Posted under Petpedia by oahupet on October 10th, 2010 8:50 pm
One of the more popular breeds of bunnies is the super-cute Holland Lop. As their name would suggest, they were originally bred in the Netherlands in the 1960′s and would easily be the second most popular breed of rabbit today (Netherlands Dwarf being the most popular).
Holland Lop rabbits are closely related to the Netherlands Dwarf having been crossed with these and the French Lop originally. They are sometimes referred to as the ‘Netherlands Dwarf Lop’ although this is not a name (or breed) recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
Holland Lops range in size from around 2 3/4 to 4 pounds so are by far the littlest lop on the block. They are bred to look much stockier than they actually are and many people are surprised to feel just how light they are when they pick one up.
How To Spot Holland Lop
These Lops are a very unique looking breed and easy to spot. Of course they have the cute-as-a-bug floppy lop ears (which should be short and wide) but their most distinctive features are the prominent crown on their head (the part between their ears) and small compact body. Their body should be twice as large as their head, compared to a commercial body type where the body is three times as large as the head.
They fall into ‘normal fur type’ and ‘compact body shape’ categories. They are officially recognized in over 20 colors but you’re most likely to see them in White, Black (either broken or solid) and tortoise shell.
Personality
When it comes to personality, Holland Lops shine! While every bunny is an individual these lops are generally friendly, calm and very inquisitive. They are the extroverts of the bunny world and like to be the centre of attention.
Many bunny owners swear that their Holland Lop loves to snuggle and play more than most buns so it’s easy to see why they have become so popular.
Holland Lop rabbits are a great choice for family pets. Their personality and size makes them easy to handle, and their unbearably cute looks make them hard to resist. A great choice!
Abbey Mitchell and is a long-time animal lover and rabbit enthusiast. Visit her site RabbitsForPets.com for a complimentary copy of her Pet Rabbit Secrets mini course. You’ll learn rabbit secrets that you won’t find anywhere else on the web!
Posted under Petpedia by oahupet on October 9th, 2010 8:53 pm
Scottish Fold Cats have distinctive folded ears which bend forward to lie against the head. These medium sized, rounded cats have a short neck, large round eyes, sturdy legs and a large fluffy tail.
Characteristics
The coat of a Scottish Fold Cat is medium in length, soft and dense with hair that stands away from the body requiring very little grooming. These cats come in most colors and patterns.
All Scottish Fold kittens are born with straight, unfolded ears that do not begin to crease until about 21 days. Most have just one crease, but due to selective breeding some cats have a double or even triple crease that causes the ear to lie totally flat against the head.
The Scottish Fold body type is medium sized with the males weighing in at 9-13 lbs, and the females weigh between 6-9 lbs. These cats have round contours; their bodies appear round and padded with short muscular legs, their heads are domed at the top, eyes are very round, wide set and large, and their noses are short and rounded.
Temperament
Scottish Fold Cats have a sweet nature and gentle temperament. They are sociable and good with children, but also quiet and self-contained. Due to their reputation as loving companions, they are highly sought after as pets and are somewhat pricey compared to other popular cat breeds.
Brief History
The original Scottish Fold cat was a white, long-haired female cat found in a barn on a farm in Perthshire, Scotland in 1961. She had two kittens born with folded ears, one was adopted by a neighboring farmer and cat-fancier named William Ross. Mr. Ross, working with geneticist Pat Turner, started the Scottish Fold breed of cats. In three years they produced 76 kittens, 42 with creased ears and 34 with straight ears.
It is important to note that Scottish Folds cannot be bred to other Scottish Folds due to the danger of an inherited crippling bone problem. However the gene that causes creased ears is dominant, so Folds can be bred with straight-eared cats.
Due to the fear of ear problems such as infection, mites and deafness, Scottish Folds were not accepted for showing in Great Britain and Europe. Eventually this breed was exported to America where it was established by cross breeding with British and American Shorthairs. And, other than a problem with wax build-up in the ear, the initial concerns of ear mites and infections have proven unfounded.
Care and grooming of Scottish Fold cats ought to be kept up as any other housecat; good nutrition, regular play and veterinary visits. For more information of your favorite furry pets visit: lovefatcats.com
The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie and sometimes as the Shetland Collie, is a breed of dog in the pastoral dog group, resembling a miniature Rough Collie. Shelties are family-oriented dogs that can be as at home in a flat in a town as in a house in the country. They have a thick double coat that can come in many different colors and patterns. They are vocal dogs, with few health problems; among those they are prone to are hip dysplasia and thyroid problems. They are very good house and family dogs. A sheltie is very protective and good with children if properly socialized with them while it is a puppy. Despite its name the Shetland Sheepdog is only remotely connected with the original herding dog of the Shetland Isles, instead deriving mainly from a mixture of the Rough Collie with several toy breeds.
Coat and Colours
Shelties have a double coat, which means that they have two layers of fur that make up their coat. The long, rough guard hairs lie on top of the thick, soft undercoat. The guard hairs are water-repellent, while the undercoat provides relief from both high and low temperatures. There are three main colourations: sable, which ranges from golden to mahogany; tri-colour, made up of black, white and tan; and blue merle, made up of grey over other colours.
Bi-Black (white and black) and bi-blue (white, black and grey) are less common but still acceptable. The best-known colour is the sable, which is dominant over other colours. Shaded, or mahogany, sables can sometimes be mistaken for tri-coloured Shelties due to the large amount of dark shading on their coats. Another name for a shaded sable is a tri-factored sable and white. This name comes from the breeding of a tri-colour to a sable and white, or a tri-factored sable to another tri-factored sable. Another acceptable colour in the show ring, but much less seen, is the sable merle, which can often be hard to distinguish from regular sables after puppyhood. The sable merle would have patches of dark brown on a light brown background, as compared to the black and gray of a blue merle.
There are two additional coat colours that are quite rare because they are unacceptable in the breed ring. The colour-headed white (majority of fur white, with the head ‘normally’ marked) can occur when two white-factored dogs are mated. Double merles, a product of breeding two merle Shelties together, can be bred but have a higher incidence of deafness or blindness than the other coat colours. There have been reports of a brindle Sheltie but many Sheltie enthusiasts agree that a cross sometime in the ancestry of that specific Sheltie could have produced a brindle.
Height and Weight
The breed standard for height is from 13 to 16 inches (33 to 41 cm). A measurement outside this range will result in dismissal from the conformation ring, and three dismissals result in the dog being banned from any more conformation classes. Shelties normally weigh around 14–25 pounds (6.4–11 kg).
Temperament
The Shetland Sheepdog is an outstanding companion dog and is intensely loyal. It is lively, intelligent, trainable, and willing to please and obey. Shelties are loving, loyal, and affectionate with their family, but are naturally aloof with strangers; for this reason Shelties must be socialised. Some can be quite reserved. Shelties do well with children if they are reared with them from an early age; however, their small size makes it easy for a child to accidentally injure them, so supervision is necessary. Exercise caution when considering an adult Sheltie for a family with young children; they may not be compatible.
Shelties are vocal dogs. They are intensely loyal, affectionate and responsive to their owner; reserved but not shy or fearful. Some shelties display a terrier-like personality, which tends to be hyper, and always on the go; however, this temperament is not sanctioned in the breed standard. Some Shelties can be very timid but this temperament is specifically discouraged by the breed standard. Tendencies towards shyness can be reduced through proper socialisation. The average Sheltie is an excellent watch dog, giving alarm barks when a person is at the door, or a car is in the driveway.
Activity level
The herding instinct is strong in many Shelties. They love to chase and herd things, including squirrels, ducks, and children. Shelties love to run in wide-open areas.
Shelties usually love to play. They do best with a sensitive, attentive, owner. The Sheltie is, above all, a herder and likes to be kept busy, although their activity level usually coincides with their owner’s level. Shelties also are very smart, making them highly trainable. Shelties are very good with children. Neglecting a Sheltie’s need for exercise and intellectual stimulation can result in undesirable behaviors, including excessive barking, phobias, and nervousness. Fortunately, the reverse is also true: annoying behaviors can be lessened greatly by an hour of exercise that engages the dog with its owner.
One of the more popular breeds of bunnies is the super-cute Holland Lop. As their name would suggest, they were originally bred in the Netherlands in the 1960′s and would easily be the second most popular breed of rabbit today (Netherlands Dwarf being the most popular).
Scottish Fold Cats have distinctive folded ears which bend forward to lie against the head. These medium sized, rounded cats have a short neck, large round eyes, sturdy legs and a large fluffy tail.
The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie and sometimes as the Shetland Collie, is a breed of dog in the pastoral dog group, resembling a miniature Rough Collie. Shelties are family-oriented dogs that can be as at home in a flat in a town as in a house in the country. They have a thick double coat that can come in many different colors and patterns. They are vocal dogs, with few health problems; among those they are prone to are hip dysplasia and thyroid problems. They are very good house and family dogs. A sheltie is very protective and good with children if properly socialized with them while it is a puppy. Despite its name the Shetland Sheepdog is only remotely connected with the original herding dog of the Shetland Isles, instead deriving mainly from a mixture of the Rough Collie with several toy breeds.
