Bringing home a dog involves much more than just providing it with love, care and other basic necessities. To make the dog a good pet, a great deal of training may be required, so that it behaves in a desirable manner. Some dog breeds can be easily trained, while some may require the dog owner to put a lot of effort and time into training the dog. Although, professional dog trainers can be hired to do the job for you, training the dog yourself can strengthen the bond between the two of you and can be a learning experience for both. Many tools for training dogs are available to facilitate this. Listed below are some of the easy to use and dog-friendly training tools.

Dog Training Leash and Collar
The simplest tool for training your dog is the leash and the collar. It might sound surprising, but the dog’s leash and collar can be the easiest to use, for training your dog when outdoors. As far as the dog leash is concerned, a shorter leash ensures better control over the dog. There are automatic recoil leashes available that can be used to adjust the length of the leash. Various types of collars like no bark collars, remote operated collars, beeper and tracking collars, chain collars, etc. are available for obedience training.

Dog Fencing
Dog fences are essential when you want to contain the dog to your premises, so that you don’t have to deal with annoyed neighbors. Apart from the conventional fences, electric dog fences can be very useful for this purpose. The invisible electric dog fence trains the dog to refrain from venturing out of home, by producing beeping sounds, and if the dog still tries to move out, a mild static shock is delivered.

Clicker
A clicker is a small plastic device with a metal piece inside, which when squeezed and released produces a clicking noise. This device can be useful when you train the dog to follow commands and instructions, as the clicking noise attracts the dog’s attention towards you. The dog will also be able to recognize this noise after a few days of use, which will enable you to track your dog, in case it goes wandering about.

Dog Crates
Dog crates are used to train the dogs in the housebreaking process. Dog crate training also enables the dog to have a place of its own in the house, especially when it is left alone in the house for long hours. You can place soft comfortable blankets, a bowl of water and something to chew onto so that the dog feels comfortable in the crate.

Dog Training Treats
Dog training treats encourage dogs to follow commands, so that they earn the treat. The treat should be something that is not included in the dog’s daily diet, like liver, chews, biscuits, cheese bites, etc. The dog would want to be rewarded with the treat, which will encourage it to perform the task well.

Muzzles
Muzzles are used to train dogs who incessantly barking, biting and chewing problems. The dog’s mouth is covered which prevents it from barking, biting and chewing onto anything that comes its way.

Apart from the above-mentioned training tools, a number of books are also available that can guide you, on providing your dog with effective training. To produce the desirable behavior, make the training an enjoyable experience for your dog and treat it with love and respect.

The word flamingo comes from the Spanish word flamengo an earlier form of flamenco. These words were derived from the Latin word flamma, which means ‘a flame’.

The feather colors on different species of flamingos vary from pale pink to crimson or vermilion. The brightest plumage of crimson or vermilion belongs to the Caribbean flamingo. The Chilean flamingo is pale pink. The source of its fiery hues are its diet rich in alpha and beta-carotene. It feeds on blue-green and red algae, diatoms, larval and adult forms of small insects, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish. Chicks are born with gray or white plumage, that gradually turns pink over the period of one, two, or even three years.

These birds live in both saline and freshwater habitat such as lagoons, estuaries, mangrove swamps, mud flats, and large shallow coastal or inland lakes tidal flats, and sandy islands above the low tide mark. Flamingos are found in warm, shallow, watery regions on many continents. Their vast habitats include estuaries and saline or alkaline lakes in Africa, Asia, North America, Central America, South America, and Europe. For example, the Caribbean flamingo can be found on the north coast of South America, the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and a number of Caribbean islands.

Flamingo sizes differ in species, with the greater flamingo measuring between 36 to 50 inches in height, with a wingspan of about 60 inches, and weigh an average of 8.75 lbs. Flamingos have long sinuous necks, slender legs, and black-tipped bills that achieve a downward bend upon maturity. The also have a keen sense of hearing, and are heard calling out, which is some form of communication. They are willing swimmers who float of the surface of the water with comfort and ease. Their webbed toes helps them swim and stand in soft mud.

Flamingos are known for their curious, inverted head feeding technique. They start by stirring up the mud and water with their long legs and webbed feet. They then turn their head slightly upside down, so that their inverted bills are underwater, enabling them to suck up both mud and water. They then shake their head from side to side, expelling the excess mud and water, and keeping back the plankton, tiny fish and fly larvae.

Flamingos are a social bird and live in large groups called flocks or colonies. The large numbers provide safety against predators, especially while they feed with their heads underwater. Nesting is also done along with other flamingos, as rearing is a community activity. Male and females share equal responsibility in parenting. Both partners pile up mud to build a nest, in which the female lays one egg. After after about 30 days of incubating, which the to-be-parents take turns to do, the egg hatches to produce a chick. The parents regurgitate food which is fed to the baby, and both mother and father secrete a milk-like substance that provides their young with proper nourishment. This goes on till the baby’s beak has developed fully, and it is capable of hunting for food.

Flamingos are famous for their collective gestures before, during, and after breeding. One may witness several hundreds of flamingos of one flock simultaneously displaying ritualized postures and movements to synchronize breeding. This may include only one display, or an often seen sequence of head-flag, wing-salute, and twist-preen. Flamingos are commonly witnessed preening, which takes up a considerable amount of time everyday. The purpose of the preening is to use the bill to spread oil from a gland near the base of their tail through their feathers, thus waterproofing them.

A breathtaking sight of the natural world is a flock of flamingos taking to flight. They pick up speed by running prior to taking off and flap their wings almost constantly during flight. A flock can reach 31 to 37 mph. In recent times, changes in flamingo migration patterns have been witnessed due to environmental changes and global warming. These birds easily travel long distances and can cover over 300 miles at a stretch in a single night.

Flamingos face a threat from the destruction of their habitat by humans. Encroachment of their habitat, as well as indirectly causing changes in water depth, quality and salinity can adversely affect the birds.

Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is one of the most commonly occurring diseases in cats. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can affect both random bred and pedigreed cats. The papillary muscles (muscles in the left ventricle that anchor the mitral valve) and the walls of the left ventricle become abnormally thick. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a progressive disease. The cats affected by this disease develop heart failure and subsequently, it affects the heart functions. Cats suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy develop blood clots in the left atrium. This clot may be carried into the systemic arterial system. The clot commonly gets lodged in the terminal aorta, which stops blood flow to the rear legs.

Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be caused by various conditions. Improper diet, toxins, and certain infections can lead to HCM. Other diseases such as systemic hypertension and hyperthyroidism can also cause hypertrophy in cats. Some cats develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to genetic conditions. Many times the cause for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is unknown.

Cats who suffer from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may die suddenly. Unfortunately, many times this is the only symptom of the disease. Cats do not exhibit any symptoms of this disease in the early stages. It is very important to look out for any of these symptoms to monitor the underlying heart conditions.

• Difficulty in breathing- Dyspnea
• Decrease in appetite
• Lethargy
• Fainting
• Paralysis of rear legs due to blood clotting
• Coughing

Some cats may refuse to to lie down or sit upright. This is because the fluid starts building up in their lungs as the heart stops functioning normally. Sitting upright helps keep the fluid away from the heart and the top of the lungs. Your cat may also be suffering from pain due to which it refuses to lie down.

Diagnosis of feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is done by the following investigations.

• Radiographs: X-rays may be helpful in showing the enlargement of the heart. Sometimes a ‘valentine shape’ of the heart is seen when the cat is suffering from HCM.
• Electrocardiogram: It helps in monitoring the heart’s electrical activity and detection of abnormalities.
• Blood Tests: Blood tests may be done to check the arterial hypertension or hyperthyroidism.
• Echocardiogram: It is perhaps the most effective way to diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It can be used to detect moderate to severe hypertrophy in the affected cats.

There is no medical treatment for complete cure of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Although, the situation is hapless, it is not entirely hopeless. Some treatments are available which can reduce the chances of heart failure and help the heart to function normally.

• Atenol and metoprolol are beta blockers which help to improve the ‘filling’ function of the left ventricle. This will help in increasing the volume of blood flow to the lungs and decrease pulmonary edema.
• Diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker, helps to improve the heart function by reducing the heart rate and myocardial oxygen consumption.
• ACE Inhibitors like enalapril or benazepril have shown to work better than beta blockers in clinical trials.
• Diuretics help reduce pulmonary edema. However, diuretics can also cause some side-effects. Thus, the renal function should be monitored when using diuretics.
• Hyperthyroidism and hypertension should be treated as they are the underlying causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Just like a particular cat’s behavior is different from that of another, similarly, the prognosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy for each cat is different. With the advancement of medical technology, a cat suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can survive for a long period, sometimes, for several years. If there are any doubts regarding the heart of your kitty, consult a veterinarian. It is necessary that the condition of your cat’s heart is regularly monitored. Remember, that the pain in your darling kitty’s heart may also cause a pain in your heart.