Paws at the River

Scenes from the Yorktown “Paws at the River” Market. The SEVA GRREAT booth was a busy place and we had a wonderful turnout. Thanks to all of the goldens and volunteers for coming out and a special thanks to Michelle Frye Smith for organizing and running another successful event. Also, much appreciation to Mimi Wormeley, our volunteer coordinator, who always rallies the troops for us.

wrong. This is not really true. The wetness of your dog's nose can get affected by a variety of factors - from dry air to even just taking a nap.

So, having a dry and warm nose is a pretty normal thing for your dog, and is not really a cause for concern. However, if you do find that your dog's nose is constantly cracked and dry, or running (not just wet), then it's a good idea to consult a vet at the earliest to find out the underlying cause.

14. Dogs Should Eat Exactly Like Wolves

Dogs and wolves have both evolved from a common ancestor tens of thousands of years ago: this part is true. But dogs and wolves have definitely evolved to be quite different from each other. Even though dogs have a pure carnivore ancestor, they have evolved to be omnivores.

This means that feeding your dog a purely raw meat-based diet can actually turn out to be quite harmful to them. Also, wolves in the wild tend to have a much shorter lifespan than dogs - only 6 years - and feeding dogs a healthy balanced diet has been seen to play a big role in increasing their lifespan.

So we recommend you don't buy into the whole hoopla of feeding your dog a 'wolflike' diet, and instead, go for a diet that fulfills all the nutritional requirements needed by them.

15. You Can Leave Your Dog In a Car With Slightly Rolled Down Windows

No way! Dogs can suffer from really serious health conditions if they find themselves stuck in extreme temperatures - even if it's merely a few minutes in a raely hot or cold vehicle. You may think you're leaving them in for a quick run to the market, but things can quickly go from bad to worse if you find yourself stuck.

In fact, some states have laws that allow cops to break into your car and rescue your dog if they find them stuck inside without an attendant. So it's a good idea to steer clear of such risky situations. Remember, your dogs are pretty much like toddlers - as cute, and as helpless as well! So keep that in mind.

Dog Myths

16. I Don't Have To Spay Or Neuter My Dog

There have been several arguments and debates around whether you should be spaying or neutering your pet or not. Some people feel that it goes against their ethics and robs their pets of their freedom. However, several studies have come to the conclusion that spaying or neutering your pets is good for their overall health.

Doing so has been shown to have a positive effect on their health especially in old age. Also, keep in mind that dog overpopulation is a serious issue, and several unwanted dogs are put down in shelters every day.

If, however, you still have reservations about spaying or neutering your dogs, you should let your vet know and ask them about the possible options.

17. You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

This idiom has been used quite widely, and not just literally for dogs, but for various situations in life. As a result, this idea has stuck around in people's heads, but it's not really true.

Older dogs are perfectly capable of being trained and learning new tricks, even in their later years. While we do admit that older dogs may take longer than younger ones to learn and master a new trick, to say that they're completely incapable of learning something new is not only unfair but also factually incorrect.

In fact, such myths discourage people from adopting older dogs, which is unfortunate. That's why it's high time we get our facts straight, isn't it?

( continued on page 19 . . . )