Emily's Pet Parade

  I've had a total of two hamsters so far, and let me tell you, I am NOT going down the rodent-pet road again. And by "rodent-pet," I mean rodents as pets in general: mice, rats, guinea pigs, gerbils, and hamsters. Not that I didn't enjoy my hamsters (well, my first hamster anyway). They're fun pets to kids to play with and own. Of course, I'm saying that because I was not the one who cleaned their cages. Okay, that's not totally true. While I really didn't do any of the cage cleaning for my first hamster, I did help with the cage-cleaning of my second hamster. And let me tell you, cleaning a hamster cage is absolutely disgusting. Don't let anyone tell you that hamsters pick one spot in their cage to go to the bathroom in, because it's NOT true! I can tell you from experience that hamsters will go anywhere and everywhere in their cage, and if you don't clean the cage at least once a week or so, it really stinks, literally and figuratively. ...

  I had a next-door neighbor once who loved parrots. She even had one as a pet: an African Grey Parrot named Percy. Parrots are pretty cool pets in a lot of ways, particularly if you want a pet you can talk to. Not that parrots can actually talk exactly  like a person. They just repeat what they hear around the house. Some parrots are very intelligent, like the aforementioned African Grey, which has the intelligence level equivalent to that of a 7-year old child! Of course, when you think of a 7-year old human kid, it doesn't sound that smart. However, that IS pretty smart for a bird.  Anyway, parrots are neat pets to have...if you have the time to commit to spending with them. Parrots are also high-maintenance pets that require a lot of attention and interaction from their owners. However, I feel I must warn you that most parrots, in general, are one-owner pets, meaning that they bond mainly with one person in the household, and they bite the crap out of everyone else. N...

  My Shih-Tzu, Jeffery, will always be special to me (even if he's already crossed the rainbow bridge), because he was my first puppy. He also happened to be the highlight of my 5th birthday. No, seriously. He was my favorite 5th birthday present...not that I remember my other presents from my fifth birthday. That should give you a hint of just how special Jeffery was. He's literally the only present from my 5th birthday that I can actually remember.  Anyway, Shih-Tzus are wonderful family pets. They're happy-go-lucky, affectionate, and playful. Not to mention ADORABLE! Sure, they may have a face that looks a little smooshed-in, but they make it work. It adds to their charm. And really, if you think a Shih-Tzu has a pushed-in face, you obviously have never seen a Pug!  Shih-Tzus also have a long, luscious, silky coat. Speaking of which, a Shih-Tzu has hair instead of fur which, in case you were wondering, DOES mean they have to be groomed every now and then. That said, if...