dropping to minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Without shivering the bird's body temperature would quickly drop and the bird would become hypothermic.

At night, birds such as the little chickadee take shivering, or lack of one step further. To conserve heat and energy, chickadees can lower their body temperature by interrupting their shivering. These periods of inactivity allow the bird's body temperature to slowly cool, until it drops about 10 or 12 degrees. At this point, the bird enters a state of unconsciousness called torpor. Respiration and heart rate will also drop during this period.

Energizing

As morning nears, the periods of inactivity decrease until the bird is constantly shivering once again. The body temperature is back in the normal range and the bird regains consciousness. The results of this torpid state is an energy  savings of up to 20% during a typical winter night.

Conserving energy is very important when you consider how little fat a bird can store. Based on a daily increase of body fat of 15% a typical chickadee has about 16 to 24 hours of fat or energy reserves to carry it through a winter night. That my friend is why it is imperative that a bird gets out early in the morning and stays out late to find food regardless of the weather.

If it doesn't replenish its fat reserves every day, the bird will not have enough energy to make it through the next night and will die. There was a time when the natural world provided food for most wildlife. With the constant shrinking of habitat, winter protection and food supplies continue to shrink.

You can increase the odds for birds and some mammals by simply filling your feeders with their favorite food and offering suet. Fresh water is important as well. When birds are required to eat icy cold snow, it takes valuable energy to warm that snow as it passes through.

Next time you trudge out into the cold or even the warmth to fill your feeders, think of this, "Nature" has provided birds with some wonderful tools to survive, whether it is migration, blood circulation, change of diet, added feathers, or shivering.

Birds are truly a wonder for us to enjoy. In one way, it is unfortunate that many birds now need our help to survive. Yet, look at the education and joy we get out of caring and feeding our birds.

Ron Patterson is a Wildlife Habitat Naturalist, Master Naturalist, Michigan Certified Nurseryman and Baackyard birding expert.

With more than 40 years experience, Ron can help you 'Garden for Wildlife' and enjoy wild birds more.

You can sign up for his FREE newsletter at: http://www.gardening-for-wildlife.com/newsletter.html

Or go to his new and growing website at: http://www.gardening-for-wildlife.com/index.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ronald_F._Patterson
 

Cat lovers who own cats in their houses usually look after their grooming, feeding, or the training part. However, understanding the metabolism of the cats is equally imperative, because it enables pet owners to know the temperament, nature and the habits of their cats. Metabolism means ongoing of the physical as well as chemical changes, which take place in the cat's body.

The metabolism of a healthy cat can be found by checking the glucose level in its blood. It has to be between 80 to 120 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).

Hence, cats need to take rest and tend to sleep a lot. Their sleeping durations are usually of 12 to 16 hours. They do not sleep continuously for these many hours, instead they take short naps which together sum to 12 hours. It helps them to conserve energy. Some cats sleep for much longer duration for about 20 hours in 24 hours. Perhaps, this might be the reason why people refer to individuals who sleep more often as "having a cat nap".

Factors Of Metabolism:

Body temperature is the main factor of the cat's metabolism. The layer of fat beneath the skin protects it from harsh winters. A body temperature of a typically healthy cat is within 38 to 39 degree Celsius. A cat is assumed feverish if its body temperature is equal to 39.5 degree Celsius or greater than that. Moreover, if the body temperature of the cat is lower than 37.5 degree Celsius, that cat is hypothermic.

Heart beat of the cat ranges from 140 -220 beats/minute. If the cat is on the hunting spree, its heart rate becomes higher. Whereas, the heart beat of the cat in resting position is within 150-180 beats/minute.

Due to their frequent nocturnal nature, they often enter a stage of greater hyperactivity and liveliness. It happens mostly in the evening times and, hence pet lovers refer to this phase as happy hour or mad hour or evening craziness.

The temperament of the cats varies and depends on their breeds. Short and haired cats are usually skinnier and, hence more energetic, whereas long haired cats and taller cats are heavier and inactive.

Overview:

Cats are carnivorous, so they have this unique capacity to metabolize protein in meat to sugar and carbohydrate. Most people feed cats with dry feline diet, which is widely available in the market. Nevertheless, cat's metabolism is such that, it converts the dry diet into carbohydrate, which is not good for their health.

Give them high protein diet such as meat-based food to make them active and healthy. One of the common problems faced by many cat owners is, their cats eat a lot sometimes and at times, they do not eat at all. In such case, people need to know that, it is just natural because cat's metabolism is equipped to "treat and crisis" cycle.

Therefore, if felines go without food for many days, people need not have to worry. Simply wait and the cats will start eating, when hungry. Hence, this is all about cat metabolism.

Go to Cat and Kitten Zone to get your free ebook about Cats and Kittens at Cats Cat and Kitten Zone also has information on Kittens, Cat Supplies and a Cat and Kitten Forum where you can connect with others who love cats and kittens. You can Find Cat and Kitten Zone at http://www.catandkittenzone.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Marks
 

Of course we all want to take care of our beloved pets but is
it possible that parasites are endangering their lives?
Although dogs and cats are generally considered to be rather
disease free, they are both susceptible to parasites such as
hook worms. Otherwise known as Dipylidium Caninum, the “hook
worm” is a particularly nasty parasite that can and will
shorten the life of your pet unless properly treated.

Parasites like the hook worm actually have teeth that they use
to attach to the small intestine of your dog or cat (actually,
these parasites are also a danger to humans too!). Now these
are rather simple parasites with three basic body parts: the
head, neck, and tail. Every hook worm has only one head and
neck, but they may have several tail segments.

The tail segment is very important to parasites like the hook
worm because this is how they breed. Every tail section has the
reproductive organs for the hook worm. Sections of tail break
off all the time and are passed with other solid waste (in the
animal’s feces). Fleas, who lay their eggs in feces, eat the
tail segments and are thus infected with hook worm.

The parasites are passed on to the animal when the flea bites
it. It is also possible for animals to become infested with
these parasites by eating the fleas themselves. Therefore, the
best prevention for hook worms is to rid your home and yard of
fleas. Then, make sure the animal is free of the parasites by
taking it to your veterinarian. If infected, the animal will be
orally given a mild poison that will cleanse its system of the
hook worms.

Hook worms may not seem like very dangerous parasites but their
effect upon animals is cumulative. After prolonged periods of
infestation, animals will appear emaciated as they will have
been deprived of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients by
the parasites clinging to their intestinal walls. In time, the
immune system will weaken and the animal will become prone to
disease. If left untreated, hook worms are indeed parasites
that can and will kill your pets.

It is usually possible to determine if your animal has hook
worms by inspecting its stool for the parasites. Plus, if the
stool is often too wet or runny, it is likely your pet has hook
worms. Pets suspected of having the parasites need to be taken
to the vet immediately as the risk of spreading hook worms to
humans is very real. After the animal has been rid of the
worms, be sure to destroy any flea populations in the area or
the risk of re-infection is very high.

About The Author: Parasites Info is an information site that
contains links, a directory and other Parasites Information. It
can be found at: http://www.parasitesinfo.com

Many veterinarians stress the importance of oral hygiene
because tooth and gum problems are common medical conditions
seen in pets. If left unchecked, an unhealthy mouth can affect
the liver, kidneys, heart and even the brain.

So when you lean in to give your pet a smooch, ask yourself
“Does my pet need a breath mint?” Studies show that 98% of pets
with bad breath are suffering from severe plaque build up. Bad
breath not only means that your pet's mouth may be a warehouse
for unhealthy bacteria, tartar and plaque, but it can also
point to unhealthy intestines. In addition, the quality of your
pet's food can contribute to the status of your pet's breath.
Low quality food can cause digestive problems, thus promoting
bad breath.

Can I Share My Toothpaste With My Pet? Absolutely not!
Pets aren't like us: they swallow whatever you use to clean
their teeth. Human toothpaste simply isn't edible. Nor is the
heavy minty flavor really desirable to pets. Human toothpaste
can give your pet some serious stomach problems.

Did you know…?
Certain breeds of dogs and cats are genetically predisposed to
unhealthy teeth and gums? For example, the Maltese is the
number one dog breed with tooth and gum problems. In the cat
world, the Siamese and the Abyssinian, charming as they are,
have serious tooth problems and often get some of their teeth
pulled during their youth. Other factors include viruses,
bacteria and not enough abrasive foods.

It all starts with the gums looking almost red, and some of the
teeth coated with tartar. When it comes to your pet's mouth,
don't take anything for granted. When you examine your pet,
slowly open his mouth with your fingers and ask yourself the
following questions:

Does his breath smell like he just raided a rotten fish market?

Are any of his canines or molars discolored (gray, brown or
green)? (Keep in mind that a pet's teeth may be yellow due to
early antibiotics like tetracycline—totally normal.)

Are his gums swollen and bright pink or angry red like a
lobster with a sunburn? Note that normal colored gums should be
light to medium pink. For some dark colored cats and dogs, gums
may be gray.

Do you see any sores on the gums, particularly if you have a
cat? They'll look like craters on the top or bottom gum or lip.

Are his bottom teeth worn down like the soles of a shoe?

Do you see any swelling or sores on his face around the lips,
under the eyes or nose? Bad teeth can result in a manifestation
of external sores.

If you have a puppy or a kitten, do you see any double teeth?

Is he drooling like a newborn? Keep in mind that some dogs
always drool, like the St. Bernard. If your pet is experiencing
excessive drooling but doesn't usually, it could indicate some
problem.

Has he lost weight recently as a result of not eating enough?

It's also important to observe your pet's behavior as far as
food is concerned. Has your pet been approaching his food bowl
reluctantly? Has he been eating slower than usual and has he
exhibited trouble biting hard things? Does your dog or cat cry
during or after eating? Does your cat have the tendency to pick
up food, spit it out, pick it up again and finally throw it to
the back with his tongue?

If you've nodded your head to two or more of any of the
questions above, then it's clear that your pet has some dental
health issues! You must take your pet to your veterinarian
right away for an oral examination.

About The Author: Lori Matthews studies health, nutrition and
wellness. Enjoys writing articles on health for both people and
pets. Please visit http://www.premium4pets.com for more
information and products on dental health for dogs and cats as
well as other pet resources.