Lana is between 11-12 weeks old. She was rescued from Franklin County Animal Shelter through Measles Animal Haven. She is a pit bull mix with boxer is our best guess. She is working on crate training and housebreaking and her manners. Her second night she slept the whole night with no barking or whining in her crate. If you are interested in adopting her you can fill out an application through measlesanimalhaven.org
Birthday: 12/7/2008
Sweet, small, spunky, and loving, Penny is a sucker for belly rubs and treats. She has been with her owners since 8 weeks of age, and is now a wonderful 2yrs old. Just look into those big beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel eyes, and you’re bound to be hooked. Penny adds a softer touch to our day camp, and is sure to help your dog feel at home. Penny has been a daycare regular her whole life.
………….and hail to “Chief’s” owners for having such patience. This is what Chief decided to do after leaving Daycamp and before jumping into mom & dad’s car!
This is a picture of a dog I recently groomed that needed to be shaved down due to extreme matting. Anyone that has ever owned a dog, especially one with beautiful, fluffy coat dreads the consult with the groomer that ends in your dog being shaved down. There are a several ways to avoid this. Regular brushing with the correct brush is the number one way to avoid matting. There are many types of brushes and combs. Picking the right one can be a little confusing. Slicker brushes are the most common type sold in pet stores and they are usually the only one recommended when asking a salesman for help. However, a pin brush is the most needed and most valuable that can be added to your grooming tools. A pin brush is used to reach through the coat and rake that undercoat up and out. The undercoat is what sheds and what causes matting. When the undercoat becomes wet or sits on the body of the dog without regularly being removed it starts to mat. Then if the mats remain in the coat the rest of the coat will tangle and mat and pretty soon you have a dog that needs to be shaved down. Shaving a dog down removes all the mats and allows air to the skin. It also gives the coat a new start. Dematting is sometimes able to be done on a coat that has only little matting. Dematting is a very timely process and some dogs do not cope well with the constant pulling and combing of the mats. Another way to prevent matting is to have your dog bathed and brushed by a professional groomer every 6-8 weeks depending on your breed of dog. Most dogs should be seen every 4-6 weeks, especially those with long coats. The final thing I suggest for keeping your dog mat free is to dry your dog anytime his/her coat becomes wet. Whether it is snowing, raining, or a swim in the creek always make an effort to dry the coat and give a thorough brushing. The wet coat allowed to dry on its own and not be brushed will definitely result in matting. You can use a blow dryer on the cool setting to dry the coat. If a blow dryer is not an option for you then towel dry until coat is just damp and then continue with brushing. I hope you will find these tips helpful for you and your furry loved one.
We will be celebrating Saint Patricks day on wednesday with all of our daycampers. We will have a pinata filled with dog treats, doggie beer, and free green toenail polishing! Hope to see all of your dogs here on wednesday 3/17!
Brandy
Pinata for your dogs ripping pleasure!
I started feeding my dogs a raw diet 3 years ago when my oldest shepherd was diagnosed with a food allergy to beef. I switched him to multiple foods and he was still itching all of the time and I refused to put him on prednisone because of the damaging health effects it can have later on in his life. I started researching and came across raw feeding. I switched him to raw feeding and his allergies disappered after a few weeks.
There are multiple benefits of raw feeding besides the overall health of your dog and these include:
1. No doggie odor
2. Its cleans their teeth and will remove any existing tartar buildup over time
3. Less stool production and virtually no smell to it
4. Decreases your vet bills (my dogs haven’t been sick since they’ve switched)
5. Puppies develop at a slower rate which is good for their joints and bones
6. More energy
7. Less shedding and a healthier coat
8. Most important a longer life span
Whippet eating a Raw Meaty Bone
Spring is on the way. WOOHOO! What does that mean for “Kennel Clubbers?” It means endless dog play in the yards, lots of outside training, pond swims, and outside group distraction lessons. Just out of curiosity, I started looking at all the names of the dogs that I have had the pleasure of training here at Kennel Club USA. The list is getting big. However, the group distraction course attendance still remains a few dedicated owners. Subsequently, I figured that my blog this week would focus on why you may choose to participate in our group distraction course.
The first thing I need to point out is, that the more dogs that attend, the more benefits will come from the course. Understanding that each dog is different and each dog has a different natural distractibility level, it makes perfect sense that some dogs will need more help in overcoming heavy distraction when they finish their obedience training. So what is it for? The group distraction course can be used for many things. Socializing dogs, desensitizing dogs to passing people/ dogs/ animals, building confidence with agility/utility functions, increasing focus, increasing attention-span, question answering, and exercise are just a few. It seems everyday, that a training customer tells me about how they went somewhere that just had too many distractions for their dog’s to focus. Often we forget that distraction work and teaching commands are different things. Just because a dog knows sit, doesn’t mean he will sit during Red, White, and Boom, unless he is well practiced in related distractions. I’ve found in my own training with my own dogs, that getting help to set up distraction practice is often hard. Friends and family are just too busy, or aren’t willing to do what is necessary to improve the dog. In fact, they often worked against the very goal I was trying to accomplish. If you find yourself struggling with the same issues, you will be pleased to know that at the group distraction course, everyone is like-minded with the same goal, to improve their dog’s working capabilities. So next time you find your dog is just too distracted, don’t get frustrated, take measures of prevention, and attend our group distraction course.
Jonathan Brinkley
Stuart
Rudy practices an off-leash "down" with owner
Spring is just around the corner, and we all know what that means, sunshine, t-shirts, strolls with dogs, and goodbye snow. As spring nears and the urge to get outside increases, you may find that your dog is less than reliable when walking. Wouldn’t it be nice to walk your dog without being dragged towards other people and dogs? We often find ourselves frustrated with the lack of basic communication we have with our dogs as we try to keep our arms from being pulled off. In addition, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to throw the ball in the field without the fear that “Ruff” will run away. The real joy in summertime dog interaction, is feeling free enough to allow them to run, play and be a dog. However, without ground rules, freedom comes with great risks; heavy traffic, strange dogs with unknown reactions, and animals yelling “chase me” from behind every tree and bush. If you find yourself relating to any of these situations, perhaps it is time to consider formal obedience, or taking the next step to off-leash obedience. Spring training is booking up quick, so plan ahead and speak to us about the possibility of improving your everyday doggy interaction.
It’s that time of year…the mighty flea will be soon returning after laying dormant for these cold winter months. I have already given a flea shampoo to a dog this month. A lot of dog and cat owners will stop flea treatment for the winter months and begin again when Spring comes. Please keep in mind that if you end the fall time with no fleas it doesn’t necessarily mean they cannot be contracted from another home or pet that you or your dog might visit during the winter months. In heavy infestation in the home they may still thrive even when the temperature drops. As it begins warming up and you begin going for those greatly appreciated walks you and your dog can be the transit for the flea from one yard to your own. Springtime is typically when your dog becomes vulnerable to picking up these little annoying things. Fleas can hitch a ride on shoes, pant legs, and your dog. No matter what your regimen for battling the mighty flea keep in mind that if your dog goes outside at all they are at risk for contracting fleas. An adult female flea will usually lay 600 eggs a day! That means your dog, if not treated, can very easily become infested in a matter of days. If you notice any signs of fleas or if you are not sure, we will be happy to schedule a flea bath or even check for you to see if there are signs of fleas. Happy battling and remember prevention is the best key to staying flea free!