Pet Bucket Blog

Image credit Bringing a puppy or kitten into the home can be a great way to teach life lessons to your children. Unlike a toy, a pet is a living thing and it needs constant care and monitoring to stay happy and healthy. Children who live with pets can learn responsibility, empathy, compassion and other traits that will serve them well throughout their lives and help them in their interactions with fellow humans as well as other animals.    But how do you know when your child is ready for the responsibility of a pet? Many children beg their parents for a puppy or kitten, only to lose interest when the new pet becomes too much work or ceases to be sufficiently interesting. That leaves mom and dad with all the responsibility of the new pet, and it teaches the child nothing.   Image credit    In fact, getting a pet before the child is psychologically ready for the commitment can actually be counterproductive. If your son or daughter gets to enjoy the fun of having a pet but does none of the work, you are just teaching your child that someone else will take care of things; not exactly conducive to a life of future responsibility.    There are a number of ways parents can determine whether or not their kids are ready for the responsibility of a pet. One of the basics is the age of the child. A 5-year-old child is probably not physically or psychologically mature enough to properly care for a pet. That does not mean you should not have pets in the home; it just means you cannot expect such a young child to be responsible for its care.    A good guideline is to go by the minimum age requirements set by various animal rescue organizations in your area. Check with the rescue organizations in your area and review their applications. You should see something about the minimum age of the children in the home and what kinds of homes they are willing to adopt to. If your child is under the minimum age that would allow you to adopt a pet, you may want to wait a few years.   Image credit    Parents can also test the readiness of their children by adopting smaller and less demanding pets. The next time you are at the pet store and your child starts begging for a puppy, buy a bowl or small aquarium and bring home a goldfish instead. The goldfish will need daily care and feeding - just like the puppy your child wants. Teaching your children how to properly care for the fish will help teach responsibility and let you see how ready they are for the responsibility.    If your son or daughter cannot properly care for a goldfish, you can be sure that caring for a puppy or kitten is still beyond their abilities. If the goldfish receives wonderful care and your child clearly loves it, you might want to start thinking about adopting a new family member.   Image credit    Adopting a new family member will definitely be the way to go, especially if one of the goals is to teach your child responsibility and compassion. You can explain to your child, in age-appropriate terms, why the animal needs to be adopted or rescued, while reinforcing the need for responsible care once the animal joins the household. A good rescue organization will also be able to help you choose an appropriate pet for a household with young children. A quiet cat or dog or a puppy with a laid back personality can be an excellent first pet for any child, and the rescue organization should be able to help you find just such a 4-legged friend.     

It is often said pets look like their owners. According to science, it may actually be true. Psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, Stanly Coren suggests people are drawn to the familiar – and for that reason, are drawn to our own faces, which we see over and over reflected in mirrors every day. It is this preference that tends to drive people towards pets that subconsciously remind them of themselves.   Image credit   Image credit   Image credit  Coren conducted a study investigating the influence of a woman’s hairstyle on the dog breeds she was drawn to. He discovered there was a strong preference for women with hair that covered their ears to prefer dogs like the Springer Spaniel. Women with short hair and their ears visible preferred breeds like the Siberian Husky and Basenji. Coren’s conclusion: familiarity breeds like.   Image credit   Image credit   Image credit Psychologists from the University of California, Nicholas Christenfeld and Michael Roy found similar results. They asked test subjects to look at a muddled collection of photos of dogs and owners and try and match them up. In two-thirds of cases, the subjects linked master and pet on looks alone. The effect is probably as a result of evolutionary parenting drives. We are instinctively geared, according to Christenfeld, towards small, nonverbal creatures that resemble us as we are driven to be affectionate towards our children and young relations to ensure the survival of our genes.   Image credit Image credit   Image credit  If you and your pet are doppelgangers, showing off you matched looks can really pay off. Jiro Yamada won 300,000 yen with his two-year old Shar-Pei Occhansticks at an annual Tokyo look-alike contest.  Image credit    Feature image credit

A recent study by the University of Tokyo has found dogs can ‘catch’ human yawns. This has major implications for the human-dog bond, as it suggests what owners have long expected – that dogs can feel what they feel.        Scientists are fascinated by yawning. The function and reason behind the development of the humble yawn is still fiercely debated. It is however likely linked to social cohesion, synchronizing sleeping patterns in ancient human groups, thus facilitating communal behavior. It is known yawning springs from the same part of the brain responsible for understanding and identification with the feelings of others.    Image credit ‘Contagious yawning’ as it is known, is when one person yawns after seeing, or hearing, another person yawning. It has been proven to be associated with our ability to understand and interpret other’s emotions and is therefore of considerable interest to scientist’s studying empathic responses in humans and animals. Contagious yawning has been recorded in humans, chimpanzees, bonobos and baboons – all social primates – but it has never been substantially recorded crossing the species barrier. That is, until now.   Scientists were aware previously dogs occasionally yawned in apparent response to humans yawning, but they weren’t sure why or if it was just coincidence. It may have been a sign of emotional connection, or a stress response, as dogs often yawn when they are anxious.   In order to study the behavior, researchers from the University of Tokyo gathered together 25 dogs, their owners, and a number of randomly collected volunteers. Each dog was observed whilst the scientists had their owner yawn at them, then a stranger. These yawns were both fake and genuine.   Image credit The results were surprising. Not only did the dogs respond to the yawning humans by doing so themselves, they also yawned far more when their owners were yawning than strangers. This suggests the yawning behavior was indeed mediated by emotional connection. The pets were also able to tell if a yawn was genuine or not, being more likely to react to the former, further supporting the theory dogs are ‘contagious yawners’.   In an interesting parallel, scientists discovered recently people are more likely to respond to the yawns of loved ones than other people.   Image credit Telemetric measures were taken of the dogs’ heart rate throughout the course of the experiment to determine if anxiety was at all at play. The idea was ruled out by the test. Their heart rates remained stable, proving it was empathy, not nervous arousal, which caused the dogs to pull sleepy faces.   The effect could possibly be linked to the domestication process where dogs who developed mental processes to better connect to their human masters were selectively bred.  Feature image credit

We are used to crossing the interspecies boundary when it comes to us and our pets – though we aren’t the only other creatures dogs and cats can open their hearts too. Here are a bunch of unlikely, and incredibly heartwarming BFFs.    The Elephant and the Labrador      Image credit  Bubbles the elephant and Bella the Labrador Retriever love nothing more than to go for walks together and go for long swims. They call the Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina home and are a popular attraction. The 9000 pound elephant and dog met when Bella was abandoned by a contractor hired to build Bubbles a new swimming pool. They have been inseparable ever since.    Image credit    The Fox and the Hound   Image credit Right out of a Disney movie, Sniffer the red fox and Tinni the dog are best buddies. Torgeir Berge, Tinni’s owner, has used the popularity of the odd couple through Facebook to start a campaign against the fur trade. They recently also had a song written about them by Berit Helberg.    Image credit    Image credit    The Cat and the Dolphins  Arthur the cat and the dolphins Thunder and Shiloh became fast friends when they met at Islamorada Marine Park. The dolphins nuzzled him while Arthur pawed at their noses. Aww!    Image credit    Image credit    The Kitten and the Iguana   Image credit  Found in a dumpster, the kitten Ash was adopted by a man named James when he heard about her plight. James’ red iguana Captain became about as fond of Ash as her new owner and now they are the best of friends.    Image credit    Image credit    The Cat and the Ducklings   Image credit Sadly, mother-cat Hiroko lost her kittens. When her owner accidentally shut her in the room where he had left his two recently hatched spot-billed ducklings, Hiroko decided to make them her new ‘kittens’ and now grooms and coddles them as if they were her own litter.   Image credit Feature image credit

1. "TGIF" image credit   2. "Did someone say, Friday!?"   image credit   3. "I'm going to stay in bed all day!"   image credit   4. This guy is just psyched to spend all day Saturday and all day Sunday with you! image credit   5. "I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!"   image credit   6. This Corgi is so excited, he can't sit still!     image credit   7. "You mean, I get to sleep in!?" image credit 8. Someone's ready to hit the clubs!   image credit   9. "Smile it's the weekend!"     image credit 10. "Time to kick back and relax!"     image credit   ?12. Or get outside like this pup!   image credit 12. Celebratory weekend dance.     image credit ? 13. "It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday!" image credit   14. This pooch is literally jumping for joy! image credit

Little explanation is required as to why the Cornish Rex is classified as an ‘unusual breed’. Most cats have three different layers to their coats. The outer fur, or guard hairs, the middle layer of awn hair and the undercoat. Through a unique mutation, the Cornish Rex has only the fine hairs of the downy undercoat. Their extremely fine and sometimes curly fur is considered the softest of any cat breed.   Image credit The breed came into being with a litter of kittens born on July 21, 1950 to a tortoiseshell farm-cat called Serena in Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. A red-and-cream-coloured male stood out at once from his siblings with his fine and curly coat. He was named ‘Kallibunker’ and upon the recommendation of the geneticist A. C. Jude to their owner Mrs. Ennismore he was backcrossed to his mother to produce two other downy-furred kittens. These cats became the foundation of the breed. Overtime, blood was added from Siamese, Russian Blue, American Shorthair, British Shorthair and Havana Brown breeds to add genetic diversity. Life Magazine published at article in 1956 that focused worldwide attention on the new breed and ensured its survival. Image credit    Cornish Rexes are famed for their enthusiastic and highly sociable personalities. They are the ‘clowns’ of the cat world, known for being intelligent, acrobatic and kittenish throughout all their adult lives. They enjoy playing fetch and are known for throwing toys with their paws to chase when there is no one around to play with them. They are known to be affable towards other animals and cats. They are an excellent choice for children, as they are friendly as well as delicate and gentle. They are not a good idea to bring into families that work long hours however, as they require a great deal of companionship and attention. Due to their coats, Cornish Rexes are also best suited to indoor living, as they may easily get hypothermia if left outside during colder weather.  Inexplicably, the Cornish Rex’s body temperature is naturally higher than that of other cats.   Image credit The word ‘Rex’ in the breed’s name is a term used to describe animals with unusual or curly fur. Its origin rests with King Albert I of Belgium (1875-1934) who entered some of his rabbits in a show. Having strange, curly-hair, the rabbits, much to the show officials distress, did not meet any breed standards. In order to avoid offending the king, they decided to accept them and wrote ‘Rex’, which is Latin for ‘king’ beside their names. Image credit  It is sometimes mistakenly believed the Cornish Rex’s unusual coat makes in hypo-allergenic. This is untrue, as allergies to cats are not as a result of cat fur and its qualities, but a glycol-protein produced by feline sebaceous glands that are present in the skin and saliva. When cats groom themselves, they distribute this protein on their fur, which sufferers breath in. Since Cornish Rex’s groom themselves as much as other varieties of cat, they are just as able to produce reactions in the sensitive.    Image credit   However, since Cornish Rexes shed less than other cats due to the fact they only have a small amount of fur to begin with, they deposit less protein-laced hair around the house, which can make aggravation less for allergy sufferers. They can also be easily washed, which has been proven to reduce the amount of protein coating cat hair.  Feature image credit

Image credit The old adage that prevention is better than a cure is never more true, or more important, than with your pet and worm treatments. Roundworm, hookworm and heartworm are easily transferred via mosquitoes or faeces and therefore commonly affect our pets. If left untreated, worms can spread and grow, creating serious complications to your pet’s intestinal and respiratory systems. A worm infestation can lead to severe digestive problems, heart failure and even death for your pet.  Worms can also be transferred to humans so it is essential that you have an effective worming care plan. Protection against infection needs to be carried out regularly. Luckily Heartgard Plus is a monthly, easy to administer, very safe and proven treatment for worm control. It prevents worms developing to the dangerous adult stage and is available for both dogs for cats.  It’s highly likely that every puppy or dog has been exposed to worms. Puppies need to be wormed every two weeks until 12 weeks of age and lactating females should also be treated. Dogs over 12 weeks old require frequent treatment for the rest of their lives.  Heartgard Plus is available in different dosages for animals of different weights. It comes as a chewable and deliciously tasty tablet (or so I’ve observed). The dosage is designed to be chewed, rather than swallowed whole so you can always break it up and add it to your pet’s food if needed. You’ll need to make sure your pet consumes the entire dose, so observe them during administration and for a short time afterwards. It is very important that you talk to your vet before beginning any treatment for heartworm. Not just to verify the correct dosage, but there can be severe reactions, similar to toxic shock, in animals who already have heartworm infections and are then given heartworm medication. Your dog will need to be tested, and if infected, adult heartworms and larvae (microfilariae) treated before beginning any course of worm control. If you’re currently enjoying a nice meal, it’s best you put your meal aside for now as we take a closer look at these ghastly, villainous little worms. Roundworm Roundworms (ascarids) are the most common worms affecting dogs and cats. Virtually every puppy is infected with roundworms at birth or become infected via their mother’s milk.  Adult worms are found in the intestine and can grow 2-3mm wide and up to 20cm long. Roundworms cause diarrhoea and vomiting, weight loss, poor growth, a pot-bellied appearance and lethargy. If left untreated or in severe cases, pneumonia and obstruction of the intestine or digestive system can occur. In infected animals, the adult worms lay eggs that are then expelled in faeces. Other animals become infected by ingesting contaminated soil or eating other infected animals such as mice, rodents or birds. The eggs then hatch in the animal’s stomach, feeding on content found here and develop into egg-laying adults. Roundworm larvae and adults can also be found in other organs such as the liver and lungs but generally remain in the digestive system.  Hookworm Hookworms are another intestinal parasite that most commonly affect young dogs and cats. The worms attach to the host animal's intestinal lining and feed on blood, tissue and fluid. As with roundworm, larvae and adult egg-laying worms live in the intestine. Some larvae attach to other organs and can be particularly problematic for your pet if they migrate through the respiratory system.  Hookworm eggs are expelled in the animal’s faeces. Dogs and cats can be infected by ingesting contaminated soil or from larvae penetrating the skin. Puppies can also be infected through their mother’s milk. Bloody diarrhoea is a common symptom of hookworm. Other signs of infection are intestinal upset, pale gums, weight loss, stunted growth and poor coat condition. Serious loss of blood and anaemia can result from large numbers of worms being present or in puppies. In extreme cases this can lead to death. Heartworm Heartworm is the deadliest of all parasites and although infection is more common in dogs, cats are also susceptible. The worms inhabit the animal's lungs, heart and pulmonary arteries and can cause heart failure or death. Puppies should begin heartworm prevention by at least 12 weeks of age.  Primarily it is actually the lungs that are affected by heartworm but the heart, circulatory system and even liver and kidneys may also be damaged. The symptoms indicating heartworm infection include coughing, shortness of breath, respiratory sounds, fainting, lethargy, weight loss, blood present in the saliva or mucus, abdominal swelling, vomiting and loss of appetite. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes and when an infected mosquito bites another animal, the heatworm larvae (microfilariae) are transferred. These larvae migrate through tissue and the host animal's circulatory system to the lungs, heart and pulmonary arteries, feed on blood and grow to maturity, some worms can reach 30cm in length and 2cm in width. Heartworm larvae can survive in the bloodstream of a host animal for two years.  Heartworms will lead to the inflammation of tissue, blood clotting and the thickening of blood vessel walls. The animal’s blood pressure rises and cardiac strain is increased.  There are very serious side effects if a dog is treated with prevention medicine and is already infected with heartworm. Side Effects As with any medication, there is the potential for unpleasant side effects and the possibility of individual sensitivities for some pets. However, tests show that Heartgard Plus is safe and well tolerated when used correctly, having a very low incidence of digestive and neurological side effects.  Heartgard Plus uses ivermectin which causes paralysis and death to the parasitic worms. The dosage of ivermectin contained in Heartgard is relatively low, with little risk of side effects. As mentioned, it is vital that you do not start a worming program prior to having your pet checked for the presence of heartworm.  Check the dosage required for your pet as serious side effects often result from a larger dose being administered than recommended. If the dosage given is correct and you notice any of the side effects listed below take your pet to the vet immediately. Digestive Problems. The most common side effect associated with Heartgard Plus is digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. In clinical field trials, vomiting or diarrhoea within 24 hours of dosing was observed in only 1.1% of cases. Hypersalivation Depression and Lethargy. Depression, lethargy, lack of appetite and loss of interest in activities has been noticed in some pets. Lack of Coordination (Ataxia), Disorientation and Hind Leg Paralysis Stumbling, running into walls and furniture or paralysis could occur. Dilated Pupils (Mydriasis) or Blindness Crying, Agitation Low Body Temperature and Hypothermia Seizures and Muscle Tremors. Seizures, tremors and convulsions are very rare and may mean your pet has a particular sensitivity, the dosage is too high or that heartworm was already present.  Susceptible Breeds Some dog breeds have a mutation in the multi-drug resistance gene (MDR1) making them more sensitive to ivermectin at very elevated dose levels (16 times more than the recommended level). In trials, no adverse reactions were observed in dogs at ten times the Heartgard recommended dose. This gene mutation is known to occur most commonly in breeds such as Collies, Australian Shepherds, Shelties and Long-haired Whippets. The level of ivermectin used for heartworm prevention is generally safe and at a low level suitable for these dogs. You can talk to your vet about testing your dog for the gene mutation. When dosage and treatment instructions are followed, Heartgard Plus is a safe and effective worming care plan. It is approved for animals as young as 6 weeks and pregnant or lactating cats and dogs. Administering the medication is as simple as giving your pet a chewable treat each month. The packaging also has a calendar so you will never lose track of where you are up to. Peace of mind has never been so easy. 

Image credit 1. Astaire and Rogers have nothing on these two as they dance cheek to cheek (and paw to paw and wet nose to wet nose).   Image credit   2. Chihuahua Cha-Cha. Be one with the rhythm.   Image credit   3. Twerking is all about working that tail.     Image credit   4. The original 'Tap Dog'.   Image credit   5. I'll just be over here, busting a move.    Image credit   6. Doing the superhero shuffle. Start with the best headbanging hounds and rock out to some heavy sounds!   Image credit   7. When dancing is in your blood, anything becomes your dancefloor.    Image credit   8. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle yeah!   Image credit   9. Yeah dawg, I'm breaking out my hip hop style. Haters keep hatin'. Image credit   10. Thriller, thrilller night.    Image credit   11. Feeling that sweet, slow groove. As cool as a pooch can be.    Image credit     12. Dance like no one's watching... Oh, and stop your dance if someone's watching. Image credit Feature image credit

Not everyone looks as wonderful as a supermodel in front of the camera, but there's always someone who takes the snaps you’d rather nobody else saw, or someone who manages to ruin every potentially great photo. We’re flicking through our album of photo mishaps and embarrassing moments.     1. These lights are far trickier than they look. Thanks for your ridicule though, it's been most helpful.   Image credit   2. But that WAS me smiling!    Image credit   3. Seriously Larry, you really don't have to document everything about our night out.   Image credit   4. Would you please tell me what's so funny?    Image credit   5. Can’t we have at least one nice photo?   Image credit   6. Okay, you’ve had your fun. Can you put the camera away now and help me down?    Image credit   7. She’s doing it again isn't she? I’m not posing for any more photos until she leaves the room.   Image credit   8. I wasn’t ready! Promise me you’ll delete that one.    Image credit   9. I’ll pay you a big box of beef treats to destroy the evidence and say that I was never here.   Image credit   10. I asked you very nicely not to take a photo. Just wait until I get out of here!   Image credit ? Feature image credit

Image credit Think they’re cute? Well if you have a few million to spare in your bank account they can be yours!   In March 2014 a property developer from the Eastern Shandong Province laid down $3.2 million for the Tibetan Mastiff twins. The golden-haired 1-year-old pups, weighing 200 pounds already, was priced at $1.9 million.   It is believed to be the most expensive dog sale in history.   Image credit The pair were sold at a luxury dog fair in the Zhejiang province, located on China’s east coast, by their breeder. The buyer paid on the spot with a credit card.   According to the breeder, the puppy has a quiet and gentle temperament, but also strong guarding instincts. He warns he would readily bark and bite a strange intruder. The golden-red colour is especially valuable in an already pricey breed. A regular Tibetan Mastiff retails at several hundreds of thousands of dollars. The price rises with the quality of the dog, the admiration of the owner and the breeder’s expectations.   Image credit   The twins are not the first Tibetan Mastiffs to make news with their sky-high prices. A red mastiff by ‘Big Splash’ or ‘Hong Dong’ in Chinese sold for $1.5 million in 2001. It was at the time the highest dog price on record. He went to the home of a multi-millionaire coal baron. ‘Big Splash’ beat out another mastiff known as ‘Yangtze River Number Two’ which sold to a Chinese lady in 2009 for $600,000.   Image credit   The Tibetan Mastiff has become a supreme status symbol for China’s new super-rich tired of investing in stock and the property market. Traditionally used as herding and hunting dogs in Central Asia and Tibet, the dogs are as prized by the Chinese as the giant panda. It is believed the dogs have ‘lion’s blood’ running through their veins. Image credit   The dogs, with their large size, were more than capable of fighting off leopards and wolves to protect their community and livestock, but were known for using unusual tactics such as scent marking to warn predators away so as to avoid direct confrontation. Explorer Marco Polo described the dogs as being “as tall as a donkey with a voice as powerful as a lion.”   Image credit   The Tibetan Mastiff was previously popular with the British royal family. King George IV owned a pair of Tibetan Mastiffs in the 19th century that were given to him as a gift. In 1847, the Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge, sent a mastiff called ‘Bhout’ to Queen Victoria. Her son, the Prince of Wales, imported two more, one of which, called ‘Siring’ was exhibited to the public at Alexandra Palace in the December of 1875.