Just a brief post to share some photos of Tilly and her friends, now that she’s enjoying being with other dogs again (successful but still ongoing rehabilitation with Tilly)! It’s a thrill to see her socialising well still, for the most part, and getting excited to see her friends.
My dad always told me, when I needed to take photos of animals as part of coursework for my college diploma and my university degree, that to get the best photos of animals you need to get on their level! Now that was tricky when I had an assignment about giraffes!
You may not be an avid photographer, but we all take photos of our pets! I like candid photos as much as the next person, but I also love how my animal photos look when I follow my dad’s advice and get on their level. Just thought I’d share this little tip with you all! See for yourself below…
All images are either open source, Google images, or my own – or photos donated for use by the pet owners.
If you have any questions or comments; please post a comment below, or contact Ali’s Answers via one of the social media pages…
Welcome to the first post of the series, covering an A-Z of rabbit breeds. This first post will cover breeds from A-C; including some basic titbits about the breed, and some interesting facts. As per my two previous A-Z series, for Dog breeds and Cat breeds, between 1-3 breeds will be covered per letter – accompanied by photo’s of the breed. In the follow up posts, continuing down the alphabet, I will be writing posts covering breeds from D-F, G-I, J-L, M-O, P-R, S-V, and W-Z.
A
Alaska
Origin: Despite the name, the Alaska rabbit does not actually originate in Alaska, but in Germany! Size: Medium Weight: 3-4 kg Lifespan: 7-10 years Colours: Black only – however they can go slightly brown around the neck and shoulders in the summer.
Alaska rabbits are friendly, good tempered and make great family pets as they are not known to be aggressive but are quite docile. They are also generally gentle and affectionate, and lovely as pets.
Argenté
Origin: France Size: Small, except the Champagne which is Medium Weight: 2.7-3 kg, except the Champagne which is 4.4-5.6 kg Lifespan: 5-8 years Colours: Top colour is always silver, it is the undercoat colours that vary and therefore (alongside weight differences) define the breed variants.
– Argenté de Champagne (slate blue/ white undercoat) – Argenté Crème (orange/ cream undercoat) – Argenté Brun (dark brown/ beige undercoat) – Argenté Clair (blue/ silver) – Argenté Bleu (lavender blue/ dark blue) – Argenté St Hubert (blue/ chestnut)
Argenté rabbits are known to be quite easy going and placid, and enjoy attention – providing they’re properly socialised as kits (young rabbits). Some compare the temperament of these rabbits as like a “well mannered cat”.
B
Belgian Hare
(don’t let the name fool you, it IS a rabbit!)
Origin: Belgium Size: Medium Weight: 2.7-4 kg Lifespan: 7-10 years Colours: Black and Tan, Black, Chestnut, Tan, Red – with black ticking. Black and Tan being the breed standard.
Some describe this breed as “highly-strung” as they are very active and can be easily startled and skittish. They are friendly and enjoy petting, however they are not recommended for beginners as they require a fair bit of maintenance and need someone who can handle their nervousness.
British Giant
Origin: United Kingdom Size: Giant Weight: 5.5-7 kg Lifespan: 4-6 years
Bred in the UK as a new breed, from varying colours of Flemish Giant stock from the US in the 1940’s, the British Giant is a friendly and calm rabbit; docile and laid back. They are not as active as smaller breeds of rabbit and are quite happy to chill and laze around. They are generally good-natured, and are good family pets.
Blanc de Hotot
Origin: France – Hotot en Auge (Normandy) Size: Medium Weight: 5.5-7 kg Lifespan: 4-6 years Colours: White with black rings or ‘spectacles’ around the eyes, only.
Originally raised for meat, but now kept as pets. A breed not known for being overly active, yet still enjoy exploring and spending time outside – they are friendly and make good pets.
C
Californian
Origin: California Size: Medium Weight: 3.4-5.8 kg Lifespan: 5-10 years Colours: In the US, the only accepted colour is white with black (only) points (ears, nose, tail and feet) and pink eyes. In the UK the points can be black, blue, chocolate or lilac.
Calm, friendly and playful! These good-natured rabbits make good family pets, and enjoy exploring – but can become skittish if not handled regularly.
Alaska
Belgian Hare
Argenté de Champagne
British Giant
Californian
Blanc De Hotot
All images are either open source, Google images, or my own – or photos donated for use by the pet owners.
If you have any questions or comments; please post a comment below, or contact Ali’s Answers via one of the social media pages… . Facebook (Ali’s Animal Answers) . Twitter (@AlisAnswers) . LinkedIn (Ali Lloyd)
Dogs and cats are among the most popular pets in Western culture… neighbouring animals using your garden as a litter box is not usually a welcome habit.
Four Methods to repel cats from using your garden as a litter box: Odour repellents, Plants as repellents, Fence modifications, and If you can’t beat them…
AMIDST THE CRAZINESS of the world right now, in times of lock-down (for many countries), there are a lot of people crying out for help. With people being made jobless, or being furloughed, or too unwell to help themselves – whatever the reason – we need to stand together (2 m/ 6 ft apart) until this is all over. I am based in England, UK and I noticed that Facebook (at least on my app) has a COVID-19 help centre, for people to offer and/ or request help during these uncertain times… this is how I came to meet Tilly! Her owner cannot walk her all the time at the moment, so I have the privilege of walking her when I am needed.
Tilly is a beautiful 10 year old mix-breed, who was rescued by her owner at age 5. She can be nervy of bigger dogs, due to previous bad experiences; overall she is a happy, well-behaved, loving girly living her ‘golden years’. She has been a breath of fresh to me during lock-down, as she is my four-legged (almost) daily exercise companion – being an animal lover, going for a walk is just that little bit better with an animal by my side!
Tilly
It’s always fun (i.m.o.) getting to know a new animal; getting to know their personality and who they are! As her hearing and sight are not what they used to be, I have had to learn to adapt some of my normal dog walking style to fit in with her.
As regular readers of my website posts (if there are any) will know, my little Barney crossed the rainbow bridge September 2019, aged 15. His eyes were getting cloudy, but his hearing was still pretty decent. I often use a ‘click’ sound to encourage a dog to keep close/ up and to ‘whistle’ to recall a dog from a distance; with Tilly being harder of hearing, I have learned to give a ‘whistle’ in lieu of a ‘click’ and she responds well.
As she can be nervous of bigger dogs (especially if they are over-excited or lunge (even in play)), I have become more vigilant with taking stock of any dogs in the area; noting size, behaviour, and whether or not they are off-leash. In terms of her deteriorating eye-sight, she can definitely find her way with her nose if she is struggling to see; I am ensuring to talk to her and/ or allow her to smell me before going in to fuss and pet her – just so she is aware I’m there, and avoid startling her!
I am sure Tilly is adapting to me, as much as I am to her; as we continue to get to know each other better, and learn to be out together in the current climate, I am enjoying her company and hope I prove to be an enjoyable exercise companion to her too!
All images are either open source, Google images, or my own – or photos donated for use by the pet owners.
If you have any questions or comments; please post a comment below, or contact Ali’s Answers via one of the social media pages… . Facebook (Ali’s Animal Answers) . Twitter (@AlisAnswers) . LinkedIn (Ali Lloyd)
