How many pets allowed in homes?

How many pets do you think should be allowed in homes?

The number of animals allowed in homes differs in every county, town or individual homeowners' association.

Though there are many governing bodies that has ordinances addressing the number of domestic animals - dogs, cats and other pets - a person may own, for you how many pets should be allowed for every home? and Why?

Some counties, like Lake County, allow homeowners in unincorporated areas who live on between half and one acre of land up to four cats and four dogs. In Palatine, three animals are allowed. Other communities set the limit at two pets per home.

But while numbers vary, most officials agree some restrictions are needed for the health of the animals and humans.

Komondor dog

The Komondor dog or Komondorok is a livestock guardian dog breed that originally came from Hungary.

Females Komondor measures 27 in/69 cm at the withers while the male Komondorok measures 27 inches at the withers but many are over 30 inches tall which makes the Komondor dog one of the larger common breeds of dog. People who are unfamiliar with the breed are often surprised by how quick and agile the Komondor dogs.

The Komondor dogs has long, thick, uniquely and strikingly corded white coat. the Komondor dogs has the heaviest amount of fur in the canine world that looks like dreadlocks or a mop. The puppy coat is soft and fluffy. However, the coat is wavy and tends to curls as the puppy matures. The dreadlock looking coat is formed naturally from the soft undercoat and the coarser outer coat combining to form tassels, or cords. These cords are formed naturally as a result of the soft, wavy undercoat intertwining with the coarser outer coat. The length of the cords increases with time, as the coat grows. Shedding is very minimal with this breed, contrary to what people might think. Heavy shedding only occurs when this breed is in puppy stage. The Komondor is born only with a white coat, unlike the similar-looking Puli, which is usually white or black, or sometimes grayish. However, a working Komondor’s coat may be discolored by the elements, and may appear off-white if not washed regularly.

Komondor temperament is calm and steady when things are normal just like the other livestock guarding dogs. But in case of trouble the dog will leap to defend its territory. Komondor was bred to think for itself and many people find it very intelligent as well as extremely affectionate with its family and friends and gentle with the children of the family. They are wary of strangers but will accept them when it is clear that no harm is meant. It is very protective of its family, home and possessions. They Komondor will instinctively guard his family, home and possessions without even any training. The Komondor dog breed has great speed and power and will leap toward a predator to drive it away or to knock it down. The Komomndor can be used successfully to guard sheep from wolves or other predators.

Because of the Komondor’s size, power, and speed, its owner must have it under control. Obedience training is highly advised specially at at early age around 4 - 8 months. Komondorok are usually intelligent and take well to training if started early. Komondorok become obstinate when bored, so it is imperative that training sessions be upbeat and happy. Praise is a must, as are consistent and humane corrections and make sure that any unfriendly or hostile behavior will not be tolerated because it will always think such behavior is appropriate. Therefore, consistent corrections even with a young puppy are necessary to ensure a well-adjusted adult Komondor. Socialization is also extremely important. This dog breed should be exposed to new situations, people and other dogs as a puppy. Because it is a natural guard dog, a Komondor that is not properly socialized may react in an excessively aggressive manner when confronted with a new situation or person.

Given the proper environment and care, a Komondor can become a very responsible and loving dog. They are devoted and calm without being sluggish. As in any breed, there is quite a range of personalities, so your needs should be outlined clearly to your breeder. Your experienced breeder can help you identify personalities that will be suited to be an independent livestock dog or one which can be a good obedience dog or family pet. Adolescence can be marked by changes in a Komondor’s temperament, eating habits, trainability and general attitude.

Komondorok do not suffer many heredity problems. Perhaps because the breed has descended from centuries of hardy working stock, Komondorok have few genetically linked problems. Like retinal eye problems found in other breeds, nor is there dwarfism or hereditary blood disorders.

Japanese Spitz

The Japanese Spitz dog is small and completely white breed of dog. This breed is thought to have been bred from the Siberian Samoyed for smallness beginning in the late 19th century in Japan. The Japanese Spitz dog breed were introduced to the United States in the 1950s. It is very similar to the American Eskimo Dog and German Spitz in size, overall appearance, and temperament.

A typical Japanese Spitz usually weigh around 15 to 20 lb (7-9 kg), fully grown, and stand 11 to 13 inches (30 cm with a tolerance of 3cm either way) off of the ground at the withers. They have a thick under-layer coat that is always pure white. The tail of a Japanese Spitz is covered with long hair and is carried curled over the back. The coat is short on the bottom half of the legs and feathering on the forelegs.

Grooming a Japanese Spitz is actually easier than what new owners may think. Many new pet owners concerned about the white fur coat of Japanese Spitz because it looks hard to look after but actually when they get muddy once the mud dries it will just flick off leaving the coat looking as good as new again. This breed have small and pointed upright ears and the muzzle tapers slightly. Another notable feature of this breed are the large oval eyes are dark and slightly slanted, and the nose and lips are black. The face of the Japanese Spitz is wedge-shaped.

The Japanese Spitz is intelligent, playful, alert, and obedient. They make good watchdogs, and they’re fairly easy to train as long as the owner is consistent. They’re quick learners. They’re excellent with children and have the patience for toddlers. They are able to easily get along with other dogs and pets. Proud, affectionate, and very protective of their masters, most Japanese Spitz are suspicious of strangers and will not hesitate to bark at new people until they get to know them.

Japanese Spitz typically live from 10 to 12 years if well cared for; in rare cases they might live as long as 16 years. Find a good breeder, otherwise they can be born with diseases or abnormalities. Before buying a Japanese Spitz try to find out when the last litter of pups were

10 Animals Facing Extinction by TIME

The TIME cited 10 animals that are currently facing extinction If we dont do something to stop their diminishing numbers.

Greater Bamboo Lemur
Found only in a small area of southeastern Madagascar, the greater bamboo lemur eats not only bamboo shoots — despite the cyanide found in the plant. The most endangered lemur in Madagascar, less than 200 are believed to still exist.

Celebes Crested Macaque
This black macaque is found only in northwestern parts of Indonesia, mostly on the island of Sulawesi — also known as Celebes. It is often hunted as a pest — it can devastate farms — and for bushmeat.

Lowland Gorilla
Found in central Africa, the lowland gorilla has been all but wiped out in recent years, thanks to widespread hunting — the meat is an expensive delicacy — and disease, including from the Ebola virus. Rapid deforestation is also destroying their habitat.

Madagascar Fish Eagle
Madagascar is known as the hottest hotspot, both because of its rich biodiversity, and because deforestation and other threats are destroying wildlife on the island. The Fish Eagle, found in highly limited numbers along the west coast, is no exception.

Vancouver Island Marmot
The rodent is one of the most endangered mammals in North America, with less than 40 individuals found in an area less than 10 sq. km. Logging is most likely the cause of its diminishing numbers.

Black Rhino
The population of the black rhino declined by 90% over the last six decades, thanks chiefly to poaching. But since the mid 1990s — when fewer than 3,000 of the African rhino existed — the population has increased steadily, and now there are over 4,000

Iberian Lynx
Believed to be the most endangered mammal in Europe, the Iberian lynx, found mostly in Spain, has fewer than 150 individuals in the wild. It's dying out because its main source of food — a rabbit — is also declining rapidly.

Mindoro Dwarf Water Buffalo
Found on the Philippine island of Mindoro, the dwarf water buffalo was once widespread, but now is found in less than 300 sq. km. The chief threat is expanding farmland, which is cutting into the water buffalo's habitat.

Baiji Dolphin
Also known as the Yangtze dolphin, and found in the river in China, the Baiji is the most endangered cetacean in the world. It may already be extinct.

Siberian Crane
The gorgeous bird breeds in arctic Russia and western Siberia, but thanks to severe wetland loss, it is declining rapidly.

source: TIME

So... what was the last thing that you did to help Mother Nature?

Technology helping pet lovers to become better pet owners

It's amazing what technology can do nowadays. More and more pet lovers today are looking for ways on how they can make their responsibilities easier and to have more quality time with their pets. With the help of technology they find ways to do achieve this. Here's a good article from cbc.ca that shows how technology is slowly helping other pet lovers and revolutionize how we take care of our pets.

It's no secret that we are all way too busy. We commute an hour or more to work, get home late and barely have time to eat dinner before the 11 o'clock news starts. Little wonder, then, that we simply do not have the time to refill Sparky's water dish or change Mrs. Kitty's litter box.

To deal with growing time pressures, pet owners are increasingly seeking out gadgets and other technologies to ease the burden of their pet-related chores. As Julia Hsueh, owner of San Francisco's Furry Tales pet store says, why clean out litter boxes if you don't have to?

Pet owners, however, aren't looking to hire a robotic maid or adopt mechanical playmates like Pleo or Sony's line of mechanical Aibo dogs. They're looking for practical solutions: automatic feeders and water fountains, indoor potty surfaces, self-cleaning litter boxes and warming pads. Owners are also picking up battery-operated toys for entertaining their furry friends when they're away from home.

"People like the companionship [of pets], but they don't have the time or want to take the responsibility for taking care of them," says Hsueh. And owners are always looking to ease their chore-wheel burden. "Let the machines do the dirty work so you can just have fun with your dog," is the owners' mantra, Hsueh says.

In the U.S., you can find a pet in 71 million homes, according to data from the American Pet Products Association. Between dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, fish and everything in between, Americans own a combined 382 million pets, and owners spent $41 billion US on their charges in 2007. Almost $10 billion of that was spent on supplies and over-the-counter medicines alone.

John Simmons, publisher of Pets magazine, says people are getting interested in pet tech as part of a general growing interest in their pets and a desire to take good care of them. "More and more, they are a household member [rather] than just a pet," he says.
Play safe

Beyond convenience devices like "bark collars," which use everything from shocks to squirts of water to teach a dog to stop barking, owners are using technology to ensure their pets' safety.

Invisible fences and microchipping have been around for years, but both products are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Simmons says. Owners are also equipping pets with devices that will alert them to pets dipping into the family pool, for example. Some even treat their pets as surrogate children and have resorted to spying on their animals during the day with webcams to make sure they're safe and happy.

You can always turn to social networks to set up play dates for your pet with other pets. Dogster and Catster, sites that started out as a way to share photos of beloved animal companions, are now repositories of information on everything from grooming to finding veterinarians in foreign countries.

Now nearing a combined 1 million members, the sites have even become places to plan real-world meet-ups. On Dogster, about 100 West Thailand Terriers united recently in South Carolina — with some pets and owners traveling from as far as six states away.

Indeed, pets are no longer creatures you just keep in the backyard and rarely see.

"It used to be [that] the dog was kind of around and someone would often forget to feed it," says Dogster chief executive Ted Rheingold. "Now they have a family-member relationship. When you make plans, you are thinking about what you're going to do about Sparky."

And that's where technology can step in and lend a helping hand.

source: www.cbc.ca