A Word of Caution Regarding Pet Grooming Services

Any cat or dog owner will tell you how important grooming is in the life of their pet. Whether this is a chore they choose to do by themselves at home, or use the services of a pet grooming professional. If you take your dog to a pet grooming expert, be careful who you take them to. There are plenty of horror stories out there that will make any responsible pet owner shutter. You must know and trust your pet groomer or disastrous results may occur. This article is a helpful guide to watching for red flags when you visit your local pet grooming expert whether you have used them for a long time or it is a first time visit.

If it is a first time visit, ask the groomer to look at the grooming area. Make sure the equipment used is right for your pet. Look in the kennel area to see if there is fresh water and the cages are clean. If your pet is put into a soiled kennel, they have a high chance of catching a transmittable disease. Make sure there is a soft area for the animal to lie on like a blanket or towel. A red flag should go up if you see multiple colors of hair on the floor. This means that the pet grooming professional is not sanitizing between animals. Look at the clippers. Be assured that they are sanitized. If the clippers have dried blood or hair on them, you need to find another groomer.

The personal appearance of the pet grooming expert is also important. Look for stains or blood on their clothing. If the groomer is not clean, you can be assured that your pet will not be handled in a sanitary manner. Also watch how the groomer interacts with your animal. If they are abrasive in either manner or speech, you might want to redirect your business. If they are not conscious of their negative approach to your pet while you are there, think about how more negative are harmful the pet grooming professional will be if you are not there.

The first thing a pet owner should look for is the animal's attitude when returning from a groomer. Of course most pets will be shaken, but if an animal acts extremely shy or skittish after the appointment a further look in the pet groomer's practices may need to be explored. Look for cuts or abrasions on your animal, especially in hard to find places like under the neck or beneath legs. The pet groomer should talk to you about concerns they find on your pet and detail any wounds or scratches your pet received during the session.

Any unprofessional pet grooming behavior that you witness or discover should be reported to the either the state board that issued the certification or a veterinarian who can contact the proper authorities. Your pet's welfare is important and the proper pet grooming professional needs to be obtained to ensure the physical and emotional safety. Watch closely, and pay attention to both your pet and the groomer.

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Online Classes - Why They Might Be Right For You

So it's a new year, a new you, and you're ready to go back to school. It's time to finish the degree you've been longing to wrap up, or get the certification you need for that big promotion at work. But you can't quite figure out how to juggle mid-afternoon lectures, after-class discussions, and late-night study groups with your full-time job, two kids, three cats, four best friends, five aunts, six PTA meetings, seven loads of laundry and that partridge in a pear tree.

Don't fear, my friends. Just because a traditional campus curriculum doesn't fit into your lifestyle doesn't mean you can't go back to school. The revolution has begun-the online distance learning revolution, that is. And it's going to help you get the degree you want or the certification you need on your own time at your own pace.

Believe it or not, "distance learning" courses (as they're often called) have actually been around for over 100 years. According to the Distance Education Training Council's website, "since 1890, more than 130 million Americans have studied at DETC member institutions, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Walter P. Chrysler, Walter Cronkite, Barry Goldwater, [and] Charles Schulz."

Back in the days of Franklin D. and Walter P., distance learning consisted of written letters and materials sent via snail mail from professor to student. Today, thanks to the wonders of the world wide web, they offer a whole host of ways to help you get your degree/certification/diploma via online discussion threads, videoconferencing, podcasting, live chats and much more. These varied educational tolls provide benefits you can't get at one a regular campus, including:

- Flexibility
You can study on your own time-before you take the kids to school, at a coffee shop in the middle of the afternoon, or after David Letterman's Top Ten.

- Control
You'll control the pace of your studies, with the ability to review materials and lectures as often as you like.

- Experience
Get valuable experience with web-based media such as threaded discussions, live chats, web-based videos, videoconferencing and podcasts. (I still haven't figured out exactly what a podcast is.)

- Advancement
You can stay on your career path while you study, so you don't have to give up that promotion you've been busting your hump to get.

- Accessibility
Maybe you're a forest ranger who lives on top of a mountain 1,000 miles away from the nearest college campus. Through online programs, you can work towards your degree anywhere, anytime. And for those of you who live in a metropolitan area, online learning means less commuting. (Just think of all that dough you'll save on gas and parking tickets.)

What makes it even more attractive is that thanks to the boom in online learning, there are distance learning programs for virtually everything and anything. There are distance learning programs for people who want to get their GED, learn how to draft architectural plans, or earn their doctorate in astrophysics. (Just make sure that whatever program you choose is accredited-meaning it's been studied and reviewed by its peers and meets industry standards. To find out if a particular school has accreditation, visit the Distance and Education Council's website.

Still not sold? Keep in mind that an online education is every bit as good as what you'd get at a traditional campus. In fact, it may be better. According to "Evolution of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning," a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education in 2009 regarding online learning, "on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." It makes sense, given that online learning allows you to make your own study schedule and participate in a vibrant online community, rather than be stuck in the back of a lecture hall with 300+ students at 8:00 a.m. on a Monday morning. (And let's be honest with ourselves. You know you fell asleep in the back of the lecture hall anyways.)

Noel Rozny writes the bi-weekly career blog mypathfinder for the myFootpath website. myFootpath is a resource to help you in your search for a college, degree program, career, graduate school, and even non-traditional paths like volunteerism and gap year experiences. For more information, visit http://www.myfootpath.com/

Beware of Low Prices For Wildlife Control

There are many people who think that buying a couple cages and some business cards makes them a Wildlife Professional. Not true!

You may find these companies charging $20 or $30 to come to your house and "resolve" your wildlife problem. BEWARE!

They are not insured. If something happens to them on your property, they will sue YOU!

They are not properly licensed to do Wildlife Control.

They do not have the proper training to humanely and effectively work with wildlife.

They do not have any certifications or advanced training to further their expertise.

The quality of the work will not be up to industry specifications. You get what you pay for.

Will they be able to respond to your needs quickly?

Will they have the proper equipment?

They will not be around long enough to fix any warranty problem that you may have.

Consumers should be made aware of the "make a quick buck" guys out there and the fly-by-night companies quickly popping up in this industry.

It takes years of experience and training to fully resolve wildlife conflicts and restore your property to its original condition.

The old adage "Do it right the first time" means you won't have to hire someone else to fix it right.

Qualified Wildlife Experts can fully resolve your wildlife conflicts and restore your property to its original condition.

Price should be an issue in choosing a Wildlife Control company, but it should be the last issue. Quality and complete control should be at the top of your list of requirements.

All articles may be freely re-printed or shared as long as the name of the author and their websites are included.

Mark Dotson, a 20-year Wildlife Veteran helps people interested in working with wildlife to fulfill their dream. Author of the "King of Cages!" book and ebook. Sign up for a regular e-newsletter about working in the field of Wildlife Management at our website. Need help with a wildlife problem or want to start your own business, visit this site http://www.aallanimalcontrol.com/franchise.cfm Need supplies to solve your own problem, check out this site http://www.wildlifedamagecontrol.net

Ideal Ways on How to Plant Raspberries

Before you learn the best methods on how to plant raspberries, you also need to know important information about raspberries. To grow raspberries, the most conducive time is around July, September or October although there are those that can bear fruit during the summer, depending on the time they're pruned.

Most raspberries can bear fruit but there are those that can produce yellow or white berries. The ones that fruit in summer, pruning can be carried out right after picking has finished. This is when the old canes are being completely cut and replaced by new ones from the perennial rootstock that can bear fruit the following year.

As for varieties that bear fruit in autumn, their fruited canes are cut back throughout the dormant season like in February. The new canes will then appear in spring and bear fruit autumn of that same year.

Before you plant raspberries, remember that they're highly subjective to virus diseases. Nevertheless, the health of most commercial stocks has greatly improved throughout the recent years following the scheme of inspection as well as certification by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. This is the reason why it's extremely important to begin planting only when the canes are obtained from highly reliable sources.

To plant raspberries, make sure their location is under full sunlight but they can also tolerate light shades. The most important factor to consider is the acidity of the soil. As for alkaline soil, it can seriously affect the growth of raspberries due to manganese and iron deficiencies.

When preparing the bed for raspberries, a well-drained soil is essential. However, sandy soils with plenty of organic matter are also good. As a note, raspberries require lots of moisture throughout their growing season.

As sound practice, dig over prospective raspberry beds in the summer before planting. Make sure you pick out the roots of all the perennial weeds that can be encountered. This is since couch grass and bindweed can cause trouble to your raspberry plants since they're shallow rooters. This means, deep cultivation subsequent to planting is necessary.

Generous amounts of rotted garden compost should also be implemented when digging proceeds. Other options are stable or farmyard manure. More of this should be mixed in more sandy soil. For assurance against shortage in phosphates, you can dig a dressing of 28 grams of superphosphate per square meter or square yard.

After you've planted organic matter as well as plant food into the soil, you can maintain it by putting an annual mulch of stable or farmyard manure. The rate should be about 2.5 kilograms per square meter. If natural manure is obtainable, straw or peat can be used in supplying organic matter together with a spring dressing of 28 grams of ammonia sulphate, 28 grams of superphosphate as well as 14 grams of potash sulphate per square meter. This can help provide the necessary nutrients.

In cases wherein there's excessive nitrogen, it can stimulate the growth of the canes but it won't affect increase of the crop. For potash deficiencies, there'll be reduced yields.

To plant raspberries, the canes should be secured by lengths of strong strings tied to staples by the ends of rows (intervals of 46 centimeters). Never plant your raspberries too deep. The roots should be covered without exceeding 8 centimeters of soil. The roots should be spread out evenly and the damaged parts should be trimmed. Afterwards, subsequent pruning is necessary, especially when the raspberry seem to be swelling already. Cut the canes to about 25 centimeters about soil level.

On the first season, avoid cropping. Once the fruits have been picked, you can cut down all the fruited canes to soil level. New canes will spring up from these.

Check out GrowGuides.Net and HowToPlant.Net for ideal ways on how to plant raspberries and useful tips on how to grow raspberries.

Pet Grooming Business Plan

If you believe you would enjoy both owning your own business and working with animals, perhaps a career in pet grooming is right for you. As many of us already know, pet grooming businesses undertake much more in a day than simply bathing dogs and cats. In fact, a typical day at a pet grooming business may include nail trimming, ear cleaning, brushing teeth and styling an animal's coat in order to look stylish or for summer months. And grooming animals can also take place in either your traditional business setting, at your home or you may decide to start a mobile grooming company. You should begin researching local dog grooming schools and pick the one which fits in with your needs the best. And if it is possible, find a school offering grooming business management instruction as well. You should also realize that there is no certification required to open a pet grooming company.

As you are in training classes at a dog grooming school, you should start a pet grooming business plan. Some business costs to think about when forming your business plan are license fees, training, equipment and insurance. Having a pet grooming business plan will also make it easier when trying to secure a loan with which to start you business. And since this particular industry is expected to grow 10% over a five-year period of time, it only makes sense that your business will experience this amount of growth, too. With this good fortune comes office work, paper work etc.

If you have no prior pet grooming business experience, determining prices can at times be difficult. However, if you make a couple of calls to local pet grooming companies or individual groomers, they should be able to provide you with services you need to provide and the fees related to them. You may decide to groom other animals or pets besides cats and dogs. That is something you need to consider when writing your pet grooming business plan.

And seeing as how businesses are all about clients, you need to come up with a clientele list. Since your business may not be open for business yet, you need to market yourself within your community. Placing flyers at animal shelters, pet stores and vet offices can be quite effective. So can creating press releases for both your local radio station and newspapers. Perhaps you could provide your grooming services pro bono for a local animal shelter in your area because, if they are impressed with your work, they could then refer customers to you.

In order to keep abreast of new grooming trends you need to attend conventions, industry expositions and cat and dogs shows. Having subscriptions to pet grooming industry publications and checking the web on a regular basis helps too. Websites like petgroomer.com provide you with grooming business start up tips and calendars of pertinent events.

There is a whole host of ways to get into the pet grooming industry. You must have a strong pet grooming business plan first though. Then, you may want to buy a franchise in order to have instant name brand recognition. Be sure to check with local government officials to find out about licensure, zoning or insurance needed to operate your business. These are very important questions to answer and may determine whether your pet grooming business fails or succeeds.

JD Files is an accomplished website developer and author. To learn more about Pet Grooming Business Plan visit Dog Day Care Franchises for current articles and discussions.

Soy Candles Instead of Paraffin Candles? Yes!

Researching this article has definitely been eye opening! In trying to find the pros and cons of soy candles over paraffin candles, I discovered more that I did not know, especially about paraffin!

To begin with, paraffin comes in 3 states, solid, liquid and gas. The simplest paraffin molecule is that of methane, CH4, a gas at room temperature. Heavier paraffin molecules such as octanes (or kerosene) are liquids. Another one of its liquid forms is known as mineral oil, which as everyone knows is used for treating constipation. And the way we all know paraffin best is in the solid form, wax.

There are many uses for paraffin-in crayons, as a food additive (in candy, cheese coatings, etc.), jet fuel, forensics, coating surfboards, skis and snowboards, and as a propellant for bullets through the chamber. I found many more uses for paraffin but I will not list them here.

Paraffin is not changed by adding most other chemicals to it, but it does burn readily. Because of the relatively low melting point of paraffin, stearic acid was added to elevate the melting point; this enabled the manufacture of free standing candles such as tapers and pillars. The lower melting paraffin (without stearic acid) is used more in container candles. This allows candle makers and manufacturers to tailor their own blends using their own blend of wax additives. This in turn lets the candlemaker have more freedom from batch to batch.

Soy has a very unique background also. The first thing I think about when I hear the word soy is the bean. It has been shown to have many healthful benefits and is good to eat. Soy is also used as a base for some infant formulas, and as feed for livestock. We use soybean oil for cooking too. What I did not realize was that after WWI Henry Ford was a leader in soybean research. He had chemists come up with a way to produce artificial silk from soy and even had a suit made from it! Also he used soybean oil for painting his automobiles. This research led to the development of soy milk, ice cream and non-dairy whipped topping.

So there we have a brief history of paraffin and soy; but what about the advantages and disadvantages of each when it comes to a candle? The only advantage that I could find for using paraffin was that the manufacturer could tailor his use of fragrance additives to make his own unique blend. Paraffin, being a petroleum product, has soot as a by-product of burning, which can blacken walls and place carcinogens into the air you breathe. Soy burns clean and is nontoxic. Soy candles last longer because of their lower melting point, thereby enabling the candle to burn longer, as much as three times longer! So you get more for your money! Soybean oil is biodegradable and cleans up easily with a little soap and water; have you ever tried getting a paraffin wax stain out of something? It is not easy, if even possible. Lastly, soy is a renewable resource and growing soybeans benefits our farmers. The only people that benefit from using paraffin are the oil companies and they already have enough of our money!

I have come to the conclusion that the way to go is soy; therefore I offer only soy candles on my site, Peaceful Being. Feel free to check them out-loads of styles and fragrances from which to choose!

After being in nursing for many years, I decided to retire from nursing and devote my time to my web business. TLC is so much a part of me, and I am working hard to help people feel better about themselves--body, mind and soul. The business I started is called KKAT VENTURES LLC and the web URL is http://www.peacefulbeing.com. My site is geared to natural and organic products although the fragrance oils are synthetic (but some of the best on the market!). I offer a wide variety of items, from aromatherapy to bath and body, to soy candles, incense & potpourri to fragrance lamps/fuels. I would love to have you visit my site! I am also a grandmother of two adorable children (what grandmother doesn't say this!!!). I enjoy gardening, reading,especially British murder mysteries and historical fiction, and crosswords and Sudoku. And yes, I have a cat!

Fencing Options For Your Home and Property

"Good fences make good neighbors," wrote a beloved American poet decades ago. There is some truth in the idea that some of us function better when we know and respect common boundaries. This can be especially true when we put up fences in our lawns and around our property to keep trespassers out and the children or pets in. Still, it's not easy choosing where to put up fencing, the type that will best fit a property, and the most effective for a particular purpose. Here are a few tips that might help as you face this particular dilemma.

1. Choose a style that meshes with your property style. For example, if your home is a Victorian, look for old-fashioned fencing designs that bring back the days of old, like a white picket style. Instead of the painted wood framework that quickly peels and can easily rot, you can now get vinyl fences that look like traditional wood but will actually hold up much longer and require little maintenance.

2. Look for fencing that will fit your property structure. For example, even if you love wrought iron spikes, they may not look that great on your country farmhouse lawn. Choose a design that flows with the overall theme of your yard or lawn. You might want to get a few sample pieces and try them in various places of your open space to see how they fit. Or check out images on the Internet and possibly drive around the neighborhood for some ideas on how to use fencing in creative ways.

3. Get the type of fencing that serves your purposes. An invisible dog fence will help to keep your pets from wandering off the premises. But it will not keep other dogs or animals from approaching your dog. You may need a chain link fence to prevent other kids or pets from wandering over your lawn and perhaps doing damage or causing problems by digging up a flowerbed or chasing your cats.

4. Decorative fencing adds attractive accents. Consider adding a wooden rail fence in just a corner of your yard as a focus point, perhaps accented by clusters of daffodils or mums. A low vinyl picket fence makes a nice border along the side of the garage or shed. Use your creativity while shopping at lawn and garden stores or browsing catalogs to select a useful or attractive fence that will add to your property's value.

Fences can be functional or aesthetic in nature; it's really up to you. There are numerous styles, materials, and designs available today, and you can shop online if you aren't able to get out to the stores. Fencing all or part of your property can help to protect it, discourage intruders, and make it attractive simultaneously. Don't overlook fencing options when planning next year's lawn or garden.

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Green Dogs & Cats

If you already purchase organic fruits and vegetables, avoid packaging, and recycle, then you are well on your way to living a green life. Chances are, the more you do, the more you realize that there are many things we can do as individuals to reduce our impact on the Earth. For example, have you considered the food you feed your pets?

Our dogs and cats are an important part of our lives. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 38.4 million (nearly 34 percent) American households own one or more cats, and about 43 million Americans own dogs. The care and feeding of pets varies from owners who dress their animals in frilly tutus to owners who do little more than grab a bag of food from the supermarket.

According to some estimates, Americans spend more than $40 billion on food for their pets in the United States. The variety of cat and dog food available ranges from inexpensive to ridiculous, but what is the real difference, and what do you need to know about your animal's care and the Planet?

First, before you make any changes to your pet's nutrition, check with your vet or an animal nutritionist to determine whether it has any special dietary needs. Your vet will be able to tell you if you need to avoid certain ingredients or ensure that your pet gets particular nutrients through its food.

Second, make sure that if you do decide to change your pet's diet, do so gradually. Most pets take a little bit of time to adjust to new flavors and mixes. Most veterinarians recommend mixing new food in with familiar food for one to two weeks, gradually increasing the proportion of new food vs. familiar food throughout that time period until you are up to 100% of the new food. If you follow this approach, your animal will be more likely to adapt to the new food.

According to the National Geographic Society, organic pet food is a better choice from an environmental standpoint than conventional pet food. This is based on similar reasons behind choosing organic foods for your human family.

Foods certified USDA Organic are produced without the use of petroleum-based pesticides and fertilizers. Additionally, they are based on meat not treated with antibiotics and growth hormones, both of which have been shown to pollute water sources like lakes, rivers and the ocean. Genetically modified organisms, which reduce biodiversity, are not used in Organic foods. Finally, Organic foods do not undergo irradiation to kill bacteria.

In addition to the basic need of food for your pet, other products that you may consider when going green include supplements, coat & fur products, flea & tick control, shampoos & conditioners, and treats.

When you are looking for green alternatives for your pets, consider the following labels:

- USDA Certified Organic: this is the only official certification for organic products, assuring that the food has undergone a third-party certification process. Compared to products market "natural" or "holistic," this process validates that at least 95% of the ingredients are organic.

- Free-Range Meat: look for foods made from animals that are raised out-of-doors, without cages, and are fed grass and other natural diets.

- Cruelty-Free: look for items that feature no animal testing and can prove the animals raised for meat are treated in a humane manner.

- AAFCO Certification: this certification, provided by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) ensures the food is formulated to meet balanced nutritional levels and contain the micro- and macro-nutrients needed to keep your pets healthy.

There are many healthy, green options available on the market for dogs and cats, but as with any green product, it is important that you check the label and investigate the company to ensure that you fully understand the claims and certifications.

Copyright (c) 2008 Virginia Ginsburg

Virginia Ginsburg specializes in research related to ecologically-sound life and business practices. She writes about green living and socially-conscious investing. Her company, Green Baby Gifts http://www.greenbabygiftsonline.com - specializes in gifts that are both beautiful and ecologically-sound.