Bonding With Animals

Greek philosopher, Plato states that love goes far beyond simple attraction. It occurs throughout the universe and includes the animal kingdom. The formation of a close relationship is referred to as 'bonding'

There are many forms of bonding...parent/child, families, friendships, relationships, but here I'm going to speak of the bond between humans and animals (pets).

For many people bonding to a pet is a natural and very valued 'friendship'. The love for their pets runs deep. Some non-animal lovers do not understand the concept and think an animal can not return the love felt by their human owner or show affection in any way. I also know some people who feel that animals show no emotion.

That is so untrue. Animals show their emotions in many ways and do love their owners or care takers. I'm sure you animal lovers and pet owners agree. I have mentioned in previous posts about animals that my dog actually hugs. I think that's part of the reason it is so hard for me to break her of the habit of jumping up when certain people walk through my door. She wants to hug them...Some of you might be laughing at that, but I tell you it's true. We did an experiment just recently. A friend of mine who hasn't seen my dog in awhile, came over. My dog was jumping up and she wouldn't stop. Even while I was trying to discipline her. I told my friend she probably wants to hug you. Of course he laughed, but let her jump up. Her paws went around his neck (she's 130 lbs and about 5 feet when standing). After that, she seemed satisfied because she stopped jumping!

The below video shows the bond an animal can have with their human friends. I have a huge fondness for wild cats...lions and tigers in particular. This video is touching. Some of you might have heard about this story or watched it on the news. For those who haven't seen this, Hope you enjoy it. Notice how the animal jumps up to 'hug'

Alternative Home Remedies

Here are some alternative remedies using household products you may not know about.

To remove ear mites in your cat’s ear, take a few drops of Wesson Corn oil and massage it into your cat’s ear. Using a cotton ball, clean out the ear. Repeat this for 3 days. The oil sooths the cat’s skin, smothers the mites and accelerates healing.

To kill fleas on dogs…Add a few drops of Dawn Dish washing Liquid to your dog’s bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well.

To cure dog odor…Take Bounce or any other dryer sheet and wipe down the dog. This will make you pet smell fresh, especially when a pet comes in after being in the rain. This also helps keep the pet’s danger at bay to help with your allergies.

Drinking two glass of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately.

Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Altoid peppermints can help clear up a stuffy nose…clear sinuses

Relieve achy muscles: Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Apply it as a massage oil for instant relief.

Help a sore throat by mixing ¼ cup vinegar with ¼ cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar will kill the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost immediately.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes: Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band aid over it. The honey will kill the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile and speeds healing.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Soak your toes in Listerine.

Eyeglass protection: to prevent the screws in the eyeglasses from becoming loose, apply a small drop of clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Vinegar will help heal bruises. Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar will reduce the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

For fast pain relief mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup water in a bowl. Warm it up in a microwave for 1 minute. Cool slightly and apply the mixture to your hands for relief from arthritis

Identity Theft?

Social Networking For Pet Lovers

Something I would like to bring awareness to is a new social networking site. I know, there are so many sprouting up, but this site is different. It is dedicated to Pets. You read that correctly. A site dedicated to animals and our pets.

Our Huge Pet Blogging Community will probably be overjoyed. This is a place for like minded pet lovers to gather and exchange photos or information. While I surf blogs, I am thrilled to come across someone who is a pet lover and has developed their blogs solely around animals. Whether it is to help those you cannot speak for themselves or write about the joys of pet ownership or bring awareness about cruelty, I am glad I am not alone in my sensitivity towards animals.

Animals are my weak spot and I realized a dream of mine many, many years ago.I had always wanted to work with animals and I got the chance to work for Animal Rescue Force here in New Jersey. It was a great experience for the 5 years with them, but honestly it became so stressful for me, I had to move on. I am still involved with animal welfare, but in a different capacity.

It's refreshing to see Anamigo trying to launch a site that allow others to feel comfortable in sharing or bragging and realize how important our babies are to us.

This site just may become the portal for 'everything animals'. They showcase blurbs of blogs dedicated to animals, have links regarding healthcare, pet services, pet friendly businesses and travel, animal welfare, pet stores and recreation. The adorable pictures of animals had me ahhhh'ing for awhile.

If you're a pet owner you may want to upload some of your babies pictures and brag alittle about your best friend. There is a difference between pet lovers and non lovers and at Anamigo, you can join a community with other like minded people.

This site currently in beta is probably looking for any suggestions for creating the best pet networking site possible, so if you have any ideas, drop them a line. So far, I don't have any two cents to contribute. I liked what I saw.


Here's a picture of my "baby" when she was 4 months old. She's 5 years older and 120 lbs heavier, but still has that adorable face.

Pet Injury Coverage

I was surprised the other day to learn that my son's auto insurance company now offers him a FREE pet injury coverage endorsement.

Two years ago his prior insurance company kicked him out of their plan due to two tickets he received from 3 years ago. This really annoyed us because these tickets weren't anything of importance, but in the long run, that company did him a favor.

He just leased an H3 (a baby Hummer) and amended his policy to include this vehicle. Turns out he's saving money and received the pet injury coverage I mentioned.
BTW: I love this truck. I sometimes get to drive it too and was surprised how it handles like a car and gets decent gas mileage.

The coverage reads:

...if you purchased collision coverage for at least one covered auto under your
policy and your pet sustains injury or death as a result of a collision
involving any covered auto or non-owned auto, we will pay up to $500 for
reasonable and customary costs incurred by you or a relative for vet fees or pet
replacement cost if you pet dies in the accident...

It is my understanding that his insurance company is the first major car insurance company to provide this pet injury coverage.

This is a start. Ok, so the amount of $500 isn't very much, but it's something...being an animal lover, I consider my dog as one of the family. I always felt there should be insurance available to me to protect her in case of illness. Vet bills are outrageous!

Well, now at least she'll be covered if riding in my sons truck.

I just thought this was great news and I was so excited about it...just had to share...