Do Dogs Dream?

Ever noticed Fido wagging his tail or paddling away furiously in his sleep?

Well, our canine companions may be more similar to us than we think. Dreaming appears to be a necessary function that comes with data processing and memory storage. And while Fido has an amazing memory of always knowing where his favourite squeaky ball is, it appears that our dog's memory banks need the occasional purging and re-organising just like ours does!

Dogs and humans appear to have two main sleep patterns - the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and the Slow Wave Sleep (SWS). The first stage of sleep is the SWS where we retain our muscle tone but our mental processes start slowing down. This is followed by REM where the body is fully relaxed and darting eye movements take place. Dogs and humans can be woken up from sleep more easily during SWS while our fully-relaxed muscles make it harder to wake during REM.

In the SWS stage, brain waves are slow and undulating but in the REM stage, brain waves become rapid and irregular and mental activity becomes heightened. This may explain why Fido would start wagging his tail, whimpering in excitement or even paddle away furiously while his eye's are darting about in his sleep. Try not to wake your dog up during this stage of deep-sleep because, like us, they need periods of uninterrupted sleep for healthy mental activity.

So, what might Fido be dreaming about? That's still a million-dollar question.

We might never find out exactly what goes on in his dreams but what we do know is that with all the snoring and twitching, it makes us want to snuggle up for a quick nap too!

I HATE Ticks!!!!!!

I 'd always thought roaches were the most disgusting pests on earth till I got acquainted with the TICK. And man, they are the most disgusting and resilient creatures I've ever seen.

Probably the only saving grace for pet owners when it comes to these hardy brown pests, is that they are large enough for the naked eye to spot. Here are several things that you need to do once you spot ticks on your pet to make sure they don't infest your pet as well as your living area:

1) De-tick your pet

Unfortunately, the best way is still to comb through your pet manually and get rid of the little suckers with tweezers or bring them to a professional groomer or veterinarian for de-ticking. If you're de-ticking your pet yourself, make sure you don't chuck the ticks in your bin as they are quite a resilient. Instead, fill a container with some apple cider vinegar, dump them in there and keep the container closed. It might take several hours before the buggers actually die (some people actually recommend burning them!). For long-coat pets, its best to keep the coat short for now as its much easier to check for ticks.

2) Put your pet on a spot-on product

Like many have suggested here, frontline and advantix are pretty good off-the-shelf products you can purchase. Such products will ensure that any ticks still leeching on your pet will die after feeding on your pet. Refrain from bathing your pet 2-3days before or after using the product on your pet. Do abstain from areas where your pet might pick up more of such pests or pass on these pests to other pets such as in dog runs.

3) "Bomb" the areas where your pet normally rests

While spot-on products kill the ticks after feeding, it doesn't prevent them from residing in your living area and jumping onto your pet. You will need to use other preventive measures such as off-the-shelf tick "bombs" which are available at all pet retailers. These DIY foggers will get rid of these pests from your living areas as well as your pet's bedding and toys. What's great about the fogger is that they will be able to reach tiny crevices in your living areas where ticks commonly like to hide. Should you still see ticks infesting your living area after the DIY fogging, call your local pest buster for help immediately.

4) Maintain a cleansing routine for your pet

Finally, once you've done all the above, check your pet daily to remove any remaining ticks. They won't all go away at once and you may still get the occasional tick or two for weeks or months to come. Make sure you clean your pets bedding and toys at least once a week and you can use some warm apple cider vinegar mixed with water when cleaning. Some pet owners don't fancy the idea of putting their pets on products like frontline or advantix for an extended period of time. Once you have ascertained that your pet is not at the risk of tick infestation, you may want to consider alternative products for tick prevention such as neem oil instead. You can find these in diluted sprays or in its concentrated form where you can add to your pet's shampoo for its weekly bath.

Keeping a well-balanced diet and a proper cleaning routine for your pet will go a long way in protecting your pets from tick infestations. And a healthy pet is very often a happy one too.

Protecting Yourself Against Credit Card Fraud

That tiny piece of plastic in your wallet is actually more powerful than you think it really is. Banks all over the world are spending millions every year to protect themselves against credit card fraud by adding new security features. But because your credit card is a globally accepted product, it is subject to different merchant practices all around the world, which makes it an easy target for fraud.

Here are some 5 simple tips to protect yourself and your bank accounts from credit card fraud:

1) Reduce your credit limit
Many people are not aware that they can inform their bank to lower the limit on their card accounts. Lowering your credit limit will reduce your financial exposure should you lose your card or become a victim of fraud. Simply estimate how much you are likely to spend on your card each month and inform your bank that you would like to set your card account to this limit. Your bank will be more than happy to increase your limit for one-off purchases should you need to do a large purchase down the road.

2) Know where your cards are
Simple as this may sound, many of us hold a number of cards from different banks and may not even remember how many cards we actually have. Other than limiting our credit on each card, another good practice is to know where all your cards are to ensure that they are securely in your possession. Leave only one or two cards in your wallet and lock up the rest in your safe. Always put your cards back in the same place in your wallet so that you will immediately notice if they go missing.

3)Always check your card after making payment
Make it a point to check that the service staff has returned you YOUR card after you have made payment. There have been instances in restaurants where service staff return the wrong cards to their customers. Make it a habit to check that it is your name on the card.

4) Never lose sight of your card when making payment
Using your credit card at restaurants seem the most convenient way to make payment. After all, the service staff has got everything in control. Yet, this is traditionally one of the most common ways to skim data off your card. Go to the cashier to make payment and witness the whole process for yourself. Your physical presence will likely deter any opportunistic attempts to skim your card data.

5) Do not reveal any important account information to anyone
Critical information includes everything on your credit card statement, including your card expiry date, to the three/four digit code at the back of your card. With pieces of information about your card, it is easy for anyone to pose as you to contact your credit card company and ask for further details. In fact, a notorious credit card criminal has confessed to piecing up credit card details to commit credit card fraud this way even while he was in jail.

Remember, that tiny piece of plastic in your wallet is as good as cash, especially if you have a debit card. So keep it securely in your possession at all times.

Boring City? Think Again.

A city is as boring or as interesting as YOU want it to be.

I read an article today where an author claimed to be the best person to introduce Singapore having been a resident for almost three decades. Unfortunately, he follows up by saying that there isn't much that is interesting in the local scene and goes on to half-heartedly compile a cringe-worthy to-do list.

It always bugs me when people say that their home country is boring and that there is nothing to do where they come from. Understandably, one's home country will always be a place where our responsibilities lie. We spend a good 80-90% of our waking hours everyday fulfilling our responsibilities to our families and at work and this is the routine we get used to whichever part of the globe we are on.

But just because you're used to the sights and sounds of your home town doesn't mean that it is any less interesting for someone who's new to the city. We may find our lives boring but that has absolutely nothing to do with the city!

In fact, there is always something interesting around the corner. All you need to do is to take time out to smell the roses. With globalization, the sights and sounds that one encounters in different countries are getting more similar. But that doesn't mean places are getting less interesting. In fact, homogenization is encouraging more unique expressions in terms of fashion, products, lifestyle and even buildings. Travel shows and tourists are also getting more discerning in seeking out off-the-beaten-road sights and sounds.

So before you start telling people that your home town is boring, think again.

After all, a city is only as boring or interesting as YOU want it to be.