All animals on the planet like dogs, birds, cats, sheep, pigs are human being’s friends. All living creatures on this earth have the right to continue living peacefully, so we have to conserve our natural resources especially the animals. Even if we are having fun hunting animals, the reality is we are creating a negative impact on the environment as a whole. If you consider animals as precious and valuable creatures, will you engage in animal hunting?

The hunting of all different species of animals for various purposes, such as cooking them as specialty food in expensive restaurants or to trade them to wealthy people, is harmful to our environment. Other animals and plants in areas with many endangered animals are also affected because the food chain in that particular environment is already destroyed. For example, if there are more prey animals which slowly disappear, because of hunting, than the predators then predators will starve as time goes by. Moreover, preys will be outnumbered by predators which might lead for some predators to eat their co-predator.

Preventing animals from becoming extinct is the role of humans and should be acted immediately. Tendency is, if a species of an animal become extinct, other species of animals will also be affected. As more animals become extinct as the earth’s situation become worst. Some countries legalize animal hunting for a particular species, excluding those that have become extinct, for researching purposes. One way to save these animals is through breeding and cross-breeding. The earth needs these animals to balance our ecosystem. There are many reasons for conserving animals, so we have to start ways or means to promote animal conservation campaign.

Hunting animals, especially extinct ones, should be prohibited in various parts of the world. Some people say that those who hunt animals with bad intentions will be punished by the Mother Earth someday. But, humans of today only think of themselves not minding the environment around them. Sadly, some human beings hunt, eat and even illegally trade extinct animals for their own good. Hunting these types of animals is a very terrible act a human can do. People in authority should punish those illegal hunters so that others will not follow their bad actions. It is also important to construct the habitat of animals, especially extinct ones, in a safe place. Some people can be a volunteer to work for environmental agencies and associations which protect animals. Educating people about the importance of protecting animals is also needed and responsibility of people in the government administration.

Animals are human being’s friends and so let’s stay it that way. The hunters hunt animals such as tigers, reindeer, giant pandas, bears, birds and elephants for the reason to earn more money or just for fun and pleasure. They take the teeth of tigers, antlers of reindeer, paw of bears, ivory of elephants and animal’s fur. Because of these illegal hunters, the number of animals slowly declines. Humans need animals as animals need us, so let us promote animal conservation.

About the Author: Andrew C. Boone enjoys writing for Ghilliesuitshop.com which sells ghillie suits and Paintball Ghillie Suit as well as a host of additional products.

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Swan cake topper comes among the animal wedding cake toppers. Through these types of animal wedding cake toppers, you might find a depiction of a bride and groom riding in a graceful white swan on the day of their wedding. This could well be the perfect cake topper for your romantic celebration. Furthermore, such animal wedding cake toppers are collectible figurines that you will cherish long after the special day is over.

Glass tropical fish cake topper might be a charming cake topper for your beach and ocean theme wedding. These types of animal wedding cake toppers are made of hand blown or hand crafted glass with gold plating. Like most of animal wedding cake toppers, this sculpture will make an excellent table decoration as well.

Double tiered glass dolphin cake topper might offer you a traditional wedding feel with its lacy white skirt with white roses. In such animal wedding cake toppers, dolphins rise above the lace as if jumping out of the ocean. These particular type of animal wedding cake toppers are really great for those wanting to mix a beach and ocean theme with the feel of a more traditional wedding.

A hummingbird on heart with rose glass cake topper depicts two hummingbirds kiss a rose with a heart in the background. This cake topper is wonderful for a red roses themed wedding. John Deere bride and groom tractor cake topper is such a wonderful and precious piece which is designed just for the bride and groom. In such animal wedding cake toppers, each piece has terrific details and vivid colors and makes great use as a cake top or decoration.

Lovebirds on pink rose glass cake top will definitely polish wedding cake and will look particularly classy on a smaller sized cake tier. When you put such animal wedding cake toppers, your guests are certain to comment on this lovely piece of art with its hand-crafted glass accents.

Dolphin glass cake topper is a stunning cake topper which encompasses a pair of bottle nosed dolphins crafted of fine, hand-blown glass touching noses. With the putting of such animal wedding cake toppers, you are surely making your wedding a delightful experience altogether.

About the Author: animal wedding cake toppers – Stunning monogram and unique wedding cake toppers for all wedding and anniversary occasions.

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You are already familiar with some tracks and traces of animals and you know that if you want to observe animals or photograph them you first have to track down their crossings, runs, and drinking and feeding places. Here are some more examples of the traces left by animals.

These are droppings of a buck. The balls are drawn out at one end, pushed in on the other. These are droppings of a doe smaller and drawn out at both ends. Everywhere in the fields and woods, in stone piles, near holes in the ground, and around buildings there are tracks of the predatory weasel. The southern American weasel remains brown all year round, but there are other species whose fur in summer is reddish-brown on top, yellowish-white underneath and changes in the winter to completely white except for the end of the tail, which remains jet-black. The body of this animal is about 16 inches long, the tail about 4 inches. You can easily recognize the paw print of the otter by the webbed toes. Otters, found throughout the United States and Canada, live in burrows that have underwater entrances. Their droppings are full of fish scales.

Birdwatching

Birdwatching is a hobby that many people find absorbing. You too can spend fascinating hours tiptoeing through the woods hoping to glimpse the flash of a wing, or observing quietly from a window as birds cluster round a feeding station. You can probably recognize a few of the many different types of birds. There are many more you can look for and learn about. Do you know the difference between swifts and swallows? Swifts are frequently confused with swallows, because the way of life hunting from the air and the appearance of the two species are similar, but swifts are more closely related to hummingbirds and goatsuckers. Swifts are good flyers but their feet are weak and serve only for clinging to walls. Swifts cannot take off from the ground, so if you find an uninjured swift that has been “grounded,” simply throw it into the air.

Here are a few types of swifts:

The chimney swift nests in walls, unused chimneys, around towns. Has a shrill cry, “Sril-Sril.” Smokey black, light throat, tail feathers ending in bare spines, larger than any swallow. The white-bellied swift larger than the chimney swift, nests in cliffs and caves. Cries a piercing “Skree-Skree” or a trilling “Gree-Gree-Gree”. Brown on top, white underside with a brown band across the breast. The goatsucker (whippoorwill, chuck-will’s-widow, or nighthawk) this is also not a swallow soft, mottled plumage. About as big as a thrush. Nests hidden on the ground, stays on the ground or on a branch during the day. Lives on bugs and night moths. Cries “Dag” when flying, “Errrr-Oerrr” when resting.

And now a few swallows:

The bank or sand swallows nests in holes along steep river banks and in sandpits. Is gregarious (birds of a feather flock together) and generally lives in flocks near water. The cliff swallow nests in sunny spots on stony places or cliffs.

Many people have a hobby of Birdwatching. They love to listen bird’s chirping, watching them while making a nest or anything related to birds. For them camping is the best way to fulfill their desire.

About the Author: Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for http://www.1-scuba-diving-gear.com/ , http://www.campfuntips.info/ , http://www.goodbudgetholiday.info/

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Many people think that pictures of animals are just for children, but boy are they all mistaken. They might look at cute animal photos when they are small, but as they grow, they assume that, like cuddly stuffed bears, these pictures of animals are best left to childhood. Oh sure, trying to be cute, their boss might leave animal photos up around the office as a pleasant, if boring decoration, but no one ever thinks about these pictures at all. I really do think that this is a great shame. As a professional animal photographer, it should be no surprise that I like animal photos, but the reasons might be things that you have never thought about.

One of the greatest things about animal photos is that they really can capture any emotion that you can think about. People are often reserved about showing what is going on inside them, but reserve is not really anything that shows up too frequently among the members of the animal kingdom. In animal photos, we have the chance to see practically any emotion, from the tenderness of a mother cat caring for her young, to the fierceness of a lion pouncing for the kill, to the sly disdain of a baboon, leaving its friends behind for new fun.

Many people believe that we are not really seeing these expressions in animal photos, and that what we are seeing is just a reflection of our own emotions that we want to pin on animals, but anyone who has spent any time with animals at all knows that this is simply not true. When we look at animal photos, we are looking out at our own emotions, not because we put them there, but because animals are really very strikingly similar to us. Dogs really do feel loyalty and friendliness quite often. You can tell if you have a pet dog what the expressions in dog animal photos really mean. Cats really are quite evil and sneaky, not because their tiny, creepy eyes look that way in animal photos, but because that is their natural temperament. Animals are less intelligent than we are, and are more driven by instinct, but that does not change the fact that they feel real emotions the same as we do. It does not take animal photos to show most of us the truth of this statement, but looking at pictures of animals can help to confirm it again and again.

About the Author: For more information about animal photos, and other types of photos and photography please check out website at Photography Tips. http://www.allphotographytips.com

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Throughout time animal research has taken on many roles and has undergone many changes. As late as the 80s many internationally known cosmetic giants were still using animals to test their products on before being released for human use.

Once this practice was made public, it happened at a time when animals had gained a new respect with the general public. Non-profits popped up all over, with a single purpose on their agenda: stop needless animal testing which usually included unnecessary pain and mutilation and ultimately death. These organizations were quick to find photos taken in these labs depicting tortured bunnies and puppies, and these photos soon showed up in local newspapers, shocking animal lovers all over.

Even well into the 70s, a practice known as vivisection was widely used under the auspices of medical research. Vivisection showed a total disregard for the care and comfort of these animals used in research, and operations and all sorts of tests were performed without anesthesia. For animals who even managed to survive, they ended up back in their tiny cases and waited for their next procedure.

Although organizations and legislation have made many successful advances in controlling what amounted to needless torture, animal research does exist, but research facilities have been forced to move to areas where they can’t be monitored on a daily basis. There is still a belief that some research does require the occasional sacrifice of a few animals as further advances are made.

However, groups like PETA make it their business to keep track of who is doing what, to the point that some actually believe that PETA does more harm than good and has turned from animal protection to pure activism. Many people don’t see the difference and back all actions by these groups in the advance of animal protection laws.

Facilities and full fledged labs have all but disappeared from their usual places of businesses, and have been forced to move far away from civilization to take refuge in secure out of the way buildings, away from prying eyes and social activists.

Medical science has finally reached the point where animal deaths are not necessarily routinely necessary as part of their success. Many vaccines, serums and prescription drugs have been invented without the need to perform any type of testing or procedure that could be considered inhumane, although some organizations still feel that simply keeping these animals in cages for the sole purpose of testing is inhumane in and of itself.

One of the latest and most successful advances in medical and animal research is a form of genetic engineering. A type of cloning now allows an animal host to grow tissue, such as new ears or even skin, and have it successful transplanted onto its intended human recipient. Results are well received by patients and the mainstream medical profession; however, once the artifact is harvested from the host, the host (usually a mouse) must be euthanized. Once again, there are some patients who refuse this opportunity because of the necessary death of the host animal.

About the Author: Canada’s top science authority offers vast knowledge on a wide variety of Canadian research topics, including animal research and social science research. Expand your horizons and challenge your notions with space research. Knowledge is power!

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Animal research has undergone many updates and transformations of the years, and certainly within the past few decades. Even up until the 1980s many leading cosmetic giants were insisting that animal testing was necessary in order to prove that their products were safe for human use.

Many organizations came out of nowhere to help protect animals that were, in their eyes, being mutilated and killed needlessly in the name of beauty. These organizations quickly came to the defense of these animals and made certain that the general public was well aware of what was happening at these cosmetic companies by releasing photos of tiny helpless bunny rabbits that were blinded or even worse, for no good reason. Cosmetic companies were forced to find alternative means to test their products and now, all cosmetic companies carry disclaimers on their labeling to alert consumers to the fact that they do not engage in animal research.

Even up until the 1970s, companies involved in animal research were heavily involved in a practice called vivisection where animals were tested and forced to undergo painful procedures without anesthesia.

If an animal even happened to survive one of these “tests”, he was simply brought back to his cage to await what was in store for him next. The use of vivisection was quickly stopped by legislation once the public was aware of all this inhumane suffering.

Regardless of these updates, medical research still needs animal research, yet most research facilities have been forced to find labs where they work away from the public eye and avoid as much scrutiny as possible. No longer housed in the basements of large inner city teaching hospitals, labs have sprung up behind secure barriers literally in foothills and desert communities.

Groups and organizations such as PETA have used what some have referred to as aggressive and unsavory tactics in their self appointed role of animal protectors, but it is largely due to their relentless investigations and the willingness of the mass media to listen, that unnecessary animal research and mutilation has been almost wiped out.

There have been, however, successful and much needed advances in various diseases and conditions that have plagued man for eons, all due to animal research. Researchers have been able to discover research methods, however, that do not mandate the death or permanent maiming of these creatures and instead they have learned to create vaccines and serums that have shown great promise in many diseases from cancer to AIDS.

With all that success, however, comes a new form of research: genetic engineering. This focuses on many types of cloning for replacement body parts, internal organs and skin. One of the most common procedures involves the use of mice on which to graft and grow human ears. Although the procedure has provided some incredible results and has been well received by both the medical community and recipients of their new fully functional ears, it does involve the ultimate (humane) euthanization of the host mouse. Because of this, there are qualified recipients who choose not to undergo the procedure.

About the Author: People have been dreaming about creating new buildings and engaging in Engineering Canada for centuries now, along with animal research for learning more about the biology of creatures on this planet.

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Originally posted here: Animal Research Over the Decades

Working with animals is a dream for many people. It might seem like something that requires training and career orientation but that really isn’t so. Hobbies can be animal related. Anything you enjoy doing that involves animals is valuable in a multitude of ways. It takes a special type of person to work with animals, one that possesses patience and compassion.

Most SPCA organizations in any number of cities accept and need volunteers. The volunteers often do tasks like dog walking and playing with the animals within the care of the facility. It can be a stressful position but it needs to be done. Call your local SPCA or other animal shelter to find out how you can help. You might be amazed at the huge difference even just one person can make, plus it’s rewarding.

Offering dog walking services, either paid or free is a fantastic way to get some exercise while playing with the neighbourhood pooches. Many seniors or busy families may welcome this type of service. It allows you to spend quality time with several animals while on your own time and conditions. Pet sitting goes hand in hand with dog walking. Caring for animals is a big job but one that can easily be done by the right person.

Sometimes there is nothing better than a relaxing walk or hike. Take your digital camera along and capture pictures of all of the animals that you meet along the way. This is a fine time to start a bird watching hobby if you haven’t already. Alone time with nature can be a powerful and personal experience. For many there is simply nothing better than relaxing in a clearing, watching the birds and whatever else happens to come along.

One animal that is perfect for a number of hobbies is the horse. Horses are very dynamic creatures with a vast intelligence. Go out for a leisurely ride or learn how to do something a little wild like barrel racing. An old fashioned wagon is all it takes for a traditional hay ride in any season. A well trained horse will usually be safe for people of all ages, using proper safety equipment of course.

The training of animals is a full blown career for many but it often begins as a hobby. Start with your own animals at home by teaching basic obedience. If you find it to be something you have a knack for, consider a professional approach. Animal obedience training is always in demand.

There are countless animal charities and organizations that always need some kind of financial support. If fundraising is something you exceed at or would like to try, there is no better way to help needy animals than by ensuring they have much needed provisions. Many volunteers consider the work they do to be a hobby. They enjoy what they do because it makes a difference. Animal related hobbies are numerous. Take the first step in the direction that draws you for the hobby you can be proud of.

About the Author: There are as many hobbies as there are people who enjoy them. Learn more about the popular hobby of building and collecting dollhouses and miniatures. Visit our large selection of wooden doll house kits today at http://www.TheMagicalDollhouse.com.

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It’s so fun being a child nowadays. There are so many different kinds of toys. The computer and the Internet put the world at the fingertips. And they even have their own specially designed furniture–miniature beds, chairs, tables, toy chests, bookshelves, and clothes cabinets.

The Benefits of Specially Designed Children’s Furniture

But what’s so important about investing in children’s furniture? For one thing, it’ll actually be good for your child’s health. When they use a table or a chair that’s too large for them, they tend to hunch over, legs dangling uncomfortably, arms stretched just to be able to maintain their position without toppling over. This hurts their posture, leads to back pains and neck pains, and (if they fall) lead to injuries.

Young children can also hurt themselves trying climb up a chair or reach for a book on a high shelf. They can slip, break an arm, or have a pile of toys or books fall on top of them. Adult furniture may also have sharp corners or metal edges that can cut their small fingers.

Children’s furniture is made for children, and is perfectly built to their proportions. But there’s one thing, too, that children’s furniture can do–they can create magic.

The Magic of Animal Theme Kid Furniture

Children have amazing imagination and energy. They are constantly daydreaming, thinking of adventures, acting out the favorite characters in their book, or creating imaginary worlds (and imaginary friends to explore those worlds with!). They want to conquer the jungles of Africa, or explore every nook and cranny of the farm. They want to ride with the animals on Noah’s Ark, or even run away and join the circus!

Why not encourage their imagination and creativity by buying animal theme kid furniture? These beautifully decorated pieces instantly transform a boring bedroom into a jungle safari or a sprawling farm. Everywhere he looks, he sees cute and friendly animal friends: a bear, a lion, a black and white jersey cow. It’s like all the pictures in the books–or even the images that he’s created in his active mind–have suddenly come to life, thanks to animal theme kid furniture.

Our Favorite Animal Theme Kid Furniture

There’s a wide variety of animal theme kid furniture. All of them are adorable, functional, and meet all safety standards. Choosing which one to use in a bedroom is entirely your child’s personal decision (it’s best to get him involved). However, here are some of the top picks:

Noah’s Ark Toy Chest – This beautiful wooden toy chest has an illustration of the ark, done in vintage style. The white paint has been distressed to give it an antique look–perfect for a Victorian nursery or playroom. A giraffe and elephant wave hello and invite your little one to come and play. Truly one of the most charming pieces of animal theme kid furniture. Other options are the Safari Theme Toy Chest, also with a vintage feel.

Kid’s Slumber Barnyard Fun Sleeping Bag – He and his friends will be as snug as a bug in a rug in this sleeping bag! Be sure to own at least two of these, in case your child wants to hold a sleepover. The bright colors and charming illustrations of cows grazing in a field are the perfect compliment to he rest of your animal theme kid furniture. If your child doesn’t like farm animals try one decorated with funky looking reptiles and the words “Leaping Lizards!”

Noah’s Ark table and chairs – Your child needs a table for drawing, crafting and other activities. These green and blue animal theme kid furniture sets provide a comfortable work surface… and are, in themselves, works of art. We like the color theme, which gives options to parents who’d rather not use pastels or primary shades.

Safari Table and Chair set – The bright red and yellow colors of this set looks very modern and so are the simple illustrations of elephants, giraffes and zebras. These animal theme kid furniture are a good investment for parents who want the room to be fun yet not frilly.

Toad Stool Step Stool – No, not the mushroom, silly. This animal theme kid furniture looks like a green frog poised to jump. It is sturdy enough to hold your child as he steps up to get a book or toy, and fits conveniently under the bed or table. For those who need a higher step stool, consider the giraffe step stool. The animal’s long necks provide a handle for the child to hold and steady himself. These items can be bought separately or as a part of an animal theme kid furniture set.

Giraffe Clothes Stand – Always picking up your child’s clothes? Tired of the daily search for missing mittens and scarves? The giraffe clothes stands are a great way of decorating the hallway while teaching your child to put away her things. It can also be used to hold school bags.

Butterfly Cottage Playhouse – If your child prefers bugs, try these butterfly playhouse. The bright colors match well with most furniture (including the ones used by adults!) and the soft walls and window shutters won’t hurt him if he jumps or rolls inside. One of the cutest animal theme kid furniture. You can also get a Froggy playhouse and a Barnyard playhouse. We warned you it would be hard to pick which one you’d like best.

Completing the Look

After you’ve bought and set up your animal theme kid furniture, you may be so excited by how pretty it looks that you want to add additional accessories or design features. If space is a consideration and you may not be able to get really big animal theme kid furniture pieces, here are some decorating suggestions

Place toy animals and scatter in key areas of the room. For example, you can have a tiny group of stuffed monkeys peek from the corner of a study table or you can get an animal mobile (usually found in the baby’s section) and hang over the child’s bed.

Use animal stencils, sold in craft stores. Keep the color of the walls simple to let your animal theme kid furniture and accents take center stage.

About the Author: Wishrooms.com offers unique Kid Furniture for bedrooms and playrooms at affordable prices!

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Tomb paintings in Egypt and Mesopotamia depict pictures of stuffed animals that were used for both religious and play purposes. These early animals were stuffed with various items that were found around the area. The popularity of stuffed animals has never waned and has instead grown in popularity throughout the centuries. The development of stuffed animals has been refined. It started out with the toys being stuffed with straw, cotton and beans. Today, stuffed animals are commercially produced and come in every imaginable creature both real and fantasy.

Children love stuffed animals. They provide a sense of comfort and children can cuddle with them and play with them for hours. They are also educational and can lead to wonderful conversations with parents and older siblings about various species. It can also help children enact emotional situations to help them communicate with adults and come to terms with issues alone. The stuffed animals can become like close friends to children. The imagination will expand when children use stuffed animals in play.

Safety is always a concern for parents when buying any toys for children and stuffed animals are no exception. Stuffed animals, like any toy, should be age appropriate for the child. When buying stuffed animals for younger children, make sure the quality of the workmanship is sound so there are no easily breakable parts or loose seams that may pose a choking hazard. Eyes, nose and mouth that are embroidered as opposed to glued on are much safer for younger children because there is less of a chance of these items coming off. The stuffed animals should be easily washed and soft for cuddling. Younger children should have lighter toys that will be able to be manipulated easily and moved.

Stuffed animals for infants can be black and white such as a panda. As they grow, you can get more colorful ones so the children can develop tactile sensations and vision acuity. Older children enjoy the larger animals that spark the imagination. They can get lifelike animals they can play with and climb on. The stuffed animals prove educational opportunities, comfort and play.

Often parents can use a favorite stuffed animal to explain things to a child who may be afraid of it. For example a trip to the doctor can be acted out with the stuffed animal to show them exactly what will happen and show them that there is nothing to be afraid of. Saying it’s teddy’s bedtime and he’d like some company can divert a child who does not want to go to bed on time. The parent can tuck in the bear or other stuffed animal and the child will be more prone to go too just to be helpful. It instills a sense of responsibility and discipline in the child.

A child can learn about various types of animals. Although the teddy bear and sock monkey are among the most common types of stuffed animals, you can find every animal in a stuffed version. Your child can have a zoo in their room that can be used for imaginative play and education about animals. Parents can begin conversation, incorporating play with the stuffed animals, on origin, habits, care and feeding.

Fine motor skills can also be learned with stuffed animals. There are various animals that have clothing that you can tie, zip button and clasp so the child learns all about how to do those things for himself. This is a great way to play dress up with both the stuffed animal and the child. Children who have impairments can find stuffed animals with similar issues that can often provide comfort for the child. You can find them with hearing aids or in wheelchairs. Children can relate to these toys and use them during difficult times for comfort.

Most children have some stuffed animals in their toy collection and love them. They can be a great comfort when upset or when sleeping. Parents can interact with their children using stuffed animals that will bring a variety of various educational and communication opportunities. Always make sure when buying stuffed animals that there are safety precautions that are met so that no choking hazards are presented and that the child will be able to enjoy the toy without harm. Also when buying stuffed animals, choose a variety of different types so that the child is exposed to different species of animals. The teddy bear is the most popular stuffed animal but you can also buy lions, tigers, ducks, snakes and just about any animal you can imagine.

About the Author: Wooden toys are making a comeback in todays society. If your child is into stuffed animals we suggest one of our jellycat toys!

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Visiting an animal shelter can be an emotional experience for an animal lover. It’s difficult to see all the animals in their pens and not want to take them all home. Such feelings are understandable and commendable; however, just be sure that prior to adoption you consider all of the ramifications. And remember, your best friend is waiting for you at your local animal shelter.

Why are animal shelters always filled with animals waiting to be adopted? Well, lack of neutering dogs is a major contributor. Shockingly, it has been calculated that over a six year period, one female dog and her offspring will, if allowed access to male dogs at the relevant times, produce 67,000 puppies! Small wonder that there are more animals looking for homes than there are people who want to adopt them.

Sadly, some 6.5 million animals (mainly cats and dogs) are euthanized each year in the United States alone.

Given the above statistics, it goes without saying that adopting an animal can be a kind and loving thing to do.

But before thinking seriously about adoption, there are a number of things that you should consider.

Many of the animals awaiting adoption in shelters have had a very poor history. Some were abused, some abandoned and some were turned in because the owners had grown tired of the novelty, changed their lifestyle in a manner which didn’t include a dog, or simply didn’t have time for them.

A large number of shelter dogs have been left alone for long periods and some were never house trained.

So if you’re thinking of adopting a dog from an animal shelter, you need to be prepared to work with them.

Many adopted dogs will come to the new surroundings filled with fears based upon earlier mistreatment or the harsh rules of their previous owners. Some dogs will be reluctant to go from one room to another, will shy away when corrected and hide upon hearing a loud noise. New owners must be patient with them and speak to them softly and affectionately.

A shelter dog may be overly sensitive to your tone of voice or to any commands you may give them. You must be prepared to be patient. And you must be prepared to be loving to your new dog, without necessarily receiving any love or acknowledgment in return. Dogs are reasonably intelligent, and they will gradually come to understand their new environment and show their appreciation for your loving care.

When shelter dogs finally realize that they can trust you they will likely reward you with more affection and loyalty than you can imagine.

Adopted dogs are subject to all of the behavioral problems commonly associated to dogs in general. These would include digging, jumping up on people, jumping fences, barking and nipping. There are proven solutions to all of these “offences.” If your dog is prone to digging, and always digs in one area, there are a number of effective repellent sprays that work well. If he digs under your fence, a little buried chicken wire works wonders in breaking that habit. Spray bottles filled with water should be kept at hand to break a dog from jumping up and to combat incessant barking. A quick spritz in the face immediately following, or during, the offensive behavior will usually bring about a quick behavior modification.

If thinking about adopting a dog, you should be prepared to deal with the prospect that your new dog may not be completely housebroken. Previous owners may have been irresponsible in their approach to this training, and/or the change of environment to the shelter coupled with the trauma of being abandoned (in whatever circumstances) by its previous owner, may have resulted in the dog continuing to do its “business” right in its pen.

Housetraining is not a relatively straightforward training issue which should not deter you from adopting a dog. Crate training is recommended to assist in this training, and walking your new dog and letting him out in the yard several times a day will also help. Fenced yards and doggie doors are minimal expenses and are essential if you have a dog.

Adopting a dog as a companion for a small child is not recommended. A dog is not a toy and should never be treated as one. Small children must be trained to understand “animal etiquette”. In other words, animals are not to be hit, dragged, ridden or teased. But with shelter dogs in particular, small children may not be safe around them.

Children should be taught that being overly aggressive with a new dog, especially one recently adopted, could cause the dog to react by biting or running away. If feeding and exercising the dog is to be the responsibility of a child, an adult must follow up and take ultimate responsibility for the dog.

About the Author: Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with two dogs of her own. Brigitte runs two websites about various aspects of dog care. Request your special free report on improving your dog’s health here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com or here: http://www.Dog-Health-Care-Information.com

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Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=18381&ca=Pets

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