10 Mindboggling Ways to Remember Your Deceased Pet

I'm always a big fan of Oddee.com because of their bizarre collection of odd things. It's also one of the website where I pick articles to post when I'm out of something to write to. Today, I choose their animal bizarre category.

It's always sad when a beloved pet dies. However, there are more ways than ever to honor its memory, be it by making a fur coat from its hair, jewelry in the shape of its nose or mixing its ashes into a record or a pillow.

1 - Hug A Pillow Containing Their Ashes

If you've ever wanted to give your long gone furry friends a big fat hug, the soft-hearted pillow will let you cuddle up and take a nap with your deceased pet. The Soft-Hearted pillow contains a small plastic pouch that will seal in their ashes tight so you can cuddle them for eternity. You can even personalize your pillow with embroidery or trimmings to further memorialize your critter.

2 - Rock Out With Their Record

Whether you named your pet after a musician or “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window” makes you think of your beloved critter, sometimes music is one of the best ways to remember your lost loved one. That's why And Vinyl presses ashes into vinyl records for you to listen to forever after. You can either use your favorite song or have the company write a track specifically for you and your pet. The company will even paint a portrait of your pet using its ashes and include that as the album's cover art.

3 - Make A Necklace From Their Hair

If your fluffy kitty or puppy left hair all over the house, or if you had a chance to shave off some of their fur before their cremation or burial, you can always try rolling their fur into balls and then turning those balls into jewelry like designer Kate Benjamin.

4 - Wear A Sweater Made From Their Fur

Alternatively, if you want a bigger tribute made from your critter's fur then you can always have the hair turned into yarn and then knitted into sweaters like these people who are part of Erwan Fichou's Dogwool series. While the models used in Fichou's series are given their own jackets made from their dog's fur courtesy of the photographer, you'll have to find your own knitter to work with the fur because Fichou will only accept volunteers who are willing to pose in the jackets beside the pets who provided the fur.

5 - Load Bullets With Their Ashes

Did little Fido love hunting with you? Then why not take him on one more hunt by loading up your shotgun cartridges with his ashes like Joanna Booth did with her husband's ashes? While you can probably find a weapons dealer locally who could help add the ashes to your bullets, Caledonian Cartridge Company in England will most certainly be willing to take on the challenge, being as how they already helped Mrs. Booth with the process.

6 - Form A Diamond With Their Ashes

Pets only live for a short while, but diamonds are forever, so why not let your past pet live on forever in a stunning piece of jewelry? A Japanese company named Lido can turn your pet's ashes into a yellow diamond up to one carat in size, which can then be set into a jewelry piece for you to wear for the rest of your life.

7 - Create Jewelry From Their Nose

Artist Jackie Kaufman uses a quick-forming silicon mold to take imprints of pet's noses, which she then uses to cast metal pendants. While the process is fast enough that it doesn't bother living cats and dogs, it could just as easily be adapted for those who have recently passed away.

8 - Tattoo Them On Your Arm

Sure you could tattoo a portrait of your pet on your arm, but if you really want to personalize your tribute tattoo, you could always incorporate some of your furry friend's ashes. While there are a lot of tattoo shops willing to mix the ashes in with the ink they use, be sure you ask ahead of time because some shops are unwilling to perform this procedure.

9 - Immortalize Them As Art

If you aren't up to inking a permanent tribute of your pet onto your skin, then you can always have a more traditional portrait of them painted by artist Wayne DeFrances, who will incorporate your pet's ashes into the paint he uses.

Note: The Image is for illustration purposes and is not of Wayne DeFrances or his artwork.

10 - Clone Them

If you just can't give up your beloved pet, you can always try cloning them if you have a DNA sample and $50,000 lying around like Bernann McKinney did when she got five clones of her beloved pit bull created. Of course, the new puppy clone may look just like your old furry friend, but it will not grow up to have the same personality and behavioral traits, so really, aren't you better off adopting a new puppy from your local animal shelter?

I will try number 10 to clone Pam(My deceased dog). I missed her a lot. She died when she accidentally cross the street and run on a huge truck. Feels so sad now, though it's been part of our life's journey and the important part is that, once in my life I know someone named Pamela that cheers when I go home everyday.

• Reference/Source: Oddee.com

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10 of the World's Most Dangerous Dog Breeds

All dogs can be potentially dangerous, however some dogs are more dangerous than others. Various types of breeds can be considerably stronger and larger than a person of average size. Training, socialization and proper care can make a significant impact, however some dogs are by years of breeding more aggressive. After in depth research and analyzing the studies performed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the CDC, and the Humane Society of the United States, we have compiled the top ten most dangerous dog breeds.

Here's Top 10 of the World's Most Dangerous Dog Breeds. Enjoy reading!

10 - Dalmatian

Weight: 40-70 lbs.
Origin: Yugoslavia

Dalmatians are very protective dogs and can be aggressive towards humans. They are very active and need lots of exercise. They have very sensitive natures and an excellent memory. This bred is famed for their intelligence, indepedence, and survival instincts.

9 - Boxer

Weight: 50-70 lbs.
Origin: Germany

Unlike their name suggest, these dogs are not typically aggressive by nature. They are bright, energetic and playful breed. Boxers have been known to be "headstrong", which makes it a bit difficult to train them but with positive reinforcement techniques, Boxers often respond much better.

8 - Presa Canario

Weight: 80-115 lbs.
Origin: Canary Islands

Originally bred to guard and fight with cattle, an attack by this dog has been described as hopeless for the victim. They are a guardian breed with man-stopping ability, incredible power and a complete lack of fear.

7 - Chow Chow

Weight: 50-70 lbs.
Origin: China

These dogs can be aggressive if poorly bred. The Chow Chow may appear to be independent and aloof for much of the day but needs constant reinforcement.

6 - Doberman Pinschers

Weight: 65-90 lbs.
Origin: Germany

Dobermans are great guard dogs for their alertness, intelligence and loyalty. They can be agressive dogs when provoked. The typical pet Doberman attacks only if it believes that it, its property, or its family are in danger.

5 - Alaskan Malamutes

Weight: 75-100 lbs.
Origin: Nordic

These dogs are very energetic and active. If they are bored, they can become destructive. That's why this dog needs lots of exercise to be happy.

4 - Huskies

Weight: 44-66 lbs.
Origin: Alaska

Very energetic and intelligent dogs. Not considered a good guard dog because of its personality characteristics and gentle temperament. A 2000 study of dog bites resulting in human fatalities in the U.S. found fifteen such fatalities (6% of the total) were caused by "husky-type" dogs between 1979 and 1997.

3 - German Shepherds

Weight: 70-100 lbs.
Origin: Germany

These dogs are intelligent and very alert. They are highly used by local authorities such as the police K-9 unit. German shepherds are known to be fearless and confident dogs.

2 - Rottweilers

Weight: 100-130 lbs.
Origin: Germany

Rottweilers are known to be very aggressive dogs because of their keen territorial instincts. That's why they make great guard dogs.

1 - Pit Bulls

Weight: 55-65 lbs.
Origin: United States

A pit bull is a fearless dog that will take on any opponent. They will lock their jaws onto the prey until it's dead. Pit bulls have a reputation of mauling people to death and they are highly sought for dog fighting.

Dogs most often make wonderful pets, however in certain circumstances, any type of dog can be dangerous. Even friendly dogs, can inflict great harm in the wrong circumstance.

• Reference/Source:PetsDo.com
  

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10 of World's Smallest Animals/Creatures

There is something neat about small animals. Even Hollywood's elite enjoy carrying around the diminutive Chihuahuas as a symbol of their status. Whether it's because they look like a baby version of their larger ancestor or because they are so odd, small creatures often attract attention from people.

1 - World’s Smallest Dog: 12.4 cm (4.9-inch) tall

At 1.4 pounds and 4.9 inches tall, Ducky, a yappy short-coat Chihuahua from Charlton (Massachusetts, USA), holds the Guinness World Record for the world's smallest living dog (by height). Ducky succeeds Danka Kordak of Slovakia, a Chihuahua who measured 5.4 inches tall. The smallest dog ever, according to Guinness, was a dwarf Yorkshire terrier who stood 2.8 inches tall.

2 - World's Smallest Snake: 10.1 cm (4-inch) long

Leptotyphlops carlae is the world's smallest species of snake, with adults averaging just under four inches in length. Found on the Caribbean island of Barbados, the species --which is as thin as a spaghetti noodle and small enough to rest comfortably on a U.S. quarter-- was discovered by Blair Hedges.

3 - World’s Smallest Fish: 7.9 mm (0.3-inch) long

On January 2006, the world's smallest fish was discovered on the Indonesian island of Sumatra: a member of the carp family of fish, the Paedocypris progenetica. It is the world's smallest vertebrate or backboned animal; only 7.9 mm (0.3 inches) long.

The title, however, is contested by 6.2 mm (0.2 in) long male anglerfish Photocorynus spiniceps (not technically a fish but a sexual parasite) and the 7 mm (0.27 in) long male stout infantfish Schindleria brevipinguis.

4 - World’s Smallest Horse: 43.18 cm (17-inch) tall

The little horse was born to Paul and Kay Goessling, who specialize in breeding miniature horses, but even for the breed Thumbelina is particularly small: she is thought to be a dwarf-version of the breed. At just 60 lb and 17-inch tall, the five-year-old Thumbelina is the world’s smallest horse.

5 - World’s Smallest Cat: 15.5 cm (6.1-inch) high and 49 cm (19.2-inch) long

Meet Mr. Peebles. He lives in central Illinois, is two years old, weighs about three pounds and is the world's smallest cat! The cat's small stature was verified by the Guinness Book of World Records on 2004.

6 - World's Smallest Hamster: 2.5 cm (0.9-inch) tall

Only slightly bigger than a 50p piece, PeeWee is the smallest hamster in the world. Weighing less than an ounce, the golden hamster stopped growing when he was three weeks old - his five brothers and sisters went on to measure between 4in and 5in.

7 - World's Smallest Chameleon: 1.2 cm (0.5-inch) long

The Brookesia Minima is the world's smallest species of chameleon. This one is just half an inch. Found on the rainforest floor of Nosy Be Island off the north-west coast of Madagascar, females tend to be larger than males.

8 - World's Smallest Lizard: 16 mm (0.6-inch) long

So small it can curl up on a dime or stretch out on a quarter, a typical adult of the species, whose scientific name is Sphaerodactylus ariasae is only about 16 millimeters long, or about three quarters of an inch, from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail. It shares the title of "smallest" with another lizard species named Sphaerodactylus parthenopion, discovered in 1965 in the British Virgin Islands.

9 - World’s Smallest Cattle: 81 cm (31-inch) height

The world’s smallest cattle is a rare breed of an Indian zebu called the Vechur cow. The average height of this breed of cattle is 31 to 35 inches (81 to 91 cm). The photo above shows a 16 year old Vechur cattle as compared to a 6 year old HF cross-breed cow.

10 - World's Smallest Seahorse: 16 mm (0.6-inch) long

The creature, known as Hippocampus denise, is typically just 16 millimetres long - smaller than most fingernails. Some were found to be just 13 mm long. H. denise lives in the tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean, between 13 and 90 metres beneath the surface.

• Reference/Source: Oddee.com [10/30/2008]

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10 Animals with the Longest Life Spans

Have you ever wonder why some creatures do really have long life? I find this 10 list from a blog and it's amazing to find out that there really are immortal animals. Secret to long life? Probably!

There are tortoises alive today that were 25 to 50 years old when Charles Darwin was born. There are whales swimming the oceans with 200-year-old ivory spear points embedded in their flesh. There are cold-water sponges that were filter-feeding during the days of the Roman Empire. In fact, there are a number of creatures with life spans that make the oldest living human seem like a spring chicken in comparison. Here’s our list of the 10 animals with the longest life spans.

1 - Geoducks

First on the list are these large saltwater clams that are native to the Puget Sound and have been known to live for at least 160 years. They are characterized by their long ‘necks’, or siphons, which can grow to over 1 meter long.

2 - Tuataras

The word “dinosaur” is commonly used to describe an old person, but when it refers to a tuataras, the term is as literal as it is metaphorical. The two species of tuatara alive today are the only surviving members of an order which flourished about 200 million years ago — they are living dinosaurs. They are also among the longest-lived vertebrates on Earth, with some individuals living for anywhere between 100 and 200 years.

3 - Lamellibrachia tube worms

These colorful deep sea creatures are tube worms (L. luymesi) that live along hydrocarbon vents on the ocean floor. They have been known to live 170 years, but many scientists believe there may be some that have lived for more than 250 years.

4 - Red sea urchins

The red sea urchin or Strongylocentrotus franciscanus is found only in the Pacific Ocean, primarily along the West Coast of North America. It lives in shallow, sometimes rocky, waters from the low-tide line down to to 90 meters, but they stay out of extremely wavy areas. They crawl along the ocean floor using their spines as stilts. If you discover one, remember to respect your elders — some specimens are more than 200 years old.

5 - Bowhead whales

Also known as the Arctic whale, the bowhead is by far the longest living mammal on Earth. Some bowhead whales have been found with the tips of ivory spears still lodged in their flesh from failed attempts by whalers 200 years ago. The oldest known bowhead whale was at least 211 years old.

6 - Koi

Koi are an ornamental, domesticated variety of the common carp. The are common in artificial rock pools and decorative ponds. Amazingly, some varieties are capable of living more than 200 years. The oldest known koi was Hanako, a fish that died at the age of 226 on July 7, 1977.

7 - Tortoises

Tortoises are considered the longest living vertebrates on Earth. One of their oldest known representatives was Harriet, a Galapagos tortoise that died of heart failure at the age of 175 years in June 2006 at a zoo owned by the late Steve Irwin. Harriet was considered the last living representative of Darwin’s epic voyage on the HMS Beagle. An Aldabra giant tortoise named Adwaita died at the rumored age of 250 in March 2006.

8 - Ocean quahog

The ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is a species of clam that is exploited commercially. Researchers have interpreted the dark concentric rings or bands on the shell as annual marks, much like a tree has rings. –Some collected specimens have been calculated to be more than 400 years old.

9 - Antarctic sponge

Perhaps due to the extremely low temperatures of the Antarctic Ocean, this immobile creature has an extremely slow growth rate. Some estimate the oldest known specimens are 1,550 years old.

10 - Turritopsis nutricula jellyfish

This species of jellyfish might be the only animal in the world to have truly discovered the fountain of youth. Since it is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again, there may be no natural limit to its life span. Because they are able to bypass death, the number of individuals is spiking. "We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion," says Dr. Maria Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute.

• Reference/Source: nachocelebrity.blogspot.com [Tuesday, January 18, 2011]

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10 Weirdest New Animals of 2010: Editors' Picks

Here are National Geographic's 10 Editors' Pick of weirdest newly discovered animals.

T. Rex Leech

A new leech king of the jungle, Tyrannobdella rex—or "tyrant leech king"—was discovered in the remote Peruvian Amazon, National Geographic News reported in April.

The up-to-three-inch-long (about seven-centimeter-long) leech has large teeth, like its dinosaur namesake Tyrannosaurus rex. What's more, the newfound critter's "naughty bits are rather small," noted study co-author Mark Siddall, curator of invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

For these reasons and more, the bizarre bloodsucker is an editors' pick for one of the oddest new species of 2010.

New Purple Octopus?

This unidentified purple octopus is one of 11 potentially new species found during a July deep-sea expedition off Canada's Atlantic coast.

The 20-day expedition aimed to uncover relationships between cold-water coral and other bottom-dwelling creatures in a pristine yet "alien" environment, according to the researchers' blog.

"Yoda Bat"

This tube-nosed fruit bat—which became a Web sensation as "Yoda bat"—is just one of the roughly 200 species encountered during two scientific expeditions to Papua New Guinea in 2009, scientists announced in October.

Though seen on previous expeditions, the bat has yet to be formally documented as a new species, or even named. Like other fruit bats, though, it disperses seeds from the fruit in its diet, perhaps making the flying mammal crucial to its tropical rain forest ecosystem.

"Ninja" Slug

Boasting a tail three times the length of its head, the newly described long-tailed slug is found only in the high mountains of the Malaysian part of Borneo, scientists said in April.

The new species shoots its mate with "love darts" made of calcium carbonate and spiked with hormones—hence its nickname: ninja slug. Scientists believe this Cupid-like behavior may increase reproductive success.

Sneezing Snub-Nosed Monkey

A new monkey species in Myanmar is so snub-nosed that rainfall is said to makes it sneeze—but that's apparently the least of its problems, conservationists announced in October.

The only scientifically observed specimen (pictured) had been killed by local hunters the time researchers found it—and was eaten soon after.

Wood-Eating Catfish

A new species of armored, wood-eating catfish (pictured underwater) found in the Amazon rain forest feeds on a fallen tree in the Santa Ana River in Peru in 2006.

Other so-called suckermouth armored catfish species use their unique teeth to scrape organic material from the surfaces of submerged wood. But the new, as yet unnamed, species is among the dozen or so catfish species known to actually ingest wood, National Geographic News reported in September.

The Simpsons Toad

Nosing around for "lost" amphibian species in western Colombia in September, scientists stumbled across three entirely new species—including this beaked toad.

"Its long, pointy, snoutlike nose reminds me of the nefarious villain Mr. Burns from The Simpsons television series," expedition leader Robin Moore said in a November statement.

Self-Cloning Lizard

You could call it the surprise du jour: A popular food on Vietnamese menus has turned out to be a lizard previously unknown to science, scientists said in November.

What's more, the newfound Leiolepis ngovantrii is no run-of-the-mill reptile—the all-female species reproduces via cloning, without the need for male lizards.

Squid Worm

Squid? Worm? Initially, this new species—with bristle-based "paddles" for swimming and tentacles on its head—so perplexed Census of Marine Life researchers that they threw in the towel and simply called it squidworm, National Geographic News reported in November.

Found via remotely operated vehicle about 1.7 miles (2.8 kilometers) under the Celebes Sea (see map) in 2007, the four-inch-long (ten-centimeter-long) creature turned out to be the first member of a new family in the Polychaeta class of segmented worms.

Pink Handfish

Using its fins to walk, rather than swim, along the ocean floor in an undated picture, the pink handfish is one of nine newly named species described in a scientific review of the handfish family released in May.

Only four specimens of the elusive four-inch (ten-centimeter) pink handfish have ever been found, and all of those were collected from areas around the city of Hobart (map), on the Australian island of Tasmania.

• Reference/Source: nationalgeographic.com

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