Hobbies

Those Amazing Penguins
 by: Richard Monk

The movie, The March of the Penguins, has raised a great amount of interest in penguins. One never imagined penguins to be so driven. Here’s an overview of the amazing penguins.

Known as the little tuxedos, penguins have always seemed a bit odd as animals go. All of that changed, however, with The March of the Penguins, a movie about Emperor Penguins. The movie focuses on the incredible hardships these penguins undergo to be parents. If you haven’t seen the movie, rent it now. It will make you laugh, cry and develop a healthy respect for these majestic animals.

Penguins live in a fairly limited area. They’re primary home is Antarctica. Penguins can also be found in the cold costal areas of New Zeeland, Australia and South Africa. There are no penguins in the Arctic. This is the opposite of polar bears which are not found in Antarctica.

There are seventeen species of penguins. The smallest are Rockhoppers, which average roughly twelve inches in height. On the other end of the spectrum are the Emperor Penguins, which average nearly 48 inches in height.

Collectors Of Wildlife Figurines Will Often Be A Reflection Of The Animal They Collect
 by: Dean Whittingham

A passionate collector can depict a sense of what makes them who they are by simply surrounding themselves with an animal that display’s the same attributes in the wild.

Wildlife Figurines are being sought after by a large cross section of society and one has to wonder what makes collecting wildlife figurines such a popular past time. It could be assumed that people feel a sense of emptiness when they think of how quickly the habitat of the earth’s wildlife is diminishing, or they feel in awe of an animal or birds unique presence in the wild. Either way they feel an attachment and decide to surround themselves with wildlife figurines, art, sculptures, decor and so on. So if this is the case, then how does one choose the animal? Well I believe in most cases they don’t, the animal chooses them.

It’s obvious to me that the material used to make a wildlife figurine does not seem to matter as much as the actual animal itself. When people come to our site searching for wildlife figurines, rarely do they search for the form or material along with the animal, and I think it’s because people are what they collect.

Feeding And Keeping Your Dog Healthy
 by: Peter Garant

A healthy puppy should be clear-eyed, somewhat roly-poly, loose-skinned, free from any skin trouble, hungry for its meals, and lively. It should not be timid or shy.

If the puppy seems warm or sleepy most of the time, ask one of your parents to take its temperature. A dog’s temperature normally is between 38 and 39 degrees Celsius. If its temperature rises above 39 degrees, call your veterinarian.

When you buy your puppy, ask what shots it has received and when it got them. If it has not received shots to prevent distemper, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis, and rabies. take it immediately to a veterinarian to have them. Then get yearly boosters.You should also find out whether your puppy has been wormed. Most puppies have worms at some time.

For the first few days, you should feed your puppy the same diet as the owners did. If you wish to change the diet, do so gradually. Each day, feed a little of the new food mixed with the old.

Snakes - They’re Not As Slithery As Some People I Know
 by: Robert W. Benjamin

When I was a youngster growing up in the 1960’s and early 70’s, I was lucky that we lived on a farm out in the country. One of the favorite pastimes I had, was going hunting for snakes on a nice warm sunny day. Living on the farm, was like living in ’snake heaven’. We had copperheads, milk snakes, grass snakes, black snakes, and garter snakes. We heard of rattlers living up in the hills or nearby places, but I never saw one while growing up.

I would find myself an old burlap bag or feed sack out in the barn, and head up the road a short distance. Along the sidehill near our farm were numerous rocks. I would locate a nice rather large flat rock that was not pressed into the ground, or one that was held above the ground by other rocks under it. Carefully I would grasp the rock, trying not to let my fingers reach under it, you never knew what might be hiding beneath it, ready to attack. One of the easiest ways to get bitten by a snake is to pick up a rock and have your fingers reaching underneath it, the snake can see your fingers, but you cannot see the snake, and in one fast strike you could find yourself heading to the Hospital.

Caring For Your Dog
 by: Michael Colucci

Dogs are social animals that have worked with humans for thousands of years. They have played an important role in various different cultures. Dogs are highly valued for their intelligence and loyalty, and it is important to train and care for them properly.

Despite the importance of dogs, owners may find that there are many challenges in training and caring for them. While many people want to own a dog, few know how to train them properly. A dog which is not disciplined will not bring happiness to its owners. Too many people allow their dogs to develop bad habits

You want to make sure you purchase quality food for your dog, even if its a bit expensive. Cheap dog food won’t give your dog the healthy look it should have. You want your dog to have a shiny coat and bright eyes. Dogs are much like their owners, and will behave in many of the same ways.

Dogs are like small children, and should be treated as such. Dogs should not be left alone for long periods of time, as they are prone to getting into trouble. When dogs are left alone at home, they need to have a designated area with boundaries. Leave chew toys and other things that will keep them occupied.

Using Flower Essences with Cats
 by: Nedda Wittels

Are you are trying to integrate a new cat into your feline family? Do your cats fight with each other? Is your new cat grieving its lost human companion who had to go into a nursing home? Flower remedies or essences are helpful in many situations. Choosing the right essences is facilitated by knowing what the animals are thinking and feeling. As an Animal Communicator, I can gather this information and choose appropriate remedies.

Flower remedies are the vibrational patterns of flowers in liquid form. Each flower’s unique energy pattern models specific healthy emotional vibrations. When the bio-electrical systems of the animal align with the model, not only may an animal’s emotional state and behaviors change, but sometimes even physical illnesses will be helped to resolve.

One client had six cats and had rescued a seventh. When she tried to integrate the new female, the cats fought and there was chaos. A new cat will cause a shifting about of everyone’s position in the group dynamic. In this instance, the new cat was fairly dominant. She was unwilling to come into the group at the bottom of the pecking order. The currently dominant cat wasn’t about to give up her position. The other five cats had their various relationships and ranks, but now all positions were fluctuating.

How To Have A Happier Pet In 6 Steps
 by: Joan Winthorp

Have you done everything in your power to make your pet’s life a happy one?

Mostly it´s up to you to make sure that your pet’s needs are met.

Here are six easy steps you can do to make sure that your pet has a better life:

1. Make sure your pet has it’s ID tag. The ID tag tells where your pet lives and of any medical conditions your pet may have. If your pet wanders off, it may be the only thing standing between your pet and the pound!

2. Prevent behavioral problems by enrolling your pet in a behavior training class before it acquires any bad habits. This tip will make both you and your pet happier for the entire lifetime you are together!

3. Get your pet a check up from a vet at least once a year. Some behavior problems can be health related and taking your pet to the vet on a regular basis will help you with tip # 2.

Cats Are Very Lovable Creatures
 by: Paul MacIver

“Who would believe such pleasure from a wee ball o’ fur?”- An Irish saying about cats, perhaps best describes what pleasure-giving creatures cats can be.

Jean Burden, beautifully defines the feline beauty. “A dog, I have always said, is prose; a cat is a poem.” Cats for many people, are really very lovable - remember ‘Snowbell’ - the cat of “Stuart Little”.

Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to many ailments. Cat grooming is a very important part of keeping a cat as a healthy pet. Cat supplies can be defined as important things that can be purchased for cat grooming, and maintaining general good cat health.

Cat supplies is a general term that covers a variety of important cat care products. These topics could be used when undertaking an online Internet search for good value cat supply products for your pets - cat-grooming supplies, cat pet supplies, cat training supplies and discount cat supplies.

Cat Grooming:

Dogs Are Gods of Frolic
 by: Paul MacIver

Dogs are amongst the most amazing creatures because they give unconditional love. Dogs love their masters and the masters reciprocate by providing them with all the things of comfort they can afford. Dog supplies are important and useful things for keeping your dog healthy and happy, and include items for dog grooming and maintaining good dog health. Canine or dog supplies can be classified into several sub categories, including dog training supplies, dog grooming supplies, and even more specialist items like hunting dog supplies.

Dog Grooming:

Dogs are gods of frolic. Undertaking thorough dog grooming is like having a permanent job requiring lots of patience, yet packed with exercise and the general fun of bringing up a dog and ensuring it lives a long and carefree life. Dog grooming is an important practice which should not be underestimated - a practice which ensures good dog health and hygiene and should also help to eliminate most dog health problems.

To Dog or Not to Dog: That is the Question
 by: Cari Haus

Should I get a dog, or should I not? This is a question that so many people are asking themselves. Do I really want to get a dog? The pleasures of dog ownership are numerous, but along with the pleasures, there are also responsibilities.

Gone are the days when a dog just “hangs around”, and you occasionally throw him a bone. Gone are the days of just feeding the dog each day and forgetting about it. Many people are now opting to share their homes with their dogs, inviting them to be part of their family. Some people are opting for dog ownership in lieu of a family or in lieu of having children.

Obviously the role of dog ownership has certainly changed……and what about the role of the dog? This role has also changed. There are mixed breeds and purebreds just like there always has been, and now there are “designer” dogs. This is an intentional breeding of two different kinds of purebred dogs hoping to pull the better traits from each breed. The cost of a “designer” dog often exceeds the cost of a purebred dog, and their popularity is on the rise.