As you watch this I will be delirious with jet lag in the middle of a 25 hour flight home. This is an appropriate topic for such antics. ... Read more »
The Unsolicited Advice Patrol Strikes Again
Before I left for the trip, I found myself in my local petstore stockpiling food for the pets so my parents wouldn't be stuck trying to figure out what they needed to buy. The dogs are easy, but Apollo's been on the same venison diet for four years now, and they don't always have a lot of it in the store. So I'm in there, minding my own business, when I see one of the employees in an apron edging her way over. I try to avoid her eyes. "Hi there," she says, eyeing the 24 purple cans I've ... Read more »
Ask Dr V: Nutrition, rotation diets, and high protein
Today I'm showing Part 2 of the Ask Dr V series. I believe, though I haven't checked it against the itinerary, that I should be on my way to the Ngorongoro Crater as we speak. Unless a chimp shoved me off the mountain earlier in the week, in which case these pre-published videos will be on a whole new level of macabre. Which, by the way, my shade would find utterly hysterical. ... Read more »
We all have our talents
I volunteer in my kids' classrooms on a quasi-regular basis. I do it because they need the help, not because I have a great deal to contribute to the average 5 year old. Yes, even now, they still scare me. The first time I went in, the kindergarten teacher had several tasks for me to choose from. One, pull a bunch of papers out of some books and then sort them. Admin stuff. Two, call the kids back one by one to work on writing their names. Uh oh. Interactive stuff. I never know what to do ... Read more »
Giveaway Tuesday: a very special souvenir
Yes, for my big Africa trip I have a giveaway Tuesday item from the trip. I don't know what it is yet, since I haven't bought it, but I'll make sure it;s an actual item from Tanzania and not something from the duty free shop at the airport on the way home. (I was so pleased to finally have a reason to drag my Zoo Vet Barbie out of the garage. I think I will have some adventures for her when I get back, no?) To enter, you simply guess what is the first cool African mammal I will see on the ... Read more »
Ask Dr. V: Petsitters and euthanasia
Before I left, I spent a few minutes answering some of the great questions you submitted for the Ask Dr. V segments. I was on my way to a PTA meeting and had a few minutes to kill, so I figured why not. This was way more interesting, by the way. Do you have a clear understanding with your petsitters or boarding facilities when you leave on a trip? Would you want them to make that call for you? ... Read more »
If I get eaten
I took my kids to see the Lion King 3-D yesterday, which I would have done regardless but has special import to me now. I think that movie is what did me in for the Africa-lust back in high school. They were moderately impressed, though the overall response was, "Forget you lady. You're going there tomorrow. We have to go to school." Which, to be honest, is totally fair. They'll live. So anyway: Auf wiedersehen, my friends. Today, it's a plane to Chicago, then to Amsterdam, then to ... Read more »
Bits and Pieces
I think I'm ready to leave the continent tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure I'm not. My method of packing usually involves making a meticulous list, ignoring it, and then dumping things into my bag until it's too heavy to lift or I've emptied the closet, whichever comes first. What usually ends up happening is I pack the DEET but forget the toothbrush, and guess which one I end up needing more. That sort of thing. I realized I have no binoculars. I hear they come in handy on safari. My husband ... Read more »
Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week!
I love Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, because it gives me a chance to reminisce about how flipping cool all my 'less adoptable' pets have been. Apollo and Kekoa, stuck at the bottom of the barrel because of their coloring; Nuke, left to fend for himself in a kennel because he was 10 and a little neurotic; Mulan, given to me to be euthanized because of her flea allergies. I know it's anthropomorphizing to say these pets came into my home with a deep and abiding sense of gratefulness, but ... Read more »
Book Lover’s Giveaway Tuesday: The Dog Who Knew Too Much
There are few things I like to do to unwind more than read a good book. When I was growing up, that was my family's weekend pasttime of choice, my father with his Louis L'Amour, my mother with a biography, and me, sprawled sideways on the overstuffed chair with an Isaac Asimov. I told you I was a nerd. That's a good thing, though- it kept me out of trouble (mostly) for a long time. Reading is inherently relaxing and stimulating all at once, lacking the passivity of TV or the computer. I wish I ... Read more »
Heartbeat
When the idea to finally go to Africa came up, I was admittedly a little daunted. It is, after all, an entire continent. So how does one choose where to go, assuming this may be the only chance you get to visit it? I'm thrilled to do the safari, of course, and get a glimpse of the Big 5 if I'm lucky: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, cape buffalo. But the deciding factor in going to Tanzania, the one need that pulled me there more than the desire to see the Great Migration or watch a lion take ... Read more »
SuperZoo Product Picks!
I've spent the last 4 days in Vegas, feverishly taking notes on what's up and coming in pet products at the annual SuperZoo pet retailer convention. The expo floor was this massive labyrinth of pet foods, toys, grooming supplies, software, treats...you get the picture. Every time I thought I covered the floor there was some alley or other that I had missed and more goodies to check out. Cat scratching posts from Imperial Cat. I love cardboard scratchers- I think cats really do prefer them. I ... Read more »
Me Jane
Many, many years ago, in college, a group of classmates went on a group trip to Africa to see wildlife and go on safari. As a biology major, this was pretty much the penultimate experience of a lifetime. As they all took off excitedly for the airport, I sat in my dorm room and sulked because I was a typical college student, and as such, had no extra funds for gallivanting across the globe. I grew up idolizing Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, dreaming those typical romanticized dreams of the Out of ... Read more »
Giveaway Tuesday: Eukanuba Splash Bag Survival Kit!
Congrats to the winner, Nubia R-B! As you all know, Brody and I are not going to be in the Surf Dog-A-Thon due to some scheduling conflicts. That is a sad thing. However, how can I be unhappy, really? We had so much fun getting ready for it. We practiced a healthy lifestyle. We bonded in the pool. And, well, we still got to surf and play at the beach. We had a fantastic week of mom-dog play and bonding, and at the end of the day that is what it is all about. I hope to make ... Read more »
Blackout
When the power went kablooey on Thursday, I figured the most lasting effect would be a resurgence of interest in knowing where we kept the spare batteries. It's never that simple, is it? Well, first of all, the local sewage treatment facility dumped 3.5 million gallons into the ocean, shutting down the beach and delaying the Surf Dog-a-thon to a day we absolutely, positively cannot make. Brody and I are so, so sad about that. Worse things have happened, of course, but we're still ... Read more »
Off the Grid: Surf Dog Kills It
Yesterday, Brody and I had our rescheduled surf lesson with Evan the Surf Instructor. It went great. Brody is a natural. His handler, on the other hand, needs a lot of practice. I had no idea how much work it was to push a dog into a wave. I would have had a fuller recap for you by today, but as you may have heard, some doofus in Yuma managed to power down the entire county of San Diego for the day. As we were leaving the beach, I remarked that there sure was a lot of traffic, even for 4 ... Read more »
Hang 20 Part 2: Pool Lessons
With our surf lesson postponed until today, I didn't want to waste this week doing no preparation at all with Brody. So we practiced getting acclimated to the board at home and in the pool. I'm not a surfer myself, so I got on the board to get a feel for the balance involved. It's quite a lot of work. With practice, I'm sure we'll both improve, but in the meantime, I got him to sit on it for a few minutes and that alone is pretty cool. Hope you like Part 2 of Hang 20! ... Read more »
Up in the Air
I always find the end of conferences such a melancholic time. Half the people have left, things are getting broken down, and it's just you and the hum of hotel air conditioning. That is why I ty to leave before the bitter end, so I don't get too despondent. That is what I had planned for BlogPaws. Wraps up Saturday night, and I was going to book it out Sunday morning before I had time to be sad it was over. Well, Irene had other plans, such as winging through DC the very moment I was ... Read more »
