Your very presence makes his tail wag, his eyes light up, and his feet do their happy dance. Now if that's not unconditional love, what is? Your dog adores you, no doubt about it. That's because you're the leader of his pack. And although his loyalty to you knows no bounds, he also craves contact with other dogs.

Leader of the pack

The pack drive is made up of two main components: dominance and submission. Your dog may take on either role in the park, but at home it's important that he defer to you, the one he should perceive as the leader.

In your leadership role, you need to be thorough and consistent when it comes to training. Your dog needs to know you're the leader. And as such, he must be submissive to you. If you send signals that show weakness, he'll dominate you every chance he gets—and that behavior may translate negatively to his interactions with you as well as with other people and other dogs.

The intelligent green-winged macaws (Ara Chloroptera) are inquisitive about everything and exceptionally interactive with people. Green-winged macaws have only become readily available as pets in the last decade.

The greenwing's scarcity was attributed to the fact that wild-caught green-wings were difficult to breed and the availability of domestic-bred babies lagged behind the demand. The green-winged macaw is now commonly kept in captivity and understandably popular, along with the blue & gold (Ara Ararauna), scarlet (Ara Macao) and military macaw (Ara Militaris). They adapt easily to new surroundings. As with all the large macaws, they quickly become members of the family.

Because of their intelligence and ability to learn quickly, they are prone to mischief. They interact socially in a variety of settings and are much larger than either a blue-and-gold or a scarlet macaw. Along with the Buffon's (Ara Ambiqua) and hyacinths (Anodorhynchus Hyacinthinus), they are the largest of the parrot family. The greenwing is sometimes confused with the scarlet macaw, which, aside from being smaller, is brighter red and has a yellow patch on its wing.

As dog lovers, there's an image we all love to see: a happy dog playing confidently at the dog park with his friends and enjoying the company of the people he meets throughout his lifetime. Many of us take this desirable behavior for granted because our pets are social and outgoing. But to dog owners with canine wallflowers, this remains a dream.

Why isn't my dog social?

Many dogs experience shyness due to certain experiences in their past, such as being mistreated and abused. One of the most common causes of shy behavior is a lack of exposure to new people and places at a young age. Dogs that remain confined to a limited area, and that aren't given an opportunity to meet people and other dogs, are likely candidates to become timid.

To develop a healthy attitude toward socializing, dogs also need the example of an owner who leads the way during the puppy's formative years. That’s why shyness is a common personality trait in dogs that move from owner to owner frequently in their lifetime. Dogs look to their owners to be the "alpha dog" of their "pack," and to guide them safely into new and stimulating situations. Without that type of leadership in their lives, dogs may become timid and skittish when introduced to things outside their immediate familiarity.

The Jack Russell is one of the most popular dogs in Europe. You see them everywhere: stumpy ones, grizzled ones, smooth-coated, leggy ones and the occasional specimen with an endearing patch over one eye. These much-loved dog vary considerably in size, color and coat-type, but you still know a Jack Russell when you see one. Yet these dogs don't officially exist.

The Jack Russell is one of a handful of dogs that is readily identifiable as a breed but exists outside formal Kennel Club classification. The Parson Russel Terrier is the only variety of these tenacious terriers to hold the correct paperwork for a turn in the Kennel Club show ring.

It's best to tiptoe carefully around the Parson 'Jack' Russel Terrier, the 'Jack' has now been dropped officially; nothing to do with the dogs, of course, it's the owners that might bite. This jolly little character is one of the most controversial issues in dog world. One author on working terriers comments, “No other dog has led to so many disagreements and conflicts between various owners.”

Devotees of the pedigree Parson believe that strict adherence to Kennel Club breed standards is essential for the breed's integrity. The working terrier fraternity often has other ideas. But some have other ideas.

Is there anything worse than getting scratched by a cat? Well, yes, but it's particularly stinging when it's your own cat that;s scratching you. It's as if your furry best friend smacked you in the face – it hurts! It hurts your skin, and it hurts your feelings.

Indeed, scratches between cats and their owners – particularly when they are regular occurrences – can result in frustration, anger and, worst of all, resentment, the ultimate downfall to any good relationship. Simple put, they should never happen, and, what's more, they don't need to. There are ways to keep your cat from scratching you, and they're not as complicated as you might think.

Preventing a cat from scratching begins at, well, the beginning. 'The earlier you socialize a cat, the better,' explains our cat behavior expert. 'There's a socialization period between 2 and 7 weeks old that's really crucial for kittens, and the more they're handled during that time – especially by more than one person – the more willing they are to accept handling by humans later on. So if you rescue a cat from a shelter and you don't know what his history is, that cat may never have been socialized, or the previous owners may have handled the cat too roughly. That cat may scratch.'

These words shouldn't be too hard to swallow for the average cat guardian hoping to avoid scratches. They just mean you should hold and pet your cat as frequently as possible while they're adorable little kittens – a habit that is going to be pretty hard to resist doing anyway?

Crash! Splash! Squeal! Dash! Nun dropped her hairbrush as a furry missile streaked past. Mornings had sure gotten crazier since Thewy entered her life! As Nun hurried along the trail of wet paw prints to check on her little renegade, she made a mental note to add another item to her ever-lengthening “Thewy-proofing” list: Keep toilet lid down.

“Look at your kitten as if she were a toddler,” suggest a veterinarian in her neighborhood. The behaviors you encourage and reward early in life can help shape your kitten into a well-behaved, confident adult – the feline companion of your dreams – or a poorly civilized, unpredictable, ankle-biting terror stomping on your chest at 3 in the morning demanding breakfast.

Make Plans

Throughfully planned, consistently applied strategies for keeping your kitten safe – and you sane – can also discourage unwanted behaviors and encourage acceptable ones. Before your kitten comes home, the whole family should agree on your house rules. Where will you place the litter box? Will you allow the kitten on kitchen counters? On furniture? On top of the computer? In bedrooms? On beds? Consider family members' wishes and tolerance levels, other pets' needs and the kitten's health and safety.

Guinea pigs originally arrived in Thailand from South America. The 'pig' in their name stuck because of their grunting and squeaky sounds. Children have adored then as pets because they love to be cuddled, don't scratch or bite, and thrive on company. But are guinea pigs the right pets for your kids?

Two guinea pigs can get along without fighting, even over food. They are surprisingly agile despite their chubbiness. They love to climb and enjoy the view from on high. Newborn guinea pigs are fully developed, able to run, and eager for solid food.

But how to choose the right one?

Cats come in dozens of recognized an mixed breeds and individual characteristics that can vary significantly even within a litter. However, a few general tips can help you focus on your search for the right kitten.

Longhair vs. Shorthair

The long, flowing, even coat of the Persian or Himalayan typifies feline glamor but requires frequent grooming. Other longhair breeds, such as the Turkish Angora, require less intensive care. However, if grooming your cat is a chore rather than a pleasure and you can't pay for regular professional grooming, consider a shorthair breed. Shorthairs might not resist the temptation to pull at a longhair cat's fur.

Talkative vs. Quiet

The long, sleek, slinky Oriental breeds define elegance for some. Siamese, Abyssinians and Oriental Shorthairs might delight owners with their friendliness and athleticism. However, they crave more attention than some people can give. Some, but not all, of these cats like to “talk” nonstop. If you need peace and quiet more than action and entertainment, consider another breed.

The average cat needs proximately 29 ml of water for each halve a kilo of body weight per day. This water can come in several forms, including water in moist food, drinking water and metabolic water. Canned cat food include up to 80 percent water, and cats eating these foods might not need to drink much additional water to meet their daily needs.

Cats solely eating dry foods, however, drink much more. Also, the metabolism of the food in the body produces more water, but generally provides only approximately 10 percent of a cat's daily need.

When we brought Thewy into the veterinarians office right after we adopted him. As model cat owner, we wanted to ensure the health of our new shorthair tortoiseshell tabby cat but we unsure if the kitten had received any vaccines or preventive care. The veterinarian started with the basics. The veterinarian's assistant weighed Thewy and took him temperature. The Vet assistant took a fecal sample to check for parasites and a blood sample to test for feline leukemia.

While these tests were running, the veterinarian began on Thewy's examination. Thewy didn't care to be examined, so the veterinarian took things slowly – starting out with toenail trim. Next, the veterinarian gently swabbed his ears to check for mites and combed his coat to check for fleas. Although his ears were clean, the veterinarian found flea dirt in his coat, and the veterinarian said he would apply something to kill the fleas.

Thewy appeared in good general condition, his eyes clear, her gums nice and pink. The veterinarian estimated his age at about 4 months old, because he was starting to teethe. The vet also listened to his heart and lungs and found these organs normal. I knew Thewy would dislike the next part of the examination – abdominal palpation. The veterinarian gently began to press his fingertips into Thewy abdomen and feel him liver, kidneys, intestines and bladder. His protested a bit, but the veterinarian could feel everything he needed to.