Southern California's best guide to pet services, pet resources and pet-friendly events

Our faithful pets give us so much—comic relief, an adoring face at the door, unconditional love.
In this special issue, we’ve rounded up dozens of ways to dish that love right back.

PlexiDor is secured with lock, key and steel plate, ensures maximum energy effciency, designed for doors or walls, comes in three colors and is made in the USA.

September 26-28: Enjoy “3-Days of Doggone Fun” at the 6th Annual Unleashed by Petco Surf City Surf Dog®. Friday Night is the Shorebreak Hotel Opening Ceremonies, Yappy Hour and Costume Contest. Saturday features a dog-surfing exhibit at the International Surf Museum. Sunday is the world-famous Surf Dog Competition at Huntington Beach Dog Beach. Cheer on your favorite surfing dog or register to compete!

Check out your best friend’s new best friend! iFetch is an innovative exercise and entertainment toy for small to medium sized dogs.

Everyone knows you and your Schnauzer are joined at the hip. But no matter how devoted the two of you are, there will come a time when you need to part.

Summer is here, including playful walks, hikes and trips with your dog. How about a source of clean water just for your dog, that is convenient for you to carry and leaves your hand free?

It hurts to leave your beloved pet behind when you sail out on vacation. But it’ll hurt a lot less with Petsguide’s very special sitting and boarding issue – out now! Find great care – and perks! – while you’re away.

You’ll get tons of tips for finding a perfect sitter, sniffing out a great boarding facility, getting your pet ready, and dealing with separation anxiety – yours and his!

And don’t miss the 38 other pages packed with pet-friendly events, resources, shops, services, even bakeries. It’s free!

Make tracks for the 25th annual America’s Family Pet Expo April 25-27 at the OC Fair & Event Center! All weekend long, you’ll meet, see and interact with a show-stopping display of all creatures great and small, from rare birds, exotic reptiles, colorful fish, miniature horses and fancy felines to precocious pups. Watch for a variety of animal stage shows, features and attractions.

The Animal Health Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to helping pets and wildlife in need, is hosting its first ever “Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound” fundraiser on March 30th at Irvine Regional Park. The registration fee of $25 per person will go towards the AHF’s programs which provide financial assistance for veterinary care, disaster relief, and wildlife in need. Funding will also go towards the Caring Creatures pet therapy programs and scholarships.

Just as there are a wide variety of manifestations of pain in humans, so are there for animals. Some people tolerate dental work very stoically and honestly don’t mind it that much while the same procedure is unadulterated torture for others. Similarly, we have observed that if you cut a toe nail too short on one dog, he might simply pull his paw away while another dog might shriek so loud that an entire block will wonder what animal abuse has just taken place! Learn to read your pet’s secret signs of pain so you can find the right treatment.