Odd Calico-Colored Lobster Caught

For those of you who love to eat lobster, you might think that the crustaceans sport the bright red coloration they do after being cooked.  That's not the case.  There are many different species of lobster, but the ones caught in U.S. waters and most often eaten here are the American lobster (Homarus americanus).  While living, American lobsters are typically a dark red-brown color with lighter red mottling.

Rarely, a blue lobster is caught in a lobster trap.  Recently an even rarer color pattern has been making news: the calico.

Captured off the coast of Maine, this odd creature surprised everyone with its extremely unlikely coloration.  It's quite stunning to look at.

The lobster was captured along with its normal-colored brethren and purchased by chef Jasper White’s Cambridge Summer Shack restaurant, where one of Chef White's staff noticed it while cleaning the 1,200 gallon lobster holding tank.  

Luckily for this lobster, who has been dubbed "Calvin," its oddity has spared it from the cook pot where it was orginally destined to end up.  It's now living at the New England Aquarium for the Biomes Marine Biology Center in Rhode Island, an ocean education facility. 

Experts at the aquarium estimate that only one in about 30 million lobsters are calico, making Calvin an animal oddity indeed!

Photo by Tony LaCasse/New England Aquarium. 

Can My Dog Conquer Agility Training Courses???

Any dog, no matter what breed, would definitely benefit from being involved in agility training.  This not only exercises the body, but it also refreshes and stimulates your dog’s brain.  Of course, it also benefits the dog owner in the same manner.

Is your dog the star of the Dog Park and does he/she move around like a speeding bullet?  Does he jump like a jackrabbit or does he simply run around the back yard or house like the Road Runner!

You might be able to attribute this energy level to his breed or his personality.  Either way, he’s got to use it.  You can choose to commit to plenty of outdoor playtime or you can make the most of that gift of energy and get him/her involved in dog agility training.

Dog agility is more than a growing trend.  It’s an outlet for your dog’s natural, instinctual habits.  It’s a timed even, consisting of a roadmap of several obstacles, which your dog is asked to negotiate in a particular order, without fault and under a judge-determined time limit. 

Imagine, in the wild, dogs are required to chase and kill prey.  When doing so, they will hurdle rocks, slip under fallen logs, teeter on natural bridges, climb sheer slopes and squeeze through thick brush.  Considering the hardy survival of the canine population in the wild, we can deduct that they’ve been considerably successful in chasing them down and catching those little critters!

The attention that you require from your pooch will strengthen his bond with you, reinforce basic obedience commands and improve his communication abilities.  The physical demands will increase endurance, improve coordination and improve overall health and fitness.   This will also improve his off the training course habits as he will be tired and less active inside. Of course all this exercise improves the owners help and well-being also!

So, get going and start your dog agility training today!  We at FurryPetStore.com have a starter kit to initiate your new venture or we sell single equipment pieces. Good luck and as always, consult your veterinarian prior to starting any intense training.

Kitties are Nocturnal

     It is normal for cats to be nocturnal and play or be active at night.  One cure is to not let your kitty use where you are sleeping for their playground.  Try to shift their active time to later in the evening or later in the morning.  Just don’t punish your cat for doing their normal activity at night and try to praise him/her for doing their activities when you are awake.

     Some owners may think that waking up to play with your cat is one way to get him tired and give him the attention that you think he wants.  Not true.  Your cat is seeing that as a reward that you are playing with him at night and he’ll keep up the behavior.  Some owners will get up and feed them, thinking that food will calm them down, but the cat sees this as a reward and will repeat the behavior. 

     We need to change your cats schedule to the day shift instead of the night shift.  It’s not as hard as it sounds.  Instead of watching TV and letting your cat sleep during evening hours, get down on the floor and play with your cat.  Get toys or use homemade ones like a paper bag or a shoe lace to drag around.  “Cat Dancer” is a fantastic toy that most cats love to play with.  The idea is to keep your cat from sleeping later into the evening.  This will help him sleep more at night.  The more regular your cats routine is, the quicker that he will adjust.  Also, if you see your cat sleeping when you’re awake, wake him up gently and insist on playing at this time.  Just keep it up on a regular basis for about 10 days to 2 weeks.  If you don’t keep this up on a regular basis and your cat keeps waking you up at night, then you’ll have to start all over again.  Remember, it’s not your cats fault and do not punish him.  Just train him on a regular basis for about 2 weeks then your sleep should not be interrupted.  Your cat also will become slightly sleep deprived if you keep waking him up to play and his circadian rhythm or biological clock will reset itself to when you’d like him to sleep. 

     Just be careful to keep giving your cat the love and attention he/she needs and wants and give your cat plenty of scratching posts, cat condo furniture and cat beds so that your cat has a place  of his own to feel safe and secure.  We at FurryPetStore.com can certainly provide those things.  Check it out today and good luck with your furry friend!

    

Important Reasons for Having a Dog Gate

  It is always recommended that a proper area be provided specifically for your pets even inside the house. One of the major reasons is the safety of both the dogs and the individuals.  Safety is the most important reason for installing a dog gate, whether it is directly concerned or indirectly concerned and to avoid any accident or mishap.  Sometimes dogs like to steal food or drinks from your guests and/or their human family members, which can be an embarrassing problem.  

  Another reason is if your dog is having an issue health wise.  If  he or she is left unattended or free to roam the house, the dog might infect other pets or if possible, other humans.  So in order to avoid the spread of any infection or disease, proper dog gates should be provided and if necessary, keep the dog in a confined area.

  It is very important also to keep your dog and his food in a confined area of the house.  You don’t want him/her to spread food throughout the house as this may bring unwanted pests into the house.  It’s just not sanity to have food scattered about.  This brings us to the next point.

Cleanliness is another factor without using dog gates.  Dogs, if left to roam about the house can cause unhygienic and other cleanliness problems, especially if the owner leaves the pet by itself for a period of time.  

  So, in summary, the above reasons should help you decide and encourage a pet owner to install a dog gate and to choose a location suitable for you and your pet.  At FurryPetStore.com we offer many different styles, sizes and colors to choose from.  Check it out today!!