Coastal Canine Summer 2020

FREE ISSUE

#47 SUMMER

2020

T he Great Race Virus Detection Dogs

& more

Art by Genevieve

Improve your pets quality of life IT’S OUR FOCUS! Dr. Theresa Arteaga, DVM, DACVIM (oncology) graduated from Cornell University, college of veterinary medicine. She then completed her oncology residency at Animal Medical Center, NYC. Dr. Arteaga has been a boarded oncologist for 10 years, and is currently conducting clinical trials.

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24 HOURS A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. You can count on your pets always receiving superior care. In addition to 24 hour emergency care, we offer a diverse array of specialists including Internal Medicine, Arthroscopy, Cardiology, Endoscopy, Oncology, Surgery and Critical Care. Please visit us at PacificSantaCruzVet.com for more info.

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Making Positive Changes Working with Dogs, Cats, Horses, Rabbits, and most other pets

More info: www.ahermandogtherapist.com Safety Protocols in Place 831.624.8000

Despite the changes in all our lives, we are thankful to our dogs for always being there to comfort us during these uncertain times, lighten the mood, and put smiles on our faces—and even get us to laugh again watching their playful antics.

Fortunately, sheltering at home has been somewhat of a bonus for dogs, with more people working from home, as well as more dogs being adopted and fewer being surrendered.

Dogs will also be playing a part in helping to contain and eventually stop the spread of COVID-19. Learn more about the research and training currently going on that will put to use the extraordinary olfactory senses of its canine trainees in our article, “Sniffing Out COVID.” Close to a hundred years ago another deadly virus threatened a large population, but thankfully it was contained just in time. Read about the heroic efforts of the courageous dog teams in “Togo and the Great Race” on page 47.

Like Togo, Roxi is a Husky. Huskies are currently one of the dogs most likely to end up in a shelter in the United States. Read her story to find out more.

Getting us outside to exercise and explore is another way that dogs are keeping us healthy. Learn how Kahlua, a Catahoula Leopard Dog mix from Santa Cruz, California, helped to open up a whole new world for her adopter and dad, Trevor.

From memorable road trips to outings on the bay, these two are driven by adventure.

Also have a look at the detailed dog portraits by our featured artist from Nova Scotia, Canada, Genevieve Beique, and read our interview with her. Get your canine art fix starting on page 32.

For more than 35 years, the Cypress Inn in Carmel, California has been a leader in pet-friendly accomodations. British journalist and author Belinda Jones writes about this mecca for dogs and their people.

Publisher Editor/Photographer Graphic/Ad Design

CARIE BROECKER SCOTT BROECKER OLIVIA CAJEFE TRINIDAD

Contributors:

BELINDA JONES

ALLISON MCKEE

CARYN ST. GERMAIN

Copy Editor Marketing Executive

MICHELLE HAYES

CINDIE FARLEY

Please direct letters to the editor to: carie@coastalcaninemag.com 831-601-4253 Please direct advertising inquiries to: michelle@coastalcaninemag.com 831-539-4469 Subscriptions are $30 per year within the United States. To subscribe, please send check payable to Coastal Canine, P.O. Box 51846 Pacific Grove, CA 93950 or subscribe online at www.coastalcaninemag.com/homedelivery.html.

Join our online mailing list at www.coastalcaninemag.com.

Coastal Canine Issue #47, Summer 2020. Published quarterly (four issues per year). Copyright © 2020 Coastal Canine. All rights reserved.

Coastal Canine is dedicated to the memory of Sunshine Broecker.

Disclaimer: Coastal Canine is intended for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional assistance from your veterinarian or qualified dog trainer before implementing any information acquired within these pages. Any resources mentioned are provided as a convenience to our readers, not as an endorsement.

Scott and Carie Broecker Coastal Canine is printed on 30% recycled paper. All inks used contain a percentage of soy base. Our printer meets or exceeds all Federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) Standards. Our printer is a certified member of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) The FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 7

cc | contents

14 Trevor and Kahlua: Cherishing Life Kahlua’s sense of

14

adventure helped Trevor find a passion for exploring the outdoors and make the most of each day.

22

The Cypress Inn Belinda Jones writes about how Denny LeVett and Doris Day became co-owners of Carmel’s most pet-friendly inn.

28 For The Dogs: NorSled Husky Rescue What does

22

the television show, “Game of Thrones” have to do with more Huskies ending up in animal shelters?

32

43 46

Bringing a Drawing to Life: The Art of Genevieve Bieque Self-taught artist, Genevieve Bieque, drives a forklift by day and draws stunning dog portraits in her spare time.

Rescue Me: Roxi Six-time escapee, Roxi, the Husky, was a regular at Salinas Animal Services. But, she finally found a family to love.

32

Togo and “The Great Race” During a deadly epidemic in 1926, Togo and his pack race to save an Alaskan town.

54 Sniffing out COVID Experts are rushing to teach dogs to recognize SARS CoV-2 to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

46

On the Cover: Slowly bringing her portrait to life Genevieve Beique draws from right to left and top to bottom. Her subject's alluring eyes and wet nose bring you right into his world. Other fine details add a gorgeous shine to the black labs coat, as this talented artist continues to draw, keeping a paper under her hand and arm to protect her work. Learn more about Genevieve starting on page 32.

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54

C OA S TA L CA N I N E M AGA Z I N E A D D I R E C T O R Y AGILITY

Top Dog of Los Gatos ......................37

California Canine ........................... 51 From the Heart ...............................60 Living With Dogs ............................62

HEALTH & WELLNESS A. Herman, Dog Therapist .................6

NONPROFITS

STORES

Birchbark Foundation .....................30

Earthwise Pet .................................60

FOWAS ...........................................58

Pet Pals ...........................................64

POMDR ..........................................58

The Raw Connection .........................5

Animal Cancer Center .......................2 ART

Animal Hospital at Mid Valley ........49

PET SITTING & BOARDING

Catherine Sullivan Art ....................27

Animal Hospital of Salinas .............60

Carmel Valley Doggy Bed and

BOOKS Cats are People Too ........................42 Dogs are People Too .......................42 Legend ...........................................27

Cottage Veterinary Care ....................4

California Canine ............................51

Dentistry For Animals .....................53

Central Coast Petsitter ....................61

Del Monte Kennel Club ..................61

Dawg Gone It .................................17

Divine K9 .......................................61

Diane Grindol .................................61

From The Heart Animal Behavior

Monterey Peninsula Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Clinic ....30 Natural Veterinary Therapy .............29 Nichols Veterinary Care ..................31

Dawg Gone It .................................17

Ophthalmology for Animals ...........19

Klaws, Paws, & Hooves .....................6

Pacific & Santa Cruz Veterinary Specialists ...................................3

Katy’s Walk, Stay, Play ....................62

Counseling and Training ...........60

Klaws, Paws, & Hooves .....................6

Living With Dogs ............................62

Redwood Romps ............................62

Monterey Bay Dog Training Club ....62 Pam Jackson ..................................61

REAL ESTATE Keller Williams, Rachelle Razzeca ...55

Pet Specialists, Inc. ...........................2 GROOMING Carmel Groomers .............................6

TRAINING

Breakfast ...................................62

DAY CARE

Paws at Play ...................................60

Vintage Nouveau ...........................41

Steinbeck Country Small Animal ....31

TO ADVERTISE

RESTAURANTS Abalonetti ......................................60

Shampoochez ................................25

INNS

Suds ‘N Scissors ..............................31

Cypress Inn ....................................45

Trailside Café ..................................61

contact us at michelle@ coastalcaninemag.com or call (831) 539-4469

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

CARMEL GROOMERS After 20 years working as a visual effects artist in the film industry, Tricia Barrett was ready to leave the high-speed life in Southern California behind. She had grown up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was drawn to the Central Coast for its slower pace and surrounding natural beauty. She was also ready for a complete career change.

Tricia grew up with a menagerie of pets, from dogs and cats to ducks and rabbits. She’s always loved animals and had dogs herself, and that played a role in the direction she wanted to go when making a change.

She and her long-time partner, Lani (who works in the mental health field), ended up in Carmel in 2018.

Tricia acquired Carmel Groomers

in early 2020—just before the pandemic shutdown.

She sees dog grooming as an art form to learn, “like sculpting the hair on the dogs,” and she highly respects the craft. The shop has two groomers who are very gentle and good with animals, while Tricia focuses on running the business.

Carmel Groomers Dolores, between Ocean and 7th, Carmel (831) 250-7089 Carmelgroomers.com

A big advocate of rescues, she currently has two Chihuahua mixes, Lola and Esme, who share her active lifestyle. Lola, at 16, can still do one to two miles on a hike before hitching a ride in the backpack!

As with many animal lovers, Tricia feels like our pets find us and rescue us as much as we rescue them. And as the business moves forward, she wants to offer her services to rescue organizations when they have animals in need of grooming.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 9

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WE ARE HERE

FOR YOU AND YOUR PUPS

Thanks to all the pet related businesses that continue to serve us throughout this pandemic

NEXT ISSUE:

SUNSPOTS Does your dog have a favorite sun spot?

Send us photos of your dog soaking up the rays indoors or out. Email photo (at least 800 x 800 pixels) to editor@coastalcaninemag.com.

Submission deadline is October 10, 2020.

12 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

TREVOR & KAHLUA

Cherishing Life

By Allison McKee

14 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

T

revor DeHaas says he wasn’t always an outdoorsy person. He used to love playing video games, going out with his friends, and hanging out at home. His life was quite “normal” in most regards, but Trevor was also quietly facing a serious lifelong issue with his kidneys.

Little did he know how much a dog would change the course of his life . . .

“I did the normal thing . . . I went to college, got a full-time job, and shortly after that I started paddle boarding. Most of the time I’d go by myself, and then I saw someone kayaking with their dog,” says Trevor. “I kind of realized that you could take a dog paddle boarding, too! I felt like I was ready to have my own dog.”

A little internet puppy-searching later, Trevor found a rescue organization with a little leopard-spotted dog who was available and looking for a forever home.

Kahlua was the perfect match and they were out on the water together the very next day.

“I knew I wanted her to be an adventure dog, but other than paddle boarding I just wasn’t an ‘outdoorsy’ person.”

P H OTOS C OU RT ES Y OF T RE VOR D EH A S S

Kahlua was active, to say the least, and her drive for adventure and exercise pushed Trevor beyond his typical limits and out into the great beyond.

“She needed to go out for at least an hour every day, which was a big change for me. But it was a good change. I was getting outside a lot more,” Trevor remembers.

“At that time, I was working a job that I had thought I wanted, but after I got Kahlua and I was spending a lot more time outdoors with her, being outside became a hobby and really a passion of ours,” he explains. Trevor

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 15

cc | trevor & kahlua

decided to follow his heart, live in the moment, and take a road trip with Kahlua. “I had never even slept in a tent before! But after seven days, I was hooked.”

“From that point on, I knew that I wanted to be [out on the road]. Kahlua and my kidneys inspired me to just go for it. I saved up some money, quit my job, we hit the road, and we ended up spending eight months traveling . . . and it was awesome,” he says.

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Those months on the road led Trevor and Kahlua to some very special memories, like paddle boarding on Lake Powell, hiking down into the Grand Canyon, and exploring Canada’s national parks.

Trevor says the biggest lesson that Kahlua has taught him is to pursue his passions.

“Life is too short not to do what you love, or at

“

Dogs are so care-free.

They're not worried about the things we worry about… It's not healthy to always be worried about things we can't control,” he says

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Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 17

cc | trevor & kahlua

least give it a try. You might fail. You might be successful. But you won’t know unless you try.

Kahlua inspired me to pick up a camera. To get outdoors and start figuring out WHAT my passion is.”

Trevor knows all too well that no time is to be taken for granted. At 10 years old, he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that he knew would eventually cause his kidneys to stop working. He just doesn’t know when.

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Trevor is a humble, somewhat soft-spoken guy and admits it still isn’t easy to talk openly about needing a kidney transplant. The difficult reality is that Trevor’s kidney function has now decreased enough that he is actively in need of a life-saving kidney transplant as soon as possible.

The process of finding an organ donor isn’t easy, and the Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t made it any easier. Many hospital transplant programs aren’t operating at full capacity and their screening processes have been delayed.

YOUR PET'S EYE CARE SPECIALISTS!

Shockingly, the wait for a transplant from a “deceased donor” is ten years long. “If I have to wait that long for a kidney, I’m not going to be here, unfortunately.”

Trevor’s best chance is to find a living kidney donor who is willing to help him. The good news is that if someone does choose to donate a kidney to help Trevor or someone like him, they are thoroughly medically vetted to ensure they are highly unlikely to encounter any issues living their life with only one kidney.

Our veterinarian eye care specialists Ann Gratzek and Elizabeth Curto along with our amazing staff make your pet's eye health our top priority.

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“If the person who donates their kidney ever needs a kidney for any reason, they can practically get it tomorrow. They go straight

Monterey Office 2 Harris Ct, Ste A-1, Monterey 831.655.4939 VISIT US ONLINE AT OFORA.COM Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 19

Trevor and Kahlua reside

e in Santa Cruz CA

to the top of the list,” he says. It’s an added safeguard to help people feel confident donating a kidney to save someone else’s life.

Trevor remains hopeful that a transplant match is out there for him.

His best bud, Kahlua, is providing a great support system while he waits.

“Dogs are so carefree. They’re not worried about the things we worry about . . . It’s not healthy to always be worried about things we can’t control,” he says.

“A dog is 100 percent committed to knowing everything about you.

Kahlua and I have never had a ‘real’ conversation but she knows me better than anyone.”

Trevor is truly an inspiration to make the most of your days, to live your life with a positive attitude, and to keep your eyes on the horizon.

As Trevor says on his Instagram, “Time only moves in one direction.

It’s the most valuable currency we have. Use it wisely folks, once you use it, you’ll never get it back.”

Follow Trevor on Instagram at @trevorandkahlua

For more information on how to apply to become a life-saving donor, visit Trevor’s Instagram page and click on the link to the donor survey at the top of the page.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 21

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By Belinda Jones Welcome to the most sincerely pet-friendly hotel in the world!

I P H OTOS C OU RT ES Y OF T H E C Y P RE S S IN N

f Carmel-by-the-Sea is a fairy-tale kingdom, then the Cypress Inn is its palace. A striking white Spanish Colonial beauty, circa 1929, adorned with black and gold accents. If you’re lucky, you’ll be at Lincoln and 7th just as a red convertible pulls up with owner Denny LeVett chauffeuring his magnificent Standard Poodles, eager to prance up the colorful Mediterranean tile steps and greet the canine guests.

“Haydn and Strutzy are crazy about visiting the Cypress Inn!” Denny enthuses. “Haydn, the 80-pound black one, loves to ride up front in the car, pretending he’s driving. I always have the radio tuned to the classical station, and if the host introduces some Haydn piano sonata, he’ll plant his ear to the speaker and then look up at me as if to say, “They’re talking about me!”

Meanwhile Strutzy, the white one, “looks and carries himself like a movie star!”

This is apt since Denny’s Cypress Inn business partner for 34 glorious years was the most famously dog-loving movie star of all time—Doris Day.

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-Doris Day

KO R U B EA R

S U G A RTHEG O L D ENR E TRI E V E R.COM I NSTAG RA M : @ G OL DE NWOOF S

“I’ve never met an animal I didn't like and I can’t say the same thing about people”

“I thought she’d live to be 100,” Denny sighs, reflecting on the legend’s passing last May at age 97. “She really was the greatest. In all our years working together we never had one argument, not one misunderstanding. It was heaven.”

So how exactly did their partnership begin?

Denny rewinds to a dinner he was enjoying with Doris’s record-producer son Terry Melcher, who he praises for his great sense of humor as well as his singer-songwriter talents. Terry was familiar with Denny’s prowess as a real estate investor and was lamenting that he and his mother were not having any luck with the bids on local Carmel hotels.

“Terry said, ‘I believe the Cypress Inn is owned by some kind of partnership. Do you know the people involved?’ I said, ‘Yes I do!’ He then said he’d heard that one part of the partnership wanted out. We talked around the topic for an hour until I finally said, ‘Number one, yes it is for sale, and number two, I’m the only one who wants to keep it.’”

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You can imagine Terry’s jaw dropping! He was extremely protective of his mother, having been the one to break it to her that her third husband (and his adoptive father) Marty Melcher had bankrupted all their business ventures, leaving her deeply in debt.

But Terry trusted Denny and begged him to have a lunch meeting with Doris.

“Well I liked her very much and I think she must have liked me because we made an agreement to co-own the Cypress Inn,” Denny twinkles. Doris’s one stipulation was that the 44-room hotel be dog friendly. “She told me, ‘I only like hotels that allow dogs!’ Well that was fine with me. Years before I had taken one of my Poodles up to Northern California after purchasing the Benbow Inn, and it occurred to me that people are much happier traveling with their pets. I thought, why haven’t hotels thought of this before? We should switch things round—leave the children at home and bring the pets!”

Denny met many of Doris’s dogs over the years, and

I ask if he had any favorites.

“Her Poodles!” he laughs. “I love all dogs, truly, but Poodles are just so smart— and those faces. . .”

I recall the promo shot for Doris’s movie April in Paris featuring six Poodles, dyed in pastel hues from cotton candy pink to Tiffany blue. And speaking of classic images, I admire the snap of Doris and Denny immortalized on one of the hotel’s gift cards . . . the blackand-white image captures the partners smiling mid saunter, both sporting dapper blazers, looking very much in tune.

“We have shared so many wonderful occasions together,” Denny reflects. “You know, every New Year’s Day I would give her a call to wish her well. In January last year I called and said, ‘Happy Anniversary, Doris!’ She said, ‘Anniversary?’ I said, ‘Do you know we’ve been business partners for 34 years?’ There was a kind of a muffled sound and then she gasped, ‘Denny, my goodness, 34? I’ve never been with any man that long!’ She was such a witty woman,” Denny laughs delightedly.

As do I. We may associate Doris Day with her leading men—Rock Hudson, Howard Keel, Jimmy Stewart, to name a few—or perhaps with a couple of diabolical husbands, but for over a third of her life, away from the spotlight, there was Denny LeVett, a man she could trust

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cc | cypress inn and depend upon until the day she passed away.

It does my heart good to know that Denny is ensuring her legacy will live on through the Cypress Inn, giving fans and fellow animal lovers a place to visit and honor her memory.

I know I always think fondly of the first time I took my beloved rescue pup Bodie to afternoon tea at Terry’s Lounge. We were sitting on the banquette beneath a vintage poster for Pillow Talk when in walked two stylish seniors accompanied by a pair of Dachshunds decked in pearls. When I complimented them, the ladies confided they had stopped by a thrift store to make the purchase so the dogs would be suitably dressed for the occasion! I wonder out loud how Denny makes his hotels seem simultaneously grand and cozy—is this a quality he recognizes in the property from

26 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

“

“Doris’ one stipulation was that the 44-room hotel be dog friendly. “She told me, ‘I only like hotels that allow dogs!’ Well that was fine with me. We should switch things round - leave the children at home and bring the pets!”

order greeting cards, 100’s of products thru:

His answer surprises me, and brings us full circle.

“The secret is the dogs!” he asserts. “Of course I always want to create a happy, homey place, but the beauty of having pets present is that people will see a dog and compliment the owner and before you know it, they have struck up a conversation. This is how friendships begin. We’ve seen it time and again, fellow dog lovers agreeing, ‘Same place, same time next year?’ and it becomes an annual tradition.”

I, for one, can’t wait to return—possibly to be greeted by Poodle Haydn in concierge mode, up on his hind legs with his front paws on the reception desk.

Plus, you never know who you might meet at the nightly Yappy Hour—maybe even someone worthy of a 34-year friendship…Cypress Inn website: CypressInn.com

www.zazzle.com/store/catherinesullivanart

the start, or something he brings to it?

catherinesullivan watercolor & acrylic artist

all my proceeds donated to PeaceOfMindDogRescue.org.

Doris Day Animal Foundation: dorisdayanimalfoundation.org Carmel’s annual Poodle Day for 2020 has been postponed but will return October 2, 2021. Find out more at poodleday.com

Belinda Jones is a dog-besotted British magazine journalist and bestselling author of eleven romantic comedy novels and a feeelgood road trip memoir titled Bodie on the Road - Travels With My Rescue Pup in the Dogged Pursuit of Happiness (Skyhorse Publishing). Her Instagram handle is @bodieeontheroad

Now Available on Amazon and Kindle

Soon the thunder of their hooves would be no more...

A Legend was born.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 27

P HOTO S C O U RTES Y O F G A I L D E R I TA

for the dogs | husky

NORSLED HUSKY RESCUE

By Carie Broecker It’s happened before, it’ll happen again. The unwitting consequence of a particular breed being portrayed in a movie or television show often leads to the popularization of that breed. This in turn, leads to the overbreeding, overbuying, and subsequent abandonment of the breed.

It happened with Dalmatians when 101 Dalmatians came out, it happened with Chihuahuas after the Taco Bell commercial popularized the breed, and now it is happening with Huskies all over the country due to the popular show Game of Thrones.

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for the dogs | husky

The show features dogs they call “direwolves” that look like Huskies. Since the show came out in 2011, rescues and shelters have seen a steady increase in the number of Huskies being abandoned and surrendered, and by 2017 the average number of Huskies entering shelters had doubled.

According to Gail de Rita, the rescue/adoption coordinator for Northern California Sled Dog Rescue (NorSled), adopting a Husky is “not for the faint of heart.” Gail has been doing Husky rescue for 23 years.

She fell in love with the breed after adopting her first Husky, Juno.

“Huskies have charming personalities,” says de Rita. “They are smart. Smarter than most people! In general, they are friendly, they bond to their pack, they are great with children, they enjoy the company of other dogs, they are cuddly, affectionate, loyal, and exquisite to look at.

“But, they are also challenging if you don’t know what to expect. They are active, energetic, they can have prey drive with smaller animals, they can be escape artists, learning to open doors, jump fences, and dig under fences. They are inquisitive and need both mental and physical stimulation. They aren’t necessarily obedient. They like to think for themselves and can be stubborn. They are not good guard dogs.

They are typically too friendly for that. And they are not couch potatoes. You better be up for exercising a Husky if you adopt one.”

What happens too often is someone buys an adorable eight-week-old Husky puppy. When the dog gets to be 18–24 months old, they can be too much dog for the average person to keep. If the dog has not been properly trained or exercised, they can become destructive and unhappy. Then they get surrendered to a shelter or rescue group.

NorSled has been inundated with Huskies. They also rescue Husky mixes. They often have as many as 10 Huskies at a time enrolled in “Husky Boot Camp,”

which is a board and train facility that helps give the Huskies a foundation of basic obedience training to make them more adoptable.

One of the amazing positive consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is that with more people working from home, adoptions of all dogs across the country have been on the rise—and that includes Huskies.

Belle had been with NorSled for three years. Gail says she was an “opinionated” dog. Belle was adopted in July during shelter in place. Gail said Belle finally found an adopter who accepted her unconditionally. Their personalities meshed!

For more information about NorSled, go to https://www.norsled.org.

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Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 29

24/7

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Nights, weekends and holidays, 365 DAYS A YEAR—we are always there for your pet Our 24/7 facility allows you to have all of your pet’s veterinary needs conveniently combined under one roof.

We are here for you at any time your veterinarian is not available.

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OFFERED

• 24/7/365 Emergency & Critical Care • Specialty Surgery for Orthopedics, Soft Tissue Surgery, Arthroscopy & Laparoscopy • General Daytime Veterinary Services • General Medicine • General Surgery • Dentistry • Specialty Foods & Individual Nutritional Consults • Puppy & Kitten Packages • Spay & Neuter Packages • Adult & Senior Care • Preventative Medicine • Avian & Exotic Medicine • State of the Art Facility with Full In House Diagnostic Abilities • Medical Boarding in a Clinical Setting

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Now and always, we work to ensure precious lives are saved and vulnerable families remain stable and connected.

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NEW Daytime General Practice Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

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For an appointment call (831) 373-7374 Emergency walk-ins are always welcome.

Monterey Peninsula Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center 20 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Suite 150 Monterey, CA 93940 | www.mpvesc.com 30 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

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Bringing a Drawing to Life:

P H OTOS COU RT E S Y O F G E N E VI E VE BI E QU E

The Art of Genevieve Beique

32 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

cc | artist

H

er business name is “Simply Art by Genevieve” and this self-taught artist has been doing just that ever since she was a young girl drawing with her mother. “Every day that it was rainy and we didn’t have anything to do, we would draw,” says Beique. “I’ve always drawn and I always needed to draw.”

Her subjects are dogs, cats, horses, birds, and other wildlife, and her drawings are anything but generic. Her portraits include lots of fine detail, drawing out each individual animal’s character. Some are full body, others are close-up, and her canine subjects include regal older dogs with graying muzzles.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 33

They say that the eyes are windows to the soul. Through her pencils Genevieve seems to evoke the souls of her canine subjects by starting her drawings with lifelike eyes, detailed with subtle catch lights and deep reflections that start to give each drawing a life of its own. If you stare at one of Genevieve’s dog portraits, it can seem like he or she is staring right back at you waiting for that gentle scratch behind the ear, a treat, or just some kind words.

Are your portraits mostly drawn from photos? Is it difficult to work with a poor-quality photo?

Yes, all the portraits are drawn from photos the customers provide. Unfortunately, it is more difficult when the photo has low resolution. I have to imagine some parts sometimes. But most people can provide more than one image, so I can take reference from multiple sources and that helps a lot.

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What kind of pencils do you use?

What range of graphite hardness?

And what are your favorite or most used colors?

All my pencils are either Faber-Castell Polychromos, or Caran d'Ache Pablo or Luminance. I only use colored pencils, except when I do the outline, then I use Faber-Castell graphite in 2B. I don't really have a favorite color, but the most used are black, browns, and tan.

Do you consider yourself a perfectionist? Is it hard to know when to stop?

I think I am. I was a lot worse years ago. It is hard to know when to stop, but with experience you learn that nothing is ever perfect and always striving for your best is the way to go. And it’s the way to grow and get better. When I finish a portrait, I usually leave it for a day and look at it again. Then I can see little things that I can improve, if need be. But I need to take a step back first.

What are some of the reactions you get from clients after they see your finished portrait? What is your emotion when you have completed a drawing?

I've had multiple types of reactions, the most common is being emotional. Sadly, the majority of the orders I get are for memorial portraits. So when they receive their beloved pet's portrait, it's very hard for them to hold the tears. I always feel so grateful and honored to have this talent and be able to share it with people to bring a little bit of their pets back to them.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 35

I noticed the start of one of your portraits began with detailed eyes and just a light sketch of the face. Does looking at the eyes help you define the character of your drawing?

Yes, I start all my portraits with the eyes.

I'm not sure why I started doing that, but I find that it helps to look at them and see the eyes looking back at me and it brings everything together. I've had many people comment on how they can see the personalities come through when they look at the portraits. Or how I captured their spirits. I think it’s from the eyes. If I don't get the eyes right, nothing else will look right.

At what point do you feel like your drawing is coming to life?

What type of paper do you use and why? What sizes are your portraits?

I use Strathmore 500 Bristol vellum surface or Fabriano Artistico Hot pressed. I use them because they are archival quality, acid-free, 100% cotton paper. They make a really beautiful surface to work with and the end result is phenomenal. I've tried many, many different papers, and these two are my absolute favorites. But again, it depends on the artist too.

The most common sizes I do are 8 x 10 or 11 x 14. But I've done up to 24 x 30.

36 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

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I would say as soon as the eyes are done. I can always picture the whole thing in my mind, but it's much easier with the eyes.

Is art your full-time job? And, if not, are you hoping that it will become full time?

No, unfortunately it is not my full-time job. I do hope to grow my business and become a full-time artist one day, absolutely.

I also have other projects that would allow me to be my own boss in the near future. So, I'm looking forward to that!

Do you still work full time?

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Yes, I do, I'm a shift worker, 40+ hours a week.

I drive a forklift truck in a Michelin Tire plant.

How long have you been doing dog and other animal portraits as a business? When do you find time to draw?

I've been doing this as a business for the past five or six years now. It started very slowly. I would say the past three have been amazing. I find every minute I can to draw. Days off work mostly. And some

38 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

nights after day shifts or before going on night shifts. They are 12-hour shifts, so I'm pretty tired when I come home.

But drawing could keep me awake all night.

Do you have your own animals?

I always had animals in my life; unfortunately I don't at the moment.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Do you have a muse?

I don't really need to find inspiration, since people provide me with the subjects to draw. So I don't have a muse either. I always draw from beautiful pictures I see. When I draw wild animals, I take reference from the wonderful nature photos we can find

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 39

online. I just always want to draw the pretty things I see.

I read that you spent time drawing on rainy days when you were you were a child. What were some of your favorite subjects to draw then?

Yes, I did, thanks to my mother who always loved to draw as well. I think I was always drawing animals or landscape. Anything nature related.

What are some of the drawing techniques that you use to create depth and texture in your dog and animal portraits? Do you have any formal art training?

I'm not sure of the technique I use. I kind of always go from instinct. There were a lot of trials and errors at first.

I'm not formally trained so I can't really

40 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

category | topic I don't know what else I could say, but I'm really flattered and humbled being interviewed for your magazine. My love of drawing has given me the chance to make other people happy and bring a little bit of sunshine in their lives, and that's the definition of art for me. We all need a little sunshine.

For pricing and more information about Genevieve’s art, visit her website at genevievebeique.art. and www.etsy.com/ca/ shop/SimplyArtByGenevieve

explain how I do it. I think it's a question of being able to see light and shadows and understand how it affects the colors and texture. But again, it's really instinctive. I can see it and then I put it on paper.

Is there anything else about you or your artwork that you would like readers to know?

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P HOTO C O U RTES Y O F P EAC E O F MI ND D O G R ESCUE

cc | rescue me

Roxi

THE HUSKY FINDS HER FUREVER FAMILY

By Carie Broecker This wasn’t her first time at the shelter. In January of this year, Roxi, a five-year-old Husky, was picked up as a stray.

She was microchipped, so the shelter staff was able to track her record. The was the sixth time she had been picked up for “running at large.” The five previous times she was returned to her guardian. But this time was different, no one came for Roxi.

Being that she was an older dog (anyone over the age of two or three has a harder time getting adopted from a shelter) and she was vision impaired, the shelter reached out to Peace of Mind Dog Rescue (POMDR) to take Roxi into their program.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 43

P HOTO S C O U RTES Y O F F I TZG ER A L D FA MI LY

cc | rescue me

POMDR had the perfect foster home for Roxi. Foster dad,

Luckily, Sandy had a foster opening at his house so he

Sandy Ettinger, has been fostering dogs for 18 years. He

brought Roxi home. Sandy fostered Roxi for three months

is most inclined to foster older, abused, stressed out, or

and said she was a joyful handful. He spoke with a number

medically challenged dogs. Huskies, in particular, call out to

of potential adopters. They were all well intended but none

him because of their sense of endless joy and adventure, as well as their resilience and sense of can-do. (Even when you don't want them to!)

Sandy has also been a volunteer with NorSled Husky Rescue since 2006. His niche, besides fostering when he can, is providing transportation for Huskies (known as the “freedom

of them understood Huskies until Katie and Duff Fitzgerald came along.

Katie says that when the pandemic hit and her family was home all the time, they started looking for a second dog as a friend for their Labrador mix, Kohl. And they also wanted to give an adult dog a second chance.

ride�) from shelters to rescue groups. Sandy has transported

When they saw Roxi on the POMDR website, they almost

130 Huskies, giving them a second chance at a loving home.

skipped over her because Huskies have a reputation for

44 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

“

Sandy said, “The dogs have to go with whoever's holding the leash– they usually don't vote. With me, they do. Roxi made it clear that she really liked them and their home.

being a difficult breed, but Roxi’s bio said she was laid back.

Katie spoke with Sandy, and Roxi’s temperament actually sounded like a good fit for the family.

Sandy thought the Fitzgeralds, their two children, Claire and Duncan, and Kohl, were a perfect match for Roxi. He thought they could give her as good or better a home than he could.

That is the deal he makes with all his fosters.

The Fitzgeralds live in a forested area with a huge fenced play yard for Roxi to get the exercise she needs, and Kohl is a fine dog companion for her to romp with. The Fitzgeralds also went the extra distance by building a roller-topped, Husky-proof fence to keep her safe.

But most of all, Roxi chose them!

surrounding area. On the second visit to their home, she couldn't wait to see them and play with Kohl. She was home.”

The thing Katie loves most about Roxi is her gentle nature.

Sandy says, “The dogs have to go with whoever's holding

She is a dainty lady in contrast to their loveable but goofy,

the leash—they usually don't vote. With me, they do. Roxi

slobbering Labrador. Roxi and Kohl are best of friends now and

made it clear that she really liked them and their home and

Roxi is a permanent member of the family!

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P H OTO BY T Y LE R O L S ON

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Togo and “T he Great Race�

By Scott Broecker

dangerous respiratory disease, a month of quarantine, a race to obtain a vaccine. Sound familiar? While what we are currently going through is on a much larger scale, in 1926 another deadly epidemic was contained just in time to save thousands of lives.

A

Back then, just like today, there were many heroes involved in containing, treating, and finally bringing an end to a life-threatening disease, but none so pivotal as 20 brave men and their 150 courageous canines who comprised the sled dog teams of the Serum Run.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 47

cc | feature

Dr. Welch suggested that every school, church, movie house, and lodge be shut down, and that travel along the trails be strongly discouraged.

It was mid-January, 1925, and Alaska residents were experiencing the most brutal winter they had seen in decades, further isolating the extreme northern city of Nome.

And if that wasn’t enough, a deadly outbreak of diphtheria was discovered by Nome's lone

Nenana. From Nenana, officials determined that the

physician, Dr. Curtis Welch, putting the whole

only way to deliver the serum in time would be by

city at risk, especially children, who were the

using a relay system of sled dog teams.

most vulnerable.

Meanwhile, back in Nome, the board of health THE PLAN

committee all agreed on a single course of action: to

A telegram went out for help and an antitoxin

lock down the town straightaway. Dr. Welch suggested

serum was found, but was it possible to get

that every school, church, movie house, and lodge be

it to Nome's residents soon enough? The

shut down, and that travel along the trails be strongly

serum would only last for six days. And the

discouraged.

approaching blizzard and pack ice ruled out both air travel and ships. A train could make it as far north as the northwestern town of

48 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

SEPPALA AND TOGO Each leg of the relay would average around 30 miles,

except for the longest and most dangerous part of the route. To cover the round trip from Nome to Shaktoolik and back, the territory’s most experienced driver was chosen, Norwegian sled driver Leonhard Seppala, along with his courageous lead dog, Togo. Together, they embodied the hero-like characteristics that this desperate race required. At 12 years old, the 48-pound Togo had already been a lead dog for seven years.

THE RACE BEGINS Arriving in Nenana, the train’s conductor immediately hands off the 20-pound package of serum to the relay’s first driver at

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around 9:00 pm. After lashing it securely to his

At this moment, Leonhard Seppala, whose own

sled, Wild Bill Shannon and his crew of nine

child was at risk, readied his 22 dogs and supplies

mostly young dogs, led by a five-year-old more

in Nome. The dogs’ excitement erupted in a chorus

experienced husky named Blackie, were off into

of howls and yelps in anticipation of the trip.

the pitch-dark night. The temperature hovered at a chilling 50 degrees below zero.

Seppala would head east to meet up with the westbound relay and receive the vital package of

With the trail pitted by horse hooves and ruts,

serum. When he and the team had reached Norton

Shannon chose to take his dogs along the frozen

Sound, Seppala made the decision to cross the

Tanana River. The grueling two-day run would

dangerous sea ice (which was prone to sudden

cover 52 miles to the first roadhouse, where the

breakups) instead of taking the much longer

next driver and team would be waiting. After a

coastal route. Feeling confident, he knew Togo had

short rest at a roadside house, three exhausted

an instinctive sense when it came to danger and

dogs had to be left behind in the care of the

would remain calm and confident and get them

house owner. In rough shape, with 22 miles to

through.

go, Shannon and the six remaining dogs forged ahead.

50 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

As the cases in Nome increased, the story took

over newspaper front pages across the nation, with

Working their way toward the final handoff, more

headlines reading “Dogs Pitted Against Death,”

teams were recruited and gallantly navigated

“Dogs Carry Anti-toxin to Snowbound Alaskan City,”

through the subzero temperatures, fierce wind,

“Nome Takes Hope as Dogs Draw Near,” and the like.

and ice fog.

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By now Seppala, Togo, and the team had safely crossed the sound and had already covered 170 miles. As they were nearing the handoff point at Shaktoolik, they almost passed the other sled driver who yelled, “The serum! The serum! I have it here!”

As night fell, Seppala had his doubts about recrossing the ice, but the long route would take an extra day and with news that the epidemic had spread, he worried about his own daughter and knew Nome could no longer wait.

Unable to see through the dark, Seppala put his full trust in Togo. With his head down and unfazed by the howling wind, Togo continued to navigate a straight course despite the cold and sometimes slippery ice. By 8:00 pm, Seppala and his team, led by Togo, miraculously crossed back over the frozen Norton Sound only three hours before the ice broke and was swallowed by the raging waters driven by the storm. The dogs had traveled an incredible 84 miles that day—mostly running against the wind—and at this point were worn out. Two more teams were recruited. After covering 340 miles total and completing the most difficult leg of the relay, Seppala handed the serum off to Charlie Olson, who then passed the serum to Gunnar Kaasen and his lead dog, Balto.

ARRIVAL IN NOME The vials of serum arrived intact in

52 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

“What those dogs did on the run to Nome is above valuation. I claim no credit for it myself. The real heroes… were the dogs on the teams that did the pulling, dogs…that gave their lives on an errand of mercy.”

“Wild Bill” Shannon, musher who met the train on January 27. At least 5 dogs died on the run.

just five and a half days, and after a few hours of thawing were ready to be administered.

The relay would be known as “The Great Race of Mercy” and would become the inspiration for The Iditarod—which ironically was greatly altered this year to protect the population from the spread of

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Sniffing Out Covid

By Caryn St. Germain

W

P H OTOS CO U RTE S Y O F P EN N VE T WO RK I N G D OG CE N T E R

ithin the pages of this publication, you’ve read about K9s who have learned to hone their acute senses to detect explosives, narcotics, the onset of symptoms for guardians with unusual medical conditions, and more. It is no surprise then, that astute K9s are now being enlisted in an effort to potentially sniff out SARS-CoV-2 in humans, the coronavirus that is associated with COVID-19.

54 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

At the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, where researchers previously demonstrated that dogs could identify malaria infections in humans, James Logan, head of the school’s Department of Disease Control, called canines a "new diagnostic tool that could revolutionize our response to COVID-19.” At the end of April, Logan and his team were expecting to begin collecting samples within a matter of weeks, and to start training canines soon after in conjunction with the charity Medical Detection Dogs. “The initial goal is to deploy six dogs to airports in the United Kingdom,” he said.

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Using a scent wheel, a carousel that has 12 spokes, materials are placed in perforated stainless-steel cans at the end of each spoke.

The materials include the target, close to target distractors, and distractors.

and field trials as well as working with K9s in specialized missions for the U.S. military and our overseas allies.

He and his wife, Connie Cleveland-Nolan, also an accomplished K9 trainer and competitor, live and work in Smithsburg, Maryland. Their property includes kennels and large play areas where the working dogs— eight Labrador Retrievers and one Belgian Malinois— live and play. Not far off is the Nolan’s private training facility for TDK9. With COVID-19 and the need for social distancing, TDK9 became the perfect solution to help Dr. Otto move her research forward in using dogs to detect the presence of the virus. “Because of the shutdown, it is just me and my wife. We have the time now, the dogs, and the equipment, so we are a ‘onestop shop,’” says Nolan.

Dogs have already proven their ability to sniff out malaria, cancers, and various other bacteria. According to a statement by Dr. Otto, “Research has shown viruses have specific odors.” Nolan was careful to point out, however, that his dogs are “not working with the virus specifically, but learning to detect changes in the human body that occur with the presence of the virus.”

First, the dogs underwent universal detector calibrant (UDC) training. Working for 10 minutes two times a day, five days a week, the nine TDK9 dogs learned the art of scent detection and "pointing” (signaling a find by stopping with their muzzle toward the target).

The TDK9 dogs are taught to discriminate using operational and classical conditioning techniques. If a dog is way off, Nolan uses a voice command. “No, no” means you’re way off; keep trying. When a dog fixes on the target scent, Nolan says, “Good, good,” meaning keep doing what you’re doing. This is the operational conditioning. Nolan is teaching the dog to "freeze” on the target, which is the dog’s "point," as opposed to signaling a find by sitting, lying down, or barking, for example. When the dog learns to freeze on the target, then comes the classical conditioning.

A buzzer or click is sounded, and the dog comes to collect his or her treat.

“Reliable search-discriminate selection training takes about 12 weeks,” says Nolan. When I spoke with him at the end of June, TDK9, under the direction of Dr. Otto, was about nine weeks into Phase I of the SARS-CoV-2/ COVID-19 detection training, and they had just begun working on detecting the virus in urine samples. The samples were from positive COVID-19 tests, as well as from people who were sick and thought that they were positive but were not.

Nolan communicates the progress of the operation via an app called SLACK. Each dog has its own channel, and his or her data is shared with Dr. Otto in real time for analysis and program improvement.

At TDK9, precautions are always taken not to contaminate samples. Gloves and masks are used, and extra sanitizing precautions are being taken now as well during the pandemic. Potentially hazardous samples continue to be delivered via a TADD (training aid delivery device), designed by Michele Maughan,

Distractors, or “non-target odors” are used to provide scents that are similar to or slightly different than the positive target to ensure that the dog is truly indicating on the positive target.

56 | coastalcaninemag.com | Summer 2020

Ph.D. of SCiK9 . With this device, the odors of dangerous substances, such as fentanyl (or COVID-19) can come out, but not the material itself—making the sample safe for human and dog alike Soon, TDK9 will begin working with saliva samples, and eventually with clothes on which the virus has been deactivated. Then, Phase 2 of the operation, detection in humans, will be launched followed

by Phase 3, which is deployment. Nolan is optimistic that this can happen within a year, the hope being that dogs can be used on a large scale in airports and ports of call, the way K9 explosive and narcotics officers are used.

As they have proved time and again with their amazing senses and ability to learn, dogs are a lot more than just man’s best friend. They are our perpetual copilots in life, helping us, as we help them, through our greatest challenges.

Summer 2020 | coastalcaninemag.com | 57

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