Holidays are a festive time of year when we decorate our homes with lights, wreathes, and garland. We erect trees clad with ornaments, more lights and tinsel. Our kitchens overflow with food. All these changes to the environment mean many opportunities for your pet to become injured or sick.
     Both cats and dogs like to chew on electrical cords and sometimes these cords can be irresistible when they are run through your pet's favorite place to sleep. Be mindful of where you run the extra extension cords when putting up the holiday lights.
     Trees are so tempting to cats that most owners need to assume that their cat will attempt an ascent. Make sure you unplug the tree before you leave the house, isolate the cat-or both. Toppled trees are a fire danger, even with artificial trees. An unsupervised cat and a Christmas tree is a recipe for disaster. Blocking the base of the tree can deter climbing and can discourage both dogs and cats from drinking the tree's water, which can cause upset stomachs. Read more . . . .

Why Do Cats Like Crinkly Sounds?
Cats love crinkly sounds. Try crumpling a plastic or paper bag and watch your cat's ears snap to attention. Like her tail, the cat's ears are expressive, twitching and turning to catch each unusual sound. The same thing happens when a cat hears a squeaky toy or any high-pitched sound. Part of the pleasure a cat gets from crawling into a paper bag comes from the sound it makes.
     Is there a reason these types of noises elicit greater interest than others? Of course! Our mighty feline hunters rely almost as heavily on their ears as on their eyes. Crinkly or squeaky sounds are similar to the high-frequency noises made by small animals such as mice, birds, and crickets; thus, they immediately draw a cat's attention and often elicit the prey response of pouncing and stalking.
     A cat's ears are always on alert. Even when she's sleeping you may notice a slight twitching of the ears in response to a sound that might indicate danger. When it comes to hearing, cats have it in the bag.

2006 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
The American Kennel Club and Eukanuba announced that 2,449 dogs will compete in the Sixth Annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship on December 2 and 3, 2006 in Long Beach, California. The show is held in conjunction with the AKC Agility Invitational and the AKC National Obedience Invitational, (entries of 451 and 97 respectively) making for a combined entry of nearly 3,000 dogs competing in all three events.
     The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship will air live on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel starting at 8 p.m. EST both nights. Highlights from the AKC Agility Invitational will air on Animal Planet on February 11, 2007.
     The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship offers more than $225,000 in total prize money. The owners of the Best in Show winner will receive over $50,000 while the breeder of the Best in Show winner will be awarded $15,000. Read more on the AKC web site.

Golden Retrievers
From the moment this breed was developed, some 140 years ago, Golden Retrievers have been an extremely popular dog. The Golden Retriever evolved from a single yellow puppy, in a litter of Black Wavy-Coated Retrievers in 1864. Nous, the yellow male, sired a litter of pups with Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel, which is now an extinct breed. This litter resulted in several yellow pups. It was these dogs that became the foundation for the Golden Retriever linage. Nous and Belle have been immortalized in photographs and paints of this era. It only took a few decades for yellow retrievers to make their way to the most prestigious dog shows.
     They are excellent hunting dogs because of their quiet and patient demeanor, love of water, and gentle grip when retrieving their quarry. Their outer coat is thick and waterproof, while the inner coat is dense. They have webbed feet, which makes them excellent swimmers.
     Their fur can range from a sandy blonde to an auburn color. They are one of the most friendly breeds of dogs and are known for their intelligence, ability and eagerness to be trained, and acceptance of children.

Homemade Doggie Peanut Butter Biscuits
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, optional
1 egg for basting, optional

Mix flour and cornmeal. Fold in peanut butter, milk, eggs and applesauce. Mix until dough is firm. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough on floured surface to a 1/4" thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutter or cup. If desired, baste with beaten egg and then sprinkle with seeds. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, check bottoms of cookies so that they do not burn. The bottoms should be brown. Cool on wire racks. Makes approximately 4 dozen biscuits. Results will vary.

Petco.com has many cool gifts for your pet. Check the great selection of holiday gifts for your pet this season. Shop online and have it delivered. It's fast, easy, and convenient.