Dogs Names

Did you know what the top ten dogs names are, well the male ones are SAM, SPOT, PIP, DUKE, PIPER, MAX, CHARLIE, ROCKY, ZAK AND TINY, the top female ones are TRIXIE, POLLY, JESSIE, LUCY, BONNIE CASSIE, DAISY, HEIDI, SUSIE AND HOLLY. I am afraid my old dogs name Sandy doesn't make the list which is a bit disappointing.

Dogs

Another idea for people who can not look after a dog is to sponser a dog at a place like the National Canine Defence League or the Dogs Trust as it is now known.
Basically you pay a sum of money to the trust to look after the dog, and you get information about the dog and you get to visit them if you want at a local centre.
My local one is at Roden in Shropshire, but they have seventeen homes in the UK, I am sure that there must be similar organistions in other countries.
While mentioning the Dogs Trust they also rehome dogs so if you are looking for a dog then this is the place to start as they are invariably well looked after and are given all the vacinations. They also vet the potential owners as well to make sure that they are suitable owners

Fish Pond

At my old house, I had the room for a decent sized fish pond in the back garden, we had inherited the pond from the previous owners.
We stocked the pond with various fish, mostly goldfish and shubunkins which I think are the most easiest fish to look after
At the house I live at now I have no room for a pond, not even a little one, so the fish had to go. I would love to have fish in a pond again, with a filter and a waterfall to keep the water reasonably clear.
If you have the space I would highly recommend it.

Pretend Pets

Not everyone has the time, space, resources or temperament to keep a pet, an answer to this, in this computer age is a virtual pet. I am not talking about one of those little toys from a few years ago like a tamagotchi, but a pet that is looked after on the computer. Not kept on the computer but kept online. If you are feeling like a different type of pet than this may be worth a look, it may even be fun.

Dogs who are bored

Dogs are a lot like children. They need stimulation or they will get bored and we all know the trouble children can be when they get bored.
Bored dogs are generally unhappy dogs and they are also the dogs that are most likely to get into trouble with other animals and humans.
Dogs love to be taken for walks or a run along the beach. They get to look at a different environment and interact with strangers and other dogs.
This social interaction is very important for the overall well being of your dog and it is something that needs to be done on a regular basis.
The happiest dogs are often the working dogs as they not only have a purpose in life but they also get the praise and regular attention of their owners.
Even simply getting your dog some toys of it's own to play with can add a lot of fun and happiness to it's life, but more importantly getting the dog involved in family activities will have a positive effect on it's mental state and happiness.

Pets for life

As the saying goes Dogs are for life, not just at Christmas, I think this is true for any pet. As any pet lover will tell you a pet becomes part of the family and should be considered a long term responsibility. Unfortunately by the very nature of the pet some pets will live longer than others, hamsters and gerbils for example, will not live longer than three or four years, whereas dogs and cats will live a lot longer than this.

Dogs and cats

Cats should be fed different food to dogs, as they require more protein and higher specific requirements for a variety of nutrients. One of these is taurine.A cat must have taurine in its diet. This is an essential nutrient which helps to avoid certain deficiency conditions. As cats cannot make sufficient taurine for their requirements it is is supplied directly in the diet. Dogs do not need taurine in their diet, so for a balanced diet dogs and cats must stick to their own specific diets. Cats are carnivores and cannot live healthy lives on a vegetarian or low protein diet. The protein they need must be given in the form of meat, fish and fat. Virtually no taurine is found in plants or cereals. Dogs on the other hand can survive on a vegetarian diet, but this is not ideal.

Milk

Did you know that you should not give cows milk to dogs or cats, as this will lead to problems with the digestive system of the animals, causing them to have vomiting or diarrhoea. This is due to milk or cheese contain lactose which the animals can not digest.

Which Pet?

I have had several different types of pet during my lifetime, dogs, cats, budgies, hamsters, gerbils and goldfish to name but a few. I would say that the most fun I have had was with the dog, whose name was Sandy, no prizes for guessing what colour it was!!
I find that whatever type of pet I have had, that I always form a close bond with each pet and unfortunately when they pass on I am very sad. So my thinking is that I will not be having any more pets for the foreseeable future because of this.