Pier 39's Sea Lions - Gone For Good?
Fisherman’s Wharf’s famed resident sea lions who moved into Pier 39 twenty years ago have virtually disappeared. In 1989-90, hundreds of sea lions began to show up on the docks at Pier 39 for unknown reasons. At first many viewed the colony as pests. Smelly and noisy, the sea lions took over the docks, displacing boats that had been harbored there and destroying the docks with their weight.
Nuisances aside, the marine mammals quickly became a popular tourist attraction. In winter months over the past twenty years as many as 900 sea lions typically camped out at the pier, feasting regularly on local herring.
October 2009 marked the beginning of mysterious events surrounding the sea lions. At a time of year when there are usually 200 of the animals at Pier 39, October saw a whopping surge of 1,700, for reasons no one seems to know.
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Experts Weigh-In: Aging Dogs and Arthritis
We’re starting our experts weigh-in series today. Top professionals – many of whom live in the San Francisco Bay Area – help you with your questions.
Q: We have an 11-year old Queensland Cattle dog that has numerous issues. Right now, we would like to strengthen his hind legs which have arthritis. Can you help us?
Hollywoof in San Francisco
If you're ready for a night of glitz and glamor and doggie pampering, Dogopolis is hosting a fantastic event in San Francisco on February 6th, and tickets are still available. Hollywoof is a movie night you're not likely to forget anytime soon: a double feature with two fantastic independent films, and a host of other goodies for dogs and humans to enjoy.
Straight Talk on Muzzles
Whenever I see a certain dog at a local dog park, he’s wearing a muzzle. I’ll call him Darren. Dog guardians call their dogs away from Darren as he approaches. People walking by cut a wide berth around Darren. No one asks to pet him, approaches him or comments on how cute he is – and Darren is awfully cute!
San Francisco's Hotel Triton: (BYOP) Bring Your Own Pet
These days it's quite difficult to find a hotel, especially a downtown hotel, where pets are allowed. Hotel Triton, on the other hand, strives to offer accommodation where pets are not only tolerated, they are welcomed. I've stayed in many places before that had a very strict "one dog only, under 30 pounds" rule, and that seems to be a common regulation in places that allow pets at all. At the Hotel Triton, you can bring any kind of pet you want, and as many as you want. With the hotel's weight limit set at an impressive 200 pounds per pet, this pretty much leaves things open for just about everyone.
Positive Training: What is it? Why Use it?
A few months ago the New York Times Business section featured Cesar Millan and his highly-lucrative dog training enterprises. Surprisingly, the article devoted a total of three sentences to positive training -- little more than a footnote. Though the writer noted that positive trainers disagree with many of Millan’s methods, there was no explanation of why there’s disagreement, what positive training is or how Millan’s methods differ. In this trainer’s humble opinion, that was a disservice to dogs everywhere and the people who love them.
Society Dog: Let the Good Times Roll at Mardi Gras in San Jose
If you're getting in the mood to let the good times roll, you're in luck - Mardi Gras is just around the corner, and Society Dog is ready to party with an afternoon of walking, eating, and general fun and frolicking. If you're local to San Jose, it's sure to be an event you won't want to miss!
Terri Festa, founder of Society Dog and a previous Louisiana resident, works hard to keep the tradition alive in the South Bay. “We love bringing uniquely fun events for dog-lovers to the Bay Area while sharing & supporting dog-friendly businesses,” says Terri.
Hand Stamped Pet ID Tag
Obviously microchipping is the most high-tech solution for animal identification these days. Microchips mean that most stories of lost animals can have a happy ending, even in cases when the collar is lost or removed. But that doesn't mean that collar tags are obsolete - on the contrary, an easily readable tag can be the best tactic for getting your dog or cat back as soon as possible. Someone coming across your pet on a city sidewalk wouldn't have a microchip reader, of course, and if the animal doesn't have tags, they might assume that it's just a stray.
AKC Allows Mixed Breed Dogs a Paw in the Door
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has announced that as of April 1, 2010, mixed breed dogs can now compete in Rally, Agility and Obedience events. This is big news in the dog world. Up to now, AKC only allowed purebred dogs to compete in dog sports.
Make Your Pet's Day! Call Lilly's Pet Care
If you live Bernal Heights, Castro, or Mission, there's a pet care service out there that you may not even be aware of, one that will make you the envy of people who live in other areas. Lilly's Pet Care has been around for more than six years, and she is just about the most in-demand walker and pet sitter around. In fact, her business has expanded so much that she has taken on a second pet care specialist, Lenora, and the two of them have proven a very popular team.
