Anyone who owns a pet will know just how worrying, not to mention expensive, it can be when they fall ill. One fantastic way to make sure that your head is covered should they need treatment by the vet is to take out insurance. If you have a rabbit you will want to know how to compare prices for rabbit insurance

The annual cost for rabbit insurance, like any other form of pet insurance can vary between insurers. With this in mind it makes sense to compare the prices for ensuring pets such as rabbits side-by-side. By doing this you can make sure that you get the right insurance at the best possible price.

There are some excellent pet insurance websites who can help you to see which is the lowest priced pet insurance for your rabbit. Most will provide you with a list of insurers and a brief rundown of the average price of the pet insurance they offer. (more...)

It is a very unfortunate fact of life that when the country is going through hard economic times, our pets start to pay the ultimate price. In other words, while the UK endures a recession, the number of pets being abandoned rises through the roof and charities really struggle to re-house them all.

From dog kennels to chicken coops and pet food, all of these products come at a price and it certainly cannot help that the Government chooses to cash in on this area by kindly applying a 17.5% VAT rate (due to go up in 2011 to 20%).

The most valuable piece of advice here must be that a massive amount of thought should be put into deciding whether or not to open your home to a pet in the first place. You should never choose an animal as a status symbol and only ever for companionship and the ultimate reward the animal will bring to you. (more...)

You know how it starts. You find old Rover or Kitty down at the animal shelter. They look at you with their big soulful eyes and you just melt. You just have to take them home…

And that is when the bills start to pile up. No matter that you got the actual mutt or moggy for free. It's the ongoing bills that start to escalate pretty quickly. Vaccination fees and other vets fees cost a fortune, so be prepared for a huge dent in the wallet on that front. But that is just the beginning...

Whoever knew that you had to buy Christmas presents for the animals? No self-respecting pet owner would allow their cat or dog to spend Christmas day without at least something under the tree. You go on the pet websites, all full of the latest gadgets for your loved one which you never knew existed and now you realise that you cannot do without. It is so easy, just click here... (more...)

I used to firmly believe that I was capable of training any dog that came my way. Be it a Beagle or a Bull dog, send it my way and I was confident of being able to train the fellow to my way of thinking.

That was before I took on a breed of dog that came as a massive shock to me. Talk about independent thinkers and a breed that is far more stubborn than any other I have come across in my life before. You probably think I am going to mention a breed that is stigmatised with plenty of negative press; but no, believe it or not, this breed looks like butter wouldn't melt. I am referring to The West Highland Terrier. Shocked? Good, that makes two of us then!

Never in a million years would I have believed how stubborn these dogs can be; don't get me wrong - they really do have great characters and are very lovable in their own way, but they can be difficult to train and always prefer to do what they want. This is definitely where the services of a company like pet dog training in Leicester may need to come into play. (more...)

Owning a pet is a wonderful experience. They provide companionship, reciprocate love, and in the case of dogs, can act as protectors.

Of course, owning a pet also comes with certain responsibilities. In the case of dogs, they need good diets and plenty of exercise, and other pets may have differing needs. Another thing to think about, is what happens in the unfortunate event that an animal should become sick.

This can have a negative effect in that you will feel for your pets pain, and also in that it can be sometimes financially troubling. It does not need to be this way though, and there are many pet insurance companies in Ireland with whom it is possible to take out a policy. (more...)

Most pet owners are content to give their dog Dry Dog Food most of the time, with some fresh meat for treats now and then, or given as scraps from the family plate. The owner is happy with this and the pet certainly seems to be happy.

But there are many pet owners, and I know a few, who swear that their little pooch has to have the best in food and they spurn dry dog food. The precious pet has to have freshly cooked food three times a day and nothing but the best chicken, steak or fish will do. In fact they eat better than many humans I know.

I am no expert, but I can see that if you spoil your dog to this degree, it will become picky and fussy with food. (more...)

People often take on rabbits as pets without realising how quite unlike mice or other easily cage-able rodents they are. While smaller animals, such as hamsters and gerbils, have plenty of room to move about in a standard sized cage, rabbits can fast outgrow average sized rabbit hutches and keeping them in an enclosure that is too small amounts to cruelty.

A decent rabbit hutch offers your rodent plenty of room to move about in. This means the rabbit can hop along all adjacent walls of the enclosure and not simply turn around.

Better rabbit runs will include interesting architectural features to keep rabbits amused and allow them exercise. Hutches are available with ladders, steps and even small platforms for the rabbit to hop up and down. (more...)

Before you bring your new puppy home to your house, it's important that you make sure you are adequately prepared for her. There are various things a young dog needs to grow up healthy and happy, and it's best to have these prepared and waiting when she arrives.

To begin with, you should remember that puppies – especially if they are very young – are inquisitive and exploratory. They enjoy rooting around and chewing and can be very destructive. Prepare your home by removing toxic items like cleaning fluids, and by placing things like fragile ornaments and plants that won't stand up to puppy play out of reach.

If you have young children, it's a good idea to introduce them to looking after the new pet in an interesting way. You might want to deal with things like dog grooming and caring games rewards systems or star charts. Above all, it's important to show the child that the puppy isn't a toy, but a live creature, and that it needs to be respected and nurtured accordingly. (more...)