Golden Retriever - The best dog breed?

Golden Retrievers are truly a people loving dogs. Used much as therapy dogs  for disable, blind and old folks.

Faith, the two-legged dog.

Meet Faith, the two-legged dog who has been made an honorary sergeant in the U.S. army By Daily Mail Reporter

A two-legged dog who has learned to walk upright has been made an honorary sergeant in the U.S. army for inspiring disabled war veterans.

Faith, an eight-year old labrador-chow cross is a favourite at army bases and hospitals, where she 'marches' around on her hind legs, dressed in a military jacket.

Her owner Jude Stringfellow, from Oklahoma City, is now trying to bring the remarkable canine to Britain to meet troops wounded in Afghanistan.

'Faith seems to inspire these young men. It's very emotional watching them respond to her,' Ms Stringfellow said. 'She shows what can be achieved against the odd. I'd love her to bring a smile to the lips of British soldiers.'

The dog was born with one front leg missing and the other, which was severely deformed, had to be amputated.

Her mother rejected it but Ms Stringfellow's son Reuben, 18, found the tiny animal and brought it up.

He and his mother had to carry the puppy for the first few months of her life, but eventually helped her learn to walk by using peanut butter on a spoon as a lure.

The little dog now moves quickly, and with confidence, and has even become a minor celebrity, appearing regularly on U.S. talk shows.

Ms Stringfellow, who runs a website devoted to her dog, said she receives hundreds of emails and letters each day.

Her decision to take Faith to veterans' hospitals was inspired by her son's service in Iraq.

Inspiration: Faith the dog learned to walk after being born with a deformity

Hope: Faith's owner is hoping to bring the dog to Britain to meet injured soldiers

'She just walks around barking and laughing and excited to see them all,' she said.

'There is a lot of crying, pointing and surprise. From those who have lost friends or limbs, there can be silence. Some will shake my hand and thank me, some will pat her on the head. There is a lot of quiet, heartfelt, really deep emotion.'




---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source :  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1303762/Meet-Faith-legged-dog-inspiring-injured-troops.html#ixzz1wjiA1SZx

Debunking the Palestine Lie

Bloggers boiling mad over trader who poured hot water on dog

BLOGGERS have called for a boycott of a noodle stall in Petaling Jaya after a hawker allegedly poured hot water on a stray dog, Guang Ming Daily reported.

The photographs of the hawker and the injured dog were also circulated on Facebook.

The hawker admitted to committing the act but claimed that he had done so on impulse to chase away persistent dogs which came to seek scraps.

He said the dog had taken a piece of chicken placed by his customer on the ground.

“My customers have been harassed by stray dogs and the restaurant became unhygienic because of them,” he added.

However, the hawker denied that he had poured hot water on other stray dogs and cats, as claimed by the Internet reports.

He said it was up to Netizens to lodge a report against him.

“But I cannot accept that some people had placed notices about the incident with my picture on them near the restaurant,” he added.

It was reported that the injured dog was now being looked after by a woman staying in the area.
------------------------------
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/3/12/nation/10898756&sec=nation

How Old is My Pet?

How Old Is My Pet? Correctly Calculate Your Dog or Cat's Age!
By Gayle Hickman for PetsAdviser.com

Most people think that calculating the age of dogs and cats in “human years” is quite simple: multiply their age by seven. For example, a 4-year-old dog or cat would actually be 28 years old in human years.

But when you really begin weighing out the arithmetic, this method doesn’t add up. Say a 1-year-old dog is the equivalent of a 7-year-old human -- get out of here! How many 7-year-old humans are sexually active and capable of reproducing? Dogs and cats are much more likely to have babies at 1 year old or even at 10 years old, than any person who is 7 or 70.

DOGS

Aging is much faster during a dog’s first two years but varies among breeds. Large breeds, while they mature quicker, tend to live shorter lives. By the time they reach 5 they are considered “senior” dogs. Medium-sized breeds take around seven years to reach the senior stage, while small and toy breeds do not become seniors until around 10.

Many veterinarians agree that a pretty good guess on the age of pets can be made using the following formula. Although still simple, it is much more accurate than the seven-year method.

Assume that a 1-year-old dog is equal to a 12-year-old human and a 2-year-old dog is equal to a 24-year old human. Then add four years for every year after that. (Example: A 4-year-old dog would be 32 in human years.)

Since this method takes into consideration the maturity rate at the beginning of a dog’s life and also the slowing of the aging process in his later years, Martha Smith, director of veterinary services at Boston’s Animal Rescue League, feels that this is the more accurate calculation formula. Here is a chart, for easy reference:

A dog’s average lifespan is around 12 or 13 years, but again, this varies widely by breed. The larger your dog is, the less time it will live. Female dogs tend to live a little longer.
CATS

Now let’s take a glimpse at a simple formula for calculating feline age in human years.

Assume that a 1-year-old cat is equal to a 15-year-old human and a 2-year-old cat is equal to a 24-year-old human. Then add four years for every year after that. (Example: A 4-year-old cat would be 32 in human years.)

The following chart shows this formula of calculation:

Cats generally live 12 to 15 years, although outdoor cats live an average of only 10 years or so.

----------------------------------------------
http://www.webvet.com/main/2012/02/28/how-old-my-pet-correctly-calculate-your-dog-or-cats-age

How often to feed?

Some general rules of thumb with respect to feeding puppies ...

(a) How often to feed? ... Feed between 2 to 3 times a day ... small portions until pup is about 10months old (or thereabouts) ... After that, for small breeds, you can continue to feed 2 meals a day (they have small stomachs and seem to do better on 2 small meals rather than one big meal) ... for larger dogs - once they hit adulthood, one meal should suffice.

(b) How much to feed? ... This depends from dog to dog and from breed (size) to breed ... Observe their poop, if the poop is soft, reduce food ... if the poop is very hard, increase the amount of food ... (In both cases, increase or reduce gradually ... until the poop is firm to the touch, and can be picked up in one piece) ...

General cautions:

Do not overfeed a pup/dog ... overweight pup/dogs will not be as healthy and can have health problems ... Slight underfeeding (especially with the larger breeds is recommended) ... It is better for a pup to grow slowly with time to build strong bones, then to grow too fast and have skeletal issues later on ... Slightly underfeeding your dog will NOT affect it's eventual size or growth ... The dog will still grow to its genetically determined size, just that it will grow slower and be more healthy.

With pups especially - I would concentrate on quality rather than quantity ... Good nutrition when dogs are young means healthier and stronger adults (just like people) ... Check the threads on nutrition and what is good nutrition.

A healthy pup is active, with bright eyes ... generally alert (but do remember, pups do sleep a lot) ... responsive and playful ... A dog that is sick will generally want to just lie down in a corner and not move so much ...

Cheers !

A Dog Humor: Adam and his companion.

Adam said, "Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me every day. Now I do not see you anymore. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me,"

And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will know that I love you even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself."

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and he wagged his tail.

And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal,"

And God said, "No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG."

And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that Adam's guardian angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but perhaps too well."

And the Lord said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration."

And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he was not the supreme being. And Adam learned humility.

And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved. And Dog was happy.

And Cat didn't give a damn one way or the other.

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

Anonymous

The Surprising Health Benefits of Love

The Surprising Health Benefits of Love
By Lisa Collier Cool
Feb 09, 2012

Love actually can make us healthier, so much so that if you could bottle it, you would have an incredible wonder drug, a Nobel Prize, the thanks of a grateful population and more money than Bill Gates. If a growing body of research is to be believed, love can lengthen your life, ward off stress, boost your immune system, lower your blood pressure, protect you from colds and flu, blunt your response to pain, hasten wound healing, and lower your risk of dementia in old age.

Studies have shown that health-wise, men are a lot better off married than their still-single pals; their wives are less likely to suffer from depression than their unmarried bridesmaids. Let a little romance into your life, and you’re less likely to end up in a nursing home when you’re old and gray. Love and marriage (or even love without marriage) turns out to be really, really good for us. Here are the main reasons why:

Love Defuses Stress

Unchecked stress can undermine your immune system, leaving you prey to all kinds of physical ills. Some studies have shown that happy couples produce less of the hormone cortisol when they’re stressed. This is a good thing because too much cortisol suppresses the immune system leaving us open to colds, flu and worse. It also prompts the body to store fat around the abdominal organs.

This kind of “visceral fat” is linked to diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Marriage appears to be particularly good for health: rates of diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic ailments are all lower in married people than in single ones.

Love Heals Wounds

A study at Ohio State University used a device designed to leave little blisters on the arm and to enable doctors to monitor the immune system’s response at the tiny wound sites. The researchers used a study grant to pay 42 married couples $2,000 each to agree to the blistering procedures and then to talk about topics that provoked tension and at another time to discuss topics that engendered supportive behavior. The upshot? The blisters took a day longer to heal after sessions when the couples disagreed than when they discussed something pleasant. The wounds took two days longer to heal when there was high hostility during arguments.

Better Brain Health

The give-and-take of marriage—or living with a partner—helps keep your wits sharp.

Living as a couple in midlife was linked to lower risk for cognitive impairment (unusually poor memory and mental functioning) in a Swedish study, while other research shows socializing, including getting together with friends, belonging to a club, or doing volunteer work also helps keep your brain nimble.

The Power of Touch

A study at the University of Virginia showed that holding a spouse’s hand can diminish stress set off by a mild electric shock. A total of 16 couples took part; first the wives received the shocks while their brains were monitored via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Next, each woman held the hand of a stranger during the shock--this dampened the stress response seen in the brain. Finally, the women held their husbands’ hands during the shock and the fMRIs showed that the reduction in stress was even greater.

The Cuddle Hormone

Women who get the most hugs from their partner have the highest levels of oxytocin, a hormone sometimes called the “cuddle hormone,” University of North Carolina researchers reported.

Oxytocin is believed to play a role in social bonding and has a powerful effect on the cardiovascular systems. In the study, the frequent huggers had lower blood pressure.

Togetherness and Health

Another clue to the power of love to keep us well comes from a study showing that health suffers after a divorce or when one spouse dies. The researchers found that being single after being married brings about a decline on physical health. The divorced and widowed in the study had 20 percent more health problems such as heart disease and diabetes than mid-life couples who remained married to their first spouse.

Even worse, the positive health benefits of marriage were cancelled out for the divorced and widowed people in the study: they had worse health problems than men and women who had never been married.

The Happiness Factor

Here are some startling statistics illustrating how vital love is to our mental as well as physical well-being: rates of major depression are nine times higher in unmarried men; divorce or separation more than doubles the risk of suicide in men; married men and women drink less alcohol and use less marijuana and cocaine than the unmarried; 70 percent of chronic drinkers were divorced or separated - only 15 percent were married.

So there you have it, love is good for almost everything. The only exception: it doesn’t help you lose weight.
------------------------------------------------------------
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/surprising-health-benefits-love

White Golden Retriever.

White Golden Retriever. Is there such a thing?

Many people are unaware that there are a couple of different lines when it comes to Golden Retrievers. There are American lines and English lines. The English lines are often known as the “White Golden Retriever”, since they are often much lighter than most of the American bred Golden Retrievers. While you may not be aware of the differences, showmen and breeders are sure to quickly see the differences. Learning about the differences is a great idea and it may even influence your decision next time you are ready to purchase a Golden.

“White Golden Retriever” is just one of the names that are used for English Goldens. This name was given to them because many have coats that are nearly white. Some of the other common names include British Cream Golden Retrievers, Platinum Retrievers, or even Blonde Golden Retrievers. In most cases, American Golden Retrievers vary in color from pale yellow to very dark red or mahogany colors. However, most of the Goldens from the UK are significantly lighter.

White Golden Retrievers have hair that is a bit shorter and it is lighter than most American Goldens. However, they have differences in more than just color as well. These dogs are usually stockier and their heads have a square shape instead of being long like the American Goldens. These dogs were bred to deal with the climate in the area, which is cold and wet.

One of the benefits of the shorter coat that a White Golden Retriever usually has is that it doesn’t take as much grooming as the coats of the American Retrievers. You’ll also find that there are a few other ways that these English dogs vary from the American breed. Usually you’ll find that the dogs from the UK usually have eyes that are darker brown. Since their eyes are darker and they have a broader head, sometimes their facial expressions may be a bit different as well.

Of course, you’ll find that the White Golden Retrievers and the American Retrievers both have the same disposition. They are friendly, loving, happy, active, and very eager to please. Most enjoy being outdoors as well, since they were bred to be hunting dogs.

You’ll find that a White Golden Retriever is often considered by some to be a purer form of this breed. These dogs come from the UK, which is where the breed originated in the first place. Even if you are purchasing a Golden within the United States, you may want to consider looking for dogs that have lines that directly trace to the English line of Golden Retrievers. In many cases, these dogs are considered to be more valuable as well and they often will show traits more like a White Golden Retriever. Some breeders have even experimented with putting a more traditional American bred Golden with a Golden that has a UK lineage. This results in beautiful Golden Retriever puppies that bring together the best of the two different lines

Happy Chinese New Year 2012.

We want to wish you a
Happy and Prosperous Chinese New year 2012.

Gong Xi Fa Cai 

2012 The Year of the Dragon

Thank you again for your support and friendship. May the Lord bring golden opportunities and fruitful rewards your way. We look forward to a prosperous Chinese new year as we go into the year of the 2012! The coming 2012 year of the water Dragon is just about the corner.

 In contrast to European dragons which are considered evil, the Chinese dagon is a kindly creature that controls over water, rainfall & thunderstorms. It’s brought rains to the farmers but also punishes those who are disobedience to their parents.

In Chinese daily language, excellent and outstanding people are compared to the dragon while incapable people with no achievements are compared with other, disesteemed creatures, such as the worm. A number of Chinese idioms feature references to the dragon, for example: "Hoping one's son will become a dragon" (望子成龍, i.e. be as a dragon).

The Dragon symbol of the 2012 year is an potent intelligent and laborious worker who never puts aside work though sometimes this leads him to excesses. The water Dragon has enough courage to face challenges and easily finds weak points that stand on his way to success.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Note : Since you cannot keep a dragon, maybe you can keep an arowana. The picture show an arowanas, in Chinese, is called "Kam Lung Yue", or Golden Dragon Fish. Arowanas are popular aquarium fish in Asia. It is a majestic fish that the Chinese believe will bring a steady flow of fortunes and success in business.
I believe that success and fortune is a result of our diligence and blessing from the Lord.
You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail. (Proverb 19:21. NLT)

Border Collie

Breed All About It - Border Collie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pORF_PVW8Q&feature=share 

Border collies work hard and play hard. They also herd sheep, cows--even a 2000-pound bull. Originally bred in Scotland, these dogs make great pets. But beware, make sure that you make time for them to play and exercise.

I saw a poor Border Collie abandon at Taman Cheras, walking cautiously suspicious of all human. S/He must have suffered much abuses from human.

Border Collie are very intelligent dogs and not easy to handle. They can walk up the hills and down the valleys for up to 80km a day herding sheep’s and cattle’s etc. They cannot be coop-up in a cage of chained up. They need plenty of activities and exercise. I can imagine the “owner” couldn’t handle this breed and decided to abandon them. Please Border Collie isn’t for the anyone. So sad for that dog.

For more information about : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_collie

4 Signs Your Leadership May Be Headed for a Fall

4 Signs Your Leadership May Be Headed for a Fall

by Lisa Whittle

Is your leadership headed in a dangerous direction? Check out these 4 signs to avoid a potential fall.

As long as we follow leaders, we will follow leaders who fall.
This, like eyesight that eventually fails, is a reality of humanity.

The truth is, though, our tendency is to see our failures, shortcomings, and lack of achievements as experiences that create *holes inside of us…some of our biggest holes come from our greatest successes.

It is not that we are bad people. It is just that it is not in the nature of humans to handle power well.

{I know of what I write. I have lived with a strong leader. I have also watched him fall. Nothing about it was easy. All of it affected other people.}

One of my silent motivators for writing my new book, {w}hole, was to help people see humanity in those we elevate. People who take stages are not perfect. At the same time, as leaders, we are not recused of being purposeful about our integrity.

Here, I offer a preventative word to leaders (ministry leaders, in particular), proposing 4 symptoms to look for that suggest when your leadership may be headed in a dangerous direction. Please know that even as I write this, I sit among you, taking my own inventory.

1. When you find yourself less willing to serve when there is no audience.

Having a level of influence over a tribe of people is a great honor. But giving speeches, signing books, or preaching from the stage of a church is not enough. Private service is not only Biblical (Matthew 6), but it is beneficial. Doing things that may never become known is something that fuels our integrity, brings us fulfillment, and helps buoy within us the character it takes to lead people well.

2. When you constantly pull the they are jealous or out to get me card.

Because leaders stand in the light, we are often targets of those who envy our platform, which sometimes leads to vocal opposition. Yet this is not the case with all people who may not be our fans. A leader that constantly defaults to a mindset of they are just jealous or they are out to get me when they experience any type of push back or differing opinion sits in a risky place.

3. When you try to manipulate respect.

Leaders who do not take the time to care for their tribe will not have lasting influence with them. While it is important to have faithful, trustworthy tribe members in our corner, demanding respect by creating a stringent system the tribe must follow will never benefit anyone, including the leader who seeks to put it in place. This type of rule by intimidation suggests insecurity, fear, or an unwillingness to do the work to become the kind of leader that people are naturally drawn to follow.

4. When you constantly put yourself in situations that feed your ego.

The way we seek accountability shows our true character. When our accountability structure is composed of people who bend things in our favor, it is of zero benefit to us and is set up to feed our need for approval. Surrounding ourselves with truth-tellers who have nothing to gain or lose from us is vitally important, just as is being willing to travel in circles that help us keep it real.

While not an exhaustive list, the honest evaluation of where we are, as leaders, with these things may well prevent us from buckling from the weight of expectation, accolade, and our own pride. It is not that prevention preserves us from the very human aspects of leadership. But coupled with our consistent seeking of our all-powerful Source, Jesus, it can be our check so we may balance it well.

*The definition of holes, as stated in {w}hole: internal voids that are limiting or defining.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/157547-4-signs-your-leadership-may-be-headed-for-a-fall.html