What if we had dragons and unicorns existing in  reality? What if magic wasn’t a long lost word. It really existed. What if there were werewolves and creatures like the famous buckbeak from Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban. Well, taking an inspiration from the movie itself, I would like to question you all. Which pet would you think would be best to keep among the myriad magical creatures you have ever come across. Here is a list of few pet candidates that you might want to chose from.

10. Cheshire cat

Remember the classic from your childhood Alice in Wonderland where Alice meets a mischievous cat with this grin that it would wear on its face all the time. Yes , Cheshire, the cat that would sometimes appear in cartoons and other television shows. The mystical thing about it was that it would tend to disappear every now and then, solely leaving behind its creepy grin. Making a disappearing cat a pet of yours would surely scare your friends away. You could even pull a prank on them with your fantastic feline friend.

9. Griffin

As I had mentioned about ‘buckbeak’ from the Harry Potter movies, this mythological creature is more commonly called as griffin/ griffon or gryphon. With head and wings like an eagle and the hind part and talons of that of a lion, this creature is considered as the king of all. This majestic animal is known for guarding treasures and priceless possessions. Riding one would surely be a memorable experience if it were true.

8. Pegacorn

Now you must have heard of Unicorn, the magical horse alike creature with a single horn on its forehead. May be less likely about Pegasus, the winged horse in various mythological stories. Pegacorn is basically a hybrid of the two, with horn and the wings together in one, hence the name. OK, so equine owners can imagine better if their horses had a single horn and a pair of wings. If maintaining and caring for a single horse wasn’t enough, a Pegacorn would surely make their life a hell. Imagine while cleaning and grooming the horse would fly away or in anger would knock the owner down with its horn. Despite all this, the lucky person is surely going to enjoy a ride to heavens!

7. Orthrus

This is one of the creatures that is said to inhabit the underworld. If you are a Harry Potter fan, you might have remembered it by the two-headed dog that guarded the secret chambers. It is a Greek mythological creature who was said to be owned by a three-bodied giant called Geyron. No wonder a three bodied beast required to tame a two headed monster! Such creatures were made to protect priceless items from being stolen. Imagine this dog guarding your house, probably even a known visitor would keep away from coming to your place in its presence, forget thievery.

6. Dobhar-chu

If Ben10 series were not made who would have related to this hideous creature today. WIldmut is the closest in resemblance to this legendary animal. It is more of a mix between an otter and a dog. With good sense of smell and also an excellent ability to swim like an otter, it is a beast that wins over water and land both. Having a Ben10 alien lookalike with athletic abilities beyond human imagination, Dobhar-chu becomes a deadly dog-beast. Speeding and jumping heights sitting on your pets back would be worth an experience though you better be careful avoiding him eat someone walking past you.

5. Mermaid

U mm-hmm, seems somebody needs a big catch. Bored of your goldfish circling round and round in the glass and doing nothing else? You are looking for a mermaid now. Half human half marine, too fishy isn’t it? Remember Pirates of Caribbean? Yes, where the mermaids got hold of men and dragged lulled them only to drown them to fathoms and tear them apart. Well, you can’t keep it as a pet though you can surely have one for a company  probably if you don’t  end up being a breakfast meal for the beautiful creature. Don’t say that I didn’t remind you before, mermaids are beautiful but equally dangerous. Or probably no one knows.

4. Will-o’-the-Wisp

This one comes from the movie Brave. A will-o-the-wisp, is said to show the beholder, the path to destiny. It appears like slight scintillations in specially in marshy lands. It turns out to be a distorted shape flame-like flickering object that urges you to follow it, if you don’t it reappears in your path. Probably a pet to look forward to who can guide you on the right way in dark times.

3. Nemean Lion

Aslan! the majestic beast from the Chronicles of Narnia, displayed the pride of a lion and quite a bit smug on his face. With the roar that shakes up the whole Narnia to life, Aslan was surely the mighty king of that world. Nemean, the lion was double the size of a normal lion. This would surely give you an idea, how much the gigantic animal would eat in one go. Even the mighty Hercules couldn’t defeat the lion at once. A surely indestructible demon, a Nemean lion comes at number two on the mythical pet list.

2. Phoenix

Phoenix, even the word contains in itself certain impetus and a sense of power. The Greek mythological bird, is said to rejuvenate from its own ashes after its death. Associated with the sun it is considered as the bird of fire. According to legend, phoenix lives for up to 1400 years, so probably you are going to give it a good company for its lifetime. You might not live to see it take rebirth but this bird would prove to be a wise pet.

1. Dragon

The majestic beasts of all times, a dragon is one of the most legendary and well known among many folklore and fables. As a dragon rider, gliding through the sky on the back of your fire-breathing pet would be one of the most terrific experiences ever. The ‘How to train your Dragon’ and ‘Eragon’ would literally come to life if this magical creature would come to life and be your pet someday.

These pets are figments of imagination that few people dare to dream of and yet if they actually come true, it would be no less than destruction for power will be misused and people will be misguided. Yet the fun in keeping a legendary creature would be beyond comprehension.

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Congratulations, so you have finally decided to get a crayfish as a pet! This is really great!  They are definitely one of the most lovable pets and fun to watch, but you need to know more about it than just propelling it in the tank.  They make excellent pets, also known as – crawdads, mud bags and  craw fish.  Taking care of them is quite easy and this is the reason which makes them one of the most prominent pets.  Read further in order to know how to take care of them.

1.  GET YOUR CRAYFISH :-

You can easily buy a crayfish from any pet store or a tropical fish store. If you want to buy a red – crayfish then it can cost you one to three dollars while a blue colored crayfish can even cost more than twenty dollars as they’re more high – end crayfish. If you want to have more options then you can also go through some websites in order to find more exotic and exceptional  species, although they can cost you a 100 dollars.

2. HOUSING :-

They are considered as one of the least demanding pets which makes them convenient for adults as well as children. They need only easy and simple living conditions with air plumps and filters as compared to other semi – aquatic and aquatic or marine pets. However, if you want, then you can add extra  elements in the tank.  Generally, they require a tank which has a temperature of  21 -24 ° Celsius with a pH level of 7.0, which is neutral. A crayfish, usually, crave for at least six to eleven Gallons of water.

Also, it is not advisable to keep more than one crayfish in the same tank but if you do this, then you have to make sure there is sufficient place for both the craw-fishes in the tank. Also, you have to be sure that both of the crayfishes are of same variety or breed, else ways, they could kill each other.  You should change water regularly,  you should do this at least twice a week as they have lots of   bio loads. So, you will have to make sure to have a dechlorinator when changing water.

3. MAKE TANK COMFORTABLE FOR YOUR CRAYFISH :-

You should create a good environment in the tank as they love to go into hiding, playing and hovel, and in order to make them comfortable. You can add things like plants, rocks, tipped over castle and PVC pipes. They love to crawl on the plants so you could buy fake plants, else ways, they will eat the real plants sooner.  In order to make them feel truly safe, you can get gerbil pipes, any three – side containers or hollowed out rocks.  Also, you  need to know that they are more comfortable when its dark so you can minimize the light -exposure which the tank gets.

4. KEEP YOUR CRAYFISH FROM ESCAPING THEIR TANK :-

They love to examine new region and are absolutely good at running away. So you will have to make sure to have protected openings in the filter. You can use rubber bands,  aluminium foil and tape in order to confine the opening of the filter from outside. If your crayfish escapes then, without water, it will dehydrate and thus, die, in just a couple of hours. So it is very important to be careful about this.  So, if you’ve  captured an escaping crayfish then you should make sure not to put them back directly into water as its gills need some time to get   acclimated with water again, and you really do not want it to drown. You should just place it into a bucket which should have enough water in order to cover it fully. Now, you can add a rock in bucket in order to make it feel less assailable. After a full day, you can take the crayfish and hold it onto the surface of water, if he do well then you can put them back in the tank.

5.  FEEDING :-

Crayfishes are omnivorous scroungers which feeds primarily on organic detritus, algae and plants.  They eat shrimp pellets too, so you can plunk down some of them to its hiding place so that they can eat them.  In vegetables, they can eat shelled peas, cabbage leaves, romaine lettuce etc.  You can also fill them in with  frosted foods like brine shrimp, blood worms, daphnia and frozen fishes. You can  feed them cooked chicken as a treat, sometimes but not regularly.

You should fed them a small amount of foods daily, if you throw an excessive amount of food, erringly, then you must abolish the excess food, right away.  If your water living friend stays soft for a longer period of time, that is, more than a day after decorticating then this could mean that the hardness or pH level of water in the tank is too low or your pet is not getting sufficient amount of calcium in its diet.

6.  DISEASES :-

It is not a good idea to keep crayfishes from the different continents as there is a higher risk of spreading disease if they are kept in the same tank. Particularly, one disease poses a quite threat which is known as Crayfish Plaque and this carried by the North -American species of craw fish. Allegedly, American crayfishes have derived to indulge this fungus without any difficulty. But, it is still baleful to other types of crayfish which include crayfishes from Eurasia and Australia.  White Spot disease is another one which can admonish other crayfishes. It affects the shrimps but it might be transferable to other crayfish if you fed them with the raw food made from the effected shrimp.  If you determine to keep more than one species of crayfish in the same tank then you should make sure to keep them separate for at least one month before putting them in one aquarium. Crayfish diseases are very difficult to identify and also even more difficult to cure the disease.

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Nature has given us so many choices as pets. Every category of animals has a sub category and so on. People can go on and on with the list. Sometimes it even surprises us with a two in one package. Like what if you like a cat but can keep a fish as a pet? There are family and parents who don’t like the chaos and mess a pet can create. Hence, it becomes difficult to convince them keeping a pet. At such times, you need to gamble your wish list and satisfy both – your parents and yourself.  Yeah you heard it right, you can do so!

There is a certain pet that let you enjoy the traits of both a fish as well as a cat – the Catfishes. Well, the name itself suggests the prior explanation. Catfishes are a distinct type of ray-finned fishes. They are called so because of their striking features like the barbells, which resemble much like a cat’s whiskers. They come in various sizes and shapes, right from the largest being the Mekong giant fish to the tiniest being a tiny parasitic species known as the Candiru. Catfishes are of great commercial importance. Many are shipped for flesh and smaller fishes are of aquarium importance value.

Catfishes are generally found in freshwaters; however there are some species that may inhabit shallow, flowing water.  These are mostly seen in every continent except Antarctica. Their most diverse species are encountered in Asia, Africa and South America. Catfishes are designed in way that they generally sink instead of float, unlike other fishes. The main reason for this is their condensed gas bladder and a heavy, skeletal head.

The most nurtured catfish as a pet is the ‘Bullhead Catfish’. These fishes have a very peculiar way of living that keeps you entertained throughout the period of petting. Following are the steps involved in petting a catfish:

• THE SIZE: It is very important to decide how big your bullhead is going to be. Because that decides the size of the tank and other corresponding apparatus. Every inch of a bullhead requires 5 gallons of water i.e. 18.9litres approximately. At the initial stage of its life let the tank have at least 10 gallons of water, 40 gallons for the adult and 55 gallons if the fish grows anymore than 10 inches.
• THE FAKE ENVIRONMENT: See to it that you make the catfish feel home. Prep the tank with a layer of gravel. This helps the fish to dig nests and even dig out for food as a result keeps them active. Add leaves and sand for substrate and do not forget some rock caves or chunk of wood as hiding space for the fish. This prevents the bullhead from acting paranoid.

• FILTER IT OUT: Everyone enjoys a clean and healthy home. Make it a point your pet does too. Bring a filter that can consume 20-30% more than what your tank already has. For example if your tank has 40 gallons of water, see to it that the filter can cycle 60 gallons. The best choice for this is the canister filter. These have high bio load capacity.
• FEEDING TIME: Bullheads are considered as opportunistic feeders. This means they eat whatever that is available at that particular time. They eat from flesh to leaves everything. Their major variety of diet may include frozen worms, shrimps, fish flakes, fish fillets, minnows, live bluegills, tadpoles, frogs, salamanders, scuds, flies, crickets, crayfish etc. Anything that can fit into their mouth. The key to a healthy and a fit billhead is their flexible diet. If you aim at growing your catfish bigger and stronger feed them with frozen blood worms and minnows. Bloodworms provide good amount of fat and minnows an excellent source of protein. You can even hold the food at the top of the tank and let the catfish come towards it instead of putting it directly into the water.

• THE SURVIVAL TIME: At a minimum rate, a bullhead can survive for 5-12 years approximately. They grow the maximum in their very first year i.e. up to 8 inches. In later years they can grow till more 12-18 inches. They weigh up to 1-5 pounds. The survival period of a bullhead even depends upon the species you are petting.
• BASIC INJURY: It is always suggested to keep a catfish with a catfish only. Or else it creates territorial issues, which ultimately leads to injuries. A bullhead usually gets injured in three basic places. First is the tail. If a bullheads’ tip of the tail is lost in the battle, it’s not much of an issue as it can regrow it. However, if it loses the tail from the bone, it has to live a tailless life. Although it hardly affects its swimming abilities. The second place includes the barbells. This once lost is gone forever. But as the bullhead has eight whiskers, a loss of one might not matter that much. The third and the last will be the injury to its eye. This is again an unfixable injury, which makes the bullhead dependent on its whiskers for the rest of his life.

So these were some of perquisites of keeping a bullhead as a pet. A bullhead usually requires a darker environment as compared to other fishes. Hence, do not illuminate your tank for no reason. They even eat at nights or in low lights which ultimately helps the feeding process. A bullhead even has extremely pointed and sharp spikes on their fins that can harm you be painful, causing you an infection if not handled properly. Make sure you remember the dos and don’ts once you have had your catfish. Irrespective of the name and the looks, it has nothing in common to a cat; thus, do not treat it like one!

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Ah! So now you are looking for ape friend that seemed to be a pretty smart buddy in that latest Hollywood flicks you saw recently. You must be wondering if you could own one and keep yourself occupied with your new found friend. Well, take it slow buddy, because it isn’t as easy as it looks like on the screen. No I am not saying it would turn out to be another ‘The-Rise-of-The-Planet-Of-The-Apes’, but you would surely have  a tough time handling your monkey friends. Here is why.

Disciplinary Issues

While you may find baby monkeys and Chimpanzees irresistibly cute but as they grow up, the reality would soon strike upon you in the form of disciplinary issues associated with them. Look! They are not same as a dog or cat, which would wag its tail around you and listen to your orders. They are wild and certainly not the ones who would respond when you throw the stick. As kids, the apes learn all the monkey etiquette via social interactions by observing their elders and imitating them. This way of learning is obstructed when they live in human filled environment and tend to behave differently, which can be abnormal. As babies they can be easy to handle but as they grow up they can prove to be an uncontrollable liability that would chatter and roam around in your house defying your sense of peace and safety. It is difficult to teach an ape human behavior and etiquette and it obviously not preferable and expected.

Wild, Real Wild!

They are not domestic beings. Though they are vegetarians but they have got canines that can prove to be dangerous if not fatal. There have been many cases where a poor owner lost a finger or two as his pet lost his temper. By the time they are adults, that is around five years of age, they become quite stronger than humans. In any case if they become aggressive then even the most experienced care taker cannot help but watch the mess come into existence despite all the efforts. Apes, though can be handled to some extent when they are young but as puberty hits, they long for others of their kind and become ecstatic.

Space and Time

Apes, with chimps specially stay with their moms for more than five years. Even while sleeping, the mamma chimps keep in contact with their infants while sleeping. They are raised with affection and care which a human cannot relate to or imitate. Even devoting all the affection and care, owners often overlook the everyday needs of constant cleaning, developing new tricks to keep them occupied, feeding regularly etc. Petting a chimp is not only concerned with keeping a hold on basic needs, ample space and dedicated time devotion are a part of it. No matter how big your bungalow is, or if you have a huge backyard, for a grown up apes, it would never be enough. Apes like to roam around and explore new spaces, that way your whole house can turn into a mess. It is how you imagine a 3 year old powerful kid roaming across your house, pulling down curtains and moving tables and furniture.

Chimps can become irritated if neglected. You may be off your schedule or come late sometime only to find your pet friend really angry upon you, that may take the shape of a havoc. Oh and if you think you can take your pet on a trip with you then forget that, you won’t even find a proper caretaker when you are away all by yourself.

Communicable diseases

Of course we are not much different from them, they being our ancestors. What could be more dangerous than getting infected by a disease they carry, which can b easily transferable living with your pet. Any disease that harms them can affect us too, since we are so similar genetically. So either way, a disease can be bad for both you and your ape friend equally, no matter who is the transmitter.

Time to say goodbye

Finally after going through all the headache and back breaking struggles , you would realize that these big monkeys only belong to the forest, where they can be happy and stay healthy. It can come to you that no matter how much compassion and care you show towards your pet and all the time you devoted for it, all of it turned out to be a treachery. Well, then let it be clear, like you can’t stay in a jungle with a chimp family, climbing trees and eating fruits, similarly an ape cannot be tamed to be a domestic amuse. Though you might have bonded with the ape but you realize have to let go, well deep down you actually knew this day would come.

The Disturbing Truth

Many owners don’t know this but zoo keepers don’t accept apes that have grown under human influence as they don’t mingle up well with others of their kind. They cannot adopt to the character traits that are though small  but unique and equally important to stay alive among their own species. Thus as a misfit they are targeted by other apes and suppressed. Same is the reason why they can’t be let out in the wild, the conditions being tougher there, decreasing the survival chances.

One dark truth that follows is that, these chimps are sent to various laboratories for innumerable experiments that are conducted ruthlessly upon these creatures. The are subjected to pain and torture and kept in inhuman conditions. Though the owners are told not to visit their chimps and disturb them in their new and happy homes, they don’t come to know that their beloved friends actually become victims to various horrendous conditions they are kept in. Thus following this many countries and places have banned keeping apes as pets.

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As pet owners people always expects their pet to be unique and different from other pets. They always want them to stand out from the crowd. There are certain animals which if becomes a pet can definitely be a show to watch. It has the shape, the beauty, the intelligence, the play and the tricks that make him exceptional in every possible way. I am sure you might still be guessing who I am talking about. Well, it is none other than the most elegant and playful being of water i.e. the Dolphins. They are not just elegant but even considered as the national aquatic animal of India.

Dolphins belong to the cetacean mammal family who are closely associated to the porpoises and whales. We can find around 40 species of dolphins in 17 different genera. They range from 4feet and 40 kg to almost 30 feet and 10 tonnes. It is a fish that is available everywhere around the world. However, the majority of population is seen near the shallow seas of the continental shelves. They are flesh eating mammals (carnivorous) mostly surviving on fish and squid. When dolphins are in a group or herd they are called as a ‘pod’ or a ‘school’. A male dolphin is called as ‘bull’, whereas a female is a ‘calf’.

The different dolphins as per their taxanomy are – Common dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin, Spotted dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin, Commerson’s dolphin, Dusky dolphin, Killer whales, Amazon river dolphin. Dolphins have a flat, fusiform body which helps them swim faster. The fin tail known as fluke is used for momentum while the pectoral fins provide direction control and the dorsal fin is the balancing factor while swimming. The head is shaped round as it contains the melon, an organ used for echolocation.  In many species an elongated jaw is a common feature. Some species have up to 250 set of teeth.

Dolphins are extremely social animals. They respond to human contact and activity quickly. But there are certain limitations to how we can correctly interact with a dolphin.

• THE WATER TEST: Get inside the water where the dolphins swim. Do not swim close or around them. This makes them know you are not aggressive or menacing. Make sure you do not perform this act alone and have a companion with you to keep an eye on. Dolphins can be unpredictable at times. Especially when you are a stranger and they are unfamiliar to the being. The safest way is to do this with someone who is well trained and has some knowledge about dolphins and their behaviour.
• THE FIRST STEP: Never take the initiative or the first step while petting a dolphin. Unlike other pets dolphins take their own time in building confidence in someone or considering them as a friend. Hence let the dolphin come to you instead of you going to him.
• NOTICE THE TENSION: As said earlier it is always safe to let the dolphin take the first step. It makes them realise that you are not to cause any harm to them. But if you think that the dolphin is not comfortable with your presence do not come in its way. Let it go. Or else it may even turn the dolphin aggressive.
• STRETCH YOUR HAND: The dolphins don’t like unnecessary touching unless they really want it. So do not directly touch the dolphins. Stretch your hand out and let the dolphin come near it. Make sure you stretch your dominant hand so that in case of worse scenario you are ready to reflex back. The dolphins investigate your hand and if comfortable let you touch them.
• THE TOUCH TEST: Once you are sure that the dolphin is comfortable around you go ahead for small, gentle touches. Pat softly on its back. Dolphins are otherwise social animals. They enjoy human company. Be careful that you avoid touching its dorsal fin as it is a sensitive area.

So these were some of the suggestions one must follow if you are going on a wild adventure with the non-captivated dolphins. However, dolphins can only be captivated in Dolphinarium. As the name suggests a dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins care specifically. Over here the dolphins are kept in large pools or other water bodies according to their body size. Generally dolphins are not animals that can be kept as pets as they need large space as well as natural environment to carry on with their daily activities. Certain fishes are kept in aquariums where they are displayed in transparent glass tanks. However, dolphins are not tank-fishes. They need space to jump and play which include in their regular activities. There are certain dolphinarium where dolphins are kept in one pool, where they perform in front of the public. Such dolphins are usually trained and safe to touch and play with. The most common breed of dolphins seen here is the bottlenose dolphins as it is easy to teach and train and lives longest in captivity. Other species even include the Orcas.

Apart from the facts about their lifestyle and their habitats the most and relevant reason why one cannot buy a dolphin is that they are extremely expensive living beings. It is sheerly impossible for a common person to buy a dolphin as pet. On the other hand, there are loads of legal obligations one has to face to get a green signal to buy a dolphin. Hence, it is practically impossible for one to have a pet dolphin but one can definitely enjoy its company in their nearby dolphinarium. It is cheap, legal and at the very same time gives you a chance of being near this beautiful creature. So next time you visit a dolphinarium make sure to follow the basic rules and stand out in the crowd.

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Pets in cities and towns are a much seen practice. People want them as an alternative for a friend and a companion which they elsewhere cannot find. However, more often you can even see people flaunting their pets as some sort of status symbol in front of their colleagues. The costlier the breeds you have the more respect you receive. Although these are just assumptions and ego bubbles that people have built around them. Irrespective of this entire show buzz there are people who need pets instead of wanting them. Well, the wordplay here is the leap between need and want.

Not everyone buys a pet as a friend to pass their alone time. Sometimes it is more than that. Why go away for an example! The most known and familiar person here is the farmer. A farmer is a person who earns a living for himself out of the little digging he does on the field with the help of his friends. The friends here am talking about is none other than his pets i.e. the domestic animals he takes care of and who takes care of him. Logically, it might be a question of argument whether a domestic animal can be counted as a pet but if you go by the pros and cons list you will definitely understand the similarities.

You must know the number of pets farmers holds, but hardly few people might know their role in his life. No need to worry at all, here is the right place to enlighten you! These are some of the very common pets and their chores that a farmer usually have:

• CHICKENS: These can even be called as domesticated birds which are commonly seen in every farm. There is even a huge poultry business that is conducted on the basis of these tiny creatures. There are over 150 breeds of chicken all over the world. Chickens are found at a farmers place as they provide him with eggs. For people who don’t know, another fact about chickens is that their waste product makes excellent fertilizer.
• GOATS: Goat is an amazingly versatile animal. Apart from the basic uses that we are familiar with – as meat, for milk and fibre. Goats are widely used for much other purpose. The soft and mild milk that we get from the goats can be used as soap too, especially for sensitive skin. Not just this, goats are even used as browsers. They eat all the weeds and clear the land for the farmers.
• DUCKS: Ducks similar to the hens/chickens are kept for eggs and meat. However, they are even kept for ornamental and pets value. Ducks make outstanding pets. They clean your homes of pest, slugs and other insects by eating them. They just need a water dish, big enough to swim. They usually are found near water based areas and hence are also called as “Waterfowls”.

• SHEEPS: Looking at sheep’s, the very first expression one might have is that these are expressionless creatures. Well as a matter of fact, it is not totally wrong. Sheep’s are docile and down to earth animals. They make very good pets and supply a lot to the farmer. They also provide with milk, meat, fibre etc. They are humble creatures, with very less maintenance.
• HORSES: Horses altogether fall in a very different category of work. They belong to the equus family, the same family of donkeys, mules etc. They are quick and strong mammals. They are usually categorized as working animals for treks, transportation and other such on road work. They make outstanding companion as studies show they can understand their owner.

• PIGS: Everyone has a kind of gross feeling whenever around a pig. People have this belief that pigs are dirty animals. However, this is not true. Pigs in reality are very clean animals. They roll around in the mud to keep their body temperature cool which they cannot do normally on their own like the humans. They are kept for flesh.
• LLAMAAS: These are hefty camellia that was first originated in North America and then later moved to South America. They are not seen in India or anywhere near Asia. They are disciplined animals and make excellent pets. The striking features of these domestics are that they look after your other pets as a guard and lowers you worries.
• HOUNDS: This is a type that falls in the dog category but is not really a dog. These are kept by a farmer for the purpose of hunting any wild creature wandering around your pets. They are wild but with proper training makes loyal pets

• COWS: Last but definitely not least, this is the most common and widely seen animal at a farm. It is like a farmer cannot function without a cow. There are several uses of a cow. The milk that it provides is used for making several dairy products like cheese, butter, buttermilk, ghee, oil, even cosmetics. They are strong and bulky animals and hence are even used in ploughing and harrowing procedures.

So these were some of the known domestic pets that belong to a farmer. These pets require less care as compared to the city pets that might require 24hrs attention. But they provide more than them in comparison. Since, they usually stay together in a shed like the cows, hens ducks etc, they even look after each other at times. We see how a cat and dog can’t usually stand each other, in a farm the case is vice versa. You need not worry about such clashes unless if there’s some unfamiliar new entry in the group. Thus, these were the farmers’ best friends that always support; help him in all his ups and downs.

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Grooming is an essential part of pet care and it needs to be done for the maintenance of our little canines. Some breeds may have long manes whereas the others would have no manes at all. So where there may be some pet who will require a lot of maintenance whereas there are others would. The benefits of grooming would be better health, hygiene, reduces the chances of ailments and also makes the bond between owners and the pets. The first time pet owners always have this haunting question as to how to take care of their little pooches. Do not fret; here is all you need to know how to groom your pets the right way!

The first thing that comes to our mind when referred to grooming is brushing and combing. Shedding of the fur occurs naturally and their coat is replaced with new hair follicles. Brushing enables the loose hair to be caught in the brush than lying down on your floor or sticking to your dresses! Also when the dogs shed their hair they also shed the dead skin. There are various kinds of brushes and you should buy one according to the breed you have.  There are slicker brushes that come is different sizes. They are used for the dogs with dense and furry coats. Also a softer slicker is used for the puppies or small canines with little hair. The pin brush is used for canines with long hair and it prevents from the hair breaking halfway. For dogs with fine hair a rubber comb is preferred. If you want you can also stick to the plain old-fashioned comb but make sure the edges are round so that the skin of your canines won’t be scraped off.

Bathing is another task when it comes to our little furry friends.  So many question as to where should you apply the shampoo, cover the ears, et al. some dogs enjoy bathing while others don’t.  Bathing your pets weekly once is a must. Other than summer time, warm water should be usually preferred for bathing. Always start from the tail and slowly proceed towards the head.  Some shampoos need to be diluted while others don’t and this shampoo should be chosen according to the skin of your dog.  Massage the follicle and leave the shampoo for about 5 minutes before rinsing it off. Make sure you don’t let water go inside the dog’s ears as they are highly sensitive and can lead to fungus growth. So covering your dog’s ears with cotton balls and dabbing water with diluted shampoo should do for the ears. Use a clean towel to wipe them dry and pay attention to the joints and paws. Blow drying is an optional part. My dog goes berserk if I hold the blow dryer to his face. But some pooches don’t mind the hot blast of hair. It will prevent your pooches from catching cold also make sure that the temperature is minimum.

Another daunting episode first time owners have is when your pooch loving jumps on you and a chunk of your skin is scratched off due to long nails. And some dog owners will agree that trimming the paw nails is one of the trickiest jobs. If you get the nip wrong it would lead to blood trickling down and your dog to be forever scared of cutting nails. Overgrown nails affect the mobility of your pets and also leads them to crack or split at the tips. If your dog runs around in the park regularly that will keep hid nails from curling however it should be regularly checked.  Pliers kind of nail trimmers is usually used as they can be used for all kinds of dogs.  Make sure the trimmer is not blunt as it may be relatively painful.  And cut exactly where you see the nail is white. If you go any higher that would lead in a blood shed.  Nail files are also available for dogs these days. They are used when the nail usually splits at the end. This would make the sharp ends fine and you wouldn’t have to run for the hills every time your pooch jumps on you playfully!

Ear cleaning is also a major thing. A pink and clean shiny skin is the secret to a healthy ear. The usual problems would be bad odor, ear wax and red inflammation. Water is usually the culprit for most of this so avoid getting water in the ear. Just swab the ear with an antiseptic cleaner and check the inside for any problems. Do not stick an ear bud inside because it can be harmful to the ears. Dogs who have folded ears have a higher probability of getting ear infection as the folded ear can lead to moisture being trapped inside. Also it’s advisable to cut the extra hair growing in and around the ears for better air circulation. Ear hairs should be plucked from with the ear canal. You can use ear powder too to ensure no moistening affects the ear canal. This will ensure your canine has a healthy ear.

The eye of your dog can also show you signs of his health.  Many dogs like the Lhasa Apso have hair that covers the eyes. Make sure that the hair around the eyes is trimmed and it has proper visibility. This also ensures no bacterial infection and ulcer formation. Mucus around the corner of the eyes is usually signs that the pet is sick or has some kind of infection; this should be treated properly under the guidance of a vet. Tear stains are also a normal sight in dogs. This usually happens with dogs having a lot of fur around the eyes. The tear strains should be cleaned so that it doesn’t serve as a breeding ground for eye infections due to the moisture.

Hopefully with these steps and practice will help you get a grip on grooming your pet right. It will definitely make you grow closer to your pet and you will understand when something is wrong without having a common language!!

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We pet-parents have always been welcomed invariably; by malls, restaurants, parks, gardens, beaches and all other places that are openly accessible; by a sign board that says “Pets Not Allowed!” This has been a bone of contention for almost all the pet-parents. Somewhere or the other, there is a bit of a hesitation in allowing pets into public places due to various reasons. One of the most cited reason is hygiene, disturbance and most importantly space crunch. For the ones, like me, who tried to sneak our pets into a restaurant or even a garden, have always been reminded of our pets being “animals”. While at home, we pet-parents have always made sure that our pets get the same treatment that any of our family members do; it becomes heart-wrenching when somebody, in a very crude manner, points it out that your pet is “after all, an animal”. Let alone being welcomed whole heartedly, our pets do not even get the basic respect or compassion that each living being deserves. Some cafes, who claim themselves to be pet-friendly, have an outdoor area where we need to seat our pets. But, for obvious reasons you could always tell that your pet is not being welcomed whole heartedly. There are countries which feature fine dining restaurants that allow customers to bring their pets along. But that is a far cry as far as our country is concerned. So one has no choice but to leave his pet alone at home.

It might as well be a dream come true for many pet-parents who have been yearning to go out and have a dinner with their pets. I have had such experiences too. I had to leave Angel (my 6 year old Daschund) at home and go for a dinner. Not that she didn’t have anything to eat, she had her favourite food in her platter. But as soon as I came back home, I could see her being sad and that her platter is untouched. It would always make me feel guilty, for I might have had a sumptuous meal and Angel here, would have starved herself. This would not have happened if I could take her along.

Veterinary doctors claim that this separation can lead to ‘behavioural issues’. According to them, the pets that are frequently brought outdoors and made to socialise with other pets and humans are the happiest pets of all. But how many of us get to do that? On a weekday, each one of us has his own livelihood to work for and on a weekend, we always have to leave our pets at home when we have to go out for a dinner or a party. Is there no work-around for this?

Yes, there is. This article is all about the places, for Mumbaikars, where they could enjoy dining, not only with their loved ones (humans) but also with their pets.

Gostana is one of the first places in Mumbai that whole heartedly welcomed our pets. A café that is famous for its healthy salads and burgers, is also a heaven for pet-parents and their pets. The homely set up and a cozy atmosphere, makes it the right place to spend time with your pet. Located in Bandra, it offers home cooked healthy pet meals too. The only thing you need to do is to inform them that you are going to bring your pet so that your pet too enjoys a sumptuous meal while you dive into their yummy burgers. Not just for this, Gostana is also famous for Apple! Now, here neither am I talking about the famous tech biggy company not about the fruit. Apple is a very adorable Labrador. She would be the first one to welcome you in. There are people who come to Gostana just to spend time with Apple. These are the ones who cannot or are compelled not to have pets.

Alibaba is a restaurant in Apollo Bunder. It allows dogs in its outdoor porch. You can walk your pet near the Getaway of India and make the moment memorable by having a delicious meal at Alibaba. In this café, which is located in Colaba, you can as well place an order for your pet and the same will served to him.

The Bagel Shop is your destination if a cozy, comfortable and peaceful place is your preference. As in case of Alibaba, here too pets are only allowed in the outdoor seating area. But you need not worry as the area is well covered, thus making it -and I quote them here -“the perfect place for you and your pet to lounge with ease.”

Mutt Hutt Café is a pop-up restaurant. Pop-up, meaning the establishment is not permanent and that it keeps shifting from place to place. The major reason for such an arrangement is that the licensing rule for any permanent eatery prohibits cooking for pets and humans under a single roof. This is one of the places where the pets and their pet-parents can dine together. And mind you, not just dine but take part in other fun activities as well. This arrangement is a clever one, because on one hand it gives its customers a delightful experience with their pets and on the other hand it also gauges market’s response to such a pet café. The Mutt Hutt Café keeps popping up at various locations in and around Mumbai. It is an ideal pet café, though a temporary one.

Undoubtedly, the above mentioned places are worth visiting. Such pet-friendly efforts are commendable. But nothing makes your pet happier than you spending time with him. The amount of time spent with him is also secondary, what is of most importance is the quality of the time spent.

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You must know how people have a specific taste in a particular kind of pet. Especially, in case of dog breeds – not everyone goes for a bull dog, or a cock spaniel, or a chuahua etc.  Everyone has their type and taste. And one is very consistent on getting the same. Dogs don’t just guards are homes they become a part of your family. They understand the ups and downs happening and accept us wholly without any expectations. But as humans we cannot match the same equation. We only are around things we like and can stand.

Nowadays, there is this huge craze going around among the pet lovers about the dog German Shepherds. People just like what they see and then run on making the purchase. But it is very important to understand that you research about a pet properly before making it a part of your life. It saves both, you and the pet from any further trauma. Now for all those who is buzzing for having the German Shepherds as a pet, for a start not a bad choice! However there are some facts you must be well aware of.

German shepherds are recently seen as a domestic animal. There was time when their skills and speed made them look wild and dangerous. German Shepherds, though now a house pet, is originally a hunter species. He’s wild, strong and very cunning animal. Nowadays when you buy them they are calmed down and sold..But that’s not really who they are. It is impossible for an amateur to train an infant of the shepherd.  They are a very dominant species of dogs. But you cannot even ignore the fact that they are herd animals. They like sticking with the group they belong or are with. This means they are going to be with you as pet, till their last breath. To develop this degree of loyalty it requires a lot of training and investment of time. So one must understand that if you are opting for a German shepherd out of all dogs you need to have sheer commitment and more time at home.

German shepherds gained their popularity initially during World War I, when an US army official brought a puppy home after the war. He trained that puppy to make the most of its abilities. This puppy was named as Rin Tin Tin. He was later even picturized in loads of movies of that time. But this was a far time ago. Later, this breed came to be known as the force dog, or the police dog. Due to its intelligence, and cunning nature and amazing strength, and speed it was used in forces for rescue operations. And no doubt they aroused with flying colours. Even in the much known 9/11 attacks they were the key to find a lot of missing parts of the puzzle.

Not just in professional cases, but German shepherds were anciently even used for guarding the herds by the domestic farmers. Their aggressive nature, the raw and fearsome looks and the biting abilities made them capable of it. This activity is practiced even today in some of the corners of the world.

Apart from the good and merrier part about the dog, there are even stories and observations that should be considered. German shepherds, need to be handled with care. They have a quick response to stimuli and can be misinterpreted at times. If you have children in the house, make sure they don’t go close until the dog gets familiar to them. Once, that happens it becomes easier for the dog to bond. Even after the bonding is done, you need to be careful around it. As you know, German shepherds are really huge. They require a lot of space. And this is not a breed that you can expect to compromise. They need a comfortable home to sleep at. Or else an irritated and sleepless dog can be more dangerous than he already is. Other than that he needs adequate diet. You must understand that he is an active dog who is always at a move. Hence he requires enough food to regenerate his energy. On the other hand you must also be prepped up for regular play sessions with your dog. They need to utilise all that strength somewhere, so instead of some wrong chores why not a play session.

German shepherds are famous biters and chewers. They like removing their aggression by this activity. He can bite at things and people when he’s suspicious about them, or he thinks something’s wrong about them. He usually does the chewing when he’s not in a good mood. So you need to learn all those mood swings of your dog, to understand him better. Otherwise, the dog is always accused of being a bad dog. It is very important to train him in a way, where his reaction sensors are similar to yours. Well, the biting may go wrong sometimes – it may not always be a thief. So make sure your dog is properly vaccinated.

All these observations and training will make you realise one thing for sure, a German shepherd is not a cake walk at all. From all this it can be concluded that having a German shepherd is like cooking a difficult but delicious dish – one ingredient more or less can spoil the whole recipe. However, in spite of all these precursors’ people go for a German shepherd. You want to know why???? Well, the answer is pretty clear; he’s one of the loyalest, smartest dogs one can have. He’s a dog of principles – ‘you don’t mess with me, I won’t either.’ So if you are ready for the tasks do not think any further and get it.

The post German Shepherd – the Dog with Skills. appeared first on Pet Attack.

Pets are generally seen as a medium for company. People usually get a pet to make sure they are not alone, or bored, or to have a friend. Pets, animals have their own language of communication. They do not speak words but makes noise until it becomes familiar to their owners. This is their way of communicating with us. However, it often remains a question do they really understand what we are trying to say? Do they understand our language?

Even if they do, they always remain the listener in the process. But all of us hope that there must me some pet who can talk back at us. Someone like a talking parrot!!! There are many rumours and interpretations about a parrot being able to talk. Some believe it is a true phenomenon where as some just ignore. Yet, studies show that a speaking parrot is not a fictional story. It is a true event that happened and still occurs with proper training.

Well, it might be simply astounding for an owner to watch his parrot talk. But not all species of parrots can really talk. And even if they speak there are certain limitations to it. Parrots are able to imitate only the human speech and no other kind. Hence, their talking skills include sheerly words. Unlike human beings they do not have vocal chords to support their talking.  Still they have the correct type of anatomy which helps them speak. Our feathered friend has an organ called as syrinx situated at the lower most part of its trachea in the chest. It plays the same function as the larynx in our human anatomy. The sound is obtained by releasing air across the mouth of its bifurcated trachea. Thus, diverse sounds are shaped by variation in the depth and design of the trachea. This proves that the talking of a parrot is actually the whistling in various tones.

According to Steve Hartman of the Parrot University, parrots are counted among the six animals that use verbal communication to interact with others. Parrots are extremely social pets and yearn for attention and interaction from their human partners. It is believed that the parrot has more chances of talking if you start teaching them since a tender age. A well grown bird can be redundant in changing its talking habits. The necessary environment required for growing a talking parrot is just being a vocal person and having a very vocal family. This eventually develops the talking practice on your parrot.

There are different aspects that must be taken into consideration while teaching your parrot how to speak. Repetition is one of the prime factors here. Make sure you use similar and familiar words around the bird every day. This makes the bird known to those words and helps him generate it. Do not forget the actions while talking. This helps the parrot understand what is meant for what. Or else he will just learn the words without knowing its meaning.

Although not every parrot can be categorised as a talking parrot, still there are a few that can be listed. Some of them are:

• MONK PARAKEET: This is a colourful little bird which is actually a small parrot. It is also famous as Quaker Parakeet. Irrespective of their size, their intellectual abilities are higher. They are social and develop wide vocabularies of words and phrases.
• INDIAN RINGNECK: These are capable of speaking in complete sentences without any breaks. Though they speak in their own bird voice, they catch and understand the mood behind the speaking.
• BUDGERIGAR: It is also well-known as a Parakeet or a Budgie. It is a very common bird who can learn various phrases and even songs. They do not have clear and definite voices. Males are believed to be more proficient of talking than females.

• BLUE-FRONTED AMAZON: If you are planning to have a pet for lifetime than this bird should be on the top of your list. A blue-fronted Amazon can survive up to 100 years! They have a loud clear voice and are skilled to perfectly mimic human voice.
• ECLECTUS: The eclectus come in two different colours. The males are in green while the females are in bright red colour. They copy the human talking accurately. Not just the words but even the mood and tone of the language. However, its abilities are shaped to the best if it is trained since a young age. Otherwise it is just some other feathered parrot.
• HILL MYNA: The hill myna is a pretty little black bird that has an amazing ability to imitate the human voices. It not only mimics voices, but even has a soothing voice that makes the listening peaceful. They have an affinity towards singing.
• YELLOW-NAPED AMAZON: Among the Amazon birds, this one is credited as the best with its talking capabilities. They sing and are highly intelligent birds who can talk also.

• AFRICAN GREY: He can be tagged as the lion of the talking bird’s category. He is the smartest and the most intelligent in this genre in the animal kingdom. Experts say that these birds learn to speak and share to human concepts at the same level as a human tot.

So these were some of the talking birds/parrots one can pet. Though these birds standout as a pet and makes you look extra ordinary, care must be taken that they are not used as a medium of show-off. They must be adopted for companionship. Hence, their talking ability should not be stressed and pressurised. They are just birds with a quirky factor and must be looked at in the same way. They need the same domestication as any other bird and must be given accordingly.

The post Can Parrots Really Talk? appeared first on Pet Attack.