Write to the editor

The Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA) is pleased to announce that THIS IS BAHRAIN in Bahrain will be staged on December 11 at the National Stadium car park, Riffa, in celebration of National Day.

Following on from the successes of our international road-shows in London, Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Washington DC and New York, we now want to showcase one here at home.

Our aim is to bring Bahraini and expatriate families together to celebrate Bahrain’s ‘one family spirit’ and to give thanks for our many blessings and our peaceful, harmonious way of life, thanks to the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Hamad who has granted us all total religious freedom and the right to worship unhindered.

This right is something we are all extremely grateful for and that we feel is even more important today, in light of the recent tragic events in France and Lebanon, and gives THIS IS BAHRAIN in BAHRAIN the perfect opportunity for our communities to come together to show our love and respect for the leadership and for each other, in the true Bahraini way, by sharing and celebrating as one family.

The event will feature exhibition stands from embassies, schools, clubs, associations, societies, religious organisations and will include lots of live entertainment throughout the day provided by children of all nationalities who will perform dances and songs that represent their culture.

A traditional Bahraini souq will be recreated and there will be free food, soft drinks, and raffle tickets with prizes ranging from airline tickets, to laptops, smart phones, electronic goods, dinner vouchers and hotel stays.

A special feature will be a children’s playground with lots of fun activities to keep the children amused.

THIS IS BAHRAIN in BAHRAIN is only possible due to the generosity of local businesses and we invite anyone who would like to sponsor the event to contact us.

We would also love to hear from anyone interested in performing or exhibiting or donating their time, goods or services as this is a true community event and everyone is invited.

We are also most excited to announce that joining us to share in the celebrations will be our dear sisters and brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates whose delegations are a most welcome addition to our family celebrations.

Entry is free and the event is from 3pm to 11pm. If you are interested in donating, exhibiting, performing or volunteering then please email: thisisbah@gmail.com

Betsy B Mathieson,
BFEA Secretary-General.

PET owners often seek advice on how to introduce young animals into their homes. In our opinion there are five good reasons to consider crate training your dog.

I believe many of your readers will find this very useful as it’s the most effective way to housebreak any puppy.

Successful crate training encourages a lot of positive behaviours, enhancing the quality of your dog’s future as well as your own. When you crate train a new puppy, you teach him useful strategies that he will continue to apply throughout his life.

Here are a few of the most important reasons why you should consider it.

* Housebreaking: Whether or not you are new to the life of a dog owner, crate training can ease the process of housebreaking your pet. As long as you are consistent with the training that you provide, you’ll be able to teach your pet not to urinate or defecate inside of his quarters (the crate). It will also aid you in teaching him to go to the bathroom rather than inside of your home. One of the goals of crate training is to teach your pet to hold his urine until he reaches the exterior of your home.

* Bonding: Crate training a new puppy provides an excellent way to bond with him. The time that the two of you spend together allows you to bond closely, giving you a terrific start to your new relationship.

* Own space: All dogs need a place to call their own. They need a spot where they can feel safe and secure in times of stress. They also need a place where they can feel comfortable when they are unwell. A crate can provide all of that for them. As you and your dog go through the stages of successful crate training, he’ll become comfortable with his cosy home, making him happy to go there on his own as well as when you ask him to do so.

* Chewing: Puppies and even dogs that are left on their own for too long have a tendency to chew on whatever they can find whenever they want to do so. With proper crate training, you can teach your dog the behaviours that you want him to learn, while also encouraging him to keep away from your personal items, such as shoes and boots. If you provide a few quality-made dog toys for your pet to chew while inside of his crate, he’ll make the connection and realise that these are the type of items he is permitted to use.

* Travelling: If your dog has been crate trained properly, he’ll be more than happy to stay inside of his crate whenever you need him to spend the night there. To him, the crate is his home and not just a cage. Crate training also prepares your pet for an overnight stay at the veterinarian’s office in the event that he needs to go in for a procedure.

Abdulrahman Alkhan,
Pet Arabia Co.

Editor’s note: If you do not have a crate for your dog yet, you can look for the right size crate in any Pet Arabia store or simply order online from www.petarabia.com and get it delivered to your home for free.