Search Results for: pets love those pets

Why Pets Aren’t Good Presents

This goes without saying, but you can never say it too often because it happens every year: don’t give pets as presents.  If you’re thinking about gifting a pet to someone you love this year, consider very carefully.  Pets are lifelong commitments and responsibilities, not fun presents. Now, I can think of one context in which it could be OK to give a pet for a present: if the person receiving asked for it, knew that’s what they were getting, and understood the responsibilities involved.  That means in most cases, it’s not appropriate to get pets as gifts for children: … Continue reading →

How Pets Help Our Health

It’s something I grew up thinking, and I don’t even remember where I first heard the idea: pets improve your health. They’re especially good for the elderly or others living alone. Pets give you someone to care about and look after, bringing additional purpose and companionship to your life. Some recent medical studies, however, indicate that owning pets might have a more direct effect on our health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claim that pet ownership can decrease our blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride. Their studies also indicate that rates of stress, loneliness, and depression are lower among … Continue reading →

Dog Days of Summer: Pets on Vacation

Pet owners face a unique situation when making our summer travel plans: we have to worry about our pets. Do we only go places where we can take our pets, or do we try to find care for them while we’re away? Website Pet Relocation released its third annual Summer Pet Travel Survey. They found that 70% of the people questioned plan to travel with their pets. If you want to take your animals along with you on vacation this summer, there are a few things you have to consider. Make sure you can bring your animal with you where … Continue reading →

Wash Those Hands and Paws: More Salmonella Found in Dog Food

I can’t believe I have to take to my keyboard again so soon on this issue, but here I am. More Salmonella-related recalls have been issued for dog food, and once again they’re from parent company Diamond Pet Foods. This is all just getting so confusing and ridiculous. The problem is that several brands with different names are all manufactured at the same plant, so it’s hard to keep track of what’s safe and what might be infected. Eleven different brands of pet food are all under a voluntary recall for potential Salmonella contamination. They are: Chicken Soup for the … Continue reading →

Salmonella Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul: it conjures images of family, warm eyes and wet noses, and heartwarming stories about our furry family members. But right now it’s the opposite of wholesome; last week Diamond Pet Foods issued a recall of certain lots of their Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul adult dog food due to a Salmonella infection. The information for the potentially affected bags is as follows, including production codes and expiration dates: * Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul 35 lb. CLF0102B31XCW 27/JAN/2013, CLF0102B32XWR 28/JAN/2013 * Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult … Continue reading →

Pets and Politicians

As the 2012 political race heats up candidates are trying to find new angles from which to score voters. Republican candidate Newt Gingrich has chosen pets as one of his. He recently launched a website called “Pets With Newt 2012.” The website mainly functions as a sort of social network, or at least pet picture website, where Gingrich supporters can send in photos of their animals with a caption that provides their name and reads “I’m With Newt!” The site also reveals that Gingrich’s love for animals extends beyond those of the domesticated variety, with a large front page picture … Continue reading →

Pets and Winter

When I woke up to snow yesterday my first thought was for my little dog. Poor Clementine. I have a Shih tzu, she weighs about eleven pounds and is a hairy beast. Well, not really because I keep her groomed to within an inch of her life. Shih tzu’s don’t have fur, they have hair, which grows and grows and grows. They don’t really shed because they don’t have fur but if you are not meticulous about brushing them they quickly become a matted mess. I am not good about brushing Clementine, it’s one of my many, many shortcomings as … Continue reading →

Muppets Movie Trailers

The start of summer saw the release of four Muppet movie trailers. The tone of those trailers, though they contained many of the same scenes, taught us a lot what the new Muppet movie will feel like. Isn’t that any diehard Muppets fan’s biggest complaint: that most of the Muppet movies released in the 1990s didn’t feel like Muppet movies? Something about them didn’t contain that unique Jim Henson sense of humor. It’s not that we expect they could, since Henson’s passing. That raises the question, however, of whether Muppet movies should continue if they couldn’t remain true to their … Continue reading →

Support Your Pets and The Earth with Planet Petco

An eco-conscious dog As we come out of Earth Day weekend, I’d like to take a look at how we pet owners can contribute to keeping the planet clean. Many animal lovers I know, myself included, also love nature and are often sympathetic with the green movement. However, for some of us who don’t live in more urban areas it might be difficult to obtain many environment-friendly pet items. Sometimes small local stores might carry them, but at high prices some might not be able to afford. Others might not have any purchasing options nearby. Options abound on the internet, … Continue reading →

Rare Pets: Geckos

Geckos are great pets for both reptile lovers and for those just starting to think of keeping cold-blooded animals as pets. One caveat: if you’re thinking of obtaining a gecko because the animated one in the Geico commercials is cute, think again. Pet purchases should never be made on the basis of media representations, especially not for less common animals. If you are seriously interested in having reptiles for pets, however, geckos are a great start. They’re easy to care for and rather social, for reptiles anyway. In fact, geckos are so social that it’s best to keep at least … Continue reading →