The author provides a series of reasons dogs might follow the owner all over as if stuck to them. Whether attention-getting or separation anxiety, it is important to understand these behaviors have a purpose. Source: Puppies and Pooches, January 15, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: This is good information to share on social media or in newsletters for dog owners. Be sure to include … [Read more...]
National Pet ID Week kicks off Saturday
National Pet ID week starts Saturday and runs through Friday, April 23. This event helps owners make sure their pets’ identification is up to date. Collar tags and microchips offer the best chances for pets to be returned to their owners if they get separated, according to the ASPCA. Source: National Band and Tag Company, Link. Vets recommend every pet owner prepare for a … [Read more...]
How to stop doing everything yourself
A lot of business owners aren't skilled at the art of delegation. They may struggle with knowing when to hand off a project to a team member, how much or how little supervision is needed, and when and how to close the loop on a project that they have handed over. David Finkel shares a proven method for delegating things the right way. Source: Inc, April 2, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Stop chasing success and start enjoying the little things in life
We’re always striving for more, never satisfied with where we are, writes Mercy Torres. More is always better. Happiness and fulfillment are always just out of reach. When we’re growing up, we strive to finish high school. Then the goal is college, then grad school. We have a family, and we live through the challenges of life, but we never stop to realize the grace in each … [Read more...]
Beware of BAD career advice
I want to see a show of hands of those whose five-year plan included a contingency for a worldwide shutdown caused by a coronavirus pandemic. This is just one piece of evidence that some career advice should be ignored, according to Kelsey Manning. Source: Fast Company, December 15, 2014. Link. Following the money with complete disregard for your interest is a surefire path … [Read more...]
Handling angry clients
Handling angry clients is less of a science and more of an art form, writes Jamie Rauscher, RVT. It takes thick skin and years of experience to master. She reminds us to identify and address the problem and also to consider the source. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Spring 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Rausher provides good guidance for facing angry clients. It is important to … [Read more...]
Anger, masked with a smile: How to handle passive-aggressive workers
Passive aggression can manifest in multiple ways, but it typically involves avoiding direct conflict. The passive-aggressive person is motivated by their fear of expressing their anger directly. It is a defensive and ingrained behavior. Fortunately, managers can learn to recognize the patterns of passive-aggressive workers, then deftly guide them to change that behavior, … [Read more...]
Border Collies are wonderful dogs, but they make poor CEOs
Todd Ordal uses sheep dogs nipping at heels as a poor example of leadership. Sheep require constant nipping, he says. And the only people who’ll work for a Border Collie for an extended period are sheep! Running to-and-fro and nipping at heels (OK, barking orders) creates a lot of movement, but it’s mostly wasted movement. And the moment the barking stops, all hell breaks … [Read more...]
Buzz On B2B: Email is tops for acquisition and retention
Email remains the top tool for retention and acquisition in B2B, but search may be coming up on the inside, judging by MeritB2B’s Q1 2021 Marketing Trends Report. Ray Schultz presents trends and shifts in business communications. Source: Media Post, April 7, 2021. Link. The focus is always on audience, and email is a proven vehicle for optimized messaging to highly … [Read more...]
Chameleon-like ambiverts make better leaders
Bryan Lufkin says blending extrovert and introvert personality types can make you indispensable in the office. Finding the right balance is a skill we can all master. Ambiverts naturally engage in a flexible pattern of talking and listening. They are likely to express sufficient assertiveness and enthusiasm to persuade and close a sale. They are also more inclined to listen to … [Read more...]
Veterinarian: Bird lovers must guard against salmonella
Jim LaCour, DVM, shares concerns about salmonella bacterial infection that causes sporadic mortality in some wild birds. He shares how to clean and sanitize bird feeders and bird baths to help prevent birds from catching deadly salmonella. Plus, he notes it’s important to carefully dispose of deceased birds. Many of the <salmonella> deaths have been associated with bird … [Read more...]
Survey says more than 800 hours a year cleaning up after pets
Complimentary Content A new study conducted on behalf of Trane Heating and Air Conditioning examined the great lengths to which pet owners will go to keep a clean and healthy environment while caring for their pets. The study results shows various facts about the impact of cleaning, in-home relationships and owner wellness. Source: SWNS digital, April 8, 2021. Link. News … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 8, 2021
How we treat animals will inform our future with robots Source: One Zero, April 1, 2021. Link. Author Kate Darling from MIT Media Lab believes that as humanlike robots become more advanced and more deeply integrated into society, we should be wary of people becoming accustomed to mistreating them. Diagnosis of the diagnostics in … [Read more...]
Chickens in a minute; including treats (video)
Most backyard birds receive treats because it’s fun for the owners. But overdoing it is dangerous because our birds can fill up on them. Chickens only have 24 taste buds compared to our 10,000.” Source: Backyard Poultry, April 2, 2021. Link. Also see: Lesser-known facts about chickens and ducks Backyard Poultry, April 2, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
The rise of reptiles and what it means for veterinary medicine
Mike Corcoran, DVM, DABVP, CertAqV, says the number of reptiles as pets has more than doubled since 2007. The pet trade is marketing more products to reptile owners directed at enrichment and the human-animal bond. He expects veterinarians will see reptiles more frequently as their owners seek diagnostics and treatments recommended for their pets. Source: Pet Vet Magazine, … [Read more...]
The best dog names of 2021. 500 names by category.
This article contains around 500 name ideas for dogs. It offers essential guidelines for naming a dog. The names are categorized by:Source: Puppies and Pooches, February 4, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
April 11-17 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week
There are an estimated 77 million dogs living in U.S. households and millions of people are bitten by dogs every year. Most, if not all, of these bites are preventable. The American Veterinary Medical Association has assembled worthwhile tips for observing National Dog Bite Preparedness Week® and tools for bringing dog bite prevention education to clinics and … [Read more...]
April is heartworm awareness month
Heartworms are in every U.S. state and other countries. In fact, heartworm disease is on the rise throughout the U.S. and areas that were once non-endemic. The American Heartworm Society offers multiple resources for veterinarians and pet owners at heartwormsociety.org. They include: Heartworm incidence map: updated every three years to highlight the average number of … [Read more...]
Frenetic random activity periods. Why?
FRAPS or, frenetic random activity periods, are also known as zoomies. Karen B. London, PhD, shares reasons behind dog zoomies. They are not a reaction to Zoom meetings, however. London also shares some insights into dogs and smiling in a related article. Source: The Bark, March 2021. Link. Most of the time, a case of the zoomies lasts just a few minutes or even less. … [Read more...]
Do you want to be right or happy?
Michael Easter offers a psychology-based approach to conflict. He says psychologists theorize that our capacity to reason didn’t develop so we could find better beliefs and make better decisions. Reason likely evolved so we could win arguments. By inserting the question, “do you want to be right or happy?” Easter says we insert perspective into the equation. Source: Forge, … [Read more...]
What do when your anxiety sets in at a live networking event
Susan McPherson has thought about reconnecting live after so much time in a digital world. She’s found that people fail to maintain the right mindset about connecting and offers tips for getting back into the game. Source: Fast Company, April 2, 2021. Link. Being at the top of your game in terms of your well-being is not dependent on your role or the amount of stress you … [Read more...]
Deal with jargon problems
Jargon is a staple of the modern workplace. Sometimes jargon has a legitimate purpose, but overreliance on it and acronyms can make people feel excluded or lead them to disengage. If you’re concerned about possible negative effects of jargon on your teams, clients or organization, consider the following: Know your audience. There are times when using jargon can help you … [Read more...]
5 ways to master the art of bragging
Women have always faced unique challenges in the workplace, particularly when it comes to self-promotion, writes Charlene Walters, MBA, PhD, and career coach. She says modesty isn't always a good thing. Yet, according to a 2019 survey of working women, 84 percent said they feel uncomfortable talking about professional or academic accomplishments, and more than 69 percent said … [Read more...]
Who’s who: North American veterinary consolidators
Complimentary Content Our industry has seen rapidly expanding consolidation since 1987. It has changed the veterinary business landscape worldwide. More than 60 veterinary consolidators are involved today and there will likely be more, says Ivan Zak, DVM. Zak explains consolidators by type providing the list of active consolidators and their: Source of financing … [Read more...]
Review: Overhead costs and calculating them
We shared 3 ways to create an employee-owned culture last week. In a previous role, a savvy leader transparently shared overhead costs, how they were calculated and how they were attached to every element of servicing internal and external stakeholders. His objective was to educate the team on the economics of the business beyond looking at top-line sales and empower a greater … [Read more...]
Speed and resilience: 5 priorities for the next 5 months
Over the past year, adrenaline unlocked speed. In the near future, speed will need to arrive by design, say the authors. As businesses recover from COVID-19-related disruption and reimagine themselves for the next normal, they need to ask—and answer—five questions. Source: McKinsey and Company, March 29, 2021. Link. Businesses need to ask and answer the following five … [Read more...]
Changing feline eating habits can be good
Donna Raditic DVM, DACVN, CVA challenges traditional feeding habits and suggests encouraging diet variety for cats. She outlines rationales and benefits with catvocate Steve Dale. Source: Catster, March 31, 2021. Link. Think about what cats do in the wild. It makes sense to offer a cat two or three diets, each with different textures, tastes and smells (unless the cat is … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 1, 2021
Where veterinary medicine is (likely) headed over the next decade Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, February 2021. Link. Douglas G. Aspros, DVM, highlights four things he thinks are in the future. Some are driven by technology and others are systems-based. As always, changes in social perspectives and values will be key. Podcast: … [Read more...]
Crack control: Cause and prevention of toe cracks in horses
In an excerpt from The Essential Hoof Book, writers Susan Kauffmann and Christina Cline share information on the toe crack, one of the most common types of hoof crack. . . . toe cracks are most often due to a combination of mechanical stresses in the toe region paired with compromised laminae that cause a lack of good connection between the wall and the coffin bone.” Source: … [Read more...]
Equine strangles. Identifying the chronic shedder
Strangles occurs when Streptococcus equi subsp equi, a gram-positive, aerobic coccal bacteria, enters the mouth or nose and attaches to the tonsillar crypts, writes Kate L. Hepworth-Warren, DVM, DACVIM. Chronic shedders are often the culprit in new outbreaks when horses suddenly develop signs of strangles with no known exposure. A chronic shedder also can make it difficult to … [Read more...]