Recently in Pets Category

I just spoke with a woman who lost her dog last night in Rolling Hills Estates.

I lost a dog once and it was one of the worst things that ever happened to me. If anybody has any information, please call her immediately.

Her dog, Rudy, is 14 years old. He's sweet but scared. And he needs to take medication for pain. He was last seen on Masongate Drive on Wednesday night.

Rudy is a black sheltie-lab mix with brown feet and a white chest.

Call 310-291-6023.

Complicating matters is the fact that the family has only been in California a short time and the dog doesn't know his way around. And his tags are from Washington State. The phone number on the tags doesn't work anymore.

And please let this serve as a reminder for all of us how vital it is to keep your pets' information up to date!

Here's the link to a picture and the contact information. Lostdog.pdf

Everybody wants to get  into the act. The latest attention grabber is Claire Webb, our newest addition to the business desk.

Ok, I lied. I've been begging Claire for weeks to send me pics of her two dogs. YOU try to find something to write about every day!

Meet Shirley and Miles, a pair of weinder dogs that are about the cutest thing ever. I especially like daschunds because they provide me the opportunity to use the joke about always wanting to get a long little doggie.

Here's how Claire describes them:

Shirley and Miles were brought into the house for one specific purpose--to cure my mother's empty nest syndrome after her three daughters left for college. Now they outrank the children in terms of parental affection.

 Shirley is the alpha female commanding everyone in the household, while Miles chooses to remain a low-key follower. These little weiner dogs have definitely turned a big-dog loving household into a dashund one.

I got this sweet e-mail. Go ahead write me and if you butter me up enough, I might post it...

Hey, I know everyone (or anyone who loves their dog) says the same thing...but...is this not one of the cutest dogs you've ever seen???

He was given to me 4 years ago by my now deceased brother Tom, I think Duke (my pooch has a big macho name for a little bitty turdmaker, don't you think?) is an angel sent from heaven, God just sent him down early while Tom was still with us.

 

love my brother, and I love my dog!!

 

Thanks for loving animals,

Alice

The seminar will feature certified trainers who will demonstrate how to properly secure their pets in vehicles, along with other tips on taking your pet on trips.

It's in Long Beach on Saturday and Sunday. Toyota officials will be on hand to show off the Venza, a car I gather they're marketing to pet owners.

There's lots more. Here's the press release I got:

Lisa Hirschmann is the newest writer in the stable of Daily Breeze reporters. I use the word "stable" only because this is a blog about animals, not because I think of reporters as being a bunch of, oh, say, jackasses.

As both of this blog's longtime readers know, I always try to post pictures of our staff's pets. Lisa has a shih tzu named Lulu. (Say that five times really fast)

Here are a couple of pix of the fuzzy puppy. Looks like Lulu is in need of a belly rub. I'm not sure what Lulu is cuddling in the bottom pic. Could it be a platypus?

No, you don't. I do. He may be a monster, but he's an adorable one.

But others may disagree. If you're one of them, you can attend a contest in Hermosa Beach on Valentine's Day.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is behing hosted by Wes Murph of the Studly Pooch. Who's he? I have no idea. But the event is a fundraiser for a local animal shelter, according to the press release.

Here, let me sorta re-type the release since Wes faxed it instead of e-mailing it. So much for my plans of going paperless.

On hand will be professional pet photographer Erin Tomanek from Paw Prints Pet Portraits., who will give every pet owner a free 5-by-7 color print. Pet owners will be able to buy more if they want.

First place winner (don't worry; my dog won't be entering) will will a free full-service grooming, which is worth $60. Second place will be given the $49 grooming coupon pack.

All dog owners will be asked for a $10 sitting fee, which will be donated to the Carson Animal Shelter.

The Studly pooch provides high-end spa treatments for dogs and cats (cats?). They are located at 1127 Aviation Blvd., Hermosa Beach.

Call 310-376-7033 for more info. Or go here.

If you're a woman or a Democrat, chances are the person you'll be smooching when the clock strikes midnight tonight will be furry and four legged, according to a stury released this week.

If you don't have a pet, you're likely to be horrified by these findings. But if you do, you'll find it perfectly reasonable.

Anyway, I don't need no stinkin' holiday to kiss my stinkin' dog (and sometimes the cat if I've been drinking).

Women are 4.5 times as likely to spend New Year's Eve with a pet than men are. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to spend New Year's Eve with a pet.

"We've discovered over the four years that we've been conducting this survey that people love seeing in the New Year with their pet," said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance. "I guess it's that pure joy and unconditional optimism that animals have that people love to be around."

So that movie "Marley and Me" made $800 billion over the Christmas weekend, which is more money I'll earn if I live to be 37,000 years old.

As some of you may recall, I am boycotting the movie because I seethe with jealousy. Some reporter got himself an ill-behaved dog and turned it into a national sensation.

I kick myself for not thinking about it.

And what's so special about Marley? His claim to fame is that he's the "worst dog in the world."

HA!

Here's how I spent my Christmas (Yes, I'm Jewish, but it was still a day off). You tell me who's more terrible, Marley or Rocket:

It rained all Christmas morning. But by early afternoon the sun was poking through and the ground was drying.

Around 2 p.m., there was a knock on my door. It was my across-the-street neighbors telling me they were taking their dogs to the Top Secret Illegal Dog Beach (which is really located at the bottom of the Trump Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes.) Would I like to join them?

I put Rocket on his leash, and darted out to my car wearing just a sweatshirt. It was cool out, but I figured I'd get warm walking down the trails.

I should mention that I am getting over a cold and am having a hard time breathing.

Anyway, we got to the bottom of the cliffs and Rocket was itching to get off his leash. I looked at the expanse of sand and I looked at the dog. I knew there was a reasonable chance I would regret my decision, but I unhooked his leash and let him loose. 

The first half hour were pleasant enough. Rocket and Buddy were happy as could be as they raced up and down the beach.

But then Rocket decided he wanted to explore the cliffs. Off he went into the thicket of bushes.

It started to drizzle. I looked up and realized that another storm was coming.

Everybody else started gathering up their dogs to leave, but Rocket was just getting started.

"C'mon boy," I called as he popped in and out of the bushes.

Then the rain started coming down hard.

"Rocket, let's go!" I shouted, but he ignored me.

I looked around. My friends were gone. The beach was deserted. Rocket kept ignoring me.

The dirt turned into a slick clay and I kept sliding on it as I tried to walk.

My clothes were soaked. I was shivering. I could barely breathe and I kept stumbling on the slippery wet rocks as I tried to catch up with that little jerk. Frigid needles of rain hit me in the face. My nose was running and I was covered in water and mud.

The end.

Ok, not really. But the rest of the story is pretty tedious. I finally caught him and dragged his sorry butt to the car. I got home, took a warm bath and gave him dirty looks for for the rest of the night.

Ok, that's really the end.

Or is it?

As readers of this blog know, I hate it when people bring their dogs to the office. Oh wait. The bosses are all at the country club today for their post-Christmas champagne party and bonus collection.

The rest of us are toiling away and one of our copy editors,  Stephanie Cary (or Scary as she's known by her computer logon), brought her dog to the office today!

Martini is a 4-year-old terrier poodle and she's sitting comfortably in Stephanie's lap while she's working. I guess Stephanie came back from a holiday trip and picked Martini up from the kennel.

She has frizzy hair and ears that point in many different directions (the dog, not Stephanie)

Here, see for yourself. I snapped a pic with my cell phone.