Well, I'm suspecting that it's natural for anime to turn out strange when you first try sketching it, because of the difference it has with real life in terms of proportion. However, many core proportions are the same for real life and anime, which is why I know some anime artists recommend drawing real life first before switching to anime.
Animals are cool to sketch, but one thing I always have problems with is fur. I have no idea how to sketch fur without turning my drawing into a ball of hair >_>