Cat of the Week: The Manx

http://www.catencylopedia.com/MANXCAT.htm

    Now, if you were to ask most cats, this is of course if cats could actually talk, what one of their biggest pet peeves is they would probably answer that they hate it when little kids or dogs yank on their tail.  I mean the tail of a cat isn't a lever, it has feeling and it probably isn't very comfortable to have it tugged at.  Most cats cannot control there tail not being pulled on very easily but there is one breed that can because it is tailless.
    The Manx is a stocky and rounded cat that weighes about 8 to 12 pounds. These cats have a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years. The Manx has a rounded head as well as rounded cheeks, paws, and eyes that can be the colors of blue, green, or copper.  These cats can have either long or shorthair and come in various colors including red, blue(a grayish tone), cream, brown, black, and white.  They can be either solid in color or can portray a variety of patterns including a calico pattern.  Probably the most noticeable feature of this cat would be its lack of a tail.  This trait is caused by a dominant gene.  There are some Manx's though that have a stump for a tail, or even a full tail.
    The Manx originated in the Isle of Man, which is located off of the coast of Great Britain.  They descended from the British Shorthair .  The lack of a tail was due to a mutation that caused the cat not to develop the bottom vertebrae that creates the tail.  Due to no outside breeding for many years and it being a dominate trait this characteristic became common among these cats.  Because of this "funny" trait there are many myths out there about the origin of this cat including one that says that the cat's tail was cut off when Noah closed the door to the Arc.
    These cats are very mellow and friendly and will love to cuddle.  They are often compared to dogs because of their love to follow their owners around and because of other dog-like characteristics like fetching and burying toys.  They even can be trained to go outside on leashes sometimes. If you are thinking of adopting a Manx be sure this is the cat you want because they develop a bond with their owners and do not always do well if they are given up and put in another home.  These cats can be very playful and love to jump around.  The Manx is a curious cat and will like to investigate and see what you are doing.  These cats do great with children because of their good temperament, but some older Manxes may prefer to have a quieter house.  These cats are very smart and purr a lot.  They don't need an excessive amount of grooming, but may occasionally need a brushing to remove loose fur and to cut down on shedding.   If you want a friendly, playful, and curious cat this may just be the breed for you!

Info from:
http://www.catsplay.com/thedailycat/2003-06-09/facts_briefs/brief_manx/brief_manx.html
http://www.catfacts.org/manx-cat-facts.htm
http://www.petmd.com/cat/pet_lover/MM_5_funfacts_manx_cat
http://fanciers.com/breed-faqs/manx-faq.html#temperament
http://catfactsparadise.blogspot.com/2008/08/manx-cat-breed.html

Trick or Treat!

   When you hear the phrase Trick or treat you probably think of things like: "Wow it's almost Halloween, the year went fast." Or "I can't wait to put on my costume and eat lots of candy!" or maybe even, "Darn it! I forgot to buy candy!"  What ever comes to mind when you hear that phrase, we all know that it is Halloween time.  A time when young, and probably even not so young kids dress up in scary, funny, or cute costumes of animals, ghosts, and the latest movie characters and go door to door ringing the doorbells and repeating for the hundredth time that famous phrase of, "trick or treat!" in exchange for delicious sweets that will later be feasted upon resulting in a sugar rush, stomach ache and a hard crash.  We all, young and old, have enjoyed this day of the year.  But have you ever thought of when or where trick or treating started, and maybe even why it started? Well, lets explore the tradition a little and find out!

    Halloween is a holiday that is celebrated by numerous countries all around the world. The world Halloween actually translates to "all hallows day", meaning "all saints day" which is what I guess you could call a type of "Halloween" observed in countries like Mexico.  It is a catholic tradition that honors saints on the 1st of November.  October 31st came into play because the Celtic, Ireland summer officially ended on that date and marked the Celtic New Year. 

    There are many thoughts to the actual origin of trick or treating but one thought is that it dates back to a ninth century tradition in Europe referred to as "souling." Christian beggars would travel door to door and beg for soul cakes, pieces of bread made with currants, and in exchange for the bread would say prayers for the givers dead relatives. In that time it was thought that those prayers may help a family member obtain passage to Heaven.
    Another theory is that during Samhain (Celtic New Year) druids feared that the dead would play tricks on people, so the citizens of the town would give food to the druids in order to please the dead and avoid the terrible tricks.
    Over time idea of trick or treating has evolved and in the 1930's it was introduced to the United States.  It was not super popular among adults at first, but being that its been around for over 70 years now, the ideas seems to have caught on.

Info From:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/trick-or-treat.html
http://vygotsky.ced.appstate.edu/all_about_me/Halloween/History%20of%20Trick%20Or%20Treating.htm
http://www.halloweenishere.com/history.html

Picture From:
http://www.savingwithshellie.com/2011/10/07/halloween-candy-coupons/

Breed of the Week: The Great Dane



http://novathedane.blogspot.com/p/great-dane-info.html

    When you hear the name Great Dane I'm guessing that two particular dogs comes to mind, Marmaduke; the big and funny dog in the comic strip drawn by Brad Anderson and Scooby Doo; the Great Dane who loves Scooby snacks from the popular mystery show that was created by the Hanna-Barbara production studios in 1969.  We all love that classic comic and show, so let's take a deeper look at the Great Dane.
    Just like Marmaduke and Scooby Doo, the Great Dane is gigantic. They can be anywhere from 100 to 120 pounds and stand about 28 to 32 inches off of the ground.   The Great Dane has an average life span of about 8 to 10 years.  They have a short, thick, and glossy coat that can come in a wide variety of colors and patterns including black, fawn, blue, brindle, and harlequin, which is white fur with black splotches.  Great Danes have long bodies, and long faces with rectangular muzzles. They also have high set, medium sized ears that hang forward unless cropped.
    Dogs resembling the Great Dane have been thought to date back all the way to B.C. times.  They are a mix of the Bull Mastiff, the Greyhound, and the Wolfhound breeds.  They were known for their strength, as well as for their hunting and guarding abilities. The Great Dane breed was first recognized in 1887.
    Great Danes are giant teddy bears. They are a gentle breed of dog and would make wonderful companions.  Great Danes are very friendly and do very well with children. Although, it is important to watch them around young children, not because of their temperament, but because of the huge size difference between the child and the dog.  Great Danes want to please their owners and love being their friends.  The Great Dane can be playful, but surprisingly will do well in almost any home; including apartments.  The important part is just to make sure to give them their daily exercise like a walk.
Great Danes are not huge barkers and are pretty easy to housetrain.  They are average shedders and a brushing every once in a while may help to take out the loose hair.  The only challenging part of grooming a Great Dane is giving them their baths due to their size.  Overall, the Great Dane is an extremely friendly and gentle dog that would make a great pet and companion.

Info from:
http://www.justdogbreeds.com/great-dane.html
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/greatdane.htm
http://www.nextdaypets.com/directory/breeds/1100130/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna-Barbera
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scooby-Doo

Cat of the Week: The Scottish Fold



  The Scottish fold is medium sized cat that is rather round.  They can be anywhere from 6 to 13 pounds and generally live 12 to 14 years.  They have large and round wide spaced eyes that can be blue, green, or gold.  Scottish Folds can have either long or short hair and can come in the colors of white, lavender, chocolate, or a mixture of these colors.  The most notable characteristic of this type of cat is its ears.  They are small and folded over flat against its head. The folded ears are caused by an incomplete dominant gene and it must be present in one of the parent cats to pass on to its offspring.  Kittens are actually born with straight ears and a couple weeks after birth the ears either fold or they stay straight.

    The Scottish Fold was discovered in 1961 by a shepherd named William Ross in the Tayside region of Scotland.  The breed was first called a lops because they resembled the lop-eared rabbit, but the name was changed in 1966 to Scottish Fold after the place of their origin.  These cats were first brought to the United States in the early 1970's and were registered by the Cat fanciers association.

    The Scottish Fold makes a wonderful pet.  They adjust well to other pets and do great with children.  They are very sweet and love to be around their families.  Scottish Folds have a tiny little meow and are not known to be extremely vocal.  They are a calm cat that would do well in almost any household.  The Scottish Fold does shed some, but like most breeds an occasional brushing can help remove some of the loose hair.  If you are looking for a friendly cat that would do well in a house full of animals or children then the Scottish Fold is definitely the cat for you.

Info from:
http://www.catsplay.com/thedailycat/2003-03-10/facts_briefs/brief_scotfold/brief_scotfold.html
http://www.kinrossfolds.com/cattery/sffacts.html
http://www.pluspets.com/cats/cat-breeds/scottish-fold.aspx
Picture From:
http://beautiful-catpictures.blogspot.com/2010/01/scottish-fold-cat-breed-photos.html

Crazy for Chocoate Chip Cookies!





 When you want a cookie, there are so many types to choose from. You could have a sugar cookie, a peanut butter, a m+m cookie, or...so many more different types of cookies that you can't even name them all. Out of all of the cookies in the world I feel that you just can't go wrong with a good old homemade chocolate chip cookie.  I would have to say that personally these are my favorite types of cookies, especially when they are warm and fresh out of the oven.  They are ooey and gooey and melt in your, with warm, soft chocolate chips that melt in your mouth. It is like taking a small bite of heaven and it is impossible to only eat one. Have you ever wondered though how these delicious cookies came to be? Who made them and how did they think of the idea? Well, I went on the internet and did a little research to find out.

  It all started with a woman named Ruth Graves Wakefield.  She graduated from college in 1924 and became a dietician.  Some time later She and her husband purchased and ran a tourist lodge that was called the Toll House Inn.  Ruth became known for the delicious desserts she made and one of her favorite ones to make were Butter Drop Do cookies.  One day when Ruth was baking a batch of Butter Drop Do cookies and she realized that she was missing baker's chocolate and it was needed for the recipe.  She decided to substitute the ingredient with a semi sweet chocolate bar that she broke up into little pieces. The chocolate bar happened to be made by another famous person in the food industry, Andrew Nestle who owned the Nestle Chocolate company.  When Ruth went to bake the cookies she found that the chocolate pieces did not melt into the cookie, but only became softened and warm.  These cookies became a hit at the inn though and eventually led to Andrew Nestle and Ruth Wakefield making a deal. Mr. Nestle would print the recipe on the back of the chocolate packaging and in return Ruth was given a lifetime supply of chocolate.  this is how the nestle Toll house cookie that we still love and eat today came to be.  One of the best cookies in the world was a total accident, but probably one of the most delicious accidents to ever happen.

Info from:
http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventors/a/Chocolate_Chip.htm
Picture From:
http://kitchen-goddess.yumsugar.com/Original-NESTL-TOLL-HOUSE-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies-2691185

Breed of the Week: The Saint Bernard



http://www.pluspets.net/saint-bernard-wonderful-pet/

     Everyone has probably heard of the big dog named Beethoven. He is the large, cute, clumsy, and lovable dog on the big screen; but, it may surprise you that this dog was not bred to be a movie star.  According to http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/Breeds/st-bernard.html, the Saint Bernard is originally descended from ancient Roman Molassion war dogs and guided the soldiers on their invasion of the Alps.  Over time these dogs were crossed with the Swiss dog and walla! The Saint Bernard was created.  But, still not to be a movie star.  These dogs were used to haul heavy carts, herd and guard. One of the most important jobs of the Saint Bernard was to rescue people on the dangerous pass connecting Switzerland to Italy.  It even gets its name from the refuge on the mountain called the Hospice of the Great Saint Bernard Pass.  Saint Bernards have a wonderful sense of smell and could smell people stuck under many feet of snow.  These dogs are very talented and have saved many lives.  In the 19th century these dogs were shipped to countries in Europe and to the United States and that is when it became a family dog and eventually a movie star.
   These dogs are gigantic and can weigh anywhere from 110 to 200 pounds! They are very muscular, making them a very strong dog.  They have large heads with shorter and wider muzzles.  They usually have a big black nose and dark brown eyes. They have droopy ears, big paws, and a large thick tail.  They can have either a long or short coat that comes in variety of colors including white with, tan, red, mahogany, brindle, black or a mixture of these colors.
    The Saint Bernard makes a great family dog.  They are wonderful with children and are very gentle.  They do well with other pets and usually just ignore cats.  These dogs can be harder to train due to them being more independent so it is important to start training early because you don't want such a big dog forming bad habits.  Although they can be hard to train, housetraining usually is fast and easy which definitely is a plus.  These dogs are very loyal and will become protective of their families. They love being part of the family and will want to be included in all of the activities and to be close to you. These dogs do need both physical and mental exercise to keep them healthy and from getting bored, although they don't always want to exercise.  In order to make it fun for them it is important to include yourself in their exercise by either walking them or playing with them.  These dogs do shed a lot and do drool but you can minimize some of the shedding by brushing them often. The Saint Bernard is also sensitive to the heat, but do okay in the cold so it is important to be careful when they are out in the hot sun to make sure they don't get overheated.  Saint Bernards are fun, lovable, and even movie stars and will make a great addition to any family that will love a gigantic dog with a gigantic heart.

Info from:
http://www.justdogbreeds.com/saint-bernard.html
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/saintbernard.htm
http://www.dog-breed-facts.com/Breeds/st-bernard.html

Cat of the Week:



http://www.cat-rescue.org/siamese-cat-photos/



    The Siamese cat is one of the oldest breeds of cat.  They are famous for their roles in Disney movies like That Darn Cat and in Lady and the Tramp singing we are Siamese.  The Siamese cat is a medium sized cat with a long, sleek body and matching long tail. They have short hair, angular faces, and typically have blue eyes.  They have light colored fur that darkens on the ears, face, paws, and tail.  They have an average lifespan of fifteen or more years.

   The Siamese cat originated in Siam (present day Thailand) and were thought to be very sacred.  Siamese kittens would be given as gifts and that was considered to be a great honor.  The Siamese cat was first exported towards the end of the nineteenth century.

    The Siamese cat is known to be a very noisy cat and will definitely state their opinion.  These cats love to be around people and will become very close to their owners.  It is important that if you want a Siamese cat that you make sure to have enough time to give them. If you work quite a bit maybe consider getting two cats so that they have a companion to play with during the day.  The Siamese cat is a very smart cat and also needs to be kept mentally occupied with toys so that it doesn't get bored.  These cats are very social and will love laying your lap and cuddling with you.  They don't shed very much and they require little to no grooming. Although it is not a necessity Siamese cats may still enjoy a good brushing every once in a while.  So if your looking for a cat that is playful and compassionate then I think that the Siamese might just be the cat for you.

Info from:
http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Facts_About_Siamese_Cats
http://meow-cats.com/siamese-cat/
http://www.catsinfo.com/siamese.html
http://www.petplanet.co.uk/petplanet/breeds/Siamese.htm