Monica Monzingo

Meet the Westminster Dogs: Sydney the Tibetan Terrier

by Monica Monzingo (Subscribe to Monica Monzingo's posts): Feb 10th 2010 @ 1:00PM Filed Under: Dogs

Credit: Chris Halvorson, DogAds

The Westminster Kennel Club 134th Annual Dog Show (Feb. 15–16) is like Oscar night for dogs... so let's meet the stars! Paw Nation spoke with some of the Westminster show dog's owners to give you a sneak peek at the adorable contestants you'll see prancing around the ring on the big day.

Dog Breed: Tibetan Terrier

Group: Non-Sporting

Dog's Full Registered Name: Ch. Ri Lee's Diamonds Are Forever

Nickname: Sydney

Dog's Age: 4

Owners' Names: Brenda Algar and Nikkie Kinziger

Hometown: New Castle, Del.

I heard Sydney was mauled by a wild animal and almost died?
It's true, on Dec. 15, 2007, three days after her second birthday, Sydney was badly mauled in a near-fatal attack by a bobcat in the fenced yard at our home in Maine. She underwent two emergency surgeries to save her life and repair her front left leg.

Tell me about Sydney's personality.
She knows that she's a princess, but she's not a spoiled princess. She's like Grace Kelly: graceful, sweet and dignified. She carries herself well and she knows who she is. Sydney is unlike any other Tibetan I've had.

What is her biggest quirk?
She chases her tail. I don't have another dog that does this and I have seven. And she'll catch it, hold onto it and then chase it the other way.

What is her best trick?
She doesn't really do tricks -- Tibetens aren't trick-type dogs -- but the thing she does do that is like a trick is when we're showing and she stops, looks right at the judge and wags her tail a little.

Meet the Westminster Dogs: Kelly the Puli

by Monica Monzingo (Subscribe to Monica Monzingo's posts): Feb 9th 2010 @ 1:00PM Filed Under: Dogs

Randy Roberts

The Westminster Kennel Club 134th Annual Dog Show (Feb. 15–16) is like Oscar night for dogs... so let's meet the stars! Paw Nation spoke with some of the Westminster show dog's owners to give you a sneak peek at the adorable contestants you'll see prancing around the ring on the big day.

Dog Breed: Puli

Group: Herding

Dog's Full Registered Name: Ch. Lajosmegyi's Singin in the Rain

Nickname: Kelly

Dog's Age: 5

Owners' Names: Anna Quigley, Patricia Turner, and Steve and Alice Lawrence

Hometown: Chehalis, Wash.

Tell me about Kelly's personality.
He is one of the sweetest puli I have ever been around. Kelly enjoys life to the fullest and loves people. He is so calm before he goes in the ring and then when he's there, he's perfect. He has been raised with his sister and they are very close.

What is his best trick?
He jumps straight in the air and touches the top of a six-foot fence. He has tried to do this in the ring but is afraid of slipping on the floor!

What's his weirdest quirk?
He loves riding on top of his crate.

What is his favorite treat?
Bully Sticks are his favorite chew and boiled chicken is his favorite treat.

How do you and Kelly prepare for Westminster?
We use a treadmill to keep Kelly in condition. We have 60-foot runs, but the dogs hate the rain -- and we get so much of it in the Northwest. Most important is his mental conditioning. We make sure he has rest and try to keep him from being bored.

Anything else you'd like to share?
It is just such a thrill to be the breeders of two great dogs. His littermate Conrad is the puli that won the group last year at the Garden. Going is as much about seeing old and new friends as it is about being in the show.

I Work With Animals: Brent "The Bug Guy" Karner

by Monica Monzingo (Subscribe to Monica Monzingo's posts): Jan 27th 2010 @ 11:00AM Filed Under: I Work With Animals!

Dave Bullock/eecue.com

What animal lover hasn't daydreamed about ditching their desk job and applying for a job at the zoo? Or at a doggy daycare? Or tracking gorillas in Africa? We sure have, but since most of us may never actually get to work with the animals we love, we thought we'd introduce you to a few people who do.

Name: Brent "The Bug Guy" Karner
Age: 39
Job: Manager of Invertebrate Living Collections at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Tell me about what you do at the museum. It looks like a fun job!
My job title is Manager of Invertebrate Living Collections, which is a mouthful, so I just call myself "Brent the Bug Guy." For the last 20 years, I've been using my knowledge of bugs to educate the public, because I've found that while I like bugs, most people don't.

What made you want to work with animals and teach people about them?
As I got involved with museums, I realized that this is a great way to introduce people to these animals. I'm not looking to turn them into entomologists, but if I can get Joe Blow to look at the bug before he steps on it, I've done my job. I'm in the de-education business, taking generations of preconceptions, stories and myths that have created misunderstandings that have made us loathe these animals to the point where we try to separate ourselves from them; and that's something from an ecological perspective that we cannot do. We have to understand them for what they are. The usual lines about how important they are don't make a difference until people have to actually meet one up close and personal and see it won't eat their children.

First-Ever Cat Corporate Executive Named in Japan

by Monica Monzingo (Subscribe to Monica Monzingo's posts): Jan 19th 2010 @ 11:00AM Filed Under: Cats, Pets News

Toru Yamanaka, AFP/Getty Images

In Japan, a 10-year-old cat named Tama has been promoted to an executive position at the Wakayama Electric Railway Co. Promoted, you say? That's right! Tama has quickly climbed the corporate cat tree with promotion after promotion since she assumed her first position as stationmaster of Kishi Station in January 2007. It seems her superiors felt she was ready for a bigger challenge.

In fact, the company says Tama has been instrumental in increasing ridership by about 300,000, and they gave her the promotion "in recognition of her contribution to expanding the customer base," the Manichi Daily News reports. Tama will continue to serve as stationmaster while tackling this new role, although she did not accept a wage increase (and her payment currently is rendered in the form of cat food). It also doesn't sound like she'll have to take on any of the more stressful parts of being a corporate executive. Her job description includes greeting customers as they enter the station, posing for photos with tourists, and napping.

The company held an official appointment ceremony for Tama, and about 100 fans came to support the feline, says the Manichi Daily News. In addition, plans are in motion to rebuild Kishi Station into the shape of a cat's face this summer. Success: She has it!

Abandoned Pets Survive to Tell the 'Tail'

by Monica Monzingo (Subscribe to Monica Monzingo's posts): Jan 8th 2010 @ 5:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News, Hero Pets

Dan Rosenstrauch/Contra Costa Times

A house in Walnut Creek, Calif., had been vacant for several weeks, leading suspicious neighbors to call animal control to investigate. When they arrived, they discovered two crates full of chihuahuas, none of which had survived. But the tragedy was joined by an incredible story of survival in the locked bathroom, where a kitten, a chihuahua, and Leonardo, a 108-pound mastiff, stayed alive against all odds, reports the San Jose Mercury News. Experts suspect the three animals drank toilet water to survive, and lasted weeks without food, with Leonardo never turning on his much smaller companions.

Instead, the traumatic experience created a special bond between the three animals, with Leonardo instantly cheering up when he saw the kitten again during pet therapy sessions. But he was not out of danger just yet. After several months in a county shelter, the kitten and chihuahua were both adopted, but lovable Leo had yet to find a family, and was scheduled to be put down. That's when the local Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) stepped in to give him another chance.

After ARF made his story public, they received a record number of calls about adopting Leonardo. A local couple gave him a comfortable new home last weekend, while the interest raised by the story had the shelter adopting twice as many animals as usual – a much-deserved happy ending for everyone involved.

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Miniature Dogs

Miniature Poodle
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David McKelvey/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmckelvey/3748491903/

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Dachshund
The Miniature Daschund, only 11 pounds or under, is not a separate classification of the Daschund -- it's just a smaller version of the Standard. The miniature dog, with its long bodies and strong sense of smell, are both hunters and lapdogs, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Schnauzer
The Miniature Schnauzer is of German descent and was originally bred to be a small farm dog. The most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer is a attentive, lively and a favorite among celebrities like Mary Tyler Moore and Bill Cosby. The strongly built miniature dog is between 12 to 14 inches, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Bull Terrier
Just like the playful Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier, who originated in England, has a similar personality. Don't let its size fool you – the Miniature Bull Terrier is strong, energetic and audacious. Miniature Bull Terriers are between 10 to 15 inches and can be solid white or colored, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is one of three separate categories of the American Eskimo Dog. Between 12 to 15 inches, the bright white dog is loving, protecting and sociable. Now a great companion dog, the miniature dog was once a circus dog, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Pinscher
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Miniature Dogs