From wags to whiskers, feathers and hooves
they'll always be a part
For with them our lives are richly blessed
with those pawprints on our hearts

© Christina aka Stina

Wags 2 Whiskers is a fun friendship group of people who love their furbabies. Whether they are four-legged, feathered, have hooves, horns or fins - all animals are a precious gift to treasure!
If you would like to join us, please stop by Wags 2 Whiskers

Monday, May 18, 2009

Campaign Wag-tivity

Yesterday all over Australia we had the Million Paws Walk which was run by the RSPCA and where all the proceeds go towards the opertating costs of the RSPCA.  Even though a recognised charity (the world over even) the government only funds 2% of their costs, which is nowhere near the kind of funds they need to run organisation and their shelters.  They do a wonderful job and deserve much more help and backing.  So this wonderful event I participated in yesterday and had a great time - most of all Ciara had the bestest time ever...lol - reflects this Wag-tivity. I know we've just had a Wag-tivity but with this event just passing I thought it would be a great opportunity to do something with it - and it something close to both mine and Tooty's hearts.

The Wag-tivity comes in two forms - for the taggers amongst us and the more graphically challenged.  It's up to you what you wish to do.

The "challenge" is to make a tag, or write a letter (of sorts) to an organisation or friend to petition support, highlighting one of the campaigns or events run by your local animal shelter - or an animal welfare agency like the WSPA, RSPCA or ASPCA that may be your country's equivalent. Some of the campaigns or events are:
Million Paws Walk (for pooches)
Million Purrs (for puddies)
Happy Tails Day
Stop Animal Cruelty
Walk the Dog
Project Guardian Angel
Heat Stress (Dogs Die in Hot Cars)
Sow Stalls Campaign (Help the RSPCA get Pigs out of Cages)
Pet Desexing (Our Biggest Problem is Multiplying)

Taggers, when you do...the challenge is also to make a "Welcome" or "Welcome to the Group" and "A Note" tag from it to share with the group.

Cheers
Stina and Tootypup

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Wag'n Tags - Mother's Day - Moon


A rare pic of me rofl
Hubby took it the other night so I'd have one of me & Malcolm.


Wag'n Tags - Mother's Day - Stina






Wag'n Tags - Mother's Day - Lioness


My furry babies just took me to a beaytyshop and dressed me up.
They went to the groomer themselves.
Then they took me to the photografer to take this photo


Saturday, May 9, 2009

Mother's Day Wag-tivitiy

For this Wag-tivity something fun and a little different maybe.
For most of us it is Mother's Day tomorrow (Sunday), while the UK celebrated their equivalent (Mothering Sunday) in March (was it?).
So in honour of the day I thought let's imagine for a moment that our furbabies could do way more than just lay there and look cute (LOL), and how we would spend Mother's Day being pampered by OUR pampered pooches, kitties, and other pets!  How would they treat us? What would they do for us?  And what pressies and surprises would they have in store for us?  Let your imagination run wild!  And let's have some fun with it!!
 
But wait, there's more!! LOL...For graphics and tag makers out there, I would like you to create a tag or graphic featuring you and your furbaby in any way you choose. But as this is a Mother's Day wag-tivity it should you and your furbaby.  If you do not have a photo of you and your "child", then use two photos and incorporate them onto the tag/graphic.  You must feature both - because this is a celebration of Mother's Day from our furbabies.  For those who have more than one - well, you can choose whichever one you want to feature, if you have room, feature them all! LOL  The choice is yours.
 
So have fun everyone, and we cannot wait to see what you call come up with!!

Woofs n' purrs
Stina and Tootypup


PREVIOUS WAG-TIVITIES

20th April
Wag'n Fact Files

Choose an animal or breed of animal and share with us information about that animal. Share with us in the following form if you can:
 
A brief history (if known)/about the animal;
Average lifespan;
Size and weight;
Personality, temperament and behaviour;
Care requirements;
A brief summary and conclusion
 
This is a great way to get to know about other animals and breeds!
Just send them back through here and I'll get to adding them to the blog.
We look forward to your wag-tivity choice!!


2nd April
Wag'n Tails

 As we are relatively new I thought we would do something a little similar I did in another group last month, which proved to be both a success and a lot of fun!
 
What I would like us all to do is write a letter to the group from your pet, telling us about themselves. What they like to do, fave foods and things. How old they are, when their birthdays are.  (If you don't know when your pet's birthday is, just nominate the month they came to live with you and that will be treated as their birthday.)  They can also tell us what life is like with you.  If you have more than one pet, you can do more than one letter if you wish - or you can incorporate the info of your other pets' into the one your nominated pet is writing. Make sense? lol  Anyway, it's a way to get to know each other.  So let's have some fun!
 
Looking forward to your pet's "letters"!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Staffordshire Bull Terrier by Christina




The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, often more fondly referred to as the Staff, Staffie or Stafford, is somewhat more of a "cult" than a breed. *g*  Those who are either enamoured or "owned" by one of these adorable creatures are more often than not blind to the existence of any other breed.  Why?  Because they have the ability to charm and can quite frankly melt your hearts.
 
Tough, stocky, boisterous and incredibly affectionate, Staffies do everything full throttle - eat, run, walk, play and LOVE! They are clear winners as one of Australia's favourite dogs. Once bull-baiters, modern Staffies are friendly to a fault, well behaved if trained early and adored by their owners. 
 
HISTORY
Staffords, though adorable and loveable today, were originally bred for the purpose of bloodsports such as bull-baiting and bear-baiting. Bulls brought to market were set upon by dogs as a way of tenderising the meat and providing entertainment for the spectators; and dog fights with bears, bulls and other animals were often organised as entertainment for both royalty and commoners.  The early Staffs were not bred for the handsome visual specimen of today, rather they were bred for the characteristic known as gameness. The pitting of dogs against bear or bull tested the gameness, strength and skill of the dog. These early "proto-staffords" provided the ancestral foundation stock for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Bull Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier. This common ancestor was known as the "Bull and Terrier".
 
At the introduction of animal welfare laws which made this act then illegal it was discovered it was cheaper and far easier to arrange dog fights. These fights were also easier to conceal from the law and so therefore dogs were pitted against each other instead of the larger bulls. Dogfighting or pit-fighting often involved gambling, with wagers placed on the animal most likely to be left standing at the end. They were released into a pit and the last one still fighting (or even surviving) was the winner.  An abhorable sport that is thankfully made illegal in most countries today, though sadly it the "sport" (which I term very loosely) still clandestinely take place.
 
However, despite its deplorable history as a pit-fighter the Staff today is a far cry from the animal (its) history depicts them to be.
 
The English Staffordshire was shipped to the US where it was bred with the American PitBull to produce the American Staffordshire (commonly known as an AmStaff). Despite this fact, the English Staffordshire bears little resemblence characteristically to the AmStaff or PitBull but by association.
 
APPEARANCE
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the result of breeding between the Bulldog and the English Terrier, now extinct.  As the original Staffordshire breed it originates from England and is a medium-sized, stocky, muscular dog with athletic ability.  With a broad head, defined occipital muscles, short foreface, dark round eyes, cute small ears and very pronounced cheek muscles the Staff is more commonly known for its wide mouth often referred to as a "smile" when open. Their lips show no looseness and very rarely drool (which is always a good thing....lol). Staffies are well muscled in the hindquarters with a strong tail which resembles an old fashioned pump handle - and that never EVER stops!. Coat colours are red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any of these colours with white. Any shade of brindle or brindle with white is also acceptable. Staffies stand about 35-40cm (14-16") at the withers (or back). Dogs weigh 13-17kg (30-40lb) and bitches 11-15kg (25-35lb).  Staffs can suffer from health problems common to other dog breeds including cataracts, luxating patellas, hip dysplasia and breathing problems. But overall they are a very healthy breed.

 
However Staffies are known to be at risk from melanoma, often seen in the stomach area as Staffys love to sunbathe on their backs.
 
TEMPERAMENT
Every dog is indeed different and has individual personalites, though common traits do continue to exist throughout Staffs.  Due to its breeding, Staffs are known for its character and indomitable courage, high intelligence and tenacity. They love people and being with people, and with children in particular. And with its trustworthy stability and also quiet nature make the Staff a wonderfully all-purpose dog.  It has been said that "No breed is more loving with its family". (Fogle, Bruce (2002) Dogalog, Dorling Kinderley Ltd., London, pp. 182)
 
Staffs are naturally muscular and may appear intimidating; however, because of their natural fondness for people, most Staffords are temperamentally ill-suited for guard or attack-dog training.   They are very human-oriented and loyal, although they can be aggressive to other dogs.  Responsible owners should never let their Staffs off the leash in public places. 
 
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier appeared in the top 10 breeds most suitable for families and especially children in a report researched and published by Southampton University in 1996. This breed is highly intelligent, eager to please and very people friendly. In fact they are most happy when pleasing their human friends.  It adapts readily to most situations making it the foremost all purpose dog. Staffie pups are very easy to house train. 
 
However, due to the nature of its breeding for baiting and fighting purposes coupled with the press reports of dog attacks citing the Staff as a dangerous dog. Many countries have a Dangerous Dog Act which therefore make it illegal to own breeds such as the Pit Bull (the UK and Australia are just two). Whilst this is the case, there are certain fears now that breeders are re-naming their PitBulls as Staffordshire Bull Terriers to avoid prosecution (Maurice Chittenden (8 February 2009) "Sleeping baby Jaden Mack mauled to death by family terriers", The Sunday Times). Also, the description 'Staffordshire bull terrier cross' is frequently a euphemism for a dog such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, giving the original Stafford a bad name.
 
And while the Staff is often subject to breed bans worldwide that target the Bull and Terrier family, Australia, England, and New Zealand make clear a distinction between the American Pit Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier and thus are exempted from Breed Specific Legislation.
 
To quote UK RSPCA chief vet Mark Evans: "Staffies have had a terrible press, but this is not of their own making - in fact they're wonderful dogs. If people think that Staffies have problems, they're looking at the wrong end of the dog lead! When well cared for and properly trained they can make brilliant companions. Our experience suggests that problems occur when bad owners exploit the Staffie's desire to please by training them to show aggression".
 
MAINTENANCE/CARE REQUIREMENTS
Low-maintenance pets (except at bathtime...lol), staffies are happiest indoors with the family; they shed little hair and are easily house-trained. Fortnightly bathing is adequate if the dog spends most of its time indoors. While they enjoy a walk (20 minutes is ideal), most are also happy lounge lizards.

 
IN SUMMARY
Staffies are most suited environments where they are a member of the family.  They are not a dog to be tied up or left to their own devices to amuse themselves. They are strong, enthusiastic dogs and may bump over smaller children in their excitement, but are overall a loving and fiercely loyal breed.

Bobcat by Bobbi Z

The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges and swampland environments. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy.

With a gray to brown coat, whiskered face, and black-tufted ears, the bobcat resembles the other species of the mid-sized Lynx genus. It is smaller than the Canadian Lynx, with which it shares parts of its range, but is about twice as large as the domestic cat. It has distinctive black bars on its forelegs and a black-tipped, stubby tail, from which it derives its name.

Though the bobcat prefers rabbits and hares, it will hunt anything from insects and small rodents to deer. Prey selection depends on location and habitat, season, and abundance. Like most cats, the bobcat is territorial and largely solitary, although there is some overlap in home ranges. It uses several methods to mark its territorial boundaries, including claw marks and deposits of urine or feces. The bobcat breeds from winter into spring and has a gestation period of about two months.

Although the bobcat have been subject to extensive hunting by humans, both for sport and fur, its population has proven resilient. The elusive predator features in Native American mythology and the folklore of European settlers.

Physical characteristics


A Bobcat finds water in Tucson.

The Bobcat resembles other species of the Lynx genus but is on average the smallest of the four. Its coat is variable, though generally tan to grayish brown, with black streaks on the body and dark bars on the forelegs and tail. Its spotted patterning acts as camouflage. The ears are black-tipped and pointed, with short black tufts. There is generally an off-white color on the lips, chin, and underparts. Bobcats in the desert regions of the southwest have the lightest colored coats, while those in the northern, forested regions are darkest. Kittens are born well-furred and already have their spots.  A few melanistic Bobcats have been sighted and captured in Florida. They appear black, but may actually still exhibit a spot pattern.

The face appears wide due to ruffs of extended hair beneath the ears. The fur is brittle but quite long and dense. The nose of the Bobcat is pinkish-red, and it has a base color of gray or yellowish- or brownish-red on its face, sides, and back. Bobcat eyes are yellow with black pupils. The pupils are elongated vertically and will widen during nocturnal activity to maximize light reception. The cat has sharp hearing and vision, and a good sense of smell. It is an excellent climber, and will swim when it needs to, but will normally avoid water.

The adult male Bobcat is 28 to 47 inches (70–120 cm) long, averaging 36 inches (90 cm); this includes a stubby 4 to 7 inch (10–18 cm) tail, which has a "bobbed" appearance and gives the species its name. An adult stands about 14 or 15 inches (36–38 cm) at the shoulders.  Adult males usually range from 16 to 30 pounds (7–14 kg); females average about 20 pounds (9 kg). The Bobcat is muscular, and its hind legs are longer than its front legs, giving it a bobbing gait. At birth it weighs 0.6 to 0.75 pounds (280–340 g) and is about 10 inches (25 cm) in length. By its first year it will reach about 10 pounds (4.5 kg).

The cat is larger in its northern range and in open habitats. A morphological size comparison study in the eastern United States found a divergence in the location of the largest male and female specimens, suggesting differing selection constraints for the sexes.

Behavior

The Bobcat is crepuscular (generally most active at twilight and dawn). It keeps on the move from three hours before sunset until about midnight, and then again from before dawn until three hours after sunrise. Each night it will move from 2 to 7 miles (3–11 km) along its habitual route. This behavior may vary seasonally, as Bobcats become more diurnal during fall and winter. This is a response to the activity of their prey, which are more active during the day in colder months.

Social structure and home range


A Bobcat on the Calero Creek Trail, in San Jose, California.

Bobcat activities are confined to well-defined territories, which vary in size depending on sex and the distribution of prey. The home range is marked with feces, urine scent, and by clawing prominent trees in the area. In its territory the Bobcat will have numerous places of shelter: usually a main den, and several auxiliary shelters on the outer extent of its range, such as hollow logs, brush piles, thickets, or under rock ledges. Its den smells strongly of the Bobcat.

The sizes of Bobcat home ranges vary significantly; a World Conservation Union (IUCN) summary of research suggests ranges anywhere from 0.02 to 126 sq mi (0.6 to 326 km²). One study in Kansas found resident males to have roughly an 8 sq mi (20 km²) range and females less than half that area. Transient Bobcats were found to have both a larger (roughly 22 sq mi/57 km2) and less well-defined home range. Kittens had the smallest range at about 3 sq mi (7 km²). Research has shown that dispersal from the natal range is most pronounced with males.

Reports on seasonal variation in range size have been equivocal. One study found a large variation in male range sizes, from 16 sq mi (41 km²) in summer up to 40 sq mi (100 km²) in winter. Another found that female Bobcats, especially those which were reproductively active, expanded their home range in winter, but that males merely shifted their range without expanding it, which was consistent with numerous earlier studies. Other research in various American states has shown little or no seasonal variation.

Like most felines, the Bobcat is largely solitary but ranges will often overlap. Unusually for a cat, males are more tolerant of overlap, while females rarely wander into others' ranges. Given their smaller range sizes, two or more females may reside within a male's home range. When multiple male territories overlap a dominance hierarchy is often established resulting in the exclusion of some transients from favored areas.

In line with widely differing estimates of home range size, population density figures are divergent: anywhere from 1 to 38 Bobcats per 25 sq mi (65 km²) in one survey. The average is estimated at one Bobcat per every 5 sq mi (13 km²), or slightly less. A link has been observed between population density and sex ratio. One study noted that a dense, unharvested population in California had a sex ratio of 2.1 males per female. When the density decreased, the sex ratio skewed to 0.86 males per female. Another study observed a similar ratio, and suggested that males may be better able to cope with the increased competition, and that this would help limit reproduction until various factors lowered the density.

Hunting and diet


The Snowshoe Hare is a principal prey species of the Bobcat. Rabbits and hares, along with rodents, are taken most often by the cat.

The Bobcat is able to go for long periods without food, but will eat heavily when prey is abundant. During lean periods, it will often prey on larger animals that it can kill and return to feed on later. The Bobcat hunts by stalking its prey and then ambushing it with a short chase or pounce. Its preference is for mammals about 1.5 to 12.5 pounds (0.7 to 5.7 kg). Its main prey varies by region. In the eastern United States it is the Cottontail rabbit species, and in the north it is the Snowshoe Hare. When these prey species exist together, as in New England, they are the primary food sources of the Bobcat. In the far south, the rabbits and hare are sometimes replaced by Cotton Rats as the primary food source. The Bobcat is an opportunistic predator that, unlike the more specialized Canadian Lynx, will readily vary its prey selection. Research has shown that diet diversification positively correlates to a decline in numbers of the Bobcat's principal prey; the abundance of its main prey species is the main determinant of overall diet.

The Bobcat hunts animals of different sizes, and will adjust its hunting techniques accordingly. With small animals, such as rodents, squirrels, birds, fish and insects, it will hunt in areas known to be abundant in prey, and will lie, crouch, or stand and wait for victims to wander close. It will then pounce, grabbing its prey with its sharp, retractable claws. For slightly larger animals, such as rabbits and hares, it will stalk from cover and wait until they come within 20 to 35 feet (6 to 10 m) before rushing in to attack. Less commonly it will feed on larger animals such as foxes, minks, skunks, small dogs and house cats. Bobcats are also occasional hunters of livestock and poultry. While larger species such as cattle and horses are not known to be attacked, Bobcats do present a threat to smaller ruminants such as sheep and goats. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Bobcats killed 11,100 sheep in 2004, comprising 4.9% of all sheep predator deaths. However, some amount of Bobcat predation may be misidentified, as Bobcats have been known to scavenge on the remains of livestock kills by other animals.

It has been known to kill deer, especially in winter when smaller prey is scarce, or when deer populations become more abundant. One study in the Everglades showed a large majority of kills (33 of 39) were fawns, but that prey up to eight times the Bobcat's weight could be successfully taken.[26] It stalks the deer, often when the deer is lying down, then rushes in and grabs it by the neck before biting through the throat, base of the skull, or chest. On the rare occasions that a Bobcat kills a deer, it eats its fill and then buries the carcass under snow or leaves, often returning to it several times to feed.

The Bobcat prey base overlaps with that of other mid-sized predators of a similar ecological niche. Research in Maine has shown little evidence of competitive relationships between the Bobcat and Coyote or Red Fox; separation distances and territory overlap appeared random amongst simultaneously monitored animals.With the Canadian Lynx, however, the interspecific relationship affects distribution patterns: competitive exclusion by the Bobcat is likely to have prevented any further southward expansion of the range of its felid cousin.

Information © http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobcat