reptile adventures at the library

When you think "library," do giant reptiles and squealing children come to mind? If not, then you have not been fortunate enough to witness Rich Ihle's Reptile Adventures this summer. The Phoenix Public Library hosts a fantastic kids summer program, where nearly every weekday there is someone cool presenting something awesome at various libraries across the city–and it's free to attend! We go to our local Ironwood branch every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. to catch the fun. Yesterday's presentation was our favorite! Rich Ihle, the creator of Reptile Adventures brought his friends, small and large, for families to oooh and ahhh at. The kids were all pumped, and Rich delivered. His funny, friendly attitude, coupled with the confidence and sternness to keep the kids' energy from getting out of control made for an incredible experience.

Rich began his presentation by telling everyone a bit about himself and how he came to be the "reptile guy." It seems he had a deep love for these creatures from an early age and would spend all of his money on reptiles. He encouraged the kids to find their passion and open books to learn all they can about it, as he did, which I thought was a wonderful message. He also expressed the importance of caring for pets properly, and how much work they can be. The guy kept it real.

Like all good entertainers, Rich brought out the little guys first. We met Sunset the Bearded Dragon, Slim the Blue-tongued Skink, and Freckles, the Leopard Gecko, among other friends.

I was totally impressed with them, but had no idea that the big guns were waiting in the wings.

Enter T-Bo the Rhinoceros Iguana.

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He was incredible! And incredibly huge! Rich's interactions with him were nothing short of a headliner at The Comedy Spot. The kids (and adults) were squealing and shaking with excitement. Rich took him for a ride on his cooler, a giant-iguana RV, of sorts.

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Just when we thought we'd seen the grand finale, out came Sunshine, who we got to touch.

What an experience! You can still catch Rich and "The Ultimate Reptile Experience" at libraries around the valley during this week and next, the last week of the program. I would highly recommend it, even if you don't have kids! Rich and his friends are also available for birthday parties, school presentations, and special events.

doggie dna analysis: Ava's story

I've been taking care of Ava almost every weekday for the past two years. Her family adopted her from a local poodle rescue. Huh? Does this look like a poodle?

Since Ava's ancestry was a complete mystery, her family decided to have a DNA analysis done. Their veterinarian offered the convenience of doing the blood draw for the test during her regular appointment and sent it to Wisdom Panel for analysis. Though there are less expensive options, Ava's mom, Maura, liked the convenience of doing it right there at the vet. She paid $125.00. Maura explained that there are at-home testing options that use saliva that some people may prefer.

Though DNA testing is not medically necessary, it sure is fun! Ava's family was simply curious of their rescue dog's origins so they decided to proceed with the analysis.

Wisdom Panel's report was nine pages of detailed information about Ava, including "Breed Detection," "Breed Appearance & Behavior," "Appearance, Behavior & History," and "Sharing Your Dog's Story."

Ava's mix was declared to be an "American Eskimo Dog Mix crossed with Yorkshire Terrier/Chihuahua cross." Huh? The only thing I see in her is possible Chihuahua. Good thing the report goes into detail.

The next page went on to detail what "Mixed Breed" means for Ava:

And there we see the poodle in her! It makes me think that maybe I might have a bit of poodle in me, too! It's pretty cool to be able to see in such detail what Ava's background is.

I asked Maura what she thought of the results. She said, "I was surprised that her great grandparents and grandparents could be American Eskimo Dogs. I was not surprised to see Terrier, Chihuahua, or Dachshund in her history."

I would have to agree with Maura. I was pretty shocked to see the American Eskimo Dog make an appearance.

Ava's report went on to explain the Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, and American Eskimo Dog breeds in detail and suggested possible traits of these breeds that her family might see in her.

So how does this all work? Wisdom Panel said,

The process started when you sent a sample to our laboratory, where the DNA was extracted from the cells and examined for the 321 markers that are used in the test. The results for these markers were sent to a computer that evaluated them using a program designed to consider all of the pedigree trees that are possible in the last three generations. The trees considered include a simple pedigree with a single breed (a likely pure-bred dog), two different breeds at the parental level (a first-generation cross), all the way up to a complex tree with eight different great-grandparent breeds allowed.

Our computer used information for over 225 breeds, varieties, and types from our breed database to fill these potential pedigrees. For each of the millions of combinations of ancestry trees built and considered, the computer gave each a score representing how well that selected combination of breeds matched to your dog's data. The pedigree with the overall best score is the one that is shown on the ancestry chart. Only breeds that reached our set confidence threshold for reporting are reported in the ancestry chart.

Maura was really happy that she satisfied her curiosity in having the DNA analysis done. Some may argue "I love my dog. Who cares what she is?" Well, of course we love our dogs no matter what, but knowing what is in their background may give us the opportunity to better care for our pets. And despite even that, it sure is fun!

Report provided by Ava's family.

the sock toe

A cat batting a bottle cap. A pup crunching a plastic water bottle. No matter how much money we spend on the latest and greatest pet toys, often our pets find the most joy in the simple. And your daughter would rather play with the box than the $300 Barbie Dream House that came in it. You know.

Our dog, N.A.S.H.A.'s most prized possession is a red sock toe. How do you get a sock toe, you ask? Well, you cut off the tip of a sock for your kid's school project, and the dog takes over the scraps. Said kid will now be a junior in high school come fall, and this sock toe was born when he was in third grade. It's much like a child's thread-bare blankie. If we ever lost it, the would would most certainly end.

The sock toe is N.A.S.H.A.'s go-to toy. It's always the most played-with, so it keeps residence on top of all the other toys. She pulls it out when she wants to play, which, for a nearly eight-year-old dog, is pretty frequently. Sometimes she'll put it in our lap...it's just heavy enough to be thrown across the living room. She'll tear around the house with it in her mouth, drop it on purpose, high-tail it back to fetch it, then reverse her route. Most often, she'll toss it high in the air and catch it herself. Amusement for all.

It makes it's way outside and back in. On the bed. Under the bed. In the closet. On the couch. But she can always find it. Maybe because it's never been washed. We don't want to risk it going to the dreaded sock place of the unknown underworld.

It has no squeaker, and no beefy flavor, and it does nothing beneficial to her teeth. I know it does a lot for her heart, though.

i broke down: Shamrock Farms'® new flavored sour cream

A couple of months ago, I was invited to tour Shamrock Farms, a leading local dairy farm. The farm is fairly large, and, as I expressed when I toured, I think that, while at the facility, the dairy cows are treated very well, considering the production volume. When I visited, I was invited to try Shamrock Farms' newest product, then in development, their flavored sour cream. The three exciting flavors were released into stores this week (I saw them at my local grocery store, so it's for reals), but my family and I had the privilege of sampling them a couple of weeks ago ('cause we're just cool like that).

As you may know, I've been working toward living a vegan lifestyle, so, yes, I was a bit conflicted about consuming sour cream, not something I frequently do, but in the name of product research and deliciousness, I caved.

The flavored sour cream comes in three varieties: Creamy Ranch, French Onion, and my absolute favorite, Zesty Jalapeño. I thought about making something fancy and complex, but reconsidered. I wanted to taste this new product for what it really was, especially if I was falling off the wagon in it's honor. So I made tacos.

We frequently make vegan tacos, but this time, we went vegetarian. I use a "meat-ish" base of tempeh, onion, and taco seasoning, and even our meat-eating friends think it's delish. They don't just say that. They actually have seconds. We put on all the trimmings, then topped each taco with a large dollop of zesty jalapeño sour cream.

YUM. I loved this flavor best because it is so flavorful, with real bits of jalapeño, and, well, zesty, as described, but just when you think it's going to be too spicy, the creaminess mellows it all out. Even our littles loved it!

Shamrock Farms' new flavored sour creams are currently prominently displayed on a front end-cap in my local grocery store, and I noticed when I was there yesterday that each one had a nice little coupon attached. You can also print a coupon from the Shamrock Farms Web Site. If you visit the site, you can also check out serving suggestions. And if you're so inclined, enter the "Dip. Mix. Top." contest.

Enjoy! And if you're falling off the wagon like I did, don't feel too guilty. Sometimes it's worth it!

Disclaimer: Shamrock Farms provided me with sour cream samples in exchange for my honest opinion.

too hot for tootsies

As we Phoenicians brave today's high temps–threatening 119°–I am inspired to plead the masses not to walk a dog in the middle of the day. I mean, please. I can't believe how many dogs I saw out for a walk when driving home from my mid-day visits today. Really? Would you want to walk on the scorching asphalt with your bare feet? Try it.

Dogs' paws can burn, and burn bad. They are a bit more tolerant of the immediate sensation when walking on a hot surface because their paws are pretty tough, but damage is done. The dog may limp, lick their paws, or show other signs of distress several hours after the burn occurs.

My rule of thumb is to never walk a dog when the temperature is over 100°. I let my clients know that I'll be happy to do some rigorous indoor play, or a nice game of fetch in the grass if it's not too hot out.

Instead of walking your dog at noon, consider a early-morning or late-evening stroll. Be aware that concrete and asphalt can hold heat well past sundown, so test it with your own bare foot before proceeding. If you can comfortably stand, you're good to go.

You can also try dog booties for protection.

Simple solutions.

So if you don't want the insanely angry gal in the pooch wagon screaming at you to get your mutt off the street during your lunch break, please consider the benefits of the siesta, instead.