Defend Your Dog and Stop that Hurting Paw!
Defend Your Dog and Stop that Hurting Paw!
Of course, we humans use shoes to protect our feet. We insist on it! But dogs usually don't have that luxury, and routinely walk over ice, rock, grass, cement and soil on their bare paws. Their paws' thick pads give them protection we don't have, and that's why they're less susceptible to cuts and grazes. But this doesn't mean a dog's paws are indestructible. In fact, the areas between the pads are very sensitive and can suffer from cuts, burns, and other ailments.One of the clues to a paw problem is when your dog comes back limping or favoring only one of its legs. The only way for you to narrow down the issue is to check his paw for any visible and physical signs of bleeding, swelling, redness or blisters.Some dogs are very protective of their paws and don't like people touching them -- and they'll let you know! Keep persisting. One of my dogs, who just hates having her paws touched, will usually relax when I gently reassure her that I'm only trying to help. Although dogs don't understand many of our words, they do just fine at detecting our emotions, and sometimes intentions, from our actions and tone of voice.If your dog has a cut, wash the wound with an antiseptic solution and apply a layer of antiseptic cream. Check the wound again the next day to see if it's getting better. If it looks infected, you should bring your dog to the vet. I was once shocked to discover maggots wiggling inside a paw wound on my dog -- ugh. Needless to say, we went to the vet immediately (she was fine after treatment).In certain breeds, hair mats may grow between the pads, which can cause irritation. In these breeds, it's essential to trim regularly between the mats to keep the paws in good shape. Even in other breeds, dogs that run outdoors can get mud trapped between the pads. Again, this will irritate the paw, so it's best that you clean up with soap and water when you see mud between the toes.Just as we humans get dry and cracked heels, dogs also experience dry and calloused paw pads. The solution for them is similar to ours -- apply moisturizers. In fact, you can even use your hand moisturizer on your dog! But there's a challenge involved: stopping your dog from licking it away after you apply it. A good trick is to apply the moisturizer right before your dog has his meal. This way, you can allow a little time for the moisturizer to settle in. Otherwise, you can play with your pooch to keep him occupied and restrain him if he starts licking his paws.Finally, you probably have seen dogs in dog boots and wondered if these boots would effectively protect your dog's feet. But your dog may be better off without them, as they can easily walk out of these boots -- active, athletic dogs in particular. In the end, your dog will enjoy himself more walking on his own paws, with some occasional care and maintenance from you.About the AuthorBlake Kritzberg is proprietor of Poodle-oo: Fashion for Toy Dogs. Stop by for toy dog couture and home decor, free dog postcards and the Toy Dog Blog.http://www.poodle-oo.com
Why You Must Stop Setting Goals – Goal-Setting
Why You Must Stop Setting Goals
My goal in life is to have no goals. They get in the way of true progress.Plenty of successful people swear by goal setting. They're praising the wrong behavior. Brain research tells us that the goals don't matter--it's the intention that gets us where we want to go.Intentions and goals are not the same. Goals tend to be arbitrary and number-oriented, such as the number of pounds lost, amount of money earned, number of hours spent in the gym, number of new clients introduced or new products developed. Intentions are big-picture statements about what fulfills you. It's a little harder to measure an intention, but the results are more meaningful.Let's say you want to lose 20 pounds. How will you feel when you do that? What will your life be like if you are 20 pounds lighter? Establishing an intention requires recognizing what will satisfy you.You want to lose weight so that you will feel healthy, strong, fit, confident, attractive, and sexy. The number on the scale isn't what matters most--it's how you feel each day.Here's a weight loss goal: I will lose 20 pounds in five months.Here's an intention: I feel strong, healthy, fit, confident, attractive and sexy.The problem with typical goals is that we tend to get bogged down by our "even though" statements. We tell ourselves that we are going to lose 20 pounds EVEN THOUGH we failed last time, EVEN THOUGH we question our ability to do so, EVEN THOUGH we don't think we'll be able to maintain it. Our minds go directly to the negative images and we sabotage our efforts before we even begin!Here's a thought: Why not create an intention that will get your brain to work for you instead of against you?Intentions allow us to picture ourselves--and how we'll feel--when we are successful. There's no room for failure in the picture. We focus on the positive and powerful feelings we'll have.Intentions are always stated in present tense, as though you are already where you want to be. Instead of saying, "I will be strong, fit, healthy, etc.", you say, "I feel strong, fit, healthy, etc." What seems like a small semantic difference is a huge shift in our brains.The latest brain studies suggest that the most effective way to change our beliefs is to create a mental story of success. We need to picture ourselves as we want to be, and we need to talk about it. Here's the basic formula: See it, say it, hear it.Our unconscious brain sees everything in pictures. It does not filter images based on what our conscious mind considers true, likely or possible. It literally does not distinguish between reality and fantasy. Think of the nonsensical dreams you've had!Language is most fully processed in the brain when there is a visualized image to go along with it. These images and words become linked to create our "truth"-- at least, according to our brains. And that's where it matters most.Say it out loud, and you're engaging your aural learning skills as well.By intentionally creating new images through visualization, we literally create our own version of reality, and as you've probably learned by now, we tend to live in whatever reality we construct. Our potential is limited only by the mental images we choose to develop and store. It's that simple--and that profound.Stop setting goals, and start creating intentions. The secret is to include ALL of these steps:SEE yourself in the circumstances you desire. Picture it perfectly.Craft a one-paragraph story that you would like to be true, and SAY it in present tense, as though you are describing your life right now.Repeat, repeat, repeat. Demand to HEAR that same story every night before you go to sleep.What's your intention? Focus on feelings, not numbers. Picture it, and write it down. Repeat it to yourself until it becomes familiar and beloved--complete with favorite parts, great pictures, and a happy ending.Stop pushing toward goals and start being pulled by your intentions. Let your brain go to work for you.See it, say it, hear it. You'll never need another goal!About The AuthorMaya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 80 countries. She serves up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief in her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage. To subscribe, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.maya@massageyourmind.com
Addicted Gambler Can Not Stop Gambling Due to Tactful Advertising By Local Gambling Establishments-Gambling
Addicted Gambler Can Not Stop Gambling Due to Tactful Advertising By Local Gambling Establishments
Gambling has been a form of entertainment since the beginning of time. Today gambling establishments have created a world with in a world of beauty and elegance in order to entice you to enter their enterprise. They do not discriminate and cater to all income levels. They even went as far as to install penny slot machines to entice senior citizens and lower income families. The bottom line is if you have money they are willing to take it.The gambling establishments do not twist your arm to get you there. They use a subtle subliminal approach to affect your senses.The gambling establishments use the following to keep you coming back time and time again even if you do not have the financial resources:Provide round trip transportation, food vouchers and gambling couponsRate your play so you can buy things at the local gift shops.Send you a fifty dollar gas vouchers to their gas stations located on the gambling establishmentSend you gift certificates at holiday time. They even include a letter to remind you that you can purchase your holiday gifts while you are enjoying the life of luxury.They bring in the best entertainers like Cher, Olivia Newton John, Clay Aiken, Burt Reynolds and more.Every half hour when you're at home you see show tune commercials that you just want to sing a long to.Sponsoring local events and the newsDonating to revitalization zonesDonating to local charitiesTechnological advanced futuristic nightclubsA birthday celebration for youThey send gambling coupons that you could win up to $25,000.00The list goes on and on. People need to realize that the gambling establishments are using your money and others to lure you to go there. Once you are there they got you. I remember going with friends to the night club located in the middle of the casino surrounded by gaming tables. On the drive there we all agreed we were not going to gamble. Our goal was to use the free tickets, dance and forget all the stress in our lives. That was our intention. After the club closed every one was still wide awake and we didn't want to go home. We all agreed to play for an hour. The next thing we know it was five in the morning. We headed home with our tail between our legs, because we all lost more then fifteen hundred dollars. We had an average loss of three hundred dollars per person. We were all in shock and said we are never going to do this again. Only to repeat the same pattern over and over.Gambling establishments use these incentives on individuals who are addicted to gambling from straying to far. These places understand what they need to do to keep you coming back time and time again.We are living in a new world we're gambling is playing a major part. It's time to for people to take control and educate themselves. The next time the gambling establishments send you an offer, you know it's not worth your time and effort.Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers.
Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that they are unable to reach.For more information on gambling addiction and stop gambling you can check out: I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/ and the site Teenage Gambling Addiction website http://www.teenage-gambling-addiction.org/.