Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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Of all the traits dogs are known for — tail wagging, sniffing, eye-brow lifting — the one that seems to communicate their thoughts most clearly is the sloppy, vigorous licking often thought of as the canine version of “kisses.” Ah yes, the affectionate slurping of dog kisses is world renowned and, indeed, hard to avoid when a pooch has it in their head to bathe their human in adoration. A conveyance of excitement, happiness or love, though quite often it presents as a flappin...
There are many reasons for the dog in your life, not the least of which are companionship and affection, but added to that is always the possibility that your pooch may save your life one day. You never know, like countless stories of everyday canines-turned-heroes, some day your furry friend may alert you to the smell of smoke as you sleep, frighten off burglars coming through a window, divert you before you stumble across a snake in your path, or drag one of the youngin’s b...
As Thursday approaches, minds are turning toward a critter who — stuffed, roasted and decorated — will dominate the holiday and star from the center of the table as eager folks gather round. In a manner of speaking, turkeys are honored on the special day of thanks and even though they hardly get to enjoy it as the preferred main course, they certainly are one of, if not the most esteemed guest in American homes on Thanksgiving. Long a part of the tradition, turkeys have suc...
Unfortunately for pets, all too often they — or more specifically their hair and dander — are triggers that can make things miserable for those prone to allergies or respiratory conditions. It’s a sad thing to discover a pet might be causing someone in the house problems. And while there may be some things that can be done to lessen the impact of their presence, if the issues are severe enough, families often arrive at a difficult conclusion — that the critters have to go....
Their habits change — they seem drowsy or stop playing and eating — and it’s obvious your critter isn’t feeling well, but the question is, how bad it is and what needs to be done. Having an animal become sick can be a frightening experience for pet owners, mostly because our pets can’t communicate what they’re experiencing or need and it’s often difficult to put their symptoms into relatable context. Add to that the revelation at the veterinarian’s office that a beloved compa...
Dark, spooky and grim — in the most celebratory way possible — today is the one day of the year when tradition makes it alright to frighten, disgust and disturb other people. On Halloween, eerie music, haunted houses, foggy cemetery displays, ghosts, monsters and terrors of all kind converge in normally pleasant neighborhoods and gatherings. So macabre is the tone of the day, in fact, that were it not for the laughter of children and abundance of candy and other goodies, one...
They are places that those with tender hearts stay away from — the wagging tails, echoing barks and sorrowful eyes staring out from cages and kennels at an animal shelter can be too much for some people. And rightfully so, because if you’re an animal lover, the experience of walking down rows of wayward pups in need of homes can be overwhelming and heart wrenching, not something you subject yourself to needlessly. Yet the elation that exists if such a venture is taken on in...
Scaly, leathery or smooth and slimy, reptiles are one of those critters whose mere presence can strike terror in some folks and send them into uncontrollable panic. In some cases, fear of reptiles is not only well-deserved, it’s downright instinctual particularly when it comes to the venomous varieties because they are more than capable of killing or severely injuring humans and other animals. While many dangerous reptiles do exist, however, there are thousands of members of t...
They squabble, debate, posture, pontificate and get mired in the occasional scandal — characteristics that come to mind at the mention of politicians and contribute to a reputation that isn’t always positive. Much of the perspective people have of lawmakers is drawn from campaigns, controversial issues that make the news and, perhaps more than anything, their renowned inability to get along on the issues put before them. Despite all the infighting, however, the Capitol Hil...
Sometimes it just happens — a dog is raised with love and tenderness only to develop aggression issues with no logical explanation. Those of the nurture mindset would argue something in the animal’s experience triggered the aggression, that it’s a response to an event or mishandling by humans. Nature folks might take the opposite position, arguing something in the pooch’s composition and breeding is to blame. Regardless, sometimes well-treated animals with no cause for vio...
Few things communicate contentment quite like a rumbling, steady purr as the cat snuggles closer. It is signs such as these that we humans rely on to know the kitty is happy. While those rumbles may indeed be a happy sign, to truly understand if your cat is happy, you have to look a little deeper, according to experts. September is Happy Cat Month, a time when cat advocates hope owners will take a good look at the lives their feline friends are living and take steps to make su...
While technology provides a lot of answers to questions, ironically, it seems to create just as many if not more — and animals are by no means exempt. Ownership and rights issues are matters of interest these days — especially with the viral manner in which information, images, videos and music are shared — and debate about the legalities of ownership is to be expected. Apparently, even for monkeys. Little did he know he would set off a legal battle when, in 2011, he stared in...
Heavy summer rains signal activity for all kinds of things on the High Plains, most notably weeds and mosquitoes. But they’ve also been known to trigger love pilgrimages — of the eight-legged variety. Mating season for tarantulas is nebulous, with the hairy, saucer-sized arachnids going on the prowl starting in spring. Traditionally in the High Plains they’re noticed most in mid-to-late-fall. But this year’s heavy rains already have the randy fellows crossing roadways and mar...
Tucked inside a hard, ornate shell, with leathery skin, bright eyes, slow, deliberate movements and generally peaceful dispositions, turtles are just plain cool. Pairing these turtle traits with kids is near perfect — easy going, while at the same time fascinating to little eyes and hungry minds, many a turtle has found its way into the bedroom aquarium of a young one as a first pet. Unfortunately, more has been learned in recent years about some of the downsides of e...
From the lazy pooch on the couch to the purring cat in the windowsill and all the feathers, scales and fur in-between, pets are an integral part of the modern household and are increasingly viewed as family members. Folks without pets may wonder why critters come up so much, particularly in the media, and the answer is simple — the majority of Americans have pets and that makes it a relevant topic for discussion. There were an estimated 77.8 million dogs and 85.6 million c...
From fairy tales to cartoons, for centuries, make-believe has been the preferred method of capturing the attention of children and critters have been the stars. Dressed in clothes, walking on two legs, singing and talking — animals have been counted on as the characters that children respond to best. Long before cartoons, anthropomorphism, the act of giving human characteristics to non-human entities, can be found rooted in ancient cultures, woven through fables, mythology and...
Playing, tousling, cuddling and napping side-by-side — a chubby tyke and fur ball romping through childhood together top the list of adorable images. Not only are they well matched in their curious and playful approach to life, in recent years, living with pets has been promoted as beneficial to children. Kids that grow up in homes with pets, researchers have said, are more likely to be well adjusted, less likely to have allergies, have higher activity levels and are g...
With all the things dogs and cats need, there’s no question pets cost their owners. But with increases in pet ownership, there may be larger costs for the environment and ultimately humanity. Anyone with pets knows, unless something is terribly wrong, there are two things they can always be counted on for — eating and pooping. Not only do they love their chow, but a single dog or cat can quickly cover a yard with piles or fill a litter box. On a household scale, however, it...
Fuzzy, small and adorable, few things are as irresistible as a baby animal. Equally difficult to resist is the urge to help them when they appear to be lost and all alone. It’s tough not to act when one stumbles upon a baby bunny alone in the yard, or happens onto a fragile little fawn curled up in a sea of grass with no mother in sight — in fact it feels wrong to do nothing. Yet walking away is precisely what wildlife experts advise in most cases because chances are good tha...
Emotional support animals — animals whose owners are diagnosed with a psychological disability and whose companionship is prescribed by a health professional — are gaining prevalence. As the trend grows, however, so has controversy, particularly as stories surface of emotional support animals accompanying owners on airplanes or to restaurants only to be met with less-than-positive reactions. In 2015, a woman and her emotional support kangaroo were kicked out of a McD...
The first hint may be pants that appear to be smaller, though you know they haven’t shrunk. Or maybe one day you realize your seat belt is hidden by pudge. One way or another, humans figure it out when they’re losing the battle of the bulge. With pets it’s a little harder to know what they should look like, particularly since their bodies are shaped differently than ours and there aren’t always examples of the same age and breed handy to compare them. As with humans, pet obe...
Their healing powers and beneficial attributes have been so highly touted in recent years, pets are beginning to earn a reputation as a medicine of sorts. But it turns out, the benefits might say more about the people that own pets, than the pets themselves. The list of things credited to companion animals — such as reducing heart-attack risks, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, increasing physical fitness, soothing distress, lowered health-care costs and contributing t...
It’s the stuff of legends — a human raises an abandoned wolf pup and they form a lifelong bond that transcends the boundaries between the wild and human worlds. Domestication is more complicated than simply befriending a wild animal, however, and in the case of wolves, much debate exists about whether it’s possible and to what extent. While understood the modern dog descended from wolves, according to scientists there was a split in the genetic tree around 15,000 years ago and...
It’s just not natural, all that popping, whistling and deep resonate booms. And while it may represent celebration to some, for critters, there is absolutely no logical reason why the world should erupt in violent chaos unless something is terribly wrong. Next week, humans will celebrate a declaration that, more than 240 years ago, marked the United States as an independent nation. It’s a day commemorated every year by gathering with friends and family and enjoying the dre...
Sure, dogs can be awesome pillows, great couch buddies and highly efficient bed warmers. But as wonderful as it is to have them around for down time, their true contribution may be found in the fact they get people up and moving. Pooches do sleep more than half the day away — on average, healthy dogs need up to 14 hours of snooze time each day — but when they are up, they make the most of their time. Playing, running, sniffing trails … the options for dog activity are many and...
