When in downtown Columbus dog lovers will want to head for Goodale Park, at
Front Street and Goodale Boulevard, for a romp. The 35-acre greenspace, now
surrounded by high-rise sentinels, was pastoral open ground when Dr. Lincoln
Goodale donated the land in 1850. Goodale was the first person to practice
medicine in Columbus and the park was the town’s first. You will find plenty of
canine company, including organized doggie play groups, under the shade trees
and near the artificial lake.

For some of the best canine hiking anywhere when visiting Columbus, travel about
one hour southeast to Hocking Hills State Park. The tribes of the Wyandot, Delaware
and Shawnee knew the valley as “Hockhocking” for its bottle shape, created when
glacial ice plugged the Hocking River. The sandstone is of varying hardness that has
cracked and eroded into fascinating rock formations and caves. The state of Ohio
began preserving this unique natural area in 1924 with a purchase of 146 acres.

Dog-friendly Hocking Hills State Park is a superb destination for any dog, but is
especially delightful for the canine hiker who is a few hikes beyond those days of
the 10-mile treks. There are six distinct areas in the park - five for canine hiking:
no dogs are permitted in the Conkles Hollow state nature preserve in the center of
Hocking Hills.

The star of Hocking Hills is Old Man’s Cave tucked into a heavily wooded, twisting
ravine. The Old Man was Richard Rowe who moved to the area some time around
1796 to establish a trading post. Upon arriving in Hocking Hills he stayed and lived
out his life here, traveling with his two dogs in search of game. Rowe is buried
beneath the ledge of the main recess cave.

An easy, one-mile trail works its way into and around the primeval gorge; wooden
steps and bridges smooth the way. Your dog will enjoy a dip in Old Man’s Creek,
especially in the pool beneath the Upper Falls.

Additional attractions near Old Man’s Cave are Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. Both can
be accessed by car and a short walk from the parking lots. For heartier canine
visitors, a 6-mile trail connects all three natural attractions. There is more great
dog-paddling under Cedar Falls and nearby Rose Lake.

In the north sections of Hocking Hills the trails explore impressive cliff formations
on trails less than one mile long. The trails are wide and graded with easy footing
for your dog as you make your way from the rim to the floor at the Rock House and
Cantwell Cliffs. The Rock House is a perpendicular cliff that features hollowed-out
rooms at the bottom. At Cantwell Cliffs your dog will enjoy navigating through
separated pillars of sandstone that have left narrow openings with colorful names
like Fat Woman’s Squeeze.

You will find Hocking Hills State Park on Ohio SR 374 that connects all six areas of
Hocking Hills State Park, 10 miles west of Logan and US 33.

copyright 2006

Doug Gelbert is the author of over 20 books, including The Canine Hiker’s Bible.
To subscribe to his FREE Newsletter on hiking with your dog and receive a copy
of Rules for Dogs in 100 of the Most Popular National Park Service Lands, visit
hikewithyourdog.com hikewithyourdog.com In the warmer months he leads canine hikes
for hikewithyourdog.com tours, guiding packs of dogs and humans on hiking
adventures. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations, visit
parks, historical sites and beaches.

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Unfortunately, old age and often arthritis catches up to our canine
companions as easily as it does to us. You may notice your dog has
trouble going up stairs or getting down from a car seat.

First, make sure this is not a disease or condition that can corrected
surgically. If it’s chronic or the effects of aging, however, Louise Louis
of www.ToyBreeds.com reminds us that we can lessen the negative impacts
with a few simple techniques.

1. Don’t let your dog get overweight. This is the most important thing
you can do for him. Excess weight puts more pressure on his joints just
as it does to you. Make sure you can feel his ribs and put him on a diet
if need be.

2. Avoid activities that tax his joints. Never let a Toy breed jump down
from a sofa (or anywhere) or jump up to catch something. Leave the Frisbees
to Labradors and rely on walking or swimming for your pet’s exercise.

3. If Fido seems to be in pain, talk to your vet about using glucosamine.
In the veterinary form, it is sold as Synoquin. However, the animal brand
is very expensive compared to the generic brands that humans take.

Ask your vet about using the human version provided the tablets can be purchased
or cut into a proper dosage for a small dog and have the quantity of
glucosamine required.

Depending on the degree of pain your dog is suffering, a buffered aspirin may
provide all the relief that’s needed.

If your dog is going lame, your vet my prescribe Rimadyl or Meloxicam for
when he is stiff. These can be upset a dog’s stomach and are also expensive.
Be sure to check the Internet veterinary pharmacies for prices.

4. Many dog owners try other natural, non-harmful treatments such as
magnetic collars, acupuncture, massage, homeopathy and herbs. While
I’ve heard anecdotal information on how well these work, I know of no
scientific studies that support them.

That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t try one especially acupuncture. Ask for your
vet or friends/breeders/trainer/groomer for recommendations of practitioners
of these techniques.

5. Control his environment for his comfort. Make sure he sleeps on a warm,
soft bed. Avoid cold, damp climates and over activity. If you have uncarpeted
floors, beware of throw rugs and slippery areas where Fido can slide,
twist and injure his hip.

6. As a last resort, consider a total hip replacement surgery (THR).
In addition to the expense (up to $5,000), there is a lengthy recovery
period which is often difficult for dogs and their owners and post-surgical
checkups for the rest of your dog’s life.

Do the best you can to control your dog’s mobility problems and identify
the least medication that relieves his pain. When that doesn’t work anymore,
then consider some form of surgery.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and
creator of the popular website on small dogs,
ToyBreeds.com ToyBreeds.com

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We probably all know the doting dog owner who loves nothing better than to feed their dog on tasty(?) dog treats. These can be the equivalent of doggy junk food.

This can have unwanted results. It can turn the dog into a little pest, always wanting tit-bits and jumping up at his owner or visitors expecting to be rewarded with a ‘sweetie’. Another unexpected results to the owner is that the dog becomes a walking barrel with a leg at each corner.

All of this may encourage him to become a picky eater. To determine whether this really is the cause of his picky eating try the following:

If your dog refuses his meal, leave it in place on the floor for 20 minutes, then remove the bowl. Do not offer him anything else, nor give him any biscuits, treats, etc. during the day. Just make sure he has a supply of clean water. When his next meal is due in the evening, offer a smaller sized meal, again leaving it in place for just 20 minutes.

Repeat this the next morning. It may be that when he is put outside to toilet he will show signs of diarrhoea. It is then that you will know that he has a tummy upset.

There are two main reasons for a dog refusing his meal,

a) He is too fat and over weight and cannot eat anything else. Maybe, if he has you well trained, he prefers to wait until you give him his favourite treat or biscuit. A missed meal or two will do him no harm, only good.

b) There is a problem that may need your vet’s attention.

For more information go to beyondbumbles.com beyondbumbles.com

Jo Withey trades on eBay under the user name nowyoucantoo and has an eBay store at stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Money-go-round stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Money-go-round

Her web site can be found at beyondbumbles.com beyondbumbles.com

Jo is an experienced author dealing with pets and their problems. She has published several books on Basic Dog Training, the contents of which have been approved by a Kennel Club Accredited Instructor for accuracy.

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Fish tank filters are available in many different types and styles. This if often one of the most difficult but important decisions that faces someone who is about to set up a new fish tank. You may want to ask the person who is selling you the tank about which fish tank filters are recommended for your particular model. There are several types of fish tank filters that you can buy, and the designs are described below.

There are five main fish tank filters to consider. They are: power filters, canister filters, wet/dry filters, internal filters, and inline filters. Each one of these has their own advantages and disadvantages. Also, each one of these comes in many different models and sizes. Shop around and get the filtering system suitable to what you are planning to do with your fish aquarium. Do not get one that is too small for the job and also watch being sold one that is simply oversized.

Power filters provide even water distribution which causes good filtration. These power fish tank filters are also good at maintaining water flow, even if the cartridge should become clogged. This is a good feature to have, because it can help to keep your fish happy, even if a problem with the cartridge arises. Canister filters are great for people who plan on having a lot of plants in their tank. Wet/dry filters are among the most quiet and efficient filters on the market. If you are thinking about breeding your fish, you may want to go with an internal filter. Internal filters have been proven to be among the best filters to use when breeding fish. Last, inline filters are the best at controlling water chemicals. Inline fish tank filters also take up the least amount of space.

Fish tank filters can sometimes be a difficult buy because of all of the options available. It is important to keep in mind what you are looking to get out of your tank. Also, be sure to ask questions when you are purchasing your filter. This can be the best way to make sure you are getting what you want. There are some good and knowledgeable sales people available to answer your questions. The filter is not the place to try to save money, but rather the area of greatest concern. You want your fish to be healthy and happy, so spend the time needed to find out about all the different filter options.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Fish Aquariums, please visit fish-tanks-information.info/ Fish Aquariums Information for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith’s own web site at keithlondrie.com/ Keith Londrie dot com

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When it comes to cat care, playtime is just as important to the overall wellbeing of felines as a trip to the vet. There is no need to spend a lot of money on cat toys. Most of the time, your cat will find many things in your house to play with.

The toy can be as simple as the plastic ring from the milk jug or a crumpled receipt from that day’s groceries. Cats will throw their toys in the air, bat them around on the floor, pounce on them, hug them close with their front paws and kick at them with their back paws, having a blast shredding the toy to pieces.

Whether you spent a lot of money on the toy or not won’t make a difference. Why buy an expensive toy when you have so many free options readily available?

Cats love to climb and rest in places where they can see a lay of the land. When one couple decided to renovate their home office, they discovered they had to throw out their cat’s favorite perch, an old bookcase near a sunny window.

Since the office had to be redesigned, they built the desks and bookshelves in such a way they led to an additional shelf above each window in the office. Now the cat would have both a sunny spot to snooze and keep an eye on the front and back yards - and the cat gets some well-needed exercise jumping from shelf to shelf.

While you don’t have to go to such an extreme as home renovation that caters to felines, you can make things more interesting by stacking boxes and tables for your cat to climb on.

Cats love boxes. Much like children, a cat can occupy itself for hours on end playing with a box. You can cut holes in it, line it with carpeting or old towels, and your new kitten will love it. Take a few boxes, tape them together, and build your cat a fort.

Boxes are cheap and you can get them in all different sizes. When they wear out, you can throw them in the garbage and give the kitten a new one. Add carpeting to the outside for the cat care need of scratching.

Catnip toys are easy to make too. All you need is a little bit of cloth or furry material to sew into a pouch. Fill it with catnip and stitch some Velcro on to hold it closed. You can make it into a size and shape that appeals to your cat.

Some cats like big toys, others like smaller ones that they can carry easily. Try a couple of different sizes. For cat care enthusiasts, don’t worry; catnip is perfectly safe for your cat to enjoy.

Ever see a cat play fetch? Cats will do that. Some cats will start playing fetch without any prompting from you. You might be tossing their toy for them and find that they enjoy bringing it back to you to throw again.

Do you have a cat that likes to play rough? Get yourself a leather work glove and let your cat wrestle with your hand. With a glove, cats can bite and use their claws in a little bit of friendly roughhousing without tearing you up in the process.

Teach your cat care for human hands while allowing him to play, as cats will also learn not to use their claws unless you have the glove on.

If you have one of those laser pointers in your computer bag or briefcase, see what happens when you shine the red dot on the floor. The light from the laser almost looks three-dimensional, and your cat will enjoy chasing it. Just make sure that you don’t shine the laser directly into your cat’s eyes.

Sticks with strings are always a favorite. All you need is a thin stick and a string with an object tied to the end. This could be a small plastic ball with a bell inside or a cluster of feathers.

Your cat can chase the object while you jerk the stick to make the “prey” bounce and jump. Toys don’t have to be fancy or expensive at all and aren’t a reflection of your level of cat care. The only investment required is your time.

Mike Selvon owns a number of niche portal. Please visit our cats.trustprofitableniche.com/ cats portal for more great tips on cats.trustprofitableniche.com/cat-care-toys.php cat care, and leave a comment at our mynicheportal.com/pets-animals/caring-for-your-cat-with-playtime cats blog.

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