Things to consider before owning a cat

Cats can make great pets, they have personalities of their own and can be a brilliant companion for families or older children. But what things are important to consider before owning a cat? It is important to take many things into account before giving your feline friend a new home.

Cat behaviour:

It is important you actually like the way cats behave before even considering having one. Cats can be affectionate and loving but they are also independent creatures that may spend a lot of time outside. You should be aware of this before getting a cat to avoid being disappointed. Cats also can be quite demanding in many ways, asking for food, to be let out or in at the strangest times. They also like to hunt, not all cats will be good hunters, but if you aren’t willing to clear up after their escapades this could be an issue later on! Cats are also fairly playful, although they will sleep often many cats will love to be entertained when they are awake so you need to make sure a member of your family will be happy to play with your new pet!

Lifestyle:

You also need to take your lifestyle into consideration. Cats dislike change so if you have to move often you might want to think about a different sort of pet. Cats also demand a certain amount of time to keep them healthy and happy. Tasks such as grooming, feeding, medical care (such as de-fleaing and worming) and of course playing all take a considerable amount of time which has to be worked into your routine. Cats are however, independent creatures so will tolerate being left alone for a number of hours, providing access to food, clean water and shelter is provided. If you go on holidays you also need to make arrangements for the cats care while you are away.

Finance:

Although not hugely expensive animals to keep you should always think about the cost of keeping an animal before giving it a home. Things to keep in mind is their food cost, although most cats are happy on basic cat foods some may have restrictions, such as allergies, which means a higher quality food needs to be provided. You should also consider the basic health costs, such as regular flea treatments and wormers. There will also be the vets fees should your cat become injured or ill, you may even decide to take out insurance to cover this, which are all things you should research and consider. Lastly there are the one off costs, or the initial outlays of owning a cat. Microchipping, to ensure you can prove the cat is yours should it get lost, vaccinations, not just as a kitten but also throughout the life of your pet. There are also the sundries, such as bowls, toys, and bedding.

Other considerations:

After thinking about all of the above you should also think about the members in your family. Are they all prepared to take responsibility for the pet? Are they all comfortable with the idea of having a cat? You should also think about any pets you already have and if they will get along with the new family member. Another point to think about is if anyone in the household has allergies, if so you should think very carefully if having a cat would be suitable.

Obtaining a cat

Once you have thought about all of the above and having decided to get a cat, you should think about where you are going to get your new feline friend from. During the spring there are many adverts for kittens. Some of these are free to a good home, some already have flea treatments and Microchipping and sometimes the people will ask for a small price to cover the cost. This is of course speaking for the majority of cats that are ‘moggies’, in other words the common British shorthair cat, with no pedigree. These cats have varied and interesting personalities, not to mention looks as well! Maybe you might want a pedigree cat, which although the care may be slightly different or more demanding you will know what to expect from your new pet. The best place to source these cats is from cat magazines and online private websites from breeders.

Although it is great to get a new kitten, you should also think about rehoming centres. Many cats are abandoned or given to rehoming centres each year. They are all there for many reasons and there is always a huge variety to choose from, right from little kittens to the veterans, all of which would cherish a new loving home.

About The Author

Gordon Bloomfield

I am a pet retail business owner and internet marketing entrepreneur. Offering pet products and information, online money making opportunities. Automated income systems. New ebooks and marketing programmes for sale.

http://www.allpet.co.uk

http://petandreptile.blogspot.com

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All of us know that the dog is a man’s best friend. The dog is our protector and a guard to our house. Dog training is very important for the dog and all pet owners. All dog owners must understand the real purpose for the dog training, before you begin the training session, you must need to be more patient with your pet.

Basic pet obedience training usually consists of 6 behaviors: sit, down, stay, recall, close and heel.

These are not only the easiest commands for your dog to learn, since he is already doing these all things anyway, but they are the basis of more complicated commands to come. The mastering of these six commands alone can positively impact the way your dog interacts with the world and the way the world perceives your dog.

You could be able to form your dog for current tasks like following you, the training of toilet, playing of the plays, etc, but the life in a city will require more than this basic training. For formal dog the

formation is completely important, for example if you take your dog for a walk on the street, that it must know walk in a straight line with a leash around. You don’t want your dog scurrying around dragging you all over the park while scaring any other commuters.

One other important aspect of the formation of dog is the age of your familiar animal. The age of a dog has a direct bearing on how much adaptive and receptive the dog remains to the training efforts and for

his ‘trained-memory’. A young puppy is substantially easier with the train compared with an adult dog which is above one year or two. In the event of adult dogs it could be almost impossible to form it on your clean, and it is where the professional training of obedience of dog will come in useful.

Mostly professional “dog trainers” train the dog’s guardian to train his dog. To be most effective, the guardian must use and instruct the techniques taught to the dog. Guardians and dogs who attend class

together have an opportunity to learn more about each other and how to work together under a trainer’s guidance. Training is most effective if all those who handle the dog take part in the training to ensure

conformable commands, methods, and enforcement. These classes also help socialize a dog to other people and dogs. These training classes are offered by many kennels, pet stores, and independent trainers.

The classes of group can not be available until the pup achieved all its vaccinations approximately for 4 months of age; however, some trainers offer puppy socialization classes in which puppies can enroll

immediately after being placed in their permanent homes as long as disease risk is minimal and puppies have received initial vaccinations. In the majority of the cases, the classes of basic training accept only the pups which are at least 3 to 6 months. One however recommends to him to start to be exerted as soon as the pup inherits your house. Puppies may also be trained individually by the trainer visiting the dog’s home beginning as early as 8 weeks.

About The Author

Having grown up with dogs all my life it seemed a natural progression for my husband and I to get dogs of our own. Having already had a Parson Terrier (similar to a Jack Russell only with longer legs!) we decided we would get two brothers from this breed. Our puppies were 8 weeks old when we collected them.

We wanted to enroll them in a puppy socialisation class only to be told that they were full, which resulted in me talking to 7-8 trainers. To my dismay they all said the same to me…..

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Dog cages are treated by many people as a prison or jail but that is not true. Dog cage is not to restrict movement of your pet rather it is a place provided to be secured and safe. The design of dog cage to look like dog’s house will change the thinking of the people who are of the opinion that dog cages are for punishment purpose where pet is put in order to restrict his movement. It is found from studies that dog feel safe when in cage and are very comfortable. Dogs willingly spend time sleeping in dog cage. It is advisable to train the puppies in the early stage of life to use dog cage so that he is comfortable using it as he grows.

Cage should never be used for punishment purpose when your dog is having bad behavior since your dog will have been ill-feeling for dog cage and will be reluctant to get into that. Dog invariably will develop his resentment to stay in the dog cage. Locking dogs in cages for punishments will make them more aggressive and offensive; they will not listen to you nor will they follow your commands. Dog is a sensitive animal and to train him for cage training is to develop a feeling that cages are safe places to stay. The main idea behind using the cage for your pet dog is to make him comfortable.

When your dog is at ease staying in the dog cage it will be lot easier to carry him from one place to another. One of the important reasons for developing good attitude for cage is this also. Before you provide training to your pet dog to stay in the cage it is necessary to make the cage equipped with few things that will add to the comforts of your dog. One of the things you should do is place some blankets to provide softer base on the floor of the cage for your pet to lie down. Next is to provide water so that your dog can quench his thirst as and when required. Furthermore, place some toys for him to play. Thus the size of the cage should be such that all these things can be accommodated in it as these things will make your pet eel that he is in safe place and cage is not a prison.

Initially keep the door of the cage open but slowly keep the door close to short time. Once your pet finds the place safe you can gradually increase the time for keeping door of the cage close. The main purpose of the cage training is to make the dog feel safe and secure instead of using the cage for punishment.

About The Author

There are a wide range of Dog Beds to choose from ranging from Waterproof Dog Beds to Raised Dog Beds.

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If you are about to become the proud owner of a new dog there are a few essential items you will need. There are lots of essential dog supplies but by ensuring you have these top three you will be able to look after your dog properly, giving them the best possible life.

The most important thing to buy is a dog bed. There are hundreds of dog beds on the market of different sizes and shapes including round, square and rectangular. Think about the size of your dog and if possible take measurements of your dog’s body before buying the bed.

Another essential is a food bowl. Choosing a good bowl can be difficult, again due to the huge selection on offer. The best type of bowl to buy is one made of stainless steel. Stainless steel dog bowls come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are durable and inexpensive. Stainless steel bowls are not only dishwasher safe, but also virtually indestructible, which is perfect if your new dog likes chewing it’s supplies!

When taking your dog for walks your pet will need a lead. Dog leads vary in length and are made from either leather or nylon. There are two main types to choose from, a standard lead or a retractable lead, but do you go for one that is long or short?

It might be wise to buy a shorter lead for dog if you will be training your dog. A lead that stretches no more than four feet will give you control and prevent your dog from wandering off too far. Longer leads are more appropriate for dogs that are more obedient. The longer lead allows them to wander off yet as the owner, you still have control.

About The Author

Rupert Brown regularly contributes articles on Waterproof dog bed . To know more visit http://www.muddypaws.co.uk/

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Twisted Humor; Socks won’t cover this up!
 by: Randy Harbison

I have had over the years (48 of them) a lot of time to review and participate in many different styles of humor and have studied their various effects on the human psyche. I will convey many of my observations, thoughts and ramblings where humor is involved. Over the next few months I will write on the following topics Cold Humor, Fat Humor, Bad Humor, Tasteless Humor and others.

Twisted Humor: Twisted humor is one of those things that at the end may seam funny to some folks but to the one who bears the brunt of this type of humor is left with his or her life changed forever. You have heard no doubt, of the aftereffects of some of these humorous situations but were not privy to what actually occurred to facilitate the life change. Let me share with you one such story told to me by my friend John, in his words.

I awoke one day several years ago on my birthday. Now birthdays around our house are a big event. The festivities usually start in the morning with the entire family (My wife, 3 Kids and one dog) in bed with the birthday-boy hollering heckles about the aged old man. This ritual usually ended with the kids fixing breakfast and the wife and I enjoying some of the comforts of our physical relationship. But this day was different; I awoke to what appeared to be a normal morning ritual where they were all doing there own thing, getting ready for their respective days. I appeared as though they had forgotten it was my birthday. I began to get terribly depressed but continued on. I quickly prepared for work and left for the office expecting the group I work with to have something big prepared for my birthday as they usually did. I arrived at work and found that my co-workers had also disappointed me, there were no birthday streamers and cake as usual. I slipped further into depression as I thought that turning 50 would have brought out the party poppers and ribbons. It had become a very bad day. Latter in the morning my secretary Denise, who was 35 and built for pleasure, asked me “what has you so down this morning.” I explained that it was my birthday and all of my family and friends had forgotten it, leaving me very depressed. Felling badly about forgetting my birthday she volunteered to take me to lunch. I declined but Denise insisted so we left at one to have lunch. I suggested several restaurants but Denise insisted on taking me to her apartment instead where she indicated she wanted me all to herself. When we arrived at Denise’s apartment, she led me to the wet bar and asked me to make us both a stiff drink. We took our drinks to the living room and visited for a time about the plight of her last failed relationship. She indicated the next time she entered into a relationship it would be with an older gentleman about my age, possibly me. She asked to be excused for a moment while she went to the bedroom to slip into something more comfortable. I was getting excited as I thought she was coming on to me and thinking I might get lucky I waited for her return. My mind began to race excitedly thinking about what might happen next. I began to undress and prepare for her return. I arranged the throw over the love seat and got comfortably naked and waited. After some time she exited her room with loud shouts of happy birthday followed by my wife, mother in law, kids and the guys and gals from my office, all shouting happy birthday and their I sat with nothing on but my socks.

Woops!

Now that’s funny!

If you would like to see other funny things I have accumulated over those 48 years go to my website and check them out http://www.TheDailyQuip.com/ and please have a humorous day, it’s the only way your going to make it out sane…

About The Author

Randy Harbison has, over the years, had many humorous incidents occur to him and those around him. He has on several occasions played different roles in these humorous situations and I can say he dishes them out better than he gets. So this is to say he is a typical ordinary guy.

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Love. Probably the most misused word in the English language. We “love” our kids, our dog, pizza, even certain television shows. But if we really want to learn about love, God’s Word is where we should turn.

The Bible talks a lot about love – what it is (1Corinthians 13), why we are told to love (1 John 4:19), ways we should express love (John 15:13). The Bible tells us how much God loves us (John 3:16) and that love is the greatest commandment of all (1Corinthians 13:13).

Unfortunately, and much to God’s displeasure, marriages break up all the time because couples have fallen “out of love.” But, according to the Bible, falling out of love is impossible because love is a choice. Feeling out of love, on the other hand, is possible. Even probable. Anyone who is married – even happily – will testify to that.

And that’s really what it comes down to, isn’t it? Many couples base their claims of falling out of love on the fact that they no longer feel love for their spouse. But God tells us not to live by our feelings. Our feelings can change from day to day – even moment to moment! God’s Word tells us in Proverbs 28:26 and in Jeremiah 17:9 that our hearts are deceitful. They can’t always be trusted.

If you are unhappy in your marriage, to the point of wanting to walk away, that’s probably not something you want to hear. Most likely, you feel justified in your decision to walk away. Maybe you’ve even convinced yourself that God actually approves of your reasons for leaving. After all, you have some good reasons! But, of course, you already know in your heart that God does not approve. Because His idea of marriage is forever. And, unless there is abuse or an unrepentant affair, you are required to stay. Whether you feel like it or not.

Here’s a question for you. Do you believe Jesus loves you? If you’re a Christian, your answer is probably, “of course!” The Bible tells us over and over how much He loves us. So much that He went to the cross. But here’s another question. Do you think Jesus felt like going to the cross? Do you think He wanted to experience the nails driving into his hands and feet? That he felt like being beat to a pulp, spit on, shoved to the ground…I don’t think so. But Jesus made a decision. He decided to bear the excruciating pain. To be tortured. Whipped. Cursed at.

If Jesus had acted on his feelings, we’d all be on our way to hell. But because he pushed through His feelings and decided to love, our lives are forever changed.

Although you won’t have to experience the physical pain Jesus did when He decided to love, you may go through some pretty heavy emotional pain. Choosing to love is not easy! Especially when there are hurts, anger and bitterness to work through. Especially when you don’t feel like it!

If you’re no longer “in love” with your husband or wife, if you’re considering ending your marriage, get help before the cement completely sets in your heart. Contact a good Christian marriage counselor or therapist to help you learn what you need to do to get the love back. Do it God’s way. When you do, it won’t be long before you’ll find yourself falling (and feeling) in love again.

Marriage resources to check out:

http://www.marriagetoday.org/site/PageServer

http://www.familylife.com/site/c.dnJHKLNnFoG/b.3843443//

http://www.marriagebuilders.com/

About The Author

Lynn Powers

Access Thousands of Christian Articles, Christian Poems, and Christian Stories at http://FaithReaders.com: http://www.faithreaders.com. Discuss all Christian topics at Best Christian Forums: http://www.bestchristianforums.com.

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Health insurance, car insurance, vacation insurance – why not pet insurance?

If you think about it – pet insurance makes sense. Whether your dog (or cat) is a purebred or a mutt, he’s bound to feel a little under the weather or have an accident (not on the carpet – one that’s a little more health related). And if you have health insurance, it’ll make paying for that emergency surgery or treating your pet’s chronic illness a little more palatable.

The cost of fishing a foreign body out of Fluffy’s stomach or correcting Fido’s hip dysplasia alone can run into the thousands – so if you can afford the monthly cost of health insurance, it’s definitely worth the nominal expense.

If you’re thinking about getting healthcare coverage for your pets, be sure to ask these questions of the insurance provider:

1. Are there age restrictions for coverage?

2. Will the premiums rise as my pet ages or when the benefits are used?

3. What is the deductible?

4. How much of the claim will the insurer pay (less the deductible, of course)?

5. Are there limitations on which veterinarian I can use?

6. Is there a restrictive schedule of benefits?

7. What is the term of the policy?

8. Does the policy cover chronic and hereditary conditions?

9. What is the cost?

When you’re finally ready to do a little research, check PETCO’s site (http://www.petco.com/Content/Article.aspx?PC=article&Nav=153&PetTypeID=1&TopicID=12&id=2556) – that’s where I found some of the most valuable information on the topic. But your vet’s office and your local Humane Society should also be able to offer some information to help you in your quest.

Of course, you should also do plenty of shopping around to find the right coverage for your pet – at the right price for your household budget. But instead of wasting time calling the insurance companies, check them out online. Most of them offer quotes in a matter of minutes

About The Author

Jed Yorkshire is a retired teacher and pet enthusiast who writes about canine health topics, specialty breeds, animal training and grooming. An avid pet lover and breeder, he owns four beautiful Giant Schnauzers. Yorkshire also works as a private pet behavior consultant.

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ABSTRACT

Taboos are established in a society to avoid harmful consequences to their people either because the non-verbal or verbal behavior violates a code based on supernatural beliefs or it violates the moral code of the society. According to Adler (1989), taboos are subject to the environment and they are language-specific. This research was held in the United States to examine whether the Chinese and Korean immigrants in a western society share any taboos in (1) non-verbal phonologically-linked taboos, related to death or separation and (2) verbal animal-linked taboos to describe people. The results show that these Chinese and Koreans share only one phonologically-linked taboo – the number “4”, which associates with “death,” and one animal-linked taboo – the “tiger” for a woman, which is used negatively to hot-tempered females.

Introduction

In an intercultural setting, good communication requires not only the linguistic and sociolinguistic knowledge of the host language for interaction but also knowledge of the culture and cultural rules which contribute greatly to the content and the process of meaningful communicative interaction (Saville-Troike, 1989). Most people are motivated to adjust their conversation in expressing attitudes and intentions toward others. Though individual variation may exist, people will basically choose appropriate language as a means of reducing the cultural differences between them. Knowledge of prominent language features of a culture like non-verbal and verbal taboos, seldom discussed in language textbooks or in classrooms as part of cultural instruction, is probably essential to successful communicative interaction (Shen, 1993).

Taboos are subject to the environment. They are language-specific; therefore, they are not universal or timeless (Adler, 1978). In many cases, foreign people realize the existence of the rules associated with taboos only after they have violated them. Those who do not observe these social “rules” might face serious results, such as total embarrassment or, as Saville-Troike (1989) has stated, they may be accused of immorality and face social ostracism or even death.

In this paper, two types of Chinese “possible taboos” are examined in the context of Korean culture and language: (1) Non-verbal phonologically-linked taboos from traditional Chinese society that are associated with the “separation” and “death”. Do Chinese and Koreans share these taboos because similar sounds occur so often in their languages? (2) Verbal zodiac-animal-linked taboos in modern Chinese society. Do Chinese and Koreans share more zodiac-animal-linked taboos than either shares with Americans because of the same customs? Data were collected in two ways: questionnaires and interviews.

What is a Taboo?

The word ‘taboo’ in early contexts was primarily used to evoke a breach of good manners. Today the word evokes either attitudes that are outdated and irrational or topics that were deemed unmentionable in the past but are now being openly discussed (Thody, 1997).

“Taboo” is a borrowed word from Tongan, a Polynesian language. To most people, it refers to “forbidden” or “to be avoided” behaviors, both verbal and non-verbal. A taboo is also an expression of disapproved behaviors in a society. Taboos are established because people believe that such inappropriateness will bring harmful consequences to them either because this non-verbal or verbal behavior violates a code based on supernatural beliefs or it violates the moral code of the society (Wardhaugh, 1992). Once taboos are formed in a country, references to them become taboo, too (Shen, 1993).

We may find that taboos occur in all kinds of environments, from ancient to modern society, and at all levels of civilization. Members of each community are psychologically and physically trained and shaped by the community to observe the “rules” closely. For example, Westerners wear black for a funeral and white for a wedding. But in the ancient Chinese weddings, a white dress was not allowed to be worn because white was for a funeral. Therefore, all individuals involved had to wear black formal costumes. Later, the color changed to red. Now under Western influence, white is the customary formal color for brides and sometimes for bridegrooms, too (Shen, 1993).

Non-Verbal and Verbal Taboos

Non-Verbal Taboos

Some non-verbal taboos may seem funny, but severe punishment might have come to those who failed to observe the rules in an earlier time and today as well. Accidents may also result from taboo non-verbal cues (e.g., an inappropriate gesture). For example, In 1988, in Los Angeles, an entertainer from Thailand was reported to have been convicted of the murder of a young Laotian. The entertainer was singing in an after-hours Thai cabaret when the Laotian, a patron, put his foot on a chair with the sole directed at the entertainer. When the cabaret closed, the entertainer followed the man and shot him. The reason was that among Southeast Asians, showing or directing the sole of the shoe to another person is considered a grievous insult (Axtell, 1991).

An incident also took place in Hong Kong a few years ago because of a hand signal miscommunication. A television station there took an annual picture of all the contracted entertainers before the Chinese New Year. As a joke, famous Kung-fu actor Jackie Chan, who recently played the main actor in the movie “Rush Hour,” held his fist with his middle finger stuck out on top of the head of an actress who stood in front of him. When his photo appeared in the newspapers, the station received dozens of calls from Westerners living in Hong Kong complaining about the indecent gesture. To them, when the middle finger is used, there is only one interpretation – indecency. When Chan applied this gesture, he meant to suggest that his friend had grown horns on her head for fun. Chan refused to apologize because his gesture was not intended to be an insult as the gesture is not considered indecent in Chinese Society

Several times, when my Korean informant talked about classic words or terms used in Korean, I could figure out the exact Chinese counterparts merely from her pronunciation. This is not surprising because the cultural influences of China upon Korea over the centuries have left an indelible mark upon both the written and spoken Korean language. It is possible to trace many aspects of Korean language and culture back to ancient China. But not long ago, when my Korean informant gave me a fan as a gift, I was a little shocked.

To many Chinese people, a fan is a forbidden present because it has the identical sound as “separation.” If a person gives a fan to his or her friend, their friendship will stop or diminish from that time. Therefore, it has become a phonologically linked taboo to give friends a fan in Chinese society. One question is if Korean people also have similar phonologically-linked taboos as the Chinese do. The first part of the questionnaire elicits data to see if there are any similarities between Chinese and Korean people on this point because of the similar sounds.

Verbal taboos

In every language there seem to be certain “unmentionables” – words of such strong affective connotation that they cannot be used in polite discourse. Two verbal taboos are probably universal. The first of these are words that deal with excretion and sex. For example, when a woman needs to go to the toilet because “nature calls,” she will ask people where the “rest room” or “powder room” is, although she has no intention of resting or putting powder on her face. Second, in both Western and Asian cultures the fear of death carries over into fear of the words having to do with death. Many people, therefore, substitute words, such as “died” or “death” with expressions such as “passed away,” “went to his reward” or “departed” (Hayakawa, 1982).

People generally like to hear words that bless one’s good health and long life or metaphors that generate positive descriptions of one’s personality and appearance. However, because of different cultural backgrounds, an expression in one country can cause a quite different effect in another. For example, Chinese people would feel horrified or upset if they were told before a performance to “break a leg,” an English expression used to wish one good luck.

In the study in this paper, Chinese animal-linked taboos are compared with those of Korea because both countries have the same twelve animals (i.e., the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the chicken, the dog, and the pig) as part of the zodiac cycle representing a unit of time. At the same time, these verbal animal-linked taboos are also compared with animal expressions in America to see if there are any significant differences.

Hypotheses

To this day many Chinese people are superstitious to the extent that they will avoid doing anything that they believe can bring bad luck. Chinese non-verbal phonologically linked taboos are products of ancient days. They were generated from an identical sound or group of sounds which represents evil objects, disasters, and other negative occurrences. (Shen, 1993). Since a large portion of Korean vocabulary comes from Chinese culture, especially Confucian classics, my first hypothesis is that Korean people will have most of the phonologically linked taboos that China does.

A special zodiac cycle, consisting of the twelve animals mentioned above, has been shared by Chinese and Korean people for hundreds of years. One animal represents one year, and twelve years is a complete cycle. In ancient Chinese culture, most of these animals were good symbols. They were quite welcomed and respected. Nevertheless, in modern society in China negative connotations are given to some of the animals, which means some of the animals have become verbal taboos in describing a person’s character or appearance.

Koreans, being so historically and geographically related to the Chinese, probably at some time in the past associated the same meanings to the twelve animals as Chinese people did. Furthermore, it seems likely that meanings would have evolved over the years as they have for the Chinese, but not necessarily in the same direction. The second part of the questionnaire is designed to examine if Chinese and Korean people still come to a consensus on which animal-linked vocabulary words are forbidden and which are acceptable to use in reference to a friend. Regarding verbal taboos, my second hypothesis is that Chinese and Koreans will share more animal-linked taboos than either shares with Americans.

Methods

The sample for this study consists of thirty respondents from three countries. Ethnicity was determined through questionnaires in which respondents provided their own label for their background. In all, there were ten Chinese people (seven from Taiwan, one from Mainland China, one from Hong Kong and one from the US), ten Koreans (from South Korea) and ten Americans (three German-Americans, one Italian-American, one African-American, and five Anglo-Americans). Among the ten Chinese people, aged from 25 – 38, are two males and eight females. Among the ten Koreans, aged from 28 – 40, are six males and four females. Among the ten Americans, aged from 27 – 50’s, are four males and six females.

Data collection

Data were collected in two ways: informal interviews and the questionnaire. The questionnaire was culturally determined. To focus on the characteristics of Chinese taboos, questions fell into two categories: (1) non-verbal phonologically linked examples of inappropriate usage, such as homonyms or expressions forbidden to certain groups within Chinese culture; (2) verbal animal-linked metaphors and inappropriate language choices from the Chinese and Korean zodiac.

In the questionnaire, Questions one through six are non-verbal phonologically linked taboos that Chinese people have been aware of for hundreds of years. In Questions 7 through 19 are designed to elicit what animal-linked vocabulary words would be verbal taboos among the Chinese, Korean, and American peoples.

Results and Discussion

Non-verbal phonologically-linked taboos

Because Chinese people yearn to reach or be close to a state of “being blessed” and to stay away from “evil” or “bad luck” as much as possible, they create taboo situations. The phonological parts of taboos mentioned in the first six questions in the Questionnaire are examples of evil-related things: death and separation; thus, they became representative of the Chinese taboo system. Some examples follows:

(1) Chinese: The fan (? shan) and the umbrella (? san) have very similar sounds to the word “? san”, which means “separation”. Korean: The fan (? son) and the umbrella (? san) do not sound similar to the word “? zhok”, which means “separation”. Therefore, the Chinese and Koreans did not share this taboo.

Question 1: It is appropriate to give a female friend a fan as a gift.

Question 2: It is appropriate to give a friend an umbrella as a gift.

The Chinese word ? (shan) is a term meaning “to break up, to dismiss, to dissolve.” It is a “forbidden” word among Chinese performers because their professional survival depends on a continuous succession of contracts; therefore, for them, the very notion of “breaking up” infers the destruction of their career. This tradition is carried to the extent of preventing a performer not only from voicing this particular word, but even from mentioning any term that includes the same sounds, such as “? shan” which means fan, or “? san” which means umbrella. Therefore, 50 or less had no objection to such a gift. The reason was that a beautifully painted fan can decorate the wall and an umbrella is very useful in our daily life. It is also interesting to note that, in ancient China, a fan could be given as a parting present in the hope that the traveler could use it to keep himself cool.

But 90 of the Chinese respondents disagreed or disagreed strongly with giving a friend a clock as a gift. The ones who agreed said they would only give it to a person their age.

One hundred percent of Koreans and Americans all agreed or agreed strongly with giving a clock to a friend. To Korean people, a clock is a traditional and popular gift for a friend when he or she starts a business. The Korean sound for “giving a clock” is “song zhong,” and the sound for “biding farewell to a dying person on his or her deathbed” is “song young.” They sound quite different. To Americans, clocks or watches make lovely gifts and they are long lasting. Certain brands and styles would be more acceptable. One American responded that the fancier, the more appropriate.

(3) Chinese: “Turning over (? fan) a fish ” can be a forbidden action on a boat to avoid the disastrous outcome of a ship being overturned in the ocean. Korean: “Turning over (? zhokban) a fish” is not a forbidden action on a boat to avoid bad luck. Therefore, the Chinese and Koreans did not share this taboo.

Question 4: If eating fish on a boat, it is appropriate to turn the fish over after one finishes eating the meat on the top side.

Fifty percent of the Chinese respondents disagreed or disagreed strongly with doing it. In Southern China, seamen’s families generally avoid voicing “? fan” (a Chinese sound for “turn over”). They associate the disastrous outcome of a ship being overturned in the ocean with the action word for the concept. If fearing what one says might bring the unwanted consequence into reality, the taboo situation is established. To these families, it is also a taboo behavior to turn a fish topside down after one finishes the meat on that side. They envision the fish as the ship that carries their loved ones, so turning the fish over on the dish would symbolize that the ship has capsized in the ocean.

Ninety percent of the Koreans agreed with the action because they thought it would be a way to finish a fish neatly or to see if there is more to eat. They do not associate the sound for “turn over” with the disastrous outcome of a ship being overturned in the ocean through the action word for that concept. Eighty percent of the Americans agreed because they thought it makes sense and would probably be easier that way, especially if the fish has a lot of bones in the middle. The rest who disagreed (20 of the Chinese and 90 of the respondents agreed. Only the number “13” is considered bad luck in American culture. Therefore, a Chinese or Korean patient would react far more strongly to being assigned to a room or a floor in a hospital with the number four than would an American patient assigned to a “Room 13” or “floor 13.” This is the only phonologically-linked taboo that I found shared by these two countries.

(5) Chinese: “Cutting a pear in two halves” (?? feng li) can be another forbidden action among Chinese because it sounds exactly like ?? (feng li), which means “separation”. Korean: “Cutting a pear in two halves” (?? bun yi) does not sound like ?? (bul li), which means “separation”. Therefore, the Chinese and Koreans did not share this taboo.

Question 6: It is appropriate to cut a pear in two halves and share it with a friend.

In one Chinese opera, a fruit merchant claims that his pears will make a marriage happy. But lovers should never cut up or divide pears since the word for “pear” (li) is phonologically identical with the word for “separation” (? li). For the same reasons, relatives or friends will avoid dividing pears among themselves. Therefore, at the end of twentieth century, 50 of the Koreans agreed or agreed strongly. They and the American respondents thought there was no problem with this action and that it would be seen as a gesture of friendship and generosity. Sharing is considered a good thing as it shows that one cares for another. Cutting a pear is the same as cutting any other fruit.

Verbal animal-linked taboos

As mentioned above, Chinese and Koreans have the same twelve animals (i.e., the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the chicken, the dog, and the pig) in the zodiac cycle to represent a unit of time. They are used to convey positive values in both cultures.

Since Asian people have become more and more westernized in the last twenty years, some animal-linked vocabulary words in modern Chinese society have different connotations from what they did in old Chinese culture. These animals were compared among the Chinese, Koreans and American respondents to find if there are significant differences between the East and the West. Which are verbal taboos and which are not? Data were collected in two ways: the questionnaire and interviews.

(1) The rat

The rat is the first creature in the old Chinese zodiac. It was associated with money; when you hear a rat scrabbling around for food at night, it is said to be “counting money”. The term “money-rat” is a disparaging way of referring to a miser. In some old legends, rats can turn into demons, male usually, in contrast with the fox that turns into a female demon.

Question 7: It is appropriate to say to a person’s face that he/she is like a rat.

Fifty percent of the Chinese respondents agreed that it is fine to say to a person’s face that he or she is like a rat, but they claim that it must depend on the tone of voice, the hearer’s age, and the context. The other 50 of them disagreed or disagreed strongly. To them, bulls are stubborn and might mean the person is aggressive. Likewise, cows are fat and sloppy.

(3) The tiger

The tiger is the third sign in the Chinese zodiac. The tiger is a symbol of courage and bravery. Nevertheless, the tiger was so much feared that its very name was taboo, and people referred to it as ?? da chong, meaning “big insect” or “king of the mountains”.

Question 9: It is appropriate to say to a man’s face that he acts like a tiger.

Question 10: It is appropriate to say to a woman’s face that she acts like a tiger.

On Question 9, 80 of the Chinese disagreed with describing a woman as a tiger because it is over exaggerating. Forty percent of them agreed with using it negatively for a woman if she is really hot-tempered.

On Question 9, 50 of them disagreed with using “tiger” to describe a woman even if she were disgraceful or very hot-tempered.

Ninety percent of the Americans agreed or agreed strongly with using it for a man as it implies strong, clever, fast, assertive, initiative, successful, or sexually powerful. It can also be an encouragement to kids as in “Go get’em, tiger.” At the same time, about 80 of the Chinese agreed because the rabbit is a cute animal. They are smart and fast. Twenty percent disagreed because the rabbit is too timid and too dependent.

Fifty percent of the Koreans who agreed also think the rabbit is cute, so it is appropriate to describe a person as a rabbit. The other 50 disagreed as it indicates small, weak, and timid, not very intelligent, or it could be an insult to mean the person has had too many children.

(5) The dragon

The dragon is the fifth creature in the Chinese zodiac. It is one of China’s most complex and multi-tiered symbols. It is said that, like a magic animal, it could fill the space between heaven and earth.

Question 12: It is appropriate to say to a person’s face that he/she is like a dragon.

Sixty percent of the Chinese respondents agreed but they did not know why and 40 who agreed strongly think the snake implies a person’s being double-faced/tongued.

(7) The horse

The horse is the seventh creature in the Chinese zodiac. In Old Chinese, there were many words denoting the different sizes and colors of the horse. The fact that these words have all died out is an indicator of the declining role of the horse in recent history. In old texts, horses stood for success, speed, and loyalty.

Question 14: It is appropriate to say to a person’s face that he/she is like a horse.

Sixty percent of the Chinese agreed if it implies hard work without a rest. Forty percent disagreed because the horse has a very long face. When the Chinese say to a person “the horse does not know its long face,” it means that the person does not know his or her own shortcomings.

One hundred percent of the Korean disagreed or disagreed strongly with describing a person as a horse. They all think it implies that a person’s face is exceedingly long, so it is an insult.

Fifty percent of the Americans agreed if it is a compliment to say that the person works hard as in a “workhorse” or he is “strong as a horse”. It can also mean someone who runs fast. In addition, terms like “stallion” and “stud” used for men are usually considered complimentary. The horse is often used in “You eat like a horse” to imply a healthy or big appetite, or “Stop horsing around” to imply “stop wasting time.” Fifty percent disagreed because a horse might be used to mean a big and ugly woman.

(8) The sheep/lamb

The sheep is the eighth creature in the Chinese zodiac. It is the emblem of filial piety as it kneels when suckling its mother. Sheep were, on the whole, less important than the ox and horse in China.

Question 15: It is appropriate to say to a person’s face that he/she is like a lamb.

Ninety percent of the Chinese agreed because the lamb is a friendly, nice-tempered, soft animal. But it is also used to describe someone being shy and timid because they lack confidence and follow orders completely.

Forty percent of the Koreans who agreed think the lamb is pretty, pure, naïve, and innocent, so it is appropriate to describe a person as a lamb. The other 60 who disagreed think it is not appropriate to use it to an adult. It means he/she is too active.

Only 10 of them agreed with using it in certain contexts. For the other eleven zodiac animals, more than 50 of them disagreed with using the rat, the bull/cow, the snake, the monkey, the chicken, the dog, and the pig to anyone. And other terms like the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the horse, and the lamb can also have bad connotations in certain situations. In order to interact with people of a different culture appropriately, one needs to adjust his/her language to others’ cultural rules for meaningful communication. Most people believe that human beings are above every other living creature in the world because human beings can be educated, cultivated, and have the ability to tell right from wrong and good from evil. To avoid cultural misunderstandings, not to choose any of the animal-linked metaphors for people is highly recommended.

Works Cited

Adler, M. K.. Naming and addressing: A sociolinguistic study. Hamburg: Buske, 1978.

Axtell, R. E.. Gestures: The do’s and taboos of body language around the world. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1991.

Eberhard, W. A Dictionary Of Chinese Symbols. New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul Inc., 1983.

Hayakawa, S. I.. Verbal Taboos. In P. Eschholz, A. Rosa, V. Clark (Eds.) Language Awareness. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1982.

Korean Overseas Information Service. This is Korea. Seoul: Seoul International Publishing House, 1986.

Saville-Troike, M. (1989). The Ethnography Of Communication: An Introduction, 2nd edition. Oxford, England: Basil Blackwell, Ltd., 1989.

Shen, Y. I.. Cultural influence on language usage: Cases of taboo. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (27th, San Antonio, TX, November 20-22, 1993.

Thody, P.. Don’t Do it: A Short Dictionary Of The Forbidden. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1997.

Wardhaugh, R. An Introduction To Sociolinguistics, 2nd edition. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1992.

About The Author

Man-Ping Chu, an instructor at Chinese Culture University since 1987. She received her Master’s Degree in TESOL from San Jose State University, CA. and now is pursuing her doctorate in Bilingual Education at Texas A&M University, USA.

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The Flowerhorn is a very hardy fish and it is relative easy to rear. However, there are also certain measures and techniques to adopt in order the very best quality out of your fish. No fish can survive in captivation without some control with the environment to the owner’s part.

Choosing flowerhorn fish will be lively, and don’t easy for being caught. No external injuries on the outer fish body. It have to be healthy no sign of diseases found.

The Location of this aquarium really should be placed in a quiet location and avoid direct sunlight or high traffic area. It is best to start using a bigger aquarium of 3-4 feet and above for every adult flowerhorn.

Flowerhorn is not really particular concerning the water quality. On condition that the water is maintained clean but not contaminated, then your fish will getting a good environment. In my own idea one of the most suitable PH level for flowerhorn is around within a range of 7.2 – 7.8. To enhance the PH you are able to buying a corals chemical sold on the market. If your PH level drops down, the fish will slow down and its appetite decrease. In other word, when the PH is just too high, the fish will have difficult time and will even suffocate to death. So therefore, you need to check the PH amount of the water regularly.

Once you change the water of the aquarium, a good idea is not to feed the fish for a day and resume feeding only few hours after changing it. Reminder don’t change all the water in tank because of the good bacterial might be kill and it is also stress towards the fish. Approximately about 15% -30% every time. Put in a pinch of salt to aid stabilize the fish emotions. Please take into consideration that washing and cleaning filter can’t be done together since you destroy the microbial decomposing system in water.

The fish waste might cause the water to get contaminated. The organic wastes accumulated from the fish tank can will decomposed as well as harm towards your fish. To prevent this you must have a good filter to your fish tank. An excellent filtering won’t allow contaminated water to self clean and circulate along with it is beneficial bacterial attached in the filter material will also decompose the fish excrete, moreover its improved the water quality.

A highly balanced and nutritious feed are not only help the fish to grow but also provide develop nice head. There are numerous brand available in the market, but to provide complete and also to enhance the growth of flowerhorn. If you want colors brighter and more beautiful flowerhorn it can be best advisable to feed with small fish, raw shrimps, frozen bloodworm, worms and other that purchased from market. Take note don’t over feed, just a minimum of 2-3 times per week. If you do over feed it will eventually cause contamination of the water by increasing the ammonia level that may be harm towards the health of your fish.

In lighting your aquarium it is strongly recommended to try botanical lights, the ultra violate rays emitted and will help to bring out the colors of the fish. And as well ensure that you turn it off at night for the fish to relax. Moreover, air pump can help provide oxygen to the water to improve the air circulation within the water.

About The Author

Goerge Kepner much of his free time writing about aquarium related topics on a range of websites. He believes in priceless information for fish keepers who want to learn about their pass time. You may find buy http://www.flowerhornkamfa.com/ online to be a useful resource from aquarium fish shop

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Puppy Housebreaking Does Not Have To Be All That Hard
 by: Debbie Ray

Puppy Housebreaking and Housetraining Procedures and Methods – Working Toward a Housebroken GSD

Puppy housebreaking should start just as soon as you bring your German Shepherd puppy home – and it is the best way to teach your GSD puppy to go outside when it has to relieve itself. How long does it take – puppy housetraining? The easiest answer is: as long as puppy housebreaking takes. I had one German Shepherd puppy that housetrained herself pretty much in just over 3 days, and I have had others that took closer to 2 weeks.

German Shepherd puppies are different and not all can be housetrained in the same amount of time. Time of GSD puppy housetraining can easily vary from puppy to puppy. Additionally, keep in mind that eventhough this article deals primarily with German Shepherd puppies (due to the focus of this web site) that many of these housetraining techniques can also be used with most other puppy breeds.

When you get your GSD puppy home the first day, start puppy housebreaking him immediately. After he has been briefly introduced to his home and new surroundings, give him a drink of water and immediately take him outside to relieve himself. Take the GSD puppy to the area you chose before bringing him home. Remember, choice of this housebreaking spot is crucial as it enhances the housetraining – so take careful consideration of where “the housebreaking spot” is before bringing your German Shepherd puppy home.

There is a direct correlation between the time you actually put into the puppy housebreaking process and the speed in which the housebreaking of the German Shepherd Dog puppy successfully occurs.

This is a very crucial puppy housebreaking step so be patient and wait until the German Shepherd puppy relieves himself. It may take a while especially with all the new things happening to your GSD puppy, all the new smells, unfamiliar objects, etc. Do not play with the GSD puppy however until after it has “done it’s business”. If you do it may make the puppy forget about going at all. Since housebreaking is all new to the German Shepherd puppy it doesn’t know what it’s purpose of being in “the housebreaking spot” is in the first place.

As soon as your GSD puppy finishes, praise it excitedly and immediately take him inside. From that point on, take the German Shepherd puppy to the same housebreaking spot each time and encourage him with a command such as “go potty”, “hurry up” or whatever you choose. Be consistent using this single command only with the process of puppy housebreaking so that the German Shepherd puppy will learn to associate this act with the command. This will be a huge help in the future, especially when in a new environment or location when traveling, visiting relatives/friends, etc. Being completely housebroken and completely reliable is the final outcome you are looking for.

You must watch them like a hawk at all times – in the beginning of housebreaking especially. If you can not keep an eye on your German Shepherd puppy for some reason please put them in a safe and secure puppy proofed spot (such as a crate or some other small room with easy to clean floors, such as linoleum, closed off with a baby gate so you can peek in as needed). If you are consistent in your puppy housebreaking in the very beginning, ESPECIALLY when it is inconvenient to you (late at night, while you are watching your favorite TV show, etc.), you will actually help the German Shepherd puppy housebreak itself to alert you when it “has to go”.

A GSD puppy should be taken out immediately (to a prearranged housebreaking area outside):

when it wakes up first thing in the morning (before if you manage to get up before the puppy),

after each and every meal,

after each and every nap,

and again before he goes to bed for the night.

Another good housebreaking tip is to take up the German Shepherd puppies water early in the evening and to not feed or water it after say, 6:00 at night, otherwise you may have to make more housebreaking potty trips than usual outside to let the puppy relieve itself. Keep the GSD puppy on a strict housebreaking schedule, both feeding and elimination, and you will have German Shepherd puppy housebreaking success much sooner.

More GSD Puppy Housebreaking and Housetraining Secrets: From Housebreaking to Housebroken

Know in advance that a very young GSD puppy will probably not be able to go through the night without relieving itself so get used to taking it out during the middle of the night until it grows enough to sleep through the night.

You wouldn’t expect a young human baby to be potty trained in a week, would you? Give the same consideration to your new German Shepherd puppy. He will not be able to be considered reliable as far as housebreaking goes either after only a few days. The GSD puppy too is a baby with a small bladder and weak sphincter muscles. Like human babies, your German Shepherd puppy will be able to go longer between housebreaking breaks as it grows older and will soon become completely housebroken if your are vigilant in the housebreaking process.

If you find your German Shepherd puppy has made a mistake in the house and you did not catch it in the act, simply clean the spot without comment. Clean up all residue and clean the area with a bacteria/enzyme digester. These housetraining aids are available at your pet supply or grocery store. This will get rid of both the stain and the smell. And the smell is the most important part to get rid of. Even if you can’t smell the urine, believe me, your GSD puppy can and he will be encouraged to go back to the same spot again unless you remove ALL urine odors. This is absolutely critical in housebreaking your puppy.

If you find the German Shepherd puppy “in the act”, scoop him up as quickly as possible with his tail between his legs (to help prevent spillage) and take him out asap. Say “out” or “quick” as you take him out but never NO. Since No is used for negative things you do not want your puppy to think that eliminating is wrong, no matter where he does it.

If the German Shepherd puppy thinks that eliminating is bad he will probably start hiding it from you and you do not want that to happen. That is a whole other behavioral issue to contend with and believe me it’s much better and easier to prevent behavioral problems before they happen than having to deal with them later.

Generally speaking, German Shepherd puppies are naturally clean dogs – assuming they had the right start clear from the beginning. GSD puppies raised in small runs or cages develop dirty habits right from the beginning making housebreaking harder. Since they are used to playing and sleeping in their own excrement they will not have any problem with continuing to do so. This is not the GSD puppy’s fault, it’s just what they were accustomed to from an early age. Keep in mind, housebreaking puppies raised in these type of situations can be much harder and more time consuming than usual but housetraining can still can be done.

Overall, puppy housebreaking problems are often more of a human problem than a German Shepherd puppy problem. If the new owner is steadfast in keeping a watch on the German Shepherd puppy in the beginning of ownership, especially during the first 2 weeks of housetraining, then puppy housebreaking can accomplished and the GSD puppy will become a reliable member of the family as far as bathroom visits are concerned and will soon be completely housebroken.

Remember, as the new owner you must be patient with the housebreaking process. Each German Shepherd puppy will housetrain at his own speed and with your help. Take him out religiously as outlined above, and keep him on a strict feeding/bathroom housebreaking schedule (as well as anytime the GSD puppy acts as though he has to “go out”. It is very important that you learn to read your German Shepherd puppies potty signals during the housebreaking process: sniffing out “a spot”, circling, whining, going to the door, etc.

Finally, think about how you would like to be housetrained if you were in the GSD puppies place. The German Shepherd puppy won’t enjoy being yelled at, jerked around or frightened any better than you would. A kinder, gentler and more patient puppy housebreaking approach will yield much better results, help your bond with your GSD puppy and develop a more confident housebroken German Shepherd dog in the long run. And isn’t that what we all want as German Shepherd Dog owners in the first place?

About The Author

Debbie Ray, a lifelong dog lover and German Shepherd owner, has been a German Shepherd breeder for over to 15 years. For more information and articles covering other German Shepherd related topics, feel free to visit: http://www.total-german-shepherd.com.

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