SPCA News and Information Roundup

You’ve probably worked really hard to make your website look sharp, full of content and easy to navigate.  But now the question is how to real website traffic to your website.  To do this, you’ll ideally need to be higher up in web search results.  Here are some really simple ways you can make that happen.

Put Your Title to Work

It’s crucial that your page titles are well named and containing high quality keywords.  You’ll want them to be most similar to what you’re anticipating people will type into their search engine field.  For example, if you’re trying to get exposure to your wonderful new butterscotch candy, you’ll want to name your page something like “Tasty New Butterscotch Candy Available”.  Notice how “butterscotch candy” is part of the string.  This is crucial, because you want the best chance possible to have your site come up in the results when someone does a search for butterscotch candy.  Likewise, you’d want to avoid a title like “A New Product We Know You’ll Love”, because it describes nothing relating to butterscotch candy.  Search engines won’t rank you for butterscotch candy unless you give them good indication that it’s something you actually have information about.  See how that works?

Stay on Topic

Don’t try to fit a chapter onto a page.  Keep pages focused, concise and keyword driven.  This is better for search engine crawlers who will see your page as one that’s dedicated to your chosen keywords, but it’s also better for your readers.  Remember, these visitors have probably found your page after typing a specific keyword or phrase, and will most appreciate having easy, quick access to exactly what they came to read about.  So save anything unrelated as a link to another page. This is directly related to the third tip…

Add Information Frequently

If you truly want to increase traffic to your website, you really need to constantly be increasing the amount of quality information it contains.  Visitors will return to your website more regularly if they know you’re constantly going to add new and relevant content.  Make sure it’s well written, easy to read and not overloaded with excessive graphics and repetitive keywords.  Speaking of, our fourth tip is vital…

Don’t Try to Game the System

Writing an article with your keyword phrase over and over is not only obnoxious to people reading, it can easily get you docked with search engines.  Don’t even begin to think they know that trick by now!  So doing this not only is naturally an insult to the people who do trust you enough to click your link, you’ll end up doing anything but increase traffic in the long run, once the search engines are onto your website shenanigans.

Keep Things Au Natural

People don’t like to be overloaded with a frenzy of .gifs, banner ads and bold flashing text.  Most readers are simply looking for information on something they’ve specifically sought out.  Give that to them, and they will come.  Dish out a bunch of flashing banners and gimmicky crap, and they’re going to take you for a spam site – probably with good reason.  Additionally, many of the abovementioned coding gimmicks will also trip up search engine crawlers.  They’re designed to read simple text that’s relevant to the keywords, and don’t have time for trying to figure out your latest script that makes the flashy pop-ups and “neat” little sounds.  Seriously, the quicker you can lose that stuff from your website, the sooner you’ll see traffic increase.

These are just a few tips you can utilize immediately, for no cost and with little difficulty.And, this has everything to do with how successfully you’ll be able to increase traffic to your website.You should be able to implement them soon!

http://www.helpmyhits.com/traffic-strategies/real-website-traffic/

Dog Parks: A Canine Paradise

Most of us have at least seen a dog park at one point or another.  There’s nothing more amusing than seeing a bunch of dogs forming their instinctual “pack” and running full force around a nice big open dog park.  No leashes or humans to slow these guys down.  They get exercise and their owners get to hang out with fellow dog-lovers.  Hooray!  Well, mostly.  You see, there are a few things you should be aware of before unsnapping the leash at one of these puppy paradises.

Make sure your pooch is immunized.  There will be lots of dogs for Fido to meet at the dog park, and you don’t have a way to verify whether they’ve had their vaccines, so you’re best off making sure he has his!  Consult with your veterinarian on which shots are appropriate for your dog’s age, and get them done well beforehand so your buddy has a chance to build up his/her immunity before being exposed to any possible illnesses at the dog park.

Practice to make sure training is up to date.  It’s crucial that your dog knows to give his/her attention to you when you need it.  This is especially important if your dog is a new companion, and you don’t know each other so well yet.  You could have a heck of a time rounding him up when play time is over, unless you can trust him to respond when you call him.  This becomes even more important if someone leaves a gate open or there becomes an opportunity or need to leave unexpectedly.  Practice at home or in your yard.  Even though the dog parks are fenced in, you just never know when there may be a situation where you need to leave on short notice.  It could be a personal emergency situation on your part, or you could be needing to suddenly vacate a hostile situation with another dog.  Either way, it’s important that you work with your dog to make sure you’ve got a direct line to his attention when needed.  Train often, and reward frequently for coming to you when called.

Always wear identification.  Dogs should always have their proof of shots and contact information on their collar.  A rabies tag at the very least.  Again, you never know when your dog could get loose, and you need to make sure if that happens he will be able to find his way home.  If he (heaven forbid) gets into a fight with another dog in the park, you can bet their owner is going to want proof of Rabies vaccination.

Clean up after your friend.   Dog park etiquette says so!  Always keep an eye on your dog so you can take care of any messes he makes during play time.   It’s not fair to leave little landmines laying around for other dogs or humans to track home, so be sure to do your doo-ty.

Last of all, remember to relax and enjoy yourselves.  Keep an eye out for trouble, but know that your dog is getting really good exercise, and even more important socialization at the dog park.  Don’t be one of those owners who’s constantly demanding the attention of your dog.  As long as he’s enjoying himself, let him run with the pack and not worry about you for awhile.  Seriously, let the kid have some fun!  Chances are, he’ll be dreaming about how much fun he had tonight when he sleeps like a rock.  Enjoy it.  For even more info on dog park etiquette, click here.

Ask Anyone Who’s Done It – Introducing a New Cat Can Be Tricky!

You’ll need to just expect some of this.

Introducing a new cat into your home can be delicate enough under normal circumstances; introducing a new cat when you already have a cat in your home can be downright daunting!  You must understand this is not an overnight process – not even by a long shot.  The process must be done slowly and with patience, or you could run into problems.  Hopefully these tips will help make introducing a new cat a little smoother – for you and for Fluffy.

The first thing to understand is that cats are very territorial, and want their boundaries respected.  Imagine moving in with someone the very first day you meet, and then having that person getting into all your personal belongings right away.  Cats are similar to us in that they tolerate it just as little as we would – probably even less.  And yet, we often think it’s cute when a new cat curls up in the existing cat’s bed.  This really isn’t such a good thing to allow at first.  Your existing cat needs to know his/her “belongings” are going to still be his/hers.  It’s one thing to ask an existing cat to put up with you introducing a new cat to the house, but it’s not fair for you to expect the cat to also be giving up his/her bed, litter box, feeding bowls, etc. all at once.  This is where the next step comes in..

Prior to introducing a new cat, you need to make sure you have acquired it a separate set of bowls, a separate litter box, and a separate bed or blanket and toy.  Ideally you’ll also have a spare bedroom or laundry room where this new cat can be at first.  Your existing cat is not going to want to share his/her belongings with the new cat until well after they’ve met (sometimes not even then!)

During at least the first few days, possibly longer – have the new cat stay in his/her separate space with exclusive use of the new litter box, feeding bowls, bed and toy.  Keep the door to that room firmly shut, and allow the new cat his/her space.  This will do two things: 1) it will allow the cats to meet each other only by smell, which is the way they’re very sensitive and 2) this will give the new cat some private, quiet space to get used to his/her new home.  When introducing a new cat, people often focus on how the existing cat will react to the new cat, while overlooking the fact that new kitty has a whole new world to get used to – this means new cat, new humans, and new home.  It’s vital that your new cat have time to take in the smells and sounds of his/her new house gradually and without fear of attack by an existing cat who’s naturally going to be territorial.

Make sure to not spend quality one on one time with both cats regularly; this gives them both reassurance, and it also allows you to serve as the conduit for spreading scents between each other.  Let them interact by playing footsie under the door for a nice safe getting-to-know-you type activity.  They may even do some talking, and that’s fine.  Let the door be a natural barrier so they can get close enough to sniff each other out a little.  You can also feed them both treats while they’re “visiting”, so they can associate good things with being nearby to each other.

Once they are ready to meet face to face, make sure the new cat is in a carrier just inside it’s safe room.  Let the existing cat come up to the carrier and see how things go.  Expect some growling, hissing or raised fur; that is normal.  If the new cat is safely in it’s carrier then that’s the worst that can happen really.  Let this be the extent of their supervised interaction for a few more days, letting the new cat have his/her “room” back once visiting hours are over.  This gives both cats the ability to smell the rug where the other has been.

When they’re ready to meet face to face, it should work out fine, as long as you’ve acclimated them both sufficiently.  If not, you’ll need to dial it back a few steps.  But usually if you’ve given each step at least a week for introducing a new cat, you’ll be giving them the space they need for a nice, gradual introduction.  Where bowls are concerned – be sure to keep them separated at first, moving them closer together as time goes on.

Some helpful products you can utilize for introducing a new cat with great results are the Bach Flower Remedies, which work on the vibrational level to calm nerves and alleviate traits like aggression or fear.  They are completely safe with no side effects – even if the wrong cat ingests them.  Just add a few drops to some fresh water each day, and that’s it.  A little goes a long way.  Another great product is Feliway.  This is a spray or diffuser that can put out scents that mimic the good, friendly pheromones that cats respond positively to.  Also, if you have any accidents or spraying, there are good products like Nature’s Miracle that will not only clean the mess, but remove the enzymes that cause the smell to linger long after it’s been cleaned.

Hopefully your adventures in introducing a new cat will be smooth, and you’ll be off to a great start with your expanded family!  If you have any other tips we missed, please mention them below in the comments!

Do Animals Really Have a Superhero? An SPCA Introduction

This website is dedicated to the endless amount of hard, thankless work done by the SPCA.  This organization works tirelessly worldwide to provide respite to abused, neglected and homeless animals everywhere.  If not for SPCA’s introduction, most of these otherwise healthy animals would continue suffering or be euthanized.

Everyone is horrified when a child or elderly patient is treated cruelly.  We all know the avenues to help report those types of abuses, and none of us would argue any reason not to immediately intervene or report such an instance.  There are even laws stating people in certain professions (child care, schools, etc.) are under direct obligation to report this type of abuse.  Many professionals can and will lose their license for not reporting such travesties, even if it’s mere suspicion.  This leads to an investigation and usually some much needed help, improvement or the victim’s removal from the given dire situations.

But what about animals?  Who speaks for them?  Not everyone even likes animals, and then even more people are just are plain indifferent to their needs.  So it falls even more heavily on those who do care, to do more.  That’s where SPCA comes in.  Since the SPCA introduction, they’ve been the proverbial caped superhero of an organization who can come in and expediently do exactly what needs to be done. These days, there really isn’t a formal SPCA introduction needed, and yet we always do need to remember all the work they do every day on behalf of the animals who cannot speak or fight for themselves.  The SPCA has the knowledge, the resources and expertise to do it’s mission efficiently.  And more importantly, they have the heart.  It’s not an easy job; it can be downright heartbreaking.  But the SPCA does it, and they do it with class and compassion.

One of the main reasons the SPCA can continue doing the work they do, is because of people like us who aid greatly by donating money to help them maintain their resources.  These funds allow them to pursue materials for education, rescue, medications, spay & neuter, and many other aspects of their critical mission.  Please always keep the SPCA in mind when you consider charitable donations .  Who knows – the pet you save might end up being your new best friend!

Did you know your pet relies on you just as much as your children do, in an emergency?  Pet preparedness is not something most people give a passing thought to, and yet taking the time to do a few simple steps now can really make things a lot smoother after an emergency.  These aren’t even difficult steps; they’re just really important.

For example, suppose you had to evacuate your home on short notice due to dangerous weather approaching.  Whether it’s to a neighboring town or to your basement, chances are you’re going to have enough to worry about without trying to gather up all your pet’s needs as well.  This is where pet preparedness comes into play.

It’s really a good idea to have your pet’s vaccine records as well as their list of medications printed out.  This should include dosage instructions and any other special needs they may have.  Put these into a ziploc bag in a place that will “travel” with the pet, such as a carrier.  Also remember to put the pet’s full name and contact information with or on the carrier.  This is just in case you get separated.  Another smart plan is to keep a backup supply of their medications sealed in a small container, so you won’t miss a beat if you guys end up on the go.

ID tags should always be up to date and firmly attached to their collars.  This includes rabies and dog licenses; you’ll have no idea how valuable those are until your dog gets lost and ends up at a pound.  Then what are they supposed to think?  That he’s homeless? Unvaccinated?  Not good.  Make sure your tags can vouch for your pet’s health even in the event you’re not there to do it.

Some food & a bottle of water is another good set of things to have in your pet preparedness 72 hour kit.  And wouldn’t a blanket be nice for Fido too?  Pets can go into shock too, so think of the little things that will give them extra comfort since they’ll be just as stressed out.  And on that note, never forget a leash or cat harness.  Pets are notorious for getting loose during stressful times, and you’ll want to make sure you have them restrained via a leash if they’re not in their carrier.  Natural disasters will find many pets homeless or in shelters after a crisis.  Make sure yours is as protected as possible just in case they ever have to endure this scenario.  Some pet ID tag companies will even give you a tollfree number (to them) where people can call and be referred to you.  This makes it easier to call out than to a local number when many phone lines tend to get that dreaded “All Circuits Are Busy” message.  Just make sure you always keep them up to date on your contact number changes.

Remember, these are all things that will alleviate much of your other burdens during a time of great stress or uncertainty.  Most people don’t even think about pet preparedness until it’s way too late.  Don’t let that be you.  Wonderful organizations like the SPCA will always be there to rescue as many lost animals as possible, but they can’t be everywhere.  Pet owners need to do their part as well.

Best of luck, and if you have any other suggestions please comment below.