Romeo and Friends

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2012-01-27T13:25:00.001-08:00

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Romeo's Coat Care

2007-08-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of comments about Romeo's coat. A LOT. How soft he is, how beautiful his coat is, how clean he looks, even, if you can believe it, how nice he smells sometimes. I'm asked a lot how I keep his coat so soft. I think a lot of it has to do with the food that we feed him. But after not bathing him for about two months, I am going to have to break down and say that a lot of it also has to do with the shampoo and conditioner I use on him:

Cloudstar's Buddy Wash and Buddy Rinse

So we've been using this shampoo and conditioner on Romeo since he was like 6 months old. Not long after I started using Buddy Wash and Rinse on Romeo, they had a "buy the shampoo, get the conditioner free" promotion, and I bought like 4 bottles of shampoo. Romeo's small, and I think I've only gone through one or two bottles of shampoo in the last two years. It makes him smell nice -- like lavender, and the conditioner helps me keep his coat from getting matted. I'm sure there are other products out there that also work very well, but I've only ever used Cloudstar and baby shampoo on Romeo, so I don't have much to go on except for the fact that I know Cloudstar works great.

Oscar the Cat, aka The Angel of Death?!!

2007-07-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

My friend sent me this article about a cat who can sense when someone is about to die. It's pretty interesting:

When death comes calling, so does Oscar the cat - CNN.com

This cat is documented to be more correct than doctors are about when someone is about to die. Weird. Strange. Fascinating. I wonder what they will learn about cats when they study him further.

Tiny dog saves baby from rattlesnake - Yahoo! News

2007-07-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I wonder at a dog's devotion.

Tiny dog saves baby from rattlesnake - Yahoo! News

Good doggie!

It must be summer again...

2007-06-28T03:43:00.001-07:00

It must be summer again...
Originally uploaded by Tina Pham

It must be summer again, because here's Sambora, airing it all out. Sigh. To be a cat.

Romeo's Day at the Park

2007-06-18T01:01:00.000-07:00

I brought my camera with me this weekend to our park outing. Romeo *loves* his flying disc! We caught some great action shots, plus a couple of great catch sequences. Check them out!

Romeo's Day at the Park

Doing What Jezebel Does Best!

2007-05-31T23:04:00.000-07:00

I found Jezebel where I usually find Jezebel on laundry day: in the midst of the clean laundry, in a little cubby that she creates for herself. Today I had my camera on me. Here's what she thought of my presence:

Oh, to be a cat.

[Pet Care Articles] Adult Onset Allergies

2007-05-23T11:14:00.001-07:00

Romeo as a puppy had no allergies to speak of. Then, one day, he began chewing on his paws. So much so that he chewed his back paws raw. At first, I thought it was a nervous habit he had developed. I put bitter apple on, tried a bunch of holistic topical creams, but nothing worked to deter his chewing. Then he started to chew on his front paws. When I took him to the vet, she told me that it was an allergy to something in his environment. Probably grass, she said. A skin scrape (negative for mange or fungus), a cortisone shot, a course of antibiotics and prednisone, and Romeo was better.

But his antihistamine wasn't working for him. He began chewing on his paws again almost immediately. So I took him back to the vet and asked if we could try something different. She said to switch the antihistimine to something else. When I said I wanted something over the counter like Benedryl, she said to give Romeo about 1mg per pound twice a day. So now, we watch Romeo in the morning and at night for signs of bloodshot eyes or swollen eyes or feet, and in the summer, he gets a pill of Benedryl in the morning and one at night. He'll also get a pill if we know he's going to a park or a stable.

The Benedryl generally works, but sometimes it doesn't, and in the morning his paws will look like he chewed on them all night long. But his allergies are much more under control than they used to be. We also give him some holistic supplements and feed him specific food to help ease his itching (stuff that are high in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids).

Here is an antihistamine chart that I found online to help you find the correct dosage of over the counter antihistamines for your dog. I'm not responsible for the dosage suggestions here (I'm not a vet), so please consult with your vet before giving your dog any medication. This chart was meant as a jumping off point for discussion with your vet. Every animal is different, so please if you have any concerns, bring it up with your friendly neighborhood vet.

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Posted By Tina to Pet Care Articles at 5/23/2007 10:30:00 AM

Blast from the Past

2007-05-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

I recently found this wonderful picture of Sambora, maybe around 1 year old, with Romeo when he was 7 or 8 weeks old. To say that these two bonded with each other is an understatement.

Cat Too Scary for Canadian Mail Carrier

2007-05-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

I just saw this strange tidbit on CNN.com:

Cat Too Scary for Canadian Mail Carrier

Apparently, the cat is "very threatening" and the Canadian mail refuses to deliver to the cat owner's house. The owner claims that the cat is 8 years old, declawed, and docile.

Score: Cats, 1. Canada, 0.

Romeo Visits Alice's Dog Park in Pasadena

2007-04-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the off-leash dog area in Pasadena. It has been around for nearly about a year, and this was the first time we went. We met up with my friends and their dogs. I have to say, it was one of the nicest off-leash areas we've been to! And most of the dogs were really nice. Here's more information on the off-leash dog park -- http://www.phsspca.org/about/news-dogpark.htm

We can't wait to go back!

Romeo's Outing: A Pet Friendly Pasadena

2007-04-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

I'm always so amazed at how pet-friendly Old Town Pasadena is. Yesterday, I took Romeo shopping, and we went into Old Town.

We went to the Paper Source to buy some paper for a test project that I'm doing. Then Romeo and I stopped in at The Gap, because for some unknown reason, Romeo LOVES The Gap. (FYI: I could be wrong, but I believe dogs are always welcome at any Old Navy, anywhere.) We were stopped there by a woman who had a regular sized Aussie, but hadn't ever seen a mini aussie so small. The Gap saleslady also stop to chat with us for a bit about Romeo. After all that cooing, we went to Romeo's favoritest place in all of Old Town Pasadena: Three Dog Bakery. There, he got to lick frosting off of a spoon. Doggie heaven!

No trip for an urban puppy could be complete without a stop at Victoria's Secret. The first time we went, I wasn't sure if they would let Romeo in, because, well, let's be honest, dogs are notorious for destroying underwear. But my sister went in and asked, and they said, "No problem." So we went to Victoria's Secret so I could get (yep) more underwear.

Our trip culminated with a trip to The Container Store. I had never seen a dog in The Container Store, so I stuck my head in to ask if it was all right before bringing Romeo in. There, another woman stopped us and asked if Romeo was a miniature Australian shepherd. To which I replied, "Yes." She asked how old he was, and when I said, "Two and a half." She asked, "Two and a half months, right?" And I said, "No, two and a half years." Apparently her friend has a mini aussie, and it was NOT Romeo's size. So many people are calling their mini aussies "mini" when they are actually standard size Australian shepherds coming from mini aussie stock. But that speaks to the politics of the Australian shepherd breed and not the actual size of the dog. (For any who claim that Romeo is not a true Australian shepherd, I invite you to look at his pedigree. He comes from CHAMPION, pre AKC, pre differentiating size, Australian shepherd lines! He's just small!)

We ended the trip there at The Container Store. Romeo is more well-behaved on Old Town Pasadena and other urban areas that is dog friendly than at dog parks! I love that Old Town loves dogs (and cats!) as much as the owners do. There is almost no retail establishment in Old Town Pasadena that won't let a dog in. (I'd ask before bringing in a dog to Barnes and Noble...there is a food establishment attached.) But if you're unsure, don't just barge in, canine in tow. Poke your head in and ask if it's ok. Gordon Biersch, for instance, even with its outdoor patio, when I last asked, wouldn't let Romeo in.

See you in Old Town!

[Pet Care Articles] Pet Food Recall Finally Hits Home

2007-04-18T09:59:00.001-07:00

Natural Balance has recalled all of its Venison products, regardless of date and lot. More information can be found here: http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/press_release.html

I think we may have one can of this left for the cats. Do we throw it out or return it to Petco? Thing is, it's just one can.

The recall finally affects our food supply. At least that's just one of many brands that we use, and not a primary one at that. Romeo does eat Natural Balance rolls as treats, sometimes replacing a meal a day with the rolls, but I think we'll just journey on and watch them all carefully.

Signs to look for in your pets that they may have toxic things in their system according to our friendly neighborhood veterinarian: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, drinking more water than normal. If your pet displays any of these signs, bring them down to the vet. If you're worried but your pet does not show any of these signs, bring a urine sample down to your vet, and they can do a urine test to see if there is anything to be worried about.

So far, all pets are fine. Not even a hairball in the last week.

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Posted By Tina to Pet Care Articles at 4/18/2007 09:44:00 AM

Jezebel Gets Immortalized!

2007-04-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

Jezebel gets her own letterpress card! Since she's my little darling cat, it was only fitting that I make a little darling card that features Jezebel! It's a letterpressed card, the print is from a linoleum cut I carved, black ink on Fabriano cardstock. I haven't quite figured out if I'm going to leave it as is or if I'm going to add text to it, either a "Meow" or make it into a "Thank You" or "Thinking of You" or something? If you have any thoughts on the matter, feel free to share!

2007 so far: Romeo Sees Snow!

2007-04-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

At the end of February, we took Romeo on our snowboarding trip. There are lots of pet-friendly lodges and hotels up there, and we stayed at one that was close to Snow Summit.

Romeo saw snow for the first time since he left Turtle Mountain (Romeo was born in a snowy season!), and he didn't know what to make of it. It had just snowed, and Romeo just sank in and almost got lost in all the fresh powder! The first night we were there, it snowed, and we took Romeo out to see it. I don't think he thought anything was going on, but when we came back in, Romeo was covered with snow, and he didn't shake it off since it was so light he didn't know it was covering him.

Here's a picture of Romeo and Joel, with Big Bear Lake in the background!

2007 so far: New Year's Celebration

2007-04-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

So we haven't talked much about Romeo's goings-on all that much. It's been a busy 2007 so far!

So we'll start out from the top with New Year's Eve, where Romeo got to stay in a ritzy hotel for the very first time and got to make googly-eyes at none other than Mr. Justin Timberlake himself (SERIOUSLY, Justin Timberlake, former boy band member, ex-boyfriend of Cameron Diaz). I was a little tongue-tied, but Romeo made the cutesy face at the pop star. JT remarked while we waited for the elevator that Romeo "is a cutie, isn't he?" Indeed he is.

The little miniature australian shepherd leads a charmed life. Romeo is now the envy of his Auntie Tania.

Here are pics of Romeo after a hard night of partying with himself in the hotel room. He loved the bed.

Rescuer: Dog may have saved climbers - Yahoo! News

2007-02-19T22:47:00.000-08:00

In the news:

Rescuer: Dog may have saved climbers - Yahoo! News

Good doggie!

Romeo wishes everyone Happy Holidays!

2006-12-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

Love,

Romeo & Friends

Bah Humbug!

2006-12-17T22:35:00.000-08:00

Sambora's not getting up until Christmas Day!

Romeo's Birthday Parties!

2006-12-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

For Romeo's second birthday, Romeo had two parties! The first birthday party was on Saturday, December 2nd. All of Romeo's doggie friends showed up, along with some human friends, too! Romeo's agility friends Chachi and Ella were there along with Bridget and Kiwi. All the dogs enjoyed pupcakes from Three Dog Bakery as part of the party. Romeo got lots of cool presents and loves them all! Thanks everybody for showing up and getting such great gifts for Romeo!

Here are some pictures at the park:

Romeo looking adoringly at me (I have his frisbee)

Romeo running, Ella on the right with Romeo's frisbee

The humans look on...

On Monday, December 4th, after agility, Romeo came home to a beautiful boxer brownie from Three Dog (some days, we think Romeo keeps Three Dog Pasadena in business all by himself). Here he is with his birthday cake! Being a proper dog, he decided the best way to eat the cake was by licking all the frosting off first, then to eat the carob brownie.

Happy Birthday Romeo!

2006-12-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Romeo!
Originally uploaded by Tina Pham.

Happy birthday Romeo!

This year, Romeo turns two. Let's hope it isn't the terrible twos!

More about his birthday celebrations to come...

[Pet Care Articles] Pet Food Choices: Dry, Wet, Raw, and the "Rotation" Concept

2006-11-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

I went to a "food seminar" put on by Nature's Variety about a month and a half ago, and while it was nothing more than a sales pitch for their various lines of dog and cat food, it did bring up a couple of points of thought and some interesting tidbits of information. Here are my thoughts on the following subjects:

Cats Need Water From Wet Foods
Everyone at the seminar seemed aware (except for yours truly) that the main affliction of the housecat has to do with the urinary tract. Housecats are apparently especially prone to kidney and bladder problems. So this is apparently due to cats not getting enough water.

Cats are desert animals. (This I knew.) They therefore don't drink as much water. (This I also knew.) What I didn't know was that cats that eat primarily dry kibble do not drink enough water. (Now I'm going to paraphrase catinfo.org) Cats eating dry kibble get half the amount of water from wet food. So, pet nutritionists reason, it is preferable for your cat's health, that if at all possible, you feed your cat only wet food.

Raw Foods
I'm still out to lunch on raw foods, although I do have a bag of Nature's Variety Raw Rabbit in the freezer now. The idea of raw food is that it most closely replicates what cats and dogs eat in nature and that feeding raw food as opposed to cooked food gives our pets more nutrients since the nutrients aren't cooked off.

The main issue that pet owners have against feeding raw (besides cost and ease) is bacterial infection and food poisoning. I think that raw feeding advocates don't have proper scientific studies to claim that cats and dogs are not as afflicted by salmonella and e coli and whatever else as humans are. I think that animals do in fact get food poisoning. As in humans, once you get food poisoning, there's really nothing to do except wait it out and let it pass. And in dogs and cats, since they have shorter digestive tracts, the wait itsn't as long. Also, dogs are known to be able to stand a lot of pain without vocalizing their suffering, so even if a dog is suffering, the owner may not know.

A secondary issue I have to feeding my pets only raw food is that I can't be sure on my own that my pets are getting the proper nutrition. Left on his own, Romeo would only eat the meat, leaving everything else there. This would make for an unbalanced diet if he got to do this all the time.

All that being said, I do give my dog (and the cats, even though they don't seem to enjoy raw at all) raw sometimes to vary his diet. I like carpaccio and sushi, so I don't see any harm in giving them raw sometimes. The caveat is that I give him the commercially prepared stuff or, if I'm preparing it from supermarket stuff, I flash-fry the exposed parts of the meat to kill of any germs that may be on the meat. Searing the exposed parts of the meat kills the bacteria that may be living on the surface while preserving the raw nutrition benefits.

Variety in Diet
Nature's Variety promotes "rotation" of their foods. This I wholly advocate. I primarily feed my dog and cats either Innova Evo or Nature's Variety Raw Instinct dry kibble because of its high protein content and superior quality ingredients. Let's face it, it's easy to feed dry kibble. I look for foods that are at least 30% protein for Romeo and 40% protein for the cats. For the cats, additionally, I look for kibble without grains. This is particularly hard because dry kibble needs binders. Innova Evo uses potato, Nature's Variety Raw Instinct uses tapioca.

I feel it's important to vary the cats' and the dog's diet. First, I think it's boring for them to have to eat the same food all the time. Romeo and Jezebel in particular don't like eating the same things all the time, and they noticeably get bored with the food.

Second, it's better for their digestive systems. The reason that you have to switch over to new foods slowly is because the pets' digestive system has only been eating one thing the entire time. If you only ate one thing, and suddenly you ate something totally different, trust me, your system would rebel as well. Romeo doesn't have this problem, and I think it's in part because he eats something different every day with his dry kibble. I can also switch Jezebel, Sambora, and Romeo on a whim to another food without there being problems.

Third, there's a lot of talk about development of food allergies. I think that by keeping digestive systems and their palates robust (you don't want them to want only one food) , if a food allergy develops, you can easily switch their foods out with little difficulty.

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Posted By Tina to Pet Care Articles at 11/10/2006 02:55:00 PM

Immortalize Your Pet!

2006-11-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

So I've been looking through various things you can do to immortalize your pet. Don't ask why, since I'm content to not spend my money in that way. There is, of course, the standard "take a picture with Santa at your local pet store and turn it into a blanket," but that's so not as cool as other far more expensive things you could do.

Of the photography places, my favorite is Pet Photo Pros, based out of Long Beach. I like the modern feeling of the photography, plus they seemed pretty reasonably priced.
If you have a couple hundred to spare (namely $550), Dogs by Wags does pretty cool portraiture on pretty paper. If had money to blow, I would maybe think for a couple seconds about doing this.
Don't know what to do with all that kitty or puppy fur coming off of your dog? You can send it to VIP Fibers, and they'll spin it into yarn. Then you can wear your dog or cat. Hmm...

Happy Halloween! Romeo at Agility in Costume!

2006-11-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

Here are the cool kids at agility! Romeo, Chachi, and Ella!

Happy Halloween! Romeo in Costume!

2006-11-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

We don't remember what Romeo was last Halloween (I don't think he dressed up, actually), but this Halloween Romeo dressed up as a dinosaur! Call him Dino!