Archive for January 18th, 2008

Compare Home Security Before You Buy

Friday, January 18th, 2008
by Jess Delice

Have you decided to buy a security system for your home? Whatever you do, don’t call the first number you see somewhere. It’s far better to shop around, make notes, and compare all the different services and products available.

The best way to compare home security companies is to have their sales representatives out to your home. Have at least two, if not three, companies come and do a thorough evaluation of your house’s vulnerability, and then compare the contracts before you sign. Also do some research into the companies and find out what people are saying about them.

For instance, Brinks is a company that is well-known for its security business. Overall, customers seem to be mildly satisfied with the service they received from Brinks, assuming the system was installed correctly in the first place.

Their quick response time and excellent customer service is often quoted by their customers. One customer describes nine years of using Brinks’ services without a problem.

Then again, others are very upset by what they call a bait and switch tactic (both with contract length and with upgrades to the system to make it a truly safe one), poor fire monitoring, and poor customer service.

Let’s compare home security offered by ADT and Brinks.

Like Brinks, ADT is a company that has been around for well over one hundred years. They are the other most well-known home security company in America.

Just like Brinks, ADT has a mix of customers that range from extremely happy to extremely angry over the quality of service. One customer describes the service people as “idiots,” yet at the same time praises the people in charge of the monitoring center.

Poor installation done by third parties are the most common cause of negative reviews. One customer advises people to read the contract thoroughly, test the system each month, and only buy straight from ADT. These steps will help you have a more positive experience.

So it looks as though the home security industry isn’t very consistent when it comes to customer service, but slightly more so in reliability. But like anything else, it’s a good idea to compare home security companies, read your contract, and watch out. Don’t let the company lead you blindly!

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4 Very Important Tips On Training For Aggressive Dogs

Friday, January 18th, 2008
by Missy Matheson

Getting a new dog is a very exciting experience, and sometimes it is easy to overlook some important things in all of the excitement. One thing that is often overlooked by many dog owners is training for aggressive dogs. In fact, it often never crosses their minds until their dog’s aggression has become a major problem.

If you have a dog, or are considering getting one, then you really need to start learning about dog training for aggressive behavior. Aggression is a serious problem that can affect any dog, regardless of their size or breed. It is crucial that you are able to recognize the early warning signs of aggression, and that you are capable of doing what it takes to help your dog work through whatever issues are causing their aggressive behavior.

1. Make An Appointment With Your Vet

Sometimes dogs begin to behave aggressively when they are in pain. That is why you should always take your dog to the vet before beginning any type of training for aggressive dogs. You need to find out if your dog’s aggression is the result of a physical ailment that needs treatment. Your vet can also provide you with techniques on how to treat aggressive dog behavior, so make sure to ask for advice if there turns out to be nothing physically wrong with your dog.

2. Spay or Neuter Your Dog

Aggression is just one of many reasons that it is a good idea to spay or neuter your dog. Training for aggressive behavior is much easier and more successful with dogs that have been fixed because you aren’t having to battle with their hormones.

3. Work On Socializing Your Dog

When learning how to help an aggressive dog, you really need to understand that proper socialization is extremely important. When dogs are not properly socialized they become afraid of other dogs and people. They then manifest their fear by acting aggressively towards every stranger they come in contact with. You must provide your dog with plenty of opportunities to socialize with other dogs and people so that they can learn that not every stranger is a threat.

While it is critical that you socialize your dog, you must keep in mind the safety of others. If you believe that your dog is capable of attacking another dog or human, then you need to keep firm control of them at all times whenever you are out in public. Keep your dog on a leash, and use a muzzle if you are afraid of them biting. If your dog’s aggression is serious, then get a professional who specializes in training for aggressive dogs to come with you on your public outings and help you with your dog’s socialization.

4. Never Punish, Always Praise

Praising your dog for good behavior and never punishing them for bad behavior is how to help an aggressive dog change their behavior. Positive reinforcement and loving praise is the best way to train a dog because dogs want nothing more than to please their humans. Negative reinforcement like yelling, spanking or punishing does nothing more than create fear and anxiety, causing them to act aggressively.

Remember, it is your responsibility to raise a healthy, well-adjusted dog. Training for aggressive behavior is part of this responsibility, and something that you should work at diligently. If you are unable to correct your dog’s behavior on your own, you need to get help. There are many helpful resources on training for aggressive dogs available, you just need to take them time to find what works best for your dog.

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Teaching Children To Speak Spanish Is Not Going To Hurt Them

Friday, January 18th, 2008
by Martha Satten

The number of bilingual children in America is increasing as more and more parents realize the benefits of teaching children to speak Spanish. It is no secret that the Spanish language is growing in importance, and many parents want to make sure that their children will benefit in the future by being able to speak it fluently.

The younger the child, the easier it is to teach them a second language. Young children have an amazing ability to absorb multiple languages because their brains store different languages in different compartments, unlike adult brains which cram all languages into the same one. That is why it is so much easier to learn to speak everyday Spanish as a child than as an adult.

When teaching a child a second language, it’s important to make the learning process an enjoyable one. Learn to speak Spanish audios CDs, Spanish children’s books, interactive software and online tutorials are all helpful tools that make learning Spanish fun for kids.

For some reason, however, there are still those parents that remain skeptical about introducing their children to a second language before they have mastered English. Although they realize the benefits of their children learning to speak everyday Spanish, they simply do not believe that learning it at a young age is a good idea, and that they should wait until they are older.

A common misconception about teaching children to speak Spanish, or another second language, while they are young is that the child’s ability to speak English will become compromised. Of course, the opposite is true. Children who learn two or more languages while they are young end up with a far better command of English than do those who did not learn a second language.

In fact, teaching children to speak Spanish at an early age can have a very positive impact on their cognitive development. Studies have shown that children who have learned a second language often have superior reading skills and outperform their classmates that only speak one language.

Fear that their child’s speech will be delayed by trying to process two languages is a concern voiced by many parents with young children. As there is no set time for a child to begin speaking, this really is not a valid concern at all. There is a possibility that it may take a bilingual child a little longer to start talking, but not by much. Children begin to speak anywhere from eight months to sixteen months, so even if it did take a child a little longer to process two languages before they started talking, there is plenty of leeway.

Teaching children to speak Spanish is an easy way to help prepare them for the future, so do what you can to help them learn while they are still young. Check out the many tools and resources that are available, like kid-friendly learn to speak Spanish audio CDs and online tutorials. Just get something that is interactive and fun, and your child will be speaking Spanish before you know it.

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