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Here’s how house pets and domestic animals differ

The word “pet” conjures images of enthusiastic dogs and cats. These furry friends have become an integral part of many people’s lives. According to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey, around 70% of households own at least one pet. But are dogs and cats the only pets in the world? Are pets different from other domestic animals? These questions might have crossed your mind if you’re trying to learn more about pets.

Domesticated animals and pets – What’s the difference?
Domesticated animals, by definition, are bred to live in captivity by humans for economic purposes, such as producing meat, dairy products, wool, leather, or plowing the land for agricultural purposes. Some examples of domestic animals include cows, camels, chickens, goats, horses, and donkeys.

Although domestic animals are pets in a way, both are different. A pet is an animal or bird kept by humans primarily for companionship. Unlike domesticated livestock, these animals have an emotional connection with their owner and other family members and stay with them in the household.

Which animals count as pets?
Almost any animal can become a pet, but there are certain animals, birds, and even fish that are considered pets by most people. These include, but are not limited to: dogs, cats, fish, parrots, turtles, snakes, frogs, parrots, cockatoos, parakeets, hamsters, rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, and ferrets.

Most popular pets in homes
People all over the country are unconditionally fond of animals. But there are a few pets we love to have more than others. Here are the most popular pets in the country:

Dogs
Dogs are the most popular pets in the world. About 69 million families in the country have dogs, according to the latest National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association. There are several reasons behind dogs’ insane popularity. They’re incredibly loyal and protective, easy to train, not very expensive to feed, and absolutely adorable. Not to mention, they get along well with kids and adults alike. Dogs come in many different breeds; the most popular dog breed in the country is the Labrador Retriever. Other typical pet dog breeds include French Bulldog, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Poodle, Bulldog, Beagle, and Rottweiler.

Cats
The English brought cats to North America a few centuries ago to help control the problem of rodents. Little did they know that more than 45 million families in the country would adopt a cat sometime in the future. Yes, cats are the second most popular pets. They may not be as loyal as dogs, but they have unique traits that people can’t help but fall in love with, such as curiosity, playfulness, introversion, independence, and affection. Some popular cat breeds include Ragdoll, Exotic Shorthair, Persian, Maine Coon, Siamese, American Shorthair, Scottish Fold, and Devon Rex.

Fish
Nearly 12% of households in the country have at least one fish in their home aquarium, making it the third most popular pet. People like to keep fish because they complement their interior and are easy to care for and maintain. Pet fish also comes in multiple breeds. Freshwater fish, like Goldfish, Cory Catfish, Mollies, and Swordtails, are more popular than saltwater fish, such as Hawkfish, Clownfish, Diamond Goby, and Green Chromis, mainly because they’re far less cheap to maintain.

Birds
Birds are a delight to watch and even listen to. No wonder they’re the fourth-most-common pets, dwelling in almost 10 million homes in the country. People particularly love birds who can mimic human speech, such as parrots and cockatiels. Other friendly, gorgeous birds who make for ideal pets include Budgerigars (or budgies), Doves, Green-cheeked Conures, Cockatoos, Hyacinth macaws, Parakeets, and Finches.

Reptiles
While many people are scared of reptiles, others are crazy about them, so much so that they keep them in their houses. Reptiles are commonly seen as pets in the country, with more than 5.5 million households owning them. Common species found in homes are the Leopard Gecko, Corn Snake, Bearded Dragon, African Sulcata Tortoise, Ball Python, Red-eared Slider, Chameleon, and Blue-tongued Skink. For some animal lovers, reptiles make a great pet because they are usually quiet, don’t need training, are low-maintenance, and live longer than most other pets.

Hamsters
Perhaps you already know someone who owns a hamster. After all, more than 1.5 million people in the country have this pet in their homes. These rodents are immensely cute, cuddly, and pleasant to hold, and that’s why people can’t get enough of them. In addition, hamsters make an excellent pet because they don’t require extensive training, are inexpensive to feed, have minimum spatial needs, and don’t constantly demand attention.

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Tips for Buying the Best Dog Food

Most of the dogs do not have a food fuss and may eat almost anything that you feed them. Dogs are not choosy at all when it comes to food and nutrition. Hence, it is important to make sure that the food that you are purchasing for your dog is healthy. The landscape of dog food has been developing by leaps and bounds in recent times. There is a wide variety of options to choose from in the online and offline market. Given the wide range of options that are available today, buying the best dog food might seem to be a confusing task indeed. All the commercial pet food that is available in the market today is regulated by the FDA. Therefore, most of the products do contain nutritious, healthy, and safe ingredients. But it does help to know certain basic factors you should look for while buying food for your dog. Prioritize on the nutritional guarantee The best dog food, which meets the dog’s needs adequately has a statement written on the label of the product, from the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Buy from some of the best dog food brands, such as Fromm Family Foods, Earthborn Holistic, Nature’s Variety Instinct, and The Honest Kitchen.

Different Types of Kitchen Cabinets Available for Your Home

The most important aspect when designing your kitchen is deciding on the type of cabinets. In addition to functionality, kitchen cabinets score on aesthetics as well. Once the layout is planned, you can go ahead with choosing the cabinets. If you’re remodeling your home or just the kitchen, what you need to consider are the types of cabinets that furnish your kitchen. Here are a few types of kitchen cabinets that you can choose from. Base cabinets These kitchen cabinets are mounted on the floor and they are placed after checking out the floor plan. A major part of your job in the kitchen is on these base cabinets, which hold and support the countertops. These base cabinets are combined to carve out kitchen islands. A number of base cabinets are fused/set against one another and installed on site. The base cabinets, in addition to supporting the countertops, serve as drawers to hold your cutlery and appliances. Wall cabinets Mounted on the walls, these cabinets can store everything, right from your cookware to cookbooks. In terms of design, they offer utmost flexibility. Wall cabinet kitchen is available in varying heights, multiple widths, and custom depth options. This customization helps you to fit in your stuff of varying shapes and sizes into the wall cabinets.

How to Pick the Right Dog Food for a Sensitive Stomach

In today’s world, where you are presented with over a dozen choices for every item you would purchase for your own kitchen, it is not surprising that you have an equal number of options for your dog’s food. However, choosing the perfect brand and formula for your dog out of a range of options in the market is not an easy job. Your pet depends on you and trusts you to make the right choice for them. Therefore, it is imperative that you do your research about the products available in the market, understand what your dog needs, know what might be your pet’s problems, and then make a sound decision. What is a sensitive stomach? Dogs are known to have voracious and large appetites. Keeping that in mind, it is normal to assume that they have strong stomachs. They can eat close to anything be it sweets, bakes, chewy gum, hard leather or even woolen socks for that matter! It always so happens that the strongest of them are prone to allergies and can develop a disorder which is medically translated as a sensitive stomach. This might be due to a sudden change in the food habits or even due an infection picked up from somewhere.

All You Need to Know about Cat Food

For cat owners, cat food is a hot topic. You need to think about it in different aspects. The best thing is to know which ingredients are good for cat food and which are harmful. If you are aware of this, you can get an idea about the quality of the cat food just by going through the label. It is always sensible to stick to one brand of cat food. However, you may also want to try and prepare cat food yourself. There are also various options for wet cat food as well. Cat’s love for fish is universal, so you can do without going for expensive cat food. Nevertheless, whether you buy it or prepare cat food at home, you need to ensure that the food contains enough nutrition and calories. You would need to have some idea about the ingredients that must be present in cat food and make a worthy selection for your cat. Basic ingredients present in good cat foods Cats need a variety of nutrients to stay healthy and active; they need various vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and oils. The following is a brief explanation of the basic ingredients that should be present in cat foods.