You can't imagine the kind of varieties of Goldfish there are! People have been breeding Goldfish for over 2000 years now. China is believed to have over 100 varieties and to think that it all began with the Carassius auratus ? the gibel carp! Not all goldfish have been bred in China though. Other countries have specially bred their own goldfish around the world. Comets and Veiltails are very American while the Jikin, Tosakin and the Shubunkin are Japanese. The United Kingdom bred its own Shubunkins and there are two types? Bristol and London Shubunkin.And so the endless list of Goldfish varieties goes on, so much so that it's hard to say which is the most unique of them all. Today, we can zero in on at least 20 recognized breeds all sorted out according to their color, body shape, finnage and any other very unique outgrowths. There are the orange or red goldfish which we immediately think of as being typical colors but actually the most genuine goldfish colors are greenish brown, blue, black, bronze, olive green, dark brown, reddish brown, light brown, calico, red and white and even white. All of these have been bred by experts.
But some goldfish will be more popular than the others. Lets find out what makes them a hit with the fish keepers in a top ten list.To view the list of the top ten most popular Goldfish click here.Dane Stanton is an expert on goldfish health care. To visit his website visit http://www.goldfish-secrets.com for more information on Goldfish care and other aquarium related topics.
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After years of practicing both conventional and holistic medicine for horses, I decided to compare the cost, effectiveness, and net results of managing and treating horses holistically versus conventionally.In this article I compare results for the average trail horse that is ridden about 2-3 times a week. I have used average feed and veterinary costs for my area (Austin, Texas), and drug and supplement costs from a major horse supply catalog.I then discuss the issues related to each area of care, including feed, supplements, vaccines, dewormers, and first aid. Stay tuned for different profiles in coming months, when I will compare horses in different disciplines, young horses, older horses, and broodmares.>>> Holistic Horse Conventional Horse

General Info.Brine shrimps, or artemia, are a zooplankton used mainly as fry food, but they can also be grown to about 20 mm (0.8 inch) in length and be a valuable food source for adult fishes as well. What makes brine shrimps such ideal fry food is their good nutritional value, their ability to live 5 hours in fresh water before dying, and the fact that the eggs can be stored for many years as long as they are kept away from water and oxygen. Once the dried eggs are returned into oxygenated saltwater they resume their development and hatch. This is an adaptation to living in desert lakes that dry up.The time it takes them to hatch depends on the temperature. It takes 15 to 20 hours at 25

There are three important litter box considerations to account for whether you're a new kitten owner, or someone who has had a cat for a while. If kitty isn't happy with any or all three of these, you may find she'll start urinating outside the box.1. Litter Box Location:Location is all-important in real estate. The litter box location is important to your kitty. As an owner, you need to be certain her box is in a quiet location, away from traffic and noise. Ideally, a room that is seldom visited, such as the basement or laundry room is a good choice.Cats need to be left alone while tending to their business. A child's room, the hallway by the front door, or the family room may be too noisy for her.2. Litter Box Type:New cat litter boxes are marketed constantly. The final decision may rest with kitty. If you buy her a box, and she doesn't use it, think about the way she does her business. For example, my boy, JJ (who is fixed), urinates standing up. He's 14 years old, and it may be too much effort for him to squat. We have tall sided, and hooded litter boxes to accommodate the splash on the back wall.You may consider the mechanical, self-cleaning litter box. They rake the results of kitty's visit into a small container. The drawbacks are that your cat may be scared of the motor noise. If so, she won't use it. The rakes, or tines, need to be cleaned regularly. They're close together, and can be a real trial to clean properly. What if you lose electrical power for an extended period of time? The motor won't operate, and the box won't get scooped, if you forget!Bottom line? Observe your kitty doing her business, and formulate a strategy about the best box to buy.3. Cat Litter:There are lots of different types of cat litter you can purchase. There are different blends of clay; some are perfumed, some are not. Again, your cat may decide for you. If you purchase a certain brand, and kitty eliminates somewhere else, you'll need to experiment with different types until you and she agree on what will be used.Perfumed, or scented litter is for us humans, not the cat! Some cats will refuse to patronize a box with heavily scented litter. As bad as the smell may be for you and your family, the end goal is find the right litter she'll use every time.About The AuthorNancy E. Wigal
Cat Urine Odor Advisorwww.cat-urine-odor-advisor.comThe Cat Urine Odor Advisor offers solutions, resources, and materials that work together to get rid of cat urine odor in your home. nancy@cat-urine-odor-advisor.com

How to Deal With Anxiety in Your DogAnxiety in dogs can be caused by any number of things - illness, travel, thunderstorms, death in the family, separation, or they may develop unexplained phobic or neurotic behaviour, or barking or other antisocial behaviour.If you can identify the cause of the anxiety, then the best solution to the problem is to remove the cause.This is not always possible, though. If your dog is experiencing separation anxiety every time you leave the house, and you work full time outside the home, you've got a problem! I suppose you could give up work and stay home with your dog, but sometimes we need to be a little realistic!For this particular problem there are a number of things you can do to alleviate your dog's anxiety when you leave - many people have found that playing soothing music while they're out works wonders.Mozart? - that certainly used to calm my hyperactive son down a little, so Mozart would be my personal first choice, but there are many soothing classical and new age, or even some light rock or jazz music might work - try out whatever you have in your CD collection for starters.Another wonderful idea I read about recently is making a tape recording of your own voice and playing that on a continuous play while you're gone.And there are certain homeopathic and herbal remedies which really do calm your dog. So those may well assist with your dog's separation anxiety.But what about dogs who are afraid of loud noises - my dog Kara has an irrational fear of thunderstorms, and fear of fireworks, and, well, actually, she's scared of just about any loud noises. Many dogs are like this.One New Year's Eve when I was away, Kara dug her way under the house and escaped (due to being terrified of the fireworks which were going off). My neighbours had to pick her up from the pound the following morning. Apparently the dog catchers are out in force on New Year's Eve because they round up many dogs and impound them! A nice little revenue booster for the local authorities. From memory it cost about $100 to get her back.Anyway, I've found that peppermint oil applied to the pads of her paws has some calming effect. And a natural stress remedy also works very nicely.Some years ago, before I became interested in natural remedies for dogs - actually it was following the fireworks incident - Kara became quite determined to continue escaping, for some reason. Once she realised she could get out, she just kept on trying. She was even destroying part of my house in her determination to try to get through the thick wooden boards I had put up to prevent further escapes. So I took her to the vet, as I was at a complete loss to know what to do with her. She was prescribed an anti-anxiety medication. This made Kara quite dopey, and seemed to take some of her personality away somehow. In other words, I suppose she appeared drugged. I didn't like it at all.Now I know that there are much more pleasant, all natural anxiety treatments for dogs, which have no nasty side effects. And they really do work just as well.For more information on Stress Remedies for Dogs, Click Here: http://www.StressRemedies.BrigitteRecommends.com(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy DogsBrigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in holistic dog health. Her site, Healthy Happy Dogs, has pages and pages of information on improving your dog's health naturally. Brigitte is the author of several reports, articles, and the Healthy Happy Dogs newsletter.For your special FREE report - "How to Improve Your Dog's Health Within 30 Days - Maybe Even Lengthen Your Dog's Life!", Click Here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com

This is a very controversial topic which has a lot of emotion behind but it needs to be looked at. As a cat owner who has experienced difficulty dealing with a cat scratching issue in my home, it is difficult not to be biased but let's give the issue of declawing its due and see what exactly the pros and cons are.There are 2 types of surgical procedures which are commonly done to eradicate this problem. One involves cutting the tendon that attaches the claw to the bone in a cats foot. The claw stays intact but the cat can't use it at all because it is no longer attached to the tendon that works it.The second procedure employs the use of a laser for cutting. This procedure removes the lateral attachment. The claw is then removed.Proponents of both these procedures claim there is minimal blood loss and discomfort. They also state that most cats are up running around in no time after the surgery. Great!However, what they fail to mention is that both procedures are invasive (any surgical procedure is), both require general anethestic, and both can result in complications especially for older cats. The second procedure is quite plainly amputation. They also fail to mention what many people have stated - that post-surgery their cat developed a biting problem that was not prevelant prior to the surgery. What I have read also doesn't account for the many reports of people's cats undergoing drastic behavior changes afterwards.One such advocate I read about stated that "there will be medical reasons and other circumstances where this procedure will be necessary." But it fails to cite any of those reasons.For me at least, it all comes back to the question - "How would you like to have part of the anatomy God gave you amputated?" For me, there is only one "pro" After declawing, no matter what procedure you opt to have done, your cat will no longer be able to claw your furniture and carpets. The "cons" however, are still stacked against this and they are many!We had a terrible experience with our cat Milo, when he recently developed a lower urinary tract infection and had to be admitted to stay 2 nights in a local vet clinic while he underwent surgery and monitoring for this common cat health problem. After seeing how terrified he was at the clinic and then worrying whether he would live or not because he refused to eat anything for a week after we got him home and had to be forcibly fed water to keep him hydrated, we simply could not bring ourselves to consider the idea of declawing no matter how stressful his clawing behavior was.Milo is part of our family. God gave him all the parts he has for a reason and declawing to us is tantamount to saying he is less important than any other member of our family; something that we couldn't bring ourselves to think.Pets count on us to look after their best interests. When we take on the responsibility of owning a pet we make what should be a statement of promise to protect them, nuture them and ensure that they are looked after. If you are considering declawing as a way to deal with your cats clawing behavior, I would urge you to please try some less invasive methods first before you resort to such a drastic measure. Why risk potential side-effects and the trauma that can accompany any surgical procedure if there are clearly other, less invasive ways of dealing with this problem?by Brad Knell (c) 2005 All Rights ReservedBrad Knell is the webmaster of http://www.stopcatscratching.com one of several sites designed to help people with pet problems.

Just as humans allergies can show up as a sneeze or rash, your dog's allergies can manifest as itchiness -- or even ear infections. In fact, if your dog's allergic to his food, it can cause him to scratch himself constantly, even with no obvious parasite problem.Dog allergies rarely get solved with medicine, so the best we can do for our four-footed friends is focus on prevention. Providing the right type of food is essential to stopping your dog's scratching habit.Many people like to share their food with their dogs or let them help "clean up" the kitchen after a meal. Little do they know, their dogs just may not be able to take the tasty food we love so much, and some breeds (like the greyhound) are extremely sensitive. Even common foods like cheese, beef sausage and tuna may cause allergic reactions in some dogs. So it's best to let dogs enjoy dog food and not human food, even though they clearly adore and want what we're eating!Narrowing Down the ProblemTo determine the exact ingredients your dog is allergic to, try an elimination diet. Although powerful, it also requires patience. In fact, the elimination diet can call for eliminating specific food for up to 12 weeks before you'll notice the effects. And if you still haven't found the right (and wrong) ingredients, you'll have to repeat the process all over again.So is there an alternative to the lengthy elimination diet? Yes -- give your dog a brand or type of food he's never eaten before. But simply changing to a new brand of dog food might not be enough to eliminate his food allergies, since many brands contain similar ingredients. Instead, study the existing ingredients your dog is eating to determine which types of protein source he hasn't been exposed to. Then, hunt for a dog food that doesn't contain any of the ingredients you saw listed. For example, there are many brands of dog food that contains unusual protein sources such as rabbit or venison -- great for testing allergic reactions to other, more common proteins.Perhaps the best way for you to get control of dog's allergies is to whip up your own dog food. That way, you'll know exactly what he's getting and what he isn't -- something that's extremely hard to tell from reading the back of a dog food bag. Making your own food is especially helpful in elimination diets. To start, combine a portion of rice with baby food and lamb -- so long as your dog isn't already eating lamb and possibly displaying a reaction to it.Dog food allergies are a special condition that can be frustrating and take patience to solve. Since allergic reactions don't disappear overnight, you'll need lots of time and thoughtfulness to help your dog overcome this problem -- but his goofy smile and those scratch-free days ahead will probably make it all worth it.About the AuthorBlake Kritzberg is proprietor of Poodle-oo: Fashion for Toy Dogs. Stop by for toy dog couture and home decor, free dog postcards and the Toy Dog Blog.http://www.poodle-oo.com/

Weaning puppies is a perfectly natural process. Mamma dogs have been doing it successfully for ages, so how hard can it be, right?But humans, not being dogs, can sometimes forget the natural part, and get confused about it.Fact is, weaning puppies is an easy, logical process.When you're ready to begin weaning your new puppies, keep in mind that this should be done gradually, in small steps. You can't rush it, and you definitely don't want to begin when the puppies are too young.Sometimes people get impatient and try to begin weaning puppies before they're three weeks old. That's too early. Their bodies need to develop the ability to handle solid food, and that takes time. Wait the three weeks -- it's not really so long.The first step in the weaning process is to take the mother away from the puppies at least an hour before it's time for them to eat. This gives the puppies a chance to get good and hungry. They'll be more inclined to try the new, alternative food you offer them.Remember, when it's time for the puppies to eat, the mother should be nowhere around.The alternative food you offer them should be liquid or semi-liquid so it's easy for them to swallow and digest. Solid food won't work for them yet.You can make a gruel of commercial dog food mixed with water or baby cereal thinned with water. Another option when weaning puppies is to use diluted strained baby food.Put any of these mixtures in a small, shallow dish. Some of the puppies will have no problem eating. They'll catch on immediately. But there may be a few that just don't get it. So they'll need some encouragement. The easiest way is to put a little of the mixture on the tip of their nose or on their tongue.When weaning puppies you'll also need to decrease the amount of food you're giving the mother. This causes her to produce less milk. At the same time, you can gradually begin increasing the amount of food you give the puppies, and over the next several days make it less soupy. As they grow and their digestion matures, their food should slowly become more solid, day by day.Weaning puppies at this point becomes easier because, as the solid food grows more familiar to them, they learn to enjoy it more. Let them eat as much as they want as long as they don't become bloated.If you approach weaning puppies like this, the process should be simple, painless and easy. Expect to see them completely weaned by the time they're six to eight weeks old.Puppy-Toy-Tips.comLearn great ways to use puppy toys for training and socializing your new pup. Make sure you're on the right track when training your dog. Also, be sure to get the free eBook of puppy coloring pages for your kids.

I'm a pariah among the dog fanciers in my community. Why? Because I testified in support of a new regulation to limit pet ownership to no more than a total of three dogs and/or cats, older than six-months of age, in one household.The reason for the age threshold is to give people time to place any puppies or kittens that their family pet has.Every major dog/pet organization I'm familiar with opposes such regulations or laws. That includes not only the animal rights people but mainstream groups such as the American Kennel Club (AKC).So why would I break ranks and support it? Reality.I support limitations on the number of pets in one household for the following reasons.1. Nuisance laws are difficult and expensive to enforce.In one instance in my town ? that has laws on nuisance dogs ?
the city police had been to a house three times after calls from neighbors. In each instance, the dogs were quiet when they arrived and no ticket was issued.That's the problem with the type of enforcement other dog-owner groups want. It requires catching the animal/owner in the act. Then both have the right to protest and appeal any fines or other punishments.How much of a city's budget should go to this type of effort?
It is much more cost effective to enforce limits on the number of pets as this can be more readily identified and controlled.2. The worst pet owners are beyond caring about the law.They fall into two categories. One is the drug addict, gang members or other criminal who breeds big, dangerous dogs for protection. An example is a homeowner who had 14 Pit Bulls in his metropolitan home.The other is the disturbed pet collector such as a woman who had
40 cats in her suburban house. She had no recognition of why this should be a problem and was surprised that her neighbors called the police because of the odor from her house.Neither of these types of pet owners are going to be deterred by a misdemeanor fine.3. Dogs in packs are difficult to control.The more dogs in the home, the more problems you have. Initially it may be as the dogs joust among themselves for positions in the pack. Even once that's been settled, outside events ? such as a dog coming back after a hospital stay ? can trigger another round of fighting for position.There's always a danger the dogs may get lose. Having three or more dogs in one backyard can be intimidating to neighbors and other small pets in the adjoining homes.A neighboring community has a dog park near a beach and people are often knocked down by packs of dogs. The dogs aren't attacking them; they're just running together and oblivious of their impact when they knock down a little one or older person.When dogs are in groups, they work together and mob psychology rules. They may attack and kill smaller animals not for food but for sport or territory. Even dogs that live with cats will kill other cats when working in a dog pack outside the home.4. Dogs in packs are more susceptible to illnesses.As a former breeder, I truly appreciate how difficult it is to prevent the spread of diseases when you have many dogs in one home or kennel. There's a reason it's called "kennel" cough.5. Some dog owners have lost perspectiveOne of the objectors to this new rule participates in a rescue organization. She had six people testifying on her behalf as to how needed her service is (I agree) and how well she manages her household of dogs.None of the six people, however, live near her. When her neighbors testified, it was another story. She had started her rescue work by telling the homeowners group that she would have no more than six dogs at one time.In one instance when the police were called to her home after a loose dog attacked a neighbor's pet and discovered she had 23 dogs there. This is just a typical suburban home ? not a rural or country area.I'm sympathetic to wanting to care for abandoned and mistreated dogs but neighboring home owners have rights as well. If you've paid $600,000 for an 800-sq ft home in California (as our Sunday newspaper stated), you are going to be very concerned about maintaining property values.Too many dog owners are oblivious to the rights of other people. Just walk in any city park and see how many people don't pick up after their dog.I love dogs but I wish I could have more confidence in their owners. I recognize that I may be assigning many strays to an early death, but I can't waive a magic wand and make all pet owners responsible owners and care givers.Limiting the number of pets in a household is a cost effective measure to solving true problems.Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and the
creator of http://www.ToyBreeds.com, your online resource to
Toy dog breeds.

While dogs tend to get lots of exercise, cats are often left to their own devices, having to find their own ways of exercising if they are kept indoors.Cats have gone from working animals to creatures of leisure. In the past, a cat spent most of its day hunting, keeping the homestead free of rodents. Today, most cats are pure companions who spend the day waiting for their beloved human to return home. Even if you work from home, it is important to set aside some time to play with your cat. Interacting with you stimulates her physically and mentally, keeping her healthy in body and mind.The time of day you play depends on your schedule and your cat's natural rhythms. Some cats like a leisurely morning, while others are fired up from the moment they open their eyes. It may take a while to find the time that fits both of you. Once you've found it, however, don't be surprised to see your cat expecting play at that time each day. Cats are creatures of habit, and they feel most secure with a regular schedule.Play time helps with some behavior problems. A rousing game of chase-the-lure will take the edge off of a frisky feline who tends to attack her owner's ankles. A good dose of interaction also fills her need for your undivided attention and may make her less likely to drape herself across you at an inopportune time.Remember that if you don't want your cat to play with your plants while you're away, don't' use plant fronds as lures during play time. The same thing applies to hands; if you don't want your cat to pounce on unsuspecting visitors hands, don't use yours as a toy when playing with her. If you purchase toys for your cat, check to make sure that all small pieces are secured tightly.The best toys for cats are often home-made and only need YOUR interaction.My favorite is "fishing" with a piece of string or a stick. Hold the string/stick above the head of your cat pretending its a fishing rod. Your cat will delight in jumping and swatting, especially if you let her catch it once in a while.Another favorite with my cats is to crumple a piece of paper. Just the sound of the paper seems to get them excited. Show the cats the ball of paper and then throw it for them. Watch as they chase it round the room in delight.Some toys, such as lures attached to string should only be played with when you are there to manipulate it. If you leave it set up for her while you are gone, there is a chance she could become tangled in the string and choke. Pet supply stores carry some captivating self-play toys, such as a ball inside a track that will keep your kitty safely content while you are away. A kitty condo or carpeted tree is good investment. The multiple levels encourage climbing, while the hiding holes allow your cat to indulge her stalking instinct. Toys need not be expensive. Create a cat puzzle by taping a toilet paper roll tube to the floor and placing a cat treat inside. Your cat will enjoy trying o get the treat from the tube.Be sure that you remain in control during playtime. If your cat starts to play roughly, rub a stuffed animal against her belly and quickly withdraw your hands. This directs her aggressive behavior onto the toy and away from you. If she ignores the toy and continues to play-attack you, end the play session and walk away. Come back in a few moments and try again. After awhile, she will learn that you control the level of play, not her.Pet Medication Supplies http://www.pet-medication-supplies.net can help you get the best possible supplies for your pet. Advantix, Arthramine, Cosequin, Frontline, Heartgard - find the best deals in pet medication for flea and tick control, arthritis and lyme disease. Upto 50% discount everyday on brand names.