Are you thinking about getting a border collie? This dog makes a great pet as long as he has lots of work to do. The border collie was bred to herd animals and that is what it will want to do. It may even start herding your kids or your other pets!

The border collie originally comes from Northumberland which is on the English/Scottish border. It is a descendant of the old British droving breeds but also has some spaniel in it. This dog is an incredible herder; it can handle any type of herd. The border collie will crouch down on the ground and give the animals an intense stare. Herding isn’t all this dog is used for though. It is used for drug and bomb detection as well as search and rescue. Some are even used as seeing-eye dogs.

The border collie is one of the most trainable dogs out of all the breeds. They commonly perform in obedience, Frisbee, flyball and agility trials. If you get this dog, physical exercise will not be enough. They need something for their mind to do as well as their body. They want to work and carry out tasks. This is an extremely energetic dog.

This dog is also one of the most intelligent breeds. They are really easy to train and do the best if you give them lots of praise. When the dog is young it needs to be socialized a lot so that it doesn’t become shy. Most border collies will get along fine with children and other dogs. If you get this dog it will need almost constant attention, lots of daily exercise and a task for it to do. This dog lives for serving its owner and will not just lie around the house all day doing nothing. If this breed gets bored, they can become destructive while it looks for something to do.

If you live in an apartment you definitely should not get this dog. They need to have lots of room to run and play. Also, this dog should never be left alone for a long time or they can become neurotic. You can’t just ignore this breed; they need attention all the time.

Border collies are usually pretty healthy but some are prone to PRA, hip dysplasia, eye disease, allergies to fleas, epilepsy and deafness. Most live to be around twelve to fifteen years old.

The border collie needs to be brushed and combed regularly to keep its coat healthy. You have to be careful though when their undercoat sheds. They are considered to be an average shedder. Only give them baths when it is necessary.

The most important thing to remember with this dog is that it must have something to do. If you don’t provide activities for the dog, you will run into problems. If you give the dog a task, make sure it gets lots of exercise and give it plenty of attention, you will have a great pet. The border collie absolutely loves to make its owner happy.

Corrado Dearca
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Bred for their intelligence and herding instincts, Border Collies are descended from British herding dogs. A medium sized dog, Border Collies will grow to about 19 to 22 inches and 30 to 45 pounds. They will live about 12 to 15 years. Border Collies have medium to longer hair that comes in a variety of colors and are prone to shedding. Border Collies need to be brushed regularly to keep the coat healthy and dirt free. Border Collies are also known for their stare. Though their eyes can be brown, amber or blue, it is the Border Collie stare that people remember. This is part of the herding instinct, and a Border Collie will attempt to herd almost anything, including cars and children.

Great care must be taken with a Border Collie to ensure it does not hurt itself or others. A fenced in yard and plenty of leash training is a must with this breed. Border Collies are easy to train due to their intelligence, but, because of their desire to work, Border Collies must have work to do. If they are not given tasks to perform and room to roam, they will become bored and destructive.

They must have a lot of stimulation and activity to stay happy. Though good with children, Border Collies may attempt to herd them and, to keep the ‘herd’ in line, Border Collies have been known to nip. Border Collies usually do not do well with other animals, due to their herding instinct, and can become aggressive with other dogs of the same gender. Border Collies can be excellent household pets, but must be cared for by a family willing to give them the training, attention, care and activities they need. Border Collies are not recommended for people who live in apartments or those who do not plan on spending a lot of time with their pet.

Border Collies do have some breed specific issues. Some are prone to hip dysplasia, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) and Collie Eye Anomaly. Many Border Collies are allergic to fleas and some are prone to epilepsy and deafness. Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) is a shoulder lameness that can develop between the ages of 4 to 12 months. Border Collies have also been known to work themselves to exhaustion and suffer from heat stroke in the hot weather.

Because Border Collies are very physically active, they are prone to athletic injuries, such as pulled muscles, cruciate ligament ruptures, cuts and punctures, ripped toenails and footpads.

There is a website that has great information on Border Collies and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2006

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Corrado Dearca
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Here are the questions I have:
What zone(s) does the koi live in the ocean?
What’s the average weight of a koi?
What are 2 adaptations that koi needs to live in the ocean?

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Snakes are one of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. Many people have an innate fear of them but in reality most snakes are harmless and will only bite if provoked. Below are a few common misconceptions and myths about snakes and the truth behind them.

All snakes are poisonous. Actually, less than 20% of the world’s species are actually venomous. Also, there are very few species that will attack for no reason.

There are a few ways you can tell the difference between a venomous snake and a non-venomous snake. Some non-venomous species have adapted themselves to look like venomous snakes when they are afraid but if you see one in the wild, it is always best to assume that it is dangerous and stay away. The main difference between the two types of snakes is that venomous snakes have a diamond shaped head, whereas non-venomous snakes have a round-shaped head. As well as this, venomous snakes usually have elliptical eyes (a similar shape to cats) whereas non-venomous snakes have round eyes.

Snakes feel slimy. Contrary to feeling slippery, their skin is actually very dry. Snakes have very muscular bodies, which are covered in scales. Since they have no limbs, this helps them move around.

Snakes want to bite people. There are three reasons a non-venomous snake might bite you: you smell like food, it thinks you are a predator or it is scared. If you have been handling warm-blooded animals like rodents or even cats and dogs, you might smell like these animals to the snake, which will mistake you for food.

The majority of snake bites in the wild happen when someone accidently steps on a snake or disturbs its home. In these situations the snake feels threatened and will try and defend itself and its home. With pet snakes, they may feel threatened if you reach down to pick them up as they may mistake you for a predator. Normally, snakes will just get out of a threatening situation as fast as possible but if they feel cornered for any reason, they will resort to biting.

Snakes are dangerous pets. This is not at all the case. Many snakes that are used to being handled actually make great pets. If you are thinking of getting a pet snake there are many breeds to choose from. However, most people will advise against getting a venomous or constricting snake, especially if you are an inexperienced snake owner. While most snakes are normally harmless, those breeds that are potentially dangerous to their owners should not be considered as good pets.

Like any pet, you need to make sure you have researched snakes thoroughly before getting one. If you have never owned a snake before, it might be a good idea to talk to someone who has knowledge about what breeds are best and how to care for them. Some snakes are potentially dangerous, but as a species they are generally misunderstood and can make very tame, entertaining pets.

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Snakes are probably the most misunderstood, and most illogically feared creatures on the planet. Of the 2,200-plus species of snakes in the world, fewer than 20 percent are venomous. People have an instinctual fear of snakes that stems back for thousands of years. It probably started out as a survival instinct, when there was no literature or way of telling which snakes were harmful or not. On the other hand, biblical literature has encouraged us to fear snakes for an entirely different reason. Other people simply misunderstand snakes, thinking that they are slimy, nasty creatures.

The first thing to know about snakes is that any non-venomous snake will only bite you for 3 reasons. First, if you smell like food. If you have recently handled a warm-blooded animal, such as mice, guinea pigs, even cats, the snake may smell that on you and mistake you for something edible. Second, if the snake feels you are a predator that is trying to harm it. Especially when reaching down towards a snake, the snake can misinterpret you for something trying to eat it. Thirdly, and the most likely reason non-venomous snakes bite, is simply because they are afraid. When given the choice between biting at you (the 5-6 foot tall giant that just stepped into it’s territory) or running away as fast as it can possibly slither…it will choose running away every time. If the snake however, feels cornered, or for whatever reason unable to hide, it will strike out at you, more as a warning to leave it alone than to actually do any damage.

Non-venomous snakes are usually very safe to handle, especially pet snakes or snakes that are used to being handled. Even most species of wild snakes that are non-venomous are perfectly able to be handled without fear of bites (the exception being water snakes and other naturally aggressive species). If you do try to handle a snake, be sure to move slowly, and edge your hand under the belly of the snake near the tail area. If you move suddenly, or from the top, it may mistake you for a predator. Once you have actually lifted the snake and are holding it, do not hold it by the tail, rather support it’s body loosely with your hands (keep a loose but firm grip, if you squeeze too hard it will likely injure the snake), and let the snake explore it’s way around your hands and arms. If the snake seems agitated, or goes into a strike position, it is best to slowly, but gently put the snake back.

You will find that snakes are not slimy, nor nasty in any way. However if they get frightened, they may defecate on you as a way of showing fear. If this happens, be sure to wash the area thoroughly with soap and hot water, as snakes do carry salmonella bacteria in their feces. You must also remember that snakes, while being beautiful and interesting to watch, simply aren’t the brightest creatures in the world, and have about the same thinking power as your average goldfish. Remember when you are holding a snake that it likely sees you as a very odd tree, and does not recognize you as a human being. Snakes react by instinct rather than thought, and as long as you keep this in mind, being around snakes is very easy to do as well as being interesting.

So how do you tell venomous and non-venomous snakes apart? There are several ways to tell, although some species of non-venomous snakes have adapted to be able to look like venomous snakes when they are afraid. If you are ever even slightly in doubt, leave the snake alone! As a general rule, venomous snakes have diamond or triangle shaped heads, instead of rounded heads that most non-venomous snakes have. Also, their eyes are elliptical like a cat’s eye instead of being round as well. Pit vipers have a telltale pit between the eye and the mouth. The pit, a heat-sensing organ, makes it possible for the snake to accurately strike a warm-blooded victim, even if the snake cannot see the victim. Of course rattlesnakes usually rattle, but this is not always the case. Some species of rattlesnakes have evolved without a rattle!

So now that you know more about snake behaviors and facts, I hope you will give snakes a chance. Not only are they fascinating to watch, but they serve a vital function in our ecosystem.

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