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crayolapenguin
I've owned cats, dogs, bearded dragons, toads, mice, Guinea pigs and beta fish. I also volunteer/work at a local no kill shelter that specializes in helping adult cats and cats with special needs find loving homes. As well as this, I was chosen for an exclusive 3 month veterinary program during school. I love animals, and love helping them.
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. They are sold at pet stores as individual fish as they attempt to kill other fish, even if it's another betta fish. If you want an aquarium or tank with more than just one fish, a betta fish is not for you. I originally thought betta fish would be the easiest pet for me to care for, while still getting the benefits of having a pet to care for. This was not the case for me, however. I only ever had problems with my betta fish. Maybe it was because I was inexperienced or because I got them at a pet store, but they never lasted long. My fish would last a month or so at max, which was upsetting to say the least. I researched constantly but couldn't find what I was doing wrong. How were they getting sick? To this day I'm not sure. Bettas can be quite temperamental to environmental changes, and need to be cautiously put into new environments and habitats. They don't require much other than cleaning and food, though the cleaning was much more than I anticipated. I recommend getting a tank/bowl with a filter in it to help make the tank cleaning easier and less stressful on the fish. I had a standard bowl, meaning I had to clean it every week and move my fish to a temporary home. This probably didn't help with their health.<br>Otherwise, I enjoyed having the betta fish as a pet. They were beautiful, interactive and charismatic even living by themselves. They aren't expensive to take care of or maintain, either, making them good for those who want a low maintenance family fish.<br><br>PROS:<br>-beautiful fish<br>-fun to watch<br>-not expensive to buy or take care of<br>-don't need other fish as company<br>-don't need many tank toys<br>-aren't salt water fish (don't need special care)<br>-don't need giant fish tanks<br>-don't get too big, but aren't super small either<br>-come in many colors and patterns<br>-great for families looking for a easy fish/pet<br><br>CONS:<br>-very temperamental to changes<br>-cannot be housed with/near other fish<br>-cleaning a non-filter tank every week is difficult and time consuming<br>-sensitive to light, sound, temperature etc<br>-can't be too cold (can be difficult for people who live where there are harsh winters)<br>-probably not a great 'starter fish'<br>-can get sick easily<br>-will eat themselves to death (eat so much they die)<br><br>CONCLUSION:<br>Betta fish are beautiful, charismatic fish that aren't as hard to care for as saltwater fish. They don't cost much to take care of, and don't need much in their tanks. They are, however, temperamental to change and their environment, making them a not-so-great starter fish, or fish to live in tanks without filters. They are fun to watch, and can be therapeutic. Overall, make sure you're ready to commit to all of the fish's needs before buying it, as there may be other species better fit for you!){kind=link}
<br>-need a decent amount of space and/or a tank<br>-pretty boring to look at<br>-not all to friendly/don't like being held<br>-hard to find/see in their tank<br><br>CONCLUSION:<br>Toads make great small, exotic pets that are low maintenance and cheap. They are not aggressive, generally don't bite, and don't require much to thrive. Children love to watch and hold them, but should be supervised for the safety of the toad. Owning a toad was an interesting experience, and helped me learn about their habitats and daily lives. If you want an active, exciting exotic pet, however, I don't think a toad is for you.){kind=link}
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://rpcdn.rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/1102014_1314385518858DogBreed_190834890962.jpg&media=https://rpcdn.rightpet.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/1102014_1314385518858DogBreed_190834890962.jpg&description=We got Jasper from a professional breeder. He had apparently been rejected by another possible owner because his "nose was the wrong color'. We didn't mind what he looked like, we just wanted a cocker spaniel. And so we took him into our family. When we got him, we were warned he had a small heart murmur, which is apparently common. He eventually 'grew out' of it after about a year, and hasn't had problems with it since. He isn't the most attractive looking dog (he looks like Andy Rooney if he was stoned), but can be pretty photogenic and cute. He has attached himself to one person in my family in particular: my mother. Anywhere she goes, he has to follow. If she tells him to stay without her, he will literally scream until she comes back and gets him. He's a momma's boy.<br>He's perfectly affectionate and comfortable around the rest of the family as well. He just tends to worship her as some sort of goddess. He's very cuddly; he always has to be touching you or sitting with you. He carries toys around in his mouth and sleeps with them in his mouth, like a child's pacifier. He LOVES people. Absolutely adores them. He will greet and cuddle with almost anyone. He does not, however, get along well with other dogs. He is fine with our lab (who he has grown up with), but is terrified of other dogs for some reason. Specifically, dogs smaller or much larger than him. When taking him to the dog park, he will hide with me and does not enjoy playing with others. He'll be glued to our lab's side thinking he'll protect him. He doesn't really get aggressive to dogs (though he may grumble), but is just afraid of them. He has gotten better with training, however. He now just fears extremely strangely sized dogs (like great danes). He is very docile, loving and complacent in nature. As long as he has food (he LOVES to eat) and a cuddle friend, he doesn't care about the situation. He's not the smartest dog (he truly is dumb sometimes), but can be very cunning and spiteful when he wants. He has very human expressions, and a very interesting personality. <br>He has a lot of health issues, however. Some common to the breed and some not.<br>Common breed problems include: mild to severe allergies to pollens, nature, foods etc, infection of the pockets in the mouth, ear infections, cysts etc. He takes medications for a lot of skin problems and allergies, as well as has a restricted diet due to allergies. The costs add up. But we love him regardless.<br>He requires grooming even though he is not a show dog. We normally keep his hair at a medium length and let it curl naturally. Show dogs of the breed often are brushed many times a day, and have beautiful, long hair. Jasper is no show dog, nor could he be. He's pretty large for a cocker. And I mean BIG. He's about twice the length and weight of a normal dog of the breed. We're not sure why he is so big, especially as he was the runt as a puppy. <br>Overall: we all love Jasper and his idiotic personality. Though he may be pretty stupid and will eat anything, he still can be smart about plotting little tricks to get our attention. He doesn't like to share, and isn't great with other dogs, but is a great family dog and loves people. As long as he grew up with another dog (and cat), he is not aggressive to them. He has irrational fears (like watermelons), but it adds to his charm.<br><br>PROS:<br>-great with all people<br>-small/medium size<br>-photogenic<br>-loves to cuddle and be pet<br>-low maintenance (other than grooming each 3 months)<br>-cunning personality<br>-doesn't mind change<br>-attaches to the family<br>-doesn't mind kids<br>-not overly high-strung or annoying<br>-doesn't bark much unless provoked<br>-doesn't shed (not enough to notice, at least)<br><br>CONS:<br>-can be possessive of one person, or of objects<br>-not very great with other dogs<br>-can be aggressive when provoked or crabby<br>-lots of medical needs<br>-restricted diet<br>-needs professional grooming<br>-not all that smart<br>-smells pretty bad (they have scent glands in their mouths that can become easily infected)<br>-purebred dogs can be ridiculously expensive <br>-not very active/sporty and cannot really swim){kind=link}
 when he was only about four or five weeks old. I was about ten or eleven at the time, and decided to pick the runt of the litter. His litter-mates beat him up a lot, and he tended to just play by himself. I felt bad for the poor guy, so I bought him. In the car on the way home, he rested his head on my lap and continued to sigh deeply, like his life was so hard; and thus his name became Si. <br>Amazingly, Si caught onto things within a few hours of being at our home. He knew to go to the back door if he had to use the bathroom, he knew where his toys were kept, and he learned his name by the end of the day. He had a gentle but curious disposition, and truly had a special personality. As he grew older, he began to become more and more protective of our family (and me in particular). He got along fine with our cat, who taught him all kinds of tricks and would do things to get him in trouble. He knew she was the boss of the house, but looked up to her. To this day I swear he thinks he's a cat just because of the way he acts. <br>Si was not hard to train, though he was VERY stubborn. If he doesn't want to do something, he will NOT do it. He understands some sign language as well as verbal commands, and knows his left from right. He's highly intelligent and knows specific names for EVERYTHING: people, places, friends, other animals, toys, times of day etc. If you ask him to get a specific toy (like the one we've named Bopo) he will get it.<br>He always looked out for me like I was his little sister, and I looked out for him and made sure he was safe. To this day, he will protect me with his life. He even eats bees and mosquitos if they get near me, as he fears they may touch me. He loves to swim. If there's a body of water within 15 miles, he will run and find it. When I swim with him, he likes to 'rescue' me. I guess he assumes I can't swim on my own, and will swim around me until I grab onto him, at which point he brings me to shore. <br>He always has an eye on the street, and makes sure no strangers get too close to our home (we lived in a sketchy neighborhood for a long time). He's built a little different than most labs. Rather than having a large, square head, short legs and a more muscular/broad body, he is VERY tall, skinny, fit and round in the face. Our vet has told us that labs are supposed to look like him (more specifically, dock-running labs). Health wise, he really has not had many problems other than ear infections, which are common for dogs with deep ear canals and a love to swim. He does, however, have dog anxiety and a fatty tumor on his chin. We affectionately call him Jay Leno. The tumor does not hurt or bother him, and is not cancerous (we check it often), and if removed would cause more problems for him. With his anxiety, Si will often shake because he cannot control his emotions well, or panic in unusual or new situations. I've learned that a good way to calm him is a 'hug'. If you ask him if he wants a hug, he will sit down in front of you, press his head to your chest and want you to hold him. This helps when his anxiety is particularly bad.<br>He's a hearty dog, as most labs are. He could run for days on end even at his current age of ten. He has calmed/slow down only slightly in the last few years, and has remained energetic and curious even in old age. He is great with children and the elderly, and knows when to be extra gentle. After having knee surgery, he broke into my room running full speed toward me, which obviously scared everyone (except me). He managed to lunge over me gently, and not touch or move my knees at all. He plopped himself next to me and made sure to be gentle. He's a fantastic family dog, and loves people (once you tell him they're friendly). He does have a strange fear of facial hair, however. <br>We got a cocker spaniel to keep him company after our cat died. The cocker spaniel (Jasper) is VERY different as compared to Si. He's very dominant, sometimes aggressive, will eat everything, and doesn't learn things too quickly. Regardless of this, Si is very friendly to him and will keep watch on him. I know he doesn't particularly "like" Jasper, but he treats him well, teases him, teaches him things and keeps him safe.<br><br>PROS:<br>-super friendly dog<br>-family dog<br>-great with kids, the disabled/handicapped, and the elderly<br>-gentle, but energetic<br>-minimal health issues (although hip/arthritis issues are common for the breed)<br>-doesn't need grooming, just some occasional brushing<br>-great at sports (dock running, hunting, swimming etc)<br>-love to swim<br>-protective and family orientated <br>-get along well with other animals<br>-adjust well to new things<br>-make good watch and guard dogs<br>-learn things quickly<br>-learn things regardless of age<br>-can learn A LOT<br>-will cuddle with the family<br>-strong and determined<br>-doesn't mind any kind of weather <br>-relatively low maintenance<br><br>CONS:<br>-possible allergy<br>-tend to be pretty large (50-90 lbs)<br>-shed a lot more than you think (they don't shed clumps of hair at season changes, they shed individual hairs CONSTANTLY)<br>-not too many color/pattern options (yellow, black, brown)<br>-need space to exercise and run (if you're not able to walk them daily)<br>-tend to be vocal and protective of the home<br><br>CONCLUSION:<br>Labs are fantastic family dogs, especially those looking for a quirky, energetic and sporty addition to the family. They don't require too much care, and generally don't have many health concerns (until much later). They are gentle but energetic, and can get along well with other animals, kids, elderly people, and those with disabilities. Highly recommended addition to your family.){kind=link}