san diego pets magazine | may 2011

MAY 2011 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com2

H BdD 5WELCOME

sandiegopetsmagazine.com | MAY 2011 3

PUBLISHERCasey Dean

MANAGING EDITORMartin Jones Westlin

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSClaire HarlinJudith Pierce

Kendra HartmannMartin Jones WestlinNicole Sours Larson

Sindi SomersDr. Stefanie Schwartz

CONTRIBUTINGPHOTOGRAPHERS

Casey DeanClaire Harlin

Nicole Sours Larson

CARTOONISTBarbara Fuscsick

Puppy Paws Productionswww.puppypawsproductions.com

ADVERTISINGCasey Dean

[email protected](619) 573-5615

Marjorie “Kirby”[email protected]

(858) 775-4432

San Diego Pets Magazine is published by Dean Publishing, Inc.P.O. Box 601081, San Diego, Ca 92160-1081. No part of this pub-lication may be duplicated or reprinted without express consentfrom the publisher. Editors reserve the right to edit all content.Submissions are welcome, and may be edited for content and clarity.Please forward all unsolicited material to the editor. Views and opinionsexpressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Thepublisher reserves the right to approve or accept advertising ordersand content. All contents are copyrighted 2011. All rights reserved.

San Diego Pets MagazineP.O. BOX 601081San Diego, Ca 92160-1081

(619) 573-5615

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H BdD 5


Lucky (left) and Haley (right), share the stage with Sam Zien at "Sam LIVE!" apresentation of videos, story-telling and cooking demonstrations that tookplace at the Rolando area's Joan B. Kroc Theatre in February. Courtesy photo

With the recent release of his third book and with12 Emmys under his belt for starring as "TheCooking Guy" in two TV series, San Diego's Sam

Zien has become somewhat of a local celebrity over the lastdecade. But while Zien may be the namesake of his show, inwhich he cooks innovative, no-fuss food in his own CarmelValley kitchen, he's not the only star of the series—his dogs,Lucky and Haley, have been sharing the spotlight.

Haley, a 7-year-old golden retriever, and Lucky, a 4-year-old powder-puff Chinese crested, not only make regular ap-pearances on the show—either meandering across thekitchen or helping themselves to a moment of affection or arare floor scrap—but also have co-starred with Zien at eventssuch as "Sam LIVE!," a presentation that drew hundreds tothe Rolando area's Joan B. Kroc Theatre in February. Thedogs sat politely on a loveseat onstage while Zien interacted

with the audience. The crowd loved them, Zien said.Haley is also featured on the TV show's introduction. And

for those who have navigated to the "Cooking Guy" websiteto snag a recipe, the retriever's face is most likely a familiarone—the banners on several pages of the site feature a close-up photo of her Precious Moments eyes and golden snout.

Old friendsIf you ask Zien, he'll tell you his dogs—in addition to his

wife Kelly and three teenage sons—are just as much a part ofhis TV show as he is. Simply put, Zien loves his dogs, and itshows. On his Facebook page, which will have likely sur-passed 19,000 fans by the time this story prints, Zien hasposted almost as many wall photos of Lucky and Haley as hehas of himself. From shots of the two curled up together onthe couch to a screenshot of Zien Skyping with the dogs, theshared moments almost always garner at least 100 "likes."

"People really feel like fans when they can track every-thing about the show," said Zien during a recent interviewat his home. "They really feel like they know the dogs."

This interview began with a 3 p.m. arrival at the Zienhouse, nestled at the end of a neighborhood street that dead-

H BdD 5COVER STORY


SamZienandhiscuddlyco-stars

HALEY LUCKY

San Diego Pets spends an afternoon with The CookingGuy and his two biggest fansB y CLA IRE HARL IN | SAN D I EGO P ETS

SEE SAM, Page 6

ends at the Los Penasquitos Canyon, where he takes Luckyand Haley for daily walks. Zien answered the door in ablack T and his signature black, rectangular glasses andoffered a warm welcome, a tour of the kitchen and, ofcourse, a walk with the dogs.

The first thing he mentioned was that he had postponedthe dogs' dinner, as to not have "messy" faces in the photos.

The 'Kool-aid house on the block'"They usually eat at 2:30 p.m.," he said. "And they don't

understand Daylight Saving Time." (This interview happenedto take place on DST weekend.)

Zien's kitchen is bold and pristine, comprising zebra-woodveneer cabinetry and red glass-tiled walls. But given thatZien's home contains a celebrity kitchen with a signaturesliding-door, frosted glass "skinny pantry" that's not verydeep but covers a floor-to-ceiling area about the size of agarage door, the house itself is far from pretentious. Zien'sneighborhood is peaceful, and he is friends with all theneighbors on his street. He said he looks forward to thesummertime, when all the dogs and people on the block gettogether and hang out—he's referred to his place as the "Kool-aid house on the block" a time or two.

"I am so lucky that I get to work from home," Zien said.And Zien's workplace, of course, is dog-friendly. While

Zien heads the kitchen, shooting episodes with his crew, thedogs are also on point. Haley sprawls out like a rug in themiddle of the floor, right by the kitchen, and Lucky usuallylies comfortably on top of the couch, with a perfect view of hisDad in the kitchen. Sometimes, though, Lucky can be a"lurker," Zien said.

"He scopes out the kitchen and waits for food to drop," saidZien. He added that he doesn't make a habit of sharingcooking scraps but sympathizes with the dogs: "Imagine ifyou ate the same thing every day," he said. "You'd get bored."

Haley and the burritoWhatever happens in real life also happens on the show,

whether it be the dogs playing with a toy or someone ringingthe doorbell. On one episode, in which Zien taught viewershow to make his healthful version of a chimichanga (a usuallyfried burrito that he baked instead), Haley sneaked half aburrito outside and ate it. While the incident was comical,Zien warned on camera, "Honey you can't have that. It's notgood for you."

The TV cook breaks barriers. He's been known to curse inthe kitchen; he cooks freely with bacon even though he'sJewish; and he turned some heads in 2008 when he askedKathie Lee Gifford to shut up when she was interrupting himduring his cooking segment on the Today show. He makescrazy food like mashed-potato tacos, potato-chip sandwichesand Cap'n Crunch-seared tuna, and he's been called out fortouching the dogs and continuing to handle food withoutwashing his hands.

"I even put the dog on the counter once," he said. "I'm surethat day we lost viewers but at the same time gained viewerstoo… Hey, we're dog people. It's not like were in hererunning a restaurant."

Groundbreaking photo shootDuring the walk in the canyon, the dogs followed closely

behind Zien, except for when they approached neighbor Pegto greet her and her pup when they happened to arrive for awalk too.

Lucky answers to many a nickname—"Bunny," "Shortie,""Boo Boo"—and Zien calls Haley "Face," a name he said hedoesn't have an explanation for. The dogs always come whenhe calls, and they sit on command. Even during the photoshoot for San Diego Pets, the dogs sat contentedly with theirDad—and surprisingly, Zien said that was his first photosession with the dogs.

Between his books, TV shows, regular appearances onToday and photo shoots as the spokesman for NewcastleBrown Ale, Zien has gotten used to a demanding scheduleover the years. But he has always made time for thosetwice-daily walks with Lucky and Haley. And despite thethousands who used to tune in to Just Cook This! with Samthe Cooking Guy on Discovery Health or ran out to buy JustGrill This! when it hit bookstores last month, it's obvious whoZien's two biggest fans are. Haley and Lucky truly worshipthe ground he walks on.

6 MAY 2011 | sandiegopetsmagazine.com

just grill this! features Sam's simple, de-licious, and occasionally unconventionalrecipes for cooking anything on the grill.With his trademark irreverence andhumor, Sam demystifies the age-oldprocess of cooking with fire. With just grillthis!, you may never see the inside of yourkitchen again. Availible in stores now.

Haley leaps ahead of Sam and Lucky as they take a leisurely walk throughthe picturesque canyon just steps from their front door. Photo by Casey Dean

SAMCONTINUED FROM Page 5


Animalplanet

B y MART I N J ON E S W E S T L I N | S AN D I E GO P E T S

AnimalplanetA look at a major cause of low-quality pet

food is as close as your mirror

In March of 2007, Canadian petfood maker Menu Foods was qui-etly conducting a routine taste test

of a new line for cats—but the upshotwould raise a deafening hue and cryheard throughout the industry. Manyof the animals soon developed kidneyproblems, some of them terminal andothers exquisitely painful. More than60 million containers from 100 brandswould be recalled in North America,Europe and South Africa amid theircontamination with melamine, anorganic chemical used in the plasticsindustry and sometimes sold as aflame retardant, and aminopterin, arat poison. The incident is one of thelargest consumer product recalls inNorth American history.

A flurry of actions by Congress andthe Food and Drug Administrationquelled some of the worry in thiscountry, and a federal grand juryindicted two Chinese nationals and anAmerican CEO for their roles in ascheme to import contaminated wheat-gluten products for use in pet food. Somuch for the melamine scare—but adetailed look at several Internet entriesshows a precipitous drop in effortstoward pet food regulation post 2007.It appears things are back to normal inan industry that commands nearly $13billion of the American economy everyyear, even as the nation’s 130 milliondogs and cats are at risk for sick-nesses and diseases yet untold.

And you may share a major portionof the blame.

Lack of regulation, oversightProtein byproducts can find their

way into today’s pet foods as routinelyas they did in World War II, when theindustry was in its infancy; but petowners know them by their less re-fined descriptors. Turkey feet, fish andchicken heads, animal intestines, duckbills, hides and slaughterhouse meatand hair are among the additives, andno controls exist that cite the relativehealth of the carcasses used in thefood’s manufacture. Artificial coloringand cereals like corn, wheat andgluten (routinely used in agriculturalfeed) are known to decrease domesticpet food quality, yet they’re includedin the foods as a chemical binder.

Foxy Treats, a San Marcos manufac-turer of organic pet snacks, assails thelack of regulation—and founder/chefTasha Ardalan cites a bigger elementunderneath.

“There isn’t enough regulation,”Ardalan said, “and another big issueis that there isn’t enough oversight.Even as complaints are filed intodifferent departments of healththroughout the country about foodissues, a lot of times, the complaintdoesn’t get addressed, and if it isaddressed, it’s not done in a timelymanner. So you end up with this bigscare, like the melamine issue.”

Ardalan added that no recall since2007 has come close to the scale ofthe melamine effort. And Jane Bicks,a noted holistic veterinarian, authorof three pet nutrition books and foodchemist for the Life’s Abundancebrand, said that the animals’longevities are definitely affected inthe meantime.

Cats should live to age 30“An average-size dog should live to

be 27 years of age, and the average cat,30,” Bicks said. “It’s a tragedy thatwe’re losing our beloved pets long be-fore they reach those golden years.None of you would ever do anythingintentional to put them at risk... yet...you may in fact be doing that.”

Nutrition, Bicks said, is equal onlyto genetics as the determining factorin a dog or cat’s lifespan and the sizeof the litter into which it was born. She

Foxy Treats founder, Tasha Ardalan’s compan-ion likely enjoys a better diet than that ofyour animal. Courtesy photo

“Pet food selection, seemsto be based on trivia ratherthan nutritional data.”

SEE FOOD, Page 8

added that lack of certain vitaminsand minerals affects growth factorssuch as the animals’ brain size, im-mune system and tendency towardobesity. And while lawmakers aredelinquent in their responsibilities,she said, neither are the pet ownerstaking up the slack.

“Pet food selection,” she said,“seems to be based on trivia ratherthan nutritional data. Most pet own-ers buy a particular brand... based onattractive packaging, commercial ad-vertising; it might look natural, high-tech, ‘veterinarian quality,’ whatever.No matter what the marketing blendis, many foods just do not provide thetype of nutrition your pet deserves.”

“The bottom line,” Ardalan ex-plained, “is often how much moneyyou can charge for that food and howmuch money you have to put into it.”

Menu Foods deserves creditAnimals, Ardalan said, are excep-

tional actors (dogs in particular);they’re very good at hiding their ail-ments, often leaving their owners un-aware of the issues surroundingpoor-quality food. Such behaviormay be one reason pet food recalls areso few and far between—which un-derscores the case for human vigi-lance in their choices. Meat, poultry,fish and egg whites top Bicks’ list ofprotein sources (the latter, in fact isoften the standard by which otherprotein sources are measured). Mean-while, cats are obligate carnivores, afancy term for exclusive meat-eaters,and dogs aren’t far behind.

The FDA has no authority to issuepet food recalls; the decisions for suchactions rest with the manufacturers.To that extent, Menu Foods’ 2007 re-call spelled a decided service to theindustry. For the time being, Bickswould say, the rest is up to us.

H BdD 5 FEATURE


FOODCONTINUED FROM Page 7

Martin Jones Westlin is the managing editor of San Diego Pets.

In surveys about pet body types (ideal,overweight, obese), about half of petlovers with obese pets said their pets wereat an ideal body weight. Because weequate food with love, we’re killing ourpets with kindness.

We are putting too much food in ourpets’ mouths and too few miles on theirfeet. Working dogs, once born to herd,guard or retrieve, are now born retired. Theend result? About half of American petsare overweight or obese. This pet-healthepidemic increases the risk of diabetes,heart and joint problems, and cancer andskin problems.

Losing just 20 percent of excess weightresults in 50 percent improvement in pethealth. One long-term study showed pets attheir ideal body weight living 15 percentlonger, an average of two years.

To reverse health problems and tap intothe furry fountain of youth, help your doglose weight in 2011 with these tips.

Walk away the weight. Famed human-obe-sity expert Dr. Robert Kushner, working withNorthwestern Memorial Hospital and Hill’s Nutri-tion, did a landmark study called “People andPets Exercising Together,” which found that over-weight people and their pets not only lost weightbut also kept the weight off by dieting and exer-cising together.

Consider a change in diet. Talk to your vet-erinarian about a diet pet food that has lowercalories and fat, and special ingredients to helpburn fat and maintain lean muscle mass.

Split portions. Your dog may feel more sati-ated if you split his total daily allotment into threeequal feedings. If your dog doesn’t eat rightaway, don’t worry. In the wild, it would be normalto skip a meal now and again. One cause of obe-sity is owners “doctoring up” food to be moretasty when dogs walk away from a meal.

Healthy snacking. Everybody, even veteri-narians, enjoy giving pets treats. Try healthierchoices such as whole baby carrots, apple slices,green beans and so on.

Play the slots. In Las Vegas, you don’t expectto win on every pull, hand or cast. It’s the antici-pation that keeps you going. Instead of con-stantly handing treats to your dog, giveintermittent treats to amp up the expectation ofwinning for your dog.

Use food puzzles.By using food puzzles such astuffed Kong or the Busy Buddy toys from Premier,you allow the dog to work for his food and feelmore satisfied, both physically and emotionally.

Dr. Marty Becker is the regular veterinarianfor “Good Morning America” and a member ofCore Team Oz for “The Dr. Oz Show.” His newbook, “Your Dog: The Owner’s Manual:Hundreds of Secrets, Surprises, and Solu-tions for Raising a Happy, Healthy Dog”will be out in April.

EXPERT TIPS

Overcome pet obesityBy DR . MARTY BECKER

H BdD 5EXPLORE


There are many restrictions in SanDiego when it comes to dog-friendly dining. Some establish-ments don’t allow dogs inside; somehave a designated area for dogs,whether it be a deck, patio or porch.When there’s no food involved,there are fewer dog restrictions.When there are dog-designatedareas (often outside), sometimesfood or alcohol isn’t allowed. Orwhen drinks are allowed, some-times the venue isn’t suitable forfamilies with kids.

After a thorough search of SanDiego’s finest dog-friendly estab-lishments, we’ve chosen five go-tovenues based on versatility andquality. We hope the food- ordrink-seeking dog owner shouldhave to look no further than thislist for dog-friendly dining.

La Jolla BrewhouseOne of the most laid-back dining ex-

periences for you and your dog in LaJolla, La Jolla Brewhouse offers a full

menu not onlyfor people butalso for dogs.Where else canyou order somesliced chicken, abowl of kibblecovered in warmbeef gravy or a

patty of beef for your special canine?On top of that, the Brewhouse’s large,heated patio is in a secluded area closeto La Jolla Village’s entertainment dis-trict—and best of all, there’s parking(a rarity in La Jolla!). In addition todog-friendly dining every day from 11a.m. to midnight (2 a.m. on week-ends), there are randomly planned“Yappy Hour” events that benefit or-ganizations like Southern GermanShepherd Rescue and offer raffleprizes, brewery tours and doggie

treats. Not to mention the place craftssome great brews and has somethingon the menu for everyone.

La Jolla Brewhouse7536 Fay Ave., La Jolla

858-456-6279

Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Karl Strauss makes the list not onlybecause of its reliability in quality—with several locations, it’s got its recipesdown-pat—but also because of its fam-ily-friendly nature (of course, Fido ispart of the family too). A lot of SanDiego hotspots can serve a great beerand cook a good burger, but for a nightout with the kids—and dog—KarlStrauss is a best bet. It has a full kidsmenu and some grown-up foods, likemacaroni and cheese with ham andbacon, that can make anyone feel like akid again. Sub your fries for garlic fries,

and you’ll be glad you did. Thisrestaurant also has you covered withits ease in accommodation. The patiois heated and sizable, and the serviceis fast and on target. If you go from 4to 6:30 p.m., you can enjoy $3.50pints (try finding that price else-where in La Jolla), and your serverwill be pleased to let you taste all thebrew-tastic choices. If you are shop-ping around La Jolla during the dayor looking for an office lunch, youcan be assured Karl Strauss can getyou in and out.

Karl Strauss Brewing Company1044 Wall St., Suite C, La Jolla

858-551-2739

Cafe ChloeDowntown full-service restaurants

that allow dogs are few and far be-tween, mainly because of the lack ofpatio space. But Cafe Chloe is one littleEast Village gem thatabsolutely loves dogsand will seat you andyour special canineon its side porch forbreakfast, lunch ordinner. The menu issmall but wonderful.Its entries are a littlemore pricey than the other venues onthe list—not to say that the food is over-priced. Quality rings in every inch andevery dish of this quaint eatery. If youare looking for a peaceful, deliciousoutdoor brunch or a wine-and-dinnerdate spot where you can bring the dog,Cafe Chloe might just exceed your ex-pectations. And if your “dates” areyour dog and your homework (or themorning news, or Facebook), bringyour laptop. Wifi is free.

Cafe Chloe721 9th Ave., East Village

619-232-3242

SEE HOT SPOTS, Page 10

On the left, Simone Bittenbinder with Sydneyand on the right, Ingrid Bittenbinder withCooper enjoying a relaxing Saturday brunchat The La Jolla Brewhouse. Photo by Casey Dean

Five dog-friendlyHOTSPOTSBy CLAIRE HARL IN | SAN D IEGO PETS

Hotel Indigo’s Level 9 Rooftop Bar

Level 9 may not be an all-the-timedestination for you and your dog, butit makes the list simply because itthrows the best doggie party in town.About once a month, the place holds a“Canine Cocktail” event geared to-ward the dogs, allowing them to so-cialize on the deck while their ownersmingle and enjoy views of Petco Parkand the bay. The event features a liveDJ who plays lounge-style housemusic, and drink specials come withthe package: $4 drafts, wells and housewines. The place has also introduced anew menu of small items like calamariand a ballpark pretzel (you may wantto eat before this party). The last event,on April 21, had a good turnout, andorganizers are expecting the event to

grow as summer arrives. The next“Canine Cocktail” will be held on May26 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. More informa-tion can be found through the dogwash City Dog’s website at city-dogsd.com (the owner helps put to-gether these events).

Hotel Indigo’s Level 9 Rooftop Bar509 9th Ave., Gaslamp

619-727-4000

The Wine PubWhat a little hidden treasure The

Wine Pub is! It’s not a family place (21and up only), but it sure is dog-friendly. A little community of dogshang out on the patio while their own-ers sip wine and grub on super-tasty

appetizers. Sliders are half off on Sun-days, and your pup will be beggingyou to sneak a couple under the table.This venue makes the list because it’s afriendly, intimate place where you canenjoy good wine without a bunch ofkids running around. It serves a flour-less cake called “The Beast” worth sav-ing room for, and on Wednesdays, therestaurant’s owner, Sandy, donates 10percent of sales to pet adoption organ-izations. She is also the server and theperson who answers the phones, andyou can tell she loves dogs as much asshe loves her guests—she not onlygreets pups with treatsand water, but she’shung a portrait of herbeloved former pet,the late Clarence, onthe wall.

The Wine Pub2907 Shelter Island Dr., #108, Point Loma

619-758-9325

H BdD 5 EXPLORE


HOT SPOTSCONTINUED FROM Page 9

Dr. Stefanie Schwartz isa board certified veteri-nary behaviorist basedat California VeterinarySpecialists in Carlsbad,CA. She also sees pa-tients at the VeterinaryNeurology Center inTustin, CA. For more in-

formation, please call (760) 431-2273 andvisit www.californiaveterinaryspecialists.comand www.veterinarybehavior.org.

H BdD 5Q&A


Dear Dr. Schwartz,My cat Roger Rabbit is such a sweet

boy, but he becomes aggressive atmealtime toward Jessica, my other cat.They eat from the same bowl and havebeen together since they were kittens.Why does he do this?

Toon Mom

Dear Toon Mom,Like many other animal species, cats

can become possessive of their food.This is normal and has importantadaptive significance; when competi-tion over food is a matter of life anddeath, it can be a vital survivor behav-ior. The level of hunger also plays arole in possessive aggression (also re-ferred to as resource guarding), as doesfood deprivation in early life. Still,some cats with no history of starvationsimply do not like to be approachedwhile they eat.

I’d recommend you feed Roger andJessica from separate bowls sitting at acomfortable distance from each other.You could feed them at opposite endsof the kitchen or even feed Roger on acountertop while Jessica’s bowl is onthe floor. Offer two, even three meals aday so that he doesn’t get too hungrybetween meals. Let him enjoy his foodwithout feeling threatened. Thatshould take care of it.

Dear Dr. Schwartz,My blue tick coonhound is a counter

surfer. If we leave any food on thecountertop, even for a minute, he will

be on it. When we go to work, we haveto make sure the counters are clearedor he’ll get whatever we leave: ba-nanas, cake, steak knives, defrostingchicken… and at dinner, he’s underthe table waiting for my kids to dropsomething. It’s becoming a real prob-lem. Help!

Coonhound Mom

Dear Coonhound Mom,Dogs are scavengers. Unguarded

food is fair game! This is self-reward-ing behavior, meaning that the freesnack ensures he’ll look in the samearea again and take advantage of freesnacks elsewhere. This applies to thescraps at the dinner table; kids aremessy eaters, and dogs really love thatabout them. Dogs will wait patientlyfor any tidbit because the reward is un-predictable and intermittent. Theyknow it’s coming. They just don’tknow when and how much of whatthey will get.

It can also be helpful to block accessto the kitchen while you are away.Close any doors or put up baby gates;some dogs will jump the gates orpush through them, but many will ac-cept the obstacle. As for dinnertime

scavenging, feed your dog at thesame time as your kids while he istethered on a leash and at a desig-nated feeding spot until they’re done.He’ll get used to it if you continue togive commands such as “sit,” “down”and “stay.” If you like, you can savesome scraps for him and give them tohim in his spot after dinner.

Please continue to clear your coun-tertops and put food away. Dangerousitems like steak knives must be putaway immediately. Keeping yourhome pet-proofed is part of being aresponsible pet owner. You know that heexplores elevated surfaces, so keepingthese areas clear is just part of keepinghim safe.

Behavior Bytes

Stefanie Schwartz, DVMDiplomate, American College

of Veterinary Behaviorists

California Veterinary Specialists

Carlsbad, CA (760) 431-2273

H BdD 5 PET ART


Ellary Branden’s love of nature andanimals started while she was grow-ing up on a Wisconsin farm with herartistically gifted family. Her interestin fashion led her to Dallas to studyfashion and interior design. This ledto a modeling and acting career.Twenty-five years ago, she started aplant business in San Diego. Fifteenyears ago, she returned to art, herfirst love. “It was as though I hadnever stopped,” Ellary said. “I just satdown one day and started painting,and I haven’t stopped since.”

Ellary works in all mediums and isalways eager to try something exper-imental. She specializes in faces,human and animal, although animalsare her favorite subjects. She also en-joys painting plants, landscapes andinteriors, a throwback to her work asa designer and horticulturist. She is amember of East County Art Associa-tion and exhibits her art all over ElCajon, where she resides.

Ellary will be happy to create a per-sonal piece of artwork of your specialanimal friend.

Ellary [email protected]

http://www.facebook.com/ellarybhttp://www.zazzle.com/ellary

Artist of the Month:

Ellary Branden

H BdD 5 KITTEN SEASON


Kitten season is here, and it may bringan adorable addition to your home—what’s cuter, after all, than a baby cat?However, the season also brings itsdownside—the annual additions to theunwanted-kitten population. And un-wanted kittens soon become stray cats,of which there are as many as 40 millionin the United States.

How can you help?1.Visit your local shelter and adopt

a cat or kitten. Adoption freesfood, funds and space for the manykittens that shelters get this time ofyear. Adoption of adult cats results inthe same benefits. “Typically, adultcats are often overlooked by potentialadopters when cute kittens are in

abundance,” remarked the HumaneSociety of the United States.

2.Spay or neuter your kitten to pre-vent overpopulation. “Every year,

millions of cats and dogs of all agesand breeds are euthanized or suffer asstrays,” according to the American So-ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals. Kittens can conceive at asearly as five months—spaying or neu-tering before then also most effectivelyprevents heat cycles, urine infections,breast cancer in females and testicularcancer in males. Neutering may keepmales from acting out in general.

3.Take in a motherless stray. Ifyou’re certain a stray kitten’s

mom is gone and not merely hiding orsearching for food, then feel free tocare for the kitten. Otherwise, contactyour local feral cat rescue group fordetails on trapping a feral cat family.“If the mother does come back, keep inmind that her care is best for the kit-tens [and that] they should remainwith her until they’re weaned,” ac-cording to Alley Cat Allies, the strayand feral cat advocate organization.Upon taking in the kitten, contact alocal veterinarian for details on feed-ing, cleaning, warming, litterbox train-ing, vaccinating and comforting himor her.

Meanwhile, visit the National CatProtection Society (NATCAT) office at9031 Birch St. in Spring Valley. OpenTuesdays through Sundays from noonto 4:30, this resource provides low-costspay and neuter referrals and can helpwith questions regarding cat overpop-ulation and adoption. NATCAT will hold an open house and

fundraiser on Sunday, June 5, from 1 to4:30 p.m. featuring facility tours, a silentauction, raffle prizes and food. Admis-sion is free, and proceeds will go towardthe animals’ care. For more information,e-mail [email protected] or call619-469-8771.

Spring and kittens are bloomingand that’s not always good


Seems crazy, but eggs (in moderation) can be highlydigestible and really good for cats, especially thosewho suffer from “fat cat syndrome” and need to addsome protein to their diet to lose a little weight.

According to a study by Washington State Univer-sity college of veterinary medicine, proteins with highbiologic value can be readily converted to body pro-teins with minimal waste production, and eggs havethe highest biologic value of any other proteins—evenvegetable proteins. On top of that, the numeroushealth benefits of olive oil have been coming to light(good olive oil, that is; a number of manufacturersclaim their oil is extra-virgin when it is not!), and itcan make a pet’s coat shinier.

That being said, I’ve adapted one of my favoriteoriginal (as in I made it up myself) breakfast recipes tosuit both kitty and his or her personal chef.

For person: The croiss-omeletteWhat you’ll need: A croissant, three big eggs, diced veggiesof your choice (optional), enough olive oil to coat the pan,your favorite cheese (also optional) and salt and pepper totaste.

Heat oil in a medium-heat pan for no more than aminute and scramble the eggs in a separate bowl (somepeople add a tablespoon of milk, cream or sour cream peregg to make the mixture fuller). Sauté vegetable(s)—onions or leeks, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, artichokes,mushrooms, spinach, zucchini—your choice. You can alsothrow in some bacon, sausage or ham. My personal fa-vorite combination is leeks with mushrooms; however, Iuse whatever is in the fridge. Even left-over Tater Totswould be delicious in this recipe!

Once your add-ins are cooked to your liking, put all theeggs except for a tiny bit (reserved for the cat) in the pan.For the first minute, stir the eggs around so that they startto cook evenly, but once they start to really harden through,leave them alone and let them get nice and done on the bot-tom. Add salt and pepper.

Here’s what makes the omelette the croiss-omelette:Break up the croissant into quarter-size crumbs and spreadon top of the eggs, covering every inch. Promptly flip thewhole thing so that that the bread is onthe bottom. This is tricky, and youmay have to slice the eggs down themiddle of the pan and make the flip intwo parts. Also, make sure there isenough oil still on the bottom of thepan to slightly saturate the croissant,but you don’t need much, because crois-sants are inherently buttery.

Once you’ve got all the bread on thebottom, it will form a nice crust. Putcheese on top, place a lid on the pan, turnthe stove to low and cook until done.Make another half-flip or serve as is(cheese on top).

Tip No. 1: A little Sriracha added to someketchup, a sprinkle of chives or a dollop of sourcream are some nice additions to this meal.

Tip No. 2: Ever used a wok to make anomelette? When I was a kid, my dad alwayscooked eggs in an electric wok, and the small cir-cular size of the pan’s base made a perfect omeletteevery time. Plus, it was a super-safe way for me (fromas early as, age 5) to learn to cook.

For feline: Kitty eggsThrow the rest of the eggs in the pan, no salt or pepper, and

cook them all the way through (no raw eggs for kitty!). If youhave more than one cat, crack another egg and throw it in.

An optional but highly recommended addition is aspoonful of canned tuna, liquid and all. Kitties don’t needcheese, of course, but if your cat is not overweight, then a lit-tle won’t hurt—and he or she will love you for it.

Tip No. 1: Dogs will love this recipe too—guaranteed—andeggs are good for canines. In any case, make sure the eggs arevery done. Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin, whichdecreases the absorption of biotin, a B vitamin. Consumptionof avidin can lead to skin and hair problems. Raw eggs mayalso contain Salmonella.

Tip No. 2: This is only a treat to supplement a pet’s normalcanned or dry vet-recommended diet. Certain health condi-tions may require a non-people food diet.

Tip No. 3: If you are concerned about weight gain for you oryour pet, just use egg whites!

(Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of columns geared toward peoplewho want to cook easy, tasty meals for themselves and, on occasion, adddietary excitement to the lives of their pet, whether it be a dog, cat or bird. Forrecipe ideas or feedback, please e-mail the writer at [email protected].)

By CLAIRE HARL IN | SAN D IEGO PETS

Croiss-omelette with spinach, leek, yellow pepper and moz-zarella cheese. Photo by Claire Harlin

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DINNER FUR TWO

H BdD 5 PET NUTRITION 101


One myth is that dogs and cats need kibble to maintaindental health. Gnawing on raw bones or other healthful chewsis a more effective way to clean teeth. Regular brushing is alsoan option. If the condition is severe, teeth cleaning performedby a certified professional may be necessary.

Our fast-paced society and its stressors can make kibble ap-pealing. Pouring a ready-made meal from a bag is convenientand, depending on the brand, seemingly more affordable thanother options. We are what we eat, and the same is true for ourcompanion animals. What you choose to feed today will affecthow many trips to the vet you take later on and the quality oflife your pet has along the way. Convenience is simply that—convenient. It is not necessarily beneficial or healthy.

So what are we supposed to feed if not kibble? Althoughthe acronym may not sound desirable, a Biologically Appro-priate Raw Food (BARF) diet is the most nutritious choice.Some may argue that a raw diet is more expensive, but youmay even find it doesn’t cost as much as you think.

Raw diets may also sound inconvenient. However, somecompanies produce raw diets that can be found in freezers atpet supply stores. This can not only make raw feeding easierbut also take the guesswork out of how much to feed andwhat needs to be added to create complete meals. Not all com-mercial raw diets are complete, so as with any food, readingthe label and educating yourself is essential.

If you don’t go raw, the second in line for optimal nutritionis home cooking for your pet. As with any diet, you need toensure that your animals are getting all the nutrients, vitaminsand minerals they need for their bodies to function properly.It may be necessary to add supplements, including calcium, ifbone is not included in the diet.

Ranked far below raw and home-cooked meals is cannedfood. Although it is still highly processed, it is less so than dryfood. It also has moisture and won’t be dehydrating, likekibble. If you do go for canned, choose those with the highestquality ingredients possible. Hard-to-digest wheat, soy andcorn derivatives should be avoided. Unless there is a diag-nosed medical need to feed otherwise, I recommend recipes inwhich a viable meat source is listed as the first ingredient.

Cats are complete carnivores, and dogs are not far behind.Because of this, cats and dogs should never be raised as veg-etarians or vegans regardless of your personal dietary prefer-ences. It is harmful and, in my opinion, inhumane to deprivedogs and cats of a meat-based diet. It is important to educateyourself on what a species-appropriate diet consists of and usethe information to help make the most beneficial choices foryour pets.Sindi Somers, of Wild and Tame Wellness and Communications,

encourages a holistic approach to pet care. In addition to pet nu-trition, behavior and training consultations, Sindi is an animalcommunicator and offers psychic readings and energy healings forwild and tame animals as well as for people. She welcomes youre-mails at [email protected] and can also be reached at 619-384-0761. Visit Sindi online at wildtame.com.

We are our pets’ best advocates. It is thereforeimportant to understand that those we believe tobe pet experts aren’t always adequately trained in

animal nutrition. This includes veterinarians educated solelyin Western medicine.

One of the best nutritional choices for your pet is theelimination of kibble. Due to intense cooking and overpro-cessing, dry kibble loses its nutrients. To remedy this andabide by the Association of American Feed Control Officialsdietary requirements, pet food companies must manuallyreplenish vitamins and minerals after processing.

Besides diminished nutritional value, one potentiallydetrimental result from kibble is dehydration. Even if you areadding water to it, kibble is still dry food. It is especiallycrucial that cats never be fed kibble. Instinctively, felinesobtain needed moisture from their food. Although cats maydrink water from their bowl, it is likely they will not hydratesufficiently. Feeding kibble can lead to severe health problemsstemming from dehydration and malnutrition.

Raw, home-cooked, canned or dry:

What to feed your pet?B y S IND I SOMERS | SAN D I EGO PETS

H BdD 5(Compiled from news reports) PET PRESS


Physical therapy might not bethe first thought that runs througha pet owner’s mind when the ani-mal is in pain—the image of an an-imal running on an underwatertreadmill or undergoing acupunc-ture treatments might seem laugh-able at the time. But the benefitspets receive from these modalitiesare real. Animal physical therapyis one of the fastest-growing fieldsin veterinary medicine. The PetPhysical Therapy Center in ChulaVista uses the most innovativeequipment to help heal a variety ofconditions.

Kazmere, a beautiful Weimaraner,came to us suffering from jointpain; he was having trouble walk-ing and could barely get aroundthe house, let alone fetch or play.After the owner enrolled Kaz inthe center’s healing program, hefelt like a pup again. The under-

water treadmill offered Kaz a low-impact, high-resistance workout tosafely increase muscle strengthand speed recovery.

Today, owners treat their petslike family, and family membersdeserve the best treatment avail-able to ease pain and end suffer-ing. The center’s treatmentsinclude stretching and massage,hydrotherapy, rehabilitation andcorrective exercises, heat andcryotherapy, acupuncture, low-level lasers, pulse magnetic fieldtherapy, neuromuscular electricalstimulation and weight manage-ment. The healing programs aren’tjust for dogs like Kaz, either. Cats,rabbits and other animals arewarmly welcomed.

For more information, visit pet-physicaltherapysandiego.com or call619-482-5200.

Chula Vista’s Pet Physical Therapy Center: good for what ails ‘em

Search warrant served in Lincoln Park poisoning

San Diego Humane Society investiga-tors served a search warrant Monday,April 25, at a mobile home in a trailerpark in San Diego’s Lincoln Park neigh-borhood, where 10 dogs and one catwere fatally poisoned. No suspects havebeen named and no arrests have beenmade as authorities continue to gatherevidence.

On April 16, a woman was reportedlyseen giving food or water to dogs in thearea in the El Rey Trailer Plaza on 47thStreet. Reports of dead or sick dogs sur-faced over the next three days. Resi-dents said many of the smaller dogsroam free in the fenced complex.

The reward for information leadingto an arrest in the case is $5,000. Any-one with information is asked to leave

an anonymous tip with Crime Stop-pers at 888-580-8477 or sdcrimestop-pers.com.

Military dog memorial dedicated in Encinitas

A memorial to military workingdogs, said to be the only privateworking dog tribute site west of theMississippi River, was unveiled anddedicated April 16 at Encinitas’Cricket’s Corner Community DogPark to acknowledge the efforts of thedogs and their handlers. It is the firstsuch memorial in San Diego Countyand the only private working dog me-morial west of the Mississippi River.

“The San Diego community has suchstrong ties to our armed forces, andthese magnificent animals sacrifice just

as their human counterparts do,” saidJim Silveira, president of RanchoCoastal Humane Society, which spear-headed the project. “They should behonored for their dedication and com-mitment to our freedom, and San Die-gans should have a place to be able toshow that appreciation.” Silveira andhumane society supporter MadeleinePickens came up with the idea aftertouring Arlington National Cemetery.

The $25,000 statue features a lifesizedepiction of Chyba, an 11-year-old Ger-man shepherd adopted by Pickens andher husband, American financier T.Boone Pickens, following its servicewith the 95th Military Police Battalion inGermany and Iraq.

More information on the memorial canbe found at rchumanesociety.org/.

SEE PET PRESS, Page 18

Balboa Barks raises$32,000 for canine group

A Day Of Peace, Love & CanineCompanions, held on April 9 in BalboaPark, raised more than $32,000 for Ca-nine Companions for Independence, anonprofit organization that providesassistance dogs and ongoing supportto people with disabilities.

This year’s Balboa Barks installment,Canine Companions’ seventh such fes-tival, featured assistance dog demon-strations, a K9 agility playground,

contests and shopping. More than1,500 attended, along with hundredsof dogs of every size and breed.

For more on Canine Companions forIndependence, see caninecompan-ions.org.

Dog group nonprofit hits member milestone

Fiesta Island Dog Owners (FIDO), alocal nonprofit organization dedicatedto the island’s preservation, has an-nounced that its membership rosterhas topped 8,000.

“FIDO began with a small group ofdog owners who used Fiesta Island asa place to exercise and enjoy the out-

doors with their dogs,” said JeanSpengel, a local veterinarian leadingthe movement to maintain a part ofthe island as a recreational area fordogs and owners. “To see this groupgrow from a handful of passionatedog lovers to an organization withover 8,000 members is tremendousand indicative of widespread supportfor FIDO and our mission to preserveFiesta Island.”

FIDO volunteers visit Fiesta Islandto speak with dog owners about theimportance of protecting the island’sfenced, leash-free area, the only areaof its kind in Southern California.Three times a year, FIDO sponsors Fi-esta Island beach clean-ups, eachdrawing well over 100 volunteers.

For more information, visit FIDO’swebsite at fidosd.org or find FIDO onFacebook at facebook.com/FIDOSD.

PETCO Certified Nutritionaids in food choices

PETCO, the San Diego-based re-tailer of pet food and supplies, haslaunched PETCO Certified Nutrition,a program designed to facilitatechoices in food for each pet’s in-dividual needs, with solutions fromweight management to allergy sen-sitivities.

As part of PETCO Certified Nutri-tion, PETCO store associates receiveextensive pet nutrition training on anongoing basis to help assess a pet’s nu-tritional needs based on a variety offactors, including age, breed, weight,activity level and skin and coat issues.

The program also breaks down petfood into three categories—essential,advanced and natural nutrition—after products have passed programchecklists.

The Association for Pet Obesity Pre-vention estimates that 89 million U.S.dogs and cats are overweight or obese.

For more information on the PETCOCertified Nutrition Checklists and foodcategories visit petco.com/certified.

H BdD 5 PET PRESS


PET PRESSCONTINUED FROM Page 17

SEE MORE PET PRESS, Page 20

(Send your news reports to [email protected])

H BdD 5PET PRESS


The reigning U.S. Open snowboard-ing champion has announced his sup-port for a Japanese animal rescuegroup in the wake of earthquake andtsunami that hit East Japan last month.

Kazuhiro Kokubo, who won his sec-ond consecutive halfpipe champi-onship in March at the Burton, Vt. U.S.Open of Snowboarding, said he cele-brated his victory by boarding downthe center of the halfpipe while sayinga prayer for his native country.Kokubo, 22, was born in Hokkaido,about 500 miles from the quake’s epi-center. About 15,000 quake-relateddeaths have been confirmed.

“I was speechless,” Kokubo said ofthe disaster, “and for the first timesince I was a kid, I sat and cried as wewatched the news reports. I knew im-mediately that I wanted to help mycountry and, like so many people, did-n’t know how. My main focus was noton winning or the competition itself atthat point but just getting the day overwith and being with my wife, who wasflying to California from Japan.”

Kokubo’s online search revealed in-formation on the group JapaneseEarthquake Animal Rescue and Sup-port (JEARS). “JEARS is about actionfirst, paperwork later, and that ap-pealed to me,” he said.

“We are very pleased to welcomeKazu to the JEARS team, and we wereinspired by the immediate action hetook in finding a cause and wanting toimmediately start helping,” DavidWybenga, JEARS co-founder. “Withhis celebrity as a phenomenal athlete,unique spirit and determination, Kazuwill be a tremendous asset to helpingthe animals and their owners affectedby the disaster in Japan.” For more information, please visit

jears.org or Facebook.com/AnimalRes-cueJapan.

Nearly everyone has seen theheartrending videos out of Japanshowing earthquake and tsunamidevastation, such as the YouTubeentry (bit.ly/eHl18G) on the faith-ful dog refusing to leave its injuredfriend.

More than a month after the dis-asters, animals still need our help.Rescue organizations are workingovertime to save displaced animals,including many left starving in therestricted evacuation zone sur-rounding the Fukushima nuclear

plant. These groups urgently needadditional resources to help rescueand care for orphaned pets.

Many rescuers are pooling re-sources for maximum impact. Threegroups—Heart-Tokushima, JapanCat Network and Animal FriendsNiigata—have joined to form JapanEarthquake Animal Rescue andSupport (JEARS). The website isjears.org, through which you canmake a tax-deductible donation andtrack current rescue efforts.

U.S.-based nonprofit World Vets

has had teams in Japan since soonafter the April 7 disaster. The groupis working with JEARS and offersupdates through its website, world-vets.org (click on “Japan animal dis-aster relief”), where you can alsodonate. The International Fund forAnimal Welfare, ifaw.org, offerscurrent information and needs fi-nancial support for Japanese efforts.

Visit lifewithdogs.tv and life-withcats.tv for updates, video andlinks (search on “Japan”).

Olympic snowboarder urges Japan rescue support

Kazuhiro Kokubo, who won his second con-secutive halfpipe championship in March atthe Burton, Vt. U.S. Open of Snowboarding,said he celebrated his victory by boardingdown the center of the halfpipe while sayinga prayer for his native country.

Pictured is JEARS supporter and Olympicsnowboarder Kazuhiro (Kazu) Kokubo, hiswife, Tomoe, and their dogs, Paco and Gomaoat their home in Ishikari, Japan on the north-ern island of Hokkaido.

Helping the animals of Japan By N ICOLE SOURS LARSON | SAN D IEGO PETS

H BdD 5 PET PRESS


PetSafe puts up $100,000 in dog park contest

PetSafe, the Knoxville, Tenn. manu-facturer of safety-oriented products fordogs and cats, has announced thelaunch of “Bark for Your Park,” a na-tional contest through which one citywill be awarded $100,000 for a localdog park.

The announcement was made inMarch at the International Associationof Canine Professionals conference andtrade show in San Diego.

PetSafe encourages communitymembers to partner with local officials,animal shelters and welfare groups,animal professionals and pet ownersto best demonstrate the city’s enthusi-asm and dedication to its pet commu-nity. Portions of the contest involvevisits to PetSafe’s Internet site andinput on support for the park.

Entires must be submitted online byJune 1; the winning city will be an-nounced August 8. For more informa-tion, visit barkforyourpark.com.

Embedded video marks educational breakthrough

Joe Camp was reluctant to switchover. His wife hammered him formonths.

"I have the books I'm reading withme at all times on the Kindle app onmy phone," she would say. Campwould counter, "I prefer turningpages."

One day, Kathleen showed him avideo embedded in the book she wasreading, and Joe Camp became a be-liever.

Camp, creator of the canine super-star Benji and director of the five Benjimovies, has spent most of his life usinghis storytelling talent to teach us aboutanimals, first dogs and then horses.

"When the notion hit me that wecould take our books about horse anddog behavior and embed videos

demonstrating and defining what thebook is talking about, well, it snappedme to attention immediately. It's thebest of both worlds!” Camp said.

Camp is the author of the bestsellerThe Soul of a Horse—Life Lessonsfrom the Herd. His two new releases,The Soul of a Horse Blogged—theJourney Continues and The BenjiMethod—Teach Your Dog to Do WhatBenji Does in the Movies, are full ofembedded video and resource links.Every lesson in The Benji Method has avideo of Benji and Camp demonstrat-ing the lesson. The book features morethan 90 minutes of video.

For more on Joe Camp and his booksand movies, visit thesoulofahorse.com

SD Dachshund Club marks 60 years’ service

The San DiegoDachshund Club,a nonprofit organ-ization of morethan 400 membersand the secondlargest dachshundclub in the UnitedStates, has marked

60 years of events and service to dachs-hunds and their owners throughoutSouthern California.

The club, founded in 1951, hostsdachshund specialty shows and offersmonthly meetings that include talks anddemonstrations on health, safety, train-ing, competitions and the rescue andplacement of dogs in need. The mem-bers donate money from fundraisingevents to dachshund rescue and localhumane societies. Several times a year,the club offers Meet the Breed eventsand hosts two annual picnics, such asthe Hallo-Wiener event in Balboa Parkin October, which features a dachs-hund costume parade.

For more information, visit sddc.us.

MORE PET PRESSCONTINUED FROM Page 18

PETCOs Meet the crittersevent celebrates fiveunique companion animals

For many people, the perfect addition tothe family may not be a dog or a cat - aller-gies, time, space and care must always bekept in mind when choosing a pet. To helpfamilies make an educated and responsibledecision about who the next addition shouldbe, PETCO™ invites the public to their Meetthe Critters event May 7-8 2011 from 1-2 pm.The free, family-friendly event will showcasefive unique animals that are fun pet alterna-tives: chinchillas, red ear sliders, ball pythons,rats, and conures.

The Meet the Critters meet-and-greet willeducate guests on each animal’s behavior,diet, habitat and care. In addition, guests areinvited to interact with the animals under thesupervision of one of PETCO’s trained spe-cialists. Attendees will learn fun facts abouteach animal including:

Chinchilla: The chinchilla’s fur is consideredthe softest in the world; 30 times softer thanhuman hair with double the hairs per follicle.Even though they bathe in dust they do nothave dander so they are a great addition to afamily who might be allergic to other smallanimals.

Red Ear Sliders: Although this companionresides in a glass habitat or pond, these tur-tles are very social creatures and even cometo the glass to greet you. These cold-bloodedanimals like to bask in the summer or burrowtheir heads and hibernate during wintermonths. Recognized by the red markings onthe side of their heads, they can live morethan 25 years and grow to over 10 inches.

Ball Python: The Ball Python, also known asthe “royal python”, gets its name because roy-alty used to wear them as jewelry. Theirbeautiful colors and exceptional patterns,such as spider and pinstripe, make then aquite a beautiful addition to a home ready fora pet that could grow to be 4-5 feet long.

Rat: The highly intelligent and loyal animalsare one of the most under-rated small pets.They come in a wide variety of types includ-ing hairless, dumbo (because of their largeears) and Siamese, which adds to their wideappeal for a family looking for a small animalpet.

Conure: These birds make the perfect petwith their playful, affectionate and friendlypersonalities. They can also become long-time companions because some live for over30 years. They thrive on human interactionand fun toys that will satiate their curiosity.

For your nearest PETCO location or for more in-formation you can visit: www.petco.com/critters

H BdD 5RABBITS


If you have a rabbit then you knowby now they have a ‘sweet tooth.’ Likechildren, rabbits will gravitate towardany food that’s sweet, and with theircute little faces begging for a treat, it’seasy to give in and reward their anticswith a yogurt drop or piece of banana.

Rabbits cannot make healthy foodchoices for themselves so it’s up to youto make sure they get a diet that willhelp them live their expected lifespanof 10 to 12 years. In the wild, rabbitspick and choose, browsing throughleaves, shoots, grasses and barks, tomake the best diet choices. In a do-mesticated environment, they dependsolely on us to provide them withfood; we need to make smart choiceson their behalf.

The best diet for a rabbit is a simpleone. Unlimited fresh grass hays, a lim-ited portion of high-quality plain rab-bit pellets (no dried fruits, seeds ornuts) and a good portion of greensevery day. This provides them with awell-rounded diet that should keepthem at a good weight and ward offchronic problems of the digestive tract.Depending on your rabbit’s age and(normal) weight, a pelleted food canprovide essential daily minerals andvitamins. However, if your rabbit isobese you will have to cut way backon pellets or eliminate them entirely.House Rabbit Society recommends, ingeneral, the following guidelines onfeeding pellets. Limit the quantity ofpellets you give your rabbit; a youngbunny, under 8 months of age, can eatan unlimited amount of alfalfa-basedpellets as they grow into their normalweight and size. Once they reach thispoint, switch them over to a measuredportion of timothy- based pellets tomaintain a healthy weight. An adultrabbit at its full size (this will dependupon breed) can get the followingdaily amounts: 3 to 5lbs – 1/8 cup, 5 to8 lbs – 1/4 cup, 8 to 12 lbs – 1/2 cup andover 12 lbs – 3/4 cup. These guidelinesare meant to be just that; generalguidelines. You should always work

with your vet to determine your rab-bit’s individual needs based on hisage, current weight, and any chronichealth issues.

So, what about that cute beggingtrick that little Hopper uses on you?You want to reward him with a treatbut what is best? Treats should alwaysbe given in very small portions and in-frequently throughout the week.Make sure that treats are not a regularpart of your rabbit’s diet, but whatthey are intended to be; a special treat.Sticking to fresh items a sprig of mint,cilantro, or other herb is best. A smallbit of fresh fruit is another option.Give a piece of apple, pear, or a cran-berry (try the fresh ones when theycome in season) or a blueberry. Steerclear of fruits with concentrated sweet-ness; dried fruits and those such asgrapes or banana. You don’t want tohave your rabbits get used to thesevery sweet items and eat them to theexclusion of healthy foods.

Another healthier choice is a hay-based cookie; a little, tiny, bunny

cookie hand-made with nutritious in-gredients. My bunnies’ favorites areTigertail Treats and Critter Cookies.You can find these healthier alterna-tives at the HRS Bunny Store, a greatlocation to purchase supplies, pelletsand healthy treats for your bunnyfriend.

To be honest, if you’re browsing theInternet looking for diet advice you’regoing to find a lot of conflicting infor-mation. But think of it like this. TheHouse Rabbit Society’s goal is for yourrabbit to live to the full capacity of hislife – 10 to 12 years. For the past 25years we’ve been studying rabbitsclosely, and have personally cared fornearly 30,000 rabbits. We’ve devel-oped our feeding guidelines based oninformation we’ve learned from ourvets, from nutritionists, and from therabbits themselves. We’ve tinkeredwith diets to decrease obesity, and tohelp put on weight in older or ill rab-bits. We don’t take this lightly andwork very hard to make the best rec-ommendations possible when we getdiet questions from the public.

You can learn more about healthydiets for house rabbits on HRS web-sites www.sandiegorabbits.org andwww.rabbit.org. Be sure you sharewhat you’ve learned with your vet sohe or she can work with you to tailorthe best diet for your bunny.

~ Judith Pierce, San Diego House Rabbit Society

Choosing the best diet for your rabbit companion

H BdD 5 MEET THE AUTHOR


San Diego Pets:Why did you write this book?

Marty Becker: Well, my own bookshelves aresagging, and looking at them, one would think,

“What do you need another how-to book for?”So I wanted to approach it by asking, “What arethe things that a lot of people don’t know aboutthat can save you time or money by avoiding vetvisits?” I started out with that in mind, and withthe great team I had, we did a lot of research andfound so many unique and heartwarming storiesand ideas along the way. We came across a lot ofthings that even seasoned vets heard and said, “Ididn’t know that!” In the end, we wanted to in-clude specific recommendations about owning apet that are easy to read and offer easy solutions,like daily dental care and other small acts thatcan help your pet live up to 30 percent longer.

SDP:What would you say is the number onemistake pet owners make when they bring homea new addition to the household?

MB: Just not addressing your pet’s needs fromthe get-go. For example, many people don’tknow that a long-haired dog with short-clippedfur is actually the dog that’s going to shed theleast. If shedding is one of your top concerns be-fore you get a new dog, those are things youshould look into.

Vets will work with clientsSDP:What kind of advice do you give to peopleduring tough economic times, when even thefamily pet is feeling the purse strings tighten?

MB: I’ve heard many stories about people whodiagnose their pets online. I actually want clientsto look online and be informed, but the pet canoften be wrongly diagnosed when that happens.That means we still need the experts.

My philosophy is that you should be able tosave money without short-changing the pet. Imyself practice some cost-saving techniques. Thething about veterinary medicine is that there’susually a period of grace where it’s much less ex-pensive and easier to treat whatever your pet’sissue is. And there are things that can be done toavoid going to the vet quite so often, like morefrequent bathing, for example. In the end, youhave to keep [the] pet’s interest in the forefront,and if you talk to your vet about your budget,they’ll work with you.

SDP: In cities like San Diego, thoughthere are plenty of single-family homes,there are also a lot of apartments and apart-

ment-style living situations. What would yousuggest for someone looking for a dog in thattype of setting?

MB: People always think that it’s better not tohave a pet if they can’t be home with it all thetime or have a huge yard. I always ask, “Would adog rather be in a cage in a shelter 24 hours aday or in an apartment with someone for 7 hoursa day?” There are simple solutions to leaving yourpet at home, like professional dog walkers. Yourpet is not going to be mad at you for doing whatyou have to do to make a living. You’re nevergoing to come home and find the dog’s suitcaseis packed. You will never lose the unconditionallove of a pet.

Purebreds come recommendedSDP: Do you have a favorite breed of dog? Whatpets do you have right now?

MB:My favorite breed is a mixed breed. It’s like amixed drink—and the great thing is you can ac-tually find out what the cocktail is made of nowwith tests that are available. And I love that itdoesn’t look like anyone else’s dog.

I encourage people to get a purebred if theythink it’s a good match for what they want in adog, but I just warn people to never buy from apet store or puppy mill. Work with a vet and finda good breeder. A good breeder will pour somuch love into these dogs, and it will show.Right now, my wife and I have an adorable littlecocktail dog named Quora, a golden retrievernamed Shakira, a lab/pitbull mix named Gracie,four barn cats and three quarterhorses.

‘America’s veterinarian’ dishes the dirt on your dogBy KENDRA HARTMANN | SAN D I EGO PETS

Go to your nearest petsupply store and makeyour way to the library

section. There, you’ll find every-thing from breed-specific guidesto training manuals to how to getyour dog to perform parlor tricks.The selection, in fact, can be a lit-tle overwhelming.

That’s why, when Marty Beckerdecided to put out a new bookabout dogs and the people thatown them, he wanted to makesure it didn’t get lost in the mix.

“America’s veterinarian,” asBecker has been dubbed due tohis regular appearances onABC’s Good Morning Americafor almost 15 years and, more re-cently, on The Dr. Oz Show (seenlocally on Ch. 5 at 10 a.m. and 5p.m. daily), set out to create aneasy, one-stop reference for newand existing pet owners, with hisown familiar, down-home atti-tude thrown in. As a 30-year in-dustry veteran, Becker said he isoften asked the same questionsover and over and has repeat-edly encountered many of thesame issues from different pa-tients over the years.

With that in mind, he said, hewanted to write a book thatwould answer basic questions,provide little-known tricks for pethealth and happiness and offersimple solutions that, in general,would turn our beloved pets into“furry fountains of youth.”

San Diego Pets had the chanceto catch up with Becker betweenDr. Oz tapings to chat about hisnew book, Your Dog: TheOwner’s Manual, which he ispromoting while on a bus tour ofthe country. Here’s what thegood doctor had to say.

Dr. Marty Becker will be at the Petco outlet at 154Encinitas Blvd. in Encinitas between 1 and 2:30 p.m.on Tuesday, June 1, to sign and discuss Your Dog: TheOwner’s Manual.

H BdD 5EVENTS


MAYSaturday, May 7

Annual Pug PartyFrom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.at the Del Mar Fair-grounds Infield Pavilionarea. Vendors, Unique

Pug Boutique, food, prizes and theAnnual Pug Contest.pugsandiego.com

Saturday, May 7

Barkin’ Beach Bash

Crown Point Shores, Mission BayYou and your furry friends will havea tail-waggin' good time as wewalk to celebrate our love of ani-mals and raise funds to ensure thatpets throughout San Diego receivethe care they so deserve. Festivitieswill include a three-quarter-milewalk, vendors, tasty food andmore! sdhumane.org

Saturday, May 1411th AnnualPet Day on the BayPresented by Hornblower Cruises& Events & Helen Woodward Ani-mal Center. Bring a donation of agently used towel or blanket, andthen come aboard AdventureHornblower, where dogs and theirhuman friends will be treated to arefreshing boat ride, grand vistas,and giveaways guaranteed to gettails wagging. hornblower.com

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Who is the Hottest Dog of All? It was adog’s world at Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort on April 17th as 26 dogsbattled it out for the chance to be crowned San Diego County’s“Hottest Dog”. The contest took place as a charity fundraiser benefitingthe San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, sponsored by Pink’s HotDogs (no pun intended).

The contest consisted of three categories: Costume, Personality andWalk and there was no shortage of creativity when it came to cos-tumes.

A hot pink and purple Poodle named China, dyed by owner HollyPharris, was a tribute of sorts to the sponsor Pink’s Hot Dogs. Chinatook third place but Pharris’ second dog Tofu, a miniature white poo-dle dyed to resemble a panda, took home the “Hottest Dog” title and1st Place honors. Tofu’s owner Holly Pharris was awarded an overnightstay at Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort, dinner for four at Pink’s HotDogs at Harrah’s Rincon, $100 in Petco gift cards, and a trophy to com-memorate the victory.

Also, strutting the runway in a banana costume with a stuffed mon-key backpack, bulldog Buttercup and owner Genevieve Macaraeg,scored 5th Place.

SoCal Surf Doggies,Mark your calendarsSunday, May 89 a.m. to Noon at Dog Beach-DelMar, SoCal Surf Dog Practice

Sunday, May 1510 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dog Beach-DelMar, SoCal Surf Dog Luau. It’s acasual get together to meet oldand new friends, catch on the lat-est news and just have a goodtime before the crazy summerDog Surfing season begins. Bringa dish to share! Bring your ownDog, Chair, Surfboard, Drinks,Umbrella.

Saturday, May 289 a.m. to Noon at Dog Beach-DelMar, SoCal Surf Dog Practice

Both the practice and the Luauare open to any and everyone!See website for more details!socalsurfdogs.com

JUNESaturday June 4Loews Surf Dog Competition Dunes Park/Beach, 700 SeacoastDrive, Imperial Beach, CA 91932loewssurfdog.blogspot.com

Friday June 10

The Purina Incredible DogSurf Dog CompetitionDog Beach in Ocean Beach. (Thiscompetition is by invitation only)

Hottest dog named at Harrah’s

FIRSTPLACE!

More calendarevents onlineSanDiegoPetsMagazine.com/events

H BdD 5 BOOK REVIEW


Simon, one 11-year-old schoolkidwith a host ofadult-size prob-lems, has a specialtalent—a talent thatwill eventually aidhim in finding hismother’s killer. Hetalks to bugs (and,

for good measure, a dog and a bear); thefunny thing is that the bugs talk back.Indeed, animals communicate with usas unceasingly as they do with eachother—and in KR Johnson’s compellingtweens novel The Eleventh Sense, thattrait is key in pointing Simon toward thelife he was meant to live.

El Cajon’s Johnson, an educator bytrade and a psychology graduate of TheUniversity of Redlands, asserted that allliving things communicate, adding thatanimals—who have no say in decisionsaffecting human enterprise—are disen-franchised by default. Johnson pickedbugs as her protagonists “becausethey’re the lowest life forms in the ani-mal kingdom” and because “I wanted tomake the book fun.”

So what’s fun about murder, that ofSimon’s mom to boot?

“Kids in today’s society,” Johnson ex-plained, “deal with extreme situationsall the time. There are gangs, drugs,abuse in the schools and in the homes,and they happen over and over againfor so many kids. Kids don’t always seewhere their real love and support iscoming from. They think it has to comefrom a certain source, like a parent,when there could be somebody elsewho’s really there for them.”

In Simon’s case, that source takes theform of True, his roughhewn stepfather;

Hannah, his mysterious mentor; hisspunky younger sister Kyra; and, ofcourse, the animals themselves. Allmanner of insects and arachnids rallyaround Simon in his many hours ofneed, staving off the bullies, helpinghim discover who his friends are andchanneling his energies. “Hannah isSimon’s mentor,” Johnson said, “but theanimals are his guides.”

There’s infinitely more back-and-forthtaking place on Earth than either hu-mans or animals realize. The EleventhSense, first entry in a trilogy, has a fullset of subplots, well-drawn charactersand a sprightly sense of itself in its il-lustration of this phenomenon, plus ayoung hero whose bravery takes inter-species communication to the next level.The 345-page novel costs $19.95 and isavailable through the Internet and fromLiving Creativity, 8697 La Mesa Blvd.,La Mesa, CA 91942. Further informationis available at TheEleventhSense.com.

At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 10, John-son will be featured on Conscious Dis-cussions, a worldwide blogradioprogram hosted by Lillian Brummet.See blogtalkradio.com/consciousdis-cussions for more.

—Martin Jones Westlin

The Eleventh Sense: Working out the bugs

KR Johnson

Helen Woodward Animal Center kennels and cattery OPEN Everyday:Mon-Fri 12 Noon - 6pm; Sat-Sun 11am – 6pm. (adoption applications accepted till 5:45pm)

6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe. Call 858-756-4117, Option 1log onto www.animalcenter.org

Dolce is a 3-year-old neutered male domestic, short-haired feline, full of fun foreveryone! He’s extra-talented with tricks—he can sit, shake paw and stay oncommand—plus he’s got full litterbox manners. The best part about him is hereally lives up to his name—he’s got plenty of adoration and freely gives lovingkisses. Adopt Dolce and kiss the good life hello! He is waiting patiently for youat Helen Woodward Animal Center! Dolce’s adoption fee: $75 (plus microchip registration fee) Watch Dolce’s video: youtube.com/watch?v=OlVLzAZyseo

Shey is a 3-year-old spayed female Collie blend, a perfect running or hiking part-ner that will put some pep in your step. Shey knows some basic commands but(with a small refundable deposit) comes with free training by Rob Kuty, of SanDiego Pet Training. Fully grown at 55 pounds and best in an active home withpeople ages 18 years and older, Shey is ready to make your day! Come adoptyour new best friend from Helen Woodward Animal Center! Shey’s adoption fee: $100 (plus microchip registration fee) Watch Shey’s video: youtube.com/watch?v=vWiH4XZbkzk&feature=player_embedded

DOLCE

SHEY

Adoptable pets of the month


Back toNature

How to walkyour cockroach

Iused to live in San Francisco, near Golden Gate Park. Iloved to walk through the park in the afternoons, with mylong-haired black cat on his leash—yes, his leash. Felix

liked it too, especially when we wandered down to thenearby beach and I let him run in the sand and chase seagulls,like some alien life form never before seen on the grass. Peoplewould glance at Felix, do a double-take and say to me,“That’s a cat!”

So I thought, “What other kinds of critters would it sur-prise me to see in someone’s home, not to mention on aleash in the park?” Kinkajous, pot-bellied pigs and evenfoxes can fit the mold in today’s households—but hereare some of the weirdest:

The cockroach. A growing number of people keep roaches aspets. A favorite among cockroach keepers is the Madagascarhissing cockroach, which can grow to a whopping 4 and a halfinches in length and more than an inch in width. Unlike com-mon household roaches, this unassuming breed is clean anddoes not smell. It also does not bite, a fortunate quality in ahousehold pet. And, like all roaches, it’s a survivor. I’m justnot sure they make leashes that small.

The piranha. Ugh. Don’t you just get a vision of a crazed fishwith a mouthful of sharp teeth? Well, the lower jaw does jut,giving this freshwater fish an odd appearance, but unless youare sticking your bare hands into the tank when it’s hungry,it’s just a fish in a tank. Not advisable to take for a walk unlessyou tote the entire aquarium on a wagon.

The scorpion. A scorpion’s stinger cannot be removed with-out killing the scorpion—so what’s the appeal of having adangerous and venomous critter crawling on your arm? Yeta bunch of arachnid lovers out there think having a scorpion

is great—they’re low maintenance and easy to feed and carefor (some even glow in the dark!). I personally would notwalk my cat on the same path with a scorpion, but, hey, toeach his own.

The octopus. Actually, octopi are highly intelligent, social andplayful creatures and require companionship and toys to staveboredom and depression. So you have a saltwater aquariumbig enough to accommodate an octopus? Good, but be sure thelid is securely sealed. Octopi can open almost anything andcan survive out of the water for some time. In fact, octopusowners have reported arriving home to find their little eight-armed dickens roaming the house. Perhaps walking the octo-pus in the park is not that far out of the question after all…

The centipede. Many classrooms are keeping centipedes asclassroom pets. “We had a centipede in my third grade class-room,” said Lillian Weiland, now a ninth-grader. “It was cooland different and interesting to watch. The way it moved andwhat it ate—I always wondered what it was thinking.”

As with cats, dogs, birds or horses, it is really important tomake sure your little weirdo is fed a natural diet and hasplenty of water and an abundance of living space. (I know mylittle weirdo rewards me with lots of purring and cuddles,even though she prefers to lounge on my patio. No walkingthis cat!)

Meanwhile, check with local pet shops before making a de-cision on an exotic pet—some animals (like African lions, fly-ing squirrels and even some frogs) are illegal to keep inCalifornia, and you might find out too late that others’ dietsand daily habits are a little over the top once you get themhome. But pets are pets—and as long as people want exotics,someone out there can likely supply them.

B y KR JOHNSON

H BdD 5 KIDS CORNER


Send in your coloring page for a chanceto see it in our July print edition! Pleaseinclude the artists name, age and a wayto contact you (email or phone).

Mail to: San Diego Pets Magazine,

P.O. Box 601081, San Diego, CA 92160-1081

H BdD 5ANIMAL RESOURCES


SERVICESLA JOLLA

Home Buddies by Camp Bow WowDog Walking, Pet Sitting & Dog TrainingBonded and Insured (619) 889-7767www.myhomebuddies.com/LaJolla

OCEAN BEACH

Dog Beach Dog WashDo-It-Yourself•Service•Accessories4933 Voltaire St., San Diego, CA 92107(619) 523-1700http://www.dogwash.com

Emergency hospitalsBONITA/CHULA VISTAPet Emergency & Specialty Center of South County (619) 591-4802885 Canarios Court, #108, Chula Vista, CA91910 M-F 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Sat. Sun. 3:30 pm-8am www.PESCSanDiego.com

CARLSBADCalifornia Veterinary Specialists(760) 431-2273 2310 Faraday Ave., Carlsbad, CA 92008, 7 days 24 hrs.www.CaliforniaVeterinarySpecialists.com

ENCINITASVCA North Coast Veterinary & Emergency (760) 632-1072 414 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas, CA 92024, www.VCANorthCoast.com

ESCONDIDOAnimal Urgent Care of Escondido (760) 738-9600 2430-A S. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA92025, 7 Days 24 hrs. www.AUC.US.com

KEARNY MESA/CLAIREMONTAnimal ER of San Diego (858) 569-06005610 Kearny Mesa Road, San Diego, CA 92111 M-F 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Sat. Sun. 24 hrs.

LA MESAPet Emergency & Specialty Center (619) 462-4800 5232 Jackson Drive #105, La Mesa, CA 91942, 7 Days 24 hrs.www.PESCSanDiego.com

MISSION VALLEYVCA Emergency Animal Hospital & Referral Center (619) 229-2400 2317 Hotel Circle South, San Diego,CA 92108,7 Days 24 hrs.www.VCAEmergency.com

MURRIETACalifornia Veterinary Specialists(951) 600-9803 25100 Hancock Ave. #116, Murrieta, CA 92562,7 days 24 hrs.www.CaliforniaVeterinarySpecialists.com

POWAYAnimal Emergency Clinic (858) 748-738712775 Poway Road, Poway, CA 92064 M-F 6p.m. to 8 a.m. Sat. Sun. 24 hrs.www.AnimalEmergencySD.com

SAN MARCOSVeterinary Specialty Hospital(760) 466-0600 2055 Montiel Road, Suite 104, San Marcos, CA 92069www.vshsd.com

SORRENTO VALLEYVeterinary Specialty Hospital(858) 875-750010435 Sorrento Valley Road., San Diego, CA92121 7 Days 24 hrs.www.VSHSD.com

LIST YOUR BUSINESS FOR AS LITTLE AS $55 A MONTH

We have a spot for you.

(619) 573-5615

san diego pets magazine | may 2011

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