I always thought that taking one's dog out for a delightful leisurely long walk provided many health benefits for both people and their pooches.

Years ago when I personally had the pleasure of dog sitting for Sabina, a magnificent female Great Dane, each afternoon I would dash home from work looking forward to our romp in the great outdoors.

I must add that I never figured out which one of us more thoroughly enjoyed our sojourn. All I know is that it was extremely gratifying for me strolling through the woods accompanied by my good friend. ...Read More

Virtual Pet Adoption – Teaching Kids about Responsibility

Having a loving pet in the family can be a real joy. Pets make good companions and they can become real members of the family. If your kids have never experienced having a pet before, but would like to have one, you may find that virtual pet adoption can give them that know-how. It can help let your little ones experience what it is like to have a real pet of their own.

Unfortunately, kids often yearn for having a pet with little or no idea of what it really takes to take care of one. The responsibility of having an animal in the house is not as easy as it may sound like. Often the attention it demands can interfere with day to day living and can be too demanding. But once a bond has been formed with a pet, it becomes awfully difficult not to take care of it properly; you have no choice but to get on with the responsibilities of owning one as best as you can.

A whole lot like real pets

What makes owning a computer generated pet such a good idea for your kids? Well, as your little ones are taking care of their adopted virtual pet, they learn about what it would be like to take care of a real animal. Just like a real pet, your children will also have to perform a few things to their virtual ones as they take care of them. These artificial companions are replicas of real animals, so they basically seek the same kind of interaction from their owners as real pets.

Getting your kids to pick and look after their virtual furry companion will give them the same satisfaction they get from owning a real pet. They will get to name their chosen pets, feed them when they become hungry, ensure that they have enough water to drink, buy them stuff, play with them, and even take them out. Plus your little ones will also get the positive feedback from their simulated pets if they’re satisfied with how they’re taken care of – just like a real pet.

Picking the best one for the family

Does your child want a golden retriever, a Persian cat, a cockatoo or a python perhaps? There are a great variety of virtual pets your kids may adopt. Some of the available animals children can pet on their computer include cats, dogs, birds, mice, turtles, snakes, monkeys, fishes and many more. But they can also opt for a few unconventional creatures to take care of, like monsters or aliens.

The good thing about getting your kids to adopt a virtual pet before buying an actual one for the family is to test if it’s the animal suited for your household. For instance, if you think that a cat is the perfect companion around the house, you can try looking after one in a simulated manner first.

Taking care of a pet is like taking care of a true member of the family. It requires time, love and devotion; and a lot of patience and practice to. The best way to instill and develop a sense of responsibility in your little ones in taking care of pets is to trough virtual pet adoption. Your kids will have a great time looking after them as they get ready to get a real pet of their own.

Why "Outdoor Dogs" Are Miserable

What compels people get a dog only to keep it isolated outside, away from the family?

I have often wondered this as I walk my dogs down streets lined with fences behind which lonely outdoor dogs bark as we go by.

I don't know what they look like and can only guess their size by the deepness of their voices.

But I know what the lives of these dogs are too often like. They are animals born to be part of a social structure, a pack or a family, yet this is denied them. They spend their lives on the outside, looking in.

The experts say many of these dogs will never really bond with owners who interact with them so little.When the puppy is no longer cute and the children grow tired of the care they promised to provide, when the destructiveness escalates or the neighbors complain about the noise, it's often just easier to dump the dog than solve the problem.

I have always had difficulty understanding why people want to keep dogs outside. If keeping a beautiful house and yard are of the utmost importance to you, then don't get a dog. If you know someone in your family can't abide a dog in the house, for whatever reason, then don't get a dog. If you can't let a dog be part of your family, then don't get a dog.  ...Read More...

Taking Your Cat For A Walk

Our homes have been the homes of our pet cats. This does not mean however that you just have to keep them inside your house. You have to let them feel what is in the world outside. More than the basic needs of our cats, there are things like walking your cat outside that would surely help boost the total development of your cat.

When you take your pet for a walk, this would really be great for your cat pet. There are really great benefits from doing this activity. To do so would let your pet and you take a relieving break. Strolling around would entertain your pet and as well as stimulate it.

Another good thing about walking with your cat outdoors is that it would be able to overcome the boredom of being constrained inside your home. Just like us, cats also need to take some time and go outdoors. Being constrained may just make your pet depressed. It is really best to pamper your pet in the right way; to pamper your pet is not to keep him secluded from the outdoors.

Cats are not that expressive but studies show that behaviors of cats like scratching the furniture and others. This common behavior is one of the signs that may tell us that cats get bored too.

One thing more is that it could be the best form of exercise for your cat pet as well. There are cats which stay at home all the time that become overweight and to worse, become obese. We all know that this is not good and it could post a threat to the life of our pet.

Walking with your cats outdoors for it does not entail too much hassle, all you have to do is not only for your pet but it would surely entertain you as well. It would let you also spend some time outdoors, free from your busy schedule or the pressures of your tasks.

There are really good benefits when you walk your pet outdoors. You have to take time and feel the fun outside the walls of your home. It would definitely be a time to cherish, a time to savor.