Dog pregnancy usually lasts for nine weeks or 63 days. But their are also instances that puppies are born between day 58 to day 68.

Diagnosis

Pregnancy tests for dogs are not available as of the moment whether it is through urine or blood tests. The earliest times when the vets can detect that she is pregnant are between day 26 to day 35 after the breeding was done. This is done by feeling the pregnant dog’s abdomen and the accuracy for this method is 85%. For a more accurate diagnosis of dog pregnancy, the pregnant dog can undergo an x-ray examination at day 45. This method is 95% accurate and it can also determine how many puppies are in the womb.

Physical Changes

There are only few observable changes for the first five weeks of dog pregnancy. Once the fifth week passed, pregnant dogs usually start to gain some weight particularly those with big offspring. For mother dogs with only one or two puppies in the womb, a little gain weight may occur until a few days before delivery. In the last three weeks of pregnancy, enlargement of the abdomen becomes visible. On day 35, the enlargement of the mammary glands may start to occur but it will be more visible only when day 45 comes. The presence of milk occurs as early as seven to nine days before giving birth. But in general, milk is produced only until one to two days before giving birth.

Behavioral Changes

Dogs usually show some behavioral changes particularly in the last few weeks of their pregnancy. As the enlargement of abdomen happens, pregnant dogs usually become restless. They prefer to be alone most of the time and they will soil the house in the last few days of dog pregnancy. Shredding of things like blankets, bedding, or papers may happen as they try to do ‘nest building’ few weeks before delivery. It is better that you should avoid your children to be in contact with your pregnant dog since they will become really irritable.

Nutrition

Good nutrition is really important in any stages of dog pregnancy for the benefit of both mother and puppies. In the first four weeks, there is a little change in the nutritional need of the dog but it is better if you feed her with small quantity of high protein foods like lean muscle meats, eggs, and liver. Pregnant dogs will double their nutritional needs in the last five weeks of pregnancy. The amount of food in every meal should be increased. There should always be the availability of fresh water to compensate her increased need of fluid. It is also recommended that feeding puppy food should be done until the lactation period stops.

Exercise

Moderate exercise is the best approach in dog pregnancy. Never force your dog to rest or make her do strenuous exercises. The good thing to do is to have short walks and short periods of gentle play with her.

What is the World’s Biggest Horse?

The world’s biggest horse is a playful Clydesdale named Remington based in Dallas, North Texas. This giant of a horse weighs 3,000 pounds and 80 inches tall – easily making it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Tallest Living Horse on earth.

Remington’s owner, Cheryl Davis, hurt her foot when the horse accidentally stepped on it. She wore an orthopedic boot until the day they received news that he’d made the world record. Davis waited patiently for the record keeping company to make their report. She kept Remington’s fans updated through a humorous blog made for him. Davis joked she would not display the world record certificate in the barn, lest the mischievous horse ate it.

Remington’s trainer is Bunny Morrissey. Both owner and trainer describe the horse as playful, mischievous and clumsy, often breaking things due to his immense size. They created a blog to narrate his life to the public, entitling it “Remington’s Adventures.”

Who Was the Previous Record Holder for the World’s Biggest Horse?

The previous record holder was a draft horse from Belgium named Radar. Radar held the title of World’s Tallest Horse from 2004 to just September 21, 2009. He is owned by Prefect Ranch Equipment and lives in Mount Pleasant, Texas. He is 79.5 inches tall, just half an inch shorter than Remington.

New Contender for World’s Biggest Horse Record

Another Clydesdale, this time based in Great Britain, may vie for the title in the future. Just 4 years old, Dagger already stands 6 feet and 6 inches tall from the ground to the highest point of his back. From the end of his tail to the tip of his ears, he measures 8 feet and 5 inches. With his head up, he is 9 feet tall. And he still has a lot of growing up left to do. As of 2008 he was as tall as Cracker, a Linconshire based in Tennessee.

Dagger had a hard life starting out. His first owners could no longer care for him. They were forced to give him up to an equine shelter, the International League for the Protection of Horses who took Dagger to their farm in Aboyne, Scotland. He is now cared for by farm owner Eileen Gillen and handler Lisa McFarlane.

Dagger weighs almost 2,000 pounds, has the appetite of three horses, and eats nearly 50 pounds of food and drinks 20 or more gallons of water in a single day. Dagger likes to be fed apples and carrots by human visitors who like to marvel at the huge animal. His handler and owners give him a chocolate muffin for a treat.

Teddy bears function more than just being toys to kids. They can also be stuffed toy decors in rooms or cars. They enhance love and warmth for kids’ character molding. They help comfort tots especially when putting them to sleep. Teddy bears sometimes even give them a sense of security. But these effects are often dependent on proper stuffed toy proportions to make teddy bear dimensions suited to kids’ tastes and preferences.

The Right Stuffed Toy look

Stuffed toy proportions should make teddy bear dimensions quite appealing to kids. These toys should appear cute and desirable to hold, caress, and even sleep with in bed. It’s not important that they be exact replicas of bears, with toes and claws and fangs. They are not designed for children’s education but for appeasing their emotions. Hence, it’s enough for teddy bears to have short cylindrical arms and legs with no hand and foot details.

The Head

Teddy bear dimensions detailing the head should add up to a round or oblong shape. The best proportion is a big circle or oblong, a bit flat, with a smaller circle or oblong attached making up the mouth. Two smaller oblongs are also attached to the upper right and left corners of the bigger oblong to serve as ears. Some use big and small diamond shapes for the purpose. These are the proper stuffed toy proportions for a cute teddy bear head. Squares or rectangles will not do. Eyes are often of round buttons, and the mouth of embroidered material. A tip here is to make the ears and mouth of different colors from the head proper.

The Body

Teddy bear dimensions where the body is concerned should be in proportion to the head size. It should be slightly bigger than the head and somewhat square with obviously rounded ends. Making a circular body would make it appear more of a pig, a cylindrical body, a dog. No neck provision should be made. Necks would reduce the cute quality of bears. Attach the head directly to the body for a plump bear effect. Arms and legs should be short and cylindrical in shape. The legs should be just slightly longer than the arms.

As Decorations

Teddy bears as car decors are generally smaller to fit dash boards. As hang-ons clinging to the overhead rear view mirror, they should be made much smaller. Dash boards stuffed toy proportions should have the following teddy bear dimensions, more or less: four or five inches in height and 3 to 4 inches in width, including arm and leg length. For hang-ons, they should be proportionate to the usual key chain sizes.

One of the known marsupials that belong to the family Macropodidae, a kangaroo is usually found in Australia. It plays a significant role to the country, which considers it as its national symbol. Furthermore, the emblem of this animal is featured commonly in the country’s best-known organizations, currency as well as coat of arms. It comes in different species, some of the most notable of which are the western grey kangaroo, Antilopine kangaroo and red kangaroo. Aside from these basic facts, it is also good to know other interesting details about it such as the size of a kangaroo.

The Size of a Kangaroo

How big is a kangaroo? The average size of kangaroos, specifically the Macropus rufus or the red kangaroo, is 6-feet and 7-inches or 2 meters tall. In terms of weight, an adult male can be as heavy as 200 pounds or 90 kilograms. Another common species is Macropus giganteus or the eastern grey kangaroo. This one is slightly smaller, which has an average height of 6-feet or 2 meters and an average weight of 145 pounds or 66 kilograms.

The third common species is Macropus fuliginosus or the western grey kangaroo. It is smaller than the previous two species, which only stands at an average of 4-feet and 3-inches or approximately 1.3 meters tall. It only weighs around 52.91 to 127.87 pounds or 24 to 58 kilograms. The fourth common species of kangaroos is Macropus antilopinus or the Antilopine kangaroo. In terms of size, it is just a bitter smaller compared to the eastern grey kangaroo and the red kangaroo.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Details

Aside from the four common species of kangaroos, more than 50 smaller macropods exist, all of which are related closely to the family Macropodidae. This kind of animal is commonly known for its long muscular tail, which is used for balancing purposes. Likewise, it also has relatively large feet, which give it superior leaping ability unlike other animals. Additionally, it also has other distinct characteristics like a small head and big powerful hind legs. Similar to many other marsupials out there, each of the female kangaroos has a marsipium, a pouch wherein the joeys can finish their postnatal development.

Amongst the different large animals out there, only the kangaroo hops as a means of locomotion. The average hopping speed of the red kangaroo is approximately 13 to 16 mph or 20 to 25 km/h. As a group, kangaroos have an average life expectancy of 4 to 6 years. Based on reports, they are prone to develop eye diseases, some of which can even lead to blindness.

As one might expect, finding the world’s smallest monkey isn’t easy, and that’s not because it is too small to be located. The problem is that there are two contenders to the title, one of whose exact place in the animal kingdom is constantly in question.

Measuring a mere 12 cm in length and weighing around 80 to 150 grams, the Philippine Tarsier found on the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao is considered the smallest primate in the world. Tarsiers are in fact so small that they are roughly the same size as an adult human hand. They are also known for their rather strange appearance, most notably their big eyes and ears. It comes as to no surprise then that tarsiers possess heightened senses of sight and hearing. Their other unusual physical characteristics include their round heads, almost hairless 9-inch tails, short forelimbs and elongated hind limbs. They also have no apparent neck and are capable of turning their heads 180 degrees around. Most of the nails on their feet are flattened except for the claws on their second and third hind toes which they use to groom themselves. Tarsiers are very much nocturnal creatures, mainly active during the nighttime and preying primarily on insects.

The obstacle in the way of declaring the tarsier as the world’s smallest monkey is that its exact classification in the animal kingdom remains unclear. There are some in the scientific community who consider the tarsier as belonging to the prosimian family, which includes lemurs and galagos (also known as “bush babies”). There are others who believe that tarsiers constitute their own unique species, set wholly apart from the rest of the primate species. Considering that a tarsier’s appearance differs greatly from the typical monkeys and apes, there might be some truth in that.

Perhaps the easiest to peg down for the designation of world’s smallest monkey is the Pygmy Marmoset from the rain forests of South America. It measures a short length of 35 cm (including its tail) and weighs approximately 80 to 100 grams. Its distinctive physical characteristics include its grey-peppered tawny fur and a mane of silky-soft fur on its head and its cheeks. Pygmy marmosets are also different from other monkey species in that their hands and feet (with the exception of their big toe) have claws rather than flat nails. As for how they breed, only a single female from a group of 15 marmosets is charged with breeding (typically giving birth to un-identical twins) and raising their young. Their diet consists mainly of tree sap, but they also feed on insects, fruits and flowers.

In the category of world’s smallest monkey, it remains a toss-up between the Philippine Tarsier and the Pygmy Marmoset. Whichever of these two species deserves to lay claim to the label, both nonetheless deserve and need protection to preserve their existence on this planet. Tarsiers are close to being endangered, while marmosets are under constant threat of losing their habitat. It thus falls upon us to ensure the survival of the smallest of the Earth’s creatures.

Also referred to as cattle, cows are big domesticated ungulates. They belong to the subfamily Bovinae, which are collectively classified as Bos primigenius. They are highly important to society because they function as draft animals, particularly for pulling plows and carts. As dairy animals, people raise them for their milk, which is very important in producing different kinds of dairy products. More importantly, they are raised for their meat, which may come in the form of veal or beef. In addition to these interesting details, it is also nice to learn other things such as the world’s biggest cow.

The Biggest Cow in the World

The biggest breed of cow is the Chianina. As the largest type of cow, the males of this Italian breed grow at the average height 6 feet or 1.8 meters high. It terms of weight, these cows can weigh as much as 3,836 pounds or 1,740 kilograms. For females, the average height is 5 feet or 1.5 meters high. Meanwhile, these cows can weigh as much as 2,400 pounds or 1,088.62 kilograms. The heaviest bull ever recorded was named Donetto, which weighed 3,836 pounds or 1,740 kilograms.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Details

The meat of Chianina is widely used in preparing a Tuscan cuisine called Bistecca alla Fiorentina, which means Florentine-style beefsteak. As the oldest cattle breed, it originated within the Chiana Valley area in Italy. Based on history books, it has been in existence since the period of the Roman Empire. It was developed originally for draught and meat purposes.

In terms of appearance, this breed is characterized by a black switch and white hair. Furthermore, these cows are known for their black skin pigmentation. In addition, they are known for their gentle disposition as well as their tolerance to heat. This particular breed is raised for three major reasons, namely its tolerance to heat, high quality meat and favorable growth rate. More so, this cow breed is tolerant to insects and diseases compared to other domesticated cattle. Because of these qualities, this cow breed is widely raised in many different places, one of which is Brazil.

Each cow has one stomach, which is subdivided into four compartments, namely the abomasum, omasum, reticulum and rumen as the biggest. In case a cow ingests metal objects, they will go straight to the smallest compartment called reticulum, where it is possible for it to develop hardware disease. These divisions are called by other names like ‘true stomach’ for the abomasum, ‘many plies’ for the omasum and ‘honeycomb’ for the reticulum.

The schnauzer is another highly interesting dog breed, which is classified into three major types, namely giant schnauzers, standard schnauzers and miniature schnauzers. This particular type of dog originated in the 1400s in Germany. It was bred originally to serve as a guard dog, a yard dog and a rat catcher. Aside from these facts, there are more to learn about this interesting breed including the size of a schnauzer.

The Size of a Schnauzer

What is the size of a schnauzer? At the shoulder, standard schnauzers usually grow about 1½-feet or 46 centimeters. Their average weight ranges from 26 to 37 pounds or 12 to 17 kilograms. They were developed originally to serve as guard dogs and to catch rats. The biggest amongst the three types of schnauzers is the giant schnauzer, which actually grows at the average height of 2 feet or 60 centimeters tall. It terms of weight, they are also the heaviest, with the average weight of 75 to 85 pounds or 30 to 35 kilograms.

The miniature schnauzers are the smallest, which grow at the average height of 1 foot or 30 centimeters at the shoulder. Each miniature schnauzer only weighs about 5 to 13 pounds or 5 to 7 kilograms.

Additional Facts and Other Important Details

In German, the ‘term’ schnauzer’ means moustache, which is pretty evident in this particular breed of dog. To prevent mats from forming, it is important to brush its leg hair as well as the beard. It is good to make this dog part of a family because of its loving and friendly nature. It can easily alert family members and protect them form potential harm and danger. Compared to other dog breeds, this one is very intelligent. At least two times a year, it is best to pluck out the dead and loose hairs of these dogs.

Miniature schnauzers are known for their superior intelligence as well as their high levels of energy. They come in various colors, the most common of which are white, silver and black. They love to interact with their owners and are very loyal companions, which are traits that make them excellent pets. Once they sense threats, they usually alarm their owners right away. However, they are rarely aggressive when dealing with strangers.

Standard schnauzers were used to deliver messages during the past wars. During those times, they were also used as police dogs. Likewise, they have helped in various Red Cross operations. As working dogs, giant schnauzers were used to guard breweries.

What is the World’s Biggest Bear?

The world’s largest bear is also the largest carnivore on earth: the polar bear. It has no rival except its close relative, the brown bear. The polar bear has an average weight of between 900 to 1,500 pounds. The biggest polar bear ever recorded was almost 12 feet tall and weighed an incredible 2,210 pounds or 1,022 kilograms. Although brown bears can also get very big, their average size is only 500 to 900 pounds. No other land animal rivals the polar bear in size except for the herbivorous African Bush elephant.

Polar Bear Average Height and Weight

The polar bear makes its home in the Arctic Circle where evolution has made it adapt a lighter color as camouflage in the snow. Polar bears aren’t actually white, but have a rather dirty white-yellow fur. Males are twice as big as females, weighing on average about 700 to 1,500 pounds or 350 to 680 kilograms, and standing 7.9 to 9.8 feet or 2.4 to 3 meters tall. Females average 350 to 550 pounds or 150 to 249 kilograms with a height of 7.9 to 8.9 feet or 2.4 to 3 meters.

Polar Bear Habitat, Diet and Behavior

Polar bears are solitary animals, with the female rearing the cubs alone. They spend part of the year living on ice and the other in the icy water. Their diet consists of seals which they hunt in the ocean.

In the coldest time of the year, female bears retreat into their dens where they give birth to their cubs. They remain in their dens until spring. This is not true hibernation in which the heart rate and body temperature drop significantly.

Polar bears are popular attractions in zoos. Animal rights activists insist that bear cubs not be hand-raised by humans. According to them, cubs abandoned by their mothers must be euthanized rather than allowed to live and depend on humans for care and companionship. However some zookeepers choose to act as foster parents to these cubs. Polar bears raised by humans in zoos grow quite accustomed to human company as well as visiting crowds.

Polar Bears and Global Warming

Studies and observations indicate that global warming has had a very negative impact on polar bears. As the Arctic ice platforms break up and come apart, the bears are forced to swim more and more ocean to hunt for food and then return to solid land. Melting ice also forces the bears to cut their hunting season short and return to land sooner with less fat stores. Melting ice also makes it more difficult for females to find suitable dens for their young. The result is malnutrition and an increased mortality rate. Some estimates predict that the whole species could become extinct in a century if the trend continues.

Also known as the Doberman Pinscher, the Doberman originated from Germany. As a companion dog, it is very loyal, alert and intelligent. It is commonly used as a police dog, a watchdog and a guard dog. Thanks to media attention and the significant roles that this dog plays in society, this breed has become one of the most recognizable. Furthermore, it offers families a great sense of job because of its lively and energetic character. In addition to these interesting facts, it is also good to know the size of a Doberman.

The Size of a Doberman

What is the size of a Doberman? As medium-sized dogs, male Dobermans grow at the average of 26 to 28 inches or 66 to 72 centimeters. On the other hand, females are a bit smaller, with an average height of 24 to 26 inches or 61 to 68 centimeters. The ideal height for males is 27.5 inches, while for females 25.5 inches.

Because this particular type of dog was originally developed as a guard dog, it has impressive qualities like an obedient temperament, determined, watchful and proud. Compared to muscular males, females possess thinner body frames. In terms of weight, males commonly weigh from 75 to 100 pounds or 34 to 45 kilograms. For females, the average weight stands from 60 to 90 pounds or 27 to 41 kilograms.

Additional Facts and Other Important Details

It is good for Dobermans to have sufficient size, which gives them better agility, endurance and strength. Normally, the tails of these dogs are long. However, they usually undergo the procedure called docking, wherein their tails are removed surgically. Meanwhile, the ears of these dogs are commonly cropped so that they can localize sound more effectively.

Since one of the primary purposes of these dogs is to serve as a protection dog, it must possess traits like willingness to defend owners, fearlessness and obedient. Likewise, it must be large enough to intimidate people. However, some efforts in North America are done to transform Dobermans into loving, loyal and gentle creatures.

The average life span of this dog breed is 10 to 14 years. However, serious health concerns can decrease this length of time even further. These include von Willebrand’s disease, cervical vertebral instability and prostatic disease. The different kinds of prostatic diseases affecting this dog breed include benign hyperplasia, prostatic adenocarcinoma as well as bacterial prostatiti. Some of the dog breeds that were crossed to come up with Dobermans include the old German shepherd dog, the Manchester terrier and the German shorthaired pointer.

The blue whale is one of the highly interesting and fascinating marine mammals because of its huge size. Based on historical accounts, it is one of the largest animals ever known. Its body is generally described as slender and long. It has a bluish-grey color with a lighter shade underneath. It is commonly found in the South Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. Aside from these interesting details, it is good to learn things about the size of a blue whale.

The Usual Sizes of Blue Whales

How big is a blue whale? In terms of length, this marine mammal can grow up to 108 feet or 32.9 meters. When it comes to weight, it can be as heavy as 190 short tons or 172 metric tons. Based on the reports made by the American National Marine Mammal Laboratory, a blue whale measuring 98 feet or 30 meters can weigh more than 200 short tons or 180 metric tons. In the history of this laboratory, the biggest it has recorded weighed 195 short tons or 177 metric tons.

Additional Facts and Other Highly Interesting Details

The sizes of blue whales are truly fascinating. The longest captured whale ever recorded measured 110 feet or 33.6 meters. The second one was slightly smaller, with a length of 109 feet or 33.3 meters. For the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the biggest whale they caught measured 98 feet or 29.9 meters.

For those who want to weigh the tongue of a blue whale, the result would be somewhere around 3.0 short tons or 2.7 metric tons. When its mouth is expanded fully, it is huge enough to hold 99 short tons or 90 metric tons of water and food. However, its throat is not big enough to swallow objects that are wider than a regular beach ball.

Its heart is recorded as the biggest amongst all the animals, which weighs around 1,300 pounds or 600 kilograms. The average diameter of its aorta is 9.1 inches or 23 centimeters. Based on studies, a blue whale calf drinks about 100 U.S. gallons or 400 liters of milk daily. Every 24 hours, the calf is expected to gain a weight of about 200 pounds or 90 kilograms. At birth, each calf weighs approximately 6,000 pounds or 2,700 kilograms. The lung capacity of blue whales is measured at 1,320 U.S. gallons or 5,000 liters. Meanwhile, expect its flippers to grow somewhere around 13 feet or 4 meters. In terms of speed, it can swim as fast as 31 mph.