Playing with animals creates interesting and predictable fun. When the little critters happen to be your friends you add a whole new dimension to the entertainment and feel good experiences that lead to increased happiness. Did you ever visit a retirement home or a convalescent center when someone came in with animals? The residents come alive interacting with the animals. What a neat experience. If you own the animals that go into those places, I imagine that you benefit from a warm fuzzy feeling watching your pet make someone happy and calm.

If you do not own a pet go visit homes with pets so you get to play with the animals. While visiting pay attention to what it feels like to play with a pet or have the pet cuddle with you. Notice the big difference between dogs and cats. A dog is just like your little buddy with a tail always wagging and a tongue hanging out. Dogs seem to smile all the time just like little kids.

And then there are cats. I have a cat. I was a dog person growing up, but I’ve been a cat person most of my adult

The U. S. has, on average, over 74 million dogs. Many of those are pets, and many of those pets will find themselves homeless, needlessly homeless during these hard, recessionary times. Why, if Fido is such an emotional part of the family, should he be cast into the street? Some might say that the reason has to do with Fido’s being a dog, but they might want to reconsider.

The problem is bigger than the plight of pets. Reflect on the choices that some adults in Nebraska make when they abandon their children -all ages (just born to 17) – under the safe-haven law specifying that a child (children) can be abandoned at a licensed hospital without explaining why. So, the answer is NOT because Fido is a dog or Perky is a cat or Cathy is an adorable and easily adoptable human girl or Billy is a troublesome 17-year-old human boy. It is because their adult people are misguided.

During lean times such as this current recession, some of us are finding ourselves short on cash, short on jobs, and short on the basics of life. In desperation, we forget that we are NOT short

Why does the average pet parent need a pet carrier?

I will list just a few here. The first reason that comes to mind is a video I have seen about an animal shelter worker trying to control a mature cat, without a pet carrier, that got spooked and freaked out.

You do need a dog carrier if you have a cat that travels with you or just to go to the vet office from time to time. But, you already knew that, right.

You do not want your pet moving around the car while you are driving. Of course they want to be in your lap and help drive. This is very dangerous for you, your pet and other drivers.

Pet carriers are an ideal option for traveling with cats and small dogs because they act not only as a form of protection, but also can provide a reassuring space for the pet within the vehicle, train or airplane. All pets are more relaxed in their own safe and secure den which the pet carrier provides. When you arrive at your destination you will have a happier and relaxed pet. So consider your

Americans love to own pets and according to the Humane Society almost 40% of American households have a dog and 33% a cat. However, the number of animals is much bigger and not all of them find a home. In addition, some get lost or run away. Most lost pets that end up in an animal shelter are not returned to their owners. There are almost 5,000 shelters in the U.S. and according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 60% of dogs and 70% of cats in the shelters are euthanized.

Nevertheless, adopting a pet from a shelter is not very easy. Although shelters are overcrowded, their first concern is the best future for all the animals that are adopted. If you cannot prove that you have time for the dog or cat, that you have researched the breed you want the animal to be and that everyone in the house agrees to the adoption, you might not be able to get through the adoption procedures.

Workers in shelters have years of experience and can be identify matches better than the general public. Sometimes they are too cautious and all the

Poor weight gain and lack of condition in our horses, pets and birds.

Since time began horses were naturally herd animals roaming and grazing in the wilds eating grasses and any in season herbs, weeds and flowers they naturally come across during the four seasons of the year.

Horses are now expected to eat large amounts of food once, twice or three times a day which is against their natural instinct. This is done simply because of our life styles but it greatly undermines the horse’s natural eating habits and health.

Poor weight gain is a condition where the horse and pets fails to thrive in spite of being fed what may seem to be a normal diet.

To be able to provide the animal a balanced diet it is necessary to look at its original feeding habits. The bulk of their diet comprises of roughage, a variety of pasture grasses, herbs, flowers and weeds. Concentrates were eaten only when available as seed heads formed. Changes to diet were gradual and dictated by how far they moved per day and seasonal changes. Horses eat for most of the twenty four hour period during the

How do I get them to sit still?

This is the lament of many Mum’s and Dad’s as they try to capture those precious moments.

The first thing to do is put your camera on auto or on a program mode. With children and animals you don’t want to be worrying about being on the right setting.

The next thing is to put it on burst or multiple exposure mode. The reason for this is it gives you a better chance of getting the right expression or get them looking the right way.

With these two things sorted out, we need to focus on ‘focusing’. Set your camera to continuous focus if it has a setting that you can choose, this enables the camera to focus quickly even if the subject is moving.

Then the fun begins. Firstly with children, try to get them when they are playing or interacting with others. Don’t ask them to look at the camera and say cheese unless you want stilted photos with awkward grins.

Move around, get down low, get up high, take ones of just their hands playing or take them with their back

Are you seeking the perfect present for the pet or pet lover in your life?

With the holidays just around the corner now is the time to start your shopping so you can beat the rush and allow time for shipping (without those priority charges) as well!

If you’re ready to begin your search for the ultimate pet-themed gifts, read on for some helpful hints and suggestions.

Pet Pleasers

(Dog and Cat Gifts)

Chewies and Other Fun Toys: Since all dogs love to chew (and chew and chew and chew), a new chew-toy is a sure pleaser. When choosing which “chewy” or tug toy to buy, remember that dogs, like children, can choke on small parts and pieces. Keep in mind too that stuffed animals are not an ideal gift for dogs as ingesting the fur and stuffing can cause choking hazards as well.

One more note on toys: If you don’t mind being responsible for buying that “annoying” gift, dogs really enjoy squeaky model chew toys! Just remember, you’ve been warned because when his or her owners are trying to hear the television over that incessant “SQUEAKING,” chances are they’ll think

It must be innate human beings love to have pets. Perhaps, this is something that goes way back in our heritage living with nature side by side throughout our evolutionary history? Of course, many of us simply do not have the room to support a large pet so we have to choose smaller critics. Large dogs and cats are often difficult to care for and cost a bit of money due to their needs, vet bills and food.

Often for this reason people choose pets such as mice, fish, snakes, turtles or even hamsters. May I recommend a hamster? They are especially good for kids to teach them to care for animals. Before you choose to acquire a hamster as a pet there are indeed some things you should know. Not all pet store employees are up on the caring needs for hamsters. And thus, I recommend that you fully read up on the subject first. May I be so bold as to suggest a good book on the topic of hamsters for pets?

“The Hamster Handbook” by Patricia Bartlett, 2003.

This book explains everything and even the reality of how hamsters can relieve stress

Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and many synthetic fertilizers on the market can be harmful to your pets.

All an animal has to do is walk through your yard and harmful chemicals from pesticides, herbicides and fungicides will adhere to their fur and gets between their toes. When your pet comes inside it will try to lick their feet and legs clean. This licking causes them to ingest many harmful chemicals.

Let us look at some of the chemicals:

Insecticides – Many insecticides work by interfering with an insect’s nervous system. Even though insecticides kill insects, they usually won’t kill your pets, but they can have a detrimental effect on their nervous system.

The pesticide Dursban (also called chlorpyrifos), commonly used in indoor and lawn pest control, is now showing evidence of causing immune system disorders – Department of Health Science, California State University.

The pesticide MCPA, used as an ingredient in some lawn pesticides, has been found to damage a part of the brain known as the blood brain barrier Annual Reviews in Public Health.

The results of another study suggest that organophosphate, and carbamate pesticides, can produce behavioral manifestations following accidental exposure.

Owning a pet is supposed to bring you a lot of joy by adding something to your life. And for most people, this is what having a pet does. But for others, owning a pet can have the opposite effect sometimes. In fact, it can downright make living in your home impossible if you aren’t mentally prepared to have an additional burden or if you struggle with allergies.

If you live with someone and you are thinking of getting a pet or have wanted one for a very long time, make sure that you discuss it with the other person because owning a pet won’t just be your responsibility; it will be theirs as well and they may not want to have to worry about taking care of anyone or anything else. For some people, their day-to-day schedules are so crazy and busy that owning a pet would be impossible. However, owning a pet is not something to be taken lightly. In fact, it is very similar to adopting a child; it’s a huge responsibility because you are agreeing to take care of another life- a life that is almost completely dependent on you to take care

Traveling with pets and fragile cargo can be a taxing task and is a potential travel hassle if the necessary precautions are not met. Pets can create a great mess in a car’s interiors, especially with car floor mats and seat coverings. Filling a car with heavy cargo can also pose potential damage not only to the cargo, but to the car’s accessories like tears in the seat covers or scratches in the windows.

When planning long-distance travel with your pets, make sure you have them trained in staying put in a pet carrier. Start by taking them with for short drives to the grocery stores and parks either weeks or months before the planned trip. Then gradually introduce your pets to longer car rides in hopes of acclimating them to a long journey in an enclosed vehicle. Additionally, pet carriers may aid in the transport of unruly animals. For those that behave well, it is best to have your pet’s nails trimmed a day or two before the trip to prevent from scratches or holes in your car’s interiors.

During your long journey, make sure to take frequent breaks so that your pets can get

Many cats’ love children, but the sudden arrival of a baby or child in the house can be a shock. Do not put the entire burden of adjustment on your cat because that is not fair. Teach children to leave her alone unless she seeks their attention and to be gentle with her when she does.

Supervise children who are too young to understand or comply. Be sure that your cat has a refuge where she can get away, if she no longer able to jump up out of reach, you need to provide her with an option.

Other pets, too, can be a problem for your senior cat. If she has lived with other animal for a while, they have probably worked out a reasonable relationship. A new pet, though, may frighten, hurt, or annoy your cat, especially if the newcomer is too pushy, playful, or big for your cat to fend off or escape.

Kittens and puppies in particular can be too rough, and lacking the sense and restraint that come with maturity, a young animal may hurt an elderly cat without meaning to. Of course, some animals do mean to hurt others,

Environmental pest control is a serious subject. Every year millions of homes and businesses are exposed to toxic chemicals in an effort to fight insect and rodent infestations. More than a billion pounds of chemicals are used every year in the United States to fight vermin. Before heading to the store to pick up some insect spray or before picking up the phone to call the exterminator, it is important to know the facts about pest control.

The first thing to know about pest control is the kinds of chemicals used. The three most commonly used chemicals in pest control were created to attack the nervous systems of vermin. These chemicals were synthesized from the template of nerve agents that were designed during the fighting in World War II. Therefore, they are highly toxic and should be handled with extreme care. These chemicals do not just attack the nervous systems of pests. They will also attack the nervous systems of human beings and pets as well. They will not likely have a lethal effect, because they are designed to attack much smaller animals. However, the smaller the child or pet is, the greater the danger to them

As much as it irritates you, you knew that it was only a matter of time before Fido or Fluffy decided that they needed to investigate your planting bench. Not to mention every other bug, grub, or pest that has a pulse now wants a part of the action that your plants have. The result, alas, is dead plants because your beloved cat thinks it is the perfect potty, or destroyed cats because your dog wanted to see if the planter was, in fact, a magic portal, or dead plants that have been killed by bugs having at them, and eventually nesting in your bench.

Regardless of what is bugging you (pun intended), there are several different ways to make sure nothing gets in your potting bench. The first thing you should absolutely do during your bench assembly phase is to take the time to paint or stain every facet of wood – be it exposed or not. Staining or painting your wood bench is the best way to protect the integrity of your wood: by staining or painting even the parts that will be covered deep in dirt, you will be creating a barrier by which

Though we love our pets and would not give them up for the world, they do make our homes much more inviting to pests. It’s important for both your sanity and your pet’s health to discourage pests from seeing your pets as reasons to enter your home. Here are a few ways to keep your pets while avoiding an unpleasant pest problem.

Pet Food

Those of us who allow our pets to freely feed, either inside or outside, are inviting pests into our homes. Left out pet food is attractive to everything from the smallest ant to dangerous coyotes. To avoid attracting pests with pet food, it’s important to feed your pets inside (coyotes can smell food hours after it’s been there and will return to look for it) and to schedule your feedings. Keep pet food tightly secured in plastic or metal containers when storing it.

Pet Waste

Disgusting though it may be, even your pet’s bodily waste may attract both wildlife and insects. Pet waste still contains valuable nutrients, so it may attract bugs and rodents looking for nutrition. If you have a dog or outdoor cat, it is important to clean

A pet is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a household animal. The most popular pets are noted for their loyalty or playful attributes, for their attractive appearance, or for their their company. Pets also generally seem to provide their owners with non-trivial health benefits. keeping pets has been shown to help relieve stress to those who like having animals and there’s been a medically approved class of therapy animals who are brought to visit confined people. For instance walking a dog brings exercise, fresh air and social interaction.

While in theory any animal might be a pet, in practice only a small number of species of mammals (especially dogs and cats) and other small animals, such as birds, fish, or lizards, are practical. One reason for this is that large animals are not able to fit inside small dwellings.
In general, for an animal to be a pet. It must either be small enough or easily controlled for his or her unwanted behavioral tendencies to be negligible, or the animal must be actually domesticable. Examples of the former are such animals as fish (including carnivorous ones such as piranha), chickens, invertebrates or small mammals.

The prospects for success in a pet-care business are excellent because of the strong growth in the industry demonstrates what an important role pets play in the life of Americans. Pets have become a part of the family that is why they are pampered and are integral to people’s lives.

Most of those who started to put up their animal stores are usually pet-lovers with the intent to help animals and to guide people on how to take care and help animals as well.

Look for a lawyer who specializes in small businesses especially someone who is knowledgeable about the state agricultural laws and licensing required. The attorney will also handle all licensing and city ordinance issues. Hire an accountant who focuses on small business accounts to take care of your quarterly or yearly books of accounts.

Choosing for a location to put up your business is not that hard but it is best to put up your pet store business near the suburbs or the residential areas. If it is a new area for a pet shop, check first with the city council if the location is approved for a business like yours before