Pacifica Held the World's 1st International Dog Surfing Championship!

Check out this video of dogs surfing -- right here in Pacifica!  Go to The World Surf Dog Championships website for more information!

Why You Feel Healthier and Happier With Pets

As if you needed a reason to have an adorable companion like a dog (or cat), this article I found says that pets actually make you healthier and happier!

There are a lot of great benefits of pets. One commonly experienced one is walking your dog, which can make you more physically fit by strengthening your muscles and bones; this can help not only your body, but also your self-esteem. On an emotional level, owning a pet can decrease depression, stress, and anxiety; from a health perspective, it can lower your blood pressure, strengthen your immune system, and even decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke. Read on to discover more of the incredible benefits that you can experience by owning a pet!

Max, the Canine Mayor of Idyllwild, CA

Mayor Max #1

Did you know there's a town in California with a dog as a mayor?  According to his website at MayorMax.com:

Max (Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller) was voted into office during an election held on June 11, 12, and 13, 2012 in Idyllwild, and was inaugurated to a one-year term on July 1, 2012.

As Idyllwild is a non-incorporated town, it has no human mayor. Idyllwild Animal Rescue Friends, a non-profit 501(c)(3), sponsored its first-ever election for cats and dogs. Constituents cast their votes via $1 donations each, and all $31,000 of the proceeds benefited ARF. 14 dogs and 2 cats were nominated and ran for office.

Max's popularity moved the people of Idyllwild to appeal to ARF for his continuation in office. On February 9, 2013, ARF announced he extension of his one-year term to a second and final year, ending on June 30, 2014.

The 10-Most Dog-Friendly Cities in America

Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post

I saw this great article at The Huffington Post that lists the Top 10 Most Dog-Friendly Cities in America!

A warm bed, ample treats and some loving behind-the-ear scratches make for a considerably happy home for dogs.

But other metrics, like the amount of grass there is to sniff, qualifies certain parts of the country as better equipped for hosting a dog’s happiest life.

Financial consulting company SmartAsset analyzed data on several measures to rank the most wag-worthy cities across the map. To decipher the most dog-friendly cities, the study considered a city’s dog accessibility, as in the number of dog parks, dog-friendly shopping areas and dog-friendly restaurants. The study also looked at a city’s quality of life, which took walkability, weather and housing costs into consideration (happy pets need happy owners).

Who Rescued Whom?

Following up on an article I posted earlier, this post on NPR.org is a beautiful story of how a rescue dog actually rescued his owner!

He Rescued A Dog. Then The Dog Rescued Him
See the video of this story here:

Eric O'Grey knew he was in trouble. His weight had ballooned to 320 pounds, and he was spending more than $1,000 a month on medications for high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

In 2010, a physician told him to buy a funeral plot, because he would need it in five years. He was 51 years old.

So he went to talk with a naturopathic doctor about losing weight. She said: Get a shelter dog.

Crime Fighters!

Pacifica Police Officer with his canine officer
(not part of this program).

This organization rescues dogs and turns them in to crime fighters!  What a great story from IHeartDogs.com!

Maybe you’ve seen one before: a shelter dog with a wild streak, jumping, spinning, barking, and swirling around with as much energy as the Tasmanian Devil. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to find a home for these kind of dogs that are nearly unmanageable.

However, these hyper hounds make the perfect candidates for Working Dogs For Conservation (WD4C), where their focused fixation and boundless energy are put to good use.

Described as “the world’s leading conservation detection dog organization” on their site, this group trains canines to sniff out clues that solve crimes, bust criminals, and enhance conservation.

These dogs can detect a multitude of scents: narcotics, cadavers, people who need rescuing, illegal snares, endangered animals and plants, noxious weeds, aquatic life, and more.

Because of the intensity of this work, with lives and species at stake, this organization seeks out to recruit the most strong-willed pups they can find; often, the “unadoptables.”

In the News!

Mama and I were featured in the Pacifica Tribune!  In an article titled "Rockaway Ricky is the paw behind the pen," by Jean Bartlett, Mama spoke about how we met and this wonderful blog. There are a couple corrections to her article, but it reads:

On Rockaway Ricky's "BlogSpot," www.rockawayricky.blogspot.com, [the website is actually now at rockawayricky.com -- tell your friends!] he writes about his cousin Muffin, who lives in Atlanta, his new friend Olive, who is known to take a seat on the Surf Spot's patio, and a couple of hairballs who enjoy constantly sitting together in a squished position. Muffin is a 5-year-old Shih Tzu mix, Olive is a French bulldog of an uncertain age, and buddies Mama Too Too and Mango Too Too are two non-lightweight cats residing in El Granada.  [Also you don't want to forget my favorite contributor, Jake, who is one of my friends and helps post articles, too!]

As to the blog's author, he is a 7-year-old Schnoodle (a cross between a Schnauzer and a Poodle) and the official mascot of Lommori/Stahl Realty Group of REMAX Star Properties in Rockaway. His mom is Christine Stahl, a Pacifican since 1986 and a realtor for 31 years.

Hamm-ing it Up!

Mama was excited to see one of her favorite actors Jon Hamm in the May issue of Vanity Fair.  I liked that Hamm seems so dog-friendly. I especially like this photo of Hamm eating cherry pie with his English Bulldog named Diesel. 

I asked Mama if I could have some of her homemade cherry pie and she said it wasn't part of my diet plan.  *Sniff sniff*

Well, I'm sure that's why Mama likes this Jon Hamm so much...because he's so good to his pet!

Welcome to Rockaway Ricky's Review!

Welcome to my dog blog!

Stay tuned for more posts from me, and my friends!