Petside, who's sites I often post on this blog, has some pictures of animal/celebrity look a likes. Some are a stretch, though some are good. Either way, it's a fun site to check out.
http://www.petside.com/news/pet-celebrity-look-a-likes.html
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Addicted to Fish Keeping
Yes, I'm addicted to the hobby. In most cases, having a fish tank starts out as a hobby. But sometimes, I feel as if I'm starting to become obsessed.
Fish are relatively inexpensive when compared to the costs of many other animals, and with so many varieties and types, it is easy to become obsessive about the hobby. At first, a 20 gallon tank is great, but then you want to keep more fish, so you look to purchase a bigger tank. Maybe a 30, or 55 gallon tank. But after a while, as your fish get bigger, and you get bored of the species you own, and you want to get a bigger, newer tank. With more fish. Or perhaps you want to keep the fish you own, but you want to try a different species that isn't compatible with your current fish. So you start a second tank with a different species.
And sometimes this is enough, but many of the hobby magazines talk about the adventures of fish breeding...which then of course may require some type of breeding tank. And then you want to keep some of the fish you breed, so you need a bigger tank to keep those fish, and the cycle starts all over again.
I recently read that the most popular fish tank sizes used to be the 20 - 30 gallon range. More and more, however, the 55 gallon has become the standard for many fishkeepers. And with all the options available in tank shapes and sizes, it makes it easier to fulfill your addictions.
In my opinion, it's a matter of how it effects your life and finances. If it is something you enjoy, and it doesn't interfere with the rest of your life too much, then enjoy!
Fish are relatively inexpensive when compared to the costs of many other animals, and with so many varieties and types, it is easy to become obsessive about the hobby. At first, a 20 gallon tank is great, but then you want to keep more fish, so you look to purchase a bigger tank. Maybe a 30, or 55 gallon tank. But after a while, as your fish get bigger, and you get bored of the species you own, and you want to get a bigger, newer tank. With more fish. Or perhaps you want to keep the fish you own, but you want to try a different species that isn't compatible with your current fish. So you start a second tank with a different species.
And sometimes this is enough, but many of the hobby magazines talk about the adventures of fish breeding...which then of course may require some type of breeding tank. And then you want to keep some of the fish you breed, so you need a bigger tank to keep those fish, and the cycle starts all over again.
I recently read that the most popular fish tank sizes used to be the 20 - 30 gallon range. More and more, however, the 55 gallon has become the standard for many fishkeepers. And with all the options available in tank shapes and sizes, it makes it easier to fulfill your addictions.
In my opinion, it's a matter of how it effects your life and finances. If it is something you enjoy, and it doesn't interfere with the rest of your life too much, then enjoy!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Driving With Penguins
Time for a good (debatable) joke...
A man was driving down the road with twenty penguins in the back seat. The police stop him and say that he can't drive around with the penguins in the car and should take them to the zoo. The man agrees and drives off.
The next day the same man is driving down the road with twenty penguins in the back and again. He is stopped by the same police officer who says, "Hey! I though I told you to take those to the zoo."
The man replies "I did. Today I'm taking them to the movies."
A man was driving down the road with twenty penguins in the back seat. The police stop him and say that he can't drive around with the penguins in the car and should take them to the zoo. The man agrees and drives off.
The next day the same man is driving down the road with twenty penguins in the back and again. He is stopped by the same police officer who says, "Hey! I though I told you to take those to the zoo."
The man replies "I did. Today I'm taking them to the movies."
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Pet Quote of the Day
"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals" ~ Anonymous
How true it is!
How true it is!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Crazy Pet Gadgets
Petside.com has come up with a list of some of the craziest pet gadgets.
Many are inventions that you probably don't even need...however, I particularly like the leash with an umbrella attached. Very convenient! Which one do you like the best?
The IPOD with a VERY mini fish tank is controversial, and for the right reasons...it's too small!!
And the number one gadget on the list...you'll have to see for yourself......
Crazy Pet Gadgets
Many are inventions that you probably don't even need...however, I particularly like the leash with an umbrella attached. Very convenient! Which one do you like the best?
The IPOD with a VERY mini fish tank is controversial, and for the right reasons...it's too small!!
And the number one gadget on the list...you'll have to see for yourself......
Crazy Pet Gadgets
Friday, June 20, 2008
The Responsibilities of Owning a Dog
By Guest Author Mayra Calvani
http://www.crashthepuppy.blogspot.com
Puppies are not toys. You hear that all the time. But you’d be surprised at the number of people who seem to ignore this. It’s sad, but many people buy a dog, only to return it to the store or breeder—or worse yet, a shelter!—a couple of weeks later because they ‘couldn’t handle it’.
Getting a new puppy comes with a long list of responsibilities. A puppy has to be handled with care and respect; it needs to be feed, exercised, trained, brushed, medicated for fleas, ticks and parasites, taken to the vet—to name just a few tasks. Before getting a new puppy (and yes, it’s such a thrilling, exciting, wonderful experience!) you must educate yourself, and by this I don’t just mean reading a book. You should read several books on dogs or the breed you’re thinking of getting, research online, ask questions to your dog-owner friends and relatives. In sum, you should get all the information you can before making the big decision.
So, do you have the time and resources it takes to care for a new puppy? Stop a moment to think about that. Do you live alone and work outside all day? Would the puppy be alone by itself the whole day? Puppies, by the way, are not ornaments or statues. They need love and attention, just a like a regular two-year old child.
The question, of course, is not only ‘Should I get a dog?’ but ‘What type of dog?” Different breeds have different personalities and you should get one that fits you and your family. Maybe you think golden retriever puppies are the most gorgeous creatures in the planet, but if you’re the sedentary type who hates walking and don’t have the means to hire a person to walk your golden, getting this type of dog would be crazy, since golden retrievers are very active and need to exercise at least an hour a day when grown.
A lady who lives down our street bought a golden puppy a few months ago. She lives alone and works out of the house all day. So far, I’ve seen her walking that dog once. Well, all I can say is my heart goes out for that poor dog. Goldens are incredibly sensitive animals that need human company and attention, not to mention the exercise issue. I have to wonder, what was in her mind when she bought the dog? In my opinion, it’s mostly ignorance, lack of information before buying a pet.
Another family I know bought a Labrador retriever puppy last year. (Their young teenaged son had been asking for a dog for ages—classic story). The puppy began peeing all over their apartment. Because they knew very little about training, they didn’t know what to do about it, so eventually they returned the puppy to the store. I’m sure those readers who own Labrador retrievers will be flabbergasted by this. Labradors are highly intelligent and amazingly quick learners. Did they expect the puppy to teach himself to ‘go potty’?
To give one last example on how important it is to educate yourself before getting a puppy, let me tell you this final story. Another lady I know got a puppy a few months ago from a friend whose dog had had pups. I called her a couple of weeks after she had got the puppy to ask her how it was going. She said: “It’s going great, but I can’t get rid of its smell. It really stinks. I’m giving it a bath a few times a week but it reeks!” Bathing a dog a few times a week? Who on their right mind does that? If she would have taken the time to read a book or two, she would know that some dog’s coats have a special oil to protect their skin and to serve as a shield against dirt and water. It’s this oil that smells, not the dog. But what she ignored is that, the more she washes him, the more oil he’ll exude and the more it’ll stink. So she was actually making him reek by washing him so often! Not to mention that she was also harming the dog by possibly causing skin disorders and even illness (it was winter).
As you can see, it’s important for a prospective dog owner to be informed, and to pass that knowledge to the whole family—especially to children—before owning a pet.
We talked and talked about getting a puppy for three years before we finally took the big step. By then I was an amateur ‘expert’ on dogs and had passed on most of the vital information to my husband and kids. When problems arose, I knew exactly what to do, and if I didn’t, I immediately called the vet or made research online. I love my golden retriever, Amigo. He’s a bright, shining star in our home, a marvelous gift to us. He depends on me and I won’t let him down.
Please don’t let your new puppy down. Educate yourself.
*****
Mayra Calvani is a multi-genre author, reviewer, dog lover, and animal advocate.
Visit her blog at www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com
http://www.crashthepuppy.blogspot.com
Puppies are not toys. You hear that all the time. But you’d be surprised at the number of people who seem to ignore this. It’s sad, but many people buy a dog, only to return it to the store or breeder—or worse yet, a shelter!—a couple of weeks later because they ‘couldn’t handle it’.
Getting a new puppy comes with a long list of responsibilities. A puppy has to be handled with care and respect; it needs to be feed, exercised, trained, brushed, medicated for fleas, ticks and parasites, taken to the vet—to name just a few tasks. Before getting a new puppy (and yes, it’s such a thrilling, exciting, wonderful experience!) you must educate yourself, and by this I don’t just mean reading a book. You should read several books on dogs or the breed you’re thinking of getting, research online, ask questions to your dog-owner friends and relatives. In sum, you should get all the information you can before making the big decision.
So, do you have the time and resources it takes to care for a new puppy? Stop a moment to think about that. Do you live alone and work outside all day? Would the puppy be alone by itself the whole day? Puppies, by the way, are not ornaments or statues. They need love and attention, just a like a regular two-year old child.
The question, of course, is not only ‘Should I get a dog?’ but ‘What type of dog?” Different breeds have different personalities and you should get one that fits you and your family. Maybe you think golden retriever puppies are the most gorgeous creatures in the planet, but if you’re the sedentary type who hates walking and don’t have the means to hire a person to walk your golden, getting this type of dog would be crazy, since golden retrievers are very active and need to exercise at least an hour a day when grown.
A lady who lives down our street bought a golden puppy a few months ago. She lives alone and works out of the house all day. So far, I’ve seen her walking that dog once. Well, all I can say is my heart goes out for that poor dog. Goldens are incredibly sensitive animals that need human company and attention, not to mention the exercise issue. I have to wonder, what was in her mind when she bought the dog? In my opinion, it’s mostly ignorance, lack of information before buying a pet.
Another family I know bought a Labrador retriever puppy last year. (Their young teenaged son had been asking for a dog for ages—classic story). The puppy began peeing all over their apartment. Because they knew very little about training, they didn’t know what to do about it, so eventually they returned the puppy to the store. I’m sure those readers who own Labrador retrievers will be flabbergasted by this. Labradors are highly intelligent and amazingly quick learners. Did they expect the puppy to teach himself to ‘go potty’?
To give one last example on how important it is to educate yourself before getting a puppy, let me tell you this final story. Another lady I know got a puppy a few months ago from a friend whose dog had had pups. I called her a couple of weeks after she had got the puppy to ask her how it was going. She said: “It’s going great, but I can’t get rid of its smell. It really stinks. I’m giving it a bath a few times a week but it reeks!” Bathing a dog a few times a week? Who on their right mind does that? If she would have taken the time to read a book or two, she would know that some dog’s coats have a special oil to protect their skin and to serve as a shield against dirt and water. It’s this oil that smells, not the dog. But what she ignored is that, the more she washes him, the more oil he’ll exude and the more it’ll stink. So she was actually making him reek by washing him so often! Not to mention that she was also harming the dog by possibly causing skin disorders and even illness (it was winter).
As you can see, it’s important for a prospective dog owner to be informed, and to pass that knowledge to the whole family—especially to children—before owning a pet.
We talked and talked about getting a puppy for three years before we finally took the big step. By then I was an amateur ‘expert’ on dogs and had passed on most of the vital information to my husband and kids. When problems arose, I knew exactly what to do, and if I didn’t, I immediately called the vet or made research online. I love my golden retriever, Amigo. He’s a bright, shining star in our home, a marvelous gift to us. He depends on me and I won’t let him down.
Please don’t let your new puppy down. Educate yourself.
*****
Mayra Calvani is a multi-genre author, reviewer, dog lover, and animal advocate.
Visit her blog at www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Take Your Dog To Work Day - June 20
With America in love with pets, the familiar TGIF workplace mantra may unleash a new meaning: "thank goodness, it's Fido." Circle your calendars - June 20th 2008 marks the 10th anniversary of Pet Sitters International's Take Your Dog To Work Day
For tips to consider before you take your dogs to work, here is a link from Dogpile - http://www.dogpilewidgetdownload.com/tips.html
For tips to consider before you take your dogs to work, here is a link from Dogpile - http://www.dogpilewidgetdownload.com/tips.html
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