1.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
2.
Dog
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The domestic dog is a member of genus Canis that forms part of the wolf-like canids, and is the most widely abundant carnivore. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa, with modern wolves not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated, the dog was the first domesticated species and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. Their long association with humans has led dogs to be attuned to human behavior. Dogs vary widely in shape, size and colours, dogs perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship and, more recently, aiding handicapped individuals. This influence on society has given them the sobriquet mans best friend. The term domestic dog is used for both domesticated and feral varieties. The English word dog comes from Middle English dogge, from Old English docga, the term may possibly derive from Proto-Germanic *dukkōn, represented in Old English finger-docce. The word also shows the familiar petname diminutive -ga also seen in frogga frog, picga pig, stagga stag, wicga beetle, worm, the term dog may ultimately derive from the earliest layer of Proto-Indo-European vocabulary. In 14th-century England, hound was the word for all domestic canines, and dog referred to a subtype of hound. It is believed this dog type was so common, it became the prototype of the category hound. By the 16th century, dog had become the general word, the word hound is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *kwon-, dog. This semantic shift may be compared with in German, where the corresponding words Dogge, a male canine is referred to as a dog, while a female is called a bitch. The father of a litter is called the sire, and the mother is called the dam, the process of birth is whelping, from the Old English word hwelp, the modern English word whelp is an alternate term for puppy. A litter refers to the offspring at one birth which are called puppies or pups from the French poupée, doll. The term dog typically is applied both to the species as a whole, and any male member of the same. An adult female is a bitch, in some countries, especially in North America, dog is used instead due to the vulgar connotation of bitch. An adult male capable of reproduction is a stud, an adult female capable of reproduction is a brood bitch, or brood mother. Immature males or females are pups or puppies, a group of pups from the same gestation period is a litter
3.
Dog agility
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Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off leash with no food or toys as incentives, consequently, the handlers controls are limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional training of the animal and coordination of the handler. In its simplest form, an agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles laid out by a judge in a design of his or her own choosing in an area of a specified size, the surface may be of grass, dirt, rubber, or special matting. Depending on the type of competition, the obstacles may be marked with numbers indicating the order in which they must be completed, courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction. In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handling strategies, many strategies exist to compensate for the inherent difference in human and dog speeds and the strengths and weaknesses of the various dogs and handlers. Because each course is different, handlers are allowed a short walk-through before the competition starts, the handler tends to run a path much different from the dogs path, so the handler can sometimes spend quite a bit of time planning for what is usually a quick run. Printed maps of the agility course, called course maps, are made available to the handlers before they run. The course map contains icons indicating the position and orientation of all the obstacles, course maps were originally drawn by hand, but nowadays courses are created using various computer programs. Each dog and handler team gets one opportunity together to attempt to complete the course successfully, the dog begins behind a starting line and, when instructed by his handler, proceeds around the course. The handler typically runs near the dog, directing the dog with spoken commands and with body language. Because speed counts as much as accuracy, especially at higher levels of competition, scoring of runs is based on how many faults are incurred. The regulations of different organizations specify somewhat different rules and dimensions for the construction of obstacles, however, the basic form of most obstacles is the same wherever they are used. Obstacles include the following, Jump Two uprights supporting a horizontal bar over which the dog jumps, the height is adjusted for dogs of different heights. The uprights can be simple stanchions or can have wings of various shapes, sizes, double and Triple Jump Two uprights supporting two or three horizontal bars spread forward or back from each other. The double can have parallel or ascending horizontal bars, the triple always has ascending bars, the spread between the horizontal bars is sometimes adjusted based on the height of the dog. Broad Jump A set of four or five slightly raised platforms that form an area over which the dog must jump without setting their feet on any of the platforms. The length of the jump is adjusted for the dogs height, tire Jump A torus shape that is roughly the size of a tire and suspended in a frame. The dog must jump through the opening of the tire, like other jumps, the tire is usually wrapped with tape both for visibility and to cover any openings or uneven places in which the dog could catch
4.
Flyball
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Flyball is run in teams of four dogs, as a relay. The hurdle height is determined by the height of the smallest dog in the team. Under current North American Flyball Association rules this should be 5 inches below the height of the smallest dog, to a height of no less than 7 inches. Current EFC rules limits the height to no less than 17.5 cm, each dog must return its ball all the way across the start line before the next dog crosses. Ideal running is nose-to-nose at the start line, the first team to have all four dogs cross the finish line error free wins the heat. Penalties are applied to teams if the ball is dropped or if the next relay dog is released early, Flyball started as a dog sport in the late 1960s and early 1970s, in Southern California. Some dog trainers combined scent hurdle racing with the bringing back a tennis ball to the finish line. Then a tennis ball-launching apparatus was added and the first flyball box was born, herbert Wagner is credited with making the first real flyball box, and he also demonstrated flyball on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The first Flyball tournament was held in 1983 in the United States, Flyball provides an entertaining and active way to interact with ones dog and other dog enthusiasts in an environment that is fun while allowing the dogs exercise and enjoyment. It is an effective way to burn off the energy of dogs with a high drive to work, such as Border Collies. Though herding dogs currently dominate the courses, many teams have mutts on them. Dogs earn titles and awards based on points earned by their team in racing, as the sport has developed better dog training regimes have been introduced as knowledge has increased within the sport. Specific training has been developed to promote the dogs using ‘swimmers’ type turns on the Flyball box when catching the ball, smaller dogs are often prized as the hurdle height is based on the height of the smallest dog in the team, commonly known as a height dog. Their only limitation is whether they can trigger the release pad, Flyball is one of the non-hunting dog sports in which dogs and people work as a team. On the other hand, modern flyball has become the fastest growing teamsport, first division teams have well trained dogs and handlers and are trained and coached to perform. Some teams use dedicated special bred sportdogs, competitions are usually hosted by a specific local flyball club but under the sanction of a national governing body. The host club may be devoted solely to flyball or to other types of dog sports. Although competitions may vary, teams are seeded into divisions against other teams of similar speed
5.
Dog collar
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A dog collar is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar may be used for control, identification, fashion, identification tags and medical information are often placed on dog collars. Collars are also useful for controlling a dog manually, as they provide a handle for grabbing, Collars are often used in conjunction with a leash, and a common alternative to a dog collar is a dog harness. Dog collars are the most common form of directing and teaching dogs, Collars are made with a variety of materials, most commonly leather or nylon webbing. Less common materials can include polyester, hemp, metal, or oilcloth, Collars can be decorated in a variety of ways with a variety of materials. Identification is commonly attached to such a collar, it comes with a loop to which a leash can be fastened. This is the most standard collar for dogs, a flat collar should fit comfortably tight on your dogs neck. It should not be so tight as to choke your dog nor so loose that they can out of it. The rule of thumb says you should be able to get two fingers underneath the collar, break-away collars look similar to buckle collars, but have a safety mechanism installed that allows the dog to break free of the collar if excessive force is applied. These collars are useful in situations where a non-quick release collar could get snagged, safety stretch collars contain an elastic panel in the sturdy nylon collar, which allows escape from potential strangulation dangers such as branches, fences, gates and other dogs. Unlike breakaways, a stretch collar acts like a traditional collar when clipped with a leash, commonly, spikes are hand-set and tightly riveted for extra security. This type of collar dates back to ancient Greece, when dogs protecting livestock were given nail-studded collars to protect them from wolves or other predators, in modern societies, stud collars are more commonly considered a fashion accessory. Reflective collars, usually made with webbing, incorporate reflective tape that ensures that the dog will be seen at night by approaching vehicles. A lighted collar is a collar that emits light in order to make a dog more visible in the dark to their owners and more importantly, nearby motorists. It should be noted that it is not designed to help a dog see at night, most lighted collars utilize one or more light emitting diodes for the light source and can be of virtually any color, although red and blue are most common. Power is provided by one or more batteries, most common types being AAA, a flotation collar is a buoyancy aid designed for dogs. Although it is not designed to be used as a life preserver or life jacket and it is often used in canine hydrotherapy services to assist in the rehabilitation of injured dogs. The collar may be constructed of closed cell foam material that is inherently buoyant or be of a type that is inflated with air, flea collars are impregnated with chemicals that repel fleas
6.
Hip dysplasia (canine)
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In dogs, hip dysplasia is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is a trait that is affected by environmental factors. It can be found in animals and in humans, but is most commonly associated with dogs. Hip dysplasia is one of the most studied veterinary conditions in dogs, in the normal anatomy of the hip joint, the root is connected to the pelvis at the hip joint. The almost spherical end of the femur head fits into the acetabulum, the bony surfaces of the femur head and of the acetabulum are covered by cartilage. While bones provide the necessary to support body weight, cartilage ensures a smooth fit. Normal hip function can be affected by conditions such as dysplasia, discussed in this article, trauma. In a hip the dog could have major contractions or seizures from dysplasias, the caput is not deeply and tightly held by the acetabulum. Instead of being a fit, it is a loose fit. Secondly, the caput or acetabulum are not smooth and round, the body reacts to this in several ways. First, the joint itself is continually repairing itself and laying down new cartilage, the joint becomes inflamed and a cycle of cartilage damage, inflammation and pain commences. This is a process, in that the more the joint becomes damaged. The bones of the joint may also develop osteoarthritis, visible on an X-ray as small outcrops of bone, osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease marked by the breakdown of cartilage between joints resulting in painful bone-to-bone contact. The underlying deformity of the joint may get worse over time, a dog may have good X-rays and yet be in pain, or may have very poor X-rays and have no apparent pain issues. The hip condition is one factor to determine the extent to which dysplasia is causing pain or affecting the quality of life. In mild to moderate dysplasia it is often the secondary effects of wear and tear or arthritis, rather than dysplasia itself. In canines, it can be caused by a femur that does not fit correctly into the pelvic socket, large and giant breeds are most susceptible to hip dysplasia, though, many other breeds can suffer from it. For a list of top 100 breeds affected, by percentage, visit the OFFA Here, http, cats are also known to have this condition, especially Siamese
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