Posts tagged "france"

French Hotel Lets Guests Live the Hamster Life

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Nov 19th 2009 3:00PM Filed Under: Small Pets, Traveling with Pets

The epitome of ridiculousness? Absolutely. But for those of you who think a vacation just isn't a vacation unless you get to act like a rodent, there is at long last a place for you: the hamster hotel in Nantes, France.

This unique establishment provides guests with the chance to play out their fantasies of living like a hamster, according to The (UK) Telegraph. The Hamster Villa, located in an 18th-century building, was designed by a pair of French architects to resemble a giant hamster cage. We don't get it either.

Visitors to the hotel sleep on hay bales and stretch their legs by running on -- what else? -- a giant hamster wheel. And forget snacking on baguettes and cheese during your stay in France. Guests at the Hamster Villa are given a treat of hamster grain, according to the Telegraph. Imagine, all this for just 99 Euros (about $147) per night.

The experience gives guests a chance "to become a hamster, eat seeds, change our way of life...come out of our daily routine," the villa's first guests told Reuters TV.

If this sounds like your idea of a stellar getaway, well, enjoy it. But please be a considerate hotel guest, and don't keep your neighbors awake by gnawing on your cage all night.

Jacques Chirac Says 'Au Revoir' to Dog After Latest Attack

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Oct 7th 2009 12:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News

Photo: Eric Estrada, AFP / Getty Images

Political pet-spotters have had their eyes trained on Portuguese water dog Bo Obama as he adjusts to life as the First Dog of the United States. But across the pond, former French president Jacques Chirac's miniature Maltese, Sumo, has had a rough transition out of the presidential palace.

After a series of increasingly violent attacks on the former president, the pooch has been banished to a home in the French countryside, the Guardian reports.

The troubled lap dog first garnered headlines in January, when Sumo bit 76-year-old Chirac, causing him to seek outpatient treatment at a Paris hospital, the Daily Mail reported at the time. The dog was being treated for depression, but according to BBC News, the attacks had worsened in recent days. In the latest scuffle, Sumo was reportedly lying quietly on the floor when President Chirac walked into the room and the dog flew into a rage. He bit the statesman on the stomach, drawing blood, BBC News reports.

Chirac's wife, Bernadette, told the press that the little white dog had been "down in the dumps" since leaving the Elysée, where he once played in the presidential gardens with his best canine pal, a golden retriever named Scott, reports the Guardian.

Dogs can certainly suffer depression from a change in surroundings, Dr. Daniel Q. Estep, a certified animal behaviorist with Animal Behavior Associates in Littleton, CO, tells Paw Nation. But depressed dogs are much more likely to be lethargic or anxious rather than aggressive, he says. And, he added, attacks usually follow a specific trigger -- a frightened dog might snap if you reach down to grab his collar, for instance.

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Brangelina Shop for Gerbils

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Aug 24th 2009 1:00PM Filed Under: Small Pets, Celebrity Pets

Photo: AP

The ever-expanding Pitt-Jolie clan must have missed the memo that Guinea pigs are all the rage. While shopping at a pet and garden shop near their chateau in the south of France this weekend, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie let sons Maddox, 8, and Pax, 5, pick out gerbils and goldfish, Us magazine reports.

According to Us magazine, Jolie, decked out in a black maxi dress, reached into the cage to pet the gerbils while Pitt strolled the aisles for rodent gear.

With Brangelina throwing their celebrity weight behind gerbils, will a new pet craze sweep the nation?

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Miniature Dogs

Miniature Poodle
Miniature Poodles, like all Poodles, are excellent swimmers who originated as a water retrievers. All Poodles, Standard, Miniature and Toy are actually one breed, just different sizes. Miniature Poodles, who can be white, black, apricot or gray, are usually 15 inches or under, according to the American Kennel Club.

David McKelvey/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmckelvey/3748491903/

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Dachshund
The Miniature Daschund, only 11 pounds or under, is not a separate classification of the Daschund -- it's just a smaller version of the Standard. The miniature dog, with its long bodies and strong sense of smell, are both hunters and lapdogs, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Schnauzer
The Miniature Schnauzer is of German descent and was originally bred to be a small farm dog. The most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer is a attentive, lively and a favorite among celebrities like Mary Tyler Moore and Bill Cosby. The strongly built miniature dog is between 12 to 14 inches, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Bull Terrier
Just like the playful Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier, who originated in England, has a similar personality. Don't let its size fool you – the Miniature Bull Terrier is strong, energetic and audacious. Miniature Bull Terriers are between 10 to 15 inches and can be solid white or colored, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is one of three separate categories of the American Eskimo Dog. Between 12 to 15 inches, the bright white dog is loving, protecting and sociable. Now a great companion dog, the miniature dog was once a circus dog, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Pinscher
Also known as the "Min Pin," the Miniature Pinscher is a German Breed whose ancestry includes the Daschund, Italian Greyhound and the shorthaired German Pinscher. The quick, curious dog is the perfect apartment dog. Despite its small size, the compact pooch makes a wonderful watchdog. The spirited miniature dog, about 10 inches to 12 1/2 inches, can be red, black, or chocolate with tan, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs