Trick or Treat: Seven Ways to Keep your Pet Safe this Halloween

1.    Be careful with Halloween decorations.  Pumpkins and corn are considered to be non-toxic, but they can create gastrointestinal problems when ingested by a pet. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are swallowed. Additionally, curious pets can easily knock over a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire.

2.    Make sure your pet’s costume is safe. The costume should not constrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow.

3.    Have pets try on costumes a day or two before wearing them. If the pet appears distressed, has an allergic reaction, or shows abnormal behavior, remove the outfit.

4.    Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small pieces that could lead to a choking incident. Poor fitting outfits can get twisted on your pet, leading to injury.

5.    During prime trick-or-treat hours, keep shy dogs in a separate room. Too many strangers can be scary and overwhelming for pets.

6.    When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, make sure that your cat or dog doesn’t run outside unexpectedly. Always make sure your pet has the proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

7.    Sorry Fluffy, but Halloween treats are just for kids. If you have a pet in the house,  be mindful of the following:

• Tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers are a choking hazard for pets, in worst cases ingestion may cause intestinal blockage.

• Chocolate can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Symptoms of significant chocolate ingestion may include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, increased thirst, urination and heart rate, and even seizures.

• Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even minimal amounts of xylitol can create a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures. In cases of significantly low blood sugar, liver failure has been known to occur. Avoid lollipops and hard candies when you are around your pet.

These Halloween hints for canine safety are brought to you by Camp Bow Wow!

About Camp Bow Wow®

Where a dog can be a dog®

In just 10 years, Camp Bow Wow, the premier doggy daycare and overnight camp, has grown to include over 100 Camps across North America, becoming a $50 million business. The company was recently ranked as the 447th fastest growing private company on the INC magazine 500 for 2009 list.

The Camp concept provides the highest levels of fun, safety and service for its campers, and peace of mind for their parents. Dogs romp together in an open-play environment and pricing is all-inclusive.  New services include Bow Wow Behavior Buddies, an in-home dog training program, which will launch in May 2010.  Since the Boulder, Colorado-based Company started franchising in 2003, Camp Bow Wow has sold more than 275 franchises in 39 states, plus one in Canada, over 41% being women-owned. As Camp Bow Wow grows, our simple philosophy remains the same: It’s all about the dogs.

www.campbowwow.com

www.facebook.com/campbowwow

www.twitter.com/campbowwow

 

American Humane Association Seeking Entries in Smitty’s Shelter Dog Art Contest

American Humane Association Seeking Entries in Smitty’s Shelter Dog Art Contest

Winning Illustration to Appear in the Major Motion Picture Smitty

DENVER, Oct. 4, 2010 – American Humane Association, the nation’s voice for the protection of children and animals, is seeking hand-drawn illustrations that showcase the theme “adopt a shelter dog” for its Smitty Shelter Dog Art Contest. The contest is for children ages 8-12 and will be held during the organization’s Adopt-A-Dog Month® in October.

American Humane Association’s Adopt-A-Dog Month is about the importance of adopting dogs from animal shelters, so it’s only fitting that the organization would partner with the major motion picture Smitty. Scheduled for release in 2011, Smitty is a family movie about a lovable shelter dog’s friendship with a young boy. To celebrate both, American Humane Association created Smitty’s Shelter Dog Art Contest.

A digital version of the contest winner’s illustration – along with the winner’s name, age, hometown and state – will be featured in the actual film in movie theaters across the country!

Smitty received American Humane Association’s Monitored: Outstanding rating and coveted “No Animals Were Harmed”® disclaimer. The film stars Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Peter Fonda, Oscar winners Mira Sorvino and Louis Gossett Jr., and BooBoo Stewart from The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

For contest rules and information on how to enter, visit www.americanhumane.org/aadm.

About American Humane Association: Since 1877, the historic American Humane Association has been at the forefront of every major advancement in protecting children, pets and farm animals from abuse and neglect. Today we’re also leading the way in understanding human-animal interaction and its role in society. As the nation’s voice for the protection of children and animals, American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

Author Captures the Courage and Dedication of the Dogs of War

Clayton, CA – Nicole Arbelo became a dog lover when, as a child, the family German shepherd took a near fatal bite from a rattlesnake that was meant for her. In the early years of the Iraqi war, she discovered a special website where she read about fallen soldiers. She also learned that she could “adopt” several K9 handlers and their military working dogs (MWDs) in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the stories that impressed her was about Sgt. Adam Cann—a K-9 dog handler who died in a suicide attack that killed 58 people in Iraq in 2006.

Sgt. Cann was from her hometown of Davie, Florida.  Bruno, the dog survived.  She decided to track down Bruno’s new handler, Corporal Justin Granado and she began writing. His story is one of dozens of stories of military dogs and handlers that she ultimately captured in her new book K9 Heroes; Together We Protect, Defend, and Conquer As One.

Sgt. Adam Cann and Bruno.

 

K-9 Heroes is a heartfelt and galvanizing collection of true stories about courage and duty, love and loss, as told by the men and women serving with military working dogs. Sgt. Cann and Cpl. Granada are among the nearly 30 elite marines and soldiers who are featured. Each story relates describes the experiences the handlers had and how their dogs are fearless, loyal and protective partners during missions and loving companions and that relieve stress and boredom when times are slow.

Military dogs have long been used in combat, but since 2001, the number of dogs has increase from 1,300 to 2,800. They are used to scout, search, and rescue. Some are trained to detect explosives. Others are used as sentries, mascots, attack dogs, and guards. General David Patraeus stated that their skills “cannot be replicated by man or machine.”

All are ready to lay down their lives for their handlers.

K9 Heroes, By Nicole Arbelo

List $ 14.95, ISBN: 978-1-4327-4475-5

Format: 6 x 9 paperback, published by Outskirts Press.

It is available at bookstores online. For more information visit www.outskirtspress.com/K9Heroes

K9 Heroes is illustrated with more 100 photographs that support the touching and often heart-wrenching stories of soldiers and their dogs. Arbelo also has a following of over 6,000 on Facebook—“K9 Heroes”—where she posts the latest news in the world of MWDs, police dogs, and Search and Rescue dogs. She also recruits generous people who develop friendships with deployed K9 handlers and their military working dogs and continuously send care packages.

Visit K-9 Heroes on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/K9-Heroes/276347852850?v=wall

 

About the Author: Nicole Arbelo has a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Human Development. She began working with special needs students in elementary schools in 1998, and now is involved with deaf and hard-of-hearing high school students. She is working to become state certified in American Sign Language to be an Interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing. She lives in Clayton, California.

Big Think Releases Four-Part Ultimate Survivor Stories Series

To what lengths would you go to survive in the face of death? Could you amputate your own arm to free it from beneath a boulder? Could you survive 10 weeks in the harsh Australian outback, subsisting just on grasshoppers, frogs, and leeches? At what point would you give up? In its Ultimate Survivor Stories series, Big Think speaks with four people who faced this very question and survived to tell their stories.

Every day this week, Big Think will present a video interview with a different survivor — ranging from journalist Jere Van Dyk, who spent 45 days held captive by the Taliban, to Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who clawed his way through the front window of a cab despite having been shot repeatedly by mafia gunmen, to Stanley Alpert, a former federal prosecutor who was mugged and kidnapped and used his wits to convince his captors to release him.

Big Think’s Survival Stories series began Tuesday not with an individual survivor story, but rather with an expert on the limits of human survival. Laurence Gonzales is the author of the bestselling “Deep Survival,” which takes a scientific look at why some people make it through extreme situations while others with the same resources do not. After surveying many cases of extreme survival, Gonzalese has concluded that there are 12 traits of good survivors, including persistence, organization, being well informed, and most importantly the ability to stay calm in the face of possible death.

All of Big Think’s survival stories will show that learning how to be a better survivor can actually help with everyday life, because ultimately survival is about how you think and make decisions. “Reason and emotion work like a seesaw: the higher the emotion, the lower your ability to reason,” Gonzales says in his Big Think video interview. “In a high state of stress, you literally can’t remember your own phone number.” So whether your business is going bankrupt, you’re going through a divorce, or you’re being diagnosed with cancer, learning to deal with stress while remaining calm will lead to clearer thinking and better decisions from mundane to life-and-death situations.

Big Think is a global knowledge network that showcases the cutting-edge ideas of leading experts in a variety of fields. Big Think has interviewed more than 1,500 thought leaders, including economists Paul Krugman and Muhammad Yunus, futurist Ray Kurzweil, biologists Rickard Dawkins, E. O. Wilson, Paul Nurse and Anthony Fauci, filmmaker Ken Burns, novelists John Irving and Paul Auster, business leaders Meg Whitman and Richard Branson, investors Peter Thiel and George Soros, journalists Arianna Huffington and David Remnick, US Poet Laureates Billy Collins and Rita Dove, US senators John McCain and the late Teddy Kennedy, particle physicists Freeman Dyson and Michio Kaku, and artists Chuck Close and Jules Feiffer.

six fun tips for a fit familiy

The new school year is quickly approaching, which means less downtime for kids and more stress for parents. To make matters worse cutbacks in physical education, increased academic pressures, and ever-growing portion sizes in restaurants and at home are making families increasingly overweight. But who says you can’t make more time for the family and squeeze in a decent workout? The trick is to do both at the same time.

Tara Zimliki, fitness expert and founder of Tara’s Boot Camp in Branchburg, New Jersey, teaches people every day how to maintain healthier lifestyles, no matter what their age or fitness level. Using her own family as an example, she helps families improve both their health and their confidence. “By making a commitment to family fitness, you can strengthen bonds and get yourself in shape, too,” says Tara. There’s also the added benefit of setting your kids on the right path for later in life, when being fit will lessen the risk of diabetes, some cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression.

Try these strategies to get your family moving – this fall and all year-round:

• Start young. Tara advises parents to get kids moving early in life which will promote healthy development and keep sedentary habits at bay. Even your toddler needs at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity every day, and should not sit still for more than an hour at a time.
• Set realistic goals. Not all children are star athletes. But keep in mind that your child may have never been given the chance to shine. You can help by being realistic about your child’s physical ability. For some kids, even a jog around the block can seem intimidating. “Running ability is mostly mental,” says Tara, “it’s important to keep your child motivated by breaking down each goal, step by step.”
• Get animated. Running doesn’t have to be boring! Get creative with your workout. Form a conga line and play follow the leader. Flap your arms whenever you see a stop sign. Try running while hopping, pumping your arms, playing air guitar — whatever you and your kids can dream up!
• Be a cheerleader. A recent study of 200 students in grades 2 through 11 showed that kids of all ages want their parents to help them stay active. Cheer them on frequently and show your child that activity is a priority every day. Tara says to make sure your children know that you would never be disappointed with their performance. “Remember, this is both a workout and a bonding activity,” says Tara.
• Use community resources. Your family run doesn’t have to be confined to your block. Keep it interesting by visiting different parks or neighborhoods other than your own. You can also check out whether your child’s school, or a local university or community center, offers an indoor or outdoor track for public use.
• Be vigilant. Although a family jog provides a convenient way for you to get out the door and run, the advantages don’t come without risks to your child. Try to avoid running at night when visibility is limited. “Your exercise should be satisfying and safe for both you and your new companions,” advises Tara. Also, leave distractions at home – including the iPod and the dog. Make this time simply about you and your kin.

Tara is a Certified Personal Trainer through The American Council on Exercise (ACE), and a Boot Camp Instructor. She has competed and trained with top athletes at the University of South Carolina where she was awarded a full cross-country scholarship. Tara has a B.A. from Rutgers University and specializes in fat loss and nutrition. She is passionate about helping people change both body and mind, believing positive results stem from positive attitudes. She helps clients maintain this attitude with fun, challenging and rewarding workouts.

Tara’s love of fitness started as a child when she began running at the young age of 7. She played numerous sports but running was her passion. Tara enjoyed it so much that she continued running right up until she had children, completing the New York Marathon 8 months pregnant and even ran 1 mile the day she gave birth to her first daughter and 3 miles the day she gave birth to her second daughter. Tara has completed 15 Marathons and hundreds of races worldwide. In addition, she has won many 5Ks and placed top in many long distance runs. In 2008, Tara placed in the top 500 women for the NYC Marathon. Recently, she won the USATF New Balance Long Distance Grand Prix for women 34 & under for the 4th consecutive year. Tara’s practices what she preaches in all aspects of fitness and health and for this reason she is a trusted trainer that produces results.

For more information on Tara’s Boot Camp, including registration details and full schedule, visit www.tarasbootcamp.com.

No Cry Solutions

From the time that babies become aware of the world around them they begin to form important relationships with the people in their lives. They quickly learn that certain people are vital to their happiness and their survival. Babies don’t have the ability to understand how the world works, so they don’t know what makes these people appear or disappear. When their special people are out of sight they have no way of knowing if their beloved ones are gone forever, and they express their concern: usually by crying and clinging. Here are a few tips to help your baby learn to adapt to separations without the anxiety.

1 ~ Practice with quick, daily separations

Over the course of your usual days together take opportunities to expose your baby to a few brief, safe visual separations. This process is particularly useful for the little super-glue babies who need you to be within arms reach at all times. Begin by getting your baby started with playing with an interesting toy or another person. When your little one is happily engaged, walk slowly, and go briefly into another room. Whistle, sing, hum, or talk so she knows you’re still there, even though she can’t see you. Carry out these brief separations off and on throughout the day in a variety of different situations.

2 ~ Avoid the in-arms transfer

It’s common to hand over a baby from one caregiver to another. The problem with this is that your little on is leaving the safety and warmth of your arms and physically whisked away to another less-familiar person. This physical parting is the ultimate separation-anxiety producer. To reduce the physical anxiety-producing sensations of an arms-to-arms transfer, make the change with your baby in a neutral place, such as playing on the floor or sitting in a swing, highchair or baby seat. Have the caregiver sit next to your baby and engage your child’s attention as you say a quick, happy good-bye. As soon as you are gone is the best time for the caregiver to pick up your child. The advantage is that your baby’s caregiver will be put in the position of rescuer and can help them with their relationship.

3 ~ Embrace separation anxiety as a positive sign. 

It’s perfectly okay – even wonderful – for your child to be so attached to you and for her to desire your constant companionship. Congratulations: It’s evidence that the bond you’ve worked so hard to create is holding. So politely ignore those who tell you otherwise.

When you relax your expectations of independence you can actually help your baby be more relaxed and less anxious about those times of separation.

coppertone’s iPhone application

Directions to the beach? Check.

Enough towels for everyone? Check.

Beach chairs? Check.

Coloring books to keep the kids occupied in the car? Check.

Music for myself, so I don’t go insane in the car? Check.

Enough sunscreen to last us the full day at the beach? Hmmm.

With the launch of the Coppertone MyUV Alert™ iPhone application, organized moms who magically manage to get everything together have one less thing to worry about!

This new application provides personalized suncare profiles so mom can chose the suncare protection plan that is just right for each member of the family! The new app also provides suncare reminders to help mom out, allowing her to specify what activities will be undertaken throughout the day to ensure that everyone is protected no matter what the day entails.

With Coppertone’s MyUV Alert application, mom can get some help managing individualized suncare needs, and check one more thing off of her “ to do” list.

On the heels of this brand new app, the Coppertone Solar Research center this morning released the findings from its recent Suncare 2020 Symposium. The symposium gathered thought leaders from government, medicine, academia, and advocacy to comment on current issues in suncare and make recommendations. The experts in attendance underscored the fact that an urgent need exists to clarify conflicting messages for Americans surrounding healthy sun protection habits.

In response, Coppertone created several tools to help consumers make more educated sun protection choices, one of which is the Coppertone MyUV Alert™ iPhone application.

In addition to the app, the Coppertone Solar Research Center created an easy-to-remember checklist to “RAISE” public awareness on expected elements to be addressed in FDA’s upcoming final sunscreen monograph. This mnemonic device (below) is designed to help prepare consumers for what changes they may see when the FDA’s rule is passed:

Rating UVA Protection: New UVA information will likely be required on sunscreen labels in addition to SPF.

Anti-Aging: Products with SPF may be further limited in making claims related to premature skin aging.

Ingredients: New active ingredients or active ingredient combinations could be approved.

SPF Cap: SPF values may be capped (for example, a proposed cap of SPF 50+ might be enacted).

Expression of Claims: Claims language on sunscreen labels could change. For instance, the word “sunblock” may no longer be permitted to appear anywhere on product labeling.  All products would be labeled “sunscreens.”

If you are interested in more information, please click here to download a complete executive summary of the event, which features more expert recommendations.

Ten Online Fraud Awareness Tips

Hi, my name is Carrie and I am an impulse shopper.

That sentence above is a true statement, but unlike most character flaws admitting it doesn’t change anything. I can’t recall any event in my recent history where my impulsiveness  had the side effect where I became part of a scam (knock on wood) but I have seen way too many victims telling their personal stories on the nightly news in hopes of preventing others from suffering the same fate.

I’ve been given an opportunity to pass along a 10 online fraud awareness tips to keep in mind when shopping online for any item. These tips are generated by AutoTrader.com, the largest online automotive marketplace, in consultation with renowned fraud prevention expert Sid Kirchheimer.

• Research Prices. When researching cars and other big-ticket items for sale online, similar items typically fall into a general price range. If one falls way below that range, be suspicious. Scammers use ridiculously low prices to lure consumers to their ads. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• Don’t Fall For Sob Stories. Beware of “act now” low-ball price offers accompanied with a story that speak of some hardship on the seller’s part – such as a soldier needing to sell a car quickly before being deploying to Iraq, or a recent divorcee wanting to sell her husband’s belongings. These bogus ruses usually just empty your wallet, as the items typically don’t exist.

• Don’t Rush. A seller pushing to rush a transaction could be trying to prey on a consumer’s desire for the item.

• Watch for “Scammer Grammar.” Many scammers posting fraudulent ads are based overseas, and English is not their native tongue. In online ads or in email correspondence, watch for frequent misspellings, misused words or other errors not likely to be made by someone fluent in English.

• Make Phone Contact. Be suspicious of sellers who only want to correspond by email – and are not willing to provide a telephone contact number.

• No Wire Transfers! A wire transfer is the quickest way to lose money – especially if it’s sent overseas, outside the jurisdiction of U.S. officials. If buying a car or another large item locally, make an in-person transaction with cash, money order or another method sanctioned by a bank. If buying from a more distant seller, talk to a bank or reputable escrow service about ways to safely conduct this transaction.

• Never Go Alone. When meeting a seller to look at a car or other big-ticket items or to conclude the transaction, always go with a friend and, if possible, meet in a public place during the day.

• Don’t Go Off-Site. Many scammers cruise reputable online auction sites, but may entice you to go offline for a similar item. Others will email a link to another site, claiming that it is helping with the transaction. But once you leave a reputable site, your vulnerability to a financial swindle or identity theft increases.

• See the Product. Many scammers post ads for cars and other items that don’t even exist – they simply steal the pictures and descriptions from other sources.  When buying any high-ticket item, insist that you see it in person, get proof it is owned by the seller and be able to have it inspected before any money is exchanged.

• Use Common Sense. If a shopping experience does not feel right, pay attention to the warning signs and verify that the site and seller are safe before proceeding with the transaction.

BigWarmUp.Com

This is an opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life. Watch the video and see how you can play a starring role.

Kmart Reaching Out To Assist Unemployed

Kmart LayAway Quick Facts

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