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Do Tell: What Words Make You Think of Puppies and Kittens?

PetSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:30:27 -0700

Although I caught the Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday, other than that I didn't watch much of the events on TV. The one sport I did see was the balance beam finals. You may be wondering what this has to do with PetSugar (other than the fact that both Nastia and Shawn are doggie owners), but just bear with me here.
While I was watching this competition, I was struck by how differently the two girls performed and behaved at the event.

The lithe Nastia was very elegant while performing, and seemed composed and reserved on the sidelines. Shawn the dynamo, however, just looked so friendly and was bouncing around and happily chatting with her coach as the scores were tallied. So here I went with my 24/7 animal-crazed mind, and realized there were some words that I unconsciously associated with cats, and others that made me think of puppies.

Now, by no means am I intending to insult either girl (or the sport of gymnastics), but those words I used when describing Nastia totally reminded me of all the stereotypes of a cat, while those for Shawn made me think of a cute, lil puppy - am I totally off-base here? Are there any adjectives that you associate with puppies, and others that you would reserve for cats? Feel free to say I'm silly in your comments below!

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The Results Are in: Biggest Debate

PetSugar — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 12:00:58 -0800

Next up in the Best of 2007 poll were topics and news stories that had the most comments and votes on PetSugar this year. According to my list of stories that originally sparked the most debates, the most controversial story was . . .

To Declaw or Not Declaw. The controversial subject was fiercely debated (and defended) with over 100 comments on this hot-button issue following the original post!

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Refined Litter Box Vs. Modern Litter Box

PetSugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:00:40 -0700

This question came up with a friend of mine recently: She has two cats living in a small apartment here in San Francisco, and likes to entertain guests. I asked if she would rather have a litter box cabinet, like the Refined Litter Box, that could hide away kitties' litter, but still pull double duty as a counter top, or if she would rather have an attractive and modern litter box since it would be sitting out anyway like the Litter/Bed Combo. Why hide it if you know it's there!?

It took longer than I thought it would for her to weigh out the pros and cons, and her answer kind of surprised me, given that she has so many people visiting her home. So which would you rather have – a hideaway litter box, or an attractive, visible one instead?

New Puppy Alert! Welcome, Bo (Obama)

PetSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:00:30 -0700

Finally comes the day we've all speculated about, discussed, and debated . . . and it seems that day is Tuesday. This lil furball is Charlie, the soon-to-be first dog entering the White House tomorrow. Seems Sasha and Malia have settled on an appropriate name that the whole family can agree on, so meet "Bo."

The re-homed Portuguese water dog was returned to a breeder and will be gifted to the Obamas. The Texas kennel is the same one frequented by Ted Kennedy and family, and will be presented by the Kennedys as, you may recall, that family also keeps Porties as pets. Seems the pup had a meet-and-greet a while back and, tomorrow, I hope to have even more information and photos of the six-month-old. 'Til then, join me in a hearty "Welcome, Bo! It's grrreat to finally see you."

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Puppy Love: Upstaged

PetSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:00:14 -0800

In the latest installment of Puppy Love, the relationship between cute dogs and, well, finding a new relationship is up for debate. While some people use dogs to get digits, others (like one of the stars of this short) think it's "such a lame and expected gimmick." Before telling me how you feel, watch the situation play itself out in the video below.

The Scoop: Accelerated Ice Melt Threatens Life in the Arctic

PetSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:00:35 -0700

Not only does the ice help regulate the earth's temperature, but it also sustains life by giving access to food to many Arctic creatures. Unfortunately, with the ice shelf melting at an alarming rate (about 10 percent per decade), it's having a deadly effect on the Polar Bears native to the region. Kassie Siegel, staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity explains:

The Arctic sea ice melt is a disaster for the polar bears. They are dependent on the Arctic sea ice for all of their essential behaviors, and as the ice melts and global warming transforms the Arctic, polar bears are starving, drowning, even resorting to cannibalism because they don't have access to their usual food sources.

But the Arctic ice melt doesn't just affect residents of the north. See how this will affect us here in the US, just read more.

Melting of the Arctic ice not only effects our temperature, but it also means a change in the weather patterns. It could mean less rain for us . . . which means lower crop production. Experts say that the Arctic could be ice free during the Summer within the next five years! Although it's debated that this climate change is a natural occurrence, I'm frightened to see what that Earth would look like without our Arctic friends so soon!

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Is This Creature Cute or Creepy?

PetSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:00:26 -0700

When Sugar staffer sabs shared this fun picture from her honeymoon in Costa Rica, it unexpectedly sparked quite the debate: Are sloths hot or not?While they've got a bunch of baffling habits, I still think they're pretty cute, do you?

I Need Your Help . . . Discuss Pros and Cons of Microchipping

PetSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:45:20 -0700

While I'm a big advocate of microchipping, some owners worry about the risks of injecting this foreign object into a pet's body . . . especially animals with existing health problems. There have been some cases where chip implants have been linked to malignant tumors so the whole concept is up for debate.

And that's what I'm calling for here. Fuzzles writes in about her smooshy Persian, Oliver:

The post about licensing really got me wondering about microchipping. I know that this is the thing to do, but I have a problem introducing something foreign into my cat's body, particularly with Oliver's medical issues. Yet again, I am conflicted as I realize that things happen beyond our control and can see that microchipping could be very helpful. Can we put the topic up for discussion? I would love to hear views from all sides.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Martha Picks One of Paw Paw's Grandpuppies!

PetSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:00:41 -0700

My heart went out to Martha Stewart when she lost her beloved Chow Chow back in April. Even though she's still got those cutie-pie smooshies, Francesca and Sharkey, she's looking to add another pup to her family . . . a grandpuppy of Paw Paw! She's been sharing pictures on her blog, first when the pooches were just one day old and then when they reached five weeks. Now the three lil boys are almost ready to have happy homes at seven-and-a-half weeks, and Martha's still debating over the best addition. These lion doggies are so precious I can't imagine her picking only one, can you choose a fave?

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Will Kimora's Dog Become a Diamond?

PetSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:30:33 -0700

It seems to be a perennial debate - are diamonds or a dog truly girl's best friend? Now, don't get me wrong, I looooove diamonds - glittery sparkles always catch my eye, and would love to have like 1,600 diamonds. However (and, this is a biiiiiig however), I'm not so sure how I'd feel about a doggie diamond.

But, once again, I may not be fashion-forward enough. When promoting her new fragrance, Fabulosity, the queen of bling Kimora Lee Simmons touched upon the sad, recent death of her 18-year-old dog, Zoe . . . and mentioned her unique way to commemorate her pup. Diamonds.

"There is a company that makes diamonds out of your loved ones," she said." [They] make diamonds from a little of the carbon from the ash, so I might do that. I might turn her into a diamond."

Curious how she would do this (trust me, you are)? Learn about the company when you read more.

LifeGem takes the carbon from your deceased pet's (or family member's) ashes from $2,699 for a .20 carat yellow diamond up to $24,999 for a 1.50 carat red or green one - you can only get a colorless diamond up to a half-carat size. They can also create a stone from the carbon from a simple haircut - they'll need about a handful of hair or one cup of the cremated remains to complete their breakthrough process. While it doesn't seem out of range for Kimora's lavish lifestyle, do you think she'll actually go through with it?

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