March 2010 Archives

This is not an endorsement. It's not NOT an endorsement. I'm just passing along some info I got in an e-mail.

As some of you may know, the Kritter Korral pet shop in Harbor City has been sold and renamed Dino's Pet Shoppe Boutique and Bistro. Here's a story Donna wrote about it a few weeks ago.

The store has been remodeled and now offers massage therapst every third Saturday of the month.

Cost for massages is $40 a half hour session. Appointments are necessary. To learn more about the therapist and the benefits of pet massage, go here.

The store is located at 1724 Palos Verdes Drive North. The number is 310-514-4924

I dare you not to say "awww"

Animal control officers from El Segundo will be hitting ths streets starting April 17 to make sure city residents are up to date on their animal licenses.

If you have a new dog, they'll issue you a license when they find you.

Here's the fee schedule for Segundo dog licenses:

Fees: Unaltered Dog $40.00

Spayed or Neutered $20.00

Late Fee $10.00

Senior Citizen 50% discount (55 yrs or older)

I can't say as I'm sure if that senior discount is for old people or old dogs. Who knows, maybe they're counting in dog years.

The Lomita Obedience Training Club is hositng their annual Obedience, Rally and Conformation Match on Sunday, April 25 at Lomita Park.

What is such a thing? Well, according to the aptly named Diane Bassett...

For those who aren't familiar with a "match", it's like a practice session that simulates a real dog show competition (in both obedience, rally and in conformation).  People who think they may be interested in competing in these categories in a dog show are invited to come out and give it a try in an inexpensive, less pressured environment where you can let your dog get used to the feel of a dog show.  Anyone who is interested in dog training or dog showing is also welcome to come out and watch.  It will be a lot of fun and mixed breed dogs are welcome to participate too (in obedience and rally).  No points toward official titles are won at these events, this is for fun and practice only.

 

The event opens at 8 a.m., with classes and other events continuing until noon.

Awards will be given!

The park is at 24428 Eshelman Ave. If you want more details, visit their Web site aqui.

Well, yeah, everybody's dog is a hero to them. But we're talking real heroes, as in pulling your sorry butt out of a raging river. Stuff like that.

If you've got one of those special dogs, the spcaLA wants to hear from you. The group is seeking nominations for its 28th annual spcaLA national Hero Dog Award. The award is given to dogs who perform extraordinary heroic acts that save and/or protect people. (So much for my dog).

Eligible dogs cannot have received formal rescue training, so no police dogs.

Send nominees to info@spcala.org. Or write to National Hero Dog Nomination c/o spcaLA, 5026 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016.

Describe in 100 words or less the act of heroism that occurred in 2008. Acts must be verifiable with police reports or newspaper clippings (I will consider bribes for this)

Send nominations by March 31, so hurry. Time is almost up.

Octomom Nadya Suleman has agreed to post a sign on her front lawn urging people to spay and neutered their pets. I won't attempt any jokes here because some things are just too easy.

She's doing it because the PETA folks are giving her money so she can pay her mortgage. It seems she's facing foreclosure.

This is George. He's the world's largest dog. George weighs 245 poinds and sleeps on his own queen size bed.

I bring this to your attention because for some reason an item I posted a year ago about the previous world's largest dog continues to generate a lot of hits. I figure it's some sort of spam at work, but a hit is a hit.

And for those of you who follow these things, the world's LOUDEST dog is doing just fine and driving my neighbors crazy, although Oprah hasn't invited him to appear on her show yet.

With the arrival of spring, how about a new, warm-weather T-shirt?

A woman in my dog training class was sporting this one the other day. "You had me at woof."

Made by Planet Dog.

 The Centinela Feed and Pet Supplies at 28901 Western Ave. in Rancho Palos Verdes is offering a 20-percent-off-on-everything sale this weekend. Click on the link below for details and all sorts of other goodies.

RPV_sale_march10_WEB.pdf

You might not want to look at this if you own a pet. It's a breakdown of how much we spend on them, from food to vet bills to toys. Click on the graphic to see the whole thing. One of the fascinating things you'll see is that we spend more money on pet food than we do on baby food. Well, can't complain about that one.

Budget Planner - Mint.com

   Want more? Here's more.

You're watching an owl named Molly in California who has laid six eggs. Consider this a nationwide Hatch Watch as more than 17,000 people have been watching :

Video clips at Ustream

Josh posted earlier about the dogstashe, "for the dog who has everything."

But wait. There's more.

How about the other end? Of the dog, that is.

You can now provide your four-legged friend with a bit of stylish, rear-end modesty.

Introducing "Rear Gear":

Unsightly rear ends can now be covered by patches with designs including a disco ball, heart, flower, smiley face, or sheriff's badge. You can even order a custom design if you'd like.

Trademark pending.

(And yes, they make them for cats, too.)

Wow, what a great story out of L.A. Animal Services. (And thanks to Border Collies in Need for alerting us to it -- Lily, the lost border we posted about yesterday, still hasn't been found. But this story should give the owners hope.) 

She was found nearly 1,700 miles away from home in a Los Angeles neighborhood and was set to board a plane at LAX early this morning for her return home.

 

It's a mystery how she managed to get (to L.A.). Fortunately, a Good Samaritan brought her into the North Central Animal Care Center. While just a little thin, she was in good health and happy to be in off the street.

 

Staff at North Central (near Dodger Stadium) scanned the beautiful, furry pup for a microchip and came back with a number. After a little research, staff made a quick phone call to her owner in North Dakota and heard a flood of relief from a voice half way across the nation.

 

"Bonnie's owner, an Airman and his wife, were thrilled to learn that Home Again would reimburse the airfare for the trip back to the base, calling it a miracle that she was found safe and sound. A supervisor quickly stepped forward, located a carrier, and arranged the flight through Home Again -- springing for the upfront costs from his own pocket.

 

"Microchips ensure happy tails," said L.A. Animal Services Intereim General Manager Kathy Davis. "Reuiniting a pet with their owner only takes a quick scan and a phone call."

 

As to how she got so far away from home? "Some think she took a wrong turn while headed for the Iditarod," one animal servicses staffer said.

Now, we just need to find Lily.

The dogstashe!

Tess & Annie are far from cuddle-ready. But they do sometimes get close enough for a quick photo (Tess was already on her way out of this frame, in fact).  

Just got this update from my contact at Border Collies in Need. Lily has been found:

I just got off of the phone with Kathleen and Lily was found safe and sound about 1/2 hr ago....a good samaritan was keeping her at their house. They even gave her a bath.

I received this from Border Collies in Need last night, apparently one of their adopters is reporting that their border collie, Lily, is missing. They live in San Pedro so please keep an eye out for her. 

Our border collie went missing today 3/22/2010. She answers to the name

of Lily and has a red collar. She has a chip and is registered to

Kathleen Greene. Call: 310-519-8756.

Well,that didn't take long.

Last week, Pat Whitehead of Manhattan Beach dropped off a puppy she had raised at th Guide Dogs for the Blind campus in San Rafael. And then she picked up a brand new puppy and started the process all over again.

I've written about Pat many times. And why not? What she does is remarkable. She brings crazy little puppies into her home, falls in love with them, trains them and then says goodbye after about two years. And now she's on her 22nd dog!

I single Pat out, but she's not the only local person who does this. Her group, the Los Angeles Southwest Guide Dog Raisers is a collection of dog lovers who give their hearts and time so other people can navigate through the world.

Congrtulations Pat. And hello Khaki, an amazingly adorable Lab puppy who is destined for great things. Here she is getting her first bath.

Faced with a growing problem of stray dogs, the city of Santa Cruz to the north of us enacted a ban of all dogs from its picturesque downtown district.

Now, a new generation of merchants is hoping to lift the 34-year-old ban, according to a story posted by the Mercury News this week. From the story:

On Tuesday (March 9), the Downtown Association, which represents business owners in the central business district, will discuss recommending the council overturn the ordinance while strengthening leash laws and other safeguards.

A majority of merchants polled recently by the association believe they are missing out on business from tourists and locals who would bring their dogs downtown for a stroll or dining at outside tables, much as they do in well-known dog-friendly towns like Carmel and Los Gatos.

...  If the Downtown Association recommends overturning the ban and the council agrees to study it, public hearings would take place before any change is made. The new ordinance likely would have a test period and require dogs to be licensed, vaccinated and on a leash at all times. Owners will be required to pick up waste.

Bunnies are so cute.

But around this time of year, our friends at all the rabbit rescues begin to brace for the annual onslaught of unwanted and abandoned bunnies after Easter.

Some pet shops sell the creatures for under $10 apiece, making them an easy impulse buy for families wanting to get something special for their kids.

But like with any animal, it's a commitment. Rabbits are great pets. But you need to do your homework before bringing one home.

Not sure it's the right pet for you?

Linda Baley of www.toomanybunnies.com suggests fostering a rabbit for the Easter holiday. Her group provides all you'll need, including food and a cage. If it doesn't work out, the bunny goes back to the rescue.

What: Rabbit adoption and foster event featuring rabbit advice from experts and rabbit craft projects

Where: South Bay Gardens Nursery, 2501 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach

When: 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 27

Information: 323-908-4696; www.toomanybunnies.com.

Learn more from today's Daily Breeze story.

Daily Breeze Photo/Robert Casillas 

I heard from my good friend Pat Whitehead the other day. We're friends now, but I met her on a story a few years ago. Pat raises guide dog puppies before sending them off to college. I've lost track of how many pups she's helped steer to helpful careers, but it's more than 20.

The dog I wrote about is named Tola, who lives in Canada and was recently participated in an Olympic torch relay.

You can read more about Tola and Pat by going here. I spent more than a year hanging out with them and even got to meet Tola's new owner. They're nice stories and not because I wrote them (well that too). They're nice because people like Pat and her fellow dog raisers make such a big difference in people's lives.

Anyway, like I said, I heard from Pat the other day and she's ready to send yet another dog off to guide school. Here's what she wrote. And at the bottom is a a picture of the beautiful dog.

Good morning,

Well, the time has come again to send another exceptional pup off to college.  The Puppy Truck comes on Saturday.  Alisa is ready for her continuing education.  She is a great little girl with a sweet face and lovely disposition.  This is the first dog my husband has spent so much time with because he is now retired.  He is already thinking of how he will miss her; however, we both know she has a greater purpose.  It is like the butterfly that must free itself from the coccoon to realize its destiny.  Yes, it is like sending your kids off to college.  Alisa loves to go places, learn new things, enjoys meeting new people, is good with children, has excellent house manners - except being a bit lively with her greeting of her special friends, has been great at teaching our new L. A. Southwest pups how to play tug, etc.... all those attributes that speak of a successful future no matter what her carreer may be.  As I do, I have put my heart into making sure she is ready.  The most important thing for her future is that she felt loved and part of our lives and built on that foundation.  Will there be tears?  Of course, whether within or without.  Goodbyes with loved ones are always emotional.  I will look forward to my weekly reports once she completes her physical exams.  It will be like camp for her.  She will have a roommate and lots of people to give her food rewards for doing all those things she knows and will learn.  (Yes, GDB is using food rewards now for alot of their training.)  I'll stop.  I wanted to let you know.  :)

Hope all is well with you. The group says hi.  :)

Pat

 

If you've got a funnier one, let us know.

*Update: A story filed by Denise on April 5 reports that prosecutors dismissed the felony animal cruelty charge against Patricia Bumpers, 48:

Deputy District Attorney Craig Rouviere said the defense presented information that Patricia Bumpers, 48, had tried to seek help for the emaciated dog before she turned her over to the Carson Animal Shelter in august.

..... Rouviere said Bumpers' attorney, Deputy Public Defender Alla Eksler, produced phone records that showed Bumpers had made telephone calls in an effort to get medical attention for angel, and had called animal control for help three days before she received a response.

In addition, Angel remained undiagnosed and untreated at the shelter for about 10 days before she was rescued by (the rescue group Take Me Home Rescue) and taken to a veterinarian, Rouviere said. 

"Our thought was, if the shelter didn't know what was wrong with the dog it was difficult for us to determine that the defendant would have known that," Rouviere said of the decision to dismiss the case.

This is yet another sad Daily Breeze story about a dog. This one suffered and died allegedly for not being treated for diabetes by her owner.

According to Denise Nix's article:

Angel was a walking skeleton when an animal welfare group rescued the brown-and-white dog from the Carson Animal Shelter.

Suffering from diabetes and its side effects, the dog was so skinny that even the veterinarian who oversaw the last 12 days of her life couldn't determine how old she was or her breed.

Angel's owner, Patricia Bumpers, 48, of Carson apparently realized the dog, estimated at 30 pounds underweight, was deathly ill (it's not known if she ever took the dog to a vet for a diagnosis). She surrendered Angel to the Carson shelter, allegedly telling an Animal Control officer that she did not want her 9-year-old daughter to "come home and find her dead in the backyard."

Volunteers from the Santa Monica-based Take Me Home Rescue were alerted when the dog arrived at the shelter and members immediately took Angel out for treatment last August. She had clearly been ill for quite some time and the DA filed a complaint against her former owner.

Last month, Bumpers pleaded not guilty to one count of felony animal cruelty that could send her to prison for up to three years. She is scheduled to return to court on March 22.

(Photo courtesy of Leegie Parker of Take Me Home Rescue)

Sadly, it was too late for Angel. The damage from the disease could not be reversed and after 12 days, she died in her sleep at the veterinarian hospital.

Rescuers said they take comfort in the fact that in her last days, Angel -- described as a friendly dog -- was surrounded by people she could trust.

"For us, it's seeking justice for Angel," Take Me Home volunteer Leegie Parker of Torrance said of the rescue group's plans to closely follow the upcoming court proceedings. "But we're also seeking justice for all the others who never get their day."

*****************

Canine diabetes is a tough disease to treat, but clues that something's wrong are pretty visible early on. 

Some 5 or 6 years ago, my former Australian shepherd Pilgrim was diagnosed with diabetes (symptoms included a sudden and rapid weight loss, a lack of appetite, lethargy, and drinking and urinating more than usual). 

After an initial three-day hospitalization to stabilize him, Pilgrim did well for 18 months on twice-daily insulin shots at home. His life was really quite normal and he felt good, although it required vigilance on my part to feed and medicate him every day on a very precise schedule.

Complications ultimately set in and I had him put down. He was 8 years old. 

But we were lucky. Pilgrim had a pretty good run, considering. Canine diabetes is not always successfully treated. The condition typically comes with many complications, big and small, and it will result in a shortened life span.

And I can tell you from personal experience that the treatment, monitoring, frequent vet trips and medications can add up to be quite expensive as well.

If a dog is not responding well to the insulin treatments -- or if finances prevent an owner from going down the road of long-term treatment -- euthanasia is the kinder course to take.

Regrettably, Angel was given neither of those options.

R.I.P., Angel. 

Cowboy and Tess so want one of these:

Check out the Facebook page for Border Collies in Need.

They're on the Web at www.bordercolliesinneed.org.

Yeah, I know. I'm partial. This is the group that rescued Cowboy and Tess (shown below) and adopted them to me.

A mouse infestation in Westminster Palace? 

The House of Lords is debating getting a cat.

The tech pros at Gadgetwise write about a new Pentax camera coming out that they say is

The Pentax Optio W90 includes a digital microscope mode that enables you to capture images of objects less than an inch away.

And there's this:

It also has a new trick that several other camera makers have added this year. In addition to face-recognition technology that can register as many as 32 faces, the W90 includes pet recognition that can find and enhance images of up to three dog or cat faces. You can set the camera to automatically snap the shutter when the pet turns its face toward the camera.

Pretty cool. No more shots of the back of Cowboy's head.

On the downside: It costs $330. Ouch.

The camera debuts in April.

MSNBC carried this report Wednesday about a puppy that was rescued from a collapsed house in Chile where workers are clearing away rubble from last weekend's devastating 8.8 earthquake.

Rescue worker Cristian Velasquez found and comforted this puppy found alive Monday. Velasquez gave him bits of food and water after rescuing him from inside a collapsed house in Constitucion. (AP Photos/Roberto Candia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy this Pedigree ad shot in slow motion.

The dogs are watching an airborn treat coming their way:

A new round of beginning dog obedience classes begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday (March 6) taught by retired LAUSD special ed teacher Barbara Millman. Barbara's been training dogs for many years now and raises champion Shetland sheepdogs.

Rocket, Tess & Cowboy have all gone through her class.

Barbara's excellent, she trains with a gentle touch and keeps up with the latest dog training ideas. She's also active in the Lomita Obedience Training Club which offers numerous classes.

The six-week class (7th week is graduation) is held in the parking lot outside Kritter Korral Pet Shop (in the process of being changed to "Dino's Pet Shop" under new ownership) at 1724 Palos Verdes Drive North (at Western Avenue) in Harbor City.

The first class this Saturday is an orientation for owners only, so don't bring your dogs.

Cost is $60 which allows you to bring the dog back for refreshers for free.

Call 310-514-4924.

(There will be a break in this next session as Barbara will be out of town in March for a while.)

A longtime ban on dogs (leashed or otherwise) in Redondo Beach city parks remains in place after officials voted Tuesday to turn down a plea for change.

From Kristin Agostoni's story in today's Daily Breeze:

Following the City council's decision Tuesday night to stay the course, at least one dog owners said she would pursue an initiative petition aimed at overturning the ordinance that prohibits pooches in recreation areas, except for the popular off-leash dog zone in Dominguez Park.

Resident Sydnee Singer, who urged the council to make a change, said afterward she would seek volunteers to gather signatures so that voters could have a sya in an upcoming election.

"It just seems silly to me that the council just really is concerned about perhaps a few of the citizens, as opposed to the majority who want to use the parks and will be respectful to them," said Singer, the owner of two male miniature schnauzers, Brewster and Alfredo. "I do believe that the majority of the citizens want this."

....

If Singer and others pursue an initiative petition, they would need to collect signatures from 15 percent of the city's registered voters to get the issue onto a ballot in a special election, or 10 percent in a regular election.

According to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's Office, Redondo Beach has 40,334 registered voters.  

 

Thum-THUM.

You know that theme song to the TV program Law & Order? It appears to set off many dogs a'howlin'.

Our friends at Dogster had this to say:

It seems there's something about the theme song that drives dogs crazy. Whether that's crazy in a good way or a bad way is something we can't be sure of, but it definitely has an effect on lots of dogs.

.... "The reason they (howl) is because the music has a combination of clarinets and high-decibel sounds," celebrity pet trainer Bash Dibra told the New York Post. "When the music hits a certain note, it ... hits a signal in their auditory nerve and makes them howl."

That's what Rhode Island's top veterinarian is saying as reported today in the Providence Journal:

"I'm not a cat hater. I'm a vet. I'm a cat lover," said state veterinarian Scott Marshall. "I just don't see another solution to it. The solutions we have tried are ineffective.

Marshall says feral cats are a health risk to humans and other animals because of the diseases they potentially spread, including parasites, feline HIV and rabies, which has been detected in a few cats in the past few years. He has proposed requiring animal-control officers to impound 'roaming and feral cats' and mandating that animal shelters accept them and put them to death.

Dennis Tabella, director of Defenders of Animals, calls the idea 'inhumane and outrageous' and says that 'no cat, domestic or feral, that spends time outdoors will be safe. If this becomes law, your neighbor will be able to take your cat and turn it over to a shelter, where your cat is likely to be euthanized.'"

Marshall goes on to say that he doubts laws requiring that cats be spayed or netuered are working.

One outraged animal-rights advocate called it the "Final Solution" for feral felines, according to the article written by Journal staff writer Richard Salit.

So what do you think?  Has Trap-Neuter-Return/Release worked? How can it be made more effective?

Blog reader 2Dogs4Now suggested that in light of all the bad dog-related news in the South Bay over the past few days that we consider how so many people show compassion to the four-legged creatures we are mandated to care for and protect.

She specifically mentioned a photo that came out of Saturday's devastating earthquake, showing a woman comforting a dog as they sat amid all the rubble.

I found the picture online -- taken in Talca, Chile, it was published in the New York Daily News and credited to Martinez of APA.