Recognizing, Preventing, And Handling Dog Aggression

A dog is an instinctively aggressive creature. In the wild, aggression came in very handy: dogs needed aggression to hunt, to defend themselves from other creatures, and to defend resources such as food, a place to sleep, and a mate. Selective breeding over the centuries has minimized and refined this trait significantly, but there’s just no getting around it: dogs are physically capable of inflicting serious harm (just look at those teeth!) because that’s how they’ve survived and evolved. And Mother Nature is pretty wily – it’s hard to counteract the power of instinct!

But that doesn’t mean that we, as dog lovers and owners, are entirely helpless when it comes to handling our dogs. There’s a lot that we can do to prevent aggression from rearing its ugly head in the first place – and even if prevention hasn’t been possible (for whatever reason), there are still steps that we can take to recognize and deal with it efficiently.

- Different aggression types -

There are several different types of canine aggression. The two most common ones are:

- Aggression towards strangers

- Aggression towards family members

You may be wondering why we’re bothering categorizing this stuff: after all, aggression is aggression, and we want to turf it out NOW, not waste time with the details – right?

Well … not quite. These two different types of aggression stem from very different causes, and require different types of treatment.

- Aggression towards strangers -

What is it?

It’s pretty easy to tell when a dog’s nervy around strange people. He’s jumpy and on the alert: either he can’t sit still and is constantly fidgeting, leaping at the smallest sound, and pacing around barking and whining; or he’s veerrrry still indeed, sitting rock-steady in one place, staring hard at the object of his suspicions (a visitor, the mailman, someone approaching him on the street while he’s tied up outside a store.)

Why does it happen?

There’s one major reason why a dog doesn’t like strange people: he’s never had the chance to get used to them. Remember, your dog relies 100% on you to broaden his horizons for him: without being taken on lots of outings to see the world and realize for himself, through consistent and positive experiences, that the unknown doesn’t necessarily equal bad news for him, how can he realistically be expected to relax in an unfamiliar situation?

What can I do about it?

The process of accustoming your dog to the world and all the strange people (and animals) that it contains is called socialization. This is an incredibly important aspect of your dog’s upbringing: in fact, it’s pretty hard to overemphasize just how important it is. Socializing your dog means exposing him from a young age (generally speaking, as soon as he’s had his vaccinations) to a wide variety of new experiences, new people, and new animals.

How does socialization prevent stranger aggression?

When you socialize your dog, you’re getting him to learn through experience that new sights and sounds are fun, not scary.

It’s not enough to expose an adult dog to a crowd of unfamiliar people and tell him to “Settle down, Roxy, it’s OK” – he has to learn that it’s OK for himself. And he needs to do it from puppyhood for the lesson to sink in.

The more types of people and animals he meets (babies, toddlers, teenagers, old people, men, women, people wearing uniforms, people wearing motorcycle helmets, people carrying umbrellas, etc) in a fun and relaxed context, the more at ease and happy – and safe around strangers - he’ll be in general.

How can I socialize my dog so that he doesn’t develop a fear of strangers?

Socializing your dog is pretty easy to do – it’s more of a general effort than a specific training regimen.

First of all, you should take him to puppy preschool. This is a generic term for a series of easy group-training classes for puppies (often performed at the vet clinic, which has the additional benefit of teaching your dog positive associations with the vet!).

In a puppy preschool class, about ten or so puppy owners get together with a qualified trainer (often there’ll be at least two trainers present – the more there are, the better, since it means you get more one-on-one time with a professional) and start teaching their puppies the basic obedience commands: sit, stay, and so on.

Even though the obedience work is very helpful and is a great way to start your puppy on the road to being a trustworthy adult dog, really the best part of puppy preschool is the play sessions: several times throughout the class, the puppies are encouraged to run around off-leash and play amongst themselves.

This is an ideal environment for them to learn good social skills: there’s a whole bunch of unfamiliar dogs present (which teaches them how to interact with strange dogs), there’s a whole bunch of unfamiliar people present (which teaches them that new faces are nothing to be afraid of), and the environment is safe and controlled (there’s at least one certified trainer present to make sure that things don’t get out of hand).

Socialization doesn’t just stop with puppy preschool, though. It’s an ongoing effort throughout the life of your puppy and dog: he needs to be taken to a whole bunch of new places and environments.

Remember not to overwhelm him: start off slow, and build up his tolerance gradually.

- Aggression towards family members -

There are two common reasons why a dog is aggressive towards members of his own human family:

- He’s trying to defend something he thinks of as his from a perceived threat (you).

This is known as resource guarding, and though it may sound innocuous, there’s actually a lot more going on here than your dog simply trying to keep his kibble to himself.

- He’s not comfortable with the treatment/handling he’s getting from you or other members of the family.

What’s resource guarding?

Resource guarding is pretty common among dogs. The term refers to overly-possessive behavior on behalf of your dog: for instance, snarling at you if you approach him when he’s eating, or giving you “the eye” (a flinty-eyed, direct stare) if you reach your hand out to take a toy away from him.

All dogs can be possessive from time to time – it’s in their natures. Sometimes they’re possessive over things with no conceivable value: inedible trash, balled up pieces of paper or tissue, old socks. More frequently, however, resource-guarding becomes an issue over items with a very real and understandable value: food and toys.

Why does it happen?

It all boils down to the issue of dominance. Let me take a moment to explain this concept: dogs are pack animals. This means that they’re used to a very structured environment: in a dog-pack, each individual animal is ranked in a hierarchy of position and power (or “dominance”) in relation to every other animal. Each animal is aware of the rank of every other animal, which means he knows specifically how to act in any given situation (whether to back down, whether to push the issue, whether to muscle in or not on somebody else’s turf, etc etc).

To your dog, the family environment is no different to the dog-pack environment. Your dog has ranked each member of the family, and has his own perception of where he ranks in that environment as well.

This is where it gets interesting: if your dog perceives himself as higher up on the social totem-pole than other family members, he’s going to get cheeky. If he’s really got an overinflated sense of his own importance, he’ll start to act aggressively.

Why? Because dominance and aggression are the exclusive rights of a superior-ranked animal. No underdog would ever show aggression or act dominantly to a higher-ranked animal (the consequences would be dire, and he knows it!)

Resource guarding is a classic example of dominant behavior: only a higher-ranked dog (a “dominant” dog) would act aggressively in defence of resources.

To put it plainly: if it was clear to your dog that he is not, in fact, the leader of the family, he’d never even dream of trying to prevent you from taking his food or toys – because a lower-ranking dog (him) will always go along with what the higher-ranking dogs (you and your family) say.

So what can I do about it? The best treatment for dominant, aggressive behavior is consistent, frequent obedience work, which will underline your authority over your dog. Just two fifteen-minute sessions a day will make it perfectly clear to your dog that you’re the boss, and that it pays to do what you say.

You can make this fact clear to him by rewarding him (with treats and lavish praise) for obeying a command, and isolating him (putting him in “time-out”, either outside the house or in a room by himself) for misbehaviour.

- If you’re not entirely confident doing this yourself, you may wish to consider enlisting the assistance of a qualified dog-trainer.

- Brush up on your understanding of canine psychology and communication, so that you understand what he’s trying to say – this will help you to nip any dominant behaviors in the bud, and to communicate your own authority more effectively

- Train regularly: keep obedience sessions short and productive (no more than fifteen minutes – maybe two or three of these per day).

Why doesn’t my dog like to be handled?

All dogs have different handling thresholds. Some dogs like lots of cuddles, and are perfectly content to be hugged, kissed, and have arms slung over their shoulders (this is the ultimate “I’m the boss” gesture to a dog, which is why a lot of them won’t tolerate it.) Others – usually the ones not accustomed to a great deal of physical contact from a very young age – aren’t comfortable with too much full-body contact and will get nervy and agitated if someone persists in trying to hug them.

Another common cause of handling-induced aggression is a bad grooming experience: nail-clipping and bathing are the two common culprits.

When you clip a dog’s nails, it’s very easy to “quick” him – that is, cut the blood vessel that runs inside the nail. This is extremely painful to a dog, and is a sure-fire way to cause a long-lasting aversion to those clippers.

Being washed is something that a great many dogs have difficulty dealing with – a lot of owners, when confronted with a wild-eyed, half-washed, upset dog, feel that in order to complete the wash they have to forcibly restrain him. This only adds to the dog’s sense of panic, and reinforces his impression of a wash as something to be avoided at all costs – if necessary, to defend himself from it with a display of teeth and hackles.

Can I “retrain” him to enjoy being handled and groomed?

In a word: yes. It’s a lot easier if you start from a young age – handle your puppy a lot, get him used to being touched and rubbed all over. Young dogs generally enjoy being handled – it’s only older ones who haven’t had a lot of physical contact throughout their lives that sometimes find physical affection difficult to accept.

Practice picking up his paws and touching them with the clipper; practice taking him into the bath (or outside, under the faucet – whatever works for you, but warm water is much more pleasant for a dog than a freezing spray of ice-water!), and augment the process throughout with lots of praise and the occasional small treat.

For an older dog that may already have had several unpleasant handling/grooming experiences, things are a little more difficult. You need to undo the damage already caused by those bad experiences, which you can do by taking things very slowly – with an emphasis on keeping your dog calm.

The instant he starts to show signs of stress, stop immediately and let him relax. Try to make the whole thing into a game: give him lots of praise, pats, and treats.

Take things slowly. Don’t push it too far: if you get nervous, stop.

Dogs show aggression for a reason: they’re warning you to back off, or else! If your dog just can’t seem to accept being groomed, no matter how much practice you put in, it’s best to hand the job over to the professionals.

Your vet will clip his nails for you (make sure you tell him first that he gets aggressive when the clippers come out, so your vet can take the necessary precautions!). As far as washing and brushing goes, the dog-grooming business is a flourishing industry: for a small fee, you can get your dog washed, clipped, brushed, and whatever else you require by experienced professionals (again, make sure you tell them about your dog’s reaction to the experience first!)

For more information on handling aggressive and dominant behaviors, as well as a great deal of detailed information on a host of other common dog behavior problems, check out SitStayFetch.

It’s a complete owner’s guide to owning, rearing, and training your dog, and it deals with all aspects of dog ownership.

To get the inside word on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors like aggression and dominance in your dog, SitStayFetch is well worth a look.

Dogs versus Cats: Which makes the Best Pet?

For years a sometimes fierce - but mostly fun - and vocal debate between dog and cat lovers has ensued over which pet is best. Of course, many pet lovers have both animals in their household or at times have owned one or the other, but like many stereotypes there is an element of truth to determining the difference between a ‘cat’ person and a ‘dog’ person.

Dog lovers will say that dogs are interactive and fun whereas cats are passive at best and totally indifferent at worst. ‘What is the fun in stroking a cat that purrs and dribbles on your knee?’ say dog lovers, ‘when you could be out in the great outdoors having fun with your pet.’ ‘You can’t train a cat,’ says the canine lover, ‘so therefore it must possess less intelligence than my clever pooch.’ ‘Felines also don’t love mankind in that way that the loyal and grateful hound does’ is another argument of the ardent dog lovers.

However, those devoted to cats will say that canines are high-maintenance creatures whereas felines are highly independent and therefore require little owner care and attention. A cat will take a cursory glance out of the window when the weather is atrocious and decide to curl up into a ball until it is more pleasant for an outing. No such luck for dog lovers as their faithful hound will always demand a walk, whatever the conditions outside! Additionally, dogs are only loyal and obedient because they know their place in the pack and that love would be easily transferred to another owner or leader of the pack, according to the cat devotee.

The debate rages on and many points could be considered moot by both sides. Most are made only in jest and the most important consideration as to which pet is best would actually be determined by the personality and lifestyle of the owner. People who are rarely at home would have problems keeping a dog happy, whereas they could easily care for cats. On the other hand those at home alone may love to have a dog to keep them company and also be in a position to be able to adequately look after their pet.

However, one thing on which responsible dog and cat lovers both agree is that they are passionate about the care of pets. Many will obtain a pet insurance quote when taking a puppy or kitten into their household and subsequently take out a pet protection policy. They know that their ‘little baby’ will immediately become one of the family and therefore want the same access to healthcare for their pet as they would expect for their children.

The cat versus dog debate will continue forever, but not open to debate is to treat a pet with care and love, whether they are moggie or pooch!

Isla Campbell writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Home Organization Ideas To Save You Money

In these tough economic times, trying to get your house organized is probably one of the last things on your mind. But getting your house organized can actually help your budget and save you money.

Here is how home organization ideas can save you money:

1. You will never buy another duplicate of something that you already have. How many times have you come home from the store with something only to realize either days or months later that you already had the exact same thing? When you are organized, you know exactly what you have at all times so you never waste your money buying something you already own.

2. No more late payments on any of your bills. When you get organized, you have a system for going through your mail and paying bills. These home organization ideas mean that you will never have a late payment on a bill because you lost it or didn’t know when it was due. Late payment fees can add large and unnecessary expenses to your budget.

A suggested mail/bill organization system: Get a desktop file organizer and create different folders for the mail that you get in. Make one of those folders “Bills” or “Action.” Make sure that all bills go in that folder and that you go through it at least once a week and pay what needs to be paid.

3. Saving money on eating out. When you get meal-time at your house organized, it means that you will not have to eat out because you forgot to go to the store or are too tired to think of what to cook for dinner. Getting your meals organized means that you will know what you are cooking for dinner every night before you even step foot in the door. It also means that you have organized your grocery shopping trips so you know exactly what you are getting before you ever get to the store. An added bonus of having a list when you go grocery shopping is that it tends to cut down on impulse buying of things you don’t need so yet another way that being organized can save you money. These are great home organization ideas that not only save you money but time as well.

A suggested meal/grocery organizing system: Have a weekly meal planner. On it write down every meal you are going to make that week and all of the items needed to make it. Then go through your cupboards and cross off the items you already have. Then write down what is left on your grocery list. A little grocery shopping tip: Write down the items on your list in the order that they are in the store. That saves you time in the store.

All of these home organization ideas involve putting a few simple systems in place to not only get you organized but to also help your budget. And who couldn’t use some help with your budget right now? For more free home organization help, go to http://www.YourHomeIsOrganized.com

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How to Minimize the Stress of Moving

Regardless of whether it's across the country or across town, moving is a stressful, expensive and time-consuming event. It requires extensive planning, organization, and a lot of physical activity. While there is no easy way to move house, there are several things you can do to simplify the process and reduce the amount of stress on yourself.

First things first: identify a target moving date. You'll want to take a variety of factors into consideration when determining your moving timeframe, such as work schedules if you're changing employment, school schedules for your kids, housing considerations such as rent or lease terms, and even the weather. A good rule of thumb is to give yourself a two-to-three week window to complete your entire move, from packing and cleaning your current residence, to moving itself, to unpacking and organizing in your new home.

Summer is always a peak moving time—particularly for families, as it provides for minimal interruption in kids' school schedules—but it’s also typically the hottest and least physically comfortable time of year to be doing all that heavy lifting. While unpleasant, blistering heat is not likely to be a deal breaker, but it is worth taking into consideration (scheduling your move for late May as opposed to mid-July, for example, could make a significant difference).

Once you’ve worked out a timeframe for your move, it's time to take inventory of your home. The most important part of this process is identifying what to keep, and what to get rid of before the move—there is no sense in moving items you don't plan on keeping long-term. A good way to determine what to keep and what to lose is to divide your household into three categories: 'Must Keep,' 'May Keep,' and 'Don't Need.' Once you’ve gotten rid of the 'Don't Need' items, go back through the 'May Keep' piles and eliminate everything you can.

If you're having trouble knowing when to let go of something, apply the six-month test: If it hasn't been used in the past six-months, you don’t need it (the exception here, of course, would be season items like winter coats, box fans, etc., that aren't intended for use year-round). Tip: Don’t automatically throw things you no longer need away—there are plenty of charity organizations that are constantly accepting donations of all kinds to help others in the community, and they would be happy to have your unwanted items. Plus, you can write off the donations for a nice tax break next April.

Now that your household is organized and you've done a thorough inventory of everything that will be making the move with you, it's time to start thinking about the logistics of actually moving it all. The easiest way to do it (but also the most expensive) is to hire a full-service moving company (*Note: Be sure to shop around for the best rate, and check out customer reviews online to make sure you choose a reputable company that won’t rip you off). They’ll come to your house, pack everything up, ship it off for you, and unpack at your new home. The next option—a bit more time consuming and work-intensive on your part, but certainly less expensive—is to pack and unpack yourself, but hire movers for the heavy lifting and physical transportation part of the process. All you have to pay for is the time they spend physically moving your possessions.

A third option would be to rent a truck and pack, lift and move everything yourself. There are plenty of truck rental services designed just for these kinds of projects, and their rates are typically very reasonable (although rising gas prices may make this option slightly less appealing). Finally, if you're determined to spend as little as possible, get a group of kind-hearted friends—and their cars—together and make moving a group activity. You can typically get away with a small payment to each helper, or the cost of dinner for the group. This is certainly the most labor-intensive option, but it won't cost you much at all.

Once you've chosen the right moving method for you, get everything planned out and scheduled at least 4-6 weeks in advance. Also, it's a good idea to begin the organization and overall move-out process as early as possible, so as to avoid having to cram it all—packing, cleaning, moving—into a few days or a weekend. Hit your local grocery or wholesale store to pick up empty boxes for free and pack up seasonal items and other things you don't use on a daily basis early on—fancy china, extra bedding, etc. While prolonging the moving process isn't exactly fun, spacing the massive task out will significantly reduce your stress level and help you feel more relaxed, prepared and in control of the process.

No matter how well you prepare, moving is always at least somewhat stressful, so do what you can to reduce that stress ahead of time, breathe deeply, and remember: it will be over before you know it.

Ki provides information on Austin real estate for buyers and sellers investigating the Austin market. His site has a search of the Austin MLS and information on Austin area neighborhoods.

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Kitchen Organization Help for Your Worst Problems

Is your kitchen a constant mess? Does no one in your home clean up after themselves or put things back where they belong? Here are some quick and easy tips to make sure that kitchen organization is part of everyone’s routine in your home.

The kitchen is one of the places in the home that is most used and because of that also one of the most abused places. Because it serves as meal-making central, it is vital that this area of the home stays clean and organized. A day or two of chaos here can mean hours of cleaning and organizing time. Here are a few ideas to help you get the worst of your kitchen organization problems under control.

I know that a problem in my own kitchen is making sure that everyone cleans up after themselves. To help with this, we have a house rule: If you make a mess in the kitchen, you clean it up. This applies to food-related messes as well as other messes in the kitchen. So if you bring a stack of schoolwork or mail into the kitchen in order to do homework or pay bills, make sure that you bring it back out of the kitchen as well. In order for your kitchen organization to go smoothly, you will also need to make sure that cleaning up counters and putting dishes in the dishwasher is part of this rule.

But as is the case with any house rule, making it is never the problem, enforcing it is. An appropriate consequence for not following the rule could be that whoever does not follow the rule gets stuck on kitchen cleanup duty for a week. To help make sure that everyone knows what the rule is, post it on a brightly colored piece of paper in the kitchen and make sure that you clearly define what defines a mess and what appropriate cleanup is in your house. In order for kitchen organization and cleanup to be part of your house rules, clean needs to be defined clearly and consequences for not following the rule need to be in place.

Make sure that everything has a place in your kitchen and that everyone in your house knows where that place is. If things do not have a specific place in your kitchen, it is going to be hard to get anyone in your home to put things away. Part of this means making sure that similar things “live” together in your kitchen.

My one caution in this is that different people have different definitions of what “like” things are. If you are the one who has done the initial kitchen organization job, make sure that everyone in your house is clear on what your definition of “like” things is. So if you have organized all of your daily use items together, make sure that everyone in your home knows that and knows where those items are. If you have organized all of the cups and mugs in one area, make sure that everyone in your home knows where those items are.

As with many things in life, making sure that kitchen organization is part of everyone’s routine in your home is about communication. You need to make sure that you appropriately communicate your expectations of what a clean and organized kitchen looks like. For more ideas to get your kitchen organized, go to http://www.yourhomeisorganized.com/KitchenOrganization.htm

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Marriage problems: Are power struggles destroying your relationship?

In the past you were single…

…and you could make decisions without having to check in with anyone.

Your favorite color was red and you liked small, fast cars (as in Cherry Red Sports Car, beloved even though you wrenched your back getting in and out);

The one bedroom apartment felt "cozy" and "just right," so you signed the longest lease you could get;

You decided to get a tattoo … a few Margaritas later, "I love Hank" was scrawled across your shoulder. (Unfortunately, you don't know any Hanks.)

Then "you" became a "we"…

…when you fell head over heels in love and made a commitment to another person (and a commitment to the relationship). And suddenly the two-seater is inadequate because it can't hold groceries; the apartment is woefully too small for the visiting in-laws; and your significant other gives you a gift certificate for the newest boutique in town: "Tats: You Get 'Em, We Strip 'Em."

You probably wouldn't argue with the fact that certain responsibilities come with being part of an intimate, committed relationship (you now exist as part of an "us," in addition to being a "me"). You could even make the argument that these responsibilities are part of what make being in love so rewarding.

One such responsibility includes consulting with your partner whenever you're faced with an important decision. The thinking here is that big decisions impact both of you, so it only makes sense to ask about your partner's opinions and feelings regarding any potentially important decision.

Major problems can arise when…

…you equate consulting with your partner with a loss of freedom and control in your life. Relationship problems arise when you fail to learn the give-and-take two-step, the relationship dance all couples must become skilled at in order to create a harmonious relationship.

Here's the basic premise of the give-and-take two-step (don't worry if you have two left feet, it's pretty simple, at least on paper):

Step 1: You give to your partner by acknowledging and meeting her/his wishes and needs.

Step 2: You take (receive) when your partner acknowledges and meets your wishes and needs.

Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 often.

Here's the great thing about the give-and-take two-step: there will be moments when there is no difference between giving and receiving. If it's meaningful to see your partner happy and content, you will experience the gift of receiving every time you give to your partner. No one loses in this dance!

Unfortunately, many fail to learn to do the give-and-take, and there's another dance that many couples start doing instead.

Enter the power-struggle shuffle

The power-struggle shuffle feeds off a destructive "I'm right, you're wrong" energy. In this dance, your ego fights for top billing and equates the idea of "giving to" your partner with "giving in" or losing.

Rather than experience the joys of "giving to," the ego runs on the treadmill of illusion, seeking areas of the relationship where it can feel in control and claim victory. Needing to win or feel in control is the death-knell to compromise and intimacy. When one of you loses, so does the relationship. As long as the "win-lose" tempo keeps the power-struggle shuffle alive, the gifts of intimacy will never be realized.

The playing field of power struggles: Making decisions

Power struggles often emerge when couples have to make decisions. It doesn't matter if you and your partner are butting heads over how much to tip the wait-staff, what school to send Junior to, or where to buy a new house, power struggles reflect the need to feel in control.

Mutuality and compromise: the antidote to power struggles

Many factors contribute to a successful marriage. A major contributor to success is learning how to become a team player, replacing the selfishness of the ego with an "us" and "we" mentality. Becoming a team player doesn't mean you abandon your identity and forgo opportunities to get your own needs met. What it does mean, however, is that you've made a commitment to another person and to something bigger than each of you—the relationship.

3 steps to compromise:

The first step in learning to compromise is to acknowledge (to yourself and your partner) that the person you fell in love with is a unique individual with his/her own wishes, needs, preferences, and experiences.

The second step in learning to compromise is to accept your partner's uniqueness. Needing to be in control of decisions is a major block to accepting that your partner's perspective is both different from your own and valid.

The third step in learning to compromise is to create enough space so that each of you has a voice in the decision-making process. This space is created when judgment is suspended and you and your partner take the time and effort to understand each other's perspective—even when you disagree with him/her.

Why can't I compromise?

If you find that you're having trouble compromising, it's important to understand your own struggle and resistance (rather than focusing your energies on what you perceive to be your partner's unreasonableness). A period of self-reflection in these moments can lead you down a path of self-discovery. When you find yourself resisting and unable to compromise, reflect on the following questions:

Why is this so difficult for me? What is fueling my resistance (e.g. fear, anger, resentment, etc.)?

What would happen if I give in a little?

What would I have to let go of in order to compromise?

One surefire way to drive a wedge between you and your partner is to begin making decisions as if you were single again. This is guaranteed to make your partner or spouse feel marginalized and before you know it, you'll be single again and you won't have to consult with anyone except your lonely self.

To discover ways to create a deeper, more intimate relationship visit http://StrengthenYourRelationship.com/ and sign up for Dr. Nicastro’s free monthly Relationship Toolbox Newsletter.

As a bonus, you will receive the popular free reports: "The four mindsets that can topple your relationship" and "Relationship self-defense: Control the way you argue…before your arguments control you."

Richard Nicastro, Ph.D. is a psychologist and relationship coach who is passionate about helping couples protect the sanctuary of their relationship. Rich and his wife founded LifeTalk Coaching, an internet-based coaching business that helps couples strengthen their relationships.

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Lost Luggage Compensation - Dealing With Lost Luggage

Ah, vacation, we look forward to a few glorious days away from the nine to five. We save for the trip, plan our leisure activities and happily pack our swim suits. Ideally, vacation times should be a stress free time and they usually are, but then sometimes things go wrong.

Maybe you are one of the unlucky few who are victim to the loss of your precious belongings and luggage. Luggage can go missing due to a luggage identification tag that has gone missing or an airline's luggage organizational problems. Either way walking around in the same clothes for five to ten days is not appealing for most people.

So can you get lost luggage compensation in for the inconvenience and loss of your belongings? Each airline will have there own policies on luggage compensation. Check their website or ask your agent.

Many airlines don't consider luggage lost until it's been missing for over 7 days. Airlines typically have a maximum value assigned to lost luggage; ask what this maximum cap is when checking in. You may wish to purchase extra insurance at the time. Also ask the airline about their reimbursement policy. Usually you'll need proof of your luggage contents to be able to collect. Keep receipts if possible. If your luggage fails to turn up, they may reimburse you only 50% of your replacement purchases upon submitting receipts. Don't neglect to also check with your home owner's policy. Some home insurance policies cover a portion of personal items lost during travel. Lastly, remember airlines won't accept liability for many items like cameras, jewellery, cash, computers and artwork.

Before leaving, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. When packing for your trip, consider packing an outfit or two in your carry-on luggage. If you're travelling with a partner consider placing some clothing items in each others luggage bags, just in case one bag makes it but the other doesn't. Also when packing, lay out all your items and photograph them with the luggage. Then create a list of your items, this helps you to prove the contents of your luggage. Make sure you label your luggage preferably inside and out with your home and destination details. Use a strong luggage tag that won't easily fall off. When you check in, make sure the agent places their tag on all the luggage pieces before sending them down the conveyor belt. And hopefully that trip down the conveyer belt isn't the last you'll see of your luggage.

Eve Duncan is a freelance writer, researcher and web publisher from Canada. If you're looking for new unique luggage visit Luggagegoodies.com where you can find popular polka dot luggage sets and vintage Hartmann luggage.

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Getting Back on the Writing Horse

After a four-month hiatus, I recently began to start publishing my newsletter for writers again. I’d justified the lapse by saying to myself and anyone who would listen that I’m just too busy during the summer months to keep the e-zine alive. After all, there’s my day job, my partner’s seasonal business that I help out with on weekends, bills to pay, errands to run...I surely had no lack of excuses.

Then it occurred to me—and you may identify with this—that the same thing happens to my freelance writing career from time to time. Like many writers, I sometimes get stalled; each time this occurs, I initially tend to blame external circumstances for my lack of productivity. Not enough time. Too many other things going on. I can’t write until I organize my notes, my desk, my home office, my entire life--!

As I began to compare my procrastination surrounding WriteSuccess with those times I am not writing, I realized that there are primarily two underlying causes for both:

Boredom. I sometimes become bored with the type of writing I’ve been doing; the writing begins to seem too much like work, too much of a struggle, and I would start to put it off. The same thing definitely happened with my work on WriteSuccess. I had published it biweekly for the better part of eight years, give or take a couple of breaks. It began to feel stale to me, and I was afraid that would translate into equally stale reading for my subscribers.

Whenever it dawns on me that boredom is the issue, I know it’s time to try new markets, or maybe just write for fun for a while, as I’d done as a child. Or perhaps it means that I need to stretch my writing muscles and experiment with different writing avenues, like writing the lyrics to a country and western song, developing greeting card sentiments, or going back to my very first writing love, fiction. Likewise, in order to recommit to WriteSuccess, I needed to breathe new life into it. Reformat it. Try some new things. The needs of writers on the internet have changed since the year 2000, when I published my first issue. WriteSuccess and I needed to change, too.

Fear. Fear has turned out to be another major reason for some of my writing lapses—fear of rejection, fear of wasting my time on something that no one would read or buy, fear of biting off more than I could chew, fear that maybe I’m not experienced enough to launch a copywriting business—I could go on, but this list is scaring me already!

Again, I was able to draw a parallel with why I’d been postponing the revival of WriteSuccess. I wanted to switch to an HTML format and make other changes as well. What if I had trouble working with the new design, and it came out looking wretched? What if I lost a ton of subscribers when I introduced the changes? These fear-based questions had me putting off this newsletter’s release date for weeks.

Fear is the more difficult block to admit to, and the tougher one to tackle. Indeed, it’s like getting back in the saddle after you’ve been thrown by a horse. You begin to think, maybe it’s time to find a new passion. Maybe it would be easier to...well, do just about anything rather than write again. After all, we certainly have enough things to distract us and devour our time. Who needs the added stress of worrying about whether or not one is writing?

But once I realize that it’s fear holding me back, I know what to do. What works for me is to take small steps. A sentence here, a paragraph there. With each step, the confidence grows and the fear dissipates. It works every single time. So if you haven’t written for a while, or find yourself procrastinating in any step of the writing process (editing your work, querying an idea, looking for an agent, etc.) take some time to find out the real reason why. It could be boredom, it could be fear, it could be something else altogether. But trust me, it’s not the messy closet you’ve been telling yourself you need to clean first.

Your writing horse awaits. Time to get back on it.

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Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Zamak, How do you choose the right Sword for you?

There are literally thousands of swords in different styles, materials, and price ranges available today. This can make choosing a sword a daunting experience to say the least. Hopefully with this article we can help you narrow that down a bit, and point out a few things to watch out for.

This article is going to mainly cover blade materials and the situations they’re best suited for, how much time you want to invest in your sword, as well as cost. As for the style of sword, well that we can’t really help with. The style of sword is as individual to a person as the way they choose to style their hair or the car they choose to buy..

Right now we’re going to look at three blade materials. That’s right three. Two that we all know, Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel, and one that you might not know Zamak. Zamak is an alloy that resembles steel, but can not be sharpened.

Carbon Steel: Carbon Steel swords are real functional swords that will stand up to the riggers of use, but as with everything else they come in different grades. High Carbon Steel swords are best, both in strength and durability, as well as holding an edge. Carbon Steel swords are also the highest maintenance swords. They, if not properly cared for and kept oiled, will corrode very easily. If you see the term “Battle Ready” sword, that generally means a fully functional Carbon Steel sword.

These Swords are for the hardcore sword owner. Someone that needs the sword to be functional, and won’t mind spending the time needed to care for it. These are generally the most expensive swords, due to the fact that they are usually hand forged.

Cost: Carbon swords can run any ware from $30.00 to $30,000.00+

Stainless Steel: Stainless Steel swords are not real swords as far as function goes. They are primarily a decorative sword. They look real, feel real, and most will hold an edge, which makes them a great display sword. But to use them in any other manner is to invite injury. The compound ‘Chromium’ is added to steel and this is what makes it Stainless. It also makes it brittle. A good enough hit to something with a Stainless Steel sword will snap it, and possibly injure you or someone nearby. Stainless Steel swords are low maintenance, and need only be cleaned off once and awhile.

These swords are great for display, and re-enactments. They are good for people who want a sword that looks and feels like a functional sword, but without the work or cost. They are less expensive than Carbon Steel while maintaining quality, due to the ability to mass produce them.

Cost: On average these swords will run from $20.00 to about $400.00.

Zamak: Zamak Is an alloy primarily used by a company called Denix. It is comprised of 95% zinc (Zn), aluminum, magnesium and copper. Swords made from this alloy are purely decorative, and try as hard as you like you can not put a functional edge on them. This makes them, among other things, the perfect display sword for family or educational environments. These are very low maintenance swords. They will not corrode, nor will they etch from human oils.

These are perfect decorative swords for a person that wants a sword that will look real on the wall, but will probably not be taken down very often, if at all. Because of their blade material they are perfect in family settings for safety, and for costumes, re-enactments, stage, screen, or as educational aids. Also because of the blade material, cost can be kept low without sacrificing quality.

Cost: The cost for these swords range from $60.00 to $110.00

Tips on buying a sword

Now in general the old adage rings true. You get what you pay for. That’s not to say you need to spend top dollar for a quality sword. There are some very good midrange swords on the market, and even one or two low range swords worth looking at. Every rule has it’s exceptions.

What you need to decide first is how authentic your sword needs to be, and how much your willing to invest in it. This will help you narrow the field considerably.

Next you need to realize that not all dealers have your best interest at heart. There are a lot of cheap imitation swords out there, which, in their pictures at least, resemble popular and reliable top name swords. So how do you tell?

Most reputable dealers that know they carry top name swords will proudly state the name of the swords manufacture.

Lets say you have two windows open side by side comparing the same sword on two sites. The picture looks the same and the name of the sword is the same, but the price is drastically different. Site A has the sword at $57.00, while Site B has the sword at $230.00. Your thinking that it’s to good to be true! Guess what...it probably is. Now you look and see that Site B proudly states the name of the manufacture, it may even be a name that you’ve seen many times in your search. Site A on the other hand does not state the manufacture. Why? It could be that they don’t know the name...not likely. Or it could be that they know if they put the wrong manufactures name on a knock off they would be sewed.

Now that’s not to say that is the case every time, but the top is an example of something that did happen, and the sword was a knock off of the popular sword. Our advise would be to contact the web site and ask who the manufacture of the sword is. If the sword is on the level, they will tell you the name. If they won’t tell you the name, move on to another site. This is best done by email. That way you have a record of it in case you buy the sword and it is not what they told you.

This is most common with prop replicas. Our advice in this area, again, when in doubt ask. Also know your sword.

Here are two examples: There is a cutlas on the market that is a knock off of a top name decorative pirate sword. It is being advertised as being from Pirates of the Caribbean. The sword is a basket hilt cutlas with a ship on the guard. There is no such sword in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Another favorite of mine is the Duncan MacLeod Highlander Katana. There is no jewel on Duncan’s sword! Walk away from it.

In closing I would like to start you on your way with a list of some of the more popular and trusted names in swords. This list covers quality swords from inexpensive to expensive.

Functional swords ( Carbon Steel): CAS Iberia, Hanwei, Valiant Armoury, Cold Steel.

Decorative Swords (Stainless and Zamak): Armaduras Medievals, Art Gladius, Denix, Fury, Marto, Maxam, United Cutlery.

Prop Replicas:

FactoryX, LMTD, Master Replicas, Museum Replicas, NECA, United Cutlery.

This is not a complete list by any means, just some of the best. There are many more companies and private Smiths of out standing quality out there, and you’ll get to recognize them as you surf.

Good luck and have fun!

James Crowe, owner of www.FantasyOutpost.com , has been involved with Swords, Replicas and Collectibles for over 25 years, both as a collector and a dealer.

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The Pizzazz of Prague's Music Scene

Once the 14th century capital of the Holy Roman Empire, the city of Prague is a cultural delight; with plenty to offer travellers of all ages and from all walks of life. The bridges, parks and hills compliment the vast array of architectural styles prevalent throughout this Eastern European city and wherever you go there’s sure to be a tune to step out to. The Czech Republic’s capital city has a long standing love affair with music that will bring joy to the ears of music fans far and wide.

Music has been the lifeblood of Prague for many years with Mozart being one of the most well known musicians linked to the city. The world premiere of Mozart and Da Ponte's ‘Don Giovanni’ took place in Prague in 1787 and the popularity of Mozart’s music propelled the classical composer to celebrity status amongst the city’s people. The musician had a reciprocal feeling for the city and its people which manifested itself in the creation of Symphony No. 38 - a piece of music that Mozart dedicated to the city of Prague where he spent a lot of his time. The house Mozart lived in is now a museum and is well worth a look when visiting the city.

Prague is no stranger to accomplished musical talent and was also the birthplace of classical composers Antoní Dvorák, Leoš Janácek and Bedrich Smetana.

As well as classical music, Prague has much more to offer as the eclectic and thriving music scene proves. Jazz is a hugely popular musical genre which can be heard echoing around the city thanks to the ample street musicians and jazz bars. Tubas and trumpets are common sights and the city’s squares are popular spots for impromptu concerts to spring up.

Concerts are common fare and are found everywhere from the ordinary to the unusual. As evening descends churches double up as classical concert halls and you could find yourself anywhere from a palace to a tram museum and even the National Memorial - a hilltop mausoleum used as a music hall.

A music lover’s city just wouldn’t be the same without festivals running throughout the year and Prague certainly delivers. The Prague Spring International Music Festival is renowned as one of the great post-war festivals. The Prague Festival runs in early autumn and presents the work of world famous classical music composers. An International Jazz festival adds a little variation to the mix and is a welcome addition to the month of October.

Arriving, getting around and staying in Prague is straightforward. The hotels in Prague are as varied as the music scene itself and offer a variety of options whether you want to be immersed in the hubbub of the city or fancy a quiet spot off the beaten track.

Disclaimer: Matthew Pressman writes for a wide variety of commercial clients. This article is intended for information purposes only and readers should seek additional information before taking any actions based on its content.

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How to Find Small Closet Organizers That Fit Your Needs

Small closets present their own unique challenges so you are going to need to look for small closet organizers that can handle your small closet in unique ways. A few things you need to look for are:

Small closet organizers that make the best use of vertical space. Because space is at a premium in small closets, you need to make use of all of the space that you have. This means making sure that you get a small closet organizer that has the right kind of shelving space that allows you to make use of the vertical space you have. Depending on what you plan on putting on those shelves, you also may need to make sure that it can hold plenty of weight.

Then make sure that you get stackable boxes. If they are not properly stackable, you will end up wasting space in your closet and you could also be in danger of them falling. Stackable boxes work great for out of season clothing, shoes, and all kinds of accessories. They can also work well for those discrete items that you do not want the kids to find.

Small closet organizers that have a double hanging rod in part of the closet. The reason why this is important is because it doubles the hanging space in that area of your closet. This alone can help eliminate many of your small closet headaches. Getting double hanging rods in at least half of your closet space works well and still leaves you enough room to hang dresses and other items that need more hanging space.

Small closet organizers that fit in your space. I know that this one may seem obvious but making sure that you take appropriate and accurate measurements before you go out and buy an organizing system. There is nothing worse than getting partway into getting your closet organizer system setup and realizing that there is no way it will fit into your space. Be sure to accurately measure height, width and length of your closet.

You can find small closet organizers that fit your space and your needs perfectly. Just be sure to know what you are looking for. Get more free closet organization help at http://www.yourhomeisorganized.com/ClosetOrganizers.htm

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Credit Crisis: Blip or Full-Blown Recession?

In 2008, having entered its second year, there seems to be little chance of the credit crisis easing forcing most financial analysts to re-evaluate their position and work out how severe it will get and how much longer it will prevail. Indeed, a recent UK survey has highlighted that customer confidence is at its lowest level since the strike-ridden days of 1974 as the media continues to report abundant stories of financial doom and gloom.

But, where did it all go wrong? Few experts could have predicted that the sub-prime lending crisis in the USA would have such a disastrous knock-on effect throughout the world. However, it was only after the extent to which global banking organisations were involved in the seemingly domestic US crisis that a collective deep breath was taken.

It soon transpired that world banks were lending vast unsecured sums to each other and made worse, when, because of the sub-prime crisis they no longer trusted the ratings of each other’s loans. The distrust almost forced a complete global breakdown in lending at anything other than premium rates and then only on extremely secure options. That caution soon passed into retail markets as lending products were rapidly withdrawn, particularly in the mortgage and unsecured markets.

That too, had a knock-on effect in the housing market. House prices have fallen rapidly as most people find it hard to obtain a mortgage in the current financial climate. Record numbers of repossessions are also being reported, with recent figures showing that 48% more families lost their home up to the end of the second quarter of 2008 when compared to the previous year. That is the worst set of figures for twelve years, leaving many people in a daze. Only 12 months ago everything seemed so rosy, with the average house price rising at £1,000 per week. Now that figure is in reverse and with the market slowing to a snail’s pace seems only set to get worse.

But, it’s not just the housing market that is suffering. Retail organisations are reporting a slow-down as people now have less disposable income to spend, and credit cards are being used less. Indeed, within months of the credit crisis hitting the UK shores credit card companies started to decline record numbers of applications, and even started reducing the credit limits of customers they identified as being high risk.

Now, many people in the UK are saving more and are cutting their expenditure as they prepare for the possible hard times ahead. Depending upon which economists you believe, this current credit crisis is either only a small blip or the start of years of economic recession; only time will tell whether it’s the optimists or the pessimists who got it right.

Disclaimer: Matthew Pressman writes for a wide variety of commercial clients. This article is intended for information purposes only and readers should seek additional information before taking any actions based on its content.

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