Digital Natives and Immigrants

Therapy Pets Prove Soothing to People with Alzheimer's

The recent win of Diamond Jim, an English Springer spaniel, at the Westminster Kennel Club?s annual top dog competition in New York City brought attention to an increased calling for select pets across the country; serving as therapy dogs for people with Alzheimer?s and other disabling ailments. The dog, commonly called James, is retiring from the show world to live the life of a therapy dog. James and his human partner have already worked with people with Alzheimer?s, proving a soothing presence in nursing homes where they visit.

A growing number of hospitals, nursing homes, and other health-care facilities across the country are accepting specially trained dogs and cats with welcome arms. Anyone who has ever loved a pet knows how comforting a furry presence can be. Having an affectionate pet visit during a hospital or nursing home stay can be especially beneficial, particularly for someone with Alzheimer?s disease.

Not just any dog can became a therapy pet. Therapy pets are assessed for temperament and obedience, then given rigorous training to make sure they (and their human partner) are well suited to working in hospitals, schools, or nursing homes. Groups like the Delta Society and the ASPCA train people-pet pairs across the country. More and more pets, primarily dogs but also cats and other animals, are paying therapeutic visits every day.

Easing Agitation Studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing show that even a short-term visit by a therapy dog to a nursing home can ease agitation in people with Alzheimer?s. The benefits may be particularly pronounced in the early evening, or ?sundown? period, when many people with Alzheimer?s tend to become agitated and confused. A therapy dog program can be a useful adjunct to other calming activities in such a situation.

Therapy dogs also promote social interaction among individuals with Alzheimer?s disease. In one study, 12 people with Alzheimer?s who were living in a Special Care Unit in a large midwest Veterans' Home were observed after a pet dog came to visit. Various social behaviors were recorded among the group, including smiles, laughs, looks, leans, touches, verbalizations, name-calling, and others. Observations took place on three separate occasions ? when the dog was absent, when the dog came for a visit, and when the dog spent an extended period on the ward. Results showed that the long-term presence of the dog boosted positive social behaviors among people with Alzheimer?s. In another study, the long-term presence of a pet proved useful in those living on a specialized Alzheimer?s ward.

Wellness and Prevention A well-mannered cat or dog isn?t just for people who already have Alzheimer?s disease. Pets have numerous health benefits that may help to stave off the disease as well. Petting and stroking a dog or cat can be very relaxing, slowing heart rate and lowering blood pressure. Stress and high blood pressure have both been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer?s disease.

Dogs, too, get their owners off the couch and around the block, a form of daily exercise that can have multiple physical benefits. Numerous studies show that regular physical activity, at any age, may help to keep the brain young and focused. [See the alzinfo.org article, ?Stay Physically Fit, Keep the Mind Sharp,? at http://www.alzinfo.org/newsarticle/templates/newstemplate.asp?articleid=172&zoneid=4 It?s no wonder that seniors with dogs are better able to go about their daily activities than those who remain pet-less. Regular exercise also helps to keep weight down, and excess weight has also been linked to sluggish thinking and memory.

Written By: Toby Bilanow for http://www.alzinfo.org, The Alzheimer?s Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer?s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.

Sources:

Robert S. Wilson, PhD; Kristin R. Krueger, PhD; Steven E. Arnold, MD, et al: Loneliness and Risk of Alzheimer Disease. Archives of General Psychiatry, Volume 64, February 2007, pages 234-240.

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Dog Aggression And Genetics... Plus Housebreaking A Poodle

Dear Adam:

I purchased and read your book and it as helped me immensely in a number of areas.

[To read more about the book he's referring to, please see: http://www.dogproblems.com/newvideos.htm

However there is one problem I am having with my 5 month-old Standard Poodle: I realize he is still a pup and I may be jumping the gun but I did want to check it out to make sure I am doing everything correctly. I realize dogs are different and go at their own pace, but this is unusual for me since normally I would have my dog housebroken by now. FYI he has responded well to the other training tips in your book and is well on his way to being a well trained dog. Thanks for your help.

From the day we brought him home at 9 weeks, we have been feeding him on a schedule and taking him out of the same door to his spot in a dog run. Our house has a doggie door that leads outside. Once outside we give him his command to eliminate- he goes and we praise him. He will consistently go out there once he is there and I am sure he knows this is his place to eliminate.

However he will not go outside on his own. He has had a couple accidents in the house- both when I was away and my daughter was watching him and I know that sets us back. However we have been consistent otherwise from July until now. Here are my questions:

1. How do we get him to go outside on his own? (when we take him out, he waits for us to go out first and will not go through the doggie door on his own)

[Adam responds: Just be consistent. At 5 months of age, the dog is too young to expect him to start going out on his own. I take a dog out at regular intervals until he is at least 1 year-old.

2. How do we get him to go on command when we are outside?

[Adam responds: Just like I mention in the book, repeat the phrase, Get busy, every time you go out to the elimination area, and continue saying it, as he eliminates. However, the dog (obviously) is not a robot, so we cannot expect him to eliminate on command as such every time. The most important piece of the puzzle is that the dog receives a negative association every time he tries to eliminate in the house.

3. How do we get him to go on different surfaces?

[Adam replies: I'm not sure why it would be so important to each the dog this, but you basically need to figure out when the dog needs to eliminate, and then take him to the area repeatedly until he does. But for housebreaking, I recommend you only use one area. Keep it simple for the dog: This is where I eliminate, and everywhere else, I don't. He'll figure out on his own, for example, when you travel... that it's okay to eliminate outside as long as it's on the grass.

4. How do you know when he is housebroken- just let him go and watch him? (I do not want to allow him another accident- that would set us back again)

[Adam responds: Accidents don't set you back. They are just more learning experiences and opportunities for the dog. What sets you back is not attaching the desired association with said behavior.

5. Would electronic training collars be helpful or harmful in housebreaking?

[Adam replies: Definitely not. You've got a puppy. He's still young. Be patient and be consistent.

Thanks again for your help and I will await your response.

Alfred

Dear Adam:

I know you probably get a ton of e-mails from people needing help but I hope you have time for this because I have tried to follow the videos and information as closely as possible to not ask a question you have already answered.

[To read more about the videos he's referring to, please see: http://www.dogproblems.com/newvideos.htm

I have been working with my girlfriends 30lb mix bread female dog (2 1/2 years old) for about 4 months now. Gabby has problems with aggression towards people and other dogs. She can one minute be fine with a person and the next minute go crazy snarling and biting (but she has never actually got a hold of anyone).

The dog fights are the same one minute fine the next attacking but never really drawn blood. Some of these incidents might be attributed to situational things like food or toys but put in the same situation 10 times - the reaction may only happen 1 out of 10 and sometimes the reaction happens with nothing causing it that I can tell. There is plenty more as far as detail into these events that I can go into if you need it.

We have seen improvement since starting Gabby on the loose leash training and the down stay training. The structured discipline has helped as well as setting the tone for who is in charge. But sometimes I just feel like she is totally void of knowing what is going on - it's like a switch is flipped and no amount of correction can bring her out. In addition she never seems to relax - almost like she is always afraid or needs to know everything going on - hence we hardly ever get to relax.

Like I said I am seeing improvement but it is slow going 4 months now of strict discipline is wearing on everyone and the results aren't exactly as good as I hoped. I totally believe in your training methods - I'm not questioning that - but my question for you - is it possible to have a dog that can't be trained out of aggression or does it just take a really long time?

Thank you for any and all suggestions you might have.

Phil

Dear Phil:

Thank you for the e-mail.

First, I get the impression that you're letting this dog interact and play with other dogs. This is a big o-no.

As for your question about aggression: With some dogs, aggression can be controlled but never eliminated. A lot also has to do with the temperament mix of owner and dog.

But there are always triggers.

For a dog like you've described, I would recommend using an electronic remote collar. The correction can be matched exactly to the dog's temperament, you don't need to be at all physical with the dog, and the texture/sensation of the correction tends to be more strange feeling to the dog--which creates a reak in her state. However, since it's an aggression issue--and sounds like a pretty serious one--I'm going to recommend that you work with a professional instead of trying to use the e-collar by yourself, as there is a greater possibility that you may be misreading the situation. (And I can't tell by e-mail). So, I'd prefer to error on the safe side and recommend professional supervision. Although it may take some searching to find someone who is competent.

Just remember: As long as the options for the dog are clear, the dog will not continue to do a behavior that has a negative association linked to it. When you teach her that it's a lot easier to stay calm and get the praise than it is to be aggressive and receive a negative association--you're on the path to recovery.

As for her never feeing relaxed: This is one of the problems with adopting a mix-breed from unknown genetic stock and unknown puppy imprinting. If she has poor nerves, you can use the obedience exercises to make her more tranquil, but you'll never overcome her genetics.

That's all for now, folks!
Adam
Dogproblems.com
About the Author

Sicily Italy: Choosing the Right Location to Buy your Second Home

You may have made the definite decision to buy a second home abroad and you may have made the decision on what country. If you have chosen Italy and selected Sicily, then you still need to carefully consider where in Sicily you will buy. Living in a rural area and finding yourself bored senseless, or finding yourself in a busy, slightly wild city such as Palermo may equally be incorrect for your needs. So where in Sicily should you buy real estate or property. Where is the ideal place to buy a villa or apartment?

There are several factors you might want to consider when choosing a location especially:
- Your reason for buying (i.e. investment or for personal use)
- What transportation you will have at your disposal. Getting to and from your country of residence to the holiday/investment home
- Your hobbies/interest
- Language

YOUR REASON FOR BUYING YOUR VILLA/HOME
In Sicily, you may be buying real estate as an investment opportunity or you may be buying as a holiday home. If buying as an investment opportunity, both rental opportunities and capital growth will likely be of concern to you. An area such as the stunning seaside town of Taormina, despite being expensive, can offer a very reasonable yield on a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment. For investment parts of Catania might also be worth considering. If buying for a holiday home then the ideas below wil become more important.

TRANSPORTATION
Getting from your country of residence to the door of your property is a very important consideration. You may have do a trip to your property for some unexpected reason, in addition to the regular trips to sort out the buying process and for visiting your property. Public transportation is not the best in Sicily hence this is an important consideration. The main airports into Sicily are Catania and Palermo airports and car hire is reasonably easy to sort out in these airports. Consider though that the Italian and even more so, the Sicilian way of driving can be very stressful for someone not used to it. To get to Sicily with your own car can be difficult thus buying with reach of Catania or Palermo may be worth considering.

YOUR HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
If you are planning to spend time in your Sicily property yourself, think carefully about how your own interests and hobbies match the place you buy. If you enjoy beach life, eating fresh sea-food every night and also having enough to do in the evenings i.e. theatre, then consider a main city such as Catania. If you enjoy tranquillity and wish to write or paint but still enjoy the sea life, then maybe somewhere such as Messina or Noto. Do your research carefully.

LANGUAGE
In terms of language, Sicily I think it fair to say, is further behind compared to many other places in Europe. People tend NOT to speak English and if they do it will be in the main cities. If moving and buying an apartment, villa or casa in rural Sicily, ENSURE you learn Italian.

http://www.investsicily.com

The World's Most Popular Board Games

Board games have been in existence over centuries ago. The oldest known board games trace as far back as 5870 B.C. This just proves the human necessity to be entertained and challenged at the same time. Board games, more than any, requires mental strategizing. Unlike sports, where the mind is challenged as well but concentrates more on the physical capabilities of the player, board games requires the competence of the player's thinking process and quick-wittedness to win. This is one of the attributes that set apart board games from many other games.

Board Games Live and Die

This does not mean, however, that all board games are successful. Board games live and die depending on their popularity. If there is an art in playing them, there is even greater art required in creating them. Senet and Mehen are board games traced back in ancient Egypt, but their existence in contemporary or popular culture is almost nonexistent, but their evolution can be more recognizable today. Truth to be told, it is the applicability of the game towards the modern times that, most of the time, decides if the game will live on or wither away.

Grandparents of Board Games

Backgammon, Go and Chess are probably the oldest games still played today. Backgammon is considered as a race game. It requires moving one's pieces across to the other side of the board. This game needs to roll dice to determine the moves of the game. This game dates back to ancient Egypt, around 3000 B.C., and it's believed to have evolved from the ancient game of Senet.

Go is believed to have originated in China back in mid-2000 B.C. specifically, it can be traced to Emperor Yao, and subsequently its popularity spread to Korea and Japan. Chess, on the other, was believed to have originated in India in the 6th century. Scholars consider chess to have evolved from an ancient game called Chaturanga.

Clearly Go predates chess a few thousand years back, but they have their similarities. Each only requires two players, and they have to outwit one another. It is not surprising to know that chess originated from India, a country that shares a border with China. However, one glaring similarity both Go and chess have is that they are both war games.

Ancient forms, yes, and nearly incomparable to the war strategy games modern times have to offer in video games. It is believed that both these games came from tribal warlords who used same looking pieces to strategize their attack plan.

In retrospect, having war games as the oldest, still popular board game in present times does give people an idea why it is still applicable today.

Modern Times, Contemporary Board Games

There have been countless board games that have come into existence in our time. But little have the shelf life as the most popular board games still being played today. The exclusive list includes:

* Monopoly

* Clue

* Risk

* Life

* Snakes and Ladders

* Checkers

* Scrabble

Of course, Monopoly is almost recognizable across the globe. This is strange because Monopoly isn't exactly the easiest game to understand. Yet, despite this, the Guinness Book of Records recognizes Monopoly's worldwide appeal, with over 750 million having already played the game. To think that it has been in existence since 1935, Monopoly's staying power is a testament how real estate, business, banking, and investment is applicable in our times.

Clue, on the other hand, relies on murder and mystery to keep players interested. Risk is a perfect example of how ancient games like chess came about and Go have evolved to adjust to their cultural environment. Life, in contrast, predates Monopoly. It was created in 1860 and simulates, well, life. Marriage, career, and so on are part of the game, and people find it enjoyable to imagine what life would be like, or what life could have been, in this game.

Snake and Ladders is also another popular board game. The trouble with this game is many adults do not find it appealing. That is why it is nearly exclusive only to children. Adults normally find games depending on chance boring. Relying solely on the dice to determine the player's fate is not as challenging as most adults would want from board games. The player's fate in Monopoly is also determined by the dice, but unlike Snakes and Ladders, it still requires players to strategize.

Checkers, or English draught, is another popular game believed to have stemmed out from the form of chess and Go. Still, it is still considered as one of the most popular board game today. In fact, it is more popular than Go, which is commonly associated with Japan.

Lastly, there are the word games. Scrabble is the most popular among all word board games. Like chess or checkers, there are even world competitions for Scrabble. Word Factory, which can be loosely considered as a board game, is also a popular word game.

Visit Board Games Store A Place Where You Can Find Huge Selection Of Popular Board Games You Can Also Find More Board Games Articles

By Robert Diarioti