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See how Bark Busters changed the life of an Airforce dog handler or, view the “Aspen’s Story” video on YouTube.com
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IN THIS ISSUE 06 07 10
SOCIAL CALENDAR April 2012
THE SCOOP News and Happenings in the Houston Area BODY & SOUL Healing Your Dog Naturally
16
LIFESTYLE Choosing the Right Pet Sitter
18
BREED PROFILE AKC No. 3 - The Beagle
20
AGILITY SERIES - PART 10 Threadle with Confidence
22 24
SPECIAL FEATURE Eco-Friendly Pet Products
GIMME SHELTER Meet the Adoptable Dogs from ADAPT Rescue
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
~ Bern Williams
Editorial f you think the season is winding down, grab some doody bags and read on. This month, our event calendar is packed with fun and adventurous activities for you and your best friend.
I
As Earth Day (April 22) draws near, we capture this theme in our article, “Healing Your Dog Naturally” which reveals natural cures and remedies that we can use for our canine companions. Our editor reports on “green” pet products on page 22. There are some fabulous products that you don’t want to miss.
Issue 3: Volume 6 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
find a sitter that both you and your pet are comfortable with. The tenth installment of our agility series introduces threadles. Lesley Young explores ways to make it fun and rewarding for you and your agility partner. All of this and much more inside — so grab those doody bags and engage!
Jennifer Kitchens-Street
Also in this issue, we feature an article on “Choosing the Right Pet Sitter. It’s important to
On the Cover
URBAN PAWS MAGAZINE P.O. Box 1556 Spring, Texas 77383 www.UrbanPawsMagazine.com Design and layout by: ZOECO CREATIVE © Copyright 2012. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. Urban Paws magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, feature and idea submissions, or photographs, and such material will not be returned. Urban Paws magazine assumes no liability for the contents herein and has the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Urban Paws magazine does not endorse any specific product or service contained herein; we do encourage you to support our advertisers whenever possible.
Photo by Paw Prints Pet Photography
Please tell our advertisers you heard about them in Urban Paws! Urban Paws Magazine 5
CALENDAR For a full listing of events, visit: www.urbanpawsmagazine.com/events
April 2012 Events APRIL 1 Pet Photos with the Easter Bunny Westminster House, 2807 Kings Crossing in Kingwood. 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. Photos by Happy Heeling Heart Photos $10 for one 4 x 6 or $15 for two 4 x 6. Free Easter treat bag for every dog photographed. This event is sponsored by LET'S GO!! (Positive Reinforcement Dog Training). All proceeds from the event to benefit St Jude Safe Haven for Little Paws. APRIL 8 Houston Beagle & Hound Rescue Meet and Greet Event PetSmart, 140 FM 1960 Road East. Noon 3:00 p.m. HBHR monthly Meet & Greet events take place the second Sunday of each month. Adoptable beagles look forward to meeting you! For more information, visit www.houstonbeaglerescue.org. APRIL 8 Dock Jumping Classes Rummy’s Beach Club. Sundays 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Classes are $200 for 2 hours of training weekly. Each student receives 1 free private hour of swimming to practice off the dock, which must be used prior to your last class. To register, visit www.rummysbeachclub.com. APRIL 10 National Pet Day APRIL 14 Houston Pet Expo At the Reliant Center. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Admission is free. Leashed pets with current vaccinations are welcome. Activities include a mega adoption event, discounted microchip6 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
ping, vaccinations and heartworm preventatives, demonstrations, entertainment, education and much more. For more information, visit www.houstonpetexpo.com. APRIL 15 2nd Annual Hockey4Hounds Fundraiser Have fun watching the Houston Aeros take on the Texas Stars while raising funds to support retired greyhounds waiting for homes. The game begins at 5:00 pm at the Toyota Center. Discount tickets are available for $20 online at www.gpahouston.org. APRIL 21 2nd Annual Paws For A Cause Dog Walk and Cat Capers Get pledges and walk with your best friend to support Abandoned Animal Rescue (AAR). Festivities includes the dog "poker" walk, professional pet photographer, a cat photo wall, $25 micro-chipping, and more. $20 Registration includes t-shirt, poker draw, and chance to win a prize. Registration and info at www.aartomball.org. APRIL 21 Spring Bark Presented by the Lone Star Animal Welfare League. Northshore Park in The Woodlands. 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Bring your best friend and visit exhibitors, rescue groups and other dog lovers. For more information, visit www.thewoodlandsdogparkclub.org. APRIL 22 Earth Day
THE SCOOP CITIZENS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION (CAP) RECEIVES PORTION OF PROCEEDS FROM RAISING CANE’S HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN
Furry friends across the country are enjoying some holiday cheer well after the decorations have been put away, thanks to a pet-loving chicken finger chain and its customers. Raising Cane’s Holiday Plush Puppy campaign raised more than $20,000 for animal welfare this past year. Proceeds from the sale of more than 1,600 plush puppies were distributed through donations to 31 local pet welfare organizations across the 16 states Raising Cane’s serves, including Houston’s CAP. For the third year in a row, Raising Cane’s offered “Cane,” a plush toy modeled after the restaurant’s namesake yellow Labrador Raising Cane, in restaurants throughout the holiday season and donated the net proceeds from sales of the plush toy to local pet welfare agencies in various markets. To learn more about Raising Cane’s and the company’s Active Community Involvement program, visit www.raisingcanes.com/community. BIBI AND MINI ME BUSH DOG PARK OPENS IN SPRING AREA Harris County Precinct 4’s first dog park
opened to the public in March. Pundt Park is located at 4129 Spring Creek Drive in Spring. The new dog park encompasses four acres, approximately one acre of which is set aside for small dogs. There are watering stations and water features mixed among the trails and a dog washing station placed near each gated entrance. The official name of the new facility is the Bibi and Mini-Me Bush Dog Park at Pundt Park. It has been named after the pets of former President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush. THOUSANDS OF SERVICE DOGS TO RECEIVE FREE SIGHT SAVING EYE EXAMS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. Starting April 1st, registration will begin for the 5th Annual ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam event. This non-profit event provides free eye examinations to qualified service dogs across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Last year, more than 4,000 service dogs were examined and we're hoping to examine even more this year. To learn more about and register for the 5th Annual ACVO®/Merial® National Service Dog Eye Exam Event, please visit www.ACVOeyeexam.org. ANIMAL PLANET TO FILM AN EPISODEOF ‘PIT BOSS’ AT THE HOUSTON PET EXPO Pet lovers are encouraged to attend the 2nd Annual Houston Pet Expo on April 14th. Stop by the event to get an autograph or picture with Shorty and Hercules from Animal Planet’s hit TV show ‘Pit Boss’. Shorty will be on stage, discussing his passion - rescuing Pit Bulls. Shorty, a workaholic with a devilish sense of Urban Paws Magazine 7
THE SCOOP humor and quick temper, balances two jobs— running Shortywood Productions, a Hollywood talent management company for little people, as well as Shorty’s Rescue, his pit bull rescue group. For more information, visit www.houstonpetexpo.com. APRIL 27th IS NATIONAL HAIRBALL AWARENESS DAY Hairballs may be a humorous subject to some people but they are no laughing matter for cat owners and their more than 90 million feline companions. In addition to being a less than pleasant sight, hairballs can also be a sign of potential health problems. The last Friday in April is designated as a time to recognize the hazards of hairballs and take steps to eliminate them. “Up to two-thirds of shed hair can be ingested as cats self-groom,” said Roger Yount, FURminator vice president of marketing. “These loose hairs can pack together in a cat’s stomach and form a hairball. In most cases, the cat will need to vomit to force out the hairball, which is not good for the cat or household. If hairballs are not spit out, they may block the passage of food in the stomach or become impacted, requiring surgery to remove the blockage.” For more information on National Hairball Awareness Day and FURminator products, visit www.furminator.com.
MAYOR PARKER UNVEILS DESIGNPLANS FOR BARC’S NEW ADOPTION CENTER Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker unveiled on Tuesday design plans for a new Adoption Center at BARC, the City of Houston's animal shelter and adoption facility. The plan of several phases and is located on a 2.2 acre parcel of land adjacent to the existing BARC facility, acquired via a tax sale. The first phase will be funded by $4.1 Million of Capital Improvement Project monies appropriated for the renovation of BARC since late 2009. BARC and the Houston BARC Foundation will launch a Capital Campaign to finance the remaining phases with private funds. For more information on the construction phases, visit www.houstonbarc.com. GET YOUR STORY PUBLISHED IN URBAN PAWS MAGAZINE Have you always dreamed of being a published author? Well here's your chance. We're in search of reader-submitted stories for Happy Tails: How I Met My Dog. Send us your story for a chance to be published in Urban Paws magazine! Submit stories to info@urbanpawsmagazine.com (max 150 words) for a chance to be published in the magazine.
Follow us on FACEBOOK & TWITTER for the most up-to-date information, news and events! 8 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
BODY & SOUL Healing Your Dog Naturally
By Teri Van Horn RM/T, Reiki with Pets
take my holistic healing methods to the dogs… literally! Although we love our veterinarian, we have decided that there are many natural cures and remedies that we can use for Roffy, his doggy friends and our horses that help make their lives much better. Not only are these better for our pets, they’re easier on our wallets, too.
I
t’s Springtime - the time when the primary thing on a dog’s mind is to be outside! Yes, this is when my own five-year-old, 70 pound designer dog, Raphael, decides that he no longer needs to be under my feet, because there are so many exciting and fun things to do outside. We live in the country now, so Roffy’s day is a little different than his urban mother’s used to be. He starts out with a ‘cookie’ that he always has to eat while I check my email, then he’s off outside, checking on the yard dogs, inspecting the horses, (unsuccessfully) chasing a few squirrels, then sneaking off into my herb garden for a quick nap. Later he’s ‘chasing’ buzzards all across our pastures (running and barking at the sky… don’t ask), herding horses during feeding time, taking a dip or two in the pond, then wrapping-up his outside day howling with the coyotes at dusk. Then he comes in, ready for dinner and passing out in the middle of the floor… another hard day on the farm. Being a hard-working country dog, Roffy encounters things that have encouraged me to 10 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
Natural Apple Cider Vinegar If you do nothing else, buy a couple bottles of Braggs Natural Apple Cider Vinegar. This is absolutely a wonder drug for people and animals. The only thing it doesn’t do is vacuum up pet hair! Natural apple cider vinegar is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic and deodorant. It helps with digestion, removes tooth tartar, prevents tooth decay, manages hair loss, prevents gum disease, heals skin problems and will discourage fleas. Feeding one teaspoon to one tablespoon (depending on the dog’s weight), along with his normal food can ease arthritis pain, help prevent skin allergies and help clear up hot spots. How about that ‘doggy smell’ that entire industries have been built around? If your dog is bathed regularly, that strong odor just might be an ear infection. Try cleaning your pet’s ears with a mixture of one part alcohol, one part apple cider vinegar and one part water. Pour the mixture into a bottle with a dropper and insert 8-10 drops in each ear while the dog is lying on his side. Massage the ears to make certain that the mixture is deep inside, and wipe each ear
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with tissue. Once a week, add a few drops of apple cider vinegar to prevent future problems. If your dog continually has tear stains, you can keep wiping them away daily or you can add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per quart of water to their water bowl. This will help clearup any active yeast infections, which can cause a whole host of problems.
fleas or parasites, you can put four drops of cedarwood or lavender into a bowl of warm water and soak your dog’s brush before grooming. This will disinfect the dog, condition the coat and collect the parasites and eggs in the brush. Make certain you rise the brush out several times during the grooming process and reapply the oil mixture.
Another way you can treat ear wax build-up is to use three drops of lavender oil into one teaspoon of witch hazel. Insert at least four drops into each ear, massaging so that the mixture gets deep into the ear canal. Repeat this process daily to soften the wax, and gently remove it with a cotton ball.
We’re loving lemons! Cut a lemon into quarters and place in a pint jug. Cover the lemon with boiling water and let it steep overnight. The next day you have a great fresh flea repellent that you can use in a spray bottle.
Got Fleas? We have several different remedies to ward-off fleas. This is one time where you can take your pick, depending on what fragrances you prefer. After a bath, rinse your pet with a mixture of half warm water and half natural apple cider vinegar and let him air dry. The vinegar mixture helps the skin, makes the coat shiny and repels fleas and flies. Before you head out to the dog park, spray your dog with this same mixture to keep the fleas from coming home with you. Another great way to treat fleas is to add 1 drop of lemongrass or citronella oil to your dog’s shampoo. If you have a serious problem with
Make your own wonderful smelling flea collar. Take a bandana and rub a few drops of eucalyptus, tea tree, citronella, lavender or geranium essential oils onto it. Continue adding oils weekly and the fleas will stay away. If you’re dealing with a really bad flea infestation and only dipping your dog will do, steep two cups of fresh rosemary in two pints of boiling water for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid, discard the leaves, and make up to one gallon with warm water. Bathe the dog as usual, pouring the mixture over the dog until it is saturated. Allow the dog to dry naturally – no rinsing. It will smell wonderful and you’ll remove your flea problem. If your dog has a house outside, you might want to add natural cedar shavings to the inside of it. It keeps the house clean and is a deterrent for fleas. Other Tips & Tricks Did you know that applying Vicks Vaporub to furniture legs will prevent your puppy from chewing them? I’d bet it works on shoes, too! If your dog’s coat is tangled or matted, rub a lit-
12 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
tle cornstarch onto their coat before brushing. It’ll make things much easier. Cuts & Scrapes If your dog receives a cut or scrape, you can use six drops of either thyme, lavender or tea tree oil in a half gallon of water. All of these oils are natural antibiotics and disinfectants, so if your dog licks the wound, they won’t be ingesting anything unnatural. f the wound becomes ulcerous due to dirt and infection, you can draw out toxins using one cabbage leaf, wrapping it around the wound. Secure it firmly and change the leaf 4-6 times a day until the toxins have been drawn out. Afterward, thoroughly wash the wound in a solution of four drops of lavender oil to five ounces of warm water. Bee Stings Bee stings can be treated by first removing the stinger from your pet, then to prevent swelling and ease the pain, mix baking soda with water, creating a thick paste. Apply the mixture to the area of the sting, along with a cold pack. This works great for people and for jellyfish stings, too. Skunks For those unfortunate dogs who happen upon an unfriendly skunk, mix water with 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup of baking soda, and ½ tablespoon of liquid soap. Shampoo into your pet’s fur and rinse thoroughly for several minutes. Reapply until the smell is gone. Diarrhea If your dog has diarrhea, you can feed them pureed pumpkin. But, if this doesn’t stop the problem quickly, call your vet, as they can become dehydrated quickly. To counteract the dehydration, give your dog some Pedialyte.
Itchy Skin For itchy skin problems, add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to your pet’s food. This won’t solve the problem immediately, but is a gradual treatment for the problem. You can always use fresh aloe on the area for instant relief. Stress & Anxiety Even pets get stressed and anxious at times. If this happens due to separation anxiety, for instance, rub a dab of lavender oil under your pet’s muzzle daily place a small bag of fresh lavender under their bed and replace weekly. What’s worse than a dog that gets carsick? The best way to counter act this problem is to give them a few drops of ginger root extract before leaving on your trip. This will help settle their stomach and can be re-used as needed. While all of these remedies are great for basic dog care, they are in no way meant to be a replacement for quality veterinary care. Also note that these remedies are not appropriate for our feline friends. Their systems are entirely different and need a different approach to natural health care. These home remedies should get you and your dog through the spring without too many problems. Now, if I can only keep Roffy from jumping into the pond every afternoon, we’ll be in great shape! Teri Van Horn is the owner of Reiki with Pets and is a Reiki Master Teacher (RM/T). For more information on alternative health, visit www.reikiwithpets.com.
Urban Paws Magazine 13
A WRINKLE IN TIME...read on. The Indian Solid Gold (Curcumin) and the Solid Gold SunDancer Dog Food The best dog food that you can buy for your dog is the Solid Gold SunDancer. It has no grains and no gluten. To control gas production, and maybe bloat in dogs, SunDancer uses tapioca and quinoa, called the Food of the Future. The meat is chicken and fish, all the Oriental dogs, the Arctic dogs, and dogs from England, Scotland, Ireland and water dogs, such as labs and poodles, were fed a fish-based diet and sea vegetation, such as in our Sea Meal, which is always fed with our dog food. Retrievers, terriers and spaniels, were originally from England are included. Sea Meal is effective against allergies and scratching. Curcumin is the root of the turmeric plant, and is in our SunDancer dog food, Curcumin has a 4,000 year old history in India for helping a wide variety of health problems. Dr. Oz on TV frequently talks about curcumin. Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet, said the two greatest gifts from God to Man are curcumin and olive oil. The Jan. 2003 issue of Cancer Research declared that curcumin has the ability to “suppress proliferation of cancer cells.” The October 2010 issue of “Nutrition and Cancer” indicated that curcumin makes chemo more effective. Recently, a breeder of Dalmatians talked with our sales person about using our SunDancer dog food. He had been feeding a cheap, low quality dog food. He decided to continue to feed the inferior food and buy curcumin/turmeric in a health food store and add it to the dog’s food. BIG MISTAKE! About a month later he called our store. He asked, “Have you ever seen a yellow Dalmatian?” He had one. He had overdosed on the curcumin. First of all, curcumin has to be cooked at a low temperature and must be mixed with oils to release the active properties. He rushed the dog to the vets. He never told the vet what he had done. So after extensive and expensive test, on the liver and kidneys, costing over $350, he called us. We put the dog on our non-curcumin Holistique Blendz dry dog food. Holistic does not mean natural or organic. It means that the whole body works together-mind, body and spirit. See the previous information on problems with white, near white or light colored dogs.
White dogs absorb more ultra violet light (photo-aging) which may depress the immune system. Holistique Blendz is only 18% protein from fish, to spare stress on the organs. It is particularly effective on dogs with tear stains. Most of the tear stains are on white or light color dogs. So dropping the protein to 18% helps. Sissy has an 18 year old Dane mix. She was all gray on the muzzle. After six months on the SunDancer, the black came back.
Now for our cute story – “A Wrinkle in Time” It was during WWII, Sissy, the owner of Solid Gold, lived in N.J. Her father worked for the army getting hard to find products. One summer, he was transferred to New Mexico. Sissy and her mother went there for the summer to be with him. In the cool of the evenings, the kids would go to a local stable to play with the horses. The kids loved to groom the horses. Sissy’s favorite was Fury, owned by Mr. O. Mr. O. told Sissy that if she would give Fury a daily brushing, he would teach her how to ride. So the entire summer was a delightful experience. Eventually, the summer came to an end, and Sissy returned back home. It was several years later, after the war was over, that Sissy was reading the paper. She saw a familiar photograph. She asked her mother why Mr. O’s picture was in the paper. Her mother smiled, it was a picture of Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, the Father of the Atomic Bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Just a Wrinkle in Time
Ask your local pet store for free catalogue. If they don’t have a SunDancer catalogue, call us at (619)258-7356, M-F, 10am to 5pm 8IKQÅK \QUM 7Z M UIQT ][ I\ [IZIP([WTQLOWTLPWTQ[Q\K KWU aW] KIV also visit our website at www.solidgoldholistic.com.
Solid Gold Holistic Animal Nutrition Center 1331 N. Cuyamaca El Cajon, CA 92020
LIFESTYLE Choosing the Right Pet Sitter
S
By Lauren Gittens Gannette Professional Pet Sitting
omething as simple as a weekend away
ed by stress. Hiring a pet sitter can also be a very
need to find pet care in your absence.
household.
can be a daunting prospect when you
Not all pets do well in a boarding environment
cost effective option if you have a multi-pet
and that’s where having a pet sitter can be a life
So perhaps you go online and find a pet sitter
perhaps scaled or feathered) family member to
able for the dates you need...what now? Well,
saver. Utilizing a pet sitter allows your furry (or remain in the familiar and comfortable environs
of your home. This can be of particular concern if your pet has a chronic underlying med-
ical issue such as epilepsy that can be exacerbat16 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
that provides service to your area and is availideally this is not an emergency situation and you have started this process at least a couple of
weeks in advance because you there are some questions that need to be asked before entrust-
ing your furry family members to anyone’s care.
During the initial meeting, the sitter should take
First and foremost, a meeting should be sched-
you.
uled where your potential sitter has the opportu-
nity to meet both you and your pets. Of course
there will be paperwork that needs to be filled out and surely you will explain the feeding and
care of your pets, but more importantly, this will
give you, the owner, a chance to observe how
your pets interactive with the sitter. Taking into account the idiosyncrasies of your pet, the
exchange should be comfortable. Some pets
the time to go over the service contract with And there should be a contract! This
ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding what will be done at each visit, how
long a visit lasts, the corresponding service rates, payment terms, etc. It’s also a good idea to go
over what you would like done in case of an
emergency such as your pet’s care in case of ill-
ness, delayed return flight requiring extended service, etc.
such as Chows, that may form a strong bond to
Address these basic questions/issues in the
of new people, might even need to meet the
and your pet are comfortable with the sitter.
one person (i.e. the owner) and in turn be leery
potential sitter a number of times before being
left entirely in their care. If you are working with a pet sitting agency, as opposed to an indi-
vidual sitter, the initial visit is also a great time to make sure that the person meeting your pet is also the very same person who will be taking
care of your pet. As the owner of an exotic pet
or one with special needs, find out if the sitter has any pertinent experience with said pet or situation.
interview process and make sure that both you Indeed it is not a bad idea to interview and have ready a sitter that you feel comfortable with. Vacations can be planned in advance, but given
a family emergency or some such situation, having a caring and competent pet sitter ready and
waiting in the wings will be one less thing to worry about.
Lauren Gittens is the owner of Gannette Professional Pet
Sitting. For more information on rates and services, visit www.gannetteprofessionalpetsitting.com.
Pet sitters provide care in your home and thus are responsible not only for the well-being of
your pets, but the safety of your property. Is
your potential sitter bonded and/or insured? Ideally they are and if so, should be able to provide the appropriate documentation. When working with a pet sitting agency,it would not be
out of place to also ask whether or not a back-
ground check is made before hiring sitters. Having your potential sitter provide a list of references can also lend additional peace of mind.
Urban Paws Magazine 17
BREED PROFILE AKC Number 3
T
By Samantha Savage, Ph.D. Communications, Houston Bealge & Hound Rescue
he American Kennel Club recently
as many dogs as it accepts, about 150 per year.
dogs in America. So what’s all the buzz
euthanized.
announced the list of the most popular
about? The beagle. This lovable breed overtook
Others will be abandoned, neglected and/or
They will become another statistic, joining the
the Yorkshire Terrier to become the third most
3 million to 4 million pets euthanized by shelters
nounced with much enthusiasm, “Beagles have
unincorporated Harris County alone.
popular dog in America. The AKC News protheir year!”
in the U.S. each year, and the 11,000 dogs in Recent beagle fever is part of a larger cultural
But as the AKC, breeders and others swoon
climate and history that celebrates the breed.
collective gasp can be heard across the city by
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Shiloh, or Uno, who
over the breed and its newfound popularity, a the two dozen or so volunteers at Houston Beagle and Hound Rescue.
That’s because we know that popularity does-
n’t always mean permanent loving homes for
these curious and comedic dogs. Experience
Who doesn’t love Charles Schulz’s Snoopy,
took Best in Show at the 2008 Westminster Dog
Show? Beagles are adorable creatures. As my colleague once put it, “beagles only come in one size: cute.”
Cute as they may be, beagles are also hound
tells us otherwise. We predict it already. Even
dogs. They instinctively follow their noses, and
tunate place of being unwanted after owners
New beagle owners unversed in Beagle 101
more beagles will find themselves in the unforrealize what it really takes to raise a beagle.
Some of these beagles may make it into our
overburdened foster care system that turns away 18 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
this often takes them directly into trouble’s path. wake up to find that their beagle cleverly opened the kitchen garbage bin to eat last night’s dinner remains. Or they come home to find that the
fencing was no match for their beagle who
decided to join the neighbor's cook-out, five blocks away. Unprepared owners may even
make the mistake of not keeping their beagle on
a leash, learning the hard way that an unleashed beagle often ends up a lost beagle.
They're also pack dogs. Left alone, some may
spend hours showing off their singing abilities, often a less than harmonious medley of barks, bays and howls. Separation anxiety may also
mean destroyed furniture, dog crates and many pairs of favorite shoes.
So without sufficient exercise, socialization
and training to temper their instinctive nature, uneducated owners find that their onceadorable beagle puppy is now wreaking havoc.
Don’t get us wrong, we love beagles. They can
be wonderful family pets. Dedicated owners quickly discover that beagles provide plenty of joy and laughter with their loving devotion and ongoing antics.
Being AKC No.3 is an accolade we accept with
pride, yet reservation. For those recently smitten with the breed, we encourage them to reflect on the beagle’s fit for their lifestyle, and to adopt.
Houston Beagle and Hound Rescue offers Beagle 101. Many of our rescued dogs have
some training. And we profile our beagles to our best ability so adopters know what they’re getting.
With mindful beagle ownership, maybe 2012
will be a good year for beagles. All beagles.
Samantha Savage is a beagle advocate and college professor in Houston, Texas. For more information about beagles and beagle adoption, please visit Houston Beagle and Hound Rescue at www.houstonbeaglerescue.org.
AGILITY Part 10 - Threadle with Confidence
By Lesley Young (MA Hons) Dog Angels US
“Threadle” – a word to strike fear into the heart of many an agility handler! Here we explore ways to make it fun and rewarding for you and your agility partner. A threadle entails taking two adjacent obstacles (usually hurdles) from the same side, requiring your dog to ‘pull through’ between the first obstacle and the next. The skills required are also great for leash walking and positioning your dog without fuss as they learn to follow your movement. As with all our training, your dog needs the basic skills to start. Please see our earlier articles on handling basic hurdles, introducing angled jumps and performing Serpentines (last month). Introducing a new skill entails finding ways to make it easy for your dog to succeed, while maintaining drive and motivation. In the beginning, I tend to angle a series of jumps and also temporarily reduce the jump height. “Chaining” - training all the elements individually and then
putting them together - can really help with all skill building. Our ‘Stars’ this week are 3 year old, rescued Chocolate Labrador, Penny, and her handler Leanne. Like many dogs, Penny enjoys jumping, but when redirected she loses confidence and feels like she is being corrected. Partly this is because we have taken time to build the value for jumping hurdles. For all dogs, it’s important to build the value for the ‘In’. The “In” is indicated by the hand furthest from the dog, telling it ‘come towards me’. Some dogs work really well just on body language and momentum cues but in the early stages, and continuing with some dogs, a short verbal cue can really help. I like saying “In”. It’s short, positive and says “here is a game, a treat or some other really great reward”. A toy pheasant really floats Penny’s boat and here you can see Leanne using it very effectively to keep her motivated.
20 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
Penny is a little unsure about being called “In”.
Now she has learned to be happier about it!
As Penny begins to enjoy being called “In” she becomes more responsive and starts to turn even as she lands so she is in a good position to drive towards the next hurdle. Gradually, the jumps can be brought round until they are in line. To train the sequence right to left, the jumps need to be angled the opposite way round. Happy Jumping! With thanks to Leanne and Penny. All the dogs featured in our monthly articles are members of the DogAngels club.
Lesley Young (MA Hons), has 17 years experience of Dog Training - relocating to The Woodlands, Texas in 2009. Lesley runs pet Dog, Puppy and Agility classes and is an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. Please see her website www.dogangels.us for more information.
ECO-FRIENDLY PET PRODUCTS to BARK ABOUT
2-in1 Shampoo from Planet Dog Naturally. These puppy safe 2-in-1 shampoos are naturally derived from coconut and coconut oil, guar extract, oatmeal extract, oatmeal fragrance, almond fragrance, and sea salt. It is an all-natural blend that will leave your pet’s coat clean and smelling great. www.planetdog.com Wagatha’s Organic Dog Biscuits What dog Wagatha's Wheat Free Tuscan Biscuits are a delightfully aromatic taste of Italy, and a great source of lycopene, and vitamins A&C. Human Grade Certified Organic Ingredients. www.wagathas.com No. 2 Bags from Harry Barker These Harry Barker No. 2 bags are 100% biodegradable. Each roll in the 8 pack includes 15 bags and will fit in most dispensers. www.harrybarker.com
DIY Kit from Molly Mutt You get 2 duvets and 1 stuff sack. Use the duvet to recover your old dog bed, or stuff a new one with blankets & clothes from around your house. durable, washable, and pre-shrunk. 100% cotton, fully-zippered and gusseted for extra style and comfort. www.mollymutt.com 22 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
Oslo Collars from Harry Barker Harry Barker's Jacquard Woven Oslo Collars are petro-chemical free and made from 100% certified recycled plastics. These collars are lightweight, super durable, machine washable and dry almost instantly. Double-coated nickel-plated steel hardware is tarnish and scratch resistant. Each Harry Barker collar is made from 10 recycled plastic bottles. www.harrybarker.com
Eco Fetcher from Honest Pet Products It Flies! It Bounces! It Rolls! This eco-friendly and ultra durable toys is made from hemp, the strongest natural fiber on earth. Made in Green Bay, Wisconsin. A fabric toy that can stand up to the toughest dogs! Available in three fetchable sizes: 5", 7", and 9". www.honestpetproducts.com
GIMME SHELTER Join us in helping our four-legged friends find loving homes. Adopt a dog today!
A Doberman Adoption Placement Team (ADAPT) Rescue www.adaptrescue.org
ADAPT is (501(c3) non-profit composed of a group of dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to save the lives of homeless Doberman Pinschers in Texas. They are a volunteer-based group that does not own a facility. Their primary goals are to rescue, restore to good health, rehabilitate and place these unfortunate dogs into safe and loving homes where they can live out their lives as wonderful companions to those individuals and families who are lucky enough, and caring enough, to welcome them.
Photo by Paw Prints Pet Photography
Our cover dog, Tess!
Tess at approximately three years of age and had been bred nearly to death. Found as a stray, with a melon-sized tumor hanging less than three inches from the ground, this girl ended up in a shelter. Depressed, sick and thin, she'd almost given up on life. ADAPT saw the beauty and specialness that is Tess, and found a charmingly sweet and quiet girl who gets along with everyone, including cats. She likes kids, enjoys walks and quiet evenings with family. Tess will soon be available for adoption (once she's off medical hold). She is housebroken and completely house safe. She does no damage and does not need crating while you’re gone. She’s an easy and loving member of the family. If you’re interested in adopting this special girl, please visit www.adaptrescue.org to complete an online application.
Please note that these dogs may have been adopted by the time you visit them; however, there are many more wonderful dogs in need of forever homes. 24 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com
Lester was a stray with no real known past. He is approximately three years old and is full of personality and attitude. His ears have been cropped and docked. With a few pounds, this boy will be even more handsome than he is now. Lester is NOT a fan of cats or small dogs who “look” like cats, but is fine around big dogs and non "fluffy" dogs. He loves to run and play and is crate trained. He’s currently working on house manners.
Lester Molly is a pint-sized, female Doberman with a short military crop to her ear. She has a huge heart that loves everyone. She’s energetic and sweet, and she screams personality and love. Molly has a lot to offer a family. At about two years old, she is spayed, up to date on vaccinations and on heartworm prevention. Fill out the online application to make Molly all yours.
Gracie
Molly
Gracie’s scarred back is well healed but tells of sadder days gone by. Fortunately, she doesn't let bad memories hold her back. This bright and tiny girl has a ton to offer. She has cropped (nearly mutilated) docked ears and is red and rust. Gracie has a loving personality, a bright outlook and a willing to please thought process. She would do better with older children and needs a home that will be patient with her. She would also love a place to run and explore. Visit www.adaptrescue.org to make Gracie your special family member.
Meet Isis (Icy), a really sweet two-year-old with velvety natural ears. She is black and rust in color. She just couldn't get along with her litter sister and they fought so she was given up to rescue. She loves kids, she enjoys playing ball, going for walks and hanging out. Icy is heartworm negative, spayed, housebroken, crate trained and ready for a new family. Show Isis the love she deserves and bring her home.
Isis
Urban Paws Magazine 25
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