Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Mr. Forgotten Sea
Jihad says he owes the first half of his life to his horses, and now it's time to do something for them. The first time I saw Mr. Big Sea was at a military horse farm in Damascus, the capital of Syria. Because of the war, there were few visitors to the farm for more than two years. It was a rare occasion that a foreigner visited the farm, so Jihad, the horse trainer, invited Mr. Big Sea to run around with me. Mr. Dahai carried me in a gentlemanly manner and walked me around the stable twice. Arabian horses are notorious for their strong nature, but not only that, they are also very smart. They often shake their heads to test you, and once they find out you are a novice, they will be mischievous and either do not move, or run as fast as they can. If they like you, they will be tricky; if they happen not to like you, then, you really have to be careful. That's why taming Arabian horses has always been a fascination for Middle Eastern men.
By Daniel Carroll5 years ago in Petlife
8 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU ADOPT A NEW DOG
Adding a new member to your family is a big life decision. As cute as they are, dogs also come with not-so-cute chores and lifestyle changes. Before you go to the humane society or rescue shelter (adopt, don’t shop!), there are a lot of things you need to consider.
By Trending Us5 years ago in Petlife
Surrounded by wolves
It was a typical early- winter evening in Northern Minnesota, the temperature was in the 20's with about two feet of snow on the ground as I pulled in the driveway to our house. We lived 22 miles out of town, just 7 miles from the Canadian border, and I was the first one to arrive home that evening. My parents ran a real estate business in town, and my brothers were still in town as well when I got home, so I prepared to do a little hunting in the woods behind the house with our dog as I often did. We had a Malamute Husky who was 1/4 Timberwolf named Chena, that we let run free all day while everyone was in town at school or work. She loved our little trips into the woods as much as I did, and would always be home within 15 minutes of whoever got home first each day, without fail. By the time I was dressed and ready to go I went outside, expecting her to be ready and waiting as she always was. I was surprised to find she wasn't there, so I called for her a couple times and went up on the porch and waited. After about 45 minutes of calling with no sign of her, and the sun now starting to set, I was getting pretty concerned. This wasn't like her at all, and I knew something had to be wrong, so I went inside and called my Mom to tell her what was going on. She said an officer with the Fish and Wildlife Service had informed them, as well as the other four families who live out there year round, that a large wolf pack had been seen in the area recently, and they had several reports of family dogs being killed while left chained up outside the home. Concern gave way to fear now, and as I was about to go out the door to start looking for her, it started. It was one wolf first, presumably the Alpha male, who began a long, unnerving howl, and he was then joined by the rest of the pack as I realized they had completely surrounded the house! The howls were so loud they sounded as if they were in the house already, and it was like I could feel them in my bones! It was both awesome and terrifying at the same time! I ran through the house making sure everything was shut and locked when I thought of the basement- it was a half sunk basement, which meant the windows were even with the ground outside, and if they were going to get in, that's where they would do it. I ran down there, placing a loaded rifle by each window as I checked them. After that, I went back upstairs and called my Mom, verging on panic. She could hear the wolves through the phone, so she told me she was going to call our neighbor down the road and to watch for him. I found out later he had been outside listening to the wolves howling, unaware they were surrounding our house at the time! The next 20 minutes waiting for him to come were the longest I believe I spent, and then finally headlights and he pulled in our driveway. As he pulled up, there was Chena right in front of him! Apparently, she had been hiding on the other side of the road a ways down from the house, and had run out in front of him as he was driving over, and stayed in front in his headlights right up to our front door! The wolves all left as he pulled up, but amazingly, neither one of us ever saw a single one of them; they just melted away like phantoms into the forest. I'll never forget how much intelligence that dog had, knowing to hide until she found a safe way to get back home!
By Lon Salerno5 years ago in Petlife
War Against Dandelions
Much like many domesticated animals, outside is a wonderland. Especially for the doggies! The backyard being their personal playground. The happy dance you receive when you grab the leash is almost always accompanied by a song of excitement. Walks are heaven and car rides are a roller-coaster on the way to their amusement park.
By Tabatha Ann/ Tee Mee5 years ago in Petlife
Honey we adopted a pitbull!
About five years ago, I was not really looking to adopt a puppy but I saw that a rescue group semi-close to home had a Boston Terrier puppy and she needed a forever home. We had lost our dog several months prior and my heart still ached for that loss but my husband loves Boston Terriers. I couldn't resist and I put in an application for her before even talking to him. Once I told him, he was more than happy to help along the process of adopting through a rescue group. A few days later, we found out we were approved and made a plan to travel the few hours to adopt her the following weekend.
By Aimee Read5 years ago in Petlife
Demystifying Cat Alzheimer's Disease
Does your elderly cat wander aimlessly, get lost in the house, or stare at the walls? Has she stopped greeting you when you come home? Has she seemingly forgotten how to use the litter box? Is her wake/sleep cycle disrupted with her wandering through the house crying at night?
By Julie O'Hara - Author, Poet and Spiritual Warrior5 years ago in Petlife
A New Way to Celebrate
When October 1st rolls around each year, holiday mode kicks in and I’m blissful until New Years Day. I love those last three months more than any other time, because that’s when I feel most connected to everyone I meet. I always feel like we’re all celebrating together, even when I’m alone. Perhaps what I love most of all is Christmastime; Christmas crafts, in particular. It’s become an annual tradition for me and my Mom to joke that if we could stop time and live one week over and over again, we’d choose the week before Thanksgiving, because that’s when we craft for Christmas. In that window between, “Halloween was great,” and, “It’ll be over before you know it,” is where the magic happens.
By Kyndall Holcomb5 years ago in Petlife
The Hunt for Turtles
So, here is this challenge to capture the wild, and what do I have? Ducks… lots and lots of ducks. Don’t get me wrong, I like taking pictures of ducks. There is nothing wrong with some great duck prints, but I wanted something more. I live in a city, it is not a huge city, but its still city enough that you have to look for wildlife. There are some beautiful bike paths that follow a creek and within that little micro bubble of nature there are critters a plenty to take pictures of. I wanted something interesting, something cool… and that is when I saw the turtles.
By Katie L. Oswald (BookDragon)5 years ago in Petlife
Change Your Perspective
My cat, Minnow, is a unique individual. I've had cats my entire life, and Minnow doesn't behave like any of them. There are several things that set him apart from other felines I've known. I sometimes think he's lived all his past lives as a dog and is having trouble adjusting to his "cat suit".
By Shell St. James5 years ago in Petlife
