Animals are cute, and everybody loves an entertaining video of a dog playing a piano or a cat getting a little excited while watching a bird from inside.  There are hundreds of cute videos of animals all over the web, it probably inspires you to create your own funny video to share with the world. All you need is video camera, access to the internet,  a cute pet, and an ideal situation.  Read further on how to create a masterpiece.

1- Encourage Playtime

Its good for cats and dogs to release pent up energy, but it also makes for excellent entertainment.  Some of the best videos include animals playing with toys and/or each other. Sometimes your pet finds a toy in an unexpected object like a box or big plastic tub.  Capture these cute moments on tape!

2- Think Unexpected

Now this is going to be a bit tricker since you don’t carry a video camera everywhere you go. Next time you see your pet do something that you wished you capture on video, try to recreate that situation.  Did your cat successfully open a door? Did your dog like to play mother to a plush toy? Whatever your fuzzy pal likes to do, try to recreate that situation and the record it on video.

3- Revel In The Season

If its summertime, have your puppy play in a kiddie pool filled with water.  Or attempt to dress up your kitty in a Halloween costume this fall.   Not only do these make for excellent videos but they also make great photo opportunities too!

4- Just Roll The Video

The easiest way to capture entertaining footage is to just roll the camera. Some of the best videos come from no script, no plan, and no props.  Chances are you’ll end up recording some of your pet’s funniest antics ever.

Is it possible to communicate with pets psychically? Even to help them this way? Many owners would be skeptical.

But Terri Jay, a psychic who works with animals as well as people, says, “I don’t worry about proving to skeptics that this is possible. I have so many people who believe in what I do . . . I believe that what someone thinks about me or my work is truly none of my business.”

Terri is typically consulted for pets that have health, behavior, or performance problems. Owners also call her when they’re considering getting another pet and wondering how the current pets would react, or when they’re thinking about euthanasia. Sometimes, she’s asked to help find lost pets. Terri says, “I can usually determine whether or not the pet is still alive, what direction the pet went in, whether or not someone is caring for the pet and specific directions on what to do in order to have the greatest chance of getting the pet back.”

She usually works by phone, which lets her serve clients all over the world. There’s no need to try to get the pet on the line. She says, “I ask my client what pet they want to communicate with, their name, what breed, species and age. Just this little bit of information is enough for me to feel the pet and then I share what I am getting. I may also ask questions since what the pet is telling me or showing me may not make any sense to me . . .” If the information doesn’t make sense, Terri just passes it on non-judgmentally.

Sessions run for an hour and cost $75 each.

Terri teaches workshops on animal communication — the next is on July 10th in Reno, Nevada. Details are on her site, where you can also buy her how-to manual.

We’ve talked about how to get your pets ready for a possible emergency evacuation. Now let’s look at what it’s like for them after a disaster has come and gone.

You and your pets are back home, or maybe you didn’t have to leave after all. But your area is still feeling the effects of the disaster. Though you can’t give your pets any explanation of what’s happened, you can still help them readjust. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) asks you to keep these things in mind:

·    Familiar sights and scents may have changed. For the first few days after an emergency, keep your pet leashed and close to you when it goes outside. It’s lived through a tough situation – you don’t want it getting lost now.
·    Floods may have brought snakes and other dangerous animals into the area, another reason to keep an eye on your pet.
·    Downed power lines are another possible danger.
·    Animal behavior can change after a crisis. Friendly pets can become aggressive, so be prepared.
·    FEMA and the Humane Society of the U.S. work together to find pets lost in disasters.
·    Restocking your emergency supplies can be comforting – that includes the pet emergency kit we wrote about earlier.
·    Pet food that may have been contaminated by floodwater should be thrown out. Floodwater can contain sewage.
·    Textiles (like blankets and some toys) should be rinsed gently. Then press out the water and blot – don’t wring or twist.

Other tips for recovering from a disaster are available here.

Our neighbors up the street own three Golden Retrievers and one tiny Yorkie. I am not a big fan of these Goldens because before they were fenced, they were all over our yard. They did their business in our yard, ran around, and more. Keep in mind that we live at the bottom of a cul-de-sac and they live at the top– about 100 meters away. We still get the occasional tennis ball rolling down the street, but we can deal with that.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, I recently saw these dogs hanging out in their yard like they normally do, but they were sporting a lab-like look. They had been shaved! I could not believe it; they looked absolutely ridiculous. I did not think that was a normal thing to do, so I looked it up and found out that you really should never shave your Golden Retriever. Why? Well, dogs have coats for a reason!

Golden Retrievers are a double coated breed. What this means is that their coat is designed to protect them during any season, yes, any season. Animals, people, nature, and more all have adapted (and continue to change) over the centuries in order to survive, so there is a reason why Goldens were “designed” to have a coat in all of the seasons.

Yes, because Goldens are a double coated breed it does mean that they shed and that you are going to have to keep up with that, but that is merely basic maintenance. Their undercoat is there to protect them from the cold and then sheds away in the summer so that the top coat can keep them cool. You should never shave your Golden, just keep your pup happy by helping him or her out in getting rid of that warm undercoat.

Also, another reason why you should not shave your Golden is because the coat may never grow back to be the same coat that it was. It could change texture, color, or even grow back in patches. Keep up with the brushing, but don’t shave them!

Though I don’t like to think of my cats as people, I do like to get them something for Christmas, even if it’s just some homemade cat treats (which explains why I stayed up late one snowy December 23rd, Googling recipes for these things). No, they don’t expect anything, they don’t understand why they get presents, but they’re glad to have them.

This Christmas, though, I’m wondering if some of the gifts I’m thinking of getting them aren’t really gifts for myself.

As I’ve written before, a pet supply store has plenty of things that would make good gifts for humans. But that’s not really what I mean. What I mean is, if I get my cats a battery-powered toy, is it for them, or is it to spare me the time it would take to play with them? And is that really good, for them or for me?

Then there are those gadgets that automatically dispense food and water for days at a time. Actually, the cats would probably love having a water bowl that never runs low (food, they take for granted). But we humans would love the idea of being able to go away overnight without having to ask our neighbor to come in every day. Yet, that’s one of the ways we build community.

(Oh, wait – someone would still have to come in every day to clean the litter box. They haven’t invented an automatic version of that yet. Though when they do, we’ll be very interested.)

I do know one thing: I draw the line at buying the cats a video of birds, fish, and small animals. Yes, they do make these things, and they can run all day. But I think the cats would just get frustrated, and our TV would get severely scratched.

Not much of a present for them or us.

To a take a break from facts and helpful hints about taking care of pets and animals, here is an inside look at a dog named Skye. Maybe you will be able to relate to a few of the stories.

Skye is my friend’s dog who is a seven year old black lab border collie mix. She is black with a white crest on her chest and in the sun her coat sparkles with a red tint to it–making her absolutely gorgeous. She is a short haired dog, but she has all of the typically collie tufts on her ears, tail, and legs. She loves to run outside, but above everything else she is a sucker for attention. Pet her once, and you will have a new best friend.

Skye is a smart dog. For instance, she has this sense in which she always knows when there is something wrong. If you are having a bad day, she will be right there, resting her head on your thighs, just looking up at you with those puppy eyes. If you have a cut, her instincts will lead her right into taking care of your cut– though that might not be the most sanitary way of cleaning out your cut, but hey, it is cute that she cares.

Here is a funny story about Skye– she has the ability to herd other pets to places that you want those pets to go. If all of my friend’s cats are downstairs when they are supposed to be outside, she will get them all together and herd them outside. My friend tells me that Skye does not go after cats, but what she does do is playfully threaten the male cat if he is harassing one of the female cats.

When I asked my friend about what he would do if he did not have Skye, he said that he would cry. He doesn’t know what he would do if he came home from being away for so many months and was not greeted by Skye bounding towards him. She is his best friend, and he wouldn’t want to lose her anytime soon!

Dogs and cats make great pets! Choosing one is a very big decision for you and your family and not to be made lightly, as it will be a huge responsibility. Both dogs and cats need time, patience, work, and money. They need your care daily, no matter how busy you and your family might be. Evaluate your lifestyle, and see if this is the right time to adopt or purchase a pet. Sure, puppies and kittens are cute, but they grow into adult animals. You have to remember that you still have to take the time and effort to love and care for them when they are adults.

Many factors are taken into consideration when choosing a dog or cat, such as how much time you are going to spend with your new pet, how much money you can spend on your pet, and how much space you have in your house, trailer, or apartment. There are also other things to think about like finding a vet, people that may come and visit who might have allergies to dogs or cats, whether you want a dog that is big or small.

Some options to consider before you bring your new found friend home are:
1. Review your lifestyle
2. Decide if you want a dog or cat
3. Decide what kind of breed you want
4. Talk to your family and decide
5. Make sure you have the time and commitment that your pet will require
6. Check your finances and make sure you have enough money for your pet

You and your family decide to purchase a pet. Where do you go? Do you want to adopt at the shelter or purchase a pet at a pet store or a breeder?

To learn the answers to these questions, read Where to Find the Perfect Pet.