I'm a dog lover and owner, but the first thing that I'll recognize about dog ownership is that a lot of people are wildly irresponsible with and about their pets. Still, it seems almost impossible to get things exactly right in the modern world of dog training and ownership; everywhere you look, there is conflicting advice and strategies that the people pushing them swear you must follow. Some are based on research and empirical evidence, while others are theoretical and hokey. And, yet, even t…

Golden retriever behavior

Step right up and see the silliest-named animals on the whole internet! We've got cats, dogs, birds, and more with some very silly names that they've been given by their respective animal shelters. Next up,, read about these potluck dinners that went absolutely off the rails, like one person who admitted, that “Six people brought the same Walmart potato salad.”

Each year, millions of cats and dogs get adopted out, and someone at the shelters will have to name them. According to Forbes, the number of pups who got their fur-ever home in the US last year was 1.5 million. That's just counting dogs—but shelters also house plenty of cats, and about 978,000 of the little scoundrels were adopted last year. Now, there aren't millions of pigs, lizards, rabbits, or birds sitting in the shelters, but a few of them always come through these shelters' doors, too! A…

Being a pet owner is a big commitment. For the entire life of some hapless critter–whether it's a dog, a cat, a bird, or a fish–you're responsible for taking care of your pet. After so many years, it's easy to grow so fond of an animal that it becomes a part of your family, which is why the cat lover in our next story was ready to fight tooth and nail for their rescue feline.

Rescue animals can sometimes choose their rescuer. As human beings, we like to maintain a semblance of control over our own lives, but when it comes to pet ownership, nobody is ever fully prepared for the unconditional love that comes along with animal adoption. However, that love can come as a surprise to those who aren't even looking for it.

Pets make for great company and comfort, but nothing about them is cheap—especially when they get into and eat something they weren't supposed which prompts an emergency trip to the vet. Similarly, it's important to remember that your pet has a different biology than you and often really shouldn't be eating the things that you and I are eating. Even some things you might think are okay, you'll be surprised to find they shouldn't be eating—or might even be toxic. A quick search is always the eas…

Poor Isadora deserved better!

When you adopt a pet, you sign a moral agreement to love it unconditionally and take care of it to the very best of your capability and ability. It's no small thing, taking on responsibility for another living thing. That's why it's something that is best not done lightly, lest you find yourself unprepared and incapable of taking care of the said living thing. It sometimes happens despite careful research and preparation, circumstances change, and we find ourselves needing desperately to re-hom…

Custody battle doggo edition

Sometimes people who don't grow up with pets get shocked by the closeness people have with their animals. And there are definitely times when it goes too far. Like the people who let their dogs lick their mouths. We can mostly agree that that's a bit much. But the “unhygienic” practices seen here look a whole lot like regular cat ownership, and this guy hasn't been around for long enough to make demands. For another one like this, here's the guy whose girlfriend kicked out his cat, so he kicked…

Just stop

Whoa that's a handful.