Everything Pets

Dragon, the Marine Veteran war dog

2012-01-14T14:50:00.000-08:00

I received a fun request a few weeks ago. The following story is about Dragon, a dog who was adopted by Marines during the Iraq war, came back to the US with the troops. Today he lives a peaceful retirement as a happy house pet in Pensacola Florida. I was proud to donate this painting in his honor for his owners.

Mischievous recruit dogging Marines on flight line

Submitted by: MCB Camp Pendleton

Story by Cpl. Matthew S. Richards

Reprinted from this story: http://tinyurl.com/7y6eprk

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Dragon isn't the most disciplined member of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268. He's been known to steal food. He runs around Camp Pendleton's flight line like he owns the place. And he can't maintain his bearing, always bowing his head and folding his ears back. Get him really excited and he'll even leave a puddle on the floor.

But his Marines love him. It's hard not to. The lovable mutt is just that -- a stray the squadron's Marines came to call their own during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Dragon has migrated from the streets of Kuwait to the squadron's hangars and he's never looked more at home.

His breed- "Persian camel shepherd," quipped Capt. Matt G. Robinson, his unofficial caretaker, now the quality assurance officer for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (Training) 164. Ten-month-old Dragon took the name from the squadron that adopted him in Ali Al Saleem, Kuwait, more than nine months ago.

"We found him hanging around the British tents," Cpl. Shaun Kelly, a crew chief for HMM-268, said while playfully scratching Dragon's head.

The squadron dubbed the adoptee Dragon after their mascot, a giant red dragon.

"It was two weeks before everyone entered Iraq," Robinson explained. "He was a malnourished tiny thing and he had been beaten and abused. He had a huge gash on top of his head."

Dragon wandered around the tents, begging and stealing scraps. It's a habit he's had a tough time breaking. Robinson is still tugging Dragon by the leash away from some of the Marines' lunches.

The Marines immediately took a liking to the pup and began to nurse him back to health.

"We fed him parts of (Meals Ready-to-Eat) at first; his big thing was peanut butter," said Robinson, who was HMM-268's officer-in-charge of the flight line during OIF. "After the first couple of meals, he slept for five days straight.

"We were worried about him," he said. "We didn't think he would make it."

Dragon, retired and enjoying life

Dragon's new family joked around about how he first behaved under their care. "For the first month he would bury half his food in the sand," Kelly said. "Then after we fed him enough, he forgot about that and just ate every bit."

Dragon soon became accustomed to the flight line. The constant whine of the engines and chopping of the rotor blades soothed him to sleep.

"At first he was scared of the (CH-46s)," said Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Gomillion, maintenance control chief.

He said the dog learned to live with the helicopter noise without fear of the noise.

The dog was a natural Wing Marine, a fact made apparent after his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.

"It was funny, because after my wife (Bethany) picked him up at LAX and took him out of the kennel, he ran right to the flight line where the planes were," Robinson said. "She had to chase him down."

Dragon was all fun and games, but the lengthy process to bring him into the Unites States wasn't. He had to be on a civilian airliner at a cost of more than $2,100.

"We're still paying for the cost to ship him from Iraq," Robinson said. "My wife had to hunt down the only veterinarian in Kuwait City, and (she) really went out of her way to help us out."

The Robinsons weren't the only ones to pitch in for Dragon's journey home. More than $1,100 came pouring in from Marines and their families to keep the pup with the squadron.

Dragon was quarantined after he got all his required shots. Then all his paperwork was checked and double- checked at U.S. Customs in Los Angeles.

"After we had been through so much with him, I knew there was no way we'd leave this guy behind," Robinson said.

After all, to his Marines, he's part of their family ?much to the chagrin of some in the squadron. Mail even seemed more regular for Dragon than for the Marines.

"That dog would get packages before I would," Gomillion said. "Everybody loved him."

Dragon gave as much as he got, too.

"He was a definite help through hard times, because we lost some Marines out there," Robinson said. "He was something the Marines didn't have out there. He was something they grew attached to and took care of."

Dragon's not going anywhere soon either. Marines at HMM-268 made him part of their family. He even has his own Service Record Book.

"When he sees the uniforms he starts going crazy," Robinson said. "The flight suits or the cammies ... he loves being around Marines."

Just because the squadron treats him like part of the Marine family doesn't mean he's completely given up his wily ways. The little pup is mischievous, even around Robinson at home.

"One time I was cooking hamburgers and I had five out in a glass bowl on our table," he said. "I turned around and when I looked back there were only two left. The bowl hadn't moved at all."

Feed me

2011-11-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

What do you mean, it's not lunch time?

Sherman the vizsla is very vocal and has lots of personality. I couldn't resist sharing this photo of him trying to manipulate me into feeding him lunch at 10 am one morning! Pleeeeez! accompanied by lots of whining, didn't do the trick.

October is fire season in Southern California

2011-10-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

None of us who lived through the fires will ever forget. The first fire in over 40 years to roar through Poway, and all of San Diego County, was in late October, 2003. I was just getting ready to move into my new house, and instead I evacuated my friends’ animals to it. My living room was filled with crates and birdcages, my corral with horses. And then the fire kept coming, and we had to move them all again.

The birds stayed in my car up in Rancho Bernardo for four days, where the air was safer for them to breathe. The horses ended up in a kind stranger’s back yard in north Poway. Many more horses ended up at the Del Mar Racetrack until their owners could claim them. If you’ve ever lived through a natural disaster–tornado, hurricane, fire, earthquake– you know how traumatic it can be.

The landscape and trails were decimated. Everything was covered in a thick coating of ashes for weeks. We rode out and discovered animals burned to a crisp, still in the pose they were in when the fire caught up with them…running. It is still hard to look at the photos.

2007

Then it 2007 it happened again, this time coming in from the north and east. Thousands of homes burned. This time Rancho Bernardo and northern Poway got the worst of it. Several of my clients and friends lost their homes. Some of them lost their animals too.

The cross says "For the animals, 2003 Cedar Fire"

Today

We all get a little leery of October now. We plan to stay in town. We clear the brush. We update our emergency kits and put air in the tires. Make sure the horses remember how to load in the trailer.

I occasionally walk a Kerry Blue Terrier near her home at the far east end of Garden Rd, an area that was burned in the 2003 fire. One day I ventured out of the neighborhood and onto the surrounding trails. I found a homemade memorial (above) to the animals that died in the 2003 fire. It is still there, and I find it very touching. I visit often while Wrigley and I walk. I want to remember.

One day I came out the front door with Wrigley, and there was a beautiful rainbow just across the street. I’m not especially religious, but I remember my bible studies. The rainbow was a sign of hope that God showed the survivors after it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. I like that.

Thundershirt for dogs

2011-10-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

Desi is afraid of fireworks and thunder

At the recommendation of other dog daycare owners, I ordered the Thundershirt. In fact I ordered one in every size, since I have canine clients of every size. The folks at Thundershirt claim this product will relieve anxiety caused by storms, loud noises and other scary things. Several of my clients are also having trouble at home with their dogs, and I thought the shirts might help them. The gentle constant pressure around a dog’s body has a calming effect. For theory and examples, visit their website.

I told one of my friends about this miracle product and she laughed. “So your clients will show up at your house and all the dogs will all be running around in straight jackets!”

Oliver models his Thundershirt. Look! He's sitting still!

The experiment: Oliver

One little rascal who stays with me, Oliver, is in constant motion. I wrapped him up in his shirt, and the difference was immediate. Instead of zooming around, totally agitated, he settled down at my feet. As time went on, he was still active and busy, but the edge was off. Oliver was a much nicer dog to have around.

I asked his owner Lianne, if he was always hyper at home and she said no, but she’d like to try the shirt. So I sent it home with her. I have a feeling he’s more active than Lianne let on! She explained that he gets pretty wound up when people come over. The Thundershirt definitely has an effect on his behavior, and now she wants to get a second one for him.

Wally

Wally, a Dachshund/Lab mix, had a nasty habit of charging anyone who came into the house, and even bit a few people. The Thundershirt instantly calmed him, and he’s much easier to live with. I got a note from Wally’s owner, Claire:

Thanks so much for the Thunder jacket for Wally! He loves it. It’s amazing how it calms him down. Now he’ll wear it and watch movies in bed with me. Before, the sound made him upset and he’d run outside.

Sadie

My helper Judy was skeptical. After all, it’s only a shirt. So one day when she was here, I put one on Sadie, an Aussie who constantly barks. She was instantly silent. Neither one of us could believe it.

It doesn’t work on every dog in every situation – nothing does. But I’ve had several successes and highly recommend one if you have an anxious dog.

Vacation!

2011-09-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

I took a week off. This is a major event, since I felt like all I’ve done is work, seven days a week, for the past several years. My trip to Portland with my high school girlfriends, Janis and Laurie, was a real treat, and we made the most of it. I came home invigorated and ready to conquer the world, which is exactly what vacations are supposed to accomplish.

The Northwest is where I am happiest. Give me some big green trees and cool weather and I know I am home. In Eugene, we hiked, ate wonderful food, tromped around the University of Oregon campus, visited art galleries, walked for miles (oh my aching feet), and spent hours talking, just like old times.

In Portland, we visited the wonderful Powell’s Books, which houses several floors of new and used volumes, right in the heart of downtown. I was THRILLED to find my new book, Animal Planet, Dogs 101: Labrador Retriever for sale! The book is finally out, and I was hopping around like a little kid at Christmas when I found it on the shelves. The salesperson had me sign it, and they stuck a sticker on the front that says “autographed,” like I’m a celebrity or something.

Our visit to Portland included lunch with my cousin and her daughter, and a visit to my aunt in her retirement home. Some antiquing, a visit to the test Rose Gardens and a stroll around Reed College finished off our trip. I came home tired and happy.

My excellent week continued when I discovered the book in Petsmart and Barnes and Noble. For the first time, I felt like a real author.

Home again

I returned home to some sad news. My sheltie Lily, age 14, had taken a turn for the worse, and she died the afternoon I got home. She had never recovered from her spell with vestibular syndrome, and her old body finally just gave out.

Lily came to me with Bonnie– both girls were rescued from a Texas puppy mill and brought to California. They had both weaned litters right before I adopted them. I’ve had them for seven years. Bonnie is now deaf and is also in fragile condition, so I treasure these last months with her.

Australian Shepherd portrait by Terry Albert

2011-09-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

My latest painting, this one of Gibson the Aussie, is an 11" x 15" done in acrylics on Strathmore board, matted to 16" x 20".

I sure struggled getting started on this painting. I kept asking the client for more photos, and I got several that showed the proportions of the dog, but none I liked so well. I originally didn't want to use this pose because his nose looked way to long to me; camera distortion, I'm sure. I finally realized, once I started drawing, that his nose looked long because his tongue was hanging out so far-- optical illusion! So I shortened that tongue and am happy with the result.

Many dogs, especially German Shepherds, have huge long tongues that look odd if painted the way they actually are. If a dog's tongue is hanging out that far, he's probably hot and tired, not something I want to convey in a painting. Painting exactly what you see is not always a good thing.

Gibson, "Gibbs" for short, is one of several pieces I have done for this family over a period of almost 20 years! I finally got to meet them last summer, and we were instant friends. Thank you Larry and family, for allowing me to paint the many wonderful dogs you've owned over the years.

Art Critics

2011-08-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

Everyone’s a critic, including me. As I sat at a client’s home with their tabby cat on my lap, I studied a mural painted on and above the fireplace. The Trompe-l'œil scene depicted a tiled veranda with plants on pedestals, and a view of the hills in the distance. To create the illusion that you are looking out a window, the entire setting is surrounded by painted drapery. My own inner art critic kicked in while Charlie the cat napped on my chest.

As Charlie purred, I marveled at the drapery. It was so real I couldn’t see the edges of the fireplace wall. The clouds and sunlight in the distance were luminous. The entire scene looked soft and ethereal, almost like someone muted the colors with white powder over the whole thing.

But something about this work was really jarring. I finally identified the problem. The perspective was off on one of the pedestals. The porch tiles were accurate, the front pedestal lined up, but the back one was just a bit off, and the handrail that went down the stairs was therefore also off. Right smack in the center of the painting, the illusion was spoiled.

Then I noticed a tree in the distance. It looked like it was growing out of the flowerpot on the porch, which was in the foreground. UGH! It’s a good thing the cat woke up. I wanted to get out my brushes and fix it.

Once Charlie had removed himself to the kitchen and the comfort of a bowl of milk, I walked up to the mural and realized that the carved floral decorations and swirls on the fireplace front were not real, but painted on. I had to touch them to be sure, and I was less than a foot away.

So I have to admire this nameless artist. I’m not sure I could have done as well. But I thought of times I have sat in my show booth with my own art. People talk about your work like you’re not even there. “I could do that,” is by far the most annoying comment!

Dog Portraits

But I’ve heard some doozies. Because I paint dogs, People will critique the dog’s conformation, rather than the artist’s depiction. “Look at that awful lower jaw,” said one. Her friend answered, “I know that dog; it’s what he looks like…” One time a Pug breeder looked at one of my paintings and said, “I wouldn’t have that hanging in my house. Look at those legs, terrible hocks.” Oops. I was humbled by that comment! I wonder if I ruined his legs or his breeder did.

If I am doing a commissioned painting of a pet, I try to make it look like the actual dog while not overemphasizing any physical faults. But if I’m going to exhibit a painting, or make prints for sale, that dog better be a gorgeous show quality specimen of the breed! Then both pet and show people will like it.

Time tells

I need to get away from my art for a day or two after I sketch it, and again about half way through the painting process. When I come back to it I see any glaring flaws that I was previously blind to. A little time away keeps me from painting a tree growing out of someone’s head. Major flaws, like putting eyes too low on the head, are easier to fix before you start painting than when you are half way through.

I have made all these mistakes and more. I am ruthless these days. I can go back in and completely paint out a section and redo it, where I used to be afraid I’d ruin the entire thing. I also am sure that if I don’t get the eyes right, the entire painting doesn’t work.

And the biggest test: I am happy if I can go back to a painting a year later and still be happy with it.

Pugs pet portrait by Terry Albert

2011-07-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some experimenting with my art. This portrait is 10" x 20" on canvas, painted in acrylics. To add a touch of bling, I added a little bit of glitter to their eyes, and the client loved it. The dogs, Oscar and Cilla, go to work every day with their owner, Lynn, at the Buried Bone here in Poway, California.

The canvas is 1 1/2" deep, so it doesn't need to be framed. Here is the photo I worked from:

As you see, I moved the two dogs closer together to enhance the composition. I usually work on illustration board or watercolor paper, then cut a mat to frame the finished piece, so this is a new way of working for me. I also usually add detail in pencil, and it is a big change for me to do the entire painting in just paint, no mixed media. Also, on canvas, I am stuck with the composition, I can't just cut off an edge if I want to crop the painting differently when it's done! I'm sure I will be switching back and forth between the techniques for awhile until I decide which method to pursue.

If you are interested in a portrait of your pet, please contact me. Thank you!

Animal Planet Dogs 101: Labrador Retrievers, by Terry Albert

2011-07-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce that my latest book has been released and is now available on Amazon.com. Soon, it will also be in Petsmart stores. It is one of a new series of breed books. The first release includes 8 titles, including Chihuahuas, Cavaliers, Yorkies, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Shih Tzus and Beagles. More books in this series will come out at the end of 2011, including another one I wrote, about Boxers.

For those of you who know me, you know writing a book about Labs is my dream come true. I've known hundreds of Labs over the years. I have boarded them in my home, fostered many for rescue both in Seattle and San Diego, and of course owned my own beloved Lab, Tank, for over 13 years.

My initial thought was, oh I could practically write this in my sleep. Hah. Some sections were easier than others, but I still did mountains of research and interviewed many experts. Don Ironside helped me with the nutrition chapter. His many years as a sales rep in the pet food business gave me an insiders' look at ingredients, manufacturing and the differences between brands and formulas. He also taught me how to sort out marketing hype from facts, a sometimes murky subject. Don's wife Barbara and Nina Mann gave me lots of good information on how they help buyers pick a puppy, health issues, activities, and showing. Edith Bryan, my training buddy and rescue partner up in Seattle, has participated in every activity ever invented for dogs and their owners. She talked me through therapy work, search and rescue, agility, tracking and other dog sports.

Tank

Edith also has fed her Labs a raw diet for over ten years, so I valued her input on that subject. Down here in San Diego, my friend Angie Meeks feeds her dogs a raw diet and has done extensive research on the subject. My friend of 20 years, Julie Cantrell, has been making home-cooked food for dogs for as long as I've known her, which was years before raw and home-cooked foods became popular. She and I were trainers at the Academy of Canine Behavior where we began our dog careers.

For health issues, my own vet, Sarbit Singh, DVM, patiently walked me through the minutiae of basic health care, from worming routines to vaccine protocol. It may seem pretty straightforward, but I found that when I was assigned to write about a subject, I wanted to understand it thoroughly and be absolutely accurate in my explanations. Once this information is in print, people take your word for it. I wanted to answer important questions correctly.

For inherited health issues in Labradors, Frances Smith, DVM, president of the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals and chair of the Labrador Retriever Club Health Committee, generously shared her time and knowledge with me.

These people all kindly gave me their time and attention, answering even my dumbest questions. I couldn't have done it without their help. Thank you!

Next time, I'll write about some of the dogs whose stories are featured in the book.

Great Pyrenees pet portrait by Terry Albert

2011-06-28T16:18:00.001-07:00

Tanner, a Great Pyrenees

I have just completed a new pet portrait of Tanner, a Great Pyrenees. His owner, Patti, is a veterinarian in Montana, and I have done five portraits for her over the years. It is amazing to me that it is almost 20 years since I did the first one, a portrait of Mugsy, her golden retriever. I recognized the setting for this painting, in the same yard where Mugsy posed one winter's day all those years ago.

This painting is 11 x 15", matted to 16 x 20, and done in acrylics and colored pencil.

Here are the other paintings I have done for Patti. They are all displayed at her veterinary practice.

Mugsy Golden Retriever, pastel

Ursa, a Great Pyrenees, watercolor

Polly, Bernese Mountain Dog, watercolor

Mugsy, pastel

If you are interested in a custom portrait of your dog or other pet, please contact me! Visit my website, http://www.terryalbert.com to see more examples of my work.

Canine look-alikes

2011-06-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

Bonnie, above, and Lily

Most people have trouble telling two purebred sable shelties apart. My two, Bonnie and Lily, are usually greeted with “Hello Bonnie or Lily or whichever one you are.” And of course the same is true for Labs, German Shepherds and most other purebreds. They all look pretty much alike. But what about mixed breed dogs?

Lucee, puggle

Rylee, goldendoodle

With “designer breeds,” I can identify pug-beagle mixes (puggles) and Golden retriever-poodle mixes (goldendoodles) pretty easily. But some wonderful mixed breed dogs, a soup of assorted breeds, can also sometimes appear almost identical. As a pet sitter, I have fun comparing the odd assortment of dogs that I meet.

Stussy and Mobi

Stussy/Mobi

For example, my most recent guests: Stussey is a white 8-year old, and Mobi is a red 2-year old. They have different owners, and although different colors, they are identical in every other way. They have soft coats, curly tails, black-spotted tongues, and love to “talk” in a growly sort of way. Their owners both refer to them as chow/lab mixes.

Ivory, left, and Rex, right

Ivory/Rex

Ivory is a 2-year old female, and Rex is a 6-year old male. They also have different owners. Rex is a scrappy terrier mix, Ivory is much more mellow. There’s probably some poodle in their ancestry.

Oliver

Fausto

Oliver/Fausto

Speaking of scrappy, Oliver is the ultimate troublemaker. I remember thinking he and Rex would either be best friends or kill each other. They love each other. Fausto, Oliver’s identical twin, has an entirely different personality (thank goodness). Fausto was a stray adopted in Mexico.

You might notice a certain resemblance between Oliver, Fausto, Ivory and Rex- I swear these guys are all the same mix of breeds. Fausto is a little bigger than the rest of the bunch.

Chobee

Identify this mix!

This is Chobee, and I actually know that he is the product of two purebreds. Can you guess the breeds? (Answer at the end of this post)

Sally left, and Max, right

Max/Sally

Max and Sally also have different owners. Everyone assumes they are border collie mixes, but who knows. They also resemble Belgian Sheepdogs.

Chobee answer

Chobee is a Shar Pei/ Doberman Pinscher mix.

Sheltie painting by Terry Albert

2011-06-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

I had such a cute sheltie staying with me this past week. I pulled out the paints and did a quick painting of him. This is Rolex, and he belongs to my friend Patty. It is 8” x 8” and done in acrylic on wrapped canvas.

It’s odd how I loosen up and just go for it when I am working on something that is just for fun–not a commission or assignment– just inspiration. I hope to transfer this abandon to another painting I am working on. Sometimes I get stuck, because I’m not sure what to do next. I didn’t have that problem here.

Here’s the real Rolex. I think I’ll go groom my shelties…

Contact me if you would like a pet portrait of your dog or cat!

My old sheltie girls

2011-06-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

Bonnie

Bonnie and Lily are both closing in on 14 years old. I have had them since they were six, rescued from a Texas puppy mill. Both had just weaned a litter, and were thin and frightened. Today they are grand old ladies who I love dearly, but they are suffering some age-related illnesses.

I wrote in a recent blog about Lily’s onset of old dog vestibular syndrome. She continues to have balance issues and her head is always cocked at an angle. But she remains sweet and always hungry, so all in all, she is doing well.

Pancreatitis

Bonnie, however, had a scare last week with a bout of pancreatitis. She spent two days getting IV fluids and antibiotics at the vet hospital. Symptoms included bloody, smelly diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy. I thought I was going to lose her.

Bonnie has had digestive issues for over a year, and is on a special high-fiber diet, so at first I thought it was just another episode. But she didn’t get over it, and started to get dehydrated.

In conversations with friends, I discovered that many shelties are prone to this ailment in old age. My Mac died from it, and my friend Lynn in Seattle has had several shelties that were affected. My dachshund Tuffy also died from pancreatitis. Once a dog gets it, they tend to relapse, and that starts a downward spiral.

Lily

Fatty foods, like Thanksgiving turkey, can trigger a bout of pancreatitis. In Bonnie’s case, there was no known trigger.

Old dogs get expensive, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world. My girls are so sweet, and as long as they are comfortable, I will do my best for them. The love of an old dog is priceless.

Why I love Labs

2011-05-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to explain a "zipper" to fellow dog writer Susan Conant, who writes great mystery novels featuring her Malamutes. She asked for some advice on Labrador retrievers and what makes them look different from each other.

Well, I suggested, some have a zipper down the middle of their face between their eyes. It's a little ridge of hair growing in the wrong direction that sticks up and is very noticeable. A Lab staying at my house, Nate, who is yellow, sort of has a zipper, though his is just color, not an actual ridge. I thought I'd show her what it looked like.

Okay Nate, pose for the camera...

If I ever have to explain airplane ears, that one will do the job...

Now Nate let's try again... "sit!"

Those beady little eyes in the background are my dachshund, Desi. Notice the blurry, wagging tails.

Once more with feeling. Okay Nate... "Sit!"

I knew you could do it! Not much of a zipper, but you get the idea...

Update on the desperate cat

2011-05-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

Wally in his perch on top the bookcase

Wally is now at my house, confined to my art room. He has been here since Thursday and has settled in well. Sterling and Whisper, my cats, have been sniffing at the door, and Sterling woke me this morning by scratching on Wally’s door.

I think it is time to introduce them. My two came into the room for a minute and sniffed around, while Wally watched from the top of my bookcase, in the cat tent (see photo). We’ll try again today and see how it goes.

Wally would still like to have a new home, but he is safe here.

Wally makes friends with Lassie

The lap of luxury

Situation desperate. Cat needs a new home

2011-05-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Wally needs a new home

You’ve heard it before. Owner lost job, then her home, has to move, cat can’t go, etc. For those of us who have spent years rescuing homeless animals, we get a little jaded (no…a LOT jaded). We snarl and say “Since when did ______(insert city here) not allow cats?” “Why can’t this person get a cat-friendly apartment?” and so on. It’s easy to lose patience with people who seem to discard their pets so easily.

But times have changed dramatically. Now, more often that not, even the most responsible pet owner has no choice in the matter. And the rescue community needs to show more compassion for people who are truly in crisis, and are not just throwing away their pets.

Give my friend a job

I encountered this attitude recently while trying to find a home for my friend Virginia’s cat, Wally. A librarian, Virginia was laid off about two years ago. She has worked as a librarian in hospitals, government and law schools, and has a degree from San Diego State in library science.

Recently she has been working for a temp agency. She finally realized she could no longer afford her condo, has sold it at a tremendous loss, and is now moving in with her sister’s family. And her niece is allergic to cats, so Wally can’t come. Jasmine the dog is welcome in Virginia’s new home.

I have heard my share of snide remarks as I've help Virginia spread the word about Wally. I'm sorry people who don't know the situation have so little sympathy.

About Wally, the cat who needs a home

Wally has been with Virginia for 11 years, since he was an 8-week-old kitten. She had recently lost her beloved Toad, a yellow kitty, and wanted another yellow cat to complete her family. I saw an ad for yellow kittens, and she went right over and brought baby Wally home.

Wally has lived peacefully with dogs, but has never lived with another cat. He has never been outdoors. He is healthy and well-cared for, and comes complete with all his supplies and toys.

This situation is heartbreaking for Virginia. Our local no-kill shelter, Helen Woodward’s Animal Center, charges a $2,000 “donation” to take an elderly cat. Wally will probably stay with me while we look for a permanent home for him.

Why Wally is at my house

Friends help friends, and Virginia is one of the most generous people I know. When I was going through my divorce, she kept my collie, Emma, for almost four months while I was in an apartment. I already had a dog and two cats at the apartment; a collie would have been tough to hide.

When I got my house, I took Emma back, and Virginia had earned lifetime gratitude and free pet sitting.

Please spread the word here in Southern California. Let’s help Wally find a new home and take one sad burden off of my friend’s shoulders.

Old dog vestibular syndrome

2011-05-15T17:59:00.000-07:00

Just when I think I’ve seen just about every medical condition a dog could possibly suffer from, something new happens, and I am humbled by my lack of knowledge again.

I have taken care of hundreds of dogs over the years, from foster dogs to boarding dogs and my own dogs too. Ask me about dermatomyositis in shelties, collie nose, cold water tail or exercise-induced collapse in Labradors. Ask me to explain arrythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in Boxers. Skin problems, thyroid conditions, heartworm, snakebite, or pancreatitis– been there, done that. But I am not a vet, and I’ll never see it all.

My heart sank when I saw my sheltie Lily walking with her head tilted to one side. She was having trouble making it across the room in a straight line, and then she stumbled and fell. She tried to climb up the stairs to the couch (put there for my dachshund, Desi), but lost her balance and fell off. I knew something was terribly wrong.

Lily was frightened and panting, dizzy and vomiting. Her eyes darted from left to right. I thought she’d had a stroke. Off we went to the vet, who examined her carefully and gave me the diagnosis: old dog vestibular syndrome.

Her symptoms fit perfectly. Lily is 13 ½; it came on suddenly out of nowhere. She had been perfectly healthy. The vomiting is due to dizziness. Dr Singh said she feels seasick, and recommended an over-the-counter medicine that people take for the same symptoms. I was to give her one pill a day. He said it could take two or three days to recover, or up to five weeks.

That was good news. She would recover! She may or may not have a relapse in the future. Her symptoms calmed down immediately with the meds, and I discontinued the pills within a couple of days. I hand-fed her canned food because her balance was so far off she couldn’t get her head down to the bowl to eat.

Now, three weeks later, she is much better, though the head tilt has not gone away. She can climb up the steps to the couch with no problem. I still feed her canned food, but she can eat it without my help. All in all, she is getting along fine.

This syndrome can strike any breed. Read more about it here at:

http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/devestib.html

Boxer with a tail: pet portrait by Terry Albert

2011-05-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

This is an unusual dog, and his portrait really is a custom piece, since you almost never see a Boxer with a tail. Rocky the Boxer’s portrait will be a birthday surprise for my client’s good friend. This one is 16” x 20”, larger than I usually work. I hope she likes it! The flowers in the background are bearded iris and society garlic. She is fond of purple.

Sorry I had to slap a screaming copyright notice right across the picture, but I've gotten very weary of having my art and blogs ripped off.

In other Boxer news, I have received the proofs of my upcoming Boxer book, Animal Planet: Boxers. I am busy proofreading and can hardly wait until it comes out in January 2012.

How many pets is too many? Time for soul-searching

2011-05-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Bonnie contemplates a nap

For the past 20 years, pets have been my passion, sometimes to the exclusion of other equally important pursuits, like marriage and family. Over the past year, I have tried to find more balance in my life.

I tend to overdo things. When I fostered dogs, I had five or 6 at a time, rarely just one. When I started owning horses, I suddenly had four instead of one. Then I got a donkey. When I got a second dog, I soon had a third, a fourth and a fifth. Two cats became four cats. Two box turtles expanded with the addition of two sulcatta tortoises.

I had a serious, and traumatic, reality check about 8 years ago. My marriage imploded and I was on my own. My husband kept a horse, the donkey, our Lab Tank, and the sulcatta tortoises. Off I went with two dogs, one horse, two cats and the box turtles. I didn’t exactly travel light. I promptly bought another horse and adopted two more dogs.

I finally realized I didn’t have to save every homeless dog myself, and I can’t adopt them all either. I quit volunteering for rescue and started boarding dogs. Now I say to myself that I still get to know all these different breeds, but I don’t have to own them. I joke that I rent them until the feeling passes. I sometimes had as many as 12 guest dogs. I’ve cut the number back to 6 or 7, max.

As my own dogs pass away I do not plan on getting more. I’d like to stick with two of my own. My two female shelties, Bonnie and Lily are 13 now. Too many dogs equal too much stress, on the animals and me.

Horses
I went on a horse-acquiring spree last year, and adopted two more horses. One died (Honey) within six months. Now I am at a manageable number and plan to stick with three. Two and a half, actually, since Sherlock is a Shetland pony! I will not replace them when they die.

Ethel's new home

The box turtles

The big change (maybe not to you, but to me it was) is that I found a new home for my box turtles. After 20 years, they are in a place where they live in a dirt-and-bushes habitat instead of a terrarium. With all these dogs, I couldn’t safely keep them in the yard. Their new owner is a dedicated reptile expert, my friend Liz Palika. I couldn’t have found a better person. She wrote the book, Turtles and Tortoises for Dummies. Fred and Ethel should be very happy. I will post photos as soon as I get some.

I was pretty anxious about letting them go. Here I was, hovering and giving Liz feeding instructions, like she needed to be told. She reports that one of them is sleeping next to Pearl, her leopard tortoise, every night.

Another issue

Lurking in the back of my mind is another issue: money. Like everyone else, I have been touched by economic woes, and I realize I cannot continue to spend so much money on the animals. As I inevitably age, my earning power will drop. Horses live 30 years or more, and Star is only 10. As pets age, they require more care for end of life issues.

My love for animals has not waned. But common sense has finally settled in. Whoever said “Everything in moderation,” gave good advice. It’s time I listened.

Newfoundland pet portrait by Terry Albert

2011-04-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

Although his real name is Ricky Ricardo's Cuban Congaboy, aka "Ricky," this Landseer Newfoundland is known as Mr Smooch, the world's greatest smoocher. He earned this name because he's always smooching everyone he meets. Since newfies are known for their expertise in water rescue, his owner and I chose that theme for his portrait, with a smooch image on the life-ring.

Ted, Ricky/Smooch's owner, purchased the portrait through the Labrador Lifeline annual auction. Lab Lifeline, like the similar group, LabMed, provides financial aid to Labrador Retriever rescue groups to help dogs that need expensive medical procedures. I was happy to donate a small portrait for their cause. The finished art is 5" x 5" and is framed to 8 x 8. It is done in acrylic and colored pencil.

Yes, I expected to be doing a Lab portrait, but I had fun with Mr Smooch!

Breezi, a sheltie pet portrait by Terry Albert

2011-04-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

Breezi

I’ve been catching up on a lot of paintings lately–some commissions, some for fun. This project is Breezy, a sheltie belonging to my friend Larry and his wife, Debbie. I painted Breezi with her roommate, Tucker, many years ago, when she was just a puppy. Now Breezy has passed away at the age of 12. Time has flown by, and Larry asked me several months ago if I would consider painting Breezi again for them.

Breezi and Tucker

When contemplating what to do next, Breezi’s photo just spoke to me—I wanted to paint her portrait, so here it is. I never met Breezi, but I know her owners adored her. I posted a photo of the art on Larry’s Facebook page, and here was his response:

I don't even know what to say! Debbie's in tears! You have brought Breezi back to life...it is about as perfect as it could be!!!!! Thank you doesn't begin to cover it!!!!!!

--Larry

Tucker

A reaction like theirs is so heartwarming and wonderful for me. I love being able to give them a precious keepsake. I’ve owned six shelties over the years myself, and I know how precious they are.

Rookie, a yellow Lab pet portrait

2011-04-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

After my last portrait, an involved project that took well over a month (mostly due to lack of confidence!), I moved on to a commission that is second nature to me. I think I could paint yellow Labs in my sleep, I’ve done so many. In any pet portrait, the eyes are the most important element. In the photo I worked from for this painting, the flash blanked out his eyes, so I faked it. Then again, I didn’t fake it. I’ve seen those soulful eyes before.

I think every yellow Lab I paint has a little bit of Tank in it. My beloved Lab of 13 ½ years, Tank has been gone since 2003, but I’ll never forget him. And that’s how the people who owned Rookie, shown here, felt.

How do I know how they felt? From the heartfelt note that came to me with his photos. The fact that the woman kept a newspaper article about my artwork for several years before she contacted me. And, as people always do when she saw the final work, she told me a story about this dog her family loved so much. It’s not just a picture, it’s a precious memory.

I get it. So this one is a salute to Tank, Tally, Rookie, Angel, Justin, Taz, Charlie, Corky, Seigfried, Buddy and all the other other much-loved Labs I’ve painted over the years.

A new pet portrait by Terry Albert

2011-04-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

Meet Finch, a golden retriever, subject of my latest pet portrait. I took a break from painting after Christmas so I could finish my upcoming book, and it took awhile to get back into the swing of painting again. This is done in acrylics on multimedia illustration board, with colored pencil over the paint.

Finch passed away recently, of old age, and his owner, Robin wanted a scene of Finch enjoying one of his favorite hikes. She lives in Montana and this scene was near Baker Lake.

I added in some of the local wildflowers: clarkia, gentian and heather, though I wouldn't expect you to recognize them! Painting the rocks was a real challenge. I wanted to make them interesting without so much detail they took over the picture.

Finch's owner wrote something very sweet when she saw the finished picture. "It will be good to have Finch home again." I got a little teary-eyed at the thought.

The finished piece is 11 x 14", matted up to 16 x 20 and ready to frame. If you are interested in a portrait of your pet, please contact me!

Squished snails and rabies

2011-04-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

The LabMed Cookbook

My cousin’s daughter, Whitney, publishes a lovely blog, Squash Blossom Babies, where she shares her recipes for wholesome organic natural baby foods that she prepares for her beautiful daughter, Ava. But now her sister Julie is expecting a little boy, so I felt it my duty to step up to the plate, so to speak, and offer my own contribution to childhood nutrition. After all, little boys have different needs than little girls, being made up of all those snakes, snails and puppy dog tails…

Since I have forsaken cooking for all time, I am reprinting (with permission) a recipe from my favorite cookbook, The LabMed Cookbook. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit homeless Labrador Retrievers- specifically ones with expensive medical needs that local rescues can’t afford to pay for. You can learn more about Lab Med at http://www.labmed.org.

Back to the recipe

Picture yourself the mother of an eight-year-old boy, and it’s time for his birthday party or soccer team picnic. What can you feed a bunch of amped up little kids that will grab their attention? Make notes, dear Julie, because Lab Med has the answer:

Boogers on a Stick

Yield 30 servings, submitted by Tom Booker

8 oz. Cheez Whiz

green food coloring

30 pretzel sticks

1. 1. Melt the processed cheese spread in the microwave oven according to the directions on the jar.
2. Allow cheese to cool slightly
3. Using a long-handled spoon, carefully stir in about 3 drops of green food coloring, just enough to turn the cheese into a delicate snot green.
4. To form boogers: Dip and twist the tip of each pretzel into the cheese, lift out, wait twenty seconds, then dip again. When cheese lumps reach an appealingly boogerish size, set pretzels booger-down onto a sheet of waxed paper. If the cheese in the jar begins to stiffen, simply reheat it.
5. Allow finished boogers-on-sticks to cool to room temperature for ten minutes, or until cheese is firm. Gently pull boogers off waxed paper and arrange on a serving plate.
6. Sicko-idea: Set a bowl of chunky red salsa in the center of the platter so your gourmet guests can turn plain boogers into bloody ones.

Please note: The nutritional data for this recipe is skewed because of the variables involved.

So there you have it. For more recipes and stories that Labrador lovers will treasure, check out The Labmed Cookbook.

And to all my health-food addict friends out there (Kim and Laurie, you know who you are), you really will find some wonderful ideas for adults and kids on my cousin Whitney Backsen’s blog!

2011-04-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

I’ve been throwing a tantrum since I discovered this blog has been ripped off in its entirety by not one, but several, other blogs. I guess the copyright notice I put at the bottom of every post is meaningless to some people. As a professional artist and writer, you can bet it means plenty to me, and I’m not happy.

If you are reading this blog anywhere except http://everything-pets.blogspot.com, then you are reading an illegally copied version.

To those who would steal my writing and photos

The copyright is owned by the creator of a specific piece of work. “Work” means art, photography, writing, sculpture or similar creative endeavor. Unless the creator specifically relinquishes the copyright to someone else, for example a publisher, the creator owns the reproduction rights. AND YOU DON’T.

It is illegal to take someone else’s writing and represent it as your own, or reproduce it without permission or payment. So even though my name is still on it, you have violated the copyright.

It is illegal to paint a picture from my photographs, or reproduce my photos in any way without permission from ME, Terry Albert. Get it?

You are welcome to hit the share button at the bottom of each post, and a link will appear on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever you send it.

Don’t think copyright doesn’t apply to you because you aren’t selling the work to someone else. Don’t think I should be grateful because I’m getting all this “free advertising.” I have yet to get one paying assignment as a result of your theft.

Read about the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, A federal law: “Blogger (where my blog resides) respects the rights of copyright holders and complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other applicable copyright laws. When we receive proper notice as required by the DMCA, we will work to promptly remove content offline that has been identified as copyright infringement. Repeat infringers' blogs are removed, and in some instances terminated.”

And more here: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf

To my readers

Sorry I had to spout off on this subject. Now back to our regularly scheduled blogs...about pets…everything pets.

Terry Albert