Pets and Desert Critters

Stories from Our Animal Farm

May 16, 2012

By Ardi C. Whalen I’d like to tell you about some special animals that were part of my growing up. You will meet baby chicks, three horses, a gentle white pig, a bull calf, and a mischievous cow. One of my earliest memories of baby chicks involves my two-year-old sister. It was a beautiful summer day and my sister sat outside on the bottom step of the entrance to our house, snacking on some graham crackers. We had free range chickens that did just that, ranging freely, and one mother hen decided to investigate the cute, curly haired blond...

A Horse? Of Course!

March 24, 2012

By Ardi C. Whalen “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Winston Churchill said it, and I’d be willing to bet that most horse owners share this sentiment. Just looking at Mike’s beautiful, gentle horse, Frosty, awakened in me my childhood dream of owning a horse. Frosty is a Missouri Fox Trotter. This means that he possesses a unique gait known as the fox trot, a four-beat diagonal gait in which the horse appears to walk with his front legs and trot with his hind legs. It’s a...

Three is (the Best) Company

January 17, 2012

By Ardi C. Whalen Tess, Dusty, and Bailey are three Shetland sheepdogs (more commonly known as “Shelties”), who share their Civano home with Nancy and Bob Daliege. Tess, 12 years old, likes people but is leery of strange dogs. She is a trained, registered therapy dog who came with Bob and Nancy when they moved here from Connecticut. Dusty, a loving seven year old who gave my hand several kisses, came from a Sheltie breeder in New River, Arizona. He is a bit larger than usual for a Sheltie, but that just means there is more of him to...

Pets and Desert Critters: In Ming Garcia, East Meets West

November 11, 2011

By Ardi C. Whalen Ming Garcia! After reading the above title, you are probably doing a double take. Isn’t this supposed to be a column featuring Civano pets? Yes it is, and Ming Garcia is the name of Pat and Ron Canady’s little dog, known informally as “Ming,” a.k.a. “Princess,” for, according to Pat, “She rules the house.” Curious about this unusual name for a canine companion, I asked Pat how they came up with it. “Ming,” she said, “is for the Ming Dynasty in China, the origin of the Pug dog.” Always curious, I Googled “Pug dog,” and...

Dogs Have Families, Cats Have Staffs

September 18, 2011

By Ardi Whalen That quotation above is Suzanne Trevino’s favorite. She and her husband, Sam, swing back and forth between being family and being staff when dealing with their pets: two dogs and one cat, and they love every minute of it. (The quotation sometimes reads, “Dogs have owners, cats have staff.”) Sam Trevino picked up their first pet, a homeless, hungry, little cat roaming around the streets when they were stationed in Crete with the U.S. Air Force. When they returned to the United States, the little cat came with them. No mean feat, since this meant dealing...

Best of Friends: Rags and Peaches

July 13, 2011

By Ardi C. Whalen Step inside the attractive home of Brenda Patrick and Phil Ogden, and you wonder who really owns this home. On a small table is a one-third completed jig saw puzzle, for human entertainment, but to your right is a three-step, carpeted staircase leading to a comfy place on the sofa — Peaches’ place. (Peaches is a small white poodle with magnificent dark eyes.) The floor beside the dining room table sports two well-padded dog beds — one for Peaches and the other for her possible co-owner of this house, Rags, a black poodle/terrier mix. And...

Storm Anxiety in Dogs

July 11, 2011

By Deborah Brightstar, The Doggie Diva It’s thunderstorm season, and with thunderstorms come thunder! Like fireworks during the 4th of July, thunder can be a very scary thing for some dogs while others are oblivious. If you’ve read or seen the movie Marley and Me, you are aware of poor Marley’s extreme fear of thunderstorms to the point of mass destruction! When dogs are afraid they are thrown into their basic animal instincts of fight or flight. They are either searching to take cover somewhere they feel safe or they may go on a wild frenzy of destruction trying...

Keeping Pets Safe in the Summer

July 11, 2011

By Deborah Brightstar, The Doggie Diva Summers in the desert can be brutal with all kinds of hazards to be aware of, from the heat, to the rains, to all the unwelcome critters. Please be mindful of your pets and make sure they have plenty of shade and water as well as protection from snakes, Colorado River toads, scorpions and spiders, and other health hazards. Did you know it is a law that you must provide adequate shade and water outside at all times for your pets? This includes keeping in mind the sun’s changing position throughout the day....

My Dog, Spot

May 19, 2011

By Ardi C. Whalen “If there’s a Heaven for doggies there’s one thing I know . . . . . . has a wonderful home.” I acquired Spot, a mutt, when she was seven weeks old and I was seven years old. I loved her passionately from the moment I smelled her sweet puppy smell and cuddled her puppy pudginess. For years she was one of my best friends, second only to my sister, Marlys. Whenever I felt bad, I could count on her love to comfort me. She comforted me when I was hurt; she joined me...

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