Tracie Hotchner, Author and Talk Show Host

Many of you know I've been working in the pet industry for quite awhile. In fact over the past 13 years I've had the opportunity to work with a number of truly interesting people. For example, folks like Harrison Forbes, host of the syndicated radio show Pet Talk and author of pet book Dog Talk. Or Andi Brown, author of The Whole Pet Diet and founder of Halo, Purely for Pets. Or recently when I was a guest on Marc Marrone's show "Petkeeping" on the Martha Stewart Living channel, he was an interesting figure. Right now I have the opportunity to work with Tracie Hotchner, author of the Dog Bible and Cat Bible, who is also host of radio shows "Dog Talk" on NPR and "Cat Chat" on Martha Stewart Living Radio at Sirius/XM radio. Tracie is an interesting person with a terrific personality, and she also is very knowledgeable about dogs and cats. I've started listening to Tracie's radio program after having read her Dog Bible book. If you aren't familiar with Tracie, check out her website, or listen to her radio show on Sirius XM Radio. Maybe I can have one of these folks write a guest blog entry here one day with some pet advice for you. I enjoy reading these kinds of books and getting to know people within the pet industry like Tracie and others who help people learn about caring for animals. Do you have any favorite pet books or authors? I'd love to hear from you, maybe one day I'll write my own book about the pet industry or animal nutrition!
Here are the books by two of my other famous author friends:

If you are looking for a few good pet books, these are all some of my favorites. And if you ever want an personalized, autographed copy, just let me know.
-Rick Rockhill

What Was Happening While We Were Away...

While we were on our fabulous Aegean Sea cruise, we had a professional pet sitter take care of our three kids at home in Palm Springs. We had decided to hire a new pet sitter after mounting concerns regarding our former pet sitter. Looking back, I'm not sure why we never switched sooner. Several years ago, we were warned by a friend who had used our former sitter that they had returned home early and found the pet sitter in their pool, having been at their home. (she was only supposed to be walking the dog, not staying at the house, so no reason for her to be in the pool). Then, over the course of several other vacations, we would return home and be plagued by all sorts of questions and doubts. For example, I would intentionally leave far more food than (Koshimi at the time) and Owen could possibly consume for the period we'd be away. Yet when we would return home, there would be virtually nothing left. Despite leaving instructions not to feed more than a certain amount of canned food or treats, it would all be gone too. I used to think, well she spoiled the kids while we were away...

And then there's the matter of the alcohol. Not that we ever took inventory, but you generally have a rough idea of how much you have on hand. We would return home and I'd have a nagging feeling that there was less wine and/or liquor than when we left. Not that it mattered, or that I worried about it, but I distinctly remember thinking something seemed missing.

Then there were the other odd comments we'd hear from folks we knew who used our old pet sitter. Comments that stopped short of saying there was "a problem" but just enough to leave us wondering.

And then, last year while we were on a Mediterranean cruise we still had that pet sitter watch the kids. At the time we had Koshimi (who was old), Sheldon who was still a new puppy, and Owen the kitty. We decided to pay extra to have the pet sitter come to our house, leaving the pets in their our house within their familiar surroundings. It would be cheaper to leave them at someone else's house but we always feel its worth the extra expense to pay to have the pet sitter come to our house several times per day. Well last year, while on the cruise I sent an e-mail to our (ex) pet sitter to let her know our cousin might be dropping by periodically and not to be surprised if she saw a strange person in the house. She immediately responded (via e-mail) to let me know the dogs were not in the house! It felt like only because I sent her a note saying someone may be at the house, she decided to admit the dogs were not at our home, where they were supposed to be. If I had not sent that note, she might have never mentioned it, assuming I'd never know. Apparently she decided to take my dogs to her home, with the explanation that she was having car trouble. What struck me as odd at the time was that she hadn't informed us of this sooner. An honest pet sitter would not have waited to share that information until she felt the risk that our cousin would stop by and not find the dogs at home, where they were supposed to be. This alarmed us- we were immediately suspicious and felt very betrayed. But, being away, with our beloved pets in her care, it was not the time to engage in accusations or anger. When we returned we vowed not to use her again.

Fast forward to this most recent cruise. We found a wonderful new pet sitter, and made all the arrangements. While on vacation they would send a daily e-mail update with comments on the kids. One day we received an e-mail from the new pet sitter that she had been approached by our neighbor that he had seen the OLD pet sitter at our house and asked her about it. As it turns out, our neighbor saw the old pet sitter at our house at least twice, having gone inside the house with her own dog. On one occasion he spoke with her. A long story short- I sent her an e-mail from Europe and told her she had been seen at our house, unauthorized. She replied that there must be some mistake.

When we returned home to Palm Springs we spoke with our neighbors. In fact they had seen her at our house, and even spoke with her on one occasion. Why would our neighbor bring her up, out of the blue? They would have no reason to mention her if she had not been here. After getting the full story, I called the old pet sitter and confronted her with this, and again she denied it. After telling her of the possibility of having photos and/or video surveillance taken of her on site, she had all sorts of excuses- her old car had been repossessed. etc. Then she wanted to see the video of her.

I told her we had heard that she had a drinking problem. (In fact, although I didn't share this with her, one former client of hers said they returned home and she was drunk at their home). While speaking on the phone, she denied accusations of having an alcohol problem, and without prompting, rather suspiciously stated that she had never consumed any of our alcohol. I had not accused her of such- it was she who brought that up about not drinking our liquor (the old expression "he doth protest too much" came to mind). Our conversation came to and end with her insisting that she hadn't been to our house, but I knew better. The question is what do I do with such information?

Then Iater last night she sent me an e-mail, trying to find out what photos or video surveillance we had of her. She "couldn't believe we fired her after just one incident". I responded by sharing that this wasn't just one incident, it started a year ago with my suspicions back then, which was why we decided not to ever use her again at that time (hence the reason she had not been hired for this trip). In the end I decided to do nothing---for now. I shall retain the right to press charges for trespassing. Our new pet sitter had to deal with this stress but was very professional, we couldn't be more happy. I'm just glad we've moved on and never need to deal with the old pet sitter again. It was quite the happenings at our house while away on holiday. Most important, all three of the kids were fine and all is well.
-Rick Rockhill

The Adventures of Sheldon and Duncan: The Mud Bath Muddle

Yesterday all three kids went to the grooming salon for a much needed bath, haircut and mani-pedi. They enjoy going to the day spa, its fun to be with other dogs (and cats), enjoy a soothing massage and generally be pampered. Surprisingly, Owen doesn't mind going at all. His groomer, Ruthie loves to groom cats and he can sense it. He just sits there on her table and doesn't even try to move or run away. She just has a way with cats I suppose. Anyway, by the time they all returned home, they had all sorts of pent up energy. The first order of business was to inspect the house, afterall, they had been away for six hours or so and who knows what may have changed. In fact the house was infinitely cleaner, the floor had all been scrubbed, toys cleaned and laundry washed. Sheldon and Duncan decided to go out and play for awhile. And so with Owen watching from various window vantage points, the boys ran laps around the house, galloping and weaving between the rows of palm trees along the west side of the property. Every so often they would stop by the pool to catch their breath, panting like crazy. At one point I peered out and saw little wet foot prints all over the back patio. This couldn't be a good sign. They had just been back from the groomers and were all nice and clean. What could they have gotten into? Well I had forgotten about the sprinklers. Except one of them had gone awry while we were overseas, and it was just causing a little mud bath in one area of the yard. Naturally, the boys found it and thought it was great fun. And so those little wet foot prints along the patio were actually muddy footprints. All I could think about were my clean floors inside the house! We fetched some towels and corralled them both in the front porch. Time for a serious wipe down. They stood, panting and laughing as we carefully cleaned in between their toes, trying to remove the sand and dirt. They really are like little kids at times. It was just another day in the Adventures of Sheldon and Duncan.
-Rick Rockhill

Happy Halloween

Wishing you a very Happy Halloween~

Generation Natural Pet is up and running....

In my spare time, I've been contributing to a new site on Facebook called Generation Natural Pet. It's a site for people who want the best for their pets and want to hear and learn from other pet parents, share information etc. The site's mission is "to promote and celebrate optimal pet health and happiness through Natural, Organic and Holistic Products." I'm a member of The Generation Natural Pet Council along with others who are contributing information and ideas to help other pet parents learn how to help their pets live longer, happier and healthier lives with natural pet products. Don't worry, it is not a site selling anything- it's a fan site for fun and sharing. So if you have a pet and want to join it, please go to our new Generation Natural Pet site on facebook, become a fan and have some fun. Right now we're running a contest to find the pet with the shiniest coat. All you need to do is upload a photo of your pet and you are entered to win a $200 gift certificate. So what are you waiting for? Hope to see you over there soon.
-Rick Rockhill

The Aegean Sea Cruise: All Good Things Come to an End

Today is the final installment of my Aegean Sea Cruise blog series. It has been a terrific cruise- everything you hope for in a vacation. I spent most of yesterday relaxing, napping and reading. In fact I finally finished the book I had been reading, so I was especially pleased with myself. At dinner we said our farewells to table-mates, with whom we've dined nearly every night for the past two weeks. I went back to my cabin to finish packing and just chill out. John went to the final show of passenger Idol, the singing contest. Someone we met on the cruise had entered and made it all the way to the finals, but frankly I was sleepy and just wanted to relax on my own balcony. It was my own personal slice of paradise on the ship. Each morning room service would bring a pot of coffee, fresh croissants, a bowl of mixed berries, hard boiled eggs, and perhaps a grapefruit. It was a perfect way to start the day, with the sound of the ocean and a beautiful sunrise.

above: I relaxed in the ship's atrium, as it was a bit breezy on deck
above: Bruna, our cocktail waitress from Brazil made fab martinis. She made cocktail hour fun and memorable.
A Quick Video from Mykonos

above: I forgot to upload this little video from Mykonos. It was from last week, but I thought it would be nice to show you how beautiful it is.
And Finally...

above: a fabulous sunset we saw one evening from the ship, it seemed like a fitting end to this cruise post series. Well, this cruise is now over. We're back in Rome today so its a great way to unwind before flying back to Palm Springs. Thanks for reading these past two weeks!
-Rick Rockhill

The Aegean Sea Cruise: A Bit More From Cairo, & Alexandria, Egypt

Today is our last full day aboard the Grand Princess ship. We are still at sea, sailing the beautiful and shimmering blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. I’m reading “My Life in France” by Julia Child, and what a terrific book so far. It was the final book written by the venerable cooking expert known as The French Chef, and more importantly, author of numerous best selling cookbooks including “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. I can almost hear her speak the words I am reading, with her usual sense of humor and amusing manner. It is a perfect book to read on vacation. So my last two days at sea are filled with this enjoyable story of the great Julia Child. Anyway, I digress.
I have a few more photos to share from Cairo, Egypt and then a few quick flashes of Alexandria. This one above left was within our hotel in Cairo, it is a replica statue of the "guard" statues inside King Tut's tomb. Next up are photos from a rather interesting place where we stopped for lunch in Giza. It looked a bit like a camp for gypsies, hurriedly put together with color tents and makeshift grounds. But it was actually connected to a hotel (see hotel pool below), and made to look as it were. We sat down and were enthusiastically greeted by a man who mainly spoke Arabic but knew enough English for us to communicate. To the table he brought an individual mini-grill, which had piles of chicken pieces, elongated meatballs and tomatoes. It sizzled and smelled absolutely delicious. Immediately behind him was another waiter who served plates of hummus, diced eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, and some other dip, plus a dish of things wrapped in grape leaves and other mysterious foods. Finally a plate of freshly made bread- sort of liked pita bread but all puffy. It was quite good. It was surprisingly good, and I bravely consumed most of what they served. Yes, I was trying to delve deep into the local culture and taste Egypt. Here are a few photos:

above: as we first approached the restaurant, this is what we saw. Naturally I was hesitant, but I always keep an open mind while traveling!

above: this was the sort of hookah bar...

above: it sure looked festive....

above: this was the little grill with all the meat on it sizzling away

above: there were all sorts of dishes with delicacies, including some mystery friend things next to the french fries- I tried it all.
The Imperial Mohammed Ali Mosque
We visited a grand Imperial Mosque, called the Mohammed Ali Mosque. It was up on a high hill in the center of a fortress, along with the Sultan Hassan. Interestingly, this mosque was built by the same architect who constructed the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Within this mosque is the tomb of the prophet Mohammed Ali.

above: exterior view of the Mosque. The silver domes are all covered in lead.

above: the external courtyard, but this is considered a prayer area at the mosque, so shoes came off here.

above: the water fountain within the courtyard to cleanse yourself before prayer


above: this was reserved for the Sultan, who back in the day, would have a grand place within the mosque.

above: beautiful inscriptions on these round panels adorned the four pillars of the main dome.

above: the main dome was surrounded by half domes, all beautiful and ornate. These are actually carved from wood, and decorated.

above: difficult to see in this photo but above the door is a wonderful gold half ring.

above: within the mosque is the tomb of Mohammed

above: and within that room is the actual marble tomb itself

above: I like the lion on the wall here with the mosque in the distance.

above: close up of the water fountain- it was carved from ONE giant piece of alabaster

above: a close up of the detail above the water fountain. You can see the restoration work in progress, look at the panels on either side of the center one.
A few other glimpses of Cairo
Here are some other random photos around Cairo to give you more of an sense of the city:

above: Cairo is a huge, sprawling city

above: its not uncommon to find donkey drawn carts on the main streets

above and below: or herds of sheep crossing in the middle of busy roads!

Finally while in Alexandria I didn’t take many photos, but here are a few:

above: the Alexandria Library building itself is slanted with an interesting glass roof

above: an ordinary building, but I just liked the arched windows with blue tile work

Once again, thanks for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Egypt. We’ll arrive back in Rome tomorrow, which is starting to feel like home we've been there so often this past year. Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great weekend.
-Rick Rockhill

The Aegean Sea Cruise: More from Cairo, Egypt

We’re at sea today, sailing north back to Rome. Last night it was a perfect night, I left the balcony doors open to enjoy the sound of the ocean lulling me to sleep. Today it is warm and sunny, a perfect day to relax on deck by the pool and relax. I still have many photos to share from our two days in wonderful Egypt, so here goes. First, a few photos from the dinner cruise we took along the River Nile:

above: a blurry photo of "Scarabee", the dinner cruise boat

above: I've had a lot of fine wines in my time, but never heard of this one: "Omar Khaggam Vin Rouge Gianclis"

above: there was an Egyptian wedding on the boat that night

and a exciting belly dancer...


above: who I danced with!

These days in Egypt have been enlightening, educational and enjoyable. Once again I feel enriched from learning more about the modern and ancient Egyptian cultures. Not all of it is perfect, but that again, what nation is? And how is perfection defined anyway? Depending on your point of view, the world looks very different when you travel. Aside from all the wonderful sights and experiences, if you have an open mind, it also provides unique perspectives on the similarities and differences we have from each other. More from the Pyramids:







above: look over my shoulder at the stone serpents carved at the top


above: a wild dog at the step pyramids


these columns are over 5,000 years old!

These days in Egypt have been enlightening, educational and enjoyable. Once again I feel enriched from learning more about the modern and ancient Egyptian cultures. Not all of it is perfect, but that again, what nation is? And how is perfection defined anyway? Depending on your point of view, the world looks very different when you travel. Aside from all the wonderful sights and experiences, if you have an open mind, it also provides unique perspectives on the similarities and differences we have from each other. Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate it.
-Rick Rockhill