Pets Smile Plus

The Samoyed Tribe of Siberia is the home base of this breed. Used as a herding dog for the reindeer herds of this Nomadic tribe, they lived in the tents with the families. In the summer they were used to pull boats along the streams carrying loads of hides and meat. The Samoyed dogs of that day were much the same as they are today. They were first brought out of the country of Siberia to the U.K. by a British traveler, Mr. Kilburn Scott, in 1889. From this original dog which he purchased, a great interest in this beautiful breed developed and he soon bought more of them and established a kennel. Samoyeds became popular quickly in the U.K. and in the United States.

The breed is originally of herding origin. They are prone to run and give chase so it is important that they be trained early to come when called. Furthermore they do have a streak of independence so this is doubly important. Once trained to this command, they are quite biddable in other respects and are easily trained. They love to work and learn new things and are eager to please. They have been used as draft dogs, assistance dogs, therapy dogs and are one of the most popular breeds in the Working Dog Group in the dog shows in the United States. They have also been used by explorers to both the Arctic and the Antarctic as sled dogs.

The “Sammy” is a strikingly beautiful dog. The coat of the Samoyed is always pure white. He has a profuse double coat two inches or more in length all over, except for the fronts of his legs and his short well furred standup ears and his face. The coat is “standout” (does not lie flat) , similar to that of most of the Spitz type breeds. The ends of the hairs are tipped with silver, this makes the white color glisten and sparkle. The eyes are dark and rimmed in black, as well as the nose and lips. He always appears to be smiling because there is an absence of flews at the jaw and the lips curl up slightly at the corners even when his mouth is closed. This “smile” is one of the hallmarks of the breed. He stands 20 to 22 inches at the shoulder. The tail is a always curled gently over the back . He is a well balanced dog, appearing as tall as he is long and movement should be straigh with strong drive from the rear quarters.

The Samoyed has a history of living with and working in partnership with people. He is thus well suited as a house pet. He does not make a good kennel dog, people are part of his existence and he will give to them faithfulness and affection and great companionship. He is not overly threatening towards strangers but will bark to announce their arrival. Once they are admitted into the household, he accepts strangers readily. The Sammy is gentle with children and except for the profuse shedding of his white hairs he makes a great family companion. People who own Sammies need to have good vacuums because these dogs shed out all undercoat on a seasonal basis.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to dog-guides.com/ Dogs.

A tropical fish aquarium is a fabulous furnishing for your home due to the tropical fishes attractive and colorful appearance. Tropical fish are beautiful pets that do not require nearly as much attention to care for as dogs and cats do.

There are a few things that you need to consider when you set up a tropical fish aquarium.

1. What fish variety or species you will keep in your tank. You can not, for instance, keep more than one Betta fish in a tank, because the two of them will fight each other. Instead you should opt for variety. This will also make your aquarium a work of art with all the flashing colors of the tropical fish residents, providing of course that you make sure that your fish are all compatible with each other.

2. When you have decided what fish to have, you can choose your aquarium. The size of your aquarium that you need should be based on the number of fish that you want to live in it, and the size of each fish species that you have chosen. If you are unsure, you local pet store should be able to advise you. Of course, you will also need to ensure that you have sufficient space in your home to comfortably accommodate your new aquarium!

3. You will also need some equipment for your aquarium:

- Filter
- Heater
- Lighting
- Hood
- Algae Magnet
- CO2 Diffusers
- Plants
- Gravel
- Gravel Vacuum
- Nets
- Fish Food

This might seem like rather a lot of equipment that you need to purchase. However, do remember that once you have bought them, you will not have to buy the equipment again for years, apart from the food of course.

First published at guide2pets.com/p1_articles_fish_setting_up.php guide2pets.com/p1_articles_fish_setting_up.php

More pet articles and information at Guide2Pets.com Guide2Pets.com

Shelters today are loaded with unwanted pets, waiting for someone to come and adopt them. This is a great place for busy professionals to find a wonderful pet, displaced by the death of a family member, abuse or other unfortunate means. By choosing an adult cat, busy people can rest assured that once acclimated to his new home, kitty will fit right into the family. What is needed from you is love, caring, food and to change his litter box. Working late into the night, don’t be surprised if you have a furry friend curl up on your feet. Cats are very loving and affectionate, given kindness and caring. Even the most confirmed pet hater can usually be turned around once he or she gets to know a cat well.

When going to the pound or local Humane Society, ask to see the cats that are in most dire need of homes first. When pets go into these places, they either get adopted or, if nobody claims them, eventually euthanized (unless it is a “no-kill” agency.) Find out which pets have been there the longest from the organization, and see which one suits your needs. Do you like energetic, lively pets? Choose one who is personable, who comes to you quickly and is very friendly. Do you like a more laid-back, quiet pet who will seek you out on his own terms? Choose a more aloof cat, who will come to you if he feels like it. Like people, pets have different personalities. Like us, how they respond to us is a combination of how they were previously treated, natural personality and response to the current situation that they are in. If you are in a place, like the hospital, that you don’t like, your personality may be a bit stressed. This is to be expected of a cat sitting in a cage, in a strange place he doesn’t want to be in. Cats are creatures of habit. They like being in one place, and not being moved around. They like familiarity and routine.

Realize that in adopting a cat, you must provide for the kitty’s health needs. Keeping the cat indoors is a good idea; to keep away extra problems, such as disease, fleas, injury by cars or dogs, and other hazards. My three cats live exclusively indoors, and they love it. Don’t feel sorry for indoor pets; having a home, any home away from the barred cages of a shelter, or the unknown of being outside in the elements, is a good home. By adopting a pet from a shelter or off the street, you are saving a little life, as well as giving yourself companionship. Even if you are busy like I am, it is ok to let them entertain themselves.

I read somewhere that cats sleep 80% of each day. That is normal for them. They aren’t lazy, it’s just the way that they are genetically predisposed to be. Watching the different sleeping positions of my cats is just plain funny, as I work from home. I am a workaholic with limited time. My pets come and see me when I’m off the phone or not otherwise occupied. Somehow they do know when I’m not busy. It isn’t unusual for one of them to come suntan under my desk lamp as I work. It is charming and comforting to reach out and pet a peaceful cat, smiling as he sun-worships. Watching this has a way of melting stress like you wouldn’t believe.

To help yourself out, buy a few things that will make your life as a new pet owner easier. A great tool for busy pet owners is the LeBistro Pet Water or Food Dish. I have one of both, for my cats, so they can feed themselves as I work. At the end of the day, I feed them a can of cat food, but their tummies are full from being able to help themselves to dry food all day long. One of my cats takes ownership of the water dish, and will come from any part of the house to watch me clean it, to make sure it isn’t being manhandled! Also, a laser pointer is a fun toy you can use from your desk as you work, to give kitty a little fun as you’re hunched over your computer. A good catnip toy or mat is always a well-appreciated cat gift, too. Being a workaholic, I work hard but also spoil my cats rotten with a gift or two every month, just for fun. It’s payback for their providing me with unlimited stress-relief as I work.

A kitty condo is a good investment for a new cat owner. Just put it next to a window, so kitty can watch birds. If your adult cat is older, make sure it has a ramp to climb up the condo with. There are different foam steps you can buy for older pets, so they don’t have to wear themselves out jumping on higher surfaces like the upper levels of cat trees. Cats like to be up high, so cat trees that are tall make great cat hangouts. Cats know when that condo comes out of the box, that it is for them. Maybe it’s instinct. Condos help keep cat hair off the furniture, since your cat will usually spend most of his time on top of it. Put a little catnip on it from the beginning, and he’ll get the idea quickly that this piece of furniture is his.

Animals add so much to our lives. Cats make great pets because they are loving, don’t cost much to feed and don’t need to be walked every day. Consider adopting an adult cat today from your local pound and add some fun into your life. You’ll be doing him, and yourself a big favor.

Carolyn McFann is a scientific and nature illustrator, who owns Two Purring Cats Design Studio, which can be seen at: cafepress.com/twopurringcats cafepress.com/twopurringcats Educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Carolyn is a seasoned, well-traveled artist, writer and photographer. She has lived and worked in Cancun, Mexico, among other interesting professional assignments in other countries. Clients include nature parks, museums, scientists, corporations and private owners. She has been the subject of tv interviews, articles for newspapers and other popular media venues.

One of the best things about bird watching is you don’t need a lot of tools to do it effectively. Most importantly you will need a quality pair of binoculars, a camera, a notebook, and a field guide. Here we will take a look at the details of binoculars, one of the most important pieces of equipment needed for bird watching.

Binoculars will be needed to effectively see birds from far distances. The best birders will often have the best binoculars. Beginners oftentimes use cheap binoculars that won’t allow you to capture the detail needed to determine what type of bird it is compared to the more expensive binoculars.

There are a few important things to consider when purchasing a pair of binoculars for bird watching.

Make sure the magnification is at least 7-power. The power is the first number given in the numerical notation that describes binoculars. For example, a “7 x 35” pair of “glasses” will make objects appear as if they are seven times as close as they actually are. Seven-power binoculars are the minimum amount needed to see birds well enough. Any binoculars of a higher power may be too difficult for birders to hold steady.

Make sure the second number (“35” for a “7 x 35” pair of glasses) is at least five times as large as the power (e.g., “7 x 35,” “8 x 40,” etc.). The second number describes the diameter of the lens in millimeters. The larger the lens, the more light the binoculars will be able to gather thus allowing you to see better in dim light conditions or on a dark-colored bird.

When the lens is held a foot away the large lens should reflect a bluish or purplish tinge. This means the lens is color-coated. This coating decreases the amount of internal glare and increases the amount of light that actually comes to your eyes.

When looking through your binoculars make sure the image is singular or clear. When you bring the barrels of the binoculars close enough together the image you see should merge into a single clear image within a single perfect circle. If not the binoculars may be out of alignment, which can lead to sever headaches and eyestrain.

The binoculars should not only be able to produce a clear image from far distances, but also close only 20 feet away. You don’t want to miss any birds hiding in the nearby brush.

If you look at a sign with large lettering through your binoculars the letters close to the edge of the field of view should be as precise and well formed as the letters in the center of the field of view. Be aware cheap binoculars are known to have a problem with image distortion.

Louis Dale a informational product writer enjoys providing quality information on a wide variety of topics. His latest bird feeder website provides in depth quality information about birds and how to chose the right feeders for bird watching.

Here are some incredibly interesting facts about dogs which surprise two in every three people who read them. So without further ado, i bet you didn’t know that:

All dogs are descendent’s of wolves.

The worlds oldest dog was an Australian Cattle Dog who lived in excess of 29 years and 5 months.

The average lifetime cost of owning a dog is $13,750.

Puppies are born blind, deaf and toothless.

Dogs have better night vision than humans.

Dogs have super sensitive hearing.

Dogs have super sensitive smell. Out of all his senses, smell is the main sense a dog relies on.

The Irish Wolfhound is the tallest dog breed in the world.

The English Mastiff is the largest dog breed in the world.

Two dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic.

The Basenji is the only dog that cannot bark.

The Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed in the world.

In America, one in three families owns a dog.

The greyhound is the seventh fastest land animal in the world, clocked at speeds of 45 miles per hour.

Dalmatians are born without any black spots.

Dogs have twice as many muscles used for moving as humans.

Beyond these facts… dogs are mans best friend. Who else loves you regardless of what you look like, what clothes you wear, whether you’re fat, whether you’re thin, whether you are popular, or anything else! Dog’s give unconditional love to their families no matter who there families are. So long as you treat your dog with kindness - they will love you no matter what.

To learn all about the different justdogbreeds.com justdogbreeds.com

During this 2006 Atlantic tropical hurricane season you’ll probably want to be prepared for the rather large category storms which will be headed towards the Gulf Coast and the Eastern Coast of United States of America. If you live in known Hurricane areas then it behooves you to think ahead and plan in case you decide not to evacuate and a storm grows in category as it hits the Shoreline.

Categories of storm do not always tell us the amount of damage that may occur, in fact much of the damage during the hurricane comes from flooding and most of the deaths to. Even in a large tropical storm there could come up to 30 inches of rain in a region and cause severe flooding, which can cause catastrophic damage to an area.

If you choose not to evacuate during mandatory evacuations which are required by law you’ll need to help the portable backup generator and enough food and water supplies to get you through. This makes sense in you probably have considered this.

You need one gallon per day of drinking water for each of your family members and 1 to two gallons of water per day for your pets. If you fail to provide these resources your pet will go without water and this is extremely bad for the pet and therefore you need to think ahead not only for your own family, but also the needs of your pet including food and water. Consider all this 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/

I have difficulty sleeping because my dog shares my bed. When I say “shares,” I mean he assigns me a tiny space on the edge where I must hang on with my toenails to keep from falling out. Louie stretches out sideways in the middle of the bed and hogs the pillow, growling in his sleep if I try to claim a corner of it for myself.

The worst part about sleeping with Louie is the racket his stomach makes. Like the ghost of Jacob Marley, it haunts my dreams. The gurgles, growls, and roars are loud enough to break the smell barrier. Sometimes I wake up to so much noise I think I’m in the middle of Mardi Gras.

The other night, when I finally managed to go to sleep, I had a dream that started out great. I was happily driving my hot pink Cadillac convertible to a rubber stampers’ convention. Out of nowhere came another car and bam! I ran right into it. A policeman arrived on the scene within seconds — because he was driving the car I hit. Boy, was I glad to wake up from THAT dream!

Many of my dreams end badly. That’s because Louie not only torments me during waking hours; but he crashes my dreams and ruins those too. I hate it when he has seizures, asthma attacks, and digestive disturbances in the middle of the night. It’s hard to sleep with someone jerking, hacking, and wheezing in your ear. Especially when that someone’s breath smells like an anchovy cannery. Somehow, what’s going on in my conscious world gets mixed up with my unconscious thoughts and incorporated into my dream.

It’s REALLY annoying when this happens during the best part of a Mel Gibson dream! The scenario goes something like this:

Mel: “I beg of you. You must be my leading lady. * Cough. * No one else can take your place.”

Me: “Oh, Mel. You’re making me blush!”

Mel: * Wheeze* “I must have you. * Snort* If you refuse, I’ll go on a hunger strike. . . . HAAAAACK!”

Me: “What was that Mel? I didn’t catch that last part.”

Mel: “Hornnnk! Gag. Honnnkkk!”

Me: “Mel, you smell like a pig farmer’s boots – hey! Don’t lick my face,

Mel. Wait, what are you doing? Not on my pillow!”

Mel: “ BLAAAAAAGH! CAAAHAAACK!”

Then I usually awake in time to catch Louie hacking up cricket legs, bits of candy wrapper, or the half-digested remains of a paper plate.

I hate having my sleep disrupted, because the ONLY hope I have of meeting Mel Gibson is in my dreams. I do a lot of other impossible things in my dreams too, like flying without an airplane, and walking around in the mall wearing nothing but my underwear. Now how come Louie doesn’t interrupt THOSE dreams?

Marsha Jordan
Author of “Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter”
mailto:hugsandhope@gmail.com hugsandhope@gmail.com
hugsandhope.org www.hugsandhope.org

Once your cat has been bred and she becomes pregnant, it is now up to you to make her as comfortable as possible and to prepare her for pregnancy. There are various things that do need doing and if you want healthy, happy kittens, you will need to spend both time and money on preparing the mother for the upcoming birth.

The Best Ways to Prepare

One of the first things that you will need to do is decide on where you want your cat to have her kittens. It will need to be a place where the mother will be left in peace and where there will be no potential danger to the kittens. The cat will not give birth anywhere that she feels would be a potential danger to her offspring. So, a spacious, quiet and warm area is definitely needed. So, just how do you prepare that area?

Separating an Area Off

Even if you do not have the largest house in the world, it is still usually possible to separate a little area off for the cat where she can be left alone while she has her kittens. You can easily separate an area off by using a piece of wood or perhaps you can let your cat go under the stairs if there is nothing else really under there? Wherever you decide, make sure that it is warm and that the cat will not be disturbed. Also, ensure that the cat knows that she can go in there! It is all well and good separating an area off, but if the mother never goes in there, she is unlikely to know to have her kittens there!

Making It Comfortable

Placing towels and blankets in the dedicated area will help to keep it nice and comfortable, as well as warm. This will make the cat even more likely to choose it as a potential birth area. Usually, cats tend to have their kittens in warmer months anyway, so you do not have to make it too warm, but comfort is definitely essential.

Change The Cats Diet Slightly

It is always better, once you find out that the cat is pregnant, to change the diet and give a food that is suitable for pregnant cats. This will help with the growth of the kittens and it will give the mother all of the essential vitamins and minerals that she needs. This will ensure that the kittens are healthy and, therefore, they will be more suitable to be sold.

Once you do find out that your cat is due to give birth, it is a great idea to follow the advice above. By getting prepared, you and your cat will not be stressed when it comes time for the actual birth process. That way it will make things as simple as possible and you and your cat will fly through the pregnancy with no problems whatsoever.

If you decide to breed your animal and want help selling the resulting kittens the best way to do so would be with a site to help you Petwebdesigner.com Sell Your Pets Check out Petwebdesigner.com Petwebdesigner.com for assistance getting a great site online to help you get top dollar!

To prevent physical injuries especially on children, dog biting training for your dog is very important. Dog bites can scar emotionally. When a person has sustained a dog bite, he will be forever uncomfortable with all animals and be terrorized of them. How can we minimize the danger of dog biting? There is no method to assure that he will never bite some person. But you can importantly diminish the hazard if you:

Aside from dog biting training, you can spay (remove the ovaries) your dog. This will minimize your dog’s crave to fight with other animals and roams in the streets. Compared to unblemished dogs, neutered or spayed dogs are three times less likely to bite.

You can socialize your dog. Acquaint your dog to various kinds of people and circumstances in order that he will not feel frightened or nervous beyond natural social conditions.

Enroll him in a dog biting training class. Partaking in dog training classes and dog socialization is the best way to assist you and your dog learn better obedience proficiencies.

Train your dog with excellent behavior. Escape from playing offensive games such as tug-of-war, wrestling or inciting your dog to attack other people. Don’t permit your dog to chew or bite your hands. Establish proper limits for your dog’s traits. Don’t pause for an unsatisfactory behavior to result an evil habit, or asserts your dog will develop out of it.

Bear an ideal responsibility being a dog owner. Secure a license for your dog as needed by law; provide him with dog biting training, habitual veterinary support including rabies vaccinations. Don’t permit your dog to wander for everyone’s safety and make him part of your family.

Be incorrect on the secure side. Be careful if you don’t know how your dogs will response to a new condition. Leave your dog at home if he will panic in crowds, but if he overreacts to guests, isolate him in a distinct place.

For more information on dog training biting and dog training in general check this out: DogLearn.com DogLearn.com

To gaze into their eyes is to touch tranquility. Perhaps it is because they spend so much of their lives removed from our terrestrial sphere that these creatures can inspire such serenity in just one glance. Perched in the canopy of the tall Eucalyptus forests of Australia, koalas pass their lives unperturbed, nap to nap, meal to meal.

From their poofy tufts of ears to their rounded rumps, koalas resemble stuffed teddy bears, but in actuality, they aren’t bears at all. Koalas, like kangaroos and possums, are marsupials, meaning they give live birth to jellybean-sized, embryonic offspring, which climb unaided from the birth canal to its mother’s pouch. Protected in the pouch, the baby, called a joey, attaches to its mother’s teat and feeds for six to seven months, until it has developed eyes, ears and hair. Then it peeks out at the world for the first time.

What does the world look like from 150 feet up? Koalas eat and sleep in trees, rarely coming to the ground except to occasionally change trees or seek shade. On the ground a koala is vulnerable to dogs and other wandering predators, for it has an awkward gait and moves slowly. Koalas are designed for climbing. Lean and muscular, with arms and legs of near-equal length, koalas possess an excellent sense of balance. Their front and hind paws have five digits with long, sharp claws. Rough pads on their palms and soles help in gripping branches. Their thick fur is ash-grey with a tinge of brown at the ears and white on their chests, while the fur on their bottoms is speckled to camouflage them from the ground. Bottom fur is also thicker, providing them with natural cushions for the hard branches they sit on.

Koalas spend virtually every waking moment eating. Their diet consists entirely of gum leaves, mostly of the Eucalyptus species. Although there are 600 types of Eucalyptus, koalas are rather fussy about the leaves they will eat. Only trees grown in areas with suitable soil and adequate rainfall entice a hungry koala. Their name stems from an Aboriginal word meaning “no drink”-an apt name, since 90% of the koala’s hydration comes from leaves. Except during times of drought or illness, koalas won’t drink water.

Even at their best, gum leaves are poisonous, fibrous, and low in nutrition. The koala’s digestive system is especially adapted for its diet. Bacteria present in its intestines breaks down toxic oils in the leaves, while its slow metabolic rate conserves energy. On average, a koala will sleep 18-20 hours a day. They sleep mainly during the day when it is hot, and are most active at the hours of dawn and dusk. They have been spotted sitting and sleeping in some very interesting positions, depending on the temperature. In the heat, koalas will dangle their arms and legs from the branches to keep cool, while in cold temperatures they curl into tight balls to conserve heat. Koala’s woolly fur helps to insulate them from extremes in temperature, while serving as a raincoat in moist weather.

In optimal conditions, koalas live up to ten to twelve years; although those in the wild generally live half that long or less. Females live longer than males, and reach sexual maturity at three or four years old. Depending on the quality of their ranges, females can produce one offspring per year. After peeking from its pouch the first time at 22-30 weeks old, the joey will begin eating pap produced in its mother’s intestines, in addition to milk. Pap is critical in a young koala’s diet, for it supplies the bacteria needed to process eucalyptus leaves. Once the joey is too big for its mother’s pouch, it uses its claws to hang from her back or her belly. Mothers and babies are often spotted feeding in this way, or cuddled together asleep. When a new joey has taken its place in the pouch the mother koala will wean the year-old adolescent, and send it off to find its own territory.

Koalas live in societies, although each koala will maintain an individual range. Long-term territories include food trees marked by scent, and critical home-range trees, which overlap into other territories, allowing for social interaction between koalas. In poor conditions where a range cannot sustain a society, reproduction will be affected, and the koala population will dwindle. This is significant in light of the fact that 80% of Australia’s eucalpyt forests have been decimated in recent years. None are protected, and most occur on privately-owned property where land-clearing efforts are underway. Thus the largest threat to koalas is the on-going loss of their habitat.

As we contemplate the koala, dangling from the highest forest branch, their populace dangling in the brink of its fragile habitat, koalas impress upon us a lesson in balance. Perhaps it is this very balance that must be mastered in order to cultivate the serenity and tranquility that are the hallmark of the koala.

Emma Snow has always adored wild animals. Emma provides content for Wildlife Animals wildlife-animals.com/ wildlife-animals.com and Riding Stable riding-stable.com/ riding-stable.com