Why You Should Adopt Pets Instead of Buying Them

Unfortunately, breeding pets for business purposes is not illegal in all places yet, but you can make a better personal choice by choosing to adopt instead of buying. In case you are wondering what’s the difference or can’t think of enough reasons as to why one is better than the other, go through the following points.

Our adopted dog, Bolt

You are Supporting Horrifying Puppy Mills

Whenever you buy from a professional breeder, you are giving money to a business that makes a profession out of forcibly exploiting breeder dogs and puppies. In case you are not yet aware of the hell that a puppy mill is, click here to check out the reality.

It’s a Lot Cheaper

Puppy adoption is not only the better way to welcome a furry friend into your family, but it’s also more economical. Adoption charges are nominal as compared to buying a pedigree puppy and it often includes the costs of neutering, microchipping, and vaccinating. In other words, you get a healthy, spayed and vaccinated puppy at a lower cost.

They Need Your Help

Tens of millions of cats, dogs, and other pets are put into shelters every year, and unless you give them a home, they are living on borrowed time. They really need people to give them a loving home and each time someone buys a pet from a breeder or a pet shop, a pet loses its chance at survival.

Adoption is Rewarding

To know that you saved a life that was headed for euthanization is rewarding in itself. Chances are that the dog will show you enough gratitude to make sure that you will love yourself for that decision as well. It is to be noted that shelters have all kinds of dogs and some of them will have an abusive and sad history, which may lead them to be less charming. If you decide to adopt such a puppy, ensure that you understand what that means because the last thing an abused or abandoned dog needs is to be left alone once again.

Shelter Dogs may already have Training

This isn’t guaranteed, but most shelter dogs usually have at least some basic training from their earlier owners or from the adoption center itself. This means that you won’t have to worry about toilet training too much when you adopt.

Adoption Solves Pet Overpopulation Problem

A breeder may sell you a dog or any other pet without neutering it first, while all adoption centers must make sure that the puppy you are taking home won’t be able to add to the population. To some, it may sound cruel, but given the reality of the situation, it’s a necessary step. Millions of animals are put down every year because of overpopulation and at this moment, there aren’t enough homes to accommodate them all.

By now, it should be clear why animal lovers all over the world suggest that we adopt. Nevertheless, whether you adopt or buy, please make sure that your puppy doesn’t end up at the shelter one day.

Preparing Your Children for a New Dog

If you’ve finally caved in and agreed to get a new dog for your family, then you might’ve just made the best or worst decision of your life. Most parents are responsible for the family pet even though the kids promise to take care of it. They don’t quite understand the pressure or responsibility required to take care of a living animal, but here are a couple of tips to help you ease them into the role of a responsible dog owner.

Maximus and EJ

With Max

Relax your child around your pets

One of the biggest concerns that you’ll face when introducing your child to a pet is that your child is going to be frightened, reckless and sometimes even aggressive towards your pet. These sudden jerky movements can often frighten animals that are new to your household, so ensure that you relax your child and teach them to be comfortable with your new pet. Teach them not to be too firm with your dog and take it slow when trying to build a bond.

With Champ

Teach them chores to look after your pet

There are some basic chores that your child can learn when getting them comfortable with your pet. Firstly, teach them to put away pet dishes and refill the food. This is a good place to teach your child how to properly manage feeding because overfeeding can make your pet overweight and underfeeding will leave them malnourished. Teach them how much food to pour, when, and how to properly clean the feeding dishes. It’s also recommended to teach your child how to deal with dog poop and urine. It’s probably one of the smellier and messier parts of dog care, but it’s something that your children need to learn if they want to grow up with their dog and learn to care for them properly.

Cleaning and grooming your dog

Children should be actively involved in the cleaning and grooming of your pet. The first thing you should consider is getting a guide and learn how to groom your dog. If you personally don’t know how to groom your dog, then you need to learn first, practice and then pass the information onto your children. For instance, if it’s a furry dog then make sure the coat is brushed on a regular basis. Clipping toenails is also beneficial to the pet and also your children, and even their teeth need a good clean now and then. Bathing your dog can also be quite a challenge, but it’s important that your children learn how to do it as well.

Don’t just leave it up to your children

Finally, we need to talk about commitment and responsibility. One of the worst things you can do is get a dog then leave it up to your children. As mentioned before, you’re going to be responsible for the dog as the parent and you need to slowly introduce your children to the tasks and responsibilities of a dog owner. This is why you personally need to also show some compassion and care when taking care of your dog. If you aren’t remotely interested in getting a dog, then tell your children you simply don’t have time for it.

Beautiful Ways To Remember Your Pet

I’ve had a few pets over the years, so I know the likelihood is they will depart this earthly plane before me. Now I have the kids, I think it’s harder when they pass. I feel their heartbreak, and it makes my own so much worse. It certainly made me more reluctant to have any new pets after our bunny died. But we now have a new furry baby in the family, and life is carrying on.

Our Pomeranian, Chelsea

This doesn’t mean that any of us has forgotten about our beloved bunny or that we miss him any less. But it does mean we are realistic in our expectations. We all have so much love to give to animals. It would be criminal to waste that. And we are ready to receive that love back from our new furry baby too.

Our JRT, Champ

None of my past pets has been forgotten. I take the time to look at the old photographs every so often. And each of the new furries that come into my life will remind me a little of those I’ve lost. We’re big fans of scrapbooking in our family. I love making up a scrapbook for each of our pets. Of course, I’m always saddened when the last photo goes in.

With Bolt

The kids have written stories and poems about our lost pets before. I too have had creative flurries when grieving. I think each loss does affect you in a different way. And I think you do go through the full grieving process and stages, just as you would for a human. There is anger there, and guilt. But most importantly, there is love.

With Maximus

We do like to do our pet funerals quite formally too. We have a little service in the garden. Some pets from my family are resting with other people’s furry babies in the pet cemetery. Others are laid to rest in the garden. I think it is a wonderful way to say goodbye to those furry members of the family who can’t continue with us.

Our late Bunnies, Matilda and Wubzy

I’ve recently heard about turning ashes into diamonds for jewelry and other keepsakes. You can do this for human ashes as well as pet ashes. I can see how this would help people feel their pets were still close and with them. There are lots of lovely ideas like this out there. After all, most of us carry photos of our pets in our wallets.

I’m capturing more and more video footage of our pets, especially when they’re playing with the kids. Perhaps one day I’ll start putting them together into some kind of video scrapbook. It’s nice to sit and remember them like this occasionally. When I’m watching with the kids, it’s a good way for them to talk about their feelings too.

Rest in peace Wubzy
Posted by Pets & Critters Nook on Tuesday, April 7, 2015

We all have so many wonderful memories of our pets past and present. Remembering them all is important as they have all touched your heart and soul in so many ways. You might have a memorial, or you might keep their ashes in a drawer. Perhaps you even have a piece of jewelry in their memory? How do you like to remember your pet?

Guinea Pig

After our bunny died, I told the kids that I don't want anymore pets other our two dogs . When Rylie's birthday came, she asked if she can have a guinea pig. I meanhow can you say no for a birthday wish?    So we got her one and we named him Dunkin. Dunkin was very aloof when we first got him.  I think that  he got used to being left alone at the pet store. 

I did not know it butaccording to Wikipedia, the guinea pigis  also called the cavy.  It  is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea.

 The way they ake noises though reminds me of pigs. They are actually very cute and very social as long as you let the know that you care for them.

 Now that he is used to us. He does not run away anymore when we are around.  He  did not like any fresh  fooood when we first got him but I am starting tp introduce him to  fresh vegggies. For now, he likes lettuce and dandelion leaves.

 They can be stinky so a bath is neccesary.  He did not like t a first ut now he is used to it.

 My daughter salso lettting hm swim in the ath tub. I have yet to film that, it's so cute.

 My kids get him out of the cage  every time they come ome from school.  

Dunkin is a nice pet!

Getting the Kids Prepared for the Idea of a Pet

There will come a point in your life as a parent when your kids are going to want to get a pet. They’ll be nagging you about it for a long while, and you’ll have a big decision to make. It’s important to think about whether you’re ready for a pet and, more importantly if your children are ready.

You see, introducing a new member into the household changed everything. The entire family dynamic is altered as a result. So it’s vital that you ensure the kids know what to expect, and what they’re getting themselves into. Have a look at the points listed on here and try to apply them where you can.

Start Off Small

The best approach with anything like this is to start off small. Baby steps are the best way towards yielding fruitful results. You need to get the kids used to being around animals and taking care of animals. So, a good early approach would be to get them involved in something like feeding the birds. This is a simple and quick exercise that will teach them about responsibility. Of course, you’ll want to take a look at a window bird feeder on Amazon.com to help get you started. This will provide somewhere for the kids to put the food that’s also going to shelter the birds.

Assess Logistics

You also need to give some serious thought to the logistics of having a pet. Do you have enough space in the house to keep a pet? Are your children old enough that a pet isn’t dangerous or overwhelming? These are some important questions you’re going to need to ask yourself. Getting a pet is a massive decision to make as a family, and you need to be sure you’re ready for everything that comes with it.

Decide What Pet

Okay, this is the big decision you all need to make. It’s vital that you decide what sort of pet you want to have. Now, if this is the first household pet, it might make sense to start off with something small like a goldfish, or a hamster. You might want to get a dog, but then you need to decide if you’re ready. A dog is one of the most high-maintenance pets around, so you need to be sure you and the children are ready to take on this burden. There’s a lot to factor in before you can make a satisfactory decision.

Get the Kids Involved

Try to make sure you involve the children as much as you can. Let them be instrumental in the process of choosing and naming a pet. See if you can get them to draft a list of things you’ll need for the animal. If they can be heavily involved at an early stage, they’re more likely to stick with it for the long haul.

Deciding to get a pet is a lot of work, and you need to make sure you and the kids are prepared for it. It’s important to get your children interested in the idea of having a pet as they will need to learn responsibility. Have a look at the ideas listed on this post and you’ll come up with plenty of great ways to prepare them.  

Pure Breed vs Cross Breed - Which Puppy is Right for Your Family

Deciding whether to buy or adopt a new puppy is not something you should rush. You have to be sure a puppy will fit into your family and that you have the time and resources to take care of a new four legged friend. There is also the question of whether to buy a pedigree puppy – and if so, what breed should you buy – or a cross-breed pup. So which one is likely to be right for you?

Bolt is Mixed Breed of Miniature Pinscher and Doberman Pinscher

Champ is a pure breed Jack Russel Terrier

Buying a Pure Bred Puppy

Pure bred puppies have two parents that are the same breed. For example, say you love yorkies, you would be looking for a pure bred puppy from a registered breeder of yorkies. What you wouldn’t want is a yorkie puppy whose parents were of dubious parentage. To avoid this happening, make sure you look for breeders who are registered with the American Kennel Club. 

Why Choose a Pedigree Puppy?

A lot of people want a pure bred pup because they have fallen in love with the idea of a particular breed, perhaps because they had a dog of that breed as a child, or because their favorite celebrity owns one. There is nothing wrong with buying a pure bred puppy, but expect to pay a lot more for the pup. Pure bred pups are also more likely to have health problems – many breeds are prone to serious genetic disorders.

Buying a Mixed Breed Puppy

Mixed breed puppies are not difficult to find. You can probably visit the local animal shelter and be greeted by dozens of cute puppies all waiting for a new home. Or you can try looking online at puppy websites such as Little Puppies Online, which sell cross breed puppies such as Cockerpoos and Morkies.

Why Choose a Mixed Breed?

Mongrels, mutts, whatever you want to call them, mixed breed dogs and puppies have a lot to offer. Mixed breed pups are less likely to have genetic disorders and other health problems. They can often be more suited to family life, and if you can’t afford to pay pedigree prices, a loveable mongrel is a much better choice.

What Dog is Right for You?

Is there room in your life for a puppy? You may assume the answer is yes, but don’t rush into buying a puppy without giving the matter some serious thought. A dog is for life, not just for a few months and it isn’t fair to take a cute puppy home and then give it up once it grows into an adult dog.

Puppies require a lot of time and care in the early months. Toilet training, exercise and visits to the veterinarian can be time consuming and expensive. You need to be prepared to treat your new puppy like a baby in the early weeks, as it may take him a while to learn some manners and get the hang of toilet training.

Puppies can be immensely rewarding little creatures. Like many animals, they have a lot to offer and if you give a puppy a home, you will be rewarded with a lifetime of unconditional love.

Sutton Rabbits

According to the Rabbit Ranch owner where we bought our bunnies, Wubzy and Matilda are called Sutton Rabbits.  Their fur are so soft.

If you will notice above, the neck of our female rabbit, Matilda, is huge, it is because she is pregnant.

Matilda is  kind of aloof but  Wubzy love to be pet.

Here are some Interesting rabbit facts that I found at Three Little Ladies Rabbitry website

(www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/rabbitfacts.php)

Rabbit Facts - 40 Interesting Facts About Rabbits

1. Rabbits are not rodents, they are lagomorphs.
2. A male rabbit is a buck. 
3. A female rabbit is a doe.
4. A baby rabbit is a kit.
5. When the doe gives birth her babies are collectively refered to as a litter.
6. The gestation period for a rabbit averages 31 days.
7. A rabbits teeth never stop growing. 
8. The American Rabbit Breeders Association has 45 recognized breeds of rabbits
9. The ARBA has over 30,000 members
10. Rabbits can be litter trained
11. A pet rabbit can live as long as 10 years
12. Bunnies get weaned at about 8 weeks old
13. Adult bunnies can weigh between 2 lbs - 20 lbs depending on breed
14. Rabbits can purr similar to a cat
15. Domesticated rabbits are born without fur
16. Domesticated rabbits eyes do not open until they are about 2 weeks old
17. Rabbits cannot vomit
18. Rabbits need hay to assist the digestive system and prevent fur balls in their stomach
19. A group of rabbits is called a herd
20. A group of rabbits live in a warren
21. Mothers typically only feed their kits about 5 minutes a day
22. Rabbit meat is lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than chicken, pork and beef
23. Rabbit meat is all white meat
24. Rabbit droppings make an excellent garden fertilizer
25. Rabbits have 28 teeth
26. A 4 pound rabbit will drink as much water as a 20 pound dog
27. Bunnies love to chew
28. Rabbits do not hibernate
29. Rabbits can jump 36″ and higher
30. Rabbits can suffer heat stroke
31. Rabbits can see behind them, but have blind spot in front of their face.
32. When rabbits are happy, they will jump and twist, this is called a binky
33. Rabbits can start breeding as early as 3-4 months of age
34. Predators can literally scare a rabbit to death
35. Does will pull fur when pregnant to assist in the building of their nest
36. Rabbits can have false pregnancies
37. Rabbits groom themselves
38. Domestic rabbits cannot breed with wild rabbits
39. The only place a rabbit sweats is through the pads on its feet
40. Rabbits eat their own night droppings called cecotropes

For the love of Ball

Here's our super hype and energetic JRT. He love his ball so much so I put a little challenge for him.  I put the ball inside the toy car.  I know that for the love of his ball, he would do  everything to get it out.

At first, he was scared  to get near it but  he couldn't stand  not having his ball.

"Should I just wait till it comes out?"

"Maybe, I can use my nose to push it out."

"Aha!  I have to tip the truck over!"

"Now what, the  ball hasn't come out yet, sigh"

"I think I have to stare at it and it would come out."

"Ah, I have to use my  leg to  push it out!"

"Oh it's nice to have my ball back again!"

It took 6 and 1/2 minutes for him to get it out.  Below is the video I took while he works on getting the ball.

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