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 :)

HAPPY (BELATED) HALLOWEEN!!

Hello, my Fellow Animal Enthusiasts!

Much has happened since my last post...one of those great things being... ... .... HALLOWEEN!!! :D

And, boy, was it a GREAT one!!! I had my usually spectacular Hallows Eve tradition (a B-E-A-UTIFUL cultural event that takes place in a Cathedral on the Upper West Side!). And meanwhile, on the very same day...many animals in the world were celebrating being very close to NOT having to wear their costumes anymore! :P

And so...I bring you...

THE WOOFS N' WHISKERS COSTUME PARADE:

Hektor The Spidey-Dog!!

Shep The Hot-Dog!

Bourbon Loves Her Pumpkin Costume!

Chopper Does NOT Seem To Love Her Pumpkin Costume! ;)

Sophie; The Baller!

No...NOT A Cat In A Black-Cat Costume...But Ebony Deserves To Be
Featured; She Makes Halloween GREAT!!!! :D

And also in honour of Halloween (and my incredible friend who introduced me to this great animal!) ...I have decided to do a little Tid-Bit-Tribute to an animal we all may have seen photos of...but don't know much about. In fact, it's the only poisonous primate (it's venom can kill with one bite and there is currently no cure!)... ... yup! You guessed it:

The Slow Loris

These adorable creatures are FASCINATING and quite deceiving! Though not typically vicious (unless in defense of course, like we all can be!) they actually produce poison from their teeth, much like Cobras! They use this for protection from predators for both themselves and their young; by actually licking the toxin ONTO the FUR of their babies in order to protect them! SO cool!! 

(And I wouldn't mess with them!! ;) )

Though, very sadly, people DO mess with them and they are a huge target for hunters and traders due to their apparent (traditional) medicinal properties and exotic nature; many of them painfully pulling their teeth in order to avoid being bitten...BUT, some much better folks are ON IT and working on saving the 

Slow Loris: check it. :D

I LOVED learning about the Slow Loris!! They are nocturnal and very slow but VERY stealthy and STRONG!! They will hold their grip for HOURS when stalking prey! And they ARE very gentle and peaceful by nature, as they appear, but when provoked or threatened...LOOK OUT. And that's my kinda animal, folks!! And I thought a good feature for After-Halloween! ;)  (Thank you, my great friend, for the introduction! :D )

We'll Cover This Species Next Time... ... :P

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

All the very best,

-Al :)

What A Week!

Hello, my fellow Animal Enthusiasts!

Al's week began (traditionally...) on Sunday, with a GORGEOUS wedding of best friends; followed by GREAT days at work, and seeing Deaf West's production of SPRING AWAKENING (a big hit for Al in the musical world!) with an INCREDIBLE friend!! Theatre and animals are finally balanced in my life...and it's truly magical. And so, of course, I must give a shout-out to my friend's favourite animal: The Pig. :)

YAY, Friends!! :D

THE PIG

Very misunderstood creatures, with many surrounding myths; pigs are very clean and VERY smart! (Animal Farm, anyone?? :) ) But really!! They have a higher intellectual capacity than dogs and most 3-year old human children! :D

They only roll in mud when they are hot; if they are cooled off and inside; they are cleaner (and hair-free!) than most animals you could have (which is partially why they are becoming very popular house-pets...and they're just adorable!! ;) )

Pigs are omnivores; they can be found in almost every part of the world and can survive in most environments! (Rare and Remarkable!!) In the wild they will eat everything from leaves and fruit to rodents and even small reptiles!! :D They can grow to weigh anywhere from 300-700 pounds! And they can live up to 27 years! (At least 12!). And they always stick with their family!

In short: Pigs are extremely smart, loyal, adaptable, respectful, and loving animals. Ya gotta love 'em!

"Cats look down on you; dogs look up to you; but pigs look you in the eye as equals." 

-(THE) Winston Churchill

Pigs are truly fantastic creatures, and they are a great choice for a #1 animal! (I'd LOVE to have one as a pet in my far future! ;) ) Please feel free to comment if you'd like me to focus on YOUR favourite animal; it'd be my pleasure! :D 

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

All the very best,

-Al :)

And We're Back!

Hello, my fellow Animal Enthusiasts!

I GREATLY apologize for the hiatus. It has been a crazy couple of weeks: I have moved to Harlem!! I am now officially a Manhattanite; and it's truly exciting! My new Roommate is FANTASTIC, we've been pals for almost 2 years now, and she will definitely be getting another shout-out today, just you wait! :D

Hurray For Friends!!!

And, of course, The World Of Woofs N' Whiskers is still furry and fantastic. There are MANY b-e-a-utiful animals that I've been honoured to spend my days with these last THREE weeks (yikes!!). So let's not lollygag any longer! :P

How Do Ya Do, Hank??

Peanut Butter & Ajax...Great Names & GREAT Dogs!

Winnie!! Love You, Girl!

The Beautiful Babette; Soaking Up The Sun While She Can!

Blues The Bird! Representing Other Species! Yeah!

ZILLA!!! The Beautifully Blind and Rough & Tough!! I LOVE THIS DOG.

A VERY Happy Nelson!!

Don't Worry Tahoe; The Toy Is Yours! :P

OPPA!! And Her Kick-Ass Mohawk!! 

Good BOY, Keyser!! We're Getting MUCH Better At-The Fetch! :D

Interrupting Simmy's Me-Time For A Great Photo!

The Beautiful Diamond Has A New Home!! You Deserve It, Girl!

Hello, Eleanor! You're Truly Awesome!! :D

A Blurry & Fabulous In-Action Shot Of Moss & Ozzy Playing...THANKS BOYS!!!

Ozzy; Taking A Well-Deserved Rest!

And NOW...we have arrived!! It's time FOR: Al's #1 Love Of The (Last Three) Week(s): ... Who IS:

HAFEZ

Hafez LOVES To Play Fetch!!!

Even The Rain Won't Stop Hafez!!! (Nor Al! ;) )

What A GORGEOUS Dog!! Thanks For The Great Photos, Buddy!!

This Beautiful Whippet Has Forever Stolen My Heart.

In spite of all the moving madness, these last three weeks have been GREAT!!! And in the midst of our New-Roomie conversations; animals, of course, came up, and her favourtie animal is... ... (VERY important here, folks!)...*drumroll*... ...A POLAR BEAR. Yeah!! And so...in honour of this New-Roomship; here is a special shout-out to Polar Bears! Please enjoy. :D

THE POLAR BEAR

Polar Bears are FASCINATING creatures that have many myths about them; and much of what is "common knowledge" about Polar Bears is actually untrue. (Which I find incredible!)

For Example; Polar Bears and Penguins do NOT live in the same area; Penguins live in Antarctica and Polar Bears are actually found at the opposite pole in The Arctic; 60% living in Canada! The more you know! :P  Check it!

Fun Fact: Most Polar Bears are ambidextrous! Meaning; they use both front paws equally in everything they do. Much the same way an ambidextrous human can write with both hands. Many people think they are left-pawed; but, in fact, they're even more super-powered than that! MYTH-BUSTED. :D

And, the most important "fact", POLAR BEARS ROCK. They are seriously great animals; vicious & powerful, but very protective and family-oriented. Great choice, New-Roomie!! :D

I hope you've enjoyed this weeks post, readers!! My apologies, again, for the delay. Now that I'm finally settled in and Home-In-Harlem, I don't expect it to continue! :P Oh, also! I've turned another year older since my last post (I honestly keep forgetting...). It's time for a new year and a new life!

Bring It On.

Have a GREAT week, readers! Stay awesome!!

All the very best,

-Al :)