April 2009 Archives

A couple days ago, I received an email from one of our regular readers, known to most of us by her comment tag name, 3Dogs2Arms.

In 2007, she and her husband took in a 15-year-old Australian shepherd mix by the name of Lucky. At the time, he wasn't very lucky at all. (That's Lucky at the shelter, above.)

The original email ("Perhaps we can save him!") that 3Dogs received was a desperate plea for the dog who had been turned into a Los Angeles area shelter by his family:

"He was old and forgotten and so sad and hopeless that he did not even lift his head when I stood in front of his cage," the rescue person said. "He knew that he had been dumped by his family, and the only life he had known for the past 14 years was behind him. He was there to die.

Years earlier, she speculated, "how cute and happy he must have been, a little bundle of joy passed from family member to family member like a shiny new toy.How adorable he must have been.

"Fast forward to 2007 -- he is led in slowly, his hind legs a bit stiff, his eyes a little watery with age, his trusting heart not knowing that he is being left to die now that he is old."

Kleenex break.

Enter 3Dogs2Arms, the kind of gal who from childhood was always bringing home all manner of stray animals. She and her husband opened their hearts to bring Lucky home to live out the rest of his life with them. And a wonderful home it must have been. With some acreage, he had room to roam.

"You can see how magnificent he was, but it was nothing compared to having the honor of watching him stroll around our property and throwing his head around in merriment when the mood would strike," 3Dogs wrote to me.

After he came to stay with 3Dogs, he "had 20 months of sunsets to watch which was amazing as he came to us very ill and we never imagined he'd recover, much less thrive and participate. He must have been a beautiful English shepherd in his prime days, I'd get an inkling of that when he'd toss his head around trying to play the Geriatric Gadfly."

You know where this is going, of course. After not being able to get up on his own for a few days, 3Dogs said "we made the decision to not ask any more of him. ... He has been gently placed on our property, right at the point that he'd go no further when he'd accompany us down the hill."

We received this alert today passed on from San Pedro Dogs and Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue about "Timon,"  a 10-year-old Australian shepherd who is at the Harbor Animal Care Center in San Pedro (ID # is A1017089).

I called the shelter and Timon is currently being held under quarantine because he bit someone. I don't know the details, but the officer I spoke to indicated the animal would be available for adoption (provided tests for disease come back clear and he's released from quarantine).

Because of this, he will only be adopted out to a bonafide rescue group, not a private party. It's not clear when the 10-day quarantine period will be up.

The shelter is at 957 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro. The telephone number is 1-888-452-7381.

From Reuters:

Senior (Honda) product planner James Jenkins said Americans spend $41 billion a year on their pets, a figure forecast to rise to $52 billion in two years, indicating a big market for the car.

"Pets have become more like family, more important to households than ever before," Jenkins said.

The current model of the Element starts at a little over $20,000 and Honda has yet to determine how much the pet-friendly features will add on to the price tag, Jenkins said.

The car was named for a rescue dog named Sammy, owned by Heather Cammisa of the Humane Society of the United States.

We don't get many of these notices at the pet's blog, but an acquaintance sent me this last night about a 20-year-old thoroughbred gelding that needs a good home. From the note:

Beautiful, spirited, extremenly well schooled. ... Perfect flying lead changes and jumps. For good home with strong, spirited rider who will appreciate the challenge. Well cared for and exercised by a top trainer. Inspiring, graceful, long smooth gates. Must be seen. $800 or best offer.

Contact David at davids0402@gmail.com

Another picture is on the jump.

OK, so I've been wondering what's happened to Bo the First Dog?

After a flashy unveiling earlier this month, the Portuguese water dog seemed to vanish from view. 

Where's Bo? Is someone walking and playing with him? Has he destroyed the drapes yet?  

Well now Rachel L. Swarns of the New York Time's Caucus Blog gets to the bottom of the mystery.

Meet Mr. Haney.

Dale Haney, it just so happens, is a White House horticulturalist who has tended every presidential dog since King Timahoe, Richard M. Nixon's Irish setter.

Wow. Some gig, huh?

I must say that Mr. Haney looks a bit distracted in the photo caught above, however. And there's not a lot of walking going on, though Bo is trying his best, straining for freedom.

The news might come as something of a surprise to those who remember President Obama's dog declaration earlier this month. He announced, as he introduced Bo to the American public, that he and his wife and two daugthers would be walking the dog. "We all have to take turns walking the dog," the president said. "We're trying to be responsible dog owners.

Ah, and so the truth comes out. First Lady Michelle Obama admitted to a group of school children recently that Bo woke up the entire Obama houshold with his barking one night last week.

"Oh, he is a crazy dog," she said. "He -- you know, he loves to chew on people's feet."

So for now, it's Bo and Mr. Haney.

The Times said Mr. Haney was unavailable for comment.

Photo: Doug Mills

It's not so easy being small.

Take 6-pound Tinker Bell, a brown, long-haired Chihuahua. She was literally swept up off the ground and blown away by a 70-mph gust of wind in Michigan.

But it all ended well.

Tinker Bell's owners, Dorothy and Lavern Utley of Rochester Hills, Mich., credited a pet psychic for helping them find her on Monday in a wooded area nearly a mile from where the 8-month-old pup had last been seen.

Tracking back on our earlier post today on how risky some of the flea-fighting chemicals are, I found this post on Raise a Green Dog that discusses some safer alternatives.

Among the suggestions:

• Keep your dog on a good, holistic diet
• Check often for signs of fleas and ticks
• Use nematodes in the yard
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the yard
• Use cedar shavings in pet bedding

Well that sure didn't take long.

Bo, the new First Dog, already has a children's book written in his honor. Titled Bo, America's Commander in Leash, the book by Naren Aryal (published by Mascot) is expected to be in book stores by the end of this week.

With flea season upon us, it's time to pull out the big guns.

Advantage? Frontline?

A new product guide aims to analyze chemicals in some of the leading brands to better help pet owners choose safe and effective flea control measures.

 The Natural Resources Defense Council specifically warned against the hazards of flea and tick collars as part of its "Green Paws" campaign to help consumers find the safest flea-control products that won't put pets or children at risk.

The report warned of dangerously high levels of two carcinogenic neurotoxins on pet fur after using ordinary flea collars. The NRDC has filed a lawsuit against companies including Petsmart, Petco and Sergeants and has asked for a government ban on the use of the chemicals in flea collars.

As for the popular "top-spot" treatments most of us use, Avantage topical contains Imidacloprid, which the NRDC says is toxic to the nervous system. The "Plus" formula has Pyriproxyfen which is considered safer.

Frontline topical contains Fipronil, a possible carcinogen that is toxic to the nervous system. The "Plus" brand contains Fipronil and S-Methoprene, judged to be a safer chemical.

As last week's mini-heat wave reminded us all, summer is coming soon.

With that in mind, the Dog Dish Store offers a large dog pool for $89.99. A bit pricey, but it does look like it would keep a water-loving pooch pretty cool.

HT: Barkability

Ever hear the one about how cats can suck the breath from a sleeping infant?

An Associated Press story posted at the Daily Breeze web site dispells that and other myths, concluding that cats and babies can get along just fine. In fact, the adjustment is really hardest on the resident feline.

"To some cats, babies are like aliens from outer space," says Dr. Kat Miller, behaviorist with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. As if that's not enough, there's also the disruption to the household routine, she says.

"Cats are creatures of habit, they prefer consistency," says Miller. "Any abrupt change in their life can cause anxiety and fear."

 

Demitrius Behram Farley, 2, cuddles with his cat Penelope, in Hyattsville, Md.

Photo: Associated Press

  How did this happen? We somehow missed big news on Friday, which was, as it turned out, National Hairball Awareness Day.

Here's a brief rundown about hairballs found at Unleashed, the pet blog at the Baltimore Sun:

     "Hairballs are actually called trichobezoars. These nondigested masses are found in animals other than cats, including horses, chickens and cows, as well as humans. They occr when something (food, medicine, hair) can't make it through the narrow opening between the stomach and large intestine."

I never knew that.

There was the opening of an exhibit and "hands-on activity" today at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, D.C. It runs through May 4.

We'll try to be more on top of this holiday when it rolls around next year.  

Check out Sandy Mazza's Daily Breeze story today about the Best Friends Animal Society's adoption festival in Westchester on Sunday.

About 60 rescue groups displayed animals in cages and fenced areas.

Like the furry golden retrievers, howling beagles and small terriers at the event, thin-nosed, lanky greyhounds seemed more interested in other dogs than potential adopters.

The dogs tugged on their leashes and pressed against their enclosures to sniff or tempt one another with a chew toy.

It was a peaceful gathering, with most of the animals soaking up the attention.

The Peter Zippi Fund for Animals adopted out four kittens in the first hour of the afternoon event. The organization is located on the second floor of a Hermosa Beach veterinarian's office.

Leslie Neff, director of the fund, said cats are great companions.

"No matter how bad your day is, you come home and you've got a friend," Neff said. "But it's a 15- to 20-year commitment. Our most important thing (to allow an adoption) is that they understand cats. That they keep it indoors, and they're willing to make a commitment."

 

Dogster  takes up an issue we've addressed in the past: Should dog parks charge dog owners an annual fee?

According to a story in the Contra Costa Times, city officials in Novato (Marin County north of San Francisco) are looking to impose a $75-a-year fee on dog owners who use the year-old dog park. It's part of an effort to cut the city's $3 million deficit, but paid dog park membership also has been used throughout the country as a way of dealing with potential problem dogs or owners and making sure all rules are being observed.

Now $75 a year sounds a bit steep to me. But I've been intrigued by the notion of charging say $25 or $30 a year as a way to ensure more control of the park. But how do you really enforce such an arrangement?

Owners in Novato, as can be expected, have mixed opinions.

Margaret Nelson, a legal secretary who has a German shepherd/boxer mix, said she probably wouldn't be willing to pay the fee even though "I probably wouldn't have a social life without the dog park.

"It's just a bad idea," she said. "There's no way they should be doing this. Most dogs out there are rescue dogs, so we feel as if we're already doing a public service for the community. Now they want to penalize us. Why single us out?"

In other cases, the fees go to the nonprofit group overseeing the dog parks as opposed to municipalities. But perhaps a split fee would help both entities and encourage more cities to establish off-leash areas.

Our earlier post drew two opposing views from readers: "Awesome idea," wrote sanpedrodogs.

"Too much of a hassle to enforce," wrote 3Dogs2Arms.

I don't know, but boy, is it cute.

This just moved from City News Service. Reporter Rick Orlov will have a story later...

Animal Services General Manager Ed Boks has resigned, effective
June 30, according to the mayor's office.
  Boks was heavily criticized by members of the city council earlier this
year for temporarily suspending the issuance of spay/neuter vouchers.

Actually, this dog has nothing to do with Torrance. I was just tricking you...

Video clips at Ustream

Readers of the Daily Breeze will remember the saga of Reggie the alligator, who roamed the waters of  Lake Machado at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park in Harbor City in 2005.

My fellow blogger Donna surely remembers. She wrote like 18,000 stories about it.

This post has absolutely nothing to do with the South Bay's most famous reptile. But it does involve an animal named Reggie. This one is a spider monkey, who escaped and eluded capture for six weeks.

Ha! OUR Reggie lasted more than a year in the wild.  

FRUITLAND PARK - Twinkies, potato chips and a cold can of Coca Cola lured Reggie the spider monkey out of the wild and back to his old life with a traveling circus.

After almost six weeks on the loose, Reggie was reunited with his owner, Tom Liebel, outside of a mobile home park. "He's back and he loves us," Liebel said today. "He's a little skinny. He's lost weight. But I think he had time to think about it and he would rather be here with me and his wife, [Priscilla, another of Liebel's spider monkies]...The free life isn't what it seems."

For years, Reggie has performed with the Liebel Family Circus. Then he broke free from Liebel on March 13 at the North Lake Flea Market in Fruitland Park and ran into nearby woods.

People come up to me all the time and say, "Hey Josh, I love how you always write about your delightful dog, but isn't it true that you also have a cat?"

Why, yes, in fact I do. Thank you for asking.

Here's a picture of Riff, who is so amazingly annoying that he actually makes me appreciate the dog.

We posted before about the dad of Bo, the new First Dog. Now, just as we predicted, another relative has surfaced, this one a half sister named Ruby in Minnesota. Reporter Laurie Swenson of the Bemidji Pioneer reported on the find below.

A Bemidji (MN) family has a White House canine connection. Ruby, a 2-year-old Portuguese water dog owned by Julie Quanrud and her husband, Ric Meixell, is the half-sister of President Barack Obama's new family dog, Bo.

"I was suspicious because the muzzle is the same," Quanrud said, adding that she became even more suspicious when she saw the Obama family's dog had the exact same white markings as Julius, a full sibling of ruby's. After discovering the Ruby and Bo have the same father -- Valkyrie's Dr. Watson Is Here -- Quanrud received about 20 e-mails Tuesday afternoon from fellow members of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America (Twin Cities) who saw reports of the presidential pooch and knew Ruby's lineage.

"To think that this dog is lying on the carpet in the White House right now, and we're sitting her with his sister, is pretty wild," Quanrud said.

Photo: Laurie Swenson/Pioneer

 

There are actually cats and dogs who are richer than you are. And we found a web site to prove it.

Pet Millionaires  showcases several pets who are enjoying the good life.

There's Gunther IV, the German shepherd who received his inheritance from his (dog) father, Gunther III, who received the money from Karlotta Liebenstein, a German countess. (**Some question has been raised over the veracity of the Gunter story regarding some of its details, however.)

Gunther IV, according to the lore, bought a Miami villa from Madonna and won a rare white truffle in an auction with his growing trust fund. It's said that he's worth about $372 million. 

And then there's Tinker. Hers is a rags-to-riches story, starting out life as a stray and then being given a fortune by Margaret Layne, an elderly widow whom Tinker visited from time to time. Tinker now has a $226,000 trust fund and his own home, which is worth about $800,000.

There also are tid-bits about Oprah's dogs (they receive $30 million for their care) and two collie mixes who received $1 million for their care on the death of their owner, Nora Hardwell.

It's baby season so you may wind up finding one of these little guys in your backyard. What to do? Find a wildlife rehabilitator near you. In our local area, we have South Bay Wildlife (310-378-9921 or SBWildlifeRehab@aol.com).

HT: LAObserved.com

This is Rosie, whose sad story is told below by guest blogger Virginia Paresa, our newsroom colleague. Among other duties, Virginia handles our newspaper's Pet of the Week feature and sees her share of pets in need come across her desk.

(Photo by Sean Hiller/DailyBreeze)

Someone called the Breeze today (Thursday) complaining about the wording in our Pet
of the Week caption. After the description of this week's adoptable pet, it
concluded with the words, "Last week's pet, a 1-year-old pitbull/boxer mix,
was euthanized."

The caller said he had read it to his 8-year-old child, and then had to explain what "euthanized" meant, which upset the child. I wasn't the one who took the call, but I'm the one who does that caption every week.

Usually, the pet's outcome is a happier one and we can say he or she was adopted, or sometimes "still available" at the shelter. In the past, when told the animal was put to sleep, I have sometimes opted for "no longer available" instead of the bitter truth that because no one wanted it, or perhaps due to sickness, it was euthanized.

But sometimes we just need to tell the whole truth, even if it hurts. The reality of unwanted dogs and cats is something we must face.

If you don't like hearing about animals being euthanized, then do your part and adopt one. If that's not possible, then make a donation to a shelter or rescue group so more can be saved.

The dog that was euthanized was named Rosie. She was found in an abandoned house
after being locked in for three weeks with no food, no water, emaciated and
frightened from neglect.

I thought she deserved better than just "no longer available."

-- Virginia Paresa

Well, kids, it's here -- the annual America's Family Pet Expo at the Orange County Fair grounds in Costa Mesa.

If you're a pet lover (and we assume you are if you're reading this) and you've never been to this event, it's worth the drive down (the fair kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday, April 17-19).

Daily shows, competitions and demos feature diving "splash" dogs (Drama, a regular at the San Pedro Dog Park, will be competing I'm told), exotic pets, pony rides, free flight bird shows, a cat show, dog grooming makeovers, and police K-9 demos.

Thousands of pet products will be available for sale and pet rescue groups will be on hand with animals available for adoption (including many of the breed rescues).

Some of the vendors also give out free samples.

Warren Eckstein of The Pet Show (KRLA 870 AM) is scheduled to broadcast live from the expo fair grounds between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday.

Expo hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (60 and older), $6 for kids 6-12 years and free for children 5 and under. There's a $2 discount if you buy tickets online via Ticketmaster.

I usually head out there each year with my childhood friend Shirley (we grew up next door to each other once upon a time) -- she's the cat person, I'm the dog person. So between us we make it to most of the exhibit areas, although we skip the reptiles and rats.

Maybe see you out there this weekend.

We're not sure if Bo is getting to use his special Summa Canum dog house, a gift from Sustainable Pet Design of Los Angeles.

We posted earlier about the special gift of the White House dog house.

The dog house is very nice.

But we sort of hope Bo is getting to snuggle up with his kids in their beds at night.

Daily Breeze reporter Nick Green reports today that the city of Torrance will consider a spay-neuter ordinance for cats and dogs at the next City Council meeting on May 7.

The decision came after Debra Corwin, founder of the Torrance-based rescue group Purrfect Partners, appeared before the city's environmental Quality Commission to lobby for the proposal. Earlier this month, she even showed up with three tiny kittens, their eyes still unopened, that she said were rescued from a city facility on Madrona Avenue.

"I said, 'I know this is inappropriate, but look at these," she recalled. "What I emphasized was I was the 10th (rescue) group they had called -- no one could take them in. I shouldn't even be taking them in."

Homeless animals, she said, were "an epidemic beofre the economy changed." And now? "It's worse."

Our story online so far is drawing some lively comments from readers (you can find them -- and add your own -- at the bottom of the story on the link provided above): 

NAB wrote: "If the problem is stray animals (feral cats) reproducing, how will a mandatory spay and neuter law solve this problem? Animals can't read and so they will not know that they need to be fixed in order to be compliant with the law. The vast majority of owned animals are already spayed and netuered."

Torrance Mom wrote: "Since feral cats are the main problem, why not set up low-cost or free programs for rescue groups and others to trap these cats and have them fixed and released? Solves the over-population of cats, keeps the rodent population under control of the cats, and everybody's happy. (Well, except the cat-haters.)"

Anthony had this to say: "Deborah means well, but all you have to do to see that mandatory spay and neuter does not work is look to Los angeles, where intakes and euthanasia have skyrocketed since the law was passed ... By the way, the clinic on PCH is no longer low-cost, and the clinic at the San Pedro shelter is not open."

Another victim of the economy and chain competition, The PetCare Co. in Hermosa Beach will close up shop on Sunday after nearly 20 years in business.

Torrance residents and dog enthusiasts Lewis and Paula Turner have been running The PetCare Co. since 1991. But the opening of a large chain store nearby and the recession have crippled their business.

The impending closure comes after the store recently partnered with Burbank-based Ken-Mar Rescue, a nonprofit canine rescue operation, to offer small dogs for adoption in the store. Lewis Turner said he had hoped the adoption service would help boost revenue.

"Turned out to be too little, too late," said Lewis Turner.

There are seven rescue dogs who still need homes before the business closes on Sunday.

The store is at 1630 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach. Phone is 310-372-1980.

Lewis Turner with some of The PetCare Co. rescue dogs.

Photo: Robert Casillas, Daily Breeze

At the urging of my colleague Sandy Mazza -- who has (nicely) demanded that more Bo photos be published on this blog -- here is a Baltimore Sun link to numerous photos of the new First Dog, a few of which we've posted below. Sandy is specifically hoping to see a shot of Bo wearing a little jacket, but I am not sure he has that much of a wardrobe yet. Give it time.

And there's more on Bo's debut today at CNN.

Enjoy.

Photo: Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images

Bo: Ready for his closeup.

AP Photo

Below: Learning to hang on (AP Photo)

Wouldn't you know it, now everyone's trying to get into the act. 

Bo's kin are now seeking the public spotlight. Given time, this could reveal a mongrel or two (every family has one, you know), trying to cash in on the clan's new White House fame.

Turns out Bo's dad, however, is a respectable pedigree named Watson, according to this article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Craig Rader of Ambridge shows off his Portuguese water dog, Watson, the father to President Obama's new puppy Bo.

On a day when our nation's first puppy got acquainted with his White House surroundings, his father, Watson, lounged inside a strip mall in Ambridge.

Seemingly unaware of his progeny's sudden star status, Watson carried on as usual: napping, monitoring sidewalk traffic and nestling his head into customers walking through the door of 21st Century Media, his owner Craig Rader's home electronics business along Ohio River Boulevard.

The Raders got a phone call Sunday night during Easter dinner informing them that the Obamas had chosen 6-month-old Bo, a Texas-born Portuguese water dog and son of Watson, as their family pet.

"We're very shocked and surprised that we're now related to the Obamas -- through dog relations," said Susan Rader, at home in Ambridge yesterday with her sons, 4-year-old Garrett and 2-year-old Kyle.

That's Ben Stein's advice.

Lose your job? Get a dog.

Lose your savings?

Get a dog.

But wait a minute. Getting a dog will almost ensure that you'll lose your savings. Or what's left of them these days.

 
Watch CBS Videos Online

This comes from TZM, which I suppose is reliable, but it makes me feel dirty just mentioning it.

According to the site, the Obamas have finally decided to get a dog.

We have lots of exclusive details on the Portuguese Water Dog President Barack Obama and Michelle are getting for Sasha and Malia. The pooch will make its grand entrance on Tuesday, and it's coming from a prominent Texas kennel, with the help of Senator Ted Kennedy's family.

The black dog -- a male -- is approximately six months old. We've learned it was bred at the kennel and sold to someone who gave it back. The kennel is now "re-homing" the dog to the Obamas. The dog was named Charlie, but the Obamas will rename it.

On a vaguely related note, I once interviewed the disgraced financial guru Michael Milken (shortly after getting out of prison). We had a nice enough chat, but when it was over, I realized that he thought I was Harvey Levin.

Ugh, now I really have to go wash my hands, Harvey may be slimy, but boy is he handsome!

You read it here second!

Happy Friday!

My colleague, and really, the best columnist working today, John Bogert, wrote a column last week about his daughter losing her job and how he drove her back to Los Angeles, along with her cat. Like all of John's columns, this one was really about life and the surprises it throws at us all the time.

Anyway, John came up with a definition of a cat that is maybe the best ever:

A cat, he wrote, is a collection of razor blades disarmingly wrapped in luxuriant fur and breathtaking selfishness.

Strange Cat Door Surprise - Watch more Funny Videos

One of the dogs beloning to the Crazy Dog Lady of Torrance, aka my sister, turns 1 today. Sherman, as some of you may recall humiliated, my dog by taking first place in an obedience class we took together (Rocket came in last place.)

It's amazing how much dogs grow in a single year. They go from bouncy puppies, to, bouncy grown-up things.

In another year, he'll be all mature and doglike.

Well, it's nice to see one of his ears is still floppy. I'm a sucker for floppy ears on a dog. Happy birthday, dog!

As we approach our second anniversary together, Rocket and I have learned quite a bit about each other.

For instance, he knows that I don't appreciate it when he puts the cat's head in his mouth.

I, on the other hand, have come to terms with the fact that he is simply not able to control himself when a trash truck goes by. When he sees one, he's going to bark like a crazy dog.

But he hasn't destroyed anything in about about a year. Well, I guess there wasn't much for him to ruin in the house. No, this year has pretty much been devoted to escaping. He did that five or six times.

Well, this morning, he managed to combine all his passions. A trash truck drove by, he went berzerk and then he broke the living room window. He just smashed it. He didn't hurt himself or get out. I managed to grab him before he did more damage.

But now he's spending the day at camp. I take him to the Kennel Club in Torrance, where everybody knows and loves him (he's good with strangers).

When I saw the manager Brian (or is that Bryan?), he mentioned to me that he saw the movie "Marley and Me" last night and it reminded him of Rocket.

I wasn't quite sure what to make of that. Was it a compliment or a curse?

The Lomita Obedience Training Club will sponsor a dog obedience and conformation match this Sunday, April 5, at Lomita Park, 24428 Eshelman Ave., Lomita.

Spectators are encouraged to come and watch. Admission is free.

The day's full schedule begins with a rally event (9 a.m.) and then moves on to obedience trials and breed conformation. Food and drinks will be available for sale and the activities are set to end at around 2:30 p.m.

These matches are definitely worth the time.

And if you realize that maybe your canine needs some work, you can sign up for one of the many obedience classes the club offers.

You can bring your dog along to watch Sunday's match, by the way, but he or she must be leashed and generally well-behaved (absolutely no aggression issues).

Want a turtle? Already have one, but need some advice on how to care for it? This event is for you! It'll be on Saturday, April 4.

The California Turtle and Tortoise Society will give a Power Point presentation on turtles and tortoises for those who already have one of the animals or who are thinking of adopting one. This is a "hands on" event with live turtles and tortoises on display and some available to adopt. Attendees are also invited to bring their own to share. Free. 3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

And no, I'm not sure what that headline means either.

I've been taking a little unscheduled break from blogging, so thanks to Donna for filling in the gaps in my absence.

Read in today's Daily Breeze about how a Torrance company has scored a spot in the spring Neiman Marcus InCircle catalog with a diamond dog collar.

iLoveDogs, an online business that specializes in canine nutritional supplements, has designed the special "La Jeune Tulipe" collar for the upscale department store's best-in-class merchandise. Below, Ricky, owned by Susan Gomez of Rolling Hills Estates, models the collar, valued at between $250,000 and $350,000.

What's the most you've ever spent on a dog collar?