Kara DioGuardi is now known almost exclusively as a judge on American Idol, but the credits that brought her to the popular show are much more far-reaching.

She has been a singer-songwriter; a talent developer for Warner Brothers Records; a record producer; a song writer and music publisher. She has published going-on-300 songs that have been recorded by such artists as Christine Aguilara, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Demi Lavota, Meat Loaf, Katharine McPhee, and a vast lot of others.

In the above photo in the Hollywood Hills with her pal Tikki, Kara picks up her little girl's dooky, just like all us dog walkin' poo-grabbin' dog owners. She says of pets that they are "sweet, precious souls, and they need to be treated accordingly."