Pet Monologues

It’s the word that I long to hear my husband say, but he has so much trouble uttering it - it begins with an “L” and he’s just too shy and self-conscious to say it aloud in public, but in the privacy of our home he’s not afraid to say “Labradoodle.”

I first noticed this at the park. When a woman asked what kind of dog was attempting to strangle itself at the end of our leash, I began to say “labradoodle,” but my husband steamrolled over me and said, “Oh, he’s a mutt. Some kind of lab mix. We aren’t really sure.” Her curiosity satisfied, she went on her way and I gave my husband an inquisitive look, which he shrugged off.

Next our neighbor, who isn’t exactly a dog person, asked where we got the blond wookie. A big strapping guy who spends way too much time polishing his Harley Davidson and too little riding it, he first remarked that we needed another dog “like Iraq needs sand.” Ha-ha. Then he pointed out that the dog looked like a big poodle. My husband bristled a bit. “Hey, he’s a lab. Well, he’s mostly lab. He’s not a poodle.” Read the rest of this entry »

Company sinks teeth into dog time shares.

“It prevents dogs from being adopted and then returned to the shelter by people who realize it wasn’t a good fit.”

From the state that popularized purse puppies, drive-thru dog washes and gourmet dog food delivery comes the latest in canine convenience _ a company that contracts out dogs by the day to urbanites without the time or space to care for a pet full-time. Read the rest of this entry »

This week PM was vastly entertained by several couples who are expecting the birth of a child and witnessing the naming process, if that is what it could be called. Naming a child may be more challenging than naming a pet. Or is it? Well, animals may have more options to choose from and maybe an interesting story behind it. It reminds me of a dog named PD which translated into poor dog because the dog had reached what we describe as rock bottom. Now here is an article to kick this can down the road and see if we can provoke more stories…

By Linda Goldston.

A rose is a rose is a rose—but a pet name? That can be almost anything.

Every year, names like Max, Jake and Buddy show up on many lists of Top 10 names for dogs, while Max, Smokey and Shadow make it on the cat names list. Read the rest of this entry »

A “campfire” story taken from writing.com

[Introduction] Greetings!

note: Hooves of Fire! = author, WRITEING = Demon Squirrel

I, Hooves, have risked life and limb to travel to the deepest recesses of evil for this exclusive (and I hope Emmy winning) interview with the one and only Demon Squirrel. Due to the extreme evil of his countenance, I cannot look directly at him. He will be behind a curtain, speaking through the voice of Ercole who has kindly volunteered to channel the horrible demon’s answers to all of us.

This campfire will consist of me asking the questions (one at a time) and His Evilness answering through the Writeing of ercole, keeping his responses to 5 sentences or less if possible.

And now for the first question as soon as the campfire invitation is accepted. Read the rest of this entry »

Petmonologues was solicited by an author to purchase his new book. He is against commercial dog food. PM also recently listened to a radio talk show about how home-cooked pet food needs to be carefully created because ingredients, or lack of ingredients, affect your pet. For example, animals in the wild eat the whole carcass, i.e., bones, organs, etc., a source of vitamins that may not be in home-cooked food.

PM and all animal-caring individuals applaud that pet foods are squarely in the public eye, and more importantly, on our minds. What is best practice?

When feeding your pet, take into account their needs, their age, their activities, whether it is commercial or home-cooked. We like dry food because it cleans teeth and gums. We portion out wet foods for variety. We don’t feed leftovers for many reasons. If you wish to know those reasons, just ask us. Also, check out PM’s recipe section! Read the rest of this entry »

While searching for “pet stories” it came as a surprise that Sim2 first new companion game is “Pet Stories.” Though Sim2 comes in at #55 on Gamespot.com, this is a popular game—among adults. Craig’s List most popular forums, in Chicago, have huge followings for “romantic advice” and “politics” while “women’s issues” and “pet and animal” are next in popularity, considerably less visited, and evenly weighted. For such a popular adult game to target pets is interesting. The concept of alotting time towards animals but for whatever reason a “virtual” companion, is worth thinking about. Here is just one narrative on the upcoming game…

Based on The Simsâ„¢ 2 Pets, the top-selling expansion pack to The Simsâ„¢ 2, The Simsâ„¢ Pet Stories is the second release in the new product line called The Simsâ„¢ Stories. Train, play with, and care for your Sims’ cats and dogs, and do your best to keep them happy. Count on many unexpected twists and turns in this easy-to-play, laptop-friendly version of The Simsâ„¢. Choose from two different stories in the directed Story mode, taking on a variety of challenges as you compete in a local pet show and learn that even pets have their own personalities. Unlock rewards as you achieve set goals for your Sims and their pets. In open-ended Freeplay mode, create your Sims and their pets, design their homes, and teach your pets tricks. You decide how their stories unfold. Read the rest of this entry »

Abstract

Relationships inevitably develop between humans and animals, regardless of the function or use of the animal partners. The need to recognize the existence of these human-animal bonds, as well as acknowledge the use of the animals, is widespread. Religious memorial services for animals in certain areas of the world provide an historical basis for such acknowledgment activities. The diversity of sacred and secular approaches to memorializing or acknowledging animals is illustrated by representative examples of such events. The need to establish such events, particularly in academic and research settings, is emphasized. The pros and cons of developing and establishing acknowledgment activities in addition to the benefits of implementing such events are discussed. Read the rest of this entry »

Somewhere between astronaut, basketball player and “American Idol” winner, veterinarian is the job of choice for kids today. The thought of working with furry, four-legged friends and cuddly cats is just too good to pass up, and veterinary work may be the only animal career people think of.

But you don’t have to be a vet to work with animals.

Art: Dorling Kindersley

In reality, there are a variety of other ways to combine a love of animals with a paying job. Do you enjoy teaching and working with people as well as pets? If so, you might want to be an animal trainer. Do you have an interest in rescuing or offering a helping hand to neglected animals? You might want to work in an animal shelter, wildlife refuge or zoo. Or maybe you’d like to make animals comfortable and neat by starting your own grooming business. Read the rest of this entry »

After sadly losing our Squack, a lovebird, my husband and I did not think of any other pets. Then one day in the Boca News there was a picture of the most beautiful little dog I’ve ever seen. I told my husband that guy is ours. Well, that guy was from a pet mill and Miami Rescue had picked him and several of his friends and relatives away from those awful people. Unfortunately, that picture was very deceiving. Read the rest of this entry »

Can cats talk? Many cat owners would like to think so and some even claim that their cats speak a number of recognisable words. A Brazilian cat takes claims one step further by apparently being able to sing a number of well known songs while the Fortean Times carried a report of a cat which speaks several words in Turkish and suggested, with tongue firmly in cheek, that the reason many owners cannot understand their cats is because the cats are speaking Turkish. But before cat-owners rush out for phrase books, are these cats really speaking or are their owners just talking turkey?
Photo: Kevin Steele

For humans, the terms ’speech’ and ‘talk’ are not restricted to vocalization, but encompass human body language (which most of us read without realising it), gestural languages (sign language) and tactile languages (of deaf-blind individuals) which are equally expressive among those fluent in their use. Further, human language comprises both verbal and non-verbal components (including the written extension of body language through gestural substitutes such as the , symbols within Internet communication). Read the rest of this entry »