Bile Duct Obstruction in Dogs

Bile production is one of the most important functions of the liver. This fluid that is produced by the liver aids in digestion. Once produced in the liver, it flows to the gallbladder, where it is stored. The bile is released into the small intestine, after every meal. It is the bile duct that carry the bile to the gallbladder and from there to the small intestine. Apart from aiding the digestion of fats, bile also neutralizes the stomach acid that enters the small intestine. In case of obstruction of the bile duct, the flow of bile will get affected negatively, resulting in a host of symptoms. If left untreated, this condition, which is otherwise known as cholestasis, may lead to severe complications that may sometimes lead to death.

Canine Bile Duct Obstruction

Now you know that canines may develop a blocked bile duct, which is a condition where the flow of bile through the bile ducts gets obstructed. This results in accumulation of bile in the liver and causes various symptoms. Bile duct obstruction in dogs is mostly seen in older canines, but even younger members may develop this condition. It has also been noted that some dog breeds are predisposed to this condition. They include Miniature schnauzers and Shetland sheepdogs.

Causes and Symptoms

As bile duct is associated with both liver as well as the gallbladder, conditions affecting both these organs may cause bile duct obstruction. The bile duct passes to the small intestine, through the pancreas and so, even pancreatic conditions may cause blocked bile duct in dogs. Some of the common causes for this condition are inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallstones (cholelithiasis) and malignant or benign tumor in any of these organs. Bile duct cancer in dogs can also block the bile flow. Bile duct obstruction in dogs may also be caused by trauma to the abdomen or as a side effect of abdominal surgery. Other causes include inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) and parasitic infestation. The symptoms of this condition may vary with the underlying cause.

• Pale-colored stools
• Yellow or orange-colored urine
• Abdominal discomfort
• Vomiting
• Jaundice
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Lethargy and/or fever
• Bleeding disorders

Treatment

Diagnosis of bile duct obstruction in dogs is usually done with the help of blood tests, urinalysis, X-ray, ultrasound imaging or through diagnostic surgeries. In case of obstruction of bile duct, the blood test may show high levels of liver enzymes and high levels of bilirubin will be found in the urine test. Treatment for this condition may vary from one dog to another, on the basis of the underlying cause. In case of underlying causes, like tumor, surgical treatment may be required. While other causes, like parasitic infestation or inflammation may be relieved with medications. The animal may also be put on diet restrictions during the treatment.

Now that you have a fair idea about the condition, you must provide the dog with immediate medical attention, if you notice such symptoms in the animal. Otherwise, serious complications, like damage to the liver and/or gallbladder may happen.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice. Your vet is the best person to diagnose and treat any canine health condition.

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Get-Fit Guide for Kids

In a world where fast-food drive-through offer a quick dinner fix, children spend more time surfing the Internet than they do climbing trees and parents are often poor role models.But, by changing some family habits, parents can help their children get and stay fit. And by changing those patterns now, children will grow into healthier adults.

Changing Your Family's Choices
"The way to attack the problem depends on the family. If time is the issue, step back and re-evaluate. Trying to keep the kids active is good, but maybe knock off one or two activities and allow more time to plan a good meal and time for the kids to have random play.

Experts think about alternative as instead of having a bowl of candy bars out there, cut up carrots in bite-sized pieces and make some fun dip, or put out some apples. When kids are hungry they'll eat what's there. Such healthy alternatives are particularly important during after-school hours, a period when most kids consume the majority of their calories for the day.

And planning ahead is also important. "When you know you have a soccer game and you're not going to have time to fix dinner, make sure you fix a nutrient-dense breakfast and not the sugar-coated kind -- with a banana on top, a piece of whole-wheat toast and 100-percent fruit juice. Then when you run off to the game, it's just as easy to throw some boxes of raisins and fruit juice in the cooler as it is candy and sodas.

From age 2 and up, children, like adults, should eat according to the food pyramid, and from ages 2 to 5, they should slowly decrease their fat intake to less than 30 percent of their diet. Childhood is also the time for building bone density, so kids should get at least three to four servings of milk products a day -- such as a glass of low-fat milk or puddings and soups made with low-fat milk.

One of the areas in which children are the most lacking is in their fruit and vegetable consumption. All children ages 2 and up need at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The only difference between ages is the serving size. A good rule of thumb for children 4 and younger is to serve one tablespoon of a dish for each year of age.

Pleasing Picky Eaters
But your kids are picky, and they won't eat broccoli or carrots even when you try to prepare a healthy meal like most kids now a day. Serve it again and again. In fact, "it takes eight to 10 exposures to a food before the child will even start to like it. And if they still balk at the idea, the worst thing you can do is to get anxious and try to force or cajole them into eating it.

If you're making a big fuss about it, you're just creating a battle. You need to present it nonchalantly. You just have to experiment and have patience.

To help the process with younger children, make sure the foods aren't touching, that you offer bite-sized portions and foods they can eat with their fingers -- such as chicken strips or fish sticks.

Providing Parental Role Models
The children also learn basic tips, such as drinking eight glasses of water a day and putting the fork down between bites. According to expert it's their responsibility to have healthy foods in the house -- get rid of the chips and ice cream and replace them with no-fat chips, frozen yogurt and pitchers of water. Moreover it is necessary, parents and children to attend nutrition classes and to sign up for physical activities. It doesn't have to be sports, but something else they enjoy -- such as karate, dance or swimming lessons.

Just like adults, children should be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days. To help make that happen, ask them to walk the dog, buy them fun and healthy gifts like a jump rope or pogo stick, and host birthday parties at the bowling alley or ice rink instead of the pizza parlor.

But the most important thing is for parents :

"The whole family has to be involved, eating healthy and exercising. You can't just point out the child that's overweight and make him change his habits -- it just won't work.

Smooth, Sweet Snacks for Healthier Kids

To make the smoothies, using the recipes listed below, put the juice in the blender first, then the fruit. If you are using frozen fruit, no ice is needed. If you are using fresh ingredients, add about 3/4 cup of ice. Start the blender on low and move up to puree. Run the blender for two to three minutes to complete.

Tropical Frost

• 1 frozen banana
• cup orange juice
• cup pineapple

Peach Blossom

• cup peaches
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 frozen banana

Blueberry Lust

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 fresh banana
• cup pineapple juice

Strawberry Rush

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• cup apple juice

Mango Madness

• 1 frozen banana
• 2 mangoes, sliced
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• apple juice to desired smoothness and thickness

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America's Own Cattle Breeds - The Santa Gertrudis

Cattle Breeds Native to America

The Santa Gertrudis

The King Ranch of Kingsville, South Texas is credited with developing the all-American cattle breed, the Santa Gertrudis. The original Spanish land grant was bought by Captain Richard King from the family of Juan Mendiola. The land was known as 'Rincon de Santa Gertrudis' and the name of the breed comes from this title.

Until around 1880, Richard King ran Longhorn cattle. Longhorn cattle were native to the area and tough enough to thrive in the semi-tropical climate. However it did not produce an ideal carcass and when crossed with European breeds in an attempt to improve the quality of the beef, the progeny did not thrive in the hot and humid climate.

After several unsuccessful attempts to breed a better meat-producing animal, a Shorthorn/ Brahman bull was mated with some Shorthorn cows. This was around 1910. Further cross-breeding was undertaken and the results warranted the introduction of 52 bulls which were of at least Brahman blood. These were mated with 2,500 Shorthorn cows. One of the offspring was a distinctive red bull calf which was named 'Monkey' for his playful nature. Monkey had a very gentle disposition and a deep, well-muscled body. At a year old, he weighed 1000 pounds.

Monkey was added to the stud herd in 1923. He was a very prepotent sire and his sons bred true to type. It wasn't long before careful selection and judicious culling 'set' the Santa Gertrudis traits.

The first sale of bulls from the King Ranch occurred in 1936 when some bulls were exported to Cuba.

In 1933, the Australian CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) accepted a Santa Gertrudis bull from King Ranch which marked the start of the development of the breed in Australia.

In 1940, the United States Department of Agriculture officially accepted the Santa Gertrudis as a distinct breed.

In 1950, the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International Association was founded. The herd book is 'open' allowing for new bloodlines to be introduced. Providing cattle meet the Standard of Excellence, breeders can upgrade to purebred status.

In 1952, the first of the breed was imported into Australia with the idea of commencing a commercial enterprise.

Being good walkers and aggressive foragers, the breed was found to be well able to thrive under both tropical conditions and the harsh, dry outback. The biting cold of Tasmania and Victoria also had little effect on these hardy cattle.

Today the modern Santa Gertrudis is 5/8 Shorthorn and 3/8 Brahman. The Brahman is what is known as a Bos indicus breed. Bos indicus breeds include several species of Indian cattle which have a solid reputation as being hardy in tropical climes with a high resistance to infestation by ticks. These breeds have been widely used to develop new and hardy breeds of cattle.

The Shorthorn/Brahman cross (ie the Santa Gertrudis) is seen as ideal for beef production with the beef quality being higher than that of purebred Brahmans. Bos indicus traits which persist in the Santa Gertrudis are the generally loose hide, the folds of skin round the navel and on the neck and the Zebu-type hump behind the shoulders. The beef quality is higher than that of purebred Brahmans.

The cows rarely have trouble calving and are good mothers with plenty of milk for their calves. One or two cows will guard a bundle of calves while their peers graze. The breed has a good resistance to heat, bloat and ticks. On pasture or under feedlot conditions they achieve rapid growth rates. Young cattle develop large eye muscle with have very little surplus fat. Even older steers do not become excessively fat. Because of their large size, culled stock bring high prices when eventually sent to market.

The United States Department of Agriculture recognised the breed as pure in 1940. These are large cattle with mature bulls weighing upwards of 900kg and cows up to 750kg. Daily gains of 1.5kg have been recorded. Heifers will calve at two years old under reasonable conditions. A high milk yield with high butterfat content means that weaners are heavier than with some breeds. A cow may still be breeding at 18 years and bulls are still virile and productive at 14 or 15. The breed thrives under harsh situations. They have a thick hide which provides insulation against the cold and good protection against pests and parasites. The loose hide and abundance of sweat glands help the animals dissipate heat under hot conditions. They will travel long distances to food and water without stress thanks to strong legs and good feet.

Santa Gertrudis may be horned or polled. The ears are medium to large and open towards the front. They also droop slightly. The eyes are moderately hooded and have strong pigmentation which gives protection again pink eye and eye cancers. The head is broad with a straight profile and a large, broad muzzle. The shoulder is free-moving and the brisket moderately broad. The back is broad and strong with a full loin. The rump has a moderate slope and the hindquarters are muscular and broad. The skin should be red and the coat is light to dark solid red. There may be white patches on the underline. The coat should be short and slick. Any tendency to excessive curly or coarse hair is frowned on.

The body is balanced, deep and thick with well-sprung ribs and a muscular frame. The legs have good bone and plenty of substance. The legs should be squarely set with no signs of being bow-legged. Despite being bovines, they should show no evidence of cow-hocks or calf-knees! The hooves are solid and dark and the claws of the hoof even in size. The cattle are alert but easily managed. Nervous and/or aggressive animals should be culled.

The Santa Gertrudis breed has had a huge impact on beef cattle production in both the Americas and Australia. The carcass has a sizeable eye muscle with minimal waste fat. Animals do well under pasture conditions or in feedlots.

In Australia, the interests of the breed are protected by the Santa Gertrudis Breeders' (Australia) Association which was formed in 1954. Today the breed is found in all Australian states.

The governing body in the United States is the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International.

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Coconut Oil for Toenail Fungus

A fungus toenail infection cannot only be discomforting, but can make for awkward social situations if you're at the beach, or at the pool. Whatever the case may be, toenail fungal infections aren't very pleasant. Using coconut oil for a fungus toenail treatment can be a helpful home remedy. Coconut oil can sooth pain, treat infections, and help kill fungus. Coconut oil is a very powerful herbal remedy. Coconut makes for a great tasty food ingredient for sweet desserts, but it's actually quite good for health benefits as well. Coconut oil contains a high amount of medium-chain triglycerides that promotes good health.

Fungus loves moisture, so it's easy for fungi to attract the toes of your feet. Fungal toenails are much more common than fungal fingers nails, because your feet attract moisture much easier. Some helpful ways to prevent fungus infections is to change your socks daily and shoes often. For example, if you workout you can attract moisture to your feet. Your shoes can become sweaty and it's easy for your feet to then attract fungi. So have a few pairs of shoes to wear to minimize the chances of fungus. Changing your socks daily can also help reduce the change of fungus attracting to your feet. Also wear slippers when you're at home, instead of walking around in your bare feet. Keep a clean set of shoes and slippers at all times. If you practice proper hygiene for your feet, then you will avoid fungi toenails. Avoid walking in public areas barefooted, always have a clean pair of sandals or slippers if you're in a public area.

Fungus Toenail Infection Symptoms and Risks

Although most the time you can treat a fungus toenail infection with coconut oil, or other home remedies, sometimes an infection might become serious enough that it requires medical treatment. Especially if you already have a weaken immune system, or diabetes, then you should talk to your doctor about your toenail fungus infection. Toenail fungus infection symptoms can include a yellow colored toenail, where your toenails will start to lose its natural white color. Toenails with a fungus infection aren't very pretty to the eye, so it won't be very difficult to identify. You might experience pain, itching of the toe, and it might cause a bad odor smell.

A fungus toenail infection needs to be treated, otherwise it might lead to more serious health conditions. You can also use anti-bacterial soaps and stick your foot into ice baths as a way to soothe pain symptoms. You should see a doctor if you're having no luck with home remedies. Most the time home remedies like coconut oil can treat fungus infections.

How Coconut Oil works for Toenail Fungus

Coconut oil is rich in fats, a particular fat known as lauric acid, which is a very rare saturated fat. The saturated fats found in coconut oil are known as medium-chain triglycerides. These are in fact good fats, opposed to other saturated fats that are bad for our health. Coconut oil's medium-chain triglycerides have anti-fungal, anti-viral, ant-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Coconut oil can help repair damaged skin cells, and fight off free radical attacks.

Coconut oil for fungus toenail treatment works effectively in minimizing pain, along with killing the fungus and preventing or treating infection. How you use coconut is pretty simple. Apply about a tablespoon of coconut oil to your toenails. Get all of your toes, even the ones that aren't infected with fungus. Coconut oil will instantly reduce inflammation and give your feet a much softer feel to them. Coconut oil makes for a great skin moisturizer. It's better than skin creams, or other medications since it won't stain your stocks and cause a mess. Coconut oil absorbs into the skin's dermis rather fast. Apply to the feet after taking a shower.

Where to buy Coconut Oil and what kind of Coconut Oil to buy

When you buy coconut oil, you want to buy 100% organic coconut oil. Or known as virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil that hasn't gone under a chemical process, with added harmful chemicals. Virgin coconut, unrefined coconut, or organic coconut oil is what you're looking to purchase for health benefits. You can buy organic coconut oil online at numerous of online stores like amazon, and ebay. Plenty of other online health stores sell organic coconut oil as well.

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How to Teach a Parrot to Talk

Spanning across many different species and genera, parrots are among some of the most intelligent creatures on the planet. While not all parrots can talk, the one's that do talk have become justifiably loved by families who hope to take in a creature that they can interact with on a higher level. Their intelligence, coupled with their uncanny and near effortless ability to talk and imitate human voices make parrots a, although sometimes expensive, welcomed pet amongst a variety of cultures.

If you are the owner of an African Grey Parrot, you are in luck. The African Grey Parrot is among one the most intelligent parrots and birds in the world. With superior human voice imitation skills, this type of parrot, if you are seeking one, is actually the most ideal for teaching how to talk. While some parrots may not know how to talk entirely on their own, you may be able to find a fundamental basis of learning that you can expound upon with the tips and steps in this Info Barrel article. Ultimately, regardless of the species, training a parrot how to talk can take a great deal of patience that is akin to, for example, teaching a child how to read, write, or speak.

Things You Will Need

• Cassette Tape Recorders
• Parrot Cages
• Parrot Food
• Parrot Treat

Step 1

The learning process can be a very complex phenomena. Whether you are training a child, an adult, or even a parrot, it is important to realize that, just like humans, not all parrots learn the same. Even though there are certain distinct strategies regarding teaching and learning, what may be effective for one parrot may not necessarily be effective for another parrot. Being calm, and having patience, with your parrot you hope to train and teach can be an invaluable skill to learn and have.

Step 2

While many parrots may have individuals names assign to them at a pet store, whether you change that name or keep it, it is important that you get to know your pet parrot on a first name basis. Just like human interaction, our names give us an identity and display that we are valuable to the other person. When teaching and training your parrot, it is important that you specifically use his or her name. While you may not be able to share an immense amount of commonality with your pet parrot, you do both have names that have been given to you, and they way you say and address your pet parrot, by name, can be a great start and maintaining to a mutual relationship where the ultimate goal is to have your parrot learning to talk.

Step 3

Assuming that your pet parrot has a name already, dependent upon when you actually take ownership of your pet parrot in its lifespan, you should consider beginning to teach and train your pet parrot to talk within the first few months of its life. Optimally, just like children have critical stages of growth and development, a parrot will be more able and willing to program to talk the more youthful it is. Beginning to teach your pet parrot how to talk, around 4-6 months can be the best approach.

Step 4

Whether you are speaking directly to your pet parrot, or you are mentioning something to a friend of family member, it is completely common for parrots to pick up on and imitate the words said in passing or as part of a conversation. When training your parrot to talk, a degree of repetition, in your words and speech, can be ideal in help your parrot to effectively expand its vocabulary. It is important, in this step, to be mindful of the appropriateness of your topics, conversation, and speech. Curse words, that you may otherwise not want your parrot to hear or repeat, can easily be absorbed, retained, and used in the least expecting (and most inappropriate) times.

Step 5

Just like a child may need your attention to learn, so also does your pet parrot. Whenever training your pet parrot how to talk, be sure to speak with clarity, while maintaining an appropriate distance where your parrot can clearly see your mouth. It is important that the parrot be held in front of you, so that they can clearly and effectively acquire the sounds that you are speaking.

Step 6

As mentioned before, repetition and clarity are absolutely important to teaching your parrot how to talk effectively. While training your pet parrot, be sure to use a variation of words and phrases, with a similar presentation and tone. A pet parrot can inherently sense the excitement in your voice, so, therefore, you should convey genuine feelings of excitement and joy when training your parrot. Like humans, your pet parrot can easily catch on to negative moods, such as be depressed, impatient or angry.

Step 7

Word association can be an absolutely effective technique you can use while training your pet parrot how to talk. In this case, you can couple the words you say with some form of evident action. If you are moving your pet parrot around the room, while holding him/her in a cage or on your hand, you say words such as "left" or "right" while actually moving your pet parrot left or right at the same time.

A pet parrot can make a great family pet. It can offer so much joy and excitement to a family, but, at the same time, teaching it how to talk can be a bit tiresome and tedious. For a pet parrot owner, whether you are a child or an adult, it is absolutely important that you exercise patience with your parrot. Oftentimes, he/she won't pick up on everything you are teaching right away. In fact, in many situations, it may take quite a bit of time just to learn one word.

Tips & Warnings

Because a pet parrot can effectively learn through the consistent volume, tone, and presentation of a human voice, recording your voice on an actual tape recorder can be a great way to gain consistency in your approach. Consistent speech will make it much more easy for a parrot to learn how to talk and speak certain words or phrases. It does help to be understanding that, even with all the teaching in the world, a parrot won't necessarily be able to speak or talk as fluently as humans do, nor will they be able to hold meaningful, in-depth conversations.

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One Of A Kind - The Common Wombat

The Common Wombat - an example of a monotypic species

There are three species of wombat but the common wombat (coarse-haired or bare-nosed wombat) is the only one in the genus Vombatus, making it a monotypic species.

There are three subspecies the common wombat. There is a huge range of monotypic species. The giraffe, okapi, pronghorn and bison are other examples of monotypic species.

Wombats are marsupials and native to mainland Australia and Tasmania. They were often called badgers by early Europeans because of their resemblance to the European badger. The wombat is the world's largest burrowing animal and the second largest marsupial. Some kangaroo species are larger.

Range and Habitat
The common wombat is widespread in the cooler and wetter parts of southern and eastern Australia. It is still seen in mountain districts as far north as southern Queensland. It is quite adaptable, found in forested, mountainous and heathland areas.

Description
This species is an average of 98 cm long and weighs 26 kg. They are sturdy little creatures, short-legged and muscular and built close to the ground. They are built like small tanks and are nearly as unstoppable. Unlike the hairy-nose wombats, the common wombat has a bare nose. There is a stubby tail which is usually almost hidden by fur. The head is large, broad and flattened and the neck short and muscular. The eyes are small and their eyesight is poor. However they have an excellent sense of smell and keen hearing.

The hind legs are longer than the forelegs although they don't appear so. Because of this the back is rounded and slopes down.

The wide paws have five digits. The soles of the feet are thick and padded. The front teeth are rodent-like and the shoulders powerful for digging. The paws are quite dexterous and may be used as hands to rip vegetation from the ground and transfer it to its mouth. One difference between the bare-nosed (common) wombat and the hairy-nosed wombat is that the bare-nosed can make a fist with its hand and can therefore climb although it doesn't usually bother. (Captive juveniles enjoy a bit of a climb apparently.) The wombat is a good swimmer.

A unique defence of the wombat is the toughened, very thick hide over its rear. This cartilaginous plate over the rump and the lack of a decent tail, makes it very difficult for a predator to extricate a wombat from its burrow if it goes in headfirst then blocks the entrance with its rump. It may allow a predator to get its head over the top of the rump then push up off powerful back legs to crush the predator's skull against the roof of the tunnel. They will also kick out with the powerful hindlegs.

Wombats are powerful excavators and are purported to outdig a man with a shovel. Solid rock and loose sand are the only types of terrain that stops their tunnelling.

Like all marsupials, the wombat has a pouch but in the case of the wombat, the pouch faces backwards so that it doesn't get filled with dirt when the wombat is digging. It also gives greater protection to the young as there is very little ground clearance. Other marsupials that have backward facing pouches are the koala, bandicoot and Tasmanian devil.

The skull is large for the size of the body. The brain occupies most of the space and has many surface convolutions, indicating a high degree of intelligence.

Behaviour
The wombat is mostly solitary and territorial. It establishes a range for itself of up to 23 hectares and digs a tunnel system consisting of a main tunnel of 2 to 20 metres long with many side tunnels.

There is usually only one entrance with sometimes a smaller one as an escape hatch. They spend about three-quarters of their time in their burrows. Metabolism drops by a third, conserving energy. They suffer easily from heat stress and will walk into water to soak themselves.

Wombats defend their home territories and do not welcome intruders, becoming very aggressive. Territories are marked with scent trails and droppings.

Wombats are mostly nocturnal although if the weather is cool, they can be found foraging in the early morning and late afternoon. They are shy but inquisitive and occasionally become friendly with people

The fur varies from a sandy colour through to black. Like the koala, the wombat has a very slow metabolism, taking 8 to 14 days to complete a digestive cycle. This helps their survival in arid conditions. Although for preference they shuffle and waddle along slowly, they can reach speeds of 40 km/h for up to 90 seconds. Wombats are very playful and will run about doing shoulder rolls and somersaults. They will run away to encourage being chased and enjoy head-butting.

Reproduction
Wombats breed every two years and have a single joey. After a gestation of 20 to 30 days, a joey of about 2 grams is born. It is blind, deaf and naked with very thin skin. It crawls into the pouch and attaches itself to a teat. The teat swells and holds the joey preventing it from falling out. It stays in the pouch for about five to eight months. It leaves the pouch for short periods at first, returning if it gets a fright.

They are weaned at 12 to 15 months and are usually independent and sexually mature at 18 months of age.

Nutrition
The wombat is herbivorous, eating a number of plant and grass species including grasses, sedges, bark, roots and herbs. Moss is a favourite food and many acquire a taste for vegetables. The faeces are typically cube-shaped.

A young wombat

Interaction with Humans
An angry wombat is a formidable foe and humans are best advised to scale a tree until it calms down. Wombats will charge if surprised or angry and can knock a person from their feet. Their claws and teeth are sharp and the animal itself is very strong. The teeth will penetrate boot leather. Wombats do not make good pets. Although they look gorgeous when sleeping in a bed with their head on a pillow, they are strong and wilful. Removing a door from its hinges or barging through a fibro wall is the least of its worries. Why go around an obstacle if you can go through it quicker? The wombat never really learns good manners but will get upset if thwarted. For a marsupial it has a relatively large brain and strong instinctive behaviour which makes it reasonably easy to return a captive wombat to the wild where it belongs.

Diary of a Wombat
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Threats
Habitat destruction has had a major impact on the wombat. Although they are mostly protected, they still fall prey to dingoes, foxes. Tasmanian devils (in Tasmania), dog attacks and many become road kill. Young wombats may be taken by eagles, owls and eastern quolls. Many wombats fall prey to sarcoptic mange which has been introduced by human activity. The mites cause deep skin fissures which quickly become fly-blown and septic. This leads to a slow, painful death. They also contract a fatal fungal lung disease. Other diseases and viruses are now plaguing wombats.

Conservation
The common wombat is decreasing in numbers in western Victoria and South Australia. October 22 is now observed as Wombat Day. This is traditionally the beginning of the aboriginal spring planting season.

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Good Family Dogs

Dogs, as they say, are man's best friends. There are a number of dog breeds and choosing one as a pet can be confusing. Choosing a pet dog needs a lot of factors to be considered like size, looks, loyalty, maintenance of the dog, etc. Some dogs are cute ones while some are stud type. Many of them can be well trained and can be good family dogs. Specially when you have small children you need to take extra efforts while choosing a good dog for your family. Because some dogs may not be good with children and your kid may get harmed. The dog should also adjust well, to the lifestyle your family follows. Dogs love being outdoors, so the place where you live whether an apartment or a bungalow may also affect the selection of the dog. You should have enough spare time for playing with it, dog grooming, taking it for a walk and many more. Thus there are number of things that should be taken into account before owning a dog as a pet. Now let us take a look at some of the popular dogs that make good family pets.

Labrador Retriever
This dog breed is one of the top ranked family dog, known for its loyalty and being good with children. This dog is a hunting dog and a great athlete. The dog makes an active family dog that loves sport. The dog devotes itself to the family and loves being with kids. However, you need to train the dog well, else the dog may turn into a robust and an overactive dog. But, when well-trained, it is the best family dog that adjusts well with other pets at your home like cats. Labrador Retrievers show puppy like conduct until they turn three and grow very big in size. They need brushing once in a week and bathing once in month or when they stink.

Shih Tzu
These Tibetan breeds make intelligent, small, royal, loyal and good dogs for family. They are very small in size with long/short silky hair. These dogs have different colors and are cute dogs known as royal dogs. Shih Tzu is a very affectionate dog and hence is one of the best family dog breeds. This ancient breed of dogs is also known for being great with both children and elder family members. They require less exercise and frequent brushing to prevent tangle formation in their silky hair. In the year 2008, this dog was amongst the top ten dog breeds.

Newfoundland
Newfoundland is a bear like dog, that is a center of attention in the crowd. They are the best dogs, if you have small children. They grow big in size and have long hair such that they look like bears. The dog has a very friendly approach towards small children and hence children enjoy being with them. Even if you have babies you should go for this natural swimmer. The dog will be protective to your child and you just won't have to worry when your child is with this great family dog. Many a time, it is known as a family protector. They do not get irritated soon and may drool sometimes due to large lower jaw.

Border Collie
After watching the popularly TV series, movie on Lessie, that was a Collie, every one would like to have a family dog like it. In olden times, this dog breed was given charge of guarding flocks of sheep. This dog breed is patient, intelligent and is one of the best family pet dogs. This dog is gentle with children and is very optimistic at tough situations. Their stubborn nature can be a bit problematic, when your child is trying to train it. It has long silky coat, that needs regular brushing. It is faithful to its master and has a pleasant beautiful look.

The list of good family dogs is endless and above listed are some of the famous dog breeds people adopt. Some other breeds that are good family dogs are as follows:

• Poodles
• Pug
• Bulldog
• Boxer Dogs
• Boston Terrier
• Pomeranian
• Golden Retriever
• Basset Hound
• Airedale
• Keeshond

Choosing the best dog for your family can be tough with such a broad array of breeds. Every dog has different requirements and you need to choose the one that will fulfill your needs also. Visit a nearby pet store and get the dog for your family.

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