How do you name your pets? Do you give them time-honored names likes Fido and Fluffy? Or do you prefer something distinctive -- Angry Donut, perhaps?

Each year we delve into our adoptable pet database and come out with the ten most popular names for adoptable pets. (See the full list after the jump.)

But, whenever we do, the quirky, wacky and unusual pet names always stand out. So this year we asked you to tell us your unusual, funny or just plain strange pet names. We've listed our top ten favorites after the jump but don't forget to check out the submissions on the Petfinder Facebook Fan page as well.

Find out what common -- or very uncommon -- pet names made the list after the jump.

Guest blogger, Dr. Lauren Brickman, started as a veterinary technician at Garden City Park in 1997 and went on to veterinary school at Ross University. She currently writes a popular pet health and care column for Petside.com that she has shared with us today.

Q: My Chihuahua is developing dark skin patches under her front leg and on her tail. What causes these black patches?
Could it be fleas?

A: Sometimes these dark patches can be normal. They can occur in areas of friction (under legs, armpits) or they can be normal pigmentation in your dog's skin that occurs with age.

Continue reading Dr. Lauren's answer after the jump.

Henna, a smooth-coat Border Collie, was having a hard time finding a home. She was returned to the Pulaski County Humane Society in Dublin, VA, several times because she nipped at people.

Then Rachel Shaw of Lynchburg, VA, recognized Henna's nipping as something else -- a typical Border Collie behavior to herd just about anyone or anything.

Continue reading Henna's story after the jump.

Guest blogger, Dr. Lauren Brickman, started as a veterinary technician at Garden City Park in 1997 and went on to veterinary school at Ross University. She currently writes a popular pet health and care column for Petside.com that she has shared with us today.

Q: Today my dog felt warm. Does that mean she has a fever? Is my dog is sick?

Find out Dr. Lauren's answer after the jump.

For many years, I found myself in a frantic state as Christmas approached, trying to figure out what to give certain people on my gift list.

But since I started working at the Petfinder.com Foundation, no more problem! I've seen the good that a small donation can make for pets in need.

A Gift of Hope from the Petfinder.com Foundation is a very special and unique holiday gift that is sure to please.

Simply make a donation in honor of a loved one, a friend, or even a group, and lend his or her name to a cause you both care about.

Chihuahuas currently make up 30 percent or more of the shelter pet population of California, according to a recent Today Show report.

Megan Webb, Director of Oakland Animal Services in Oakland, CA, shared that they sometimes receive ten new Chihuahuas per day.

Guest blogger, Dr. Lauren Brickman, started as a veterinary technician at Garden City Park in 1997 and went on to veterinary school at Ross University. She currently writes a popular pet health and care column for Petside.com.

Grooming is an essential part of our pets' health and hygiene. Pets with healthy, clean coats are happier animals! While some dogs and cats are easy to bathe and brush at home, others need regular trips to the groomer.

Here are some tips for finding the best groomer for you:

Ask for referrals

Ask friends and relatives for recommendations. If their pets come home from the groomer cleaned, brushed and sparkling, it is likely yours will too!

The Internet is also a great tool to do research. Many sites, such as Petfinder's Local Service and Supplies listings, allow users to leave reviews -- a great tool for research.

Your veterinarian may also be a great resource for finding a groomer. Using a groomer that both you and your veterinarian trust is ideal.

A good grooming facility will require vaccination papers from your vet. This helps to ensure that your pet will not contract any disease or infections from other animals at the facility. Regardless of a vet-recommended groomer, you should always leave the contact number of your vet in case of an emergency.

After the jump -- questions to ask your groomer, what to look for and more!

It's holiday season and the year's end is quickly approaching, so we wanted to share our 2009 top nine "wrap-up" list for pet lovers. Why "top nine"? So there's room for you to add one more!

From gift ideas to our choice for the No.1 pet-friendly celebrity of the year, our list brims with pet-related tips, facts and other favorites for 2009. We hope you enjoy it!

1. Best way to incorporate your pet into the holiday festivities: Throw a tacky holiday sweater party and dress him or her up for the occasion.


2. Best stocking stuffer: Petfinder's Pet Promise Certificate - With this unique gift certificate, you can vow to cover all adoption fees while allowing your loved one to adopt the pet who best suits his or her lifestyle. (Of course, never confine a pet to a gift box under any circumstances.)
   


3. Most fun way to keep the pounds off this holiday season: Exercise with your pet. A great indoor option (and growing trend) is Doga, where you can bend, twist and practice yoga positions with your dog.


4. Most delicious holiday meal that both you and your pet can enjoy: Turkey. This festive favorite can be a treat for both pets and people - just make sure to feed it to your pet only in moderation and don't ever let your pet have the bones!

Twenty-one-year-old Eva Lapin of Beverly Hills, CA, suffered for three years with epilepsy.

"I knew I only had seizures when I was stressed, but I could not figure out how to relax myself," Eva notes.

She soon realized that browsing on Petfinder relaxed her. Then, while browsing one evening magic struck.

"I had always wanted a cat of my own but never thought my parents would let me have one," she says. "I saw a beautiful orange tabby that seemed to be smiling in his picture. I thought he was the cutest cat ever. I had to have him."

She showed the photo to her parents and was surprised when they gave their okay to adopt him.

They visited Head 2 Tails Foundation, in Culver City, CA, who had listed the cat, Elvis, on Petfinder. Once there, the family learned that he had been rescued from an animal control facility when he was only an hour away from being euthanized.

This week's guest blogger, Dr. Lauren Brickman, started as a veterinary technician at Garden City Park in 1997 and went on to veterinary school at Ross University. She currently writes a popular question and answer column for Petside.com that she has shared with us today.

Q: I have three house cats and they are shedding machines. I take them out and brush their hair, and they come back in and still shed. Is there some supplement I can give them to keep their hair on their bodies?

Find out Dr. Lauren's answer after the jump.