Pet Word

The First and Last Word on Pets


The Poodle is commonly acknowledged to be the most wisely intelligent of all members of the canine race. There is a general belief that he is a fop, whose time is largely occupied in personal embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner has need to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble, and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a companion. His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his attractiveness and his devotion. His aptitude in learning is never denied, and many are the stories told of his marvellous talent and versatility.

Not merely as a showman’s dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals.

The profuse and long coat of this dog has the peculiarity that if not kept constantly brushed out it twists up into little cords which increase in length as the new hair grows and clings about it. The unshed old hair and the new growth entwined together thus become distinct rope-like cords. Eventually, if these cords are not cut short, or accidentally torn off, they drag along the ground, and so prevent the poor animal from moving with any degree of comfort or freedom.

Corded Poodles are very showy, and from the remarkable appearance of the coat, attract a great deal of public attention when exhibited at shows; but they have lost popularity among most fanciers, and have become few in number owing to the obvious fact that it is impossible to make pets of them or keep them in the house. The reason of this is that the coat must, from time to time, be oiled in order to keep the cords supple and prevent them from snapping, and, of course, as their coats cannot be brushed, the only way of keeping the dog clean is to wash him, which with a corded Poodle is a lengthy and laborious process. Further, the coat takes hours to dry, and unless the newly washed dog be kept in a warm room he is very liable to catch cold. The result is, that the coats of corded Poodles are almost invariably dirty, and somewhat smelly.

Poodle’s General appearance
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Head: Long, straight, and fine, the skull not broad, with a slight peak at the back.

Muzzle: Long (but not snipy) and strong not full in cheek; teeth white, strong, and level; gums black, lips black and not showing lippiness.

Eyes: Almond shaped, very dark, full of fire and intelligence.

Nose: Black and sharp.

Ears: The leather long and wide, low set on, hanging close to the face.

Neck: Well proportioned and strong, to admit of the head being carried high and with dignity.

Feet: Rather small, and of good shape, the toes well arched, pads thick and hard.

Legs: Fore-legs set straight from shoulder, with plenty of bone and muscle.

Hind-legs: Very muscular and well bent, with the hocks well let down.

Tail: Set on rather high, well carried, never curled or carried over back.

Coat: Very profuse, and of good hard texture; if corded, hanging in tight, even cords; if non-corded, very thick and strong, of even length, the curls close and thick, without knots or cords.


When one thinks about cats as pets, the image that comes to mind is of a big furry cat lying down in his cat bed with a big plate of milk by his side. Cats have been known to be lazy, aristocratic interior house pets but that is not necessarily a rule. Most cats are very active, natural born hunters, who like to wander freely. For those, you might want to consider acquiring outdoor cat houses.
Many owners, when they have the habitation facilities for it, choose to give their cats the liberty to live outside and enjoy the freedom of having somewhere safe and comfortable to come back to when they feel tired of wandering. A great way to keep your cat coming back after his adventures is by providing them with comfortable outdoor cat houses. If you own a big house with a spacious garden, outdoor cat houses might be the way to provide with cat with proper housing in a safe environment.

Outdoor cat houses should be very sturdy and safe; preferably made of durable non toxic materials. They should protect your cat from rain, cold, wind and snow if it comes to that. On the other hand, they should not be excessively warm and they should be able to adapt to warmer weather. Remember that the cat should always feel conformable inside his own house, so he won’t need to wander outside in order to find a comfortable place to stay.
Most outdoor cat houses are made of isolated wood, which should have received a specific treatment to make them water and wind proof. They usually contain vinyl doors, in order to make it easy for your cat to go in and out and still keep the outdoor cat house warm and protected.
The floor should also be taken care of in a proper way, in order to isolate the complete house. If you really want to add a special treat to your cat, you will be amazed at the amount of outdoor cat house toys you can find, to put inside your new cat house and give your cat another good reason to keep coming back to his safe place.

Other popular outdoor cat houses include models made of synthetic materials that are specifically fabricated to withstand very cold or very warm weather. When buying synthetic outdoor cat houses make sure they are not made of toxic materials and that they are actually safe for your cat.
There are several outdoor cat houses available in the market today, and by doing a market research you will see you can find the perfect one within your budget as they come in all sizes and types of finishing’s. You can go for a more modest version or, if you have the financial means, there are several luxury outdoor cat house models available.

Cats are free and independent animals. They are feline hunters by nature and they were not made to be kept inside the house at all times. Keep your cat happy by providing him the opportunity to be free and safe at the same time. If he knows that by coming back he will find a perfect and safe place to be, he won’t need to go wondering for comfort. Outdoor cat houses are a great choice for the true cat lovers.


The site of a guinea pig nosing around in a pile of fresh shavings is an image that brings a smile to both parent’s and children alike.

A large population of adults have fond memories of the guinea pig they raised as a child. It doesn’t take a lot of encouragement before they are describing the way it looked and recounting the adventures they shared. Most parents who had guinea pigs during their childhood are normally quick to make sure that their children have a pet guinea pig to call their own.

Parents like the idea of guinea pigs as a child’s first gift for a variety of reasons. Compared to cats and dogs, guinea pigs are a cheap pet. Even rescuing a kitten from an animal shelter can cost more then fifty dollars, a young, well cared for guinea pig can be purchased for fifteen dollars. The average guinea pig doesn’t need as much veterinary care as a dog or cat. A guinea pig can be kept in the child’s bedroom, it doesn’t run around the house, disrupting the entire household. In short a guinea pig is a smart choice to teach a child about the responsibility needed to care for a pet.

One of the skills that children will develop when they are raising a guinea pig is pet grooming. Despite their diminutive size, guinea pigs, like dogs and cats, need to be groomed on a regular basis.

Parents who are concerned that their child will be lax about grooming their pet guinea pig should make sure that they purchase a short haired breed of guinea pig. The short hair will not tangle and mat like their long haired counterparts. Brushes that have soft bristles are the best for brushing guinea pigs, the soft bristles wont hurt the guinea pig’s skin.

When you guinea pig comes home, teach your child how to examine its eyes and ears and nose, to make sure that they are clean and free of debris. Show them how to use a warm slightly wet washcloth to gently wipe any mucus that might be accumulating in the corners of their eyes.

Guinea pigs don’t require a great deal of of brushing, and they shouldn’t be bathed. They do need to have their nails clipped. This is an activity that the parent needs to supervise. Explain to your child that they are not suppose to remove the guinea pigs entire nail, that the only thing that is going to be removed with the nail clippers is the sharp tip of the nail. On a guinea pig that has white nails you should be able to see the tiny blood vessels that run through the nails, explain to your child that the blood vessels represent a living part of the nail, that the goal is to trim the nail with hurting the tiny blood vessels. If your pet guinea pig has dark nails your probably wont be able to see the blood vessels, on dark nailed guinea pigs the rule of thumb is to trim approximately 1/4 of an inch of the guinea pigs nail.

The biggest problem with guinea pigs is that they stink. The scent of an unclean guinea pig cage can quickly drive the entire family from the house. It is important to make sure that your child understand that it is extremely important to clean the guinea pigs cage every day. Explain that the health of their guinea pig as well as the family harmony depends on them keeping the cage clean and the bedding fresh.


The most popular form of cat training is that of learning them how to use the litterbox. This is especially important for indoor cats, but is also ideal for an indoor/outdoor pet. Many people are surprised to know that cat training can also involve an actual toilet, which will eliminate the expense and odor associated with a litterbox. This type of cat training will consist of several weeks during which time the litterbox is elevated and moved until it is near the toilet. The move should be gradual so as to not cause the cat a great deal of confusion or, even worse, cause him/her to misplace the litterbox. During this type of cat training, the litter can be suspended above the toilet using either a small bowl or box. At the conclusion of cat training involving the toilet, the cat will be able to use the toilet by perching over the bowl.

Cat training for indoor cats may also involve the implementation of a scratching post, which will prevent them from ruining furniture or carpet with their nails. While it is very possible to trim the nails, great care must be taken so as to avoid cutting a vein if the nails are cut too short.

It is best to begin cat training as early as possible. If you have a kitten, start early and teach him/her the basic behavior that is expected from an indoor pet, such as not clawing the furniture and how to use the litterbox.

Experts believe that cats can and often do bond with their owner. In fact, cats are thought to be able to initiate eye contact in an effort to convey a message or may even mimic the actions of their owner. The bonding process is especially important while you attempt cat training. As with any pet, training can be very daunting and often stressful to the owner. It is much easier to instill cat training techniques on a kitten as opposed to a cat, which is something that every pet owner should consider prior to selecting a new addition to their family.

Cat training is the best way for indoor pets to live a happy and healthy life with their owner. A cat that is not properly trained will not understand what is acceptable and what is not, which is why cat training is so important to both the cat and his/her owner.


Bird watching is just about the most unobjectionable hobby in the world. With Halloween approaching, however, it is time to discuss the dark, dark, dark side of birding.

Bird watching enthusiasts are always looking for good spots to whip out the binoculars and visually hunt for a new life bird. There are really only two potential downsides to this for bird watchers.

What Are You Looking At?

For backyard birding, one runs the risk of neighbors thinking you are a pervert of some type trying to look in their windows with your binoculars. This can usually be overcome by spreading the word in the neighborhood that you’re an avid birder and the binoculars are not pointing at anyone’s windows. Really.

If this doesn’t work, invite the offended neighbors over to do some watching. They will either grow bored and leave or get hooked. Either way, you’ll benefit and no longer have to deal with negative gossip.

Buffy the Bird Watcher

Cemeteries! Not just for demons, vampires and Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

A nasty little secret in the bird watching world is the fact cemeteries are good places to bird watch. Generally, the cemetery is quite, has lots of trees and hunters typically aren’t bold enough to have a go at the fowl. In short, a perfect place for birds to congregate and you to watch.

Now, it goes without saying that bird watching in a cemetery requires a certain etiquette. First, the staff at the cemetery may have a “get the hell off the property” policy towards birding enthusiasts. This can quickly be overcome by explaining that uncle/aunt [look at closest grave stone] was an avid bird watcher and you are bringing their equipment in remembrance. A little wailing may help with senior staff, while cigarettes seem to be preferred by staff carrying shovels.

Having dealt with the staff, small mention should be made regarding actual funerals. If a dearly beloved is being interred, do not pursue your birding within site of the event! Doing so could result in serious physical injury, as funeral goers do not seem to react well to a person with binoculars staring in the direction of funeral and writing down things. Keep in mind emotions are justifiably high. This means they can outrun you.

Typically, most will cluck in dismay at the idea of bird watching in a cemetery. You may be doing so now. Ah, but as Halloween approaches and you’re dying for a new sighting, you just might start to feel differently.

After all, where else will you be able to finally see Vladious Vampirous in its natural habitat?

Pet Word