Pet Companion Magazine, Fall/Winter 2020

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR PET LOVERS FALL/WINTER 2020

SUBSCRIPTION $15/YEAR

Cherry & Charlie

TWO BLIND ADVENTURE CATS

5

TIPS FOR

STRESS FREE Walks Elbow Hygromas IN DOGS

Staying at Home?

Motivate Your Pet PLUS:

TRAINING, GROOMING, DAYCARE & BOARDING, RESOURCES & EVENTS

Antonio Ballatore Happier Pets

by Design

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The lifelong activity tracker and behavior monitor for dogs THE ANIMO: Weighing just 22 grams, this waterproof, collar mounted monitor uses Bluetooth technology that allows dog owners to set and monitor daily activity goals using their mobile device. Pet parents can also view their pet’s activity and behavior by day, week, month or year. Key features of the Animo and the Sure Petcare app include: alerts for significant increases in barking, scratching and shaking; sets and monitors daily activity and calorie burn goals; view your dogs nightly sleep quality report and see how much rest your dog gets during the day.

COVER PHOTO: ARI MICHELSON

inside | Fall/Winter 2021

[ cover story ]

36 Antonio Ballatore

[ departments ]

13

20

HEALTH 13 Elbow Hygromas in Dogs 20 Need Urgent Care?

62 Don’t Leave Me!

62

PRODUCT GUIDE 28 Looking for a perfect something for you cat or dog?

Check out these products!

Publisher: Miriam Wiegel mwiegel@petcompanionmag.com Editor: Chris Rose editor@petcompanionmag.com Social Media: Alicia Bailey abailey@petcompanionmag.com Advertising Sales: sales@petcompanionmag.com Magazines are available throughout Southern California, including San Diego, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, Orange Counties, the Coachella Valley, Mountain resorts and the High Desert.

Visit our website for a list of locations.

Published three times a year.

Spring: March—June Summer: July—October Winter: November—February

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 64 Local Pet Businesses Are Counting on You

SCAN THIS TO 6

[ column ] 6 Boogie Shoes: Two Times the Fun

32

56

READ THIS ISSUE ONLINE!

TRAINING 32 5 Tips for Stress-Free Walks 48 Got 5 Minutes? It’s Time to Train!

56 AKC Online Dog Activities

Connect with us Editorial photos © stock.adobe.com unless otherwise noted.

52

[ features ] 8 Staying at Home?

Motivate Your Pet 24 Hanging Ten with Legendary Surf Dog Ricochet 44 Understanding Pet Food Labels 52 Getting the Best Shots With Your Phone

[ events ]

Check our website or social media for events.

16 .ORGS 16 Filly Emmylou Fits Right In at War Horse Creek 58 San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife

Gives Wild Animals a Second Chance

www.petcompanionmag.com facebook/petcompanionmagazine instagram: petcompanionmagazine twitter: PetCompMagz

65 Business Resource Listings Visit our website or the digital magazine for additional resources in your area.

58

Pet Companion Magazine (PCM) and its publisher assume no responsibility for changes, omissions or errors contained in this publication. Advertising in Pet Companion Magazine does not indicate an endorsement

by PCM or its publisher. PCM assumes no responsibility for opinions of contributors nor do the opinions expressed by contributors necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the publisher. DPC is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos, which must be accompanied by return postage and envelope.

No part of Pet Companion Magazine may be reprinted or copied without express, written permission. www.PetCompanionMag.com www.Desert PetCompanion.com Pet Companion Magazine is published by Desert Pet Companion ©2020/2021 by Desert Pet Companion.

All rights reserved.

Editorial Office: 760-835-0369 Desert Pet Companion Magazine 1717 E Vista Chino, A7-409 Palm Springs, CA 92262

For advertising information, call: 760-835-0369

[ column: boogie shoes]

Two Times the Fun

By Boogie Shoes

I

PHOTO COURTESY @TWOBLINDTABBIES

f you are a regular reader of our magazine, you may remember one of our past cover cats, Charlie. Charlie has no eyes but has been incredibly resilient, growing into an amazing feline. In February of 2020, Charlie’s mom Royce was tagged in a Facebook post asking for help for a blind kitty found in South Los Angeles.

The little kitten in need was only a few days old, had ulcerated eyes, and had been rejected by her mother and other siblings in the litter. So, while the family huddled together in the storage shed, this kitten was abandoned outside, alone. Royce knew she was meant to help this kitten. She reached out to the poster on Facebook and the rescue organization in charge and said she wanted to adopt this kitten, who reminded her so much of Charlie.

Once the kitten was safe at the veterinarian’s office, it was determined that her eyes were too damaged to save, so they had to be removed. Royce welcomed the new kitten home, named her Cherry, and started her on her path to recovery. Cherry proved rather quickly that not having eyes wasn’t going to squelch her curiosity, and her spunky and loving personality blossomed.

She loves being outside, playing in the grass, and walking on a leash.

These days, Cherry and Charlie are living their very best lives. They are not typical house cats, but rather adventure cats. They hike, kayak, camp, and do everything their mom and dog siblings do. You can follow their adventures on Instagram at @twoblindtabbies.

When their mom Royce was asked what inspired her to include them in her outdoor adventures, she said, “Why not? I wanted them to have as much enrichment as they could and enjoy every minute of their lives.”

PHOTO COURTESY @TWOBLINDTABBIES

6 petcompanionmag.com

BOOGIE SHOES is a two-pound Chihuahua with cerebellar hypoplasia, a neurological condition that challenges his motor skills and gives him his “boogie.”

Despite his disability, he is thriving and living his best life. @littleboogieshoes

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Urban Myths Debunked Parasites & Your Pets Spot the Signs of Animal Hoarding Beat the Heat Moving Tips Chef Boogie’s Summer Snack Attack Recipes Couch Potato Training

Charlie

PLUS: EVENTS, TRAINING, GROOMING, DAYCARE & BOARDING RESOURCES

READ CHARLIE’S STORY ONLINE SUMMER 2019:

BIT.LY/PCM_SUMMER2019

These days, Cherry and Charlie are living their very best lives.

They are not typical house cats, but rather adventure cats.

PHOTO COURTESY @TWOBLINDTABBIES

petcompanionmag.com 7

[ feature]

Staying at Home?

Motivate Your Pet Article and photography by Anabel Dflux

T

he COVID-19 lockdown orders sent many pet parents into a tizzy. Owners were now spending 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with their furry loved ones, and it soon became apparent that it was up to them to keep the pets active and engaged. Where dogs and cats once napped the day away or played at a daycare while their owners were at work, now they could attach to their humans all day long!

8 petcompanionmag.com

And with that, it was time to get creative.

Here are some clever and fun ways to stimulate your pet while you’re in lockdown mode.

1.

New Tricks, New Tricks!

When in doubt, turn to new tricks!

Teaching your pet something new is a great way to mentally stimulate them while solidifying your bond. Dazzle your friends when lockdown ends by teaching your dog to spin, your cat to play agility, or your parrot to say a new phrase. This rewarding endeavor can eat up quite a bit of time each day, and the mental energy expended will put your furry or feathered friend right to sleep.

With the internet at our disposal, a slew of free education resources exist on YouTube, pet websites, and more. A quick internet search should lead you right to various stepby-step guides, so you certainly don’t need to be an expert dog trainer.

A big trick is to pick the right treat for training your dog. “High-value treats” is a common term used among dog trainers.

High-value treats are goodies that the pet finds irresistible, making them a great motivator to get your pet to do what you want.

2.

Get Creative at Walk Time

For dog owners, a walk is a very big deal and a great way to tire out a furry friend. But walking in the same direction and passing the same things every day can very easily become boring, for both you and your dog.

Get creative at walk time! Take your dog on a new route (preferably one with minimal foot traffic) or practice commands during the walk. Walks are the perfect time for practicing heeling commands and exploring new parts of the neighborhood, so add both to your regular walk routine to spice things up. (Editor’s note: See article in this issue, 5 Tips for Stress-Free Walks, on page 32.)

The new routes also have an added bonus of helping your dog understand where “home” is. The more routes you take around the neighborhood, the better oriented your dog will be—this can be a big help if the unthinkable happens and your dog gets loose outside.

3.

Try Some Nose/Scent Work

TRICKS!

Some easy tricks you can teach your pup include Spin, Bow, Rollover, and Touch!

FOR SPIN, grab a high-value treat and show your dog to get his interest. Then, proceed by slowly moving the treat around behind him so that he is encouraged to follow with his body (effectively doing a spin).

As your dog spins, clearly say the word you wish to associate with this command, like “Spin.”

When your dog has managed to spin the entire way around, give him the reward. Do this several times. Eventually, your pup will associate the word with the action.

FOR BOW, while your dog is standing, use your high-value treat and slowly move it to the floor right in front of their feet.

Most dogs will keep their butts up in the air and bow down on their front legs. This is exactly what you want! As your dog does this, use your command word “Bow” and let him have the treat.

FOR ROLLOVER, your dog must first know how to lie down.

As the dog is in a down position, slowly swirl the treat over your pup’s head in circular motions while clearly saying “Rollover.”

Your pup will be inclined to roll over as his eyes follow that treat.

FOR TOUCH, sit in front of your pup with a high-value treat.

Hold up your hand and touch the open palm to their nose, saying the command, “Touch.”

Practice this a few times, then hold up your hand and ask your dog to touch. This trick is also very useful for training other tricks and ensuring that your pup is focused on you.

Nose work—or “scent work,” depending on the program you follow—is

petcompanionmag.com 9

[ feature] an awesome game to play. Adapted from the training of dogs to search for bombs and narcotics, this game requires the dog to find a scent and alert you to its position. In the actual sport, dogs search for different wood smells (such as birch).

Although they do sell scent work kits online, if you just want to play with your dog, you can hide treats in a room and have your dog look for them! Make sure to hide treats in a safe place, somewhere your dog cannot get accidentally hurt in their pursuit. As well, don’t get too complicated with a hiding spot when you’re first starting out. You want the dog to be successful, especially in the beginning.

For training, you want your dog to alert

4.

Most of us remember all too well the alarming toilet paper shortage we faced at the beginning of the lockdown.

Thankfully, the crisis seems to have passed, and thank goodness, because did you know that the cardboard toilet roll tubes can be an endless form of entertainment for pets? There are so many games you can play with a stack of empty toilet rolls!

You can hide treats in the tubes for the scent work practice. Try creating a design on the ground by standing empty tubes upright, and hide a treat in one of them. Let the dog run over and sniff until he finds it!

You can cut a small hole in a toilet paper roll tube, run a string through it, and make a new bouncy toy for your cat—one that won’t frustrate you when it is ultimately destroyed.

And while you’re saving your empty toilet paper rolls, hang onto some of those cardboard boxes all your online purchases come in, too. Cats love to play in cardboard boxes, so use yours to build a small castle or fort for your kitty to hide in.

For dogs, make a cardboard box tunnel and teach them to go through it—call it living room agility training!

5. you to where the item is located, so be sure to make a big fuss when your pup finds the hidden goodies so he gets the idea that he’s rewarded for letting you in on the discovery.

Nose work training has many benefits besides just being a fun game to play during quarantine. Dogs engage their brains tremendously in the sport, and they burn a lot of energy doing so (a tired dog is a good dog!). Shy or fearful dogs build confidence, and overactive dogs put their energy into fun searches. Countless rescue pups whose owners have put them in nose work classes have found a new confidence that really allows the pup to thrive. As well, the dog and owner now become a great team that learns to observe, understand, and rely on each other.

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Toilet Roll Tubes

AKC Virtual Titling and Challenges

The American Kennel Club (AKC) has found a way to replace traditional dog shows and sporting events that were halted because of COVID-19—with AKC-official virtual sports! You and your dog can now earn various AKC titles completely

Did you know that cardboard toilet roll tubes can be an endless form of entertainment for pets?

online, through a new AKC virtual titling program. Just film yourself competing in a sport with your dog at home and have it reviewed and approved by an AKCapproved Canine Good Citizen (CGC) evaluator. You can search for a CGC evaluator in your area on the AKC website, akc.org, where you’ll also find all the rules and requirements for earning AKC titles virtually.

Virtual Top Dog Challenge:

The AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge is an online conformation event for AKC-recognized breeds, as well as the Miscellaneous class. This program is for individuals who want to try the sport of conformation (and don’t know where to start) or for those that just miss the thrill of a good conformation show!

To help you and your dog be successful in the programs described here, AKC also provides virtual classes taught by certified AKC trainers to help you through each sport. Visit akc.org for all the information to get started. (Editor’s note: See article in this issue about AKC Online Dog Activities on page 56.)

Even while we’re all locking down and social distancing, you don’t have to isolate yourself or your dog. The silver lining to this difficult COVID-19 situation is that creative pet owners are coming up with all these new ideas for fun and games. Every activity enhances the bond between you and your pet, so take advantage of your time at home and have some fun with your best friend!

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[ health]

Elbow Hygromas in Dogs

By Robert Reed, DVM, MSES, MPA, Certified California Naturalist VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital

skin created by chronic irritation. In some cases, a callus can add protection to a sensitive area by strengthening the skin.

But the presence of a callus on the elbow is a reminder that your dog has been putting too much weight there, and may therefore, be prone to a hygroma. Hygromas often form beneath calluses.

In its early development, a hygroma is just a soft swelling over the point of a bone, and if it stayed at that stage, it might

not be a problem. Complications arise when a hygroma ruptures, essentially creating an open sore that is easily infected. If it’s on the elbow, the wound gets repeatedly broken open by flexion and extension of the joint, which, in turn, creates discomfort and incites persistent licking that further inhibits healing.

If infection develops, some form of surgery usually becomes necessary. The exact nature of the surgery depends on MERCKÂ MANUAL Veterinary Manual

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Hygroma, dog

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hygroma is a condition with simple origins that can lead to complicated problems. Fortunately, with a little understanding, you can learn to recognize the early signs and take measures to prevent a potentially painful condition for your dog and a huge headache for yourself.

A hygroma is a pocket of fluid that develops under the skin over a protuberance of bone. In dogs we see them over the hips, hocks (ankles), and elbows. Elbow hygromas are the most common and also the most challenging.

We usually see elbow hygromas in large, short-coated dogs. They seem to occur more frequently in summer, probably because hot weather encourages dogs to rest on cooler (and harder) surfaces, like tile or concrete. If a dog likes to rest on his elbow, as many do, the pressure of his weight concentrates on the elbow, where he has little natural padding. When that pressure is placed against a hard surface it creates inflammation in the tissue overlying the elbow, which, subsequently, stimulates fluid effusion that develops into a bubble under the skin.

A hygroma is different from a callus.

A callus is a hairless area of thickened

COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG/WIKI/FILE:DOGHYGROMA.JPG

A

petcompanionmag.com 13

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[ health] the degree of the problem and the opinion of your veterinarian.

All hygroma surgeries should be considered with caution, however, since getting the surgical site to heal can be a painstaking process for the same reasons that led to condition in the first place.

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The presence of a callus on the elbow is a reminder that your dog has been putting too much weight there, and may therefore, be prone to a hygroma. can create frustrating post-surgical complications, but failing to resolve an ulcerated hygroma allows a potentially dangerous infection to persist.

At this later stage no simple answers exist, and it’s easy to see the rewards of early intervention.

Effective prevention often requires a protective padded bandage, which, on the elbow, can be tricky to maintain. Fortunately, many companies are now offering padded bandages for dogs that can be purchased online.

An internet search should provide several options. For bandaging the elbow, the best ones have some form of over-the-shoulder support to keep the bandage from slipping down.

Choose the one you think your dog (and your wallet) will most comfortably tolerate.

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[ orgs]

Emmylou loves the days when veterans are here, loves learning new things, and as she matures, is becoming more focused on the task at hand.

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By Randall Harris Living Free Animal Sanctuary

E

COURTESY LIVING FREE ANIMAL SANCTUARY

Filly Emmylou Fits Right In at War Horse Creek

mmylou is a three-year-old filly from the Devil’s Garden Herd Management Area in the Modoc National Forest of northeastern California. She was born in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding pens in 2017 and was adopted out as a weanling (a term used to describe a young horse that has just been weaned, usually between 6 months and 1 year old). Her original adopters were unable to keep her, and she was returned to BLM Ridgecrest when she was a long yearling (between 1 and 2 years old). The day after she was returned,  members of our War Horse Creek team happened to arrive to BLM Ridgecrest, planning to adopt two mustangs to gentle for our program. petcompanionmag.com 17

[ orgs]

kind to her, and she was well-adjusted, with the amiable temperament that Devil’s Garden mustangs are known for.

We spent the next day or so observing and selecting two geldings (who are now known as Hawkeye and Trapper), but we couldn’t forget the little filly in the front pens. Ray Barmore, the War Horse Creek Equine Trainer and Manager, mentioned that maybe we’d be back for her in the next couple of weeks, to which Grant replied, “She won’t be here long. She’s a great little horse. Someone will take her.”

We had room in our trailer, so we decided to adopt her that day. We couldn’t have made a better decision. We are grateful for Grant’s subtle salesmanship. He was exactly right—Emmylou has turned out to be a perfect fit for our program.

Emmylou has a confident, mischievous, curious nature. When she was younger, she enjoyed untying visitor’s boots, playing

COURTESY LIVING FREE ANIMAL SANCTUARY

Our War Horse Creek program is an immersive, comprehensive reintegration and life skills training program using rescued wild mustangs to assist veterans in their transition from military to civilian life. Operated out of the Living Free Animal Sanctuary in Mountain Center, California, our “Collaborative Horsemanship” training model has been designed specifically for veterans. The training concept takes a page out of the military playbook, including immersion and a program that will prepare veterans for a successful return to civilian life and their new role.

Even though our War Horse Creek team was looking for geldings that day, Grant Lockie, the Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals Manager, made sure to introduce us to Emmylou, sensing she would be a good fit for our program. Her original adopters had obviously been very

18 petcompanionmag.com

with hair ribbons, and pulling things out of their pockets. She has matured and no longer does those things, but still loves the attention and connection with humans.

Emmylou is now almost 16 hands (or 64 inches tall) and will keep growing for the next year or two. Her size and athleticism combined with her gentle, curious nature make her a perfect horse for groundwork training with veterans.

Before we started having veterans work Emmylou, our team members Dena Barmore and Amara Wilson did a lot of groundwork with her, channeling that youthful energy into a happily working, engaged horse. She is now very polite and well behaved (most of the time) but still maintains her curiosity and willingness to collaborate.

Ray was patient in preparing her to ride, and that paid off, too. The first time he got in the saddle, she didn’t seem to mind at all. She was just trying to figure out how to balance his weight. Once she mastered that, she stepped off down the trail like she’d been doing it all her life. Since then, Ray has put more than 60 rides on her, and she’s rarely, if ever, made a bad step. She’s learned to trust Ray’s guidance and remains curious but not fearful as she faces new challenges—barking dogs, heavy machinery doing road work, and rattlesnakes beside the trail. Emmylou handles new experiences with the same confidence she had when she poked her nose through the rails at BLM to say hello.

She continues to learn and improve with every ride.

As for working with the veterans, she is a perfect ambassador. Her size can be intimidating, but her curious, gentle nature is disarming, and vets connect very quickly. Emmylou loves the days when veterans are here, loves learning new things, and as she matures, is becoming more focused on the task at hand. As Ray Barmore says, “She’s been a delight and joy to bring along, and is understanding her job more and more each day.”

We thank Grant Lockie for the introduction, and Ray and Dena Barmore, and Amara Wilson for demonstrating that our Collaborative Horsemanship training is very beneficial for both vets and mustangs.

[ health]

Need Urgent Care?

By Phil Caldwell Medical Director of Urgent Care at VCA Desert Animal Hospital

I

t’s 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. You’re home but doesn’t have a scheduled appointment. from work early and you reward yourIn these days of COVID-19, veterinary self by settling in front of the TV. You appointments can be difficult to get, can’t wait to catch up on all your favorite with the soonest availability sometimes shows, completely uninterrupted. You weeks away. A lot of clinics have cut sink back into the couch and put your feet back on their hours or, because of the up. Click the remote and pull up Netflix. new protocols, they’ve lengthened their Suddenly, your blissful calm is broken by appointment times and consequently are the sound of gagging and vomiting. You seeing fewer appointments in a day. This drag yourself out of your comfort zone may be fine if you have a two-year-old and investigate the source. In Golden Retriever who needs the kitchen is Snowball, updated vaccines, but it’s In these days of your beautiful 12-yearan entirely different COVID-19, veterinary old Persian, who is situation for a tenprojectile barfing year-old German appointments can be up last night’s Shepherd who difficult to get, with the tuna entrée. She suddenly can’t soonest availability doesn’t look so walk. good, and you’re Not all clinics sometimes weeks away. We worried. You offer urgent want to provide high-quality think your best care services care for animals that need friend should and, even if you go to the vet, but show up at their it—and need it right away finding care at the doorstep, you may when an appointment last minute might be be turned away and is not available. challenging … and is it referred to an emergency really an emergency? clinic, usually VCA Valley Snowball is a good example in Indio. This may not be close of an urgent care case. By definition, an enough, especially if you live in Desert urgent care case is a patient that needs to Hot Springs and you’ve got a dog who be seen right away, usually the same day, ate leftover stroganoff that is taking the

“

”

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fast route through the intestines. To meet the needs of this type of situation, VCA Desert recently opened up their urgent care services. We want to provide high-quality care for animals that need it—and need it right away when an appointment is not available. Our service runs from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Here’s how it works.

If your pet is sick and you feel that it needs to be seen right away, then come to VCA Desert and park in one of the designated URGENT CARE spaces in front of the hospital. Then you send a text with the letter that is on the sign in front of you and let them know what designated space you’re in. A customer service representative (CSR) calls you and, if you’re an existing client, the CSR checks you in; or, if you’re a new client, the CSR gets all the necessary information first before checking you in. Then a technician calls you and discusses the medical history and why you’re concerned about your pet’s health. After all that information is recorded, he or she comes out and retrieves your pet. Please make sure that dogs are on leashes, cats are in carriers, and you’re wearing a mask.

The technician brings the pet inside the clinic for a process called triage.

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E R W Anim CA O N esert T N E AD C G V R U E Hos P O al

[ health]

This is a determination of how sick your pet is and how quickly it needs to be seen. True emergencies such as hit-bycar, seizure, difficulty breathing cases, or sudden collapse for any reason are seen immediately. Serious cases such as cats that can’t urinate, actively bleeding wounds, or moderate to severe pain for any reason are seen right away. Euthanasias also go straight to the top of the priority list. Ear infections, wounds, or acute onset of vomiting or diarrhea are next on the list, and then finally, chronic issues, such as diabetes management, arthritis, or lumps that “just popped up”—these, too, are regarded as important, but have a lower priority. With cases being prioritized by urgency, it’s possible that one pet that came in at 4 p.m. may be seen by a doctor as soon as it comes through the door, while another pet arriving at the same time may not be seen until 7 p.m. Currently, there is only one urgent care doctor available, so it’s necessary to use this prioritizing approach rather than a “first come, first served” approach. If you arrive and are told there is a wait, it simply means the staff is attending to more critical pets.

After your pet is examined, the doctor calls you and discusses the case. This discussion likely includes the past medical history, the physical exam findings, the possible reasons why the pet is sick and a plan moving forward, which may or may not include diagnostics. The doctor relays the information to a technician who then puts together a “treatment plan.” This is a list of items that the doctor recommends to either diagnose the condition, treat the condition, or both, as well as the final cost.

The technician calls you back and if the plan is agreed upon, then the technicians do what is required.

In most cases, treating even the simplest of illnesses can take some time, especially with the added precautions for guarding against COVID-19. The technician should give you a good idea of how long everything will take after the treatment plan is discussed but, in most cases, it’s best to leave the pet with us and we’ll call you when everything is done. I assure you that the staff works very hard to not keep pets any longer than needed, but sometimes it can be several hours, so we 22 petcompanionmag.com

do appreciate clients being patient and understanding.

When you come back to the clinic for pickup, you text the urgent care number again. A technician or the CSR comes out to your vehicle, processes your payment, and brings out your pet. Don’t forget to ask about a recheck appointment if one was recommended. It’s best to set that up before you leave rather than calling back at a later date.

What happens if you have an urgent care case at 9 a.m.? You can still bring your pet down to the clinic to be seen, and one of the day-shift doctors may be able to do an examination based on the availability within their schedule. Sometimes, this may happen right away, but your pet could also be waiting several hours until urgent care opens up at 4 p.m. Of course, if it’s a true emergency, you don’t even need to call; just come by, and we’ll triage your pet and let you know how quickly it will be seen.

Unfortunately, we do not yet offer urgent care hours on the weekend. However, just like during the weekdays before 4 p.m., you can come by and one of the doctors may be able to see you based on the triage process and availability.

There is a chance that you might be told that urgent care staff is not taking any more patients for the day. This is something we try very hard to avoid, but it can happen if either we have too many critical patients to deal with, or it’s too close to closing time and there isn’t enough time to get everything done before the end of the shift. In these cases, you should be offered

Emergency Checklist Planning helps you react quickly in case of an emergency. These items should be within easy reach to bring along:

Closest after-hours emergency

clinic -Phone number -Location Medical records Pet carrier Collar & Leash

options—to either make an appointment, come back in the morning and see if the general practice can see your pet, or wait until urgent care opens up again the next evening. The emergency clinic in Indio is always open, too, if you need immediate care. If your pet’s condition is deemed an emergency, we will stabilize your pet and communicate with the staff at VCA Valley to continue the care there. We don’t provide transport so you would be responsible for getting your pet to Indio.

We hope that our new urgent care program provides a valuable service to the community. We strive to offer the best care at affordable prices and hope to expand this service in the future. We realize there are plenty of challenges during this time of COVID-19—finding compassionate care for your pet shouldn’t be one of them.

VCA Desert Animal Hospital is located at 4299 Ramon Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92264 vcahospitals.com/desert (760) 778-9999

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[ feature]

Hanging Ten with Legendary Surf Dog Ricochet

By Beth Fhaner

T

he award-winning surf dog Ricochet is well known around Southern California and beyond—she was one of the original San Diego surf dogs, a founding member of the dog surfing circuit, earning several accolades along the way and even appearing in the 2019 SuperPower Dogs IMAX movie. Although Ricochet no longer surfs competitively, the beloved golden retriever continues to catch waves and share good vibes as a surfing therapy dog. For more than a decade now, Ricochet has helped to heal and transform the lives of countless wounded

Links:

warriors and veterans with PTSD, children with special needs, and many other people with disabilities. As a canine ambassador for adaptive surfers, the registered and certified goal-directed therapy dog continues to inspire through her powerful healing work. We recently caught up with Judy Fridono, Ricochet’s owner, to find out what this champion surf dog has been up to lately.

Has Ricochet been able to continue working as a therapy dog during the global pandemic?

For the first two months of the shutdown, we stayed

home as directed. At that point, we created a stress-reducing page on her website. At the same time, we started providing Zoom visits for doctors, nurses, first responders, other essential workers, and the families of those who lost a loved one to the virus. From there, we created Zoom visits for kids.

After two months, we started outdoor “house visits” because Ricochet needed physical contact with people and vice versa. Then we also incorporated distance-learning.

Can you tell us about the Waves of Empowerment

WEBSITE: surfdogricochet.com/virtualcaninetherapy.html

24 petcompanionmag.com

program that brings veterans together with children who have special needs?

Waves of Empowerment brings together veterans with kids who have special needs.

The veteran is a mentor for a day and the kids get their own hero for a day. They are matched one-on-one for the activities of the day. The veteran benefits because they are often lost after coming home and retiring from the service after they’ve been serving their country for years. This gives them the opportunity to be of service again. Both veterans with PTSD and kids with

FaceTime: surfdogricochet.com/healingviafacetime.html

As a therapy dog, how does Ricochet help to heal and transform people’s lives?

She’s very beneficial in the recovery process of someone who has experienced trauma.

She makes immediate, very deep connections with people.

She is able to go past the outward facade and reach a person’s soul. As such, the healing is deeper and more successful.

What could take a counselor

PHOTO COURTESY WWW.PAWMAZING.COM

PHOTO COURTESY WWW.PAWMAZING.COM

autism or other special needs often have the same social anxiety. So, bringing them into an environment where everyone is equal and non-judgmental is very empowering.

or psychiatrist months or even years to uncover, Ricochet can do in one visit.

When she’s working with veterans, she also does what I call metaphorical behavior, where she shows me what a person is feeling through her behavior. This gives the veteran an opportunity to see something tangible to validate their emotions that aren’t tangible. I have many veterans tell me Ricochet is the only one who believes her. She validates their emotions, she believes them, and she goes into their world, as opposed to asking a veteran with PTSD to function in our world after having to be

Kids: surfdogricochet.com/activitieswithricochet.html Distance Learninng: surfdogricochet.com/distancelearning.html

hypervigilant 24/7 like on the battlefield. Dogs are hypervigilant by nature, so the veteran can watch Ricochet’s behavior in response to a change in the environment. If the behavior is subtle, like a flick of an ear or a turn of the head, there is no perceived threat in the environment. But, if she does something like stand up from a laying down position, something more has come into the environment and the veteran can respond to it.

She also alerts to their triggers, pain, anxiety, and other emotions, so the veteran can assess the situation or take a moment to check in with

themselves to see what she is alerting to.

Of all the people that Ricochet has helped heal over the years, are there any individuals whose healing journeys have really stood out to you?

The one that stands out the most is the first person Ricochet ever surfed with, and that is Patrick Ivison. He was 14 years old when we met him.

It was after a year of conflict between me and Ricochet.

I wanted her to be a service dog, and she wasn’t interested. The day we were getting together for Ricochet to surf

Visits: surfdogricochet.com/curbsidecomfort.html petcompanionmag.com 25

[ feature]

PHOTO COURTESY WWW.PAWMAZING.COM

beside Patrick, a quadriplegic adaptive surfer, was meant for a visual for the fundraiser we were doing for Patrick’s recovery. They were pushed on a couple waves next to each other a few times, and then one time Ricochet jumped off her board onto Patrick’s. She was so happy and was finally able to show me what she is on this earth to do. From that moment forward, I stopped wanting her to be something she wasn’t and allowed her to be who she really is. I’ve nurtured her natural abilities, and she became a very powerful healer. That day was the springboard to the rest of her life of healing others.

What do you think it is about Ricochet that makes her able to connect so deeply with individuals from different backgrounds?

She’s incredibly intuitive.

She also takes responsibility for a person. So, if there is a perceived threat in the environment, she will alert to it. Many times, the person isn’t even aware there is a trigger. I also

think me nurturing her natural abilities has helped a lot. Plus, I’m able to understand what she is communicating. Dogs are always communicating with us, we just have to listen.

Often, we think their behavior

able to give me an answer.

They say things like “Ricochet is ahead of science” or “She made me a believer, but I don’t have a scientific answer.” So, I honestly don’t know how she does what she does. It’s very powerful, though!

is misbehavior, but most of the time they are actually trying to communicate something.

I have spoken with many scientists trying to figure out how Ricochet does what she does. None of them have been

What’s been the greatest joy for you as the owner of Ricochet?

Learning so much from her and being able to help others because of it.

Although Ricochet no longer surfs competitively, the beloved golden retriever continues to catch waves and share good vibes as a surfing therapy dog.

26 petcompanionmag.com

PHOTO COURTESY WWW.PAWMAZING.COM

Any final thoughts to share about Ricochet and the healing work she performs?

I believe all dogs are capable of what Ricochet does. Don’t get me wrong, she’s definitely a special dog, but if we nurture our dog’s natural tendencies, we will have a much deeper relationship with them.

For more info on Ricochet: surfdogricochet.com Follow Ricochet on social media: instagram.com/ surfdogricochet/, facebook. com/SurfDogRicochet

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Available in fashionable solids and outrageous patterns.

Anti-pill fleece and summerweight fabrics are washable, fade-resistant and lovingly handcrafted in SoCal. Fully lined interior cradles your pet, providing comfort and security, and the reflective webbed handle allows for easy lifting.

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Little Boogie Shoes & Bust A. Moves 2021 Calendar

The Boogie & Buster 2021 Calendar will warm your heart and put a smile on your face. In this year’s edition, social media sensation Little Boogie Shoes introduces the world to his new adopted brother, Bust A. Moves. Both dogs are adopted and have neurological conditions that impair their ability to walk, but that doesn’t stop these two wobbly guys from living their best life and inspiring others to consider pet adoption. Learn more about Boogie & Buster at littleboogieshoes.com and be sure to follow them both on Facebook and Instagram at @littleboogieshoes and @bust.a.moves littleboogieshoes.com 28 petcompanionmag.com

Cute Dog Wear

Lucy Pet Kettle Creations™, stews

are like homemade meals for your best friend. Crafted in small batches and slow-cooked, our special recipes feature cage-free, growth hormonefree, boneless chicken, duck, and salmon. Fresh pumpkin and other vegetables support healthy digestion.

Our Stew recipes have a scrumptious gravy that will satisfy even the pickiest dogs and cats. We offer a variety of formulas with unique consistencies, ranging from an extra meaty texture to a hearty stew, to a pleasing soup that will have your pet licking their lips. Complete and Balanced, you can serve as a full meal or add to Lucy Pet Foods dry formulas. We offer grainfree formulas and also formulas with wholesome whole grains. Available in select Independent Pet Stores, Amazon and lucypetfoods.com.

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Mjau Home makes beautiful, modern cat furniture

that doesn’t look like cat furniture. You can customize the height and orientation of their Cube modules, which are offered with two base styles (contemporary and midcentury) and five cushion colors to suit your home’s decor and kitty’s coat. Their pieces are built to last a lifetime, with replaceable soft surfaces and accessories like cardboard scratcher inserts.

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Charlee Bear’s Grain Free Meaty Bites

These raw, freeze-dried meat treats are comprised of only two wholesome ingredients: a protein and a fruit or vegetable, plus added probiotics! Made in the USA by a family-owned company, these natural treats do not contain any soy, grains, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

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[ product guide]

Big Barker Dog Bed

Made in the USA, the Big Barker Dog Bed is the first therapeutic mattress designed, tested, and proven to help big dogs lead long, activated, quality lives.

The Big Barker bed is uniquely engineered to keep dogs youthful for longer and bring older dogs back to their best.

In a clinical study by the University of Pennsylvania, owners reported that the Big Barker bed reduced joint pain, and improved joint function & gait in large dogs with arthritis. bigbarker.com

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A large selection of harnesses, face masks, toys, travel gear and more.

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cat toy that cats go crazy for! Cats will love the realistic looking fish that flips and flops its tailfin just like a real fish out of water! It’s touch activated motor flips the fish’s tail when cats start playing with it. The action automatically stops when cats stop playing. But the fun can last for hours!

The 11.5-in. size is perfect for cats who love to hug and kick. Flippin’ Fish is rechargeable and includes a USB charging cable so it’s always charged and ready for kitty. Also included is a bag of catnip for even more fun. Zipper closure on the belly makes it easy to add the catnip bag and allows for removal of the durable outer skin for cleaning. ethicalpet.com

30 petcompanionmag.com

Functional, Fashionable, Fun!

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[ training]

5 TIPS for Stress-Free Walks

By Lori Carman VSPDT, Dream Dogs

Y

our daily dog walks should be peaceful, a time to relax and

enjoy the outdoors with your pup. But not every walk goes as planned—you can’t control

The more exercise your dog gets, the more calm and attentive he’ll be.

everything and everyone you may come across, and sometimes, even your dog may challenge you with her own behavior. Want to make your daily walks just a bit easier?

Consider these tips before you head out with your furry friend.

32 petcompanionmag.com

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[ training]

1 WALK AWARE Be on the lookout for cats, birds and small animals, other dogs, and toddlers who could get knocked over by a high-energy pooch. Ask for your dog’s attention, or cross the street or wait out of sight behind a parked car if needed.

USE THE BEST EQUIPMENT

2

Walks should be enjoyable and pain free, for both you and your dog. Use humane, no-pull equipment that employs natural counterbalance approaches to curb pulling without the use of pain or the risk of tracheal damage. There are many choices on the market these days. Ask a positive reinforcement trainer to help you choose the option best suited to your dog’s body and snout shape, as well as her pulling behavior and intensity.

4 WALK PREPARED Carry treats or a favorite toy to reward pleasing manners like sitting at curbs, not barking at other dogs, not chasing birds, polite greetings of friendly humans, and loose-leash walking.

Any behavior you reinforce is going to happen more often. In other words: If you like it, reward it.

34 petcompanionmag.com

3

WALK OFTEN

If your dog’s workout regiment amounts to a stroll around the block twice a day, surplus energy and understimulation will make it tough for him to behave when you take him out and about. The remedy? Amp it up. Find ways to allow him offleash runs or playtime with other dogs, throw balls or Frisbees, take long hikes, hire a dog walker, or use a doggie daycare. The more exercise your dog gets, the more calm and attentive he’ll be.

GET HELP

If your dog is very challenging to walk, consider hiring a trainer to help you—or, if you’re already working with a trainer, ask his or her advice. With a little help and some practice, your walks can be a picture of interspecies harmony!

5

Lori Wainio-Carman, VSPDT, professional dog trainer and owner of Dream Dogs, has been successfully training for more than 20 years. Positively.com, dreamdogs.com, 760-899-7272

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[ cover story]

Antonio Ballatore: Happier Pets 36 petcompanionmag.com

By Design

By Anabel Dflux

PHOTO: ARI MICHELSON @ARIANDLOUISE WWW.ARIANDLOUISE.COM

F

ans can’t get enough of Animal Planet’s hit show, Animal Cribs.

The show—a unique combination of high-end design and a deep love of animals—depicts professional designer Antonio Ballatore creating extravagant living spaces with four-legged family members in mind. His mission? To create environments that will allow families and their animals to live together in harmony.

Growing up in Manhattan, Antonio didn’t imagine he’d become a designer— he wanted to be a rock star. His parents Tony and Virginia were both artists who met at The School of Industrial Arts in New York City. His father was well known in the fabric and design industry and created many of the window displays along Fifth Avenue as the creative director for such internationally recognized companies as Zafero Studios, Henri Bendel, and Saks Fifth Avenue. When Antonio’s father bought a home in upstate New York, his family raised ducks, goats, and rabbits— but not in any basic hutches or boring goat houses. These animals were housed in plush accommodations, thanks to his dad’s love for style. Looking back, that was surely a hint of what was to come for Antonio.

Between musical gigs in the 1990s— playing bass, guitar and singing in New York punk rock bands—Antonio spent time learning how to build homes. This experience led him to design restaurants and clubs in Manhattan, and he became the creative genius behind the set design for hundreds of ad campaigns, television, movies and fashion spreads, as well as sets for world-famous photographers, including Annie Leibovitz and David LaChapelle.

He ultimately moved to the West Coast, settling in Los Angeles.

In an unexpected turn of events, Ballatore found himself competing in Season 4 of HGTV’s design competition show Design Star, putting his eye for design to the test. He took the top prize, and throughout the competition, Antonio’s love for animals always shone through.

After winning Design Star, he hosted his own show on the channel, The Antonio Project, and his charming 85-pound bulldog Chewie—who passed away in 2017—made frequent guest appearances

petcompanionmag.com 37

[ cover story] and became a celebrity in his own right. With every design on The Antonio Project, Antonio would always throw in something special for the homeowner’s pets—and that’s what inspired producers from Animal Planet to propose his latest television show, Animal Cribs.

With the success of the show, Antonio was inspired to start his own line of merchandise— Born With a Tail. It’s Antonio’s personal creative outlet that mixes his love for animals and eye for design. His line of

in production knew me from working on set (I design sets for photographers such as David LaChapelle, Amy Leibovitz, and Mark Seliger), and she sent photos and a short writeup in without even telling me. The production company saw it and asked to talk to me. I honestly didn’t know what it was. I watched a YouTube video on some of the Design Star shows, and I thought, “Oh, I can do that!” I went in blindly, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. I went in just hoping not to go home first

Antonio and Chewie products include apparel for humans and their pets, dog and cat accessories, kitchenware and more.

As he was in the middle of packing up to move to a new home in Los Angeles, Antonio took the time to speak to Pet Companion Magazine.

Many people know you from your television shows, Animal Cribs, The Antonio Project, and, of course, Design Star. How did you get started on this amazing career path?

It’s funny, I really didn’t even know about Design Star.

A good friend of mine who is

38 petcompanionmag.com

… and I ended up winning it!

It’s crazy how I got drawn into the whole thing.

From Design Star, you went onto Animal Cribs on Animal Planet. How did that transition from designing for people to designing for pets come about?

First, I was on the competition show Design Star, and after I won, they gave me my own show, The Antonio Treatment. In The Antonio Treatment, I would always roll with my bulldog Chewie and, in all the rooms I designed, if people had pets, I always did a little something for their pet.

An Animal Cribs goat episode brought back memories for Antonio, who grew up around goats.

It might be a crazy little dog house in the home or some cat tree I would build. It was always a secondary thing, just a little bonus thing that I would throw in. Some producers did a little research and heard about me and how I took my dog with me, as well as all of the animal stuff I did. We met, we talked, and we came up with Animal Cribs. It evolved into what you see now!

It’s the perfect match—my love for animals and my love for design. Putting the two together, I’m doing custom designs for people who have challenges with their animals.

It’s a good mix, and I lucked out.

I go into all these projects— with the animals on Animal Cribs and my business Born With a Tail—where first I make a scene for the animal and make it functional for the owners, and then I get crazy with the design.

It’s a challenging process that I really love to do. It couldn’t have worked out better.

What has been your favorite project on Animal Cribs thus far?

That’s a hard one. It’s hard because the payoff is when

you see the animals react to it and then the owners react to it—there are so many different aspects to it … you’re helping the animals, you’re helping the owners, and you’re enriching the life of the animal. There are so many different levels of satisfaction with all that, and then there is the satisfaction with the design.

We did this goat episode that kind of struck home with me. I grew up with goats, and I used to hate going into the goat barn and cleaning the barn out. My dad was an artist and designer, so our goat house looked really cool, but it wasn’t really that functional. So it was kind of a challenge for me on that episode to create a design to overcome the problems I had as a kid cleaning the goat house. It was like an evolution from my childhood to where I am today.

I got to redo the whole goat setup, and it was so gratifying seeing the owners and goats react positively to it!

We even did one episode with a 20-foot python in a basement, and that was a fun one. They’re all really awesome, and I love every single project in different ways.

What are some unexpected problems you’ve encountered while creating spaces?

There are so many different challenges that you can run into. I did work for The Gentle Barn in Los Angeles County, and they had emus and all kinds of different animals that lived together, so there were safety issues. Every single job has some challenges.

I started off being a designer, so I am constantly learning about animal behavior and what’s best for the animals in terms of functionality, cleaning, and enrichment. This is always evolving, and there are always new things that come up. But they’re all good challenges, and there is nothing that I can’t tackle. As a set designer, I’ve had a lot of crazy things thrown at me at the last second—there is nothing that can really throw me. Nothing is so crazy that I can’t handle it.

What are some tips and tricks that you can share with pet owners who want to design a functional space?

I think the biggest tip is to do your research—every animal has different needs. There is so

much research out there—don’t just go to one source. Do your due diligence and use multiple sources. Then, just be creative!

Create what suits you and your animals. Everyone’s situation is different, and everyone has their own style.

Follow your heart, get crazy with it, and enjoy being in it.

You’ll see the difference with your animal when you enrich their life … they’ll be happier.

Most of the problems owners have with their pets occur because their pet is either bored or doesn’t have the right setup.

Once you enrich their lives, they get so much happier—you can tell, you can see it. That’s the payoff right there!

Dog misbehavior usually happens when they don’t have enough to do and so they get into trouble. It’s like when I was a kid—my mom would yell at me, because if I wasn’t doing something she was worried I’d be getting into trouble. Same thing!

On the topic of dogs, you have three amazing rescue pups of your own! Can you tell me about them?

I rescued Edith in Seattle—I was working up there and I saw her on the MaeDay

bornwithatail.com

Antonio and a 20-foot python petcompanionmag.com 39

[ cover story] Rescue site. I was watching her Instagram, and when I saw Edith, it was love at first sight.

She was found in the trunk of a car, and she had a bit of a rough start … she was pretty scrawny and frazzled. I flew to Seattle, grabbed her, and flew back. This was before my bulldog Chewie passed away, and I wanted Chewie to be a part of the next dog that I had. I had another dog before Chewie, named Chomper—a bullmastiff—and when he died it was really hard on me. I just

“Every job I do is so different—we’re working with ducks, chickens, turtles, tortoises, horses, cows…”

Chewie and Edith wanted a little transition dog. I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, but it was—Edith got to hang with Chewie and be a part of Chewie’s life, and there was a little crossover in the passing of the baton.

Once I got Edith, it was true love—she was truly unlike any other dog I had before. I had a 135-pound bullmastiff, Chewie was 85 pounds, and then I went down to a 13-pound chupacabra (Edith). Edith was in pretty bad shape and it took awhile to get her out of her shell. When I would answer the phone too loud, she would literally fall over.

After Edith, I met my fiance through her dog. I was following her dog on social media—I didn’t even know who owned the dog or anything.

She had this little three-pound, three-legged chihuahua called Leon. We started talking and one thing led to another, and 40 petcompanionmag.com

now we are getting married!

We really bonded over her dog.

That dog passed away, and then we got Paolo.

Paolo is a Xolo mix who was about to be put down in Louisiana. This little network of people kind of helped me get to Houston to rescue him.

Some people dropped him off at one house, drove an hour and dropped him off at another house, and my fiance and I drove all the way out to Houston, grabbed him, and drove him back. That was our second rescue together.

Then we wanted to rescue a senior, so we got Nessie. Nessie

is a 10- or 11-year-old that was found wandering the streets of Los Angeles. She’s really come into her own—we brought her back to health, as she was in pretty bad shape.

Now we’re looking to rescue another senior. My fiance and I need to stop looking at so many rescue Instagram pages, because every night it’s the same thing: “Should we get him?”

How do your pups influence your work?

As far as influence, I think it’s about just making the pups happy. When they’re

“Our love for pets is the thing, because they are family.”

happy, you feel that happiness in return. Helping out other people, especially people who rescue a lot of animals—that’s a big thing that we do, help a lot of people out that rescue pets. As far as the dogs helping me, they come to work with me and their love is the inspiration.

Looking at them is where I find my inspiration.

Every job I do is so different—we’re working with ducks, chickens, turtles, tortoises, horses, cows—we’re all over the place. Our love for pets is the thing, because they are family.

You have your own project called Born With a Tail. Can you tell me more? What cool projects are you working on?

Born with a Tail is Animal Crib’s and my gig, helping

out people with their animal challenges.

Right now, I am working on an Alice in Wonderland-themed tortoise area, which is pretty awesome, with like eight-foottall mushrooms and hobbit houses and little tunnels for these tortoises.

I am also working on another project in San Francisco with some Savannah cats that have taken over a man’s house.

One is an F1 Savannah cat— so crazy. Savannah cats are beautiful, and he has three of them, plus a bengal. They took over his house, and he started living in the basement. He’s living in the basement in one room, and meanwhile the cats are wrecking his beautiful house! It’s a crazy setup, so we’re helping him out. We’re doing a really awesome “cat-io” (patio) and tons of enrichment features in the house, so that he

can take his home back.

Another project I’m working on with Born With a Tail is a senior dog rescue in Denver.

It’s a facility on an old horse farm, with stables and an arena.

It’s basically an old folks home for senior dogs! We’re doing indoor/outdoor sensory gardens, and all these awesome features to help these senior dogs live out the rest of their lives as happy and comfortable as possible. There’s even a little bingo hall in the lounge area [laughter]. It’s going to be cool!

In the evening, there will be music to calm everyone down.

It’s called Pepper’s Senior Dog Sanctuary, and it’s a project I’m excited to be a part of.

Born With a Tail has really taken off, and we do projects all over the country. We do everything from a Zoom call and brainstorm meeting to actually creating plans and

building it. Whatever you need!

All my design experience and all my pet experience melded together perfectly. I learned a lot of my compassion and love for animals from my parents and all the pets we had growing up. I’m so honored that this has become my life’s work.

You can check out Born With a Tail at bornwithatail.com. And watch full episodes of Animal Cribs at animalplanet.com/tvshows/animal-cribs.

petcompanionmag.com 41

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[ feature]

Understanding Pet Food Labels

By Brittany Kleszynski, DVM

P

et food labels provide a great deal of information when you’re choosing a diet for your dog or cat, but they can be quite overwhelming and confusing.

A healthy and nutritious diet is what most pet owners desire, but they often don’t know where to begin when looking at each product. Here we will discuss eight important sections of a pet food label that can help you make educated decisions for your pet’s health.

1. Product Names

Each product should clearly state whether it is designed for nutrition or a supplemental treat to an already wellbalanced diet. When selecting a food or treat, you should also understand how the phrasing on the bag relates to its ingredients. American Association of Feed

Control Officials (AAFCO) has established a set of rules that dictates the minimum percentage of the advertised ingredient(s) that must be present within the product in order to include the ingredient(s) in the product name. Most people are unaware of the 100%, 95%, 25%, “with,” and “flavor” rules, but understanding the differences can help you make more informed choices for your pet.

Companies may label their product as 100% Beef Jerky only if that product claim is true. You would typically only see this on treats that are used as supplements to an already balanced diet. If you see a product labeled Beef Dog Food without any descriptors, beef must constitute 95% of that diet, excluding any added water content. This would be a great product for dogs because they are natural carnivores,

and a quality protein source is essential for adequate nutrition. If two ingredients are listed, as in Salmon and Rice Cat Food, both salmon and rice must add up to 95%; however, there should be a higher percentage of salmon than rice since it is listed first. If a pet food contains a descriptive term after the listed ingredient, it must contain at least 25% but no more than 95% of that ingredient, excluding added water content. Lamb Entrée, Beef Dinner, and Tuna Platter are all examples of descriptive terms commonly seen. When a pet food advertises “with lamb,” only 3% of the product is required to be lamb.

Any products that use the word “flavor” are only required to have added flavoring, not the actual meat product. You can see that the phrasing holds great importance, and there are large differences between

LABEL COURTESY OF LUCY PET PRODUCTS

Reading your pet food label

1. Product Names

4. Ingredient List 2. Species Designation

5. Guaranteed Analysis 3. Net Quantity Statement

44 petcompanionmag.com

6. Calorie Content

7. Nutritional Adequacy Statement 8. Daily Feeding Guide

LABEL COURTESY OF LUCY PET PRODUCTS

each product in terms of content. Be sure to check the label prior to choosing pet food or treats to ensure you are purchasing exactly what you set out to buy.

2. Species Designation

All products should clearly state what species they are formulated for.

Furthermore, pictures on the product bags should match the appropriate species and age to avoid confusion. It would be misleading to have an adult dog on a puppy food. Unlike dog foods, cat foods are specifically formulated to include an amino acid known as taurine that is essential for their health.

If cats become deficient in taurine, they can develop dilated cardiomyopathy and feline central retinal degeneration, which can lead to heart failure and blindness, respectively. You can understand why properly identifying species on each product is imperative.

3. Net Quantity Statement

On the bottom third of the product bag, you will see a net quantity statement showing the net weight or volume of product included. It is normally written as “Net Wt. 22 lbs (10 kg)” or “Net Vol 16 fl oz (473 mL).”

You won’t need to worry too much about this part, except when deciding what size bag you would like to buy or calculating how long a product will last you based on how much you are feeding each day.

4. Ingredient List

Items are listed in descending order based on weight. Ingredients with higher water content naturally comprise more of the total weight of the product, which is why you will find them at the beginning of the list.

It can be helpful to compare diets on a dry matter basis (without the water content) to get a better idea of which diet contains more of the ingredient of interest without the confounding weight factor. This is done using a simple calculation, and I will walk you through it using protein as an example.

In the guaranteed analysis listing, you will see the maximum percentages of

Organic, Natural, and Other Label Claims

M

any label claims are present on pet foods today. Some have health benefits, but others are simply marketing tactics. It is important to recognize the difference when selecting a diet for your pet. For example, some pet food companies use the terms “premium” or “gourmet” to promote their products. According to the FDA, these diets are not required to contain higher-quality ingredients than any other product.

Other over-the-counter foods may advertise that they improve coat quality, provide added supplements for joint health, or promote lean muscles. As I mentioned before, these claims must be backed by a listing in the guaranteed analysis section with minimum or maximum percentages of ingredients shown to have these effects. Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine supplements are commonly added to pet food because they have been shown to have protective effects on joints, especially in patients with orthopedic diseases or age-related degenerative changes. Any ingredients added for these health benefits must also be deemed safe prior to sale.

Another common product label characterizes diets as grain-free. These products caused some controversy recently because of studies suggesting a link between them and the development of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. Grain-free diets have been marketed to improve food allergies, but pet owners should be aware that food allergies are usually caused by the protein source, which are often still included in these products. I would recommend steering clear of grain-free diets for the time being until we complete more studies. If you think your pet may have a food allergy, your veterinarian can provide more appropriate recommendations.

Prescription diets have been specially formulated to have health benefits.

The Center for Veterinary Medicine at the FDA requires that diet trials and other studies be conducted to generate supporting data and ensure food safety prior to marketing a pet food with these health claims. For instance, if your dog has struvite bladder stones, your veterinarian may prescribe a diet specifically formulated to dissolve those stones by acidifying the urine. If your cat has chronic kidney disease, a prescription diet consisting of lower levels of protein and phosphorus may be recommended.

Other label claims, such as natural, organic, and human-grade, are becoming increasingly common. These words aren’t always universally understood, but AAFCO does provide loose definitions for each. Natural pet food should not have artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors. It should also be unprocessed and free of synthetic chemicals. If you desire a truly natural food, always check if vitamins and minerals have been added. If they have, the product isn’t technically “all-natural.” AAFCO also requires that organic foods meet USDA standards for human products in terms of processing and production because guidelines specific for pet foods currently do not exist.

If you are looking for an organic food for your pet, you can rest assured that the label claim is accurate. However, more studies are needed to support the idea that organic is a better quality than non-organic. AAFCO also does not recognize “human-grade” at this time. Although it may sound good on the packaging, there are currently no regulations to ensure this claim is true in the pet food industry.

The overall theme to pet food labels is that there should be supporting evidence to back any claims made. It is easy for pet owners to fall for certain products that sound enticing but overall don’t really have any advantages, such as with “premium” diets. If you’re in doubt when reading the label, your veterinarian is the best resource to help you choose a nutritious and appropriate diet to meet the individualized needs of your pet. petcompanionmag.com 45

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moisture and protein. Let’s say moisture is 10%, which would mean 90% is dry matter. Next, find your protein percentage.

We will use 20% in this example. You then divide the protein percentage by the dry matter percentage (20/90) and multiply by 100. In this case, 22.2% is the final protein on a dry matter basis and can now be used as a comparison with other diets. You may also see some unfamiliar ingredients that are preservatives, artificial colorings, or flavors. The FDA ensures that each of these ingredients is “Generally Recognized as Safe” for consumption. It is worth mentioning that some cats and dogs develop food allergies after eating the same diet over time. It is most commonly caused by a protein source, but other ingredients can also be the culprit. Strict diet trials are needed to determine the exact cause, but once the allergic component is identified, it is imperative to check the ingredient lists before offering any new food or treats to your pet to avoid a flare-up.

5. Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis is probably the most overlooked section on a food label.

This is where you will find the minimum and maximum percentages for nutrients that AAFCO recognizes as essential to a complete and balanced diet. You will see minimum percentages listed for crude protein and crude fat and maximum percentages listed for crude fiber and moisture content. Some diets will also have a few vitamins or supplements listed in this section. For example, if the product advertises that it promotes a healthy coat, they must list specific ingredients here, such as Omega 3 Fatty Acids or Vitamin E, to support their claim. Certain diets also include “ash” in their analyses, and that is simply referring to trace minerals that are beneficial to your pet’s health.

6. Calorie Content

Your pet’s activity level, breed, body condition, and life stage all play a role in his energy requirements. It makes sense that larger, more active dogs will have higher energy requirements than inactive, small breed dogs. Young pets need a diet specifically formulated for the growth stage, whereas adults need a maintenance diet. The calorie guide is a great tool to ensure each pet meets his unique energy requirements. The number of kilocalories per cup is determined based on the standard energy needs of a dog or cat at the listed life stage. Diets formulated for the growth and reproduction stages are typically packed with high percentages of fats and protein sources to meet higher caloric requirements. Adult maintenance diets have lower percentages of fat, but higher carbohydrates and fiber to maintain satiety. For these reasons, I don’t usually

What is AAFCO? AAFCO, a private company started in 1906, oversees the sales and labeling of animal food and drug products. It consists of members from local, state, and federal agencies who enforce feed laws and regulate nutritional standards. AAFCO does not have any authority over these regulations, which is why it relies on members to implement and enforce laws, while providing oversight and support. AAFCO sets nutritional standards for essential nutrients in animal products and works with the FDA, which ensures food safety. Pet food companies have to meet these standards set forth by AAFCO to sell their products with the nutritional adequacy statement.

recommend choosing a diet that has been formulated for all life stages. Your pet has different nutritional requirements as he ages, and it is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

33

YEARS EXPERIENCE

7. Nutritional Adequacy Statement

When pet owners ask for a food recommendation, I always suggest looking for the AAFCO “stamp of approval.”

AAFCO is a company that establishes nutritional guidelines for complete and balanced diets based on published recommendations by the Nutritional Research Council. AAFCO considers certain nutrients essential and determines the recommended amount for each life stage. Categories typically include growth, maintenance, reproduction, or all life stages. Products labeled for geriatric pets typically follow the requirements for maintenance diets but may include chondroitin sulfate or glucosamine to promote joint health. If the diet meets or exceeds the nutritional standards set forth by AAFCO, a nutritional adequacy statement will be placed on the food label.

Pet food companies prove their diets are complete and balanced, either through completing food trials or following these AAFCO guidelines. By choosing a product that has been formulated based on AAFCO’s recommendations, you can feel assured that you are providing a nutritious meal to your pet.

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8. Daily Feeding Guide

The feeding chart provides the recommended daily serving based on your pet’s current weight. In my experience, most pet owners are unknowingly overfeeding their pets because they don’t measure each serving. To ensure your dog or cat stays at their optimum weight, it is important to follow this guide. Your veterinarian can also assist with calculating serving size if your pet requires additional nutritional support or needs to lose weight.

Editors note: Understanding and reading the label of the food you feed your pet is only one part of the equation. Take the time to also find out about the pet food manufacturer, where the ingredients are sourced from, and where the product is made.

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We assure all pet owners, that they can rest at ease, knowing that their pet’s final journey will be one of dignity and love.

The services we provide at Pet Cremation Services Of The Desert can help to preserve the precious memories that are held in ones heart for their pet.

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petcompanionmag.com 47

[ training]

Got 5 Minutes?

It’s Time to Train!

By Manny Guerra, ABCDT K9 Parent Training

The Problem

If your home is anything like many pet parent homes, then chances are at some point you’ve run into the same problem lots of folks run into—that is, reaching the end of the day and realizing you didn’t practice that training exercise you promised yourself you’d do with your dog.

You know that homework your trainer gave you? You didn’t practice as much as you had hoped, and now you’ve run out of time for the day. You had planned to set aside time to work on some skills with your dog and before long the session got pushed aside for one reason or another and then that thing happened … bed time.

How did this happen? You had every intention of doing the repetitions but then life happened and the training didn’t.

The challenge is in how we think about working with and training our dogs. It is fairly easy to not have practiced as much as you meant to. All it takes is a particular perception of training your dog. When we think about training as something we have to get to, something that we’ll do later today, like an appointment, then it’s easy to find yourself prioritizing other things that happen in the day. This is because we usually don’t view the stakes as high if we don’t get around to doing that recall drill or that down-stay exercise.

What a Lot of People Do

People love their dogs, and they did mean to work on that training skill—they just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. There are a lot of people out there that really

48 petcompanionmag.com

mean well when it comes to teaching their dogs. The issue is that, unfortunately, lots of families try to teach their dogs at the wrong time. They’ve pushed off proactively training their dog, and now they’re facing challenging behavior. What do they do? In a lot of scenarios, the family attempts to get their dog to perform obedience he hasn’t rehearsed or hold a still position he hasn’t spent any time practicing.

And they’ll push this unpracticed behavior, all while the dog is dealing with his perception of whatever is happening around him at that moment. Then, as many families have shared with me, the dog typically isn’t able to perform the way the family desires, so frustration sets in.

Now we have humans who are flustered and a dog that is confused. And this is not a fun place to be. It can feel like you’re going in circles and not getting anywhere.

Some folks may begin to resent their dog, because they haven’t been able to get a handle on how their dog behaves when people come to their house or when they pass another dog while out on a walk.

Miscommunication seems to be ever present.

A Different Approach

Instead of stacking up all your missed practice sessions and building momentum in the wrong direction, try to reframe the way you look at training your dog. Don’t view the work as something you have to get done. It’s not just a box to check off your list. Sure, training can be a box that deserves a check on your list of things to

get done. But think about training not as one task but as a little bit of work done a lot of the time. It doesn’t have to be this arduous, time-consuming thing we avoid and then eventually push off entirely. We tend to get better results with the shortand-sweet training sessions that are packed with quality repetitions.

Remember that you don’t have to have long training sessions to get great results for your time and effort. The training sessions with your trainer are actually quite long, in most cases. When you train at home, it’s better to aim for small progress with a high rate of success. Whatever the behavior or skill you’re working on, moving slower and striving for more frequent, short sessions with your dog is usually the best way to go. It’s not that different from raising a child. Teaching happens a little bit at a time, all the time— not in big chunks of learning, only some of the time.

In the Moment vs Drilling Your Dog

I encourage all my clients to remember that there is a difference between asking your dog to do something in the moment and spending time setting up practice drills to facilitate learning. Think about why we did fire drills in school as kids.

We never did a drill after a fire occurred.

We wouldn’t start a fire just to practice a drill for the first time. It seems silly to even imagine. The purpose of our fire drills was to rehearse what to do, where to go, and how to behave in the event of a fire actually happening. It was all preventative.

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[ training]

progressions but a high rate of success.

You’ll dramatically improve progress for your dog by moving slower, increasing repetitions, and keeping your sessions short and sweet.

Maintenance is Crucial for Success

It all happened well before there was ever a fire. The same should be true with training your dog.

Consider that dogs also benefit from rehearsing lots of repetitions of practice drills. Instead of trying to teach your dog to settle when someone has just arrived at your home, stage a drill where your dog practices calmness around the front door, for you and not a visitor. Once your dog can do that for you in rehearsal, you can bet they’ll perform better in the moment when someone actually has arrived at your house. When you make time to train before you need your dog to perform, setting up practice drills for your dogs to rehearse,

50 petcompanionmag.com

they get the chance to acquire a skill set that they can draw from when you’re in an “in-the-moment” scenario.

What You Can Do with Five Spare Minutes

So, if we know that we tend to push off training our dogs, little by little, until we don’t have the time to do it, then how do we correct this challenge? The answer is simple: we lower the bar on expectations.

Most families with dogs also have other responsibilities that require their time and attention. We can combat a busy schedule by shrinking our sessions into bite-sized mini-sessions. For example, instead of committing to one long walk each day, try for several short sessions of walking your dog in your home. Just a few minutes at a time, repeatedly, will yield much greater results. You’d be shocked at how much your dog’s leash behavior improves by making that small adjustment.

Or you might try setting yourself a timer before you work your dog. In just five minutes, your goal is to knock out as many quality repetitions as you can.

Keep it light, keep it fun, and maximize repetitions. Whatever you’re working on, strive for high-quality practice in a shorter amount of time. It helps to know exactly what you’re working on before you start training. Maybe in one five-minute, session you pick one or two skills. You rotate through those skills back and forth for the duration of your five minutes. This allows for you to achieve much more training in much less time. Again, think about small

This is an area where good training can ultimately fail, whether you’re in a program or training your dog at home with your family. Often, we tend to slow or completely stop our training as soon as or shortly after we begin to notice progress in our dog’s behavior. We’re in the trenches doing the work—there are ups and downs.

Then, one day we notice that our dog hasn’t done “that thing” he usually does.

This is the exact moment when families think their dog must be fully trained. He’s finished, he’s fixed, he’s cured—or so they think. Remember that progress doesn’t necessarily equal a complete, finished, and consistent behavior/response from your dog. No amount of training can guarantee that. The only safe bet is that as long as you continue to do the work, your dog should continue to improve behaviorally.

Dogs are not machines or puppets—they have the free will to choose behavior other than what we think they should be doing.

Knowing a skill doesn’t always mean a dog will perform a skill when we ask them to. So, maintenance is key to longevity in our training. As soon as you notice positive progress in whatever area you are practicing, that’s your signal that you are at the starting line. From here, it’s best to continue your drills and your reps as much as possible. Consistently revisiting exercises and “brushing off the dust” is a sure way to increase your chances of having your dog respond the way you’d like, and when you need them to. Don’t sweat it if your day is busy, and training seems out of the question. Know that you can pack a lot of training into just five minutes’ time. Strive for as many actionpacked five-minute sessions as you can, rather than falling behind and skipping training altogether. Short and sweet sessions with higher repetition and lots of fun will get you further, faster. Happy training!

Manny Guerra, ABCDT, is the owner of K9 Parent Training. (760) 813-5250 k9parenttraining.com

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petcompanionmag.com 51

[ feature]

Getting the Best Pet Shots with Your Phone

By Anabel Dflux

52 petcompanionmag.com

Photograph from your pet’s eye level.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, and angling your camera to your pet’s eye level is key to creating really striking photographs. Viewers are more empathetic and attracted to images that are taken from the same perspective as the subject’s. Your pet’s viewpoint is intriguing to viewers!

Some pets will immediately try to come toward the phone when you bend down to get to their eye level. Just keep exposing your dog to the phone camera until they realize it’s not interesting and they begin to ignore it.

Get those ears up!

Ears up, boys … ears up! Images are static, so a dog with his ears down (even if he’s relaxed and happy) may look sad in pictures. Dogs (and even cats) look more endearing with their ears up, like they’re excited and ready for anything.

ANABEL DFLUX

C

ell phone technology has advanced tremendously since the early days of the large, clunky “brick phones.”

One of the most appreciated advances was the addition of a camera, making it the critical tool we never knew we needed and which we now carry right in our pockets.

The cell phone camera became so popular, in fact, that one of the most successful social media platforms rose out of our love of photography—Instagram. And some of the biggest Instagram stars who emerged are beloved pets—just everyday dogs, cats, iguanas and more, captured regularly at their adorable best. And users eat it up, with many of these Instagram stars being followed by thousands, even millions of people. Because, as it turns out, owners are not the only ones who thinks their pet is the cutest little furball in the world!

But capturing your own pet’s charm, as you may have discovered, is not as easy as it may appear, particularly with a cell phone. Here are some tips for photographing your pet that’ll help make your shots Instagram ready.

Reward your pet whenever they do something good.

Don’t forget to give your pet a treat or vigorous praise whenever they do something good. Whether it’s sitting down on command or staying in place (or even just not biting the phone!), you want your pup to associate the cell phone and being obedient with something positive.

Also, use the zoom feature on your phone camera so you can capture the moment from some distance away. You never want to become part of the story by distracting your pet from whatever he’s doing!

You can make a studio light out of a lamp and white sheet.

If the lighting in your home tends to be on the darker side, you can make a studio light out of a lamp and white or light-colored sheet. Just position the lamp behind or under the sheet (make sure the sheet doesn’t touch the lightbulb!), and you have yourself a studio light. The sheet will help diffuse, or soften, the light. This eliminates any harsh contrast—you don’t want your shadows to be too dark or your highlights to be too light.

Innovative Phone Attachments

Does your cat, dog or other furry or feathered friend ignore you when the phone comes out?

Here are a couple of aids you can try.

Flexy Paw

If your phone camera has manual settings, use them.

The Flexy Paw allows you to take portraits or selfies of your pet by clipping on your pets favorite treat or toy!

Works great on dogs and cats. pawchamps.com

Some cell phones, like the new iPhone and new Google Pixel, allow you to manually adjust the settings (similar to a proper camera).

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You’ll want to get those ears up and those faces “smiling.” Be aware that this will require a good bit of attentiongrabbing on your part. Use highvalue treats (foods that your dog finds irresistible) or a favorite toy to catch your pet’s eye and get those ears up.

If you really want to win hearts, add a head tilt in addition to the ears up technique. Try making a noise your pet hasn’t heard before, like a bird call or a pig snort. You’ll have only a split second to capture the tilt, so be ready for it! Now, if you have a dog that is already fearful, never use this or any other technique that may startle or confuse your dog. You know your dog best, and you know whether you will be invoking curiosity or genuine fear.

Always use common sense when you’re going for that “perfect” shot.

Put the phone on silent if you want to catch a candid moment.

Pooch Selfie COURTESY POOCHSELFIE.COM

Candid moments—those images that aren’t posed—are sometimes the best way to convey an expression, tell a story, or document particularly enchanting behavior.

Unless you change your settings, most cell phone cameras mimic the shutter noise of a regular camera.

Although this might provoke some cute facial expressions from some animals, it could also ruin your perfect candid moment. Remember to set your phone to silent before trying to capture your pet doing something captivating when they think you’re not looking.

Make your pet Instafamous with Pooch Selfie! Pooch Selfie comes with a removable Squeaking Pooch Selfie ball and one smartphone attachment. poochselfie.com/ petcompanionmag.com 53

[ feature] You can adjust the— ISO, which is the sensor’s sensitivity to light. This makes an image lighter or darker.

Shutter speed, which is how fast the camera takes a picture. This will help avoid blurriness from your camera moving as you take a picture.

Aperture, which is how much of the image is in focus (say, the subject) and how much is out of focus (such as the background, if you choose).

Practice working with and adjusting these settings, because they will open up your options exponentially for phone photography, as you learn to control how the camera takes your picture.

The most compelling photos are images that reveal your pet’s personality.

powerful editing tool that will breathe new life into your favorite photos. In addition, Adobe has also released a mobile version of Photoshop and Lightroom for even more advanced editing capabilities.

By using an editing app, you can enhance the best features of your lovable subject and make your photographs stand out among the crowd.

Understand the limitations of a cell phone camera.

Use phone applications to edit your photographs.

The default editing app on most cell phones isn’t very good. Luckily, there are many free programs you can download to help you edit your pictures.

A favorite among the phone photographers is Snapseed—it’s a

54 petcompanionmag.com

The cell phone camera will never replace a proper camera, so don’t expect it to. Understand what your cell phone can and cannot capture and work within its limitations.

For example, most cell phone cameras are terrible at capturing action, so don’t disappoint yourself with blurry photos of your dog catching a ball. Instead, take captivating photographs of your dog chewing on a toy.

Aim to capture their personality!

The most compelling photos are images that reveal your pet’s personality. Does your furry, feathered, or scaled friend

have a unique quirk or characteristic?

Showcase that! Many internet-famous animals are well known because of something unusual—one of the first animal celebrities, Grumpy Cat (who sadly passed away in 2019) was known worldwide for her perpetually sour face.

Her star continues to shine, and as of August 2020, Grumpy Cat had 8.3 million likes on Facebook, 2.6 million followers on Instagram, 1.5 million followers on Twitter, and 283,000 subscribers on YouTube. Others have followed, including 9-year-old Chiweenie Tuna, a rescue dog with a comical but very endearing overbite, and Marnie, a 12-year-old rescue ShihTzu whose permanent head tilt and drooping tongue give her a unique and adorable look.

Not every pet aspires to be an internet sensation, but as owners, we want to showcase our fur babies in the best possible light and capture their own personal spark. With a little effort and some practice, you’ll be snapping engaging cell phone photos of your pet to enjoy for a lifetime.

Anabel DFlux of www.DeliquesceFlux.com is a professional photographer and canine enthusiast in Southern California. She spends her days photographing pups from all walks of life and providing photography education to aspiring pet photographers.

Be sure to watch Animal Samaritans 11th Annual Men of the Desert Fashion Show “Backstage and on the Runway�!

Friday, December 4th, 2020

Broadcast on CBS2 at 7:30 p.m.

Proceeds from Men of the Desert directly benefit our Adoption Alliance Animal Rescue Program, which rescues at-risk animals from shelters that have not been able to institute no-kill policies, and finds them safe refuge and permanent homes.

For sponsorhip opportunities, please contact Valerie Kattz at 760.409.4018

animalsamaritans.org

Federal ID# 95-3171867

[ training]

AKC Online Dog Activities

By Jamie Bozzi, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KSA, KPA CTP, ACDBC, CNWI, CC, AKC Evaluator SMRTDOG

A

s many in-person dog-related activities have been suspended because of the pandemic, there are now other options—online!

In keeping with the times and adhering to social distancing, AKC offers the AKC Rally Virtual Pilot Program. This program provides exhibitors the opportunity to enter an AKC Rally event. Rally is an obedience sport in which you and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10 to 20 different signs. Each of the signs provides instructions on what basic obedience maneuver to perform.

You can participate in the AKC Rally Virtual Pilot Program in just three easy steps: (1) Pet owners (Rally competitors) set up a predesigned AKC Rally course at home; (2) Record the team’s performance; and (3) Submit the video through a YouTube link, along with the entry form and a fee to AKC. The AKC will assign a pre-selected AKC Rally Judge to virtually review and score the team’s performance. AKC will notify exhibitors of the unofficial scoring results. All eligible qualifying scores will be recorded on the dog’s AKC record and

JAMIE BOZZI OF SMRTDOG

AKC Rally

applied toward the relevant Rally title. The pilot program ends on December 31, 2020.

For more information, contact rally-vre@ akc.org.

AKC Agility JAMIE BOZZI OF SMRTDOG

AKC offers an Agility Course Test (ACT) from home! This program was developed to provide pet owners with dogs that are ready to test their agility skills and to try the sport of ACT Agility locally.

Pet owners have the opportunity to stay at home or use their local training site and enter an AKC ACT 1 or ACT 2 event. You

56 petcompanionmag.com

You can earn trick titles from the comfort of your living room, teaching your dog how to perform a variety of fun tricks, including crawl, fetch, high five, kiss, and spin.

can also buy equipment online. For more information, visit akc.org/sports/agility/ act-program/act-virtual-program/.

Other agility organizations that have online options: NADAC - nadac.com/video-runs/ USDAA - usdaa.com/ UKI - ukagilityinternational.com/

AKC Tricks

You can earn trick titles from the comfort of your living room, teaching your dog how to perform a variety of fun tricks, including crawl, fetch, high five, kiss, and

spin. AKC Trick Dog titles are official AKC titles listed on the dog’s title record.

The processing fee for each title is $25, and multiple titles for the same dog can be sent in together.

There are five Trick Dog titles: Novice Trick Dog (TKN), Intermediate Trick Dog (TKI), Advanced Trick Dog (TKA), Trick Dog Performer (TKP), and Trick Dog Elite (TKE).

To earn a AKC title, dogs must have an AKC, PAL or AKC Canine Partners number. All dogs can get a number, including purebreds and mixed breeds. For more information, visit akc.org/sports/trick-dog/.

In-Person or Online Training Privates, Classes, Special Events Behavior

AKC Scent Work

Scent-detection sports are by their very nature a social distancing activity! You can get your dog started at home. Check out akc.org/expert-advice/training/indoorscent-games-for-dogs/. If your dog is really enjoying this fun scent activity indoors, contact your local Certified Nose Work Instructor (CNWI) for more fun sniffing ideas.

Basic Manners Fear Anxiety Aggression Leash Reactivity

• • • • •

K9 Nosework Agility Treibball (soccer) K9 Fitness (yoga) Lure Coursing

JAMIE BOZZI OF SMRTDOG

• • • • •

Dog Sports

AKC Fit Dog

While there is not a specific online program, many AKC Fit Dog instructors offer an online course in basic K9 conditioning.

Jamie Bozzi of smrtdog.com is a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA) and a Certified Nose Work Instructor (CNWI). She is also an AKC Scent Work judge. She enjoys competing in a variety of dog sports and hosting special canine boutique events.

For more information, please contact jamie@smrtdog.com or call 619-246-5634 petcompanionmag.com 57

[ orgs]

San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife

Gives Wild Animals a Second Chance

By Beth Fhaner

W

hen firefighters from the Vista Grande Fire Station spotted an orphaned mountain lion cub near a road in Idyllwild on September 2, she was semiconscious, extremely emaciated, dehydrated and weak. The firefighters needed to quickly find help for this little cub who was in critical condition, so they contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who then reached out to the only folks who have the expertise to help in cases like these: Project Wildlife.

A program of San Diego Humane Society since 1972, Project Wildlife is the primary resource in San Diego County for wildlife to receive rehabilitative care.

Recognized as one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation organizations in the country, Project Wildlife has two campuses: The Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego, which specializes in smaller prey species, and Project Wildlife-Ramona Campus, which specializes in the larger, predatory species that are typically more common in rural and suburban areas.

On September 1, San Diego Humane Society acquired the Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona from the Humane Society of the United States. The mountain lion cub was the first wildlife patient to be admitted to the 13-acre Ramona Wildlife Center since San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife took over the facility.

When the cub arrived, the Project Wildlife Team immediately sprang into

58 petcompanionmag.com

PHOTOS COURTESY SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY

action, providing lifesaving treatment for the 10.5-pound cub, estimated to be only 14 weeks old. After receiving daily fluid therapy and medications, the cub progressed from five to three small, nutritious meals per day, including ground proteins with milk replacer, which allows her body to make a slow transition to solid foods.

Thankfully, the cub is feeling much better now and has more than doubled in weight to 22 pounds!

“With each passing day, she became more active and responsive and, though she still had some medical issues to overcome from being in such a fragile state, we were delighted she responded well to our treatment and were hopeful she’d make a full recovery,” said Christine Barton, director of Operations & Wildlife Rehabilitation at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.

Since mountain lions typically stay with their mother until they leave to live a solitary life around 12 to 18 months of age, it’s not considered safe to return a young mountain lion to the wild if it’s found injured or orphaned as a kitten. For that reason, Project Wildlife worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to monitor the cub’s progress and to ensure that she’d have a good permanent home at a qualified facility. On October 16th, when the cub had been sufficiently stabilized, she was transferred to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to San Diego Humane Society spokeswoman Nina Thompson.

As the human population continues to expand, there’s less natural space for wildlife, which greatly increases the need for rehabilitative care and conservation. Every year, Project Wildlife provides more than

petcompanionmag.com 59

[ orgs] 12,000 wild animals, including mountain lions, black bears, coyotes, bobcats, skunks, opposums, squirrels and raptors, the best opportunity to receive the nurturing care they need to survive, whether it’s specialized veterinary care, injury rehabilitation or simply a safe place to mature.

A bobcat kitten who had been orphaned, emaciated and was ill with mange, was another wildlife patient recently taken in by the Ramona Wildlife Center. The bobcat kitten had started hanging out at a pool for access to water. Eventually, a concerned citizen was able to trap him and bring him to the Wildlife Center, where he was treated for his mange and subsequent skin infection, while the staff worked on his emaciated physical condition with a nutritious diet.

“Once he recovered and was cleared of any medical concerns, we were able to combine him with our other orphaned bobcat kittens in an outdoor enclosure with a pond and tree, where he continued to grow stronger and learn hunting skills before

being released back into his native habitat just this fall,” explains Barton.

Lauren DuBois, Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation at The Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center notes that they recently had an interesting case involving a barn owl with a deformed beak. “After Dr. Jon Enyart, DVM, performed orthopedic surgery to correct the beak, the bird responded and healed,” says DuBois. “We are so happy to report the bird has been released!”

“With San Diego being a rich and biodiverse area with wildlife and various ecosystems, there are increased probabilities of encountering wildlife,” adds DuBois.

“We hope to educate that we can co-exist with the animals in our neighborhood and teach the public when it is needed to intervene to help the animals.”

By giving injured, orphaned and sick wild animals a second chance at life, Project Wildlife provides a valuable and much-needed service, resulting in many happy animal rescue stories, indeed.

If you encounter injured wildlife in San Diego: If you see injured wildlife, call Project Wildlife at (619) 299-7012 and ask the staff to assess the situation to determine if assistance is needed and the safest method to proceed. More information can be found on their website at sdhumane. org/wildlife.

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[ health]

Don’t Leave Me!

By Michael Forney, DVM VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital

Behavioral problems need to be addressed from multiple angles if the therapy is to succeed.

E

ver increasingly, I hear from clients that their pet has “separation anxiety.” Well actually, that was before COVID-19 hit—with more owners working from home, I’m hearing it less.

But it can be a very troubling problem.

When owners think their beloved Fido has separation anxiety, sometimes they are correct and sometimes they are not.

I think it is wonderful that people are becoming more aware of various behavior issues that can afflict pets. However, separation anxiety is not an umbrella term and should not be applied to all anxious behaviors that occur when an owner leaves an animal behind at home. There may be other underlying motivators behind a pet’s 62 petcompanionmag.com

behaviors that need to be investigated.

So then it begs the question—what is “separation anxiety?”

Separation anxiety refers to a behavioral disorder or a distress response that occurs when a dog is separated from the person(s) to whom it is attached (this may or may not be the owner(s)). It is an extreme and excessive response. Various explanations exist as to why this occurs—the affected dog may have hyper-attachment to the owner, or it may have more general anxiety and is less able to cope when the owner is absent. A number of observed behaviors can occur when the animal is left alone, including vocalization (barking, whining), destructive behaviors (chewing,

digging, etc.), self-trauma, inappropriate elimination, panting, and other signs of fear or distress (loss of appetite, withdrawal, and more).

Of course, the aforementioned behaviors can also occur in response to other motivators. Therefore, it is important to rule out potential causes. Animals may have barrier or confinement frustration; dogs may be reacting to other stimuli that occur when the owner is absent (territoriality toward the mailman, fear of the loud garbage truck, or lack of enrichment during the day); patients may also have a medical issue—urinary or gastrointestinal disease, cognitive decline, and many other possible conditions.

Behavioral Issues?

Ask yourself:

Hence, whenever an owner thinks their dog has separation anxiety, it is important to have Fluffy or Ginger evaluated by a trained veterinary professional who can appropriately investigate the history and may recommend diagnostics to rule out medical disease.

If a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist does suspect a patient suffers from separation anxiety, he or she will likely make a number of recommendations to treat the dog. Medications to reduce fear and anxiety are indicated in these cases; however, they are not appropriate as sole therapeutics. Behavioral problems need to be addressed from multiple angles if the therapy is to succeed. This means that Fido will not get better just from taking a pill every day. He will need a committed owner to implement a number of management and behavior modification

strategies to help reduce Fido’s fear or distress when the owner is away from home. Strategies can include increased exercise before the owner leaves for the day, relaxation exercises to reinforce calming behaviors, regular structured interactions at home, items of enrichment to keep the patient engaged when alone, desensitization and counter-conditioning intended to change the dog’s emotional state around her owner’s departure, and many more. Owners should contact a trained veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist on how to best conduct these types of exercises.

With any behavioral issue, owners should have realistic expectations on progress and timeframes. Separation anxiety, like many other behavioral disorders, will not disappear instantaneously with a magic pill. Patients range in the severity of their signs, and some may respond more quickly to treatment. Treatment will likely take at least several months, and dogs can have relapses (owners have an unexpected trip, change jobs, move homes, etc.). Be patient with your furry friend, and remember that their behavior is not spiteful or directed toward you, but rather is based in fear and distress.

VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital is located at 71-075 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage, CA. (760) 346-6103.

Visit vcaranchomirage.com

• Does your dog or cat have a behavioral issue that you would like to address?

• Does he show signs of anxiety and destructive behavior whenever you leave home?

• Is she getting older and maybe not acting like she used to?

• Does your cat urinate outside the litter box?

• Do you have a hard time taking your dog or cat to the vet clinic or even getting them into the car because they are afraid?

Let VCA Rancho Mirage help strengthen the bond between you and your beloved dogs and cats.

Behavioral Consultations With

Dr. Michael Forney CONTACT US TODAY AT:

760-346-6103

VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital 71-075 Highway 111 Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 Business Hours:

Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

VCAranchomirage.com © 2019 VCA Animal Hospitals Inc. VCA logo and VCA CareClub are registered trademarks of VCA Inc. or its affiliated companies.

petcompanionmag.com 63

[ business spotlight]

Local Pet Businesses

Are Counting on You

By Alicia Bailey

T

he pandemic has thrown a curveball into all our lives, serving many of our local businesses a year that has been full of challenges, worry, and continually changing strategies to meet their client’s needs and, most importantly, stay open. We spoke to small business owners and others on the front lines of the pet industry in the Coachella Valley to see how they’re adapting to our “new normal” and what they’re doing to continue bringing you the services and products that keep your pet healthy and enriched.

Veterinary Services

Visiting your vet’s office during the pandemic is a bit different, so if you haven’t yet visited your pet’s doctor, be sure to familiarize yourself with the new

protocols that most veterinary offices are practicing these days. Prepare to wear your mask, call when you arrive, and don’t expect to go inside with your pet. Pets are picked up by vet staff curbside or at your vehicle, and you’ll be asked to wait in your vehicle during the appointment. You’ll have another phone call with your doctor to discuss the exam, diagnostic recommendations, and other items before your pet is brought back out. You will also need to process your payment over the phone, so prepare for that. Despite the change in how we visit our vet these days, the new procedures are very organized and still feel personal, even though you’re not able to physically accompany your pet.

Michael Hood, hospital manager at VCA Desert Animal Hospital in Palm

W

e asked local businesses about how the pandemic has affected their businesses. Dr. Lillian Roberts of Country Club Animal Clinic responded:

What are the new normal procedures/protocols you have in place at the moment? Since March 2020, we have instituted “curbside” service, as have other practices in the Valley. We are fortunate in that our physical setup works well for this, even having a few shaded parking spots. Pet owners phone in from the parking lot and a technician retrieves the pet from their car, taking the history and explaining details of the protocols as needed. Depending on what they are here for, the owner may wait in their cars or head home, or to run a few errands while we take care of their pets’ needs.

How are you staying positive through this pandemic as a business owner? For one thing, I’m blessed with a wonderful staff who have adapted well to the new normal. Every one of them truly wants to help people and especially their pets.

One unexpected feature of the pandemic is that lots of people took advantage of being stuck at home, to adopt new pets. And a surprisingly positive aspect of bringing the pets in without their parents is that all the dog activity takes place in out large treatment area. (We have a separate, smaller area for the cats—seeing lots of new cats and kittens too!) So we’ve had the pleasure of meeting lots of new pets—both puppies and kittens as well as grateful new shelter adoptees. Most are basically healthy, so the whole staff enjoys playing with them and offering treats.

We call it “puppy therapy” and there’s nothing better! This has the double benefit of also encouraging the animals to look forward to their visits to the vet, which we hope will continue into the future!

What would you like your clients and potential new clients to know? Just that we’re still here, still open, and doing our best to keep up with the surprisingly high demand for veterinary services. We are accepting new clients, as our schedule allows. Above all, we are amazed at how resilient everyone is and we are so grateful for your patience as we all get through this weird time together!

64 petcompanionmag.com

Springs, shares that they are consistently monitoring policies and processes to provide better client service and continuing to educate clients on how these processes are functioning. Hood says, “The hospital is taking extra care to pay attention to both physical and mental well-being of their associates.” He adds, “We have created a ‘Zen Room’ that includes a massage chair, aromatherapy, and soft music for those on staff who need a quiet break among other perks to keep staff motivated, safe, and healthy.”

Retail

Shopping for food, supplies, and other items for your pet looks a little different these days, but rest assured that your local pet supply and pet retail shops have made changes to serve you, whether you want to shop in-store, curbside, or by delivery.

Michael McGaughey, co-owner of Earthwise Pet, says, “We are adapting as best we can and have implemented some procedures to make sure our customers can still feed their furry family members a high-quality diet—offering curbside pickup and home delivery for those who would rather not come into the store. Also, we maintain rigorous cleaning protocols and enforce responsible practices at the store for those who would prefer to come in to make their purchase.

We continue to get real joy out of helping people care for their furry family members, especially during this time when it can be more challenging than in the past.

In addition, with all the recent adoptions, we have enjoyed meeting new people and their newest family members. This has been a exciting time for a lot of previously sheltered dogs and cats who have found their forever homes, and we love being able to make sure that they get the best food, treats, and toys possible.

How are you and your clients adapting to the new normal? We, VERY UNDERSTANDABLY, have seen a large decrease in customers during this time, most noticeably in our overnight boarding. Work, traveling, leisure time away has ceased, and the need for away from home care for their pups is, again understandably, not needed at this time.

BUT, I do have to say, we are so very fortunate there are Pet Parents that still love to bring their pups to Doggie Day Care—even if just to escape from one another due to being together TOO MUCH and need a break from one another! Though our numbers have decreased, we are still very fortunate to be able to care and play with the pups that do visit.

What would you like your clients and potential new clients to know? We at Doggie’s Day Out of Palm Springs THANK our clients SO MUCH for the continued support—whether their pups are able to continue to visit—or just by letting us know they may not be able to visit at this time but that they miss us (and we miss YOU), and plan on returning as soon as they are able to. And that we are doing our best to keep our staff, clients, and pups safe.

It is so important to support your community in any manner you are able to—which does not necessarily need to be monetary—follow the safety guidelines to upgrade the statewide tier system, reach out to neighbors and family via telephone or Zoom—we can all use a little uplifting and contact in whatever the safest manner we can provide—wear your mask, wash your hands, and just be safe.

Support local businesses if you are able to by ordering take out/ delivery/outdoor eating. Order your favorite local supplies online or for curb side pick-up. Just even reaching out to your favorite business to let you know you are thinking of them is so very uplifting —I know this from firsthand experience. The love we have in our small community is huge. It’s not a great time right now. Things are difficult in our busy world. We are not used to being restricted and that is hard in so many ways, but truly just try to do your best.

— Jennifer Guglielmo, Doggie’s Day Out of Palm Springs

in the HVAC system of their store that kills viruses and bacteria in the air and on surfaces multiple times per hour. “We are grateful to be healthy and consider it a blessing to be an essential business, able to remain open at this time,” said Holman.

The Pet Oasis is consistently updating their website with new products and offers free delivery within 25 miles of the store for orders over $25. For orders that don’t hit the $25 requirement, the delivery fee is just $6.99.

How are you and Businesses without a brick and mortar your clients adapting to the location are also having to adjust how new normal? they serve their clients. Spoiled Dog e are fortunate to work in an Designs owner Patt Savastano, industry with wonderful, caring customers who have been patient who relies on the College of the Desert (COD) Street Fair for and understanding as we adjust to and cope with her storefront, had to refocus this new normal. The difficult part is not being able quickly when the first wave to interact personally... and we aren’t seeing as many of our four-legged customers as we’d like! Farrah misses of the shutdown happened. showing all of her new toys to our friends and customers, With no storefront, she found and that’s been the hardest part.” herself reliant solely on online How are you staying positive through this sales, and hers was one of pandemic as a business owner? Focusing on the the first businesses to start important stuff: staying safe, helping others, and producing masks. That was a trying to make every day a great day. We know move that she says kept her staff that the pandemic will end one day, and we working during the early days of don’t stop thinking about tomorrow! the pandemic.

— Gary Houser, Treat Buddy At press time, the COD Street Fair is closed until students returned for in-person We wish everyone health and happiness and want them to know that we appreciate their continued support during this difficult time. We are still here for all their pet food and pet supply needs, and we look forward to getting through this time together.”

Shana Holman, owner of The Pet Oasis, says that the health and safety of their clients and staff are paramount, and they have installed an ionizing system

“W

Coachella Valley Resources PALM SPRINGS

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/ VETERINARIANS VCA - Desert Animal Hospital (760) 778-9999 vcadesert.com Palm Springs Animal Hospital (760) 324-0450 BOARDING/DAYCARE/PETSITTING Doggie’s Day Out of Palm Springs (760) 422-6259 doggiesdayoutofps.com Animal Attraction - In-Home Cat Sitting (760) 673-7370 animal-attraction.info Elite Pet Care Palm Springs (760) 831-8995 elitepetcarepalmsprings.com GROOMING PoshPetCare, (760) 318-7674 poshpetcare.com VCA - Desert Animal Hospital (760) 778-9999 vcadesert.com Petco Pet Store (760) 864-1393 PetSmart Palm Springs (760) 325-9711 Puppy Luv Pet Salon (760) 322-7336 RESCUE/SHELTER/ADOPTION Palm Springs Animal Shelter psanimalshelter.org (760) 416-5718 Humane Society of Coachella Valley (760) 329-0203 RETAIL & PET STORES Bones-n-Scones (760) 864-1133 bonesnscones.com Cold Nose Warm Heart (760) 424-2006 pspetstore.com PoshPetCare (760) 318-7674 poshpetcare.com Treat Buddy (760) 202-3600 TreatBuddy.com PET-FRIENDLY HOTELS The Rowan Palm Springs (760) 904-5015 RowanPalmSprings.com

petcompanionmag.com 65

[ business spotlight] classes, the date for which is unknown at this time. The vendors who rely on the COD Street Fair to serve their clients have come together and created a website called TheStreetFair. com, where you can connect with your favorite shops, including Spoiled Dog Designs. Patt says she’s open for business, fully stocked, taking custom orders via email, phone, and zoom—and she encourages everyone to shop small businesses when they can.

Training, Daycare, and Boarding

Coachella Valley Resources Despite the uncertainties of the pandemic, new businesses are still opening. Manny Guerra, owner of K9 Pet Parent Training, opened the doors to his new facility, PLACE, on October 5, 2020. When asked how it felt to open a business during the pandemic, Guerra admitted, “It was a little terrifying, but we knew there were enough families who needed our services, and we had a lot of positive support from our existing clients, so we took the leap of faith.”

Guerra continued, “Over the last 7 years of private training in the Coachella Valley area, the main limit was not having regular access to social dogs in a controlled setting to work on the next step in training. The new facility allows us to facilitate a working environment that allows dogs to progress in their skill sets beyond what we can accomplish in private training, and still allows us to layer in owner training, resulting in a great resource for families.”

Let’s face it, some of us are back at work, required to travel for family or business, or simply need our pet to stay enriched. Doggie daycares, pet boarding, and training service locations are open and practicing new protocols to keep everyone safe.

Lori Carmen, owner of Dream Dogs Professional Dog Training, shared that masks and social distancing is required, as well as checking temperatures before entering the building. They are also doing drop-off Non-Profit Impact service only. One-on-one training is done The one thing all non-profit organizations through Zoom, The Woof Pack is replacing depend on most is donations, and because of group classes, and virtual classroom events the pandemic, critical fundraising event—in are available so clients can safely work with the form of galas, fun-runs, and other intrainers. As for existing and potential clients, person events—have been canceled. Many Lori says, “We are open and doing our best to organizations have pivoted to hosting online provide amazing services during this time— virtual events to keep their donors and thank you for supporting us and trusting us supporters engaged in their work and the with your training animals and people they serve. needs.”

Fundraising is not the only area of the What are the new non-profit sector that is turning to normal procedures/protocols innovation and flexibility. When you have in place at the moment? it comes to pet adoptions, e have closed our lobby to the organizations have adapted by public. We are coming out to the increasing their online and vehicles and taking pets from there to social media activity and whichever service they are using. (We have remained open creating protocols like for all 3 services: daycare, boarding, and grooming during the appointments only and pandemic.) We are all required to wear masks at all times when contactless adoption interacting with clients. We have a sanitation station set up in the services to ensure parking lot with sanitizer and masks to ensure safety. We still offer tours and temperament tests; however, they are by appointment only. everyone stays safe.

It’s recommended We have also asked clients to limit the amount of things coming into that you call or visit the the facility. At this time we are providing all pets with bedding and blankets. All staff and any clients coming in for tours have to have website of the animal their temperatures taken before they can come through. welfare organization What would you like your clients and potential new clients you’re planning to visit to know? We’d like to thank all of our clients for continuing before making the trip, so to support us by bringing their fur babies for social play you can familiarize yourself and spa treatments. We would not be able to stay open with their health and safety without the love and appreciation they have shown protocols, animals available, to all of us. clinic hours if applicable, adoption/ — Brian Strand, The Grand Paw foster/volunteer application process and requirements, as well as updated operating hours.

“W

66 petcompanionmag.com

continued from page 65 SERVICES Pet Cremation Services of the Desert (760) 401-6700 petcsotd.com

CATHEDRAL CITY RANCHO MIRAGE

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/VETERINARIANS The Cat Clinic (760) 325-3400 VCA - Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital (760) 346-6103 vcaranchomirage.com Carter Animal Hospital (760) 324-8811 GROOMING The Canine Spa Pet Hotel & Grooming 760-328-0876 EarthWise (760) 340-4542 earthwisepet.com K9 Clipper & Catamaran (760) 770-7676 k9clipperandcatamaran.com VCA - Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital (760) 346-6103 vcaranchomirage.com The Barking Lot (760) 647-2275 Shear Art Pet Salon (760) 285-6263 PET BOARDING & DAYCARE The Canine Spa Pet Hotel & Grooming (760) 328-0876 VCA - Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital (760) 346-6103 vcaranchomirage.com RETAIL & PET STORES EarthWise (760) 340-4542 earthwisepet.com

DESERT HOT SPRINGS PET BOARDING & DAYCARE

Furrst and Furrmost (760) 409-9226, furrstandfurrmost.com PET GROOMING & SITTING DJ’s Claws ‘n’ Paws & Doggie Daycare LLC (760) 413-7349

THOUSAND PALMS

RESCUE/SHELTER/ADOPTION Animal Samaritans (760) 343-3477 animalsamaritans.org Coachella Valley City/County Animal Shelter rcdas.org Emergency Services: (760) 343-3644

PALM DESERT

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/VETERINARIANS Country Club Animal Clinic (760) 776-7555 countryclubdvm.com Paws and Claws Urgent Care (760) 610-2454 pawsandclawsurgentcare.com Animal Hospital of Desert (760) 568-5151 Palm Desert Pet Hospital (760) 568-9377 BOARDING/DAYCARE/ PET SITTING Barkingham Pet Hotel California (760) 699-8328 pethotelcalifornia.com RESCUE/SHELTER/ADOPTION California Paws Rescue (760) 699-8328 CaliforniaPawsRescue.org RETAIL & PET STORES/ BOUTIQUE Barkingham Pet Hotel California (760) 699-8328 pethotelcalifornia.com Bones-n-Scones (760) 340-2663 bonesnscones.com Spoiled Dog Designs (760) 482-1877 spoileddogdesigns.com, GROOMING Barkingham Pet Hotel California (760) 699-8328 pethotelcalifornia.com Barking Beauties (760) 851-4679 Ritzi Rover Pet Grooming (760) 341-4133

Super Mutts (760) 776-9201 The Pet Spaw (760) 346-3461 Uptown Dog Grooming (760) 779-9900

INDIAN WELLS TO INDIO

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/VETERINARIANS Animal Samaritans (760) 343-3477 animalsamaritans.org VCA – All Creatures Animal Hospital (760) 564-1154 vcahospitals.com/all-creatures-ca Village Park Animal Hospital (760) 564-3833 VillageParkAnimalHospital.com Desert Dunes Animal Hospital (760) 345-8227 VCA – Valley Animal Medical Center (760) 342-4711 DOG TRAINING FACILITY Dream Dogs (760) 899-7272 dreamdogs.com BOARDING & DAYCARE/PET SITTING The Grand Paw (760) 398-9900 thegrandpaw.com VCA – All Creatures Animal Hospital (760) 564-1154 vcahospitals.com/all-creatures-ca GROOMING The Grand Paw (760) 398-9900. thegrandpaw.com.

Village Park Animal Hospital (760) 564-3833 VillageParkAnimalHospital.com VCA – All Creatures Animal Hospital (760) 564-1154 vcahospitals.com/all-creatures-ca RETAIL & PET STORES/BOUTIQUE The Pet Oasis (760) 345-3199 thepetoasis.com Village Park Animal Hospital (760) 564-3833 VillageParkAnimalHospital.com

In-Home

Cat Sitting Palm Springs & Coachella Valley

Trust me to care when you can’t be there.

Animal Attraction Tim Sally 760.673.7370

novatimo@gmail.com

www.animal-attraction.info The Grand Paw (760) 398-9900 thegrandpaw.com Desert Feed Bag (760) 342-6602 RESCUE/SHELTER/ADOPTION Loving All Animals (760) 834-7000 lovingallanimals.org

VALLEYWIDE SERVICES

The list below includes businesses that do not necessarily have a brick & mortar location but provide services for the Coachella Valley.

PET SITTERS & PET TAXI Animal Attraction In-home cat care services.

Tim Sally, (760) 673-7370 animal-attraction.info Elite Pet Care Palm Springs (760) 320-4710 ElitePetCarePalmSprings.com La Quinta Watch Dog (360) 600-3377 laquintawatchdog.com.com Trip or Treat Pet Services (760) 507-6513 triportreatpetservices.com TRAINERS Best Paw Forward Valerie Masi (760) 885-9450 BestPawForwardDogTraining.com

A revolutionary line of pet mess cleaning products so you can #AdventureOn with your furry friend.

We go where your pet goes.™

● Feed and fresh water ● Litter box maintenance ● Play time ● Non-IV meds ● Plant watering ● Mail and newspaper

Dream Dogs Lori Wainio-Carman (760) 899-7272 dreamdogs.com K9 Parent Training Manny Guerra (760) 813-5250 k9parenttraining.com PS Dog Training Ellen Wade (760) 365-2628 psdogtraining.com RESOURCES Animal Samaritans Shelter and Adoption Center (760) 343-3477 animalsamaritans.org California Paws Rescue Center (760) 699-8328 californiapawsrescue.org Coachella Animal Network (760) 848-4284 coachellaanimalnetwork.org Humane Society of Coachella Valley orphanpet.com (760) 329-0203 Loving All Animals (760) 834-7000 lovingallanimals.org Living Free Animal Sanctuary livingfree.org Palm Springs Animal Shelter (760) 416-5718 psanimalshelter.org Pegasus Therapeutic Riding pegasusridingacademy.org Paws & Hearts pawsandhearts.org War Horse Creek warhorsecreek.org

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect local businesses. Please check with the business directly for hours, location and requirements.

™

Learn More: ChaosAndCuddles.com petcompanionmag.com 67

BUYING A PETFRIENDLY HOME?

Ask me about my

5 Tips for Buying a Home with Pets!

Angela Galioto, Realtor

949-274-0977 angelagaliotorealtor@gmail.com BRE 01513710

PS Dog Training Training programs 30 + years to meet the experience needs of your dog and satisfy your training goals, including: house breaking, obedience training (on or off leash), rally obedience, agility, and conformation training.

Ellen Wade uses a combination of positive reinforcement, clicker training, and food/ toy rewards to create an enjoyable learning atmosphere that works for your dog.

Private Lessons Group Lessons Sleep Away School Puppy Pre-school For more information please call us at

(760) 365-2628 psdogtraining.com

68 petcompanionmag.com

Southern California Resources LOS ANGELES

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/ VETERINARIAN Banfield Pet Hospital (310) 289-7952 banfield.com Carlsen Animal Hospital (310) 445-4692 carlsenvet.com Overland Veterinary Clinic (310) 559-2424 overlandvetclinic.com RETAIL/PET STORE Allan’s Aquarium & Pet (424) 832-3009 Animal Bark n’ Bitches Dog Boutique (323) 655-0155 barknbitches.com Animal Crackers (323) 658-1919 animalcrackersla.com Westside Pet Stop (310) 202-1076 westsidepetstop.com Healthy Spot (323) 486-5500 healthyspot.com Katie’s Pet Depot (310) 828-4545 katiespetdepotwestla.com My Pet Naturally (310) 477-3030 mypetnaturally.com Posh Pet Care poshpetcare.com The Loved Dog (310) 914-3033 theloveddog.com The Urban Pet (323) 933-2100 theurbanpet.net RESCUE/SHELTER Fur Baby Rescue (213) 840-0153 furbabyrescue.org NKLA Pet Adoption (424) 208-8840 nkla.org North Central Animal Shelter (213) 485-5767 laanimalservices.com/shelters The Vanderpump Dog Foundation (323) 852-3647 vanderpumpdogs.org Wallis Annenberg Petspace (424) 384-1801 annenbergpetspace.org

HERMOSA BEACH

PASADENA

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/ VETERINARIAN VCA Coast Animal Hospital (310) 372-8881 vcahospitals.com/coast

REDONDO BEACH

GROOMER Kriser’s Natural Pet 310 379 9262 krisers.com/

ANIMAL SUPPLIES/ BOUTIQUE Bow Wow Botique (310) 372-7722 bowwowboutiquecare.com/ GROOMING Shear Heaven For Pets (310) 379-1700

MARINA DEL REY

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/ VETERINARIAN Animal Wellness Center (310) 450-7387 animalwellnesscenters.com VCA Bay Cities Animal Hospital (310) 821-4967 vcahospitals.com/bay-cities Cat Practice (310) 773-9286 thecatpracticela.com

MANHATTAN BEACH

ANIMAL HOSPITAL/ VETERINARIAN Manhattan Beach Animal Hospital (310) 536-9654 manhattanbeach animalhospital.com Animal Medical Group (310) 546-5731 amgvets.com GROOMER/SPA Bubbles Pet Spa (310) 545-5294 bubblespetspa.com The Loving Groomer (310) 944-0097 Fuji Pet Salon (310) 545-8209

RESCUE/SHELTER Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA (626) 792-7151 pasadenahumane.org ANIMAL HOSPITAL/ VETERINARIAN Family Pet Clinic of Redondo Beach (310) 376-0072 familypetclinicrb.com/ ANIMAL SUPPLIES Canine Castle (310) 379-9812

SANTA MONICA GROOMING/SPA Moon Doggy’s Dog Wash (310) 396-3865 Paws and Effect Pet Spa (310) 450-9017 paws-effect.com RETAIL/PET STORE Animal Kingdom (310) 392-4074 animalkingdomsm.com Bark Williams (310) 664-7009 barkwilliams.com The Naked Dog (310) 450-6759 thenakeddogshop.com

WEST HOLLYWOOD ANIMAL HOSPITAL/VETERINARIAN VCA Miller-Robertson Animal Hopital (310) 657-7050 vcahospitals.com West Hollywood Animal Hospital (310) 275-0055 wh-ah.com RETAIL/PET STORE D.O.G Pet Boutique (310) 652-6321 dogpetboutique.com

VENICE

ANIMAL STORE The Modern Dog (310) 450-2275 come-sit-stay.com

Visit petcompanionmag.com for additional resources.

ORANGE COUNTY & INLAND EMPIRE

ANAHEIM

AAA Pet Groomer 410 N State College Blvd.

(714) 772-3544 Affordable Animal Hospital (714) 772-1611 affordable-aspenanimalhospital. com Anaheim Animal Care & Pet Hospital (714) 527-9292 anaheimanimalcare.com Anaheim Canyon Animal Hospital (714) 637-1000 Anaheim Feed & Pet Supply Inc (714) 992-2012 anaheimfeed.com Anaheim Hills Pet Clinic (714) 779-2101 anaheimhillsvet.com Anchor Animal Hospital (714) 635-7762 anchor-animalhospital.com City Dog Pet Grooming 3070 W Lincoln Ave (714) 236-9860 CJ Dog Grooming 2048 W Lincoln Ave. (714) 772-2280 Cottage Pet Hospital (714) 535-6714 cottagepethospital.com Doggie Salon 1689 W Cerritos Ave. (714) 776-3569 Jackboy’s Dog Bakery jackboydogbakery.com K9 Karousel (714) 527-7779 k9kspa.com La Palma Veterinary Hospital (714) 535-1141 lapalmavet.com Paws & Claws Animal Grooming 1721 W Katella Ave # D (714) 533-2983 Pet Supply Warehouse (714) 777-9970 pswcares.com Sunrise Pet Hospital (714) 283-0227 sunrisepethospital.com Nature’s Select Pet Food (714) 993-5500 naturesselectshop.com

BREA

Ann’s Pet Grooming 405 S. State College Blvd.

(714) 256-8388 Brea Veterinary Hospital (714) 529-4988 breavet.com Chateau Le Pooch (714) 482-0452 chateaulepooch.net Founders Veterinary Clinic (714) 990-0661 www.foundersvet.com Kriser’s Natural Pet (657) 444-2766 krisers.com

CORONA DEL MAR

Corona Del Mar Animal Hospital (949) 644-8160 cdmah.com French Connection (949) 675-7308 frenchconnection.me Happy D’s Pet Salon & Spa 3838 East Coast Hwy (949) 673-1236

COSTA MESA

Beach Paws Pet Salon (949) 646-6723 beachpawspetsalonandgrooming.com Just Food For Dogs (949) 662-1414 justfoodfordogs.com

IRVINE

Animal Hospital of Irvine (949) 559-9988 animalhospitalofirvine.com Club Cat (949) 988-3999 www.clubcatusa.com Culver Pet Clinic (949) 559-8971 culverpetclinic.com Irvine Pet Complex (949) 551-0304 www.irvinepetcomplex.com Kriser’s Natural Pet Store (949) 551-4100 krisers.com Paw Sweet Paw (949) 333-1465 pawsweetpaw.com PetPoint Medical Center and Resort (949) 522-5700 petpointcenter.com

BluePearl Pet Hospital (949) 833-9020 bluepearlvet.com Stonecreek Animal Hospital (949) 726-1800 stonecreekah.com

LAGUNA BEACH

Aliso Beach Animal Clinic (949) 499-4190 alisobeachanimalclinic.com Arch Beach Veterinary Clinic (949) 494-6583 archbeachvet.com Dog Tub (949) 436-8979 dogtublb.com Faux Paw Artique fauxpawproductions.com Laguna Beach Animal Hospital (949) 494-9721 lagunabeachanimalhospital.com Laguna Groomers 384 Forest Ave. (949) 497-2255 Naked Dog Bistro (949) 715-9900 nakeddogbistro.com The Tail Wagger 1854 S Coast Hwy. (949) 494-2006

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Dirty Dogs 11835 Carmel Mountain Rd. (858) 451-3647 Snug Pet Resort (858) 643-0010 snugpetresort.com Del Mar Heights Vet Hospital (858) 792-3888 dmhvh.com All About Animals (858) 459-4583 allaboutanimals-lajolla.com Uptown Woofs uptownwoofs.com Pet Kingdom (619) 224-2841 petkingdom.com Paw Commons (760) 452-4166 pawcommons.com Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital (619) 260-1412 drexotic.com Dr. Boyd’s Pet Resort (619) 349-1522 drboyds.com

Shelter Island Vet Hospital (619) 222-0597 shelterislandvet.com Splash and Dash Doggie Groomerie (619) 221-9233 splashanddashfordogs.com Point Loma Vet Clinic (619) 222-4482 pointlomavetclinic.com Bone Appetit Ocean Beach Pet Supply (619) 226-6250 www.boneappetitob.net Cabrillo Veterinary Hospital (619) 225-9684 cabrillopethospital.com Dog Beach Dog Wash (619) 523-1700 dogwash.com VCA Peninsula Veterinary Clinic (619) 223-7145 vcahospitals.com/peninsula Diego Dogs Grooming (858) 412-5202 diegodogsgrooming.com Noah’s Natural Pet (858) 270-8161 noahsnaturalpetmarket.com Grand Animal Hospital (858) 272-1320 grandanimalhospital.com ABC Veterinary Hospital of PB (858) 270-4120 abcvets.com Pacific Beach Veterinary Clinic (858) 272-6255 pbvetclinic.com Spawlight Dog Salon & Spa (619) 237-4420 spawtlightdog.com Camp Run-A-Mutt East County (619) 312-2267 camprunamutt.com/eastcounty Amici Pet Hospital (619) 795-2400 amicipethospital.com B Street Veterinary Hospital (619) 237-0600 bstreetvet.com Urban Wolf (845) 328-0364 urbanwolfusa.com City Dog (619) 269-0201 citydogsd.com Coronado Veterinary Hospital (619) 435-6281 nadovet.com Purple Paws (619) 375-5100 purplepawspetclinic.com

petcompanionmag.com 69

All Bones-n-Scones baked goods are made of high quality ingredients in our own bakery!

We make it fresh... so you can show your love!

Decorated Treats, Cakes and Pupcakes! available only at our stores!

bones-n-scones Your pets nutrition super-source NOW WITH 3 LOCATIONS PALM DESERT: 73-910 Hwy 111 Suite C 760.340.2663 PHOTOGRAPHY BY: RICHARD MANINTVELD

PALM SPRINGS: The Sun Center at 633 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Ste. #27 760.864.1133

bonesnscones.com

PALM SPRINGS MARKETPLACE: Sunrise at Vista Chino 1717 E. Vista Chino, Suite B-3 760.832.9010

A REAL HOTEL FOR PETS PLAY!PLAY!PLAY!

4 Distinctly Different Overnight Boarding Sections Choose between one of the four different sections — Mandarian Orien“tail”, Sunset Barkee, the W’oof, and the “Paw”ninsula—find the one that best suits your pet’s personality. Suites are large and have human-sized king and queen beds. We have on-site staff 24/7.

Daycare Options & Nightcare too!

The indoor, air-conditioned play area is large enough for our dogs to run and play all day. Outdoors is Doguna Beach, where pups can play in our man-made lake, with a waterfall.

The Dino Martin Lounge is available to relax and watch TV for those who don’t want to run and play with others anymore.

FULLY AIR CONDITIONED INDOOR DOG PARK! Concierge for services & tours. 22,000 SQUARE FEET OF FUN!

A New Standard in Pet Care and Rescue

A Non-Profit Organization Dedicated to Finding Qualified Homes for Dogs Locally owned and operated since 2011, California Paws Rescue saves the lives of dogs every day. We are proud to have over 300 successful pet adoptions.

Donations, volunteers, and adoptions can surely make the lives of these lovable pets wonderful.

We also have an in-house vet clinic coming soon.

Looking for Volunteers Professional Dog Trainer We offer professional dog training including Puppy Kindergarten.

Cat suites and bird boarding available.

Nutrition and more!

Lori Weiner is a certified Clinical Pet Nutritionist (CPN) and will be available to consult with clients on proper nutrition for their pet. Call to schedule an appointment. Attend classes about our therapeutic grade essential oils from Young Living and classes on Nutrition for Your Pets.

Barkingham will hold monthly workshops taught

by Lori. Call to register.

Expert Grooming

California Grooming is a five-star grooming salon. Meet our groomers and see the magic they can do on your dogs.

Offering mud baths, spa treatments and pawdicures, too.

California Dreamin’ Boutique

Find beautiful dog beds, leashes, collars, and more at our boutique.

Therapeutic-grade essential oils available, too.

Because we are a non-profit organization, volunteers are necessary to help us succeed. If you would like to help, sign up to be a volunteer and save lives today!

We depend on loyal friends and sponsors like you to help save the lives of these precious, innocent animals. You may even meet your new animal companion!

Call us for more details.

760-656-3833

CaliforniaPawsRescue.com California Paws Rescue is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

Barkingham Pet Hotel California

73650 Dinah Shore Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92211 www.PetHotelCalifornia.com 760-699-8328

WAR HORSE CREEK

WE RESCUE THE MUSTANG. THE MUSTANG RESCUES THE VETERAN. War Horse Creek as an immersive reintegration camp using rescued wild mustangs to help our veterans transition from military to civilian life. We provide life skills training, education and career guidance with a focus on post-traumatic growth.

WAR HORSE CREEK at LIVING FREE ANIMAL SANCTUARY 54250 Keen Camp Road, Mountain Center CA 92561 warhorsecreek.org