20 May, 2024
2 mins read

Know the Signs When Your Dog is in Labor

Know the Signs When Your Dog is in Labor

Dog pregnancy is very difficult to figure out. Since dog’s cannot speak to us, the only way we know how dogs are feeling is by their reaction and behavior towards the ones they love – you. Only YOU know your dog more than anyone else, so you can determine what is different about your furry family member.

Your dog will get sick and begin to vomit just before labor. As your dog gets to her “nesting” place, she’ll walk in circles to get settled. Once your dog has nestled into the place she will give birth, you’ll notice clear discharge come from the vaginal area. After about an hour of this, the discharge starts to look greenish and your dog’s puppies will begin to come. Remember, during this process keep speaking comforting words to your dog. Especially if you are close with our dog, she will feel very calm to hear her name in a soft tone.

As the puppies begin to come, they may come all at once or they make take 20-30 each. You may need to help out if your dog is busy birthing one, to take care of the ones already birthed. All you’ll need is a washcloth, it should be big enough to cover the puppy, but small enough so it won’t get in the way.

Once a puppy is birthed, gently wipe away the placenta by wiping against the grain of the puppies hair. This will encourage the puppy to begin breathing. Also, you may need to cut the umbilical cord. Tie a knot of string just above the puppy and another knot just above that knot. Take sterile scissors and cut the space between the two knots.

Once your dog has birthed the entire litter, she will be exhausted. Make sure you help your dog with using the bathroom. During pregnancy, your dog may have to use the bathroom, so take special care that your dog doesn’t urinate and birth puppies at the same time.

The birthing process can be an amazing experience, and runs smoothly usually. Keep your local vet hospital or your personal veterinarian’s number handy in case something goes wrong. Remember, let your dog have some alone time with her new pups at the end.…

3 mins read

Essential Warehouse Supplies for Janitors

Essential Warehouse Supplies for Janitors

Having a mop and a broom on hand for cleaning up is not the most efficient way to handle the important job of janitorial work. Janitorial products are inexpensive warehouse supplies, but can greatly increase the janitor’s ability to work safely and efficiently.

Instead of storing mops, brooms, cleaning solutions and other essential cleaning supplies in a haphazard manner, consider buying a janitorial supplies cabinet. These cabinets are divided into two segments. One is for taller items like brooms and mobs. The other segment is divided into shelves for storing cleaning products and includes a separate base for a bucket. Made from 24 gauge steel, the shelves can each hold up to 85 lbs in weight.

With big 8″ rear wheels and swiveling 4″ front casters, a janitor can easily take all of his essential supplies with him as he works with a janitor cart. Among all the warehouse supplies for cleaning, these carts are some of the best, saving time and increasing work efficiency. The cart holds a large capacity plastic bucket on one side and has a 23 gallon capacity plastic bag holder on the other side.

Mopping up floors can be tiring work. A good, ergonomically designed mopping system makes quick work of mopping. The large capacity bucket, clearly marked in quarts and liters, makes mixing solutions easy. The large casters make it easy to move the system as you work. The handle gives increased torque and makes wringing out the mops easy, eliminating the wrist and arm strain.

Where there are hazardous spills, you need to be able to set up clearly visible barriers quickly. With up to 16 articulating panels on wheels, light weight, bright yellow folding barriers can be erected in seconds and stored away compactly when not in use. Other safety floor stands and barriers include warning labels and can be used when needed for traffic control.

Wet-dry vacuum cleaners are essential warehouse supplies in industrial settings. These come in a variety of price ranges, ranging from light to medium duty models for well under two hundred dollars to heavy duty machines that can cost up to five hundred dollars or more.

One man cannot efficiently sweep up a large warehouse floor manually with just a broom. However, one man who has a broom forklift attachment can easily get the job done. These heavy duty brooms can clean up both liquids and solids and will even easily sweep up gravel and other heavy debris. These warehouse supplies are ideal for use both inside and outside of the warehouse.

These are just a few examples of janitorial supplies you can buy that will greatly improve efficiency and safety in the workplace. A good warehouse supplies company will have everything from replacement mops to storage sheds to supply you with all your janitorial needs.…

3 mins read

Labor and Birth: Hospital or Birth Center?

Labor and Birth: Hospital or Birth Center?

What is a birth center?

Before you even start looking into a birth center you are going to have to meet the requirements of having a low risk, healthy pregnancy.

OK you have passed that test; you are low risk and ready to check this out. So what is a birth center? This is a place where you can enjoy a mellow, low tech, comfortable and safe labor. They are usually an independent facility, not at all like a mini-hospital, but more like being in a nice hotel or bed and breakfast.

Many couples who choose this option still wonder about what, if something, were to go wrong. Don’t worry! Emergencies don’t just happen. They develop. And there is usually plenty of time to transfer to a medical facility, if needed. In pretty much all birth centers you will be taken care of by a midwife, and have a backup hospital close by. Birth centers are equipped with IV’s, oxygen, medication and infant resuscitation, and trained and licensed medical practitioners who know exactly what they are doing.

Some of these birth centers are known as freestanding. This means you will be going to them routinely throughout your pregnancy, and having all your appointments at the same place you will be laboring and birthing. For all you nervous mommies, this gives you time to acclimate.

Hospitals

Most labors and births take place in a hospital, especially if you have an obstetrician. In most cases you will deliver at the place where your care provider works or “has privileges”. So keep this in mind before choosing your provider.

Hospitals are good places to deliver for those who have high-risk pregnancies, have had previous birth complications, are planning on doing a VBAC or need a cesarean section. In these situations it is important to have the knowledge and back up from the hospital staff. Many times you will have on-staff pediatricians, anesthesiologist, and newborn medical technology.

Hospitals have come a very long way in the last century. They are no longer that cold, sterile, scary place no one wants to go during labor. Many hospitals, especially those with birth centers have very accommodating rooms. These rooms can include, jetted tubs, dim lights, private bathrooms and sometimes the option of a birthing tub. You may be able to labor, deliver, and recover all in the comfort of one room.

One thing to keep in mind is that all hospital policies can vary, so make sure you know what your priorities are for your labor. Many policies differ between routine IV’s, fetal monitoring, birthing positions, time limits, and cesarean policies.

Which one should I choose?

Birth Center Benefits include having more control and involvement during your labor, your pick of invitees, no pressure in getting an epidural, a network of services, lower costs, breastfeeding help, and a speedier check out.

Hospital Benefits include the backup of immediate medical intervention if needed, benefits to the high risk mothers or …

2 mins read

What Is a Time and Attendance System?

What Is a Time and Attendance System?

Time and attendance systems are the computerized equivalent of the paper time sheet and can automate day-to-day employee tasks such as scheduling employees, tracking work hours, managing project costing and calculating accrued benefit entitlements through simple to sophisticated software. They commonly replace a spreadsheet scheduling system.

These systems can reduce the administrative hassles of managing paper time slips and can greatly reduce the mistakes. They are mostly needed in bigger companies with staff whose work schedules are constantly changing. They can also cut down on the biggest crime: buddy punching.

These systems also provide time tracking and schedule management capabilities including setting the break times, lunches, time off and overtime. The systems will also track late punches and show any patterns of absenteeism. Most systems also include auditing and reporting tools as well as give managers direct access to their employee data.

Companies with employees who are mostly salaried probably don’t need this type of system. Companies with mostly hourly or part-time employees probably do as so companies with a mix of salaried and hourly staff.

The need for a time and attendance system often begins when a company hits about 25 employees. Companies with more than 1,000 employees often turn go larger, more powerful systems that can create complex schedules, incorporate more advanced labor planning and can even include employees’ desired work schedules.

Time and labor management systems that are designed for larger companies feature more sophisticated functionality such as recording an employee’s daily work by project, job and/or location and sophisticated job costing and job planning capabilities. They also have more robust reporting tools. Job costing like this is invaluable to companies that need to monitor their workforce productivity or forecast their workforce needs.

Employees use identification cards or a computer to punch in and out each day. Some use proximity cards which only need to be waved near a time clock reader. Magnetic stripe cards are also often used. For security purposes and to avoid buddy punching some companies use biometric input devices that check handprints or fingerprints to ensure that the correct employee is doing the punching in and out.

A growing number of companies are letting their employees enter their own information directly into the time and attendance system. They allow them to enter their vacation time, sick time and their flex-time hours.

How do you find a good Time and Attendance System? You can surf the internet or you can go directly to and use the Time Attendance Software Selection Tool. The Selection Tool will ask you a series of questions and then show you the products best suited to your requirements.…

2 mins read

Industrial Shelving – A Solution For Heavy Industrial Businesses

Industrial Shelving – A Solution For Heavy Industrial Businesses

Do you have a large amount of inventory? Tired of having to deal with all sorts of problems? Industrial shelving can help you manage your inventory, keep portions of your order on the shelves as well as ensure that you are ready to go with whatever you might need at the moment. Shelving made for industrial uses can stand up to the tests of time. Best of all, it is made out of sturdy materials to ensure that you will never encounter a problem.

Industrial shelving also does not have to be expensive. There are many companies which sell second hand industrial shelving as well as low priced new shelves. This makes the cost to the company that buys it much lower. Best of all, you do not have to worry about paying for the shelving right away as many of these companies will allow you to buy on credit. You simply pay them within thirty to sixty days and you will continue to enjoy your shelving. This allows the business to focus on extending their business and increase their sales while still having the materials necessary to do so.

Shelving is a portion of the business that few think about. You need shelving regardless of what you sell. Services are one of the few businesses that do not require that the business have shelving in all situations. Some service based businesses do require that you have industrial shelving due to the toxic materials that they use. Industrial shelving is also useful for individuals who operate a business out of their home. For example, someone who often works with automobiles or other types of vehicles needs to store their equipment and supplies. Many of these supplies are toxic to the environment so it is wise to use industrial shelving.

Shelving for industrial uses is not available everywhere. However, there are a number of different companies that sell it. Best of all, you do not have to be an expert to purchase it. Industrial use shelving is the perfect solution for almost every heavy use situation.…

2 mins read

How To Find Services in Your New City

One of the most difficult things about moving to a new city can be leaving all your usual services behind. You’re used to a particular hairdresser, plumber and mechanic, and it is tough to make the switch. There are ways, though, that you can smooth out the process and find good services in your new city. Read on to learn how.

Do Your Research

First, do your research. Start online, searching for whatever service you need. You might be looking for car repair Edmonds WA. In that case, check out several possibilities. Read about their services and qualifications. Make note of customer reviews. Check out Better Business Bureau ratings. One or two possibilities will probably come out on top.

Ask for Recommendations

You can also ask for recommendations. As you get to know people in your new city, ask them who they go to for their services. You new neighbors, for example, might be able to recommend a good electrician, plumber or handyman. Someone at work could point you in the direction of a talented hairdresser.

Try Them Out

When you’ve done your research, gotten some recommendations or both, then pick a couple good candidates, and give them a try. You never really know how well a service will work for you until you use it once or twice. If your dishwasher is acting up and your neighbor advises you to call a particular appliance repair shop, then do so. It’s worth a shot.

Make a Switch

Finally, remember that if you aren’t satisfied with a service for whatever reason, you can always make a switch. You are not obligated to stay with the first place you choose. In fact, you can try out a number of different shops for each service until you find one that is a good fit for your needs and your budget.

Finding new services in a new city isn’t easy, but if you persevere, you’ll have new favorites very soon.…

3 mins read

Contract Warehouses – What You Need to Know

Contract Warehouses – What You Need to Know

In any business, maintaining accurate and precise control of inventory and its associated costs is critical to staying lean in these uncertain times. Storing and maintaining inventory can be a very expensive and labor-intensive process that will quickly consume your operating budget, if not streamlined for maximum cost efficiency. Most businesses are not ‘in the business’ of managing inventory, they are in the business of selling goods. For this reason, many companies choose to outsource their inventory management and product fulfillment operations to contract warehouses. These businesses exist solely to oversee the safe storing and shipping of products, allowing business owners to focus on the core competencies of their business.

In the past, many companies chose to handle receiving goods from manufacturers, investing in land and warehouse space, and paying and training a labor force to ship goods and respond to customer complaints. As one can imagine, this cost is exorbitant and unrealistic for young businesses in today’s marketplace. As a result, some investors saw a need for a low-cost solution for businesses who needed to move and store products, and decided to absorb the cost of industrial real estate and a skilled workforce. With an optimally efficient operation, these business can provide a low-cost service to their clients while still making a profit by defraying their costs across multiple clients.

These warehouses and the exceedingly competent fulfillment professionals staffing them consolidate multiple companies’ cost of maintaining a warehouse and shipping operation, allowing each to reduce their inventory and fulfillment costs dramatically. The logistics professionals who run these warehouses are often highly-trained and industry-certified in their roles. You can rest assured that they will accurately fulfill every order so that it arrives at its final destination safely and on time. Additionally, since their entire business is moving inventory, a third party fulfillment center can offer a much more efficient operation than any business could ever hope to achieve in-house.

A warehouse solution means you never have to worry about receiving, shipping, or managing the physical movement of goods ever again. The warehouse can receive inventory directly from your manufacturer, and store it according to any particular product specifications. For instance, if you order produce or anything else that must remain cold, warehouses have a refrigerated storage solution to protect your goods from spoil. Many warehouses also offer distribution services including accurate packing and shipping, and timely delivery of orders. Today, many warehouses even have a customer service department on their payroll to handle any concerns your customers may have with the product or delivery.

Effectively, a warehouse allows you to completely outsource the central operations of your business. This frees you up to focus on growing your business. By focusing on what you do best, and allowing a fulfillment warehouse to perform according to its core strength, you can make your business leaner, reducing costs and growing profits exponentially. In fact, many entrepreneurs are effectively outsourcing both the operations and marketing of …

2 mins read

Data Warehouse Development – Get Knowledge From Your Data

Data Warehouse Development – Get Knowledge From Your Data

Business Model Development

The first step in data warehouse development is to define the enterprise business model by gathering and listing all real life business activities and drawing up a case model. An enterprise business model to be effective must be consistent, where business requirements should be identified through a complex and systematic approach.

Some models are based on functions closer to an organizational structure which is liable to change with emerging business trends. They also demonstrate how business workers and other concerned entities work together to achieve business processes. The essence in an enterprise business model though is a consistent framework.

Data Model and Architecture Development

When a model is in place the next step is to create a system data model – an abstract data model which describes how data is used and represents business events, entities, transactions and sundry real life activities that are defined by the enterprise business model.

The third step will be to define the data warehouse architecture which is a framework detailing how the elements and services of the warehouse mesh together and how to direct the data warehouse’s growth over time. This is analogous to a set of building documents, blueprints, plans and specifications prepared prior to construction.

Datawarehouse Development

The final step in data warehouse development when the foregoing steps are set, documented and planned is to establish a physical database. A data warehouse requires a physical data base system where computer hardware is one of the prime considerations. The computer’s processing power should be able to cope with the intensive processing that will arise.

Storage devices must be able to hold large volumes of data which are updated frequently. Networking support, one essential feature, must be fast and efficient. Other considerations are the selection of the right software applications. The market is replete with relational database software applications. Some of the well-know names in the field are Microsoft SQL, Informix, PostgresSQL, Sybase and MySQL.

Education, Training, Documentation

Successful implementation requires educating users and systems staff members into the complex technologies involved. The data warehouse development training process will need several layers of training to ensure that the model is productive and generates the necessary data in a productive and meaningful manner.…

2 mins read

Compensation – What’s It All About?

Compensation – What’s It All About?

Compensation is the other side of wages or salary. Simply put, wages or salary is due to an employee and the compensation is offered by the employer. When we talk of wages, many factors come into play. These include their performance, skills, years of experience, etc. Their pay is usually decided keeping in mind factors such as market value, unions, or the social norm that is prevalent at a given period.

Compensation is also known as cost to company. This perhaps defines the basic tenet in running a company. There can be no company without its work force and the work force in turn cannot exist without compensation from the company.

The employer determines the pay for the employee. For an employer, this consists of more than the money. It includes benefits, tangible and intangible rewards, etc. The employee may be receiving more than just a certain sum of money in his pay check. The extras are covered by the employer. Compensating employees usually is the major portion of a company’s expenditure. Considering the fact that they spend a large sum of money towards their employees, the employer also considers it an approach to hiring and retaining their employees as well as generating good will and receiving loyalty in return.

To sum it up, compensation is related to the contract between an employee and his or her employer. This compensation is critical to the employees as well as the Company and extends to the general economy. Thus, it becomes more than just a basic reason for working. No one wishes to expend energy for no return. Similarly, a worker is not likely to offer his services for nothing. After all, we work in order to provide for our needs and this includes our family’s needs. For that little bit more than the money, we also seek recognition and status because it gives us a greater sense of accomplishment.

There is a variety of concepts that can be used to understand compensation towards a work force. These are economic, psychological, sociological, political, equity based and communications. Each of these concepts is brought into play while setting basic standards of compensation and as such, also defines the relationship between an employer and employee holistically. One cannot establish wage parameters without understanding the above mentioned concepts as the human workforce does not work in isolation. After all, labor or the human resources that a company depends on works in conjunction with the others in order to help the company grow.…

3 mins read

Cosmetologist: A Career in Beauty

Cosmetologist: A Career in Beauty

Cosmetology is an exciting and rewarding career that focuses on beauty in terms of skin care, nail care and beauty and hair care and style. A career in cosmetology could land you in a field you will love from becoming a professional hairstylist in an upscale (and high-paying) salon to starting a job as an aesthetician in your very own nail shop. Learn more about how to get started in a job that lets your creativity shine through.

Cosmetologist Career: Education

If you wish to become a cosmetologist, you will need to be at least 16 years in age and attend a state-licensed cosmetology school or barber school. Some states require students to earn a high school degree or GED before they can enroll in a cosmetology school or program. Cosmetology training programs typically, last about nine months and often, results in an associate’s degree. Those who wish to become nail technicians will have a shorter program the term length differs by state. Some states require nail technicians/manicurists to complete 500 hours of coursework, while others require only 400 hours, and some states might accept hours working as an intern, as credit towards your schooling hours.

Cosmetologist Career: Licensing

Additionally, any cosmetologist workers including hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists (excluding shampooers) are required to be licensed, in order to practice anywhere in the United States. After completing a state-approved cosmetology program, individuals are typically, required to take a state-administered exam, in order to receive their license. In most states, skin care specialists, manicurists and pedicurists, generally have a separate licensing exam.

Cosmetologist Career: Earnings

One of the most exciting opportunities for cosmetologists, hairstylists and aestheticians is that their earnings increase substantially as they become more experienced and start building their clientele. The list of cosmetology career options doesn’t end in working as a hair or nail stylist or aesthetician licensed cosmetologist can advance their career to manage or open their own salons, to become image consultants or sales reps or to teach in cosmetology/barber schools. According to (2009), cosmetologists earn an average annual income of $11.21/hour, which figures up to about $23,330 a year. However, the earnings vary considerably by job title.

Cosmetologist Career: Occupation Outlook & Expectations

According to the BLS (The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), the projected employment for Personal Appearance Workers (e.g. – cosmetologists, barbers, nail care and skin care technicians). However, this employment growth is estimated to vary according to specialty. To better explain this, here is an example: The increase in jobs for skin care specialist is expected to be much faster throughout the next seven years (2018), than the projected job growth for other cosmetology occupations that require either an associate’s degree or post-secondary training.

A career as a hairstylist, manicurist, color specialist, aesthetician, Botox specialist or whatever dreams you have in the world of personal beauty and style can be very promising throughout the United States, as predicted by The Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Jump start your …