Book Review: The Teachings of Shirelle: Life Lessons from a Divine Knucklehead By Douglas Green

Douglas Green’s book, “The Teachings of Shirelle: Life Lessons from a Divine Knucklehead” is the story of one man’s experiences with his pet, an exuberant mixed breed pup he named Shirelle. (A lifelong music fan, Green borrowed the name from 1960s singing group the Shirelles.) 

When Green first met Shirelle, the pup was confined to a shelter, next on the list to be put down. The shelter workers referred to her as “Knucklehead”, an outgoing Husky mix, who impressed her soon to be new owner by playfully biting the ear of the pup next to her! 

After some looking at pups at another shelter, Green knew this was the one, and he went back to claim her.  Shirelle was no shrinking violet or obedient Westminster dog show candidate, but she wasn’t out of control, either. A curious, friendly pup she didn’t just greet people by sniffing at them – she’d enthusiastically jump all over them. After a few mishaps, it was time for obedience class. Shirelle’s behavior gradually improved, but she was still a knucklehead – in a good way. Green writes about how Shirelle’s presence helped him through a career change, various relationships, and life’s general ups and downs. She was always there to entertain and comfort him, in her own quirky way, and he was always there for her.

Along the way Green dates a woman who doesn’t like dogs. (Shirelle stayed, and the woman is long gone.) He directs a play about a couple and their dog, with Shirelle making an appearance.

Sadly, Shirelle developed cancer, but Green pursued different treatments for her. The cancer went into remission, and she lived another few years.

“The last years of her life she worked with me,” says Green in a short phone interview, “She had a profound effect on clients” and “helped them go to a deeper place and access emotions.”

Green, a psychotherapist in West L.A., keeps Shirelle’s lessons alive through a Q and A feature on the website AskShirelle.com. Kids, teens and even parents write in to Shirelle and she answers their questions about life. The page has become quite popular, with upwards of 10,000 visitors a month. 

 “The Teachings of Shirelle: Life Lessons from a Divine Knucklehead” is a different kind of book about pets, since it looks at how a pet helps us through our daily lives, not just about how we can help them. It’s a heartwarming and engaging read for anyone who’s had a dog that’s inspired- and at times, exasperated them. 

Buy "The Teachings of Shirelle" at Amazon.com.

Doug Green will be appearing at the Cavalleria Press booth at the L.A. Times Festival of Books  on April 9^th and 10^th.

 

Five Things You Should Do Before Boarding Your Pet

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/tiverylucky

If you don’t want a pet sitter puttering around your house while you’re on vacation, or if your cat or dog has special medical needs, contact a local boarding kennel before heading to the airport. Of course, “kennel” is an old-fashioned term. Many pet boarding facilities are akin to fancy hotels for Fido or Fifi, offering individual pet suites of up to 120 square feet with “day and night lighting”, vets on staff 24 hours, and day spas for manicures and grooming.

What should you do before choosing a boarding facility?


Get Recommendations from Vets and Pet Owners

Ask your vet to recommend a local doggie daycare facility. Ask neighbors and relatives where they board their pets. Check out all the usual Internet review sources, like Yelp and CitySearch. Pet forums, however, will give you a more reliable and detailed rundown of a pet’s stay at a kennel.  You can check out Yeepet forums here.

Pay a Visit to the Facility

Before committing to a kennel, ask for a tour of the facilities. Some of the larger pet boarding facilities have different amenities and doggie “suites” available, so you’ll want to get a first-hand look before determining what is best for your pet.  Some luxury pet hotels have accommodations with cable TV for pampered pooches that like to bark at “The View” every morning. Some seemingly extraneous features do serve a purpose –spoiled or highly nervous pets may need an environment that mimics their home as closely as possible to feel comfortable. Ask if the kennel is a member of the International Boarding Pet Services Association (IBPSA), which provides education and legislative information to pet professionals. If you have an aging pet or one with specific medical needs, choose a kennel with a staff vet, or even better, board the critter at your vet’s office. Some larger veterinarian groups do offer  this services.


Bring toys and blankets from home

Dogs and cats are creatures of habit, and a new environment, no matter how well-appointed, will make them nervous. Bring a few favorite toys and blankets to remind your pet of the comforts of home. Alert the kennel staff about any personality quirks or daily habits. Some cats like to play vigorously when they wake up after a nap, while others just want to be left alone to preen. If your pet enjoys certain treats or a particular type of food, let the staff know. Some facilities may let you bring food for your pet in advance; others will supply the food and bill you for it.

Consider exercise and lodging details.

Facilities that house both dogs and cats keep them in different areas. Cats may have anything from a cat lodge, with separate compartments, to a four-story VIP “Townhouse.”  Dogs have their own individual suites, with square footage dependent on the animal’s size and weight. Staff workers take dogs for a walk several times a day. Other services, like outdoor runs or personal playtime with a staff member, are available for a nominal fee. Some facilities even have massage and dog training services.


 Make sure your pet has required vaccinations

 Keep in mind that boarding facilities require dogs and cats have a clean bill of health and all appropriate shots. Both dogs and cats should be flea and tick free and have a good temperament. That combative feral cat you rescued may be a challenge for you to raise at home, but it will be too wild for the staff at a boarding facility full of domestic animals. Generally speaking, you’ll need to show proof that your cat has a current leukemia vaccination or test and a current PRC test. Dogs need have current rabies, DAPP and BV shots. You’ll also need to prove that your canine has no intestinal parasites. Have all your paperwork from the vet ready when making reservations for your pet’s hotel stay.
 

This article first appeared on Yeepet.com in 2011 (under Jade07)

Copyright 2011 by Jade Blackmore 

 

Five Ways to Pamper Your Pup

Photo Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Vudhikrai

Celebrities have the extra cash to pamper their pets with snakeskin dog collars, designer doggie salon visits and luxury hotel rooms. The rest of us need to be a bit more creative when we want to pamper our pooches. A little bit of time-and a little bit of money-can go a long way if you want to make your pet feel like the top dog.

Buy  your pup a brand new sweater. Sure, everybody liked to dress up their  dog for Halloween and other festivities, but how about about buying a fashionable but functional sweater to keep your doggie warm in the winter? An ageless argyle sweater always keeps a pup warm and looking good, while bright confetti sweaters will give your pet a playful look.

Shoot a photo portrait. Turn your dog into a supermodel with a few personality-laden shots. You can do it yourself with a good digital camera and some patience. Be sure to focus on your pet’s personality and let him strike a pose on his own. Or take a family photo wit him on the lap of his favorite human. Set shutter speed at 1/125th of a second, since pets move like lightning just when you think you have the perfect picture in view. Don’t have patience to follow your pooch with a camera?  Try contacting a pro pet photographer.

 Take a trip to the dog park. Don’t stick to the tried and true neighborhood walk routine all the time. Treat your dog to a few hours in the local dog park. He’ll get a workout and meet some new friends (and so will you!). Be sure to bring plenty of water, some chew toys, a Frisbee and snacks! All dog parks aren’t created equal, so scope out reviews on Yelp and other local guides to get an idea of the best  romping posts in your city. In L.A., Curbed recommends The Boneyard, Lake Hollywood, Silver Lake and Laurel Canyon.

Introduce your dog to some gourmet eats.You can always run off to the pet aisle at CVS on a regular basis and buy cheap dog treats, but that’s the equivalent of humans eating Twinkies everyday as a snack. To give your fave friend a new culinary experience, look up your local dog bakery. L.A’s Three Dog Bakery offers bone-shaped doggie cakes with specialized message in peanut butter or carob flavor. The gourmet treat comes in a wheat free version and feeds one to five dogs. If you don’t have time for a trip to the bakery, try a bag of chicken and apple dog treats or Bark Bar candy bars for dogs, made of honey and oats, carob or peanut butter.

Give Fido a new place to slumber. Most dogs prefer to sleep in their masters’ beds or on a big cushion in the living room. But why not pamper your pooch with his own designer bed. Fancy sleep quarters are more common for small dogs than larger ones, of course, but all canines deserve to relax in their own designer space once in awhile. Plush buttercup beds adapt to dog’s size, creating a comfy nest for long naps. Dutchie beds made of microvelvet fibers come in extra small to double extra large. These beds tufted are cushions with four square bolsters to pamper your dog with his own little dreamboat. Finally, if you have a tiny teacup dog, treat her like a princess with her own faux fur sleigh bed.


This article first appeared on Yeepet.com in 2012 as Jade07
Copyright 2012 Jade Blackmore

Five Tips to Help Your Cat Maintain a Healthy Weight

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/ William Siers

It might be fun to look at photos of obese cats on YouTube, but if you really think about it, extra weight on a cat is unhealthy. It impedes quality of life for our feline friends, even if they are relatively healthy despite the extra weight.

It’s not surprising that so many cats are overweight. It’s easy to overfeed a cat, especially for busy folks who work long hours and leave extra treats for their pets in lieu of one-on-one playtime. Unlike dogs, cats aren’t taken outside for a brisk walk  to relieve themselves. Their restroom is inside just a few steps away from boudoir, and their entire day may consist of sitting on the windowsill looking across the street. If they’re lucky they have a cat tower or house to play in, but that alone will not keep a cat at fighting weight.


The first step in keeping your cat trim is to get him moving.

Play with him more often – most cats need fifteen to twenty minutes a day of exercise. If you don’t have time every day to devote to exercising your feline,  have a family member, friend or even a pet-sitter play with your cat.


Active Toys and “Hiding Places” Encourage Exercise

We all know that cats love to play with paper bags (with the handles cut off) and hide inside, punching holes in the bag for fun. Engage your kitty in a game of hide and seek by punching a large hole in the back of the bag and waving their favorite toy outside it for him to grab. Other household objects can provide endless amusement for your cat from toilet paper rolls to shower rod rings and small stuffed animals.. Cats naturaly love to chase and eventually catch all sorts of objects. Even if you don’t configure your house for natural hiding places, cats always seem to make their own “caves” to hide toys. (My cat Lux loves to hide shiny metallic scrunchies behind my computer desk; that is, til he started to bat them under the fridge.) Every cat has a fascination for different toys. Experiment with a few to see which ones capture your pet’s imagination. Cats need to chase, fish and knead and different toys fulfill these needs.


Combine Eating and Play with Food-Dispensing Toys

Constantly filling your cat's food dish will keep him from bothering you, but it will make him fat. It’s like always having a full dish of candy or chips at your desk at all times. How long would you be able to resist temptation? Keep your cat at a healthy weight by using a food-dispensing toy –make them work before getting a treats or food. You fill the dispenser and then make the cat hunt or “fish” for the kibble like they would in nature. You can start by using treats and slowly introduce dry food to the mix, leaving toys around the house for the cat to discover. This helps housebound cats whose owners work long hours. Some toys/food dispensers for housebound cats are the PetSafe Cat Food Dispenser and the Pipolino.


Encourage other natural instincts, such as biting, in a healthy way. Purchase developmental cat toys which satisfy the biting urge and keep cats teeth clean. Some companies sell toys like stuffed chew mice or mint-leaf filled chew sticks geared toward improving a cat’s dental health.

Never use hands and feet as scratch toys.

It may be tempting to play with a kitten this way, but it will cause problems when your kitty grows into a large, agile cat with sharp claws. If a cat swats a pen or other small object off your desk til it falls on the floor, he’s following his natural compunction to “toy” with prey. Of course, if he won’t give this m.o. a rest, he’s trying to get your attention or maybe he’s just plain bored. Schedule more playtime with your kitty or get him another feline companion to keep office supplies on your desk instead of the floor! 

This article first appeared on Yeepet.com in 2011 (as Jade07)

Copyright 2011 by Jade Blackmore

Feeding Brine Shrimp to Your Fish: An Introduction

Illustration Credit/vectorolie/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What are brine shrimp?

Brine shrimp (Artemia salina), found in Utah’s Salt Lakes and the San Francisco Bay, are a popular live food used by fish hobbyists. While pet stores sell live and freeze-dried brine shrimp, brine eggs that can be cultivated at home by aquarists comprise the largest market segment. Most cultivated brine shrimp eggs used by hobbyists are from Utah, since they are larger than those found in San Francisco’s waters. Hobbyists and breeders feed brine shrimp to their baby fish, or fry, as they are also called. If produced on a regular basis for a home aquarium, hobbyists can have a plentiful food source for their fish without constant trips to the pet store.

What types of fish eat brine shrimp?

Most popular breeds kept as pets can eat brine shrimp. Livebearer fish like guppies and swordtails, cichlids (angelfish, oscars, etc.), betas (wine red betas, Siamese fighting fish) and even goldfish can eat brine shrimp. Plecostomus Catfish won’t eat brines, but otherwise, any common hobby fish will gobble them up at feeding time.


Can I buy live brine shrimp from a dealer?

Retail pet stores and online dealers sell brine shrimp eggs, freeze-dried brine shrimp and live brine shrimp Live brine shrimp have a life span of about three months.   While there’s nothing wrong feeding your baby fish freeze dried or store-bought shrimp,  if you have lots of new fish, a homemade hatchery provide the best choice to provide a steady shrimp diet for your fish. If you have one small aquarium and don’t plan on adding new fish (or babies), a hatchery might not be worth your time. If you are a serious hobbyist or if you breed fish, a small hatchery is a good investment.


Making a Small Home Hatchery


You can cultivate your own brine shrimp using shrimp eggs from any store or online supplier and a few items you already have at home. Here’s a basic outline for a small, DIY home hatchery. Set aside a space in your aquarium room and assemble a hatchery using the following tools:

Two one-liter soda bottles
Flexible airline
Aquarium Air pump
Rigid tubing
Drinking straw
Prepared brine solution or salt and baking soda
Desk lamp

Brine eggs ( 90% is best)

Clean the empty soda bottles. Then cut the bottom off the first bottle, throwing away the “indented part” and leaving at least three-quarters of the bottle, leaving the bottle cap securely fastened. Cut the second bottle one-third of the way up from the bottom, so that you have the indented, bottom of the bottle. Fit the first piece into the second piece. The open piece at the top is the hatching container. The small bottom piece helps it balance on the tabletop.


Attach the rigid air tube to flexible airline. Put the flexible air tubing into the air pump. Place the rigid end of the tubing into the soda bottle/hatching container.

Fill hatching container with slightly more than three-quarters of warm water. Put in a tablespoon of table salt and a pinch of baking soda OR pre-packaged brine shrimp solution according to directions. Then measure a half-teaspoon of brine shrimp eggs and pour them in the bottle . Now drop in the brine shrimp eggs. Stir it slightly with the drinking straw to hydrate eggs floating on the top.

Place the light over the open bottle. The water in the bottle should be between 75 and 80 degrees. If the water temp is lower, it will take the brine shrimp longer to hatch.   At optimum temperature, it will take 24 hours for the eggs to develop. When you come back the next day, the water should be orange. That means the brine shrimp have hatched. Turn off the air pump and remove the air tube. Wait ten minutes for the brine shrimp and the shells to separate. The brine shrimp will be at the bottom of the container; the shells at the top. Take the drinking straw and put your finger over the top. Put the straw all the way into the bottom of the container where the shrimp have gathered. Then lift your finger off the top of the straw and pull the straw out of the water. The straw should be orange-colored and filled with brine shrimp. Unused baby brine shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator for three or four days in Petri dishes filled with brine solution.


*If you need to produce a large batch of brine shrimp, use the above method substituting an aquarium tank for the soda bottles. 

This article originally appeared on Yeepet.com (as Jade07)
Copyright 2011 by Jade Blackmore

 

Transitioning Your Cat to a Homemade Diet

  Photo:nipitphand/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If your cat is skittish, finicky or prone to health problems, even the most pristine brand of store-bought holistic cat food may not be adequate for his needs. A homemade diet tailored to a cat’s individual temperament is often preferable to commercial products. Preparing homemade meals for your cat doesn’t take that much extra time once you get the hang of it. Plus, you never have to worry about pet food recalls-you always know ahead of time exactly what your kitty is eating and how it was prepared.


Get to know your cat’s eating habits first.

Get a feel for your pet’s eating habits before becoming a natural food chef for felines. Take her to the vet for a check-up even if she seems to be in good health. Once your vet has determined if you cat has medical problems (like diabetes), you can alter homemade meals to treat it.  A homemade meal for diabetic cats, for example, may include cooked zucchini, squash or green beans and cooked oatmeal in addition to chicken. These ingredients are designed to boost insulin production and fortify the pancreas.

 A homemade diet features both raw and cooked foods. Cats like their food at room temperature or slightly cool. They dislike foods that are too hot or too cold, just like Goldilocks.

Transitioning From Commercial Food to Homemade

Test fresh homemade treats to see what your cat likes, but don’t toss down leftovers from your dinner plate. While that chicken ala king may taste good to you, the sauces or spices in it may contain ingredients harmful to cats. (See list below.)* Create a feline version of baby food for your cat as a homemade starter food. Add vegetable oil and water to a small piece of poultry and puree in a blender. Serve it instead of canned food and see how your pet reacts.

When you discover what your cat likes the most –whether it’s chicken, turkey or beef - cook small chunks of it and add them to the puree -- or to the canned food you’re currently feeding him. This helps him get used to the new tastes without jolting his gastrointestinal tract too much.


While preparing homemade food for your pet, follow the basic nutritional rules by using a combination of poultry, fish, beef and a smidgen of grains and veggies. There are several books and websites about cat nutrition, raw diets and homemade recipes to guide you on the best meals for your kitty.  Catinfo.org has plenty of good information, written by a vet who advocates homemade diets.

* Foods cats should never eat:

 Alcohol, chocolate, coffee, tea (Obviously!!)

Grapes, raisins, walnuts
Onions, garlic (fresh and in powdered form)
Raw Salmon (which contain harmful bacteria).

Dairy and sugar are harmful if ingested in large amounts. If your cat nibbles at crumbs from a muffin or licks a pat of butter once in awhile, he probably won’t get sick. Just make sure that it doesn’t become a habit.

While it’s doubtful your cats will show much interest in the foods mentioned above, be careful not to leave coffee grounds, tea leaves or half-full glasses of wine where his curiosity will get the best of him. Hide the chocolate, along with the coffee and alcohol. That might go double for one of your crotchety old uncles!

This article first appeared on Yeepet.com in 2011 (as Jade07) 

Copyright 2011 by Jade Blackmore

Four Steps to an Eco-Friendly Aquarium

                                             Photo:phanlop88/Free Digital Photos.net


Pet stores and websites pay a lot of attention to green, eco-friendly ideas for dog and cat owners, but there’s scant info on eco-trends for aquarists.  Tropical fish owners who want to maintain a healthy ecologically safe tank for their pets and help the environment on a larger scale can do so in a number of ways.



1) Use ecologically-friendly aquarium products.

Sure, you can cut corners and decorate your fish tank with brightly-colored gravel and a miniature pirate ship from the discount store, but cheap trinkets not only look hackneyed, they can also prove toxic to your aquatic friends. Cut-rate accessories may contain chemicals or add waste materials to your tank. Look for green decorations and cleaning supplies for your aquarium instead. Place ecologically-safe pebbles made from volcanic rock in your tank to purify water and eliminate bacteria. These porous stones decorate both freshwater and saltwater aquariums and keep them chemical-free. Malaysian driftwood helps maintain a low pH for freshwater Discus and Angelfish. It’s safe for fish to nibble on, too.

2) Save energy by using LED lights.

LED (Light Emitting Diode) aquarium lights use less energy than incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lighting.  An eco-friendly LED system costs more to set up, with a full reef-capable system costing around $160, but you’ll spend less money on electric bills in the long run. LED lights stay cooler than traditional lighting and can be set for day or night use. A slim, unobtrusive LED light panel also makes maintenance work easier by eliminating the need to move bulky lights.

3) Choose tropical fish bred in captivity.

Preserving tropical fish, especially exotic saltwater species, in their natural habitat has become a hot-button issue for many environmentalists. Extensive cultivation of for the aquarium trade has endangered many fish species, and even live coral, in some parts of the world. Fisherman in Southeast Asia use cyanide to catch tropical fish for the luxury aquarium market. Don’t patronize sellers who secure fish from these unethical sources. The use of cyanide harms both the fish intended for sale and their natural habitat. Purchase your fish from a reputable fish farm or captive breeder. Chances are most freshwater fish have been breed in captivity, but most saltwater species are still collected from the wild. 


4). Dispose of fish and fish waste properly.

Don’t dump tank water or dead tropical fish into storm drains, rivers or other bodies of water. This may introduce pathogens into the local water system. Flushing dead aquarium fish down the toilet is unsafe (and illegal) for the same reason. Burying a dead fish in the backyard is the both sensitive and ecologically sound. Some aquarists dispose of deceased fish by wrapping them up and throwing them out with the trash. This may seem harsh to some fishkeepers, but it’s better for the environment than flushing them down the toilet or throwing them down a storm drain.  To some hobbyists, saying goodbye to a pet fish is like holding a funeral, while others consider it an unfortunate part of the hobby. It’s all a matter of personal preference.

Learn more about tropical fish and conservation at All Tropical Fish.

This article originally appeared on Yeepet.com.

Article Copyright 2011 Jade Blackmore