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sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE–JULY 20102
EDITOR/PUBLISHER
Julie Mannis Hoisington
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Casey Dean
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Nicole Sours Larson
Sindi Somers
Doug Hokstad
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Nicole Sours Larson
Eric Johnson
PRODUCTION ARTISTS
Casey Dean
Chris Baker
Anna Magulac
ADVERTISING SALE S MANAGER
Heather Snyder
(858) 270-3103 X115
Executive Editor
John Gregory
San Diego Pets Magazine is published bi-monthly by Mannis Com-munications, Inc. and The San Diego Community Newspaper Group,P.O. Box 9550, San Diego, CA 92169. No part of this publication maybe duplicated or reprinted without express consent from the publisher.Editors reserve the right toedit all content. Submis-sions are welcome, andwill be edited for contentand clarity. Please forwardall unsolicited material tothe editor. Views andopinions expressed hereinare not necessarily thoseof the publishers. Publish-ers reserve the right toapprove or accept adver-tising orders and content.All contents are copy-righted 2010. All rightsreserved.
san diego pets JUNE/JULY 2010
Kimberly Ryan, who battles fibromyalgia/chronic fatique autoimmune diseases, turnedher adopted dog, Hayliegh, into an assistancecanine with specialized training. See page 5
On the Cover
P.O. Box 95504645 Cass StreetSan Diego, Calif. 92109858.270.3103858.713.0095 [fax]sdnews.comsandiegopetsmagazine.com
PHOTO BY JORI OWENS JORIOWENS.COM
You're Invited!Please join FACE, the Veterinary Specialty Hospital
and fellow animal lovers as we celebrate the unconditional love of our pets at the Unveiling of our 65 ft.
"Mural of Life"Sunday, July 18th, 12:00 to 3:00The Veterinary Specialty Hospital
10435 Sorrento Valley Rd. San Diego, CA 92121You will enjoy live music, hors d' oeuvres and wine, an educational seminar on "How to recognize if your pet is having an emergency and what to do about it" and mix and mingle with your precious pet and favorite vet.
You also won't want to miss out on our fabulous raffle prizes, including • Personalized pet portrait in the mural, • Four Clubhouse Season Admission Passes • Dinner for 2 at the Famous Pamplemousse Grille...and much more!
Please call 858.450.3223 to RSVP
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 3
The Mural of LifeA UNIQUE FUNDRAISER FOR PETS
Hosted by the FACE Foundation, this pet friendly Fundraiser will benefit animals and families by providingfinancial assistance to pet owners who can not pay for life-saving veterinary care. 100% of proceeds at thisevent benefit FACE and help save the lives of beloved pets. To learn more about the FACE Foundation pleasevisit www.face4pets.org
Jennifer McCallson was just 20 when her whole life changedin an instant. A college cheerleader, she was doing a back flipwhen she collided with a male cheerleader, shattering severalvertebrae in her neck when she fell. Suddenly, she became aquadriplegic with little use of her arms.
Ten years later, using a power-assisted wheelchair, she livesalone in Carlsbad with help from morning and evening care-givers.
Since partnering with Sudo, her Canine Companions for In-dependence (CCI)-trained service dog, she enjoys greater inde-pendence, knowing that her “best buddy and cool roommate” isalways with her.
Sudo picks up things she drops, opens and closes doors anddrawers for her and gives her a sense of security in her home.Now, as she’s learning to walk again, she feels safer knowing heis by her side. For the independent McCallson, teaming withSudo was “a liberating experience.”
Independence and security are words which crop up fre-quently in conversations with recipients of CCI’s assistance
dogs. The dogs are their trained helpers and companions — andalso their beloved pets.
Point Loma resident Patty Giddings, who suffers from au-toimmune disorders that weaken her entire body and render herunstable on her feet and cause her to fall, feared she could nolonger live on her own. With Aberdeen now in her life, she againfeels safe living alone and goes out more, knowing that if shefalls, Aberdeen can help.
He goes everywhere with her, carries her cell phone, sets it byher bed at night and gives it to her when Giddings needs it. Aswith many disabled people teaming with a service dog, Ab-erdeen provides a social bridge reconnecting her with the world.
A former teacher who retired early on disability, Giddingssaid she is extremely grateful to have Aberdeen and works toraise awareness and funding so others in need can also benefitfrom CCI service dogs.
“He’s changed my life dramatically. He’s gotten me out of myshell and is a real lifesaver. He’s brought me joy again,” Gid-dings said.
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 20104
H BdD 5 FEATURE
Canine Companions for Independenceprovides lifeline to disabled
Assistance dog Dennie, Dennie, a golden retriever/Labrador re-triever mix, demonstrates how to open a refrigerator on commandfrom apprentice instructor Becky Miller.
Dennie shows how he closes a drawer for his partner. Each CCIdog learns about 40 commands. PHOTOS BY NICOLE SOURS LARSON
� Can I pet your dog? “Please ignore my dog!” asks Jennifer McCallson. When you see a service dog, please don’t rush up to pet or talk to it, McCallson urges. Thatdistracts the dog from helping his disabled partner. McCallson enjoys talking about her dog, Sudo, but he is a working dog. It may not be appropriate for a child or adultto pet the dog. Always ask before petting ANY assistance dog. “Just ignore the dog. Please talk to me, not the dog!” she said. — Nicole Sours Larson
B y N I C O L E S O U R S L A R S O N | S A N D I E G O P E T S
CCI, founded in Santa Rosa in 1975, has five training locationsaround the country, including their southwest regional center inOceanside near Mission San Luis Rey, which overlooks the sunny,cheerful campus.
Here, a team of five instruc-tors and two apprentice in-structors train young dogs toserve in three different func-tions according to their traits,explained CCI spokeswomanKatie Malatino.
Service dogs are larger,stronger and hard-working be-cause they assist physically dis-abled people with daily tasks and are trained to open doors, turnon lights, carry packages and pull their partners in manual wheel-chairs.
Skilled companion dogs — which are often placed with childrenwith autism, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities— function as the child’s best friend and provide a connection withother children. They need to be affectionate, reliable and calm.
Facility dogs, required to be friendly and extroverted, work witha facilitator to reduce stress in an educational, medical or visitationsettings such as a courtroom, disabled sailing or horse therapy pro-gram.
The dogs, carefully selected for temperament, trainability andphysical attributes, are Labrador retrievers or golden retrievers butprimarily are a cross of the two breeds, which CCI feels are bestsuited as assistance dogs.
CCI does not use German shepherds because of genetic tenden-cies toward hip dysplasia. The dogs, bred specifically for CCI, areplaced at eight weeks with volunteer puppy-raisers, who raise andtrain the puppies until the dogs are about 15 months old.
Twice a month, puppies return to CCI for training. Dressed in ayellow “puppy-in-training” cape with the CCI logo, the puppiesalso go to work and social engagements and run errands with theirpuppy-raisers to prepare them for their future partner’s everydaychallenges.
Only about 30 to 40 percent of the dogs graduate from the pro-gram. Most are released havioral or health reasons.
“We want to make sure that the type of dog we train is beneficialto the client. The (instructors) don’t believe in forcing a dog intosomething they’re not suited for,” Malatino said.
When released, the dogs are offered first to the puppy-raisers.Other released CCI dogs are placed with public service agencies, in-cluding the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforce-ment, or work as search and rescue, bomb sniffing or therapy dogs.
When the dogs return to CCI at 15 months, they undergo six tonine months’ intensive training, during which instructors assesstheir strengths, temperament and best placement. Dogs learn tofocus on clients’ daily needs and to ignore distractions, such as theresident campus cat, Bob, and bunnies Stu and Zeke, who provide“distractions” for the working dogs, since many clients often haveother pets.
Potential clients go through a lengthy application and evaluationprocess lasting six months to two years, during which CCI deter-mines whether they qualify and would be a good match for a dog.
The dog and all training, support and follow-up services are pro-
vided to clients free of charge, thanks to charitable contributions.Once clients are accepted into the program, they come for a two-
week residential team-training session and are matched with thedog that best suits their specific needs. Many clients use wheelchairsor other assistive devices.
Apprentice instructor Becky Miller learned how to use and teachfrom a wheelchair as part of her own training program.
“The first two weeks’ training were in a wheelchair,” Miller said.“Then, gradually, you lose more and more of your abilities to get asense of what clients go through and why it’s important for the dogsto have certain skills. The dogs help them cope with their disabili-ties and save their bodies wear and tear.”
Each of the dogs learns over 40 commands, with some tailored toclients’ individual needs. During team-training sessions, clients aretaught how to work with and care for their dogs. CCI also providesongoing follow-up support and advice.
CCI dogs have a working life of eight to 10 years, at which timethey can “retire” to become the clients’ pets, return to their originalpuppy-raisers or receive another retirement placement.
CCI’s website and newsletters are filled with moving stories ofthe dogs’ power to transform the lives of their disabled partners. Towatch videos of the dogs in action and to learn how to become apuppy-raiser or apply for a dog, www.cci.org.
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 5
H BdD 5FEATURE
Training your own service dogLike many people with disabilities, Kimberly Ryan (cover photo) doesn’t look
sick or “disabled.” On her good days, she goes to the gym and hikes. On her baddays, she can’t leave home.
Her disabilities are hidden, yet her fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue autoimmunediseases affect her entire body, leaving her unable to work. She was already 100percent disabled when she adopted Hayliegh, a black American cocker spaniel,but didn’t know her disability gave her the right to use a service dog in public.
Already bonded with Hayliegh, Ryan discovered the six-month-old puppy’sspecial abilities one night when Hayliegh roused her from a seizure, enablingRyan to reach the hospital.
Rather than apply for an assistance dog, she decided to train the intuitiveHayliegh. Working with Aleita Downer, owner of Cape-Able-Canines, who hadstudied with the founder of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) andapprenticed with Canine Support Teams, Ryan trained Hayliegh in service dogetiquette. They taught her simple commands, including “leave it alone,” “stop,”“stay” and “settle down,” which built on Hayliegh’s natural intuition, protectiveinstincts and close bond with Ryan. Hayliegh goes everywhere with her,dressed in her vest and harness.
“The doctors are amazed at what Hayliegh does for me, what she’s aware ofand in tune with,” Ryan said. She credits Hayliegh with sensing the onset of de-bilitating migraines and autoimmune attacks and keeping her safely at home.
Ryan, who developed the Hayliegh Project to share resources about servicedogs and has written a manuscript about hidden disabilities, recognizes thatself-training an assistance dog is not appropriate for everyone. Downer agreesthat training Hayliegh was the right path for Ryan.
“Hayliegh does exactly what she needs to do,” said Downer. “Training yourown service dog is not as easy as it sounds. There are costs involved in trainingyour dog and they can be substantial. Not everyone is a trainer and there is noguarantee your dog will be trained.”
An organization like CCI, she said, monitors its graduates and provides on-going support. “Sometimes the process (of self-training a service dog) itself isthe success and accomplishes the goal,” Downer said.
For more information about Downer’s La Mesa training programs, call (619)463-3647, or visit www.cape-able-canines.com. — Nicole Sours Larson
“He’s changed mylife dramatically. He’sgotten me out of myshell and is a real life-saver. He’s broughtme joy again”
"Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan Shares Techniques
Cesar Millan, star of the hit televisionshow “Dog Whisperer,” will share histechniques for developing happier,healthier relationships between humansand their canine companions at a specialbenefit event Friday, June 25 at 7:00 p.m.at University of San Diego’s Shiley Theatre.
The one-night-only performance is abenefit for the Cesar and Illusion MillanFoundation, a non-profit organization.All proceeds from the event will help torescue, rehabilitate, and rehome abusedand abandoned dogs.
Learn Cesar Millan’s amazing tech-niques including: • How we humanize dogs and how
this "people" behavior impacts "dog"behavior
• The different levels of energy and howthey influence the dog's personality
• Why providing rules, boundaries mat-ters
• What dog fulfillment is and how wecan provide balance by following sim-ple guidelines
• Cesar's leash techniques, and whenand where to apply them.Tickets for "Dog Whisperer" on sale
now for $65 at www.TicketWeb.com.The Shiley Theater is located at 5998 Al-cala Park on the USD campus.
Mediation WorkshopAnimal communicator, teacher and
published writer Sindi Somers presentsa meditation workshop on Saturday,June 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. atthe Courtyard by Marriott Mission Val-ley/Hotel Circle in the Convene Room.Cost is $45 if received by June 21 and $55if received after June 21. $55 cash onlypayments may be made on the day of theworkshop. Call 619-384-0761 or email
[email protected] to register. Partici-pants must be at least 18 years old unlessaccompanied by a parent or legalguardian. This event is for human par-ticipants only. Please leave pets at home.
Learn grounding and centering tohelp you be in the present moment withyour companion animals. You will alsodiscover how to reduce stress and re-lease unwanted energies that can affectyour relationship with your pets. This in-troductory workshop can benefit begin-ning meditators and those wishing toadd techniques to their current practices.
Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Mis-sion Valley/Hotel Circle is located at 595Hotel Circle South, San Diego. The hotelphone number is 619-291-5720.
Spreckels Organ ConcertsCanine and Kid Friendly
All 2010 Summer International OrganFestival concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. andare free of charge. Admission and park-ing are free, music-loving children andpets are welcome and many concertgo-ers enjoy picnics in Balboa Park beforethe concerts. Light snacks, beveragesand gifts are available at the paviliongrounds with proceeds benefiting thenot-for-profit Spreckels Organ Society.
Celebrate the opening night of theSummer International Organ Festival onJune 21 with the Spreckels Organ Soci-ety’s traditional Bach’s Supper. Thisyear’s event will be a Taco Fiesta begin-ning at 5:00 p.m. Enjoy a buffet offreshly made tacos by La Taquiza as wellas beer, wine and soft drinks under thehistoric colonnades of the SpreckelsOrgan Pavilion.
Tickets must be purchased in advanceat $30 for adults and $25 for children 12and under. Send your name, address,
email, number of tickets and full pay-ment to the Spreckels Organ Society, c/oJack Lasher, 2756 Ariane Dr. #131, SanDiego, CA 92117 before June 16.
For more information email Jack [email protected] or call 858-483-1326.
Dog Park ProjectDogs may be man’s best friend, but
dog parks are a dog’s ultimate play-ground! According to a recent survey, 44percent of people who take their dogs toa dog park say their dog is more socialwith other people and dogs than beforethey took their pet to the dog park. In ad-dition to socialization, dog parks allowdogs the freedom to run around and con-nect back to nature!
To support local community dogparks and off-leash areas, The NutroCompany is leading an effort called theRoom to Run ™: Dog Park AppreciationProject. It is a nationwide effort led byNutro associates to enhance and revital-ize dog parks in 30 cities across the U.S.and Canada.
Community members are encouragedto attend the Room to Run event inCarlsbad on June 19 from 8:00 a.m. untilnoon at Ann D. L'Heureux MemorialDog Park, Carlsbad Village Drive East ofEl Camino Real, Carlsbad. The followingenhancement activities will be con-ducted: • Planting new trees and landscaping.• General clean up and beautification.
In an effort to focus on enhancementsat the park, pet owners are asked tobring dogs to the park following theevent rather than during the event.
For more information please visithttp://www.TheNutroCompany.com
New Dog & Cat Groomers To Downtown
Hot DOGity Do’s is conveniently lo-cated on G St. between 7th & 8th Aves.,look for the colorful dog house. Eileen& Kyle, co-owners have 2 dogs eachSadie, Fanny, Diamond and Moon, thestore mascots. Eileen and Kyle aredowntown residents and most impor-tantly animal lovers who do all thegrooming. Consistency and reliabilityare what will bring you to Hot DOGityDo’s over and over again. 10+ years ofgrooming experience has helped Hot
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 20106
H BdD 5 SCOOPS & HIGHLIGHTS
DOGity Do’s listen and understandwhat each pet owner wants and needsfor his or her furry friend. All grooms in-clude nails trimmed, ears cleaned, choiceof an oatmeal or sensitive skin shampooand conditioner. Please stop by and graba FREE tennis ball and treat or purchasenatural foods and treats. Browse the se-lection of toys, leashes and collars. De-livery available. Call for an appointmentor just stop in, 619-237-9073. GRANDOPENING PARTY- Dogs and people in-vited, treats for all-Wednesday, June 16,6:30-8:30 p.m.
Fiesta del PAWS Celebrates10th Anniversary
Michaels, San Diego’s widely cele-brated Dog Training Columnist/Authorof “You and Your Dog.” As certifiedtrainer for AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and Ca-nine Good Citizen and a certified mem-ber of the Association of ProfessionalDog Trainers (APDT), Michaels enjoyedhelping Fiesta del PAWS guests solvetheir canine behavior concerns at the
10th Anniversary of Fiesta del PAWS“Ask the Trainer” booth was held onSunday, June 6th. P.A.W.S. is all about celebrating the ani-mal bond and keeping people and theirpets happy, healthy and together,“ saysFiesta Co-Chair and P.A.W.S. BoardMember Lisa Lipsey. “Training is one ofthe keys to keeping pets out of the shel-ters. Linda helps owners start puppytraining on the right paw and she can
teach an owner and an old dog quite afew new tricks to live in harmony.”
Fiesta del PAWS began ten years agoas a small garden party for concerned cit-izens who wanted to make a differencefor PAWS. Since that time, it has growninto an afternoon of entertainment for allof San Diego to celebrate the human-an-imal bond and to raise money for PAWS.For more information about Fiesta del PAWScontact the P.A.W.S. offices at 619-297-PAWS(7297) or e-mail [email protected].
San Diego’s Very Own Dog Whisperer
Catz Plush is a pet owner who de-cided to not only care about her owndog, but others as well. After having asuccessful career in the real-estateindustry, she decided that dogs weretruly her calling. Catz opened PlushPuppies dog and feline kennel in ElCajon and since has been helping tomake her animal guests better withevery stay.
At Plush Puppies, Catz not only pro-
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 7
H BdD 5SCOOPS & HIGHLIGHTS
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 20108
H BdD 5 SCOOPS & HIGHLIGHTSvides day care/over night care, obedi-ence school, and administration of med-ication. If need be, she personally spendsthe time overseeing and playing with an-imals. The reason this is important is shecan pick out behavior issues and takesthe time to work on them with the dog.
Catz can be compared to the nation-ally known dog whisperer, Cesar Millan.Catz has such a positive energy and be-comes so engaged with the animals, cus-tomers don't need to worry about theirpet. Catz has a way with furry four-legged friends that can only be explainedas whispering.
For more information call 619-561-4299or view online at www.plushkennel.com.
Take Your Dog To Work toPromote Pet Adoption
On Friday June 25, businesses, animalshelters and pet-care professionals fromaround the world will work together tobetter the lives of shelter dogs every-where. Thousands of businesses will GOFURRY to promote pet adoption byopening their doors to employees’ furry,
four-legged friends on this day in cele-bration of the great companions dogsmake.
Take Your Dog To Work Day was cre-ated to celebrate the great companionsdogs make and to encourage their adop-tion from humane societies, animal shel-ters and breed rescue clubs. This annual
event asks pet lovers to celebrate the hu-mane-canine bond and promote petadoption by encouraging their employ-ers to support TYDTWDay by openingtheir workplace to employees’ four-legged friends on this one special day.
For more information call the San DiegoHumane Society at (619) 299-7012.
The Pacific Beach Coldwell Banker staff looks foward to celebrating “Bring Your Dog toWork” day to encourage and support responsible pet adoption.
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 9
H BdD 5SCOOPS & HIGHLIGHTS
For the month of June our specialis 15% off all aquatic supplies. Allsupplies in stock will have this dis-count whether it is salt water orfreshwater. Save big money on allyour fish supplies dont miss out onthis once a year sale. All aquariums,ornaments, pumps, filters, carbon,salts, water test kits and more will allhave this price reduction. We arealso still selling our 46lb bag OfEukanuba dog food at a ridiculous-ly low price of 39.99. Dont forget tomention you read it here and getyour free gift. Remember shop thewarehouse and save on all yor petsneeds while the savings are hot!!!
San DiegoPet Supply(619) 263-2211www.sandiegopetsupply.com
STORE HOURS: Monday–Saturday : 9am–7pm10am–4pm Sunday.
Located at the corner of 15th & Market Streetin San Diego’s East Village
2 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! COMPARE & SEE!2 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! COMPARE & SEE!
BAYSIDE VETERINARY HOSPITAL
– Open 6 days a week
– Remodeled facility– Acupuncture– Military discounts
(619) [email protected]
1270 Scott stSan Diego, CA 92106
GET $20
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– Open 7 days a week
– Affordable fees– Comprehensive Veterinary Care– Boarding and grooming
1038 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91911(619) 422-6186
www.mysouthbayvet.com
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Some of the most talented dogs fromthe West Coast will descend upon the SanDiego County Fair to participate in thePurina Incredible Dog Challenge. Thispremier canine sporting event featuresdogs competing in a variety of “Olympicstyle” events including dog diving,freestyle flying disc, head-to-head weavepoles, Jack Russell hurdle racing andagility.
All of the exciting canine action kicks-off on Friday, June 11, 2010, with the sec-ond annual Purina Incredible Surf Dogcompetition at Dog Beach at the north endof Ocean Beach. Dogs of all shapes, sizesand abilities will show off their unique tal-ents as they catch some waves and try totake home the title of “Most IncredibleSurf Dog.”
Additionally, as the world turns its at-tention to the soccer tournament in SouthAfrica, the San Diego Sockers professional
indoor soccer team will join up with theSoccer Collies, a local team of soccer-play-ing dogs for a special exhibition on thePurina Incredible Dog Challenge field atthe Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Local dogs have the opportunity toqualify to participate in two of the events– dog diving and freestyle flying disc.Qualifying is open to all dogs fromaround the San Diego area who want totry and dive for distance into a 19,000-gal-lon pool of water or catch a flying discwith great accuracy and speed. Top qual-ifiers win the chance to demonstrate theirskills during the competition on June 12.• Qualifying Registration for Dog Divingand Freestyle Flying Disc – June 11, 9 a.m. • Open Qualifying for Dog Diving (DelMar Fairgrounds) – June 11, 10:30 a.m. • Open Qualifying, Freestyle Flying DiscCompetition (Del Mar Fairgrounds)-June11, 11:30 a.m.
• San Diego Sockers / Soccer Collies Ex-hibition – June 11, 2 p.m.• Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Com-petition (Del Mar Fairgrounds) – June 12,11:25 a.m. – 4 p.m.• All other events: Del Mar Fairgrounds;2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, Calif.
The San Diego County Fair is thelargest annual event in San Diego Countyand the sixth largest fair in the UnitedStates, drawing more than 1.2 million vis-itors each year.
Further information on the Purina Incred-ible Dog Challenge and full schedule go towww.petcentric.com
‘Surf Dog’ competition returnsTimely ‘Soccer Dog’ exhibition debuts
When the late humane officer C. RichardCalore was serving in World War II, acourageous cat kept him warm in a Frenchfoxhole in the dead cold of winter. Inspiredby her companionship, he decided to ded-icate the rest of his life fighting for felinesof all ages. He thus founded the NationalCat Protection Society — a cat shelter witha retirement center.
The retirement center gives owners whocan’t keep their cherished kitties a first-rateplace to send them for lifetime care.
“We give our retirement kitties high-quality food and plenty of TLC,” said VPof public relations Gerri Calore. “They alsoreceive medical and dental care in our on-site clinic.”
Over the years, the center has evolved to
improve the welfare of its residents. Thelatest change was enriching the environ-ment. Dubbed NATCAT Paradise, it nowfeatures a wall-to-wall overhead walkway,ramps, “lifeguard tower,” large “island,”“volcano and lava” with pressure-con-trolled heating pads, scratching post and“Retirement Bay boat dock” anchoring“love boats” with litterboxes. These attrac-tions stimulate the cats physically andmentally, strengthening their bodies andminds while supporting natural instincts.
NATCAT will unveil the completed cen-ter at its 42nd-anniversary Open Houseand Fundraiser on June 13, inviting all catlovers to visit and help them continue thefight Calore started years ago.
For more information, visit www.natcat.org.
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 201010
H BdD 5 RETIREMENT CATS
Retirement resident Lucy securely enjoysthe mentally stimulating view from avantage point.
San Diego cat shelter offers a retirement home for cats
� June Is Adopt-A-Cat MonthAccording to the American Humane Society, animal shelters rescue approximately 4 million cats each year.Unfortunately, in the nation’s recent economic crisis another, equally serious, crises has developed in the petworld. Animal shelters across the country are facing slashed funding while the number of lost, abandonedand donated pets is steadily increasing. Shelters are literally littered with homeless felines.
“We give our retirementkitties high-quality foodand plenty of TLC”
As you walk by your local bistros fea-turing al fresco dining, you may notice arecent phenomenon: more and morerestaurants are welcoming well-behavedpooches to their terraces and patios.
Many surveys have shown that a grow-ing percentage of Americans regard theirpets as part of their family. Who wants toleave their best buddy and family mem-ber home when it’s time to go out forbrunch, dinner or drinks?
While most cats prefer to order their“staff” to deliver their meals, many well-trained hounds and some birds happilyaccompany their humans for a meal onthe town, especially if the dining estab-lishments offer tasty treats.
San Diego’s growing number of pet-friendly restaurants is one reason the citywas named the best dog-friendly city inthe U.S. by DogFriendl.com. San Diego’sfriendliness toward dogs, based on grow-ing amenities, continues unabated.
While this list of pet-friendly restaurantsin San Diego County is only a sampling, itincludes recommendations from knowl-edgeable “foodies.” Travel and foodmavens Maggie Espinosa, travel writerand author of “The Privileged Pooch: Lux-ury Travel with Your Pet in Southern Cal-ifornia” (written with the collaboration ofher Bichon Frisé, Marcel); Caron Golden,food writer and blogger extraordinaire(visit her San Diego Foodstuff blog for lat-est updates on the local food scene atwww.sandiegofoodstuff.com) and mom toRhodesian ridgebacks Ketzel and Shaynaand “obedient servant” to felines Bennyand Lily; foodie Doug Poirier, dad to Mr.Frosty the Famous Flying Dog; and dog-moms Sharon Corrigan, a devoted foodie,and Therapy Dog International advocateand practitioner Shirley Colman.
Most of the “yappy hour” venues listedare also dog-friendly restaurants, whilemany coffee bars with outdoor seatingalso welcome canines.
• Terra, 3900 Vermont St., Hillcrest, (619)293-7088. This fine-dining, art-filled casualeatery, renowned for its award-winning foodand wine list, also offers “Tail Waggin’ Specials”for pooches’ dining pleasure on the patio.
• Café Chloe, 721 Ninth Ave., Downtown,(619) 232-3242. This casual bistro, which isgaining national recognition for the quality ofits dining experience, welcomes well-man-nered dogs at their sidewalk café.
• McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restau-rant, 675 L St., at The Omni Hotel, East Vil-lage, (619) 645-6545. Dogs may join theirhumans for patio dining at this San Diego bas-tion of the national chain.
• Pacific Coast Grill, 437 S. Hwy. 101,Solana Beach, (858) 794-4632. The dog-
loving owners of this casual coastal bistrooffer both excellent food and a dog-friendlygarden patio.
• Pacifica Del Mar & Pacifica Breeze Café,Del Mar Plaza, 1555 Camino Del Mar, DelMar, (858) 792-0476. The fine-dining up-stairs restaurant and its casual downstairs café
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 11
H BdD 5DINIE-OUT WITH FIDO
San Diego restaurantsare going to the dogs!
B y N I C O L E S O U R S L A R S O N | S A N D I E G O P E T S
Frosty & Doug Poirier at O'Bistro's in OceanBeach.
provide outdoor pet-friendly dining, completewith breath-taking ocean views.
• Trattoria Acqua, 1298 Prospect St., LaJolla, (858) 454-0709. Known for its fine Ital-ian cuisine, the Trattoria hosts four-footedfriends in its leafy courtyard.
• Burger Lounge, 1101 Wall St., La Jolla,(858) 456-0196. Dogs are welcome at thisgourmet burger chain, where it’s easy to sharewith your furry friend.
• Fig Tree Café, 5119 Cass St., PacificBeach, (858) 274-2233. This primarily out-door restaurant has a large, pretty, pet-friendlyterrace, shaded by a large fig tree, where manydogs and birds share their humans’ breakfastand lunch. Open Thursdays-Sundays.
• O’Bistro Café, 4934 Voltaire St., OceanBeach, (619) 223-2202. This typically laid-back OB eatery offers a varied, casual menuand an outdoor dining room filled with happy,relaxed canines.
• Maria’s Café & Deli, Sunroad Marina, 955Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island, (619)220-0455. This café, offering sweeping viewsof San Diego Bay and boats from its two ter-
races, provides dogs with water bowls andserves mainly breakfast and lunch, with dinneron weekends.
• Po Pazzo, 1917 India St., (619) 238-1917,Little Italy, and its sister Busalacchi grouprestaurants, Trattoria Fantastica at 1735India St., Café Zucchero at 1731 India St.,and Zia’s Bistro at 1845 India St. Call (619)450-2462 for central reservations, all welcomemannerly dogs on their terraces while their hu-mans enjoy well-crafted Italian dishes.
• Downtown Café, 182 E. Main St., ElCajon, (619) 440-5687. This friendly EastCounty eatery hosts dogs on their patio and of-fers tacos, ribs and fajitas, with live music sev-eral evenings weekly.
Since the hospitality industry sees fre-quent changes, be sure to call to askabout the restaurant’s pet-friendly sta-tus before bringing your dog to a new lo-cation. California Health Departmentregulations prohibit pets inside a diningestablishment, except for assistance ani-mals, and require pets to remain in out-door dining areas.
‘Yappy Hours’ and petfriendly wine bars
Gary Laliberté, owner of City Dog, lo-cated at 550 Park Blvd. in the East Village,has organized “yappy hours,” social hoursfor people and their canine companions, atdowntown locations for several years.
He feels they have a natural life-span,and as one yappy hour disappears, anotherfresh venue emerges offering human-ca-nine gatherings. Currently, he’s organizingmonthly events at the Indigo Hotel down-town and Porto Vista Hotel in Little Italy.Visit his website at www.citydogsd.com orcall (619) 269-0201 for the latest informa-tion on City Dog-organized yappy hoursand other events.
Here’s a sampling of current yappyhours. Be sure to call to check the status ofthese and other venues before going. In-cluded are two pet-friendly wine bars thatwelcome and “treat” well-behaved dogson their terraces:
• Porto Vista Hotel, 1835 Columbia St., Lit-tle Italy, (619) 564-3998, yappy hour first Fri-day of the month, on the Ripassi Rooftop Deck,5:30 to 9 p.m.
• Hotel Indigo, 509 9th Ave., Down-town, (619) 727-4000, monthly themedyappy hour with varied dates. Call hotel or CityDog for details.
• Sally’s Seafood at the Manchester GrandHyatt, One Market Place, Embarcadero,(619) 358-6740, yappy hour on their patioevery Thursday, 2:30 to 7 p.m.
• St. Germain’s Café, 1010 S. Coast Hwy.101, Encinitas, (760) 753-5411, yappyhour Fridays and Saturdays 4 to 9:30 p.m.through July 31.
• Andiamo Ristorante Italiano, 5959 SantoRoad, Tierrasanta, (858) 277-3501, K-9s andCocktails, last Wednesday of the month, 5 p.m.
• Wine Cabana, 2539 Congress St., OldTown, (619) 574-9463, dogs welcome onpatio; monthly Sunday afternoon canine eventwith treats. Call for dates.
• The Wine Pub, 2907 Shelter Island Drive,#108, Point Loma, (619) 758-9325, pooch-friendly patio with treats available. (Note portraitof “owner” Clarence the beagle on the bar.)
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 201012
H BdD 5 SUMMER PET FUN
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JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 13
Singles, canines and coctails
Remember the hit movie “Must Love Dogs”? It stressedthe importance of sharing a passion for dogs if a mean-
ingful relationship is to be forged between two people. A mutual love for dogs can connect two strangers in a matter
of minutes since there are things we do because of our love fordogs that non-dog people just don’t understand. Because of thiscanine synergy, Lucky7Match.com, Pawtopia, Love HappensHere and Dogtown San Diego are collaborating to host an eventfor single dog lovers to mingle and unleash the connecting powerof their dogs.
Doug Hokstad, from DogtownSanDiego.com, says “Before be-coming a part of the “inner circle” of dog lovers; as a “non-dog”person I thought dog people were nuts! I entered the dog uni-verse just four years ago when I took a 9-week-old English bull-dog puppy named Dozer home with me… I did not know it atthe time but that homecoming began a complete transformationof my life. Dozer has enhanced my life beyond belief and all thethings that I did not comprehend as a “non-dog” person, I nowfully understand and completely embrace; it’s the transforming“power of gog”. Dozer has introduced me to so many wonder-ful dog loving people. “
Dogs, because of their stubborn love and unbiased dispositions,break down barriers and facilitate meaningful relationship. Ourdogs are “connectors.” Through their wagging tails and wet noses,dogs have a way of creating commonality and kindred spirits be-tween people. Colleen Demling, owner of Pawtopia Dog Trainingstates “It only makes sense to let our dogs take the lead in open-ing up opportunities to meet new people and develop dynamicrelationships.” This is especially for the single dog lover. RezaGarajedaghi of Lucky7Match.com relates that many singles havebeen asking about events for dog lovers. Reza went on to say,”We are thrilled to bring dogs into the equation of our singlesevents. Dogs are the ultimate ice breaker.”
Named “Summer Lovin Doggie Style”, the dog loving singlesevent will take place on June 30th from 6 to 9 p.m. at J6 in theHotel Solamar. DOGS ARE WELCOME!
The singles event will include drink specials, fun and creative
interactions, vendor booths and the chance of meeting that specialsomeone. Cost to attend is $15 before event date and $20 at thedoor. For all the event details, visit www.dogtownsandiego.com.
Besides being a great way to meet new people, a portion ofthe proceeds from the event will go to support FOCAS. FOCASis a volunteer, non-profit organization formed to help the lostand abandoned dogs and cats in the three San Diego Depart-ment of Animals Services shelters. FOCAS is dedicated to giv-ing second chances to animals that otherwise may have nohope at all. This is reflected in the group's commitment to help-ing the animals that need it most.
Your hosts for the eventLuck7match.com provides socialevents for single individuals tomeet other singles. Their mission isto take the stress out of dating andmeeting other singles.
Love Happens Here is a profes-sional matchmaking service assist-ing and coaching people throughthe entire process of dating suc-cessfully from first introductions tohappily ever after. www.lovehap-penshere.com
Pawtopia Dog Training is a professional dog-training company thatcoaches and trains dogs and humans alike to become more socially fitand compatible. www.pawtopiadogtraining.com
DogtownSanDiego.com is a community site catering to dog lovers inSan Diego. Dogtown San Diego informs dog lovers about everythingthat is happening in town that involves the dogs we love.
To register for the “Summer Lovin” Doggie Style” event visitwww.dogtownsandiego.com.
PHOTOS BY ERIC JOHNSON
Kimberly Primerano ( Love Happens Here)Colleen Demling (Pawtopia Dog Training)
Reza Garajedaghi (Luck7Match.com)Doug Hokstad (DogtownSanDiego.com)
Have you considered taking your dog— or other pet — on vacation or a week-end getaway with you, but felt you’d belimited in your travel choices?
La Mesa travel writer Maggie Espinosahas removed much of the concern over theavailability of high-quality tourist optionswith her newly-published book, “ThePrivileged Pooch: Luxury Travel withYour Pet in Southern California.” Whileher book is dog-oriented, pet policies usu-ally apply to other small animals, too.
The good news is that many recession-hit hotels, restaurants and boutiqueshave discovered that pet-friendly poli-cies are attracting new clients who don’twant to leave the furry members of theirfamily at home.
With Marcel, her beloved 9-year-old Bi-chon Frisé in tow, Espinosa spent two yearsexploring luxurious hotels and fine-diningoptions, from San Diego north through Or-ange and Los Angeles counties to Santa Bar-bara and Ojai, and east to Palm Springs,rating the hotels and resorts from one tofour “wags” according to their pet-friendli-ness and special amenities.
Espinosa, an experienced freelance travelwriter who lives with her veterinarian hus-band, Miguel, near her husband’s clinic,The Pet Hospital of La Mesa, decided tofocus on the luxury end of the market be-cause she wanted to identify pet-friendlyaccommodations she herself would enjoyand where she could take Marcel.
To meet her criteria, hotels had to be
“high-three star” or better and allow thepets in the lobby and some facilities withfew restrictions. The accommodations varyin type, from trendy urban boutique hotelsto suburban resorts with extensive grounds.
Her book contains listings for 69 hotelsand resorts, 55 restaurants welcoming petsto their terraces or patios, 56 “fun-in-the-sun” activities and 38 pet-friendly shops.Best of all, Espinosa and Marcel stayed atevery hotel, ate at every bistro, tried everyactivity and visited each trendy boutique be-fore including them in her book.
If hotels merely tolerated pets but didn’twelcome them, they didn’t make the gradefor inclusion. As she quickly discovered,what a hotel states or posts on its websiteabout its pet policy doesn’t necessarily con-form with actual practice, which is why shestayed at every hotel, not merely inspectedthem or relied on their press releases.
She found some hotels have weight orsize limitations for dogs, while others haverules but don’t enforce them. Some hotelscharge extra pet fees, while others don’t. Es-pinosa strongly advises calling the hotel andchecking their pet policies and charges be-fore making reservations.
The intrepid duo also tried every activitydescribed in the book, including Go-Cars,walking tours and naturalist hikes, kayak-ing and winery tours. Marcel even experi-enced carriage and gondola rides, caninesurf lessons and even an ultra-relaxing
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 201014
H BdD 5 SUMMER TRAVEL
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‘The Privileged Pooch’ makes traveling with your pet easy
B y N I C O L E S O U R S L A R S O N | S A N D I E G O P E T S
Author Maggie Espinosa signs books at theWarwick’s table at the La Jolla Pet Parade andFestival on May 23. PHOTO BY NICOLE SOURS LARSON
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 15
H BdD 5SUMMER TRAVEL“mutt massage” offered at Loew’s CoronadoResort. Espinosa also lists hotel pet-sittersand emergency vet clinics.
“I would take Marcel to everything. Iwanted to see how the activities were with adog. I tried to do things that were different,that you would really want to do, not just goto a dog beach or dog park,” she explained.
One of her favorite discoveries is the Dog-gie Bus, a free service started by CoreyBrixen to transport, by reservation, about adozen pooches and their humans from in-land Tustin for three-hour weekend romps atHuntington Beach Dog Beach.
Espinosa decided to write her book fol-lowing appearances on the nationally syndi-cated radio show “Ask Heloise,” featuringthe author of the “Hints from Heloise” col-umn, and “Dr. Dog’s” San Diego radio show.She received such an enthusiastic responseand so many queries from listeners. From herresearch she concluded that no currentguidebook existed for traveling with pets inthe Southern California region.
Written with an observant eye, wry humorand appreciative palate and filled with invit-ing color photos, “The Privileged Pooch”provides the information hesitant pet-loversneed to embark on travels with their pets,whether canine, feline or avian.
Susan McBeth, director of marketing andevents for Warwick’s Books in La Jolla, con-siders the book “a natural for local pet lovers.It’s a good resource to have with you whenyou’re traveling with your pet in SouthernCalifornia.”
“The Privileged Pooch” is available for $18at Warwick’s on 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, atUnleashed by Petco and Amazon.com.
For more information, visit Espinosa’swebsite at www.travelwithmaggie.com.
� Hotel Dog Weight RestrictionsAre you having trouble finding hotels that accept
your dog due to their size? More and more, hotelsare accepting dogs but the majority have weight re-strictions varying from 20 pounds and up. Thatmeans Labs, Retrievers and even Beagles are beingturned away! GoPetFriendly.com and AndASmall-Dog.com have teamed up to encourage hotels to lifttheir weight restrictions. After all, big dogs deservevacations, too! As part of the effort, campaignfounders Amy and Rod Burkert of GoPetFriendly.comand Leila Coe of AndASmallDog.com have started apetition and hope to garner nationwide support.
Go to www.petitionspot.com/petitions/givebig-dogsabreak to sign your name in support of allow-ing dogs - of all sizes - to have vacations with theirfamily members and help reach the initial goal of1,000 signatures.
1.Comfort items: We always askfor owners to bring their dogsfood...while some kennels sup-
ply food, it's a very bad idea to switcha dog's diet suddenly, so we always askthat they bring their own food, and anymedication the dog is on. An old bedor blanket is nice, although don't bringanything of great value or importance,they can get chewed up by other dogs.Some people even just bring a T-shirtwith their smell on it, or something thedog will associate with home. Somedogs get chilly in the winter, so we canput a sweater on your dog if you like.
2.Extra stuff: Most facilitieshave plenty of food and waterbowls, so unless the dog won't
drink out of another bowl, it's best notto bring stuff that could get lost. Toysare OK, but don't bring anything you'dbe upset if it didn't come home in 1piece. Since our facility and many arecompletely cage-free.
3.NO NO NO’S: certainly nobones, although we can give atreat with their food at meal
time. Bones can become a processionthat brings out aggression and even
though all dogs are checked for theirbehavior, bones can make even themost temper dog get excited.
4.Average stay: About 4-5 days.The longest was about 7months... the owners were
building a house and there was toomuch construction.
5.Cage/free or kennels: Cage-free is a great alternative tohaving your dog in a
cage/kennel the whole time you'regoing to be away. Especially if yourdog is energetic or you're going to beaway for a lengthy trip. They sleep inlarge 50' x 20' room, split up by sizeand energy level, and play in 2 sepa-rate yards during the day. Dogs rarelylike being in cages, and the majority dojust fine in a pack (they are pack ani-mals). They actually play all day, soprobably have more fun than they doat your home while you're at work allweek. So while you're on vacation,they get their own vacation with alltheir buddies. Even dogs who arepretty shy usually warm up after a dayor two, and become much more socialdogs, so it's good for them in the long
run, as well. For dogs who really doprefer being alone, they can usuallyfind a quiet corner to lay by them-selves, as we have a lot of space.
6.Owner comforts: While awayfrom furry friend: Webcamsare great for owners. It's really
fun and comforting to watch your doghaving fun and swimming in the poolwhile you're away. You can even get afeel for what it's like ahead of time, soyou see how much fun they will have.Go to www.CampDiggityDogs.comand click on 'Webcams' and thenchoose one of the 5 cameras.
7.Fun activities: While awayfrom owners: The activities areplaying in the pool, chasing
balls, etc. It's really just like a dog park.Or a dog park with a living room at-tached. Of course getting lots of love,especially the small dogs who are oftenmore into just curling up on your lap.We have had a couple parties wherewe've had 20 yard dash competitions,musical sit (like musical chairs, butwhoever sits last when the music stopsis out), and bobbing for apples in theswimming pools.
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 201016
Vacation tips and facts for when you have to leaveFido at a boarding facility; what you should know.
B y T E D G R E E N B E R G | C A M P D I G G I T Y D O G
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SUMMER TRAVEL
On the townYou’re heading out to brunch with
your girlfriends and you want to bring,Frisky, your Holland Lop. The best wayto do this is in a pet stroller. It may seema little silly, but a pet stroller is the easiestway to manage your rabbit’s safety in acrowd. The stroller gives room for hayand a water bowl, plus it zips closed tokeep the harsh sun out and protect Friskyfrom curious dogs. With pockets for keys,cup holders, and a basket underneath,you’ve got a place for your water bottle,sweater and whatever else you mightbring along. Be sure to put Frisky in a har-ness so you can clip it to the stroller andprevent her from jumping out when thetop is open.
Visiting the grandparentsA weekend out of town doesn’t mean
you have to leave your rabbit at home. Ifyour bunny is fairly mellow and doesn’tmind car rides, by all means take it along.A little preparation will make Oreo’s tripa comfortable one. First, make sure youhave a sturdy, hard-sided carrier and linethe bottom with a towel and cover withhay. You can clip a water bottle to thedoor if you think your rabbit will drink
while riding in the car. Belt in the carrierto the seat, to ensure Oreo’s safety in caseyou have to hit the brakes; it will keephim and the carrier from flying out of theback seat and into the front.
Bring along a small cooler with somefresh veggies and bottled water for reststops on the drive. You can also bringalong a foldable “puppy pen” to be yourrabbit’s housing so Grandma won’t com-plain that he’s likely to chew her antiquefurniture. A litter box and some hay in thetrunk of your car will ensure Oreo haseverything he needs for the weekend.
If your rabbit has a tendency to stopeating in new situations, bring along a lit-tle bottle of baby Simethicone drops togive for a gassy tummy. That will help itfeel better by relieving gas and gettinghim to eat again. Also be sure you havethe name of a rabbit-experienced vet atyour destination. In the event of an emer-gency, you want to know the best place togo. You can check the House Rabbit Soci-ety Web site at www.rabbit.org for a listof recommended vets around the country.
Cross-country flightsMany airlines now allow rabbits to
travel in-cabin with you. The most popu-
lar and successful of these is ContinentalAirlines. Frontier, Alaska, Southwest anda couple others also allow rabbits in thecabin. If you plan to fly with your rabbit,plan your trip well ahead. Check whichairlines fly to your destination and thencheck their Web sites for their regulationsfor bringing pets on board. Some do notallow rabbits at all, so it’s important thatyou check ahead before purchasing yourtickets. Expect to pay $75 to $150 to flyyour rabbit in the cabin. You’ll also needa health certificate from your vet no morethan 10 days prior to departure. Make ac-tual reservations for your rabbit at thesame time you make yours to ensure youhave a confirmed spot.
Airlines require carriers that can gounder the seat. Their websites give spe-cific information on the size and type ofcarrier they require. Check ahead to en-sure your carrier is of the right type oryou’ll be running out to get another be-fore they’ll let you take the bunny on-board. Place an absorbent towel and somehay in the carrier and bring along somefresh greens for the bunny to nibble.
Plan ahead and you’ll find that bring-ing Peaches along on your trip to Bostonwill be much easier than you imagined.
For advice on traveling with your rabbit,contact San Diego House Rabbit Society [email protected], or visit its websiteat www.sandiegorabbits.org.
Out and about with bunnyB y J U D I T H P I E R C E | S D H O U S E R A B B I T S O C I E T Y
Traveling with our pets is getting easier, whether it’s takingthem out with us around town or on a cross-country trip to visitfamily. Rabbits may require a bit more thought and preparationwhen taking them along, but they do travel quite well whenprovided with comfort and safety.
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 201018
H BdD 5 PET HEALTH
The sun is brightly shining. There’s a scent of fresh-cut grassin the air and the sound of happy giggles floating from a yardfull of family and friends enjoying the newest and furriest fam-ily member. And then it happens … the family’s new puppystops pursuit of the stray Frisbee to sniff, rub his nose in andthen eat a piece of his own poo. Gross!
(Note to self … no sweet doggy kisses today … or if he keepsthis up, maybe never!) What started out to be a beautiful fam-ily day in the back yard went quickly to the dogs. This grossevent could just be puppies being puppies – you know, thepuppy’s way of exploring its new environment. Or it couldjust be an early sign of a gross habit that could keep family andpuppy at bay.
According to veterinarian Dr. Mark Sprayberry, Olive RoadVeterinary Hospital in Pensacola, Fla, the act of a pet (usuallypuppies, but sometimes mature dogs) eating its own (or an-other dog’s) stool is referred to as coprophagia.
“Coprophagia is quite disgusting and clients come in to mypractice or call in wanting to know why their dog is doing it,”says Sprayberry. “No one knows for sure why dogs (and somecats) eat feces. Puppies explore their own environment by tast-
ing it. Sometimes it’s just a matter that the fast-growing puppyis hungry and it’s there for the taking. Regardless, it’s a dis-gusting phase a lot of dogs go through.”
Visible signs of coprophagiaThe number one sign of coprophagia, of course, is the pet
consuming feces. However, many pet owners don’t watch
Those sweet dog kisses might not be so sweet smelling or healthy
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 19
H BdD 5PET HEALTHfeces consumption directly because theydon’t always watch their dogs defecate.The real sign that dogs have copropha-gia is halitosis or bad breath. Since fecesare mainly made up of bacteria, thedog’s breath (and of course the lick) isquite repulsive. Spreading bacteria tohumans via your pet’s “kiss” is not usu-ally looked upon as a human healthproblem. However, all grossness aside,no one really knows if it actually impactshumans. But they are spreading bacteria.
There’s hope… and some simple answers!
Behavioral coprophagia can be treatedin a number of ways. Avoidance of thestools is probably the most reliable solu-tion. One method is to have the ownerswalk the dog on a leash so that the dogcan be taken away from the feces imme-diately. At the time of defecation, theowner can also give the dog a food re-ward so that it will become conditionedto expect food at defecation instead oflooking for feces. In the case of a dog eat-ing cat feces, litter pans should be cleaned
daily and covered or placed in a locationunavailable to the dog. However, clean-ing a litter box daily doesn’t happen inreal life in most households.
Suddenly pet owners who don’t wantto subject their families to stinky, bacte-ria-filled dog kisses are spending a greatdeal of time monitoring their dog’s con-stitutional habits. Closely monitoringthose poo habits — at eye level. If theowner is unwilling to leash walk the dogat all times, preferring to let it outside un-attended, methods of punishment can beused for feces eating. Most often a hot orunpleasant tasting substance such as pep-per is placed on the feces. However,many dogs learn to eat the untreatedfeces. Another method is to inject a sub-stance such as hot sauce into the feces tomake it more difficult for the dog to avoidtreated feces.
“The best preventive treatment, andthe one we recommend to our pet own-ers, is a tasty chew treat (CoproBan®,PRN Pharmacal) that we give the dog forabout a week which makes the taste offeces undesirable to its taste,” recom-
mends Dr. Sprayberry. “It’s easy to ad-minister and the dog/puppy loves theflavor of the treat – not the flavor of thefeces. It’s a minimal cost to assure yourdog or cat stays clear of feces as a snack.It is a highly popular preventive treat-ment and the first one I recommend toconcerned customers. It needs to be partof the new puppy’s take-home regime toassure the problem doesn’t get started inthe first place.”
Often referred to as "America's Veteri-narian," Dr. Marty Becker is the popularveterinary contributor to ABC-TV's"Good Morning America" and is the hostof "The Pet Doctor With Marty Becker" onPBS. He has appeared on Animal Planet,and is a frequent guest on national net-work and cable television, and radioshows. He recently named Coproban asone of the Best Products for 2009.
About the author: Dr. Steve McKinley is aPhD in Veterinary Pathology and has writtenabout various veterinary issues and answersfor numerous consumer and professional pub-lications over the past 25 years. Dr. McKinleyresides in Gulf Breeze, Fla.
FELINE DIABETESH BdD 5
sandiegopetsmagazine.com | JUNE-JULY 201020
DEAR TANYA, Since I am not a vet-erinarian and don’t know the specifics ofLacey’s condition, I recommend you con-tinue to educate yourself about naturalremedies and work with your veterinarianfor solutions. If your veterinarian is notopen to discussing alternatives, you maywant to try a holistic veterinarian. Thereare many in San Diego County including,Dr. Keith Weingardt, DVM of The AnimalHealing Center, which is online atwww.animalhealingcenter.net.
It is important to evaluate each situationindependently. However, a common start-ing point is to examine Lacey’s diet. If youare feeding dry kibble; stop. Cats instinc-tively get their moisture from food. Dryfoods dehydrate the system and since catsdon’t naturally migrate to the water bowlthey are unlikely to drink adequateamounts. This is my suggestion for all cats,not just those suffering from diabetes.
I am a supporter of raw food diets forpets. If you are able to make the transitionto a raw meat based diet you may findthis helps Lacey. Cats are carnivores andin general, feeding a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet is what works forthem. This is more crucial when treatingdiabetes because you want to keep the
blood sugar level within a healthy range.Carbohydrates are not all created equal,so use caution when including them inLacey’s meals. In my opinion there is noneed for cats to eat grain. Their systemsare not designed to digest it. Most grainwill also raise blood sugar levels becauseof their high glycemic index. Potatoesalso have a high glycemic index andshould be avoided.
According to cat and certified dogtrainer Roma Robbins of Santee(www.pawsitivepaw.com), “Switching toa raw diet seemed to help stabilize my catClyde’s blood sugar.” Clyde previouslyate high quality canned food and occa-sional dry kibble. By the time his diabeteswas discovered, Clyde had developedcomplicating side effects, including an ex-panded colon and difficulty eliminating.Because of the advanced stages it was nec-essary to keep Clyde on insulin, as well asmonitor his diet and glucose levelsthrough daily home blood sugar testing.
You can purchase pre-made raw dietsfrom independently owned pet stores oryou can prepare them yourself. Nutrition-ist Kymythy Schultze has written severalbooks, including, “Natural Nutrition forCats” to help transition to raw in a benefi-
cial manner, and she can be found onlineat www.kymythy.com.
Although raw is my first choice, homecooking is another option. If you choosethis alternative, there are well researchedpet cookbooks to help insure that themeals you are feeding are complete andnutritionally balanced.
You might also wish to try San Diegobased Honest Kitchen. They make a dehy-drated raw meal for cats called “Prowl.”Wisconsin company Stella and Chewy’s
San Diego Pets ColumnistSindi Somers on TV
Sindi Somers – a contributingwriter for San Diego Pets since 2008–appeared on XETV Channel 6 onThursday, May 27. She was invited bysegment producer Tiffany Frowiss tobe a guest on their morning show,San Diego Living to talk about thework she does with animals.
In addition to writing for SanDiego Pets, Sindi has her own busi-ness, Wild and Tame Wellness andCommunications, and is an animalcommunicator, meditation teacher,energy healer and psychic reader forpeople and pets. For more informa-tion, visit www.wildtame.com.
While on the show, Sindi demon-strated her psychic abilities on Chan-nel 6 managing editor Gary Todd andhis two dogs, dachshunds Henry andStella. Sindi also shared tips withviewers to assist in communicatingwith pets. She stressed the impor-tance of focusing in the present mo-ment and being compassionate, aswell as giving our companion ani-mals clear and consistent messages.
To view online go to San DiegoLiving’s website and click on Sindi’ssegment at www.sandiego6.com/con-tent /sdl/default.aspx.
SINDI, My senior cat, Lacey, has diabetes. Do you have suggestionsthat might help me to take a more natural route and possibly elimi-nate the need for insulin? — Tanya and her feline companion, Lacey, of Pacific Beach
FELINE DIABETES | CONT. PG. 21
H BdD 5BOOK REVIEW
JUNE–JULY 2010 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com 21
A DOG’S PURPOSE A novel for humansNew York Times Bestselling AuthorW. Bruce Cameron
“A tail-wagging three hanky boo-hooer,this delightful fiction debut by newspapercolumnist Cameron (8 Simple Rules forMarrying My Daughter) proposes that adog's purpose might entail being rebornseveral times….A book for all age groupswho admire canine courage, Cameron alsosuccessfully captures the essence of a dog'samazing capacity to love and protect. Andhappily, unlike Marley, this dog staysaround for the long haul.”
— Publishers Weekly
We spend countless hours with ourbeloved dogs—playing with them,training them, or just hanging outwith them—and we probably spendjust as many hours wondering whatour canine companions are thinkingabout. Now, New York Times best-selling author and award-winninghumor columnist W. Bruce Cameronbrings us into the minds of our furryfriends with humor and warmth!
In his latest book he turns to fictionfor the very first time and offers adog’s-eye view of the world, is the re-markable story of one endearingdog’s search for his purpose over thecourse of several lives and exploresthe universal quest for an answer tolife’s most basic question: Why arewe here?
Told from the charming perspectiveof a dog named Bailey, whose nameand breed changes with each new life,“A DOG’S PURPOSE” will touchevery person who reads it – whetherthey have a dog now, haven’t had onesince childhood, or even if they’venever had one at all. Cameron’sclever narrative convincingly conveyswhat really could be going on in adog’s mind and his gentle wit willhave readers both laughing and cry-ing.
(Forge Books; $22.99; 978-0-7653-2626-3; July 6, 2010)
“DOG STARS”Wondering why two dogs of the same
breed can be so different? “Dog Stars”authors Kim Dalton and Tori Hartmanoffer their whimsical take on the astro-logical goings-on of the canine world is afun and inventive way to get to knowyour favorite pooch!
Full of insightfultips and tricks, thefull 255 page e-book does morethan simply tellyou tips aboutyour dog’s Zodiacpersonality, it in-cludes descrip-tions of eachsign’s character-istics as theyapply to dogs as
well as what to expect from spe-cific owner/dog sign combinations.
You’ll learn:• How the phases of the moon affect your pet• Canine compatibility with other signs• Tips on training, health, diet and exercise• Consider how you fare as an owner – on
time feedings or forgetful?• How you and your dog appear to the
world as a pair.
This insightful astrological guide takes theguess work out of that puzzling behavioryour dog exhibits. Dog Stars is availablethrough www.ToriHartman.com as a down-loadable PDF and as a Kindle book.
makes freeze dried raw patties for cats.Both products need to be sufficiently re-hydrated with water before feeding toprevent harmful dehydration.
Another consideration is low carbohy-drate, high meat protein canned food.Tiki Cat is made in Thailand in a humangrade meat canning facility. Some TikiCat varieties contain rice, which can raiseblood sugar levels. Merrick is made inthe USA and also has low carbohydrateoptions, including Cowboy Cookout. Al-ways read the list of ingredients to avoidstarchy carbohydrates, such as grain andpotatoes.
Feeding Cowboy Cookout is one of thechanges that has helped San Diego resi-dent, yoga instructor and pet parent,Linda Morreale successfully transitionher cat Guinness off of insulin. She foundsupport and helpful information from anonline message board at www.felinedia-betes.com.
“One thing that someone on the boardtold me was that Guinness needs the helpof the insulin to get his pancreas workingagain. The combination of using the in-sulin and changing my cat’s food is whatultimately got his diabetes under controlto where I could wean him off of the in-sulin,” Linda said. “I don’t think it wouldhave gotten under control without usingthe insulin. The diabetes website is also a
big proponent of home testing your cat’sblood sugar on a regular basis. This iscritical if you are trying to normalize in-sulin levels and if you are giving insulin.”
In addition to diet and veterinary careincreasing Lacey’s physical activity canhelp, especially if she is overweight. En-courage her to play, chase objects, followyou around, climb a cat tree or jump tohigher locations. Some senior kittiesaren’t as playful and are more sedentary.Gentle massage can help increase circu-lation and further aid pets that are notgetting adequate exercise.
E-mail your pet questions to [email protected] and visit Sindi online atwww.wildtame.com.
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