MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Hello, my Fellow Animal Enthusiasts!

And a VERY Merry Christmas Eve & Christmas to you all!! (I can't believe it all begins tomorrow!!!! Ah!!)

Which brings us to our brilliantly talented and wonderful (just as they are!) featured animal today:

Reindeer (Caribou)

Though these GORGEOUS creatures may not fly around the entire world in one night...they DO migrate during the winter to warmer places where food is more plentiful; they do it every year! 

And they may not have elven friends (well, most Reindeer are domesticated Caribou, so I suppose their human care-takers are THEIR elves. :P ) BUT they do stick together in large herds. The largest and most famous being The Porcupine Caribou Herd of North America with almost 125,000 members!! All travelling about 400 miles together every year!! SO cool!! :D

Their coats change color and thickness for both the Spring and Winter. Their winter coat is actually HOLLOW, like a human-coat, to hold in heat!! How cool is that!?

And BOTH sexes grow massive horns!!!

They ALSO have the widest feet of any deer; serving as big snowshoes for the Arctic snow!!!

AND calves are born already VERY mobile and able to run MILES...just HOURS after being born...not for delivering toys, mind you, but to run from predators (as they aren't spotted like other deer). Gotta love Mother Nature!! :D

Well, there you have it, folks!! Our Reindeer may not be the same as Santa's...but I think they are pretty damn special and deserve to be acknowledged for their own magical qualities!! :D 

And as Christmas occurs...the new year approaches. Goodbye 2015...hello a 2016 FILLED with joy, furry-critters, and love all around!! I wish it for each and every one of us!!

Wishing you FANTASTIC and safe and happy holidays this week, readers! Stay awesome!!

All the very best,

-Al :)

Hello, December!!

Hello, my Fellow Animal Enthusiasts!

December of 2015 is HERE. Can you believe it!?!? I'm not ready!!!

Well...I AM ready for snow (New York City is WAY too hot still!!)...but the year can't be over yet!! Haha...BUT...this is still a great time of joy and holiday cheer! And due to all the rabbit-guests we've recently had at the job; I've been thinking of the wild day-old bunnies my friends and I rescued from a lawn-mower on our college campus, and of all the baby rabbits that live near my parents (that they are ALWAYS aware of when pulling out of the drive-way. :) ), and of ALL the birds, cats, dogs, squirrels, rats, and aaaaalll the critters my family and friends have saved and helped over the years, and will continue to! It's a great time to be thankful and give and care for those without a voice...and I'm happy to do my part everyday! :D

ANY-who, haha...bit of a holiday-tangent there. :P Let's meet the bunny-guests I've had the pleasure of caring for recently! :D 

I LOVE Bushwick The Rabbit!! So Beautiful!!

Snowball Is Well Trained...And SO Soft!! :D

George Is SET UP!! :D He Has Such Personality!!

And on the topic of rabbits and December...I thought I'd do a segment today on the EXTREMELY gorgeous and fascinating creature...

The Snowshoe Hare

These b-e-a-utiful hares are a bit larger than rabbits and have longer hind legs and ears (like most hares), but the specific Snowshoe Hare is so named due to the pattern that their particularly large and furry back legs leave in the snow, as they are made to quickly and easily move atop the snow in the winter!! AWESOME!! :D

Their coat also changes from golden-brown, for hiding in the brush during the spring and summer...to bright white for hiding in the snow in the winter!! It changes on every hare, every year!! It takes about ten weeks for the coat to completely change color... ...SO cool! I wish I could camouflage myself like that... ;) 

Which it's GREAT that they can hide so well and move so quickly...as they have MANY predators...including the lynx, fox, coyote, and birds of prey. These little guys gotta run!! (And of course...they themselves are total herbivores...feeding at night on trees and brush. :) )

Though they primarily live in Northern regions and near mountain ranges, they can survive in many different climates...AND they only need their mother for ONE MONTH before they can start living on their own!! These furry beauties are SMART and adaptable and just great creatures! Nature is pretty badass sometimes, isn't it?? ;)

I know that the holidays, for some of us, have already begun (and are almost over!) and for some they are getting closer and closer!! Whatever you may celebrate, I hope you have a FANTASTIC holiday season and enjoy being with your beloved family members; of ALL species!! (And maybe some of you will get lucky and see a Snowshoe Hare in the snow this winter! :D ) May your holidays be FILLED with human-&-animal-love!! 

I hope you have a FANTASTIC week, readers! Stay awesome!!

All the very best,

-Al :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Hello, my Fellow Animal Enthusiasts!

Thanksgiving is TOMORROW!! And as I'll be caring for approximately 80 dogs, 20 cats, 3 bunnies, and an African Grey Parrot...I thought I'd wish you all a happy holiday today! :)

And in honor of this holiday (also known as Turkey-Day!) I thought I'd try and make us morally-conflicted animal lovers feel a bit better by focusing on the majestic Wild Turkey (free from domestication and extra fattening and our greedy grasps like the Domestic Turkey; which I too am very guilty of enjoying...) and learn a little something about this wild & misunderstood beauty!! :D

THE WILD TURKEY

Turkey's are EXTREMELY smart and social creatures; much like dogs in their affection with each other! They each have individual voices and can recognize each other by the vocal differences (SO cool!!). They are also GREAT with directions and geography! They can memorize the precise details of areas over 1,000 acres large!! Brilliant little birds, they are!

And quite colorful as well! Not only can the male's feathers be a multitude of colors (sometimes even very similar to peacocks!) but the bare skin on their neck and head also changes to varying shades of red, blue, and white based on their level of distress or excitement!! (AWESOME!!!)

Wild Turkey's can even fly!! Oh, yes! They have anywhere from 5,000 to 6,000 feathers; and by-golly, they know how to use 'em!! :P They can fly at (up to) 55 mph! Only at short distances...but still...that's better than I can fly! (...please forgive me for that... ;) ) They actually primarily roost in trees! Amazing! The more you know! :D

It's been fascinating learning about these majestic creatures! Benjamin Franklin actually wanted the Wild Turkey to be the National Bird of the United States! And, I mean, we all love our Eagles...but I think the Turkey would have done a stellar job too! :P 

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving; and appreciate, love, and enjoy your turkeys and any and all of the delicious food you consume with family and friends this holiday!!!

I hope you have a FANTASTIC week, readers! Stay awesome!!

All the very best,

-Al :)

Winter Is Here!

Hello, my Fellow Animal Enthusiasts!

With less than 2 weeks to Thanksgiving (Oy!! Where did the time go!?); winter is officially upon us! (You know...unless you're a Northern Mockingbird...the State Bird of Florida...anyone?? :P ). Which, for some, is a bummer...BUT, if you are one of our featured animals today...you are WELL prepared for the winter, and probably love it! That's right! Today, we discuss... the beloved husky!!! :D

But not JUST the Husky! More specifically, we'll discuss the differences between Huskies and Malamutes, and even those less known Husky-family breeds! This post is brought to you by two guests at Woofs' N' Whiskers:

Tara: The Siberian Indian Dog!! (Can't Wait To Discuss This One!)

And Kobi! NOT A Malamute; But A BIG-BEAR-Of-A-Husky!! :D

You can already see the difference between those two; in the ear-shape, size of the head, body-length, and fur-growth...but let's not get ahead of ourselves! :P Let's first have a more in-depth look at...

THE SIBERIAN HUSKY

Siberian Huskies; GORGEOUS, of course! Hailing from (yup, you guessed it!) Siberia; originally developed by the Chukchi people of Northeastern Asia as endurance sled dogs; taken to Alaska for the races...and were loved by all!!

They are VERY loyal and loving and very much family dogs! They generally love and trust most people and other dogs. (Not much a guard dog, I'm afraid. ;) ) And though incredibly sweet; they have a decent predator instinct and will still chase after anything small (so look out, kitties!!)

They love big families and are FANTASTIC with kids; they really are a great dog for a kid to grow up with! :D

And, of course, they LOVE to run!!(And generally really love snow!!) So colder climates are best for these pups, and big outdoor spaces so they can get all that beautiful energy out safely!

They are truly fantastic pets; my Mom loves 'em, understandably.
GO HUSKIES!

(Oh, and Balto?? That story is completely based on real events...because huskies are heroes...and I love that dog...he's my idol!!)

And now... a VERY close brethren of the Husky...

THE ALASKAN MALAMUTE

The B-E-A-UTIFUL and powerful Alaskan Malamutes are one of the oldest Arctic sled dogs; developed by Eskimos after their ancestors came over from Siberia (with the huskies!) and settled in the Seward Peninsula (Yeah! ;) ) They were trained to pull heavy sleds loaded with food and camp supplies AND to hunt seals for food and chase away (and kill!) polar bears that tried to raid the camp!

Therefore; they are also VERY family and people oriented (and not the best guard dogs either!); but have MUCH stronger predator instincts than their Husky-brothers...and do best in a house by themselves without other dogs or any smaller animals. (Sorry, kitties!!) 

They are super strong, playful, and energetic! Also pretty fantastic family pets; as long as they are respected and allowed independence! And might be a wee bit less inclined toward kids than Huskies; but will still easily fall in love with the right kid and be their best pal forever!! :D 

And, of course, you can see the physical differences between Huskies & Malamutes; the ear placement, the snout shape, the tail, and the fur growth as well. 

Very similar, and both AMAZING dogs...but they also have their differences; that are always good to be aware of...I love them both!! :D GO MALAMUTES! 

And now, for the more unique...

SIMILAR WINTER/WORKING BREEDS:

The Siberian Indian Dog; As Previously Modeled By Tara. :P A cross-breed between Siberian Huskies and Native American Indian Dogs! A pretty perfect combination! :D

Native American Indian Dog! A gorgeous family-oriented breed developed by the original Native Americans and one of the first companion dogs (not wolves!) on the North American Continent! Awesome!!! :D

German Indian Dog! A cross-breed between The Native American Indian Dog and The German Shepherd! :D

And We Can't Forget The Beautiful Samoyed Dogs!! Yeah! Also originating from Siberia and used for pulling sleds and hunting; and ALSO  a very skilled herding dog! :)

I find this breed of dog just FASCINATING and truly love them! Even with all the beautiful varieties; they each have such spunk and personality! (And huge hearts!) They are really fantastic animals and I highly recommend adopting ANY of them for your family! (Especially if you live in a year-long-winter climate...like, say, Montana...)

Speaking Of Which; MY Childhood Husky; (Mixed With German Shepherd!) MYSTERY!! Enjoying her snow! Love You, Girl! :D

And with that, readers...

Until Next Time!! :D

I hope you have a FANTASTIC week, readers! Stay awesome!!

All the very best,

-Al :)