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appy New Year! Hopefully your reso-lutions have been set into action andyou’re looking forward to a fresh start

on a new year.The January issue is dedicated to helping pet

owners find solutions to their pet’s health issuesand promote canine wellness. As I’ve heardmany times, “ a healthy dog is a happy dog.”Winter means flu season and unfortunately, it

doesn’t just affect humans. To read about thecanine influenza virus and how to protect yourdog from it, flip to page 22.I am happy to feature an article on our June

2010 cover dog, Sophia. A former foster withHouston Beagle and Hound Rescue, Sophia wasselected as a Beagle Brigade dog and is nowworking with the U.S. Department of

Editorial

H

Issue 1: Volume 5www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

Agriculture. We are so proud of her! To readSophia’s story, turn to page 6.The holidays are over, but if you welcomed a

new furry member into your family forChristmas, Chrissie’s article on page 16 will helpthe adjustment period a lot less stressful andeven fun for both you and your dog.If you haven’t already, become a fan of Urban

Paws magazine on Facebook or follow us onTwitter for the most up-to-date information.As we usher in another year, we look forward

to providing you with even more informativeand entertaining articles and pet-related news.

Jennifer Kitchens

URBAN PAWSMAGAZINEP.O. Box 1556Spring, Texas 77383www.UrbanPawsMagazine.com

Design and layout by:ZOECOCREATIVE

© Copyright 2010. No part of this publication may bereprinted or otherwise reproduced without the publish-er’s written permission. Urban Paws magazine assumesno responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, feature andidea submissions, or photographs, and such material willnot be returned. Urban Paws magazine assumes no lia-bility for the contents herein and has the right to refuseadvertising for any reason. Urban Paws magazine doesnot endorse any specific product or service containedherein; we do encourage you to support our advertiserswhenever possible.

Please tell our advertisers you hear about them inUrban Paws!

On the CoverBrady, photographed byAshlee Newman Photography.

The pound sold her to a lab.Don’t let more dogs suffer her fate.

Visit www.aavs.org/LostDog

Paw Press

News &Happenings in the Houston Area

ABANDONED ANIMAL RESCUEUNLEASHES THE SIT STAY AND LEARNPROGRAM

Abandoned Animal Rescue has vowed togive their dogs the very best chance for a per-manent adoption with an innovative programof obedience training. AAR’s Sit to StayProgram encompasses three areas: Training forAAR dog handlers and dogs, post-adoptionsupport and community outreach.The name reflects the importance of basic

dog training commands like “sit” to help thedog stay in its new home. For more informa-tion on this program, email [email protected].

TEXAS-BASED PET FOODMANUFAC-TURER ADDS TONEWHOLISTIC LINE

Precise Pet Products announces the additionof canned canine and feline food to its PreciseHolistic Complete line. After launching PreciseHolistic Complete dry dog and cat foods thisfall, Precise Pet Products, a brand division ofTexas Farm Products Company, is pleased tocontinue to provide multiple healthy and holis-tic options for pet food.The Precise Holistic Complete canned for-

mulas feature all-natural ingredients designedto promote health, happiness and harmony indogs and cats.“We’re thrilled by the positive feedback and

the popularity of the Precise Holistic Completeformulations,” said Kirk Young, executive vice

president of Precise Pet Products. “We areexcited to expand the line with the addition ofour canned food, providing customers withmore options that suit their lifestyles and morechoices for their pets.”The new holistic complete line will include

two formulas for canines: Salmon and troutand Turkey and duck and a salmon, tuna andtrout formula for felines.To learn more about Precise Pet Products

and the new Precise Holistic Complete line,visit www.precisepet.com.

BARRIO DOGS LAUNCHES NEWTHERAPY PROGRAM

Barrio Dogs, a non-profit organization aimedat raising education and animal awareness inlow-income communities, successfully launchedtheir therapy program in November.Gloria Zenteno, Barrio Dogs' president, and

Jennifer Washam, the Education & TherapyCoordinator, made a visit to House of TinyTreasures, a facility that provides developmen-tally-focused childcare for pre-school age chil-dren while their parents attend classes andbegin working. Ms. Washam brought her thera-py dog, Chloe, to meet some of the older chil-dren and teach them the proper way toapproach a dog, then allowed them to spendsome time petting and scratching Chloe. Thevisit was such a great success that the facilityinvited them back for a Christmas.

For a full listing of events, visit:www.urbanpawsmagazine.com/events

Urban Paws Magazine 5

Follow us on FACEBOOK & TWITTER for the mostup-to-date information, news and events!

6 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

he Beagle Brigade is a team of beagles

and their handlers that are part of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, a division of

Homeland Security. They make an estimated

75,000 seizures a year of prohibited items,

working at airports, borders, ports, post offices,

and international shipping companies inspecting

luggage and packages.

Meat, animal by-products, fruit and vegetables

can all carry diseases and pests that could devas-

tate the U.S. agriculture. It is the beagle’s job to

differentiate between legal and illegal items and

to alert their handler when they come across

something that is prohibited.

The ideal personality of a beagle that fits the

profile of a Beagle Brigade dog is high energy,

highly food motivated, tireless and focused.

Many of the qualities of a great Beagle Brigade

dog are qualities that make it a less than ideal

family dog. Not many people want a dog that is

so highly motivated that they seldom rest, but

that is exactly what the Beagle Brigade is search-

ing for.

In the June issue of Urban Paws, we featured a

beautiful beagle named Sofia that was in foster

care with Houston Beagle Rescue. Sofia had

been in her foster home for four months and

then adopted, but was returned after three

months. Her adoptive family loved her dearly,

but they just couldn’t seem to get through to

her. After much frustration and desperation,

Sofia was returned to her foster mom.

The Beagle Brigade

TSophia and her handler, second from left

By Elizabeth Emery, Houston Beagle & Hound Rescue


She remained with her foster mom for seven

months and during that time, no suitable home

was found. Her foster mom knew that the cir-

cumstances had to be pretty

specific for it to work for

Sofia. Plus, Sofia was so

focused on her self-appoint-

ed tasks (chasing squirrels,

chasing the cats, counter

surfing) that she didn’t have a

great deal of interest in

bonding with people. She

would only come inside to be

with humans when she was forced to. Not

exactly the type of personality that the typical

family is looking for.

Houston Beagle Rescue was contacted this sum-

mer by the U.S.D.A. to see if they had any bea-

gles that they were having a hard time placing in

forever homes. Sofia was

the first one that came to

mind.

In the initial testing, per-

formed at the Houston air-

port, Sofia was outstanding

and chosen to continue

with the selection process.

She passed her physical

with flying colors and was

then cleared to fly to the

training facility located in

Atlanta, Georgia.

Once the quarantine period

has expired, the beagles go

through additional testing before they are actu-

ally accepted into the program.

Many beagles fail along the way. Not Sofia. She

was in her element. She was the first beagle cho-

sen in the class that was beginning and was

extremely well liked by every-

one that worked with her.

In September, Sofia graduat-

ed and received her Beagle

Brigade vest. She was the star

of her class and alerted on 14

out of 15 items on her first

test and 10 out of 10 on her

second test. She was

snatched up by a seasoned handler and is now

stationed in Orlando, Florida. If you ever make

it through customs in Orlando, be sure to look

for Sofia. Her foster mom couldn’t be more

proud of her.

Sophia proudly wearing her Beagle Brigade vest

“Not many people want a dogthat is so highly motivatedthat they seldom rest, but thatis exactly what the BeagleBrigade is searching for.”


Healthy Tails

Curbing Coprophagia

oprophagia, the consumption of feces,can be quite embarrassing for a dogowner. There’s nothing more repulsive

to a dog owner than seeing their dog eat its ownor another dog’s stool, and have them comeback to you look to you for a kiss.

Why in the world, an owner may ask, would adog do such a disgusting thing? What could pos-sibly initiate this behavior? While the exactanswers to those questions may never beknown, we do have an idea of what promptsthe behavior and why it continues to happen.

Coprophagia is not an abnormal behavior fordogs in certain situations. Nursing dogs natural-ly consume the feces of their puppies – presum-ably to keep the area clean. From a survival per-spective, it prevents unhygienic conditions, thatcould ultimately lead to disease.

Many puppies go through an oral stage in whichthey explore everything with their mouths, oftentimes, ingesting a variety of non-food items,including feces. Eventually the pups learn thatfood tastes better and swear off stool eating forgood. Still, other puppies continue to eat fecesfor several more months, but normally kick thehabit after the first year. Generally, aside fromnursing dogs, most adult dogs have no interestin eating feces.

In some cases, coprophagia is a habit that hasbecome ingrained in a dog and they may contin-ue to engage in the behavior well beyond theaccepted norm. Such dogs continue may include

slow learners and oral retentive coprophagicswho continue long after their peers have devel-oped new interests. Dogs such as these, whoseem to be addicted to this bad habit, are oftendescribed as compulsive.

Often times, behavioral issues are the reason thata dog will eat feces.

Attention seeking behavior - In times of stressor boredom, your dog may have learned that this(negative behavior triggers a reaction from you.

Observance or allelomimetic behavior - Yourdog watches you clean up and keep poop (untilyou can find a trash can) so he copies yourbehavior.

Parental behavior - A mother dog with pups mayeat feces to clean the nursing area and preventthe smell of feces from attracting predators.

Learned behavior - A dog may learn this behav-ior from siblings or from other dogs in public,such as at the dog park or doggy day care.

Hunger - A dog with hunger issues will seek outfood in any form. This is common among dogswho are fed once a day and who remain hungry.

Whether by nature, nurture, or a combination ofboth, coprophagia rears its ugly head as a persist-ent and irritating habit that some long-sufferingdog owners seem fated to endure. There are sev-eral different forms of coprophagia but, whatev-er form it takes, there are probably similar drives

C

operating. There are several different categoriesassociated with coprophagia:

Autocoprophagia - when a dog eats his ownfeces

Intraspecific Coprophagia - When a dog eatsanother dog’s feces

Interspecific Coprophagia - When a dog eatsfeces from another species such as a cat

Some home remedies have been practiced, butdon’t always work. These include: Adding com-mercially available pancreatic enzymes to thedog's food, changing the dog’s diet and feedingschedule, picking up all available stool in theyard or applying hot sauce or cayenne pepper tothe stool to discourage the dog from the habit.

Although some of the above measures haveoccasionally been found effective on their own,it best to apply a whole program of preventionfor at least six months to nip the behavior in thebud. If during this time, if the dog gets accessto stool and ingests it, some ground will be lost.Hopefully, though, progress will eventually bemade, even if it's one step back for every twoforward.

In the majority of cases, coprophagia can besuccessfully treated at home. This includes acombination of management changes (exercise,diet, and supervised outdoor excursions) andenvironmental measures.

12 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com10 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

Ask Genevieve...monthly memoirs of a furry genius

Dear Genevieve,

I am two-year-old cute chi-mix and I think thatI am completely normal. But sometimes myhumans seem ashamed of me and they keepwhispering the big word "c-o-p-r-o-p-h-a-g-i-a."I just want my humans to love me for who I am.What's wrong with me?

Dog with aquired taste,Daisy

Dear Daisy,

Stop worrying. There is nothing wrong withyou. "Coprophagia" just means that you'reafraid of policemen, and who can blame you?They wear those big heavy boots and thosereflective sunglasses and they carry all sorts ofhurt-things on their belts. If your humans weresmart, they would have coprophagia, too. Thenext time they get a speeding ticket you canlaugh at them and tell them "I told you so."

Kibbles and kisses,Genevieve

Dear Genevieve,

I live with an old mean dog. He's three times mysize and although he's old and slow, he routine-ly tries to bite me and constantly snarls his uglyteeth at me. I live with my five adopted brothersand sisters and I cannot figure out why he onlypicks on me. I don't like playing the race cardbut I am the only dog with a "darker" coat in ourpack. Do you think this old white dog doesn'tlike me because the color of my coat? It's notlike I can ask my human to change the color ofmy coat! What should I do?

Rudy

Dear Rudy,

I think I know the answer here. The old guy isprobably near blind, and since you have a dark-er coat than the others maybe you're the onlyone he can make out. Maybe you can get yourhumans to dress you up in a white sweater to seeif that does the trick. If not, every time he snarlsat you, nip his butt and run. He'll soon get thepicture, even if he can't see it very well.

Kibbles and kisses,Genevieve

Email your questions to Genevieve at:[email protected].

Genevieve's website is www.dogtellsall.com. Her books are avail-able on amazon.com and bn.com. She also has a Facebook fanpage under her full name of Genevieve Highpoint La Reine.


How do you feel when you sit in a hot tub?Dogs do too! Did you know that warm water isa natural anti-inflammatory and creates a calm,sedative effect on muscles & mentality? Olderdogs with arthritis enjoy the feel of warm wateron their body and the freedom to exercise withless pain. Athletic dogs improve theirendurance, per-formance, coor-dination andm u s c u l a rstrength. Thebest part iswatching yourdog’s confidencegrow! Come,swim with yourdog and allowthe warm waterto empower theboth of you.

Warm water dogfitness benefits dogs who have pain from arthri-tis, bone or joint problems, injuries, walking dif-ficulties, puppies with too much energy as wellas dogs who just want to have fun. Rummy’sBeach Club has a custom designed pool fordogs and maintains a temperature of 87-93degrees year-round. It’s a great way to help dogscondition for dock jumping, agility, flyball, hunt-ing, the show ring, before or after surgery or forany reason.

Warm water canine fitness is not only fun, it isrelaxing, healing and good for you. Place your

body in warm water - about 90 degrees. In amatter of minutes, your body experienceshydrostatic pressure - the pressure of the wateragainst your body. This pressure decreasesexcess body fluid, like swelling in areas of recentsurgery, injuries or arthritis. The warm waterdilates your blood vessels and you feel your

blood pumpingharder. Thisincreased circula-tion creates acalm, relaxingeffect on musclesbecause of theextra blood andoxygen in them.Stretching tightmuscles or mus-cle spasmsbecomes easier;range of motionimproves andwith less pain.

The benefits of warm water are powerful andcompletely natural. No drugs required!

Warm water aquatics can help improve painfrom arthritis not just for your dog, but for youas well. Arthritis causes swelling and inflamma-tion of the joints and any movement increasesjoint pain and inflammation. At certain times ofthe year, arthritis flares – in the cold weather,when it rains, different climates, different activi-ties, etc. Swimming in warm water allows thebody to experience warmth and pressure fromthe water all around your body, decreasing the

Splish Splash!Warm Water Canine Fitness at Rummy’s Beach Club

Splish Splash!By Lisa Goebel, Rummy’s Beach Club


swelling and inflammation.

In the olden days, you took your dog to the vetand if he had pain from arthritis or other chron-ic ailments, there were few options to improvethe quality of his life. Today, luckily, there aremany options that you can explore to help yourdog, like warm water dog swimming, acupunc-ture, laser therapy, canine massage, T-touch orcanine chiropractic.

At Rummy’s Beach Club, private and group ses-sions are available from 7am to 9pm, 7 days aweek, all year, even holidays! Visit our web siteat www.RummysBeachClub.com to learn more,or friend Lisa Goebel on Facebook and watchhundreds of videos of swimming dogs anddock jumping classes. You can always email medirectly [email protected] or give usa call at 713-446-3805.

Classes at Rummy’sRummy’s Beach Club is now offering classes inwater aerobics for people in addition to: DockJumping (the most popular class), LearningHow to Swim Dogs, Contraband DogEvaluations, Doggie Boot Camp, T-Touch,Canine Massage, Canine CPR, Holistic DogCare Classes and more.

Personal Visits with RummyRummy is a blind Siberian Husky rescued fromthe streets of Houston who won the 2007

Purina Rally to Rescue contest. Since winning,Rummy and his mom Lisa, visit children to helpthem understand how to love and care for ani-mals. Rummy gives kisses while Lisa presents aslide show of Rummy’s visit to Hollywood. Shethen discusses dog rescue, puppy mills, theimportance of spay & neuter, dog fighting andhow to get involved if someone is involved indog fighting or animal abuse.

Children see pictures of a starving, sick, blindRummy on the streets, while getting kisses fromthat very dog – a dog that society threw away. Itmakes an impact. It’s an effort to teach childrento choose not to get involved in dog fighting oranimal abuse. Rummy teaches them that animalshave thoughts, feelings, emotions and personal-ities. You can help us make an impact and allowRummy to visit your school, scout troop, homeassociation, library, church or organization.Presentations are 45 minutes long and there isno charge, though contributions are greatlyappreciated.


The Texas Humane Legislation Network

(THLN) is the mainstream legislative voice for

animals in the state of Texas. Established in

1975, THLN is a grassroots, non-profit organi-

zation that fights for the enactment and

enforcement of laws to protect animals from

neglect and abuse. The next Texas legislative

session begins January 2011 and lasts five

months. During the 2011 session, THLN will

be sponsoring two bills: A large scale commer-

cial dog and cat breeder bill to require regula-

tions for breeders with 11 or more breeding

females and a bill attempting to streamline the

appeals process for animals seized in cruelty

cases. In addition, THLN will be supporting a

bill which would give all counties in Texas the

right to ban roadside sales of dogs and cats.

Currently, there are no regulations for commer-

cial breeders in Texas. The large scale commer-

cial breeder regulation bill, sometimes referred

to as the puppy mill bill, is sponsored by

Representative Senfronia Thompson of

Houston. Regulated by the Texas Department

of Licensing and Regulation, it will establish

minimum standards for dog and cat care, require

a registration fee, license, and an initial and year-

ly inspection of the breeding facility. By being

proactive and requiring inspections before com-

plaints occur, this will hopefully prevent the suf-

fering of breeding animals before it is too late.

The purpose of the appellate procedure clarifi-

cation involving cases of seized cruelly treated

animals bill is to ensure adequate security for the

cost incurred by the government or non-profit

agency caring for the animals during the litiga-

tion process and expedite the appeal to reduce

the time the animals are held in limbo.

If anyone is interested in learning more about

THLN and the bills we are sponsoring, please

visit www.thln.org or join the Southeast Texas

Chapter on Facebook at

http://www.facebook.com/thlnsetx.

By Shanda Bailey,Texas Humane Legislation Network

Paw Laws

THLN Fights for Texas Animals

hether you’re bringing home a puppyor an adult dog, the experience isexciting! A fluffy bed, new collar,

shiny identification tag, bowls and all of the cutetoys you can find at the store are some of thesimple essentials your new dog will need. Butwhat about the transition process? Potty train-ing? Crate training? Chewing? Obedience?While there are many enjoyable aspects to bring-ing your new dog home, it does have its chal-lenges. The following steps will help with adjust-ing to the new environment, training and behav-ior, and apply to everything you teach your dog.Understanding what to expect and how to han-dle situations will cause less stress for you andyour new four-legged family member. Trainingshould be an enjoyable experience for both youand your dog. The more you understand abouthow your dog thinks and learns, the more effec-tively you can communicate. Clear communica-tion means successful training and good behav-ior—with no need for coercion or physical cor-rections.

Behavior that is rewarded is more likely to reoc-cur. In other words, dogs do what works forthem. If your dog was given praise and a treatthe last time he sat, he is more likely to sit againthe next time you ask. If he knows that jumpingup on you will earn your attention, he’ll keepjumping, as your attention (such as touchinghim with your hands) is a reward. This powerfulprinciple is a key component of reward-basedtraining.

Dogs learn by association. When training, it isimportant that the reward closely follow thedesired behavior. For example, when teachingyour dog to sit, the praise and treat should be


Training & Behavior

W

By: Chrissie DeCesare,Paw it Forward TrainingWelcoming Your New Dog or Puppy into the Family

given when his rear touches the floor, not afterhe’s stood up again. On the other side of thecoin, reprimanding your dog for something hemay have done hours, or even minutes ago (forexample, you come home to find a potty acci-dent) is pointless. Your dog won’t associate youryelling with what he’s done, and if it happensoften enough, he may begin to fear your arrivalhome, as you’re always angry for a reason hecannot understand.

Reward behaviors you want, rather than punish-ing behaviors you don’t want. Most of us are soaccustomed to noticing “mistakes” our dogsmake that it seems strange to notice and reward“good” behaviors. For example, your dog barks,so you yell at him to be quiet. Sure, a barkingdog is hard to ignore. What about when he’scalmly lying down? Most of us never considerrewarding calm behavior, so the dog only getsrewarded with our attention (even yelling isattention) when he is doing something we don’tlike. Naturally, he keeps doing those things! If,on the other hand, he gets attention for beingcalm, he will be calm more often. Make it apoint to catch and reward your dog for doingsomething right. If your dog is engaged in abehavior that cannot be ignored (such as chew-ing the table leg), interrupt with a sharp verbal,“Ah-ah!.” Lead him away from the area, ask himto sit, and give him a chew toy or other activityto keep him busy.

Extinction If a behavior is ignored, it will even-tually extinguish on its own. Imagine you aretrying to buy a soda from a vending machine.You insert your money, press the button, andwait. Nothing happens. You press the buttonmore forcefully, and try a few others as well.

Again, nothing. You jangle the change lever. Nosoda, no change. You might even become soangry that you shake or kick the machine. Allthat effort and still no soda! Grumbling to your-self, you give up and leave. In this example, thesoda-seeking behavior extinguished becausethere was no payoff, no reward. Kicking orshaking the machine is an example of an extinc-tion burst. What that means for your dog is thatif you ignore an unwanted behavior such asjumping or barking, before your dog gives up,the behavior may actually escalate. The impor-tant thing is to wait it out rather than giving in.It will eventually stop, and will stop even soonerthe next time around. Patience is a key elementhere!

Positive reinforcement is something the dogwants. Treats are not the only positive rewardavailable. Paw It Forward Training clients aretaught “Treat, Touch and Talk.” When your dogperforms a desired behavior, offer two out ofthe three positive reinforcement methods. Forexample, give the dog a treat and say, “Goodboy!” Another example is to give your dog agood ear rub and say, “Very good stay!” Thesky’s the limit. Consider which things your dogfinds rewarding, and use them. After all, do youplan on always having a treat handy?

Find an alternate behavior. When you want yourdog to stop doing something, give him some-thing else to do instead—that is, something thatis incompatible with the behavior you don’twant. For example, if your dog jumps up onyou, have him sit instead. After all, he can’t sitand jump at the same time. Paw It ForwardTraining clients are taught to have their dogs sitfor everything (treats, attention, food, openingdoors, etc.)! Does he chew on furniture? Givehim an appropriate chew toy instead because hecan’t chew on both items at once. Try this: Takea piece of paper, and draw a line vertically downthe center. On the left side, list all the thingsyour dog does that you’d like him to stop doing.On the right, next to each behavior, write down

an alternate behavior. Once you start thinkingabout things in this way, you’ll be surprised atthe creative solutions you come up with!

Raise criteria gradually. In small increments,build upon each success. Simply put, that meansdon’t expect too much too soon. Build smallsteps to get from Point A to Point B. Any timeyour dog does not perform an exercise correct-ly, ask yourself if you have raised the criteria tooquickly. Go back to the point at which your dogwas last successful, then build gradually. Raisingcriteria gradually eliminates the need for correc-tion by setting your dog up to succeed, anddiminishes your frustration.

If trained correctly, behavior is not contingenton food being present. Remember “Treat,Touch and Talk” mentioned above? If youphase treats out gradually and begin to substi-tute real-life rewards (like petting and verbalpraise), your dog will perform the desiredbehaviors even when you don’t have food avail-able. We use plenty of treats at first to teach andpractice new behaviors. Eventually, a scheduleof random (unpredictable) reinforcement, alongwith real-life rewards, will ensure that the goodbehavior continues.

Training should be fun! Keep training sessionsshort; three to five sessions of three to five min-utes a day is fine. Focus on one new behaviorper session. Keep an upbeat attitude when train-ing. Don’t train when you’re cranky! End eachtraining session on a successful note. Did yourdog just perform ten good sits, with the last onereally great? End the session there. As eachbehavior is learned, incorporate it into your dailyroutine as often as possible.


New dog or puppy in your family?

Mention this article to receive a 25%discount with Paw it Forward Training.

Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Proofof new dog required. Expires February 28, 2011.

Co-Pilot Protection PlanProtect your Pet’s Health with Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Your enrollment helps homeless pets!

GoHealthyPaws.com/UrbanPaws

s much as possible, I like to make my

purchases go the extra mile. I don't want to just

buy a great, quality product. I usually want that

product to help others too. That's become easi-

er with companies like TOMS Shoes, FEED

bags, One Laptop per Child, and many others.

But usually these products are targeted towards

people. What if you could buy something you

really needed today and make that purchase ben-

efit homeless animals too?

Recently, I learned about Healthy Paws Pet

Insurance & Foundation. This company was

started by people who wanted to make a differ-

ence for all pets and the people who care for

them. By providing an excellent pet insurance

plan, Healthy Paws helps people take the best

care of our pets. Their plan is simple and covers

everything that matters.

While keeping vet bills affordable, Healthy Paws

has also been busy partnering with and support-

ing local, nonprofit pet rescue and adoption

groups across the country. They help grow the

groups' adoption communities and, as a result,

more homeless pets find new homes. Over the

past year, Healthy Paws has been able to donate

over $250,000 in resources and staff time to

Pet Health Insurance

By: Jennifer KitchensMaking a Difference for All Pets

A

over 50 adoption groups. Healthy Paws is work-

ing to ease the strain on shelters, so 8 million

homeless pets don't keep ending up in shelters

every year.

This is why, at Urban Paws Magazine, we've

decided to work with Healthy Paws to spread

the word about their coverage and cause.

Together, we hope to share the value of protect-

ing you and your best friend from unexpected

veterinary bills, as well as help even more shelter

pets find their new home. To learn more about

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance & Foundation,

please visit www.gohealthypaws.com.

Gimme ShelterJoin us in helping our four-legged friends find loving homes. Adopt a dog today!


All Border Collie Rescue

www.allbordercollierescue.com

All Border Collie Rescue is a not for profit volunteer rescue organization dedicated to the rescue of bor-der collies. This passionate group of Border Collie lovers have had the good fortune of meeting andbefriending each other through past rescue work. Some of our volunteers are new to working with bor-der collies, while some possess over a decade of experience with border collies. We work extensively withmany other border collie and all breed rescues throughout Texas, La., and Ok.

Check out our web site to view more adoptable dogs. Volunteer or foster opportunities are available.

Brady is my name, and fun is my game! My

foster mom calls me “crazy”, because I am

always up to something. I have a LOT of

energy and am always up for a good run or

wrestle with my foster siblings. I like other

dogs and love people. I also love to chase

the ball, but I don't always remember to

bring it all the way back. I haven’t had a

chance for playing with kitties, yet. I am

house-broken and crate-trained, but I really

don’t prefer my crate, so my foster mom

throws a treat in to coax me to crate up. I

think my perfect family would take me

everywhere with them, know all about my

border collie breed, love a quirky boy, and

be ready to teach me patiently how to follow

their directions. I’m cute and I know it, so

be ready for a life full of laughs with me! I

am up-to-date on shots, micro-chipped and

neutered.

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.

Ourcover dogBrady!

My name is Spice and I am a 2-3year old, female Border Collie. Iwas found as a stray in WestHouston. I love to play fetch andwrestle with other dogs. I’m justan easy going gal that loves bellyrubs. I do have an alpha personal-ity, which means that if I am withother dogs, I have to be the boss!With that being said, I am particu-larly great with smaller dogs. Iknow how to use a doggy doorand I am crate trained. I am up-to-date on vaccinations, micro-chipped and spayed. I would loveto find a family to spend my lifewith.

My name is Kaylee, a two-year-oldgirl that was pulled from a shelter.I was very sick and underweight. Ilove to play ball and tug but canalso settle nicely with a bone or atoy to chew on. I get along wellwith other dogs, but probablywouldn’t do too well with cats,unless they want to play chase witha Border Collie! I love to cuddleand give kisses and would make agreat addition to any family withchildren over the age of eightyears old. I am up-to-date on vac-cinations, micro-chipped and100% healthy.

My name is Levi, a four-year-oldmale Border Collie. I'm veryfriendly and like people. I like chil-dren, especially when they throw aball for me. I like to chase the ballbut sometimes I like to keep itmyself and not give it back. Iwould do best with female dogsand would love to have a sister ofmy own. I have one really badhabit, I LOVE to chase cats. IfI'm on the leash I will lunge afterthem, which makes me unsafe fora home with cats. I’d love to find aforever home as I’ve been shuffledaround my whole life.

My name is Lizzy and I am aneighteen-month-old Border Colliethat was a bit too over-spirited formy owners and was surrenderedto the city shelter. I am a verysmart and have an amazing recall!If you are looking for a fly ball,agility, obedience, high energy girl,then I am the one for you. I amsuch a good girl with children,other dogs, and people. I love tocuddle on the bed when allowedand will go belly up for tummyrubs! An ideal home for me wouldhave a canine sibling and mostdefinitely a crew to play with regu-larly. I’m not so great with cats, soonly non-cat homes should apply.

My name is Copper, a three-year-old male Border Collie. I am anaffectionate dog who has hadsome bad luck in my short life. Iwas turned into rescue by my for-mer family who just didn't knowhow to give me the care and train-ing that I needed. The dog park isone of my favorite places! I loveto play with other dogs and meetnew people. I also get along wellwith cats. My behavior in thehouse is perfect, and I am cratetrained. I need loving owners whoare knowledgeable about dogs andwho will be consistent with train-ing and behavior management.

My name is Skittles and I am a 4-5year old Border Collie that wasturned into a shelter when Ithought chasing kitties was toomuch fun. I play with my fostersiblings, but I sometimes get a lit-tle too rough with the boys andthey don’t appreciate it. So, ahome with no dogs is preferredand definitely no cats. A laid backfamily would be ideal. Since I’mnot a puppy, I don’t require toomuch. A daily walk and a nice bigcrate and comfy bed would suf-fice. And some bones to chew onwould be a bonus!



The FAQ About Dog FluWhat is canine influenza virus (CIV)?Canine influenza virus H3N8 (CIV) causes arespiratory infection in dogs that is also knownas the dog flu. The virus is very contagious toother dogs. The most common symptoms are acough, runny nose, fever, lethargy and adecreased appetite. Most dogs experience mildsymptoms, but some dogs can develop pneu-monia and have a more serious case that canrequire hospitalization.

How is CIV spread?Canine influenza is very contagious and is easi-ly spread from dogs that are currently infectedto other dogs. A dog can spread the virus evenif no signs or symptoms are present. CIV canpass from dog to dog through virus particles inthe air (through coughing or sneezing) or bycoming into physical contact with other dogs(touching noses). It can also be contracted if adog touches or plays with objects that weretouched by an infected dog (for example, toys,food bowls, etc.). It is possible for humans tospread the virus by petting an infected dog, oreven by touching a doorknob that has beencontacted and then touch another dog beforewashing their hands.

To minimize the spread of canine influenza:• If you dog has signs of a respiratory infec-tion, keep them at home and contact yourveterinarian for an evaluation and appropri-ate care.• Routinely wash your dog’s bowls and toyswith warm soap and water.• Wash your hands with soap and water or analcohol based hand sanitizer. Be sure towash your clothes after being in contactwith a dog that has signs of a respiratoryinfection.

Can humans be affected by CIV?The U.S. Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) is closely monitoring the sit-uation and keeping track of all exposures. Todate, there has been no evidence that CIV can

infect humans, and there has not been areported case of a human being infected withCIV.

What are the symptoms of CIV?CIV is not easily distinguished from other res-piratory illnesses since the signs are similar toother respiratory infections. Dogs with CIVoften have a cough that may be dry or produc-tive (coughing up yellow phlegm). They mayalso appear tired, have a nasal discharge orhave a loss of appetite.

How can I prevent my dog from a CIV infec-tion?The most important way is to vaccinate yourdog, as viral diseases are best prevented byeffective vaccination. There is a new vaccine onthe market to help prevent the spread of CIVand minimize its impact. As with human flushots, the vaccine may not prevent CIV com-pletely, but will make it less likely. If a vaccinat-ed dog does contract the flu, the symptoms aregenerally a lost less severe.

What are the treatment options for CIV?Currently, as with all viruses, there are no drugsavailable to kill CIV. Therefore, the illness mustrun its course. Treatment options are focusedon providing supportive care and making surethat the dogs is hydrated, eating well and ascomfortable as possible. If a dog’s immunesystem is strong, it will help fight the virus onits own. Antibiotics are used if a secondarybacterial infection occurs.

What is the mortality rate if my dog gets CIV?The mortality rate for dogs infected with CIVis fairly low, about 5 to 8%. In addition, it’simportant to seek veterinary care upon the firstsigns of respiratory infection because earlytreatment can result in a better outcome.

For more information on canine influenzavirus, visit www.doginfluenza.com.

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