Paw Nation Staff

Cute Pet of the Day - March 18, 2010

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff's posts): Mar 18th 2010 @ 9:00AM Filed Under: Cute Pet of the Day

Devo's best friend may be a stuffed animal, but the two pups are inseparable!

Congratulations to our submitter, Pups The Traveling Labrador. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

Ask the AKC Animal Behaviorist: Help! My Dog Won't Stop Barking

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff's posts): Mar 17th 2010 @ 4:00PM Filed Under: Ask the AKC

marj k, Flickr

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's new expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs and she is one of less than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of ten books including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

Dear Dr. Burch,
Our dog Quigley is a very yappy Shetland sheepdog who barks at everything -- air, cars, leaves, vacuum cleaners, brooms, snow, people, other dogs, etc. He is the sweetest, most lovable dog ever, but the noise is driving us crazy. What do you recommend to tame his incessant barking?

Dr. Burch Says: As a Shetland sheepdog, Quigley's actually got a long heritage of barking. Shelties originally were used by farmers to herd livestock. Because Shelties are smaller dogs, they often use their voices to get the livestock moving, so your problem isn't unusual.

There are a number of reasons dogs bark. The most common include:

Alerting behavior, such as when a stranger is at the front door.
To show excitement, like you would see during an active play session.
To communicate with you when he wants something, as in, "Let's go outside!"
To communicate with other dogs when he wants to say hello or something else.
Separation behavior, such as when dogs bark, bark, bark when their owners are gone.

Some herding breeds, like the Shetland sheepdog, will also bark when something is moving. This can be caused by excitement or a desire to herd the object. You've mentioned several situations that sound like moving objects are an issue, including cars, falling leaves, vacuum cleaners, brooms, snow, and other dogs.

Cute Pet of the Day - March 17, 2010

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff's posts): Mar 17th 2010 @ 9:00AM Filed Under: Cute Pet of the Day

yodecka, Flickr

Looking good, Chaos! Pink is definitely your color.

Congratulations to our submitter, yodecka. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

Cute Pet of the Day - March 16, 2010

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff's posts): Mar 16th 2010 @ 9:00AM Filed Under: Cute Pet of the Day

Georgianna, Flickr

Watch out, Derek Jeter, there's a new shortstop in town. Great hustle, Frankie!

Congratulations to our submitter, Georgianna. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

Cute Pet of the Day - March 15, 2010

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff's posts): Mar 15th 2010 @ 9:00AM Filed Under: Cute Pet of the Day

Triple Tri, Flickr

This dog must have a great life. How could anyone ever say no to a face like that?

Congratulations to our submitter, Triple Tri,. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

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Camouflage Animals

Madagascar Day Gecko
The green Madagascar Day Gecko lives in the dry regions of forests in Madagascar and neighboring islands. They usually grow to be between four to six inches long. Their tail makes up almost half of their length.

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Camouflage Animals

Argentine Horned Frog Reptiles
The Argentine Horned Frog, also known as the Horned Frog or Pacman Frog, originated in South America. The green and black amphibian, which can grow up to six inches long, is a popular pets and can live for as long as 10 years.

Camouflage Animals

Walkingstick
The Walkingstick takes its camouflage abilities to the next level by creating the appearance of a stick or twig to hide from predators. While they normally stand still, these insects are able to walk around as though they were a twig caught in the wind. They can be found in tropical forests or woodlands all across the world.

Camouflage Animals

Dwarf Puff Adder
Found in Nambia, the venomous Dwarf Puff Adder hides from the hot desert sun by burying itself in the sand, where only its eyes show.

Camouflage Animals

Stonefish
Often resembling a rock, the brown colored Stonefish camouflages itself perfectly in the ocean. With 13 venomous dorsal spines on its back, the Stonefish can cause tissue damage and respiratory distress, which can lead to cardiovascular shock if left untreated.

Camouflage Animals

Chameleons
Chameleons, the quintessential color-changers, can transform their skin color when their mood, temperature or the amount of light around them is altered. Their hue, which can vary from yellow and pink to brown and black, is also altered when they communicate.

Camouflage Animals

Green Anole
Often confused with chameleons, Green Anoles turn brown when they're stressed or sick. Found in the trees and shrubs of the Southeastern United States, these lizards are popular pets.

Camouflage Animals

The Eastern Wood Frog
The Eastern Wood Frog tricks competitors by changing colors to match its surroundings. Found in North American woodlands, the frog also has a dark black patch from its eye to the base of its front limb that can change colors.

Camouflage Animals