Dog Kennels - What to Look For
We
all hate
to leave our pets behind if
we go
on vacation
or have to leave home for
a few days. However, we can't always
take them with us
so if you don't have family or friends that are able to take
care of them you most likely need
a dog kennel.
To find
a good kennel
ask for recommendations from friends, family, your veterinarian or grooming shops.
You
should then visit
the kennel
and look for these things.
License
Staff - are
they friendly, knowledgeable, seem to care about the dogs there?
Sanitation - Are the runs clean? Do
they look like they have an effective system? Do they have barriers high
enough to prevent
male dogs from urinating into adjacent runs?
Facility -
Is it
in good repair, neat, clean, smell clean and clear
of debris?
Exercise
area - Do dogs have freedom of movement? It the
floor concrete so it can be easily disinfected? How much time do they get outdoors?
Climate - Is
there proper temperature control and is ventilation good with no draughts?
Sleeping area - Is there clean, dry and large enough for
a dog to stand, stretch
out or turn around? Do they have
solid dividers between kennels? Is the bedding clean?
Cages and gates - Are they secure and
in good repair?
How
many dogs in facility - Are there to many?
Food -
You may want to bring food that your dog is already eating if they don't have it. You don't want him to get sick from a change in diet.
Water - Is it available at all times,
does the water look clean in the bowls and are the bowls clean?
Veterinarian - Do they have a vet on
call? Will they contact your vet if needed?
Find out the cost, drop off time and pick up. How far in advance should you book?
When you do take your dog for his stay take along:
Vaccinations records
Emergency contacts - veterinarian and your numbers.
Pet schedule - also pet medications with instructions.
Take something from home like a blanket or toy.
Food if needed
Usually if a dog is introduced early in life to kennels be doesn't have a problem. Of course all dogs are different and it's
hard to predict how they will react. You should start with a weekend to
see how he does.
Ask the staff how his
behavior and appetite were so you can judge how it went. Of course check his general condition and grooming to see how well he was taken care of.
If they do have trouble
maybe next time you should look into a bonded
pet-sitting service. Maybe you know someone who does pet
sitting in your home. Check out your options.
Lastly, ask your veterinarian if your dog needs kennel cough intra-nasal vaccination.
Sandy Oberreuter has a web site on small dog breeds with articles on popular small dogs, dogs good with children and seniors,
breeders, dog diseases, dog day care, hypoallergenic dogs and more.
Saving money on your mortgage
Shopping around for mortgages is so popular these days
that many people can be excused for thinking that switching lenders is the only way
to save money on
your home loan. But there is a much easier way that does not require phone calls, computers connected to the
internet, or trips to your bank or building society.
Did you know, for instance, that making overpayments on your
mortgage can slash thousands
of pounds off your interest bill? Additionally, it will cut the length
of time taken to repay your home loan so you get to own your home sooner.
Imagine, say, that you have a 100,000 repayment mortgage, with a 25-year
term and an interest rate of 6%. Your monthly payments will be 644, and after 25 years you will have paid back a total of 193,290. In other words you will have paid back 1.93 for every pound borrowed.
If, however, you were to overpay your
mortgage by just 50
each month, your total payment would be reduced to 177,279 -- a saving of over
sixteen grand in
interest. Furthermore, this overpayment shortens the length of the
mortgage by 45 months, which means almost four extra years of bliss.
Its is worth being prudent though and ensuring that your will not be penalised by your lender for changing your standing order or making overpayment. In the main, most flexible mortgage lenders will allow you to make overpayments of up to 10% each year. But if your lender doesn't allow this, you have another trick up your sleeve!
Lessening the term of your mortgage
from 25 years to 21 years would increase your payments in exactly the same way as overpaying by 50 each month. Mind you, this is a much harsher way to do it because payments are fixed.
However, it doesn't prevent you from increasing your term again, should you need to, by simply writing to your provider.
At the end of the day, paying off your mortgage early is simply the best and least risky ways of saving money. By making overpayments to your mortgage of around 6%, your money would be working harder than if you had invested it into a savings
account with 7% earnings.5% for a basic-rate taxpayer.
For a higher-rate taxpayer, this risk-free and tax-free rate is equivalent to 10%, which is practically unbeatable!
Many people forget that even though we sign up for a 25-year mortgage term there is no earthly
reason why we have to stick to this. If you have any extra cash each month, using it against your mortgage can make a huge
difference and it can save you thousands of pounds in interest each year.
Good luck on removing that mortgage millstone from around your neck!
Peter Spyr
The Easy Way To Making Money Online
Most
people thinking working hard and
long hours are the key
to making tons of
money. Well
sure for some of them, but for most people
we dont want
to work hard and long hours
only to
make and average income.
People today want to spend extra
time at home, and still make that above average income. Well now
you can
do that working online. I am sure if you do a simple search for work at home you will find many businesss trying to sell you on
there junk home business programs.
You might have even already bought into a few of them. The truth
is there is no program out there that you just hit a button, and the
money begins to roll in. The way people make money online is
investing. You make money, and invest into other things to make more money. And if one program
goes under you have others to rely on still.
The mazu business pack is a program that teaches you how to make money investing into sports arbitrage
trading. You can learn how to make up to 15% a month on any investment into the trading pool, or you can make 1% to
3% daily trading and investing on
your own.
Investment is key in making money. You work less, and this allows you to
put more time into other things in your life. Like I always say. Its
better to work smarter not
harder. If you are someone that is serious
about making money online, and would like to learn more about how you can do just that visit
http://www.businessprogramsreviewed.comChris Rohrer
A Healthy Dog is a Happy Dog!
A healthy dog is
a happy dog. And
a happy dog is
the best companion anyone could wish for. Unlike people, dogs can't figure
out when something is wrong, or tell you about it. It's your job as the owner to look out for problems and step
in quick to keep your hound happy. Illness doesn't just mean breaks, parasites or viruses, it include the scourge of humanity too - obesity. Just like
in humans, obesity in dogs can lead to arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and premature death. Also like in humans,
this is a recent development. The
availability of cheap food for pets has caused an obesity spiral in the developed world.
So what should you
feed your dog? Obviously, breed plays a part, but in general, kibble is the best base (dried dog food) with
tinned stuff as a treat. Too
much tinned stuff can give your poor pooch the runs! Don't feed
him human cakes biscuits and the like, no matter how much he seems to enjoy them - dog's digestive systems are
not designed for this kind of food! A diet based
on these principle will ensure a shiny coat and clear eyes, both necessary if your dog is going to win
thru to the finals of the
http://www.petmillions.com contest and a chance to win you a
million in cash!
Dental care. Dogbreath is a byword for bad smelling breath. Help your dog keep his teeth and gums healthy by offering him bones to chew (note -
NEVER chicken bones!). If it's a real bad case, there are even special 'doggy tooth cleaner' products available at the store.
Worms. Keep him healthy with regular shots against the 4 biggies - distemper, heartworm, parvovirus
(which is rare, but fatal!!!) and kennel cough (which is also rare unless you keep the dog out on cement all the time). You can do the worming routine yourself - crush the tablets and sprinkle them onto some tinned food.
He WILL be able to smell it, but what the hey, food is food, right? Woof! Only use a small
amount of tinned food to ensure he eats all the tablet powder. Don't
know what distemper is? Kind of like dog flu, with runny nose and eyes. Worms tend to cause lack of appetite, bad coat, and a tendency to drag his backside along the ground. These are easily passed to humans so
fix it fast!
That
brings us to fleas and ticks. Treat regularly with one of the many excellent 'dropper' products now available. They really work, and
fast too. Ticks can be a nightmare - they can cause swelling, then paralysis and death, so you
have to guard against them very carefully, especially if you live in an area prone to dog ticks.
That's my routine with Jess, now be a pal, willya, and vote for him at
http://petmillions.com! His ID is 3083, and it's free to vote!
Brendan Gunstan is an IT consultant, who passes the really difficult tasks onto his 12 year old crossbreed Jess.
