Principle

November 12, 2009

Crate Training Dogs - What, Why and How

Have you ever asked yourself what “crate training dogs” meant? It seemed like an inhumane form of torture for correcting canine disobedience. Reading up on it though, it may surprise you to learn that it’s actually a “nesting” method for dogs based on their primal need for safety.

People say dogs descended from wolves. Whether or not that’s true, definitely before they were pets they were animals who lived in the wild. Animals in an outdoor environment would use dark, safe shelters as their dens. It provided them a nesting place from all the turmoil and perils lurking out in the open spaces. This principle is the foundation of training dogs to go to their crates or “dens” when they are distressed or tense.

Crate training has proven extremely effective in relieving dogs of the tension in a busy house. They also aid in house training dogs, containing them in a place where they would do the least amount damage.Dog owners would profit from having the crate to protect dogs from harming themselves. Should you decide on traveling long distances or going to the vet, having dogs that are crate-trained will significantly lessen stress on the pet owner and the dog itself.

Not all animals are suitable to be crate trained. There are some dogs that may have had unfortunate incidents in the past and cannot be put near a cramped box without becoming extremely upset. Other large dogs that are a challenge to train will just break the crate. They will injure themselves as they get frantic at the door closing in. Many times, people are just bothered by the idea of living, breathing animals being shut in a crate.

Crate training dogs is really up to the owner. If you hate thinking of your dog in such a confined space then it’s best to forgo this. However, if you believe both you and your dog will benefit from a little discipline and space crate training will afford you, then read on to see how to accomplish this the best possible way.

Find a good place, a room in your house people will most often be in. Ensure that the crate is large enough and start putting his doggie toys and interesting things in. When the dog is inside the box, don’t shut the door yet. Pet and talk to the pet reassuringly for a few days. Feed him in the crate. After you can start closing the crate for brief periods while you’re still in the room. If the dog whimpers or starts crying, wait for him to be quiet. You can let him out the crate after he settles down. More than anything, do not hurry the process of introducing this concept to him. It can understandably be a little frightening at first so a patience and persistence is required.

This should be a soothing and de-stressing spot for your pet so do not ever send him to his crate as punishment. When the canine is finally comfortable being closed in the crate by himself, you can leave the house in short intervals to see how favorably he responds. If all is good, you have effectively crate trained your dog. Not only will you free yourself from constantly worrying about your pet’s needs and whereabouts; your dog will have his own sanctuary of peace and safety from the world.

Filed under Beyond Random Ramblings by Arjuna

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November 6, 2009

Identifying a Need from a Want

Running with a cycle of debt every month is certainly not fun. With barely enough money to live from your payday until the next month, you are certainly getting a bit stressed right now. With no money left to put into your savings account, you know you are hanging at the edge of the cliff.

The simple principle to help you get off this situation is to end your debts once and for all. How to stop it? Track your expenses and avoid spending more to get further in debt.

The question right now is how to learn to modify your current lifestyle. When it comes to the behavior with spending money, you must be conscious in allocating more of your paycheck for your bills. You should do this at the moment you receive your paycheck. In short, it is the first priority, not the last where you only pay with what is left.

Learn to live with a budget. With the awareness that you earn a limited income, you must spend with a limitation too. Be conscious to buy only what you need. A need is different from a want. This is illustrated in this example: if you went shopping and see along the way an $80 handbag, your impulse tells you to buy this with credit card since it has a 20% discount. With consciousness in your budget, however, you will just walk on by and resist that purchase.

The handbag is just a want, not necessary a need. After all, you don’t really need them now and can set that aside until the time comes when you are already debt free.

Learning to distinguish between a want and a need is just one of the many things you should tweak in your spending habits. After all, your journey to being debt free is a learning process. A hard learning process you will never forget.

For more valuable information, learn from this financial directory www.dollarguides.com or find some useful insights in this how to get rid of debt blog. Another important resource is this personal finance lens.

 

Filed under Beyond Random Ramblings by Arjuna

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May 12, 2009

The Pritikin Principle

With so many diets out there today, the search for the right one can be frustrating. For this reason, doing some research on diets before you get involved is an excellent idea. Why? Well, because you can learn all the basics, as well as the pros and cons, before you even start on the diet. One diet out there that many people have heard of and tried is Pritikin Principle diet. Not sure whether or not this could be the right diet for you? Well, let’s take a closer look at the diet to figure out whether or not it will really work well for you.

Overview of the Pritikin Principle

The Pritikin Principle Diet is one that was developed by Nathan Pritikin and it has been around for more than 30 years now. This is a diet that is very low fat, and while is mostly based on eating vegetables, fruits, and grains, it is not totally a vegetarian diet. Only 10% of this diet is fat. Nathan’s son, Robert, has now taken over this concept and has added to it and tweaked it just a bit. He stresses that you should choose foods that have low calories for their density and then you should fill up on them, since you’ll feel really full but won’t be consuming as many calories.

People It Works For Best

This diet is one that is a great fit for those who want to change their entire eating habits to lose some weight over time slowly. Also those who want to start using vegetarian principles in their diet will find that this is a great diet to check out as well. Instead of just being a diet, it focuses on becoming an entire lifestyle, so it is great for people who want an entire change of life. However, those who love their meats and sweets from time to time may not find this diet to be the right fit.

Pros and Cons to Consider

As with any diet, Pritikin Principle diet has both pros and cons that you should take into consideration. Here are a few of the most common pros and cons that you may want to think about before you decide this is the right diet for you.

- Pro #1 - Focuses on Healthy Eating - One of the key pros of the Pritkin Principle Diet is that it really focuses on healthy eating. The foods allowed in the diet are foods that are full of great vitamins and minerals, so you really get the important nutrients that help to keep your body healthy. Also, the foods that you eat make you feel full as well, which means you don’t constantly have to deal with cravings.

- Pro #2 - Allows a Variety of Foods - There are a variety of different foods that you are allowed to eat as well. This makes it a better diet than some diets that are extremely restrictive. When you have a variety of foods to eat, you are less likely to get bored.

- Pro #3 - Starch is Allowed in Moderation - While there are some diets that totally get rid of carbs, this diet allows you to have some carbs as long as it is done in moderation. This is a healthier choice than just totally getting rid of the carbohydrates in your diet.

- Pro #4 - Doesn’t Go Crazy with Excessive Calorie Counting - You really don’t have to stress about excessively having to count the calories that you eat. It can be a pain to count every calorie, but with this diet you’ll know that the foods you are eating are low calorie.

- Con #1 - Large Amounts of High Fiber Foods - One of the main cons to this diet is that you eat many foods that are high in fiber, since it helps to make you feel full and improve the way the digestive system works. However, over time this can cause swelling and bloating and you may not be able to eat enough in one meal to feel satisfied.

- Con #2 - No Cheat Days Available - Many people find that the fact there are no cheat days to this diet to be a huge con. So, some people may find that this diet is really hard to stick to all the time, since they don’t get some of their favorite foods.

- Con #3 - Not Enough Healthy Fats - This is a diet that is low in fat, and it can be a con since you may not be getting the healthy fats that your body really does need to be healthy.

Food Do’s and Don’ts

The foods that are supposed to be eaten on Pritikin Principle include foods that have very few calories per pound. So, you are to avoid foods that have high calorie content and stick to grains, fruits, and vegetables that allow you to eat large quantities for relatively few calories. Doing this allows you to fill your stomach so you won’t feel hungry and consume high calorie foods. Some of the foods that are really preferred in the diet include oats, brown rice, apples, squash, onions, millet, potatoes, barley, bananas, pears, beans, dark green lettuces, and strawberries.

Opinions from the Medical Community

While the medical community tends to be quite happy about all the nutrients that you’ll be getting from the diet, the one problem that they have is that the fat in the diet is extremely low and may be a problem for your health. Fat soluble vitamins are also limited in this diet as well. This means that you may have problems with skin health, proper growth, and normal cell functions because you are not getting enough fat in the diet.

Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before starting a diet program.

Filed under Beyond Random Ramblings by Arjuna

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