FETCH, the Paper for San Francisco North Bay pets and their people http://www.fetchthepaper.com Even more than wanting companionship, sometimes we get dogs to reconnect to nature. Nowhere else is the separation-from-natural-world epidemic more evident than in large cities like San Francisco. Many of us urban dwellers find ourselves locked in sheetrock rooms the majority of our days. Too many weekend getaway plans get pushed off into the oblivion of someday. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-june/escape.htm No one knows San Franciscos best dog walks better than a professional dog walker. Rebecca Sang shares her favorites. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-june/whine.htm Mike Ossenbeck is a hero, but he would not want you to call him that. His volunteer work with dogs and their trainers has earned him the admiration of people throughout Sonoma County. Mike says it is simple; he is just doing what needs to be done. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-june/difference.htm You are walking along a sidewalk in San Rafael or Petaluma and a mother and child approach you from the other direction. Suddenly the child throws herself at you, smiling and laughing. She's been eating an ice cream cone, which is now all over your clothes. You try to be nice, but really! A few minutes later, another mom and child approach. You say hello, they say hello, and you both go on. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-june/well_heeled_dog.htm Now that we have survived the wettest winter and spring in recent memory, those of us with beloved pooches are finally ready to bond beneath the starry nights by going on a pet friendly camping trip with our dogs. This can truly be a Zen experience, or a miserable one, if anything untoward should happen to that four-legged chum snoring by your side. So this month, I want to remind you of some concerns you need to consider before you trek out with your Borzoi or Bassett to have special bonding moments around a campfire just like the cowboys did in Mel Brooks' movie "Blazing Saddles." http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-june/health_matters.htm Once, the "dog catcher" was a feared and highly loathed member of the community. Today, the term is politically incorrect and Petaluma Animal Control Officer Jeff Charter spends his workdays trying to change the perception through word and deed. "Humaneness is what we do," says Charter, who is senior officer with just 18 months on the job. "We exist so animals in Petaluma are cared for. And we're lucky to be in this city where there's a lot of support and not a whole lot of problems." http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-june/animal-control.htm Imagine: it's a beautiful summer day. Your dog is blazing up a deserted forest service road, veers off into a field of wildflowers, then cools off, happily splashing in and around a small, quiet pond. Sounds great, yes? Don't worry about packing your swim trunks just yet. While Fido's enjoying outdoor recreation, you're still cooped up at work. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-june/adventures.htm Mariah Mountanos would have an impressive resume. She has exhibited her photographs, started a web site, won an award from the American Humane Association, and helped save the lives of dozens of dogs and cats. But she doesn't have a resume. She's only 14. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-may/passion.htm "I kiddingly tell police officers that they provide the tough dogs for the criminals and we provide the fluff dogs for the victims," says Nancy Pierson, manager of the K-9 Support Programs at Santa Rosa's Assistance Dog Institute (ADI). She's joking because her Crisis Response teams' "fluff dogs" and their victims' advocate handlers perform difficult, even wrenching work when called in by the Santa Rosa police department. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-may/crisis.htm Christine Lynch, a first-time puppy raiser, became interested in raising an assistance dog puppy when she worked in an office with another puppy raiser. "I have a niece who may have MS," Christine said. "I thought it would be cool if I could raise a dog to help someone like her." Christine's charge Gemi is a typical loose-skinned, bright-eyed, floppy-eared pup. It takes imagination to see that this Lab/Golden Retriever cross may one day turn light switches on and off, pull a jacket from the dryer, bark on command to get help, or perform dozens of other commands to assist a person with a disability. But that definitely is what Christine imagines for her puppy. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-may/promise.htm Jim and I walked to his car as he explained his dog's problems. He couldn't seem to contain Yuki. She had figured out how to open doors and could scale a six-foot fence with ease. And she was monumentally destructive. This wasn't puppy behavior; Yuki was almost three, and Jim still couldn't trust her inside. He opened the door of his SUV, and out jumped one of the most beautiful animals I'd ever seen. She was tall and well built, with very large ears and feet, not to mention teeth. Her chest was thin, her coat was thick and luxurious and her eyes a startling gold color. I looked at Jim. He grinned and said, "Yes, she's a hybrid." http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-may/well_heeled_dog.htm Chronic mitral valve insufficiency (CMVI), one of many types of congestive heart failure, is the most commonly seen cardiovascular disease in dogs. Not a week goes by that I don't diagnose a new case, and as pets are living longer lives and the senior segment of our pet population grows, there will be more cases of this difficult yet treatable heart ailment. This month, I want to share with you my experience with this disease, including clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-may/health_matters.htm California State Assemblywoman Loni Hancock is sponsoring a bill (AB2110) that would outlaw open field coursing in the state of California. Open field coursing involves using dogs to hunt live prey such as jackrabbits. To help inform FETCH readers, we asked "Is there any place for the practice of open field coursing in our community? What should people know about open field coursing and the proposed legislation before they decide where they stand on this issue?" http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-may/pet-advocate.htm My husband, L.J. Hannan, our dog (an Australian Shepherd named Babs), and I come to San Francisco from Sacramento several times a year. We like to stay at the pet-friendly Marina Motel on Lombard Street. The motel provides a half-off coupon for breakfast at Judy's on Chestnut Street, a convenient walk from the motel. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables where the three of us enjoy great food and people/dog watching. After breakfast, we enjoy a walking in the area. The pet stores put out water for dogs; of course, we always stop in a get a treat for Babs. There are always lots of dogs in the area. This dog scene is great for well-socialized dogs. Because the sidewalks are somewhat crowded with people, including little ones and dogs, it might not be suitable for all dogs. http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-may/dog-scene.htm With greater public awareness, better facilities, and more resources, shelters are able to house homeless pets longer than they used to, giving more a chance at adoption. All this has given rise to a relatively new phenomenon in sheltering, the long-time resident. Some dogs and cats become more or less permanent residents of their shelters. So what gives? http://www.fetchthepaper.com/read/06-april/shelter.htm