25. January 2009 by admin.

Two of my biggest dogs stepped into a can of paint on the way from the garage to my car. Of course, I had only noticed it once they were in my car staining/painting my black interior in khaki! What a mess at 6:30AM! Of course, the paint ended up on my siding, exterior, seat covers, pants, eyebrows, hands….pretty much everywhere! Luckily it was “just” water based paint and easy to remove and not oil based paint! Whew! It was still a mess to clean up, though and a nice way to start the weekend. Never a dull moment!

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15. January 2009 by admin.

Today one of my clients had a seizure. It was pretty scary and heartbreaking to watch.
When I entered I found the usually jumpy and happy pup cramped up on the floor. He looked horrible it freaked me out.
Luckily the owner was home and notified me that he had a history of seizure but haven’t had one in over a year. This one lasted more than 5 minutes, it felt like an eternity.

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29. December 2008 by admin.

While browsing the world wide web I came across a website that listed the 10 best suited dogs for house and family life. To my astonishment the Beagle was the no. 1 recommended pet for families.

Don’t get me wrong I love Beagles I think they are wonderful dogs. However, I would never recommend a Beagle to the generalized public.

Besides being sweet tempered, funny, good looking and great dogs, they do require a lot of patience and a strong leadership.

Don’t get a Beagle when you live in an apartment, unless you own it and you like to torture your neighbors.
The Beagle’s loud baying cry can be utterly annoying. I know people that got evicted because of their Beagle’s lust to “talk”.

Originally bred for hunting in the UK. The Beagle’s sense of smell is extraordinary. It’s so extraordinary that you run into danger of losing your Beagle while being on an off leash walk. Once the little guy picks up a scent, he is in his own little world tracking down the smell, forgetting everything and anyone around him. This is what I call a ‘one track mind’. There is a reason why the airport police, likes to use them for “screening” bags.

The extraordinary sense of smell is followed by their strong hunting instinct. Don’t be surprised when your Beagle is bringing you little gifts like fresh caught squirrels or dead mice. Hungry anyone?

The three most used sentences from Beagle owners are “he barks like this in the middle of the night”, “he comes when he wants to” & “he has a mind of his own”. Yes, they are stubborn, stubborn, stubborn those cute little creatures!

If you live in a rural area, with no neighbors, are strong willed and active the Beagle is the perfect dog for you.

My suggestion if you live in the city or work a lot or have neighbors but still want a Beagle…..
Spend time at the local dog park (there is always at least one Beagle). Get a kick out of the Beagle playing, sniffing and barking (the barking is only funny when you don’t own one yourself). It’s a great way to experience the fun stuff without the hassle at home!

I am happy to answer any questions relating to Beagles or other dog related questions! e-mail: k9@hollywoodonaleash.com

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25. December 2008 by admin.

I love taking pictures of Downtown LA while hiking at Runyon in the morning . I thought I’d share the best ones with you….
Merry Xmas!

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22. December 2008 by admin.

The past weeks been kind of crazy, so I thought I share a chuckle with you…

This is one of those stories where I would love to tell you I graciously jumped over an 8ft fence, elegantly leaped through a tiny window, fought off two Pit Bulls and generously opened the doors for the others to come in the house!

My husband and I enjoyed a yummy pizza dinner with a wonderful family friend. While leaving the restaurant our friend noticed that she had forgotten her house key…at home.
While driving back to the house we were thinking of best ways to get into the house. She wanted to call locksmith, while my husband had the brilliant idea the bathroom window might be slightly open.

Great idea but we still had to overcome an 8ft fence.
During one of my dog park visits I learned how to jump an 8ft fence quickly (don’t ask why and how). Therefore I was the chosen one to check if the window was open.

There was another minor detail, our friend’s two not so small, hyper and ready-to-defend-their-home Pit Bulls. My friend assured me the door separating the bathroom from the living room area was closed and locked. Oh LORD!
They are sweet dogs but you never know how dogs will react when someone tries to climb through a window!

With determination on my face I got out of the car, ready to leap over the fence. It wasn’t quite as easy as I had hoped. My new skinny, super tight jeans didn’t make the job easier. Our friend came to support me. With support I mean literally support. I had to take laughing breaks. The idea alone hanging on someone’s fence with too tight jeans and someone else pushing my rear end just cracked me up.

Having taken the first hurdle the next one was waiting around the corner. Her yard was dark it was like entering a black hole. What kind of freaked me out was the idea of the dogs getting in the yard, trying to eat me. (Stay positive)

I found the window and it was slightly open, indeed but 8 ft in the air with a 2ft x 2ft opening. Luckily a trashcan was nearby which I used to climb up to the window.

My first leg made it through the window but again due to my tight jeans I wasn’t able to get the second one through. Not to fond of the idea going head in first I had no other choice. Now, imagine it was pitch black and I had never been in her bathroom before. I had another burst of laughter while hanging head down into her bathroom and the rest of me on the outside of the house. Kind of like a potato sack that doesn’t fit through an opening.

The dogs were just going crazy! I swear they were ready to eat me (at least it sounded like it).

It wasn’t pretty and it took me a while but I made it through the window without harming myself nor destroying the bathroom. The rest is history. I let my friend in through the side door and let her open the door to the living room while I politely walked to the front door and rang the bell to be let in

I don’t know what surprised me more that I was able to actually get through the window or that no one of the neighbors got alarmed by all the barking and commotion! Life’s mysteries!

Happy Holidays!

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12. December 2008 by admin.

Yesterday it all started at 6:20AM at my first clients house. I was standing in front of the gate for about 10 minutes not being able to get it open. I called my client (who was still asleep, I usually just get the dogs out without disturbing them) and he basically told me I forgot to push the # sign (I have opened that gate many times before, who knows why I had to forget the # sign today…sleepy I guess). So, by now I am running late. Still had to go and pick up other dogs before meeting my hiking budds for our 7AM morning hike (I am a punctual fetishist, I admit publicly, I hate being late).
At my next client’s house I got soaked in cold water from the sprinklers while trying to put on the leashes. It was 42F/5C degrees outside (no further explanation necessary). Now, I am pissed! With soaking wet pants I get in the car and blast the heater on 5 (it was so hot in my car that I hardly could breath but I got my clothes half dry). Not a good start for the day!
Later in the day while leaving the dog park with 6 dogs my car starts acting up. Seemingly out of nowhere it started shaking and the engine check light and other warning lights came on. Now, I am in panic! Who knows if the engine blows up any minute in the middle of the intersection and how in hell would I get all the dogs out in time if the car is on fire! I manage to drop off 2 of the dogs that live close by. Luckily I was near the Toyota Service Station. With 5 mph and a bucking and shaking car I made my way over there. Of course, they had to keep it there for inspection.
Second stage of panic set in. I had to drop off the dogs and make my other appointments. Clearly, I wasn’t able to make it to my other appointments but what about the dogs in the car.
I called the Fabulous Miss K, who just happened to be in her car and on her way to the dog park. The Fabulous Miss K was kind enough to pick me up. Since she was on her way to the dog park she had her 2 dogs in the car + we had to get my 4 dogs in there. Can you fit 6 dogs in a PT Cruiser? Absolutely (see pictures below)! Does it look pretty? Absolutely not! We looked so absolutely ridiculous, people were honking and laughing at us all the way!
The end of the story. My car is fine, it had a system error that shut down my tires and who knows what else. The people at Toyota will always remember the frantic looking skinny chick with 4 big dogs in their office!
By the way, when I picked up my car the guy pulled off plastic seat covers that were placed over my regular seat covers. I said, since I already had seat covers there was no need to put another protection over it. He replied politely with a grim face that he put them on not to protect my seat but himself from all the hair! Oooops!

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27. November 2008 by admin.

It’s been an amazing year for me so far that’s why I would like to give some Thank Yous to my great clients, amazing friends & wonderful family. You are the ones that turned 2008 in an incredible year to remember! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Happy Turkey Day!
Julia

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27. November 2008 by admin.

How can you tell your puppy is teething? When you find him nippling on your favorite pair of flip flops, wires, leashes or anything that fits in his mouth. Just like you would give a ‘teething ring’ to a baby, give your pup a frozen plain bagel! The cold will ease the pain and the bagel will keep him busy. Just don’t over do it, bagels are high in calories! Cheap, effective and good tasting solution. Mazel-tov!

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24. October 2008 by admin.

On Wednesday one of my pups got hurt while playing at the dog park. He was running with the pack when he tumbled. He got up but just sat there. I called him over to where I was standing and he started hopping on three legs. My job is like being a nanny with a higher risk of injuries. I love my clients as much as my own dogs that’s why I call them all “my pups”. When I saw him limping my heart just sunk in my pants. When I called his mom she told me not worry it’s just Charlie, a dog who would manage to get bit by a fish on dry land. I packed up the dogs and took him to the vet. I had to leave him there while finishing up with my other dogs. After my last drop off I went back to the vet where I waited another 2 hours ’til he was done. He looked miserable (might have been the doggy valium he was on). Now, this is a dog who injured his toe while running on the beach, got lost on the tarmac while being sedated in his crate and found 3 days later near the airport, bit by a Pitbull and tor his ligaments in the knee Wednesday while playing with his friends… and all this happended in the past 6 month. The vet should give him a preferred customer card.
After dropping him of after the vet I felt kind of somber. I could never work with injured pets, it just breaks my heart. When I finally made it home after a 12 hour day I just plopped on my sofa telling myself everything will be fine, don’t worry it’s JUST Charlie

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30. May 2008 by admin.

Being a hiker on a daily basis I am always concerned about the well being of my dogs. Living in rattlesnake country it’s a constant burden on my mind when I am hiking with dogs.
Needless to say that I got really excited when I met Marc Brown, a KABC news anchor, who took his two dogs for rattlesnake avoidance training. I did some research online and what I found pleased my mind. My hiking buddy and I signed up for Patrick Callaghan rattlesnake avoidance training.
We were really excited when we traveled 2 hours up north (we missed the dates in LA county). Getting there it was really a weird atmosphere it’s hard to describe. It just felt strange, the people were nice, almost to nice.
The dogs are put on shock collars, they have to approach a course with three rattlesnakes they get introduced to the smell, sound and then smell & sound. Each time the dog gets curios he gets shocked. I knew all that and it sounded very plausible, however I wasn’t prepared what I saw. My friend’s dog, a large 120 lbs dog, flew about 3 feet in the air when shocked and he was screaming and yelping. They couldn’t even get him to the next snake, three people had to drag him, each time he got shocked the screaming and panic got louder. My heart was beating up my throat and I had serious doubts if I really wanna put my dog through this.
My dog, a medium size lab, jumped about 5 feet in the air when shocked (who knew dogs can fly), he also didn’t want to approach the second snake. He was fighting and whining not to get dragged to the other snakes. It broke my heart, and I am not a whimp! Overall it took us 4 hrs of driving and the training took 6 minutes for both dogs combined.
The aftermath: A few days after the training, my friend encountered a rattlesnake on her hike. At the training we learned that the dog has to run around it in a circle. Her dog walked straight by it! No reaction to the snake!
My dog on the other hand is freaked out by every little movement or dark objects (like the power cord of my floor lamp). Walking him at night is a nightmare, little moving shadows freak him out, his tail goes in between his legs, ears go back and he wants to run away. He wasn’t like this before the training!
Is it really worth it to put your dog through it? Yes and No!
I would only recommend it if you are living in the countryside and your dog is romping around in fields and woods and is not under human supervision.
For all the “city” hikers and leisure hikers if your dog gets bit you have between 2-4 hrs to get to a vet for treatment. Another alternative is a rattlesnake vaccine, which could have severe side effects, too. No matter what you decide, do your research first and go through every pro and con for each method.
Don’t get fooled by Mr. Patrick Callaghan’s marketing (which I think is fantastic), overall keep in mind that he is running a very successful corporation!

Julia

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