At some point in your life you will have walked past a parrot and heard it screech ‘hello’ in a startlingly human voice. They are exceptionally clever animals capable of learning quite a vocabulary, but why is it they so easily imitate the sounds and words we use? Experts suggest parrots, like most animals, talk in order to communicate with others. If a young parrot is with its mother, it will of course learn the sounds the mother parrot makes, but if it is surrounded by human voices, it will consider its new environment to be home and start to mimic sounds.

Not all parrots are excellent speakers. Pet birds that are generally known for being capable of speaking are African Grey Parrots. They are capable of imitating humans to the point where they are almost indistinguishable from actual human speech. You have probably found yourself fooled by a parrot or two on some occasion!

Though parrots can use quite a list of words, they don’t understand the meaning to what they’re saying. Much like young parrots squawking for attention from their mother, parrots will make these vocalisations in order to evoke a response that grants them attention. They won’t understand the significance of the word itself, but they will understand the reaction or action that word results in.

If you would like to buy a bird that will talk, it’s a good idea to get a young bird and keep it alone in your home. Alternatively, find a bird that already knows how to talk! It’s much easier to teach them something new, compared with older, non-talking birds. They can be difficult to encourage to talk. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will get a bird that is willing to have a conversation with you. Some birds just don’t talk and you will have to accept that.  Just like any other pet, they deserve every ounce of love and attention, and not just for their oratory skill.

If you’re a dog lover, the chances are you have a particular breed that just makes you go weak at the knees. You probably even own one of that breed or would one day love to. This week we’re going to take a look at some of the UK’s most popular dog breeds and try to work out why that is! Read on to see if your perfect pooch is part of the party!

1. Labrador Retriever – aside from this being a very pretty pup, the Labrador retriever is one of the most loyal, most loving, caring and affectionate dog breeds out there! Their good nature make them wonderful family pets. They do require training from an early age like most dogs and can be wayward, but if given the right amount of love and attention, they make friends for life.

2. English Springer Spaniel – this dog is very gentle and even-tempered. Not only that, but they are incredibly intelligent animals capable of learning very quickly. Their tails never seem to stop wagging, making them one of the most cheerful, life-loving dogs out there!

3. German Shepherd – a lot of people might think ill of this misunderstood pup, but German Shepherds make excellent companions. They are very active dogs, are keen, courageous and also very strong. If owners make it clear who is in charge, they make for excellent family pets and will guard and protect their loved ones with their lives.

4. Boxer – these are exceptionally loving and friendly dogs, despite their slightly intimidating appearance. They are very curious and energetic and will keep their owner as fit as they are! They bond with their family and are very affectionate and sociable.  They are also very well known for getting along with children, making them the perfect family pet!

These are just a few of the UK’s most popular dog breeds, but if you’re interested in finding out about more, visit the UK KC website.

Buying a horse is an enormous commitment, one that no one should enter into lightly. Quite unlike smaller pets like cats and dog, horses need a massive amount of space, time and care and often an extra person to help keep up with the demands. Not only this, but they can be very, very expensive and not just the initial price of purchase. There are veterinary costs to consider, not to mention purchasing all of the equipment, though a lot of horses and ponies tend to be sold along with alot of their equipment, or at a discounted price. Of course, if you don’t have the land available, you also have to think about where you’re going to house your horse and what rental price you are willing to play.

You must consider what age, sex and level of training you are interested in. Like most potential pet owners, you might think you want to buy a younger animal, but an older horse will likely already have been trained and thus will save you the time and hassle of getting it used to handling, though this is entirely dependent on what you want to use your new horse for. On the other hand, some older horses might suffer from conditions that require a little bit of extra care, so always be aware of this before you buy. Ideally, you will want to by a horse that is in tip-top shape and condition but, again, this is entirely dependent on your intentions.

You can look into local breeders, or alternatively try looking around auctions for a bargain price, but you must know exactly what you’re looking for and looking at. Auctions aren’t the ideal place for the inexperienced. If you’re unsure, have the horse vetted first – an expert will know a lot better than you if there are any conditions or ailments you need to be made aware of!