No. Those negative traits in the donkeys you may have known are a result of feral breeding. In contrast, the Mediterranean Miniature has been treasured and selectively bred for centuries. They are naturally affectionate and will return the love extended to them manyfold. They will not "break" as with a horse and choose to follow you as "Alpha Leader" in a trust relationship. Trust is the key to their training.

Donkeys, due to their origins on the steep, rough mountains of their native land, are keen on self preservation and are very cautious. They do not get themselves into the trouble that a horse would. A horses instinct is flight, whereas the donkeys is to look the situation over and determine the best approach. Their ability to stop and assess a situation is what has earned them their reputation for being stubborn. You could call it being "on donkey time".

However, there are not many left in that area, and import restrictions have been applied. Here in North America, there are over 20,000 registered miniature donkeys and an unknown number of unregistered ones. The original miniature donkey is a true breed of it's native land. The heritage of many of todays miniature donkeys can be traced back to the original Mediterranean stock, which measured 38" and under.

The most common color for the miniature donkey is a grey dun with a black "cross" running over their shoulder and down their back. Their underbelly and noses are usually white, although dark noses and points do occur. Donkeys do come in other colours such as spotted, brown, black, sorrel. The brown, black and red, however, are very uncommon colours and highly prized in breeding programs.

In order to register your miniature donkey with the Canadian Donkey and Mule Association, the donkey must be under 36" or less at the shoulder at four years of age. The average height for them is 34", and the smaller they are the more valuable they become. It is important to check the specifications for registration with the different registration organizations, as there are some variations on height restrictions.

Miniature donkeys get along with goats, sheep, horses, cats, dogs, llamas...all it takes is common sense. For example the miniature donkey makes a superior guard animal for sheep goats, and llamas, herding them and protecting them from predators. While they can go in the same pasture or pen with those animals, it is not wise to put them in with larger animals such as horses and cattle, as they may injure your donkey. It is best to let them be in adjacent pastures.

No, miniature donkeys cannot be house pets. They are livestock and as such require a barn or three sided shelter to give them protection from the elements. While they might like to come and visit you on your front steps, they cannot (to our knowledge) be housetrained so you would set yourself up for some very large messes!

Everyone who meets a miniature donkey wants one of their own! Donkey owners come from all walks of life and include doctors, lawyers, executives, housewives, children, farmers, retired people, and investors to name just a few. Because donkeys are easy to care for, they make an ideal animal for anyone to own.

The most important thing is not to overfeed miniatures. You should be able to feel but not see the donkeys ribs. In the summer months access to grass will probably need to be restricted. In the winter months a diet of barley straw and some meadow hay is likely to be sufficient. Access to a mineral lick, or feeding a good-quality general purpose supplement is advisable. Carrots and apples may be fed as treats. Chop into slices that could not choke the donkey.

You are very welcome to visit our stud by prior appointment. If you contact the MMDA (see above) they may be able to give you the name of a breeder or owner near to you who might be happy to show you around their donkeys. You could also try attending a donkey show. The secretary is likely to be able to tell you if miniature donkeys are attending.

Like the polyphenolic component of red wine, resveratrol, oleuropein imparts some important antioxidant benefits that may help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and support healthy heart function. Olive Leaf causes bad cholesterol to slip off platelets in blood vessels, preventing it from sticking to them and causing health coronary artery clogging.

Ages 2 through 102. My wife, Jinny, always proclaimed donkeys were specially designed for grandparents and grandchildren.

Donkeys can be groomed like their equine counterparts. Brush them with a stiff brush, going with the direction that the hair grows. Be gentle around their face and ears. To get rid of the shaggy winter coats, you can purchase a shedding blade, or a kitchen block, much like pumice, that is used to clean out wooden stoves. By rubbing it gently on your donkey, it sheds out the old, shaggy hair, leaving a shiny coat in its place. You can buy these stones at any store specializing in wooden stoves.

It is imperative that you are sure you can, and want to, take on the responsibility of owning donkeys before you take the plunge into ownership. Donkeys can live for 50 years and require daily care. The routine care of a donkey may cost around £50 a month and take at least an hour a day, but even a simple veterinary call out is likely to cost in excess of £100, so it is essential that you can meet these demands.

Answer: Absolutely! This is one reason that we say you must be totally consistent in making and enforcing the rules for your Akita. For example, if you tell them to get off the couch 9 times but then you let them on the couch the 10th time, they will remember the one time they were allowed to get on the couch and you will have a lot harder time keeping them off in the future.

The "Mediterranean diet" centers around fruits, vegetables, starches, beans, nuts, seeds, and low to moderate amounts of dairy products, poultry, and fish. Olive oil is used for cooking, and modest amounts of wine are included. The consumption of red meat and eggs are limited. One study found that heart attack survivors who followed a Mediterranean diet were 50% to 70% less likely to have a repeat heart attack than survivors who ate a typical Western diet.

BikeAbout-the Mediterranean, BikeAbout's inaugural endeavor, was the first fully "wired" circumnavigation of the Mediterranean Sea by bicycle. The all-volunteer, international expedition and team effort was designed to foster an understanding and sense of unity in the Mediterranean through the use of modern technology and cycling.

The breed originated in the late 1800's in Germany as a smaller version of the Standard Schnauzer that could live more easily as a house pet but still hunt vermin on the German farms.

When the Salt and Peppers are machine-clipped, the characteristic banded hairs disappear and they become a solid shade of gray, which can vary from a very light gray to dark slate gray. Some people will refer to dogs that have a very light gray undercoat as 'Silver', but they are officially Salt and Pepper. When a lighter Salt and Pepper is machine-clippered, the resulting undercoat can look almost silver. Once the dog has been clippered, what is left is the solid undercoat.

Miniature donkeys are easy keepers and on good pasture tend to eat more than they need. When pastures are grazed down supplemental feeding will be necessary. Good quality hay consisting of timothy, alfalfa, and brome grass makes a good mix but it must be free of dust and mould. At Prairie Brae we feed only as much as they clean up. It is essential they have access to salt and equine mineral at all times.

Yes, we have just bought two new Donkeys: Jake who is 10, dapple grey and a very cool character and Jasper who is white with brown spots and very tall even though he is only 4. He won't be giving rides until next year as he is too young. We will make webpages for them as soon as we have time - this is a busy time for us! Thanks for your question, Emily.

If you need to remove stubborn stains from the pan, we recommend Dip-it® cleaning solution. There may be other stain removing products on the market. Check the cleaning product aisle at your local grocer.

Use a damp, soft cloth with warm water and soap. If needed, apply common, non-abrasive, household cleaners such as Soft Scrub Liquid Gel with Bleach, Comet Gel, and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. To avoid dulling the surface's shine, make sure to use a non-abrasive cleaner.

The subjects affected by Mediterranean anaemia (or thalassaemia major or Cooley's anaemia) are born from a couple both having β thalassaemia trait. The bone marrow of sick subjects does not succeed in producing the normal red blood cells and therefore the survival of the patients dependent on blood transfusions. The first anaemia manifestations are only after 3rd or 4th month of life of the newborn.

You may have heard the term "Jerusalem donkeys" or "Sicilian" used to indicate a gray-ish donkey with a cross and stripe over the shoulders and back. However, neither of these terms are correct. Sicilian is a bloodline of small donkeys that can trace parentage back to the original animals imported from Sicily. MOST donkeys, regardless of color, and especially non-Mammoths, have a cross and stripe.