Special circulation in dogs paws, keeps them warm in winter

Dog_paw_underside

According to scientists, dogs can keep warm, even on frozen ground, due to a highly specialised circulation system in their paws.

Researchers in Japan have studied the internal structure of dogs paws. They found that cold blood cold or cooled blood could not be returned to the body because heat was transferred from the artery to the network of veins. Dogs are not the only animal to benefit from this system. Many other animal extremities such as Penguin’s beaks and Dolphins fins also benefit from the same type of evolved system. Artic foxes and wolves who live in extremely cold conditions almost year round are also known to have been able to adapt their circulation to keep them constantly warm, even in the coldest of conditions.

Amazingly, previous studies have shown that dogs and other canines species, are able to keep their feet from freezing in temperatures as extreme as –35 degrees. Now you can imagine that this system will be life saving to may creatures who live in freezing conditions year round, but what about the domestic dog? Is this system necessary for the domestic dog to stay warm year round, or is this an interesting link back to the ancestors of our furry pets, that has remained with them even though it is no longer required. This is quite possibly a link which ties our current domestic breeds to wild dogs from thousands of years ago who lived in very cold climates which required such specialised adaptations.

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Pony moves into owners home

Now we all love our pets and would do pretty much anything for them. But would you go as far as a woman living in the Western isles of Scotland who, due to a lack of stable or grazing in her area, has decided to transform the ground floor of her house into a stable so that her pony can be inside for the winter.

Pensioner Stephanie Noble has been sharing her home with her pony, called Grey lady, since Christmas. She claims that there is no grazing land available as farmers and crofters in the area like to keep their grass land for sheep and cattle and will not allow horses on their land. So she has made her lounge into a stable and the front room into a hay store for Grey lady. Stephanie now lives upstairs in her bedroom.

According to reports, the local RSPCA has been notified and they have offered to provide Grey lady with a home for the winter which Mrs Noble has declined.

So how far would you go for your pets and how would your neighbours feel if you moved your prized pony into your home?

Elvis the croc eats lawn mower

An Australian crocodile named Elvis took badly to having his the grass cut in his enclosure and decided to eat the lawn mower.

 

Elvis, who is thought to be around 50 years old and one of the largest crocodiles in New South Wales where he lives in a water park, decided that enough was enough as his keeper tried to mow the grass in his enclosure. Elvis stole the lawn mower from the grasp of his keeper and dragged it back into his pond where he proceeded to ‘drown it’. Once he managed to kill it, he sat next to it and guarded his ‘trophy’.

It seems that Elvis has a bit of a history of being a cranky croc. He was originally caught in Darwin Harbour attacking fishing boats and after being rescued and put in a crocodile farm, he proceeded to eat two of his girlfriends!

Perhaps letting the grass grow a little longer than normal in Elvis’ enclosure might be the way forward in the future!

Cutest baby polar bear

Siku the Polar Bear is being reared 24/7 by his new human carers in Denmark, after his mother very sadly could not produce enough milk to raise him. He is without doubt the cutest little bear I have ever seen. Siku’s new foster family must feel very privileged to be able to spend time with such a beautiful animal. But remember, a Polar Bear is not just for Christmas!

Merry Christmas from us all at Pets in Portraits. We hope you have a wonderful festive season and we will see you in 2012!

Talking dog is most watched

A talking dog has topped YouTube’s list of most watched videos in the UK for 2011.

The video clip shows a dog being teased by its owner about the treats and food that they have in their fridge. The dogs
expressions were cleverly choreographed with the words of its owner. The unfortunate dog, for which you cannot help
but feel sorry, appears to speak saying “You’re kidding me” when hearing about another delicious treat gone begging!

The video, which is one of a series of talking animals, has had an astonishing 76,822,305 hits on YouTube, making it the most watched video clip of the year. Watch and laugh with it one more time.

Have you got a favourite picture of your pet that you would like to mount on canvas? Send it to us and we shall transform your photo into a beautiful pet portrait in time for Christmas.  Click the link below and choose your style from our gallery of contemporary and traditional pet portraits, email us a photo of your pet, then sit back and wait for a beautiful pet portrait to be delivered to your door.

101 dalmations? Not quite

Dalmationpuppys

Pebbles the Dalmation has had a not inconsiderable litter of fifteen little Dalmations!

Now I think we all love the pitter patter of tiny puppy feet around the home, but in time they become
bigger, far hairier, pitter patters of full size dogs. Can you imagine sharing your home with fifteen
black and white furry friends?

We have one hairy friend, Charlie Brown, who is a fully signed up member of our family and our home
would not be the same without him. But having fifteen of him does not excite me at all. Our hoover (and if you
have a dog that likes to leave small parcels of hairy joy everywhere as Mr Brown does, then we can highly recommend
the pet hair eraser from Bissel. It does exactly what it says on the cyclone!) can just about cope with Charlie’s
current contribution to the countries hair mountain (can this stuff be sold, weaved, knitted? Does it have any
value/use at all. If it does, I could stop doing the lottery tomorrow, we have that much of the stuff. Answers on a postcard to....),
but to deal with the hair of fifteen every expanding Dalmatians would be a very hairy task indeed!

The hair aside, what about the doggy food mountain, the walks in the park, the house training, visits to the vets, training and socialising. Where would you find the time to fit it all in?

So it comes as no surprise to me to hear that Pebbles owner is looking for new owners for her furry friends. Now that sounds more likely.
One new mini Dalmatian that will indeed grow to become a beautiful adult Dalmatian. Hair producer or not, they are lovely dogs. But
please remember. A Dalmatian (other breeds are available) is for life, not just for Christmas, so please think long and hard before
taking on one of these beautiful young pups.

BBC E-mail: Bear hitches ride on rubbish truck

Jools saw this story on the BBC News website and thought you
should see it.

** Bear hitches ride on rubbish truck **
Bystanders were left bemused by the sight of a bear in a rubbish truck in the centre of Vancouver.

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