#home made dog food

[dogfoodpuppiezo]

The Importance of The Best Dog Food: A Journey To Healthier Pets

The Importance of The Best Dog Food: A Journey To Healthier Pets

A Heartwarming Story: Max And His Transformation

In A Bustling Neighborhood In Delhi NCR, There Lived A Golden Retriever Named Max. He Was A Bundle Of Joy, Loved By His Family And Adored By The Local Kids Who Always Stopped To Pet Him. However, As The Months Passed, Max Began To Show Signs Of Lethargy. His Once Shiny Coat Lost Its Luster, And He Often Refused To Play. Concerned, His Owners Took Him To The Vet, Who Revealed That Max's Food Was Lacking In Essential Nutrients.

Determined To Help Their Furry Friend, Max’s Family Embarked On A Quest To Find The Best Dog Food. They Discovered A World Of Fresh Dog Food Options That Promised Not Only Better Health But Also A Happier Life For Max. They Switched To Premium Natural Dog Food That Included Whole Ingredients, Rich Proteins, And Essential Vitamins. Within Weeks, Max Was Bouncing Around The House, His Coat Gleaming, And His Energy Levels Soaring. This Transformation Was Not Just A Change In Diet; It Was A Revival Of Spirit.

Max’s Story Resonates With Many Dog Owners. The Food We Choose For Our Pets Plays A Pivotal Role In Their Health, Happiness, And Longevity. In This Article, We Will Explore The Importance Of Selecting The Best Dog Food, The Benefits Of Fresh And Natural Options, And How To Find Quality Dog Food Online.

Understanding Dog Nutrition

The Basics Of Dog Food

Dogs, Like Humans, Require A Balanced Diet To Thrive. This Includes Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, And Minerals. Selecting The Best Dog Food Ensures That Your Pet Receives All The Necessary Nutrients To Support Their Energy Levels, Immune Function, And Overall Health.

Types Of Dog Food

Dry Dog Food (Kibble): Convenient And Cost-Effective, Dry Dog Food Is Popular Among Pet Owners. However, Not All Kibble Is Created Equal. It's Essential To Read Labels And Choose Brands That Prioritize Quality Ingredients.

Wet Dog Food: Known For Its Palatability, Wet Dog Food Is Often More Appealing To Picky Eaters. It Can Also Provide Additional Moisture To Your Dog’s Diet, Which Is Beneficial For Their Hydration.

Fresh Dog Food: This Is A Relatively New Trend That Focuses On Providing Dogs With Meals Made From Whole, Fresh Ingredients. These Are Often Less Processed And Free From Fillers, Making Them A Healthier Choice.

Homemade Dog Food: Some Pet Owners Prefer To Prepare Their Dog’s Meals At Home. While This Allows For Complete Control Over Ingredients, It’s Crucial To Ensure That The Diet Is Balanced And Meets All Nutritional Requirements.

Why Fresh And Natural Dog Food Matters

Nutritional Superiority

Fresh Dog Food Often Contains Whole Ingredients Like Real Meat, Vegetables, And Grains, Which Provide Better Nutrition Than Heavily Processed Options. This Is Particularly Important For Dogs With Specific Dietary Needs Or Those Prone To Allergies.

Enhanced Digestion

Dogs Digest Fresh Food More Efficiently. The Natural Enzymes And Nutrients In Fresh Ingredients Can Lead To Better Digestion, Less Gas, And Smaller Stools, Making For A Happier Pet And A Cleaner Home.

Improved Skin And Coat Health

A Diet Rich In Omega Fatty Acids And Natural Oils Can Significantly Enhance Your Dog's Skin And Coat. Many Dog Owners Notice A Direct Correlation Between Their Dog's Diet And The Condition Of Their Fur.

Increased Energy Levels

Just Like Max, Dogs Fed High-Quality, Nutritious Food Tend To Have Higher Energy Levels. This Not Only Improves Their Quality Of Life But Also Encourages More Playtime And Exercise, Which Is Vital For Their Overall Health.

Finding The Best Dog Food In India

Researching Brands

When Searching For The Best Dog Food In India, It’s Essential To Research Different Brands. Look For Companies That Prioritize Quality Ingredients And Transparency In Their Sourcing. Brands That Offer Fresh And Natural Dog Food Often Have A Significant Edge Due To Their Commitment To Health.

Local Options

If You Prefer To Shop In Person, Searching For “Dog Food Near Me” Can Yield Great Results. Local Pet Stores Often Carry Premium Brands and Can Provide Valuable Advice On What Might Be Best For Your Dog.

Shopping Online

The Convenience of Buying Dog Food Online Cannot Be Overstated. With Just A Few Clicks, You Can Compare Prices, Read Reviews, And Find the Best Deals. Websites Specializing In Pet Food Often Provide Detailed Descriptions Of Their Products, Making It Easier To Choose The Right Option For Your Furry Friend.

The Role of Quality Ingredients

Understanding Labels

When Choosing Dog Food, Understanding the Label Is Crucial. Look For Foods That List Meat as The First Ingredient, Avoid Those with Fillers Like Corn Or Soy, And Check For The Presence Of Whole Fruits And Vegetables.

Importance Of Protein

Dogs Are Carnivores By Nature, And Their Diet Should Reflect That. High-Quality Protein Sources, Such As Chicken, Or Fish, Are Essential For Muscle Development And Overall Health. The Best Wet Dog Food And Fresh Options Often Have Higher Protein Content Compared To Cheaper Kibble.

Avoiding Harmful Additives

Many Commercial Dog Foods Contain Artificial Preservatives, Colors, And Flavors That Can Be Harmful To Your Pet. Choosing Natural Dog Food Reduces The Risk Of These Additives And Promotes A Healthier Lifestyle.

The Cost Of Quality Dog Food

Understanding Dog Food Prices

Investing In The Best Dog Food May Seem Expensive, But It’s Essential To Consider It As An Investment In Your Pet’s Health. Quality Dog Food Is Often More Nutrient-Dense, Meaning Your Dog Will Require Less Food To Meet Their Nutritional Needs.

Comparing Options

When Looking For Dog Food Prices, It’s Wise To Compare Different Brands. Online Platforms Often Offer Discounts And Bulk Buying Options, Allowing You To Save Money While Still Providing Your Dog With High-Quality Nutrition.

Homemade Dog Food Recipes

For Those Interested In Preparing Meals For Their Pets, Creating Healthy Dog Food Recipes Can Be Rewarding. Here’s A Simple Recipe To Get Started:

Chicken And Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Cup Of Chicken (Boiled And Shredded)

1/2 Cup Of Brown Rice

1/4 Cup Of Carrots (Finely Chopped)

1/4 Cup Of Peas

2 Cups Of Water

Instructions:

In A Pot, Combine Chicken, Rice, Carrots, Peas, And Water.

Bring To A Boil, Then Reduce Heat And Let Simmer For 20-30 Minutes Or Until Rice Is Cooked.

Allow To Cool Before Serving.

This Homemade Recipe Is Nutritious And Can Be A Great Supplement To Your Dog’s Diet.

Puppiezo Fresh Wet Dog Food

Product Descriptions

Chicken Breast, Pumpkin & Eggs Fresh Dog Food: Naturally nourishing and grain-free, Puppiezo's Chicken Pumpkin is a vet-formulated, human-grade meal crafted with premium ingredients. This delectable blend features tender chicken, nutritious pumpkin, eggs, sweet potato, carrots, spinach, flax seeds, sunflower oil, and fish oil. With absolutely no preservatives, chemicals, additives, or sugar, this meal ensures your pooch receives the best nutrition possible.

Chicken Breast, Zucchini & Eggs Fresh Dog Food: Treat your furry friend to the wholesome goodness of Puppiezo's Chicken Zucchini. This grain-free, vet-formulated recipe includes succulent chicken, fresh zucchini, eggs, sweet potato, carrots, spinach, flax seeds, sunflower oil, and fish oil. Like all our meals, it contains no preservatives, chemicals, additives, or sugar, making it a healthy choice for your beloved pet.

Paneer, Broccoli & Chickpeas Fresh Dog Food: Puppiezo's Paneer Broccoli offers a delicious and nourishing option for your pooch. This grain-free recipe features rich paneer, broccoli, chickpeas, sweet potato, carrots, spinach, flax seeds, sunflower oil, and omega-3s. Free from preservatives, chemicals, additives, and sugar, it’s a wholesome choice for pups seeking a balanced diet.

Ingredients

Chicken Pumpkin Fresh Dog Food: Chicken, pumpkin, eggs, sweet potato, carrot, spinach, flax seeds, sunflower oil, fish oil.

Chicken Zucchini Fresh Dog Food: Chicken breast, zucchini, eggs, sweet potatoes, carrot, spinach, flax seeds, sunflower oil, fish oil.

Paneer Broccoli: Paneer, broccoli, chickpeas, sweet potato, carrot, spinach, flax seeds, sunflower oil, omega-3.

Feeding Guidelines

Store sealed packs in a cool, dry place; no refrigeration needed.

Tear the Ziplock to access the inner pack.

Serve as is or microwave for 60 seconds for added warmth.

Watch your pet enjoy Puppiezo food!

Once opened, refrigerate using the Puppiezo Ziplock; do not use it if puffed or leaks.

Benefits

All-round nutrition

Less smelly poop

Weight management

Shinier, softer coat

Improved digestion

Highlights

Grain-free

Human-grade ingredients

Minimal processing

No preservatives

No carcass

Product FAQ

Will Puppiezo fresh food provide complete nutrition or do I need to feed anything else? 

Puppiezo fresh meals provide complete and balanced nutrition when fed according to the provided chart. For enhanced health, consider adding Puppiezo’s premium line of supplements.

Is there a minimum order requirement?

No, there is no minimum order quantity.

Do you customize orders?

Yes, we can accommodate custom orders based on your pet's nutritional needs.

Nutritional Composition

Product Protein Fat Carbs Calories Dietary Fiber

Chicken Pumpkin - 12.1 g | 8.6 g | 3.1 g | 138.7 cal |1.9 g

Chicken Zucchini - 12.3 g | 8.1 g | 3.0 g | 135 cal | 1.8 g

Paneer Broccoli - 7.8 g | 5.3 g | 7.4 g | 110.3 cal | 2.1 g

Puppiezo Fresh Wet Dog Food ensures your pet enjoys a nutritious meal, crafted with love and care. Treat your furry friend today!

Last Words: A Healthier Future For Our Pets

Max’s Transformation Serves As A Powerful Reminder Of The Importance Of Quality Nutrition For Our Dogs. By Choosing The Best Dog Food, Whether It’s Fresh Dog Food, The Best Wet Dog Food, Or High-Quality Kibble, We Can Ensure Our Pets Live Long, Healthy, And Happy Lives.

As Dog Owners, It’s Our Responsibility To Educate Ourselves About What We Feed Our Pets. With Countless Options Available Both Online And In Local Stores, Making Informed Choices Has Never Been Easier. Embrace The Journey Of Providing The Best For Your Furry Companion, And You’ll Reap The Rewards In Their Boundless Love And Companionship.

[europenne]

[lotusarchon]

Therians are indeed, people who feel a very spiritual connection with a certain animal! They can't choose which animal it is though, they just feel it. Some of them make masks of this animal to feel a bit more connected, and then there's...THOSE therians (with all due respect because i'm a therian too and no one deserves to be disrespected) who eats food for animals (for example cat food, dog food) and/or runs away from their home because their family doesn't accept they are therians...

I'm sorry for my own community but like being a therian isn't TRYING TO BE that animal you feel connected to 😭 we're still humans, we're always gonna be humans- we don't TRY to be that animal, we just feel connected with them...I'm sorry but I find it a bit funny when they get to that point, though it's concerning when they start eating dog or cat food like please don't do that you could get seriously sick

Anyway that's therians for you! :3

Ohhhh thank you for this Anon! I was kinda right yaaay

Though I don't think I'm allowed to say this since idk much about it, it is a bit weird thinking you are FULLY an animal I guess? But then again I won't make judgement, but also, DON'T EAT DOG/CAT/ANY FOOD FOR ANIMALS YOU'LL DIE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 THINK ABOUT YOUR TUMMIESSSSSSS

- from someone who ate dog chow religiously as a child and is insane now

Edit: turning off reblogs for this post because apparently this is starting some discourse within this community. With all due respect; I am NOT a therian, nor am I aware of how things work for you guys. I just know basic knowledge, and if the anon is wrong, then that's fine. Someone actually corrected me on it, which is FINE. But for the love of god, please do not pull ME into your discourse. The origins of this was someone asking me what my opinion of therians is, and my statement remains; I don't care what you do, if you're not a bad person then do what makes you happy, I am not going to judge you. Someone said it isn't just a spiritual connection and it's actually feeling like the animal, and that's FINE. I still think it's weird but I also know this is from my OWN ignorance, so please stop coming to yap at me about this rudely, because you're only giving me the impression that you guys are rude. I'm not going to pretend I know anything, and if you wish to disagree with Anon, do so POLITELY. Otherwise, please stop interacting with the post. Calling the anon out on misinformation is fine, but again, do not bring ME into this. As far as I'm aware, I'm watching different sets of people who are stating what they know of therians from their own experience. 🧍 It's fine that you wanna point out misinfo but also. Be nice. Because it feels like you guys are yelling at me and it's not nice

[healingheartdogs]

Saw a post earlier of someone being like "see how my puppy isn't bothering me while I eat and is minding his own business playing in the other room? That's because in this house animals aren't ever allowed to have people food from the moment they come home with me so they never even learn to want it." The post and most of the comments on it were very high and mighty "I'm a better owner than other people, I'm the boss of my dog, I don't allow my dog to offend me by showing desire for highly desirable resources" attitude and were very much judging other people for not having the same boundaries and annoyances about dog behaviors around food with their own dogs in their own homes and I just like... absolutely can not relate at all, tbh. There is a type of person who uses phrases like "people food" unironically, thinks that dogs being allowed to have good things that are usually intended for humans is somehow offensive and wrong, gets annoyed by a dog even being allowed to exist in the same room when people are eating, and thinks a dog just looking at them for more than 30 seconds while they have food or hanging out watching them doing stuff is the dog bothering them and being rude, and every time I encounter this type of person it makes me wonder why they even own a dog when they clearly hate natural dog behaviors and are bothered by dogs just wanting to be around people, do things with them, and receive human attention more than once in a blue moon.

When I make breakfast after I wake up and take it to my room to eat Hermes always eagerly follows right behind me because he expects he's going to get something from me. That expectation is almost always correct, and I feel absolutely zero shame about it. Him laying calmly at my feet or next to my chair quietly watching me eat is not "bothering me". He's quite literally not doing anything to be a bother, he's just patiently chilling. If a dog hanging out nearby and calmly watching while people eat bothers you enough to consider that bad nosey behavior that is deserving of you ridiculing other dog owners for allowing it that's uhhh... weird af? At least to me it's weird, sorry not sorry. Like maybe you actually just don't like having dogs around then if they can bother you without even really doing anything? Cuz IDK about y'all but I love my dogs hanging around me and wanting to be close to me and even seeking engagement from me. I love them being excited about being around me and following me around because they know I give them good things. I also like having their attention and eyes on me in general - especially Hermes, as a dog of a breed that is often more environmentally focused than handler focused and whose attention I've had to work for and earn. Looking at me is something that I specifically reward all my dogs for and immediately start to capture during their initial introductions to clicker training because I find it to be beneficial during training sessions (as well as a good way to charge the clicker), so it would be ridiculous and unfair for me to get annoyed by it and discourage it in other scenarios like when I'm eating. In fact, I see Hermes calmly laying down nearby and politely seeking eye contact with me whenever I look his way while I'm eating my breakfast as a sign that he knows how to act to get what he wants because he understands his training well, and that he is putting that training to work by being an attentive calm good boy and waiting patiently for me to respect my end of the deal that I have taught him and give him his reward for the behaviors he's offering that I have repeatedly asked him for in the past.

Also like... if he is in the way somehow while people are eating or if we're eating something he can't have and I don't want him near us just in case someone drops something (even though he has an extremely solid leave it, still better safe than sorry) then I just tell him to go to his bed??? and then share a little bite of my food with him to reward him for going to lay on his bed if it's safe or give him something else like a couple of small dog treats or a pork chew on his bed if my food isn't dog safe. After that he will stay on his bed and keep being a calm patient boy because he's learned that staying on his bed after being told to go to it means he will continue to occasionally get more treats or small pieces of my dog safe food tossed to him for the duration of his time there until he is released. Often times because he's working so hard to be calm and patient to earn a few bites of my food he just ends up falling asleep next to me or on his bed, which is definitely the opposite of being bothersome. I like to thank him for that patience and calmness by gently waking him up to share the last bite of my food or give him a little treat jackpot and some praise before releasing him.

Maybe I'm a "bad" trainer (lol) but I enjoy spoiling my dogs by sharing some of my dog safe "people food" with them in moderation, and you can definitely share "people food" with dogs without making them annoying or untrustworthy around food. Despite what the person who made that post seems to incorrectly think, simply letting a dog have a taste of "people food" sometimes does not create unwanted bothersome behaviors around food. Rewarding unwanted behaviors that bother you instead of wanted behaviors that don't bother you is what causes that. That's it, that's the sole cause. Like... you could just only share food with them if they're being calm or waiting patiently on their bed or whatever it is you want from them during meal times. Boom, the "bothering" problem is solved and your dog still gets to enjoy a special treat. In fact, my experience as a dog trainer is that the high value and novelty of that special "people food" treat often makes the rewarding of the not-bothering behavior you want from them while you eat much more motivating and effective than giving them one of their regular treats or chews as a reward or distraction, so the settling down not-bothering behavior you want is even more likely to be consistently freely offered up in the future since it is so highly rewarded.

When I've had clients in the past express concerns about causing begging by giving their dogs "people food" or tell me they feel guilty about it because they've been told by people like that poster I saw that it's a bad thing to do in general, this has been my advice to them - not to stop doing the whole sharing thing that makes them and their dog happy, but just to make it more productive for the kind of relationship they want to have with their dog and the behaviors they are wanting to see. It's a simple solution that can turn a meal into a nearly effortless high value training session for teaching settling during household activities and around food, which is something that is a common frustration to achieve for a lot of inexperienced dog owners. If you handle your dogs sometimes being given bits of food scraps as treats this way then everyone wins, especially the people who like to spoil their dogs and share food with them (which is VERY NORMAL TO WANT TO DO BECAUSE WE ARE A SOCIAL SPECIES THAT BONDS THROUGH RESOURCE SHARING) because now those people can turn that desire to spoil their beloved companions into some easy training. Just be sure to consider if ingredients are dog safe or not and be mindful of oversharing and sharing foods with high fat content because maintaining a balanced diet is important for health.

Also that OP apparently doesn't realize this yet based on the wording of their post, but if you have a dog that is at all decently food motivated then just ignoring them while you have food and never sharing is not going to teach them to leave people alone in the presence of food and never try to seek food from anyone. This is especially true if anyone ever accidentally drops something around your dog (it'll happen eventually) and they snag it and self reward because you never actually taught them not to do that, or if anyone else in your house isn't as firm with that boundary or is unable to enforce it consistently and ends up giving them food purposefully or accidentally (as can often happen in households with children or that sometimes invite guests over). "I don't ever share people food with animals in my house starting from day one and I ignore them when food is out so they never learn to even want it to begin with" is not training your dog to leave food or people who are eating food alone. That's doing nothing and hoping that your new puppy or dog doesn't care about the delicious smells of food or people gathering together in the house for food related activities multiple times a day enough that they will quickly get bored and give up on trying to investigate all "people food" related activities for the rest of their lives without you training them, which is an absolutely ridiculous expectation. Just not ever giving a dog any of your food doesn't make it stop smelling like food to them and won't magically make them never be curious about seeing what you have and if they can get some of it. They don't have to be given food by you off your plate to know that it smells interesting or to figure out that seeing you eating it means it might be something they can eat. Having a superiority complex about NOT actually training your new puppy how to act around food and ignoring them as "training" instead is certainly funny, in a "not funny haha, funny weird" kind of way. It's also pretty irresponsible since some foods that humans eat are dangerous to dogs. Instead of just ignoring them when food is around and hoping they'll learn to leave all food that isn't their dog food alone on their own, a responsible owner should actually be actively teaching their dogs to leave food in general alone unless it is offered to them, even when food is left where they can easily get to it.

Anyway, if people could just stop being weird about dogs doing normal dog things and existing in spaces around humans, do some basic research on dog behavior and how dogs learn before getting a dog, actually train their dogs to the minimum level required to make themselves not be regularly upset at their dogs for acting untrained and "bothering" them, and stop developing weird superiority complexes because they get lucky for a while right after bringing home a new dog or puppy and it manages to not cause them any problems or upset them yet... that would be cool.

[spiderwarden]

Partners treating Minthara exactly like the prissy spoiled literal Underdark princess that she is. Gold.

[nicistrying]

Monday 27th November

We took all the puppies to the beach yesterday with Matt's brother and his wife! They were all so good! Usually Maggie and Daisy the jack russell end up fighting but they were very polite and respectful of each other and it made us all so proud and really gave us hope that one day they'll be able to be in the house together for family gatherings🤞 we didn't have to keep them away from each other either they were actually able to greet each other and sniff and chase a ball together but still keep out of each other's faces

And we went to a restaurant for lunch where they had little huts outside to sit in, it was so cute. We all sat in one of those and had the most delicious food. Matt and I shared flatbread with houmous, chips and mixed garlic mushrooms on toast which were sooo good omg. And again the dogs were so good! We fully expected to have to put Maggie in the car while we ate if she was going to upset Daisy but she lay under the table and the little ones sat up on the bench and they were a little tense but they did really well and didn't bother each other. And Maggie didn't even bark at the waitress serving us when she would open the door to bring us our food. Our big brave girl 🥰🥰

And between last night and today I've finally dealt with the spare bedroom! Painted the previously green wall and finally papered over the dinosaurs 😂 getting rid of my dressing table and swapped it for a desk that we can work at. All done by myself in a day and a half! A job that's been stressing me out every time I've gone in that room for the past year 😂 I'm so proud of myself. Having a lovely little time doing all my home improvements while I'm not working - sticky tiles for the kitchen arriving tomorrow so that's the next project 👷‍♀️

Plan for tomorrow is to walk Maggie, work out, do some online Christmas shopping while waiting for the tiles to arrive and then get those straight on the wall while I'm on a roll 💪

Hope everyone is well!

[makkie-is-screaming]

I fucking can’t today

[tonystarkstan]

there was no preparing me for how lonely post-grad life would be lmfao

[ipwarn]

Happy New Year!

[madridpnw]

@nighttime-nightingale

You ever just realized how lucky you are that you did that weird thing that led to you being friends with the people you are friends with?

[antimony-ore]

Not to dwell on it, but I still feel a tad directionless this morning

[petyupp]

Easy Homemade Dog Treats Recipe

Easy homemade dog treats recipes do not only provide your dog a tasty, nutritious meal but they also strengthen your bond with your dog. Whipping up homemade dog treats in your kitchen is one of the best ways to become an amazing pet parent in the eyes of your dog with the help of recipes. Dogs love treats like peanut butter and pumpkin bites and sweet potato chew sticks.

[saritawolff]

Phew. This one took, uh… a bit longer than expected due to other projects both irl and art-wise, but it’s finally here. The long-awaited domestic animal infographic! Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough space to cover every single domestic animal (I’m so sorry, reindeer and koi, my beloveds) but I tried to include as many of the “major ones” as possible.

I made this chart in response to a lot of the misunderstandings I hear concerning domestic animals, so I hope it’s helpful!

Further information I didn’t have any room to add or expand on:

🐈 “Breed” and “species” are not synonyms! Breeds are specific to domesticated animals. A Bengal Tiger is a species of tiger. A Siamese is a breed of domestic cat.

🐀 Different colors are also not what makes a breed. A breed is determined by having genetics that are unique to that breed. So a “bluenose pitbull” is not a different breed from a “rednose pitbull”, but an American Pitbull Terrier is a different breed from an American Bully! Animals that have been domesticated for longer tend to have more seperate breeds as these differing genetics have had time to develop.

🐕 It takes hundreds of generations for an animal to become domesticated. While the “domesticated fox experiment” had interesting results, there were not enough generations involved for the foxes to become truly domesticated and their differences from wild foxes were more due to epigenetics (heritable traits that do not change the DNA sequence but rather activate or deactivate parts of it; owed to the specific circumstances of its parents’ behavior and environment.)

🐎 Wild animals that are raised in human care are not domesticated, but they can be considered “tamed.” This means that they still have all their wild instincts, but are less inclined to attack or be frightened of humans. A wild animal that lives in the wild but near human settlements and is less afraid of humans is considered “habituated.” Tamed and habituated animals are not any less dangerous than wild animals, and should still be treated with the same respect. Foxes, otters, raccoons, servals, caracals, bush babies, opossums, owls, monkeys, alligators, and other wild animals can be tamed or habituated, but they have not undergone hundreds of generations of domestication, so they are not domesticated animals.

🐄 Also, as seen above, these animals have all been domesticated for a reason, be it food, transport, pest control, or otherwise, at a time when less practical options existed. There is no benefit to domesticating other species in the modern day, so if you’ve got a hankering for keeping a wild animal as a pet, instead try to find the domestic equivalent of that wild animal! There are several dog breeds that look and behave like wolves or foxes, pigeons and chickens can make great pet birds and have hundreds of colorful fancy breeds, rats can be just as intelligent and social as a small monkey (and less expensive and dangerous to boot,) and ferrets are pretty darn close to minks and otters! There’s no need to keep a wolf in a house when our ancestors have already spent 20,000+ years to make them house-compatible.

🐖 This was stated in the infographic, but I feel like I must again reiterate that domestic animals do not belong in the wild, and often become invasive when feral. Their genetics have been specifically altered in such a way that they depend on humans for optimal health. We are their habitat. This is why you only really see feral pigeons in cities, and feral cats around settlements. They are specifically adapted to live with humans, so they stay even when unwanted. However, this does not mean they should live in a way that doesn’t put their health and comfort as a top priority! If we are their world, it is our duty to make it as good as possible. Please research any pet you get before bringing them home!

[sapsolais]

<3

[esleep]

i actually do kinda like delivering groceries on the side because it gives me such a unique cross-section of the community. i never know whose groceries im shopping for until i finish the delivery and see them/their home and it's like it adds more detail to the picture of who they are. the baby supplies going to the apartment that i know for a fact is one bedroom (they'll be moving soon - i bet they're apartment hunting, i hope they find a place). the new cat litter box, bowl, and kitten food going to the house covered in "i <3 my dog" paraphernalia (a kitten definitely showed up on the porch recently and made itself at home). the fairly healthy boring grocery order that includes an incongruous tub of candy-filled ice cream going to the home of an elderly woman with toddler toys in the yard (it's clearly for her grandkids, whom she sees often).

shopping for someone else's groceries is a fairly intimate thing. i've bought condoms and pregnancy tests, allergy medicine and nyquil, baby benadryl and teething gel, a huge pile of veggies paired with an equally huge pile of junk food, tampons and shampoo and closet organizers and ant traps and deodorizing shoe inserts and a million other little things that tell a million different stories in their endless combinations. one time someone had me buy one single green bean. i messaged them to confirm that's actually what they wanted, and they said yes - neither of them liked green beans very much, but they had a baby they were introducing to solid foods, and they wanted to let him try one to see if he liked them. another time i had someone request 50 fresh roma tomatoes - not for a restaurant, but for a person in an apartment. the kitchen behind them smelled like basil and garlic when they opened the door. another time i brought groceries to three elderly blind women who share a house. that was one of the few times i have ever broken my rule and gone inside a place i've delivered to, because they asked if i could place the grocery bags in a specific location in the kitchen for them to work on unloading and there was no way i was going to refuse helping.

i gripe about the poor tippers, but people can also be incredibly kind. one time i took shelter from a sudden vicious hailstorm inside an older lady's home in a trailer park, while i was in the middle of delivering her groceries. we both huddled just inside the door, watching in shock as golf-ball-sized hail swept through for about five minutes and then disappeared. she handed me an extra $10 bill on my way out the door.

when covid was at its deadliest, people would leave extra (often lysol-scented) cash tips and thank-you notes for me taped to the door or partially under the mat. i especially loved the clearly kid-drawn thank you notes with marker renderings of blobby people in masks, or trees, or rainbows. in summer of 2020 i delivered to a nice older couple who lived outside of town in the hills, and they insisted i take a huge double handful of extra disposable gloves and masks to wear while shopping - those were hard to find in stores at the time, but they wanted me to have some of their supply and wouldn't take no for an answer.

anyway. all this to say people are mostly good, or at least trying to be, despite my complaints.

[naturally-dazed]

the way i literally never can get myself to try to make new types of food at home, then when i do i remember to buy those things i learned to make for like a couple of months and randomly wake up with zero recollection it ever happened until 2 years later