Proper dog nutrition is not categorized the same for all ages, sizes and breeds. Each breed has it’s dietary recommendation as well as the suggested number of feedings per day. These recommendations can also be customized to the size and age group of your dog. However, there are some general guidelines you can follow in order to provide proper dog nutrition with a balanced diet. A dog’s protein intake depends highly on his age. Your dog won’t need more than 25 percent if he’s a puppy or over 22 percent for dogs that get moderate exercise, although, older dogs will require more. Consult your vet for the proper protein intake for your dog. Many dog foods also contain a high amount of salt. Read the label on your dog’s food to make sure he/she is not getting too much salt because it can result in heart disease.

Most dogs are fed two times a day. Some prefer to eat once a day. Your dog will display to you which he prefers simply by refusing to eat during one of his feedings. Puppies, however, require three to four feedings per day in order to develop bone growth and provide proper dog nutrition.

Never feed your dog table scraps under any circumstances. If your dog has been prescribed a special diet by the veterinarian, which requires you to cook your dog’s meals, be sure to place the food directly into your dog’s bowl. Avoid feeding your dog directly from the dinner table. Your dog will not only develop obesity but it will also encourage begging.

One thing about dogs is that they can eat, and eat, and eat, and eat and never know when they are full. Avoid giving your dog too much to eat. Once a dog becomes obese, it is very difficult to make them lose weight. Your dog can also develop a host of medical problems, such as high blood sugar, abnormal bone development, diabetes, heart problems, just to name a few.

Choose a reputable, high quality, dry dog food with the recommended daily allowance for your dog’s age, breed, size and weight. You can obtain this information from your vet.

Along with daily feedings, give your dog a multi-vitamin in order to promote good health and normal growth.

Feed your dog in a stainless steel bowl. Be sure to clean your dog’s bowl with soap and water every day or two. These bowls are a breeding ground for bacteria. Plastic and ceramic bowls are not recommended.

Your dog should always have water in his bowl, although, while training, you can remove the water bowl at night in order to lessen the probability of night-time urinating.

Offer your dog bite-sized snacks throughout the day for training purposes. Don’t overdo the snacks.

Proper dog nutrition is necessary in helping to keep your dog’s health in check and preventing costly trips to the vet.

Nancy Settecasi, Owner of Happy K-9 Dog Care Proud Owner of Cookie and Skippy, Cocker Spaniels, Dog Lover http://www.happyk-9.com

Just like in real estate where location is crucial, so it is for your cat’s litter boxes.

Here’s some ideas and tips on how to effectively locate them for good cat litter box habits.

When you think about cat litter box placement, imagine if it’s a place where you’d like to do your business. We humans generally cherish a quiet and private location. Your cat isn’t much different. She’d like her cat litter boxes placed where she can feel safe while voiding. When animals eliminate, this is a vulnerable time for them, and if your cat doesn’t feel safe and comfortable, she’ll find her own location to fulfill this need.

Depending upon the cat’s age and mobility, an ideal litter box location is someplace where humans don’t tread constantly. Take a look around your house and think about this as you ponder locations. Some ideal places are your basement, rarely-used bathrooms, and larger closets.

If you have a room that doesn’t get much traffic and won’t let the odors waft all through the house, then set up a litter box in that location.

If a family member’s bedroom will work (assuming that person won’t be jarred awake at 3 AM when kitty is busy digging a hole to China to bury her output!), use that as well.

Many cats prefer to have a cat litter box near their favorite hang outs. This way, they don’t have to go far when nature calls.

The most desirable location will be quiet, somewhat secluded, and afford kitty the luxury of time and the feeling of safety to properly eliminate in her cat litter box.

Sometimes your cat will decide a location for you. In my home, my kitty Scout prefers the cat litter box in the exercise room in lieu of the one in the basement (which would be my first choice) and another in a nook off the kitchen.

But she doesn’t like those locations as well, so it’s critical that I keep that cat litter box up to her standards – clean, no deposits left over from her brother JJ, and leaving the door open – even when I’m using the exercise bike or the cross trainer! If I forget any of these things, she lets me in the most direct way possible – by not using a litter box when she needs to eliminate.

If there was ever a case where cats have staffers and hired help, I’m living proof! So take a hint from your cat…try to accomodate her preferred location for successful, consistent cat litter box usage.

Nancy solved the cat urine odor problem in her home, and kept the cat that caused it. Read 18 Ways to Stop Cat Urine Odor Problems to discover your solution.

Click Here to find out more

Before getting a dog the first question to ask and answer is ?what sort of dog should we get ? a purebred or a mutt??

The answer to this question is a matter of debate. Get any two dog lovers together and they will probably have different feelings on this controversial question.

Why is this question so controversial? One dog is surely much the same as another? Or is there a hidden benefit to buying a purebred dog?

Of course one dog is much like any other ? at least on the outside! But every potential dog owners needs are different. The real trick is in identifying your needs ? the needs of your family and selecting a dog that meets those needs. A dog that is suitable for your family.

This is where the debate starts. Dog breeders will tell you that you will never be sure of what you?ve got with a mixed breed. On the other hand Dog Rescue will say ?look at the dog itself ? not the breed!?

Who?s right?

To a certain extent they both are.

You need to try to assess the suitability of any dog you adopt, regardless of whether it?s an abandoned rescue dog of mixed breed or an expensive purebred puppy with registration papers and a pedigree as long as your arm.

Purebred dogs will tend to have strong characteristics peculiar to their breed, such as size and stamina, general demeanor and exercise needs. But they will also have their own individual personality on top of this.

On the other hand you can never be totally sure about a mixed breed?s background. There?s always a question mark about how a puppy is going to turn out ? you can never be quite sure about its size, energy requirements or manner.

That can be one advantage of adopting a rescue dog. Often they will be older mature dogs rather than puppies. This allows you to make a better assessment of the dog ? its size, energy and nature. Good-natured dogs are not restricted to pure-breeds.

One other advantage of adopting an older rescue dog is that all the hard work of house training and basic obedience training has often already been done, saving you the effort needed to do this yourself. You will also get the chance to visit the dog a few times, with members of your family, to assess its suitability.

The staff at the dog shelter will also have had a chance to assess the dogs character and even perhaps have worked with the dog to smooth out any rough edges to help find it a suitable home.Having a rough idea of what the dogs parentage might have been will help you look for traits associated with those breeds and see if they are present.

If you are really lucky you may find a mixed breed dog that embodies all the best parts of the dog you are looking for from different parents. The result could well be a unique mix that perfectly meets the needs of you and your family. But take the time to really get to know the dog before committing to adopting it as a return trip to the animal shelter is the last thing the dog will need.

In the end the choice is down to you but you absolutely need to make sure the dog you choose meets the needs of you and you family. You need to consider such things as how much room you have in your life, both physically and mentally, for the dog. You need to consider feeding and exercise needs and whether you would be better off with an older dog or a puppy.

Making the right choice will open the door to a lifelong friendship with a loyal, loving partner. Making the wrong choice will lead to misery for all concerned.

Chris Davis, the author, is a freelance writer publishing and presenting information on a wide variety of subjects. For more informative articles and information on dogs, dog health, dog care and dog training from Chris visit his website http://dog-help-desk.com. This article is free to reprint provided the author credits and link are left in place. Do not use this article for unsolicited email.

Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that put an abnormal strain upon the muscles of the back and hind legs and most dogs require considerable practice before they gain sufficient control of those muscles to balance themselves in this unnatural position.

Before you rush into teaching this trick, bear in mind that not all dogs can do this trick, especially the big dogs such as St. Bernard or Great Dane as it is almost physically impossible for them to perform such trick. Sorry. This trick is not for you – Big dog owners!

A dog should first be taught to sit up and after he will do this well, hold a small piece of treat just above his nose and say ?Up,? when he will elevate himself just a trifle to get it, and should be allowed to eat it. Give him daily practice at this, making him reach a little higher from day to day until he can balance himself on his hind feet.

Do not keep him at these lessons too long at any one time, as they are very fatiguing, and you must give the muscles plenty of time in which to grow strong, so that he can sustain himself more easily. After he can stand up he should be taught to walk by slowly moving the treat from him, and he will be induced to take first one step and then another toward it. Reward him frequently by letting him have the treat and be careful not to tire him.

Dancing Dog

After a dog can stand erect and walk on his hind legs he can be taught to dance, which consists simply in hopping around on the hind legs and at short intervals turning around.

The simplest method of teaching this trick is to attach a piece of treat to a string, four or five feet long; hold the treat in tempting proximity to the dog?s nose, and so high that he will stand on his hind legs to get to it, and then slowly move it around and he will follow after it any way that you may select. Give a command such as ?Dance? to associate this trick with. Say the command when you tempt him with the treat.

Do not keep him at it too long and reward him frequently, so as to keep up his enthusiasm. In the early lessons, your dog simply follows the treat because he wants the reward attached to the end of it, nevertheless with regular practice, your dog will still dance for you even without the reward treat. Over time, he should be able to dance at command and for an occasional reward. Till then, he can be accustomed to dancing when dressed up in fantastic apparel.

Standing On Forelegs

This is one of the most difficult tricks to teach, and you most probably see this trick only in a circus as the position of standing on the front feet alone with the head down and the hind legs elevated is an unnatural one. It will be a long time before your dog learns to balance himself.

However, it is not totally impossible to teach your dog such trick, provided that you put in consistent amount of effort and time to teach and train him. (This trick is mainly for smaller and toy breed dogs only, most big dogs are physically incapable of doing this trick)

To teach this trick, provide yourself with a light cane or a stick, about two feet long. Hold the stick in your right hand and place it under the dog?s stomach, raising his hindquarters with the stick and at the same time placing your left hand on his head, so as to prevent his moving away, thereby forcing him to retain his reversed position; as the dog rises into position the stick should be gradually moved back from his belly until it supports only his hind feet.

Use a command such as ?On your head? to associate this trick with and repeat it distinctively during training and remember don?t save on your praises and treats when your dog is progressing and learning. He need plentiful of them to further encourage him to learn the trick.

Repeat this operation at successive lessons until the dog understands what is expected of him and learns to balance himself with but very little assistance or support from the stick, and finally with none at all. Eventually he will learn to take the position at the order, ?on your head,? without assistance from the hand or switch.

After a dog can balance himself on his forefeet he can be taught easily to take a few steps by standing in front and calling him to you, and as he gains confidence and experience can be made to walk quite a distance.

Your dog may or may not master any of these tricks mention above. For all you might know, he could be a lazy dog, or maybe you are a lousy teacher. In any case, tricks are still tricks; you shouldn?t be bothered if your buddy can?t perform them because I know you will still love him for what he is, and not performing tricks to entertain friends or yourself.

Moses Chia is the webmaster of DogsObedienceTraining.com. He provides more helpful information on dog obedience training, dog training book reviews and dog illness symptoms interpretation that you can learn in the comfort of your home on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

There’s no doubt that the Beagles hunting abilities originally established this breed. But, nowadays their popularity is firmly rooted, in a well deserved reputation, as an almost ideal family pet.

The history of this breed is rather misty. Mention is made in early 14th century writings, notably that they were popular with the monarchy. They were probably bred down in size from English Foxhounds to hunt hare, and rabbit alongside men on foot.

Principally they are scenthounds, and their super keen nose has seen them enlisted by modern day organizations to sniff out drugs, and even detect contraband food items in luggage coming in to the US from abroad.

The Beagle was classified by the American Kennel Club’s in to its Hound group, but sub-divided in to two varieties: the 1st under thirteen inches and the 2nd at over thirteen but not exceeding fifteen inches. Other than this size difference, the two varieties are identical.

These dogs have distinctively large, dark brown or hazel eyes, pendulous ears, and a gentle, almost pleading, expression. The coat is short and smooth, usually tricolor combining tan, black and white, but orange, black, or tan dogs with white markings are also to be found.

Grooming is an easy, but regular task. Just run a good quality brush through his coat once or twice a week to remove dirt and loose hairs. Shedding is about average.

It’s no surprise that Schultz the cartoonist, named his Beagle character Snoopy. Inquisitive, affectionate, and playful, these happy little dogs do adapt to apartment life. But you have to remember that they are an energetic and active breed, who need to burn up some of that vitality. So, he will need a fairly long daily walk, even if you’ve got a fair sized yard.

Allowing him off of the leash may not be a good idea. Like all scenthounds an alluring scent is enough to sidetrack even the most obedient of these dogs. You could easily find yourself calling Snoopy, and being totally ignored in favor of the scent of a rabbit, cat or even garbage.

The Beagle can be willful, and consequently present a problem to inexperienced owners. So, if you do decide to buy a puppy check out a good dog training program. It’s also a good idea to find out where your local puppy training classes are. Getting your puppy used to other dogs is important, although this breed is usually very friendly towards its own kind.

But, if you have a non-canine pet make sure that you socialize them as well, as the prey instinct is still alive and kicking in this breed. They are intelligent dogs, and with patience can be trained to a high level of obedience

Dogs are pack animals, but in breeds like the Beagle this trait is more sharply defined than in others. Consequently, separation anxiety can pose problems in individual dogs. They also like to eat, and waistlines needs to be watched. They are clever dogs, and are quite adept at squeezing treats out of even the most vigilant of owners.

Overall this is a healthier breed than many others. However, heart disease, epilepsy and eye conditions can be a problem. Since they have a tendency to overeat, Beagles can also develop weight related diseases, such as hip dysplasia.

So, if your looking for a dog that loves family life, is cheerful and loyal, but now and then needs to be pointed in the right direction, then a Beagle could just be the right dog for you.

Andy Matthews is the best friend of Suki, a 2 year old Cocker Spaniel, who has tirelessly built from scratch http://www.top-dogs-names.com. Check it out it?s kind of unique!

The September morning that we made our acquaintance, it was unseasonably cold. My breath frosted in the air. It was early — the sun just peeking over the horizon — and I’d just come home from dropping my husband off at the train station.

I was almost inside when I heard it.

Mew.

I ticked off possibilities. I had two cats, one fairly young, but they were both indoor cats. My landlords had three cats, but that tiny me could not possibly have come from them.

Mew.

A stranger at my door…

There, blinking up at me with wide green eyes was a tiny black and white kitten.

My heart melted.

When I knelt down beside him, I could see his ribs. No more than six weeks old by my best estimate, he was shivering in the cold, his tiny body shaking.

I lifted him up and tucked him under my jacket until he warmed up. In spite of everything, I could feel him purring against me.

My dilemma…

I wish I could say that I brought him right inside and we lived happily ever after, but the bottom line was that my husband and I already had two cats in a one bedroom apartment, and my landlords would surely kill me if I even brought this kitten indoors for awhile.

Instead, I scrounged for something this baby could eat, and sat with him on my front steps, trying to keep him warm until it was time for me to go to work.

After work, he was still there, and I knocked on neighborhood doors, hoping to find his home.

No luck.

And each day, this tiny kitten would jump up my steep porch steps and try to follow me inside.

What a little bandit, I would say to the kitten as he looked up at me beseechingly. I’m sorry. You just can’t come inside.

In the meantime, my husband and I made an appointment at a local animal shelter. It was quite a drive, but Saturday, we would take the kitten there and put him up for adoption.

But one morning I went out only to find my little bandit friend gone. I peered behind bushes I checked in the tall grasses across the street. I looked under all the cars.

The kitten was gone.

I’ll admit that a part of me was relieved. It was out of my hands…but I couldn’t help but wonder — and worry — about what had happened to the little bandit that had stolen my heart.

Oh where oh where did that little cat go?

As I prepared for work that morning, all I could think about was that tiny kitten. Did he find his way home, or did something awful happen to him? Did he get hit by a car? Was he trapped somewhere? Was he hurt?

By the time I was ready for work, I was sick wondering what had happened to that kitten.

An answer I didn’t want to hear…

As I was getting into my car, my landlady pulled her car up alongside mine. She was visibly upset, and she told me she’d taken the kitten I’d been feeding to the local pound.

They’d been closed, but had taken the kitten from her anyway, and they’d told her that they were out of space. There was no room for the kitten, so they’d be putting him to sleep before morning’s end.

This was a healthy, feisty, beautiful little kitten. Very adoptable, and they were going to — for lack of space — put him to sleep.

Forget the euphemisms. They were going to murder him.

So what’s the punchline?

The punchline to this, my friends, is that pounds do not always have an animal’s best interests at heart. Your local pound is there to provide a public service. That service is, first and foremost, to take stray animals off of the street.

Now granted, many pound employees love animals and would do anything for them, but they cannot take every animal home with them, and policy is policy when you are an employee of the county government.

So before you take that stray to the pound, thinking you are doing your good deed, I beg you to reconsider.

It doesn’t matter how adorable, healthy, personable, well-behaved, intelligent, or just plain lovable that animal is. It doesn’t matter if it’s a purebreed or a mutt. It doesn’t matter if it’s a tiny kitten or an aging Rottweiler. If that animal is not adopted, it will — at some point — be put down.

Sometimes, as in the case of my little stray, it’s sooner rather than later.

That precious kitten would never have a chance, even a remote one, of adoption.

Furthermore…

Some pounds will even sell animals to scientific laboratories for research subjects. For me, this is too horrible to even contemplate.

So what are the alternatives?

I’d love to tell you to adopt the animal yourself, or at least keep it until you can find it a loving home — and if you can, then, by all means, do. Put up signs in supermarkets and on telephone poles. Take out an ad in your local paper. The animal may simply be lost and loving owners may be desperately searching for it.

But if you can’t, then call your pound first. Find out their policy on euthanasia and on selling them for research.

Look in the yellow pages. There should be listing for shelters, which differ greatly from pounds in purpose and practice.

Many shelters have no-kill policies. They will not put down an animal unless it is so badly injured or so sick that nothing can be done to help it.

One local shelter where I used to live had many battle-scarred critters. One-eyed cats and three-legged dogs were given ample opportunity for adoption. In the meantime, they were cared for — and loved — by dedicated volunteers.

Again, make sure to check their policies on selling for research and euthanasia.

Check with neighborhood veterinarians or your local animal emergency clinic. Often, if you bring an injured stray in, they will house and feed it until the animal is claimed or adopted.

The Bottom Line

There are options, though some are time consuming. If, like me, you’re an animal lover, then it will be a labor of love.

For those who may be wondering…

My landlady and I went back to the pound that morning. We had to bang on the door since they were closed, and after half a dozen employees ignored us, someone came and opened the door. We were told to come back when they reopened and begin the adoption process. It would cost $40.00.

By then, we pleaded, it will be too late.

The kitten would have been put to sleep.

A shame, we were told — but that was procedure.

Well, with some cajoling, a lot of sweet talk, a dose of common sense, and a few thinly veiled threats, we got the kitten back.

The little bandit that had stolen my heart rode all the way home in my arms.

Bandit…

In case you haven’t guessed, we never kept that shelter appointment we’d made.

Bandit, as he came to be named, is now a happy, healthy senior cat. He is waiting for me by the door every day when I come home from work, and at night, he sleeps on my pillow.

He likes to drink from the bathroom faucet, and he’s so vocal that he often sounds as if he’s singing to me.

A fairy tale ending?

Bandit and I had a fairy tale ending, but many animals taken to pounds do not.

So please, please, before you take that stray to the pound, think twice. An animal’s life is at stake.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.

Our dogs come in all sizes, shapes and breeds; therefore, there are many different types of dog beds and pet bedding available to buy online. If you are looking for a small dog bed, a large dog bed or even an extra large dog bed, they can all be found right here!

When looking for a dog bed you need to keep in mind your dog breed, and your living style. Some people like their dog beds to match with their home decor, and therefore, should be looking for a designer dog bed. Other people may want their dog to feel like a King or Queen so they want a luxury dog bed, a personalized dog bed, or a fancy dog bed. Or maybe you are looking for a bed that will not be at your primary residence so you want a cheep dog bed or a discount dog bed or wholesale dog bed. Wicker dog beds are a great addition to any home or home away from home. What ever your dog?s desire it can be found here.

If your living style is one of travel and adventure then your dog?s bed needs to be compatible with that style. You need to look at buying a dog car bed or an outdoor dog bed or a canopy dog bed or a waterproof dog bed or a bed tent for a dog or even a dog travel bed. Depending on what kind of travel you do will depend on the type of travel dog bed you buy.

If you have a large breed dog, or even a small breed dog you may be looking for free shipping for your dog bed many online stores will offer this, you just need to inquire. If your dog breed is prone to physical problems or your dog is just getting old, or you want to really pamper your dog then look at memory foam dog beds, and orthopedic dog beds. Elevated dog beds and raised dog beds as well as a dog bed ramp may come in very handy with your dog.

Take care of your dog; after all they are a part of your family.

Pam Caouette is the main author for http://a-plus-pet-supplies.com Find information for all your pet supply needs here.

As Winter gets underway, wild mice and rats enter houses more often to escape the cold and rats are also seen in increasing frequency in peoples gardens. However, while this can be a matter for concern, there are ways that you can humanely remove these uninvited visitors rather than calling the local exterminator. He will put down anti-coagulant poisons which cause a long slow death and a great deal of suffering to the mice and rats as well as the poison being potentially dangerous to you, your family and your pets.

How can I tell if I have rodents in my house?

House Mice will leave a cloying ‘acetamide’ smell; other mice leave little odour.

Gnawing : Rodents need to gnaw constantly to keep their teeth trim and they will gnaw on most things.

Tooth Marks : Larger marks made by Rats who can gnaw through soft metals such as aluminium or lead.

Droppings : a rats poo is 12mm long and often tapered at one end. A mouse poo is half the length and thinner.

Greasy Marks: Rats and House Mice leave dirty black smears along well travelled routes especially where the have to squeeze under objects.

You may also hear the scamper of little feet above your head as they scurry around your loft.

What Problems can they cause?

Rodents generally cause minor problems in houses, such as furniture damage, food nibbling and a few electrical and insulation damage. Some rodents however are good house guests and cause NO damage at all.

Chewing wiring is the main concern which can lead to electrical faults and expensive repairs.

Prevention

Do not call the exterminators! They get rid of the rodents in a cruel way which prolongs suffering and in the long term does not get rid of rodents from entering your home.

Exterminators use anti-coagulant poisons. These cause a slow painful death over around five days to the rodent. The anti-coagulant literally stops the rodent forming any blood clots, so it bleeds to deaths ? blood will come from its eyes, it nose and other orifices and will also fill its so that they drown in their own blood ? this is a horrible way to die.

Problems with the poison also can occur if the rodent is eaten before it dies.

Anticoagulants are notoriously non-selective and have the potential to kill domestic dogs and cats, wildlife, children, and even grown adults.

And while the anti-coagulants may work in the short term by killing any rodents in your home, your house attracted rodents before and so it will attract more. The key is prevention ? and is the easiest and best long term solution. Repair broken air bricks and holes in external walls. Fill any floorboard hole, replace damaged skirting boards and remove any nesting materials. Don’t leave food rubbish in bags in your back garden, always put it in a bin! Rats are notoriously good opportunists and leaving out food bags will only encourage them into your garden.

Also, although it may be environmentally friendly to throw out any rotting fruit or vegetables on to your soil to decompose, this again will attract hungry critters.

How do I get rid of unwanted visitors?

There are indoor devices such as sensors which use electromagnetic interference or ultrasound to drive rats and mice away. They emit a sound inaudible to the human ear but one that is awful to a rodent ? the noise will literally drive them away. You plug them into any plug socket and let it get on with it! However, do be careful when using these sonic repellents – don’t use them if you have bats in your loft as this will drive them away. Also if your neighbour has a ?small furry? such as a hamster or pet rat or mouse, make sure you don?t plug the sonic repellent in a party wall as the sound may travel through the walls depending on how your houe is built.

Live capture traps are also good. Set them up in your loft with a strong smelling piece of food in it such as piece of sausage or strong cheese. And check on the trap twice a day.

Once you have caught the rodent, do not release him or her in your back garden – they will simply come back in! Get in your car and drive at least 2 miles away – otherwise they will be back in your house before you are! GRIN!

Jason Hulott is co-owner of CavyRescue, The UK’s First dedicated Pet Rat Charity. We provide a huge array of articles on Pets Rats and other Small rodents. Why not sign up for our Monthly newsletter? Visit CavyRescue now.

Buying a new fish tank heater can sometimes be perplexing due to all of the options that are available. There are a couple of places that you can go for help when looking to purchase a fish tank heater. It is essential that if you do not know what anything about fish tank heaters that you do a lot of research or seek the advice of an experienced professional. Friends or neighbors experienced with fish tanks can prove to be valuable resources.

These resources can be found in a number of places, and most of them are free of cost. A fish tank heater is very important to the overall health of your fish, so you want to make sure that you get the set up that is appropriate for your tank. Your fish need a certain temperature in order to thrive and the correct fish tank heater will make that happen for you.

The first place you may want to go to for help is your local pet store. They usually have someone who can help you pick out a fish tank heater. Be sure to take the model information of your aquarium, so they can help you to pick out the right heater. Most of the time, you will get the fish tank heater with your tank, but sometimes this is not true. Of course it is easier to buy a heater at the same time as buying the tank. This way you can have everything you need in order to choose the fish tank heater that is right for you. This will not be an issue for all tanks, as some come equipped with their own heaters that are sized for the particular tank you are purchasing.

If you do not have a local pet store that you can go to for advice, be sure to check the internet. If you type fish tank heater into your favorite search engine *mine is Google), you will have enough information to keep you busy for at least a couple of hours. Search some of the sites and print out the important information. Keep any information that may be useful when choosing which fish tank heater to buy.

If you are looking to buy a fish tank heater, remember to get advice from a professional. Both pet stores and the Internet are a great place to start. You can even search Ebay and other auction sites on the internet.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Fish Aquariums, please visit http://www.fish-tanks-information.info/ for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith’s own web site at http://keithlondrie.com/

Maine coon cats are an American classic, a contribution to our history and culture that only Maine could provide. This hardy, handsome breed of domestic cat was established at least 150 years ago, and its unique characteristics developed as it adapted to Maine’s own unique characteristics. And as America has become a nation of animal lovers, the Maine coon has only become more appreciated.

Maine coons are one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and are regarded as a native of Maine. Around the origins of the Maine Coon cat swirls a fog of legend and conjecture as obscuring to reality as the fogs of its homeland, says Marilis Hornidge in That Yankee Cat–the Maine Coon. Of the many legendary tales of the Coon cat’s beginnings, the one most completely discredited is the best known, the mating of the raccoon and the domestic house cat. This is, of course, a physical impossibility.

Most Maine coon breeders believe that the breed originated from matings between pre-existing shorthaired domestic cats and longhaired types brought to America from overseas by New England seamen or by Vikings. We know from history that the old sailing ships kept cats for rodent control, and Maine was a commerce area, so it is not difficult to imagine how this could happen.

Maine coons are tall, muscular, big-boned cats, with a long, rectangular body and deep chest. Males commonly reach 13 to 18 pounds; females, normally about nine to 12; they may continue to grow until three to five years of age. They have long muzzles and long teeth. All of these traits would have given them an advantage against competitors as well as predators.

Maine coons, with their heavy coats, are well suited to the harsh New England winters. Adult Maine coons have a three-layer coat; in winter, their undercoats thicken. They have long guard hairs to keep off the snow and repel water, and a long, bushy tail to wrap around themselves for warmth. Maine coons have large, furry feet (all the better for walking on snow); furry, tufted ears that stay warm against the cold; and extremely long whiskers, which help them stay clear of brush that may entangle their long fur.

According to the Maine.gov website, Maine coons’ voices set them apart from other cats; they have a distinctive, chirping trill.

Initially appreciated for their rodent hunting skills, they were also highly admired by the families of Maine for their friendly personalities and high intelligence, and began to take on an important role as pets. As they became a more important part of New England culture, it became a popular pastime for families to admire, pamper, and brag about their cats.

In the mid-19th century, the Maine coon became a special exhibit at many county fairs in Maine, thus becoming America’s very first show cat. Maine coons come in almost all colors; although the classic brown tabby may be the first that comes to mind, they can be red tabby, silver tabby, tortoiseshell, black and white–almost anything except the Siamese pattern and a few others.

As Cat Fancy Magazine says, Maine coons are a furry piece of American history.

Lisa J. Lehr ? 2006

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer and Internet marketer specializing in direct response and marketing collateral. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health, pets, and conservative issues.
Please visit her blogs at http://mymaine.blogspot.com and http://warmfuzziesanimalrescue.blogspot.com.
If you?re looking for a copywriter, go to http://www.justrightcopy.com. Just Right Copy–because words sell.