Ask.com, the leading brand for questions and answers online, recently performed their end-of-year recap. They found that people curious about pets asked these 10 most popular pet questions on Ask.com in 2009:

Why do cats purr?
How long do dogs stay in heat?
Why do cats knead?
How do you potty train a puppy?
Do fish sleep?
What do lizards eat?
Can Guinea Pigs be trained?
How long do rabbits live?
Are dogs colorblind?
Can dogs take aspirin?

I’m going to cover a few of the answers in this post. Why do cats purr? They do it to convey contentment, but a …read more

Over the last few years, watching “The National Dog Show Presented by Purina” on NBC after the Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving has become a tradition. While the turkey is cooking, the cranberries are chilling and the pies are baking, we have the TV on so we can see all the beautiful dogs in all shapes as sizes as they strut across the floor in Philadelphia.

Hosted again this year by John O’Hurley and expert analyst David Frei, this year’s show will be a little different: Viewers will now get a chance to participate and vote in their own “Viewers Choice …read more

Disney’s Theatrical department has quite a bit of nice holiday gifts for you to choose from this year from The Lion King to Mary Poppins, there is something for everyone. I was recently contacted to ask if I’d take a peek at the new book, “How Does the Show Go On? an Introduction to the Theater” and I must say this would be the perfect book to give to any collector or child that wants to learn more about the behind the scenes or even Broadway. They sent me the book as well as an eco-friendly Lion King Bag which …read more

The American Kennel Club has announced they’re recognizing three more dog breeds as the 162nd, 163rd, and the 164th AKC registered breeds.
The three “new” breeds are the Bluetick Coonhound, the Boykin Spaniel and the Redbone Coonhound (pictured above), and will be eligible for full AKC registration and competition in their respective groups at conformation shows held on and after December 30, 2009.
“We are happy that Boykin Spaniel, Bluetick Coonhound and Redbone Coonhound will be joining the ranks of fully-recognized AKC breeds,” said Mari-Beth O’Neill, AVP of Customer Service. “Although these breeds have been classified in two different groups, all three …read more

Are your children aware that a New Hampshire woman, Sarah Josepha Hale, was responsible for Thanksgiving becoming a national holiday? 
Yes, the first Thanksgiving, from which this  holiday of thankfulness originated, took place in Plymouth, MA.
However, it wasn’t celebrated nationally until Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of “Godey’s Lady’s Book,” decided that Thanksgiving should become a national holiday. She initiated a campaign to have a day in late fall set aside for us to give thanks for our harvests and many blessings.
From 1846 to 1863, she wrote letters to presidents, governors, and any influential people she could think of. Many …read more

Kids are tricky when it comes to figuring out what they will eat and what they won’t eat. One reason so many of us call our children picky or finicky eaters. How many of you have a picky eater?
Tonight I decided to introduce my children to a new meal, I’ve come across a few tips for you:
Tips to Introducing New Foods:
1.  Make sure it isn’t too spicy. Tonight I made chili with actual fresh chilis in it, apparently it made it a bit too spicy for my kids. They could not eat it.
2.  Be prepared. Be prepared that your kids …read more

Arizona author Robin Reynolds has put together a book titled Life to the Max: Maxims for A Great Life by a Dog named Max, based on philosophy she’s learned from her dog Max.

Reynolds’ inspiration to write the award-winning book was provided by the family dog, an Airedale Terrier rescue named Max. The book follow’s Max as he and his family deal with issues of abandonment, rescue, friendship, adoption, love, illness, aging and loss.
Reynolds has provided some cute “long-term investment” tips for dealing with the recent economic turmoil:
~ Capitalize on the bond market. If you’re looking for a great investment with …read more

Have you seen the super-friendly cat in Texas that climbed and climbed and climbed all over a police officer who’s apparently making a traffic stop? You know I don’t post videos often, but this one is very much worth watching.
I couldn’t stop laughing at this over-friendly feline. And I was very impressed with the way the officer handled the situation. If it were me though, I would have stopped to pet the attention-starved cat! However, I do think the police officer showed a great deal of patience and restraint.
Please leave a comment with your reaction to this Associated Press video …read more

Many singles wonder if it is possible to stay friends with an ex. The short answer is a qualified “yes.” It’s not always possible (or advisable.) If you’d like to stay pals with your ex, here are some tips to guide you.

Don’t Offer Friendship as a Way to Soften the Blow
Let’s face it, sometimes break ups don’t go very well. The person may get extremely upset, and being the good-natured people we are, we may want to soften the blow. An easy way to do this is to tell the person that you’d like to …read more

When my mom died and my sister and I divvied up her belongings that my father did not need, I ended up with the coveted “The New Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.” It was profoundly sentimental to me because it was the duct-taped book that my parents had used to prepare our world famous Holiday Egg Nog. While the fabulous Walker Family Christmas Eve Party dated back to the early 1970s, the addition of the Holiday Egg Nog did not come to be part of the tradition until I was in high school or college. I’m going to take …read more