Pets Fill The Void...And More

                       Beautiful illustration by Sarah Jacoby

We hope you enjoy this sweet, poignant essay, recently posted on The New York Times "Menagerie" blog. It's a beautiful piece of writing, and says so much about the human need to connect with other humans and other species. And so many times those connections are made through the mutual love of a pet.

Let us know what you think...

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Goat and Burro Share A Friendship To Warm Your Heart

Most of us who live with and observe animals know intuitively how deeply they feel...for us and for one another. This video will still surprise you, though, because it demonstrates the depth of those feelings between an unlikely barnyard pair: a goat and burro. Hope this brightens your Saturday!

 Stay tuned tomorrow for the science behind the emotions of dogs—yes,your favorite pooch is really jealous!

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Dogs, Snow, Sleds: A Side-Splitting Petsami Compilation!

At least according to these home videos, all dogs, whether large, tiny, chubby or slim, love snow and sledding. Snowmen? Not so much. Enjoy this three minute compilation courtesy of our friends at Petsami.

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Sunday's "Living With Your Pet Tips": Five Back to School Transition Tips For Your Dogl

Although your dog probably isn't going back to school next week, your kids are, which could leave Fido lonely and down in the dumps...and perhaps even lead to destructive behavior, like eating your sofa.  And even if you don't have children, maybe your Parental Unit is a teacher, like mine, and they'll be spending long hours at school...without you!

We found these tips on VetStreet.com to help your favorite canine to transition to an empty house during the day-and we think they make pretty good sense. For example, even with all the hubbub surrounding a return to school and a different routine, don't forget to give your dog extra exercise-he's a member of the family, too, and depends on you for those daily walks and special chew toys to help keep his mind off the empty house. It's good to be reminded that a long walk or run followed by a hearty meal will lead to snooze time for your furry friend-he might not even notice your gone! And don't forget to practice low-key comings and goings-if you're not excited, or anxiety-ridden when you leave or arrive home, your pooch likely won't be either...

Enjoy! And let us know if you have any special rituals or tricks you use to ease your dog into a different or back-to-school routine.

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Here Comes The Bride...And Her Four-Legged Ring Bearer

Photo courtesy of Seth Wenig/Associated Press and The New York Times

Think dogs and other pets are officially part of our families these days? Yep, so do we-and this article from a recent New York Times makes it official. We know that when a people are planning both their wedding party and the reception, they tend to be rather picky about who makes the guest list. In fact, we're guessing that some folks even pass on some of their blood relatives when compiling the guest list. But according to a 2011 survey by Brides magazine, "almost 5% of brides include a pet in the wedding party, and its editors estimated that nearly double that amount had pets present during the ceremony and/or reception."

One of the brides-to-be featured in the article won't be carrying a garden bouquet when she strolls down the aisle...she'll be clutching her black bantam hen. "...It's so 'us' ", she claims of her and her groom's choice to include their feathered friend (they have six chickens and are known among their friends and family as chicken aficionados). And the colorful eggs their brood lays will be displayed in centerpiece bowls and eaten in the frittatas served at the party.

And where there's a trend, there are entrepreneurs-in this case, Colleen Paige, an animal behaviorist and founder of the Wedding Dog, a company based in Portland, Oregon, "that preps pets-including potbellied pigs and goats- to participate in weddings for $2,500 and up."

Parental Unit has informed me that if she's lucky enough to ever remarry, she'll definitely invite me to the ceremony and pawty. How about you? Did your pet attend your nuptials or are you planning to tie the knot and include your furry (or feathered) friends? Maybe you've attended a wedding where the four-leggeds among us participated. Let us know! In the meantime, enjoy some of the hilarious scenarios (pets are unpredictable, you know!) in this article.

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